Roy...wake up...someone needs you

Mustang's eyes opened with a jolt. Around him smelled of burned ozone, blood and charred flesh. He lifted his head up, trying to make out his surroundings.

A few feet away from him lay someone familiar... "Lt. Hawkeye--Riza--?!" His whispered question was cut off by a fit of coughing. No... Mustang dragged himself the short distance to Hawkeye's still form and looked her up and down.

There were small puncture wounds all over her chest.

The woman's eyes stirred, but did not open. "C'mon, soldier, open your eyes..." Mustang placed one hand on Riza's chest to stop the bleeding, using the other to steady his weak body. "...Don't die on me... that's an order, Lieutenant--" An incredible pain seized him and he doubled over.

As he did, he looked at his hand. The glove had been taken off and shredded... but that didn't mean... Mustang took out his knife. Shakily and painfully, he cut something into the back of his hand. "...ngh!!"

Finally finished and nearly faint from pain, Mustang looked back at Hawkeye; she was still unconscious and fading fast. "...this is going to hurt..." He put his hand on his wounds in his chest and concentrated. A searing pain erupted and the colonel almost passed out while the scent of charred flesh permeated the air. No--fight through it! Can't let any more of your subordinates die--especially her! He repeated the process with his stomach wound, actually losing consciousness this time.

Struggling back to consciousness was like walking on his hands through a bog in the dark, but it was done. Mustang looked again at Hawkeye; her breathing was getting shallower. Now or never, Roy... He straddled the badly injured lieutenant and placed his left hand over her right one, giving him some stability. With some concern for her modesty, Mustang removed what was left of her shirt, exposing her sports bra and a torso finely tuned through hard excercise. A weakened cough came from Riza and she opened her eyes barely. So strong... she would not have survived this if she were a regular person...

"Don't try to speak...you're badly hurt, Lieutenant...I'm going to try and save you, but..." Hawkeye was no longer listening; she had dropped back to semi-consciousness. Mustang finished anyways "...it's going to hurt more... I'm sorry..." He concentrated hard; the seared meat smell filled the room again. Hawkeye bucked and gasped beneath him; tears of pain rain down her face. Even semi-conscious, she knew it was important to try and stay quiet in case Lust was in hearing distance, but she would fail if the pain did not stop. Without a further thought, his hand still on Riza's chest, he leaned forward and planted his mouth over hers. Hawkeye's eyes barely opened and the scream that was held back was silent. Her once pain-rigid body went limp, but her hand gripped Mustang's with a fierce intensity.

Before Mustang finished the kiss, he felt Hawkeye go further into unconsciousness. He looked at his right hand; his goal was accomplished. He looked back at her face; she looked as if she were at peace, just sleeping instead of possibly fatally injured, then completed cauterizing the rest of her wounds.

"I shouldn't have brought you with me..." Mustang coughed, bringing up blood. He removed his military issue jacket and covered Hawkeye from shoulder to ankle with it. "Don't die on me, Lieutenant... I'll come back for you, I swear..."