Co-written by Yumeko and Shizuko.

In this chapter: Yume - Roy ; Shiz - Al, Riza

A/N:

::Yume: Chapter One, as promised...not in a day, but six hours. DD Now see here people, this fic follows the Pride ending. If you don't know what that is, why the heck are you even reading? But I digress. Pride ending it may be, but this fic is sort of AU. As in, Roy and Al are still alive, while everything else in the ending remains unchanged. I know, how is that 'sort of' AU? Well, a twisteh at the end makes it explainable in the canon context, so there we go.

::Shiz:: Ah, my first real fanfic. I remember doing this scene quite well. Riza Hawkeye was a hard character for me to get down, but I feel that I satisfied her role to the best of my ability. I suppose this chapter is just a preliminary to what happens next.

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CHAPTER ONE

"Breaking the news"

To look at General Roy Mustang, one would not think that the military had just recovered from a near-crisis and was still in the process of pulling itself together.

The dark-haired man sat looking meditatively out the window, chair swivelled around so his back was to his desk and chin resting on his hand. His features, as always, were inscrutable, showing only calm composure. They betrayed none of the turmoil raging within him.

The months following the near-destruction of the central headquarters and the disappearance of the Fuhrer, had not been easy for him. His close involvement in the whole affair, the way he had been present at the site of the explosion but had mysteriously survived unharmed, his lack of any rational explanation for said survival…they were all much too suspicious. Several times, he had come close to being implicated. Now however, it seemed like things were finally calming down.

And just then, this had to happen.

Heaving a sigh, the General swung his chair around to gaze at the manilla folder lying on his desk. An official dispatch, as was indicated by the silver tab. He had read the contents so many times by now, he wouldn't be surprised if he knew them by heart. Yet, they still refused to register.

Edward Elric, rank Colonel. Title, 'Fullmetal'. Declared officially missing in action. State funeral to be held following week, on the 3rd of October.

With another sigh, Roy dropped his head into his hands, closing his eyes in dreaded anticipation of the task lying ahead of him. He would have to break the news to Alphonse.

·.·.••..••.·.·

Alphonse Elric lay on his bed, unmoving and staring out at the window. The room had almost no light shining in, and so the interior was massively dark. His cheeks were bright pink, but there were no more tears he could shed. He had done all he could to keep himself going after what happened all those months ago... The pain was still fresh, and his heart was broken into fragments. He could hardly even remember the last day he actually smiled.

Al was terribly depressed, and there seemed no hope for any recovery. His brother was everything, and now that Ed was gone, how could he try to go on? Edward had sacrificed so much for him, how could he repay him at all now? There wasn't even a body for Al to attempt to transmute, which was the first idea that ran through Alphonse's head. No remains meant no hope. If he could only go off to search for his brother, perhaps there was hope after all that he was still alive. Maybe it was all a dream back then...

His fist limply moved across the covers of the bed underneath him as he took a great deal of time in sitting up. Even if he had no will to live, he had made a promise to Roy Mustang. Al would do the necessities needed to live, and would not think about killing himself or stalking off to find who stole his brother away alone. It made him angry at the General, but he knew it wouldn't do any good in trying to fight back against him.

Alphonse was severely skinny, and his skin had turned pale while he remained inside the house. He never ventured outside into the happy, sunny world that seemed to not include Al in it anymore. He usually ate one meal a day, but only because the General came around every once in a while to make sure Al was keeping his promise.

Al looked towards the door and got up, walking slowly downstairs. It was another lonely day, another lonely time, another lonely existence for Alphonse Elric.

·.·.••..••.·.·

Riza Hawkeye silently walked down the hall, in full uniform and carrying a few folders in her arms. Her hair was put up in a perfect bun and she went down the hall, her steps echoing as each one was of purpose. She turned the corner and stopped at the double doors that were now familiar to her. General Roy Mustang, no longer Colonel but moved up in rank. She knocked sharply twice. "General?" she asked in her all-business tone before turning the doorknob slowly and opening it to reveal Mustang sitting at his desk. "Is this a bad time?"

Jerked out of his thoughts, Mustang hastily sat up and straightened his uniform, brushing off non-existent lint. His eyes flicked rapidly once over his desk, and he pushed the manilla file to one side, just as Hawkeye entered.

"Major," he acknowledged, inclining his head slightly. "What brings you here today?"

"Work, sir," Riza replied, saluting and crossing the distance of the room. "You look a bit off today, sir. Is there something wrong?" She continued to hold the folders in her hands, standing in front of the desk in a very straight, tall position. "Would you like to confine in me what is on your mind? If it's about Edward, sir..." Her demeanor changed slightly as she stood a little less straight, as if a sudden sadness came upon her silently.

Mustang glanced up rapidly, caught off guard. Then, a rueful smile twisted his lips as he sank back into his chair, releasing a sigh. "Yes. That would be it." How do you always know? He added mentally, marvelling silently.

Hawkeye continued to gaze expectantly at him, frank understanding in her eyes. He sighed once more, and lifting the file from his desk, extended it towards her. "Go on then. I shouldn't be showing this to you, but I expect you'll find out soon enough anyway." And I would rather be the one to break it to you. He swivelled his chair to the side as Hawkeye took the file, resting his elbow on the arm of his chair and propping his cheek on it, in a way that managed to hide his eyes. "It just arrived this morning." he added, his voice strangely muffled.

Hawkeye opened the file and read it, her eyes narrowing the further down she got. Once she was finished, she looked up. "Sir..." She replied, and there was an underlying grief beneath her sharp, clear voice. "How could they do this to Alphonse? He's in no condition to hear such news. He still thinks Edward is alive somewhere. Under whose authorization has this case been terminated and Edward declared officially dead?" She set the file down and walked over towards the back of the desk, near the General. When no reply issued forth, she set a hand on his shoulder. "Roy..." She started, dropping most of the formalities. "How are we going to tell Alphonse? He's already distressed enough, and with the bonus news of this-" she indicated the file with a nod from her head, "-it's going to be hard to keep him going."

Mustang kept his mask carefully in place, not allowing any of his emotions to reflect on his face. "It's been nine months, Major." he replied brusquely. "All possible efforts have been made to find him. And we have turned up nothing…not so much as a scrap of information, a single clue. Not even a body." He took a deep breath, and continued, ignoring the uncharacteristic hitch in his voice. "Any further attempts to continue the investigation, would be both foolish and futile. There is no use."

"Alphonse is hardly yet a teenager. You think he can take this news? For goodness sake's, General, you made him promise not to kill himself! Don't you care for him?" Hawkeye replied, raising her voice without shouting. She took her arm away from his shoulder. "Sir... It may be foolish and futile, but it's what keeps Alphonse going in this world." She glanced outside the window sadly. "I worry about that boy every day now. Nobody should have gone through that much... Edward and Alphonse should not have had to deal with such challenges and obstacles."

Hawkeye put the folders down on his desk, on the very edge where they would be looked on last. "Sir... When do you plan on telling this to him?"

There it was. Mustang felt his shoulders sag, as Hawkeye voiced the very thing he had been dreading. "I…I don't know."

He had to let Alphonse know in person. The boy deserved that much, there was no doubt about it. But…how could he bear to do this to him? To be the bearer of the news that he had lost the last and dearest member of his family, to crush his hopes forever, to watch as his words destroyed him…every fiber of his being revolted at the idea.

Fullmetal…Elric…Edward. Dead, gone, gone forever. It didn't make sense. It was impossible to grasp, impossible to accept.

He lowered his face into his hands, clutching at his hair, the last vestiges of his determined mask melting from him. "Hawkeye…Riza. What should I do?"

Riza knelt down next to him, putting her hand against one of Roy's own. "The only thing we can do. We have to tell him. There is nothing else we can do, Roy." She used her other hand to lift Mustang's face from his hands. "You care just as much as I do for Alphonse. If things get more serious from this news, I can volunteer to stay at the house and watch over him. They were wonderful boys. Let's make sure the last one is happy and looked after." Hawkeye stood up, her hand pulling Mustang's hand up as well.

"I guess we shouldn't drag this out any longer. We have to tell Alphonse the news."

She was right, of course. Just as she always was. Mustang allowed himself a brief, wry smile, before he gathered his composure and stood, straightening himself. He turned to face her, looking straight into her eyes.

There was no point prolonging the inevitable. No point delaying what had to be done. Edward was gone…and they just had to accept that. More than that…they had to be strong. For Alphonse.

He smiled sadly. "Then, shall we get going, Major?"

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A/N:

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