Chapter 8

Revelations

(One week later...)

Edward woke up early that day, hard as it was to do. Lee had been pushing him even harder than usual since he'd gotten back from his trip. Maybe he'd noticed Edward was slipping too before he left. Progress couldn't be slowed or halted no matter what. Every second of every day was significant. It was already late April, which meant that Mustang was nearing only seven more months to live. As good as Edward had gotten at healing minor lacerations and fractured bones, he was far from where he needed to be. He was still far from his ultimate goal.

To save his father's life.

Maybe getting up early and getting a sooner start to the day would make up for his lost time. But he also needed to talk with the doctor about something that was worrying him.

Edward walked into Lee's den, feeling his stomach lurch with each step he took closer. Alphonse wasn't here because he was out getting more supplies that they needed for their training. Even if Alphonse was here, he still felt that this was something that he needed to handle alone.

Lee was sitting at his desk, slicing open letters with a long silver letter opener. Edward was astounded but how much mail one man could get. Made sense, though, the man had a lot of patience and he'd been gone for roughly a week. Mail would tend to pile up for a man as important as him.

"Um...Lee?" Edward began meekly. "Is it okay if I ask you something?"

Lee looked up from his envelopes and looked thrown by Edward's timid demeanor. Usually the kid was feisty as all hell and was eager to get started with his training as early as possible. And he had heard all about the confrontation Edward had with Alphonse about his suicide, and the two seemed a lot better now.

So what was wrong?

"Of course." Lee answered, placing his letter and the opener back on the desk. "What's on your mind, son?"

Edward looked to the left, wringing his hands anxiously. "I hate to bring something like this up, I really do, but it's important."

"What's going on, Edward?" Lee asked.

Edward gulped and continued to fidget about. "Years ago...were you...um...involved in the Ishvalan war by any chance?" He asked, hating to even say the words. After his talk with Mustang last week, he had been left with a feeling of unease.

Mustang was hell-bent on he and Alphonse coming home. At first, Edward couldn't imagine why he would even suggest something like that. But as the days went on,and he thought more about it, the reason was slowly becoming more and more clear.

Hearing what the boy had said, Lee's eyes grew serious. "Why?' he asked simply.

Edward felt his throat tighten in fear. "Because...I think someone I know may have been involved with the attack on your village."

Edward hated this, and knew that Lee most likely did as well. But he had to ask, he had to know. Because if he was right in his suspicions, then it was better to get ahead of it now, then for it to come out at a critical moment. Besides, he owed Lee a lot, and the man that could have a chance to save his dad deserved to know the truth.

Lee stood, sliding something into his pocket that Edward couldn't see. "I didn't fight in that war, Edward. I was for too old for combat." He began walking closer to the boy. 'My son, however, he did fight."

That was the answer that Edward already knew but prayed wasn't true. "Did he...uh—make it home?"

Lee sighed heavily and adjusted his glasses. "No. My son was killed in battle by two soldiers from Central in Amestris."

Edward felt his eyes widen in horror and his breath leave him. It was then that he realized maybe the Fuhrer bastard was right. Maybe he and Alphonse did need to come home, because suddenly...

Edward didn't feel safe here anymore.

If Lee were to find out, hell, if he didn't already know, that he and Alphonse were from Central themselves, not only would he quit helping them, he could very well kill them both. Mustang obviously knew that he had a hand in killing Lee's son, that was why he freaked out so much. If Lee was aware that he was teaching medicinal alchemy to the son of the man that had killed his son, well...

Edward didn't want to think about it. That would mean everything he and Alphonse worked for at this point would mean nothing, and months they didn't really have to being with would be wasted. It would mean that time they could have spent with Mustang in his final days would have been thrown away and lost forever.

Edward's voice was trembling. "Do you, um, know who the soldiers were that k-killed him?"

Darkness spread across Lee's face and he looked Edward dead in the eyes. "I do." He answered. "Their names are Maes Hughes and Roy Mustang."

Suddenly, Edward couldn't breathe and let out a loud gasp. "I'm sorry to hear that." He said, the horror in his voice was palpable.

Lee still began to creep closer and closer to Ed. "By the way, Edward, you've never shared with me the name of the organization you boys work for back in Amestris. Who sent you here?"

Edward felt himself walking backwards, trying to put distance between them. "N-no one sent me. I came here on my own."

"And what's the name of your commanding officer?"

Breathless and trembling, Edward remained silent. Could he really fight this guy if it came down to it? Was Lee even a bad man if he did attack him? Lee was the type of man that Edward just knew had saved more lives than he'd taken. Would it really be right to take someone as heroic as him out? He was just mourning the loss of his son, after all.

Just as Mustang had done with Edward.

The gap between the two was fast closing. "It's Roy Mustang, isn't it?" Lee asked. "Don't bother trying to lie to me—it's insulting. Your superior killed my son."

Edward continued walking backwards slowly. "I didn't know." He said, still trying to stave off his fear. "I only found out a few days ago."

Lee laughed so deeply that it was just eerie. "So, all this time I've been helping the son of the man that took mine from me. You can't make this sort of shit up."

Edward felt his back collide with the wall and he saw Lee pull something from his pocket—the letter opener. The glint it made in the light made it look even sharper than it already was. "What're you gonna do?" he asked, his voice cowering.

Lee just peered down at the seemingly innocent tool in his hand. "You refer to him as your 'dad', right?" He asked. "If I were to kill you right here and now, my son could finally be avenged."

"Don't...please." Edward whimpered, staring down at the opener as if it were a hungry animal about to tear him apart.

Lee pulled his arm back for a second, appearing to be putting it back in his pocket.

Before jamming it into Edward's stomach.

Edward cried out and began to slide down the wall. Putting his hand over the wound to slow the bleeding made it hurt even worse. The blood was pouring out of him far too quickly.

Lee turned away from Edward. "Killing you...or even Mustang for that matter, wouldn't change anything. It wouldn't bring Zackary back to me." He explained. "Revenge is just an illusion. It eases the pain for a short while, but not long after, you begin to feel hollow—empty."

Covered in blood and groaning, Edward fought to speak. "Then...uh...why did you...?" he trailed off.

Lee turned abruptly and knelt down to Edward, yanking the blade from his body, causing Edward to let out an agonized scream. "My son is dead, Edward. He isn't coming back. Besides, I'm no murderer, especially to children. And from all you've told me, it sounds like the three of you have been though enough torment." Lee tossed the blood-soaked letter opener off to the side. "Heal it." He told him, looking down at the kid's bleeding gut.

Edward had no idea what was happening. "What?"

"Heal it or you'll die, Edward, and that would make me a murderer. Think of how your father and Alphonse would feel if you died." Lee warned him.

The dizziness from all the blood loss was overtaking Edward fast. "I can't..." He groaned, "You have to...do it for me."

Lee shook his head in denial. "I can't use medicinal alchemy like you, son. Besides, I don't believe in it. You have to do this for yourself. Think of how far you've come in all this time. Just focus and concentrate as hard as you can." He said, now placing a sturdy hand on Edward's shoulder, who was still hedging. "Heal your wound now or you'll die, Edward!"

Edward closed his eyes and fought to find his focus. Summoning all of the power and alchemy he had learned in all this time. Ed thought about all the people that were counting on him, and needed him to survive. All the people he'd be leaving behind if her were to die today. Mustang using human transmutation to revive him would all have been for nothing. All of this suffering would have been for nothing! His father would be dying for nothing! He had to save his dad! He had to get his little brother's body back! He had to live no matter what! He had to LIVE!

Letting out a roar of effort, he clapped his bloodied hands together as hard as he could, slapping them down on the wound on his stomach.

Harsh green light filled the room and was at it's peak over Edward's gash. The wound closed beautifully, and the pain had vanished.

Edward fell back hard against the wall, labored panting escaping his lungs. Never in his life had Edward felt more drained. But it was over, the wound had been healed. And it wasn't just a patch job either, it was as if the injury never happened in the first place.

Lee smiled from ear to ear, patting Ed on the back. "Excellent job, Edward!" He cheered, looking at the healed spot in awe. "See? I knew you could do it!"

Edward lifted a finger and pointed it at the doctor, chest still heaving for breath. "Never—ever do that again."

"I know." Lee told him. "I'm sorry. But you have to learn to keep centered and focus even when you're in dangerous situations, that's the only way you'll be able to progress. Think about it, you can learn to heal your dad, but you can also learn to use that alchemy to heal other injuries too."

Lee extended his hand to help Edward stand. "I was never going to let you die here, Edward."

With tired eyes, Lee looked at the doctor. "You mean...none of that was revenge at all?" He asked, hesitantly letting Lee help him stand.

A saddened look just fell across Lee's face. "I can't change what happened to my son all those years ago, and taking someone else's son from them, wouldn't make me any better." He told him. "Like I said, I'm not a killer, Edward and I never intend on being one."

Edward couldn't help but feel a little touched. "Mustang isn't a monster, Lee. I promise you that." He said. "I wouldn't serve under someone if they were just a merciless killer, and believe me, he's suffered. More than anyone I've even known."

Lee nodded at the boy. "And that's why I still intend on helping you. Everyone these days seems to have far more pain and suffering than they should. I tend to focus on the future, not the past."

With little effort, Lee was able to help Edward back onto his feet again.

"Yeah..." Edward with a weak chuckle. "But you pull something like that again and I'll knock you on your ass, old man."

Lee laughed in response. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, son. Now let's get some food in you. You're going to need strength for our next lesson."

"N-next?" Edward gulped nervously. Food was sounding better and better with each passing moment because suddenly he was starving. "I want pancakes." He pouted with a whine.

Lee chuckled. "Very well, then." Then the two made for the kitchen to get some food in their bellies.

Man, those pancakes were delicious.

XXXX

Roy wasn't sure where he was exactly. All that engulfed him was pure darkness. Was he dead? Was his year up already? Was it Truth?

Roy just didn't know anything anymore.

All he heard was through otherwise silence was rhythmic beeping. His body felt as it were made of lead and the pain in his body was as if he'd been hit by a car. The next thing he realized was he was laying down on a soft yet somewhat still surface. A bed perhaps?

Roy could feel something shoved in both of his nostrils and it was very uncomfortable. His first thought was to pull them out, but he soon became aware that it was helping him breathe a little easier, so he left them. He could feel his bare chest exposed due to the cool air hitting him. Wires were scattered about on his pecs. Was that was the beeping was? Wait, that was it, he was in the hospital.

But why?

Opening his eyes to slits seemed like a far harder feat then it should have been. Before he could open them briefly, he caught a glimpse of blonde hair.

Riza?

Once Roy was finally able to keep his eyes open, he saw that he was wrong. It wasn't Riza who was there at all, it was General Armstrong. Looking down at him from her chair with her arms folded, she looked as she often did—unamused and annoyed.

As he went to speak to her, he found his voice wasn't working. His throat was so unbelievably dry. All he could manage was to cough. Armstrong stood and grabbed a glass of water from the table next to her and approached Roy. She offered him a drink and twirled the straw to his direction.

Roy just shot her a look, insulted.

"Just drink the damn water, Roy." Armstrong scolded him. "No one is going to see you." She said, she wasn't in the mood for his pride bullshit.

Roy just glared at her a little longer. As much as he wanted to take that glass of water to rehydrate himself, moving his arms seemed to be too much for him at the moment. But he had questions that he had to have answered, so he sipped from the glass, although reluctantly.

The water wasn't cold at all, it was room temperature, but the moisture still felt soothing to his throat and mouth.

"Where...are...?" Roy asked slowly, as he finished his drink. His was was gravelly and hoarse.

Armstrong decided to let him save his strength, so she answered the question before he was even done asking it. "Havoc and Hawkeye are fine." She assured him. "Havoc was rattled by the shock, but all he has are small burns and a case of acute dehydration. He'll be back to his womanizing self before too long."

"And Hawkeye?"

Armstrong sat back down in her seat next to Roy. "More or less the same as Havoc. This Spark alchemist must have been feeling generous because the worst thing for her is her hand." She explained. "She'll need physical therapy for it to get full mobility for it back, but other than that, she's up and walking around fine."

Roy let out a heavy sigh of relief. Thank God his team was okay. Roy had no idea why they Spark Alchemist didn't kill all three of them like he had the others, but they were all alive and would make full recoveries.

Riza and Havoc would anyways.

"Where is she?" Roy asked next. If she was fine, then where was she now?

"Relax." Armstrong insisted. "The woman hasn't left your side since you've been here. I ordered her home to get some sleep. She was starting to look like walking zombie. Not that it didn't take a ton of coercing. When it comes to you, she especially stubborn. She'll be back in a couple hours."

Roy felt himself release a little in ease. Everyone was okay. That was all that mattered.

"How long was I out?" He asked next, fearing to hear the answer.

"A week and a half." She said bluntly.

Roy brought his hands to his head. "Jesus, that's not good."

Armstrong just shook her head at him. "No, it isn't." She agreed, pausing before speaking again. "You went into cardiac arrest three times, Roy." The tone of her voice almost sounded...worried. "The doctors didn't think they were going to be able to bring you back."

Roy still didn't bring his hands from his face. "Shit." He said in a whisper. "Do you the boys know?"

Armstrong shook her head. "No."

"Keep it that way." Roy told her. "I take it that people know of my...'affliction' now?"

"No. No one else knows that didn't already know." Armstrong replied. "I took care of it."

Roy put his arms down and looked at her. "Thank you."

"Mustang..." She began, her tone sounding serious. "Do you still intend on keeping things up as Fuhrer after what happened almost two weeks ago?"

Roy looked at her, almost offended. "What?" He expressed, clearly taken aback. "Of course I do. You of all people should know that something like this won't be enough to deter me."

"'Something like this'?" Armstrong repeated. "You died three time, Roy." She reminded him.

"But look at that, I'm still alive." The tone in his voice was smart, arrogant.

"You're dying, Roy."

"You think I don't know that!?" He yelled back at her.

"You sure as hell don't act like it." She retorted. "You keep taking all of thee risks when you need to me-"

"What?" Roy interrupted. "Bed ridden? An invalid?"

Armstrong just pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "What's wrong with that when your life is at risk?"

"Would you just lay down and wait to die if you were me, General?"

Armstrong fell silent. She knew in her heart that Mustang was right. If their roles were reversed, there was no force on earth that would get her to become feeble and just fade away. No affliction of hers would deter her from her end goals.

"Roy, if you continue on this path, all you're going to do is just end up dying before your year is up." She said. Her voice conveyed that she was being sincere, and despite whether she thought he was right or not, she understood where he was coming from.

"So be it then." Roy replied coldly. "As long as I'm living, I'm going to try and change this nation. Dying or not, it won't stop me from making it a reality."

Armstrong knew she was going to have to play hardball now. Getting through to him by these means wasn't working. "Do you remember how you felt when Hughes died?"

Roy felt a flicker of white hit rage spread in his chest. "Don't." He said firmly. Respect wasn't something he was going to continue with if she was going to go there. Maes' murder was a box he wanted to keep locked up tight.

"Imagine it one hundred times worse for those Elric boys." She warned him. "Fullmetal is out there doing everything in his power to try and save you. That boy hasn't given up—though it seems you clearly have."

Roy closed his eyes to try and not focus on this, seeing his best friend dead was something he was never going to get over. "Maes' death was avoidable. Mine isn't. I haven't given up. I'm just being realistic.

"Call it what you want, but you have given up on yourself. You keep making rash decisions and not considering how it's hurting the people that love you, the ones that can't bear to lose you."

"What do you know about loss, General?" Roy said, not caring in that moment if he was being cruel or not.

To that, Armstrong just rose from her chair and walked up to Roy's bed and slapped him hard across the face. "I know a lot more than you fucking think." She said with a voice that was fending off rage. "Enough with this childish bullshit."

Roy never heard Armstrong curse before,it was strange to hear it. He took it to mean she meant business. Armstrong usually acted so professional, albeit a little hard on people from time time.

Roy rubbed his cheek where he was slapped, he knew better than anyone he had something like that coming. "I apologize, General. I was out of line."

Armstrong looked downward, her hair obscuring her face. Never had Roy seen the woman look so sad and defeated. "I lost my daughter, Roy."

Roy felt his eyes widened, feeling even worse about his prior comments. "Your...daughter?" He asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Armstrong answered. "It was over fifteen years ago, but there hasn't been a day since that I haven't thought about her."

Roy assumed he knew the answer to his next question, but he asked it regardless. "Bradley's?"

The General nodded. "Only biologically." She said. "In my eyes, she never had a father in the first place." Sadness was fast filling her face.

"General..." Roy said gently, "you don't have to..."

"No," She stopped him. "it's time for me to tell someone." She told him. Her words started slowly. "Over a decade ago, Bradley and I were on and off in a relationship. It seemed them more I fell for him, the harder he would hit me. But I was blinded by my ignorance and love for him. I let that bastard make me believe that it was my fault."

Armstrong took a deep breath before she went on. "It wasn't until a couple years in and I found out that I was pregnant that I finally woke up. I was terrified, because I knew there was no chance my child wasn't Bradley's. He was the only man I had been with at that point. After I told him that I was having his child, I thought the beatings would stop, but they didn't, in fact it made them worse. If his wife and Central found out that he had gotten some random woman pregnant, it would be the end of his credibility, the end of his so called honor. Every day he would tell me to 'get rid of her'. But there was no way I was going to do that, and Bradley knew it. So, he just kept beating me until I inevitably miscarried.:

Roy had his eyes narrowed as he listened, he had no idea that the General had endured so much. Armstrong was cold-hearted because she was just that kind of person, or thought she was better than anyone, it was because she had experience true pain. Roy couldn't fathom the death of either of his boys, but Armstrong was already living it.

"My daughter was the only bright spot in my life at the time, so when she...went away...I'd never felt more alone. I couldn't tell anyone. Not my parents, or even my brother. Central was a dream Alex and I shared, if I told anyone what happened, neither of us would be here right now."

"You mean...you endured all of that...on you own?" Roy asked, amazed by the strength of the woman in front of him. He already knew she was strong physically, but she was unreal at her emotional strength.

Armstrong finally dropped her icy facade, looking softly to Roy. "To this day, the only one that knows about this, besides Bradley and myself, is you."

Roy regarded her sadly. "What made you want to tell me of all people?"

Armstrong's eyes grew glassy, but not once did an actual tear fall. "Because of what you did for Fullmetal." She said. "You put your kid's life before your own, any real parent would do that. If I was in your place, I would have done the same thing. I don't blame you for doing what you did, but I don't want you to give up before it's over. I want you to live and experience what it's like being a parent—for the both of us. Take the chance I never had."

Roy just gave her a warm nod. "Thank you, General. I mean it."

"The death that you gave Bradley was the one he deserved. Being burnt to nothing. Too many people have been hurt by him, no matter how well he hid it. Even if he were alive, he couldn't be redeemed. Now, I can finally have some closure for Belle."

Saying her daughter's name, made a tear fall down her face, but she wiped it away quickly. No one had ever seen her cry before, and she wanted to keep it that way. Roy was stunned that more tears didn't fall, she had been carrying all of this alone for so many years. He wouldn't blame her if she had broken long ago. Life had screwed her over, but she still stood back up and she was now stronger for it. But how she managed to deal with all of this, he had no idea. When Fullmetal died in his arms, it was like a piece of him died with him. Surely, Armstrong felt the same way.

"Belle." He said aloud. "That's a lovely name."

"Thank you." The General said, composing herself. "There. We're even now. Now you know for certain I won't tell anyone any of your secrets. They're safe with me. I'll take them to my grave."

"Right back at you." he told her. He didn't need the reassurance anymore, he knew without a doubt he could trust her, as she could trust him.

Armstrong got up to leave, but before she did, she turned back to Roy. "It isn't over until it's over, Mustang. Just remember that."

Roy felt a touched smile on his lips. "Right."

Armstrong was right, he still had a few more months left. He may not know what the future held for him and his boys, but he knew, without a doubt, he'd go down swinging.

If he went down at all.