Author's Note: Sorry for the dealy. I got wraped up in other projects (like getting my work done!). So, without further delay...

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Telling Her Good Bye: Chapter 3

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The only sounds to be heard were the sounds of coat hangers moving and drawers opening. Quietly Riza Hawkeye helped her superior officer, Roy Mustang pack up his few belongings. The bulk of it was made up of military uniforms and books. What was left were a few sets of personal clothes, a few personal items, some pictures, and the bare necessities of kitchen ware.

It didn't take too long to pack everything up. Riza placed the last book from the shelf into a box. Closing it up, she double checked to make sure she hadn't missed one. Satisfied that there was nothing more she could do she decided she would go back to her place and start dinner.

"I think that about does it." She broke the long silence. "I'm going to go back to my place and get dinner started." She waited for him to acknowledge her. "By the way, where are you staying tonight?" She once again waited for an answer. Roy remained quiet as he moved some things around in a box.

She suppressed a little sigh and continued. "You are welcome to stay with me and Black Hayate tonight. He really misses seeing you and I'm sure he wants to say goodbye."

Roy turned from his box and finally replied. "Thank you. I will be over shortly."

Riza nodded her head in approval and exited the apartment. She was still angry that after all this time Roy wouldn't let her fully into his heart. She only prayed that tonight was one she could always remember with fondness in her own heart. She didn't want to lose sight of all the good times they had recently shared.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Like a silent vow had been made, neither one of themspoke. In some ways it was driving Riza crazy, there was so much she wanted to say. But she was afraid to speak. She didn't want to interrupt dinner with partially shed tears. Silence was grand, or at least it allowed her to finish her dinner.

At the finish of the meal Riza cleared the table as Roy scratched Black Hayate behind the ears. Riza gave a sad smile as the dog soaked up the attention he would no longer receive from those same hands. Why did it have to be this way? Why couldn't he stay? She knew the answer, but it gave her no comfort.

"Shall we sit?" Riza having just finished the dishes motioned toward the sofa.

Roy just gave a nod and followed her away from the table. Now sitting on the sofa together, Riza decided it was time to face reality. "So… you really are going. It seems really hard to believe. I really wish you would have reconsidered." She couldn't hide the sad look on her face any longer.

Roy gave a slight smile as he spoke. "You know, your grandfather said the same thing to me."

"You saw my grandfather?" Riza looked a little surprised.

"The General was on the committee the day I was called in for my transfer request."

"I see." Riza was really feeling at a loss. She wondered how they had drifted so far apart over the last few months.

"Riza, I..." Roy stumbled to find his words, but they eluded him some how.

"Don't…" Riza's voice started out as a sharp command but then softened as she came to the end of the word. After a very slight pause she continued. "Please Roy, I want to remember the good times we have shared these past few months. Just hold me for now."

They sat like that for a while. Riza leaned into Roy's warm embrace and she allowed herself the pleasure of forgetting why they were there. The comfort enveloped them like a blanket on a cold day. Like their relationship had always been, they didn't really need any words.

And so it was. Without words Roy pulled Riza close to his body and cradled her in his arms. Moving off towards the bedroom where he gently laid her down. Still no words were spoken the rest of that night. Just the soft moans of pleasure from one side or another. That night would become the memory that would carry her through. A reminder of the love they sharedbut could never fully realize.

The next morning saw Roy crawling out of bed well before his usual time. Quietly he slipped through the darkness, trying not to wake Riza or a sleeping Black Hayate. Despite his best efforts there was no way Riza was going to let him sneak away.

She watched him silently move towards the door where she quickly met him. The couple now stood face to face in a silent farewell. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her into a close embrace. As he pulled away he tenderly placed his lips upon hers for a farewell kiss.

Riza couldn't control the moisture in her eyes any longer. The welled up tears overflowed and ran down her flushed cheeks.

At that moment Roy Mustang hated himself more than he ever had. This was the second time he made her cry. This first time was something he had no choice over, but it still made him curse himself. This time, he had every chance to spare her these tears and he chose not to. Ultimately he felt this was for the best. There was more to life than himself and the military.

For a time he thought that he could live a normal life. If that was the case, he wanted that life to be with her. He could almost see them as a family. Black Hayate playing with the children was once a nice daydream. But the dreams turned into nightmares as their military life started to drive an invisible wedge between them and visions of Ishbal plagued his memories. Unseen phantoms cursed him in his sleep and threatened to take away those he loved. He was filled with so much guilt and pain he now feared anything but a life of solitude.

So here he stood. Saying goodbye to his one true love. She had been by his side for so long he didn't know how he was going to get by without her. He would have to deal with it. His own sake, as well as her's.

"Goodbye." It was all he could do to speak. Almost a whisper in the solitude of morning. He broke off the embrace and opened the door.

"I'll always be here waiting for you." Riza's voice cracked as she controlled her sobs. His body stiffened as she spoke, like he had been stabbed in the back with a dull knife. The door closed without another word. But she knew he had heard her.

Riza sunk down to the floor, onto her knees. No longer able to control her tears they soaked into her face as they made their way down onto her legs. Hiding her drenched face in the palms of her hands she now wept as hard as she had wept the day she thought he had been killed by Archer. No, that wasn't true at all. She cried even more than that,for that time she realized he was still with her.This time there was no ray of hope to be found. She cried until the tears would no longer come. Black Hayate nuzzled against her and whined for his master's grief. That was all he could do for her.

That day Roy Mustang walked away from Central and began his journey of self-exile. Surely his demons would follow no matter where he went. But Roy felt this was something he had to do. In no way could this make up for all the lives that he had taken in the past. But the longest journey starts with one step.

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Author's Notes: So that's it for this arc of the story. I actually wrote most of this ahead of time and kept adding and tweaking before I posted each chapter. The next part is going to be a bit of a struggle, I haven't done anything for it. I have to admit I am a little lacking in inspiration right now. I think my struggle shows up a little in this chapter, I don't feel it's as good as the others. I just don't know what it's lacking.

Not sure when I will get the next part done. I'll try not make everyone wait, I know I hate waiting myself. In the meantime if you haven't read some of my other FMA Roy/Riza fics please check them out. Getting reviews is very inspiring, a lot of times they help me find what I am lacking. "His Weakness" is in my opinion my best writing so far. My first FMA fic, "Stay With Me" is pretty romantic and a little angsty.

The next part of "A Time to Heal" will cover the events we see in the movie, and hopefully move beyond it. Till then, happy reading!