Hey guys I'm back! So sorry about the confusion in the last two chapters. I really appreciate the criticism you guys gave me but you guys didn't mention the part that was confusing you so I couldn't really fix it. Next time, please be specific so I can right my wrongs and you guys can enjoy the story:)

Since some still find the story unclear, here's a quick recap:

Chapter 1

1. After the movie, Mustang's demoted and reassigned to some frozen place far away right?

2. So in this story, he comes back and gets reinstated at Brigadier General.

3. For her personal reasons, Hawkeye doesn't want to see him so she comes to work late. 4. When she finally does come, she acts like nothing happened and they have lunch.

5. During lunch, some military flirt tries to ask Roy out and Riza gets all defensive.

6. After lunch Riza and Roy have a quarrel and where Riza finally throws at Roy all the hurt and suppressed feelings she's had since he left. (in front of the rest of their unit)

7. Basically she thinks he's a coward who ran away from the shame he would have endured from killing Bradley.

8. An awkward silence follows their fight and then a High Ranked military official enters and tells them they have a mission.

Chapter 2

1. They're on a train headed to a town in the desert where a rebellion has apparently erupted.

2. Roy's looking out of the window at the sand and being emo about what Riza told him.

3. They arrive at the town and Riza spots two children playing near a broken fountain and watches them as her thoughts wander.

4. Armstrong taps her shoulder and he starts small talk with her. He commends her on her little spat with Roy they start to talk about Ishbal, Lior and the Humuculi.

5. The two scouts they sent come back screaming that the down is full of dead bodies and that they found no signs of life.

6. Remembering the two children she was watching earlier, Riza looks at them again to find that and injured old woman has come up to them.

7. She yells out that she's found survivors and the children and the woman are medically assisted.

8. Later, Riza is attending to the woman and children in a tent when Roy and Armstrong enter.

9. They try to ask the old woman questions but she refuses to speak to them though they're sure she's not a mute.

10. Realizing it's useless, the soldier begin to discuss what the military will do about the current situation.

11. When the old lady hears them referring to a rebellion in the city she suddenly speaks up and denies there was ever a rebellion in that city.

12. Later that night, Hawkeye is strolling through the camp when a lower ranked soldier comes up to her and tells her that Mustang sent for her.

13. She heads for his tent.

There you go a brief summary of the last two chapters. Now for the rest of the story….

"It was nothing sir. I wish you to think nothing of it please, sir." She said crisply, swallowing her pride and sucking in her gut in a stiff salute.

"I don't believe it was nothing Lieutenant." He said smoothly, almost casually. He had his fingers, wrapped in those clean white gloves, cris-crossed professionally on his lap as he sat up on the mat that was his bed. "You seemed quite passionate when you said them and if I know you, Hawkeye, when you're passionate about something, you mean it."

"Sir..." Her voice began to break. "I value my duties whole-heartedly, sir."

"I know but isn't it your duty to tell your superior the truth?" He scoffed at her.

He was mocking her and she hated feeling so defenseless but she was in no position to be cocky right now. She was on his turf and this was work. She just had to take it, take it all gracefully.

"It was simply a moment of mixed fatigue and frustration, sir." She just said.

"Are you that troubled by me Lieutenant, that you must throw all your life's frustration upon me?"

"I…" Her voice quivered and her knees felt weak. She was really not ready for a spat right now. She still felt somehow weakened by the events of the day, the old woman and what she said…it was just too much for a day. Riza Hawkeye felt vulnerable, she felt weak and powerless.

What happened to the shy, awkward man that was with Armstrong when they came to her and the survivors in the tent this afternoon? He seemed so…humble only a few hours ago and now he was back to his cocky, arrogant ways. She unfortunately, hadn't bounced back yet.

"Riza…" He said in the most unusual tone that she could not even describe. "I apologize for leaving so abruptly. I simply wished to die in the grave I dug for myself and I did not wish to bring you with me. That is why I did not inform you of my transfer."

"…Until you had already gone…" She whispered to herself, finishing his sentence.

"What was that?" His voice returned to its normal pitch.

"Nothing, sir. You need not explain."

Then the most curious thing happened. Even stranger was that it lasted for quite a while, long enough for her to verify that it really was happening. The General smiled at her, a friendly, innocently thankful smile.

"Lieutenant, let us both take the lookout post tonight. I believe we've slept enough on the train this morning. Maybe we can stay up tonight and catch up on the years we've missed." Mustang offered. "Do you accept?"

"Yes sir."

Later…

Riza's POV

Why on earth did I accept? I'm tired as hell. I can barely keep my eyes open! Why did I say yes???

Now I'm stuck at some remote cliff in the blistering cold waiting for him.

Ugh.

Man, am I stupid.

It's so cold.

Where is he? I bet he fell asleep himself.

Ugh.

Man, am I stupid.

That tone he used when he asked me… I've never heard him use it before. And that smile…it's so different from the one he always makes.

And I could have sworn…no. It couldn't have been.

If I didn't know better I'd think he just asked me out.

…and I accepted.

Ugh.

Man, am I stupid.

Normal POV

Riza's knees were too her chin and her arms wrapped around them. She sat facing the camp and the city on a tall sand dune half a mile away. Frustratingly, she was alone.

Soon enough though, a new figure crept up quietly behind her and, seeing her shivering body, draped a thick dark brown coat over her shoulders.

He sat beside her with one of his knees up and an arm rested picturesquely on it.

"Sorry I'm late." He said without looking at her, instead fixing his gaze on the resting camp.

She nodded in acknowledgment, pulling the coat tighter around herself.

"How have you been these past few years then?" He started small talk first.

"Nothing much has changed. I'm still in the same rank, as you can see." She said equally plainly.

"Hmm. I had expected you to have climbed military ladders by now." He teased.

"Why? What am I supposed to work for? Becoming part of parliament? No not for me…"

"I think this nation would be pretty well off having you run it."

"I thought that was your dream, sir."

There was an awkward silence in the realization of their failed dreams.

His: running a rightful country.

Hers: helping him get there.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Hawkeye?"

"There's been a rumor I've been meaning to ask you to verify."

"And what piece of gossip is that?"

"A few months ago…" she hesitated. "Before you reinstatement, there was an attack on Lior and Central City and… in the city below it."

"Yes. I recall. That was when I returned to Central but that's no rumor, Riza."

"Yes sir but… Alphonse Elric… was never seen after that day and… there was a rumor from Lt. Ross and Ms. Rockbell that Edward Elric was seen that day. Is it true? Did he really return?"

Mustang wrinkled his eyebrows at the question. He remembered that day very clearly, as if it were yesterday. After a long pause, he chuckled.

"That's pretty out of this world don't you think lieutenant? Edward Elric is dead."

"You never really believed that, did you sir? After all, it wasn't really clear how he died."

"Didn't you have the pleasure of seeing young Alphonse in the flesh? Wasn't that a good enough reason why Edward had to die?"

"Yes, but… why would that Winry girl lie? What really happened down there, Roy?"

At the sound of his first name, he turned to her and she stared straight into his deep, penetrating gaze.

"They're an amazing pair, those boys. I'm glad for them they're reunited."

"Where? They are together where?"

"Beyond the gate, Hawkeye. Where they belong."

She hung her head. 'Beyond the gate' was a place she could not perceive and as far as she could tell, the boys this country owe so much too are long gone.

She took a deep breathe and began to play with the flame in the torch in front of her.

"So it was only a rumor after all." She whispered but loud enough for the General to hear.

"That was a terrible day, if you only saw it. It was a nightmare and I'm sure Edward Elric would have been horrified if he had seen it." He seemed to reply.

"I just thought…that if what that woman said was true then having those boys around would be very useful indeed. And if Edward had been seen then there was a chance, even a slim one, that we could get them back."

"Yes, it would be convenient if they were around, wouldn't it?"

They both looked down at the dark city below them. It was so different from Central or East cit. There, even in the dead of night there were still a few lights that shone and some people in pubs and night shifts. Even then, the city was alive. This place was not only a slum, it was lifeless and sad.

As they surveyed the place they couldn't help but feel a pang of homesickness and fear because they could tell that they wouldn't be coming back in a while.

Suddenly, Hawkeye felt his hand brush her hair behind her ear. She found him looking at her in that same strange expression he was wearing earlier that night.

"What is it, sir?"

"There's going to be another war."

She nodded.

"and you will fight by my side as always?"

"like always, sir." She said, puzzled.

"That's all the courage I need. I won't be a coward anymore. I promise."

And she smiled and understood.

Much Earlier

"Humuculi? Here? Now? Again? But how?"

"After all the notices we put up… after all that's happened…who'd be stupid enough to…"

"I don't think this was put of any carelessness, major."

"Lady Dante is dead… for sure. There's nobody left to…"

"Like you said Hawkeye: Humans don't need anyone to force them into evil."

I hope I did better this time. Please review!