Yes, yes, yes, another chapter! Lo and behold, we're getting VERY close to the end! Mwahaha! X3 Well, enjoy! And something that I never clarified before…we are in MODERN-LIKE TIMES!! Ahem…thank you.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I own Kararu Rinamino, Patience, Revenge, Anger, Depression, Mischief and Violence, and Silvermoon15 owns Shikou Stone, I'm just borrowing.

All's Fair in Love and War

Chapter 10

xxTwo Months Laterxx

Maes ran into Roy's office, gasping for air.

"Maes, what is this about?" Roy asked, exasperated, as he had a lot of work to do.

Maes just shook his head and walked over, turning on the television against the wall. He changed the channel and turned it up, stepping away from it.

"-And just this morning, we received a video recording from the city of Lior, where we had previously lost all contact for the past three months. And now, we show you this disturbing tape." The news reporter was saying just before the screen changed to a new, different setting.

Many, many people were gathered around Lior's center square, cheering and clapping, yelling and screaming.

Roy stared at it, looking from Maes to the television and back.

"Maes, what the-"

"Just watch." Maes told him.

Roy raised a brow, turning back to the screen. He watched as the camera zoomed in on a small press podium, and from the building behind it, someone in a black cloak emerged through door, the cloak billowing around it, no shape or figure audible past the dark, flowing cloth. A very large man came out behind it, dressed in priestly garb, followed close by others in white hooded robes.

The crowd's cheers increased as soon as the black figure emerged, and Roy watched as the figure walked up to the podium, moved the microphone with a pale hand, then reached up and removed the hood of the cloak.

Roy gasped. "Oh, damn, we're in a lot of trouble now…"

Maes nodded. "Just keep watching."

"My fellow followers, I want to thank you all for remaining by my side through all of this planning, through all of this hardship of war. But I can promise you all now, that the war will be over soon. For we now have a third, and more powerful, side!" The speaker said, raising a triumphant fist up in the air, a ring of confidence in her strong, vibrant voice.

The crowd cheered with her.

"My people." She said, and instantly their cheers quieted. When she spoke next, her voice was calm, but it built and grew in strength and confidence as she continued on. "Today, I announce to the rest of Amestris, to the rebels, to the State Military, and to the rest of the people, I introduce to you the third side, my people! The Advocates!"

The cheers then exploded again in a fury of sound as she raised her fist triumphantly up into the air again, then she turned, putting her hood back up, but not before Roy could see the struggling look on her face.

The priest walked over to her as she stumbled on her way back inside, catching her, a look of concern on his face as he seemed to ask her something.

She gave a weak nod before he helped her walk inside, the white robed figures following close behind.

Roy looked from the television to Maes, then to the television and back.

"Kararu created a third side?" He asked, almost unbelieving.

Maes nodded. "It seems that this war will last much, much longer than we had first anticipated."

"This…is just perfect…" Roy groaned, leaning down to smack his head on the surface of his desk. "This is definitely not what we needed…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

xxSeven Months Laterxx

"Edward, duck!" Shikou yelled.

Ed did as he was told and a ninja star shot over the top of his head, killing one of the Advocates, another rebel dropping beside him.

"The rebels are retreating!" Roy yelled, watching as one of the opposing two sides retreated.

"All that's left is the Advocates!" Ed yelled back as he clapped and created a stonewall, taking a deep breath, Shikou dodging behind the stone with him.

"Having fun, Edward?" Shikou asked, sitting down next to him as he sat down, shivering at the cold, the frigid air

"No. I'm remembering." Ed said, his eyes closed, teeth chattering, a fog of air coming out of his mouth as he let out a huffed breath, rubbing his left arm to try and warm it.

"I'm remembering back almost ten months ago…Kararu and I sat on this very battle ground, behind a stonewall…talking about your husband being Fuhrer…and then when I tried to tell her I loved her, a stupid bomb had to fall…then when we got away, I tried again, then I was shot and disappeared. How much fun is that?" He asked with a sigh.

"Not much." Shikou said.

"You got that right…"

"Sorry to ask…" Shikou said quietly.

"It's not your fault. Kararu…she's dead to me now. She's gone, and I know it." Ed said with a heavy sigh, a certain sadness creeping into his voice.

"The last sighting anyone saw of her was seven months ago, at Lior, when she 'formally' announced the third side in our war…"

Ed nodded. "She created the Advocates, then she disappeared."

"True…but why did she disappear? Many say she was hiding something…"

"Who knows. She was so secretive, how was I even supposed to know anything?" Ed asked with a sigh.

"That secretive…is something that someone never should be." Shikou said quietly.

Ed nodded. "She didn't know any better…brought up an orphan, all alone...how was she supposed to know that you can confide in someone?"

Shikou shrugged. "I don't know, but…like you said…she's gone now."

Ed nodded, standing. "Be ready to move, I'm taking down the wall. I can't stay sitting still for long in this cold air."

"Got it." Shikou said, standing herself.

Ed clapped, placing his hands on the wall, and it turned into a large club of stone, and he swung, taking down an Advocate that got too close.

Shikou threw more ninja stars, hitting in either the head or the chest, not missing her mark once.

Ed looked up on the cliffs to see Riza and Jean, sniper rifles out, sniping down Advocates around them.

A moment later, Ed watched as the Advocates started to run at the sound of a whistle.

"Finally, retreat…" Ed said with a sigh as he clapped and turned his automail back to normal, unceremoniously dropping the stone club to the bloody ground.

"Edward…" Roy said, voice shockingly quiet, Ed able to hear him despite their distance over the now deserted battleground.

"What?" Ed asked.

"Look…" Roy whispered, pointing.

Ed looked, his eyes widening. "Oh my God…"

He ran, everything in his mind reeling, not knowing whether to jump for joy or cry in sadness. He finally reached his destination, falling to his knees, Roy running up behind him.

Ed leaned down and picked her up in his arms, tears coming to his eyes. "Kararu…" He whispered.

"It's her?" Roy asked.

Ed nodded silently, noticing that she was covered in blood, pushing her trench coat aside to see a bloody hole in her stomach. "Damn…"

"Too good to be true…" Roy whispered.

Ed stood, Kararu in his arms. "I'm bringing her to the hospital." Ed said before running off, leaving Roy and the newly arrived Shikou to their confusion.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

xxMany Hours Laterxx

"Edward, you're a nervous wreck."

Ed looked up from counting floor tiles as Maes walked over to him.

"What do you expect, Maes? Kararu's seemed nearly dead when we found her…it's been at least twelve hours since I got her here and…they took her away…what do you want me to do?"

"Be thinking about the promotion banquet?" Maes asked, sitting down.

"True…when is it?"

"In two days."

"Here?"

Maes nodded. "Well…not here in the hospital, but yes, here as in here in Resembool, at the new Northern HQ."

"The one Kararu was interrogated at."

Maes nodded again. "Right."

Ed looked up as someone walked through the door, watching as they walked over to him.

"Mr. Elric, I presume?" The woman asked.

Ed nodded.

"All right, Mr. Elric. I'm Dr. Silia, and I'd like to inform you that Miss Rinamino is doing just fine. We were able to stop her bleeding and sew up her arteries, as well as patch up the few organs that were damaged in the wound. You can go see her, if you like. She should be waking up within the hour, since she's been resting for a few hours already."

Ed looked to Maes, nodding. "Right…tell Roy where I've gone, will you?"

"Sure thing, Edward." Maes told him with a nod as he watched Ed walk off after the doctor.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

As Ed walked into the room, the doctor having stayed outside, he was greeted with a pair of crimson eyes staring over at him.

"…You know that I hate hospitals…" Were the only words that Kararu was able to get out before Ed was over by her bed, having pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"Kararu, before a bomb falls or before I'm shot, I want to say that I love you." Ed said after he pulled away.

Kararu looked dazed for a moment before she smiled. "I love you, too…"

"I didn't think I'd get to talk to you so quickly…you looked horrible when we found you…"

Kararu shrugged. "I wanted to see you." She said with a smile. "The doctor said that my will to survive and strong heart kept me alive."

"That's good…because I'd hate it if you were dead." Ed said before pulling her into a kiss, savoring the feel of her being close to him once again.

"I'm not letting you go this time." Ed told her.

"And I'm not leaving." Kararu told him, leaning in for another kiss, finally glad to have him there and with her again.

'No more lies…no more damn Homunculi telling me what to do…or who's following me…or what to listen to…only Edward…here to tell me that he loves me…I knew it was all fake…everything that Dante made me listen to…it was all a lie…and I'm grateful…and now I have just have one secret…but Edward doesn't need to know.'

XxXxXxXxXxXx

xxTwo Days Laterxx

Ed knocked as he walked into Kararu's hospital room, smiling as he saw her reading a book.

"Hey, how're you doing, Sweetheart?" Ed asked with a smile.

"Wonderful, now that you're here." Kararu replied as she set down her book, smiling as he came over and gave her a soft kiss. "You ready for the promotion banquet? You don't look it."

Ed shook his head.

"No, I was on my way home to go change." He told her with a smile. "I wanted to come see you first."

"Aww, you're too sweet." Kararu told him with a soft, soothing smile gracing her lips.

"There's something else I wanted to do." Ed said with a smile.

"And that would be…?" Kararu pressed, looking confused as she slowly sat up fully to look at him, mindful of her stomach.

Ed smiled as he got off of his chair and knelt on one knee, reaching into one of his pockets.

"Kararu Rinamino…would you do me the honor…" Ed started, pulling a small, black velvet box out of his pocket. "…Of being my wife?"

Kararu stared in shock as he opened the box. "Oh my God…is this a dream…?"

Ed smiled. "No, it's not." He said.

Kararu looked up at him, then smiled widely from ear to ear. "Yes."

He grinned, taking the ring out of the box to put it on her finger.

"Perfect fit." He said with a smile.

Kararu nodded. "It is…now scoot, if you want to be on time for that banquet." Kararu said with a grin. "I'll see you later, okay? I promise."

Ed sighed as he stood, nodding. "Yeah, all right, I'll go." He said, leaning down to kiss her.

"I'll stop by again on my way to the banquet hall."

"You sure?" Kararu asked. "You might be late if you do that."

Ed nodded. "Yup, I'm sure. I'll see you soon, Sweetheart." He said with a smile before kissing her again.

"Bye." Kararu said after him as she watched him walk out the door, picking up her book again to begin reading once more.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

xxAn Hour Laterxx

Ed smiled happily as he walked back into the hospital, a bouquet of roses in his hand.

Even though Kararu couldn't go to the banquet with him, it didn't mean that he couldn't make her happy.

Despite the fact that there was a war going on around them, everything seemed to be as normal as it could be, and it was a bit surprising.

He went to Kararu's room, knocking before going inside, like he always did.

Smiling as he walked in, he said, "Hey, Kararu, Sweetheart, I'm back."

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Maes pushed his way through the crowd, clad in all out tuxedo and tie. He finally made it up to Roy, who was sitting at the table already, bodyguards standing behind him in their formal fashion on such an occasion.

"Roy, we have to call off the banquet." Maes breathed.

"Why?" Roy asked. "We can't do that; it's already planned and everyone's here already."

"Roy. We have got to call it off."

"Again, I ask, why?" Roy questioned.

Maes took a deep breath, tears in his eyes as he looked up at his friend.

"Maes, what happened?" Roy whispered as he saw the tears.

Maes bit his lip, the tears starting to fall, tongue darting out of his mouth to try and moisten his dry, parched lips.

"We have to call it off…because Kararu Rinamino died at 5:42 this evening."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

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Well, is that a shocker? I've been planning that for forever! XD I hope you all enjoyed it, and I'm sorry if you're sad, please don't kill me! I already have the next chapter written, so I'll put it up as fast as tweak it and work out a few details, okay? Please, don't kill me!

BEFORE ANYTHING IS ASSUMED, WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! Ahem...thank you.

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Thanks for reading!

Join me next time for:

All's Fair in Love and War: Story Finale