"I would like to speak first, sir." Riza said slowly. Roy nodded.

"All right, Lieutenant. I can handle that." He exhaled, trying to make eye contact with her, but she would continue looking away. Riza clenched a fist at her side. Why did it suddenly hurt so much to say it? She bit her lip and shook her head. She had to say it. It had to be done.

"Sir, as of today, I am requesting a transfer to South City Headquarters." Riza lifted her head, finally making eye contact as she broke the news to him, "I plan on putting in for the transfer before I leave this evening."

Roy stared, trying to determine if she was serious, trying to convince himself that she was playing a joke on him. But Riza's eyes never lied. "Lieutenant... You can't be serious. Why would you do that?"

"My personal feelings are interfering with my work, sir." She spoke bitterly to Roy, trying to keep back the tears. It shouldn't have hurt like this. This is what she wanted! "I can no longer bring myself to work beside someone I care this deeply for."

Roy could feel it in his chest as something cracked, and then shattered. "Lieu-- Riza, why didn't you talk to me first? If something was bothering you, you should have said something to me."

"As if talking would have changed anything." Riza hissed, "I waited three years for you, Roy! Three years! You seemed to happy, being with me, and then you just left! And now you expect me to just pretend like nothing happened?! I can't do that!"

"Riza!"

"Is that the only time I have a name to you!? When you're upset with me?! The rest of the time I'm just 'Lieutenant'! It's like you don't even think of me as a person! All you care about is the military! I don't know why I ever deluded myself to think otherwise!"

"Because the military was the only time I ever got to be close to you!" Roy grabbed her arm, his voice raising to match hers. "Do you think I kept you around just for laughs?! God damn it, Riza! We're both officers! I couldn't just come out and say something like that!"

"What about all of those other girls you went out with?! What about the time we spent together!?" Riza demanded, shoving Roy back. He frowned at her.

"They were all to gain information. They were all involved with crimes I was investigating. That was it. I only ever saw any of them once." He carded a hand through his hair over the eye patch, the cover for the constant memory of those times three years ago. "The time during my recovery was the most pleasant time of my life."

"Then why did you leave?!" That had been the question that had tugged at her mind and her heart for three years. Roy had flinched at the question, or at her tone, she couldn't tell. But he had flinched and she got some gratitude out of that. Roy slowly moved forward, reaching out and wrapping his arms around Riza's shoulders tightly, resting his head against hers. She hung limp against him, not moving to return the embrace or even acknowledge it. She didn't feel anything other than lost and misplaced as he held her.

"I'm sorry for that, Riza. I'm sorry for walking out on you, abandoning you, leaving you behind. I didn't want to you to see me in the condition I fell into." His voice lowered as he remembered they weren't alone in the office. "I didn't want you to hurt like I did, and I didn't think it through enough." Roy let his head settle against Riza's shoulder. She still didn't move.

"I'm sorry isn't good enough, Roy. I'm through letting you play with me." She responded in the same tone. "I trusted you, and you walked out me. I thought you knew me well enough to know that I would help you through anything. But I don't want to put myself through this again. I can't give up anymore of my life to you, Roy. It hurts too badly as it is." Roy held her tighter, hoping for her to either embrace him or push him away, to just react somehow. But she did neither. She just stood, waiting patiently for him to let go. Roy could feel as the ache in his chest grew, and much to his, and even Riza's surprise, the Flame Alchemist had started to cry.

"I am begging you, Riza."

"I can't, Roy. I don't like what I've become because of you."

"Do you hate me now?"

"No."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"We should never have gone this far, sir." Riza shut her eyes against the images in the room, against the other four staring at them, against Roy in the corner of her eye, against their reflection in the window. "I'd like to go now."

"Then I'm going to resign from he military all together." This caught Riza off guard and she shoved him back, staring at him.

"W-What?"

"I have no other reason to stay in the military if you leave me, Riza. You're the reason I came back." He looked at her, helpless. She didn't want to react, she didn't want to feel anything towards him, no love, no hate, nothing! But this was way too much for the poor woman.

"Stop it, Roy!" She glared at him, "What are you doing?! You can't quit because of me!" She pulled a hand through her bangs. "No. You're just trying to confuse me. You're trying to change my mind." Riza backed herself against a wall, shaking her head. "Stop it!"

"If you'd like to leave Lieutenant, I won't stop you." Roy frowned, taking a few steps back. "I can't stop you, it's your decision. But if you leave, I will retire. I'm not joking."

"I said stop it!" Riza shoved passed Roy, running out into the hall.

"Riza!" She ignored the shouting behind her, pushing past anyone in her way. It wasn't until she was out among the military warehouses that the lieutenant finally stopped, sinking to her knees, crying and trying to catch her breath. She lifted her eyes at the sound of a small whine to find Black Hayate, on his way home from burying the remains of his breakfast, confused as to why his "mother" was so upset. Riza reached forward, pulling the dog into her lap.

"Why is he doing this to me, Black Hayate? Why can't I just leave him?" She sobbed against the small dog's fur. Black Hayate barked at her and licked her face, trying to get her to stop. He wasn't used to her acting this way, and it almost frightened him. He pawed at her shoulder, then lifted his head and barked towards behind Riza. She flinched.

"Maybe it's because you don't really want to go." Roy's hands were stuffed in his pockets as she looked down at his lieutenant.

Riza stared up at Roy over her shoulder. For a few moments her expression still showed how hurt and lonely she was over his abandonment, but soon enough she just looked apathetic again; as if she refused to give him the satisfaction of her emotions. Roy simply offered her his hand, "Take your time, Riza." Whether or not she'd take his hand would be the breaking moment for them. That's what it all came down to.

And for a long time, everything was still. The colonel and the lieutenant started at each other, Black Hyate sat in Riza's arms, aware of the tense situation, and even the wind was still. Everything seemed to ride on what was to come next.

Riza put down her dog and pushed herself to her feet on her own. Roy frowned and put his hands back in his pockets. "I understand." Roy turned on his heel, looking back at the Lieutenant. "Then, good-bye, Riza."

"Good-bye, Roy." Riza frowned. The two parted ways there. Riza filed the paperwork for her transfer to South City headquarters, and Roy filed once again for his resignation. Within the week both were approved.