Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist
Notes: Holy Crap this has taken me forever. I burst into tears when I had finished it and then my computer was wiped. BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH!
Epilogue
Was it the silence or the coldness that kept Roy Mustang from returning to his house? Could it have been the dark corners, the remaining traces of Riza Hawkeye's scent that drifted through the air or was it simply the pain of been alone.
Two weeks had pasted since Riza had been in a coma and each day the doctors were losing hope. Roy would sit in the hard plastic chair in the cold and stale blinding white room beside his charge and each day he sat there listening to the beeps of the heart monitor.
Yet he couldn't be there all the time. But as he sat in his large comfortable chair behind his paperwork covered desk his heart would pound like crazy when the phone would ring. Each time he would plead with God hoping that it wasn't the hospital saying that she had died.
Each time he hoped it was the hospital saying she was awake.
Was it possible for him to hop that it was the hospital and yet wish and plead that it wasn't? Was he that confused and pained that even now he couldn't make any sense?
Yet he sat there every night until he was almost pushed out of the room into the cold corridor. He was a mess. His eyes had dark rings under them accompanied by almost five tons of baggage. His hair was a complete mess nothing like the handsome groomed style it was before. And his face had a beard growing on it!
He had stood outside the front door of his large house, the windows dark and the silence almost fearful, and he thought to himself, 'Was it always like this?'
He closed his dark eyes and took in a deep breath reminding him self that it was his house.
Closing the door and walking slowly through the house towards the bedroom, a bedroom, not his room but hers.
He flipped on the light and looked at the room. Almost empty. No signs of life had been left after she had gone.
Almost like she was never there.
Almost like she was dead.
Those every thoughts caused Roy to lift his right hand to his chest squeeze the area above the heart. Above anything he wanted to rip it out and hope that it will stop hurting, how could he make it stop? This feeling of a red hot searing pain, the feeling of having his heart torn apart, the feeling of losing someone you cared so much about.
He wasn't able to describe the pain; there weren't any words to explain.
Yet has he moved his military style boots across the floor and into the room he was hit with her scent. It had changed in the time Riza had stayed with him and now it was a twisted scent something between gun powder, apples, and dog shampoo.
Roy sat down at Riza's old desk and remembers the times he would sneak glimpses as she wrote into her journal. He smiles at the memory, 'Why was I even looking?' had would ask himself every time he would sneak a look.
He closes his sad onyx eyes and remembers the way her hair would be up in a ponytail and how she would sit with one leg under her as she focused on the small book that she would happily write in.
How he would poke his head through the door just enough to see her before moving away and shutting the door silently.
He let out a sigh and wonders if things will ever be the same.
Roy moved his calloused hands around the edge of the desk tracing it.
"It's so small," he mutters to himself and he could almost hear his voice echo through the room. "So small."
He felt a surge of anger fire through him and before he could stop himself his right leg kicked the back of the desk and his fisted hands banged the surface.
He felt his shoulders sag as the anger left him and the coldness of being alone settled back in, sinking into his bones.
"Was it always like this?" Roy wonders aloud, he wished someone would answer him but he was the only one there. Even the cockroach wasn't around bothering Roy, he had been in the kitchen and had rarely come out.
His eyes fell to his lap when he noticed one of the draws were opened and he could only just make out the top of a book.
A journal, Riza's journal
He took it out and read it over before taking a pen out of his rumpled blur uniform and writing his own thoughts in it.
He closed the journal and walked over to the bed that belonged to Riza. He laid on it and closed his eyes, it wasn't long before he felt the bed sag under the weight of the cockroach.
Roy didn't open his eyes nor did he complain as the pup curled under Roy's chin. He scratched behind the puppy's ears and whispered, "Didn't want to be alone either?"
"You like to play huh Riza?" Zach roared as he slammed his back into the wall causing her a great pain but she wouldn't let go.
"So I found your journal."
"GET DOWN," she screamed several times to the people.
"I wrote something in it myself."
Gun let out a massive BANG! And suddenly the interior of the train slowly became a blur.
"It's been three weeks now Riza."
The people in the train continued to scream but she was no longer on the train. The air flew passed her causing her blonde hair to fly wildly around her, whipping her in the face causing her to close her eyes.
She was outside on a train platform watching a train depart.
"You need to be a big girl Riza. You are NOT a child."
People moved around her, ignoring her. Riza looked around and noticed something, noticed someone.
She was there, she was standing at the phone box, Riza could see herself clearly as she moved around.
What's going on?
"You need to wake up soon. The doctors say you're getting worse, just yesterday you… you flat lined."
Who is that? That voice it sounds so, it sounds so sad. Riza looked around looking for the person whom the voice belonged to, she saw no one. So instead of standing still she moved towards her other self.
Riza saw Jon and felt an anger towards him, she didn't know why.
"I… I feel like I'm the one dying. I don't think I'll be able to hold much longer."
Riza doubled over. A pain passed through her causing her chest to ache, her heart… her heart hurt so badly. Those words hurt her.
But she continued towards herself and Jon when she noticed that they were boarding a train.
A sudden panic over took her and she ran towards the two of them.
"DON'T GET ON! DON'T GET ON, PLEASE DON'T GET ON!" she screamed as loudly as she could but they boarded anyway.
"I'm sorry I haven't been for the last few days. I got sent interstate. They're talking about my future. Would I be any good if I got promoted? I don't want to be. It means they'll send me away."
In her panic Riza lifted her head, "Who are you?" she whispered but the people around her ignored her in her bloody and distressed state. "What do you want?"
"I want you to wake up. Riza you need to wake up. It's been almost four months now. They've been talking. They… the doctors are saying you'll never wake up. They want me to take you off life support."
"What do you mean wake up?" Her golden eyes wide with fear. "Just tell me what's going on." She slid down to the ground and cried.
"Roy I think it's time."
"No, not yet, another week, just one more week Havoc."
"It's been four and a half months. She's not waking up."
Four and a half mouths, since when, what happened? Is Roy, is he Mustang? Jean Havoc?
Suddenly Riza gave a short scream and felt a warm trickle moving down her back. She put a hand to her back and drew it back. Blood. She turned around and saw Jon standing there with a knife covered in her blood.
She was crying again, her body trembling, her breaths came out in small weak pants, and Riza knew she was going to die.
"WAKE UP!"
She felt a force grip her upper arms, looking she saw purple bruises forming.
"WAKE UP RIZA COME ON!"
It hit her more painfully then when she was stabbed, she was dreaming. Was this real? No. Had that thing on the train been real? Was anything that she had felt anything she had seen been real?
"Wake up," she whispered to herself, closing her eyes. "Wake up." She repeated it to herself over and over and then she opened her eyes.
"Sooooo that really happened huh?" A short blonde hair boy asked her. "That's it. That's why you're loyal to Mustang?" He gave a disbelieving look.
"Believe it or not Edward, Roy Mustang may be lazy and he may be annoying at times but he never let me down." Riza said sternly to the blonde boy.
A large metal body armor that sat in the seat in front of Riza spoke. "I liked it Miss Hawkeye, I had no idea that you and Mr. Mustang went so far back."
Riza gave a small smile, "Thank you Alphonse. I understand, every one thinks that the Lieutenant Colonol was just placed with me after I completed my training."
"Whatever," Ed groaned, "Al lets go, I need to look at some books before we leave." He got from his chair and walked out the room leaving Riza and Al.
"You know he doesn't mean it right?" Al asked, "He just wanted some dirt on Mr. Mustang."
"I know Al. You should hurry otherwise your brother might think I'm holding you at gun point." As Al left the room Riza sat at her desk and looked out the window.
The door opened and Alphonse was standing there, "Um, Miss. Riza I wanted to ask. Did they ever get that guy? Zach I mean?" Alphonse seemed nervous.
"No Alphonse, it's been a long time. I think he must've left years ago." The armor seemed to sag in relief.
"That's good then. Bye Miss. Riza." He left once again closing the door behind him.
Riza turned back to looking at the window.
No they never did find him and Riza doesn't believe that he had given up. She could feel it sometimes, his eyes, his cold murderess eyes, almost peeling the skin off her back. But whenever she turned around he was gone and so was the feeling.
"I know what you're thinking." A tall black hair onyx eyed man walked into the room.
Riza didn't bother to turn around, "What am I thinking Sir?"
"You're thinking that he's out there and that he'll try something… and that you want to go home with him." The last remark had a cheeky tone to it but Riza had heard it before.
"Sir how many times do I have to tell you that you and I cannot happen." She let out a sigh.
"Not yet Hawkeye, but soon you know that right. You think that mini skirts will be the only thing that will happen around here."
Good Lord again with the mini skirts. She turned and looked at him. "Mustang you don't know how long it will take."
Roy's facial expression changed, his bright eyes became downcast and his youth cheekiness became sad and older. "You'll wait for me right? You'll wait."
Riza stood up and moved towards him, her pale hand rested on his right cheek and she moved close until their foreheads touched, she looked into his eyes and answered. "I won't leave. I'll stand beside you for as long as you want me too."
"I don't want you Riza, I need you. And even if it takes fifty years I'll change the rules ok?"
Riza moved and brought his head down lower, she kissed him on the forehead.
"What are you crying about? I wasn't paying you to enjoy anything. I bought you, you were mine and now you've been used." The sound of a broken woman could be heard and a loud scream before a gun went off.
A man walked out of a run down shack near the beach. The white and blue paint was peeling, tiles were missing and one of the windows were broken.
This man was tall and handsome. He found runaway girls looking to make some money to get away. He would give them blonde hair dye and new clothes before he would rape them and kill them.
Zach Baker was a sick man. He had gotten a taste of blood six years ago and hadn't been able to stop. He wasn't sure what it was that caused him to continue killing after the train incident. Maybe it was the amazing feeling of how the girls would struggle and hope that they would live but he knew that they would join countless others among the rubbish burning.
The power of knowing?
Maybe it was how with each girl he was reminded of how short life could be, or how fragile? It didn't matter him all he knew was that he enjoyed it and no one had even stopped him enjoying things before.
His looks attracted the girls, his long black hair and shining green eyes. He was a good 6 foot with a good build. His facial features had a coldness to them but it only helped reel the girls in even more.
He had a way with words and would choose certain girls to take home.
It seems not even Riza recognized him with his changes. In her mind he had light brown eyes and dark blonde hair. There would be days were he felt the need to see her, maybe to fuel his anger, and he would make the three hour trip to Central just to stare at her.
Her and Mustang.
The name leaves a sour taste and the want to kill. How Zach hated him, the way he looks at Riza when he thinks no one is watching, the little touches he gives her.
Still to Zach she had belonged to Jon and since they were related everything that Jon owned should become Zach's upon Jon's death.
Therefore in Zach's twisted mind Riza belonged to him.
Zach walked up the stairs to his apartment. He didn't live in the shack instead that's where he does his work.
To the girls he was giving them money but that wasn't what Zach was doing. He was buying them. They were his to do as he pleased once they accepted the money.
Many of the girls accept the money and don't fight as he made moves on them. Then there were some like the last girl, Connie… Carla? It didn't matter. They would fight, try to refuse his money and his moves.
But sometimes it's good fun to hurt them. Let them fear him, let them panic. Zach knows that if they didn't want it they wouldn't have gone with him to the shack. They wanted it.
It was good practice as well. He wanted to find the perfect way to kill Riza but so far he hadn't found it, he will soon though.
And soon, soon, he will.
Today it's today.
"Good afternoon Mr. Akira," The bellman said before bowing, Zach nodded as he walked passed.
Today he was going into Central he felt the craving last night as he laid on the bed in the shack with a dead girl laying across his chest. He played with her newly dyed hair he didn't come out the way he wanted, her hair was too dark, but it was ok, if he closed his eyes he could almost imagine it Riza.
He begun to smooth the hair, his fingers lingering on the skin that was losing its human warmth, he didn't like the cold bodies he knew Riza wasn't cold.
It would be only minutes before the body would let go of all the bodily fluids and Zach didn't want to clean that up. Moving the dead girl off of him he got off the bed and put of his pants.
Doing up the belt he turned around and looked at the girl on the bed. Nothing at all like Riza.
He finished doing up his belt and bent down the pick up the girl, the heat almost gone, and he walked out to the back of the shack. It looked like an outhouse from the outside but really it was a room he kept the bodies until Wednesday When they would begin to burn the trash.
Opening the door he tossed the body on to the ground. The warmth was gone, it was no longer human, just a body that he had shared warmth with and then strangled.
It crossed his mind many times before and once again he wondered
If he really wanted to kill Riza, once she was dead there was nothing more he could do. Maybe he should keep her alive, just make sure she could never get away.
Maybe he could.
And so he had chosen to go to Central.
Nothing ever goes as it should and today started out nicely but then all hell broke loose.
It could have been when Riza had turned around and saw Zach.
It may have been in Zach's panic he pulled out a gun.
Maybe when it was when people started to run and scream.
Or it could have been when Zach had Riza with his gun pointed to her head.
They were walking to lunch, the streets were crowded with the masses. Roy walked ahead bragging about something and Riza wasn't paying any attention but Havoc was hanging on every word with Armstrong and Hughes following.
She was feeling it again. A burning feeling and a fear that she'll be stabbed in the back at any second, it scared her enough that she twisted around suddenly catching the attention of the others.
People walked in front of her vision and Riza knew that if she didn't act he would disappear and Riza couldn't let that happen, she cannot continue living like this.
So she ran where her gut was telling her, pushing people out of her way and ignoring the calls from her friends.
"Riza, stop, where are you going," She could hear Havoc calling after her. The others shouted at her to stop. Only Roy knew why she was running.
It seemed that something had changed and now she had no idea where she was running, she had lost him.
Panting out of both fear and because she was out of breathe she turned only to notice that the others weren't behind her anymore.
Looking around she noticed she was on her own.
Taking a step back she bumped into someone, automatically she turned around.
Looking into the sunglasses she was stunned, if only for a moment, before gathering her bearings, "I'm sorry." She said, not really meaning it.
The man smirked and took of his sunglasses, "I don't mind. It's not often that a pretty lady bumps into me often." Riza was taken back. There was something about this man that was familiar to her. But she had never met a man with long black hair and green eyes before.
She was sure. But suddenly uneasiness washed over her and she had the feeling that she must get away.
She took a step back from him and heard her name get called, "Riza, come on." She turned and saw Roy. He was also eyeing the strange man.
"Why don't you come with me, you like to play games?" he whispered and suddenly Riza's blood ran cold and everything froze.
Roy saw it, saw the way Riza's body froze, saw the blood drain from her face and he knew, he just knew.
Motioning to the other to pull out their guns, Roy stayed where he was while the others surrounded Riza and Zach.
"W-what did you say?" Riza looked at him, this time closer, and cursed herself for how stupid she truly is.
Zach's eye's widened for a moment, "So you've figured it out huh?" All kindness, playfulness, had gone from his voice leaving nothing but murderess intent and hatred.
His warm green eyes became hard and Riza felt a fear she hadn't felt since that day on the train.
She noticed his eyes flicker to the left and once to the right. He looked at her, "Your little friends think that they can take me down, think that they can kill me. But they can't I'm God you know. I hold life in my hands."
He was crazy. He's nuts. Riza knew that she had to get out of there. He was like a wild animal that was being hunted, there was a hint of panic in his voice.
"I'll show your friends." Before anyone could stop him a sleek black gun was pulled out and in his hand. Riza felt her heart stop and she pulled out her own, but too late.
People begun to scream as four loud bangs could be heard and four bodies dropped to the ground. "I AM GOD! I hold the POWER over LIFE and DEATH!"
"You're insane," Riza cried as she steadied her gun to shoot. Someone running past her knocked her aim and instead of shooting Zach in the chest she only got him in the side.
He laughed.
He took only a few steps before he was standing chest to chest with her. His hand went for her neck and he grasp tightly as Riza tried to move away.
Zach held his gun to her head and shouted, "If you don't show yourselves I'll blow off her pretty blonde head." No one came out.
The masses had depleted greatly leaving only those who were bent over the dead bodies, those who were the family or friends.
"I said COME OUT!" He screamed little bit of spit flying out of his mouth.
"Let, let me go." Riza whispered to him and he laughed.
"Let you go? I just got you." He cocked the gun and dropped it from her head tracing the outline of her face. "I've tried so many times to figure out the best way to kill you, you know that." The gun traced the lips. "Couldn't figure it out."
"We're behind you." Roy sounded strong and firm, yet Riza knew he was scared on the inside.
"Let her go." "Let our little lady go now." "You should be ashamed of yourself, holding a gun to lady's head. You're never going to get married if you continue that."
"Just put the gun down Baker." Roy whispered.
Zach laughed, "I'll put the gun down alright. I won't let any of you kill me." There was no warning as Zach pulled the trigger… but it was no longer pointed at Riza.
Zach's gun went off followed by four other shots. With each shot Riza saw more blood. It went every where, on the pavement, on her, on the shops window.
Later that night she'll throw her blood covered clothes in to the fireplace after washing the blood from her skin, from her hair.
But for now Roy was holding her in his arms as the body of Zach Baker lay beside her. His eyes reflecting something crazy but they looked like he had won.
What could he have won? He killed himself.
Sitting on the back of the pick up Alphonse looked towards his brother, something was bugging him.
"Ed, do you think Mr. Mustang and Miss. Riza will be ok?"
Ed glanced at his brother before going back to looking at the passing red sand, "They're both strong, they'll be fine."
-
The End.
Yup this story has been completed. Yes Zach Backer is a freak. Yes Riza seemed a little weak in this story. No Ed and Al didn't get a big part. No This was not how I was going to end it at first.
Thank to everyone for reading.
Jessica