This is a short chapter mainly because it refused to work with me. If there are any mistakes please tell. Hope you enjoy. I don't own FMA.
"Well, I think I should head home." Riza said heaving her tired body off Roy's couch.
Ed and Al waved good-bye to the blonde-haired woman, "We'll see you tomorrow, right?" Ed asked following his brother towards their bedroom.
Riza nodded and smiled softly.
"I'll walk you home." Mustang stated walking towards the door.
"Why? I can walk home on my own." The female replied stroking Hayate awake.
Roy opened the door, "It's dark and encase you didn't notice there is a killer at large."
"I have Hayate for that." The dog pricked its ears at the sound of his name.
"I don't care I'm walking you home."
Riza sighed, exasperated but she was to tired to fight with her stubborn friend.
The pair strolled, in silence, down the cold, cobble roads. A soft, frigid breeze blew from behind them. The trees groaned in protest to the element's persuasive strength. Their leaves reflected the light radiating of the giant moon in the sky.
In the comfortable silence, Riza studied the ground beneath her. She noted every shadow that was painted on the road. Her eyes widened as a thierd human shadow was added to the road.
She glanced up. Before she even saw the human she knew that it was Rick.
"Damn." Roy muttered under in his breathe. Riza reached to her belt where her gun sat on her hip.
Her breath froze in her lungs as she came to the sick realization that she had left her guns at home in her rush to tell Roy about her findings.
"Evening." Rick said gently as if he was greeting old friends.
Mustang calmly slipped his hands into his ever present gloves.
"Sir, I don't have a good feeling about this." Riza whispered to her Superior.
The red-eyed boy spoke up, "Shut up. I'm getting bored." Rick fired a bullet into the ground. The metal ball shattered the stone on the road and buried itself into ground.
Roy snapped his fingers on instinct to the shattering of silence, illuminating the area with impressive fire explosions.
Riza felt stupidly helpless without her weapon of choice. She watched as Rick reloaded his gun while dodging Roy's rapid attacks. She couldn't stand being the damsel in distress, that was not how she worked.
As Rick took a rushed step backwards to avoid the hungry flames Riza jumped forward and swung her leg in an arc, successfully sending the boy falling onto the moonlit road. Riza snatched up his pistol. She did a quick evaluation on the weapon and then aimed it levelly at Rick's head.
"Be careful Lieutenant, he's... unpredictable." Mustang warned.
"Predictability has always been boring if you ask me." She replied, tapping the trigger gently in a warning.
Rick stayed emotionless as he stared up at the barrel of the gun without a trace of fear on his tanned face. He let one of his hands drift towards his belt where he kept a spare gun. He kept the movements subtle and in the low lighting it wasn't hard to move undetected much to his satisfaction.
After a few tense moments. Rick flicked his hand up and fired. Riza's quick reactions forced her to move sideways and shoot at the same time but for the first time in just under a decade Riza Hawkeye missed her target.
"Hawkeye!" Mustang yelled just before Rick fired again. This time hitting Riza in the chest.
The blonde woman gasped in pure agony and shock. Even through her misty vision she managed to shoot once more clipping the boys jacket before falling unconsciousness.
Roy clicked his fingers repeatedly. All calm logic was thrown out the window for the onyx-eyed man as a protective rage overcame his senses. Rick moved away from the bleeding woman and the angered man.
He turned and ran once again. His cause would be useless if he was burnt to death and with his burning bullet wound he would not be able to fight the war hero. He sprinted away avoiding the snapping jaws of the shiba-inu. Flying into the shadows, the boy vanished from sight.
Roy dropped to his knees by the unconscious female. He shook his head roughly as he suddenly couldn't tell if he was standing by a bleeding Riza or Havoc with his side ripped by Lust.
The fight with black-haired devil came flashing into his mind. Roy knew he should be able to heal Riza but he didn't know how, he didn't know any medical alchemy. He was once again sitting in the underground room feeling helpless. Havoc was dying, no, Riza was dying. Lust tried to kill him. Rick tried to kill her.
Where is the philosopher's stone if he could find it he might be able to help. Riza, Havoc...they were hurt because of the damned stone because he lacked the skill to help. "Riza stay with me. Stay with me."
Roy tried to stop the bleeding with his hands. He heard the soft click of claws on stone. Roy lifted his head. Black hair sticking to his forehead with perspiration. "Go get the Elric brothers!" Roy yelled desperately.
The dog stared at his mistress in panic, "Go!" Mustang shouted again.
The command filtered through the dog's brain before he turned and took off down the street, back to Roy's home.
Without anything to order, Roy's full attention fell onto Riza. The bullet had entered through the shoulder rather than the chest like he had first thought. Roy hoped that the bullet had missed anything vital.
Was is just him or was Riza getting cold?
What felt like eternity and seconds at the same time, the Elric's came running up the road. Ed flung himself next to his old mentor, "I called the military and hospital. I didn't think this had happened but from Hayate's reaction I figured I should take the risk of a false alarm. I'm now really glad I called them."
Edward looked closer at Riza's pained features, "Is she...?"
"She's alive." Roy muttered quietly his fingers resting on her pulse.
Al sat on the other side of the Riza's body, "The ambulance should be here soon."
"Let's hope." Ed whispered looking at Roy's strained face and blood-coated arms. Hayate nudged Riza's body slightly and whimpered. Roy continued to keep rechecking his subordinates pulse until the paramedics arrived.
Mustang sat outside of the pallid room, waiting for the news on Riza's condition. When the doctors had first seen Riza's injury they assured Roy that she would be all right, but those words did nothing to settle his panic churned stomach and the scent of antiseptic was not helping.
Riza had followed him into battle, done death missions to save his skin, if she died because of a damned brat that wanted to kill him...then Roy would kill the teen and then follow Riza and his late best friend.
"Roy Mustang?" A doctor said stepping into the waiting room and letting his pale blue eyes sweep over the six occupants of the room. Roy stood up immediately, showing the doctor who he was, "Please follow me." the doctor said calmly, turning around and walking away.
Roy followed stiffly, his movements tense and robotic. He followed the practitioner down a short hallway and into a room. The room was spacious and held two beds. The windows were open allowing the early morning breeze to filter into the antiseptic room. Riza lay in the bed closest to the window.
The war veteran was glad to see she was not hooked up to any medical machines. For some reason when he saw a person attached to beeping machines of a hospital he felt like they had already left the world of the living. He knew that was not necessarily true but he felt it all the same.
The doctor watched lieutenant Hawkeye with a soft expression on his face, "She was not in very bad condition. We stitched up her wound and gave her some morphine for pain. She'll be asleep for a few hours and most likely disorientated when she wakes up but she should heal very soon. As long as she rests well"
"Thank you." Mustang muttered quietly.
The doctor nodded, "You may stay for a few minutes but then you'll need to leave, it's not visiting hours but you can come back at later today." The brunette looked at Roy and put a hand on the younger man's shoulder, "She'll be fine. There is no need to look so worried." He said gently before walking out the door. Leaving Roy alone with a sleeping Riza.
Mustang moved a chair that was by the wall sat at Riza's side. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I'm going to stop that kid no matter what."
The raven removed a notebook along with a pen that he always kept in his pocket. He placed one of his legs over the other. Resting the top leg's ankle over the other's knee. Using his calf as a make-shift desk he started writing a note to Riza.
the pen glided over glided over the white parchment easily. The wet ink was smeared slightly as Roy's hand brushed over it. After signing the letter. Roy re-read it, checking he hadn't missed out any details.
He placed the note next to Riza's pillow. He stood up and gently brushed Riza's bangs away from her pale face. His eyes were filled with sorrow and yet determination burnt bright behind the smothering emotion. "Good bye." He whispered.
He walked out of the hospital and morning light. His black shoes tapped lightly on the road. He had a two missions to complete and nothing would slow him down. His mind continued to replay the words of his note. Please don't be too angry, he thought.
Dear Riza
Ed and Al are with Hayate back at my house. I hope you feel alright after your surgery.
I'm leaving for a short time. I'm not saying where because I know you'll follow and I don't want to risk your life again.
You in charge of my men and the Elric's.
I'm sorry for burdening you with this and I'm sorry I couldn't help you, I'm sorry for leaving, I'm sorry for being an idiot and I'm sorry I am to weak to say this all to your face.
I hope you can forgive me.
I love you.
Roy. M