18. Move Along (All-American Rejects)

"You should go talk to her."

"Why don't you, Havoc?"

"Because I'm not you."

Roy looked sharply at the other man. "What's your point?"

Havoc dropped all pretense of suggestion. "It's Ishbal, I think. I can't help with that sort of thing. It's not painful for me in the way it is for you two."

"Right. A pity party is definitely what we need right now." Roy let out a quiet, bitter chuckle. "No, thanks."

Clenching his teeth, Havoc tried his best to stay calm and shrugged. "I'm not suggesting a pity party. You just happen to know her better, and I think that would help."

Roy sighed. "Fine." He walked over to Riza and sat down next to her. "Focusing on it won't do any good. You told me that more than once."

No response.

"Introspection is healthy once and a while, but not like this."

Still, no answer.

"Riza, throw me something, here. I want to help. Not that you're a problem or anything." Roy tried to smile at his pathetic excuse for a joke.

Riza finally turned to look at Roy, and her could see that her eyes were unusually bright. Her breathing was a bit shaky, and her fisted hands shook.

"Let's go for a walk." Roy put his hand on Riza's back and steered her out the door.

A few minutes later, after going through a little-known passage Roy had used several times to escape paperwork, gossip, and Maes's constant barrage of Elysia photos, the pair made it to the roof.

Roy looked at Riza. "Spill."

He had not meant it literally, but Riza began to sob, anyway. Roy pulled her against his chest, knowing that talk was not going to be of use at the moment. Riza had saved his life so many times. He owed it to her to go at her pace on this one.

Five minutes later, Riza had almost stopped. She was swiping the back of her hand across her eyes when Roy began again. "I know what you're thinking about is painful, but I want to help. I need to know exactly what's going through your head, Riza, and we're not leaving this roof until you tell me."

"I caught myself wanting out," Riza started. "It's been so long, and I keep thinking that something should have happened by now. I started to wonder…" Riza took a shuddering breath. "…I started to wonder if all this is ever going to be worth it."

The words almost froze Roy to the spot. Sometimes—no, more often than not—he thought that nothing could shake Riza, even though she was as human as he was. "I'm sorry," he whispered, pulling her against him.

Riza pushed him away. "What are you sorry for?"

Roy shook his head. "I've focused so much on my goal that I've learned to ignore that we're all human, and that every once and a while, the stress gets to us. More often with this sort of undertaking, though." He sighed. "Just when you start to not feel that knife in your back, life twists it, and the pain is just too much to bear. I don't blame you or think you're weak for this, Riza."

"But I have to move on," insisted Riza. "No matter what, I promised myself I'd keep moving forward, and I have."

"You still are. Sometimes, you have to look back to move on. You have to cast off what's bothering you, because you never know what will break you until it's too late." Roy grabbed Riza's hands. "I won't let this break you, Riza. We've come too far, even if it's not far enough, for me to let that happen."

"I won't let it break you, either, Roy."

Riza was looking him in the eye, her eyes still red from crying, her face still a little blotchy, but her overall look was one of determination.

Roy couldn't help it. He leaned down the few inches it took to press his lips to hers for a moment before drawing back. Riza's expression was almost the same as before, but with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Come what may, Roy and Riza were going to face it, and they were going to face it together.

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day!

I keep on hearing this song on my way home, and, one day, this idea popped into my head for this collection. I like it quite a bit and, unlike some of my other Valentine's Day fics, this one has a positive edge to it in the end. Yay!

Well, please drop me a line and tell me what you think, what you know, what you had for lunch, etc.