32. I'd Come for You (Nickelback)

A/N: Written for the Royai Day festivities on fullmetal-alchemist(dot)com. Spoilers through chapter 95, after which this takes place.

What had he done?

Worse, what had he almost done?

Roy's heart rate had not yet returned to normal. He was still on edge. It was over, but beginning anew wasn't possible just yet. What he needed right now was some time.

Across from him, Riza's hand went to her injured shoulder, but her look told him that he was still her main focus.

"I'm sorry." Roy hung his head. "I… I'm sorry." It was all he could say.

"I believe you," Riza said finally, before biting her lip.

How could she be so calm? After the whole scare with Lust, Roy had let loose on Riza, and she had just taken it. While she'd promised to support him, she had also promised to correct him when he was wrong!

"How could you?"

There it was, complete with indignation. Riza was now glaring at him.

"I thought… I was afraid. I didn't want to shoot you—I don't even know that I really could have. I almost gave up on you."

If it hadn't happened once, he wouldn't believe it. "I don't blame you."

How many times had she saved him? He'd lost count. For what it was worth, he had saved her a few times, but nowhere near as much as she had him. Riza had taken fall after fall with or even for him, going along with his schemes, no matter how hopeless.

He wished he could take it all back. He'd tried. When he'd given her the chance to run, he'd meant it, maybe even hoped she would for a moment or two. It was his own way of trying to save her.

It wasn't that he wouldn't take a bullet for her, it was just that she would take one for him before he ever got the chance. She'd protected him from God-only-knows-what. Too many times he could've ended up like Maes. Too many times she'd had to step in.

"I should've ordered you to run."

Riza shook her head. "You tried."

"I should've done more for you, then. I should never have let you do all that you've done. This shouldn't be happening."

"Sir—"

Roy held up a hand. "I know that we're in this here and now, and that's what matters at the moment. I just want to let you know that, if it comes down to it, you have to run. There's a better chance of this dream surviving if you do."

Riza shook her head again. "I'm not leaving. This happens, or I die trying. We've come too far for it to end like this." She sighed. "And I'm tired of waiting. Whatever happens, it happens now."

Ed cleared his throat. "I think you're in agreement at this point. We all get it. This goes down now, and you two would… die for each other. I get that. Just… please don't, okay?" As in-control as Ed usually was, what he was saying clearly unnerved him.

"We'll do what we can, Ed," Roy said finally. "No promises except for that."

Crossing his arms, Ed nodded.

Riza carefully pealed off her jacket and pulled the fabric of her shirt away from the gash on her shoulder. Nothing was broken, but the wound still needed attention.

"Ed, would you make a bandage?" A request? The Colonel was just full of surprises today.

Well, there wasn't time to draw a circle, was there? Ed sighed.

"If there was one thing we all learned in Ishbal, it was how to dress wounds." Riza let out a heavy sigh and winced.

"I want you to burn my back."

Roy flinched. This was almost too much. Truth be told, if he hadn't come this far, he would be giving up now, but he had to go on.

"Just… please don't, okay?"

The look Riza had given Roy as Ed had said that had seemed to say the same thing.

Only for you. And only if you'd do the same thing for me.

Not that there was any doubt in his mind that she would, if at all possible. Each would do almost anything the other asked. That was the problem.

Hopefully it would never come down to those infinitely difficult choices. If it did, Roy didn't know what he'd do.

"It'll be all right, one way or another," Riza murmured, able to read Roy's moods. "It has to be. We'll make it."

"I thought you were tired."

"That's why it has to be all right in the end." Riza grimaced slightly as Roy tightened the bandage.

Roy shook his head. "I don't follow."

"You never have. Don't start now."

A joke? Now? Roy was able to manage a hint of a smile. "Shall we?" He helped Riza to her feet.

Riza nodded. "Let's."

A/N: Happy Royai Day!

Okay, this was written at several different times, (during classes, to boot) so it jumps around a bit, but I knew what I wanted to do as soon as the "New Beginnings" theme was decided upon.

Other than "I'd Come for You", this was also inspired by Nickelback's "Just to Get High" and "If Today Was Your Last Day". Oh! And that song that says "Closing time... Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end". Too lazy to look it up, though! :P

Please, let me know what you think!