Chapter 8

Smoke and dust covered the street in a thick shroud, Roy Mustang, coughed into his sleeve, "Lieutenant!" starting to cough again; he'd over done it in his anger. He was still furious; if that fool of a homunculus was still around he'd fry him from the inside out slowly.

Envy, the said homunculus, came out of the smoke, "You just killed your best friend! What's wrong with you!" He didn't need another one like Edward Elric who had no qualms about hurting him when he took on the faces of his most beloved.

The wind blew to revel, Riza standing close behind him, "I'm right here Sir."

"Brigadier General Hughes was already dead." His voice was cold as ice, despite the flames he could create at will. He was relieved that Hawkeye wasn't injured.

Laughing, "And, I killed him, he was a weakling." A plan was forming in the shape shifter's head; he just needed Mustang to snap at him again, to create a little more smoke screen. This fool's hatred of me will be his own undoing.

Gritting his teeth, face contorting from cold hatred, to unbridled fury, "I figured as much." Snapping several times, explosions and flames filled the air, not even a desert on its hottest day could match the heat waves radiating off of the Flame Alchemists gloves.

Once he stopped, thick clouds of smoke filled the air, one could barely see a thing, at the sound of pebble being kicked he whirled around fingers ready to snap. He relaxed his stance a little, it was Riza in all the smoke he must have lost track and turned around because she was in front of him now. "I think you got him Sir." Her eyes widened in shock, "No! Look out! He's behind you, and disguised as me!" Without even a second of doubt he turned around, in a flash of speed and snapped."

"No! Wait Colonel! ROY!" It was too late….. Riza Hawkeye's body fell to the ground charred and barely breathing.

"You fool! You actually burned her!" Laughing he doubled over, running off having more than completed his mission of breaking their spirits, as a desperate Roy Mustang ran to his Lieutenant's side.

"NO! Lieutenant!" He knelt beside her smoldering body and took her into his arms not caring that it was burning him. "No, no, no Lieutenant!" Terrified he looked down into her eyes now devoid of eye lids, her once beautiful face ruined, her nose half gone, her skin blackened and raw, her hair in black charred patches; it was too much for him to bear. "Lieutenant… please…"

Her lungs were gasping for breath, every second every moment was full of pain, and she weakly coughed his name, "Roy…" It no longer mattered… she didn't have to be formal now, she could call him whatever she wanted… and more than anything she loved his name.

Tears falling from his eyes onto her, the heat still radiating from her body vaporized the tears into little wisps of smoke, "Stay with me Lieutenant. That's an order!"

Gathering what strength she could she spoke, "I'll do my best Sir," coughing again as the air rasped through her ruined throat, "Don't you know by now I'm always behind you watching your back, I'd never be in front of you during a fight."

"Riza…" Clenching his eyes shut, trying not to sob, she was right, how could he have not have even been suspicious, how could he do this, why did he?

"Colonel I...I" More coughs wracked her body her streanght was waneing fast, even if she was lucky she wouldn't be able to keep her heart beating for more than ten minutes.

Desperate, "Lieutenant… Easy… don't speak… I-I'll get you some help… I," Tears blurring his vision, he knew it was hopeless but he couldn't let go.

She looked up into the eyes of the man she loved, "Roy… we know it won't do any good." Her heart was starting to skip beats.

No! He refused to believe it, he refused to lose her! "No… no you're going to survived this. You hear me Riza? That's an," by now he was choking on sobs unable to hold them back, "order." Seeing her like this was killing him, this was his fault this was hell.

"Don't you dare give up, I can't blame or hate you Roy Mustang" Hacking coughs shook her body, blood oozing out of her cracked brittle skin.

"No… No! Don't please!" He pulled her gently to his chest sobbing; his heart felt like it had been burned to ashes, "Stay with me… Please Riza; I'm begging you I can't lose you!" Everything in the world was dying; it was losing light, color, and meaning. If she was gone…. What was the point in a world? "I-I I LOVE YOU! Please stay!"

Her heart was breaking to see him like this, coughing her voice barely a whisper now, "Roy? I love you too…. I'll stay as long as I can," as much as she hoped he would she could tell he wouldn't move on from this, tears pouring from her lidless eyes, "I need you to carry on… or I can't rest in peace… don't give up on your goal…" She took a deep rasping breath, "I'm putting all my strength into staying in your arms."

"No, don't leave me… please no… don't take her from me too… please Riza!" His face buried in her charred shoulder sobbing heart wretchedly, having totally lost what composure he had before. No, I can't do this I can't live without her I need her; every breath without her will be a stab to my heart. He pulled up and looked at her face the remnants of a beautiful woman, feeling anguish and guilt beyond anything he could have believed. How could she not blame him? He had done this to her, all because of his goals, his selfish goals. He hated himself more than anything at the moment even more than he hated Envy.

She looked up at him drying weakly, "Roy," going into another coughing fit this one weaker than the last, "I love you."

With a grimace of pain and regret that he hadn't kissed her sooner he leaned down and kissed her burnt lips, hands threading through what was left of her hair, their tears mixing as Riza kissed back with all the strength she had. "Roy…" her voice was fading he rested his forehead on hers wanting to be the last thing she saw, only able to whisper to her softly over and over that he loved her and that he was so, so sorry. With her last breaths she uttered, "I forgive you… Roy…. My love…" her last breath fading, the light in her eyes went out as her heart stopped beating.

"No, no, no, Riza… RIZA! Stay awake!" he shook her body trying to get a response any response. "No, you can't... no... NO!" Screaming in sheer agony his face falls to her chest sobbing harder than seemed humanly possible.

Hearing the scream Al and Winry ran faster, coming onto the scene as Ed groaned sitting up holding his head, the sounds of the sobs waking him up, as Winry ran over to him kneeling by his side frantic with worry, wrench in hand, "Edward!"

He looked at her, suspicious at first, was this another trick was it Envy again? Eyeing the wrench in her hand he gave her a one armed auto mail hug. "I'm so glad it's really you." Meanwhile Al noticed the Colonel and the Lieutenant, he couldn't bring himself to go over there or even speak he bowed his head wishing he could cry.

Winry looked at Ed stunned, "Really me? How many Winrys have you seen today? Did you get dehydrated?" Ed was too busy looking over her shoulder at the sight of Roy cradling Riza, to answer…. He couldn't believe it. "Ed? Hey are you listening to me!" She turned and saw the two officers the color blanched from her face. "Riza…" Wobbling Ed stood, his blond hair matted with blood, stumbling he fell to his knees again.

Al ran over and picked up his brother, "Careful Brother, you need to rest first you're in no condition to move."

Winry stood by the brothers, "Ed… What happened?"

"Colonel?" Looking over at his mentor, Roy lifted his eyes to look at the boy, Ed's eyes widened he'd never seen nor thought he'd see this man, so emotionally destroyed.

How could Riza Hawkeye be gone, she was such a constant, always there, always strong, always by her Colonel's side watching his back. Now she would never be there again.

THE END

A/N: Hope you loved it as much as I do, and hope you don't hate me too much for the angsty end. Please Review.