Riza stood silently next to Finch as he grinned maliciously at Roy who was once again strapped to the chair in the dark room he had been locked in for over a week. She seemed unable to meet Roy's gaze and he didn't know if that was because she didn't want to ever see his face again or if it was because she was too unfocused, too far removed see things clearly. Where was she? Where was the Riza that Roy knew?

At least she was no longer bound in straps and chains. She was free and that was a small consolation to him. If she was safe then it didn't matter if she hated him.

"As you can see," Finch's voice cut into Roy's thoughts and he tore his eyes from Riza to glare at the man at her side. His place was at her side. He should have been next to her and just seeing Finch standing where he should have been was enough to make Roy furious. "She doesn't care what happens to you. She's with me now."

Finch grinned like a shark and placed his hand on Riza's shoulder, pushing her toward the door as he leaned in close to her ear.

"That's all, my dear. Leave us for now."

Riza's expression did not change, gaze unfocused and tired as she turned and left the room without even acknowledging Finch's orders or even Roy's presence. When she was gone, Roy's glare grew even fiercer.

"What did you do to her? How did you brainwash her?"

Finch laughed.

"We didn't brainwash her, she's just grown tired of your laziness, your philandering ways. She doesn't want to follow someone so frivolous."

Roy's brows furrowed at that comment. And just like that, he knew Finch must have been bluffing. Riza knew all about his supposed philandering. She knew it was an act. There was no way it was one of her reasons for apparently willingly abandoning him. There must have been more to what was going on and Roy was suddenly filled with determination to find out exactly what.

"Perhaps," Roy began slowly, buying time so he could think, hoping Finch wouldn't catch on that he knew something was off. "But it still doesn't explain why she began feeling that way so suddenly. She certainly wasn't acting like that before you locked us up."

"Did it ever occur to you that she was faking it? Maybe waiting for the right moment to be able to abandon you to a fate you deserve? Perhaps she realized I could be the one to punish you, to make you pay for all the terrible things you have done?"

"I may deserve all of this, I may deserve hell, but she promised to follow me there, and Riza Hawkeye does not go back on her promises, does not lie. I believe in her. I trust her."

Finch stared at Roy in disbelief for a few moments before erupting into a fit of insane laughter.

"You are a riot, Mustang. You believe in her? You trust her? After what she said to you? After what you just witnessed minutes ago?" The man doubled over in laughter again as Roy continued to glare. "And that is why you are weak. You will lose everything because you place too much faith in others when you yourself are so useless. Perhaps you should focus on bettering yourself before believing in others."

In a flash of movement, Finch kicked Roy in the gut without warning. Roy coughed violently and spit out a mouthful of blood. As he continued to cough and groan in pain, Finch sneered and laughed. He picked up a bloody iron rod and raised it, poised to strike Roy who was still bent over, coughing. Finch grinned at the prospect of hearing the general scream, but before he could bring the rod down on Roy's back, the hall beyond the door was filled with surprised shouts of pain. Gunshots and footsteps echoed through the halls and vents.

Finch stared at the door with a frown. Had someone found them? That shouldn't have been possible. He had been so meticulous, so careful. What was going on on the other side of the door?

It soon grew eerily quiet and Finch strained to hear something, anything that would tell him what the hell was happening. And then, finally, a sound reached his ears, the faint, soft tap of footsteps as someone slowly approached the door. Whoever it was was light on their feet and must have been trained in stealth because it took every ounce of concentration just for Finch to hear their approach. The footsteps seemed sluggish though, as if the person was worn out and possibly in pain.

Everything became silent again and the footsteps stopped. Finch raised the iron rod and stepped slowly toward the door, ready to strike whoever was on the other side. But the person beyond the door was quicker and suddenly the door was flung open and a gunshot rang out. Finch was blasted back as a bullet grazed his arm and he dropped the rod as he stumbled back, grunting in pain.

When he managed to focus on something other than the pain in his shoulder, he became furious at what he saw.

Standing in the doorway was Riza Hawkeye, gun in hand, aimed at Finch's head, the fiercest, most frightening look he'd ever seen was engraved in her features.

"Wh...what?! What is the meaning of this? Where are my guards?!"

Riza almost smirked. She and Roy had been through hell and back together. Twice. She wasn't about to let something like this get the best of them. So she fought her way to Roy. And won.

"I've...incapacitated them. They won't be coming to save you."

Finch's eyes grew wide, rimmed with fear and anger.

"You bitch! You're not supposed to attack me." Finch growled and launched himself at Roy, wrapping his good arm around the general's neck and aiming a knife at his throat. "Kill him! Shoot him!"

Riza nearly snarled in response.

"Never."

She shot Finch's other arm, forcing him to drop the knife and stumble back again. Once he was away from Roy, she shot both his legs and he fell to the floor, screaming obscenities at her and howling in pain.

Riza lowered her weapon and rushed to Finch, fishing the key to Roy's bonds from the man's pockets, then turning and hurriedly unlocking the chains that held Roy down. Her hands shook as she tried to undo the lock, but she eventually released Roy and he slumped against her side, taking a deep breath. She held him close, one arm around his shoulder, while the other kept her gun trained on Finch, who was slowly coming back to his senses enough to notice what she had done.

Roy clutched Riza's waist tightly with one arm, burying his face in her side for a few moments before finally standing with her help. He reached for her gun and Riza gave him a curious look.

"Sir, I've got this."

Roy shook his head.

"I'm fine, I can handle this. You need to go call for backup."

Riza looked into his eyes and found nothing but determination and strength. Even after everything they had been through, he was holding it together, unwavering as ever.

Riza nodded and left as fast as she could to find a place to call for help. Roy kept his eye on her until she was out of sight, then he turned his attention to Finch and smirked.

"Isn't she amazing?" Roy said, voice full of pride. "And you thought we'd be easy to break. Look how wrong you were."

"I haven't lost yet. Just what would people say if they knew she was more than just your subordinate."

"No one would believe a scumbag like you."

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Roy and Riza lay in beds on the opposite ends of the hospital room they were sharing. The request for them to be placed in the same room was made by Roy, claiming that even though she was injured, he needed his bodyguard to protect him, especially after what they'd just been through. Once again, she had rescued him, proved her capabilities as one of the best bodyguards in Amestris. Even when injured she was able to fight. Roy had never been more proud of his captain.

It was only hours after they had been rescued, their injuries treated and stitched up. They had been left alone to rest, but neither could sleep, not after what had transpired between them. Riza had said things, things she never wanted to voice to Roy, and she knew he was still hurting because of her words. He hadn't said anything, hadn't mentioned anything, but she knew. She knew him too well.

Roy's voice brought her out of her thoughts and she turned her head on her pillow to face his direction.

"What did they do to you?" he asked, voice quiet and perhaps even a little fearful. "You...The things you said…"

He didn't continue, but he didn't need to. Riza's chest tightened and she took in a sharp breath, frowning as she gathered her thoughts.

"They... brought in some kind of alchemist that knew how to manipulate the mind. I don't know, they didn't explain to me how it worked. I fought it, but it was difficult. I...I could feel it. I could feel him in my mind and it was horrible… Eventually I just pretended the brainwashing worked before they were actually able to do something to me. When they deemed me safe to release, I had to act like I was on their side, like I hated you. Please, forgive me. I didn't mean what I said, but I needed you to believe my words or my plan would never have worked. I didn't know if they would figure it out if you knew I was faking it and I just… I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry."

"But you have thought of those things."

Riza blinked up at him through her tears, refusing to let them fall.

"Yes, I did once, but I'm the one who made it possible. I'm the one who made you."

Roy frowned and glared.

"Don't you dare blame yourself. That's not your fault. Not at all."

Roy sat up to look at her fully and Riza sat up quickly in worry.

"Sir, don't! You'll reopen your injuries."

Roy ignored her and threw his blanket off, standing and making his way toward her bed. Before she could stand and force him to lay back down, he had reached her side and sat on her bed.

He met her eyes, and his gaze was melancholy, dare she say tortured.

"I…" Roy paused and took a deep breath, looking away from her. "I betrayed your trust… You've gone through so much for me. I've put you in so much danger. I wouldn't be surprised if you resented me for everything I've done to you. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me."

Roy's voice broke just a bit, but Riza caught it and reached for his hand, gripping it in both of hers tightly.

"Don't be a fool. Don't blame yourself either. We've both been through so much. We've both made mistakes and we have to live with that. But you're going to make things better and as long as you continue to do what's right for the people of this country, I will always be right behind you. We'll do this together, like we always have. We'll make things better, together. I don't hate you. You know that. You know how I feel. I…"

Roy finally looked back up into her eyes and smiled, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, just like hers. He reached up and brushed the back of his hand along her cheek, wiping away the moisture that had fallen there.

"I know, because I feel the same."

They might have had their hardships, things that were too painful to say would always lie between them, but as long as they were together, as long as they worked toward their goals together, it would be enough.

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I kind of feel like the very end was rushed. I knew what I wanted for the end, but it just wasn't working out. Everything I was writing sounded lame and I'm still not satisfied so I may edit it later. Anyway, thanks for sticking with this random angsty fic. Sorry it took so long to finish!