Ed got ready for what would be the last time as Elizabeth Lornel, the last time he'd be in this house, in this room and for some reason it saddened him. He had packed all his belongings apart from the clothes he would change into once he returned, leaving them folded neatly on the edge of the bed as he proceeded downstairs. Having one last look at himself in the mirror, which hung in the hallway, he took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping out into the bright sunlight of the morning before making his way to Central Headquarters.

He walked into the offices of his colleagues, obviously and immediatly getting noticed by Havoc before he even put a foot completely through the door.

"Elizabeth! How lovely to see you again!"

They all stopped what they were doing, clearly the sight of Mustang's fiancée was more important than work.

Ed smiled "Sorry gentleman, I didn't mean to intrude. Is Roy in?" He looked towards the closed office door.

"He's out in a meeting with the Führer at the moment, I'm sure he wouldn't be too long. Here allow me." Havoc jumped from his seat and took Ed's jacket, before escorting him over to the older man's desk to sit in his seat. Ed was defiantly going to miss these privileges.

"So what brings the pleasure of you visiting us at this fine hour?" Havoc quite conviniently placed himself ontop of the desk practially right beside him.

"Oh Roy just wanted me to bring a few things from home, also I wanted to see how many of you made it back to work after what happened Friday night."

Havoc nervously smiled. "W-what did happen friday night? I can't remember a thing...I didn't dance naked again did I?"

Fulman laughed hard. "Thankfully Jean you passed out very early on. If you didn't I'm sure the General would have done something horrid to you for even doing it in front of his lady."

"You missed Roy acting like a right romantic though, more than usual." He looked to Ed. "I'm tellin' ya Elizabeth you have made that man so happy he's so much nicer to work around!"

"Aw man I miss out on all the fun, but I did see them in bed together.." Havoc smiled before realising it didn't mean for it to come out like that as everyone's eyes widened in disbelief.

"PERVERT!" They all threw their stationary at him once more.

"I'm glad to see you are all hard at work. I could hear you lot down the other end of the hall." He looked to see the cause of the sudden relaxed atmosphere, Ed sitting in Havoc's seat. " I should have guessed it was you."

The brunette stood. "I'm sorry Roy, I brought those things you wanted, but they said you were in a meeting with the Führer so they kindly let me stay."

He smiled one of those smiles that could just melt your heart as he opened his office door for the younger man, only to look back at his subordinates who were grinning at the sight before them. His smile dropped giving them a straight face. "Back to work!"

Roy sat behind his desk and pulled out the last file for Ed's part of the assignment. "The reason I was talking to the Führer was all to do with this. When Bradley was in power there was a door in his office, I'm not sure if you remember that. This was clearly a marked escape route should the central building ever came under attack and the Führer would escape into the sewers . After the seige it was sealed off, I'm in the process of breaking through to open it once more, so I'll be late back tonight finishing it off. But basically it leaves them able to do a full assault and take the Führer and gain control of the military holding him hostage. So there are maps, guard duty reports, positioning and timings in there. Obviously there is a day where the best chance to strike will be inevitable, but obviously the Führer would not be here. There's also an appointment diary page in there concerning his meetings and a list of people on duty at that time of night."

There was silence as Ed looked through each page, Roy carefully watching him. "You're nearly done, it's taken its time, but we are almost there. Thank you for all your hard work Fullmetal and your professionalism during this matter."

The younger man looked up and smiled. "No thanks to you, we made on hell of a team. So what's going to happen when 'Elizabeth' goes?"

Roy thought for a moment "Well I guess I could say that she couldn't take the pressure of marriage and the responsibilities of what comes with it with me being a General of course."

"Ah so now you have to act like a depressed man, boy would I love to see that!"

"Sorry, but the Fullmetal Alchemist is currently in Drachma collecting intel. Ed, use this moment as a holiday, take a break. No doubt those gossips out there will tell you everything when you get back."

There was silence between the two Ed placed the file in his satchel and stood from his seat.

"Do you want to go out for a drink later, before you go? You know, celebrate."

He turned towards the man, looking at every inch of his face. "How about after the assignment is complete General? Premature celebrations are frowned upon...you don't want to curse yourself. Tonight could just be a drink between a superior and his subordinate, even friends."

The older man smiled. "I'll come pick you up when I'm done."

He opened the door for the brunette following him through to see, once again, his officers staring in awe at the woman in front of them. Edward bowed. "Thank you all for your hard work." In unison all four of them blushed.

"I'll see you later." Ed felt his superior's hand on his own followed by a soft kiss on his lips. He looked to him, those eyes, that smile..he didn't know what came over him as he leaned in and kissed the man once more before walking out the door.

Ed's meeting with Rachel went perfectly. She fell for the whole plan, it just goes to show that when someone is desperate they'd do anything to get what they want. With that Elizabeth Lornel was no more, well apart from that drink with Roy before he left for a well deserved break.

xXx

A phone ringing in the hallway seemed louder in the silence as Ed awaited Roy's return. It was probably the man himself just letting him know he was on his way or will be a little bit longer.

"Hello?"

"Ah Fullmetal"

The voice registered almost straight away. "Führer Grumman? What do I owe this pleasure sir?"

"General Mustang said you'd be there, I'm afraid your break has been suspended."

Suspended? Well that was a bitch. "What seems to be the problem?"

"I know Roy came up with a reason for your disappearance involving Drachma... but now your assistance is required there now."

Ed couldn't turn it down, he knew that. "Of course sir, I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."

"Actually Fullmetal, I need you to go immediatly. I'm sorry it's such short notice, but it is extremely urgent. I've sent someone to pick you up and take you to the station, they shall brief you fully."

His heart sank. "Yes sir..."

"Any reports call me immediately, and be careful."

"Yes sir."

He replaced the receiver, slowly walking to Roy's room and sat on the older man's bed. Images of the General were flooding his mind, the two had grown closer during their assignment. Only Ed's professionalism around the man wasn't what it seemed. He looked to the window, the window where it all changed for him. The kiss that got deeper and deeper, he was lost in the moment, his mind was a blur at that time but as time passed his mind caught up with him. It was him, he was the one that made it deeper, he was the one asking for entrance. It was also him that made the kiss in the bar deeper. Even with their last kiss in the office Roy may have just touched his lips lightly, but Ed was the one that made it more.

The feelings he had for this man were more than just professional now, it was all he thought about when his mind wasn't focused on anything else. The dark hair, the pale skin, those obsedian eyes, he was lost in them, always. When ever his face drew near all Ed could think about was kissing him, he wanted the older man to devour him. As much as he wanted to take it further he decided to stay professional, rejection was an ugly thing. Yet the General happily went along with each of the deep kisses, wether it was him being professional or something more that drink tonight would have put Ed's mind at ease.

A car horn snapped him out of his thoughts, he wanted to stay but couldn't go against orders, especially when the man assigned the case to him was the highest ranking officer in Amestris. Hthought about leaving him a note, but if he told Grumman he was here surely Roy would know the situation. He grabbed one of the General's flat caps and rushed out the door slamming it locked behind him. As he was driven away he silently said farewell to the man who had captured his heart. He would be back, but he didn't know when.

xXx

Roy was running later than planned, instead of getting changed he was just going to the bar in his uniform, he would just get Ed and go there straight away. He opened the front door to be greeted by darkness.

He flicked the light switch. "Ed you ready to go?" He got no reply. "You home?" All he got was silence. Clearly the blonde had just fallen asleep somewhere in the boredom of waiting for him.

He checked every room downstairs, they were all left as they were that morning, no sign of the young man. Quietly walking up the stairs he called out his name once more, still no reply. Slowly opening the door to the spare room he poked his head round to see a made bed yet no one occupying it. No one was in the bathroom, the only place left was his bedroom.

He flicked the switch on "Ed, you awa-" he stopped mid sentence, the bed was empty. Neatly folded at the end were the clothes Ed had worn as Elizabeth that day. He checked the bottom of his wardrobe, Ed's case and all his belongings had gone.

Roy couldn't understand, the younger man seemed very keen to join him for a few drinks, yet he was nowhere to be found. Searching every room he hoped to find a note of some sort, just letting him know if he went out or when he'll be back, nothing. It was like he was never here.

He probably went back to his own apartment to drop off his things and come back. The raven walked back downstairs to call him. The phone kept ringing and ringing.

Mustang was at a loss, he didn't know where he was, the young man just upped and left. Taking a bottle of scotch Roy sat at the kitchen table with a view of the front door, pouring himself a glass, he waited. Ed was going to come back from his place and walk through that door with a daft grin and apologising that he wasn't here like he said he would. But the minutes had turned to hours a whole bottle of scotch emptied.
He wasn't coming back.