Disclaimer: As you all know I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. I write for fun not for profit.

Author's Note: This was my second FMA fic and there are spoilers for the anime and manga. This is a TV series fic but I used something from the manga because it was still possible even though they never showed it in the series. This will use a lot of actual TV series events and some conversations as needed. The rest is my take on what happened after the series and movie.

Please review each chapter if possible. I would like to know what people think and what needs to be improved. Feel free to e-mail me if you notice any mistakes. Thanks!

A Time to Heal

Everyone knew the name Roy Mustang: The Flame Alchemist. The Colonel was well known not just in the military but throughout the entire country. A hero of Ishbal and a man with a reputation as a ladies man. What most people didn't know was that most of his image was just a big game. Those in his very office witnessed many of his phone conversations with one of the many girlfriends. It wasn't uncommon for him to want to leave work early to go on a date. Many were sure to think there wasn't a girl in Central that he hadn't slept with.

There was one person who knew differently. Those that knew of Roy Mustang would have been shocked to hear who he had really been talking to on the phone all those times. A sharp mind might recall that her name was always Elizabeth. If only he had used her real name at least once, someone might have finally put two and two together. But for some reason no one ever figured out that Elizabeth was just an alias.

And all those dates? There were a few here and there mostly stolen from Lieutenant Havoc. Not usually intentionally, it just happened that way. Besides, it was much easier than going out on the town and finding one on his own time. It was all just part of the game, dinner and the theater, nothing that special in Roy's eyes. He would rather talk to his Elizabeth on the phone all day long to tell the truth. No one in Central would ever believe that after each date, Roy Mustang returned home alone to an empty bed.

It was all part of the image he put forth, part of his master plan to become Fuhrer. The higher ups tended to ignore him for all his frivolous actions. Many of them hated the man. He truly had many enemies within the ranks. He was far too young to hold such a high rank and be so well regarded by the general public. They were also jealous of his accomplishments, if you could call being a murderer such a thing. Or at least that is how Roy saw it. His charade kept everyone so busy with the image, that no one saw the real Roy.

Only his "Elizabeth" knew the truth. She knew the real man inside. She held his pain and suffering close to her own heart. She had seen everything with her own eyes, from Ishbal to the daily routine. She scolded him when she knew he strayed from his goal. She sometimes cursed herself that there was only so much she could do for him. The horrors from the war sometimes left him to turn to a drink for comfort. Many nights were sleepless for him, hence why he would fall asleep at his desk the next day. If only he would come to her instead. But that just wasn't an option for him. She was there to support him and help push him up to the top, a promise she had made long ago. It was a promise made in the hopes that a massacre like Ishbal would never happen again.

Roy had been a dreamer in his youth and had learned alchemy with the intention of helping people. He saw the military as another chance to help people as well. If he became a state alchemist he would be given funds to do research, research that he also thought would help people. Sadly things in life are never what they seem and people with kind hearts like Roy are most often taken advantage of.

Through a turn of events Roy shared his dream with Riza of a nation that was peaceful and for the people. He planned to help bring the this change about by doing his part in the military. With her father now gone and no other family for her to be with Riza follow Roy and joined the military herself. She became a deadly sharpshooter and was sent to the front lines of Ishbal to finish out her military training as a sniper. Protecting the soldiers and state alchemists from the shadows was how she spent her time in the desert. When the war was over her innocent eyes had turned into those of a killer, just like the man she followed.

How did Roy Mustang, then only a Major fit into all of this you ask? He was used by the military as a human weapon. The military is a great organization that uses people for their own gain as Roy quickly found out. As a newly instated State Alchemist he was also sent to the front lines to wage war on people of Ishbal. Thanks to the awesome powers of such alchemists as he entire towns were leveled in moments. A race of people brought to devastation in the name of justice. But who's justice was this?

The end of the war found many broken men and women both from Ishbal and Amestris. A new promise was made between friends in the aftermath. Roy swore to his best friend Maes Hughes that he would become Fuhrer and make sure that something like Ishbal would never happen again. Hearing of this renewed promise to change this horrid country Riza requested to be under the newly promoted Lt. Colonel. Upon presenting herself to him as one of his new subordinates she promised to follow him as Hughes had. She would be there below him, pushing him up to the top.

This brings us back from our little journey into the past where our subject Colonel Roy Mustang is about to start another glorious day in the life of the Amestris military…..

He was late again, she thought as she looked at the clock on the office wall. It had been another sleepless night for him she was sure. While he used to get there early, since the death of Hughes he struggled just to get out of bed. Although she sympathized with him he would still get a scolding from her when he came in. She had to keep him focused, no matter how much it hurt they had to move on. Maes Hughes would have wanted them to keep striving toward the goal. It was just that important, not just to Roy but to all of them. Just then Colonel Mustang came gliding through the door as if on cue.

"You're late, sir." "Elizabeth", also known as Riza Hawkeye by her real name, reprimanded her superior officer as he sauntered to his large desk.

A slight smirk played at his lips as he eased himself into his chair. She just never lets it go. 'The Colonel had to laugh at himself for answering to the woman who was under his rank. Most might think it odd that a Colonel's assistant would give him orders. But this was just the routine, she always kept him in line. He needed it sometimes.

"Please get started on your paper work, Sir. I don't want to have to stay after hours today." The First Lieutenant spoke from her desk, already busy at work with her own duties. She made no eye contact with him as she continued to shuffle and sort the papers she was to complete before the morning was over.

"Why is that?" A mischievous look betrayed his face. "Do you have a date?" The Colonel couldn't resist the smartass reply. He quickly got busy himself in fear of the dangerous look he knew would be aimed his way. He knew the answer to his own question before he asked it. She never went out unless you can call walking her dog Black Hayate a date.

"Why of course not, Sir." She gritted out his rank through clenched teeth. "I just thought it would be nice to spend my evening taking Black Hayate for a walk or reading a book, instead of babysitting for a change." Riza just keep working as she made her point clear to the Colonel that she wasn't up for any slacking today. Lately they had been staying late to finish up the days work and she just wanted to go home on time for a change.

Roy couldn't blame her it was all his fault, really. He was so unfocused and depressed lately. There had been a lot of days where he truly had been slacking and it was her that had to pick up the pace. Though he had good reasons to be in a funk life didn't wait for anything. Those that were still here among the living had a reason to be here, and there was work to do. He made note to try to get his act together and get back on track.

Riza was pleasantly surprised that Roy really took her words to heart. He worked pretty diligently for most of the day. At one point Riza looked over to her Colonel's desk where he was slumped back in his chair an open book on his face. She inwardly sighed, not in frustration but in sympathy. Any other day this week and she would have yelled at him to get back to work. But today she felt a pang in her heart just a little while she thought to herself. He really had been working hard today and she had seen that old spark back in his eyes. She was glad for that since she wasn't feeling so well and she was getting run down herself.

Since the death of Hughes everything had been a struggle for Roy. He was a mess the first few days despite the fact that he carried himself well in public. His walls came down after the burial ceremony and it was just himself and Hawkeye left standing vigial. At that moment it seemed that Roy had one less reason to strive for the top. There was one less person in Amestris to protect. But maybe it should have given him one more reason instead, to honor his memory. Either way, his fight to the top was never easy and it was starting to cost him dearly. Now it was especially hard without Hughes pushing him up. Riza knew that the Colonel needed her more than ever and she was always there. Just like Hughes and her self had always done, she stayed below pushing him up.