These Cold Winters

He sat there on his bed, waiting for someone to find him. The snow was long past melted, leaving him soaking wet. His golden blonde hair draped freely across his back, making him feel colder than he actually was. He was shivering, which made the pain hurt worse. Promising himself that it was the last time he would go on a mission without telling anyone he was back, Edward looked at his bedroom door. Hours ago on the other side, he could hear people walking down the corridor laughing then someone running to catch up with the others. No one stopped to knock on his door to see if he was there, they were to busy running to the mess hall for dinner. He looked back down at a nub of a leg, where his automail used to be. Edward sat on his bed; waiting…hoping someone would find him soon. He wasn't willing to move himself, or rather he couldn't.

Edward placed his hand firmly on the wound on his leg made of flesh in hopes to stop the bleeding. The bleeding was slowing down but there was a pool of blood being soaked into the bed. It was easy to tell that his chest and ribs were soon going to be colored with rainbows. Some ribs were already swollen, inhibiting his movements to almost none. Touching his swollen cheek with his automail hand, it cool and brought some relief from the aching pain in his jaw.

Snowflakes gently bounced off the bedroom window creating a soft winter's lullaby. Edward silently cursed the snow for falling so heavily and causing him to be so cold and wet. He didn't know if he was shivering from the cold or because of the loss of blood, he just couldn't stop shivering. Golden eyes glanced over to the night stand where the round face clock sat. The only light in the room was coming from the crack running along the bottom of the door, but that was all that was needed to see the clock face.

'Almost exactly half past ten. Maybe sleep would be good. No, might go into shock. If I had turned the light on, someone might have noticed me in here. Too late now, just have to wait.' Drowsiness started to overtake him and he fell asleep sitting up with his back against the headboard. Knots started to build up in his neck and shoulder as he slept, but his wet hair practically numbed the fact he was uncomfortable.

"Hawkeye lets call it a night." Colonel Roy Mustang yawned, scratching the back of his neck. The clock read 10:25pm, way too late for Mustang to be doing paperwork on Friday night, or any night of the week. Riza looked up from the mountains of paperwork surrounding her on the couch.

"Are you sure, sir?" She leaned into the couch to rest her sore back from leaning forward to go over paperwork. This was one of those times where she wished she had her own desk.

"Yeah. It's Friday, just go home and get some rest. I will see you Monday." Riza stared blankly at the Colonel for a moment before answering.

"Yes, sir." She started shuffling papers into stacks then paper clipping them in a certain order. "Colonel, Edward Elric should have returned from his assignment by now. He has not checked in and no one has reported seeing him on the base." Mustang looked up from the piece of paperwork he was finishing up.

"He hasn't?" Riza gathered up all the papers and brought them to Colonel's Mustang desk. She stared into two deep onyx eyes with quiet unnoticed love.

"No, sir. Would you like me to stop by the dorms and check to see if he is there?" Riza offered.

"No," Running his hand through his jet black colored hair. Mustang stood up to help Riza put on her black winter trench coat, state issued of course. "The dorms are in the opposite direction of where your home is. I am going by that way anyways." Holding it up so she could slip her arms through, she bashfully stepped backwards into a small embrace as he slipped the coat over her shoulders.

"Sir, why are you going by the dorms?" The blonde haired woman turned around to find herself only inches away from the Mustang's. His cologne was beautifully potent and intoxicating. Riza wanted be closer. She wanted to be held by him…to taste his lips. Thoughts raced through her mind making her want to do things that she knew she shouldn't. Blushing, she stepped back trying to gain her bearings again.

"Havoc has been ditching out of nightly patrols lately. So I am going to go by and surprise him to make sure he returns to his duties." With a smile, he popped the collar of the trench coat to cover her neck. "Have a good weekend, Riza."

"You too, sir." With that she saluted the colonel, then turned on her heel and walked out of his office. Shutting the door, she rested against it releasing a heavy sigh. Giving herself a second to collect her thoughts, she gently pushed off the door and headed towards home.

Listening to a heavy sigh, the colonel stood against the door with a grin across his face. Riza was a perfect model of a soldier and Mustang secretly wished that more of his staff was like her. His job would be much easier, not that he didn't slack off enough with his paperwork already. He was surprised that Riza didn't shoot him when he said they had done enough paperwork for the night, but who wanted to work this late on a Friday night anyways?

Mustang turned on a quick heel and headed towards his desk to put the final touches what he was working on. After a few papers were signed and filed, he grabbed his trench coat off the back of his chair and with a flick of his wrists; he spun the trench coat around in the air and quickly slid his arms into the arm holes. The trench coat, military issued of course, was made of thick black leather with a line hood. Buttoning up the coat, his eyes glanced at the clock, 10:35 pm. 'Hopefully, I can make it to the dorms then home before 11.' Hurrying across the office, he flicked the light switch and left the door open for the cleaning crew. Around a corner, through a couple offices, down a flight of stairs and through the front entrance.

Roy Mustang stopped as soon as he stepped into the cold. He secretly loved the feeling of snow on his skin. It was cool and refreshing unlike the fire he was used to. Normally he avoided anything wet because there was a chance he wouldn't be able to use his gloves to make a spark. Without a spark, he was defenseless. But with his gloved hands safely tucked away inside his trench coat, he had no fear. Mustang stood and watched the snow with a small grin. Closing his eyes he stood there and enjoyed the snow, a rare chance for him. He forgot about time, where he was going, and why. Sinking into his thoughts, snow fell heavily around the colonel soaking his hair and face.

A group of rowdy soldiers talked loudly as they walked, dragging Mustang from his thoughts. He watched them move across the front of the compound towards the main gate to leave, probably to go to a bar. Since it was against military policy to have alcohol in the dorms, there were several bars off base that made easy money off of the soldiers. Mustang waited for a few seconds before setting off again towards the dorms.

Edward woke to a yell coming from outside his door. Gingerly rubbing the back of his neck, he glanced at the clock. '10:45, I have only been asleep for ten minutes.' Letting his hand fall back to his lap, Edward couldn't believe how heavy his arm felt. Almost like there was weights tied to his wrist. The muffled yelling continued on the other side of the door drawing Edward's attention. Trying to focus so he could possibly identify the voices, Edward's head started to reel and twist. He quickly closed his eyes trying to get a hold of himself and pressed a sore cool automail hand to his forehead. The once muffled voices were now pounding against his skull as if they were trying to break through and penetrate him. Resting his dizzy aching head against the headboard, he sraed at the bedroom door across from his bed silently praying that someone…anyone… would knock on his door.

'Blood loss is getting to me.' Footsteps walking down the hall drew Edward back from his thoughts. He listened worriedly as footsteps faded away. 'Crap crap crap! I'm screwed!' Ignoring the shooting pain through his body as he sat straight up, and stared at the door eagerly. Edward was staring at the door so intenly, he thought he had imagined a small but firm knock on the door. Holding his breath, Edward waited to see if there was another knock on the door but it was followed by something unexpected.

"Fullmetal? Fullmetal, if you are home please answer me so I can go home." The Colonel glared at the door with dark eyes while waiting for an answer. Impatiently he pounded his white gloved fist against the door.

"Fullmetal!" Giving into the fact there was no one there, the Colonel turned on his heel to walk away when he heard the gentliest whimper coming from the other side of the door.

"Fullmetal?"

"Help…" The voice was soft and desperate. The Colonel's heart skipped a beat at the sound of the voice. He silently prayed the young alchemist was not true, but why would he be asking for help if he was fine?

"Please help me…" The voice was a little stronger but still desperate. Without a second thought, Mustang threw open the door all the while keeping his right hand ready to snap his fingers.

Mustang stopped only a few steps into the room at the horrific sight before him. Edward Elric laid on the small twin bed covered in blood. Even though the room was dark, the light coming from the hallway lit the room enough for Mustang to see most of the extent of damage done to the young alchemist. Edward's automail leg was missing. Wires and ports hung from the metal stump. His automail hand was pressed hard into the thigh of his flesh leg. There was a cut running from the left side of his chin running up his cheek bone that disappears into a swollen eye socket. His left eye was swollen shut and covered in dark bruises. Mustang was sure that underneath his clothes there was more damage done to his young body.