Flame Alchemist: The Future of Amestris and the Scars of the Past

Havoc in Hospitals

A man's scream echoed throughout the halls in the middle of the night. Roy Mustang sat up in is bed in the dark grabbing desperately in front of him. He was shouting and clawing at the darkness when the nurses came rushing in trying to soothe him. They turned on the lights but no amount of illumination would make the Colonel see he was safe. Simply because the Colonel couldn't see after the Truth took away his sight.

"Colonel Mustang what's wrong?" said one of the nurses. "Are you experiencing any pain?" He turned toward the voice and realized that he was awake from a nightmare.

"Hawkeye," he croaked, "the Lieutenant. Where is she?"

"Who are you talking about," said the other nurse.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, blonde, injured. Has a black dog." He said unconsciously rubbing his eyes trying to see. The two nurses looked worriedly at each other. "What is it? Why are you quiet?"

"Sir, Lieutenant Hawkeye is dead." Said one of the nurses. She grabbed his hand trying to comfort him. His eyes grew wide as he turned to her. "She died underneath central that day. You couldn't save her."

He snatched his hand back from the nurse. "You're lying," he barked. "She was here today in my room. She's always here beside me day and night."

"Sir, you're being delusional. That isn't the way things are." The nurse said trying to comfort him. Mustang pulled himself out of bed pushing aside the nurses. He felt his way blindingly to the door and opened it. He was met by a shining white light. When his eyes adjusted to the glare he saw Riza's neck sliced by a dark figure and thrown onto the human transmutation circle.

"Hawkeye!" He screamed. He tried to go to her but his feet felt like they had been glued to the ground. Hawkeye eyes focused on Mustang as she reached out with the hand she wasn't using to stop the blood gushing from her wound. Her white jacket was slowly being stained as the pool of blood around her grew. "Hold on Lieutenant, I ORDER YOU NOT TO DIE!" Mustang yelled pulling at his legs.

Hawkeye closed her eyes grimacing in pain. She opened them and smiled at Mustang sadly as the life slowly crept from her brown eyes. "Stop Dammit! Come Back!" he shouted as the room grew black and he was freed. He ran toward where he thought the Lieutenant had been. He fell to his knees grabbing the ground searching for her form, grasping for something that wasn't there.

Above him the tiles of a ceiling looked dull in the hospital's crummy lighting.

He was staring up at the ceiling of the hospital. His heart was still beating rapidly from the dream. That had been a dream? He blinked his eyes twice; his eye sight was still there. It had felt so real. He looked to his left. Lieutenant Hawkeye was reading an Ishvalan cook book. The sun was shining brightly through the window. The clock on the bedside table said 9:30. He looked over at his lieutenant.

Even though she had lost some weight since the promise day she looked healthy. A slight blush of color settled on her cheeks that hadn't been there for years. She had bandages around her neck that covered the wound from the saber. Her long golden hair was braided loosely down her back. Mustang heard the sound of Black Hayate softly snoring underneath her bed. Hawkeye looked up from her book when she heard the Colonel rustling.

"How is it?" She said matter-of-factly. Yesterday Doctor Marcoh had healed his eyes with a philosopher's stone. He had been blind for weeks. He battled all of the moral voices in his head to accept the cure from the maimed doctor. But for his military career to succeed he would need his eyesight.

In a different version of events he would have lost his trusted lieutenant. Just like in his dream she had been seconds away from becoming nothing more than a cold corpse.

"Same as yesterday," he said lying back in the bed and staring at the ceiling. Silently grateful his nightmare was simply a drea. "I suppose I'll be kicked out of here since I'm healed." Hawkeye closed her book and set it on the table between them.

"I think they said I can get out at the end of the week." She said. "We should start coordinating with General Grumman with our plan for Ishval. He has accepted the post as temporary Fuhrer." Roy frowned at her. He had not been told this. "We talked on the phone yesterday." She said answering his unspoken question. "Once I'm okayed for active duty I would like to resume my old post as your lieutenant Sir. I don't think I would like being my grandfather's assistant." She added smiling softly.

"Well I think that can be easily arranged." Roy sat up and swung his legs off the bed. He stood up stretching. "I think I need to go for a walk." He walked to the door and looked over his shoulder. Hawkeye was frowning. "Don't worry I won't get lost." He said grinning.

He needed to get out of that room. He couldn't stand sitting in the same room as Hawkeye. It was hard looking into her eyes after promising her something that was no longer in the picture. They had barely been separated since he lost his sight. She had become more than a subordinate or a Seeing Eye dog in that time.

He walked along the corridor. He had been in the hospital several times visiting. He missed the distinct noise of his boots made on the stone flooring. He looked down and saw his ugly white feet vacant of any shoe. Whoops in his departure he had forgotten slippers. He padded his way to a bench at the end of the hallway. Their floor was quiet. Most patients on this floor were stable. His mind traveled to a few weeks ago before they had been admitted.

He was sitting on the ground with Hawkeye. They had been placed there waiting for medical transport. He had his hand awkwardly placed on her shoulder. All the excitement of the battle was ending and the grim reality of rebuilding had set in. He could hear groups of soldiers marching through the loud courtyard he assumed they were in. The Elric brothers had already split. He assumed Ed would be done with the military now that their mission was complete. Mustang smiled to himself he would have to get him arrested as a deserter.

Unanswered questions filled his unseeing head. What would become of the state alchemist program now the homunculi weren't pulling the strings anymore? What would happen to him now that he was blind?

"Do you remember in Ishbal?" He asked Hawkeye "How men would become blind from the gases? They were discharged, every last one of them even if they still retained some vision." He covered his eyes with his gloved hand. "How will I lead this country as a blind Fuhrer? Even the highest official in the military must be able to fight. Now I'm no stronger than a florist or librarian." Roy whispered his tone angry, "General Armstrong, Havoc, my eyes and most of all you," he said turning toward her, "The sacrifice will be for nothing."

"Sir," She grabbed his hand off her shoulder and turned toward him. "Maybe you can't see with your eyes, but your vision of this country is still clear. Because of our sacrifices this will become the country we deserve. And there is no way they'll discharge the Flame Alchemist. Especially when he can now transmute without a circle." She took his hand and placed it on her cheek, "and from now on I will see for both of us." He reached up hold her other cheek. He tried to feel the emotion on her face. Her lips were twitching downward as she tried to hold back tears. "No matter what, I will never let myself be separated from you so you'll never have to be in the dark again. Let me see for you."

"Lieutenant," he started.

"I don't care if it's for 10 or 50 years," she said her voice gaining confidence, "I'll stay by your side forever."

He didn't know what to say. This soldier had saved him time and time again was once again sacrificing her own life for his. But what else would he expect from Riza Hawkeye? He smiled at what he hoped was her.

He wiped a tear that had leaked out of her eye. "Stop being emotional Lieutenant. It will seem unbecoming to the public if you do this when I'm Fuhrer." He turned and scooted next to her and laid his head on her shoulder. With his fingers gently entwined with hers in his lap he fell asleep.

Since that day they had been even more inseparable. The first night at the hospital they had been separated. The horrible nightmares suffered on Mustang's part and Hawkeyes urging convinced the nurses to room the high profile officers together. Sometimes at night he would hold her hand until he nodded off to sleep. After Riza was more healed he would wheel her around the hospital. He found that nothing comforted him more than having her lead him while he rested his hand on her shoulder. He knew if she was leading him he had nothing to fear.

Now Roy could see. He walked to the end of the hallway where there was a window overlooking the kitchen entrance down below. There was a nurse taking a smoke break while a delivery truck was being unloaded. His eyesight was completely normal. He would now be able to see the country built on foundation of hope and peace. No more handicaps.

Sure Hawkeye would be by his side. But how would he forget her selfless devotion to be his Seeing Eye companion for his life. If it weren't for the Philosophers stone he surely would've been a different man and leader. This woman that had followed him around since her father's death had once again put her happiness and freedom last. Was he finally feeling guilty for her devotion?

There was also the fact that before he had gone blind the last time he had seen her she was dying. Every time he closed his eyes he saw nearly die and his heart stops. The only time he's really sure she isn't still dying beneath the city is when he's touching her.

Too bad for him the pair years ago had settled on a permanent resolution on their physical relationship. And constantly holding his subordinates hand like a child wasn't proper protocol.

At the end of the week Mustang was walked through the lobby of the hospital. He was wearing his suit instead of his uniform. Until he left to the east he would be on leave. They had three weeks before they would be able to travel to the Eastern Headquarters. All available alchemists had been called to Central to aid in construction. The rebuilding of the bridge that was bombed would be left to local alchemists that were inexperienced in engineering.

Roy would be helping in the city as well. The papers were calling him a hero already, but there nothing painted a positive political portrait like philanthropic alchemy.

"Colonel Mustang what's up?" Said Jean Havoc wheeling up to him. Mustang turned around and grinned. Havoc was still in his wheelchair with his signature cigarette. Breada who was helping him saluted to Mustang. "Still seeing?"

"Here for your physical therapy?" Mustang asked the recovering paraplegic. Havoc had been coming once a week since his healing trying to regain the muscles to walk.

"Yeah, the doctor's a doll. Real cute with springy blonde hair," He said gushing, "She's says even though it's only been a week since my healing I'm recovering fast."

"Yeah and I'm going on a date with her tonight," Breada said grinning holding up a slip with a number. Havoc turned around in his chair angrily.

"What's the idea stealing my recovering cripple thunder?" He said shouting trying to get at Breada.

"Haha you can't get me! How could she resist a war hero like me?" he said jumping out of the way of Havoc's swinging fists.

"You heard Doctor Walsh. I'll be running in a month," Havoc said, "And then I'm going to kick your ass!"

"Well I doubt there's much of a precedent for this kind of thing." Mustang said leaning against the wall ignoring his subordinates scuffle.

"Yes I should be able to reapply to the army soon." Havoc said. "Then I can join in on all the fun. I missed a lot of good times in this thing." He gestured to his chair.

"It will be just like old times." Breada said joyously, "Falman, Me, Havoc, Hawkeye, Fury all serving you in the East."

"The way it was always supposed to be," Havoc said. "None of this alchemy crap, just soldiers trying to build a nation."

Mustang didn't have the heart to tell the boys yet that earlier in the week Falman had approached him saying General Armstrong wanted to promote him if he stayed with her. He was to replace Buccaneer as Captain. Also he wanted to return to the north because he had found a sweetheart there he had promised to marry before the eclipse. Where Falman found the heat to form a relationship in freezing Briggs Mustang couldn't say.

He was hurt knowing he would be permanently separating the gang but it was the time for change. Now there was a future his military family could separate and form real families. Besides he needed someone up north keeping an eye on the General. The last thing he wanted was her taking over the country and making all soldiers like her Briggs gladiators.

"Nice chat boys," Mustang held out his hand to the smoking man. Jean looked at Mustang and shook it. "The next time we talk you better be saluting." He nodded to Breada and started upstairs.

He hoped to bring the Lieutenant home that day. She had called saying she needed a ride back to her apartment. She hadn't wanted to bother her grandfather or her best friend Rebecca.

They had made a promise to each other years ago. Before there was a Father, the seven homunculi, the Elric brothers and Ishval she had given him the secret to her Father's flame alchemy. She had made him promise that she would never be separated from his legacy no matter what. After Ishval she wanted to be sure the technique died with them.

How long ago had that been? The day they stood at his grave. Before that she had been his daughter; an untouchable and out of reach a girl with a future ahead of her. Why had she forsaken the destiny of a well off alchemist's daughter to become the dog of the military? Why had she followed him?

When he reached the doorway the doctor and nurse were leaving. He nodded to them and entered.

"Sir," She saluted and stood up from the bed. "Its official I can leave today," She said smiling softly. "After a week I can return to headquarters." She was wearing a white collared shirt with no sleeves and pale green pants that cut off at her ankles. She would salute to him until she died he thought. Like a beautiful parasite she would be with him forever.

Maybe she just has daddy issues? He thought humorously. "Well let's get your stuff and go. I've had enough of hospitals for a lifetime"

A/N: Hey this is me here!

I broke my ankle so I felt like writing a Brotherhood fiction to pass the time. This will follow Brotherhood canon. Please enjoy and review!

Coming soon Chapter 2 : Train rides and haircuts