You'll Be There

Author: MoonStarDutchess

Inspired by the song "You'll Be There" by George Strait. Lyrics removed due to the site rules.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or the song used in this fiction.

AN: Please don't insult the views of the afterlife and "religious" views that I use in this fiction.

You'll Be There

The wind whipping around him and the rain pouring down upon him in sheets did little good to help Roy Mustang's coat keep him warm: not that the man wearing the coat cared. He didn't care about the cold, he didn't care that his clothing was sticking to his skin causing it to turn red.

His focus was on the stone in front of him: that damned stone with her name carved upon it.

She was gone. He would never again hear the familiar click of her gun, or smell her perfume or see her smile at him when she thought he wasn't looking. He would never again see the woman that understood him better than anyone else in the world: the most loyal out of his loyal group of subordinates.

He read her name on the stone repeatedly, unrealistically hoping that the letters would magically rearrange themselves and it wouldn't be her name engraved there. That he would have a valid reason to deny that it was her body in that casket that was entombed in the cold damp ground

She'd always had faith in a higher power. To her, something as beautiful as a sunrise or the stars couldn't just appear from a simple gathering of chemicals and rock. She argued that something as complex as human emotions, especially love, couldn't just develop without a creator. In her heart, it just didn't make sense. It was something she had faith in and he admired that so much about her even though he disagreed.

It wasn't only his scientific background and reasoning that caused him to hold no religious faith. If there was such a kind being like the religions preached then why did they allow such shit to happen in the world. Why did they let Ishbal happen?

In all the years he'd known her, her faith never wavered. She wasn't a part of any particular religion. She merely held the belief that there was a higher power and that it had reasons for letting things happen.

"Riza," Roy began speaking aloud to the stone in front of him. His voice was shaky and scratchy as he spoke. "I don't understand your faith. If your god was so great then why'd he take away the most precious person in my life?"

When she was shot protecting him, as she died in his arms, he told her that he loved her. He begged her not to leave him, begged her to try to hang on. She weakly told him that she loved him and that if he could only find faith in god, they would see each other again. He shook his head and leaned down to kiss her softly, finding her lips without warmth or breath.

-/-/-

After he returned from her grave, he locked himself in his apartment and refused to speak to anyone. He didn't go to work and his only sustenance was alcohol and an occasional piece of toast. He drank until he passed out and cried when he wasn't drunk. He finally cleaned up and read all the books on faith that she gave him. Books that, before her death, had only been taking up space on his shelf and gathering dust. He returned to work shortly after he began questing for the faith that Riza had mentioned. For her he would find it.

Everyone thought it was crazy for an alchemist, a scientist, to believe in a higher power. Roy didn't give a damn what people thought. If it meant that he would see Riza again then he would believe. He would live the best he could: for her.

-/-/-

Five years later, Roy was buried beside Riza Hawkeye in Central City Memorial Gardens. He'd become fuhrer and while giving a speech he was shot in the head. He died before the ambulance arrived.

His friends were gathered around the grave but no tears fell from their eyes because they knew without a doubt that he was with Riza and happy.

Roy was amazed as he looked at the environment around him. He was standing in a beautiful field full of various colors of wild flowers. Out in the distance he could see a small stream filled with crystal blue water. The sky above him was light blue and the sun was shining so brightly that it would have hurt his eyes if he were still alive.

"Roy," a familiar voice spoke.

Roy turned around and smiled when he saw a very familiar woman with long golden hair and hazel eyes. She was easily the most beautiful thing his gaze ever saw.

"Riza," he said.

She stepped closer to him, lifted her hand to cup the side of his face, and kissed him gently.

"You found faith," she said when she pulled away.

His arms wrapped around her and pulled her close, hugging her tightly.

"Yes, I found faith. Faith and you."