Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist

A/N: Thanks for reviewing!

Your Last Day

Chapter 17

This was his first time ever coming north. There was never a reason for him to come north and since it was so cold up here, he decided to just avoid it. With how busy he was, he just didn't have a care for the north, but now that he was here, Ed felt the need to just take a moment and admire the snow covered land. Since he came from the east, he didn't get to see snow often. There was only one time he was a little kid that they got snow in Resembool and it had been amazing.

A small smile passed over Ed's face as he remembered that time. It had been so fun getting to play in the snow for the first time. They had snow ball fights, made snow angels, went sledding, and built snowmen. Al and him had competed that day to see who could make the best snowman with their alchemy and then had their friends vote on whose they liked better.

Brushing his hand along the back of a snow covered bench, Ed shivered at the cold that seeped through his glove. Having always been in parts of the country that were warm, the cold wasn't something he was used to.

Despite not being used to the cold, Ed still came out to tour the city while Hawkeye stayed at the hotel. It was just yesterday that they met the Drachman spies and since they said they might hire Hawkeye for a second job, they had to wait for the call. Not being able to sit still, Ed decided to just be Blake Mustang, young cousin to Roy Mustang, today and check out the town he was in.

Ed continued down the path of the park, listening to the snow crunch under his feet as he moved. As he walked through the park, Ed took note of the people milling about, either walking through the park to get to another part of the town or were having a snow ball fight like the kids he saw. He moved through the park until he found a phone booth and hurried over to it.

When he was in the booth, he pulled the door shut to keep the cold wind out as he picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. Ed leaned against the wall of the phone booth while he subtly roamed his eyes over the park to make sure no one suspicious was around.

"Hello," A gruff voice sounded in Ed's ear.

"Hey, Roy!" Ed greeted as cheerfully as he could when considering his situation.

"Blake, is that you?" Mustang asked.

Ed rolled his eyes. "Who else would it be?" He retorted, wrapping the wire around his finger and twisting it. "I just wanted to tell you that I met up with your girlfriend, Lizzie, yesterday."

"Girlfriend?!" Mustang spluttered. "She is not my girlfriend!"

The supposedly dead State Alchemist snorted. "Please, Roy, your feelings are so obvious."

For a moment, there was only silence on the other side of the line. A sense of satisfaction ran through Ed as he was sure that at this moment that Mustang was rubbing his fingers together with the urge to snap fire at him. With how often Ed has annoyed him over the years, he would like to think that he has gotten to know his commanding officer quite well to know when he had the urge to snap at him.

"So, you're both good?" Mustang asked, voice calm and completely under control this time.

"We're just fine." Ed replied, uncurling the wire from his finger before curling it around his finger again absentmindedly. "But how are things there?"

"Don't worry about what we are doing. Just keep focused on your task." Mustang said.

Was it just Ed's imagination or did Mustang sound very tired there? Perhaps that made sense considering that Hughes was investigating his death. It had to be hard on Mustang to face Hughes's suspicions every single day while keeping the truth a secret. That had to be stressful for the colonel.

That was something that Ed would have to remember. This wasn't only hard on him, but on everyone involved in this operation. He may be one of the only two soldiers on the frontlines in this operation, but everyone back in Central were doing their own things to keep them safe.

"Alright, alright." Ed replied before a mischievous grin slid into place. "And I'll tell Lizzie that you miss her!"

Not giving Mustang a chance to get over his nonsense spluttering to yell at him, Ed hung up the phone, smirk dropping into a frown as he pulled his coat collar up higher and left the phone booth.

*FMA*

He was tired. So tired. He wasn't even sure of what he was seeing anymore. All the words in front of him were just blurring together, having lost the sense of meaning a long time ago.

Brosh leaned back in his seat so he could look away from all the reports in front of him. At least looking at the ceiling gave him the chance to not look at the words anymore. He never thought the day would come where reading for so long would be what did him in.

"How many reports do we have left to go through?" Brosh asked.

"Two." Kayle replied, leaning his chin in his hand as he looked towards the white board that was overflowing with names of people that could possibly have it out for Edward Elric. Even when they finished going through all the files, they still had to check all those names.

Brosh seemed to realize this as well when a groan escaped him before he righted himself on his chair so he could pull the next report towards him. How Lieutenant Colonel Elric could do this many jobs to cause this much paperwork in just two years was unbelievable. He really wasted no time in doing anything if he caused this much paperwork. It would actually explain the rumors he heard about Colonel Mustang constantly complaining about all the paperwork he constantly had to do. Those rumors didn't start until a few months after Fullmetal joined their ranks. He now completely understood the Colonel's complaints.

Seeing nothing important in the file he just read, Brosh tossed it aside and grabbed the next file. As he did, he looked up to see Ross sitting across from him. Since they came in this morning, she has sat down and started going through reports without break and hasn't spoken to any of them at all. She has always been a good soldier and great at her job, but this is the first time he has seen her this focused. Usually she would have shared a couple words with the rest of the team at least once or twice by this time.

It made him wonder what had happened. They all wanted to solve this case and they have been working on it, but it seemed as if something got to her. While it worried him, he didn't ask her about it. She looked as strong and determined as ever, just more focused than usual. If something was wrong, he was sure, as her partner, she would tell him.

Rubbing at his tired eyes, Brosh flipped the next report open, only to find that it wasn't a report. It was a single piece of paper with a few lines on it.

Target: Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist
Bounty: 20 million cenz
A hit has been put out on Fullmetal by an unknown assailant. Keep an eye on him, Mustang.

"S-Sir!" Brosh shouted as he shot to his feet, slamming a hand on his desk as he did. "You need to see this!"

Hughes looked up from the file he was reading with a frown.

*FMA*

Having finished with checking in with his commanding officer, Ed made his way through the town and found himself at a coffee stand. A coffee stand that actually had sugar! This coffee stand was already his number one coffee stand in Renez compared to the one he went to yesterday that had no sugar!

As he ordered himself a large coffee, Ed took stock of the different magazines and newspapers that the stand was also selling. His brow twitched in annoyance when he found the name 'Fullmetal' on so many covers. A few lucky magazines had even gotten pictures of him on the covers. This was not what he needed. His face being plastered all over would be so dangerous when he was trying to hide the fact that he was alive.

Grabbing a magazine at random, Ed threw down the money for it and his coffee before grabbing a handful of sugar packets which he shoved in his pocket so he could take his coffee from the worker.

Finding a somewhat secluded bench covered by an overhang afterwards, Ed sat down and mixed an overly generous amount of sugar into his coffee that would make Mustang green just looking at it. Satisfied with his sugary concoction, Ed took a sip before flipping the magazine he got open.

It took all of his, somewhat meager he would admit, restraint to resist the urge to scream when he found a huge story about the Fullmetal Alchemist. The article consisted of a huge amount of stories about the different jobs he has done over the past two years that benefitted the people of Amestris. His funeral wasn't even a week ago and articles like this were already coming out. How did these journalists get their information so fast? On that note, where did they get the pictures?

Feeling rather exposed, Ed pulled his coat's hood on and tugged it as far over his face as he could. Even with his hair dyed and wearing sunglasses to cover his eyes, the pictures of him plastered in stands selling magazines all around made him self-conscious that someone might somehow recognize him.

Despite not wanting to be on this operation, Ed was hoping that the Drachmans would contact Hawkeye soon. Sitting still and just acting as Blake Mustang made him feel like he was out in the open and just asking to get spotted. It was actually just very nerve-wracking for him.

Before, it was never a problem for him on a mission to take his time and wait. Of course there was a logical reason why it didn't bother him on other missions. He was never undercover on those missions. On those missions he didn't have to hide his face and being worried about constantly looking over his shoulder with the fear of who he was being revealed.

Since being revealed on this mission basically meant a death sentence, it was so much more terrifying for him.

He needed to be on the move soon.

*FMA*

"We don't have much time left." Breda said as quietly as he could to Mustang as they walked down the hall of Command Center. "Chief had a lot of files, but with five people working on it, they have to be almost done getting through all of them."

Mustang frowned as he looked at Breda out of the corner of his eyes. "I would be disappointed in them if it took longer than a few days to get through that many files. They are an efficient team after all. I only needed to stall them for a few days until I could get Blake and Elizabeth to meet up."

The Colonel twitched for a moment as he recalled the call he got from Edward this morning before he left for work. His bratty subordinate was reaching the same teasing levels as Hughes did about finding a wife. It was something he would never tell Edward, but that teasing had actually lifted his spirits for a moment. Since Hughes had lost his trust in him, he had stopped bothering Mustang constantly. He hadn't seen any pictures of Hughes's family or gotten any teasing from Hughes about getting a wife in days.

With how often it happened in his life, Mustang was always annoyed with the pictures and talks of family since Hughes never left him alone about it. Now that it wasn't happening anymore, Mustang was realizing just how much it mattered to him. Hughes was his best friend and having him missing from his life was harder than he realized.

Even if he knew it would only be temporary.

Eventually Hughes would learn the truth, but until then, he would grit his teeth and lie as needed to keep his team alive. He knew they were alive and he would do whatever he needed to make sure it stayed that way. After all, it was all he knew about their status. Edward didn't tell him anything about what was going on up north and Mustang didn't ask. He wanted to know, but if something significant happened, he knew Hawkeye or Ed would get that information to him somehow. For now he would stay ignorant to keep them safe.

"If they find anything that is suspicious, they'll be able to open an investigation into our unit." Breda pointed out, frowning while looking to the side at the soldiers that saluted Mustang as they walked past them. "I know you said to stall, but only Havoc and I know the truth of what is going on. The rest of our unit won't be as willing to lie and stall for you. They want the truth as well."

"I expect they will, but this is why so few people know the truth of this operation." Mustang replied. "Since only three of us know about what is truly happening, it will be easier for us to stall the investigation. The truth about what is happening isn't in Fullmetal's files yet, and it will stay that way until they are safely back."

Breda gave a defeated sigh. "Why did you have to involve me in this as well? When it is found out we lied, we'll all be court martialed."

Mustang shot a smirk back at him. "Well, we'll just have to prove that it was needed for the success of our operation."

Breda smirked. "That means relying on Elizabeth and Blake to not mess up."

*FMA*

Marching down the hall with reports clutched in his arm, Hughes felt like he was the one about to commit treason. He finally had enough evidence to open up an investigation into Mustang's unit, but now that he had it, the idea of showing it to the Fuhrer seemed immensely difficult. Doing this would mean there was no turning back and it would destroy Mustang's career and life if his investigation bore fruit.

Hughes didn't want to destroy Mustang's career, but at the same time, he could not just let his investigation go. If Mustang was the reason that Edward was killed then no matter his feelings, Hughes had a job to do. He would find the truth and if the truth was that Mustang went against his word about protecting those below him, he would stop him. The Mustang after the Ishvalan Civil War could have fallen off the correct path and if he did, Hughes wasn't going to let it stay.

"Fuhrer, sir," Hughes greeted when he got the permission from the Fuhrer's secretary to enter.

Bradley finished signing the document he was reading before placing his pen down and looking up at his saluting soldier. "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, how does the investigation into Lieutenant Colonel Elric's assassination go?"

Hughes dropped his salute so he could approach the Fuhrer's desk. "That is the reason I came here, sir. I request to expand my investigation into an inquiry of Colonel Mustang's unit on the suspicion that they were involved in Lieutenant Colonel Elric's assassination."

At his request, Bradley leaned back in his chair, raising a brow in a questioning manner. "You want to investigate our own comrades? On what grounds?"

The Lieutenant Colonel put the reports his team had found on the desk in front of his boss. "During the week of the parade, Lieutenant Colonel Elric was supposed to be gone on vacation that was approved by Colonel Mustang before the Colonel rescinded his vacation to order him here to Central for the parade. On its own, that would not be enough to make me want to begin an inquiry. But then Sergeant Brosh found this in Elric's files." Hughes flipped open the manila folder containing the single piece of paper that said someone was after Edward's life. "Someone had informed Colonel Mustang that his life was in danger. Knowing that, why would he allowed Lieutenant Colonel Elric to be out in the open and on stage at the parade no less?"

If he just presented the reports he found and deduced the strange actions of Mustang, it should be enough to get the permission to do an inquiry. He could have mentioned that he overhead Mustang say that he had Edward killed for a reason, but that was something he wanted to keep to himself. For one, he couldn't prove that Mustang said that. And two, if by some miracle, the Fuhrer did believe what he said, it wouldn't look good for Mustang. It already didn't, but Hughes was trying to look at this without being too biased. He didn't want to throw Mustang completely under the bus until he could do an official investigation.

"Lieutenant Colonel Elric should not have been out in the open making himself an easier target. Colonel Mustang would have known this." Hughes clarified.

"True," Bradley replied, eye darkening in anger. One of Father's sacrifices was killed and that was enough to make him angry, but for it to be possibly be done by one of their sacrifice candidates complicated matters. It wasn't someone they could just kill off and have that be the end of it. As they were down one of their valuable sacrifices, they needed all the possible candidates they could get.

Of course, there wasn't any solid proof that Mustang had done this so he couldn't just jump to different scenarios.

"I'll sanction it." Bradley decided, closing the reports that Hughes put on his desk and handed them back to the Lieutenant Colonel. "Whatever you need to do, do it. I want to know why my State Alchemist was murdered."

"Understood, sir," Hughes saluted his superior. "My team will get on it right away."

*FMA*

Winry just stared at the envelope. Inside was the letter from Ed, his last words to her. More than anything, she wanted to know what was inside, but she was still scared of reading his last words. After she read this letter, she would never get to learn anything more from him or hear his nonsense talking again.

But at the same time, she didn't want to hide from the letter either. His death was hard and it would surely impact her for a long time, but it also hurt Al, probably even more than her. He was the last of his family, but yesterday the two of them managed to laugh and just enjoy themselves for a couple of hours. They managed to do that by not crying for Ed. The last thing Ed wanted to do was make his brother and her cry. He wouldn't want them to be depressed about his death, but to remember him with smiles and laughter about all the moments they spent together.

If Al could be strong and remember all the good times with his brother and open his birthday gift from him, then Winry could do the same.

With that in mind, Winry slid a finger under the seal and peeled it off.

Winry,

I am going to admit, I don't really know why I am writing this. I think ever since I had to run out of Resembool to head back to Central for an unexpected job, I have been having strange thoughts. I know I joined the State Alchemists to find a way to fix my mistake. It was always for Al that I did this and I knew that meant signing away my freedom. Still, I didn't think I would get dragged away on my vacation and miss spending time with you and Granny and Al. I think I'll know better from now on though.

The life of a State Alchemist is never easy. There is always something that will come up. It reminds me of my 53rd mission that the Colonel gave me. I was in the middle of important research that I thought would lead me to finding a way to fix my mistake and in the middle of it, Mustang ordered me to the south-west of Amestris because of some crackpot scientists not leaving the military alone until they sent someone down there to see what was so important about his discovery. Being dragged out of my research, I wasn't in the best of moods to deal with him. I can't really go into details as most of what I do is classified but it turns out he was using science to create a dangerous weapons. I didn't want anything to do with it afterwards, but since it was my mission, the Colonel made me study this psychopath's research afterwards. Seriously. I found out about new elements I didn't even know of, like Americium. Of course, it is very dangerous so I don't mess with it.

But my point is that I so often have to do so many things I don't want to. I love alchemy, but ever since I've joined the military, I have had to study different types of alchemy and science out there for my missions and I have come across so many things that depict how corrupt humans can be. In that sense, I think you are lucky, automail junkie. You get to study and build automail without restrictions and you are constantly in love with what you do. I can tell because of all the crazy speeches you give me about automail and stuff. To be honest, I don't understand much of what you say about automail. All I will understand is the stuff you use for automail, like aluminum and stuff like that. When you use the element names, I at least at a faint idea of what you are talking about. Well, I know what you are talking about to a degree when I actually spend the time to listen to you.

Oh, don't get all huffy, gearhead. I know you probably tune me out when I start mentioning alchemy. Do you remember that time when we were ten and I tried to use alchemy on table salt to separate the iodine from it? You got so mad at me and called me an idiot for ruining the salt that Granny needed for dinner and made me go out to buy some more. I was only doing that to see if I could and I think saying that made you even angrier since you didn't see that as a good reason.

It seems that neither one of us cares for the others' work. We both work with the elements in our job, doing different things, but we both understand them so well and yet we do completely different things. You would think we would care more about what the other does.

I shouldn't really say that. I may not like automail, but I really appreciate what you do for me, Winry. Like I do with alchemy, I know you are constantly studying automail and working on it every day to improve your craft. I hope you continue to improve. I want more of your fabulous work. Did you know of Vanadium? It's an element I came across in my research recently. Apparently it works as an additive to steel that increases its strength. Of course, you might already know that. As I already say, I sometimes tune you out when you start your speech about the greatness of automail. Look it up, okay? Perhaps you can get steel with it so you can make my automail better so it will be less likely to break.

Haha. I can just see the anger on your face right now. I can hear you screaming at me that my automail breaks because I am reckless, not because your automail is weak. And maybe you might be right 99 percent of the time. My job is dangerous, but I think we can blame 1 percent on the automail.

At this point, you're probably ready to start swinging your wrench at me, aren't you? Well, good luck hitting your target this time, Winry. Enjoy your gift. I think you'll like it. And rub it in Al's face when you see it. He seems to think I have no style and can't pick anything nice for you out. Show him what I can do on my own.

Anyway, Winry, I guess I just wanted to say sorry. We don't see each other often and when we do, it is because I always need repairs. We then end up arguing about alchemy and automail since we study different things. Despite that, I always have fun arguing with you. It brings a different type of spark to your eyes when we argue like that. Still, when I came back to Resembool for Al's birthday, it was with the promise that I would relax and have fun. And that was my mistake. I am not just a State Alchemist, but a soldier as well. It is hard for me take that time to relax since something could happen at any moment. I am sorry my job ruined the trip. I saw your disappointment when I left. You were excited at the prospect of making northern automail for me, but was sad when it was time for me to leave. I will try to make it up to you.

Major Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist

Rereading the letter a second time did nothing to ease the confusion that filtered across Winry's face over the letter. She really should have expected this the moment she heard Edward had written a letter for her. That boy never wrote to her so of course the first time he did, it would just be complete and utter nonsense with a point mixed in there somewhere. Honestly, it felt like those times when the two of them just talked. Why did he always have to bring science and his job into everything? Couldn't he just talk, or in this case write, to her without adding all that in there?

And what was with that formal signature?! She was his best friend and yet he felt the need to sign a letter to her with his title and codename? Just looking at it was pissing her off! He was not the Fullmetal Alchemist to her. He was her best friend, Ed, and that was how he should have signed! Or maybe not bothered to sign at all because she would have been able to tell who this was from without a signature! It was just so Edward Elric!

Couldn't his last words have meant something more than that?

It was beyond frustrating!

Realizing that her anger was causing her to scrunch up the paper, Winry loosened her grip on the letter before she could utterly destroy it.

Putting the letter to the side, Winry picked up the small box that came with it and without stopping to overthink anymore, she opened it. Inside was a beautiful silver chain necklace with a pair of interlocked rings hanging at the end of it. One of the rings was made of chrome, shining like a black metallic substance, while the second ring was pure steel with her name and a tiny wrench engraved into it. Winry couldn't help the smile that lit up her face at seeing it. Chrome and steel were both materials she used in making automail. Ed paid more attention to what she was saying then he let on. The steel was obvious when looking at his arm, but the chrome she used was usually embedded in the steel as alloy for the hardness and rust resistance that his arm and leg needed.

Running her hands over the smooth metal, Winry decided that Ed was right this time. He picked out a beautiful gift for her. The boy who always had a demonic sense of style actually picked out something simple, but had it be something that was completely her. He then made it even better by getting it engraved. This must have been expensive.

Winry took it out of the box and slipped it around her neck. Once it was hooked, she lifted up the interlocked rings in her hand to look at them again, still smiling at the beautiful necklace. Not only was it beautiful, but it was from Ed. She had to thank him for such a nice gift.

Maybe Al would want to go to Ed's grave with her.

*FMA*

Hearing a door open, Hawkeye snapped her arm up, gun ready before she even looked at the door. When she did look up, she saw Ed frozen with his hands in the air.

"Should I have knocked first?" Ed asked hesitantly as he lowered his arms since Hawkeye realized it was him and wouldn't fire. He snatched up the magazine he dropped when he came in and made his way over to his bed and threw himself down on it while kicking his shoes off in the process.

"Sorry, Blake. You can't be too careful." Hawkeye replied as she lowered her gun back down to the bed. "Where did you run off to this morning?"

Ed leaned his face on his hand as he looked over at her. "I went to call my cousin to let him know I arrived him safely and met up with you." He pulled his magazine he bought towards him and flipped it open to the article about him. "And then I found a magazine with a large article about the Fullmetal Alchemist and what he has done for the people."

"Anything interesting?" Hawkeye asked curiously. When the Colonel came to her with his plan to assassinate Ed, she had been interested in what it would lead to. With his popularity, Hawkeye was sure Ed's death would have repercussion. It was something that she would be interested to see since she knew Ed was just fine, but because she was busy with a job, she hadn't been paying it any attention.

"I'm just amazed by how much they know." Ed flipped the page to the next part of the article.

Rising from her bed, Hawkeye took the few steps between the two beds so she could sit next to Ed and look down at the article. "You can't be that surprised. Fullmetal very rarely did anything that wasn't flashy. It wasn't his style."

A brief smirk crossed over Ed's face. "He even went out with style." He added. While it wasn't ideal to be marked down as dead by the military and country, at least his supposed death was done in style. At the end of a parade after he performed on stage in front of his comrades. It was unique at least. "By the way, have you heard anything?"

"Nothing," Hawkeye said. "We shouldn't have to wait more than a few days if they do hire me again."

"Any idea of what you'll do if it's another assassination?"

Hawkeye shook her head. "We might be able to stall, but we'll need to use that time to find where the Drachmans are hiding out."

Ed hummed thoughtfully. "Do you think they will take you there?"

"Doubtful, which is why we need to find a way to get them to tell us." Hawkeye replied.

"I'm sure that will be easy." Ed muttered sarcastically as his eyes trailed past Hawkeye sitting on his bed to look towards the ground where a case was sitting under her bed. "What will all that money be used for?"

Hawkeye followed his eyes towards the case. "Normally when money is seized in a case, it gets locked up for years, but it depends on where this operation goes. The Colonel might be able to get permission to use the money for funding."

Ed gave the case a disdainful look before drawing his eyes back to the magazine. As long as he had nothing to do with the money, he didn't care what they did with it. It was money received for his supposed death. Blood money in that sense. The very idea made him uncomfortable so if he had a choice, he would have set fire to the money.

*Mustang*

With his back facing towards the door, Mustang stood stoically in front of his window as he looked out at the night sky. He was the only one left in the office as the rest of his team had left for the night. The night sky looked so tranquil and quiet. It was something that Mustang wished he had right now. While it was quiet, things were far from tranquil for him right now.

SLAM!

And there was a sound he hasn't heard in a few days.

Without turning around, Mustang watched Hughes's reflection in the window as the Lieutenant Colonel walked into the office. Unlike usual, there was no smile on his face or happy greeting. Hughes closed the door behind him and entered farther into the room.

Hughes stopped in the middle of the room, staring at Mustang's back with a frown. He was silent for a moment as he waited to for Mustang to turn around to face him since he knew Mustang knew he was here. But after a few minutes, Hughes's frown deepened when Mustang refused to turn to look at him. "Colonel Mustang, you and your unit are now under official investigation in regards to having a hand in Lieutenant Colonel Elric's assassination."

A/N: Please Review!