Chapter 30

Though it was not yet very late in the day, winter demanded that night should fall sooner than it would have any other time of the year. The sun was setting on the horizon, sending glistening rays of orange light through the clouds to bounce off of buildings and give the blanket of snow a glimmering sheen.

However, the sight was lost on Edward, who was sitting away from the window with his back pressed against the wall of his dorm and with the blinds closed. Only a small number of thin lines of sunlight managed to creep through and distort on the furniture that was placed against the opposing wall.

Most people would have at least glanced outside to take in the view for a moment, but Ed was currently doing all he could to block out the ever moving, ever changing world around him. Just for a moment, he wanted to enjoy the feeble sensation that he couldn't quite call peace while it lasted. Because as he stared at the other wall with his arms folded, events were taking place that he couldn't bring himself to acknowledge. Not yet.

Markus Riece was currently undergoing his sentencing to see what his punishment for kidnapping Alphonse, blackmailing Edward, and allegedly killing Tresler would be. The anticipation of the many possible outcomes would surely eat Ed alive if he chose to listen to the live radio feed or, god forbid, actually attend the event. Mustang had given him the option, but he shot the idea down immediately.

Even if it was to watch him get sentenced to a few well-deserved lifetimes in prison, or maybe something even worse, he absolutely did not want to hear or see that man ever again. Perhaps it was cowardly. Perhaps it made him pathetic and weak, but no amount of possible self gratification was worth it. There was nothing to gain by facing him again, because the last encounter would only repeat itself.

Edward did not need to be reminded that someone was killed because of his choices, or that Al might have thought more about it than what he let on, or that the entire nation was going to consider him innocent when in fact, he was far from it. Riece would only continue to throw these facts back in his face and there was nothing the kid could do to make him stop, except avoid him.

He hated it.

He hated that after a month of struggling, the only solution now was to look away and allow others with actual power to deal with the deranged man.

With a huff, he dropped his forehead onto his folded arms, shifting his weight slightly. Simply looking at the familiar room took his mind on a trail that went straight back to the recent events and Riece. Him sitting in that dorm was a direct result of his most recent meeting with the man.

He and Al had returned to the closest place to home since Mustang's admission into the hospital, seeing as it wouldn't make any sense for him to continue staying at the colonel's house at that point. Ed knew from the beginning that this would happen and didn't bother trying to fight it.

Even though part of him honestly wanted to go back.

Mustang managed to worm his way out of the doctor's grip only a few days ago, but again, there was no explanation he could give to go back. It was a matter that did not need discussing, and so it wasn't. Besides, he and Alphonse needed to continue their nomadic lifestyle in search for the Philosopher's Stone once this was all behind them. Perhaps the part of him that wanted to call that comfortable townhouse home was nothing more than an irrational desire that would hopefully pass in time.

While it wasn't in his character to assume such things, something told Edward that the front doors of Mustang's house would still be open for him if something ever were to happen again.

That alone was enough to appease him.

Pulling Ed from his thoughts, the door was opened and the clanking of Al's armor followed him inside the dorm. When the greeting that he expected never came, Edward began to feel increasingly more nervous as he rose his gaze up to his brother.

Alphonse lingered just in front of the door frame for a moment longer before taking another step closer and closing it behind him. His anxiety and trepidation was clearly radiating off of him in droves, doing no favors for Ed's own state of mind.

"It's over," Al finally stated when Edward refused to speak first, referring to the radio coverage of the sentencing.

The blond stared at him, frozen stiff with his breath held, fearing the worst.

"They said he'll be locked up for... for only five years."

In a single moment, he felt the blood drain from his face and he was certain his heart skipped a beat, before kicking into overdrive, pounding so quickly that he was sure it would burst.

"H- how is that possible?" he whispered under his breath, unsure if his brother had even heard him. "Only five years. That doesn't make any sense..."

As he stayed frozen in space, he wanted to break something and yell and scream at the world for being so unfair- so unjust. It didn't make sense!

It wasn't right.

But he couldn't move, couldn't breath, he could barely think.

Al's helmet lowered to stare absently at the ground. He was just as confused and disappointed as Edward was- just as unable to express the absurdity of this.

Even when all he wanted to do was lay down and vanish from the rest of the word, the blond slowly rose to his feet. His stomach lurched, further convincing him to go back down before he got sick, but pure stubbornness kept him up.

Stubbornness, and a dark, furious rage that was currently too buried by shock to be of any use to him just yet.

"... I need to talk to Mustang."

Fascinating.

It was all so terribly fascinating. Like reading a novel, the recent events fit together perfectly, bringing him to this moment in time, minutes away from crossing into a brand new chapter.

No- a mere chapter was not good enough to properly describe the tangent his life was about to take. This was the beginning of a new book; an epic poem, perhaps. He could barely contain his excitement as he sat in the middle of that drab holding cell.

Markus Riece wished he could record all that was happening around him. Despite being intellectually superior to the common folk who surrounded him on a day-to-day basis, his memory was admittedly not the best. He would never forget what transpired in these past few days, but it was not enough to simply know the obvious, chronological facts.

The desire to write down every emotion and thought constantly drove him. He yearned to capture the very feeling in the air so he could place himself exactly where he currently was even in the distant future, long after his imperfect human memory had failed him and the overlooked details were forgotten to time.

But for now, there was no helping it; he would just have to settle for committing it all to memory,

It was a shame, really. Markus certainly hoped he would be able to recall the full scale of the accomplishment he felt when the mighty Colonel Mustang sauntered into his little cell at Central Command for the second time that night to agree to his plan. The sheer reluctance on the man's face was surprisingly satisfying, to say the least.

He held all the cards once again and enjoyed every moment of it.

Before working out the details, he made it perfectly clear to the colonel that if he failed to follow through with his side of the deal or if he was double crossed in any way, then Markus would waste no time in telling the entire world that the little Fullmetal Alchemist was a murderer.

That should be a good motivator.

Right on time, the door to his secluded room was opened and a man dressed in the black uniform of the military police stepped in with his head lowered, hiding the majority of his face from view with the rim of his hat. With him, came the not-so-subtle scent of cigarette smoke.

Unlike the dingy accommodations he was given at Central's HQ, he was temporarily placed in a bland room, surrounded by four white walls and a metal door to wait to be placed in a permanent cell after arriving at the prison. Little did the guards here know that he had no plans on waiting for that.

The man who stepped in and shut the door behind him was most likely one of Mustang's men, considering the discrete black bag that he dropped by Markus' feet.

"Put this on over your clothes," the man explained, looking up to meet his gaze.

Oh yes, this was definitely one of Mustang's men, Markus decided as he was met with an icy blue stare that was burning with a mute hatred. Whoever this was, he was trusted enough to know the details of their little predicament and was powerless to do anything besides guide his enemy to freedom.

Simply fascinating.

Inside the black bag was a military uniform, identical to the one his visitor wore and even the boots and hat to go along with it. He wasted no time in pulling the clothing out and slipping them on over the thin gray prison garb, that would easily go unnoticed underneath.

"I don't know how much the colonel has told you," the man began, "but the leader of the police was recently replaced, so things are a little disorganized right now. You shouldn't stick out too much since there are a lot of new faces around here. Just don't look suspicious."

Markus nodded with an amused grin that he just couldn't keep at bay as he finished buttoning the jacket and put the hat on. With a frown, the blond man looked him over, then turned to exit the holding cell. As soon as the two were out in the hall, they began walking down one direction as another soldier was walking towards them.

Just as they were about to pass, the blond man stopped the newcomer and pointed to the door that they just exited from.

"Let that guy stew in there for a while longer. He pissed me off."

With a chuckle, the third man replied with a laugh and said "serves him right," before continuing on, passing the holding cell without another comment.

The remainder of the journey through the prison was relatively uneventful. They were not stopped and all of those who passed by were greeted with a smile from Markus and a nod from his guide. No one ever suspected a thing.

It wasn't before long they walked through the front gate of the prison, looking out at the snow-covered streets of Central. The sun had fallen hours ago and and all have retreated to the warmth and safety of their homes, leaving none to watch as Riece stepped out into freedom.

The man besides him pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it within seconds of entering the cold air of outside. "Stay off the main roads for now. They'll notice you're gone within minutes. If you go between those buildings there," he said as he pointed straight ahead, "you'll find a stash of money at the end of the alley which will be enough for a cheap car or a few train rides or a hotel or whatever the hell you want to do."

"Thank you very much," Markus replied amiable, primarily at the expense of the man who clearly did not want to be helping him.

The blond only stared at him through the shadows of his hat with his features highlighted by the faint glow of his burning cigarette.

"Just get out of here and don't come back."

"With pleasure."

Humans were always so eager to believe what they were told, especially when it was what they wanted to hear. It was common knowledge that the world was filled with liars, and yet people always seemed surprised when he proved himself to be one of them.

Mustang was a fool to believe that Markus was simply going to drop this as soon as he was out of the military's grasp. That man still has not suffered enough for his liking. In the past, he acted impulsively by having Tresler killed so soon. It would have been so much more satisfying to strip him of everything he cared about; his reputation, his business, his son, his wife- but that's not to say he regretted his actions. Having Edward kill him came with it's own gratification that he would not trade away easily.

Although on second thought, the kid said he wasn't the one who shot the bullet that killed him... Riece could only guess what happened that night, but it didn't matter, since the guilt stayed with him all the same.

Perhaps it was for the best; because of how things played out, he learned that Colonel Mustang had many more weaknesses than he let on. Markus knew from the beginning that targeting his youngest subordinate would be effective, but he was delighted to find out that there was much more to it than he thought.

He was too protective of the Elrics for his own good. Soon, Markus would make use of that. He will tear them all apart and enjoy every moment of it. Not just because of the loss of his daughter, but because it was just so entertaining.

But in the end, they all brought this upon themselves.

On that pleasant note, Markus bid his escort farewell and turned his back to the prison.

But as he walked towards the alley, he failed to notice the vengeful pair of black eyes that were watching him from within the shadows.

"Havoc," Roy started as he approached the Lieutenant by the gates of the prison. "If they don't figure it out for themselves first, alert the warden that Markus Riece had somehow escaped in ten minutes."

"Sure," the blond agreed, then exhaled slowly. The smoke caught the yellow light of the nearby streetlamps, then disappeared into the winter air. He looked down at the black uniform that they managed to find in storage. "I'm gonna change first."

The colonel nodded as he kept his sharp gaze focused only on the figure in the distance, who was becoming smaller by the second. In preparation for the search for the escapee began, Hawkeye was already in position to ensure that the orders are to find him dead or alive and by any means necessary.

Because of his performance at the sentencing earlier that day, it was very possible that they would underestimate what could happen if this madman was out on the lose, but that was to keep security from being too tight. Regardless, he trusted Hawkeye to follow through.

Without another word, Roy began walking forward, each step crunching through the snow in the dead of night. Despite the risks he was taking, he was sure that everything would go as planned. There was no need to rush.

Once he crossed the road and approached the alley, he reached into his pockets and tugged on his ignition gloves. As soon as he stepped into the shadows of the narrow alley, he was certain that no eyes were on him.

No witnesses.

He knew he shouldn't be looking forward to this but the vast majority of him simply couldn't help it. When Edward first told him of what Riece was doing, he immediately hated the man but had no qualms with simply locking him away.

That is until he continued to push, continued to probe, continued to pull at Roy's tolerance until he snapped. Every time Ed told him something new about what the man had done or when the colonel was able to witness his actions for himself, he became more and more convinced that he deserved worse than prison.

But the final straw was when they personally went to Riece's cell a few days ago. The way he managed to chop down the blond's defenses simply with well-timed words and the knowledge of how to manipulate and poison the mind. Despite his efforts, Ed seemed incapable of tuning it out or resisting his attempts to mess with his head. Roy liked to believe that he would be able to one day, but he refused to wait to find out. Riece was a threat as long as he was alive. The very fact that he was out there somewhere would strip the Elrics of the peace of mind they deserved.

He was yet to decide how Ed or Al would respond to what he was planning, but even that would not be enough to change his mind.

Within the small passages of the alleyways, Roy turned a corner, following the only path that was available. In the dim, fading moonlight that cracked through the growing clouds, he could make out fresh shoe prints in the powdery coating of snow.

While he was admittedly sickly eager to find Riece and trap him like the rat he was, no sign of a smile graced his face as he was motivated by pure loathing. His skilled regarding keeping himself composed were of great use over the past few days especially as the psychopath continued to test his thinning patience.

At last, he turned another corner and was greeted by a dead end. Further ahead was a figure searching for a promised stash of money that never existed.

Wordlessly, Roy closed in. The only sounds to be heard were Riece's scavaging and the crunch of the ice beneath the colonel's boots. Once heard, the other man looked up at him with a jump, clearly not expecting to have any visitors. He straightened up from the trashcan that he was in the process of moving and slapped on a sloppy and ill-prepared mask of fake confidence.

"Ah, Mustang! What- are you doing here?" he asked slowly, eyes scanning the area surely in search for an escape route.

Roy took his sweet time deciding how to reply, seeing as Riece wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. "Did you honestly think I'd actually fall for your pathetic little lies?" he asked coldly.

The older man opened his mouth, the thought twice. After a beat of hesitation, he forced a smile onto his expression and held his hands out in a friendly manner. "I see you're upset about that, but we can work something out."

"I don't think so," Roy replied without hesitation, pressing his middle finger and thumb together, creating small, eager sparks by his side.

Perhaps without realizing, Riece took a defensive step away until his back pressed up against the brick wall, his smile faltering. "So you're just going to kill me; is that it? You're going to repeat the crime that Edward has been burdened with all this time? Have you learned nothing?"

At that, Roy could barely refrain from audibly laughing. "Crime? There's no crime in a military officer simply defending himself from an escaped criminal. Especially if I felt threatened; and if this criminal were to die in my attempts to defend myself, then-" he shrugged. "- you won't be missed."

Riece started as if he had been physically struck; the smile had completely fallen from his face. "And what about Edward? How do you think he'll respond to this? Are you going to lie to him, just as I did? Or will you look him in the eyes and tell him that you're a murderer!?"

If the man had regained any confidence because of his argument, it was quickly dashed when Roy chuckled darkly in response.

"Have you forgotten who I am? It's no secret that the Hero of Ishval is a murderer; my hands are already soaked in blood."

"But-"

"Don't concern yourself with how Ed will react."

In the past, Riece had said that his actions against the colonel were not for pretty revenge. Instead, he claimed he was simply doing somewhat that needed to be done. A favor for the rest of the world, so to speak. In a way, Roy now understood what he meant by that.

His biggest motivation was the fact that Riece's continued existence brought harm onto those he cared about and ending his life was necessary to fix that. The difference, however, was that Roy was not afraid to admit that part of it was indeed for revenge.

When Roy snapped his fingers and sent explosive flames towards the man's torso, which he just narrowly managed to avoid, it was with the intent to benefit others.

But when Riece tried to claim that Ed wouldn't forgive him for killing someone on his behalf, the burst of fire that scorched his mouth and burned his tongue was for revenge.

As his screams sliced through the silence, the man collapsed onto his knees and shoveled snow into his mouth in a desperate attempt to smother the flames that licked and blistered his skin. Once they went out, he remained where he was, a crippled groan slipping through each heavy breath and he lacked the strength to return to his feet.

The buildings that surrounded them were all businesses that have closed for the night. There was no one to hear his pained howls besides possibly the military police once they begin their search, but even then, it'll be far too late.

"I considered just cutting out your tongue so you could never say any more manipulative lies, but even while mute, you would still find ways to ruin lives, wouldn't you?" Roy mused as he took a few steps closer through.

Grinding his teeth, Riece glared at the man and opened his quivering lips to speak. "You-" he started, but his slurred, whispered tone was abruptly cut off by his own agonizing screams.

Flames seemed to materialize around him, latching themselves onto his clothing and spreading wildly. The scent of burning fabric and skin filled the air as he reeled to the side and collapsed into the snow, twisting and turning sporadically in the snow.

By some miracle, he managed to put out the fire and remained face down, body trembling as his clothes continued to smolder. Roy took that moment to walk over to him and place a boot on his shoulder, then using it to roughly roll him onto his back.

He looked down at Riece's hateful gaze that shined with the refusal to be defeated.

"Do you regret it yet?"

His brown eyes narrowed and he took several breaths before he could muster up a terse response. "... What?" he asked in a slur and he flinched from the jolt that came with using his burned mouth to speak.

"It wouldn't have come to this if you only chose to target me. But you sealed your fate the moment you chose to include Ed and Al. So I want to know, Markus Riece; as you are moments away from death, do you regret getting them involved."

The downed man stared up at him silently for a long moment, the gears in his mind shifting as he seriously considered the question. Then finally, the corners of his lips twitched to hint at the smile he was unable to form.

"No." Suddenly, the hint of a smile widened and his eyes intensified, ignoring the searing pain that undoubtedly shot through him. "Hell, I'd do it all again given the chance. Except next time, I'd make sure to scar you just as badly as those kids," he forced out, followed by a mangled, animistic laugh.

"Then there was no saving you."

His twisted, sick laughter distorted as there was another snap and the alley was lit up by bright flames that attacked and ate away at him. But through the screams that took on a life of their own and echoed down the alley against his control, his laughter remained, bursting in and out of his voice between each ragged, dying breath.

Roy watched in disgust for several long seconds as his confidence that he was doing the right thing steadily grew.

This man- no, he wasn't even human.

This monster needed to be put down.

With a calm exhale, the alchemist rose his right hand once again as Riece writhed on the ground, battling flames as his bloodcurdling, screaming laughter overlapped with the sirens that he could now hear blaring in the distance.

He snapped again, completing engulfing his figure in fire and bringing a quick end to his suffering. The screams grew louder, then faded until only the cracking of what was left over remained.

Riece's charred, blackened body laid motionless against the wall, ravaged by an undying blaze. The snow nearby had melted and a few rogue flames remained after catching onto nearby garbage. The deadly silence of a winter's night returned as Roy's ears seemed to ring from the sudden absence of sound.

His expression was natural as he looked down at the demented figure- lifeless limbs spread out and jaw wide open, as if a silent scream was still echoing. His mind was brought back to the days of the Ishvalan Massacre when the scent of burning flesh finally reached him, but still, he felt no remorse as he did back then.

He was forced to kill the innocent and the desperate in the past, but this time he disposed of a vile creature who brought only suffering to others. He didn't quite feel happy about his success, however.

If Roy were to give what he felt a name, then perhaps it would be peace.

He gave the corpse one last look, before turning away from it and returning back the way he came. It was almost anticlimactic for such a nuisance to be snuffed out in only a few seconds, but he knew better than anyone that that was all it took.

Much later that night, Roy shuffled through the front door of his home and shut it behind him, shuddering from the cold that had song since sunken into his bones.

After shrugging off his greatcoat and hanging it haphazardly on the coat rack, he had his heavy eyes set on the staircase. But before he reached it, he somehow toppled to the side and collapsed onto his couch before he quite knew what was happening.

Not that he was complaining, anyway. He didn't even have it in him to care that he was still in uniform.

After dealing with the miserable insect known as Markus Riece, he spent the greater part of the night speaking to the military police about how he conveniently happened to be in the area when their newest prisoner escaped and just so happened to come across him in a dark, secluded alleyway. After explaining how he heroically went head-to-head against the maniac who he was certain was armed, Roy had to inform them with great regret that he had no choice but to use lethal force.

And just as he had said earlier that night, no one cared.

While the members of the police did not hear every heinous thing that Riece had done, they heard enough to know that his was not a great loss. It would almost be sad if it wasn't so well deserved.

Because no one was willing to dig too deeply into what really happened, Roy was able to return home for the night before it became too late. And thank god for that; he couldn't quite express how eager he was to finally get some rest-

The colonel's thoughts were cut off and his eyes snapped open when a first rasped against his front door. Stubbornly, he rolled onto his side and shut his eyes, hoping whoever it was would simple go away. But as the knocking continued to persist, he forced himself up with a large sigh and sluggishly approached the door.

He pried the door open and squint his eyes as the frosty air greeted him, but felt more alertness take over at the sight of the Elric brothers. The first thought to make it's way through his tired brain was they knew. But how? That shouldn't have been even remotely possible.

Edward immediately took another step forward with his fists clenched. "What happened at-"

"I'm sorry, Colonel," Alphonse cut over him quickly. "I tried to tell him that we should wait until morning, but-"

The older brother jumped in again. "Why only five years!?"

Roy stared with his mouth gaping slightly, slowly realizing what he was talking about.

"Why isn't it five lifetimes instead? You were there, weren't you? So why didn't you-"

"Riece is dead."

As soon as his words registered in their minds, both kids froze, staring at him, shared a glance with each other, then back onto the colonel. Ed opened his mouth to speak, but when no words came out after several seconds, Roy stepped out of the way of the door and gestured inside for them to come in.

The Elrics shuffled inside and situated themselves on one of the two sofas, watching with a quiet, confused intensity as Roy faced them on the other couch with his hands folded on his knees.

He hadn't yet figured out how he was going to explain this, as he expected to have more than only a few measly hours after the fact to figure it out.

"He escaped from the prison just after arriving and was found dead a few blocks away," he explained calmly, keeping a careful eye on the two boys as they listened.

"What? How- how did that..." Alphonse trailed off, too stricken by shock to finish his question. Next to him, Ed looked equally as stunned.

Roy did not reply at first as he pursed his lip in silent contemplation. But it was far too late now to second guess himself and his actions. There was no other option but to lay his cards on the table and tell them the full truth.

"He was burned to death."

"You mean..." Edward began slowly, staring wide-eyed at the colonel as his brother stiffened. "You killed him?"

While Roy prided himself in being able to read other people very well, he honestly couldn't figure out what the blond was thinking behind those golden eyes. But on second thought, perhaps it was Ed who couldn't figure out his feelings either.

He had no other choice but to nod.

"Why?" Ed suddenly asked. "You- you didn't have to do that. I-"

"You know as well as I do that this wouldn't truly be behind you until he was dead. I did it so both of you could look to the future without fear."

"But I..." The crisp, uncertain silence stretched for well over a minute. "I don't know if I want to thank you for... for killing, but-"

"Don't." Ed paused and looked up at him. "I don't want to hear you thank me for this. I simply did what I thought was necessary. Nothing more."

Again, silence. As Roy looked at the two brothers sitting side by side, both lost in their own individual yet corresponding thoughts, he found himself again unsure what to make of it.

"I can't believe it's finally over," Alphonse said at least, looking down at the coffee table that separated them.

Ed nodded once as he stared downwards. It was a short, barely noticeable gesture that was almost overlooked. With a sigh, he rose his gaze back onto the colonel with something new visible in his eyes. Whatever it is, it somehow managed to amaze him.

Perhaps it wasn't the confidence and certainty that was suddenly present that was amazing, but rather the complete lack of fear. It was the very same thing- or rather, the absence of something- that Roy had been striving to see again.

"Thank you."

"Ed-"

"No, it's not that," he interjected before he could give off the wrong idea. "Just- thank you for caring."

It was in that moment that Roy realized just how much the kid had grown over the course of a single month. He was too wrapped up in the spiraling events to notice before, but as proof stared back at him, he was sure of it.

Even a few days ago when he was haunted by the fear of Riece returning, he still had something that wasn't there several weeks ago. Perhaps he couldn't quite put a name to it just yet, but he didn't particularly feel the need to.

Without putting much thought into it, Roy rose to his feet and stepped around the table, then sat on the edge to face the two brothers at a closer distance.

"Any time." He hoped they understood that he honestly meant it. And again without thought, he reached forward and endearingly ruffled Ed's hair. Perhaps it was how tired he was that made him act, but he honestly didn't care.

But to his surprise, the blond didn't respond by giving him a nonplussed expression as he usually did, but instead, he actually smiled under the contact, perhaps without realizing.

However, Roy wasn't the only one to notice this.

"Gee, Brother, you've really opened up, haven't you," Alphonse chimed in with a soft chuckle.

As if a switch had been flipped, the older brother's face immediately turned beet red as the colonel withdrew his hand to use it to help hold himself up.

"No I haven't," he denied stubbornly, convincing absolutely no one.

"Oh yes you have," Alphonse persisted jovially. "In fact, since the hospital, you've treated colonel Mustang kind of like a-"

"Shut up!"

The two laughed as Edward frowned with embarrassment, looking as if he would halfheartedly rather be anywhere else but there. But of course, all three of them knew it was the complete opposite.

"This isn't fair," the blond pouted. "We were just talking about Riece, and now you two are cracking jokes. What the hell," he sighed.

Roy couldn't keep the wry smile from pulling at his lips. "Perhaps it is a bit odd. But... despite what has happened, I already feel lighter, I suppose. I realize this must be difficult for you two, but I hope you'll feel the same."

Ed folded his arms and leaned back in the couch, giving little away as Alphonse looked down at nothing. "I- I think I do," the younger brother said quietly. "I feel like it's wrong to celebrate someone's death, even if it's him, but..." he rolled his spiked shoulders in a shrug. " I don't know."

"No, I know what you mean, Al," Ed added almost reluctantly, giving the suit of armor a sideways glance. "But this is for the best, isn't it? Even if it feels weird. I can't imagine any other alternative."

Roy understood their hesitation, but could do nothing to help. These two kids had drilled it into their heads that killing was wrong. Even if it freed them from a potential lifetime of fear, it would naturally feel unnatural for them to enjoy it. Somehow, Roy was glad to see this reaction from them. He knew they would come to terms with all that had happened, if they hadn't already, but the fact that it was immediate spoke volumes about their nature. It was only a matter of time.

Although, he supposed he could at least try to offer them some help.

"It's pretty late," he observed suddenly, drawing the brother's attention away from their darker thoughts and onto him.

"Oh yeah," Ed mumbled and rose to his feet, stepping away from the couches. "I guess we should get out of your hair."

"Hold on a moment" Roy began just as Al was getting up to follow. "It's too late for you two to be walking around the streets. How about you spend the night? For old times' sake."

The blond froze with his back facing the colonel. After a moment, he slowly turned to look at him, expression calm besides a trace of surprise. Just when he expected the kid to resort to his usual unnecessary stubbornness, a small smile graced his visage.

"Sure." As he was about to say something else, he gasped and his eyes widened and fell on his brother. "Al! You gotta see Mustang's library!"

"What? Library?" the younger brother asked, excitement slipping into his tone.

Almost as if searching for permission, the two kids both looked to Roy,.

He couldn't stop the smile from appearing even if he wanted to try as he looked down at their equal child-like eagerness.

"Go ahead," he said with a nod and they immediately sprinted off towards his study room.

As he watched them go, he realized that it was probably the single greatest sight he had seen in a long time. Those boys were amazing; even after going through so much hardship, they were still able to bounce back and find joy in the things that they loved. Even after being forced to grow up, they were still able to be children, even it was only once in a blue moon.

Ultimately, he decided to follow to wish them a good night before he collapsed from exhaustion, reveling at just how lucky he was to have them both in his life.

AN: And that's that. But because I was pressed for time, I'll have to go back through this soon and re-check for stuff. But I had to get it out today no matter what. Why? Because one year earlier, June 20th 2016, I posted chapter one of my first story, War Heroes. It's been a wonderful year and thank you all for all the support I have been given up until now. I look forward to another year of this! :D I'll be back soon for more~

And thank you all for reading! 30 chapters and 200,000 words was quite the project and I'm glad it turned out so well. It means so much that so many people have enjoyed reading Chained. You are all wonderful.

Until next time