Otp: OMG!! I am finally finished with this fic!! (does a little victory dance)
Roy: Yeah, you finished, so what? You have a few more that you have to finish now
Otp: …Did you really have to remind me about those?
Riza: You know he did.
Otp: Well, fine then. Be that way. Anyways, Thanks to everyone who has kept up with this fic and for everyone who reviewed as well. It means a lot. So, without further ado, I present the final chapter of Hunted.
Chapter 18 Close Calls and Final Farewells
Time stood dtill, silence permeating the room. All stood motionless, waiting with bated breath for someone to make a move. Roy and Riza were tense with the suspense of the unrellenting silence. Greg was still smiling when his gun clattered to the floor soon followed by its owner. He fell forward and landed with a dull thump over his brother's lifeless form.
Roy let out a sigh of relief, the tension dissapating instantly, "It's over." He stated simply, turning to Riza. "We should—Riza!!" he cried out in surprise upon seeing Riza drop her gun, her left hand pressed against her chest.
Her face was twisted in pain as her chest throbbed. She managed a pained smile, "Bastard a-actually got m-me." She stammered just as she began to fall.
Roy rushed forward and caught her just before she hit the ground. He lowered her down to the floor and tried to stem the bloodflow. His hands covered hers and he pressed down illiciting a pained gasp from Riza. Her eyes were clenched tight in pain and her breathing was starting to get worse.
She had to stay awake, that much he knew. He had to keep her conscious for as long as possible. "Come on Riza, you've got to stay with me now." He said trying and failing to keep his voice calm.
His body was numb and his mind was in chaos. He couldn't think of anything else but Riza. Riza, who was fighting for air. Riza, who was hurt and bleeding, Riza, the woman he loves, dying in front of him. He couldn't hold back the tears of agony that streamed down his face at the thought of possibly losing her. How would he move on? How could he live if she was no longer beside him?
He shook his head fiercely, she wasn't going to die here. He was going to make sure of that. He gazed down into her face, "Riza, please…you have to stay awake. Stay with me!" He pleaded, his tone becoming more desperate with every word.
Riza's gaze was fixed on his face with half-lidded eyes. It was difficult for her to keep them open for much longer, they were so heavy. She gasped, "R-roy." And then her body was wracked with a spasm of coughs. When she finally stopped, there was a trickle of blood coursing down her chin.
Roy's heart was torn to pieces as she lay there in excruciating pain while he could do nothing to stop it. Her eyes slowly began to close and went into a panic, "Riza! Please, stay awake! You—you can't…" he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. Her eyes fluttered open once more and he caught sight of a single, crystalline, tear cascade down her cheek.
She looked at him knowing that she wasn't going to be able to stay conscious for much longer. She was trying to speak when another bout of coughing consumed her body. This time, the pain was too much for her to handle and she felt herself slipping away.
Roy's frantic voice was becoming distant, her vision was quickly fading, and darkness began to wrap her in its embrace. There was nothing more she could do and she disappeared into the darkness.
3 Weeks later:
Riza took a few steps out the hospital doors breathing in the fresh smell of freedom. She had just been discharged from the hospital withher right arm a sling but looking no worse than she had expected. Hell, she couldn't care less, she was glad to be out of the confining, overly clean, hospital room.
She looked up at the clear, blue sky with a smile. Yes, she was extremely happy to be outside for the first time in almost a month. Bringing her eyes back down to earth she turned to the doors behind her and waited. Roy had told her to wait outside while he finished getting her perscriptions and personal items.
Roy had never been far from her side the entire three weeks that she had been admitted to the hospital. She was thankful for his presance of course, but he wouldn't take care of his own needs. He hadn't gotten very much sleep in the first week and he was soon carted off one of the empty rooms so he could get some proper sleep.
While she had been lost in thought, Roy was making his way through the door with a plastic'Personal Items' bag. He paused just outside the doors and smiled. That last few weeks had been hard on him and he was relieved that everything had gone as well as they had when it could have been so much worse.
Before he and Grahm had entered the building, he had sent Hayate off to get Maes and the others. He hadn't failed Roy and not long after Riza had lost consciousness, he heard the sirens getting closer. He knew he couldn't move Riza by himself unless he wanted to hurt her even more so he called out to Maes and the others so they could find him.
Everything after that was a jumbled blurr of fear and impatience. He and his friends were waiting in the waiting room when the doctor finally came out and told them that Riza was stable and that she would recover. He also said that if they had been any later, she wouldn't have made it.
So, all in all, one hell of an emotional roller coaster for Roy. He came back to the present to find Riza gazing at him with concern, "Is something wrong Roy? I've been calling your name for that past five minutes." She said, her left hand on her hip.
He smiled and shook his head, "No, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking about how glad I am that you're alive." He said, swooping in and capturing her lips in a quick kiss.
She smiled and rolled her eyes, "That makes two of us."
Roy wrapped an arm around her shoulders and began to lead her down the steps towards his car. "Well, now that I've busted you out of the prison cell, where would you like to go? Home?" he asked as he opened the door and helped her into the car.
Riza remained silent for a few moments before she answered, "Can we stop at the florist and then the cemetery?"
Roy's smile waned slightly, he knew exactly what she wanted to do. "Nothing easier My Lady." He said, shutting her door and walking around to the drivers side. He hopped in, started the car, and pealed out into the street towards the florist.
Twenty minutes later they found themselves weaving their way through the plethora of headstones in the cemetery. Roy was in the lead with Riza trailing behind him with a single easter lily dangling from her hand. Her eyes were concentrated on the ground and her expression thoughtful.
Roy came to a stop in front of a white marble grave marker. He waited paitently for Riza to join him. When she did, he silently stood back so it was only her in view of the headstone. He didn't move too far away but just enough to allow her some privacy.
Riza gazed down at the grave with sad eyes full of regret and sorrow. She took a few moments to gather her thoughts.
Then she spoke, "Roy told me who you were and I was angry at myself for not realizing who you were from the beginning. Maybe it was because of how much you had changed over the years that I didn't recognize you. Before you died, you said that you wanted to apologize for everything you had done. In my eyes, you're not the one who should be apologizing, it should be me. I should be thanking you for what you did. You brought Roy back to me. He told me that you just wanted me to be happy. I can honestly tell you that I have never been happier. You helped me find that happiness and for that I am forever in your debt.
"I know I hurt you in the past and I wish I could take all of it back. Saying I'm sorry can't possibly make up for what I've done, but that doesn't mean I can't try. I will say that I am sorry from the bottom of my heart and I hope that you can accept my apology. Forgive me Grahm." She said softly as she placed the easter lily on the headstone. She stood back and Roy was instantly at her side.
"You alright?" he asked.
She nodded, "Yes, let's go home Roy."
Together, they made their way back the way they had come. Behind them, a warm breeze lifted the loose leaves that had fallen on the grave revealing the epitaph.
Grahm Auswitz
(July 17, 1906—August 21, 1931)
A Man True of Heart
And
A Treasured Friend
Otp: Well, there you have it. It's finally done. I hope you all enjoyed this fic and I will now be working on my other fic A Demon's Heart so heads up. Anyways, please review and tell me what you thought. As always, Luvs, Hugs and Lots of Pocky!!