Promise...

Chapter 1

"Winry we don't need your help!" Ed looked at me, his golden eyes burning with fury, darting for the door.

"Ed!" I called to him, eager, knowing it won't help. They were going away again on one of Ed's 'missions' to find the stone, again. I wish he'd stay, but even I know how stubborn he can be. Plus, this stone would get Al's body back, so it's only right to look for it, but Ed's always put the responsibility on his shoulders. I wish that maybe, just maybe he'd let me in. Talk to me.

"Winry. We can't." He stared at me a long while and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." Al followed, glancing up at the dark mountains attempting to hide the deep red sky and fluffy pink clouds, it was almost time for bed, he thought.

"Ed, by the time we reach the train, it'll be dark." Al whimpered. "Maybe we could stay for one more night."

"Al that's why we ne-"

"Pleeeeaaaasssseee?" Even in a tin suit, Al knew how to convince his older brother to do anything, it always put a smile on my face.

Ed took a deep sigh, putting his off-white gloved hands on his hips and looking to the dirt-covered ground, "Well, your right it is pretty dark out." A smirk crossed his lips as he glances at Al. "Pinako?" He looks over at Pinako and me standing in the doorway.

His goofy smile raised the edges of Pinako's mouth. "I never did like saying goodbye to you boys."

My eyes and heart gleamed with joy, running to Ed embracing them both. Then teamed up with Al dragging Ed in before he suddenly changed his mind.

Pinako quickly whipped up a veggie stew in the small excuse called a kitchen, and it smelled oddly of cabbage, celery, along with some sort of meat she found in the fridge. We sat around the old wooden makeshift table eating dinner, with Ed quickly making a conversation about the farm before we questioned his 'missions', and why my auto mail is quickly broken three months after I fixed it. My eyes slowly drifted to Ed as Pinako went on about the customers we've had in the past four months, and he seemed to be listening. His eyes were caught on the piece of cabbage his fork managed to cut and he moved it side to side, smoothing over the residue it left behind with the back side of the fork, but his head bobbed to Pinako's every word. I glanced at Al, who was eying a door and stuffing a piece of bread into his armor, and a slight smirk crossed my pale lips. Sometimes, I forgot Al was in a suit of armor, he hasn't changed since we were kids. He's always been the sensitive kid who followed his older brother everywhere, brought a smile to every ones faces, and his most common one, caretaker of cats. The only one of the brothers that has changed is Ed, he's so serious now and he holds all the responsibility heavy on his shoulders. My fork lay in my hand, limp with a string of cabbage dangling off the end as I twirl the silver utensil in my hand, stabbing into another piece of meat, then devouring both. With a long sigh I excused myself from the table with a loud creak of my chair, and took my plate into the old kitchen, placing it gently in the sink. Reaching for the fosit, I hear the screen door to my left creak open and a loud noise of tin clank through the door; I then look and see Al attempting to sneak out the door and kneel on the porch. Quickly looking in the dining room, I see Pinako and Ed still talking about the farm, and I grab a nice piece of the meat Pinako used and headed for the old screen door. Peaking outside I see Al crouched over with a piece of bread, calling to the hungry cat with his large arm outstretched. With a slight giggle Al quickly turns to look at me with a surprise stricken face. Even in that suit of armor I could tell he was surprised.

"Wi-Winry! I-I-I um...-"

"It's ok, Al. Here." I giggled and handed him a piece of meat, and he gladly took it to feed it to the little orange striped cat, who gobbled the meat up and left with a sincere meow and lick of the paw. I left him with a chunk of meat as he called once again to the cat.

I walked back into the house giggling and looked over to the table noticing Ed and Pinako were gone. Walking upstairs, I lookedround, wide-eyed. I walked to a closed door which was Ed's room while he stayed here, Pinako and I usually call it 'The Shrimp's Domain'. I giggled at the thought of him getting all flustered and angry at the word 'short' as he usually does. Ed was back, but for how long. I looked down at the floor and sighed. I wish he'd stay. Pushing on the wooden door, I looked in and saw Ed sitting on his blue covered bed, struggling with his hair. Looks like he was trying to brush it, but he had a fight with the brush, in which he lost to the brush and it stuck in his hair at victor.

"Ed?" I looked at him awe struck.

"W-Winry!" He glanced at me surprised.

"Do you need some help?" I pointed at the brush in his hair and smiled.

He looked down at the floor and sighed as I moved behind him on the comfy bed.

"I thought you knew how to brush your hair." I giggled and gently moved his hair off the brush, trying to get it free, pulling left and right without any success. The brush was a tough opponent.

He kept his gaze on the floor and moved his head down, covering his face with his hands.

I freed the brush, taking in my victory for a moment and watched him as he sighed deeply. "Ed, what's going on? Let me in, please." I knelled on the ground making our eyes level, putting my hand lightly on his leg. I want to help him, but how can I if he just closes me off?

He moved out of his hands and his eyes lingered to mine. "Winry, you and Pinako have been nothing but nice to us. The last thing I want to do is burden you with our past." with a long sigh he stood and walked across the creaky room.

My heart ached, burden me? No, Ed, you fool. "But, Ed, you carry it every day. Sometimes you need to tell people things." I turned to look at him. I wanna know, even if it could kill me. Anything to dull his pain!

He looked at me and moved to the window, putting his forehead on the glass, "Winry, I would love to stay here with you and Pinako. It's just, I can't." he closed his eyes and gripped the window sill with his metal covered hand. I studied his hand and noticed a few cracks that looked new. I didn't fix him up yet? "I have to get Al's body back first." he turned his eyes slightly to look at me and looked down at the floor, depressed.

I stood and took his hand, turning him towards me. "You will Ed, I know you will." I wrapped my arms around him and smoothed over his sandy brown hair. His arms embraced me and my head reached just below his chin. He grew? My cheeks burned and a soft giggle escaped my throat.

Ed pulled me away and looked at me, his frown turned into a slight hint of a smirk and he raised his brow. "What?" he questioned, the smirk started to show even more.

I stopped giggling, "It's just," I looked at him and placed my hand on his head, with a big smile taking up my face, "you grew!" his smirk quickly turned into a scowl and his brows furrowed.

He glared, "It's not like I'm a kid anymore, Winry!" my slight giggle only grew.

I reached for the brush and smiled at him, Ed rolled is eyes in agreement. He got a small wooden makeshift chair and turned away from me, scowling. I sat on his comforting, blue bed and gently started brushing his soft sandy hair. "So, Ed. When did you scratch my automail?" I tugged on his hair, "and why was I not told of this earlier?" I tugged again and he rested his head on my lap, soullessly.

"I got into a fight with Roy, remember?" He tilted his head upward and looked up into my eyes, and smiled as my cheeks burned crimson. Why do I feel so weird? It's Ed not some stranger. Ed! "I kicked that prick's flaming ass!" He stood and made a fist in the air, snapping his fingers left and right, mocking Mustang while he wasn't here. I couldn't help but laughed.

I pulled at Ed's long hair to sit, and he did so with his big victory smile, obediently.

I continued to brush his hair and he just relaxed. I've never seen him so deep in thought, but I was afraid to ask. I didn't want to hurt him he was so fragile, yet strong.

"Winry?" He tilted his head onto my lap once more, just this time he was looking to the right and he was serious. I looked at him, moving a piece of hair away from his face and behind his ear. "Do you think I'll ever find it?" My heart froze. Why is he asking me this?

"Of course!" I replied and he placed his hand on my knee.

"If I do, would you let me stay here?"

What did he mean? Of course we would! He should know this... "Ed," I bent down holding him in my arms, his head against my chest. "This is your home now. We will always be here for you."

He put his hand on my arm, pulling away, and standing. I looked up at him and watched him go back to the window. "I just can't help but wounder, what if I never get Al's body back?" he stepped away from the window and looked at me, "Winry, what if I never succeed in saving Al? What if he hates me?"

I stood and took his hands in mine, "Ed, you will. I know you Ed, you'll do everything in your power to do it. Al won't hate you and you know it! Al loves you just as much as you love him!" and I put my forehead on his. "And when thats all done you come back here!"

He put his hand on my cheek , and I opened my blue eyes and started gently braiding his soft hair. His eyes never left mine, nor did his hand leave my cheek and he slowly moved his hand to the back of my neck, slowly pulling me closer. "Winry," Hands on my hips and lips on mine, he tasted of a sweet flavor. "I will, I promise." Those words left me but breathless and confidant that they were true, yet, I didn't want to let him go for even a second.

Throwing on my usual clothes I dart around the corner of my room to the hallway, and fly downstairs. No! I can't miss him! Reaching the kitchen I throw myself into the living room, picking up an old wrench, and charge for the door! There he is! I see him talking to Pinako, making fun of each other as usual. His eyes lingered to mine and he smiled, but it wasn't the normal smile I usually get, it was a warm 'I'll be back' smile. Then with a wave he turns on his feet and gracefully walks out out door, Al close behind his heels.

"Ed!" I launched the wrench for his head, succeeding as he turned, "You better come back!" I only saw his smile, nod, and wave.

"I might have fallen for him a long time ago..."