The Storm Chapter 1, a fullmetal alchemist fanfic

Hello, Mediafan here.

You were probably hoping for the next chapter of Kingdom. Don't worry, that will come out soon, I can promise that. But as of now Kingdom will be on a temporary hiatus. I've recently been doing some rethinking of how I want the story to continue. As a result I've now come up with a different ending and direction for Kingdom. This new ending, I think, will be better then the one that I had originally planned. To be clear I have no intention of abandoning Kingdom, I am just replanning how the story will turn out.

This is the first part of a FMA AU short story for you all to enjoy while you wait. The idea for this fic came to me after I watched the anime Berserk (if you haven't watched it, I'd highly recommend you do.) I considered turning it into a multi chaptered story, but I already have so many stories planned and Kingdom to finish. So for now this story will remain three chapters.

Warning, this story contains sexual content, violence, as well as the threat of sexual assault. If any of that bothers you, be cautious.

OoO

In the land of Amestris, there stood a cottage. Located outside the village of Resembool, this was where two young boys were about to attempt the impossible.

"No brother, you didn't do it right." A youth of nine with golden eyes and hair shook his head. "The edges need to be sharper."

"I'm telling you, Al. It's fine." Ten year old Edward Elric sighed as he finished drawing the array. "It's just like in the book."

"Are you sure?" Alphonse leaned over his older brother's shoulder to see for himself. "I'm not so sure."

"Al." Ed pleaded. "Please trust me. I know what I'm doing."

Al patted Ed on the shoulder. "Oh I do. It's just…I'm nervous."

Edward put down the chalk and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry Al." He pulled his little brother into a hug. "We can do this. We're gonna see her again!"

"I hope so." Al wiped a stray tear from his face. "I-I just…"

Ed pulled back and ruffled his brother's hair. "Hey, I understand Al. You don't think I'm nervous too?" He asked rhetorically.

Their cottage wasn't too large, nor was it too small. Clearing the main floor gave them enough room for what they were about to attempt. Drawn in pale white chalk across the floor was a large array. A magical array to be exact. The brothers had spent the last two years practicing and learning the magical arts. A passing sorceress names Izumi from the city of Dublin had taught them almost everything she knew. Her methods had been questionable, but in the end they were effective.

Now the brothers were ready. Ready to try and bring their mother back to life.

"Should we cover the windows?" Al asked as he peered out into the night. It was raining lightly and there were storm clouds in the distance. But it would be a while until they arrived.

"Why?" Ed asked as he placed a small wooden box at the center of the array.

Al sighed. "Once we begin the whole house is going to light up. Winry and Granny might see it."

"Hmm." Ed hummed as he thought. "It would be bad if we start and then halfway through the spell Granny comes barging in."

Al laughed as he pulled the curtains to cover the windows. "We'd sure have some explaining to do."

"Yeah." Ed murmured as he gazed at the small wooden box in front of him. It was like a chest, only much smaller. "But it'll be worth it, just to see her smile again."

Al smiled and walked over to his older brother. The box was in place, the array had been set. It was time. Both brothers crouched down getting on their hands and knees.

"Ready?" Edward asked.

Al nodded in response. "Let's do this."

Both Elrics clapped their hands together and slammed them onto the ground. For a second there was nothing, then the array lit up. A bright, blue light shot from the drawings. Ed and Al didn't falter at the outpouring of magical energy. Instead they closed their eyes and each began chanting. Wind began to whip and tug at their clothes, a wind that was coming from the light.

Unknown to the two brothers, the swirling air blew away the curtains that Alphonse had put up. Not far away was another house, this one larger than the Elric's. On the top floor of that house was the bedroom of a little girl. Although fast asleep, she was stirred by a light shining in from her window. Frowning, the little girl got out of bed and made her way over to inspect it. Standing up on the tips of her toes, she could see that the lights were coming from the nearby house of her friends the Elric brothers. The little girl stared in wonderment as the blue lights only got brighter.

Suddenly the blue lights turned red.

Back inside the house, Edward and Alphonse's eyes widened in horror. The light emanating from the array had changed color, bathing the cottage in a dark crimson red. A swirling mass of energy was rising out of the array.

Edward's jaw dropped and his breath caught in his throat.

"Br-brother?" Al gasped sounding scared.

'Something is wrong.' Ed thought. 'Something went wrong!'

OoO

Nine Years Later

Have you ever known that a storm was coming? Have you ever seen the dark clouds forming and felt the wind changing? Have you ever known that something terrible was going to happen?

Winry hated storms; always had and probably always would. When she was a child the deafening thunder and explosive lightning had prevented her from sleeping on multiple occasions. The area where she lived was often prone to occasional flooding when the river got too high. So yeah, Winry didn't like storms; that was a fact that she had decided upon long ago.

'Shit.' Winry thought as she watched the dark grey clouds unfurl over the countryside; almost like a wave crashing in slow motion. The wind picked up, causing the skirt of her wool dress to flap annoyingly against her legs. It sent chills through her rather thin frame, making Winry curse herself for not wearing a cloak.

'Well, there goes our plans for today.' Winry sighed and pulled her shawl tight around her shoulders. After shaking her head in annoyance, she then turned around to gaze at the house behind her.

It was a modestly built structure; the walls made of carved stone and strong wood. The roof had been constructed of old wooden tiles that had definitely seen better days. No doubt there were going to be plenty of leaks once this storm hit. The house had two sections to it; one being a living area and the other containing the smithy. The latter had previously been a small barn that was attached to the main house. However, it had been converted into a smithy several generations back by her family. It had a large sliding door leading to a furnace, an anvil, and various tools which Winry had acquired over the years. The actual house was larger than most of the homes in the nearby town of Resembool. Winry's ancestors had done well for themselves with this forge. In front of the home was a horse drawn carriage where a young man was lifting boxes onto it.

"Pitt!" Winry shouted to him, trying to be heard over the wind. Seconds passed yet Pitt gave no indication that he'd heard her. Winry sighed and started to run down the hill where she'd been standing. The coarse boots she wore irritated the soles of Winry's already dry feet, but she was used to it. Comfort wasn't readily available these days. Not that it ever was.

"Pitt!" Winry called again as she reached the bottom of the hill. "Forget it. Put it all back."

"What?" He turned with a confused look on his face, a heavy box of tools in his hands.

"There's a storm on the way, look. We'll have to make the trip sometime else." Winry sighed and pointed behind her at the approaching black clouds.

Pitt's eyes followed her hand and widened when he saw the clouds. He then glanced around him, seemingly unsure of what to do with the box. Winry simply sighed and took the container from him. She may have known Pitt since they were children and though he was very helpful. He was well…he was certainly not the smartest tool in the shed.

Muscles straining, Winry carried the box and placed it down near the entrance of the smithy. Standing up, she wiped her hands on her dress before turning back to Pitt. "I need to make sure that the house is secure. Can you please move all of the boxes back into the smithy?"

"Sure thing Winry." Pitt said before immediately getting to work. "When I'm done with that I'll bring the carriage back to town."

"Thanks Pitt." Winry's lips turned into a small smile. This smile, much like the idea of comfort, was also a rare occurrence these days. Pitt wasn't very smart; but he made up for it by being one of the kindest, most hard working souls that Winry knew. He would make an excellent husband for a lucky lady one day. With that last thought, Winry turned and entered the house.

The front door led into the kitchen which took up most of the living quarter's first floor. In it was a large table and counter for chopping. A strong door led to the pantry which stored the food and the utensils. The fireplace next to the counter provided both warmth and a means to cook meals. Winry noticed with annoyance that the floor was once again very dusty. It'd been awhile since she'd done any cleaning.

'Maybe I can sweep it up before the storm gets here.' Winry thought as she began closing the shutters. Once they were shut and locked, Winry moved to the small living room. After securing that space, she did the same on the second floor. Winry closed and locked every window in every room; finishing with her own bedroom. Once Winry had completed that task, she pulled her shawl off and chucked it onto the bed.

'Won't be needing that today.' Winry mused as she lamented the loss of the trip. 'We'll see how long this storm lasts then try again. I hope Dominic understands.'

Dominic LeCoultre was another blacksmith and a very old, dear friend. He and Winry's grandmother had been apprentices together so Winry had met him many times over the years. After taking over the family smithy, Winry often found herself doing business with him. Several days prior, Dominic had sent a message saying that his supplies had started to run low due to recent bandit raids. Winry had been in the process of delivering him a manageable number of supplies from her own smithy when this sudden storm had arrived.

Winry then reached down and pulled her dress up around her hips. There, strapped to her inner right thigh, was 6 inch dagger made of fine steel. It was expertly crafted, sharp, and light to hold. A dagger was made by her very own hand. The thigh holster had been a gift from a dear friend.

'Guess I won't be needing you today either.' Winry mused as she placed the dagger in a nearby drawer. After shutting said drawer, Winry turned to look around her room, frowning slightly when she saw that the space beneath her bed was empty. Her search of the house had revealed that something was indeed missing. With an amused sigh, Winry walked back down to the first floor and opened the back door.

"Den! Come here boy."

A furry face popped out of nearby bush, it sniffed the air before turning towards the sound of his owner's voice.

"Come here you silly mutt." Winry chuckled.

The black and white dog can running out of bushes. His tongue hung out of his mouth as he ran. Den quickly reached his mistress, immediately sitting down and wagging his tail.

"Come on, let's go inside boy." Winry said as she held the door open. Den trotted in and proceeded to lay down on a nearby rug. His fur was covered in leaves and twigs causing Winry to make a mental note to clean him later. Den would always get cranky when he was dirty. Winry was about to enter herself when she heard her name being called.

"Winry? Hey Winry."

Winry turned to see Pitt jogging towards her. "All of the tools are back in the smithy. I'm about to head back to town."

"Thanks Pitt. Sorry that you had to come all the way out here for nothing. I'll make sure to pay you extra." Winry sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. The rising winds blew her hair all around her face.

"Oh it's no trouble, Winry. Any day I see you is a nice one." Pitt said, giving her a bright smile.

His smile made Winry suddenly feel uncomfortable. "Um I guess we'll wait for the weather to get better, then we'll...uh make the delivery." She crossed her arms across her chest.

"Okay." Pitt said, oblivious to her uncomfortableness. After a moment of silence he glanced back at the coming storm. "You sure you'll be okay out here in this storm."

'Oh no, here it comes again.'

"I'll be fine Pitt. You on the other hand should get back home. Those clouds are rolling in fast." Winry said in a kind voice.

Pitt frowned. "I don't know Winry. I don't like the idea of you being out here all by yourself." His eyes were pleading.

Winry bit her bottom lip. He was being more stubborn than usual. "Technically I have Den, so I'm not really alone. Also I've survived dozens of storms on my own before. There's no need for you to be concerned about me. Please." She spoke in a stern voice, with her hands now on her hips.

Pitt's frown deepened, but he knew it was pointless to argue. "Alright, I'll see you later Winry." He huffed before jogging back to the horse drawn carriage. Several minutes later she heard the sounds of it moving on the road.

Winry sighed to herself. She wasn't oblivious; she saw the way Pitt looked at her and knew how he felt about her. But Winry had made it very clear to Pitt that she only thought of him as a close friend.

Besides, her heart belonged to another.

Winry turned to enter her house. Before closing the door she stopped to glance back the the approaching clouds.

Nothing good ever happened when a storm came. Winry hated storms; always had and probably always would.

OoO

Miles away.

'Winry must not be having a good day.' A man with golden hair and eyes thought as he glanced at the storm clouds in the distance. She had always hated storms when they were children. From where he stood, he could see the wind was pushing the clouds in the direction of Resembool.

Home.

He clenched his left fist as that word sent a surge of emotions through him. Relief, happiness, nervousness, guilt, shame, and dread. He couldn't tell which emotion was strongest, probably the shame. The very thought of returning there brought all of them crashing upon him like water against rocks. They washed over him and crept into what was left of his darkened soul. He had returned there many times in the past, but those had always been quick visits. This return was different.

Glancing back at the distant clouds, the man weighed his options. It looked like a rather nasty storm, but he had been through worst. For the last nine years he had traveled all over the known world; fighting all sorts of enemies. Brutal thugs, assassins, professional mercenaries, soldiers and various lawmen, crazy cultists, occasional corrupt nobles, even foes who weren't human.

Death.

That is what his life had become. Every day he had fought against it. Every day he had dealt it out to those foolish enough to fight him. The last nine years of his life had been nothing but death, hunger, pain, and failure.

So yeah, a storm wasn't much of a problem for him.

But fucking hell was he tired. It was already late in the day and it would take him hours to finish the trek to Resembool. If he didn't stop and rest he'd probably do something foolish like faint. It wouldn't do him any good if he passed out on Winry's doorstep.

Winry.

She was the only real friend that he had left in this world. His best friend since childhood.

The man sighed and buried his face in his mismatched hands. How was he supposed to tell her that he had failed? That after so long he was coming back empty handed. He was scared. Scared of how she would react; scared that she would hate him. He already hated himself for his cowardness.

"I'm sorry Al…I'm sorry."

He vaguely felt the single tear running down his face. For an unknown amount of time he stood there by the oak tree. It only took him a few seconds before he began thinking about Winry again. She had plagued his thoughts for the last five years with her beautiful blonde hair, contagious smile, and soft slender body. In his dreams she always looked so bright; so pure. But the dreams did make him wonder. After everything he'd been through, after everything he's done to survive. Would she accept him back into her life?

The man felt a ache in his chest that wasn't physical, but mental anguish. For several moments he pondered the question. Eventually his shoulders hunched as he found his answer. He had known Winry since they were children, he knew what she'd do.

The man with golden hair gave a sigh and held his belongings tighter. He looked back at the black clouds above Resembool. He thought about Winry, all alone in the old Rockbell house. Suddenly the desire to see her overcame the shame of returning empty handed. He needed to see her, touch her, feel the warmth and love that only she could provide him. He may have failed one promise, but he still had another to keep.

The man began checking to see if all his belongings were secured. His broadsword and mini crossbow were strapped to his person, and his other belongings were in a bag around his shoulder. Once his survey was complete the man set out to whatever awaited him in the storm.

OoO

Night had fallen and the storm was striking in full force. Thunder and lightning clashed outside the house. The wind shook the walls while the rain rattled loudly off the roof. But Winry simply lay in bed, trying to fall asleep to no avail. She was staring up at the ceiling, trying to make out it's familiar lines and cracks through the darkness.

Winry sighed and rolled over. Sleep was always hard for her, especially now with all the racket. The minutes ticked by slowly as her mind began to wander.

'I wonder if he can see this storm. No, what am I thinking? He's probably in some distant land, nowhere near me.' Winry thought sadly before opening her eyes to look at the empty bedside next to her. Her bed had belonged to her grandparents, before they died, now it was hers. A big bed made for two, but now only housed one. Softly, Winry reached out and touched the bedside next to her. It was cold, but if she tried hard enough Winry could feel the warmth from his body. If she really tried then she could even smell him on the sheets.

Edward.

It had been so long, too long since the time he had lain next to her. Too long since he had held her in his strong arms.

A loud clap of thunder brought her back to the storm outside.

'I can't believe that I used to be afraid of them.' Winry thought with a sigh. 'I was such a scared little girl. But on the bright side, it did give me an excuse to go to him.' She gave a small smile as she remembered all the times her six year old self had shot out of bed at the first clap of thunder. Then she'd run as fast as her small feet would carry her to the next room. She'd pass the first bed and dive right onto the second. He'd always be asleep when she arrived. First he'd be annoyed at her intrusion then he'd tease her for being scared, but eventually he'd always hold her and whisper sweet words of comfort into her ear.

"Dear god, that was so long ago!" Winry breathed out loud. She was no longer a child of six, but a nineteen year old young woman. Yet the storms still haunted her.

The next clap of thunder brought a whimper from under the bed. Leaning over Winry saw Den huddled under the mattress. "Hey there." Winry whispered as she reached down to pet him. "It's okay. There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just a storm."

That wasn't a complete lie, Winry didn't fear storms. But she feared what happened during storms; what they brought with them. She feared the horrific, ungodly things that happened whenever a storm passed through. Suddenly her thoughts traveled back nine years, during a storm just as violent as this. She remembered how it had been like any other, then the strange lights appeared in the windows. Then the screaming started.

Winry bit her lip and quickly got up from the bed. Sleep was not coming to her and it would do her no good to dwell on the past. Stepping onto the wooden floor, Winry straightened out her white nightgown. Like most of her clothes, it was an old and rather flimsy thing. But Winry never saw the need to own fancy clothes. Precious silks and fabrics didn't make life any easier. They didn't make her a better blacksmith. Nor would they fill the gap in her heart that could only be filled by Edward.

Glancing back at the bed, Winry recalled the last time Edward had been in this house. He hadn't stayed long. He was here less than a week and then he was off again. That was how his visits usually went, Edward would arrive with a problem whether it be a broken sword or he needed new armor. Winry would fulfill his request, give him a bed to rest in, and then see him off. These visits were brief yet she treasured every single moment of them. An occasional smile on his lips, a nice meal between the two of them, reminiscing about happier times. Winry lived for those moments with him, however rare they were.

On the last night of his visit, she'd woken up to him screaming from a night terror. After getting him to calm down, she invited him back to her bed. Their childhood habit of sharing a bed during rough times had never truly gone away. They never did anything beyond simply lay next to each other. Whenever Edward shared her bed, it was always as a friend and never a lover. But that last night had been different. Instead of just keeping to his side of the bed, Edward had reached over and pulled her against him. For the entire night they slept in each other's arms.

Even now, the memory caused a certain warmth to flutter in her stomach. 'We never did talk about it. I guess he didn't want to. But what was there to talk about? He needed a warm body to hold and I was able to give him that.' Winry felt the soft prickling of tears that always came when she thought about Edward. She did her best to stay strong without him; but everything seemed so pointless when he wasn't home.

A sudden thunderclap shook Winry from her mournful memories. Realizing it wouldn't help to dwell on such thoughts, she looked around for a distraction.

Crossing her room, Winry walked over to an old desk with a dusty mirror on it. Opening a drawer, she pulled out a match and promptly lit it. After lighting a candle, she shook the match out and turned to look at herself in the mirror.

'Well at least my hair is still blonde.' Winry thought as she ran a hand through her still yellow locks. Years of smelting steel and iron, managing the forge, and working near fire had not damaged them.

While on the subject of her hair, Winry reached into another drawer and pulled out a hairbrush. Winry had long ago found that sitting and brushing her hair was a good way for her to relax. At moments like this, Winry would use her odd method of stress relief to take her mind off of depressing thoughts.

Winry lifted the brush and began to leisurely drag it through her hair. She had always been proud of her hair. It was shoulder length and always drew compliments when she went into town.

'Though most of the time I can do without said compliments. It's a good thing I don't live in town anymore or else I'd never get a moment's peace.' Winry groaned to herself. At nineteen years old, Winry had flowered into quite a beautiful young woman.

Or so everyone kept telling her.

As she studied herself in the mirror, Winry didn't feel beautiful at the moment. Her natural azure colored eyes were constantly tired looking, and now had a dull gray tint to them. Dark shadows seemed to hang beneath them permanently. Her cheeks were pale and sunken. The hand that gripped the brush was worn and callous, several small scars adorned the skin as well. She thought her rather thin frame to be too muscular in certain places. Several years ago Winry might have considered herself beautiful, but not anymore.

But much to Winry's disdain, she attracted a lot of unwanted male attention. Whenever she went to town, men's gazes followed her every move. There were the men like Pitt who meant her no harm, yet there were also the monsters. Lustful creatures who lurked in the dark, ready to snatch their prey and drag them screaming into shadows. The kinds of shadows that housed the thieves and murderers who stalked the streets like wolves on the hunt. There were reasons Winry rarely traveled to town, and always brought a weapon with her. As a young girl Winry had thought the world was kind, like in the stories her mother would tell her. Well that childish innocence had been stripped from her long ago. It had taken a while, but Winry eventually discovered how cruel and unforgiving the world really was.

Winry hissed as the brush scraped hard against her scalp successfully shaking the girl from her bleak thoughts. A moment passed before she flung the hairbrush across the room with a angry cry. Winry turned back to the mirror and felt the urge to smash her reflection. She didn't do that, though. Instead Winry buried her face in her arms and began to cry. She cried and sobbed until there were no more tears to shed. She stayed like that, her upper body laying on the desk. Winry didn't have the strength, or the desire, to return to her bed.

Eventually, the always pressing weight of the world got to Winry and she drifted off to sleep.

Several hours later Winry was woken from her slumber by loud knocking echoing through the house. It took a moment for Winry to realize that someone was at her door. She immediately shot up in the chair before groaning at the stiffness in her back.

'Who the hell is knocking so loud?'

Once her vision focused, Winry glanced at a nearby window. 'And who the hell is visiting me during a storm?'

Sure enough, the storm was still raging on outside. She couldn't tell what time it was, but the sky was lighter. It looked to be a little bit before sunrise.

More knocking brought Winry back to the current situation. 'Perhaps it's a traveler lost in the storm. Or could it be…'

Excitement pooled in Winry's stomach and she quickly got to her feet. She was about to rush downstairs when she stopped herself. 'I'm being ridiculous, it might not be him. But…who else would be stupid enough to visit me during a storm?' Just to be safe, she grabbed her dagger from another drawer before heading downstairs. Den, scared of the storm, remained under the bed.

Winry walked down the rickety staircase and stepped onto the first floor. She could hear the wind howling, but the house stood strong. Making her way to the front door, Winry held the dagger behind her back and reached for the door knob. With a turn of her wrist, the door opened to reveal…Pitt.

Sure enough her friend and handyman was indeed standing on her doorstep in the pouring rain.

"Seriously?" Winry muttered as she tossed the dagger on a counter before holding the door open for him. "Get inside dummy."

Pitt quickly entered, with Winry shutting the door behind him. He wore a now soaked brown cloak over his tall frame. "Jeez. It sure is coming down out there." Pitt said with a chuckle as he went to light the fireplace.

Winry lingered by the door, unsure how to respond. "Pitt what…"

"Yeah, I know. What am I doing here?" Pitt said with a slight grimace. "Believe it or not, the storm has actually died down quite a bit." He tried to lighten the mood.

"Pitt." Winry put her hands on her hips and arched an eyebrow at him. "Not that it isn't good to see you, but I have to ask why you're here...before dawn...during a storm?"

Pitt chewed his lower lip as he finished lighting the fire. He sighed before standing up and removing his wet cloak. Underneath he wore a cotton tunic and brown trousers. "Well I know that you told me that you'd be okay…"

"And I am."

"Yes, I know." Pitt shifted shyly causing Winry to frown. "But I was trying to sleep and I just...I kept thinking of you."

Winry gulped. She had a pretty good idea where this was going and she didn't want to have this discussion again.

"Pitt...we've talked about this." Winry sighed as she sat down on a chair at the dinner table. She raised her head to look Pitt in his eyes. "I love Ed-"

"But why?!" Pitt shouted, causing Winry to jump. His voice then softened. "Listen…I know how you feel, but face the facts Winry. He's changed. Ed's not the same child that we grew up with."

Winery's eyes narrowed, but before she could respond Pitt cut her off again. "And how do you know he even feels the same? You don't. I don't mean to be be an ass, but you gotta face the facts Winry. He probably only thinks of you as nothing more than his blacksmith! Why else would he always be traveling?"

Winry felt anger rise in her. How dare he! He had no idea. Pitt had no idea of the responsibility that Edward faced. At the moment Winry was dead set on giving Pitt a piece of her mind. But before she could challenge him, Pitt had dropped to his knees in front of her.

"I know you only think of me as a friend." Pitt said, taking her hands in his. A pleading look was in his eyes. "But I can take care of you and I won't leave you like Edward has. Maybe in time..."

"Get out!"

Pitt seemed stunned by her words. His eyes widened when he saw the anger on Winry's face.

"Winry I…"

"I said get out. You're no longer welcomed here Pitt!" Winry glared at him, wrenching her hands out of his grasp. She then stood up and marched over to the front door where she held it open for him. The wind blew in harshly, but she ignored it. "I made my decision long ago and I chose him. I don't care how long I have to wait."

Pitt reeled back as if she'd slapped him. His mouth opened to protest, but he fell silent at the look she gave him. Wordlessly Pitt rose off his knees and grabbed his cloak. He quickly walked across the kitchen towards the door. The floorboards creaked under his feet.

Winry maintained her glare as Pitt walked passed her, he avoided eye contact. By now the rain had turned into a foggy drizzle so she didn't feel too bad for kicking him out. Pitt quickly stepped through the door and walked down the small porch. Winry watched him begin to cross the yard; she was about to close the door when he stopped.

"Winry listen…" Pitt turned back to look at her. "It's been a year since anyone's seen him. How do you even know he's still alive?"

Winry felt her fingertips dig into the wood of the door. She fought to maintain her composure as anger and dread flooded her heart. Anger at Pitt for suggesting such a horrible idea, and dread that he might actually be right.

'No! He's not dead! I refuse to believe it.' Winry felt tears glistening in her eyes. Blinking them away, Winry locked eyes with Pitt. Her voice had a slight tremble to it as she spoke.

"I don't know. But I have faith. " She almost whispered, yet Pitt was able to hear her over the wind. "I have faith that he's alive, and I have faith that he will come back. He always does."

Pitt gave an annoyed sigh. "Come on Winry be reasonable-"

Thunk

Pitt never finished that sentence before a black arrow punched its way through his head. His body went stiff for a few seconds before falling forward like a toppled tree.

Winry's mouth opened in shock, but no sound came out. Her eyes were wide and her hands went to her face. Winry stood there frozen, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight in front of her. Pitt lay on his stomach, with his head turned to the side. The arrow had exited through his right eye; the eyeball itself was skewered on the arrowhead. The light rain drizzled down as red liquid dispersed into the nearby puddles.

Winry was so preoccupied by the horrific sight that she didn't see the four approaching figures. The locking of a crossbow snapping Winry out of her stupor. Winry whirled around and paled when she saw four men standing about 30 paces away.

All four of them wore armor. The lack of any sigil or shared uniforms made it all too clear that they were bandits. They were armed with various weapons, and all of them appeared to be much older than her. The smallest of them wore leather armor with an iron helmet that exposed his scarred face. His scabbard held a simple iron sword. In his hands he held the reins of four horses. The other two were very ugly, both sporting basic iron plated armor. One held an ax while the other a broadsword. Winry's attention then turned to the man standing at the front of the gang.

He wore the best armor out of all of them; steel plates with leather boots and gauntlets. He was also the best looking out of all of them, which wasn't really saying much. The man had long black hair pulled into a ponytail; as well as a mustache. His face was scarred with a large eyepatch covering his right eye. This man was obviously the leader of the bandits and he was also the one pointing a crossbow at her.

"Good morning miss." The one eyed man grinned as he stalked towards Winry; the crossbow aimed right at her heart. "I'd advise against running...or screaming...in fact I wouldn't do anything at all."

Winry remained frozen by the door as the men drew nearer. Soon they were only seven feet away.

"Your name wouldn't be Rockbell would it?" The one eyed man asked. "So you're the woman blacksmith I've heard about."

The man with the ax licked his lips. "She's certainly more delectable than I thought she'd be. I was expecting some big ugly bitch, but instead…" His eyes traveled over her body in a way that sent shivers down her spine. Her eyes darted back to the leader with the crossbow.

"Y-You're name is Bald." She was trying to keep her voice calm. "I've seen the wanted posters in town."

The one eyed man lowered the crossbow and gave a mock bow. "At your service, Lady Rockbell."

Winry felt her heartbeat turning to thunder. Bald was one of the most wanted and feared bandits in the land of Amestris. She vaguely recalled that the posters said he was wanted for murder, killing Royal soldiers, pillaging, robbery….and rape.

Winry glanced behind her and saw her dagger was on the kitchen counter. Too far for her to grab without them seeing.

Bald followed her gaze inside the house. "There wouldn't be anyone else here would there?" His grin was amused.

Winry jumped at his voice and turned back to face him. Her heart caught in her throat when she saw Pitt's body.

"Why? Why did you do that!" Winry's voice held anger. Pitt didn't deserve to die! Not like that.

"I needed the target practice." Bald chuckled with a shrug. "Just lost my good eye." He tapped his eyepatch.

"What do you want?" She snapped.

"Let's talk inside." Bald muttered. He tossed the crossbow to one of his men. "Tie the horses up." Bald ordered before stepping onto the stairs and shoving Winry through the door.

"Ahhgg!" Winry grunted as she fall back, catching herself on the counter. As she pulled herself up Winry saw her dagger lying on the wooden surface. With loud footsteps approaching, she quickly reached up to grab the weapon. Winry slid it into her thigh holster just as Bald pushed the door open.

"Now let's talk."

OoO

Winry sat as still as a statue, not moving a single muscle as the bandits laid waste to her pantry. They must have been traveling for days without a meal because they descended on the food like rabid animals. One of them was currently standing guard next her as she sat in the middle of her demolished kitchen. Winry could feel his eyes on her, yet she avoided looking at him. So far the bandits hadn't spoken to or touched her, and Winry wanted to keep it that way.

'But how long will that last?' Winry thought as she quickly glanced towards the pantry. 'What happens when they're done eating and drinking?' She knew what was going to happen. These bandits were violent, cruel men who'd been on the road for too long and were no doubt itching for some female company.

'I still have the knife.' She glanced down at her thigh, hidden underneath the gown. But quickly her pessimistic side took over. 'But there's four of them. I'll just have to hope that the first one likes privacy. I could slit his throat and try to escape.' A loud laugh came from the pantry, followed by the smashing of crates.

Winry had encountered men like this before. Several years prior while buying food at the market, a drunkard had grabbed her and dragged her into a nearby alley. She had been able to escape that time, barely. She'd been roughed up pretty badly, but had been relatively alright. But Winry knew that she wasn't getting out of this in one piece. Suddenly Winry heard the door of the pantry open and the sounds of approaching footsteps.

"Slicer, go on and eat something. We'll watch her."

The man known as Slicer merely grunted before walking out of view. Winry turned to see Bald and the small one in leather standing behind her. The fear which had been building in her stomach was now threatening to burst.

"I must apologize for the way we've been treating you, milady." Bald spoke as he stalked around Winry and sat in a chair opposite her. The other bandit stood next to her. "After all, you've not only graciously opened up your house and given us shelter. You've also provided food and drink for our weary souls."

Winry kept her mouth shut and merely stared back at him. Although it might provoke anger, she didn't want to play his game. When Bald saw that she wasn't going to respond, he chuckled loudly.

"Oh my, you don't scare easy do you? Most women would be crying, begging, or spreading their legs by this point; but not you. Instead you stand your fucking ground." Bald's face seemed genuinely amused. "I can't help but feel some respect towards you."

Winry tried to keep her voice monotone. "That's certainly nice to hear."

This only made Bald laugh more. He turned to the scarred man in leather. "Wow, a pair of balls and a sense of humor. I may have to keep this one."

The man in leather gave a grin that could make an undertaker's skin crawl. "Aw, you sure you don't want to share?"

Winry's stomach clenched in fear and her grip on her nightgown tightened. "You said earlier that you wanted to talk?" She said hoping to get some control of the situation.

"Hey?" The leather man snapped. "Who said you could ask questions?" Without his helmet on, Winry could see his deathly pale face and oily black hair.

Bald's grin only grew when he saw Winry's discomfort. "You'll have to forgive Majhal. He can be a bit temperamental when it comes to pretty girls like you. Now yes. I did want to talk to you about the nearby town of Resembool."

Winry glanced cautiously at Majhal before speaking. "What about it?"

"We'd like to know some things." Bald's smirk was infuriating. A voice from behind her spoke next. "How many soldiers are posted there? Where are the barracks and how well defended is it? Who're the richest fuckers in town? Do those rich fuckers have pretty daughters?"

Winry turned around and paled when she saw the two other bandits were behind her. Suddenly the fear and anxiety began to boil inside her. She was surrounded; trapped on all sides by animals. "Y-you're going to raid the town?" Winry did her best to keep her fear from showing.

"Something like that." Majhal mused with a smirk.

"W-well it won't work. There's twenty soldiers garrisoned there; it'd be suicide for the four of you to-"

Suddenly Bald lashed out and kicked the chair out from under her; sending Winry crashing to the ground. The fall caused her to cry out and the hard floor only made it worse. She collided with the wooden planks, her head bouncing off the ground. Through the ringing in her ears, Winry could faintly hear the men laughing.

"You lie to me again and it'll be worse the next time." Bald's face had lost some of its amusement as he looked over her sprawled body. "Now, how many soldiers are there really? And don't tell me that you don't know. You're the only smith in the county; where else would those royal cocksuckers go to get their metal pricks sharpened." Before Winry could even think about responding, the nameless bandit crouched next to her.

"You look like you're cold in just that gown, miss." His grin was animalistic as he leered down at her. "So you better answer his question, or else we're going to take it off you."

'Oh god.' Winry felt tears forming in her eyes. The world had always been cruel, but never this hateful. 'Even if I tell them everything they want to know; they'll still rape me. And when they're done, they'll kill me.' That was it. That would be the story of her life.

"Come on bitch." Slicer sneered as he kicked Winry viciously in her lower back.

"Ahh!" Winry cried out before a rough hand grabbed handfuls of her hair and tugged her up. Winry gasped as she was pulled into a standing position by Majhal. The greasy haired bandit grinned as he fisted her hair roughly in one hand; his other began to play with the neckline of her nightgown. Winry fought to keep the tears at bay while she struggled to free herself. The nameless bandit reached down and violently tugged at the skirt of her nightgown; tearing it slightly. This caused Majhal and Slicer to cackle as the grip on her hair threatened to rip her scalp right off. Bald merely watched the scene before him with growing amusement.

Winry was on the verge of full on panicking when suddenly her eyes widened. 'The knife!'

Her struggles against the brutish men around her had caused Winry's skirt to ride up high on her legs. This made it all the more easy for Winry to reach down and wrap her right hand around the handle of the knife.

"Come on, milady." Majhal leaned in to press his crooked nose into her blond hair. "Just answer the question and we'll-" Whatever the bandit was going to say next died in his throat as Winry buried her dagger in his neck. "Aaacckkggg!"

Winry didn't even hear the laughter around her stop. All she was aware of was that she needed to run. Mahjah let out a gasping sound before he stumbled back, blood erupting from his severed jugular. Unfortunately he took the knife with him, but he released her. Before any of the shocked bandits could react, Winry swung her fist into Slicer's face. She vaguely felt his nose shatter before shoving her way past him and running for the door. Winry practically flew across the room and threw the door open. Behind her, she could hear shouting and the sounds of them pursuing her. Winry risked a quick look back to see an enraged Bald rushing towards her with a sword in hand.

"You fucking cunt!" He shouted.

With pure adrenalin running through her veins, Winry leapt through the open door, slamming it behind her. She nearly stumbled and fell when her bare feet first hit the wet ground. But Winry regained her balance and started running blindly. 'If I can get to the woods, I can hide. They'll never-'

Winry was so absorbed in her thoughts that she nearly had a heart attack when she suddenly slammed into a solid shape. A tall, hard, human shape. On pure instinct Winry pushed away from this shape, but a strong arm wrapped itself around her.

An arm that felt as if it was made of metal.

Winry immediately stopped struggling as her body froze like a statue. Slowly, she lifted her head to see sharp golden eyes staring down at her. These golden eyes sat on a slightly rounded face which was worn and had its fair share of scars. Wild golden hair, almost as wild as the current look in his eyes, framed the familiar face of the man who she loved.

"Edward!" Winry gasped.

OoO

Once the storm had started to clear, it didn't take Edward Elric very long to reach his destination. The long sprawling fields of Resembool were a sight for sore eyes. The very fields which he'd spend hours running and playing in as a child. Had it really been a year since his last visit? It had been almost a year since he'd last been here. Almost a year since he'd seen her. The very thought of that caused an ache in his heart.

'I didn't know I still had a heart.' He half-joked to himself. But in all seriousness, he was still worried about her reaction to seeing him. Would she hate him? Revile him? Look upon him as a failure? Ed wouldn't blame her if she did. He had failed his mission. The mission that he'd dedicated all of the last nine years of his life towards.

As the surrounding countryside got more and more familiar, Ed resolved to quiet his disheartening thoughts. 'There is nothing I can do to change what happened.' He sighed to himself. 'Whatever Winry's decision is; I will abide it. If she wants me gone; I'll leave.' But he didn't want that. What would he do? Where would he go? This world had taken everything from him, except for Winry. She was the only thing left in his world; the only thing that mattered anymore. Whatever role she wanted him to play in her life, he'd play it. If she'd let him; he'd stay by her side always, protect her, comfort her…love her.

As he grew nearer to the Rockbell house, Edward immediately knew that something was wrong. He could feel it, gnawing at the back of his mind. Over the many years of killing and attempts on his life; Ed had started to develop this sixth sense. His gloved hand tightened around his bag as he stared at the ground. His eyes then swept the surrounding countryside before looking up at the sky to see a vulture circling up ahead.

"Winry…" Ed gasped her name before he took off down the muddy road, running faster than he had in years. His heavy armor rattled and his broadsword repeatedly bounced off his back, but Edward didn't care. Within a minute he'd reached the hill overlooking the Rockbell house. Usually the sight would bring a small smile to his face, but not his time. Immediately his eyes zeroed in on the dead body lying near the house. Edward narrowed his eyes and placed his bag of belonging down before cautiously making his way down the hill. Edward could see four horse tied up near the house. Only one of them had a saddle and it was a rather shitty one at that.

"Bandits." Ed's growl was low and deep. His anger only grew when he recognized the body as his former childhood friend Pitt. Reaching back, Edward pulled his heavy broadsword out of its sheath. It was deadly weapon, five and a half feet in length. Only slightly shorter than himself. It was one of Winry's finest works.

Winry!

Ed's anger was replaced with panic. Where was she? Her body wasn't outside so she must be inside the house...with the bandits. Edward was now crouched, moving towards the house with his broadsword held solely in his left hand. As he got closer, Ed's keen ears could hear male voices inside the house. Edward's teeth ground as an animalistic snarl left him. Was Winry still alive? What were they doing to her? Those fucking bastards! If they hurt her-

Ed's murderous thoughts were interrupted by the front door of the house bursting open and a figure in white flying out. It only took him half a second to recognize Winry. She ran towards Ed like the devil himself was chasing her. Winry must have been disorientated because she ran right into him without trying to stop. Ed stood up to his full height right as her smaller body slammed into his chest. His left arm immediately wrapped around her waist protectively. Almost subconsciously Ed moved his right arm away from his body so she wouldn't cut herself on his sword. His eyes, however, never left her face. The next few seconds seemed like hours as Winry's body went stiff before she lifted her head to look at him.

Ed felt his heart clench sadly in his chest when he finally saw Winry. The last year had not been kind to her. Winry's face was paler, her features more thin, and there were bags under her eyes. Her eyes didn't even have the same light that they once had. But despite that, she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Nothing could ever change that.

"Edward!" She gasped in both shock and relief. Tears started to pour from her mesmerizing azure eyes as she gripped him frantically. Ed opened his mouth to speak when he suddenly heard the door slamming open again.

A man in steel armor rushed out before he came to a screeching halt. His one eye widened in shock when he saw Edward. Instinctively Ed tightened his grip on Winry and moved her behind him. Once she was safely situated, Edward turned to face the one eyed man. By now two more men had joined him on the stoop of the house. All three of them were armed; the one eyed man had a decently crafted sword, the one to his right had an axe while the other held a greatsword. None of them looked like they had any idea of what to do.

Edward did admit that, standing at 6'1 feet tall and covered from head to toe in muscle, he was a rather fearsome sight. The heavy armor he wore was black as the night and shielded most of his body. Attached to his back was a blood red cape. His golden eyes had the ability to either hypnotise or terrorize those who saw them. His battle hardened face was decorated with several scars. His striking golden hair was wild and untamed. But the final touch was his broadsword. Despite its great size, Ed had learned to wield it one handed. Many people had told Edward that they'd never seen a warrior like him before. Judging by the looks on the three men's faces; neither had they. If it wasn't for the fact that Winry was in danger, he would have laughed.

The one eyed man seemed to regain his senses first. "Hello there." He offered with a fake smile. "Lovely day isn't it."

Ed merely glared back without speaking. He recognized this man from various wanted posters he'd seen. His name was Bald. Obviously he'd taken Ed for some kind of fellow marauder.

Bald frowned at Ed's silence, his one eye moving from Edward's giant sword to his arm around Winry. He stepped off the porch and raised his hands. "There's no need to fight, friend. We just want that bitch you've got in your arms. Thanks for catching her for us, by the way."

Ed felt a tremble go through Winry's body. His rage grew as he could feel the fear radiating off her. "What did you fuckers do to her?" He growled out, golden eyes burning like an inferno.

Bald faltered in his steps, nervousness briefly flashed across his face before it was replaced by a haughty glare. "Nothing yet. But we were about to have us some fun when you showed up." The two other bandits were now flanking their boss, weapons in hand. "Who the fuck are you anyway?"

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a blade. Ed's icy glare didn't falter as he passed a large knife to Winry. Just in case. He knew she could use it since he'd trained her himself. Ed felt her shaky fingers take the blade from him.

"Your death." He said.

"Kill him!" Bald shouted and the two other men charged forward. The broadsword man hesitated slightly though and fell behind the axe one. Ed kept his sword low and waited until the first man was within range. With almost supernatural speed, he lunged forward and brought the sword down on the bandit. The greatsword cut through the man like a knife through butter; splitting him from head to groin. For a moment the two halves stood still as a statue while the man's intestines spilled out onto the ground. Blood sprayed the grass before the split body fell down.

Glancing up Ed saw the broadsword man swinging his weapon towards him. Ed blocked the blow almost effortlessly, the two greatswords slamming together and becoming locked. The bandit's eyes widened while Ed smirked darkly at him. Over the man's shoulder Edward could see the one eyed man moving to hit him from the side. Ed quickly shoved all of his weight into the broadsword wielding bandit. Said bandit fell back like a fallen tree and landed hard on the ground. Edward then whipped around just as Bald lunged, intent on running Ed through with his sword.

Clang

"What?" Bald gasped in shock. The tall stranger had stopped his sword with his own hand! With one squeeze from the man the blade snapped in two.

Ed then bashed the one eyed man across the face with the butt of his sword. Blood erupted from the bandit's mouth and he fell backwards. A groaning sound signaled that his other opponent was getting up. One swing from Edward's sword severed the man's head from his shoulders. Unlike the previous bandit, the lifeless body immediately toppled over.

'Only one left.' Ed thought as he turned to see Bald hunched over on the ground; blood pouring from his battered mouth. Now that the body of the snake was destroyed, it was time to finish off the head. Upon hearing Ed's heavy footfalls the bandit leader glared up at the much taller figure.

"Y-yuu...ak...yuuur Fullmetal!" He spat through a mouthful of shattered teeth and bleeding gums.

Ed's face held no emotion as he raised his sword. He then slashed the sword down into Bald's chest; nearly severing him in half. The one eyed man's last eye widened before rolling back as gurgled breaths caught in his throat. Ed watched the dying man with no sympathy or remorse. The bandit may have been beaten and unarmed, but this bastard had attacked Winry. For that he had to die.

As long as Ed was around, no one would ever hurt Winry ever again.

Edward pulled his giant sword from the dead man who toppled over. Not giving any of the bodies a second glance; his eyes quickly sought out Winry. He didn't have to look far because as soon as Ed turned around, Winry was literally throwing herself at him. Ed instantly dropped his heavy weapon and caught her in his arms. Silent tears were trailing down her cheeks as Winry buried her face in his neck. Ed practically crushed Winry against his chest, while also being careful not to hurt her. In that one moment right there, both of them felt happier than they'd been in months.

"Edward." Winry whispered into his shoulder, her voice thick with tears.

"Shhh." Ed said soothingly as he ran a hand up and down her back. "I'm here, Winry." Although he would have been happy to simply hold her like that all day; he had to see if she was alright. Ed gently placed her back on the ground and, with a gloved hand, tilted her chin up to look at him.

"Are you alright? They didn't hurt you did they?" He didn't even try to keep the concern out of his normally deep and monotone voice.

Winry shook her head while away the last of her tears. "No, nothing serious. Thanks to you." A brilliant smile broke out on her face. Ed couldn't help but return it. His smile faded however when he saw a bruise forming on the right side of her face. Ed's hand went up to touch it, but he was stopped by Winry.

"It's just a scratch Ed. I'm fine, really." She spoke quietly. Ed eyed her injury with a mournful expression before he leaned down to press his forehead against hers.

"I'm so sorry Winry. I should have gotten here sooner. Fuck! If I was a minute later-"

Winry stepped back from him with a befuddled expression. "Edward, please don't do that."

Ed sighed and pulled Winry back into another hug. Although his armor was a hindrance, they could still feel the warmth and comfort radiating from the other person. The year long absence seemed to have never happened. They both knew that the day's excitement was far from over; yet neither of them cared. Eventually Ed heard a small chuckle come from the woman in his arms. Pulling back, he saw a smile forming on her tear stained face.

"What are you laughing at?" Ed asked softly.

Winry lifted her head to look at his face. "The storm."

Ed's brow creased in confusion which caused her to laugh even more. "I was scared that the storm was going to bring something terrible and for a while I thought it had. But then you came home. It brought you home to me." Winry was crying again, but this time with tears of happiness.

"Welcome home Ed." She whispered into his chest.

Ed was silent for a long moment before he spoke. "I'm glad to be back."

He truly was.

OoO

So that was part one of three for this short story. I've had this story on the back burner for so long, its feels weird to finally upload it. The next two chapters are already completed and I will be uploading them within a few days. I'll try to finish my revisions of Kingdom soon, but for now enjoy I hope you enjoy this story.