Disclaimers: I don't own FMA. God, I don't know why every time I post a fanfic I have to mention this. It's really sad.

This fanfic is inspired by Without the Kisses by PPE and "Ligeia" by Edgar Allen Poe.


Chapter 1

Does death bring people together or does it tear people apart? For Winry Rockbell, it was both. Her beloved Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist was dead. At least, that was what she is told. She refused to believe that, but deep down in her heart, she could not deny it. Edward would never come back to her. She would never see him again. Death had torn them apart. Yet, she no longer had to wait for his return from his endless journeys anymore. Ed was forever in her heart. In a way, she was united with him forever the rest of her life.

Three months ago, Al came back to her, alone. When she saw Al's figure from her upstairs window, she was full of joy and excitement. Not that she was happy that Al regained his body, but because she mistakened Al as Ed. Quickly, she ran out of the house to greet him. Yet, it wasn't Ed. At first, she was still happy, happy that finally Al got his body back. Then she asked him, "Where is Ed?"

Al made no response. There were tears in his eyes. Slowly, he stuttered, "Brother...brother is gone..."

"What?" Winry wasn't even sure if she heard him correctly. She did hoped that she heard him wrong.

"Brother is not coming back," with that said, Al broke down. Winry was stunned. She just stood there. Her feet wee like if they were glued at that spot. She remained there for a long while, silently, until Pinako dragged her back to the house. Pinako may be a small old lady, but sometimes she had incredible strenght. Not that she meant to be cruel, but she knew at that time talking to Winry is not the best solution. Winry was brought back to the house. She quietly lied in her bed with tears fill in her eyes.

A month went by, and things were not getting better. Winry just started to get out of the bed. Al went to study alchemy with Izumi. Deep down in his heart, he still believed that there is a possible way to bring Ed back. When he said Ed is not coming back, he did not meant that he is dead. Ed was trapped on the other side of the gate in another world. Perhaps if Al knew enough about alchemy, then he might able to be reunited his older brother. While Al was gone, Pinako suddenly died.

She told Winry that she is going out for groceries. However, she never came back. Three days later, her body was discovered by the river. The doctors examined her and declared that she died from heart attack. Now, Winry was completely alone. She did not call Al or even write to him about the tragic incident. She just stayed in her house, barely ate anything. Al did not come to Pinako's funeral, because he did not even know that she's dead.

A week later, Winry packed her things in a small suitcase and went to Central City. She went to see Roy Mustang. After his final combat against the Fuhrer King Bradley, Roy had lost his eye. He was still good-looking, but he was aged. He was barely thirty, but he looked like he was forty. He left the military and refused to use alchemy. Riza Hawkeye, his loyal subordinates followed him. They were living together in a small apartment in the Central City. When Winry arrived, it was Riza who greeted her.

"Winry, it's nice to see you," Riza said to her. She noticed that Winry was not in a happy mood. She could shee that from her eyes.

"Riza, is General Mustang here?" Winry asked her.

"He's here," Riza nodded. At that moment, Roy walked out of his room. He was surprised to see Winry.

Winry looked at Roy and Roy looked at her. Both of them had changed. The joyous girl who used to throw her wrench at people and the arrogant military man who used to brag about women in miniskirt were now gone. They were just plainly Winry and Roy.

"General Mustang, there is something I need to speak to you about," Winry said, then she looked at Riza.

"Riza, would you mind to excuse us for a sec?" Roy asked. Riza nodded and left the two alone.

"General..."

"Roy," Roy corrected her. "I"m no longer in the military, there is no formality needed. Just call me Roy."

"All right, Roy, I came to speak to you...about..." she lowered her voice. "...alchemy..."

"Alchemy?" Roy was bewildered.

"Is it true that there is a way that alchemy can revive..."

Before she could finish, Roy angrily interrupted her. "Don't say that word! Don't even think about it!" His voice was so loud that Winry startled. Roy saw that, and gentled his voice. "Miss Rockbell, I'm surprised that you even think about something like this...haven't you seen the results of human transmutations? The homunculi?"

"But there must be a way!"

"There isn't."

"How could you say that?" Winry angrily stood up. "I don't care the results! I want Ed back. And that's it!"

"Fullmetal is gone," Roy told her calmly. "I know it's cruel to tell you this, but you have to accept it."

"I will not!"

"Winry, don't you understand? How much do you know about alchemy? Human transmutation, it's against the law of nature and it's dangerous."

"I don't care! I'm willing to sacrifice anything to bring Ed back!" With that said, she stormed out of Roy's apartment.

---x---x---

On her way back, Winry sank in the memory of that very night. It was the one and only night she spent with Ed. While she was wandering in her dreamland, Ed quietly crept in the room. He found her sound asleep. She looked beautiful, just like the Sleeping Beauty from the fairy tales. He wanted to wake her, but he hated to disturb her from her precious sleep. Somewhere in his heart, he knew that she can only find happiness in her dreams. After a few hesitation, he gently pats Winry.

" Winry. Psst…Winry!"

Rubbing her eyes, Winry woke up. "Ed, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"I…I have something to tell you," Ed mumbled.

"Then tell me in the morning."

"No, I can't. I have to tell you now."

"What is it?"

"Al and I…we have to go…"

"Why? When?" How Winry hated that phrase! "Al and I have to go." She hated it.

"We have to leave tomorrow morning. There is something that we must do."

Winry grabbed his arm and begged, "Don't. Please don't go."

"Winry, I have to. I have to do this."

"I'll make you the best automail there is! I'll braid your hair every morning. I won't hit you with my wrench anymore! I'll do anything! Please, don't leave me!"

ED held Winry in his arms, stroked her gently, "I can't. But I promise you this: I will return."

"When?"

"I don't know. But I will. You are here, aren't you? I will always come back to you."

"Ed…are you saying…"

"Winry, I love you."

"Ed, did you say…did you say…" Before she could finish, she found his lips on hers. The two kisses each other passionately, until Winry breaks away to catch her breathe. It is her first kiss.

"Ed, I love you too." She looked deeply in his eyes. The two tightly wraps their arms around each other. "Ed...stay with me...for the night..."

And he did.

That night was indeed a special night for the two of them. For every girl on earth, once in herlife, she will give a part of herself to a man whom she hold dearly to her heart. And Winry gave herself to Ed. She had no regret. Ed was the only man in her heart. She believed that he will come back to her. It had always been her dream that Ed and Al regained their body and stayed in Resembool with her. Then she and Ed would marry and live happily ever after. That night, Winry not only had her first kiss, but her first love. It was beautiful, but it had consequences. As the result from that night, a small life force is created inside her womb.

Sitting in the train, Winry whisperd, "Ed, I'm waiting for you, and our child is waiting for you. I want you to be there when it's born. Come back to me, you promised me…"

---x---x---

When she got home, she went straight to the old room of Ed. She gathered all the alchemy books that the Elric brothers left behind. Apparently, Roy was not going to help her. Fine then, she woudl do this all by herself. She loved Ed, and she needed him. And so did her unborn child. As time went by, she noticed that her belly is growing. The child needed his father.

She flipped all the books, looked at the equations and the listed ingredients. She was aware of the consequences, however. What would the gate take from her? Her leg? Her arm? Her organs? Her hair? Whatever it would take, she didn't care. If it was enough for her to be reunited with Ed, then it was worthy of a sacrifice.

"Ed will come back to be," she whispered while rubbing her belly. She had not yet told anyone of her pregnancy.

---x---x---

"You just let her go?" Riza asked Roy. "If she is really going to..."

"I know..."

"You should've stopped her."

"I can't."

"What do you mean by that?"

"She won't listen to me. But I have already called Alphonse. Only he can stop her."

"I hope so."

"Poor girl, she is all alone. It's all my fault."

"No, don't say that."

"I killed her parents, taken the boys away from her. Whenever I see her, I hate myself."

Riza said nothing more. She just looked at Roy with full of sympathy.

---x---x---

Down in her basement, with a chalk in her hand, Winry carefully drew the transmutation circle on the ground. Then, she poured all the ingredients in the center of it. Lastly, she took out a lock of Ed's hair and threw in the center. Everything was set. All she had to do now was to place her hands on the transmutation circle to activate it. Just as her hands were inches away from the ground, she felt something in her belly. Was it her child kicking her? Was her child telling her something?

Winry hesitated. Fear, it was fear. She was afraid, afraid of the consequences. But part of her urged herself to continue. She stared at the ingredients. Memory from the past flashed in her mind, over and over again.

Ed and Al...Ed lost his limbs and Al in the suit of armor...

Ed burned down his house and left with Al...

Ed and Al came back...but only when Ed broke his automail...

Winry threw her favorite wrench at Ed for ruined her masterpiece...

Ed...Ed...

His touch...

His scent...

His breath...

His presence...

Ed...

Ed...

With that thought, she fiercely pressed her hands down on the transmutation circle. Immediately, activation occurred. There were thunder and lightening. The light was so bright that Winry had to cover the eyes. But something wasn't right...or was it? When Winry opened her eyes, she found herself in front of a huge gate. So this is the gate, she thought. Is Ed behind it? Slowly, the gate opened. But there was no presence of Ed. Instead, millions of small black hands reached out. Winry screamed out of fear.

The hands reached out to her. They grabbed her arms and pulled her toward the gate. Winry continued to scream and struggled. Then, one pair of hands reached to her belly. They went inside and took something out...her child...

Winry passed out.

When she came to, she heard someone banging on the door. It was Al. He had recieved Roy's call and came to stop her.

He was too late.


Author's Note:

Okay, I changed the story back to the story format. I thougth the script format would be unique...yet it turned out to be awkward. Review plz! Thanx!