Winry Rockbell decided it was just going to be one of those days. She had woken early that morning due to having to finish some repairs for one of her customers, and being the slight workaholic and not wanting to let the man down, she decided it would be best to sacrifice some sleep she could always catch up with later for time that could be spent fixing his automail hand. She had took a liking to him especially for that reason; he had the guts to get full automail, instead of praying for his former hand to one day return to its original, unharmed form. Not many men or woman would admit to themselves when they were screwed, they would end up clinging on to anything that made them feel fully 'human' as they called it. Flesh, not human, Winry would tell them, but no matter what she said, it was fixed in the customer's brains that they didn't need automail, they just needed some…adjustments to their skin, maybe some metal to help them stand and they would soon recover. She didn't mind much though, as selfish as it sounded, she was kind of glad, if they didn't keep needing updates and whatnot, she wouldn't have money. With no money came no food, and with no food came no Winry. So, she had found it best to (as hard as it was) keep her mouth shut.

Grabbing a wrench, she made her way to the workshop and flicking the light on, she wasn't surprised to see it still in the mess she had left it. She yawned, trying to think of what she could have later for lunch with what little food there was in- she hoped her gran would return soon, somehow it always tasted so much better when she was with her. She sighed thinking of the old lady; Pinako had business in town, and had been gone for two weeks now. Winry had been ever the optimist, reassuring her grandmother she would be fine alone, and that she would need to learn to cope without her around for when she moved out anyhow. She didn't realise just how lonely the nights were until the third one alone.

Winry paused in her task and gave the room a scan, realising how dim it was. She kicked herself off the bench she had been on, and with a screwdriver still in hand, she made her way to the curtains, thrusting them open to let the daylight fill the room. A smile reached her lips for the first time in a few days as the warm rays of light hit her; reminding her that no matter how bad her world seemed, the sun would always carry on shining.

The smile still on her face, she returned to her work, tinkering with the mechanical hand that was near completion and stopping now and then to sip of freshly made coffee. The heat of the sun beating upon her, she threw her hair up into its traditional ponytail and stripped any unnecessary layers off; leaving her in short shorts and tube top. She was known for being such a tomboy that people wouldn't even realise her body. Well, she said people, but what she meant was a certain someone. She smirked, not like it mattered to her anyways. All she wanted was him to fulfil his dream, to come home, and to be happy.

Smiling down at the newly completed automail hand, she decided to go and find something to eat. After rummaging through for the cupboards for god knows how long, she found next to nothing in and let out a groan. She would have to go shopping later. For now, she could deal with an apple or something. She grabbed one, and was about to return to the workshop when she heard a soft knocking at the door. She frowned. The only people who were going to be coming today would be around later- unless it was someone new. She yawned, stretched out and glowered as another loud knock echoed from the door way.

'I'm coming, I'm coming!' She called out, anger clear in her sharp voice as she stormed to the door. Yanking it open, she felt her stomach jump, turn over, jump against and then do a little jig. In front of her was one of the best looking boys she had seen in a long time. A very long time. Blonde hair, spikey and styled complimented his wild, blue eyes, his skin looked tanned perfectly and his teeth would make any dentist jump for joy as one look. Winry blushed.

'Uh-uh-Um,' She was stumbling, trying to find some sort of nice tone of voice to put on so she didn't sound to un-lady-like (the thought made her laugh in her head ).

'Are you Winry Rockbell?' The boy asked kindly, his eyes sparkling in the sunlight, and making her feel even more nervous at the fact he knew her name. She nodded, not sure what to say and carried on staring at him.

'Ah!' The boy grinned boyishly, 'I've heard all about your work- please, I know this is so quick and all, but I've heard so much about you, and-' He was blushing, 'Please accept me as your apprentice!' He cried, saluting her as though she were higher ranked than him.

Winry wasn't sure what to reply to that. Here was a random, devishly good looking boy who looked around 3 years older than her, asking to be her trainee when she didn't know his name, where he was from or where the hell he had heard about her work from. So she merely blinked.

'Please, ma'am, I would be honoured!' The late teen said, his cheeks burning red as the awkward silence continued.

'Uh-Yeah,wait,' Winry muttered, trying to gather her thoughts. 'Come on in, I mean, excuse the mess and all- and- uhm, just, make yourself at home in the front room,' She led him into the house and pointed through to the living room. She tried to not slap herself as Ed's voice filled her mind, 'Don't let strangers in,' He had warned her on several occasions. She felt a little guilty, but decided that this boy wasn't really a stranger, right? He knew about her- so all she had to do was know more about him! Grinning, she made her way to the kettle and popped it on. The boy was still at her heel, peering around at the scattered nuts and bolts on the tables and chairs.

'Sorry about the mess,' Winry mumbled, her cheeks daring to redden again. 'I've been really busy lately, so…yeah…tea or coffee?' She asked, mentally scolding herself for being such an untidy girl. She then mentally kicked herself when she realised what she was wearing. Great. She wasn't making the best impression, wearing the shortest shorts in history and a boob tube that was probably too small for her breasts but was still comfy at the same time, not to mention the grease and oil splattered all over her body probably didn't help much.

'Oh please don't go to any trouble, Ms. Rockbell,' Her new companion rushed to tell her, coming to her side. 'I would rather you didn't go to such a hassle as preparing drinks for my advantage, 'He grinned at her a genuine smile and Winry found herself smiling back. Honestly, where had this boy come from if he was thinking that her making a drink was trouble?

'Its no trouble, Mr….' She insisted, hoping to get his name out of it. He seemed to take the hint and his face lit up even more- causing him to grin more and make him even more handsome than before, if it were possible!

'My names Rez,' He smiled, 'Rez Riley.' He held his hand out and she took it in her own, smiling and shaking.

'Nice to meet you, .'

'Oh, please, call me Rez, !'

'Only if you call me Winry,'

They both grinned at eachother. Somehow, Winry thought she had found a friend out of the boy in front of her.

'So, tea or coffee?' She repeated.

'I heard all about you in Central, I've been meaning to come and speak to you for some time but I was a little worried of what you would think of my skills as a mechanic…So I trained since I was 15, and now I'm 18- I know its kind of funny for you to have a student who's older than you, but I really would love to be your apprentice.'

Winry blushed at the fact he had been trying so hard to impress her, it amazed her! People had heard about her in central? She smiled, probably thanks to Ed and Al…

'So, please, if it isn't too much bother, would you reconsider allowing me to be your trainee?'

'I didn't say you couldn't be!' Winry grinned, showing she wasn't insulted by the comment. 'I just need to know some basic things and I'm pretty sure we'll be able to get along just fine,'

'Of course! I wouldn't expect you to take me in without questions, so I'm prepared to tell you whatever you wish to know.' Rez smiled, though he looked slightly worried at the same time as if she was going to kick him out at any minute.

'Right…' Winry set her cup down and tried to give Rez her most serious look that she usually saved for when she wanted to give Ed or Al a good talking to, and crossed her arms. 'What made you so serious about automail, then?' She asked, 'I mean, no offence but you don't really look like someone who would be that into it, not to mention you're pretty young.'

'Says the pretty 16 year old girl.' Rez grinned, and Winry blushed madly, seeing his point- she didn't look like someone who was that into mechanics (as every man and woman she ever met in her life told her) but she wouldn't consider herself pretty!

'Well, to answer your question, this,' Rez caught her attention and moved his trouser leg up, revealing a very shiny, metallic , automail leg. 'Is what made me so interested in mechanics.' Winry nearly jumped for joy, pointing at it with shining eyes.

'Its!- I can't believe it! I had no idea!' She didn't even care if she was blushing as she bounced to his side, kneeling and examining the leg with amazement.

'Well, I don't really show it off much, unless people ask.' He smiled as she poked at it, even stroked it as if it was some sort of prized possession. 'Or unless it needs fixing, sometimes I need a helping hand with it, its hard to fix some parts on myself.'

'You made it yourself!?' She squealed, still investigating the automail leg. 'This is awesome, seriously, well done! You've only been doing this for three years, I can't believe it!' She grinned, making a mental note to not let this boy out of her site- he was definitely nice enough and talented enough to work with her.

'Yeah, sure did! Don't you think it could do with people more in the 11th-'

'Yeah, I was about to say that! I mean, it's a little heavy, but we can fix that up in no time- you don't mind if I make some adjustments, do you? I'm not trying to say you couldn't do it yourself or anything, its just-'

'You're too kind, Ms. Winry. I would be more than happy to let adjust it!'

Winry smiled warmly, happy that he was treating her as a friend more than someone above him. If anything, she was still shocked at his leg and how he had been able to make this himself in just three years training- then it hit her.

'Wha….What made it so you lost your leg, then?' She asked in a small voice, hoping to not sound too nosey. Rez's face dropped and she instantly felt guilty for plunging so deeply into his personal life; but she had a tugging at her heart about it, what if he was involved in some sort of crime? How could she have him living in the same house of her without knowing, really….?

'I understand why you ask, please don't look so awkward.' Rez smiled, taking a deep breath. 'My sister, Lisa, never did like to get into trouble. She was shy, lived a quiet life, tried to stay away from anything that caused trouble.' He smiled sadly for a second, before his expression darkened. 'She got a boyfriend. His name was Lucas, I liked him at the start….so did my parents. I started to get a little more interested when she stopped calling so much though, and she didn't come to visit like she would…so me and my dad went to her house, just to check up on her.' He sighed, 'When we got there, she was dead.'

Winry gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. She felt sick at the thought of it…she couldn't believe going through something like that. Is that…is that how Ed and Al had felt, finding their mum on the floor, dead….? She truly felt like crying, but she had told her best friends the next time she cried would be of happiness…so she stopped herself.

'H-How…?' Winry asked before she could stop herself,

' Lucas. The bastard. He was into alchemy, I've never been a big fan of that shit…sorry for the swearirng…..but, well….He used her.'

'Used her?' Winry repeated, choosing to ignore the comment on alchemy due to knowing some of the best alchemists around…

'Used her. He lured her into his little trap, clicked his fingers and then she was dead. Well, he didn't click his fingers, more like used one of those circle things.'

'What did he use her for though?'

'Never found out.'

'What-why?'

'He got away,' Another sigh feel from the previously oh so happy teen and Winry felt more guilty for bringing it up, but curiosity was taking over her. Seeing her expression, he closed his eyes, as if remembering and began to speak again. 'When I found Lisa, her body, I knew what had happened. My dad stayed with her body, so I went after the filth who had done it to her…and when I found him, he was cowering away. I was pissed, really angry….I grabbed whatever was in site, I think it was the chair leg, I can't even remember. And I just went at him, but he was an alchemist, and before I knew it, he had pushed me over and created a block of concrete from the ceiling. It was too heavy, it fell, and it broke several bones in my leg.'

'So…it…cut your leg off?' She asked in a near whisper, but he chuckled and shook his head.

'No, it just hurt like hell and I wasn't able to move it- it more like…disconnected the nerves from my thigh downwards. It was paralysed, I suppose.'

'Did they tell you to get automail?'

'It was a suggestion from the Doctors, yes, if that's what you mean. But I refused at first, though my time in hospital was getting more and more boring…so I read into automail. After some convincing to my dad, he lent me the money to buy some bits, and once I was aloud to return home…I made the automail myself.'

'Wha-just by reading!?' Winry cried, amazement filling her eyes.

'Yeah. I was determined to be back on my own two feet, to live my life because I still had it.'

Winry looked at him sadly, her eyes raised in sympathy and looking extremely close to tears. She smiled at what he had said though. 'That's great. Always live life to the fullest.'

'That's why I came to you, after learning for three years, there was only so much I could gain from books- I had never spoke to the other mechanics about my own skills, just asked for tips and ect. I heard about you from someone in Central, said you were the mechanic of someone pretty amazing and that you were beautiful.' He smiled as she blushed again, 'And he was right.'

'R-really, please, don't.' She smiled back, 'So that's the reason you came to me? Just from hearing from one person?'

'Oh no! I researched into you, asked around a bit….heard you knew the Elric brothers, too.'

Winry's brow furrowed. If she found out this guy had only come here in hope of meeting Ed and Al, she was going to kick him right out.

'Yeah, I know them. They're my best friends.' She stated. 'Why?'

'Oh! Don't, please don't think that I'm trying to use you to- to get to them!' He cried, pulling a face that made it look like the words left a nasty taste in his mouth.

'I don't think that!' Winry defended, crossing her arms over and looking up at him from the floor. 'Its just, well, why else would you be here?'

'I…to be your apprentice, please. I need to learn as much as I can from you, and then, one day, I'll be able to help others like you have so much.'

Winry studied his sturdy features for a second, that powerful look on his face that reminded her so much of Edward. She smiled, holding back a sigh, and nodded in her usual understanding manner. Rez wanted to help others, she couldn't exactly tear him away that wish- not after everything had happened to him.

'I'll do it. I'll teach you what I know.'

Winry's eyes flickered over the older boys hands as she watched him. He was good. Too good. Why the hell did this guy want her help of all people!? He was already nearly the same level as her! She frowned, moving her hand to grip his as he reached for the wrong bolt.

'Thanks, Win,' He smiled at her, then went back to concentrating on the hand he was building.

She nodded her 'you're welcome' to him. She liked that he called her 'Win' but it didn't seem as…refreshing coming from his mouth as it did from Ed's or Al's. But it was nice to have some company, which Rez had been for the last month- he was living in the same house of her, and he had met her granny some time ago when her and Den had dropped in for a visit before leaving back to Central once again. Pinako had work set out for her for what seemed like never-ending months, Winry thought, when she had heard her gran would be leaving so quickly again. But she was happy she approved of Rez after meeting him- on the phone she had argued that letting a boy live in the house alone with her was a dangerous risk, but Winry, being Winry, had ignored her and told her the good things about him instead. Winry had also even had the pleasure of meeting Rez's mother and father who had dropped by out of concern when he forgot to write- that managed to remind Winry of Ed again- and Rez's father had assumed (as many of the villagers did ) that they were a couple. They weren't, of course, but sometimes it was hard to ignore the looks Rez would give her. But, she didn't find herself resenting them…maybe she really did like him? Every time she thought that though, an image of Ed and Al flashed into her mind, reminding her that they would be back one day and then maybe…things could happen between her and Ed. Just maybe. Things had been going smoothly between her and Rez, she didn't see him as a student (she didn't know how to treat someone as a student!) she saw him as an equal, especially at the speed he was moving at at the moment. She hoped the next time Ed came home he was here, so she could show of her finest work on the state alchemists arm and leg to her fellow mechanic. She grinned to herself, thinking of those boys always made her smile…Her fingers brushed through her hair, not caring that the oil wiped through it, and she glanced to the clock.

'Hey Rez , want something to eat?' She asked, stretching out.

'Sure thing- please.' He replied with a mumble, poking at the hand and tinkering with it. She smiled, leaving the room and headed to the kitchen to prepare something. She was about to rinse her hands when she heard the booming knock echo from the door. She sighed. No doubt that would be Paul with his usual ways of storming right in and demanding his work to be done without a word of thanks. At least he payed them. She rolled her eyes, and another booming sound echoes throughout the house.

'All right!' She cried, feeling a slight déjà vu of the day she met Rez.

She sighed, opened the door and closed her eyes, hands on hips. 'You don't have to be so bloomin' rude, Paul!' She muttered, pointing towards the workshop and waiting for him to storm past her. She huffed.

'Nice to see you too, Win.'

Her eyes flew open at the voice- and she felt her stomach dance around foolishly, she blinked several times, nearly choking on her words. In front of her stood the two brothers she had grew up with. Ed and Al. Her legs acted on her own accord, she was running towards them with a sudden burst of energy, and before she knew it she had grabbed hold of the elder of the brothers and had him in a bone crushing hug. Edward grinned, lifting and spinning her around slightly on the spot and returning the hug with a stronger force. If Al could have smiled, he would have, but the tin of armour watched the affectionate display of reuniting from the sideline, only to feel Winry reach out a hand and tug the younger brother towards them, involving him in the hug that she knew would look so not cool. But she didn't care. Being cool was overrated anyway. She couldn't believe it. They were back, and she didn't even care if it was just for Ed to get an upgrade or not, she was just so….grateful they were alive. Ed had placed her back on her feet, and she felt the gratitude once again rush through her as she looked into his golden eyes, shining perfectly just as she had remembered them always too in the sun…or anywhere.

Then she reached into her pocket, took out her wrench and beat the crap of both of them.

-And another brilliantly placed linebreak! 8D-

'I come back and the first thing you do is beat me up!' Ed spat, rubbing his head from where he had been impaled with random wrenches, screwdrivers and or spare bolts that Winry had somehow made appear from her tiny short pockets.

'And now my armour has more scratches…' Al sadly muttered,

'Ah! Stop your complaining,' She grinned, 'I need to hit you guys as much as I can when you're in town anyway.'

'And why would that be?' Ed asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice as he sent her a glare from the grass where he sat.

'Because, when you guys get your bodies back and come back, you're going to be living here for a while, right?' She didn't wait for them to reply; she already knew they had nowhere else to go and knew they didn't need reminding of that, and a smirk fell on her lips. 'And if you're living with me…heh…you're going to have to get used to getting hit.' She paused. 'A lot.'

Al and Ed looked more than scared at the thought.

Winry merely sent them a grin! 'It should be fun, right!?' She exclaimed, eyes sparkling with excitement. She couldn't wait for them to come home for good…the idea of it made her giddy!

'Ah…Brother, maybe we should stay in Central once we get our bodies back,' Al commented in a small voice, and although Winry knew he was joking, she was ready to sent a wrench of justice at his armour, when a voice interrupted her actions.

'Win?'

The three childhood friends looked up to the blonde who was poking his head around the door, shades perched on the top of his head and a confused expression on his face. His eyes fixed on Ed, then to Al, then to Winry and he smiled.

'These the Elric's, I'm guessing?' He grinned.

'Damn right they are!' Ed barked, put off by the sudden appearance and jumping into 'super defensive' mode, 'And who's asking?'

'Names Rez.' The older teen said, emerging full from the room and stretching, a wielder in his right hand. 'Rez Riley.'

Disclaimer: I don't own FullMetal Alchemist. I do own Rez C: Thats why he's so handsome! *grins* BECAUSE I CAN MAKE HIM!

Ooohh, i can't wait for chapter 92, can you guys!?

I just read the whole of FMA in the last few days x_x went two days with no sleep C: And there we go!