"I can't do this", Ed mumbled to himself. "It's just Winry. What the hell am I so worried about?" Ed sat on the train, looking aimlessly out the boxcar window watching the the rural scenery pass by in a trail of color. Alphonse slept soundly on the seat across from him. His now human chest rising and falling with each gentle breath. Seeing Al returned to his normal form was...heartwarming. Ed's undying love for his younger brother was unlike any human love. Alphonse was his best friend and only remaining family. After watching Al die, Edward promised to never let anything happen to him again. Ed smiled. His brother, although back to his 10 year old form, had grown up so quickly. Al had seen death and corruption, yet through it all he still had a selfless heart and cared for his brother more than anyone. "I'm glad you're back Al," Ed whispered. "Lets just hope Winry is glad, too." Ed knew she would be glad. Winry cared for both Ed and Al. They were like her extended family; the brothers she never had. But that's what worried Ed. She saw him as a brother, and he saw her as something more.
"Wake up, Al. We're here." Alphonse blinked his sleepy eyes and looked out the window. The train had stopped, and outside stretched the only place they both could call home. Resembol. Ed picked up the two suitcases and exited the train. Al smiled and jumped off. This would be the first time Al was in Resembol in his human body since the night of the failed human transmutation of their mother. Ed knew that. They had come so far since that terrible night. Ed, an ex military State Alchemist. Al, no longer a 7-foot tall walking suit of hollow armor. Things were...back to normal. Or as normal as they could ever be. Ed and Al walked along the long dirt path that led to the Rockbell residence. They had come here dozens of times while on their search for the Philosopher Stone. Mostly because Ed had broken his automail so many times and Winry and Pinako were the best automail mechanics he had ever known. They were the only mechanics Ed trusted. "Brother, do you think Winry and Aunt Pinako will...remember me?" Al sounded nervous. Worried. Ed peered down at his little brother. He half smiled. "Of course, Al. Why wouldn't they?" Al looked down at his human hands and flexed his fingers. "It's just that...I haven't been human in so long...it feels strange. I'm...scared." Ed's smile faded. Al had lived as a soul transfer in that empty suit of armor for 4 whole years. Never eating. Never drinking. Never feeling. He was a hollow chunk of walking metal. Ed clenched his fist. He would never forgive himself for ever hurting Al in the first place. Even though Al was human now, that didn't change the past. Watching Al die right in front of his eyes...the memory still gave him chills. Still haunted him in his nightmares. "They'll remember you, Al. No one could forget that baby face of yours anyway." Ed chuckled. Al furrowed his eye brows. "Hey! I'm not a baby! I can still fight!" Ed laughed. "I know you can, Al." Al looked up at his older brother and smiled. They both laughed and continued walking up toward the Rockbell's house.
Knock knock knock. Ed and Al stood back and waited for the door to open. Seconds. Minutes. Hours? Ed knocked again. Winry and Pinako were always to the door quickly, especially at the expense of the Elric brothers. Ed turned the door knob. It was locked. "Brother, where is Winry and Aunt Pinako? Pinako never leaves." "I dunno Al, but I'm going to find out." Ed clasped his hands together, automail to flesh, and then laid his hands on the door. Blue sparks rose and flicked around his hands. Suddenly, with the sound of alchemy and breaking wood, the door disappeared and an archway was provided for the boys. Ed stepped inside and Al followed behind him. The Rockbell residence was empty. Not a single light was on yet nothing seemed out of place. Automail parts here and there, tools that Winry most likely left out on a regular basis. Everything seemed to be in place, except for Winry and Pinako. Ed set down the suitcases by the couch and walked into the kitchen. Still no lights or sign the anyone was home. The house didn't appear to be empty long. In fact, it looked as if they went out somewhere. But where? Pinako never left home. Ed and Al continued to look around. "I'm going to check upstairs, Al. You look around here, okay?" Al nodded. Ed started towards the stairs and leisurely strode up them. He checked Pinako's room. Empty. The bathroom. Empty. Even the guest room where he and . Empty. Then Ed came across Winry's room.
Empty.
Exasperated, Ed let out a big sigh and sat on Winry's bed. "Where are you? Where the hell could you have gone?" Ed laid his head against the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. The bed covers smelled surprising sweet and fresh, not like automail and oil. It smelled like flowers. Like Winry. He turned over on his side and propped himself up on one elbow, scanning the room once more for any signs or clues that could hint to him where Winry was. He was worried. Winry was known for getting herself into trouble back when Ed and Al were in hot pursuit of the Philosopher Stone. He remembered that serial killer, Barry The Chopper, had Winry almost killed. Or when the Homunculus Sloth, who looked like his mother, tried hurting her. Edward clenched his hands into fists. How could he protect Winry if he didn't even know where she was. He bolted up on the bed, anger and worry crossing his face. "God dammit, Winry! Where are you?" Ed took a pillow off the bed and threw it across the room in an impulse of exasperation. He hung his head, and looked down. Then he noticed something. A slip of white paper where the pillow had just been. "Huh? What's this...?" He reached for the slip and grabbed it. It was folded in half. Ed opened it cautiously and began to read. The writing was written in cursive, but the note looked like whoever wrote it was in a hurry. The note read as follows:
Grandma Pinako,
I know you're out in town getting parts for the new automail we've been working on...but I just can't do this anymore. Not while Ed and Al are...dead. My parents were killed by the military, and even though it was devastating you kept me strong and taught me to be a great mechanic. But now the only family I had left, the only other people I cared about are dead. More people I love, killed off by the military. It's too much to bear. I'm sorry, but I don't think I can continue working as an automail mechanic. I don't think I can continue doing anything anymore. I can't live...anymore. Please understand. Remember what my mother Used to say? "Go where the river flows, there you will find peace." That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to find peace. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
-Winry Rockbell
Ed's eyes grew wide. His heart thumped loud in his chest and his ears. The blood drained from his face and his hands began to shake. 'This can't be. What did she mean she couldn't "live" anymore. No. This can't be. Winry is going to kill herself because she thinks Al and I are dead? Who told her that? Yes, technically Al and I both died after Envy stabbed me and Al used the philosopher stone to bring me back from the gate. But I got him back. I got all of him back. We saved each other.' Ed's mind was buzzing and he suddenly felt sick. Winry was going to kill herself over a lie. Ed crumpled the letter and stuffed it in his pocket and ran downstairs. He was going to the river to find Winry. He was going to save her before it was too late.