February 12th, 1954

Please God, if you really exist, let it be the flu. Sara Elric sat on the bed in the examination room at the Central military hospital waiting for the results of her annual physical exam. She had literally crawled out of bed that morning to come over, and only because she did not want to have to make it up later and she wanted to see if maybe they could do something to treat at least her symptoms. She had been throwing up every couple of hours for three days straight. If nothing else, she needed a sick note to get out of the PT part of the annual physicals.

Doctor Fillmore's suggestion that she might be pregnant had not gotten an enthusiastic reaction. The last thing the twenty-seven year old Colonel needed was that little complication to her already complicated life. So she waited. They had already taken blood for other tests, that was just one more tacked on. Fillmore was Doctor Gray's new partner in practice, and she was also nice, but today Sara had found her calm and patient demeanor irritating.

For the last four months Sara had tried to come to terms with her own doubts about marriage and put them aside again. She had promised Franz she would try, and she really did love him. She just couldn't understand why she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that, in the long run, she might hurt him.

"Well, Sara," Doctor Linda Fillmore smiled as she returned, still unflappable despite Sara's earlier testiness. "The verdict is in and you are in perfect health."

"You call this perfect health?" Sara asked incredulously. She knew full well from looking in the mirror for the past several days that she was pallid, slightly green, and she hadn't slept a full night through since getting sick.

"Entirely." The smile became a more professionally neutral expression. "From the tests and examination I would guess you are right about eight or nine weeks pregnant."

If there had been color left to drain from Sara's face, she was sure it would have done so. "You're certain?" So much for the latest skipped period being a fluke; they happened occasionally.

"I can give you proof," Fillmore shook her head and picked up her stethoscope. "At that far along we should be able to locate the little one. Lie down please."

Sara groaned, but complied. At least lying down made her feel slightly less nauseated. She waited as the doctor placed the stethoscope not up near Sara's heart, but down on her abdomen. She cringed. "That's cold!"

"Usually is," the doctor chuckled. "And… yes, there we are," she said after a moment of searching. She took off the ear piece and held it out to Sara, keeping the other positioned just below her belly button.

Sara took them and held it up. It took a moment, but within all the other sounds, there was a distinctively patterned little swish-swish-swish. "Th— that's a heartbeat!"

"It is," Fillmore nodded then she took the instrument back. "Definitely eight or nine weeks I would say. There are a few things I can recommend you try for the nausea, but I'm afraid there's not a whole lot to be done other than wait it out. This will get you out of your PT requirement however."

"Great, thanks," Sara sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. At least she would just be able to go home and curl back up in her bed and be miserable there instead of trying to drag into work. She just wanted to be somewhere by herself while she figured out what to do next.

It was late afternoon by the time Franz got over to the hospital for the health portion of his annual physical. The run that morning had been easy enough, and he had little doubt he would pass this part with flying colors as well. When the doctor was finished with him, he paused in the hall where two of the regular nurses were gabbing away. Sara had been sick, but she had said she was going to come in and get checked out. She'd had him sleep in his room in the barracks the last couple of days so he wouldn't catch anything and have them both out sick. He wondered if she had even made it out of bed after missing the last couple of days of work. It seemed like a pretty bad bug. "Excuse me ladies," he interrupted. They both turned, and the younger of the two smiled brightly.

"Can we help you Lieutenant Colonel?" she batted her eyes.

Franz smiled, ignoring the flirting. "Yes. I was just wondering if you could tell me if Colonel Elric was in earlier today?"

"Oh, yes she was," the other nurse nodded as she started down the hall. "Fairly early this morning. One of our first patients of the day."

"Yeah," the girl nodded, apparently discouraged by his lack of reaction. She headed the other way. "She went home I think? She was pretty bad off I remember. Morning sickness is such a misnomer isn't it? Well, bye!" she gave him one last wink and headed off down the hall.

Franz stared after her, momentarily bewildered. That was an odd conversation. At least Sara had come in and gotten checked out. She must be sick if she had gone… straight…. Morning sickness? The words hit him a few seconds later like a loaded freight train.

He had never traveled the distance from near Headquarters to the apartment so quickly. Franz was winded by the time he hit the stairs, and barely paused to catch his breath before he opened the door. "Sara?" he looked around, momentarily panicked when he didn't see her in immediate evidence. Franz hurried to the door of the bedroom, and breathed a momentary sigh of relief. Sara was curled up under the covers. "Honey, are you awake?"

"Yes."

Well that wasn't much of a response. He tried again. "Are you all right?"

Sara rolled over. From her face, Franz gathered two things at once; that she still felt miserable, and that she had been crying recently. "Define all right?"

Franz found himself in a rare momentary loss for words. "I… well I was in for my physical and I…. asked if you'd been in. One of them said something about morning sickness and I thought…."

Sara sighed, closing her eyes briefly before looking at him again. "Yeah. I am."

Pregnant. Franz stood there for a moment. While the possibility had been on his mind all the way over, he was more concerned at the moment with the pained, unhappy expression on his fiancée's face. He offered her a weak smile as he moved toward the bed and sat down on the edge. She watched him, but offered up nothing else. "I guess you're going to be pretty sick for a while then huh?"

"You think?" Sara groused.

"Sorry," Franz sighed. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I mean, we weren't exactly expecting this."

Sara sat up so suddenly he almost fell backwards. "Talk about an understatement," she met his eyes with a glare. "This isn't exactly the best time for this, Franz!" Her voice broke. "And I'm going to kill whoever told you! I don't even know how I feel about this and now you know and I…." tears started streaming down her face again.

Franz was floored. "You… you weren't going to tell me?" That had never occurred to him.

Sara tossed her hands in the air. "I…well yes, eventually of course. I just wasn't ready to yet! I wanted to be the one and now that's no good and I have no idea what kind of a mother I'm supposed to be with a full time position and responsibilities and –" she lost it, falling against Franz's chest and sobbing uncontrollably.

Out of practice and instinct, Franz wrapped his arms around the girl he loved, stroking her back gently with one hand. "Shhh… easy, Belle, it's all right," he soothed. "Sure, it's a shock. But you know," he smiled, surprising even himself a little at the happy feeling inside, "it's not like it's the end of the world. I'm here, and I love you. It's a baby and that's a happy thing right? It's not so bad."

"Not so bad?" Sara sniffled, looking up at him. "I have things to do, Franz! Responsibilities. I can't just stay home. I don't want to stay home! I don't even know if I want this right now."

He had known she was nervous and anxious about the wedding because of Edward and Winry's difficulties the past year, and Franz had done his best to be patient. He was good at that, and he would wait for Sara for the rest of his days if he had to. But it looked like their life plans had been stepped up a little, ready or not. To hear her say that last… "You don't want a child? But we talked about children. You—"

"Franz, please don't," Sara looked away, averting her eyes. "Not now."

It had been a long time since Franz's attempts to comfort anyone had been so flatly rejected. "Sara, please. This is a good thing. No one's going to say anything. We can just go ahead and get married like we planned."

"Stop right there," Sara jerked away. Given how emotionally she was reacting, it took no other proof for Franz to believe his normally reasonable Sara was pregnant! "I'm not getting married just because of some biological process and my own stupidity!"

"Stupidity? Sara I—"

"I love you," she was on a roll, and went right over him. "But I know I'm not ready for this. Not now. I'm not ready and it's already too late. I need… I need some time alone," she wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I just need to think for a while okay?"

She was ordering him out. Her words stung. "Of course, whatever you want," Franz found himself saying as he stood up. "Can I come back tomorrow?" It had been a very long time since he had even considered having to ask about coming over.

"I'll call you," Sara replied softly.

Franz waited for her to say something more, but all Sara did was curl back up with her back to him, sniffling quietly. He wanted to say something, to know what to say that would make her feel better, and convince her that this was all right. He loved the idea of a baby. He had always thought she would too; she was so good with kids. Feeling more than a little deflated, Franz let himself out, locking the door behind him.

It was a very long, lonely walk back to the barracks.

February 15th, 1954

Edward was more than a little nervous as he walked into Headquarters that morning. It had been eight-and-a-half months since Breda had forced him to take leave, and he had gone in for his scheduled physical last week like everyone else. The point, of course, to see if he was fit for return to duty. His physical had included re-evaluation psychologically as well, this one by Doctor Irons. He did not know the full results, but he knew he had managed to pass the PT clear of the minimums, even if the numbers weren't even close to his old personal best.

He was on his way to talk to Breda when Marcus Kane caught him in the hallway. "Fullmetal," he waved him down. "Do you have a minute?"

Ed stopped, and shrugged smiling. "Sure, Sky Fire. What's up?"

Kane stopped, frowning slightly. "I was wondering if you knew how Sara was doing," he replied without preamble. "She called in sick again today and that makes six days straight including the weekend."

Had it been that long? Ed mentally tallied it up and realized that Kane was right. He was immediately concerned. "I don't know," he admitted. "I haven't talked to her in a few days. I'll see if I can find out what's going on." If his daughter was that ill it had to be something serious.

"Thanks," Kane looked relieved. "I've got to get back to my files," he grimaced. "Good luck upstairs."

"Does everybody know?" Ed asked him as Kane headed back the way he had come.

"At least everyone wearing a watch," Kane smirked, vanishing around the corner with a jaunty wave.

Of course all the State Alchemists knew. They were probably waiting to find out if he would be back to kicking their asses in the near future. Not that Ed had long to wait. He went up to Breda's office and was immediately ushered inside. The meeting was short and to the point.

"I've gotten the reports," Breda said seriously. "And it's kind of a mixed bag, Ed."

"What?" Ed felt immediately disappointed. "Who says I'm not fit to go back?" He had thought everything went pretty well.

"No one," Breda shook his head. "They all agree that you're healthy enough – mentally as well as physically – to come back if you want to."

A heavy open ending hung there, and Ed knew what it led to. "If," he repeated. "Are you offering me retirement, Breda?"

"Only if you want it, Ed," Breda replied with a sigh. "Even back on full duty, Gray's set some rather strict limits on what you're still capable of doing without over-straining yourself. If you don't take back most of the combat classes than you should be fine."

"But…. Those are mine." What was this junk about not taking back the combat classes? Ed amended that thought. He knew exactly what this was about. He sighed. "Nevermind, I understand."

"Good," Breda looked relieved. "I'd be happy to have you back, Ed, but they all say that you're a lot better off the way you are now. If you'll take it easy and stick to desk work, you can start back anytime."

"Give me a couple of days to think on it," Ed replied immediately. This wasn't something he wanted to jump on, despite how determined he had been to get back to work as soon as possible. He at least wanted to think things through.

"Of course," Breda agreed, "Take however much time you need."

As Ed was on his way out of the office, he spotted Franz at the coffee maker. Well, if he wanted to find out about Sara, there was the man to talk to. "Can we talk?" he asked simply as he walked up.

Franz jumped - a rare occurrence – but relaxed when he saw Ed. "Of course, Sir," he replied. On close inspection, Ed was surprised to see that the younger man looked rather unusually haggard.

"Have you been sleeping?" Ed asked his second question first.

Franz shrugged. "No, not really."

"Is Sara all right?" Ed asked then. The two questions were most likely related after all. "I heard she hasn't been in."

Franz looked uncomfortable. Then, after a rather long minute, he shrugged. "You should talk to Sara about that," he said evasively.

"I will, but I thought I might be able to get a heads up from you," Ed pointed out, a little irritated that this wasn't simpler. It wasn't a hard question.

"I haven't talked to Sara since Friday," Franz gave him a hard stare. "If you want to know what's going on, you should ask Sara."

That was the last useful thing Ed got out of the man. The conversation ended soon after and he headed back out of Headquarters. Well, he had a little time. It seemed like a good morning to stop by the apartment and talk to his daughter.

Ed had walked over to Headquarters from the Rockbell Auto-Mail anyway, having no idea that Sara was still upstairs. Winry had driven, and Ed had simply caught a ride with her most of the way. So when he got back, instead of going into the workshop he ducked upstairs first and knocked at the door.

A very bleary-eyed Sara opened it about a minutes a minute later. "Dad? What are you doing here?"

"Checking on my daughter," he replied with a small smirk. "You look pretty under the weather there. I tried to ask Franz if you were okay, but all he told me was that I should talk to you myself." His smile faded then, replaced by concern. "He said he hadn't talked to you since Friday." That fact actually concerned him more.

Sara fidgeted then stepped back. "Come in."

Ed frowned, but complied. Sara closed the door behind him and then went back over to the couch and sat down. She really didn't look well. "What is this all about?" he finally asked.

Sara shrugged as she picked up a glass of water from the coffee table. She only sipped a little before grimacing and putting it down. She didn't meet his eyes. "I'm pregnant," she said softly.

The floor under his feet could have shifted for all the world seemed to shift momentarily off balance. Had he heard right? Yes, Ed was sure he had. Then things seemed to settle back in place and, in truth, he was relieved. "Is that was this is all about?"

"Isn't it enough?" Sara grumbled.

This Ed could handle. He shrugged, smiled, and went to sit beside her. "Well sure, but there are worse things than babies, trust me."

Sara shrugged. "This wasn't planned. Franz and I haven't even set a new date for the wedding. And now…"

"Now what?" Ed asked. "Now's not the time to be pushing him away, Sara. He wants to be with you."

"I just don't want to wonder if he only pressed again because of this," Sara sighed, one hand resting on her pajama-covered stomach, still flat and toned as ever.

Ed shook his head. She really did logic just like him sometimes – or worse. "And do you think the last couple of years were because of this?"

"So you still think I should marry him?" Sara looked up, startled.

Did she really think he was opposed to this? "I don't think you should throw away years of a perfectly good relationship in a fit of pique."

She seemed to get the point. Sara scowled. "You think I'm over-reacting."

"Yes."

"I wasn't even sure if you still liked Franz."

"Like him? If I didn't like him do you think I would have let him live this long?" Sure Ed had been an ass last year, but had it been that bad?

"You give him these looks sometimes…" Sara replied pointedly.

"Looks? What, like he's the guy who took my little girls innocence?" Ed quipped, half sarcastic, but even he had to admit there were times that it bugged him.

"You blame him for that?" Sara hesitated for just a moment, then continued, still scowling. "You can stop then. That wasn't Franz."

"What?" Ed was poleaxed. Sara and Franz had been together for a couple of years now. When would… "There was someone before that?"

"Only briefly, but yes," Sara replied, her eyes hard and flint-like, as if daring him to yell at her.

Ed was torn between demanding to know who it was and terrified to find out. He was sure it wasn't Mars Leighton, if only because of a conversation he'd had with Sara years back. Maes? Hell he hoped not! He didn't think that was it either but…. He was at a complete loss as to who it could have been.

"It was on a mission several years ago," Sara offered only a little more information. "Other than that it's none of your business."

At least she'd been an adult and a State Alchemist by then obviously. Still, Ed felt a little stung that he'd had no idea! It made Ed burn to wonder who it was though; a soldier? Some guy in a town somewhere? Or was it another State Alchemist? "Assuming I don't know the guy."

Sara rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to tell you anything else, but you can stop laying that at Franz's feet. I'm the one who wanted things this way." So she had been the one to initiate things on that level? Ed was finding out things about his daughter today he had never known, and he wasn't sure how to feel about that fact, no matter how much he had tried to stay out of her personal business.

"If you were the one who took the relationship that direction," Ed pointed out, recovering quickly from the shock, "Then don't you think you're being awfully unfair to Franz to treat him like this?" At least, it sure seemed that way to Ed.

Sara looked immediately guilty. "Yeah, I thought of that. A little late but I did. I got really upset with him on Friday, and I pretty much kicked him out for a few days. I told him I'd call when I was ready to talk."

"Well he looked like shit this morning," Ed offered helpfully. "You should call him. He's pretty worried. And you know, this isn't the end of your career."

Sara sighed. "I don't want to get out of the military, Dad."

"Who said anything about you having to leave?" Sometimes she just made no sense.

Sara looked at him, surprised. They seemed to be doing that to each other a lot in this conversation. "I mean, Riza Mustang did, and even Aunt Elicia took years off…."

"That was their choice," Ed shook his head. "No one forced them to it, Sara. If you want to go back to duty, I'm sure you'll work something out."

"I'm still not ready," Sara objected, but he could tell her resolve was weakening. Or perhaps it was just her constitution. She looked like she might throw up at any moment.

"Aren't you?"

"I'm too young for this."

Ed smirked. "You showed up the day before I turned twenty-eight, and in the middle of a war zone. You weren't planned either. Do you think your mom and I lost anything by having you? Or regret it for even a moment?"

"Well, no," Sara blushed. "I guess I hadn't thought about it like that."

"Winry didn't give up her career and neither did I," Ed offered her an encouraging smile.

Sara nodded then leaned her head back with a soft groan. "This is so embarrassing, especially after how hard a time I gave Aldon for getting Cassie pregnant the first time. What's everyone at HQ going to think?"

"Nothing worse than what they might have been thinking for the last couple of years," Ed replied pointedly. Their relationship was hardly a secret after all. "So what does it matter what they think now?"

Sara smirked at him without moving. "I was hoping for a little sympathy, and all I get is a kick in the head."

Ed shrugged. "It usually worked with me." He reached out and patted her arm. "It will all work out, kiddo. I know it's all pretty overwhelming. You can ask your Mom how badly I panicked when she told me you were coming."

"She's told me," Sara chuckled weakly. She still looked ill, but at least she looked less depressed. "I should call Franz. He's probably worried sick."

Ed nodded and glanced at his watch. "He's probably on lunch. You might try the barracks."

"Wouldn't he be in the mess?" Sara asked, confused.

Ed stood to go, and winked. "Trust me."

Sara watched her father go, feeling bemused, nauseous, and no less overwhelmed. In one conversation her father had basically told her she was an idiot for not marrying Franz already, not gotten mad at her for getting pregnant before getting married, and hadn't blown his top – though he had obviously been stunned – by the revelation that Franz was not her first lover, even if he was the only man she had ever loved.

Deciding not to put it off, she picked up the phone and dialed Franz's number.

"Hello Sara?"

She blinked. "How did you know it was me?"

"Wishful thinking," a very tired sounding chuckle came over the line. "I've been answering the phone like that all weekend. Can I… come over?"

Sara nodded. "Please. I'd like to see you."

Edward didn't say anything immediately to Winry about the visit when he got downstairs and went into the workshop. Later would be time enough. Except for one little detail that he had rather forgotten; Alphonse and Elicia were coming over for dinner. Fortunately, it was just the four adults. Ethan had gone over to Al and Elicia's to work on another project with Alyse. Or, in this case, to be Alyse's sounding board for all her ideas for the upcoming junior prom while he did his homework. He did not seem to mind and she enjoyed having him around.

Dinner was pleasant. They all chatted and enjoyed themselves, though Ed did not bring up what had happened in his visit with Breda. He really wanted a chance to think it over before he talked to Winry.

"So what's had you quiet all evening?" Winry finally asked Ed over dessert.

"Does it have something to do with Sara?" Al jumped in so quickly that it surprised Ed.

"Why do you ask?" Ed looked over at his brother.

Al shrugged. "She's been out sick for days. I was hoping you knew something we didn't."

It seemed as good an opening as Ed was likely to get. He nodded. "I talked to Franz and Sara both today," he admitted. "Sara's all right. They just found out that she's pregnant."

The room went momentarily silent as all three of the others stared at Ed as if he had grown two tails.

"That explains it," Winry finally said after a moment. "I was trying to figure out what possible illness could make anyone that consistently ill for a week. I could hear her upstairs."

Elicia nodded sympathetically. "Poor Sara; it sounds like she has it worse than either of us did."

"She doesn't know you know," Ed reminded them before they suggested going and finding his daughter and talking to her. "She's really upset about it right now too."

Winry gave him an expression that clearly said do we look stupid? "When they aren't married yet and she's not been a Colonel that long, on top of feeling miserable; I would imagine not."

"Does this mean they're finally going to set a wedding date?" Elicia asked curiously.

"I don't know what it means," Ed admitted. "Give them a little time to sort it out all right?"

Al nodded in agreement. "They're probably still just getting used to the idea. We should wait, and then be supportive of whatever they decide."

At least they all seemed to agree on that! Ed just hoped that Sara had actually called Franz, and that they were working things out.

Sara thought she had finally finished crying out all her tears this time as she lay stretched out on the couch, her head cushioned on a small pillow resting in Franz's lap. One of his hands stroked her hair gently. He had come over as soon as he got off of work, and they had spent quite a while just sitting and holding each other.

"I'm sorry I chased you out the other day," Sara finally sighed. "I've been kind of irrational lately."

"I'll take at least half the blame for that," Franz chuckled softly. "And I'm sorry if you felt pressured. I don't ever want you to feel forced into anything, Sara. I just…well, honestly, I've been looking forward to getting married and having kids for years. I just never could find the right woman, until I realized it was you. Waiting longer just doesn't make sense to me. It's been hard to be patient."

"And I appreciate that you've been as nice about this as you have," Sara replied, turning a little to look up at him. "You're right, you know. We should just go ahead and get married but, something small, private. I just want family and a few friends."

Franz smiled down at her. "Sara, I'll be happy as it's you and me and someone to marry us."

February 17th, 1954

After talking to Breda, Ed had a lot of thinking to do. He would have rather focused on Sara's problems. Those were much easier to deal with than figuring out what he wanted to do with himself. What did he want to make of himself now? Who was he anymore? What needed to change? What should stay the same? Should he go ahead and take Breda's retirement offer? Was this life really so bad? There were so many questions that just kept his mind spinning.

Winry caught him that afternoon staring out the bedroom window down into the frost-covered back yard. "You looked like you're thinking something deep and painfully complicated," she commented with a smile as she came up beside him.

Ed shrugged. "I don't know who I am anymore." It was just easier to tell her the complicated things on his mind now. Usually she had excellent insight. If not, she would smile, kiss him, and promise him it would all work out.

"Don't you?" she asked this time with a playful smirk.

Ed shrugged. "Well I'm a State Alchemist, and a General, and a father, and a soldier, a husband… but I've also been a killer, an executioner, a scientist, a traveler, a spy, a thief, an asshole…"

"That's what you are," Winry replied when he ran out of things. "And you're right; you're all of those things."

Ed looked at her, feeling a little perplexed. "Isn't that kind of contradictory?"

"It makes you normal," Winry chuckled softly, hugging him. "Everyone is that complicated."

"So how do I know which parts are really me?"

Winry smiled and kissed his cheek. "You choose, and you do your best to discard or minimize the rest."

"So tell me who I am," Ed smiled a little.

"You're Edward," Winry replied without hesitation. "You're a rambunctious, head-strong boy from Resembool; the older son of Trisha Elric; Al's over-protective brother. My best friend; my husband. You're the father of three great kids who love you. You're the most aggravating, impulsive, well-intentioned guy I've ever known. You're gentle, kind-hearted, devoted." She grinned impishly. "And you've always had a great body."

"I'm an ass who forgets about everyone else and runs off and does stupid things," Ed offered in counter-argument.

Winry was ready for him. "You put your heart into your duty, because it's always about saving people and protecting the things you love."

"I get wrapped up in my work."

Winry shrugged. "You're goal driven."

"I'm impatient and short-tempered." This was almost like a game. For every argument he had, she seemed to have an equally good response.

"You like to get things done and are irritated by delays."

"I'm an egotistical ass."

"You're an alchemist." Her tone was amusingly matter-of-fact, as if that was just expected.

"I'm telling Alphonse you said that," Ed laughed. It was a good rebuttal though!

Winry chuckled. "Go ahead. He'll agree with me."

"I forget to listen," Ed went on.

Winry tapped his nose with one finger. "You're learning to remember."

Incredible. Ed smiled, caressing her face with his left hand. "After everything I've done to you, how can you see me that way?"

Winry wrapped her arms around his neck. "Because it's the truth, Edward. Because even with all your flaws and knowing you better than anyone else, I know who you are and I love you."

"You say all these things," Ed sighed, wishing he could believe her. He knew she believed it, but that didn't make it true. "I just don't know how to be that person anymore."

Winry gave him a calculating, contemplative look for several seconds. "Ed when was the last time you were really comfortable with yourself?"

He didn't have to think about it. "…before the war."

Winry nodded as if that had been the answer she was expecting. "So let yourself be that person."

"But all the things that…."

"Shush," she placed one finger over his mouth, cutting off his objections about the war in Aerugo and his behavior afterwards. "You can let those things eat at your for the rest of your life, Edward, or you can let them go. You were happy even after what happened with the Xing War. We were happy. You were so full of life, so much less self-conscious than you used to be. Do you remember the summer before you left? Walking on the beach… you finally proposed."

That seemed such a long time ago, and like such a different person. Ed felt a twinge of regret. "I remember but…sometimes people change Winry. You know that."

The love in Winry's eyes was almost enough to make Ed want to cry with relief. "Ed, you are the same stubborn, impetuous, loyal, goal-driven, pig-headed man you were when you were a twelve year old boy. No one has ever defined who you are, or what you are, but you. You never let them. So don't go dragging yourself down. For once, maybe you should actually consider how others really see you."

"I don't deserve you," Ed laughed, kissing her gently.

Winry smirked as she kissed him back. "You'd better," she murmured. "That's the first lesson."