Chapter One Edit

Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist. This is based off the ORIGINAL FMA.

Chapter One - Over Spilled Milk

They were gone. It had been three years since she had seen either brother. She had no way of contacting them. No way of contacting him...The lonely feeling of them gone crept through Winry Rockbell's soul like an icy claw; she felt utterly alone in a room full of people.

Every night was an endless, hopeless battle that would have Winry waking up soaked in a sweaty panic. She'd gasp as if she had spent her whole night holding her breath under water. Nightmares, one nightmare in particular that was all too real, would rape her of her mind and soul and leave her vulnerable every single night. It all started a week after her dear companions were sucked up into that other world; dreams of them disappearing from her life forever would leave her screaming till dawn. Ever since then no one in the Rockbell home had gotten a good night's sleep, but all the residents had grown used to her wails.

This night was no different. After another hysteric fit, Winry flung the heavy covers off her sweaty legs and let the cool air caress her skin. She shook her head and ran a hand through her damp bangs. Exhaling, Winry wiped her hollow eyes with the back of her wrist. She was so exhausted, but sleep would plague her with painful memories rather than soothe the bags under her eyes. She quickly slipped on some black sweats over her pink lacy underwear. She didn't bother putting on a bra, nor did she care that her tank rode up to show a small portion of her stomach. Every person in the house was a girl, even Den, though if Den were a boy Winry still wouldn't feel all that obliged to cover up.

She found herself walking down the stairs into the kitchen. Opening up the fridge, she reached for the jug of milk and unscrewed the top. Before she took a sip, she paused. A small smile spread across her face. Unlike Edward, Winry loved milk. Maybe that would explain why she was so much taller than him, but he would freak out every time she would suggest that. Then she wondered if maybe he was taller now, but the thought was too painful, so she shut it out and chugged aggressively at the bottle.

"Oh, that's disgusting."

Jumping in a fright, milk spurted from Winry's lips and the jug slipped from her hand, landing on the floor with a loud bang. She never thought her roommate would follow her down. Quickly, she snatched up the milk before it could spill out any more. She then turned to look Sheska in the eye, guilt riddled on her face. The bookworm had went to bed in some faded red striped shorts and a green tank that must be years old.

"Well," Winry began awkwardly, "no use crying over spilt milk." She laughed nervously and screwed the cap back on.

"No, not when you put your nasty, germy mouth all over it." Sheska tsked and pushed herself off the wall to grab some paper towels. Both girls knelt on the floor and began swiping up the mess before it started to smell.

"Was I loud?" Winry asked quietly after awhile. She opened the trashcan and threw away the soaked towels. As she was waiting for her friend's answer she leaned against the counter and clasped her hands together as if she didn't know what to do with them. She heard a quiet sigh escape the other girl and wondered if that was all she was going to get as an answer.

"I didn't hear you all that much." Sheska gave a small smile and a shrug. That was why she was Winry's roommate; the girl could sleep through anything.

"I also gave you some new earplugs for Christmas last year." Winry laughed halfheartedly, remembering how envious everyone else was.

"And I've been using them ever since," she giggled.

After the floor was looking better than it had in years, Sheska went back upstairs, but Winry remained below. She wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, and this wouldn't be the first night she'd opted to stay up. The dream that forced her awake this night was the same damn thing she'd seen every night, only it was losing essential bits and pieces. This time she hadn't gotten to give Edward his automail, too busy trying to make him stay. The memory itself was becoming vague; seeing her best friend and the man she loved sail away was the only thing that stood clear in her mind, but the rest of the day was a blurry, jumbled mess of heartbreak.

She'd give anything just to see Alphonse, but she knew her heart would never begin to heal until she held Edward in her arms again. She had known the day he'd dressed up in that crazy outfit and actually gotten himself killed that she loved him, but by then it was far too late. He'd spiraled so far out of her reach, and now he wasn't coming back. Instead of telling him by the rubble where she'd fitted him with new limbs, she'd held her tongue. It wouldn't have changed the outcome, but now, under the hanging moon-a moon in which Edward couldn't even see-she wished she had said something. Maybe he would've tried harder to come back. Maybe he wouldn't have left in the first place, but just let the other world suffer its own battle. Did he have nightmares like she did? Did he suffer every day with regret? Did he think about her in his spare time?

Winry shook her head and turned away from the moon. Even if Edward had loved her back, it wasn't like him to abandon someone in need, especially when that someone was an entire world. In any case, she was sure he didn't love her in that way at all. Maybe a sister; she was his best friend.

If he were to ever return, Winry would tell him. She had to tell him. She'd tell him she loved him, that she still loved him. She'd tell him she had loved him since the day he went away. It wasn't likely he'd return, and Winry knew that, but she had waited all these years just for him. She'd keep waiting forever; she swore to never love another.

The small blonde looked up at the pale moon once more, its pale colors leaking off into dark gathering of clouds. She sighed, a weight lifting from her shoulders. She was going to tell him someday.

"Someday..." she breathed determinedly, turning to walk back up the stairs.

More edits are sure to come. I wont be changing the story in any way, just touching it up a bit.