Edited

Ed's Odd Visit

That morning Winry woke up tiredly. Some strange and uncomfortable feeling kept her awake that night. She walked to the window to pull the curtains open, allowing the sunshine to fill the small bed room. She squinted her eyes to see through the bright rays and waited for them to adjust before being able to peer out the window with clarity.

Resting on the frame of the window, parts of the events that took place last night started to return, she looked down to where she and Ed had that strange conversation…

-XxX-

The evening was hot and muggy in Winry's house, so much so she needed to escape her room. She began to tip toe out of her over heated house. There was a great difference between the temperature out side and the temperature in side. It was much colder with the damp grass, the air was a great refreshment.

The wind blew, playing with her hair that loosely swayed in her face. Moving her hair behind her ears she took in a deep breath of cold night air. She sat down and listened to distant crickets as their soft chirps lulled her.

Exhaling, she froze and saw someone walk slowly towards her from the side. She twisted in her seat to the figure as a smile curved her lips up. "Ed? Edward!" she yelled his name happily, running towards her child hood friend. She stopped when he took a step back away from her. "Ed, what are you doing here? Did you break something? Not my auto-mail I hope! You better not have, I…"

"No, no… it's not that." He muttered softly.

"Then… way are you here? And why are you alone, where's Alphonse?" she frowned and looked around.

"I came by myself. Though… Al will come home soon. He's in Central right now." Ed sighed sadly but smiled "I - I wished to see you."

"Oh." Winry blushed. "Ah… since you're here, let's go inside?" She said pointing to the house behind her. "I'll make you that tea you like so much, the one you like without milk in it-"

"I don't think I can stay for very long…" He continued to smile with a sad expression. Looking away from her to gaze at the country scenery, he took one good, last look at the place he called home just before he had to leave. "I'll miss this place…" he whispered softly so Winry didn't hear.

She watched him as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued to look around. She looked at him closer and rubbed her eyes. She was almost certain she could… did she really see that? She thought she saw the distant hills through Ed's body, nah, it was just silly…

"I should have visited more often. I only seem to come when a break something…" he said simply.

"Visiting more would be nice."

He turned to her and said "I'm sorry about that." and paused. Edward was acting strangely and not his normal self which was a whole different level of strange.

The wind picked up again, catching her hair and blowing it in her eyes, Winry had to close her eyes now to move the hair out of her face but then froze again. Shaking her head, she could have sworn that, no it could be… Maybe it was the dim light or a trick of the eye, making it look like Ed's hair and cloths has been untouched by the wind.

Shrugging off this strange illusion away, Ed turned his gaze back to her. "I… have to go Winry…" Ed trailed off. "… I need you to do something for me."

"Yes…?

Ed walked forwards to close the space between them. "Take care of Al for me..." he said, raising his left hand to stroke his fingers on her cheek with a light touch. His hand was cold enough to make Winry shiver. "And… tell Al I said, I don't want either of you to be sad when I'm gone."

"Wait, Ed, I don't understand-" Ed gave Winry a gentle kiss on her other cheek. His lips where so cold to the touch she shivered.

He straightened back up and looked at her with the same odd, though truly sad, smile. The light from the moon gave Ed a strange ghostly glow.

Edward took a few steps back with his hand still on her face, until the tips of his fingers slowly lid off. "Good-bye Winry."

That couldn't have been real... was it. Winry thought only dreams could be this way. "Ed?" She asked dazedly. "Where are you going?"

"I… I don't know yet."

Confusedly, Winry robotically waved and said "Good…bye" as well. Winry blinked and with one swift whoosh of the wind, the presence of Edward was gone. It sounded like he would be gone for a long time. Would she ever see him again?

She reached up to wipe the tears she felt building up in the corner of her eyes.

-XxX-

After remembering those confusing events she now wondered what on earth was he talking about. Shaking her head to the memories of last night and asked herself, Where could he go that shook him up so badly? Thinking back to the sad features on Edward's face and the kiss he gave her.

She lightly blushed and she walked down stairs to prepare her breakfast.

She was about to sit down and start eating when she heard the phone ring unexpectedly. I wonder who could that be… and this hour in the morning?

"Hello Rockbell auto-mail shop-"

"Winry… it's… Alphonse" Al stuttered on the other end of the line.

"Hey Al! Are you looking for Edward? He's not here…" Winry felt a knot form in stomach as she heard Al painfully whimpered. "Are you ok?"

"Winry, come to Central… It's about big brother…" he swallowed hard.

-XxX-