'Men who sit around doing nothing are boring.'

Maybe that is exactly what made her fall for him hook, line and sinker. Edward was never the one to sit around while others fought for their survival. Not even as a kid, when he and Al lost their mother, their desperation and zeal to see their mother's face again made him research day and night on human transmutation at the tender age of ten. TEN.

Life was never easy for Edward. Maybe he chose to make it so. Although the brothers knew that human transmutation was a taboo, their naïve, grief-stricken mind drove them to do it. Al lost his whole body and Ed- a part of his leg and the transmutation: nothing but a hideous monster. WInry remember Pinoko sobbing like she had never done before when they saw the condition of the Elric brothers. Ed did not lose a single moment after Al lost his body and sacrificed his arm to bond him to a suit of armour as Al is all he has left and he could not bear to part with him either. At the age of TEN.

Even that didn't demoralise them, it made Ed's resolution more strong to undo the wrong and get their bodies back. Maybe that wouldn't have been possible if Colonel Mustang had not dropped in to guide Edward. State Alchemist. Dogs of the Military. Whatever he was tagged, he never lost his goal and worked on to unlock the most deepest and hideous secret of alchemy.

Maybe their motivation drove Winry to work harder to be the very best so that she could be always by their side. Pick up Ed on his two legs when all seemed lost. Though the brothers never disclosed their next move, Winry never pestered them much. She knew Edward was only trying to protect her. And she knew that they would come back, no matter how battered their bodies get. They would never leave her alone.

Edward. Edward. Edward. Edward. Ed…

She never doubted his feelings for her. She had always been his. Always.

The way he put himself between her and Scar when she was really close to fire the gun at the man who killed her parents, the way he removed her fingers one by one from the pistol to let go of it, the way he held her when she cried her eyes out. Tears for the parents she lost, tears for the nagging worry for Ed and Al, tears for her constant yearning to keep Ed and Al safe in Resembol..

Though she appeared pissed every time the brothers get into a fight, got themselves blown to pieces and turned at her doorstep, deep down she knew Ed felt guilty to piss her off. She promised him that she wouldn't cry still she cannot help but growl in anger. Ed never pitied himself, never cried for his own situation, that's why she cried for them. Someone had to cry for them, as Ed wouldn't and Al couldn't.

But all's well that ends well.

Their determination and hard work paid off at last, they got their bodies back: Al got his whole body and Ed only got back his right arm without the help of a philosopher's stone. They stuck true to their objective, they gave up their childhood and dragged themselves to experience the most gruesome truth of alchemy and they had endured that with patience and the end result? More beautiful than they had hoped for.

They got to meet so many people who believed in them, fought for and beside them, cared for them and forged a friendship of trust that couldn't be defined in mere words. And more than that they were able to make peace with their father, Hoenheim.

And Ed grew taller with broad shoulders (secretly, this brought her more satisfaction than anything, she laughed.) He was her tall, sexy, golden haired Edward. And wherever he goes, a part of her always went with her: her automail. This gave her the assurance that he would come back before she could even start missing him unbearably. And he had also 'proposed' her before he left. Not like the usual one-knee bent style but as only Ed could. Occupational hazard. Freaky alchemist! She sighed.

She was not sad to see him board the train. She loved him unconditionally enough to let him go and see the wild wild west to his heart's content. And when he would return, it would be like he never left his side.

And Winry would utilise that time to be more better at what she does best and would make a name for herself so that Ed would be proud of his would-be wife.

Edward…stay safe for me.

'AaaaaaachOOOOOOoooooooo' sneezed the blonde ex-alchemist.

'Winry, stay safe. I will be back before long, my girl.' Thought Edward looking at the cloudless blue sky from the train window.