I hope I got my cuteness across in part one. I asked a friend if the idea was sweet and she said it was so I hope that you would think the same. Am I still as romantic as I was in part one? Yes, I am…I think I'm too fluffy for this series! AH! I should stick to shojo manga…

Anyway, Part two takes place in the so-called present so like 16 would be Ed's age I guess. I follow the manga (Cause, if you couldn't tell I worship EdWin and the manga rules so…yea) so if I'm off forgive me. This could be before the fortress with Scar and Kimbly or after…use your imagination! I am…obviously.

Forgive me if it seems too long…I just couldn't stop myself. And by the way, when the second dance begins, I highly suggest reading it while listening to Pietro Mascagni's Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana…cause that's what I listened to when I wrote this part…


Someday We'll Know…Why I Was Meant For You

Part Two, The Present: Edward Owes A Dance…

It would have been just another day in Rush Valley if it weren't Winry's birthday. This event called for major planning for the town's favorite mechanic and everyone was invited.

Even the traveling Elric brothers made an appearce since they just happened to be in town.

"Hey! Did you see the giant metal man?" A little boy asked his older brother. They older of the two shook his head and looked around for any signs of what could be a walking man made of metal. What a great game they could play with it…if they didn't get too scared that is.

"Ya hear that?" Edward asked Winry who sat beside him at a table in the room the group had rented out. "Even now Al's still ten times more noticeable…AND IF YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT MY HEIGHT I'LL KILL YOU WHERE YOU STAND!" He shouted, but the outburst only caused Winry to laugh.

"I wasn't going to say anything you paranoid shrimp." She covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle the laugh.

"Hey…" Edward nearly growled. Those short cracks starting to get to him. "That's jumbo shrimp to you!"

"Oh, I'm sorry." She played along, not having this much fun in a while. "You paranoid JUMBO shrimp." She let out her laughter this time; thinking holding it back was stupid. It was her party! She was supposed to be having fun!

"Shut up Winry." Edward said under his breath. He grabbed the glass of water he was drinking and gulped it down. How was this supposed to be fun?

"Uh, Miss Winry?" A young boy with an automail arm came up to call upon Winry's attention. Both she and Edward turned their heads to face him. She stopped her laughter and turned fully towards the young man and grinned.

"Hey Steven." She smiled brighter still, her grin catching Edwards's notice. "What can I do for you?" She patted the young boy's head and he grabbed onto her hand and tried to pull her towards the dance floor.

"Will you dance with me Miss Winry?" He nearly begged. She nodded happily and got up so Steven could lead her on to the dance floor. Edward sat there calmly and held a huff. He was never so bored. He really just wanted to get something to eat, preferably cake, and then sleep. There, now that was the perfect plan.

"Brother?" Alphonse asked, suddenly standing beside his brother. He looked around at room and was pleased by all the happy people he saw.

"Al, how do you manage to sneak up on me? You're seven feet of metal…" He stopped and thought for a moment. "I must be losing my mind."

"I don't know what you mean." Alphonse replied happily. He seemed to have this very noticeable air of total carelessness around him this particular day.

"Uh, never mind. What's up?" He asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Who is that little boy Winry is dancing with?" Alphonse wondered looking over at them. The boy beamed a bright smile and Winry laughed finding the height difference fun to work around.

"I think she said his name was Steven." He stopped and tried to think it all over. "Yea, Steven. Hey Al?" Edward asked his brother, refilling the glass of water he gulped down earlier.

"Yes brother?" Alphonse questioned in return.

"Is it just me or does every guy in this room is in love with Winry?" Edward commented looking at new line that had formed to dance with the lovable mechanic. Edward sighed and looked away.

And Alphonse poked his shoulder. "You're right brother. I do think every man in this room is in love with Winry." He poked his brother again.

"Al would you quit…" He stopped speaking suddenly, catching on to what Alphonse was implying. "I MEANT EVERY OTHER GUY! I AM NOT!" He stopped, "In love with Winry." He whispered harshly. "YOU KNOW THAT! Friend! WINRY IS A FRIEND! BEST…best…friend…" He slowed down when he found all the stares abruptly on him. But maybe it was more then that…maybe something else made him rethink his words.

"You know Ed," Alphonse said with a light tone of knowing. "When you react like that, it doesn't fool anyone about your feelings. It just makes you look idiotic." He laughed slightly at his brother's downfallen face.

So it was true…he wasn't fooling anyone, expect maybe Winry of course.

Edward turned away from his brother and put his head on the table, glancing down at his hands. Yea, he clarified with himself. He was in love with her.

"Hey, um…" A little boy suddenly asked, pulling on the cloth that hung around the waist of Alphonse's suit of armor. "Do you want to play with us?" The boy pointed over his shoulder to the other children, each of their eyes filled with hope that the giant metal man would say okay.

"Sure." He answered, his voice giving off the illusion he was smiling.

"Yea! Hey guys! The metal guy said YES!" The children cheered and whooped and ran outside to get in their positions for the game.

"Bye Ed." Alphonse called back as he followed the little boy out the door.

Edward held up his hand in a way of saying good-bye and looked out onto the dance floor again. The older men had taken their seats besides their respected wives and now Winry was dancing with a handsome young man…with all his limbs. This boy obviously couldn't be a customer.

"Fuck…" Edward cursed under his breath. He couldn't take another moment of watching this. He turned his head and looked off in any direction where he couldn't see them.

Why was he still sitting there?

What the hell was he waiting for?

"Do you see the lovely kids on the dance floor?" An older woman asked her friend softly, yet loud enough for it to reach Edward's ears. He looked over at them, trying not to glare.

"They look so good-looking together, don't they?" She asked her friend again. She laughed lightly and patted her heart. "To be young and in love."

"I think you've got it wrong dear." Her friend responded, looking around the room. Edward, thinking quickly, looked away before her eyes reached his. "I think Winry has a thing for that young man she's always talking about…Oh my, I can't recall his name."

"Does she really? I hope he feels the same. Winry is such a sweet young girl. She really deserves the best." Edward looked down at the table and studied every detail on the tablecloth.

So Winry was in love, huh?

Lucky guy…

"If only I could remember that boy's name…" The woman said to herself. She sighed and looked around the room once again, this time spotting Edward in his sullen mood.

"Excuse me, young man?" She called for Edward, hoping for him to respond and like the gentleman he was, he did.

"Yes ma'am?" He replied, looking up his voice as sweet as it could be.

"Have you've known Winry Rockbell very long?" The lady asked him, not really prying, just trying to get her answer.

"Nearly all my life." He replied with a half smile.

"You wouldn't happen to know her little crush's name do you?" She asked, hoping maybe Winry trusted this knowledge with a childhood friend.

"Not a clue, though if you do figure it out, tell me so I can congratulate this guy." Edward faked a bright smile and hoped that would be the end of the conversation. He looked away from the woman and she clearly sighed in self-annoyance.

"I'll remember it eventually. If not I'll just ask her when she comes back…" And then she and her friend broke off into another conversation entirely that Edward flawlessly tuned out of. He looked down at his lap and figured that was the safest place to look all night.

He just couldn't leave when it was her birthday.

"Ed! Why are you just sitting here you idiot?" Winry asked, finally returning to the table. She sat beside him and nudged his shoulder lightly. "I'm sorry for leaving you so long. I'm supposed to be spending time with you guys before you head out for work again."

"No, it's your birthday. You do what you want." He told her gently. He placed his hand on her back and patted it. She was supposed to be happy, and he would put himself through hell to do it if he had to.

"Thanks Ed, now…" She paused and thought over her words for a moment. "When is that cake gonna be served?" She sighed impatiently and then broke out into little fits of laughter.

"Oh, I know that laugh." The older woman from before turned back around and grinned. "Winry, dear I have a question for you." The lady called her over and Winry grinned and nodded.

"Yes? What is it?"

"What is that name of the boy you're always talking about? Dear, for the life of me I cannot remember his name!" She exclaimed, grinning at her loss of memory.

"Oh, well that's this guy here!" She beamed, standing up and putting her hands on Edward's shoulders. "This, ladies, is one of my best friends, Edward Elric!" She hugged the boy from behind and laughed again.

"Oh my." The women chuckled and Edward practically blushed to his ears. All this time he was jealous over himself? He had never felt so stupid before.

"Nice to meet you Edward." The ladies snickered to themselves and turned back around to talk about who knows what. Winry sat back down and grabbed on to Edward's hand.

"It's such a nice party, right?" She asked him, her voice light and clearly happy.

"Yea. Everyone looks happy, birthday girl included." He looked away from their touching hands but felt his gaze just about fly back when he felt her tighten her grip.

"You aren't though, are you Ed?" She didn't look at him; afraid she would read all she needed to in his clear, amber eyes.

"How can you say that Winry?" He lied; of course he wasn't having a good time. She left him there, alone. But confessing that would only make him feel worse. "I'm having a great time. It's all for…"

"Hey!" Alphonse chimed; returning to the party a little more scuffed then when he left. "How's it going? Did you enjoy your dances Winry?"

Winry quickly pulled her hand away and grinned up at the armor. "Yes, thanks for asking Al."

"That's good." He said brightly, he looked over his brother and his friend and could feel to uncomfortable atmosphere rising from them.

"What's wrong? Did you guys fight?" He asked, not realizing how truly young and innocent he sounded.

"No." Edward said, trying to lighten the mood. "This machine geek is just worried about me for no reason."

"Yea, well…" She stopped, smiling softly. She closed her eyes and left to her own private thoughts. "You give me a lot to worry about you alchemy geek."

They laughed softly and Alphonse wondered what was happening between the two. He had never seen them act like this in front of him before.

"If you guys are okay then…" Alphonse looked back out at the children he was playing with before and saw two brothers, oddly similar to Edward and himself when they were younger fighting over who would ask for Winry's hand.

"Look brother, those boys are fighting just as we did when we were smaller." He laughed, finding all very amusing.

"Really?" He looked over his shoulder and cracked a smile at the boys. "Well, look at that."

"You won brother, remember? You sat on my head to win." Alphonse sighed, disliking that certain memory.

"Hey…" Winry said suddenly, her eyes widening in remembrance.

"What?" The brothers asked at the exact same time. They looked at one another and then back on the girl they knew so well.

"You owe me a dance Ed!" She said, faking an angry tone. "I've waited all these years and I think it's about time I finally got it!" She exclaimed, standing up. She tried her hardest to pull Edward to his feet but the boy refused to budge.

"What dance? When the hell did I promise you a dance?" He intertwined his feet with the legs of the chair and tried hard to keep himself seated.

"After we played that wedding game, you ran away before I could have my dance you jerk! So stand up and pay me back!" She pulled again, this time harder, yanking Edward out of his chair and right on top of her, the chair coming down with him.

"Dance with me." She said, blowing his bangs out of her eyes. She glared at him but the look changed and softened considerably when she finally took notice of how close he really was.

It did feel awkward or strange…but neither of them would have admitted to that.

She glanced down at their awkward position but refused to give up the fight. "DANCE WITH ME!" She exclaimed again, bring an arm over Edward's back, keeping him closer. "Or I won't let you go." She threatened. It was supposed to be a joke but Edward was finding it alarmingly alluring and very embarrassing.

Finally, Edward could feel eyes all over them, mostly from the gazes of Winry's now very jealous and loyal admirers. He sighed, knowing he was coming close to giving in to her.

"Okay…I'll dance with you." He surrendered; it wouldn't be so bad…he hoped.

Winry grinned happily and brought her arms back to her sides, letting Edward rise to his feet. He stood straight and held out his hand for her to take, which she did gladly.

She quickly jumped to her feet and dragged Edward behind her out onto the dance floor. He froze in front of her. It wasn't that he didn't know how to dance it was just WHO he was dancing with that made him nervous.

"Come on Ed, you've danced before!" She placed one of Edward's hands on her waist and took the other in her own. She placed her free hand on his shoulder and then the two started to glide.

"See, I knew you could do it." She laughed, suddenly finding she was feeling lighter. Edward didn't look up at her for a few moments, fearing he would step on her toes or something horrid along those lines.

"This is stupid." He said in a hushed, yet clearly annoyed tone.

"Is not." She retorted, "And it will only last for this one song, after that you can go back and sit and sulk all you want."

"Fine…" he whispered harshly, at last looking into her eyes. They act caught her by surprise and she stumbled over her own feet. She slipped into Edward's chest froze, her heart getting caught in her throat.

She didn't like holding in her feelings and they were threatening to break through.

"Winry?" He asked, leaning back slightly. Winry half-heartedly rose from her spot and looked up at him, thinking if getting this close to him was a good idea. Before she had willing let him on top of her? Why hadn't she done anything? Was she so transparent?

Questions and excuses ran through her head as she tried to pull away from him. She wasn't supposed to feel that way towards Edward, right? They were supposed to be friends…it didn't matter how long she had loved him if he never felt the same way.

But he stopped her…

And he smiled…

"Hey, this is your dance right?" He pulled her closer as another song started to play, this time slower, heartbreaking if that's what the situation made it out to be. But here were two people so obviously in love with one another…gliding across the floor as people turned and stared.

It seemed almost as if they were made to be with one another, the way their bodies moved and twirled each in time with the song that played what seemed like just for them. The catty woman from before stopped their conversation and covered their mouth in near awe.

All the years combined and they had never seen a thing like this.

They grew up right there you know? They had stepped on the floor just a boy and a girl, two best friends who knew everything to know about one another and when they would leave…they would be something so much more.

The song came to a beautiful end, the harp strumming it's last few notes and the couple stopped, panting slightly from the dance.

And then the room erupted in applause.

The two looked around them, women nearly crying and the men jealous that they couldn't do anything like that. Edward and Winry tightened their cupped hands and bowed slightly, not sure what else they were supposed to do…

"You see…" the woman told her friend. "I told you she was in love with that boy. He just didn't know it."