Boy this one is angst-ridden. things won't be this dark forever. I promise. Rated M for some sexual references. Nothing too explicit. Some bad language later on.
"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. What price have we payed for our return home?"
Chapter 3: Those Whom I Love.
A heavy rain was falling over the city of Central. It was early evening and those who had no choice but to be out in this weather , mostly soldiers on patrol, shivered against the cold, despite their warm military issued jackets.
A vigilant observer would have seen two young men doing their best not to be noticed, picking the lock and climbing through the window of General Roy Mustang.
"Should we really be here?" Al whispered.
"Well, what choice did we have? Ed shot back.
"He's the only one who can tell us where Winry is. According to Pinako, she moved to Central, as hard as that is to believe."
"She did, Fullmetal." Mustang said with mock-severity, flipping on the lights.
"General Mustang. Surprised to see me?"
"No, Fury spotted you at the train station. " Mustang replied smugly, adding
"Miss rockbell has opened a new automail franchise here in Central, she wanted a military job, but I put a stop to that. She's lost enough thanks to the military." The general said, his voice softening.
"So where is she living now?" Al asked excitedly.
"She's living with her friend Sciezka." Hawkeye said. Ed, Al and Mustang jumped.
"How long have you been standing there?" The three shouted at the same merely chuckled lightly.
"I've just returned from visiting miss Rockbell. She's just completed work on a large project for the military. Tools to keep casualties low, or so we hope."
"Thank you Lieutenant." Ed said, saluting.
"That's Colonel to you, Ed" Hawkeye replied smugly.
Ed blushed. Of course she would have been promoted by now. He and Al began to head back out the oversized window.
"Fullmetal" Mustang said sternly
"Yes, General?" Ed replied irritated
"Welcome home."
"C'mon Roy, don't go soft on me now." Ed said with a grin.
We're not home yet, Ed thought.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sciezka's house was modest, although it had obviously been refinished,
repainted and decorated. Apparently her photographic memory still fetched a decent profit. Ed knocked slowly, not knowing who or what to expect. The door opened slowly. And standing in the doorway, was a gorgeous young blonde woman.
"No. It's not... You... EDWARD!" She finally gasped out. She pulled Ed into an embrace. She then embraced Al with the same warmth.
"I never thought you'd come back. I really never thought..." her eyes welled up.
"Please, Winry don't cry. We're home now. " Al said, not realizing that tears were streaming from his own eyes. Ed finally said "Yeah, Al we're home now."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winry insisted on cooking them dinner, and they were both glad to accept. She and Ed both took a little wine, while Al again refused. They talked late into the night about everything they could think of, including the other world, their disposal of the Uranium bomb and the reappearance of Dante. It still troubled Ed that she had not come through the gate in the same place as them, she could be anywhere, plotting. However, Ed knew her plans would take shape slowly, she would never do anything hasty that might alert her enemies, especially the Elric brothers. He put it out of his mind for now. Tonight was about something else. Something more important. Tonight was about being home.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally around 2 in the morning, Al finally slumped off to sleep in the guest room. Winry and Ed where alone. She knew she had to say it now, she had waited for so long, believing him to be gone. She had tried to forget him. But every other man was just a place holder, just a substitute for the one who would truly make her happy. She had to tell him. Her chest swelled with a thousand emotions at the thought of what she had to say.
"Ed, that day. I never thought I'd see you again. "
"Winry...."
"You never even said goodbye."
"I couldn't, there wasn't any time. I had to destroy the gate on the other side. I couldn't stay in our world and do that. I didn't have a choice." He said. he turned his back to her, but his voice seemed calm, even cold.
"Then why did you come back? Is it only to stop Dante?" She felt rage bubbling up inside. Could he really be so cold?
"That's all you ever think about, how to save the world, isn't it? You don't care at all what happens to the people you leave behind! You don't care that I waited so long for you to come back! Dammit Ed! Don't you realize?!" She was near tears and furious and heartbroken all at the same time. But Ed then did something unexpected.
He whirled around, grabbing her by the shoulders and quickly throwing her onto the table. He pinned her down, straddling her and holding her wrists with incredible strength. His eyes blazed with some emotion she couldn't understand. Anger and pain and sadness.
"Damn you! Don't you ever say I don't care! Of course I care. You don't think I came just to stop Dante? Do you?" He said it like she had stabbed him with a dagger, his voice was quiet but deadly fierce.
"Ed, please" She pleaded "You're hurting me."
His eyes suddenly widened and he let her go. He staggered back, a look of horror on his face. Tears began to creep out from the corner's of his eyes. He closed them and turned his back again.
"I'm sorry... but you have to understand, Winry. This is why. It's why I can't." His voice broke and trailed off.
"What are you talking abut Ed?" she whispered.
"The reason I can't... love you." He said the last two words as if they burned him
"Ed, then you..." her heart didn't want to believe he had said those words.
"Yes. Of course I do. I always have." He would not turn around. Tears were streaming down his face. "But I can't. I'm just like him Winry. Just like my father. A sinner. Everyone I love I end up hurting."
"That's not true Ed." She protested.
"Yes, it is. Al lost his body and his childhood because of my mistake. Then he gave his life to bring me back when I died."
"You... died?" Winry gasped
"The philosopher's stone, the one Scar created, was Al's armor. Al used the power of the stone to bring me back after Envy killed me. Al wouldn't have been turned into the stone if I hadn't forced him to help me bring back Mom. "
"I didn't know..." Winry said quietly
"Mom, I hurt her too. I tried to bring her back, and I made her into an abomination. That homonculus called Sloth. She was and wasn't my mother, I gave her an incomplete life which I was forced to end."
"And then there was Hughes, he died because of what I told him about Lab 5, if I had never told him, he wouldn't have investigated it and he wouldn't have been killed."
"Ed, that wasn't..." Winry began to say, but Ed cut her off
"And then there's you, Winry. I shut you out, because I couldn't bear being ripped away from the people I loved, if I never let you in, you couldn't care about me, and we could both keep moving forward. If I had told you what I felt, you'd be forced to leave me behind, and not the other way around."
He held his head low, not wanting her to see him in this state. But she grabbed his shoulders and spun him around, staring into his moistened eyes.
"No, Ed I won't ever leave you, I would have waited a hundred years for you. Because I do love you, and I can't ever stop loving you and I'll keep waiting until you can let yourself love me back."
She cradled him in her arms like a child, rocking him back and forth. His tears flowed out onto her shoulder like drops of rain. It was a long time before either of them spoke.
"Winry, I'm scared, I'm scared I'll make you hate me, when I have to leave again. Because I will have to leave. Not back across the gate, but I will have to go. It could be that way for a long time."
"I don't care Ed, all I want is for you to tell me that you love me. I need to hear the words, Ed."
"Winry, I... I..." He struggled with the words, but he finally forced them out
"I love you." He smiled through his tears, as if he hadn't smiled for ages.
He suddenly grabbed her and pressed his lips to hers. Winry's heart fluttered as she felt the warmth of his body against hers. And then it happened, just as if it was the most natural next step for the two of them, a blur of sweat and movement and ecstasy. It seemed they had floated to her room, rather than walked. Neither of then had imagined it would be this way.
Still, It wasn't the first time for either of them. Winry had been with a few men, trying to put her memories behind her, but none of them had been this gentle, this loving. Ed had only been with one other, Noa. It had happened almost by accident, he just needed something to numb the pain, or maybe he had loved her, but not like this.
Neither of them were sure how much time had passed. It seemed days that they had lain there, bodies colliding in that beautiful rhythm. Nonetheless, it did come to an end, and they lay down, exhausted, tangled in sheets and limbs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The morning came with brilliant sunlight filtering in through Winry's bedroom window. Ed was already awake, her head resting on his chest. He sat there staring at her for what seemed hours. The last time he had seen her, he hadn't realized, she was a woman now. Her body was exquisite. Her skin was soft and warm, her form graceful and feminine but strong. Her soft skin concealing perfectly sculpted muscles. Her hair, normally tied back, flowed over her broad shoulders, shimmering in the early sun. And her hands. They were strong and rough from years of manual labor. Her nails where short and chipped. Teacher had hands like this.
Her eyes opened slowly.
"You're real, aren't you?" She asked. It might have been a stupid question, but Ed wasn't in the mood for making fun of her. He smiled.
"Yes." He whispered. Then his expression changed and he seemed sad again.
"Winry," he said "Why is it that you love me?"
She paused for a moment. She had never really considered this. She always had, it seemed. But thinking over it, she found a reason.
"Because you're giving, and brave and selfless." She said, emphasizing each word.
"You really think that about me?" Ed remembered the time they both had been held captive by a serial killer. Brave? He had bawled like a scared little kid, he had abandoned her to save his own skin. How could she love him?
"And... why is it that you love me, ED?" she asked, returning his question.
"Because... You're home." He said simply.
"I'm not sure I understand."
"All of my life, I've never been able to count on anything staying constant. Even Al, he's different now. But I always knew that you would still be the same. You'd always be somewhere, waiting for me. Even now, you may look different, but you're still Winry. You don't change. You're home for me. When I'm here with you, everything feels right."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few days passed. She repaired Ed's automail, reprimanding him for not even trying to learn how to do rudimentary maintenance on it. Soon, Ed had decided where he should go next.
"I'm going to visit teacher. I need to ask Sig some things too." He said simply.
"Well, don't think I'm not coming with you" Winry replied.
"Okay, Winry, but just to Dublith. Things could get dangerous." Edward said.
"Shut up Ed. I'm coming whether you like it or not." She said sternly.
Al braced himself for one of Ed's episodes, but nothing came. His brother had merely looked deep into Winry's eyes and whispered "Okay"
They where both acting strange. What had happened between them? Something had changed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Arriving at Izumi's home, they found that Sig was gone. He had apparently sold the store and had disappeared. Mason was now living in the house, he still worked for the store. He offered them the extra rooms, remarking how lonely the old house was now.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ed awoke in cold sweat. This time he had dreamt about Izumi. He saw her laying in a bed, pale and weak, just like his mother...
He climbed from his bed, careful not to wake Al, and crept into Winry's room. She sat up gradually, and seemed not at all surprised to see him.
"I can't sleep", he said.
"Me neither." She replied
He crawled into her bed, taking care not to take up to much room, the bed was not really meant for two.
"Ed, do you want to..." she trailed off, afraid to really ask him.
"Not tonight. Let's just lay here."
"What was it you needed to ask Sig?" Winry asked. Ed paused, breathing out slowly.
"If she suffered. I just wanted to know if Izumi felt any pain when she died."
"Why would you need to know that?"
"It doesn't matter..."
Sleep finally came. He knew because the other dream came. Noa. It was always the most vivid.
"Ed, you need this, I know."
"Noa, I just... can't."
"There was a girl. I saw her when I read your thoughts that night. Is she the one you're waiting for?"
"Not anymore, I guess. I can't go back home now. But still, I always thought..."
"Then please, Ed, let me. I know you won't ever love me like you loved her, but you need this. I need this."
"Okay."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ed awoke to the distinct sting of being bashed in the head with a wrench.
"Who the hell is she Ed?" Winry was standing over him brandishing the offending tool.
"Huh?" Ed was hardly ready for this.
"Noa. You called out to her in your sleep!" She shouted.
"Winry, you'll wake everyone!" He whispered sharply.
"Ed, who was she?"
"A girl I knew, on the other side." He replied.
"And how well did you know her?" Winry was dangerous like this. Lying would only get him in deeper.
"We...shared...my bed, Win." he closed his eyes,anticipating the next blow.
It came hard and fast. She was pissed.
"How could you Ed?"
"Oh, c'mon it's not like you were an innocent virgin either!" he snarled. Big mistake.
BAM! Wrench to the head! (Ed will be a vegetable in twenty years.)
"But, you knew how I felt, Ed! I was with other men because I thought you didn't love me. " Her voice became sad and quiet again. She turned away.
Ed got up from the bed and took her by the shoulders, turning her to face him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think I'd come home again. But you should know, Winry, I only thought about you when it happened. What me and Noa shared, it didn't mean much. We both needed it. Life on the run, the horrors we had witnessed together, we had to get our minds off it." Ed said, trying to comfort her.
"I believe you, Ed. But I need some time alone, okay?" she said
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ed made his way down to the kitchen to find Al already up and eating toast and eggs. He sat down at the table next to his younger brother.
"You and Winry had a fight, Brother?" Al asked
"Yeah, Al." Ed replied, knowing his brother had seen the empty bed in their room.
"I woke up in the middle of the night and you were gone, Ed"
"Couldn't sleep." Ed was desperately trying to steer away from the inevitable question.
"Brother, there's something I want to ask you." Al said tentatively
"Yeah, AL?"
"You and Winry, you act different toward each other, something's changed since we got home. What's going on?"
Ed was trying to run away but the part of him that had to be a brother made him stay. This was not a conversation he wanted to have. But he knew it would come one day.
"look, Al. Uh, see when a man and a woman...uh, well...sometimes they do something together..."
"Oh, you mean sex?" Al asked bluntly, causing Ed to choke on the toast he had stolen from Al's plate.
"Yeah, how did you know?" Ed asked wide eyed
"Brother, I am 16 you know, I can read books. I know things." Al said blandly.
"Well, Al, that's what happened between Winry and I." Ed blurted out
Al was quiet. He had expected this in a way, considering Ed's seemingly non-sequitur ramblings about a man and woman, blah blah blah...
He wasn't sure what to ask Ed next. But what came out surprised them both
"So, what's it like?"
"Ewww! Al, don't ask me that. She' s like your older sister! Gross, Al!"
"I was just curious, someday you'll have to explain it all to me, you know. Who else is going to?"
"Oh, gaaawwwd!" Ed exclaimed. "Fine..."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winry found her way downstairs around lunch time, she kissed Ed gently on the cheek, but Al caught her.
"You kissed brother, Winry, I saw you!" he said in a sing-song way.
"Yeah, so what?" She replied sticking her tongue out.
"He told me what else you did, too!"
At that moment all three of them spoke at once, which is hard to show properly so here's what they each said-
Winry: "ED!"
Ed: "AL!!"
Al: "oops."
Dinner was quiet in a very awkward way. Mason said nothing about the rosy blush on his three tenant's faces.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Later, once everyone else had gone to bed, Ed made the trek to Izumi's grave, He had insisted on making this trip alone. Always alone, he thought to himself.
"Hello, Teacher. It's me, Edward. I'm alive." He spoke as if she were standing at his side. "I found a way back. I wish I'd come sooner. Maybe I would have seen you one last time. Neither of us got to say goodbye, did we?" He spoke with difficulty, each word piercing him like a dagger.
"I never told you, or Al, but after we got his body back, I was going to put you back together, give you back what you lost that day. I knew the philosopher's stone would be able to bring back your missing pieces, just like it could bring back Al's body. But everything went wrong. I died, Teacher, but Al, he sacrificed everything to bring me back to life. The stone was gone and I had to sacrifice our experience, our memories for his life, along with my arm and leg, again. Al lost his memory because of that, but I wound up on the other side of the gate, alive."
"Teacher, I wanted to repay you for all you taught us. More than just alchemy. You taught us selflessness and compassion and... even love. I love you, Izumi, the way I love Al...and Mom. I'm sorry I wasn't there like I was for her, I wasn't there to hold your hand. I'm sorry." Then grief overtook him completely.
He hadn't really wept so wholly before. Not for Hughes, or Hoenheim. Even when his mother died, he hadn't wept. He had to be strong for Al. Al had cried for him. Even when he had killed Sloth, who was the image of his mother, he couldn't cry. Because then he would have to believe she had in some way been his mother. Wrath had cried for him then. A creature with no soul had wept when Ed couldn't. Now, it was as if all those tragedies finally hit him all at once. He fell to his knees before the grave.
After a while, he got up and began to walk back. He was still sobbing, he really couldn't see the path in front of him. His foot caught a loose stone and he felt himself tumble downhill. He could feel the metal in his leg shattering. Dammit he thought. Winry's gonna kill me. he found he could still move his leg fairly well. She doesn't have to know just yet.
Whoo. Heavy stuff, I know. Had to get through all the emotional fallout first.
Just so you know, the sex scenes will never be really graphic. You never really see beautiful, poetic erotica,so I'm trying to go for that.
"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. But does love follow this law?
Chapter 4- Rules of Engagement
Ed awoke the next morning to Winry once again resting on his bare chest. If only he could wake up this way every morning, after a night of making love to her. He was already beginning to memorize her body, her moves, her signals. He quietly slipped out from beneath her. He popped on his broken automail leg, which he had removed, claiming that he didn't want Winry getting hurt if he kicked his leg in the middle of the night. Luckily, she hadn't examined the leg yet.
At breakfast, he and Al began discussing their next move.
"Brother, maybe we should ask General mustang for help. Since Dante isn't controlling the military anymore, he can help us track her down." Al said.
"Ugh. I'd rather have am automail replacement for my..." SMACK!
"Don't be crude, Ed!" Winry scolded. "Besides, I think Al's right."
"Ugh. Fine we'll go see General Sarcasm. Again." Why did she have this power over him now? Al made a noise that sounded like a whip. This could be worse than short jokes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mustang's office was cluttered with paperwork. Ed chuckled to himself. Same old Mustang. Colonel Hawkeye greeted them with a nod.
"What, no miniskirts Roy?" He asked Mustang, noting Hawkeye's rather modest long pants. Mustang feigned a dejected look and said.
"I'm afraid Hawkeye lost that particular memo."
As simply as they could, Ed and Al filled Mustang in on Dante's past deeds.
"So the person pulling all the strings, is Yoki's assistant?" Mustang asked, slightly confused.
"Well, no. She's someone else who is using Lyra's body. She attached her soul with the philosopher's stone." Al corrected.
"I'm getting it, I think. You want me to help track her down?" Ed wasn't sure if Mustang was surprised by the request or simply by the fact that Ed was asking him for help.
"She is a major threat to the military. She has vast knowledge of military history and confidential information. She also knows the truth about the military's preemptive attack on Ishbal."
"Yes, she sounds like a big risk. I'll do what I can, but ultimately the two of you may be the only one's who can stop her. I assume you know her weaknesses." Mustang said calmly.
"I wish I could say we do, but the truth is I never fought her head to head or anything." Ed said sheepishly. He hated looking weak in front of Mustang.
"Well then Fullmetal, I suggest you get off your lazy ass and start trying to figure out a strategy! Because I sure as hell am not going to call in a full military assault if you fail!" He said harshly.
"You haven't changed at all, Mustang. You're still an arrogant bastard." Ed chided.
"Get out." the General replied.
Ed and Al stood up and filed out of the office, Ed defiantly stomping out, Al rolling his eyes. Winry remained in her chair. Mustang quickly muttered something about coffee and left the room, leaving Winry and Hawkeye alone.
"Why is he always so hard on Ed?" Winry asked.
"Don't misunderstand, Winry. Roy is abrupt like that with everyone he really cares about. He hates to see anyone he's invested in fail. He teases Ed to give him motivation to succeed, even if it is out of spite."
"Can I ask you something, Colonel Hawkeye?" Winry asked
"Yes."
"Are you in love with him?"
Hawkeye practically fell over. The question had come completely out of the blue.
"WHAT?" She half-shouted.
"Do you love General Mustang?" Winry asked again. Hawkeye tried to think of an excuse to leave the room but her mind had gone blank.
"I suppose I do." She said finally.
"...and does he love you?" Winry inquired.
"I don't really know. Perhaps just like a sister. But he did tell me I was beautiful, once. Still, I can't say I know for sure."
"...and you're willing to love him even though he'll never be completely whole, even though he's hurt you, even though he's been with other women?" She was driving at something here, but Hawkeye couldn't place it.
"Yes. Because somewhere in my heart or my mind I know, I'm the one he'll always come back too. I'm home to him. Why are you asking me all this?" she replied.
"Because, when Ed came back, he told me he had always loved me, and I told him I'd always loved him..."
Hawkeye again nearly crashed to the floor.
"... and then we made love." Winry said quietly. She had no idea why she was telling this to Hawkeye. What other woman did she know? Sciezka? God, no that would be too weird.
"But, a few days later, I found out about another girl he had been with, his first. I always hoped I would be his first." She was trying not to cry.
"If he said he loved you then he meant it. Ed doesn't say anything he doesn't mean. He made a mistake, but you're the one he came back too, aren't you?" Hawkeye said, smiling. Winry smiled back.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Elrics and Winry had finally gone home. Mustang awoke from his early evening nap to find Colonel Hawkeye looking down at him with an odd expression.
"Huh?" He said sleepily, "Time to lock up?"
"Yes, Roy." She said with an odd tone.
"Did you just call me Roy?" he yawned, not really taking note of it.
"I did."
"That's weird." he remarked blandly.
Hawkeye left the room quickly. Roy thought nothing of it. He was still in his dream. It was one he always had this time of year, but it had all really happened,
"No! Dammit, tell me it's not true!" Mustang shouted at Lieutenant Ross
"Colonel Mustang." Hawkeye said softly reaching for his shoulder.
"Maes, you idiot. Why?" He growled hanging his head with his fist against the wall.
"Who did this? I'll burn the bastard alive with my own hands!" He fell to his knees.
He could still replay the whole thing in his head, the little girl's words echoing through his mind.
"Why are they burying daddy? Why? How can he get his work done when he wakes up?"
Ross may have seen his anger, but only Riza Hawkeye would ever see him cry.
"It's...it's going to rain today..."
"Yes."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sciezka still knew nothing about Winry and Ed. They shared a room while Ed and Al shared the other. Sciezka had arrived home from her vacation to find an empty house and had assumed that Winry had been abducted by space aliens. She still wasn't completely sure how Ed and Al had come back, either. More space aliens she had decided.
Ed and Al had not gone to bed yet. Their unpleasant meeting with Mustang still frustrating them both.
"What an ungrateful bastard." Ed fumed.
"I really thought he would be glad to see us again." Al said
"Forget him, Al. we never needed him before." Ed said smugly.
"Winry stayed behind. I wonder what she and Colonel Hawkeye talked about."
"Make up tips. Shoes. Who cares?" Ed said dismissively.
"You don't think they talked about.. you and Winry....? Al trailed off.
"Oh, crap! You don't think they would, do you? Why? Did I not do it right? Is she having second thoughts? Oh CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP!" Ed shouted waving his arms like a lunatic monkey.
"Brother! Calm down." Al hissed. "Let's just change the subject."
Ed became stoic again quickly. He stared out the window near his bed.
"Hmmm." he said.
"You looked like Dad just now, brother." Al smirked.
"I did not. I'm only twenty. Up until my birthday last week I was still just a teenager. Dad was an old man." Ed half-joked.
"That reminds me, we should go see Elysia, and Mrs. Hughes tomorrow. We missed her birthday. She's eight now Ed. Do you think she'll rememb..." Al stopped mid-sentence, noticing that Ed was just staring vacantly at him.
"Ed! You're not listening" Al said frustrated
"Sorry, Al. I was just...looking at you." Ed said softly. he had that big dumb smile on his face.
"You're beautiful."
"Brother, that's weird. Don't say things like that." Al said.
"But you are. You remind me of mom." Ed smiled again.
"You're creeping me out Ed." Al insisted.
"Al, do you know why you lost you body when we tried to transmute Mom, whereas I only lost my leg?"
"No, Brother, what are you talking about?" Al asked.
"When I was in front of that gate, I heard a voice in my head. It said to create that life I had to offer something. Payment. I shouldn't have done it. But... I offered you to the gate, Al! I'm sorry. I understood what I was doing and I did it anyway! Everything was my fault. I forced you to go along, I was supposed to take care of you. I might as well have killed you. Forgive me, Al." He wouldn't look at his younger brother, he couldn't
"Brother, I'm here now, in my own body again. I wouldn't have that if it weren't for you. You have to stop taking everything on yourself. Let other people share the blame. You're the one who told me that, when we fought Eckhart. I don't blame you. We both sinned and we both payed the price. We have to move forward now, no more of this regretting the past. It's over and done. let it go, Ed."
Ed was surprised. He wasn't looking at Alphonse, his little brother anymore, he was looking at an adult. Al was like Trisha in more than just appearance, he had her wisdom and her spirit of hope and trust. It was Al who'd always believed their dad would come back, it was Al who pushed forward when things got too hard.
"I'm so proud of you Al. You've spent all these years hanging around with someone like me and you still turned out alright." Edward said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After leaving work, Mustang had decided he and his subordinates needed a night out, so they had all gone to a nearby pub. Of course he really just wanted to forget that tomorrow was the anniversary of Hughes' death. Roy had a bad habit of getting completely shit-faced and going home with some random girl at the end of the night. Hawkeye was sure this night would be no different.
The men drank heavily, except for Fury. Havoc more than made up for this. He had been shut down by virtually every woman in the bar. He blamed Mustang for stealing them all away. Roy managed to get hammered like always and it wasn't long before he was passed out in the passenger seat of his car with Hawkeye at the wheel.
But he was with her, he hadn't left with some random girl.
They arrived at his surprisingly modest house. Hawkeye poked him gently.
"You're home sir." She said sternly.
The drive had not been fun. He kept flopping his head over into her bosom the whole time,his breath smelled of liquor and he kept muttering things like "mmmm, yeah, right there..." she was in no mood for this.
"Goog. Djou wanna cmmin?" He slurred.
"You're drunk, sir." she replied coldly.
"No I'm not." he said laughing loudly.
"I'm not coming in."
"C'mon baby. I promizz I'll call in you the morining"
"GET OUT!" She yelled.
He fumbled with the door handle and promptly fell onto the pavement.
"Roy!" She shouted, climbing out of the car, forgetting that she was very mad and very tired.
"I'm allight, the ground is hhhhaaard." He laughed again.
"Goodnight sir." She began to climb into the car.
"Reeeezzzzaaaa" he said like a five year old, standing up and stumbling a bit.
"Yes Roy?" if he wasn't going to be proper neither would she.
"Love yooou." He said.
"You're very drunk sir." She climbed in the car and drove off.
He was drunk, don't get excited she kept repeating to herself.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elysia answered the door and immediately shouted "ED!!" Startling the sleeping Gracia up from the couch.
"Edward! But they said you were... dead." She paused looking at Alphonse.
"Who's this?" She asked.
"This is Al." Ed replied.
"Nice to see your face finally Al." Elysia said. Gracia merely smiled.
Elysia had changed a lot since they had last seen her four years ago. She was going to be a heartbreaker, Ed could tell. She had her mom's bright eyes and angelic face. But she had one trait that was undeniably the touch of her father.
"Look Ed. this is a picture of my hamster Haruko, isn't she just the cutest little ball of fur you've ever seen?" She gushed. Maes would have been proud.
"I'm glad you came today. We're going to visit Maes." Gracia said
"It's four years today. I still miss him, but Roy helps take care of us."
Ed made a face.
"He should be coming by in a few minutes. Colonel Hawkeye is bringing him."
When Mustang did arrive, he looked a bit disheveled. His hair was a mess and his stubble was already growing. He was very hung-over.
"Uncle Roy!" Elysia shouted.
"Heeeeyyyy. Not so loud kiddo." Roy pleaded.
Hawkeye shook her head.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hughes grave was already heavily decorated. His story had spread far and wide, especially as some of the truth about the military conspiracies began to get out.
It was quite the turnout today. Gracia, Elysia, Roy, Hawkeye, Winry, Sciezka, Ed and Al.
Elysia was the first one to speak. This was no formal eulogy, just some reminiscing by friends and family.
"I wish I remembered more about Dad. I was really little when he died. I remember his arms were warm and he was always laughing and showing people pictures. I want to be just like him when I grow up."
Ed was surprised by how grown up she already sounded. People had always said that about him. How grown up he seemed when he was a kid.
Mustang came forward next. His voice was a bit hoarse but he seemed to be sober.
"Maes was my best friend, and the more time goes by the more I miss him. He always was there to push me to the top. Not just in the military, but in life. He would always tell me to find myself a wife. I'm glad to hear his daughter say she wants to be like him. The world needs more people like Maes Hughes."
"And, although I don't want to make this all about me. I've decided i want to be like Maes when I grow up. That's why I'm going to start by taking his advice."
He walked over to Hawkeye and suddenly dropped to one knee.
"Riza." He said looking into her eyes, "After all these years, you've been the most loyal of my people. You've put up with more than any woman I've ever known. No matter what stupid thing I've done you've always been there to back me up. But today I'm going to ask you to put up with all of that and more. I've been so blind for so long. But you still stood by me as my subordinate and my friend, now I want you to stand by me as my wife." He fished a small box out of his pocket.
"Marry me." He said.
The entire group except for Winry gasped. Ed started snickering until Hawkeye shot him a look that said "Shut up or you will DIE!"
"Yes, Roy, you idiot, yes!" She grabbed him and planted one square on his lips.
He stumbled back like he had the night before. Hawkeye blushed.
"I mean... yes Sir. Very good Sir."
The company erupted with laughter.
As the party went it's separate ways, Ed noticed Mustang standing alone in front of Hughes' grave. He motioned for Al and Winry to go on ahead, while he hid behind a large tombstone, watching.
"I hope I did the right thing, Maes. I hope I'm really worth being loved. I miss you, Maes. I miss our conversations, I miss you waving around your stupid pictures. It's not fair. Someone like you dying, when a sinner like me is allowed to live. It's just not fair."
"That's what I said when mom died." Ed said, coming out from behind the grave.
"Leave me alone, Ed." Mustang said. This was the first time he had ever seemed so weak in front of Ed, even more than when he confessed to killing Winry's parents.
"I don't need you of all people seeing me like this."
Ed had turned to leave, but Mustang seemed to change his mind.
"I know why you hate me Ed." He whispered.
"What?" Ed asked
"I know that you'll never forgive me for killing her parents. I don't deserve forgiveness. I didn't tell you about Hughes or about Lior. Things you had a right to know about, I kept from you. I know you must hate me." Mustang said, eyes fixed on the headstone.
"You know something, Roy? We're a lot alike after all." Ed said with a bitter chuckle. "Neither of us can just let go of what's in the past. Neither of us believe that we're worthy of anyone's love or forgiveness. But, there are people who love us anyway."
Mustang looked at Ed straight on, seeing not a stubborn kid, but a man, both hardened and softened by the tragedies of the world.
"You really have grown up, Fullmetal."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elysia's going to grow up pretty, isn't she, brother?" Al asked cheerfully, once Ed had caught up with them. They had waited for him to finish his conversation with Mustang.
"Don't get any ideas, Al, she's too young for you." Ed laughed
"I didn't mean it that way." Al said. "I'm not a skirt chaser like you and Mustang, brother." Al joked back.
"Hey, I'm nothing like him!" Ed protested, laughing internally at the irony of what he had just said.
"Yeah, he's getting married!" Al chided.
"I'm gonna transmute your hair to your ears!" Ed shouted, chasing Al around in circles, waving his arms maniacally.
He's really starting to act like his old self again Winry thought.
This turned out nice. At least I think so. I really enjoyed writing the Riza and Winry stuff, but not as much as drunk Roy. Drunk Roy is my favorite. A bit out of character maybe but I didn't make him gay like everyone else. If you want more Elysia you should stay tuned for my other series which will chronicle an 18 year old Elysia's quest to become a state alchemist and maybe more. Ed and Al might make cameos!!!
