Chapter Two

Here's chapter two.

Al stayed close to his brother as they moved quietly through the brush. Havoc grouped them with Winry in hopes that they could at least get a working relationship going. As of yet she and Ed were still to talk to eachother at all since the fight. While she and Al were getting along just like old times. When they took short breaks she would chat away with him silently. While Ed stayed some yards away. Feeling rather dejected but believing he deserved it.

But as they approached the small encampment all the tenseness between them dropped. The three began to work well as a team as they made their way to their position as the others did the same.

Winry motioned for the two to look over to the far end of the emcampment. They did so and saw a rather large looking man with scars all over. She moved closer to the brothers as she explained. "That's Marcus. He's been a real pain in our ass for some time. He's killed anyone who's managed to get close to him. His sense of hearing is so keen that he can hear you a mile away ."

"He doesn't seem to have noticed us though." Al pointed out.

"Just because it looks like he hasn't noticed us doesn't mean he didn't. He's probably just listening. He's a big guy and he's very confident. And he has every right to be since no one's surived attacking him."

"Yet." Ed said.

"And what are you planning on doing? Just running in there, alchemy blazing, and hope for the best?"

"I'm good at what I do."

Winry just glared at him before sighing in an irritated manor. "Do whatever you like. Just don't screw up this mission like you screwed up your life."

Ed looked at her. She had anger in her eyes but he could see a sadness in them as well. She was saying what she was because she was upset. Then slowly she turned away from him. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry." That was the most sincere thing she had said to him since they met again. He just shook his head though.

"No. You're right. I really screwed up in the past. I won't do it again."

He slowly got up and moved from the brush. On his way to begin the attack. By first taking out Marcus. Ed had to admit he was quite intimidating. But he'd gone up against chimera and homunculus before. Surely he could take out a mere human. Right? He was starting to doubt himself more and more as Winry's words truely began to sink in. Should he even have come back here in the first place?

He shook the thought from his mind and tried to focus on his objective. The one that was stareing him in the face this very moment. While he was off daydreaming, Marcus had took notice to his approach.

"Shit. Screwed up again." He mumbled under his breath. Then he moved quickly and slid down to the ground. Sweeping the man's feet from underneath him. He gave a yelp, surprised by Ed's speed, and fell to the ground. But now Ed learned the real reason why all the soldiers who had gone after him had perished. His flunkies. And pleanty of them. He rolled out of the way quickly as a stone hand came to grasp him. He knew this move well and crushed it with one of his own.

But as both hands crumbled he noticed Marcus was back on his feet. And he did not look very happy at all. He growled as he approached Ed. He could hear the crunching as Marcus grinded his teeth together. Ed knew this look well. And he had come to call it berserker mode. Which all Drachman seemed to posess. It's how they earned their reputation as short tempered barbarians. And now he was on the receiving edge of ones rage.

He got into a deffensive stance. Not really sure what good it would do. The Drachman man reminded him of Sig. And he would never piss him off. And here he had pissed someone of equal stature off. He was in a real mess. The huge Drachman rushed forward and before Ed could do anything he had him around the kneck. Ed grabbed at the huge hands as he tried to remove them. To no avail. But before anymore damage could be done, a shot rang out. Ed stared as a red spray came out the front of Marcus' head. Then he fell to the ground, releasing Ed. Ed turned to where the other Drachman were looking and saw Winry standing nearby, rifle raised. The barrel smoking. Next to her stood a shocked Alphonse. The look on his face was probably the same on Ed's.

"Hand's up! All of you!" She ordered as the rest of the Amestrian soldiers surounded them.

After they returned to their emcampment Ed went to look for Winry. She had been helping Havoc with the interrogation of the prisoners. And now he found her alone. Cleaning her guns. A scene reminisent of Riza. He walked up and just stared at her. After a moment she looked up.

"What?"

"What? You used me that's what! I could've been killed!"

"Funny. I got the impression you didn't care what happened to you. Besides, you were so gun ho to do it. That's what you get for spacing out at the breifing. We said we needed someone to play the bait."

He closed his mouth, stopping any retort that was coming. Sighing he sat down next to her. "Do you really hate me that much? Would you have cared if he had killed me?" He asked at last. She stopped what she was doing and turned to him.

"I wasn't going to let him kill you. And I don't really hate you. I'm just so lost and upset. I didn't know what to do after you two left. How was I supposed to just sit there and not think about you two? I was never in my life going to see you again. You didn't think that would upset me?"

"We felt the same. It's just...I let Husskisson get through that gate. The bomb ended up there because I couldn't stop him. It was my fault."

"All you do Ed is blame youself for everything. Ever since that night. You can't stop everything. You're not a god. You can't fix everything. And you knew how that gate worked. He should have died there."

"But he didn't. Not if they had the technology. He taught them."

"But there was nothing you could do."

"I hate failing. I hurt mom trying to bring her back. I put my brother in that metal hell. I hurt you and granny. When have I ever done anything right?"

"When you admited your mistakes. When you helped all those people along the way the state would have ignored. You made a mistake and you're trying to make yourself pay for it for the rest of your life. You can be forgiven. You've paid a hefty price. It's time to let go. All you and your brother can do now is live."

"I'm sorry Winry. For not being there. For leaving you when you needed me the most. When granny died. I'm so sorry."

The tears were there in the corners of her eyes. She was trying to hide them but it was no use. He could see them and he instictivly pulled her closer to him. She finally let it all out and cried in his arms. Releaved at last. She had them back. She just hoped they would stay.

"Um...am I interupting something?" A voice asked from behind them. They turned to see a young enlisted woman about their age standing behind them. Winry was quick to get up, rubbing her eyes.

"Are you alright sir?"

"I'm fine. What did you need?"

"Colonel Brooks is looking for you."

"Again? Is he still pissed about that raid a month ago?"

"He keeps complaining you stole his glory."

"Well yea. I did it on purpose. He's an asshole."

Ed glanced at the two as they conversed. They were obviously friends. They had started calling eachother by their first names and were laughing every now and then. But as he looked at the newcomer he couldn't help but feel some familiarity about her. It was odd. She had golden eyes just like his. And her dirty blonde hair was the same shade as his younger brothers. He was wondering why she looked so much like them. It was odd.

Winry noticed him staring and cleared her throat. He looked over to her. His face looking like a lost child. "Are you okay Ed?"

"Yea. Did I ever meet you somewhere before? You seem familiar."

"Not that I know of."

"This is Maggie. Maggie...this is Edward Elric." Now Maggie was the one to look somewhat lost.

"Oh...um...hello Mr. Elric. I've heard quite alot about you." She kept glancing over to Winry like she was asking for help.

"Why don't you go tell the colonel I'll be right there."

"Yes sir." She seemed happy to make a quick retreat.

"What was that all about? Why was she so nervous?"

"Um...well...you know. Your well known here. Everyone respects you for what you've done. A lot of soldiers have felt nervous in your presence."

"I don't like people saying mister to me. It makes me feel old. Now what about this colonel Brooks guy?"

"I lead a raid on an emcampment that he was supposed to do. They kept him behind to lead inspections when the general came."

"So they made him babysit while you got the job? Nice." He chuckled. "If I were him, I'd quit fighting with you."

Now she laughed. Knowing what he meant.

Maggie headed to her brothers tent. Looking a little shaky. She called out to announce her presence. "Bro? You in there?"

"Yea. Come on in."

She walked in, looking nervous. "What's wrong sis?"

"Erin. Edward and Alphonse Elric are back."

He stared at her for a moment and then ran his hands through his jet black hair. "What? Are you sure?"

"Yea. I was just talking to Winry. She was with him. She introduced us."

"Did she say anything to him?"

"No. But he did seem to think there was something odd with me. He was asking if we'd met before. What do we do?"

"I don't know. I don't think they'd believe us if we told them."

"But it's only right that they should know."

"Yea. But in this case what they know could harm them."