This is the chapter o' fluff you all have probably been waiting for, I assure you. It's also what I'm the best at writing, those and the really dramatic scenes where Winry acts all quiet when sad and stuff... GAH! That was sort of a spoiler, but not enough of one to hint at what happens soon.

Thank you to my reviewer, XxSilverXTearsxX. Thanks to you, sister, the story will go on! (Phew!)

Thank you to my beta-reader, Half-Hearted Shadow!

Off We Go!

London, 1925

Late Night Confessions

"I have to what!" Winry screeched in the thin night air, clutching the bedroom sheets as she glared at the youngest Elric. Al scratched behind his head nervously, and repeated what he'd told her. "Winry, I'm sorry. You have to start wearing dresses and garters and stockings. Women in this world are accustomed to wearing that. I promise we'll buy you whatever tools you want for when we bring you home..."

"You're not bringing me home, Alphonse," Winry snapped. Al gulped, swallowing whatever words he could think of that would tell her otherwise. There was just no fighting with a Rockbell. "Okay then. Tomorrow I'm going to work at the library and Ed is probably going to be at the bar. You can roam around London if you want, maybe go shopping on your own. We'll leave you a little bit of money, but after Brother gets back he's taking you shopping for some women's clothes and we'll meet at the diner down the street. Is that okay?"

Winry nodded and Al sighed. "Good then. I'm not sure if I'll see you tomorrow morning, but here's my sorry ahead of time," he walked over and gave her a peck on the cheek. She smiled and said sweetly, "Goodnight Al." He mumbled a goodnight before leaving. Winry smiled cheekily before getting comfortable in her own bed.

Partway through the night, Winry woke up. Nothing was on her mind specifically, unless you counted a certain golden blond sleeping in the next room over. Other than him, no, nothing on her mind. She stared at the ceiling as if engraved in it was the greatest secret to auto-mail, and mumbled to herself, "How did I get here anyway?" she thought back as hard as she could, but realized she'd lost that part of her memory. First, she remembered seeing the blue light, then a person in an alley, and then Al picking her up. Had he been in the alley? No, that would mean they'd be in Resembool right now... oh no.

She forgot to tell her grandmother she was leaving!

Stupid girl! Winry thought to herself, reaching up as if to reach for the ceiling. She sat up, bringing her knees closer to herself; she whispered into her thigh "Granny's gunna' be so upset when she sees I'm gone. God, I'm so stupid!"

The blond slipped out from bed in a pair of Al's boxer shorts and a camisole. She walked over to the window and placed her hand on it, staring at the stars. More like lack of them, due to the smog acting as a blanket over the city of London. She glanced at the streets and saw a rise of smoke from a room right next to hers. She opened the window and saw Ed smoking a cigar out the window.

"That's bad for your health you know," she said matter-of-factly as she looked at him with a smile. He looked over at her, blond hair loose at his shoulders, and he said, leaning on his left palm. "So is stress. I think I'll live; I'm worth more dead than alive anyway."

"Edward Van Elric, don't say that!" Winry pleaded, her eyes shining in the silver-white moonlight. "You might be trouble, but you mean so much to us! To me, and your brother!" he scoffed in her direction and took another drag before flicking it onto the streets. He watched it burn. "I appreciate your concern, Winry, but I don't think it's any of your business anyway. I'm wanted for fuck's sake!" she glared at him for using the f-word and said "You're wanted by your brother and me as well! Ed, why don't you see that?" she slammed her window shut, hearing a distinct whine of "Aw, c'mon, Winry!" She stomped over to her bed and punched her pillow, releasing tears. Why couldn't he see that he meant the entire world to her and his own brother?

Winry climbed into the bed, huffing and wiping her tears from her cheeks. She closed her eyes, squeezed them to keep her useless tears in, and pursed her lips. She bit her lip. "I'm not going to cry anymore. I'm a big girl. Granny would be..." she broke into another fit of tears at the mention of her lonely grandmother. That is, until she heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked, not bothering to disguise her voice. A quiet "It's Ed. Open up Winry," answered, and she slipped out of bed. Before reaching the door, she looked in the mirror to fix herself up; at least her hair and nightgown. She took a steady breath before clutching the doorknob, opening it slightly. Ed greeted her with a smile on the other side, and she huffed. "What do you want?"

Ed sensed the hurt in her tone but didn't let his smile fade, as much as he wanted to let it. "I came to see if you were alright and..." he looked away from her, a very light, beginning of a blush bubbling onto his cheeks "...to say I'm sorry." Winry smirked at him and moved aside, her tears dripping over her lips as they sprinkled the floor, and he walked in. She closed the door behind him.

The next few minutes involved crying, laughing, touching hands, and very red cheeks.

"Why do you think you're worth more dead than alive, Ed?" Winry said quietly, staring at his hands that were crossed over his legs. He sniffed, breathing in the smell of her hair as it hung in her room, and he said just as quietly, "Because, I am. I've been wanted by the European government for about two years now. I befriended a gypsy named Noah who was looked down upon. I made friends and still am with a Jewish movie maker named Lang who helps me and Al any way he can." Winry looked at him, his eyes burning in their golden blaze and she blinked at him. "That doesn't mean anything, Ed. Just because you're wanted for such a stupid reason..."

"Oh, I'm not done," Ed mused, uncrossing his arms and putting them on either side of his body. "I rebel against the German president. It's like Mustang with the former Fuhrer." Winry nodded and smiled, pulling her legs to her chest. "And now I'm done." He finished with a smirk. Winry looked at him with the same intensity he showed her, and she said quietly, "You mean more to me alive than dead, you idiot."

He looked at her and smiled. "You're just saying that, Winry."

She glared at him. "Am not! You and I have been friends since we were little kids-"

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE CAN BE CRUSHED BY THE MOLECULES OF A FLEA'S LEG!" he shouted, and Winry burst into laughter. Ed calmed and asked, "The hell are you laughing at, Winry?" he couldn't contain his own giggles as hers died down, and she said with a sweet, loving smile

"You, you idiot. And you know what?"

"What?" Ed's cheeks tinged pink in irritation, puffing out his cheeks. Winry giggled at him.

"That's one of the reasons I love you; you always make me laugh when I'm feeling sad."

Ed raised an eyebrow at her, his face becoming red with flattery. "Oh really? Well, one of the reasons I love you is your obsession with machines!" he smirked at her, she to him, and she said simply, "It wasn't an obsession, knuckle head, until I saw you wearing my auto-mail." His smirk was a full-fledged smile, teeth and all, and he leaned over to give her a peck on the cheek. "G'night, auto-mail junkie."

She smiled as he walked away, and she mumbled, "Night, alchemy freak."

When morning came, Winry didn't want to get out of bed for fear of losing her very precious dream last night. Was it even a dream? She could've sworn the Ed she knew would never admit to something so secretive as him loving her, but she remembered what he said so clearly.

"One of the reasons I love you is your obsession with machines!"

She rolled out of bed, stretching her long muscular arms and legs. She headed downstairs into the kitchen, where she could hear Ed on the phone with someone he called "Mabuse". She hid behind the wall to listen, as she was always good at those spy games Ed and Al used to play when they were little kids.

"Mabuse, I'm telling you. I don't think it's a good idea to... uh huh... yeah, she's from... yeah... she could be in danger- what the hell is that supposed to me-... oh... uh huh... right... yeah, I'll see you in a few," he hung up the phone and, pouring a cup of coffee for himself and another, called softly, "I know you're there, Winry. Come on."

She snapped her fingers and swung her arms out to hug his torso. He chuckled, almost spilling the coffee on the counter, and said "You're bad at hiding you know. I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got something to do. \I'd give you a kiss or something, but I'm running late and have to meet with a friend of mine. Plus, I'm not good at affection-"

He was cut off by the feeling of her soft lips on his, and she pulled away. "Get outta here, dummy. I'll be fine by myself for a little while. I'll go for a walk or something." He smirked at her, and said "Right. See you," and he left, sipping his coffee. He tasted good...

"Enough fantasies, Winry Rockbell!" she announced to herself as she started picking up the kitchen. "You've got a mission: Operation "Clean the House" is in effect!" she started wiping off the counters with a cloth that was resting in the sink, and the grabbed Ed's plate that was left on the table. When the kitchen sparkled, she went into the living area to finish the cleaning before the boys returned to take her shopping.

She had so much to do before they came back...


Okay then. I know it has been a while, nyeh? No, probably not as long as it could've been. Well, I hope you all liked this, because the next chap is a little... I dunno. Edgy. And there's a cliffy, too. :D

I apologize if the format is stupid. Format on Fanfiction is stupid. (But the site itself is the best creation since Fire).

As always, I kindly ask and suggest you review if you want the next chapter up soon! All I ask is a 'Hello, I liked your story likeohemgeez' or maybe some C.C? (Constructive Criticism. I'll use the abbrev. from now on. XD)

Love and Luck!

~Cookie