TnC

Chap 7-Resembool and After

Summer was fading into fall as the four of them sat out on the grass in front of the Rockbell home. Winry, Al, and Ed had invited Kate to come with them to see where they grew up and meet Granny Pinako. Things were slow around Central HQ lately so Roy had no problem with giving the two alchemists a week to go visit.

Kate had thought that she would never want to come back to a small town but Resembool had been different. There was no one staring at her, no one judging her, and best of all, she had even been welcomed as she arrived with Winry and the Elrics. Apparently the three were local heroes of sorts. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of welcome her friends would receive in Liet. She planned to never find out.

She sighed as she leaned back against Ed and pulled his protective arms around her tighter. It had only been a few months but everything back in Liet felt like a lifetime ago. She couldn't imagine going back to that after she had experienced so much since leaving. It felt GOOD to be able to actually talk to people and know they listened to her. It felt GOOD to be able to keep her defenses down and be herself with someone. She didn't want to have to put all those walls she had spent a lifetime building back up. She had spent a lifetime building up those walls, only to have them torn down in a few short months. She smiled to herself when she thought about it.

Ed heard her sigh and held her tighter when she pulled his arms around her more. He looked down at her face and saw her smile. "You haven't heard a word of what we've been saying have you?" He chuckled at her.

She looked up at him and blushed. "No, sorry, I guess I was just thinking."

He kissed the top of her head. "I know, I think they could hear you thinking all the way back in Central. So what's on your mind?"

She was quiet for a few moments and Ed was about to tell her that she didn't have to answer when she let out a contented sigh, "Just that I wouldn't want to change any of this. For anything."

Ed hugged her tightly from where he sat behind her and whispered in her ear. "I wouldn't either."

Al and Winry had turned their backs to the couple to give them their moment. They were both incredibly happy for Ed and both had noticed the changes Kate had brought in him. Winry leaned back on her hands and looked up at the clouds. "So is it just me or has Ed been more even tempered since he met Kate?"

Al grinned, "No, I've noticed it too. He smiles a lot more too; I don't think he's as stressed as he used to be." He looked at Winry, "do you think Nii-san is in love?"

Winry blushed a bit as she thought about it. "Yeah, I do. He's got to be. It's definitely not a physical thing."

Al furrowed his brows and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

Winry turned a darker red. "Well, um, they haven't really been, uh, well, intimate."

"Oh," Al said as he looked back up at the clouds, turning beet red as he realized what she was saying. "OH! Umm, did-did brother tell you that?"

Winry laughed a bit as you could see the realization dawn on Al. "No, he didn't but Kate gets kind of talkative when you get a few drinks in her."

Both conversations were interrupted when Granny Pinako came out to the steps. "Lunch is ready. Come on in and get cleaned up."

They were sitting down to dinner when the phone rang. Granny started to get up when Ed stopped her. "I'll get it, Granny. You take a load off." He smiled as he got up from the table to get the phone in the next room.

"Rockbell's Automail, Ed speaking."

The others ate in a comfortable quiet as they waited for Ed to come back. When he did there was a frown on his face. "Kate, will it take you very long to get your things packed back up?"

She looked at him with concern on her face. "A few minutes probably, what's wrong, Ed?"

He sighed. "That was the Colonel. The Council wants us back as soon as possible. Apparently there's some investigation going on and they want our entire team in Central. Roy said it really has nothing to do with him or any of us, it's just a precaution."

Al stood up, "I'll go and get us packed up, Brother."

Ed stopped him. "No, there's no reason for you and Winry to come back early. You guys stay here and enjoy your visit. We'll see you back in Central in a few days."

After dinner, Ed and Kate went to pack. Winry was sitting on the bed in the room she had shared with Kate, helping her fold her clothes. "I'm sorry you have to leave early. We were going to take you down to the river tomorrow. Even if it's too cold to swim it's still a nice place for a picnic."

Kate smiled. "We'll have to do it next time."

When she went back downstairs Ed was already waiting with his suitcase. Granny Pinako was standing next to him holding a small picnic basket.

Ed took her suitcase from her and Granny handed her the basket. "I fixed you both some sandwiches and desert for the trip." She smiled at Kate, "be sure you keep him in line and out of trouble."

"I will, Mrs. Rockbell. Thank you." Kate smiled.

Pinako stepped back and looked from Kate to Ed and back again with a smile. "Call me Granny."

Kate grinned and nodded. After a few minutes they were saying their goodbyes and she was walking with Ed to the train station. He carried both their bags and she carried the food basket.

"Thank you." She said when they were about halfway there.

He smiled. "I'm not sure what you're thanking me for but whatever it is you're more than welcome."

"For letting me be a part of your family like this. It really means a lot to me."

They were passing home that had been burned some time ago; the only parts left were a foundation and a crumbling chimney. Ed set the suitcases down on the road and walked towards it, motioning for Kate to follow.

She walked up behind him and looked at what used to be someone's home feeling a bit sad. This was someone's sanctuary once, maybe a family's. She couldn't help but wonder how many dreams had been wrapped up in this foundation. Ed looked so thoughtful that she hadn't intended to say a word until he did, but found herself speaking anyway. "I wonder who lived here."

Ed never took his eyes off the burned out structure. "Al and I did, with our mom." He sighed. "We burnt it down when we left to join the military."

Kate walked up to him and took his hand. "You really had no intention of coming back did you?" She could understand that. If the thought of burning her childhood home had occurred to her she probably would have done the same thing.

Ed squeezed her hand. "We had a goal to meet. But I've been thinking that it might be nice to rebuild this old place. Start over I guess you could say."

She smiled at him. "Things in life are always changing. You never know what fate is going to bring your way."

He smiled back. "No, you never do."

With that they turned and walked back to pick up their bags and catch their train.

.o0o.

The train ride back was comfortable. The couple talked about the little things that popped up between them. They talked about the military personnel they shared an office with. After a while, they ate the dinner that Granny Pinako had packed for them. It was a simple dinner of sandwiches and a couple pieces of Winry's apple pie, but in Ed's company it couldn't have been better.

After a while Ed had dozed off on her shoulder. She smiled and looked out the window. Thanking whatever gods may exist for the gifts they have given her since she decided to make her way to Central. She pulled the glove carefully off of his flesh hand and laced her fingers between his. He had easily wormed his way under her skin, and she didn't want things any other way. She knew that things that seemed to good to be true often were. But this was Ed. And she couldn't imagine her life without him anymore.

She shook him awake as the ride drew to a close. "Ed, wake up, we're almost to Central."

Ed yawned and rubbed his eyes. "How long was I sleeping?"

She smiled at him. "About three hours."

He blushed as he realized he must have been leaning on her the whole time. "I'm sorry, Kate, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you like that."

"It's alright, Ed. I know the automail must wear you out sometimes. Besides," she blushed, "it was kind of nice."

As they walked back to the dorm building, Kate couldn't help but walk through the leaves that littered the ground. Ed smiled at her. "I should have known you would be one to act like a kid sometimes."

"I can't help it." She grinned, "I love the sound and the way it feels around my legs. I always have."

He stopped foot the foot of the stairs that led into the dorm building. Setting the suitcases down next to him he took the basket from her and held onto her hands. "And I love you, Kate. I always will."

He looked at her nervously as he waited for a response. He had been trying to find a way to get those words out for what felt like ages, and now that he had he was afraid of what she would say.

She stood there silently for a few moments as what he had just said made its way into her mind, past the shock. "You-you do? You really mean that?" She couldn't make herself believe she wasn't hearing things.

When he nodded she let go of his hands and threw her arms around him and hugged him as tightly as she could. "I-I love you too, Ed, I really do."

They stayed like that a few moments before letting go. Ed gave her a soft kiss before picking the bags back up. "It's getting late, and I know you didn't sleep on the train. Let's get you home and settled in."

She nodded and they walked up the stairs to her apartment. Ed's was the next floor up so they stopped at hers first. Ed followed her in and set her suitcase on the floor. "Do you want to call Granny and let her know we made it back ok?"

She picked up her suitcase and headed towards her room. "I'm going to put this away but you can, the phone is right there on the desk."

She went to her room and settled some things before going back out to find Ed on the phone. "Yeah, Al. The trip was fine. We'll see you in a couple days then. I almost forgot, I followed your advice. Yeah, thanks, thank Winry for me too. Uh huh, it went great. Bye, Al."

"What advice was that?" Kate asked as he hung up, making him jump.

Ed blushed as he turned to look at her. "Oh, well, Al and Winry just kinda reminded me that people aren't mind readers. That if I really want someone to know how I feel I need to tell them."

Kate smiled. "I guess I should thank them too then."

Ed walked over to her and smiled, giving her a soft, innocent kiss. "It's getting late, and we need to be in the office in the morning. Do you want me to meet you here first?"

Kate nodded with a smile. "That would be really nice. Thank you."

Ed turned to go and looked back at her with a soft look in his eyes before leaving. "Goodnight, Kate. Sleep sweet."

"Goodnight, Ed. I'll see you in the morning." She closed the door behind him and went to her room with a smile.

AN: Thanks everyone for your patience. I know my updates haven't been as frequent as I'd like them to be. There was a lot that I wanted to establish before everything hit the fan so these last few chapters have been really hard to figure out. From here on I know where the story is going to go so hopefully they will be easier to write. The only thing that may keep me from being able to sit down and write them is the craziness of my life lately. Hopefully that won't interfere too much tho.

Again thanks for sticking with me and I can't wait to write the next few chapters. Get ready for an all new Kate that no one has seen before!