AN: Hey guys, this chapter has been added on to and heavily edited. Hope you enjoy!


For almost a month now, Ed had been disappearing with Al every morning at the first light of sunrise and not returning back to the Rockbell's until late into the evenings, even then he generally was found falling asleep in awkward positions around the house. Just yesterday, Winry had found Ed snoring loudly with his head pressed uncomfortably on their coffee table and his body slumped on the floor. For weeks now, she had been trying to get him to tell her what they were up to when they were gone all day, to no avail. When she had approached Alphonse about it, he had been almost rude trying to get out of the conversation, which was definitely not typical to his friendly and patient attitude.

Winry guessed that everyone in the kitchen that morning had heard the conversation Will and her had from the looks of concern May and Granny had given her when she came back in. Soon after that, Ed and Al had disappeared without saying anything at all and ever since Ed had been kind but distant towards her. Truly, she had never meant to hurt his feelings with anything she had said, but she whole heartedly meant every word. In fairness, after everything she had been through with him, how could she possibly trust him? She would always be waiting for the other shoe to drop...but then, and this was what really kept her up at night, what if he actually did want to stay with her? What if he was done traveling the country and saving the world? He had been carrying around that ring set with him for who knew how long, maybe she had meant more to him than he had let on. Then again, maybe he figured that marriage was the next step he was supposed to take, and who better to continue on with than his good ol' reliable mechanic friend? The thought that set her heart to racing and twisted her stomach in knots was wondering if she could live the rest of her life knowing what they could have, but that she had turned away from out of the fear of what could happen. The never ending debate was tearing her up, and Ed wasn't being overly talkative for her to draw upon his responses to get a feel for what the hell she was supposed to do, what with him sleeping most of the time when he was around her.

Trying to be good company, May and her had been having a lot of girl time and by a lot she meant every moment she was awake. May seemed to be attempting to be a buffer to Winry's growing aggravation and desolation at the space that was ever increasing between the brothers and herself. That time they spent together was actually more like May hovering over her, while she worked on automail incessantly while trying to keep the amber eyed man out of her thoughts. Of course this action was nearly pointless, very rarely did her mind stray far from the suddenly cool tempered man. On a few occasions, she had even gone so far as to pick a fight with the hot headed ass, with no reaction. So she had retreated into her workroom that typically served as a sanctuary from the confusion that was her situation since Winry had always been the type that if something was on her mind she would bury herself in her work to forget about it. The smell of oil and metal bringing her comfort as she tried to figure out what she wanted from life, while May was chattering away and she tried and failed to block out the conversation. When she began mentioning Al consistently coming back with cuts and bruises all over him, she had finally caught Winry's undivided attention.

"Why is Al all banged up?" Turning her magnifying goggled eyes towards May, Winry waited worriedly for an answer.

"I'm not sure, he won't tell me what him and Ed are up to, but if Ed is throwing punches at Alphonse I will be sure to return the favor." Dark eyes narrowing in anger, she continued. "Al says they aren't training for anything to do with the military, but I'm honestly starting to wonder if he is being honest with me, considering all of the secrecy. The only time he doesn't tell me things is when it has to do with Fuhrer Mustang." Winry flinched inwardly, even though she had tried to prepare herself for Ed leaving at any time, it still hurt to have the probability rise and shoved in her face, forcing her to confront the inevitable truth, rather than just thinking about it in theory. May was most likely right, Ed had been in contact with Mustang recently. Even worse, she knew that Ed had never liked him so if they were talking, it was probably about becoming a dog of the military again. Her stomach churned in anxiety at thought of not seeing him anymore, or to her abject horror, him settling down with some nameless, faceless woman from Central who knew about Alchemy and was everything that she wasn't. She must have been scowling because May now wore a concerned look. "Of course I could be wrong, they may just be getting some weird male bonding in. I never could understand men, especially those two." Stating in a rush and ending in an awkward little laugh, May was as bad of a liar as Al.

"No, you are probably right May. Ed has always had wanderlust, it's just who he is. At least I'm sure if Al is thinking about doing something like that, he will ask you to come with him." Smiling brightly at her, the small Xingese girl's gaze turned to curiosity.

"I suppose he would...but what about you, Winry? Would you go with Ed if he asked you? That is assuming they were thinking about joining the military again." Giving her answer a lot of thought before speaking, Winry sighed.

"I don't know really. I guess if he actually asked, I would consider it, mainly because for Ed to ask that type of thing would mean he was letting me into a part of his life that he has always kept me away from, which would be a big step for him. But I honestly can't picture him considering that." Frowning at her own reply, she grew melancholy at the reality that Ed would not be asking her to come along with him if he left.

"You never know, it seems to me that he is head over heals about you, but just doesn't know how to show you in a positive or productive way. Though, that has never seemed like a talent he was gifted with." Laughing at her own words about the man, May smirked playfully.

"I used to think that but three years is a long time to go without a real sign of affection, or any for that matter. I know that accepting happiness has never come easily to him, but there comes a point when you have to learn to move forward from your past or your future will never be any better." Nodding in agreement, May paused before she answering.

"I agree, but knowing Ed, you understand better than most that he just isn't like other people. From what Al has told me about him, it seems like he has gotten so used to being alone that he probably honestly thought that you wouldn't even notice he was gone. Which we both know isn't true, but I gather that is a fact he understands now." Winry acknowledged that Ed certainly didn't think about things like anyone else she knew. Maybe he really was at a place where he was ready to share his life with her or maybe given her words about him, he had decided to reenter the military. Either way she needed to find out what the brothers were up to, and she was going to even if they weren't willing to tell her themselves.

"May, do you want to find out what Ed and Al are up to?" Hearing the mischeivous tone in her voice, Winry grinned at the prospect of learning something they weren't supposed to know about.

"Sure, what do you have in mind?" Pulling her goggles off of her head, Winry set them carelessly down on her workstation.

"I want to go spy on them...can you keep it from Alphonse if we do?" Giggling furiously, May took her hair which was half up between her fingers and pulled it into a tight high bun while nodding.

"I'm in! I won't say anything to Alphonse, but if we do find out something we have to act like we don't know anything. Are you going to be able to do that depending on what we find out?" All humor had left her demeanor and for being so young, she leveled a quite adult stare at Winry to read her sincerity.

"Yes, I just need to know one way or the other for my own peace of mind." Winry got up from her table and put on her shoes, before turning to her companion in determination. "Let's go find them."


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