Disclaimer: I do not own FMA!!
Chapter Nine
The Fight
It had been months since Edward had confessed his love to Winry. He had moved into her room and began to sleep with her. Edward was always happy to get in bed with the woman he loved. One morning after a year of being madly in love, Edward woke up early in the morning. He sat up, bending his right leg and resting his right arm on it. Edward silently looked out the window, waiting for Winry to get up as well.
Edward thought about the past year of happiness. It was almost like before he and Alphonse tried to bring their mother back to life. The only differences were that he and Alphonse were wiser, all three of them were much older, and they were all each other had. All three of them were glad that Edward was no longer part of the military, but Edward only told Alphonse the part about promising to help the Colonel.
He didn't want to tell Winry because he didn't want to worry her. But even though that's was what he thought was best for her, something was still nagging Edward. It didn't feel right to him to be keeping secrets from Winry, now he knew that he loved her. Edward felt really guilty every time she smiled at him. It haunted him and ate away at him. Edward began to imagine how Winry would react if she ever found out.
Edward closed his eyes and sighed through his nose. When he opened them again, he turned to the beautiful light blonde headed girl beside him, fast asleep. Winry looked so peaceful in her slumber, she even had a small smile on her face. "She must be having a nice dream", Edward whispered. "I wish I could sleep like you do, Winry…" He smiled down at her.
Winry had some hair in her face. Edward reached down and moved it out of her face. Winry tensed a little when Edward touched her, but relaxed just as fast as she had tensed. Edward began to wonder how long he would have to wait until the Colonel would call him and drag him from his happy life or if the Colonel would call at all. It was quite apparent that the Colonel wasn't going to be president any time soon, considering the fact that you have to become a homunculus in order to reach a level that high in the military.
Edward turned back to the window and thought about how Winry would take the news again. In his minds eye, he could see Winry crying her heart out. Edward closed he eyes and tried to erase the image from his mind. When he opened them, Edward found Winry's beautiful blue eyes starring curiously at him. Edward jumped at little from shock. Winry just laughed at him. Edward smiled a small smile as she leaned forward and kissed him.
"Good morning, Ed", Winry whispered, rubbing her lips against his lips as she spoke.
"Morning to you too , Winry", whispered Edward back as he did the same to her. Winry slowly moved away from him and jumped out of bed. Winry walked to the end of the bed and grabbed her nightgown and put it on. Edward jumped out of bed to and acted as if he had not been guilty of keeping a secret from her. Edward got dressed and followed Winry downstairs.
When they entered the kitchen, Alphonse was setting up breakfast for the three of them. "Al, what's all this about", asked Winry in shock. Alphonse never made breakfast for anybody, not even for himself.
"You two don't know what day it is do you", asked Alphonse with a smirk on his face.
"Should we Al", asked Edward.
"Brother, it's the one year anniversary of when we got our bodies back! How can you not remember?!"
"Well, sorry Al! Winry and I have been busy!" Edward felt Winry's hand grasp his. He tightly grabbed hers so that she wouldn't let go. Edward looked down at Winry beside him. Winry looked sad and somewhat depressed. This one-year anniversary reminded Winry of a time when she thought she might not hear his voice again or laugh with him or even to hug him. It remind Winry of those days were she watched Edward in his deep slumber.
"What's wrong Winry", asked Alphonse. He had noticed her sudden change of mood too.
"Nothing Al… Forget it… Let's eat." Winry pulled Edward over to the table and they sat down and ate. The food Alphonse had prepared was really good. Edward couldn't believe it. The only thing Alphonse had ever cooked was some fish and other animals when their teacher sent them to Yock Island.
When they were finished, Winry worked on an automail limb and Edward and Alphonse read some alchemy books. Around nine o'clock, Alphonse went Nelly's house again and said that he probably wouldn't come back until morning. When Alphonse was out the door, Edward laughed and Winry hmphed. "I think you're a bad influence on him, Ed", she huffed.
"Yeah, you're probably right, Winry", Edward scoffed. He gave Winry an evil smile when she looked back at him. Edward stood up and walked over to her. I'm going to bed Winry. You can join me if you like." Winry shook her head.
"I've got to finish this leg before tomorrow", Winry said sadly. "I be up a soon as I'm finished here, Ed."
"Ok… I'll be waiting…" Edward climbed the staircase and entered their room. He stripped down to nothing but his boxer shorts and laid in bed. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Edward was woken up by weight of someone sitting on top of him. When he opened his eyes, Edward found Winry's pretty blue starring down at him. "I'm ready to join you now", Winry whispered. Edward scoffed and leaned forward to kiss her.
--
Edward was woken up one more time in the middle of the night. This time it was the sound of the phone ringing down stairs. The next second, Winry had turned on a lamp and groggily said, "It's your turn to answer the phone, Ed." Edward was lying on the bed face down with one of his arms hanging off the bed. Edward lifted his head out of his pillow and looked up at Winry.
"No, it's not… It's your turn, Winry", Edward moaned.
"It's yours Ed", growled Winry.
"Really?"
"Really, really."
Edward moaned as he got out of bed he looked around the bedroom floor for his boxers and when he found them, He put them on as he walked out the room. Edward slowly walked down the stairs and to the phone. He picked up the receiver and held it to his ear. "Hello", Edward yawned.
"Hey, Ed", came the Colonel's voice from the other end. "It's Roy." Immediately, Edward's brain clicked on and he knew what Roy was calling for, but he hoped he was wrong. "You remember that promise that you made to me, right Ed?"
"Yeah", muttered Edward.
"Well, it's time, Ed", said Roy with a sad tune in his voice. "I'll expect to see you as soon as possible… Sorry Ed…"
"Don't worry about. I'll head over to Central tomorrow, Roy. Bye…"
"Bye, Ed. Good luck telling Winry…"
"Thanks…" And with that Edward hung up the phone. He stood there with his hand on the receiver, starring at it. The minutes lengthened as stood silently, half expecting the Colonel to call back and say it was all a mistake. But he didn't.
Edward heard Winry calling him, but he didn't acknowledge her voice. Winry had to grab him and shake him until he finally acknowledged her. "Ed, are you ok", asked Winry in a frightened face. Edward looked into her eyes and just looked away. He couldn't bear to look her in the eye now that he had to tell her the truth. Edward shook his head.
"Winry, we need to talk", Edward said as he grabbed Winry's hand and pulled her over to the couch. They both sat down and Edward paused as he tried to remember what to say to her. "Winry, that was the Colonel-"
"You said that you weren't in the military anymore Ed", snapped Winry. Edward shut his eyes, so as not to tempt himself to look at her.
"I'm not, Winry", he muttered.
"Then why would the Colonel call you except to ask you to do a mission for the military?!"
"Because the mission I'm going to do is the survival of this country and it's people. The military is corrupted by the homunculi and they're using alchemist and state alchemists like me to turn the inhabitance of this country into the philosopher's stone. If I don't help Roy destroy the homunculi then everyone could die, including you, Winry. And I can't let that happen to you."
"Ed…"
"You and Al have to live… I don't care if I die as long as I'm saving the lives of the people I care about…"
"Did you know that this was coming?"
"Yes…"
"For how long", Winry asked her voice shaking with anger.
"Since I quit being a state alchemist, just before I realized that I love you. I made a promise at that time-"
Winry had slapped Edward across the face. Edward had look up, rubbing the place where Winry had slapped him. Winry backed away from him slowly, tears rolling down her face. Winry had a look of hurt on her face. Edward stood up and tried to stop her from moving away, but she ran up the stairs. Edward ran after her, but it was to late. Winry had already locked the door
"Winry, come on", Edward shouted through the door. He could already hear her cries. "Please open this door!! Let's talk!! Winry!!"
"WHEN WERE YOU PLANNING ON TELL ME EDWARD", Winry screamed. "TELL ME!!"
"Well, I was sort of hoping that you would never find out", yelled Edward. "Was desperately hoping that Roy would never call!! You know I never want to leave you, Winry!! I love you!!"
"IF YOU REALLY LOVE ME, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD ME WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE NO LONGER IN THE MILITARY!! YOU KEPT A SECRET FROM ME, EDWARD!! HOW COULD YOU?! AND THEN YOU GO AND SAY CRAP LIKE, 'I DON'T CARE IF I DIE'!! WHAT ABOUT ME!! I CARE IF YOU DIE AND SO DOES ALPHONSE!! WHAT'S THE POINT OF BEING ALIVE IF YOU'RE NOT HERE WITH ME!!"
"Winry… I'm sorry…" Edward brought his hands together and put them to the door handle, automatically unlocking it. He opened the door and walked to the bed. He picked up his pillow and looked at Winry. "I'm sorry Winry… This is why my first thought when you said that you loved me was that I don't disserve you… And it turns out that I was right, wasn't I… All I do is hurt you… And I'm sorry that I can't treat you better…" And with that, Edward walked out the room, closing it behind him and walked down stairs to sleep on the couch.
Before he fell asleep, Edward thought that he heard someone walk down the stairs and to the couch where he slept. The person leaned over him. A voice spoke to him. It said, "Ed, you idiot." He felt a pair of lips touch his cheek. Some thing small and wet hit his cheek as the lips pulled away. Then the person walked away and he knew no more.
Edward woke up early the next morning. When he sat up, Edward noticed that Winry was curled up in a sofa across the room and got dressed. As he pack his suitcase, Edward found a small gift-wrapped box. Edward recognized it at once. It was the one year anniversary present that he was going to give to Winry. Now Edward wasn't even sure if he would ever be able to give to her on their anniversary. He set the box on top of the dresser and finished his packing.
Edward grabbed his suitcase and the small box and went down stairs and into the kitchen. He pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and wrote a note to Winry, attaching it to the small box. Edward walked over to Winry and rested it on the table beside the sofa. He looked down at Winry and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Then Edward walked out the door and found Alphonse standing at the bottom of the steps, starring up at him. Edward walked down toward Alphonse and said, "I'm going to Central to help the Colonel like I promised. I want you to stay here and protect Winry. Can you do that for me, Al?"
Alphonse nodded. Edward could see his eyes begin to water. Edward pulled him into a hug and held on tightly. "Don't worry, Al", Edward whispered. "I'll be home before you know it." And with that, Edward let go of Alphonse and went to the train station.
