Oh, dear god, I took so long for this update I almost forgot how to add a new chapter.
And yet again, I disappeared. Least I finished the main story first this time, right? I actually have a couple of these side chapters already written because I've done a few out of order. I'm hoping to have the story completely finished before the end of August when I go back to school cuz we all know how I get when I have to balance school and writing. It kind of fails, spectacularly. So no promises, but it's definitely my goal.
Disclaimer: Still no own.
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1917
Edward – 18, Alia – 2
"All packed for your trip then, Ed," Hughes asked over the dinner table.
"Sure am," Edward answered with a smile.
"Oh, where are you going?" Roy asked.
"Well, I've gotten some money saved up, and I was thinking it was about time to start looking into a place of my own."
Roy stopped mid bite and raised his brow. "So soon?"
"Soon?" Ed chuckled. "I've been mooching off the Hughes for two years now."
Hughes laughed. "You know we like having you here."
"I know, but I think it's time I at least started looking. We're going to stay close to Central so it's not like we'll be far."
Edward stared down into his potatoes. He'd been turning over the thought of moving out again and again in his head for the past two months. He wasn't sure if the Hughes thought he was ready, and quite honestly, he wasn't so sure he was ready either. He glanced down at his arm where the scars stood bright against his skin. He certainly couldn't say he'd completely gotten better since the day Gracia had discovered his secret. He'd done it a few more times since then, the only difference being the overwhelming sense of guilt he'd felt each time, but then, simply quitting would have been too easy.
Hughes followed Ed's line of sight, then looked back at his face. "I think you'll do fine." Ed glanced up. "And even if it doesn't work out, you'll always have a home to come back to here."
Ed smiled. "Thanks."
"And you have to come back and visit a lot!" a six-year-old Elysia piped in. "Who else is going to teach Alia the proper way to host a tea party?"
"Tea party!" Alia repeated.
Edward smiled down at his daughter. She really looked so much like Winry, save for his eyes. She'd already grown her hair out long and always insisted that half of it be pulled up into a ribbon. Her obsession with ribbons had already grown to occupy an entire drawer of their shared dresser, and he feared how it would grow as she did.
"Well, we should probably be heading to bed," Ed said as he laid down his fork. "We'll be getting up pretty early tomorrow."
"Good night and good luck," Hughes responded.
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Alia snuggled down against her pillow in Elysia's old bed. She looked up at Ed as he sat on the edge of his own bed.
"We're gonna be busy for a few days," he said as he leaned over to brush a lock of hair from her eyes.
"Stay here?" Alia asked.
"It's 'Why not stay here?'" Edward corrected. He was growing concerned that Alia still had not started forming complete sentences. Hughes had said he shouldn't worry over it too much, but he couldn't help it. "And we can't stay because we need a space of our own. You should have your own room, and we shouldn't ask so much from our friends."
Alia bit her lip. "I like here."
Ed sighed and didn't bother correcting her. "You'll grow to like where we find. And we'll still visit."
"Hmm, kay."
Ed kissed her forehead and pulled the blanket up to her chin. "Sleep tight."
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"Um, sir," Ed tried to cut over the man's talking, but he continued on as if nothing was wrong. "Sir?"
The duo was halfway down Edward's list of possible homes and so far, had come up with nothing. He knew that with his budget, they wouldn't be living in a palace, but these homes were bordering on insanity.
"Sir…"
"And if – in this room…quite – made…"
Ed sighed and stared at the ceiling. The couple arguing in the apartment above them were growing louder and louder with each passing second. Ed could only make out a few words the landlord was saying as he showed the two around the small apartment, but the landlord didn't seemed phased in the slightest at the commotion that could have easily awakened the entire building the couple was making.
"So," the landlord finally stopped looking around and pointing like a small child and turned to Ed, "what – you think?"
Ed glanced down at Alia. She looked back up with a horrified expression on her face that Ed could only barely resist laughing at. She started slowly shaking her head no as she squeezed her dad's hand tighter.
"I think we're going to have to pass."
"What was that?"
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Ed let out what he felt was the hundredth sigh of the day as he plopped down on the station bench. He pulled Alia up on his knee and rested his chin on top of her head as she snuggled against him.
"This…isn't going so well."
"Better," Alia said.
Ed knew she was referring to their last stop. It certainly had been better than previous contenders but certainly not to a livable standard.
"Yeah, I suppose it was a little better."
He glanced at his list. They'd finished it the day before but had continued scouting around for anywhere with a sense of normalcy. They'd found nothing. One place had flooded during their inspection, another shared a kitchen with a thousand little buggy roommates, and yet another had a giant hole in the middle of the floor that the landlord had tried to cover with a rug. Any place that wasn't beyond repair had intolerable neighbors.
"I think someone just doesn't want us to find a place."
He glanced in his wallet. They'd almost burned through the money he'd saved for hotel stays and train rides. He had enough for one more ticket plus the ticket to return to Central, but there didn't seem to be enough for another hotel stay.
"Maybe we should just call it quits."
He hoisted Alia, who was beginning to drift off, up in his arms and walked over to the train schedule. "Let's see, Central…Central…" It was then that a name caught his eye. "Risembool…" He looked from the train schedule to the clock and back again. The train for Central left at 4:15. The train for Risembool left at 4:00. It was 3:50, and he had a decision to make.
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"Mommy watches from here?"
"She sure does," Ed said as he set Alia down in front of Winry's grave. He stayed stooped beside her, not being able to find the strength to get back up. He'd never once visited her grave before. He'd been too scared.
"Hi, Mommy," Alia said as she carefully laid down the flower she'd bought. Ed had transmuted a ring of flowers, but once Alia had seen the tiny flower sitting in a stand, she had refused to move until Edward gave her the money for it. She'd been so set on that particular flower that she wouldn't even let Ed buy it. "It's my gift for Mommy!" she exclaimed when Ed had tried to buy it on his own. Ed had considered scolding her for yelling to get what she wanted, but it was the closest thing she'd used to a full sentence in weeks that he'd let it slide.
"Why'd she go?" Alia asked.
Ed pulled her into a hug but didn't turn her around so they could both still see the grave.
"She didn't want to. It was just her time."
"Her time?"
"Yeah, everyone has a time that they have to leave. Nobody knows when, but you shouldn't worry over it. Mommy's watching over you every single day, and she's proud of everything you do. I know she'd love nothing more than to be right beside you everyday because she loves you very much."
"Daddy's crying," Alia said as she held up a finger to wipe away the tear. Ed reached up to wipe his other eye clear.
"I just miss her is all."
"Watches you too."
He smiled down at Alia. "Yeah, she does. And we should be happy. If we're happy, then she can be happy too." He wiped his eyes once more and stood up.
Alia took his hand and smiled. "I'm happy! I met Mommy!"
Edward stared down at the grave. 'I'm trying, Winry,' he thought. 'I'm trying my hardest to give her the life she deserves. We were both scared to try, and I was terrified to try without you, but seeing her smile makes it easier. I only wish you could smile with her.'
"Daddy?"
"Hmm?" Ed brought his gaze back down to his daughter.
"Happy," she said with a huge smile on her face.
He smiled back. "I am. As long as I have you."
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As they walked along the road leading away from the graveyard, Edward wasn't sure what he should do. A battle raged in his mind, and he tried his hardest to keep it from shining through for Alia to see. It was only once they'd reached the main road that he hesitated. He glanced left down the road. Left would lead him to the Rockbell house. Left would lead him to a place he once called home. Left would lead him to Pinako and Alphonse. He glanced right where he could see smoke rising in the distance. Right would lead him to the station. Right would lead him back to Central.
He stared straight until he could feel Alia's curious eyes burning a hole through his head.
He turned right.
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A young man stopped in his tracks as a grave came into view.
"Somebody left flowers…"
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Hmm, I wonder whoever that man could possibly be. Guess it's just a mystery! I had to make up an age chart with the years to make sure I got everybody's ages correct for these extra chapters. I just don't trust myself enough to be able to keep track of it. From here on, Alia will go up a year in each chapter, and the story ends when she's seven to give you an idea of how much is left. There may be an epilogue. I never originally planned one, but I recently got an idea for one so I guess we'll just see. Well…
Until next time!
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