So. This is unbearably short, and I apologize for that. I also apologize for it being a whole THREE days late. I suck. I know. I suck at deadlines, can't you tell?
So. There's maybe... two chapters left? I think so, and it's very sad. However, there is a possibility for a sequel... you'll see when the last chapter is posted. That will determine whether or not it will happen.
So. There's not much else to say. Thanks to my beta-reader, Half-Hearted Shadow. She's totally amazing, isn't she?
New Destination
Voices whispered above her, nearly being drowned out by the car's engine. Winry felt a body, whether it was Al's or Ed's didn't matter much, shift in the small space provided. It was hard to open her eyes; but she was sure she'd done enough sleeping for one lifetime. The lemon-blond opened her bright blue eyes and stared out the window of the windshield to see a mysterious man driving, and in the passengers seat was a very familiar man. Winry's eyes shot open, and her thought was confirmed.
There, sitting in early twentieth century Europe, was William.
"W-Will?" Winry whispered, her voice reaching a new note, maybe two octaves higher, and Ed looked at her.
"Ah, you're awake. Winry, meet Fritz Lang and his nephew William. He's been working for- Win?"
Winry hadn't heard a word he'd said, because William said in his usual soft, seductive way "Hello, Winry."
Ed gave William a look, and Al awkwardly sunk back into his seat and stared out the window. The glare held fire, daggers, and a smidgen of jealousy, and was directed at the man in the front seat. William looked at Edward with an innocent look, and shrugged.
"So, this is your fiancé?" Will said in his charming way, and Ed nodded harshly.
"Yeah, and I'd advise you not to steal this one, okay? She means a lot to me."
Winry blushed, and Al patted her shoulder. "Al? Are you okay?"
"Mm," he nodded, and she rested her chin on his right shoulder. She felt Ed's arm snake around her back and waist, and she held his hand. The girl didn't take her eyes off of the younger brother, and he said quietly, "They've always fought over girlfriends. Constantly butting heads..."
Winry nodded, and leaned on Ed while resting her chin on his left shoulder. He looked down at her, his scowl becoming a smirk, and he said quietly, "For the record, I've had one other. And, she wasn't even half the woman you are." She flushed and smiled back at him. He chuckled, kissing her sweetly on the lips.
When he broke the kiss, he said quietly in the dense air in the cab, "Yo, Lang. Where're we going, anyway?"
"Germany," came the voice Winry could only distinguish as Fuhrer Bradley, and Al then snapped to attention.
"Why there? Why not anywhere else Winry could be safe at! That's what this whole mission is about, Mr. Lang!" Al wrapped his right arm around his childhood friend's shoulders, and when he saw Lang smirk and Ed frown and bow his head, he tightened his grip. "Oh, I see."
"What is it?" Winry looked frantically between the three, who seemed to have talked about this in advance. Al looked away, a frown pressed onto his features where a usual mischievous smile would be, and Ed sighed through his nose. She looked at him with flaring nostrils and her blue eyes narrowed. "Edward?"
Said boy gulped and kept his gaze away from hers. There was always a catch, wasn't there? Especially when it came to anything between her and Ed. She leaned away, her head bowing downward as she leaned back. Ed's arm snaked tighter, and Al pulled his arm off of her shoulders. She just didn't get it...
No more ,Winry thought, They're not going to keep anymore secrets from me. Look where it's gotten us.
"Ed...!" Winry growled, staring into the corner of his eye. He slowly, reluctantly, swung his head to face hers and his golden eyes locked with her ocean blue ones. "Where're we really going?"
"You, Win," he said, his voice soft and miserable, "Are going home. It's too dangerous, and..."
Clang!
Ed nursed his wounded cranium, and Winry steamed, clutching the nearest-hardest thing she could get. Luckily for her, and unluckily for Ed, Al handed her a wrench, which Lang just happened to have in his car; and Winry had beaten Ed with it. Again.
Al sighed as nostalgia sunk in. But, then remembered it was hardly appropriate to think back to the 'good days'. He cleared his throat and crossed his arms, looking at the back of Winry's head.
"Winry, you must understand..." he dodged a wrench to the skull, but received it in the shoulder instead. He winced, "... if anything happened to you, surely Brother would do something..." another blow, but this time he caught it in his bare palm, once again wincing, "...stupid and reckless. You know that! We just want you to be..." this time, she hit him in the face, and he saw stars shine in his eyes.
Ed finished his little brother's explanation, "...safe!"
Winry looked at the brothers, back and forth, and felt tears surface. Her hands shook, and she dropped the wrench on the ground. She clenched her hands into fists, and Ed watched her skin catch drips. Her tears rolled over her skin and down her fingertips, and Ed looked away. He put his hand on her head, an action supposedly affectionate, and pulled her to him. "You know I would, Win."
She didn't respond and didn't have to. Her tears, shaking shoulders, and miserable frown told Ed all he needed to know.
Oi. It's been a long week, but I finally got this chapter up. (It's not my fault this time! Shadow-kun didn't get back to me until... last night, and I was asleep by then).
You all know the drill! Thank you to those who reviewed, and please continue to do so!
I'll update in 2 weeks! The date is, um... I can't remember, but remember two weeks after Tuesday (or Wednesday, depending on how the week starts off).
~Cookie