He walked into the house, the joyous shout dying on his lips. For some reason, the interior, once so warm, seemed very cold. Alphonse wrapped his arms around himself, walking slowly down the hall, peering into each room as he came to it. The kitchen was empty; as was the living room. "Hello?" he called, shivering. "Granny Pinako? Winry? Is anyone home?"
Alphonse went out the back door, standing for a few seconds on the stoop before stepping down onto the lush green grass. He could just make her out, standing near the oak tree at the end of the property. "Winry!" he shouted, running toward her, joy wreathing his face. It'd been so long, too long, and he couldn't wait to see her. "Winry, I'm back! I'm home!"
She turned slowly, her hair sweeping over her shoulders and Al faltered, coming to a stop. "Winry?" Her expression was cold, bitter, and the way she clasped her elbows in either hand and stood so stiff, Alphonse knew she wouldn't be opening her arms to give him a welcoming hug.
"Why are you here?" Winry stared at him, her eyes reminding him of a lake long frozen over.
"I-I came home," Alphonse whispered, holding out his hands to her, dropping them when she made no move to take them in her own. "You don't know, Winry, how much I missed you. How much Brother missed you." He glanced behind him, back at the house, beyond it, to the road. "He'll be here soon, I promise, and you'll see."
Winry turned her face away, leaving Alphonse with a vision of her profile, like something chiseled out of ice. "You made promises to me before and broke them, Al. Why should I believe you now?"
"I never," Alphonse stammered, taking a step closer. "Winry, please. We've come home!"
"No you haven't!" The shout made him back up in surprise. Winry looked back at him, her eyes so cold with fury, he thought he'd get frostbite. "You don't come home. You never come home. You Elrics never keep your promises!"
Alphonse jerked awake, Winry's voice still ringing in his ears. He sat up in the bed, clutching at his chest, his heart pounding beneath his hands. "Damn it," he whispered into the darkened room, knowing he wouldn't be getting back to sleep tonight. He crawled out of his bed, making his way to the kitchen and the bottle of whiskey that hid under the sink. Alphonse had the feeling he'd need it.
I really, really, really hate that Bones made Alphonse break his promise to Winry about bringing Ed back home so they could be a trio again.