Chapter 37

THE DAMN EVIL FILLER IS GONE!!!! -cackles evily-

Listen to "Honey, this mirror isn't big enough for the two of us" by My Chemical Romance for this chapter. And tell me you aren't glad the filler's gone!

--

Both Ed and Kaylen were asleep now, the only sounds in the room being their breathing and the steady drone of rain outside. Voices began yelling outside, breaking the soothing silence in the room. Kaylen stirred, a soft groan sounding in her throat.

Who the hell is yeling? The voice was vaguely familiar, but she knew it wasn't Celeste or Amie. The yell had waken Ed as well, and he growled at the invisible speaker.

"Go tell them to shut up," Ed said groggily.

"I would if you'd move," Kaylen replied. Ed kissed her neck and rolled off of her effortlessly.

"Don't take too long," Ed mumbled as Kaylen grabbed her shirt and put it on before walking to the door. The door opened before she reached it, revealing someone whom she really didn't care to see.

Winry Rockbell was staring her straight in the face.

Amie and Celeste stood behind her, somewhat exhausted looking. Apparently they were her chaperones, and she had been yelling the whole way up.

Winry walked past Kaylen and over to the half-awake Ed. "What did you do with Al?"

"Win...ry? What are you doing here?" he asked, ignoring Winry's question.

"Where is Al?!" Winry yelled as Ed sat up.

"Hell if I know. Isn't he back at your place?" Ed replied, rubbing his eyes.

"No, he isn't. He never came home after he came out here," Winry said angrily. Ed's eyes widened at her words. Al wasn't the type of person to go off somewhere and not say a word to anyone about it. Ed suddenly remembered the clue and the letter that Al had recieved.

"Shit," Ed mumbled, getting up and throwing his shirt on. He tossed a look at Kaylen, and she nodded, leaving the room with Amie and Celeste.

"This is crazy..." Kaylen whispered as she entered Amie and Celeste's room.

"Who is that?" Celeste asked.

"She certainly has a mouth on her," Amie complained.

"She's the one Ed left... for me," Kaylen said softly.

"What was she going on about?" Amie asked. "Someone named Al and something about you two stealing him from her?"

"No... Al is Ed's brother," Kaylen said. "He's gone off, and apparently nobody knows where he is. That's not good considering the poem we found."

"Oh, there was something on your door," Celeste said, pulling a slip of paper from her pocket. Kaylen read it, eyes widening as she read.

Missing boy awaits

Tonight the stone will be mine

At the central point.

"You have to be kidding me..." she breathed.

--

"What are you doing here?" Ed asked, looking at Winry with fierce eyes. "You could've easily called and said this. You didn't have to come."

"I hate to say this..." Winry looked away from Ed, a soft look in her eyes. "I had to see you. It's kind of scary, but I had this odd feeling that I had to see you... Like I would die if I didn't."

"Sorry," Ed said. "Sorry I don't live up to your expectations. I've changed since you knew me. I'm in love now, and that won't change just because you start whispering sweet words in my ear."

"But you're going to leave her," Winry smiled. "Once you finish what you came for, you'll leave that poor girl. She'll sit and wait for you, but you'll never come home to her. I know what she's going to feel like."

The words seeped into Ed slowly, and he was desperately thinking of a way to prove this girl wrong. I can't be this horrible... Am I really going to do this? He frowned, balling his hands into fists.

"I can't help it, okay?!" Ed half-yelled. "I'm stuck. I have a job that takes me wherever the hell it wants. I've got a girl and the military pulling me on two different leashes in two different directions, and I'll admit, It sucks. But what can I do?"

"You can stop thinking that you know everything!" Winry yelled, tears filling her eyes. "You need to find Al. He probably needs you now." She turned to leave when Ed grabbed her by the arm.

"I'm sorry you came out here for nothing," he said softly. Winry pulled away from Ed with a quick jerk.

"Shut up," Winry said quietly. "I don't need your sympathy." She walked out without another word, going back the way she came. Ed stared after her, eyes wide in realization.

((this next part is beautiful. try not to cry now!))

True, Edward Elric had never been known to break down in these sorts of situations, but suddenly, all of the pain and stress that had been supressed for so long came crawling up his throat. He was so glad it was Saturday; there was almost no one in the dorm to hear him scream. A form of emotional expression formerly unknown to the boy came trickling down his face—the fierce Fullmetal was crying, falling to his knees in surrender. It started out as sobless drops of anguish slowly tainting his face, but soon his shoulders began to shake, breathing labored with sobs.

And it felt so damn good.

The door behind him opened, and Kaylen walked in, gripping the clue in her hand. The sight was enough to keep her crying for days. Ed looked up at her with blurred, overflowing, ashamed eyes; this boy was only human, after all.

"Shh..." Kaylen bent down and cradled Ed in her arms, letting the boy get all of the anger and stress out of him. "It's okay. You'll be okay, Ed."

"But will you?" Ed whispered, clutching Kaylen's shirt tightly. Kaylen bit her lip and buried her face in Ed's hair.

"As long as you are," she replied quietly, a tear creeping down her cheek.