Authoresses Notes: This takes place after the entire series is over. Just a warning. It may contain some spoilers. And ...right about now I'm just going to spoil the entire thing for you. So don't read the next few sentences if you don't want anything to be spoiled. Oh heck, I'll hide it for ya. Just highlight it and you'll be able to read it, in case you can't tell. Al ends up sacrificing himself to that he can bring back Ed's arm and leg. Ed had been stabbed through the chest by Envy. Thus he was "dead". Then Ed wakes up and realizes what Al's done and so he then sacrifices himself, his entire body, to bring Al back, body and all. Al comes back, but he doesn't remember the past four years when they're wandering around doing all this stuff and Ed's in the military. So Ed has passed through the Gate and is now in, surprise, surprise, our world. Germany to be exact. Anyway, Ed joins the space program, hoping that it will bring him back to his world. Meanwhile, Al goes to study alchemy under Izumi again. And thus you leave the series. There is a movie that follows that comes out in Japan sometime in late spring of 2005. So. Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. None. Absolutely none. Anyway. On to the story!
One Moment in Time
Chapter Three
Shinkono Kokoro
"Ed! Get in here now!"
Mumbling and groaning to himself, Ed stumbled towards the workroom. "Whaaaat, Winry?'
"I need you again!" There was a clang and then a muffled curse, an echo from the other girl.
"I'm here." He stopped in the doorway.
"Uhg. Can't you wear something more decent? Oh, never mind. Come here."
Ed walked over to her. "It's decent…" He looked at the old pants and crummy sleeveless shirt that had been his before.
Winry inspected his joint and then went back to the work table. "Okay. I'll be down in about ten minutes. Go sit out there." She pointed behind her towards the kitchen. "Dominique. Hand me that wrench…"
Ed meandered to the kitchen and sat down with a sigh, shutting his eyes. He'd hung around for five days so far while Winry worked her metal magic. Granny Pinako had made him work the first day, so he chopped wood, cleaned and fixed things. Slave driver, Ed thought to himself. Cracking an eye, he followed the cracks meandering across the ceiling.
The next day, however, E had gotten up early and left, walking aimlessly down the roads, keeping to himself. No one had been up then, so it had been quiet. The sun had been peeking over the horizon, birds chirping. Without knowing it, Ed had ended up at the cemetery. Hands in his pockets, Ed's mouth curved in a sarcastic grin. Of course he had…
Ed wandered through the gravestones, feet taking him where he needed to go. Stopping in front of he one he sought, Ed stopped and sat, smiling at the fresh flowers there. He folded his arms around his knees, sitting, thinking, staring at the gravestone before him until time melted away. The morning breeze blew across him, hair fluttering against his back, still pulled back in a ponytail.
"How?" he asked aloud of his audidience of dead and spirits. "How did I get back here?" The wind blowing across his ears answered him.
"Is it because I died in the other world? I didn't pass through the gate this time, that's for sure! So why?" He demanded of the silence, hands clenching on his legs. "Do I get to stay this time? Is it just a dream I'm going to wake up from! Huh! Or are my dreams just teasing me by becoming more realistic! Am I lying somewhere, bleeding in a hospital bed, in a coma! They're just teasing me, aren't they! I can't really be back!"
Ed inhaled deeply, realizing he was suddenly standing, and shouting to a hill of dead people who would never hear him anyway. Shame flushed through him. Glancing down at his mother's grave, he bit his lip. "I'm sorry, Mom…" Jabbing his hands into his pockets, Ed shuffled towards the Rockbell's. His life was forfeit anyway.
Yes. He'd gone back to the Rockbell's and crawled back into his bed and slept an hour, woken rudely by Winry, complaining that he was lazy. Ed hadn't bothered to mention his morning walk. They didn't need to know. Ed had spent the rest of the day, holed away in the study, reading old alchemy books he'd found hidden on one of the bookshelves, only coming out if he was needed.
The next day, Ed had taken Winry and Dominique into town to get a couple of needed parts for his new arm and leg. And Winry, being Winry, had dragged him all over town, showing him new shops and bringing him back to the old ones.
Ed had welcomed the distraction though. He'd smiled and talked to people, most of whom had know nothing behind the real reason of Ed's disappearance. He'd bought Winry a trinket with money he'd taken from his old military account, thankfully still active. He'd silently thanked someone, probably Roy—not that he'd ever admit it to him—for keeping his old account going, slipping some small sum in every couple of months, anticipating the need for one, knowing his German clothing didn't belong in this world. And once again, he had marveled at how a trip to get a few screws, a wire, and two different kinds of nuts had turned into an all-day affair.
Granny Pinako had had dinner ready for them when they'd returned, and Ed found that that was the first night he'd really slept soundly since his arrival.
On the morning of his fourth day, Ed had grabbed breakfast, and he'd headed out, telling Winry, Dominique, and Granny, not to expect him until the afternoon.
His feet sure and strides quick, Ed turned down the road away from the Rockbell's. Munching on the toast, he approached his destination with a bag full of mixed feelings. His feet were certain, mind curious, and heart faintly worried. He headed up the hill anyway.
Ed stopped, just feet away from where his house had once stood. He stared at it quizzically. Plants. There were plants growing. Everywhere. But they weren't weeds.
A breathy laugh of relief escaped his lips. "He turned it into a garden!" It must have been Al. It had probably been his idea. But he could sense Winry's had in it as well. Granny Pinako's as well. And even Izumi-sensei. Ed smiled. They'd all helped. He bet even Armstrong and Lieutenant Ross had been there, digging in the dirt that had been his house.
Smiling, he plopped down in the grass in front of the garden, combing his fingers through the soft pelt of green grass the covered the hill. Abruptly, his smile vanished. He'd been humming. It was a lullaby his mother had sung to him and Al when they were young. Looking around, he allowed himself to continue humming as he stood and wandered around through the rows of plants, picking out the stray weeds in the way.
True to his word, Ed had returned in the middle of the afternoon, tired, but happy. Granny Pinako and Dominique had gone to bed, claiming utter exhaustion, but Ed had suspected a different reason, leaving him and Winry alone.
At first, it had been a bit awkward, but gradually, Ed and Winry had found themselves talking eagerly. Time passed them by, and they'd stayed up long into the night, catching up on the past—or as much as they could in the small amount of time they'd had compared to the large amount of stories they'd had to tell.
Winry had described the new automail arm and leg she'd designed, and Ed had described Germany. Ed had told her of the Al he had known in Germany, and Winry had told him of the Al they both knew.
The next morning had found the two asleep at the table where Pinako and Dominique had left them the previous night. Dominique had found it amusing. Ed and Winry had not. Winry had gone back to work on Ed's new arm and leg, aided by a still-chuckling Dominique. Thinking of nothing better to do, Ed had gone into the back of the house, practicing the sparring skills he and Al had learned from Izumi so long ago. But not once had he clapped his hands together and transmuted something. Not yet.
The day had passed by slowly, dragging as if gravity wasn't strong enough to turn the Earth, and pull it around the sun. Eventually, Pinako had called him for dinner. Winry had skipped, claiming work needed to be done. Dominique had taken her food. Ed had gone to sleep early after chatting with Pinako who, ever now and then, had turned out her rare bead of wisdom.
And that had brought him to now. Ed didn't know how late Winry had stayed up the previous night, but she sure was cranky today.
"ED!"
He jolted, jumping from his hair. "Oi…! Are you done now, Winry?" he called, walking to the workroom. Granny Pinako was there already as he entered.
"Yes, I'm done. We're done." She leaned against the worktable tiredly. "And now the hard part. You ready?"
Sighing deeply, Ed nodded. "I am. It's not so bad…"
Winry nodded, Granny Pinako walking over to the bench. Ed grinned and followed, sitting and rolling up his pant leg. Winry removed the old pieces, setting up the new ones to be connected. She looked up at Ed. "Are you ready?"
"I already said I was." Ed's good hand gripped the bench he was sitting on.
"Alright. Ready, Granny? Alright. One. Two. Three. Go!" Winry and Pinako connected Ed's new arm and leg at the same time.
"Hnn!" Ed exhaled in a whoosh the breath he had been holding and shook his head as a shiver ran down his spine.
"…We'll give you a minute, Ed," Winry said softly as she pulled Pinako and Dominique from the room.
Ed nodded, swallowing. It was different this time. The pain was different. It was sharp and it was fierce, and when it finally retreated it left a dull sort of ache that one felt when one had cut his or herself a couple of days before. Tipping his head back, he stared at the ceiling, breathing evenly and deeply, absorbing the pain. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out. He raised his right arm slowly, rotating his shoulder, getting used to the new parts. But he couldn't break them in without a good spar with Al. Ed blinked. Al. Al was far away. He had to find his brother though. Sighing, he pushed himself to his feet, shaking his arm out, flexing his left leg, getting used to it. "Mm. Well… Now to face the masses…" He stretched his arms over his head and walked to the kitchen, putting a bright smile on his face.
Winry looked up. "You good?"
"Yup!" He gave her a cocky salute with his new arm.
She got up ad hurried over to him, examining his arm as he moved it around and flexed it. "Are you sure you're alright, Ed?"
"Oh yeah. I'm good." He looked passed Winry. "Oi. Dominique! Let's go outside!"
She looked up at him and then grinned. "You got it!"
"Ed! I…" Winry looked at him with worry. "Are you sure?"
"Hmph. Of course I am!" he boasted, already walking out the door.
Dominique paused next to Winry. "I'll go easy on him."
Just passed the doorway, Ed threw her a stern look over his shoulder. "You better not, Dominique."
"Hehe…Sure, Ed!" Dominique said, following him into the front yard.
Winry followed the two outside, watching them as they stood, facing each other and suddenly ran at each other.
Granny Pinako walked out, standing next to Winry. "He hasn't changed much."
"Mm. No. He hasn't. But he shouldn't be fighting so soon!" Winry said to her. "I don't think he's ready!"
Pinako looked up at Winry. "Was he ever ready? For any of it?"
Looking sharply at her grandmother, Winry paused. "…"
"Mm."
"No. I guess not… But he faces it anyway. He's like that though. It's admirable, and that's what I like about him."
"Yes. I know you do."
"And then here he is, right before me, fighting, when he should eat something and relax!" Winry planted her hands on her hips, glaring as the two flipped apart, Ed jumping forward right away. Winry sighed and sat down on the porch.
"Well. Think of it this way," Pinako said before she walked through the door. "It's what he and Al used to do. There's not much difference."
Winry sighed and nodded, watching, and waiting until they were finished.
Stretching his hands above his head as the spar finished, he offered Dominique a hand and pulled her to her feet, then walking over to Winry o the porch. "Better than anything I've had yet, Winry!"
Standing and giving him a relieved smile, Winry handed him a towel. "Good. I'm glad."
Dominique plopped down on the porch with a large sigh. "Oi! That sure was a workout!"
Ed leaned against the post, wiping his face. "Heh! That's no workout! That's why I told you not to go easy on me!"
"Quit your bragging, Edward Elric. You're not that much of a hot shot…" Dominique said jokingly.
"Yeah, yeah…" Ed looked to the sky. "…"
"Ed?" Winry asked softly.
He gave no reply, staring into the blue sky, face strong and blank of any thoughts or emotion he might be having. Arms crossed over his chest which had filled out some from the boyish strength he had had, he looked more mature. Even as a fourteen-year old boy, he'd been mature. But like Grandma Pinako had mentioned, he'd been through a lot.
"Ed," Winry repeated louder.
"Hm? What?" He looked at her, blinking, back to his normal self.
Smiling to herself, Winry frowned. "Were you even listening to me? Ed! You know better! Come on! And here I was saying something important!"
Dominique laughed as Ed whined and cajoled Winry to get her to tell him what she'd said. She joined the two in the grass as they ran around until Pinako called them for lunch.
"Well, that was good," Ed commented, wiping his mouth with a napkin, just finishing the dinner Pinako had prepared.
"Ooh, yeah. Hit the spot!" Dominique agreed.
"Mm." Winry picked up her plate and Dominique's taking them to the sink, returning to get Ed's and Pinako's.
Ed got up to help, his and Pinako's plates already in hand.
"No, no, no," Winry protested. "Stay. I'll do it."
Ed shook his head. "Nah. It's no big deal. Go ahead and sit, Winry." He stepped around her, taking the plates to the sink and washing them.
Winry shook her head and sat. "You're a stubborn one, Ed."
"Of course!" He threw a cocky grin over his shoulder, soaping the dishes. "I probably wouldn't be here if I wasn't stubborn."
The grin on Winry's face faltered some. "That's not really very funny…"
Ed laughed softly. "Yeah. You're right."
Pinako sat back, her pipe in her teeth, Dominique next to her, watching the two.
Having finished the dishes in the space of the uncomfortable pause in conversation, Ed turned and faced them. "So. I was thinking of heading out tomorrow morning."
"Already?" Winry cried in surprise.
"Why so soon?" Dominique echoed.
"Yeah. I ought to get going." He looked to the side, away from their eyes. "I mean… I have to find Al and…and… Izumi-sensei…"
Winry's shoulders slumped as she looked down into her lap.
Pinako sighed and shook her head. "Well. If that's what you want to do, then go do it, boy. I won't stop you. Just you remember to come back, you hear?"
Ed looked at her, grateful. "Yeah. I'll come back. Don't worry. Thanks for everything. Again."
Pinako waved her pipe around. "Don't worry about it. We're your family. That's what we're for."
Ed gave no reply, looking at her, Dominique, and then over at Winry. "Yeah…" he said softly. Pushing himself away from the counter and the sink, he walked to the table. "So. How about we…uh…do something? Ya know. Play cards or something?"
Winry looked up and gave him a smile. "Yeah. I've got just the thing. Dominique, come with me." She stood and ran into her workshop with Dominique on her heals.
Ed looked at Pinako. "Thanks, granny." He gave her a lop-sided smile.
"What are you thanking me for? I didn't do anything."
Ed laughed. "Yeah. You never do anything, do you?" He looked over at his friends as they ran in with some game for them to play until they all collapsed from exhaustion.