Chapter 2

"Finally! I'm back in Rozemboul!" the strawberry blonde cheered as she got out of the car pool. Her purple eyes shined in the hot sun as she raced to the Rockbell house/shop. She stopped at the door and knocked while pulling up her bag strap to fit it comfortably on her shoulder.

Winry opened the door a look of sorrow was plastered on her face for a moment before she squealed in joy. "Dinelle?"

Dinelle smiled widely, "the one and only! How ya been, Winry?"

"What's all the ruckus?" Pinako said walking towards the door, "oh! well, ain't it Dinelle Howl! It's been, what, over 12 years since you moved away?"

Dinelle nodded, "and you haven't changed Auntie Pinako! Are Ed and Al still in town?"

Winry closed her eyes and took a deep breath in order to keep from breaking down, "um…Al's here…"

"And shortie?" Dinelle asked. Winry looked down her eyes shut tightly.

"he…he's no longer…he's gone," Pinako forced out. Dinelle froze in realization. Her childhood friend had….passed.

She hugged Winry almost immediately in comfort, "I'm so sorry Winry! You were so close to them…"

Winry shook her head and pulled away, "it's okay. You wanna say hi to Al?" Dinelle nodded. "ok, just don't startle him too much. He's been through a lot."

Winry led her friend to Al's bedroom her dead silence showing she was hurt terribly by Ed's disappearance. Al's head shot towards them as they walked into the room. Dinelle walked up to Al and restrained herself from hugging him spontaneously.

"Alphonse…you remember me?" she asked, knowing he may have been too young to remember so far back.

Al smiled weakly at the strawberry blonde, "hi Dinelle…" Dinelle soon broke down and hugged her friend from so long ago. She had missed her friends terribly but to come back to see them so torn down was almost unbearable.

"I'm so sorry, Al…" she cried into his chest as her embrace on him tightened. Al looked down at her, tears soon joining hers but for a different reason. Dinelle released him once his screams reached her ears.

Soon he was thrashing about while Winry tried to hold him down and Pinako tried to inject the medication the doctor gave her into his arm. Dinelle sat there watching the fail horribly at trying to calm the 17-year-old blonde.

She walked up next to Winry and embraced Al around the abdomen, holding his arms in the process. Pinako injected the meds and sighed in relief as Al's ranting died down.

"Good job, Dinelle, Winry," Pinako said reaching for her pipe.

Winry sat in a nearby chair as Pinako left the room. "how have you been, Dini?" Winry asked trying to start a conversation.

Dinelle's eyes never left Alphonse's sleeping form, "…how long has he been like this?"

Winry sighed, "about a few weeks now…"

"is it true? Al's body was destroyed and his soul resided in a suit of armor for over 5 years?" Dinelle asked sadly.

Winry nodded, "yeah…and Ed lost his right arm and left leg. Boy, he kept us in business for a while."

"How'd Al get his body back?" Dinelle faced her worry held in her purple eyes, "Ed didn't sacrifice himself did he?"

Winry nodded again holding in a sob, "y…yeah…he…he wanted Al to live again."

"Stupid…" Dinelle spat, "he was stupid to do that! What about Al? He's going through so much now…so much pain…"

Winry smiled sadly at her, "you still like Al?"

Dinelle nodded, "I always have…but he was always hung over you…"

Winry chuckled, "we were just kids."

Dinelle smiled, "I know. But Al's just so sweet. He hasn't changed has he?"

Winry shook her head, "not at all! He's still the same determined, stubborn sweet guy we love. And Ed was still the same hot head you remember."

Dinelle sighed and stood up, "I'm going to fix something to eat. Can you call me when he wakes up?" Winry nodded as Dinelle left.

What was that feeling? It was so…comforting… Dinelle? Winry? Auntie? Alphonse stirred awake, his blue eyes examining his room once again that day. He sat up but slammed back down against his pillow as his head pounded unmercifully.

"Hey," Winry said as she stood up from her chair, "are you hungry? It's about time for dinner."

Alphonse smiled, "yeah…my stomach hurts a bit. I guess I need to get used to it telling me it's time to eat, huh?"

Winry giggled at his answer as she left the room. She ran into the kitchen to see Dinelle finishing dinner. Dinelle smiled at her friend, "is he awake?"

"yup. And starving!" Winry chuckled.

"ok, I'll take him his food, then," Dinelle laughed as picked up a tray of food and headed into Alphonse's room.