This is the final draft of this chapter. There were many people who could have been holding Grace, but I settled on this one in the end and I hope it is to your satisfaction. There is still more to come folks so keep the reviews coming...they make me work harder. Thisis like an Ed's POV of what happened before.FMA isn't mine dash it all.
Ed started up on the inclination to the Rockbell home and Den finally fell silent. A strange aura filled the air and he began to fear what he would be facing. Paninya hadn't given him any news to suggest home was not the place it had been, but what would she really know. She had also admitted to not hearing from Winry in a while. Winry always kept in touch with people she made friends with unless something drastic had happened.
His pace picked up but he was still hesitant. After all this time why as he so worried about approaching what was his home?
Is the distance he could see a baby in the front yard playing with Den. At first he thought it might be Jack and that Rose was living with Granny again. But then as he got closer he noticed this was a girl and she had pretty blonde hair.
He heard raised voices and saw two figures standing in one window. One must have been Winry and his heart skipped a beat. But his attention was drawn to the figure she was talking to. He could not see who it was from the distance he was at but he sensed affection between them.
His stomach lurched. Did this mean the little girl in the front yard belonged to Winry and this stranger? Had she really had a child while he had been away? Had she so heartlessly forgotten about him and moved on to another man…a taller man.
He hid behind a tree as the front door opened and the stranger stepped out. He seemed vaguely recognisable but there was no mistaking he was handsome. It was almost like looking at a younger version of Mustang. He couldn't have been more opposite to Ed. He watched as he stroked the baby's head and walked away, heading in Eds direction. Edward clenched his fist and remained hidden behind the tree. He wanted to call out, accuse this person of taking Winry away. Yet Winry had been his to be stolen from him. Why shouldn't she have found someone?
When the man passed close by Ed could see tears pouring from his eyes. Suddenly all changed again and perhaps he had little to do with Winry. Perhaps he had come to visit Pinako instead. Perhaps Winry had to break the news Pinako wasn't there. Did that mean…?
Determined not to back down Ed strolled into the garden and toward the house. He went to open the door when he heard a high pitched laugh beside him. The baby girl was lying on her front while Den licked her face. She was giggling and saying the dogs name over and over again.
He walked over to her side and sat down. She hadn't appeared to notice but Den had. He jumped upon Ed and pinned him to the ground.
'Den,' Ed laughed, 'Stop, I'm trying to keep this quiet.'
The dog moved away and a small face appeared above his. Her face still held that baby chubbiness about it, her skin looked perfectly smooth without a flaw in sight. Her light blonde hair fell about her face and got into her eyes. Her beautiful, round, strongly golden eyes that looked down on him with all the innocence of the child she was.
His mouth went dry and his voice caught in his throat. Peering down on him was an exact replica of his own eyes and hair the exact colour of Winrys.
A fearful realisation spread over him. That last moment he had spent with Winry…But this was impossible. He didn't know much but he knew babies were not easily created. He had only slept with Winry that one time and it all seemed too unreal. But the little face that grew more and more frustrated looking down on him was all the evidence anyone would ever need. How many people did know? Why hadn't Paninya warned him? Was Al aware, was Al there?
He fled not knowing what else to do. This little figure had suddenly changed everything for him and he hadn't even seen anyone yet. He could no longer face Winry in the state of mind he held only moments ago. The stranger no longer mattered.
Sitting himself by the river he held his head in his hands. He didn't want the responsibility of a child so early on in life. He was just reaching nineteen and had his whole life ahead of him. He could not just settle down when he had so much to do. He didn't feel he could ever settle down. Take a rest maybe but…
A small hand fell on his shoulder and the little girl steadied herself. He brought himself to once again look upon her gentle little face. A face that he had taken a part in creating. She was smiling broadly at him and his heart ached because of it. Had she any idea of his significance in her life? For the vital first months of her life he had not been there to establish any relationship with her.
She placed something in his lap. He lifted it up to inspect it. It was one of his old black vests that he must have left behind. It was clear the little girl had been taking care of it for it smelled of her. It was the aroma of new life and for a moment he was swept up in it. His child, his creation and she was perfect.
'Dada,' she cooed, then began to laugh.
She knew him; she knew who he was almost as if it was instinct. Winry must have made sure she knew who he was.
'Grace,' came the distant cry that could have only been one person's voice.
Grace, it suited her perfectly. Even when she had pouted at him earlier she held a grace about her that seemed natural. He took his child into his arms and breathed her in. She smelled very much like her mother.
He heard a small cry behind him. Turning round as well he could he saw her fall to her knees. Beautiful topaz eyes glared down at him wide with surprise. She had bloomed in the past two years into a woman and once again his heart did a flip.
'Winry, I'm back.'
'Dada!' Grace cried.
Al raced toward home, Izumi and Sig having a very difficult time trying to keep up with him. It was dark by the time the train had pulled in to the station. People had reported seeing someone covered by a hat but nothing more suspicious then that. Al had found the hat and a golden hair left inside of it.
His breath was ragged and his legs ached but he kept going. He had followed the river as he knew his brother would have done until he too reached Rush Valley. People that he had once known but now forgotten had informed him that his brother was indeed with them and on the train home. Al in a mad panic had caught the train home too not managing to get on the same one as his brother. The train had been going to slow for Al and he had cursed many times. Izumi witnessed this out of character behaviour and it only served to make her smile. They all felt the same glee in their hearts when it had been confirmed he was in their world, back with them. If he arrived at Rizembol before them he would discover what they were dying to tell him for himself. Izumi worried about how he would take it, but pushed it to the back of her mind. For the while, being reunited was all they would need to think about.
Al didn't reach the house before the front door swung open. In the doorway stood a silhouette they all knew well, if not a little taller. His eyes shone through the darkness as they had in their hearts. Al began to weep and ran into his brother's embrace. Standing firm Ed held on to his dear, dear brother and began to cry himself. Here he was, home, with the family that had waited for him.
Izumi finally caught up as well and embraced Edward as her own son. Sig nodded at him and took his hand in a very manly gesture. Behind them came a quiet but rather angry little scream. Grace was not a fan of being ignored, especially when her Uncle Al was not doing his magic tricks for her.
They all laughed, and Al was the first to notice.
'Brother, your arm, its…yours. How…'
Ed sighed, 'We have much to sort out, don't we?'
