Note: I would just like to thank everyone reading my fics! I really appreciate the feedback and I will do my best to look at some of your work if you review mine . However… if you have nothing to say about my fic other than the fact that you think I spell the cute little blonde mechanic's name wrong, please don't review at all. I have taken three years worth of college level Japanese language classes, and many words that are translated from English into Japanese replace the 'L' with an 'R' because the 'L' sound does not occur in the Japanese language. For example, the word 'love story' is translated as 'rabu sutorii,' and even Alphonse's name is translated as 'Aru' or 'Arufonsu.' So to me, the name 'Winri' as it would be pronounced in Japanese could either be translated as Winly or Winry in English. I think Winly sounds more 'English' and less awkward so I prefer that spelling and that is the one I will use. I don't disapprove of the fact that other people have a different opinion, and I don't give other FMA fan fiction writers a hard time for their choices. However, I'm tired of hearing it, and I am not changing every instance of her name in all of my fics to appease those who cannot get over the spelling. We all know who I'm talking about here. Anyway, I do really appreciate the readership and the other comments; its all very encouraging and makes me want to write better and more often! Thanks again!

Confession

As Edward undressed again and slipped into the warm water, he felt that for the first time since the explosion, he had a moment where his mind was actually clear and some time to think over his new set of circumstances. The first point that developed into a series of thoughts as he began washing was: "How did I get back?"

Unfortunately, that particular question only turned into internal metaphysical arguments, none of which he explored too deeply. 'No one knows for sure how the soul becomes attached to the body, or anything else along those lines. Besides, none of that is real science anyway, just speculation,' he reasoned, deciding to relax his body in the tub for a while and just think before washing his hair. 'But there's no information either way. Somehow, my body came back, with my soul intact. It had to have something to do with the explosion; that was no coincidence. I wish I had an idea of how much time has passed since I left…'

Ed closed his eyes and fought off an oncoming headache as he realized that everyone in that other plane probably judged him dead. And that some of those assisting in that lab experiment gone wrong had probably died as well; even the highly technical preventive measures they had taken certainly hadn't been enough to save Ed's body, and he only hoped that not too many others were injured.

'Wait… but what if… ' His eyes suddenly flew open in horror as he considered a certain possibility. 'What if someone was performing large scale alchemy in this world, and the explosion occurred because the transmutation needed an energy source?' Then, 'What if someone in this world figured out how to minimize the amount of power of their own they used for transmutations by maximizing the amount of power stolen from the other plane?' That possibility was just too much to bear; the guilt of all the transmutations he had performed in the past still plagued him, and his offenses had all been in ignorance. 'Maybe the Ishbal people are right… performing alchemy is a sin…'

He pulled the tie out of what hair had remained intact in his braid and shook out the tangles anxiously. Dunking his head under the water, he tried to clear his thoughts, willing them to come without the emotional baggage he had accumulated over the past years.

Luckily, the shock of water over his face brought him out of his guilt and anxiety for the moment, and he began considering lighter topics as he soaped his hair. 'Winly has really changed. I suppose I have as well, but she's become much more… considerate, I guess. I only remember seeing her for maybe a few hours since I've been back, and she was taking care of me the whole time. She's been there for me in the past, but not like this.' He sighed, thinking of the bright smile she'd barely been able to hide when she found him awake that afternoon. 'Maybe… maybe I've just never needed her like this before.'

As he rinsed the soap out of his hair, he realized just how vulnerable he'd been, and still was, really. If that explosion hadn't killed him, a night alone in that weather certainly would have. He had no money, no food, no place to stay… And for the first time he could remember, he actually felt thankful that someone cared enough about him to help him without expecting to be reimbursed in any way.

Ed climbed slowly out of the tub, forcing his still-weak arms to hold him steady while he got his footing. Toweling himself off and carefully avoiding splashing his clothes, he decided to tell her about what he'd learned. 'She deserves to know why I was so upset earlier,' he admitted, though he brushed off the hopeful thought that she could help him deal with some of the guilt he'd acquired. 'And we have some serious catching up to do.'

Putting on his clothes, and still feeling quite weak, he thought it would be a good idea to lay in bed while they talked; he would have rather sat on the grass in the sun, but it was still too cold outside for his liking. 'And Winly would never let me get away with it even if I tried,' he thought affectionately, slowly beginning to like the new light in which he saw her.

He returned to the house with his hair still wet and loose, hanging heavily around his shoulders, and smiled wanly at Winly as she opened the front door for him.

"Feel better?" she asked again, but with more brightness and less concern in her voice. Ed couldn't help but smile at her.

"Yeah. Thanks, Win," he replied, closing the door, and attempted unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.

"Still tired, huh?" she asked, looking a bit worried once again.

"A little," he admitted, "but we should do some catching up. It's been a long time," he added, lowering his voice to hide his rising emotions. He'd never guessed how hard that was to put into words.

She smiled, though Ed thought he saw the beginnings of tears in her eyes, then toughened her expression a bit. "Okay, but I don't want you overexerting yourself. You're going to relax, and you're going to take your medicine."

Thinking about that nasty tasting ooze he'd been swallowing the last few days made Ed shudder. It was one think to take it while he was half-conscious and confused, but quite another to do so willingly. He groaned and sagged his shoulders with distress. "Winly… you know I - "

Putting her hands on her hips, she interrupted, "I know you push yourself too hard, and hate being taken care of. And if you want that to stop, then you better swallow that stubborn pride of yours and get yourself healthy again."

This sudden burst of emotion surprised Ed, and he unconsciously took a step back.

"I'm sorry," she replied almost instantly. "I… I was just so worried about you… these past two years…" Her bright blue eyes swelled with tears just before she bent her head toward her feet to hide them. "A-and I… I was so afraid I was going to lose you again - "

Winly's voice broke off as the tears began to flow from her eyes, and she brought her hands up to her face as she sobbed quietly. Almost without thinking, Ed wrapped his arms around her and held her close, tucking her head against his shoulder as she cried into his shirtsleeve. The gesture only seemed to make her cry harder, which, strangely, he found he understood; holding her like this was something he never would have thought of two years ago, but it felt so completely natural to him now. And at that moment, he knew she needed to feel his body against hers, his physical presence providing the assurance she needed to finally release some of her worries.

As she continued sobbing, he began to stroke her hair and whisper a soft "shh…" after she dropped her hands from her face and clung to him so hard it made his ribs ache.

After a long while, he pulled away from her, and looked directly into her eyes, ignoring the strands of long blonde hair that had fallen into her face and her reddened cheeks. "I'm right here, Win, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I promise."

She nodded, wiping her eyes with her fingertips, and he began to cough into his sleeve. "And I'll take my medicine," he managed to choke out between coughs, reaching for the doorjamb behind him as the force caused him to double over. He heard Winly's steps retreat, and then return, and suddenly a spoon full of that thick, transparent, green liquid appeared in front of him. After swallowing his pride, he managed to gag the bitter concoction down, feeling it coat his raw throat and ease the intensity of the coughs almost immediately. Winly had moved to his side and was now patting his back softly.

"You should lie down for a while," she suggested, shifting her hand to his shoulder and giving it a little squeeze.

Ed sighed heavily, wishing he were back to his old, healthy self again. "I know," he replied reluctantly, glancing up and meeting her eyes. Something he read there made him realize just how good that hug had felt, and how much better it had made them both feel. 'Maybe… just maybe… ' "Will you come with me?" The words were so soft even he could barely hear them, and he stared at his feet as he waited for an answer, still not quite daring to hope –

But then Winly's hand touched his cheek, and he looked up to see her smile, full of understanding and compassion, the things he needed the most at that moment. She dropped her hand from his face and took his, giving it a quick squeeze as she led the way up to her room, with Ed following in a half-daze behind her. He still couldn't believe what he was feeling, and that she felt the same way…

She stopped suddenly in the doorway, her hand still on the doorknob. "Is this… I mean, my room, okay? I- I just thought maybe you'd like to get away from the sick room, you know…" She bit her lip and wrinkled her forehead in confusion.

Ed laughed; having heard stories of awkward moments between his colleagues and their significant others in the other plane, and tried to relax and reassure her by reaching out and touching her arm. 'Winly, it's me,' he thought, but replied, "Yeah, Win, that's fine."

Keeping hold of his hand, she led him inside and shut the door so her grandmother wouldn't interrupt what both felt was going to end up being a rather private conversation.