Disclaimer:… Already stated in the first chapter…

A/N: Sorry that updating took so long, but if you read the Author's note that I posted before, you'd understand the circumstance… Anyway, I hope that this chapter makes up for the wait!

Chapter Nine: By The River's Edge

Winry sat back in the couch's cushions, watching as Ed and Al talked and reminisced. She didn't need to listen to the conversation to understand that they were both just enjoying each others company and glad to see one and other. Ed had a wide smile on his face, one of the few genuine grins she had seen on his face since his return, and Al seemed complete for the first time in a long while. She hadn't noticed her own smile that had crept it's way across her lips.

During the brothers' conversation, she began to notice that she was dozing off, not of boredom, but possibly the overwhelming feeling of comfort she now had at having the brothers back and together again. More than once, she had to catch herself from falling onto Ed, even though she was leaning back slightly now, she still had just enough room to fall upon his shoulder. She wouldn't mind that, but Ed probably would for he never was too much of such a person like that, even if he was her friend.

Edward gave a laugh of amusement and Winry smiled, if possible, even wider at the sound of his laugh. She hadn't heard it very often, and his laughter stopped almost as quick as it began as she felt his shoulder stiffen beneath her head. Ed, who was leaning completely against the couch's soft cushions, looked down at Winry's blonde head as it lulled slightly on his flesh shoulder as she breathed. He felt his ears and cheeks burn and the more Al stared amusedly at them, the more Ed tried to avoid his brother's gaze. Winry was only half aware that Ed was fidgeting, causing her head to bob harshly against his shoulder and her brows twitched a moment before she slapped at his arm softly, and mumbled something.

"Since when did she take a habit into that?" Al asked, referring to Winry slapping Ed on the arm, which he had stopped his fidgeting.

"I dunno," Ed whispered, wondering exactly why he was doing so, "but it's better than her knocking me senseless with that damn wrench." as Ed said this, he gave her a furtive glance, hoping she wouldn't decide to take up that habit again. Al shook his head and chuckled as he leaned back in his own seat.

Den, who had been laying his head upon Al's shoes, got up slowly and stretched, groaning as his muscles unclenched from him lying.

Ed continued to look down at Winry uncomfortably as Al spoke,

"Anyway," Al said in a sort of mocking tone and Ed glared at him as if to warn him not to say anything of the situation for, even if he hadn't recognized Al's mischievous grin, he recognized that mocking tone, "when did it happen?" Ed stared at him incredulously,

"What are you talking about?" Ed blurted (loosing his whispering tone), knowing exactly what Al was accusing him of.

"Come on, brother…" Al cocked his head to the side, looking over at them with a look of great amusement. He always loved teasing his older brother about his relationship with Winry and he couldn't help but to now. Their relationship seemed to scream out at everyone besides the ones that were involved. Al only chuckled and smiled as a bright crimson spread across Ed's cheeks and his mouth held agape at the accusation,

"It's not like that!" Ed defended, "It's not, it's not, it's not, it's NOT!"

" 'It's not' what!" a shrill voice said beside Ed and he blanched as he looked at a disheveled Winry. Ed had began to protest so whole-heartedly that he had shaken Winry from his shoulder and awoken her.

"Well, Ed and I w-" Al began but Ed threw him a angry glare, his brow twitching,

"NOTHING" Ed growled in a cautionary tone, putting much emphasis in the single word. Winry simply eyed the two, while fixing her hair for it stuck out in some places and finely standing, while Ed and Al continued to stare; Al sitting with a his arms crossed, and a teasing grin on his face, Ed with his palms resting on his knees and that glowering glare on his features as if being blackmailed.

"Well," Winry said, getting only Al's attention while Ed still watched his brother, as if expecting Al to say something Ed would resent, "if we're all up to it, I say we go out and do something." Ed gave her a alarming sideways glance.

"It doesn't have anything to do with buying, looking, admiring or squealing for auto-mail, does it?" Ed asked in a tired manner.

"No," Winry put her hand to her chin as if contemplating the outcomes of a problem, "but now that you ment-"

"What else did you have in mind?" Ed asked hurriedly, knowing that anything to do with auto-mail would result in him and Al carrying everything she bought and buying it as well. He didn't mind buying her things, really, but he wasn't exactly jumping in line to carry it all. Winry gave a slight look of disappointment, but then smiled at him before speaking,

"I thought we could go down by the river or something and just spend the day down there. It's still early in the day and since everyone's here, might as well enjoy it, right?" Winry reasoned and Ed let a smile of agreement play along his lips and Al smiled as well, the idea appealing to everybody, including Den.

"Yeah, we'll see if you're still as good as a opponent without that tin can as a body, huh, Al?" Al looked at him a moment in confusion before he remembered Winry telling him in one of her letters about he and Ed sparing every once in a while. He didn't remember the thrill that brought him, but he wanted to know how it felt in a human body if nothing else. It might be fun… he couldn't remember exactly if it was or not.

"Yeah," he said. Winry looked at the boys worriedly, not really wanting them to be so reckless. But, maybe, with hope, they'd forget and she wouldn't have to worry… Winry smiled before running out of the room to do whatever she saw fit before Al grinned at him from across the room in a mischievous manner. Ed hadn't noticed for he was still staring at the direction at which Winry had left, a unreadable look upon his facial features, which had caught Al's interest.

"And we can see if you and Winry t-" at that moment, Ed's foot balanced on the edge of a center table between Al's seat and his own seat, and with one good thrust of his leg, shoved it across the room to catch Al's shins between the chair and wood of the table. It didn't hurt, but it was just crude enough to stop the conversation as Ed got up and left the room, a satisfied look on both of their faces.

oooooooo

Al's accusations continued before and after he, Ed, Winry, and Den left the house. Winry carried a wicker basket filled, to Ed's delight, with a meal that would become their picnic later and Al carried a large, yellow blanket that would be their seating. Ed, who was eyeing the wicker basket with longing, offered to "take the burden off her hands" to carry it so as to sneak a few bites, which Winry doubted his "humble" offer and declined. Al snickered from behind him, making his own suspicions on Ed's offer.

"What a gentleman…" Al said under his breath just loud enough for his brother to hear and possibly Winry as Ed turned to him and grumbled a few harsh words in defense. But Al knew his true intentions on wanting the basket (for food), but decided to take that opportunity to tease him again.

"You may be my little brother, but there's a river we're going to that won't care and I might be inclined to thrust a certain brother of mine beneath it." Ed said out of the side of his mouth in a undertone for Winry may hear and Al simply smiled impishly, knowing Ed was giving a empty threat, but he wouldn't put it past him to push him in nonetheless.

Winry glanced behind her, swearing she had heard Ed speak as Den pranced around, waiting for the teens to hurry and barking his plea.

Ed gave a last agitated growl before turning back to the direction before him, letting his bangs dance beside his cheeks. The weather today was perfect, and Ed was glad to have worn the clothes he was so as he could enjoy it. He wore the usual black muscle shirt, but had on a pair of blue jean and slightly baggy pants. They were Al's, and to Ed's loathing, were a little too big on his hips but not too long, which soothed his discontent. Al was thirteen and Ed almost nineteen, and it didn't add up in Ed's mind how his younger brother could possibly wear larger clothes. How could life be so unfair! He's already almost taller than me! This blows… Winry and Al are gonna carry this one to my freakin' grave. Ed protested in his head as they neared the river.

"Something wrong?" Winry had turned to Ed and noticed the twitch in his cheek at his thoughts and his muttering beneath a whisper. Ed shook his head as Al spread the blanket with one swift motion of his hands. Ed and Winry sat; Winry placing the wicker basket next to her and farthest from Ed, and Ed trying to incline his head around her to see the basket. Al still stood, hands in his pockets and staring out over the landscape with a content smile on his face. Another gentle breeze went by, making everyone's hair flutter and Al couldn't express how weird it felt to know that before, he couldn't feel anything, and now he could, but not having any memory of him not being able to. It had just felt as if he had blinked a very long time… but he knew that wasn't the case.

Meanwhile, Ed had given up on reaching for the wicker basket (after only pulling back pieces of reed from the basket in his haste to get it without Winry noticing) and was now lying upon the blanket, arms folded behind his head, and a piece of the pulled reed between his teeth. Winry had her legs folded beneath her, enjoying the feeling of the warm sun and soft breezes as they swept over them as well as a comforting silence.

Winry glanced down at Ed, who lay beside her, and watched as he twisted and bobbed the reed in his mouth. He hadn't noticed her staring and neither had she after a few moments until Den barked in excitement in the distance, shoving her out of her blank staring. Unknown to her, Al had shot them furtive glances where he stood before nudging Ed with his shoe. Ed shifted the reed within his mouth to the other side of his mouth before looking up at Al,

"Ready for the sparing match?" Al asked. Ed inclined himself on his palms after taking the reed out and tossing it somewhere behind him and then looked up at Al grinning.

"Yeah, sure."

"Is that all you guys think about, or are all brothers like that?" Winry asked in a curious tone. Ed looked over at her,

"Like what?"

"Are all brothers so competitive and like to attempt to break each other's necks?" she asked in a manner that suggested that this was a usual conversation, which to her, it was.

"Ah, c'mon, Winry," Al whimpered. He usually ended up with Winry in a bad mood after having disagreements like this one. She looked at them as if trying to see any positive outcome of the situation, and, after not being able to come up with one, scoffed and turned away from them.

"Nothing but trouble, the both of you." she muttered as Ed looked at her. He didn't like the way she had given in and, apparently, neither had Al for Ed noticed the look he had was almost identical to his.

They walked of to a area away from Winry, close to the river's edge, Ed throwing glances over his shoulder at her as she got up and walked over to the edge of the river too, Den following at her feet. She sat and took off her shoes and then placed them next to her before dipping her feet into the flowing water.

She wasn't going to bother them about it; she had expressed her worry about them, and they were able to put that into consideration, though she doubt that would stop them. And it didn't. She turned her head to stare in their direction and frowned as they began. She had seen them fight before, but only when Al was attached to the armor. Now, Al moved with swift and quick movements, as did Ed, but being currently in the military, Al had a few moves that Ed hadn't known of and had been caught off guard a few times before he began to catch Al's new techniques and found blocks and maneuvers for them. She couldn't explain if her life depended on it how she felt every time she witnessed either of them fight; she didn't want to watch them hurt themselves, and yet, when they spared, she couldn't pull her eyes away. Although she knew they'd never hurt each other purposely, there was still that thought in the back of her mind telling her to be worried. It was her natural instinct to be worried about them.

To amuse herself, she would kick water from the continuous flow of the water and settle her toes at just the top of the water so that it tickled them. Den, who had noticed her playing at the water's edge, decided he wanted to join and, before she had a moment to move, jumped forward into the water. Next moment, Winry let out a disgruntled squeal and had jumped up and was wringing some of her clothes dry from the splash Den had emitted. He barked at her sudden abrupt movement and stood in the water where it wasn't much higher than his chest.

The brothers had stopped and looked around frantically at her cry of surprise and Ed couldn't help but laugh at her as she wrung her clothes.

"Don't laugh! There isn't a once of humor in this at all!" she yelled, which made Ed only laugh harder at he defensive words. Al smiled apologetically and Winry scoffed at him incredulously, "You too, huh?" she glared as her cheeks burned slightly from embarrassment.

"That color looks good on you." Ed snickered. Winry clasped at her cheeks and stamped her foot.

"Shut up, both of you!" she squealed. Al only chuckled and shook his head guiltily.

"Sorry, Winry, but I have to admit it was kinda funny." Winry laughed falsely in mock happiness,

"Oh, yes," she crossed her arms, "I can barely breath from all the laughter." she looked away from them in irritation, her cheeks gaining their normal color.

"Oh, Winry, lighten up a bit." Ed said, now fully gaining his composure again, "You wanted to come down here to relax and you get a little mad at getting wet?" Winry's cheek twitched as she stomped over to the wicker basket and kneeling down in front of it, her back to them and the basket out of sight. For a moment, to Ed's horror, he had thought she might throw it at him, and destroy their food, but, next moment she stood, he back still to them. Next thing Ed knew, he saw something hurling in the air, the sun catching a gleam from metal, and then a splitting pain coursing from his forehead.

" 'Lighten up a bit', he says… I'll 'lighten up!' " Ed slowly glanced down at the wrench that now lay on the ground next to him, a hand grasping at his throbbing head.

"Winry, what the hell! I thought you'd stopped that!" he pointed at her as she made her way to him.

"I did, but I feel so much better after that." she said in a venomously sweet manner that made Ed blanch.

"Al, do something!" Ed said as he picked up the wrench and ran.

"No, brother, you got yourself in this, you get yourself out…" he said watching Winry run after him. He smirked as Ed made a run toward Al in attempt to lose Winry, and a smiled at Ed as he neared, "Hey, Ed," Ed looked at him and he gave him a warning glare, quickening his pace to shut his brother's mouth, "just tell her that y-"

"SHUT UP!" Ed's face turned three different shades of crimson before he ran straight into his younger brother, and teetering a moment as they tried to regain their postures before Winry caught up with Ed and grabbed a hold of his bangs from behind.

"GIVE….ME…MY…WREnch…ba- AUGH!" Winry tugged harder on his bangs with every word until she noticed that they were falling nearer the water's edge and had stopped to let go, but it was too late. Ed had grabbed at her to stop and regain his own posture with her (dropping the said wrench), but only succeeded in pulling her down with him and Al.

Winry squealed and screamed into Ed's ear as she felt herself fall beneath the water. It wasn't all that deep where they had landed, but just deep enough to get everyone wet and cold and Winry immediately began to squirm to get out, continuing to squeal in Ed's ear, which sent tingling and numbing sensations through his head. She hadn't noticed that in her squirming, she had crawled on Ed's legs and was out of most of the water, but continued to squeal. Al eventually released himself from Ed's grasp and stared at Winry incredulously. Ed tried to get up, but found he couldn't move his legs, and for a fleeting moment, her thought he had paralyzed his legs during the fall. He hurriedly inclined himself on his arms, to look at his legs, and blanched before his whole face and ears burned a deep crimson. And in a new found vigor of strength, knocked Winry off, making her give another sudden squeal of surprise.

"Stop squealing like some child, Winry." Ed yelled, his face still bright red. Al snickered as he got up and trudged to the edge, where he attempted to empty his shoes of water.

"Oh, shut up!" she slapped the water's surface in agitation, only gaining a splash in the face and Ed laughed at her stupidity. "I don't know why you're laughing, you bean, you're wet t-" she didn't get to finish before Ed jumped in after her again, picked her up in a cradling position, and walked deeper into the river's depths, then stopped where the water was now at his waist.

"A BEAN, huh?" Winry struggled to get free, and upon realization she let out a squealing giggle and attempted to jump from his grasp but to no avail. She then tried to hold onto his neck, and with one good thrust, he attempted to throw her forward. Unfortunately for him, her arms around his neck didn't give and he went falling forward too clumsily.

Al watched as he sat on the blanket, petting Den and eating a portion of a sandwich.

They eventually broke to the surface, Ed sputtering from his own mistake and Winry swimming frantically away from him after kicking water into his face. The water was now about to his chest from his attempt to throw Winry in and falling forward too, and the water was too deep to run after her for revenge. She giggled feverishly as Ed swam after her and only when she felt his flesh hand graze her ankle did she let out a squeal in delight and in turn, choking on a mouthful of water. She began laughing so hard, she lost some strength to swim away and slowed, resulting in Ed now grabbing her arm in waist deep of water. She turned to a winded and soaked Ed and splashed his face with water, giggling louder as he tried to pull her into deeper water so as to throw her in again. He was laughing too, but his laughs were huffy and choking from being tired. He liked to mess with Winry like this, for she was a girl and laughed so easily he really didn't need to try to make her.

She tried to stand, so as to run for the water wasn't as deep anymore, and succeeded a moment before tripping under the weight of the water as she reached a depth of about her shins.

The rocks beneath the surface of the water were slippery from weathering of the water and as she tried to get up again and pull from Ed's grip, her feet slipped from under her. Her heel kicked Ed's feet from beneath him and he fell forward. He instinctively put his hands forward so as to brake his fall and they did, landing on either side of Winry's head. A gasping pain hit his stomach as he almost dry heaved, and a moment later, he had realized Winry's knee was inclined just so that it collided with his stomach. He mentally sighed, thankful that her knee had only hit his stomach and not… somewhere else.

Winry stared up at Ed, his bangs dripping water onto her face and his breaths creating ripples in the water that rested on her. The water settled from their fall, and the current of the river flowing past and over them tickled her bare skin. Her face peaked over the water's surface, water tickling her neck and chin as she stared up at Ed's face that lingered above her. After regaining his breath, he opened his eyes and froze in realization at their current position. He wanted to move, but he couldn't…

Even though the water was chilling them slightly, their faces were plenty warm. Winry's inflicting knee rested now beside his waist, the other one laying between his own legs; her arms rested beside her , and felt as if she couldn't feel them. They both just stared, neither looking away and neither moving except for their chests as they rose and fell from the exertion a moment ago.

Al had stopped in mid-bite to look away bashfully. Even if it wasn't him there, he couldn't withstand the embarrassment it gave him just seeing them like that.

Meanwhile, Ed was beginning to get sense of feeling back to his body and was making movements to get up, but he hadn't looked away from her. Winry stared back at him, her ears were submerged underneath the water and she couldn't hear anything but her own breathing. But the fact she couldn't hear made the situation almost surreal; his movements on the rocks beneath her booming and echoing in her ears like the sound was traveling down a twisted and curved tube.

At that moment, Ed looked away, and lifted himself completely and Winry felt herself excel deeply in disappointment. She, too, lifted up her upper body from the water and expected Ed to help her up, but she turned and found him walking toward the blanket where Al sat. As she watched, Ed seemed to realize that Al was there to see what happened as if he hadn't been there the whole time.

Ed's back was facing Winry, and he was glad for that, for his face was streaked with red. He glanced at Al as he sat down across from him and hesitated a moment before digging in the basket himself to get something to eat. Al noticed his brother trying to act like nothing had happened which everyone knew wasn't true. Al grinned from behind his sandwich but decided not to say anything as Winry made her way toward them, wringing her clothes as she did so. She sat lazily on the left of Al and the right of Ed and didn't say anything as she reached to grab something to eat as well.

Once Ed had began to eat, the previous event seemed nonexistent, but Winry had a look and mood around her that suggested it was still fresh, which was understandable. She wasn't eating, she was nibbling and avoiding any eye contact. Al, after all the years he had known Winry since childhood, couldn't pinpoint what exactly she thought about it, but he had his suspicions. He would look at Ed to see if he had noticed and to his expectations, he hadn't noticed anything but the food that lay before him.

In truth, Winry didn't know what she made of it. In her heart, she knew it meant everything and nothing at the same time, and it made a squirming and fluttering feeling in her stomach that made eating impossible.

Al decided to puncture the silence,

"How's the auto-mail shop coming, Winry?" he asked the first question that came to mind to get some kind of conversation started. She looked at him, as if caught with a odd question.

"Oh, well, grandma thinks that I'll be able to take full responsibility for the shop soon, but I need just a little more practice in maintaining everything on my own." she shrugged, "But I don't think I'm really ready to do it on my own. I mean, being the talented and gifted auto-mail mechanic that I am, I could manage auto-mail, but the whole shop is different."

"You'll do fine, Winry." Ed said before taking another mouthful of his food, "Pinako wouldn't trust you with the shop if she thought you couldn't handle it." he reasoned and grabbed for another sandwich from the basket before Winry blushed from his praise.

"I guess you're right." she said and smiled as she, too, took a large bite from her sandwich.

"When am I not right?" Ed asked confidently. A pause bubbled between them before Winry and Al exchanged grins.

"Almost all the time." they said in unison and the pout on Ed's face made the two of them grin.

Winry's wrench lay forgotten by the river's edge.

A/N: This chapter, I knew was going to be LONG. Six pages to be exact and I am proud at myself! The plumbers were here until Saturday and I had to stick around to help clean up any mess they left behind so updating did take longer than I originally planned and I am sorry for that! Anyway, now I just need to update That Which Is Deception… I'm busy as you can see. :3

Brickwall847: I heard that Adult Swim is eventually going to air them all, but production and voice overs are still not done… But I dunno. Anyway, it's okay that you mentioned those possible mistakes in the story; it let's me know that I have readers that do look for the tiny things in the story that make the characters and show significant. I try to stay as true to the plot (series) as possible. Thanks for the review, hun:3

Karia Ithilai: Sorry updating took so long and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! n.n

Silent:Tears:Fall: I felt bad doing such a thing to Ed, but for sake of the story... Thanks for the review! ;3