AN: Hey, guess what. I'm not dead! Yeah, I haven't updated in like, forever. Sorry! I've had the chapter done for a while now, but I just haven't typed it up. Well, all of it except for the ending of this chapter. So, I'm going to think it up when the time comes… But anyway, I hope you like it, and haven't forgotten what has happened. Actually, since it has taken me a while to get to the next update, I think I will give you all a little recap of what has happened. –Goes off to read what has happened- xD
RECAP: Edward and Alphonse come back to visit the Rockbell's to get Ed's automail fixed. During the stay, Ed and Winry take a walk to the rivers edge and share a moment together. Finally, Winry gets started on fixing Ed's automail. But afterwards, they both bid their goodnights and head up to bed.
AN: Hope that was good. I'm not very good at summarizing or recapping things. Anyways, onto the next chapter…
Chapter 4
-Drawer Full of Memories-
Light from the moons rays shone through the window on a tossing and turning Edward. A look of certain discomfort was apparent on his face. As his eyebrows furrowed together, he turned again as if trying to find some comfort. Suddenly, a look of terror crossed his face as he shot up in bed, panting heavily. It took Ed a few minutes to realize where his was and the fact that he wasn't dreaming anymore. Letting out a sigh while closing his golden eyes, Ed wiped the sweat off of forehead. Glancing at the clock on the nightstand by his bed, he noted that it was 3:15 AM. Letting out another sigh, Edward stood up, knowing that he probably wasn't going to get anymore sleep.
As Edward stretched and quickly ran his hand through his hair, he spotted the dresser that was in the far right hand corner of the room. He never paid much attention to it; it was just an ordinary dresser after all. Nothing too special about it… right? Ed always just figured that clothes were kept inside. But something was different at that moment. For some reason, maybe the lack of sleep or even him being just halfway awake, he suddenly got very curious as to what might be inside those dresser drawers. Figuring that there was nothing better to do anyway, the golden haired boy walked over to the dresser.
He wasn't too sure of which drawer to open first, so he decided to go in order. Pulling the first one open, he noticed that it was full of shirts. A light blue one caught his eye in particular. It was the one that he wore whenever he came home. When he was recovering from docking or when he just felt like laying around. Why had he never looked in the drawers, if they held the clothes he wore in them? He asked himself, but just as quick as he thought up the question, he thought up the answer.
"Because Winry always lays out my clothes for me," Ed paused a minute before continuing his thoughts, "Just like mom used to." Thoughts of his mother caused him to slam the drawer shut as he closed his eyes and furrowed his brows. Shoving all other thoughts of his mother to the back of his mind, Edward took a big breathe before opening the second drawer. Little did he know, that was the last one that he would be looking through. A slight gasp escaped his lips as he saw the contents in the drawer. The first thing that the alchemist noticed, was a small baseball hat. It was baby blue with a white trim. Picking up the hat, a sad smile spread across his face at the memory that the hat held in itself.
-Flashback-
"Winry! Winry! Look at this!"
A girl around the age of five with straw colored, chin length hair looked up from her activity of picking beautiful yellow daisies and noticed a boy with golden blonde hair with matching eyes sprinting towards her. The young girl stood up from her current sitting position and tilted her head to the side in slight confusion as to why her friend was calling her name out frantically. The young boy, who went by the name Edward Elric, Ed for short, stopped abruptly in front of his friend, Winry Rockbell, with a huge grin on his face. Winry soon followed Ed's lead and smiled brightly at the realization of what he was trying to show her.
"Wow! Is that your hat?" Said the young Winry Rockbell as she analyzed her friend's new accessory.
"Yup!" Ed stood up straight and tall, taking pride in his new hat.
"Can I try it on, Ed? Pretty please?" Winry pleaded.
"Hmmm…" Edward gripped his chin and looked as if he was deep in thought. "I dunno" he finally replied as he ran off, laughing.
"Hey!" Winry yelled in hot pursuit of her friend.
-Next Day-
Winry Rockbell hummed happily as she walked to the Elric's house. Today was the day they were all going to have a picnic. Well, that's what she thought anyway.
Instead of being greeted by a picnic basket, a blanket, and two smiling boys, Winry was greeted by luggage and two not so happy boys, who were talking with their mother.
"Don't worry, you two! We'll be back next week!" Their mother tried to cheer them up.
"But, I don't wanna go!" The oldest of the two boys protested, "Me and Al were ganna have a picnic with Winry today!" That's when Winry decided to make her presence known.
"What's going on? Where are you going?" she questioned, a look of confusion, disappointment, and worry apparent on her face. The two small boys and their mother turned their heads to see the young girl.
"Well," their mom stood up, "I'm going to help your father finish packing. You boys need to finish packing as well, so don't take too long." Once she was gone, Edward adverted his attention back to the young girl that stood in front of him and his younger brother.
"We're going away for a week." He stated bluntly. "So, we can't have a picnic today, or play." Upon hearing this, Winry's eyes watered up.
"A whole entire week?" She choked out, "I don't want you to be gone for that long!" Alphonse turned his attention to the ground, not being able to stand seeing his friend sad. A couple minutes passed and nothing was said between the three friends. That is, until Edward broke the silence when he noticed that Winry was about to cry.
"Here" Ed said, shoving his hat in Winry's face.
"Huh?" The young girl looked at the hat with a questioning gaze.
"You can have it." The oldest Elric brother looked away as a slight blush crept up on his cheeks, "Until we get back, I mean. You can borrow it until we get back." Winry's frown immediately faded into a heart warming smile as she took the hat and placed it on her head.
"Edward! Alphonse! The voice of their mother echoed.
"Well, we have to go now. But before we do, I want you to promise us something." He stated. "No matter where we go, or how long we are gone, you'll always wait for us."
Yes, Ed, I promise." She nodded, "I'll always wait for you, forever." Upon hearing her response, Ed and Al smiled before saying goodbye one last time and running back to their mother.
-End Flashback-
"And to think, she's still keeping that promise." Ed chuckled to himself as he set the hat back into the drawer. 'That was the vacation where Al tried to make me believe he could fly' he thought to himself as a picture of a younger Alphonse flapping his arms came to his mind.
The next thing that caught his eye, inside the drawer, was a stuffed dog. It was small and resembled a puppy version of Den, except without an automail leg. It took him a moment to remember what was so important about it, but when he finally did, he slightly blushed.
-Flashback-
The cries of a little girl echoed throughout the Elric brother's room. The room appeared as if a burglary had just taken place. Books, toys, crayons, kitten plushies, and even calculators were laying around aimlessly on the floor.
"Don't worry, Winry! We'll find it!" you Edward Elric said.
"Yeah! We'll find it!" Edward's younger brother, Alphonse, said, looking over a their crying friend.
"B-but, I j-just had her w-with me a m-m-moment ago." Winry choked out between sobs.
"Hey Win! C'mere!" Ed's voice was somewhat muffled, probably because his head was under a desk. Walking over to him, Winry tried to peer over his shoulder, as to find out what he was looking at.
"It this i-" Ed was cut off as he turned his head, only to come face to face, or rather lip to lip with his friend, Winry Rockbell.
After breaking the accidental kiss, it took a few moments for them to register what had just happened. Winry immediately stopped showing any signs that would have lead anyone to think that she had been crying only moments ago. A slight blush appeared on her face as well. As for Edward, he could have sworn his heart had just stopped. As he turned his head away, to hide the blush on his face, he shuved her dog plushie to her.
"I-it?" he finished his question. Winry only nodded in response as she took it from him and whispered a 'thank you' to him. But, their blushes only increased as they head a loud 'ewwww!' escape Al, who was covering his eyes.
-End Flashback-
Feeling as though he had had enough of walking down memory lane for one night, he dropped the stuffed dog back into the drawer. It was then that he heard something move downstairs. It sounded like a chair scraping along the floor.
'A burglar?' Ed thought to himself has he silently made his way out of his room and into the hall. 'Probably not. I shouldn't get all worked up. And even if it is a burglar, I can kick their ass!' He reminded himself as a cocky grin grew on his face.
Trying to be as quest as a guy with an automail leg could, Edward crept down the stairs and hid behind the sofa. The kitchen light was on, so he concluded that the person must be in there.
As he peeked in through a slight crack in the door that led to the kitchen, Ed was relieved to see Winry, sitting at the table. After straightening himself up, he marched through the door.
"Ah!" Winry screamed in shock, "Don't do that to me, Ed! You scared the living daylights out of me!" Taking a seat across from her, Ed chuckled.
"Sorry, Winry" he smiled, not sounding too sorry. "So, what are you doing up?" Edward asked, as he leaned back in his chair while putting his feet up in the table.
"Couldn't sleep" she stated, taking a sip of what looked like warm milk. Ed cringed at the though. "What about you?" she said, looking up at the golden haired teen sitting across from her.
"Eh, same" the Full Metal Alchemist sighed.
"Ya know," Winry started, "It's kind of funny." She giggles to herself as Ed stared at her, obviously confused. "I find all of my motivation to work at night, and all of my motivation to sleep during the day."
He could relate, he's had that happened to him a lot. Wanting to sleep the day away, but wanting to study alchemy and research the Philosiphers Stone all night.
"I wonder why. I mean, it's dark at night, right? So, that's the perfect time to sleep. And during the day, it's bright, so it would be the perfect time to work." She sighed after finishing her warm milk.
"Winry, what are you rambling on about?" Edward asked, somewhat amused by her nonsense.
Then it was Winry's turn to be amused. She didn't know what she was talking about either.
"Nevermind" she retorted lazily, "So, what are you and Al planning on doing now?"
At this question, Ed lowered his head and diverted his eyes from her. He knew this question was coming and that when it did; he would have to tell her.
"We were thinking about heading back to Central tomorrow, well, today." After telling her this, he quickly glanced up to see her reaction. She stared at him for a moment, and then bowed her head as sadness filled her eyes. Exactly what he thought.
"Oh" Winry breathed out finally after a while of awkward silence.
"Sorry, Win, but I- we have to. I still haven't gotten Al's body back, and that's a promise that I am going to keep." Edward knew that no matter what he said to cheer her up, nothing would help. But there's no harm in trying, right?
"I understand" the blonde girl sighed as she stood up and walked over to the sink. As she dropped the empty mug into the sink, her eyes were brimmed with tears that were threatening to fall down her fair cheeks.
After the mug was placed into the sink, she whispered a silent goodnight and walked off to her room.
Once Edward heard the door to Winry's room shut, he let out a frustrated sigh. He knew that Winry wanted them to stay, but what could he do? He had to find the Philosophers Stone to restore his little brother back to his body. Not to mention, he had to get back as soon as possible so he wouldn't have to that bastard Roy.
After sitting in his chair for a few moments more in complete silence, Full Metal got out of his chair and walked up to his room and back into bed; awaiting for the joys of tomorrow.
AN: And that is all for chapter 4! As I reread this chapter, I noticed a huge error. WHERE IS AL! He doesn't sleep… So, wouldn't he notice Ed getting out of bed and looking through the drawers and then going downstairs! But, for some reason, I didn't want to fix any of it. Let's just say that Al was sleeping in a different room? Anyways, I am hoping to develop an actually PLOT to this story. Lol. I want to get some action into it maybe? But the thing is, I have no idea what I would do. –sighs- I will try and think of something… That way this story will be more interesting. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Oh, and as for the spelling, sorry if there are spelling errors... The computer I am on at the moment doesn't do spellcheck and whatnot. o.o
Ed: Hmmm, a plot would be nice
SnwBnny: Yeah, yeah… I just don't know how I would do that
Ed: Well, try thinking.
SnwBnny: HA. HA. HA. --;