Updated in time for Valentines, but alas this chapter is mostly angst. However it is also a representation of true love so its romantic enough for me. This fic won't end until I run out of lyrics, so a few more chapters to go.
Remember, this is moviespoiler territory. FMA isn't mine.
She walked at such a slow pace it was almost unbearable. Shezka held on to her arm but Winry did not seem to notice as they headed toward the military base. The mass destruction that had occurred was all around them but for Winry it meant very little. She did not once look up from the floor and merely let Shezka guide her. The clean up operation would take months but at least they were out of danger.
Winry replayed the same picture over and over in her head. She saw the flying machine vanish and she knew Edward was aboard. She had waited for two years and they had been together for all of fifteen minutes. Now once again he had left her behind without so even much as a goodbye. Al would be devastated to find his brother gone again. She walked over all the blood and debris and didn't think twice about it. Perhaps she was being cruel in not caring for others but her heart had no room for sympathy. She was filled with rage and humiliation for making such a scene when she saw him. He had sat there with every intention of deserting once again and she hated him for it.
'Ah, Miss Hawkeye,' Shezka exclaimed but the First Lieutenant ran past them at top speed. They turned to see her run toward a figure emerging from the smoke on the horizon. Even through all the dust they could not mistake the jet black hair of the Colonel. Winry finally came to her senses and sped toward him just as Hawkeye was.
The first embraced him tightly before regaining her composure. Winry who already had tears forming in her eyes ran straight at him and slapped him hard across the face. His expression did not change which only caused to upset her more. She raised her hand to strike him once again but Hawkeye grabbed a hold of the hysterical girl and held her back.
'How could you let him go?' she wailed, 'How could you just stand there and watch him leave us all again. How will Al cope?'
He took a breath before revealing, 'Al has gone with him too.'
She took a moment or two to register what he said before she cried even harder then she had before. A mixture of anger, confusion and hurt all built up within her and she had no way to express it but to cry. Riza held on to her to stop her falling to the ground.
'First Lieutenant, I must go and destroy the gate. Please deploy the men to start the clean up operation.'
As he walked away Winry once again snapped to attention. She knew little about alchemy but she guessed the gate was the passage to the world Ed and Al had gone back to. If she could find it she might be able to pass through it before it was destroyed. She wriggled herself free of Riza's grip and ran out of sight. If Riza thought she had gone she would be able to peruse the Colonel as he would lead her to the gate. She didn't care how ridiculous it sounded to anyone. What did they know about what she was going through right at that moment?
Waiting until Riza had vanished Winry quickly caught up with the Colonel but was careful to keep out of his earshot. She could see him heading toward the entrance to the underground city and a realisation hit her. The gate was the great glowing circle in the sky. She would never be able to reach it to be able to pass through.
No she would be beaten that easily. If she could not get to it now she would out a way later. All she had to do was convince Mustang that he should not destroy the gate. She stopped her stalking and ran after him but she had lost track of him. She would be alright for he wouldn't have got that far away from her. She kept running toward the under ground city knowing that at any moment she would catch up with him and plead with all her heart for him to stop.
Although she was now nearly where Ed had emerged she had not yet caught up with the Colonel. He must have been lying to Miss Hawkeye and gone elsewhere before he was going to destroy the gate. Wiping away her tears she began to feel some hope that she may see them again. If the other world was just like theirs they could live just as they had before.
All she had now in this world was her grandmother and dog. As hard as it was to accept neither were long for this world and she would be completely alone. She had already begun to break away from her grandmother as was the way they both wanted it. She was sure she would understand under the circumstances and be happy her granddaughter had found meaning in her life. She couldn't just spend all of her time making auto-mail.
It was then she heard a sound that in one moment erased all the hope she had just built up. She both heard and saw the explosion that seemed to occur in mid-air and from nothing. She ran harder and faster then she had before until she saw the Colonel with his hand raised. He had burnt off part of the gate and it was becoming inactive.
'No,' she screamed but it seemed he already knew she was there. With another click of his fingers another large chunk of the gate vanished and the beautiful glow it once held failed. It took with it all of her dreams and hopes of being with the Elrics. Once again she was left with nothing but despair and she fell to her knees.
With another snap the Colonel finished his job and walked over to her. She stared at his feet but nothing registered with her. He knelt down in front of her and lifted her head by her chin. Her eyes briefly lifted to look directly into his.
'Ed wished to pass on a message to you. Al was meant to deliver it but he has passed it on to me. Edward thanks you for his auto-mail. I know why you came here Winry and I know you followed me. It was hopeless anyway Miss Rockbell. Edward went back through to the other world to destroy the gate.'
'So there is really no way of getting to them?'
'Not by any means you can follow and before you ask I can't either. You are in their thoughts Winry and with that you must settle.'
But she knew there and then she would not settle if there was still away to reach them.
Every time I try to fly, I fall
Without my wings, I feel so small
I guess I need you, baby