Shorter chapter but then this isn't meant to be a long fic. We're trying to follow how Winry will cope with thingsso of course it concentrates on her. Still more to come, but those who know the song know that. FMA isn't mine.
Mustang had instructed Armstrong to take Miss Rockbell home and make sure she was kept safe. He had expected her to be upset but from what he could see she was entirely crushed. They had taken for granted the childhood friend of the Elric brothers and now they had to make it up to her. Roy was unaware exactly what her state of mind was but from what he had seen she was unstable. As long as somebody was around to make sure she did not do anything where she might hurt herself she could go home.
Winry was sat in a very defensive pose with Armstrong by her side. They were on the train that was on its way to Lior so they could pick up Rose and take her back to Rizembol with them. She was none to pleased about being escorted although they adamantly denied that's what was going on. She had stopped crying or even feeling the urge to and sat with a scowl on her face. Armstrong chuckled quietly beside her.
'I'm glad you have a reason to laugh Major,' she snarled cruelly. The bulk of muscle looked deflated but he could not take it personally.
'I was just having a flashbackMiss Rockbell. I have seen Edward pull exactly the same face at me.'
She made a noise somewhere between a snort and a whimper and looked out the window. Perhaps she was not the type to feel better by talking about it. They were going to be on the train for a long while but he hoped Rose would bring some reprieve. It hurt him to see Winry so spiteful because he knew it was because she was upset. They had phoned Pinako to tell her what had happened and she had told them to be careful with her grand-daughter. Winry had lost many of the people she loved.
'When?' she suddenly asked.
'Excuse me Miss Rockbell?'
'When did he pull a face like this?'
'I thought he did all the time,' he beamed.
He was delighted to see a small grin appear in the corner of her mouth and decided to push his luck. As the train pulled away he told her all the memories she had of the Elric brothers. She got to hear what she wanted to and did not have to say a word back. As a man of the military it was the best he could do.
Winry was able to sit on the train while the Major went to fetch Rose and the children. She was content to be alone for a few moments as she could think over her day. She had let what Armstrong had to say wash over her. However it had only lead to upset her in an entirely new way. Upon hearing his words she became aware of how much she had missed out on in their lives. Al had lost all of his memory so had never been able to fill her in. She had buried herself in work after Al had left and tried to block out all the questions she had. Now knowing she would never really get the answers she wanted the questions were plaguing once again. Her heart beat painfully a couple of times and she clutched her chest.
'Hello.'
She jumped and look to where the small voice came from. Standing in the doorway was the child who was I the carriage opposite them. He was spinning absent mind idly and humming to himself.
'Hello,' she replied.
'You look sad.'
'I'm afraid I am sad.'
'Why?'
She almost laughed at the innocence of youth, 'I have lost some people who are very special to me.'
He looked up at her and smiled, 'There is no need to be sad. I cried when daddy never came home but mommy said not to.'
'And why should you not?'
'Because they have gone to a place where they will be happy forever. And one day you get to be with them.'
Her mouth fell open to speak but nothing came out. The little boy trotted back to his own carriage leaving her in a state of shock. She hadn't ever thought the way he did. She knew that death meant the end of it even when Ed had explained human transmutation to her. Perhaps she would be far happier now if she believed that they were in a happy place where she could one day follow.
She could hear the voices of the others approaching. Not wanting to have to talk to anyone she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She could hear Rose asking about how she was but Armstrong did not answer. With Rose and the children sat in another carriage and the gentle movement of the train rocking her, Winry eventually fell asleep.
Her dreams were only on the one topic and that was those she had been parted from. She first dreamt of her father and mother. They had been such caring people but it had eventually led to their death. It had taken her a while but she had forgiven Mustang for putting her through such pain. Their faces soon faded out to be replaced by the others she was close to. Although she had been parted from Ed for two years she had been with him every moment. She had not known when he was going to come back but she knew he would. She could see his smile shine through the darkness of her memory and she held her hands out to him. He embraced her and whispered promises of never leaving her. She could feel his warmth and his breath on her neck but she still knew it was a dream.
Her eyes snapped open and focused on the world around her. She was not within Edward's embrace at all but still stuck in the cramped carriage on the train. She was happy to see she was alone and she let some final tears fall down her cheek. Even with her eyes open she could see him standing before her and she almost held out her hands again. Reality came back to her with a heavy bump as one of the suitcases fell off the shelf above her head. She screamed slightly and jumped backward and Armstrong came running in.
'Winry are you alright?' he cried picking up the offending item.
She nodded at him and noticed one the of children appear in the doorway. She had faced the words come from the mouth of a babe already once so was not surprised by what he said.
'You could have died lady,' he said rather matter of factly.
'Don't say that Dom,' Rose scolded the child and she arrived to retrieve him, 'You aren't hurt are you Winry?'
Winry shook her head as her heart dropped out of her throat, 'No, no that certainly would not have killed me. Children say the strangest things don't they?'
But sometimes they could be the wisest of the population.
And every time I see you in my dreams
I see your face, it's haunting me
I guess I need you, baby