From Best Friends to Soul Mates

CHAPTER 2: Coming Home part II

Disclaimer: Dudes im gonna tell u one last time… I DO NOT OWN FMA! Or anything else for that matter…im broke.

Anyways thank u to all my reviewers: C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only…thnx im really glad u liked it./ i-love-ed-and-cheese… hehe were going to be trading reviews back and forth now…lol /acegirl195 here's ur update. /DeadlyNightShade90 im glad ur interested. That's the effect I was hopping for. / Shadow-Kunoichi-Yumi thnx for the review./ ihrtinu : thnx for the review im glad I can help u with ur boredumness. …. And last but not least. My best friend and the one who got me hooked on here…sexy auto mail mechanic 101 : thnx for the review "girlfriend." ok thnx all luv ya… u keep this story goin!

Now on with the story…

Winry stood there staring at the blonde in front of her. He had grown. She had to give the guy props for that. He had always been so short. His hair was the same stunning gold. But he had decided to drop the braid and go for a ponytail look instead. His clothes were different too. He had abandoned his tight pants for dark denim shorts that went down to his knees and, and a bright red shirt with an alchemy logo stitched on it. The most obvious change was the lack of auto mail in place of his right arm and left leg. The auto mail she had designed and put together herself. But despite all the appearance changes she new it was him. Just by that cocky smile and the way those golden eyes looked at her with a mocking tone, she knew. It was just the same old Ed. Even though he was 20 years old, she knew it was the same Ed.

While Winry was taking in Ed's new look, Ed was surveying the feisty blonde as well. She had changed a lot since he had last seen her. It was amazing what 2 months did to a guy. All he had been able to think about was her and now she was standing there. She had abandoned the small sports bra and a mechanics suit for a halter top and jean cutoffs. She was twenty years old but still had the same, young look that youth brought and a lot of people lost. Her hair was pulled back and had streaks of brown scattered throughout the tawny strands. One of those strands had fallen in her face and his fingers ached to tuck it back behind her eye. Her brilliant blue eyes sparkled with excitement, wonder, and something else he couldn't identify. He tried to get another look but it disappeared as fast as it came.

He finally broke the silence, " Are you just going to sit there staring at me, or are you going to say something?"

She shocked them both by leaping onto him and giving him a fierce hug. " Oh man, I've missed you so much." He grasped onto her waist out of peer instinct, afraid she might fall and spun her around. She squealed and grabbed on tighter. When he finally set her down her face was glowing and her eyes were glazed over with excitement. He was grinning like a child, his eyes locked on hers. She grinned back and asked, " How's the new arm feel?" He blinked at her in surprise then realized what she meant.

" Huh? Oh, that. Ya well it feels alright. Kinda hard to get used to though. I had the auto mail for so long." She giggled and he looked sharply at her. " What? What is so funny." She just shook her head and her giggles turned into bubbles of laughter. He stood there glaring at her until she was able to talk again. She wiped the tears from her eyes and shook her head again. " Winry will you please tell me what the hell is so funny?"

" It's just the look on your face when I asked you how it feels." she giggled again but managed to contain herself. " You were so clueless. You looked like I had hit you with a sledgehammer." He glared at her again then his face softened.

" It's good to hear you laugh again, Winry." he said softly. She looked up at him, confused. Where was this coming from?

" Don't go all soft on me now Ed. I was just getting used to you being so hard headed.

" Who says im not still hard-headed? Im as hard-headed as ever." he replied proudly.

" Sure you are. Whatever you say." she said as she walked toward the door. " Sure you are."

" I am!" he yelled. She just shook her head and started downstairs. He sighed and followed her down. He would show her just how stubborn he was.

When they got downstairs Winry walked straight to the kitchen. She was hungry and knew Ed would be too. What she didn't expect when she walked into the kitchen was to see a boy sitting at her kitchen table. She didn't recognize him at first, but when he turned his head and smiled at her she squealed and ran to give him a hug.

" AL! Oh my god is that really you?" she asked. He had big gold eyes like his brother but his where softer and full of warm laughter. Hi hair was like his brothers too. A soft yellow with hints of sun streaks in it. He had small, delicate hands, but she knew better than to be deceived by those hands. They could pack a powerful punch if he felt he or anyone he loved was being threatened. He wore faded denim jeans and plain white sneakers. The last time she had seen Alphonse Elric in human form he had been 9 years old and full of innocence. Now at 19 years old he had lost the look of innocence but still acted like a child. She knew he had lost that look of innocence by all the horrors he had seen. But he managed to hide all that by not losing his child's spirit. Granted he had matured, he just didn't change. He matured but didn't change. He was still Al.

" Of course it's me Winry." he laughed. His voice had gotten deeper and was perfect for him. It was fluid and warm, and eased her heart. She had worried that since he had a body, not a suit of armor, he would be a little rough. Especially when you count all the things he had to go through.

Winry hugged him again and sighed. It was great to have them all together again.

" Come on sit down. Ill make you two breakfast and you can tell me what you've been up to."

Well here it is. The next chapter. Im very happy with this one and hope you guys like it. Like last time ill update when I get some reviews. Tell me if this was to short or to long. Im still not sure how long to make these things. Well thnx to all my reviewers. You really make me happy. J that is cool… ok well the next chapter is going to go back in time a little. ( im pretty sure i made this one longer ) :)

Next Chapter : Catching Up

Hope you guys like. Hopefully I wont have school on Thursday so I can stay home and work it. Pray for it to keep snowing here! Press the pretty button and review. I wont review for myself this time. Hehehe ( maybe)

p.s. i wouldve posted this yesterday but the server was busy and all that junk so im posting it now b4 skool...see how much i sacrafice for u...lol jk. ok guys luv ya.

signed a very tired and rushed author

Mrs. Flame Alchemist. ( im no wannnabe. im THE mrs. flame alchemist )