The never go away feeling
(Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist nor its characters.)
A/N: Well, you guys, I really, really hope you enjoy this chapter. Even though I'm awesome with predictions, I can't say whether you'll hate me or love me. I know last chapter got to the heart of some people, and... I LOVE THAT. I love feeling that I can make other people feel. I received insults and flames about the last chapter and about the format of the story, but as you might've noticed by now, I fixed it. I'm sorry, to all people who read this story. I know it had a lot of mistakes, and that people that already read this story won't read it again to see it finally fixed. But, thanks to you guys, for making it here. Thanks.
Chapter 8: "Unsolved things always come back"
The room was white and the sun was lighting the room. The only thing that was heard was the chirping of the birds outside the window. The sight was blurry and weak, but the feeling was comfort. She looked to her left and Ed was in a chair sleeping; at the thought of that, she figured out that he had stayed with her the whole night. She looked at him; he had his jacket covering most of his body because of the coldness that Resembool offered at night. She was in a white short dress like the ones they use in hospitals for injured people, and she had a bandage around her head, trapping her hair except her two pink bangs. She had a strong headache and decided to leave the room. She opened the door and held it open while she looked at Ed. He had stayed watching over her all night and fell asleep when he couldn't stay awake another second. His eyes were all red and he had eyecups, so she figured out that he had cried s butt out. She turned to leave, but someone, from behind her closed the door, as she felt that something held her in a warm hug, she figured that he was awake.
"Leaving so soon?"
She felt as if her heart was plugging her throat. Her heart was beating and she couldn't move. She tried to say something, but nothing would come out. She felt something wetting her left shoulder, so she soon figured that he was crying. Ed hugged her tighter.
"I almost lost you. I ask myself, how I let you be in that danger… I'm the one that was supposed to suffer."
He started to let sobs come out his mouth. She couldn't stand it; her heart wasn't made of stone. She couldn't let Ed feel that he was responsible for everything that happened to her. She turned around to face him. She looked at him and felt sadder. She knew he felt guilty because of her. Ed looked at her eyes and they were still a little blurry, but it gave him happiness to see them again. Ed thought that she was mad at him, but all the opposite, she thought all of this was her fault. Rose looked at his eyes and hers started to fill with tears.
"None… none of this is your fault Ed."
Her voice made him recover. Hearing that voice of hers, piercing through his ears was like life. He held her tighter and smirked.
"I knew you would be alright. You're under my care."
Rose hugged him back. She smiled as she noticed that everything was now back to normal.
"Yeah, I can't believe I underestimated you."
They both looked at each other's eyes and they were now clean and bright. Everything was back to normal, and when I say everything… it's everything.
"If you still haven't figured out, we're at your house, your room and alone… you think we can finish what we started?"
"Ed!"
Rose pushed Ed to the side and went to leave her room. Rose was about to leave the room when she stopped.
"You're hopeless!"
Ed smirked. He was now used to this, and knew that Rose was laughing, but he was going to give his "it's-worth-a-shot-per-day" act to Rose. He left the room and found Rose in the kitchen trying to find something. Ed leaned against the wall.
"What are you looking for?"
"For my… umm… forget it."
"For this?" he said swinging her collar in one finger.
"Where did you find it?"
Ed smirked.
"Think it's that important?
"Give it back to me" she said standing in front of him.
"Collar per kiss."
"Give it back!"
"Give me a kiss! Come on, on the cheek… I missed you."
"Ed, that's pathetic!" Rose knew Ed wasn't going to give it back unless she kissed him, and she wasn't in the condition to fight "Fine, on the cheek!"
Rose leaned to give him a kiss on his left cheek, but he moved her face so her lips would fall on his. He held her waist and her neck, grabbing locks of her hair, as he kissed her, until both needed to catch their breath.
"You're cold" he whispered, catching his breath.
"I almost died, remember?"
Ed suddenly opened his eyes and separated from Rose.
"No! I don't want to remember that, o.k.?"
Rose put her right hand on his shoulder.
"Ed… it's o.k."
Ed turned around to face the wall.
"No! I almost lost you! And I don't want to remember that."
Rose noticed, once again, how much he cared for her. She got closer to him and hugged him.
"Ed… I'm here… it's over."
Ed turned around and hugged her back.
"It just scares me. I almost lost one of the little things that I most care about."
He rubbed the bandage that she had around her head.
"This wouldn't have happened if I had never came."
Rose took 2 steps back.
"So you wish that? That we had never seen each other?"
"Of course not!"
"Ed… I'm alive. You have your friend back."
Ed smirked.
"Friend? I would say… lover."
"We have done nothing for you to say that."
"Yeah, right. We've done nothing."
"Ohh, please! Like you didn't kiss other girls in your 4-yeared journey."
"Just one."
"What's her name!" 'So I can go kill her!'
"Rose Thomas."
"What! But I didn't even see you until after 4 years."
"In my dreams you did."
Rose's eyes widened up in surprise, and she couldn't help to blush, what was rare to happen between the two of them.
"Umm…"
"I can't believe you're blushing" he said, smirking.
"I am not!" she said turning around.
Ed laughed at how Rose blushed; he loved when she did that. After all that had happened between them, she still blushed.
"Well, I guess it's time for me to go" he said, turning around.
Rose quickly looked at Ed.
"W-What!"
"You didn't think that after all of this I would stay here, did you?" he said walking into his room.
Ed entered his room and just when the door was about to shut closed, Rose slammed the door against the wall and entered.
"YOU'RE NOT GOING AWAY!"
Ed looked at Rose with a careless face.
"I thought you only liked me as a friend, so I'm going."
"Al wouldn't leave" she tried to compare so he would feel bad.
"Then… stay with him" he said putting a suitcase on his bed.
Rose walked towards Ed, grabbed him by his shoulders and looked at him with a serious face.
"I LOVE YOU!"
"You always fall, don't you?" he smirked.
"W-what?"
Ed got closer to Rose's face.
"You don't know how much I waited for you to say that."
Rose was stunned when she realized… it was all a trap. Ed wanted Rose to show her true feelings, even though he knew what they were; he knew she loved him.
"Wait, you mean…?"
But Ed shut her up with a kiss. Ed was so pleased that Rose had admitted it with her words. Ed caressed her hair as she did the same to his neck. Both had their eyes closed, so they didn't notice when… Al and Winry came in the room looking for Ed. When Rose and Ed heard the door open they separated with a jump, but Al and Winry had already seen them. Ed and Rose tried to look for an excuse to tell to the surprised pair, but what excuse would you find if you're a girl that's wearing a short hospital dress and kissing a guy in a room with the door closed? Well… there isn't one.
"We weren't… it's not…"
"I think I left something outside" Winry said walking out.
"I'll help you" he said, leaving and closing the door.
When both left the room Ed and Rose sat on his bed and they couldn't believe that they got caught. They both sighed.
"You know this is all your fault, right?" she said, looking at the door.
"You made me do it" he said looking at her.
"Yeah, right!"
"Yeah, and that short dress doesn't help. It doesn't help me on holding myself back."
"Fine, I'll go change it" she stood up.
"O.k., just save it for tonight."
"Can't. I'm still in recovery."
"Nice try, but that won't stop me."
"Whatever."
Ed looked at Rose leave the room. Everything was back to normal… well almost. Suddenly he remembered that Winry saw too. He stood up and slowly went into the living room to find… Al and Winry kissing?
He was shocked. He quickly went to his room and closed the door to leave a big laugh out.
'And they criticize us. Now Rose has no excuse. Heh, I hope I take Rose by surprise tonight.'
Meanwhile Rose was in her room changing. She started to remember last night when she, practically, died. The last thing she remembered was Ed's voice calling her name, screaming at her to stay alive at the top of his lungs, fading away, now listening to his voice as if he was going away, and leaving her. In that moment, the other night, she tried to hold him; when she heard the pain on Ed's voice, she wanted to hug him and to tell him that all was going to be alright, but death beat her in that moment. She had always been strong, but when it came to friends, to the little people that she could trust, she became weak. The only thing that came across her mind was that night; how cold it felt when the only thing she could see was black, darkness and everything that made her death harder. She thought that it was the last thing she saw, but she caught a memory that had to be from that night…, but how, if her soul was being pulled away from her body? Then, it hit her. A new memory she hadn't seen until now was present, taking all the space in her mind: She was walking down a dark hall, so dark that she couldn't even see the walls; she didn't even know if there were any walls. She saw a light present at the end of the hall, and she was walking towards it. The silence was so much that she could hear her footsteps quietly stomp on the floor. As she got closer to the light she could feel that she was escaping from reality; she was dying. But then she felt a cold hand hold her arm. She quickly guessed who the hand's owner was, but she didn't look back.
"Please Rose, don't go. You can't leave me" she heard Ed say.
She stood silent and felt his arms now rounding her body as he hugged her. She looked at him and hugged him back.
"I won't, Ed. I'll never leave you."
Both closed their eyes and were hugging. Neither Rose nor Ed wanted to let go. Suddenly, she saw the light growing towards them, but she said nothing, she just closed her eyes and comforted herself with his scent, because she knew that everything would be o.k. if she was with him. Then, she had wakened up. She knew that it was all a dream, but at the same time, if she had gone and entered the light, she would have died. Ed had saved her.
She finished changing. She couldn't possibly get out of the room after Al and Winry saw them. She couldn't believe it. They caught them. Rose couldn't help to laugh. She just had to know what were Al and Winry talking about, so she got out of her room and Winry and Al were going out. Rose just heard Al and Winry comment about Al starting living at Winry's.
'What! Living alone with Ed!' Rose thought in surprise.
After Al and Winry left she went out to her living room. She hoped that Ed would have fallen asleep, but, not surprising her, he went to the living room.
"So… I couldn't help overhearing… we live alone."
"Believe me, I'm moving."
"Yeah, right! Admit it, you can't leave me."
"I can too!"
Ed trapped Rose by holding her waist.
"No, you can't, because you love me… and I love you."
This time it was Rose who brutally sealed the sentence with a kiss. Ed was a little surprised at this, but pleased. They both kissed for a long time until they both needed to catch their breath.
"What was that for?" he said catching his breath.
"I felt like it. An impulse."
"Then let your impulses guide you more frequently."
"Don't get used to it" she said walking away.
"O.k., now you're playing hard to get" he said, following her and stopping behind her.
"Oh, yeah?" she said in a seductive voice.
With that she held his face and kissed him. This kiss was shorter than the last one, but had the same effect.
"Who are you?"
"An idiot that just now realized that sometimes you have to be selfish."
"You are not being selfish; you just know that Al and Winry are together so it doesn't worry you much."
"No…"
"I know you too well, Rose. You could never be selfish" he interrupted.
Just when Ed was about to kiss her, the door knocked. Rose went to answer the door and lil' Kutsaro was there.
"Rose, I have something to tell you!" he said in an alarmed tone.
"What's wrong?"
"I saw two men who said that they're going to hurt Brother Ed."
'Brother? Since when does he call me brother?' he thought.
"What!"
"I was playing with some friends "Hide-and-seek", so I went to hide in an alley, and when I was about to enter I heard two men talking about killing him and you."
Rose turned to look at Ed. What had seemed like a forgotten nightmare was now back at their face. Ed was looking seriously at the floor, knowing that this would need serious matters.
"Kutsaro… umm… why do you call Ed "brother"?"
"Because when one of the men referred to you he said "Ed's lover"
Both Ed and Rose blushed as they knew questions were coming.
"Are you going to get married? Are you going to have babies?"
Ed and Rose blushed even more.
"Enough with the questioning."
She looked at Ed and he was blood red. She knew what was going through Ed's mind.
"Now who's blushing?" she said mouthing at Ed.
Ed was so embarrassed. He could never put himself explaining to a child… well, that.
"Did they see you?" she asked turning back to him.
"No."
Ed walked towards Kutsaro and kneed to his height and told him in the ear what he had to do. When he finished Kutsaro sadly nodded.
"O.k. Brother Ed" he said, and left the house.
"What did you tell him?
"Rose…"
She was nervous knowing this was leading to something bad.
"I have to leave."
"Ohh, I get it. This is one of your traps."
But Ed didn't change his face. He looked at her and both could see pain in each other.
"Oh my God… you're serious."
"Yes Rose. This time it's true. I can't risk you. I can't go through the same thing twice. It's not that I'm afraid to fight, but I'm afraid to lose you."
"I'm strong. I can protect myself."
"Sorry, I can't risk it."
Rose couldn't believe it. Ed had to leave, again. But she knew why. If they were looking for Ed they would kill her.
"You're too important to me, Rose. I can't lose you."
Rose said nothing.
"Say something."
"What can I say? You know I think this sucks! But… you'll do it anyways."
"It's for your own good" he said leaning forward to hug her, but she stepped back.
"Damn it, Ed! I'm 20, I can do things for myself, I'm not the stupid girl I was 4 years ago!"
"You want to die?"
"How can I know that you'll be back?"
"You'll have to trust me."
Rose had her fists clenched tightly. She was furious. If anything or anyone touched her she would probably develop some fire-making skills and burn everything.
"I know this is hard, it's hard for both, but it's something I've to do. I'll go check when the train leaves. And while I'm at it, I'll tell it to Al and Winry."
Ed walked towards the door, but stopped.
"Rose… Kutsaro's going to tell Kimbley that I left, and that you were just a plan to trick them, but that you knew nothing."
With that he left. He first went to Winry's. He walked up the stairway and knocked the door. Pinako answered.
"Hi squirt. Seems like you've grown about 2 inches."
"I'm not in the mood, where are they?"
"They're in Winry's room."
Ed entered and climbed up the stairs and knocked the door of Winry's room. No one answered. So he knocked again.
'Man, what could be Winry doing?'
Then he heard Al.
"In a second" Al replied to the knocks.
"Oh my God!" That phrase went through Ed's mind as he imagined what they could be doing in there. His brother and his childhood friend doing that! Al opened the door and saw that Ed was shocked. One of his eyes was wide opened and the other one was twitching.
"Something wrong?"
"I… oh forget it, what the hell were you and Winry doing in there?"
"Well, umm…" he couldn't help to blush.
"Oh my God you were doing it!" he said, with a funny-looking, disgusted face.
"No! We umm…"
"You guys were thinking about it!"
"Stop it, we were not! And like you haven't done it to Rose!"
"Of course not!"
That moment Winry went outside the room to see two idiots in a melting-from-blushing kind of form.
"Oh my God, I'm getting a mental image!"
"What?" Winry asked in confusion.
"About you and Al…"
Al quickly put his hand on Ed's mouth.
"Kissing! They saw us. They know we are together."
"Oh! We were going to tell you. And I would ask you, but I don't need to, because of what we saw earlier I can see Rose is doing a lot better now."
"Ohh… just tell us what you came for, Ed."
Ed recovered from his embarrassment, stood up straight and looked down.
"I have to go back to Central."
Winry and Al were confused.
"What for?" said Al "You're planning on giving yourself to the Military?"
"Of course not!" "Do you really think that I would give myself to the Military?"
"Then, what for?"
"A kid that Rose watches over heard Kimbley said that he would be looking for me and Rose; that he was going to kill us."
"And what would you solve if you go?"
"Well, the kid is going to tell Kimbley that it was all planned out; that you and me came here to use Winry and Rose as bait, so they would come here and then we would leave."
"O.k., I'll stay here to watch over the girls in case something goes wrong. Besides, I guess that in any case the kid would prove himself true if he shows Kimbley where Rose lives and then you wouldn't be there."
"Exactly."
"So, I guess you told Rose. How's she taking it?"
Ed soon remembered how he had left Rose, so mad that she probably had locked the door and would never let him in again.
"She's… not taking it too good."
Winry then entered her room and came out with a jacket on her.
"I'll go talk to her."
Before she started walking down the stairs Al held her by one arm and kissed her quickly on the lips.
"Come back soon."
She smiled at him and with that she left. Al kept looking at her until she got out of the house. The love between Al and Winry was fresh and happy. Ed envied this from Al. He wished that things with Rose could be so paradise-ish. Their love had been present for years; it had gone through many struggles and obstacles, but at the same time this comforted Ed, because it made him realize that, no matter what, their love would always be there, present, beating wildly inside their hearts. Ed looked at Al with a caring face, the face between "Awww" and "Yay!", and Al soon noticed that.
"What the heck is wrong with your face?"
"Ohh, nothing… just thinking."
"So… when are you going?"
"As soon as I can. I was going to go buy the ticket, but I stopped here first."
"Want me to go with you?"
"Sure. We haven't exactly made up after our little fights so… I'm sorry Al. I know you wanted me to come because you knew better than us."
"I know. Thanks for the apology."
They both laughed and went downstairs and got out the house. They kept talking until they got to the train station. Ed felt a chill go up his spine. He thought that when he had got there from Central he would never have to go there again, after all, here in Resembool he had all he wanted: Al, Winry and Rose. He walked to a little cabin where the ticket seller was.
"The next train to Central" he said to the ticket seller.
"Here you go; it leaves at 6:00 p.m."
He grabbed the ticket and gave the man the money he had to pay. He left and went by Al's side, who was waiting for him at the exit of the train station.
"So, when do you leave?" he said walking out the train station with Ed.
"At 6:00 p.m. I thought that it would leave sooner."
Meanwhile, not too far from Rose's house, was Kutsaro, who had found Kimbley and was gaining bravery to speak to him.
'Come on Kutsaro, you can do it. Do it for Rose and for Ed' he thought "Yeah!"
He started to walk towards the strange man, who still hadn't noticed him. Kutsaro tried to put his know-it-all face to fool the man, and, even though he didn't do it much, he was a great liar.
"Hey, you!"
Kimbley looked at the kid in disgust.
"What do you want?"
Kutsaro's heart was beating from fear when he heard the man's strong and cold voice.
"I can give you some information about the Elrics."
"You? A kid? What would you know?"
"Well, I know that they're fooling you."
"What! Tell me what you know, now!"
'I need to make him believe me!' he thought "For a price."
"What do you want?"
"What every other kid my age wants… money."
"Oh, great! You had to be a bloodsucker."
Kimbley got his hand in his pockets and got out a 20 dollar bill.
"Here you go now talk!" he said throwing him the money.
"Edward and Alphonse used Rose Thomas and Winry Rockbell as bait. They made you believe that they would stay here so you would stay here looking for them while they escaped."
Kimbley chuckled.
"And why would you want to rat them out?"
"I hate them."
"And how can I know that all of this is true?"
"Just go check at Rose's. I'll guide you there."
"Forget it! I can't waste my time. Nice dealing with you kid."
With that Kimbley jumped to a ceiling and left. Kutsaro couldn't believe he had pulled it off. He started to walk to Rose's house, where he thought that they would be, and he was now acting stupid.
"Oh, yeah! Who's your daddy! I can't believe I pulled that out… and got me a 20 dollar bill!" He kept walking to Rose's house."
Not too far from there, was Winry who had managed to enter Rose's house and were talking in her room. Winry had managed to get Rose to calm down a little, but she was still angry and furious.
"Rose calm down, he'll only be gone for a short time."
The blonde haired and blue eyed girl looked at the brown and pinked haired with purple eyes one. She noticed the pain in her.
"Winry… that's, somehow, not what's bothering me."
Winry was confused.
"Then, what is it?"
"Well, I… forget it. I guess that he will come back."
"Well, duh! Rose, you know he would never leave you… I mean, he does leave a lot, but he always comes back. Don't worry."
Winry said this, but she noticed that Rose wasn't fully convinced of her words. Rose got her knees closer and held her legs together with her arms, and tried to hide her face.
"Rose… it's o.k. to cry…"
Rose quickly looked at Winry with an angry face.
"I'm not crying, never again!... I have no reason to cry."
Then both of them noticed that the door was being opened carefully.
"Rose, you o.k.?"
Ed quickly closed the door when he saw a cushion coming directly at him, which Rose had thrown.
"Stay out!"
"Rose at least talk to him… you don't want to be mad at him when he leaves. I'll tell him to enter and promise that you won't at least kill him."
Winry stood up and walked towards the door.
"Please, at least talk to him."
After she got out of the room she looked for Ed, who was in the living room waiting for the right time to talk to Rose.
"Go in, she'll listen."
"Thanks Win."
Ed entered the room and as soon as he did this Rose turned around so she wouldn't look at him. Ed sat next to her on her bed, but Rose moved a little more to the center of the bed, so her legs were now on the bed.
"Rose… I don't want to fight."
Rose didn't look at him.
"Me neither, I'm sorry."
"Rose, I will come back."
Rose turned to look at him. Her eyes were bright, and not foggy, like they were this afternoon, when Ed left to buy the ticket.
"Don't worry. I won't make you come back."
Ed was now confused. He could sense that not a word from Rose's mouth was untrue.
"What do you mean?"
"I won't make you come back… don't you get it? None of this was supposed to happen. I was not supposed to stay at your home. I never meant to."
"I know, but you did, and I'm glad."
Rose sat next to him.
"There's only one thing left to do…"
Ed knew that all the words that leaded to something to end, like one last thing, nothing else and never, were bad.
"…forget."
"Forget? Forget everything?"
Ed stood up with fury from the bed.
"Why are you always like this? I'm getting tired of that! Do you really want to forget!"
Rose looked at him with noble and gentle eyes.
"Don't try that on me Rose! With you I do a move and I lose all! Suddenly you come with this kind of shit and everything's ruined!... You know what! Done! Everything's forgotten!"
He left the room and slammed the door on his way out. Obviously, Al and Winry heard his screams and the slam from the door, but they didn't interfere. Ed entered his room and started packing. He threw everything he had there to a black suitcase. Rose was still on her bed, and after seeing Ed's fury she looked at the wound she had on her left hand as she tried to remember how she had learned how to not feel, but, even though it helped her not show anything, it didn't cease the pain she felt inside.
"Ed… if you only knew…"
About an hour passed, so it was now about 6:00 p.m. Ed had lied on his bed to calm his anger a little when he noticed that it was time for him to go. He stood up grabbed his suitcase and went on his way out. Because his room was in front of Rose's he noticed his wants to go in and hug Rose, after all… he STILL loved her. He gave thought to it for a time, until he just kept walking. When he walked into the living room he saw that Al and Winry had fallen asleep on the couch, so he kept walking directly to the train station. He walked and tried not to think of Rose.
"To forget… sorry Rose, but that's to damn hard."
He looked at his clock and noticed it was late, so he started running. He got to the train station fast… but to find out that…
"What do you mean the train's broken?"
The engineer was an old white bearded man.
"Well, the train's broken and the next one isn't here until 4:00 a.m., but don't worry, there's no extra-charge."
"That's the least of my worries."
Ed couldn't do anything, so he decided to go back to Rose's. He thought how he would spend the hours that he had to wait to go. He was still mad at Rose, but he didn't know how he would react if he saw her. His feet were getting tired from all the coming and going, but before he knew it, Al and Winry were running towards him.
"What's wrong Al?"
"It's Rose!"
Ed's heart started to beat faster at the thought that something happened to Rose. Ed let go of the suitcase.
"What happened to her? Where is she?"
"Don't worry; she's o.k., except for the part that she's drunk in a bar."
Ed blinked twice.
"I'll take your suitcase to Rose's, you go."
"Thanks Win."
With that, Al started to guide Ed to the bar even though that he knew where the only bar in Resembool was, but he was too distracted to guide himself. They were running and soon, they were running through a very familiar to Ed path. Ed looked around and didn't want to remember. He was still so mad at Rose for her attitude that he wanted to forget all about her. He passed right next to the spot where he had gotten on top of her. His heart started beating.
"Why through here?"
"Shortcut."
Ed started to remember. He was the one that pushed her down, he was the one that kissed her, and he was the one that wanted her. Then with all that in mind, a thought came to his mind: He was the one that started it all. Before he could notice, they were already in front of the bar. The bartender was cleaning a shot glass while Rose was standing up drinking a very large glass of whatever the hell she was drinking.
"I'll handle this, Al. You go with Winry."
"O.k."
When Al left, Ed entered the bar and the bartender noticed him.
"I figured you'd come for her."
Rose was at the other corner of the bar and a drunken man tried to hit on her.
"Hey, how about we leave this crappy place and go to a quieter and loner place?"
Rose looked at him in disgust.
"Get away from me!"
But the man insisted.
"Oh, come on. You know you want to."
The man kept getting closer to Rose as she tried to push him back. The man grabbed her waist and his hands were starting to go down her back.
"I said NO!" Rose pushed him and punched him on the face so hard that his nose started bleeding. The black haired and skinny guy first insulted Rose, and calmed down and cleaned the blood in his face with his hand and started to get close to her again.
"Well, aren't you feisty, you bitch! But, guess what… I'll give you a second chance" he said, grabbing the edge of her dress and trying to lift it up.
"SHE SAID NO!"
Suddenly the man was on the floor unable to get up. The man was unconscious. Ed couldn't help it. He saw how that man put his filthy hands on Rose and couldn't stand it.
"Asshole!"
Rose looked at Ed in surprise. Even though she was drunk, she recognized him.
"Ed…."
"Rose, what in the fucking hell are you doing here!"
Rose stood up in front of him.
"Drinking to death… that a problem?"
Ed grabbed Rose by an arm and tried to pull her out of the bar, but she pulled her arm back.
"No! You go… I stay."
Rose looked at him in a decided way, but there was no way that Ed would leave her there after what he saw.
"You should have done this the easy way."
Ed grabbed Rose and put her in his right shoulder. Rose's upper body hanged behind Ed's back while he held her by her legs.
"Let me go! I'm an adult! I don't need protection from anybody!
Ed started to look for money to pay the bartender with his free hand.
"No Ed, getting rid of that idiot was payment enough. I can't throw out costumers… costumer policy… or something like that."
"Thanks."
Ed got Rose out of the bar and started walking to her house. He had to support all the kicks Rose was giving to him.
"Let me go!"
"Rose… stop kicking me! You're acting like a little kid!"
"Well, deal with it!"
Before both of them noticed, Ed was climbing up the stairs from Rose's house's stairway. Ed, with his free hand opened the mailbox and looked for the key to the house. He opened it and closed it after they entered.
"Fine, we're here now let me go!"
"You wish."
Ed walked down the hall, still carrying Rose, and opened the bathroom's door. He put the transparent curtain aside, and entered Rose. Before Rose could say something, Ed turned the shower on, making the water run down at its coldest temperature. The ice-cold water started to wet Rose's hair, as it went down from her shoulders to the rest of her body. When she felt the change of temperature of her body, how tense her nerves got when the ice-cold water touched her dark, brownish skin, she jumped to the other side of the shower, where the water didn't get her. All her senses came back to her, as she was no longer drunk. She looked at herself wet, then realized where she was and with who.
"What the f…, Ed? What are you doing here? You are supposed to be on your way to Central, and… what am I doing here?"
Ed couldn't help to smirk at Rose's curiosity, after what had happened in Lior, she never liked to be in doubt, so she always started to freak out.
"You got drunk and because the train was damaged I couldn't go to Central, so Al found me and I went and got you."
Those were only a few words, but Rose remembered going into a bar and drinking until she had no more consciousness. She sighed. Rose quickly noticed that Ed was blushing, but he couldn't help it. Because of the water, Rose's dress had become completely transparent and was tight to her skin, marking every accent of her figure.
"Look, now that I'm here and, thanks to you, WET, I'm going to take a bath. You can explain the rest to me when I finish."
Ed nodded, but he didn't move a muscle. Rose stared at him, and couldn't help to blush.
"Umm… HELLO! Going to take a bath here!"
Ed smirked and gave his smartass look.
"And your point is…?"
Rose looked at Ed in surprise, even though she expected this. She now sounded demanding.
"My point is that I'm not going to give you front-row tickets to watching me take a bath, so GET OUT!"
"Fine, you don't have to get like that."
Ed turned around and left the room. His heart was beating, and coming to his senses, he was now curling from the pain that one of Rose's kicks had landed on his gut.
"Shit! Rose may seem weak, but the word runs away from her."
He sat on the couch stretching his muscles, what made the pain go away. Rose had taken off her dress and started to wash away the smell of alcohol that had stuck to her after she got drunk. She remembered nothing. She relaxed because of the warm water running down her shoulders. She could just fall asleep there. She closed her eyes and moved her right pink bang from her face and put it behind her ear. She was glad that Ed was there, but upset, because that would make the good-bye harder. A smile crossed her face. She felt so happy; he was still there, with her. He still worried for her; he still loved her. She put her arms around herself as she remembered all the times that he had hugged her; caressed her. She remembered all the times that he had said to her that he loved her. Ed was her life; her principal reason to be alive. After Lior, after her only hope to be loved died; after Cornello's lies were revealed, she knew that she didn't have anything to live for. She knew that nothing nor no one was waiting for her, no one knew her. She decided to move to a place where she heard that most people were o.k. She moved there, with the little spirit and hope she had left and tried to start a new life. Everything was starting to make sense again. People counted on her, invited her to celebrations, and started to visit her. She cared for a little boy that admired her. Kutsaro was her principal reason of waking up, but kids grow up, and Kutsaro had more things to do and less time to be with Rose. Then Ed came back to Resembool and started to live with her, but she discovered her feelings for him a long time before she found Ed in a bar. His golden eyes were her sun; her light. She would die for him, she would give her life; she would give everything for him. She tried to think of a reason to not be with him, but there wasn't any. But every time she thought of being with him things didn't just quite click. She didn't think it was the right time; so many things happening; so many things against them. When she first met Ed, she was still getting over the pain that all the lies told made her feel; she was getting over the pain that discovering that the only person that still loved her would never open his eyes made her feel. Then she found him that night in that bar, so many times that she had gone there and she never expected to find him. But, Winry thought she loved Ed, and who knows? Maybe she did. And now, that Winry is with Al, that she got over the pain that her past made her feel, Ed has to go away to save their lives. She soon found herself shaking because the warm water had turned ice-cold again.
She snapped out of all she was thinking and got out of the shower. She put a green towel around her body and went out of the bathroom. She quickly entered her room before Ed noticed that she had finished bathing. She closed the door and walked towards the closet and opened its door. She looked to all the choices of clothes she had. She didn't have much to choose from, so she just picked a grey nightgown. It was short, 5 inches over her knees, and with two strings holding it to her shoulders. She towel-dried her hair and brushed it gently.
Ed was in the couch almost falling asleep; after all, he had a rough day. Rose was beat too, but she wanted to hear Ed's side of the story… well, she used that as an excuse, but deep inside she knew that her true reason was to be with Ed for a little while. She got out of the room and walked out the hall. She wanted to hear Ed; she really didn't want to forget, she just said that to make it easier for Ed to leave. She thought that Ed had fallen asleep, which was of disappointment to her.
She walked towards the couch just to watch him. She looked at him and couldn't resist sitting beside him. She gently sat down next to him, and laid her head on his shoulder. She got his scent, and comforted herself. She climbed her legs up the couch and closed her eyes. She snuggled herself under Ed's left arm, but she didn't notice, his automail arm and flesh arm were the same to her, she didn't care. She would still love him even if he was an empty armor, like Al had been. The only thing that illuminated the room was the rays of the moon, which passed through the window to the room. Everything was calm; the only sounds heard in the room were their breathing and the wind that passed under a half-open window. Everything was like a dream. Ed was never asleep. When he felt Rose sit beside him, he pretended that he was sleeping so she would lay by his side. Ed opened his eyes and looked at Rose, she was asleep. He looked at her and all rage that was left from their fight slid away. He looked at her with care; with love.
"I love you, Rose… and I always will."
Ed hugged her tight. He already had his left arm around her, so he put his right arm around her waist. Ed wanted to stay there forever, hugging her; next to her. It was his dream, to be there, snuggled up with her. It was like it was all over, like all trouble had ended, like they had nothing else to worry about. But what made him happier was that, this time it was her who laid beside him.
About 20 minutes passed. He looked at her sleep. They were almost face-to-face, only a few inches from each other's face. He could feel her breathing. He couldn't resist. He closed his eyes and gently kissed her, not waiting for an answer in return. He put his lips over hers; he felt her cold lips, like they always were; he felt… hers starting to move. She answered to his kiss, just moving her lips and tongue. He didn't know if she was awake or just dreaming, but if she was kissing someone in her sleep he wanted to know who. That kiss, the one present, her kiss sent fire through Ed's veins and electricity through his muscles. He could feel the fire burning through his veins and the electricity give force to his body. Ed, feeling that pressure, how tense he felt, had to break the kiss. And how he guessed, Rose was asleep, but now was waking up. Before she could completely wake up she pronounced a name, the name he waited for her to pronounce, actually, the ONLY name he wanted her to pronounce in the sense of love:
"Ed."
He felt a chill go down his spine. She tried to sit up, but Ed held her against him. She closed her eyes and gently smiled.
"What hour is it?" Rose asked.
"Do we really have to know?" Ed replied.
Rose hugged him.
"I wish you could stay."
He held her tighter.
"I wish I could too."
He closed his eyes letting a tear slide down his cheek to her hair.
"But, I don't want to lose you."
Rose opened her eyes and looked up at him. When she noticed that Ed was crying she felt pain, yet warmth inside, and she started to feel her eyes filling with tears.
"But, Ed, don't you think that if you go you'd be already loosing me? What if something happens to you?"
Ed hugged her tighter and pulled her closer to him.
"I'll be o.k. Rose. I will fight with all my strength to be back to you."
With his eyes closed he felt two cold lips pushing against his. He opened his eyes in surprise, but then closed them again.
"And if you don't come back, I'll go look for you."
Ed opened his eyes to find Rose letting two tears slide down her face. He lifted his hand and brushed them off with his thumb.
"Deal."