AM: Here we go, final chapter!
TK: woooo... T.T
AM: Uh, Yeah, I'm going to explain the errors right now... My beta is grounded until midterm, and that's only if she doesn't have anything below a C on her midterm... yeah...
TK: Yay for you...
AM: Whatever, it's the final chapter because... well, I'll explain at the end of the story, m'kay?
TK: Yes, it's fine...
AM: I wasn't asking you, Tori-kun... T.T
TK: Disclaimer, and get on with it...

DISCLAIMER: no...

TK: Well, that makes a lot of sense...
AM: It does, doesn't it? n.n

Chapter VI: "I'm Sorry"

Edward sighed, and flopped down on the bed. It had been a day-and-a-half since he told Winry he was engaged, and he couldn't bring himself to tell her that it was Roy he was engaged to.

Al had gone into town for something or other, and he didn't know where Roy went. To say the least, he was bored! Break weren't something he dealt with easily, especially without a library nearby.

"And how's the future 'Mrs. Mustang'?" a cheerful voice asked, as he felt the bed shift when another person added their weight to it.

Edward sat straight up, it was a girl's voice, and for a moment he thought it was Winry. But instead of Winry, Grace was grinning at him, her snow white hair falling out of it's braid, since she hadn't re-braided it since the three arrived. "Bored" he muttered, then scowled at her, "And don't call me misses."

Grace chuckled, she had figured the two out the first day she met them. She had pieced together the ring, the way they acted around each other, and a few lecherous looks that lasted a bit to long. She was good at reading people that way. "My guess is that the automail will be done tomorrow..." she said nodding.

Ed groaned and fell backwards again.

"So, you're gonna have to tell Winry soon" the white haired girl added.

"I know... I just don't know how..."

Grace wrinkled her nose, "Better now than later, just say it." she suggested, knowing it wasn't the best advice, but what could she do? She had never had to tell her childhood friend she was engaged.

"I can't, I don't want to hurt her," Ed argued.

The white haired girl frowned, if Ed wouldn't do it, she'd help it along. She sighed, and stood up, "Well, whatever..." she remembered that she should be off helping Winry, not conversing with Edward. Of course, she also saw Roy walk into the room. Her plan was cruel, but Winry needed to know, and Ed sure as hell wasn't going to tell her any time soon. She left the room, a determined look crossing her face, "Hey, Winry, Ed wanted to say something to you." she told the blonde when she got downstairs.

"Oh, there you are" Edward said, sitting up on the bed.

Roy shrugged, "I was being kidnapped by your brother."

Ed smiled, "I'm bored" he announced. If they hadn't been at Winry's, the two would be all over each other by now, but they settled for a quick kiss. Of course, one kiss lead to a succession of them,. and soon, Roy was trailing kisses down the blonde's neck.

A gasp drew the two apart, before they could get any further, and both looked toward the door to see the shocked face of Winry. Her face conveyed a wide range of emotions: Shock, pain, betrayal, hatred, sadness. A tear slid down her cheek, and she turned on her heels, leaving the room, and slaming the door behind her. Edward stood up at once to chase after the girl, he couldn't let her stay angry at him.

"Winry!" the blonde man called, running downstairs after the girl, who was already opening the front door. When he reached the door, it was slammed in his face, "Damn it" he cursed, opening it, and following the blonde outside, where she stopped and turned around.

"Why couldn't you have told me it was him!" She screamed.

Ed opened his mouth to say something, but Winry cut him off.

"Why him!" she yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Why the hell couldn't it have been me!"

He looked away, "I'm sorry" he said quietly.

Winry scoffed

"I'm sorry you had to get hurt." Ed clarified, "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner."

"Why couldn't have been me?" She asked again, sinking to her knees. She wasn't really asking Edward why, more than she was asking fate.

"Because, I love him." this caused Winry to look up. The expression on Ed's face was one she'd never seen before. It was soft, and he smiled fondly, "I love him so much."

They were silent for a few moments, as Winry debated what to say next, and decided she refused to go down without a fight, "I love you." she insisted.

Edward only shook his head, he was going to prove to Winry that she wasn't in love, "You're attracted to me." he said, hoping it would help her change her mind.

Winry shook her head, she could be stubborn too. "I love you, Edward," she insisted, "Why couldn't you choose me?"

"I need him, more than you know. He's been there for me, always. When I felt like giving up, when I was sure there was no hope., when my guilt was more than I could bear." Ed sighed, "It was because of him that I managed to get the Philosopher's Stone. I can't even express in words how much I care for him." He looked at his feet, hiding his face behind blonde bangs.

Winry was left speechless, how could someone care for someone that much? All these years, she thought she was in love with Edward, but was that really it? Edward said he couldn't express in words how he felt about the general. Was that true love? Maybe she was just physically attracted to him... She thought on this for a while, in total silence.

"I'm sorry you got hurt" the blonde said, breaking the silence. Winry looked back up at him, his face still hidden behind blonde tresses, "I really am, and I know that it doesn't help much..." he looked into the mechanic's eyes, "but do you think you could... someday, accept it?" He couldn't say anything else, so he left it at that, and turned toward the house, he would let Winry think about it alone for a while.

"Are you ready, Ed?" Grace asked, preparing to attach the blonde's artificial leg to his body.

"As ready as I'll ever be..." Edward muttered, clenching his fists on the arms of the chair he was sitting on, and bracing himself.

"Okay, on three" Winry said, preparing his arm, and placing her other hand on his left shoulder in a comforting fashion, "One"

"Two" Grace continued.

"Three!" they said in unison, flipping the switches. Ed gritted his teeth, as a wave of pain shot through his shoulder and leg.

"All done!" Grace chirped, stretching the stiff muscles in her arms.

Winry nodded and inspected her work, "How's it feel, Edward?" she asked.

"Great!" the blonde man responded, flashing her a grin. There was still the pain from having the artificial nerves attached, but he was pretty used to it by now. Yeah, it hurt like all hell, but he could over look that when needed, and Winry needed to know how the limbs felt, aside from the normal pain.

"So, you'll be going back to Central then, right?" Winry asked, a little disappointed, she would miss Edward and Alphonse, and even the general's company. Even with Grace it was still just a little too lonely. Roy nodded, as Edward gathered their things. "You'd better invite me to the wedding!" the blonde woman warned, grinning, and waving her wrench menacingly.

"Don't worry, Winry we will!" Edward reassured her, holding his hands up in an attempt to calm her at least a little.

Winry stopped smiling and turned to Al, she really didn't want them all to leave, and she like Al's company most of all, she had spent plenty of time with him before Edward left, after all. "I was wondering, Al, uh, would you maybe stay here with Grace and I?" she asked.

Alphonse looked hopefully at his brother, he had hopped Winry would ask him something like this. Edward nodded in agreement, and Al grinned, "Of course!" he exclaimed, then turned serious, and looked at Roy, "You two had better get going," he reminded. Roy told Riza they'd be gone three days, and if they didn't get back to Central soon, there would be no wedding... Or bodies left... Or evidence... He suddered as he watched the two males begin to walk down the path

"And you'd better visit more often now!" Winry threatened, holding her wrench up again.

"Of course we will!" Ed reassured her over his shoulder.

"Bye bye!" Grace called out, waving her entire arm overenthusiastically.

"I'll be sure to send you your things, Al!" the blonde said.

"Get going or you'll miss the train!" Winry screamed as the two rushed to get to the train station before it left.

Al looked over at Winry, maybe she'd fall for him like she fell for his brother. Who knows? A lot can happen before two years pass.

AM: Okay, that sucked, I know! I was planning on continuing with a plot, I really was! But I wanted to make it a stand alone story, so people could read it without reading this one. So it'll be kinda like a sequel, which I'll be posting later tonight. Keep your eyes peeled for, "The Price Paid" by Asahi Minako. WITH A PLOT, ONGZ!
TK: freaking... wow...
AM: BY THE WAY! FOR PREVIEWS OF CHAPTERS, AND STATUS ON STORIES, AND SPECIAL EXTRAS, VISIT MY LIVEJOURNAL: asahi-minako. livejournal. com
DO IT!

-Ai (love)

Minako-baka