"We're home!" Ed burst through the door, Winry riding piggyback.

"Winry!" Al came running, helping her down and then hugging her close.

"Great, I don't even get a hello." Ed messed Al's hair. "Did our stuff arrive?"

"Yeah, Armstrong brought it himself," Al grimaced.

"He's not still here, is-"

"Oh, dearest Edward Elric!" Ed was lifted off the ground, crushed in Armstrong's grip.

"Hi, Armstrong," Ed squeaked.

Armstrong finally set him down, Ed gulping for air. "How you've grown! You've become a man, Edward!"

"I wasn't short!" Ed began to spazz but stopped, hearing Winry's small laugh. He turned and smiled at her, a blush rising across her cheeks.

"Winry! You look exhausted! But fear not, for I have made lunch!" Armstrong moved aside and displayed the kitchen table covered with food dishes.

"Armstrong, this is enough to feed a freaking army!" Ed helped Winry into a chair at the table.

"Because you'll eat every last thing yourself," Al grumbled, sitting next to Winry.

"What did you say?" Ed sat down across from Winry, brandishing his fork at Al.

"Nothing! Nothing!" Al laughed uncomfortably. "Let's just eat!"

Ed and Al began shoveling food in their mouths. Winry just stared at the empty plate in front of her. "What's wrong, Winry? Does it not taste good?" Armstrong sat on the other side of her.

"No, really… please don't worry about it."

Ed paused from his food mania and reached out his foot, touching Winry's leg gently. She lifted her head and stared at him. It's okay, he mouthed.

Winry stared back at the empty plate. Ed reached over and grabbed it, placing a meager amount of food on the plate. Ed placed it back in front of her. "Thank you," she whispered.

By the time Ed and Al had cleared the table of all food, Winry had finished. Ed stood and walked to her, bending over. "Grab on."

Without hesitation Winry wrapped her arms around Ed's neck, allowing Ed to hoist her into his arms. He walked up the stairs to her bedroom, kicking the door open. Making his way to the bed, Ed placed her down. "Thank you."

"No problem." Ed leaned further, kissing Winry's forehead. "Get some rest. I'll get you for dinner." He walked for the door.

"Edward?" He froze.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I didn't eat more."

"It's alright. One step at a time." Ed made his way to the door frame and leaned against it. "Winry… you can stop apologizing for everything… because no matter how long it takes, or what I have to do… I just want you back."

--

"I ate too much," Winry groaned, holding her stomach.

"Yeah, I thought you were going to explode," Ed grumbled sarcastically. It had been a month and Winry had actually retained some weight. Ed wrapped an arm around her waist, helping her up the stairs and into her room. "You're looking better, though."

"You're a bad liar." Winry sat down on the bed, Ed easing next to her. "But thank you."

Ed leaned back against the wall and Winry followed, placing her head against his chest. "How are you feeling?"

"I… don't know."

"Is it better now that you're home?"

"I'm not home," she whispered, turning to hide her face in his chest.

"You want to go back to Roy's."

"Anywhere's better than here."

Ed sighed deeply. "What is it about here that you hate?"

"I don't… hate it… just horrible memories. I thought leaving and going to Central would stop what I was doing… it made it better, but it didn't fix it. I still don't eat much more than a bird."

"Don't down-play it like that!" Ed rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "You're doing a great job! You're eating a hell of a lot more than you were right out of the hospital. Plus, you can walk fine on your own now. Your strength's back."

"I'd be better if I weren't here."

Another sigh escaped Ed's lips. "If that's how you feel, then… No, just… Winry," he lifted her head so that she was looking into his eyes, "Will you just bear with me for just a few more months? Just stay here for just a few more months."

"O… Okay…" Her eyes veered to the side.

"I promise it'll be worth it, Winry. I swear."

"Ed, you're getting about as excited as a little kid in a candy shop." Winry looked back at him and smiled.

"Well, I've got a surprise in the works, and I love surprises."

"You're crazy," she giggled.

"Yeah." Ed touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes tightly, the uncommon feeling of tears welling up under his eyelids. "I'm just trying so hard, Winry."

"I really do appreciate it, Ed."

"Thanks, I needed that."

"And you've done so well." Winry tilted her head slowly, unsure, allowing their lips to meet for just a moment.

"I needed that, too." Ed touched her cheek, smiling softly. "Get some sleep." He slipped out of bed and watched as Winry lay down. Ed pulled the blankets up to her shoulder and leaned down, kissing her cheek.

"Ed." He pulled away from her cheek just in time for her hands to cup his face, bringing their lips together. "Another one, for the road," she laughed softly.

"Thanks." Ed smoothed her hair back and then exited Winry's bedroom. As he closed the door, Ed leaned back against it. "Just wait, Winry. I swear I'll bring you home."

--

Ed walked into Winry's room, completely worn out. "Sorry I missed dinner tonight. Al said you made it?"

"Yup." Winry sat up from bed slowly, motioning for him to come over. Ed did as he was told and sat next to her on the bed. "What were you caught up in?"

"The surprise," Ed grinned but it was broken by a yawn.

"It's been a month, Edward, why is this surprise taking so long?"

"What, getting impatient?"

"No," Winry pouted.

"You never were good with surprises. I should have known you'd start getting antsy."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!" Out of nowhere Winry's wrench appeared, clobbering Ed on the head.

"What the hell?" Ed rubbed the bump swelling on his noggin. "Since when did you start carrying that around again?"

"I started working again!" she beamed, reaching under the bed and sliding out a box full of random parts. "See?"

"Yeah, and you have quiet a zest for it again," Ed whined, rubbing his head.

"Well, I had to find something to do with you being gone all day…"

"Winry…" He wrapped his arms around her, clutching her to his chest. "You know I'd rather spend the whole day with you, but this is something I have to do."

"I just don't understand."

"You will, I promise." Ed unraveled Winry from his arms and cupped her face, looking into those bright blue eyes. "You just have to bear with me, remember?" He leaned in to kiss her but was catch by a yawn. "Sorry."

"You wore yourself out today."

"I suppose so." He yawned again, but this time longer. "Damn. I better get to bed before I pass out."

"I don't think you'll make it all the way down the hall."

"Probably not. So if you find me tomorrow morning in the hallway, just kick me to wake me up." He yawned again but forced himself to stand.

"Edward… what if… um…"

"See, those fumes are getting to your head again." He poked her forehead and laughed as he returned to his seat next to her.

"Never mind, it was stupid."

Ed took her hand and smiled. "Hey, nothing that you want to ask me or say to me is stupid, Winry. Come on, what is it?"

"Well, you don't have to go down the hall if you don't want to."

"Eh?" Ed tilted his head, a blank look on his face.

"Why… why don't you just… sleep here?"

"In your bed?"

"Yup, with me." Winry smiled, almost brilliantly, shocking Ed.

"Winry, are you sure?"

"It's just sleeping, Ed." Her cheeks flared red. "Oh! You didn't think I meant…! You pervert!" The wrench reappeared and cracked into Ed's skull.

"I swear, I wasn't thinking that!" Ed cradled his very aching head. "I just wanted to make sure… you weren't just…" he sighed, "I don't want to hurt you again, like I did when I kissed you too soon." And I don't want to get hurt.

"You said one step at a time, right?"

"I did, but-"

"I'm comfortable so far… so I want to take the next step. So lay down."

Ed slowly eased back, his head hitting the pillow. I'm already whipped, he sighed. "Alright, but when you wake up to my ugly mug tomorrow, you can't hit me with that wrench of your's."

"You won't get the wrench unless you try any funny business." Winry lay down next to him, her head on his chest. She took a deep breath, rubbing her face against his shirt. "You smell good."

Ed could feel his cheeks burning. "So… so do you." He bent his head so that he could kiss the top of hers. "Goodnight, Winry."

She wrapped an arm around his stomach, holding him tightly. "Goodnight, Ed."

--

"No…" Winry grumbled as Ed tried to wiggle his arm free from underneath her.

"I'd love to stay, babe, but the surprise calls."

"Surprise can wait." Winry tightened her grip around Ed, burying her head further in his chest. "Please…"

"Ugh," Ed gave up, sinking back into the bed. "You promised, Winry."

"I've let you get out of bed early for the past two weeks; can't I have you for one day?"

Ed sighed happily… I almost can't remember how it feels to sleep alone. Has it really only been two weeks? "Okay, okay, but the more you do this the longer you have to wait!"

"Fine…" she huffed and rolled off of his chest and onto her back.

"Thank you…" Ed slipped on top of her for a moment, kissing her softly. "I'll come back early today. We'll have lunch together." A strange smile spread across Winry's face. "Winry… What's that for?"

She reached up, her hands caressing Ed's cheeks. "Kiss me, again."

"Winry…"

"Do it," Winry wrapped her legs around his body, "Or you won't go."

Ed chuckled. "Okay, okay." He leaned in, ready to give her another chaste kiss, when she pulled him, pushing him into a rough, ravaged kiss. Ed contemplated stopping, pulling her away, but hormones reign over the brain.

Instead, Winry pulled away, releasing her legs. "You can go now."

"Winry!" Ed practically fainted.

"I only wanted a kiss," that strange smile crossed her face again.

"You're horrible!" Ed whined, hiding his face in the crick of her neck.

"Go, Edward," she breathed against his ear, sending a chill up his spine.

"Two can play at this game…" He bit at her neck, soft enough not to break the skin, but forceful enough she could sure feel it.

"Edward!" She writhed for a few minutes but became subdued, a content sigh escaping her lips. "Ed…"

He kissed up her neck, along her jaw line, to her mouth. "You really, really shouldn't mess with me like that, young lady."

"It got you to stay, didn't it?"

"I guess for today, but you can't pull this everyday, or we'll never leave the bed."

"I wouldn't mind…" Winry pressed herself against him again, begging for another kiss. Ed leaned closer, but not close enough, teasing her with his breath across her lips.

"Brother!" Al screamed from outside of the door, banging on it.

"No, Al, hold on a second!"

"No, because if I don't get you out of bed you'll never get up!"

"But, Winry-"

Al opened the door, his eyes darting between Ed and Winry.

"… Is in bed with me, still," Ed sighed, rubbing his hand over his face.

"Sorry…" Al turned around, the embarrassment obvious in his posture. "You just… you wanted me to help you today and I just knew you'd oversleep."

"Its okay, Al," Ed chuckled and slipped out of bed. "I'll come back early, promise." Before walking over to help Al regain his sanity, Ed leaned down for one last kiss. "Later."

--

Ed sat back, watching Winry doing the dishes from lunch (of course men can't help with the dishes!). She finished and wiped her hands on a towel from the counter, turning to him. "Ed?"

"Yeah?"

"Hold me?"

"Sure." He stood up and engulfed her in his arms, her head fitting perfectly on his chest. "You did seem a little quiet. What's up?"

"I had a bad dream after you left this morning."

"What was it?"

"The night when you… pushed me away."

Ed sighed, his chest tightening. "Oh."

"Why did you do that, Ed?"

"I thought this would come up." Ed let go of her, feeling unable to stand touching her. "Lets not talk about this now." Ed walked for the living room, toward the stairs.

Winry followed. "No." He froze. "We're going to sit down and talk about this right now." Her tone reminded Ed of Hawkeye.

"Winry…" He turned to look at her and frowned.

"Sit." She pointed to the couch in the living room.

"Okay." Ed sighed and took a seat, not able to look at her.

"You pushed me away, Ed."

"I won't… deny that," he sighed.

"Did you not love me then?"

"I've always loved you."

Winry faltered for a moment but regained herself. "Then why would you hurt me like that?"

"I was… I thought I was protecting you." Ed rubbed his hands over his face. "After the butcher… I knew I had to leave you right where you were. I would never have been able to forgive myself if you died that day or any other day, or that matter. So I wanted you as far away from me, as far away from danger, as you possibly could be."

"Edward…"

"I know… it was selfish."

"It was."

"But if I could go back… I would have kissed you back, for hours, for days, for years… I would have given it all up… but that would have been even more selfish. So I pushed you away, hoping you'd stop wanting me… I couldn't think of anything else to do."

"You were young." Winry finally sat down next to Ed. "And you had a lot on your shoulders at once."

"Don't make excuses for me." He balled his fists. "What I did… I fucked it up anyway."

"If you had really done that badly Al wouldn't be in his body and I wouldn't be here at all."

"I'm sorry for doing that."

Winry giggled, drawing Ed's eyes to her. "Just include me, next time, huh?"

"I want you to forgive me…" Ed took her face in his hands. "I don't want it to be like that anymore…"

"Ed… you're crying…" Ed blinked in disbelief as Winry reached out, pushing the moisture across his cheeks. "I've never… seen you cry…"

"Ugh." Ed moved his hands from Winry's face to his, clearing the tears from his eyes. "I never thought I would… not in front of you."

She leaned in and kissed him softly. "It's okay… I like it."

--

Wow! I've been updating like whoa! I'm barreling through, and I think there'll only be one more chapter after this! Have fun, will update again soon!