A/N: Just to clear this up right away, this is post-series, and pre-movie. This is as though the movie never happened. (nods) Bu if you haven't finished the series, don't read this, because 1) it won't make sense and 2) There will be spoilers.
The Tale of the Two Fabled Lovers
They were trapped. Torn apart by time and space. The distance was so vast, it was impossible to even hope of being reunited. But on that single night, once every ten years, they were together and they never wasted a single second.
The first time they met was the summer they both turned eighteen. Edward was rather drowsy that night. He had had an all nighter the previous night, and his body was crying out for sleep. He yawned, and debated just going to bed and picking up his work tomorrow. It was a bright flash of blue light, and Edward first thought he had drifted into a dream. But when he hit the ground with a hard thud, he thought otherwise.
Groaning, he sat up. "Must've fallen off my chair..." he groaned, before pausing. The familiar white walls, the soft smell of engine oil. He knew this place. He stood, and looked over the corner where a bed sat, containing a sleeping blonde mechanic.
He couldn't move at first, his shock was too immense. He took a step forwards, before he ran to her side, dropping to his knees. He watched as her chest rose and fell as she slept. He shook her lightly.
"Winry?" he whispered. "Winry wake up."
Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. She smiled at him. "Edward..." she whispered. "Am I dreaming?"
He shook his head. "No... I'm really here."
Her eyes widened, before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. "Oh Edward!" she cried. "I missed you so much! I thought you were dead!"
He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "I missed you too!" The night carried on as Edward explained what had happened to him the night Alphonse had regained his body. Winry had informed him everything that had happened in his absence.
Edward grabbed her hands and held them, gently rubbing his thumb over hers. "Winry, there's something I have to tell you."
She blinked, as the heat moved up her face. "Yes?"
"I love you," he admitted, moving closer to her.
"Oh Edward," she breathed. "I love you too."
And on that night, the two shared their very first kiss.
Edward turned towards the window as the sun started to peak over the horizon. It was his sun. He was home. "There's so much I want to do!" he exclaimed, getting to his feet and turning to the window. "There's so many people I want to see!" He suddenly felt weak, and he fell to the ground.
"Edward!" Winry cried. 'What's wrong?"
Edward looked down at his hand, finding himself transparent. Before he could say anything, he was sucked into the darkness.
When Edward awoke, he found himself on the floor of his study. He sat up immediately, and looked around. "Winry?" he called, finding himself alone.
The next few years he was in denial about what happened and had concluded it was just a dream. But one day, while he was looking through a book, he came across the Tale of the Two Fabled Lovers. It spoke of a man and a woman deeply in love but separated between time and space. It said that once every ten years, when both worlds, both times, had the red moon hanging in the sky, the distance could be crossed, and the two could be together for tat single night.
Edward of course thought it was stupid, but on the night of the red moon in the summer he turned twenty-eight he found himself waiting for the gate to open.
"This is stupid!" he proclaimed finally. His vision blurred and he wasn't exactly sure what happened next. His memory was fuzzy, as it was the first time. The only thing he could fully comprehend was hitting the ground with a hard thud.
"Edward!" he heard Winry cry. He tore open his eyes, coming face to face with his beloved blonde mechanic. He then turned to look out the window, spotting the red moon that hung suspended in the sky.
"It's true!" he exclaimed. "Everything's true!"
In a tumble of words, he told her everything. All about the ale of the two fabled lovers and about how they would only be able to see each other once every ten years.
Winry was silent, taking in all the information. "I don't know what to say..." she said finally. "I don't know if I can handel only seeing you once every ten years."
He held her gently by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "Winry, I know what I'm saying is sudden, but please listen to me," he said. Slowly, she turned to meet his eye. "I want you to be my wife."
Winry could feel her heart pounding in her ears as her face went a shade of deep crimson. "What?" she breathed.
"Say yes," Edward begged. "I know it'll be hard but please b my bride."
She nodded her head, her eyes shinning with tears. "Yes," Winry chocked out. "I will."
Edward grinned and pulled her into a bone crunching hug. He then gazed into her sky blue orbs and locked her in a passionate kiss. He broke the kiss soon after. "I almost forgot," he said, before reaching into his pocket and producing a ring. "Here, I bought this for you."
Winry gasped as he carefully slid it on her finger. "Oh Edward, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed.
"I thought you'd like it," he whispered, before kissing her again.
After he'd been abruptly sent back, he headed down the hall of his apartment with a small bounce in his step. Heiderich looked up as he entered the kitchen. "Edward?" he asked as Edward smiled, picking up an apple and tossing it from one hand to the other.
"Yeah?" he asked, before taking a bite.
"Don't mind my bluntness but..." he trailed off slightly. "You look like you just had sex."
Edward grinned. "That I did Alphonse,": he said before leaving the room.
Heiderich gawked at him. "Edward...!" he cried, before getting to his feet and following him. "What did you do?"
The next time they met was after Edward turned thirty-eight. She had been waiting for him, and as soon as he landed in her room, she pulled him into a passionate kiss. He gazed into her eyes affectionately. She had't aged at all.
"Oh, Edo, there' someone I want you to meet," she said, as she grabbed his hand and led him out into the hall. Carefully, she stopped next to a door and silently entered the room.
Lying asleep in the bed was a golden haired boy that looked no older then ten. Edward turned to face her, speechless. "Is that...?' he breathed.
She nodded. "Yup. He's yours."
Edward's eyes widened and he grinned. "I'm a dad?" he asked, before picking her up and twirling her. "I'm a dad! This is awesome!" He whispered, trying to keep his excitement in. "What's his name?"
"Eliot," Winry answered.
He laughed, before pulling her into a loving kiss.
"Should I wake him so he can meet his father?" she whispered.
"In a minute," he whispered back, before kissing her again.
The two were at a perfect time in their lives. Until Edward's next visit.
"Winry?" he asked, finding himself in a very dark room. "Winry where are you?"
"Edward," came a hoarse whisper. Edward stepped towards the light and flicked it on, before turning to face her.
"Winry?" he whispered in horror. She sat in bed, her hair dangling on her shoulders. Her skin was deathly pale and her eyes were blood shot. "Winry? What's wrong?" he cried, springing to her side.
"I'm sick," she answered, giving a weak smile. "I'm sorry Edward, I wanted to get better in time for your visit."
He smiled softly. "It's fine. You just rest. I'll be right here when you wake up."
She smiled again, falling back into the pillows. "Thank you Edo," she mumbled, before drifting into unconsciousness. Carefully, he lifted her hand and squeezed it lightly. She looked so tired and he couldn't help but feel guilty for some reason.
He didn't move for the entire night. When the sun began to peak over the hills the next morning, he growled defiantly at it. "You're not sending me back," he growled, gripping the sides of the bed.
When Edward hit the ground and the familiar smell of Heiderich's cooking filled his nose, he cursed.
The next ten years were filled with worry. He kept telling himself that Winry would be fine, but the worry in his stomach would not disappear. Finally, when he went back his final time, he did not meet with Winry, but found Eliot seated on the bed waiting for him.
"Hello dad," he said, getting to his feet. "I never believed it until I saw it for myself," he said, shaking his head. "Mom's stories were true."
Edward couldn't help but smile. His son was in his early thirties, and grew into a stunning young man with bright blue eyes. Edward placed his hands in his pockets with smile."Speak of the devil wielding an iron wrench, where is your mother?" he asked.
He gave a half smile. "Common, I'll take you to her." He said, before turning from the room.
Edward followed, the child in him couldn't help but point out that his son was slightly taller then him. "I'm sorry," Edward began. "That I wasn't here when you were growing up."
Eliot shrugged. 'It couldn't be helped." There was a pause. "I'm married now," he said. "I have a daughter too."
Edward looked up, interested. "Really now?"
"Yeah," Eliot said. "My wife's Jennifer and my daughter's Maria. She just turned one."
"That's good to hear," Edward said, slightly unnerved when Eliot led him out of he house.
"I'd like you to meet them, but their over in Central," he continued. He led his father through a large field and over to the cemetery. He shot his father a sympathetic look, before continuing.
Edward could feel the dread building up inside of him as they stopped in front of a gravestone.
"I'm sorry," Eliot said, before turning and leaving his father to grieve.
Edward sunk to his knees, and let his fingers trace over the name.
Winry Elric
He turned his attention down to the date of death. Ten years ago. The year of his last visit. He could feel the tears sting his eyes as he rested his head against the gravestone. "Oh Winry..." he whispered. "I'm such a fool."
There was no sixth visit for Edward. He died not two months after his last visit. He quit work and moved out of Heiderich's apartment. Using what money he had, he rented a small apartment to his own and took up residence.
It was one rainy afternoon in Munich when Edward met a young girl. She stopped him and asked him and asked him if he had any spare change. She wore rags and Edward guessed she was homeless.
She had blonde hair with stunning blue eyes. Edward felt his stomach turn in the realization that she looked just like Winry.
"Mister?" she repeated. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he mumbled, snapping out of his trance. "Here." He handed her some change and walked away.
He died not two weeks afterwards.
And that, my dear readers, draws a close to the tale of the two fabled lovers.
