Chapter 17: Unexpected

(Ed) Winry and I had returned and collapsed on the couch with all the things on top of us and I smiled when I woke up and saw that, I picked up all the things a left them on the floor neatly and straightened Winry's position on the couch, and covered her up with a light sheet. I then sat at the end of the couch and fell asleep watching her peacefully sleep.

Hours later I awoke and then I saw Winry stirring so I decided to take a walk and find a spot outside to write our circles for making the outfits for the wedding, I don't know how she plans to but I know that without the circle it's very draining for her, so writing one on the ground that's already written will save her word and won't tire her out.

"Ed, where are you?" I heard her call from within the house.

"Out here." I responded.

"What are you doing Ed?" She asked.

"Take a look." I told her, she looked around and looked at the circles.

"Plan to get an earlier start; do have any clue how to make the circles or anything."

"It's simple enough, lay the cloth here, do alchemy, poof dress." Ed said. She sighed rather loudly.

"You should know alchemy isn't as simple as you'd think, each alchemic material requires a different transmutation circle, requirements, and we don't even have the sizes for Al and Molly, as well as Pinako."

"Oh, well I didn't put that into thinking about it?" She sighed. She ran back inside and brought a book with her, it was a book on alchemy, an advanced one at that, one my dad once owned. "Can you read that?" He asked.

"Not exactly, not completely but most things, certain terms I don't. I don't know how I do but I seem to. I could read the books you and Al couldn't but I never said anything, because I was afraid you would think I was strange."

"How, Al and I couldn't until Izumi taught us how to."

"I know she told me what the terms meant and then I could completely do it; it was weird."

"So explain how you use alchemy to make clothing," I asked her.

"I wonder," She thought.

"This is either going to be scary or dangerous, or both." I replied.

"Will Alchemy, we could make it with just our thought of the people, think it would work?" she asked my opinion.

"I don't know I'm not an expert at Will Alchemy, what do you think?" I asked her.

"How about we try on mine and we could always use normal alchemy if it doesn't work." I shrugged and I drew up the circle for us to sit at. We clapped our hands and put them against each others, and we opened our eyes and a dress was made, it looked beautiful to begin with.

"It's beautiful, isn't it Ed?"

"It would look more beautiful on you, go try it on." I told she nodded and went in the house and came out looking like a princess from the stories our mom use to read us. "Wow, you look amazing."

"You don't think it's too girly, tight, or frilly." I had a fear of telling her what I thought about how she dressed, last time I did she slapped me, unless it was something she said she liked first, I just agreed.

"Honestly Winry, it's looks beautiful on you, it's perfect. Plus you're beautiful and it shows your figure beautifully, and perfectly. It's wonderful; you should try to wear some more clothes like this, it would look really nice." I said trying not to insult her, which was hard because Winry tends to be easily offended.

"You really think so?" Winry asked me honestly.

"Of course, Winry. I'm sure no one would have anything against you showing your figure, well I might because you're mine but that's just me but I was just making a suggestion, you're so use to your work clothes that you don't see how beautiful you'd look with something besides it, we'll be sure to go shopping another day this week, okay?"

"Are you serious?" She asked.

"Sure, I mean we're both really rich right now, so I wouldn't mind spending more money on you, because I mean you're my fiancé at the moment, and if I want to treat you then I will."

"Wow Ed, thank you."

"Don't think about it, we have more outfits to complete." I said taking her hand and some more fabric, her dress was really beautiful. I don't know how to describe it very well but it was like a sleeveless dress but it had sleeves and a top of just lace and it was so white with light blue lace ribbon around her waste. She looked beautiful. She was so happy in that dress, that's why I encouraged her to try other stuff like it.

(Winry) I think I've never felt as beautiful as I have in my life in that dress, it was so wonderful. You should have seen Ed's face. I think he's becoming a bit overprotective of me, but what do I care. I'm his wife, it's not like he's my father… my father would probably smack Ed for looking me like that. My mom would have loved to help me create a design to base my fantasies on that is where the dress came from, my fantasy. (In reality I got it from David's bridal online). I miss my parents; my grandma is going to take me up the isle since she's the one who takes care of me for the longest time. I miss my parents.

Ed is quite enjoying looking at me in my beautiful gown, that's for sure. I couldn't see it myself but after he explained it maybe I should try a new style. I am starting to really enjoy Ed looking at me like that; he's really enjoying looking at me. If he doesn't watch it I might smack him, but I need to calm down, he did the same thing at the dance in celebration of his return, and our birthdays, stupid Ed. It's flattering but you really shouldn't act like that.

Then I returned to my normal clothes, and Ed was still looking at me, but it was because I was smiling and happy that he was, not just because of how I looked in that dress, points for you Ed. Molly's dress is a light blue color, pretty simple though, It was light blue and had accents in white. The color scheme was not said out loud but we had mentally decided was blue, white, silver and black; for what reason I don't know. I know that my grandma's dress was like Molly's because all the people I made dresses for were bride's maids. I needed a flower girl and I think I know just who to ask. Just because I think it slipped Ed's mind, I decided to play with his mind.

"Let's go inside since we finished with all the dresses and tuxes." He nodded picking up his and Al's tuxes and carrying them inside why I had Molly's and Pinako's mine, I had set out inside on a chair.

"So Ed I so you picked a best man yet?" He just looked at me.

"Winry, It's Al of course. I know it's not very normal to have your own brother be your best man but Al's the only guy friend I've had who has always been there for me. What about bride's maids and flower girl for you?" He asked.

"I think Al is the perfect best man, you two being brothers and best friends is exactly what I thought you'd pick. I know that I want Eliza and Molly to be my bride's maids and Pinako to take me down the isle but for flower girl I was thinking Elicia but I'm not sure."

"I'm sure she'll be happy to Winry, why don't you ask her?" Ed asked me.

"I want her to come to me on her own and ask. She seems like she's afraid of me."

"Why would you think that?"

"I don't know but she just seems a little distant from me."

"That or you're paranoid, we'll see but chances are she might never open up to you. It took me 2 years of visiting her and taking care of her for her to open up to me. But who knows?" Ed responded.

I sat the dresses down and Ed went in the back to think or study or something with the book I brought out, some things never change. Ed wanting to be a better alchemist, and learn new things; that is one of them. "Garcia, I'd like your thoughts on these dresses and mine especially." I had slipped on my dress again and within moments and little happy girl and her mother came in the room.

"Wow mommy, she's pretty." Elicia said.

"Yes she is, you're look very beautiful in that dress Winry. So how did you make it so fast?" Garcia asked interested in the making of the dress.

"We used Will Alchemy so it was very easy, think of it and it became reality, we did everyone's dresses using it. We're almost done though."

"That's good getting it out of the way; the dress is a part of the wedding that just helps accent you. I brought this out for you. I used it in my wedding and I'm not going to get married again I know that, so here." She handed me a box that had a beautiful crystal tiara in it.

"It's beautiful."

"I know, it was a gift from Mae's mother to me, because she told me that I deserved it and I know you do too because of all you do for Edward and Alphonse, it's a fitting start to your life Winry, as a princess." I nodded and took it and hugged her.

I felt a tug at my dress, "Winry, do I get a pretty dress?" Elicia asked.

"I didn't make you one but if you want I'm sure Edward and I can make you one."

"Really?" She said happily.

"Yeah, I was wondering if your mother is coming to the wedding would you like to be the flower girl." The happy girl looked at her mother.

"Winry, I'd never miss yours and Edward's wedding for anything if there was a tiniest chance I'd try to. Of course I'm coming." Garcia said.

"Then I can be a flower girl." Elicia said happily.

"It seems that you sure do." She smiled and jumped up and I held her, her happy.

"I get a pretty dress too."

"I'll talk to Ed about getting you and your mommy a very pretty dress. Actually why don't we both go ask Ed for a pretty dress, I'm sure he can't say no to us, can he?" She shook her head and smiled.

I walked into the backyard where Ed was just sitting out on a bench staring at the setting son. I must have trained him well because he could sense our presence. "Winry and Elicia, what brings you back here?" Ed asked.

"She has something to ask you Ed." I told him.

"What is it Elicia?" He asked concerned by her request.

"I asked Winry for a pretty dress because she was all pretty too, and she said I could be a flower girl, and I want a pretty dress too, can I?"

"What did Winry say?" Ed asked looking at me.

"I told her to ask you, I'd pass out from doing any work at Will Alchemy, so it's up to you, can she and Garcia have a pretty dress?" I said trying to be as nice as I could without using his love of me and thoughts of Maes' daughter to bother his conscious. Ed had something against us toying with him, whoever would know why?

"I think since she and her mother are going to be part of the wedding it's only fitting for them to have pretty dresses, we'll need new material though."

"I also need material for Eliza's dress, forgot about her. My mind is all over the place today."

"I go with you?" Elicia asked me.

"Ed?" I asked him.

"Ask your mom." He responded.

She tried to get free so I set her down and she ran into the house and pulled her mom out back. "It's fine with me; don't spend too much on our dresses though please, I don't want to be of problems with you two."

"Honestly I don't have to worry about money any more, haven't since I was 7. My parents' insurance money, Ed's repairs, state alchemist job, other automail jobs, and all that. I'm a billionaire, I don't worry about money much any more. Don't worry about it." She nodded, Ed looked at me surprised. "What?" I asked him.

"You're a billionaire?" He asked.

"I've sworn I've told you that before, all the money my parents left me, how much you've given me over the years, thinking about how much you get paid, and then 20 times that for everyone else who gets automail and stuff like that. Pinako pays for food, and heating and stuff; I've just been saving it up."

"I guess I've never thought about it either, I bet I'm pretty rich too, I don't' think about it much though."

"Neither do I, I just know that I don't worry about prices any more." Winry answered.

So Ed, Elicia and I went into town, Elicia picked out a pretty silvery white fabric and silver ribbon for her dress. (Why Silver was one of the main theme's colors you may ask, automail shop, fullmetal alchemist, and Al. It's been a color they've come accustom to.) "Is it pretty colors, Ed?" Ed looked at me for support. I couldn't help him, she had asked me for my opinion 24 or so times now.

"It's very nice, so why do you like that color Elicia?" He asked curiously.

"It reminds me of Al, your arm, Winry's wedding ring, and her dress." I nodded, her description fit everything, they were all very silvery.

"Elicia, we don't want to hurt Al's feelings by talking about the time when he was sad do we?" I asked her like I would a young child.

"No, but why don't we?"

"Because it hurt Al to be like that, so we don't talk about it, okay?" she nodded and I happily nodded and Ed relaxed for that.

I picked out a very pretty silver dress pattern for Garcia, quite similar to the one that Elicia picked out. I picked a light blue color for Eliza knowing she was my bride's maid and would match Molly. After we finished a long day of shopping, I returned with Ed, we finished the dresses and we went up to the room we were supposed to sleep in but we were too tired to make it there.

While we were out today I had gone independent shopping for things I'd need for the wedding afterward, a dress for the reception, a nightgown which I'd need for that night, and a few other things like extra material for a veil, a corsage for Ed, extra dress material incase the sizes were off a bit or something, I picked out a scrapbook for our wedding memories as well as I returned and Ed bought me a few shirts and skirts for me to wear; I wasn't sure but when Elicia complimented then and Ed reassured me of it I knew it would be okay.

I also bought a camera for taking pictures of people, and events of the day it would be a wonderful day I wished to remember it all on film.

I settled down in the bed next to Ed who was just resting there, he too was tired from this day, seeing as all our alchemic projects relied on him for power, he was probably drained. Well knowing him, it didn't effect how he was today at all.

"Edward, do you honestly want a child soon?" I asked out of the blue, we were in the safety of this room and I wanted an answer out of curiosity.

"No, not now, not this soon. I was thinking about it but I mean we're still young and we'll be married for a while, we could have a lot of problems if we jump into parenting soon, don't you think?"

"Yeah, plus I want you all to myself for a while. I just married you, why would I want to share you with a child this early on?" I stated.

"True, you're mine so the answer would be, yes I want a child, but no, not really soon. In a few years maybe, when we're more mature, and more responsible."

"I agree, we could still be good parents now but it's better in a few years when we're able to handle it, and we get our lives in order, they are so jumpy where we are, and honestly in al the danger we've been in the last while it isn't very safe for a child in our lives." I said, I'd be worried to death for a child in addition to worry about.

"Did I ever tell you how smart you are Winry?"

"Yes, I'm sure you have many times Edward, have I ever told you how smart you are?" He nodded in response closing his eyes, I leaned over on top of him and kissed him. "Well you are." He smiled.

"I love you Winry."

"I love you too Ed." With that drifted off to sleep, the next morning would be full of surprises.

(Ed) I heard sounds of an attack coming from outside and realized it was some sort of attack from our northern city, they were attacking us. I realized that they'd be calling me down to help with the war, who knew that they'd attack.

"Edward Elric, you're under arrest; you're coming with us." A soldier grabbed my arm and pulled me into a truck. It was just like the other side of the gate, arresting people, pulling them out. Except this was without a cause, or so I thought.

I was taken down to a city to be asked a few questions. "We are looking for a alchemist by the name of Eliza Rockbell; have you seen her?"

"May I ask why you wish to find her?"

"We're not attacking, we're searching for all alchemists, to arrest them for illegal use of alchemy, and since you and her aren't working for war we aren't here to arrest you but we can't touch those alchemist we wish to arrest on her defensive alchemy, so if you could help us, it would be useful." They answered.

"So you promise that you will do no harm to her or the alchemists you take away."

"We are just going to tell them that they can't fight using alchemy after what happened in Ishballa. We can't have anything like this happen again. They're going to be taken in and all uses of their alchemy as well as yours and Eliza's uses of alchemy will be reviewed if we find any connection to Ishballa, then you'll have to do time in your jails." I didn't know what to do, Winry never did anything to hurt Ishballa but would her being threatened to protect criminals be a problem, I'm sure she'd find it unnecessary.

"If you'd check your birth records both she and I were only 5 years of age and not members of the army at that age. I joined at 12, she at the age of 16 so we couldn't have taken place in the war."

"Correct but we can't take the alchemists and soldiers in that are being protected by you. This is similar to the problems we had with the Fuhrer, he has to do time for killing two of his own men, and many of in Ishballa." Mustang was being taken in, all the justice for the stone, should I tell them? What's done is done is what Izumi would say, no changing what happened in the past.

"I can't allow you to bother her, she's in the middle of her wedding preparations and is very busy and exhausted, and I can't allow you to bother her at this time." That's all I could say, who knew what would happen to me if I refused but Winry was first.

"It seems that some reports say that you have a relationship with Eliza at this point in time, is this true?" They asked.

"So what if it is, it's not illegal to be engaged to her is it?"

"No but by that news, I could suggest that you know where she is, and you are protecting her which we'd have to take you back to our northern base instead of returning you to your normal life."

Winry would hurt me if I didn't give her a chance to defend herself, and if I left her for a few weeks, she'd defiantly get angry. "Give me a phone." The smirked and nodded, handing me a phone.

"Hello, can I help you?" Winry answered unsteadily.

"Eliza… can you come to the section 2 military base here, in normal uniform and discuss the shields around the people. It's quite important, could you?"

"Edward, what's going on; are you safe?" She asked concerned.

"Yeah, but if you could come and help me out with being safe, I'd appreciate it."

"You mean get dressed up like normal for this."

"Yes Eliza, you need to dress up like normal times."

"Okay, be there soon, stay safe." I hang up, and sighed.

"She's coming."

"Good."