Across The World I Will Follow:

Chapter 13: A Mysterious Encounter

Winry had gone home after her meeting with her new boss Robert Shimkus with a million thoughts running through her head.

Ed is probably there.

He's probably fighting to try to get here and find me.

Alphonse is here and if he's here Ed will get curious.

War? Why war again?

Winry walked home and noticed that Khristie and Al were sitting in the living room playing. "Khristie can you go and take a shower while me and Alphonse talk a little bit?" Khristie turned and looked at her and hopped off of his lap. She walked over and gave her a hug.

"How was the work thing today Sissy?" She looked up at her while she hugged her. Winry looked down and patted her on the head.

"It was alright, go get cleaned up and get some clean clothes on."She smiled and bent down to kiss her on the forehead and patted her on the butt and pushed her slightly and laughed. "Take your time."

She stood up and watched her as she ran down the hall and went into the bathroom, after a few moments she heard water running and went to sit by Al. She looked at him for a few moments and sighed. "Alphonse, I…I…I Have something to tell you," But then an interruption someone began knocking at the door. She let out a tiny growl and stood up, and walked towards the door. She looked through the peephole and noticed it was Rob. "Oh it's my boss." She unlocked the deadbolts and opened it.

"Hello Mr. Shimkus." He seemed to look like he had followed closely after her.

"Hello Betty, Call me Rob please you don't have to be so formal with me I mean we are neighbors. He looked inside and noticed Alphonse sitting down. "Oh so that must be Alphonse, Hello Sir." He waved and looked at Winry for a moment.

"Oh where are my manners would you like to come in."

He blushed, "No I was just stopping by to see if everything was okay you left in quite a hurry."

Winry began to blush as well her dimples were very prominent at the moment. "Yeah I was just shocked to hear those rumors and well Alphonse has a brother in the military and I was just about to tell him about the Revolt in Maribel."

Alphonse jumped up and walked over to the door at that comment. "A Revolt! In Maribel Betty my brother could be in trouble!" He started to try to walk out the door but Winry held him back.

"ALPHONSE." She worked very hard trying to hold him back. He was fighting very hard to make it out. After awhile Robert helped to get him to sit back down. "There isn't anything you can do. Remember your still trying to find your friend remember, You can't go and help your Brother who apparently is being a selfish jerk at the moment."

Alphonse looked down. "Yeah."

"Well thanks Rob I'll see you tomorrow at work."

Robert nodded and walked out.

"So Betty is that what you were going to tell me?"

Winry sat down next to him and looked at him for a moment. There was something she wanted to tell him so bad but she wasn't ready to yet. She looked into his "Eyes but decided to tell him the opposite. "Yeah that's what I was going to tell you."

Alphonse nodded and stood up to go to his room. "Well I need to go rest I'm tired from the train ride." After a few more moments Khristie came out yawning like a cat and asked if it was alright to go back to bed. Betty stood up and led her to the bedroom and they both got undressed to go to sleep and lay down in bed to get ready for the next day.

The next day Winry awoke around seven in the morning so she could take a shower, and get ready for work. She slipped out of the room and walked by Alphonse's room she peeked inside and saw that Alphonse was still sitting against the wall. He turned to her. "Good morning Betty, I'm sorry about yesterday I just get worried about Edward sometimes now that he's alone and the only person that knows how to fix his automail is gone and well I'm afraid he'll hurt himself."

"Yeah I understand." She looked at him trying to figure him out she had known him all her life and yet she still was amazed at how close those two were. Winry thought for a few more moments and then decided she had wasted enough time. "I'll need you to keep an eye on Khristie okay?"

He nodded and then she went and began to get ready. It took her about an hour she pulled her hair back up in a bun and put on her new halter top and the red Capri's she then put on her apron and her nametag. She stopped in her bedroom as she walked out and kissed Khristie on the forehead. She stepped out and went to work.

On her way to work she looked down the alley and saw the woman again. She was starting to get very suspicious of her for being everywhere that she went. She decided to take a detour down the alleyway and follow her. She was walking towards the other side of the alley more than likely trying to get away. She tried to keep up with her but she pulled away quickly before she even got a chance. She looked around for a few moments being very suspicious of where she looked and trying to get a clear view of what was going on. She gave up and went to work.

She walked back to the coffee shop and did her duties for the day. She heard people continue talking about the army In Maribel and the possible outbreak of war in Neuruvia. Ishbal seemed to be pretty much at ease but there were still a large group of Ishbalan's that wanted revenge upon the State, and that's what was fueling the fires in Maribel. Towards three o'clock Winry went back into the lounge and took a break. Robert came and sat down next to her.

"So you enjoying your first day at work?"He looked at her eyes as she continued to scarf down her lunch that she had made the night before which consisted of a turkey sandwich and some chips. She looked up at him and nodded. He laughed, "Seriously you can tell me the truth you know."

Winry looked at him and swallowed the bite she had just taken. "I've just got a lot on my mind I'm having a fine time being at work again it helps you know just to get a change of Scenery sometimes." She took another bite and then took a drink from her mug. "I'm just in a way worried about Alphonse leaving him by himself all day when his brother could be fighting right now in Maribel."

He put his hand on her lap. "Don't worry about Alphonse I know everyone in town if he tries to leave town we'll know and then they will come to get me and you will be able to go and talk some since in to him okay?" Winry nodded in approval and continued to eat her lunch.

"Well I guess I will see you when you get done." He stood up and began to walk out, but stopped in mid stream. "Oh Betty, I'd like to invite you, Al and your sister to dinner tonight." Winry looked up at him and smiled.

"Sure I'd like that."

"Good I'll see you guys at the Diner around Ten then?"

"Ten sounds good." He then walked out and Winry was left to finish her meal.