The wrong kind of love
Ed sat waiting for Riza in the waiting area replaying the scene over and over again in his mind. 'Why did I have to go and turn my back on him? I should have suspected that had a weapon on him.' He asked himself. He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard the door to the doctors office open and saw Riza coming out thanking the doctor for his help. She sees Ed sitting there waiting for her and walks towards him, the first thing that Ed noticed was the Riza's right arm was in a sling. Riza saw the guilt in his eyes and sat down next to him.
"Ed this isn't your fault, these things sometimes just happen." She told him giving him and small smile, but Ed didn't smile he just sat there with his head bowed in his hands. No matter how many times someone said that something wasn't his fault he would still think it. Riza put her hand on Ed's chin and got him to look at her, she looked him straight in the eyes.
"Ed you have to stop doing this to yourself, you can't go through life blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong. Your aloud to make a few mistakes in life, that's how we humans learn." She told him hoping that it would make the guilt in his eyes go away.
"I know that but I should have known better than to turn my back on the enemy without checking them for weapons first, he was an alchemist he could of drawn a transmutation circle and and..."
"But he didn't and he only managed to graze me with the bullet so don't let it worry you." She said giving him a hug before standing up pulling Ed up with her.
"We should get back to the hotel and get some rest it's getting late and the trains won't be running now till the morning." Riza said holding Ed's right hand, they both went back to the hotel and got some rest they would have it get the first train back to Central the next morning.
The next morning Ed and Riza was heading to the train station to get their train back to Central, they got the the ticket booth and Ed asked for to tickets but not to Central but to Resembool. Riza looked at her ticket and frowned at Ed who was sitting on a bench on the platform waiting for there train.
"Ed why have you bought us tickets to Resembool, your auto-mail isn't broken so you don't needed to see Winry and we have to get back to Central to report back to the Colonel." Riza said Ed gave her a pleading look.
"But Riza I promised Al that after the mission I would go down to Resembool and see him and Winry before we all go back to Central together." Ed said looking deep into her hazel eyes.
"I promise that it will only be for one night and then we can head back to Central. Please." Riza thought about this for a minute.
"We should really be going back to Central it about another day to travel from here to Resembool meaning that it will take us to days to get back to Central instead of one and if we stay at Winry's house over night that will be another day that we will be late." She reasoned trying to making him see her point of view. Ed just kept on giving her his puppy dog look hoping that it would change her mind, the train heading to Resembool pulled in and Ed asked her one more time.
"Please Riza if your worried about the Colonel then don't I will ring him when we get there saying that we are making a quick stop and then we will be coming straight back." Riza sighed "OK but we have to ring him as so as you get there understood." Ed didn't answer he picked up his case and jumped onto the train Riza shook her head, sometimes she wondered if he has grown up at all.
The next day in Resembool Winry was in her workshop making Ed a new auto-mail arm in case he ever broke it and had to have it replaced, she was always improving her work wanting to make sure that Ed had the best. When ED had said that he was going to be staying in the millatery she was disappointed, she thought that when he finally got Al back that he would retire from the millatery and come back to Resembool to live with her, but he didn't he stayed in Central to continue being a dog for the millatery leaving her in Resembool alone praying that one day he would come home to her.
Winry stopped what she was doing when she heard Den barking outside, she got up and went out to the front yard to see who had come to visit her. She opened the front door and saw Ed patting Den on the head,behind him Riza was standing watching him pet the dog.
"Ed what are you doing here?" She asked him pulling out her wrench ready to beat him with it. Ed gave Winry a scared look nothing good ever came when the wrench came out, He braced himself waiting for the inevitable.
"You broken my auto-mail haven't you." She said bringing to wrench down onto his head, Riza flinched she never did understand why Winry felt the need to hit him every time she saw him he hadn't even broken his arm this time.
"Brother" Al said running out of the house and jumping on Ed saving him from being hit again.
"Brother you came, are you all right? How did your mission go?" He said giving his Brother a big hug.
"Al you squeezing to hard I can breath." Ed whizzed trying to breath. Al let go of him and helped him up.
"Hello Lieutenant, what happened to your arm?" Al asked noticing her arm in a sling.
"I just had a little accident Al nothing to worry about." She said reassuring him. They all went into the house and sat in the living room.
"So where's granny?" Ed asked noticing that the old auto-mail mechanic wasn't to be seen.
"She's gone down to Rush Valley to visit some old friends." Winry replied, she walked over to Ed and inspected his auto-mail for any damage.
"Well I see that you managed to resist the urge to brake it this time." She said putting his arm down, Ed frowned. "It's not like I brake it on purpose you know, it just some times happens." He said glaring at her, this is why he didn't love her she was too obsessed with her work, he would be constantly wondering if she loved his auto-mail more than she loved him.
Al got up from his chair and headed towards the kitchen. "It's nearly dinner time I should probably get started on making us some thing, I bet that you must be hungry Brother." Ed nodded he hadn't eaten properly since leaving on that stupid mission, they had been to busy trying to find the missing weapons. Al walked into the kitchen and thought about what he should cook, he look in the fridge and saw the chicken that needed eating so he decided to cook chicken with vegetables.
Ed, Riza and Winry sat in the living room not really knowing what to say.
"It was OK just the usual running around and catching the bad guys. How about you how's things been here for you and granny?" Ed asked "Everything has been fine, you remember Jack and Mary?" Winry asked.
"You mean Jack Stanford and Mary Rose?" Ed asked trying to remember, Winry nodded "Yeah, they are married now and have just had their first child." Ed smiled. "They have? Wow that's great what did they name the child?" He asked, he didn't always act like it but he it still think of his old friends.
"They named her Skye." She answered standing up and heading towards the
kitchen. "Would you to like some to she asked."
"We would love to." replied Riza who had stayed quite during the conversation.
After dinner Ed and Riza had decided to go and visit his mums grave, it had been awhile since he had come to visit her so Al had suggested that he went. When they got to Trisha's grave Ed transmuted a ring of flowers and put it on her grave. Riza stood beside him putting her arm around his shoulders.
"Mum this is Riza my girlfriend." Ed said to the grave. Riza hugged him tighter letting him know that she was there for him.
"I miss her so much." Ed sobbed no matter how many times he came here it was the same, it reminded him off everything that had happened, all the people that had suffered because of him.
"You know she wouldn't blame you, you where young and alone you did the only think you thought to do out off love." Ed turned to her wiping the tears that had started to fall. He knew that she was right, his mother was a kind and gentle woman who lived her life helping people. But still it didn't stop the guilt.
He leaned forward touching his lips to Riza's giving her a long passionate kiss, he wished that he could stay like that forever but unfortunately they both needed to breath so reluctantly they parted, their cheeks a soft pink from the kiss.
"I was so afraid when you were shot, I thought that I had lost you." Ed said holding Riza's hand.
"You will never loose me Ed." she said kissing him again. There kiss was cut short when they heard footsteps, they parted and turned to see Winry running away from the graveyard heading towards the river. Realising what had happened Ed went to go after her. When he noticed that Riza was following him he stopped.
"I had better talk to her alone." Ed told her receiving a smile of understanding, Riza turned and headed back to the house whilst Ed went to talk to Winry.
It didn't take long for him to find her, she was sat near the river with her head in her knees crying. Ed sat down beside her watching the fireflies dance across the water.
"Are you OK Winry." He asked her, Winry wiped the tears away. "I always imagined me and you together like that." She said, Ed just sat and listened. "Ever since you started you quest, I wanted to be there and help you in anyway I could."
"You did help Winry." Ed said raising his right arm. "If it wasn't for you and granny I wouldn't have been able to complete my goals." Ed said making Winry blush.
"Ed why didn't you come home?" She asked him tears welling up in her eyes again.
"I already told you, I wanted to stay in the millatery and help my friends reach their goals, like they did for me." He said. "And besides the millatery and alchemy are the only two things I have really known, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I left." Winry looked away not wanting to see his reaction to what she was about to said next.
"Ed I love you." Ed looked at his best friend. "I love you too Winry, but not in that way." He turned her so that she was facing him. "You are like a sister to me Win, you always have been."
Winry thought about this for a minute, it was true that they where like family but was the feelings she had towards him only sisterly love?
"But you know Winry there is another Elric that does have those kinds of feelings for you." Ed said before standing up to leave.
"You mean Al loves me?" Winry said stopping Ed. "Think about it Winry, even though he was in that suit of armour he was always the one who was there to help you, to comfort you when you was sad. He's secretly been in love with you for years." Ed said turning to face her.
"Al knew that you was in love with me so he pushed aside his own feelings, don't wanting to get in the way of our happiness." Ed finished, Winry couldn't believe it Al loved her.
"Just give him a chance Winry for me." Winry looked into his eyes, the eyes that she had falling in love with all those years ago. "OK Ed I will." She promised, Ed smiled at her they stayed there for a few more minutes before heading back to the house.
The next morning Winry and Al was at the station saying goodbye to Ed and Riza.
"Are you sure that you what to stay here? You could always travel back with us." Ed asked his brother who had decided that he was going to stay in Resembool with Winry, he had thought about what Ed had said before he had left for his mission and had decided that it was about time that he told Winry how he left.
"I'm sure Brother, say hi to everyone for me and could you return this book that I borrowing to the Colonel." Al asked handing Ed the book. Their train arrived and they got on it, they sat down and opened the window to wave out off.
"Bye, take care of your selves and tell granny that I said hi." Ed said hanging out the window Al and Winry waved back saying that they will. The trains whistle blow and started moving. Ed closed the window and cuddled up to Riza.
"You know I can't wait till we get back to Central we still have to have our date." Riza said Ed agreed.
"Yeah, once we have handed in our report I am going to take you on one." He said they sat together watching the world go by when Ed suddenly shot up.
"Oh shit." Ed said, making Riza jump. "Ed what's wrong?"
"That bastard is going to kill us." Ed said looking at Riza with apologetic eyes. Riza thought about Ed comment, 'why would the Colonel kill us unless...'
"Ed you didn't ring him did you?" Ed only nodded. Riza went to pull out her gun making Ed fling back in fear.
"I'm sorry I forgot, by the time we got there we had dinner and chatted with Al and Winry, then we went to visit my mums grave then had to go and talk to Winry because she caught us kissing and by the time we got back it was too late." Riza thought about this for a moment before putting her gun away.
"So what should we tell him?" She asked sitting down next to him again.
"I don't know but I'll think of something" He said hoping that the Colonel will be in a good mod.
Two days later in Central Roy walks into his office to find General Hakuro sitting on his couch.
"Good morning General Hakuro." Roy said saluting Hakuro just sat there glaring at Roy, it seemed that the General was in a bad mood again. Roy went and sat at his waiting for the General to tell him what he had done now.
"Has Major Elric and Lieutenant Hawkeye reported in from their mission yet?" Hakuro asked, he was getting impatient.
"No Sir, I haven't heard from them either. But as so as they come in I will let you know." Roy said getting annoyed, he had expected this from Ed but not Hawkeye.
"You had better." The general said standing up to leave. "It's a shame really, if you wasn't so soft you could have been promoted my now." Hakuro said leaving the Colonel to think about what he had just said.
A couple of hours later Ed and Riza was getting of their train and heading towards Central HQ. When they got there they headed straight to the office to hand in the report, they entered the outer office and saw Havoc, Breada, Fuery and Falman sitting at their desks looking gloomy.
"Hey guys, what has got you so down?" Ed asked the four soldiers, Havoc looked up at him.
"The Colonel is in a really bad mood, he has been mopping around more then usual." He said putting his desk.
"Yesterday I asked him if he had finished signing the files that needed to be handed and he almost set me on fire." He continued Ed gave Riza a scared look, he had seen the Colonel in a bad mood before and nearly had his head blow off.
They went into the office closing the door behind them and saluted. "Lieutenant Hawkeye and Major Elric reporting in Sir" Riza said Roy looked up from the papers he was signing and gave them both a murderous look.
"I see and WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" He screamed at them standing up from his desk.
"I had a problem with my auto-mail and went to Resembool to get it fixed." Ed said hoping that the Colonel would except their excuse.
"Then why didn't you call me?" Roy asked "I sorry Colonel that is my fault, I was meant to but I forgot." Ed said.
"You forgot, YOU FORGOT. Do you have any idea what I have had to put up because of you two." He said walking up to them. "I had Hakuro in my office this morning asking me why I didn't know where my subordinates where. What am I going to tell him.
'Sorry sir they had gone up to Resembool without permission and forgot to call.' He already thinks I'm a weak officer." Roy said getting angrier, he walked back to his desk and sat down.
Riza went over to the desk and handed Roy there report, when he looked up at her he noticed that her arm was in a sling.
"What happened?" He asked pointing to her injury. "I was shot. Ed was transmuting some rope and didn't notice the man had another weapon hidden, I managed to get Ed out of the way and got shot instead." She explained, Roy looked at Ed anger showing in his eyes.
"So not only did you go to Resembool without consulting me but you also got my First Lieutenant shot." Roy said, Ed bowed his head. "I am so sorry Colonel, I was reckless and I should have been more careful. I promise that it want happen again." He said a guilty look on his face.
"It seems that I was wrong to send you on this mission Fullmetal, you just wasn't ready. And I had actually thought that you had grow up." Roy said disappointed.
"But Colonel it wasn't Ed's fault. I was the one that stepped in front of the bullet." Riza said defending Ed.
"Because Fullmetal was reckless." Roy said picking up their report to to read and sign. Riza and Ed stood and waited for the Colonel to finish reading, Ed nervously playing wit his coat. When Roy had finished he signed the bottom of it and put it on the finished pile, which was every small compared to the other pile.
"Right I have read your report and even though you two did manage to complete the mission and catch the thieves you still went to Resembool and didn't tell me, so I have decided that as your punishments Fullmetal will be suspended of a week without pay and you lieutenant will have to clean my office and do any other jobs I ask you to do." Roy said, Ed and Riza was shocked. "But sir we didn't mean to, and we promise that we want do anything like it again." Ed said but Roy just ignored him.
"Oh and the next time something like this happens, I will not hesitate to have you court marshalled do I make my self clear." Ed and Riza nodded not bothering to say any more.
"OK Fullmetal you are dismissed, I expect you to report to me in a week at nine in the morning, and don't be late." Ed left the office and saw everyone looking at him, they had been listening by the door and heard what had happened, they all gave him a sympathetic look.
"I will see you all in a week." Ed said before leaving to go home. Riza on the other hand was made to clean the Colonel's office, bring him his lunch and even clean the staff toilets. This was going to be a long week.