Guess what? Yep, chapter three! Not sure how many people actually care, but I'll take my six reviews and 49 hits and run with them. I hope you enjoyed the last chapter.

Reviewer's corner is at the bottom (but it's not that big, seeing as I got a whopping two reviews for chapter two).

That said…enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any of the properties maintained by FUNimation, VIZ Media, Studio Bones and Fullmetal Alchemist or anything associated with or owned by the four. Pretty obvious. But I'd like to.

To Heal the Wounds of the Heart

Chapter 3: Begin

"A…what?" was Edward's breathless whisper.

"…A homunculus," Lyncia replied, in the same hushed and emotionally devoid tone as before.

The entire room seemed to reverberate with the impact of those two simple words. Mustang blinked in shock, his sarcastic attitude evaporated. Hawkeye simply watched the conversation from her desk, eyes wide. Alphonse recoiled back from the young woman, his eyes wide as well.

"A homunculus…" Ed repeated, as if trying to convince himself.

"Catholicon, you need to give us the details," Mustang finally found his voice.

Lyncia began to speak, and as the words flowed from her mouth, Edward listened and watched her. It seemed to him that with every sentence she finished her voice grew stronger and bolder. It began to sound like a sweet, strong melody to him. Yet in the back of his mind, for some reason, an image of Winry lingered.

"It was...a very large man. He wore a tight crimson muscle shirt, and black pants. And he called himself…" she clutched her head, trying to recall, "…I'm sorry. I don't remember what he called himself. I don't remember how he attacked me, either. But I definitely saw it…the Ouroborous; the serpent that eats its own tail. I saw it, just above his waistline on his right side. And…and he left with a companion, but I lost consciousness too fast to identify the other one."

Roy rubbed his temples for a moment and sighed, then leaned back in his chair. "I guess that's all we can gather for now. Thanks Lyncia."

She only nodded.

"Would you like to go home or stay in the infirmary tonight?"

"I'll stay here for tonight," she said politely.

Roy nodded, and motioned that Ed and Al were dismissed, indicating for them to return the next day. The two brothers rose from their seats, feeling worn out themselves. Edward made a quick gesture of farewell in Hawkeye's direction, ignoring Mustang. They were nearly out the door and in the hallway once more before Al turned and bowed, smiling awkwardly.

"I hope you'll be okay," he murmured in Lyncia's direction.

"Yeah…feel better," Edward added hesitantly, blinking hard, and then the Elrics departed to find a night's stay.

It was a cloudless night, and as the light of the moon hung above them and penetrated the darkness, the large doors in front of Central Headquarters slowly closed, their steel framed in the soothing light. Edward and Alphonse descended the steps in front of the massive building and turned to their left, pacing down the bland sidewalk towards the nearest inn. The streets were empty; few lights were on, no vehicles maneuvered to and fro, and there were no there any other living souls traversing the walkways. It made for a desolate setting.

Ed took one step, then another, moving slowly down the sidewalk, weary and confused. His boots made soft clicks with each step as his coat billowed in the soft wind, and he stroked his chin thoughtfully, gazing at the sky.

Their minds were in turmoil. As they walked, Edward softly put a reassuring hand on his little brother's shoulder. Alphonse turned his head and smiled back, and as they continued to move closer to one of the more peaceful inns in Central, they stared blissfully upwards, together, at the luminescent orb suspended calmly above them.

"Al?"

"What is it, Brother?"

"How…"

Alphonse listened intently to his elder brother's sharp intake of breath, trying to continue.

"How do you think…that Winry's…doing?" Ed finally managed to spit out.

"I'm not sure. She's probably fine, though. Resembool is a peaceful place, Brother, we both know that," Al replied, trying his best to say nothing that would upset Edward.

"Yeah…"

"We haven't been to visit her since we got back…I thought you never wanted to. You said you wanted to move on."

"I know, Al…and I still do. I…I was just…wondering."

And then, in their small room at the snug little inn, there was silence. Alphonse rolled over in his bed, enjoying the feel of the soft white sheets as they brushed cooly against his skin. He stared at the peach-hued wall, his back turned to his brother, unsure of what to say. Ed continued to lie on his back, gazing at the ceiling quietly, never blinking. He raised his right arm above his head, to admire the flesh that had at last been returned to him. For a fleeting moment, he could have sworn he saw the glint of metal, felt the numb cold of a steel limb that he had been happy to leave behind. But it was only for a moment. As soon as it had passed, he lowered the arm and blinked, realizing that he needed sleep.

Al heard a strained voice utter just a single word, and then an exasperated sigh drifted out. He rolled over once more, and then closed his eyes. He could never be sure afterwards, but just for a moment, Alphonse was almost positive that the word he heard was surely "Winry," and that he saw a single gleaming tear slide gracefully down his brother's cheek.

Edward slowly opened the lids of his eyes, finding himself gazing out the small window in their room. He sat up, wondering what had woken him, before it dawned upon him that someone was slowly knocking on their door. Al was still soundly asleep, and so the elder brother took it upon himself to answer. He slipped on his brown coat and shook out his hair, aware that it was unchecked; he had removed the ponytail the previous night. Shuffling to the door, he undid the lock and swung it open.

Edward was greeted by the sight of Lyncia Asuna, her body fully healed and properly dressed again.

"M-Ms. Asuna," he stuttered, trying to regain his bearings.

"Please, just call me Lyncia. Ms. Asuna is too formal for me," she said sweetly, and Ed was completely stunned at how much different she was when fully normal in contrast to the state they had discovered her in. "Oh, and good morning, Fullmetal."

"Ah, of course," Edward muttered, "And don't worry, you can just call me Ed." It wasn't a formality issue for him, however. It was simply that Mustang was the only person who called him Fullmetal on a regular basis, and the way he said it, predictably, pissed Ed off.

"Alright," she finally decided. "Can I come in?"

"Err…yeah, sure. Ignore Al, he's still asleep."

The two retreated into the room, and Ed closed the wooden door quietly. He sat on the edge of Al's bed and stretched. Lyncia took a seat in a small chair near the desk by the room's edge. Ed rubbed his eyes, looking around for his ponytail, but it was nowhere to be found. His gaze then turned to Lyncia. Her smooth, graceful brown hair was still hanging loosely, spread out on either side in both the front and back past her shoulders. Her bangs, though they were smaller, hung to the side just as Ed's did. A shine was in her gorgeous eyes that had not been there the day before. She wore a thin, tight cotton sweater whose shortened sleeves stopped just below her elbows. The red shirt was matched by a pair of equally tight beige pants and a pair of small white shoes. Overall, the outfit accentuated her figure even more, but other pressing thoughts on his mind helped deter Ed from that train of thought.

"Your, uh…your cuts are gone," he commented, indicating her forearms.

"Yeah, I took care of them this morning. I feel a lot better," she piped. Her voice held that same melody he had noticed the previous day.

"Huh. That's good."

Ed titled his head down to try and scan the floor, looking for the band that always held his hair in place. It was starting to annoy him. Lyncia noticed the path of his eyes and the way he continued to fidget with his hair, and drew the obvious conclusion.

"Ah," he mumbled, finally locating the object of his search. It lay on the floor between the two beds. He reached down to grab it, yet what his hand rested on was not the band. His palm was right on top of Lyncia's, as she had also spotted the elusive hair band, and he quickly withdrew it, flushed. She, too, jerked back hesitantly, blushing furiously. The noise woke Alphonse, who mumbled something incoherent and attempted to sit up.

Edward seized his chance to leave the room, stating something about getting ready to see Mustang. Entering the restroom, he shut and locked the door, leaving his brother and the Catholicon Alchemist to chat while he let his mind wander.

Edward stood, shoulders hunched, in front of the ever-familiar door. He kept his eyes square to the ground, neither wanting to stare at Lyncia nor be the first to lock eyes with Mustang, should Captain Hawkeye welcome them in her usual distant manner.

"Hello, Edward, Alphonse," she greeted them, swinging the door open. Just as Ed predicted, she stepped out of the way and bid them come in, exposing his path to the Major General. He continued to avert his eyes, letting Lyncia and Al proceed ahead of him.

"What's the matter, Fullmetal, why won't you look at me?" came Roy's teasing voice.

"Grr…shut up! I came here because I had to, and I don't want to spend any more time in your company than absolutely necessary!"

Mustang stopped smiling and sat up a little straighter, casting an eye over Lyncia, then Al, and then his eyes finally rested on Ed, who had at some point managed to get his hair tied up and his coat on properly.

"Well then, let me get to the point," Mustang finally replied. Ed shifted nervously and cast an eye in Alphonse's direction, then quickly glanced at Lyncia. "I've thought about the situation here, spoken to Catholicon and done some consulting and racking my brain. And…"

Ed was fidgeting. "And…?"

"And five hours from now you will be on a train headed to a pre-specified destination I believe is the best place to start off."

"Where?"

Mustang lazily flopped forward, once again resting his face on his fist and gazing at the older Elric brother through half-closed eyes.

"Here are your tickets," he said simply, handing the thin slips of paper to the two brothers and Lyncia.

Ed took it hesitantly and scanned its contents quickly.

"4:10 p.m., Line D, Row 11, Seat 2…" He then made an audible gasp.

"Something the matter, Fullmetal?"

"R-Resembool…you can't be serious…" Edward mumbled, more to himself than to anyone else in the room.

"I'm very serious. You're to spend two weeks there, and report to me anything you find. And I'd suggest you go get some rest to be ready for the long train ride awaiting you."

Ed said nothing, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging slightly open in an eternal gaze of shock. He allowed himself to be led out of the room by Alphonse, one hand on each of his shoulders, without ever saying a word. Lyncia quietly followed behind the brothers, waving to Hawkeye as they left.

"I wonder what the Major General expects us to find there…what do you think, Brother?" Al inquired.

But Ed said nothing.

It was nearing the end of the year, and each day the sun continued to set at an earlier time than the day before it. On this day, the first signs of its descent below the horizon were beginning to show, and the entire land was bathed in a soft orange glow. A large, powerful steam engine pulled two cars behind it, moving forward at a relatively fast pace. Its sole occupants, a group of three, gazed silently out the window as tranquil hills, tall trees and lone wooden houses passed by.

It was only another hour and a half to Resembool, and Edward still had not spoken. He lie desolately, spread out across one seat with his hair splayed out behind him and his brown coat ruffled and almost slipping off of his arms. Lyncia leaned across to Alphonse, whispering in his ear.

"What's wrong with Ed?" she inquired, her soft hazel eyes filled with a mix of concern and curiosity.

"Resembool is our hometown," Al replied, "Or it was. Since we came back, Brother and I agreed we wouldn't ever go there again. There are too many memories there for us to waste our time looking back. At least…that was his reasoning. I think it's because what we'd find there would just be too painful for the both of us. But he'll never admit it."

"It sounds like he's a very strong person," Lyncia concluded.

"Yeah. He is."

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, until Al shifted uncomfortably in their seat, trying to create a little more space for himself. Lyncia slid over, and then once again felt the need to resume their conversation.

"Came back from where?"

"…The Gate. It's a long story."

"Well…what is there in Resembool that Ed would want to avoid so badly?"

"Our mother's grave. And…" Al hesitated, staring sorrowfully at his brother, "And…Winry."

Once again, the questioning look in Lyncia's beautiful eyes sent a message to Al. He made himself comfortable and leaned back, attempting to tell their whole story.

Ed was awake, staring sleepily at the roof of the train, but neither of his companions noticed it, and he made no indications. His eyes shifted to his side, and once more, for a fleeting instant he caught the gleam of steel, the all-too-familiar sight and feel of automail. He did not attempt to raise his head for a better look, and the moment he blinked, it was gone.

The train was nearing the station in Resembool. Ed turned over one last time and whispered to himself. "And so, it begins."

The group of three stepped carefully off of the train and into the tiny, makeshift station of Resembool. Almost as soon as it had arrived, the machine began to depart once more, no passengers having boarded. Without a word, Ed turned on his heel and strode off, his brother and the stunning Catholicon Alchemist close behind. They quickly found themselves on a dirt path, heading east, the remainder of the small town they could not already glimpse being just below the horizon created by the rolling hills. With each step Ed took, his strides became shorter and his posture more slouched. Al and Lyncia met each other's eyes, and then made an attempt to catch up.

"It'll be alright, Brother," Al said assuredly, but by the way his brother shrugged him off, he could tell it had done nothing.

Lyncia moved forward swiftly, walking so gracefully that she almost appeared to be gliding, and finally neared Ed's side. He still made no attempt to engage either of them in conversation, and so she took a chance and reached out.

Edward nearly jolted as he felt a soft hand lay on his shoulder and turned, finding himself looking at pale skin that ran from that same hand back down on an arm to Lyncia. They stared at each other for a moment, Edward wearing a look of surprise. Then Lyncia tilted her head and a large smile broke across her soft lips, reaching her bright eyes.

"Come on, Ed. What's there to be afraid of?"

He blinked for a moment, unsure of how to react. There was silence. Her strong, soothing, melodic voice resonated within him.Then he, too, smiled as well. It was a weak grin, but it reassured his companions of his condition. Alphonse moved to his brother's side, and they set off once more, just minutes away from breaching the hills and moving closer to their destination.

It stood in front of them as it always had, yellow exterior staring outward, white beams forming a deck and, higher up and to the left, a small balcony surveying the land before it. The same wooden sign stood out front, though somewhat withered, its faded black letters proclaiming ROCKBELL AUTOMAIL. Everything appeared just as they had left it. Ed grumbled nervously, his stomach doing the same. Al moved in front, and led them to the house that had been their surrogate home, up the polished brown steps and to the front door.

Alphonse looked at his brother expectantly, as if wanting him to knock, but he just sighed and shook his head. Al simply shrugged, and turned to the door once more. He raised his hand and knocked four times softly, an interval of almost two seconds between each one.

They remained at the door for what seemed like hours. Ed stood with his gloved hands in his brown pockets, gazing at the floorboards below him. Lyncia appeared to be simply there, unmoving and unsure of her place. Only Alphonse seemed composed enough to be ready for what would come next. It was an ironic twist, but sure enough, he was the one with the strength that the others didn't have.

There was shuffling and then, finally, the door slowly creaked open.

Winry stepped forward, her long, elegant blonde hair swinging about her shoulders unchecked, her azure blue eyes sparkling in their bright glory. Nothing about her had changed, it appeared, not even the white shirt-blue skirt-blue jacket outfit she happened to be wearing on this particular day. There was a grace about her the brothers had never noticed before, and yet there was also an air of desperation surrounding her. She was slightly taller and appeared to be seventeen, as she should be, and nothing else was different. She, too, was just as they had left her. A small part of Edward was relieved.

"E-Edward…Alphonse…" Winry gasped, shocked beyond belief. She took a step backward, her legs giving way, and collapsed into the doorway, shaking. Edward, out of instinct, quickly bent down, sliding one arm under her back and taking her hand in his, hoisting her back up to a standing position. For a moment, he didn't even realize what he had done.

And then, Ed lost control, unable to handle himself in her presence after he had resolved to never be there again, and began babbling.

"Uh…hey, Winry. How's it going?" he said innocently, "Are you doing alright? Everything still fine? You knew we were coming back, right? We're finally here, I guess. Did you miss us? Have things changed any?"

Unable to speak, she stood rooted to the spot, nodding in reply to these questions and many more as he continued. The less Edward continued to talk, however, and the more he gazed at her body, her face, this house, it became apparent that the thoughts and memories of her flooding his mind could not be restrained.

He would never admit it, but at this moment in time, seeing her was what he wanted most. His mind snapped back for a moment, and he then realized that Lyncia was still standing beside him, and her calming voice once again echoed in the farthest chambers of his head.

Winry continued to nod to each question he reeled off, indicating that she was fine, that life had continued on as usual, and that she had known every day that they would be back. But the look in her eyes blatantly stated otherwise.

A/N: Phew, and I thought the last one was excruciating. For the few who are loyal to this fic and actually read it, this must seem like a filler chapter. In reality, for the most part, it is. I just needed to get in an update, but each day it became harder to find the inspiration because since last Sunday I've gotten zero hits, zero reviews, zero anything else. I've stopped checking the stats page.

There was still important info put into this chapter, and I hope it'll still be enjoyable to read, but I'm getting to work immediately on chapter four to keep the creativity flowing—although, honestly, I'm not sure anybody's even reading. I don't mind people not leaving the occasional review, but if I don't even get hits, then it lets me know nobody wants to check out the story. I'll keep working, though.

Reviewer's Corner:

BlackMercifulFaerie (Lina): Thanks so much for the compliment. Describing people is something I enjoy, especially when they're beautiful people. XD. My apologies, but no shonen-ai to be found here. I still hope you continue to read, support and enjoy.

Merodi-chan: Gracias. I'll keep working. Thanks for reading.

Meroe: I can't reveal which side I'm leaning towards at this moment, but I can assure you no matter which way the story goes you won't be disappointed. I pride myself on my cliffies, which must make me a hypocrite because I hate it when people pull good cliffies on me. Haha. Anyway, thanks again, and rest assured Winry will play a big part in the story either way.

So then, thanks for reading.

Next time:

Chapter 4: Missed

The brothers have returned. Winry, feeling as if she would never see them again, discovers a sense of recovery and relief at their transition back to "normal" life. It almost seems as if nothing has changed. But with the stunningly beautiful Lyncia Asuna making the trip as well, and pressure mounting from akwardness and Ed's reluctance to share his thoughts with others (even his own dear brother), will a valve break and emotions fly as the truth emerges? And what of the homunculus that assaulted the Catholicon Alchemist?

See ya soon!