A/N: I appreciate all the reviews! Thank you very much. I finally arrived to some EDxWin! and it only took five chapters.

Disclaimer: Fma does not belong to me. *sniff*
_

It was still dark when the brothers arrived at the station and they took care to wrap light jackets around themselves as a shield against the morning chill. Ed and Al tumbled out of Roy's vehicle as it crawled to a stop and kicked the door closed in response to the General's enthusiastic raptures regarding the fine job they performed cleaning his house. Ed stood by the corner reminiscent of the last time he bade Mustang goodbye after the man had given the boys a ride. They had made a promise then that involved 520 cens. Though Ed did not approve of Roy's behavior on occasion, he acknowledged that he was indebted to his superior for more than a small amount of change. It occured to him that this moment might be the last he spoke with Roy in a long time.

"Be careful," he found himself advising, "the Ishbalans will be wary to trust you."

Roy looked surprised by the concern, but chose to leave the farewell free of any snide remarks.

"You two take care. I'll be fine. I expect we'll meet again someday."

Al stepped forward and bowed his head low.

"Thank you for everything General"

Ed nodded to affirm the sentiment. Who knows how their future would have turned out, had Roy never shown up at the Rockbell home that fateful day and provided them the opportunity to begin their quest. Perhaps Ed would have remained a cripple and Al a suit of armor. Roy's strict position relaxed upon hearing the boy's words and he raised his hand in solute.
Ed and Al followed suit.

There was no need for anything else to be spoken. Ed and Al watched as Roy shifted the car into gear and puttered off. They raised their hands just before the vehicle became a speck in the distance. Time passed and they allowed they're arms to fall limp and a deep sigh to escape their lips. Change was difficult.

Al was the first to break the silence.

"Ed"

"HM?"

"Let's go home."

A soft grinned spalshed across his face and the elder brother led the way into the station eager to be back in the familiar comfort of Resembool. They purchased coffee and the paper before boarding and chose a near empty car in case sleep was desired. Though Edward was physically exhausted from the traveling and forced labor yesterday, his jangling nerves kept his eyes glued open. He was confused and slightly embarassed by his anxiety, for the source of it stemmed from the prospect of seeing a certain young lady later today. He was suddenly aware of the messiness of his bangs and staleness of his breath. The grassy fields of the east glided past as the train picked up pace and Ed wasn't sure if he felt excited or afraid. Would Winry be happy to see him? Would she be angry about his negligence toward his automail?

The strange letter she'd sent to the hospital had hovered over him like cloud too. He hadn't really stopped worrying about her and it felt surreal that his curiousity over her situation would finally be satiated today.

"Did you have too much coffee?" Al asked snapping Ed out of his reverie.

"Huh?"

"You're bouncing leg is distracting me. I'm trying to read."

"I don't think its from caffiene." Ed admitted slumping low in his chair and crossing his arms. It was an involuntary action;
he was protecting himself against the onslaught that was sure to come.

"Okay..." Al closed the paper and folded his hands politely as an indication that Ed had his full undivided attention.

"Is there anything you would like to discuss?"

Ed stuck out his lip and averted his eyes by keeping them locked on the window. He wasn't brave enough to confess this to someone's face.

"I think...um...well...I think that I like Winry"

He sighed heavily feeling quite liberated to have finally said it aloud. He braced himself, but the torment he expected never came.
In fact Al sounded almost bored in response.

"Yeah. Everyone knows...And?"

Ed whipped his head around.

"And? And I don't know what to do about it! How am I supposed to act when we get home? What if she doesn't feel the same?"

This time Al chuckled. He couldn't help it. Ed looked completely ridiculous all red faced and exasperated. He bared his teeth and knocked Alphonse in the shin to shut him up.

"Why are you asking me anyway?" Al recoiled with a cough as he attempted to quiet himself. People were staring again. "I've never had a girlfriend either. Why didn't you ask the General when we were at his house last night?"

"TCH!" was Ed's sole response. He'd be damned if he ever solicited girl advice from Mustang. It was difficult enough sharing his feelings with Al.

"Please don't tell anyone" Ed requested feeling the heat of humiliation now.

"Of course I won't brother" Al assured him, "but you know you have nothing to fret over. Just act normal...maybe try to be more considerate though. If you and Winry like each other I'm sure it'll happen when it happens. What's the rush?"

Ed picked at the hem of his coat sleeve as he considered his brother's advice. He supposed the question had merit. They really did have unlimated time to decide what path they wanted to take in life. The click and clack of the wheels rolling over the track filled the void for a moment as the brothers stared into space. Before Al picked up his paper again he had a final word.

"But if you ever hurt her, I'll kick your ass...clear?"

"Crystal" Ed smirked glad that he had his brother's blessing at least.

"And what about you Al? The bean girl had quite a crush huh?"

Al's reaction was too damn small to glean any pleasure from. In fact he never even looked up from reading.

"Mei? Oh yes, she's a nice girl."

Disappointed at failing to nettle his brother and a little annoyed at how much more emotionally mature he was, despite being younger in age, Ed decided to attempt a nap. His eyes closed and he wondered how it would feel to be waking to Granny's cooking and the normalcy of household chores like doing laundry. He wondered if it were possible for him to get used to staying in one place and enjoy it. His thoughts carried him off to a fitull sleep were he dreamed of navigating a vast open field void of humans or objects. It was nothing by sky and yellow grass stretching, dauntingly, forever before him and he felt terrified at being alone.

"Brother! Wake up! We're here!"

Al's excited voice roused Edward who groggily pulled the suticase from the luggage rack and bumbled to the platform to catch up with his sibling. He couldn't help but giggle as he witnessed Al inahling the deepest of breaths and exclaim jovially how much it smelled like home.

Ed had to jog a little to reach Al who had hobbled off excitedly without waiting for his brother. The exertion proved to be to much later as Al had to stop and rest a few times on the road home. Ed felt dazed by the thrill he felt as the yellow house came into view.

"Den!" Al called out, "It's me!"

And there she was: Framed in a doorway, clad in a strappy sundress and apron, her yellow hair pulled gracefully off her bare shoulders. He wished that time would slow down,that he could savor these few seconds as Winry fell tearfully into their arms and knocked the brothers to the earth. Ed found himself wiping the moisture from her cheek her watery smile mirroring his own. She turned to embrace Al and the boy blushed and helped her up despite his cane. Ed hadn't registered yet that she was speaking but snapped back to awareness when he realized Winry was carrying the suitcase.

"Don't be absurd," he commanded taking the heavy item from her, "I can take this upstairs."

"Third floor" Winry beamed opening the front door.

"The attic? What happened to the place we usually stay?" Ed stopped dead over the threshold as he stared at the front room in shock. It was completely spotless.

"It's occupied" Winry replied. She noticed the boys staring and decided to explain, "Halimah is extremely clean. She moved all the spare automail into the shop."

"Who's that?"Al inquired as they followed Winry up the steps.

"The girl who took your room." Winry sighed wearily and Ed noticed how low her shoulders had dropped. She opened her mouth to elaborate but an interuption on the second floor landing kept her from divulging the full story. Ed and Al's jaws dropped at the scene.

"Winry! Thank God! I need you right now!" An extemely beautiful dark skinned girl was standing in the hallway naked except for a skimpy towel that was tied loosely at the bust. She shoved Winry, protesting into the bathroom and clicked the lock.

At the sound of Winry exclaiming that she'd rather not inspect such a thing the boys promptly scurried upstairs, quite capable of showing themselves to their room.
They laid their things down and looked around. Winry had completely redone the entire place which bore no resemblance to an attic: there was two beds seperated by a curtain, scrubbed windows, bookshelves and a desk. The floor was swept clean, a fluffy rug graced the wood and a tiny bathroom was now in working order. It was actually quite cosy.

"I wonder what happened to all the junk in here?" Al mused looking around.

"Do you think that girl looked Ishbalan?" Ed asked remembering the phone call now and how he'd heard the ethnic music blasting in the background.

"Her eyes weren't red...her name sounds like it though."

This was certainly not the welcome they had expected to find. The strange girl was certainly a mystery and she had apparently taken it upone herself to make the home environment suit her taste. Ed didn't like his initial impression. She hadn't even asked who the heck he and Al were.

A knock on the door brightened him momentarily as he wrongfully assumed it was Winry. He was sourly dissappointed to be greeted by another stranger.

"Hey, Ed and Al right? I'm Julian. Winry is setting out tea downstairs if you want some"

The handsome man held out his hand, but Ed did not take it right away. He felt threatened by how suave Julian casually leaned against the door frame. Winry had been living with this dreamy guy for two months?

"Thank you Julian" Al shook his hand and glared at Ed. "Are you a guest here?"

"Nope I live here. I guess winry hasn't told you yet. I'm the new surgeon. Granny Pinako had a stroke. It isn't life threatening" he assured as the brothers' demeanor became rigid.

"She has weariness in her left side though and involuntary tremors. You can't perform surgery safely when your body behaves like that. I met Win in Rush Valley and she called me to come help them out... I'm thrilled to meet you. She talks about you guys all the time."

Ed tried to sound polite in response. The guy seemed nice enough, but he couldn't help feeling jealous of the familiar way Julian had referred to Winry.
He managed a meager smile that was more akin to a grimace. Julian was either oblivious or pretended not to notice as he turned and sauntered down the stairs, the Elrics in tow. Winry was pouring five tall glasses next to a plate of cookies when they arrived.

"Did you finish a design for Mr. Snyder yet?" Julian asked sprawling out on the chair and lighting a pipe. Winry shot him a disapproving look.

"Don't smoke in the house! Granny doesn't like how it stains the curtains."

"Whatever. This house used to be host to great grandpa Urey's poker nights. I'm sure the whole place was filled with smoke."

Winry noticed Ed and Al standing back in the foreground looking forlorn and she frowned.

"What did you say to them Julian?"

"He told us about Granny" Ed repsonded trying not to sound bitter. Winry had called another man to help her in a crisis situation and he was feeling more inadequate by the second. Winry rounded on Julian in anger.

"I told you that I wanted to talk to them in private. Why is it so hard for you and Halimah to honor other people's request? You don't always know better than me!"

The horrible pressure that had been building in Ed's gut released. Winry was mad at Julian and he seemed to have a connection with that other girl...perhaps it would be inappropriate to do a little jig.

"OH DR. Rockbell!"

Halimah glided into the room with some clothes on now and crumpled onto Julian's lap giving him an intense sultry kiss. Winry huffed and scooped up the plate and her drink and stalked off to the porch jerking her head for Ed and Al to follow.

"He's my second cousin or something like that," she explained, "Granny's nephew's son. She's kept up with him for his whole life. The house actually belongs to the Rockbells and he's next in line to inherit it. Granny married into the family. He wasn't going to move here, but his wife, Halimah, actually got into some trouble in Rush Valley. I met them both when I worked out there. They had to come to the country for safety and Granny needed a surgeon. It's been really crazy. I'm not used to their obtuse personalities."

She stirred her drink and gazed into its swirling depths.

"I'm really glad you guys are back" she said at length and they nodded in solidarity. "I'm sorry for not saying anything sooner. Everytime I tried to write something down I felt like I sounded petualant and ungrateful for their help. Halimah is actually an extremely gifted engineer and I've been finishing my apprenticeship under her tutelage. Julian is talented too... he's a Rockbell of course...and they have kept me from feeling lonely. I guess I was worried you wouldn't want to come back if the house was full"

"Don't be silly Winry. You're here" Al responded cheerfully. She smiled at him.

"It's wonderful to see you're face Al. Why don't you guys tell me about yourselves? What's happened the last two months? Have you eaten anything good Al?"

"WELLLLLL ..."

Ed couldn't help but revel in the warmth of the afternoon as Al proceeded to recount every savory bite he'd taken since the restoration of his tongue and stomach. This was something rare, something precious. An hour spent wasted on pointless conversation shared between three people who had been seperated for far too long. Ed was content today.