Winry shrieked with delight. I watched as she ran around a tool store, finding more and more things that she wanted to buy. I rubbed the temples of my head as she used mechanical terms that I didn't know. Edward had offered to buy Nina and me things too. However, I wasn't really in the mood for shopping, but I knew I'd have to get some fresh air sooner or later. Winry's work on my spine was amazing. I was up and walking by my third day in the hospital, and the next day I could run on a race track that was used for physical therapy in the back courtyard. I was eating normally, and I could almost pick Nina up on my own. It was miraculous, and I was eternally grateful to Winry. I'd even tried becoming friends with her, a lot. We'd talked in my hospital room for hours about several things. We didn't have any secret hatred against each other, like I thought we would. There was just one thing for which I envied Winry. She had something that I didn't; someone.

I glanced back at Ed with saddened eyes. He didn't quite treat Winry like a girlfriend, but still, I didn't like the way she looked at him, and sometimes, the way he looked at her. It gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. I'd accepted a long time ago that I had feelings for Ed. It was just up to me to put them to the test. However, I figured it'd be better if we waited until things start kicking up with the whole state alchemy thing.

"Here," Winry said, handing Ed a very small tool. "This is for you. Without me, you'll need to take care of your own auto mail." Ed took the item in Winry's hand and smiled a little. I turned away and watched as Nina skipped around the block with Alexander. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alphonse look over at me. I didn't acknowledge him.

Suddenly, a black car pulled up next to the curb. A man in a military uniform got out and saluted Ed. "Mr. Elric, Mustang wants to see you."

I glanced at Ed and Al, confused. Ed shrugged and whispered to me, "Better stop the shopping trip now before she cleans us out."

I laughed but stopped abruptly when Winry joined us again. We all climbed into the car as Al packed everything Winry had gotten into the trunk. There was just enough room for him to fit in the back with us. It was very roomy, actually, with seats lining the square inside of the car. I blushed as Ed took a seat next to me. Looking out the window, I avoided his gaze as Alexander lay on the floor with his paws covering his eyes. He didn't like car rides very much.

Driving to meet Mustang was a quiet ride. Winry shot glances at Ed and me. I tried to pay no attention as she did. We turned a sharp corner, and both Ed and I placed our hand in the same spot on the seat to brace ourselves. Our hands touched. He pulled away, immediately. I held my hand there until the car came to a stop.

Earlier, I'd had to make a horrible decision before Ed, Al, and I left for the mines that Ed was supposed to be inspecting. I made an excuse of having to go with them, for I could stay nowhere in Central. The truth was that I wanted adventure. I really, really wanted it. I never thought about the things of which I'd have to let go.

"I want to go with you!" Nina cried, tears streaming down her face.

"We'll be together again," I said, my voice cracking as I tried not to cry. Winry had agreed to take Nina and Alexander back with her to stay with her and her grandmother. I was eternally grateful for everything she'd done for me.

"Promise?" Nina said, sniffling.

I wiped the tears from her face and hugged her close. Alexander nudged his head under my arm, as well. "I promise," I said. I kissed her forehead and gave Alexander a rub on his ears. "Be good for Winry and her grandmother, okay?"

"We will," said Nina, brightening up a bit and hugging Alexander to her chest. He still whined a little, knowing that he was leaving me. I smiled at him, and he gave my cheek a couple of kisses. I imagined his doggy voice saying 'I'll miss you.'

Now, I sat on the train with Ed and Al. I shared a seat with Ed and stared out the window as he and Al started a conversation that reminded me that I could've stayed behind with Nina and easily found somewhere to stay. I began to feel guilty that I'd done something for myself than for Nina. Though what was I supposed to do? Nina was going to live in the country with large fields to play with Alexander and a nice, comfortable house. The best I could've given her was a crowded room in a local inn. I wanted what was best for my sister, and this was the best. It was the best for me too.

"Look, I think I can see it!" Al exclaimed, pointing out the window. I turned to see that we were headed to what looked like a deserted city.

"It's supposed to be a coal mining town, but it looks like a ghost town to me," Ed laughed. I looked around the place, and it did look quite empty. It was also very quiet.

"Everyone here looks so warn down," said Al, commenting about the few people who sat or stood on the streets or sand. Their heads were down in what seemed to be disappointment. It was sad to look at.

Just as Ed was making a comment, I yelled, "Duck!" Too late. As I ducked down to avoid being hit with a long wooden pole, Ed was smacked right in the head. He fell over, and I laughed. "I said 'duck'!"

"Shut up!" Ed grasped his head just as a kid, a bit younger than us, turned around to see him crouched on the ground.

"Sorry," he said, not seeming as though he really meant it. Suddenly, his face brightened up. "Wait, are you guys tourists? Where yuh from? Have yuh eaten? Where yuh stayin'?"

Ed frowned and rubbed the back of his head. "Hell of a welcoming committee!" he exclaimed, frustrated.

The boy suddenly called for his father, who appeared on a wooden bridge above us. His son referred to us as 'big spenders'. The man on the bridge introduced himself as Hawling. It turned out that he owned and ran a local inn. It seemed to be a stroke of luck, before we heard what the price was to stay for one night.

"WHAT?" Ed's face was in utter shock as he screamed in disbelief. I couldn't help but widen my eyes at the price for one night. "Two hundred thousand? That's ridiculous! You going to put gold bars on our pillows?" It turned out that the inn happened to be the ONLY one in town, and the owners hadn't had a customer in a long time. Therefore, they decided to "milk us for all we've got". Ed, Al and I looked through their wallet. Even combined with my life savings, it wasn't enough.

"We spent all that money on Winry and-," Alphonse started. However, Ed shushed him. I didn't even think about what Al might have said.

"I guess we go to plan B," said Ed, his face shrinking.

"What's plan B, exactly?" I asked, speaking for the first time since we finished counting the money. Ed and Al smiled at me, smugly. It turned out that plan B was having Ed fix anything in town for free in order to stay for a night. I liked the idea. It wasn't exactly breaking any rules, and if it got us a room, it was worth it.

People "ooh-ed" and "ah-ed" at Ed's gift of alchemy. He fixed anything that the town citizens gave him that needed it.

"Who would've thought that our first tourist in ages would be a real live alchemist?" said Hawling. He grinned at Ed, who smiled in return.

Hawling's son, Kyle, asked Ed what we were all doing here. Ed answered, "Eh, it's business, actually. I'm here to inspect the coal mines." The place froze. Everyone became quiet, and a few of the stronger men actually stepped out of the seats they were previously sitting in. I became really nervous, and something told me that Ed shouldn't have told them that.

"Inspect?" asked Hawling, suspiciously. "Then you're a part of the military?"

Ed didn't seem to notice that anything had become awkward. "Well, yeah," he said, calmly. "I'm a State Alchemist. Cool, huh?"

The next thing I knew, Ed was being thrown out of the inn. I ran after him as he landed on the cold ground. I knelt down beside him as his suitcase came flying on top of his head. I was going to make sure he was okay, but Ed knelt up and demanded to know why he was thrown out.

"We have no food or beds for any dogs of the military," said Hawling, narrowing his eyes at Ed.

I narrowed mine at him. "How dare you! He just spent all of this time trying to help you!" I shouted. I knelt back down to Ed. "Are you all right?"

He wouldn't look at me. "I'm fine."

"You can join him, missy," said Hawling. Then, he turned to Al. "You one of them too?"

As Al stuttered for an answer, Ed answered for him. "He's got nothing to do with it. I just met him on the train!" Hawling slammed the door before either Ed or I could shout again. He looked up and glared at me. "You should've just stayed inside."

The sound of the army man's sword clashing against Ed's auto mail made me cringe. He'd gotten in front of Lieutenant Yoki's subordinate just in time. As soon as the men realized that Ed was a state alchemist, their attitudes changed immediately. Lieutenant Yoki introduced himself to Ed and myself with dignity and good manners. I blinked, and my eyebrows scrunched together as I watched his thin mustache move as he talked. When Ed told him about the inspection, he invited him to stay at his mansion and away from the town. I narrowed my eyes at him. It was clear that the government treated these people unfairly. No wonder they hated the army and the alchemists.

Suddenly, Ed put his arm around me. At first, I blushed, until I heard him saying that he wished for me to stay at the mansion as well. Lieutenant Yoki agreed, and as we walked out, Ed and I both glanced back at Al apologetically. There was no way they'd believe he was traveling with us, and we couldn't take back what Ed told the others before about just meeting Al on the train.

"It's such a great honor to be hosting a genuine state alchemist such as yourself in my home…"

I glanced at Ed and rolled my eyes as Yoki spoke a bunch of nonsense that was meant to be flattering to him and me. His servant, Lira, handed me a plate, and I thanked her quietly. She didn't reply. I felt a small gulp form in my throat. There was something about her that bothered me. I didn't know what it was, but she just gave me a weird feeling. I tried to push it away as I listened to the conversation.

"Actually, my goal is to become a state alchemist, to be just like you, Mr. Elric," said Lira. I gulped silently again. The way her voice sounded sent a twinge of jealousy throughout my body. I wondered when we were going to get the hell out of this place and just see Mustang already.

"Bon appetite," said Yoki, gesturing toward the food in front of us. Ed and I shared a glance, and he spoke.

"You eat pretty well considering the economic conditions of this town."

"Times are tough for all of us," stated Yoki. "I tell you, I've had plenty of trouble collecting taxes, and those minors can be so brutal sometimes, as you saw."

"You mean asserting their rights and refusing to pay you more than they earn?" questioned Ed. His tone seemed to be taken differently by Yoki than he meant.

"Exactly, you get it! I knew you were a man of great understanding."

"To understand the world, we have only to follow one basic principal: Equivalent Exchange; The Founding Law of Alchemy. You can't get without giving, right?" I saw his eyes narrow at Yoki, and I bit my lip lightly.

"Absolutely! Elegantly put," Yoki stated. He called upon Lira, who pushed a small bag of money toward Edward and one toward me. "Please accept this as a token of my appreciation."

Ed looked up. "Is this supposed to some kind of a bribe, Yoki?" He questioned.

"That is such an ugly word. Think of it as Equivalent Exchange. Now then, there is the matter of your inspection."

"Yeah, I get your drift," Ed said. I glanced at him for the third time tonight. He didn't look at me.

After dinner, Yoki showed Ed and me the room we'd be staying in. He didn't question whether or not it would be okay if we shared a room. I figured that he thought we were dating. How lenient adults had been since I'd been traveling alone with Ed and Al. My father would have never allowed this.

"Maya?"

My head snapped up from the floor. I looked at Ed with glazed eyes that cleared after a few seconds. "Hm?"

"Are you tired?" he said, still in mid-stretch. He must've yawned while I'd been thinking to myself.

I thought about it for a moment, realizing that I was a bit exhausted. I had that feeling behind my eyes and in my body that made me really want to lie down in a comfortable bed. I hadn't slept in a good one since I'd been at home. "Yes," I answered truthfully. "Exhausted, actually."

Ed shrugged off his jacket and took off his gloves. I blushed, seeing his revealed auto mail. My eyes lingered to his muscles on the other arm before I quickly looked out the window, just as he turned back toward me. "It' must be weird," he said suddenly. I turned back to him, confused. "I can't imagine what it feels like on the inside of your body." I realized he was talking about the auto mail.

"Actually, I can barely feel it," I said.

"Really?"

I nodded. "Only a couple weeks after the surgery, my bone marrow had already started to cover the metal. Soon, from the outside, it'll look like my regular bones again, probably in a year or two." I smiled at him.

"That's kind of incredible," he said.

"Yeah," I replied. It'd be nice if skin could do the same thing, I thought, glancing at his metallic arm. He must have seen me look.

"Sorry if it creeps you out."

I snapped my eyes back up to his face, confused. "What?"

He grunted out a chuckle. "My arm."

My eyes widened in realization. I hadn't meant that at all! "No!" I cried. "Of course not; I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to stare like that, I was just thinking-"

He cut me off. "Maya, it's all right. I was only kidding."

I bit my lip and looked away. My right arm crossed over to my left across my chest. I felt cold, and I wanted to sleep. I also felt bad for staring, and I wanted to kick myself. "I'm sorry."

His lips curved a little into half of a smile. Ed then looked over at the bed. "You can take it, if you want. I'll sleep on the floor."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "You don't have to do that," I said quietly, blushing madly. How bad and suggestive did that sound? And at twelve years old? Good God…

"Are you sure?" he asked. I nodded. What other option was there? I wasn't about ready to let him sleep on the floor after all he had done for me. That would just be selfish. I should've been the one sleeping on the floor, but I was too selfish for that. I wanted to feel the comfortable bed.

So I did. I stepped out of my shoes and placed them in the corner. Neither of us bothered to change; that would've been overdoing it. I could feel the blush still burning on my face. The more I thought about the situation, the longer it lingered. I didn't speak as I crawled under the covers, and neither did Ed. In fact, he rested above the sheets. He folded his hands behind his head and laid on his back. I pulled the blankets up to my shoulders and closed my eyes. I couldn't believe how good it felt to be wrapped in the warm sheets. The mattress was so soft too, and so were the pillows. And my back; there was no lingering back pain that kept me from being that content. I knew I wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night in pain. That made me smile.

"What are you smiling about?" I heard Edward ask. My eyes snapped open.

I couldn't help but laugh a little and blush even more. "I haven't felt this comfortable in a long time." Only after I said it did I realize that it sounded weird because he, a boy, was in the same bed as myself. I wanted to fold the bed up to my nose so Edward wouldn't see my cheeks.

However he just nodded. "I believe that."

"Yeah," I said, not knowing what else to say to that.

"I'm sorry, Maya," Ed said suddenly, after a moment of silence.

I was confused. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"For everything that's happened to you."

I sat up. "Ed," I began. "Don't be sorry. If you hadn't been there, if you'd never come to our house…" I trailed off. I didn't want to think about what might have happened to Nina and me if he and Alphonse hadn't been there.

"Still," he said, not quite looking at me. "I'm just… sorry."

I sat there in silence for a moment, not quite knowing what to do or say again. I bit my lip, quickly deciding on something. I called his name quietly. "Ed?" He looked up at me, and I kissed him.

It was small, gentle. I caught him by surprise, and I pulled away before he could even react to it. Maybe I should have been embarrassed, but I was too grateful to think about it. So I just whispered, "Thank you."

It was dark. My eyes shot open in the middle of the night. Something had woken me up, along with Edward. I had been comfortably asleep under the covers. Ed had his left arm wrapped around my shoulders. I expect we two would have been humiliated had it not been for the explosion that seemed to be coming from the city.

Ed still had his arm wrapped around me tightly when he spoke. "What the hell?"

I was nervous. My fingers, unknown to me at the time, clung to his shoulder. "What was that?"

Ed shook his head. Neither of us knew, but there was nothing we could do in the middle of the night. We couldn't just go sneaking out of Yoki's house and walking through town at God only knows what hour. Ed told me to go back to sleep; I didn't argue. Though he sat up on the bed, not even daring to rest any longer. I closed my eyes yet again, and suddenly I began to miss his arm around me.

When I woke up again, the sun was shining. It was morning, and Ed was nowhere to be found in our room. However, next to me on the pillow was a note. I picked it up, unfolded the little piece of paper, and read.

Maya,

Inn was destroyed last night. Find me when you read this.

- Ed.

I gasped a little. Who would destroy the inn? The townspeople hadn't done anything wrong, really, just stood up for themselves. I didn't blame them.

I sat up and got out of the bed. Slipping on my shoes, I exited the room Ed and I had shared. Immediately, I could hear his voice. I sighed with relief. Now I wouldn't have to wander around all creation searching for him, not to mention, navigate in Yoki's house by myself.

"That's right, and while you're here, I'd like you to throw in everything from the trade routes to the town itself. Okay?" Ed was saying. I wondered who he was bargaining with and what for. The town? Was he trying to buy the mining town?

I walked in just as Ed was telling Yoki that the gold he was about to receive wasn't illegal if he just accepted it as a gift and signed the deed over to Ed free of charge. My eyes widened at the amount of gold bars that Ed was displaying. Where the hell had he gotten all of that? However, I kept my mouth shut until we were out of Yoki's house with the deed to the town and the letter from Yoki.

"So, tell me," I began. "What's going to happen now that you own the place?"

A smirk snuck onto Edward's face. "Watch," he said.

I did watch. I watched as we passed the inn, which now looked good as new even though Ed had just told me it was destroyed. I watched as Ed flaunted the deed to the townspeople. I watched as he traded the deed for one night's stay for us at the inn, and I watched as Yoki tried to get Lira to attack Ed because the gold had turned out to be fake. Well, that answered my question of where it came from. It was just stone.

I cringed as the girl, Lira, hit the ground. However, she had attacked Ed first. It was only self-defense on his part.

Men surrounded Yoki and his companions. One of them threatened him. "Now we're gonna do to you physically what you've been doing to us financially for years."

Ed, Al, and I walked back to the newly restored inn before we had to watch Yoki's merciless ass-kicking.

Hawling's son Kyle brought me a drink at the table of the inn I sat at with Edward and Alphonse. Everyone thought the place looked even better than before and definitely livelier. In the midst of all the music and drinking and laughter, I thought of how much I had wanted my adventure back when I was still healing. I was finally getting it, and this was only just the beginning.

|| Three Years Later ||

"Edward Elric? Yeah, I've heard of him!" said the cab driver of the truck the three of us were using to get across the desert.

I sat scrunched up against Alphonse in the corner. Even though it was so hot, he was cool, being made of armor. I couldn't believe it had been more than three years since I'd started traveling with the brothers. I'd been writing to Nina every chance I got. She never replied; I'd advised her not to since we were always traveling. I couldn't wait to see her again and see how big she's gotten.

"So what do you know about the guy?" Edward asked, a big, cheesy grin on his face. I giggled a little. He was obviously looking for praise. He got some too. However, it wasn't too long until the cabby commented on his height. Needless to say, Edward freaked out.

"Who are you calling a dwarf?" Edward went crazy enough to make the cab driver crash the truck. The three of them ran out of the tipped vehicle. Edward chased after the cabby; Alphonse chased after Edward. I climbed out of the truck myself but just watched them. I couldn't help but let out a fit of giggles that shortly turned into a fit of laughter as the three of them ran through the sand, yelling at each other.

The ironic thing was that Edward was still taller than me.