DISCLAIMER: Ed Elric, Al Elric, Winry Rockbell, Pinako Rockbell, Armstrong © Hiromu Arakawa / Marina © author.

Key:

Normal text - speaking/narration

Italics - thoughts

Ch 9: Heading Home

"It's been four years since we last came here." Al remarked.

Ed looked at his brother. "Has it been that long?"

"You never came back here during that time?" The major wanted to know.

"Even if we did return, we have no home to come back to."

I put in my two cents. "The place where someone still thinks of you is called home. I'm sure there's someone thinking of you two in this town…………"

As we arrived at a yellow house, an old woman approached us. She and Ed got along well…………until she made the mistake of calling the blond short. I sweat-dropped as they fiercely argued back and forth. Suddenly, a wrench came flying out of nowhere and smacked Ed in the middle of his forehead, knocking him to the ground. "ED!" I exclaimed.

"What the hell, Winry?! Are you trying to kill me?!" The short blond demanded, rubbing a giant bump where the wrench had made contact. He stood up and I reduced the swelling with healing chakra.

A blond young woman marched towards us, wearing work overalls and gloves. "Who do you think you are, coming back in that state?!" I oh-so-subtly nudged Ed with my foot.

"Oh yeah, right. Winry, Pinako baa-chan, this is my girlfriend Marina. Marina, this is my mechanic Winry Rockbell, and her grandmother Pinako Rockbell."

I extended my left hand for a handshake. "It's nice to meet you Winr­––." The mechanic turned around while I was in mid-sentence and stomped back to the house, shutting the front door with a bang. I retracted my hand, holding it to my chest. "Did I do something wrong? W-was it something I said?" Ed squeezed my right hand and gave me a kiss in reassurance.

"That's Winry for you. She'll come around sooner or later." I hope.

A half an hour or so later, we all sat around a table eating lunch. I was sitting directly across from Winry, and between Ed and Pinako. Conversation had been light and just a tad awkward for me. "So Edward, how does Marina measure up to your standards?" Winry's grandmother questioned.

The state alchemist thought for a split-second. "She completely destroys them."

Winry abruptly stood up and slammed her hands on the table, disturbing our meal. "You must have really crappy standards Ed!" With that, she sprinted outside. I bit my bottom lip and closed my eyes, fighting to hold back unwanted tears.

Ed gave me a gentle hug. "I'm sorry."

"It's OK." I kissed my boyfriend. "I'm fine. Really. Where'd Winry disappear to?"

"She's probably in her workshop out back."

"Thank you Pinako Baa-san." Disentangling myself from Ed, I sashayed to the door.

"You're not going to Winry's workshop, are you?" The elder Elric brother looked uneasy.

"Well, I don't see why not. I just want to know what I did to offend her. That's all."

"No-one, and I mean no-one is allowed in there but her." Shrugging off the warning, I went to find the female mechanic.

I knocked on the wall inside the work-space. "Winry?"

"Yeah?" She turned around to discover that the person asking for her was the person she wanted to see the least. "Oh, it's you. What do you want?" There was an awkward silence as I tried to figure out what I wanted. "If you can't think of anything, get out!"

I suddenly bowed. "Please teach me how to make auto-mail!"

Winry pretended to think for a moment. "No."

I straightened out and demanded, "Why not?"

"Because I say so. Now LEAVE!!" The mechanic brandished a wrench.

"Now wait just a minute! What did I ever do to you? Why do you hate me so much?!" I challenged, up in arms.

Winry grudgingly backed down. "………..Idontwanttotalkaboutit…………..All right, I'll teach you, but only if you're prepared to work your rear off and follow my instructions to the letter."

"Yes ma'am!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Several hours later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the house, Ed restlessly paced back and forth. It's been a few hours since Marina left to find Winry. I wonder what happened. He stopped as his imagination went into overdrive. Oh no! What if she––?!

"Brother, stop it; you're making me nervous. Go visit mom's grave."

"Visit her grave, huh? You know, I just might." The blond exited the building.

Ed poked his head into Winry's workshop. To his surprise, the female mechanic and I were getting along well. Too well.

"Hey Winry, I'm done with this part! Can you come check it?"

The short blond watched as Winry inspected my work. "Tch, baka! You put this part on backwards!"

"Did I?...........oops?" Winry returned to whatever she was working on before, and I started redoing my piece. Ed tip-toed into the room, undetected by either of us. Sneaking up behind me, he suddenly wrapped his arms around my waist. I yelped in alarm, and turned around, coming face-to-face with my boyfriend, who gave me a kiss. "Ed?! H-hi."

The alchemist nuzzled the crook of my neck. "I missed you."

"Edward, what are you doing in here? Out, now!" Unfortunately, Winry had noticed.

"I'm taking back my girlfriend."

"Wha––?.........Well, we got a bunch of stuff done, so I guess it's OK. Marina, you're dismissed for the rest of today!"

"Thanks Winry!" With that, Ed pulled me out of the room.

"Where are we going?"

"There's someone I want you to meet."

Hand in hand, Ed and I traipsed through the countryside, eventually arriving at a graveyard. We approached a tombstone reading 'Trisha Elric. 1878–1904.' Trisha Elric……….Ed's mom?! I gradually extricated my hand from Ed's and backed up a bit. The alchemist gave me a questioning look. "What's up Marina?"

"It's been four years since you were last here. I don't want to impose."

"In what way? You're not imposing! C'mere." I walked towards him and he pulled me to his side, his left arm around my waist.