The Life We Should Have Had

Time passed both quickly and slowly for Edward Elric. Every moment was like a dream, like somehow this wasn't the way he had thought his life would be. There were almost memories as to why he felt this way, echoes of a past forgotten. The few clear pictures he had reassured him that forgotten was an excellent way for them to stay. This thought, among many others, flung him into a fit on the ground exclaiming variations on how of course it would be better to know because knowledge is important and useful. Al would look at him sideways and start laughing. Inevitably, something would get thrown and the threat of a wrench would find them, no matter how far from their home they were.

Time passed and they grew stronger. Alphonse was now stronger than Edward in everyway except his temper. Ed was always trying to find something that he was better at than his little brother, just like old times. Time passed and Edward and Winry were always together, always happy or playfully fighting. There was never any true anger in their banter, it was just their formula for functioning. Time passed.

It was the middle of a brutal summer only days after a long visit from Mustang, Hawkeye, Izumi and Armstrong. The visit was full of laughter and joy despite a nagging feeling Edward had that this was the first time they all shared a moment like that. It was during that visit that Ed made his decision and he decided to discuss it with Alphonse. Al happily agreed and they began making arrangements. Their secrecy both confused and worried Winry. But, this was how they had operated since they were children and Granny had told her to let it go.

The boys had decided to build a new house on the property that they grew up on. It was hard labor but they both felt it was going to be important soon. Ed hoped it would be soon. Keeping it a secret from Winry would be impossible so they decided on a devious plan. They sent her on an expenses fully paid trip to rush valley to visit old friends and buy, within reason, whatever she wanted. Winry's happiness was only tarnished when she realized she was going without Ed. Granny, worried for her safety and sensing the boys intent at secrecy, volunteered to accompany her. It was to be a two week trip. The night before Winry left, like so many nights now, Edward and her shared a room, a bed and a racing heartbeat. They did not sleep that night, when their hearts returned to normal they held each other all night. Winry's head was comfortable on Edwards shoulder with his arm around her. She did not cry in the morning when she left him, she gave him a kiss on the cheek and a wink. She hugged Al.

Two weeks was going to be insane to build a home. They had no notions of completing it in that time, just the outer shell and the basic layout was their goal, they got a little farther than that. The brothers enlisted Armstrong's help and he was more than happy to lend a hand. To their immense delight, Izumi stopped by to lend a hand. They never questioned how she new, teacher always knew things and they liked it that way. It was a house to be built with love, by people who were important to them, to signify the change in their world. This was the life they should have had all along. Ed supposed they had earned the right back.

They both remembered what happened here, years in the past. They both knew what state their bodies had been in. They knew only enough to remind them not to search for answers to lost questions. They both agreed on taking their foggy memories of the bad and turning it into a glowing future.

With the help of friends and the exclusion of alchemy in even their work, the house was coming along slowly. Lots of people they knew made secret trips to lend a hand during this time, even a grumbling Mustang. It was designed to hold two families at opposite ends of the house, with a shared kitchen and common room in the middle on the ground floor. Ed claimed the left side of the house, when you look at it from the outside, because it was closest to a tree that once held a swing of his. He intended to put a new swing up.

When the two weeks were up the house was most of the way done. Their friendly help bid them good luck and a promise to return shortly, if all went as planned. There were a variety of internal things that needed to be completed but it would keep the weather out. Edward had run into town yesterday for the final two arrangements and would arrive before Winry. Ed did and flashed Al via a high powered lamp the signal to continue as planned. Al couldn't help his excitement.

Al met Winry at the station with a goofy grin on his face. Winry rushed to embrace him and was confused by the lack of Edward. Al winked at Granny and Winry became suspicious.

"Where is Ed?" She said with a hint of frustration in her voice.

"He is waiting for you, Win." Al said smiling that silly smile.

"Uh, huh…What's goin on?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"You have to go see for yourself… Go on, Granny and I will catch up." Al said with a look that said I will explain if you agree, Granny nodded.

Winry entrusted her bags of purchases, to Al and started down the path alone. When she was out of hearing distance Pinako turned to Al finally and asked,

"Is Edward…" Al cut her off with a brief, "Yep"

"I see. Why don't you and I go visit a customer of mine on the other side of town for a few hours?"

"Excellent idea." Al said, quite literally beaming.

Winry walked down the familiar path in her white traveling dress and large sun hat. It was truly a brutal heat wave. As she continued down the path wondering what the hell Edward was doing she saw the impossible and stopped in her tracks. There is NOT supposed to be a house there. There has not been in years…Winry picked up her pace and ran nearly the rest of the way. She slowed and approached with caution. Ed and Al with their bodies back was amazing enough but a materializing house? Perhaps she really had lost it and this was all a dream. She was about to turn around and go lay down when she heard a familiar voice laughing, giggling really from where she assumed the back porch would be.

Upon rounding the corner she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a tiny little bark and saw smoldering golden eyes lock on hers. Ed had been tickling the belly of the cutest puppy she had ever seen. He giggled when it licked his hand.

"Welcome home Win." Ed said standing up. In his arms the puppy was barely big enough to not fit in one hand.

"Ed?" She said slowly approaching. Without any warning Ed was two feet from her and smiling with eyes that screamed passion.

"What the-" Ed cut her off by simultaneously taking her hand and kneeling in front of her. He placed the most adorable baby puppy in her hand, who took to licking her wrist. Her eyes traveled from the fuzzy baby to Edwards' eyes in confusion. Realization hit the instant Ed continued.

"Winry will you-"

"Yes"… "Oh yes, yes, yes!"

"You didn't let me ask a question, baka." She smiled and waited.

"Will you marry me?" He said without hesitation or jest in his eyes. The man who had never told her in words that he loved her did not hesitate. The man who left her for months at a time in the past, who never admitted any feelings at all until recently, had just without a hitch asked her to marry him. She supposed this was just his way, no apologies needed. In truth, Ed had argued with himself for nearly the entire time he had been home. Should he do this? Could he? In the end he realized that shoulds and coulds were not an issue. He would do it and if she said no, he would wait patiently and ask again. He chuckled internally at the patient part of his plan and knew that would never happen.

"I already said yes, baka." She said smiling.

He stood up fluidly and embraced her, the puppy yelped, they both giggled and they released the strength of the embrace. They kissed, passionately, to which the puppy wiggled free and added his own slobbery kiss on Winry's cheek.

A tear slid down Winry's cheek as she took in Edward fully. A painfully handsome man who was honest and kind, who would go to the ends of the world and back to right a wrong, and a man that wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. She had never been this happy before, well, when they first came home it came pretty close to this, but still!

"This is for us, Win." He said breathily as he turned her towards the house, the nameless puppy wiggling in excitement.

Winry tore her eyes from the house and turned to face Ed. She pulled him into a kiss and slowly lowered herself onto the grass with Edward carefully falling on top of her. The puppy squealed and started running laps around them as fast as he could, until he got tired and curled up to rest. They made love on the grass, outside of their home to be and before they were done they said short wedding vows to themselves, for only their ears, that would bind them now and for always, even before a proper marriage.

They lay in the grass for a while, shoulder to shoulder looking out at the house, their house, and the puppy. The brutal sun eventually forced them to stop laying in the grass and Winry asked for a tour of the new place.

"It's not done yet, you haven't helped."

"Excuse me?" Winry said with mock disbelief.

"Everyone of our friends and people we love have come by these past two weeks and helped. Even if it's just a nail or two. And those who were too far away, like Rose or May sent things in the mail. This is to be a house of love and friendship. So you see, it can't be done until you help, since I love you the most."

"I love you too Edward Elric."

The second they touched the door handle, the puppy who had settled for a nap zoomed by them and into the house. Winry laughed.

"Does he have a name yet?"

"No, he's yours, you name him."

"Hmm. No I'd say he is ours. But I don't mind naming him…" Ed laughed as he ushered her inside.