Kain was silent during most of the drive towards London. The young man wore a mask of blankness over his face in fear of Noah poking questions at his head again. Of course, he knew the mask didn't do him much good, as Noah was fully aware of the fact that he was against the idea, and yet, she said nothing, which drove Kain crazy. After Edward's phone call the other day, he'd called again the same night, asking the couple to come up to London and take Winry into their care for a while. Noah, upon hearing Edward's pleading voice, had accepted immediately, telling the young man she'd be up there by midday the next day. It had irritated Kain that she hadn't asked him if he were okay with it before accepting, or considering the consequences of what was yet to happen. Noah had complained that Edward was in need, and proceeded to teary eyed, saying something about both owing that girl and Edward, since she was the reason the whole mess had begun in the first place. Kain wasn't fully convinced yet, but had gone along with it anyways, for Noah's sake. But that didn't take away from his agitation. All the three of them had been doing was blaming themselves. Kain just wanted to scream in their faces that they weren't helping anyone!
He'd begun seeing a pattern in Edward's behaviour, especially. The boy would always immediately take action to solve other peoples' problems, regardless of what that person may think of his solutions. Kain had a lot of 'what ifs' stirring up in his mind. The girl was mentally unstable, and she barely knew anyone in this cruel world she had been brought into. It brought a sickening feeling to Kain's stomach to try and understand what this poor girl was going through at the moment.
As for Noah, she was anxious about meeting the girl for the second time. She hadn't ever really spoken to her, other than the horrifying dreams she'd have from time to time. The Roma was curious to find out what kind of person Winry is. She knew pathetically little about her, considering the events they'd both undergone. She was into mechanics, she was a childhood friend of Edward and Alphonse's, and she was killed.
But she wasn't.
Noah shook her head of the confusing thoughts and directed her attention back to Kain, whose face looked able to break glass from its rock solidity. Noah began stealing occasional glances at her fiancée's face from time to time throughout the drive, trying desperately to find something to say. Finally, she sighed, placing a hand on his lap, not caring to shift the slightest, even when he winced under her touch.
"Kain, darling. Please, say something."
"What's there to say?" He replied immediately, trying to keep his tone low.
"You know how I feel about this situation, Kainan... I've made fatal mistakes in the past, and I understand that I can't keep letting it haunt me! But... I just want to help set things right for once."
Kain winced slightly at her use of his real name, quickly exhaling afterwards. She'd only ever use it if she was extremely upset or distraught, which wasn't exactly helping his situation at the moment. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel as he tried desperately to keep his eyes glued to the road, or, glued to anything but her. "I understand Noah, and honestly, I'm doing this only for you. I admire Ed and Al, they're good guys. But sometimes... Gah, I don't know, hon... They need to learn how to let people deal with their own problems."
"Kain! How could you say that?!" Noah cried, throwing her arms up. "The girl is confused and frightened! Someone's been stealing into her room at night, doing Heaven knows what, and-!"
"You don't understand me." Kain interrupted. "Sure, the girl needs help, but that's all she needs. Edward isn't helping her or anyone else for that matter – he's just deciding for her. How do we know this girl even wants to come live with us? How do we know what kind of care this girl needs? How do we know how unstable she is, mentally? How do we know she isn't going to lose it one night, leaving us helpless and desperate? There are a lot of things we haven't considered yet, and you just went ahead and immediately accepted, as though we're rich off our heels, and able to afford any sort of treatment or medication!"
He watched Noah wince beside him as his breathing grew hoarse. He'd let his anger get the best of him yet again. With another tired sigh, he slowed down the car and pulled over. Switching the engine off, Kain turned to his fiancée. Noah had gathered her hand away from his lap, and was now fidgeting with the hem of her scarf, her eyes downcast. "...He was only trying to help..." she whispered. It annoyed Kain how often she'd take Edward's side with these things, but decided to swallow his pride this time. For the sake of maturity, anyway.
"I know he's trying to help. I know you're trying to help, and I'm all up for help. Help is great." The young man leaned over and tilted Noah's chin upwards to meet his eyes. "Let's just promise to talk things over with Edward and Winry when we get there, okay? I don't want to jump into things without understanding the consequences. Shouldn't you of all people understand that by now?"
Noah gulped and nodded. "And Alphonse." She added. "I don't want to keep him in the dark about this."
Kain nodded, before coughing twice and clearing his throat. "HEM! Yeah, I agree." The young doctor straightened his back against the seat, exhaling quickly. "Well, then. Let's get going."
"Ed, I still don't think this is a good idea." Bunny mumbled. Edward continued pacing around the hospital room with a concerned expression playing across his face. His lips were tinted purple, and his skin was pale from the cold draft inside the building. The former alchemist felt his eyelids droop from the amount of fatigue overcoming him, the purple bags under his eyes giving away his weakness. Bunny, herself, was shivering quietly under her thick sweater. The only person who seemed to be comfortable was Winry, who was wrapped up in three thick blankets and seated on top of her bed
"Gaah... Trust me for once, will you, Bunny? And tell Jake to crank the damned heater up! This place is fr-r-r-reezing!" He shivered through clenched teeth. Winry's musical laughter erupted throughout the room, and Bunny let out an amused snort.
"Yeah, sorry. Most of the heating is sent to the long term wing, cause we usually get the short-termers out quicker. The others need more care, if ya know what I mean."
Edward grumbled grouchily one more time before Bunny threw up her arms in defeat. "Okay, fine! I'll get us some hot cocoa. You stay here with Blondie here, and I'll be right back."
Edward nodded with a childish smile playing across his face. "You're the coolest!"
Once Bunny left, all was quiet for what seemed to be hours. Winry was wrapping yet another blanket around herself while Edward zipped his almost-worn-out sweater all the way up, cursing when his nose caught in the zipper for a split moment.
The silence fell thick over them, and awkwardness tumbled on top shortly after. It was Winry's voice that finally broke the abiding silence. "Ah- Um... Edward?"
Edward hummed in response.
"Er... Can you tell me more about us?"
Edward's head tilted in her direction with a confused stare. "What do you mean, Win? What do you want to know?"
"More... I want to know more." She mumbled nervously. "Tell me about the kind of relationship we had. Tell me about the time we'd spend together."
"Well, to be honest, Win," Edward started. "The times we did spend together after our childhood isn't something to really speak of as a 'tale of great joy'. We went through lots of hardships, me and you."
"It doesn't matter!" She cried. "I just... Just look at me." She motioned towards her body. "Right now, everyone, including myself, just sees me as a helpless little girl with no past... and no future. I'm growing sick of it. I hate it." Winry cut herself off as she felt her voice cracking and helplessness seeping in, the back of her eyes burning with hot tears. Quickly she turned her head away as a sob escaped her lips.
"You don't understand how much it hurts to not know yourself. How could I ever possibly trust someone, how could I ever possibly have hopes of loving someone if... If I can't trust or love myself?"
"There are tons of wonderful people out there, and in here, that you can rely on, Win."
Winry sniffed and rubbed her arms hesitantly. Edward gave her a toothy smile before walking over and sitting down close to her on the bed. He reached out with his gloved hand and tucked a strand of sun kissed hair behind her ears, feeling a slight flutter in his stomach as the backs of his fingers lightly brushed across her cheeks. "The same Winry I always knew." He whispered. "Whenever you felt just about ready to cry, you'd turn your head away and hide your face, because heaven forbid anyone found out you could be weak." With a nudge of her chin, he tilted her face up to meet his own smiling one. "But when will you ever learn? Crying isn't a sign of weakness. It just shows you still have something to lose. Doesn't that give you enough hope for your future?"
Winry blinked at the young man twice. She placed a hand over the one Edward had cupped her face with, and gently leaned into the blanketed metal.
"But... People won't always be around, will they?" she whispered. Edward was taken aback.
"People leave you... They lie, and hold secrets. They don't always trust you, but will expect you to always trust them... And when you finally think they'll be with you forever, they turn their backs on you for the second time, and -!" Winry clasped her mouth shut with her hands as a horrified expression shadowed over her face. "E-Edward! I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from, I...!"
Edward's eyes were wide open, and glued onto the blonde, but it seemed as if he were looking right through her. He felt trapped in an endless daydream, unsure of what to say or how to react. One thing he'd missed to consider were the return of her final emotions. Hurt, anger and confusion, all built up into one concoction of agony, ready to burst and spill all over her life, and his. Guilt found its way back into Edward's heart. Keeping things from her is out of the question anymore, isn't it?
"You were annoying, most of the time." The amber eyed male whispered. Winry blinked politely, earning a chuckle out of the boy. "You were a passionate person. Always going on and on about the stuff you loved, you know?"
"What kinds of stuff?" Winry asked, her features lifting slightly.
"You really liked machines, and such."
"Machines?" She repeated, with a twinkle in her eye. "Doctor Harriet once told me machinery is extremely complex... Was I a smart person?"
"Yeah, I suppose." The former alchemist chuckled with amusement.
"And... was I hopeful person?"
"You were."
"And do we have any good memories together?"
"Lots."
"Did I have any pets?"
"A dog named Den."
"Any close girlfriends?"
"You and a bookworm named Sheska were tight."
"Was I a good cook?"
"You baked a lot."
Winry's eyes trailed off from Edward's face to the ground. He noticed a light red tint in her cheeks. "Were you ever in love?"
Edward blinked and he felt a nervous knot twisting in the pit of his throat. She was asking about him now? "Er... I never really had time to wonder. Why?"
"Was I ever in love?"
"I-I wouldn't know!" Edward blabbed.
Winry huffed in disappointment. "I'd have liked to know..."
"Well, maybe one day, you'll find out yourself." Edward said. Winry's smile grew from his comment.
"Looks like you're a really hopeful person too."
Edward chuckled tenderly, inching a little closer to the girl. "Now quiet down will you? You ask too many questions."
"Oh! One last one, please!" She begged with a playful puppy face, her bottom lip jutting out and trembling slightly. Edward scratched the back of his head in annoyance.
"Geez... What is it?"
"When was the last time you saw me?" She asked quickly, her blue eyes brimming with ecstasy and wonder. Edward felt his breath hitch and his body go cold. Winry seemed to notice his withdrawal, and her smile wavered slightly.
"Edward?"
From her eyes spilled lone waterfalls, pooling around her body along with the red sea draining from her stomach, and her face was drenched with sweat. What could he do?
"ELRICGETUPANDHELPME! THESEMUGSAREREALLYHOTHOLYCRA P!" Bunny's obnoxious and pained cry interrupted the pair. Quickly, the former alchemist tore away from his childhood friend, and hurried over to help the poor doctor. He grabbed two mugs out of her hand, one containing hot cocoa, and the other containing hot water with lemon and a single mint leaf.
"No cocoa for Blondie number one." She breathed, whipping her hand in the air to cool it off. "Strict diet under watch of The Management, yours truly." Bunny said, bowing to both of them. Winry giggled and happily accepted the mug from Edward.
The two blondes sat silently for a while as Bunny chatted about 'that dreamy doctor with aquamarine eyes' talking to her about the possibilities of him being transferred to the long term wing, and how she'd told him he'd might as well quit, or something around those lines. After a few snarky remarks, and Edward reminding her she was engaged, Bunny finally settled down her mug and wiped her mouth on the back of her lab coat.
"So! When are your friends showin' up for madam here?"
"I called them last night and asked if they could show, and they should be here by the time I get home tonight." Edward replied.
Winry blinked in confusion. "H-Huh?" She mumbled. Bunny's eyes moved between the two.
"Uh? Ed, didn't you tell Blondie about her move? I already filed her release, you know..."
Edward blinked twice at the doctor and chuckled nervously. "Er... Yeah, about that..."
"Edward!"
"Sorry, sorry!" He cried, turning to Winry. "Hey, look, Win. I found you a new home. You'll be staying with some friends of ours for a while before Al can graduate and find a good job to help me provide for us."
"A... new home?" Winry repeated.
"Yeah." Edward smiled. "They're great people, and they don't live too far away, just a 2 hour drive, I'd say. I'll come visit you, and it'll be fine, alright?"
Winry shifted uncomfortably in her seat, but nodded nonetheless. Edward turned back to Bunny, who was scoffing at him, and reassured her everything would be fine. And everything would be fine, wouldn't it? She had all these people looking out for her, providing for her, helping her.
So why did she feel like such a burden?
A.N: yeah, so, kind of an uneventful chapter, but we'll be seeing a lot of Kain and Noah in the chapters to come!
also, AIM has hit 50 reviews! yay! thank you everyone for being so kind and leaving reviews! Semester one has ended for me, which tones down the hysteria for a little while, so be expecting updates more frequently, and longer chapters!