Author's Note: Happy New Year everyone! Enjoy...

Disclaimer: I do not own FMAB.

Chapter Two

Ed didn't know what was happening. The first thing she recognized after waking up from her sleep was that something wasn't right. She observed her dark surroundings, the scent of the place, and its familiarity. She took a moment to sit up in her bed, albeit, pretty shakily. Ed peered down to her body and saw that her prosthetic arm was gone. She quickly threw the blanket to reveal the bottom half of her body. As suspected, her prosthetic leg was also gone.

"Shit." Since when had they gone missing? She replayed her most recent memories.

"Come on Ed! Get it together." Winry was angry, judging from the way spoke. But she wasn't just angry, she was mostly hurt.

"Ed, I don't know what's up with you. You keep on going on about this world on the other side of some gate but Ed, you've got to wake up! There is no gate. This is it. This is the world. This is all that you have. Isn't it enough? Are you not happy here?" Winry started tearing up.

Ed stared helplessly while watching her fight back her tears. "Winry… I- I'm sorry." She managed to say to her. Ed didn't know what to do. She was always messing up every time by always end up talking about the gate but no one understood that it was all Ed lived for. She needed to go back, somehow.

"Do you want to leave this world so badly?" Winry asked.

In truth, Ed did. But she wasn't about to tell her that.

"Not in the way you're thinking." Ed replied.

She sighed. "Again with the other side business…" she mumbled under her breath.

Ed looked away again guiltily. "Sorry…" She mumbled under her breath too.

Winry sent her an apologetic glance. "Stop saying that… I'm the one that's supposed to… Ed, I'm…" Winry didn't know how to say it.

"It's alright Winry. I'm sorry too." Ed returned her apology.

Both of the girls exchanged looks.

After their interaction, both girls headed to bed, and that was all Edward remembered before waking up to this dark place. She stared at her missing limbs. Is Hohenheim home? What is he trying to play now? Ed grumbled. Then she heard some muffled voices on the other side of the door. But that's not Hohenheim's voice… Her thoughts trailed.

The handle to the door was moving, indicating that someone or some people were trying to enter. Quick, Edward pulled onto the covers and laid very still onto the bed.

"Looks like she hasn't woken up yet." It was a female's voice, but she recognized it. Who was the owner of that voice? The name of the female's voice was on the tip of Edward's tongue. Who was she?

There was a sigh. "Yeah. It's good that she's back. She looks tired." There was a male voice that Ed could have recognized anywhere. It was Al. But who was the female? Noah? And Ed was back where? Ed had so many questions, like where her limbs were and why she was in a different room and where was Winry, but Ed refused to show any sign that she was awake. She would get to the bottom of this.

"Al…" There was that female voice again. It wasn't Noah's voice… So who could it be? Edward still didn't risk opening her eyes to check, judging from the voice and the distance of it, it was still possible to see that Ed was awake if she opened her eyes.

There was silence. Were the people gone? Then she heard the door close with a soft click, knowing that she was finally alone, Ed peaked open one of her eyes. This was weird. She had so many questions, but the main one was: Why was she pretending to be asleep? And who was she even trying to hide from?

Al had done it. He had gone through with the transmutation.

"Al!" Winry cried as she ran to the center of where his previous transmutation took place. There was a fully clothed body there. And an unconscious one at that. "Ed, she's back. She's back…" Winry cried into Ed's limp body. "You did it. You finally brought her back Al." Winry cradled the unconscious body while Al stood there, stunned.

They brought her to their home where Winry quietly removed Ed's… replacements. "What are these?" Al heard Winry murmur as she tried to make some sense of Ed's fake arm and leg. "Where did you go and what were you doing this entire time?" Winry asked the unconscious Ed, not really expecting an answer. She shook her head but still removed Ed's prosthetic arm and leg.

Al was mesmerized. He had done it. He had brought Ed back, alive and in one piece. Well, the piece that she had before she left. Al was too shocked to do anything, leaving Winry to do all the work.

"She's okay?" Al asked.

Winry nodded. "I'm taking her to Pinako's room. She'll rest there for a while." Winry said.

They both knew that Pinako would have been thrilled of Ed's return if she was here with them. Although she might reprimand Al for doing something so reckless.

Al kissed the top of Winry's head. "We did it." He whispered.

Now Al was impatient. How long was Edward going to be out? Noticing his pacing, Winry intervened.

"Stop that. She needs her rest. Besides, you just brought her back from who knows where." Winry said. Al was too distracted to listen to her. She sighed. Winry walked up behind Al to stop him from pacing. "Go get your rest." Winry said. Before he could protest, she put a finger to his mouth. "Now." She hardened her glare with him. Defeated, Al headed to the couch where he rested.

"But you have to wake me up when Sister wakes up." Al promised to Winry.

Winry was anxious. She left Al in the living room on the couch sound asleep to go to her work office where she was going to fix Ed new replacements for her missing limbs. She didn't really know her measurements and was pretty sure that it's changed since she was gone, but still decided upon some metal anyway. There was still a lot to do besides measuring. For now, she was going to be getting all of the material needed to make Ed's replacements ready.

She looked at the silent telephone. How would everyone else react? Did they even need to know? Winry wondered. During the whole 'find Ed' ordeal, no one really believed that Ed was still alive. Winry sighed. Even after Al had returned, Winry was one of the only ones that believed in him and his work. She just wasn't quite sure if Ed was alive and didn't want to mislead Al just to be disappointed. But there wasn't a time where she ever doubted his work and she had supported him in everything he did.

She knew everyone would be thrilled of Ed's return, but Winry was still uncertain. What would they do to her? Demand her answers? Make her a military dog again? Winry sighed. When Al had returned, she did everything she could to help him. He came back without Ed and while everyone was copping with the loss of him, Winry had to take care of Al. Through the whole thing, she did develop a certain kind of love for him.

She glanced at the silent telephone again. No, she wouldn't be the one to break it to the others. With that thought in mind, Winry continued her work for Ed's limbs. She smiled. She had missed her.

With a frustrated sigh, Edward threw the covers off, for good this time.

"Hey Al! What's going on here? Where am I?" Ed screamed.

Al's eye shot open and he was in Ed's room before Ed could blink again.

"What th-" Ed was captured in a tight bear hug.

"I missed you Sister." Al said.

Ed froze. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be. No. "Al…? What's going on?" Ed muttered. Was she… back? Was she home?

Al tightened his grip around his sister more, if that was even possible, confirming Ed's thoughts. She was finally home.

Ed saw Winry at the door. She had tears in her eyes with a smile plastered on her face. She came over and joined them.

Ed didn't know how long they stayed there in that dark room hugging each other. "Guys… I can't breathe." Ed said.

They immediately released their hold on Ed and stepped back. Al looked embarrassed. "I really missed you Ed." He said.

Ed smiled and nodded. It was hard for her, unlike them, she saw Winry and Al everyday on the other side of the gate, but it wasn't them. She saw them in a new world and it was different.

When Al and Winry stepped back, she noticed a few things. The first, they were standing close to each other. Very close. Ed smirked. The second, both Winry and Al were towering over her. But Winry was only a few inches taller than her, which wasn't much. Third, "where's Granny?" Ed asked.

The couple shared a glance. "We have to talk." Winry said.

After Ed's quick shower and a change of clothes from Winry, and an addition of a temporary wooden leg and arm until her replacements were finished, the couple sat Ed down.

"Ed, there's a couple of things we need to say before anything else." Winry said. "Pinako, she's… she's gone." She said.

Ed expected this, but still felt sad by this fact. But she didn't show any expressions. The couple, realizing Ed's mask, shared a look. "Look Ed, we really missed you. When you left, things weren't the same anymore." Al continued.

Ed snorted. "Yeah, wonder why."

"Because of you Ed." Al said.

Ed chuckled. Me? She thought. Yeah, sure.

Al looked Ed straight in the eyes. "You caused a lot of damage bringing me back." He said.

Ed realized the seriousness of the situation but still decided to stay silent.

The silence hung thick in the air for a while.

"Where are my limbs?" Ed asked.

"You can't get away with the subject Ed! You hurt a lot of people." Al said.

Ed banged his fist against the arm rest of the couch. "Damn it Al! I know. I know that I hurt people." Ed said. "But I still wouldn't change my actions if I still had the chance."

Anger flashed through Al's eyes. "Ed!" He screamed.

Ed didn't back down. She stayed in her seat and avoided Al's glance.

"Where are my limbs?" She asked once again.

Al, frustrated, stomped to the door and left the quiet house.

It was silent after his departure.

"You really upset him." Winry said. There was no response. "Do you know how much effort it took for him to get you back? He could have died." Winry stated.

"I know! God damn it I know. That's why I'm upset. Why did he risk his life trying to get mine back? I…" Ed said. "I don't need Al to save me."

The shock was evident in Winry's eyes. "Ed…" She said.

Before Ed could leave the room, Winry held onto his flesh arm. "Follow me." She said.

Ed was led to Winry's workshop.

"Sit there." She instructed for Ed to sit herself on a metal table.

"I'm going to take your measurements." She said.

Ed didn't say a word and allowed Winry to go through with the process.

Winry was baffled. After … what? 4 years? The siblings were finally reunited but refused to let the other feel guilty of their action. She shook her head. The love between them was so strong. After Ed was gone and Al was here, it was hard to cope. Al was confused and no one had the answers for him except Ed. But even if Ed didn't have the answers, Al was still curious. Here he was, all grown up and living with Winry with no recollection or memory of his adventures with Ed.

Winry worked in silence and Ed lied on the table waiting.

"Ed?" Winry croaked. There was no reply. She turned to face Ed to see that she was distracted by her own thoughts. "Edward." She repeated her name.

Edward's attention turned to Winry. She gave him 'the look.' The look where it was Ed's responsibility to find Al. The same exact look that his mother used to give him after Al disappeared after their childish disputes back home. Ed knew where to find Al.

Al was upset. He was angry and hurt. He missed his brother and had finally brought him back but it wasn't the same anymore. Ed was still feeling guilty about… about what? Transmuting their mom? Al had heard stories of the great fullmetal alchemist and himself, but no one really wanted to clear the details for him. That's why he needed Ed. He needed his sister to clear things up for him, for things to return to normal. Al sat himself in front of a river. He brooded until the sun was down.

"Still here eh?" He heard Ed's voice behind him.

Al hugged his knees closer to his body and refused to answer him. Ed sighed.

"Come on, let's go home." Ed said and extended a hand out to Al.

Al looked up to his older sister. He took her offered hand and walked home in silence.

During their walk, Al was analyzing Ed. She had changed. Well, obviously. Her golden hair reached her lower back. Her right arm and left leg were still missing but she was still healthy. She had a slender figure, a little less curvy than Winry's. He blushed thinking about Winry.

"So, Winry." Ed said.

Al blushed a deeper shade of red. Was she observing me too? He thought.

Ed smirked. "I knew it." She said. "So, how long has it been?" She asked.

Al pondered for a moment. He couldn't really put a finer to when he and Winry started to become a thing. "Since you left." He concluded.

Ed sighed. "Al, about that, I didn't mean it. It's just that, it was my fault about your body and it was and is still my responsibility to take care of it." She said. "I can't lose you."

Al tensed up. "You left me when I needed you." He said.

Doesn't he remember? Ed thought. Al was the one being reckless by reviving her. She was only doing her duty by switching places with him.

Then the realization dawned on her. Al doesn't remember.

"You… you don't remember, do you?" Ed asked.

Al was silent.

Ed clenched her jaw.

The rest of the way home was in complete silence.

"It's best that you don't anyway." Ed whispered, but Al still caught onto it. Al didn't elaborate on it though, seeing that Winry was waiting for them.

After dinner, Edward was sat down once again.

Al was the first to start the conversation this time though.

"What are you planning on doing after today?" He asked.

Ed contemplated for a few moments. She didn't really know the answer to that question herself. She shrugged.

Al nodded in understanding. "Well before you decide to do anything else, I need you to do something for me. I need some clarification on what exactly we did during my lost years." He said.

Ed shook her head. "No. I'm not going to do that." Before Al could protest, she continued. "You're better off not knowing what happened. You should just carry on with your life." She said.

Al was angry, but tried to calm down. "But you don't know what's good and what's not for me. It's for me to judge when you tell me if it's worth knowing or not." Al retorted.

"No, I know that you're better off without those memories Al." Ed said. She looked at him in the eyes.

Although Al can see the hurt and pain in them, he still persisted on knowing. "I'm living my life without knowing anything about my lost years. I need to know, Ed." He said.

Ed didn't want to argue with him anymore. So she agreed. "Fine, I'll tell you." She said.

"Everything sis. I want to know everything." Al said.

Ed sighed for the millionth time that day. She nodded to Al before turning her attention onto Winry.

"When will my replacements be ready?" She asked.

"How soon will you need them by?" Winry asked.

"3 days." Ed stated.

"Consider it done." She said.

Both girls exchanged smiles.

"What are you in such a hurry for?" Al questioned.

"I've decided to return to Central, but before that, I'll need to brush up on some training." She said.

Al looked uncertain. "Are you sure you want to return there sister?" He asked.

Edward nodded.

"Why?" He asked. Al had considered that option, but Ed wouldn't really have any objective on going there.

Edward didn't know either. Today has just been chaotic. She was back with so many changes. She didn't know anything anymore than Al did.

"I need to find a way to reach and open the gate again." Ed said. "And I will need help from Central to conduct some of the research." Wait where did that come from? Ed was confused. Even Edward didn't register her words.

The confused looks on their faces matched her own. But she couldn't prepare to even believe what she was about to say next:

"I'm bringing Hohenheim home."

Author's Note: Sorry for the long update, tbh I don't know when I'll ever get the time to update... It'll probably be in a while. Check my profile for updates! But please review, it motivates me to write. Thanks for those who reviewed on the first chapter :)

To my greatest embarrassment, I corrected some pronouns in the first chapter. It's different to write Ed in a female perspective, so I changed some masculine pronouns to female ones. Haha sorry guys :P

Oh and I've decided for the main pairing of this story to be is Roy and (Fem) Ed. No objections? ;) But the interaction between them will take a while... I think.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed that. Constructive criticism much appreciated! (This, along with every other thing I have uploaded, have not been betaed, so your corrections really do help.)