The Shadows of the Past

by Golden Flame 611

When 17-year-old Riza, recently enrolled in the military academy, gets pregnant by Roy, she must make the difficult decision to separate from her baby to protect him from the military and the consequences of breaking the anti-fraternization law. Years later, unaware of her son's whereabouts, he would return to her as the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric. (Parental, Royai, EdWin)

21. A mother's letter

A/N: Hi!

Although we have practically reached the Promised Day in Riza's point of view, in this chapter we're going to return a little in time so we can accompany Ed in his visit to Resembool. Believe us, Ed needs this chapter ;)

We hope that you enjoy the chapter and please, don't hesitate to share your comments, suggestions, hypotheses or anything about our story :)

Special thanks to shinho4869, Drumboy100, dragonball256, Guest and nagi92! 3

See you in two weeks!

Golden and Flame

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist characters don't belong to us. We are just having fun with them.

---

Chapter 21 . A mother's letter

The vestiges of winter made themselves felt with a gust of wind that rattled the windows of the house slightly. Ed considered looking for a jacket but quickly dismissed the idea. Now that Granny Pinako had gone out to buy a few things at the Resembool sheep festival, this was probably the only occasion he would have to be alone after spending several months in the company of two chimeras and a homunculus.

Ed rubbed his left arm for a few moments to warm it up before stuffing the sandwich he was preparing into a paper bag and then grabbing it with his automail hand as he grabbed a glass of water with his left hand. He slowly made his way to the stairs and climbed them thinking about where he could eat his lunch. He thought about doing it in the room he and his brother used to occupy when they were visiting but a part of him told him he should be careful and not be overconfident. They were so close to the promised day that he feared the military or the homunculi themselves would be looking for him all over the country, so it would be a good idea to be in a place that had a good view of the outside panorama.

With the decision made, Ed made his way to Winry's room and then quietly opened and closed the door behind him. As soon as he was inside, he leaned against the door and looked around. Since his arrival at Resembool a couple of days earlier, he had not entered that room. On a couple of occasions he had had the desire to do so but he and his new group of allies had only rarely left the basement, a place Pinako had set aside for them to help keep them hidden. Besides Ed felt embarrassed to tell Pinako that he wanted to go into Winry's room.

Ed closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply. Time had left its mark on the room by way of a soft layer of dust that covered almost everything in there. But that didn't matter to Ed. He knew Winry hadn't set foot in the place for months but the boy was under the illusion of detecting at least the slightest hint of his friend's scent. The strange combination of oil and lavender were Winry's signature scents and that was what Ed was looking to find but, unfortunately, as much as he wanted to, the blond couldn't detect that fragrance.

A bit discouraged, Ed approached Winry's work table to take the chair that was there and leave his glass on the table. Trying not to make any noise, Ed lifted the chair and moved it closer to the door leading to the balcony. He set it down near it and, after moving the curtains a little to check that there was nothing suspicious around, Ed sat down in the chair, resting the paper bag on one of his legs.

His excuse for parting from Greed and the chimeras was supposed to be to keep an eye out for any strangers approaching the house and incidentally to get something to eat (since his companions were left eating in the basement while they played cards for the hundredth time) but in reality Ed didn't feel very interested in either activity.

The blond was worried. It had been a while since he had had to separate from his brother but so far he hadn't heard from him. What's more, he didn't even know if he had actually been able to meet up with Winry and the others during that intense snowstorm.

For the past few months he hadn't really had contact with any friends or acquaintances until Greed ordered him to head to Rush Valley to have his automails serviced. At first, Ed objected but soon after he realized that he couldn't risk any of his mechanical limbs failing him during the impending fight against the bearded bastard that lived below Central City, so he finally agreed. However, he flatly refused to look for a mechanic in Rush Valley. He excused himself by saying it was a pretty busy place for fugitives from justice like them, but he really didn't want a stranger meddling in Winry's work. Maybe it was silly but he didn't want a stranger messing up the great work she had done for him.

It was a great relief and joy to see Granny Pinako after so long, but a part of him also held out a small hope that his friend would be found safe and sound in Resembool. But she was not, and with that the uncertainty he had felt all those months regarding his brother and Winry's situation came back with even greater force.

Carelessly, Ed slipped his automail hand into his pants pocket without bothering to drop his lunch in the process. He brought his hand up to his chest level and opened it giving him full view of what it contained: Winry's earrings. He wiggled them a bit with his fingers before sighing and slipping them back into his pocket. During the process of recovering from his injury at Baschool he hadn't really thought about them, but when he discovered he still had them he couldn't help but feel relieved and treasure the earrings as something sacred.

Ed leaned back against the back of his chair causing it to rise slightly. In the last few months he had had to live practically in the shadows which, to his regret, gave him plenty of time to dwell on his worries. Al and Winry were usually at the forefront of his thoughts but, alongside them, Riza Hawkeye and what she entailed for his life were seeking to occupy a prominent place in his mind. Certainly, during his brief stay at Briggs, Ed didn't really feel ready to face her again but finally time got out of hand after the Baschool incident.

Instinctively, Ed brought a hand to his lower left abdomen. Not being more accurate during his confrontation with Kimblee had cost him dearly. His improvised healing had been enough to keep him alive until Darius and Heinkel had taken him to a couple of doctors but he still wasn't sure of the extent to which he had used his own life to superficially heal his wound. He tried not to think about it but occasionally the thought would return to his mind at the uncertainty of not knowing how many years of his life were gone. It had been a high price to pay, but no matter how many years it was, he had no regrets. Had he not done so, he would have died in that icy Baschool mine.

However, the healing process had been somewhat complicated. He had spent the first few days in a limbo that prevented him from becoming fully aware of what was going on around him, so his memories of those days were blurry and uncertain. He remembered occasionally hearing some voices but was not conscious enough to decipher the words spoken. He also had brief memories of doctors healing him or moving him to check his wound but he was not strong enough to articulate any words. In addition, a powerful fever attacked him for several days, adding to the pain in his lower abdomen.

As if his mind wanted to take advantage of his disconnection from the real world, during those days of recovery, his mind made him think a lot about the truth that at that time had only been revealed to him a few days before. Continuous images of Trisha Elric filled his mind and there was almost always a moment when his mom would hold out a hand while smiling at him and just as Ed was about to take it the figure would be completely replaced by Riza Hawkeye. This would cause Ed to retract his hand and freeze in place. His birth mother didn't seem to notice his indecision and confusion, and simply stayed where she was with a loving smile gracing her lips. There were even times when she would open her arms beckoning him to come over and hug her.

No matter how many times his dream repeated itself, Ed could never take that last step. It was always the same thing over and over again but he would always freeze at the moment when Trisha's figure was replaced by Riza. The boy was sure that if it had been Trisha all along, he would have rushed into her arms immediately but being his biological mother... he couldn't do the deed. The indecision brought back memories of the good times he had shared with the Lieutenant since they had met (or rather re-encountered?) at the same time that Trisha's voice whispered to him that everything was all right, to take that last step, but finally Ed was not able to do it.

Later, as Ed became more and more aware of what was going on around him, he kept thinking about his dreams. Why, if his own mind was showing him the good side of the Lieutenant, couldn't he embrace her? He had already done so that night when the truth came out, only then it was mostly an impulse since he didn't even know there was a biological bond between them. This filled him with frustration and he didn't understand why. It shouldn't be so hard to accept how his dream ended, should it? If he could never manage a simple hug that had to mean something, didn't it? So... why could he suddenly feel his heart pounding more intensely as if he longed to be in his birth mother's arms?

Surprisingly, even Colonel Mustang also made the occasional appearance in his dreams. When that happened, Ed would dream that he was leisurely walking the streets of Central but, upon arriving at his hotel and opening the door to his room (believing that he would finally have a respite from dreams involving his mom and the Lieutenant), the Colonel was there in front of him. What puzzled Ed most was that there was no trace of the smug smile his superior continually directed at him but instead his lips were curved in a kind, warm smile, plus his eyes seemed to sparkle in a special way. Unlike his dreams with the Lieutenant, in this one the Colonel did speak even if he only uttered one word: Son. The word provoked a strange feeling of warmth in Ed but, both in the dream world and in real life, the blond refused to accept that title and the sensation it provoked in him so that dream always ended quickly when he raised his fist and aimed it directly at the colonel's face. Unfortunately, for the boy, the dream never gave him the satisfaction of seeing his fist make contact with its destination.

By the time he was aware of the improvement in his wound, his mind was exhausted. Physically he was gradually improving day by day but his mind seemed to be taking the opposite path. The uncertainty of not knowing how Al and Winry were doing, and the confusion regarding his birth parents were torturing him.

When he was able to get back on his feet without the pain of the wound bothering him, the boy tried to push thoughts of Hawkeye and Mustang away so he could focus on the search for his brother and Winry. He knew Al was a great alchemist and fighter and wanted to believe he had made it safely with Winry's group but they had never been separated for so many days so he wouldn't be entirely at ease until he saw his brother again. However, he didn't have much time to think about it since the military located the small medical office where he had been treated so, in the company of Darius and Heinkel, they had to leave the place immediately.

After the brief altercation, Ed had faith that he would hit upon the place where Al might be hiding but his instincts were not very good. The ramshackle house they headed for was completely empty but, in a way, they were rewarded soon after with the surprising arrival of Ling, who had managed to keep the homunculus at bay for a few minutes.

Before Greed could regain control of the prince's body, Ling gave him valuable information regarding the promised day, finally revealing what the ultimate plan of the being hiding under Central was. After Greed regained control, the homunculus wanted to get away from Ed and his companions to do things alone but, after rejecting the blond's first offer to join them, Greed ended up agreeing to stay with the alchemist and the chimeras when Ed agreed (on everyone's behalf) to work for him.

What little Ling had managed to tell Ed regarding the promised day was more than enough for the blond to realize how delicate the situation was. The circle that comprised Amestris with the respective blood points that had been created with dozens of armed conflicts were a clear sign of what the bearded bastard intended to do that day so he couldn't afford to submit to doubt. He really wished he could search for his brother and Winry and even probably visit the Lieutenant but both would have to wait.

Since then he made an effort to limit his thoughts regarding Al, Winry and his biological parents as he had to focus on the goal of stopping the plans of the being the homunculi called father. He somewhat managed to control his thoughts but they continually made an appearance in the form of dreams and now that he could allow himself some time to himself they were doing so as well.

Ed sighed again and leaned forward causing the chair to come fully back to rest on the floor. Reluctantly, he reached down and picked up the paper bag he had dropped minutes before. He didn't know how long he had been lost in thought but he was sure that if he kept it up Greed would show up soon and bother him for wasting time. Besides he was supposed to, even if it was an excuse, actually keep an eye out for anyone suspicious coming near the house.

Ed took a couple of bites of his sandwich before stretching his arm out to move the curtain a bit so he could take a look around. At what he saw, he immediately swallowed the morsel he was chewing. A few steps away from the entrance to the house was a cart with a metal container. Trying not to let himself be seen, Ed leaned slightly trying to find the people who had brought the cart but there was no sign of them.

"Shit." Ed muttered. He was supposed to be watching but his thoughts had disconnected him from the outside world preventing him from hearing the progress of the cart wheels. It could be some neighbor in the area looking for Pinako but why would they bring that container with them?

Noises could be heard at the back of the house indicating that the unknown visitor was in front of the back door. Ed stood motionless listening intently to each sound, confirming what he feared: the intruder had opened the back door and was beginning to enter. Ed rose from his chair and listened carefully discovering that there were more than just a single pair of footsteps at the bottom of the house. For a moment he thought that perhaps Greed or the chimeras had made their appearance upon hearing the noise but from the normality and regularity of the footsteps he heard he doubted that was the case.

"Is there somewhere here where we can hide?" A male voice said. It sounded vaguely familiar to Ed but he couldn't think too much about the source of that voice when a second person made himself heard.

"Yes, there's a large basement. You should be fine down there."

Winry's unmistakable voice caused Ed to be unable to take a single step towards the door, opting to drop back into the chair. Considering that in less than 24 hours he would be departing Resembool, it seemed a miracle to the blond that he would actually get to see Winry before he left and, best of all, a huge sense of reassurance now washed over him in those moments. She was safe.

So lost was he in his thoughts that he was oblivious to the fact that Winry would surely be heading for her room until the creak of a step on the staircase of the house brought him back to reality.

Ed swallowed. What should he do? It was too late to change rooms and he had too little time to hide under the bed without the sound of his automail giving him away. He took a quick glance at the window he was supposed to be watching. What if I jump out the balcony?

His thoughts were interrupted by the creak of the bedroom door.

Winry sighed. "It's been so long since I was last in my own house."

Ed turned to look at Winry, fearing that his friend had a wrench in her hand pointed at his head but, to his luck, that wasn't the case. Realizing that she hadn't noticed his presence, he became more nervous. He didn't know whether he should greet her or trust that, by some miracle, Winry would do what she had to do in her room and come out without noticing his friend was there. Suddenly, Ed remembered the sandwich he still held in his automail hand and stared at it for a few moments as he brought it a little closer to his face. Would I better keep eating so that if she saw me, I tell her that I was so focused on my food that I didn't notice when she arrived?

"Ugh, everything is so dusty. I'll have to clean my room tomorrow."

Winry's voice caused Ed to return his attention to her, in turn causing him to regret terribly that he had made the decision to take his lunch in that room. Winry removed the shirt she was wearing revealing a slightly baggy black sleeveless t-shirt. Up to that point, Ed might consider everything was fine but quickly Winry's hands clutched at the bottom of the only upper garment she was wearing, confirming to him what he was imagining: Winry was changing clothes, having him practically in the front row without her knowledge of his presence. Ed swallowed hard and his breath caught in his throat. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Unbidden, his mouth dropped open slightly as Winry began to pull up her shirt.

Without quite knowing why, Winry's gaze strayed in the direction of her balcony door as she was about to expose her breasts and her surprise was enormous when she discovered her unexpected visitor. There stood Edward Elric, her lifelong friend, who had stolen her heart and had had her worried all these months. Ed was right in her room, eating a sandwich, with his mouth open and staring at her... while she was changing her clothes. The unexpectedness of the situation caused Winry to scream in surprise and Ed to join her a little in her scream at being discovered.

Winry quickly pulled down her shirt as a conflict arose in her mind: should she let the relief of seeing him safe and sound sink in, or should she prioritize the anger that was building inside her at the situation she found him in? Tentatively Winry took a step forward and could notice how Ed shivered slightly as a few beads of sweat ran down his forehead.

Winry was unable to continue her advance because, alerted by her scream, the Briggs soldiers who had escorted her entered the room with their guns at the front. Ed was startled, dropping his sandwich as he raised his hands above his head. As soon as the sandwich made contact with the floor, a pair of new visitors unknown to Winry appeared in the doorway pointing their guns at the Briggs soldiers, startling her. Soon after, Den made his appearance biting the butt of one of the subjects unknown to Winry and, finally, Ling (dressed all in black and with an expression on his face that Winry had never seen on him before) joined the commotion.

She was very confused, from one moment to the next her room was filled with people who were now arguing with each other to the rhythm of Den's barking. Without looking away from the newcomers, Winry moved closer until her shoulder was just inches from the chair Ed was sitting in.

"Hey, Ed, what's going on here?"

"It's a long story."

Noticing that Ed wasn't looking at her, Winry began tapping his shoulder with a finger to get his attention. "So tell me, what were you doing in my room?"

Ed looked at Winry for a moment before looking away as he felt a blush paint his cheeks. Swallowing saliva he gave the first excuse that came to mind. "I was just looking for a quiet place to eat my sandwich." Even if he had partly been in her room to "keep an eye" on his surroundings, Ed couldn't tell her that he had chosen her bedroom so he could feel close to her in some way.

Winry wasn't too pleased by Ed's response but the boy was refusing to see her so she let it go as she had something else to take care of. Briggs' men and Ed's likely companions were still arguing in HER room. Unable to tolerate all the commotion any longer, Winry took a wrench from her desk and whacked all the unwanted visitors out of her room with it.

The discomfort and exertion left Winry breathing heavily. Still frowning she turned to look at Ed, who visibly flinched at her gaze. Winry sighed and let her gaze relax as she let the relief she felt at seeing Ed fill her. "I was so worried."

A little nervous about the wrench Winry still held in her hand, Ed replied. "I'm sorry. I'm glad to hear you're safe." He said sincerely. "Al's not with you?"

Remembering the time they had spent apart, Winry moved closer until she was facing the blond. "Ed, Al's at the station. He's with Major Miles, but they're about to leave. Maybe you'll catch up if you hurry."

Upon learning that his brother was in Resembool, Ed got up without thinking and started walking. He so longed to see his younger brother again. However, he only took a couple of steps before he stopped.

Concerned at his pause, Winry asked. "What's the matter? Aren't you going?"

Ed clenched his hands into fists. He really wanted to see his brother, but now wasn't the time. "We're wanted men in Central. If anyone sees us there will be trouble."

"But..." Winry looked worriedly at Ed. She knew her friend was experiencing a strong conflict between what he wanted to do and what he should do. Leaving the wrench on her desk, she slowly walked over to him until she could place a hand on his right shoulder. Ed startled slightly and turned to look at her. "Relax, it'll be all right." Winry said, trying to cheer him up.

Ed stared at her for a few seconds. He was about to place his left hand on Winry's when someone appeared in the doorway of the room.

"Winry!" Pinako exclaimed in surprise.

Winry focused her gaze on the door as she moved her hand away from Ed's shoulder. " Granny!"

A relieved smile appeared on Pinako's face, "So you're okay."

With some guilt for having disappeared for so many months without contacting her grandmother, Winry replied. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

Pinako maintained her smile as she waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry. The important thing is that you're both fine."

---

After the unexpected reunions, everyone at the Rockbell residence gathered in the basement of the house to clarify each other's situations. As part of the discussion, Greed mentioned that Ed's automail needed maintenance. Pinako told Winry that she could not perform the complete maintenance since Ed's automail arm was Winry's creation, so after lunch, Ed and Winry headed to her room.

Ed lay down on her friend's bed and Winry began the leg maintenance. As she figured, the leg needed no more maintenance than some cleaning and a little oil. The arm was another story. It wasn't the worst condition he'd ever had his automail in but it was looking a little worn. Winry sighed in relief. She had work to do and, under other circumstances, she would have scolded or hit Ed for not taking proper care of his automail but now she was extremely happy that he was okay.

Ed, who had put his pants back on before Winry began checking his arm, was strangely quiet. During her labor, Winry threw him occasional glances but always found him staring blankly at the ceiling of the room, though in reality it seemed as if his mind was elsewhere. During their stay at Lior, Winry had heard about the Promised Day so for the first few minutes she thought maybe Ed was engrossed in thinking about it but, the more time passed, she suspected there was something else going on and, from the lost look in his eyes, she was almost certain it was the same thing that had been bothering him at Briggs because he had the same expression as then, though probably a little more softened than before.

During her stay at Briggs, Winry didn't have much time to share with the Elrics. As soon as she arrived she was busy changing Ed's automail under the direct supervision of Kimblee and his bodyguards, so at first both were not very motivated to talk freely as they used to. In Winry's case, she had to try pretty hard not to ask Ed what was wrong. After the surprise and concern (which at the time Winry didn't understand the reason for the latter emotion) that Ed had felt upon seeing her, the blond had been unusually quiet during their ride to the infirmary and during the first few minutes of the maintenance session. In addition, the dark circles marring his eyes denoted that he hadn't been sleeping well recently not to mention how puffy they were at the edges. Had it been anyone else, Winry would have quickly concluded that Ed had been crying but Ed crying? She found it hard to believe but the more the silence stretched between them the more she became convinced that his attitude, the look on his face and the swelling couldn't be a sign of anything else. Something serious had happened to Ed.

Knowing that under the circumstances a direct approach would surely not work with Ed, Winry had begun to talk to him, questioning and scolding him for having gone so unexpectedly north without changing his automail. Although he was slightly startled and a little slow to respond, gradually the talk reached the comfort typical of their conversations, so much so that Winry could tell his shoulders were relaxing. As the talk progressed, there was a moment when Kimblee intervened in the conversation. At the time Winry thought him a nice guy but, beckoning her closer and speaking softly, Ed warned her not to trust him. When she asked him the reason, Ed lost himself in his memories for a moment and a mutter that oddly sounded like 'Lieutenant Hawkeye' again caused a strange expression on his face. However, before she could even ask him what was going on with Miss Riza, Ed blushed out of nowhere, made a small fuss in the room and then began reciting the elements of the periodic table and avoided looking at her for the next few minutes. Why did the boy she had fallen in love with have to be so strange? In just a few minutes he had changed expressions and attitudes so different from each other that Winry couldn't quite figure out the mystery surrounding him.

Resigned, Winry had continued with her work of changing the automail. Knowing him, it wouldn't be easy to get the truth out of him about what was bothering him and even less so with the audience they had on that occasion so she decided to question him about it later. Unfortunately, that 'later' didn't happen when she expected it to. After the truth of her situation was revealed to her, Winry was angry with herself. How had she been so naïve? She had inadvertently become a resource to keep the Elrics threatened and restrained. But she would not let this continue. She was not willing to become an obstacle in her friends' journey, so she decided to do everything she could to free herself from the surveillance she was under. Therefore, she did not mind having to leave her life at the hands of the man who had killed her parents. She could never forgive him for what he did but on that occasion it was the best possible option so that all those involved (The Elrics, the Briggs soldiers, May, Marcoh, Yoki, Jerso and Zampano) could disperse discreetly before Kimblee's eyes.

Obviously, Ed and Al initially disagreed with her plan but the time they had to decide was very short so they had to agree. Winry could notice the concern in both their tones of voice but when Ed threatened Scar regarding her safety, Winry could also sense in him the helplessness and anger he was feeling. To be honest, the situation she would be in did not please her in the least but it was necessary. She would have liked to spend more time with the brothers but at those moments it was too risky so, determined, she made her way to the stairs that led to the roof of the building where they were. She had barely climbed a couple of steps when a Briggs soldier reminded her to take off her earrings to prevent that, in combination with the freezing weather, they would hurt her skin. After taking them off she decided to entrust them to Ed. It may have been a small detail but she hoped that it would help him keep calm in the face of what was about to happen, hoping that very soon they would see each other again.

Unfortunately, after that separation with the Elrics, a succession of events changed everyone's destinies, causing what seemed like a momentary goodbye to extend indefinitely for a few months. On the bright side, Winry spent much of that time in Al's company and that made her happy but as the days went by episodes where Al's soul seemed to disconnect from the armor made their appearance, worrying her deeply. Also not hearing from Ed didn't help her growing concern, especially after the words of Envy, who told them that Ed had disappeared in Baschool.

Since then she had been so worried about Ed that the relief of seeing him safe and sound had made her forget what she had wanted to ask him since the maintenance session at Briggs, but seeing that there were still vestiges of the expression he wore in the North, the doubt had resurfaced again. Winry bit her lower lip. How could she broach the subject when she didn't know what the source of it was?

Deciding on a strategy similar to the one she had used on Briggs, she decided to start with a casual conversation between the two. Gradually Ed fell more easily into the rhythm of the talk listening attentively and asking more and more questions. All was going well. Winry had filled him in on Lior's current situation, Al's and Hohenheim's plans, but, after talking a bit about the Promised Day, a silence between the two covered the room for a couple of minutes. For a moment, Winry thought Ed was waiting for her to finish tidying up her tools before speaking again but, while her back was still turned to him, Ed spoke again.

"Hey."

Winry looked over her shoulder at him. "What?"

Ed's gaze darkened as he spoke in a serious tone. "Go get granny and Den, and run away to another country."

Anger quickly overtook Winry. How dare he suggest such a thing? Grabbing the first wrench she could get her hands on, she hit him hard with it before scolding him. "What do you mean by running away?! Are you planning on only helping your close friends?! Instead of worrying about us, shouldn't you be figuring out how to stop those idiots from destroying Amestris?"

Annoyed by the unexpected blow, Ed stood up and stood just inches away from Winry as he responded in a loud voice. "Of course I'm going to stop them! But there might be a thousand to one chance that I'll fail!"

Undeterred by the closeness, Winry responded. "I don't care if it's a thousand to one chance, or a million to one! Stop their plan and protect this country! After that, get back safely with Al in your original bodies. I'd do anything to make that happen!"

At that moment Ed was speechless and simply kept staring into his friend's blue eyes. The sincerity, concern and caring that Winry's words denoted left him without argument. She didn't want him to give up. Neither did he, but he was truly afraid he wouldn't make it. There were too many things at stake that could drastically change the outcome after the Promised Day and, if he was honest with himself, he was also worried about having to face his birth parents. He wasn't certain that they would be in Central but, knowing them, it was very likely that they would have found out about the bearded bastard's plan so they too would not allow 'Father' to go through with his evil plans.

The duel of glares continued for a few seconds until Ed averted his gaze. He exhaled heavily and said. "You make it sound easy."

Seeing Ed start to move with the clear intention of leaving the room, Winry said. "What?! It's not like you to have so little confidence."

"You talk too much, Winry." Ed said as he took with his automail hand the shirt he had brought into the room to put on after maintenance.

Winry stared at Ed, there was something about him that made her suspect he was hiding something. Noticing that he was a few steps away from the bedroom door, Winry called out to him. "Ed!" But the blond didn't stop so she bit her lower lip before continuing. "There's something else bothering you, isn't there? It's not just about the Promised Day."

Ed paused with his hand on the doorknob. "I don't understand what you mean." He lied.

"Don't lie to me, Ed!" Winry noticed how her friend's shoulders tensed a little. "I don't know what it is, but I know there's something else bothering you that's been on your mind even since we were at Briggs."

Ed was silent as Winry took a few tentative steps toward him. "Ed." Winry placed his hand on his friend's left shoulder. Ed couldn't help but startle slightly. "I meant it. I really would do anything for you and Al to get your bodies back and be okay." Winry sighed. "Maybe I'm a hindrance, but it pains me that I can't help you other than to fix your automail but I really do care about you. I want you to be well, physically and emotionally. Whatever burden you carry on your shoulders you can tell me. You don't have to keep it all to yourself." She gave his shoulder a squeeze.

"Don't say that, Win."

"Why not?" The blonde asked confused and somewhat hurt believing Ed didn't trust her.

"Don't ever say you're a liability again. You are someone very special. Your work in the automail is fantastic but your qualities and skills don't stop there. You have helped me more than you can imagine. You've always been there for me and Al." Ed left his shirt on the doorknob and placed his automail hand over the one Winry had on her shoulder. "You don't know how much that means to me."

Winry's cheeks tinged pink but Ed couldn't notice because he kept his gaze straight ahead.

A few seconds passed in silence until Winry ventured a word. "Let me share your burden."

"I wouldn't want to bother you with that, Win."

"It's no bother at all, Ed, I really want to help you."

Finally, Ed gave her hand one last squeeze and turned to look at her. As he did so he could notice the determination and affection reflected in her blue eyes, and he realized that with her looking at him that way he could no longer avoid the subject.

Ed sighed and let a small smile grace his lips. "Stubborn."

"No more than you, alchemy freak." Winry said affectionately with a smile of her own.

Ed put his hands in his pockets and leaned his back against the door. "Well, what is it you want to know?"

Winry tapped him on the arm. "You know well enough what I want to know. There's something that's bothering you and I'm sure it's or it's related to something that happened around the time of when we were at Briggs."

Ed averted his gaze to the ceiling. "I can't believe you've noticed it since then."

Noticing how his gaze returned to adopt traces of that strange air she had seen him in Briggs, Winry continued carefully. "Well, I can't say that all the time you were acting strange when we were at Briggs but I could tell that all of a sudden your look seemed different. It was like your mind was somewhere else."

Ed sighed. "I guess you weren't that far from the truth. I had... well actually I still have a lot to think about."

"Besides the Promised day, right?"

Ed just nodded as Winry watched him intently. The blonde let a few seconds pass before asking. "So what's been on your mind since then?"

Ed lowered his gaze to stare at her for a few seconds before returning it to the ceiling. Then, in a low tone of voice, he said. "My birth parents."

The answer left Winry confused. She didn't understand why Ed was using the word 'biological'. As obsessed as he was with chemistry, biology and other sciences there was no reason for him to speak in those terms. Besides, since when did he refer to Hohenheim as his father?

Seeking clarification, Winry said. "I don't think I understand you."

Ed lowered his gaze again and focused it back on Winry's as a small wry smile appeared on his lips. "I guess you don't." The smile disappeared and his face became completely serious. "Winry... I'm adopted."

Surprise quickly marked Winry's face. "What?! But... h-how?... You and Al..."

"We do look alike physically, don't we?" said Ed in an affectionate tone at the thought of Al while Winry could only manage a nod. "Unfortunately, that's all it is. A resemblance. Al is 100% an Elric and I... I'm sort of a combination of a Hawkeye and a Mustang." He added with a small grimace as he pronounced the Colonel's last name.

Winry's eyes got so wide they looked like they were about to pop out. "You're not referring to-?"

Ed didn't let her finish. "Actually, yes. Lieutenant Hawkeye and Colonel Mustang are my biological parents."

Winry put both hands to her mouth. She hadn't quite come to terms with the idea that Ed was adopted when the blond had outdone himself by surprising her with the news of who his parents were. "It can't be... but how?" She said with her voice a little breathy.

"Remember that anti-fraternization law we once mentioned to you?" Winry nodded. "Well... it turns out that the Lieutenant had me when she was only 17, but by the time she found out about her pregnancy she had already enlisted in the military so the Colonel, she and I could be in grave danger if word got out about our connection. So, the lieutenant went into hiding up north and... that's where she met Mom and Hohenheim." Even though he had already repeated the Lieutenant's story several times in his mind, a lump formed in his throat causing Ed to have to pause before speaking.

Noticing the difficulty Ed was having in continuing to speak, Winry reached over and pulled his left hand out of his pocket to hold it tightly between her hands. It was somewhat difficult to digest the truth he had revealed to her but from the way Ed was behaving (which was similar to the way he was at Briggs) she couldn't doubt him. His eyes gave no room to think that this was all about a lie or joke. "Oh, Ed. It must have been so hard to know all this." Ed just shrugged, trying not to focus on the shock of confusion and sadness he had suffered when he had just learned the truth. Winry gave his hand a squeeze before asking. "How was it that you found out?"

Ed sighed before answering. "The lieutenant told me. Apparently even she hadn't realized who I was until shortly before she confessed the truth to me."

"Hey, Ed. Not that I don't believe you but this whole thing is..." Winry bit her lower lip. " Surprising. There's no doubt about it?"

Ed shook his head. "Apparently not. I even think Granny Pinako was aware of it all."

On impulse, Winry gently brushed a few strands away from Ed's forehead. They both felt a warm sensation rise in their cheeks but chose to ignore it. "What did my grandmother say to you?"

Ed looked away from hers. "I didn't ask her."

Winry gave a gentle tug on a lock of Ed's hair to get his attention. "Why not?"

Winry got her answer when Ed looked at her again. His golden eyes reflected a conflict of emotions as he spoke softly. "I don't know if I'm ready to do it. I don't have to doubt the Lieutenant's word. She's a good person but... maybe I don't want to break the illusion that it's all some kind of joke. I know I'm only fooling myself but I'm still having a hard time accepting that I'm really not Mom's or Al's anything. I'm not even sure who I'm supposed to be."

"You fool." Winry hugged him. "You don't have to force yourself to accept it. No one is going to treat you differently just because you're not an Elric biologically. Besides I'm sure that to Al you're always going to be his brother and, if Aunt Trisha were here, she wouldn't stop seeing you as her son either. She adored you both."

Ed returned the hug and laughed lightly. "Al told me the same thing."

Winry gave him a gentle slap on his back. "Then stop being so stubborn and heed our words. We love you just the way you are, and our love for you isn't going to change for anything in the world." Winry said, unable to help the blush that painted her cheeks.

Ed tightened his embrace a little more. Does she...? No, I don't think she sees me that way. Ed thought as his cheeks blushed in the same way as Winry's, unnoticed by either of them. They were both aware that between them there had always been an immense affection that had accompanied them throughout their lives but it was the first time that the word 'love' had come up in conversation between them. In those moments, each wanted to convince themselves that the love that had been mentioned was the affection of always although both Ed and Winry couldn't help but think about what would happen if that love had evolved into something more.

They spent a few minutes embracing without another word until, on an impulse, Ed moved his face a little so he could inhale deeply the scent of Winry's hair. Hours before he had wanted to feel close to her and, now that they were hugging, he couldn't get enough of the subtle lavender scent emanating from her. With his eyes closed he felt his friend's scent fill him completely and then exhale with the same intensity with which he had inhaled, causing Winry to realize what he had done.

Winry's blush had already disappeared but, after Ed's action, it returned. "Ed?" Ed made a sound with his throat to make her understand that he was listening to her. "What are you doing?"

Ed's eyes snapped open, breaking the trance of bliss and tranquility his impulse had generated. Damn! His cheeks flushed again. Why did I do that? What's Winry going to think?

A knock at the door came as if from heaven for Ed, causing them both to break away immediately. Embarrassed, he went to sit on Winry's bed avoiding her gaze, while she put a hand to her chest to feel the intense pounding of her heart.

The knocking was repeated but this time it was accompanied by Pinako's voice. "How many times will I have to knock before you let me in?"

Winry startled and shook her head to clear her mind before opening the door and letting her grandmother in. "What's wrong, Granny?"

"What were you doing?" she asked as she stopped in the center of the room, holding her inseparable pipe in her right hand.

Neither Ed nor Winry could disguise the blush that still adorned their cheeks, and in Ed's case, he couldn't hide the slight stutter that came out of his mouth as he answered. "N-nothing."

Trying to sound casual, Winry added. "We were just finishing up the maintenance of his automail."

Pinako turned to look at each of them before asking. "Did you guys kiss?"

The embarrassed expression on both of their faces was priceless to Pinako.

"No!" They replied in unison trying not to make eye contact with each other.

Pinako raised an eyebrow. She had long suspected that it was only a matter of time before these two began to realize the undeniable chemistry that existed between them but knowing them, she didn't think that in the few hours since they had met again they had progressed into a romantic relationship. Noticing that they both seemed too embarrassed by the mere mention of a kiss, she decided to let it go for this occasion. She would have time to talk to them about love issues, now she needed to focus on the reason she had knocked on the door.

Focusing her gaze on the blond, Pinako asked. "Why didn't you tell me anything, Ed?"

Ed focused his gaze on her, feigning bewilderment. "What do you mean, Granny?"

"Foolish brat." Pinako scolded him as she walked over to the bed where he was sitting so she could hit him over the head with her pipe. "Why didn't you tell me you already knew the truth?" Ed gulped. "And don't give me the excuse that you forgot or that you didn't have time to talk to me. You've been here for a few days now and I've had more contact with you than with any of your weird friends, plus it's obvious that something's been bothering you all these days."

Ed held her gaze for a few seconds before responding. "And how come you're so sure I know something?"

"I was coming to see how your maintenance was going when I overheard what you were talking about. If you wanted privacy you shouldn't have talked standing next to a door."

Ed averted his gaze. "Even if I had told you, it wouldn't change reality."

"No, it wouldn't. But at least it would help you not carry everything by yourself. I may be old but my ears still work just fine."

Ed smiled noting Pinako's sincere concern and affection. "I think that's been proven."

Pinako smiled back before turning serious. "So? So that woman told you?"

"You mean Lieutenant Hawkeye?"

Waving a hand dismissively, Pinako replied. "Yes, yes, her. Whatever her name is."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "Yes, she confessed everything to me." Noticing some annoyance in Pinako's expression, Ed added. "Don't you like her?"

Winry, who had slowly moved to her grandmother's side as they conversed, looked curiously at Pinako. Before, she had noticed her dislike of the Colonel and the Lieutenant but at the time she wanted to chalk it up to her grandmother's general hatred of the military. Now, everything seemed to indicate that the dislike stemmed from the pair's connection to Ed.

Pinako took a puff on her pipe before replying. "No." She confessed. "Neither her nor her ill-timed colonel."

Confusion and uncertainty were visible on Ed's face. "Why?"

"I have my reasons." She held up her free hand to signal Ed to shut up as she saw he wanted to insist. "Although I must admit that a lot of my annoyance towards them comes from assumptions of my own since neither of them have deigned to speak directly to me, until a couple of months ago when that Riza woman called me to confirm facts about you."

"That's what she told me." Involuntarily, Ed clenched his left hand into a fist. "She says she didn't know who I was until recently and that you helped her confirm it."

"I thought she wouldn't tell you anything because it wasn't convenient for her." This time, Winry was the one who looked at her questioningly. "Sorry, don't mind me." She sighed. "Ed, I have my own opinions about your birth parents but, as much as I would like to, I have no right to impose or influence you with them. I'd like to but it's not my place. Besides..." With her free hand, Pinako fumbled in her apron pocket until she pulled an envelope out of it. "There's someone who needs to talk to you first." She said as she held out the object to Ed.

Ed looked at the object curiously. A yellowish color had taken over the edges of the envelope denoting that it had been waiting to be opened for some years. It can't be, can it? With a trembling hand Ed took the envelope with his automail. Holding it in his hand, he could see some wrinkles running the length of the paper but, with the back facing him, he couldn't confirm the sender. Inhaling deeply, he turned it over, finding his name 'Edward' written in Trisha Elric's characteristic cursive handwriting. The handwriting that years ago he and Al always carefully reviewed on shopping lists was now in front of him again. Ed reached his left hand over and caressed his name written in his mother's handwriting. Previously Trisha's handwriting dipped lightly into the paper leaving a sort of etching on the sheets but, this time, the writing seemed shallower, thinner and slanted to the left. Despite the changes, Ed had no doubt that this had been written by his mother's hand, which meant that it had been written in the last weeks of Trisha's life, when getting out of bed had become an impossible task. Ed swallowed.

Noticing the change in Ed's expression, Pinako sighed. "Trisha entrusted me with that letter shortly before she died. She asked Urey, Sara and me to tell you the truth if anything happened before Hohenheim returned. She wanted to do it herself but you were still too young for her to tell you about something so important." Pinako smiled sadly. "I offered to write the letter for her but, when she wanted to, Trisha could be really stubborn."

Ed only managed a slight nod of his head. His attention was entirely on the envelope he held in his hands.

Pinako took this as her cue to withdraw. "I'll go make sure your strange friends don't come looking for you." She said as she rearranged her pipe. "Come on, Winry." She added as she started walking towards the door.

Winry froze in place for a few moments. She didn't want to leave Ed alone after what he had revealed to her but she was aware that she couldn't force her presence in such a private moment for him. Resigned she ducked her head slightly and turned to follow her grandmother but could only take one step before Ed's left hand grabbed her by the wrist.

"Ed?" she asked confused as she looked up at him.

Ed turned his gaze away from the letter so he could look into her eyes. "Winry, can you stay with me?"

The desire to stay with him to support him and the vulnerability reflected in his golden eyes made Winry respond almost immediately. "Sure."

Ed released her and she sat down on his right side. Ed returned his gaze to the letter he held in his automail hand and they were both silent for a moment. Slowly Ed moved his left hand closer so that he could open the envelope. Noticing that his hand was trembling, Winry brought her hand to her right knee and gave it an affectionate squeeze, an action that encouraged Ed to tear open the envelope to take out the letter inside.

Despite the years that had passed, Ed could swear that his mother's fragrance still permeated the paper. The subtle scent of chamomile transported him back to those old days when his mother would hug them and kiss their foreheads before they went to sleep. He closed his eyes, clinging to his memories. As much as he wanted to he couldn't help it, he was afraid of what the letter might say. Ed loved his mother. He wanted to believe Al's words that his mother (Trisha) had always seen him as her son but what if all this time he was just a burden to her? What if she regretted opening the doors of her home to him?

As if sensing the doubt and fear that was building inside him, Winry gave his knee a squeeze again and sought to attract his attention with her gaze. Ed opened his eyes and met the concern emanating from the blonde's blue eyes, so Ed smiled slightly at her by way of thanks and slowly pulled out completely the pair of sheets that the envelope contained. Inhaling deeply, he began to read.

My beloved child,

Surely by now Pinako, Sara or Urey will have told you the truth, as I asked them to. I know it must have been a hard blow and it hurts me deeply not to be there to hold you and comfort you. I want you to know that, as long as you want me to, I don't care what genetics says. Maybe I am being selfish and greedy but to me, you are my beloved son.

I knew that sooner or later I would have to tell you the truth, that was something your father and I agreed on since you came into our lives but I always believed that we would both be with you when you were older and could more easily understand and accept what happened. If I'm honest, I must admit that before I was greatly afraid that the time would come to tell you the truth, and now I can't help but ask life to give me enough time to tell you everything... but sometimes life is not as we expect it to be.

I know that I will no longer be able to be with you and Alphonse and that breaks my soul. You both are the greatest treasures life has given me and even though my time is running out, I am infinitely grateful to life for blessing me with my sweet pair of little alchemists.

From the moment you came into our lives you were a ray of light. Hohenheim and I were first time parents and maybe it was a bit sudden to take care of a baby from one day to the next, but the truth is that you started one of the most beautiful periods of our lives. Your babbling and even crying filled our home with joy and, dare I say, my heart was filled with even more love (if that was possible with how much I have loved you all my life) every time I held you in my arms. Maybe I stole a spot that wasn't mine, but I still remember like it was yesterday the first time I heard you say 'mom' to me. I even cried for joy and Hohenheim was frightened to see me crying. You were too little to remember it, but that was one of the happiest days of my whole life and I'm sure it was for Hohenheim too the day you called him 'dad'.

Forgive me if I'm taking too long to explain. I know you probably have many questions and feel confused but I want you to keep in mind that your father and I have always loved you with all our hearts.

However, I can't ignore the truth or be completely selfish because I know that there is someone else who also loves you deeply and who suffered too much when she was separated from you: Riza Hawkeye, your biological mother.

I don't know if you know this already but you were born in a town called Rivière to the north of Amestris. Hohenheim and I were renting a small house there while your father was doing some research. Shortly after we moved there, Riza became our neighbor. From the first time I saw her, she caught my attention. She had a kind look about her, but the few times she let herself be seen I felt a kind of aura of sadness and worry surrounding her. Maybe that was why I wanted to get to know her and see if I could help her in any way but Riza was very reserved and rarely left her home.

It wasn't until you were born that we really got to know her. Riza lived alone so when she went into labor, there was no one with her who could take her to the hospital. Plus her water had already broken so there was no time to make it all the way downtown. Maybe it was fate but in the end it was me who assisted your mother in the delivery.

Riza always seemed to me a kind and somewhat serious person but, as soon as she held you in her arms for the first time, she smiled as few people know how to do. Her smile was so big and the sparkle in her eyes so intense that it was impossible not to be moved by the scene before our eyes. In addition, the love that came out of his words when he pronounced what your name would be was undeniable.

Shortly after your birth I had the opportunity to actually hold you in my arms and what can I tell you? From that moment on I understood perfectly the love and happiness that Riza reflected because I believe that I also fell in love with you at that moment.

From the day of your birth, you and Riza stayed with us and so I got to know a little more of her personality and I must tell you that I found her to be a very charming person. That's why I was very surprised that she was alone and had not contacted anyone after your birth. Hohenheim and I were very curious but we were afraid to get involved in very personal matters so we let her decide if she could trust us or not.

Two weeks later, while I was doing some shopping, Riza told Hohenheim everything...

Your biological father's name is Roy Mustang. He and Riza knew each other from a very young age and, as time went on, they fell in love. They both had the desire to get married in the not too distant future but before that Roy decided to enlist in the military in hopes of helping to create a safer country. Riza was inspired by your father's goal and decided to join the military as well. However, she didn't know she was pregnant with you when she did.

A few weeks into the military academy, she found out she was pregnant. Although she was shocked to have to become a mother at such a young age, Riza was looking for ways to give you the best life possible. She feared she didn't have the resources to provide for you, but she was sure your father would not leave them alone when he found out you were coming. Unfortunately, Riza was not able to tell Roy the news as she quickly discovered that love affairs and pregnancies between military members were severely punished, even leading to death sentences.

For that reason and with the help of a friend, Riza decided to spend her pregnancy in the North, in a house that this same friend lent her. That is why she was always alone. Although she was very young and knew nothing and no one in Rivière, Riza decided to hide there to prevent the military from discovering the connection that existed between her, your father and you.

Riza said she had thought about giving you to an orphanage in the hope that they could find you a family that would provide for you and make you happy but, from what Hohenheim told me, she didn't seem too sure about that option. Besides, after living those weeks with us, Riza seemed to consider us good enough people to trust us with her treasure: you.

As your father told me Riza's story I felt more and more sad for you and, above all, worried. When he got to the part about the consequences of the military I really felt as if someone was ripping my heart out. How could it be possible that the people who were supposed to protect us would be able to openly attempt against the lives of people as valuable as you and your mother?

I knew it wasn't easy for Riza, but when I learned that she wanted us to take care of you, I didn't even have to think about it. You had truly stolen our hearts and if Riza didn't have the chance to raise you, I was more than willing to give you the life you deserved.

The relief that Riza felt when she knew that we would be taking care of you was immense, but not enough to hide the enormous sadness that was taking over her and it only grew as the day approached when she would have to be separated from you. During those last days I could almost always find her standing in front of your crib, watching you sleep or holding you in her arms, smiling at your every babble. From everything we shared with her and the things I saw I am sure of one thing, my boy: She didn't want to be separated from you but she knew that, in her circumstances, it was for the best.

On the day of her departure, she held you and talked to you as she said goodbye to you. I'm sorry I can't tell you what she said to you as it was a private moment between her and you so I gave her time before entering the room, but what I noticed is that her tone really denoted the pain she was in that that moment had come. However, in the days leading up to it, she adamantly refused to take any souvenirs of you with her out of fear of putting you in danger, no matter how slim the chances were. We understood her concern but we couldn't let her torture herself that way, so one day, while she was taking a bath, I took advantage of the situation and took a picture of you for Hohenheim to give her before she boarded the train.

And that's how you came into our lives, my boy. Shortly after Riza's departure, we decided to return to Resembool so that you could run and play on the same fields that I myself grew up on. Plus we were sure that our friends, the Rockbells, would be thrilled to meet you. And we weren't wrong. They quickly became fond of you, including little Winry. From the day they met you, we told them the truth about your origin but asked them not to tell you anything, as we were waiting for you to grow up. So don't take it the wrong way if they didn't tell you anything until now, they were simply complying with our wishes.

Edward, unfortunately I can't tell you about your biological father as I never met him in person. All I can tell you is that Riza loved him very much and that she was sure that, had the circumstances been different, he, she and you would have made a beautiful happy family. Don't be so quick to judge Roy and give him a chance to talk. I ask this because I have noticed that as the days go by an annoyance is growing in you towards your father. I know it is sad and difficult for all of us to have to carry on normally with our lives after Hohenheim's departure, but he has his reasons for leaving and when given the opportunity, he will tell you and Alphonse about them himself. I can't tell you with certainty the day he will return but I am sure he will. So don't be hard on him or your birth parents. I am sure they all love and care about you.

Again forgive me for not being able to be there to tell you the truth but I want you to always keep in mind that your father, Alphonse and I love you with all our hearts. We may not be united by blood, but we are united by the heart because we are family and always will be. Probably, at the time of reading this letter, Alphonse will know nothing of your origins but when he finds out I am sure nothing will change between you. You both have grown very close and that makes me very happy. That is why I want to ask you to take good care of your brother, Edward. I know you have fulfilled and will continue to fulfill your role as big brother wonderfully and even though I am not with you, I hope you can continue to be as close as you have been.

If your father has not returned by the time you have read this, remember you have the Rockbells. Don't hold anything back. You can talk openly with them because, like your biological parents, Hohenheim and I, they also want to help you and see you happy.

Never forget that I love you and Alphonse very much, and that I am very proud of you. You are both my greatest treasure.

Take care of yourselves, my alchemists.

Love

Mom.

As he read the letter, Ed's hands became shaky. It was amazing that, despite no longer being there, his mom had the ability to push away his fears and insecurities so easily. She loved him and always had despite not having given him life. Even though he himself was not considering himself worthy of being her son, Trisha Elric always saw him as such until her last breath. In a way he felt like a fool for having thought otherwise, but now, the more he read, he felt as if a balm was coating his soul. Besides, just at those moments he had the support of Winry who, at some point in his reading, had begun to rub his back in a circular motion, surely noticing the emotions that the words of the letter were bringing out.

When he finished reading, Ed carefully folded the pages in half and closed his eyes. There were still many things he had to do and fix but now he could take a weight off his shoulders that had been tormenting him since that night in Lieutenant Hawkeye's apartment: he didn't have to let go of the Elric part of him. Who he always considered his mother, she always considered him her son. That was reason enough to let go of the doubts and embrace his past. He would never have imagined he would have two sets of parents, but that was his reality. It would be a little hard to get used to the idea but he would have time to deal with it once he got Al's body back.

A relieved smile graced Ed's face as in a shaky voice he said. "Thanks... Mom." Thereupon, he ran his left hand over his face, letting it rest over his eyes. His eyes had begun to sting and he could feel the outline grow moist, but he didn't want to cry in front of Winry. If he didn't like to see her cry she probably wouldn't like to see him cry, would she? Unable to help it, his shoulders began to shake from the sobs he was holding back.

Noticing what was happening with Ed, Winry pulled Ed's hand away from his face to make him look her in the eye. "Ed, you don't have to hold back. You can count on me." She said with a slight smile trying to keep at bay the tears that wanted to form at seeing him in such a fragile emotional state. Without giving him time to respond, Winry gently turned him towards her and pushed Ed's face into her shoulder. She knew he was very proud, so she hoped that hiding his face would help him not to suppress his emotions.

Ed was surprised by Winry's actions but as he felt the warmth of her body he felt grateful and finally let his emotions boil over. He clutched his hands on Winry's back and let his tears come out silently. So many emotions were overpowering him. He missed his mom terribly but he was also very grateful for all she had done for him, plus the fact that even at such an important and confusing time for him she had not left him alone. He was certainly a little afraid of facing his biological parents but now he felt more confident and ready to accept whatever fate had in store for him. He still had trouble associating Lieutenant Hawkeye as his real mother but in time he believed he would be able to do so. As for Hohenheim and Roy... He wanted to heed his mother Trisha's words but there was still a stubborn part of him that refused to accept them completely. He had grown up for so many years without a father figure that he now found it hard to accept that his opinion of both of them might be wrong.

Ed didn't know how long he spent hugging Winry but suddenly a giggle began to shake his body.

Winry felt the trembling in Ed's body attributing it to his crying but, as the tremors rose in intensity she began to worry so she carefully pulled away from him. "Ed?" She asked, confused.

Ed swept an arm across his face to wipe away the trace of tears before opening his golden eyes, surprising Winry with the new clarity his eyes seemed to have acquired accompanied by the laughter that bubbled up from him. "I'm fine, Win."

Calmer, Winry smiled warmly at him. "I'm glad."

Ed laughed a few more moments before slapping his forehead. "I'm a fool. I never stopped being an Elric."

Winry hadn't read the letter since she didn't want to invade Ed's privacy at such an intimate moment, but from the blond's expression she was sure that Trisha Elric had written just the words Ed needed. Smiling and laughing lightly, Winry replied. "You've always been a fool but that's part of you, Edward Elric."

Ed tried to frown jokingly but his relief was so great that the smile refused to leave his face, so he simply said. "Whatever you say, automail freak." Moving closer to her, he hugged her again. "Thank you, Winry."

Winry could only nod as she let herself be enveloped in the embrace.

Edward let Winry's essence fill him as he thought. He couldn't say his life was fixed, but he was Edward Elric and one way or another he would make it through. Besides he wasn't alone. He never had been.