A/N: Hello!

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In today's chapter we'll have Pinako and Winry back and with that we also must say that the end is near…

We hope you enjoy this chapter and as always thank you very much for reading and commenting.

Special thanks to shinho4869, Elvenstar146, and Lady Rini!

See you in two weeks!

Golden and Flame

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist characters do not belong to us. We're just having fun with them.

Chapter 29. Return to Resembool

"Are you okay?" Ed asked.

"Phew... I'm tired." Al said as he settled back into the logs he had just sat on. "I had no idea my muscles would be so out of shape."

"Do you want me to carry you?"

"No, this is fine. I want to walk home on my own legs." Al said with a smile.

Ed smiled back.

"I'll take my time getting home. You can go ahead, if you want."

Ed kept his smile as he glanced at the yellow house waiting for them that they could already see in the distance. "No. We left home together and we'll go back together."

Al kept smiling as he leaned back slightly so his face could see the sky. It was so blue and full of clouds that it was surely one of the best sights Al had seen since leaving the hospital. Closing his eyes, Al inhaled deeply. The air felt so pure and the breeze was so pleasant that it made him feel very happy to be on his way home in his own body.

Ed turned to where his brother was which caused his smile to grow. Despite the medical difficulties and grueling physical therapy sessions, Al was always smiling and it always did the same for him. He had missed his little brother's smile so much that now he couldn't get tired of seeing it. It had been difficult and many things had happened but finally everything seemed to be getting back to normal. Maybe he had lost his alchemy but he would manage. The alchemy had made many tasks easier for him but, although he would miss it, nothing was more important than having his brother by his side at these times.

Taking his eyes off his brother, Ed glanced around at his surroundings. Despite his adventurous spirit, Ed had always had a sense of peace and tranquility when he was in Resembool. It was a very small town that was growing very slowly but its wide green spaces was something he honestly loved. He hadn't thought about it before but, as much as he loved to travel, Ed was realizing that, if he stayed still in one place, that would have to be Resembool after all the people who made him feel like he had a home (besides Al) were there.

Ed shoved his hands in his pockets as he thought. Well he had always considered Granny Pinako and Winry to be part of his family and, although it had been hard for him to realize it, they had become his home. Although... was it possible to have more than one home? It hadn't been his decision to begin with, but the time he had spent in Roy's apartment had certainly been enjoyable. He would never have imagined that he would be living under the same roof as the Colonel but it all turned out better than he would have ever believed. If he was honest with himself, he would miss having breakfast with him and the talks they had when Roy came home from work. Also, although circumstances didn't allow him as much contact with Riza, he would also miss those afternoons when he would visit her or those occasions when she would bring dinner for the three of them to Roy's apartment. A few months ago he couldn't quite wrap his head around the idea of his true origin but now he realized that, in a way, he also had a home there where Roy and Riza, his biological parents, were.

"Brother?" Al snapped Ed out of his thoughts.

"Hmm?" Ed said as he lowered his gaze to his brother.

"You miss them, don't you?"

"What? We were barely with them yesterday." Al raised an eyebrow and that was enough for Ed to tell the truth as he scratched the back of his neck slightly embarrassed. "Well... a little."

"We can always go visit them plus they're coming to see us soon." Al said with a smile.

"Yeah." Ed smiled as well.

Al stood up and slowly stayed one step ahead of his brother as Ed picked up his suitcase. "This will be the perfect opportunity for you to formally introduce Winry to her parents-in-law."

Ed dropped the suitcase as his face flushed. "Al! She's not my girlfriend or anything."

Al looked over his shoulder at him with a knowing smile. "Will it go on like this for long?" Al could notice Ed gulping which made him chuckle a little before he continued walking.

Ed let Al take a couple of steps forward as he put a hand in his pants pocket. Surprisingly he had managed to keep Winry's earrings through all the confrontations of the Promised day. Perhaps she would beat him for not giving them back to her when he saw her a couple of months ago but, even though the thought had crossed his mind, he didn't feel able to part with the earrings. In the months since Baschool, Winry's earrings had reminded him of the promise to meet again soon. The reunion had taken too long but, in a way, Winry's essence and memory stayed with him through those earrings so, at the thought of facing the homunculi, he wanted to keep them with him as a sort of amulet and a reminder that Al and he were going to return home to Winry and Granny Pinako.

Ed lowered his gaze slightly as he concentrated on the feel of his fingers touching the earrings. For a long time he had denied it but now he could no longer do that. He was completely in love with Winry Rockbell. Now the question was whether he would be able to talk to her about his feelings. Whenever Al teased him about Winry it seemed that his younger brother was sure Winry would accept his feelings but what guarantee did he have of that? What if she didn't see him that way? Winry, Al and he had grown up together so their friendship and affection for each other was undeniable but what if he ended up ruining their friendship by trying to venture into a new kind of relationship with Winry?

Sighing, Ed returned his gaze to the front and smiled at the thought that they were already closer to their destination. Doubts regarding Winry would remain but he didn't want to delve into that at the moment. At some point he would have to decide whether or not he would talk about his feelings to his childhood friend but he would try not to focus on that for now. The simple fact that he and his brother would soon be reunited with their family at home made him very happy and he wanted to enjoy the experience fully. Besides... he was also anxious to see the outcome of his promise to Winry.

With those thoughts in mind, Ed picked up the suitcase again and resumed his walk to catch up with Al, who was already a few steps ahead of him.

Al, for his part, had noticed that his brother had stood still and thoughtful for a few seconds but decided to give him those moments to himself. He had no doubt that he must have been thinking about Winry as his left hand was in his pocket for a few moments. Throughout the two months that had passed since the Promised day, Al had discovered that his brother continually fiddled with Winry's earrings when he thought no one was watching. Ed never told him that he had Winry's earrings but Al had recognized them the instant he noticed them in his brother's hand shortly before the two parted ways at Baschool.

The increased frequency of his brother's new habit and the look on his face when he did it made Al realize that Ed had finally realized how in love he was with Winry. It had taken Ed quite a while to figure it out so he would surely take his time to confess his feelings to Winry as well. If there was one thing he had learned about Ed and Winry, it was that he had to be very patient with them, so he was now an expert on the subject. Besides, watching their behaviors and reactions as they dealt with their feelings when they interacted was entertaining so his time at Resembool was sure to be really fun.

Winry was in the kitchen washing the breakfast dishes. Her grandmother had gone to the center of town to place an order for automail parts and on the way she said she would take the opportunity to visit some of her old friends so it was just her and Den in the house.

While rinsing a dish Winry let out a sigh. According to the reports coming into Resembool from the radio broadcasts and newspapers that came into town weekly, Amestris was entering a new era of stability in which the government was regaining the faith of its citizens and that was a relief given that the first reports after the events of the Promised day had been alarming as it had been announced that several soldiers had died.

The first preliminary report that had been broadcast on the radio the day after the events had left Winry with some uneasy feelings of uncertainty as to whether Ed and Al were all right but fortunately that concern was assuaged later that afternoon when she received a call from Ed. Just hearing his voice made her heart beat faster. The call was somewhat brief in true Edward Elric style but in that conversation Ed asked about her and Pinako and then assured Winry that both he and Al were fine but that it would probably take them a while to get back to Resembool because they still had a number of things to sort out.

Just as Winry was debating whether or not to ask him about their bodies, Ed started to say goodbye assuring her that everything was fine but that there were more people who needed to use the phone. Winry quickly said goodbye before the call was cut off, staying for a few minutes with the speaker glued to her ear just listening to the noise of the phone line. Ed had sounded somewhat tired but his voice sounded relieved and happy so Winry would trust that everything had gone well just as Ed had told her. Also, without her asking, Ed had assured her that Al and he would be going to Resembool with her and Pinako as if it was the most natural thing in the world... as if he recognized that that was where their home was. That realization made her smile and, even if it made her a little uneasy not being certain when she would be able to see the Elrics, she would wait patiently for them because she was more than anxious to see them, even if it meant having to give away the apple pies she baked practically every week.

Winry turned off the water faucet and turned to her left side, where a countertop sat with a basket of fresh apples on it. She hoped they would be there soon.

Winry's thoughts were interrupted by Den's cheerful barking. At first she thought her grandmother had returned but, noticing that Den was still barking nonstop, she realized it must be someone else since Pinako didn't usually let her pet bark for that long.

Who could it be? Drying her hands on a small towel that was on a hook above the sink, Winry made her way to the entrance of the house, leaving the towel on the kitchen table. Just as she passed the part where the corkboard with the pictures was located, a laugh reached her ears which in turn caused her heart to race. That's them. The laugh was undoubtedly Al's but it sounded slightly different. Motivated by the certainty of knowing that Ed and Al were back, Winry hurried forward until her hand rested on the doorknob of the front door. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening it.

The sight that greeted her was the presence of the two people she most wanted to see at that moment. Ed and Al were a few steps away from the porch steps of the house and they both spotted her immediately as soon as the door opened. Den was still barking and prancing around the brothers continually resting his paws on Al's legs... his flesh and blood legs.

Winry froze for a few moments as she watched the Elrics intently. Al... Al had his body back. It had been several years since she had last been able to see the face of the youngest Elric but it was definitely him. He had the same sweet look as always and even had a haircut quite similar to the one he wore in his childhood. His body looked slim and he had a cane held by his right hand and, although there were some beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, his expression denoted enormous joy.

"Hey, Winry." Ed broke the brief silence by waving at her with his right hand... and there was no metallic sheen to it. It was a hand of flesh and blood just like Al's body.

"We're home." Said both brothers in chorus as they wore wide smiles on their faces.

The boys' words snapped Winry out of her trance. "You guys! How many times have I told you to call before-!" She started to scold them as she remembered how long it had been since Ed's call but the rest of her words got stuck in her throat so she had to pause as she began to feel a burning in her eyes. "Before-" Winry couldn't continue as the burning gave way to tears so she didn't want to wait any longer and ran the small distance that separated her from the brothers so she could pounce on them.

In those few seconds Ed and Al were ready to receive Winry's embrace so they both extended their arms without caring about falling to the ground from the force of the impact as Winry made sure to pull them to her with an arm placed tightly around each other's shoulders as her tears continued to flow freely.

If there was one thing Ed had discovered about Winry, it was that he didn't like to see her cry. His heart always squeezed when he saw her crying face and a feeling of helplessness filled him inside for not knowing what to do to make her feel better. However, on this occasion when Winry raised her face to stare at them as she said Welcome, idiots, Ed decided to keep that image in his mind. For the first time Winry's tears seemed to make her glow along with the joy they represented because the brightness of her tears matched perfectly with her flushed cheeks and the huge smile she gave them both. Without a doubt, there was no better way to return to Resembool.

As expected, the Elrics' welcome to Resembool was simply wonderful. Laughter, hugs and a few tears were present throughout. Including Pinako, who shed a few tears even though she was saying all the time that it was because of the tobacco she was smoking.

After the initial reception where Winry and Pinako raptly examined Al and Ed's right arm, Pinako retired to the kitchen to prepare a special meal for further celebration. Winry joined her shortly thereafter after smacking Ed on the back of the head for not calling her back since that call shortly after the Promised day. Ed grumbled that he didn't want to ruin the surprise and, to the eldest Elric's bewilderment, Winry smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek thanking him for keeping his promise and then turned around to head to the kitchen to make an apple pie, leaving Ed completely flushed and Al trying to contain his laughter at his brother's expression.

While the Rockbells prepared dinner, Ed took the opportunity to start unpacking his suitcase in the room that Pinako had already prepared for them while Al stayed on the couch playing with Den, who hadn't wanted to leave his side since he had recognized him.

Despite the undeniable joy that had filled the Rockbell household all day, after finishing dinner, Pinako lit her pipe once more and cleared her throat in a clear signal that she had something important to say. When she had the attention of the three teenagers, Pinako told them that there was something they needed to know to which Winry lowered her gaze slightly worrying the two Elrics. After a sigh, Pinako informed them that Van Hohenheim had died in front of Trisha's grave a couple of days after the Promised day.

There was silence in the room until Al's sobs broke it. Winry immediately went to his side and rubbed his back while Pinako tried to reassure him that his father had died with a smile on his face.

Ed, for his part, froze for a few moments. He didn't know how to feel about it. For years he had carried a huge resentment towards Hohenheim but now that he knew his history and the role he had played in him ending up becoming an Elric he had begun to see him differently, which was helping him bury that negative feeling to try and open himself up to the possibility of getting to know him better. Gosh... he had even called him 'dad' without realizing that that would be the last time he would ever do so. In a way it was comforting to think that he hadn't denied his father that joy but knowing that Hohenheim was no longer in this world was a hard thing to take in. Certainly he had noticed that after the battle of the Promised day his father's physical appearance looked extremely deteriorated but ultimately he believed that the remnants of the philosopher's stone would help him recover, perhaps much slower than normal but he had hope that it would... hope that at that moment had been shattered.

Although his ears seemed to be ringing as he took in the news, Ed managed to hear that Hohenheim had been buried next to his mother so he abruptly got up from his chair and ran out of the house, not caring about the screams that asked him to stop.

Ed ran with all his might even though his chest resented the accelerated running. His shoes got dirty as he passed through a mud puddle near one of the nearby wells but he didn't let that stop him until he reached his destination: the cemetery.

Leaning his hands on his knees as he caught his breath, Ed glanced up from his position at the entrance to the cemetery, realizing almost immediately that, indeed, his mother's grave now had a companion on its right side.

Once he had caught his breath, Ed slowly advanced until he was in front of his mother's grave, kneeling between the two graves. He reached out his fingers to his mother's grave to run them over Trisha Elric's name and then, with a trembling hand, did the same for Van Hohenheim's.

With a sad smile he began to speak softly. "Just when I thought we could spend some time with you, bastard dad." He sighed and looked at his mother's grave. "I guess you were right, Mom. Dad may be quite the bastard but... I think I was judging him prematurely. His parenting skills may leave a lot to be desired but you and he saved my life and took care of me when my mom... well... you know mom Riza?" Ed shrugged not quite knowing how to refer to each of his moms. "Well, the point is that you were the best mom I could have had even though I don't carry your blood. I think the Lieutenant is also a wonderful person and I'm willing to spend time together and get to know both her and that idiot Colonel better." He returned his gaze to Hohenheim's grave. "I may not be able to call you the best father in the world but thank you... thank you for saving me and my mother and for helping us save all of Amestris." He sighed heavily. "I didn't expect this to happen so soon but..." He smiled slightly. "You can finally get some rest can't you, old man? So you better enjoy it and... I don't know if it's possible... Geez, it's not even plausible that you can hear me but if there's any chance you better go see mom. She's been waiting a long time for you so don't keep her waiting any longer okay?" A couple of tears escaped him and he quickly wiped them away with his arm before standing up. "Well, I'd better get going. Al's going to kill me for getting ahead of him but I promise to come with him soon." He smiled warmly as he looked at his mom's grave. "Thank you so much for everything, Mom. I'm sorry I caused Alphonse so much trouble but I promise I'll take good care of him and get him all the food he wants." He said with a slight chuckle. "And you." He turned to Hohenheim's grave. "I guess thank you too." He sighed. "I'll be back soon, Mom and Dad."

With one last smile Ed turned around and started on his way back to the Rockbell home, making a point of running his arm over his face a couple more times since a few tears kept escaping him along the way. Unfortunately it could not all be joy after the events of the Promised day but he now had his flesh and blood brother with him, his family in Resembool and his family in Central. He was not alone and he hoped that, in the company of everyone, he could enjoy to the fullest every new experience that life brought him.

Although Ed expected to be called out for leaving the house as he did the first night he was there, Winry greeted him with a hug and Al, with a sad smile, asked him if his parents' graves were clean. Ed could only nod before the three friends shared a group hug in which Al took the opportunity to whisper to Ed that he was happy he had made peace with his father. Ed broke away a little to ruffle his younger brother's hair as he smiled a little at him and replied 'Me too'.

The next day both families went out to the cemetery to visit the graves of their relatives so they could bring them fresh flowers. Once they had done so and each paid their respects, Pinako and Winry went ahead home to give the Elrics some time alone. Both brothers spent nearly an hour there amidst silence and a bit of casual chatter about their parents. When they finished, they still felt sad to know that neither of their parents were still in this world but at the same time they left the place feeling calmer. Maybe neither Trisha nor Hohenheim were there but they had each other, they had been through thick and thin together and now it was their turn to enjoy this quiet time together after all the things they had been through.

The day after the cemetery visit, Ed was glad to have his brother by his side as the time had come to inform Pinako that Riza and Roy intended to come visit them that weekend. For a moment he thought she would throw her pipe at his head but perhaps Al's presence caused her to desist from the idea. Instead, she sighed and sat down in one of the armchairs in the living room before speaking.

"I should have known they would come. Ever since that woman called me I was under the impression that someday she'd come to see me."

"So you're okay with them coming?"

Pinako became serious. "What would you do if I told you I didn't want to have them in this house?"

Ed was surprised at Pinako's sudden seriousness but quickly composed his expression and replied in a firm voice. "In that case it would be better if I looked for another place to stay."

Winry and Al watched with surprised expressions but before they could comment on it Pinako threw his pipe at Ed's head.

"Ouch!"

"Silly brat." Pinako said before relaxing her features and smiling. "This is your house." He looked for a moment at Al. "It is of both of you. That I have to deal with unwanted visitors is, unfortunately, part of the package."

Ed rubbed his head and smiled for a moment realizing Pinako's fondness. "Granny, they're not as bad as you think."

"It's true, they're both good people and even risked their lives to save everyone on the Promised day." Al corroborated.

"Give me my pipe, boy." Said Pinako extending his hand towards Ed. The boy picked it up, directed a frown at the object and handed it to the grandmother. "With Riza we have a talk pending." She cleaned her pipe a bit before beginning to fill it with tobacco. "I must admit I was surprised at the apparent sincerity with which she spoke of her regret at parting with you." She glanced at Ed before lighting her pipe. "Perhaps I was hasty in judging her but I can't be entirely sure until I talk to her. So..." She sighed. "I guess I have no choice but to welcome her into this house."

Ed smiled. "Thank you, granny." He paused. "Uh... what about the Colonel?"

Pinako snorted. "Knowing him I won't be able to stop him and he'll get into the house whether I want him to or not."

Ed slapped his forehead. "Impatient bastard." He muttered before resuming his normal volume of voice. "I understand that the Colonel isn't always very bright, well actually he almost always acts like a huge asshole..."

"Ed, be more respectful to your father." Winry scolded him.

Ed shrugged his shoulders. "The point is, that bastard likes to use a lot of facades but deep down he's someone who cares about others. Actually, I was staying at his apartment while Al was recuperating." Confessed Ed to Pinako as he had told Winry about it on the first day when she bombarded them with questions about what they had been doing for the past few months. He sighed and continued. "And I have to admit, it wasn't so bad."

"So bad? But you always excitedly told me what you had reviewed or talked about after dinner when you came to see me. To me, I got the impression that you enjoyed the time in his apartment." Al said with a slightly teasing smile to annoy his brother.

Ed blushed slightly. "Shut up, Al. That's not true!"

Winry, who had pulled her knees up to her chest to lean her arms on them, interjected. "The Colonel... well General Mustang and Ed living in the same house... I never would have guessed it but I would have liked to see it." She said in an amused tone.

"I can tell you lots of stories from that time, Winry." Al offered cheerfully.

"Al!"

Pinako took a deep puff on his pipe as he watched the boys bicker. The house would definitely not be quiet again with the Elrics there. But that was no problem, it actually made her happy. Being able to see the three teenagers laughing and smiling freely without any big worries on their shoulders was actually a relief, even if it meant that she would soon have to come face to face with Riza Hawkeye and Roy Mustang. She still wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea but she had to accept it. Those two had been a part of Ed's life and now they were again after the boy's acceptance of his past. At least her enormous anger and resentment towards Ed's biological parents had subsided a bit since Riza's call as she realized she had been completely biased in relying solely on the information she thought she had. Perhaps she would not be able to have a close relationship with those two as she had had with Trisha and Hohenheim but, according to the impression they gave her on the next visit, she could try to treat them more cordially because, as she had told the boys, this house was also the Elrics' and she wanted the three teenagers to live happily.

Roy yawned deeply as he stretched the arm that carried his suitcase over his head, almost hitting himself in the process.

Riza sighed and smiled, "I still can't believe you don't have a bruise on your forehead with the amount of times you've done that."

Roy returned his arm to its normal position as he gave Riza's shoulder a squeeze with the other drawing her a little closer to his side. "My skills are varied." He said with a smug smile.

Riza rolled her eyes without erasing her smile. "Either that or you just got lucky today."

Roy pouted at which Riza reached over to give him a kiss on the cheek.

Roy smiled, "Now that's what I call luck." Glancing around, he added. "Thanks, Resembool!"

Riza laughed lightly while internally she was also grateful for the freedom the small town was giving them. The time had finally come to visit their son. It had only been a few days since she had seen him but both she and Roy couldn't help but miss him more with each passing day. They were still far from being able to behave like a relatively normal family but over the last couple of months they had managed to get very close which made them very happy. Whenever Riza had been able to hug Edward or when she could perceive the gleam of happiness in Roy's eyes when Edward was telling them something at dinner filled her with a huge sense of calm, joy and love. Her decisions had prevented her from experiencing many things next to Roy and Edward but now that her son was within reach of both of them and that the boy had accepted them as his parents she felt extremely grateful to life for allowing her this happiness.

Noticing that Riza was straining to see as far ahead as possible, Roy asked with a smile. "Anxious?"

She reciprocated his smile. "Like you have no idea... Just like you."

Roy shrugged. "A little." He lied.

Riza gave him a look that let him know she knew he was lying, which made him feel lucky to have a woman by his side who knew him so well and loved him as he loved her, plus, in an unexpected twist of fate, his happiness was more complete because they had both had the chance to get back the son they had thought they had lost for so many years and now they were only a few feet away from seeing him again. Perhaps they had spent several years away from him but now that they were aware of their bond with him every day they were apart they missed him intensely. Fortunately Ed had called them a couple of days ago but Roy was really resenting the change from having Ed in the next room to having to take one or more trains to see him in person.

It was for that reason that Roy proposed to Riza the idea of taking the last train from Central to New Optain to catch the early morning train from there to Resembool, thus making it to their destination first thing in the morning. It was a more exhausting way to make their trip compared to taking the train directly from Central, but with this option they could arrive almost a day earlier to Resembool, which would allow them to share a few extra hours with their son, reason for which Riza did not hesitate for a moment to accept his proposal.

Roy and Riza continued walking along the path and met a couple of people who were taking their cattle out to graze and even some who were heading to the center of town to offer their products. Not wearing their military uniforms, both were greeted with friendly smiles, which they reciprocated. Both Roy and Riza had grown accustomed to life in the city but the walk to the Rockbell residence was reminiscent of the times when they used to go for walks around the Hawkeye home.

When the two-story yellow house appeared in their field of vision, they both quickened their steps slightly but, being a few feet from the porch of the house, Riza stopped abruptly causing Roy to stagger slightly as his arm was draped over her shoulders.

"Riza?"

Riza smiled hugely at him and nodded her head and pointed to the left, the place that had caught his attention. Confused, Roy followed the direction indicated and found what had caught the blonde's attention. Her son was there leaning against the trunk of a leafy tree, but he was not alone. On his left side was Al leaning his head against his brother's shoulder while on Ed's right side was Miss Rockbell, who was leaning her head against his right shoulder while Ed was leaning his head against hers. All three young people appeared to be sound asleep with slight smiles adorning their faces as the black dog with an automail paw that had barked at them so many years ago lay at their feet curiously sniffing the grass in front of him with a sleepy expression.

Roy also smiled hugely at the warmth the scene caused him. "Looks like we'll have to wait to say hello."

"Looks like it." Riza replied without taking her eyes off the scene and without wiping the smile off her face.

They remained silent for a few minutes watching the teenagers until Roy focused his gaze on the position of the heads of the two older blondes. "Doesn't that remind you of something?"

Figuring what he meant, Riza asked. "You mean Edward and Winry?" Roy nodded. "Maybe... I remember a young boy about that age who liked to tell stories to a girl under the shade of a tree." She said with a smile.

"To a really beautiful girl." He specified before leaning in for a kiss. He sighed happily before continuing. "It pleases me to see that relaxed expression on Ed."

"Yeah..." Riza returned her loving gaze to the blondes under the tree. "Our son is happy, Roy." She said with obvious joy in her tone.

Roy nodded with a smile on his face. They both stayed there oblivious to the passage of time, so much so that the dog accompanying the boys ended up falling asleep completely. That was the signal that they should resume their walk so they could talk to Mrs. Rockbell.

"Shall we go?" Roy asked to break the silence.

Riza nodded and, after one last glance at her son, the two of them walked the last few yards to the front door of the Rockbell residence. The two put down their suitcases and Roy raised his hand and then gave the door a couple of knocks.

A few seconds later the sound of a pair of footsteps was heard approaching the door, which was opened by Pinako Rockbell. "Oh, it's you." She exclaimed in a neutral tone.

"Good morning, Mrs. Rockbell." Greeted Riza politely with a nod of her head.

"Good morning, Mrs. Rockbell." Roy also greeted only he opted to extend his free hand towards Pinako.

Pinako stared at his hand for a few seconds but didn't take it. Instead she raised an eyebrow and focused her gaze on Roy's. "Wow, at least these years helped you learn some manners." At Roy's embarrassed expression, Pinako sighed and took Roy's hand just as the black-haired man withdrew it, surprising him slightly. "I understood you would be arriving in the afternoon." She said after releasing the General's hand.

"That was the plan, but at the last minute we decided to take a slightly longer route but one that would allow us to get here sooner." Roy replied.

"What difference does a couple of hours make?" Pinako asked.

"Spending more time with our son." Riza interjected sincerely.

Pinako allowed herself a subtle smile before returning to her neutral expression. "Who would have thought." She said though it seemed like more of a comment to herself. "So, what are you waiting for? Are you coming in or not?" She said as she turned around and began to walk deeper into her home without bothering to make sure if they were following her or not.

They both followed her after leaving their suitcases by the side of the door (Riza took care of closing the door). Pinako led them to the dining room table, where years ago Roy had discussed with her and the Elrics the possibility of joining the military. Roy had to swallow and take a deep breath to tear his gaze away from Ed's almost dead stare. Those times were behind him but he still felt guilty that he had been the instigator in getting his own son into the army.

Realizing how tense Roy was getting, Riza, who was sitting next to him while Pinako sat across from them both, brought her left hand to his right and took it in hers, giving it a squeeze before letting her intertwined hands rest on Roy's leg.

"Before you ask me, none of the boys are home. They left shortly before dawn as Al was really looking forward to feeling the first rays of the morning sun."

"I see, no wonder we saw them resting under the shade of a tree." Riza said with a smile.

Pinako nodded her head as she uncapped the tobacco tin on the table to prepare her first pipe of the day. "Well, since you will be staying with us tonight, the patient room is prepared for you. You'll have to make do with two single beds."

"We wouldn't want to impose our presence in your home, ma'am." Roy said.

Pinako shrugged her shoulders. "The boys were expecting your arrival so I don't want to be the one to take up your time together."

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Rockbell." Riza said.

"Bah, I can live with your presence in my house for a couple of days. So you'd better go unpack your things for when the boys come back." Pinako said in a tone that let it be seen that she was waiting for them to retire to their designated room.

"Wait." Riza stared at her as she unconsciously gave Roy's hand a squeeze. "I'm not just thanking you for your hospitality today, Mrs. Rockbell. In fact, I'm not going to live to finish thanking you for all you've done for Edward. Believe me your words made me realize how much Edward had to live without us by his side." She bit her lower lip to hold back the tears that wanted to start welling up as she remembered her son's past. "All these years I was naïve to foolishly believe that everything would go great for my son. I know I wasn't wrong to entrust my son to Trisha and Hohenheim because they, especially Trisha, truly gave Edward a home without asking for anything in return but unfortunately fate destroyed the Elric home and my son ended up suffering for it while I lived calmly in the city without considering the possibility that my son might be suffering instead of living the happiness I always hoped for him."

"Riza." Roy stared at her and with a slight tug on her hand let her know he wanted her to look him in the eye. When she did, he continued. "You're not alone in this, it wasn't your fault." Gulping, he said. "It was ours. Both of us."

Before Riza could retort, Pinako interjected. "I'd actually like to get that cleared up. If we're going to have to see each other occasionally it would be good to know the difference between truth and lies" Her expression turned completely serious. "Trisha and Hohenheim told my son, daughter-in-law and me that you..." he gestured with his head to Riza. "had asked them to raise your son because there is an anti-fraternization law in the military, within which there are penalties that can go as far as firing squad for those involved. Is that true?"

Roy was quick to respond. "Yes, unfortunately there is such a law within the militia bylaws."

Pinako raised an eyebrow. "This..." She directed a glance at the closeness of the two, realizing that most likely they both had their hands intertwined. "Is it not considered a violation of said law?"

Roy sighed heavily. "Yes." He confessed but instead of releasing his grip on Riza's hand, he tightened it. "You don't know how I wish that damn law didn't exist so I could make my life by Riza and Edward's side but... life isn't always as one wishes it would be."

"You bet." Pinako corroborated as she thought about the fate of her son and daughter-in-law.

"But..." Riza recovered her voice. "That things have happened this way is solely my fault." She gave Roy a pleading look asking him to let her go on. "I was the one who decided to join the military without saying a word to Roy, I was the one who, out of ignorance and clumsiness, decided to sign all the papers and military enrollment agreements without thinking that... Roy and I would be close in the days to come. And..." She closed her eyes tightly. "I was the one who decided that it would be best for Edward if I parted ways with him without saying anything to his father."

Roy let go of Riza's hand so he could slip his arm around her shoulders to pull her to him. Once that was done, he said softly in her ear. "Riza, don't torture yourself. We both made mistakes and whatever suffering you unconsciously caused me I have already forgiven you long ago."

"Roy..." Riza murmured.

Remembering that they were not alone, Roy decided to pick up the conversation. "Unfortunately that's how things happened when Riza got pregnant. She found out about the existence of that law and so she decided to go to the North to hide her pregnancy to protect both of us. What happened immediately after that you already know." Pinako nodded as she put her pipe to her mouth. "I didn't find out about Ed until after the Ishval War ended. It was a hard thing to take in after so many years. I won't deny to you that it was extremely painful to know that I was the father of a child that, at the time, it seemed I could never know but after talking and settling our differences, Riza and I used his memory as a motivator in our common goal of improving the country. We would maybe not have a chance to hold him in our arms but at least we would do our best to create a safe place where he could grow up and live happily."

Riza settled her head against Roy's shoulder and slipped her arm around his waist to give a greater sense of embrace. Her heart couldn't help but race at the love Roy was showing her in every word and action because, despite the harsh reality, he wasn't telling the tale of her life making her look like the villain of the story (as she had labeled herself for so long) but quite the opposite. He was making it clear to Pinako Rockbell that he understood what Riza had to do, as painful as it was.

"Use his memory as motivation..." Pinako said quietly before resuming her usual voice volume. "Tell me, General, what guarantees do I have that what you tell me is true? How can I be sure that rather than using his memory, you both decided to use Ed as another rung on your ladder of ambition and power?"

Unable to help it, Roy's gaze hardened a little at the accusation but he kept his voice in the same tone he had used. "I know you barely know us but do you really think Riza's pain is pure theater?" He said as he pulled Riza a little closer to him. "Do you think both she and I would be able to willingly lure our son into the military that could kill him at the drop of a hat?"

Roy and Pinako had a brief staring confrontation. Roy gave her a defiant look while Pinako carefully examined his black orbs trying to figure out if the General was speaking the truth. After a few moments, Pinako resumed talking.

"Being in the military, you should well know that this world is not rose-colored and that less-than-ideal situations occur every minute. That my son and daughter-in-law died at the hands of one of their patients is proof of that." She took a puff of her pipe before continuing. "When Trisha and Hohenheim told us Riza's story I must admit that I believed in it completely. It was a curious and unfortunate situation but they didn't have to lie to us about something so delicate." Her gaze hardened subtly. "For years I believed Ed's origin story but everything changed when you two came to this house. You must imagine that this house wasn't exactly fond of military members, especially when they don't even show manners." She shot a disapproving glance at Roy. "But, leaving aside the ridiculousness that you came with the idea of recruiting an 11-year-old boy, I had nothing else to reproach you for. I didn't know who you were but just as your wagon pulled away, Winry let me know your name was Riza Hawkeye." She focused her gaze on Riza. "It was there that I realized that my blind trust regarding your story was a mistake. Yes, perhaps it was hasty of me to judge you that way without having spoken to you directly about it but at my age one has already seen and known of terrible things happening in the world. So how do you expect me to believe in your 'unconditional parental love' when you two reappeared in Edward's life just as he and his brother performed high level alchemy? Doesn't that seem a bit convenient?"

Roy was about to respond but Riza gave his waist a squeeze to let him know she wanted to talk. Roy understood her message and nodded his head slightly before Riza pulled her arm away to resume a firmer stance but returned her hand to Roy's.

Riza fixed her gaze on Pinako's before speaking. "I understand your reasoning and I don't blame you for coming to that conclusion. With the information you had it was practically the only possible conclusion. Believe me, to this day, I deeply regret not realizing back then that Edward was our son. But..." She clenched her free hand into a fist. "Sadly it was already too late. Edward had already been through an extremely traumatic experience and we weren't with him to prevent it or at least to help him deal with it."

Roy couldn't help but interject. "I know recruiting a kid into the military wasn't one of my shining moments but it all happened so fast. Like I told you back then, we both came with the idea of meeting a couple of adults and not some kids." He sighed heavily. "To this day I still don't understand what went through my head at those times to consider that it would be a good idea to invite them into the military but, as twisted as it sounds, I really wanted to help them. The look on Ed's face...it was terrible. Perhaps the option I offered him wasn't the most conventional but I was really hoping to help him rekindle the fire that was awakened for a moment in his gaze. As much as I wanted to there was nothing I could do to give them their bodies back but from that moment on I knew that Edward and Alphonse had what it took to make amends and I believed that, in my position as their superior, I could make it at least a little easier for them. Or failing that, at least prevent another member of the military with questionable ethics from discovering them and using them for his own selfish interests."

"Like yours." Pinako interjected with a stern expression.

Roy stared at her for a few seconds before replying. "Yes, like mine. Although I want to change this country from within I must confess that my means became selfish for a moment as it crossed my mind for an instant that recruiting the Elric brothers might help me increase my chances of advancement."

"Since one of the military's most valuable assets today are the state alchemists." Pinako continued.

"That's right. That's why I rushed to Resembool when I received the report about two skilled alchemists in the region. But when I saw the state they were in..." He squeezed his eyes shut for a few seconds. "I realized that I didn't want them to end up traveling the same path as Riza and me. I wanted to help them by offering them an option that would increase their chances of finding a way to get their bodies back. That's where my desire to follow through with my initial intentions of recruiting them stemmed from."

Pinako was quiet for a few seconds as she analyzed Roy's words before speaking again. "Ed's eye color is not at all common. When you saw him that day did it not cross your minds that he might be your son?"

"The same could be said for Al's eye color." Roy said. He sighed and continued. "But yes, for a moment I thought about it but I thought fate would not be so favorable to a murderer like me as to allow me to reunite me with my lost son."

"Something similar happened to me." Riza said. "When we were at the Elric home I saw a picture of the children and it made me think of my son. Knowing that 'the two' had the same name a hope arose in me but seeing Alphonse with the same hue in his eyes made me believe that the color of his eyes was more common than I thought since, to date, I know very little territory in the country. So my mind made me accept that 'reality'." She inhaled deeply before continuing. "However, my heart didn't want to get rid of that hope so easily so when Edward went to take his exam I checked his birth certificate and that's when I had to convince myself that it wasn't him as his birth date didn't match, that not to mention that there was no record of Van Hohenheim's name on that document." She said with regret.

"What about Trisha's name?" asked Pinako intrigued, "I can't believe you forgot about her.

"I did not forget her and I can never forget her because to this day I am extremely grateful to her. My mistake was that, being under the care of Trisha and Hohenheim, I did not trust them with my name until I had the idea of them raising my child. I wanted to avoid any disclosure of my personal details to protect Edward but I could not withhold my name from such good people as they were. So I told Hohenheim my name and he shared it with Trisha but I never had the courage to ask him for theirs. I felt so unworthy of their kindness that I didn't feel brave enough to ask them personal questions since, at the time, I could sense a certain reticence on Hohenheim's part. So I contented myself with knowing Van Hohenheim's name when we said goodbye and recognizing Trisha as Hohenheim's wife since the two of them always called each other husband and wife."

A nostalgic smile appeared on Pinako's lips, "That pair..." She took a puff on her pipe before continuing. "It was still a mistake to leave your child without really knowing the essential facts about the adoptive parents."

Riza swallowed hard before answering. She still couldn't forgive herself for that. "Indeed. It was a terrible mistake not to know." She bit her lower lip for a few seconds before continuing. "That was why I couldn't find them when I went looking for them years later in Rivière. I naively believed that they per se lived over there so there was no way to track them down not knowing where they originally came from."

"Were you going to ask them to give Ed back to you?"

Riza shook her head sadly. "No. I couldn't do that to Edward. I just..." She let out a sigh. "I wanted to see him. I know I didn't deserve him and I probably still don't deserve him but back then I wanted to see him smile and play like any kid his age, before I had to go to war. I wanted to take with me in my mind an image of my son being happy."

Pinako watched her silently for a few moments to assess the sincerity of her words. Noticing Riza's tormented expression she decided that she had spoken the truth so she focused her gaze on Roy. "She seems to have at least some mothering and childcare skills but you... how do you feel knowing that when you met your son the first thing you did was roughly lift him out of his wheelchair and yell at him?"

Both Roy and Riza visibly flinched as they remembered the state in which they had found Ed. Even Roy couldn't help a grimace as he recalled his own behavior. "Fatal. I should never have done it but I got carried away by my impulses." He brought a hand to his face to rub his eyes as if wanting to push the image from his thoughts. "It's no excuse because, whether Ed was my son or not, I shouldn't have done what I did. Over the years I have remembered several times how empty and dead his gaze looked, so over the years, you don't know how much comfort and joy it gave me to be able to look into his golden eyes and find in them the intense fire of determination that usually burns in them." He confessed.

"A fire that you rekindled by drawing him into the military."

Roy removed his hand from his eyes to stare at Pinako. "I didn't do anything, it was all to Ed's credit because he has always strived to do the right thing and make amends for his mistakes. The fire has always been there. All I did was offer him an unfortunate choice to gain access to more information and resources."

"Quite unfortunate and unconventional for an 11 year old at the time." Pinako said harshly to which Roy nodded his head and his expression showed the guilt he felt regarding that, so he bowed his head slightly, cutting off eye contact with her. "But that ended up helping Ed find a way forward." Roy lifted his gaze to look at her with a puzzled expression. "Look, I can't give you credit for what Ed and Al accomplished because those boys worked hard all these years to achieve their goal but I have to admit that that visit you two paid us was necessary for Ed to regain the will to live." She sighed heavily. "I was really worried about the boys. Al was having trouble controlling his new body but seemed resigned to his fate while Ed was withering with each passing day. From the day of the transmutation until the day of your visit, Ed hardly uttered a word and it was a challenge to get him to eat a couple of bites. If you guys hadn't shown up I don't know if we would have been able to get Ed to react."

Riza clenched her free hand into a fist to control her sadness and guilt at what her son had faced in her absence. "You don't know how we wish we had been with him before he made that transmutation."

"I might be able to believe those words now." Pinako said sincerely. "At least your visit served to make Ed react although I still think you..." She gave Roy a stern look. "You need to get better at dealing with children."

Roy nodded. "Definitely. I totally understand your annoyance about that and, well, in general with everything Riza and I ended up doing."

Pinako gave them both serious looks before continuing. "I must tell you that I'm still upset with you but I think we can work on it bit by bit." Roy and Riza looked at her in surprise. "At least you are making me see that not everything happened the way I thought it did for so many years. Yes, you both made mistakes but who in this world is exempt from them? We all carry regrets but the important thing is how we deal with them. Whether we learn from them or just pretend it never happened. And you two seem to want to do the right thing."

"So...?" Roy started to ask.

Pinako sighed. "I offer you an apology for the rude way I've been treating you since I met you. I cannot fully accept the choices you have made but I can empathize with the regrets you have to live with from day to day. Throughout my life I have done things I have regretted like accepting my son and daughter-in-law's decision to go to Ishval or allowing the boys to spend several nights alone at their mother's house." She sighed heavily. "If I had been more insistent with them I could have kept them from going through all the suffering of the last few years."

"If anything characterizes the boys it's their determination. Even if they had stayed here they surely would have found a way to follow through with their plans." Roy said.

"I've thought that too but the what-ifs can sometimes be painful can't they?" said Pinako.

Roy and Riza nodded their heads feeling a lump in their throat. How many times hadn't they wished that the what-ifs that went through their minds had actually happened.

"And are you going to give Ed your last name? Are you going to take him with you to Central?" Pinako asked, unable to hide her concern.

Riza strained to push the lump in her throat away so she could speak. "No." She shook her head sadly. "As much as we'd like Edward to take my last name or Roy's, it's not convenient. We are still within the military so we still have to be careful to make sure our connection isn't discovered so it's best not to take unnecessary risks. Besides, I think Edward deserves to continue carrying Trisha's last name." She said, cracking a slight smile at the end.

"And while we would be happy for Ed to live with one of us, we can't force him to. He will always have a place to come to with us but we are aware that this is his home and we don't want to interfere with that." Roy added.

"I'm glad to hear that you are still looking for a way to protect Ed because it's already more than fair and necessary for him and his brother to be able to relax and enjoy life."

"Definitely." Riza said.

Pinako cleared her throat. "Well, now that we seem to be getting along better and I've cleared up my doubts regarding you and Ed, I wouldn't want to keep overwhelming you with more talk with me." She smiled a little for the first time at them. "You should take the opportunity to get your things settled in the guest room. As soon as the boys get back you won't have a moment's rest." She tried to stand but stopped as she felt Riza's hand on hers.

"Wait, Mrs. Rockbell."

"At this point I think I can accept you calling me Pinako."

"Okay, Pinako." Riza gave her a brief smile. "You don't know how much we appreciate your understanding and your willingness to allow us to approach Edward on your own roof but that's not all." She let go of Roy's hand so she could hold Pinako's hand with both hands. "My life will never be long enough to finish thanking you for all you have done for Edward and Alphonse. Even though you don't carry their blood you have always looked out for them and been with them as they grew up and faced difficult times. You have offered them a home when Trisha, Hohenheim and we were missing and even today you are offering them a warm home to come back to." Riza smiled gratefully. "Thank you so much, Pinako. Really thank you very much."

At Pinako's bewilderment, Roy took the opportunity to bring a hand close to theirs. "Riza is quite right, ma'am. We are extremely grateful for what you have done for the Elric all these years. You have all our respect, admiration and, above all, eternal gratitude."

Pinako reached over with her free hand and patted both Riza's and Roy's hands as she smiled slightly. "Pair of idiots. That's not something to be thankful for. Trisha and Hohenheim were dear friends while Edward and Alphonse, in my eyes, are my grandchildren. Everything I did for them I did out of love because they are also my family and I want the best in the world for them as well as for my Winry."

"Still, thank you very much." Roy said with a smile.

Pinako shrugged her shoulders and moved her hands away but didn't wipe off her smile. "Better stop with the thanks and go fix your things." She rose from her chair. "Besides, I could use some help in the kitchen."

"Sure." Riza smiled and got up along with Roy.

"I'll do the unpacking and I'll be with you in a moment." Roy said before pulling her into his arms and giving her a kiss on the forehead before separating.

Riza nodded and gave him a warm smile before following the path Pinako had taken.

Roy stayed for a few moments watching Riza walk away with a smile on his face. Perhaps this trip was just a sort of escape from his current life with their respective obligations but he was enjoying immensely being able to see Riza so happy and relaxed without the pressure of having to watch out for who might be watching them. Also, the thought that very soon he would be able to interact with his son again made his happiness feel simply immeasurable. He had his family with him and they were happy. What more could he ask for?

Roy and Riza's visit to Resembool flew by. Despite the shortness of the visit, the time they spent there was extremely enjoyable. The first day there was a bit of awkwardness on Winry and Pinako's part at having to interact with them under the premise that they were Ed's biological parents but they quickly adjusted to this change, especially Winry, who had always had a good opinion of Riza while with Roy she also had the idea that he should not be as annoying and conceited as Ed had previously described him.

The day after their arrival, Roy and Riza had to leave on the noon train in order to get to Central in time to resume their work. Reluctantly they both packed their bags and said goodbye with big hugs from Al and a handshake from Pinako who, to their surprise, offered them her home for future visits. They both thanked her with smiles on their faces before setting off for the train station. Al still couldn't travel long distances without getting exhausted so he stayed with Pinako while Ed and Winry accompanied them to the station.

As soon as it was time to board the train for Central, Roy and Riza hugged the boys goodbye. This time, as there was no imminent danger of discovery, Riza dared to give Ed a kiss on the forehead as they said goodbye, asking him to call her when he could to see how everyone was doing. A little blushing, Ed agreed to her request and then received another hug from Roy and the black-haired man ruffled his blonde hair with a hand.

While on the train, Roy and Riza leaned slightly out of their window so they could see their son until the last moment, waving their hands and smiling at him until the train was far enough away that they could no longer make out Ed and Winry's figures on the platform.

When the image of Roy and Riza became a blur, Ed lowered the hand he was waving them off with and shoved both hands into his pockets, keeping his eyes fixed on the smoke the train was leaving behind.

"Wow." Winry exclaimed.

Ed looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "What's up?"

Winry smiled. "Your parents really are lovely. Both of them."

Ed turned to look at her with an incredulous expression. "Geez, don't tell me the old man wanted to flirt with you again."

"No! You know what I mean, Ed."

Ed smiled. "I guess."

Winry laughed lightly. "I never thought I could see you living peacefully with Mr. Mustang."

"Let's just say he's learned to behave himself a little."

"Just him?" Winry said mockingly.

Ed rolled his eyes. "Well, living with him for a couple of weeks got me used to his nonsense." He glanced one more time toward the direction the train was pulling away. "Well, we'd better get back home." With that said he started to head for the station exit with Winry walking beside him.

They both walked in silence until they began to walk the long path surrounded by nature that led towards the Rockbell home.

"Ed."

"Hmm?"

Winry stopped causing Ed to do the same so he could turn to face her. "I'm so happy for you." She told him with a huge smile. "I'm so happy to see how you're coping with your origins and that you're allowing yourself to enjoy the company of your birth parents."

Ed smiled. "Thanks, I'm doing what I can." He sighed. "A few months ago it was a mess but, surprisingly, it's all been easier to come to terms with once I was able to talk to both of them about it. Maybe from the bastard it sounds strange, but the truth is they're both good people."

"I haven't the slightest doubt." Winry brought her hands behind her back and swayed slightly back and forth. "You know... I think I understand even better now the words Miss Riza said to me back then. I wasn't so lost in believing she was talking about protecting Mr. Mustang but now I realize she was thinking of you at those times too."

Ed scratched a cheek with a finger. "Maybe..." He laughed nervously. "Sometimes I can't believe, as big as Amestris is, how small the world can really get."

"And yet you're back with us in this little place." She said with a fond smile.

"Well, Al and I don't have our house anymore but you and Granny Pinako are our home, aren't you?"

Winry was surprised at the remarkable sincerity and seriousness with which Ed said those words but tried not to show it. "Hey, Ed..." She fiddled with the edge of her blouse. "Now that you're on good terms with your parents... aren't you planning to go live with them?"

Her words puzzled Ed. "Don't you want me to be here?" He muttered, somewhat hurt.

"That's not what I mean!" said Winry frantically waving her hands in front of herself. "It's just... I'm so happy that you two are back that this almost seems like a dream." She confessed with a shy smile.

"Winry..." Ed reached over and placed his hand on her head. "You're not dreaming." He told her with a warm smile. "Al and I will be home as long as you two will put up with us." He said with a light laugh that Winry reciprocated. "Maybe it took us some time to get used to the idea, but wherever you and Granny are is where our home is, and we'll always find a way to get back to it."

Winry was so happy at his words so she gave him a tight hug, which Ed could barely answer before she pulled away enough to look him in the eye. "Welcome home." She said with flushed cheeks and a huge smile.

Ed laughed hoping his own blush wasn't evident. "Didn't you just tell us that a week ago?"

"Yeah, but it sounds good doesn't it?" In one swift movement she took one of Ed's hands and intertwined her fingers with the blond's, tugging him lightly to continue on their way. "We've got to hurry or Al will think we went for a walk without him."

"Yeah." Ed could only reply with a monosyllable feeling somewhat dazed by the warmth and a strange sensation like electricity that was coursing through the hand Winry held between his. He remembered that some time ago he had blushed, "inexplicably", just from the touch of Winry's hand on his wrist, so having his fingers intertwined with hers was making his heart pound intensely and, surely, his blushing had intensified. Fortunately, Winry was leading them so she was slightly ahead of him preventing each from seeing the other's face. However, Ed could almost swear that the tips of Winry's ears were flushed but he didn't want to comment on that as it would draw attention to his own face which seemed to be burning at the moment.

Inhaling deeply, Ed continued to walk slightly behind her allowing himself to watch her intently. Her bright blonde hair fell freely down her back being stirred by the breeze of the wind while each step she took denoted the great energy and joy she exuded in each of her activities.

Ed closed his eyes momentarily to remember Winry's smile and bright blue eyes. Now that they were living with the Rockbells again, he had had more time to spend with her, which had given him the opportunity to witness numerous smiles throughout their stay (not to mention that Pinako had joked with Winry that her face would break from smiling so much). With that memory in mind and concentrating on the warmth that Winry's hand brought him, he opened his eyes as he smiled. He really loved to see Winry smile. Her smile was one of the most wonderful things he had ever seen.

Without wiping away his smile, Ed focused his gaze on his hand intertwined with Winry's. Ed had the impression that many people (including his mother) were sure that there was or was about to happen something between him and Winry but he was still unsure about it. Now he had no doubt that he was in love with Winry but she... was she also in love with him or was it just a love of friends and family after being separated for so long?

Ed began to think back and realized that he had rarely seen Winry blush and, when it happened, it had usually been when it was just the two of them. Could that be the sign he was waiting for? He didn't know how but inside himself he knew he wanted to confess his feelings to Winry but he was also afraid of ruining their friendship if his feelings weren't reciprocated.

Feeling Ed's footsteps slow a little, Winry turned to look at him over her shoulder so he couldn't quite notice the blush on her cheeks. "Something wrong, Ed?"

Winry's look and the glimpse he got of her flushed cheeks made Ed smile. "Nothing, hurry up." He said as he took the lead without letting go of Winry's hand.

Al had told him many times that he had a bad habit of overthinking his own feelings and from what Ed perceived, he had given him to understand that Winry would reciprocate his feelings as soon as he confessed to her. Al wouldn't joke about something like that would he? Besides Winry's expression when she turned to look at him moments ago had made his heart keep pounding. Maybe he was assuming things without having all the proof he would like but inside he felt that what so many people had hinted to him over the years was true. Maybe he and Winry could take the next step and start a romantic relationship. It seemed a bit risky on Ed's part but he was slowly becoming convinced that he had a chance that Winry would reciprocate his feelings. Now the problem to deal with would be how to find the right moment and muster the courage to confess his feelings to her. Maybe it would take a while for the moment to come but Ed couldn't help the thrill that came over him to imagine that he and Winry could become something more.