A/N: Hi!

If there's one thing I can say about this chapter it's that Ed is starting to get a little more confident ;)

I hope you enjoy this chapter and as always thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to read and/or comment!

Golden

The next few weeks passed normally in Rose's home. During the first week, Winry, with the help of Rose and even Eddie who liked to be in the company of both blondes, was monitoring Ed's health and physical condition on a daily basis, at the same time supervising the exercises he had to perform to regain an adequate level of muscle mass so that his body could support the reinstallation of his arm port as well as the subsequent installation of the automail limbs that Winry was working on in every available time she had since she did not want to miss any details of his recovery plus she was limited to making progress only on certain components of the automail given that at those times she did not have all the machinery she had in her apartment in East City or in the store where she worked.

For this last reason and seeing that Ed's recovery was going well, at the beginning of the second week Winry decided to return to East City to finish manufacturing Ed's new limbs and also because she could not be away from her work continuously for so long since some customers had started to look for her by calling Rose's home.

Although he understood that Winry had a life to pursue, Ed was somewhat disappointed that she had to temporarily leave him when the two of them finally seemed to have found the conversational rhythm and comfort they had had so many years ago as he was beginning to believe that the idea of trying to let her know his true feelings was no longer far-fetched. So the sincere concern and affection that emanated from the blonde's words as she asked Rose and Eddie to continue to care for and support him, plus the bright smile with which she said goodbye to him made Ed remain with a pleasant warmth in his chest anxiously awaiting her return.

During the week of Winry's absence, Rose was supporting him with his daily exercises as well as continuing to feed him substantially as she had done since she and Winry had defined the appropriate diet for Ed. The blond was extremely grateful for the attentions of the brunette for him since, although in a few days she would have to resume her work at school, she devoted much of her day in helping him or simply in keeping him company, sharing pleasant conversations with him, which tended to become even more fun when little Eddie joined them.

On one occasion when Eddie was playing with his friends, Ed asked Rose if she was okay with him teaching Eddie alchemy since the boy had been quite interested with the introduction he had given him but he didn't want to move on to more complex subjects if Rose wasn't comfortable with the idea. To his surprise, Rose told him that she was completely fine with it since she wanted her son to have the chance to do the things he really enjoyed.

With Rose's consent, Ed asked her to buy a book that might help Eddie at this early stage (the blond had decided not to leave the house until he had fully regained his mobility since he hadn't wanted to think about what he would do or say when he was reunited with old acquaintances), a request to which Rose agreed so that two days later Eddie was continually sneaking into Ed's room to ask him about the terms he didn't understand in his new book.

A week and a half after Winry's departure, it was undeniable that Ed had improved considerably, so Winry traveled back to Central taking the necessary tools for surgery and the new automails with her. Upon arriving at Rose's home, Winry did a thorough review of the condition of Ed's muscles and nerves and concluded that the surgery could finally be performed. He still didn't have the same physical build he had had a couple of years ago but his noticeable thinness had disappeared allowing his body to be in the condition necessary to support the weight of his automail.

With Rose's help, Winry made prior arrangements to move Ed to the clinic of the doctor who had treated him when Rose found him so that she could make use of his facilities. Taking advantage of the fact that the doctor did not identify him as the Fullmetal Alchemist, Ed agreed that it was the best option to continue to maintain anonymity.

The morning of the surgery Ed and Winry boarded a cab headed for the clinic. Rose wanted to go with them but the new school year had started a couple of days ago so she could not go with them but offered to bring Ed food during his stay at the clinic.

During the car ride, Ed began to get nervous. He knew firsthand how painful the installation surgery was so he wasn't exactly excited about it. He was certainly excited at the imminent prospect of regaining his full mobility but the thought of painful post-surgery days was not exactly encouraging.

Noticing his nervousness, Winry gently placed a hand on Ed's knee. "Take it easy Ed, I know it's not a pleasant process but you'll soon be back to your usual mobility."

Ed looked at her and placed his hand over hers. "How I wish there was an easier way to do it."

Winry smiled. "When have you ever liked easy things?"

Ed couldn't help a slight chuckle that helped lighten the tension building in his body. "There's always a first time, isn't there?"

Winry put a finger of her free hand to her chin and spoke softly so the driver wouldn't hear her. "When one is really stubborn and calls himself Edward Elric the possibility is practically non-existent." Noticing him calmer, she added. "Just think, in a couple of days you'll already be causing a ruckus all over Central. As for the rest, I'll take care of it."

Ed gave her hand a squeeze before pulling his away. "With you I know there's nothing for me to worry about regarding surgery and automail so you'd better start thinking about where I'm taking you to make up for all you've done for me." With a smile he averted his gaze to the window leaving Winry puzzled and somewhat blushing at the compliment and the tone in which he had said the last, making it sound almost like a sort of date.

That same day the surgery was carried out with no major complications in the process. Winry sedated Ed with the strongest drugs she had to make him feel as little pain as possible. Although this time the surgery was not as detailed and delicate as the first time, nerve manipulation was involved so it was almost as painful as the one years ago causing Ed to moan in pain despite the drugs that were coursing through his veins.

Once the surgery was over, Ed's breathing began to regularize and as the hours passed the expression on his face relaxed until there was no doubt that he was finally taking a well-deserved rest. The fever caused by the manipulation of his nerves coupled with the strenuous exertion to which his body was subjected in general had left a layer of sweat on him so Winry carefully cleaned him up and continuously put cold cloths on his forehead to help him feel better.

While Ed was unconscious, Rose went to the clinic to bring them both food although, as feared, Ed would not be able to eat that day as he spent the rest of the day sleeping. She and Winry chatted for a while until Rose had to leave since she had dropped Eddie off at a neighbor's house so she could go see how the surgery had gone.

The next day, when the sun had not yet risen, Ed woke up feeling his eyelids extremely heavy, indicating that his body still wanted to continue sleeping. As he craned his neck to look around, the pain in his arm port was accompanied by the throbbing of his leg port (although he had also undergone surgery the day before, the leg port was only modified compared to the arm port which had to be completely installed), eliciting a slight groan of pain.

The subtle noise Ed made was more than enough to wake Winry, who was sleeping with her arms propped up on his bed.

"Ed..." She rubbed her eyes to push sleep away. "How are you feeling?" She stood up and turned on the light, noticing at that moment the blond's wince, which made her rush to check the bag of meds attached to Ed's arm. "There's still sedatives left." She sighed. "I'm sorry, but I can't give you any more until this bag runs out."

Ed nodded his head understanding what she was telling him but the gesture brought more pain making him let out another groan.

"Silly." Winry said affectionately. "Stop doing that. At least for today don't force the movement of your neck. I have faith that tomorrow the pain will be completely tolerable." She left the room and returned shortly after with a small basin of cold water and a rag. "I would like to do more for you but there is no choice but to wait." She said with a tone of slight frustration as she ran the rag carefully over the blond's forehead hoping to distract him from his pain so he could go back to sleep.

"Don't feel bad... You've always done more for me... more than you could ever imagine." Ed murmured with his eyes closed.

Winry smiled. "Sleep, Ed. You'll be better soon." She said as with one hand she gently ran the cloth over Ed's forehead while with the other she carefully ran her fingers through the blond's hair to relax him until she felt the young man's breathing was calmer proving that he had fallen asleep.

Three days later, Ed had recovered enough to return to Rose's house. The pain was still there (mostly in his right shoulder) but had gradually subsided to an occasional throbbing that, while annoying, was not enough to keep Ed in bed any longer, as he was already anxious to get out of the place and start moving around.

Taking advantage of the fact that it was the weekend, Rose and Eddie went to see him to help him gather his belongings and to support Winry in moving him and the utensils Winry had used back into the house, despite Ed's protests that he didn't want such a fuss made over him.

As soon as they were back in the house, Eddie started asking Ed a thousand and one questions about alchemy since with school and the blond's surgery he hadn't been able to make any progress with his studies in the subject. Rose tried to dissuade her son but Ed liked the idea of spending the day with the boy as it was undeniable the great interest Eddie was developing in alchemy so a chat and class with him would surely be fun plus it would help him concentrate on something else instead of the pain.

Two days later the pain was practically forgotten, so Winry gave him a detailed check-up to make sure his body had properly accepted the new shoulder port and the modification that had been made to the leg port. Finding a favorable response, Winry smiled and told him it was time to introduce him to his new automails. Reciprocating her smile, Ed raised a fist in the air and waited anxiously for Winry to bring his metal limbs. He was so excited that he didn't even pay attention to the pain and slight weakening that their installation brought.

After the automail installation, Winry stayed to keep Ed company to monitor his condition after Ed tried out his limbs a bit before exhaustion got the better of him. Since Rose and Eddie were at school, Ed and Winry began chatting casually until she brought up the subject of the military.

"Is it that you want me to go back to the military?" Ed said with a grimace at both the idea and the twinge of pain he got in his shoulder.

Winry shook her head. "I don't mean it that way. It's just that I'm sure Mr. Mustang will be very pleased to see you. And not just him, the whole unit will be happy to see you."

Ed sighed. "That bastard is just going to want to take advantage of me. He'll probably find a way to tie me for life to the military."

"Mr. Mustang wouldn't do that. Neither he nor Miss Riza. What's more, I'm convinced they'll help you get out of the military as soon as they can. You already know that you're officially declared as 'Missing in Action', so, as soon as they know you're alive, the military will try to bring you back. Wouldn't it be better if you were prepared and with support from your old team before you return to public life?"

Ed bit his lower lip as he stared at her. "How can you trust him so much?"

Winry sighed. The look on Ed's face told her what he didn't dare add to his question. "In the beginning it wasn't easy but the passage of time has helped me realize that he's actually a good man. Yes, he has made mistakes but he is trying to be a better person so he won't make them again."

"You're too good for your own good, Win." Ed said with a slight smile.

Winry laughed a little. "Or maybe I'm just not overly stubborn like you." Ed frowned slightly and Winry laughed again. "Seriously, Ed. Give him a chance. He's been working hard so he could rejoin the military to do something for this country. That's not to mention that all this time he was providing every resource he could to Al trying to help him find you."

Ed's eyes widened. "Really? What was he getting out of doing that?"

Winry rolled her eyes. "Getting to see a much-appreciated member of his unit again and, even if you deny it, a dear friend."

Ed was speechless for a few moments. Then, after a deep breath, he said. "I guess you're right. I'll contact him." A slightly mischievous smile appeared on his face. "Well, that's as long as his new wife doesn't keep him on too short a leash."

"If you want I can contact him, that way you won't give the poor guy a heart attack when he suddenly hears your voice."

Although the other possibility was tempting, Ed agreed. "Okay. Do you think he can come here? I guess I'd better not go out too much until I've talked to him."

"I don't think he'll have any problem with it." He glanced at the clock resting on the wall of the room. "What's more, I'll ask his wife, can you stay alone for a couple of hours?"

Ed wanted to grumble at the tone of the last question but something else had caught his attention. "Wait, you're friends with his wife?"

"Obviously." Winry said with a smile. "Mr. Mustang married Miss Riza."

Ed's mouth dropped open.

After a chuckle, Winry closed his mouth gently with one hand. "Don't be exaggerated, Ed. Besides, I told you that already, didn't I?"

"You told me they were both married, not that they had married each other! If it was hard enough to imagine that bastard Mustang married, it's almost impossible to even consider his wife being someone like Hawkeye."

Winry rolled her eyes. "How specific you are."

"But it's just that... w-what, Hawkeye? But... what did she saw in that bastard?"

"The two of them have worked together for several years so it's not hard to imagine that at some point they fell in love."

"But Mustang is a womanizer!"

"Maybe he was but believe me Mr. Mustang hasn't had eyes for any other woman since he started his relationship with Riza. With how hard it took him to convince her after he isolated himself for a few years in the North he wasn't going to throw it all away just like that."

"Oh." A wicked grin broke out on Ed's face. "So he had to beg her, didn't he?"

"Edward Elric, stop making evil plans or you won't be seeing Mr. Mustang anytime soon."

Ed made a pouting face. "But he always-"

"Ed." She said in a firm tone.

Ed crossed his arms. "Fine, I'll behave. Can you ask them to come over?" Winry raised an eyebrow. "Please?"

Winry smiled. "Sure." She reached over to her purse. She pulled out the necklace that had been removed as a precaution while she attached the automail then slung the bag over her shoulder before returning the necklace to her neck. "If I leave now I'll be able to catch Riza on her lunch break so with any luck they might be coming today."

"Wow, you're not going to give me time to prepare psychologically, are you?"

"Do you want them to come or not?"

"Yeah, yeah. Go, I'll stay and wait like a good boy, happy?"

Winry smiled and headed for the bedroom door but was stopped by Ed's voice.

"Win."

She turned and found Ed only inches away from her. Although his steps and posture were still slightly wobbly from the time he had spent without automail, Ed had managed to stand beside her with a bright, determined look on his face accompanied by a huge smile on his face.

"Thank you so much for everything you're doing for me." He raised his automail hand to the height of both of their faces. "Your work is undoubtedly excellent. These two are a wonder and, believe it or not, I'll try to take care of them so you don't have to hit me with one of your wrenches now that I'm better because I think that's the only reason I've gotten away with it these past few weeks." He laughed lightly.

Winry smiled not knowing what to say, feeling puzzled by the blond's words. Ed had thanked her on a few occasions in the past but never in such a direct, sincere and profound way as now plus he had never told her outright such high praise about the automail she made.

"You're fantastic, Win." Before she could react beyond a slight blush, Ed leaned over and kissed her cheek causing her blue orbs to open wide. Pulling away with an almost imperceptible pink tinge to his cheeks, Ed added with a smile. "Don't think I've forgotten though, as soon as I get my situation sorted out I'll see to it that I pay you every last cenz for the automail. Just give me a little time okay?"

Making a supreme effort not to bring a hand to her cheek to caress the spot where Ed's lips had landed, Winry smiled shyly. "I'm not charging you."

Ed shrugged. "I'll still pay you."

Feeling her heart pounding intensely, Winry rested her hand on the doorknob and said. "We'll see." And without knowing why, she winked at him before leaving the room.

As soon as he heard that Winry had left the house, Ed exhaled noisily as he leaned both hands on the door allowing the blush he had controlled to some extent to come out in all its glory in sync with his racing heartbeat.

He had long since decided that he wanted to try to pursue another kind of relationship with Winry, so now that his recovery was closer to the end he could afford to get closer to the blonde and not just limit himself to the pleasant conversations they had shared over the past few days. The kiss he had stolen from her a few years ago had not come up but as the days had gone by he had felt that, although strangely there was a sort of stubborn barrier that made its appearance occasionally between them, their relationship had returned to what it had been years ago and had even improved.

Although the above gave him some confidence regarding his relationship with Winry, this time he did not want to rush things and act on impulse as he had done years ago. He longed to taste the taste of her lips again but since he still wasn't certain if his feelings were really reciprocated, he decided to play it safe and just give her a kiss on the cheek.

One step at a time... Ed thought as he leaned his forehead against the door and closed his eyes. He felt his cheeks burning at what he had done but that didn't mean his ear-to-ear grin was going to disappear.

Winry, for her part, did her best to leave the house at a normal pace because she didn't want to give Ed any sign of how much that simple kiss had shaken her up inside. When she stepped out into the street she walked a few meters until she was under the shade of a small tree, where she allowed herself to stop and put one hand to her chest and the other to her cheek, letting her fingers run over the spot where she could still feel the warmth and softness of Ed's lips.

Ed... Winry closed her eyes, concentrating on the sensation as her heartbeat accelerated. The young man's gesture had caught her completely off guard just as the kiss they had shared years ago had. Although this time it had only been on the cheek, she had come to believe that she would never feel the blond's lips again and now that the event had been repeated she could not help the smile that adorned her lips.

Could it be that all this time...? Before the thought could finish taking shape she shook her head, forcing herself back to reality. No. You mustn't think about that, Winry. Haven't all these years taught you anything? Besides, how can you even think about him like that right now? Aren't you forgetting something?

Sighing heavily, she lightly patted her cheeks and changed her expression to a more neutral one. Riza was a very perceptive woman so she didn't want to risk having her ask questions that might end up forcing her to express out loud how a simple gesture from Ed had left her so confused for a few moments.