Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, I don't claim to, and I never will.
A/N: I tried a first fic, but it just didn't come out right, you know? So, here's a second shot at making a decided FMA fan fic. It takes place after the movie, so, if you haven't seen it, there will obviously be spoilers.
This Time Around
Chapter 1
Winry looked up at the night sky, a thousand and one questions streaming through her mind. Standing alone on the hill where she and the Elric brother's often played, she allowed herself to cry once again. When she watched Edward Elric leave for the last time, it took all she had to contain herself in front of everyone there, and for awhile, she was the talk of the town. Where ever she went, someone asked why Edward had decided not to stay, why he went back for good. Each time, Winry fought back tears and shrugged. Some things are better left unspoken.
"Edward, why? What was so important that you couldn't stay her?"
"Winry…"
Pinako walked up the hill and stood next to her granddaughter, her signature pipe in her mouth. The two women stood silent for awhile, just soaking in the atmosphere.
"Do you think…He found someone else?" Winry asked, finally breaking the silence.
Pinako chewed on the end of her pipe a bit, then turned around to walk back to the house.
"There's something I don't understand, Winry," she said as she walked. "Why is it that you're living with me again? You seemed well enough on your own."
Winry wrapped her arms around herself and looked at the ground.
"I just need to be around my family for a little bit," she assured. "I…I need some kind of family with me right now."
Pinako did not reply, she simply walked back down the hill and to the house where she and her granddaughter once again lived. Winry turned her attention back up to the sky, just in time to see a star shoot across the sky. She squeezed her eyes closed.
"Ed, if you can hear me," she whispered. "I promise that if you come back, I'll never hit, or hug you again…If that's why made you leave."
When she opened her eyes, the twinkling of millions of stars danced above her. With a great sigh, she followed the path her grandmother took back to the house, where her only family waited for her.
"Brother."
Edward and Alphonse Elric lay awake on the other side of the gate, staring up at the plain wooden ceiling. Al's words caused Ed to twist over and lock eyes with his younger brother.
"What is it Al?"
"Did you feel that?"
Ed turned back around, knowing very well what his brother meant, but he had no desire to discuss it.
"Go back to bed Al."
"Brother."
"I said go back to bed."
"How could you leave Winry?"
Ed gripped his pillow tightly, in both anger and pain. He looked at the automail arm he still wore, the constant reminder of what he left. The woman who obviously loved him made the limbs to his exact measurements, calculating exactly how much he would grow. If that was not a complete statement of love and devotion, nothing was.
"I had to seal the gate Al."
"Why didn't you bring her with us?"
Ed scrunched up his face.
"It's because of Noah, isn't it?" Al asked quietly.
"It's not what you think Al. She and I…We're just friends."
"She thinks of you as more than that."
"Well, I don't think of her that way."
"You shouldn't have left—"
"Shut up Al!"
The brothers returned to silence, but Al could only toss and turn as he tried to get comfortable. The constant noise made Ed sit up straight in bed and glare at his brother.
"It was a mistake, ok? It was something I shouldn't have done, and now I wish more than anything she was here! But from now on, we don't talk about it!"
Al's eyes were wide at his brother's outburst. Without another sound he settled down and went to bed. Edward did not sleep that night.