AN: Hey everybody! I have finally gotten around to beginning to edit and rework this story. I feel like by rushing to get out chapters there were a lot of things I left out. So I am starting to (hopefully) improve this! Please Review and let me know what you think!

Traveling back to Resembool was starting to seem like the longest trip ever, and Ed had been just about everywhere in the West at this point. More than likely the trip seemed longer because soon he would be able to see Al, Granny and Winry. He was definitely most nervous about seeing Winry since he hadn't spoken to her in two years and hadn't seen her in three. Considering the last time he had seen her he had technically proposed to her, he was excited to start living his life with her. Equally, he was anxious to see Al smiling and growing up in his body. He had talked to Alphonse about going home and combining their Alchemy and Alkahestry research information in two months. Listening to Al talk on the phone, he couldn't believe this was his LITTLE brother. His voice had dropped considerably and he didn't even want to think about how much taller he would no doubt be. As much as he didn't like his younger sibling out growing him, he knew he didn't really mind because at least Al was whole and human. No longer just a soul attached to hard armor. Cringing at the memory of Alphonse trapped by his mistakes, Ed tried to push the past from his mind and look forward to his future. Settling in for the rest of his ever lengthening ride, he dozed off to thoughts of silvery blond hair and sparkling blue eyes.

After what felt like forever they pulled up to the station in Resembool. Stretching largely, Ed tried to shake life back into his limbs. Grabbing the small amount he had brought back with him, he rose to exit the train. As he stepped onto the platform, Edward had taken his hair out of his trademark braid in favor of letting it fall in an open style nearly to his waist. Brushing the golden masses of hair had become much easier once he had regained his right arm, but he was still thinking of cutting it now that it had grown out so much. Making the trek to the Rockbell's was surprisingly easy considering he had certainly not maintained his automail leg. Of course he knew this would mean imminent pain, but even staring death down would look good as long it came in the form of Winry Rockbell. The closer he got the more he wondered how Winry would greet him. Would she beat him with her wrench for not calling or writing while in the West? Would she kiss him with those sweetly curved lips? Would she even still feel the same about him? Communication to outside world was hardly relevant in the West. He knew he could've called her when he had called Al but decided against it for the fun of surprising Granny and Winry. However now that he thought about it, maybe that hadn't been his best notion, Win was always getting on him to make an appointment and let them know he was heading back.

As he walked the small box in his pocket turned, poking his thigh uncomfortably. He would be more than happy to be done being bruised by the damn thing. Pausing to take it out and check for the hundredth time that it was indeed still inside the box and inside his pocket, he smiled at the idea that she would love the design he'd taken so much effort to get just right. Ed had been saving little pieces of sand, clay and terrain from his travels, and had a Western Alchemist make an incredible one of a kind wedding set for Winry. He had done this so she would know that he had thought of her along the whole way in his research and wandering. As distant as he went away she was never far from his heart. GAH! He was becoming such a woman, this was proof positive that he needed to hurry up and see his brilliant mechanic.

Finally coming down the dirt road towards the house, Den started make a path towards him, eager to get attention. Patting Den's head Ed figured from the delicious smell that is was dinnertime. The hungry growl coming from his stomach following this thought was confirmation of that fact. Ed walked quietly into the house and into the kitchen, where first he saw Granny and then a set of now shocked blue eyes.

"Ed! Wow you are home..." Winry was looking around as if bewildered and nervous, this certainly wasn't what he expected but at least it wasn't the wrench. As he started to make his way to her and pull her into his arms, he heard someone coming down the stairs. After a moment another person joined them in the room, he too was blond but it was not Alphonse. Walking up to Winry, he put a muscular arm around her shoulders, hugging tightly as if this were an easy, everyday gesture. A motion that had no emotion behind it, a fucking handshake. Winry spoke so softly he could barely hear her over the thundering of blood that pounded loudly in his ears. "Ed, this is William." Said idiot, blond male stepped forward to shake Ed's hand firmly.

"Nice to meet you Ed, I'm Win's boyfriend. I've heard a lot about you and your brother Alphonse." Disgust colored his expression for a instant at the shortening of Winry's name being used so loosely. Normally it was just Al and him that ever used that nickname, but apparently this bozo now had rights to it exclusively.

Several awkward moments passed while Ed debated whether to take his automail leg and punt William's manly head to Amestris, throw Winry over his shoulder and leave, or storm out and never come back. In these seconds, Ed tried to pull his baleful look into a tight smile. The hand William had extended was automail-HIS FUCKING AUTOMAIL! He felt his face flinch as he noted this. Frowning, his eyes flickered to Winry's acknowledging that he understood this fact. In spite of this, he also stepped forward and extended his flesh hand as well.

"Edward Elric, nice arm you have there." Sarcasm might have been seeping through his facade.

"Yea it's the best, Winry gave it to me." 'Wonder what else she is 'giving' you?' He questioned inwardly.

"I wouldn't have guessed!" He put his best astonished look on his face. Glancing to Winry, he noticed the horrified look on her face that this in fact was happening. Clearly the old hag was having no trouble piecing through his bullshit performance.

"Ed why don't you take your stuff upstairs and I'll get a plate around for you, you are probably hungry from trip, or from just being you." Truthfully, she had given him the best out for this uncomfortable situation that he was going to get. Nodding sharply in response, he began to leave the room but was stopped by Pinako's voice carrying to him. "After you eat, Winry can take a look at your leg, I can tell it hasn't been taken care of from your heaviness of step." Winry looked at Granny as if to say, 'I don't think him and I being stuck alone in the same room is a great idea' but Granny paid no mind. He mumbled a thank you to her and went upstairs.

He stepped into his room and let what little he had hit the floor loudly. Damn, in his utter surprise he had forgotten to ask them if they had heard from Al yet. His mind was reeling from this whole stream of crap. He just couldn't believe she had a boyfriend...who wasn't him. Clearly she had happily moved right on not even calling to let him know she wasn't going to be waiting anymore, but did she really need to one up that blow by fashioning an automail arm identical to Ed's old one? Was she trying to piss him off or hurt him? Maybe she was laughing at him right now for how stupid he had looked walking into that situation. No, she wouldn't do that but then again he never would have believed her capable of utterly destroying any hope for a happy life he had harbored. God, he could just picture them blissfully all these years, William taking Winry into his arms and pressing his mouth to hers. His fucking lips kissing a trail of desire down her neck and her arching her lovely body into it. At this thought Ed smashed his fist brutally into the wooden bed frame cruely splitting his hand. In attempt to calm himself he took a deep breath and then walked over to the dresser to grab a rag to wrap around it.

Okay so admittedly, perhaps, he had been gone longer than planned without contact. And maybe he should have solidified his proposal with a ring then, but he needed to find answers so that between Al and him what happened to Nina would never happen again. Bitterly he realized just how much like his father he was. Hohenheim, the worthless errant parent. Always finding a reason to be gone, Hohenheim had never accepted the wonderful life he had been given. Ed had sworn not to be like him and now he was a carbon fucking copy. William, the joker, even kind of looked like he had with his long, blond hair pulled back in a braid. In fact, he could just guess who had styled his hair so neatly for him. Now Ed was glad he'd taken his out and seeing that second rate copy, might never wear a stupid braid again. As much as it irritated him to actually acknowledge it, William was even a couple inches taller than him. All he knew was he was no way in hell going back downstairs while Mr. Perfectly-Fitted-With-My-Automail was there. Pulling the rings out of the box in his pocket, he puzzled over the thought that he may never be able to give it to Winry or see her eyes light up at him with joy. He turned them over for a time wondering how he could've screwed everything up so badly.

A light knock on the door startled him out of his wits and as the door opened a few seconds later Ed was left sitting there holding the rings in his tortured slowness, to figure out that it had been Winry who had opened the door.

"Hey Ed I wanted to tell yo-." Immediately the shining metal caught her attention and her eyes dropped to the bits of silver in his hand and got as wide as saucers. He felt the warmth flood his cheeks like a wildfire in a dry forest.

"No! It's not what you think- I mean it is, but it's for my girlfriend when I go back West." The lie burned on his tongue, but felt better when he saw the color drain from Winry's face. He liked thinking that she didn't enjoy the thought of him with anyone else just like he was miserable over William. "Yea, she's a great girl, I just thought I would come visit you guys before I move permanently out there since I'm at the point in my life that I want to settle down and start a family. Not that I'm active in that way or anything currently!" Running the entire bullshit story together, he averted his golden gaze so that she wouldn't notice how blatantly full of crap he was. After all of the damning words were out, he lifted his eyes to read her expression. This was bad. At first Winry had looked like she was going to cry, leaving him feeling like he had been punched in the gut, but now her features had iced over and she looked downright complacent.

"Well I guess that explains why I only heard from you once in the three years you were gone. Good thing I didn't keep waiting for you to come home and share half of your life with me." He had begun to crack and tell her that he had just lied because he was upset to find that she had moved on, and embarrassed at her finding him holding the rings she would never accept, when her angry, flashing eyes cut off what he was about to say. "I don't want to talk about that anymore, you've moved on and so have I so great for both of us. Just come find me when you are ready to have me work on your leg. William went home a while ago, so you can come out now." She shut the door quietly but forcefully behind her. What the hell had he been thinking telling her that stupid lie? Al was going to beat a mountain of sense into him when he got here. Damn! He still hadn't asked them about Al. Making a mental note to do just that first thing when he went downstairs to eat. Accepting that he had to face her again sometime, he got up sluggishly and placing the rings back in the box, and into his pocket, left the room.