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cornerofmadnessSorrow’s Dark Array
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cornerofmadness
Disclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al, Square Enix and funimition.
Pairing – Roy/Riza, Ed/Win (eventually) Winry/OC, mentions of Maes/Gracia and Al/OC
Rating – will vary from chapter to chapter, mostly Pg-13 but will eventually contain well marked adult chapters.
Time Line – anime based, spoilers all the way through the anime and the movie and does have strong manga elements such as Armstrong’s older sister and the land of Xing
Summary – As Roy and Riza prepare for their wedding, while dodging assassins, Ed and Al try to find their way back home.
Author’s Note #1– This was written after much prodding byevil_little_dog as a sequel to the source of sorrow and is now her holiday gift even if she has beta’ed part of it. So thanks to her and lyricnonsense for the beta. You do not have to read the first story to understand this. You’ll quickly pick up that Riza has retired from the military to be Roy’s wife and bodyguard. Olivia Armstrong is now president and she’s assigned Roy as the ambassador to Ishbal; oh and that Roy was severely injured in the destruction of the Gate, requiring some of Winry’s automail.
Author's Note #2 - This is a longer work and like real relationships, the ones listed in the pairings, take time to mend and come together. They have to work at it. Hope you enjoy the ride.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.” – Matsuo Basho
“You should have told me,” Hughes growled, glaring at the brothers from his seat on top of his bed in the inn. Much to their disappointment, the inn only had one room with two beds, leaving them no reprieve from each other’s company.
“We didn’t think to since.” Ed shrugged, glad to be freshly showered but wishing he was still in the shower and away from this painful conversation.
“Because you weren’t ever going to take me across with you. You lied to me,” Hughes said, his eyes hot. Ed flushed a little at the accusation and Al cringed.
“We didn’t want to, sir. It’s just…” Al spread his hands apologetically. “We have no good excuse. We knew this wasn’t your world, that we shouldn’t bring you.”
“And you should have told me that.” Hughes propelled himself to his feet but the room was too small to pace. “You should have told me that there was a double of Gracia here, that she had a child. If I had known that.” His hands flailed. “Maybe I wouldn’t have come. You shouldn’t have kept that from me. It was too important.”
Ed let his head droop, his wet loose hair sliding against his hot cheeks. “We messed up. We were afraid that if you knew there was another Gracia, you might really insist on coming, that you’d be harder to duck.”
”Not that we did a good job of it as it is.” Al flopped back on the bed he had to share with his brother. “I don’t know if we can recreate that Janus array, Hughes. If you want to go home, there might not be a way.”
Hughes sat back down. “I know, Al. I knew that when I made my decision. My family is all gone. My wife, gone. The only thing I had left were you two boys and the things that happened in my homeland…” He shrugged. “I didn’t see me going back and if I’m going to be a stranger in some place I never heard of, I figured it might be somewhere I could look out for you two.”
Al swallowed hard, getting up to give Hughes a hug. “I hope you’re not too disappointed.”
Hughes patted Al on the back and let him drift back to his bed. “A little in you two, but you had so much stress on you, it’s no wonder you weren’t thinking right. And I’m not disappointed at all so far with being here. It’s an adventure, a little scary and exhilarating.”
“Good, though it’ll be a little more boring for you tomorrow.” Ed stifled a yawn. “It’s late. Al and I are exhausted. We’ll go to the Rockbells tomorrow.” He glanced at Hughes from under his bangs. “Sorry we can’t bring you.”
Hughes held up a hand. “I understand, Ed. It’ll be hard enough to adjust to you two being back, let alone me back from the ‘dead.’ I’ll stay in the hotel like we talked about. It’ll be okay.”
Ed nodded and gratefully slipped under the covers, every part of him aching. He thought maybe he’d be up all night, nervous about tomorrow, but he was out before Hughes had the lights off.
X X X
Winry almost regretted bothering Roy since he was sleeping. All his protests aside, she knew he still needed his rest. On the other hand, he was whining mightily about getting back up on his feet and she knew it was time to assess the docking port and the tissues around it one last time. She rapped on the door lightly. “Roy...oh, Roy,” she called but he just burrowed down under the sheet. “Hey, Cricket, get up.”
His solitary eye peered at her. “Don’t call me that.”
She went over and sat on the bed with him. “Time to look at your leg.”
“I’m getting my foot back?” Hope gleamed in his dark eye.
“Only if you promise not to lose it again.” She tapped his chin.
Roy snorted. “Might as well keep it.”
Winry slapped him on the head lightly. “That’s the wrong answer. Okay, let’s see that leg.”
X X X
“Are you sure we should just barge in, brother?” Al fretted as Ed opened the door.
“No one answered when we knocked but it’s open. She might be with a patient. We can’t wait,” Ed said, refusing to think that maybe it was just Granny living here. The Rockbell Automail Shop sign still hung out front, so at least one of them had to be here. “No matter what, we’re going to surprise her.”
Ed knew his brother probably didn’t agree with him but Al followed any how, just like always. Den came barreling around a corner, gray muzzled and barking. She gave the brothers a look as if culling through her canine memory for them. Den didn’t threaten them but she kept up her barking. “Winry? Granny?” Ed called but his voice was so thin and nervous he knew no one would hear him over the dog.
“The patient rooms are empty.” Al gestured to the open doors where the Rockbells tended to patients but didn’t look to be in use today. “Still, the house is open. Someone has to be around.”
Ed pointed to their old room. “Did you hear voices from there? Let’s go look.”
X X X
“You’re right, the leg looks fine,” Winry said, Roy’s stump resting on her thigh. “I’ll get that new foot ready for you. Doc wanted me to check out your shoulder and see how it’s healing.” Letting his leg fall off to the side, Winry leaned forward between his legs. “Get your shirt off. We have to be sure you’re in prime shape. We have a wedding coming up.” She grinned at him.
“Told you I was all better. I think you just like keeping me hostage on this bed,” Roy laughed, pointing toward the hall. “Your senile old dog is barking at the wind again.”
“I hear her. I’ll worry about Den, you worry about getting out of your clothes.”
“Bet you say that to all the guys.” He laughed and she swatted him.
“Brat. I can’t wait for the wedding,” she said, the implicit ‘and for Riza to take full possession of you’ left unsaid.
“You’re getting married,” a voice so thready and filled with hurt Winry barely recognized it. It was an impossible voice, one that could no longer exist. Even as she spun around, nearly whacking Roy somewhere sensitive in the process, Winry thought it couldn’t be. She would never hear that voice again.
All the strength ran out of her and Winry caught herself, the heel of her hand digging into Roy’s belly, making him grunt. Standing there in the doorway, older now and looking so horribly tired, was Edward Elric and right behind him, as always, was Alphonse. Winry thought she had to be dreaming until Roy moved under her, twisting so he, too, had a view of the door. “Edward? Al? How… Roy, you said…” Winry couldn’t get more words out.
Roy disentangled himself from her, pulling himself up against the headboard. “I didn’t do this, Winry.” Shock rang loudly in his words. “I didn’t bring them across.”
“You’re marrying that bastard?” Ed stabbed a finger at Roy and Al went red, elbowing his brother hard.
Roy’s eyes narrowed. “Apparently coming through those gates made him stupid.”
Winry got to her feet. “How is this possible?”
“Janus gates, well, that’s what we’re calling them,” Al said when Ed obviously couldn’t make his mouth work. “He’s an ancient god of gateways. We tried all sorts of ways of getting back. Science, fairy mounds and alchemy. We were wrong about alchemy not working there…well, it doesn’t work, not like here, but we found texts and we found Janus and they got us here,” he babbled nervously. “We’re home.”
“Not so sure, not if she’s marrying him,” Ed growled, stabbing a finger at Roy.
“I’m marrying Riza, you idiot.” Roy swung around, planting his foot on the ground. Holding onto the headboard, he stood up, wobbling one-leggedly. “Welcome home boys.”
Ed and Al both stared and Al said, “Your leg!”
“Long story,” Roy replied.
Winry turned and pushed him back down on the bed. “You’re not supposed to be up like that, Roy.” She knew it was a pointless thing to say. He was surely a hell of a lot more active when she sent him to the hotel for the night. Trembling, she turned again, walking over to them. She stopped short of touching them. If she touched them and they faded into dream stuff, she might never survive it.
Before she could move, Al nearly knocked Ed over as he pushed forward, throwing his arms around Winry. She felt his tears hot on her shoulder. “I missed you so much, Winry, so very much!”
Winry hugged him until she thought she would snap him in two. Stepping back, she kissed Al’s wet, salty cheek then twisted just a bit, feeling Ed right next to her. When she hugged him, Winry heard something very wrong. His servos sounded awful and she had to bite back the admonishment that wanted to come tripping out.
“Not one day went by without me thinking about you,” Ed said and she started to cry. “Damn, I made you cry again. I said the next time you cried, it would be tears of happiness but…this doesn’t really count.”
“No, it doesn’t,” she sobbed. “You left me again. Both of you.” Winry broke away from him suddenly and Ed nearly pitched over. Al caught him. “Do you know what that felt like?” Her voice growled as anger overtook joy. She slapped Ed and caught Al with the backswing. “And I don’t even want to hear your excuses.”
Alphonse grabbed her wrist before she could do anything else, holding it when she struggled to pull free. "We know, Winry," he whispered, his fingers tight around her wrist. "We were foolish, leaving you behind."
“But we came back," Ed added, his voice trembling.
“Too late,” Winry whispered. “Too late.”
Al couldn’t swallow back a sob, letting her go, and, to her surprise, Edward lost his control. Tears started as a slow leak that turned into a flood. He stumbled against his brother, his leg looking almost frozen and unworthy of the task of carrying him.
“Winry,” Roy said softly. “If you’ve seen nothing, watching my life, ‘too late’ are words that aren’t to be applied lightly. Take the gift you’ve been given. The rest will sort later.”
Ed took a hobbling step closer to Winry, his flesh hand hovering over her shoulder. “Please,” he said brokenly, “please let us come home.”
Winry looked back at Roy then took the sobbing brothers into her arms, crying with them in a huddle.
“And, boys, remember, her heart has been bruised. It takes time and hard work to fix that,” Roy added, trying to lever himself out of bed. His shoulder hitched painfully, unbalancing him, and he slithered ungracefully to the floor. “Well, shit.”
Winry broke away from the brothers with a brittle laugh, looking as if she needed that desperately. “Roy, why can’t you ever just stay put? You’re ten times worse as a patient than Ed ever was.”
“There’s someone worse than me,” Ed tried to sound triumphant but barely managed better than broken. He dug a handkerchief out of his pants pocket and blew indelicately.
Roy grimaced then pointed to the dresser. “There’re more of those in the top left door. And I’m not worse than Ed,” he added, getting to his knees, crawling.
“Where are you going?” she asked, as Al fetched everyone handkerchiefs. Ed didn’t seem able to move.
“To call Riza and you’d better figure out what you’re going to say when your grandmother gets home,” Roy replied.
“Roy, if you damage that port crawling around, I swear you'll wear my wrench permanently in your skull,” Winry said as Al handed her a handkerchief.
“If you people would quit stealing my wheelchair this wouldn’t be necessary.” Roy tried to hold up his hand, wincing as his damaged shoulder twinged. “I know, I know, I’m supposed to be resting.”
Winry glowered at him then snatched his shirt off the bed and tossed it over his head before going outside to get his chair. Al helped Roy lever himself up into it and Roy wheeled himself off. Winry dabbed at her eyes. “Ed, you can barely walk.”
“The automail is failing,” he said in a tired voice. “It got damaged.”
“Go into a patient room. I’ll look at you,” She nodded in the general direction of the rooms.
Ed’s eyes widened. “No, Winry. I didn’t come here for you to fix me. I came to see you.”
She ran a shaking hand through her hair. “I know but…I don’t know how I feel. I want to do this until I can figure out what to do.” Winry looked over at Al. “Make sure Roy gets back into that bed, Al. Please. He’s pretending to be strong but he nearly died. I don’t want him overtaxing himself.”
Al’s eyes brimmed with questions but Winry was relieved when he didn’t ask them. He simply scooted around her and his brother. Ed didn’t resist Winry’s pull as she led him into a work room. She didn’t know what to think. Her mind was a desolate wasteland with one occupant; pain. She couldn’t think about the brothers’ miraculous homecoming or anything happening in her life. Work, she could do that. It would calm her, she hoped.
X X X
“I can wheel myself, Alphonse,” Roy said, wriggling in his chair.
“Winry insisted, sir. Is Miss Hawkeye coming?” Al jostled the chair over the slight lip of the door.
Roy shook his head. “I told her it’s urgent but so is the business she’s on and since that includes trying to find who blew up my office and tried to kill me and my men, this can wait.”
“Oh…is that what happened?” Al parked the wheelchair next to the bed. “Winry said you were badly hurt.”
“No, Winry probably told you I nearly died and now I must be babied to an inch of my life. I’m fine now,” Roy snorted, tossing himself into the bed.
Al sat in the wheelchair himself, looking at Roy. “I’ve never known Winry to baby anyone.”
Roy sat up against the headboard. “I just get a little tired of being confined…and tired physically but don’t tell Winry I said that.”
Al’s eyes went to Roy’s belly, now covered by his shirt. “It looks bad.”
Roy wet his lips. “I don’t remember it. I wouldn’t say that to Riza. She’s still very raw about it all.”
Al nodded, reaching up to let his hair down. He massaged his head as if he had pulled the pony tail too tight. “You’re really getting married?”
“In the fall. Provided I don’t get killed by Ishbalans who don’t want peace with us. Or by Amestrians who still support Bradley or by whoever this bomber was since it doesn’t seem like either of them.” Roy rubbed under his eye patch. He caught a glint of gold on Al’s ring finger and his solitary eye widened. “Al, did you bring someone else over with you?”
Al paled, his mouth going slack. “How…”
“You’re married.” Roy pointed to the band.
Al opened his mouth as if to talk then Roy watched him visibly break, crumbling like fine porcelain after a fall. Roy reached out for him, fearing the young man would faint on him. A sob tore out of Al before he could get his hands up over his mouth. He doubled over on the wheelchair, nearly toppling out. Roy caught him, yanking him bodily onto the bed next to him and wrapped an arm around Al’s shoulder. “What is it, Al?”
“She di…died,” Al said, his words breaking, “was killed,” were the only other words he could wring out.
“Oh, Alphonse, I’m so sorry.” Roy said, rubbing Al’s arm, unprepared for the younger alchemist to grab hold of him, giving into his pain. Roy just held on, letting him cry loudly, remembering Maes doing the same for him in those days soon after killing the Rockbells. Roy wasn’t surprised to see a half-naked Edward thumping his way back in with Winry trailing after him.
“What did you do to my brother?” Ed demanded to know.
“I saw his ring,” Roy said simply.
Winry started to ask something but Ed put a hand on her wrist, quieting her with a little shake of his head.
“I’m all right, Brother,” Al rasped, wiping his face. “Please, just go let Winry help you. Mr. Mustang will look after me.”
Ed didn’t seem happy but the expression on Al’s face seemed to ward him off. Roy was surprised when Ed complied. Winry cast a perplexed look at Al but she kept her peace as she followed Ed. Roy pulled Al towards the head of the bed. “I’m sorry Alphonse. I didn’t know. Why don’t you just lie down for a little? You look exhausted.”
Al didn’t argue, lying on his side, dabbing at his face. “Thank you, Mr. Mustang.”
Roy leaned over and got a handkerchief out of the bed stand and gave it to Al. “It’s Roy, Alphonse. You can call me that, you know.”
Al blew his nose. “You didn’t know, Roy. It’s not been all that long ago. I just…I’m not over it.”
Roy patted Al’s arm. “Of course not. If you want to tell me about it, I’m a good listener.”
Al considered that for a moment. “Later. I am tired now but there is so much to tell you.”
There was something ominous about the way Alphonse said that, Roy decided, but the young man was asleep before he could make anything of it. Settling down into the bed, Roy was soon asleep himself.
X X X
Ed hated this. He had turned her life upside down again. He didn’t know what he was expecting, coming back here, but somehow the chilly silence as Winry worked on him wasn’t it. Ed didn’t even know what to say himself. Fear held him hostage. “I tried to keep it running, Winry. I really did.”
She blew at a strand of loose hair and set her screwdriver aside. “Ed, it’s a mess. I can’t repair it. It’ll all have to be replaced.” She eyed him critically. “But that’s not a bad thing. You’ve grown, Ed.”
It sounded almost as if she didn’t believe it but what had she been expecting, he wondered? He was in his twenties now, a grown man. “I know. The leg is too short and I know I messed up my knee, tramping around trying to find a gate back here.”
Winry’s eyes went depthless. “Really?” She sighed. “I know you’re not too mobile but I don’t want you sleeping on a patient cot. If we take you to the inn, you won’t be able to get around easily. Riza could take Roy back there. He’s about ready to have his foot back.”
“I don’t want to be trouble, Winry,” Ed said earnestly. He could see the strain in her eyes. “The inn is fine. We already spent one night.”
She shook her head. “You stay here for now. I’m…I’m going to go find Granny, to tell her. Just in case anyone saw you two coming here and see her before she gets home.”
Ed pulled on his pants, standing up. “Fair enough. Are you sure you don’t want me to just go collect Al and go back to the hotel and wait?” Ed knew he had to get to the hotel or at least call before Hughes left his room and got spotted by Mustang’s men. They might think he was a homunculus.
Winry shook her head, heading out of the exam room. “Stay here, please, Ed. I…I need to know where you’ll be.”
Ed didn’t have anything to say to that. She thought he would leave her again and could he blame her for that low opinion? Ed just stumbled towards his former bed room, surprised to see Al asleep on the bed and Roy curled up next to him, closer to the wall on his side, mumbling in his sleep. As odd as that scene was, Ed left Al there and went to make his call to Hughes. The man wasn’t happy about it but Ed assured him that he could have food sent to the room. They had enough gold to cover it. That duty done, Ed went back to his room and sat in a chair. His room, funny how he still saw it that way. It had been repainted since he had last stayed there, a pale greenish color that he didn’t like. Other than that it was all still the same. So why didn’t it feel like home?
Ed jerked awake, shocked that he had nodded off in the chair. He was just so mentally and physically exhausted and nothing was happening like he thought it would. He was such a fool. Maybe coffee would help clear his head. Ed staggered into the kitchen, not even registering the voices coming from within until he crossed the threshold. Ed froze, eyes dilating as he saw two men in the kitchen, an older man about Mustang’s age or a little older sitting at the table peeling vegetables and a younger man at the stove. To Ed’s deep felt shock, they were Ishbalan. “Who the hell are you?”
The one at the stove whirled, dropping a wooden spoon. Ed saw he had an automail arm. “Me? Who the hell are you?” The Ishbalan’s red eyes narrowed, fixing on Ed’s exposed arm. “Oh, are you Winry’s patient? I’m not sure where she is. She was supposed to be here. I promised her a real Ishbalan meal. I guess she might have gone into town to get something.”
“Patient?" Ed blinked at the word, wondering just how much more of his world had changed, that Ishbalans were in the Rockbell house, cooking, of all fucking things, that Mustang was upstairs with an automail foot, that home was suddenly as strange to him as winding up in that other world had been.
“Your arm,” the Ishbalan gestured to it. “If you’re looking for Winry, I don’t know where she went but you can just leave a message with us. I’ll make sure she gets it when she gets home.”
“I don’t need a messenger boy, I’m staying here,” Ed growled, realizing that was probably entirely the wrong thing to say. The older Ishbalan was on his feet now and the young one took a step away from the stove, obviously antagonized by Ed’s tone.
“Who did you say you were?”
“Ed! What’s wrong?”
Ed turned just enough to glance back at his brother who was pushing Mustang in a wheelchair but not enough to turn his back to the Ishbalans. “Just talking to the strangers in Winry’s kitchen.”
”Strangers? I’ve been here the better part of a year and I’ve never seen you,” the young Ishbalan huffed.
Roy nudged Ed with his chair and the young man nearly fell in his lap. Ed scooted over, never taking his eyes off the interloper with red eyes. “Ed, Al, these are Aris and Dev, two priests who work with me as liaisons. Have I mentioned I’m the ambassador to Ishbal now?” Roy asked wryly. “Aris, Dev, these are Edward and Alphonse Elric, back from a very long trip.”
“Wait, that’s the guy you keep comparing to me to? Him?” Dev gestured at Ed with a fatal look. “I thought he was gone for good or something.”
“What is he talking about?” Ed grated out.
“Long, long story,” Roy assured him. “Why don’t we all just sit down and talk about it. Dev, go stir whatever it is you’re making before it scorches.”
“Doesn’t look like much to me,” Dev attacked the pot as if it were an invading marauder.
“Might want to get to know him before you get huffy, Dev,” Roy said wearily.
“Um, have you met Dev before, Mustang?” Aris asked Roy. “This is as polite as it gets.”
Ed wondered just why the hell Winry would be comparing him to anyone, much less an Ishbalan. He wasn't sure he wanted to sit down, even if he really felt too tired to keep standing long. Al didn’t hesitate. He sat right down after holding out his hand to Aris. “I’m pleased to meet you. Sorry we crashed your dinner plans.”
Aris took stock of the young man. “You look like you can use a good meal. Don’t worry. We’re making plenty.”
“What are you making, Dev? It’s not goat, is it?” Roy asked suspiciously.
“Just eat what you get, jackass,” Dev replied, glaring at him. “The day you cook for yourself, hell will freeze so you don’t get to whine about what others prepare for your lazy ass.”
“Don’t you think about agreeing with him, Edward,” Roy grumbled, looking at the brothers. Ed felt too stunned to say anything. He couldn’t process the scene. It seemed too ludicrous.
Dev took another look at Ed then snorted deridingly. “And it’s vegetarian, so relax.”
“I guess you know Winry pretty well then, through General Mustang,” Al said to Dev then glanced over at Roy. “You’re still a general right.”
“I’ve even been promoted to Major General,” Roy replied.
“Yeah, the idiot introduced me to Winry and helped me get this arm.” Dev waved his nonfunctioning automail as he dumped in a yellow powder into the stew pot. “I’m her boyfriend,” he added, glancing over his shoulder at them.
Ed made a strangled sound, missing the strange look Roy shot the Ishbalan’s way. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. How could Winry have an Ishbalan boyfriend? Al put a hand on Ed’s shoulder, dragging his attention to him. Ed could see it in Al’s eyes; this was all wrong. For a moment, he believed he had gotten them home to the wrong Amestris.
“Oh,” Al said, such a small word to carry so much emotion. Ed could hear how stunned his brother was.
The tension racketed up, the silence driving it forward only to be broken when Winry came back in with her grandmother. Everyone simply stared as if they all believed they were trapped in some strange and unpleasant dream. Finally, Pinako crossed the room to throw her arms around the brothers. “I can’t believe my eyes,” she said, pulling them down for a tobacco-scented kiss on the cheek.
“We’re so glad to be home, Granny,” Al said, joy thrumming through him.
“It’s been too long,” Ed staggered a bit as Pinako released him. He tried to ignore the concern he saw in Pinako and Winry’s eyes, hating the loss of dignity in front of the enemy. He tried to covertly see if the Ishbalan had noticed, figuring, yes he had.
Winry turned to the other boy. “Dev, I forgot you were coming,” she said, looking limp. Ed hated that he had done this to her.
Dev’s red eyes canted toward the brothers. “Well, I know you weren’t expecting them. It’s all right. I’m not sure how hungry anyone will be but there’s plenty for your….guests.” The way he hesitated over the word clued Ed in that the Ishbalan knew about him. What he might know, Ed feared learning.
“They're not guests, any more than you are,” Pinako said in her raspy voice.
“Actually, I’m so very tired,” Alphonse said, his expression giving truth to his words. “We’ve come a very long way. You could just set something aside for me. I’d like to have a nap…if you don’t mind, Winry? Or would you prefer I go back to the hotel for that?” He turned gold eyes on her, an almost mournful expression filling them.
“I think I’d like some rest, too,” Ed said, thankful his brother had thought of some way out of this awkward situation. He honestly felt exhausted deep to the bone and his brain wasn’t working. If it was, his homecoming wouldn’t be like this.
Winry shook her head. “No hotel. There’s an open guest room upstairs. I’ll go make it up for you.”
“We can put on our own sheets, Winry,” Ed protested. He wondered if he had the strength to even walk upstairs but it was that or lie on a patient cot since Mustang had his old room.
“You don’t even know where the bedding is. Dev has dinner in hand. He doesn’t need me. I’ll make you up the bed,” Winry said, her tone overly sharp. Ed decided it was easier to just let her. He wanted to get in that bedroom and hide away from the disaster as long as he could.
X X X
Winry curled her fingers around the whiskey glass her granny pressed into her palm. “I thought the worst thing that could have happened was losing Ed and Al.” She drank the whiskey down, ignoring the burn. “I was wrong. Getting them back now that I finally let them go in my heart is so much worse.”
Pinako and Riza shared a glance that Winry didn't seem to see. What do you say to something like that, Riza wondered. It really was almost as if Edward and Alphonse had returned from the dead, creepy as that seemed. And even though she knew that wasn't the fact, it still made everything awkward and almost dreamlike, as if nothing was quite real.
“I was glad when they went upstairs because then I didn’t have to deal with them.” Winry pulled her knees up in the couch, wrapping one arm around them. “Of course, it doesn’t solve anything. And it’s not as if I don’t want them back but…I was ready to move on or I thought I was until Dev broke it off.” She sighed. “Not that I didn’t see that coming.”
“You probably should have just sent him and Aris back to the hotel,” Riza said sympathetically.
Winry shook her head. “Dev would just be full of questions. He’s let me go and yet…not.”
“That’s because the boy didn’t want to let go in the first place,” Pinako said knowingly. “Don’t expect him to stay away now that the rival he’s heard so much about has come back.”
“I didn’t mean to make him feel like Ed was a rival,” Winry said hotly, slamming her glass back down. “I just…I could throttle them all. I want to hit something but it’s not going to help.”
Pinako nodded sagely, pleased that her grandchild was maturing. “You’re in shock, Winry. You need a good night’s rest.”
Winry unfurled from the couch. “I can’t sleep. I’m going for a walk.”
“At this time of night?” Riza cocked up an eyebrow.
“This isn’t Central,” Winry said. “And you have to walk back to the hotel. I’ll go with you.”
Neither Pinako nor Riza looked happy but Winry knew they weren’t about to get in her way.
X X X
Rose knew Judith wasn’t very happy with her but it wasn’t all her fault. She looked over at her son, Kane, drowsing on the rug while his mother placed her call back to Lior. Judith had her sent to work with Morley Attaway, one of President Armstrong’s many assistants. Rose wasn’t sure what he did, only that he was helping out Lior and Judith wanted her to work closely with him. Rose didn’t mind. Morley wasn’t much older than her, nice enough if a little snotty since he worked for the president. Still, they go on well and she even got a nice apartment with a phone that Morley’s office paid for. Judith liked Rose to call her daily with updates. This was one update, however, Rose didn’t really want to make since she knew Judith wouldn’t like it.
“I’m sorry, Judith,” Rose said quickly as her boss answered the phone. “Mr. Armstrong is still not in Central and even Morley doesn’t know where the president’s brother went. We’ve tried to find him.”
“Morley has no idea?” Even as distant and tinny as Judith’s voice sounded the disbelief still carried loudly. Rose understood it. After all, Mr. Armstrong was an important man and Morley worked for Alex Louis’ sister. Rose just knew, that after those months in Lior when the big man had been so helpful, that he would want to see her now if he knew she were in town but she also believed Morley when she said he didn’t know since he seemed just as keen to find Armstrong as Judith was.
“No, he doesn’t. I mean, I’m sure that the president knows but his whereabouts have been classified and you need military clearance for that sort of information. Neither Morley or I have that,” Rose said empathetically. “The same goes for General Mustang’s whereabouts. That’s top secret because of the bombing. They’re afraid it wasn’t just the embassy under attack but the general personally.”
“Do you think it’s possible that Armstrong is with Mustang, Rose?” Judith asked.
Rose thought for a moment. “I suppose so. His usual men are gone, too, though I heard his men had been sent to Briggs on a training mission but that could just be rumor. I was discouraged very hard about asking questions about the general. I thought they might bring me in for questioning thinking I had something to do with the bombing.”
“Well, that won’t do. Don’t push them,” Judith said quickly. “I guess there’s not much to be done for it but wait. That’s fine. It’ll give me and my brother more time to plan. You just help out Morley as much as possible.”
“Oh, I will.” Rose hung up the phone, wondering just what Judith’s big plan was. Well, whatever it was, it would help Lior and she was proud to be part of it. She glanced out the window. It looked so nice. She could see a sliver of the park from here. She should take Kane there. Her son would love it. Rose made plans to have just a little fun while she was here. Surely Judith wouldn’t mind.
Chapter Seven
Author -
cornerofmadnessDisclaimer - not mine, all characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa et al, Square Enix and funimition.
Pairing – Roy/Riza, Ed/Win (eventually) Winry/OC, mentions of Maes/Gracia and Al/OC
Rating – will vary from chapter to chapter, mostly Pg-13 but will eventually contain well marked adult chapters.
Time Line – anime based, spoilers all the way through the anime and the movie and does have strong manga elements such as Armstrong’s older sister and the land of Xing
Summary – As Roy and Riza prepare for their wedding, while dodging assassins, Ed and Al try to find their way back home.
Author’s Note #1– This was written after much prodding by
evil_little_dog as a sequel to the source of sorrow and is now her holiday gift even if she has beta’ed part of it. So thanks to her and lyricnonsense for the beta. You do not have to read the first story to understand this. You’ll quickly pick up that Riza has retired from the military to be Roy’s wife and bodyguard. Olivia Armstrong is now president and she’s assigned Roy as the ambassador to Ishbal; oh and that Roy was severely injured in the destruction of the Gate, requiring some of Winry’s automail.Author's Note #2 - This is a longer work and like real relationships, the ones listed in the pairings, take time to mend and come together. They have to work at it. Hope you enjoy the ride.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.” – Matsuo Basho
“You should have told me,” Hughes growled, glaring at the brothers from his seat on top of his bed in the inn. Much to their disappointment, the inn only had one room with two beds, leaving them no reprieve from each other’s company.
“We didn’t think to since.” Ed shrugged, glad to be freshly showered but wishing he was still in the shower and away from this painful conversation.
“Because you weren’t ever going to take me across with you. You lied to me,” Hughes said, his eyes hot. Ed flushed a little at the accusation and Al cringed.
“We didn’t want to, sir. It’s just…” Al spread his hands apologetically. “We have no good excuse. We knew this wasn’t your world, that we shouldn’t bring you.”
“And you should have told me that.” Hughes propelled himself to his feet but the room was too small to pace. “You should have told me that there was a double of Gracia here, that she had a child. If I had known that.” His hands flailed. “Maybe I wouldn’t have come. You shouldn’t have kept that from me. It was too important.”
Ed let his head droop, his wet loose hair sliding against his hot cheeks. “We messed up. We were afraid that if you knew there was another Gracia, you might really insist on coming, that you’d be harder to duck.”
”Not that we did a good job of it as it is.” Al flopped back on the bed he had to share with his brother. “I don’t know if we can recreate that Janus array, Hughes. If you want to go home, there might not be a way.”
Hughes sat back down. “I know, Al. I knew that when I made my decision. My family is all gone. My wife, gone. The only thing I had left were you two boys and the things that happened in my homeland…” He shrugged. “I didn’t see me going back and if I’m going to be a stranger in some place I never heard of, I figured it might be somewhere I could look out for you two.”
Al swallowed hard, getting up to give Hughes a hug. “I hope you’re not too disappointed.”
Hughes patted Al on the back and let him drift back to his bed. “A little in you two, but you had so much stress on you, it’s no wonder you weren’t thinking right. And I’m not disappointed at all so far with being here. It’s an adventure, a little scary and exhilarating.”
“Good, though it’ll be a little more boring for you tomorrow.” Ed stifled a yawn. “It’s late. Al and I are exhausted. We’ll go to the Rockbells tomorrow.” He glanced at Hughes from under his bangs. “Sorry we can’t bring you.”
Hughes held up a hand. “I understand, Ed. It’ll be hard enough to adjust to you two being back, let alone me back from the ‘dead.’ I’ll stay in the hotel like we talked about. It’ll be okay.”
Ed nodded and gratefully slipped under the covers, every part of him aching. He thought maybe he’d be up all night, nervous about tomorrow, but he was out before Hughes had the lights off.
X X X
Winry almost regretted bothering Roy since he was sleeping. All his protests aside, she knew he still needed his rest. On the other hand, he was whining mightily about getting back up on his feet and she knew it was time to assess the docking port and the tissues around it one last time. She rapped on the door lightly. “Roy...oh, Roy,” she called but he just burrowed down under the sheet. “Hey, Cricket, get up.”
His solitary eye peered at her. “Don’t call me that.”
She went over and sat on the bed with him. “Time to look at your leg.”
“I’m getting my foot back?” Hope gleamed in his dark eye.
“Only if you promise not to lose it again.” She tapped his chin.
Roy snorted. “Might as well keep it.”
Winry slapped him on the head lightly. “That’s the wrong answer. Okay, let’s see that leg.”
X X X
“Are you sure we should just barge in, brother?” Al fretted as Ed opened the door.
“No one answered when we knocked but it’s open. She might be with a patient. We can’t wait,” Ed said, refusing to think that maybe it was just Granny living here. The Rockbell Automail Shop sign still hung out front, so at least one of them had to be here. “No matter what, we’re going to surprise her.”
Ed knew his brother probably didn’t agree with him but Al followed any how, just like always. Den came barreling around a corner, gray muzzled and barking. She gave the brothers a look as if culling through her canine memory for them. Den didn’t threaten them but she kept up her barking. “Winry? Granny?” Ed called but his voice was so thin and nervous he knew no one would hear him over the dog.
“The patient rooms are empty.” Al gestured to the open doors where the Rockbells tended to patients but didn’t look to be in use today. “Still, the house is open. Someone has to be around.”
Ed pointed to their old room. “Did you hear voices from there? Let’s go look.”
X X X
“You’re right, the leg looks fine,” Winry said, Roy’s stump resting on her thigh. “I’ll get that new foot ready for you. Doc wanted me to check out your shoulder and see how it’s healing.” Letting his leg fall off to the side, Winry leaned forward between his legs. “Get your shirt off. We have to be sure you’re in prime shape. We have a wedding coming up.” She grinned at him.
“Told you I was all better. I think you just like keeping me hostage on this bed,” Roy laughed, pointing toward the hall. “Your senile old dog is barking at the wind again.”
“I hear her. I’ll worry about Den, you worry about getting out of your clothes.”
“Bet you say that to all the guys.” He laughed and she swatted him.
“Brat. I can’t wait for the wedding,” she said, the implicit ‘and for Riza to take full possession of you’ left unsaid.
“You’re getting married,” a voice so thready and filled with hurt Winry barely recognized it. It was an impossible voice, one that could no longer exist. Even as she spun around, nearly whacking Roy somewhere sensitive in the process, Winry thought it couldn’t be. She would never hear that voice again.
All the strength ran out of her and Winry caught herself, the heel of her hand digging into Roy’s belly, making him grunt. Standing there in the doorway, older now and looking so horribly tired, was Edward Elric and right behind him, as always, was Alphonse. Winry thought she had to be dreaming until Roy moved under her, twisting so he, too, had a view of the door. “Edward? Al? How… Roy, you said…” Winry couldn’t get more words out.
Roy disentangled himself from her, pulling himself up against the headboard. “I didn’t do this, Winry.” Shock rang loudly in his words. “I didn’t bring them across.”
“You’re marrying that bastard?” Ed stabbed a finger at Roy and Al went red, elbowing his brother hard.
Roy’s eyes narrowed. “Apparently coming through those gates made him stupid.”
Winry got to her feet. “How is this possible?”
“Janus gates, well, that’s what we’re calling them,” Al said when Ed obviously couldn’t make his mouth work. “He’s an ancient god of gateways. We tried all sorts of ways of getting back. Science, fairy mounds and alchemy. We were wrong about alchemy not working there…well, it doesn’t work, not like here, but we found texts and we found Janus and they got us here,” he babbled nervously. “We’re home.”
“Not so sure, not if she’s marrying him,” Ed growled, stabbing a finger at Roy.
“I’m marrying Riza, you idiot.” Roy swung around, planting his foot on the ground. Holding onto the headboard, he stood up, wobbling one-leggedly. “Welcome home boys.”
Ed and Al both stared and Al said, “Your leg!”
“Long story,” Roy replied.
Winry turned and pushed him back down on the bed. “You’re not supposed to be up like that, Roy.” She knew it was a pointless thing to say. He was surely a hell of a lot more active when she sent him to the hotel for the night. Trembling, she turned again, walking over to them. She stopped short of touching them. If she touched them and they faded into dream stuff, she might never survive it.
Before she could move, Al nearly knocked Ed over as he pushed forward, throwing his arms around Winry. She felt his tears hot on her shoulder. “I missed you so much, Winry, so very much!”
Winry hugged him until she thought she would snap him in two. Stepping back, she kissed Al’s wet, salty cheek then twisted just a bit, feeling Ed right next to her. When she hugged him, Winry heard something very wrong. His servos sounded awful and she had to bite back the admonishment that wanted to come tripping out.
“Not one day went by without me thinking about you,” Ed said and she started to cry. “Damn, I made you cry again. I said the next time you cried, it would be tears of happiness but…this doesn’t really count.”
“No, it doesn’t,” she sobbed. “You left me again. Both of you.” Winry broke away from him suddenly and Ed nearly pitched over. Al caught him. “Do you know what that felt like?” Her voice growled as anger overtook joy. She slapped Ed and caught Al with the backswing. “And I don’t even want to hear your excuses.”
Alphonse grabbed her wrist before she could do anything else, holding it when she struggled to pull free. "We know, Winry," he whispered, his fingers tight around her wrist. "We were foolish, leaving you behind."
“But we came back," Ed added, his voice trembling.
“Too late,” Winry whispered. “Too late.”
Al couldn’t swallow back a sob, letting her go, and, to her surprise, Edward lost his control. Tears started as a slow leak that turned into a flood. He stumbled against his brother, his leg looking almost frozen and unworthy of the task of carrying him.
“Winry,” Roy said softly. “If you’ve seen nothing, watching my life, ‘too late’ are words that aren’t to be applied lightly. Take the gift you’ve been given. The rest will sort later.”
Ed took a hobbling step closer to Winry, his flesh hand hovering over her shoulder. “Please,” he said brokenly, “please let us come home.”
Winry looked back at Roy then took the sobbing brothers into her arms, crying with them in a huddle.
“And, boys, remember, her heart has been bruised. It takes time and hard work to fix that,” Roy added, trying to lever himself out of bed. His shoulder hitched painfully, unbalancing him, and he slithered ungracefully to the floor. “Well, shit.”
Winry broke away from the brothers with a brittle laugh, looking as if she needed that desperately. “Roy, why can’t you ever just stay put? You’re ten times worse as a patient than Ed ever was.”
“There’s someone worse than me,” Ed tried to sound triumphant but barely managed better than broken. He dug a handkerchief out of his pants pocket and blew indelicately.
Roy grimaced then pointed to the dresser. “There’re more of those in the top left door. And I’m not worse than Ed,” he added, getting to his knees, crawling.
“Where are you going?” she asked, as Al fetched everyone handkerchiefs. Ed didn’t seem able to move.
“To call Riza and you’d better figure out what you’re going to say when your grandmother gets home,” Roy replied.
“Roy, if you damage that port crawling around, I swear you'll wear my wrench permanently in your skull,” Winry said as Al handed her a handkerchief.
“If you people would quit stealing my wheelchair this wouldn’t be necessary.” Roy tried to hold up his hand, wincing as his damaged shoulder twinged. “I know, I know, I’m supposed to be resting.”
Winry glowered at him then snatched his shirt off the bed and tossed it over his head before going outside to get his chair. Al helped Roy lever himself up into it and Roy wheeled himself off. Winry dabbed at her eyes. “Ed, you can barely walk.”
“The automail is failing,” he said in a tired voice. “It got damaged.”
“Go into a patient room. I’ll look at you,” She nodded in the general direction of the rooms.
Ed’s eyes widened. “No, Winry. I didn’t come here for you to fix me. I came to see you.”
She ran a shaking hand through her hair. “I know but…I don’t know how I feel. I want to do this until I can figure out what to do.” Winry looked over at Al. “Make sure Roy gets back into that bed, Al. Please. He’s pretending to be strong but he nearly died. I don’t want him overtaxing himself.”
Al’s eyes brimmed with questions but Winry was relieved when he didn’t ask them. He simply scooted around her and his brother. Ed didn’t resist Winry’s pull as she led him into a work room. She didn’t know what to think. Her mind was a desolate wasteland with one occupant; pain. She couldn’t think about the brothers’ miraculous homecoming or anything happening in her life. Work, she could do that. It would calm her, she hoped.
X X X
“I can wheel myself, Alphonse,” Roy said, wriggling in his chair.
“Winry insisted, sir. Is Miss Hawkeye coming?” Al jostled the chair over the slight lip of the door.
Roy shook his head. “I told her it’s urgent but so is the business she’s on and since that includes trying to find who blew up my office and tried to kill me and my men, this can wait.”
“Oh…is that what happened?” Al parked the wheelchair next to the bed. “Winry said you were badly hurt.”
“No, Winry probably told you I nearly died and now I must be babied to an inch of my life. I’m fine now,” Roy snorted, tossing himself into the bed.
Al sat in the wheelchair himself, looking at Roy. “I’ve never known Winry to baby anyone.”
Roy sat up against the headboard. “I just get a little tired of being confined…and tired physically but don’t tell Winry I said that.”
Al’s eyes went to Roy’s belly, now covered by his shirt. “It looks bad.”
Roy wet his lips. “I don’t remember it. I wouldn’t say that to Riza. She’s still very raw about it all.”
Al nodded, reaching up to let his hair down. He massaged his head as if he had pulled the pony tail too tight. “You’re really getting married?”
“In the fall. Provided I don’t get killed by Ishbalans who don’t want peace with us. Or by Amestrians who still support Bradley or by whoever this bomber was since it doesn’t seem like either of them.” Roy rubbed under his eye patch. He caught a glint of gold on Al’s ring finger and his solitary eye widened. “Al, did you bring someone else over with you?”
Al paled, his mouth going slack. “How…”
“You’re married.” Roy pointed to the band.
Al opened his mouth as if to talk then Roy watched him visibly break, crumbling like fine porcelain after a fall. Roy reached out for him, fearing the young man would faint on him. A sob tore out of Al before he could get his hands up over his mouth. He doubled over on the wheelchair, nearly toppling out. Roy caught him, yanking him bodily onto the bed next to him and wrapped an arm around Al’s shoulder. “What is it, Al?”
“She di…died,” Al said, his words breaking, “was killed,” were the only other words he could wring out.
“Oh, Alphonse, I’m so sorry.” Roy said, rubbing Al’s arm, unprepared for the younger alchemist to grab hold of him, giving into his pain. Roy just held on, letting him cry loudly, remembering Maes doing the same for him in those days soon after killing the Rockbells. Roy wasn’t surprised to see a half-naked Edward thumping his way back in with Winry trailing after him.
“What did you do to my brother?” Ed demanded to know.
“I saw his ring,” Roy said simply.
Winry started to ask something but Ed put a hand on her wrist, quieting her with a little shake of his head.
“I’m all right, Brother,” Al rasped, wiping his face. “Please, just go let Winry help you. Mr. Mustang will look after me.”
Ed didn’t seem happy but the expression on Al’s face seemed to ward him off. Roy was surprised when Ed complied. Winry cast a perplexed look at Al but she kept her peace as she followed Ed. Roy pulled Al towards the head of the bed. “I’m sorry Alphonse. I didn’t know. Why don’t you just lie down for a little? You look exhausted.”
Al didn’t argue, lying on his side, dabbing at his face. “Thank you, Mr. Mustang.”
Roy leaned over and got a handkerchief out of the bed stand and gave it to Al. “It’s Roy, Alphonse. You can call me that, you know.”
Al blew his nose. “You didn’t know, Roy. It’s not been all that long ago. I just…I’m not over it.”
Roy patted Al’s arm. “Of course not. If you want to tell me about it, I’m a good listener.”
Al considered that for a moment. “Later. I am tired now but there is so much to tell you.”
There was something ominous about the way Alphonse said that, Roy decided, but the young man was asleep before he could make anything of it. Settling down into the bed, Roy was soon asleep himself.
X X X
Ed hated this. He had turned her life upside down again. He didn’t know what he was expecting, coming back here, but somehow the chilly silence as Winry worked on him wasn’t it. Ed didn’t even know what to say himself. Fear held him hostage. “I tried to keep it running, Winry. I really did.”
She blew at a strand of loose hair and set her screwdriver aside. “Ed, it’s a mess. I can’t repair it. It’ll all have to be replaced.” She eyed him critically. “But that’s not a bad thing. You’ve grown, Ed.”
It sounded almost as if she didn’t believe it but what had she been expecting, he wondered? He was in his twenties now, a grown man. “I know. The leg is too short and I know I messed up my knee, tramping around trying to find a gate back here.”
Winry’s eyes went depthless. “Really?” She sighed. “I know you’re not too mobile but I don’t want you sleeping on a patient cot. If we take you to the inn, you won’t be able to get around easily. Riza could take Roy back there. He’s about ready to have his foot back.”
“I don’t want to be trouble, Winry,” Ed said earnestly. He could see the strain in her eyes. “The inn is fine. We already spent one night.”
She shook her head. “You stay here for now. I’m…I’m going to go find Granny, to tell her. Just in case anyone saw you two coming here and see her before she gets home.”
Ed pulled on his pants, standing up. “Fair enough. Are you sure you don’t want me to just go collect Al and go back to the hotel and wait?” Ed knew he had to get to the hotel or at least call before Hughes left his room and got spotted by Mustang’s men. They might think he was a homunculus.
Winry shook her head, heading out of the exam room. “Stay here, please, Ed. I…I need to know where you’ll be.”
Ed didn’t have anything to say to that. She thought he would leave her again and could he blame her for that low opinion? Ed just stumbled towards his former bed room, surprised to see Al asleep on the bed and Roy curled up next to him, closer to the wall on his side, mumbling in his sleep. As odd as that scene was, Ed left Al there and went to make his call to Hughes. The man wasn’t happy about it but Ed assured him that he could have food sent to the room. They had enough gold to cover it. That duty done, Ed went back to his room and sat in a chair. His room, funny how he still saw it that way. It had been repainted since he had last stayed there, a pale greenish color that he didn’t like. Other than that it was all still the same. So why didn’t it feel like home?
Ed jerked awake, shocked that he had nodded off in the chair. He was just so mentally and physically exhausted and nothing was happening like he thought it would. He was such a fool. Maybe coffee would help clear his head. Ed staggered into the kitchen, not even registering the voices coming from within until he crossed the threshold. Ed froze, eyes dilating as he saw two men in the kitchen, an older man about Mustang’s age or a little older sitting at the table peeling vegetables and a younger man at the stove. To Ed’s deep felt shock, they were Ishbalan. “Who the hell are you?”
The one at the stove whirled, dropping a wooden spoon. Ed saw he had an automail arm. “Me? Who the hell are you?” The Ishbalan’s red eyes narrowed, fixing on Ed’s exposed arm. “Oh, are you Winry’s patient? I’m not sure where she is. She was supposed to be here. I promised her a real Ishbalan meal. I guess she might have gone into town to get something.”
“Patient?" Ed blinked at the word, wondering just how much more of his world had changed, that Ishbalans were in the Rockbell house, cooking, of all fucking things, that Mustang was upstairs with an automail foot, that home was suddenly as strange to him as winding up in that other world had been.
“Your arm,” the Ishbalan gestured to it. “If you’re looking for Winry, I don’t know where she went but you can just leave a message with us. I’ll make sure she gets it when she gets home.”
“I don’t need a messenger boy, I’m staying here,” Ed growled, realizing that was probably entirely the wrong thing to say. The older Ishbalan was on his feet now and the young one took a step away from the stove, obviously antagonized by Ed’s tone.
“Who did you say you were?”
“Ed! What’s wrong?”
Ed turned just enough to glance back at his brother who was pushing Mustang in a wheelchair but not enough to turn his back to the Ishbalans. “Just talking to the strangers in Winry’s kitchen.”
”Strangers? I’ve been here the better part of a year and I’ve never seen you,” the young Ishbalan huffed.
Roy nudged Ed with his chair and the young man nearly fell in his lap. Ed scooted over, never taking his eyes off the interloper with red eyes. “Ed, Al, these are Aris and Dev, two priests who work with me as liaisons. Have I mentioned I’m the ambassador to Ishbal now?” Roy asked wryly. “Aris, Dev, these are Edward and Alphonse Elric, back from a very long trip.”
“Wait, that’s the guy you keep comparing to me to? Him?” Dev gestured at Ed with a fatal look. “I thought he was gone for good or something.”
“What is he talking about?” Ed grated out.
“Long, long story,” Roy assured him. “Why don’t we all just sit down and talk about it. Dev, go stir whatever it is you’re making before it scorches.”
“Doesn’t look like much to me,” Dev attacked the pot as if it were an invading marauder.
“Might want to get to know him before you get huffy, Dev,” Roy said wearily.
“Um, have you met Dev before, Mustang?” Aris asked Roy. “This is as polite as it gets.”
Ed wondered just why the hell Winry would be comparing him to anyone, much less an Ishbalan. He wasn't sure he wanted to sit down, even if he really felt too tired to keep standing long. Al didn’t hesitate. He sat right down after holding out his hand to Aris. “I’m pleased to meet you. Sorry we crashed your dinner plans.”
Aris took stock of the young man. “You look like you can use a good meal. Don’t worry. We’re making plenty.”
“What are you making, Dev? It’s not goat, is it?” Roy asked suspiciously.
“Just eat what you get, jackass,” Dev replied, glaring at him. “The day you cook for yourself, hell will freeze so you don’t get to whine about what others prepare for your lazy ass.”
“Don’t you think about agreeing with him, Edward,” Roy grumbled, looking at the brothers. Ed felt too stunned to say anything. He couldn’t process the scene. It seemed too ludicrous.
Dev took another look at Ed then snorted deridingly. “And it’s vegetarian, so relax.”
“I guess you know Winry pretty well then, through General Mustang,” Al said to Dev then glanced over at Roy. “You’re still a general right.”
“I’ve even been promoted to Major General,” Roy replied.
“Yeah, the idiot introduced me to Winry and helped me get this arm.” Dev waved his nonfunctioning automail as he dumped in a yellow powder into the stew pot. “I’m her boyfriend,” he added, glancing over his shoulder at them.
Ed made a strangled sound, missing the strange look Roy shot the Ishbalan’s way. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. How could Winry have an Ishbalan boyfriend? Al put a hand on Ed’s shoulder, dragging his attention to him. Ed could see it in Al’s eyes; this was all wrong. For a moment, he believed he had gotten them home to the wrong Amestris.
“Oh,” Al said, such a small word to carry so much emotion. Ed could hear how stunned his brother was.
The tension racketed up, the silence driving it forward only to be broken when Winry came back in with her grandmother. Everyone simply stared as if they all believed they were trapped in some strange and unpleasant dream. Finally, Pinako crossed the room to throw her arms around the brothers. “I can’t believe my eyes,” she said, pulling them down for a tobacco-scented kiss on the cheek.
“We’re so glad to be home, Granny,” Al said, joy thrumming through him.
“It’s been too long,” Ed staggered a bit as Pinako released him. He tried to ignore the concern he saw in Pinako and Winry’s eyes, hating the loss of dignity in front of the enemy. He tried to covertly see if the Ishbalan had noticed, figuring, yes he had.
Winry turned to the other boy. “Dev, I forgot you were coming,” she said, looking limp. Ed hated that he had done this to her.
Dev’s red eyes canted toward the brothers. “Well, I know you weren’t expecting them. It’s all right. I’m not sure how hungry anyone will be but there’s plenty for your….guests.” The way he hesitated over the word clued Ed in that the Ishbalan knew about him. What he might know, Ed feared learning.
“They're not guests, any more than you are,” Pinako said in her raspy voice.
“Actually, I’m so very tired,” Alphonse said, his expression giving truth to his words. “We’ve come a very long way. You could just set something aside for me. I’d like to have a nap…if you don’t mind, Winry? Or would you prefer I go back to the hotel for that?” He turned gold eyes on her, an almost mournful expression filling them.
“I think I’d like some rest, too,” Ed said, thankful his brother had thought of some way out of this awkward situation. He honestly felt exhausted deep to the bone and his brain wasn’t working. If it was, his homecoming wouldn’t be like this.
Winry shook her head. “No hotel. There’s an open guest room upstairs. I’ll go make it up for you.”
“We can put on our own sheets, Winry,” Ed protested. He wondered if he had the strength to even walk upstairs but it was that or lie on a patient cot since Mustang had his old room.
“You don’t even know where the bedding is. Dev has dinner in hand. He doesn’t need me. I’ll make you up the bed,” Winry said, her tone overly sharp. Ed decided it was easier to just let her. He wanted to get in that bedroom and hide away from the disaster as long as he could.
X X X
Winry curled her fingers around the whiskey glass her granny pressed into her palm. “I thought the worst thing that could have happened was losing Ed and Al.” She drank the whiskey down, ignoring the burn. “I was wrong. Getting them back now that I finally let them go in my heart is so much worse.”
Pinako and Riza shared a glance that Winry didn't seem to see. What do you say to something like that, Riza wondered. It really was almost as if Edward and Alphonse had returned from the dead, creepy as that seemed. And even though she knew that wasn't the fact, it still made everything awkward and almost dreamlike, as if nothing was quite real.
“I was glad when they went upstairs because then I didn’t have to deal with them.” Winry pulled her knees up in the couch, wrapping one arm around them. “Of course, it doesn’t solve anything. And it’s not as if I don’t want them back but…I was ready to move on or I thought I was until Dev broke it off.” She sighed. “Not that I didn’t see that coming.”
“You probably should have just sent him and Aris back to the hotel,” Riza said sympathetically.
Winry shook her head. “Dev would just be full of questions. He’s let me go and yet…not.”
“That’s because the boy didn’t want to let go in the first place,” Pinako said knowingly. “Don’t expect him to stay away now that the rival he’s heard so much about has come back.”
“I didn’t mean to make him feel like Ed was a rival,” Winry said hotly, slamming her glass back down. “I just…I could throttle them all. I want to hit something but it’s not going to help.”
Pinako nodded sagely, pleased that her grandchild was maturing. “You’re in shock, Winry. You need a good night’s rest.”
Winry unfurled from the couch. “I can’t sleep. I’m going for a walk.”
“At this time of night?” Riza cocked up an eyebrow.
“This isn’t Central,” Winry said. “And you have to walk back to the hotel. I’ll go with you.”
Neither Pinako nor Riza looked happy but Winry knew they weren’t about to get in her way.
X X X
Rose knew Judith wasn’t very happy with her but it wasn’t all her fault. She looked over at her son, Kane, drowsing on the rug while his mother placed her call back to Lior. Judith had her sent to work with Morley Attaway, one of President Armstrong’s many assistants. Rose wasn’t sure what he did, only that he was helping out Lior and Judith wanted her to work closely with him. Rose didn’t mind. Morley wasn’t much older than her, nice enough if a little snotty since he worked for the president. Still, they go on well and she even got a nice apartment with a phone that Morley’s office paid for. Judith liked Rose to call her daily with updates. This was one update, however, Rose didn’t really want to make since she knew Judith wouldn’t like it.
“I’m sorry, Judith,” Rose said quickly as her boss answered the phone. “Mr. Armstrong is still not in Central and even Morley doesn’t know where the president’s brother went. We’ve tried to find him.”
“Morley has no idea?” Even as distant and tinny as Judith’s voice sounded the disbelief still carried loudly. Rose understood it. After all, Mr. Armstrong was an important man and Morley worked for Alex Louis’ sister. Rose just knew, that after those months in Lior when the big man had been so helpful, that he would want to see her now if he knew she were in town but she also believed Morley when she said he didn’t know since he seemed just as keen to find Armstrong as Judith was.
“No, he doesn’t. I mean, I’m sure that the president knows but his whereabouts have been classified and you need military clearance for that sort of information. Neither Morley or I have that,” Rose said empathetically. “The same goes for General Mustang’s whereabouts. That’s top secret because of the bombing. They’re afraid it wasn’t just the embassy under attack but the general personally.”
“Do you think it’s possible that Armstrong is with Mustang, Rose?” Judith asked.
Rose thought for a moment. “I suppose so. His usual men are gone, too, though I heard his men had been sent to Briggs on a training mission but that could just be rumor. I was discouraged very hard about asking questions about the general. I thought they might bring me in for questioning thinking I had something to do with the bombing.”
“Well, that won’t do. Don’t push them,” Judith said quickly. “I guess there’s not much to be done for it but wait. That’s fine. It’ll give me and my brother more time to plan. You just help out Morley as much as possible.”
“Oh, I will.” Rose hung up the phone, wondering just what Judith’s big plan was. Well, whatever it was, it would help Lior and she was proud to be part of it. She glanced out the window. It looked so nice. She could see a sliver of the park from here. She should take Kane there. Her son would love it. Rose made plans to have just a little fun while she was here. Surely Judith wouldn’t mind.
Chapter Seven
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