CH. 6

As night approached, Riza had almost finished the last of her packing when she heard her phone ring. She threw the last of her things on her bed, and ran towards the phone,"Hello?"

"Hawkeye. It's Mustang."

"Is something wrong sir?"

"No. I just called to tell you to be careful out there. The man may be more dangerous than we suspect."

"Did you gather more information on him?" Riza pressed her back against the wall, as she began to recalculate which weapons would be safer to bring.

"Not really. My guess is, it IS the same alchemist that the military is looking for. We also know his plant alchemy can be very dangerous. The flowers can produce poisonous gases and some even shoot out acid, so if it is him, I'll need you and the Elrics to be on high guard."

"Understood."

"Also, 3 days preparation may have been too extended. You leave the day after tomorrow. Make sure you tell Fullmetal."

"I will."

"Stay safe Lieutenant." Mustang hung up, and Riza set the phone down. A knock at her door, made her smile, knowing who it was.

Ed stood there,"Hey there."

"Come in. You just missed a call from Mustang."

Ed rolled his eyes,"And what did the arrogant bastard say?"

"Mostly to be on high guard, and that we leave after tomorrow."

Ed collapsed on her couch,"Same ol Roy..."

"Are you hungry? I was going to make some stew for dinner, so you're more than welcome to stay. Give Alphonse a call, I'm sure he's hungry too."

"Yeah, I could eat. I'll give him a call right now."

Riza walked into her kitchen and began to cut up the meat she was going to use, and started to boil some milk and stock. As the broth began to simmer, she washed some potatoes, carrots, and began to peel them. Ed walked over to where she was,"Do you need any help with anything?"

"No, I've got it Edward, thank you. It's a pretty simple recipe, so it doesn't take long or a lot of preparation. Did you give Al a call?"

Ed nodded,"He's on his way right now. He should be here after a while."

Riza dropped the meat and vegetables in, when her doorbell rang,"Oh, that must be Kain with Black Hayate."

"I'll get it." Ed walked over to her door.

"Oh, Ed..." Kain chuckled,"I wasn't expecting you to answer."

"Hello Kain. Thanks for watching Black Hayate for me, was he a handful?" Riza smiled, walking over to pet her beloved dog.

"No not at all. By the way, Mustang said you also wanted me to watch him while you're away."

"Yes, that isn't asking too much is it?"

"Of course not. I went and talked to some fellow officers in the dorms, and they said they'd be fine with having a dog around the place for a while. So, he'll be in good hands."

"Thank you. It means a lot that he's with someone I can trust."

Kain took a large sniff," Oh that smells delicious. Are you two having dinner together?"

Riza felt her cheeks slowly start to burn and smiled "Yes, I decided to cook some stew for dinner. Would you like to stay?"

Kain shook his head, holding up his hands,"Oh, no thank you Lieutenant. I'm actually meeting Falman and Breda for dinner and drinks in a bit, so I wouldn't want to spoil my appetite." Kain began to walk towards her door," Bye you two, I hope you have a lovely evening!"

With Kain gone, Riza stirred the soup,"Would you mind feeding him Ed? I'm sure he's hungry. His kibble is in that cupboard there."

"Sure thing, come on boy." Hayate dug into his kibble, as Ed and Riza waited on their own dinner. She took a small spoonful to taste, and called Ed over,"Would you like to taste it? I hope you like it."

"Yeah, sure." Ed took a sip, and he paused. His eyes widened and softened, a small sad yet happy smile spread across his face,"It's delicious...it's just like the stew my mom used to make when Al and I were kids."

Riza paused, not knowing what to say. All she could do was come up from behind him and wrap her arms around his waist, and hug him tightly. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Ed snapped out of his daze, unaware that he was walking down memory lane and squeezed her arms,"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I was just walking down memory lane again." He turned around and hugged her back.

Riza smiled softly, and reached up to kiss his lips, as Ed returned the favor. After 20 minutes had gone by, another knock came at her door, which was Alphonse.

"About time Al." Ed crossed his arms," The stew is almost ready. Wait till you taste it!" he grinned.

"Sorry, I got a little side tracked. I brought you some flowers Lieutenant"

Ed growled under his breath,'What the hell Alphonse? Why are you bringing my girlfriend flowers? That's my job.'

Riza took a sniff of the flowers,"Thank you, they've very lovely. I'll place them in some water right now. Why don't you two have a seat. The stew should be just about ready."
Ed nudged Al,"Why the hell did you bring her flowers for?"

Al shrugged,"I was just being nice Ed. Are you jealous?" he sneered.

"Shut up!" Ed kicked Al underneath the table, who only let out a playful chuckle.

Riza grabbed some bowls, and sat them down, and before she could get the pot, Ed stood up and grabbed it for her,"Here, let me help you." She smiled, and took her seat, while Ed sat it in the center of her table.

As the boys dug into their food, their expressions varied. Al was shocked at first, then a large happy grin spread across his face,"This is delicious! It's just like our moms! Thank you Riza!" he began to eat at a quick pace, while Ed had a more softer face, full of longing and happiness. Riza felt a warmth in her heart, a happiness that she was able to make the boys happy, even if it was just by making a simple meal.

The time flew by, as the three conversed, shared laughs and told stories with Black Hayate worming his way through each of their legs, before finally settling down in his doggy bed. The hours flew by and before they knew it, it was late in the evening.

Riza began cleaning up, while Alphonse stretched,"Thank you for that delicious meal Riza. You definitely need to have us over again when you make it!"

Riza laughed,"Of course I will. I'm glad you both liked it so much."

Ed grinned,"Milk in stew...even though I can't stand that stuff, it just disappears when its in stew, and I can't even taste it."

"I was never a fan of it myself." Riza admitted, as she washed the dishes. Ed stood beside her, drying what she handed him.

Al walked over to Black Hayate, who was in a deep sleep, and began to shake his leg when Al scratched behind his ears,"What do you think we'll find out there?"

Riza paused,"We have to be prepared for whatever may happen. The Colonel did say that he was extremely dangerous, so we do need to be extra careful. The train will take us part way there, and after, we will have to jump trains. It's in a more secluded area, but based on my research, it used to be a large tourist attraction."

"Tourist attraction? Really?" asked Al.

"Yet, since it was so far out in the mountains, people began to lose interest, and became more focused on the big cities and the festivities they have, versus some country side festival."

"By the way, I should mention that Winry said she's coming with us..." Ed added, upset that the girl forced herself on their trip, but he half expected as much, since she did what she wanted, and it wasn't the first time she's pulled stunts like that. Both her and Ed shared stubborn personalities.

"That isn't a good idea...This man is on a high danger list, she should wait here." Riza frowned, worried that now there would be another head to protect should things go awry.

Al sighed," It's my fault, I shouldn't have told her where we were going. But believe me, I tried my hardest to talk her out of it. But, Ed and I grew up with her. She would have come anyway, even if we told her not to, even if it meant doing it behind our backs."

Riza sighed,"Since I'm sure there is no talking her out of it, we'll just have to be extra careful out there." She turned off the faucet, dried her hands and removed her apron. "We will need to discuss safety precautions before we get there. Especially if Winry is tagging along..."

Ed nodded,"You're right. We need to remind ourselves that this isn't a vacation. We won't have time to mess around or sight see."

"Are you ready Brother? We should get back to the hotel, since we still have some things to get, and I'll have to get up early to meet Winry at the station."

"Yeah alright. We should get back."

Al bowed,"Thank you again for dinner." And headed out her door, while Ed hung around for an extra minute, pulling her into a hug and planting a kiss on her lips,"I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you again for tonight."

Riza just smiled,"You're welcome Ed. Go on, Al is waiting for you."

"Right. Good night."

Riza watched the two brothers exit, and walk down the street, playfully pushing one another down the block, and she laughed. She walked over to her sleeping dog, and pet him,"Goodnight boy." She went to her room to grab some pajamas and headed to her shower.

It was around 8 AM when the train from Resembool rolled into Central; a young pretty blonde girl stepped out, suitcase in hand,"Ah Central. It's been a while. Now, where is Al? He said he'd be here..." Winry gazed about the morning crowd, her eyes scanning for her boyfriend and best friend, but no one was there. She stomped her foot,"Seriously guys? Ugh, you two never change!"

Al rolled over in bed, and gazed at the clock,"Oh no! I overslept! Winry is gonna kill me!" Al rushed about the room, gathering any piece of clothing he could find, waking Ed.

"What's the problem Al..." he asked in a sleepy voice.

"I overslept Ed! Winry is gonna beat me down!" he was getting ready to bolt out the door, when Ed shouted after him,"Wait Al! Aren't you going to take a shower? You probably stink!"

Al was already out the door, a faint,"No time!" could be heard.

Ed laughed,"She'll only beat you harder" as he rolled back over in bed, grasping his pillow. He wondered if he should wake up and go see Riza, but decided it would be best to get up himself and at least make the hotel room look decent before Al and Winry got back. After all, he didn't feel like getting a beating from Winry either. Ed got up, showered and began to pick up all the thrown clothes on the ground. He sighed,"I'd better do the laundry too"

Riza had woken up around 7 am and began her morning routine of feeding her dog, brewing her coffee and toasting a bagel. She brought out a suitcase, and began to pack, putting in clothes, soaps, and everything else she thought she would need. She began to take apart her pistols for a proper cleaning, ensuring that they would work should she need to use them, preventing them from stalling or jamming. Afterwards, her stomach growled,"I'm still pretty hungry. I suppose I should go out and have a proper breakfast" She glanced at the clock, which had just turned to 9 am. She put Black Hayate on a leash, and slipped on some brown pants, and a light blue top, wearing low cut boots. She grabbed her sweater, and headed out the door.

Ed had barely managed to pick up every item off the floor, and the room looked clean enough for Winry to not beat the snot out of him. Al walked in the room, Winry behind him,"Hi Ed. It's nice to see you."

Ed smiled,"You too."

Al had a small lump on his forehead,"I said I'm sorry Winry."

"Well, you knew I would be coming to Central Al. Honestly, I thought you'd be on time." Winry sat down her suitcase, and opened it,"I brought you a present Ed."

"Really? What is it?"

She brought out a small metal brace,"Its automail. Now, I know you have your real limbs back, but try it on. I thought you might like to use it in battles, kind of like your old arm."

Ed smiled,"Oh Winry. I don't think I'd need it..."

"Oh, just shut up and give it a try. Besides, it could help keep you safe, and out of harms way." She smiled warmly.

Ed sighed and snapped the brace on, and clapped his hands, using his left arm to create a blade,"Hey wow, its just like the old automail."

Winry smiled,"Told ya!"

"Thanks Winry. I guess it wouldn't hurt to play it safe here and there. Seeing as I'm all flesh and bones now, I am pretty soft." Ed chuckled.

"Exactly, and I don't need either of you getting hurt out there... I heard from Al that the guy is dangerous..."

Ed smiled, and peeled off the brace and set it on top of his suitcase,"I'll make sure to take it to Riyoka. Don't worry too much Winry. Anyway, we still have a lot of preparing to do, since we're leaving tomorrow."

"What? I thought you were leaving the day after tomorrow?" Winry asked.

"Nah, Mustang called and said he changed the date. So we leave tomorrow."

"Well, I came pretty prepared. Anyway, I am pretty hungry. Can we get something to eat?"

"Yeah, lets go. I could go for something too. How about you Al?"

"First he needs to shower. You smell terrible Al..." Winry wrinkled her nose.

"I'm sorry, it was because I overslept. I'll take one right now, and then we can go. But before I do, you should ask Ed about his new girlfriend." Al sneered and walked into the bathroom.

Winry turned to face him, eyes wide with shock and humor,"You have a girlfriend Ed? Already?"

Ed blushed,"Ah, yeah...we just uh...started going out."

"Wow, you sure move fast." Winry smiled,"Anyone I know?"

"You could say that..." Ed scratched his head, not wanting to reveal too much right away.

Al shouted out from the shower,"Just tell her Ed. She's gonna find out sooner or later."

He did have a point, what was the purpose in trying to hide who he was dating, it wasn't like he was embarrassed or ashamed to be with her. He was sure he loved her, and was pretty sure she loved him too, despite the relationship being very VERY new. There wasn't a large age gap between them, only 6 years thanks to the Gate, so it was anything too major or scandalous. He sighed,"Well... I just asked Riza out."

"Hawkeye? You mean the Lieutenant? Really?!" Winry exclaimed, shocked and excited,"No way! She actually said yes?"

Ed took a slight offense to that statement,"Of course she did, why wouldn't she?!"

Winry laughed,"Oh no reason. You can be kind of immature ya know? I would have thought she would rather be with someone more her age and less of a kid. Like Mustang."

"I'm not a kid, and I am mature enough for her. After all...ever since the gate...I aged a lot since then...so I'm not the kid she once knew me as."

"Oh that's right...you're 21 now. You're actually older than Al and I."

"That's right! You should learn to respect your elders!"

"What ever Ed." Winry laughed. "Hurry up Al, I'm starving!"

Riza did some last minute shopping for Black Hayate, thing she would provide Kain with. She bent down and gave Black Hayate a toy," You be sure to behave yourself while I'm away. I'm going to miss you boy." The time was slowly ticking by, when she found herself at a small restaurant that served brunch. She chose to sit outside, as she had her dog with her and animals weren't allowed inside. It was still cold, but it was bearable with her sweater, and instead of coffee, she ordered hot tea. The tea warmed her insides, and she sighed and felt herself relax. Despite her leaving on a mission with Edward, her new boyfriend, she was grateful to having a day a few days off. It was hard for her to get out and enjoy herself, being at work nearly all day, and never spending time getting to know who she really was. She waited patiently for her waiter to return with the food menu, when she noticed the Elrics, walking and escorting Winry, their childhood friend around. Riza smiled, happy for the three friends that they could remain so close after everything they've been through. Her only friend outside the military was Rebecca, but she was often drifting in and out of Central on her own missions, so the two never really got to see one another. She was close with her coworkers, but they weren't someone that she could truly open up to about personal matters.

"Winry come on! I'm starving! You said you were too, can we stop shopping for once? Besides, Al and I still have a lot of stuff to do, we leave tomorrow morning." Ed scratched his head, annoyed at the girls teenage antics.

"Oh, you two are no fun at all. Fine, lets get something to-" She paused, squinting across the street.

Riza glanced over, and she smiled,"Looks like I've been spotted." she laughed as she took a sip from her tea, and waved.

"Its the Lieutenant!" Winry exclaimed,"Oh, I can't wait to ask her all about you two!" Winry ran over, being a romantic, she loved hearing about lovers and how they met.

"There she goes..." Al chuckled, walking over.

Ed felt his heart glow, seeing Riza there, beautiful as ever. How he never noticed that, will never make sense to him. She looked so beautiful with her hair down, in her blue shirt and pants. Ed walked over, keeping pace with Al, while Winry pounced on Riza,"Hi Lieutenant! How are you?"

"I'm doing very well, how are you? I see you've made it into Central just fine."

"I'm doing great! So, I heard the news! Is it true you and Ed are dating?" Winry asked, desperate for the gossip.

Riza nodded,"Yes, he asked me out just the other day."

"Aw that's just so cute! I never would have imagined you dating Ed. I think you two make such a cute couple!"

Riza laughed,"Thank you Winry. Are you three out shopping?"

Ed sat down next to her, planting a quick kiss on her cheek, arousing a blush from both their cheeks, while Winry was fan-girling deep inside, and Al smiled,"We were actually out to get something to eat, and do some shopping. What about you?"

"I just finished all my shopping, and decided to have a quick bite to eat."

Winry sat down opposite of Riza,"Mind if we join you Lieutenant?"

"Just call me Riza, I am off duty, and not at all. I would love the company."

The waitress came out, menu in hand,"I'm so sorry for the wait ma'am. Oh." She noticed the three other people,"Can I get you folks anything to drink? I'll bring some more menus."

After a filling breakfast, and some more exchanged stories, they each said their goodbyes to each other and went about their ways. Riza, on her way to drop off Black Hayate and Ed, Al and Winry were going to do the last of their provisional shopping.

It was later that night when Al and Winry were getting a little too close for Eds comfort. They kissed and nuzzled and it was obvious they wanted more alone time together, but tried to keep it toned down for his sake, after all. He WAS in the room with them, it wasn't like they could have sex right in front of him. Ed cleared his throat,"Well, I'm going to go see Riza for a while...I'll uh, leave you two love birds alone."

"See you later Ed." Winry called out, as Ed closed the door behind him, their chuckling voices getting louder, knowing the room was theirs for a while. He shuddered and hurried down the hall as fast as he could. "Hope she doesn't mind me paying a visit..." Ed stopped at a nearby flower shop that was surprisingly still open, yet closed in 5 minutes,"Excuse me? Mind if I buy some flowers from here?"

The young florists eyes glittered,"Of course! I never turn away a paying customer!" She walked over to Ed,"Anything in particular you're looking for?"

"Ah, well... I'm not sure...I don't even know her favorite flower..." Ed laughed nervously.

The girl squealed,"Oh I just love new romances! I can most definitely help you pick something out for her! After all, that's why I got this job! Can you describe her to me?"

"Well, she's got blonde hair, like mine but hers is so much lighter, and brighter...and her eyes are this beautiful deep cherry brown...She's sweet and caring, and strong and smart..."

The girl sighed romantically,"I do love my job... lets see. Oh, how about some marigolds? I think they'd be a perfect compliment to her blonde hair and eyes. I can also throw in some white lilies for her caring nature. Does that sound okay?"

"Sounds perfect."

The girl wrapped the flowers in a bouquet, and rang him up, and waved him goodnight, as Ed walked merrily down the street, anxious to see his girl.

Riza had just stepped out of the shower, when a knock at her door startled her,"Be right there!" She quickly put a pair of gray flannel pajama pants, and a red tee. She slipped into a pair of slippers and hurried towards the door,"Coming!" She peeked through the crack, and caught Eds golden gaze,"Ed?" She laughed,"What brings you here? You know we leave early in the morning right?"

"Yeah I know...I just wanted some time away from the love birds... and I brought you a little something."

Riza opened the door, letting him in,"Flowers?"

"Do you like them?" he handed them to her, as she took a sniff.

"They're lovely. Thank you." She put them in water, next to the ones Al bought her just the other day, and Ed huffed at his brothers kind gesture. Ed felt that Al had no business buying his girlfriend flowers. When Riza turned, Ed noticed her nipples were showing through her shirt ,'Holy crap, she isn't wearing a bra!' His face burned a bright crimson, and felt his pants grow tighter,'Not now! It's way too soon for that! Oh jeez, hope she doesn't notice. Maybe I should sit down...what is that trick again? Right hands in pockets, and push away'

Riza poured herself a glass of wine,"Would you like a glass? I'm keeping it light, but I could use the relaxation."

'Oh good, she hasn't noticed.' "Uh, sure. I could go for a glass."

Riza gave him the glass, she took a sip, of hers"So were Winry and Al getting a little to close for comfort?"

Ed choked a bit,"Uh, yeah. Pretty much" he laughed nervously, he took a large gulp, and he couldn't help but eye her in his peripheral vision. He wanted to peel off her clothing, but a part of him felt that she would take offense and confirm that they weren't in a real relationship. He felt that things like that went slow and just happened at a natural pace. Was this natural? This lustful feeling? He began to wonder how long it took before Winry and Al made the sexual plunge.

Riza rested her head on his shoulders, and Ed smiled softly, putting his doubts out of mind for the time being. She could smell his cologne, and once more that delicious warmth of his filled her soul. Ed took a sip from his glass and rested his head on hers. The wine made him feel relaxed, and the warmth of her apartment was intoxicating. The two sat on her couch, engrossed in multiple topics from hobbies, favorite books, music and foods. They had gone through 2 bottles of wine, the night seemed to fly by. They glanced up at her clock, seeing it was close to midnight.

"My, it got late so fast. Our train leaves pretty early. We should get to bed." Riza stretched, and grabbed Eds empty glass from her coffee table.

"Yeah, we definitely should call it a night. Think you'll be okay with a few hours of sleep?"

Riza chuckled," I'll be just fine. Are you alright walking back? You're more than welcome to stay tonight."

Ed thought slowly," Well, I have my suitcases back at the hotel. I should get back to make sure I don't forget anything... but I just spent the last two days getting my provisions in order, and I finished my laundry... So"

Riza stared at him politely while he rambled, he blushed," Ah, would it be alright with you if I stayed?"

She laughed," Of course it is. I offered after all"

Ed smiled,"Great," he gave her a kiss and hugged her," I'll take the couch, I hope my snoring won't be too loud."

She would have offered him her bed, or to sleep with her, but she also didn't want to rush things in a new relationship. She felt it was so new that it was better spent learning more about each other before learning about each others bodies. "I'll grab some extra pillows and blankets for you."

They kissed one last time, and said their good nights to each other.

When morning came around, Al was the first to rise, looking over at Eds bed, which was still empty. He gazed down at his own golden haired beauty, who was in a peaceful dreamworld. He laughed quietly,"Guess brother didn't come back last night."

Winrys eyes fluttered open and yawned, covering her mouth as she did,"Good morning Al. Did you sleep well?"

"I always do when you're beside me. Did you?"

Winry nodded,"Where's Ed?"

"I guess he stayed at the Lieutenants apartment last night."

"Wow, I guess your brother moves pretty fast" she laughed as she stretched,"What time is it?"

Al gazed at the clock,"Its 6. We should get up and get to the station, it leaves in an hour." Al slid out of bed, and began the shower.

Winry smiled seductively,"Lets save water and shower together."

"I don't think that's going to save- ah!" Al let out a surprise gasp as she shoved him in.

Back at Rizas apartment, she rolled over in bed remembering Ed had spent the night on her couch. She slid out of bed, grabbed her robe and took a fast shower. She dressed herself in her pajamas again, and headed out towards her living area. She saw Ed already stirring"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

Ed yawned, and nodded," I did actually. That wine really helped me relax, how about yourself?"

"I slept well myself."

"Do you mind if I use your restroom?"

"Go right ahead."

Ed hopped up and planted a quick kiss on her lips,"I'll be right out."

He washed his face, and combed his hair the best he could with his hands, and stepped out. "I could use a shower, I don't smell too good."

"You're more than welcome to use the shower Ed. I hope the smell of jasmine doesn't bother you."

"Nah, I like the smell of it already" he smiled as he gave her another quick kiss, this time on her cheek.

Riza recalled her orders, she was told to refrain from military clothing, and Ed was to hide his pocket watch. She pulled out a pair of black pants, and a red top, wearing white flats. She picked her hair up, in her infamous clip, and set all her suitcases on the bed.

They all arrived at the station just as they were beginning to announce the last calls to board, Riza and Ed gazed around, searching for their companions, spotting Winry and Al waving them over. Riza and Ed hurried over, showing their tickets to security.

Winry smiled,"Good morning. I take it you two had a nice night?" not knowing that nothing sexual had happened.

Riza nodded,"It was very pleasant. Have we kept you waiting long?"

"Nope, Al and I just got here ourselves."

"Here's your stuff brother. Lets hurry and get on." Al handed Ed his stuff and climbed aboard, the 3 of them boarding right after.

They sat themselves near the back of the train, Al sitting with Ed and Riza with Winry, Riza gazed out the window,"Now, we have to remember to keep our military lives secret. We can't let the townsfolk know we're military."

Ed nodded," Yeah, I've got my watch hidden, so no one should know who we are."

"Why do you need to keep that information from them?" asked Winry.

"The towns out south cannot stand the military. The further south we go, the more the dislike, so we may be putting you and Al at grave risk if we reveal that fact. During the Wars, the local towns were ravaged for provisions. There was a lot of riots, murders and other crimes that caused deep wounds with our relationships with southern towns. They never really healed. They still see us as the enemy."

"It's better for our sake too Winry. We don't need to rustle any feathers while we're up there conducting our search for this guy. We want to keep it as neat and quick as possible, so we can't go revealing who we are otherwise we might get thrown out." Al added.

"Just remember to control your temper Ed." Winry sighed.

"Yeah brother. Since it was your attitude that gave us more trouble than your military background did" Al laughed.

Ed rolled his eyes,"Yeah yeah, what ever."

"Well, I'm hungry. Lets go find something to eat on this train Riza." stood Winry, holding her stomach, which was growling quite loudly.

"Sounds good to me, are you boys going to join us?"

Ed half shrugged,"We'll catch up with you guys in a bit, I'm not that hungry yet."

Al nodded,"Me either"

Riza and Winry left the brothers sitting there, each in their own silence, until Al cleared his throat,"So, did you get any sleep Ed? "

Ed laughed,"I got plenty, considering we went to bed a little late."

Al jeered," Wow brother, you sure move fast don't you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Didn't you two have sex last night? You've only just started dating."

Ed blushed,"WHAT? No, no we didn't have sex! We just drank some wine and shared our common interests and we'd get caught up in each stories."

"Really? Oh."

"AND, it's none of your business when I have sex with my girlfriend! Have some common decency Alphonse! How would you like it if I asked you about how often you and Winry bump uglies?

Al blushed,"N-none of your business! You know what, I'm hungry. I'm gonna go find the girls"

Ed chased after him," You're not escaping this lecture Al!"

Riza and Winry managed to find the dining car, and grabbed themselves a small plate, sitting in a quiet little area, as they both sipped their coffee. "So how is your grandmother Winry?" asked Riza.

"She's doing great and business is still booming. Though, we do miss Ed's generous donations he used to give us when we did his treatments. So, what made you and Ed get together? I want to hear everything!" she grinned.

Riza paused, fork nearly in mouth, and she let out a small chuckle,"Well, I'm not sure where to really begin with that."

Winry leaned in, " Hmm, well you two make an adorable couple. I was always so worried about Ed, he's so headstrong and stubborn and he always finds himself in trouble...but knowing that he's with someone like you, I know he'll be a much safer happier man."

They heard shuffling from behind them and saw Ed and Al coming to join them at their table,"So, any good selections?" asked Ed sitting next to Riza.

Al stole some food off of Winrys plate, causing her to pull it away," Hey Al, this is mine. Go get your own."

The day went by rather quickly, even though the train to Riyoka was a 2 day trip, they were halfway there. Winry and Al were busy gazing out the window, still playfully kissing each other. Riza decided she would like some fresh air, and excused herself, heading to a car that had a railing. She looked around and saw other couples standing outside, gazing at the slowly setting sun. It was a lovely sight to see and the air was fresh and cool, causing Riza to take a large breath, feeling herself relax. It was a bit chilly out and she had left her coat inside. She shrugged, and stared into the distance. She jumped slightly when she felt a sudden warm come over her, and she looked over, and saw Ed standing there, his jacket covering her,"You're going to get sick without a jacket."

Riza pulled it around her,"I'll be fine now. Isn't it lovely?"

Ed gazed into the distance with her, before he turned and gazed into her eyes, erecting a blush from Rizas cheeks,"Yeah, but I see something much more beautiful." His finger was under her chin, pulling her to him, kissing her, and wrapping his arms around her waist, and Riza wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

They stayed on the rails, watching the sunset, while leaning against each other, enjoying one anothers company and warmth in the chill of the night. Once the sun had set, they sat themselves back inside the warm car, the smell of dinner flowing throughout the train. The four found themselves back in the dining car, sharing dinner and more stories and jokes, with Ed further explaining how the other world was like. As the night further progressed, Ed yawned rather loudly, stretching,"This is going to be one hell of a trip..."

"We're halfway there Ed." Winry sighed.

"She's right. In the morning, we'll be at the next stop. We'll hop trains. So by mid afternoon, early evening, we should be in town." Riza explained.

"Just be patient brother."

A train attendee was handing out pillows,"Here you folks are. I'm sorry we don't have blankets, but we'll be shoveling extra coal tonight, to keep our guests warm. If there is anything you need tonight, please don't hesitate to ask." he gave the group four pillows, as the lights began to dim in their car. Yawns echoed in the trains, and many good nights were exchanged. Winry put the pillow on Als lap, as Al put his against the window, while he draped his arm around Winry. In a few minutes, Al and Winry were out cold, a light snore coming from his mouth.

Riza tucked her pillow against the window as well,"They sure fell asleep fast."

Ed lay his head in Rizas lap, ignoring his pillow,"Must be nice, usually takes me a while before I'm able to doze off." he reached for her hand, embracing it against his cheek.

"I have the same problem some nights..."

"So...we're really together aren't we?"

"Of course we are." She adjusted herself against her pillow.

"I'm glad I worked up the courage to ask you...I'm not sure how I'd be feeling right now if I hadn't spoken up."

"Neither would I... I guess it would have been a rather awkward trip, assuming the other did not share the same feelings."

"Yeah, and I'm glad we do. Goodnight Riza...I'll see you in the morning. If you get uncomfortable, just wake me up and I'll trade spots with you."

Riza yawned softly,"Goodnight Ed."