BuggyNess: I think that we can all agree that Ed wouldn't get anywhere without Winry, especially in this story. Its good to here that I didn't screw up the lemon scene. For this story I knew that there needed to be some sort of resolution to Ed and Winry's feelings for each other. I think that if you write a lemon into a story, it needs to serve a purpose. For The Storm it was a way for Winry to help keep Ed from falling apart emotionally and for him to let go of the pain. Plus the two of them deserve a little fun.

Pepin-Bones: I was originally going to use Latin as the spell words, but decided that Arabic would look better. I'm glad to hear that this chapter was emotional, out of the three parts it was the hardest to write. I was a little concerned that it might be too much feels to throw into a short story. Thank you for the review.

Vhosek: Burn the house down huh? I guess I'm better at writing lemons then I thought. One thing that I do regret about my old story Princess Bride is that I (in my opinion) made the love scenes too explicit. Actually if you reread Princess Bride you'll notice that I've gone back and toned those scene down. With the Storm I wanted to focus more on the emotions of the scene instead of the physical acts. I'm glad that you enjoyed this chapter, its defiantly my favorite of the three.

This chapter will be the finale of this story. Thank you to all those who have, read, followed, or reviewed it.

OoO

OoO

One year earlier; the ruins of Xerxes:

In all of the years that he'd been on the road, never before had his travels brought him here.

Xerxes, the legendary city that demons had supposedly laid waste to centuries ago. The ancient stories say that they completely destroyed the entire civilization in a single night. Supposedly there were no survivors and the ghost city was now an empty shell of its former self. When Ed was younger he'd thought it was a simple story that parents tell their children at bedtime. After all, demons weren't real but made up stories to frighten kids. But now, after meeting a demon of his own, he now believed those stories to be true.

Edward Elric tightened the grip on his weapon as he moved further into the ancient city. The giant broadsword was at the ready for whatever lurked in these ruins. Besides the greatsword he'd also brought his rapid fire crossbow, 50 arrows, a few knives, as well as some surprises in his satchel. All of which had been created by his trusty blacksmith.

'Winry.' He thought her name almost mournfully. Would he ever see her again? If this didn't work, he feared that he never would. 'How long would she wait until she'd realize that I wasn't coming back. Years?' The thought of her forever waiting for him in vain caused a painful ache in Edward's lower stomach. He couldn't bare the thought of the pain that his eternal absence would cause her.

She was his longest lasting friend. Hell, she was one of the few friends he had even left. For nine years Edward had pushed everyone close to him away and had burnt almost every bridge. All except for Winry. His stubborn, strong-willed, and beautiful Winry. It had taken him a few years, but he eventually realized that his feelings for the blonde blacksmith were more than platonic. Her face was what he wanted to fall asleep next to every night, and see every morning. He wanted to take her in his arms and never let go. However, given the length and severity of his quest, Ed found himself unable to tell her.

No! Edward couldn't think of her. Not at a time like this. He had to keep a steady mind. Thoughts of Winry would just distract him. This was the moment he'd been waiting all of these last nine years for. The moment he'd dreamed about again and again.

His vengeance.

As Edward passed through what appeared to be the ruins of some sort of church, he heard the sounds of approaching footsteps. The Fullmetal warrior came to a halt. Both hands gripped the sturdy handle of his sword. 'Is it him?' He thought as the sounds only got louder and faster. No, they were too loud and rapid. It sounded like some kind of animal with clawed feet. The echo of hoofs also drew near.

Edward's body moved into a fighting stance. His legs crouched, ready to move in an instant. Suddenly the echoing steps stopped and a shadow passed over him from behind. Without a moment's hesitation Ed whipped around, swinging the sword at whatever was pouncing. He only got a brief look at the creature above him before his weapon cut through it like a knife through butter.

A shrill, animalistic cry briefly pierced the air before two bleeding chunks of flesh slammed into the stone floor. Edward kept his sword in front of him, his eyes scanning the area for a second attack before sparing a glance at the monster before him.

It was a chimera. A grotesque crime against nature. Edward had encountered many of them on his travels, for the monster he hunted was their creator. This particular creature had the head and front legs of a lion, but the body of a tiger, and the back legs of a horse. It's tail was that of a snake. Now the creature lay eviscerated and twitching on the floor, Ed had sliced it completely in half.

"I can see that you got my message, Edward."

That voice! He'd spent the last nine years waiting to hear that damned voice again. Despite the urgency, Edward was slow and careful when he turned to face his quarry.

"Yes, I knew it was you who was hunting me. I've heard all about your adventures over the years. The Fullmetal warrior." The sound of laughter bounced off the stone walls. "They said this wanderer had golden eyes and hair and I thought, no it couldn't be that little boy from Resembool. Yet here you are, no longer a boy."

The demon hadn't changed a bit over the last nine years. He was still clad in a heavenly white robe, his beard and features still angelic in their appearance. Yet despite those rather holy physical attributes, the creature beneath them was the devil himself. Those two crimson eyes still flowed with the red fires of hell.

"Yes." Ed grunted in response to the demon's previous statement. His eyes were two swirling pools of fury. "A destroyed village is quite the attention catcher." He spat the words with venom.

"Wasn't it beautiful? I wish you had been there to hear them scream in utter agony. I've never heard anything like it before, and I've witnessed countless suffering over these last few years. It was fascinating to watch their skin distort and crack like plaster." The pale man spoke with a small smile. "It took most of them about five very, very slow days to die."

Edward gave a growl, his heart was beating loudly due to the amount of hatred he felt towards this monster. "They were innocents. Men, women, and children. Five hundred and sixty three people. What did you gain from wiping them out?"

The pale man cocked his head to the side. "What did I gain? After all this time must you really ask that silly question, Edward? Surely you should know I did it for my own amusement. And also to let you know where I'd be next. I'm assuming young Lujon told you to come here."

Ed's grip on the sword tightened. Lujon had been a young man, and the only survivor of the plague that the demon had unleashed upon the village. It had been one of the most grotesque sights that Edward had ever come across. There had been hundreds of hideous bodies littering the streets. Every inch of their skin was grey, twisted, and hard as stone. Not all of the deaths were from the plague though. In a few houses, Edward found the remains of babies who had starved to death without their parents to feed them. His search through the ghost town ended with him finding Lujon in the town square. The poor man was barely alive, half of his body was infected and grey. The man's pain had been unbearable and he begged Edward to end it. But not before giving Ed the pale man's message.

'And here I am.' Edward maintained his glare at the unholy creature. "To be honest, I'm honestly surprised to find you here. I'd thought you'd still be running like the cowardly cunt you are.

"Cunt?" He cocked his head to the side. "Why do you humans always resort to such childish and vulgar name calling. Bastard, bitch, cocksucker, fucker. Are you trying to hurt my feelings?"

Ed couldn't help the grin that appeared on his face. "Obviously I have, if you've finally decided to stop running. What's a matter, gotten lazy?"

The pale figure stepped forward, his robe seeming to flow around him. "To be honest, yes. This game of ours has been fun, but I'm starting to grow weary. There are far better ways in which I could concentrate my time on this mortal plane."

Edward's grin faded. The time for humor was over. The demon had stopped running and called him here, it could only be for one reason. Only one of them was walking out of here alive.

The demon's smile left his quartz colored face and a neutral look took over. "Please Edward, don't look so tense." He then walked over to a fallen stone pillar and sat down. "There's no reason why we can't sit and talk like reasonable men before we try to kill each other like animals. You have indeed come to kill me, have you not?"

"I did." Ed's eyes never left his gaze.

The corners of the pale demon's lips twitched. "No doubt you will try your best. But perhaps you should stop and think about this for a moment, Edward. You've been chasing after me for many years. In that time you've seen what I've done, what I'm capable of. The chances of a mere human such as yourself defeating me is quite improbable. Do you really wish to still fight me with the odds stacked so highly against you?"

To be honest, Ed didn't know if he could beat the monster in front of him. The amount of lives lost to this creature over the last nine years were beyond counting. He had created abominations like the chimeras. He'd made twisted deals with weak willed humans only to stab them in the back. He'd slaughtered entire villages just for his own amusement. The worst offense was the war that the demon had orchestrated between the kingdom of Amestris and the neighboring province of Ishval. He had possessed an Amestrian soldier and forced him to kill an Ishvalan child. The following conflict had resulted in the near massacre of the entire Ishvalan population. Edward had given up trying to figure why the demon committed these horrible acts a long time ago. It appeared he simply enjoyed manipulating humans and causing as much chaos as possible.

For nine years Ed had followed a trail of death, mutilation, suffering, and pain. All of which had led to this moment at the edge of the world.

"It doesn't matter what I wish to happen. I summoned you, demon. I brought you into this world, so it's my responsibility to destroy you or die trying in the process."

"Very dramatic." The demon chuckled. "Surely you didn't come all this way just to get revenge?"

Ed kept any flicker of emotion off his face. "No, it isn't." His heart was beating wildly in his chest. This was it, the moment of truth. For nine years he'd been hunting the demon. For nine years he'd been searching for not only him, but an answer to the question that haunted Edward day and night.

"Let me guess. You're also here for your brother?" White lips curled into a grin.

Edward's features darkened, his face twisting into a mask of rage. "Give him back!"

For a long moment the demon stared at him, seemingly incredulously. Eventually a chuckle escaped him, it quickly turned into a laugh. "You want your brother?" He asked.

"Give him back, demon!" Ed pointed the sword right at the bastard's heart.

The pale man shook his head. "Are you truly this naive, or have you just been lying to yourself all these years?"

"What are you talking about?" Ed growled as the cold knife of dread cut through him. 'Does that mean that Izumi was right? No, it can't be. He can't be gone just like that!' But Ed already knew. A part of him had always known, but the rest of him had simply refused to admit it.

"Tsk tsk. So ignorant." The demon sighed. "Though I do understand your persistence. How could you live with yourself if you didn't at least try?" The pale man shook his head before continuing. "When I took your brother I consumed him, body and soul. All of his thoughts, muscles, and spirit became a part of me. Within my being are the souls of countless mortals who've I've consumed over the years. Thousands, perhaps millions. Men, women, and children alike. I've consumed them all! Nothing remains of their existence but small specs of energy. That is all your brother is now, do you want that back?"

The demon raised his right hand. Red electricity crackles from it before a small tear drop sized white orb emerged. For a mere moment, the small orb of light hovered above his palm before it evaporated in the wind.

"Oops." The demon chuckled. "It appears that I've lost him."

Blood was pounding in Ed's head as he body practically shook from the rage boiling inside of him. All of the pain, the suffering; it was building to this moment. His vision had gone bright red.

"You…" He could barely talk through his clenched teeth. "You cocksucker!"

"Ah, so we're back to name calling?" The demon smirked.

Ed flung his red cape back and dug his hand into the satchel at his belt. Quickly he grasped the rounded object inside, uncapped the fuse and flung it at the demon. The pale figure only had enough time to arch an eyebrow before the object exploded, bathing the creature in flames.

Although his vision was now obscured by smoke and dust, Ed still charged forward. He wasn't going to give this bastard a second's rest. Dust and smoke blocked his vision, yet Edward still knew where his opponent was. With enough force to slice through stone, he swung his mighty weapon down upon the burning demon's head.

Except there wasn't a head, or anything at all, for him to hit. Ed's blade cut through the empty air and buried itself in the ground.

"What…!" Ed pulled his sword from the ground when the air around him turned red. Suddenly a force that could only be described as superhuman slammed into his back. Edward was sent flying forward, but was able to recover and ended up landing on his knees. As he skidded to a halt Edward saw the pale man standing twenty feet to his right. His white robe showed no sign that the fire had touched it. In fact he looked completely unharmed.

"Did you really think that parlor trick would work?" The demon arched a white eyebrow. "Disappointing."

Edward snarled like an angry beast. Pulling two knives from his belt, Ed sent them spinning through the air towards the pale man. The demon casually raised his hand. Sparks of red energy shot from his fingertips and zapped the knives out of the air. The two blades exploded on impact.

Edward's opponent then turned toward him with a smirk. Ed ground his teeth before charging forward again. Despite his size and armor, Edward moved extraordinarily quickly. When he was within striking range Ed swung at the demon's neck, aiming to sever it. Once again, the pale man vanished, seeming to melt into the earth. The demon then emerged from the earth several meters away. Before Edward could attack again he saw the ground around him begin to shift.

Suddenly the earth shot up at him, forming itself into a giant fist of rock and soil. Edward brought his arms together to shield his chest. The impact dented the armor on his forearms and pushed him back several meters. Ed groaned to himself feeling the pain of the blow echo up and down his arms. No doubt the impact would have cracked several ribs if he hadn't blocked it.

'Dammit.' Ed thought. 'He'll blast any long range attack I do out of the air.' He glanced down at his sword. 'I can't really count on striking him either, he'll just teleport out of harm's way.'

Suddenly the demon raised his hand again. This time pointed towards Edward. Red sparks shot out like lightning bolts. Thinking fast Ed threw himself to the side as the wall behind him exploded. He hit the ground rolling, just barely avoiding a second bolt. Quickly jumping back on his feet, Ed ran towards the nearest ruin. He dove inside the ancient building just as another bolt of red lightning struck the side sending rubble and dust everywhere.

"Hmm, it would appear that you are now the one fleeing from me. Rather ironic, isn't it Edward? The hunter has become the hunted." His accursed laughing echoed throughout the empty building.

'I'd give my other arm for him to shut up!' Edward ground his teeth. This was not going well for him at all. Glancing out of what used to be a window, he saw the demon standing casually in the clearing. The pale man now had the upper hand in this fight. He was simply waiting for Edward to make the next move.

'Damn him. Damn him to the lowest pit of hell!' Ed cursed. He glanced down at his sword that he'd somehow been able to keep a grip on. At first glance it would seem perfectly normal, but a closer look would reveal a light blue hue surrounding it.

"This is old magic, I've never had to use it. Few magic users have ever used it. There is no guarantee that this enchantment will work against him, Edward."

That is what Izumi Curtis told him when he'd gone to her for the spell. His sword had been given a special enchantment to fight the demon. One that would make the fucker bleed, and if he could bleed then he could be killed.

"I just need to get one chance. One good hit and it's all over." Edward muttered to himself. 'It'll finally be over.'

Suddenly the building around him exploded. Rubble and debris flew through the air as Edward was thrown to the ground. His armor took the brunt of the impact, but it still left the swordsman rattled.

"Sorry if that caught you off guard. But I was growing rather tired of waiting for you."

Just as Edward started rising to his feet he was again knocked to the side by an unseen force. His already bruised body slammed into a fallen stone pillar. Blood filled Ed's mouth and he had to cough it up or risk choking. Suddenly the invisible hand once again grabbed a hold of him and lifted Edward into the air. In his disoriented state Ed allowed his sword to slip through his fingers.

"My, you look quite ridiculous right now Edward." The pale man chuckled. "What do you humans call those silly things at parties? Ah yes, a pinata."

The demon was about thirty feet away, looking up at him. With a flick of its fingers Edward was flung to the right. He crashed into a crumbled wall, completely shattering the weak structure. Ed grunted when he hit the ground. His ribs were screaming at him, and blood dripped down the side of his face from a fresh cut.

"What do you do to pinatas again? Oh I remember, you hit them until they break."

The giant hands grabbed Edward's limp form and lifted him about six feet in the air. Ed remained suspended for a few moments before he was sent crashing to the ground in crumpled heap of armor and bruised limbs.

"So tell me, Edward. How long until you break?"

Edward opened his eyes and saw the demon was now standing only two feet away from him. That accursed smirk was still on his opponent's alabaster face.

"It's going to take a lot more than that." Edward growled defiantly, despite his vulnerable position.

"No doubt it would." The demon bent down slightly, so that their faces were closer. "You don't fear pain or death do you? No, physical pain is nothing to you."

While the demon was prattling on, Ed reached under his cloak. His hand closed around his small crossbow. It felt slightly bent, but was still workable. Knowing that an arrow was already loaded into it, Edward quickly pulled it out and fired at the demon.

Except he never got that far as the crossbow was blasted out of his hand by red lightning. The next bolt hit Edward on his back. An animalistic scream of pain left his throat. Despite the layer of armor he wore, he could still feel it's heat. It felt like fire burning his skin.

The demon blasted him again, the force of the hit knocking Edward onto his back. His cloak was tanged over his armored body. No doubt it was an embarrassing sight. "Fuck!" Ed hissed as he tried to push himself up. However it seemed that the demon's attacks had taken their tolls on his body. His arms gave out and the Fullmetal Warrior fell back on the ground.

"Starting to feel tired, Edward." The demon taunted as he calmly made his way over to him. "That little crossbow was a rather pathetic attack, but I do admire your spirit. You humans will fight until your last breath, clawing and biting until the bitter end. No matter how futile the situation is you never give up. I'm not sure whether to call that bravery or blind stupidity. "

"I won't stop until there's nothing left of you!" Ed growled, rolling onto his stomach. This movement hid his left hand underneath the tangled cloak, allowing him to feel around on his belt. Eventually he found the sachet that carried his arrows.

"Strong words from a beaten man." The demon cackled. "I truly can't tell if you're incredibly ignorant or simply delusional."

"I've often asked myself that as well." Edward coughed out a mouthful of blood and gave a weak grin. "Haven't come up with an answer yet."

The pale man's smile was small yet sinister. "You poor human. You grin and act witty, yet you are nothing but an insect to me. It is almost incredible how easily I can destroy you. I could have killed you a dozen times over by now, but I haven't."

"Getting soft." Edward spat. Underneath his cloak Ed pulled four of his small arrows out of the satchel.

"No." The demon chuckled. "I once observed a human child with a mouse. The boy had the mouse trapped in a box. He would poke and prod it with a stick. He would stop tormenting the small creature for a few moments only to start again. He seemed to take great enjoyment in the mouse's pain. Perhaps I am the small child and you are the mouse."

"Are you going to poke me with a stick?" Edward said dryly. He subtly glanced down at the demon's exposed feet. His left hand placed three of the arrows on the ground underneath his cloak, but kept one firmly in grasp.

Any second now.

"No, nothing so simple. As I said you don't fear physical pain." The demon's eyes flashed red. "But psychological pain is another matter. I love the image that you project. The emotionless, and hardened warrior with nothing left to lose. But you do have something to lose, don't you Edward?"

Edward paused and kept his left arm underneath his cloak. What was this creature talking about now?

The pale man's smile deepened. "You tried your best to cut off all weak links to your past. But you kept Winry."

Edward's jaw dropped, his eyes widened. "How do…" The fearless swordsman was gone. Ed felt legitimate and deep seated fear blossoming inside of him. "What have you done to her, MONSTER!"

The demon chuckled. "Nothing yet, but I've been considering paying her a visit for a few years now. Perhaps I'll-"

Whatever threat the demon was going to make was silenced when Edward's left arm flew out from under him. Before the pale man could even blink, Ed stabbed the arrow deep into his left foot.

Getting his sword enchanted by Izumi wasn't the only preparation he had done in Dublin. Edward had also gotten his arrows blessed by a local priest and then bathed them in holy water. The arrowheads themselves were made out of former iron crucifixes. He'd been told by many persons over the years that the best way to kill a demon was either with magic or the power of God. He decided to use both of them.

The reaction was instantaneous. The demon's pale skinned burned on contact with the arrowhead. Black smoke rose from the wound and a foul stench filled the air as the skin began to slowly dissolve away.

"Arrghh!" The demon's eyes widened. In a flash Edward grabbed the three remaining arrows and lunged at the despicable creature in front of him, burying the arrows into its neck. The demon let out a twisted howl of agony. Red lightning shot out of his fingertips in random directions.

The pain on the pale man's face was only matched by his utter shock. Edward grinned darkly. The demon must have thought himself invincible, his arrogance was astounding. Ed had been counting on that. He'd been hoping that the demon's vanity would overwhelm its need for survival.

"You like that, monster!" He spat, twisting the arrows in the demon's neck until they snapped. The arrows heads remained embedded within the creature. The pale skin on its neck started to blacken and burn. More red lightning shot from the demon's hands, but he was in too much pain to properly aim. Pulling his right arm back, Edward slammed his fist into his opponent's face. His nose shattered on impact. There was no red blood that sprouted forward, but a strange black mist. It didn't matter what it was as the demon fell on its back.

Edward chuckled as he watched his hated enemy writhed and twisted on the ground. His damn irritating composure had finally broken. Now Ed could see the pale man for what it truly was. Despite the white cloak and calm demeanor, it was nothing more than a pagan demon. His face contorted in unnatural shapes as smoke continued to billow from the two deep wounds. The skin around them blistered and dissolved as the his unholy skin reacted to the blessed items.

"I have been waiting years for this moment." Ed grinned before walking over to grab his fallen sword. "I'm going to enjoy this."

The demon saw him coming and tried to raise his right hand to blast Edward. He was too late as Ed lunged forward. With a single slash of his sword the demon's hand was severed. More black mist sprouted from the new stump as the demon's screams only intensified. Edward raised the sword again before bringing it down on the demon's left arm.

A howl left the monster as his left arm was cut off at the shoulder. The pale limb fell to the earth and dissolved into mist within moments.

"Curse you, Elric!" The demon bellowed. His white shell was starting to crack and peel away. Soon midnight black skin and multiple red eyes started to become visible.

"Too late for that." Edward said before lifting his broadsword and then stabbing it down, impaling the demon through its chest area. This only set the creature into further spasms and howling.

"What? No more monologuing?" Edward taunted. "Aren't you going to say how I'm just a puny human?" He twisted the large blade within the demon. Black must sprung up from the wound.

"AAAGHHH!" The demon continued to contort until it moved into something resembling the fetal position. Several moments passed before its growling stopped and a low chuckle was heard.

Edward tensed at the sound. He readied himself for anything.

"Go ahead." The demon spat. "Kill me. Take your revenge. But it'll do you no good. You can't recover what is lost forever. You'll never see your brother again. At least that thought brings me joy."

Edward glared down at the demon, his posture tense and unmoving.

"It's all your fault anyways. You summoned me. I may have killed your brother, but you are the one who got him killed. All because you got lonely and wanted to see your mommy again. Live with that, Edward Elric." Despite the pain, the demon started to chuckle as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. "You opened the door and I answered. Remember that! Go tell your precious Winry that you failed!"

Edward saw red. How dare he say her name! Pulling the sword out of its midnight black body, Ed lifted the blade before swinging it back down onto the demon. The sword sliced through the creature's right shoulder, more black mist exploded from it. The demon resumed its writhing and screaming as Ed wrenched the sword out. With thundering fury, he swung it back down again.

And again…

…and again.

Until there truly was nothing left of the demon.

It was over.

OoO

OoO

The present day; the Rockbell farm:

Edward watched as Winry knelt down and placed the blue flowers at the foot of the grave. He found himself admiring the way his lover moved. She lowered the bouquet in a gentle and caring way, as if the ground beneath was sacred. In a sort of way it was, for the two of them at least.

Carved into the grave was the name Tricia Elric.

When the two of them had awoken this morning he had been afraid that it would be uncomfortable. The previous night they had gone from friends to lovers. So far everything seemed fine. Yet Edward was worried that Winry might have second thoughts upon having a few hours to think about it.

It wasn't that he doubted her love. No, he doubted himself. Was he truly worthy of her affection? She could have had any young man, yet Winry had chosen him. Despite her repeated assurances and declarations from the previous night, and this morning, Ed still found himself second guessing everything.

"Edward?"

Her gentle voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Winry was looking at him with her arms crossed and a amused expression on her face. "Stop that."

"Stop what?" Edward frowned confused.

"Stop thinking negative thoughts, dummy. Your right eye always twitches when you're thinking negatively."

Edward cocked his head. "Am I really that easy to read?"

"Only to me." She chuckled, turning back to his mother's grave. "So stop worrying. I'm not going anywhere."

Edward found himself smiling bemused at her words. He really was an open book to her. Walking forward Ed came to a stop right next to his love. A sudden breeze blew past them causing Winry to shiver in her light dress. Edward wrapped an arm securely around her waist and pulled her against him. Winry smiled and leaned into his taller frame. For a few minutes the two of them enjoyed how their bodies seemed to fit together perfectly.

"We should head back to the house now, it's starting to get chilly out here." Ed offered eventually, noticing that the breeze was picking up.

"You sure?" Winry asked.

"Yeah. Don't want you to catch a cold." Ed said as he gazed at the grave. 'See you later Mom.'

The two of them started to make their way back towards the Rockbell homestead. Winry was leaning against Edward as they walked. Feeling her curves against him made Ed think back to when they had woken earlier in a tangle of limbs. That memory also caused a stirring in his lower body, particularly in a certain anatomy part.

"Hey Edward?"

Ed shook away his hormonal thoughts and turned towards her. "Yes, Win?"

Winry chewed her lower lip, which was far more enticing than it should have been. Ed was struck by how even the most simple of actions by her could entrance him.

"I was thinking...do you want to make a gravestone for Alphonse?" She asked with slight hesitation.

Edward's eyes widened, his body grew stiff.

His reaction made Winry nervous. "I was just thinking that maybe it could help-"

Whatever Winry was going to say was cut off as she was pulled into a tight yet warm hug by Edward. After a few moments he pulled back to look at her.

She seemed to be practically glowing in the morning sunlight. Her beautiful blonde locks was tied with a braid, exposing the pale skin of her neck. His eyes soon landed on the purple love bites that marked her throat. There were a few of them, signaling their love making from the previous night. Immediately Edward felt his desire start to rise again.

Edward suddenly pulled Winry against him, pressing his hard and aroused body against her softer one. "I want you." He murmured into her ear before nipping it. "I need you, now." Winry let out a gasp that turned into a moan as his mouth once again descended onto her neck.

"Edward…ah…we're…outside! Wait oh!"

Now his hands were active, his metal one gently massaging her breasts while his flesh hand traveled to the heat between her legs. It only took a few moments before any apprehension on Winry's part was gone. Before either of them knew it, they were both sprawled on the ground. Winry's dress was pulled up to her waist while Ed's trousers were pulled down.

"I swear to god, Edward." Winry moaned as she wrapped her leg tightly around his waist. "If someone sees us out hear I will kill you myself."

Edward grinned at the threat before leaning to down to kiss her deeply. His lover eagerly responded before they broke off for air. Seeing nothing but lust and love in Winry's eyes, Ed positioned himself before sliding home.

OoO

OoO

Later in the day Edward found himself sitting on the stoop leading up to the Rockbell front door. In the distance the sun was setting, casting a collage of red across the sky. Laying next to him on the lowest step was Den who had fallen asleep.

It had truly been a crazy last 24 hours for them. In that time Edward had returned home just in time to save Winry from bandits, carried a dead former friend and romantic rival back to town, after that he had broken down and confessed to Winry the reason for his return. Following that the unexpected happened, Winry didn't hate him. Instead Winry did what she always did, which was to fix him. In that moment he finally confessed his long buried feelings for her. Edward had never thought that she could possibly return his love, but she did. Primal instincts then took hold of them in a long night of passion and carnal pleasure.

The sex had been, to put it simple, amazing. Both last night and their quickie several hours earlier. He had fantasized about having her for years, but the real experience was beyond even his most creative dreams. Her warm muscles had gripped him perfectly. Her curvy body had been memorizing as she writhed in pleasure beneath him. Winry's moans put even the voices of angels to shame, so beautiful and erotic.

Edward had done his best to be gentle with her the previous night, it had been her first time after all. Unfortunately it had not been his first time. There had been other women throughout the years, no more than a handful. The years had been rough and lonely. There had been times when he'd needed the comfort of another human. None of them had meant anything to Edward, simply one night stands. It wasn't until two years earlier when Ed truly discovered that his feelings for Winry were no longer platonic. After that he no longer sought out other women, though he doubted Winry would ever love him back. Yet he could never bring himself to lay with another woman. It would have felt like he was betraying her, even though they were not together back then. Edward didn't plan on telling Winry about the other women, yet he hoped that one day he would. It might hurt Winry to hear that she wasn't his first. But he loved her and her only. She was the only thing in this world that mattered to him now. He'd make Winry knew that before he told her.

At the moment Winry was busy in the smithy. After returning from Tricia's grave, and the sudden love making in the middle of the road, the two of them had lunch before a messenger arrived. Apparently one of the noblemen from Resembool had somehow lost his sword during the storm and was requesting a new one. Ever the attentive blacksmith, Winry immediately got to work. She'd been at it for almost an hour. With nothing else to do for the time being, Edward decided to check on his own sword.

'But why?' Edward thought. The hand holding the grindstone paused. 'Who do I still need to fight?' He glanced around the surrounding landscape. Despite the storm and bandits from yesterday, the calm atmosphere had returned. 'There will be more bandits, and the occasional wild animal. But I doubt it will be any more then that. No more cultists, psychotic mass murderers, warlords, chimeras, or demons to kill.'

Edward lifted his heavy weapon and placed it carefully on the ground nearby. His flesh hand scratched his chin thoughtfully. "What am I to do with my time?" Ed muttered to himself almost jokingly. This woke Den up. The old dog lifted his head to look at Ed curiously.

"Well, do you have any ideas, boy?" Edward asked the canine dryly. "I've spent the last nine years of my life doing one thing, trying to survive. I-" A floorboard creaking suddenly echoed from inside. Ed paused as he listened to Winry enter the kitchen. Knowing that she could hear him, Edward continued to talk.

"I spent years sleeping under trees or in the rain. I bet you know what that's like, Den. Sometimes I would go days without any real food. At first I was terrified about a lot of thing. Starving, being killed by bandits, getting eaten by wild animals, shit like that. But then it got easier, I started to become numb to it all." Ed paused again as he heard Winry's movements in the kitchen stop. A part of Edward was kicking himself for being unable to properly talk to her. Instead here he was, talking to Den while Winry listened in on them. Hopefully in time, it would be easier for him to be more open.

"Somewhere along the line I stopped being afraid of death. It just didn't frighten me anymore. I also stopped being afraid of killing people." Edward became tense as hundreds of faces suddenly appeared before him. He recognized every single one of them. "The first one was some cut throat who tried to rob me while I slept. I didn't want to kill him, but it was either him or me. After that it just started getting easier. The justification for every kill was that I was doing it for a right cause." He let out a humorless chuckle. "I told myself that killing these people was necessary because I had to get Alphonse back. They were in my way and it had to be done. Well, that didn't really work out in the end." That last sentence was muttered bitterly. "But…I suppose that I was able to help some people along the way. At least I did some good, for what it was worth."

Floorboards creaked as Winry walked closer, now she was practically behind him with only a wooden door separating them. Den continued to stare up at Ed, his head cocked slightly to the side. Edward reached down and scratched behind the dog's left ear.

"I don't know what I'm trying to get across. Hell, there's a lot of things that I don't know." Edward glanced at the broadsword lying within arm's reach. "I don't know when I'll have to use this sword again. I don't know what I'm going to do now that I'm back home. I…" Ed paused as he heard the front door being slowly opened. "I had a purpose, a quest. But now all of that is over. And I don't know what to do."

Edward went quiet, his words hanging in the air. He didn't have to turn around to know that Winry was standing in the now open doorway. For long seconds he waited for her to do something whether it be yell at him or call him stupid. But Winry said not a word as she closed the door before stepping down next to Ed, Den quickly moving. The blonde blacksmith sat down to Edward's left side. Neither of them moved or said a word until she placed a small hand on his remaining flesh one. This prompted Edward to turn and gaze at his lover. Winry offered him a small, but captivating smile before resting her head on his shoulder. Ed quickly moved to accommodate her weight, wrapping his arm around her slim waist. Their hands entwined as they leaned against each other. Like two pillars seeking support.

Edward stared at her face, enraptured by how the setting sun illuminated her features. At that moment nothing else mattered but her. His sword, the one constant traveling companion of his life lay mere feet away. But Edward would give it up without a second thought for her. She was the light at the end of every storm. His anchor. His love. He had made Winry wait for years, now he'd spend the rest of his making it up to her. He would cherish her and love her until their final days.

Finally she spoke.

"We'll figure it out, together. Whatever happens, we'll always have each other. Right?"

Her optimistic tone aroused genuine hope within him.

"Of course." Edward replied. And he meant it.

The End.

OoO

OoO

It was nice to finally use Father in a story. I wrote the first chapter for this story almost two years ago. I had forgotten about it until recently and decided to finish it. I'm pretty happy with how it came out.

Thank you for all those who reviewed and enjoyed this story. Some of you might be wondering when Kingdom will be updated, I'll do my best to upload the next chapter within a few weeks.

Mediafan out.