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Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Half the time the world is ending,

Truth is I am done pretending.

Love Remains the Same - Gavin Rossdale

"Right, I'll be there soon, and don't tell... No, not even May." Edward chuckled, hanging up the phone on his brother, Alphonse. There was a loud whistle outside followed by clanks and clatters of the a train pulling away from the Resembol station.

Ed walked outside, feeling the calm wind blow through his golden hair. His brown trench coat blew with it as he made his way down a long dirt path. It had been two years since he had walked this path. He had headed west while Al had gone opposite, east. After two years of traveling and learning, Ed decided it was time to return home, at least for a little while.

Up ahead he saw a house, the house he has called home since the death of Trisha Elric, his mother. Smoke spurted from the chimney, creating warmth in the home which he couldn't wait to enter.

Just a few feet from home, Edward heard the excited bark of Den as the black and white mutt bounded out of the house to greet him. Ed grinned and knelt down to pet the happy pup when another excited voice caught his ears.

"Brother!"

"Hey, Al!" Like Ed, Al had also just returned home after adventuring foreign countries. Alphonse had been with May in the country of Xing, across the dessert, studying another form of Alchemy, Alkahestry. Alkahestry was used from medical purposes, as opposed to Alchemy, which was used mostly for military reasons in Amestris.

"Hi Ed!" Edward turned to the young Xingese girl coming out of the house. Al hadn't changed much since Ed last saw him but May, on the other hand was very different, despite it being only two or so years since he'd seen her. She was now just a few inches shorter than Alphonse. Edward was lucky, since Al had returned to his original body, he had started growing much more, and was actually taller than his younger brother. After years of short jokes, he finally escaped them.

"Al, May, what's going on-," a young blond stopped in the frame of the house door, a shocked expression on her easily excitable face. She grinned and ran up to Ed. "Edward!" she yelled, embracing him in a long hug. "You should have called and told me you were coming home!" she pouted, still the same old Winry they always knew, and loved.

"And ruin the surprise?" Al said with a chuckle. Winry pouted more, pretending to be upset no one told her. Truth was, she was too excited to be angry.

"You going to let me in or what?" Ed said, a light smile on his calm, but happy, face. Winry smiled back and the four friends walked into the warm home together.

"If it isn't Ed. It's about time you came home, Winry's been dying to see you." Granny Pinako said contently as she placed her hands on her hips, glad to see her family home all together again. Winry just looked away blushing furiously, making Edward smile.

"At least I grew, mini-hag." Edward's voice wasn't angry or mocking as it would have been when he was younger, it was more mature and casual now, "mini-hag" being a comment just to recall the old days in his younger years.

"You boys sure have grown." she replied, no longer a bitter insult said back due to her inability to comment on his current size, but she didn't take it as a bad thing, instead welcomed their growth. She was just happy they were still healthy, physically and mentally, after what the two had been through their whole life. Such a hard life for young boys, but their strength and care for others helped them along the way; that she knew for certain.

Ed turned to May and Al, standing close to each other. "You two dating yet?" he said simply, curiously.

"W-what?" Al stammered, not giving a straight answer. Both Al and May were blushing as much as Winry had, and they avoided awkward eye contact. Edward chuckled, feeling happy for the two. It was hard to believe Al was just a year younger than himself, seeing as though he would always be his little brother.

Edward remembered seeing Al's body, alone in the place of the gates of Truth. So weak, broken, empty. Now he could walk on his own, he could do anything he wanted.

"So how was the west? Where did you go?" Winry asked curiously as they all sat down around the dinner table as Granny Pinako prepared dinner.

"It was interesting – different." Ed started. "First I went to Aerugo, and decided to work my way up. There was honestly nothing much there, aside from a couple Alchemists who go their talents from Amestris, and I only stayed two or three months. Their culture wasn't entirely different than ours would be without alchemy. Creta was a little different, though. They had Alchemy, but used some symbols not used here in Amestris and leaned towards medical purposes, like Alkahestry. It was a peaceful country. They use transmutations like us, converting matter with the same materials, although they are much neater when using Alchemy. You almost never seen the transmutation marks. Of course, this also makes their transmutations a little slower than ours.

"As for Drachma, they are slowly gaining ways of using Alchemy for military purpose. We assume they figured out some parts of it by watching those of us at Briggs use a little Alchemy. They're a big country, sure, but Amestris was born with Alchemy, while Drachma wasn't. They can only learn so much from watching. Eventually they might catch up once they get the real gist of it." he paused a moment to think. "Although there was also Alchemy from Drachma that I had never seen before... it's hard to explain, and kind of like Mustang's alchemy, but I didn't get a chance to learn about it."

"Wow, brother, you sure went around." Al said, earning a brisk nod from May by his side in agreement.

"We only have Alkahestry in Xing. Al's getting pretty good at it!" May said excitedly, looking towards the younger brother with pride.

"That's great, Al!" Winry said, a big smile on her face. It was obvious she liked the thought of Alkahestry, especially since her parents were doctors when they were alive.

Ed ate his first Pinako-made-meal in two years with everyone, and they talked and talked, excited everyone was finally together at home. Time flew by and night was upon them, leaving everyone aside from Ed and Winry to sleep. Al slept on the couch, May in the guest room. Ed would be on the floor tonight in the living room, sadly.

"I'm really glad you're back." Winry said. "You been taking care of your automail?" she nagged half-playfully half-seriously.

"Yes, Winry. Oiled it every other night." he grunted, but still smiled. He knew had to take care of it for her, even though he had never really bothered in the first place. "Hey, I'm thinking about going down to Central to see everyone. Care to join?" he asked, hoping she would say yes. He wanted to leave soon, but he had just seen her for the first time in too long. He didn't want to leave her again.

"Central? Sounds like fun! Maybe I can drop by to say hi to Gracia and Elicia while we're there. I think I've gotten better at making apple pie." she said, to Edward's delight.

"Oh, by the way, did you go back to Rush Valley as an apprentice?" he asked, completely forgetting about her working for Garfiel. She had had so many customers before, yet she was home...

"Yeah, I went back for a few months, but Granny's getting old and I thought I'd take a break for a year. I'll go back soon, but Garfiel says I should just open up my own shop, even though he will miss having me around." Winry smiled happily. She always loved making and repairing automail, a hobby and a career. Edward has yet to understood her love for metal prosthetic limbs, but that was probably because he had to deal with having one, which used to be two. He wondered if she could handle running a shop of her own, or if she would hire others to work with her. It would be very interesting to see how it all played out.

The thought made him look to his right arm, stretching and moving his fingers. It had been years since he had gotten them back, but it was great to have the arm he was born with. He looked up to see Winry staring at him with a gentle smile. She too was happy he had his own arm back, despite her love for automail.

"We should go tomorrow." Winry said after a moment of silence, perking up at the thought of going back to central.

"Tomorrow? I just got here!" Ed exclaimed with surprise on his face.

"So? I didn't. It's actually pretty boring around here, especially since Al and May are the only other two around besides Granny." she sighed. "And Al seriously needs to ask her out or something." she groaned. Edward smiled at the thought of them in an official relationship. The two were practically made for each other, the way he saw it.

"I agree." he said with a chuckle of amusement. Another moment of silence, then, "Hey, Winry? Do I still get," he paused once more, deep in thought. He then continued with, "85%?"

Winry smiled, remembering the embarrassing but memorable moment of confession, and she couldn't help but let out a laugh. "We'll see." she mused. And with that, she left a slightly puzzled, but happy, Edward sitting by himself with only his thoughts as company.

Hey, you got through it. Congrats. And thank you!