Disclaimer: If I owned FMA, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. No, I lie; I probably still would be. Because I'm weird like that. Also I'm tired.
AND IT ALL ENDS HERE!
All the drama comes to an end in the final part of 'Under the Roses'. What will happen? Read on to find out!
But first….
I dedicate this final installment to several people: Mi amiga Ashley, who practically yanked the story out of me to begin with (and threatened to lock me in a basement whenever I considered giving up), My vunderbar beta reader and bestest pally Char, EVERYONE who reviewed; you lot make me feel loved, AngolMoaChan, for drawing fanart for me (the link's at the end of the chappie!), and to my poor abused floppy disk, who never gave up on me.
Sorry it's so short - there just wasn't all that much to finish. And I wrote this chapter in about forty-five minutes during chemistry one day.
EPILOGUE: UNDER THE ROSES
Winry sighed as she finished unpacking the last of the clothing she had brought to Central. The green dress was lying at the bottom of the bag still. She had offered to return it, but Ed had refused, telling her to keep it. She appreciated it, but she really had no idea what to do with it now that she had it home.
In the end, she decided to just leave it there, and walked over to the window. It was getting late; the sun would be setting in an hour or so. Winry sighed again, walked out of her room, and down the stairs. She would take a walk, to clear her head.
She was walking along the streets of the town idly when out of the store in front of her walked the person Winry least expected to see.
Scarlett winced when she saw Winry, and walked quickly the other way. Winry suddenly felt a wave of guilt, and ran until she caught up.
"I'm sorry I threw Al's watch at you!" She blurted out. "I shouldn't have—you weren't doing anything wrong." Scarlett stopped walking, and smiled at Winry.
"I don't blame you—I would have done the same thing. Jealousy does strange things to people. What happened with him, by the way? Did you two ever even notice that you were standing under the roses?" Winry nodded.
"Yes." Scarlett raised her eyebrows.
" . . .and . . .?" She prompted.
"Nothing happened. Nothing's been happening, and ever since that stupid speech he won't so much as look at me!" Winry exclaimed, giving in to tears of frustration. Scarlett put a comforting arm around her and led her to a bench in the park, which was right across the street. They sat down, and Scarlett handed Winry a handkerchief to dry her eyes with.
"Why don't you tell me about it?"
"It's a long story."
"I've got time."
And so Winry found herself pouring her heart out to a girl she didn't really know. Scarlett listened attentively the entire time, and thus Winry was compelled to tell her everything.
"Thank you so much for listening," She told Scarlett when her story was over. "It's so nice to be able to talk to someone who isn't conspiring with Al." Scarlett bit her lip.
"About that . . . I have a confession to make."
"What is it?"
"Well . . . all of the stuff that happened at the carnival? Al asked me to do it. Believe me, I never would have taken Ed from you otherwise." Winry was shocked.
"Al . . . asked you to?" She repeated, and Scarlett nodded. Winry jumped to her feet. "That meddling little—"
"Hey," Scarlett interjected, "he was just trying to give you two a push in the right direction. A push that you badly needed, in my opinion."
"It didn't make a difference." Winry said miserably. "Nothing did."
"No, it didn't." Scarlett said bluntly, 'And I hope you include yourself in that statement as well." Winry looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that if you want something, you can't just sit around and wait for it. You have to do something about it."
"Like what?" Winry asked, "There is no . . ." Then she spotted the gazebo.
The flowers from the last night of the carnival were still there, draped over the roof. No one had removed them because they only added to the park's beauty. She jumped to her feet and ran off towards the gazebo. Scarlett, after a while, followed.
Where is it . . .? Winry thought, when she got to the gazebo. Aha! She looked up, and saw them—the flowers she and Ed had stood under a week or so ago. Scarlett ran up beside her, and immediately realized what Winry's plan must be.
"Great idea," She told Winry, "But how on earth are you going to get them down?"
"ED!" Ed looked up from the book he was reading upon hearing his name. The front door slammed, and Ed heard the sound of stomping on the stairway. Moments later, Winry appeared in the doorway. Was it just him, or did she look slightly green, as though she was nervous about something? She smiled faintly when she saw him.
"There you are!" She exclaimed, walking over. Ed marked his place in the book, and put it down.
"What do you want?" he asked, and she turned a shade greener.
"I just—" she took a deep breath, "I have something to show you."
"Will this take long?" He asked. He couldn't stand to be around her for very long—it hurt too much. She paled, but attempted a weak smile.
"No . . ." she said, "Come with me." And without another word, she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of his chair and out the door.
Winry was so nervous she was having trouble breathing properly. She hoped that her hand wasn't sweaty, or that if it was, Ed didn't notice.
She was at least positive that no one else would be around. Pinako knew, and was in her workshop. Scarlett had gone to the park with Al and Ginger, the cat that George had left. Winry had called Riza and practically begged her to keep Roy away by whatever means possible. Riza ha agreed, and so, unless Den wandered over, they would be completely alone.
They walked outside to the large tree where Winry had confronted Ed about the note he had given her on his first day back in Resembool. Winry led him right up to the tree, so that they stood by the trunk and under most of the branches. Rather than letting go of his hand, she took his other one as well, and stood facing him. He looked puzzled, and caught sight of the bouquet of roses that she had hung overhead.
"Winry, what—" She let go of one of his hands and pressed two fingers to his lips to silence him.
"I want another chance." She said, by way of explanation, "I'm sorry, but I just can't keep quiet about this any more." She paused, tried to read his expression, and failed. "Ed, I—I love you." He tried to say something, and she put her hand over his mouth, "Just let me finish before you tell me you never want to see me again." He made a sort of strangled sound, "I just wanted to tell you that I really, truly love you." She grinned, "It feels so good to just say it. I love you, Ed." She looked down, "But I understand if you don't feel the same way."
"Winry?" His voice was slightly muffled.
"Yes?"
"Would you move your hand, please?"
"I'm sorry; I forgot it was there." She said, and removed it. Instead of leaving, or explaining that he didn't love her, however, he placed a hand beneath her chin and tilted her head up so that she was looking at him. She didn't see much, however, before he leaned in and kissed her.
Winry had been very wrong when she had classified what had happened with George as a kiss. That was most definitely not a kiss—this was a kiss. And how on earth had Ed gotten so good at it?
When they finally broke apart, Winry's hands were tangled in Ed's hair, and his arms were tightly wrapped around her.
"I guess it goes without saying that I love you too." Ed said softly, Winry giggled.
"I take it that you noticed what we're standing under?"
"The same roses as the ones at the carnival?" Winry nodded.
"The same ones." Ed smiled, and kissed her on the forehead.
"I love you, Winry." He said again, and she smiled.
"I love you, too." She told him, before pulling away and grabbing his hand. "Come on—Al will be very upset if he isn't the first to know about this." Ed grinned back, and they began walking down the path that led to the park.
Fin
Michi: So you see, all's well that ends well!
Ed: Well . . . that was . . .
Michi: CAN'T FIND ANYTHING TO CRITICIZE, CAN YOU?
Ed: I DIDN'T SAY THAT!
Al: I can't believe you didn't put me in the epilogue!
Michi: I know you, and I wasn't about to take that chance. Anyway, it's 1:30 in the morning, so time for some sleep. Review, por favor! And don't worry- It's not all over; sequel, anyone?
LINKS:
Are not up yet. If you'll excuse me I'm going to go commit very messy suicide all over my keyboard. Gah.
They'll go up eventually! I promise!