Title: Every Now and Then
Rating: G
Pairing: thoughts of Ed/Winry, mention of Ed/OC
Reference: Post CoS
Word Count: 440
Summary: Even though Ed had been in this other world for many years, he still thought about her every now and then.

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Every Now and Then

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Every now and then he thought of her. It had been years since they'd last seen each other, and over the years Ed had moved on in this new world that he now called home. Of course he thought about his old home from time to time, thought about old comrades and a science that bordered on magic for the people of the world he now resided in.

But most often, it was her who came to mind. Sometimes simple things or actions taken by others would remind him of her. There were times he saw people and it had seemed that, at least in their features, they could have been related in some way. Sometimes he would ache where his body connected with the fake limbs, and inevitably it was her who came to mind.

And then there were times, like now, when there was no reason at all for her to invade his thoughts. Ed had simply been walking down the sidewalk, looking at the last of the falling leaves of autumn, feeling the chill of the air on his skin, smelling the odor of smoke in the air from people lighting their fireplaces to keep warm, and he'd thought of her.

He wondered how she was doing now. Had she gotten married? Surely she must have. Maybe she'd even have children. Perhaps even at this very moment, somewhere on the other side of the gate, she was teaching her sons or daughters how to build and repair automail.

Did she ever think of him, even though so many years had passed? Ed liked to think so. Even though nothing had ever been said, there had been something between them. They had been too young and shy of their feelings to act, or even to acknowledge it in some ways, but looking back with the eyes of maturity and experience, Ed knew that the feelings had been there, and eventually they could have had something.

If he had stayed...

But Ed shook that thought from his mind almost immediately. There were too many 'ifs', and thinking about them only brought pain and regret. He had done what he'd had to do, and Ed felt certain that she must have understood that.

Ed sighed and watched the slight puff of mist swirl in front of him for a moment before it dissipated. He loved his life, his wife, his children, and would never trade what he had for the rose-colored memories of his youth. His family was here, they were real, but she had been too, and he couldn't help himself from thinking about her... every now and then.