She was more beautiful than ever when she was in his arms.

They were back at Ling's palace – one of the best bedrooms, of course – and he wasn't sure how they'd gotten into this position, but he didn't care.

He could see the serenity on her face and he smiled, running his fingers through her hair.

Winry was safe.

Paninya had been found too and was recovering.

It more or less down to his contacts, really. After Ed had rung Mustang that one day, the Fuhrer had dispatched a fleet of his finest military recruits to help rescue the young kidnapped Amestrian girl.

He never abandoned his comrades in the state of battle.

Ling was the same. As soon as Ed had sped out of the palace, he'd ordered some of his soldiers to follow him; the battle that ensued meant that the Fullmetal Alchemist's life – and that of his mechanic – were saved.

The moment that everything was over, Ed had carefully unfurled his arms from around the one that he'd risked everything to protect and took a long look into her eyes.

The blaze wasn't anger anymore; it was love.

And she saw it.

It was only now, back at the palace, her fully-dressed body lying against his, that she finally accepted it.

Winry's eyes opened once more and Ed jumped, his hand by her face pausing, suddenly aware that she was awake.

His mouth opened to speak but her finger was already there, quieting him completely; her hand moved away and her mouth took his.

He'd known all along that he'd been waiting for this moment.

And as he kissed her back, the earrings on her ears finally started to glint again.

The next few months were spent helping Ling tackle the slave trade in Xing and helping Winry recover.

The black market was in chaos but hundreds of girls' lives were saved as the Emperor Yao sent his soldiers in and told any girl that wanted to come out of the slave trade could train in a special part of the army under his bodyguard's care.

He also issued a warning to any slave traders out there that it was unlawful for any human being to take another one's rights away from them, and declared them banished from Xing if caught.

Meanwhile, back in Amestris, Ed was lying on his bed in his Central apartment with Winry by his side.

She was asleep - seemingly - her head nestled up against his arm and her breath gently tickling his neck, one hand curled around his back and the other resting at his chest; he didn't have the heart to wake her so he watched, almost in awe as the flawlessness of the whole scene in front of his eyes.

It was just him and her.

Al was off in Xing - safe, of course - visiting Mei in her clan and exploring unknown areas. Ed didn't think too hard about that last bit.

He focused once again on the body resting against his and carefully raised his arm, studying the rays of sunshine trickling through his fingers as he ran his hand through her hair.

Part of him shuddered as he thought that, if he hadn't reached her in time, she might not look so pure anymore.

Beside him, Winry murmured, and opened her eyes.

"Ed...?"

His breath hitched for a moment as azure gems fluttered open and he grinned slightly, tugging her closer.

"Afternoon, sleepy."

The blonde turned slightly to glance out the nearby window and groaned, rolling over against him again. Outside, the sun was setting the sky aflame with colour; late afternoon sinking into evening.

"I wasn't really asleep..." She protested and Ed kept up his movements of his hand running through her hair, marvelling at the orange reflecting off the yellowy-gold he found there.

It wasn't until she spoke again that he finally stopped- in fact, it made him freeze.

"It's exactly three months today..."

He knew what she meant exactly, as soon as she said it. Three months to the day that she was taken from him. That she was kidnapped.

Ed sighed and pulled her closer, nestling his nose in her hair.

"I know... But it's okay. I'm not letting you go anywhere without me next time."

His voice was the confirmation that she needed.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, you know." Her voice dropped to a murmur and he smiled, continuing to hug her close.

"I promised myself that if you rescued me, you could have me."

It took him a moment to realise what she had said.

"Have you?" Ed's voice was quieter than usual, filled with confusion.

"All of me. I was thinking that... because I was obviously going to be a slave in that sort of area... it wasn't right... for me not to choose who took it from me. And I decided... if it had to be anyone... it would be you."

Her head inclined upwards with questioning, only to find that her alchemist's cheeks had flushed bright red.

"Y-You mean-?" She could feel his heart thumping quicker against his rib cage, amusing her.

Nestling down again, she ignored his question, closing her eyes once more. "Just letting you know that you can have me."

Ten seconds later, his lips were against hers, and by the next morning, she felt utterly and simply... complete.

Whatever else that had been taken away from her had been restored.

AN: THE END.

I can't write lemons. I kept thinking about it and I can't. Maybe one day...

...Sigh.

Sorry if the ending is disappointing. Might add more to it... one day...

ALSO I ACTUALLY MANAGED TO FINISH A FANFIC. GO ME.

Reviews/comments are awesome and you are awesome if you're reading this. Believe it.