AN: this story was fun to write I'm going to see if I can wrap all this up in this chapter but I'm not sure so bear with me there's a lot to put together for the ending. In this story I got to change around attitudes some and show a more grown up side to Edward. A sarcastic side to Al and a more different relationship between Pinako and Ed I hope you enjoyed it. Sometimes my mind goes completely off into another place.

Healing the Heart chap.27

It had been three months since Edward had left and every time Winry talked to him she could tell his mind was preoccupied with something but she couldn't put her finger on it. Al tried to reassure her that everything was fine because Edward had told Al his plans but Winry was beginning to think he wasn't coming back. Her hormones had gotten the better of her one day after work while making dinner as she turned to Al tears flowing down her cheeks while cutting carrots "Just tell me the truth Al. He's not coming back is he?" Al got a surprised look on his face "W-What are you talking about Winry? Of course he is." What Winry didn't know was Edward and Pinako had already boarded a train and they were on their way to Central at that very moment. Al looked at the clock and figured they would be there anytime now as he got up and walked over to Winry "Her give me that" He took the knife from her "I'll finish up here. Why don't you go sit down for a while?"

She stared at him thinking maybe he was right she was tired and her feet hurt. So walking out of the kitchen sniffling and watery eyes she went and sat on the couch and began to cry all over again. Al looked at the ceiling 'Oh brother you better get here soon.' He thought knowing Winry was going to completely lose it at any time. Being four months pregnant she was starting to show more now and she so wanted Edward to experience this with her. The baby had started to move around and she wanted him to feel it move in her stomach. This was all new to her, hell even her feeling s for him were new to her. She had never experienced wanting to be with someone more in her life and now the product of their becoming one was growing in her stomach. As she sat back on the couch trying to control her hormones the doorbell rang and she thought 'Who the hell that could be at such an odd hour of the day?' she got up and walked over to it. She saw Al poke his head out of the kitchen as she reached and turned the knob.

Her face went from sad to shocked as she opened it and saw Edward brandishing a bouquet of flowers down on one knee holding out a small box with the biggest grin on his face. Her Grandmother saw the shock she was in and smiled "Well dear aren't you going to say anything?" Winry shook her head because she thought she was dreaming. She had this dream so many times in the past three months she thought maybe she fell asleep on the couch. As she stared at the box he held out open she noticed the ring sitting inside of it as he stood up and walked forward.

"Winry I had a lot of time to think while I was gone. Well I thought of this before I left and bought it." Handing the flowers to Pinako as Winry's shocked stone face stared at him he took the ring from the box and took her hand and held it in front of him placing the ring slightly on the end of her finger "I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with. I'm a selfish, stubborn, ego maniac at times but I want you to know that you healed this screwed up heart of mine with your love and your smile. I can only make you one promise and that is I will love you for the rest of my life if you agree right here and now to be my wife." She was so shocked at what he'd just said her legs almost buckled under her as he caught her with one arm and the huge tears that formed in her eyes from remembering her thoughts from just moments before of him not coming back were enough to make her feel like a fool.

Pinako looked at her as she put her pipe in her mouth but didn't lit it "Well dear answer the boy." She said jokingly as Winry stared at her and reality finally set back into her brain as she computed his question 'Wife? He wants me to be his wife.' She stared up at him with softness in her eyes as she choked out a yes between sobs and he smiled and slid the ring on her finger. "OH ED!" she said finally coming to her senses as she threw her arms around his neck "I love you!" He choked out "I love you too" as she squeezed his neck so tight he thought he'd pass out.

As they sat down at dinner that night Edward began to explain to her and Al his plan of moving back to Resembool. She and Al both agreed it would be a great idea. Winry wanted her granny in the baby's life and she could work with Pinako to learn more about automail surgery and be a nurse for people around the town. Figuring it would be a wonderful place to raise their child so he or she could have a normal childhood with the hills to roam and the fresh air and beautiful countryside to play on. That's when Edward told them about the surprise of rebuilding their childhood home. Al was surprised that he had done it but he was also proud his brother had thought that far ahead. He was anxious to see the job Edward did on it and he had good memories in that house of their mother.

NOW LET'S JUMP FIVE MONTHS AHEAD

As Edward paced the floor in the hospital waiting room Al was getting dizzy just watching him "Brother, sit down before you wear a hole in the floor." Edward head snapped around to give Al an annoyed look. He was a bundle of nerves and he couldn't sit still while Winry was in so much pain. Clinching his fist at every scream she let out all he wanted to do was bust the door open and help her but he felt so helpless at this point. 'Life? Something only humans can produce. It takes to humans to make one life. It's a miracle in itself that a cell can turn into a living creature' He thought still pacing back and forth and occasionally glancing at the clock counting the hours that were going by. Finally he turned to Pinako "HOW LONG DOES THIS USUALLY TAKE?"

She looked up at him "Well squirt that depends on the baby. You were a stubborn one when your mom was in labor. I remember you didn't want to come out you held out for about six hours after her initial labor started nine hours before that." Edward was shocked he had forgotten that Pinako was the one that delivered him and Al. Sitting down next to the old lady he softly smiled "I guess we were stubborn as children." She turned to him with a straight face "You still are stubborn." Then her face softened "But I'm glad you and Winry found each other."

Just then the door opened and a nurse walked out holding a baby "Mr. Elric?" She smiled as he looked up and she walked over and tried to place the baby in his hands. Edward never holding a baby before got a horrified look on his face as she placed his hands on the baby and he protested some "Whoa. Hey. I don't know if I can-"His words were cut off by staring down at the cooing baby in his hands. The first glimpse he got of this little adorable person made his heart stop. It was like being struck by lightning as his face changed from horrified to pure amazement staring down at the buddle of joy he held so tightly but not too tightly.

"Hiiiii" He said softly in a low whisper and turning to Al he held the baby up "Look Al it's a little person with ten toes and ten fingers." He said with excitement in his voice Al smiled at his brother's amazement as the nurse turned to walk away "You have a healthy baby girl Mr. Elric." Edward's amazed facial expression went to pure love as he looked into this babies face "A girl. I have a daughter." Turing to Al his excitement went through the roof "IT'S A GIRL AL!" He said trying to hold in his excitement as Al chuckled "I heard brother now don't scare the baby." Looking down at his daughter Edward whispered in a soft voice "Yeeeeah don't scare the baby." The pure happiness that covered his face was enough to make Pinako and Al tear up some. It was like Edward was holding something so pure and innocent in his hands and he was afraid he'd break it.

As he walked over and sat down on the chair he held his daughter out in front of him in both hands cradling her head in one and the rest of her body in the other. He began to speak softly to her in a low whisper "Hi baby I'm your dad. I'm going to always be here for you. I'm going to teach you how to walk and be there to pick you up when you fall. I'll teach you about all the great wonders of the world and alchemy. I will never leave you and I will always be there to protect you." He brought his daughter closer to his face as he kissed her forehead and whispered "You will be safe in my arms forever." A tear rolled down his cheek as he turned her towards Al "That is you Uncle Al. He's going to be here for you too." Al walked over and bent down towards her as they both stared in amazement at the youngest Elric "Hi baby your dads right I'll be here for you no matter what my beautiful niece." Edward smiled at his daughter as she yawned and they both said "Awwww" at the same time as they looked at each other and smiled. Looking back to his daughter Edward moved her closer to his chest and cradled her in his arms "If anyone ever tries to hurt you me and Uncle Al here will beat them to death." Al chuckled "That's pretty extreme brother." But then she opened her beautiful blue eyes that set off her golden hair and Al fell instantly in love with his niece the way her father did. Looking down at her "Your dad's right if anyone tries to hurt you we'll beat them to death." He said with a definite tone in his voice.

Pianko walked over to Edward after his initial shock of being a parent wore off "Let me see that beautiful child while you go see your wife. I'll bring her in a minute after I show her off to Izumi and Sig who have been waiting patiently in the other room." Edward reluctant to give her over handed her to Pinako because he knew she would melt his teacher's heart. As he walked to the room and opened the door he saw Winry lying there and she smiled at him "Did you see her? Isn't she gorgeous Ed?" He smiled walking over and taking her hand, bending down he kissed her forehead "She's beautiful Winry just like you."

A MONTH LATER

Winry was breast feeding their daughter while Edward sat attentively staring at her with his hands propped on his hands lying on his stomach on the bed "I love to watch you feed her. It's amazing what your body can do." The pure excitement in his voice made her smile as he continued "You can grow a little person then bring it into the world. Then your body makes milk to feed it and nourish it. It's completely amazing!" He got a grossed out look then "I don't like milk but she seems to enjoy it right now." Winry laughed a slight laugh "Edward your brain amazes me you always think of the scientific way of child birth." He smiled staring back at his daughter "Well I have to admit you brought a miracle into the world Winry. We alchemists have been trying to figure out the way of life since alchemy came into existence and here women could do it all along. That's just the way my brain is wired." She finished feeding the baby and handed her to her father and leaned over and kissed his cheek "I love your scientific brain Edward it's what makes you….you." cradling his daughter Alexis in his arms he smiled down at her as she smiled at him. Edward realized he was responsible for this little person for the rest of her life and the love that filled his heart was a love that only a father could feel. I made him wonder did their father feel this way about them and if he did how come he let himself to walk out on his children. It was a question that haunted him for years even after the twins were born a year later. They were two boys Anthony and Alex and they were the spitting image of their father with the attitudes to match.

They had moved back to Resembool a year after that when Winry got her license. Sitting on the front porch of their house he watched his children play in the yard.

'Yeah life is good' he thought as he stood up to go play with his children he realized that there must have been something in their father's life to pull him from them. But he knew in his heart that there was nothing that important that would ever pull him from his children. 'Children are precious and the future of our society. The ones who make us want to get up in the morning to watch them discover the new things in life' looking at his boys as he walked out to them they were holding a grasshopper looking at it in amazement and he chuckled 'Even if it's a strange looking bug' Bending down he began to explain how all life is connected and how people are connected to that circle of life. The twins stared at him because they thought their father was the smartest man. Alexis came running over to her father "Daddy we take walk." He took her hand and began to walk the three out to a meadow as the boys argued back and forth between each other. But in that meadow Edward felt like his life had come full circle as he watched Alexis pick flowers for mommy and the boys chase bugs to find new interesting species.

I hope you liked this story because alas it has come to an end and no there won't be another chapter I got it all in here. Thank you for reading and remember don't take parenthood lightly it's a full time job and requires all your attention and time. The little person you make has to become the future for us so teach them well and teach them life.