"By not telling you or anyone what we were doing we could keep you safe. People died because of us, because of what we were doing. We know it made you and the others worry. But if we had told you … we would have been responsible for your deaths. It was cowardly of us, but we were selfish, we were children, we had more important things to do. We didn't want the extra responsibility."
Winry made a choked sound. Pinako's eyes darkened. Neither had heard Ed speak so openly before.
"When we knew the terrible secrets of the Stone, still we went on. We had to. Trying to find another way, not wanting to hurt any more people than we already had. And people still died." Al slowly stood up and went to stand behind Ed. The tears dropped from his eyes but Ed's were dry.
"When we ran out of choices, all we had was each other… when we finally thought we could right our wrongs, all we had was our faith in each other. And when there was only betrayal and pain, we still could not stop. We could only go forward and we did. We couldn't even allow ourselves to hope for an afterwards because we didn't know if we would have one."
Ed fell silent as Al placed his hand on Ed's shoulder. Ed leant back against his brother and the evening light through the window limned them in gold.
Ed's voice whispered into the room as he turned his head to look at Winry. The golden eyes remained dry but his voice held all the tears he had not shed.
"Equivalent exchange had always been our belief. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. We knew the Truth that night. We died for each other that night. At purpose's end, sacrifices have to be justified and paid for. There is nothing in this world that could have stopped me or Al." Ed paused and then he smiled and it was the most honest smile Winry had ever seen on Ed's face. "We never wanted to burden you with any of our troubles. What we did, we fixed. It was our responsibility. But you have always been what we could always return to. We have always trusted you. Winry, we have always loved you and Granny. We always will."
Winry looked at them both and then covered her face as she began to cry. Al gave Ed's shoulder a squeeze before moving to kneel by Winry's chair and pulled her into his arms.
Pinako wiped her face of its silent tears and looked at the still figure of Edward. He had grown up before his time, he had shouldered burdens that would have deterred older and stronger men. He knew and understood obligations and responsibilities to others. He had sacrificed everything for what he held dear and he had done so with no regrets and a willingness so determined it was frightening. Beneath a childish façade he had hidden the maturity and pain. And now as she stood there with sorrow and acceptance in her golden eyes Pinako knew only one thing.
Edward Elric had come of age and she had done so with a grace and strength that was undeniable.
Winry slotted the silver panel into place and Edward lifted her arm and made her fingers stretch out. She swivelled the wrist and extended her elbow. Both of them listened intently and could barely hear the muted hiss of the pneumatics and smooth bearings. They grinned at each other as Winry ran a cloth over the steel to remove any fingerprints and marks from her work.
"You're good to go then Ed." Winry said now that they had finished the thorough examination the new automail. Ed nodded at her, the smile still on her face. She could feel the shoulder port ache and knew that it would do so for quite some time, but it was just an ache now and not the persistent dragging pain that it had been.
Ed picked her shirt up and slipped it on over the tank top she wore. Four weeks had brought a measure of acceptance to Ed. They all saw him as female now even though he was still not completely reconciled to it yet.
Al came in and he and Ed shared a look.
"I rang them." Al said slowly. Winry looked at Al and then at Ed.
"And?"
"I said Friday, which gives us another day before we have to leave." Al had a slightly mischievous look in his eyes. Both Ed and Winry saw it and Ed's eyebrow rose.
"What have you done, Al?"
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