"Nothing Sister." He said cheerfully and then caved at their looks. "Oh ok. I left a message saying that I had arrived here and that I would be there by the end of the week."
"You left a message?"
"Yes. I think they were all at lunch."
"You're hiding something Alphonse Elric." Winry spoke up. His hands came up as he protested.
"Honestly Winry, that's all I said." Al's eyes had that sincere look that no-one else had ever been able to duplicate. You had to believe him when you saw that look. Al's secret weapon had always been his sincerity.
"He's not hiding anything, Winry." Ed's voice smiled. "He just hasn't told them anything, have you Al?"
"Maybe." Al's eyes flickered and Ed laughed.
"You're being bad Al." Ed smirked.
Al grinned at his sister as he walked across to where Winry was putting her tools away.
"We won't be gone long, Win. A month maybe." Al looked at his hands. "Just to confirm my resignation and to look at a few things in the library."
"Why the library?" Winry questioned and then stopped as her eyes went wide. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot." Both Elrics laughed at her stricken face. Even though they had not discussed the array and its results with each other, both were aware of the research opportunities in Central.
"We'll stay in that little hotel just off from the railway station. It's a nice cheap place and it has a phone so we can keep in touch."
"Why there? Why not the dorms?" Winry asked.
"I resigned, remember. The dorms are for military personnel only." Al smiled. "And that hotel is much more comfortable anyway."
"How are you going to get library access then, Al? You've sent your watch back." Winry looked at him.
"You said the State Alchemists were almost free of the military, didn't you Al? There'll be some way we can get in. And if not, then we'll get Mustang to grant us temporary access as my coming home present." Ed smirked at the thought.
"Two months." Pinako said from the doorway where she had been listening.
All three turned to the old woman with questioning looks.
"Two months," she repeated. "That will give you time to do what you have to in Central and then you can both return here. Ed's automail will need checking at that time." She paused. "After that it will be up to the pair of you to decide what you do from there."
Gold and grey met and a few moments of silent discussion ended as Ed shrugged and Al nodded. Winry frowned but then sighed her acceptance. Waiting was something she was familiar with but this time it had a definite limit.
"The train leaves at nine tomorrow morning." Pinako told them as she left to prepare lunch.
They left the house early the next morning. Ed had complained loudly as they had packed.
"Dammit, why do I need all of these things?" She had yelled at Winry.
"Because they're your clothes Ed! You need more than a pair of jeans and two shirts!"
"But they take up too much room. And what's with this flowery bag thing? It looks stupid."
"It's a toiletry bag, you idiot. It's got all your bathroom things in there." Winry sighed loudly. "And don't shove it into Al's case!"
"But it doesn't fit in mine!"
"Here's your automail kit. Lose it and I'll kill you."
"Get that makeup out of there or I'll toss it out the window."
Now Ed stood at the bottom of the porch stairs with three suitcases nearby, two of which were hers, and watched indulgently with Pinako as Al tried to dislodge Winry from his neck. It took half an hour and then another ten minutes before she would stop hugging Ed.
"Take care of yourselves," Pinako said as they gave her a last kiss and hug before they turned and began to walk down the road.
Winry and Pinako watched until they disappeared. Ed and Al did not look back.
They walked in companionable silence. As they rounded the hill that led to the cemetery they stopped and stood quietly for a moment before moving forward again.
Both of them had stood in front of the marble headstone yesterday. They had stayed there for a few hours and spoken little but both had found a measure of peace. Their mother had been the most important and defining person in their lives. They had lived for each other but they had lived because of her.
They walked on steadily heading for the train station and the three day trip to Central. Behind them, the petals slowly wilting, a ring of flowers lay on the marble slab, Ed's promise to the mother who had always believed in them.