Author's notes: Eek... a week late... Sorry guys. The reasons are two fold. (1) Life has got even more hectic! (2) Ed would not cooperate with me at all! Seriously, getting dialogue out of him was like pulling teeth.

Mountains of thanks to my wonderful beta please-knock! Without her, my stuff would be impossible to read through the typos!

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Opening the door of the workshop, Ed found the heavens had opened. Rain poured down in large, heavy drops but the sweltering, stick heat had abated somewhat. Cursing both himself and Winry, Ed pulled his jacket around him and ran out into the downpour.

The streets were almost completely empty. The city itself looked strange without the usual hustle and bustle of automail mechanics and shoppers. The characteristic red dust of Rush Valley had turned to thick, brown mud in the downpour. Ed slipped and slid about as he jogged through the streets, eyes peeled for Winry.

He turned a corner and finally spotted her. She was sheltering from the torrent in the porch of what appeared to be an abandoned café. Pulling his collar up around his neck, Ed marched in her direction, not in the least bit looking forward to their confrontation.

Winry spotted him as he sloshed through the mud towards her. He watched as she turned her back to him and began fiddling with the lock of the café. Gritting his teeth, he quickened his pace, hurrying forward. Winry succeeded in picking the lock of the café just as he made it to the porch. She slammed the door behind her. Ed tried to slow down but his shoes could not find purchase in the slick mud. He slipped into the door with a bang, cursing himself.

“Winry, let me in!” He banged on the door. He waited a few seconds and upon hearing no reply he clapped his hands before pressing them to the peeling paint of the door. Blue light lit up the lock before he reached forward and opened the door with ease.

The café was indeed abandoned. Chairs were stacked on top of tables, while a heavy canvas was pulled over the counter top. Everything appeared to be covered in a thick carpet of dust, illuminated only by the grey light filtering in through cracks in the boarded up windows.

“I locked that door for a reason.” Winry stood before him, hands crossed over her chest. Her clothes were saturated and her hair hung limp. Steam rose from her body as the water evaporated in the heat.

Ed’s breath caught in his throat. He swallowed, blinking quickly. “There’s no such thing as a locked door to an alchemist.” He took a deep breath. “You should remember that.”

Winry snorted, rolling her eyes. “I will.”

Ed swallowed nervously and cursed his own impulsive nature. He had no idea what to say to her… he should have just turned back at the prospect of a locked door. “Listen, Winry…” He sighed. “I… I’m sorry about before…” Even after all these years, he couldn’t bring himself to look at her.

“For what exactly?”

Ed looked up to find Winry glaring at him, obviously livid with anger. “What?”

“Well, what is it that you’re sorry for?” She didn’t leave him time to respond before continuing. “Are you sorry for calling me a bitch or are you sorry for sleeping with me and then disappearing into thin air the next day?”

Ed simply gaped at her. Somehow ‘both’ didn’t seem like an adequate response.

Winry watched him for a moment before throwing her hands up in exasperation. “You know, Ed, I don’t really care.” His stomach dropped at her icy tone. “I’m not bothered by whatever you’re beating yourself up about this week. I’m happy here so I guess I’ll just see you around. I’m sure you’ll drop out of the blue the next time you destroy your arm.”

She moved to walk past him and, instinctively, Ed grabbed her by the wrist. She turned and glared at him. “You’re happy here?” He asked, his voice hollow.

“Yes.” She answered perhaps a little to quickly, her voice terse.

Ed swallowed past the lump in his throat. He could feel her pulse racing against his fingers. “Happy here…” He repeated. “with… with Will?”

He saw Winry swallow, her jaw tense. She bit her lip and he could almost feel her efforts to slow her breathing.

His heart raced in his chest as he observed her. Her skin was flushed in pink, from anger or embarrassment he did not know. She looked scared, nervous, and for the first time since bumping into her, Ed saw signs of the Winry he had left behind.

Steam still danced from her skin, rising in wisps before disappearing into the surrounding air. Ed’s entire being urged her forward… forced him to action.

Unconsciously, he stroked her wrist with his thumb, thrilling as her skin shivered beneath his touch.

She looked so beautiful. Fierce and determined, yet somehow shy… the Winry he had left until he was good enough for her, until he purged his sins and all visible traces of them.

How he missed her. More than ever before, more than he thought possible. On his earlier travels he had pushed thoughts of Winry from his mind; his goal was to restore Al, but his new goal was different. He wanted to restore himself for her. He had hurt her with his automail and that was unforgivable… but he knew now what it felt like to kiss her, to taste her skin, the sensation of her body pressed against his.

He had found her again too soon. He hadn’t suspected that she would be angry with him, even though, considering it logically, she was probably entitled to be.

Now, she stood before him, angry and bitter and still taking his breath away.

His heart raced in his chest. The palm of his hand was wet and clammy where their skin touched. He couldn’t take it any longer; the wait had dissolved his self-control. She stared at him, skin flushed and eyes fierce. She was angry with him anyway… being this close to her was intoxicating and so Ed acted without fully thinking through the consequences.

Without warning, he took a step forward, harshly pressing his lips to hers. He pulled her to him with his flesh hand on her wrist, while his automail hand snaked around her waist.

Winry’s right hand clutched at Ed’s jacket and he groaned as she kissed him back. Maybe he could make things better. He couldn’t tell her how he felt, but he could show her.

Without warning, Winry pulled away from the kiss. She leaned back slightly, her wrist still in his grasp and her own fingers curled in the material of his jacket. Her eyes searched his face but she remained silent.

She wanted him to say something, needed it even. Ed could see it clearly on her face but his voice caught in his throat. He felt small and inadequate. She opened her mouth to saysomething but Ed cupped her face with his hands and kissed her again.

He shivered against her, his wet clothing contrasting strangely with his hot skin. He pulled her tightly against him as he surrendered to his lust, kept in check far too long. Ed felt feverish, hot. He wanted to touch every part of her, to know her body whole. Two years spent wondering, longing and now he couldn’t hold it back any longer. He eased her back to one of the tables, pushing off the upturned chairs before picking her up by the waist and leaving her sitting on the table.

Wet clothes stuck to clammy skin but neither of them paused long for such consideration. Ed buried his head in her neck as he clutched at her. He nipped at her throat as Winry wrapped her legs around his waist and whimpered. With the last vestiges of his coherent mind he gripped savagely at the table with his automail hand, determined not to make the same mistake twice.

At that moment in time, it felt like the most important sensation in the world but then it was over and he was just gasping wordlessly against Winry’s neck, his automail hand clenching and unclenching at the tabletop.

He held her tightly with his left arm while his breath and pulse raced. The rain continued to fall and the sound of it pounding on the roof of the boarded up café seemed impossibly loud.

Winry shifted slightly, rousing Ed. He flushed red as he straightened up and took a step back. He turned from her, embarrassed by his impulsive behaviour. Clumsily, he pulled his trousers back up on his hips and closed his belt. He could hear Winry behind him, adjusting her own clothing. He ran a hand through his dishevelled hair and sighed. He wasn’t exactly sure how to proceed. This whole thing in Rush Valley had completely thrown his plans.

Two years ago he left, intent on retrieving his limbs and returning to Winry whole and complete. He certainly hadn’t expected to find her in Rush Valley, angry and bitter with him, another man on her arm. But after what had just happened… well, she had to feel something for him. Maybe if he just explained the plan to her, she’d understand.

He turned to find Winry, her back to him; replacing the chairs they had knocked off the table. He took a step towards her, reaching out to help. “Eh… sorry about that.”

Immediately, he knew Winry had misinterpreted him. She tensed visibly, her back going rigid. “That’s fine.” She replied, keeping her back to him. Her voice was quiet but thick with anger.

“No, Winry, I-” He desperately tried to repair the damage before it was too late.

“No, Ed, I said it’s fine.” She turned to glare at him and Ed instinctively took a step back. “I guess I’ll be seeing you around. What’ll it be this time? Three years? Four?”

“Winry, you don’t understand-”

She snorted. “I think I understand perfectly. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a three o’clock appointment.” She stormed past him.

“So that’s it?” He began to get angry with her. “You’re going to stay here, with him?”

She turned to face him. “What? Did you think I sat around all day pining away for you or something?”

Ed shook his head in disbelief. “You’re going back to him? After… after we just-”

Winry flushed. “It was a mistake, Ed. You of all people should understand that people make mistakes.” Her tone is acidic and biting.

Ed took a step forward. His stomach was twisted in anger. She had no right to throw that in his face. “Was it a mistake the first time too?”

“Well, come on, Ed. I’d hardly count the first time.” She replied, rolling her eyes at him.

Ed started in shock, his pride unable to take her biting remarks any longer. With a snarl he pushed past her and out of the café, slamming the door in his wake.

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Winry knew she had missed her three o’clock. She didn’t care. Her eyes still felt swollen and itchy and she was sure her face was blotchy but she couldn’t stay in the café any longer. It smelled like him… like them, like sex.

The rain continued to fall. She was soaked through and covered in mud by the time she arrived back in Garfiel’s

Will’s eyes widened in shock as he took in her dishevelled form. “Where have you been? You’re soaking.”

Winry swallowed past the lump in her throat, shrugging in response.

Will frowned at her, placing the box of shin plates on the counter top and retrieving a towel from one of the drawers.

He walked up to her and offered her the small towel. When she didn’t respond, he dumped the towel on her head and began drying her hair.

“So did you sort things out with Edward?” His face was obscured by both towel and wet hair and so Winry couldn’t see his expression. He sounded genuinely interested.

“What?” Winry’s own voice came out strained.

“Al said you guys had a big fight a few years ago. I heard raised voices and doors slamming while I was working on Fran… so you either sorted things out or…”

Winry glanced up at him and felt sick. He stood sadly smiling before her, chivalrous and kind. “Where is he? Where are they… Ed and Al?”

Will sighed, glancing in the direction of the counter top. “They left. Edward said something about a train east. Al wasn’t too happy about going without saying goodbye… well, it didn’t sound that way.” He looked away flushing. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but they were shouting-”

“They’re gone?” Winry blinked back tears.

Will nodded, frowning at her. “Edward paid.” He inclined his head in the direction of a large wad of notes lying on the counter. “I told him it was far more than needed, even counting in the rush job fee but he was, eh, insistent. I-”

He glanced down as Winry began to shake. “Are you ok?” He crouched down slightly, looking her in the eye. “You must be freezing, Win. Let’s get you out of these wet clothes, ok?” He placed a hand on the small of her back and began to usher her in the direction of the stairs.

Winry glanced at the large amount of money Ed had left behind. He knew the automail business; he would have known he left a disproportionately large amount. It made Winry feel cheap, used.

Her breathing hitched and she felt the familiar sting of tears. Will stopped and turned to face her once more. “Win, what’s wrong? Are you ok?”

She refused to look at him. She had known Will for a few years now; she knew he had feelings for her. Part of her wished she felt the same way for him. He was kind and considerate, he made her laugh… So why couldn’t she forget about Ed? In the past few months she and Will had got closer, he probably considered them not-quite-dating… He didn’t deserve to be second best.

Winry closed her eyes and bit her lip as guilty tears began to flow freely from her eyes. Will started, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Shush.” He cooed soothingly. “It’s ok, Winry.”

She whimpered, pressing her face against his chest and crying openly.

Will frowned, wrapping his hands around her and smoothing her tangled hair. “Shush, it’s ok, Winry. You guys will sort it out. Just you wait and see, everything will be fine.”

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Evil again, eh? I think CrimsonNekolady had it right...The evil authoress from Hell, eh?

As always reviews are adored! Constructive criticism especially so. Seriously, I love hearing people's thoughts on my fics, whether you like it or not! I really want to improve my stuff so any and all comments are welcome!