Welcome Home

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA….*cries like a baby*

Title: Welcome Home

Pair: RizaxEd (hints of RoyxEd)

Summary: Ed’s gone for three years and when he finally returns, what will happen when an unexpected surprise is awaiting him?

***Okay, this plays around after/during the movie occurred so (spoilers some) but I changed some facts about the movie and the after events. So be aware that there are changes but some facts are still here. Sorry if the ranks I give people are their true ranks, I am not sure what everyone is after/during the movie.

Warning: hints Yaoi, M/F, language

OKAY!! In this story I am also ignoring the fact that Hughes is dead, because what can I say it isn’t a story if Hughes isn’t involved! And the Furher is Furher Hakuro (I honestly don’t know too much about either of the furhers so go with me here).

Welcome Home
By: Kumiko

Chapter 3

For a few days the furher kept returning to Central, it seemed that Ed returning to Central after such a long absence sparked an interest with him. Even though he never spoke directly to Ed about how or when he returned to them, he was severely interested. The furher went through Mustang to get all of the information that he wanted. It took a while before Ed would finally talk about how he returned to his original world.

The three of them sat in the general’s office with Al to arrive a short time later after he was finished with his morning errands. Ed sat across from the furher, nervously twitching his fingers on his lap. He didn’t want to tell them how he had gotten back to this world; it wasn’t like it was a horrible occurrence. He just didn’t want anyone trying to get to the other world.

“Gomen nasai,” Al said as he finally entered the room and took a seat beside his brother. “What is this all about, nii-san?”

“We want to know how it is that your brother found his way back here,” the furher said, leaning on the desk. Mustang had allowed the furher to sit at the desk so he could comfortably take notes on what Ed was going to say.

Al looked from his brother to the furher for a moment before nodding and sitting back in his seat.

Ed took a deep breath.

“Just start when you first got in that strange world, Fullmetal,” the general said, seeing Ed’s nervousness.
Ed nodded. “When I went…”

(AN: sorry I am just too lazy to tell the whole story, if you’ve seen the movie you know the gist of it. I’ve changed it slightly and those changes are in the following dialogue. Thx.)

“How is it that you have returned to us?” Furher asked, immensely interested.

“My friend, Alphons, helped me find a way here,” he replied, sighing. “He studied rockets like I said before and was able to help me find a link between this world and his world. After discovering that the Furher in that world would link me here, we learned that inside his house he held the portal. The gate that I went through the first time is the same one that I passed through to come back.”

Everyone looked at him, confused. True they got a good portion of how he got back but it wasn’t what they wanted to know and Ed knew that.

“Alphons built a rocket that could withstand the pressure needed to pass through the gate for me,” he explained, still watching his hands. “Without my knowledge, he researched all of the information about the gate. I am guessing it was from all the information I told him about you guys that he knew somehow how much I wanted to get home.” He paused. “I didn’t even know that he had built the spaceship for me, it was surprise as the war was getting worse. All I really remember is seeing Alphons waving to me then I woke up here. When I woke up here I figured that the first place that I wanted to go was here to see if anyone was still here that I knew.”

“Ah, very interesting,” Furher Hakuro said, leaning back in his chair.

“You have to promise me that you won’t try to find a way to get to that world,” Ed said now looking at the three of them. “It’s not like here.”

Furher laughed. “Of course we wouldn’t do that, Fullmetal, this is our world and it is still amazing that you found your way back here.”

“I agree,” Mustang said, smiling. “It wasn’t the same without you here and with Al always rushing around trying to find you while caring for Winry and Pinako.”

“We are just glad that you made it back safely,” Al said, giving his brother a slight hug. “Winry will be surprised to see that you are home and that I wasn’t lying to her.”

Ed laughed. “This’ll show her that you are always honest, right?”

Al nodded.

“Well, boys,” the furher said, standing. “That was quite a tale you spun for me, Fullmetal, though I do not quite understand the rockets and such that you were talking about. I do believe that you were not here, considering that we couldn’t find any traces of you or your body to confirm whether you were dead or alive.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed that, Furher.” Ed replied, standing as the others did so. “I had quite an experience there myself, although I am truly happy to be here again.”

“Until next time, boys,” the furher said, before leaving.

Ed sighed and fell back on the couch he had been sitting on. Small beads of sweat protruded from his forehead, like it took an immense workout just to tell the tale of his experience in the other world. He was breathing deep as the other two watched him sleep.

“Are you okay, nii-san?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about me,” he replied, glancing at Al then the general. “I was just worried that he wouldn’t believe me.”

“Fullmetal, just rest here for a little bit,” Mustang said as he moved to sit back behind his desk. “Next week is your trip to Risenbol, isn’t it?”

“Yes, sir,” Al replied, looking at the general. “We will leave in three days.”

Mustang nodded. “Tell them that I said hello, will you?”

“Of course,” the younger brother said, nodding in agreement. “Come on, Ed.”

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The train ride from Central to Risenbol left Ed exhausted. He wasn’t used to this anymore, for three years he mainly walked where he had to go or he just drove there. Being on a train wasn’t one of the things he missed. He looked out the window at the sky that grew increasingly darker as night crept up on them. The purple tint to the clouds left a beautiful scene for him to gaze at while waited for his brother to return to their train car. For a moment, he really couldn’t believe that he was home with everyone. Years had gone by full of dreams and wishes of returning but there was one thing that had left him wanting to stay in the opposite world.

Alphons Heiderich, he was the one who had helped him get as far as he did and he didn’t get the chance to thank him at all. It was that one thing that kept him from really forgetting about the world he had left behind. Yet, here in his true world, he was happy and welcomed by all of those that now knew that he was there. Mustang was glad, perhaps only because now he once again had command over him. Lieutenant Hawkeye, he knew that she was glad that he was there again to keep her company possibly. As for the others in the office, there was no mistaking that they weren’t happy to have the “Fullmetal brat” around for amusement.

A smile found its way onto Ed’s face as he watched the ground pass by him. Soon he heard the door slid open and Al entering. Though, he didn’t turn around to welcome his brother back, he knew that Al would just sit and wait, thinking he was asleep.

“Al?”

“Oh, nii-san, I thought you were sleeping,” he heard Al said as Ed turned to face him.

I knew it, Ed thought to himself. “It’s good to be home.”

“I know,” he replied, smiling. “Winry will be surprised to see you.”

“I can’t wait to see her, too.”

Al nodded and then laid his head back to rest. “Let’s get some rest.”

Silence stretched between them as each of them drifted off to sleep. Neither knew that the day they would arrive in Risenbol would be a day that they never forget.

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“Sir?” Hawkeye said, answering her phone, knowing full well that it would Mustang on the other end.

“Good morning, Hawkeye,” she heard him greet her with a cheery voice.

Rolling her eyes, she set to work making herself something to eat while she listened to Mustang. “What is it that you need, sir?”

“Please, Hawkeye, just call me Roy when we aren’t in the office.”

“Out of respect, sir, I think I will continue to address you the same way I always have,” she replied, grinning slightly. “Now tell me what it is that you wanted me for.”

“Right,” she heard a sigh from Mustang. “I need you to take me to Risenbol before the train that Ed and Al took gets there.”

“Why is that?”

“Winry just called here asking me to get there before Ed and Al arrive,” he replied, sounding anxious. “She asked that you join me there and stay for their party they seem to be throwing for Edward’s return.”

Hawkeye chuckled. “When did you want to leave, sir?”

“As soon as possible, I am at my house.”

“Of course, sir, I will be there soon.”

“Make sure to bring something nice to wear, not your usually uniform,” he chuckled.

“I will, sir,” she said, sighing. “Good-bye.”

“See you in a little bit.”

She replaced the receiver then moved to the bedroom to change. Her blonde hair fell down around her shoulders, falling to about where shoulder blades were. Deciding that she didn’t feel like doing her hair she quickly ran a brush over her hair. Quickly, she changed into a simple black skirt and a white shirt. It wasn’t the most casual thing but it would do for this particular arrangement that suddenly came up. It wasn’t long before she was finally on her way to pick up Mustang at his home. The roads weren’t too busy, considering there were few people worked on the weekends. She arrived at his house at a good time and waited for him outside his home.

They had done this so many times that Mustang knew just how long he had before she arrived to not keep her waiting outside. The door opened to his home and Mustang strolled toward her after locking his door.

“Thanks, Hawkeye,” Mustang said, getting into the car. “I’m sorry that this is on such short notice.”

“Don’t worry about it, sir,” she replied, starting the car and speeding away.

Checking the time, Mustang made sure that they would make it to the Rockbell’s in time so help set up the party. He had thought that Winry didn’t know that Ed was back; making Al think that she didn’t believe him was a perfect way to make the two return to Risenbol. He chucked to himself. What a surprise it will be for the two alchemists when they arrived home to find a welcoming committee.

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Winry stood in the center of the living room, looking up at the decorations around the room. Smiling, she began to touch up the ribbons and streamers along the ceiling. Balloons held down by a paperweight sat in the corners. It was all ready for Ed and Al to show up, but before they could she would hope that General Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye would show up soon. As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. With one last look at the decorations, she went over and answered the door. There outside the door stood the general and lieutenant, just the two she wanted to see.

“Good evening,” she greeted, allowing them. “I’ll take your coats.”

Mustang smiled as he handed her his coat and began looking around the house. “Did you do this all yourself?”
“Yes, it took me all morning to do it, too,” she said, taking Hawkeye’s coat. “I know I called you here early so you two could help me but I got carried away.”

“Don’t worry about it, Miss. Rockbell,” Hawkeye said, smiling as she too looked at the decorations. “They are very lovely, I am sure the boys will like them.”

“Thank you and you can just call me Winry,” she said, nodding to both of them as she came back from putting away their coats. “Can you help me with getting dinner ready, Hawkeye?”

“Riza is fine and I would love to help you,” the lieutenant replied as she followed the girl into the kitchen.

“General, don’t touch anything,” Winry called from the kitchen.

Mustang laughed as he took a seat to wait until the party was officially beginning. Tonight was going to be one hell of a night, many things were bound to go wrong and he just hoped that he wasn’t going to be the cause of any of them.

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To be continued….

AN: okay there is chapter 3…. In the next few chapters the characters may be a little OOC or however you say it. Lol. Anyway, in the next chappie something good happens to Ed. What is it you say? Well I won’t tell you, you will have to read to find out!! HAHA! R&R