Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Her Knight In Shining Armor ❯ Something to Be Thankful For ( Chapter 13 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

I do not own the characters Ed, Al, Winry or the basis for their past history. They belong to the creators of Full Metal Alchemist. I also don't own any of the fairytales mentioned. I don't own much of anything…

Warning: There will be some references made to the show. It won't give away anything about the ending… I don't think… Anyway there will be threats of rape and murder. Not too vivid though.

There will also be spelling mistakes due to where Lorna originates from. I allowed some spelling error because it's words she would use. And I don't want any flames on it. I'm from where she's from so I just had her speak the way I do!

Chapter Thirteen: Something to Be Thankful For

For the next month Al and I stayed at arms length. I didn't want to get too close, didn't want to get hurt like I had in the past. He had someone else and I had to respect that, regardless of the fact I didn't want to.

Often he would go into town alone. Winry would tell me he was going to help someone with this or that. In all truth I didn't believe her. Still it wasn't really my place. If he chose to keep secrets from me, I'd have to let him.

Everyone kept and eye on me. Watching what I wore when I went outside, making sure the fire was warm enough. Edward even asked if he needed to transmute me some new blankets. I turned him down politely.

The holiday season was soon upon us. Everyone in town had plenty for the upcoming Thanksgiving feast. Al and I decorated with turkeys, pilgrims and Indians. We didn't read so much together anymore, but we were able to come together for decorating.

“Hang it a little higher Al, we don't want Ed to hit his head on it.” I giggle watching the younger brother hang a paper turkey over the doorway leading into the dining room.

“Brother isn't that short Lorna.” He said putting the tack in place.

“He isn't exactly tall.” I countered holding up a garland of fall leaves.

Al took them from me, “He is growing… some.” Al put the garland in place then turned to look at me. “He'll have a growth spurt one day.”

I laughed and Al did too. Then we walked into the living room. We had already put up a lot of decorations in there, and by now we were running out of places to put the things we'd made.

“Maybe we could take some to Mrs. Yourth?” Al questioned, sitting on the sofa.

I shook my head, “Can't, the kids and I made decorations last week. Their house is more decked out than ours.”

`Ours, now when did I start calling this our home?' I was still paying rent, but we didn't worry about who'd bought what food anymore. Mostly the money I paid went to help with the bills. `Perhaps this is my home.'

“Well.” Al started, pulling me back from my thoughts. “I don't know what to do with the decorations we have left.”

I took a seat beside him and looked around. “Maybe we could decorate Ed's study?” I thought aloud.

“No.” Al shook his head and laughed, “Brother would never go for that.”

Edward had expressly forbid us from touching his office. “I can't work sitting next to a turkey!” He had proclaimed. He'd already seen what we'd done to the other parts of the house.

“Well, maybe you could take them into town and see if anyone wants them.” I supposed, unable to come up with anyone we knew who wasn't already overflowing with decorations.

The use of Alchemy had proved to be our undoing. With my wild imagination and love of decorations I was able to come up with countless styles. Al was able to make them in a flash. Unfortunately we hadn't stopped to count what we'd made.

Winry had been the one to come in and stop us. “You're overflowing onto the stairway.” She explained pushing her way into my room.

I had looked around to see turkeys, Indians, and pilgrims all over the place. Of course there were also the Indian dressed turkeys, as well as the pilgrim clothed birds. That's not even mentioning all of the paper fall leaf garlands and wreaths.

So now we sat looking at our work. “I think everyone has plenty.” Al thought aloud, turning back to me.

“It ain't my fault.” I smiled shaking my head. “You're the one who made all of `em.”

“Yes and you're the one who came up with the ideas.” We both laughed. It didn't matter who had done what. In the end we were both guilty of over decorating.

“I suppose,” I began to ponder. “You could transmute them into Christmas decorations.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, that would work. But no over doing it this time!” I giggled and then we set to work changing the turkeys into angels and so forth.

On Thanksgiving Winry and I were in the kitchen hard at work. I hadn't seen Al all day and I worried about him. He'd been acting down since I'd gotten sick the month before. I wasn't quite sure what it was but it seemed as though he were waiting for me to make the next move.

So with dishtowel in hand I walked into the living room expecting to find him there. To my surprise he wasn't.

I checked the front porch, but the swing was swaying emptily in the wind. The stone pot looked bare without the plant, almost as if it had died of loneliness. A chill ran up my spine. I quickly went back inside trying to shake the feeling.

I climbed the steps up to the second floor and looked into the boys' room. Al was sitting on his bed which was just opposite of mine. It was on the left side of the room and had the wall not been there our headboards would have been touching. Beside that was Edward's.

I knocked on the door before entering. Al looked up then back to the floor. “What's wrong?” I questioned, coming to sit next to him.

He didn't say anything. “Winry and I are making all sorts of great things for dinner tonight.” Still he didn't move. “We'll have turkey and ham. I'm even making a cherry pie.”

“I can't eat.” His voice seemed so hollow.

I placed a hand on his. “I know.”

He looked up at me as if questioning my statement. “I know ya don't like to eat in front of others. We can save you a plate.” He only looked back to the ground then nodded.

“Alphonse?” I whispered, kneeling down on the floor to look up into his face.

“Lorna, why?” He put a hand to my cheek, “Why don't you like me now?”

I was shocked by his words. `I love him and he thinks I don't even like him?'

“I do like you but…” My voice trailed off and was almost ready to break. I shook my head unable to finish.

“You did once. Didn't you?” He lifted my chin to look up into his eyes. Mine were now full of tears which slowly began to run down my face.

“Still do.” I murmured softly “But you found someone.”

He shook his head slowly, removing his hand from my face. “What are you talking about?”

“I heard that you… you have a girlfriend.” My face was turned down to the floor, wet with salty tears.

“I never have had.” He whispered, placing his hands on my cheeks and forcing me to look at him. “I've never loved anyone but you.”

“Oh Al!” I cried harder now. I came up slowly and draped my arms around his neck. Perhaps I had misheard what Edward and Winry had said? “I love you too.” I breathed.

Al pulled me back to arms length. “You do?” His voice was soft yet ready to burst. “Really?”

“Yes of course!” I hugged close to him again.

`What does it matter if I've never seen his face? What difference does it make if he wears this armor? I love him, that's enough.'

“Lorna!” Winry's voice came bursting up the stairs.

“My pie!” I screeched, jumping up and running to the door. I stopped and looked back. “You do love me?” It was too much for my heart to believe.

All Al could do was nod. A smile spread across my face, then I rushed downstairs to save my burnt pie.

“Where were you?” Winry complained, trying to keep from burning herself on the stove. She wasn't the best cook and tended to scald herself easily.

“Sorry.” I apologized, rushing to get the potholders and take out what was left of my pie. “I was talking to Al.”

She stopped and looked at me. “What about? You look red.” She stirred the pudding slowly still watching me.

“Well I was just, ya know…” I wasn't sure how to say it.

“Did he? Are you two a couple?” She jumped when she let her arm touch the pot.

“Be careful!” I rushed over, checking her arm. “We're ain't really a couple. I mean he …” I stopped and she looked at me. “He loves me!” I burst. I wanted to scream the words.

She smiled and hugged my neck. I felt like a little kid first going through puppy love.

The rest of the day went well. Edward seemed to have heard the news from Al who simply watched us eat. I had already put back a plate for him.

For some reason Winry had given me an odd look. I explained that he didn't like to eat in front of others so we should save him some.

`She oughtta know that by now.' I thought wearily.

By the end of the night I was stuffed. Luckily my pie hadn't been burnt too badly. Edward did say it was a little on the brown side though. He did think it was better than Winry's pudding, which had been overcooked.

That led to slight bickering. I smiled because I knew what that meant. They were also in love, and had been for some time.

Author's notes

Joy: Well is everyone happy?

Winry: We Are Not In Love!

Joy: It's my story and I say you are.

Al: So when does Lorna find out?

Lorna: Good question. When?

Joy: Well… there's a lot more that's going to happen first.

Lorna: How much more?

Joy: Lots… But the next chapter is Christmas Kiss!