Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ When the Cherry Blossoms Bloom ❯ Within Despair ( Chapter 9 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I never claimed to own this, so guess what. I do not!

Summary: When faced with Love's difficulty, can three people locked in its hold push aside their fear for the sake of it? Sequel to Feel Me, Shame Me, Heal Me.

When the Cherry Blossoms Bloom

Episode 9— Within Despair

“Where exactly are we now?” Edward looked around before glancing back at his brother and mother. “Nothing looks familiar to me.” He found himself standing in the hallway of an unfamiliar house and started walking it.

Alphonse looked over his shoulder, “I have no idea where we are.” He could hear conversation coming from around the corner. “It sounds like Fuehrer Bradley and Lieutenant Hawkeye are speaking.”

“I think that we are currently in former Fuehrer Bradley's home.” Trisha said, looking around.

“What are we doing here? What exactly is the purpose for us being here in this house?” Edward scratched the back of his head in confusion.

With a snap of his fingers, Alphonse turned towards his older brother. “Perhaps this is what was happening with the Colonel when we went off to find Dante. Remember? The Colonel was going to—”

Edward interrupted him, “Yeah, I remember.” He looked to his mother who smiled lightly.

“It must be of some importance or else you wouldn't be here.” Trisha said and she turned to look at the scene before them starting to play out. “Perhaps you are here to see that it wasn't just what you had gone through that was important, but everyone played their important parts.”

Following the Fuehrer into the cellar room, Edward, Alphonse and Trisha were able to see…

“Why am I not surprised that you decided to face me alone,” Roy Mustang's deep voice penetrated the silence of the cellar and Edward groaned at hearing it and seeing him.

Edward really did not want to see anything involving Mustang; he felt a nudge in his side and turned a glare on his brother.

“It's important so pay attention.” Alphonse implored, he really wanted to get home and he hoped his brother wasn't determined to not learn from this.

Bradley turned around to face his enemy, “Your behavior leads me to assume that this isn't the first time you betrayed my trust.”

Roy's eyes narrowed, “You've got a helluva lot of nerve lecturing me about betrayal.”

Taking a step closer, Bradley stared Mustang down but noticing that it really didn't effect him, he would have to show him the truth. “Are you referring to the fact that I am a homunculus.” He lifted the eye patch to reveal the evidence

Flinching slightly and cringing barely visible, Roy would not address that being one of the main points for this. “Whether or not you can call yourself a human being is a non-issue as far as I'm concerned, Bradley.” It really was only half of the issue, the other was all who suffered and lives that were stolen all because of the damned stone that Bradley wanted.

“Then what's the problem?” Bradley intoned in slight wonder, if that wasn't the fact of this uprising. It made little difference to him, since Mustang knew the truth he wouldn't leave this place alive. “Ever since I've become Fuehrer I've done nothing but improve this country by winning wars, purging our population and exponentially expanding our territory.”

Roy sneered, “You couldn't care less about the state. All you wanted was the Philosopher Stone. You started those conflicts because you knew people would push to despair by war and tend to seek refuge in the stone.”

“He had been prime example of that only he never desired the stone as a way to end the pain.” Trisha said to Edward and Alphonse, “He lived in his terror, welcomed it as that was what he felt he deserved.”

“If you're trying to get me to feel sorry for Mustang...” Edward crossed his arms over his chest, “Well it's not going to work,” He fibbed a little, perhaps it was getting to him a little. The way Mustang spoke, there was a lot of power behind it, a lot of pain. Had Winry heard that, did she think she could fix him like he was broken Automail?

“People are foolish.” Bradley said coldly.

“Foolish enough to let you profit off their pain and suffering.” Roy nearly shouted, so much anger driving him now.

Bradley tightened his hand about his sword's hilt. “You got me all wrong. To stop the human race from leading itself to ruin I intervene and take the stone. Thereby preventing its use. I think of myself one of God's guardian angels.”

The horrid look on Roy's face spoke volumes as well as the hard tone of his voice, “There's no such thing as God.”

Alphonse turned to Edward, “At least you two agree about that.” He saw his brother roll his eyes and he turned back to the Colonel and former Fuehrer.

“We can't know that for sure.” Bradley replied, “However devils do exist. They're the alchemists who dare to get in my way.” His strike with a slashing of his sword was fast like lightning and Mustang moved just in time to avoid the hit making it so the human couldn't perform his alchemy. “How unfortunate, a quick slash of my sword changes the air current, disrupting your precious alchemic reactions. How can you expect to manipulate the air's composition if it's constantly in flux.” He attacked again and with deadly precision, Mustang moved about trying to avoid hit after hit, when he made contact.

Blood and pain, Roy sucked in a deep breath. Bradley was too fast, he needed to think of something and quick. He was watching the way the homunculus moved and calculating a move that might cost him his life, but perhaps it was the only chance he had.

“My ultimate eye sees your alchemy at work.” Bradley slashed at him, “Even if you could draw a flame, it wouldn't have any accuracy.” He struck again, cutting Mustang and drawing more blood.

It was a small price to pay as Roy did not really try to dodge and allowed himself get cut, on the down movement of the sword after it had made contact with him, he was able to snap his fingers and throw an explosion.

Edward noticed that his mother had tilted her head and was concentrating on something. “What's the matter?”

“I was just listening to—” She immediately quieted down and snapped her fingers, and another scene appeared to the left of them.

Winry was with Scieszka and they were walking back to the house.

“Do you think he'll come back?”

Smiling, Winry stopped walking and stood by the tree that she, Edward and Alphonse used to play on when they were kids. “He better,” She said lightheartedly. “I still can't shake this feeling I have.” She sat down on the swing, and fingered the small red jewel that hung around her neck.

“You worry too much, Winry. Everything will go well, I just know it.” Scieszka sat down in the grass.

“What if Ed and Al never come back?” Winry started swinging a little, hanging her head. “I wished those two were more open with me, they never tell me anything.”

“They seem to do it to protect you though, Winry.” Scieszka sighed, “I can see how much you all mean to each other.”

Winry leaned back in the swing so that her hair hung down and almost touched the grass. “I guess you're right about that. I hope they are all okay.” She lifted herself up right. “And when they come back, I'll tell them the truth.”

“The truth regarding the Colonel?” Scieszka asked, having no idea that Mustang had received a promotion.

Smiling lightly and leaning the side of her head against the rope of the swing, “Yeah, I should be honest with them, no matter how much it will anger Edward.”

“It sure sounds like he really hates the Colonel, they way he acted.” Scieszka sighed, “I know it will be a hard thing to tell him, but if he's really you're friend, he'll come to understand.”

“You're right, Scieszka.” Winry said. Something fell into her lap and she looked down to see the small ruby sitting in her lap. “Huh, that's weird.” She picked it up, “My necklace just broke.”

Scieszka's eyes narrowed slightly, “Really, that is weird.” It hadn't been tugged on or anything. She saw that Winry had a sudden idea and that it was a bad one as worry seemed to appear instantly on her face.

“You don't think that it's…” Winry couldn't finish her thought out loud as she glanced at the small red stone and broken gold chain in her hand. No, it wasn't a bad omen. It was just her mind playing tricks on her, but the chain wouldn't have snapped for no reason, she was always very careful with it. She closed her eyes as fear and worry raced through her every nerve, “Scieszka?” Her friend lifted her head, and Winry saw the mirror expressions on Scieszka's face. Tightening her hand around the red stone, Winry wished that it was just a faulty chain, that it had nothing to with Roy. `Please be safe, don't do anything reckless and get yourself killed, please.' Her heart pounded so hard that she feared it would rip from her breast.

That small scene faded away, Alphonse and Edward were staring at Mustang as he just stood there, breathing hard. They noticed that he had badly bleeding cuts all about his face. Where was Bradley, they both wondered, when he seemed to be standing there now.

Bradley's voice sounded so dark, it would frighten most men. “Is my species of consequence to you now?” He walked out of the flames and all his tissue and skin started instantly regenerating and he was as good as new.

Edward didn't catch what Bradley had said because he stared in awe at the amazing ability Bradley displayed.

“…I wanted to see what would happen if I let my whole body explode.” Bradley sounded smug, and he struck much too fast for anyone to see, even Edward and Alphonse as Roy was pinned violently to the wall, the sword Bradley held tight in his hand digging deep right in the shoulder. He could hear Mustang's pained noises and those glares of his were showing complete contempt. “I can appreciate the vanity of ambition, but you should have been more patient about it. Even if this somehow worked, the council would have found out and they'd never let an assassin back into their fold.”

Roy grunted, his voice dripping with pain and anger, “I didn't do this for politics, I couldn't forgive myself for being blind this long.” The pain was intense and it was a struggle for him to even form coherent sentences.

Edward was staring, and he dropped his gaze to the floor. Maybe having wished for Mustang to suffer had been a little harsh in the past. He had never looked past what was an injury to himself and his brother. He had no idea that Mustang suffered in his own personal hell. No one deserves this, not even him.

Making another pained grunt, Roy, said, “This was the only way I could atone for the friends I didn't save.” He couldn't give up, no matter how much it hurt and how much he struggled to stay standing. There were still others to protect. `Winry…I can't give up, I have to…get him.'

Leaning forward a little as he dug the blade into Mustang's shoulder, Bradley saw the human's teeth grit tightly as he tried not to shout out in agony. “You should know, Mustang that there will be more that you couldn't save, as soon as I get through killing you…” He grinned evilly, “let's just say, there will be a visit made to a certain young lady Automail mechanic you like so much. It's treason to harbor fugitives of the state.”

`No!' Roy's head screamed. He couldn't let anything happen to her. He had to fight harder, he had to keep her safe! “Y…you stay away from her.” Roy panted.

Bradley smirked, “So, you did all this because there were friends you didn't save?” He repeated Mustangs own words. “Well by all means, let me help you with that, give my best regards to General Hughes.” He dug his blade deeper into Mustang's shoulder making a very deep gash, and the human's screams was music to his ears.

Stomping his foot, Edward marched right over to Mustang. “Don't just stand there pinned to the wall you bastard! Fight harder! Don't you dare break your promise to Winry!” He shouted in Mustang's ear, knowing very well that the past figure couldn't hear him, but he couldn't help shouting at him.

“Uh, Brother… he does in fact live.” Alphonse interjected, “remember what happened when you actually came back and we finally met up again after so long?”

“Shut up, Al!” Edward knew that, but he couldn't help but get caught up in what was going on in front of him.

Bradley stopped and stood straight as he heard his son's voice.

“What's going on?” The boy asked watching his father stand up straighter.

“Hello, Son.” Bradley said with fondness to Salim. “Good news, I caught the rat.” He moved a step or two back from his enemy.

Salim's eyes lit up with glee and he smiled. “I'm sorry I disobeyed you, Father, but I just had to come back. I forgot something and I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Roy looked at the little boy and then back at Bradley, finding this very odd indeed. “So what now? You said people were foolish so how do you explain loving him.” He noticed as Bradley bent down to his son's level that the homunculus could no longer move.

“Father, what's the matter? You look like you're hurt, what's wrong?”

Bradley couldn't move, not to mention he actually felt pain. That only meant one thing. “What have you done, you idiot.”

The boy revealed what he had, “I, uh, just… I got it from your safe. You said your life depended on it, and I didn't want it to get hurt in the fire.”

Roy sees that Bradley was choking the child and a look of panic crossed his face as he no longer thought about his own pain, he gripped the sword and in a flash ripped it from his body, no longer pinned to the wall. He rushed to stop Bradley from killing his son, but he heard the boy's neck snap and realized that he had been too late. He should have moved faster! Roy kneeled down to the boy's level.

“You are foolish, all of you. Even my own son.” He growled

There was nothing more Roy could do for the dead boy, and he sat the small body on the floor, and grabbed something extremely valuable. It must be Bradley's weakness. He gripped the object wrapped in cloth and using his own blood drawing his transmutation circles on the top of his hand. “I don't know how long you've lived Fuehrer or how many times you cheated death, but not anymore.” Roy stared in complete hate at the Homunculus and using his transmutation circles on his hand proceeded to light Bradley's original skull on fire, as he did that, Bradley's body burst into flames. “It's the end of the line.” He watched as the Homunculus melted into a pile of goo, where Roy tossed the skull into the puddle. Setting the puddle on fire, he watched the skull melt until there was nothing left.

Walking to the dead body of the small boy on the floor, he stared at it a moment. “I'm sorry, I didn't stop him in time.” Guilt swam inside his veins and he bent down, picking up the small child and he started walking towards the main door that led out.

Edward, Alphonse and Trisha followed after him. As they all stepped out onto the porch, they were confronted by a half man, half machine.

“Oh my God! That's Colonel Archer!” Edward stared in disgust at Robo-Archer. “So that's what happened to him. What did he do to himself? Sick!” What was even worse as that the guns on Robo-Archer started firing one after another and Mustang couldn't avoid the attack. The boys watched as Mustang's lifeless body fell to the ground.

Edward felt ill, so this is what Mustang dealt with, this was…he didn't know what to think, or the odd feeling surfacing inside him at the idea that the man could be dead…he wasn't, but he could have been.

Hearing several gun shots and Archer hit the ground, unmoving. It was clear to anyone that he was dead. Edward and Alphonse both looked up to see Lieutenant Hawkeye running over. The expression on her face made them feel even worse. Even though this was the past and it was clear that Mustang was alive… seeing this really was powerfully painful, in the heart. Edward automatically thought about what Winry would think if she had seen this.

Riza stopped running, her mahogany eyes filling with tears as well as panic pounding hard inside her. “General!” Seeing the body of a little boy beside that of Mustang lying on the floor, lifeless and she rushed right over, hovering closely. “General! Damn-it, Roy Mustang, talk to me!” She demanded, lightly kneeling there, her hands touched Mustang's shoulders. Riza couldn't help it, she couldn't keep the fact of her tears quiet as she leaned on him and started shaking him. “Don't do this, what am I going to tell Winry? She's waiting for you… Get up,” She said weakly through her tears as she fell onto him, “She's waiting for you. You promised her.”

Edward turned to his brother seeing the horror on his face, he could see that Alphonse was trying his hardest not to break down in front of him. “Al, remember this already happened and we know he's alive.” He felt a tickle in his own throat.

Before the wetness could fall, Alphonse lifted his hand to his eyes. “I keep thinking about Winry. How would she feel if she was here?”

“Me too, Al,” Edward did think about Winry. Not that Mustang was good enough for her, but she seemed to like him. This would have been terribly heartbreaking for her if she saw this.

There was a flash of light and Edward and Alphonse found themselves back in Resembool, in the Rockbell house. They were standing in the living room and the phone rang. There was the loud thud of footsteps running from the kitchen to the phone. It was Winry and she picked up the receiver.

“Hello, Rockbell Automail and Prosthetics?” Winry tried not to sound anxious.

“Winry, it's Riza…” There was a pause.

Ice seemed to crawl up Winry's spine and she gripped the phone receiver tightly, “Y…yes, uh…what's wrong?” `Please don't let anything…'

“I thought I should call you and let you know what's going on.” Riza started to say, “Fuehrer is dead, the Colonel, well he's a General now, succeeded in his plan.” She swallowed hard, “It's not too good on this end, Winry. The General was hurt.”

Winry went pale and she felt her knees buckle and she sank to the floor. “Is he…is he…” her voice sounding completely broken.

“I was too late, Winry. I should have gotten there sooner.” Riza took a deep breath, “So far he's alive, but he's in surgery. This will be his second time going in.” There was a long pause, “Winry? He could still die and it would be all my fault.”

Winry swallowed a rather difficult breath of air, “no, you can't think like that, Riza. You did your best. He…he's still alive now because you made it there to him.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Keep positive, we must…” She leaned against the telephone table.

“I have to go now, Winry. I need to fill out some medical documents.” Riza said, and she was sure her ache could be heard. “I'll keep you up to date with his progress no matter how it turns out.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Winry sighed and let the phone's receiver fall from her trembling hand to hit the floor after she heard Riza's end click off. She pulled her legs into her chest and buried her face in her arms, resting them against her knees. Winry's whole body shook with her hysterical but silent tears.

Both Edward and Alphonse went on their knees on either side of her.

“I wish we could say something to her.” Edward said, staring down at his shoes.

Alphonse nodded, “and hug her and tell her that he'll be all right.”

Trisha sighed, “A couple of weeks later Winry receives a letter from Scieszka.” She gestured to Winry sitting on the porch, reading a sheet of paper. The sounds of a happy flesh and blood P-Alphonse was running around chasing after Den. Rose was also there with her young boy, sitting in the grass laughing.

Winry turned back to the letter reading carefully, finally getting to what she had been anxious about…

It's still going to be awhile before General Mustang is ready to come back to work, but I think his influence will help a lot.

Sighing deeply and pressing the note to where her heart beat, Winry let out a long breath. “He's all right, thank goodness.” Her heart had felt even more elated than it did when she got the call from Riza just yesterday saying that Roy was doing fine and looking healthier each and every day. He was held up in his private dorm room at Military Headquarters. Winry wouldn't expect him to come back here until he was healthy and able to move about much easier, right now it was quite a challenge for him to even walk without assistance. How hard that must be for him, a man who never relied on anyone before. She wondered if he was all right mentally, or was all this a strain on him. “I'll continue to wait, he'll come back. I know he will.” She said quietly, lightly touching the ruby hanging around her neck and fingering Roy's glove that was resting in her lap.

“That bastard, how dare he make her feel like this.” Edward clenched his fists tightly, even thought it wasn't really Mustang's fault he was almost killed. He was angry at him for hurting Winry even unintentionally. “He never does come back, does he?” The realization hit him and he felt anger swirl quickly within him. “That ass has brats he doesn't even know about, which means…” He stared at Winry, “He never comes back here!” Edward growled, “Just when I start to feel sorry for the bastard he does something else to make me hate him! He hurts my friend, I knew he'd do that to her, it was only a matter of time!”

“We don't know the circumstances, Brother. We don't know why he never came back here.” Alphonse really wanted to hug Winry, to take away her worry and heart ache. “We can't judge him; we don't have any of the facts. It makes an ass out of you if you just assume things.”

“I don't care what it makes me!” Edward looked away from his brother. “Look at her, she's a wreck! You should hate him!”

Trisha worried for Edward, but she was sure that he did understand. “It's all right to be angry at Mustang, Edward, but hate is rather harsh. I know that Winry doesn't hate him, even after all of this. If you ask her about what happened and how she got to this point, I have no doubt she will still say positive things about him. I know to all it seemed Winry hated him at one time, but she was just hurt and suffering in her own way. Hate is severe. Winry is not the type to hate so completely.”

Alphonse nodded, “It's true! I don't hate him, Brother. There was never any reason to hate him so I don't know why you do.”

“Because… he's an ass! That's a good enough reason.” Edward paced back and forth, he wanted to know why Mustang broke his promise. Just as he thought that, there was a flash of bright light and the scene changed. He and his brother found themselves in a room.

Mustang was sitting up in his bed, there was a black patch covering almost half of his face, Hawkeye was seated by his side and staring down at her task of peeling and apple for him.

“What's the frown for?” He asked her.

Riza glanced up, “The plan was perfect, you did your part but I should have gotten there sooner to protect you.” Guilt poured from her tone, “If you had died, how would I have been able to explain what happened to Winry. “You haven't even tried to talk to her. I call her a few times a week to tell her of your condition. This is my fault.”

Roy tilted his head a little. “Nothing's perfect. The world is not perfect but it's there for us, trying the best it can.” He reached over and touched Hawkeye's hair, the color reminded him a bit of Winry, sure her hair was longer, but it was so reminiscent of a fiery blonde. He knew that once Hawkeye had met Winry when Winry was a young girl, seeing her long, pretty hair that was when Hawkeye started growing hers out as well. Roy smiled a little, “That's what makes it so damn beautiful.”

Smiling a little herself, Riza shoved an apple slice against his lips, “just shut up and eat. Save your flirts for someone else.”

Roy ate the apple slice, “I wasn't flirting. I was speaking my thoughts.”

“Well talk less and eat more, you need to regain your health so you can go back to Winry, just like you promised her.” Riza sliced another piece of the apple and held it out to him, where Mustang lifted his hand and pushed the slice away. Why did the air feel suddenly cold and foreboding? “Did I say something wrong, Sir?”

“I'm not going back.” Roy said, he found Hawkeye staring in disbelief. He couldn't face Winry like this. He was barely a shell of who he was before he went after Bradley. “I'm not going to see her anymore, never again.” He felt he was way too damaged, in more ways than one. He couldn't risk tainting her with his dark sins. She would never see him the same way again. She was much too good. He will never see his goal complete since the state returned to the old government. So many people lost so much all because of that damned Philosopher Stone, he had helped Bradley unknowingly, his despair added to the suffering. He was useless, even now that small boy that he couldn't save. A child, someone so innocent… and he failed. How could he ever hope to protect Winry? He would only drag her down and he couldn't do that to her. The best thing to do was to stay away from her, to let her go. He was no good for her, he could never be the man she would need.

Riza couldn't believe what she was hearing, “Sir, but you promised.” She noticed that Mustang turned his head and glanced out the window. He never told her anything important, why was that? “Sir, I know I'm not Maes, but I do think that you and I are friends, so why not tell me what you're thinking. Why won't you go back?”

He didn't want to talk about it. Roy leaned back against his pillow and continued to stare outside. He could only see out of one eye! His throat seemed to close up, with knowing what lie beneath the patch over his face. He would disgust Winry, he knew he would. What he would give to be able to get up without assistance, to walk amongst everyone. Sure, it would take months for him to be able to again, but at least he wasn't paralyzed. He thought about Winry and he knew this would probably hurt her, this decision was hurting him as well but this was for her own good, for the best. `I'm sorry.' And he closed his eye. “I'm tired, Hawkeye.” was the last thing he said.

With a sigh, Riza sat the knife and half eaten apple on the small table beside the bed. “I'll come back later then.” And she stood, heading for the door. “I think you're making a big mistake by not keeping your promise.” And she left the room.

“That coward,” Edward spoke softly, but there was venom in his words and tone. “He really is one.”

Alphonse looked between his brother and the General and noticed wetness on Mustang's face. This decision was hurting him, the man never showed emotion to anyone. “He should have gone back to Winry, it's true. She heals all aspects, inside and out. If only the General would have realized that now.”

****

“She doesn't look to good.” Trisha commented, gesturing to Winry.

Both Edward and Alphonse cringed and looked away from Winry, it was too disgusting and it made their stomachs jump in discomfort.

“Did we have to see her tossing her cookies?” Edward felt her face turn green, “Sometimes I think this world or whatever it is likes us to suffer, that it gets some sick, twisted pleasure out of it. Now seeing someone throwing up… it's beyond cruel!”

Winry held her stomach, breathing hard and leaned away from the toilet seat. There was a knock on the bathroom door.

“Winry, are you all right?” Rose asked, pressing her ear against the door.

Standing weakly, Winry reached up and pulled the chain that would flush the toilet and the water took away morning's breakfast. She turned on the sink and washed her face then rinsed her mouth out. Steadying her self on the sink she gripped the porcelain and looked at her reflection. Her face was pale. Drying her hands on the hand towel there, she walked the step to the door and pulled it open. “This is the third day in a row I have felt like this. I've obviously caught some kind of bug.”

Rose followed Winry into the living room where she watched her sit down and lean the back of her head on the soft cushion. “It might not be what you think.” She had an inclining of what it could be that Winry was sick with and glanced over at her child that was asleep in the playpen. “I have had some experience of my own with what I think you might be sick with, Winry.”

“Oh yeah? What then?” Winry lifted her head and saw Rose nod towards her child.

“When was your last…you know?” Rose felt her cheeks heat at asking something so personal.

“Her last what?” Edward asked, proving her really knew very little about women.

“You know, Edward, a girl's period.” Trisha said as easily as if it was talking about the weather. She saw both her sons' cheeks heat in embarrassment and she laughed lightly.

Winry sat up, pulling her legs to curl into her, “Why it was… it was…” When was her last monthly visitor? Sapphire eyes widened extremely large and her face paled even more. “No, you don't think…” She put her hand to her mouth in shock. “No, no I…” Winry felt ill, but this time for another reason, hearing footsteps, she turned her head to see her grandmother walk in.

“Hello, girls, what are you up to today?” Pinako asked pleasantly, then noticing the look on Winry's face. “What's wrong?”

Rose quietly moved to her child in the playpen and picked him up, silently leaving the room.

Winry placed both feet on the floor and leaned forward, her heart was racing and sweat was gathering at her hairline. “Grandma, I think I have something to tell you.” She turned her head, her eyes full of fear and tears. Pinako walked to her granddaughter's side and sat down, ready to listen.

“What's the matter, Winry?”

Closing her eyes, Winry took a deep breath. “It's very possible that I might be…Rose thinks that I could be…” Nerves prickled along the back of her neck, “pregnant.”

Pinako stared at her granddaughter for a moment, “I see. Do you know for certain?”

Winry shook her head, “No, but I can't even remember when my last…you know was, and I've felt ill the past couple of days.” What was she going to do now? If she really was pregnant, this was going to mess up everything. She was unmarried and sixteen.

Edward wanted to hold her hand, to make her feel better to let her know that everything was all right, even if she was having a bastard's children. “I wish I could do something to help ease her worry.” He could see how unsure and scared she was.

“Same here, Brother,” Alphonse said with a sigh.

“You are good young men,” Trisha said, “It's hard for a woman who's married, and you have to remember that she is unmarried, that is quite a struggle all on its own.”

Standing up and starting to pace, Pinako folded her hands behind her back. “If you are, I take it the father of this child is not Edward, is it?” She knew exactly who it was.

Shaking her head again, Winry's heart continued to pound in her breast and her stomach flipped out of control. She squeezed her hands together tightly, “I'm sorry, I…”

“Shhh,” Pinako sat at Winry's side again. “It's not important how it happened, Winry. Don't be sorry. I know this was not a plan for you yet, but it's not so terrible. It's nothing that we can't handle as a family.”

“I'm supposed to leave for Rush Valley tomorrow.” Winry rested her forehead in her hands. Roy would still be healing for many months yet, so there would be no reason to wait around here for him, putting her life on hold. She was sure he would be back so there was nothing to really worry about and she could wait for him in Rush Valley.

Pinako stroked Winry's hair, “So you leave for Rush Valley as planned, but you come back here when you are going to have your child.”

“Nine months is pushing it for an apprenticeship, but I can probably handle it.” Winry let out a long breath. “I can't believe it, I'm going to… Edward's gonna kill me!” She grabbed at her face.

With a smirk, Pinako snorted. “I don't think it's you he will kill, but rather Mustang.”

Winry squeezed her eyes shut tightly, so her grandmother did know who the possible child's father might be. “How should I tell him?”

“Tell him when he comes back, it would be an interesting surprise.” Pinako thought with a smirk. “I can just imagine his face when you tell him.” She saw Winry smile.

“Damn straight! When I catch up to him, Mustang's a dead man!” Edward raged, “He never comes back here, leaves Winry to take care of his brats by herself. What a rotten ass! I was an idiot for thinking that there was a decent bone in that body of his. He hurt our Winry.”

“Now, now, Brother. You're overreacting. Winry never told him about the children. And I can understand why. I met the children once; they were about two years old and so adorable!” Alphonse said. “Winry's a good mother.”

“She would be.” Edward said proudly, “But you still should have told me that she had kids, Al.” He was still angry about that.

Alphonse shrugged, “What would have been the point, Brother? I didn't think we could ever get back home again.”

“I know.” Sighing, Edward glanced at Winry. “Mustang doesn't deserve her love.”

“So you admit that she loves him?” Trisha asked.

Edward nodded, “It's something that is hard for me to admit to or see. But she does and I can't ignore that fact. As much hurt as it causes me, it was what she wanted. She deserves to be happy. She loves him whether I am there or not, maybe if I had been there more it could have been be, but Al and I were always on the move and looking for a way to put our bodies back together. Mustang was there, and for some reason they had been drawn together. I may not like it, but I can accept it because it's what Winry wanted and her being happy is important to me. I have no idea how she feels now, it's been years since she's even seen Mustang. But maybe there is a chance for me now, I won't leave her this time. I'll stay. All she wanted from any of us, Al and I, yes even Mustang was to stay with her, not to leave her alone. But all of us were selfish and treated her less than she deserved. We all should be ashamed of ourselves for not even thinking of her.

Trisha smiled. “I am glad to see that you understand that, Edward. It's not easy for you to admit that Winry loved Mustang, you are looking at the situation with a giving heart and that is important. Love is giving, it is not selfish. Always remember that.”

A flash of light blinded Edward and Alphonse, when they were able to see clearly, two tall amethyst doors were directly in front of them, they slowly started to part.

The three of them headed to the opening doors.

Edward and Alphonse both turned to face their mother. It was time to move on already? It was too soon.

“Mother?” Edward swallowed a hard breath of air, “I wish we could have had more time together.”

Trisha stepped closer and hugged both her children to her, “I know, me too. Take care of each other.” Her heart ached as she released them.

Alphonse wiped his eyes, “thank you for helping us.”

Placing her palm against Alphonse's cheek, she smiled sweetly. “Good luck,” she replied and took a step back as her two boys turned around quickly and raced out the doors. “Take care of Winry, too. She'll need your help when you get home.” She said to their retreating figures, knowing that they most likely didn't hear them. The doors started to close taking her from her boys a second time. “Good bye, my darlings, until we meet again.”

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Well that's it for this chapter/episode. I hope you all enjoyed it. It's sad what happens with Bradley's son in the series. Poor kid. I hope it seemed my added scenes weren't too outrageous or far fetched that they could have been in there, but ended up edited out and on the cutting room floor haha.

Thanks for reading,
Ryoko Blue