Don't know when it takes place but Ed still has his automail and Al is human, somehow the boys get back and all are in Risembool. I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or its characters, just wanted to write about them. SPECIAL THANKS TO:watevergurL, Miroku'z Girl, S J Smith, Hawkeye0165, Butterfle, harmony, fmachibichick, Kyono Misaki, Midnight Moon, The Earth Alchemist, ElementChild of the Realm FOR REVIEWING FOR ME!

Before And After, and Somewhere In Between…

"Winry!" Ed called out in an angry sort of panic, yelling down the steps. "Winry!"

His feet thundered down the stairs as she wasn't in her room, spotting Al on the floor petting Den's head.

"Where is she?" Ed questioned hastily, only wearing his boxer shorts as well as a thin piece of fabric falling off of his chest.

"Um, I don't know, brother," Al said truthfully. He hadn't seen her all morning once he had awakened either.

"Quit squawking half-pint!" Pinako yelled from the kitchen.

"Where is she, short, old hag!" Ed yelled louder, his fangs showing.

"What's wrong, brother?" Al asked, standing up as Den greeted Ed, or tried to with his head up and tail wagging.

"N-nothing! Mind your own business!" Ed stuttered, turning around and opening the door hastily to the workshop, but once again his eyes betrayed him. She was certainly gone from the house. His hand hit his forehead hard as his metal arm slammed the workshop door shut. Al stared dumbfounded as his brother thundered back up the stairs, skipping a few steps along the way as he slammed his door shut.

"Granny Pinako?" Al questioned in a scared manner.

Ed appeared again in what seemed like seconds later, slipping his black coat over his shoulders as his boots still seemed half on. He was out the door as fast as wind, the door swinging shut. Where had she gotten to? How hadn't she woken him up? Why hadn't she woken him up?

He ran down the gravel path, trying to think of a place the silly mechanic would be.

"Winry!" he yelled outside, his voice being carried over the grassy hills around him. "Win! Come on!"

The night before was clear in his head. Ed had fallen hard on his back, a rock splitting the skin open across his shoulder blade when he and Winry were once again arguing. Ed leaned back up, the tank top he was wearing suddenly sticking to his back. Winry gasped in as Ed touched his back, blood present on his fingertips.

Winry hurriedly got him back to the house, it empty as Den, Al, and Pinako had seemed to disappear for…groceries perhaps?

They didn't say a word to each other as Winry began to clean the wound out in his room, the hot water rubbing off the blood from his stinging, cold skin. The fabric felt strange against the wound as her fingertips grasped his other shoulder to keep his back straight. She brushed the fabric across his back a few more times, her fingers tightening on his metal shoulder as she leaned close to the wound to see if it had stopped bleeding. Ed's heart was beating deeply in his chest as well as his ears, it almost threatening to pound out of his chest. He hoped Winry couldn't her it, she was so close to him now…

Winry placed the fabric into the warm, pink water and set it down on the floor, letting go of Ed to get the clean ripped cloth she had found to wrap his wound. She gathered the fabric in her arms as Ed's eyes were focused on the far wall in front of him, her eyes watching him carefully but continuing in finishing her task. She sat down behind him, gently pulling the tan fabric from its folded state, hanging onto its end in one hand as she scooted closer to Ed. She slid her hands under his arms, making him hold his arms up higher and straining the skin along his back. Ed's teeth clenched in his jaw but before the pain could really reach his brain he felt something drift across his chest. Winry's hands danced across his skin, pulling the fabric flat against him and placing it tight against the wound. The dressing helped keep the stinging air from the wound and once Winry was done something slipped her lips that Ed hadn't been expecting.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Ed questioned in a lower tone, the quiet from Winry's words taking over his own. Her hand placed her fingers across his wounded shoulder, his body reacting to the touch not with pain but with fear, and excitement. Winry's guilt had reached its limit as the warm blood began to stain the fabric, her head leaning against his braided hair.

"Don't worry about it."

"Your shirt's ruined," Winry stated, not leaving the scent of his hair as she picked up the sleeveless shirt, the blood on there as well as a large slash through its back.

"Win, just don't worry," Ed snapped, his body lifting up and leaving her head leaning forward as he walked over to his dresser to find a new shirt. "You worry too much."

"You don't worry about yourself, someone has to," she half snapped, pouting as she stood up and grabbed the bowl of dirty water. Ed slipped the shirt over his head as the sunlight from outside pierced the room around him, but as he turned around she had already left.

"Whiny auto-mechanic freak," Ed muttered to himself.

"I heard that, alchemy nerd."

Ed's back straightened quickly as her voice echoed in from the hallway, making his wound ache a little bit more than he would have liked. He winced a little bit, but didn't take back what he said. He spat his tongue out childishly at the air.

"Don't make faces," Winry stated even though she wasn't in sight. Ed bit his tongue slightly in surprise.

"How the hell—you can't see me!" Ed yelled.

"There's a window, dork, I can see your reflection," Winry said, walking back into his room and setting more of the tattered fabric on his desk.

"What's that for?"

"Later," Winry answered, turning and leaving again. She was calm, calmer than she usually was when anything happened to him. Either she was fussing over his injuries, or causing them. Now, she had a little bit, but she was distant, she snapped back, but not with her wrench or fist.

"You better lay down until dinner," Winry replied suddenly as Ed had gone quiet. "Make sure that big head of yours gets enough blood."

"I don't have a big head!" Ed growled. Winry stepped back into the room, closer to him, scaring him as her eyes shined in the sunset light. She grabbed his auto-mail arm as he still stood in confusion, dragging him over to his bed and helping him lay flat on his stomach, his cheek resting against his pillow.

"Win," Ed said in a quieter tone.

"Stay put, alright?" Winry ordered lightly.

"Something's up," Ed stated but his comments didn't seem to be getting through to her.

"Just rest."

"I feel fine!" Ed's head rose up off the pillow.

"Ed."

His mouth tightened angrily, a growl in his throat before his head rested back onto the pillow. His eyes stared up as he heard her footsteps walk out and down the stairs.

What was wrong with her?

End Part 1--I don't know how many parts it'll be but it got way too long to be one thing lol so it'll probably be around three parts, short little thing but its longer, no worries