Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist!!

The One Eternal Thing

This is a short three chapter long piece! It's an Ed/Winry and it's an angsty romance. Eh heh! Read and review!! Hope you enjoy!!

The Beginning Chapter

Chapter 1

Edward was lying out with his feet resting on the coffee table. He and Alphonse were staying at another hotel on their quest for the Philosopher's Stone. Al was sitting up straight and proper as always on the couch looking very patient.

"What are you waiting for?" scowled Edward.

Al said, "I don't know. For some reason, I feel like something very important is going to happen, big brother."

Ed gave a big sigh. He stretched his arms out into the air and yawned loudly. "Nothing's going to happen. It's just a boring old arvo."

Al gave Ed a sideways glance. He would've shrugged but even if he did, you couldn't see because of the heavy armor sheltering his soul.

At that moment, the phone rang. Ed almost fell off the couch at how suddenly it rang. Al jumped to his feet and ran excitedly to the phone.

Ed groaned. "Dammit, Al. Did you plan that or something?" He turned to Al, but noticed Al wasn't paying him any attention. Ed got to his feet and sauntered over to Al and the phone.

"Granny Pinako!" Al was saying excitedly, "We haven't heard from you in a while!"

Ed just stood there in silence, listening to Al's end of the conversation.

Al was silent for a while. The giant empty suit of armor was completely still. Ed was intrigued at what was making Al act so worried. He noticed that Al's metal hands were loosening the grip on the phone. Ed quickly snatched the phone from Al and held it up to his ear.

"What's up, Granny?" Ed asked, a little sharply. He looked at Al out of the corner of his eye. His younger brother was slowly collecting himself and wandering back over to the couch.

Pinako's voice was a little trembly and very concerned.

"Edward," she said, "You and Alphonse have to come to Resembool immediately!! It's urgent!!"

"What? What happened?" Ed asked, picking up on Pinako's worried tone.

Pinako's voice paused for a moment, as though considering telling Ed or not. "…It's Winry," Pinako said quietly. "She's really sick."

"What??" Edward demanded. "How did she get sick? Winry never gets sick!!"

Pinako sounded wise and knowing as she replied, "You should know this better than anyone, Edward. You know very well that life is very fragile. And things like these are the sort that no-one can predict."

Ed's eyebrows crumpled down over his eyes. He couldn't help his voice start trembling a little and sounding very tense. He gripped the phone hard that his knuckles started turning white and the joints on his metal arm starting creaking in pain.

"Granny… why would you start talking about life like that? Is she… going to die??"

"NO, SHE'S NOT!!" Pinako yelled into the phone so hard that Ed started cringing from the sound waves. Pinako's voice simmered down and it was very frail. "…she won't die… if she's lucky."

Pinako listened to her end of the phone, but couldn't hear Ed saying anything. She thought she heard his breathing which was shallow and stressed. Pinako dropped her shoulders down and calmed herself.

"Anyway, Edward," she continued, "You and your brother better get here immediately."

Alphonse looked over at his older brother. Edward took the phone down from his ear and held it in his hand for a moment, just glaring at it. Then he slammed it down onto the holder and started heading out the door.

"Let's go, Al."

The train ride to Resembool was long and silent, as well as painful for the Elric brothers. They didn't talk during the ride, and they didn't want to. Even if they were to speak, what would they speak about?

Ed sat next to the window, staring out at the quickly changing scenery. His chin was rested on his palm and he was lost in thought.

Stupid frickin' illness!! Just 'cause I've gone off somewhere doesn't mean you can just take my best friend away!! Ed frowned hard and clenched his fists tightly. For some reason, he thought about Winry and his joints started aching. And it wasn't even just the metal parts of his body.

It was so weird and confusing. Sure, his automail creaked and hurt but deep inside his chest, there was a pain that hurt even more. It almost took his breath away. Ed bit his lip to cope with the pain.

Winry… Edward closed his eyes for a moment and drifted off into some momentary state of sleep. He wasn't really asleep just… dreaming?

What was Winry to him anyway? He knew she was his very best friend and that they had been together for as long as he could remember. She was his mechanic, and although a little short-tempered at times, she did an awesome job on his arm and leg.

Ed thought about how Winry had told him, many times now; that she was going to train as hard as she could and work hard so that she could make him the best automail ever. Of course, she knew Ed wanted his original body back, but until then she would do her best to make him his mechanical arm and leg.

Just thinking about this made his head hurt. He could almost feel the heavy metal wrench hitting him now.

Ed grumbled. Dammit, if she doesn't ever want me to get hurt or 'broken', why is she always chucking bloody wrenches at me??

He was still majorly pissed about those wrench-throwing incidents but for some reason thinking about these more light-hearted though painful events, made him feel a lot better. Because Edward had been distressed and a little depressed before but thinking about Winry being herself put a little smile on his face.

And when he was smiling, he found himself picturing Winry's delighted smiling face. And it made him feel happy for once.

But everything wasn't that happy right now. He was still burdened with the fact that Winry was very ill and there was the possibility he might lose her. Thinking about that made the pain inside hurt even more and the frown lines on his face deepened.

Ed's fists were tightened. He couldn't stand it. He didn't need it, didn't want it. It had taken so long to accept his mother's death… there was no way he could face another trauma like that. He couldn't handle another one leaving.

He could not lose another loved one!!

And he already knew it. He knew he loved Winry more than anyone else in the world. Though she didn't know it, he loved her the most and thought of her all the time. If she were to die… well then, he wouldn't know what to do.

Those were Ed's thoughts as the train slowed to a halt.

Al was pulling at his sleeve and saying, "Big Brother... Wake up!! We're at Resembool!!"

The two Elric brothers got off the train and rushed to Pinako's. They paused a little outside the door and they both knew what they were both thinking.

Ed cautiously pushed open the door and took a step inside. The house seemed scarily silent. Al followed his brother inside, trying to be quiet but failing because of the clanking his armor made.

"…Granny? Winry?" Ed called.

He thought he heard voices so he followed them to the other end of the house. He stopped at the doorway to Winry's room. Alphonse stood beside Edward and gave him an encouraging nod.

Ed frowned slightly and opened the door slowly.

"Winry?" He said.

At once a wrench flying a top speed hit him on the head. Ed went flying backwards. He had totally not expected that!

Edward jumped to his feet and furiously ran towards Winry's bed, which Winry was lying in.

"What the hell was that for, Winry?? I came all this way!! I thought you were sick, but you're definitely well enough to be chucking frickin' wrenches!!!" He yelled.

"You sure took your time!!" Winry retorted.

Ed was pissed but he managed to stretch a tight smile on his face. He stood at the foot on Winry's bed, just watching her.

"But… I'm glad you're not looking too bad. How do you feel?" Ed asked gently.

Pinako was sitting on a chair beside the bed. She watched Ed from over the rim of her glasses. Al was standing quietly next to Pinako, also watching.

"I'm feeling pretty good!!" Winry had certainly perked up. Sure she was in her pajamas and sitting up in bed, with a flushed face and messed-up hair; but she had a brightest smile Ed had seen in ages.

"Before, I was feeling pretty crappy, but you and Al came and made me feel so much better!" She grinned.

Ed smiled, his shoulders dropping as he relaxed. He sighed with relief. "In that case, I'm glad. You're gonna be fine."

And although the atmosphere was happy and hopeful at that moment, Pinako said something so quietly no-one but her could hear it. She hated to darken the mood, but it was the truth and she knew it.

"Sometimes… even if you think everything is going to be fine, it's not. And sometimes… though you believe everything ends happily, it doesn't."

That was the first part!! Two parts to go!! WOOHOO! I hope you enjoyed!! Please review and tell me what you thought!! from emichii!!