Edward sighed. He knew that if he didn't tidy his room, Winry would kill him. He had gotten home from town, and rushed upstairs before Winry would see his back hole of a room. Ed ran past Winry's door, but hesitated and went back.

Was she crying?

"Hey, you okay?"

Winry turned away, attempting too late to hide her tears.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

Edward frowned and sat at the foot of her bed.

"No you're not. What's wrong?"

"Nothing!"

"Winry!" Edward yelled, perhaps too loudly. Winry winced and began crying harder. Immediately, Edward's expression softened and he scooted closer.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Winry shook her head and sniffled.

"Tell me."

"No, he'd kill me."

"Who?"

"Eric."

Her boyfriend?

"He won't find out, Winry. You can tell me, okay?"

Winry pulled up her sleeve, revealing large bruises and cuts all over her arm.

"Oh God, Winry… how could you let this happen?"

"It's not by choice!" Winry shrieked. 'You think I like being constantly hit, Ed? You think I like wondering if I'll be back in my bed at night? You think I like hurting too badly to smile?"

Edward stared at Winry in shock. He could feel the lump building up in his throat, the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Winry, I-"

"Just forget it, Ed. Alright?"

"No. No way. There is no way in hell that I will forget this."

Edward stood and ran to his room.

"Be right back!"

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Just making a quick call."

Winry's eyes widened.

"No! Ed, don't, please!"

Edward hurried to his room and shut the door, locking it behind him. He grabbed his phonebook and flipped through the pages.

Raylan, Eric

Edward pounded in the number keys.

"Hey, just calling to say that if you ever go near Winry again, I'll kill you."

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the Eastern Command Center colonel and close friends with Fuhrer Mustang himself."

Edward could hear Eric laughing on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are. You can't tell me that I can't see my girlfriend."

"Look man, she isn't your girlfriend anymore, got it? If I were you, I'd forget I ever met her."

"Well then," Eric said darkly, "It's a good thing you aren't me, isn't it?"

Edward slammed the phone onto the receiver. Quickly, he picked it up again.

"Hey, Denny, you and Maria still in Resembool?"

"Colonel Elric? Yeah, we're still here. Why, you need something?"

(A/N: Denny and Maria are Ed's subordinates…)

"Eric Raylan. Lives about oh, quarter of a mile from that bakery on main."

"what about him, sir?"

"Arrest him."

"right away, sir." Denny replied.

Edward smiled in satisfaction. He went and opened his door to find Winry sobbing next to the doorway on the floor.

"Do you have any idea of what you just did?"

"Yeah. I'm having him arrested."

"What?"

Winry stared in disbelief. She'd only heard Ed's conversation with Eric.

"Yeah. I called Denny." Edward said, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought he'd kill me. I was irrational, okay?"

"Win, you know I'd have gone psycho on his ass."

Winry sniffled.

"Come with me back home."

"What?"

"Come live at my apartment with me. I… I hate leaving you. I know that in itself kills you. Kills me, too. If I ever have to leave for work, you can come!"

"Ed,"

"I love you, Winry. You have to come! Please…"

Winry smiled for the first time in months. She painfully wrapped her arms around Ed.

"I'll pack my things. I love you too."

(A/N: I feel kinda cheesy writing that…)

Edward grinned down at Winry.

"Glad to-"

The front door crashed against the wall on the main floor. Winry jumped and started shaking. Ed could feel her heart beating against his chest.

"Win, stay here, I'll be ri-"

"Edward? Winry?" Edward breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

"It's only Granny."