AmyNChan: One of my friends is going into the Navy. I wrote this to help me cope.

Ed: Well, Al and I turned out just fine!

AmyNChan: Even though you're fictional, that gives me hope.

Winry: Amy doesn't own Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.

She had known it was coming for a long time. A year, he had told them with a fierce determination in his eyes. One year to get up to speed with new automail limbs. One year to get himself to perfect health.

One year to leave them behind.

Winry had no idea why it had hit her as hard as it did, or as quickly. All she knew was that at one moment she was thinking about what to get Ed and Al for Christmas and the next she was hunched over, trying desperately not to make a sound as she sobbed.

Why am I crying?

Because she was afraid.

Why am I afraid?

Because Ed and Al may never return to their home. May never come back to her and Granny Pinako in their furthest corner of the world.

Why would I be afraid of that?

Because the Military was a scary place, and even scarier was the fact that her two best friends could die in its service. They used alchemists like dogs. They used people like dispensable tools. Like they had used her parents.

Ed and Al could always come back…

But she feared it would never be the same. Who knew? The military could have Ed start to like milk. The military could crush Al's gentle and humane spirit. The military could strip them both of their personalities and turn them into something horrible.

"Winry, the pipsqueak's ready for today's rehab," Granny Pinako said at the door. "Honestly, that boy's got the stubbornness of a mule."

"Coming," the girl said, making haste to wipe her eyes. She still had half a year with the idiots. She would make the most of it. She made her way downstairs and to the living room.

"Good afternoon, Winry."

"Hey, Al."

"Let's get this over with, stupid mechanic."

"You need my help, alchemy freak!"

"Yeah, let's just get this go—OW!"

"Never pick a fight with the mechanic, pipsqueak."

"She hit me harder than normal, granny!"

"Stop your complaining and let's get going, freak!"

AmyNChan: He's not going for another six months, but I'm still scared. I know not a lot of people read these, but please help me pray for him while he's gone. He's my best friend and is very dear to me.