A/N: EdxWinry drabble/oneshot. I hope you like.

thanks to my editor/proof reader chibi neko-dono, for her work!

Wrench Work

Her heart soared with delight and a smile sprang across her face. She had just woken up, opened her window so that the fresh air might awaken her, looked out over the vista and viewed her favorite sight in all of Amestris—the two Elrics walking up the hill.

She was in ecstasy. That is, until, she noticed the way Ed's right arm was hanging uselessly at his side and he was walking with the slightest limp. Disgusted by his endangerment of his life and her automail, Winry didn't even return the wave Ed was eagerly enacting. Rather, she dressed, grabbed her largest wrench, and resolutely stormed down the stairs, determined to give the alchemist another reason to stop trying to get himself killed.

She watched from the living room as they two gradually approached. They were walking up to the garden; now through the garden; now up the front steps. Winry took her position next to the door, wrench in hand. Two, one step left. Now across the porch and to open the front door. The door crept open and Al crossed the threshold first, Ed not far behind; neither of the two noted Winry's presence until it was too late.

"Winry! We're ba—"

Ed was cut off harshly as a long, cold metal object struck him directly on the head from behind. He immediately fell to the ground, unconscious. Winry ignored this fact and continued beating him until there was little left that resembled the famed alchemist. Content with her work, she stepped over his body and approached Al, who the whole time had been yelling, "Nii-san!!"

Winry, knowing that Al could not feel it, lowered her wrench and proceeded to lecture Alphonse until her voice was hoarse. Then she poured herself a cup of tea (Pinako had made her some in the event of such a scenario; Winry swore her grandmother was psychic), and waited for Ed to regain consciousness. When he finally did, Winry repeated the lecture she had said to Alphonse, only this time she was screaming it.

She used these rare instances to vent the following: her hurt at being left out; her fear for their lives; her frustration at Ed's carelessness; her concern for Al's humanity; her hatred for waiting, waiting, waiting; her disappointment in the lack of correspondence; her guilt for not yet being able to build automail powerful enough to sustain and protect Ed; her joy at seeing them return; her sadness at watching them leave; and most of all, her loneliness when the two were gone.

Edward, however, didn't know these things. All he knew was that he had once again failed Winry. He didn't know how to apologize, or explain the reasons behind his actions. All he knew was what he did—and that was protect her. That was more important that anything, and he would do anything to achieve that, even if it meant hurting her. So, in these rare instances, Ed did what he knew how. He cautiously approached her and her wrench, braced for the worst, looked into her aqua eyes, waited for her to look into his, and then apologized with utmost sincerity.

She melted. Perfectly collapsed like a house of cards. All of her hurt, fear, frustration, concern, hatred, disappointment, guilt, sadness, and loneliness—all of these emotions dissolved, leaving only joy (and perhaps a pinch of guilt at having caused all the bruises Ed now sported) at the pure and honest regret in his golden eyes.

"Baka," she said, hitting him one last time on the head before leading him into the workroom where she proceeded to fix his arm.

She knew that she could do no more. She was his support system. He would come when he came and leave when he left. He could not afford to remain. She could not follow him; it was not natural, nor was it what either of them wanted. So, she would keep waiting, waiting, waiting. And he would keep questing, questing, questing. Perhaps one day, the cycle would end and the two could find peace. But that day was not today. And, in the meantime, both would have to have patience and hope.

So her heart panged with fear and sadness, tears slid down her face as she viewed her least favorite sight in all the world. She watched their backs slowly shrink, walking down the hill, eventually sinking beyond the horizon. And the cycle began again. She waited.

-------A/N: REVIEW! IT KEEPS WRITERS LIKE ME WORKING!