Broken Automail (Prolgoue)

"Rockbell Automail Services, How can we help?"

"Hi Winry."

"Edward? Missed me already?" Winry laughed, glad to hear Eds voice. It had only been a week since Ed had left to explore the West of Amestris.

"Uh yeah, sure," Ed replied sheepishly. Winry tensed. Something was wrong. "So I need to ask a favour-"

"You broke it already didnt you?" Winry growled down the phone. She knew that sheepish tone too well.

A musical laugh came down the line.

"YOU DID! HOW THE HELL DID YOU MANAGE THAT YOU IDIOT YOUVE NOT EVEN BEEN GONE A WEEK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY AUTOMAIL!" Winry yelled, almost throwing the handset in frustration.

"Hey! It wasn't my fault! Some idiot in town called me short! Well actually it turns out he said I had mud on my shirt but I thought he said short, and well you know how I get. Ha ha! But he was the one who over reacted I didn't deserve that-"

"You got into a fight?!"

"It wasn't a fight exactly! But he started it when he-"

"Why are you even getting mad about being called short? You aren't short anymore you moron!"

"It was a knee-jerk reaction I couldn't help it!"

"A knee-jerk reaction that broke my precious automail that I slaved over for you! You are so careless Ed!"

"I know, I know! I'm sorry Winry!"

"Come home," Winry sighed. Listening to Edwards bumbling excuses was enough to break her frostiness. Not enough to stop it completely but enough to stop the yelling.

"I'll be on the next train home I promise!" Ed laughed, clearly relieved Winry had stopped trying to scream his ears off.

"Uh huh."

"I miss you, Winry," Edward whispered. He sounded like he meant it.

Winry sighed again. She would never say it to him but she was elated at the thought of him coming home so soon. They had left things so up in the air at the trainstation. What are you supposed to do when you declare your love for someone and they hop on a train to the West? Sit and tinker with automail and apple pies, that's what.

"Just get home so I can fix your stupid leg. I have a business to run you know. And if you miss that train you can damn well hop home!" She could practically hear Ed wince. "And I miss you too," she muttered before she slammed the phone down with a clang.

Winry let out an exasperated sigh. Stupid boy. When would he learn to look after his automail?

Never. That's when. Never. He'd need Winry to fix him up for the rest of his hot headed life.

Just as Winry turned to leave, the phone let out another shrill cry.

"What does he want now?" She huffed.

She grabbed the phone on its third ring and growled.

"If you are about to tell me you need money for the train you can forget it!" She barked.

"That wont be necessary, Miss Rockbell," a stern deep voice replied. Definetly not Ed.

"Oh! Colonel Mustang! I'm so sorry I thought you were someone else!" She fumbled her words almost spitting them out. He sounded as stern and tense as she remembered him.

"That's all right. I am just calling to ask if you have had any contact with Fullmetal," Roy replied. "Although by your outburst I imagine you just have."

Was that a laugh? Winry couldn't tell. Instead she stood almost at attention and wrapped the phone cord round her finger as she spoke.

"Uh, yes. I was just talking to him actually. He's went and broken his automail already and needs to come home for repairs." She felt like she was reporting to an army General. Wasn't that what she was doing?

"Typical. Well when he returns can you ask him to come to Central as soon as he can. We need to talk." There was no suprise in his voice at the news of Ed coming home. Did he already know when he called?

"Uh of course! Is there something wrong?" Winry asked, unease rising in her throat. Something felt off. Very off.

"Nothing for you to worry about, Miss Rockbell. Just military business. If you could pass that message on to Edward and have a nice day. Farewell." The Colonel hung up and the line went dead. Winry stared down at the dead tone. This wasn't right. Mustang was supposed to be in the East, helping with Ishval. Something serious must be going on to tear him away from that. Something bad.