This is where I live. This is me. I will not allow violence against this house.
-Dustin Hoffman, "Straw Dogs"

Edward Elric buried his face in his remaining arm and sighed heavily. The train ride back to Resembool was long enough to begin with, but this time it felt like the journey would never end. The jagged stump where his automail arm had been glistened in the sun as his body rocked back and forth in cadence with the click-clack of the train's wheels. His brother Alphonse sat across from him, his armor scraped and dented from their fight with the homunculi. Neither one had said a word since they first boarded the train two hours ago, and it didn't seem like the silence would break anytime soon. Both of them knew that the homunculi were forces to be reckoned with, but after the brothers squeaked out their latest victory, Envy delivered a spiteful cheap shot that resulted in the shattering of Edward's automail. "A little parting gift," the homunculus had called it.

He shook his head and mumbled, "Winry...Winry's gonna kill me."

"No she won't," Al responded, breaking whatever silence was left. "I'm sure she'll understand."

"You didn't hear her voice, Al," Ed replied. "You wouldn't believe how angry she was."

"Angry? Why would she be angry with you, brother?"

Ed motioned his right shoulder towards Al as far as he could. "Because this is the third time in as many months that I've broken this damn thing. I'm just afraid that this is the straw that's gonna break the camel's back."

"But you didn't break it-Envy did."

"I tried to tell her that, but she was too busy yelling for me to say anything."

"Don't worry, brother," Al said, putting his hand on Ed's good shoulder. "Everything's going to be fine."

"I hope you're right, Al," Ed answered as he stared out the window. "I really hope you're right."

With Pinako out of town for the day taking Den to the vet, Winry had spent her time preparing for the Elrics' arrival by gathering the necessary tools she'd need to fix Ed's arm...again. She wondered if she'd been a bit too hard on him upon hearing news of his latest malfunction, but it was indeed frustrating to see him come through her door with his arm or leg broken into a million pieces. However, she still enjoyed his company, no matter how brief it may be. She had resigned herself to the fact that this would be one of those shorter visits, most likely a fix and a "see you later" from the duo. Still, the news that Ed was coming home had her in a cheerful mood, so she made her way through the house tidying everything up when she heard a knock at the door.

"Oh? Who's that?" she asked.

"It's Ed!" the voice at the door answered.

Winry dropped the broom and said, "I'm coming!" She made her way towards the door, and when she opened it, there stood Edward in his red jacket, its right arm dangling at his side. She shook her head at him and asked, "So, how bad is it this time?"

"Pretty bad. One of those damned homunculi broke it after they lost, so...here I am."

While she was excited to see him, Winry couldn't help but notice something was missing. "Where's Alphonse?"

"Oh, Al's just up the road a ways. I was just...so excited to see you that I basically ran down here."

Winry was confused. Hadn't Ed just been speechless and terrified after their phone call? In fact, she clearly remembered him choking out the phrase "It was an accident" over and over again. However, she put it out of her mind and led him into her workshop.

"Okay, Ed," she said as she sat down. "Let's see what the damage is."

Ed removed his coat and bared his shame for her-his right arm was a jagged, broken stump of metal and gearwork. It was even worse than she'd imagined.

"My God, Edward!" she shrieked. "What, did a train run over this?"

"No, but it sure felt like one did."

Winry put her hand to her face and sighed. "Okay, let's get to work." As she began to work on Ed's arm, she heard loud, clomping footsteps enter the house and said, "Oh, Alphonse, there you a..."

But as she raised her head to greet him, her voice trailed off in horror. The foosteps hadn't belonged to the suit of armor containing Al's soul. Instead, they belonged to the hulking monster known as Gluttony. His dead eyes fixated on Winry as a formless blob sprang up next to him, taking the form of Lust.

"Well, here we are, Gluttony," Lust said. "Right where the card said."

Winry jumped off of her stool and threw her wrench at Gluttony, screaming, "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Even at full velocity, the wrench bounced harmlessly off of Gluttony's massive arm.

"Ouch!" he said. "That's not very nice! Can I eat her, Lust?"

"Not now...but you'll be able to soon enough."

Winry had retreated to her work station to grab another wrench when out of nowhere, Ed got up and grabbed her from behind, hooking his arm under hers. Instead of just his one good arm, for some reason, she felt two of them pinning hers back, and she turned her head right to see that not only did Ed have his other arm, but it was rippling and forming back into the shapeshifting psychopath known as Envy.

"Oh dear God! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH ED AND AL, YOU BASTARDS?"

"We haven't done a thing, mechanic," Envy hissed. "They're on their way as we speak."

"Their train should be arriving at the station any minute now," Lust said.

"And when metal boys come to get fixed," Gluttony said as he broke into his wide, frightening grin, "then it's snacktime!"

Winry's eyes widened in terror as she struggled against Envy's grip. Lust approached her and put her finger under Winry's chin, raising her head so that their eyes met. "And what better person to end their lives...than their closest friend?" Winry whipped her head around to see Envy form into a picture-perfect double of herself, and she screamed in horror.

She was in a nightmare.