Shocking News
Edward's POV
I looked at the time as I exited out of the Military base and sighed. It was already midnight and it was too late to go and see Winry. I decided to head home, but once I got there I was greeted by an unhappy brother.
"I can't believe you didn't show up brother, or even call!?" Al shouted as I sat on the couch tired.
"I told you I had a meeting tonight with the Fuhrer." I replied now laying on the couch exhausted.
"Still you could at least have called saying you weren't coming! This was your idea to have dinner all together!"
"Geez you sound just like Winry."
Suddenly I felt a little guilty by saying those words. I technically was the one that said we should all have dinner together and now I feel kind of guilty . . . ok really guilty, but tonight was important . . . especially now that I've got a new mission . . . I started to explain myself to Al who was rather shocked at the news I had just given him. He sat on the couch next to me in surprise. We didn't say anything for a while, until he spoke.
"Are you going to tell Winry about this?" He questioned.
"I'm going to tell her I'm living to Ishval, but that's it. She doesn't need to know the other stuff until it's over . . ." I replied and Al gave me a look of concern.
"I don't like the fact what you possible might have to do, but I'll stand by you if you ever need anything. I'll be in Xing, but I'll come as fast as I can to help you with whatever you need."
"Thanks little brother . . . Well I'm heading to bed so . . ."
"Wait there's something I need t talk to you about . . ."
I looked at Al questionable, but sat back down to listen to him. He didn't say anything at first, but when he spoke I had a feeling it would be about this . . .
"Look . . . I have no right to but in into you and Winry's relationship, but . . . you should have seen her today . . . The moment she opened the door and found only me standing there, her smile faded slowly away. . . She really misses you brother and I can't exactly say you two are the greatest couple, but I know you care for each other it's just . . ." Al explained.
"I know . . . to be honest I've been thinking about our relationship and I haven't been very fair to her . . . I do care for her, but right now I've been so busy lately with the military and all . . . I promise I'll make it up to her . . . Starting by tomorrow, I'll go and see her personal . . . I just hope she won't be to mad . . ." I explained.
"Knowing her . . . I'd bring some armor to wear around you when you see her . . . She'll probably hit you in the head with a wrench . . ." Al said jokingly
"Why couldn't you have said a pillow!?" I exclaimed.
"I'm just being realistic . . ." Al laughed.
"Not really helping Al . . ."
Winry's POV
"Winry, could you please take care of this patient while I get the antibiotics he needs?" Dr. Marcoh asked.
"On it!" I shouted.
I went into the room with the patient and saw that it was an old man dressed in some dirty looking clothes. He looked up to me and I noticed he looked a little weak and tired out. However, he was still able to smile at me warmly.
"Is there anything I can do for you sir?" I asked politely.
"Oh don't mind an old man like me . . . I'm just here to pick up my medicine that's all young lady . . ." He said and suddenly he began to cough uncontrollable.
I quickly went to his side to confront him and then grabbed him a glass of water and handed it to him. He gently took the water and began to drink it slowly. He coughed one more time and then took a deep breathe. He looked to me and smiled warmly once more.
"Thank you Miss . . . you truly are too kind to an old man like me . . ." He said.
"Oh I'm just doing my job sir . . ." I replied smiling and he nodded.
Suddenly the door open and Dr. Marcoh returned with the medicine and handed it to the patient. He gladly accepted them and slowly got up from where he was standing and thanked the doctor and turned to me.
"Once again thank you Miss for taking care of me . . ." He thanked.
"It's no big deal really, I'm just glad you're ok now . . ." I replied.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get my weak old self home . . ."
Suddenly he began to exit the hospital walking very slow and trembling a little bit. He looked a little wobbly as he left and I began to feel a little sorry for him. Would he be able to get home alright? Suddenly I turned to Dr. Marcoh who could already tell what I was about to ask.
"Just be careful and once your down, come straight back to the hospital got it?" Dr. Marcoh explained.
"I understand, I'll be back soon . . ." I replied leaving out to hospital.
I quickly ran to the elderly man who was surprised to see me again, but smiled none the less and to which I smiled back.
"I thought you would like some company on your way back home. My name's Winry by the way." I smiled and he grinned.
"Thank you Winry . . . My name is Bernie . . ." Bernie replied.
"So where do you live Bernie?"
"Well . . . if it's not too much trouble . . . there's somewhere I must stop by before I go home . . . You see my son pasted away and left behind his shop to me, so I must take care of it . . . My home is right across the street so I'll make it fast . . ."
I stared at him for a while, unsure I should let him go, or even accompany him there. However, I saw the look on his face and saw that he was giving a pleading face. I really did feel bad for him . . .
"Ok, but I must get back to the hospital soon." I said giving in and he smiled.
After a longer walk then I expected we arrived in front of a shop. I looked the sign and realized it was a butcher shop. I watched as Bernie fumbled with his keys, trying to open the doors to the shop. I helped him by guiding his hands to the key lock and opening it. He smiled and we entered the shop. I slowly closed the door behind me and noticed all the meat around me. I felt a little disturbed, but stayed calm.
"Can I offer you a drink? It might be a while till I can check everything and make sure everything is in good condition." Bernie said and I hesitated for a while, but I didn't want to be rude and accepted.
He went into the back room as I waited at the counter waiting for him. I looked around and it looked kind of messed . . . It reeked a little inside, but I tried to ignore it. Suddenly he came back with drinks. I grabbed one and held it in my hand.
"So this is your shop right? Do you do business here?" I asked as he took some meat and began to chop it messy and unevenly.
"I tried to do business here, but people just don't like coming here unfortunately . . ." Bernie replied as I took a sip of my drink with confusion.
"Why? You seem like a nice person."
"Thank you, but you see . . . my son back when he was still alive . . . wasn't a very nice man . . . In fact he went to jail for his crimes . . ."
"I'm so sorry . . ."
"Yeah well he deserved it . . . I mean he killed his own wife for god sakes . . . He was a serial killer . . . killed about 23 other people . . . Just the thought of my own son doing that . . . I just can't sleep at nights anymore like I used to . . ."
I was shocked by his words on what he had just told me and fear began to rise in me. I set the drink down quietly and slowly backed away toward the door, as he had his head down giving soft cries. Once I felt the cold metal door knob in my hands I quickly turned it, but it was locked. Suddenly I heard his soft cries become more like a laugh and I was now definitely scared.
"So you know what I did to help with my sleeping problem? I decided to get me some heavy sleeping pills and that's when I met you Winry . . ." Bernie replied and suddenly my vision began to blur and I felt myself becoming heavier.
"I noticed what smooth skin you had and thought to myself . . . is this what my son thought of when he killed those people . . . So then I thought to myself . . . maybe I should give it a try . . ." Bernie explained and I immediately passed out and all I could hear was laughter echoing in the background.
Edward's POV
I headed to toward the hospital hoping to catch Winry before she left for the day. There was a lot I had to tell her . . . Suddenly I saw Dr. Marcoh leaving the hospital.
"Dr. Marcoh, have you seen Winry?" I asked.
"Oh Edward . . . I'm afraid I haven't seen since she went to take a patient home . . . I wonder if she went home?" Dr. Marcoh replied.
"A patient?"
"Yes . . . an elderly man with a sleeping problem . . . If I recall looking at his profile his name is Bernie and he was given a butcher shop after his son died, or was charged for his crimes and was sent to execution . . ."
"Execution?"
"Yes . . . I believe he was a serial killer . . . He killed his wife and then 23 people after . . ."
Suddenly I began to remember a certain someone from my past with that same background. I quickly looked at Dr. Marcoh with a worried face and fear in my eyes.
"Where's the butcher shop!?" I demanded.
Dr. Marcoh told me where to go and I quickly dashed ran like hell. Oh god . . . Oh god . . . No I can't think about that . . . This might all just be chance and Winry could actually be fine and at Ms. Garcia's house . . . Still I have a bad feeling in my gut that something tells me Winry is in trouble . . . Damn it!
