1st of all, this week has been the most exciting one for me b/c one of my closest best friends came home from Seattle, Washington. I missed her a lot and I'm glad she's back! Anyways, I worked on this for a while and it was difficult to decide on what to put. Hope you like this chapter and this story! Enjoy!

Biggest thanks to Orange Singer and The loveless Alchemist for reviewing. I just can't stop jumping and screaming because of my excitement! Thank you so much!

This chapter is to you!

Disclaims: I already told you I own nothing; just this story!


Previously On Life After Our Struggles…

Winry gave a faint giggle. Ed and Winry stared into each others' eyes for a while, but broke away in a flash by hearing Nina's cries.

"Karina!" Winry gasped.

She ran up the stairs, followed by Edward, ready to aid their weeping child.


6. Lullaby

Winry entered her room with Ed behind her. She picked the crying baby up and began to cradle her like she did earlier, but this time, it didn't calm her down. Winry clutched her child tight. Ed thought fast and got a one of the baby rattles he bought for his little girl and began to shake it.

"Nina, look what we bought for you. See?" Ed told her softly.

Nina calmed down for a second and continued crying the next.

With Ed's attempt to calm Nina down ended up being a failure, Winry didn't know what to do. She panicked, but began to think of what a mother does to calm her crying child. What could she do? What did her mom used to do to calm her down? She was out of ideas, but without thinking, she parted her lips and began to sing.

Ed widened his eyes, not because he heard Winry's singing, but because of what she was singing.

It was the old lullaby his mother used to sing to Al and him when they were little and the same thing with Winry's family.

He hadn't heard it in such a long time that to hear Winry sing it to their child at that moment made him realize that having a child would be a wild yet interesting and sweet era in his life. He was going to raise Nina with Winry!

Sure, he will have to buy Karina everything and anything that she needed and wanted, but that was part of being a parent after all. He had even forgotten that he was taking care of her because The Invisible Guardian said so; he was doing this out of his own free will. Nina was Winry's and his child and that made it all so right, but how could he maintain his family?

Ed froze in his thoughts. Uh-oh, what will he do? He needs a job and a very good one for that matter.

He was Edward Elric, child prodigy, and hell if he was a genius like everyone claims he is, then hell he deserves a high-quality job. After all, he did pass the state alchemist exam when he was only 12 years old. So, if he can do that then this child prodigy will do his best to get a damn well-paying job to maintain his family! That's what the Full Metal Alchemist does. Wait, Full Metal? That's it!

Ed got a 'little' idea of what job to get but he would discuss it with Winry later.

Winry's sweet voice suddenly stopped and to a convenience at having Nina asleep in her arms yet again. That lullaby always does the trick when you go to sleep, especially if you are a baby.

Ed saw a snoozing Karina in his love's arms, signalling him that perhaps it was the time to introduce his bright idea to her.

"Win, can I talk to you?" Ed asked putting the rattle down gently, trying not to make noise.

"Yeah, let me just put her down." Winry whispered straining with her child.

"Let me do it." Ed said in a low voice, taking Nina in his arms. It was nice of him to help her with Nina, but Ed took at least five minutes looking at his new born daughter and her innocent features. It was also the first time he was holding her since she was born which happened to be that morning when they arrived. He was contemplating her, until he felt a gaze fall upon him.

Winry was giving him a sweet smile that said, 'Right she's cute? Yes she is!'

Ed placed Nina down in the middle of the bed gently and Winry and him stepped outside the room into the hallway.

"Look, I gotta tell you something." Ed admitted.

"O.K., tell me. I'm all ears." Winry said musingly.

"It's about my job." Ed let it out looking away, almost as if refusing to look Winry in the eye.

"Oh." Winry's smile dropped to a frown, also turning away.


OMG, what will happen with these two? You all will know in the next chapter!

Look, I really liked this song because it gives me goose bumps and it's really sweet! Reviews are welcome! Give me your honest opinion about this, please! I'm begging! I need to know if this chapter and this story are good or if I need to improve on it. Thank you all for you time and reviews if you are gonna leave one! 'Til my next update! Chao, babies!

-Auto-Alchemechanicist-

P.S. Who has read Twilight? Wait, better question, who hasn't read Twilight? It's cool, right? It's addictive and I started reading it last night and I'm already on pg. 200! I really recommend this book! It really is something different! You'll love it just by reading the 1st page. I did!

Re-edited: 12-22-08