Author's note: I'm here again ready to give you another fun filled chapter! I know I said that the story finishes on chapter 21 but we're actually a few chapters off finishing the fan fiction. Get ready! Hold on to your hats!
-The next day-
'I hope Edward's ok. I haven't heard from him for a while now. He never calls me.' Winry puffed as she tiredly staggered up the stairs. The lift was out of order. In a black back pack, was the somewhat heavy luggage of a new steel arm.
-In the ward-
Edward found a pack of cards and with his mouth and hand was facing the challenge of opening the cardboard container. After managing to rip open the box, he scattered them across the bed.
A woman entered the bed heavy laden with a back pack in her hand. His eyes caught sight of her as if she was familiar to him.
'Winry?' He murmured.
'Edward!' She cried and she ran to Edward but only just managed to stop herself from hugging him.
'It's been a while.' She smiled.
Edward nodded.
'Are you ok?' She asked in worry.
'I've been raped.' He whispered discreetly to her. He made it only just audible for Winry to hear. Her eyes glazed with shock.
'By who? Do you know?' She whispered.
'They say it's someone called the flame alchemist.' He whispered.
Silence was visible in the air and it proceeded as Winry continued to on his auto-mail arm with not much complaining coming from Edward.
'There! Good as new!' She cheered as Edward tested the arm with a grin.
'Th-thanks.' He murmured.
'I'll send you the bill for the auto-mail in the post and you don't have to pay for it straight away if you don't have the money right now but if you don't pay after a year THEN I'll get worried.' She joked. She tidied away her instruments and tools but as she did so Edward's eyes grew wide and Winry noticed.
'Ed? What's wrong?' She asked. She turned around to find two people approach them.
'Are you friends of Edward's? I'm Winry Rockbell. I make and maintain Edward's auto-mail.' She said happily as she offered out her hand to be shaken.
'I'm Bryony Edward's and this is Alex Mustang. Yes. We're friends.' The girl smiled and she shook Winry's hand. 'You must do a brilliant job with Edward's auto-mail. I can hardly notice it myself as if they're real human limbs!' She complemented.
'Well I try my best.' Winry blushed.
Edward had already proceeded to dodge away from Alex. His breathing was heavier and faster as he clambered to the other side of his bed away from Alex.
'Is he ok?' Bryony's voice grew with worry.
'I don't know. He hasn't done that while I was fixing his arm.' Winry noted.
Bryony sat on the edge of Edward's bed but didn't expect to be clutched by a forceful and desperate Edward as he was trying to shield himself away from Alex.
'Save me!' Edward cried. His tears were now drenching her shoulder.
'Don't worry. Alex won't hurt you. He cares about you just as much as I do.' Bryony reassured him.
'H-he just looks like the rapist.' Tears were falling faster now. 'Everything about him looks like the flame alchemist.' Edward cried as he carried on clutching Bryony for help.
'My dad did this to you?' Alex's face was burning with malice.
'Y-your d-dad?' Edward murmured.
'Yes. The flame alchemist, Brigadier General Roy Mustang. I can't believe he did this to you. You did nothing wrong and yet he took advantage of you! I can't forgive him for what he's done!' Alex screamed and he ran out of the ward burning with hatred.
'I'd better go to school too. Bye Edward.' But as Bryony sat up off the bed Edward had other ideas.
'No. Stay here.' Edward seized her wrist with his auto-mail hand. She tried to escape but his grip grew tighter.
'Please. Let me go.' She whispered. But his grip grew tighter still. His hand grew tighter harder until Bryony could take it.
'AAAAHHHH!!' She screamed as she felt the metal cut into her skin making it bleed. Edward immediately let go and backed away out of shame. He heard her cry as his own and his brain flashed with memories of that horrible scene.
'Sorry! I don't want to hurt you!' He cried.
'Then let me go. I will come back.' Tears shed from her eyes and she ran for the ward door.
'I never wanted to hurt her.' He murmured. 'I think about the time when I hurt her once at school and every time I see her crying face, I see myself as nothing but a monster like Roy Mustang.' He sobbed into his pillow and cried himself to sleep while Winry watched silently.
"He truly loves her." She thought
Author's note: Alex has found out and in so doing everyone else now knows who raped Edward! And what's this with Edward and Bryony? Looks like things are heating up! Be here for the next chapter!
Daisukebebop