So so so so so so sorry this chapter was delayed so much. Grr, life took a hold of me, and I was just super busy! Here's the latest chapter, hope you enjoy (my writing was broken up so much so sorry if it doesn't have much fluidity to it)
Ed finished his breakfast and brought Winry's dish over to the workroom. Setting it down on the table, he pleaded, "Please finish it." Winry ignored him, counting off calculations in her mind, scribbling furiously. Ed left, hoping she would eat it if he wasn't there. Just last night, everything was okay. Winry had been fine with his departure. Did that mean that she had been hiding this for a long time? After cleaning up the kitchen, he made his way upstairs. He started cleaning their room before sitting down on the messy bed. He had promised to support her, be more sensitive, but he felt like he had failed. Why had she hidden the fact that she didn't like him leaving for so long?
Why had he gotten so angry with her? Ed had too many questions. They needed to talk. Ed made his way downstairs to find that Winry was busy with a customer. He approached quietly. "You must be Edward," the teenager in the patient chair said. "Yes, that I am," Ed tried to smile. Winry's lips tightened. Ed made the introductions brief and rested his hands on Winry's shoulders. She spun toward the boy named Jake. "Did you notice anything else before everything just stopped working?" Winry asked as she examined the arm. "After the click noise, there was a whirr before it quit," Jake mentioned. "Oh, I think I know what happened," Winry rolled the chair over to the plans to study them.
"Um, Winry, I think Ed has a question for you," Jake said. "Hmm?" she turned to the boy. Jake just pointed at Ed, who was standing behind her. "Hun, I need to talk to you," he said. "Not now," she didn't even look at him, "I'm with a customer." Ed watched as she searched multiple drawers for the correct wrench. "It looks important, Winry," Jake noted, spying the look on Ed's face. Ed shot the kid a half smile in thanks.
"Edward, what is it?" she turned around, the irritation noticeable in her voice. "I need to talk to you about something important," he said quietly. "I have a customer," she argued, about to turn back to Jake. "Winry, it's okay. I'm in no rush today," Jake shrugged. Winry paused; she had no other excuse. "I'll be right back with her," Ed nodded to Jake, taking her hand and pulling her out. Winry went along grudgingly. He took her all the way up the stairs and into their room.
The second he closed the door, she demanded rather loudly, "What do you want?" "Winry, we need to talk. I'm sorry for what happened at breakfast. I got angry, I got jealous. I had no right to take out my anger on you. And I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about leaving. I've just got it stuck in my head that I have to help people. I'm just an idiot who can't seem to get it through his thick skull," he recited quickly. "Get what through your thick skull?" Winry sighed, her tone annoyed. "That I'm really no good without you. That every time I go away, I miss you too much to put into words. That you need me more than the world needs me," Ed listed off.
"Edward," Winry's anger was fading, "The truth is that I was trying to make you jealous at breakfast. I'm sorry for that, but the truth is… you scared me. I mean, you exploded." "I took it too far," Ed hurt to remember it. "Winry, how long have you been holding in your fears and frustrations about me leaving on business?" Ed asked. "I don't know," she answered truthfully. "Why did you try to hide it?" Ed asked. "Because I told myself it was better that way," Winry replied. "Winry, you were right. I am married to my job more than I am married to you," Ed admitted. "Ed, I didn't have an affair with Logan," Winry brought up. "I'm sorry I misinterpreted your words and actions," Ed apologized. There was some silence before Ed asked, "Can you ever forgive me?"
He held his breath waiting for the answer, his palms were sweating. "Edward," she whispered slowly and quietly, "Why did you get so angry?" Ed exhaled, it wasn't the answer to his question. Winry was looking in his eyes, searching for the truth. "Winry, the worst part is," he decided to speak truth, "I don't know. Something just snapped. Maybe I was remembering Neil." Winry took this information in, and Ed was getting nervous with the silence. "Ed, I think we should get a little distance and room to think," Winry said. "Hun, please don't be serious," Ed instantly thought of living life away from Winry, and it would be miserable. He reached out to touch her, and he hugged her close. "Please don't push me away from you," he said. "I'm so sorry, Winry. I'm sorry I yelled at you, I'm sorry I got angry, I'm sorry I haven't been supportive, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Ed let the tears flow. Winry stood in his embrace, without moving. "Ed, just start packing," Winry ordered. "Winry, you're overreacting, please don't hurt me this way," he continued. "Let me go, Ed. Jake's waiting for me," she said, annoyance noticeable. Ed let her leave, and watched her back as she disappeared out the door without looking back.
"Everything alright?" Jake asked as Winry returned, tears in her eyes. She shook her head. "What happened?" Jake asked, standing up to meet her halfway across the room, disregarding his arm completely. Winry held a hand over her mouth, shaking her head. "It hurts," she whispered, letting the tears fall as she blinked. Jake one-arm hugged her. Winry took a deep breath and wiped her face. "I'm okay, Jake, sit back down. I don't want your arm to fail to gravity," she said. "Oh, don't worry. Your automail's much stronger than that," he complimented.
Ed was falling apart upstairs. He had fallen to the ground, completely at a loss for words. He couldn't seem to get up; he just lay there on the ground, staring up at the ceiling but not really seeing it.
"What happened, Winry?" Jake asked when Winry was finished with his arm. "Well, one of your sockets-" "I mean with Ed. Are you okay?" he asked, "I mean, I don't want to be nosy. I'm sorry about whatever happened." "Ed's…" Winry trailed off with a sigh, "Ed's just married to his job and not me." Jake felt bad for her as he watched her slump in her chair. "I don't think he means to. He just goofed up," Jake answered. "It hurts to tell him to leave, that we need space right now," Winry admitted. "Then don't tell him to leave," Jake tried, "Winry, he messed up, but everyone messes up. He has to go on despite his mess-ups because the world won't stop for him to fix it or change the past."
It was an hour later as Winry stumbled up the stairs, trying to run but not having the breath. She hesitantly pushed the door to their bedroom open. "Edward?" she could hear how stuffy her nose was from crying. She leaned in and noticed Ed on the floor. "Edward," she burst out crying again, and fell to her knees at his side. "Edward, I'm sorry. Please, Edward, please don't leave. Edward, look at me," she shook him. He blinked at the ceiling. "Edward," she fell to crying on his chest before curling up into a ball at his side.
Winry looked up to see that tears were falling from Ed's eyes. "Edward, don't go," she repeated. "Win…ry…" Ed said. Winry held her breath. "Winry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I've done," he said. "It's okay, Ed. It's okay now," Winry kissed his cheek. She picked up his hands and wrapped his arms around her. "Edward, I'm so sorry for what I said. I don't want you to leave," Winry said. Ed blinked his trance away. "You don't?" he asked. "No, I forgive you. I know you get angry, and I'm sorry I couldn't accept your apology. But it's okay now," she said hurriedly. "I'm so sorry I got angry at you," he squeezed her tight, "I'm so sorry I've failed." Winry started to feel shakey.
"Don't move. I'll go get you something," Ed realized immediately what he had to do. He got up and ran out the door. Winry heard him fall down the stairs. "Ed!?" she called out. "I'm okay," she heard him rush to the fridge and come running back to her. "Here, it's strawberry yogurt," he put it on the bed and lifted Winry up. "I've over-exerted myself it seems," she said. "It'll be okay," he put his arm around her hesitantly. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Ed." "I hurt you more than I can bear," he answered.
Winry had finished the yogurt, and wanted to go back downstairs to get Ed's automail started. Ed followed and decided to call Al and tell him that he'd probably be out of town for his arrival.
"When do you think you'll be back exactly?" Al asked.
"Hopefully Wednesday. I leave on Saturday, and at the very latest I'll be back on Friday."
"Winry'll be okay for a while on her own?"
"Yeah, I think we're going to call in a friend to stay with her."
"Oh?"
"We're going to see if Sheska wants to have a girls night/girls week or something like that."
"That could be fun! And May and I will arrive on Tuesday, so then we'll have a bit of a party!"
"You have your train tickets I assume?"
"Yeah, I'm a bit nervous about that…"
"Why is that, Al?"
"Well, the train we wanted was almost full."
"Don't tell me you're riding in the cargo again?" Ed smiled at the memory.
Al laughed, "No, but May and I are sharing a car."
"Ooooohhhh," Ed teased.
"Well I'd think you'd be nervous," Al parried, "Going to visit Erika and all."
"Hey now," Ed got serious.
"You think she'll be the same?" Al asked.
"I don't know. I hope she's changed," Ed replied honestly, scratching the back of his head.
"Well, I hope you know how to handle it if she hasn't," Al gave his final word on it.
"I will, don't worry," Ed said confidently.
Ed was cooking lunch when he remembered what day it was. "Winry!" he cried out, "We have class tonight, don't we?" "Yeah," he heard her from the study. "What time did you want to leave?" he asked. "I don't know, how about 6?" Winry popped her head into the kitchen. The atmosphere was a bit still due to this morning's argument, but they ate lunch at a leisurely pace.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked her. "Yeah, I don't even want to think about his morning," she said. "I'll always be sorry for what I said, hon," he said. "I'm sorry I baited you," Winry answered, "It was wrong of me." "We both messed up," she said, "but at least we can get past it." She put her hand on his, and they smiled. "Your automail will be done tonight, do you want to get fitted tonight?" she asked. "Sure," Ed said, so grateful to have a wonderful automail mechanic as her.
"Those were interesting small group talks we had," Winry adjusted her seat in the car after class. "Yeah, that Alex guy sure is a bit odd though," Ed said. "Yeah? Odd how?" Winry wondered. "It just feels like he's always watching me or something. Eh, I don't know, maybe it's just me," Ed replied. "Well, when we get home I'm going to finish up your automail and then we can fit it," she smiled, "Now, you'll have a full day to find any problems with it, but I don't want you to break it, okay?" Ed rolled his eyes for old times sake, "Okay."
Winry worked diligently when they returned, and Ed called Sheska to see if she was free.
"Edward, is that you?" she asked.
"Sure is," he replied.
"Is Winry okay? Did something happen?"
"No, nothing like that," he chuckled, "But we did have a question for you."
Sheska sighed in relief, "Alright, sure, what's up?"
"Well, I'm going out of town for a while, and we were wondering if you were available to hang out with Winry," Ed asked.
"Sure! Is there anywhere in particular she wants to go? We could go shopping on Sunday because it's my off-day."
"Edward! I think it's finished!" Ed heard Winry from the workroom. She came into the living room, "Go get ready for fitting, I'll talk to Sheska." She smiled.
"I've gotta go get ready to get my new automail, here's Winry," he handed the phone to her.
Ed entered the workroom to see a shiny new leg on her worktable. He grinned from ear to ear. Shedding his pants he climbed into the patient's chair. Taking a deep breath, he put the connecting tool in the connection and prepared to pull.