"Hello?"

Her voice was like honey. It was sweet and seemed to ooze out of the phone into Edwards ear. He wanted to melt. He had spent two weeks deep in the mountains on his research and couldn't get a phone to contact Winry. As soon as he returned from his travels he quickly made sure to get to the nearest phone booth. He was almost too shocked to respond. Yet, he felt his words pouring out.

"Winry! It's so good to hear your voice." He said, not helping but smiling.

"Ed! I was beginning to get worried about you, ya know?" She said, trying to sound slightly angry. "How was it? Is your automail okay? Have you been maintaining it like I showed you?" She rambled on. Ed snickered.

"Everything is fine, leg works perfectly thanks to you." Ed said. He could feel Winry blush on the other side of the line.

"W-well of course! I am a master at what I do." She stammered. Ed gave out a hardy laugh. "When will you be home?" Winry said quietly. Ed blushed slightly. It had been two months since he was home last. His research had taken him all over the world, yet he longed for that small house in that small town every single day.

"I… Am not sure. There's still a bit to look at here." Ed said, a bit deflated.

Winry spinned her ring around her finger. It was an anxious tic she seemed to pick up ever since her and Ed got married. She stayed silent for a long while.

"Winry, what's wrong?" Ed finally said, breaking the silence. Winry began to breathe heavier. "Winry? Are you okay? Say something." Ed declared, worry edging in his voice.

"Ed… I… I'm…" Her voice cracked and came out in small stammers. "I'm… Pregnant". She finally revealed. Ed's heart fluttered. He began to feel his face grow hot.

"You're… What?" Ed said in disbelief.

"I just said! I'm pregnant!" She blurted out. Ed nearly dropped the phone.

"Winry… That's… Wonderful!" He cheered. Winry was a bit taken aback by the sudden loudness of his voice.

"I'll catch the first train back to Resembool!" He called.

"No, Ed, I am okay. You have your research to keep working on. You said so yourself." Winry stammered. She didn't want to intrude on his work.

Ed felt his heart slightly sink. Anxiety creeped into his mind, images of his father played over and over again like a movie. The way he made Ed feel. The way he left both him and Al. The way he left their mother.

"No. Winry, I am coming home. The research can wait." Ed said, before Winry could get another word in he slammed the phone down on the receiver. He felt sweat begin to form on his brow. Joy was quickly overtaken with fear. Thoughts began to intrude into his mind. Thoughts of him not being able to be the father he wanted to be. Fear that he would succumb to the same fate as his own father. Ed slapped his cheeks a few times, soon, reality began to return around him. The bustle of the streets filled his ears and he finally opened his eyes. Without hesitation he quickly turned around and marched straight to the train station.

The train ride was Hell. Ed had nothing other to do than to think. His mind raced. "I don't know the first thing about children. I don't even recall ever holding a baby before! How the hell am I supposed to be a father if I can't even hold my own kid?! What if Winry gets sick, what do I do? What doctor do I take her to? Do we go and stay in East City for a while? Maybe Mustang would let us stay with him. No. Wait. That's a terrible idea. What about food? When do they stop drinking milk? Oh God what if they hate milk like me?! What are we going to do then?!" Ed put his hands in his face. He felt the sweat forming on his face.

"Excuse me dear, are you alright?" Ed perked up to see a small old woman standing in the aisle. Her skin was pale and wrinkly. She was hunched over a small cane. She wore large gold rounded glasses. She was plump and had a kind grin plastered on her face. Her clothes were dainty and looked homemade. Her voice was sickly sweet. Nothing like Granny Pinako.

"Oh, y-yes I'm okay! Thank you." Ed stammered. The old woman didn't seem to be convinced.

"May I sit?" She asked, motioning to the seat next to Ed. Ed nodded sharply, confused why this old woman was so dead set on talking to him.

"I'm Eden." She said,

"Edward." Ed replied. The old woman hummed.

"Ah, what a lovely me, Edward. What's got you so worried?" She said, getting straight to the point.

"Was it that obvious?" Ed sheepishly said. The woman laughed.

"Quite. You've been mumbling to yourself for quite some time." She said Ed felt his face get hot. He didn't even know he was thinking out loud.

"Well… it's my wife… She's gonna have a baby." Ed said, not knowing why he opened up so easily to this stranger. But frankly, it was good to have someone to talk to.

"That's wonderful! Children are such a blessing." Eden cooed.

"Do you have children?" Ed asked

"Oh yes, four of them to be exact. Two boys, two girls just how I wanted it." Eden said proudly. "Blessed with seven grandbabies of my own as well! I'm heading to Central to visit one of my sons." She said,

"Were… Were you scared? When you were first pregnant?" Ed asked,

"Oh my dear, I was terrified! I had been around kiddos before but never had one of my own! Nothing can really prepare you for having a child. But, you manage. You learn as your baby learns. It's a wonderful experience." She said, reminiscently.

"I… I want to be the best father I can be, but I don't know if I can do that." Ed admitted. Eden patted his hand.

"Bad fathers don't worry about being good fathers, so I think you are on the right track." Eden began, "My husband was plum horrified when he found out I was pregnant! He was so scared, he'd be more sick than me!" Eden chuckled again. "But he turned out to be the perfect father for my babies, and the perfect husband."

"I don't know the first thing about being a father. My father… He wasn't there, he left, just like that. For so long I've been used to being away from home… I'm scared I'll be just like him." Ed said, feeling a lump in his throat. Eden smiled and put her tiny arm around Ed's hunched over form.

"I believe in you, son. I've been on this Earth for a long time. I've seen good people and bad people. Wars and peace. I can tell a good person when I see one. Trust me, you'll be alright." Eden said, softly.

Ed was silent for a long moment, taking in what Eden had said. "Eden… Could you… Um… Give me some tips?" Ed finally asked. Eden was a bit taken aback but quickly smiled and began to laugh.

"Sure, son! It's a long train ride. Might as well make use of it!"

Ed began asking a ton of questions. About pregnancy, how to help Winry, what kind of things to expect with a child. As Eden spoke Ed was scribbling down notes that no one but Ed could probably read. He absorbed every word that Eden said. Before long, Ed had pages and pages filled with notes, and realized they were coming up onto his stop. As the train screeched to a halt, Ed quickly put his notebook away and gave Eden a loving look. She reminded him of his own mother in a way.

"Thank you… For everything." Ed said as he stood to leave. Eden smiled and stood as well. Wrapping her arms around Ed once more and pulling him into a hug. Ed towered over her and quickly embraced her back.

"You are going to be just fine, dear." She said, and for the first time since the phone call from Winry, he believed he would be. He'd battled with chimeras, homunculus, even truth itself. He could do this. He had to do this. For Winry, for his child. Ed watched the train pass along, chugging its way along to Central. Eden waved at him through the window, in which Ed gave a kind wave back. The smell of the grass wafted into his nose. He was home.

Ed quickly hitched a ride with one of the local farmers to his home. He'd known the farmer since he was a child. They chatted about nothing in particular, Ed didn't share about Winry yet, just in case she was keeping it a secret for a while. As Ed was dropped off, he waved goodbye to the kind farmer and quickly made his way up to the doorstep of their small home.

Ed raised his hand to knock, but before he could connect with the door it swung open, air sucking in through it. Pain smacked on his head and he saw stars for a moment. When he regained his composure he saw Winry holding her famous wrench. "Win! What the hell?!" He said, rubbing the forming goose egg.

"You idiot! You hung up on me and rode all the way back here, even though I told you I was fine!" She yelled. Ed smiled slightly, her eyes were brazen with anger and passion. Her hair shone in the daylight. He pulled her into an embrace. She was taken aback slightly but soon returned the hug, wrapping her small arms around his muscular frame. "You didn't have to come back ya know…" Winry said quietly, nestled into Ed's chest. Ed chuckled slightly.

"But I did." He pulled her back by the shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. "Alchemy is an equivalent exchange. I gave half of my life to you and you gave half to me. Now, we must give part of ourselves to this baby." He put a hand on Winry's belly. "I won't leave you like my father left me. Ever." He smiled. Winry had tears prick her eyes. Her face grew red and hot.

"Oh Ed… But what about your research?" She said, wiping her eyes.

"I have new research now!" He whipped out his notebook and showed her the chicken scratch on the pages. She took a long look at it and began to laugh.

"Ed… You're gonna be such a great father." She smiled. Ed scratched the back of his head and grinned brightly.

"Come on! Let's go celebrate!" He picked Winry up and dashed into the house. His heart filled with a newfound joy. He'd have to call Al later and tell him the good news, but for now he was simply enjoying his little family, in their little house, in a little town. He has never felt happier.