Irenic Moons: Okay, next chapter! And sorry I didn't post this as soon as I said I would, I didn't really think people were actually going to review! Thanks so much!

Only You: Chapter 2-Limbs and Stories

Winry's POV

It had been two weeks since the arrival of Ed (and I still did not know how he got here). It had gone by in a blur. Three days after we found him, we decided to perform the surgery. I had been a little uneasy about doing the surgery so soon after finding him like that, but grandma said it'd be better if his wounds didn't heal up so much. I'm not quite sure how grandma finds the nerves (she still hasn't taught me yet), but I know that after she has, she then connects them to a metal piece which is then attached to the shoulder. My job was to basically keep Ed stable by any means necessary (mostly putting a wet towel on his head every so often and monitoring his pulses and such), but I'm not complaining! I know (and I think grandma knows too) that it would be impossible for me to cause Ed extreme pain. I don't think I could live with the guilt afterwards. So instead I took joy in my "nursing" position, especially since Ed grabbed my hand for a split second when Pinako first began. Or maybe I just imagined it…These days, I'd been having so many Ed fantasies I wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't tell the real from the fake.

After about a week, Ed seemed to be getting better and began moving about the house with a crutch. Now, a few days later, I decided it was time to find out what really happened.

It was early afternoon, and we had all just had lunch. Grandma was taking a nap and Ed was reading one of his books on the living room couch. I walked slowly into the room, looking to see if Ed noticed me. Of course, he didn't. Shaking my head, I entered and sat down on the couch across from him.

"Ed," I began, "it's been two weeks since you got here…I know you don't like to tell me things, but I just wanted to know what you were about to say to me when we found you. Or at least how you got there. Please?" He sighed,

"I knew that's why you came in here…" There was a pause and then he continued, "A little over a year ago we, um, well, I died." My heart fluttered, "Al, Al, he brought me back, but sacrificed his life…When I woke up there was a note saying his wish was that I didn't try to resurrect him. So I didn't, but I wouldn't give up hope. I thought about the other side of the gate. Then the military announced that it had succeeded in making an even more complete philosopher's stone." He paused again, "I made a deal, I said if I could use the partial stone and successfully bring back…Al….I would let them know everything I saw, heard, etc. They agreed and I tried. I was sucked into a parallel universe where I saw just about everyone from here there, but living different lives. Well, almost everyone, the Winry there died from a fever of some sort many years ago….Anyway, I found Al living there with a complete body and I said I could bring him back, I told him we could go home…He was so happy." By this time tears were forming in Ed's eyes, but refusing to let me see him cry he turned his head down and away, "I reopened the gates but then the God or whatever controls the gates asked for equivalent exchange. I gave it the stone, but it said the lives within it were already used up. We had to pay. I offered it all my limbs, but it just took the metal ones. It said nothing we could give it would get the two of us safely home. The portal opened for home and in my wounded state, Al pushed me through, he was left behind…Now he's stuck there, stuck between the two worlds. I don't even know if he's still alive…" He laughed ironically, "What kind of an older brother am I if the younger one is always the one that sacrifices himself? I'm a monster."

Ed was scaring me. Most of the stuff he said I didn't understand, but the tone of the voice and the words 'stuck between the two worlds' were enough for me to know that Ed basically thought he had killed his younger brother.

"They said you disappeared…" I whispered.

"Ha, all lies. They were just covering up so that they wouldn't get in trouble for messing with the gate." I looked at Ed, but what I saw was not Ed. At least, it was only a very small part of Ed. I could tell his soul was almost dead, and that he was gradually becoming an empty shell. But then, I remembered him laughing once a few days ago when I accidentally drank from a soy sauce cup. There was still something left. It would take a lot of work, but I would nurse his soul back to health and then maybe, when he was ready, we would find a way to save Al.

I stood up and walked over to him, sitting down so close that we touched in several places.

"You're not a monster in my eyes," I said and then wrapped my arms around his shoulders, only to feel him flinch. After sadly pulling away I continued, "you're my best friend Edward Elric, who just so happens to be a prodigy when it comes to alchemy." I paused, then resumed, "Besides monsters are big, and you my friend-" but I couldn't finish because Ed had snatched up a pillow and flattened me with it.

"How do you know if I've grown or not? I haven't even walked properly yet!"

"HA, well sometimes a person can just tell!"

"Yeah right, just you wait, I had a growth spurt!" He said triumphantly.

"So I guess that means you'll want your automail attached sometime soon?" I raised my eyebrow at him. Still in a mood of defiance he replied,

"Yes, in fact I want them tonight, after dinner!"

"Fine. I'm holding you to your words."

"Hmmph! Just you wait…" I laughed and Ed started reading his book again. I stood up and walked up to my room. After closing and locking the door, I approached my closet. Opening the door, I then searched around behind the various clothes and objects in it. Finally, I found what I was looking for. Two automail limbs carefully tucked in the corner. I gently took them out, cradling them, and set them on my desk. I had been working on these for several months now, starting at about the same time as I had begun dreaming about Ed. Instead of the regular automail we usually made, I had also installed several new things onto these. They had a new mechanism on them which allowed the wearer to change the length of them when necessary. I had made them out of a new strong, but light, metal that was also very shiny and attractive. On the arm, I put a new knife that sort of extended like a wing from the wrist to the elbow that could be activated by the wearer's nerves. On the foot I put another knife that could be extended from the knee, and would stick straight out (also activated by nerves).

I doubted he'd ever use some of the new installments (being an alchemist), but I had been bored when I made them, so it didn't matter. I was checking the fake nerves inside once again. Everything was ok. Now it was time to do what I really came up for. I flicked open the cover of the arm. Inside hundreds of wires and gears took up most of the space, but there was one area where a wall of the metal was accessible. I picked out an engraving tool and inside the arm I wrote: May the love that I put in these limbs protect you from everything. I love you Ed, -Winry. Then I grabbed a pair of scissors and quickly snipped a lock of my hair off. Using waterproof tape, I stuck the bit of hair next to my note. Now you will always have part of me closer to your heart Ed. I thought. With that, I screwed the cover of the arm shut.

"WINRY!" I heard my grandmother scream, "DINNER!" I picked up the limbs and began walking down the stairs for dinner. I had a warm fuzzy feeling inside after knowing what I had just done. It made me happy. He'll never find out. I smiled. Placing the limbs on the couch in the living room, I then walked into the dining room where Ed was already sitting. I took a place across from him and as soon as grandma walked in with the food, we ate.

Later on that Night

After Ed reluctantly took off all his clothes, save his boxers, and sat down, we were ready to begin. But of course, first I had to brag about my wonderful inventions.

"Look guys! I used a premium blend of metallic titanium and chrome." I said while knocking on one of the limbs, "It's super strong, but also light and durable. I also made the lengths adjustable. Now, this is my favorite part. When you activate this," I pressed holes on the connection areas of the arm and leg, and the two blades flipped out, "these knifes come out! You don't even have to use alchemy Ed!"

"Wow Winry" said Ed obviously very impressed, though somewhat taken aback, "how much spare time did you have?"

"Honey, I don't even remember you working on these, when did you have the time?" added Pinako, even more impressed than Ed.

"Um…never mind. Let's get started!" Ed groaned. "Oh quit being such a baby, you're 18!"

"It's not my fault I hate the point when the nerves connect! You've never even felt it!" His last comment stung me, but it was so true. If he only knew I'd take all the pain in the world, just for him. I pretended nothing was wrong.

"Well, are you ready?" I asked impatiently.

He sighed, "Yes, I suppose so." I positioned myself at his shoulder while grandma was at his leg. When we were ready, grandma counted out as she always did before a connection.

"One…two….three!" I snapped the automail in place as Ed gasped for a second. Then his clenched his teeth down and shut his eyes tight. His body was shaking all over. "Let's move him." I said. Pinako and I pulled Ed over to the sofa and laid a blanket over him. I would've stayed with him, but that one comment he made was racing through my mind.

You've never even felt it.

It was said with such spite, it also made me angry. Angry and sad and alone and helpless. I may never have felt the physical pain that's he's been through, or maybe not even the mental pain, but I had an idea. Does he know how much pain I was in when left, every single time? Or how much pain I felt when he refused to tell me anything? The pain when I saw him bleeding and near dead in the forest two weeks ago, or when he first came to our home in Al's new armor arms, bloody and unmoving? The only way I had survived this last year was by working on those two limbs, pretending to believe that he was coming back. And now that he's back, I realize I love him. He has no idea what it feels like to love someone and not be loved back.

I cried. I cried until no more tears came, and then it was night. And I hit my pillow with my fists. Soon the only sounds I could hear were my soft hiccups, the ones that come after crying for a long time. Then I fell into a restless sleep.

The Next Morning

I had been up so much the last night, constantly waking from nightmares that I couldn't remember. I would wake up with a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. Now at about 10 AM in the morning, I probably looked like a mess. Pulling myself from bed, I walked over to the mirror and stared at myself. My eyes were red and puffy, no doubt both Ed and grandma (or at least grandma) would know I'd been crying. My face was pale and the skin under my eyes was dark from lack of sleep. My hair wasn't even describable. Sweat from it had caused it to bundle up in a thousand rat nests on my head. Basically, I looked like a monster.

I laughed as I realized the unconscious comparison I had just made. Monster, that's what Ed had called himself. Were we both monsters? I didn't care what Ed thought about me at the moment, but I still felt the need to fix myself. After combing my hair for five minutes, there was a small improvement. I slipped into my famous black miniskirt and white top. I looked ok. Now my face was the only problem.

I trod down the stairs, seeing Ed sitting upright, playing with his new limbs.

"Oh hi Winry, you're up? I, erm, can't, uh…the limbs won't let me stand up or move very well, did I do something?" stuttered Ed. Woops I thought to myself forgot to lock them… The new mechanism in the limbs that allowed them to lengthen caused them to be immobile when they weren't locked.

"Oh, that's nothing," I said in a monotone voice. I walked over to him and crouched down at his feet, "stand up." I ordered in a similarly flat voice.

"Winry, are you-"

"Stand!"

"Okokok…" Ed pushed himself up and balanced on his one leg. The other metal one dangled from his knee. So he has grown I thought to myself. I had set the leg on the size that he was when he left. Now hanging several inches from the floor, it was obvious he'd had a growth spurt. I unscrewed the covering that controlled the length and moved the notch down one…two…three! I locked it and closed it. Ed had grown three inches. I guess he was right. Next I lengthened his arm, still sitting on the floor at his feet, after he sat back down on the couch.

I stood up at the same he did. We were literally about an inch apart. We both blushed. I was looking at Ed's eyes. Actually, I was looking UP at Ed's eyes. Though the difference was miniscule, his was definitely a little bit taller than me. I never thought I'd be in this position. We just stood there for a minute. His warm breath caressing my face. Suddenly I heard a 'zing' Ed's new blade on his arm had activated itself. I jumped back, tripping over the table, letting out a small shout as I realized I was falling. But I didn't fall, because Ed caught me with his left arm. Now in an even more awkward position, I quickly jumped away from him.

"Do you want to kill me? Why did you extend the blade!" I shouted.

"I didn't! I just don't know how to control this thing!"

I sighed, "It's easy, you just send brain signals to it telling you want it to move or whatnot." He looked at his arm, staring at it as if he was having a conversation with it, and the blade slid back in.

"I'm gonna have to get used to that." He laughed uneasily.

"Not as much as I'm going to have to get used to looking up at you." He smiled victoriously as I realized my mistake. "But, it's not like you're tall or anything! You're only a little taller than me! A girl! You're actually probably the same height as me!"

"NO WAY! I'm so much taller than you, you just can't accept it." We argued for a few more minutes; however that was cut short by my wrench somehow connecting with Ed's head. Now we were both sitting on the couch. I was in a much better mood.

"You want some breakfast Ed?"

"Sure. After nearly being killed it would be nice." He said, head still spinning. We walked into the kitchen as I randomly pulled out fruit, eggs, bread. After a few minutes, I carried two plates of food to the table. We started eating, but I paused as he continued.

"Ed?" I asked.

"Mmmhmmf?" was the muffled reply.

"Where is Pinako?" He swallowed,

"Oh yes, I forgot, she told me to tell you that she was going to be out for the next two days." He resumed eating.

"Why?"

"Um…something to do with getting more supplies and publicizing your new design for automail. She was quite impressed. I have to agree it's probably the best one you've made yet." The comment made me smile. He did appreciate it. And now, for the next two days I was going to be alone with him. Once again I silently thanked my grandma. I took a last look at Ed and then continued eating.

Irenic Moons: Yay for chapie two! Once again I'm really sorry I didn't fulfill my promise of updating after one review. I didn't think people would actually read it! So just a heads up, I'll try as hard as I can to update every one or two days, but finals are coming up in a few weeks so I might get occupied…But have no fear! This series isn't going anywhere. Thank you to the FIVE (dude, so awesome) people who have already given me reviews! I feel so loved…