Disclaimer: … Already stated in the first chapter…

A/N: This chapter did take longer to update because I took making the chapters longer seriously and put in several different events which in turn, may result in this story being a bit longer… But I dunno quite yet so bare with me. Oh, and incase anyone is interested, I have a short songfic titled, "Untitled" (ironic, yes?)… But it's a major step up from all my romance oriented stories and is more of a tragedy/ drama fic. You can check it out if you'd like… There's still the pairing of Winry and Ed in it, so don't fear! I couldn't bring myself to leave that out!

Chapter Six: Fullmetal Endurance

Winry had awoke particularly early the next morning so as to start the preparations for the reconnection of Ed's auto-mail. Even though she sat up thinking about two hours after going to her room to sleep, she still felt so refreshed and rejuvenated she had to get a head-start. It awed her though, how long she stayed up to think… whether it was about the reattachment procedure the next morning, Ed's secret, or Ed in general, she didn't know which prospect had kept her up the most thinking and contemplating. It was odd though, she was not one to just sit and think; possibly thinking while doing something, but just sitting around doing nothing and thinking was different. She was even capable of talking and thinking about something completely different at the same unison, but just thinking more than a span of ten five minutes made her itch to do something. But it didn't last night…

Ed had changed; what it was she didn't know in the least. Just the way he sounded when he talked about some things made it all the more noticeable. Not only that, but he would, more than usual, talk to her more; idly or critically and he also would try to be around her and Pinako more than usual. She wondered if it was lack of company with Al or just… something else that caused him to be more…clingy. Not that she minded, but it was the reason that bothered her and the air he put off when he did; like he needed to, more than he wanted, like an compulsion and that made her worry even more. But she didn't dare ask, or his "compulsion" to hang around would cease so as to prove to her that she was wrong.

This morning wasn't any different.

She heard a thud behind her and she didn't even turn around away from her work, and didn't need to, to know who it was. She heard Ed's echoing footsteps near and she noted the limp he carried. Pinako hadn't given him the spare, which was odd in itself, but Ed didn't seem to mind, but still…

"Morning, Ed." she said as she began to melt the two shin plates of his leg together after slipping her protective goggles over her eyes. She couldn't hear his response, but knew it was along the same lines of hers as Pinako walked in and looked unwaveringly at her work. It still surprised the elder how accomplished both Ed and Winry had become so skilled in their chosen "abilities". Winry stopped momentarily and looked at her grandmother before lifting her goggles and smiling,

"Just a few adjustments and the leg will be finished." she looked at Ed menacingly and then back at her grandmother, putting a hand up to shield her lips from Ed as she whispered just audible for him to hear, "Unless he decides to shrink, I won't have to make any adjustments for a while." she was still sore about him being just a centimeter taller than her now. Ed glared at her,

"Winry," he said warningly as she held back a giggle, "you better hope I still have the heart to pay you after running your big mouth."

"You'll pay." Pinako suddenly spoke and Ed looked at her incredulously.

"And what makes you think I'm willing?"

"You need your arm and leg," Winry said in a matter-of-fact tone, "and if you don't pay, you won't get them." Ed felt like folding his arms stubbornly but was reminded, with perfect timing, that he couldn't because he was one arm short. He snorted irritably and limped out of the room, cursing under his breath from the situation as Winry laughed.

oooooooooooo

After breakfast was made and consumed, Winry and Pinako prepared for the operation after cleaning what escaped Ed's consumption, which wasn't much. As they prepared, Ed sat on the couch anxiously in the living room. He never got used to these operations, no matter how many times he endured them and each time, he swore it hurt more and became increasingly obstinate to contain his agony.

He sighed heavily and leaned into the couch, putting his hand behind his braided head as rain began to pelt the window near him. He lazily thrummed his fingers on the back of his head and watched as the window began to fog up, then the condensation on the glass began to pool until it cut across the window, almost like it was crying. He watched, but eventually, he wasn't seeing it, and his fingers stopped thrumming and his shoulders sagged. For once, he didn't sit and think; it felt too difficult at the time. He hadn't even noticed he had stopped thinking or blinking while Winry finally emerged to motion for him, but stopped as she noticed his trance.

One day, he's going to die thinking… she thought almost savagely but quickly took it back regrettably as she sat next to him. She toggled a amused look from him to the window and stopped when she realized that he now had his gaze upon her and she almost looked away.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, throwing caution to the wind with her question. He blinked, flickered a glance at the foggy window and then back at her, smiling.

"Nothing." he answered simply, which made Winry arch a brow and finally crack a giggle.

"Seriously?" Ed looked at her and then back at the window, nodding slowly. Ironic, really. She had spent almost two hours the previous night doing what Ed did probably nonstop. Maybe it was possible, but she didn't think of it to come from Ed. Ed finally stood up and made his way to the work room for the reattachment of his limbs, feeling slightly at ease and calm about it. Winry watched him, and finally followed after giving the weeping window a final quizzical glance before following hurriedly.

It was normal procedure, but Winry would have to remove some dead tissue from his port because of the twisting of his arm he had arrived with and also replace a few screws as well within the port's structure. That would require him to be restrained momentarily, but Ed requested from the elder that he not be. She shifted her pipe in her mouth and blew out a heavy puff of smoke before answering,

"Even you, Edward, can't withstand that without moving. I don't know what you're trying to prove by doing that, but it won't be worth congratulating if you end up injuring yourself further because you moved during the procedure. No." Ed glanced at the restraining table and held back a cringe from the memory of the moment his ports were connected to his flesh in the beginning as Winry entered, tying her bandanna around the back of her head.

"You ready, Ed?" she said, giving a furtive glance at the restraining table as the same memory came back as well. She'd have to put him almost in the same pain again…

He nodded and he noticed the sudden calmness that had possessed him a moment ago was now dispersed with the sudden realization of what Winry was going to have to do. Yes, she'd put him through the same pain, but only momentarily and it wouldn't hurt as much…

He lay down on the table and Winry fumbled with the straps reluctantly, with shaky hands and it didn't escape her watching grandmother who stood out to the side and out of the way. Winry was to do this on her own, for she had wanted to, so she wasn't going to interfere in any way. Ed wasn't the only one going to endure pain.

Winry finally finished adjusting the straps and took in a deep and replenishing breath before glancing at her grandmother who nodded reassuringly. She didn't need reassurance, but she wanted it. Ed closed his eyes as Winry took up a utensil he couldn't see and shined a light into the port within his shoulder. She place the light in her mouth not only for needed light, but for a the cringing she would do at the sounds of his agonizing grunts as she began to dig through sensitive skin. Sweat began to bead on her brow and she had to blow through clenched teeth at the strands of hair that would fall into her line of vision. When Ed gave a particularly agonizing and shaky yelp, she instinctively placed her hand on his shoulder apologetically and Ed clenched his teeth so to hide the pain so not to worry her for he wanted her to continue.

Before long, she had several amounts of dead tissue collected on a tray as well as a damp towel of blood and she noticed the light in her mouth was shaking as well as her hands. She'd be finished in a moment, but first, she had to now replace three screws that seemed to have been attempted to have been pulled out from the port. From what she could tell, the arm had been pulled roughly, without disconnecting it, and causing the resisting port to be pulling as well, causing the dead tissue. Why and who had tried to, she didn't know.

"Okay, Ed, this will hurt, but just bare with me, alright?" she asked shakily through the light in her mouth and even waited for his choked reply,

"Just do it." she began to slowly remove the damaged metal screws and, although they were not all immediately connected to his flesh, it was still painful because of the pressure and she tried her best to relief him of that. As she began to deposit the first screw, which was the closest to his sensitive skin, he jerked hard at the sudden contact and she could hear his teeth grind from his clenching. She looked at him worriedly, hesitating a moment before wiping her brow and continuing.

When she finally finished the first and second screw (located nearest his ribs), the third one was the easiest, but most painful. The portion that helped keep the arm connected to the port, besides the switch, was located right beneath where the shoulder blade should be within the port. She gave Ed a furtive glance before illuminating the area nervously. The moment she placed the screw onto it's support, Ed's eyes shot open and he jerked so vigorously the strap's buckles snapped and released some and he let out a choking yell that made her take in a sharp breath.

"Ed! Hold still just a moment, I'm almost done…" she hurriedly strapped him in with less room to move than before and began to finish. He realized he couldn't get away and he continued to let out agonizing breathes and gasps.

"S-Shit…" he muttered between gasps, "I'll never get used to this."

"Neither will I, but it'll be over soon." she said reassuringly. He looked over at her with furrowed brows and half-opened painful eyes as a sharp pain shot through his right side and he choked.

She finally leaned back and placed the utensil she was using back on the tray and let out a heavy and tired sigh. Ed felt himself relax as sweat of his own ran down his face and his fingers and toes relaxed as well. His whole left side hurt and ached and he didn't know if he was ready for the connecting of his auto-mail quite yet as Winry wiped away the sweat that had collected on his face. He looked back at her as she removed the towel and he let a smile creep to the side of his mouth while she began to unbuckle the straps.

"It's still early… We can connect your auto-mail later after you get some rest, okay?" Winry said as the last buckle was unlatched. He sat up and looked at his shoulder before Winry shook her head disapprovingly at him, "Just rest for now."

"I'm fine." she sat back down on her stool lazily and looked at him worriedly. He seemed okay, but she knew that he'd always put on a act so not to worry anyone. How did she know he wasn't doing it now? He finally returned his gaze at her after "inspecting" her work and sighed, "Really, Winry, I'll be fine. Thanks, though." he grinned goofily and she couldn't help but let her face soften and smile back. In truth, his shoulder hurt like hell and he gladly took her offer to wait on his auto-mail. She scheduled it later that night.

oooooooooo

Ed sat in a chair, waiting for Winry and Pinako to bring in his auto-mail. His shoulder still throbbed dully of pain and Ed, against Winry's judgment, insisted that they connect them now. He couldn't stand not being able to do a few things on his own and longed to be able to. Not that he didn't appreciate Winry's help, but he was independent in that way.

He couldn't help but feel that he needed to be around Pinako and Winry more often… even though they may not understand this, he felt he needed to be there…

"Okay," Ed snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Winry and Pinako as they sat on either side of him, each holding a auto-mail limb. "You know the drill; relax."

Ed kept giving her incredulous looks at the request. It's easy to think happy thoughts when your whole body feels like crap. Why not? He thought sarcastically and stared straight ahead as Winry and Pinako fastened the necessary parts in preparations to the reconnecting of his limbs. Winry and Pinako had removed his other leg after diner and had sat him in the living room where he now sat, before they left to retrieve his replacements. After fastening the limbs, Winry looked at her grandmother, who nodded and Winry's fingers wrapped around the switch on his arm, while Pinako grabbed at his leg.

"One…" Winry began to count and Ed instinctively clenched his teeth, "Two… Three." the moment they had turned the switches, pain swept his body and he held back several pained grunts and groans before Winry and Pinako hurriedly struggled to lay him on the coach.

He would have to rest, and as Winry stood back and watched him eventually drift off, she sat down on a area next to him on the coach.

"Don't stay up too late, now." Pinako warned. Even though they didn't have anything planned the following day, and Winry didn't understand why she should, she nodded and took up the magazine she had been reading the day Ed arrived. Pinako turned to leave and when she was gone, Winry noticed that the rain still pelted against the window's glass. The fog that had iced over the glass's surface was gone and Winry wondered what was so calming about the way it seemed. Maybe it was the atmosphere, or maybe it was the sound of rain, and possibly, she was at peace with how things were turning around.

She must have sat there quite a while, because she eventually joined Ed in sleep, her head tilted toward the window that wept silently.

A/N: Next chapter should be more relaxed than the rest. But, just a note, keep in mind of Ed's behavior because it does play a factor in everything. ;3

Nyago: This chapter had a little of a downgrade as far as humor goes, but that's because procedure's like Ed's aren't exactly a bag full of giggles. Next chapter… well I won't give it away.

Kwala: I won't give it ALL away, but he does tell "everything" eventually and it's promised that something happens… But that's it!

Black-Angel-001: Well, Al signed up to be a State Alchemist and is off doing his duties, and I promise he does make an appearance and I'm also thinking of making a sequel with Al actually in it throughout most of the story, but I dunno just yet. Lol, as much as the wording of that sounded (in your review) it did make since and I totally agree!

Meo: No fears, it will all be revealed eventually and I hope that the outcome is as great as I had planned.

Gozilla: There's chapter six and I hope you enjoyed it!

Snwbnny: Hoped you liked! And thanks for the review! ;3

Mustang24: I'm glad that I keep making good progress with everything! It's fulfilling to see that I'm not venturing off too much on what I want to get across.

Hiei44: They'll defiantly be talking a lot more now, and next chapter will clarify that. Well, Ed still doesn't have his land legs yet and he's been a traveler for a good portion of his life, so staying put makes him itch… I think he says something along those lines in "House of the Awaiting Family". Or something like sitting around doing nothing makes him itch… or something. ;3

Blue Raindrop: In the planning of this story, there wasn't even a tree scene; Ed simply came back, but I felt that didn't fit him and it didn't do anything as far as progressing goes. Not to mention, I had promised humor in there and I told you guys I took that to heart. ;3 So, I made that scene so as to ease up the atmosphere and it sorta just came to my head as I typed and I'm glad that scene got such positive views!

C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only: Glad you like it and just incase you're interested, I have a fic that I finished- er- three days ago, called "Untitled". Info about it is in the Author's Not at the top.