Disclaimer: Hagaren is not mine, and it does not belong to me.

Hi there all! After I realized that my story had a huge fluff-factor, I also realized, WHO CARES? Fluff makes my story worth reading. But everything about it makes it worth reading.

Okay, I'm about to ditch my ego.

Yeah right. Like that's gonna happen.

Anyway, this is THE chapter to read if you're interested in my personality. Why? Because this is the chapter where I meet Winry. You know, it's not that I hate her, but I guess you could say I envy her. Besides all that, I need someone to relieve my anger issues on. Winry just happens to be that unlucky person.

I love Ed. What else can I say?

Note: The title of this chapter does not pertain to Ed and Winry.

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Chapter 12

Automail Brings People Together

"What?"

Al dragged out the word into a long whining noise. Ed and I were giving him the evil eye.

"Why do you both look so mad at me?"

"Because," Ed said, trying to keep his temper, only for the fact that he was talking to his beloved brother.

"What were you thinking, trapping us in the same room together?" I finished Ed's sentence.

"I didn't trap you," Al said sheepishly.

"That's beside the point!" Ed shouted, thus gaining a stare from the fellow passengers.

"Brother…"

"Al," I said calmly. "Why did you even send Ed in there with me?"

I've never known a metal suit to look so uncomfortable.

"I just wanted for you guys to talk."

"About what?" Ed demanded.

"About whatever," Al responded. "That's all."

"Uh-huh…" Ed sank back onto the soft train seat, and I followed suit. He still looked unsettled, but that was better than angry. I sighed, but I knew there was still something up ahead.

We were going to see Winry.

XXX

"Aah," Ed said, stretching one arm into the air (seeing as how he couldn't use the automail one). "It's nice to be back home."

"This is a wonderful place," I marveled. "I'd love to live here."

"Well, where are you from?" Ed asked curiously.

"Uh…" I sweatdropped. "I'm from… America."

" America, huh?"

"Yeah."

Ed promptly ignored me again, and set off down the dirt road. I could only look at the beautiful plant life and other assorted scenery as we walked along. I made myself think about anything other than the girl Ed was leading me to. But all too soon, I saw the house, complete with the wooden "Rockbell Automail" sign. And then there was the enormous black dog on the porch that threw itself at Ed without even a warning bark. They both fell to the ground, and I laughed in amusement, before wincing at the all too familiar voice I heard next.

"Den… get off of Edward."

I turned around to see Winry standing there, clad in only her mechanic outfit. The one with the black tube top and lavender pants. Nice shirt, if I do say so myself. Not!

"Den!"

She shouted at the dog, who was now sniff-violating Ed. It balefully stepped off of the blonde, and retreated back to the porch. I held out my hand to Ed, who gratefully took it and got to his feet. It was then that Winry noticed me.

"Hello," she said, smiling in her chibi little way. "Who are you?"

"I'm Rachel," I said, figuring that I should at least try to be polite to her. "I'm… Ed's friend."

"You are?"

She sounded sort of confused and hurt at the same time. After all, how would you feel if the cute guy you've known forever brought another girl to your doorstep?

"But why are you here? Do you need automail?"

Her eyes lit up like headlights. She ran to me, inspecting my arms and legs and every other part of me she could without coming off as a rapist. Her face fell in disappointment when she saw that I had all of my limbs.

"Aww…"

"Winry," Ed said. "It's me that needs the automail."

"Why?" she asked, sounding like a reprimanding mother. "What did you do this time?"

"Nothing," Ed replied, annoyed. "I just can't move it."

"Well, come inside, then."

XXX

"Really?"

This was bad. Ed needed a whole new arm, for who-knows-why. I'd seen how much it hurt him.

"Yeah," he sighed. "But getting it attached always sucks."

Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked around the room.

"It hurts like hell."

"It must," I said. "Nerves are sensitive things."

"Yeah…"

We were alone again, but it wouldn't last for long. Winry was coming in to measure Ed's arm length, and she had left to find her rubber ruler thing. (I don't know what they're called!) I stared at Ed, feeling suddenly sorry for him.

"Automail's tough, isn't it?" I asked.

Ed sighed.

Winry walked in, holding a huge metal thing that looked like a toolbox. She was smiling, for whatever reason. I stood up to leave. I didn't want to see Winry touching up on Ed. He gave me a look of remorse, as I gave the girl one last mournful stare before leaving.

XXX

My pace was slow as I returned to the brightly glowing house. The sun had already set when I made my way back from the cemetery that held Trisha Elric. I wanted to see her grave. Anything was better than Winry poring over Ed. I had barely opened the door when I heard his scream of pain. They were attaching the automail already?

I pushed my way to the main room, to see Winry wiping her forehead, and Pinako cleaning up loose wires.

"Where's Ed?"

"It's okay," Winry soothed. "It's just the automail."

"I know that!" I yelled, happy for an excuse to raise my voice to Winry. "Just tell me where he is!"

She looked angrily at me, but then that look melted away. She pointed to a door that went off from the room, and I darted through it. I ran in to see Ed lying on a bed, drenched with sweat. I went to him, my hands shaking.

"Edward?"

He opened one eye painfully, and seemed to regret seeing me.

"I didn't expect to see you."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "But I didn't want you to see me like this."

"Why?"

"I'm not so strong now, am I?"

"Edward…"

I sat down on the chair near the bed, and kept looking at him. He did the same to me, and his eyes shone with that specialness.

Sheesh, how can I say such corny stuff?

"Thank you."

He sat up.

"What for?"

Unable to answer, he pulled me to him in a hug. I put my arms around his neck and held him. This was nice and it made me feel all warm inside. In my fantasies, he pulls me onto the bed with him. Enough said.

Pinako walked in, and I was released from Ed's arms. I hated Pinako then.

"You feeling all right, pipsqueak?"

Judging from the way Ed jumped up and began yelling, I'd say he was fine.

XXX

"Well, thanks, Winry," Ed said. "But we have to leave now."

She waved us goodbye as we left the house, and headed back to the train station, the sun shining brightly.

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Ok, see, there wasn't too much drama between Winry and me. But I still don't like her.

And I keep adding too much dialogue! Gaah…

I might meet some of the homunculi next chapter… if that's what you guys want…

Tell me when you're reviewing!