Chapter 22: Another Surprise

They arrived at the city on a full out attack and Winry flew through the people easily. She had created a barrier around the people as well as herself so they walked through without any casualties, anyone getting hurt or anything else.

"Okay, give them back!" She yelled. Daniel appeared walking out of a tunnel leading underground.

"Ah the amazingly gorgeous Winry Rockbell, actually I hear its Winry Elric now. You've moved up in the world now. I'm glad that you could put that on your tombstone when you die." He replied.

"That's my name now and I'm not dying because I'd put people in so much jerpordy if I died I might as well kill them all right now."

"That would make my life and the military life here a lot easier, would you mind?" He asked.

"Since you asked so politely, NO! You took Granny, Molly, Ed and Al from me and you're not getting away with that." Winry yelled.

"You're just as noble and afraid as ever Winry. You couldn't ever face me head on with all the contrasts we have you couldn't face me in a fair fight."

"Did you ever think that I don't like beating up people, I'm live for helping people. My grandmother, and parents have been devoted to that their entire lives, why wouldn't I follow in their legacy. They showed me to help any person who comes my way and asks for help, why would think I would treat you any different." She answered.

"Don't you get it, I don't care if even the military can make an exception for a girl in the military that is unwilling to fight. I'm not. You can't have them back unless you beat me in combat not some of this girly stuff you pull on me."

"So that's how it is, in order to get them back I have to fight you. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." She answered.

"Well you're right, that's how it is." He said. "Unless you want me to hurt them." He yelled.

"Fine, then I will do my very best to beat you on a fair level."

"I want your best, no holding back!" He said. Winry tied up her hair out of her way, then slipped on some alchemic gloves. "I said your best, I want the real, no circle alchemy!"

"Fine," She slipped off the gloves and tossed them aside. She knew that it wasn't smart to not use the gloves, the only reason she had been in contract with the gate was through Ed and Al because they held the ability so when she helped Al return Ed, she had became able to but only to a small extent.

She sat on the ground and clapped her hands together very softly, actually it was only two fingers, the others watched closely to learn about her mischievous ability. He charged toward her and a rock column hit him right in the stomach and circled around him, like a snake squeezing him. Then it smacked him into the ground, just like a snake.

He recovered quicker than expected and made another charge, she held her hands together over her head but instead of palm and palm she connected the back of her hands, she then compressed the ground beneath her and he fell into a deep ditch, then she turned around her hands threw him up let him fall back into the hole.

The others were amazed how she had toyed with him, not taking him seriously. She caused a vine to throw him into the stone column hard and tied him to it. Then tons of fire balls rained hitting him and burning him in various places, he once again recovered but this time not as easily.

"You're turn." Winry said standing up holding her hands out to her sides.

"You're toying with me, not taking this serious aye, I'll make you think of me as an opponent worth your thoughts." She laughed and smiled. She turned around and closed her eyes.

The officers watched in amazement, as they came close to her then stopped hitting him numerous times over and over. She hadn't made any movement after turning around yet something was manipulating the stone.

She then walked over to him, threw some sand in his eyes, and kicked him; knocking him unconscious. She smiled and walked through the tunnel after putting a metal bar around him.

Down the stairs was a rather large hideout, a dungeon and of course like all lairs a giant screen where the prisoners could 'watch their friends suffer'. Ed and Al sat there amazed while Pinako and Molly were confused as to how she could possible do these things.

"Ready to go," She clapped her hands together, and destroyed all the locks. Then she hit Ed with a wrench that she had carried her for some particular reason. The reason being he could have transmuted the locks away as well.

Then as she started walking her legs gave out and she passed out, and Ed quickly caught her. He scooped her up and carried her out the door. "Major Edward, what is wrong with Major Winry?" Ross asked.

"Nothing much, she would have been fine but that was a lot of will alchemy to do without a circle and without half of it. She did do her best, she just needs a bit of rest." Ed answered looking at a tired Winry in his arms.

The climbed into a car and Pinako sat in the front while Molly and Al had decided to return home to get some items knowing Molly would be staying for a while to help with her automail so that she could stop being weak. Edward sat in the far side of the car looking out the window while Winry was situated stretched out in the back, her head resting on his lap.

(Three Days Later) The phone rang and Winry happily answered it. "Hello, Winry speaking, how may I help you?" She answered as she always did.

"Hello Winry, can I speak to Edward?" Riza asked her.

"Sure, Ed, phone for you."

"Who is it?"

"Riza Mustang," It was strange, having to remember that Riza' was changed. Winry really didn't have a problem remembering it but Edward had a nasty habit of forgetting and getting smacked from her for it.

"Hey Mustang," Ed answered quite awkwardly. There was quite a long pause.

"Edward, just call me Riza so we can get on with this!" She yelled.

"Okay, okay, man you and Winry need to be gently with me, or else."

"Or else what,"

"I might break and arm or leg." Edward had never experienced that or had to worry about it so he found it weird to be a normal person again.

"Whatever Edward, but Roy… (Ed snickers)… has a mission for you and your brother. Winry has to stay there though, sorry, orders. He needs you to report as soon as possible." Ed hanged up the phone huffing, and sat on the counter.

"What was that about?" Winry asked.

"It was a mission for Al and I. I really don't feel like it anymore. Can't they have any other alchemist do it? And why can't you come, I don't get it!" Ed yelled.

"I can't come." Ed nodded.

"Nope, Roy said you can't. You have to stay here, orders." Winry sighed, she being defensive had rarely any missions but a lot of pay so Edward needed money as well as did Al so they were both ready and about to leave."

This left Molly and Winry quite depressed. Molly because she would have no one to converse with for quite a long while, and Winry was having flashbacks of the past where they would leave and wouldn't come back for awhile.

In Ed's words, "Winry, you're my wife now. I wouldn't leave you like that. I know how much it hurt you then and I didn't plan on this either. I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise. Right Al?" Edward had a need to use poor Al to justify everything he said.

I knew he'd be back, I could remember how happy I was for them to be back even though all it meant was Ed had messed up again, hurt himself, got in the hospital and I would be working straight through his visit on automail but it was still worth it, no matter what. I was his wife. I had legal means to get him back here no matter what he said or did.

-(In Central)-

Ed and Al had just arrived at the station and the Fuhrer was ready for them. "Ed, Al, I'm glad you made it and in such great timing. Ready to go?"

"Yeah, the faster the better," Ed replied.

"I know how that is I miss my wife too."

"Where is Riza?" Mustang purposely didn't answer. "What did you do to her, what's wrong with her, what happened?" Ed continued to ask with no answer seemed to be coming.

"Brother, did you think that there may be a reason to why he doesn't want to tell you and why Winry couldn't come."

"Correct Alphonse, I'm not going to tell you until we're in my office." Mustang replied.

Ed was worried, Riza was the colonel now. Why had she been sent away, nothing had changed about rules or anything as he knew. Also what scared him as that Roy loved Riza just as Edward loved Winry, why would he separate these two pairs. It would have to be something major.

The arrived at the office. "Sit down boys,"

"So what's this about,"

"You know that Daniel kid?"

"Of course we know him, he's been causing Winry all this stress. It's his fault all this happened in the first place."

"That's not exactly nice brother, Winry joined the military, trained you, you fell in love all because of him that caused her need to protect you so without that you'd be lost brother, right?"

"I'd be lost without Winry all together but I can't say he's the reason why. I feel like someone all along had been pushing us together even though I don't know who." Ed said. (Dramatic Irony: when a character is clueless to a fact that the reader knows about and can pinpoint. Irony and Suspense are traits of a good story. This is just that trait.)

"I don't know Ed but who ever it is must have knew all along that you belonged together." Al answered his rhetorical question.

"Nah, I mean if they did know they would have been smart enough to try this stunt a long time ago, I mean really. It must have been someone who saw the obvious. Like Roy! Or Riza!" Ed yelled. "You did, didn't you Mustang!" Ed falsely accused.

"No such luck you insanely married man. I pity poor Winry." Roy answered.

"Me too, but most people pity me because he's my brother." Al added.

"I pity you as well." Roy continued.

"Stop all this about pitying people and tell me what's going on!" Ed yelled.

"What brought up this conversation anyway?" Al asked.

" Roy was talking about Daniel, you said he's the reason I married Winry, I disagreed, then we went to talking about how we got together and moved to pitying me for bothering Winry." Ed recapped for them.

"Yes, that is where I was. As I was saying until all that started… Daniel has escaped. gasp! He has become our two worst nightmares; he has become a combination of a military assassin and a threat to all women. 28 of my men have been killed, and 34 girls already, Central has been cleared out of all women and military officials. He's hidden somewhere in town. So guess what?"

"We have to find him and take him down." Ed finished.

"Exactly," Roy added.

"So where is Riza staying?" Al wondered.

"She's staying with Winry until you and Al are done with the mission and the place is marked safe." Roy explained.

"Oh, why didn't I know about this?"

"Brother honestly, Winry and Pinako own the house, not us. If Winry or Pinako says it's okay then it's okay, no questions needed. No offense meant to you brother, but, you tend to be very suspicious and figure out that Winry would be in danger as well."

"Oh yeah!" Ed said rubbing his head.

"Now that it's clear about what's going on, bye."

"So we just hunt him down and take him in."

"No, you have to kill him."

"What!" Ed yelled.

"With all due respect, brother and I refuse to kill anyone, we've seen too many deaths, too many bodies, and so many hurt because of it in a lifetime. We don't need anymore of it, sorry." Al added.

"Fine, bring him here and we'll dispose of him, just to let you know that Edward you get half your normal funding. No one is in Central to buy anything to pay you. Only Eastern HQ is so the more you hurry the better." Roy said.

"I have a feeling; a little while is going to be a long time." Ed said complaining.

"Maybe not, stop being so down brother." Al reprimanded.

-(A month later)-

"I hope the boys are alright." Riza said staring out the window.

"Me too," Winry said upset that they hadn't taken care of anything yet.

"We've been married almost 2 months now and we haven't been with them one of those, it's December and in another 25 days it's Christmas and the week after is the ball." Riza reminded Winry.

"Yeah, but I'm sure that's enough time to finish up. I'm sure that they've got a lead."

"Right!" Riza said encouraging her. The girls had no clue how completely wrong they were. The boys were as confused as could be, had no hints as of his whereabouts, or even if they had managed to keep him in town. The boys were worried about the girls as well.

Winry rested her head against the chair and took a deep breath, she was quite tired and needed a break. "I'm going to take a nap, tell me if anything happens."

"We say that everyday and night though nothing does, let's agree that we'll tell the other if something ever does." Winry nodded, struggling to get up.

"You look a bit paler than normal, are you doing okay?"

"I guess, I've been more tired then normal lately so that might be it but other than that, no." Winry said. Riza had noticed that Winry had also been putting on quite a bit of weight but she had neglected to mention that due to needed politeness.

Riza walked to the phone to call up, Ed, Al and her husband, Roy to make sure all was truly going well there. "Edward Elric speaking, who would this happen to be?" Ed asked.

"This happens to be Riza Mustang, Edward. I wanted to check in on you guys. How is everything? Please say he's caught and I can return and you can come back."

"I wish I could but… well we've lost him completely and we're tightening up security around here, no one has been reported dead in either category so we're saying he's here but hidden. So how's Winry?"

"She's fair, a bit tired lately and paler than normal but other than that, she seems to be doing fine. I know she's worried and misses you, that's for sure."

"I miss her too, will you tell her that?"

"Yeah, and Roy and Al?"

"Al is fine, he's worried about you're four's safety there but he knows you're safe so he's stopped worrying so much but as for Roy he's stressed because he's worried that they'll rebuke him as Fuhrer if he can't take care of this."

"I say that you set a trap, not that I'd know how but that would work." Riza added. "Well I have to go, I need to check on Winry, she was so tired I think she's already asleep."

They both hanged up and Ed looked at Al, "We need to finish up as quickly as we can Al. I think Winry is suffering from separation anxiety. My mom maid that up, she says I get it when I leave my friends and I feel upset, cry some, and talk about them constantly and day dream all the time. Though Winry's is the need to be near Ed to feel well, remember earlier when she knew Ed had left, same thing.

Pinako couldn't figure out what was wrong with Winry, she was running a fever, having heat flashes and pale and tired all the time. They decided to take her to the hospital.

"Edward, we have taken Winry to the hospital. Whatever you do don't come. He could sneak on the train and come attack her while she's sick. Stay there until he's gone. This is Riza by the way. Bye." Riza hanged up the phone, leaving a message.

"Winry, so you fell just tired, right?" The nurse asked.

"I also feel sick, have a fever, heat flashes and I'm pale."

"It seems that you gained a surprisingly amount of weight in the last year, no person could gain so much weight, well unless she was pregnant. Would you happen to be and not alerted us?"

"No, well I don't think I am. I'm pretty sure I'm not. You'd think I'd know." Each time Winry talked she became more and unsure about it. It did explain a lot of things. "I'm really not sure, I could be."

"Are you married?" Winry nodded.

"2 months now."

"That could explain it, a honeymoon perhaps?"

"Yeah, I guess." Riza took this as a sign to leave while Molly too decided to leave, Pinako stayed with her granddaughter.

"So you want to take the test?" She asked.

"I think that would be best." Winry said being quite doubtful. Winry was worried and concerned, usually people found out their second month, the symptoms showed up around a month, not the end of the second. This was irregular and she knew it.

Winry relaxed, she couldn't image herself pregnant. She had never thought about, sure about the future kids had come into play but she had not pictured herself pregnant nor read or prepared if it had happened. Ed was the book smart one, he had even given birth to Elicia when he was 12, he knew about this but not her. She was a doctor but not in this area, nerves, muscles and tissue were her forte, not this.

'Ed's gone and I turn out to be pregnant. Things could be worst… wait they already are. Ed can't leave the place, there is a killer of females and military people on the lose. It just got worst.' Winry sighed, resting and falling asleep.

"You worried yourself to sleep, that's nothing new for you Winry." Pinako said.

"Mrs. Elric, you're news are... in." The nurse said quietly.

"She's asleep, just leave it there. Good, bye." Pinako was quite curious, Pinako would be glad if she had a great grandchild before she died, but that was highly possible with the two people she was talking about in mind. She would not look, she could only expect the best, which was whatever the possibly young mom wanted and what was best. Raising a child now would be hard, especially with Edward gone. She would not tell Ed because he'd freak and return and endanger her. They wouldn't know until Winry awoke.