Sorry for the long wait. College has been kicking my ass.
There will probably be one more chapters of Little Lambs after this. When I first starting writing it, I only intended it to be a few chapters and end rather quickly. But your reviews convinced me to expend the story a little and have more detail. Thank you for that.
I've had a lot of fun writing for Barry. Personally I think he's one of the more underrated FMA villains. A few others being the Gold Toothed Doctor and (especially) Atlas from Star of Milos.
Just to let you know that this chapter will be featuring some PTSD and trauma related to kidnapping. Possible trigger warning.
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A blur.
That's the only word Winry could use to describe the moments of their rescue. One second Ed and her were standing at the top of the hill watching the lights of the vehicles coming closer. The next, she was being lifted off the ground and then placed onto a gurney. She remembered hearing Al and Paninya's voices, but couldn't see them. She could faintly see soldiers lifting Ed up, but before she knew it, she was in the back of an ambulance.
The ride was bumpy, this road wasn't meant to be driven on. But Winry barely noticed that. She did notice a blanket being placed over her. The attendants hovered above her, checking her injuries and asking her questions. She mumbled out simple answers as tears formed in her eyes. The adrenaline that had fueled her during the fight with Barry was fading as reality set in.
She was going to be okay.
But what about Ed?
Winry quickly sat up and glanced around the vehicle. Besides the attendants, she was its only passenger. Ed must have been in a different ambulance.
Winry felt anxiety building in her at the thought of Ed. Was he okay? Was he going to make it? His injuries were far worse than her's.
Winry was shaken out of her thoughts by hands gently pushing her down. "Take it easy, Miss. You should rest, don't worry, we'll be at the hospital soon." Said one of the attendants as he lay her back in the gurney. He was relatively young with light brown hair.
"Ed-Edward w-where…" Winry's voice came out scared and meek.
"Major Elric is in an ambulance as well. There's no need to worry; he's in good hands." The young attendant assured her with a smile. This only calmed her down a little. She wouldn't be satisfied until she saw Ed and that stupid cocky grin of his.
"I want to see him." She said, this time with more determination. Winry knew that she sounded like a whining child but she didn't care. She had to know, without a single doubt, that Ed was okay.
"Sorry, Miss." The attendant said as he swathed the skin around her elbow with a disinfectant wipe. In his other hand he held a needle for an IV. "But our responsibility is to get you safely to the hospital as soon as possible." He moved to insert the IV in but leaned back when Winry tried to kick him.
"Listen to me." Winry said desperately. "He's my friend."
"I understand." The attendant said patiently. "But right now, you're dehydrated and sleep deprived, so let's try and focus on fixing you up."
The attendant then held up the IV needle causing Winry's eyes to widen. Her stomach immediately fell sick at the thought of it cutting through her skin. The Chopper had cut her many times in many different places. None of them were too deep or too long, but she had hated everyone of them.
The attendant moved to try and insert the needle again, but she wrenched her arm away. Winry couldn't bare the thought of anything sharp touching her skin. Not after what she'd been through.
"Now Ms. Rockbell." He was starting to sound aggravated. "Please don't struggle, we don't know how extensive your injuries are." But Winry was beyond listening at this point and continued to protest.
"Please y-you don't have to do that." Winry stammered, her eyes still watching the needle nervously. It was small, but it was still sharp and metal.
'Why am I so scared?' She thought while she continued to push against the attendant's arm.
"Yes we do-" He was cut off by the needle being knocked from his grasp by Winry's flailing limbs.
The attendant looked down at her frantic state for a few moments before glancing unsurely at his partner. The other attendant sighed and gave a nod. The young man shook his head before turning around to grab something. He turned back towards her and appeared to be holding what looked like an oxygen mask in his hand.
"What is that?" She questioned.
"Its ok." He said calmly. "This is just to help you relax."
Winry didn't like the sound of that. "No...don't." She said. "Let me see Ed. I have to see Ed."
"You'll see him when you wake up." The attendant sighed, lowering the mask to her face. "But right now you need to calm down."
Winry paled at the thought of losing consciousness; of being knocked out. The last time she had been 'knocked out' was when the Chopper had taken her.
"I said no!" Winry tried pushing the mask away, but she was too weak. The other attendant gently took her arms and held them down. Unfortunately the sensation of being restrained only caused Winry to struggle more.
'They're restraining me.' Suddenly she mind was filled with images of metal chains and cold manacles. 'Oh god, not again.'
"Let go of me!" Winry begged, feeling tears form in her eyes again. The man's grip on her wrist might as well have been steel. That was what his hands felt like, steal. Restricting her movements, leaving her helpless. It was unbearable.
"Don't touch m-" Her protest was cut off by the attendant placing the mask on her face.
"I'm sorry we have to do this." The attendant said. "But you're in no condition to be straining yourself."
That was the last thing Winry heard before she blacked out.
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Winry woke up to the sound of beeping. Her eyes slowly opened to look at a white hospital room. Her eyes closed almost instantly, not use to light after so much darkness. Soft blankets greeted her as well as she became more aware of her surroundings. Her right arm and shoulder were in a cast. Her left hand was bandaged, the missing finger evident through the wrapping.
Winry winced as feeling returned to the rest of her body. She wasn't in any pain, but goddamn, was she sore.
Winry frowned as she felt weight on her forehead. Slowly lifting her left arm, she felt her head. Her fingers touched a bandage that was wrapped around her forehead.
'I'm in the hospital.' Winry realized as she saw that she was wearing a hospital gown. Suddenly she remembered how she got there. 'Those assholes! They knocked me out. Oh, when I get my hands on them-'
Winry was shaken from her revenge plot by the all too familiar creaking sound of a door opening. Her breath caught in her throat and suddenly she was no longer in a hospital room.
Opening her eyes, Winry saw she was facing three rotting, decomposing walls. She was back in the room, chained. It was dark, cold, and petrifying. The creaking of the door signaling that her tormentor has returned to-
"Winry! You're finally awake. Thank god, some of us were starting to get worried."
Winry blinked, that wasn't the Chopper's voice. Glancing around, she gave a sigh of relief when she once again saw the white walls and ceiling.
Using her elbows to prop herself up, Winry saw a familiar man in a doctor's uniform standing in the doorway. His name was Bryan Stewart. At age 63, he was the head surgeon at Rush Valley's hospital. Winry had met him several times during her stay in Rush Valley.
"Dr. Stewart?" Her voice came out soft.
"Yes, Winry." The elderly man greeted with a smile. "Good morning."
"Morning?" Winry questioned. Wasn't it still night out?
"Actually it's a little later than that." He said glancing his pocket watch. "It's just past noon. You've been asleep for quite a while. I heard you had a rough ride here, I must apologize for that."
Winry blinked and glanced around the room. Her eyes widened when she saw a small pile of boxes, flowers, and cards next to the bed. They appeared to be presents.
Stewart followed her gaze and chuckled. "Get well gifts from your clients. Word of your rescue has spread quickly."
Winry had so many questions. She sat up in bed as the words started pouring from her mouth. "What happened? Where's Ed? Is he alright? Is-"
A sharp sting in her side caused Winry to gasp and fall back on the bed. Dr. Stewart was immediately by her side with a hand on her shoulder. "Easy there girl, you're still a little worse for wear."
Winry winced as the ache in her stomach slowly went away. "How bad?" She said through slightly gritted teeth.
Stewart pulled up a chair and sat down next to the bed. He held up her medical chart and began to read off of it. "Nothing life threatening. Your right arm is broken. Your left Ulna bone is fractured as is 4 ribs on your right side. You also have a mild concussion." Dr. Stewart was famous for his blunt bedside manner.
Winry grimaced. "What about…" She held up her left hand.
Stewart frowned sadly. "I'm sorry Winry, but we won't be able to reattach your left pinky finger."
She gave a sigh. 'That's okay. I can live without a pinky. Ed has lost a lot more and yet-oh shit!'
Winry's eyes widened and she turned to Stewart with a panicked look. "What about Edward? Is he-Oh god, please tell me he's okay!"
The elderly Doctor raised his hand to silence her. "Calm down, it's alright. Edward is going to be fine."
"But he was stabbed-are you sure?" Winry's hands gripped the sheets. If anything happened to Edward, she'd never forgive herself.
"Yes, yes." Stewart suddenly sounded tired, as if he hadn't slept the previous night. Winry had a suspicion that he hadn't. "Don't worry I patched him up myself."
Winry felt relief wash over her like a title wave. She began to open her mouth, but was cut off.
"And before you ask no, you can't see him."
Winry deflated at that. "Why?" She asked, remembering the weird circumstance in the ambulance.
"Several reasons. One, I don't want you leaving this room until you're injuries have been allowed to heal properly. Second, Edward is asleep right now and will be for some time. Third, there are several people who want to see you."
Before Winry could ask who these people were, she heard the door slamming open.
"Winry!"
Winry turned to the sound of the familiar voice and her eyes widened.
"Granny?" She said as her voice cracked.
The short elderly woman quickly made her way over to the bed and threw her arms around her granddaughter. Winry hugged her back. After a few moments Pinako pulled back, her hands cupping Winry's face.
"Oh, my dear." Pinako whispered as she looked Winry up and down. "Are you alright? What did he do to you?"
"It's ok, Granny, I'm fine." Winry brought her left hand up to cover one of Pinako's.
Pinako removed her hands from Winry's face and gently grasped her left hand. She pulled it closer so she could stare at the missing finger. Her eyes were wide behind her heavily glasses.
"They...they'd told me about this but I…" Pinako said softly. "I didn't want to believe it."
"It's only a finger." Winry said quietly. "We've both seen hundreds of people with worst injuries."
"This should never have happened to you." Pinako said, suddenly angry. "Who's in charge of the damn military in this town. I'll wring their incompetent necks."
"You may have to get in line Ms. Rockbell." Drawled another familiar, deep voice from the doorway. "Trust me when I say that heads will roll."
Everyone's head turned to see Colonel Roy Mustang standing in the doorway. Seeing that the room was quickly getting full, Stewert stood up and excused himself.
"You!" Pinako said angrily. Pinako had never forgiven Mustang for 'forcing' Ed and Al to join the military. Needless to say she wasn't very happy to see him. "Was dragging those poor boys back into hell not enough for you so you let my granddaughter get abducted?"
"Granny!" Winry gasped.
Mustang frowned at Pinako's remark as he strolled into the room. He looked tired.
"It is good to see that you are safe and sound Miss Rockbell." He said genuinely to Winry before addressing both of them. "Let me assure both of you that the military is accepting full responsibility for the Chopper's escape. As well as for failing to provide you with protection following said escape. The Chopper is now back in custody, and this time he won't get away."
"And is that supposed to make this whole mess of a situation any better?" Pinako folded her arms across her chest.
Mustang sighed and shook his head. "Probably not, but I can at least pay for all of Miss Winry's hospital bills and expenses. As well as Fullmetal's."
"That's the least you should do, Flame Alchemist." Pinako spat.
Winry glanced between her grandmother and Ed's superior officer. She knew that Pinako had never liked the Colonel. Even before he stormed into their house, pushing her to the side to yell at Ed. Mustang's time in Ishval was well known across the country. As the mother of a doctor who'd gone to that hellhole to save lives, Pinako could never bring herself to respect a person like that. This had left a sour taste in Winry's mouth as well. But that had changed on the day of the Chopper incident two years prior.
Once she had been led out of the butchers shop, Mustang had draped a blanket around her. After that, he waited with her until an ambulance arrived. He made sure she was in good hands before heading over to Ed who was being comforted by Alphonse. After that she'd see him a lot when she had to come in to fix Ed's limbs. She'd actually gotten to meet most of Ed's military friends on these trips. Lieutenant Riza was always nice. As were the other men in Mustang's squad, Falman, Havoc, Fuery, and Breda. They would always tease Ed when she was around and Ed would always get flustered. It was cute. She'd spend a lot of time there because of Ed's obsession with breaking her automail where she was even on a first name basis with all of them. But she still referred to Mustang as Colonel out of respect.
This familiarity allowed her to just walk into the office. That was how she ended up on a train with the Colonel and Riza to Milos.
"It's not his fault Granny." Winry said suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Both Pinako and the Colonel turned to look at her.
"I'm sure he did his best to help me." Winry said, looking at her grandmother who looked back at her in surprise. She then looked at Mustang. "You've done so much to help Ed and Al; I want to thank you for that. I don't blame you for what happened to me."
If Mustang was suprised by her words, he didn't show it. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Thank you Miss Rockbell. I'll leave you and your grandmother alone now." He then turned and began to exit the room.
"Wait!" Winry blurted out, causing the Colonel to stop and look back at her. "H-how's Ed? Dr. Stewart says I can't see him until tomorrow."
Mustang gave Winry a small smile. "Edward is going to be fine. It'll take more than a few knife wounds to stop him." He then turned to leave but stopped. "Apparently Fullmetal's been drifting in and out of consciousness for the last few hours. Alphonse told me that he's been repeating the same word over and over."
Winry's eyebrows furrowed. "What is it?"
Mustang's smile turned into a small, teasing smirk.
"Your name."
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The next few hours passed slowly for Winry. After her grandmother had left to find a place to stay, Paninya and Mr. Garfiel stopped by. Like Pinako, they asked how she was and doted over her injuries. According to them, her automail patients were lining the streets hoping to get a glimpse that she was alright. Their gifts were piling up in the lobby. This news brought a blush to Winry's face.
"Am I really that popular?" Winry asked with a small smile causing Paninya to chuckle.
"Well you are the best mechanic in town so yeah you are."
Garfield meanwhile was critiquing her hospital room, particularly the bed."I mean look at these pillows, they might as well have you leaning on rocks. Oh dearie, your neck must be killing you."
Winry couldn't help the smile that came to her lips. Garfiel always found ways to amuse her. Turning away from him, she looked back at Paninya.
"Hey, have you heard anything about-"
"Ed?" Paninya cut her off with a smirk. "He's fine."
Winry sighed irritably and leaned back into the apparently rock like pillows. "That's what everyone in this damn hospital keeps telling me! He's fine. He's okay. But that's it. No one will tell me anything else!"
Paninya gave her a sympathetic look. "Trust me, he is." Paninya then sat down on the side of the bed. "He woke up about an hour ago, him and Alphonse have been talking ever since."
Winry's eyes widened. "Ed's awake." With that she began to push the blanket off of her.
"Oh no you don't." Paninya said as she stopped her. "Doctor says you're to stay in bed for a few more hours."
Winry gave a small growl of annoyance. "I feel fine." That was a lie. Her ribs were aching and her head still hurt from the concussion.
"Bullshit." Paninya said with a smile before frowning. "Doctor Stewart says that he's still unsure of how internally injured you are."
"Does-does he think I might have internal bleeding?" Winry asked nervously.
"He doesn't think so, but just to be safe you aren't supposed to strain yourself in any way." Paninya informed her.
Winry let out a sigh of resignation and lay back in the bed. It looked like she wasn't going to see Ed any time soon.
"Winry?" A childlike voice rang out.
Winry suddenly perked up. "Alphonse!"
Sure enough the younger Elric came lumbering into the room. His metal boots echoing loudly off the tiled floor. Paninya stepped back as the suit of armor took her place by the bed.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Al said excitedly as he pulled Winry into a gentle hug. It had been several weeks since the two of them had last seen each other and this wasn't the ideal reunion.
"Me too." Winry chuckled, her voice cracking with emotion as tears leaked from her eyes.
Al pulled back, being careful as to not distress Winry's injuries. He immediately began to speak very rapidly. "I'm so sorry I didn't come earlier. The last few hour were nuts. We found you and Brother on the road, then both of you were taken to the hospital. Ed was in surgery and you were unconscious. I kept visiting both of your rooms hoping you'd wake up. Then the Colonel showed up and I had to tell him everything that's happened. By then you'd woken up and I was on my way to see you, but then Ed woke up. After that-"
"Whoa, whoa." Winry placed her left hand on his chest plate. Sometimes she forgot that Alphonse didn't need to breathe. "Slow down Al. I get it. Don't worry, I'm not mad."
Al's red glowing eyes seem to soften before saddening as they swept over her injuries. "Winry…" He whispered.
Winry sucked in a breath at how sad Al sounded. Earlier Paninya had handed her a mirror and Winry had seen how awful she looked. Her face, neck, and arms had ugly bruises splotched across them like a child's finger painting. The bruises ranged from bluish black to greenish yellow. Cuts and fresh scabs were scattered over her exposed flesh. The worst ones were either bandaged or stitched up. Her lips were cracked and still sore. Dark shadows hung under slightly bloodshot eyes.
The sight of her in this condition must be horrifying for Al.
"It's not as bad as it looks." She put on a smile to try and reassure the younger Elric. Over Al's shoulder she could see Paninya and Garfiel leaving. No doubt they wanted to give the childhood friends some privacy.
"Ar-are you in any pain? Do they hurt?" He asked concernedly as his hand reached out and hovered near her head wound. Winry winced at the sound of his metal joints scraping against each other.
Her answer was slightly rushed. "No, they've got good pain medication here."
This seemed to reassure Al slightly. His eyes swept over her again before looking down. "I'm sorry that this happened to you, Winry." He said sadly before looking up. "Besides...all that, how are you holding up?"
Winry swallowed nervously. "I'm...doing ok." She stuttered. "A little jumpy though."
Al didn't look entirely convinced. "Do you want to talk about anything? Like the Chopper? I know that he hurt you Winry." He asked quietly.
Winry couldn't help but give a small smile at Al's concern. But still, as touching as it was she didn't feel comfortable with talking about her experience. Not now at least. Instead, she grabbed Al's large hand with her smaller one. "Thank you Al. But I think I'm good for now."
"Good for now?" Al seemed flabbergasted. "Winry you were kidnapped! I mean look at you, look at what he did to you!"
"Al!" Winry said loudly with a glare before her composure cracked and she began trembling. Al was right, she looked terrible. But his words also brought back memories. Unpleasant memories that immediately began to flood her mind and take hold of her senses.
Rough fingers digging into her skin; the hiss of his blade as it sliced through her flesh. The overwhelming feeling of sheer helplessness.
"Winry?" Came a quiet voice.
Winry's eyes flew open to see Al's red ones staring at her. Glancing down, she saw that her left hand was holding the sheets in a death grip. Sweat was forming on her palms and down her back. Winry fought to keep her composure and to not break down completely.
"Please Al I...I don't want to talk about this right now. I'm...not ready."
"Are you sure?" Winry could hear the concern in his voice as he kneeled down so that he was eye level with her. His other hand covered her's, clasping her small hand in metal.
"I'm sure." She placed her bandaged hand on top of Al's. She knew he couldn't feel it, she knew that moments like this made him feel more human. She saw his metal shoulders sink in defeat and felt a pang of guilt. Winry knew she was being a huge hypocrite at the moment. She'd always chastise the Elrics for not being open, yet here she was doing exactly that. She was keeping quiet and simply saying that she was okay.
But deep down Winry knew that she wasn't 'okay'. Earlier when she had heard the door opening, she almost had a panic attack. Just that simple sound had transported her back to her prison. A dark, cold prison where no warmth or safety awaited her. The familiar sounds of Al's joints now suddenly sounded very much like knives being sharpened. Even right now in the hospital bed with Al by her side, Winry didn't feel safe.
She needed to calm down. She needed-
"Edward!" Winry suddenly blurted. "I heard that he was awake."
Al began to rub the back of his helmet sheepishly. "Well he was...but the doctors had to sedate him."
"Sedate him?" Winry's eyes widened.
"Yeah, he, uh, kept trying to leave the room. Almost tore his stitches."
Winry's brow furrowed. "Why?" She asked even though deep down she knew what the answer would be.
Al hesitated before speaking. "He wanted to see you." Al briefly paused then continued. "After he woke up, his first complete sentence was asking about you. But no matter how many times we told him you were safe, brother wasn't satisfied. Eventually, he had enough and tried to leave. He said that he had to see that you were alright himself...and that he had to tell you something."
Winry felt her cheeks heating up as a blush spread over her features. Her eyes quickly focused on her lap as she remembered what Mustang had told her earlier.
Your name.
"That's Edward for you." She muttered with a small smile before glancing at Al. "Do you know what he wanted to tell me?"
Al's metal shoulders creaked as he shrugged.
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After a day chock full of frequent visitors, a long shower, interviews with military personnel, and Doctors examining her injuries. Winry had thought that sleep would come easy to her.
It didn't.
Winry was alone. Al had left so that the doctors could examine her injuries again. That was several hours ago and now it was after midnight. There was nothing to distract her, nothing to keep the demons away.
She lay there staring up at the ceiling of her now lit hospital room. The light was on because trying to sleep a dark room has been too painful. Every sound that echoed across the room caused her to jump. The moonlight had caused the bed's metal posts to look like knives gleaming in the darkness. After several hours of tossing and turning, Winry had painfully climbed out of her bed and switched on the light.
But the light had failed to calm her nerves, nor did she feel any safer.
"It's okay...it's okay." Winry muttered as she wiped sweat off her brow. She was sitting up on the bed with her legs pulled up against her chest. The medication had reduced the pain in her ribs down to a dull ache. 'There are soldiers stationed in the hospital; I'm safe. Besides, the Chopper is in custody. He can't...he can't hurt me any more.' She tried to console herself.
'Oh god. It's just like two years ago!' Winry thought to herself as she remembered all the sleepless nights, the unpredictable panic attacks, and the fear that had followed her whenever she was in public.
'I haven't changed at all.' Tears were now slowly dropping down her face. 'I'm still that stupid, scared little girl…I'm still weak.'
Winry was angry. She was angry at the Chopper for doing this to her; at herself for crying so much; and for always needing someone to comfort her. She paused to look over herself. All of her injuries seemed to glare up at her. Reminding her of how she was once kidnapped and had to be rescued. She brought her good hand up to her lips. They were still bruised and cracked from the Chopper's gnashing teeth. A shiver of disgust traveled through her body as she remembered how he had kissed her.
Her first kiss.
Winry choked and felt bile rising in her throat. This time she couldn't stop it, she simply didn't have the strength to. She quickly leaned to side and spat the foul broth onto the floor. Winry trembled as she moved back to the center of the bed. In her head the memory of the kiss replayed over and over.
It wasn't a real kiss; technically. A real kiss had emotion behind it; it meant something. But Barry had still forced his mouth onto her's and then slithered his way inside. Barry had tasted her and compared her to his dead wife. He didn't seem to get any kind of sexual pleasure from it, but that did little to cheer her up. Just thinking about it made Winry feel dirty and...violated. She had yet to tell anyone about that incident and frankly, Winry didn't know if she could.
She sighed.
'I'm a wreck.' Winry ran her hand through her hair. She really needed to sleep. But she couldn't, not like this.
Not alone.
Winry lifted her gaze to look at the door. She remembered what Al had told her before he left.
"Brother's room is not actually far from yours. It's eight rooms down the left; room number 22B."
Before she knew it, her socked feet were moving on the cold ground towards the door. Walking wasn't very easy, but she ignored the aches in her muscles. The knob thankfully turned without much resistance. Stepping back to pull the door open, Winry did her best to be quiet. She didn't want to be caught by some nurse out and about. Leaning out the frame, she saw that the hallway was empty. For a moment she was frozen as she suddenly remembered how she'd snuck around the Chopper's lair in a similar manner. This caused Winry to walk even faster down the left side of the hallway. As she walked stiffly she thought vaguely about Al purposely telling her Ed's room number. Perhaps he knew she would do this; that she would go to Ed.
Winry decided not to think much on it.
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"WINRY!?"
Ed's voice echoed off the dusty walls as he ran down the desolate hallway. He felt like he'd been running through this factory for hours. Weaving through endless hallways as if it was some kind of sick maze.
'Dammit! Where is she?' Ed growled to himself as he frantically continued the search. His heart was beating so loudly, it was almost deafening. That, and the growing pool of dread in the pit of of his stomach were almost overwhelming.
'No! Don't get fucking distracted!' Ed thought as he neared another corner. 'I have to keep looking. I have to f-'
Ed's thoughts, and his body, came screeching to a halt as he rounded the corner. His previously frantic breaths caught in his throat which were quickly joined by his heart.
Laying there in the hallway, right in front of him was Winry.
Or at least what was left of her.
Ed's eyes widened in horror as all sense of feeling left his body. He couldn't move, he couldn't breath. All he could do was stare at her through tear filled eyes.
Eventually Ed found himself slowly walking forward, his steps shuffling against the dirty ground. His trembling legs felt weak as tears began to silently fall down his face. Eventually they gave out and he fell forward onto his knees. Blood splashed as he landed in it. It was everywhere. His eyes slowly moved over the scene in front of him, trying to find anything that resembled her.
His gaze first landed on her face. Her once beautiful hair was stained with blood. Brief hints of the blonde strands shone through the dark red. Her left ear was missing; as was her nose. A small, gaping bloody hole stood in its place. Her face; her beautiful, perfect face was destroyed. Long gashes ran across it like a jigsaw puzzle. Her azure eyes still remained and were unharmed. But they now stared up in a permanent look of horror and agony. Her throat was cut from ear to ear. Her neck was almost completely severed, allowing Ed to see the back of her Pharynx.
Ed vaguely felt his knees gave out and his hands supporting him. He was unaware of anything other than the ravaged carcass before him. She had been gutted completely, her intestines were now splattered across her lower stomach. Large chunks of meat from her abdomen and thighs had been removed. Her hands and feet were gone; all hacked off. What remained of them were cold stumps with splintered bones and severed tendons hanging out. As Ed's eyes traveled up her arms, he spotted the dozens of gashes that lined them. Most of them appeared to be defensive wounds meaning that she had tried to fight back. That also meant that she was still alive when this was done to her.
No blood flowed out of these wounds, it was all gone.
Dead.
Ed's whole body trembled as the word echoed through his mind.
Dead.
'No..she can't be...not her!' Ed was now sobbing, practically dry heaving as it finally dawned on him.
Winry was dead.
His hardworking, caring, kind, and beautiful Winry was dead. The girl who played with him and Al as children; who built him limbs so that he could walk again; who always offered him support when he needed it the most. Who gave him his life back. The girl that he loved with every fiber of his being.
She was gone.
That single thought tore through Ed like a thousand knives. It wounded him more than any previous injury, any previous foe.
How long had she been dead? How late had he been? Could he have been here earlier? Could he have saved her?
Ed's trembling hands wracked through his hair, pulling it out of its roots. It felt like a crack was slowly growing inside of him. A large chasm in which no happiness or life could survive. Violent jags cut through him, ripping everything apart. His hands settled on his arms in a self embrace as he stared ahead with broken eyes. His breaths came out in sobbing gasps as Ed felt his heart breaking. The fingers of his hands dug into his arms, his metal ones drawing blood; but he didn't notice.
She was dead and he couldn't do anything about it.
No, he hadn't done anything about it.
Ed's hands slowly moved to her, gently grasping what remained of her sides. He lifted her and pulled her flush against his chest, his face buried into her shoulder. The reeking stench of blood and decay invaded his nostrils. Her body was cold and wet while her blood soaked into his clothes. He could feel her intestines pressed against his chest as they barely clung to the insides of her body.
It was disgusting. But Edward didn't care about any of that. He had to hold her at least one more time.
There were so many things that he never told her. He'd never had the time and now he never would. No! He did have the time, but was too much of a coward.
"I'm sorry Winry." Ed choked out. His eyes were closed, he couldn't bare to look at her or risk losing his mind. "I failed you…I failed you." His whole body trembled as Edward felt more pain than he'd ever experience. More than when Nina had been turned into a chimera, more than the failed transmutation all those years ago.
"I love you."
Ed's eyes shot open; his breathing coming out in pants. Quickly he sat up, but fell back with a groan as his wounds protested. As he lay there he became aware that he was both very sore and drenched in sweat. He winced before opening his eyes again and found himself staring at a white ceiling. It took him several more moments to realize that he was still in his hospital room.
'It was just a fucking nightmare!'
Ed ran his flesh hand across his sweaty brow as memories of the night's events flooded back to him.
"We're safe...we're safe." He muttered quietly as he held his face in his hand. "She's safe. She's okay. I found her." But even as he whispered these words of comfort to himself, his heart still beat erratically.
Nightmares were nothing new to Ed, but that was one of the worst he'd ever had. His past dreams usually involved Al loosing his body, or when they had found Nina. Never before had Ed had a nightmare about Winry.
'Damn hospital drugs.'
Ed lay back in the bed with a pained sigh. No way was he going back to sleep after that. It was going to take him weeks to get those images out of his head.
So Ed lay there in the bed, staring up at the ceiling. As the minutes passed slowly his left hand drifted towards his right side. He touched the empty port of his missing automail. The hospital staff must have removed the broken pieces that had still been attached.
Thinking about his automail also made him think about Winry.
Ed felt that familiar pang of concern in his chest. It wasn't nearly as bad as it had been the previous 24 hours, but it was still there. When he'd briefly woken up earlier, Al had told him that she was alright and resting peacefully. He'd been happy to hear this, but wouldn't be satisfied until he saw her himself.
But unfortunately he was in no condition to be walking around. His stitches still stung underneath his hospital gown. Ed's earlier attempts to leave the room had strained them and ripping them would be hell. Plus, the two stab wounds in his chest made moving around very difficult. That and being sedated didn't help. So Ed had to resign himself to the fact that he wasn't going to see Winry for several more hours.
But he couldn't help but think of her. Did she blame him for what the Chopper had put her through? If so, he wouldn't fault her. This whole mess had been entirely his fault. But the thought of her blaming him was terrifying. What if she hated him now? What if she never wanted to see him again?
''Don't worry dumbass, you'll see her tomorrow and everything will be fine.' Ed tried to think more positively for a change. 'In a few hours I'll be able to-'
Ed's thoughts were cut off by the sound of a door slowly creaking open. It took Ed a moment to realize that it was his door that was opening. His brow furrowed in confusion, who the hell was visiting him at this hour?
Ed felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as one name floated through his mind; Barry the Chopper.
'It can't be. He has to be in critical condition or something. And besides, Al told me that the military arrested that bastard.' Ed thought, trying unsuccessfully to push himself up. 'But then who…?' His thoughts were again interrupted, this time by a quiet yet familiar voice.
"Ed?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he'd know it anywhere. Ed's tired eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. Was she really here?
Mustering all of his strength and biting through the pain; Ed pushed himself into a sitting position. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her. She entered the room slowly, a slight look of surprise on her face. She must have expected to find him asleep. But what was she doing here?
"Winry?" He asked quietly.
Winry entered the room slowly, gently closing the door. With a gulp she turned to face him. Under Ed's shirt, Winry saw the edges of the bandages for his various stab wounds. She noted that what was left of his automail arm was gone.
The room was quiet after that, both of them stood there staring at each other. The moments passed by slowly, neither one of them speaking.
Finally one of them spoke. "Hey...alchemy freak." Winry said in a whisper.
Her greeting surprised Ed for a moment before the edges of his lips turned up very slightly. "Hey gearhead."
The corners of Winry's lips twitched a little as well. She hugged herself with her arms as the mood became serious again.
Ed was about to ask Winry why she was visiting him in the middle of the night. But as he opened his mouth to speak, Ed froze.
The moonlight was shining through the window and onto Winry. Her beautiful face was stricken with fatigue and anxiety. Ed could just barely make out the large bags under Winry's tired eyes. Those same eyes also held fear and uncertainty in them. Looking away from her face, Ed saw that her body was subtly trembling. His eyes widened as he understood.
She was scared; just as she had been scared two years ago. Haunted by the trauma and the terror of what had happened. Two years ago she had suffered through this alone.
Not this time.
Instantly Ed pushed himself more up, until he was sitting up completely. Once situated, he extended his one arm towards her.
"Come here Winry." He whispered softly. Ed would never be this gentle or caring with anyone. Besides Al, he'd never give anyone else a hug or hold them as they cry.
Anyone except for Winry.
Winry sucked in a breath and began walking towards the bed; a light limp in her step. Suddenly her feet felt like they had weights attached to them. Eventually Winry reached the left side of bed, almost tripping over herself on the way. But Ed's arm wrapped around her shoulders, being mindful of her right arm, and pulled her closer. He positioned Winry onto the bed so they sat next to one another.
Winry's good arm immediately gripped onto Ed as if her life depended on it. Ed winched as her movements agitated his wounds, but he gave no sign of pain. He had failed her two years and was now being given a second chance. He was not gonna fuck it up.
"I…" Winry spoke after a moment. "I had to see you."
"I know." Ed said as his hand sought her's out. He gripped her hand as the two friends sat only inches away. For several moments they sat in silence, simply enjoying the other's presence. Eventually Winry turned to look at Ed.
Now that she was closer to him, Winry could see Ed's injuries more clearly. His flesh arm was close to his chest. She could tell his ribs must be hurting. Winry felt her breath catch slightly in her throat when she looked at his face. Ed's handsome face was heavily bruised and sported many cuts. His left eye was covered by a bandage that looped around his head. Winry vaguely remembered his eye being heavily swollen after the fight with the Chopper. His cheeks and forehead had several butterfly bandages scattered across them. His right eye was staring straight at her. Guilt, pain, and anger swan through the golden orb as he saw the state of her own injuries. Winry's eyes looked down at her feet. She couldn't help but feel slightly self conscious at having his sharp golden eye scrutinize her.
"Winry."
She glanced up at him. There was now a look of slight desperation in his one visible eye. His left hand was nervously tapping the side of the bed. Winry realized that she had been staring at him for several minutes. A deep flush formed on her face as she turned away. Ed chuckled quietly. This cheerful moment didn't last long as a serious mood descended upon them yet again.
Winry was silent for several moments before she began trembling. Ed's eye widened when he saw the tears trailing down her cheeks; illuminated by the moonlight. Her gaze was downcast, but it rose up briefly to meet his. In her eyes, Ed could see the anguish of the last day. Ed thought of how her eyes must have looked like that two years ago.
"Come here." He murmured quietly, holding out his arm.
Winry's eyes widened slightly in surprise before she accepted Ed's hand and allowed him to pull her against him. Her head immediately rested on his shoulder while Ed's arm gently went around her waist.
"Tell me what's wrong." Ed voice was shaky. He was nervous of screwing this up. "Tell me everything."
"I…I couldn't sleep." Winry whispered, her voice slightly trembling. "I was scared."
Ed gritted his teeth. 'This isn't fair! None of this shit should have happened to her. Winry's not supposed to be hurt, or scared. She supposed to be safe!' For so long Ed had tried to keep it that way. For so long he'd done his best to keep Winry out of harm's way.
"It's over. I've got you." Ed whispered into her hair. "No one's going to hurt you ever again." Ed didn't know if he could keep that promise, but he damn sure would try. Looking at her trembling form now, Ed felt the guilt rise like bile in his throat; as did the need to comfort her.
"Do you want to talk about it? I'm here, I'm here Winry." His had never sounded so calming to her before.
After a few moments Winry removed her head from Ed's shoulder. Blinking away the tears, she looked at him. "Soldiers interviewed me earlier, did you see their report?"
"No. I haven't left this damn room all day." Ed said irritability.
Winry's lips quivered before her trembling voice was heard. "H-he kept me in a old bathroom; chained to the wall. I…I couldn't move. It was so dark."
Ed was silent as he listened to her.
"He'd…visit me every hour. He…he…" Winry sounded like she was going to cry again, her eyes refused to meet his.
"It's okay Winry. You can tell me; I won't judge you." Ed said with an encouraging smile. Inwardly he hated hearing this; he hated hearing about how she'd been imprisoned. But she needed to get this off her chest; she needed his support.
"The Chopper told me what he was planning to do to me. He tortured me with his knife. He cut me so many times." Winry's free hand crunched into a fist by her side. "He taunted me, hit me, and he…then he…" Winry trailed off as her face turned red with shame.
Ed's frown deepened, whatever she was thinking about was really bothering her.
"He also…kissed me."
Ed's jaw dropped and his eye widened. "What!"
"He forced his lips on mine and hi-his tongue…he bit down hard with his teeth." Winry's eyes zeroed in on her lap. "It was disgusting. I tried to fight him off but…" She trailed off, too embarrassed to keep speaking.
Ed gritted his teeth as a growl emitted from deep in his throat. Pure, unrestrained fury rose in his body. Images flashed through his head, images of Winry helpless and chained with Chopper forcing himself upon her. 'That son of a bitch, I should have killed him. How dare he touch her like that!' A small whimper brought him back to reality as Ed realized he was squeezing Winry's arm too hard.
"I'm sorry." Ed gasped as he relinquished his grasp. He then began rubbing her arm, as if to make the pain go away. "I'm so sorry Winry."
"It's fine." Winry offered with a weak smile.
Ed examined her face with concerned eyes. The moonlight illuminated her jaw, showing off her bruised and scraped lips. Ed felt a deep pain in his lower stomach at the sight.
"Are you okay?"
Winry gave a nod.
"He didn't do it to...you know." She said quietly. "He just wanted to know what I tasted like."
Ed let out another angry growl before Winry turned to look at him. She could see the rage practically coming off him in waves.
"It's okay Ed." She said meekly.
"Okay?" Ed asked incredulously. A thought suddenly popped up in his head. "Was that…was it your first kiss?" Winry was silent for a moment and Ed immediately regretted asking such a personal question out of the blue. He stopped berating himself when he saw Winry nodding.
The intense pain in his lower stomach returned in full force. That psychopathic bastard! Her first kiss. Her first kiss and he had stolen it from her. At the moment Ed was trying really, really hard not to loose control in front of Winry. "Winry I…"
"Ed it's okay." Winry said quickly. "I never really cared much about first kisses anyway. Always seemed kinda childish and stupid." Her words were meant to comfort him but they had little effect. Winry bit her lip at the lingering look of pain in Ed's eyes.
"And enough about me." Winry said, trying to change the subject. "How are you feeling?" Her eyes lowered to look at his stomach where the Chopper had stabbed him.
Ed could feel her eyes examining his bandages. She glanced over Ed's injuries again before looking him in the eye.
Ed shifted slightly. He didn't want to drop change the subject, but if Winry wanted to talk about him, then so be it.
"I'm fine." He said quickly, although the aches in his torso said otherwise. The next few minutes passed in silence as neither of them knew what to say. Throughout the whole time, Winry kept glancing at Ed's injuries; the guilt growing more with every look. In the four years since the two Elrics had set out; this was most injured Ed had ever been. Her heart caught in her throat as she realized this was the closest he'd ever been to dying!
And it was because of her. He had been injured because of her. Ed had been stabbed three times because he'd been trying to save her. Eventually she couldn't take it anymore and the words came rushing out before she could help it.
"I'm sorry."
Ed's eye widened, his head whipping around to look at her. Winry was looking at her lap ashamedly while he stared at her in shock.
"What did you say?" Ed asked quietly. Surely he must have misheard her.
"Ed...I'm sor-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" His aggressive voice cut through the air.
Winry raised her head and was taken aback by the emotions on Ed's face. His eye was now ablaze with anger as he stared her down. Winry felt heat rising in her body under his penetrating stare.
"These weren't your fault! This wasn't your fault!" Ed turned his body to face her completely. "Don't you dare say that it was!" His left hand was now gripping her left shoulder rather tightly.
"I spent this whole damn day blaming myself for this. How about we agree that it was neither of our faults and move on! Does that sound good?" Ed's voice softened for the last sentence as did his eyes.
Winry stared at Ed for a moment before the edges of her lips turned up. "Yeah…that sounds good Ed."
Ed let out a breath and relaxed his grip on her shoulder. Suddenly Winry's hand shot up and lightly slapped Ed on the side of his head.
"Ow! What the hell Winry?" Ed snapped as he touched his stinging flesh.
"For your information, I wasn't saying that I was blaming myself. I'm just sorry that you got hurt." Winry said as she motioned to his injuries.
"Why? You didn't do this." Ed said confused.
Winry gave an annoyed sigh before fixing Ed with a stern look. "No, but you were hurt because of me."
"Well it was worth it!" Ed shot back.
What?
Winry blinked in surprise, whatever response she had died in her throat. "Huh?"
'Dammit.' Ed cursed inwardly. 'Nice going idiot!' He then realized that Winry was staring at him, expecting an explanation.
Shit.
"Well uh…I mean…uh. It-you were worth it." He stammered out yet she still understood him. Her eyes widened as his words resonated with her.
"Ed…You almost died!" Winry practically shouted. "You-I…you were stabbed. You could have been killed! What would Al have done if-"
"What would I have done if anything had happened to you?" Ed shot back. For the last 24 hours he had dealt with the fear, the agony, that he might lose Winry. He'd have done anything to spare her the pain of what happened. To hear her now tell him that she wasn't worth it infuriated him.
"What was I supposed to do, Winry? Was I just supposed to let you die? How…" Ed's voice trailed off and Winry heard him make a choking sound.
Winry's jaw dropped as she saw Ed's shoulders begin to shake. A gasp left her when she realized that Edward Elric was crying in front of her. His head dropped as more silent sobs racked his body.
"Ed?" Winry reached her hand up to cup his right cheek. Much to her surprise he placed his own hand on top of hers and squeezed it. After a few more moments Ed lifted his head to look at her.
"How could I have kept going? How could I keep living if you were gone?"
Winry's breath caught in her throat and her heart began to thump loudly. Was Ed saying what she thought he was saying? Her mind went blank and she mumbled a pathetic response.
"Y-you can find another automail mechanic elsewhere." Her voice was shaky and weak.
Ed gave a humorless laugh and again dropped his gaze as he grew serious once more. He closed his eyes and thought back to that night four months prior. He remembered the words he had said to her; the words that she hadn't remembered.
Ed let out a sigh. It was time.
"Winry…you mean so much to me. I know I don't say it often, but you do." Ed raised his head to look her in the eye. "Yes, you are right. I could find another automail mechanic. But I would never, ever find someone to replace you. How could find someone as compassionate, smart, and brave as you. Hell you saved my life yesterday. Winry…you're not just my mechanic. Actually, you are not even just my best friend. You are so, so much more than that. I wouldn't have a life if it weren't for you. I wouldn't be who I am or where I am, now. Without you…"
Small tears were running down Winry cheeks while she simultaneously forgot how to breath.
"Winry…." Ed paused before taking the leap. "I love you."
That was it. Winry's whole world was stopped dead in its tracks by those three words.
'He loves me?' Winry thought dumbly as she stared back at the young alchemist in complete shock. Edward was staring back at her, not a hint of anxiousness on his face. That's what she loved about him. He was always so strong and so brave. At times like this, Winry knew that one day he would get Al and his bodies back. When he had that look in his eyes, she knew that he could conquer the world.
And he loved her.
Winry's hand shakily moved to cover her mouth, as she felt the full weight of Ed's words. She couldn't even help the tears that started to form at her eyes. But these were tears of happiness. She had waited so long to hear those words from him.
"Oh Ed." She whispered lovingly before giving him the brightest, happiest smile he had ever seen. Ed's breath caught in his throat when he saw the love and adoration in her eyes. Did that mean…
"Ed...I love you too."
Ed's eyes widened before a stupid grin slowly formed on his face.
Forgetting about everything else, Winry flung herself forward and latched onto Ed. Unfortunately, this caused a sharp sting of pain to radiate through both of their bodies. The added weight also caused Ed to fall on his back, taking Winry with him.
"Ack!" Ed and Winry collectively groaned the exact same sound as they lay there hugging each other. Ed winced as pain shot through his back and stomach. Thankfully he landed on a pillow so his back didn't hurt that much.
"Sorry." Winry mumbled as she quickly pushed herself off of him. "Did I hurt you? Are your stitches holding?"
"It's ok, just try not to be such a gearhead next time." Ed groaned with a slight grimace. His eyes blinked open to see Winry's face above his. "So d-did you mean it? You…love me?"
Winry smiled as she used her elbow to prop herself up. "Yes." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Really?" His voice sounded giddy and childish, but he didn't give a damn. She smiled and gave a confirming nod.
And like that all the pain in his body seem to vanish. The lingering anxiety and fear of the past 24 hours became a distant memory.
She loved him. Winry loved him!
"Good cause…I meant it too." Ed said with a grin as fireworks went off in his head.
Tears of happiness pooled in Winry's eyes. "You don't know how long I've wanted to hear that." She spoke, her warm breath hitting his face. Ed's cheeks turned red, yet he didn't turn away. How could he turn away?
It only vaguely registered to Ed that Winry's face was hovering only mere inches above his own. Nor did it fully hit him that her very, very warm body was practically draped over his. He did however notice when Winry nervously started to close the gap between them.
Ed's eyes widened in surprise as he realized what was about to happen. His surprise increased when his own head lifted to meet her halfway. Their lips paused less than an inch away as the two stared nervously into each other's eyes. Ed's eyes briefly darted down to look at her lips. They still bore the scratches from the Chopper's teeth, yet they also looked as soft and inviting as ever.
"Are you sure?" Ed implored softly. His voice laced with concern. Her face was so close that he could feel the heat radiating from her skin.
Winry's response was to close the distance between them.
It was a gentle kiss, no tongues or anything. Yet as soon as their mouths touched, Ed's mind went blank. All he could feel was Winry. Her chapped, yet soft, lips pressed against his; her smell filling his nose; her warm body flush against him. It was overwhelming.
Winry, on the other hand, felt butterflies in her stomach. This was actually happening! Edward Elric, the one and only man she would ever love, was kissing her. Even after so many years of dreaming about this moment, she still couldn't comprehend it.
Although it was only moments, the kiss seemed to last hours for Ed and Winry. When they pulled away, neither of them could help the giggles or the blushes on their cheeks. Both teens immediately looked away, yet smiles graced both of their faces. After a few moments Winry turned to look at Ed who was also looking at her. Wordlessly Ed laid back on the bed and motioned for her to join him. Winry blushed again before carefully resting her head on his chest. Being mindful of her ribs, Ed wrapped his arm around her waist. After making sure that none of their injuries would be agitated, the two fell into a comfortable silence.
For the first time in two days; they were both at peace.
Ed felt himself beginning to drift back to sleep. He and Winry had a lot to talk about but that could wait until-
"Um Ed?"
-or they could talk right now.
"Winry, I'm tired." Ed groaned. "Can we just talk in the morning?"
He felt her shift slightly on his chest. "I just have to know." Winry replied. "Are we...um…uh you know….together or something?"
Ed's eye cracked open and he glanced down to see her looking up at him.
"You mean like...boyfriend and girlfriend?"
Winry kept herself from blushing this time. 'We really need to work on that.' Ed thought before listening to her response.
"I guess." Winry whispered.
"Sounds alright to me." Ed's lips turned up into his signature grin. "Now let's please get some sleep."
It only took them minutes to fall asleep.
OoO
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I'm finally done with this stupid chapter! Again I'm sorry for the wait, it'll probably take me longer to update my stories from now on. Plus this chapter was especially difficult to write, specifically the kiss at the end. I did my best to keep them in character.
Well I hoped you all liked this chapter. There will be another one and it will be shorter as well as the final chapter of this story. I would like to thank everyone who has so far followed and reviewed Little Lambs.
Please Review! I love to hear your thoughts.
