Chapter Eight
The next morning the house was oddly quiet. Pinako was the first one up, she was the only one, after all, that got any sleep the night before. She started brewing the coffee when she heard someone behind her clear their throat. She turned to see Sig standing there, towering over her.
"I'll be leaving today. Thought I should let you know," he explained.
"That was sudden. Is Izumi going with you,"
"She's already gone. There was something she had to take care of." Pinako nodded her understanding.
"Well, we will definitely miss the two of you. So does that mean Izumi's giving up on Ed?"
"No, that's why she had to leave. It was something to do with him. Everything should be okay now." He didn't want to get into all the details. It would be better for them not to know about the truth right now. It would just make it harder.
"Well at least stay for breakfast before you go," she requested, hearing the coffee pot stop. He would stay anyway. There was still one last thing he had to do before he left. After awhile, the other two found their way into the kitchen, but neither one of them looked like they were awake.
"Busy night last night, you two," Pinako asked them. Neither one of them said anything that was comprehendable. She just ignored it though. "Winry, I hope that you don't think cause you were up all night, you don't have to do your chores." Winry put her head down. "Oh and not to worry, I checked on the girl Lyra. Apparently she left early this morning cause the room she was in was empty this morning." Winry grunted her response, still dreading the thought of chores.
"I should make Edward do all my chores when he wakes up," she grumbled into the table. After everything last night with Lyra or Dante or whoever she was and then Ed had to pass out as well. She was worried that he would be out for awhile. But on the plus side, at least the house wasn't trashed like it was last night. Her gazed drifted over to Al. He was just as tired as she was, although he seemed to be trying to hide it more. They weren't sure how to break the news about Ed. Although since he was still sleeping there really wasn't much to tell anyway. Winry sat up, stretching her hands above her head. She really wasn't hungry but she decided to grab something to bring upstairs to munch on later. She grabbed an apple then realized she should get something else in case Ed woke up. Knowing him, he'd probably be hungry. She set up a tray, placing some juice on it as well as some more fruit. She turned and headed for the door.
"That's quite the appetite, Winry," her grandma notice, sipping her coffee.
"Well, it's in case Ed wakes up, I thought he might want something. I'm still going to get to work." She wasn't going to make up any excuses.
"Being very hopeful there, but okay." she headed upstairs with the tray. Pinako glanced over at Al. He was actually drinking coffee. She found it somewhat out of character for him but ignored it anyway. Maybe he was just anxious.
oOoOo
Winry set the tray down next to Edward's bed. He looked so out of it but she could understand why. He had just gotten back and had to fight Dante right away. It hadn't given him much time to recover. She nudged him a little to see if he'd wake up.
"Edward? Edward, are you sleeping?" The answer was obvious since she wasn't getting any response, except him turning over on his side. She straightened up, letting out a sigh. "Typical. You would think at least food would wake him up." She left for a second, returning with some machinery to work on. "Eventually he has to wake up so I'll just sit here until then." Although in the back of her mind she knew there really wasn't any reason for her to be there when he finally did wake up. If for nothing else, she wanted to make sure he ate something. Where ever he had been he probably wasn't able to get any good food. Her reasoning didn't make much sense to even herself but it was enough to keep her there. And at least this way, Al wouldn't feel bad if he had something else to do. One of them would be there. Maybe they could even take turns for the day. Now her plan made more sense. But in reality she knew she had been worried about him a lot more then she was letting on. And she had been worried about his auto-mail, how he could get it repaired and was he taking care of it. She had worked so hard on it after all and she knew how rough he tended to be with it. But other then her work, she really did want to know where he was and that he was safe. That was what really kept her by his bedside.
She sat there quietly for what felt like almost an hour before Ed made any noise. She glanced over at him as he turned over again towards her. Maybe he was having a bad dream? He tossed his head to the side and grit his teeth. Standing up, she leaned over him, gently shaking him. "Edward, wake up. Come on." She would keep bothering him until he woke up. Nightmare or not, she wasn't gonna sit there any longer. She kept calling to him, hoping he would open his eyes.
He didn't know why his sleep was being interrupted but whatever thoughts were going through his mind, were stressing him out. He didn't want to think anymore, or at least not right now anyway. Thinking too much was always a bad habit of his and that was why he never did get the sleep he needed. There was something else too. Someone calling his name. Over and over again. "Edward, wake up. Come on."
'Is it...mom?' Carefully he tried to listen more. 'No someone else.'
"Edward, please. You need to wake up," she was starting to sound upset. "Ed..." He opened his eyes slightly and turned his head some.
"What," he asked in a weary tone. Winry sat up, trying to wipe the tears away before he noticed.
"It's nothing, I was just worried about you," she explained.
"Why?" She noted that he didn't bother sitting up or anything.
"Why do I have to have a reason. I just was. You looked like you were having a nightmare." Her tone sounded somewhat snobby but she didn't care. Quickly, she took her seat again and pretended to be concentrating on her tools.
"It wasn't a nightmare...I think. I don't know." Turning away from her, he letting out a tired sigh.
"So what does that mean." She was still trying to look like her machinery was more important to her but hadn't realized he had his back to her now.
"I've just been thinking too much, that's all. I'm surprised I was able to sleep at all with all the noise going on in my head." There was an ironic tone to his voice.
"What have you been thinking about so much?" Winry placed her tool down in her lap. She already had an idea of what was bothering him. It was quiet for awhile before he told her.
"What she said...she was right, Winry. When you think about it we were...no I was doing the same thing she was."
"How so," she demanded. "You were trying to bring your mom back cause you loved her. What Lyra or whoever she was did, was selfish."
"I was being selfish too though. I wanted things to be the way they were." Winry had honestly never heard him talk about what he and Al had attempted.
"But you didn't kill anyone," Winry tried to reason with him.
"I almost killed Al,...and teacher. In the end, she sacrificed her life as well," he closed his eyes, now realizing the daylight was hurting them. Winry sat there in shock. She had no idea what had happened with Izumi.
"She wouldn't have done it though unless she knew she had to," she finally remarked. "...And she wouldn't have wanted you beating yourself up about all this either." He turned some to look at her. She gave him a comforting smile. "You have a brother who needs you. He hasn't been the same since you've been gone." Ed looked down.
"I don't even know what to say to him," he started to sit up and turn to face her. "I mean what do you say? 'Hey sorry I was stuck on the other side of a gate and the mail wasn't working'?"Winry wanted to smack him but just shook her head.
"Not quite but I would like to think you understand your dad more now," she brought up.
"Oh, don't even bring that whole thing up," he grumbled, going to stand up only to fall flat on his face. "See what happens when you try to avoid stuff." She had no pity for him. He stayed where he was, complaining under his breath.
"Here," Winry held out a set of crutches.
"You've got to be kidding me." she glared down at him.
"Granny got these for you until you get the strength back in your left leg, okay. Obnoxious cripple." he returned her glared, taking the crutches.
"What'd you call me? Just you wait, I'll be fine in a week."
"Well it's not like I can make short jokes anymore, your past me by an inch."
"Two but whose counting," he answered, getting back up and realizing he could only use one crutch anyway, since his arm didn't want to work either. He started for the door slowly. Winry tilted her head, giving him a funny look.
"Where are you going," she asked him finally, seeing that he wasn't getting anywhere fast.
"Where do you think? I'm going down stairs." As he moved a little closer to the door, she just shook her head and stood up.
"Stop being so stubborn. You're in no shape to leave," she warned him, getting in his way.
"If I want to go I can go. You can't keep me here." She lightly pushed him off balanced, causing him to fall backwards. He stumbled and tried to regain his balance. Winry quickly moved and held him up.
"Now will you take it easy?" He looked indignant, needing her help.
"This is pathetic," he sighed, giving up. She helped him back over to the bed to sit down.
"It's okay, it's not like you don't have the time"
"That's not the point," he grumbled. She wanted to slap him again.
"Ed, you just need to sit still for once. I know it's hard since you have a very short attention span," she explained slowly. He turned and glared at her.
"I do not. I just don't like sitting around, doing nothing." She finally lost her temper.
"Yeah and you're gonna get hurt again if you don't just cool it! Why do I even bother with you!," She hollered angrily. He didn't answer her. There was an awkward silence and she dropped her gaze to the floor. What she had said was mean and she wished she could take it back. Ed slowly turned and dropped down on the bed and with his good arm, pulled the covers up. Winry couldn't think of what to say. She could hear Al calling her from down stairs. Quietly, she left the room and closed the door behind her. It bothered her the whole way down the hallway. She had been joking of course but her tone had said otherwise. She had no idea what Ed had been through, so maybe teasing him wasn't such a good idea. Although she didn't think he'd changed much but that didn't mean he hadn't. She pushed the thoughts away as she went down the stairs to see Alphonse at the bottom.
"Is brother up yet." Concern was written all over his face.
"Yes, but I don't know if he wants to see anyone right now," she told him. He let out a tired sigh and nodded.