Edward awoke on Saturday morning due to the flaring pain of his back. He laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering how his mother could have possibly fallen in love with such a horrible man. A man who would kill his family out of pure coldheartedness, and constantly torture the only one he kept alive.

He wished he could join Alphonse and his mother in their peaceful slumber. He wished that he could slip away; slip away from his father's horrible grasp.
Edward got out of bed, flinching as he stood up straight at the pain that coursed through his back and shoulders. He slipped his shirt over his head and examined the bandages he had applied the night before. They were soaked through with the deep red color of his blood.

He carefully removed the bandages and replaced them with clean, new ones. He put on a new set of clothes and braided his hair.
He stepped downstairs, expecting Hohenheim to be sitting in his usual spot on the couch, listening to the radio. He was surprised when he saw that his father was nowhere to be found.

At least, that's what he thought until he felt an unsettling presence behind him.

Edward gulped and turned around to look at his father, who was looming over the teen. Hohenheim didn't look angry, so Edward relaxed a bit. He just looked... bored?

"It's for you," Hohenheim gestured to the phone sittings on the counter.

Edward maneuvered around his father and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Ed, it's Winry," his neighbor's voice sounded from the receiver.

"Why'd you call?" Edward asked.

"Did you forget about your monthly automail check-up?" Winry sounded disappointed. "Again?"

"Oh yeah," Edward laughed nervously, "that's today..."

"Are you going to come or not?!"

"Oh. Right. Yeah. I'll be over in a sec," Edward looked over to Hohenheim and pointed to his Automail arm and then in the general direction of Winry's house. He nodded and went to sit on the couch.

"Alright then," said Winry, "see you soon."

"Yeah. Bye," Edward hung up the phone.

He slipped on his boots and stepped outside. It was a short walk the Rockbell Automail shop, and soon enough he was at their door. He knocked on the door and waited.

As soon as the door was opened, he was hit in the head with a wrench.

"DID YOU SERIOUSLY FORGET AGAIN?" Winry screamed.

"Geez... I'm sorry," Edward rubbed his throbbing forehead and handed the wrench back to Winry.

"I swear, if you broke it-"

"I didn't break it. Promise."

Winry sighed and gestured for Edward to follow her up the stairs. He understood, and soon they were in Winry's room, where she usually checked up on his automail.

Edward crossed the room and sat on the small, wooden bench, like always, while Winry collected her tools and organized them on a small table.

"So," Winry set down the last wrench and turned to Ed. "Should I check your arm or leg first?"

"Uh..." Edward suddenly remembered that he still had the bandages wrapped around his torso. Knowing Winry, she would freak out if she saw him like that. "Leg."

At least he could delay the inevitable. He propped his left leg up on a wooden stool Winry had placed a small distance away from the bench he was sitting on. He pulled up his left pant leg just above his knee, right where automail met flesh. He waited while Winry checked the machinery from all angles and tightened some screws.

"Well," Winry suppressed a laugh. "It doesn't seem like you've grown at all."

"Oh, shut up."

"Okay. Arm time," Winry rolled up her sleeves and stretched her arms. "Get your shirt off."

"What?"

"Come on! It's not like you haven't done this before." Winry started to grow impatient.

"Well, you see, uh," Edward tried to think up a believable excuse for keeping his shirt on and concealing the bandages. "Can you just- can't you check my arm while I still have my shirt on?"

Winry crossed her arms. "Well, I can check most of it. But I can't get to any of the shoulder area with your shirt in the way."

Edward took a deep breath. He knew he should be able to trust Winry, as she had been his friend for as long as he could remember. But... If she found out about Hohenheim... No. It can't come out to that.

"...alright," Edward slowly slipped his white T-shirt over his head and avoided eye contact with Winry.

As soon as Winry saw the bandages, Edward could hear her sharp intake of breath. They both sat in uncomfortable silence for a few moments, Edward avoiding Winry's gaze.

"Ed...Edward..." Winry finally spoke. "How did... How did this happen?!"

Edward stared at the floor in between his feet and said nothing.

"Edward."

He looked into Winry's concerned eyes.

"Edward, please tell me what happened," Winry gently raised a hand, about to place it reassuringly on his shoulder, but Edward instinctively flinched away.

"And why do you always flinch away whenever I try to touch you?"

Edward opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it. Then he replied, "I wish I could tell you Winry. I really do. I'm sorry."

Winry crossed her arms and thought about what to say next. "Well... Might as well check on your arm while we're at it."

She sat on the wooden bench next to Edward and made sure everything on the automail arm was in order. She replaced a rusting screw with a new, clean one and stood up. She retrieved Edward's shirt from the floor and handed it to him.

"Thanks," he said quietly, and slipped the shirt back over his head. He stood up and crossed the room to the door.

But before he left, he turned and murmured six words, six words that confused Winry completely.

He walked through the door and closed it softly behind him, and soon she heard the familiar sound of the front door opening and closing.

She processed the words over and over again in her head, wondering what she should do with the knowledge she had just acquired.

All she could hear for the rest of the night were those six words.

"There was never a train wreck."