Chapter 5

The Release

"Edward, you do understand that even though your body is intact again you can't go right back into field work." Mustang said from a chair in the corner. It had been 5 days since Edward had stood, and Edward came in to be checked on. Since his limbs were a new invention, he was treated carefully with many, many checkups. He had to be in the Hospital once every week.

Soon after Edward's surgery, everyone had agreed to take turns bringing Edward in. Mustang had not wanted too, until Riza nudged him hard in the ribs. Then he reluctantly agreed to bring Edward in if no one else could.

Well, to both Edward and Mustang's disappointment, no one else could take Edward in. The Hughes' had their daughter's ballet recital that evening (Everyone knew that, Hughes had been bragging about for months), Winry was making a TV appearance on Spike TV, Riza was training in new police in gun training, and Alphonse was at a convention across the country regarding his new designs for "green" buildings. Mustang nagged himself in his mind, he should have been teaching that investigations course to newbie's, but he knew his wife would have then given up her time. To tell the truth, Mustang trusted her trainees more than anyone else's.

"Don't think you can get rid of me so easily." Edward scoffed from the examining table. "You might as well tell me my new assignment while we're here. I'll be back on the field within a week."

"More like a month Edward. Don't push yourself, or your new hardware. You don't want to give that young lady a hard time, do you?" The doctor had just entered, and he was setting up new equipment. "She's receiving national attention now, if your limbs were to malfunction, she'll be the one to take the heat."

Edward thought of Winry and sighed. The doctor had a point. "So, a month then?" Edward looked down. He hated being stuck behind a desk. His legs (yes, both of them) were itching to run and his new arm was itching to handcuff some serial killer, murderous revenge, or creepy stalker. It was time to put his new limbs to work, and see what they could do.

"Yes, a month should suffice. Your leg and arm are coming along nicely Edward. You must be really working out." Edward had been working out immensely. Alphonse had bought Edward a dog the other day and Edward had been taking walks for the past couple of days in addition to his pull-ups, crunches, and push-ups he did in his apartment. He did most of his work from a bar that Alphonse and he had installed in the kitchen doorway. He exercised to think. To think, he exercised. He had always been like that. To train the mind is to train the body, or so his teacher had told him.

"Yeah Edward, soon you'll be back in my hair, bothering me about every little thing, falling asleep at your desk, and complaining about how I shouldn't give a cripple so much work." Mustang scoffed from the corner.

"You're just mad because you know that I work faster than you." Edward said smugly from his seat while his doctor smiled. Edward only did this with Mustang, and it was fun to watch as they spared verbally with each other.

"Yeah, and leave a mess in your wake. You always bring your troubles with you." Mustang sighed. The truth was, he was stressed because he had heard Winry's stalker was getting off easy in court. Alternatively, it was heading that way.

"Okay Edward, you're clear." The doctor stood, wiping his hands of the grease he had used to look at Edward's ankle and wrist.

Edward bounded of the table and landed with a thud on the floor. As he pulled his pants back over his legs and pulled on his boots he said, "Thanks doc, when do I have to come in again?" The doctor sighed. Edward asked this every time, and every time he had to say,

"Five days Edward. Just like the last time."

"That wasn't the answer I was hoping for." Edward said sullenly. He really hated coming in so often. He didn't like the way hospitals smelled. Mustang reached for his coat and stood.

"Come on Edward. Let's go."

As they walked away, Edward marveled at it again. He could walk.

------------

"So, when did you come up with the idea of auto mail?" The interviewer on Spike TV said to Winry.

"I didn't like the way prostatic limbs were designed, and I decided to fix the design. I wanted to make the limbs function as much like a real arm or a real leg as possible." Winry smiled.

"How do the mechanics's inside work with the nerves? You must know a lot about the human body if you could build it to work in such a way, right?"

And the interview went on like that. Winry had brought in her puppy without his leg so show that her invention even worked on animals. Then she received the chance to help take apart cars. That was the best part of the entire day. She was giddy over anything that could be taken apart. It sent chills down her spine.

As she drove to her hotel, she thought about how Edward was holding up. She hoped he was getting along fine, she knew that today was Mustang's turn to bring him in, and that was always potentially dangerous.

When she entered her hotel, Winry walked over to the phone. She was pondering about calling Edward. She picked up the phone and slowly punched in the numbers.

------

Edward was hanging upside down when the phone rang. Rock music from 3 doors down and Creed was pounding in the apartment as he did crunches on the bar in the kitchen. When he heard the phone ring, he pressed the pause on his music and grabbed the cordless from the wall. He was still upside-down, and he could feel the blood rushing to his head.

"Hello?" He asked while trying to untangle his legs and get down.

"Hi Edward, it's me, Winry!"

"Winry?" He asked. He was so surprised by the call that he promptly fell on the floor. "Dammit!"

"Edward?" Winry's worried tone came over the line. "What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. I just fell on the floor." Edward nursed his left hand, which had received bruising.

There was a pause. "Your not wrecking my equipment, are you Edward?" Winry's angry tone came over the phone and Edward nervously chuckled.

"No, no! Your equipment is fine!" Edward scratched his head nervously and felt a bump. Shoot, he would have to go to freezer after this.

"You better still be in one piece when I get back." She with that same foreboding tone she used to make sure he understood it was a real warning.

"Don't worry Winry! I'll be fine!" Edward assured her.

"So… how is everything? I know I checked in yesterday, but how was your appointment today?" Winry's voice asked.

"Yeah, it was fine."

"You didn't fight with Mustang, did you Edward?" Edward made a look that she couldn't see.

"No!"

"I hope not, he and his wife are so nice to you." As Edward mentally thought about all the verbal abuses he had received from Roy over the years, Winry continued their conversation. Edward liked talking to Winry; it was as if he had known her his entire life without meaning too. Winry knew him just as well as Hughes, Roy, or even Alphonse. After all, she had been there every step of the way.

-------------

"Oh! Elicia was so cute Roy! You should have seen her little leotard and tutu, it was adorable!"

"You know Hughes, I'm trying to work." Mustang had been listening to an overly detailed account of last night's recital from Hughes. He had called over an hour ago, and Roy's series of hang-ups did not get the message through clear enough. After each hang-up, Hughes would earnestly call back saying, "Roy you should really check out your phones over there. They seem to have really bad service."

Just then, Riza picked up. "I'm sorry, but my husband has a meeting right now. He'll call you back when he's done."

"Well, why didn't you just say so Roy? I'll call you back later then with details I found on that stalker court case."

"Wait, what?" Roy asked. He leaned into the phone to hear Hughe's give the gut wrenching news of the court case.

"You better keep an eye on Winry Roy. The guy might be out for revenge."

When Roy hung up the phone, he looked at Riza who gave him a quizzical look. Roy rubbed his hand over his eyes.

"Sorry Riza. I guess they ruled the guy not-guilty."

----

In a dark alley, a man had just bought a new gun from an illegal source. "I'm coming for you little girl. Just wait until I get my hands around your pretty neck." As he walked out into the street, he relished the feel of the sun on his face. He knew that he wouldn't be able to enjoy the sun for long, because after he killed her, he would defiantly be put in jail.

However, no one can cheat death twice.

-------------

Oooooooo, scary huh? Creepy Stalker is out again, and his name will be revealed later. So, later! However, something has been bothering me. Usually I write at a very high level. However, when I write fan fiction, it is a lower level, and it degrades me. I do not know, should I try to make my writing more complex or should I leave it as is. Review and let me know!!!