Author's note: This is the last chapter with flashbacks, and I'm actually kinda sad. They were fun to write. Anyway, enjoy!
20 hours ago...
The phone rang six times before someone answered. Al had been nervous about using the phone, unsure as to how well he would be heard on the end.
"Hello, Rockbell Automail?" Pinako's voice rang clear.
"Umm, Granny? It's me," Al said, feeling foolish that he had no idea what to say.
"Al? My, my... this is a surprise. Usually it's Ed calling to say that he's broken his automail. Is everything alright?"
"Uh!" Al squeaked in alarm. "No, I mean yes, I mean... it's nothing like that! Brother just can't get to the phone right now, so I'm calling for him. That's all," Al explained frantically, knowing how well he'd screwed that up.
"I see..." Pinako commented sceptically.
"Is Winry there?" Al asked, hopeful to be speaking to someone less intuitive, not that Winry wasn't intuitive.
"Sure, one moment. Winry!" Pinako called away from the phone. "Here she comes," she stated after a moment.
"Winry!" called Granny Pinako from the stairs.
Winry looked up from the automail wires that she'd been sorting. She put the wires down and followed her grandmother's call. She saw the woman with the phone in her hand and began to mutter.
"I swear, if that's Ed saying he broke my automail again," she threatened as she approached her grandmother.
"Here she comes," Pinako spoke into the phone before handing it over to Winry.
Winry watched the older woman walk outside, pipe in mouth. Obviously Pinako was going out to smoke again. Winry then turned her attention to the phone.
"Hello?" she ventured.
"Winry, it's Al," an unsure voice replied.
"Al?!" Winry repeated her friend's name, a thousand worrisome thoughts running through her head. "Why are you calling me? Ed's hurt, and you're calling 'cause he can't, that's it, isn't it?!"
"No, no, Winry, it's nothing like that," Al assured her nervously. "He's not hurt, honest!"
"But he can't come to the phone, can he?" she pouted, forgetting that Al couldn't see her.
"Well... no," Al admitted uncomfortably. "Winry, could you get to Central Hospital as soon as you can? Ed's automail needs some tweaking."
"'Tweaking'?" Winry echoed. "You mean he hasn't actually broken them?"
"No, they're not broken. It's just, they need a few... adjustments. That's all, nothing serious," Al promised.
"Has he shot up by a foot, or is it more for performance?" Winry asked. If Al agreed to the former, she would have to go to Central just to see Ed being taller with her own eyes.
"Performance," Al answered. "Please Winry, we really need you here."
"Alphonse!" a strange voice shouted in the background of the Al's line. They were obviously upset about something.
"Winry, I have to go now. Please say you'll come," Al pleaded.
"Of course I'm coming," she replied shocked that Al even thought that he had to ask. "What's going on, Al?"
"Brother!" she heard Al call before he realised that he was still on the phone to her. "Uh, thanks for this Winry. Bye-" and then the phone went dead.
"Al? Al!" Winry shouted into the receiver, ignoring the buzzing sound that told her that the connection was lost.
Eventually, she put the phone back down.
"So, I take it you're going down there," Pinako commented, not appearing to be disturbed by the phone call in the slightest.
"Something's wrong with Ed, Granny," Winry replied, as if that fact was enough of answer.
"So what else is new? The only time we hear from them is when something's wrong," Pinako stated with a shrug.
"I think this is different, Granny. Al was really nervous, and I don't think he was telling the truth when he said it was nothing serious. I think something's really wrong this time," Winry whispered, trying to tell her body to stop shaking.
"Then you'd better get to Central as soon as possible," Pinako noted, a concerned frown on her face.
Winry didn't speak. Instead, she ran upstairs to grab her tools. She collected several spare parts, a dozen wires and a few plates and stuffed them into her bag along with her tools, including the wrench that Ed had bought for her.
She packed a set of spare clothes and left for the station. She was on her way to Central by midday.
Present...
"And that's it up 'til now," Al summed up.
"You're up to speed with the situation," Mustang announced.
Winry frowned as she took in all that the trio had told her. She could understand why they hadn't wanted her to know before now. If she had known this on the train ride, she would have been pulling out her hair out with worry.
"So..." she began, stopping to clear her throat when she realised when her voice was so unsteady. "You want me to disable his automail."
"That's right," Mustang confirmed, though Winry hadn't raised a question. "We thought it would be easier to have you do it as you know the automail."
Winry numbly noticed that Mustang hadn't mentioned that she also knew the young man who the automail was attached to. But she then realised that, in this state, she had no idea what to expect from him. The automail was going to be the same, but she was about to meet a total stranger in Ed's form. The thought was surreal and terrifying.
"Are you ready?" Hawkeye asked quietly, placing a supportive hand on Winry's arm.
Afraid of what she might say, Winry forced her lips to remain closed. She took in a deep breath, swallowed the lump that was settling in her throat, and exhaled. She told herself that she was breathing out all of her uncertainties and was replacing them with rock solid resolve.
She nodded, not focusing on the people around her, but on the door that they were about to open. She dared not turn away, doubting that she'd have the strength to face it again if she turned away. She waited patiently for someone to open the door.
Mustang saw that Winry was not interested in doing anything but achieving what she had come here to do. He sighed, and reached out to the door handle. He saw Winry tense up, and he waited for her to relax before opening the door.
No one was in sight when they entered the corridor. But, the distortions that encased the whole area were proof enough that Edward had very nearly managed to escape. Winry looked fearfully down each way, wondering if her childhood friend would suddenly leap out at them and attack them.
"It shouldn't be too hard to find them," Mustang stated as he looked around.
At that moment, a crash echoed from two storeys above them. The muffled sounds of shouting and screaming could be heard; the voice was far too recognisable for Winry. She gasped involuntarily and stepped back, only to bump into Alphonse. He had been standing right behind her, anticipating this reaction.
"It's okay, Winry," Al promised soothingly, gently rubbing her shoulders.
"He's only tiring himself out by fighting," Mustang stated. "It'll make him easier to subdue, though. Our only task is to prevent him from hurting himself or anyone else."
"Shall we find them, sir?" Hawkeye suggested.
"Certainly, led the way Lieutenant," Mustang ordered.
Hawkeye stepped forward and began to approach the stairs. She held the demeanour of a soldier waiting for trouble, her hand resting hesitantly on her gun. Her eyes darted to all areas, ensuring that there was no danger, before stepping forwards.
Mustang took up Hawkeye's position at the rear. He was also on high alert, as if he was expecting war to drop right in front of him in a moment's notice.
However, Winry was finding it not hard to believe that the threat was that great. It chilled her straight through that they were acting like this because of Edward's action. However, she could not understand why Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye had swapped positions.
"It more likely that Brother will show up once we've passed him," Al explained to Winry's perplexed expression.
While she was glad to know the reason, it didn't stop her from blanching. All of a sudden, she was wondering if they could go back to the door so she could pick up the rock solid resolve that she must have dropped. This was turning out to be much more terrifying than she had originally thought. It wasn't just one factor either. The anticipation, the fearful wonderings of how bad Edward really was, the tight-lipped silence of those around her... it was all starting to pick at her already frayed nerves.
They cautiously made their way up to flights of stairs and moved into another corridor, one as equally mangled as the one they had just come from. They stood still as the military officers surveyed the surrounding area. Alphonse stepped forward, leaving Winry feeling exposed and vulnerable.
"I think Brother was just here," Al announced as he looked back at them. "These deformations are new, I can see everything's still settling into its new shape."
"Any idea which way he went?" Hawkeye asked apprehensively.
"H-How about to our right?!" Winry stuttered, slowly raising her hand to point at a figure that had just raced round the corner.
There was no doubt that it was Edward. As soon as he'd seen them, he froze. He was wearing unkempt green hospital scrubs, and he wasn't wearing any shoes. He'd managed to find a band to pull his long blond hair into a rough ponytail, with only his fringe flopping over his face. He pushed the strands away so he could see them without the veil of hair.
Even this far away, twenty feet away, Winry could see something was wrong with him. Looking at his face, she saw what it was.
Startled, Winry gasped and recoiled until she felt someone holding onto her shoulders. She willed the person's courage would flow into her and make her strong enough to withstand this encounter. She couldn't turn away, she couldn't do anything but stare at this person, this strange ghost of her friend. She could feel tears running freely and uncontrollably down her face.
It was his eyes. They glared at her with a look of anger and mistrust that she had never seen, but that was not what was paralysing her, not what was making the tears fall from her eyes. Those eyes, those beautiful golden eyes, were dark. Those beautiful golden eyes had not lost their fire, but had lost the shine that she had always adored.
Those beautiful golden eyes had turned into a murky copper.
"Winry, you have to stay calm," Mustang instructed quietly in her ear. "Don't make any sudden moves."
"Careful, sir," Hawkeye warned. "Edward's watching you with extreme scrutiny."
Sure enough, Ed was watching them, his eyes narrowed with mistrust. He only gave Alphonse and Hawkeye second glances. His main attention was Winry, and how Mustang was holding her. It was clear that he couldn't recognise a single one of them as friends, and it was also obvious that he thought that Mustang was handling Winry improperly.
Not as a protective gentleman, no... He was a predator holding a young woman hostage. Such a low tactic, it made Ed's blood boil. He didn't recognise the woman, but he still wanted to protect her, keep her safe.
So consumed in this new event, Ed was oblivious to Major Armstrong slowly poking his head round the corner to see what had happened. It only took two seconds for the man to realise what had happened and what conclusion Ed had come up with. He nodded slowly to Colonel Mustang, hoping his superior understood his idea.
"Winry," Mustang whispered into her ear, careful to make sure Ed didn't hear him, or could not attempt to lip-read. "I promise you that you won't get hurt. I need you to do something for me, do you feel up to it? Blink twice."
Winry gulped, released the breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding. Slowly, she blinked... and then blinked again.
"We're going to start stepping back in a moment. I want you to follow me for a few paces, and then, I want you to start struggling. Struggle for a few seconds and then scream. Don't say his name, just call for help. Are you ready?"
There was a slight pause as Winry took time to understand what it was that Mustang wanted her to do. He wanted her to act like a helpless maiden who was being used as a human shield, where all she could do was scream. It touched too close to that evening all those years ago when she and Ed had been at the mercy of Barry the Chopper. But she reasoned that the colonel must know what he was doing. Breathing in to set herself in a helpful mindset, she blinked twice.
She instantly felt pressure on her shoulders as Mustang started pulling her backwards. She did as she'd been instructed, following his lead. Then, after three steps, she started to pull against Mustang's grip. She could feel him moving her from side to side, emphasising the effect that she was trying to escape. She breathed in and, after quickly counting to ten, she let out a scream. She put all of her fears, all the emotion that she'd kept bottled up since she'd walked through the hospital doors, into that scream. It was all she could do without falling into flat-out panic.
"HELP! HELP ME!" she shrieked, leaning away from Mustang.
The impact was instantaneous on Ed. His face fell into utter rage. His hands clenched into fists. Then, like a bullet from a gun, he bolted towards Mustang. Everyone else had become unimportant, getting Winry away from Mustang was Ed's only goal.
"Let go of her!" Ed yelled as he drew near to Mustang, bringing his automail arm back.
Mustang moved just in time to avoid getting knocked out cold as Ed released his fist towards the colonel. Mustang let go of Winry and allowed himself to fall to the floor, spinning round as he did so that the cheek Ed had just 'hit' was pressed against the floor.
Winry fell forwards, only just catching herself in time. She looked up to see Ed swing a kick at Hawkeye, who fell as gracefully as a well-practised actress. It was easy to see that neither she nor Mustang had been hurt, but had only pretended to be to lure Ed into a false sense of security, thinking that Winry's 'attackers' were out for the count.
At that moment, Ed turned to her. His eyes still screamed anger, but it wasn't directed towards her. Slowly, his expression softened and concern became the main emotion on his face.
"Are you okay?" he asked, stretching out a hand.
Winry didn't have a chance to even decide whether to shy away or take his hand. A second later, Ed was hurled away from her. Winry looked to her left to understand what had happened.
Ed had been pinned against the wall by his brother. Major Armstrong had joined in the struggle, wrestling with Ed's automail arm. Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye had leapt off the floor and were straining against his legs and other arm respectively. Despite the amount of thrashing, Ed was completely immobilised.
"Winry, now!" Al yelled, fighting to keep his brother still without hurting him.
Winry was instantly on her feet. She delved into her bag and brought out a screwdriver and her favourite wrench and rushed to Ed's arm. She decided that it would be best to disable the arm first. She quickly removed the top plate and began to loosen the connections between his nerves and the automail. Confident that they would sever, she replaced the screwdriver with the wrench. As she gripped the wrench, she caught Ed's eyes, confused and angry.
"I'm sorry, Ed," she apologised before pushing the wrench up, breaking the connections and disabling the automail.
Ed yelped in surprise and pain. He struggled all the more when Winry turned her attention to his leg. He couldn't help but watch her prepare the automail for the disconnection.
"Bitch," Ed hissed as she brought in the wrench.
Winry froze for a moment, shocked at what he'd just said to her. Then, she shut the word and pulled on the wrench. She blocked out his second cry of pain and stepped back and out of everyone's way. She numbly saw everyone step away from Ed, catching him as he fell. She dazedly watched Ed fight to stand on his own, and use his now useless metal limbs. She was still as Armstrong carried the distraught young man away, probably to be restrained. She was only vaguely aware of Ed's curses as they faded away into the distance.
Lieutenant Hawkeye saw how motionless Winry was, and gently held onto the girl's shoulders. At the pressure, Winry's legs failed her and she collapsed. Hawkeye went down with her, preventing Winry from hurting herself on the hard surface. The small sobs broke out into a full blown emotional breakdown.
Winry clung to Hawkeye's sleeve, burying her face in the lieutenant's shoulder. All the shock, despair and terror all came gushing out from the tiny box that she'd somehow managed to stuff the emotions in. She shook uncontrollably as her cries echoed in the otherwise quiet corridor.
"He didn't mean it, Miss Rockbell," Hawkeye murmured soothingly, stroking Winry's head with her free hand. "He was saying it to a stranger, not to you. He doesn't recognise anyone. He didn't mean it."
"What..." Winry asked as she gulped for air. "His eyes... are so different. What happened to his eyes? What happened to his eyes?"
Lieutenant Hawkeye looked up to Colonel Mustang in surprise, and he mirrored her expression. Neither of them had noticed.