9. Only

It didn't matter that Mustang would surely tease him to all hell.

It didn't matter that the military police were on the way.

It didn't matter that Scar was a mere five alleyways over, and fighting Al.

For that moment, all that mattered to the Fullmetal Alchemist was the broken girl sobbing into his chest. Of all the ways for her to learn the truth, this was quite possibly the absolute worse option. On top of recently learning about Hughes… Ed was kicking himself as he talked her down. Scar might deserve to die, but she didn't deserve to become a murderer.

The Military escort had arrived and surrounded them. They'd be little protection against Scar, which was why he had to go, but Winry was nowhere near all right… which was why he had to protect her. He wrapped his coat around her and took off without a backward glance- he knew one more look at Winry would root him to the spot.

"So is that Fullmetal's girlfriend?"

"Didn't realize he made time for that kind of stuff."

"Well, he doesn't, but she's the only girl I've seen him look twice at."

Ed couldn't help overhearing their military escorts' chatter as they left for the hotel. He had his arm around Winry and pulled her closer, hoping she wasn't listening.

"Never thought I'd see him stop in the middle of a fight for anyone, 'specially when his brother's still in trouble."

"Bet she's really something in be-"

Ed whipped his head around and fixed the officers with an icy glare that he usually reserved for the homunculi and the colonel. They shut right up. He was the only sixteen year old who could strike fear into the hearts of soldiers without uttering a word. He didn't even need to pull rank on them, though he was ready to do it.

Winry turned her head into his embrace, and Ed refocused on his only girl.

A/N: We are going to pause here for a moment to discuss the Curious Case of Japanese-English Translation. The scene in which Ed and Al find Bradley talking to Winry, specifically what Bradley says, has been translated at least three different ways, and I bet you can guess which one BOTHERS me.

Manga (scanlation): She's a good girl. Take good care of her. [The panel makes it kind of clear he's talking to just Ed: http:/view [dot] thespectrum [dot] net/series/fullmetal-alchemist-volume-01 [dot] html?ch=Volume+12&page=104]

Funimation subtitle: She's a good, honest girl. Take care of her.

English: That's a nice honest friend you've got there. Make sure you both take good care of her.

/angryface