Chapter Text
Chapter 11
Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. – Maria Robinson
* * *
Midnight had long come and gone before Detective Gerdello and the military police completed their investigation and hauled Major Pendergrast away. Alphonse was glad the detective didn't argue about meeting with the women at the hospital. Neither he nor Roy had been willing to listen to arguments that Riza and Paninya were 'just fine.' Edward would've told Gerdello off if he'd wanted to make Winry wait to see a doctor. The kids themselves were in a bad state, trembling and crying, though physically better than the adults.
Grant had it worse than Maizy, who at least had one parent she could cling to. Alphonse and Edward had done what they could for the little boy but they were strangers. Roy wound up with both kids, trying to comfort them while he, himself, looked like he needed the same sort of attention.
The doctors on duty assured them the women would be all right. The reassurance wasn't the same as being able to see for yourself and Alphonse paced the hallway in an attempt to burn off the twitchy feeling his earlier adrenaline rush left behind. Edward stared at the door of Winry's room, as if he wasn't sure what he should do. It was different, Alphonse thought, waiting to hear about the women. How many times had he sat vigil for his brother? Why, despite the knowledge that Riza and Paninya would be fine, that Winry would probably be sent home soon, did it hurt more?
The creak of a door caught their attention, Roy setting both kids on the floor. He stood as a nurse wheeled Riza out of the exam room. A bandage looped around Riza's wrist, that arm in a sling. The wounds on her face had been dressed and another bandage wrapped around one of her ankles. Still, the sight of her smile made Alphonse weak in his knees, even if it wasn't directed at him.
Roy knelt next to her, taking her good hand. "You're all right?"
"Just a few sprains and some new battle scars." Riza pulled her hand free to touch his cheek then gathered Maizy up against her side. "I'll be fine."
"You'll read me a story when we get home?" Maizy asked, hopeful.
"I think Mommy's going to bed when we get home." Roy glanced up at the nurse. "It is all right for her to leave the hospital?"
"She'll have a headache and pulled muscles," the nurse said, "but Dr. Radcliff said it's fine for her to go home."
"He said I'd rest better there." Riza pulled a face as if considering that statement clearly for the first time. "Are you sure I can't stay here, Nurse?"
"If you want," she began only to be overrun by a chorus of, "No!" from Roy and Maizy. The nurse gave Riza a 'what can you do' shrug. "I think you've been overruled, General."
Riza sighed. "I suppose I would sleep better in my own bed." She wagged a finger at Roy. "If someone lets me."
"Be sure and let her rest, Fuhrer." The nurse gave him a stern look that made Roy wrinkle his nose but nod.
"I will." He straightened up, dropping a kiss on the crown of Riza's head. "What about Miss Dhiri and Mrs. Rockbell?"
Grant crowded close. "Where's my Mom and Aunt Paninya? Can I see 'em?"
The nurse smiled at him. "Soon, sweetie. They've been asking about you." She turned the wheelchair over to Roy. "Your mom may have to stay in the hospital a little while, though."
"Why?" Grant grabbed the nurse's skirt, giving it a tug.
"Well, sweetie, your mom's leg is broken. Broken legs take time to heal."
"But I don't want her to stay here. It's cold." Grant glared up at the nurse, as if that would solve the problem.
"Um, Nurse?" Alphonse raised his hand to get her attention. "I might be able to help out with that."
She cocked an eyebrow, curious.
"Really." Edward's anxiety betrayed itself in the way he snapped out the word. "He can. He's a healing alchemist. Maybe you've heard of him – Alphonse Elric? Bet you've heard of the alchemist who cured a spinal cord injury so the soldier could return to active duty. Al's given a few talks to the East City doctors before."
"He's right," Alphonse said. "I know Grant would like his mom to come home with him tonight." Grant nodded his solemn agreement. Alphonse added, a bit more stern, "And so would we."
* * *
The flurry broke through the haze of drugs flooding Winry's system. She made her eyes focus, hearing a familiar voice and seeing a blur of gold in front of her. "Ahl?" Gah, her tongue. Was that really her tongue or was it a dry hunk of meat layered in her mouth?
"It's okay, Winry." It sounded like he was smiling. Or maybe that was the morphine. Winry couldn't quite tell. "I'm gonna do some work on your leg, okay? You don't want to stay in the hospital, do you?"
"Mr. Hooze gon' take me home," she managed to say.
"Nng! She's out of it if she's talking about Hughes."
"Ed?"
"I'm here, Winry. So is Grant."
"Mom?" Her son's tearful voice cleared away some of the fog.
Winry blinked a few times, managing a grin for her son. "It's gonna be okay, Grant." His face came into view and she gave him a one-armed hug. "It looks worse than it is."
"'m scared, Mom." He pressed his damp face into her collarbone. "They said you couldn't come home. Where am I gonna go?"
"Son, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to let go of your mom, okay?" Winry recognized the doctor's voice.
"It's okay, Grant." She kissed his forehead. "You'll be with Aunt Riza and Uncle Roy."
"Don't worry, Grant, your mom's coming home with all of us." Edward sounded so determined. "Right, Al?"
"Right, Brother. Now, Winry, this is going to feel a little odd." Alphonse patted her shoulder before picking up a pen from the chart at the end of her bed. He sketched a transmutation circle on her skin. "Because it's Xingese alchemy, I can't just clap my hands together to make the circle. It works differently."
"I don't understand, what are you doing?" The doctor moved around to Alphonse's side of the bed.
His sunny smile became knife sharp. "Trying to heal my friend, Doctor." Alphonse nodded across the bed. "You can hold your mom's hand, Grant. It might make her feel better."
"'Kay." Grant grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. "Wow!" He yelped, distracted by the blue brilliance of Alphonse's alchemy.
Winry squeezed back though her gaze drifted up over her son's head. Edward met her gaze, holding it steady as the bones in her leg knitted back together.
* * *
When he was allowed to enter her room, Paninya had a bandage wrapped around her head. Her eyes still sparkled. "East City's pretty exciting," she said as Alphonse took her hand, giving her temple a careful kiss. "Snow and crazy guys?"
"It isn't always like this." Alphonse looked her over. She didn't seem to be in too bad of shape. "At least, that's what I hear. I've been kind of out of the country for a while."
"Yeah." Paninya squeezed his fingers. "You should make plans to stick around. This kind of excitement is wearing on a person, you know? If you don't have someone willing to take care of you."
Grinning, Alphonse raised her hand, kissing her knuckles. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."
* * *
They needed two cars to haul them to the mansion and, in Edward's opinion, it took far too long for them to get back to the place. "This isn't Briggs! There shouldn't be this much snow."
"Just give me Grant, Brother," Alphonse grumbled, holding out his arms.
The kids had konked out almost before they were settled in their respective cars. Edward could just make out Maizy's head bobbing against Havoc's shoulder as he carried her in. That bastard Mustang had an arm wrapped around Hawkeye. Edward thought, without some malicious glee, that Mustang probably wouldn't be quite so noisy for the next couple of days, at least until Hawkeye healed up some.
"Ed!"
"Oh. Sorry." Edward let Winry help him pick up Grant. "Oof!" The kid weighed as much as Old Man Nedobeck's prize bull. How the hell could something this tiny be so heavy? Passing Grant over to Alphonse, Edward made sure his brother had a good hold of the boy before relaxing his grip. Winry'd kill him if he dropped her son.
"Mom?" Grant asked muzzily.
"It's okay, sweetie. We're home. I'll tuck you in soon." She made a shooing motion at Alphonse, who followed that Catalina woman as she helped Paninya up the walk to the house.
"Okay, uh," Edward hated that his face felt hot and blurted it out. "Look, I don't want you to walk." Before Winry could protest, he said, "Al said you should stay off your leg, right?"
"What, you're going to carry me?" Winry rolled her eyes.
"Yeah." Why did he feel like a kid again? "Don't be so stubborn." Edward beckoned her closer. "Come on. I'm freezing my ass off out here. Grant's not the only one who needs tucked in."
Winry stopped just short of laying her arm around his shoulders. "I think you're too old to be tucked in."
"Who said anything about me?" Before she could react, Edward scooped her up, getting his balance under her extra weight. "Kick that door closed, will you?"
With a snort, Winry used her good leg, the car door slamming under the force of her push. "You think I need to be tucked in?"
"Hnn." Edward grinned, ignoring the irate note in her voice. "Maybe even kissed good night."
"Edward!" Winry thumped her fist on his shoulder.
"What? You don't think Grant would like a good night kiss? – Ow! Winry, that's my ear!" Edward glared at her for the shriek. "Don't make me drop you."
Winry stuck out her lower lip. "Al'd kill you if you did."
"Yeah, and your son would hate me more than he already does." Edward turned sideways to get through the door, ignoring Winry's protest of, "He doesn't hate you." "Thanks, Fuery."
"You're welcome, Ed. How are you, Miss Winry? I mean, beyond the obvious?" Fuery closed the door behind them, locking it.
She broke off a yawn, apologizing. "They put me on morphine at the hospital for my leg. I still feel funny."
"It's been a really long night for you, hasn't it?" Edward snorted at Fuery's inadvertent play on words. "Oh!" Fuery nodded. "I won't keep you. I did walk your dog, Ed. He's asleep in the kitchen with Hayate."
"Thanks, Fuery." Something else to think about, that dog.
"The Fuhrer and the General have already gone up to bed."
"I'll bet."
"Edward!"
"Ow, woman, why are you so violent!" Edward gnashed his teeth.
"Why are you such a brat?" Glaring back at him, Winry suddenly turned her head away, using her free hand to point at the stairs. "My bedroom is up there, on the second floor."
"Of course. I should leave you in the den down here – ouch! No hair pulling, woman!"
"If you don't want your hair to be used as a leash, don't grow it so long."
Edward grumbled, shifting her weight in his arms. "I'll remember that when I want you to do something for me." He'd never admit it, carrying her up the stairs, but Winry was heavy. In trying to learn that Xingese healing alchemy, he'd had to study bodies. Winry's trim figure was nothing but packed muscle, making her weigh more than a woman who didn't work metal might.
"Second door on the right."
"Yeah, yeah. Anybody ever tell you you're bossier than a Xingese emperor?" He turned sideways again, to get her through the open door.
"Since I don't know many people who know Xingese emperors to compare me to, no." Winry squirmed. "You can put me down now, Ed."
"Al said for you to stay off the leg." Edward carried her to the bed, setting her down on it. "There. I suppose you have a nightgown or something around here?"
"I can get my own nightgown." Winry sulked.
Edward wondered if she had any idea how cute it made her look. "What did I just say?" he nagged, not about to let her know.
With a roll of her eyes, Winry pointed. "Third drawer. On the left."
Fetching the nightgown, Edward felt both relieved and disappointed it wasn't all silky and lacy and stuff. "Here."
"I'm not changing with you in the room."
"Pfft. As if I haven't seen it all before. Yours, even."
Eyes narrowing sharply, Winry said, "We were kids. It doesn't count."
"Naked's naked." Edward knew the cheeky grin was pushing it but flashed it anyway.
Winry opened her mouth to snap something off at him when someone rapped on the door. Alphonse pushed inside, Grant snuggled in his arms. "He wanted to make sure you're okay and say good night." When the little boy squirmed, Alphonse set him down. Grant stumbled to the bed, almost asleep on his feet, but managed to climb up on the mattress and wrap his arms around Winry.
"Night, Mom."
She smoothed his curly hair. "Good night, Grant." He sighed, eyes drifting closed. Winry smiled down at him, rubbing his back. "Are you asleep?"
"Nn-nn!" Grant snapped his eyes open and struggled to sit up. "I wanna say something." He pointed at Edward. "You used alchemy to stop that bad man." His finger swung to Alphonse. "You used alchemy to make Mom better." His scowl reminded Edward of Pinako's glower. "You guys are heroes, just like Dad said."
Damn it, why was his throat clogging up? "Thanks," Edward managed to get out.
"Thank you, Grant." Alphonse, at least, almost sounded normal.
"Night, Mom." Grant puckered up his entire face for Winry's good night kiss, complaining he wasn't a little baby any more, then thudded off the bed and toward the door. He stopped just inside it, turning to stare at Edward. "I guess," he said grudgingly, "you really are the Fullmetal Alchemist. Night." He flapped a hand at them and went out the door.
Alphonse trotted to the bed, leaning his knee on the mattress and kissing Winry's forehead. "I'll make sure Grant gets to his bed. Night, Winry."
"Night, Al." She hugged him.
"Night, Brother."
"Hnn? Oh." Edward waved as Alphonse left the room.
"Ed, go to bed. You're asleep on your feet."
He blinked at Winry's warm voice. "Don't wanna. If I go to sleep, I might wake up and find out this is a dream." His eyes drifted closed and Edward jerked them open again, determined to stay awake. "Already did that enough times."
"It's not a dream."
"You sure?" He yipped in surprise at the pillow hitting his face, fumbling at it. "The hell?"
"Shut up." Winry pointed at the floor. "You can sleep there."
Edward whined. "The floor?"
"You slept on the stairs last night."
Okay, she was right about that but still. "The floor?"
"Chair, floor. Make up your mind quick, Ed, before I tell you to leave." Shaking a finger at him, Winry added, "If you snore, you're out of here."
"I don't snore." Indignant, Edward dropped the pillow onto the carpet. "Do I at least get a blanket?" He grinned, remembering. "Or your housecoat?"
"Gah. Why did I think this was a good idea?" Winry rubbed her temples.
Taking advantage of someone often meant striking when your opponent was distracted. Edward knew that all too well. Two long strides took him to the side of the bed and he bent down, capturing Winry's face between his hands. A question built in her wide eyes but before she could ask it, Edward leaned in and kissed her. He stroked his thumbs across her cheeks before backing away. "There. I don't usually get to do that in my dreams."
Cheeks flushed, Winry pointed at the pillow he'd dropped. "Go to sleep."
"Hnn." Edward patted a yawn. "Stay off that leg. If y'want anything, wake me up." There was an afghan folded on the window seat and Edward took it, shaking out the folds and wrapping it around his shoulders. Sitting on the floor, he pulled off his boots, setting them out of the way. He took his hair out of its ponytail before thumping his pillow and lying down. "Forgot to tell you." Edward rolled onto his side, facing her bed.
Her shirt pulled halfway up, Winry froze. Her eyes narrowed as she yanked it off, picking up her gown and jerking it over her head. "What?"
Edward knew better than to ask if she always wore such pretty bras. Comments like that could get him brained. Reaching around behind herself, Winry twisted and Edward figured out she'd unhooked her bra. That scrap of fabric slipped out of the arm of her gown. He realized he was staring when her glare deepened. "Sorry." His cheeks reddened but Edward managed to not turn away. "I got you some new earrings in Xing."
Her eyes softened. "You did?"
"Hn. In my luggage." Edward pushed himself into a sitting position.
"Would you rest?" Winry's glare turned full force on him again. "You can show me tomorrow."
Considering, Edward nodded. "Yeah. You're right." He lay back down. "Night, Winry. Pleasant dreams."
Edward thought he heard her say, "This time, they will be," before he drifted off to sleep.
* * *
end