Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

The sound seemed to amplify in the otherwise empty room. Winry bit down on her pillow until her jaw ached to keep from screaming. The pain had begun an hour before right after she laid down to sleep. She knew all to well what the source of that pain was as she placed a hand over the round bulge that was her stomach.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

Another contraction, more biting down until she tasted blood in her mouth; she had to keep the baby away from Edward for as long as possible. She knew she had to protect her baby from him. The pain dulled down somewhat and she panted heavily wiping the sweat from her forehead before it beaded down. Her thoughts turned to Edward as her eyes closed heavily. At first she hadn't wanted to believe what her mind told her had happened when her grandmother didn't return. That night she snuck out onto the balcony and contemplated at least asking him where he had buried her, if he had been so kind but had decided against it; the next day Edward transmuted a sign on the door saying that Rockbell auto-mail was closed due to illness. Hardly anyone in Resembool traveled the dead end path to their house as it was so those that did would quickly turn around the other way seeing how it wasn't out of the ordinary to do such a thing in the small rural village. No one came. Winry was alone with Edward and his insane mumbling rants to 'Alphonse'. As her due date approached he had become more irritable than she had ever seen him, nervous also. As if he could hardly contain his excitement.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

White hot scorching pain hit her causing her to scream out loud. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't suppress it. She gripped her bed sheet tightly and dug her toes into the mattress arching her back slightly as if that would relieve some of it. The scream tore from her throat shrilly causing her heart to pound in fear. Before the pain relented Edward was already in her room flicking on the light. He ran over to her quickly grabbing the blankets and elevating her legs. She opened her eyes breathing heavily and watched him as he worked. From the looks of things he had been studying child birth and delivery techniques. He seemed calm paying little to no attention to her but that was nothing new.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

The pain became more profound as the minutes passed and gave way to hours. The sun began to rise above the horizon when she distantly heard Edward saying something. At first she dismissed it until she felt something pinch her arm.

"Ouch!" She cried out opening her eyes. She looked down at her arm that had a red circle on it a bruise already forming.

"Winry start pushing now!" Ed ordered. Winry was in not particularly in the mood to argue so she did as she was told and bared down. She felt her body begin to shiver as she did so as her muscles tensed. She closed her eyes tightly as her head began to pound loudly. She took a deep breath as she felt the massive pressure of what she presumed was the baby's head as it came out.

"Stop!" Ed said. Winry opened her eyes and watched as he was doing something. He had something in his hand, what was that? What was he doing? She strained her neck to see Edward putting his finger in the baby's mouth clearing it out. He rested a hand against it's head and smiled. "Almost Al just a little bit longer and we'll be together again I swear it." He whispered softly. His eyes hardened as they fell on Winry again. "Push."

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

Winry felt her body tare as her child was pulled from her body. She screamed loudly as a burning pain replaced the cramping she had felt throughout. She laid back against her pillow panting. Ed was quiet. The baby screamed loudly. Winry heard Edward stand. She opened her eyes to see Edward staring at the infant that still lay at the end of the bed shaking his head from side to side his eyes wide in horror.

"No you're….this…this isn't right!" He shouted at the baby. Winry pulled herself into a sitting position despite the protests her body gave and caught a glimpse of her baby, her daughter, for the first time. She reached out to grab her child only to have Edward do it first. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared at the little girl.

"Edward no; please don't hurt her!" Winry cried out as tears began to spill down her face. Ed's eyes softened as he shook his head.

"It's just a body, it doesn't matter what it looks like. It will still be Al." He said crossing the room to the door.

"Edward! Give me my baby!" Winry screamed climbing out of bed clumsily only to fall on the ground as her legs gave out on her. "No! Please Edward don't do this to our daughter!" Her pleas fell on deaf ears as he walked out of the room shut the door locking it behind him.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

Winry searched her room desperately for something, anything to free herself with. A wrench or a hammer to break down the door, a screwdriver to take the hinges off; anything. She reached underneath her bed finding only a long screw. She stared at it feeling her heart break in two but knew it was worth a shot. Slowly she walked over to the door placing the tip of the screw into the ones that held the hinges of the door in place.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

One hinge off, two more….

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick.

One more, only one more; please move faster.

TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK.

She dropped the last hinge on the ground and kicked at the door a few times causing it to splinter enough she could fit through. She ran towards Edwards bedroom to find it empty. She ran a hand through her bangs as her mind raced desperately as to where he could have gone. She ran down the stairs catching herself from falling more than once and ran to the kitchen door. She took off down the dirt path that lead to the scorched foundation that had once been the Elric household. It was the only place Ed would go or at least she thought it made sense. Sure enough she saw Ed hunched over on his knees drawing an array. The baby screamed loudly breaking the early morning stillness. Winry picked up the first thing she could find, a rock. She inched towards Ed walking up behind him. Her hand trembled as a sob threatened to tare from her chest. Edward Elric; they had been friends all of their lives. As small children they played together, went to school together, slept over each others houses. Now she stood inches away from him holding a rock above his head ready to strike.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you Edward." She said softly. Ed's body tensed in that instant and he began to turn around. Winry brought her hand down quickly closing her eyes feeling it make impact. Ed let out a startled cry before the thud as he hit the ground. Winry opened her eyes letting out a sob as she stared at her friend. The back of his skull was crushed in where she had hit him the blood pooled quickly out. Winry sunk to her knees burying her face in her hands as she sobbed.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Ti……

Inside the Rockbell household the clock stopped.