Disclaimer: I don't own FMA. If I did, I would have overloaded it with EdXWinry.

Snow::Chapter 1

Winry didn't go with Scar.

She couldn't go with Scar.

Not when Edward's life was on the line. 'But', she thought, 'how could I help him?' Scar couldn't get a firm grip on her, so she was able to run to where Ed and Kimblee were. When she turned back to see him, though, soldiers had began to ambush the group. The only thing left for them was to escape without her. It would be useless to try and get her to come now that they had a barrier.

'He can't hurt Ed,' she began. 'He can't go against his own side!'

It was all for naught. The image she had of the perfect gentleman in Zolf J. Kimblee had diminished when she saw him attack Ed. And then the chimera came. They looked like a lion and a gorilla from behind and in between them, from a distance of course, was her friend. She hoped he couldn't hear what she thought because he looked so small from where she stood. Yet he looked devious enough for her to trust his judgment and carry out whatever the hell he was thinking in that giant brain of his. Unfortunately, a snow cloud erupted and she lost sight of the three who had initiated their battle. 'Come on, Winry,' she thought, 'you have to do something.' Moving as carefully as she could, she felt her surroundings and was able to walk a few steps before she heard Edward yell and an echo emit.

'What's going on?' she wondered, but was cut short when she found her answer and found herself yelling. It was a few moments later that she could see because there was no snow cloud where she was. She did feel a slight sting on her right leg. 'Ow,' she mumbled.

"Winry?" she heard. She knew that voice.

"Ed…ward," she murmured before turning her head to see him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked with disbelief.

She noted that he had a scratch on his face and blood running down his cheek. However, she didn't answer because the chimera came to continue their attack. 'It only makes things more difficult with her here,' Ed thought. 'Damn it, I can't trust Scar with even a small favor.'

He didn't have time to warn her of what he had to do, so he hoped that she could catch on and turn to see the crate of dynamite that was next to her. It was too wet to be used for explosive reasons, but he had another intention up his sleeve. As if reading his mind, Winry turned to notice the wooden box and tried to not make any other sudden movements. Her pain in her leg had passed, but she needed to time the right moment for her to crawl away from the site.

'I hope the ammonia doesn't affect our sense of smell as much,' she thought.

"I'd keep my distance if I were you," Ed began as he held a few sticks in his hand. "You know what this is, right?"

"You idiot," the lion like chimera said.

"Those are too wet to be of any use," the gorilla chimera added.

Ed just had to make sure that they knew what dynamite was made of, even if they didn't catch on, and Winry held her breath as Edward blew up the explosives. The collision caused the wall to collapse and Ed was able to see Kimblee in the other room.

"These guys and their schnauzers are useless for now," Ed informed him.

"Oh, dear, Edward," Kimblee countered. "Able to bring down enemies, but unable to keep those you care for safe."

Edward furrowed his eyebrows deeper into his face. He didn't need for that detail to be rubbed in.

"Poor Ms. Rockbell must be horrified," he added, "especially at the sight of those monsters."

Winry tried her hardest to make herself invisible, but it was all in vain because Kimblee could still see her.

"You can come with me, Ms. Rockbell," Kimblee offered. "You'll be better off in my care."

'I can't go with him; he's dangerous; he'll hurt me,' she ranted in her head. 'He's holding me hostage!'

"No, thank you," she answered as politely as she could, but in reality her response was a frightened squeak. She had gotten herself into the pit of the fire and she could only hope Edward could extinguish it. 'Please, don't give in,' she thought, unable to determine who she addressed that to: Edward or herself. She did know that they were going to get hurt, not because of lack of confidence, but because this man was fighting against his own comrade. A fight against a state alchemist, as low as him, couldn't end smoothly. Edward didn't have to win, but he didn't have to lose, either.

Fullmetal advanced at the same time Crimson did. And what a battle that was. Winry had to be strong to see Edward bleed and even stronger to watch him make Kimblee bleed. The cuts and gashes increased and deepened, but Ed gave more than he received. He wasn't as safe as Winry wanted him to be, but at least he wasn't stabbed. However, Kimblee kept at it and made Ed spit out blood. But Ed couldn't leave his opponent behind, so he cut his palms and part of his chest. They were even now.

It was then that Kimblee decided to bring out his philosopher's stone to supposedly attack; but Ed kicked it out of his hand. He failed to realize that the pshycopath had a hidden stone in his mouth.

"Your naïveté and the fact that you didn't consider the possibility that I might have another philosopher's stone will be your undoing," Kimblee said before he activated the stone and made the shaft they were in explode.

Edward and Winry, along with the two neutralized chimera, went down with it and there was no escaping the dangling wires and falling metal bars. They cried out instinctively, but Edward blacked out for a minor second as he hit the floor. Winry couldn't hear him, or herself for that matter, as she was tied by the wires around her leg and she swung from side to side. The world was upside down for her and was able to see Edward. She just wished she didn't have to view that sight. A metal bar was passing though Edward's abdomen! And she was able to see it!

"Edward!" she screamed.

Her weight, however, was able to break the wires and gravity brought her down to the ground. More pain was brought to her tortured leg as a metal bar pierced her right thigh and it knocked the wind out of her body. It was too great and she couldn't move; she could only lie where she was and stare at Edward, who lied close enough for her to see.

"No," she whispered, "you can't be hurt, Ed."

She could see the dark, red blood flow out of his lips and it stained his red cloak with a deeper shade. He was getting soaked with it and it was making her sick. 'Make the blood stop,' she thought. 'Just make it stop! He's losing so much!' She could only shout in her mind and cry. 'He's going to die!'

"Win…ry," Ed wheezed, a barely audible mumble.

"Edward!" she called. "Ed!"

"You okay?" he asked.

'How could he think of me at a time like this?' she thought. Her tears flowed down her cheeks like the blood from the cut on Ed's cheek. "Don't ask me that!" she shouted angrily. "Worry about yourself!"

Ed could only chuckle. "You're okay…at least." He brought his hands together and broke the upper half of the bar that passed though his body and Winry's leg and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Ed, what are you doing?" she asked. "Stop! You're going to get hurt more." She grabbed hold of the broken bar and helped herself stand.

Ed clapped his hands again and loosened the weight of the crumpled concrete off the ground as Winry limped towards him. If only she could run. Then, the two chimera immerged from the rubble and called her attention. It was a reaction, but she felt no pain at the moment and ran towards Edward. When she knelt, she felt the definite sting, but she didn't care and didn't acknowledge the bar sticking out of her thigh. She brought Ed's head to her lap and tried to cover him with her body. 'They weren't going to hurt him,' she thought. 'They'll go through me first.' She didn't realize that blood was dripping from her face. When she brought her hand to feel where the damage was, she felt a cut on her forehead, bottom lip, and left cheek. Her nose was also bleeding and her bright and dark blood stained Edward's already crimson stricken features. And the blood from her right thigh was mixing with Edward's abdominal one. She had never seen so much damage.

But the chimera weren't offensive at the moment.

"You're alive?" the gorilla one asked. "How come you saved us?"

"You're in worse shape than we are," the lion one noted.

"Don't get the…wrong idea," Ed wheezed. "I need…someone to…pull this thing…out of her leg…and my stomach."

Winry's eyes widened. 'He doesn't know his own kindness,' she thought.

"But we were enemies just a moment ago," the gorilla chimera pointed out.

"Doesn't matter," Ed told them.

The chimera considered for a second. "It's not like we're ordered to kill you," the lion one said.

Then he turned his eyes to Winry. "Bring your leg over here, Winry."

"Close your wound first, Ed," she said. "You're in worse state than I am—"

"I have to close yours first; if not, I'll pass out if I heal mine right now," Ed countered.

"You specialize in medical alchemy?" the gorilla one asked.

"Some time ago…when I tried physical transmutation…I researched on it," Ed explained. "Now uncurl your leg, Winry," he ordered.

Without a choice, she did as she was told and stretched out her right leg sideways. It looked ugly with that bar piercing her skin and dark blood staining her, but she couldn't complain. Edward had it worse.

"Ed, don't strain yourself," she pleaded. "I'll be fine."

"Yes, you will," he said.

"Are you ready, Miss?" the gorilla chimera asked as he grabbed the bar firmly.

She looked from him to Ed and felt helpless. "Yes," she answered.

Ed made himself kneel as Winry gripped his arms. He looked at her for reassurance and she nodded. The gorilla chimera extracted the bar and Winry swallowed a scream. Without a second's hesitation, Ed brought his hands together and sealed the hole in her thigh temporarily. It felt terrible, but she had to suck it up because if that was the pain she felt when the bar was out of her thigh, she couldn't imagine Edward's pain.

"You alright, Miss?" the lion chimera asked.

She thought of not giving an answer because she would scream, but she looked at Ed and gave a silent "Yes" to convince everyone that it wasn't that bad.

Edward's turn came.

Winry supported his back with her body carefully and the gorilla gripped his shoulders.

"You sure about this, kid?" the lion one asked.

"Your internal organs must be all messed up," the other noted.

'Don't tell him that,' Winry thought with irritation.

"When Mr. Kimblee was attacked by Scar, he was saved because he had a red stone," he added.

"I'll use my life energy…to increase my power," Ed stated simply. "It might reduce my lifespan, but I have no time to lose."

"You fine with that?" the lion asked incredulously.

"My naïveté got me into this and I have to get myself out of it," Ed said.

Winry hugged his body.

"I hope you know what you're doing, kid," the lion said.

"Ready?" Winry asked.

Ed focused his eyes on hers. "Ready."

He relaxed his body and loosened his stomach.

The extraction was quick, but with every passing second, Ed's body became rigid and Winry could only hold him tighter. She trembled for him and let out her tears again when he closed the wound on his stomach. He was silent for a few moments and Winry was very still. She could only stare at his disgruntled expression and waited for a reaction.

"Is he dead?" the lion asked.

"Don't think that way," Winry answered. "He's not dead."

"She's…right," Ed backed up her answer. "You can't kill me that easily."

The chimera were amazed. "So you don't need a doctor."

"I'm not healed yet," Ed noted. "This is a temporary fix for the undamaged areas."

"So a real doctor is needed," the lion chimera said.

"I don't have time for that," Ed said trying to stand up, but to no avail.

"What are you doing?" Winry asked holding him down.

"Let me go, Winry. I have to go after Kimblee," Ed ordered.

"Edward, you're hurt. Look at you," she remarked. He was full of blood by now. "Your wounds won't hold for long if you don't let them heal!"

"She's right, kid," the gorilla chimera added. "You won't stand a chance against Mr. Kimblee in that condition."

The lion chimera came forward. "I am in your debt for saving my life. The least I can do is be your legs."

"The others…are in danger," Ed began, but as he spoke, the lion brought him off Winry's lap and onto his back.

"But Ed, what can you do to warn them if you're hurt?" Winry questioned. He wasn't the type to give up, but even he needed a little rest from this freak show.

"You're…right," he answered after thinking it over. A second later, he passed out and slumped on the lion chimera's back.

"Where do we go to now?" he asked.

"We don't have many options," the gorilla one said. "We're probably believed to be dead because of this explosion and if we find that Scar guy, we'll find Mr. Kimblee."

Winry stared at Edward. "He wouldn't have stood a chance against Kimblee in his state," she said.

"What's your suggestion, Miss?" they asked her.

Winry went through many considerations. "A doctor is what he needs right now. That wound is terrible and whether he likes it or not, he'll be treated," she declared. "So if you can, please help him."

"You need to see a doctor as well, Miss," the gorilla chimera said. "If he did to your leg what he did to his stomach, then that fix is temporary, too." With no consent from Winry, he carried her onto his back.

"Hold on," she said alertly. From where she was, she could see a red shine, and it wasn't blood. "Look at that." 'It can't be,' she thought.

The gorilla chimera walked to where she pointed and knelt to retrieve her finding. Her eyes widened at their extreme.

"The stone?" she murmured, almost choking.

Hello, everyone. I finally got to write this after a year of it being dormant in my head. In basic terms, if you've read the manga, I inserted Winry into what happened in chapters 76 and 77. I used some of the dialogue from the manga, but I tried to re-write it as much as I could. I'm still using Arakawa's creation as a reference. An important note: I know 'shaft' is not the appropriate word for the location, but I couldn't determine the word for where they were. If you know what I'm talking about, please be kind enough to tell me so I can know.
About the song in the beginning...I know it has nothing to do with what's going on, but I was inspired by it when I heard it and thought of this instantly and pieced my idea together. It just made sense to me. Also, I know that there is no romance in this right now, but you all should know how I write, if you've read my work. I never leave a story without romance if it's EdXWinry.
So R/R,plz. Support is love and let me know what you think of this. If you want me to improve it, or add anything to it, or if I've misspelled something, go ahead and tell me. I won't mind. Just don't go flaming this.

-Auto- XOXOXOXO