Okay, guys. It's been a frickin' lonnggg time since I wrote something, and this was just an offer I couldn't pass up. A friend of mine died of cancer last year. She was only a Freshman, and had already lived a year and a half longer than expected. Her name was Michayla Staton, and she was an amazing girl. In memory of her, the seventh and eight grade chorus classes sang songs for her. My class, the eighth grade class, sang Fix You by Coldplay. The seventh grade class sang Keep You Safe by JJ Heller. Upon listening to this song, besides Michayla, the first thing that came to mind was England and America. Hence, the birth of this fic. Hope you enjoy ^^
Quiet your heart, it's just a dream. Go back to sleep.
I'll be right here. I'll stay awake..as long as you need me.
England was on his bed, holding the small boy in his arms. America was crying. It was something he couldn't stand hearing. Moments before, the colony had crept into the man's room and tugged on his blanket. When England's eyes had opened, they'd immediately caught America's blue ones that were full of tears.
"America...? What's wrong?" he asked, leaning down to pick the small child up. America hiccuped, and buried his face in England's chest.
"I-I had a bad dweam..." the smaller of the two whimpered. England couldn't help but crack a soft smile. This wasn't the first time this had happened. America frequently had nightmares, though he never asked what about. America always came into his room and woke England up, and England would comfort him until he went back to bed.
"It was just a dream, dear," he lay the colony next to him and lay back, "Go back to sleep, and you'll have a better one." America sniffled.
"What if it's another bad dream, Engwand...?" he asked, on the verge of crying again. England just smiled and kissed his forehead.
"I'll be here, Alfred. If you need me again, just tell me. I wont go back to sleep until I know you're all sound and safe." America sniffed and looked down.
To slay all the dragons, and keep out the monsters.
I'm watching over you.
"What if they come and get me, Engwand? The monsters and dwagons...?" the boy started shaking again at the thought.
England sat up and looked down at the boy with a small smile.
"Now, now, Alfred. Do you really think I'd let such creatures hurt you? I'll slay all the dragons and lock up those monsters for good! They won't even have the chance to think about coming for you!" Blue eyes lit up and a boyish laugh escaped America's lips.
"Engwand, your a hero just wike me!" he boy said, grinning up at England. The man smiled back and lay back down, sighing contently.
"America, I promise I'll always keep you safe. Always, okay?" the boy nodded and moved close to the older nation. He closed his eyes and relaxed.
The man lay there for what felt like forever; stroking America's hair and whispering soothing words. Finally, the breathing slowed and he knew the boy was asleep.
England rolled over and stared at the ceiling. If only America knew what lengths he'd really go to to protect him.
My love is a light driving away all of your fear.
So don't be afraid. Remember, I made a promise to keep you safe.
Since the day England had taken the boy in as his little brother, America had him wrapped around his little finger. He would do anything for the toddler. He'd give him anything he wanted; anything he could ever need, and he didn't care what he had to do to get it to him.
_Years later_
"England! Dude, what the hell is with all these acts? People can hardly afford to support themselves anymore after your damn taxes, and now you expect them to support your troops and let them stay in their houses? The hell are you thinking?" America was not angry. No no no, far from it. He was seething with rage. How could England do this? What in the hell did he think he was doing?
You'll have your own battles to fight when you are older.
England's face was in his hands, and he was silent. He couldn't even look at America. Not after all he was putting the young man though.
"I'm not doing this because I want to, Alfred. I'm doing it because I have to. If you can just hold on a little longer...until all these war debts are repaid. You'll understand when you get older...when you fight your own wars..." England trailed off, becoming silent again. He didn't have words. He knew it'd be a very long time until the debts were gone. He knew that America was suffering.
He knew it was all his fault.
America shook his head, glaring at the older nation.
"I can't even look at you. I'm sick of you using me as your backbone, when it should be the other way around." Alfred walked out of the room, and out of England's house. It was the last time he would as one of England's colonies.
The day America defeated England and declared independence was the worst day of England's life. He felt completely empty, broken...pathetic. His head was in his hands, and he was crying. Crying his eyes out on his knees, on the muddy ground in front of the Patriot army and their leader, America himself.
"Why..? Why, damn it? Why?" the nation asked over and over again. The American standing over him frowned even deeper, the rain falling from the sky disguising his tears.
"You know why..." he said sadly. The Brit continued to cry uncontrollably. There was nothing he could do to change America's mind. He was no longer England's brother or colony. He was his own country. He was independent.
"What happened? You used to be so big," America stated. England just continued to cry. He didn't have an answer for Alfred right now. He didn't have an answer for anything.
You'll find yourself frozen inside, but always remember...
When you feel alone, facing the giants, and you don't know what to do...
'I've officially lost my mind.' America thought. He was in the middle of a terrible war. So many lives had already been lost. So many towns had been burned to the ground. So many people were in a panic, wondering when their sons and husbands and brothers would be home. He was in the middle of a horrible war.
With himself.
A civil war.
America disagreed with the idea of slavery. Sure, they needed slaves to help get them started. In the beginning, the new country needed help to grow it's crops and keep the land fertile. But it wasn't like his people couldn't get out there and do it themselves, right? They weren't that lazy, were they?
Apparently, they were. Or his southern half was, anyway. They insisted on slavery. They couldn't accept the thought of life without people doing their work for them. Because of one simple disagreement, his states, the ones he considered his children, were fighting mercilessly against each other. North verses South.
After four years of being frozen, empty, and helpless while he fought a constant battle with himself, America realized that he could not let his southern half win. With little effort, he abolished slavery. His civil war ended on April 9, 1865.
The civil war worried Alfred. If he had hardly survived a four year war with himself, how was he supposed to survive a war against other countries?
He'd think to himself, 'Maybe England was right after all. Maybe I do need him. Maybe the Revolution was a mistake.' But another part of his mind would quickly overrule that thought. He could never go back to being England's little brother.
A small smile crept onto his face. No, he could never go back to being a colony, but England would always be there for him.
My love is a light driving away all of your fear,
So don't be afraid. Remember, I made a promise to keep you safe.
By the end of World War II, America was thriving. He was a rich country. He was growing more and more. His people were happy. He was happy. Even though the war was a war, he hadn't been affected all that much. Besides Pearl Harbor, which resulted in him making Japan wish he'd never fucked with the United States of America.
He had been with England. A lot. For some reason, as time went by, he found that being around the older nation made his heart glow. He smiled more, and he was always happy. And even though England didn't seem to ever return the happiness America felt when they were together, it gave him a tingling sensation in the pit of his stomach.
My love is a light driving away all of your fear,
So don't be afraid. Remember, I made a promise to keep you safe.
A normal day, and a normal time..
A beautiful and busy city is darkened by fire and smoke.
A plane purposely flown into a tower.
A second plane flown into another.
A military base attacked.
A plane bound for our capital.
A group of the most brave people in our nation's history fight back.
A plane known as Flight 93 crashes in Pennsylvania.
A frantic wife tries to phone her husband, but reaches his voice mail.
A child watches frozen with fear with the others in her school, wondering if her parents still have their lives.
A hopeless citizen throws himself out of the window hundreds of feet up, rather ending his own life, then burning in the flames of malice
A city viciously attacked.
A state scarred forever.
A nation overcome with hatred.
A normal day, and a normal time..
A day the world will never forget.
America couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He couldn't do anything. He was in so much pain; it was unbearable. It had started with a simple nose bleed. He'd excused himself from the World Conference meeting and gone to the bathroom for tissue. He'd expected it to stop, but it only got worse. Then the other side started bleeding.
He leaned over the sink, the blood-soaked napkins dripping onto the white marble. The nation glanced up at his reflection in the mirror. His normally sun-kissed skin was pale. His eyes were sunk in. He knew what'd happened.
He'd been attacked.
England looked over at America's empty seat and bit his lip. Sure, America liked to skip out of the conference every once in a while, but he never stayed out this long. He quietly rose from his chair and excused himself from the room. He walked to the bathroom and opened the door.
"America, I realize the meeting is boring, but honestly. You shouldn't-," He was cut off by the sight of the younger nation collapse, covered in his own blood.
"A-America?" England's eyes widened as he hurried to the fallen man. America was coughing and choking. He sounded as though he was trying to say something, but couldn't find the strength to say the words. Arthur's eyes misted over, watching the man he used to call his little brother struggle to even breathe.
"A-At-Attack..ed..." the choking nation coughed out. England wasn't sure whether to stay with him, or run for help. He was afraid that if he left Alfred, he would die. Even now, the pale man he was holding against his seemed as though he could crumble at any moment.
"C-C'mon, Al. Y-You can't die. You're so strong. You're the United States of America! You're a hero! You're amazing," he choked out between sobs.
When other countries saw the news, they immediately went to check on American only to find England crying over a very pale and still America.
"Mon Cher...is he...?" France asked, unable to finish the question. England shook his head vigorously.
"I promised him...I made a promise when he was little...that I'd never let anything happen to him..." England muttered, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. France frowned, kneeling beside the two.
"You aren't honestly blaming yourself for this, are you, Cher? You know this was far from your contr-"
"No," England interjected, "I know it isn't my fault." He looked up from America's bloody body.
"I made him a promise that no matter the circumstances, I'd keep him safe. I may not be able to stop things like this from happening, but I'll be damned if I let him die over something like this. I can't keep him from the pain he's feeling now, but I can make sure he doesn't have to go through this alone..." When he finished, all the nations fell completely silent. For two minutes, not a word was spoken around the world.
I'll keep you safe.
It's done! Finally done! You don't have any idea how hard I cried writing that last bit. Ask Kai-chan. I was sniffling. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Your reviews make me happy, so review please! :3
Oh! And the poem close to the end was a poem I wrote for the ten year anniverery of 9/11. Hope you liked it! ^^
Amber~