Dark violet eyes watched a lone figure walking in the snow. It was a pure white wonderland for all, if the fact that the war outside of this wonderland didn't affect the two people walking in the snow. Absently the owner of the dark violet eyes watched the figure before them, tilting their head to the side causing a small bit of beige strands of hair to fall close to their eyes. The figure before them was a young woman, covered in a black jacket, it didn't seem warm enough, but it was perfect as the inside held soft fur to help keep the woman warm. The woman was 5"7 in height, which was taller than the average woman's height. Her hair was chesnut brown that fell down her back in waves. Her hair had snowflakes in it all the way up to her black ushanka with the soviet union symbol right on the front of it. She had skin as white as snow, she would have almost blended in if it wasn't for her clothing, hair and rosy red cheeks from the cold. She had pale pink lips that seemed to curve into a smile as the snow lightly fell onto the white winter wonderland around the both of them. Her eyes were more captivating than most features she had, which was a rare eye color to have in Russia altogether was dark green eyes that resembled emeralds.

"You're staring again Vanya"

The owner of the violet eyes blushed slightly as amused dark green eyes met theirs.

Her voice was soft like an alto as she spoke to her companion, her eyes showed she was amused as she looked to their companion.

'Vanya' blushed a bit more under her scrutiny and smile back despite the embarrassment, their violet eyes closed in content, "Da, I suppose I was staring moya zhemchuzhina..."

The woman's cheeks turned into a lovely shade of red as she playfully glared at 'Vanya' for the name he gave her, "Ivan...I'm not a gem, don't call me that."

"But you are my gem Vladlena, so therefore I can call you that."

They stared each other down, dark emerald into dark amethyst, both not relenting until Vladlena gave up and sighed with a blush on her cheeks as she looked away from the tall man, "Fine, fine Vanya...you still will call me that no matter what."

Ivan smiled to Vladlena, nodding a bit in approval at his obvious win. His black ushanka caused a bit of snow to fall off it and onto the floor and his nose, causing the young woman to laugh a bit.

Looking up to him, she looked over his coat with a soft hum. He wore a similar coat like hers, pure black with a badge to show his rank in the Red Army. A red trim outlined it, seeming to give a bit more detail. Though, looking at the coat, Vladlena noted the small bits of blood smudged onto the coat, hidden withing the color of black.

The hum itself caught her companion's attention, but he never questioned her upon her staring. She just seemed to be in thought, and he disliked if he interrupted her thoughts, mostly because she usually lost the train of thought she had and cursed him out. But she always never meant the words, she just joked around, teasing her companion. Reaching out down to her, his black leather gloved hand gently grasped hers, causing her to snap up fast and her to come back to reality and grin a bit, "Sorry...I let my mind wander again, didn't I Vanya?"

"Da, you did moya zhemchuzhina,but there is nothing wrong with you letting your mind wander...great ideas can form that way. It is good to have your mind roam from time to time, it makes it more worthwhile to have a bit of time to yourself to gather your own thoughts. So do not worry yourself from your thoughts, I love to hear what you have on your mind,"

"Da, if it mostly hold you in them, am I right?"

"Possibly," he laughed and smiled, looking to her and couldn't help but joke slightly, "But I find it amusing to listen to your sometimes hardheaded thoughts. After all, the young mind always is full of amazing ideas."

Vladlena chuckled and smiled, nodding to his statement. Finding his words true, she couldn't help but snip out, "You sound so wise, oh old one."

A soft puff of air left her companion as he huffed at her statement of calling him old. He did not deny her claim, nor did he put out that he was indeed very old compared to her. A playful pout came onto his face as he looked down to her, an amused gleam shown within his eyes as he looked down to her, "Da, I suppose so. But I thought you were supposed to respect your elders, are you not? Not tease them about their own age."

"Maybe, but I respect them when they deserve or earn it. Most elders that have no positive insight on some people never get my respect Vanya, you know that"

"Da, I do"

With those last words, both trekked down the non-visible path beneath the snow, letting their feet guide them to where they wished.

It looked odd to see the two people walk together in the snow and try pretending to ignore everything that was happening. To ignore the war. To ignore the pain that was happening in the country as it is. To ignore the people who disappeared because of their disobedience to the Union. The hunger the people were suffering through. To ignore everything, as they both seemed to be at peace with each other.

They enjoyed the peaceful silence as they walked through the winter wonderland, Vladlena spoke softly to Ivan, her eyes trained upon the snow falling down from the sky, "Vanya...?"

Her voice sounded slightly fearful if he didn't listen close enough to her, but he caught it. And it made him immediately look down to her, his amethyst eyes were soft,"Da?"

"If I die...will I still be able to keep you company?"

Ivan paused, looking down to the small woman, his grip upon her hand tightened in the slightest as he wished not to think of the likely possibility that it would soon happen, "Da...of course you will. You are like guardian angel for me. It would be a shame if you didn't keep me company"

Vladlena smiled and turned to him, her eyes shut in thought as she let the snow flakes gently fall onto her warm skin and melt. She then looked up to him and smiled warmly to him, "Okay...I just want to make sure I'm always by your side Vanya..."

Ivan chuckled, feeling his heart warm at her words. He then turned to her fully, gently placing a gloved hand upon her cheek, "I am glad moya zhemchuzhina, because I don't want you leaving my side ever" as he spoke, his thumb gently caressed her red cheek, his eyes never leaving hers. "Promise me one thing moya zhemchuzhina"

"Yes Vanya?"

"Do not die in this war..."

She smiled softly, her emerald green eyes soft and warm, "I will try Vanya, but that is a very hard task to keep on, I will though. Do my best to keep with your promise."

Ivan smiled down to her and couldn't help but chuckle softly in amusement. He stroked her cheek with his thumb and leaned down, pressing his mouth against hers. He couldn't help but smile into the kiss as she kissed him back and hold the soft kiss with him. Both never let go of each other as they held the kiss. Though, as soon as the kiss happened, they pulled back with a smile, a warm loving look was passed between the both of them as they almost glowed with happiness.

"I think that we should continue on Vanya, I think Stalin will be angry if you do not attend the meeting between you and him"

"Da, it is best moya zhemchuzhina. I do not wish for him to know what I do in my spare time, I fear he may do something that would kill me inside..." As he spoke, Ivan looked away from her and off to the side, unable to look at her. He didn't like having thoughts of her if they had her dead in them. It disturbed him greatly, because he didn't want to see her like that. He cared for her to much and he would protect her from his own boss to keep the woman in his arms safe from him.

Vladlena frowned and reached up, gently touching his cheek with her gloved hand, speaking firmly as she turned his face to look back down to her, "Posmotri na menya Vanya!"

Ivan's eyes met hers, both never pulling away from each other. He tried hiding the emotions he felt. The fear, the worry of not being able to protect her, the anger if that situation ever happened and the need to take her and hide her away somewhere that his own boss would never find her. But both knew she saw it. Even if he tried his hardest to hide it from her, he couldn't hide it for long. Vladlena sighed softly and smiled softly up to him, "He will never find out about me and you lyubit'."

"Da. But what if he does?"

"Then we will figure something out"

"What if we don't?"

"We'll both have to see if the inevitable ever happens then, won't we Vanya?"

Ivan hesitated and licked his lips nervously before nodding slightly, his amethyst eyes gazed down into her emerald eyes, "Da...we will"

Vladlena smiled a bit, "Come on, we need to head back now..."

Ivan only chuckled and held her hand, walking through the white wonderland of snow and peace to go back to Moscow. To go back to where the war affected the citizens as they struggled each day to pray they saw the next.

(time period unknown)

Vladlena gasped as a fist came out from the side, hitting her cheek harshly causing her face to snap to the side. She bit back the groan of pain that wished to come out, she didn't wish to give her attackers the satisfaction of her pain. She couldn't see in front of her, there was a bright white light shined in front of her face, causing her to squint and look down, unable to look up to see who was exactly attacking her. But she didn't need to, she already knew who was attacking her.

"Now, Ivan we need you to sit in here for a bit. We have a prisoner that we need to talk to. Do not worry, it will not be long"

The sound of footsteps made the occupants in the room stop what they were doing and turn to the door, standing up right and saluted their leader along with their country.

Stalin smirked a bit and looked to the woman who was injured and chained to the wall before him. His cold eyes looked over her bloody form and knew that his country had a small bit of affection towards the young woman and he would not have that. He needed a strong, cold, and able country to fight in this war. Not this lovestruck man, he needed his country to understand that he was in control and that he shall have no ties with anyone.

Ivan on the other hand froze as soon as his eyes landed on the woman against the wall. His amethyst eyes stared at her hung down head as her once beautiful chestnut brown hair was matted with blood. Her wrists that were propped up above her head were bloody and scarred, his eyes slowly trailed the blood that dripped down her wrists to her arms. Her arms were horrible, they were not her normal skin color, no. They were matted with bruises of different colors, varying from dark purple and blue to black. His eyes scanned her whole form, trying to access the complete damage they had done to her, he could see fresh cuts upon her arms and face. He knew cuts and slashes were upon her torso and legs as she bled through her clothes. Her face was the worst, she had blood upon her mouth and nose, a large bruise on her cheek bone. Seeing her like this nearly broke him. It possibly killed him inside as he looked her over. Ivan immediately went to go forward to grab Vladlena, his intent already clear to the soldiers and to Stalin as he took three steps. Only to be yanked back into a chair by five men, leaving two men and Stalin to watch as they held Ivan in his chair.

Stalin chuckled darkly and went to the table on the left near the door, speaking roughly, "Oh Ivan, did you not think I would not find out about this? That, I would be oblivious to what exactly was happening behind my back? Did you?" As he spoke, Stalin picked up the revolver on the table, his eyes grew dark with anger. "You are a fool to believe that I would not notice"

As Stalin spoke, Ivan struggled against the five men who held him down, his face was contorted into anger as he tried breaking free. "You are crazy! Let me go!"

"Nikogda Ivan. Not until you learn your lesson"

"What lesson!?"

"To not become weak like you are now!" Stalin turned with a growl and went towards Vladlena's weak form and aimed the revolver against her head, "Because of this woman, you have become weak! You are not needed as a weak man in this war! We need you as a strong weapon! You will be strong, and if I have to do this, so be it!"

"Net!"

Stalin glowered at the woman who slowly looked up to him, his fierce gaze had caused her to look down. "Say your final prayers."

Ivan struggled violently and shouted at Stalin, he glared at the men as he tried breaking free from the men. He felt his fear rise and well up in his chest, he felt useless as he tried to break free. His strength had left his form as he felt more and more defenseless, his heart stuttered in his chest as she began to pray. Her voice broke him, it killed him inside as he heard her weak voice pray to the heavens for someone to hear her.

"Dorogoy Bog na nebesakh napravlyat' moyu dushu v bezopasnoye mesto"

Stalin chuckled darkly and pulled back the hammer slowly, a dark smirk grew on his face as he looked down at the praying woman who silently cried. He glanced to his country, noting that the personification slowed his struggles, his eyes were wide, fear were held in them as the young woman prayed.

"Napravlyat' moyu dushu v svyatilishche i bezopasnosti, ya pokinu etot mir ... YA mogu poyti po yego stopam i vnimatel'no sledit' za moim lyubimym chelovekom , kak on sdelal dlya menya, Bog na nebe ... Amin'-"

Her voice was cut off as the sound of the gun echoed throughout the room, forever silencing her and sending her off to who knew where.

"NO!"

(present)

"NO!" A loud cry left the man who slept as he shot up and stared before him at the wall in his dark room. He panted softly and held a hand over his chest, trying to stop his heart falling out of his chest. It thudded and fiercely from beating so hard and frantically as he relived his memory of watching his beloved die.

His amethyst eyes looked down to his chest where his hand rested above his head and he slowly moved back his hand. Watching with a frown as his heart fell onto his hand. Ivan moved his hand away from his chest and watched as his heart sputter and beat erratically causing some blood to spit out from it. The Russian sighed softly and tried calming himself down as his thoughts now went his dream, wondering why he had to see her death again. He leaned back onto his headboard as he stared down at his heart. It had been sixty-six years since her death, sixty-six years to try to make peace with himself that she was in a safe place in the afterlife, yet for some damnable reason. He still had dreams of her death and when she lived, from her smiles to the day her her last breath was held. It hurt him still just remembering her. But Ivan wished he never met her at times, he didn't want to remember her. He had to feel so much pain from her death, he didn't want to feel the repeated pain of seeing her die before him. He considered five times during the Cold War, on going to see England or Norway for reviving her corpse. But he couldn't find it in himself to do that at all, no matter how hard he wished to bring her back. To see her smile and laugh again.

Ivan feared of the repercussions of it, knowing there might be something that backfired. What if she forgot him, what if she was different than before, what if she didn't want to be brought back? What if she hated him?

Oh god, the thought alone of her hating him, killed him inside. He couldn't chance that outcome of all others to ever happen.

All the what-ifs, the negatives, the horrible outcomes. He just couldn't chance it all. He didn't want to hurt himself more for something he did, the thought of her on either of those outcomes hurt him inside. Shaking himself off of his thoughts, he sighed loudly, his eyes left the wall, he looked down to his heart and smiled weakly to it, noticing that it had regained its regular, steady pace. "She would be angry if she knew I still blamed myself."

He smiled sadly to his heart, seeing it pause slightly in its beats as he had said that. It soon retook its steady pace and he smiled a bit before he gently pushed it back into his chest. Making a small mental note to visit the grave he had made for Vladlena after her death immediately. Ivan sighed softly to himself, telling himself that it was alright, that she was in a better place. It was a horrible fail-safe for him, but it did comfort him and ease the negativism in his mind that already quelled inside it. He didn't know if she still watched over him as she wished to in her prayer, or if she truly did go to heaven to become an angel. But it didn't matter at that moment, it just comforted him in some way, knowing in his heart that she was alright.

Even if said heart loved to pop out at random times, or even during a bit of a panic-attack he had if he ever had a nightmare of his sister trying to marry him, the memories of her death or just the thought of Alfred trying to feel him up.

That last part made him shudder in disgust and nausea at the very thought.

"I suppose I should sleep a bit more, it is still very dark out." He glanced over to the alarm clock on his nightstand, smiling a bit that he could get more sleep since he did need it more than he knew. The alarm clock's red numbers glowed in the dark room, showing what time it was.

1:43 a.m.

Ivan yawned quite loudly before laying back down onto the bed. His eyes shut as he soon fell into the embrace of sleep, seeing his beloved's beautiful emerald eyes gaze into his lovingly.

"Goodnight...moya zhemchuzhina...ya tebya lyublyu..."

Translations -

Vanya - Ivan ( or in hebrew it means God is Gravcious)

Da - Yes

Moya zhemchuzhina - My gem

Posmotri na menya Vanya - Look at me Ivan

Lyubit' - Love

Nikogda - Never

Net - No

Dorogoy Bog na nebesakh , napravlyat' moyu dushu v bezopasnoye mesto - Dear God in heaven, send my soul to a safe place

Napravlyat' moyu dushu v svyatilishche i bezopasnosti, ya pokinu etot mir ... ya mogu poyti po yego stopam i vnimatel'no sledit' za moim lyubimym chelovekom , kak on sdelal dlya menya, Bog na nebe ... Amin' - Guide my soul into sanctuary and safety as I leave this world...may I follow in his footsteps and keep a watchful eye over my loved one as he had done for me, God in heaven...Amen-

Ya tebya lyublyu - I love you

Youkai: *soft sigh* I know I need to finish editing my other chapters to my American Mobster and the World, I know...but I had this pop up in my mind and I needed to write this before it left my mind completely... *small laugh and smiles* but please leave a review and I'll go back to re-writing my other chapters on my first story then I'll try to make chapter two of this if you guys like it *grins* here's to hoping! *thumbs up*