"Stay away from me!" the young woman yelled to the silhouette as she pushed the figure away. She ran as fast as she could until her flowing ball gown tripped her. She tumbled to the ground and was stunned, that was all she saw before all went black. This is all I could remember of my days above ground.

I don't know whether it has been days, weeks, or months…for all I know it could have been a year ago. Time stands still in this place. I never bothered tracking the time; I woke up and didn't know where I was or what time it was…so tracking time is useless. I got use to the screams of fellow prisoners and the sound of the guards' shoes on the stone floor, nothing ever changes.

Until one day when my usual routine changed, I was awakened from my sleep by two guards pushing a man into my cell. He was bruised and bleeding and unconscious. He fell prey to what I did, but there was something in my heart that caused me to want to help this man…I'll call it a motherly instinct. Weakly I walked over to his figure. His blonde hair is in tangles, his face is cut and bleeding, and his uniform is torn and disheveled. So he is part of a military of some sort, I shook my head and tore a piece of my destroyed dress and dipped it in a small puddle I had been using for my water supply. Slowly I moved his hair from his face and noticed he had glasses. However, one of the lenses was gone. He had been through a lot he looked exhausted and like he had been put through Hell. He had blood from the corners of his lip and bruises all over his face. I gently moved the cloth to clean his face the best I could. I would go no further than that until he woke up. I would hate to use what energy I had left on a dead man.

While he was unconscious I could tell that he was a fighter. His body wanted to be out of the pain that it was in and he would slip deeper into the darkness, I would feel his breath slow and his pulse threaded, but every time I would feel his breath come back and the pulse return to normal. I knew that would only last so long. His fight for life gave me hope and I wanted to fight to but my desire wasn't as strong. My brother always yelled at me for that. Or at least he did. I really don't know if I have nor ever had a brother I hardly remember my name. I don't hear it very often all I hear is prisoner 023649 or they just drag me to where ever they want me to be. I started to feel like a piece of trash until I saw his blue eyes open. "Well it look at this…someone decided to wake up." I said with a soft smile. He tried to move, however I placed a hand on his chest to keep him from moving. "You're still weak…rest." I said as if were saying it to a small child. He gave up and closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber yet again.

Over the next few weeks he got stronger as I nursed him back to health. We became friends immediately, and each day I wanted to be more than that. I could already imagine having my life back; going to flowing parties with beautiful gowns and being with my family. My life would be normal; however that dream would stay a dream for a while yet.

One night they thought I would talk and they pulled me into a room and chained me to a wall. They asked simple questions that I could've normally answered, but I was in there for so long it was difficult to answer. An easy question like what day is it, what is my name, how old am I, and where are you from were all straining for me to answer. Every time I answered, "I don't know" or "I think it is…" I would get some form of torture. This wasn't fair for me I would be tortured till I just blacked out from the intense pain and the lack of blood. I wasn't a human anymore…I didn't remember my family, friends, life before this Hell. I just knew my cage and the one person I shared it with. The man I love and a prisoner of war taken by the Axis Powers; Alfred F. Jones.

Unaware to me, as the guards brought my unconscious body back he had new found energy as anger welled up inside him. "What the Hell did you do to her!" He screamed standing in the cell. No reply came from the guard but the guard managed to throw my weakened body into the cell. Luckily Alfred caught me. He glared up at the guard, "If she dies, the Allies will form one army and kill you all the way you killed her!" He yelled. A sly snicker was the only response he would get as the guard walked off. That night and the nights following he held me close to him keeping me warm and alive. He would whisper small things to my ear. He knew who I was…I could hear him, his words echoing in my mind. "Anastasia…you're all your brother has…you're all I have." He would say countless times. Soon I stopped hearing his voice. My world was black and lifeless; I knew I had died then.

After what seemed like a life time, sounds returned to my black world. There were the sounds of machines moving and beeping. There was a murmur of voices talking all were familiar except for one. The words became clearer as my hearing sharpened. "You have to make the decision; she's been dependent on the machines for six months. Do you want her to suffer more?" A deep voiced male asked. There was silence for some time before a voice that sounded like my brother started talking. "She's getting better…you said yourself you lowered the machines.." he said, it was his normal voice it was gravely and tired. He had been through a lot and would want nothing more to take than to take the place of his youngest sister. "Mr. Braginsky…she has shown improvement…but not enough to say she'll wake up." The deep voiced man replied. "thank you Doctor I'll make my decision and let you know." My brother stated. His word were full of sadness. I heard footsteps as his heavy boots hit the floor. He got to my bedside and I felt drops on my skin, then he whispered "Пожалуйста... не дают взлетал... держать боевые действия." The words echoed through my mind Please...do not give up...keep fighting, of course my brother would say that. That's what he always told me when I was training. I wanted to yell tell him I'm fighting, but now words could come out of my mouth. Then I focused on moving my eyes that doesn't take much. I tried and tried until I saw a blinding light and the silhouette of my brother came into my view. He was tired and dark circles surrounded his eyes. He was looking ten years older than I saw him last. What made me the happiest however, was that I saw a true smile on his face, and that's was brought me to keep fighting.

Every day I would improve and within eight months I was about to be released but no one would tell me of what happened. The people were either too scared or wanted to hide it from me. The reason I lost most of my memory and why I look 28 when I was only 19 when it happened. No one would ever tell me and my brother would always be nearby. Until one stranger came to my room, he was the man I shared a cell with. He told me of all the horrific details I had been sheltered from, no wonder no one told me. "I-I don't believe you." I said with the best English I could. He smirked, "I knew you would say that" he said so he reached into the bag he had and pulled out a necklace. I examined it closer and opened it. It was my family photo on one side and the Russian insignia on the other. I was speechless. "M-My locket…"was I breathed out. Tears came to my eyes everything he said was true. "And you saved me?" I asked him. He shook his head. "I have to thank your brother and mine for that one." He said. The rest was History.

"That was an amazing story dad!" the little blonde haired boy yelled. "Is that really how you met mommy?" the younger girl asked. The older country puffed up his chest. "Every detail…"he said with is signature grin. "Now Alfred, that story is too graphic for them." His wife said walking towards the group parasol in hand. "Mom… Dad always leaves out the bad parts," the little boy complained. The woman shook her head. "Now let's go for a walk it's a lovely day." the woman said with a gentle smile.

As they began to walk the children ran off away from the couple. America is older now; yes he was still lively and active but calmer now. "Alfred, all those years ago…you meant what you said." The woman said. He put his arm around her waist. "Every last word Anastasia…"he replied quietly. After that she laid her head on his shoulder. "If you stay alive and we get out of here…I will take you as my wife and I will lay my life for you" she recited. "I always will I gave that promise to you and your brother…"he said. As they watched their two children run as the sun set.