"Tell her how you must have lost your mind,

When you left her all alone, and never told her why,

And that's how it works

That's how you lost the girl" -How You Get the Girl, Taylor Swift

"Get up, sunshine," he flicked her forehead and she bolted upright, reaching for something to smack him with. When Elizabeta could not find anything in reach, she froze. She glanced up at the red eyes watching her playfully. She reached out a hesitant hand, tracing the side of his pale face.

"What, no slap?" his smile, once so mischievous, now seemed to be weighed down. She couldn't believe her eyes, but there was the Prussian sitting in front of her.

"How are you here...?" she breathed, twirling some of her hair around a finger. She shifted and her stockings felt damp. She glanced around to see she was sitting in cold night grass, the moon shining overhead. Surrounding them were tall flowering trees. Eliza pulled her skirt in closer, feeling the frosty night air bite at her flesh. She was wearing a black dress she had never seen before.

"Maybe you're asleep." he shrugged and stood, holding a hand out. She took it hesitantly. It felt warm. He was really there. Maybe she really was dreaming. All of a sudden, he took off in a sprint, dragging her behind. The wind whipped her long hair out of her face. Trees blurred past her vision.

"What are you doing?" she let out a laugh involuntarily. She felt angry at him, or at least like she wanted to be angry with him. But he just filled her with relief. It felt like he never left.

He was quiet for a moment, staring at the ground before turning and smiling at her. "Let's forget everything! Just for a little bit! Play with me, Lizzy! Like we're kids again!"

Eliza grinned and shook her head. He took off again but this time she chased him. They leaped over streams and dodged branches. She was laughing again, and she pulled the flower out of her hair, letting it float away. She hadn't felt like this in a long time.

He glanced back at her. "Don't tell me ol' Roddy's been making you as stuck up as him!"

She huffed and sped up, wishing she was wearing pants. "Don't be so mean, punk! I could crush you!"

He snickered and kept going, calling her various names and receiving nicknames back. They kept at it until he tripped over a root and she tackled him. They laid there, giggling over every little thing. She rolled off of him, clasping his hand. She stared up at the clear sky and sighed.

"I waited, you know," Eliza finally began. "He told me it was pointless, but I was convinced...I was convinced you were coming back..." she bit back tears. She wouldn't cry in front of him. "I felt so stupid after a while, and it's all your fault, idiot."

He gripped her hand tighter and rolled to his side to face her. "I'm here now." She nodded and looked into his eyes. "And now that I'm here, I have to tell you something."

Slowly he leaned down and kissed her. She blinked in surprise. He gently rose back up. "I love you." His voice cracked and her heart raced. All these years, all these years he was gone. And who was there? Roderich. She was married to him, and he loved her.

"You don't love him, Lizzy," Gilbert interrupted her thoughts. "I know that. You know that. But I just gotta know, what about me?"

The tears welled in her eyes freed themselves without her permission and she converted her sadness to anger. She pushed him off of her and stood.

"How dare you!" She screamed, her tears running down her face. "How dare you! After all this time, you show up out of no where and say you love me! You tell me I don't love my own damn husband! Who do you think you are, oh great empire of Prussia? You're no one!"

He jumped up and stared at her. She wiped at her eyes. "Don't tell me who I love...you don't know anything!" she glared at the ground. "I thought you were dead, you asshole! And I waited! Because I did love you! But you never came back! So yes, I did love you. But not anymore!"

She pushed past his stunned figure. "I'm going home."

He watched her walk, and that strange little sad smile reappeared on his face. He whispered something that she couldn't hear. Eliza stormed through the woods, her anger fading to pain. She leaned against a tree and cried harder.

She opened her eyes back up and found herself in bed. She was in her white nightgown. Her cheeks were wet with tears and she sat up. It was only a dream, then. She looked to Roderich, but his spot on the bed was empty. She stood and ghosted to the window, staring out absentmindedly.

"Eliza," Roderich whispered in surprise. "I didn't know you were awake."

She dried her eyes and put on a smile. "Yeah, I was asleep. I just had a nightmare."

He wrapped his arms around her from behind. She leaned her head back against his chest. "What was it about?" He kissed the top of her head.

"I can't remember," she lied smoothly. "What are you doing up?"

"I was hoping I could just tell you in the morning, but I suppose the sooner you know the better," he sighed. "I got a call from Ludwig."

She turned in his arms to face him, pushing some of his hair out of his face. He looked worn out. "How's he doing?"

"He was wreck," Roderich swallowed, glancing away. "Eliza...Gilbert's dead."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"Ludwig...he found his body in the street. He told me he didn't know if it was murder or just a hit and run. S-since he was not a nation anymore...he's dead."

She stumbled back and he guided her to the bed. She stared blankly at the wall, and suddenly she could hear what he had whispered in her dream.

"Sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye."