Tulips

Elizabeta Héderváry woke up and realized… Where the hell am I? She honestly had no clue. Last thing she remembered was that her family had taken her on a trip to England to get her mind off… and then, while looking at little trinkets, she just blacked out. So, now… Where the hell am I? She looked around and noticed that there were other kids and teens around her. One teen was looking back at her.

"What's your name? Mine's Lillian," the girl said - er, Lillian. "But you can call me Lilly for short." Elizabeta said nothing. "Well," Lillian asked expectantly. The Hungarian put her hands around her throat and made a crossing-dead signal. "You can't talk," the girl asked, baffled. Elizabeta shook her head.

In fact, Elizabeta hadn't said one word in two months. Just the thought of why brought tears to her eyes. Roderich, her best friend, had died in a car crash two months ago, and from that day onward, Elizabeta hadn't said a word, wore white everyday (because white is the true color of death), and kept the last flower Roderich had every given her in her hair. It was dead now, but she still wore it.

But…

Quickly, Elizabeta touched her hair. Yes, it's still there. She sighed in relief. "Why're you wearing that dead flower," Lillian asked despite knowing the other girl wouldn't say anything. Upon realizing it again, Lillian changed her question. "How old are you?" Elizabeta held up ten fingers first. "Ten." Then help up four. "Four." Lillian thought about it. "Fourteen?" Elizabeta smiled and nodded. "I'm fifteen," Lillian put in helpfully.

A few days passed and the captors had fed them twice a day. Until that one day where all the kids had to exit the room they were kept in. Elizabeta had come to learn everyone of them, and they all learned that she didn't talk. No one had figured out the answer on why.

They were all pushed down a hallway and, one by one, went into the door. Elizabeta heard auctioneers. This is the Black Market. I'm going to be sold and never see anya and apa again. She started to tear up. Lillian was pushed through the door, and next was Elizabeta. I'm next. I'll never see Lillian again. My short-lived friendship. Finally, she was pushed through.

"Fourteen year-old girl from America. Long, wavy brown hair and big green eyes. Does not talk, if you want a quiet one," the announcer joked. "Has an attachment to a dead flower and is developing well." A ring sounded and the auction was on.

Elizabeta's heart was beating fast. This is the end, she thought, what did I do in my past life to make this one like this? Her eyes started glancing around at the dark cubes surround her, some people continuing to bid higher. But then, it stopped. "Bidder six has won." Six is the Devil's number, she thought dully, before being pushed out of the room for the next kid, and to meet her knew owner.

When she saw him - My God, it's a man! I'm doomed! - his eyes lit up. "Yes, you'll do just well," he approved. Elizabeta looked him over. In all honesty, he didn't look like the type to be here, but what did she know? He had blonde hair, bright, emerald eyes, and was wearing a green suit to top it all off. He knelt down to be eye level with her and said, "I'm Arthur Kirkland. Pleased to meet you, little one." Elizabeta nodded her head in acknowledgment. "Wow, you really don't talk that much, do you?" Nodding again, she noted his British accent. At least I'm still in England. "Well, come along." She followed him unwillingly, but at least she wouldn't be in the building anymore, right? That leveled out, right?

(•.•)

Arthur Kirkland took his new treasure home. She was cute and had almost the same shade of green eyes he had. Yes, he thought, She'll do just nicely. He didn't think he could have found a better kid then her, and guilty at the same time because he could only have one. That, and she didn't talk, which meant she couldn't slip up and tell.

When they got into the house, Arthur turned on her. "Before I do anything, will you tell me your name?" She gave him a blank face. He sighed. "If I give you a piece of paper and a pen, will you right it down for me?" She thought about it, then nodded her head in approval. Arthur went and got the materials, and she scribbled Elizabeta on the paper. "Elizabeta, do you mind if I call you Lizzie?" She shrugged. Well, I guess she doesn't care. Might as well tell her. "Well, Lizzie, I'll be glad to tell you that you are in safe hands." She looked at him skeptically. "Yes, yes, yes. I know. I bought you off the Black Market, I'm bad. But really. I'm not a bad guy. If you sit down, I'll tell you the story." Arthur gestured towards a comfortable looking chair. She sat down.

"Okay," he started, "I'm going to sound crazy, but…. See, there's this guy I - how do you feel about homosexuality?" Lizzie got a crazy grin plastered on her face as she remembered all the dirty mangas and naughty fan fictions she had read with her other BFF Kiku Honda. All of them were yaoi, otherwise known as Boys Love (other boys). "C-Can I take that as a yes," Arthur asked, scared by the grin. She nodded vigorously. "OK. Well, as I was saying, there's this guy I really like. He's just so perfect, not that I would tell him this. I have a horrible attitude around idiots like him, but… you can't chose who you fall in love with, right? And this guy, he likes kids. I wasn't thinking, I was being an idiot, and I told him I had a daughter, next thing I know, he wants to meet her. Well, hell. I don't have a kid. I've never even had a girlfriend - they have all been boyfriends, as you might have guessed. Adoption would take too long for tomorrow night, and… I… well… I know where the Black Market auctions take place, so…." Arthur trailed off. "Uhm, here's the deal, Lizzie. I want you to act as my daughter, please. And if this whole thing blows off with the guy, I'll buy you the next plane ticket out of the country and back to your real parents."

Elizabeta was stunned. This guy wasn't some creep out to get her innocence (not that she had much innocence left, considering all of the… beautiful pictures about the miracle of life and all the colorful language about the circle of life and what-not). This guy wanted a daughter and needed one quick to save his love life. And if the love life wouldn't workout, he'd do the Good Samaritan thing and send her home safe and sound. I'll do this, she decided. Not to get some good pictures, but because he seems nice. That and he bought me. Not legally, but he still bought me. I'm not going to let the money go to waste…. And getting some good pictures for Kiku will be awesome! Slowly, Lizzie found her head nodding in agreement to the contract.

"We have a deal," Arthur asked, smiling as he stuck out his hand. His new daughter shook it and nodded her head. "It is surely an honor to have such a fine young lady as a daughter, now let's make you at home, shall we?"

When Arth- her Dad had showed her to her new room, she half expected it to be a cell. But it wasn't. In fact, it was an averaged sized room, bigger then the one she had at her hous- the last house she had lived in. It had a twin bed pushed up against the wall with green covers and black pillows. The walls were painted a soft grass-green color and the floor was hard wood. There was a desk with papers and pencils, a bookcase with many classics on it, a little out-dated TV with a receiver, a stereo with CD stacks next to it, and… a closet. Hesitantly, Elizabeta pulled the sliding mirror door open.

B-E-A-utiful, she thought. In the closet were dresses of all sorts in… why, just her size! How uncanny. They were beautiful, and Lizzie couldn't help but think she wanted to dress up a little boy in one. Particularly an Italian little boy.

"Do you like the dresses," Arthur asked from the doorway. She nodded her head. "They were my sister's. But, naturally, she grew older." Elizabeta smiled - this guy had a sister, a new aunt for her. The girl cocked her head, and Arthur took the message. "Her name is Kayleigh and she lives in Ireland, so you will hopefully never see her." Elizabeta snorted. Ireland, huh? Maybe she won't visit, but meeting Aunt Kayleigh would be nice…. "Are you hungry," the Briton suddenly asked. Lizzie hesitated… thinking about it, yes, she was indeed hungry. Nodding her head, Arthur said to follow and she did.

His kitchen was quaint. Like a normal cottage style, out-in-the-country kitchen. Yes, it was quaint. A kitchen fit for a British man like himself. Elizabeta found herself growing accustomed and comfortable in the homey, cozy kitchen. It smells like tea and honey in here, she thought. What a nice smell.

"What would you like to eat?" Arthur gestured to TV dinners in his fridge. "Sorry it is all processed. I have been told on more then one occasion that my cooking makes cow-pies look divine and I do not wish for you to be … afraid of me." A smile crept its way to the girl's face. "Do not take what I have said lightly, people have actually gone out into the fields, picked up a cow-pie, and shoved it in their mouth just so they wouldn't have to eat, or smell, what I've cooked." A nervous smile took hold of the happy one. Creepy….

She ended up eating a roast beef with mashed potatoes and green beans and water for a drink. British TV dinners are like normal American TV dinners, how… boring, she thought. I better get some homosexual action tomorrow or this will all be a waste. And if I do get some action, Kiku will definitely have a nosebleed! The thought brought a smile to Elizabeta's face. It will be BL-licious! Cannot wait. At all.

"Do you like your food," Arth- her dad asked. She nodded. "I was hoping you would say that, but, then again, you haven't had my cooking. I swear to the Devil that all I can make properly is ice, tea, and the crust of scones. Hmm, well, scratch the last one and you got it." Lizzie couldn't help herself - she let out a breathy laugh. Her dad blinked at her, shocked. "You laughed." She gave him a smile and nodded. He smiled back. "At least you're a happy child, Liz." Her smile widened at the nickname.

"What do I tell Alfred about you not talking?" She cocked her head at the new name. "The guy I like," he told her. Elizabeta made an 'O' with her lips, got up, and searched for some paper and a pen. Arthur stopped her and handed her the materials she had been looking for.

Tell him I have a disorder called Selective Mutism. My friend Matthew has it and he only talks to certain people. You can tell Alfred that I sometimes don't even talk to you. I'm pretty sure it will work, she wrote on the paper.

"Do you have Selective Mutism?"

No. she wrote, then added, My… friend, Roderich, he… he died in a car crash two months ago. He was my best friend and it really hit me hard… I haven't said a word since then, or dressed in any color except white… and the dead flower in my hair… I never take it out. It was the last flower Roderich had ever given me. Her eyes started tearing up.

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry, Elizabeta. I'm sure he was a nice boy." Elizabeta nodded her head, telling him that the apology was accepted. Awkwardly, he patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her. He wasn't at all comforting, and Elizabeta immediately knew that Arthur really wasn't cut out for being a father. He had so much to learn.

Quickly, she scribbled down, He was, Dad. I wish you could have met him. Her 'dad' blinked in shock (for the second time in less then ten minutes) at the word 'Dad'. The first thought that came to mind was: She's calling me 'Dad'. I never thought I would see that day…. I… kind of like being called 'Dad' - it makes me feel like I have a purpose. The rest was pride in his 'daughter'.

That night, Elizabeta a sixteenth expected for Arthur to come and do something to her in the middle of the night. But has an hour went by without sleep, she suspected him a forty-eighth. I'll trust him. He hasn't done anything yet. With that, she drifted off into a dream filled sleep - the main star being Roderich as the best friend and her (the co-star) as the one he would fall in love with.

Needless to say, Lizzie woke up blushing.

(•.•)

Lizzie decided to get out of her bed when the blush had gone and she started to smell tea. Not wanting to go down in just her PJ's, she grabbed her (white) sweater, slung it over her arms and walked to the kitchen to see Arth- her 'dad' brewing water in a kettle. Oh, cool. I've never seen somebody making tea in a kettle before. While she was marveling over the fact, Arthur had noticed her presence. "Good morning, Lizzie," he said. She smiled back. "Would you like a spot of tea?" She nodded, Yes, tea sounds good. "So, here's today's plan: after breakfast, we get ready for the day. We have a lazy day, but tonight we will be on our best behavior. By the way, Liz, what do you like to eat? Alfred wants to go somewhere you enjoy."

She thought about that. I like anything that can be fried in a frying pan… so, what do I tell him? Her 'dad' handed her some scrap paper and a pen. Uh…. Anything that can be made with a frying pan. Arthur smirked. "Really?" She nodded her head. "Well, that's easy." She frowned. Was he expecting her to be picky? What's your favorite food, she wrote. "Scones," was the immediate answer. A breathless giggle escaped from her lips for the second time in less then twenty-four hours.

Living with him will be good for me, Elizabeta thought. It will be nice.

When they had finished their tea and toast (Lizzie made), the girl had gone back up the stairs and taken a shower without a second thought. This is my home now, she reasoned, I should be able to take a shower in it without getting interrupted by a hebephile. She got dressed in a pure white dress she had found in the closet - in fact, there were many all white dresses, and not a single spot on them. Kayleigh must have been a very clean girl.

Delicately, Elizabeta placed the dead flower back in her hair; it looked so dead, just like he had… The flower had once been a tulip - her favorite flower - a bright red tulip that turned the prettiest pink in the right sunlight, but it currently looked like a dried up star. Giggling at the irony, she dully remembered the meaning of tulips in certain colors. Red, a declaration of love; pink, caring. She bit her lip and earnestly wished that Roderich was still alive and giving her fresh tulips every morning.

Elizabeta ran to her door as she heard the doorbell ring - she knew exactly who is was and what they wanted. They came everyday and did exactly the same thing, it really was a routine; it was a routine Elizabeta absolutely loved. "Good morning," greeted the person as the door was thrown open. "How are you today, Eliza?" The person smiled, holding something behind their back. A surprise.

She smiled at one of her best friends/the closest friend she had. They had grown up together; all fourteen years of their lives they had known each other. They already considered themselves family (though they acted more like a married couple). "Hey, Roddy!" Elizabeta pulled Roderich into a ceremonial hug. When she released the boy, he presented to her a bright red tulip that, if placed in the sun, was the prettiest shade of pink the world had ever seen. And she thought the purple flower from yesterday had been nice; it did mean royalty after all. The girl squealed happily and exclaimed, "It's beautiful!"

Roderich smiled smugly. "Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be? I picked it out." With that, he placed the gossamer flower in her hair, smiling again at his work. "It even looks better on you."

Elizabeta laughed. "You say that everyday. It's like you love me or something." Roderich laughed along with her; even though she repeated the lines everyday, the joke never got old.

"Or something," he affirmed. Again the girl smiled. Quickly, the boy checked an imaginary watch and said, "Sorry, Elizabeta, I have to go; I have piano lessons in ten minutes. I'll see you after, 'kay?"

"Yeah." She waved good-bye and he did the same.

And off Roderich ran; Eliza watched the car pull out of the driveway. It sped away and she returned into her house, showing her mother her new tulip. The woman agreed - it was a very pretty flower indeed. The most beautiful yet, no flower stood in comparison.

When an hour passed and Roderich had not returned home, Elizabeta figured they had gone to the grocery store on the way home. Why else would they be late? It was then that Lizzie's mother got a call from the Edelsteins. On the way home, they had gotten into a car crash.

Roderich suffered the worst.

It took twenty minutes to get to the hospital. It took another twenty minutes to find Roderich's room. Another twenty for the doctor to come in and tell the visitors it looked grim. The Edelsteins took twenty more minutes to weep and get a hold on themselves. It took twenty minutes longer for Elizabeta to reach that state.

By the end of the second hour, twenty minutes later, Roderich left.

Lizzie sniffed. She hadn't even realized she had started crying! How could she have allowed herself to remember that last day? She needed her mind alert today, not in some far off land that only had one street called Memory Lane. No siree. Today was important.

"Lizzie," came a voice from the other side of the door. "Everything okay?" It was Arthur. They girl nodded her head… then remembered Arthur couldn't see her, so, in response, she opened the door and smiled up at him. He didn't smile back. "You've been crying, dear. Why?" Her smile fell and she shook her head. The man just sighed.

The two spent the day lazing around until it was time to leave and meet this mysterious Alfred. Speaking of Alfred, Elizabeta wondered how her family friend, Alfred F. Jones was doing. He had mentioned he was going on vacation somewhere, but she hadn't bothered to ask - well, no duh. She refused to speak. Lizzie thought about all the different places he could have gone while on the car trip to a restaurant Arthur thought she would like.

Alfred F. Jones had evidently gone to England.

Crap, she thought as realization hit her. She had recognized him right away, even if his back was turned. Alfred? Why did Dad have to mean this Alfred? I know this Alfred! H-He isn't going to like this…. While the inner turmoil was going on, Arthur greeted, "Alfred!"

Mister Jones turned around to greet them… only to stop dead on the sight of Elizabeta. Her expression was panic stricken, hoping that the American wouldn't give her away, hoping he would act like he was shocked at her beauty, hoping that he wouldn't call the police, hoping that he heard her out. Thankfully, or possibly not, Alfred recovered from shock quickly. "U-Um, hey, Artie!"

"It's Arthur, git," the Brit responded. Then, softening up, continued, "Alfred, this is my daughter Lizzie. Liz, wave hello." Elizabeta did just that, praying luck was on her side.

Alfred looked at her sternly; Arthur didn't notice. "She's really cute, Art. How old is she? What happened to her mother? Why doesn't she talk?" The questions kept coming, and for everyone, Alfred already knew the answer. However, Arthur did not know this, so he answered every question calmly while simultaneously dragging his date and daughter into the restaurant.

Elizabeta was not stupid. She could see that before Alfred saw Arthur with her, he liked the Brit… a lot. She saw how when he did see Arthur with her, Alfred turned cold… only to her, not Arthur. She noticed how when Alfred spoke to Arthur, his tone was kind, but when he addressed her, it was ice. She also noted that Arthur didn't get any of this. Like he was a completely oblivious idiot… which should be Alfred, not Arthur, but, hey, there was a first time for everything.

Half way though dinner, Lizzie's father left for the restroom. Alfred leaned across the table. "Elizabeta Héderváry. What. The. Hell. Do. You. Think. You're. Doing? Your parents are freaking worried sick! And you're here? Eating dinner calmly with Arthur? Damn! Why they hell, Liz? Why?" That was when the girl saw it. The pain. The pain in Alfred's eyes. She could sense that Alfred now doubted Arthur and it was all her fault. He was probably thinking that he had kidnapped her or something. Or that she had run away and Arthur had picked her off the street and did some questionable things with her. Whatever it was, it included losing trust in the Brit. And Elizabeta did not like that, not one bit. Nope. This relationship had to work out. It just had to! Where else would Liz get pictures for Kiku?

Arthur came back then, giving Alfred a questioning look. Nonetheless, dinner went on without another hitch. The American said that he would walk them across the street to their car.

When they were leaving, Alfred gave a good-bye kiss to Arthur (which Liz took a picture of… for Kiku). Another thing Eliza noticed, Alfred planned this was the last time he would see the Brit. She glanced at Arthur. He looked absolutely in love. I have to stop this, she thought. But… Roddy….

Lost in thought, the Hungarian didn't notice that she was still standing in the middle of the street. The last thing the girl saw was bright headlights.

(•.•)

When Elizabeta came to, she again saw white. But they weren't headlights. No, she didn't know what this white light was. She sat up, her head spinning from blood rush. "Where am I," she mumbled to herself rhetorically, looking around for something familiar. Nothing was, but she got an odd feeling of being safe. Through her searching, she did find a person. Getting up from laying down on white grass, she made her way over to the person, who hadn't moved. In fact, it looked like they were waiting for her. "He-Hello," she asked timidly, not even giving a second thought about speaking. It was a dream after all, right?

The person looked up at her and smiled. "Hello, Liz," they greeted. Elizabeta wanted to scream, to shout out, to burst of laughing, to go into a fit of a weeping mess, she wanted to curse, to smile, to hit something, to run around, to run away, but most of all, she wanted to kiss the person in front of her senseless. In a trance, she moved closer to the person, reaching her arms out, trying desperately to catch them in an embrace. The person hugged back, but briefly, pulling apart and staring at Lizzie with seriousness implanted into their eyes. "Elizabeta, please. Please. You're only hurting yourself. This isn't what I want. Please, for me. It doesn't even have to be for me! Do it for yourself, for Arthur, for Alfred, for your parents, I don't care! Just please, please, please Liz, start talking again, start interacting with the world again. Laugh everyday; sing a song every hour, breath every minute. Please. Move on. I'm okay; I want you to be alright, too."

Tears had come to her eyes without noticing. Quickly, she wiped them away and managed to choke out, "Okay." Eliza continued to rapidly get a hold on herself. "Okay, Roderich."

Roderich smiled down at her. "Good." Stepping back, the boy pulled a pure white tulip from behind his back. Forgiveness, the girl thought. He put it up to his nose and inhaled deeply, then exhaled. The tulip magically got color breathed into it. The flower now showed a pretty yellow, like sunshine, radiating light that wasn't even there. Hopelessly in love. Gently, Roddy took the dead tulip out of her dark brown hair and replaced it with the new yellow tulip. "It looks even better on you," he commented.

She smiled at him. "You say that everyday; it's like you love me or something." It was like nothing had changed.

Roderich chuckled and Elizabeta noticed the scene around them had started cracking; like it was glass and it was going to shatter any second. "I do love you," he whispered before placing a small, chaste kiss to her lips. The scene finally shattered and Roddy disappeared.

(•.•)

"No," Elizabeta cried, waking with a start. Her voice was horribly weak. Breathing hard, she took in the new scene around her and concluded she was no longer dreaming. But the nurse and Alfred were staring at her shocked. It took a moment, but she finally relaxed. "Where am I? Where's Dad?"

"You're in a hospital," Alfred said. "Arthur went to go get some food."

"Oh, okay." Alfred and Elizabeta stared at each other for a while as the nurse did a check up, just to make sure there was nothing wrong. During that, Alfred inhaled sharply. "What," Liz asked.

"Who replaced the tulip?" Elizabeta froze. "And… you're talking again?" She double-freeze-d, if that was possible. Then unfroze half way. Roderich had said he wanted her to move on, that it was time. It was okay for her to start talking again. But the tulip? That was not acceptable!

Hesitantly, the girl reached up and did not real a dead tulip. It felt healthy and alive. Quickly, Lizzie turned to the nearest shiny object and looked at the new tulip.

It was yellow. Hopelessly in love. Roderich had given her one final tulip and it was sitting proudly in her hair. "Roderich gave it to me," she said, answering the American's question. Then added, mostly to herself, "Roderich loves me." She smiled - her life was complete. Theoretically, of course.

"I'm back," Arthur announced, opening the door. He stopped as he saw that Eliza was awake. "Oh, thank God." He dropped the cafeteria food in Alfred's lap to give the Hungarian a hug. "Thank God you are okay."

"Can't… breathe," she squeaked out. Instantly, the Brit let her go.

"Y-you talked!"

The rest of the day was spent on nothing but wonderful memories.

But when Elizabeta was finally released, Alfred left.

Arthur sighed. "I…"

"It's okay," Elizabeta said to comfort. "You'll live. You're going to be fine."

The Brit tried to put on a brave face as he said he would buy the plane ticket immediately. He even forced a smile when the girl said that she wanted him to come along, all because she didn't want to fly alone. That is what ended up happening.

The plane finally let off, both of them happy to stretch their legs. "I guess this is where I say good-bye and get you a cab," Arthur said, looking down at his used-to-be daughter.

Something caught Elizabeta's eye before she could reply. When she did, she smiled as she explained, "You don't have to." She started to step forward but stopped. "Arthur?" The Brit stared at her, her expression was only filled with compassion. "You'd make a really nice dad. I'm glad that you were mine; I'm glad you still are. You'll be my second father, 'kay?"

Arthur genuinely smiled. "You are a wonderful daughter. I will miss you." Elizabeta nodded in agreement and gave her second father a hug before scampering off to where she originally had been planning to go.

"Anya! Apa! I missed you," she screamed as she leapt into unsuspecting people. Her parents looked down at her, surprised. When reality finally caught up to the Hédervárys, they gripped their daughter as if to never let her go. Tears of joy ran down their faces as they realized they had their daughter back.

"Eliza," asked a very confused Alfred. Sure, Alfred had called the Hédervárys to come and pick him up at the airport if they could, but Elizabeta being here too? The American was not comprehending. Soon, though not soon enough for Lizzie, Alfred asked, "Is he…?" She nodded her head in affirmative.

Alfred whipped his head around sharply; he was looking for eyebrows with a person attached.

And there he was! Arthur Kirkland, the guy who is supposed to be in England.

Alfred did not care about the people he was bumping into. He needed to get to the Brit. His Brit. Arthur realized that Alfred was there, in this airport, when the American was standing right in front of him. "Bloody hell," he whispered, completely shocked. Alfred just smirked at him. "You better have a good reason for leaving!"

Alfred laughed. "Always do," he said before kissing Arthur in front of every one in the airport.

Lizzie naturally had to take pictures.