"It's quiet."

Delaware glanced over at her father sadly. Her eyes were rimmed red from crying and there were heavy bags under them, and her pale face showed exactly how stressful this was for her. Across from her, America looked worse, if such a thing was possible. His glasses were gone and his hair was in disarray, and he hadn't even bothered to put on a tie or jacket. The top few buttons of his shirt were left undone.

"I know."

"I miss them, Dela."

There were eleven places at their long oak dining table, eleven seats left empty every meal, and they weren't ever sure if they would ever be filled again.

"Me too, Dad."

She couldn't keep her voice from breaking.

Eleven people stood in front of Jefferson Davis.

"We'll fight for your cause," they said, each in their own separate way but the point was that they said it, the words burning like acid in their mouth. "We'll fight with you until the end."

The Land they may be, the Land given voice, but all they could say were the words of the people. If the people wanted to leave, then who were they to deny them? The Land changed with the people and the Land moved with the people, and the people were leaving so they had no choice but to follow.

"Welcome to the Confederacy."

The letters, when they came, caused almost no controversy. Instead the twenty-four remaining piled on top of the paper, clambering to open it, to see it, read it.

"Hey!"

America's weary shout got them to settle down. Delaware did her best to balance the infantile Oregon and Kansas in her arms.

"What's it say?" Massachusetts asked hoarsely.

"For once, I agree with Missie," New York agreed. "What's it say, Dad?"

America broke the wax seal on the envelope and started to read.

Hey, Pa.

It's Georgia. The others are here with me, they're gonna get a turn to write, too, but this first part is from all of us. We're sorry. We can't ignore the people, Pa, we can't, and it's killing us. You raised us, we want to stay, but the other half of our minds are screaming for rebellion. We're sorry, Pa, we just want you to know that. No matter what happens, we're sorry.

Now for my personal message. Pa, don't give up. This war's gonna hurt you more then it'll hurt us. But you keep getting back up, you hear me? You keep getting back up and one day we're gonna fix this, one way or another. We're gonna fix this and we're gonna figure out some way to be a family again.

Hello, Father. This is Virginia. I... please forgive me. Please. I'm so sorry.

Texas here. You fought long and hard for me, Pa, and it's killing me to leave. I'll try and keep the fighting away from you guys as much as I can, okay? I'm tired of war.

Tennessee, writing for myself and Arkansas. The kid's crying so much he can hardly hold the pen. We're just kids, Dad, we're gonna do our best to actively stay out of the fighting, okay? I promise, Dad. I know you wouldn't want us to fight, even if our states are.

Mississippi. For the record, Jefferson wears these ridiculous looking slippers when he's not being formal. Use that information as you see fit.

This is Louisiana. Papa, I still love you.

The Carolina twins here. Jefferson can't tell us apart, it's funny. He calls South North and North South so we just tend to go along with it. You're the only one who's ever been able to tell us apart, d'you know that?

Hola, Papa. This is Florida. Tell mi hermanos y hermanas that I love them. Please, Papa, remember that I love all of you.

Looks like I'm the last... this is Alabama, for the record. We're going to smuggle the letters up through the border as best we can and hope this reaches you at a reasonable date. Virginia says she can bribe some people to make sure it gets through her and into Maryland, and after that we'll hope it makes it to Vermont. Love you guys. Stay strong.

Georgia again. Mississippi left after she wrote that comment about slippers (which is true, by the way). Alabama went looking for her as soon as she was done writing.

We'll try to write again, Pa, even if we can't make any promises.

All our love.

"Carol! Carol! Carol!"

South Carolina sighed at the sound of her twin screaming for her. She didn't sound like she was in trouble, and therefore the state was tempted to ignore it, but then again, there wasn't much of anything exciting these days. Virginia nearly cried over a mug of hot cocoa since their father was always the one to make it for them, so reactions were generally overwrought.

She stuck her head out of the door and looked at Caroline, who was running around the yard in circles.

"What is it?"

The northern blonde state turned around, and she was beaming. "They replied!"

They dragged the eleven Confederate states into the sitting room and crowded around the letter.

Hey, kids. This is your father here. Everyone says their hellos and we'd like to thank you for writing. New York and Massachusetts have actually been civil with each other, it's starting to worry everyone a little bit. There's too many of us to write individually but they all wanted me to tell you that they still love you, and Maryland is going to raid Virginia's room if she doesn't get back here after this is over.

We're all incredibly happy to hear from you. We miss you all so much, but we... well, I understand. The other states, not so much, but I understand.

Did I ever tell you about the Revolutionary War? I don't suppose I did, it's not something I like to talk about. Virginia, Georgia, you remember it, don't you? You were still very young, but you were definitely there. Martha Jefferson nearly went into overload when she found out that I had infant colonies to take care of. She was a good mother...

Back to the Revolution, however. The people wanted freedom, they wanted liberation from England. Despite how annoying he was and how horrible his cooking could get, I still loved England and I didn't want him to leave. But my people wanted freedom, so I fought with them, and I drove England out. You know, we haven't talked since.

I'd give anything to talk to him again, I would, and I'd give anything to talk to you again as well. But you've got to follow the people, that's how being a country – or in your cases, state – works. And sometimes it hurts, but I know we'll get through this.

Lincoln is starting to mobilize troops. Stay away from the border states, if you can. Austin, see if you can get everyone a place in Texas.

Best wishes from us all.

You guys won this first battle. Fort Sumter is under Confederate control. Dad's in a meeting with the President right now. ...I'd tell you more, but we can't. Opposite sides and all. Nobody died, though, so that's a good thing. All of our men were evacuated safely.

Listen. I may be the most northern of the north – the top of Maine goes past the Canadian border, you know that, I don't need to tell you... I may be the most northern of the north, and I'm probably not going to have any battles on my land, butplease South, be careful. I dunno if Lincoln is going to try and take it back, but I don't want you hurt. Please stay safe.

Have you gone to Texas yet like Dad asked? You probably haven't, I know you all pretty well, even though our states don't border. You don't want to fight but you can't hide away.

I don't want to fight.

I love you all.

Some guy's showed up here. Mr. Davis put him in charge of the military of the Confederacy. I'm not sure what his name is... Lee, I think. Robert Lee? Something like that. He used to be in the Union military, from what we've heard.

This is Tennessee, by the way. Virginia wanted to write, but she's busy at the moment, and the others are all getting ready for some new attack. I know you wanted us all to run, but Mr. Davis wants to keep a close eye on us. I think he's thrilled at the idea of having the physical representations of the states under his command as well.

Sorry if the letters are getting shorter, Dad. Give our love to everyone, stay safe.

The states not actively engaged in the fighting would sit at their father's bedside day and night, and when the letters came, they would read them. The pieces of paper were few and far between, and often times they would be subject to many, many glares before they were opened, but they always read the letters. Each and every single one.

Dad can't write anymore. They've had to move him to a safe place and keep him isolated so he won't hurt himself. The war's destroying him. I wish there was something we could do.

I want to blame you, but I can't. You're my siblings, my brothers and my sisters.

I think I'm going to join the army. The Yankee's going to kill me when he finds out, but hopefully I'll be long gone by then. Maybe if I fight, it'll be over faster.

-Mass

PS: England? You're sending Confederate ships to England?

Looks like we both thought of the idea of boats made of metal. Missie sent a letter back- did you know about that, by the way? Bastard went and joined the army, he's gonna get himself killed. He can't just up and leave!

...But then again, that's what you did. I don't really remember what anyone said that night. There was a lot of shouting, though. Lots of shouting. And then you were just... gone. Everyone's leaving, one by one.

You haven't written in a long time. Did you go to Texas like Dad asked? It's safe away from the fighting there, although it'd take a lot longer for letters to reach you.

It's been nearly a year.

You've got people signing up to fight as well? Ten ran away a few months ago. He kept talking about how he just wanted it to be over, and then the next morning there was a note saying he was off to the front lines. We haven't heard from him since. If you guys find him... well, just let us know.

President Davis keeps asking me about states. He wants to know why Virginia is sick all the time, and why South and I are always so faint. I tell him its the war, and he just nods and keeps pushing forwards. He tells us that when he wins, we'll all be well again. He wants to take care of us.

He's also a little bit confused, and I think we all are, about why there isn't a representation of the Confederacy yet. This would all just end if you recognized us as our own country...

Most of the others are too angry to reply to your letter, so I got the job. Hand everything off to the short guy, of course.

Mass found Ten, they were both at Fredericksburg. Ten escaped a while later, but Mass is back here with us. We don't know where the kid is now, but if he's smart he'll be heading back to you.

Caroline... North Carolina, we aren't bordering each other, but we're still siblings, right? The thirteen of us, united. That's what we're supposed to be, we're supposed to be together. How can you want to leave? How...

I'm too angry to write this letter. Never mind. Just... never mind.

President Lincoln made a speech, and read the Emancipation Proclamation. Slavery's been abolished. I hope you listen. Won't you come home?

Louisiana, here. I'm... worried about Penn. We tried to invade Gettysburg, is she okay?

I miss all of you. I'm really young, so nobody's telling me that much about what's happening. I just wish things were normal.

We took Mississippi after a six week siege, but now our troops are trapped in Tennessee. We haven't heard from either of them.

Three years. You've stopped answering our letters.

Listen, Dad's still sick, he can hardly move. If Davis hasn't told you specifically that you have to stay, then come back. Please, we're begging you. I don't know if he's going to back it, and I don't want him dead without seeing everyone again.

I hate you for leaving us like this, don't get me wrong, but when Dad talks, he talks about you. I figure we can give him that, at least.

Virginia, skeletal body a far cry from her once healthy self, and hardly able to walk across the room, hunched over her desk and cried, tears mixing in with already smudged ink.

The war is ending.

I can feel it. Like some sort of animal, fighting until its very last breath and not a moment sooner, primal in its ferocity, but the war is ending.

The fighting is mostly happening in Virginia now. I don't think I can write much more. The others are in similar condition. You're winning. Are you happy now?

Pres Davis is angry. They tried a peace conference. Didn't work. Not sure if angry about continued fighting or that we were willing to hold peace conference. Very tired.

I'm giving this letter to Lincoln before he leaves Richmond today, along with a few others I never got around to sending. They were awfully short, and I didn't have the energy to find a way to smuggle them through the fighting and to the border.

They've taken Richmond. The Union flag is waving almost everywhere I can see. Lincoln sat at President Davis' desk for a few moments, and he looked almost dreamy. I wonder what he was thinking about.

I don't know how the others are doing, I haven't seen them in a long time. But like the flags outside in the capital, I can feel a pull in my heart. I think Virginia wants to come home, if you'll still have me.

Lee surrendered. Lincoln's been shot.

You aren't replying to our letters, now. We understand, we'd hate us too.

It was Christmas Day, and the year was 1865. Nearly a foot of snow covered the ground, drifting up against the walls of a large house deep in the woods and clinging to the branches and trunks of pine trees.

The house was quite large, big enough to fit at least forty people, possibly more. A lot of effort had gone into building this house, the hard work of a family. But it finally paid off, and it looked magnificent. Still, a shame families rarely stay the same for long.

Inside the house, a young man was resting on a couch, tired yet genuine smile on his face, and nearly twenty children were scurrying around, laughing and playing with their new gifts. There wasn't a lot underneath the Christmas tree this year, nor was there an actual tree – a war had ended not very long ago, and they hadn't all expected to be here this Christmas.

Christmastime, and they all ignored the gaping hole in their hearts.

Virginia looked at the doors to the house. She'd been standing there for nearly twenty minutes, shaking in a dress that now hung off her too-thin frame, and she couldn't feel her feet, but she couldn't bring herself to knock, either.

They'd hate her. Of course they would, they probably hated all of them, by this point. Never mind that all her siblings had returned home, never mind that she was the only one who hadn't come back. Never mind that story Tennessee had told them when he had finally staggered back into their makeshift home down south, that Massachusetts had dragged him back to the Union-run hospital and demanded that someone help him, regardless of whether or not he would be discharged for assisting the enemy. That was a life or death situation, not an attempt at reconciliation.

Some small part of her wondered if they would leave her to die, anyway.

A violent shiver ran through the state, so she smoothed down her dress, folded her gloved hand into a fist, and knocked.

The distant laughter she could hear coming from inside ceased, and then there were footsteps, and the footsteps were getting louder, and she shouldn't have done this she knew they hated her why even try-

The door opened.

Rhode Island looked at her, and she forced herself to look blank.

He looked at her, and kept looking at her, and then- then, with a shuddering sob, he flew towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist and crushing her in a hug, his face buried in her shoulder and he was crying, and tears were burning her vision but she wouldn't let them fall. She just stared at her brother, her brother, who was hugging her so tightly she doubted he would ever let go.

"Rhodey?"

Their father's voice.

"Rhodey, who is it?"

Sniffling, he grabbed her by the arm and marched her down the familiar hallways of their Vermont home, dragging her along until they reached the sitting room. Upon arriving, everyone fell completely silent, but he payed them no heed, forcing her into one of their more comfortable chairs and nodding decisively when she sat.

"Our sister has come home," he announced, voice hoarse from choking back tears.

Massachusetts was the first to break the silence, pulling her back to her feet and lightly punching her shoulder, then wrapping her in a hug. The others followed suit, and Virginia found herself passed around the room like one of the presents, her northern siblings all crying with joy and her southern siblings looking relieved, before she found herself standing in front of her father. The war had taken its toll on both of them, neither of them looked anything like their old selves, but that would heal with time.

He smiled and placed a hand on her cheek. "I missed you."