Title: A Promise in Spring

Summary: The accident had changed his life, as far as his family had told him, at least. Gilbert on the other hand did not remember the accident. They said he had amnesia, but he remembered everything that had ever happened to him clearer than day. He remembered Ludwig's eighth birthday the month before and his little yellow bird he had rescued in the park from a broken wing a year ago. Why was his life so confusing suddenly? Why didn't he go to school anymore? When had Ludwig grown so tall? And who was that person who greeted him like an old friend when he had never seen them once in his whole life?

GDS: Hi! This is a prompt given by CodeVassie! I hope I will reach her expectations on this one! Also, I'm not that well versed in Psychology so I am telling you now that this story does not have ANY ACCURATE FACTS. Also, I do not own Hetalia!

Warnings: AU, grammatical errors (English is not my main language but I tried to keep it in minimum, but if you still found a lot of errors then you can tell it to me.)

Chapter 1: The Unknown

They said it was a miracle that he woke up after being in a coma for two years. But the question was how did he end up in a coma? They said he was in an accident but he never remembered being in any type of accident.

Why was everything so confusing around him?

"Bruder? Bruder, are you all right?" when did he opened his eyes again? Wasn't he just sleeping a minute ago? He directed his confused gaze towards the person who called him.

"Vati? When did you get a haircut? Why do you look so young?" the person before him made a frown on his face and bit his lip in frustration.

Before everything else let's start up to what he remembered. His name was Gilbert Beilschmidt. As far as he could tell he was just escorting his little brother on their way home and the next thing he knew was that he woke up in a hospital with a surprise doctor hovering over him.

"Bruder, I'm Ludwig, remember? I'm your little brother."

"Ludwig?" Gilbert tilted his head a little to the side, "But…but Ludwig is just eight years old. We celebrated his birthday a month ago."

The man who claimed to be Ludwig covered his face with his hands and took a deep breath. From what Gilbert could tell he was desperately trying not to cry. What was really happening right now? A few minutes passed and Gilbert opted to watch the scenery outside from the window of his hospital room.

Gilbert saw a yellow bird landing on a tree branch. He really missed his pet right now but animals were not allowed in hospitals. He sighed in disappointment. Gilbert then turned his attention to the other side of the room.

"Mein Gott! When did you get there? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Gilbert was really surprised when he realized he was not alone in his room, "Wait…when did you get a haircut, Vati?"

After he uttered his question the man sitting beside his bed rushed outside without any words of goodbye. Now that he thought about it, there was no way that the person was his Vati. Maybe the guy was one of their close relatives. But seriously, where was Ludwig? Shouldn't he visit his awesome older brother in hospital right now?

Ludwig Beilschmidt thought he was prepared for the worst. When the doctor told him their findings about his older brother he was just numb. At first his mind was just registering medical facts, facts about his brother's condition and how to cure…how to make things easier for Gilbert once he was discharged from the hospital. Their parents were already informed also about this.

In reality, Gilbert was already awake for a week now. After spending two years in a coma the eldest son of the Beilschmidt Family was finally awake for a week now.

But everything was not the same anymore.

Ludwig, along with his parents, thought that they would only deal with the physical therapies and introducing Gilbert with his new life, to fill him with a few things he missed for the last two years. They didn't expect that fate would play its cruel tricks in their family.

The second day Gilbert was finally responsive the doctor told them what was wrong to the albino. Ludwig's Brother would never be the same anymore.

"His memories before the accident are very disorganized right now. He might remember some of you in different ages every time he saw you or he might remember a different scene that for him only happened yesterday which in reality it happened a long time ago."

"So, it's like he has amnesia?" Ludwig could still remember the worrying tone of his Mother when they were talking with the doctor.

"Gilbert does have amnesia," there was a pause like the doctor wanted them to understand this important information, "but it does not concern his past memories."

"Doctor, what do you mean? Didn't you just say he has trouble remembering the past?" Ludwig could still see his Father's closed fist, desperately trying to flee and see his son that was already awake and responsive that time.

"He still remembers the past, he just need someone to guide him which memory happened when." The doctor adjusted the frame of his glasses, "I'm afraid Gilbert has anterograde amnesia. He will have trouble remembering current memories from now on. I'm really sorry."

The fact about the amnesia didn't really sink in their minds after the doctor talked to them. It only settled down once they visited Gilbert.

At first Gilbert asked where his little brother was. Ludwig introduced himself with blank eyes. Gilbert was confused after that but as they continued talking it was as if the right memory about Ludwig's age and appearance finally emerged inside Gilbert's mind. The albino started asking questions about his little brother's love life. He asked their Mother and Father how they were doing. They were happily chatting and forgot the warning of the doctor.

But it was remembered when Gilbert started spacing out. Their Mother took hold of Gilbert's hand to ask him if he was feeling alright. When he was back again in reality he looked up in their Mother's eyes and asked,

"Mutti? When did you get here?"

Their parents didn't visit again after that. They still made sure that Gilbert was being taken care of in the hospital. They were still updated by the doctor in charged about the progress of their son. They just never visited though. They could not look Gilbert on the face anymore and hoped that everything would be the same.

Once, Ludwig confronted them about their behavior towards his older brother. Maybe he was having memory problems now but it did not mean they should abandon him in the time that he really needed them. Never in his life had he seen his parents break down in front of him.

They said they wanted to be with Gilbert's side but right now they could not look straight at him without crying. His Mother told him that her heart was breaking into pieces when one moment she was talking with her son then the next Gilbert would asked when she arrived. His Father told him that once Gilbert was discharged they would try their best to support him but for now, they need to adjust emotionally and mentally.

Ludwig wanted to resent his parents for their decision. But after visiting Gilbert for almost a week now he could somehow understand now the pain they were bearing. He thought he could not bear another second with his brother in a repetitive cycle.

First, he would not recognized Ludwig as an adult. For Gilbert, Ludwig was still the same eight year old kid fourteen years ago.

Second, Gilbert would mistake Ludwig as a younger version of their Father.

Third, Gilbert would finally recognize him.

Fourth, the cycle would repeat again.

This time, Gilbert didn't manage to remember Ludwig as an adult. He feared that there would be a time that his older brother would only remember him as an eight year old kid and not as a twenty year old man from his past memories before the accident.

"Um…Ludwig?"

Ludwig looked up from where he was currently sitting. When he fled away from Gilbert's room he decided to have some fresh air and sat on one of the benches found in the hospital's garden. The minute he saw who called him though and the other person beside the caller Ludwig's sorrows was replaced by anger, it was a rage he still could not forget.

"What are you two doing here?" he delivered the question with calmness but he did not conceal the anger from his tone.

The men in front of him flinched from his tone. It was clear that they could still see that their presence was not appreciated after the accident. Especially that they were the reason why there was an accident in the first place.

"We…we heard the news. About Gilbert, I mean. May…May we visit him?"

No matter how much Ludwig saw the guilt ridden eyes of this two he still could not find inside his heart the forgiveness they wanted to hear.

"Arthur…and as well as you Alfred," the second person who didn't utter a word all this time sucked a deep breath when he was called, "I think it's best if you will not show your faces anymore in front of my Bruder. In fact, I don't want you two to enter his life again."

No…Ludwig would never forgive them. But if he hated Arthur after the accident his hatred towards Alfred was twice from it.

For it was Alfred who pushed Gilbert.

Alfred was the reason why Gilbert was hit by a car.

And Ludwig's hatred would never vanish because the irreparable result was presented before him almost a week ago.

GDS: So…what do you think? Criticizers are welcome just don't be harsh! I repeat: I'm not that well versed in Psychology so I am telling you now that this story does not have ANY ACCURATE FACTS. Also, I do not own Hetalia!