AN: Yay. I am so proud of myself. After a few whiles of working on this, then finding out I was going the wrong way with it, then fixing it, I think I got it. Don't I feel proud. So, if you guys like it, or you think it might need tweeking or whatnot, or just downright hate it, review and let me know, k?

Disclaimer: Guys, I don't own National Treasure. Cuz if I did, I would make this into a movie than a fanfic.
I do own Alice and Walter. And Danny, but your not gonna see much of him in anywho.

England. December 31st, 1985

The old manor had many rules that were to be obeyed by everyone, from the wise old butler to the newest member of the household. This Golden Rule was simple: Never bother the master, his friends, or any of his business partners. Keep out of sight, out of mind, and what ever you do, stay in his favor. That is, of course, unless you believe that your main goal in life is to wake up the next morning with a bullet through your head, like the former chef. This rule didn't just apply to the master's servants, but also to his family as well.

"Although," thought the blonde boy who stood in a lone corner, away from the incredibly old guests and the idle chatter dominating the fire lit den, quietly listening to the loud laughter penetrating from the upper floor, "They've obviously haven't figured this out yet." The annual New Year's Eve Party has always been held at the mansion, and it was a time when family, old associates and others within the Master's tight circle of business gathered. And though it seemed like an ordinary party, anyone who knew what to look for and was observant enough could sense the growing tension in the room. A quick glance at his Father, the master of the house himself, showed that he was beginning to loose his concentration on the discussions with his peers and was angrily glaring at the ceiling. Without a word, the boy gave his drink to a passing server, wove his way around the thick crowd of invited people, opened the heavy wooden doors which led to the lower hallway, and quickly hurried up the hallway staircase which eventually led to the room where the laughter came from. The children's bedrooms.

The room was in complete disarray. Feathers drifted in the air as two kids, a younger boy with brown hair, and an even younger blonde girl, jumped on the single bed, hitting each other with poofy pillows. The blankets and sheets somehow tangled around their feet, causing the boy to trip every once in a while, which in effect resulted in his sister taking full advantage and smothering the boy with her pillow. And, of course, what kind of pillow fight would be complete without hysterical laughter echoing throughout the whole house?

Answer: a safe one.

"You two definitely know how to be quiet." The boy said, quietly closing the door.

"Oh come on! Can't we have a little bit of fun?" Said his brother as he jumped on the bed, throwing his sister, Alice, off of it in the process.

"Ow! Walt, that's my bed." The sister said as tears started to slowly roll down her face.

"Shhh. Stop that." The elder brother said, nervously glancing over his shoulder.

"Yeah, stop being such a cry baby." The other one, Walter, said, grinning as the sister began to pout.

"I am not a cry baby!" She yelled.

"Shhh! Do you want Father to come up?" That instantly got their attention. Walter quickly stopped jumping, while the sister listened for heavy footsteps climbing up the stairs.

"Thank God. Please, don't do that again. We could hear you in the living room; Father's guests were starting to get upset." The eldest said, turning to walk towards the door.

Walter began to pale as his little sister hurriedly pulled at his sleeve. "Dad's friends are here?" He croaked as she shook him. "You wouldn't mind staying with us for a while, would you? To keep," he added at his brother's quick look, "just to keep her quiet." He motioned at his sister, who had passed tugging his sleeve and was now curled in a tight ball next to him.

"Well, if it's only that." The blonde brother said with a ghost of a smirk, as he walked back. "Actually, Mom told me to go to bed after the champagne was served." Pulling up a chair, he began to loosen up his 'to-tight-to-breath' tie. "Do you want me to tell you a bed time story, or are you old enough to go to sleep by yourself?" He asked his sister.

"I don't want to hear a story. I don't want to go to sleep! I am a grown up, and I can go to sleep whenever I want." She said, with all the stubbornness unfortunately programmed into every kid. Besides her, Walter began to move.

"Oh, I don't know about that. There is this one bed time story only for adults. Isn't there?" He glanced at his brother, who quickly looked away.

"Really?" The girl asked. Her brother sighed.

"Walter," he began. "We've already been over this. Father's the only one who's aloud to tell us. Mom doesn't even know more than half of it!"

"Please tell the story." Alice begged, holding her hands as if she was praying, while behind her Walter mimicked her actions.

"You'll be my favorite brother." Walt suggested.

"I'm your only brother." He sighed. "Fine. But not a word to Matthew, either of you. He'll kill me if he finds out I told you." The two others rushed to the bed, Walter grabbing the pillow as his sister hugged her teddy bear that her mother hadn't yet thrown away with the rest of her toys. The eldest fixed his chair so that he could comfortably sit facing his siblings at the end of the bed while listening for trouble on the other side of the door.

"Now, do you both now about the American Revolution?" he asked. Recognition came from Walter, who learned about the war with his other classmates like any self-respecting twelve year old. Alice, however, looked on confused. "Do I have to get into the whole story?" The brother asked in exasperation?

Walter shrugged. "The whole story might be welcomed." He said simply.

"Right. Well, about two hundred years ago, England ruled over America. But the Americans, then called colonists, didn't like the British, nor did they like the tax laws Parliament passed."

"Pst, Walt." The girl whispered. "What's taxes?"

"Something that Dad doesn't do." He whispered back.

"Oh."

"Eventually, the colonists and the British went to war." The older brother continued. "Now, our great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, William, and his brother Richard, were both important soldiers on the British side. They, and their men, single handedly gained the upper hand for the British. Secretly, however, they sided with the colonists; besides paying taxes, colonists wanted independence and freedom. Richard was once a good friend with a man called Benjamin Franklin, an importance figure for the Americans. At one point, Richard was able to gain an audience with Franklin, unknown to his British superiors. If the British found out," he explained, "the two brothers would be arrested and killed for treason."

"Did the British find out?" Alice interrupted. "Did the brothers' die? Did Frankil have a trap and hurt them 'cuz they were British? Did they-"

"First off, it's Franklin. Let me finish." Blondie said. "Franklin told Richard that he couldn't stop the war now, not without still being ruled by England. And they all knew that the brothers couldn't get out of the war without dieing either. So, they began to build a plan, which none of them told anyone, not even the American leader, George Washington. See, what they decided to do," he said, leaning in. "They decided to let the Americans win the war. William and Richard, who were by now both generals, began to lead their men to agonizing defeat against the Americans. They stopped moving their troops to help other parts of the British army, and, because of their lack of effort, the Americans won the war."

"As a reward for what they've done, Franklin mailed them a key and a letter concerning a treasure. In the letter, there was a small list of complex clues to a treasure of unknown origin and location. No one has yet found it, and Franklin thought that it would be a very fitting reward for William and Richard. And the Howe's have been looking for it ever since." The blond finished, getting up from his chair. "Now, let me remind you again, if Father hears that I told you, he will not be pleased, and I doubt it'll just be the usual punishments for me. This goes against all family tradition. Understand?"

"We won't tell." The girl yawned. "I'm tired."
"You should go back down." Walt said, half-carrying, half dragging his sister to her bed. "Make sure that mom doesn't want you for anything."
"No, I already told you, mom doesn't want me downstairs. You should go to bed to. Our cousins are coming tomorrow."
"Danny too?" Walt asked.
"Of course." The blond said, walking out into the hall.
"Oh, and Ian?" Walter called. "Thanks."