It's Just A Dream

Disclaimer: I own nothing-especially not Hetalia-except for my OCs.

Warning: Depressing

My tribute to Friday the 13th, even though it's almost an hour past...I'm using my characters from my Hetalia got pOWNed story. Russia in this story is physically normal, but sees everyone the same as he does in the other story. Also, Austria still has his programing problem.

Anyway, enjoy!

"A local hospital in Manhattan was broken in to a few days ago for an unknown reason, though several cases of what appears to be Ebola have been reported throughout the mainland United States. Authorities are still quite unsure of what caused the sudden outbreak or where it originated from but are advising people not to panic. Safety precautions such as masks and gloves are advisable."

"Geeze…the world's getting more and more dangerous every day," Caligo sighed as she set a plate of apple strudel and a cup of hot Kona coffee in front of her friend. Roderich simply nodded with a stony expression but inside he was quite concerned. The strange virus outbreak was, of course, a great concern to humans but not being human, it wasn't so much his safety he felt for as hers. She was, after all, human and whether or not he was, he could still potentially bring the virus back and spread it to her. He did take into account the fact that they lived on an island in the middle of the ocean but also that it was a popular tourist destination.

"Roderich? Roderich!" "Yes?" "You gotta stop zoning out on me, seriously," she hissed. "You're starting to scare me with the intense staring at the tv." "I apologize. I was simply thinking," he sighed. "Yeah, well, you're doing that far more often these days…I gotta get to class. I'll see you when I come home." "Have a good day Cally." She waved at him before dashing out the door, violin case in hand and left him to his thoughts. Caligo seemed much more…attached to him these days...He also noticed that their time together had been lacking. She never felt the need for distance from him, though he couldn't help the uncomfortable feeling he had when she got too close…

"In other news, the mayor has shut down all forms of transportation coming in and out of the islands until further notice. Ladies and gentlemen…the islands may be the last place in the United States untouched by the outbreak. Please remain calm…"

That wasn't a good sign…But it wasn't as if anyone could do anything about it. Roderich finished his meal, cleaned the dishes, and pulled on his coat before setting out to satisfy the nagging uneasiness he felt. The streets appeared to be a little emptier than normal…

"I thought I ought to check on you in the mean time. A good number of people have been reported sick and the others aren't doing very well either." The German glanced back at the young girl playing with the two Italys. "I appreciate the concern Austria, but I'm quite sure Mavi is about as harmful as those two over there." "I'm more concerned with their contracting the virus. Many of the supposed cases reported their patients being "hysterical"…" "Well, I'll contact you once anything changes…IF anything changes," he corrected himself. Austria handed him a small folded sheet of paper in response and said quietly, "Meet here if anything should happen…"

What could possibly get the man so worked up? Transportation between the mainland United States and the islands had been cut off and there were only three supposed cases of the disease. Aggressive, but still, only three…

"What did Roderich want?" "Mein gott Mavi! You shouldn't sneak up on me…" His voice trailed off as he turned to see her inches from him and nearly jumped out of his skin. Mavi's normally bright blue eyes were clouded and her skin a sickly and pale white, a cold sweat forming on the brow of the tiny Italy clutched to her chest. It wasn't her ill appearance that frightened him as much as the four long, red cuts on her face oozing blood with a strange black mould-looking growth forming at the ends of each one. "What in God's name gave you that…?" "Oh," she laughed, hugging a terrified Cibitalia tight enough to turn him red in the face.

"I got in someone's way at the store so they scratched me…It doesn't hurt though." Flesh popped and split open as she smiled and Italy cringed in fear. "Italy and I will finish the shopping for you." "It's ok, I just went to pick up rice." "I insist-" "No!" Her grip was firm, but hands were shaking. She shouldn't be this strong. ISN'T this strong! "Mavi, please calm down!" She twisted his arm and dropped Chibitalia who ran to Italy. She would break it soon if he didn't get her off him…

"I-It'll only be for a little while Mavi-chan-" "No! Ludwig won't take you from me! I WON'T LET HIM!" Germany took the chance to force her arm away and push her back into the couch, prompting Italy to spring for the door. He scooped up the trembling Chibitalia before charging after the smaller man into the crowded street. "Germany! She's chasing us Germany! What do we do?" "Just run!" He barely kept up with the frightened Italian until they hit the main road and froze. "What do we do? Germanyyy!" He clung to the German's arm, almost in tears as the small blonde slowly closed the gap between them. "Oh Germany," she cooed sweetly. "I have something for you!"

There was only one option. "Run Italy!" "But the light says don't cross!" "To hell with the sign! Just RUN!" Normally he wouldn't opt to break the rules but the consequences of facing Mavi were far worse. A few cabs nearly ran them down and Italy looked back to shout an apology…"Vee? Mavi," he screamed. Germany turned to drag him across the final length of the street just as a city bus barreled down the lane and slammed into the row of stalled cars into her…

There was no consoling Italy or Chibitalia but they had to press on. A few must die to save the many, he told himself. The map that Austria had given to him almost slipped from his trembling fingers as he stared at the red mess, throat and mouth bone dry at the sight of the twitching corps…"We need to find the others Italy…We need to make sure they're ok…" "Should we have stayed Germany…?" Yes. Just stay with her until her dying breath. Stayed until the bitter end set in like the dull morning fog…

"No, Italy. There was nothing we could do…"

~To save many, a few must perish~

Kiku pulled the covers up over the boy's chest and dabbed his head with a damp cloth. "Someone…Kiku…the door," he rasped weakly. "Please rest Yen…you aren't well enough to be up and about." "I feel fine…" YenKin smiled at the worried nation as he excused himself to address the visitor at the door. In the back of his mind he knew he'd try to get up and work anyway but at least he wasn't deathly ill…

"Austria-san. Ohayo gozaimasu." "Good morning Japan. I apologize for the visit on such short notice but I was wondering…" "About the news?" The Austrian nodded with a sour expression, though glad he didn't have to explain himself very much. It seemed that Kiku could easily pick up on his concerns. "YenKin is home sick today…He isn't showing any symptoms of the virus, thought it appear to be a very nasty throat infection." "How severe?" The quiet nation turned to him with a somber expression. "He's running a fever and…" The rest of his words caught in his throat as his friend's gaze became more intense…The worst part was knowing WHY he seemed so uneasy about it. "He's coughing up some…blood…"

The Austrian fully grimaced now. Japan watched as he pulled out what looked like a print out map of the city and handed it to him. "If anything should go amiss, please meet here." "I can't just leave Yen like this Austria-san…!" "I'm not asking you to. I'm honestly hoping I'm wrong but…" The soft spoken nation gave him a slight smile as he took the map and bowed.

"I am grateful for your concern. But YenKin is my first priority." He understood, that much was certain, just as the sound of something shattering in the kitchen drew him away from the door. Austria excused himself to whatever business he had to attend to, allowing him to investigate the disturbance. Just as he had assumed, YenKin was up and about and currently trying to reach a set of plates that he'd purposely put on a high shelf in case of just this situation. He was no longer struggling to move oddly enough.

Only minutes before he had been fighting with a blanket to sit up. "Are you feeling better now, or just being stubborn again?" "I'm fine Kiku." His voice was still raspy, ghastly sounding even…"So," he said casually as he turned back toward the stove. Kiku almost missed what his friend had said when he caught sight of the streaks of blood running down his chin and throat before pooling on his orange hoody.

Something wasn't right. Oh how he prayed that Austria was wrong…

YenKin tapped the metal whisk violently against the pan as he glared at him. "Kiku! Are you even listening to me?" "You need a doctor." He recoiled at the word and pointed the now badly dented wire whisk at him as if it were a weapon. He did NOT like the grin that accompanied his friend's malicious laugh. "You're trying to ditch me, huh?" "Wh-What? No! Never! I simply-" "Save it! I know this game," the boy rasped in an even more dangerous tone. He circled around him like an angry tiger just waiting for its prey to slip up. The kitchen door swung shut, bolted, and he stared down the meek nation. Scared. Lonely. DEMENTED. All matter of words came to mind as his "friend" advanced on him with his whisk until he felt the heated edge of the unattended stove on his back and the sickening, rotting stench of his blood stained cheeks. "You're not going anywhere."

He felt YenKin's knee fly into his gut like a missile and doubled over, hitting the floor. "P-Please…You must stop…! Listen to reas-" He stomped down on the back of his head and grabbed Kiku's neck. He already knew what he would do. As hard as he tried, Kiku couldn't find his voice nor the strength to fight back against him. Not him, he pleaded silently as cold fingers worked their way into his wiring and the room began to blur from his vision…

He did it wrong. That was the only explanation for it. YenKin wasn't a programmer. He knew it was nothing short of a miracle that whatever mode he had been in had shut itself off but he was quickly beginning to wish that it hadn't. Blood and furniture was strewn across the room and YenKin was staked to the table with various utensils, half of his face burned beyond recognition and wrists and throat slashed for good measure. The crimson blade slipped from his limp hands as he slumped over the body set before him and turned the unscarred half of his face to him as if trying to wake his friend from a deep sleep. Kiku mumbled all sorts of apologies and threats but Yen wouldn't respond. "Please wake up Yen…I didn't mean it…!" Angry words, maniac laughter, anything would do if he would just break this chilling silence!

It felt like an eternity before he found the strength to stand and will to shut the boy's hollow eyes. He knew he had to leave…Guilt weighing down his body, he looked back at Yen one last time with a mixture of bitter anger and sorrowful fondness…

~Sayounara, watashi no otouto~

"Mishka! Vlad! Chow time!" A large German Sheppard and a Siberian husky came bounding in and slid along the kitchen floor toward the Russian. Ivan ruffled their fur as they bent down to eat from the bowls he'd set on the floor and smiled. "You two are just a couple of big babies, aren't you? Wouldn't harm a fly." The front door slammed shut abruptly and Mal's disgruntled face popped in. "Where's Vilkas." "In the study but-" He stormed off before Ivan could stop him and left an awkwardly stoic Gilbert to wander the kitchen with him.

"Dobri den, Gilbert." "Dobryi den…" A melancholy Gilbert was…awkward, though a nice change from his idiotic babbeling, but since when had he began speaking Russian…? "What does Mal want from otets?" "He is unhappy with my current mode and can't seem to figure out how to reset my defaults…" "Did he try to read the manual?" He nodded blankly and turned his attention to the hungry dogs that were busy licking their bowls clean. Mishka and Vlad suddenly went rigid for a moment before scampering out of the room, claws scraping the wood floor.

'No doubt otets will be irritated by Mal…' "Idite syuda Gilbert. Let me see if I can't help." He obliged without the usual distrusting and spiteful comments or ranting about his awesomeness and Ivan easily hacked his way into the Prussian's system. About half way through resetting Gilbert's default personality, a door slammed shut and heated words followed a violent tango. "For the final time, read the bloody manual, głupi bękart!" Otets was angry…

"You can't fix him, can you? Or you just hate me that much! Is that it?" "What would an imbecile like you know? You're the one who's always crying to me for help when Gilbert gets out of control! Grow the hell up and be a man instead of a punk ass-" "Shut your mouth! Don't you DARE talk down to me like I'm one of your little wined-up toys!" 'Just one last adjustment-' Something-or maybe someone-hit the floor in the other room and Ivan could hear Mishka and Vlad growling. It wasn't until he heard the call "Napadenie!" that he became alarmed.

'Gilbert can reboot on his own,' he thought before bolting into the living room. The dogs were all over Mal like a choice steak and Vilkas loomed over his fallen friend with a large iron rod from the fireplace. "Otets!" "Oh, hey there Ivan. Come back in a few minutes okay kiddo?" Mal was just barely holding back the husky's jaws from his throat and he looked at Ivan almost pleadingly before the iron bar came crashing down on his skull. Vilkas didn't bother calling off the dogs tearing away Ma;'s flesh and turned to the horror-stricken Ivan with an all too satisfied grin. "V chem delo Ivan? Don't tell me you've grown soft here!"

"Father! Have you gone mad?" "Oh…tsk tsk…did I never teach you respect? Well,' he grinned, brandishing the bar and slowly advancing on him. "Better late than never, da?" The spiked bar came down at him at a near blinding speed and rammed straight through the couch as he just barely dodged the killing blow. He couldn't dodge Mishka though. "Yo! Braginski!" A booted foot connected with the rabid dog and sent her flying across the room. "Need a hand," he asked with his usual cocky grin. "How 'bout a foot?" Gilbert was on the floor under his foot before Ivan could get up and there was still Vlad skulking around

Blood dripping from his furry maw, he sought the one who had injured his mate. "Down Vlad. Down!" The once loyal dog leapt at his former master, bestial fury clouding his eyes. If a dog develops a taste for human flesh, what do you do? "Russia! Snap out of it…or he'll scrap us both!" "Forgive me Vlad…" His neck snapped quickly with a yelp and Vilkas turned to him in fury. "Foul little whelp!" Rage. Ivan hadn't seen his father seething with such fury before in his life. He retreated on little more than instinct as he came at him and shoved the angry man away. Ivan didn't dare open his eyes until the noise had died away and a familiar hand fell on his shoulder.

Gilbert nagged and prodded him to open his eyes, to move. He wished he hadn't. The glass portion of the coffee table now had a human sized hole through it, a bloody palm protruding from the shards. "Russia! Russia!" The smaller nation's words fell on deaf ears as he stared at the sunflower from this morning lying across the glass, tainted by specks of red. By the time he found the strength to speak, he'd only managed a single word as Gilbert dragged him from the house.

~Otets~

He couldn't have ever been more frustrated than today. The only working pay phone without some crazy person in it and blood was spattered across the glass. 'Get a grip Roderich! It may be disgusting but you can't get sick! There is work to be done!' Gloves now replaced, he wrapped a handkerchief around the phone and proceeded to dial. "Pick up the phone this time…!" Three tries. Two tries too many. "'Third time's the charm' my ass Alfred...!" "Um, no, sorry. There's no Alfred here." "Right, sorry…Wait! Cal! Don't hang up!" "R-Roderich? What's up…?" Roderich sighed in relief, hand catching on the booth to steady himself. She was alive. "Roderich? Are you still there?" "Where are you Caligo?"

"The university parking lot. They're running the evacuation drill so I slipped out back to my car." "Where are they evacuating to?" There was a momentary pause and he could just imagine her chewing her lip while thinking…"They said a rescue transport from the mainland is going to dock at Pearl Harbor but we have to get there soon and they're screening for infection." "You sound skeptical about it…" "N-No! I'm not…" She was hiding something. "Caligo Valgus, do not lie to me." He could hear a sigh and a thud, probably her fist hitting the dash board. "It's just that…I haven't heard from my brother and his wife since they moved a few weeks ago…then he called and told me about the evacuation but none of the sirens went off!"

"Calm down Cally…" "I am calm!" She tried her best to sound angry but her voice cracked and she stumbled over her words. Caligo was scared, not angry. "I want you to go to the evacuation site." "What? No! I'll come and get you or something!" "You're the one I'm concerned about. You CAN get sick. So go and I'll meet you there." "But the others-" "Can take care of themselves." He smiled to reassure her even though it was a futile gesture. "Do you remember the last time we played together?" "Yeah, a few months ago…What about it?" "When we find you, we should play for the others." He heard her chuckle at the idea, surely ludicrous to her, but she agreed nonetheless. "Hurry up and get there or I'll leave without you." Roderich smiled as the line cut out and her voice vanished. There was help now, and at least their human wards would be saved.

~You mean so much to me~

"IGGY!," the American screamed from outside the kitchen window. The older nation sprang away from the window. "Bloody hell America! Your face alone is annoying enough!" "Aww! You're so mean Iggy!" "Stop yelling you git! Just come inside and talk." "It's cool with Lin?" "Well that's never stopped you from barging in before so just keep your voice down." Alfred flashed him a gleeful smile and came flying through the screen door into the kitchen. His smile faltered as soon as the fact that Arthur was IN the kitchen clicked in his mind and slowly began to pale. "Lin's not sick or anything, is she?" "Actually, yes. She's caught some sort of nasty bug going around."

"And you're COOKING for her? What'd she do to piss you off man? Barf on your shoes?" "For your information," Arthur scowled, " she ASKED me to cook for her!" Alfred only paled more and began flailing around, looking for a phone. "We gotta call an ambulance! Dude! She's gotta be dying!" "Shut up you wanker!" "Arthur…!" Alfred froze, waiting for the owner of the scratchy voice to appear suddenly like the psycho from Scream or bust through the wall like Jason Voorhees.

Arthur pulled off the purple oven mitts and scanned the hallway for the sickly girl. "Lin?" No sign of her. An ice cold hand on his back caused him to practically jump out of his skin and the girl in question looked up at him, emerald green eyes glazed over. "Good lord Lin…! You scared me half to death!" "My mistake…I'm hungry Artie…" "Go sit down and I'll bring the soup right out, ok?" "Geeze dude, you don't look too hot today!" This was a new reaction for Lin: She groaned like a frustrated child and stomped her feet on the floor wildly. "Go home Alfred…! I'm not in the mood for your…whatever the hell it is," she grumbled before throwing her arms around Arthur lazily. "And Artie owes me lunch so he's all mine!"

The blonde was about to try to argue but suddenly smiled at them. "As the lady commands. Don't give her food poisoning dude, seriously." "Git," he muttered indignantly as he shut the door behind his friend. "What would that hamburger eating halfwit know about food?" "I'm surprised you would ask," she chuckled. There was a disgusting gagging noise and Lin suddenly ran from the room to the bathroom at the end of the hall. "Honestly, that CAN'T be a good sign…" Arthur's concern only grew as he heard the faint but unmistakable sound or retching when a light, minty smell caught his attention.

"Flying mint bunny? What brings you here?" "I came to warn you Arthur! Your friend's really sick!" "And that's why I'm taking care of her." The green puffball fluttered around to keep the busy Britain's attention as he returned to the boiling broth on the stove. "But Arthur! It's really bad! It's not a normal sickness!" "A gentleman would never leave an ill woman to fend for herself." "But just now she-" "Arthur…?" Lin peeked into the room at him, cheeks paler than flour and eyes barely open. "Did Alfred come back?" "No, it's just me in here," he said cheerily, shooting the flying rabbit a stern warning look. "Who were you talking to though…?" "You must be running a pretty high fever! Sit down, the soup's just about done." Normally she'd already be arguing the severity of her condition by now but she must've been truly sick, her illness so terrible that she had no fight left in her.

Arthur brought the bowl of soup over to her with a small helping of Yorkshire pudding to go with it and stepped back into the kitchen when she began to practically attack it if she hadn't eaten in days. The circumstances aside, it felt nice to have someone appreciate his hard work in the kitchen…In the midst of his musing, the dishes suddenly rattled in the sink and a heavy set of arms fell over his shoulders. Lin rested her chin near his neck, mumbling, "That was delicious Artie…" She was getting far clingier that before but he couldn't rightfully push her away…

His train of thought crashed and burned when he felt her lips on his neck form into a smile. "English food is really something…" "Um…Glad that you liked it." "If English food is this good," she murmured. Her breath hit just over where his carotid artery would be, giving him chills when he felt her lips curl into a vicious, toothed grin that barely did justice to the words that followed. "I wonder what the English taste like!" He sprang away just as Lin's jaws would've snapped shut on his throat and hit the floor. "H-Have you gone MAD woman?"

"What's wrong Arthur?" She crept closer as he scrambled along the floor to put some distance between that wicked grin and him. "I thought you'd be happy that I liked your food!" Arthur cursed mentally as his back hit the unforgiving solid cabinet and scrambled to his feet, looking for anything to keep her away. Lin was rational (key word being "was") and hopefully still had the human instinct of self preservation for his sake. He drew the first few kitchen knives he could reach-a paring knife and a ceramic blade-and held them at arm's length toward her. "That's cute Artie, but you should put those away before you hurt yourself."

"Get any closer and I swear I'll-" Throwing her head back, the deranged girl laughed mockingly at him before advancing on him once more. "You don't have the guts to," she spat, suddenly lurching forward. Arthur's stomach churned violently as Lin continued forward as the longer knife steadily disappeared within her abdomen with a sickening squelch, blood spilling from her mouth. A strained cough spattered his uniform with beads of red and she smiled at him still…"My…m..mistake…Guess I was…wrong…" Her body went limp against him and he shoved the still-warm corps to the floor before running out into the yard…

"Arthur…," a voice called softly. He threw up again at the sound of the choked tone and the hand that rubbed his shuddering form soothingly. It was sickeningly familiar… "England," the voice called louder, stronger, demanding his attention. Arthur turned back, ready to see the blood drenched body when his eyes met brown leather instead. Alfred looked down at his friend with concern and perhaps a sort of helpless fear in his sky blue eyes since he was a young colony. "America…" Both were at a loss for words unsure of what to say next but, of course, the American found his voice first. "Russia swung by with Prussia not long ago…"

"What did they want…" "We gotta go man…We gotta go NOW." 'America being serious,' he thought as said blonde helped him to his feet. 'Something must truly be wrong.' "You never answered me America." "Oh, guess I didn't. Anyway, Russia wasn't talkin' much so Prussia just said that the others are meeting at that French place, Tramanto Café. Said Austria had some kind of plan…" "That seems convenient enough…But I don't suppose we had much of a choice, do we?" He smiled, he really tried, but there was no hiding the strain that the gesture had on him. "Not by the looks of it, but no good's gonna come from staying here!"

There was a large tear in the back of his jacket that Arthur had just noticed and perhaps Alfred hadn't, but it didn't matter now. Even though he had Alfred's company, he had left behind someone who had cared for him just the same way he had done for the younger nation. Then a thought struck him. "Alfred, where's…" The question died at his lips when he saw him fingering the small pocket watch that his young charge, Ryuu, had favored so much, a picture of the two of them on one side and a blood spattered clock on the other. Alfred only smiled that big, goofy, fake smile of his, never once stopping in his strides to get away from this place.

This sense of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders came hand in hand with one of unfathomable loneliness and sorrow. Was this the feeling, the elder nation wondered, America felt when he had won the Revolution? "Yo England! Pick up the pace bro! This place is totally giving me the creeps man!" "You sure are a coward for someone who calls himself a hero," he chided. They walked on and Arthur began to wonder if THIS present could ever become his past…

~Today is a gift, a horrible present without a return address~

"On one hand, I'm glad that you've all made it here. But on the other, the circumstances that led to it…" Rare was it that another nation could meet the eyes of the Austrian in the past few hours, but the few that could manage, spoke up. "So what's going on, piano freak. How were you able to plan all this out?" "Yeah! And where's Caligo?" "I anticipated something of the sort because I pay attention to the news. This was a failsafe plan in case our human friends became ill or were in danger of it, though it seems my warning was far too late…" There was an uncomfortable murmur of agreement but the others quieted and looked to the only unscarred one present for answers.

"Caligo's brother is a Marine Corps Colonel stationed in D.C. According to her, he said that there's a ship coming in to gather survivors." "But why would they risk that," Germany questioned, his expression colder than usual. "And didn't they say that all this started in the mainland U.S.?" Shocked, but agreeing nonetheless with him, America's gaze bore into Austria. "That is true, but that IS his sister, America-san," Japan pointed out. "Love for another can make you do irrational things." None of them could deny that…

"At any rate," Austria continued. "We don't have anything to lose since we can't be infected." "You're the only one with a kid still alive," Prussia hissed bitterly. Germany silenced him with a hand on his shoulder and looked to him. "Lead the way. Saving one is better than none." "Very well. The harbor that the ship is docking at is a good distance from here, but if we can find a working vehicle-" "On it!" "Git! What're you doing? Get back here!" America ran to the driver's side of a Pathfinder not far down the street and knocked the window in, the other nations staring in pure shock. The hero stealing a car? "My gal, Ryuu liked it when I played "secret agent" with her. Occasionally, we got a little carried away in some bad parts of the neighborhood…" "And that's your way of justifying grand theft auto to a 7-year-old," England sighed.

"Well, some situations call for it and this isn't an uncommon practice. Not to mention it looks like it'll come in handy too." The car roared to life as the elder German finished and the nations began to pile in as America got to work on hotwiring the Prius in front of it. "Damn. I'd hotwire that Harley too if I knew how!" "Not the time for that America! We need you and Japan to drive these bloody things!" "What? Why me," the meek Asian blanched. America slapped him on the back, grinning as he shouted from the Pathfinder. "Tokyo Drift man! Japanese can totally drive bro!" "Enough fooling around!" "H-Hai Germany-san!"

~If life were a highway, then we'd be dead at the next exit~

"Something isn't right," Prussia muttered as they drove onto the base. There wasn't a guard in sight as they headed for the water, Pathfinder leading the way carefully. "See anything?" "Nada…Plenty of boats but you'd think there'd be more people for a military base, let alone an evacuation site…" "Maybe we're missing the bigger picture," England murmured as they neared the docks. "We'll have to go on foot from here I guess," the Russian spoke for the first time since he and Prussia had left Vilkas' house.

The occupants of the Prius followed suit when they saw America signal to stop. "This does not seem correct at all…" "That's been established…Hey Austria. Where to?" No reponse. "Austria?" He gave a stern 'shh!' and stood ahead of both cars, ear turned toward the light breeze that caught the curl in his hair. "Do you hear that?" "Yo dude, you're weirding us out bro!" "I know that sound…!"

He acted as if he hadn't heard any of the others and started off toward the far right end of the dock. They struggled to keep up but the closer they got to the end, the clearer the sound he'd heard became. It started off as the kind of noise a mosquito would make before becoming a very distinct violin note. Not just one note, but a long, slow, and rather eerie series of them. A series that he recognized. His goal soon became clear as they drew closer to the very last pier where a small figure clad in black stood atop the bridge of a ship, playing a violin, their back facing the dock for some reason…Austria noted the pattern of notes that the now discernibly female figure was playing and a sort of melancholy humming that accompanied the melody. 'What was she saying,' he wondered, wracking his mind for the answer until her words became clear to them all.

"Silent night," she sang softly, playing half way through the song before starting over again. "Silent night…" "Yo, Cal! It's us!" "Silent night…" "Caligo-san, are you alright?" "Silent night…" "That's a pretty song Cally. What's it called?" "Silent night…" The Italian turned to his friend with a questionable look. "Ve…Isn't there more to that song that just "silent night"?" "Yes, but all she's been saying is silent night," Germany replied, obviously troubled by the phrase. "Silent night," she sang again and the others quickly became aware that it was, indeed, now a "silent night" save for them.

"Dude, make her stop! She's totally freaking me out!" "Silent night…" Austria stepped toward the bridge, a sinking feeling eating away at him inside as we watched her unscarred form play and waited for her to start again. "Silent night…" "Holy night," he answered, carrying the melody beautifully but with such strained effort that it physically showed. The violin cut out abruptly and Caligo's hands dropped to her sides…There was already doubt that their salvation was real.

That the person now slowly turning to face them was Caligo.

That she was the only remaining human unscathed by this madness…

None of them, however, could have seen all of this coming from the beginning. Certainly not Caligo. Already, they could see the little streaks of maroon on her cheeks and bits of the tell-tale black fungus clinging to the corners of her eyes. "I'm so glad," she smiled with such sincerity that it sent shivers up their spines. "I'm so happy!" Her eyes slowly cracked open and Italy cowered behind Germany who could only stare in horror with the others. "I was beginning to worry that I'd never SEE any of you again," she giggled with that familiar hint of psychotic glee. "It's a good thing because big brother was getting impatient!" Prussia was the first to throw up as a man in a blood spattered Marine uniform approached, sucking on an eyeball.

"My bad. I was feeling a bit puckish," he grinned with blood stained teeth. "Sick bastard…!" "Oh come on Arthur! Everyone's gotta eat, right?" England's heart tried to force its way up and out of his throat, not daring to look back at the owner of the voice. Italy's voice sliced through the air like a razor at his misfortune to look upon the literally broken form of Mavi dragging the upper half of her body along toward the ship. "Starting the party without us Cally?" "Unforgivable!" The ring of voices closed around them as their owners came closer to the ship, grinning like madmen.

Vilkas took a long drag of a cigar he'd found along the way and Mal waved at the pair standing on the ship, drops of blood flying from countless bite wounds. YenKin helped Lin drag Mavi along the ground and flashed Japan a wicked grin with the burned half of his face as they approached. "You never really did like parties very much, huh Kiku?" "You should stick around though! Lin's told us that Arthur makes a great cake…" The nations were at a loss…stuck between a rock and a bunch of walking, TALKING corpses, they backed into each other in fear that they were failing to hide.

"N-No! We saw you get hit by those cars…You died!" The German was losing his composure quickly as his rationalizing failed to keep the bloodied bodies from creeping closer. "Did you really think I'd let that keep me from my little Feliciano, Ludwig?" Mavi giggled as she fell to the ground before him and stared, arms stretched out to the Chibitalia who was now beyond traumatized into silence. Italy recoiled and fell as her broken hands trapped his ankles. "Let go of him!" Germany raised a foot to stomp on her hand but a lightning fast blow to the chest sent him crashing to the ground as Italy tried to scream for his friend. Ryuu's tiny hands wrapped around the German's throat with her aunt's frightening strength and giggled cutely as she weighed herself down on him, forcing the air from his body. "Wrestle with me, Mr. Ludwig? Or do you think I'll just get hurt?"

"By the time the last drop of blood drains from your body, this will be but a distant memory and I will walk away with a clear conscience," the Chinese boy announced. He twirled a pair of sais between his fingers with a wicked grin…"So did you, wo de xiongdi?" His throat went dry as he stared into the burned and blood stained visage of his dear friend…He tried to speak, but words fled from him in horror. "Guess he had something on his mind after all," YenKin laughed as Japan fell to the ground, a sai jutting out from his forehead. "Fear is such a delicious thing! How it tastes," Lin smirked, licking her stained lips.

"How it looks," YenKin said in a sing-song voice as he wrenched the weapon from the twitching body. "The way it smells…" Vilkas ripped a long glass shard from his back as he advanced on Russia and Prussia. "It just feels so nice," Mavi giggled. Chibitalia was slowly turning a sickly shade of blue as the air was forced out of him…"There's a funny thing about it though!" A broken arm wrapped around America's threat as he and England were taken by surprise by Lin and Mal. Austria's mind echoed with their screams for help and pain, sinking to his knees before the bridge.

Light footsteps made their way toward him and dainty, foul smelling hands lifted his face up only to meet black pools of darkness. Darkness only smiled back at him pleasantly and sentenced him to death with a sweet, honeyed voice. "Something so terrible just plays like another sweet melody." The gavel came crashing down on him…

~Off with his head!~

Thunder shook the room as he bolted upright, hands groping his neck and chin to reassure himself that they were still attached. A small, dainty hand found his shoulder and he whipped around viciously to see a stunned Caligo staring at him in the darkness. "Roderich? What's Wrong?" "Caligo! You're…are you," he stuttered, feeling her cheeks and face. "You maniac, what're you molesting my face for?" "I just…"

It was all a dream…

"What time is it?" "Eleven fifty-seven. What's wrong? I could hear you from the living room!" She rubbed his shoulder soothingly, expression hidden by the darkness but he knew how worried she was. "I had the strangest dream," he murmured, allowing her to guide him back down against the bed.

11:58

Lightning filled the room for a brief moment, illuminating her face with a motherly smile as she pulled the covers over him again. "Don't worry Roderich," she cooed with a familiar honeyed tone.

11:59

"After all, it IS just a dream." Another flash of lightning filled the room and illuminated her face:

Calm demeanor

A motherly smile

12:00

Darkness staring back at his horror stricken face before embracing him…

Translations:

Sayounara, watashi no otouto (Japanese) "Good bye, my brother"

Dobryi den (Russian) "Good day"

Otets (Russian) Father

V chem delo (Russian) "What's wrong"

Idite syuda (Russian) "Come here"

Napadeine (German) "Attack"

Wo de xiongdi (Chinese) "my brother"

All translations came from google, so feel to correct me if I'm wrong. Also, please let me know if I missed anything, because it is 1 AM here and my eyes are dying...x_x

Authoress Notes:

-"Silent Night" was a song that both Austria and Caligo enjoyed playing together and is used similar to a safe word between them to identify one another.

-Russia is more kind and caring because Vilkas "raised" him and simply transfered his memories from Little!Russia to normal Russia when Ivan asked what it was like to be a grown up (later chapter in other story)

-The virus in the story can only be contracted by direct exposure to infected blood via open wounds on a healthy person or their internal organs, causing tissue to necrotize and a black fungus like growth to develope along the eyes and other openings on a person's body. The virus brings out underlying personality traits and desires in people, creating completely different personalities. (i.e., a person who is sane, soft spoken and rarely has outbursts of any kind will become violent, always angry and psychotic.)

-Lin became infected by ingesting infected tissue when she and Arthur went out to eat for dinner instead of cooking...The chef at the restaurant was among the first infected by the virus, giving her similar symptoms to food poisoning. Arthur is a unit so he can't get sick and flying mint bunny became concerned because he saw Lin throwing up large amounts of blood while he was making her soup.

-Caligo's name means darkness in Latin, hence "Darkness staring back at him"

-The man that ate Caligo's eyes was her older brother, Yuki Valgus. The girl, Ryuu is his daughter and Caligo's niece. Yuki put Alfred in charge of taking care of Ryuu before they moved to Washington and keeping her safe when he sent her back to Hawaii to live with Caligo, under the lie that they were considering moving back. Yuki didn't want to scare Caligo with news of the virus as the government tried to keep it under wraps but once he knew that she found out, he tried to get her and her friends somewhere safe in Canada, until he succumed to the virus himself...