A/N: I haven't really done much research (admittedly) upon doing this fanfic, and I'm honest in saying that History isn't my strongest subject. But I am doing my best to stick to facts.

General knowledge (To those who haven't read A Few Good Men and The Day You Said Goodnight): The head-cannon remains that Alicia Aragon is the representation of the Crown of Aragon, Spain; now known as the region, Aragon (she takes the name Alicia Fernandez-Carriedo, or Alicia Beilshmidt when she married Gilbert). However, in this fanfic, she takes the form of an ordinary human girl, who is stuck in Germany during WWII. It's a horrible time to fall in love, but fall in love she did.

Warnings: War, tragedy but a whole lot of love, both brotherly and romantic. Fluff and implied sexual situations, but nothing graphic will be written. Gilicia (GilbertxOC). I might even make you cry. If there is love in the time of cholera, there is also love in the time of World War II.

"Mmm..."

"Hihi~"

A nuzzle and a nose gently touching hers told Alicia that the occupant of the bed beside her was awake as well. Opening her eyes to reveal their bright amber shades, her gaze was met by stunning, crimson red eyes under a fluff of short, snow-white hair that glowed like silver in the morning sun.

"Good morning, beautiful."

Alicia laughed, "I'm wondering if you're saying that to me or to your reflection in my eyes, oh mighty one."

Instead of answering, he ran a hand into her long, dark, raven-coloured locks, "It could be possible that your beauty may over-power all my awesomeness, just this time, you know?"

"Your brother said that wasn't possible, Gilbert," Alicia started, with a smirk. A pout played upon his lips, "And, well, isn't it about time you say your usual, 'Sorry, but it was only just one night,'?"

The nation turned his gaze away, "Well... I wouldn't have told you the truth about myself if it was just that."

Alicia smiled, especially because she knew what he meant, "What do you want me to do, Prussia, if not go home?"

Gilbert shrugged, "How about breakfast?" he asked, pulling her by the waist underneath the sheets, making their already half-clothed bodies touch.

The young brunette laughed, "It's almost 11:30!"

"Brunch?" suggested red-eyed man, "You get to stay as long as you want."

And with a soft kiss from him, she realized that she would.

Ludwig was already used to waking up and seeing rather scantily clad women appearing from his brother's room. He didn't want to say it to Prussia, especially since he already seems to have an overly-bloated ego, but the albino man does have a way in getting women to smother him. And more often than Ludwig seems to want to, Gilbert gets what he wants – although Ludwig had advised him that if it was companionship that he wanted, that wasn't the way to get it. However, the woman currently in question had come down from Prussia's room wearing only his blue uniform for a shirt (and hopefully underwear underneath), which clothed her until an inch above her knee. From the den, Ludwig could see her coming down the stairs.

"Alicia! Wait up, love," Prussia ran after the girl with a white undershirt and his pants, "I didn't tell you to go down on your own," And he wrapped an arm around her waist as he led her into the dining room, "You should have worn something other than my uniform…"

"Maybe later." She smiled as she saw the German, "Oh, hello."

"This is unusual." Ludwig couldn't help but say as he set his tea down upon the table, "He doesn't usually let anyone stay after sunrise." He looked at the Prussian, "What are you planning?"

"Oh come of it, Lud," Gilbert sat right beside Alicia, smirking, "Can't you see she is different? This is Alicia."

"Alicia?" the young German still couldn't believe it, "So you aren't, um… A…"

At first her brows furrowed, worrying about what it was when she realized that he might mean the occupation of the other women that had been paid to join the Prussian in bed, "Oh no, he didn't pay me to do anything with him. I'm not a prostitute," she laughed a little, making the albino beside her turn a bright shade of red, "I work legitimately."

"Do you?" the German was still suspicious, of course, and it was a given, "What as?"

"A teacher," She smiled warmly, "I teach general education in that art school down the street."

An art school? Ludwig wondered, "Wait, but isn't that run by Jews?"

"Yes, it still is," Gilbert was the one to reply, "I was just there the other day."

"But you don't look like you're a Jew." Ludwig was blunt, and luckily, Alicia wasn't the type to immediately take offense, especially since it was evident in her sun-kissed skin, "I don't recall you saying your family name. You are…?"

"Aragón," she said proudly, "Alicia Aragón."

"I see, you're one of Spain's-" but the German cut himself off, eyes wide as he nearly divulged their secret to someone who was only a mere human.

However, much to his surprise, Gilbert looked at Alicia, "You've met him already, right?" he asked her.

The Spaniard nodded, "Yes, he was very jolly. He was in my hometown for a festival, and he was bringing along this handsome, scowling man,"

Crimson eyes met his brother's icy-blue ones, and Ludwig nodded, "That would be Lovino," he said firmly, "But wait, if you're Spanish, what brought you here? I mean, aren't you able to teach in your home-town in Spain?"

"I was an apprentice to the woman who owned the school here," she explained, "She also has a foothold in Spain, because she teaches philosophy, and she said she needed an extra hand so I moved into a small apartment right beside the school to help her. It's quite bare, with little space for extravagance, but I have everything I need in it, so I don't complain." She smiled.

Ludwig seemed pleased. She really wasn't like any of the other women that her brother had brought home. None of the others even bothered to stay for a decent conversation with him, and it seemed like their secret was safe with her. The only worry he had was that she was human. Human. And all any nation who's ever loved a human suffered a certain sort of fate. Francis and Jeanne; Arthur and Elizabeth; Catherine and Ivan – all of them got their hearts broken and never repaired at the loss of a human that was so dear to them. His brother had already lost Frederick the Great, and he was an exceptional sort of human. She was quite ordinary, but exceptionally in love with his brother. He couldn't bear to see him lose someone who was so dear to him again.

"So, are you quite done interrogating mein liebling, bruder?" the Prussian asked the German. Alicia flushed at what she had just been called, much to the albino's amusement.

"Ja," Ludwig rolled his eyes and went back to reading the morning paper and his tea, "The maids might have already made lunch. You two can eat."

Alicia shyly looked back at the Prussian, who leaned in to kiss her lightly upon the cheek, "And by the way," he added, grinning mischievously, "I want you to move in with us as soon as possible."

Giggles erupted from the staff room about a few weeks later, as Alicia was helped out of her apartment by her co-workers, bringing along her only bag. They seemed to like the idea of her dating a soldier (especially since she couldn't tell them that he was the personification of half their country, East Germany), and since she was young, cheerful and beautiful in their eyes, it seemed like a pleasant match. It greatly helped that the Prussian came up with his car to pick her up himself, and was waiting by the school gate, humming happily to himself.

"He's such a gentleman!" quipped one of her fellow teachers.

"Oh, and very handsome too~" said the head of the Art department.

"Hush, now, all of you." The Headmistress chuckled, "You wanted to show him some artworks before you left, right?" And Alicia nodded, smiling, "Well, here are the keys to the memorabilia, so give him a tour."

And the young Spaniard did just that.

Gilbert coughed nervously as Alicia towed him along into the school happily, earning a couple of stares from some children who studied there. He was wearing the standard uniform, after all, with enough stripes for a General of the Army (of course, he wasn't really a General, but he had to act out the role now, didn't he?), and it wasn't usual that officers would dwell in places such as school yards. Then again, if he only had a child of his own, then he would do just that, regardless of what he was told to do. He did love children. It was only a pity he didn't have any of his own.

"We're here~" Alicia said in a sing-song voice. She opened up double-oak doors and inside were varying works of art – sculptures, molds and paintings – all from the students of the school. Gilbert's jaw dropped, and she looked a little nervous, "Y-You… Do you like it?"

The Prussian had begun to walk around, "Have you ever brought anyone else here?" he asked her.

"You're the first." She replied with a shy smile, "I mean… I saw all the paintings in your house, and I figured you were an aficionado." She looked at a certain painting of a simple house, "Most of these were the samples of the ones who tried to enroll in the school. This one, for example… He was a brilliant child. It was just sad that he wasn't Jewish, or he would have gotten in with his skills."

"Wait." Gilbert processed what she had just said, "You reject students just because they're not Jewish?"

"N-Not anymore," she sighed, "That was about ten years ago or so. I wasn't teaching here yet. When I started, I told them that skill was more important, and that it wasn't fair to students who were exceptional. The Headmistress liked the idea, so about three years ago, we accepted all sorts of students, as well as teachers."

The Prussian seemed proud, "That sounds like something you'd do."

"What?"

"Nothing." He chuckled, "Which puts you at about… Twenty three years old?"

"Close. I'm twenty-five." She grinned mischievously, "Which makes you… What, seven-hundred years too old for me?" she teased.

Gilbert pouted, "Eight-hundred or so," he pulled her by the waist, "Oh come on, nobody knows. I don't really look my age, do I?"

"I don't know~" she teased, giggling a little, "Maybe I should just go for your little brother, hm?"

"Lud's a hundred and twenty," the Prussian's expression now turned serious, "Really, Alicia?"

She knew she must have pressed a button for the albino to change moods that way, so she lovingly wrapped her arms around him, "You know I was joking," she said softly, leaning closer to him, "I don't care about your age. It isn't one of the things that matter to me, and you know it."

"You made it sound otherwise," he said, crimson eyes reflecting worry, "I know I don't age. And you probably will, and I'll have to see you off in a few decades, but…" he gazed into her amber eyes, not knowing what else to say.

"I know," Alicia whispered softly, cupping his cheeks into her hands, "But as long as I spend that time with you, I can ask for nothing else. I… I love you."

A smile began to play upon the Prussian's lips, and fire began to dance in his eyes. It was as though that was the only thing he had been waiting to hear, and he embraced her, "I love you, Alicia." He said slowly, and low, enough only for her to hear, "Stay with me."

He was hardly romantic, Alicia admitted. But Gilbert had a way with words, saying the right ones, truthfully and genuinely. So it wasn't hard for her to be swayed by him, and to succumb to what he wished. He was massively charming, and encouraging, and his words were congruent to his actions.

"Okay." She smiled as her eyes began to drop close because he began to close the gap between them, "I'll stay."

And her decision was sealed with a kiss.

It was early morning, a week or so again after her decision, and the sun had barely risen to give its golden rays a stretch when the Prussian felt motion upon the bed he slept in. He opened his eyes wearily to find that Alicia had run to the bathroom, and he could hear sounds of regurgitation. At first, he was a little too tired to even move when the facts began to sink in and his eyes snapped open. He got up swiftly and ran to the bathroom to find the young Spaniard washing her face with cold water, "Liebling," he said softly, approaching her to rub her back soothingly, "A-Are you all right?"

She shuddered a little, then swallowed thickly, "Well, that's the last time I trust your cooking," she chuckled softly, "The only thing I seemed to have digested was the cake."

Still, concern got Gilbert to bring Alicia to him, caressing her cheeks gently with his sword-calloused hands, "Are you sure? Nothing else?"

"Don't worry, love~" she kissed the albino tenderly upon the cheek, "It's a minor case of indigestion. I'll be quite all right."

And she most certainly was. She took the morning off to help the Prussian around the house (or, rather, mansion). Ludwig had gone to a business trip overseas and was returning later that day. Although Gilbert doesn't say it much, he loves his brother a lot as well, and takes to cleaning and making everything spotless whenever the German was away, only because he knew that he liked it better that way (and he was raised by the albino that way as well). The Prussian had walked her down to the school himself, to be able to bid her good-bye with a soft kiss upon the cheek.

The Headmistress came down to fetch her, and once Gilbert had gone quite a distance away from the school, she looked at the young Spaniard, "When do you plan on telling him?"

Alicia looked up at her superior, "I don't suppose I know what you mean."

"You're blooming," she immediately said, "You've gotten rosier cheeks, a cheerful ambiance, plus I do believe you live with that man now. Do not deny what is clear in my eyes, my dear. I know that you've known."

The Spaniard sighed, then nodded, "I do know," she said, "And I'll tell him soon."

But soon didn't come in a pace that either of the two expected. Perhaps, most events happened too soon. And then some, not soon enough. Because later that afternoon, the skies had turned grey, and several soldiers began marching into the city, bearing flags with a symbol quite familiar to Alicia. They wore a swastika, an ancient symbol, holy to many different religions. Though the flags were red, with a white circle that had the swastika in black at the center. As she was about to walk out of the school yard, teachers pulled her in and bid her to be careful.

"Don't go to school in the next few days." The Headmistress warned her.

"What? Why?" she argued, eyes furrowing, "What about-?"

"It's dangerous," they said, "Far too dangerous. You must stay home, where you will be safe."

Safe with the soldier, most of them had added. So she walked down the silent streets, with the soldiers eyeing her as she did. She couldn't understand why it could be dangerous for her to be doing her job. Until a soldier came up to her just as she approached the gates, "Heil Hitler!" he said. Alicia felt a cold shower run down her spine, and the soldier spoke to her in swift German.

"I'm sorry," she said breathlessly, "I…I don't speak…"

"Identification." The soldier repeated in plain English.

She was about to bring out her passport from her bag, when strong arms pulled her into the gates and the soldier paled, like he'd just seen a ghost.

"What do you think you're doing to my wife?" hissed Gilbert, and the soldier bowed an apology, before returning to do his rounds.

Alicia turned bright red and turned to the Prussian, who was half-dragging her indoors, "Wife?" she demanded, "What are you talking about? What's-?!"

But he placed a hand over the Spaniard's mouth, "Let me explain, love." Gilbert said plainly. She nodded. "Look, I said what I had to say to keep you safe. They'll tow you away for questioning otherwise. Germany…" he drew a deep breath, "Germany is about to go to war."

"What?" This time, she slapped his hand away from her mouth, "Gilbert, you're going to-?!"

"It wasn't my idea, please, believe me!" He looked at her desperately, hurt gleaming in his eyes, "I just… I'm not even supposed to be here right now, but I want you to be safe." He sighed and pulled Alicia into a warm embrace, right there at their doorstep, "I can't tell you where I'm going, or what I'll be doing. But I don't want you to leave the house in the next few days."

"Okay."

She was honestly scared now, and Gilbert knew it. So he sighed, and brought her inside, and straight into his quarters, and into one of his closets, "Listen. I want you to stay here in my room for the entire time this week. I've instructed the maids to give you three meals a day," he pulled her into the closet, feeling for a switch, and a second door opened that led to an elevator.

Alicia was astounded, "G-Gil… What is that?"

"I've made a safe house for a reason such as this. Nobody in this house knows it exists, except for me," he smiled a little and caressed her cheek as he pulled her back into the main room, "Now listen very carefully, Alicia. The moment you hear bullets or bombs, or see any sort of danger, I want you to go straight down there. Don't bring anyone, don't bring anything. Keep yourself safe. I'll be back in three days, but a lot can happen then."

Her eyes were strewn with tears and she gripped the front of the Prussian's uniform, "Come back to me, por favor."

It was probably the first time he had ever heard her speak her own language in front of him, so Gilbert nodded and pressed a soft kiss upon her forehead. "There will be nowhere else for me to come back to but you."

And with those words, he parted with her temporarily.

She was able to sleep that night, and the eve of the first day. The morning of the second day, was also serene, although windows and doors were shutting down the street, and she could see shops closing. When evening arrived, all was silent. She drifted off into a light sleep, until she heard it: screams. Then, fire. A terrible sight, before bullets and explosions mixed into the plight of those in misery outside their gates. Alicia froze.

There was shuffling in the upper floor, and she could hear plates crashing and people yelling orders harshly in German. She finally snapped out of her stance, and looked at the door: she had remembered to lock it. Then, all of a sudden, there were heavy knocks, which made her run to into the closet.

"Hallo? Is anyone inside? We are under orders to escort you-"

She didn't want to hear it. She only wanted Gilbert. And she only trusted Gilbert.

Fear coursing through her veins, she flipped the light switch into the elevator, remembered to close all doors, before she went down to her husband's secret room. The moment she opened the elevator doors, her eyes widened. The room was filled with sculptures, photographs, paintings… All pieces of art, but from places she hadn't even heard of.

"Lost art," she breathed out, approaching a painting when, suddenly, something exploded from the surface and she saw the ceilings give off powder and the lights flickered.

Tears filled her eyes as she ran into a corner, hugging her knees and looking around vigilantly. She knew that nobody should be able to find her. Not there. Not when Gilbert was the only one who knew of that location.

However, as more screams echoed above her, she knew that there was chaos happening. And with the bullets she heard fired, and the cries of the people – she hugged her knees closer, and buried her head into it, tears streaming down her face. She wanted safety. She wanted security. But most of all, she wanted to just be in the Prussian's embrace. Nothing more, and nothing less. But he was fighting in that god-forsaken war. And there seemed to be nothing she could do about it.

"A bit more," she told herself, "He'll come back. He'll… He'll come back…" She repeated it again and again to herself, hoping even she could believe it.

She didn't notice that she had fallen asleep through the turmoil that had happened in the streets of Germany. Not until strong arms carried her, and still, she was muttering to herself, "He'll come back… He'll come back."

"Shh. I'm back, liebling." And a soft kiss upon her forehead made her eyes flutter open.

"… Gilbert?" she hoped it was true.

"Yeah?" He was carrying her in his arms, back up the lift and into his room where he set her down upon the bed, "Are you all right? Did you get hurt?" he asked worriedly.

Alicia shook her head, "N-No… But Gil, what-?"

The door burst open and several soldiers lined up facing them, and pointing their artillery at them. Out of instinct, Gilbert pushed Alicia behind him, as though covering her with his own body and scowling at the soldiers, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Don't blame them, they are following orders. Yours has just been overridden."

A man, whom Alicia only knew as the Führer, walked calmly into the room, and the Prussian's breathing began to hitch. They were outnumbered, and terribly out-gunned.

"You are both under arrest!" a soldier said.

"You can't do that!" Gilbert shouted, but the Führer chuckled.

"She is obviously not Aryan. But neither are you, now, are you… Prussia?" the albino's fists clenched.

However, there were heavy footsteps thundering towards them, and all of a sudden:

"Führer! I beg to disagree! You cannot impose this!" Ludwig had run into the room, causing the soldiers to part, but their aim never leaving Gilbert and Alicia's direction, "You cannot arrest the girl or my bro-" He tried to stop at mid-speech, but it was no good. He had known.

"Interesting." Eyes now turned to Gilbert and Alicia, "Well, since he is my homeland, I'd like to give him the honour." He turned to Ludwig, "So, who shall you save? The charming young Spanish lady, or your brother?"

Before Ludwig could open his mouth, the two immediately pointed at each other:

"Save her!"

"Save him!"

"What, no!" Gilbert turned to his brother, "I'm immortal. You know that, I won't die! Save Alicia, bitte."

"But you'll get hurt, and you suffer too!" her eyes turned to the Prussian, "I can't let you go through that. I can't. I don't want to see you suffer more. Besides, I'm going to die anyway."

"But, Alicia-"

"I'm sorry, bruder," Ludwig started to say, wincing at his own decision, "… But I can't let anything bad happen to you. Please, take her away."

"What?! No!"

But the Prussian was torn away from her, and tears streamed down her face. It was as though she knew what would be happening, what could come, and fear was dancing in her eyes.

The Führer released an amused chuckle, "You don't belong here anyway," he had muttered in his native tongue, before he led the soldiers out.

She continuously reassured him, even as she was being forced away, "I'll be okay… I'll be fine."

And without another word, the door was shut, leaving only Gilbert and Ludwig alone together.