~1945
America dragged his feet through his house, making a point to place a hand on the wall whenever he felt dizzy. His balance was failing him. The whiskey bottle fell from his hand with a thud, soaking his wooden floors. The smell was intoxicating. Alaska came running from his room with worry in her dark eyes.
"Alfred!" she gasped. She ran to him, her heels clacking against the ground. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder but he gripped hard and tossed her to the side. She whimpered and rubbed her bruised hand.
"Did you pack my things?" he asked, his speech slightly slurred. Alaska dimmed the light and confirmed his question.
"You're a good girl" he praised, stumbling to his room. Alaska walked downstairs choking back tears that wanted to fall. When she heard America's snoring she dialed a specific number. One that she only called when absoutley nessary. Riing...riing...riing..."Hello?" Britian's voice rang through the reciever.
"Britian! Please help America!" Alaska immediatly began begging. Britian could barely make out her words due to the fact that her crying never ceased.
"Alaska. Alaska. Shut UP!" he yelled. She became silent, except for the occasional sniffle. "Now explain. Slowly" he instructed. Alaska confessed about America's recent behivor, his constant drinking, not doing work because he was too drunk to do so, forgeting that Virgina is dead and more than that...never letting go of Lithuania's departure.
"I think...after Lithuania left...so did America" Alaska wiped her nose on a napkin and sighed. Britian was silent for sometime before asking,
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because, in a week America leaves to settle things in Japan and I'm afraid how he will handle buisness there in his current state. Please, please, go with him. He can't do this alone" Alaska begged him. Britain denied her request but then seeing his daughter trot into his office holding her doll, he accepted. When he hung up, he swooped her into his arms. She had the body of and mind of a five year old, and he absoutley adored her. Mostly because he reminded her so much of his deceased wife, her mother. As he tucked her into bed, he reminded himself that he was once in America's shoes and how America had stepped up to the plate. For the first 50 years of her life, America and the states had taken care of her faithfully. America being more than a father figure to her. He gave her an affectionate kiss on her head, and smoothed the small brown curls that poked from her braid.
"Goodnight, Elizabeth" he whispered before leaving her room, the door cracked slightly open.
~ A Week Later
Britain arrived at America's home with his daughter held protectivly in his arms. He knocked on the door and they awaited a response. When the ivory door opened they saw Hawaii standing there looking more than happy. Elizabeth squealed in glee at her sight. Hawaii took her from Britain's arms and hugged her.
"Virginia!" she squealed.
"Hawaii!" Elizabeth responded. Since her mother was once the state of Virginia, after her death Elizabeth was forced to take on all responsibility as a state. Once again, America had proven how much of a man he truely was and added her responsibility to his own. Perhaps going as a chaperone would be a small way to show his gratitude to America. Even if he was a git. Britain exchanged pleasentaries with Hawaii before entering America's home. The strong odor of alchol and...something else was feebishly masked by a the scent of pinecones and coffee. Britain assumed that must have been Alaska's doing. Texas came storming down the stairs, mumbling to himself. His expression was held in an angry scowl but he lightened up when he spotted Virginia.
"Liz!" he exclaimed.
"Maverick!" she responded. She squirmed out of Hawaii's grasp and darted over to Texas.
"Hey there dollface. How you been?" he asked, still smiling.
"Good!" she giggled. Texas made his way over Britain with his hand stretched out. They shook hands and greeted eachother like gentlemen.
"It's good to see you Texas" Britain said.
"You too" He repsonded. Virginia tugged at his blue jeans and asked to be lifted. Texas granted her request. It seems like he can never deny her anything. Once in his arms she gave her father a kiss on his cheek then asked Texas to take her to the park. Texas nodded in agreement but not before leaving Britain with these words "Alfred's being a bastard. Were I you, I'd watch my back". He kept his voice quiet enough so Virginia wouldn't hear, but Hawaii knew exactly what he was whispering about. Hawaii led Britain to the parlor where they met Alaska there, her hands covered with gloves. She stood and gave Britain a friendly smile.
"Arthur, it's so wonderful to see you again" she sighed, her voice dripping with gratitude. Britain took a seat in front of her.
"The pleasure is all mine" he responded. The atmosphere was stiff. Almost as if something were holding Alaska down. When she reached over to pour Britain tea he swiped her hand foward, holding it in a vice. He held back his strength, knowing that the strength of a state was nothing compared to that of a country. One wrong move and he could shatter her hand. He pulled her glove off and stared in awe at her hand. Her usually pale skin was purple, and blue with dots of yellow decorating it. She looked away and flicked her hand out of his grasp. She put her glove back on and left the room without words to speak.
"Alfred did that to her a week ago. She wouldn't give us any details but we know he's not being himself right now" Hawaii explained.
"Is he beating her?" Britain couldn't think of America beating an innocent, much less someone who was like his sister. However, her hand told another story.
"We don't think so. Besides this one time, she hasn't shown any signs of Alfred hitting her" Britain leaned back in his chair. He thought about the America he knew, and the America the states knew. They were two diffrent people. So carefree, and idiotic. That's the America Britian knew. Was the alcholic the true America? He was begining to question himself. He rose from his seat.
"I should probably get America. We're going to be late for our flight" Britain walked out the room, over to America's. He knocked three times on the door before saying "America. It's time to go". He waited a while then America opened the door. His hair was messy, his eyes were bloodshot. His breath smelled of whiskey and vodka. Damn you Soviet, he thought to himself as he pushed his way into America's room. Was he a messy man? Yes. But his room was more than messy. It was disgusting. Food was rotting on the floors, sticky and stinking, stains of unknown substance decorated the floors, walls and bedding.
"Alfred, the is truely revolting" he motioned all around the room with his hands. "I knew you were a slob but this is going to far"
"Why the hell are you here?" America asked rubbing his mouth.
"To take you to Japan. Remember? You're going to set up bases in Japan but that's not going to happen if we miss our flight" Britain explained. His voice sounded calm, almost fatherly. The same tone he would use when America was a child. Now that he was his own man, Britain had no right to treat him like that. The fact that he even made such a move only pissed America off even more.
"I don't need a babysitter. Why don't you go play house with your kid and leave me alone?" America took a step over to his bed but stopped when Britain's fist came flying foward, landing directly on his nose. He fell back into the heap of garbage, his hands covering the spewing blood.
"Don't you dare talk about Elizabeth like that. She's not just my kid. She was once yours. Remember when Victoria died and you were the one who took care of Elizabeth? Yeah asshat, that was you. I thought you would have more respect for my daughter, your state" Britain took America by the collar of his shirt and shoved him against the wall with the strength of a country, "You're going to clean up, and we're going to Japan" he instructed with the same determination that he once had during the revolutionary war. Before America had stomped it. He dropped America and stormed towards the doorway "You have fifteen minutes" he said before slamming the door shut.
Downstairs Alaska sobbed into Hawaii's lap. They had heard the fighting and the yelling. They even heard America refering to Elizabeth as a kid.
"How could he do that?! What can I do?!" Alaska sobbed. Hawaii ran her hand through her raven hair.
"There is nothing we can do. We've tried helping him but if he won't accept it then there is nothing we can do" Hawaii explained calmly, trying to mimic the former Virginia's, Victoria as Britain calls her, voice.
"There must be something" Alaska sniffed. Britain came storming downstairs but paused when he saw Alaska and Hawaii. Alaska didn't notice him but Hawaii nodded. A silent way of saying 'yeah, it's that bad'. Britain walked over and put a hand on Alaska's back. She turned to him, her face in ruins. He wiped her tears away with the sleeve of his jacket, then pulled her into a comforting hug. She stopped crying, feeling his paternal presense was enough to stifle her cries.