Thank you to those who read and commented on this! And thank you for correcting my Google translated (crappy) Russian! I love learning languages, and don't mind when others help that out! I have corrected my mistakes and would love more feedback! ^_^

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On this day, 96 years ago, a family and their servants were brutally slaughtered. . .

Yet to this day, they live on. . .

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The alcohol on his breath could be smelled from a mile away. The stumble in his walk could be seen just as far. Fortunately for the rest of the world, he had locked himself away.

His home was far from any town – at least three hours by car – so just in case he got out of hand, there was no one who would get hurt. His sisters and former lackeys had all left him years ago. Even his old pet was freed. But even with the twinge of failure scratching away at his heart, he knew it was better to be alone. Especially now.

Now was the 96th anniversary of one of the cruelest deaths in his life. It was the anniversary of when his sweet angel was taken from him. Her and her family were ripped from their rule, and he was left in the aftermath, all alone.

He tripped over an empty Vodka bottle, stumbling to the ground.

Since then, he had tightened his grip on the people around him, forcing them to stay. He wanted them to never leave; to never abandon him like she did.

He held onto the banister, pulling himself up slowly. He stared down to the first floor, vision distorting as a dizziness set in. His grip tightened.

A few minutes later, he inched towards the steps. The closer he got, the harder it became to walk.

How much had he drank?

How many bottles were scattered on the floor?

How did he –

He gasped as he tripped on another bottle. Thankfully, he was able to catch himself before he could land on the floor.

His breath staggered. His eyesight blurred. He could taste the dry air around him. He could feel the cold from outside incase him.

His angel was gone.

His family was gone.

He had nothing left.

There was nothing left.

He was almost to the stairs, when it happened. The tears started to fall. They fell and fell, and didn't stop falling. He could not stop them. He fiercely rubbed his eyes, trying to make it stop. He hadn't cried in years! Why now! This day was like any other anniversary! Why had they come now!

He yelled, not watching his step! The tears kept attacking him, and he kept fighting back! And he fell!

He fell backwards, down the stairs!

The few seconds in the air seemed like hours to him, but it soon ended as his head came in contact with the last step. He gasped as the rest of his body hit the stairs. He could barely see a golden figure in front of him.

"Papa Russia! Vanya! Come and play with me!" The figure smiled, giggling with carefree joy.

"Angel…" he tried to reach out to touch her once more, "Ana. . ."

But before he could grab her hand, the darkness filled his surroundings.

Nothing but darkness.

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"Is he alright, eh?"

"Damn, that was some fall!"

"Brüder!* This is serious!"

"Was?! I was just saying!"

"Hush! I think he is coming around, aru."

He could feel something cold on his forehead, "Dudes, just shut it. You're not helping any!"

"Saying the wanker who broke down the door."

"Shut it Artie!"

"Now quite with your sexual tension! He's coming to!"

Russia's eyes claimed shut. It was so loud!

"Everyone quiet!" Came a soft, but firm voice, "Mister Russia isn't healthy enough for all this yelling!"

He grunted, squirming. The voices stopped.

He gradually opened his eyes, wishing the lights were turned off. He jumped when a smiling blond popped into his vision, "Hey dude. You okay? You fell pretty brutally there."

"Chto?"*

The blond – his rival – frowned, "You fell. Down the stairs?"

Before he could respond, Arthur pulled Alfred away from him, "Give him some space, wanker."

"I was just checking on him!"

"Brother, be quiet."

"I didn't do anything wrong though!"

As the bickering continued, he tried to sit up. Fortunately, Yao and Ludwig helped him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Once again, everyone went quiet, turning to him. He tried to hide his face, uncomfortable with that much attention.

"Well duh," Alfred spoke up, "We knew you were in trouble."

He looked up, "Trouble?"

"Ja,"* Ludwig spoke, "Gilbert had a feeling."

The attention turned to the red eyed albino, who just took it all in, "Of course the awesome me knew! Why wouldn't I!"

Ludwig sighed, "He said he thought he remembered this date as something dark for you."

"Shi-da,"* Yao chimed in, "But then we asked Toris for clarification. And he told us what had happened."

He turned his eyes to the slightly shaking Baltic state, "I-I am sorry, Mister Russia. I know it was none of their business. But considering what has happened before on this da-"

He stood up, making everyone jump just a little, "Go away."

As he started to walk to the kitchen, his uninvited guests fought to stay.

"Monsieur!* We cannot!"

"You are in no condition to be left alone, aru!"

"Please Russia, let us stay, eh!"

"Come on! Let us just make sure –"

He turned around, silencing them with his stare. In a low, dark voice he threatened them, "This is none of your business. This is my home. And if you do not leave, I will make you," His glowing eyes turned to Toris, "And you had no right to tell them anything, you Krysa!"*

Toris flinched away.

His dark aura started to envelope him, as he turned away.

"Wait a minute!" Alfred rushed in front of him, "Toris didn't do anything wrong! And he's not a rat! We forced him to tell us, because we were worried that you'd do something stupid! And it looks like you did! Considering you have a split head Yao had to staple up!"

He was about to hit the arogent American, when the kitchen door swung open, "Oh my! Brother! What are you doing up! You should still be resting!"

He stood there shocked, fist still up in the air, when he saw his older sister with a tray of cups and tea. What was she doing here? Further behind her, he could see his younger sister and two other Baltics trying unsuccessfully to make some type of desert. His heart began to race.

"W-what?" He whispered, "What are you and Natasha doing here?"

"We're here for you, big brother."

His hand dropped to his side. His eyes widened. He looked at everyone in the room, with an awe.

"But. . . but why. . ."

He looked all around, trying to find an answer.

Finally, Toris spoke up, "Because Mister Ru – Because, Ivan, we want to make sure you are okay."

"Okay?" He questioned back, "okay?"

He felt something wet on his cheek, and then another and another. And before he knew it, he fell to his knees, crying. He had never known such love and care from anyone like this. In such an abundance too!

His sisters and friends came together to help him up, and stay with him and comfort him. He was surrounded by loved ones. And his heart was finally healed.

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He woke in the dark. He could barely move, realizing that his sisters were both leaning on him. He looked around the room, seeing his companions and allies asleep. Once he had calmed down, they had began to party, the festivities lasting late into the night. He searched the room for the wall clock. Finding it on top of Matthew's head for some reason, he read the time at a little past three in the morning.

He slowly slipped out of Natasha's arms and stood up. He looked out of the window, seeing the glistening snow on the ground. He was about to turn away, when he saw a glow in the corner of his eye. He caught his breath. It couldn't be.

He stumbled over his comrads, making it to the door. He flung it open and ran out into the cold.

There she was. His angel. She was dressed in a white, a gold glow around her. Her smile was just as it had been the last time he had seen her alive.

"Papa Russia! Are you coming to play with me?"

He smiled sadly at her, "Nyet.* I cannot go."

"Why is that, Papa?"

"I am needed here," he glanced over at the window, before gazing at her again, "My family. My friends. They need me. And I need them."

The angel smiled, "Good answer, Papa."

He smiled again, this time joyfully with no fear or pain, "I will see you and your family again one day. Tell them I miss them all."

She came up to him, holding out her hand. He took it, feeling her warmth, "I will. So long as you will always be my Vanya, Papa."

He bowed on one knee, kissing her hand, "As long as you'll always be my little angel, Anastasia."

She smiled, fading away, "It is a deal."

Then, she was gone. But this time, he was not afraid.

He sighed, standing up again. He moved to go back inside, but froze in his tracks when he saw the ex-nation leaning against the door frame.

"So that was her, huh?"

"You – you saw her?" He stood dumbfounded.

Gilbert grinned widely, "Of course the awesome me sees them!" Then he stood straight, smiled even bigger and waved, "Now you two be good! I'll see you later!"

He turned around again, seeing his angel waving back, walking off with an older looking military man, who looked familiar, but wasn't Russian. The older man smiled back, waving goodbye.

He turned to face Gilbert again, "Who was –"

"It doesn't matter. The awesome me doesn't need to tell you," the albino smirked.

He sighed, letting it go. He walked up to the smaller man, "you are a weird one."

Gilbert smiled, "Just remember, Ivan, we all have problems. It's just how we deal with them that makes the difference. And sometimes the people around us are more caring than we think."

Ivan smiled down at him, almost as innocently as he did with his angel, "I suppose so. I'll remember that in the future."

And with that final thought still in mind, both Ivan and Gilbert went back inside, leaving their pasts behind them.

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Yet to this day, they live on. . .

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*So I had a couple of non-English words in this one. Here they are:

Brüder – brother

Chto – what – Russian

Ja – yes – German

Shi-da – yes – Chinese

Monsieur – Mr. – French

Krysa – rat – Russian (Thank you for those who corrected me on it! Sovet means advice, btw.)

Nyet – no – Russian

Besides the German (my language of study), I got all the other words from Google Translate (even though I don't like that site.)

Also, Vanya is a Russia name that means gift of God, and Ivan means Yahweh (Isreali/Christian God) is merciful. (If you were interested)