Oh, geeze. I'm pretty nervous here, folks. This is my first, serious multi-chapter. O.o Usually with these things, I have a hard time finishing them. Luckily, I have the first seven chapters of this all written out, already...but...it still isn't finished. If you guys like it, you're all going to have to push me, okay?

I'll try to keep updating, it just might be a bit slow, this week. I have exams all this week, and I'm going to have to study. Yuck.

Anyways...on with the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia. If I did, my house would explode from the sheer awesomeness. I'm pretty sure I still have a house. XD

Chapter 1

"Schizophrenia..."

"But, Mummy! I'm not lying!"

"There are no faeries, Arthur! Do you hear me? They don't exist!"

Breathe.

Green eyes fluttered open, looked around, focus on the alarm clock.

Closed.

With a groan, Arthur got into a sitting position, running a hand through his bed-head. Eyes cracking open, he checked the time again.

O-dark-thirty. Too bloody early.

Stifling another groan, he started getting ready for the day.

Arthur Kirkland was new in town. He'd recently moved to America from England to get away from his over-bearing, stalker-type mother. America was the one country she'd sworn never to set foot in, so...

The whole 'freedom' thing was working out quite well.

Arthur finished buttoning up his shirt, pulled a sweater-vest over his head, and grabbed his coat before heading off to work.

OO_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be a HERO!"

"Haha...that's great, son."

"Imaginary friend."

"Schizophrenia."

"That way, I can protect my brother!"

"Delusional."

"Supposed to have had a twin."

"...Alfred, you don't have a brother."

"But he's right here, Dad! He's holding my hand!"

Alfred smiled at the girl behind the McDonald's cash register as she handed him his change, making her giggle. He then grabbed the bags ans the two coffees, tucking the bags under his arms.

Alfred F. Jones was a student at the local University, though he was currently considering enlisting in the Air Force, or maybe the Marines. He was still having trouble deciding Whistling cheerfully, Alfred made his way down the street to the University's library, where he knew he'd find his current tutor.

The Brit had been rather unwilling, at first. He worked at the library, so he found Alfred's boisterous attitude...irritating. But the guy knew so much about history...

Eventually, Alfred had worn the man down (through a series of rather strange events that may or may not have included getting his nose slammed into a door more than once), and Arthur had said yes. Just so long as Alfred brought breakfast.

The blonde poked his head into the quiet library, and grinned when he saw the frown.

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"Terrible crash."

"Brother's dead."

"Ludwig! Oh, baby, are you okay?"

"...Who are you?"

"I-I'm your mo—"

"Gilbert! Where's Gilbert?"

"The only thing he remembers."

"Where's my bruder?!"

Ludwig frowned and looked up from his book. The University's library also doubled as a public library, so he came here quite often. Currently, a not-very-quiet whispered argument was going on behind the bookshelf in front of him, and the German could bet he knew who it was. With a grumble,he closed his book and went to join them.

Ludwig's family had moved to America when he was ten, after a terrible accident had claimed the life of his older brother, as well as Ludwig's memories. What the doctors couldn't figure out, was why he could remember his brother clearly, but absolutely nothing else from before the accident.

Ludwig frowned as he watched the two men argue over one of the history books, then cleared his throat. The two looked up in surprise, then Alfred grinned.

"Heya, Ludwig!"

"Shhhh! This is a library! Not a bloody football stadium!" Arthur hissed, glaring at the college student. Alfred at least had the decency to look sheepish.

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"Oh, Francis. You're such a vain little thing."

"What's vain, Mama?"

O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O

""Antonio! Do your homework, already!"

"...Oh, fine!"

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"Roderich, please stop playing and go outside...you're so pale..."

"...No. I'd rather be here."

"...Then I'll let the girl from next door into you room."

"No! Fine! I'll go. Just don't let Elizaveta--"

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"Speech impediment."

"Come on, Berwald. Say your name..."

"...B'rw'ld."

"...Let's try again..."

O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O

"Violent tendencies."

"Soren! Put the ax down. That's way too big, you'll hurt yourself!"

"But look at its beady little eyes! Its gonna kill us!"

"...Sweetie, that's just a squirrel."

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"Ivan...I thought you didn't like the snow?"

"I don't. But he told me to come out."

"...Who did?"

"The blue man who makes the snow and cold. General Winter."

O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O

It was midday, and the library was filling with people. Mostly regulars.

As he walked to the checkout, Ivan could hear Roderich start to play on the second floor. Antonio was bugging those Italian twins in the non-fiction section. Ludwig, Alfred, and Arthur were having a whispered history discussion (argument) in their usual spot.

It seemed like a fairly normal day.

The Russian smiled as he set his books on the counter.

"H'llo, Iv'n," the tall, rather intimidating (to anyone else) blonde librarian mumbled as he took one of the books.

"Hello, Berwald," Ivan replied.

Just then, Soren's head popped up from behind the counter next to Berwald, making the Russian and the librarian blink. As usual, the Dane's blonde hair was in wild disarray, though his eyes were bright with mischief.

"Wh't're y—" Berwald began, but Soren interrupted by putting a finger to his lips as he peered over the edge of the counter.

"Look!" he whispered, pointing. "Alfred got a coffee for his 'invisible' brother, again!"

Berwald rolled his eyes, and Ivan sighed.

Ever since Alfred had off-handedly mentioned that his parents used to think he was schizophrenic because he used to play with his unborn twin brother as a child, Soren had set out on a quest to prove Alfred still thought his 'brother' was around. ((a/n: O.o sorry about the lack of periods in that last one. XD))

"Sorry to burst your bubble," Francis said as he walked over, a book in his hand. "But that coffee is for Arthur."

"Br'kf'st..." Berwald said, and Francis nodded.

"Alfred buys him breakfast every morning," the Frenchman elaborated.

Ivan couldn't help but snicker softly as Soren began to sputter.

"B-but no one's drinking--!"

"Because Arthur is English, and he prefers tea," Francis interrupted gently, a smile tugging at his lips. Berwald rolled his eyes again as Soren deflated, standing up with a sigh.

"Lemme help you with your book," the Danish librarian grumbled, holding out his hand.

Francis beamed and handed it over.

O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O

"Pastaaaaaaa~~~~~"

"Shut up, Feliciano!"

"Ve~~ But, Lovino...!"

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Yay! Its finally over...that took me longer to type up than I thought it would. O.o

Yeah, the parts in italics are little scraps of memories. It'll all come together, you'll see.

I noticed that people call Denmark either Matthias, or Soren (sorry, my computer doesn't do the grammatically correct slashy-through-the-o-thing) so I just chose one and stuck with it. But, his little memory clip comes from a joke in a funny comic called Scandinavia and the World. According to that, Danes are afraid of nature. XD So I had him freak out over a squirrel. Sorry!

Anyways, I hope you (anyone who got this far, really XD) liked it! I'll try to get the second chapter up as soon as I can. ^^