"Bonjour L'Angleterre!"
A voice resonated from down the hospital hallway. The Frenchman came frolicking over to England, who had just come from America's room.
"Frog What the bloody hell are you doing here?", Arthur asked, a bit angered by the Frenchman being there at such a time.
"I came to see mon petit l'Amerique, of course!", he said, reaching for the door handle.
"I don't think he'd appreciate you calling him that, but that doesn't well explain anything!"
"What? Oh you think you're the only one with the right to visit him l'Angleterre? I am his ally as well."
"Of course I don't think that! I just... Well go in if you must, he's awake now", he stated, begrudgingly opening the door for him.
"Merci! I will"
He looked through the door, immediately bombarded by the wondrous colors and confections that lay strewn across the room. The once empty room was now nearly filled with flowers, balloons and other well wishing item for the young American, mostly from his people. Arthur and Matthew were the only two countries who had actually bothered to visit him, until that day.
"France? What are you doing here?", Alfred questioned, sitting up a bit in his bed.
"Ah! L'Amerique, I came to see how you are fairing"
He turned away, staring mindlessly out the window, "Fine...I guess"
"I see you are quite loved. Well don't worry, most of the world is behind you, we will not leave you alone in this. We all undersand, and as I remember, I am not the only one coming over here"
"Oh? You guys really don't have to-"
Francis lay a vase of flowers and a card where he could find room, "Don't be silly! You are young, you could use the support! It's basically your first time isn't it?"
"First time what...?", Alfred asked, humoring Francis, even though he sort of wanted him gone.
"Being attacked like this"
"No...But I wouldn't expect you to remember that"
"I understand that you probably want to be alone, but that isn't what you need right now l'Amerique"
"Why are you here...Don't you have something to do...?"
Francis retrieved a newspaper from his bag, the paper was called Le Monde. In bold letters at the top of the front page it said "Nous sommes tous Américains", having pictures of certain scenes from that day.
"What does that mean?", Alfred asked, quite intrigued by the paper.
"It says 'We are all Americans', in french of course~ It's just one way I wanted to show you how the entire world is here with you, whether you believe moi or not, mon petit"
Alfred looked in shock. He didn't know something like that was being published at all, much less in France. It touched him, how people half a world away could care like that. He read through the article, some sections being in english. It said how the country of France and the whole French people were beside him and his own people. That they wished to show their friendship and solidarity in those trying times.
"Thank you Francis...I don't know what to say"
He smiled, looking at the torn apart young man sitting in front of him, "It's nothing at all. All of that is true, said by my president and all. I'm not the only one coming over here either. Expect more visitors soon"
Francis was quite right about that. Many people visited him over the next few days, the next being Ludwig. He brought with him some of his country's comfort food, some wurst and sauerkraut.
"These attacks, it's declaring war on all of the civilized world. Do not worry. We will not stand for such things", he stated, also describing a scene to Alfred. Nearly 200,000 gathered in Berlin to march for the United States, showing what they could of the friendship between the two countries.
Kiku was the next to come along. Bringing many gifts of sweets and video games to help distract Alfred when he would get lost in his thoughts, "Things such as this should not be forgiven. I promise that I will help any way that I am able. Security, money, you simply ask and I shall do my best to assist you in this tough time". Japan's prime minister urged him to go over and see Alfred. They were so close that someone had to tell him that it wouldn't happen again. That they would do everything they could to halt such actions.
Many others came by as well. Ireland was one of them, telling of the National Day of Mourning that followed on September 14th in his country, as well as in Israel and other countries. New Zealand helped to create a fund to protect and start a major security fund for any countries nearing the Pacific, as well as for monitoring, hopefully stopping anything like that happening in the future. Even Australia signed a treaty that very day, ANZUS, demonstrating their never ending commitment to the United States.
Loud footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway. A particularly dressed man was making his way to the American's room. He wore a large trench coat and scarf, even though in New York it was nearly 90ºF outside. Arthur noticed him right away, jumping in front of the door. Ivan was the last person that he wanted seeing Alfred.
"What do you think you're doing here? I swear if you're here to-", Arthur was cut off immediately. Ivan was uninterested in the Englishman. He just wanted to say what he came to say to Alfred and be on his way.
"You do no need to know why I am here to see Amerika. I assure you it's only on business. So if you please, I won't be long"
Arthur sighed and moved out of the way, there was nothing going on between Ivan and Alfred, so he had no reason to stop him. Ivan walked through the door, much to Alfred's surprise. He could tell that the Russian was there to say something, he didn't look very interested, but he was a man that would do whatever his boss had told him to.
"Well здравствуйте Amerika. I see you have had many visitors recently", he said, scanning through the room completely filled to the brim with gifts. He offered a card and a few flowers to the American.
"I didn't expect you of all people to come here..."
"Yes well, I just wanted to express my condolences and to repeat something that my boss wished for me to say. Putin desired that I come and state personally that any previous and present hostilities between us will be put aside during this time. I wish you the best in the upcoming weeks, hoping that you recover and all those things, da?"
"Heh well, thanks for that Ivan. I'm glad to see that your boss is this understanding"
"Of course. Now I will be on my way, I do not wish for the Englishman to continue to watch me through the window, прощайте"
Soon after, Matthew came back into the hospital room with his good news. He had been on the phone with his government all morning, working out all of the kinks in the system of the two Operations that he had started because of the attacks.
"Great news Al, everyone has been accounted for and is sleeping safely in Ontario, Vancouver, or on their way home now. I think this will work out really well soon!", he explained the results of Operation Yellow Ribbon, which was used to house the displaced crews and passengers on the planes that were rerouted, as well as Operation Support. "Security has increased and everything. I took care of all I could Al, I just hope that at least puts your mind at ease"
"Thanks Mattie, you're doing so much to help me out..."
"Of course! I'd do anything for you, you know that"
"I know but...", Alfred thought for a second before embracing his twin, "I'm just the luckiest guy in the world to have you as a brother"
Matthew really had done all he could, he even flew every flag at half staff for a month in mourning for his brother's people.
Arthur entered from guarding the door, resting in the chair that was sitting next to Alfred's bed. He had heard most all of what the other countries had said to his brother during their sporadic meetings. He had been thinking if maybe he should say something similar to Alfred. He was torn, he had a bit he could say about what his own country had done on Alfred's behalf, though he feels a bit embarrassed to talk about such things, but then again, didn't him being there say enough?
"Heh, was there something you wanted to say Arthur? You look like you have something on your mind", Alfred said, noticing the Brits ponderous look.
"Well, everyone else has come in here and said what was going on outside of these walls, so I figured that I should as well...If that's alright with you..."
"You don't have to if that makes you uncomfortable, I know you're bound to be up to something on that island across the ocean"
"Oh...Right then. I will do so anyway. Blair was saying how we are with you no matter what occurs in events such as this, you have our full support in this battle. The Queen was quite shocked, telling the guards to play your anthem at the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Your flag was even flown beside mind in certain places...Everything stopped for a few seconds in your name"
Arthur was too flustered now to keep going. He hated talking about things like that, he found them embarrassing, even if it was for his brother. Alfred enjoyed it though, seeing and hearing all of the things that the world was doing for him, to help him. He thought he was alone in it all, it sure felt like that to him before, but now...Well he didn't quite know how he felt, but he treasured the reactions of the other countries. Everyone was with him, wholeheartedly, the entire world.
There you have it, the last of the three September 11th fics. This one would go after That Fateful Day, which is the first in the series, and before September 11th Aftershock, if anyone's interested :D