Please read before continuing: The subject of the Second World War is a touchy one with the Hetalia fandom, since nobody wants to disrespect those involved in the actual conflict. I realise this, which is why I want to make one thing clear - in writing this fic, I mean absolutely no disrespect to Germany and its people. I have German ancestry and a profound interest in the history of Germany between the years 1919-1945, which I have studied for two years at school as well as in my own time for my own interest. Writing this is as much of a research task as it is a writing exercise for the portrayal both of canon characters and my own characters.

New York, 1983

IN MEMORY OF
EVA SCHNEIDER
1919-1983
BELOVED MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER

The tombstone was shiny, slick from the thin drizzle that had slowly soaked the family and acquaintances of Eva Schneider. They were by no means a large crowd, and once the committal was done, there were only two figures still standing by the fresh earth – a father and daughter. The father was tall, blond hair thinning on top, the beginnings of lines around his mouth, and one broad arm tucked around his youngest daughter. He shielded her from the damp air and the sadness on his face. His daughter almost melted into him, long black coat indistinguishable from his, all but camouflaged if it had not been for her bright red hair, curling thick and wild around her shoulders.

There stood in silence, which was not comfortable in the sense that they were happy with it – it was simply shared. They understood each other.

The redheaded girl clamped her lips together, cheeks slowly burning with the effort of holding back her tears, which welled in eyes the colour of the moody sky above them.

"Leonie," her father murmured, stroking her hair with a careful hand. "It's okay to cry - "

"Oma would hate this," she managed to choke out, wiping her face with the back of her hand, sniffing almost angrily. "She'd think we were being morbid, all telling stories about her and moaning and wailing. That's why I'm not."

It was then that another figure approached them.

"Ludwig Schneider?"

The father turned, stiff with surprise and suspicion. "Yes?"
Leonie's eyes flicked between him and the stranger. "Dad - " But your name is Lucas! she would have said, if her confusion had not been cut off by complete shock as she took in the stranger's face.

She recognised the eyes, their shape and colour, and the nose. She recognised the strong jaw. She even recognised the hairline. But they were on a man who was half her father's age.

"You are Eva's son, aren't you?" The stranger extended a polite hand, which Ludwig Schneider shook.

"Yeah, that's me," he offered a hesitant smile. "I go by Luke, though. Did you, uh, know my mother?" He asked even though it seemed odd that a man in his early twenties would know an old lady like his mother, regardless of the nationality that they no doubt shared, if the man's accent said anything about his ancestry.

The stranger gave a solemn nod, then looked around, very briefly. "I'm sure you have plans for the rest of the day - " there it was, a telltale German accent that even Leonie could hear, like a watered-down version of the one her Oma had spoken with, " – but if we would be able to talk at some point, I would really appreciate it. Especially if your sister was able to come as well." There was a strange look on his face – not happy, but curiously… hopeful? Was that it?

"Uh, I'll have to ask her once we get back - " Luke waved his hand back in the general direction of the church behind them. " – who should I tell her is asking?"

"Ludwig Beilschmidt."

The name was the match that lit the paper of their memory on fire; that name was one recognised by Luke and Leonie both.

"That… was my father's name," Luke said with a careful smile, watching the stranger. "What a small world, right?"

Ludwig Beilschmidt only nodded. "Smaller than we think."

Oma: 'grandma', German

A/N: Yeah, this chapter is really the bare bones of a prologue. Hopefully I'll put the first chapter up soon so that readers can actually get into the story a bit more :)