America stood with his head down, in his suit at the 9/11 memorial in New York City, England by his side. He listened to the names being read, the names of the people who gave their lives to help the others who were trapped in the World Trade Center, the names of true heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
A stray tear ran down his face and he absentmindedly wiped at it, but another one quickly replaced it. More tears fell and America cried in silence, England comforting him. The names were read and a moment of silence followed, America still crying as quietly as he could, England whispering comforting words in his ear.
England knew how America suffered 14 years ago today, how the Twin Towers were bombed by terrorist-hijacked planes, how America cried out in pain and shock during the meeting, how his scars still burned on every anniversary. How his citizens lost their lives in one of the most horrific days in his history.
England rubbed soothing patterns in the sobbing nation's back. He remembered the look of shock, pain, betrayal, hurt in America's eyes on September eleventh, two thousand and one, as he crashed to the floor of the meeting hall, unable to speak through the coughing fit that racked his body, fever racing.
At the time, France had rushed to turn on the television while Canada and himself tried to help America off of the floor. They couldn't do much, as he screamed in pain every time they tried to move him. France had let out a gasp, drawing the other's attention to the screen, resulting in gasps of their own.
Before them lay the scene of the Twin Towers burning, smoke rising from the collapsing trade center. The nations watched in horror as the second plane struck, resulting in America screaming in pain once again, much louder this time. England and Canada gave each other a silent nod, before they lifted the pain-stricken America off of the floor, apologizing as he writhed in their arms. France rushed over and started comforting the young nation with soothing words and a gentle touch.
That day was 14 years ago, but America still vividly remembered the pain from the meeting. He tensed up, the scars that the planes left burning on his back, a refresher of the waves of sheer agony of the catastrophe. He looked up from the cold gray pavement to the platform where people were speaking about their experiences of the attack. Many were firemen and emergency first responders who lost coworkers and friends. A few civilians spoke of the family and friends the lost.
America went up to speak after a woman who lost her brother to the second building's fall. He spoke of the first responders and civilians who gave their lives to save the lives of others. He spoke of the planes and the innocent lives lost to the crashes that the terrorists created. He spoke of the survivors and how they were the living memories of the fallen heroes.
After his speech, America stepped down from the platform and walked back to his place next to England, who pulled the former into his arms, enveloping him in a hug. Tears fell on his suit coat, but England didn't mind. He was there as a shoulder to cry on for America. Many tears were shed across the nation, America's own embodying all of them.
England started to rub America's back gently once again and put his head on America's shoulder. He thought for a minute, before whispering,
"No one should have done this to you and your citizens. You did nothing to deserve it. I'm so sorry America."