The child sat on the hill.

Waiting...waiting...waiting.

She stared out to the water beyond her. Ireland promised he'd bring her sister to visit, but as she expected he was lying to her again. It wasn't a surprise to her anymore, this is how she had grown up. That is what made her strong. Being lied to and pushed around so many times had forced her to keep a smile on her face and silently take that punishment she didn't rightly deserve. But she understood; Ireland was selfish, and he wanted his little sister to be exactly that. His.

She was so used to this by now, she didn't mind so much anymore. The hope she used to have for her to see her sister again was gone, and nothing could bring it back. She made her way back to the school, of course England wasn't there yet, she took a seat on the step and took her books out of her bag.

She began to work.

Work...work...work.

She had to if she wanted to be a good, strong country someday.

She noticed a figure stopping in front of her. "Eh? What are you still doing here, shouldn't you be at home by now?"

She didn't respond, if there was one piece of advice she took from England, it was not to talk to strange men.

"Are you deaf?" The figure's words were muffled. "Why are you here?"

She let her head hang, her shaking hand marking the paper sloppily. "I...I'm not allowed to talk to strangers..."

"Hmm?" The figure paused. "Are you a country?"

She nodded as she slowly looked up, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. She was afraid. "Y...yes."

The dirty blond's eyes widened as he saw the tears forming in her eyes. "Eh? H...hey don't cry!" He knelt down to the small girl, who curled up staring at him. "I'm a country myself."

She sniffed as her crystal eyes became less watery. "R...really?"

He nodded, and she notice him bring a burger to his face and take a bite out of it. "The names Alfred F. Jones."

"Alfred..." She repeated, and watched him eat. "...what country are you, Mr. Jones?"

"That's not important right now." He said as he swallowed and let out a revealing sigh. "What's your name?"

She lowered her brows a bit, and held her notebook close to her chest. "Anya Gallagher..."

"Heh," He chuckled a little bit. "That's a cute name. It's nice to meet you, Anya!" He held his hand out to her.

She hesitantly took his hand. "It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Jones."

"Call me Alfred, or you can call me Alfie. Heh." He winked at her playfully.

"Alfred," She stared at him as he took out another burger. "Where are you getting those from?"

"Eh?" He pulled her up from the step as he stood up himself. "I get 'em from fast food restaurants. Hey, it's about dinner time right? Want one?" He held the burger out to her.

She looked at it, and shook her head. "N...no, big brother will be angry if I take food from a stranger..."

Alfred took her hands cautiously and put the burger in them, chuckling at how large it looked in them. "Hey, I'm no stranger, I'm a hero!"

"Hero..." She tilt her head a bit and then looked to the burger. "well...if you're a hero..."

"That's right," he smiled and leaned down, poking her stomach softly. "and the villain right now is hunger!"

She giggled a little bit, and then tilted her head, taking a big bite out of the burger. "Mnn...it's good, Alfred!"

"Heh," he stood back up. "That oughta hold you down 'til you get home." He smiled brightly as he wiped the condiments from her cheeks, licking them off of his thumb. "Come on, I'll walk you."

She turned a bit red as she watched him do this, and nodded slowly, coming out of her pigeon toed stance as she started to walk up a dirt road.

He walked by her side, smiling brightly as he kept his hands in his pockets.

She was still red, and as she finished the burger, she tried to scoot away from him. She jumped back and bumped into Alfred as a dog started to growl and bark at her through a fence.

Alfred turned slightly red as she bumped into him, and pointed at the dog, barking back. "Ruff!~ I'm the alpha dog around here!" He held her close as she clutched onto his jacket.

She looked to the arm he had around her, and nervously started to pat at it.

Alfred blinked as he felt the little pats and slowly glided his hand off of her arm. "Heh, sorry."

Anya stopped at the curb, and started at the street and the cars passing by them. She took a step out into the room, but quickly jumped back as a car honked and nearly hit her.

Alfred arched his brows and glared towards the car. "Hey, we're walking here!" He stuck his tongue out as the man in the car yelled back at them, then scooped Anya up. "Hang on." He darted through the traffic, and jumped on the hood of a car (denting it) before it hit them, then jumped off to the other side of the street. "Heh!"

Anya had her face hidden in her hand as she trembled in his arms nervously, and Alfred looked down at her, tilting his head. "Hey, are you okay?"

She nodded slowly, and looked to the car that nearly hit them. "Y...you...saved us."

"Heh...of course I did!"

"...you really are a hero." She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly laughing. "You weren't lying! I've never met a real hero before, this is so cool!"

"Hah!" Alfred put her down, and wrapped his arms around her as she kept hers around him.

"My big brother would love to meet you, a real hero!"

Alfred laughed, he loved when she called him a hero, a real hero. He was dragged along as Anya pulled him towards her house, but started to walk beside her. "Hey, is your big brother a country too?"

"Mh'n!" She still sort of dragged Alfred along. "He's the best country ever! I want to be as strong as him someday!"

"Heh...is that right?" Alfred followed her to her porch, and into her house as she opened the door and lead him inside.

"Arthur!" She called out. "Are you home?"

"In here, Anya." The English accent struck Alfred.

If this is the same Arthur...

Anya dragged Alfred into the kitchen, smiling as she stood in front of her brother. "Arthur, this is Alfred! He's a hero, he saved me today!"

Arthur dropped his fork at the man his sister was standing next to, and cleared his throat as Alfred gave him an awkward smile and wave. "Hey Arty."

Arthur's brows arched as he grabbed his sister's wrist, standing from his seat as he pulled her away from Alfred. "What are you doing here?"

Alfred gave him a dirty look as Anya was pulled away. "I was walking your sister home dude," He raised his brow as he shoved his hands back deep into his pockets. "You apparently forgot about it."

"I didn't forget!" Arthur snapped. "Now get out before I throw you out, wanker!"

"Stop calling me that," Alfred stepped a little closer, and nudged his hand under Anya's chin, raising her head. "Heh...I'll see you later, sweetheart." He brushed his lips on hers.

Arthur noticed Anya's cheeks turn pink, and pulled her a he walked towards the stairs. "You most certainly will not see her later!" He walked up the stairs, putting Anya in her room, locking the door.

Alfred walked closer to the stairs as Arthur walked down them, a smirk on his face. "Maybe next time you'll be on time to pick her up, otherwise I might just steal her heart.~"

Arthur growled, ignoring his sister's pounding on the door and protests as he shoved Alfred towards the door. "Get out! I will not have you ruin everything I've worked for!"

Alfred turned, clinging to the door frame as he glared at Arthur. "What, are you still man, 'big brother'? ! Why do you always think I'll ruin everything! You're just jealous you didn't get to save her like I did!"

Arthur gave him another shove. "Get out! You didn't save anyone! If anything you put her in danger!"

"What? !" Alfred growled. "What did I do to put her in danger? !"

"Just get out!"

"You don't even know do you? !" The smirk was brought back to Alfred's face, thinking he had one.

Arthur reached behind Alfred and turned the knob and door open, giving Alfred a good shove, pushing him out onto the porch. "You know everyone hates you! What if someone decided to attack you while you were walking with her? !"

"She doesn't hate me!" Alfred pointed up the stairs. "And you know what? You aren't gonna stop me from seeing her, she's my new friend!"

"Get off my property, GIT!" Arthur slammed the door in Alfred's face.

Alfred huffed, and kicked at the ground as he walked off the porch. "Stupid Arthur..." He looked up as he heard little sobs and yelling from Anya's window.

"You are NOT, to go near that man EVER again, do you understand?" Arthur said, trying to talk over her whines.

"T..this isn't f..fair! You..you never le..let me have friends, Ar..Arthur!" Anya choked out as Arthur slammed her door, locking it again.

Alfred's brows arched, overhearing everything. He looked around, grabbing a few pebbles, throwing them at Anya's window.

Anya twitched, hearing them hit and crawled over her bed, opening her curtain as she rubbed her eyes. Alfred tilt his head. "Anya!"

Anya smiled a little bit, and unlatched her window, pushing it open. "Alfred!"

"Are you okay, cutie?" He lowered his brows a bit at her damp face.

"No..." She stared down at him. "Arthur's mean."

"He's not mean," Alfred sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "he's just protective."

"Alfred..." Anya sniffed, rubbing her eyes again. "Can I stay with you, please?"

"Eh?" Alfred blinked. "Uhm, I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Just for a little while, Please?"

Alfred sighed at the sad, innocent tone. "Alright...only for a little while." He held his arms open. "Here, jump down, I'll catch you."

Anya's eyes grew wide, staring down at him. "W...what if you miss?"

"I won't," he smiled a bit sadly. "Have faith in me, I am The Hero after all, aren't I?"

Anya gulped, still staring at him, and she'd gently push herself off the window sill, landing in Alfred's arms. "See, told you." He chuckled a bit.

Anya smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, shaking a bit as she wiggled out of his arms. "Come on." She took his hand, pulling him along as she walked away from her home quickly.

"H-huh?" Alfred followed behind her, catching up with her pace. "Where to?"

"Far," Anya replied quickly. "far away from here."

"Wha- whoa, darlin'." Alfred lowered his brows, stopping. He pulled Anya into his arms. "I can't take you far away, why do you wanna leave anyway?"

"Arthur..." She stared up at him. "He doesn't like it when I make friends, and it isn't fair."

"He's only trying to protect you."

"But he keeps me away from everyone..."

"Why?" Alfred tilt his head, moving the hair from her face.

"Because...he's afraid."

"Of what?"

"Someone taking me away..." Anya lowered her brows a bit.

Alfred sighed, looking at Anya. "Well...what if I took you away right now? Wouldn't that be exactly what he feared?"

"But you're a hero," Anya tilt her head a bit. "You wouldn't take me away...would you?"

"Of course not!" He shook his head.

Anya smiled a little bit. "I only wanted to leave for a little bit..." She wrapped her arms around Alfred's torso, smiling. "I wanna spend time with my friend."

Alfred chuckled a little bit, looking down to Anya, who was staring up at him, her brows lowering a bit as she tilt her head. Alfred raised his brow at her stare. "W..what's wrong?"

Anya looked into his eyes, and stood on her toes, brushing her lips on his like he had done earlier.

Alfred's eyes widened a bit before he smiled, pressing lightly against her lips, and Anya did the same. He pulled her a bit closer, chuckling into the kiss. She pulled away from him, her face bright red as she saw the pink tinted cheeks Alfred had. "Mnn...heh, does this make us more than friends, Anya?~"

Anya looked away from him. "Arthur wouldn't like that..."

"Hmn." He squeezed her a bit. "Then...how about friends, with benefits?"

xXx

XxX

xXx

Anya sighed as she stared up at the screen in the middle of her third districts area. It revealed images and videos of the war her sister was having with Ireland. "Anyaaa!" She tried to ignore the obvious southern accent and kept her eyes glue to the screen. She felt strong arms wrap around her tightly. "There you are! Hey, I've been lookin' for you everywhere!" Alfred grinned and looked up to the screen. "Hey whatcha watchin'?"

Anya shrugged his arms off, pushing through the crowd of people around the screen. "Don't touch me, I'm fucking disgusted with you."

"Eh?" Alfred blinked in shock, watching her before he followed after her. "Wait, what did I do? !"

"You already know what you did, you bastard!" She growled as she crossed her arms over her chest, walking towards the docks.

"Not exactly!" He caught up with her.

Anya shoved him back, glaring at him as she came to a halt. "What the fuck do you think you're doing supplying Ireland with weapons?"

"Hey, I'm just helping out a friend in need!" Alfred threw his hands up in an "I'm innocent" motion. "Can't blame me for that, huh?"

"You're a fucking idiot!" Anya turned back around, storming off as he followed her.

"Why is that a problem?" Alfred tried to keep up with the fuming female.

"You know why!"

"I really don't!"

Anya stopped again, and stared at him angrily. "You're helping him hurt my older sister, you fucking jackass!"

"How was I supposed to know she was your sister, dude? !"

"Obviously you never listen to me either, I've told you thousands of times that she's my fucking sister!" Anya climbed over the railing to the dock and walked quickly to it's end.

"I do listen, Anya!"

Anya stopped at the edge, growling. "Yea fucking right!" She took off a bracelet that Alfred had given her for a birthday.

Alfred's eyes widened as she held it over the edge of the dock, and quickly wrapped his arms around her. "Hey hey hey! Stop it, Anya! I'm sorry!"

"Get off me! You're going to fucking make me fall!"

Alfred slowly pulled away from her, lowering his brows. "Look, I'm sorry okay?"

Anya glared at him, and threw the bracelet at his feet. "Whatever, just go home or something..."

Alfred turned to her as she walked away from the docks and sighed heavily, picking the bracelet up. "She'll get over it..." He slowly walked up his ship, whistling sadly.

xXx

XxX

xXx

Anya sat on that same hill.

She had her legs hugged tightly against her body as her older brother walked up behind her, listening to her sobs and sniffs. "Anya?" He lowered his brows, kneeling down to her as she lifted her head from her knees. "What's wrong, love?"

"I'm waiting..." She replied.

"Waiting?" He looked out to the view Anya had of the docks and the ocean water outside of that. "Waiting for what?"

"I'm waiting for my Hero...to come back."