A/N: Some of the events and reactions in this fic are based on historical events, others are not. Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Hetalia and all its characters belong to Hidekaz Himaruya, not me.

February 11th, 1945

Destroyed houses, babies crying out for their parents, bodies pilled on the streets, the ruins of the Palace of Buda, that's the only thing that remained from the splendour of Budapest. Ivan Braginski, General of the Red Army and right hand of Iosif Stalin, walked down the streets trying to turn a deaf ear to the screams of the women that some of his soldiers were raping. He wanted to stop them but he didn't want to answer to Stalin. The man had gone crazy with the years and he didn't trust anyone, he had to be careful if he didn't want to be sent to the gulag in Siberia.

A particularly loud scream took him out of his thoughts. He sighed. Another scream made him stop in his tracks, he knew that voice. Elizaveta. He ran as fast as his wounded leg let him to one of the dark alleys and found three of his men towering over a crying Hungary. One of the soldiers spotted him.

"Hey, Braginski, this whore thinks she can fight us, come and teach her a lesson" At the mention of his name Elizaveta looked at him, a look of terror plastered on her face.

The soldier kicked her in the ribs.

"Don't you dare look at our general like that" he was going to hit her again when Ivan stopped him, pushing him aside.

"Elizaveta" he saida" softly.

He took a look at her. Her hair was dishevelled, no sign of the flower she always wore, every inch of skin was bruised, not only by battle wounds, many of the bruises were the result if these brutes trying to rape her. She was sitting against the wall, holding her knees tightly against her chest, trying to cover her modesty. Ivan's blood boiled with anger.

"Braginski, do you know this wench?"

Russia took off his WWI coat without even looking at the man, but before he could reach her said man put himself between them.

"You are acting strange, Braginski, she is a traitor to our Mother Land, a traitor to the Soviet Union"

"Move"

"But-" Russia pressed the canon of his gun against the soldier's forehead.

"Move or I shall blow your head off" he said smiling creepily.

All three men ran away. Ivan kneeled down beside Elizaveta while she followed his every move. He put his heavy coat around her shoulders and took her in his arms, but she crawled away from him and started to tremble. Russia felt hurt, he knew the bad reputation he had, everyone feared him, even his allies, but what am I thinking? I invade her after all.

"I'm not going to do anything to you, I only want to help you" he reached out his hand but she shook her head. Ivan sighed.

"Okay, but at least let me stay with you, I don't want them to find you again" he sat by her side and rested his head against the wall "I'm glad this is almost over, I don't remember the last time I slept in a comfortable bed and shaved properly" at this she looked at his face curiously. "You might not see it because it's blonde, like my hair, but I have a beard, just like any other man" he said with his childish voice.

A gust of cold air hit them. She curled further into his coat and rested her head on his shoulder just before the two of the fell into a deep slumber.

"Mr Russia" the high pitched voice of Lithuania woke him up "we have to return to the camp for the night"

"Hmm" Russia nodded and dismissed a terrified Toris with a flick of his hand.

It was then that he noticed the warm body leaning on his. She was starting to wake up so he gently picked her up and started to carry her to the camp. While they passed by the ruins of the city Ivan felt a gentle hand touch the bloody bandage he had over his left eye. He looked down at her tired face.

"Stalingrad" he whispered "no one is going to leave this war without wounds, not me, not Ludwig… not you" Elizaveta looked at her surroundings and hot tears began to fall down her cheeks, soaking Ivan's uniform jacket.

"Don't worry, once you have become a Soviet Republic again we will rebuild the city" at this the Hungarian tensed.

"What? Don't you want to become one with Mother Russia, we will fight capitalism together" Ivan's smile grew.

It was as if he had two personalities, the Ivan she once was friends with and the mighty and crazy Soviet Union.

"You once wanted to be part of our Union, or don't you remember 1919. It was a shame it didn't last longer"

They entered his tent and he laid her on his cot and took off his peaked cap.

"I'll return in a moment" Hungary caught his sleeve with a trembling hand.

"D-don't, please" he took her hands between his bigger ones.

"I'm only going to fetch a doctor for you; it will only take a moment"

She was left alone, in enemy territory. Soon she heard a pair of approaching footsteps and then a man with glasses and a little boy appeared at the entrance. Although she didn't know their human names she knew they were two of the Baltics.

"Hello Mrs Hungary" the boy made a little reverence "Mr Russia sent us to look after you while he fetches a doctor. I'm Raivis, the Socialist Republic of Latvia"

"And I'm Eduard, the Socialist Republic of Estonia" he extended his hand and she shook it, wondering if it had been Ivan who taught them to say their names like that.

She sat up rubbing the sleep off her eyes and noticed she still had the Russian's coat around her. A comfortable silence fell between them but it was broken soon enough.

"Ah, my Baltics, I hope you have taken good care of her" Russia appeared from behind the now trembling nations and with a big smile on his face put his enormous hands on each of their shoulders. A young nurse came with him.

"Где ты больно?" Elizaveta looked at Ivan.

"Oh, right, I'm sorry. She wants to know where are you hurt" she glared at him.

"You should know it, it was you that caused me these wounds" Russia looked down.

"Examine all her body and take care of every wound you see, even if it's a scratch" he said to the nurse before he and the Baltics exited the tent.

Ivan made his way to the building where most of the officials were reunited. He saw someone running towards him and he stopped.

"Commie Bastard!" Russia rolled his eyes. Alfred reached him and tried to catch his breath.

"Ah, Америка, what are you doing here? And who let you in?"

"Why weren't you in Yalta?" Alfred crossed his arms over his chest.

"I was sick of listening to your capitalist pig of a president calling me cruel and mad, indignant at every word I said. I bet he's jealous because I defeated the Nazis in my territory without your help" when he finished Alfred was red with anger and Ivan chuckled amused.

"At least I'm not a madman who doesn't have the money to buy a lighter and has to light his cigarettes with matches" People were already gathering around them.

"At least I'm not a capitalist pig who can't mind his own business" Ivan yelled.

"You would have lost the war if it wasn't for me" Alfred yelled back.

"You wish!" someone cleared his throat making them turn towards the sound.

"Hungary! I hope you're feeling bett- ACHOO… sorry" Ivan approached her.

"Umm, yeah, I was searching for you, I… um, want to rest but I don't want to sleep while I'm alone" she said looking at the floor.

"Oh, I understand, just give me a minute" he whispered something to one of the soldiers and returned beside Elizaveta.

"Hey! Commie Bastard" he looked up. I'll be watching you, Alfred mouthed to him. Me too, he mouthed back before leading Hungary back to the tent.

Once there Russia poured himself a glass of vodka and sat on a chair near Hungary.

"I will sit here while you sleep" she nodded and closed her eyes. She could hear the ice move each time he raised the glass to drink.

"Has Feliks come with you?" she asked without opening her eyes.

"No, he stayed in his home trying to repair the destruction your dear Ludwig left behind" she winced, that was a low blow.

"You invade him too" she spat.

"I don't denied it"

"I hate you" the Russian chuckled.

"I know, everybody does"

So, this is the first chapter, there will be more soon.

For all the ones that didn't get it, Ivan sneezed because of the start of the COLD War. If you don't understand something more you are free to ask me.