Edit: It's been awhile since I wrote this, it was actually the first thing I ever uploaded on fanfiction XD So I decided to do a rewrite.

Yes this is incredibly sappy and cute and hopeful. Happy Birthday America.

…

Knock-Knock-Knock

England groaned as he shifted uncomfortably before America's doorway. He had been knocking for five minutes now and the git had yet to make an appearance. Considering that England was here to HELP America with his stupid party preparations, this was almost enough to send England back home.

"AMERICA! OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!" England shouted, giving the door a good kick. Why of all people did he have to come early and help the moron set up? America could have asked anybody else, should have asked somebody else…

England sighed and sagged against the door. The Fourth of July, one of the most celebrated days in the United States of America. Families got together to eat, party, watch fireworks, etc, etc. What was probably America's favorite holiday (it celebrates him after all), was definitely England's least favorite. The Fourth of July marked the day when America had claimed his complete independence from England all those years ago, and while there were certainly other dates from that time that stood out painfully to England (October 19…stupid Cornwallis…) no day was more celebrated or noted in the public eye than the Fourth of July.

"I think I spent the first couple of decades drunk on this day…" England muttered to himself. He gave the door another kick, although it was incredibly weak and halfhearted.

Fine, you know what? England wasn't going to just walk away and go off to mope. If America wasn't going to bother coming down to greet him England might as well go in to give America a good shouting at before he left.

England looked around him, and seeing that America's white picket fence was nice and short, he vaulted himself right over and made his way to the back of the house. America's yard was huge, and already England could see the signs of a huge party set up. Tables with red, white, and blue cloths covering them were set up outside, and England could definitely smell a barbecue cooking.

"America!" England called, looking around for the taller country. He had to be out here somewhere. America would never leave his barbecue to burn. "America-oh, there you are." America was completely relaxed on a lawn chair with his eyes closed. More than a little irritated, England stomped up to America, fully intending to give him a piece of his mind.

"America! You call me over here to help and yet when I arrive at the door, offering you the kindness of my assistance, you are nowhere to be found!" England stomped his foot when America made no movement or noise of acknowledgement, "America, damnit! Are you listening to me?" England reached his hand out to shake America's arm, to make him move or to at least do something!

But before England could lay one finger on him, America's eyes slid open. England's hand jerked back when he noticed the look in America's eyes. To regular humans, it was a 'faraway look', used to describe when someone was zoning out. But to nations, it was very different. England recognized that America was now physically here, but mentally he was probably skipping around and looking at his people.

England sighed and backed away, deciding that pulling up a chair and waiting this out would be better. The Fourth of July was a day when most Americans were feeling incredibly patriotic and good towards their country. America was bound to be feeling the effects of that.

"You had better hurry up though, or else everyone is going to get here and we're just going to be sitting here twiddling our fingers while the food burns on that grill." England muttered angrily.

"Why's that Iggy?" Cue annoying slurping sound of America drinking a cola. America's spacey look had been swept right off his face and now was replaced by his usual stupid expression.

"Of all times today to get swept up in your citizen's feelings, you couldn't have waited until you at least had let me in!" England swatted America. America winced and moved away from England.

"Ow! Hey, stop it! I forgot you were coming early!" Although this was meant to placate the shorter country, it only infuriated him more and he continued giving America abuse until America fell out of his chair and landed awkwardly on the ground. "Igggggyyy, that was mean."

"It's your own fault," England sat back in his chair and folded his arms with a huff.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. I just felt really happy and just got pulled in," America got up and settled himself back into his chair, "Before you came, I was watching a parade in Minnesota. It was a small parade for a small town, but there was this little kid who was watching outside of his house with his entire family and he was just so happy sitting there eating handmade ice cream that I just couldn't help but sit down and watch with him. Then there was this girl in New York whose girlfriend had just proposed to her during a family barbecue and they're so happy they can be together…oh!" America grinned, "And then there were these seniors from a high school in Tennessee who were celebrating the last Fourth of July they would all have together since next fall they'll all be going off to different states and cities for college. I really enjoyed the water balloon fight since it was so hot outside."

England was silent, allowing America to prattle on. Moments like this were important, because they were the things that kept the nations from completely breaking down when something awful happened. As much as the nations could share the happy moments with their people, they also had to share the sad moments, the times of grief and pain.

America fell silent, looking up at the blue sky filled with white wisps of clouds.

"You know England," the sudden change in tone caught England's attention, "Today is the day my country, my people, remember the past and look toward a hopeful future. I know you still don't like what happened back in 1776, but I've never regretted what happened. So many people have died for the beliefs that my nations holds dear to it, and so many more people have lived for those beliefs and made this land better." America looked over at England, "Everyone remembers the hardships we've had to overcome to become what we are today. Today is the one day that the USA feels more like one country than fifty different states.

"It's been really difficult for my country, and I'll be the first one to say we haven't done a lot of things right, but when we failed, we got right back up and continued forward. I love today because everyone seems to remember that fact. Suddenly the stranger next to you isn't a stranger, but a countryman, a brother, a sister." America sighed, "It's such a good feeling, almost makes me want to cry." America let out a chuckle, "With happiness of course. I feel so happy today that I feel like I'm about to burst! I never want this feeling to go away, even though," America faltered, but then picked himself back up again, "even though I know tomorrow this feeling will probably be gone. But today everyone is together, and maybe one day in the future it won't take a special day like this to bring my people together." America fell silent.

England was stunned at the amount of emotion that America had suddenly unloaded on him. He wasn't quite sure how to react to what America had just said. Moments like this were rare from America, the nation was always trying to be silly and immature.

"Well," England coughed, feeling very awkward, "you haven't done THAT bad a job in some places, and I'm…I'm sure that your people always care a pride for you deep…deep…deep in their hearts."

"That was to many deeps Iggy." America pouted.

"Well you have a way to go then!" England went red and kicked out at America's chair, which immediately collapsed in on itself, making America crash to the ground.

"Iggy! It's technically my birthday! Shouldn't you be nicer?" America groaned from the ground.

"I came here to help, not to be nice!" England looked away, incredibly embarrassed, "What the heck did you want me to do anyways?"

America looked a bit puzzled for a moment as he thought about why exactly he had called England on over. When he remembered, he pounded his fist into his hand, "That's right! I wanted you to help me test my fireworks!"

England stuttered for a few moments before shouting, "YOU HAVEN'T EVEN TESTED THEM YET! WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY EXPLODE ON US!"

America grinned and jumped up, "They're supposed to explode, that's the point of a firework! Wait here while I got get them!" He bulleted off back inside the house.

England let out a frustrated noise and placed his head into his hands, but only because he didn't want America to come back and see the small grin that was replacing his angry features.

Happy Fourth of July America, you git.

A/N: A few historical facts- while the Revolutionary War continued for a while after Cornwallis surrendered to Washington on October 19, 1781, the battle in Yorktown Virginia is considered essentially what ended the war.