A/N. This story is basically a descriptive sort of story. This is a prologue, so chapter one might be a little off, but it'll get better. This is co-written with a friend of mine, who isn't on this site. I thank him for taking the time off to help me write this. This is my second fanfiction on here, so I really hope you enjoy! This is going to be rated T just to be safe. Now without further ado, we present… "Chasin' Dreams"

If any grammar mistakes or misspellings, please inform us ^^

-MatrixRachelsonictails

Blue eyes, full of wonder and hope, flicked around the grand halls with dread. Tiny feet padded softly against the plush velvet beneath them. One would've said someone as small as him could get lost in such a large space. As much as the latter didn't want to believe it, he didn't have a choice. He was simply too closed in by his surroundings to have a care in the world, but at the same time, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to find his older "Brother" thanks to the cluttered feeling of the halls.

He couldn't stop his feet from wandering.

As those dazzling, innocent blue eyes looked around the gallery of the many great leaders of England's decade, he couldn't help but be proud that his care-taker was amongst them. The beautiful fleet of heavily elegant pictures and possible stolen goods littered the grand walls, casting the said room off as larger than it really seemed.

He kept searching for him though. His unruly hair wasn't hard to recognize; his voice could be heard within miles. The innocent wanderer was about to turn a corner when a hand came down onto his tiny shoulder. The small child halted, feeling shivers of pure fear run through his body and down his spine.

"Kid, what are you doing wandering these halls?!" A loud voice had asked the small individual, who had turned around to acknowledge the larger man. As they all came, the big man's face was of seriousness and duty.

"What is your name?" The large man had asked, wanting a straight answer. The little boy trembled softly, wanting to be polite just as his brother had always taught him to be. "A-Alfred, sir" The tiny boy replied hesitantly, not looking the other in the eye, afraid that the intense glare the older man gave him would turn him into stone if he dared to look. Said man's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Who do you belong to?" His voice was raspy and solemn. Alfred didn't like the way he had phrased that sentence, making it sound as if he were a pet or a lower subject. Just because he was young doesn't mean he was to be described as an item. His brother was of higher authority and if he knew what had been said about the small boy, he'd have a fit.

"My brother, Arthur." Upon hearing this, the older man's features softened. "My apologizes, he's right this way" Alfred was always good at getting what he wanted, and that was a fact. Even if one weight was lifted off his shoulders, he knew that his brother wouldn't be too happy when he found out he had gone missing in the large mansion for about the millionth time that month. The small American followed the now not-so-scary "guard" to where his brother was.

The guard stopped abruptly in front of a single door, knocking against it softly with his knuckles. Alfred looked down at his feet, shifting a little as he smoothed his tiny hands over his attire out of nervousness. It seemed as hours went by until the door had finally opened, revealing none other than the Englishman who took care of him for as long as he could remember. Alfred didn't look up as he was escorted into the room. Didn't look up as he heard the simple words of "thank you" roll off the tongue of his brother as he remembered his politeness. Didn't look up as he heard the door close. Alfred had finally looked up when the Briton had told him to.

"Alfred…" The pale man had said, kneeling down to the boy's height. Alfred fidgeted, disliking the other's tone of voice.

"Alfred" The other repeated more softly, his unusually large eyebrows furrowed slightly as if in thought. "You can't keep getting lost. If you get lost, it disrupts me from my work and if I'm disrupted by my work, than I have to wait for someone to go and find you. You can't keep depending on others to save you from your own messes." The British man explained calmly, looking at the younger boy.

"I don't like it here…how much longer?" The tiny American muttered out, eying his brother from the corner of his eye shyly. Arthur had heaved a sigh, his expression changing to that of discipline but concern. "I'm sorry Alfred, but I have told you to stay in your room. You have disobeyed my orders again." Arthur said sternly, not wanting to put up with this now.

"It isn't my room, brother. This isn't home…I want to go back home!" Alfred cried out, still not looking his brother in the eye. Arthur didn't have the heart to ask Alfred exactly what he meant because he was too smart and too caring to ask difficult questions. But his understanding would still be there. It would be rather foolish to ask questions he already knew the answer to and as much as he wanted to believe what the younger latter had said, he couldn't bring himself to it. They had left home a month ago, why was the silly American still rambling on about it?

"Now that is enough of this nonsense. This is home, Alfred. Why can't you understand that?" Arthur couldn't stay on this subject any longer.

Alfred looked up at his guardian, not understanding just how serious this problem was. "I always get lost around here. It's too big! I never got lost in our old home…"

Arthur felt a pang of guilt cloud his heart, but he was too stubborn to let it get to him. Arthur knew that where they had started from wasn't the best, but Alfred had many other people that he looked up too back in London. Here, the people had always thought of Alfred as rowdy and too small. None of their smiles ever looked real, so he had always returned one just as fake.

He knew the American didn't like to listen to the self-proclaimed high and mighty priest talk about their faith and mass. He knew that the American didn't have any friends here, but it wasn't like he couldn't try and find someone worthy to talk to every now and again.

He didn't want Alfred to end up just as he had, so he needed to make better choices and moving was one of them.

Alfred was long gone by this point, having been confused by his brother's sudden silence. Arthur sighed as he made his way towards the window. The sun was always bright but it held secrets within its beauty. All the children that played and laughed outside would soon experience the pain of growing up. Childhood was a thing the Englishman had wanted to forget. Childhood was never a thing in his past. His brothers have and always would taunt him.

The tears flowed easily, then.

The tears now were too stubborn to fall because the Brit learned to bottle it all up and be a man. He brought his right hand up, pulled himself out of the window's view, walking back over to his unfinished paperwork. He pushed the work aside, burying his head in his large hands. How much longer the words lingered around the Brit's mind.

How much longer.

Oh how he wished he knew.