Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: Does writing war in a story even count as a warning?

I knew it had to be done. It was war after all and death was something that war was famous for. Destroying your enemies so you could live but this felt wrong in so many way. We never had any idea it would come down to something like this at all and yet it did. This shouldn't have happened and I am extremely sorry that it had. We were sword to sword as we could not bring each other to settle this with a simple gunshot. No a gun shot would be too impersonal, it had to be a hand to hand sword fight.

This all had started a year ago at the World Summit. I honestly can't say it was different from any other day but it would certainly turn into a day to be remembered. It had all started with something about America's debt as I recall and that is when brother walked in. He had been drowned in his loneliness far too long as even Belarus couldn't seem to get through to him.

That is when he announced what had happened. While we all had been gathered here his troop's currently where fighting to gain back the lands he used to control and he stated he wouldn't stop and even planned to overthrow China.

The first thoughts in my head at the time had been this couldn't be happened. All of our freedom was still so new and it would be stolen away from us.

That is when he spoke those dreaded words which would bring us to the current event. "I will give all of you a choice. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus, and China. You have the option to join me and see no bloodshed right now. If I do not hear an answer from you by the end of the day I will declare war on you."

By the end of that day only two people had agreed to rejoin my brother and that was Belarus and myself. I only joined him to plea that he let the other's go free but he would hear nothing of it.

We had moved back in with him and now dawned our military uniforms. They hadn't changed much over the years as we had no need to change them.

"Belarus your troops will go handle Lithuania, Ukraine for lead your units to Latvia and I will handle China. We will have a section of each of our troops head to Estonia." He said as he stood up and then looked at us, his sisters.

I could feel myself crying. I couldn't go do this to those I knew and cared for but on the other hand this was my brother, no matter how insane he may be. "Katyusha I know you have reservations about having to do this. It is better for everyone this way sister. As soon as everyone becomes one with me we can all live happily again."

I didn't agree with this at all but my other option was to fight against my brother and most likely wind up right here in a few years because I couldn't bring myself to hurt that little boy I knew as my brother. I only prayed that America would step up to that hero role he keeps giving himself and save us from this.

That prayer wasn't fulfilled. I found myself in town after town looking for Latvia with my troops. I tried to throw them off as much as I could and to give Latvia time to escape if we did ever find him but even then that game could only go on so long before I was punished for my actions.

I was sitting in my brother's war room knowing that he had found out I was aiding the enemy in letting Latvia escape so many times. When he entered to room he held a number of documents and what looked like a book in his arms. "Sister" there was the terrifying voice that let me know my fate was sealed. "I have heard from some of your troops that you have been delaying action and this has allowed little Latvia to escape on numerous occasions."

"That...it is true. I will not lie to you about what I have done. You can hurt me if you must brother but I can't bring Latvia back here knowing full well you would give the the fear he once held over you again!" I really have no clue where this sudden bravery came from or why I had even said more the just admitting to the crime.

My brother gave me his evil little smirk. "I would never hurt you sister, you raised me and made me my most treasured possession." He raised his hand to grab his scarf and the opened up the book on the desk.

"I have a new job for you as your punishment. Until I have a more suiting punishment you will be doing all the house work around here. Your ultimate punishment I have an idea of but I don't know if I have the means to go through with it at the moment. As for what that punishment is I will not tell you."

"What! Brother if I am going to be punished I think I should know what it is."

"Think of it as a surprise. I have to get going now as our sister is actually doing the job I have asked of her."

I was stuck at that job for a year an in that year my company had grown. The first to fall was Lithuania and his ally Poland. The spoils of war seemed to dictate my brother also got Poland. After that Latvia had been caught and dragged back here against his will. He had begun to tremble from that day on out of fear. The last addition to the messed up union of a home was China who had moved in about a month ago.

That left Estonia who Russia was trying to locate for the past month. That is when my brother had stopped me when I was washing dishes.

"It is time for your actual punishment. I hope you haven't forgotten after all this time. Please come outside and bring you uniform and weapons." At his command I did as I was told and when I got outside I saw Belarus with Estonia tied up by her side.

"If this book correct which I trust it would be as it is in your handwriting Estonia you have held a crush on my sister for years now but you have been too afraid of me to act on it even when you gained your freedom. It says here you would send her anonymous gifts year after year when you both gained freedom. It is the perfect fairy tale romance isn't it?" He shut the book and the turned to me.

I couldn't believe what I had just heard considering I think I knew what my punishment was going to be.

"Your punishment will be a fight to the death with Estonia. If you back down at any point I will have you killed Katyusha and should you relent and die he will be killed." He then turned to Belarus and Estonia. "The same goes for you. If you relent in this fight at all I will have you killed. If you die to save my sister without really fighting she will join you."

Belarus took out her knife and cut the ropes holding Estonia back and handed him a sword.

We began our battle as soon as Russia said so.

One of us had to die but neither of us could just give up. We had to fight with our all. We both had gotten hits off and we didn't speak a word. Everything was unspoken at this point. I had lost track of time when my sword was knocked from my hand and I scrambled to get it out from the snow as I had been caught with a sword at my neck.

I would die at Estonia's hand. I had honestly hoped no one would win in this fight but this was war and someone lives while the other dies. I thought about how stupid I had been to join my brother in the first place. Now I just waited for the final swing with tears. I didn't fear death at this point. I made a mistake and I should pay for it.

The final swing didn't happen though. I was tapped on the back and at that moment I thought it would have been death to come take me away but it wasn't. Estonia had dropped his sword and fallen to his knees as I turned to see that it was in fact the black glove that belong to America that had tapped me on the back.

"You are safe now. Your brother and sister have been sedated and are being transported by England's men right now to protective holding. I am sorry to say this but you have to be taken in too as you willingly joined him."

"I understand." I wiped my tears on my sleeve and allowed America to take me into custody.

On the trip to wherever I was being taken I was given some horrible first aid by America. He only knew about as mush as to wrap a wound up. I had to remind him to disinfect it first but he did get all my cuts disinfected and wrapped up.

He did ask me one question when he walked me inside the building. "Why did you join him?"

"I joined him because not only am I his sister, I am a fool and he knew I couldn't harm him even if I wanted to because I raised him. You should ask England about it, I am sure that is why he has never harmed you when he had the chance."

I was locked up for a month to make sure I was completely sane. I wasn't allowed to see either of my siblings during this time nor was I allowed to have contact with much of anyone aside from the psychiatrists.

On the day I was allowed to leave that place I gathered my things and found Latvia waiting in the lobby.

"Ukraine. I wanted to say thank you for what you did during the war. They would never allow me in to say it but I know you did your best to protect me. I am sorry about your siblings by the way. I have no idea how long they will be locked up here."

"They made a mistake and this is their punishment. I was never really good with discipline when I was raising them so maybe this is all my fault." I began to cry a bit as I turned to look back at this place. I never wanted to come back here again. It was all too painful to remember and to have a hand in this.

I stood there and cried. Russia and Belarus had to be punished just this once. They probably would never change but right now it was better this way.

When I walked out of the building I sat down on the bench outside and began to wonder what I would do now. I would have to declare freedom again and do all that paperwork again. My people will hate me, I don't expect them to like me after my actions. I would prefer to spend one day outside like this before I went into that.

I closed my eyes and leaned back on the bench. The sunlight and wind felt nice after so long being stuck inside. When I opened my eyes there were flowers right next to me in a bouquet. I turned to look for whoever was responsible to see Estonia behind me.

"I thought you could use them. Everyone will be looking to paint you as a traitor now you know?" I didn't doubt his words. I wouldn't blame them for not trusting me.

"Do you think me a traitor too? I did try to take your life."

"No. You got yourself into a situation in which you had to fight. I think right now you could use someone at your side to be your friend as you are all alone now. I have always...I have always wanted that role."

He was the one who sent me these gifts over the years. I honestly thought it was my brother or France for some reason. The gifts had always been small and nothing horribly expensive but thoughtful all the same.

"You can have whatever role you want. Let's get out of here okay?" With that I picked up the flowers and gave the man a hug. He walked me out of this place and I had no idea where our destination was but anywhere would be a pleasant change.

"What! How the heck could she pick him! I am the one who saved her when he was trying to kill her! Are you absolutely sure about what you saw Canada?" America asked as Canada nodded his head. They had both been spying on Ukraine at America's request so he could pick the right moment to swoop in and play the hero to the damsel in distress.

That is when the third voice in the trio spoke up. "I knew you couldn't pull this off America."

"Oh yeah...Ukraine told me to ask you something. She said that she couldn't turn against her brother and that you would know what that was like. Why do you never hurt me when you have the chance?"

"Th-That is none of your concern!" England said as he turned away to hid his embarrassment as Latvia walked up to them.

"If you must know how he pulled this off he actually paid attention to Ukraine unlike you. That and I had help distracting you. Thank you for helping me out Matthew." America turned his gaze to Canada and he stood up and walked over to Latvia.

"At least he will remember who I am now even if only for a moment. Come on Latvia let's go get something to eat." With that the two left America and England to bicker.

FIN

A/N: Okay the hinted pairings at the end in order:

America/Ukraine (one sided)

England/America (As if England would ever admit it)

And the one that shocked even me, Latvia/Canada. If you think about it they really would make great friends probably.

As for the actual main pairing it is up to the reader if they actually get together in this one. It is pretty open ended on it being love or friendship. I would love to write a squeal to this sometime with how much was left open in this story.

Mainly I am writing Estonia/Ukraine as sort of a tribute to a role play I am in as Ukraine. The person playing Estonia got sick recently so I figured this may cheer her up a bit.