Hi guys. I just wanted to tell you that I miss you all SO MUCH. As you could obviously see, I haven't been writing for a very long time. I'm going through some pretty tough things right now, but I swear I'm not giving up on the states. I doodle them on everything, and I have a whole computer full of half-finished stories I'll probably never get published. But I just want you to know that I do read everything you send me, and on some of the bad days, it really helps. I wanted to thank AemiliaeHistoriam, who has kept messaging me and talking to me even when I don't write, and also the one who finally kicked my butt in gear, cherryfeather101.
note: basically no state diversity in this one, guys. It's pretty much Maryland-centric, so I'm very sorry about not including most of the others.
That said, (I'm so excited, I haven't written a disclaimer in ages) the states belong to me, America doesn't, and Oliver and the 2Ps are quite honestly a mystery.
-0-0-0-
America sat in his favorite chair, watching the news. Massachusetts and California were playing checkers on the coffee table while Maryland sat on the couch reading a book. Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut were sitting together and drinking hot chocolate. Alaska and Hawaii were sprawled fast asleep on the rug in their pajamas, surrounded by coloring books. A fire flickered in the fireplace, and New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma warmed themselves in front of it.
"I finally got DC to sleep," Virginia called from the stairs, jumping down the last few steps. "He really doesn't like not sleeping in our room," he added, sitting down on the couch beside Maryland.
The blond state smiled slightly, moving his feet out of the way and going back to his book.
"He'll never leaver learn if you guys keep letting him," Mass pointed out.
"I know," Virginia sighed.
New Jersey laughed, and North Dakota silenced him with a pillow to the face. "You're gonna wake up Alaska and Hawaii!" she hissed.
As if to prove her point, Alaska rolled over in his sleep, nearly squashing Hawaii.
"Ginny, Cal is cheating!" Mass whined in a stage whisper.
"Don't call me Ginny!" Virginia shot back. "Cal, is it even possible to cheat at checkers?"
"Nope."
"Who said it was possible? He just is!" Mass pouted.
"Behave, you two," Delaware mumbled, without looking up from the enormous puzzle he and New Jersey were working on. "Otherwise he'll go after you with the frying pan again."
"But—!"
Virginia laughed quietly and curled up on the couch next to Maryland, glancing at the television. The reporter was droning on about the weather, talking calmly. Mixed with the falling rain and happy chatter of his siblings, it created a steady buzz that quickly lulled him into sleep.
-0-0-0-
A loud crack split the air, and the ground shook. An explosion rocked the air.
Virginia jolted awake, he and Maryland falling off the couch in a tangle of limbs. Alaska and Hawaii woke up and immediately began to cry. One of the girls screamed.
America leapt to his feet and ran to the window. One by one, the other states joined him.
Virginia groaned and held his head. "Was that a bomb? I think it hit somewhere near Alexandria."
America didn't answer. He was busy staring up into the sky.
Maryland pulled Virginia to his feet, and together they walked to the window.
The first thing Virginia registered was the unnatural shade of green that colored the sky. Then he saw the planes.
There were thousands of them—tiny, black bombers streaking across the night, streaming out of the massive swirling portal that slit the sky in two.
All around them, different states began to cry out in pain as bombs hit their land as well. New York gripped the windowsill with white knuckles, breathing hard. Delaware was on his knees. Maryland stood locked in place, unmoving. The only thing giving him away was his shaking hands.
America had one hand on the arm of the couch to keep himself upright. All over the east coast, more bombs were raining down. "Kids, Oliver and Kuro are back. And now they've brought their armies—"
Another bomb shook the earth, and Virginia fell against the wall.
America went into war mode. "Westerners, Kuro's planes will be hitting you soon. I want the old World War II patrols up again, especially for Hawaii and Cal. East, just hold on. Upper Midwest and anyone else strong enough, come with me. Someone keep a lookout for Oliver or Al. I doubt Al would hurt you, but Oliver will stop at nothing, and he has Al brainwashed enough to do what he says." Everyone scattered, leaving Virginia huddled against the wall.
When he could breathe again, he stood up. His siblings were rushing around him, running to find weapons, nations, or each other. Delaware was trying to gather together a few of the strongest states to help defend the younger ones. Alaska and Hawaii were crying and clinging to Nebraska. DC was still safe upstairs.
Unless...
Virginia paused. Then a loud thump sounded from the roof.
"THEY'RE AFTER DC!"
He turned and raced up the stairs, three at a time, his only thoughts of the little boy asleep at the end of the hall. Behind him, America, Mass, New York, and Maryland were racing to catch up.
Virginia didn't have to read the many familiar names on the doors as he raced past. He knew them all by heart.
Ohio. Nebraska. Louisiana. Georgia. Vermont.
Maryland.
He ran faster.
It was the last door at the end of the hall, blue with white stars. There was a loud crash, and Virginia finally reached the door, throwing it open.
Oliver was crouched on the floor, surrounded by broken glass. The wind blew pouring rain into the room through the shattered window.
DC was sobbing, huddled in the corner of his bed. He looked up at Virginia in terror.
Oliver stood up slowly, glass shards falling off his shoulders as he rose. He grinned at Virginia, his eyes glowing faintly pink. "Well aren't you a smart one? I was beginning to think there was nothing to this job." The gun in his hands glinted as he shifted it slightly.
Virginia took a step back, eyes wide.
"I do hope you weren't planning on saying anything. Then I would have to kill you too..." Oliver glanced at DC and raised his gun.
"NO!" Virginia raced forward at the same moment that the others ran in.
BANG!
Virginia crumpled to the floor and DC screamed.
"VIRGINIA!" Maryland yelled.
Then the ground beneath them shook and a blast of heat swept them all off their feet. Bits of the ceiling rained down around them, and the last pieces of glass in the window frame shattered and fell to the floor. It was another bomb, more powerful than any of the others.
America swore and dove for the Brit before he could fire again. "Get DC out of here," he ordered New York. "Now! Mass, get Texas!" He tackled Oliver to the ground and attempted to wrestle the gun away.
Mass took off running, yelling for Texas.
New York scooped up DC, who was still kicking and screaming and reaching for Virginia. "NO!" the little boy screamed. "I WANT GINNY!"
Maryland fell to his knees beside Virginia. "Go!" he ordered New York, who was standing frozen in the doorway with DC.
Virginia lay curled up on top of one of DC's fallen blankets, a pool of blood beneath him growing steadily. His glasses had a crack running through one lens from how he had fallen.
Maryland pulled the shorter state into his lap, heart pounding. The source of the blood was a bullet wound just above his collarbone.
Virginia's breathing was slow and ragged. His eyelids fluttered. "Maryland?"
"Just stay awake," Maryland ordered. He pulled Virginia closer, away from the broken glass.
"I'll try," Virginia offered sleepily. His eyelids were growing heavier and heavier. "I'm really tired..."
"Don't fall asleep. Not yet. Talk to me."
"About what?"
"Anything."
Virginia was quiet for a moment, and Maryland's heart nearly stopped.
"What are you guys going to do?" he finally asked.
"Wait for you to get better," Maryland replied stubbornly.
Virginia started to say, something, but broke off coughing. Maryland held him tighter.
"You know I'm dying, right?" Virginia asked when he could talk again, his voice little more than a whisper.
Maryland's shoulders started to shake. "No. You can't." A single tear rolled down his face and dripped onto Virginia's cheek.
"Don't cry," Virginia mumbled.
Maryland shook his head. "Don't go..."
"I don't think it works like that." Virginia smiled sadly, blood trickling out the corner of his mouth.
"Please?"
Virginia coughed again, noticeably paler. His breath came in sharp gasps. Now the blood had soaked its way into Maryland's shirt as well, but he barely noticed. Virginia finally allowed his head to fall back on Maryland's lap.
"...will you still let DC sleep in your room?" he asked sleepily.
"Every night," Maryland promised.
Virginia squeezed his hand in silent thanks. "Bye," he whispered softly.
"No!" Maryland held him tighter, trying to keep him there, keep him alive.
But there was nothing he could do. Virginia closed his eyes and sighed.
And then he was gone.
Maryland was left kneeling among the broken glass and blankets, with Virginia pale and lifeless in his arms.
"No," he whispered. "Please..."
But there was no answer.
He was suddenly far too aware of America and Oliver scuffling behind him. He turned, and all he could see was Oliver's sickening grin.
The Brit was laughing, dodging America's every attempt to capture him. He glanced over at Maryland and laughed harder.
Maryland just stared at him, his mind a whirl of grief, confusion, and over all else, anger, growing stronger the longer that awful laughing went on.
Then, something snapped.
-0-0-0-
DC was scared. New York was talking to him, but his voice sounded funny, like he was about to cry. Everything hurt, and all he wanted was Virginia and Maryland. If he could just get to them, then everything would be okay.
But New York wouldn't let him go. He was taking him back to all his big brothers and sisters. He said there were bad guys, that it wasn't safe
That had to be a lie. How could he ever be safe without Maryland there to scare away the bad guys? How could he be safe if Virginia wasn't holding him and telling him that everything would be okay?
Another bomb hit, shaking the house again, and New York wrapped himself around DC, shielding him from the dust that rained down around them.
In that moment, DC twisted free. Before the older state could grab him, he ducked under the arms that held him and ran for the stairs, running up as fast as his small legs could carry him.
"DC! Come back!"
But DC didn't listen. He had to find Virginia and Maryland.
Halfway up the stairs, he fell, but jumped back up and kept on running. He didn't have time to cry. Behind him, he could hear the older states calling him, so he ran faster, until he reached the doorway of his room and skidded to a stop.
Maryland was kneeling on the floor, hugging Virginia. Both of them were covered in red. Maryland was crying, whispering something DC couldn't hear. Virginia lay on his lap. He wasn't moving.
Why wasn't he moving?
Behind them, there was a crash, and DC saw America fighting the bad person from England. Maryland saw it too, and for a a moment, he just stared,
Then suddenly he was jumping up, attacking Oliver with an animal rage, screaming curses and trying to tear him apart. His hands were already stained red with blood, and grew darker with each second. He fought and punched and screamed until Oliver was no longer able to stand. America attempted to drag him back, but with no success.
From the ground, Oliver grinned maniacally, even as blood streamed down his face. He knew he had won.
Maryland drew back to land another blow, and America grabbed his arm
"Maryland."
Silence.
"This isn't going to fix anything."
"Let go," Maryland growled through his teeth, snatching his arm away and raising it again.
"Maryland, that's enough." America yanked him away from Oliver.
Maryland snarled and looked around wildly, breathing hard, eyes flashing. "Let me go," he hissed.
For a moment there was silence, broken only by Maryland's heavy breathing as they glared at each other.
"...Daddy?" a tiny voice whispered.
Maryland whirled.
DC was standing in the doorway, staring at him with wide, painfully familiar green eyes.
Maryland let his arms fall limply to his sides, all traces of anger vanished as the weight of the world came crashing back down. His eyes flew wide as he finally noticed the blood coating both his hands.
DC started to cry. Maryland scooped up the little boy and held him tight, not saying a word. A few tears of his own dripped down onto the top of DC's head.
After a moment, America pulled them both into a hug, and for a time, they stood there in silence. Nobody said anything, because there was nothing left to say.
-0-0-0-
There was a funeral. That was really all Maryland knew.
He knew that all forty-nine of them stood there on a cold, cloudy day, and listened to one of the older nations talk. He knew that Alaska and Hawaii were clinging to his sides in silence, and that in his arms, DC was sobbing quietly.
He knew that though all of it, he did nothing but stare straight ahead. He was too sad to cry anymore. There was no point, because if he did start crying, there wasn't anyone left who could make it stop.
The ancient nation before him droned on.
In the back of his mind, Maryland wondered if any of the small children clinging to him understood anything beyond Virginia is gone. He wanted to reassure them, but he couldn't find the words.
When Alaska and Hawaii started to cry, nobody bothered to quiet them.
Maryland wasn't sure anyone but Virginia really knew how.
The invasion had left the world in shambles. What had once been Richmond, Virginia was now a barren wasteland, destroyed by the bombs. The east coast was littered with dozens of smaller bomb areas, all blackened beyond repair. The planes hadn't all made it to the west coast before being brought down by Japan and China, but the damage was done. Hawaii had thankfully escaped harm, though California wasn't as lucky.
But America was far from the only country affected by the horrific invasion. Nobody knew what sort of condition Iceland was in, but the Nordic countries were frantic with worry for the missing nation. Switzerland had lost a good deal of its northern land. And the entire isle of Great Britain was gone. It had been bombed beyond hope of rebuilding, until at last the island sank into the sea. The representative nations had died instantly.
No matter how hard he tried, Maryland couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for England. If not for him, the dark nations would never have found their world. None of it would have happened.
And still, the ancient nation spoke on.
-0-0-0-
Maryland lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. His bedroom was far to empty to sleep in. Too quiet. Even his bed felt too big for only him. He rolled over to look out the window at the slow, dripping rain. An old pair of Virginia's glasses rested on the windowsill.
He looked away again.
A pair of tiny hands grabbed the edge of the bed and attempted to climb up, with little success. Maryland sat up.
DC was trying to climb onto the bed, although he was much too short to reach. Maryland lifted him onto the bed, and the toddler immediately hugged him and refused to let go. He was crying, burying his face in Maryland's t-shirt.
Maryland sighed and shifted the little boy to sit in his lap, quietly holding him while he cried. Outside, it had finally stopped raining.
A few minutes later, there was a sound of small feet from the hallway, and Alaska walked the doorway, pulling Hawaii with him. "Maryland...? Can me an' Hawaii sleep in your room too?" he asked, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his pajamas. "Not that I need to or anything," he added bravely. "Just 'cause we wanted to make sure you weren't scared."
The blond state nodded and pulled the blankets aside as the two children raced across the room to the bed, crawling up and huddling up on either side of him.
Soon, Hawaii was curled in a ball on top of a pillow, fast asleep and hugging the arm not holding DC. Alaska was lying slumped against him, snoring slightly. DC slept quietly in Maryland's lap.
Maryland himself was slowly drifting off, leaning against the headboard. He opened his eyes one last time, glancing down at the pile of sleeping toddlers. His bed wasn't quite so big and empty anymore.
For the first time in a long time, he smiled.
-0-0-0-
I'm a sucker for happy endings... In this case not so much 'happy' as 'less-depressing-than-it-could-be' endings. This was actually really fun to write, despite it being sad (we all love torturing characters, right?). I really hope I can write more someday soon.
Lots of love,
Rambler