Osa-chan: New story. I'm so happy that I'm writing this! It's going to be a really serious one!

America: I'm a girl in this story? And I have a messed up past?! Why?

England: Shut it, I was the girl in the other story, so now it's your turn . . .

Osa-chan: I usually like femUK better, but the story is more interesting this way . . . I think . . .

Romano: Just get on with the story already! And you readers better Review, damn it . . . (please?)

Warning/Disclaimer: No matter how much I wish it, I don't own Hetalia. This story is rated T for use of language, implied sexual relationships, and some violence.
I might add shonen ai/shojo ai(yaoi/yuri) if I feel like it, but I probably wont. And there might be an actual sex scene (not just implied) later in the story, depending on what you readers want. This story will change in point of view from England and America. Rating may go up.

America's/Amelia's POV

I couldn't breath. Smoke covered me like a blanket, choking me and and allowing me little access to clean air. The house was falling apart in flames and a collapsed piece of wood, from the roof, was trapping me in the blazing heat. The fire threatened to burn my skin while it inched closer and closer to me. I had already given up on getting out of here. I already knew that this was the end of my useless life. And I knew that I deserved to die like this. I've only done cruelty. I've only caused hurt. Why should I expect anyone to care if I'm breathing or not? Isn't it better this way?
I surrendered to the fear and sorrow, and allowed myself to cry during the last few moments I had left. No one would see me like this anyway. I coughed the last bit of air I had left and readied myself for the end that would surely be painful. As I dipped into unconsciousness, I felt a tug on my singed shirt and was lifted out from under the wood that had kept me prisoner in this decaying hell hole. There was an absence of smoke and and rush of fresh air in it's place. I let myself inhale the oxygen that had never tasted to so clean until now. I opened my eyes, but I couldn't see anything due to the effects of hazy smoke. There were a bunch of blurs rushing towards me, which I could only assume were people. I was still in the arms of my savior, who had tightened his or her grip since we left the burning house. I turned up, trying to catch a glimpse of their face, but failed miserably. I could barely stay awake and I could feel myself drifting off slowly.

"Why . . . . ? I . . . don't deserve to be saved." I coughed. I could still feel the remains of smoke inside me.

"Does someone need a reason to help another? I was only being a gentlemen." was replied. It was definitely a man's voice. He had some sort have accent, but I was too out of it to recognize what type it was.

"You're more than a gentlemen. . . You're a hero." I said in admiration.

"Hero?" the man chuckled. "I don't think so." He said humbly.

"You're kind, useful, and needed. Maybe I could be more like you one day, but I guess that's just wishful thinking." I sighed out. I was very close to blacking out. Forcing myself awake proved to be much more difficult than I had originally thought. The man grunted in annoyance and tightened his hold on me.

"You can change if you wish to. If you want to be a hero, then be one. The only thing in your way is your own stubbornness. You've quit before you've even begun to try and there isn't anyone telling you that you can't or shouldn't, so stop thinking idiotic things." he lectured. I wanted to say more. I wanted to ask more questions, but my body wouldn't allow me to remain awake any longer. I closed my eyes and succumbed to sleep.

"Thank you . . ." I said softly, hoping he heard. I don't really know if he did, because the next time I woke up, I was in the hospital with bandages on my arms, legs, and torso. The doctors had told me that my mother died in the house when it was burning and that the fire was probably caused by a cigarette. I felt no remorse nor hurt when I received the news and I wasn't surprised about the cause either. I was never close to that woman known as "mother" and I always knew that her smoking habits were terrible, not that I didn't steal a few cigarettes myself.
They said that I was going to be in the custody of a woman named Jessica Williams. I would be lying if I said I wasn't ecstatic. Starting next month, I'd be living with this woman and her daughter, Madeline Williams.
I was given a chance to start over. To move away from the hell I've been dragged into. I will change from now on. I'll be helpful, rather than useless garbage. I'll be generous, instead of cruel. I'll be a hero, replacing the monster that I've been for far too long.

4 months later

The first day of school never is and never will be a happy occasion. Especially when It's in a school you've never heard of . . . and in a town that you moved to only a month ago. And what's worse, being expected to act cheerful about it.

I looked in the mirror and practiced my fake smile. The perky get up I was wearing and the beaming grin on my face was somehow hiding the fact that I was annoyed as hell, as well as nervous enough to vomit. I fixed my short dirty blonde hair and pulled it to the side, effectively removing the strands that were dropping in front of my eyes. I do own glasses, but I'd rather wear contacts, though my eyes get irritated from them more often than not. It's still less annoying than having to keep my glasses from sliding off my nose all the time though.
I checked my watch and realized how late it was getting.

"Yo Mattie! Time to go to school! Are you done yet?" I yelled to my younger sister, who was getting ready upstairs. She ran down to me, almost tripping in the process. What a clumsy girl.

"Y-yes, sorry for keeping you waiting." Mattie said recomposing herself and smiling gently. Her appearance is very similar to mine, with some minor differences here and there. She has an identical color of dirty blonde hair, but hers reaches her mid-back and she ties it up in pigtails with cute little red ribbons. Unlike me, she wears glasses that shields her beautiful violet eyes. That is basically the biggest difference betweens us when it comes to looks. My eyes, unlike hers, are a boring aqua blue. I'm also a bit taller than her, but barely enough to really notice. Maddie is completely different when it comes to personality though.

This wonderful girl is probably the sweetest, most innocent person alive! I swear, her cuteness could kill me!
But than again, she's also the most defenseless and ditziest person to every walk the earth. (Amelia hasn't met Feli yet)
I swore to myself that I'd protect Mattie no matter what when I first met her.
Protect her not just from her own clumsiness, but also because she looks so much like me. If anyone from my old school ever saw her, they'd think she was me for sure. And since I wasn't little miss nice girl before I moved, Mattie would probably get some trouble from some of my old . . . acquaintances. Just the thought of Mattie getting hurt makes me furious.
That's why I'm pretty sure that the fact that Mattie and I both inherited our appearances from our dad is a curse.
Dad. That word makes me want to puke. 'Why?' you ask?
Well ... Once upon a time in a run down motel, my bastard of a father decided to cheat on Mattie's mom while she was pregnant. Of course, she was smart enough to connect the dots and ended up asking for a divorce. Mattie was conceived without a father and my dad was kicked out and eventually moved to the bad side of town.
And he lived not so happily ever after! Serves him right.

The woman he was cheating on was my mother, which sorta explains how I got here. Though at the time, my mother had no idea that my father was already a married man. So even though he left for mom, he ended up leaving her before she gave birth to me as well.
That cruel bastard made sure to tell my mother all about Ms. Williams, before he left though.

I learned about my dad at the tender age of ten, when I'd asked my mom why I didn't have a 'dad' after realizing that many of my friends did. She told me the story as if she were telling me about her day at work. She even mentioned Mattie once, telling me that I had a half-sister, but I never actually cared enough to go search for her. She was just an existence that wasn't part of my life. And I'm undoubtedly sure that if Mattie knew me at the time, she'd probably be too scared to get near me. It's better that she doesn't know anything about my past for the time being.

"Come on girls! You're going to be late for school and I'll be late for work!" Ms. Williams called, dragging me out of my musings. I grabbed Mattie's hand and pulled her towards the car. We sat in the back seat together and let the woman at the front drive us to our first day of misery. Well this is going to be fun . . .

Mattie and I walked into our first class of the day, science. At least I didn't have to start the day off with something terrible, like math. Mattie walked away to greet our classmates, who politely responded with a "hello" or "hey!".
It appeared that every student in the room knew each other one way or was as if a community of people, who've all grown up, had been stacked up together in the same shy little Mattie ended up having a good chat with some albino freak who was using the word "awesome" excessively.
I felt like a weed in a garden of daisies. Fitting in was already proving to be a pain in the ass.

I took a seat in some random chair, ignored every one around me, and waited for class to start. The clock on the wall ticked slowly, as if it were trying to bug me. I rested my head on the desk I was sitting in and let my eyes droop. I almost felt at peace until someone decided to bother me and break through the invisible wall I had created to shield me from the rest of the room.

"If you're going to sleep the minute you walk into the classroom, then why bother coming at all?" was said with a distinct and posh british accent. I pulled my head up and turned to the seat next to mine. The guy had messy blonde hair and almost mesmerizing emerald eyes. The one thing that sort of ruined his image were the bushes that somewhat passed as eyebrows, but they somehow suited him pretty well at the same time. After snapping myself out of my lazy state, I forced a fake smile on my face and replied with a cheerful tone.

"Sorry, I'm just bored, since I don't know anybody here. And I wasn't sleeping! A hero wouldn't sleep on the first day of school! I was just . . . resting." I justified myself with a cheeky grin. I was disgusted at how peppy and boisterous I was acting, but the thought of erasing my old, monstrous self was enough to help me ignore that.

"And what makes you so heroic? Have you done anything impressive lately?" He challenged. I almost dropped my smile.
The answer to his question was a flat out "no', and any other answer to that would be complete bullshit. My deeds would define me in the exact opposite. I even found the term idiotic and far fetched sometime ago. Heros were for little kids who knew nothing about how cruel the world could be and how messed up it was. You'd get swallowed up whole if you went out believing that you would get rescued, just because you were feeling helpless. If you want help, then help yourself. Why rely on others, when no one even cares?
The memory of the day that my house burned down invaded my mind. I almost choked up at the image. I breathed deeply to calm down my nerves and prepared myself to give an honest answer to the teen.

"Well, to be blunt, Nope! I haven't done a single thing worthy of the title, but someone told me I could totally be one if I wanted to! He said I could become a hero, so I will! I swear on that! Mark my words, dude." I said in bright and a somewhat obnoxious way, with my finger pointed straight at his face. The boy looked at me blankly. He didn't say anything for a good while. I suppose that he had no idea of what to make of my little outburst, so I, in response, turned away to avoid the awkward silence. Despite turning away, he continued to stare at me, as if I were some sort of puzzle to solve. I wasn't really sure what this guy was thinking, but I knew for sure that if he was trying to come up with good a comeback, then he was taking way to long to do it. I shifted nervously in my chair and stared at the door, hoping the teacher would come in and interrupt our mute conversation.

"Arthur." He mumbled. He said it so suddenly that I almost jumped out of my seat. I turned back in his direction and gave a look of confusion.

"What did ya say dude?" I asked.

"The name's Arthur Kirkland, not dude. Pleasure to meet you." He finished with a content look on his face, though I have no idea why he was suddenly so happy. He held out his hand expectantly, waiting for me to shake it. I wasted no time with the introduction and squeezed his hand, while thrusting it up and down exaggeratedly. He gave me a jolt in surprise and I couldn't help but snicker.

"Amelia F. Jones. Nice to meet ya!" I yelled aloud. I was probably loud enough to gain the whole class's attention. Arthur gave a look of annoyance and disgust, as if I vandalized a building or something. I knew that look very well from . . . uh, experience.

"It's Nice to meet you, you git and quiet down!" He corrected, while yelling himself. I just waved him off.

"Same thing, dude." I said louder. I was quickly learning that this guy was fun to tease.

"No, it's not. Don't butcher the English language and stop calling me dude!" he hissed. I laughed at his reaction, while he just yelled at me to shut up. When the teacher walked in, we both hushed down and waited for the lesson to begin. It seemed I could make a friend after all.

Class was extremely boring! We just introduced ourselves and went over class expectations. The class was utterly wasted with the teacher's tangent about how to turn in assignments to get full credit. The next few classes weren't much better. We did the exact same thing, over and over. But strangely enough, I could always find myself in the same class as Arthur. Seems like fate wanted me to annoy the hell out of this guy. He was the only thing that kept class interesting, though he oddly became dead serious the minute a teacher began to speak. Quite the teacher's pet if you asked me.
After going through half of the day, I was finally released to lunch. I mentally cheered in my head, for I was now allowed to goof off and not get chastised for it by one of the teachers.
I wandered outside of the school building and looked for a place where I could stuff my face with burgers and not be judged by my lack of etiquette.
(Hey, A girl's gotta eat too, you know. Bug off . . .)
After walking aimlessly for awhile, I discovered a pretty isolated area at the back of the school. It was sort of like a mini garden, with a lot of flowers and trees. I found myself in front of a giant cherry blossom tree. It had few flowers and even fewer leaves, but that is to be expected when it's getting close to autumn. I was about to sit down by the trunk, until I heard a gentle laugh coming from the other side of the tree. The trunk was pretty huge so anyone behind the tree would've been hidden well. I crawled to other side and surprisingly found Arthur petting a bunny that seamed to be a stray. I coughed, effectively causing him to jump in shock and turn in my direction.

"That bunny is so cute! You're pretty good with animals!" I said, destroying the peaceful silence that was there moments before.

"What are you doing here you bloody git!? No one's supposed to know about this place! Heh, I bet you got lost. The cafeteria is that way." he said mockingly. I gave him a childish pout and put my hands on my hips.

"I'm not lost! I was looking for a place to eat. And why are you here if no one is supposed to know about this place, hm? That's not fair! I wanna be here too!" I whined. Arthur sighed in defeat and scooted a bit away from me to make more space. He patted the ground, urging me to sit down next to him. I grabbed a lunch container out of my bag and comfortably plopped myself beside Arthur. Without a second thought, I took a giant bite out of my homemade burger and chewed in delight. I wasn't surprised when I saw a slight look of disgust on Arthur's face. I ignored and continued to chew happily, pretending that I didn't notice his expression. Arthur followed suit and began to nibble on his lunch as well, making sure to give some to the bunny in his lap.

"Where did you find that bunny anyway and why isn't it running away in fear?" I joked. Arthur rolled his eyes and went back to pet the rabbit.

"Haha. Very funny." He said sarcastically, making sure to 'elbow' me a bit. I grinned. At least he has a sense of humor.
"But . . ." He continued, effectively gaining my attention once more. "I have always like animals more than people and they seem to like me too. Or at least they put up with me. I suppose they're just comforting in a way." He admitted. Arthur had this melancholic look in his eyes that I couldn't exactly look away from.

"Well ... the little bunny looks pretty happy to me. I think he ... or she likes you just fine. And I can see why too." I said grinning. He looked back at me with wide eyes. He almost looked confused.

"Why?" He asked softly with this pleading look in his eyes. He spoke that one word as if that fact that someone (or something) could like him was absolutely ridiculous. I was so lost looking at his eyes, that it took me a bit to realize that his cheeks had become a hue of crimson and that he began to shift uncomfortably.

"S-sorry. Just forget I'd ever asked that." He said in embarrassment, turning away in attempt to hide. I chuckled to myself. I guess Arthur has trouble making friends too. Well, the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. I leaned back on the tree trunk and closed my eyes, allowing the soft breeze to whisk my hair to the right.

"You're very kind." I said, bringing Arthur's attention back to me.

"Though you act a bit stuck up, you do care about others. That rabbit right there is proof." I continued. I could hear a small sound of shock form Arthur, but I ignored it and listed more admirable qualities that I have noticed int he past few hours.

"You pay attention in class more attentively than anyone else and it's obvious that you have a great sense of respect for others. You take notes in class to diligently and seriously it could make someone want to work harder, me included. When you were petting that rabbit, you looked really gentle. Fragile even." I said, hoping I didn't offend him. I could hear his voice let out a cough of confusion, which made me earnestly giggle. I opened my eyes and decided to take this a step further.

"But that's just on the inside! You're pretty awesome one the outside too! I mean, look at you! Pretty blonde hair and mesmerizing emerald eyes! What's not to like?" I said teasingly, hoping to earn a reaction. His eyes almost popped out of his head and I could see a tinge of red on his cheeks. I gave an evil grin and turned to face him.

"And probably the best quality of all, you have such a dreamy- . . . wait no . . . such a damn sexy british accent!" I said playfully. At this point, Arthur thunked my forehead in annoyance. I pretended to whine and childishly begged him to stop. Arthur grunted and let his chin rest on his hands. He started to close off into his own little world and began to day dream. Realizing that he was already far off in la-la land, I slowly inched my face closer and closer to his ear, being carful not to get noticed. I took a silent breath and gave Arthur an almost inaudible message, snatching him out of his daze.

"Hey Arthur ... What I said was the honest truth. Promise."

He turned towards me in surprise and gave a thankful look. We shared a long stare that seemed to last hours, but probably only lasted seconds.

"Well, I can say that you're not too bad yourself, git." He said shyly, looking away in the process. He ended up staring at some random rock on the dirt, avoiding my gaze. And I'm pretty glad he did, because my face was probably as red as a firetruck. I tackled Arthur from the side and gave him a grizzly bear hug.

"You're my new best friend Artie!" I yelled. Arthur struggled out of my grasp and tried to push my off, unsucessfully.

"What are you saying, git?! Just, because you have no one else to talk to doesn't mean you can just proclaim stuff like that!" He argued defensively.

"Actually, it sorta does! I mean, you wanna be friends too, right?!" I giggled. There was a bit of a silence as I waited for his response.

"It's sort of not sorta! And you say want to not wanna. If you expect us to be allies, you'll have to use proper grammar." He retorted.

"Allies? That's a nice way to put it! ALRIGHT! From here on out, we're ALLIES OF JUSTICE! We'll be like heros!" I announced. Arthur sighed

"Fine."

End of chapter one! I hope you liked it! It's one of my more descriptive stories. If you have any suggestions or constructive criticism, I'd love to hear it! If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask! Until next time!
~Osachan