A/N: So for those of you that don't know, Senator Edward "Ted(dy)" Kennedy, the senior Senator from Massachusetts died late last night. I happened to be on the Boston Globe's website when they broke the story around 2am, after confirming, and half an hour watching the news, I began to write this.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize, though I have my own design for Massachusetts (complete with Boston Terriers).
America was tired. He had gone out for drinks with a couple of the other nations after the latest world meeting had ended and had stayed until two in the morning despite not feeling in his typical good spirits. He didn't know what was wrong, only that something was missing and he felt empty inside.
When he reached home he had fumbled with his keys until the door opened into the dark house. As soon as he entered he knew something was wrong. He saw a dark shape curled up in a chair at the kitchen table and watched it shake with quiet, shuddering sobs. America turned on the light and immediately recognized Massachusetts, who despite noticing America hadn't stopped crying. America picked up the teen –with some difficulty –she wasn't a little girl anymore he reminded himself, and sat down on a nearby couch with the state cuddled in his arms. He stopped reminiscing and turned his attention to comforting the girl.
America rubbed her back and murmured meaningless words softly in her ears, and after a few minutes Massachusetts stopped shaking with the force of her sobs. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she tried to explain.
"He's dead, he's dead, he's dead," she repeated over and over into America's jacket.
"Who died, Massachusetts?"
"Kennedy."
"Honey, they've been dead for years, what brought this on?"
"Not Jacky, not Bobby."
"Who, then?" America vaguely recalled a woman in the Kennedy family had died a few weeks ago, maybe it was her?
Massachusetts moaned "Teddy," before dissolving into wracking sobs.
America was stunned breathless. "How?! When?!" He recognized that this was what had been wrong at the bar, he was what was missing. Ted Kennedy.
"A couple of hours ago, late Tuesday night. He'd been struggling with brain cancer you know that America. He started making arrangements for his retirement a couple of days ago. God. Everyone thought he was retiring to help draw attention to his baby, the health care issue, but he died America. He just died." She seemed to struggle with the words before continuing.
"He cared about me, America, he spent nearly half a century as my senator, campaigning for universal health care. They called him the lion of the Senate, and he was mine. I loved him America, all of Massachusetts did, we trusted him when we trusted no one else," here she laughed quietly. "Of course we did, the man was a Kennedy." Massachusetts clung tightly to her father. "I know all humans die. He was old, he had brain cancer and was expected not to last much longer when he was diagnosed last year but… he was Teddy Kennedy. He transcended that, I mean I can't imagine the senate without him. I guess I kind of figured he'd live forever." She fell quiet and America felt her tears soak his shirt.
He decided then that he would mourn later. Massachusetts needed him, not another grieving wreck. "You know," America said carefully, "if he had lived forever we might have had to kick him out of the Senate."
Massachusetts jerked upright "Why?" she demanded, "He was a great man, he did more –"
"It wouldn't be fair though. I mean, can you see him ever losing re-election? He'd have that senate seat forever if he never died."
Massachusetts let out a startled laugh, "He would have never lost re-election in my state. " She smiled weakly, and curled up in her father's arms, not sobbing, not crying, just thinking about her beloved Teddy.