Danger is Everywhere-Canada's POV

It started with a phone call to my house. In the middle of the night. The absolutely perfect time to receive a call. Barely awake, I had answered it blearily. America had been on the other line. He had wanted me to come and meet him as fast as I could. I was to take the first flight out to where he was. Right now. We would meet up at one of his houses. I'd thought it was unusual, wanting to meet up so late at night, he couldn't even explain it away as a time difference because at any one time they were only about an hour or two apart. Pulling on a pair of pants, I'd glanced at my clock, 2:07 in the morning. That was the last time I looked at the clock for some reason. I'd even called Alfred back to ask what all the fuss about, if he'd watched another scary movie and wanted a buddy, or something, for that.

But, he was surprisingly persistent with his answer of, "I'll tell you when you get here", and kept telling me to hurry and come meet him. I'd thought after that phone call that this had to be something much more important than another ghost movie.

What really drove that home was when I'd gotten a text from him saying that this was important and I wasn't safe and that even if I didn't understand that, he would be able to make it all clear once I got there. I'd gotten there in a few hours. The shortest amount of time I could, I even went faster than when I was Kate for a world meeting. Alfred's constant texts just kept speeding me up and motivating me to go on.

Unfortunately, because of this, I hadn't gotten to look at any news stations, the internet, or even stopped to ask around. I had to keep my phone ready to answer, and listening to the news kept drowning out the little beeps from my phone receiving messages.

I just had to trust Alfred. It was hard to remember the last time I had, I chose to ignore that thought as I got closer and closer to where Alfred was.

I still had no idea why he wanted me there. I hadn't felt anything on my land though. So, maybe this had to do with America? Why tell me that I wasn't safe then? Was this what he meant long ago when he'd said he'd be my hero? Did he still think of me as a damsel in distress that had to be sheltered? What had he been doing that I felt no danger aimed at my land, and yet I was apparently in danger?

Why call me even?

We didn't particularly get along nowadays. We weren't enemies; but, we also weren't inseparable best friends anymore either. We were just neutral now. If I was in danger, why was he trying to help me?

Shouldn't he just be minding his own business and ignoring anything that happened over here on my side of the border? None of this made any sense to me.

When I got there, Alfred sure was happy to see me though. However, we wasted no time on greetings at all. There was no need, it seemed. We had no time to idle.

I still did not know why.

As soon as he had seen me, he had rushed me into his truck and started speeding down a little side road leading out of the city.

"Alfred..." I'd started to say, but Alfred hadn't even looked my way. His attention was on the road only as he'd answered me back.

"Not now, Mathew. When we get there we'll talk."

So the rest of the drive through the dark on that dusty gravel road had been spent in silence.

When we got there, a place with a little cabin in the middle of nowhere kind of forest, Alfred immediately got out and slammed the truck door behind himself. He hadn't even waited for me to get out as well, I thought to myself, what is this all about?

Alfred had gone straight up to the cabin door with the keys and started to jiggle the lock, trying to get the keys to work properly in a way that it hadn't been used for in years probably judging by the look of the place. It was desolate. It hadn't been cared for in years, I could tell that even in the dark and with no lights to show the true damage to the place.

The lock clicked and Alfred shoved hard against the door, opening it sharply enough for it to hit the opposite wall with a bang before rebounding. Mathew suspected that Alfred must have come here much more often before because of the way he'd started striding down the hallway unafraid to keep going deeper inside the house even though he was normally so afraid of the dark he would have refused to go a foot into any other place so shrouded in shadows.

Like always, I had followed after him obediently, I never tried to directly go against his wishes. And, this was a small matter anyways. So far it didn't have anything to do with politics, so it wasn't like doing this would make Stephen mad at him. This was something personal. I could understand that by now.

Past the old paintings and wallpaper decorating the hallway the door opened into we ended up in what was probably the living room once upon a time. After I entered, Alfred shut the door behind me with care then twisted around to cross his arms and stare at me with a sigh.

"Whatever am I to do with you, Mattie? You're too delicate, you know that right? Like a little dandelion; one breath and you'd be blown completely away. The world is too dangerous for you to keep living on your own like this. I have to protect you."

I'd frowned at that. I didn't get what was happening. 'Where did this come from?'

"Um, pardon? I don't quite know what you mean, America."

His face changed to that of one full of anger. I almost didn't recognize it. If 1812 hadn't happened, I wouldn't have at all.

"My name's Alfred, dammit. Call me by that!"

'Whoa.' That was startling. I never had liked loud noises. They have always scared me. And in the quiet of the room, his voice had been even louder. That event added this particular moment to my list of scary memories to have nightmares over later at a future date.

I'd held up my hands placatingly. "Yeah, that's fine with me. I'll call you Alfred then and not America. I'll keep that in mind." The fast pace my words streamed out and alerted me again to the fact that this was really starting to freak me out. What was wrong with America?

He'd nodded with his mouth still set in a frown. "Yeah, you better."

"But, Alfred," I'd spoken softly and slow, uncertain about saying his name out loud so familiarly.

"What do you mean it's too dangerous for me? I've been fine so far. I'm over a hundred years old. I can take care of myself Ameri- I mean Alfred. "

Alfred's eyes had narrowed when I'd almost said his country name without thinking, then they had gone back to normal, or at least there was no glaring when I'd changed it at the end and had said Alfred instead. I hadn't screwed up yet.

"But it isn't safe for you, Mattie."

Why was he so hung up on that? And, when did I give him permission to use my human name?

"And it never will be either. You're in danger and I have to protect you from everyone else. I can be your hero and keep you here safe and sound, Mattie. I'll be your hero and no one will ever hurt you. No one would dare to even try with me standing guard."

My eyes had widened and I'd started stepping back towards the locked door. Alfred had gone insane. I could see that now.

"I care for you, Mattie. I just want you to be safe. So, I want you to stay here, okay? And I'll look after you and then no one can ever touch you. No one will hurt you ever."

I'd tried to reason with him then, and I'd been foolish enough to think he'd accepted my opinion.

When Alfred had held out his arms for a hug, I'd believed it had been a make-up hug. Something he was doing to ask for my forgiveness, an apology if you want to call it that.

I'd stepped into the hug, in my mind I was accepting his apology. Then Alfred had spoken and any comfort I might have received from that hug disappeared.

"I'm sorry about this, Mathew."

'What? He was still going to try and do it? Keep me here? No!'

I'd tried to break free from his grasp and reach for the door. One of my arms had gotten loose from his strong grip and that was it. I felt a jolt of electricity go through me for my troubles.

My world grew dark. The edges shadowing in as I realized that I was lying on the dusty floor now with Alfred standing above me. A tazer? I remember him saying something about those once to me. He'd said that you can legally buy them in some of his states. Or maybe he'd said that you could before. Why hadn't I paid attention to that?

Why would Alfred have one of those anyway?

I can't think clearly. I think I'm losing consciousness.

I saw Alfred crouch down and scoop me into his arms. My balance was shifting crazily from that.

"I'm so sorry, Mattie. But, I have to keep you here. I can't let you get hurt or even die again on me out there, right?"

He'd looked a bit closer at my face and saw that my eyes were just barely staying open still.

"Oh wait, you're still awake? You're a bit stronger than I thought. Well, you are still a nation, I guess. Nighty night, Mattie. I hope you have sweet dreams."

My eyes slid shut fully.

I guess I lost consciousness after that then, I think. I don't know. I can't remember what happened next. What happens after that? Think, Mathew...I can't remember. Oh wait, that was it. I'd woken up inside of a locked room and had quickly seen that there were no windows, no keys, and no Alfred anywhere in sight. And my phone was gone.

Fantastic.


A/n: this will not have any smut in this at any time at all. Alfred will continue to be OOC, possessive, and crazy.

Please tell me if there is anything I can improve on. This was an exercise for myself to try writing in 1st person without deviating into third person, and to bug a friend of mine who "loves" coughshehatesitcough the AmeCan pairing. I'll probably make more for that same reason or I'll just actually update this.

A Letter to APBio,

Dear APBio, I don't know why but having to do one of your tests always makes me type up/and or update/publish stories the night before the test. Like today. Maybe as a stress reliever? I don't know. It still seems stressful.

Yours truly,

North

p.s. why do teachers always feel the need to tell you a bunch of stuff the day before the test and be like, "Oh, sorry, I forgot that this would also be on the test. Whoops."?