Title: Survivor Guilt

Genre: Angst

Pairing(s): USUK, CanLiech, PruHun?

Rating/Warnings: M/PG-13 AU

Summary: They were sent out as an elite task force of all nationalities to protect their city, their country, and their families. Fanworkathon Fic.

A/N: Thanks to UnnaturalKetchupTaco for taking a look at this. This story will be told as a series of drabbles, mostly USUK, but possibly with others, like CanLiech or PruHun. Part of the Fanworkathon on the USUK community on LJ. Title from a Rise Against song.

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They all had nightmares at one time or another. They tried to hide them from each other, but it was impossible to do when they lived so closely. The best they could do was try not to wake up screaming, thrashing about. But as their squad watched the flames reach for the sky, they realized that this was so much worse than in their nightmares, where you would wake up, panting and shaking and sweating. This was real.

.~.

Flames, reaching for the sky.

"Alfred. Alfred. Alfred. Wake up, Alfred. It's okay, it's just a nightmare." Arthur shook his shoulders, jostling Alfred awake. Normally gruff green eyes met terrified, confused blue eyes.

Screams cutting through the dark night.

"Wh-wh- Arthur? What's happening?" Alfred shook Arthur's hands off of his shoulders and sat up, shaking and rubbing his eyes. Arthur turned to the lamp on the bedside table and turned it on, taking Alfred's hand.

Bombs shaking the ground, making it hard to stay upright, much less run.

"Another nightmare, I presume?" Arthur looked into Alfred's eyes, bristly eyebrows furrowing together.

Bullets whistling through the air.

Alfred nodded, blinking rapidly. "Uhhh, yea. Yea, it was a nightmare. I think. Unless it was real."

So many enemies, it was everything they could do not to get killed.

"It was real, Alfred. It did happen."

Outnumbered, outgunned. Too many. Fighting with everything they had, to save their loved ones, with every ounce of their being, with all of their spirit.

"Yea… that's what I thought. I was just hoping… maybe it didn't. Maybe it was just a dream."

It wasn't enough.