01. Forever and a Day

"Alfred, you're being stupid," Kai said impatiently. "Look, it's raining and it's dark. We need to hurry and get to the meeting!"

Alfred pressed his lips into a firm line, fingers gripping the steering wheel until he was white-knuckled. "We don't need to stop for directions," he insisted, pressing a little bit more on the gas as they made a turn around the bend. Kai frowned at him.

"Stop being a man and just pull over. And stop driving so fast, for God's sakes, we're going to crash!"

Alfred sighed thickly. Honestly, he loved Kai—but she was such a backseat driver for only sitting next to him.

"You need to make up your mind," he told her, voice straining to be patient – because he knew that if he took on a certain tone with the woman sitting next to him, he'd only get into a greater argument with her. "You tell me to hurry and then you tell me to stop driving so fast. It's not helping the situation—"

"Alfred, watch the road!"

"Christ, woman, would you stop trying to drive from the passenger seat and just let me—"

"Alfred!"

He glanced back at the road just in time to see a car coming toward them—unable to stop because of hydroplaning; and he couldn't do anything, either, because it happened so fast that he could only stare.

At the impact of metal on metal, the screech of metal crunching against metal clouded his brain; the car slid from the impact until it became a sickening spin. It rotated as if it were a carousel without calliope, gliding down the hill. He was only vaguely aware of the pain blossoming in his side, but was more concerned with where the car was going and how it was going to get there—not to mention if Kai was alright.

Just as Alfred was sure they'd reached mild safety and the car began to slow a bit, a passing car, going at the usual speed for the highway, clipped the nose of their vehicle and caused a flurrying of movements; another full-circle spin the other direction came first. Alfred fought desperately for control of the steering wheel, but it jerked back and forth viciously until he thought for sure it was going to break his wrists. Glass was splintering from connecting with other passing cars, until finally they hit the guard rail and all was silent.

The stifling muteness was heavy and explosive, ticking away; Alfred heard the guard rail creak and moan, as if it were going to break, and then it stopped. He opened his eyes, feeling the blood welling at his side and arms aching from his shoulder to his fingertips—but he was otherwise unharmed, except for maybe a few bruises.

"That was close, Kai," he said, loudly to break the silence, but no reply came. He looked over at his girlfriend and saw that she was bleeding at the temple, her eyes closed and her breathing shallow. Oh, God, he thought desperately, fumbling with his seatbelt and then with hers, sore fingers trembling furiously. God, please, don't do this.

When he managed to get them both unbuckled, he pulled the lever on her door and shoved it open roughly, the metal screeching unpleasantly as he did so. He climbed out of the car first and then picked Kai up in his arms, ginger and careful. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly but then shut as her breathing grew more rapid. He had to get her to a hospital fast; thankfully, he could see the flashing lights of an ambulance approaching.

"Don't worry," he whispered to her, more for his own comfort than anything, "it's going to be alright. The ambulance is almost here. It'll be alright."

Kai whimpered softly in his arms, and she seemed heart-breakingly fragile as he carefully cradled her closer. He hushed her gently and kissed her fervently on the forehead, fighting off the tears. It's going to be alright. The ambulance is almost here. It'll be alright. He repeated these words until the ambulance really was there, and he allowed the men to take her from his arms and put her on the stretcher as one tended rapidly to her wounds. Then someone was talking to him in a soothing tone, leading him away to a separate ambulance.

"N-No, I can't leave her!" Alfred exclaimed, struggling weakly. The paramedic hushed him and calmed him down, heading toward the opposite ambulance as the first rapidly sped away.

Kai, he silently called, wishing he could have been with her, Kai, please be okay.

. . .

Warm sunlight dappled the living room that the couple shared. Alfred cradled Kai close to his chest, nose buried into her dark tresses as they dozed on the couch, and she sighed quietly. He ran his fingers affectionately down her back and made a contented noise. It was these small moments they shared, the quiet intervals in which neither of them wanted to talk and neither of them wanted to do paperwork that he loved the most, when he could just lay with her and breath in her wonderful earthy scent and feel her heartbeat next to his.

"Do you know how long I spent looking for you?" he asked her softly, forgetting that this was supposed to be their quiet time. Kai mumbled sleepily and shrugged her shoulders. He smiled, fondly even, and kissed her forehead.

"Humor me," she murmured, still sleepy, when he didn't continue. He grinned and snuggled her closer, kissing her ear.

"Forever and a day."

She pulled back to look at him, chocolate eyes soft now. "That's a long time to wait, Alfred," she told him softly, brows pulling together. He just kissed her, smoothing over her forehead with gentle fingers.

"I don't mind," he answered her. "It was worth it."

. . .

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So let me know if I should continue this in a review. It was inspired by a song, called "Where've You Been" by Kathy Mattea. Go listen to it, it's beautiful and sad! This story (if continued) will probably go along the same lines, generally speaking, as the song. C: Just so you guys know I don't own Hetalia (like you didn't know that) but I do own Kai. x3