Title: Rebirth

Rating: T

Pairing: Slight Romano/Canada

Summary: Canada is alone, Britain has been hurt, he now lies in a coma and no one else has come to visit. One phone call to South Italy though and he finds some extra support that he needs.

Matthew just looked at his former care-taker, he had been so strong, so powerful and now, now he was in a coma, in a hospital bed and had been for the past few days, he found that he was the first to see him. The nurses had thought he had no family until he turned up. Although they appeared to be nice and informative, Matthew could see clearly that they thought he was a selfish bastard, although perhaps not in so many words.

He just wondered where was Alfred? Or Francis? He didn't wonder about Arthur's older siblings, they had had so many differences now that they didn't care anymore, if Arthur died, well that meant that they would either have a chance to be their own country or whatever new nation popped up, they could control.

Matthew was here now, that was all that mattered, it took him a bit of time to get away from his government, he hoped Arthur would understand that…

What if… What if he doesn't wake up?

He had asked the question to a nurse the second day he visited, she smiled at him, not in humour though, but out of sympathy;

"Oh darling, it's up to him if he'll wake up, there isn't much anyone can do now except wait, just keep talking to him, and if you are of that sort, pray,"

He had nodded his thanks, he wasn't religious though, he never had been, not really. Neither had Arthur; not after the church had been split apart back in the Tudor times.

Please wake up, please… Tell me about those times, tell me about… About defeating Spain! Matthew thought, unable to say the words out loud, for fear that he would crack and cry and bulb about anything to the nurses who would come in and check on him.

When the night nurse came on duty, she made sure that he left the hospital, telling him that he was no use to Arthur if he was half sleep, to rest at his hotel.

Instead, he went to Arthur's flat in the city, near to the hospital by tube. But his mind wouldn't rest, so he phoned someone, someone who would be blunt with him, and he needed it.

"Wait the hell to you want?" The abrasive Italian tone came down the line and Matthew almost wept with relief, he may be alone, but there was a friend out there.

"Romano…" He began quietly, and for a second he thought the other couldn't hear him, would think this was a prank phone call from Prussia.

"Che… Canada what do you want?" He asked, although his tone hadn't changed, it had taken on a more caring side to it; "Shouldn't you be with Britain?"

"The nurse told me to sleep, said that being around him for twelve hours a day is enough, that my health had to come first at times like these," He said, feeling the tears spill, but was relieved that it wasn't obvious in his voice.

"Si, they are right," Romano said and paused; "How is he?"

"He's… not changed," Matthew sighed; "I don't know what I was thinking, I just thought that if I arrived he would wake up sooner, but it's almost been a week, he's been in a coma for almost two weeks…" He paused and before Romano could say anything; "If it was America he would have woken up by now,"

"What?" Romano cried out; "Don't be stupid bastardo!" He berated the other nation; "America would have been kicked out of the hospital for all the stupid stunts that he would try to pull and don't you forget it!" He calmed down, knowing that this was a more sensitive situation, Spain had told him, had explained to him that in situations like these, it didn't do to be angry and snappy;

'What the hell not?' He had asked, this was Spain's former enemy after all, should he be glad…?

'Because, it would hurt Canada, si? And he is your friend; you don't want him hurt too,'

"Who else has visited?" He listened to the reply; "What? Where are the rest of them? I know his brother hate him but to that extent? Why the hell hasn't America come to see him or France? That fort of his… What's its name, the one who lives with Finland and Sweden…"

"I don't know, Ukraine has offered to visit, but I think it might just be to see how I'm doing, she's always been scared of him," Canada said; "To be honest, I hope she does come over, I… I just don't…"

Romano heard the sniffs; Damn it! Why does he have to cry!

"Don't do that! Don't cry bastardo!" He yelled down the phone; "I'll come over, you hear me? I'll be over tomorrow; we shall have tomato pasta…"

"Really?" Matthew calmed down, wiping his eyes; "Please don't go to any trouble for me…"

"Che, we're friends, that's what we do," Romano said and was getting ready to hang up when he heard the quiet; 'Thank you' from the Canadian.

XXX

The next day Romano arrived, he was thankful that the rain was holding off, although he didn't bother to call Canada, he knew where he would be.

That damn hospital… He thought as he caught a taxi, told the driver where he wanted to go and just sat with his thoughts.

His brother thought he was doing such a nice thing, for both Canada and Britain, Spain thought so too, but refused to come along.

'Should Britain wake, he wouldn't want to see me first, si?' He said with a laugh.

Romano didn't understand, didn't that mean that Spain contradicted himself? Not that it mattered; he arrived at the hospital and gave the taxi driver the money as he stepped out with his case. He hadn't been sure how long he was going to stay for, but figured that it could very well be a while.

He walked up to the nurse's desk and inquired about Britain.

"Excuse me; I believe an Arthur Kirkland was admitted here about two weeks ago? He's… in a coma?"

The nurse nodded, a young girl, who Romano thought, must be learning the ropes; "Yes sir, he's in ward 7, three floors up," She pointed in the direction of the lifts and he nodded his thanks.

He could have flirted, but it wasn't the time, this was serious! Plus he was tired after that plane journey, and over here they didn't have siestas, although he didn't know why not.

British people are crazy. He decided as he went up the floor and found Arthur, surprisingly on his own; there was no trace of Matthew anywhere.

Sighing he sat down by the bed, surprised that the Brit could look so much paler than he did before.

Damn it… Maybe… Maybe he… Romano began to think, and then he started to pray when he heard the clip clop on heels coming towards the room; Unless Matthew has taken to cross dressing… He stood up and looked at an older nurse who smiled at him.

"I was expecting the other gentleman, Mr Williams, but it's good to see that he is resting a bit more,"

"Si, I'm visiting… His family doesn't really support him like they should," Romano said and she nodded; "What, what is going on? What happened?"

"Well… Mr Kirkland was involved in some kind of accident, the police won't tell us what happened, but the results is as you see,"

"The chance of him waking up? I've heard the longer you are out the less…"

She nodded; "Yes, but… Mr William is a rather sensitive soul. I should have told him after he arrived, but he was so upset and then he's been alone and not told us about any other family visiting…"

"Si, they are all bastardos," Romano said angrily, then realised what he had said, he may not be in a church, but still, he didn't need to be rude in front of this lady.

She shook her head; "You have the freedom to say it, that and it wasn't said in a threatening way to me. Mr Kirkland isn't going to get through this; the Doctors will give him more time, but… Well, I shall break the news to Mr Williams when I can,"

"He's stronger than you think," Romano said, wanting to point out that she was wrong about his friend.

"He was holding together by a thread, I have seen many family members barely holding themselves together, he may be strong, but something like this, he needs support from somewhere," Saying that she went over to check Arthur's vital signs and left, with Romano resuming his praying for the next hour, when he heard the squeak of a pair of trainers run towards the room and Matthew opened the door, out of breath and full of worry.

"Arthur…" He began and noticed Romano on his knees by the bed; "Ro… Romano?" He said, still out of breath.

"Si, figured it would make more sense to come here than to go to a hotel," He said and noticed how Matthew slumped into the chair, not out of exhaustion but relief.

"I thought… I thought I had left him alone for…" The tears began to appear at the corner of his eyes, he had been keeping his emotions at bay for the past week and now? Well now someone was here for him!

"That… That doesn't matter! Look, that nurse, the older one, wants to speak to you," Romano said, deciding that they couldn't keep this going on, it wasn't fair on Britain, or Canada.

Matthew looked at him in surprise; "Wh… What would she?"

To there surprise the nurse in question came into the room and looked at Matthew; "Mr Williams, am glad to see that you have a friend here now,"

The Canadian just nodded and she closed the door; "There is something that I need to discuss with you, I though it could wait for a bit longer, but…" She looked at Romano, who stood up and prepared to leave.

"Eh, no, he can… He can stay, if that's okay?" He looked at the nurse and the Italian, the nurse nodded and Romano sat down on another chair, knowing what the conversation was going to be about, but not knowing how Matthew would take it.

"Mr Williams, Mr Kirkland has been in the coma for a long time," She began and Matthew nodded; "It's been too long, he is unlikely to wake up…"

"No…" Matthew said, tears now flowing down his face; "No, he… He can't, he's too strong…"

"Even the strongest of us fall. I can't imagine how you feel, but it might be better for you if you let him go,"

"No! He'll come back!" Matthew cried out, refusing to believe it.

"I know you believe that, but what dignity will he have? From everything that you told me, Mr Kirkland had a lot of pride, he liked his independence, if he did wake up, he might remain in hospital anyway," She looked over at Romano who came over to comfort his friend and she took her leave; "Please think about it,"

"No… No!" Matthew cried into his hands and Romano felt awkward and rubbed his back. Once the Canadian's tears stopped, he finally spoke.

"She had a point, Britain wouldn't appreciate being…"

"He's a nation, he'll…"

"He would have woken up by now," Romano said solemnly; "If you let him go now, he can return…"

"What?" Matthew looked at him in surprise.

"Nations have an ability to come back to life. They won't have the same memories as before, but the personality will be the same, roughly," He grimaced; "Trust me, I'm as old as Britain, strangely enough, nations don't die, not completely, so long as the people still believe and live there, then we will live on and can come back,"

Matthew blinked a few times, not believing for a second that it was Romano who was speaking, but it was, and he spoke the truth, he had heard from China of nations coming back, but he never learned of what nations.

"So… We should let him go, then he can come back…" He spotted and looked back at the Italian; "But… His brother's will be after him, they'll want to use him as a puppet…"

"Whose been loyal to him bastardo?" Romano asked and the other's eyes widened; "Si, you can look after him. Well, you are the only one who can really,"

"He's family…" Matthew said with a nod.

XX

It was a few days later that the life support machine was taken off, Matthew stayed in the room for as long as he could, but once he heard the last breath, he had to leave, crying into Romano's arms who waited outside, not wanting to invade such a personal experience.

The body was taken to the morgue, although Romano had to call up Spain to find out what actually happened to a nations body.

"Oh, you still have to bury it, but be quick about it Romano, the body will disappear,"

Rather than question him again, he made sure they buries the body, the funeral having themselves and Ukraine there, it was pitiful, but Japan was unable to make it because of the earthquake, which none of them held against him, but France and America? Well, they hadn't cared when Arthur was in hospital, why should they tell them about his funeral?

"A few days, then you should look for him," Ukraine informed them as she made her way back to the airport, she was literally only making a flying visit, although she felt guilty about it, her government couldn't afford for her to stay.

"Si, we'll keep an eye out in the forests," Romano said and Matthew looked at him in surprise; "I am going to stick around until we find this bastardo,"

He smiled and nodded, although he didn't have many friends, at least he had one who could stick by him, to help him when he was down and hopefully to help him raise this child nation, young Britain, young Arthur Kirkland.

Or should I have him Arthur Williams instead? He wondered.