Hello, everyone! It's me, Shadow, but you probably knew that.

As promised, here's the sequel to Interference. So, if you haven't read that yet, this story will make a lot more sense if you go and read it. It's not that long, only about five chapters.

This is going off of the second ending, since I still don't know where on earth the first one came from. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter One:

When Lithuania woke up, he couldn't remember at first what had happened. He only remembered…

Did I…die?"

The brunet Baltic shivered, and opened his eyes slowly, not sure that he wanted to see what was going on. To his surprise, he was in a small, barely furnished room, staring up at the ceiling.

"You're…finally awake," a soft, tired voice said.

Lithuania looked up, and saw Estonia sitting on the edge of a small bed, which was on the other side of the room.

"Yes…" Lithuania said, "What…happened?"

"Eight days ago…" Estonia said, staring off into space, "Something happened that resulted in you being beaten severely and passing out on the stairs. I found you afterwards and took you upstairs, where you remained unconscious for some time. In your absence, I managed to…interfere where I was not wanted…and was sent to the basement. On day three, you brought me water, but were caught in the act by Mr. Russia. We have both been locked in the basement for the past five days, according to Ms. Ukraine, who came here to check on us for a moment several hours ago, but did not remain long, fearing being caught by Mr. Russia. You were dead for the majority of the time we were in the basement, having been beaten severely before being locked in there."

Lithuania paused, attempting to process this information.

"Yes…I remember that now."

"I had hoped you would," Estonia said, "Going into greater detail would not have been pleasant."

"Estonia…?" Lithuania said softly, "Your voice… The way you're speaking… It's…"

"I know," Estonia said, "I am speaking differently."

There was no expression in Estonia's voice, nothing that made it his own. It was a monotone, quiet voice, only telling the facts, and nothing more.

"What happened while I…while I was gone?" Lithuania asked, sitting up and trying not to wince in pain. His back hurt, and he was fairly certain that it wasn't a normal backache.

Estonia looked away, down at his hands, and Lithuania noticed for the first time that the blonde boy was shaking.

"I am trying to forget it," Estonia said, "If I do not think, maybe it will go away…"

Cautiously, Lithuania stood up and approached Estonia, who barely seemed to register his movement.

"What did he do to you?" Lithuania whispered. There was no need for him to elaborate on the 'him' in question. They both knew.

"It's not so much what he did to me…" Estonia said quietly, "As it is what I found out from what he did. You never told me…how much it…hurts. And then he…he practically killed you…for helping me."

"I'm used to it," Lithuania said, "Really. I don't mind that much anymore. It barely even hurts."

"You're lying," Estonia murmured, "I heard your screams, and I saw the look on your face. It hurt…he hurt you…because of me… And it's not right. Not right for him to do that…for anyone to do that… Why does he do it…?"

"Because he's hurt," Lithuania said, "He was hurt, and not loved, so he doesn't know how to love. So…that's why he hurts us. Because he can't figure out how not to."

"But it's so stupid."

Estonia's expression was at once distant and angry. The blonde boy looked over at Lithuania, and the eldest Baltic was almost frightened.

"So the world failed to love him," Estonia said, his voice stony, "That doesn't give him any right to turn around and hurt us."

"He…could have chosen a different path," Lithuania said, "But…he didn't. He's not in his right mind, Estonia. You know that."

"He shouldn't have to be in his right mind to see that he's wrong," Estonia whispered, "Hurting people for no reason... If we were at war with him, I could possibly understand it, but... Not like this."

"It's all right," Lithuania said, "It took me a long time to learn to pity him."

"I don't see how you can," Estonia replied, "When he does that to you so often."

"It's not usually that bad," Lithuania said, "And it's worth it, to protect you and Latvia."

"I should be able to stand up for myself," Estonia said bitterly, "But after what happened...I'll probably just go back to...hiding."

"No one will blame you," Lithuania said softly, "We'd all rather hide."

"But you don't," Estonia said, "You run headlong into trouble, especially when Latvia's involved. Which is a good thing...because he would never be able to cope with this..."

The blonde Baltic frowned.

"Where is Latvia? I'd expected him to be here when we woke up..."

Lithuania had been wondering the same thing, but had stayed silent, not wanting to worry Estonia.

"I...I don't know," the brunet boy replied, "We should probably go find him and tell him we're safe. He'll be worried."

Estonia nodded, then stood up slowly, wincing slightly.

"Are you all right?" Lithuania asked.

"Fine," Estonia said, "Just a little stiff, that's all."

Lithuania crossed over to the door, but when he reached out to open it, he found that the knob wouldn't turn.

"We're...we're locked in," he said in disbelief, "What is going on now?"

Latvia was in fact worried about Estonia and Lithuania, although it was not so much about their physical state as it was what they might do when they found out that he was forbidden to see them. Ever.

He actually wasn't sure that he would never be able to see them again, but Russia didn't appear likely to change his mind any time soon. So, Latvia was alone. He had even been banned from talking to Belarus and Ukraine-not that he usually talked to them very much anyways, but it would still have been comforting under the present circumstances to speak to anyone, even the extremely frightening Belarus.

While Lithuania and Estonia had been locked in the basement, it had been easy for Latvia to do his chores without associating with the others. Now, he had no idea what Russia would do to keep him separated from the older Baltics, but he was fairly certain that it wouldn't be fun.

Just as he was thinking it all over, there was an impatient knock on his door.

"C-come in," Latvia said, feeling his ever-constant shivering increase.

The door opened, revealing a not particularly cheerful Russia.

"What are you doing hiding in here, Latvia?" Russia asked, frowning at the small nation.

"I...I didn't know what to do after I finished with Estonia and Lithuania, so I came back here, sir," Latvia answered.

"You should have come to find me," Russia said, "I would have told you what to do, da?"

"Y-yes, sir," Latvia said quietly, "I'm sorry. I d-didn't think."

"Did not think, or thought too much?" Russia asked, "I am wondering if this is not just disobedience on your part, Latvia..."

"It's not! I promise it's not!" Latvia wailed, "Please, Mr. Russia, I swear I'm telling the truth! I've been telling the truth since five nights ago!"

"I am not able to be trusting you," Russia said, "You are too dependent on Lithuania and Estonia. I am wanting you to learn to survive without anyone. Someday you might have to. Really, Latvia, I am trying to help you."

"He says that, but he's hurting me," Latvia thought, "He says he wants to help, but he tears me apart."

But he couldn't protest. Because he was afraid that if he did, Russia would get angry. And there was no one to save him this time. And, if he was completely honest, it wasn't just being separated from his friends that hurt Latvia. He wanted Estonia and Lithuania with him, not only because they were his friends, but because without them, there was no one to save him if he said or did something stupid.

Well, there's the first chapter! I'm not completely sure where this fic is going to end up, so updates may be a little irregular. However, I don't plan on making it a terribly long fic, so it will probably be about the length Interference was, or possibly a little longer.

I would say that this fic is going to alternate between Estonia and Latvia, with Lithuania getting a POV every once in a while, but Lithuania has this annoying habit of turning himself into the main character of all my Baltic trio fics, so I'm not going to say anything.

Please review, it'll make me very happy, and also inspire me to write faster. :)