France's POV
I stand at England's door, uncertain to knock. If I tell him about me and Maddy, I can never go back. But I need to tell him because I don't want him to do to her what he did to Jeanne. To make matters worse, the last time we spoke to each other, we ended up in a fight so bad, neutral Switzerland had to pull us apart. I can't remain silent; the secret will eventually be found out. Resigned to whatever is to come, I knock.
"France, what on earth are you doing here?"
"We need to talk." He looks at me suspiciously and ungraciously opens the door.
"Fine. Come in." We end up in his sunroom.
"Tea?"
"No."
"So then why are you here France? What do you want?" His impatience makes me snap.
"I've met a girl, not just any girl mind you, but someone so much better than all of them. And I don't want you to kill her." He stiffens slightly.
"Does she know we exist?"
"To her, I'm just a college French kid who goes to America every summer."
"You fell in love with an American? So you can't get one of your own girls to like you? You poor frog." With that I lose it, punching, clawing, and yelling; making him suffer for his words. It succeeds, to a point. Pretty soon though we both pull apart, nursing our wounds. The bastard looks pretty beat up and has a large tea stain on the front of his white shirt. I on the other hand, managed to get out pretty well.
"Dammit, you made me spill my tea."
"Serves you right you snob. You can't even cook, so I would be surprised if your tea was any good."
"You shut up and get out of my house!"
"Not until you promise."
"Only if you promise to never tell her about us."
"No, she deserves to know."
"No. If you tell any human they would never be able to cope with it. Just like Elizabeth." The last sentence was muttered, but I could still make it out.
"You had a girlfriend? Elizabeth…Elizabeth the first?" Miserable, he looks at me.
"No. Just a common girl named Elizabeth. Why am I even telling you this?"
"Because you're the one that let it slip."
"Fine. Basically, when I told her she went crazy. She really couldn't understand it, and she didn't know how we could even be together. She didn't want to live life without me and she ended up committing suicide. I guess when she died, a part of me did as well. I got so angry with what you had with Jeanne that I vowed to stop it." Shocked, I pulled away. "I know I've said this before, but I'm sorry. And now you know the full reason why." He stops talking, and I fade out to the day she died, one that will forever live in my mind. "Listen, go with your girl. Heck, tell her about us. You don't need my protection." In a daze, I get up and follow him to the door. But before I leave, I can't help myself, I turn to him with tears in my eyes.
"Thanks for telling me this. And thanks for respecting me." I pull him into a hug, and after a moment of resistance, he relaxes and hugs me back. And then I walk out that door, having gained more than I thought I ever would. A girlfriend, her protection, a friend, and the truth are all mine. I will never let them go.