The building was empty. It had been for a long time and always would be. So Russia thought when first entering it. Really, he had no idea why he was here, he had been asked to come but the note never said why.

"There you are."

He turned to see a man put his cigarette out against a wall and pull a gun. He also pulled one.

"You first," the man said. He did nothing. The man cackled and shot his right elbow.

"Fuck," he said and switched arms. He couldn't shoot with his left hand but he sure as hell could try.

"Your turn," the man laughed.

Two shots rang out. One hit the light fixture which shattered and the second hit the man, who fell, dead.

His elbow healed.

"AI YA!" a cry, China's, echoed through the building. Russia turned and ran towards the source. Suddenly the floor gave away. He hung on the edge. A rope snaked down beside him; he grabbed it and was pulled up. He ran on, facing danger after danger and always escaped somehow. He reached a room where the nation killer was waiting with a terrified China.

"Don't come in, Ivan! He'll kill you, aru!"

Russia entered anyways.

"China was right, you know. However, I'll be nice. You didn't make it this far alone, as I'm sure you know. Your life was saved every time. If you can guess who it was helping you, you two can go free. So was it me or China?"

He glanced at China, who had his eyes closed. He glanced at the man before him, who was watching him with interest.

"It was China."

A laugh echoed in the room and something in the shadows moved. "The correct answer was neither!"

The movement in the shadows became frantic. China began to cry.

"Now you both die."

Russia was still watching the shadows, there was something about them, he wanted to be scared but a voice in the back of his head said not to be.

"I have something to say," America said, stepping out of those shadows.

"Very well," the killer said, bored.

America walked up to Russia, hugging him. "Guess this is goodbye." Then he turned to the others. "Bye, China."

He approached the last person. "I think a legend might come up here today. How about one where the nation killer used China to lure Russia into a death trap but somehow they escaped? There shouldn't be any mention of how America saved them every time, even to a point where he died in their stead."

"I like that story. Deal accepted. You have until they leave the building to live."

China left. However Russia stayed behind. "Why, America?"

"You."

"Hurry up, you two."

"Go on, Ivan."

Russia turned towards the door but turned around and came back. "Alfred?"

"Huh?"

He came closer until he could take America's face in one large hand and press their lips together. When he bid entrance, it was granted. There was a frustrated sigh that was ignored while the kiss deepened. The two broke away when they needed air. Then Russia left, silently. Once he was outside, he pressed a napkin to his lips.

The meeting was in chaos when he slipped in and walked to a machine in the middle of the room. "Surely this can…"

"He's gone, Russia, you can't bring him back."

All stared at China, then at Russia, as he lay the napkin on the machine and his hands started flying on it. America appeared in the room. "What's happening? I'm falling, falling."

"Nyet, you are not falling," Russia said as he walked over to him. America glanced up at him and that's when they noticed something. He was blue and somewhat transparent. Russia, still the same, leaned forward and placed his lips on the other's, slapping a wristband on him. The kiss deepened yet again before Russia pulled away. "You are flying."

"Flying?"

"Da. All of space and time is yours now, Alfred. You are free to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before. All it takes as a twist of that wristband."

America glanced at the band and back up to him. "Thank you, Ivan." He twisted it and became a small ball of light before drifting out the open window.

One summer night five years later, Russia sat awake in his living room.

It's been a long road

Getting from there to here

He got up; he would know the voice singing anywhere.

It's been a long time

And my time is finally here

Walking outside he followed the voice into a field somewhere out of the town.

I will see my dream come alive

And I will touch the sky

A small ball of light energy floated down into the field.

I'm going where my heart will take me

"Alfred?"

America appeared, looking up at the sky. "Yeah, it's me. I've been everywhere, man." Russia stepped forwards and took his hand.

"Everywhere?"

"Yeah, all those new worlds, new life and new civilizations."

"And?"

"My heart always led me back here to you."

Russia hummed.

"I've come home through the firefly darkness, Ivan."

"Firefly?"

"Yeah, that's what the night sky looks like to me."

"Ah, then let's go home from the firefly darkness."

"Alright."

This came from a dream. It has many origins. One is obviously The Phantom of the Opera. The two tests mentioned that Russia faced came from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The man he faced was Liberty Valance and the floor caving in was just because.

The scene where America is 'brought back' is from another Doctor Who episode. This one starring David Tennant and Kylie Minogue.

Obviously Russia's speech about 'strange new worlds' is pure Star Trek.

Songs!

1. Where My Heart will Take Me is the name I know it as, it was sung by Rod Stewart and became something like a theme song for the Space Program. It was the theme song for Star Trek: Enterprise.

2. Come in from the Firefly Darkness was a song my high school choir sang the year I was in it.