Thank you to everyone who read my first chapter, it really meant a lot to me. I'll try to update every week from now on, but I might not update for the next 2 weeks because of finals, so stay with me!

DISCLAIMER: Hetalia does not belong to me and I have no intention of making profit off of it. The characters belong to Hidekaz Himaruya.

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Chapter II: What Exactly Happened Here?

A young girl, about 19 years old, stared at Gilbert with emotionless eyes. She looked livid, glaring at him ferociously with eerily glowing purple eyes. Her light blond hair was messily pulled into two loose braids reaching her midriff. Her clothes were tattered and covered in dirt. Gilbert glanced down at her side, taking in a large gash that was still bleeding profusely. It seemed like she tried to staunch the pumping blood, because bloody bandages were hanging from the wound and her arms, which were held up in front of her as she pressed the levitating knives against him. It was clear the wound was serious. She was panting heavily, her skin damp with sweat and her eyes glazed over, though they still held a dangerous glint. The angles of her body were sharp and angled, and her face looked hollow and gaunt, half-starved and desperate.

Gilbert stared, wide-eyed, at the small girl that so much reminded him of himself when he had escaped Victus. He reminded himself to stay nonthreatening and calm to this wounded and frightened girl.

"H-hey…" he stammered, "um...I'm not here to hurt you, I-I just want to help. Ok?" He grimaced at his lack of people skills. Wow, was this really what 7 years of solitude did to you? He struggled to explain the situation.

"You really don't have to panic, it's just the awesome me, Gilbert! Not one of those idioten." he said, gesturing to the ceiling, pressing his lips shut when the knives pressed closer to him. Swallowing roughly, he struggled to stay friendly to the stranger, who was still glaring at him.

Ok, let's start again. Taking a deep breath, he began speaking in soothing tones, looking at her earnestly to prove his point. "I understand that you're scared, believe me, I was too. But we sane Lumens have to stick together, ok? I want to help, I really do, but you can't stay in this cage forever, can you Birdie?"

His words grew confident as he continued to speak, and the strange girl's eyes changed, growing more hopeful as the tension began to ease out of her small frame. The knives clattered to the floor as she slumped onto the bed, her breathing ragged and her eyes growing moist with tears. They spilled over her gaunt cheeks, creating tracks through her dirty face, and she was making soft whimpering noises as her breath hitched.

Gilbert rushed over the bed, his brotherly instincts acting up when he thought that they had all but disappeared after such a long time. He quickly began to assess her injuries, he had lived with a doctor after all, and had even thought about becoming one before the virus had come. Other than minor cuts and bruises, the only serious injuries were the large gash and a bump on her forehead.

He began working on the still bleeding wound on her side, ripping off a piece of fabric from the bed sheets and wetting it with the water he kept in a bottle. He quickly pressed the soaked piece of cloth to the wound, muttering apologies as she yelped in pain. Once cleaned, he took a fresh bandage from his backpack, wrapping it tightly around her stomach as he continued putting pressure onto the wound, hoping that his mediocre medical skills would help.

He took notice as he treated her that she was crying out for someone softly. Or pleading? He couldn't tell. "Hey...what exactly happened here, Birdie?" He asked softly, looking up at her as he continued treating her. She immediately shot up, standing on shaking legs as she looked around frantically for someone who wasn't there.

"Alfred?! ALFRED! OÙ ÊTES VOUS?! "She screamed in a hoarse voice repeatedly, tears once again streaming down her face.

"Birdie calm down! Stop! You'll open up your wound again!" Gilbert exclaimed, trying to push her back down on the bed as she struggled to run out of the cabin. She writhed around in his arms, her wild eyes pleading with an invisible being. Random objects in the room began to lift up and swirl in the air as her pale eyes began to glow.

"BIRDIE, WHAT IN GOTTES NAME HAPPENED HERE?!" Gilbert shouted, shaking her roughly, trying to get some sense of sanity out of her. He whipped his head around as a chair flew out the window. He had to stop this, and fast.

She suddenly stopped thrashing, slowly turning her from the invisible being and staring at Gilbert with wide eyes, the glow dissipating from them. "They took him…" she sobbed, "They took Alfred, mon Dieu, they took him...We were just out hunting, honnête, then they came from the sky and attacked us. He saved me, but they took him." She slumped against him as she continued on, all the energy that was there a few moments ago was now gone.

"Whoa there, Birdie," he soothed, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'll help you find Alfred, but you need to rest for now, that's a pretty nasty wound you have there."

She glanced at him, "Merci,um…" she broke off, puzzled.

"Gilbert. Gilbert Beilschmidt." He chuckled.

She smiled weakly. "Madeline Williams."

"Now!" Gilbert exclaimed, jumping to his feet and brushing off his clothes, "You need to get your sleep if we're going to go running off after this Alfred guy tomorrow." He said, pointing to Madeline with an obnoxious grin. "I will hear no excuses," he cut in when she began to speak, "I have a bone to pick with those idioten, and I know exactly how to get into their labs, so you need me." He puffed up his chest, glancing at Madeline out of the corner of his eye, making sure she didn't try to stop him again.

"Go to sleep, little Birdie, I'll make sure they don't come again. I promise." He assured, seeing the slightest glimmer of doubt in her gaze.

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A few hours later, Gilbert had settled himself into the chair near the fire, picking at the stuffing that was seeping through the crack in the old leather. Running through the plan he had in his head over and over again, he praised himself for finding a friend for once in seven years. He felt oddly protective toward the small girl, even though he just met her a few hours ago. He glanced over at the bed, making sure that her breathing was steady before turning back to the fire.

Flames reflecting in his red eyes, they began to blaze. You won't anyone I love anymore, old man. He thought, fists clenching. Be prepared.

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Idioten- Jerks

Où êtes-vous- Where are you

Gottes- God's

Mon Dieu- My God

Honnête- Honest

Reviews are greatly appreciated!