Second chapter! Hope you like it.

It wasn't that he woke under a tree, or that his joints screamed from being cramped all night, or even the raccoon that was curled up nearby. No, it was the screeching of gun fire and german shouts that disturbed Alfred. They could not be more than 10 feet away and were obviously angry.

Oh shit

Had they found him? How? Quickly he went over all that he had done the day before to see if he left some kind of trace or trail but nothing stood out to him. All of his gear was with him and he knew he covered up his footsteps, so why were they so near?

"I know i saw him. He must have gone this way." a soldier shouted back to his regiment.

God damn it. They must have spotted me.

Alfred could see the soldiers boots on the ground in front of him. As soon as he peered his ugly mug into the hole, Alfred was ready blow his head off. He pulled his gun slowly from his shoulder holster and prepared himself for a fire fight.

"Might as well take out a few of them before i'm captured." he thought. He was a nation so a few bullets from humans wouldn't kill him. Hurt like a mother fucker? Yes, but not kill.

Footsteps echoed in the caven. The suspense was unbearable, like knowing a hit was coming but not knowing when it would connect. He regulated his breathing, deep and measured. Tried, unsuccessfully, to keep his heart rate down. No reason to panic just yet.

And he waited.

And waited.

But nothing happened. Their voices got dimmer and further away as time passed. No one jumped into his hiding place ready to kill, no one was there to imprison him.

What happened?

Some distance away he heard a shout of " There! I see them!" and "Don't let them get away!". A flurry of shots rang out along with some return fire. Screams and smoke filled the area. Whatever was happening outside did not seem awesome to Alfred.

"Who could that be?" Alfred muttered to himself. He had read the deployment schedule before he set out and no Allied force should be in this particular sector. And obviously germans wouldn't shot at other Axis soldiers so it had to be someone else.

More gunshots sounded but they were even farther away than before. Whoever was running away,they were heading further into Axis territory.

Soon, Alfred was alone. Nothing but the most distant sounds of skirmish reached him.

When the coast was clear, Alfred scrambled outside and took in the area around him. Still warm shells littered the ground. There were no bodies, but their was a large blood splatter not far off. A puddle too large for the injured person to live very long. The trees fresh scars headed east so that's where the fighting was happening. Residual smoke drifted up through the trees until there was nothing.

Who ever the germans were chasing would not win. Hell they probably wouldn't even live to see the end of it.

"I have to help them." Alfred said earnestly. He was the hero after all. The more people he could keep from being killed the better it would be.

Sprinting through the forest he ran headlong into danger.

He was a nation, and a powerful one at that, so he was faster and had more endurance than most other people. A few moments later he had reached the fighting not even winded. Whoever said he was fat and unhealthy had obviously never seen him try. 'In your face" he thought to the nonpresent unbelievers of his abilities.

In a clearing up ahead he saw them. The german forces facing off a pair of soldiers, crushingly outnumbered but unafraid. They held their guns level and faced their future without concern.

"No" whispered Alfred dismayed. His "big brother" and his real brother were surrounded in front of him. Arthur glaring at the germans with that trademark British arrogance. Mattie looking defiant but upset. Each were dressed in full military regalia and were armed to the teeth. Arthur's left side was covered in mud and Matthew was bleeding from his arm. Thankful the wound was not as bad as the one the blood splatter had come from. The Nazi force was semi-circled around them, weapons trained on them.

Why are they here? Alfred wondered. But as he looked at them he understood why they were so far into enemy territory.

They were there for him.

He had not come back after his mission yesterday. He had missed his ride and had made no attempt to contact his base. For all they knew he could have been captured or worse. He should have known they would come looking for him. Regardless of how strong he was, if he was spotted by a large enough squad they could take him. And lord knows how his family overreacts.

"Drop your weapons." ordered what must have been the commander. Arthur sneered at the idea of obeying such a command. He would die fighting like the proper man that he was. Mattie didn't move either, if they had killed his brother there would be hell to pay.

Alfred smiled at them. Barrel of the gun in their face and they didn't flinch. "Don't go acting all badass just yet, im still the one who's going to save the day." Alfred got into a sniper position and set his rifle to point at the head officer. Ones the man's head was in the crosshairs Alfred prepared to fire.

On his left a series of rustles reached him. Through the underbrush appeared his favorite frenchman. Blond hair filled with twigs and cigarette between his teeth.

"Amérique?" he questioned surprised. His shock soon subsided into relief and he knelt down next to the other nation. "Oh you stupid boy, we were all so worried about you. Angleterre wanted to go after you as soon as you didnt arrive back. We could only sneak off after dark."

His voice resonated with that french accent that always put Alfred at ease.

"What happen mon cher? Are you alright?"

"Hey thanks man but we can talk later. We have to save those two idiots down there." Alfred tilted his head towards said countries.

France took in the scene in front of him and nodded in agreement."Oui." Francis placed his own gun next to Alfred's. His little darling Matthew was in danger and that was not acceptable. If he had a single scratch on him, the frenchman swore to make the one responsible pay.

"I got the commander." claimed America.

"Then i'll take the lieutenant." agreed Francis

The crack of shots stretch across the forest as their bullets sped toward the german forces.

Soon there was nothing but white noise and the sound of dying men.

Good? Bad? Tell me what you think! Till next time...