"I got something!" Sam exclaimed as Italy and Dean looked at him expectantly. "It looks like our ghost is named Catherine Newman. She died of old age, but longed for youth. She captures young men to suck their youth and strength until they replace her in old age and are skinny as twigs."
"Why men?" Dean asked.
"Why my friends?" Italy added.
"It looks like she prefers men over children because of the strength difference," Sam answered, "and your friends because you had centuries of youth. Maybe she knows what you are, and thinks that she'll be young for longer if she feeds from your friends first."
"Feeds?" he asked as he started shaking. "You mean, sucks them dry? We have to go!" he insisted. "We have to save them before it's too late!"
"Hold it there Feli," Dean stopped him. "We need to burn the remains of Catherine Newman, then we can find your friends." They looked at each other as Italy sighed. He didn't want to be on their bad side, but he did want to find his friends more than anything.
"Fine." he muttered. "If that's the only way, you burn the remains and I'm going to find my friends."
Sam and Dean exchanged glances and looked at the Italian. "It'll be dangerous," Dean stated. "if the remains aren't burned before you get caught, then you could be a wrinkly, old twig before we have a chance to save you."
"I'll go with you." Sam stated. "Dean will burn the remains while you and I find your friends."
Italy smiled brightly and hugged the younger brother so tightly, his face turned blue. "Gratzie Signor Sam! Gratzie! [Thank you Mr. Sam! Thank you!]"
"Uh..." he looked down at Italy and gently patted his head. "...you're welcome...?" he guessed was the right responce [response].
That night, they went out and followed through with their plans. Dean left to find and burn the bones, while Sam and Italy went into the woods to find his friends. As they approached the area, Italy trembled more and more until he looked like he was twitching uncontrollably. "Would you calm down already?" Sam requested. "You're making me nervous."
"Scusa Sam, [Sorry Sam,]" he gulped. "ma è solo così spaventoso. [but it's just so scary.]" The hunter eyed him for a moment, trying to figure out what he just said before he shook it off and continued, assuming he said, "Sure Sam, I didn't know it was bothering you." or something like that.
In the distance, a little house appeared, easily missed. "Let's check in there." Sam suggested as the two made their way to the structure.
"Forty nine bottles of beer on the wall, forty nine bottles of beer!" Germany sang wearily.
"Will you stop already?!" France snapped. "If you're going to sing, can you at least sing something more catchy and less annoying?!"
"Hey, dudes, I've got one!" America exclaimed. "I need a hero!" Within the one line, the door creaked open, but instead of thuds of a body falling down stairs, there were footsteps of two men.
Italy looked around in the dim light, and glomped Germany at first sight. "GERMANY!" he cried. "I'm so happy I found you! I thought you and everyone else was gone forever!"
"Italy?!" everyone questioned, even Japan, as Sam helped them to their feet one by one, France was last since he was too weak to stand on his own.
"Alright, is that everyone?" he asked with the Frenchman on his shoulder. Looking around in satisfaction, he nodded. "Let's go."
Suddenly, he was thrown across the room, France slid to the wall weakly. "These men must quench my thirst."
"To be young forever?" Sam finished for the ghost in front of him as he leapt into action. "Feliciano! Get everyone out of here! I've got this!"
"But Sam-"
"GO!"
Italy ran to help France up and did what he was told. Once France was safely up stairs, Italy went back down to help Arthur and Ivan up. He went in order from weakest to strongest, setting them safely in the room at the top of the stairs. After Germany joined them, Italy ran back down to help Sam however he could. He came up behind the ghost and tried to hit her, but the hand only went through her head and made her turn around. The look on her face was enough to have little Italy crying and sweating bullets, trembling uncontrollably.
While her focus was on Italy, Sam came up from behind and hit her to distract her from the Italian. It went in a cycle like that until she decided to have enough and dug her nails in Italy's arm. Slowly, he physically appeared aged and felt his strength and spark wither away. Sam tried to fight her off, but, keeping one hand on the helpless Italian, she deflected all his blows. "Come on Dean!" Sam exclaimed. "Now would be a great time to burn the fucking bones!"
Deciding to look back in the room, Germany and America watched in horror as Italy got thinner, older, and weaker. "ITALY!" Germany screamed as he rushed back down the stairs and tackled the dead woman, flying right through her and knocking Italy out of her grip, but there was a bloody gash where her nails sank in the fair skin.
With America as back up (with much convincing and the question "Do you want to be a hero?"), Germany went on full attack. "Hey!" he yelled at Sam, still on the ground from the final hit. "Whoever you are, could you-oh ich weiß nicht, [oh I don't know,]-help us out?! We're fighting off a ghost here, and our weapons are useless against her!" Sam shook off his injuries and helped Germany and America.
Meanwhile, Italy was to light headed to even find the wall to help with his balance. He was losing blood rapidly, and already, his face was darker, less full, and deeper, and his hair had silver streaks contrasting with his fading red-brown hair. His now dull eyes searched for something to keep him straight as he stumbled around in circles cross legged.
Germany, America, and Sam knew they couldn't keep the ghost distracted. "Dude, you're the expert on ghosts and stuff!" America shouted to Sam. "MAKE IT GO AWAY!"
"It won't go away until my brother finds, and burns the bones!"
"That's just great! Fantastisch [Fantastic]! How are we supposed to get out of here in einem Stück [one piece]?!"
"Dean!" Sam yelled. "Burn the bones already!"
Suddenly, the ghost burst into flame. They stayed clear of her, giving her distance until she withered away. Not before grabbing the closest flash and catching it on fire, which was Italy's leg. Her hand turned to ash, so the grip was lost even though the fire still burned in the Italian's boot. "Italy!" Germany yelled protectively as he ran over to him a picked him up bridal style.
By the time they met everyone at the top of the stairs, they had their usual youth again. They were just as bright, bubbly, flexible, full, and strong as they were prior to the kidnappings. Even Italy looked normal, but he still had his bad burn on his leg, so Germany continued carrying him out.
One look at Italy's still weak form, and everyone cheered. "Merci Italy! Merci!" France kissed his hand as Germany walked past with their savior in his arms.
"If it wasn't for you dude, we'd still be locked up down there!" America shouted with his bubbly laugh. "Thanks a ton dude!"
"I agree." England stated with a smile. "We are in your debt."
As the "thank you"s continued, Italy looked over to Sam before looking out at everyone. "Grazie for your offers, but I don't deserve it." he stated. "Sam's the one that found that shack, and Dean's the one that took out the fantasma [ghost]."
Sam ruffled the Italian's hair. "You don't give yourself enough credit kid." he stated. "It was your idea to search for the shack. If we went with Dean's plan, your friends might've been lost forever. Dean and I aren't heroes, at least not here... You are."