A/N: Hello everybody! Here is the next installment of A Secret Alliance! I hope you enjoy what I have coming your way!

BTW: Sorry for the shitty ending. I really wanted to get something out to you guys so I cut the story off there. But I'll get the US of A in on this gig this chapter so no biggy!

A Secret Alliance

Chapter IV: A Hero's Weakness

~At Russia's House~

Russia sat on the sofa looking at the flickering light in the fireplace. In his left hand, he held a steaming cup of dark roast coffee. The light wisps of steam lashed at his face, warming the pale skin into a pale rose color. Russia raised his hand holding the pure white ceramic cup, raising it up to his pale lips, opening slightly, inviting the dark brown liquid into his mouth.

Just as the Russian was about to tip the cup to drink out of it, he felt a vibrate in his pants. Jumping slightly, Russia disturbed the coffee, having it splash along the inside of the cup, just barely saving his pure white shirt from getting a new brown stain.

Settling the cup on the coaster on the coffee table, Russia grabbed his cell and looked at the illuminating name on the screen.

"Italy Veneciano"

Russia grinned wildly and answered hastily.

"This is Russia da?"

"Hey Russia! I need you to come over to England's place pronto!"

"What's wrong Italy?"

"We need help deciphering something about a nation. Well, more like England needs the help. I thought I could call you for backup, Si?"

"Da. I'll be right over."

Russia hung up and stood, readjusting the white scarf around his neck. He turned to his door and opened it, letting the chilly winds in, blowing out the orange glow in the house and replacing it with a gloomy, cold, blue atmosphere. The winds wracked at his face. Russia could hear the violent whipping and flapping of his jacket and scarf behind him and struggled to step out of the house and away from the last tingling sensations of warmth on his skin. He closed the door behind him and opened his trucks frost covered door. He whipped away what he could of the ice crystals that blurred his sight outside of the window and turned on the defroster and drove down the driveway to the airport to catch a plane to England.

~At England's Place~

~America's PoV~

Italy came back along with England. This is starting to really get strange. I don't know what they are planning and apparently saw that... some how, because after looking at me England said, "Just relax. It's pointless to try to figure this situation out. It will come. Depending...-" England trailed off and tuned to the living room and turned on the TV hanging over the fire place and flicked on Doctor Who. Go fucking figure. Shut up. Is that anyway for a "hero" to act? I scolded myself for what seemed like the fifth time today.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt prying eyes stare into my soul. I turn my head to find Italy glancing over at me. Once we made eye contact, his eyes flicked back over to the TV and smiled. My eyes were still trained on Italy's adverted eyes when there was a knock on the door. Italy sprung up to get it but England got there first. Looking out to the milky twilight sky, a black silhouette stood against the last rose pink rays of sun. Stepping in after Italy and England greeted it joyously, I found just what I had expected. The one person that was not here that was here a week ago.

Russia.

Seriously, this is the weirdest band of misfits that I had ever seen. And I read comics a lot. Russia looked over to me and I shiver under his unforgiving gaze.

"Hello Amerika." Russia greeted me with a pale smile.

"H-hey dude!" I try to pour enthusiasm into my voice but it was hard knowing you were alone. I was the only one here who was still scared of the larger nation.

They all come back to sit down and watch and I try to relax to the best I could in the tense air. Japan had been teaching me to "read the atmosphere," and to say this atmosphere is tense is an understatement. It was palpable. Nice word choice. Maybe you can learn after all! I mocked my self at my own expense.

What I didn't realize was that Russia was watching me along with Italy and England.

~Normal PoV~

Something was wrong.

Very Wrong.

The shine in America's eyes was not there. Insecurity and hatred clouded his eyes like gloomy rain clouds would smother the suns summer rays. Heavy and unforgiving, the air in the room turned cold as if the golden flame in the red brick fireplace went out and was replaced with a gateway to roaring blizzard.

England made a move to America. He motioned the other two continue acting while he approached his former colony.

"Hey America. Could I talk to you for a tick?" he asked, not making a move to cover up the amount of concern he held for his little brother. America looked up into England's Emerald orbs and saw that the usual glint of annoyance or frustration that would usually be there when he wanted to talk to him privately was gone. This threw tiny fact threw America for a loop.

"Uh..." was all he said, not knowing how to respond. This only made England worry more. Just as England was about to ask again, America had answered with, "Sure." No Iggy or dude. Just the answer flat out. England was in internal panic at this point and wanted to shake the answers out of the dirty blond nation with all his might, but he had decided against that.

The two walked out of the living room into the kitchen. America leaned against his hands on the island in the middle of the gray tiles. America remembered there was a time where the tiles were white. That was a month ago.

"Tell me." England demanded out of the blue of their comfortable silence. America peered at England through his glasses. Inside he was panicking, asking himself how he figured out. Shut up! Play dumb! Maybe he hasn't figured it out. Agreeing with himself, he found his voice again.

"What are you talking about Iggy?" he asked.

"Don't play dumb with me Alfred." America flinched, knowing that England was serious as shit.

"It's nothing."

England took America's shoulders and stared straight into the blurred, sky blue eyes. England made no move to hide the amount of panic he himself was in and seeing his former colony like this didn't help him in the slightest.

"Please Alfred! I can't watch you destroy yourself! Tell me what's wrong!" But America didn't reply. He just stared into the Englishman's emerald eyes, surprised and bewildered about how he could of figured anything out. America had been blocking out everything that England had been saying before finally deciding to let the stream of ranting in.

"Stop being so stoic! Just let me help you! Stop trying to be the hero all the god damn time and let other people help you every once and a while! We aren't all helpless and god knows you need a hero more than I need you to be one for me! You're tearing me apart! For god's sake SAY SOMETHING!"

And with that, the younger nation collapsed onto England, letting bitter tears soak the others white dress shirt. His cries brought tears to the English nation. He hugged America, burrowing his face into the others shaking shoulder, whispering sweet nothings into his ear.

~Italy's PoV~

I let myself cry as I watched along with Russia, the sweet bonding of the two siblings. I smiled up to the bulky nation who was looking down at me and we too hugged each other, not wanting to disturb the beautiful bond forming on the other side of the wall.

~ After Some DEEP feels(I'm really lazy today)~

~Normal PoV~

After calming America, England took him out of the kitchen to meet up with Italy and Russia. Only to find the two huddled against each other sleeping. They had tear stains on their cheeks and their eyes were puffy from crying. America stifled laughter at how cute they were and helped England carry the two up into the guest room. They walked in and placed the two nations side by side. Almost instantly, they shuffled closer to each other and smiled lightly. England smiled and petted Italy's reddish hair, avoiding the curl that formed a heart. America watched, taking it all in, smiling himself.

"Let's get some sleep." England whispered. America nodded.

"Sorry about breaking down." He apologized. England waked him in the back of the head lightly and looked at him.

"You have nothing to apologize about. Every hero has a weakness." And with that England left America alone with Italy and Russia. Looking at them, America smiled again.

Thinking aloud he said, "I wonder what weaknesses these heroes have," and left the two alone in the dimly lit room.

~With Romano~

Romano paced around the coffee table with worry and anger sketched on his face. His hands were clasped behind each other as he waited for the younger sibling to come home.

"Where is that idiota!?" he bellowed into the empty air of the house, not caring weather the people down the hill could hear his screams. He resisted the urge to punch a wall. He fell onto the couch and looked up to the slowly rotating fan blades and thought of what his brother was doing. "Why don't you trust me enough to tell me what the hell is going on? You don't trust anyone anymore do you? Not even Germany. Just tell me what the fuck you are hiding already." His cheek's felt wet but it was not raining inside. "Why can't you let me protect you?"