The time came sooner than he thought it would. After Ivan gave Alfred the medical assistance he desperately required, he introduced the people that helped him run and protect the hospital. Yekaterina and Natalya, his sisters, and Eduard, Toris, and Raivis, his nephews whom he had taking care of since their parents had gone missing in action a year ago.

Then he headed up a flight of stairs to go to his own room. Berwald followed him, silent as always. He felt the weight of his pistol in coat pocket as he stood outside the doctor's open door.

Berwald stepped inside the doctor's room while his back was turned and closed the door behind him. The hinges creaked, alerting the Russian to his presence. Ivan turned around sharply.

"Hello," he said, surprised. "You're one of Alfred's friends, da?"

Berwald nodded.

"Do you need something?" Ivan asked, his usual smile strained.

"I need y' t' answer some questions," Berwald stated.

"Okay," he said simply.

Berwald stepped closer, hoping to intimidate the man. He knew he had an intimidating presence, people had told him so on many different occasions. Standing at 6'3, proportionately muscled and wearing a perpetual glare, it was easy to see why. Ivan, however, unlike the others, was not affected by Berwald's advancement.

"D' y' know a man named M'thias?" Berwald inquired.

"Nyet," the doctor replied.

"Don't lie t' me, Doctor," Berwald said, his deep voice taking on a menacing tone.

Ivan put his hands up in a gesture of surrender, hoping to appease the bespectacled man before him.

"Why aren't y' fightin' in th' war?" Berwald inquired.

"I made a deal with a man to take my place so I could help the wounded."

Berwald's hand migrated down to his pocket, resting on his pistol, and none too subtly tracing it's outline against the fabric.

"Did th' deal involve lettin' th' man's wife 'n baby son live if he fought in yer place?"

The Russian's violet eyes darkened and he said nothing, giving Berwald all the answer he needed.

"That man is m' brother," Berwald said, his eyes narrowing. "If anythin' happens t' him or his family, yer gonna have that blood on yer hands. If that happens, I can assure y' that I'll have yer blood on m' hands."

The smile had dropped from Ivan's face as Berwald spoke.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt yer sisters or yer nephews. I have no grudge 'gainst them. Yer death will be painful enough fer them."

Berwald turned around and took a few paces toward the door, then stopped.

"Don't tell anyone 'bout this conversation or I will see t' it that whomever y' tell will be eliminated. This is a war, after all. No one will notice a few extra bodies."

Just as Berwald was going to leave the room, he stopped with his hand on the door frame and turned around to pierce Ivan with a deathly sea-green glare.

"Don't hurt m' brother unless y' want t' die."

With that, the tall man turned on his heel and exited the room to leave the doctor to process his words in shocked silence.