A loud crying filled the house and woke up the residents.
"Francis…" Arthur muttered sleepily. "Your turn."
"He was just crying twenty minutes ago. What's wrong zis time?" the Frenchman whispered back.
"Go and find out."
"Oui mon cher," he said as he swung his legs out of bed and stood up. "I shall be back soon."
Arthur grumbled something and rolled over.
Francis smiled wearily at him and headed for the crying.
Steven was lying on his back, screaming to the world.
Francis picked him up and rocked him.
"Ssh mon petit. You are fine."
Steven kept crying so Francis closed his eyes and started singing a soft lullaby.
À la claire fontaine,
M'en allant promener
J'ai trouvé l'eau si belle
Que je m'y suis baigné
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai
Sous les feuilles d'un chêne,
Je me suis fait sécher
Sur la plus haute branche,
Un rossignol chantait
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai
Chante rossignol, chante,
Toi qui as le cœur gai
Tu as le cœur à rire,
Moi je l'ai à pleurer
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai
J'ai perdu mon amie,
Sans l'avoir mérité
Pour un bouquet de roses,
Que je lui refusai
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai
Je voudrais que la rose,
Fût encore au rosier
Et que ma douce amie
Fût encore à m'aimer
Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
Jamais je ne t'oublierai
Steven slowly stopped crying and fell back asleep.
Francis smiled and put him back in his bassinet.
He yawned and went back to his room.
"Why doesn't he stay asleep like he's supposed to?" Arthur asked as the door closed.
"He hasn't reached zat stage yet," Francis replied as he slipped in next to Arthur.
Arthur moved towards Francis and let the man pull him into his arms.
"I wish he would hurry up and get there. Neither Alfred nor Peter made this much fuss."
"Mathieu barely made any noise so people usually forgot zat he was in ze house."
"Lucky. Steven is going to be a pain. I know it."
Francis shrugged.
"I shall still love him."
"I will too you git! I love all my children! He's just going to be more of a headache than the others."
"Maybe he just wants attention."
"Maybe…"
Alfred, Matthew, and Peter were sitting on the floor playing with their little brother and cousin.
Arthur, Francis, Antonio, and Lovino were watching them and talking.
"Zey're getting along well, non?" Francis asked.
The other adults nodded.
"It's good. I was worried they would fight."
"Alfred wouldn't let zem. He's a 'hero' remember?"
They all laughed except for Lovino.
Something hit the door loudly.
Everyone turned to look.
Francis stood up and walked to the door.
He pulled it open cautiously.
His eyes widened and he fell backwards.
Everyone could clearly see what had shocked him.
Arthur and Antonio leapt off the couch and scooped the children up.
They hurried them down to the basement, to a small room that could only be opened by certain people.
The boys were put inside and gave them some toys before shutting the door.
Arthur raced back upstairs to where Francis had fallen.
He had passed out and Arthur knelt next to him.
Antonio continued past him to the door.
A short knife was sticking out of it, holding a piece of paper against it.
He pulled the note off roughly and read through it.
"Lovino. Go downstairs."
The man glared and crossed his arms.
"No!"
Antonio flew around.
"Go downstairs!" he yelled. "Now!"
Lovino stared at him for a moment before turning and going downstairs.
"W-What is it?" Arthur asked slightly nervously.
For an answer, Antonio handed him the piece of paper.
Arthur took it.
A short message was written in flowing penmanship.
"I know who you all are. I know your secret. When you aren't watching I will attack. All the weak ones will go first. Don't think you can stop us. You can do nothing. If you try, something you won't expect will happen."
There was no signature but underneath the note was a list of names.
Alfred
Matthew
Peter
Steven
'Tore'
Lovino
Arthur
Arthur normally wouldn't have been scared, but now he had to protect his children.
It hadn't been proven whether or not they could die and that worried him.
He understood why Antonio had sent Lovino away.
Antonio didn't want Lovino to know he was being targeted as well as their son.
"M-Mon cher?"
Arthur looked down to see Francis had woken up.
"What Francis?"
"D-Did you see ze note?" Arthur nodded. "Zey want to hurt nos enfants!"
"I-I know Francis, but they won't. We won't let them."
Tears sparkled in Francis's eyes.
"Zey want you too, cher."
Arthur looked away.
"I know that too. I can't die though. They can't hurt me."
Francis shook his head.
"Zat's not true. Zey can still hurt you. Why is zis happening? What have we done?"
"I don't know," Arthur said slowly. "We've always been a target because of what we are, but it's never been an issue because we can't be hurt easily."
"Oui, but nos fils…"
He didn't finish but Arthur knew what he meant.
"Don't worry Francis," he started with a weak smile. "They won't get any of us."
"You don't know zat," Francis said hopelessly.
"I believe it," Arthur said sternly. "We're more than capable of protecting them. Think of all we've been through."
Francis didn't say anything.
Arthur turned to Antonio.
"You're lucky. You only have to watch Lovino and Tore. We have to watch four little children."
"Don't forget that they want you too, mi amigo."
Arthur rolled his eyes.
"Like they could get me. I used to be the most powerful nation in the world. They don't stand a chance."
Antonio frowned.
"Don't be too cocky. You fell remember?"
Arthur looked away.
"Don't remind me."
"You are not going anywhere alone," Francis said suddenly.
Arthur rounded on him.
"Excuse me? You're not in control of me!"
"Don't fight me on zis! I am not risking losing you!"
Arthur glared at him.
"Do you want me to hide in the basement with the children?" he asked sarcastically.
"Oui," Francis said simply.
"Screw you!" he yelled as he stomped off.
Francis sighed and turned to Antonio.
"I'm just trying to protect him."
"I know mi amigo."