And here we go! Chapter 6!

Enjoy!

I do not own Hetalia or Disney!

Chapter 6 : Alfred

As the water began to flood in, Natasha and Flynn moved back into the tunnel as far as they could before coming up against a rock fall and climbed up it as the water began to rise. With no way out in sight, Flynn took off his glasses, put them in his pocket and dove into the rising water to try and find a way out that might be under the surface.

Natasha waited nervously for Flynn to surface. The seconds ticked by but just when she began to feel really worried his head broken the surface. He gasped for air, took a deep breath and dove again while Natasha attacked the walls with the frying pan to no avail.

Flynn resurfaced, climbed out of the water and tried to dislodge rocks with his bare hands. His hand slipped on the rocks and he cried out in pain as a sharp edge cut into his palm. Giving that route up as a way out, he tried under water again while Natasha went back to smacking at the rocks with the skillet.

Flynn burst through the surface and gasped. He climbed up and braced himself on the rocks.

"It's no good!" he said, gasping for air. "I can't see a thing!"

'Well, of course he can't!' Natasha thought. 'He can't wear his glasses underwater!' So she dove under the water herself. Flynn dove after her and pulled her back up to the air.

"There's no use!" he told her. "It's pitch black down there!"

Natasha pressed her back against the rock that was trapping them both as she realised that this was it. What ran through her head was the thought that her mother was right! She said Natasha would regret leaving the tower, that something bad would happen and it had. She was going to die and what was worse, she had dragged Flynn down with her. She should have just given him the satchel and let him go. If she had, he would not be about to die with her.

"This is all my fault," she whispered, on the verge of tears. "Mother was right, I shouldn't have done this!" She sniffed. Flynn looked regretful. This was not her fault. He had been the one they were after, not her!

"I'm so, so sorry, Flynn," she sincerely apologised and then sobbed.

"Alfred!"

"What?" Natasha asked, realising Flynn had said something.

"My name," he replied. "It's Alfred F. Jones. I'd like someone to know." Natasha gave a small laugh. He was telling her something he knew she could never repeat to anyone else. She might as well return the favour.

"I have magic hair that glows when I sing," she told him. Flynn/Alfred gave a confused frown.

"What?"

Natasha suddenly realised what she had said.

"I have magic hair that GLOWS when I sing!" If her hair glows under the water …..

The water had risen to their chins. She did not have much time.

"Flowergleamandglow," she rushed. "Letyourpowershine." The water rose the last few inches and she took a deep breath before they were both completely submerged. She completed the song in her head, hoping that would count.

Flynn/Alfred saw nothing but blackness as the water came over his head. Suddenly light shone in the water-filled tunnel as meters of white blonde hair glowed, Kiku clinging to it, and revealed every nook and cranny. Flynn/Alfred almost lost the breath he had taken, only just stifling his cry of surprise. He followed the long length of hair and noticed some of it drifting toward a pile of the rocks, as if being pulled by something.

Alfred swam down to the rocks, followed by Natasha, and began to pull at them. Natasha began to help and one by one the rocks were moved.

On the other side of the rock fall, water fell through the cracks and increased in volume as more and more rocks were removed from the other side. Then Alfred's hand burst through. It retreated a little and began pushing rocks away from the sides of the opening and,when enough had been dislodged, the others loosened and fell. Water rushed out of the tunnel and into a river created by the water from the quarry dam, Alfred, Natasha and Kiku carried along with it.

They made their way to the edge and hung on to the bank, coughing up water and gasping for air. Kiku fell from Natasha's hair on to the grass, trying to catch his breath.

The things he went through.

"We made it!" Natasha panted. Alfred was taking deep breaths to get air into his oxygen-starved lungs. Then his head came up.

"Her hair glows!" Kiku stared up at him.

"We're alive!" Natasha rejoiced as she climbed onto dry land. Alfred was still obsessing about Natasha's hair.

"I never saw that coming," he said and looked down at Kiku.

"Flynn!"

"WHY DOES HER HAIR GLOW?"

"FLYNN!"

"WHAT!" He looked up to see Natasha pull the rest of her hair from the water. She looked at him, sheepishly.

"It doesn't just glow," she admitted. Alfred looked down at Kiku who looked back with what seemed like an upturn to his mouth.

"Why's he smiling at me?"

Swept further away, Berlitz managed to climb from the water. Being hit by the torrent might have killed anything else but, thanks to Marcello, Berlitz survived it easily but he still lay on solid ground, panting for air and trying to get his strength back. When he did recover he was going to track that thief.

And this time he would get him!

After being swept back into their tunnel by the water, the Jones Brothers swam to the surface made their way back through the tunnel to another turning which lead them to a secret trap door, hidden inside the trunk of a tree, the real exit from the Snuggly Duckling tunnel. They pulled themselves out, still coughing and spluttering.

Katya was waiting at the exit, hiding behind another tree with her dagger ready. Once Ryder emerged, she would get rid of him. She would tell some lie to Natasha, that Ryder had some evil plan in mind for her or, if Katya could eliminated him without Natasha seeing, that he ran off. Nothing would come between her and her little fountain of youth.

When the trapdoor opened, she readied herself but was disappointed when, instead of Ryder and Natasha, the Twins emerged, a little the worse for wear from their impromptu swim.

"I gonna kill 'im!" Allen swore and then coughed again. "I'm gonna kill that Flynn Ryder!"

"Not if I get to him first!" Alex countered. Katya smiled. So these two hated Ryder, did they? Maybe she could use them!

"Let's get that crown back," Allen replied. "And make Ryder wish he'd never been born!" They were after the crown! Good thing she had brought it with her.

"Oh boys!"

Both twins turned around to look at the owner of the voice. A woman who was the high side of middle age stood on a rock, looking down at them.

"Looking for this?" she asked, sweetly and held up the satchel, containing the crown. At the sight of it, both brothers pulled out their swords. Katya laughed.

"You don't need those," she said and threw the satchel at their feet. They both grabbed and tussled with it until Allen reached in and pulled out the crown. Assured that they had their prize, they smiled at each other.

"Well, if that's all you want," Katya said, dismissively. "I'll be going but I thought you might be interested in something worth more than a hundred of those and that's not even the best part." She could tell the brothers were intrigued.

"What's the best part?" Alex asked. Katya smiled and held up the badly drawn wanted poster.

"You'll get your revenge on Flynn Ryder," she sang.

Both brothers smiled, evilly.

By the time Alfred and Natasha made camp, it was dark. The camp fire crackled as they sat on a fallen tree beside it while Natasha wound her hair over the cut in Alfred's palm.

"Are ya gonna to tell me why you're wrapping your hair 'round my injured hand?" Alfred asked while Natasha concentrated on her task. Some strands grazed the cut and he hissed in pain.

"Sorry!" Natasha apologised. "Now please, don't freak out!" Alfred looked down at the hair around his hand, feeling a little worried at those words. Natasha took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Flower, gleam and glow (The roots of her hair began glowing and began to travel down the strands)

Let your power shine

Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine (The glow swept through the hair by Kiku who held up a little claw and waved it at Alfred)

You, who has been hurt, change the fate's design (The glow had reached the end of Natasha's hair and now glowed around Alfred's hand, making it tingle as it did so)

Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine

What once was mine!

Kiku was smiling and nodding his little head at Alfred. Natasha stopped singing, her hair stopped glowing and she opened her eyes, looking apprehensively at Alfred. He looked down at his hand and slowly unravelled Natasha's hair from around it.

The cut was gone from his palm. Not even a scar.

Alfred drew in a deep breath. Of course he had heard of magic but, growing up in America where belief in magic had dwindled to the level of fantasy, he kind of lost his belief in it as real and it was only since coming to Italy he began to think that there was anything in it and now proof was before his eyes, he looked like he was going to scream.

"Please, don't freak out!" Natasha begged.

"I'm not freaking out," Alfred replied, in freak out mode. "Why would I freak out? Oh my god! Magic hair! Magic, glowing hair! Magic, glowing, healing hair. Oh my god! How long's it been doing that?" Natasha gave a little giggle at Alfred's nervous excitement.

"Forever, I guess," she replied. And then her mood fell. "Mother said when I was a baby, people tried to take it from me. They cut it, wanting it for themselves." She pulled her hair to one side, revealing a short lock that was auburn. Natasha kept that deliberately short. Her mother did not like to see it.

"When it's cut," she continued as Alfred examined the lock. "It becomes like this and loses it's power. My gift has to be protected so that's why mother never allowed me ….. That's why I never left ….. " Natasha broke off.

"Why you never left the tower," Alfred finished for her. Something was wrong with this situation, Alfred could sense it. Natasha could have been taken out and about without revealing her secret and Alfred would bet his life that Natasha had never even put a single toe outside of the tower before he came along. He wondered if the mother's over-protection was less about keeping Natasha safe and more about keeping Natasha to herself.

It was no way to live. He had not had the best life from what he could remember from the age of eight but he had been out in the world and he had a goal. He dreamed, at night, of three people. Their faces were fuzzy but he could see their eyes. Green, blue, violet. They were his family, he knew it, and something told him they were out there, looking for him. And he would find them. One day!

This innocent, young girl had no one except, he suspected, a mother that could be using Natasha for her own purposes. It was just wrong!

"Are you still gonna go back?" he asked. He wondered who would choose a life like that but he realised that this was all Natasha had even known. She had nothing to compare it to.

"No!" she replied, adamantly but then thought of her mother. "Yes." Then she was uncertain. It was nice out here, in the sunshine. She thought that the men in the Snuggly Duckling were nice (once you really got to know them) but what if everybody was not. She was so indecisive now and she buried her face in her hands.

"I don't know!" she said, troubled. She looked up, took a deep breath and turned to Alfred.

"So Alfred F. Jones, huh," she said, questioningly.

"Boring story," he replied. "Found in New York, America by Frederick Jones, hence the F. Jones. Bit of a downer, really." Natasha moved closer to Flynn and began to listen, intensely. Alfred chuckled.

"The twins back at the quarry," he explained. "We kinda travelled together but I began to dislike some of things they did and because they were called F. Jones too, people thought we were all related. So I decided to change my name."

"Well, there was this book," he continued. "I used to read it to the younger orphans. The Tales of Flynnigan Ryder. Swashbuckler, rich, ladies man. He'd never brag, of course." Natasha giggled.

"Was he a thief?" she asked. Alfred looked thoughtful.

"No!" he admitted. "Actually, he was a hero. He was wealthy enough to do anything he wanted to do, go anywhere he wanted to go and to a kid who had nothing, well, it just seemed so much better." Natasha smiled at Alfred's whimsical tone.

"Did you steal that crown?" she asked. "Do you really want to be wealthy that badly?" Flynn looked down and seemed to decide something."

"What I said about my dream," he said and looked up. "Back in the Snuggly Duckling! It wasn't true. I just said that because I thought that's what they wanted to hear. I stole the crown to help make my real dream come true."

"What is your real dream?" Natasha asked, intrigued.

"To find my family," he admitted. "I've no memory before the age of eight, except my first name. But I dream of three people and I know they're my family. I want to find them but that takes money so I stole the crown."

"Stealing's not a good thing," Natasha admonished. "But I can understand that you want to find your family. It's quite sweet, really!"

"Don't tell anyone, okay?" he begged. "It could ruin my reputation if it got out."

"Oh! We wouldn't want that," Natasha teased.

"Well," he teased back. "A fake reputation's all a man has!" Natasha laughed and somehow they found themselves looking into each other's eyes. Alfred saw the pretty, charming, vulnerable young woman she was. He wanted her to really see the world, to taste freedom and never want to let it go. He wanted her to truly live.

Natasha saw a handsome, young man, yearning for something he did not remember, his cocky attitude compensating for how lonely he really was and she truly wished for his dream to come true some day and she hoped she would be there to see it.

Natasha realised that Alfred was looking at her with a soft look in his blue eyes that made her heart pound. Did that mean what she thought?

Alfred found himself staring into Natasha's blue-purple eyes and admiring her lovely, innocent expression, wanting to make sure she never lost it. To keep her with him to protect her and to be a hero like the Flynn Ryder in his book.

Suddenly his thoughts made him very self-conscious and he stood up, clearing his throat.

"I'll just go get some more firewood," he said and began to walk toward the trees.

"Hey!" she called after him. He turned back to her. "Just so you know, I like Alfred F. Jones better than Flynn Ryder." She would call him Alfred from now on. Alfred smiled.

"Thanks," he replied. "You're the only one so far." And he disappeared into the trees.

Natasha watched the spot where he had been, a soft smile on her face.

"I thought he'd never leave!"

Natasha froze at the sound of her mother's voice. Oh no! She had found her! Kiku changed his colour to blend in with the tree trunk.

She turned to face her mother. Katya was looking haggard and older than normal.

"Hello, dear," Katya said in a mocking voice.

"Mother!" Natasha gasped. "How did you find me?" Katya pulled Natasha into a possessive hug.

"Oh, it was easy," she replied, sticking in the knife. "I just listened for the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that!" Actually Katya and the Jones brothers had followed the direction of the flood water and spotted the camp fire. Natasha felt a little ashamed.

"Mother, I …." But 'Mother' was not listening.

"We're going home, Natasha, NOW!" she ordered, grabbing Natasha's arm and pulling her along. Natasha pulled her to a halt.

"Mother, please," she begged. "This journey has been incredible and I've learned a great deal." Katya did not want to hear this, did not want to hear how much Natasha was enjoying the outside world. She would want to stay where she would meet people.

And increase the chances of someone realising who she really was.

"I've even met someone!" That, Katya definitely did not want to hear.

"Yes," she replied, scornfully. "The wanted thief! What every mother wants to hear. I'm so proud! Now let's go!" And she started dragging Natasha from the camp. Natasha pulled her arm from Katya's grip.

"Please, mother," she plead. "I think …. I think he likes me."

Katya definitely had to get rid of Ryder now. Natasha was in a romantic haze and would go with Ryder if he asked it of her. Something Katya would never allow.

"That's completely demented, Natasha," she commented, harshly. "Now you know why you should have stayed where you were. This invented romance just proves you're too naïve for the outside world." And she began to circle Natasha like a vulture.

"Why would he like someone like you?" Katya asked, mockingly. "You think he's impressed with you. Don't be dumb and come home. Remember. Mother Knows …... "

"NO!" The dark aura had fallen over Natasha again.

Natasha had had enough of being put down by her mother. People did like her. Kiku liked her. The men at the Snuggly Duckling had liked her.

Alfred liked her. She was sure of that!

Katya did not like this rebellious streak that Natasha had suddenly developed. It had to be Ryder's influence. Never mind! He would pay eventually but for now Katya had to make Natasha regret her decisions.

"It's like that, is it?" she sneered. "Natasha knows best. Such a mature, clever, grown up little miss, are you? Well if you're so sure about your new boyfriend, give him this." And she held up the satchel.

"Where did you …. ?" Katya pulled the crown from the satchel.

"This is what he really wants," she said, shaking the crown at Natasha and then threw it into her hands. "You shouldn't be deceived by him. Give him that and see what happens. I promise, he'll leave you just like that." Katya snapped her fingers.

"I won't even say I told you so," she continued, throwing the satchel at Natasha. "If you know better, put your dreamboat to the test. Don't come crying to me if he's lying to you. Remember! Mother Knows Best!" Katya turned on her heel and stalked off into the woods.

Natasha put the crown back in the satchel, wondering what she should do. She wanted to believe in Alfred but she had not known him very long. Could his dream of finding his family lead him to abandon her if he had the crown? She did not think so but dare she trust him?

"Hey," Alfred's voice came from the woods on the other side of the camp. "Can I, huh, ask something?" Natasha looked for a place to hide the satchel.

Alfred came into the camp with his arms full of fallen branches he had collected.

"Am I gonna get super strength in my hand or something?" he asked. "Cause that would be totally cool." When Natasha just stood with her back to him without answering, he became worried.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned. Natasha turned and put a smile on her face that she hoped he would not recognise as false.

"Sorry," she replied. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking." Alfred looked like he was about to question her answer but then he shrugged and let it go.

"Well, it's like this," he continued with a teasing expression on his face. "I was born with superhuman looks but superhuman strength? Can you imagine the possibilities?"

Watching from the woods, Allen and Alex moved forward to go after Ryder but Katya held her hand to indicate they stop.

"Patience, boys," she advised. If her plan worked, Ryder would be out of her hair and Natasha would have a bad memory of the outside world that would drive her back to the tower and keep her there for good.

"All good things to those who wait!"

Katya and the Jones Brothers are just itching to cause trouble, are they not! And you can bet that they will. Natasha and Alfred know at little more about each other and feelings are blossoming. Ah, young love!

To takuya – I know but that's me! Evil user of cliff-hangers (Muhahahaha!) XP And more is coming!

To Scarlet Phantom – Da! I think you'll like what I have in mind as a punishment. ;) The next Hetalia Tales might be the last in this saga but it won't be the last story. I'm working on some ideas right now and I wish you a belated Happy Birthday! And I'll look out for your one-shot!

To Carfighter by Maple – Thank you and I hope this chapter lived up to expectations.

To themuscialcat – I sympathise! Our internet had periods of running really slow and it's a pain! :( And you're not a grammer nazi, you're keeping me on my toes and I think I got any errors I might have made. (fingers crossed!)

To EverythingMath – No problem! Yeah, the 2p!s were a natural choice for the Snuggly Duckling patrons and looked out for 2p! England, he'll be back! :D Maximus kind of behaved like a dog so Berlitz it was :) There was a scene in the film when a rabbit jumped out of a shrub at Natasha and I thought 'Flying Mint Bunny'X3 And he'll appear more as the story goes on!

To ArtemisIsis13 – Okay, Amelia! XP I was always going to put Hercules and Kiku together in at least one of the stories and with Sadik in the Snuggly Duckling, it seemed the perfect place to bring Hercules into this one. Unfortunately every one forgot about the guy who ran to get the guards but I think Natasha could charm the birds from the trees :3 Yeah! The 2p!s were an obvious choice and Roderich and Roland just might meet up, who knows. As for poison in the cupcakes, I think they all know Oliver too well to risk it DX. Arthur and Francis will appear more in the next chapter when they get a clue about Alfred's location and I think all that mood-swinging would give me a headache too (btw, I used to steal chocolates off the tree at Christmas when I was little XP) Flying Mint Bunny would be a bit of an eye opener but as he flew away, Flynn didn't think he was a threat. At that point, he didn't know about Nat's hair but he does now O.O Yep! The thing with Natalya all goes back to Katya and her obsession with stay alive and young! And don't worry about Katya! I have a fate worse than death in mind for her, I think you'll like it! And it was just sheer bad luck that Katya ran into Berlitz but she was on her way back away, that just made her run back faster. If your 2p! Smacks you with a skillet, I'm not sure I want to meet her DX.

Yes, those two are definitely in cahoots and their sneakiness will be explained at the end of this story (Sorry for making you waiting so long. Muahahaha!) Everyone claiming to be Flynn came from an old film called Spartacus, one of those films that full of blood and gore but nobody criticises because it's about a real event and therefore 'historically cultural'. Natasha is sweet :3 except when that dark aura comes down (some surviving Dark Natalya traits XP). It wasn't so much Ludwig and Feli not wanting more kids, it was more Ludwig was scared to have more after what happened the first time which, I agree, is heartbreaking and Romulus would be completely in sympathy with his grandson. How will they react to Flynn? We'll have to wait and see! It's okay, I got what you meant and maybe, just maybe, something might happen between the 2p!s, another thing to watch out for ;) I always wince when someone gets hit with the skillet but don't worry, Flynn didn't actually hit Berlitz, he just used the skillet as a shield so no animal cruelty there. Poor Roland was just the first one Katya came across on his own so he drew the short straw there. I can swim but I hate enclosed spaces too, I don't know why, I had no traumatic memory of being trapped anywhere that I can remember but I think I would have panicked in that situation too. I can't stand heights either, they make me queasy.

That I've managed to stick with this so long is thanks to you and all the other reviewer and all the encouragement you've given me and I can't that you enough. Like I said early, Hercules and Kiku will soon be explained. Arthur will soon be back on Alfred's trail and Katya, well she is the villain so don't expect any nice behaviour from her and the 2p!s will be back, one sooner than you expect. And stay away from Oliver's cupcakes! DDDX

To Guest – Hahaha, it would be cool to have a sixth sense. And everyone appears again (except the Chamberlain from HT2 and the stepmother and stepsisters from HT3. No wants them back DX)

Well that's another week done! Arthur gets a lead on Alfred and finds something useful in a certain establishment to help him find him. Alfred has a nasty encounter with Berlitz and Berlitz reunites with an old friend. And Natasha has a birthday to remember!

See you in a week (If I don't post a one-shot in the mean time)

Hasta la Pasta!