5 years later and things were finally starting to settle again in the family. Every photo of her and everything which belonged to Belgium, Denmark had gathered together and packed them all away, hiding them down in the basement so that he wouldn't have to look at them or face them, but even now he couldn't get her sweet face out of his mind.
Denmark was starting to be his normal self now. Spain had started to visit Denmark a lot more now to give him and his family the sympathy. It took a while for Spain to get over what had happened. In fact, almost every nation in the world had contacted Den to give him their sorrow, which Den didn't wanted. He just wanted to be left alone with his children.
Anyway, 5 years later: Grace was a little older now and Elias had already grown, catching up to his brother's height. Den was way more kinder to Toni and Sophia, especially since Toni seemed to give Den and his family more respect, which Den respected back. Den was relieved that his family were more settled than they were five years ago, but he was sure that they were still hurt. Den still couldn't get over it. He may be /acting/ like his old self, but he wasn't.
It was during the summer, and Denmark was walking down the road with his youngest 9 year old daughter, Grace. Denmark was now constantly wearing glasses, having taken the advice from his wife in the past and got his eyes checked. At first he found them annoying and people wouldn't recognise him but they all got use to the glasses in the end.
Den grins down at his daughter, swinging her arm. Grace smiles shyly back up at him, cuddling her schoolbooks to her chest, since they were just coming home from school.
"Daddy my friends are going to the park, can I go too?" She asked sweetly.
Den nodded, "yeah sure! Heh, never too old to play hm?"
Grace shook her head, smiling a bit, "We don't play, daddy! We have our own clubhouse in the jungle gym!"
"oh right, like one of those no-boys-allowed things?"
Grace giggled and nodded, "yep!" he grins as they both entered into the playground.
Around the same time, Emma had entered the park with her mother, who prodded the bright eyed five year old along. Emma seemed like every other young girl her age; small with chubby childish roundness in her cheeks, dressed in play clothes, and running around wildly. However Emma had bouncy curly blonde locks and the brightest green eyes ever seen on a child. Though it wasn't her eyes nor her hair that caught attention, but her smile. The little girl's smile was so utterly feline, that it seemed as though she were half kitten.
"Mommy can I play?" She asked excitedly, bouncing a little happily. Her mother waved her off, smiling. "Go have fun." She said. With a happy squeal, the little girl set off.
Grace tugged on her father's hand, giggling, "c'mon daddy, you can join us if you like!"
Den chuckled and shook his head, sitting down on a bench. "Sorry sweetie, daddy is getting old," he joked, smiling at her and nudging her to go meet her friends, "go on, go have fun"
Grace grins a little at him before setting off into the playground, bumping into one of the little girls with an 'oof-"
Emma yelped when the older girl knocked her down, sitting there on the dirt with a surprised expression before she started giggling, standing up with a little effort. "Hi!" she said with a bright feline smile.
Grace managed to keep herself up, helping the little girl up but not recognising who she was. "Oh, I'm sorry I'm sorry! Are you ok little girl?"
Emma huffed a little "I'm not a little girl, I'm 5." She said stubbornly before she smiled brightly again. "I'm okay~!" She giggled. "I'm Emma what's your name?"
Grace blinked for a moment, knowing that name but just shrugged and grinned back, brushing the odd thought off of her mind, "Grace! My daddy calls my Gracey sometimes though," she giggled.
"Hi Grace, wanna be my friend?" She asked in her small, childish voice, her hand outstretched.
"Hm, okay! But you have to join me and my friends club" she said a bit shyly and pointed towards the gym, "that's our clubhouse. No boys are allowed,"
"Okay!" She said, taking the older girls hand and heading in that direction.
Grace smiled and took her hand leading the girl towards the gym. It was this moment we Den had glanced up, spotting the little girl with Sophia and wondered who she was. He narrowed his eyes a little, adjusting the glasses on his face and sat up. "..." He didn't recognise her yet but...he had this awfully weird feeling. Maybe it was just his mind and heart playing tricks on him.
Emma climbed up to the top of the jungle gym, swinging her legs over one of the bars and laughing happily as she and Grace talked, giggling together every once in a while.
Grace helped her up, beaming at her two friends sitting at the top. "This is my new friend, Emma! She wants to join!"
One girl folded her arms, "she's a little kid though!"
Grace frowned, "aww but she's my friend! Please?"
Den stared at the gym for ages until he stood up, glancing down at the time on his watch.
"I'm not a little kid." She pointed out with a frown. "If I can climb up here, I'm not a little kid!"
"See?" Grace grinned, nomming on her finger.
Den slowly stepped up to the gym, glancing up at it but he couldn't see them from where he was standing.
One of Grace's friends pressed her hands on her hips, "Grace, I think your dad is spying on us."
"huh?" Grace blinked, leaning over the edge of the gym, "oh, hi dad!"
Den smiled at her a little, "hey..everything alright?"
"Honestly dad, I'm fine!" she smiles, still nomming on her finger.
"take your finger out your mouth, Grace."
Emma leaned over the side of the jungle gym, tilting her head a little at the adult. Her large green eyes were friendly as she smiled and waved at him. "Hi grace's daddy!"
Den glanced at the little girl and froze, eyes widening a little as he stared up at her in complete shock. That girl. Her sweet little face, that cute little feline smile she had.
"..."
"...Dad are you ok?" Grace tilted his head, glancing at Emma then back at her dad, rolling her eyes.
"...Bel?" he whispered, still staring at the girl.
Emma blinked, looking confused. "Who's that? I'm Emma!" She said with a bright smile, her blonde curls falling to her shoulders.
Den pulled his glasses off, rubbing his eyes harshly before pushing them back on and staring up at her again. "...Emma...Emma?" That was Belgium's human name..
He wondered if he was asleep. He was a little in shock. Grace frowned and climbed down from the gym, tuggling on her dad's shirt.
She looked a little afraid when he seemed to freak out at her name and nodded, following Grace down and looked up at him uneasily, holding onto Grace's sleeve.
Den watched the little girl and knelt down infront of her, staring with wide eyes at her. She looked exactly like Bel. Same hair, same eyes, same sweet little face. He reached forward, gently stroking her soft cheek with a couple of his fingers. "Bel..?" he whispered again.
She shook her head again, holding onto Grace's sleeve tightly as she looked over at her nervously, a little scared by this man's actions. "Are you okay, mister..?"
He was too out of it to say anything right now, brushing his hand from the top of her head and down her short curly hair, feeling his heart race painfully inside of him. "Bel..." he whispers, glancing down at her little and gently took it.
Emma started to cry, feeling scared by this man's actions and the way he kept calling her Bel. "My name is Emma!" She cried, pulling her hand away from him.
Grace stepped back, "..dad what are you doing?"
Den shook his head, still staring at her and wrapped his arms around Emma, shutting his eyes and feeling them sting, "Bel...Bel it's me..." he whispers in her ear.
Emma panicked, trying to squirm from the man's grasp. "Let me go!" She cried, struggling against him until Emma's mother heard her daughter and came running over. "Let go of her!" She shouted.
Den kept his arms around her, glancing up behind his shoulder at the woman, "who are you?" he frowned, pulling the girl closer to him
"I'm her MOTHER!" She shouted, trying to seperate her crying daughter from the stranger. "Let go of my daughter!"
He frowned suddenly and let go of the girl, standing up and staring at them horrified, realising that the girl was crying. "...but...but she's my..."
Emma was scooped up by her mother, who hushed her softly as she craddled her. "You should be in jail!" She snarled at him angrily. "Trying to kidnap a five year old! You pervert!"
His lip twitched, eyes narrowing a little in shock. "Y-you don't understand!" He stepped closer, "my wife...sh-she died years ago and she looked exactly like her! She was even called Emma! Please! Just let me hold her!" he begged.
"Creep!" The woman said, her eyes seeming afraid before she reached over and slapped him across the face, keeping Emma wrapped in her arms as she ran away with her, Emma still bawling in her arms.
He gasped and looked away, wincing and lightly touching his cheek. "..."
Grace bit her lip, staring up at them afraid.
Den slowly glanced back at them sadly, watching them run away and he took a step forward, reaching out to her. "...Bel..."
"..daddy?" Grace whispered.
Den stared distantly at them before suddently bolting off after them.