They had retied his hands. They had also untied the rest of his bounds and freed him from the chair, but they were still leading him back to the vehicles by his bound hands like a leash.

So far the walk out of the forrest wasn't a long one. At least, it wasn't as long as the President feared it would be. He had been asleep (unconscious...drugged...) on the way in, so he wasn't sure what to expect, but (thankfully?) his companions were filling in the time with the mindless chatter of old friends.

"Dude, France, how did you even get here so quickly?" Alfred asked. "That gas station is like, at least thirty minutes away walking."

"Ah, mon ami. I was in luck. After cher rosbif stranded poor, defenseless, little moi, a très belle young woman arrived to, how you say, act as my savior."

"Poor and defenseless, my arse," Arthur grumbled.

Matthew crinkled his nose in distaste. "You had sex with her, didn't you?"

Francis smiled wistfully. "Oui. Right there in the toilettes."

"Dude!" Alfred exclaimed, shooting Francis what was quite possibly the most horrified look he had ever seen. "What the fuck, man? That was my favorite gas station! Dammit, now I wont be able to go in there without thinking of you- UGH!"

"Ah, do not worry cher, it was in the woman's toilettes." When Alfred didn't reply, Francis smirked. "Cher, Amérique..."

Alfred flushed. "What? They're cleaner! Have you seen the men's bathroom in that place? I can't do my business surrounded by...that!"

Arthur simply snorted while Matthew grimaced in disgust. "That's gross, 'Mer," he mumbled.

"But as I was saying, after we...had our fun," Francis winked lewdly, "she was kind enough to drive me here."

"She probably hoped to get in some sort of terrible accident to cleanse herself from her mistakes and prevent anyone from doing the same," Arthur remarked coldly.

Francis's smug grin melted into an unconvincing, pseudo-pout, as he rested a reassuring hand on the Brit's shoulder. "Aw, mon ami, there is no need to be jealous. There will always be a spot in my loins for you if you would simply ask."

"Not on your life, frog."

"Or possibly it is just your sexual repression? Perhaps petit Amérique would be willing to...give you a hand, non?"

"Shut your bloody mouth, you insufferable twat!"

Alfred laughed heartily, throwing the arm that wasn't holding on to the rope around the President's shoulders. "Europeans, am I right?"

"Sure?" the President mumbled, the question mark clearly audible.

Alfred just laughed again, the booming sound mixing with the racket of Arthur and Francis fighting for the remainder of the time in the forrest.

"Is that...a polar bear?" the President asked, his eyes widening in shock as the group made it out to the cars. Sitting in the passenger seat of an ordinary, red car was what appeared to be a small polar bear, gnawing absentmindedly on a maple leaf shaped air-freshener.

"O-oh, yeah. He's mine." Matthew nodded, rubbing his neck nervously. "The White House staff doesn't like me leaving him there without any supervision, not after what happened with Mr. Reagan..."

The President blinked. "You own a polar bear." It was a statement, rather than a question.

"Uh-huh, his name is Ku...Kumo...Kuma-something."

"Dude, Canadia," Alfred chuckled, "learn your pet's name, would'ya?"

Matthew blushed, crossing his arms in a huff. "You're one to talk! Why don't you learn your brother's name, eh?"

"I know it." Alfred shrugged. "It's Canadia."

"It's CANADA, you hoser! Ca-na-da!"

"That's what I said!" Matthew fumed, as Alfred brushed aside their argument and clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's get going! You three-" he pointed to Arthur, Francis and Matthew, "-can ride together, and I'll drive back with the President."

Arthur scoffed. "And why should the three of us ride in Canadia's ("It's Canada!") little car, while the two of you drive back in that monstrosity?"

At this point, the President finally glanced over and noticed exactly what Alfred had apparently driven them there in, and promptly wondered how he had managed to miss it. It was a huge, black, stretch Cadillac limousine, assumedly bulletproof, with an emblem on the back door and two familiar flags waving proudly on the front hood.

"You took one of my cars?" he asked, not even a little bit surprised at this point.

Alfred simply shrugged and grinned at him before he turned back to Arthur. "'Cause we have super secret American business to take care of, duh."

"Oh," Francis piped in condescendingly, "Like that 'super secret Américain business' you had to take care of at the local McDonalds during the last G8 summit?"

The young man shrugged. "They brought back the McRib in Berlin."

"No." Arthur shook his head, crossing his arms stubbornly. "You will be accompanied by either the frog or myself to insure you do not get in any more trouble than you already have. And since the frog is a bloody pervert, I nominate myself."

"Aw, come on, England!" Alfred whined. "Please? I really do have important stuff to talk to him about! You guys can drive behind us and keep an eye on us, okay? That way we wont do anything stupid!"

Arthur seemed unswayed, his eyes rock hard and his stance unwavering. "America-"

"Pleeeeease?" Alfred whimpered, his blue eyes wide and pleading. "Pretty, pretty please with scones on top?"

Arthur's wall began to crack- his eyes twitched as his teeth snuck out to bite at his lower lip.

"You must resist, Angleterre," Francis cheered in what was obviously amusement rather than true encouragement. "Do not give in!"

Alfred, seeing his chance, went in for the win. "Please...Engwand?"

"F-fine!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air in surrender. "But I'm not doing this for your sake! I just don't want to deal with your stupidity for the entire car ride!" Storming off, Arthur threw the door to the red car open, plopped wrathfully into the back seat, and slammed it closed once again.

Francis sighed dramatically. "Peu ridicule en Angleterre..." he chuckled. "Well, now that that is over. Let us, how you say, hit the road?"

Alfred and Matthew nodded, Matthew going with the Frenchman to his car, as Alfred wrapped a friendly arm around the President's shoulders and guided them to his own. "Don't worry about that little hissyfit okay, man? England can be a little bitchy sometimes." He grinned.

The President raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Totally!" Alfred laughed. "Dude, you should have seen him after the Boston Tea Party. Holy shit, do not get between that man and his tea!"

The President winced, suddenly remembering just how batshit crazy these men really were. He had to admit, between the clearing and the road he had, despite the constant use of countries as names, forgotten they were anything but a few old friends. Silly him, they thought they were nations.

"And you were," he began slowly, carefully, "there at the Boston Tea Party?"

"Oh yeah!" he chirped, unlocking the impressive limousine and opening the passenger door for the President. "I was right there in all the action! Man, what a rush!" He grinned, slamming the door and skipping around the front to get in the driver's seat himself. "Man, England was friggin' pissed, though!"

The President pursed his lips, deciding to ignore the fact he was (sort of) willingly getting into a car with a crazy person. At least until they got back and his Vice President could shed some light onto the situation.

Alfred started the car, rolling down his window as Matthew pulled up next to him. "So I'll lead the way, and you guys keep close behind." He turned his head, as Kuma-something was still inhabiting the passenger seat, to speak directly to the still puffed up Arthur next to the altogether entertained Francis in the back. "Don't want me to do anything stupid, ya know!"

"Piss off!" he snapped back, causing Alfred to laugh heartily as he rolled up the window.

"Man, that guy is so freakin' British!" Checking his blind spot, Alfred pulled onto the highway, heading in the direction of Washington DC.

The car ride was a little awkward, in American's humble opinion. He had never been one for silence, be it comfortable or, in this case, uncomfortable, because two people should always be able to find something to talk about.

Especially two people that would be spending a lot of time together over the next four to eight years.

"So," he started, probably a little more desperately than he intended, "you got any questions about this whole President gig? I'm probably the go-to guy if you do."

The President peaked at him out of the corner of his eye and shook his head. "No."

America pushed his glasses up higher on his nose. "Listen, you ain't still upset about that whole kidnapping thing, are you? 'Cause I told you, it was nothing personal or anything, I do that with all of my new bosses."

The President pursed his lips. "All of your bosses, huh?"

"Well, maybe not Washington. We were a little busy at the time, you understand."

"Of course."

America eyed the man with a smirk. "You still don't believe me," he sang, his exclamation dripping with fake astoundment before laughing.

The President flushed a little, seemingly embarrassed to be caught in his skepticism, "You have to admit, it's a little hard to believe."

"Oh yeah, I totally get that." He nodded. "I mean, besides me and the other guys, you don't really have anyone to believe. Not like England, who has the whole royal family to back him up with his Prime Ministers. Good thing for Chubs, huh? We totally lucked out that he's your VP!"

The President furrowed his brows. That was right, apparently his Vice President knew this was all going to happen somehow. And he didn't tell him. That bastard. "Lucky, sure," he grumbled.

"Aw, come on Mr. Grumpy Gills!" America exclaimed, much to the President's annoyance. "Once we get to the White House and you talk to Chubs, you'll get to meet the other nations! Japan is a really cool guy, he comes over to play video games and stuff with me sometimes, so you'll see him a lot. And Italy and Germany, who are seriously probably the worst kept secret in history. For sure."

At the President's confused glance, America grinned.

"You'll see what I mean. And yeah, sure, the Commie is there, too but China should be able to keep him in line. Oh! And wait until you meet Tony! Dude, you are going to love him!"

The President perked up at the seemingly regular, human name. He was pretty sure there was no nation called 'Tony'. "Tony?"

"Yep! He's my best friend! He's from this planet in the Omega Centauri Galaxy and-"

"Oh good God."

America chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll read about him in the book too."

"Okay," The President snapped, "You have brought up this book at least three times now, what are you talking about?" He crossed his arms and looked at America expectantly.

The young nation responded with a shrug. "You know, The Book, the President's Book." At his boss' blank stare, he continued. "Of secrets? Come on, didn't you see National Treasure?"

"Well, sure but-" he froze and blinked. "It's real?"

America smiled mischievously. "You'll find out soon enough."

They fell, once again, into an uncomfortable silence, much to America's irritation. Man, he just wanted to tell the President everything right then and there, but alas, he had promised, nay, made an oath to go about this process in a very specific way, and by God, he was going to keep to that oath.

Well, except for that kidnapping thing. He added that in there himself, but you can't punish a guy for wanting to have a little fun.

Thankfully, a loud honk and a sudden swerving of the red car that was keeping close behind their own drew their attention away from the silence .

"I hope they're okay back there..." the President mumbled.

America laughed. "Nah, don't worry dude, I'm sure they're fine!"

"I swear, if you do not remove your slimy hands from my person, I will throw you from this bloody car!"

France held his hands in surrender. "Calmez-vous, Angleterre! Calm yourself! I will lay not a finger on you."

"Eep!" England squeaked.

France calmly removed his hand from under England's bottom. "Starting now."

"You intolerable wanker!"

Canada's eye twitched, observing his old mentors in a brutal boxing match in his back seat. Finger's white knuckled around the steering wheel, he cleared his throat roughly. "Um, excuse me, guys..."

"Oh yeah? Well, you're so ugly, that when you run into a boggart, it transforms into a mirror!" England snapped, forcibly pulling at France's long hair.

France gasped, "Well! For your information, you are so ugly, that when you were a pirate, your entire crew had to wear deux eyepatches!"

"G-guys..." Canada stuttered, "C'mon. I can't concentrate on driving if you two-"

"Is that so? Well your mother was so fat that her Patronus was a cake!"

"Your maman was so fat, she could have been the eighth continent!"

Canada sunk down miserably. "You've never even had mothers..."

"The first thing French students learn in school is how to say 'I surrender' in German!"

"Ah, but the second is how to cook and brush our teeth, two endeavors that have yet to reach across the Channel."

Canada lost it. "THAT IS IT," he exlaimed. "IF I HEAR ONE MORE PEEP OUT OF EITHER OF YOU BEFORE WE GET TO THE WHITE HOUSE, I WILL TURN THIS CAR AROUND AND I WILL LEAVE YOU BACK AT THE FORREST. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

France and England, eye wide, nodded furiously.

Canada smiled pleasantly. "Good. How about a little music, eh?" As he flipped on the radio and shared his love of the song playing with Kumajiro, the Europeans exchanged frightful glances, but remained where they were, far apart and quiet.

I'm so sorry this is so late! Since the last chapter, I have partially moved to Montana, started my 8 hours a day, 5 days a week summer job, and because it is Montana, have been invited to go camping every weekend. I snuck out of it this weekend though, and sent the boyfriend out on his own with his friends while I worked on this and enjoyed my girly TV channels and pedicures with my friends with the boyfriend gone. XD

Yes, I'm blatantly ripping off National Treasure and "Who's the man on page 47?" by Mizu falls from Kumo, one of my favorite crossover fics, but I couldn't help myself!

ALSO I am making a promise to reply to ALL of the comments I get on this chapter! I've never really thought to do it before, for who knows why, so I'm going to give it a shot! :D Can't wait to talk to all of you fine readers! If it goes well, I'll give it a shot for my next chapter too. XD