Ludwig walks briskly back into Gilbert's room, and shuts the door behind him. Gilbert sits up in bed, his head in his hands. Bird sits on his shoulder, and nudges his chin, trying to cheer him up. Ludwig watches his brother for a few moments: the war is taking a lot out of him, Ludwig realizes. Gilbert's hair isn't quite as shiny as it once was, he's grown a little skinner, and his skin is a little duller than before. Not to mention it's taken a toll on his mental state. Before guilt can take hold of Ludwig, he approaches his brother.

"What happened?" Ludwig asks curiously.

"I was having a nightmare. It was…No important, but it was a nightmare. I think she might have tried to wake me up, and I…It was just reflex, Ludwig. When I realized what I was doing, it was too late. I was already pinning her down. God, I can't even imagine what she must be thinking right now. Is she okay?" Gilbert quickly tries to explain himself before he asks his question.

"She'll live. You have some making up to do with her, you'll have to gain back some of that trust though. The dogs are with her. Don't go to her now," Ludwig says when Gilbert starts to get up. "If you go to her now, you'll only upset her more. Go back to sleep, and talk with her in the morning."

Ludwig exits the room, leaving Gilbert alone in his misery. Gilbert just can't seem to get ahead when it comes to Delia. It's always one step forward and two steps back. Gilbert finally reaches up and pets Bird, soothing him gently. Meanwhile, the dream he had still plays in his mind. Ludwig was killing him. Slowly killing him, draining him. Gilbert was pleading with Ludwig to stop, to let him live, but his brother wasn't listening. He was only a puppet to a sadistic and psychotic master. Gilbert was forced to watch everything he had created burn around him.

Poor Delia, he thinks to himself. He tries to think up of a way he can make it up to her, but he can think of nothing. Nothing, except getting her out of the country, but that will be impossible. No one will trust him, so no one will help him. He could ask Alfred, but then Ludwig will grow curious as to why Delia just up and disappeared. With a sigh Gilbert lays back down and looks up at the ceiling. A million thoughts race through his mind, and they all have to do with Delia.

"What have I gotten myself into, Bird?"

Delia wakes up in her room, surrounded by the dogs. Blackie still allows Delia to hug him. Aster has her butt pressed against Delia's back, keeping her warm. Berlitz moved up to lay his head on her hip where he now looks at her with concern. Delia smiles and pats his head, trying to comfort him. Slowly, she rolls over onto her back, Berlitz's head moving to rest on her stomach. Delia looks up at the ceiling and thinks about earlier this morning when Gilbert grabbed her. She knows he wasn't in his right state of mind, but it still scared her. Just thinking of him hurting her makes her sick and scared.

Quietly, there's a knock on her door, so quiet, she almost doesn't hear it.

"Come in," she instructs while sitting up, disturbing the dogs.

Gilbert opens the door slowly and pokes his head in. "Hey…Can I come in?"

Delia nods and swallows a lump in her throat. Gilbert slowly enters the room, leaving the door open a crack to make Delia more comfortable. Aster bounds off of the bed and licks Gilbert's hand. Gilbert smiles and pats her head gently.

"I'm sorry about this morning. I feel like I need to explain things to you. I never meant to hurt you, Delia. That truly was an accident. When you came in, I was having a nightmare. I don't have them often," he lies, "but when I do, they can get pretty bad. When you woke me up, for some reason I thought I was still in the nightmare. It's a reflex after all the time on the front. I was scared Delia, and thought you were the someone I was scared of…I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asks afraid of the answer.

"No, you didn't hurt me. You just…scared me. You're the one person I think could never really hurt me, so to have that happen…shook me. But I realize that you were having a nightmare, I just didn't think you would react so," Delia pauses to find the right word, "violently."

"Well, I'm glad I didn't hurt you. And I will never hurt you, Delia. I couldn't, knowingly hurt you. I'm sorry for scaring you. I feel so ashamed of myself," Gilbert rushes out as he carefully sits on the edge of her bed.

"Don't feel ashamed. I've been afraid too, Gilbert. It's human…Can I ask what your dream was about?"

"If it's okay with you, I would rather not talk about it. It's…painful," he explains gently.

Delia nods her understanding. Of all people, Delia knows about painful dreams. Dreams that haunt you even when you're awake. Dreams that play in the back of your mind, never ceasing. Delia hesitantly reaches out and places her hand on Gilbert's. Gilbert turns his head and looks at her, a smile crossing his lips. Delia returns the smile and picks his hand up, looking at it carefully. Very tiny and very light silver scars mark the back of his hand. Gilbert watches her investigating his hand. Her fingers trace the marks lightly, giving him delicate chills. Her fingers are soft and teasing.

"How'd you get these scars?" she asks with curiosity.

"I don't even really remember. Fighting mainly, I think. It's hard to tell anymore. I have a lot. That big one though I got while rescuing Bird out of a tree. My hand went to grab onto a branch and I slipped, I got caught and cut my hand. But the rest… I'm not sure."

Gilbert shudders when she turns his hand palm side up and traces the creases. She apologizes and Gilbert brushes it off as just tickling. But the truth is she gives him chills. Delia traces patterns in his hand, and Gilbert moves further in on the bed.

"Want me to read your palm?" she asks without looking up. Gilbert nods, giving her permission. "This here, is your love line," she explains as she traces a line closest to his fingers. "You've had a lot of loves in your life, but you've been broken many times, and sad as well. That's what this circle means here." Delia looks up at him as she explains, and finds his eyes staring intently into hers. "This is the headline, and I can tell that you think very deeply and clearly." Delia laughs when she reaches his lifeline. "You have a lot of energy, and plenty of vitality. Who knew. And this is your fate line…" Delia frowns and stops reading his hand. "Doesn't matter. Mamma used to say it was only child's play, something to bide the time."

"My fate that bad?" Gilbert jokes.

Delia looks away and drops his hand back down onto the bed. She does not like what she saw in his fate line. Though she would never tell Gilbert that. Gilbert places his hand under her chin and tilts her face up. Tears well up softly in her eyes, causing him to frown.

"Hey, what's this? No tears for me, Delia. Not for me. Never for me."

Delia lets the tears fall as Gilbert smiles gently at her, trying to reassure her. Without wasting a moment, Delia wraps her arms around his shoulders, pulling herself closer to him. Gilbert hugs her without hesitation, his hand rubbing her back. Delia hides her face in his warm chest. Why does war have to destroy everything?