Dro: Ah, another chapter of this wonderfully dark and angsty fic. Well, have at it, like usual! I'm setting this up to be one of the most shocking fics of all time.

Chapter Summary: Matthew goes to a party held by Alfred. With one stipulation.

Warnings: Language; Violence

Disclaimer: Dro doesn't own APH. Personally, she just wants to own a couple slices of pizza right now. She's hungry.

Matthew straightened his back and tilted his head up. He was hyper aware of Alfred's presence behind him, blue eyes watching carefully as the attendants meticulously powdered his face. In Alfred's world, Matthew had to look perfect, and if he did not, then someone had done something wrong and deserved to be punished for it. Oddly, Alfred never seemed to understand that the one at fault may have been himself. Not that Matthew would dare to ever say that to his face. Alfred wouldn't hurt him for it. Oh no. He would hurt some innocent bystander. Because Mattie was a perfect little angel and could do no wrong in Alfred's world. And frankly, Matthew was glad that he didn't see more of what Alfred's world looked like. The things he had already witnessed had more than proved it was a horrifying place.

"There!" Alfred exclaimed. "That's perfect. The light is hitting his cheeks just right." The attendants bowed slightly and backed away as Alfred marched up to inspect their work. "Good job, ladies. Now, where are the others with his clothes?"

"Right here, sir!" A petite woman scurried into the room with a brand new military uniform in her arms. "It was pressed and dry-cleaned and inspected for any imperfections. Just like you asked, sir." She held the uniform outward, offering it like a sacrifice.

Alfred smiled brightened. "Looks great! Thank you very much. You're dismissed." He pointed to the other two attendants. "You two, help Mattie get dressed." He glanced at the gleaming gold watch on his wrist. "Unfortunately, I've got a brief meeting with the Joint Chiefs before our little get together." He leaned down and kissed Matthew's freshly powdered cheek. "See you later, Mattie."

Matthew managed to pull his lips upward. "Have a good meeting, Al."

Alfred snorted. "Nonsense! All my meetings are good." He was out the door before Matthew could reply, his presence like a hurricane to all that he passed.

Once he knew his brother was out of earshot, Matthew sighed. He begrudgingly rose to his feet and stripped off the shirt he'd been wearing, allowing the two women to help him into the suit. He didn't need the help. He never had. And he never would. But he knew that Al knew very well that if Matthew didn't have anyone to do this for him, then he would never bother to do it himself. Because unlike Alfred, Matthew did not care what he looked like or what he wore. And that just didn't suit Alfred's warped vision of grandeur. So he had corrected it in the gentlest way he knew how: personal servants.

Now, if only Alfred would have extended that gentleness to the rest of the world. Unfortunately, Matthew had had no such luck getting that one to work. So he'd just continued to let himself be pampered like a little pet. At times, he could hardly bring himself to care about the state of the world. Other times, he would chastise himself for being so apathetic, only to be faced with a cold reminder that he was trapped here, unable to act, unable to help the struggling resistance. He swallowed, trying to focus on the women pulling and tugging at his clothing to get it just right. He tried not to think about the beginning, when Alfred had literally barged into his house, dragged him out kicking and screaming, and locked him up here. He had cried and shrieked and broken every piece of furniture over and over and over for months.

Alfred had been so calm and patient with him that he'd nearly gone insane along with his brother. Sometimes he wondered if he actually had. Was it odd that he'd grown so uncaring, so aloof? He had free reign of the house—as long as there was one of Al's dedicated servants with him. He could even go outside into the garden without any hindrances. But there was something…wrong about those things. They were just illusions of freedom that Alfred had given him to make him feel better, to try and win him over. It had never worked, of course. It was why he was still trapped like this, why he had not visited his own country in so long. Because Alfred would never let him go beyond the grounds of his estate. Not until he was sure that Matthew was on his side.

And since Matthew would never be on his side—they both knew it—Matthew would never again be free.

Matthew's only hope in the world at this point was that Russia would somehow come through for him and stop Alfred from advancing, that the resistance forces would—by some miracle—manage to overthrow his brother. It was a very dim hope at this point considering how far Alfred had advanced in his plans to take over the world, but Matthew would keep that little flame burning as long as he could. And if…and if Alfred succeeded, then…

Then he would die right along with the rest of the resistance.

It wouldn't have been the first time he'd considered suicide. He had so many implements with which to accomplish it around him. In those first few months, he'd seriously considered just ending himself right then and there. But when some members of Alfred's household had revealed they were spies and that they could spirit messages between him and the resistance, he'd regained some of his initial resolve. Things were still hard for him, though the apathy—ironically—served to make it easier for him to live like this. But that couldn't possibly last forever. He would crack somewhere down the line. It was only a matter of time.

"All done, Mr. Williams, sir."

He only briefly glanced at himself in the mirror. He would have been surprised that the suit wasn't white, but considering it was the military uniform of Al's empire, it made perfect sense. There was only one thing Alfred loved more than Matthew in white, and that was Matthew showing his "allegiance" to Alfred. He cursed his brother under his breath. He hated this range of negative emotions that he always went through whenever his brother was here. Al's presence was a burden. It just wasn't enough to be a prisoner that was treated like a prize, was it? No, Alfred had just had to go further. He alwayshad to go further. He just couldn't stop.

He made his way down the stairs, his obligatory "guard" following at a distance. He could already hear the assembled guests talking amongst themselves. These people…they disgusted him. These humans who had taken advantage of Alfred's movement to topple the governments of the world. Military leaders. The wealthy. They had all hopped on board Alfred's grand train to world domination. An as a result, they had become even more wealthy, even while the rest of the world was crushed, while millions were slaughtered and killed. He despised these people, and if he hadn't been able to keep his emotions from influencing his actions, then he was sure he would have killed them all long ago.

He wasn't sure what disgusted him more, them, that he would honestly and truly murder them all, or that Alfred would most certainly get a kick out of it and laugh hysterically. Without a single care or concern about the lost lives. He involuntarily shivered as he rounded the corner, the party already in full swing. The room seemed to freeze as they all caught sight of him, but then they came to their senses and began smiling and nodding to him. All fake. Most of them deathly afraid. Because in this, as in all things in Alfred's perfect new world, there was a rule that no one would dare violate.

Matthew could attend any party he wanted. He could chat with the partygoers. They could chat with him.

But no one was allowed to touch him. Not a handshake. Not a brush of a sleeve. Not at all. And many of today's partygoers had learned firsthand just what breaking that rule meant. He recognized most of them. He remembered—with absolute clarity—their terrified faces on the day that a general had tempted fate—willingly and purposefully—just to see what would happen if he crossed one of Alfred's lines. It had been—

"Mattie!" Alfred strode up to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Nice party, eh?" He not-so-subtly roved his eyes over Matthew's body. "You look wonderful in that. Give my compliments to the girls later, will you?"

Matthew felt sorry for those poor women. They had been hand-selected to be his attendants by Alfred. They were only ones allowed to touch him, and if they messed up anything that Alfred ordered…Well, the current girls had not been his first group of attendants. "Yes. I will." He smiled lightly. Fake. Oh so fake. Just like every emotion he regularly displayed these days.

"Well, let's go mingle. How about it?" Alfred never stopped touching him.

"Sure."

After the seventh military so-and-so and his wife or daughter, Matthew had completely tuned out the world around him. Currently, he was wondering about the Alfred double that Ivan had apparently found. He'd been desperately wanting to know more about the man, but Ivan had yet to send him another message. He was starting to get slightly worried that the double had been dangerous and—

Something crashed into him and sent him tumbling to the floor. He rolled over quickly, realizing a serving girl had accidentally ran into him. She was young. Very young. Barely old enough to be out of school. She sat up, profusely apologizing. Then she froze, her eyes widening in horror, as she realized just who she had run into. Who she had touched. Matthew felt that same fear grip him. He rose quickly to his feet, not caring in the least that the entire party had ground to halt in the wake of something that should have been nothing more than a simple, meaningless accident. And the moment he saw Al's eyes, he knew he was in trouble.

No, not him. That poor, poor girl.

It was like a light-bulb coming on. Instantaneous. With the flick of a "switch." All the pleasantness, all the mirth seemed to have drained from Alfred's face. And it wake was rage. His blue eyes were set in a stare that could have given a person a heart attack. It was hard. Cold. There was no warmth. There was no humanity whatsoever in that glare. And despite his convictions, despite his intense desires to help that poor, poor girl, Matthew found himself rooted the spot, unable to make another move. It was like Alfred had literally forced everyone and everything to come to a complete stand still.

The only thing moving was that poor girl. She was shaking wildly, tears pouring from her pleading eyes. But Matthew couldn't move. He couldn't even breathe. I cynically say to myself that I'd kill everyone in this room, and yet I've just sentenced one of the very few innocent people in it to die…He deserved to be hurt. Not her. He had sat here for so long doing nothing while the rest of the people that he claimed were his allies fought and gave their lives and suffered life-threatening injuries. Once again, he had failed an innocent. Just like he had with his own people. Just like he had with the resistance.

"You touched my brother." Alfred's spat. His voice burned like acid. "How dare you…" He narrowed his eyes, taking a step toward the cowering girl.

"Please…please, sir…It was an accident…I didn't mean…I didn't meant to…I'm so sorry. I'm so…I'm sorry…I…"

"I don't want you excuses or your apology, you stupid little bitch. You touched my brother with your filthy hands. You knocked him down. You could have hurt my brother."

"Please…Please…I…"

Alfred snarled.

The girl ran, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Matthew closed his eyes.

She never made it out the door.

He stood on the balcony, watching the fountains in the garden below. He wanted to jump into them, to submerse himself in the frigid water, to wash away his sins with it as it burned his skin with ice. He wanted to just let himself fall off the face of the Earth. Now more so than ever before. I should have done something. He'd been telling himself that for the last hour. And it was the truth. He could have jumped in the way. He could have told Alfred to stop. Alfred wouldn't have listened, but at least it would have been something. Instead, he had just stood there and let that poor girl die.

That was what he was going to do from now on, wasn't it? He was going to sit by idly while the rest of his fellow nations died at his brother's hands. The water started to look more and more inviting. He wasn't sure he was high enough for the fall to kill him, but maybe if he landed just right on his neck—

"Mattie, there you are!" Alfred strolled out onto the balcony, his typical smile plastered back in its place. The ballroom had been cleared out after the incident. Matthew didn't bother to respond. Alfred paused at this, frowning slightly. "Aw, Mattie, you're not mad, are you?"

"It was just an accident, Al."

"Yeah, well, people should be more careful." He shrugged. "She broke a rule, and she got punished for it. Isn't that how that usually works?"

Matthew didn't answer.

"You're not giving me the silent treatment now, are you?"

He still said nothing.

Alfred sighed playfully. "You really need to loosen up, you know that, Mattie? You're just way too hard on yourself. You need to do something relaxing." He chuckled. "I have a few ideas in mind." He said suggestively.

Matthew snorted. "I'm sure you do."

Alfred pouted comically. "Aw, come on! Don't be so mean!" He spun around in a circle. "Tonight was supposed to be special, Mattie! I had it all planned out. And that stupid bitch ruined it! By the way, she didn't hurt you, did she?"

Yes. He could always leave it to Al to kill first and ask questions later. "No." He answered coldly.

He clicked his tongue. "Eh, oh well. Whatever. Anyway, with the crowd all ruined, I couldn't do what I was going to do. And that really pissed me off. Stupid people. Couldn't even keep their cool over something as mundane as a stupid girl doing stupid things."

"You broke her neck, Al."

"Come on, do you really care that much about her? You didn't even know her name!"

"And that somehow makes her less valuable as a human being?" He glared at Alfred indignantly. He usually wasn't so forward with his disdain—not for a long time now—but he could he feel his emotions flaring again, all traces of his prior apathy being pushed back in favor of some darker emotions that he hadn't utilized outwardly in a very long while. But, as it always was with Alfred, he was just replacing one negative emotion with another.

Alfred stared at him, uncomprehending. "But that's just it, Mattie. She was just a human. What the hell does she matter in the grand scheme of things?"

He snapped. "The 'grand scheme' of things is utterly meaningless if don't consider all the pieces that it consists of, Al."

Something flickered in Alfred's eyes. Something dangerous. But he pushed it away as quickly as it came. "Pssh! You're just stressed out, aren't you, Mattie? You need to get out more. How about we hang out in the garden tomorrow? You like the garden, right?"

"I really don't give a shit about the garden right now, Al."

Alfred shook his head, sighing. "I've been planning this for such a long time, Mattie. Can't you at least…smile a little?"

"Planning what, Al?"

His smile brightened again, frighteningly so. "Well…I'm not quite sure I want to tell you while you're in this sour mood!"

"Al, I'm not really going to be in a better mood tomorrow, so might as well just get it on with it."

Alfred sighed with mock sadness. "Oh, very well. I had so hoped to do this in front of a awed and endeared crowd, but I suppose it's more intimate with just the two of us, huh? Well, that's okay too!"

Matthew pushed away from the railing and turned toward his brother, confused. "Um, what are you talking about?"

Alfred put his smile on the highest beams he had and quickly sank to one knee, shuffling around in his pocket before producing a small box. He held it up and popped it open, revealing a gorgeous gold ring with a massive violet gem in the center, surrounded by diamonds.

"Will you marry me, Mattie?"

Dro: I was actually plotting out the defining moment of this fic today. I can't wait until I get to it. It'll blow your minds. Too bad that's not for a while yet.

Next Chapter: After hearing of the France incident, Ivan gives Alfred a surprising offer. Meanwhile, back in the home universe, France and England acknowledge how out of hand things are getting. Then they get a startling phone call.