First and foremost, sorry for any mistakes I didn't correct in this chapter. Sometimes whenever I type this or proofread it, I'm ungodly tired.

As always, many thanks goes to my RP partner Usagi323 for co-writing this with me. :)

In this chapter, Ivan runs into a fragment of his past and the group arrives in Moscow.


Morning came, and Ivan soon found his senses being assaulted by the shuffling of feet, the chill of the snow, and the smoky smell of a newly made campfire. He raised up slowly, untangling himself from Alfred. Everyone as sitting around the campfire while Ludwig cooked up a few pieces of the game they had managed to kill yesterday. Ivan's stomach growled as he realized that he and Alfred hadn't eaten a bite in over a day. Shaking the blonde and getting a few stubborn grunts as a response, Ivan spoke groggily. "Wake up, Fredka. We need to eat."

If there was one sure fire way to get Alfred up fast in the morning, it was to mention the F word. Alfred shot up straight, looking around groggily with sleep still in his drowsy blue eyes. He yawned and mumbled almost incoherently, "Food?"

Ivan sighed. Sometimes it felt like he was dealing with a 5 year old. "Da, food. Now hurry and get up so we can eat." He stood up from the mess of blankets and extended his hand to Alfred. He helped the still half asleep blonde stand up and stumble his way over to the campfire where some meat was roasting. Ludwig was just beginning to cut some thin slices off whenever he noticed that the two were awake now. His icy blue eyes trailed down to their interlocked hands, noticing right away the slight change in intimacy. "Guten morgen, you two. The food is almost done."

Sitting down close to the campfire so they could warm up a bit, Ivan pulled Alfred close to him, the blonde's back resting comfortably against his chest. "доброе утро, Ludwig. Sorry about last night."

Raising a thin blonde brow, Ludwig replied. "It was nothing major. You did have us all worried though. If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

Alfred smiled sheepishly and simply said, "I, um, got lost." Whenever Ivan was about to elaborate, Alfred tilted his head up and glared, his look saying 'Tell-them-about-the-bunny-and-you'll-regret-it'. When he heard Ivan chuckle and saw he nodded his head in understanding, Alfred then grinned and looked back to the fire, taking a stick of meat that was done and digging in. Arthur, Yao, and Ludwig just raised an eyebrow, but didn't press for more.

Francis on the other hand was eyeing both of them up, seeming to sense the more intimate aura surrounding the two. He then seemed to notice something that made him smirk as he asked, "What happened after mon cher Ivan found you? From the looks of it he seems to have...'staked his claim'. Onhonhonhon~" He winked at both of them, while Alfred blushed and choked on his food.

While Alfred was busy choking on his food, Ivan merely smiled softly, unfazed by the sudden intrusion of privacy. "You could say something like that." For emphasis, he reached down and picked up Alfred's hand, placing a gentle kiss to the back of it. He ignored the blonde's obvious protests, but took secret pleasure in the furious blush that was spreading across Alfred's face.

Alfred, blushing like a school a girl, was beginning to protest the sudden public display of affection. "D-dude! Don't just do that!" He squeaked, and then he was suddenly tackle hugged by a very enthusiastic Italian. Alfred's hand slipped out of Ivan's grasp. He used one hand to steady himself using Ivan's leg and the other to wrap around the brunette in shock. "Whoa! Feli-" Alfred was interrupted by the Italian gushing.

"Ve~ This is excellent news! I knew Alfred's lips looked red and puffed, like he was thoroughly kissed! And I knew those small red marks weren't mosquito bites. Congratulations you both!" Alfred looked ready to explode due to how red his face was from blushing as he stuttered out a word of thanks. Ludwig just raised an eyebrow, having never seen Alfred this bashful or flustered. He then sighed and shook his head along with Yao, both sighing.

Two people in the camp didn't seem as pleased by the news. The English man and Japanese man were both glaring the Russian. Kiku honestly didn't approve of the Russian and had only been civil with him for Alfred's sake. Arthur was pretty much completely open with his hostility towards the Russian. Though, they both realized it was Alfred's decision, even if they didn't approve. Both also didn't want the sunshine blonde to hate them, so they grudgingly accepted the new couple, but not before Arthur made sure Ivan was watching him and used two of his fingers to point from his eyes to Ivan. It was the universal code for "I'm watching you."

However, while this was going on, somehow a certain French man was able to sneak up behind Ivan. He purred in the platinum blonde's ear, "You might need this in the near future, mon ami. Honhonhon~" And with that he placed a small plastic bottled in Ivan's hand and slinked back to his spot next the irritable Brit.

Pursing his lips, the now slightly flustered Russia quickly tucked the bottle into his jacket before anyone else could notice. Arthur and Kiku's glares aside, he was finally glad to be open about his feelings towards Alfred, no longer fearing the blonde's rejection. He merely smiled at the scene before him, watching as the energetic Italian pestered Alfred with questions about their relationship, like who said it first, and what happened. Of course, Alfred wasn't entirely telling the truth, but Ivan felt he could relate to not wanting to tell someone that he nearly ended up fucking out in the snow.

"Alright, alright." Ludwig's authority laced voice rang throughout the small camp. "Everyone hurry up and eat what you can. We need to be up and going within 20 minutes. Understand?" He shrugged on his hunter green jacket, slipping his bulky arms through the thick material. Alfred quickly went back to his food, scarfing in down in just a couple bites, while Ivan ate his portion slowly.

"Ve, Ludwig! Where did you say we were going again?" Feliciano asked around a mouthful of food.

"Feliciano, bitte." Ludwig sighed, rubbing his temples. "Swallow your food first. We are heading towards Moscow. If we start today and keep up a good pace, we can reach it in 2-3 days as I said before."

And idea striking Ivan, he politely cut in. "Excuse me, Ludwig? If we are heading to Moscow, couldn't we simply head to a nearby town and hitch a ride on the Trans-Siberian Express?"

Ludwig looked at Ivan with raised eyebrows. "That depends Ivan, will there be any stops before Moscow? We are going to walk around it to avoid being spotted by agents that might expect us to go there."

Ivan thought about it for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of the idea. It'd be a definite relief from the cold weather, provide adequate sleeping conditions, and cut travel time in less, but Ludwig was right. It was risky, the the General was probably excepting them to go straight to the express. He probably had checkpoints set up all over the country side! Nodding in agreement, Ivan spoke quietly. "Da, you're right...then we must continue walking." As much as he hated to have to subject the others to the cold, it was something that they were just going to have to endure.

A couple more minutes passed and soon the campfire was put out. Everyone packed up their blankets and materials, and in no time they were off once again, trudging quickly through the snow. They mostly traveled uninterrupted, stopping for short breaks every once in a while so that they could either use the bathroom or find something to drink. However, there was nothing more than that. Ludwig was adamant in keeping everyone moving, and so was Ivan, although he was less vocal about it. The sooner they reached Moscow, the better their chances of escaping were. The later they stayed out in the Siberian countryside, the more risk they were putting themselves in.


These last few days had been pretty monotonous for Alfred; walk until dusk, scout up ahead for threats or help set up camp, rest, and then move out at dawn. The only thing different was the fact that Ivan and Alfred started acting like a lovey-dovey couple; holding hands while hiking through the woods, sneaking kisses when they thought no one was looking, cuddling around the camp fire, the whole shebang. Alfred would blush slightly whenever he thought about it. He was currently alone. It was his and Ivan's turn to go scouting and they were currently only a handful of miles off of Moscow. Ludwig wanted them to maintain a five to ten mile radius around the city, so as not to be caught by possible agents in the city. Alfred, however, found himself in a peculiar situation.

He was currently about 30 feet from a small, pleasant looking cottage on the outskirts of Moscow. He was hiding in a bush and was about twenty feet from a little girl who looked to be five years old. She was picking flowers around the clearing of their house. It was so strange to Alfred; she looked a lot like Ivan. Her features were more childlike and feminine, but there were definite similarities. Her hair color was similar, same face shape, and same color eyes. Alfred could swear they were related.

Ivan turned from the spot he was scouting from, lowering the binoculars that Ludwig had given him to use. He spotted Alfred ducked down in a couple bushes, looking onward at something that seemed to catch his attention. The blonde's lips were parted slightly in surprise, his blue eyes just a little bit wide. Giggling softly, he made his way over to where Alfred was hiding. "What do you see, Fredka? Another rabbit?" Alfred merely shook his head, refusing to look away from the scene. He pointed at his object of interest and Ivan turned to meet it with his own eyes. What he saw took him off guard.

A surprised gasp left his lips, and he immediately covered his mouth to stifle any more sounds. There was a little girl who look to be almost the splitting image of him whenever he was a child, albeit much more feminine. He could have waved it off as coincidence, but what really got him was the fact that there was some Katyusha in her. Her eyes weren't so much violet as they were a deep blue, and her smile was soft; not so much like Ivan's, but like his sister's. She even dressed similar to the way Ivan remembered Katyusha dressing, wearing light blue overalls with the ends of the pants tucked into small boots. Ivan was too distracted to notice Alfred looking at him intently.

"I-Ivan, do you think that could be...?" He trailed off, looking away from the adorable little girl to watch his boyfriend's reaction. He could see the longing in that amethyst gaze, the hope that maybe they were related and that meant his sister was happy. "Oh, Vanya-" Alfred was cut off by a female voice that rang from the now open front door and Alfred's attention was once again brought to the little girl and house.

"Anya, please come here and hold Ivan while I talk to your Aunt Natalia." A young woman in her early to mid-twenties called from the door way. She had a light blonde hair that was a slightly brighter shade than Ivan's. She had kind dark blue eyes, almost violet, a gentle smile and ...a rather large bosom. She was holding a small baby and was balancing a cordless phone between her shoulder and ear.

The little girl, now with a name, looked up from the flower crown she was making. "Coming mommy!" She called back before running to the bush Ivan and Alfred was were hiding behind, she giggled and whispered. "Bye-bye mister or miss stranger!" She then left the crown and ran toward her mother, who handed her the baby as they went inside.

Ivan stared wide-eyed as the little girl ran back to Katyusha. She took the baby from Katyusha and disappeared into the house, leaving nothing but silence behind. His eyes shifted toward the ground, staring at the circlet of flowers. Picking it up, he ran his fingers over the petals. "I cannot believe...she...she is alright..." He smiled, his eyes stinging with tears that he wouldn't allow to fall. "I thought I would never see her again. I thought she would be in trouble, but she is okay." He laughed halfheartedly.

Many claimed that Alfred couldn't read the mood. What they didn't know is he can read it, but instead usually chose to ignore it. This time, however, he knew this was not a time for words. Instead he lightly placed his hand on Ivan's cheeks and made him look into his warm blue eyes. He gave Ivan a small and gentle smile, then removed his hand and took the flower crown then placed it on Ivan's head. It was a little too small, but other than that it rested comfortably on top of his head. Alfred then placed his hand around the back of Ivan's head and curled his other arm around his back, pulling him into a hug. "I'm happy for you Vanya." He muttered gently running his hand through his hair, careful not to disturb the flowers on his head.

Ivan immediately relaxed into Alfred's touch, feeling as though he were melting into the blonde's embrace. For the first time in a long while, he felt secure; both emotionally and physically. He was no longer cooped up in a hellish camp, he was well on his way to freedom, and to top it off, his sisters were alive and well. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around Alfred, returning the gentle hug. He turned his head slightly and placed a kiss on Alfred's cheek. "Thank you so much, дорогой." Right now, he was just content with sitting here with Alfred and realizing that things were indeed getting better. And to think that he had shot down Alfred's idea of escape so long ago...

Alfred blushed and nuzzled into the side of his head, near his ear. He hummed, "Any time Vanya." They were able to stay like that for a while, before heading back to camp.


Ludwig looked up from the stump he was sitting on, watching as Alfred and Ivan approached from the thick of the trees. They had been traveling in the woods near the main road to avoid any attention. After all, what were you supposed to tell someone whenever they spotted you along with 7 other strangers haggling alongside he highway? It would be painfully suspicious that they weren't just "locals" or god forbid "tourists".

Ivan looked pleasantly happy, that much Ludwig could deduce. There weren't a lot of things that brought a genuine smile to his face, so whatever must have happened must have been pretty big. Seeing where his thoughts were taking him, Ludwig felt his cheeks heat up and immediately pushed the inappropriate thoughts away. Clearing his throat, he called out to the duo. "So…did you spot anything?"

"Nyet. The woods are clear as far as we could tell. And there has not been any signs of road checks from what I can tell. We are free to progress forward." Ivan informed him, leaning back against a tree once they reached the camp. Noticing how the others weren't back from their personal tasks yet, Ivan decided to bring it up. "I see that the others are not back yet. You know, we cannot depend on Arthur and Yao for food all the wall to St. Petersburg."

Ludwig raised a brow, sending Ivan a questioning look. "So what are you proposing?"

Alfred looked over at Ivan as well, wanting to know what he was thinking about. The blonde stepped closer to him, and Ivan reached out for his hand, taking it into his own. He gave it a small squeeze and continued on. "I am saying that we may have to resort to hunting for food inside the city. I know that it is risky enough already, having to go into the city in order to board the train and what not. But even by train, the trip is not going to be entirely short. We will need food for the trip there, lest you want us to be working on empty stomachs."

Alfred blinked in surprise. In all honesty, he thought Ivan would be the last person to suggest this. He'd been so vehement about being 'safe'. Ludwig seemed to agree with these thoughts, with the incredulous look he was giving Ivan. Before Ludwig could question Ivan, Alfred beat him to the punch. "How exactly are we going to 'hunt' for food in the city? Pick pocket? Shoplift?" he asked puzzled.

"We must do whatever we can. And if we have to resort to stealing…well then, so be it." Ivan knew that anything along the lines of 'crime' went against Alfred's hero dogma, but right now they had themselves to worry about. Not others. "If it makes you feel any better, I could do the stealing. You could try…other methods of getting food, I suppose." He probably shouldn't have said that. The blonde could tend to get over creative with his ideas, and attention was the last thing the group needed at the moment. "Just make sure not to draw attention to us, okay?"

Alfred deflated when he heard about the no drawing attention rule. He had a really good idea in his opinion; it involved tight ropes, sponges, pickles, and a flame thrower. Huffing his disappointment, he grumbled, " Fine, I'll just play the dumb American tourist. I'll charm the ladies and explain how I didn't realize Russia didn't use the awesome American dollar, and now can't buy food! The ladies won't be able to resist me and my rugged good looks~" He laughed confidently, striking a pose he considered sexy. Ludwig just face-palmed and patted Ivan's shoulder sympathetically. He spoke loud enough for only Ivan to hear. "Mein Gott, I pity you mein freund. Are you sure you can survive a relationship with this idiot?"

Smiling confidently, Ivan replied simply. "If I could deal with him before, then I can most certainly deal with him now." He stepped out from underneath Ludwig's hand, letting the appendage slip off his shoulder. Although he would consider the German man his 'friend' now, that still didn't mean he necessarily liked physical contact. The only person he could ever let touch him and still be comfortable was Alfred. He stared up at the snowy trees blocking the sky, blinking slowly. He never knew why it was like that, but it always had been. Alfred made him feel safe and normal.

Ludwig didn't pay any mind to Ivan moving away from him. He knew the Russian was naturally distant from people. Sighing, he instead chose to start another small campfire. They were in the cover of the woods and so long as it wasn't a raging inferno, no one should notice them. Soon, he had the small pile of dead leaves and twigs burning. He, along with Alfred placed their chilly hands close to the flame, heating themselves up while Ivan watched the forest for any signs of the others.


They had all split up into groups, deciding they would be more inconspicuous if they weren't in a big cluster. They would all meet in front of Saint Basil's Cathedral around evening. It was about midday now, the weather being considerably warmer than earlier. Alfred only had to wear a light jacket. He also chose to forgo wearing his glasses in a weak attempt to be less recognizable to any wandering agents. Alfred was currently chatting up some Russian girls as well as he could with the little Russian he knew and the little English they knew.

Ivan, on the other hand, was busy slinking behind vendors in the market. He was carrying a mostly empty bag slung over his shoulder. Whenever the vendors would turn away or busy themselves with something different, he'd slip out from the shadows and quickly nab a couple items of food. So far, all he had gotten was mostly fruits and vegetables. While it was better than nothing, it still didn't have the supplementary nutrients that the group needed in order to stay strong. Besides, too many fruits and vegetables in one's diet and not enough meats could make things pretty messy later on. He spotted a meat vendor not too far away, chopping up venison and sausages and serving the awaiting crowd. Moving fluidly and inconspicuously through the street, Ivan made his way over to the vendor, but kept his distance. He managed to slink back behind the food stands, hiding the shadow of a nearby building.

A couple minutes later, the vendor was left wondering what had happened to chopped venison he'd just prepared.

This went on for a couple of more hours. Alfred and Ivan were going to meet in an ally to compare results. Alfred maneuvered through the crowd after thanking a few girls for their kind contribution of 163 Ruble, roughly five US dollars. It was then he started feeling it, that itch on the back of your neck when you're being watched. He ignored it after making a quick sweep with his eyes around the crowd, and no one seemed conspicuous. When he reached the promised meeting place, he realized he was the first one there and that the feeling of being watched vanished. He breathed a sigh of relief and waited for Ivan to appear.

Ivan was walking hurriedly through the crowd with his bag of scavenged food. He was a bit late on his part and knew that Alfred would already be in the alleyway, probably worrying himself ill. He saw the alleyway on the other side of the street, and made an effort to cross it once it was free from any vehicles. As he reached the other side, he couldn't help but feel an uneasy chill run up his spine. It was ominous, almost as if warning him of something. He quickly panned the street, looking for the source of the uneasiness. Paranoia didn't just sweep over him for nothing. He always had a good reason whenever it happened. But his eyes were met with nothing out of the norm. There was only the busy streets of Moscow, going on as if there was nothing wrong in the world.

He swore quietly under his breath and quickly ducked into the alley. He was immediately met with a distressed blonde throwing his arms around him. He huffed a bit, taken by surprise as the sudden weight on him.

Alfred attached himself to Ivan. "Dude, you're finally here!" He mumbled into his chest. "I've been having this creepy feeling that I'm being watched. It only just went away. But every time I looked around to see what or who was watching me I'd see nothing out of the ordinary! I-Ivan, what if it's s-some kind of creepy Russian ghost!?" He whimpered the last part, having been freaking himself out for the past five minutes with the thought. If there was one sure fire way to scare Alfred it was with ghosts, Marmite, or Dora the Explorer.

So he wasn't the only one getting that feeling? Ivan narrowed his eyes warily. Something was obviously amiss, even if they weren't able to tell what it was. For now, though, he'd keep his suspicions to himself. Alfred was already freaking himself out enough and Ivan didn't need to stoke that fire. "I am sure it is just your imagination~" He pat the blonde's back, raking his fingers gently up it until they found the nape of his neck. Placing a kiss to his cheek, he shrugged the bag of food off of his shoulders. "Now, what did you get? I managed to get a decent amount of food, if I must say so myself."

Alfred tried to get a hold of himself. 'O-of course it isn't a g-ghost! HAHAHA.' After a few seconds he finally recollected his self, but still was looking around paranoid. "U-um, that's great Ivan! I was able to get about 3267 ruble give or take 653 ruble. I also have five coupons for various food products and cleaning supplies, and many girls' phone numbers!...Oh and some old lady gave me a mint!" He reported as he dug though his bag, popping the mint in his mouth. Alfred felt himself slowly calming down from his fright earlier. Knowing that Ivan was here made him feel all the more confident and safe. He didn't notice the annoyed frown and glare that Ivan gave him at the mention of the girl's numbers.

Ivan grimaced a bit. He would make sure to get rid of those phone numbers later. "Good. We can use what you have to complete our stock." He took the money from Alfred, being much more familiar with the currency system than the American was. Handing Alfred the bag, he grabbed the blonde's hand and began to make his way out of the alley. "We will need to make a quick trip into the supermarket. Just remember to stay inconspicuous and do not draw attention to yourself." Thinking quietly to himself, he added a few moments later. "Actually, just try not to talk at all. People will notice right away that you are not from here, and that will provoke suspicion right away." Giving Alfred's hand a gentle squeeze, he let his lips soften into a smile. "I know I must sound like a scolding parent to you right now, but I am only trying to protect you."

As Ivan and Alfred made their way casually through the crowded streets of Moscow, a man stood near the corner of the intersection, his eyes scanning them with great interest. Picking up his receiver, he spoke into it with a calm and collected voice. "Хорошие новости. I found them."

From a hotel in Moscow, General Winter was lounging on a chair in front of the hotel room's desk. Papers, city layouts, and a small radio-looking black box that allowed him to be connected to all the agents on this mission littered the desk. The General took it upon himself to personally oversee the recapture of the escapees. He was able to make the assumption that they'd head to Moscow based on what agents they took down pointed out. He had, however, made sure all surrounding cities had at least one or two agents in it though.

Winter's cold, icy blue eyes lighted up at the good news and a smug smirk fitted itself on his aging face. "Хорошая работа, were you able to overhear any of their plans?"

"They are gathering food for something, what I assume to be a long trip. Right now, they are on their way to the supermarket to finish up. I'll make sure to trail behind them and see if I can recover any more info. If I do, I will get back to you immediately." He lowered the receiver from his mouth, waiting for the General's voice to come across the static.

"Good, don't try to confront them. Stay hidden and out of site, I don't want to nab them just yet." Winter ordered, a malicious intent tinting his smirk. 'Very soon Snowflake, you will be mine again. You and your precious Sunflower.'


Alfred was currently trying to balance a plastic spoon on his nose as Ivan checked out. From the corner of his eye, he saw a shadowed figure dart from one isle to the next, causing him to jump. After they left the alley way, he'd felt the eyes on him again. It was really starting to make him paranoid. 'Maybe this was what has been following us?' He cautiously began to approach the isle where he thought the shadow disappeared, ready to defend himself. When he rounded the corner he found...a crying little boy.

"Я-я не могу найти мою маму." He hiccupped, snot and tears running down his face. Alfred didn't know what he said but from the lack of any other adults in the isle he could assume he lost his parents.

"Um, следуйте за мной ребенок." He said in shaky Russian. He seriously needs to get Ivan to teach him his (sexy) language. With that, the small child took his hand and he went to find Ivan to help him. Not hearing the relieved sigh of the agent on the other side of the isle.

Ivan held the bags of food in his arms, turning to find Alfred. Whenever he didn't see the blonde, panic began to rise in his chest. His amethyst eyes darted every which way, trying to spot the mop of sunshine colored hair. As he went to turn around again, he was met with Alfred walking towards him, holding the hand of a crying boy. "A-Alfred?" He questioned warily, eyeing the boy. "What's going on…?"

Alfred rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, giving Ivan a sheepish smile. "I think he's lost, but I don't know much Russian so I couldn't understand him or ask him. Could you talk to him so we can either find his parents or drop him off at a police station...?" He trailed off, ruffling the kid's head as he eyed Ivan shyly and hid his head in Alfred's pant leg.

"Можете ли вы помочь мне найти мою маму?" he mumbled out.

Ivan bent down to the boy's level, setting the bags of food aside for the moment. He rested his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "Да, у нас около попробовать. Где вы последний раз видели ее?" He saw the little boy visibly shrink back. Ivan tried to put on his best smile. "бойтесь..."

The little boy blinked his watery brown eyes in apprehension, glancing up at Alfred. Alfred met his eyes, nodded, and gave him an encouraging smile. The little boy then looked back at Ivan and wiped his eyes. He gave a shy smile and stuttered out " N-рядом с овощами."

Ivan nodded and gathered his bags up. He led Alfred and the boy back to where he remembered the vegetable isle being. Smiling, he continued walking without looking at Alfred. "Just had to be the hero, hmm?" He didn't say it in a way that was taunting or mocking him. Rather, Ivan was happy that Alfred would go out of his way to help people. It put on display what a wonderful person he really was.

Alfred laughed, "Well duh dude! Who could leave such a cute little kid crying, and NOT help?" He smiled, then he noticed the little boy trying to keep up with Ivan. He was reaching out to take Ivan's hand with the one not holding Alfred's. Alfred chuckled and said to Ivan, "Ivan slow down, he wants to hold your hand too." He gave Ivan his a thousand watt smile.

Ivan smiled sheepishly, slowly down his brisk walk to almost a brawl. He let the little boy grab onto his fingers, the boy's hand feeling so small and brittle in his. Other than being in the camp with other children his age, he never really had any experience with children. While it was awkward feeling, at least for him, it also made his chest feel warm.

They continued traversing the vegetable isle, along with other nearby isles until they heard a woman crying out frantically in Russian. Ivan recognized that this must have been the boy's mother. She was crying heavily, asking anyone and everyone if they had seen a brown haired boy walking around. Ivan felt the little boy let go of his hand and soon he was darting off after his mother. The boy bumped into his mother's leg, drawing her attention to him immediately. She gasped and bent down, quickly drawing him into a tight hug and mumbling incoherently in Russian. Turning towards Alfred, Ivan spoke with a small smile. "I suppose that takes care of that."

He turned to walk away whenever he heard the boy calling out after him in Russian. "They're the two men who helped me!" He turned to see the mother staring at both him and Alfred with a tear stained face, her lips pulling into a relived smile. She mouthed a silent 'thank you' to them before tugging her son along, making sure to keep a secure grip on his hand.

Alfred found that though awkward, Ivan was extremely adorable with kids. It made him feel warm and light inside seeing Ivan being so gentle. He knew how cold and intimidating the man could be, but he also knew he was like a giant teddy bear on the inside. After nodding to the mother, he was able to understand the "thank you.", and waving to the kid he turned to Ivan with a smirk on his face. "You're adorable with kids, you know that?" He took Ivan's now vacant hand in his and began walking towards the exit, the little adventure having pushed the feeling of being watched to the back of his mind.

When they exited out of the store, Alfred looked up at the sky saying. "We should probably meet up with the others now. We still have enough money to get Kiku into that cyber cafe and hack us some train tickets, right?"

Other than a few cheap snacks and some bottles of water, they hadn't spent that much inside the grocery store. Ivan temporarily let go of Alfred's hand and fished into his pocket for the leftover money. He counted through it, humming appreciatively whenever he came up with the right amount. He slipped it back into his pocket and retook Alfred's hand into his. "Da, we have just enough. We will have a little leftover, but not much." He looked up at the afternoon sky, noting how the gray of the clouds were beginning to get much darker. "We should hurry so that Kiku may get the tickets in time. We do not want to stay here longer than necessary, da?" They would leave tomorrow then, if Kiku could hack them some tickets before the café closed.

They began a brisk walk, hand in hand through the city. Ivan could tell that Alfred felt uneasy under the strange stares that people were giving them. Homosexuality wasn't something that was completely banned and punishable in Russia, but it was heavily frowned upon in the public. From what Alfred had described, it was much different in America. Less people frowned upon the act, though there were still the small few who went to the extremes in shunning it. Catching one man's disgusted look, Ivan sent him an icy smile back, taking secret pleasure in how the man visibly shivered. He abandoned Alfred's hand and instead chose to wrap an arm around his waist instead. There should be no reason why he couldn't show that Alfred belonged to him.

Alfred was a bit self-conscious and uncomfortable about the stares they were receiving, mainly negative, but some people smiled and nodded their support. Luckily Alfred was used to attention, both positive and negative, so it didn't bother him to the point of wanting to stop holding Ivan's hand. He even threw his own glares at the seemingly ruder people. "Yeah, Ludwig wanted us in and out as fast as possible." He answered Ivan's question.

A few minutes later he felt Ivan let go of his hand. He snapped his attention to Ivan feeling a bit hurt, thinking the stares had gotten to the Russian. He took a breath, about to give Ivan reassurance and tell him to ignore those homophobic idiots, when he felt the Ivan wrap his arm around his waist and draw him closer. Alfred blinked and blushed profusely, but then he felt his lips tug into a touched and warm smile. Alfred wrapped his own arm around Ivan waist in return and rested his head on Ivan's shoulder. He hummed in contentment and asked "Hey Ivan, have you ever been to Saint Petersburg?"

"A long time ago, with my sisters." He frowned slightly at bringing up the subject of his family again. "It is not much different. A little colder and smaller than Moscow, but still nothing considerably different. There is a small canal that you can take to get to the Atlantic Ocean from there." Humming thoughtfully, he continued with his elaboration. "One time, as a child, my sisters and I visited Finland for a couple of days." He smiled fondly at the memory.

"So I take it we'll be taking that canal?" Alfred asked. He knew they'd be meeting Feliciano's brother at some docks and from there sail to New York. Alfred decided it was best not to ruin the nice mood they'd created and didn't question him more on the issue of his siblings. He knew how sensitive Ivan was to it. "I can't wait for you to meet Mattie, Ivan. I hope he's the same as when I last saw him!" He gave a sad smile. He hadn't seen or heard from his twin since their family in America adopted him.

"Your brother, right?" Ivan asked. He'd heard about 'Mattie' before from Alfred during one of their pillow talks. "I wonder what he will think of me…bringing home a big, scary Russian." He gave a small laugh, appreciating the small blush on Alfred's face.

Alfred blushed at Ivan comparing himself to a big bad boyfriend. Alfred thought about it, and after a few seconds of thought he licked his lips and said, "You know, I think at first you'd intimidate him. But he'd grow to like you. I think the both of you would actually get along pretty well. He's quiet and stuff, but he's passive aggressive as hell. And man…when he went out for kids hockey that one year…! Let me just say from what I remember, he was a monster on the rink!" He laughed fondly at the memories of his younger twin. Alfred peeked hesitantly at Ivan from the corner of his eyes, "Do you think your sisters would have liked me...?" He knew he was treading on sensitive nerves, but he always wondered...

"Ahh…" Ivan hummed thoughtfully, a sheepish smile on his face. Normally he'd already be upset at the mentioning of his sisters, but Alfred was expressing curiosity in them. It was enough to mask the pain. "I know for certain that Katyusha would absolutely adore you. She is very happy and sweet. However, she cries a lot whenever she is upset. Not that I think you would ever upset her." Ivan's expression faded into a much somber one at the mention of his next sister. "Natalia, on the other hand…she is…special, I suppose is the only way to explain it. She is not very…social…or open towards others. The only other people that she does not mind being around is Katyusha and I." He shivered at the last part. "It is really complicated. I do not think you would like to know…" How exactly was he supposed to explain to Alfred that Natalia had been in love with him since she could form the words on her tongue? Let alone, the fact that she is his sister of all people! He never understood her bizarre and slightly disturbing fixation with him.

Alfred soaked in the information and nodded his head. "Yeah, from what you've told me about Katyusha and what I saw near the cottage, she seems like a good person." He didn't press for more information on Natalia, knowing he was treading on thin ice already. He figured Ivan would tell him when he was good and ready, but to lighten the mood he decided teasing the Russian wouldn't do too much harm. "Also, from what I saw of Katya, I can tell 'big' runs in the family." He purred teasingly as he eyed a certain part of the Russian's lower anatomy. He smiled mischievously when Ivan's cheeks colored, glad to get pay back from all the times Ivan teases him. He then laughed when Ivan pinched his waist in retaliation.

"So crude." Ivan chastised him teasingly, trying to will the blush off of his face. If it had been anyone else to make that type of remark about his sister, they would have already been on the ground writhing in pain. Of course, Alfred was always the exception…

As they walked across the city to rendezvous with their friends, the agent ducked into another alley, pulling out his receiver. "Even more good news. It is not like we thought. They are not heading south, but rather they are heading towards St. Petersburg. I did not hear specifically whenever they plan on leaving, but I could tell it will be soon. Do you want us to intercept them now or-?" He was cut off as General Winter's voice spoke calmly on the other end.

"Nyet, I want to deal with the two of them personally. For now, I want you to draw back and gather the surrounding agents. I'll go to Saint Petersburg myself. Be ready for my call. I want you all to arrive there no longer than two hours after I give it." General Winter ordered. "Is that understood?"

"Understood." The agent replied quickly. He stuffed his radio back into his pocket, already lost sight of the two captives. No matter, he had other issues to take care of at the moment. Slinking away and blending into the crowd, he went onto his next task.


N-рядом с овощами: Next to the vegetables

бойтесь...: Don't be afraid…

Да, у нас около попробовать. Где вы последний раз видели ее?: Yes, we can try. Where did you last see her?

Можете ли вы помочь мне найти мою маму: Can you help me find my mommy?

следуйте за мной ребенок: follow me

Я-я не могу найти мою маму: I-I can't find my mom

Хорошие новости: good news

Хорошая работа: good job

Sorry for the incredibly crappy translations. -needs an awesome Russian speaking buddy to help us-