"Wh-What...?" Felicia took a startled step back, bumping into Ludwig. He reached out instinctively, steadying her gently. "L-Lovi can't b-be dead... You're wrong!" she shouted, and her voice broke in fear.

The cop moved forward, putting a hand on Felicia's shoulder. "I wish that I was wrong, miss. But he was beaten to death by your foster parents last night."

Felicia burst into tears then, her knees giving out. She slumped to the floor, sobbing into her hands, and Ludwig knelt beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He was stunned. Lovino was dead. After all the work Felicia and Lovino had gone through to stay together, now the girl was all alone. Ludwig looked up from the sobbing girl.

Gilbert stood in the doorway, one hand on the wooden frame and the other covering his mouth. He was so pale, Ludwig was half worried that his brother would faint. Opa had swept out of the room, and Ludwig did not know where his grandfather had gone. He turned his gaze back to the two police officers as one began to speak.

"Obviously, Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster have been detained." the police officer said. "They'll both go away for a very long time."

"What of Felicia?" Ludwig could barely force the words out, and even then, they seemed to catch in his throat. Felicia looked up, her breathing ragged and her face streaked with tears. She held tight to Ludwig's hand with both of hers, skin wet with tears.

The officer looked at their intertwined hands. "Felicia will be moved back to the orphanage until she is either adopted, assigned to a foster home, or reaches her eighteenth birthday."

"O-oh..." Felicia whispered, her lovely eyes meeting Ludwig's. "I'm going to Austria, Luddy... That's where my orphanage is..."

Ludwig swallowed thickly. Felicia's lower lip trembled pathetically, and then she broke down crying again. He felt his stomach clench. Felicia was going away. It would be two years, almost three, until she was eighteen. And he was going to lose her.

Ludwig caught a movement out of the corner of his eye, and then Opa knelt in front of them. The long haired man carefully detangled Felicia from Ludwig's arm, and helped them one at a time off of the floor and onto the couch, guiding them to sit. Opa backed off for a moment, then returned holding two mugs. He handed one to both Ludwig and Felicia, than straightened. Ludwig looked up at his grandfather, feeling a bit of surprise amidst the crushing sadness. Opa was caring, there was genuine sympathy and sadness in the clear blue eyes. Silently, Ludwig thanked whatever god made sure Opa was sober for this.

The police officers were polite, waiting for Felicia and Ludwig to get their emotions under control. "We must go, Felicia." the second cop said gently. "Officer Dan and I are to escort you to gather your things and then to the airport."

"Already?!" Ludwig shouted, feeling indignant as he leapt to his feet. The mug he had been holding crashed to the floor, spilling his tea and breaking the mug. Anger roiled through him, and he was ready to throw himself at the two cops taking away Felicia.

Opa grabbed Ludwig's arms, holding the angry German back as though sensing his intentions. Ludwig bit back a growl, eyes narrowed and hard as ice. Felicia stood from the couch, gently setting her mug aside. She moved robotically, like a puppet, and the sight drained Ludwig of his anger. He slumped down, supported only by Opa's strong arms. She was the most broken thing that he had ever seen, and he couldn't do anything.

Felicia crossed the room to where Ludwig stood limply in his grandfather's arms. She was still far too pale from her suicide attempt the previous night, and now she shook on her feet as she came to a stop in front of him.

"Luddy..." she whispered in her tired, broken voice. Small arms came up to encompass him, and he hugged her back tightly, burying his face in her soft red hair for the last time, breathing in the lovely fragrance.

She pulled back, her honey eyes defeated and dark. Knowing it was his last chance, he raised his hands, cupping her lovely face and lifting it to him. Her eyes closed in anticipation, and he leaned in close, before his lips made contact with hers. They held each other close, even after their kiss broke, and he didn't know if he could bear to let her go. He had never felt this strongly about anyone before.

"I have to go." she whispered into his shoulder, and with great reluctance he released her. She smiled so sadly, and before he could say a word, she was walking away, leaving with the police officers. He ran to the door, watching in silent agony as Felicia climbed into the back of the police car. She rolled down the window, tears on her cheeks and in her voice.

"Thank you for everything!" she shouted out the window. They started the car, and then she was gone.

Ludwig clung to the doorway, nails digging into the woods as he stood in the doorway, frozen. A hand came down on his shoulder, and Ludwig turned into his brother's embrace, letting Gilbert hold him as he broke down.

Gently, Gilbert drew Ludwig into the house and closed the door. Ludwig barely noticed, his face buried in the crook of his brother's neck. He trembled, not caring how he must look to his grandfather. He felt as though his heart had been torn apart.

"Bruderlein... Are you okay...?" Gilbert asked, never releasing his hold on Ludwig.

"Nein..." Ludwig whispered, sobbing roughly.

"Come sit down, Ludwig." Opa's strong, clear voice cut through the fog in Ludwig's brain, and he let Gilbert guide him over to sit on the couch. Ludwig sat with his head bowed, staring at his hands and feeling tears dripping onto his interlocked fingers.

Opa sat on the couch next to his grandson, and set a capable hand on his grandson's shoulder. "I am sorry about your friend and her brother." the once great German said in a low voice. Ludwig looked up, his teary eyes meeting Opa's and seeing the colour that he had inherited.

"Y-You're sober...?" Ludwig sniffled, accepting the tissue that Gilbert offered and using it to wipe his eyes.

"Ja." Opa said, rubbing his forehead with one hand, his other still on Ludwig's shoulder. The weight was warm and reassuring to the distraught boy. "Listen, Ludwig. I am not good with feelings. But... Do you want to talk?"

"Nein." Ludwig said hoarsely, standing from the couch. "I'm going upstairs."

With tears still streaming unchecked from his eyes, he stood and fled the room. He took the stairs two at a time and slammed the door open, hearing but rarely registering the sound of the doorknob slamming into the drywall. He fell onto his bed, weeping like he had never done before.

Something close to an hour later, Ludwig heard the door creak open. "You really did a number on the wall here, Lud." Gilbert murmured, and Ludwig felt the weight of the albino sitting on the edge of the bed. A gentle hand began to rub his back.

A few minutes passed in silence, until Gilbert spoke again. "I called Isabel. Told her about Lovino. She's hysterical. Francis is going to her house to keep an eye on her." A pause. "Lud, bruderlein, I am so sorry... I wish I could do something to help..."

Ludwig pushed himself up and clung to his brother, wrapping his arms around his brother's waist and holding on tight. Gilbert held his little brother just as tight, rocking gently back in forth, murmuring quietly in German. The words were senseless, no real meaning behind them, but comforting nonetheless. For the first time in a very long time, Ludwig actually felt like the younger brother, he actually felt like he belonged here, in the comforting embrace of his older brother's arms.

They held each other, taking comfort in the warmth of each other's bodies. All night, Ludwig cried.