AN: New chapter! Things get interesting... ;)

Anna had no idea how long she had been walking aimlessly towards the east, choosing to follow the path of the rising sun in hopes of finding a town or city. All she knew was that she was positively freezing. Being a small girl, it didn't take long for cold or wind to bite her down to her bones, even when she did bundle up. This however, was cold on an entirely new level. The cold didn't just blow around and chill her, she swore each little breeze tore through her body like a knife. All she had on for protection against this bitter cold was a light sweater she had chosen to wear that morning in Germany, dark pants and her Docs. Germany… that morning felt like days ago with everything that's happened.

She couldn't feel her hands at all, even with them buried under her sleeves and tucked under her armpits, they refused to move on command. Somewhere along the way, she had started sneezing and her head was getting a little dizzy. She was hungry, having not eaten since that huge lunch with Italy, choosing to eat the pure white snow from the ground in order to take the bite off of her hunger while keeping herself hydrated. To top it all off, the sun was going down… and it was beginning to snow.

"P-p-p-eachy! J-j-j-just p-peachy! I survive jumping f-f-from a p-p-plane, but f-f-f-freeze… instead! Peachy!" Anna yelled at the sky. And now, I'm yelling at the weather, she thought. If there was a chance she could get any more insane before her death, this was it for sure. The snow was getting deeper quickly, it was getting harder to walk without sinking into the bank even with her Docs. She had to keep going, had to keep moving, to stop would be certain death! As if trying to make sure the latter would happen, the wind and snow picked up turning into a flurry. Every muscle was trembling now, it was getting harder to see and her insides were starting to hurt. She was just about to give up when…

A light! There was a light glowing brightly up ahead! People! Food! Warmth! With renewed hope, Anna redoubled her efforts and was practically jogging through the snow, the light slowly but surely getting a little closer each step.

"H-hello?!" she called out. There was no answer, the wind picking up even further to drown out her voice. Licking her dried lips, Anna took as deep a breath as she could, despite the cold air turning her lungs to ice in her chest, and hollered.

"HELLO! I NEED SHELTER, HELP ME!"

There was still no answer.

The light went out in the next moment.

Panicked, Anna broke into a laboured run towards where she thought the light was previously, though at this point she was positive that she wasn't running straight. The snow had turned into a proper blizzard now, and her body just couldn't handle much more. She was going to die, cold, alone, and afraid, in the middle of nowhere. Would her body every be found? Would people know where to even look? Anna shook her head at these thoughts and continued running…

Until fate played an even crueller trick… she tripped and fell to the ground. Or rather, against a wall. It felt like wood, a door maybe? Anna's muscles had locked in place as soon as she collapsed, it took every last ounce of effort for her to raise her hand and knock feebly against the door. As if they could hear over the sound of the howling wind. Darkness seeped into the edges of her vision, her body growing more and more numb by the second. Losing all hope, Anna gave one last final knock before succumbing to the cold.

…

Russia was frantic. The moment his phone call with Anna cut off he suspected something was wrong. His suspicions were only confirmed when Italy called soon after panicking when Anna's plane went missing off of the radar. Was it Hive? Did something go wrong? Worse, was Anna..?

нет! His Anna was strong girl, he thought confidently. But where was she? He didn't find it weird to start thinking of the young historian as 'his,' it just felt right to do so. It would feel even better if she was here with him.

A couple hours later, his boss called to inform him that an Italian private jet had crashlanded a few hours outside of Moscow, all the crew had survived. There was one American passenger and evidence of another, but whoever it was was long gone. The person on board matched criminal records as Austin Sinclair, a former American mercenary contractor who participated in the Iraq wars who was discharged and imprisoned, why, America's bosses kept that secret from the rest of the world. Not even America himself knew all the details. So much for "freedom" if his own government kept secrets from it's citizens and nation.

Speaking of which, the Yank called Russia to demand that his bosses return Sinclair to American custody. While Russia wanted to refuse and instead introduce Sinclair to his Magic Pipe of Pain until he told him where Anna was, his own bosses ordered it of him. So, Sinclair was handed to the Americans and Russia was forced to wait and see what would happen next. All he could think about was Anna, if she wasn't on the plane, where was she? Was the plane a decoy? Or did it land somewhere and did she manage to slip away? That didn't explain why the plane crashed, though, it appeared as though someone opened one of the doors mid flight….

An idea hit him. Did she… jump?

"That's stupid, Anna is strong and slightly crazy, but she wouldn't just jump out of a plane like that, she's too smart." he said to himself. His thoughts were interrupted by sudden gust of wind outside his house. He frowned.

"Hm, is a little early for snow storm this year. Oh well, I blame America and his excessive amount of cars for causing climate change…" he muttered. Making sure that all the windows in his house were closed off against the blizzard, Russia settled for sitting by the fire for a moment, a good book and a glass of his favorite drink in hand. For those of you who are wondering, it's vodka of course, that's a no brainer.

Eventually, afternoon slipped into the evening and Russia decided to turn in. Waiting up for something to happen was ludicrous, especially in this weather. As he put away the now almost empty bottle he swore he could hear someone shouting outside. Outside? In this storm? Impossible! Believing it to be a trick of the wind, Russia merely shrugged and went to put out the fire. Just as he was about to head up the stairs, there was a loud thump on the door. He turned around in surprise as four very faint knocks sounded from the other side.

Someone WAS outside!

Running over to the door, he wrenched it open as whoever it was gave one last hard knock before going silent.

There, lying with a thickening layer of snow over her hair and clothes, was an unconscious Anna.

Without even thinking he picked the small girl up into his arms, horrified at how stiff she was, and closed the door quickly behind him with his foot, paying no mind to the small amount of snow that had blown in. He raced her up the stairs and into the master bathroom, laying her gently along the counter as he took in her condition while turning on the water for a warm bath.

Her already snow white skin was pale blue, contrasted sharply by dark purple lips that were normally rosy. Strands of her hair appeared frozen and he was both relieved and worried at the slight shiver that ran through her every time she breathed. She was alive, but just barely. Her hands were almost completely blue, he couldn't even guess what her feet must be like. Without even a thought to propriety he started to take her clothes off while the tub filled, not even having the mind to blush as she was stripped completely bare to his eyes. All that mattered was getting her warm. Thankfully, after he tugged off the black boots, her feet seemed to be not as affected as her hands.

At this time the tub had filled about halfway and he picked her up once again to set her gently and slowly in the water; too quickly and her body could go into shock. As soon as her body was partially submerged, a small moan escaped her lips causing Russia to look up. Was she regaining consciousness?

"If this is heaven… I'm not leaving this spot…" she murmured. Her comment made Russia smile in relief, she'll be fine… his Anna will be fine.

"I'm going to go boil some water for you. Stay here and get warm, da?" he said softly. Anna nodded, though he wasn't sure if she really comprehended her surroundings just yet. After he made sure that she would be propped up without danger of slipping, he went downstairs to boil some water in a large pot. He had to heat the water gradually or else it would hurt her more than it would do her good. When he returned with the hot water, Anna had opened her eyes and was looking around drowsily. Her eyes widened slightly when she looked at him.

"Ivan…? What happened…?" she asked quietly. Kneeling down beside her, he placed his hand against her forehead: still chilled, but much warmer than before.

"You almost freezed to death. I'm warming you up." he explained, a slightly worried smile on his face. Anna nodded a little in understanding.

"Okay… otherwise I'd have to beat you senseless for taking off my clothes…" she said. Russia chuckled a bit before standing up.

"I'm adding more hot water now, then I'll go wash your clothes, da? I give you some old ones of my sister's for tonight, then you can get some sleep." he stated. Anna nodded and moved so that Russia could add the water without scalding her. After she confirmed that the temperature was okay, Russia started to leave when she grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back.

"Ivan, thank you… you saved my life…" she said with a grateful smile, tears welling in her eyes. Those surprised Russia, he wasn't used to seeing her cry. While they did make her eyes shine like stars, at the same time they seemed… out of place. Gently wiping them away, he leaned down and surprised her by placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Is nothing, you're safe now." he whispered before turning and leaving Anna alone with her thoughts for a moment. She sat there, moving her stiff limbs in an attempt to get blood circulating again. She surprised herself by letting a few tears shed, being alone in the cold had scared her more than anything in this world. She was so close to death just now, proving just how dangerous this world was for someone like her. Animated and wacky she may be, but in her core she was just a normal human, she thought. If she could die so easily, there could be no way she could stay here…

Even when she really wanted to.

Indeed, being with Ivan now made her feel so at home, like nothing else mattered. It surprised Anna just how quickly she found herself falling for the tall country, what had started as a harmless fangirl crush had evolved into something deeper. Maybe she really was crazy, but from the very beginning she couldn't really comprehend why people assumed he was a psycho. Sociopathic maybe, but he really did care for people in his 'special' way, no psycho would do that. Plus, he had treated her so gently and spoke honestly with her... Feeling the water start to get lukewarm, Anna wiggled her fingers and started to slowly lift herself out of the tub. The pain in her stiff muscles was excruciating, but she had to move… although her legs seemed to disagree.

"Come on legs, move!" she groaned struggling to lift one leg over the edge followed by the next. Not yet confident that her legs could bear her weight, Anna leaned against the tub while she waited for her circulation to return to normal. An involuntary shiver ran through her body as the air hit her wet skin, followed by a deep red blush. She was naked… Ivan had seen her NAKED! A part of her brain was screaming over Rule Number Two, but she was able to calm it down with logic… and when a warm towel was quickly wrapped around her.

"You should wait longer, da, don't force yourself." Ivan reprimanded softly. Despite the blush gracing her cheeks, Anna pouted over being coddled.

"I'm fine, I can handle myself now." Ivan just smiled, making her flush a slightly deeper red. Why did he have to have such a bright smile all the time, she thought.

"Okay, let's just get you dressed!"

"Y-You've seen enough I'd think! I'll dress myself!" Anna declared, cursing her stutter. Before Ivan could protest Anna wrapped the towel tightly around herself and ushered Ivan out of the room, embarrassment fueling her muscles to finally move properly. Sighing heavily after she shut the door, Anna looked at the stack of clothes Ivan had brought.

It was most likely Belarus's clothes based on the fact the nightgown was more lace and frills than actual flannel. While she did like the vintage look, and judging by the style she'd say this gown was very early 1900s, it was a tad gaudy for her personal taste. Oh well. Slipping the gown over her head, she was pleased to see that it fit really well, though the excessive lace in front brought more attention to her bosom than she would like. Thankfully, Ivan had also brought a fluffy dressing gown that was a little big on her, surrounding her in a fluffy cocoon of warmth. She tried on the pair of slippers, but they were too small. There was a quiet knock on the bathroom door just as she finished dressing.

"You okay Anya?" Ivan asked.

"Yeah, though the slippers are too small I think…" Anna replied.

"Really? Those are Ukraine's, she has big feet too." Anna scowled at the door, this may not be a Rule but she still had her pride!

"My feet aren't that big!" she protested, though her words lacked any real bite.

"No worries, I'll just give you one of my old pairs!" Ivan said happily before she heard him walk away. Tying the dressing down tightly around her, Anna walked out of the bathroom and took in her surroundings.

Whenever the show featured Russia's house, Anna was under the impression that it was a fairly large house to house five other countries at one time. Right now, with most of the lights off, it felt a lot more cozy than she expected it to be. The floor on the hallways were made of polished dark wood and the walls were covered in warm green wall paper covered in little yellow flowers. Old photos and paintings hung on the walls, though she was too tired to really look at them. They looked to be leftover from the Imperial age based on the age and opulence of the dress the people in them wore. A loud growl from her stomach told her she was starving.

"Here you go!" Ivan said coming up behind her. Anna nearly jumped out of her skin, how does he move so quietly?!

"Holy Mother Russia, how the hell does something as tall as you move so quietly?!" Anna asked with a twinge of annoyance in her voice. It unnerved her only slightly when he decided not to answer and instead present her a pair slippers. Her anger was forgotten when she got a look of the design.

"Hope these fit!" he said handing them over with a smile.

"Are you serious? Those are medieval moccasins from the time of Ivan the Terrible! There's even embroidery and fur trim? And they're upturned at the toe so perfectly, I can't wear those, they're antique!" Anna rambled, handling the shoes with care. She's only ever seen clothes like this behind glass cases in museums or in photographs.

"Is okay, go on a try them! I actually bought these last week, but they were too small!" Ivan said smiling. Anna froze and sweat dropped. Did I really just pull a Latvia, she thought nervously, he must be so insulted!

"Oh... please don't crush my cervical vertebrae, I'm already so short…" she said before she could stop herself. Shut up mouth! Hoping not to offend Ivan that she thought she already did, she quickly slipped on the shoes and was surprised at how comfortable they were!

"See, they fit nice! You can keep them. You hungry?" Ivan asked starting to walk towards the kitchen. Anna nodded enthusiastically and followed Ivan.

"Oh please, I'm starving! And, sorry about the shoe comment… and the vertebrae comment, because I didn't mean to imply anything by it... well I mean..." Anna started to ramble before Ivan turned around and placed a hand on her shoulder, shutting her up with a squeak.

"Don't worry about it! Come eat, I have some leftover borscht." he said leading her into the kitchen, not once letting go of her shoulder until he sat her down at the vintage kitchen table. Anna was a tad confused at the slight man handling, though in retrospect she probably just got off lucky. She really couldn't deal with being crushed any shorter already.

Ivan on the other hand didn't really mind about her comments, the way she stuttered and tried to make up for it was very cute! Coupled with her small size and smart alecky comments, she was perfect in his eyes. Except when she cried… tears did not belong on her face he concluded while he heated up the borscht on the stovetop. He prefered her eyes wide and curious as she took in her new surroundings, sparkling with excitement when she learned something new or saw something she liked, even slightly crazed or icy whenever she was angry. Da, she was perfect, and finally with him.

"Wow, that smells amazing! I've heard so much about borscht but I've never tried it." Anna said smiling as she inhaled the hearty aroma. Ivan smiled as he served out a bowl and set it in front of her. It had the smell of beef and veg, but the slight pinkish color confused her as she took up a spoonful.

"Beetroot?" she asked taking another whiff. She wasn't a fan of the stuff, but she wasn't going to tell that to him!

"Da, try it!" Ivan replied smiling. While she did feel weird having him watch her eat, her stomach was louder than her discomfort. So, with a small shrug Anna ate the spoonful in one bite. The results was instantaneous magic, a wondrous mix of sweet and sour complete with a warm comfortable feeling as soon as she swallowed.

"Amazing! I love it!" she exclaimed nearly wolfing her serving down. Kaitlyn would have balked at her unladylike behavior, especially in front of an attractive man, but Kaitlyn didn't just get kidnapped and nearly perished out in a blizzard! Ivan just laughed.

"I'm glad, eat as much as you like." he said. Anna nodded happily and continued to eat, neither of them saying anything as Ivan was just content to watch her. Finally, after she had eaten two helpings of the delicious stew, Anna was starting to feel drowsy.

"Goodness, I'm exhausted all of the sudden."

"Well, you had long day today, da? Time for bed!" Ivan said quickly clearing her place. Before Anna had a chance to say anything, Ivan suddenly swooped down and picked her up bridal style.

Rule number eight; Anna is not a china doll, nor a sack of potatoes, do don't even dream of picking her up.

"Ivan! Let me go, I can walk by myself!" Anna protested trying to squirm out of Ivan's grasp, but his hold was firm yet gentle as held her closer to him. It was then she realized their proximity and blushed furiously when he turned to face her, ceasing moving immediately.

"Hm, nah. I like having you up close like this! Besides, you've walked plenty today." Ivan stated calmly. Anna's blush deepened as she feigned indignation.

"It, it's not proper Ivan! I can take care of myself…" she said looking anywhere but Ivan's face. He simply chuckled as he continued carrying her up the stairs towards the bedrooms.

"I'm sure you can, but I think you should let others take care of you sometimes. It can be exhausting on your own." he stated, his smile falling slightly. Anna looked at him in surprise, she never expected him to say something so… profound. Also, the way the warm light swam in his violet eyes and reflected off his silver blonde hair, he looked, for lack of a better word, magical. Her heart rate increased as she felt her face get hot, this country… this person was just breaking all of her walls and letting unfamiliar feelings pour forth. Then the warmth left, no, hold me closer, she thought panicking! Before she realized, Ivan had set her down in front of a door and opened it to reveal a room covered in rose patterned wallpaper and old photographs of buildings and landscapes. The furniture was made of polished old wood with simple yet elegant designs carved into the wood. The bed itself was covered in a lovely quilt that looked like it was made decades ago. It was cozy and homely. In a word, perfect.

"Sleep well, da? See you in morning Anya." Ivan said, before starting to walk away. No, don't go yet. Hold me more, she thought! Without even thinking Anna reached out and grabbed the end of Ivan's scarf. He barely had time to turn around before she pulled him down and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. To an even greater surprise, she had started to sob.

"Thank you… thank you… thank you…" she cried, shaking uncontrollably. All the emotions from the last few hours welling up and pouring out all at once. She had been kidnapped, jumped from a plane, and nearly froze to death in the wilderness… and on top of it she was falling head over heels for one of the most misunderstood and feared nations known to the Hetalia verse. Ivan was taken aback this show of emotion from Anna, but quickly wrapped his arms around the crying girl, saying soothing words in Russian to calm her.

"Я здесь, ты в безопасности …"* Anna looked up from his shoulder and smiled, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"спасибо."** she said softly, before leaning in (and up slightly given their height difference) and placing a loving kiss on his lips. Ivan's eyes widened, never in a million years did he expect this girl… or anyone… to kiss him willingly. Her lips felt so soft against his, and immediately he felt warmth travel through his body. As if his heart had been living months in harsh winter and just had its first taste of the sun. Anna felt like she was on fire, like their first kiss but magnified a thousand fold. His lips felt cool as they moved gently against hers, like a soothing balm that chased all her fears and doubts away. It was perfect, beautiful, and neither of them wanted it to end.

Until the clock chimed and they pulled apart. Anna was flushing beet red, while Ivan had a pink flush gracing his usual white features.

"You stopped crying…" he said softly. Anna smiled and nodded.

"I did… good night, Ivan." she replied before turning and entering her room. Ivan nodded and returned her smile as she closed the door. A million thoughts whirled through his mind until the faint sound of a happy squeal sounded from the other side of the door.

The sound of a young woman in love.

Translation: *- I'm here, you're safe

*- Thank you

AN: Their first real kiss! AHH! Don't forget those lovely reviews, they keep me motivated ;)