Italy sacrificed his life in order to save his Doitsu…his Holy Roman Empire…but Germany can't mourn now. The ambition that had separated from him has now claimed Northern Italy, as a result of a nation dying. But can he really hide his emotions for so long, even though it's for the greater good?

/=+=/

That night, they returned to the conference hall in silence. No one can blame Ludwig for beating himself up like this. However, they also knew that this wasn't his fault at all. The minute everyone returned to the building, Ludwig immediately stormed himself into a place of solitude. Before he got anywhere, he felt someone grab onto his arm.

"Hey, potato bastard!" Lovino screamed. "You can't just walk away from this without paying the consequences."

"Lovino, please…" Antonio grabbed him and pulled him back. "Leave him be."

"Ha ucciso mio fratello, Antonio! [He killed my brother, Antonio!]"

Ludwig stopped in his tracks, hidden by the open doorway, the words sinking deep inside his mind. He really did kill Lovino's brother…didn't he? Even though it was for his own good…he…he actually allowed him to do that…

"No non lo fece, Lovino! Non ha mai voluto farlo per lui. [No he didn't Lovino! He never wanted to do that to him.]" Antonio lowered Lovino. "Lovino…tu hermano murio para salvar la vida de Ludwig. [Lovino...your brother did that to save Ludwig's life.]"

"…I know that…" The Italian grumbled. "Ma ... avremmo potuto salvare entrambi ... [But...we could've saved them both...]"

"Maybe we couldn't. We may be nations, but we still have our limits…" Antonio whispered, holding onto the shaking Italian. "We can't save everyone."

"…mio fratello era uno sciocco. [...my brother was a fool.]"

"Then perhaps I am a fool as well…" The Spaniard stroked Romano's hair. "Si fueramos nosotros los que estuvieramos en el borde del presipicio, estaria feliz de de entregarme para salvarte. [If it were us on that cliff's edge, I would gladly let myself go to save you.]"

"N-non scherzo su cose del genere, bastardo! [D-don't joke about stuff like that, bastard!]"

"…what makes you think that I'm joking?"

Ludwig couldn't help but notice how Spain held onto Romano's jaw, trailing the line with only his middle fingers to the back of his ears. He didn't know what that was supposed to be about, but it only made Romano cry even more. Slowly, Antonio spun him around and hugged Romano, the Italian making no move to argue with him. By that time, the poor German couldn't handle it anymore.

/=+=/

He found himself on a rooftop garden, the moonlight illuminating the petals of the daisies that were there. Immediately, he recalled the time that Feliciano had ran through a whole flower garden just because he loved the smell of the flowers. He cringed at the image of the smiling Italian. Suddenly, he saw the grass grow higher, levitating the daisies toward him.

"I heard from Lovino that Feliciano liked daisies."

He turned around and saw Antonio walking toward him, brushing the petals of one of the daisies as he walked toward the grief-stricken German. The same plastered smile on his face seemed almost like a reminder of…

"You don't have to worry about Lovino…I was able to calm him down just a bit." The grass started to recede. "How are you doing…?"

"…" He sat down. "He told me he loved me."

"Eh? That's great, Germany! He shares your feelings!" Antonio grinned as he sat next to him.

"?" Germany looked up in shock.

"What? Come on, everyone knew you liked him!" Antonio laughed. "I mean, why do you think that Lovino tried to separate the two of you?"

"Dammit, Antonio! Haven't you realized just what happened back there?" He stood up. "He fell down a cliff! He's not here anymore!"

That's when he realized that he was screaming at him. He quickly calmed himself as he sat himself back down on the bench, holding his head and shaking it rapidly. It was then that he realized that Spain still had that blank look on his face.

"You say that as if he's still dead."

"…no one can survive a fall like that…" He muttered.

"I had a talk with that human maid of yours…Liara, was it? It's odd how an American human, with her father being the great United Kingdom, ended up being a servant for a German country-"

"What are you trying to say here?"

"Anyway, I had a talk with her…told her everything that happened." Antonio folded his arms. "She said that the news reported major events that occurred in Northern Italy…not even signs of rain."

Germany's head immediately darted up toward the country's obliviously smiling face. If he knew anything about nations, it was that the bond between a country and their human counterparts was basically the same as a body and a mind: if one was destroyed, the other one couldn't work. If anyone of these nations now had died (or even got close to dying), the country they represented would suddenly go into a state of shock. That was how America had the Great Depression (or at least, that's what he was told). Even if someone else was taking Italy's place, there would've been at least a major earthquake. The fact that nothing had happened meant…

"Feliciano is still alive." He voiced out. "And he's out there…waiting for you."

Germany couldn't help but hide back a tear or two. He chuckled once…twice…and then stood up, looking at the night sky. He turned toward Antonio, who shared the growing smile on their faces.

"He's still alive…"

/=+=/

"Where…am I?"

[You're with me now…]

"H-Holy Roman Empire…"

[Yes…it's me.]

"…D-Doitsu?"

[Yes?]

"W-why are you here…? If you're here, then…"

[It was a brave action on your part, Italy…but I did not make it.]

"…I'm so sorry…Doitsu…what will become of our countries?"

[Nothing will happen to them…I won't allow it.]

"Doitsu?"

[Take my hand, Italy…we're going back.]

/=+=/

Translations for the weary-hearted and some Spamano for those still in shock of the last chapter!

[Ha ucciso mio fratello, Antonio!] ITALIAN– He killed my brother, Antonio!

[No non lo fece, Lovino! Non ha mai voluto farlo per lui.] ITALIAN– No he didn't, Lovino! He never wanted that to do that to him.

[…tu hermano murio para salvar la vida de Ludwig] SPANISH- …your brother did that to save Ludwig's life.

[Ma ... avremmo potuto salvare entrambi ...] ITALIAN– But…we could've saved them both.

[…mio fratello era uno sciocco.] ITALIAN- …my brother was a fool.

[si fueramos nosotros los que estuvieramos en el borde del presipicio, estaria feliz de de entregarme para salvarte.] SPANISH– If it were us on that cliff's edge, I would gladly let myself go to save you.

[N-non scherzo su cose del genere, bastardo!] ITALIAN– D-Don't joke about stuff like that, you bastard!

And…I'm really sorry for the OC in there…