Chapter 11
Antonia R. Jones (Florida) glared out of the window of the taxi, her emerald eyes flashing as the cab stopped at yet another red light. She stiffened when she felt her Texan brother touch her shoulder, her shaking hands curling into fists in her lap.
"It'll be okay, Tonia," David S. Jones (Texas) murmured, his olive skin paler than usual beneath his curly dark hair.
Antonia nodded stiffly and returned her attention to the window, stubbornly ignoring the whispers that David and his sister Annie (Oklahoma) were exchanging beside her. She sighed and brushed a few strands of her dark hair away from her face, her thoughts going immediately to the phone call that had brought her to this point.
USUK*USUK*USUK
Florida laughed and cheered as New Mexico and Texas slammed their now-empty bottles of beer onto the table in front of them, her green eyes glittering with amusement when Juan D. Jones (New Mexico) swayed slightly before falling off of his chair into Sol (Arizona)'s waiting arms. Sol chuckled and unceremoniously dropped Juan onto the floor, causing him to yell a few choice swear words in furious Spanish.
Hector (Nevada) and Raul (Utah) both cheered and left their places beside Florida to clap Texas heartily on the back, causing the Texan to flash them a triumphant grin.
Antonia's cellphone rang, then, immediately drawing the state's attention away from the antics of her siblings. She frowned at the vibrating electronic as she pulled it out of her pocket, her eyes brightening immediately at the sight of the name on the caller ID.
"Gabrielle!" she called excitedly. "Que pasa, mi querida?"
"... A-Antonia?"
Florida's smile faded immediately, her brow furrowing in concern at the sound of Georgia's voice. Was the other state... crying?
"Gabrielle?" she said again. "What's wrong, querida?"
"I- A-Antonia, t-there's been... D-Dad's been shot."
"WHAT?" Florida shrieked, causing the states immediately to fall silent. "Como? Por qué? What happened?"
"I- A-Albert wanted to set up D-Dad with E-England s-so we w-were taking him to h-his date w-when we were a-attacked..."
"Attacked?" Florida growled, fury rising in her chest. Texas and California moved to approach her, only to freeze when Antonia shot them an icy glare. "Are you hurt?"
"N-no... b-but Sam... a-and Albert... L-Lenny-" Georgia's voice broke on the last name, her quiet sobs crackling over the phone line.
Florida felt her heart break at the sound of Georgia's cries, her hands tightening around the cool metal of her cellphone.
"Gabrielle... querida, por favor, calm down. I'm on my way right now. I'll be there soon. Where are you?"
Florida listened quietly to Georgia's mumbled instructions and hung up before turning to her siblings, her heart sinking when she saw their frightened expressions.
"Tonia," Sol V. Jones (California) whispered, her green-blue eyes worried beneath her sun-bleached blonde hair. "Tonia, what's going on?"
"Something's happened..."
USUK*USUK*USUK
Florida leaped out of the cab the moment it came to a stop in front of the hospital, her feet pounding against the pavement as she ran towards the door. Texas and Oklahoma called out for her to slow down, their cries completely ignored by the other state.
Antonia burst through the door to the hospital, completely ignoring the shocked glances that were being sent her way by the nurses at the front desk. Her green eyes went immediately to the tearful blonde waiting a few feet away and she sighed in relief, her legs taking her immediately to Georgia's side.
"Gabrielle..." Antonia croaked, her arms wrapping comfortingly around the shaking Georgian's shoulders.
Gabe sighed and allowed Antonia to hold her for once, her blonde head buried in Florida's shoulder.
"T-thanks for c-coming," she mumbled.
Antonia waved the comment away and glanced over Gabe's head, her gaze locking on the exhausted Connecticut and Rhode Island that were watching them from the living room, New Jersey curled against Rhode Island's side.
"How many of you are here?" Florida wondered.
"All of the original thirteen, plus Monty, Felipe, and Anthony," Georgia muttered. "Who came with you?"
"That'd be all of us, sis," Texas called out as he walked through the door, Oklahoma by his side. New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and California hurried in after Texas, their expressions a mixture of relief and anxiety.
"Hola, hermana," Juan called quietly. "Como estas?"
"I-I'm okay, Juan," Gabe whispered.
"How are the others?" Texas demanded.
"Sam regained consciousness half an hour ago," Connecticut broke in quietly from the waiting room. "Lenny's still a little loopy from the pain killers, and Albert seems to be doing fine... not that Penny will actually let us in to see him. Dad... just got out of surgery. England hasn't come out to tell us how it went yet."
Texas nodded and herded his siblings into the waiting room, allowing Florida and Georgia to wait behind them.
Florida sighed and tightened her grip on Georgia, her chest tightening when the small blonde shivered.
"It's going to be okay, Gabrielle," Antonia whispered. "Everything is going to be okay. I promise."
USUK*USUK*USUK
"Penn... you really need to rest..."
"Shut up, Bertie," Pennsylvania growled.
New York sighed in defeat and watched the Pennsylvanian pace around his hospital room, his blue eyes half-closed behind his sunglasses. The New Yorker shifted slightly, a low cry breaking through his lips when the movement sent a flash of pain through his wounded shoulder. Pennsylvania was at his side in a second, his blue eyes frantic beneath his glasses.
"Are you okay? What hurts? Do I need to call in the nurse?" William demanded.
"R-relax, Will," Albert sighed. "I'm fine... Just calm down... Why are you freaking out so much?"
"Why? God dammit, Albert, why the fuck do you think I'm freaking out?" Pennsylvania snapped.
New York blinked in shock at the other state's language. "Whoa... Calm down, Will."
"No I will not calm the fuck down!" Will growled, his voice cracking slightly on the last word. "D-dammit, Albert, don't you know how scared I am?"
"I know, Will," Albert sighed. "I'm scared, too. But the doctors said everyone else is going to be-"
"I don't care about everyone else right now, dammit!" William shrieked. "Y-You- You could have died, Bertie!"
"Will, it wasn't a very serious wound-"
"They would have killed you if I hadn't gotten there when I did!"
"Yeah, and then that bastard turned his gun on you, Will," Albert interrupted. "Do you have any idea how much that scared me?"
William paused for a second, the fury leaking out of his eyes when he saw the torment in New York's expression.
"I just... I can't lose you, Bertie," he croaked. "God... I can't..."
"I know," Albert whispered. The New Yorker shifted again and brought up his hand to cup Pennsylvania's cheek. "But you've got to calm down before Angel or Addy comes in and sees you. They were freaked out enough on the way here, I don't want to add any more weight onto their shoulders. Besides." Albert smiled and leaned forward, his lips meeting William's halfway. "I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you, Will. Ever."
William sighed and leaned into Albert's touch, his eyes fluttering closed behind his glasses.
"Damn," he chuckled. "I love you, Bertie."
"I know," Albert smirked. "By the way, you're really hot when you swear."
"Shut up," William grumbled, his lips curving upwards into a small smile. "Now please get some rest, all right? I'll be right here when you wake up."
New York nodded and glanced up at Pennsylvania, his eyes sparing mischievously behind his sunglasses. "Join me?"
Pennsylvania snorted and gently crawled into bed beside the other state, his eyes narrowing at the grin New York was sending his way. "What are you smiling about, you jerk?"
"Nothing~" Albert chuckled. "I love you, too, Will."
Pennsylvania chuckled. "I know."
Hey! Sorry if this was a bit short, but I wanted to leave plenty of room in the next chapter for some USUK fluff (heehee, you knew it was coming!). Anyways, thanks to all of the people who reviewed the last chapter! Please keep 'em coming!
Thanks again! (wow, short author's note...)