Trapped in Darkness

BONUS: Hope

The rain pounded outside of the quiet colonial home, but the man in the study was paying no mind to it. Nor was he focusing on the numerous papers strewn before him. This man was James Madison, fourth President of the United States; one could say he was the most influential man in the country. But right now, he didn't feel that. Right now, he felt lost and depressed.

A few weeks ago the British and Canadian forces burned the capital of Washington D.C. and with it, greatly harmed the personification of the Nation itself. At first James had been mortified to hear the condition the Nation was in.

When his predecessor Thomas introduced him to the young Nation he thought him to be almost perfectly immortal. For God's sake he fought the British Empire.

But to see that strong Nation reduced to a weakened human; his uninjured right hand gripping his bed sheets as he suffered from a fever induced nightmare. He couldn't dare begin to image the amount of pain that was coursing through his body. The bandages on his eyes, despite having being changed recently, were already darkening with blood.

Just earlier that morning America finally awoke, they removed the bandages relieved to see his eyes were perfectly fine. However he could not see.

He was blind.

Had he done this? Had his foolish endeavors as President led to this?

CRASH!

James looked up to see America stumble into his study, using his uninjured right hand the wall as reference.

"America, what are you doing? You should be resting!" James said in shock as he took the Nation's hand and guided him to a chair.

"I can sleep when I'm dead!" America retorted."So what's the progress with the war?"

James grimaced as he noticed the skin around America's eyes were still a tender pink from his healing injuries. His left arm, which had been burned, rested uselessly at the moment in the stiff cotton sling.

"This is entirely my fault." He muttered. "I've failed you as a leader."

Than to his shock, America smacked him.

Well, attempted to, at least his fingertips made contact on the man's cheek.

"You were not the one to set the blaze in the capital or at York!" America snapped. "You were not the one who blinded me James! You're human remember? You're human and you're not perfect! Hell I'm immortal and I'm not perfect! No one is!"

The two sat in silence, just listening to the rain outside before James finally spoke.

"Do you think we still have a chance to win this war?"

"I believe we can." America said nervously biting on his bottom lip. "But…I don't think I should meet any of the other Nation personifications anytime soon."

James agreed and sighed. They couldn't let anyone outside know, otherwise who know how many foreign powers would try to invade? It was obvious they couldn't leave America helpless like this.

"America…what do you know about the French schools for the blind?"

A/n: Just to let you know, with the last Bonus, it had nothing to do with the story, that was just an idea I had for the original storyline, but changed my mind.