This Chapter was originally Chapter 9 of the story. I disliked it so much and didn't know where to go after I wrote it that I essentially deleted it from the story. Since I assume you guys may still want to see what I had to say, here is the lost chapter...

Okay guys, I'll be on a trip for a week, not that that makes a difference, my updates are sort of random. Figured I'd toss something out before I go tho. Been reading fics by Amethystfairy1 and I lovelovelove her work. Especially work with Japan. Japan is my bae, spirit animal, and life force, just, by the way. So, naturally, I felt compelled to pen down more of this story. More family kindness, more sadfaced China, and more Japan on the way y'all!

This story is getting long! Idk if I mind but I never planned it to be this long. I'll try writing a little differently and see if that cuts it down, but, I'm not entirely sure how well this will go. *shrug*

To reviewers: I read your reviews, they're just not really relevant to this chapter...? I'll bring you guys up if your ideas resurface but for now, just, thanks for reviewing! Everyone on fanfic seems to PM people after they review. I'm new here and didn't know that unspoken rule, but uh, I'll get on it from here on out! I wouldn't mind talking to you guys :)

Update...but like from as I was writing it not after posting: okay, literally stopped halfway through this and was like "this chapter. is NOT. WORKING." I really hope this doesn't all seem too...forced you guys. Maybe I was doing the most and it didn't work out but I tried.

Chapter 9

After the short war came to an end, Japan came to China's house one last time in a long time to collect his consolation prizes - myself and Korea. We packed our things quickly and somberly; I remember being scared that day. I feared Japan and China's tension - the way that they looked at each other while I waited in the hall for Korea to finish packing - it was as if one moving the wrong muscle would cause the other to strike. Again. When Korea finally rounded the corner, Japan bowed his head slightly, and China did the same, both never averting their hardened gazes. China smiled at Korea and me, however as we left. It wasn't until the last second, as I was squeaking the door shut behind me that I saw my brother's face fall and gloom behold his home.

Leaving with Japan and riding to his home was silent. He was a fairly quiet country as it was, but Japan said literally nothing to either one of us the entire ride. He simply kept his hands at ten and two and steered his car over the ocean going just over what China defined as "nation's speed". It had always allowed our eldest brother to go from continent to continent with ease, often running. Japan was the first one other than China, coincidentally enough, to develop his nation's speed. Korea sat in the car, arms crossed over his chest, sinking down into the seat, with a saggy frown enveloping his face. When we arrived, Japan grabbed our bags from the trunk for us and led us up a stone path. His house was small, yet spacious, made of wooden planks and delicate screens, had the sounds of chirping birds and buzzing crickets, and was surrounded by foliage, rocks, and other assets of nature. It was peaceful, simple, and secluded - just like him.

"Welcome to my home," he said with a small bow. I thought back to Hong Kong, who must've been having a quiet lunch with China at that point. I couldn't tell which of my elder brothers I wanted to be with - not that I'd had any choice. Japan gifted us out our own rooms across the hall from each other and Korea face planted onto his bed.

"What's wrong Gege?" I asked, standing in his doorway. I kicked his luggage aside with my foot and began across the somehow already messy floor towards him. He turned his head away from his pillow and towards me, but rolled his eyes instead of responding.

"Gege?"

"Oh please, Tai. As if you're not mad too."

"Why should I be?"

"Oh, I don't know!" Korea sat himself up on the bed and let his voice raise, presumably not concerned with wither [1] or not Japan heard him. "Maybe because our supposed 'brother' betrayed the family completely, left China scared and possibly hurt, basically kidnapped us, and is now bribing us with a big cushy house? I'm not stupid! He's just playing a bunch of stupid mind games with us now!"

"Korea, I don't think-"

"If you're defending him right now, then you seriously DON'T think." He held his pillow tight to his chest and flopped down onto the mattress facing the wall away from me. I balled my fist and starred at the ground, thinking back to the falling apart Chinese man I'd accidentally witnessed balling his eyes out less than 24 hours prior. How could I ignore China's pain: the scar on his back, the damage to his hair, the blood that soaked his clothes day by day? I felt maybe I was in denial, that I felt this wasn't all happening. I was sure any moment now I'd wake up, shaking and sweaty and rumble Japan awake as well. He would call China into our room and I'd explain my endless nightmare to the two of them. Both would envelop me into a warm hug and laugh at the thought of the family ever separating. We would then fall back asleep with blue, red, and pink fabric overlapping and intertwining about the bed.

But that never happened.

I just simply walked away from Korea's doorway and began to unpack my own bag. A shirt here, a skirt there, and a jewelry box for my flower pins and bladed fans. Suddenly, I'd reached the bottom of my suitcase and immediately panicked.

"JAPAN!" I was breathing heavily with a flushed face and a bruise on my shoulder after having slipped on a rug in my race down the hallway. One of my two dead faced brothers turned his brown orbs towards me.

"Yes?"

"I NEED TO GO BACK AND GET MOCHI!"

"Pochi is right here." Japan's fluffy dog crawled out from under the desk at which his master was working having heard mention of his name.

"MOCHI! MY MOCHI PLUSH! I NEED IT! I'VE NEVER SLEPT WITHOUT IT! CHINA AND HONG KONG WORKED REALLY HARD AND MADE IT FOR ME! IT'S A BIG, WHITE, ADORABLE BALL! IT HAS A HAPPY FACE ON IT. I LEFT IT AT CHINA'S BECAUSE I'M DUMB BUT INEEDITSOMUCHRIGHTNOW!" The last bit came out too quickly to be audible but Japan got the big picture.

"Can you get back on your own?"

"YES. PLEASE!?" He nodded slowly once, and before the second nod I was already out the door. Nation's speed wasn't exactly something I had, but I could still run fast enough to get over water. While Japan probably could have run back to China in forty or fifty minutes, it took me four hours to be back at my...old house. My feet and ankles were soaked with the pacific, and my breath was tight as my lungs where attacked by the crisp, night air. Skipping up the familiar path a smile couldn't help but spread across my face as I remembered that China was here. I'd get to see him! The door quietly slid open and I stepped inside, removing my flats onto a mat.

"Chiiinaa~" I whispered, amused, as I tip-toed in. The smile across my face fell and morphed into shock as I heard a loud shattering. Kneeling to the ground and hugging my- the- wall, I leaned my head around the corner. The source of the crash was the first thing I saw, green glass on the floor amongst brown and clear glass of similar style. With another noise, a white bottle clashed with the wall and the remains of it joined the pile of its shattered brethren. My eyes led me across the room to the source of this thrown bottle.

China sat, or rather slumped over, on his biggest couch. He had his head leaned back and eyes closed as a few drops of the obviously alcoholic substance inside his next victim was being chugged down harshly.

Crash.

Another bottle joined the pile for China to simply lean forward and grab another drink. The fragile little girl I was not ready to see what I saw. China bursting into tears after losing a war somehow made sense to me - it was like myself getting too upset after losing at mahjong and having to fight off water works - just more so. This sight, however, was more than I could handle. My invincible, eldest brother had black strands and wisps of hair falling randomly into his face. His cheeks were puffy, and under his eyes were both baggy and red. He seemed to have long ago run out of tears and barely bothered to look into any one direction. There was no anger or resentment in his face, just a painful, dreadful, lifeless remorse. Suddenly the door opened.

"China," it was Hong Kong's familiar voice, "I got the rice like you asked." I watched China's face immediately plaster on a fake, bright smile. He scooted up to be sitting properly in his chair and threw another bottle towards the wall as Hong Kong walked in past me, thankfully obeying my "stay quiet" hand signal.

"What's with the bottles?" he asked, setting two huge sacks of rice down on the floor to give his arms a rest.

"Trying to kill a fly!" had I not seen the mess of a man seconds earlier, I too would have believed China's lie as he flipped his hair out of his face.

"And how's that going for you?" Hong Kong and China let out small laughs before I turned the corner.

"Boys!" China looked at me stunned, and Hong Kong faked the same.

"What are you-"

"I just forgot something China, but figured I'd say hi," I explained, already tenderly throwing my arms around him. I prayed that he could feel more than just a greeting in that hug - but my support, and my hypothetical tears right there suffering with him. I squeezed a little tighter hoping to scare away the darkness that his heart was encased in. "I'll be right back." I sprinted upstairs and grabbed my mochi from her spot on my old bed. My old bed. I ran my hand across the sheet and heard footsteps behind me as I got lost in reminiscent feelings.

"China!"

He smiled at me, cocking his head slightly to the side letting his hair brush against his waist. A silence befell the room as his smile widened.

"I love you," he said, perhaps then realizing it was out of context and odd. Or maybe he assumed it was, but my response was almost instant.

"I love you too, Gege." He stood in the door way and watched me silently, curling a lock of black mane around his middle finger. "I..." it came out as barely a whisper, "I won't ever leave you like that." We both knew the 'that' I was referring to. China nodded slowly and began to walk away but not before I tackled him into another embrace.

"I'm sorry, China" I tugged lightly on the red and gold material covering his wounds. I don't want you to hurt anymore. I don't want to see you cry, or drink, or be sad, or in pain. I can't protect you, but I'm here for you. I'd said it all silently, but I'm sure China somehow heard me anyway. He finally hugged me back as tears pricked at my eyes and a lump built in my throat. A single drop rolled down my face and wet his jacket.

"Nothing here is your fault," he stated tenderly pulling away. How was it again that he ended up supporting me in his time of grief? He wiped at my cheek with his sleeve and planted a light kiss on my forehead as I sniffled and relished the gesture. "You should get back. Japan and Korea are probably worried."

"Korea loves you too!" I stammered out, "I'm sure he would've liked to come but-"

China shook his head. "It's alright. Tell him I love him more and hurry home." China's composure almost made me forget the pain he was in. I couldn't see it in him, but I could sense it if I really focused.

"Alright. I just want to say goodbye to HoKo first." The eldest nodded as I walked out the door and down the hall to the kitchen. I gestured for Hong Kong to follow me out to the front porch.

"Goodbye Hong Kong, I'm not sure how long Japan will keep us, and now that I have Mochi" I raised the white blob in my hand, "I doubt I'll find decent excuses to return." My only, little brother nodded and let his dead-faced eyes look up at mine. China always said Japan and Hong Kong where too quiet whereas Korea and I were too loud. I began to see the similarities in them only now.

"And...HoKo?" he hated that nickname but responded to it anyways.

"Yes, Mei?" I turned around and noticed what had caused him to swap to my human name, a group of three drunkards tumbling down the street. Not many humans knew who we countries actually where and our human names served as perfect aliases. We rarely used them in the house so I had to remind myself of what China's was before continuing.

"Watch over Yao. And I mean really watch him. In secret. Make him think you're gone; that you've left the house, and see what he does. Trust me."

"Does it...does it get bad? Like, does he..." his voice trailed off as he looked downwards.

"Just...keep me updated, Li." My brother blinked twice before nodding and offering me a side hug.

"Goodbye Mei. Good luck." I smiled and squeezed Mochi under my chin.

"I'll be fine with this little guy watching over me!" With that I turned and walked off. Four hours and I would be back in Japan s house. It was warm, it was inviting, and my brothers were there, but it was not my home. Not as long as China was still stuck sobbing in the back of my head.

Why didn't I think to use a double line section split before?

[1] - someone please tell me how to spell weather but like not in the sense of rain. In this context. I got it so wrong that spell check was like lol wat? I NEVER spell that word even close to right.

Okay. Just wanted to take a stabbing at China s grief, but also his strength. Originally it was going to be a lot of the series but, I think I don t want to do that just yet. Or maybe not at all? Still debating. But anyhowdy (God I say that a lot. Almost as much as "y'all"), hope you liked this. It was fairly long so maybe it ll hold y all off till my trip is over? See you then! Read some of the aforementioned fanfic-er s work in the meantime! Love, hugs, kisses, and please review. Byee!