I know...i'm reeeaaalllly early with this~ *pats back* good job Nikki~ Now this is a REAALLLLY long chapter...at least to me it is...*sigh* Are we all ready for flashbacks? LAWL~~~

The lovely scent of nature filled his nostrils with its sweet, sweet scent. His eyes happily stared around the whiteness, not bothered at all by the over intensity of the light. It was calm here. A lot calmer then it had been when he was alive. Wait? Was he dead? Or just sleeping?

His brows creased and he huffed in confusion. He recalled seeing …people before his world had turned black for a second time that day. Damn. Why did this have to be so freaking confusing?

Groaning, he rolled his eyes and settled on the fact that he was dead. It was easier that way…although it would have been nice to see Antonio again. He sighed and decided to forget about his current predicament and focus on his surroundings.

…which were white. No matter where he looked. There were no barriers that represented walls or a ceiling. The only proof of a floor was where he sat cross-legged. There was nothing but that smell of happiness and love. Of tomatoes. God how he loved tomatoes. Nice and fresh and juicy...straight from the earth.

Somehow though…this place was familiar. Like he had been here before but just forgot about it. Then again…he was a very old nation. Maybe he had been here before…just not alone…

Almost on cue, the scent of freshly cooked pasta invaded his tomato scent. He turned his head and saw his fratello approaching him from the darkness.

"Ciao Lovi~!"

"Ciao…"

Feliciano smiled as he approached and sat beside him on what was supposed to be the ground. "What are you doing here, Lovi?" Lovino blinked at his brother. "Why wouldn't I be here?"

Feliciano giggled. "This is where we go to heal, fratello. I can't believe you've forgotten! I can sense the change in our energy…so I guess they found us. You should be better off now."

Lovino scowled. "You mean I'm still alive?"

Feliciano nodded. "Well fuck." His brother giggled again. "And you should be well enough to leave this place…" His smile faltered slightly. "I can't yet…"

"Why?"

"I'm not done healing…"

Lovino sighed and wrapped a comforting arm around his younger sibling. "I remember…is this where you've been?" Feli nodded. "It's where I came to save my energy. I can't believe you've forgotten!"

"Jesus, Feli! I forget one little thing that doesn't even mean that much to me since I don't come here that often!" He jokingly argued. "How the hell did you remember?"

Feliciano shrugged. "I didn't at first…but the longer you're here I guess the more you just…know." Lovino snorted. "See? You didn't remember either." Feliciano giggled at his brother and embraced him tightly.

"If I'm right, then you can will yourself back…where Toni's probably waiting for you." He nodded. His brother was right. He could feel that his body was going to wake up.

"OH! And Lovi…can you tell them…that I'll be there shortly?"

Like the first breath one takes at birth, Lovino felt himself jerk awake in his physical body. Confusion settled in first at the strange yet constant beeping noise before he realized that he was in a proper hospital. He heard low murmuring around him and slowly opened his eyes. The light struck his pupils and he groaned, slamming them shut.

Immediately the talking stopped and rushing footsteps approached his bed.

"Lovi!" a hand gripped his uncased one. A smile pulled at Lovino's lips as he opened his mouth to talk. His throat was dry and sore from the tube he'd had placed down it, but words were formed.

"Toni…it's…about time…bastard." The Spaniard chuckled as Lovino opened his eyes slowly and almost wept at the beautiful sight before him. Antonio. Lovino slowly shimmied closer to the other man, who noticed this and leaned into over the bed, planting a sweet kiss onto his forehead.

And chuckled from the foot of the bed released the hypnotic pull from the two lovers and onto the third party.

Francis' grin was clearly defined as he stared at the two. "I shall go get the doctor, non? I am glad you are awake, Romano." With that, he nodded and made his way out to the nurses' station.

Lovino's eyes traveled back to his love, who met his gaze and planted a loving kiss upon his lips. When they broke, he smiled happily at the Italian. "It has been too long." He frowned and became serious. "I'm sorry I wasn't there earlier. I…might have been able to…"

"Spain…there was nothing you could have done. If you had been there they would have just knocked you out and left you there."

"But I could have tried to stop them from getting you both…or I could have been with you when they had you."

"If i had been there is could have helped you...protected you. I would have taken all the pain for you both-"

"You couldn't have. They wouldn't have taken you. You're too strong..."

Spain's brows furrowed. Did that mean that... "What?"

Lovino's bottom lip slightly trembled. "T-they...just wanted us...as...test sub...jects..." Antonio's eyes hardened and his muscles tensed.

"They took you as fucking rats? Are you fucking kidding me?" He was fuming now. Lovino slightly jerked back in fear. When Antonio became overly angry, he had the potential to go into conquistador mode, which was dangerous.

"I will kill them! If any still live, i will hunt them down and rip their fucking hearts out with my bare hands! I swear to you!"

"Spain..."

"That bastard! Que arder en el infierno por esto!" (something about sending him to hell...google translate, so dont blame me for mistakes)

"Antonio!" The men didn't hear him and continued ranting in his native tongue.

"Bastard! Stop!" Lovino was sitting up now, his emotions etched directly onto his face. Tears freely falling down his face. His chest fell at an overly high rate and he fell back onto the pillow, comepletly exhausted. Antonio stared at him, guilt building within him.

"Lovi...I'm sorry...I'm sorry." He approached and embraced him within a hug. "I shouldnt have lost it. I'm sorry. What's important now is that you're here...and that you're safe…but there are any alive, I will still destroy them."

"Any alive?" the Italian blinked.

"We blew up the base when we rescued you both and killed many in the process. Once we had you both safe and Switzerland had gathered enough information and paperwork, we destroyed it."

Lovino was taken aback before memories started to slowly ooze back into his mind. Oh! Right…

"You did all that…for me?"

Toni smiled. "I would do anything for you."

Lovino scoffed. "Dumbass..." Spain chuckled. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, bastard. Ti amo."

A smile appeared on Antonio's face as he gently snuggled into his Italian love. "I love you too, mio tomate~!"

The door opened and the doctor entered with France in tow.

"Mr. Italy Romano, glad you're awake. How do you feel?"

"Like shit."

"That's expected. Now I'm going to perform a few tests and ask some questions."

Throughout the testing, all Antonio could think of was how beautiful his little Italian looked. It didn't matter what had happened. What mattered was right now. Romano was on the mend and nothing would ever happen to him ever again.

After everything was proven to be normal and the doctor allowed it, a handful of nations were allowed in to see him. Antonio refused to leave his side as other countries like England and Switzerland questioned him.

"We read in his research something about 'a special method of questioning.' What does that mean? What did he do?"

Lovino sighed. Dammit…the one thing he's vague on…"I…I really don't remember. Whatever it was, it was fucked up. He questioned Fratello first and I don't remember anything if he questioned me. It was fucked up though…so fucked up."

"Bloody hell…" England placed one hand to his forehead. "What we read is that he was curious about our healing abilities, our connections to the land and to each other…I guess, from what I read in later notes, we weren't what he expected. You two proved him wrong so many times, but he still kept bloody trying! Are you sure you can't remember anything?"

The Italian groaned and let his head fall back into the pillow. "Jesus, I don't fucking know, tea bastard! Here's an idea, why don't we fucking switch places!"

"Lovi…calm down…" Spain rubbed his troubled love's back.

"Fuck you…"

"Romano…"

"What?" The Englishman sighed. "We need to know what he found out. Not all of his personal journals were recovered and…we have yet to find his body in the wreckage of the base."

Lovino's head snapped up. "WHAT!"

"It doesn't mean he isn't there…we made sure no one got away, but…just to be safe. We need to know how much information on us is out there."

Lovino muttered unintelligible Italian before closing his eyes and focusing on anything and everything from his memories of captivity.

Lovino ran into the kitchen and found his brother on his knees, gripping his bleeding arm. "What's happening?"

"We're under attack." Feliciano gaped at him. "Wh-what?"

"Feli, just listen to me, I have a pistol in the first drawer in nightstand on my side of the bed. It's from my mafia days. Go get it."

Feliciano just stared at him. "Please, fratello, just do me this favor and get the gun. I need to stay down here and look out for the army in case they come this way." Feliciano slowly nodded and left for the stairs without any arguing.

Lovino let out a sigh of relief. He walked over to the boiling pot of pasta and turned the stove off. Reaching down, he lifted his shirt and adjusted the gun that was in his pants to make it less noticeable, then headed for the stairs.

"Tell me, when harm comes to your land, it affects you correct?"

"Go to hell!"

"If your people come down with a disease, that also affects you?"

"Fuck off!"

Lovino lightly rubbed his sick brother's back. He knew it was in vain, but it was the only thing he could do for his little brother.

"Jesus…Feli, are you ok now?"

The response he received was only a tiny whimper.

"Fuckin…Jesus. Can you move?"

A slight nod.

"Ok." Lovino carefully lifter Feliciano onto his knees. He then moved his body a little to his right and turned Feli's body so his back was against the wall. Then he slid his legs out from underneath him and laid them straight. Feliciano's head slid onto Lovino's shoulder after he, himself, got comfortable. He took a deep breath, held it for a moment and released it in one big puff of air. He figured now was the time to ask.

"Feli?"

"Humph?"

"What…what did you tell him…about us?"

"Wa?"

"When they took you and…injected you with that…stuff, what did he ask and what did you say?"

"…"

"Feli?"

"Idnowaurtalknbout."

He gaped at his little brother. "Are you fucking serious? You don't remember getting taken away? Getting injected with that truth stuff? Any of it?"

This time Feliciano looked at his brother and gaped. "Wha?" Lovino blinked. "I-I-" What did he remember? "I…was…taken…an…I…" Images of room flooded his consciousness, a hard chair, tightness in his wrists..."I can't remember!" He whimpered.

Lovino threw the brick away from him to the opposite corner of the cell and whimpered. He began halfheartedly beating the floor with his fists. "God dammit! Antonio! Where the fucking hell are you? God…please…I fucking need you! I love you goddammit! I…FUCKING…LOVE YOU!" he collapsed into a fit of tears, finally letting everything he'd held bottled inside out.

"'Carried away'? You got fucking 'carried away'? You fucking burnt my brother to a fucking inch of his life! You mother fucker! I swear to God that I am going to fucking kill you! I'm gonna put a mother fucking bullet into you fucking brain! You are going to wish that you had picked a different fucking country to invade! I swear-"

His head met the stone again and he blacked out to the laughter of the solders.

An electrical sound was heard that made Lovino freeze in fear. Feliciano's eyes shot open in pain and he screamed as the current passed through his nervous system.

"Stop! Please! Bastard! Stop!" Playing deaf to his pleads; the man continued his electrical attack on Italy.

"Fucking Bastard! Stop! Yes! Yes! Ok? Yes…just…please stop…ok…yes…"

"This is such a better reaction! I was afraid that both of you would try to hide your pain from me, but you…you scream so well and we haven't even made it to the fun stuff yet! This was only a light beating."

This isn't my memory…

"P-please…please s-stop." Feliciano pleaded; his eyes wet and bloodshot from his tears. The general smiled and backhanded him. Feliciano yelped.

"The only sounds I want to hear coming from your mouth are screams. Your quest to reason with me is futile."

Oh God…Fratello…this is what they did to you?

Somewhere deep in his bond with his country, he felt Lovino's presence. He focused all his strength on his brother, trying to leave this horrible place. He knew Lovino felt his pain…even if it was more of a killer migraine compared to what pain was actually being caused, but it was still there. He had felt the same thing when Lovino had been taken. Please…Lovino…

I had felt that pain…oh my sweet, sweet baby brother…I am so sorry…mi dispiace…

Feliciano couldn't will his legs to move. His brother fought to get free of their grasps, but couldn't. They were dragging him to an armored car. Their house was beside them…burning. He himself barley managed to escape from their room's balcony in time. Now his brother was caught. He had to do something.

"Fratello!"

"What is your name?"

"Feliciano Vargas."

"And that is your…human alias?"

"Um…I guess you could say that. It just sounds funny." He giggled. Wow…he felt reeaaaallllly loopy. "I am Feliciano as a human, but I'm also Italy as a country. Yep, Italy Veneziano. The Northern Half of the Repubblica Italiana."

"Lovino…is your 'brother'"

"Vee~! Yep! Lovino Vargas…aka Italy Romano. The southern half of Italy."

"What does the 'Veneziano' and 'Romano' mean? Are they just names used to separate you both?"

"Weeeeeeeell, I have Venice, so 'Veneziano' distinguishes me as the northern half who has Venice in it…and Lovino has Rome…so…ya. I really don't understand it. Grandpa Rome didn't really understand it either-"

"Who?"

"Huh? Oh, Grandpa Rome. He was the Great Roman Empire…he died."

"How?"

"He just…faded away one day.

"How are you born?"

"Do you think he will come and save you?"

Lovino's entire body jerked as he left the realm of his mind and back into the world. He couldn't breathe. He remembered when Feliciano told him what they did, but…that was just too much. Why couldn't it have been me? Why did he have to go through that? Feli isn't strong enough…no wonder he isn't back yet.

"Lovi? Oh, Lovi…" A warmth encased him in love and it wasn't until the body hugging him wiped at his eyes that he realized he was crying.

His eyes slowly opened to a worried Antonio. It only caused him to cry harder. "My sweet, you've been lying there for over a half hour…"

Oh…

"What did you see? Anything?" Switzerland inquired; it was his way of showing concern.

"I-It was horrible. I saw…my m-memories…and his. Dio mio…fratello…so much pain. I…I didn't know."

"Did you see anything from the questioning?"

Lovino nodded. "He asked…about how we're born…if we we're human or not, what our human names mean…why me and my brother are both Italy…if hurting the land hurts us and if we hurt the land…"

"Did either of you answer him?"

Feliciano giggled. Wow…he felt reeaaaallllly loopy.

FELICIANO!

Slowly, the southern Italian nodded, refusing to look into any of their eyes. The other nations groaned. Lovino felt horrible. He focused his eyes on the plan blankets that covered his crippled body. He had betrayed his fellow nations to a mad man. Not only that, but he let his little fratello get hurt. How could he forgive himself for that?

"It doesn't matter." Spain broke the silence, glaring daggers at the others. "They did what they did and that is the end of it. Now…I think we're done with the questioning. Please let the doctor know that it is ok to bring Ita in here now that Lovi is awake."

No one questioned him and left silently. Antonio silently held onto his love, whispering calming Spanish to him. All Lovino could do was blame himself.

There is is...lawl...i like. dont worry...about anything. just...dont. it will end well...i think.

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