A/N: To all who wanked last chapter, too bad. I wrote this chapter months ago.

I stormed into the backstage are, kicking the lights and curtains and anything else in my way. My eyes were stinging from the tears threatening to burst. I had always told myself that if Alfred were to ever appear and at least try to seem like he's making an effort to talk to me again, then I would give him a chance. I gave him that chance just now and he didn't take it.

He said nothing.

I could hear my band mates rushing behind stage after me and the crowd outside getting loud from my abrupt departure. I hastily wiped at my face even though I knew they were dry. A hand was placed gently on my shoulder.

"Arthur," Dev started. "Dude, forget him. He's a dick."

"I know," I mumbled, but not believing it.

Well, I believed it, but I didn't want to. I just couldn't. What happened to my sweet boy with that warm smile and welcoming arms? When I sang, I never looked out into the crowd, but I didn't have to. I knew Alfred wasn't really there. He had changed. He was different. Sure, I had changed as well, but mainly on the outside. Inside, I was still a broken boy that preferred to stay away from everyone. Everyone but Alfred.

And what of him? He hadn't changed on the outside, still wearing baggy clothes and bright colors and sweatshirts. But I could tell without him speaking how much he had changed on the inside. Before, he would never have let me walk away. He would have picked fun at me or said some witty remark to make me lash out at him. Then laugh, apologize, and kiss away my anger.

"Arthur?" Dev asked tentatively.

I shrugged him away and suddenly felt my walls reach towards the sky. No. I didn't want anyone else. I didn't even want Alfred.

"I need to be alone!" I cried, pathetically running away.

Perhaps I was over reacting, but in reality, I was broken beyond repair. And the only person who could fix it had said nothing when I gave him one last chance.

"Arthur!"

I stopped short as three pairs of eyes turned on me, scowling at my sudden burst into the backstage. When Arthur left, I felt the ground crumble underneath me. When we broke up last year, it wasn't the end. This is the end. Or it will be if I don't reach out to Arthur and do what I should have done two years ago; be honest with him.

"Where's Arthur?" I asked, breathless. I had barely managed to wade through the sea of angry girls that refused to let me get backstage. "Please, I need to see him."

The boy that Matt had told me was rumored to be sleeping with Arthur stepped forward. He had green hair and a rather vicious look on his face. I didn't back down as he strode up to me.

"Why? You broke his heart. He's our friend. You certainly are not," he spat.

Keep calm, I told myself. This guy is just some punk and you'd do the same if someone had just hurt Arthur.

"I am his friend! I'm his fucking boyfriend!" I exclaimed. "Please! I have to see him! He needs to listen to me!"

"Why should I tell you anything?" The boy grabbed my shirt, his eyes locked on mine. He looked so hurt and confused, not angry. "Why are you the only one Arthur will listen to? Why does he still love you?"

Oh… So that's it. I frowned, feeling sorry for the boy suddenly. I put my hands on his wrists gently. Earnestly I said, "I'm sorry… I love him too… But please…"

For a moment, the boy stared at me and I stared right back. Behind him, I could feel the tense watch from the other band members. The boy holding my shirt released me and stepped back. I could hear a slight waver to his voice as he choked on what I really hoped wasn't tears. Shit, I could not believe I made two guys tear up on the same day.

"He went that way," the boy mumbled, looking away finally.

I gave a hurried thanks and rushed towards the exit. Behind me I think I heard the guy actually start crying. Okay, that's not cool. Man, I was losing my resolve fast. I was never coming back to this stupid place. First I was embarrassed to hell by Arthur and that fucking song and now I made some punk ass guy cry because he loved my boyfriend.

Yeah, my boyfriend. I was not going to give this up. Friendship be damned. I couldn't be near Arthur without wanting to stand close to him, envelop him in my arms, and see only his smile. When was the last time he actually did smile? I can tell you right now, he didn't do it often with those happy-go-lucky guys back there. No, he needed me. No one else could get that grumpy Briton to smile but me. And I needed him.

I had run all the way back to campus, my mind bent on getting to Arthur's dorm. I took a short-cut through the music wing, my footsteps echoing in the white empty hallways. Somehow, I was reminded of when Arthur and I had run down the hallway when he graduated and we both had the same desire to kiss against those lockers one last time. And this was the music wing; the same place where Arthur and I shared the first time we became close, expressed our deepest feelings, and made love on a piano.

My mind whirled as so many memories came back. How could I just throw them away? Throw away such a wonderful boyfriend; a wonderful person? I must have been an idiot.

Just as I was about to burst out the doors on the other side of the building I heard a loud crash from a piano inside one of the practice halls. I stopped quickly and heard more crashes. I heard loud, angry shouts that definitely didn't sound American. Gulping, I reached out to grasp the door handle.

Arthur wailed on the piano, expressing all of his anger until he thought the piano would break under his hands. He then kicked the seat behind him, picked it up, and seriously thought about throwing it at the door when he stopped short. There was a blonde American standing in the doorway. He put the chair down, mouth slightly agape.

"Alfred?" he breathed.

"Arthur…" Alfred gulped.

For a moment, the two boys just stared at one another, but then shyness overtook Arthur. He wasn't sure why. The anger that raged through his veins should have overtaken him and he should've wailed on the boy like he did the poor piano, but it was as if he had first gotten into his relationship with Alfred all over again. He couldn't even look the boy in the eyes.

Somehow, though, he willed himself to get past the fact he was still quite attracted to the blonde and his deep longing to just see the boy again. He had to talk. Alfred had finally come for him. This was the moment he had been waiting an entire year for. Everyone had.

"Why are you here?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady, though it came out almost like a whisper.

"Arthur…" Alfred wasn't sure where to start. So much was on the table, like a feast of hurt words, unanswered questions, and unwanted ugly facts. But if Alfred wanted anything he had to start somewhere. Better to start with the most painful one of all. "Why…did you betray my trust?"

Of all the reactions Alfred was expecting of Arthur, him laughing was not it. Arthur stopped suddenly when he saw the bewildered look on the other boy's face. "Oh, you're serious? Alfred, there was no trust to betray. You never trusted me!"

Alfred started, "What? Yes I did! And besides, it was you who didn't trust me! You went behind my back all this time and never just came out and asked!"

"Oh right!" Arthur nodded, sarcastically, his hands on his hips. "Because if I asked, you would just spill your guts! No, instead you had to keep on thinking the whole world is against you! Well guess what, you bloody Yank, the world ISN'T about just you! In this world there are some people out there that have had JUST as bad a life as you! I may not have been beaten or born out of marriage, but I watched my own brother DIE and was neglected by my parents who, by the way, disowned me because they think I'm some hooligan!"

"Well look at you, Arthur!" Alfred threw his hands out towards at him. "You do! You used to write me up for when my pants hung too low, but now you have a tattoo and piercings and way too tight of pants! What the hell happened to you?"

"I killed that worthless little pathetic idiot that was inside me," Arthur growled. "I had to. I had to become everything that wasn't."

"Wasn't what?"

"Wasn't a person you could love!" Arthur began to cry, but his fury was quite evident in his eyes as he continued to stare at Alfred. "You put me and everyone else on this platform so far away from you, thinking we're not worthy enough to get close to you! To get to know you and understand you! Alfred, you put this mask on and for whom is it for? Your dad? Me? You?"

Arthur wiped away tears, still going strong. The pain hurt and he didn't know if Alfred would flee. He had to keep hope. Hope this would end and they could start anew.

Arthur pressed on. "I didn't run from you when I learned what you were. You did. From yourself." Alfred tensed, clenching his fists and inhaling sharply. Still, he stood. And Arthur continued to talk. "No one's pain is worse than the others. We all think differently and handle pain in our own way. But don't think I'm weak. That I'd leave you over your mother's unfortunate circumstance."

Alfred looked down. "If you hate me so much, then why did you point me out like that back there? Why are you talking to me now? If all I do is fuck up and-"

"Oh shut up!" Arthur shouted. "God, you used to be so tough and strong and I was attracted to that! Now you're some sniveling little baby!"

"Because of you!" Alfred yelled. "Because you betrayed me! And don't say I didn't trust you! Yeah, I may not have gotten around to telling you the worst part of me and shit, but I did tell you other things! My fears, my hopes, what really made me happy! I told you I loved you and that I even liked you! I had never told anyone I liked them before you!"

Arthur whirled his hands around, unimpressed. "That doesn't mean you trusted me."

"It's fucking good enough for me," Alfred snarled. He got closer to Arthur and the boy instinctively flinched away. "Isn't it enough for you that I even fucking tried?"

"Don't be like that to me! I trusted you and even waited for you!" Arthur tried to push Alfred away, but the two just stood firm, staring at each other, trying to not back down. "You didn't do a damn thing!"

"So that entire year of us being together was totally me not doing 'a damn thing', huh? Fuck, Arthur! Who made all the first moves? Who even had the gull to ask you out or set it up so we could even get close? I protected you!"

"Protected me from what? I am not some bloody princess, Alfred! If I saw my own brother's death and lived I think I can handle my own boyfriend telling me he's some bastard son and he was beaten by his father!"

"Well then you could have told me that your brother died and that you knew all that shit about me instead of having my own brother keep tabs on me!"

"Well excuse me! I was trying to get over my own pain!"

"Well so was I!"

"Well all right!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

By this point, both boys were exhausted and slightly light headed from all of the yelling. They kept staring at each other, no longer furious, but still so very stubborn. There was still no apology said between the two, but it wasn't needed anymore. They had put everything out. But was it enough to heal their yearlong pain of suffering and separation?

In an instant, Alfred pulled Arthur by the wrist and had him flush up against his chest. Arthur stumbled, caught off guard. "You want me to be tough and strong again, then fine. I will."

Suddenly, Alfred was there. Everywhere. Hugging, kissing, savoring Arthur, and whispering apologies. Arthur replied with frantic kisses and hugs, reaffirming his love for him. The one that never left. The one that had only grown from their year apart.

"Don't hate yourself," Alfred said. "You're beautiful and smart and amazing."

Arthur pulled away to smile up at his beloved. "That's exactly what I see in you."

"I'm sorry."

"As am I," Arthur sighed at finally hearing that overdue apology. "We're quite ridiculous. Here we were thinking our secrets were protecting the other, when it only tore us apart."

"Even so, our pain couldn't take the memory of you away from me," Alfred murmured, his lips resting against Arthur's forehead. "I still remembered everything."

"Then you were not alone, luv." Arthur brushed Alfred's hair behind his ear. He kissed his neck, longing for the taste of his skin.

Arthur soon found himself lost in the dream that was Alfred. His soft skin drew him, promising him relief from all those lonely nights with just himself, that photo of Alfred under his pillow, and his hand. His hands seized Alfred's back and he responded. No longer did they have to be alone.

"Does this mean it's make-up sex time?"

Arthur nodded vigorously. He wanted to dominate Alfred, show him what he missed all these months. Alfred had other plans.

He promptly picked the smaller boy up under his arse, making Arthur cry out on an undignified manner, and slamming him onto the piano. Always with the bloody piano, Arthur thought. Boy must have had a fetish.

Arthur made no move to stop him. There was no foreplay. How could there be? The boys had foolishly ached for this moment for a year now. Their pride and fear had been the death of their relationship. Arthur, in his fear and distrust in himself. Alfred, with his instability with everyone.

"Don't leave me," Arthur whispered as Alfred slowly penetrated him. Alfred gripped at Arthur's hips, finding that tattoo and squeezing lightly.

Arthur's legs opened for him, spreading his body across the piano. Alfred's hands held him under the knees. Somehow in the haze of their sex, he managed a steady stare at Arthur.

"I won't."

Arthur believed him. As Alfred called Arthur's name so loud it echoed off of the walls, clung to his thighs, and came fully inside, it was all the proof Arthur needed to know it would be just fine. Better then fine.

"So I guess we'll have to get the band back together," Alfred started. He lie under me as I twirled my finger along his chest. We had hurried back to my dorm room shortly before the music class came in for their lesson. I did feel bad I had first beaten the poor instrument to death and then the two of us had ended up shagging soon afterwards on top of it.

I gave Alfred an inquisitive look. He frowned slightly. "I mean, if you want to."

I sighed. "I suppose that would be good. We had both thrown away our old friends."

Alfred looked towards the window. "You know… After Matt told me what happened and such… I got really mad at him… Like really mad. We didn't talk all the rest of the summer."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? That must have been very difficult for you."

"It was…," Alfred started. "Really hard… I mean…before you there was only Matt. So…seeing that he broke it and told you… It really hurt."

"In his defense, Matthew did it to protect you." I gave Alfred a small smile. "He's just as guilty as we are."

"Yeah," Alfred sighed, looking back at me. "I think that's why everything went to hell so fast. Man, we were so perfect at first. The troublesome jock falling in love with the stodgy studious guy and bonding over jazz. Sounds like some terrible story or something, you know? Ones a girl like Elizaveta would read."

We laughed together for a moment and I enjoyed the fact that I finally was doing so for the first time in a year. Suddenly, I remembered something.

"Happy birthday, Alfred," I said, caressing his face. "This is my third Fourth of July and I must say it's my favorite so far."

Alfred beamed back. "Yeah, last year's kinda blowed, didn't it?"

"Two out of three isn't so bad." I kissed his chest slowly. "I hope to enjoy many more with you… But Alfred, we have to promise. No more lies, no more secrets, and from now on we say what we truly feel. Okay?"

"Okay," Alfred said with a smile. He sealed it with a kiss. "As long as you call your parents and get back with them. I'm sure they didn't mean to neglect you and stuff. Come on, man, I know you miss them."

I flushed, looking away. "Of course I miss them… How could I not…? It's bad enough I lost Peter, but my entire family…?"

Alfred took my hand, kissing away the memories of my parents staring at me in horror and throwing me from the house, calling my brothers and telling them I was no longer their sibling, and the emptiness of returning to my dorm with no one. I smiled slightly, happy that it wasn't the case anymore.

"I hope you know…all of this isn't fixed," I started, hating to rain on this joyous moment of our reunion. "We still have so much to fix."

Alfred nodded. "I know… And I'm willing to stay by your side as we heal ourselves…and help one another. Remember when we got into that fight because you got jealous of some chick? I said we should be each other's strengths, remember?"

"Strength, though, does not mean we hide things and assume the other doesn't want to hear of our problems," I said sternly. My inner-lecturer was coming back. To be honest, it felt rather pleasant to have it back.

Alfred nodded. "I know… I'm just not used to it. Dude, even when I was with only Matt, I still never told him half the stuff you know. He doesn't know I wanna go into space or that I have your doll from all those years ago or even what my favorite food is."

I frowned. "If your own brother doesn't know that you're obsessed with hamburgers then he truly is an idiot. Of which I don't think he is, so I think you're wrong on that aspect."

Alfred chuckled. "Yeah. I hope so. I like to think Matt and I are close."

"You are. I heard from him you try to keep him and Francis from dating." At this, Alfred inhaled slowly and bit his lower lip. He did not look pleased. I laughed, shaking my head. "You can't keep them apart."

"I don't like it," Alfred said flatly. "Francis is such a… And Matt's more like a… And they're just…"

I put my hand on Alfred's chest, unable to stop laughing at how cute he had become. So jealous and protective of his brother. "This is their relationship, Alfred. Let them deal with it. We have to do that with ours from now on too. We should never include Matthew in any more of our fights. And next time we do have a fight, don't break up me…or punch me."

Alfred kissed my jaw gently. "I'm sorry… I…I need to learn to control my temper. It's just…my dad and…"

I held up a hand to stop him. I was being so gentle again. I had missed it. Being tough and cold and emotionless could only last so long with me. Despite how deep I had gotten into this punk chapter of my life, I could feel myself slowly going insane from just how detached I had truly become. Because while I had changed into someone Alfred couldn't love again, I had also become someone even I couldn't love.

"You don't need to tell me," I whispered. "By the way… I hope you don't mind that I'm still going to be pretty punk for awhile."

Alfred thought about it a moment before caressing my tattoo. "Does this mean you'll get another one 'cause I have to admit this is damn hot. Like shit, if you get one more, can it be on your shoulder blade or something?"

I laughed. "I got this tattoo while drunk, actually. My parents don't know about it and I'd like to keep it that way. Besides, if there is anyone to get any tattoos it should be you."

"And ruin my perfect form?" Alfred flexed, drawing my eyes instantly to his biceps. "I don't think so."

I shifted over, grabbing his arm and kissing the smooth skin. Oh God I missed that. "You know…sometimes you remind me of Peter… I wager you and him would have gotten along quite well had you two met."

Alfred laughed. "We so totally would! We'd play jokes on you, laugh as you got mad..."

"Yes, and all that jazz."

Hoshiko2's cents: This is the end. I'm really sad to be stopping this series, but at the same time, I've run out of fuel on it. Thank you so much to everyone. Really. Your reviews and favorites and subscriptions and long drawn out conversations on the sides have made me feel so much more confident in my writing ability. I will be continuing my writing and there will be a side story (think of it as an epilogue) I'll be uploading next week for the USUK Sweethearts Week over at LiveJournal. Don't worry, I'll be posting all of my entries here for those who hate the site.

Sadly, no one sent in their entries for the contest. I was really surprised, actually. Quite a few of you expressed an interest earlier in the series when I first mentioned it. I guess it was too hard? Well, I'll give some and let you figure out the rest.

This series basically was the entire time before the American Revolution leading up to it with sprinkles of WWII in it. The first four chapters don't have any as I never intended for the story to be this long, but there were more later on. For instance, Arthur getting beaten up and Alfred saving him is a call to WWII when America came to England's aid after the Blitzkrieg. Kiku and Alfred's fight is Pearl Harbor and then later the Atomic Bomb/end of the war. The sudden jealousy Arthur had and laying down laws are the taxes England put on Colonial America. Obviously the break-up was the end of the Revolution. The isolation of Alfred and Matt was the Monroe Doctrine followed by the Splendid Isolation with Arthur after the break-up. Arthur turning punk is an obvious one, but also his isolation is canon as it states England was very irritable and isolated after his heart was broken by a special person. There is much more, but that's it. =3

If you like me enough, please look forward to more of my stories. I'll be starting new updates come Tuesday. Monday is my birthday and today is a very special birthday. Kanta, my dear, this fanfic is now your Christmas gift, New Years gift, and birthday gift. Happy 20th sweetie.

And on to the next story! =3