Replied to Part 1's reviews below! :DD Turns out I decided to reply to reviews when I updated this...Thank you so much for your patience!

Part 3 will be posted August 16th, 2016! It's pretty much an epilogue... There will also be a sneak peak of Bulgaria and Moldova's side story in that last page! :,)

20: The Damned

Part 2

The train had expired within a few hours of travel from Cluj, but that didn't stop the group from moving forward and following the plan - even if it had meant leaving Turkey and Romania. Switzerland felt like he was the unhappiest out of the four of them, seeing that Hungary looked quite content with her arms around Prussia and Austria. Their grins never fell, only shook at the mention of the names left behind.

Nation-beings were supposed to understand sorrow throughout the years of watching beloved leaders and friends die. It was a part of their nature. But something had changed in Switzerland after the Calamity, and he couldn't help but care so much more for those lost. He felt like Hungary had also understood the weight on their shoulders when a Nation died for their sake. He had tried to bring it up to her once, but she had only stared past the horizon and Prussia and Austria took her away from him.

Poland met them at Baia Mare with an appalling pink-painted truck and a couple of crewmen in leather.

Impressed by his luxuries, the Alpine was immediately curious of Poland's boy-band gang. Poland reassured his super cool gang was a trusted group of friends made up of fathers and mothers, something strikingly similar to how Romania had organized.

Switzerland wondered if an organization like this was simply common among the traditional countries in East Europe, and it may be possible given that Russia had survived and left the dead zones with his family. Nations intact.

Hungary and Austria - even Prussia - on the other hand, had a different strategy for their people when the Calamity struck.

The night of the reunion, Switzerland sat by the firelight of the camp. His gaze floated from the wary handful of figures guarding tents and patrolling the grounds. A group curled around another campfire, serving food to the young and old.

Hungary, Austria and Prussia were in one of the lit tents behind where he sat. He was guarding their tent from any of Romania's patrollers who would argue with them for leaving behind their saviour.

So far, when Hungary had returned, there had been a handful of the Romania's council, including Cosmin, who had confronted her with questions and scrutiny. Word spread, leaving over half of Romania's divisions worried and restless for their hero's absence.

In the end, Poland and Prussia had managed to calm them all down with some answers. Poland reassured them of new beginnings, while Prussia answered for Hungary's choices - Austria remained by her side, while Switzerland watched in the loop of things.

It had been two days since the Cluj cave destruction, and Hungary had urged for another two to three days time to rest in Poland before leaving for the safe zone across the sea. Switzerland knew she was buying time to wait for any signs of the Romanian who had made a promise…

"Look, I brought supper!" A little girl with dark hair and brown eyes approached him, wrapped sandwich in hand. She was named Nadia, one of the the youngest orphans Romania had cared for.

Switzerland nodded stiffly, and accepted the food with a small smile.

"Thanks," he said hesitantly. He didn't expect the little girl to sit by his side and flourish another wrap out of nowhere. She started munching it beside him with careless swinging feet as if the world was going wake up to a wonderful dawn. Switzerland felt a pang in his chest when he realized tonight was their last night in Poland before heading off to sea.

Switzerland swallowed a bite. "You learned that from Ro - Alex?"

Nadia chewed. "Mhmm!" She watched him curiously. "Did you like the sandwich?"

Those words hit Switzerland's heart when a memory of Liechtenstein resurfaced.

"Of course," he chuckled from the taste of cabbage between crusty bread. It tastes, like sandwich, he answered her in his mind. "Do you miss him?"

"Hm?" Nadia blinked up at the Swiss Nation.

"Um...Alex..." Switzerland looked away from her. "I don't like how he always left you and the others to fend for yourselves..."

"We were happy," the little girl said, "and we are happy...and we will always miss someone like him..."

Switzerland's eyes closed. He knew her pain very well, and like her, he'd let it all go.

"There is a train for us to move on," Nadia said softly. "There is also a forest with dragons, and there will always be bad things with the good things, but I am not afraid. He told me to never be afraid of the dragons in the forest..."

Switzerland opened his eyes and smiled at her. Before she could see it, she was already scuttling away to one of the children's tents.

"Never be afraid of the dragons in the forest..." the Swiss Nation whispered.

Hungary had counted six days on sea after they left Europe. A week was spent in Poland waiting for Romania's promised return to his people, but much to their dismay, he'd never showed up.

Poland led the communities and combined patrols with Romania's team. With Hungary's approval, they boarded the Russian ships to the west in a matter of a day. Other Nation-beings weren't there, but the crewmen of the ship knew their identities and assured safe travel.

Prussia was lucky to find some of his German boys - hoodlums, he'd called them affectionately - by the docks, waiting for their leader since their separation in Germany. Apparently some of them had boldly travelled to America already and messaged a hopeful report. Poland decided to spend time among the Russian crewmen after hauling up stragglers on board.

Hungary had only glanced back once, before disappearing into the ship alongside Austria - and that was when the last of the families filed into the cargo hold, all the while Switzerland busied himself with Romania's divisions.

Austria had provided Hungary with a pen and paper to distract herself with some writing. He would've given her a journal instead, but Poland had apparently snuck away with all the journals, citing secret diary purposes.

She still had Romania's division list and instructions, so she first busied herself with a news story on the incidents which had happened. Thanks to the Russian crew, there was enough paper to write with.

There was also an abundance of things to write about; the train wreck by the Danube, the Cluj cave community, ditches in Hungarian soil, and then finally bits and pieces about the Immunity and its effect on people. She had made Austria read that one, and approved of it to be published, but when the time came to publish any of her writing, she'd only published the Cave Community and the ingenuity of a Romanian country, mentioning the patrols and trainwreck and the genius plan to move to Poland. She wasn't going to criticize any more countries like Austria and his needle, or her own people's despair. She was going to praise one, and it was going to be Romania. And that was enough.

Austria and Prussia provided her company. Sometimes Switzerland would wander by her hall and pass a nod with a worried look. She could always tell he wanted her to show her face at a community talk or dance, but she'd always run away from it. Austria told her he was taking care of Nadia and Cosmin, and the other kids.

Prussia sometimes reported in something random, like how the ship wasn't awesome enough or this and that. Most of the time he occupied himself with his young Germans in games with Poland and some of the crewmen who tagged along. They were one elated group, on board entertaining the divisions.

Her Polish friend, sensing her need for space, never really visited her quarters, but she did hear of his doings now and again. Prussia said the blonde was either found talking to the Russian captain about plans and supplies, or in the kitchens to helping with the food and chatting up old Gabi, or bouncing around the decks getting to know families.

"Count on Poland to try to organize a party in a ship," Austria mused. One time, apparently Poland spooked Switzerland for a laugh and Austria said he'd wished he witnessed the reaction.

People were occupying themselves with old board games, playing cards, and dice. Austria told her Poland and Prussia's team had helped provide the games. Some of the families had even volunteered to have little dances using whatever they can find for music like spoons and kitchen ware…

Austria wandered around, learning about the families and reporting back to her. Hungary noticed he was healing within a good community, regaining a normalcy he'd lost. Not once was the Immunity ever brought up again, and not once did he try to attack someone. It was all but a faded dream to him now, though she knew he was haunted forever with a missing hand. Alongside him stood Switzerland with every step, and together they helped reshape a sense of happiness within the families.

She had invited the two of them in her room for important documents to adhere to. It was the ninth night on board and she was determined to settle things before appearing in America.

With Austria and Switzerland's help, she wrote a few declarations and new documents, mainly about country reestablishments and policies. She handled Romania's, Turkey's, Bulgaria's and even Moldova's, while Austria took care of Germany's, among other countries the Immunity had affected. Switzerland finished Liechtenstein's, Belgium's, Netherland's and finally they wrote for their own.

They were going to rebuild other nations first, and then return to their own plans. For Romania's declarations, Hungary finished it with her signature, approving all rights to remain with the Romanian people, not to her. She had also added that there was no debt to pay between them.

Sixteenth day on board.

Prussia's newest random tidbit was that there were over a thousand people on board, including all of Romania's community, and that he earned himself a stalker who he had yet to confront. His reason: too awesome not to have a stalker.

Hungary barely ate. She didn't mind though. Lately she much preferred meat - so did Austria. She wondered if becoming anti-vegetable was the worse of Immunity's side effects. Prussia had a smaller dose of the needle, and never got as addicted as Austria - and Hungary, who'd injected more than she thought before plunging into a ditch.

Hungary barely slept, and when she did her nights were dreamless and empty. Insomnia exhausted her, hollow nights terrified her - she felt like she was drowning in darkness - and she hoped it was only because of the Immunity.

She missed dreaming. She never minded if she'd forget her dreams the second she'd wake, but dreams were escapes of their own and having none of them felt like the life was draining out of her mind. The empty nights were too quiet, and during those hours, she felt like she was dead.

On the night before their arrival to America, Hungary bumped into Nadia and Cosmin talking to Switzerland down the hall. Nadia spotted her and waved. Before anyone else could greet her, Hungary bolted to her room, shutting the door behind her.

She kept asking herself why she hadn't gotten over it. Several days had passed already, and she had buried the thoughts of Turkey behind a mask and the fleeting moments with Bulgaria. And yet for some damned reason, she wasn't over her one particular rival.

Damn him.

To hell with Romania, she thought with her fists clenched. Why didn't she just drag him away from his maddening goal to find his little brother? Only rumoured to be alive. Why wasn't he like Prussia who had moved on?

Prussia had trusted his little brother to be alive on his own, and so did Romania for a little while. Then again, Germany was a lot more capable than a ten year old in the wilderness, Hungary thought.

Hands soaked in tears, she fell to her knees and barred the door with her quivering back. She knew someone could hear her crying, muffled through her palms. The walls of the room felt like a cave and a prison. She didn't feel deserving of the children's smiling faces and the hopeful ship of men and women ready to live again. They were his people. Not hers.

He saved her but she hadn't done the same -

A knocking on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"No Gilbert, not tonight!" she said on impulse, her tone clearly annoyed. "And if that's you Roderich I - I can't talk right now, I told you I need some space - !"

"Lizzy...?" Poland's voice lifted her head. "It's me..."

She hadn't seen the Polish Nation for days, and when they had reunited in Europe, it felt so brief. He hadn't visited her ship quarters at all since he'd been busy on board.

Hungary felt the need to talk to him. When she opened the door, she fought the urge to cry in his arms.

"I'm sorry," she sniffled. "I thought you were Gil - "

"It's totally cool, Liz." He smiled. "Can I come in? Like, we seriously need to do your hair and paint your nails and stuff..."

"It's been a while, Feliks..." she grinned, welcoming him into the room with open arms. She was a mess, and she didn't protest when the Polish Nation set up a kit on her bedside table.

"I know," he sighed. "So, like, I'm totally sorry about that." He pulled out a chair and offered her a seat in front of a small mirror he brought in. "I've been like super busy doing a lot of stuff here and there, up and down. Like, my legs are seriously having a total work out! Anyways, Lizzy, we'll totally catch up later, but like right now," he pulled out a comb from his bag, "Have a seat so I can seriously comb your hair."

Hungary joined him with a smile. She wasn't surprised - he had probably raided a deserted beauty salon for a grooming kit. She supposed his hobby distracted him from the desolate world.

"Okay, this is totally me trying to cheer you up Liz," he beamed, brushing back tufts of curls from her hair. She found it soothing.

There was a party he had organized tonight at the main hold of the ship. She heard it was to celebrate their last night before reaching America at dawn. Hungary had declined the invitation, and maybe that was why Poland was here.

"I'm not going to that party, Feliks," she said stubbornly.

He sighed. "Oh Lizzy...this isn't about that. I'm here 'cause I haven't talked to you in ages."

In her silence she let him unclip Illes' flower to loop her hair in a braided bun.

"I know you totally don't want to talk about that stuff," he said, returning the flower in her palm. "So, like, I completely understand."

"No." She didn't want to hold back a sob rising in her throat. "I have to ask you something, Poland..."

He finished the braided loop of locks on her head and sat by her side on the cot. "What's up?"

She knew he missed his old friend Lithuania, and that this journey away from his land was to finally see him again in America. But he had left behind a good home with survivors, and at this time, there was a lingering dread for unattended countries and neglected Nations.

"Aren't you worried about what you left behind in your country?" she asked, her fingers curling around her hairpin.

Poland's eyebrows crinkled and his shoulders sagged. Suddenly Hungary wished she hadn't asked. His cheerful face was shockingly distressed, a surprising contrast to his usual smiling demeanor. She was about to change the subject when he answered, "I am..."

Hungary looked at him through the tears.

"I am worried that I left," Poland murmured, "Like, I didn't want to leave, but I like to think that what I did was wake up from a nightmare, and to be totally honest, Lizzy..." He smiled again with a light in his eyes he'd carried for years. "I feel like I need to see the world again, even if it is on the other side..."

The words hung in a heavy silence between them, like a fog looming over their heads, erasing the world for a moment of thought. When the Polish Nation left her quarters for the evening party, Hungary felt she should finally do the same.

Head held high and linking arms with Poland, she surprised Prussia, Austria and even Switzerland that night at the party. She was shy among the families around her, since she'd been absent during most of the whole trip and she'd hardly talked to any of them.

Nevertheless she was welcomed again, and together among friends and kind faces they held a memorable night of celebration in the warmth and comfort of both people and Nation. They talked and danced, laughed and sang and ate, and for a while, the night's entertainment dismissed their troubles and tossed them overboard.

Yet even with the enthralling lights and dancing, Hungary still felt haunted. It was as if someone was watching her closely like a ghost in the midst of a crowd…

...I remember the first time we ever met. I had strayed from the path of my friends and stumbled into a forest. I was running away from a game of hide and seek, and I wasn't looking where I was going.

I stumbled and crashed right onto you, and we fell down into a stream. It was a little part of the Danube we shared and I never knew who really lived on the other side until that day. You were exploring my land.

Fish swam around us, splashing against the gentle current. One leapt at my face and I stumbled on something wriggling around my feet. When I tripped and fell forward, I landed right in your arms and accidentally planted my lips on yours for a mere second.

"Bleh! Get off me!" you spat, falling back into the water, drowning your face. I was just as confused.

"Eurgh! Did I just kiss you?" I rubbed my lips with the back of my hand.

You looked stunned. "Ugh. No! You slipped on a fish!"

"A fish?!"

"Lots of fishes swim in this stream."

"Oh!" Puzzled, I stood up against the current.

Fish continued to swim around us, sticking their scales to our skin. You yelped for a moment when a tailfin slapped your arm. I burst out laughing until a funny looking catfish leapt to my face and I screamed.

"You're afraid of a little fish!" you laughed, and I pouted.

"Yeah? You're going to smell stinky!"

"So will you!" you joked. "We'll get along swimmingly."

"Not in this current situation!"

"Wow." You smiled and gazed up at me. "Is there something fishy going on between us?"

I chuckled. "You're so weird!" I couldn't think of a comeback through my laughter. We were both drenched and laughing at each other like a couple of crazies. Then you suddenly stopped and stared at me.

"Uh oh," you said, and two sharp teeth winked at me from your mouth.

"What?"

"Your lips are bleeding."

"Whah?!" With my fingers I felt a little cut on my bottom lip. It was your fault. "Heeeeey! You - "

"Sorry about that. I have a couple of pointy teeth like - "

"Are you a vampire?" I gasped in panic.

"Why do people always say that?" You narrowed your eyes at me. "No! My boss says I got it from my Dacian-blood...and noooo, they're not vampires!"

"You're one of them?!" My eyes widened.

You grinned. "Well, my mom is like the super cool Dacia. She's not given me a name yet but she likes calling me Ro sometimes, like Grandpa Rome if you've met him..." I nodded. "Everyone here calls me Wallachia." You held out a dripping hand

"Nice to meet you!"

I hesitantly took your hand and helped you up on your feet. "Wall-wally shee...walleesha...keeah...? Chia?"

You frowned. "Almost."

"I like Dacia better!" I smiled, pleased by the silly scowl on your face.

"But that's not - no that's like my mom's - "

"It just sounds a lot cooler than Wall-sheesh-yeah!" I giggled.

"You're just gonna call me that to annoy me aren't you?"

"Yup!"

You rolled your eyes and mumbled, "Well, you're such a Magyar."

I repeated your words. "And you're just going to call me that to annoy me too?"

"Yup."

"Whatever." I shrugged and placed my hands on my hips. "I don't mind. I guess we're even on that...And you know you're not supposed to be here. What were you doing on my side of the river anyway?"

We forgot we were still in the middle of a creek; our legs submerged among the tickling fish.

"Um...this side's not - " You were about to argue when we both heard someone calling in the distance.

"Liiiiiz!"

"Eliza?"

Do you remember when Prussia and Austria had different names back then? They were little warriors and princes of the past and they called for me in the forest where we were playing...

I looked at you sadly and turned to my side of the river. I offered you my hand, but you'd already turned away for the other direction.

"Hey, Dacian!" I called you back. "Why are you going that way?" I wanted to introduce you to my friends. I wanted you to be my friend.

"Our bosses don't like each other, Magyar." You looked back, but you were already on the other side.

"Okay, but we can still be friends!" I said stubbornly. "If I ever see you around in battle and stuff...let me know who you are okay? I don't want to accidentally kick a fishy friend's butt!" I laughed, waving at your silly face across the river.

"Okay!" You grinned and waved in return. "You should go! They're calling you!"

I didn't know why but I remembered I never said the word goodbye to you that moment. Maybe I did, but I know in my heart I didn't. And you never did either when I turned and left.

Somehow, we knew something about the word 'goodbye' or 'farewell' that was too much for both of us. It was like the word held people apart, and we never said it because we knew we'd see each other again.

"See you around, Magyar!" I heard you call.

"Another time, Dacian!" I said smiling. When I glanced over my shoulder across the river, you were already gone.

Do you remember?

I do.

And I will never forget.

It was written in a dark purple and pink marker on a thin folded piece of paper, creased and opened for the note to blare out its message in the dark. Switzerland's fingers curled around the door knob and froze when he read the words that felt like they were engraved on the metal door.

With Poland's curly signature at the bottom, it said, "You'll totally understand why I had to keep him a secret..."

Before he had ended up paralyzed in the middle of a dark room of the cabin hold, the Alpine had been outside the ship, which had finally arrived in its safe haven.

He had witnessed Prussia reunite with Germany in a loud, arm-bruising manner - a "LOOK HOW AWESOME THIS LOSER IS" proclamation was heard probably across the whole country. He watched Austria being escorted to a clinic alongside Spain and France who, despite missing limbs too, were nevertheless just as overjoyed to see them arrive. Hungary joined America, Russia, Britain and Japan in a discussion of search parties and return trips for any more survivors. Poland walked side by side with Lithuania and the other Baltics, helping families by the dockside.

Switzerland felt a smile spread across his face when he stood by the rail of the ship waiting for the line of communities to end. They piled up at the docks and were eventually escorted out to separate camps, supervised by designated generals and Nation-beings.

Switzerland had found Sweden and Finland's familiar faces in the crowd, sorting out Romania's divisions. He had also spotted Sealand with them, and a hurt in his heart reminded him of Netherlands' deal with Belgium - Denmark and Sealand had been there before shots were fired. Switzerland suddenly wondered whatever happened to their younger brother, Luxembourg.

Right when he was about to enter the docks to greet the Nations, Poland appeared out of nowhere and pulled him aside, dragging him back on board the ship.

"Switzy, Switzy, Switzy," sang the Polish Nation. "I totally, like, need you to do me a favour!"

"I hope this is not about that magical pony you've been telling me about, " Switzerland groaned. He was really hoping to speak to the other Nations upon arrival - not waste time on Poland's silly talks about ponies and his pink painted fingernails...

But the moment he reached the door Poland told him to go to, he suddenly felt like he'd been a fool to dismiss the Polish Nation so quickly with little explanation.

He had been wrong to suspect nothing more than silly games from Poland after all this time. He should've suspected something. He should've noticed a secret kept well hidden below deck concealed behind a closed door.

The end of the hallway was like a light at the end of a tunnel.

He stopped before it, paralyzed by the note on its door face as if it had hit him with a brick.

"Understand why…?" Switzerland gaped, repeating the words with his hand still around the doorknob. "Keep...a secret...?" His mind was whirling around who this 'him' could be.

He opened the door.

The room was like every cabin room of the ship; a simple cot bed with a couple of blankets, a table beside it, some hooks for clothing or other assorted items, and a chair by the bed. However, this room contained more than the usual blanket and bed supplies. It had a journal on its table, boots by the foot of the bed, and a black ratty scarf hanging on the chair pulled beside it.

Switzerland didn't notice at first, but there was a curled up figure on the bed with their back turned to him. At first glance, he mistakened it for a large pillow.

The secret.

It moved. Curiously looking over their shoulder to see the Alpine visitor.

Switzerland's heart skipped a beat.

It was the boy.

Grey purple eyes greeted him, one more faded than the other. The child who was doomed to die sat before him.

Switzerland staggered a few steps away, hitting the metal door shut with his back. It occurred to him that he had also been in a similar situation with Austria many weeks ago, but this was even more shocking. It was like seeing a ghost, alive and breathing.

The boy sat on the bed looking up at him, bewildered. Switzerland could hardly breathe. Suddenly the child's whole body drooped, his brows wrinkled to hide a hiccup and a tear slipping through glossy eyes.

"I...I'm sorry," the boy whimpered, his gaze to the floor. "I'm having a hard time remembering. But...I know - I know you - and I - " he choked. "I remembered my big brother...and I...I remember running away after he shot me! And - and Bulgaria was different and I was scared - I don't remember a lot but my shoulder really hurt! I don't know, it just got better and I knew..."

Without hesitating, Switzerland crossed the room and embraced him. He enveloped the child, and he didn't even flinch. The boy welcomed it and held him in return, crying on his shoulder.

Even with faded memories, all that really mattered to Switzerland was that the boy survived. The feeling of hot tears on his clothes were enough proof he was real - not a ghost of the past.

The boy spoke of a shot to his shoulder and the dread in Romania's eyes. The boy had ran away in fear from all the troubles, bleeding to death...and then he healed. The boy told him of his painful revelation and return for his brother, only to find nothing there and no one left. Even the bodies of those Romania had killed sank in the depths of the river Danube.

And so the boy followed the train tracks, driven farther away from his brother. Swept up in a sea of people, he rode a new vessel away from a nightmare and a homeland.

Switzerland realized had this child not been kept a secret, no doubt they would have been forced to turn the ship around for Romania again. Hungary would've been furious at being kept in the dark, and would not have had it any other way. But it would've been too soon for a return, and there were too many other lives at stake.

"...too late!" the boy wept. "I remembered him too late! Now he's gone! I was so stupid! I didn't know! I've lost him!"

Switzerland held on to him, his throat felt dry.

Was it too late?

No...

"It'll be alright..." Switzerland consoled, remembering he had once told a sister those words.

"You didn't lose him, Moldova..."

She fell silent during the trip. The sound of a plane in the distance was all the goodness in the world to her. Nothing seemed to burden the Belgian's smile, even being in the worst case scenarios, like being stuffed in a truck to nowhere, promised a brother at the end of the line.

Switzerland regarded her curiously. Green eyes, almost hazel, and golden brown hair that shone like marbled milk chocolate. Sunlight streamed through the cracks of the vehicle doors, touching her skin with a warm glow. A velvet ribbon -

"What?" Belgium smiled at him.

Switzerland suddenly realized he was staring and quickly looked away, clearing his throat.

"Nothing."

She chuckled. "Hey, if you're worried that they're not taking us to my brother, I will kick their asses and take care of you."

He laughed. "Sure."

She sighed. "Don't worry, Vash," she said, looking away from him after a pause. The light in her eyes fading distantly to dream a sunset over the horizon.

He wondered if she was imagining her brother's embrace right now, beyond the cold steel walls of this truck.

"Well whatever happens, I'll be with y - " Switzerland stopped himself.

"Around," he finished, a little aware of a flush in his cheeks. "Umm - yeah. I'll be around to help you. Find your brother. We'll find him. He's out there somewhere. We'll take care of whoever's in our way. It'll be alright. I've done it before..." He cleared his throat again. "We'll be fine."

Belgium's lips turned to a smiled when her gaze fell on him. It was an unforgettable smile.

"Even if we don't find him after all this," she said softly. "You'll take care of me?"

Switzerland nodded. "Of course," he promised her, holding on to the memory of her green eyes.

In her hair Liechtenstein's ribbon caught a touch of the sunlight.

Writer's Ramble:

"We'll get along swimmingly." (Bringing back this line from a previous chapter! Remember in when Ro wrecked the train...?)

"Eurgh! Did I just kiss you?" (Reason why Ro wanted to dismiss Hungary's recollection of this childhood memory mentioned a while back. There's a popular headcannon I encountered and used here that Ro's first kiss was Hungary, and he hates to bring it up - I didn't dive into that in this story though. In another favourite headcanon of mine, Hun's first kiss was from someone else ;))

"...Austria being escorted to a clinic alongside Spain and France..." (Refers to Gutters - the inspiration for Retrace. *spoilers* Spain lost a leg, and France was missing an arm.)

"In her hair Liechtenstein's ribbon..." (I had been itching to write a flashback for Switzerland and Belgium, for a while and I'm happy to end this with it. This refers to the chapter way back when he and Belgium were tossed in a truck after their Scarlet Baron got bombed, and I hope that was clear enough in a sentence...)

""...I'll be with y - " Switzerland stopped himself." (Was there a Swiss/Bel thing happening throughout the series? I don't know about you, but in this story, she inspired him and he admired her in the end. In a strange way, Ro did the same with Hun, and Hun did the same with Ro. Only...yeah tragic stuff just happens. I wanted to show relationships change in Retrace and I hope that's clear...)

"See you around, Magyar!" "Another time, Dacian!" (I like keeping a headcanon that they still call each other nicknames like Magyar and Dacian, for playful reasons. Obviously you can argue for any inaccuracies, but I just think it's cute. ;) Furthermore, if you notice, Retrace has kept histories vague, so I kept true to that and left out actual dates of when Ro had ever encountered Hungary. I like to think it was the time when she knew the young embodiments of Prussia and Austria back then...)

"...my mom is like the super cool Dacia." (I figured this headcanon sounded quite fitting...thanks Emm(francofous)! ;u;)

"...and then he healed." (A headcanon of my own! Nations can heal from the loss of other Nations. In here, when Moldova healed, he just started recalling things. Remember a portion of his brain was touched in the Calamity? The gunshot he received from his brother aided healing capabilities to wake up. I also have a headcanon that when Nation-beings die, like guiding souls, they pass their lives to close Nations that survived. It was evident with Switzerland and Hungary, for Liechtenstein and Turkey, and now it is happening to Moldova. In time, they heal themselves to live on.)

Reviews!

Hey Z!
I don't remember replying to you yet, but if I did, here's another one! ^u^ I hope you enjoyed this recent update my friend! My updating will come to an end next week when I finally post you all the Epilogue. YEP! THE END IS NIGH!

We meet again FluffHelpsEvery!
I definitely remember you~ I had actually looked up that gif and I wonder if you'll have another gif for me with this one...I'm glad you enjoyed the first piece of this end! :,)

Heyaa Eliza!
I have...admittedly ship that ship too. I did not mean to ship it at all three years ago when Retrace started (Honestly I didn't). Overtime, a special someone recently finally convinced me to ship it. OTL Its a cursed ship...

Its so awesome to hear from you again Antinael! :D
Whoa! Your review's are a fun read. Get ready for a final review in Part 3 next week! Oh maaaan it has been a while.
Thank you so much for your thoughts and I look forward to more in these last couple of pieces! Turkey's whereabouts will be explained in the Epilogue after this. We shall see~ Oh! Unfortunately for Austria, Nation-beings (in inspiration to Gutters) cannot not regrow limbs...
I may put this on a side note, or a "behind the scenes" thing, but I had intended to rid of Austria's right hand for his piano playing. I had initially written a scene when he plays the piano again for Hungary in the end, and - unless he learns to be ambidextrous - he would be forced to play the low notes which are mainly sad sounding songs. In Retrace's Pavements he had also been playing with his left hand until Hungary joined his right :D I wanted to make that parallel too.
I wonder what you'll think of my epilogue...
I love writing kid!Hungary! And I hope my Kid!Ro did justice here for ya! ^u^ Yep!
Ohhh! 2012 was a fun year for me! Thanks for placing it then! I would certainly place it around these times too. I did base my research on our current time...
Ahhh! Thank you so much for the feedback!
If you ever, I would love that! xD Holy Carpathians you have no idea how much I loooove any form of fanwork of this fanfic 3 Whether playlists/fanarts/fanfics etc... from other people they are blessed things to me, and I treasure them a lot more than my promotional work :,D

Thank you for reading and for reviewing! I will reply to any more reviews in the Epilogue. If you have any more questions I have not yet addressed in a ramble, please send them over in a review! I will respond next week! :D

All my thanks and my final thoughts will be in the upcoming last page...