Finally! It's the chapter you've all been waiting for! Personally I think it turned out pretty well, but since it's past midnight and I'm half asleep... I'm sure I've made a few mistakes in here, but I'll come back to revise it after a much needed sleep. So enjoy!

XXI. Moments of peace

"Italy!"

Liechtenstein whirled around, narrowly missing Prussia, who was holding an iced beer. She pushed through the crowd of people that had started to gather around the returning team and located the source of the name-caller. Romano was calling Italy, so that meant... He was back!

"Lilli, you should stay back. Italy looks bad. It'd be better if you waited until after he's all patched up." Switzerland appeared out of nowhere and grabbed onto her arm. She turned back to look at her big brother, her expression of delight not fading.

"Big bruder, I don't mind what he looks like. I just want to see if he's really back, safe and sound." She tugged her arm away from Vash's grasp and ducked Cuba's fist, heading toward the direction of Germany and the nation he was supporting.

"Italy!" This time she yelled his name along with Romano. Finally, she had gotten to the front of the growing crowd. But now a circle of nations were ushering Italy and Germany away.

A hand landed on her shoulder. "Liechtenstein, he's being taken to the medical room. Someone will be there to fix his wounds. You'll be able to see him later." Switzerland managed a reassuring smile. Liechtenstein peered up at her big brother, but then nodded, pushing away the disappointment.

"Can you lead me there? I want to wait for him."

Switzerland grunted. Without a word, he took her hand and led her in the direction of the medical room. Leaving her outside with the excuse that he had to go find Canada, Switzerland quickly left. Liechtenstein looked after her big brother for a second, and then turned to the door.

After a few tries, she found that it was locked. Lilli gave a small sigh, and then plopped down on one of the chairs propped against the wall to wait.

Staring at the empty white wall in front of her, she thought back to the strange dream she had had the night before. She could barely remember anything, other than the fact that Italy had been in it, and she'd woken up with tears prickling in her eyes.

She pressed the bloodstained handkerchief to his head. He cringed away from her.

"Why do you do this?"

"... Do what?"

"Make me feel like you care. When you don't."

Wait, what? Had that been a part of the dream?

A burst of memory suddenly came to her. Italy... imprisoned, and sounding so unlike the Italy she knew. He'd sounded so hopeless. Instantly, she wondered why she had dreamed it and if it was trying to tell her something. If the dream was true... who could have made Feliciano become like that?

Swinging her feet slightly, she pushed herself to remember the rest of the dream. Now that she was really thinking about it... it must have been the Darkness. And that must have been the reason why he was missing.

But there was also sosmething else about the dream. Something had happened at the end, right before she woke up, but she couldn't remember what. She just remembered the strange feeling when she woke up, like everything inside her was falling apart. Like... without Italy, she wouldn't be able to be happy anymore.

It was such a strange feeling Liechtenstein felt, and she couldn't quite remember when she had started to feel so attached to Feliciano. Was it when she had seen his carefree personality? His concern toward everyone? Was it his smile? His eyes?

No, she thought. She hadn't felt much for him in the beginning, just normal friendship. But it was everything that they had gone through together that brought her closer to him. And what she felt for Italy... it was different from what she felt for China and for America. But she didn't kniw the reason why, or what that feeling was, anyways. She just felt like she wanted to keep Feliciano all to herself, and always be there by his side? Was that a normal thing to feel?

"Liechtenstein, aru!"

Liechtenstein jerked up from her little daydream as China and Canada walked toward her.

"Hello, Liechtenstein." The blonde nation smiled at her shyly, pushing up his glasses, a gesture that reminded her briefly of America. She wondered how he was doing.

"Hey there Canada. Hi China!" Liechtenstein managed a small smile. She noticed both Canada and China glancing at her with worried expressions, so then she tried a reassuring smile. She knew it didn't fool either of them, but she couldn't make herself be a little more optimistic. She wouldn't be able to be cheerful until she saw Italy.

"I'm sorry Liechtenstein. I'd love to stay and chat, but I was on my way to find Switzerland." Canada gave her an apologetic look, waved to China, and rushed off. China nodded to his friend and then came to sit by Liechtenstein.

"You're worried about Italy, aru?" He looked at her knowingly.

Liechtenstein hesitated, but then nodded, staring at her hands.

"Wanna come up to my room for a while to wait? We can talk better up there." China stood up and offered her his hand. She took it and let him lead her up to his room.

China sat her down at the table and proceeded to making tea. Liechtenstein watched as China poured a cup for her and then sat down opposite of her. There was a long silence, as neither knew what to say. Liechtenstein almost regretted coming up to China's place as she sipped on the hot tea uncomfortably.

"Liechtenstein." China suddenly said, and Lilli looked up at him. His calm mask had slipped away, letting her see a China with pained amber eyes, and she was instantly alarmed.

"China, what's wrong?" She reached across the table and grasped his hand worriedly. "Please tell me."

China looked down, avoiding her eyes. "I'm sorry Liechtenstein. That day back when you were visiting China and I took you to that temple and you fainted... you'd met the Darkness, right? And all that time... I didn't know." He breathed out unevenly. "What did it do to you, aru?" He demanded angrily (although his tone was still gentle). Liechtenstein had never seen China so upset.

"I- It's okay." She withdrew her hands and wrapped them around the teacup. "The Darkness showed me a... a vision, sort of, of what would happen. Everyone was... defeated. They had all d-died. I tried to help you, and Switzerland, and America, and Italy, but my hands went through your body." She paused, flinching at the terrible memories. "It was like... I was too helpless to do anything."

"I could have done something to help you, but I didn't."

"It's okay China. You didn't know." She told him quietly. Slowly, she felt China relax as her fingers grazed his. "It's all fine now."

Another silence descended over them, although this one was short-lived. "Hey, Liechtenstein, aru. America's your friend, right?" China asked slowly. Lilli glanced up, surprised, but nodded anyway.

"But you don't love him in that way." He continued, and this time she blushed slightly, remembering that night on China's roof, and then dancing with America.

"I don't." She said. Alfred was a close friend, just like Yao, but she didn't love him.

"What about Italy?" China suddenly asked, looking directly into her eyes.

Liechtenstein held his eyes for half a second, and then had to avert her gaze. A dark blush rushed up her cheeks. "Feliciano's my friend." She told China, and she told the same thing to herself. She didn't love Italy... or did she?

"I know he's your friend, aru, but..." China seemed as uncomfortable as her. "But do you love him?"

Did she... love Italy? What she felt... that couldn't be love. Not yet, anyway.

Blushing, she told China truthfully, "I don't know."

China seemed a bit hurt for a second, but then he returned to normal again. "But you do feel something special for him. More than what you feel for me... and America."

"I... I guess I do." She admitted. Liechtenstein briefly wondered if she was as red as one of Romano's tomatoes. Love wasn't a subject that she had ever touched on.

China watched her with his knowing look. "You know, you'd better tell him before it's too late." He said softly. "With the Darkness around, you never know what's gonna happen. And I know that Italy loves you."

Once more, Liechtenstein turned red. "Italy doesn't love me." She protested. "If he did love someone, that would be Germany." She propped up her chin in her palms. "And if I do tell him anything, it's just gonna ruin our friendship. And it won't be able to help our problems now." She fixed her emerald eyes on him. "And I never said I loved Italy like that."

China looked past her out the window, where nighttime was quickly dawning. "You don't have to say it. I know." He said quietly.

Liechtenstein watched him with an expression of curiosity and embarrasment. She was about to protest once more, when she realized that it would be no use. Pushing back her chair, she excused herself.

"I'm gonna go check on Italy now." She told China.

"There's gonna be dinner in the cafe down there, if you want to go." He said, getting the door for her, and then giving her a small hug. "Good luck, aru." He smiled.

Liechtenstein nodded silently, shrugging out from his embrace, and headed toward the elevator. She spent her walk toward the medical room pondering over what she'd say to Italy when she arrived.

By the time she was standing in front of the door, she was already blushing furiously. Luckily, it was Belgium she saw standing inside the room and not Italy.

"Oh, hey Liechtenstein. If you were looking for Italy, he's gone up to his room." Belgium gave her the room number, and then looked at her closely. "Hey, you look a bit red. Are you getting a fever?"

"Oh, I'm alright." She gave a nervous giggle, and then rushed out of the room. "I'll see you later, Belgium. Thanks!"

A second later, she was standing in front of Italy's door. Seeing that it was open, she knocked a few times and then let herself in. Italy was sitting on the sofa with a plate of pasta in his lap, and when he saw her, his face instantly lit up.

"Liechtenstein!" He yelled, waving her over. Lilli came to sit next to him and examined his injuries, temporarily pushing away all that she'd been planning to say. This was more important.

Her fingers traced the bandaged right side of his face, his stitched up forehead, and she took his scarred hand in his, pushing the plate of pasta to the side. "The Darkness hurt you." She said accusingly. "I'll make sure to never let that happen again. Are you feeling alright?"

Italy nodded, laughing. "I'm okay now, ve." He grabbed the plate of pasta and offered it to her. "Have you had dinner?"

She shook her head, but pushed it back to him. "I'm not that hungry, thanks. You eat it. It'll help you recover faster."

Italy cocked his head to the side slightly. "Nonsense, ve. Open up!" He said cheerily, and shoved the pasta-covered fork into her mouth. They devoured the whole plate in just a few minutes.

Liechtenstein set the clean plate on the table, and then hugged Feli tightly. "I missed you so much. I was scared that I'd... lose you to the Darkness."

Italy squeezed her gently, but then quickly pulled back. Liechtenstein watched as he stared down at the ground, and then at the ceiling, anywhere but away from her.

"H-hey Italy, what's the matter?"

Feliciano gave a sigh. "The Darkness told me that you weren't my friend. And then I had that dream, and now I'm so confused, ve." He told her outright.

"I'm always gonna be your friend, Feli, and..." Suddenly, Liechtenstein felt an overwhelming sense of deja vu. Her heart started to quicken."What dream are you talking about?"

"Well, I had this dream right before Germany came, ve. You were helping me, and I was imprisoned of some sort. And I was feeling really hurt, because I'd been told that you were just manipulating me, but then you helped me." He took a shaky breath. "And then I told you to go away, because I didn't want to have to face you, ve. It hurt, right here." Italy placed a bandaged hand over his chest.

"And then in the end, I walked out." Liechtenstein's green eyes were wide in amazement as she finished the dream. "I had the same dream as you!"

Italy gaped at her. "That's really cool, ve. Maybe it means something. But I know you're my friend now, so it must be something else." He scrunched up his face. "There was something you said at the end, but I can't quite remember, ve."

Liechtenstein was also trying to think back to what had happened, and then she suddenly remembered. A rush of blood went to her cheeks. "Hey, Italy. I-I've got to get back now. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She clumsily got up and was about to head to the door, when she felt the bandages on Italy's hand brush against hers.

Liechtenstein turned back to see Feliciano peering up at her with wide eyes. "Liechtenstein, would you please stay with me tonight? I know it's a lot to ask, but... I'm staying in this room alone, and it's kinda scary, ve."

Lilli hesitated, "I- I don't know if I can, I mean-"

"Please stay with me, ve! I don't know if I can survive the night without you." Italy was starting to panic. "Ever since the Darkness told me that you weren't my friend and you didn't love me, I was scared that you'd go away like you are now. Please don't leave! Stay with me, just for tonight, please?"

Liechtenstein's eyes widened, and she griped his hand tightly. "I- I'll stay with you then." She finally told him, and he let out a big cheer.

They sat on the sofa for a long time, watching some football game that Liechtenstein didn't particularly pay attention to. She was wondering about what was supposed to happen next. Where was she supposed to sleep? Would Switzerland be mad? And... did she really l-

"Liechtenstein?" Italy tugged on her hand slightly, and she turned to look at him, wincing once more as she caught sight of his bandaged cheek. She'd make sure to never let the Darkness get close to Italy again.

"Yes?"

"Liechtenstein, did..." Lilli watched as Italy took a deep breath. "D- Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?" She asked, confused.

"What you said in the dream. 'Ich liebe dich'"

Liechtenstein suddenly panicked, her heart setting off at top speed. That was what she had said to him in the dream, wasn't it? But why? Why did it have to come up now?

"Liechtenstein, it's okay." Italy said softly, putting a hand on top of her trembling ones. "Just answer my question, please. I really want to know."

"I..." "You should tell him before it's too late." China's words rang in her head. Should she really tell him? And did she really love him like that?

Liechtenstein didn't have time to think, as Italy suddenly seemed closer. His shining amber eyes looked straight at her, and the uninjured hand caressed her face. Only, she didn't feel scared like she would have if this was any other person. Instead... Liechtenstein bravely swallowed the lump in her throat and leaned forward, pressing her lips to Italy's gently. She could feel the blood pulsing in her veins and her hands shaking against his, but she pushed on. Through her lidded eyes, she could see Italy's eyes widen, and then close softly.

Lilli pulled back after a moment, short breaths coming out through her lips. "Yes, Italy, yes. I meant it."

Will this peaceful moment last? Or will the Darkness interfere? Find out in the next chapter or Darkness and Light. (OwO, again with the sucky commercial voice)
I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please give me some feedback. Was it too little? Too much? Anything is greatly appreciated, thanks.