Chapter 21

"So… you're a… country. An immortal country." Adelaide stared, trying to process everything she'd just heard. "You can't die, you don't age, and you feel pain every time you know one of your people is dying?"

Gil nodded, "That sounds about right."

"So… how old are you?"

"600 and…something." Gil shrugged.

Adelaide was silent for a moment, just staring at Gil. She glanced at her mother, who's eyes were fixed on the white-haired country.

Gil stood, clearing his throat and straightening his uniform, "I believe I have overstayed my welcome." He nodded politely to both Margot, then Adelaide, "I'll leave your family in peace." He stepped towards the door.

"Wait!" Adelaide took a step towards him.

He turned to look into her face. Her brown eyes didn't look angry. He was relieved at that.

Adelaide was silent again, looking down. She walked up to Gil slowly, then looked up at him, "Why didn't you tell me right away?" Her voice was stern, though still not angry.

"Because…" he wasn't sure how to answer without getting himself into more trouble, "Look, sometimes it can be dangerous to know your country," he sighed.

"I'm not scared," She whispered, that spark still in her eyes.

Gil smirked, then looked up at Margot with a deep breath, "Danke, for your kindness," He nodded to her politely, "But I should get back to the hotel. Perhaps, you would be willing to join me for lunch tomorrow?"

Margot smiled, her eyes full of understanding, "Yes, we would like that."

"Maybe I'll even tell Gisela a few war stories," Gil smiled.

Margot nodded, walking up behind Adelaide, taking her hand, "Yes, perhaps so."

Gil glanced back at Adelaide, then at Margot. He sighed, "I'm sorry… about your friends tonight." He looked away. He felt almost sick with guilt. "I've tried everything I can…" He shook his head, "There's nothing I can do."

"You're the country. Aren't you in charge?" Adelaide's voice was sharper, upset.

Gil shook his head, "No. No, we still have to listen to our governments. Russia picked my boss, not me, but I still have to listen to him." He sighed deeply, "I've done everything I can." He wasn't sure if he was lying, but it felt like it. "I'm sorry. Please… don't try and cross the wall. I can't protect you if you try and cross the wall."

Margot looked into his face, and nodded slowly, "Thank you for trying."

Gil sighed, setting his jaw, frustrated with his own inability to do anything about what was happening, "I'll keep trying," he said, wondering if it was a promise he would be able to keep.

"Danke, Gilbert," Margot smiled softly. "Now, as you said, it's very late. Cort and Gisela need their sleep, as do the rest of us. We will see you tomorrow for lunch," she nodded, "Are we meeting you at the hotel?"

Gil nodded back, "Ja, that would be perfect. I will have lunch made ready for us there." He glanced back at Adelaide, trying to keep his eyes up to her face. He took her hand, kissing it slowly, looking up with a smile as her cheeks flushed, "Until tomorrow, Fraulein," he smirked.

"Until tomorrow, Gilbert," she almost whispered, gently drawing her hand back.

Gil straightened, adjusting his uniform, and nodded to Adelaide first, then Margot. "Good night." He turned and walked out of the house, and leaned up against the building again, taking a deep breath and shaking his head with a smirk. Adelaide's boldness surprised him. He sighed again, still smiling, and walked up to the car, nodding to the driver.

…

"You got to fly a plane?" Gisela's eyes were wide as she leaned in across the table to listen to Gil.

Gil nodded, holding back a laugh, noticing Adelaide doing the same beside him. "Yes, I've flown several. Though I've never been the best at it… I'm better on my feet, on solid ground. Or on a horse." He smiled. He'd had more than a few good battles on horseback.

"Wow…" Gisela sighed, starting at him. She took another bite of her salad and started to speak before her mother gave her a correcting look. She swallowed the bite, and continued, "Papa was a pilot," She said, continuing to eat, "He flew all over during the war."

Gil smiled, "I'm sure he was a good pilot."

Gisela sighed, setting down her fork for a moment, looking down, "But he died…" she shook her head, "His plane got…" she didn't continue, her voice getting so quiet it was hard to hear.

Gil tried to think of what to say. "Even the best get shot down sometimes. It doesn't mean he wasn't a great pilot." Gil nodded to her, smiling as she looked up at him.

"Are you sure?" She almost whispered.

Gil nodded again, "Yeah, I'm sure."

Gisela was satisfied and turned back to her food. Gil glanced at Margot, who smiled gratefully.

There was silence for a while as everyone continued to enjoy their lunch, except Cort. He'd barely touched his food, pushing it around his plate with his fork.

"What's wrong?" Gil asked kindly, looking at the boy, who sat to his left.

"I don't know…" Cort shook his head.

"Come on, you can tell me." Gil turned towards him slightly.

Cort shook his head, continuing to pick at his food.

"Cort, why don't you answer, Gilbert?" Margot asked coaxingly, almost correcting.

Cort looked up at Gil, "Promise you won't get mad?"

Gil nodded, smiling kindly.

Cort sighed, "I don't like war."

Gil sighed back, ready to respond, but waiting for Cort to continue.

"People die. People go away and don't come back. People get hurt… houses get destroyed… I don't like it. It hurts people. It hurts everything…" Cort shook his head, looking down.

Gil sighed deeply again, looking back at Margot, who's eyes had filled with tears. He turned to Cort again, "I don't like war either," he shook his head, "I like fighting. I love a good fight," he smirked, "I love training Soldiers. I love being a soldier…" he paused, trying to think of the right words, "But war…" he shook his head, "War does destroy everything," he nodded, putting his hand on Cort's shoulder, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry about the war, and your father. You can blame me if you want, but I am sorry." Gil closed his eyes suddenly, wincing internally, images flashing in his head. Soldiers screaming in pain, women being carried away by Soviet soldiers, people running, soldiers dying, people being trucked away, being killed, being kept in conditions no human should ever face. They should blame him. They should all blame him. He opened his eyes, looking into Cort's face.

"Are you all right?" Cort whispered, looking up at him.

Gil nodded, forcing himself to smile, a deep ache in his stomach and chest distracting him from anything except guilt. "Ja." He nodded again, "I'm fine. Just… war sometimes leaves… um…" He tried to find the words.

"Memories," Adelaide whispered, looking up at Gil, her eyes full of so much pain it almost scared him.

Gil nodded to her, "Ja. Memories." He still felt sick.

The rest of the meal was quiet, almost too quiet. Cort finally managed to eat most of his food, Gisela barely spoke again, and Gil tried half-heartedly to keep his eyes off Adelaide. He knew Margot had noticed, but she hadn't said anything, which he took as her approval. Once the meal was finished, he took Adelaide's hand.

"Please, let me walk home with you all?" He smiled.

Adelaide nodded, glancing quickly at her mother, "Yes, that would be lovely, thank you."

Gil smiled.

"Why don't you two go on ahead?" Margot suggested, holding Gisela's hand as the girl stepped towards the pair, "Gisela and I will help Cort here for a bit, but we'll be home soon." She nodded.

Adelaide smiled gently, but Gil caught the same, almost mischievous, spark in her eyes.

Gil offered his arm to Adelaide, nodding to Margot, "I'll make sure she gets home safely."

Margot smiled, "I know you will."

Gil walked with Adelaide out of the small hotel restaurant, and down the short hallway.

"It's good to be able to talk alone, isn't it?" Adelaide looked up at him, pulling his arm closer.

He smirked, looking down at her, "Ja, you think so?"

She nodded, continuing to walk beside him, "Thank you, for how kind you've been to my little brother."

"He's a good kid." Gil nodded.

"Ja. Young, but sweet. He doesn't understand war...but... he has his innocence, so that counts for something I suppose."

Gil nodded, leading her towards the door, opening it for her, and taking her arm again once they were outside. He glanced around briefly, before stepping onto the sidewalk. It wasn't far to her house, but they would have some time to talk.

"So, what do you like to do for fun?" He smiled.

"Oh, I don't know," she took a deep breath, smiling back, "I like films, I like… walking around… doing nothing," she glanced up at him.

Gil smiled still.

"How about you? Does a country even have spare time?"

He shrugged, "Sometimes. Though not lately," he shook his head.

"Oh?" Her brown eyes sparkled, though he could see the concern in them too.

"Ja… It's been a long few years," he tried to shrug it off.

Adelaide nodded, walking more slowly, "The war… tore my family apart. My father died and my sister…" she looked up at him, suddenly more worried, "Do you know how she died? Can you… feel something like that?"

Gil sighed deeply, nodding. "Your brother told me her name… and… he doesn't know what happened does he?"

She shook her head, "How…" she tried to find the right words, trending carefully, "How much did you see? Just my sister or…"

Gil sighed. This wasn't the conversation he'd hoped they'd be having. He closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded, "I know you were there," he sighed again, stopping, taking both of her hands, looking into her face, "You were brave. I know you tried to save her… I'm… I'm so sorry," he shook his head.

"It's not your fault," Adelaide looked away, trying to walk forward again.

"Do you really believe that?" Gil stopped her, holding her hand gently. "Do you really not blame me for everything? Because you should. It's my fault."

Adelaide looked up at him, "I don't blame you. You said you've tried to stop what's happened… I… there was nothing you could have done. It wasn't even your soldiers."

"They wouldn't have been here if-" He was cut off as she placed the tips of her fingers over his lips.

"Stop," she shook her head, "The war's over. I don't blame you. I'm not angry at you. I'm just…" She touched her scar. "I don't… I don't want to talk about the war anymore." She shook her head again, "Let's talk about something more pleasant…" She looked up at him, the spark returning to her eyes.

"What did you have in mind?" He smirked, slipping his arm around her waist.

She pulled away gently, wrapping her arm around his, "Well," She began, "Tell me, what was it like, 600 years ago?"

"Um…" He tried to figure out how to describe it. "Different."

She laughed, nodding, "I'm sure."

He smirked, "Very different. The clothes, the houses… everything."

"So, you said you were a knight?"

Gil nodded, smiling, "Yes. I represented the Teutonic Knights for many years."

"So you had to wear one of those long capes with a cross?" Adelaide smiled.

"That I did. And I looked good in it." He smirked, glancing back at her.

"I'm sure you did." She smiled.

"Of course, I was young, practically a child…" He sighed, "A lot has changed… since then." He swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice from breaking. He shook it off, "So, um, tell me more about yourself."

"I'm not as interesting as you are," She pushed her hair behind her ear as they started towards her house again.

"Oh I think you are," he smiled.

"Well, I'm very sure I'm not. Tell me," she asked casually, "You said you live with Russia, in his mansion?"

Gil nodded. He didn't want to think about it.

"Why are you in Berlin now? And alone? Isn't Russia worried you'll get yourself in trouble?" her voice lowered, almost tempting him.

He smirked, "I think Russia's counting on it."

"Oh?"

Gil nodded, still smirking, "I don't intend to disappoint him."

Adelaide looked away with a blush, then turned back to Gil, "Are you here because of the rebels?"

Gil looked at her, surprised, "Well that's a rather forward question, don't you think?" he tried to sound playful.

"I'm not blind," she shook her head, "I see what's happening in the city."

"Oh?" He tried to sound more casual than he felt. What was she getting at?

They arrived at her house, and she let him inside. She looked around the room, then back up at him.

"Adelaide, what are you-"

"Having a pretty face has its advantages. I know things. Things I think you'd like to know," she smirked.

"What kind of things?" he took a step closer to her.

"Things like the names of the rebels, and their leaders."

"So you're a spy?" He smirked, amused.

She shrugged, "I suppose that's what you could call me." She smiled back.

"And how," he asked, brushing her hair behind her ear, "Do you get your information?"

Adelaide smiled, "I have ways," she looked up at him, her eyes captivating as she walked up to him.

"So, is there anything else you'd like to share?" He leaned in closer to her face, his breath quickening a little.

"Oh, I know a lot about what goes on in this city…" She stepped closer to him.

"And how do I get this information from you?" he leaned in closer still, whispering in her ear.

"Well, it's going to cost you…" her voice was low, tempting.

"Oh?" he smirked, letting his lips brush her ear, "And what is it going to cost me?"

"Get my family across the wall."

A/N: I'm baaaack! More more more to come! The cold war was fought mainly with espionage, and Gil is in Berlin, which was basically spy central. Adelaide is a LOT more than just a pretty face, as I'm sure you all noticed, well, you certainly have by now. She's definitely put Gil in a rather... frustrating... spot. Especially since she's not the only one in her family that he cares about.

Do you think Gil's going to try it? Will he still like her? Or is it over? Or is it worse? ;) Let me know. I've missed you all, dear reviewers, I hope to hear back from you! EXTRA cookies and hugs to all reviewers! And a cool drink. It's too hot out for cocoa. XD