Ch. 25

"Wales! Where is he!" I exclaimed running towards the Welshman. We had arrived at the hospital as fast as we could. Adrion followed behind me also running toward Wales. Wales turned to us and we could see tear tracks.

"He's right down the hall, I'm sorry. I tried, I tried." He mumbled. Adrion wrapped an arm around Wales's shoulder and motioned for me to go. I nodded and turned to walk down the hall. I got to the door where England was standing outside of and stopped. He looked at me with tired eyes and sighed. He opened the door and motioned for me to walk in. Anna came out just then and sniffled.

"I'm sorry Canadian, I tried, we all did." She mumbled. I blinked back tears wondering if he was dead and not in a coma. I walked in and saw why she was so upset. Scotland was laying there, so pale and breathing so shallow hooked up to different machines. I paled immensely and nearly collapsed. A hand under my elbow kept me up and I looked back to see Northern Ireland there.

"I know it is hard Olivia, but it's not your fault." He mumbled. I steadied myself and walked forward to pull up a chair next to him. I grabbed his hand which was thankfully still warm, but not with the same warmth I was used to. I intertwined my fingers with his and squeezed his hand. There was no response from him and that's when I broke down crying and sobbing for him to come back and not to leave me. I clutched his hand in both of mine and sobbed relentlessly. North wrapped an arm around my shoulder and held me close as I sobbed. I felt someone else come up on my other side and briefly glanced over to see Ireland standing there. He crouched down and wrapped an arm around me as well. I sniffled and sobbed trying not to wail and beg.

"Shh, we're here too. He'll come back, okay?" Ireland whispered. He and North continued to whisper words and phrases of comfort even as they themselves were upset. Eventually they ran out of things to say and we all cried silently before I buried my head in Scotland's chest and sobbed.

Anna's P.O.V.

I watched from the doorway as Ireland and North tried to help Olivia and eventually they all were crying as Olivia buried her head in Scotland's chest. Arthur wrapped an arm around me and grabbed my hand. I looked up at him and he sighed tiredly. I grabbed his hand in silent comfort and sniffled.

"I should have tried to stop him. I just didn't know it'd escalate to this level." Arthur whispered staring at his older brother.

"No, no one knew this would happen, not even you. So you can't blame yourself, I'm sure Olivia's blaming herself as are the others." I whispered back. I paused thinking about something. "I want to go home Arthur, back to my home in America. Not in this dimension or where ever we are." Arthur looked at me surprised and made sure no one else was listening.

"A-Anna, but I mean, aren't you happy here?" He questioned.

"I am, but I miss my family and my friends and this is just so stressful being stuck here for so long and without my family. Christmas has gone past and the new year. Our parents have to be worried about us and I just want to go home Arthur." I said feeling guilty. Arthur sighed and nodded in understanding.

"I-I'm not sure what to tell you Anna, let's wait until Olivia and Scotland recovers and talk to them about this. I'm unsure whether or not I'll be able to send you both back at different times." Arthur said. I nodded and we looked through the door again. Olivia was still being comforted by both Irish countries and Scotland was unconscious. I began to think back to after Christmas and to New Years Eve when Scotland and Olivia were so happy. They weren't even arguing as much or anything.

'It was New Years Eve and I was sitting on the couch with Arthur watching Canadian chat happily with North. We still had yet to meet Ireland, but I'm sure we would soon. Surprisingly Scotland wasn't actually near Olivia, but on the complete other side of the room. But I could see him watching her out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm so glad they're not arguing and Scotland isn't arguing with me." Arthur said also watching Olivia and Scotland. I laughed and he smiled. "I'm glad you get to spend New Year's Eve here, I was sure that frog was going to object and take you to his house." Arthur continued sneering at said frog. France was sitting next to Scotland and seemed amused by something. He said something to Scotland and Scotland burst out laughing. I saw Canadian snicker and North chuckle.

"I'm glad too, I like being here plus London is amazing." I said smiling. I hadn't been able to go into the city yet and I think he was doing that on purpose. I looked at Arthur who smirked at me and looked back to North. We saw Wales sneaking up behind him with a horn and a devilish smirk. It seemed out of character to me until Arthur snickered.

"I was wondering when he would start that again. Wales is normally quiet until this time of year when he always has a horn. Last year he scared the hell out of Scotland, this year it seems he's going after North. I'm sure next year it will be me again." Arthur said watching in amusement as Wales got in position behind North and Canadian. Olivia glanced out of the corner of her eye at Wales and smirked before covering her ears. North looked at her confused until Wales blew his horn and North screamed jumping up and spinning around clutching his chest.

"Wha' the feckin' heel is your problem!" North yelled glaring at Wales. Wales just laughed as did everyone else who had known about what was going on. North scowled and glared at everyone especially Olivia and Wales. His scowl morphed into a devilish smirk that rivaled Wales and the two next to him paled. Olivia jumped over the couch to stand next to Wales and they both began to back up. North walked around the couch and with a demonic smirked ran at them. Both Wales and Olivia took off running away from the devilish Northern Irelander who was cackling evilly. We lost sight of them as they ran out of the house and we could hear them laughing and catcalling to North. Then there was a shriek and a thump as someone was tackled to the ground. I got up as did Scotland and looked out the window. North and Wales were wrestling on the ground with Olivia laughing from in a tree branch. I assumed she had climbed up there and North had tackled Wales.

"Oi! You two, git out of the snow before ye catch a cold! That includes ye lass! I donnae care if ye are in a tree, git down and come inside!" Scotland yelled acting like the older brother he was supposed to be. They all laughed and Scotland scowled, but they came inside none the less. All of them were soaking wet and North and Wales were bruised a bit from wrestling each other. Arthur quickly got up to grab them towels as Scotland began to chew them out for running out in the snow.

"We're fine Scotland, it's not like we'll get sick… hopefully." Olivia said shrugging obviously not worried. Until she sneezed, and then North sneezed and then Wales sneezed. Their eyes got wide in surprise and looked sheepishly at Scotland who scowled. He caught Wales in a headlock while North got chewed out as Arthur came back in to the room. Olivia was beginning to sneak away until Scotland got her after letting go of Wales. He grabbed her ear and tugged to which she yelped. He let go to grab her shoulders and began to chew her out. It ended with her nodding and flicking his nose. He scowled and she laughed. His eyes softened and he let her go to get a towel from Arthur. However she didn't get far before Scotland was on her again telling her with a perverted smile to change.

"I think I will Scotland, however, not in front of you." She said before stamping on his foot and walking away smirking. He swore and rubbed his foot while watching her go up the stairs. Arthur was snickering from where he was watching with North and I laughed as she winked at me.

After the commotion calmed down and North forgave Wales France waltzed over to us with a smug smile on his face. Arthur glared at him and tightened his grip on my hand while I just looked at France in confusion.

"So, are you two finally togezer ou non?"[1] France asked waggling his eyebrows. I blushed as did Arthur who began to deny that we were together and dating. France pouted and sat beside me. "Why 'ave you not gotten togezer? You two are trés mignon, oui? [2]" He continued shoving me towards Arthur. Arthur let go of my hand to wrap an arm around my shoulder to pull me closer to him and farther from France. France smirked and Arthur glared then grew puzzled when France got up.

"Zere, now stay like zat and do not move, oui?" France said smiling smugly again. We looked at each other and saw how close we were. I blushed as did Arthur and then we both looked up when we heard Olivia chuckle. There she was, holding a sprig of mistletoe above us with a smile. I questioned how she reached it only to realize that Scotland was right behind her with an arm around her waist.

"Well?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "The season isn't over yet, therefore this sprig of mistletoe is still valid in its powers." She said smiling. I blushed and looked at Arthur who was glaring at the mistletoe. He looked down at me embarrassed and Olivia sighed.

"If you don't follow this rule Angleterre, then I will make you." She threatened apparently low on patience right now. He sighed and looked at me. I smiled at him still with a red face and he smiled nervously back. He leaned forward to simple peck my lips only to have him stay there and make it a real kiss by Scotland. Arthur's eyes widened as did mine until we accepted it and kissed for real. By the time we separated France had Scotland and Olivia under the mistletoe with her protesting and Scotland smirking.

"Well Canadian, after all, its powers are still valid." I retorted. She glared at me and huffed with a roll of the eyes before her attention was stolen by the red head with his arms around her.

A few hours passed by and I was getting tired. It was nearly midnight and Arthur was just as tired. We were lying with each other on the couch watching Canadian stay wide awake with Scotland, Wales, North and France. However North seemed to be fading only kept awake by Wales poking him every now and then.

"Mes amis, we need to stay awake, oui? 'Ow about a game zen?" France suggested suddenly. Arthur looked at him with a sleepy glare and shook his head.

"Not in my house frog." Arthur said burying his face into my hair. I giggled and snuggled closer to him. He hummed and glared at France again.

"Leave them alone France, honestly." Olivia said looking up from the book she was reading. I was confused as to how she was staying awake reading, but decided that it was Canadian and that was how she was. France pouted before his face lit up and he flounced off to get something. I closed my eyes sleepily and drifted off at that moment.'

I jolted out of my flashback to look around in confusion. I wasn't sure what had jolted me out of my flashback, but figured it out after a moment. The sudden silence from Scotland's room was what got me. I looked through the window to see that Olivia had settled down and was just clinging to North and Ireland as she watched Scotland sadly. I saddened after my happy flashback and thought about how this had happened after Canadian had left.

'It's been an hour since Olivia had left and Scotland had come back into the house by now. He was sitting in the kitchen silently with a bottle of whisky in his hand. Arthur had shooed me away from him earlier after he had first come in and I had left not trusting him with alcohol. North had decided he was going to keep me entertained as Canadian was gone now. However after a little while I had wandered back into the kitchen near dinnertime to see Scotland still sitting where he had been earlier.

"Scotland? Are you okay?" I asked from the doorway. He shrugged not really giving me a response before Arthur came in. He gave a sigh as he looked at Scotland and gave me an exasperated look. He bent down to whisper in Scotland's ear and after a minute of that Scotland got up with a sigh and walked out of the room to go up the stairs.

"What was that about?" I asked as Wales came in as well talking to someone on the phone. He mouthed a question to Arthur who pointed up. Wales disappeared again and Arthur turned to me.

"I just told him to go upstairs and think more. It's obvious he's upset, but really, he's brought it upon himself." Arthur said pulling out different things to start dinner. I gulped and stepped forward to help when we suddenly heard Scotland yelling at someone. I flinched and looked at Arthur. He seemed to be listening to what Scotland was saying.

"Ah'm not a coward!" He yelled. There was silence before he was yelling again. "SHUT UP! I WANTED TO TALK TO HER, BUT THEY WOULDN'T LET ME! I HAD A REASONG TO BE IN THE FOREST YOU BASTARD AND THEY WOULDN'T HAVE LET ME ANYWAYS!" He yelled back. "AND I'M NOT A COWARD!" The yelled and screaming match continued between us for half an hour until he broke down into a sob. There was silence again and we stared up at the ceiling in shock. Was Scotland, the unbreakable Scotland, crying? Sobbing like a child? Was that even possible.'

If only we had known that the next day he'd be drinking, and drinking, and drinking the entire day.

'" Don't go in the kitchen, okay Anna?" Arthur said steering me away from the kitchen.

"Why?" I asked confused. Arthur sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"It's Scotland, he drinking any and all alcohol he can get his hands on. At the same time he's muttering to himself, I swear I've heard Olivia's name mentioned several times followed by a sob muffled by him drinking more. We just need to leave him alone to let him fix himself before we approach him to fix this." Arthur said. I nodded and we stayed away the entire day going out with North and Wales to get lunch. Then suddenly a crash sounded and then a heavy thud. Arthur raced into the kitchen and gasped. We followed behind him to see Scotland on the floor unconscious and pale, so very pale. Arthur quickly called the hospital and an ambulance came. They took Scotland away and we called Olivia and Cornwall to tell them. We went to the hospital after that to wait for the doctor and Olivia and Cornwall.

"Mr. Kirkland?" A doctor called walking out into the waiting room. Arthur stood up and the doctor walked over to us. "You're brother William has alcohol poisoning, a very severe case. It's a miracle he's alive at all with all of the alcohol in him. He has also fallen into a coma as well. It's not uncommon for something like this to happen. We can only hope that he will wake up soon. However, we've done all we can at this point, now it's all up to him. You can go and see him now. He's just down the hall." The doctor said before walking away. We walked down the hall and into Scotland's room. It would be a long wait for Olivia and Cornwall now.'

I looked at Olivia and North and Ireland all sitting together by Scotland's side and sighed. I leaned against Arthur and hoped that he would wake up soon.

Olivia's P.O.V.

I sniffled looking at Scotland sadly. I wanted him awake, to talk to him and apologize and just… I want him back!

Suddenly there was movement from Scotland and his once limp hand tightened around mine. I held my breath and his eyelids fluttered before opening to his radioactive green eyes which swiveled to look at me.

"'Ello lass."

Author's Note:

[1] ou non? – or no?

[2] trés mignon, oui? – really cute, yes?

And here it is! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm so sorry I couldn't get it out sooner. My laptop battery is on the fritz and shot basically. I have ordered a new one and until then it is melting my laptop charger… yea, it's bad. Anyways, it will be here soon and yay! More chapters!

Thank you so much for reading this and I'm sorry for the cliffhanger. *smirks* Or not. Please, please, please either take my poll or review on whether or not Anna should leave with or without Olivia. Thank you again.