-34-

Gilbert walked into the mansion and slammed the door. He walked over to the room that was closed off, already he could smell cigar smoke coming from the inside and he couldn't help but grip his fist in anger. He quickly busted through the door.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS ABOUT!" He shouted.

Ivan looked up in alarm and then looked daringly at his boss, he cringed his teeth and got up slowly.

"Comrade please forgi-"

"No, let him speak."

Gilbert was taken off by the superiors words, he paused and stepped forward and stood tall and spoke proudly.

"As a former leader of the German Capitol of Konigsberg, I understand why you are in my brothers country, I understand why you have hostility towards his people, but you are directing it to the wrong group of people!"

"We have no hostility towards any nation." The superior spoke with a smile in his words.

"You are saying that like I used to when I was powerful and in leather." Gilbert laughed and as the silence fell over the table the leader began to laugh out loudly, breaking the silence that clouded the room.

"You have spirit kid." He laughed and then looked into the crimson eyes of Gilbert "Its (It's) that very spirit that will save you from my swift hand that so often kills many."

Gilbert didn't speak at all and looked at Ivan, Ivan had a strange look on his face. It was an expression he couldn't even understand, something pleading…no begging for him to just stop. But Gilbert couldn't interpret his cold lavender eyes.

"Please Ivan take your prisoner, from my sight."

Ivan didn't even wait to be excused, in a sudden firm grip Gilbert was leaving the room. He dragged him up the stairs and he whirled him around and was about to shout at him when Gilbert lost his strength in his legs and just collapsed before the Russian. Tears poured out of his eyes and he gripped onto the pant leg of his captor. His body arched over and gripped onto the thick material.

No words fell from his mouth, no scolding's crashed into Gilbert's mind, it was just silent. Gilbert was heaving in pain, he was crying so helplessly for air that his mind went blank.

"I give up…I give up…just kill me…just stop all of this…please…don't hurt him anymore…just kill me..just-"

Gilbert felt Ivan move and was readying himself for the punishment, but instead he felt a hand on his shoulder, then another on the other shoulder and in an awkward motion the Russian pulled him close. His thick white scarf nuzzled up to the Prussian and he held him close.

Gilbert couldn't push the warm contact away, he just needed something…something…something just there to hold him. Gilbert clung to Ivan and gripped his thick coat and let out a silent scream.

Ivan's eyes shifted towards Gilbert's being and he couldn't help but bring his hands through Gilbert's hair and he embraced him tightly.

December 25th 1961

Ludwig placed the star amongst the tree and he couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness for his country and for the family members that were separated for the first time ever. Ludwig sighed listening to the news updates, the same thing was played over and over. The Soviet Union had screwed him literally and…killed Gilbert.

He moved to the cabinet and took two mugs and filled them with beer and sat down at the table. He placed the silver cross in the empty place at the table and pushed the beer to the right of the cross. He leaned forward and smiled warmly, but really the smile was just to cover up the immense sadness he felt.

"Love you Gilbert, you will always be here for…for…" He hunched over and began to shed tears for his brother, he couldn't even finish the cheer to his brother. He gripped his own hand and couldn't help the emotion that poured out of him on this lonely Christmas.

February 1962

"What are you doing Alfred!"

"What do you mean?" Alfred asked defensively after explaining his decision to let soldiers and other forces fight back if fired upon.

"Your going over to another, ANOTHER country!" Arthur put emphasis on the word another.

"So. I don't want Ivan to infect another country." He paused when it was quiet and looked over to Arthur "AND YES ANOTHER!" He raised his voice.

"Do you-

"Do I tell you how to run your country!" Alfred spat.

"That is not the point!"

The two argued amongst each other back and forth until finally Ludwig couldn't take it any more. His countries problems were lingering on dividing the people literally from him and the Soviets.

"ENOUGH!" Ludwig shouted slamming his fist down, firmly "Why don't you guys talk instead of screaming like girls!"

The two looked shocked at his tone of voice and then it finally occurred to them, Ludwig was so exhausted looking. He had bags under his eyes and his hair wasn't as neat as normal, his clothing wasn't ironed and he looked beat.

"Sorry." Arthur admitted and seated himself.

"It's fine." Ludwig growled and he finally spoke "May I ask you a question Alfred?"

"S-sure?"

"I know you have problems of your own, but sometime with in the next year will you try to persuade him to take the wall down. All my efforts have been a null effect on him" Ludwig asked nervously.

"Sure thing bud!" Alfred smiled and then changed the topic back to his problems. This was a normal occurrence for Alfred and the other countries. They just let it happen, it was like Alfred just took control and everyone just stepped down with no complaints. But there was a good thing to Alfred, he brought a kind of hope…a hope that one day they could be as strong as him.

That night Ludwig was walking home when a group of men approached him, they were young and probably in their early teens. One of them, looking as though he was the leader asked.

"HEY! You!" He looked up at the group and nodded and kept moving. But the boys didn't stop " HEY! NAZI!" They all began to laugh.

Ludwig stopped and sighed. It had been sixteen years since the Nazi Party had been destroyed and still the name stuck.

He turned around and walked towards them " Yes?"

They began to laugh, they were American and then he understood their ignorance. When he approached the group they all gave the Hitler salute and he finally spoke again " Enough."

"You know you love being called it still!" They laughed.

"You killed millions of people!" another laughed.

"You know you are proud of it!"

"Nazi!"

Finally Ludwig snapped and lifted the leader up by the collar and pushed him up against the wall. " Do you think I am proud to have killed that many!"

The young man froze in his stance and the other began to charge at the German when a voice shouted over them.

"OK ENOUGH! BOYS! ENOUGH!" Someone shouted again and when finally the voice got closer it was shown to be Francis.

The Frenchman cleared the little dispute and made sure the teens were leaving, he turned to the German and smiled " You seem energetic tonight."

Ludwig glared daggers at him " Just leave me alone." Ludwig turned about to leave.

"What is the rush?"

"…"

"You're going back to wallow in your sorrows, just talk to me for a moment."

"HOW CAN I TALK TO YOU?"

"What did I do?" Francis asked scoffing angrily.

"What did you do? Please tell me that is a joke." Ludwig growled.

"No, it isn't. How can we forgive you, if you can't even forgive me?" Francis asked.

Ludwig began to walk away angrily trying to hold everything he had boiling in his blood hidden.

Francis stepped back a little and finally held his ground firmly. "Why can't you just let it go!"

"I can't let it go? I CAN'T-" He stopped short and covered his lips with a hand. "Thank you for helping me, but I need to leave."

"What the hell did I do?" Francis shouted in complete confusion.

"You really don't know!" Ludwig stopped and turned on his heel. The night sky began to rumble. A storm was nearing and the wind was a tell tale sign in its advance.

Francis kept his ground until Ludwig approached him, he swallowed heavy when the tall German began to approach him. Memories of the evil armies that had invaded his lands filled his brain, but he stood strong and looked passed it to hear his beliefs.

"YOU!" He gritted his teeth. " Instead of putting the kid who shot the Serbian prince in jail you didn't do anything! You then agreed to war instead of negotiating and because I was-" Ludwig cut himself off and stomped his foot " It was your fucking fault!" The rain began to drip in areas on the dry concrete. " All of this." Ludwig pointed to the wall near him " ALL of this is your fault!"

Francis eyes softened.

"You pushed me to the ground and humiliated my country! You made it so I had to borrow and raise taxes so everything inflated! Inflation was awful!" Ludwig's shoulders slumped " But on top of that, none of my men were even ready to stop fighting, you just took control and said we owed you when we didn't even start the war!" Ludwig growled and began to breath heavy.

The rain began to come down at a constant speed " It was because of you…I turned to such a radical political party…we needed hope and change and he offered it, he eve-

"LUDWIG! Stop acting like he was such a great guy! He ruined you! It was because of him you ended up like this!"

"It is because of him I am stronger!"

"No!" Francis clenched his fist and punched him down to the ground. Ludwig fell down firmly and sat on the ground for only a moment before hopping back up quickly dodging Francis's hands. The thunder clashed once more and Ludwig swung one punch at him sending Francis to the ground in a way that made him even more vulnerable then he was only seconds ago. Francis went to get up when Ludwig was towering over him in the most dominating manner that sent shivers down his spine. Ludwig smiled with a cat like grin and cracked his knuckles. Francis looked up and shook his head in fear. "Ludwig, if you do this…" He gasped for air "You will ruin everything you have worked for." He coughed as Ludwig reached down and lifted Francis up closer to him "Ludwig stop." He spoke as firm as he could.

Ludwig laughed with attitude in his voice "You think your threats could scare me?" Ludwig laughed and was cut off by the Frenchmen.

"NO! Ludwig if you mess up even once you might end up like Gilbert!"

"WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN!" Ludwig gasped in anger, he could feel the tears building in his eyes. "Why would you even say-"

"Ludwig I am only trying to say if you blame people again and beat them up because you are upset with them…it won't prove anything…"

Ludwig gripped his collar furiously, fighting between pummeling the Frenchmen or letting him go and walking away. Francis spoke quietly "If you go through with this…your brother…will be upset…"

"LIAR! If I let you go he would be even more!"

"You know that is not true Ludwig." Francis braced for the beating, when he felt the rain begin to pour, he looked up and could see tears coming down his face and onto his own. Francis couldn't help but be surprised. Ludwig let him go slowly and rose to his feet.

"Just leave me alone."

"Ludwig." Francis scrambled to his feet and pulled him back to face him. "I am sorry." He spoke softly. Ludwig's eyes widened and he looked up at him slowly "I know I put a strain on you and your country. It was wrong the way it was drawn out, I am sorry." he spoke quietly.

Ludwig walked away leaving Francis behind. He didn't say anything towards his rival, he only walked away.

A/N : Sorry for the little author's note chapter I posted earlier today. Thanks for all the support again. :)

My Beta is awesome~3