Guess who's backkk...

Chapter first, thanks and explanations at the end of the chapter!

A/N: hetalia doesn't belong to me

oOo

It was perhaps due to his cautious nature, but Kiku had started making solitary rounds around the warehouse during the day when he was not busy with his other work. It calmed him greatly to take stock of things in the building; after all keeping an eye on everything felt as if it was his only true task in this place. Lately he was able to little else for Yao other than ghost through the place looking at everything. The older man had been ever more distant and ever more sickly in the past week, which pushed him further and further away from his staff. The discontent was rife in the warehouse and also in the older man's more immediate circle. Yong Soo, Mei; they all seemed miserable and on edge, and Kiku knew how they felt. So most days he walked alone with this thoughts through the building and tried unsuccessfully to think of a way to help his Godfather and ease all of this tension.

It was early afternoon and he was making his lonely way down the main corridor leading to Yao's bedroom when he knew something was amiss. He froze on the spot at the sound of voices where there was usually silence. Instinct told him that the chatter he could hear coming from the older man's room down the hall was not friendly, just by its low tone. Common sense also added that no one inside or outside the warehouse had been able to make a business meeting with Yao in days, never mind actually reach the inner sanctum of his bedroom to see him at his worst.

Kiku therefore picked up his pace and strode purposefully to Yao's bedroom on full alert. Even though it was midday outside the corridor lamps had been lit and the curtains smothered to block out the natural light. Kiku's hurried step along the corridor disturbed these blinds and threw light briefly onto his path as he fled into the antechamber of Yao's bedroom where the voices grew louder and disturbingly familiar.

No, it couldn't be...

Kiku had knocked when the police had been around as he had been uncertain what to expect, but this time the urgency of the situation struck him so intently that he didn't even consider it. He knew it was disrespectful but it felt imperative for him to reach his Godfather, and he was glad he did as he was met with the familiar shoulders and head of an individual he had believed he was fortunate enough to never have to see again.

"Oh, hello." Ivan Braginski's childlike voice was pleasant as his lips curled together sweetly into something akin to a smile. Ivan was sat in the large armchair which was ever present by Yao's bed and facing away from the door so that he had to swivel in his seat to face Kiku as he suddenly barged into the room. Ivan was still wearing outdoor clothes, a scarf and a jacket, giving the impression he was merely stopping by as the room was too stuffy to keep them on, but then Kiku remembered he had done the same in his own office. He was not so fortunate then.

Yao himself was looking worse for wear; it had been a few days or more since Kiku had seen his godfather in more than passing and he was looking more tired and grey than ever. The circles under his eyes looked almost like bruises in the dim lighting, and he shook constantly these days. However, he did seem alert at least which was better than when the times where he languished in bed staring at the ceiling in pain. In fact, Yao seemed rather annoyed at the sudden intrusion.

"Kiku..." He croaked, shaking his head disapprovingly. He didn't seem concerned with Ivan's company at all, he seemed fine, somehow. "This is a private meeting, can't you come back later?"

There was a small giggle somewhere to Kiku's left and a quick glance showed Felix relaxing in one of the armchairs with a book. Kiku internally scowled, but kept his face blank and ignored the nurse to turn back to his godfather with a heavy bow of respect.

"My apologises." He mumbled, blushing terribly. He had made a fool of himself but he had thought there was danger; even though the presence of Ivan was unpleasant it could not be classed as threatening. Not when his godfather seemed at ease in his presence in any case. There was no reason for Kiku to disrupt them further, so feeling abashed he eagerly attempted to back out of the room. "I believed it to be someone it was not and-"

A raised hand stopped him in his tracks, physically and verbally.

"No need to apologise." Ivan still had the sweet smile on his face with his hand in the air as he visibly attempted to be polite even though his eyes appraised Kiku closely like a cat following a mouse. "It is not so private da? Nothing a nice boy like you can't hear."

Ivan's cold eyes seemed to spot something in Kiku's features and he laughed a little. "I remember you now: you were the little boy trying to sell me trash."

Kiku stiffened and bit back the response that would have gotten him a beating back home if he had said it in front of his father. Luckily Yao spoke up for him in his silence.

"Please, Ivan," Although he seemed aware his voice was drained and tired, his eyes even more so as he leaned back into his cushions. "Don't hound the boy. He only tried to sell the shipment on my orders, and he hadn't done it before. He is also my godson so try not to be too harsh with him."

"Then that changes things!" Ivan sent him what was probably intended to be a friendly smile but it looked more like the curve of a pythons mouth. "The godson will sit with us, please?"

Yao did not seem pleased with the turn of evens but the cold stare watching Kiku forced both their hands and Kiku found himself dragging the desk chair to sit next to the bed and unfortunately next to Ivan. The Russian grinned at him sickly before linking his hands on his lap together to fiddle his thumbs and hum.

There was a awkward pause; Yao sighed and look at over at him in apology. "We weren't discussing anything really Kiku, this will probably bore you."

"Nothing?" Ivan quizzed, looking bemused. "Friend, we were discussing medicine were we not? Your medicine. I do not see how this could be nothing-"

Kiku stiffened to stare between the two men but the conversation was unfortunately cut short by a polite knock on the door. Yao looked flustered as he attempted to straighten up and failed.

"Come in," he called weakly. Somehow the person on the other side heard him and the door opened to reveal a very pretty woman for western standards. Kiku would have hazarded to call her beautiful if it wasn't for the way her dark lips pulled into a pout and her ice like eyes surveyed everything in the room with loathing.

Ivan waved cheerfully even those his tone was acid. "Natalia, what is it? I told you to wait in the car and be quiet, not disturb our chat."

She flinched slightly at the clear threat in his voice, but this woman didn't seem too concerned about anyone else in the room. Her eyes were for Ivan only as she shook her long hair out in a wave of blond.

"We have had a message from our inside man." Beside Kiku, Yao pulled a sour face as if the words left a bad taste in his mouth. This news however seemed to perk up Ivan considerably and he visibly straightened in his chair and summoned the woman to him. Kiku was struck with the sense that he had somehow walked into his Godfather's space but Ivan had all of the power; getting messages, telling people what to do, leaving Yao a spectator in his own bed chamber. The thought made Kiku furious and it was only his curiosity at the situation and his Godfather that kept him chained to his seat.

Natalia stalked the space between them and bent over to whisper in Ivan's ears. Although he did not catch what was said, Kiku saw the reaction that it had on Ivan and it was enough to make him draw away slightly. To see Ivan actually look pleased was slightly disturbing. Even Yao, who looked like he was falling asleep, noticed.

"Good news?" He commented warily.

Ivan nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh yes, something very interesting has happened. One of the policemen working on the case against Roma has had his child taken, isn't that fun? A very dangerous turn of events, I will enjoy watching how this one turns out."

Kiku blanched. Taking a child, what had the world come to? He understood crime and he understood this city well enough now, but that was going too far even if the action was against an police officer. The police could be a problem but there were other ways to take care of things, however messy they might be at least they left children well enough alone. In the bed beside him Yao looked horrified at the actual though.

"Good god," he said, catching his breath to cough weakly into his hand. "What on earth was Mr Vargas thinking in all of this? What will that achieve?"

"Fighting on the streets most likely," Ivan said cheerfully, glancing up in the direction of Natalia who smirked down at him. "Whatever happens, it will definitely be fun to watch. It will take the pressure off of our workings and Roma will be more vulnerable. I cannot wait to get started, in fact I should head back and begin. There is much to do."

And with that look in his eyes Kiku could not doubt that. It was a second before Ivan stood up, he was a mountain of a man and moved slowly and purposefully with every movement. Once at his full height he grinned down at Yao who looked up at him blearily as if he was struggling to focus on his features.

"I must leave." At least there was that blessing hidden in this disaster- "But I will be back soon to finish our discussing, little Yao. Until then, I hope you feel better."

The grin on his face was almost a mask and Kiku hated him. He had never felt a feeling so strong before and it made him rock slightly in his chair with the force of it as if he would launch himself and Ivan. Instead he took a deep nasal breath and blinked hard twice, pushing his dislike down into his stomach where it sat like a rock. Ivan and his companion didn't notice his display, but Yao looked at him out of the corner of his straining eye, his lips pinching together ever so slightly in warning.

Kiku could take a hint. He stood to walk Ivan to the door like a good host, earning himself a vile look from Natalia which he ignored. It was comforting to watch the back of Ivan Braginski leave the room, and by extension the house- that was until he passed by Feliks. The nurse was still reading but as the tall man moved past him he looked up from his page and for a second his face was a smirk of understanding- and then it was gone. It was threatening and odd. What could it possibly mean?

Kiku refrained from speaking but inside he snarled. He felt like he was missing something and he did not like that. Not at all. Kiku vowed then that he would make it his new mission to remove Braginski and his crew from Yao's life before their influence crept into the bedchamber again: starting with that leech of a nurse and his cold smirks.

oOo

Arthur was so agitated that if he even saw one more cup of tea he might have thrown the damn thing, saucer and all, at the wall in absolute frustration. It was late afternoon and he was alone in the house instead of at work where he should have been working on the case that was had been his lifeblood for all these years. However, his oh-so-dutiful brother hadn't been keen on him leaving his own room, never mind his own house. William had made sat him down with a few stern words and left him there for the day, although on what authority Arthur didn't know. Apparently he 'hadn't had enough sleep in days and looked like shit' which was very true: he was tired, but he couldn't possibly sleep a wink when his little boy was still out there. How on earth could he rest when he was this worried? It was almost maddening.

Arthur stared with a tapping foot at the clock on the wall as it made its slow process over the seconds and minutes, grinding his teeth in annoyance. He had to admit as much as it pained him, William had a decent point keeping Arthur in the house in such a tense state. He was so on edge he would be likely to rip out the throat of any more intruders without question or pause; a behaviour which would perhaps not be useful back at the office. His apartment was not safe to leave unmanned yet, and if Arthur, agitated as he was, had to play bulldog then he damn well would. Peter might have been taken but who was to say that Roma's men would stay away now they had one of the boys? After all, Roma didn't just break lives, he shattered them into thousands of pieces.

The house was nearly empty: only himself and a subdued Alfred remained. Matthew was still in the hospital but he would be out later today, Francis had barely left his bedside since the incident so he was well looked after. Lucky for him, Francis had thankfully stayed well out of Arthur's way since that night, but it did not mean he was out of Arthur's thoughts. The mere idea of him skulking around the flat and even the hospital rooms made his stomach seethe in rage which Arthur only bottled up because he knew that Matthew and Alfred needed him to hold his nerve together to sort out this mess. Although how he was meant to do that he did not know.

His men had spilt their time working on finding Peter and watching the apartment. They had been working around the clock to provide him with support and information, and all for nothing. There was no evidence to find it seemed; dead ends loomed everywhere they looked until he felt like a rat in a maze. Arthur chewed the inside of his lip so hard he broke the skin just at the thought. Vargas knew how to hide things in his labyrinth of streets and chaos, he was not a newcomer to this line of work: Arthur on the other hand felt shamefully helpless. He was always on the other end of a case, and it was a shock to suddenly bear the weight of the tragedy as his own. The Commissioner had spoken to him personally and politely, assuring him that all would be done to find Peter but even the other teams drawn into the case had found no trail to point them in the right direction. If Arthur had the proof and perhaps half of his youth back, he would have circled a team in on Roma the old fashioned way and beat the truth out of him.

As things were he couldn't be touched without lawyers and whatnot being involved-

A sudden knock snapped his attention back into the present. He froze and grabbed his gun from the table by his bed, robotically hurrying out of his room. Arthur's mind was already on dangers and men in black stood on his doorstep that he barely paid Alfred any mind as he poked his head out of the kitchen, only enough to roughly order him to 'stay upstairs!' before Arthur disappeared down the stairwell and into the lobby. He paused only to listen with his head against the door before flinging it open, his gun ready-

Arthur couldn't quite understand what was seeing.

His brain must have been more tired and addled than he though because the bright smile and large eyes which met his own were not the armed men he was expecting. The figure before him wasn't even tall. It was if he had opened his door to a mirage and for a moment he couldn't even speak. Luckily that didn't seem to be much of an issue.

"Ciao!" Arthur had to blink as the young man before him waved. Actually waved. "Hello again, Mr Policeman! I was in the neighbourhood and I thought I would just drop in on my way from school to see how Matthew was. I hope he is feeling better after his accident and that he will be coming back soon, it was very dull today without him I really missed him!"

No: the voice, the smile, everything. He was not dreaming. Feliciano Vargas, the youngest member of the Vargas trio was stood on his doorstep in the middle of the day, in bright sunlight seemingly alone and still smartly tucked up into his school uniform. He didn't even seem concerned with the gun still resting in Arthur's hand which he hasn't the heart just yet to put away.

It might not have been a dream, but it was certainly some sort of sick joke God was playing.

"What are you doing here?" Arthur was very surprised by his own tone of voice. He was abrupt but not furious, although he could feel his blood pressure starting to rise drastically. Was this some form of sick gloating? Could Roma had sent his youngest here to see him, and if so hadn't enough damage been done to their family?

Feliciano seemed confused by the question, tilting his head to one side and blinking quickly.

"I'm looking for Matthew-"

"Listen here, boy." Arthur realised that he didn't even want to hear what he had to say: Arthur would not allow himself to be lied to or ridiculed further. "Your family have done more than enough damage in this household, you're a curse the lot of you. If you think you're even hearing about Matthew after what your grandfather did you have another thing coming."

His voice rose in frustration at the end and the sane part of him put the gun in his pocket before he made a stupid mistake like shooting the little shit. Instead he chose to wave his finger threateningly in the young man's direction

"I don't know what your real motive is in coming here but you better get off of my doorstep before I go and fetch my badge and throw your ass into a cell. Be thankful I'm not as trigger happy as some of your grandfather's stooges. Now if you don't mind-"

Before his anger could get the better of him and make him do something he might regret, Arthur made to slam the door on the boy but found the movement of the wood blocked. Arthur was so surprised at the sudden stop to his frustration that he froze and looked down at the floor where Feliciano's delicately polished shoe was poking out between the gap. Arthur looked back up to find the boy's face peering imploringly through the gap.

"Remove your foot." Arthur demanded, but Feliciano had the nerve to shake his head ever so slightly.

"Please don't shut the door, Mr Kirkland." Arthur had no idea why the boy was whispering like that, it was almost unnerving. He had been so cheerful before but suddenly he was totally serious, even worried. "I know you don't understand, but you have to calm down. He said you would be mad-"

Whether it was curiosity or plain stupidity Arthur didn't know but he found himself opening the door, very slowly. He was still mad, but the way the boy was looking at him was bizarre and unexpected. Arthur glared down at him suspiciously, trying to get his blood pressure and temper back under control.

"Who said I would be mad?"

In response Feliciano dug his hand into the satchel at his waist to grab something. Arthur tensed up, but the item was a lot lighter and thinner than a gun- an envelope. The paper bridged the gap between them and hung there expectantly.

"Here, this is for you." Somehow the bright tone he has used before had dropped so his voice no longer carried, but the smile on his face was back now and inextinguishable as ever. What was this, an act? And who for? "You need to take it and thank me, they may be watching the house still and it would look suspicious if you didn't take it."

"What is it?"

Feliciano shook his head a fraction again. "Just take it. Don't open it here."

Against his better judgement, Arthur reached forward with numb hands to do as the young man bid. The envelope was the side and shape of a normal, everyday card, and a quick look on the back showed that someone had wrote Matthew's name on it.

What on earth-?

"I don't understand." Arthur mumbled. Of course he understood enough and the cogs were starting to grind into gear in his head now; the secrecy, the message for him but labelled to Matthew, he was not an idiot and had been in the forces looking at crime cases for long enough to know that messages were being passed here. But what Arthur did not understand was why they were coming from this source of all places. This was a Vargas, his enemy. Feliciano shouldn't have been passing him notes of any sorts. If he was any older he could have been even involved with the kidnap of Peter, and yet here he was passing cryptic notes from unknown sources right into the polices' hands. It was down right unfathomable.

"Who is this from?"

But Feliciano was already hopping down from the top step and onto the alleyway, dodging the grim and the mess of the city's underside to step down primly. He turned around to grin at Arthur as he adjusted his bag on his shoulder.

"My brother send on his best wishes to you and yours, Mr Kirkland." And then bringing his voice back up to the volume it had been when he first appeared, "Please make sure to give Matthew the card, I made it myself and I hope it will make him feel better. I miss him at school so make sure to hurry him up in his recovery! I have to go home now for dinner but I will be seeing you soon hopefully, arrivederci!"

As quickly as he had arrived Feliciano was off with a short wave, skipping down the alley, school bag swinging at his side. Arthur stepped out to watch him leave, feeling dazed. At the end of the alley where the dark stone work met clear, summer sunlight Feliciano was met with a tall shadow of a man and together they merged with the throngs of people moving past the end of the alley. Arthur watched and watched but they did not re-emerge, and no one else could be seen.

"Dad?" Arthur jumped and turned to find Alfred standing barefooted in the back room. He looked as confused as Arthur felt. He did not know how long it had been since his eldest son had ignored his order to stand there but it must have been long enough as he was looking intently at the envelope clutched in his father's hand as if it was cursed. "Wasn't that Lovino's little brother? What did he want?"

There was distaste marring Alfred's question. He had of course been informed of Lovino's real identity when Peter had been taken, and he had sulked about it for a long time afterwards. It was the first time he had willingly said the other boy's name since the incident, and it looked like it pained him. The betrayal had been something personal for Alfred after all.

Arthur stepped back inside and shut the door, only to lean on it suddenly heavy.

"I don't know, son." Alfred blinked in surprise and took the letter off his father who did not protest. His blue eyes took in the name on the back in confusion.

"Mattie?" Arthur was surprised when Alfred didn't rip into the letter to find out more. Instead his son looked indecisive but eventually settled on handing the slip of paper back to his father. "You open it, let's see what they have to say."

"Do you want to?"

Alfred shrugged but his eyes told a different story. He wanted this nightmare to be over as much as Arthur himself. Alfred was only a young man, but he felt the loss of his brother as keenly as his father and he knew he felt just as powerless as Arthur himself had felt, perhaps even more. He had let the men take his brother because he was powerless to stop them. The guilt had eaten him up, in fact Arthur realised that today was the first day since Peter's kidnap that Alfred had really spoken to him. It was this that made him take up the letter still offered to him and rip into the paper. He put his hand in and drew out-

A card. It had get well soon written on it and was indeed handmade as promised. Arthur couldn't quite believe what he was seeing, and neither could Alfred.

"But wait-" He said, eyes narrowing in disappointment that Arthur felt just as keenly. Had it all been a cruel ruse?

Arthur fully removed the card from the envelope to get a better look at it and there was a flutter as a sheet of paper fell out from between the folds of the card and onto the floor. Arthur stooped to fetch it, catching the brief impression of cramped hand writing covering both sides of the paper. He was holding his breath, and could almost feel Alfred doing the same. For some reason he dreaded his eyes touching those words, but he ate them up anyway, his hands shaking slightly.

Inspector, it read, I'm sorry for the clandestine methods I had to use to get this note into your hands, but we both know that it is better safe to be sorry in this world. I could not be seen to be sending this note to you, and my brother insisted he take it (he also insisted on the card as well)...

Arthur found himself walking to sit down on the foot of the stairs, watched silently by Alfred who stood at a distance from his father as he read;

I cannot say how sorry I am for all that has happened, Arthur resisted the urge to snort, but you will have to take my word that I have been deeply affected by these past weeks. It will probably comfort you to know that your boy is alive and well, but only for now. I do not know how long this stand-off between our families will last, as my grandfather is not a patient man and I fear for your son's welfare. However, I believe I may have a plan to help us both...

With his hand over his mouth Arthur read the rest of the letter, then had to read it again and again. It was only when Alfred, who had been getting more and more anxious about his father's silence, spoke up that Arthur tore his eyes away from the letter.

"Well?"

Arthur met his sons eyes. "I need to call your uncle, and after that-"

He took a deep, shaky breath.

"You are going to tell me everything you know about Lovino Vargas, and don't leave anything out."

oOo

Scipio loved his job, even with the terrible working hours and the constant threat of Roma Vargas hanging over his head. He enjoyed spreading God's word and saving the souls of his flock, however reluctant they were to find salvation. He particularly liked the smell of the incense, the comforting shield of the cassock and the steady hold of the collar at his neck. He even liked the dusty, worn halls of the church where he lived, right down to the plaster falling off the walls and the leaky ceiling in his room. It was all God's test and he accepted it dutifully.

However, he certainly enjoyed a break from all of that. He didn't get many days to himself in the year, being a priest was a full on position in this city which was what made itt was so pleasant just to relax and put his feet up for five minutes, grab the good book and settle down with a large cup of-

Ring, ring!

The call of the phone cut through the room like a knifes edge making him jump slightly in his seat. Scipio sighed. It was his day off and one of the other priests who worked in the small church would answer it. It might have been his home, but days off were days off whether the phone was outside his room or not. It was their job to look after the place when he was busy after all.

As if summoned by the shrill call of the phone, there came the gentle patter and swish of an on duty pastor who padded down the corridor outside Scipio's room. The noise was cut off and Scipio smiled and settled back down into his chair-

Only to be disrupted by a knock at the door. He sighed, he wasn't even wearing his full uniform today...

"Yes, what is it?" He called out, laying his book down wistfully. One of the other brother poked his head around the door with an apologetic smile.

"Apologises, Brother Scipio," He murmured. "But there is a gentleman on the phone for you."

Ergh, give him strength. Not Roma on his day off surely? Couldn't the man take a hint, or a day off himself? He was the only person he could imagine phoning him and being so insistent to speak to him on his day off surely.

"Who is it?" He asked anyway, almost dreading the response however he was surprise to find the other churchman shrug in confusion.

"I'm not sure, they didn't give a name when I asked but they said it was urgent." That was odd and it made Scipio sit up straighter in interest. "It is most likely a member of the congregation wanting advice on a certain issue, I offered my help but they asked for you specifically."

Scipio took in this information. It was probably just as his colleague said and a member of the church seeking advice, and if they had asked for him specifically then duty called, although why they needed him was another matter. Some of the older members of the congregation preferred his advice to the other priests, so it could have been one of them. They liked to hear his voice as his accent reminded them of their home towns in Europe, or so some of them said.

He nodded his understanding of the situation and stood up. He put down his bible on the table and followed the brother out into the passage, picking up the receiver as the shiver of church robes slid back off into the church proper.

"Yes?" He pressed the device to his ear, and received silence. He blinked in confusion and announced himself clearly. Perhaps the old dear was deaf?

"Scipio here, what can I help you with?"

There was a crackle on the line and nothing more. His brow creased in confusion. "Hello?"

Scipio was almost considering putting the receiver down when the person on the other end finally replied and he almost dropped the phone in surprise, his mouth forming a perfect circle.

It took a moment for him to recover and he coughed into the speaker to fill the awkward silence that had fallen. "I'm sorry, I'm just surprised you would call me. Yes I am alone. What exactly do you need?"

He listened and listened well to the measured voice explaining everything. Scipio's eyes were frozen as the voice spoke on the cross hanging above the phone which glittered back at him from above. It took him perhaps the whole of three seconds to decide on the right course of action- one he had never considered to be a possibility.

"You can count on my help. Tell me everything I need to know."

oOo

"You're sure you can contact him with this?"

"I'm not saying it's fool-proof but it's a lot safer than the alternative. I don't like having to do this as it is, adding extra risk just seems to be asking for trouble."

"... Do you think he will help us?"

"I don't think he'll be able to resist; he loves schemes and intrigue. And we can't really do this without him can we?"

"... Then let's get to business."

oOo

So, yeah, I'm not dead. I also haven't lost interest with this story at all.

I'll keep the explanation short and sweet but basically I completed a life dream and finished university. I did lots of work, wanted a break and ended up going off the internet for ages. I got a job in September and I've been focusing on that, but I'm in the swing of things now and I am returning to writing.

I will be finishing this fic in the next year or so as it's technically a first draft novel. I have a lot of the rewrite planned out already and I need to finish this to start it.

I won't be very frequent but there will be updates on the way.

In the meantime a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who is still following this story and to all the lovely reviews I got in my absence. I did read them all, even if I didn't reply, and they made me feel hella-guilty but also very eager to continue asap.

A special thank you has to go to Tristripes who had artwork comissioned for this fic (see the cover image omg) and sent me into a daze of excitement for days! I can never thank them enough! And you should also thank them because it's that more than anything that made me realise that I need to get my butt in order for you amazing readers.

So next update will be as soon as possible. I've already started writing it!

Any reviews in the meantime will be appreciated greatly!

Apologies for taking so long as well!