Iran opens the door to the room England had indicated. The window was open, letting sunshine illuminate the room, and he notices the well-done bed and an empty tray in the bedside table. Everything was very clean and quiet. Strangely, the room seemed empty of people.
He was sure he hadn't opened the wrong door, and his six sense was telling him that room wasn't empty as it seemed, so he closed the door behind him.
He walks around, paying more attention to the details. He sees a lot of vitamin pillboxes, a pair of crutches and a pile of worn-out books in alphabetic order.
The view kind of made him smile, feeling empathy for the so-called Jewish girl that England was so stressed to get rid of. His sixth sense tickles and he was sure he felt her breathing for some anxious reason. He turns around, focusing on the perfect bed. He walks near it, slowly, sensing the anxious feeling in the air growing as he crawls and lifts the duvet to look down the bed.
There she was, with bulging brown eyes, shaking in fear for being caught. The perfect picture of dread horror makes him smile with compassion for her.
He had heard of her story. A small girl founded under the ruins of some horror factory. Her physical conditions were so bad that England almost buried her alive believing she was already dead until her weak hand managed to hold his wrist giving a sign of living existence. He didn't understand back then why England cried so much for that girl – he never seemed to be the type of guy to ever show such feeling - and why he kept her near him even thou he sometimes called her a burden. But now, seeing her, he understands why a stonehearted man such as England melted like an ice cube on a desert.
"Hey…" He speaks softly, but she shivers getting some inches away from him into the dark. "…I'm not going to hurt you."
He sighs seeing that his word didn't have the effect he had hoped. She was truly terrified of him, he wished England had told him about it. Not giving up, he lays down making himself comfortable to stay there a little while. He maintains his eyes on her, pupils shaking as expecting some strike from him. Then he remembered something that might reach her up.
"I'm sorry I'm scaring you… Didn't mean it… It was rude of me to open the door without knocking… I'm sorry again… What about I introduce myself first, eh?... I'm Iran, many might know me as Persia. Have you ever heard of me?" He had hoped his continuing low and calm voice would appease her but, although her eyes moved slightly as soon as he spoke his name, she still seemed to mistrust him too much to answer. "Maybe you don't… But I have known lots of Jews, and I love them… My father used to have a famous Jew as his best friend… I hope you and I can also be friends." She kept quiet, cautious, and when he was starting to give up the hope her lips finally moved to make a sound he barely understood.
"Father?" He stopped breathing, trying to understand what her whisper was, but he seemed sure of what he heard, and how sweet her voice had sounded.
"Yes, my father was Great Persia, he was a great conquer, he…!" He slaps himself mentally for turning his conversation in a war direction. Lucky, she seemed to start appeased, crawling some inches on his direction, showing curiosity.
"Persia." She whispers again, eyes shining without fear for once.
"Yes… but, that was my father… I'm just Iran." He tries to say, feeling excited for seeing her coming closer and speak low words.
"Iran." She repeats him.
He blinks, taking notice that she had crawled enough for him to pull her out under the bed, but he wouldn't risk breaking the trust she was having with him.
"Yes, that's my name. What's your name?" She looks at the floor, breaking eye contact for the first time, feeling enough secure to do so.
"Alisheba." She whispers.
"That's such a pretty name, why won't you come out so we can talk more comfortable?"
She keeps quiet, probably questioning if it was safe for her to go out. He felt regret due to the waiting, but she showed to give him another sign of trust, by crawling more on his direction to get out. He gets up, offering a hand to help her out, again, she stops to think, only then accepts the offer.
Was only when she got out and stayed straight up that he noticed just how vulnerable she was. She was not weak enough to make her look sickening, but she clearly had the body proportions of an unhealthy girl, like some girl with bulimic issues. Her height didn't make it sound any better, he couldn't see before with her laid on the ground, but she was ridiculously small, barely reaching his waist, which left him horrified for realizing that - that girl - was just a child. Neither the less, she still had some beauty on her. A smooth dark brown hair barely passing her shoulder blades, curling a bit at the end, curious and cautious eyes, soft facial expressions. She surely would be gorgeous in her normal condition.
He breaks his hypnotized gaze on her, remembering himself that he had a purpose by the end of that conversation.
"Do you want help to sit down?" He asks after kneeling to don't make their conversation too awkward due to the difference in height. This time, she ignores his offer, sitting all by herself.
She was determined, he could see. Yet, her health was no good if even sitting down took her that much time. Patiently, he lets her take all the time she needed and then sits beside her, with a safe distance to don't break her personal space.
"Tell me Alisheba, where are you from?" Her eyes are all over him, but no word comes out making himself wonder if she had heard him. "Where is your place of birth?"
"Birth." She repeats, looking at the floor.
"Yes Alisheba, we all have born, one way or another."
"I… don't… remember. "She answers, calm and slowly, like trying to think more carefully.
"Where your parents are?" He asks trying to reach the answer the way around. For the first time, she was able to speak a full phrase without a stop in the middle.
"I don't have parents, they died." Her answer left him astonished, wishing to slap his mouth for asking such a foolish question. But she hadn't finished. "But not at Germany and his brother's hands. They died away before that…"
"Sorry to hear that."
"It's okay…" She whispers trying to shake her legs, showing not worry about that fact. "I never met them anyway."
"You didn't? But do you know who they are?" He leans himself to catch her face, trying to gain back her attention.
"Yes, people told me who I was."
"Who?" She looks back at him, showing a shy smile. He keeps steady, serious, but enjoying deep down the fact that she was comfortable to smile at him.
"You have such pretty eyes, Iran. You look like a royal prince."
He was out of words, not that his eyes had never been praised, maybe too many times, but the way she said it, sounded innocent, comforting and truly warming.
The silence maintains, only an unknown noise of voices coming from the outside could be heard. And it seemed to get closer, stealing Iran's attention to the door and making the girl hideaway when the noise was just behind the door.
"Let me see! I want to see her!" The door wide opens, and Turkey enters with England on his shoulders like he somehow was trying to stop him, but failed, behind was America laughing out loud because of the two.
"Turkey!" England jumps to the floor seeing that his attempt to stop him was worthless. "I didn't allow you to get in!"
"I want to see the girl! To know if it is her!" He shouts at England completely ignoring his growls at him. "So…" He turns around to find Iran sitting on the bed looking at him and not realizing that the girl was just behind him. "… Iran, get out so I can see her."
Iran doesn't understand but then feels small hands on his shoulders and notices where she was. The incoming situation left him divided between doing what Turkey said or prove to the girl that he was worth trusting.
"Please Turkey, you're scaring the girl." He says lifting a hand to him so he wouldn't do anything reckless while the other one tried to hold the girl behind him.
"See the shit you have done Turkey?! Get out!" Shouts England, but he is ignored.
Turkey tries to take some picks at the girl's face without trespassing Iran's hand limit. He hums, not sure, but takes the risk.
"Alisheba?" He calls out, surprising England and Iran.
Iran feels her move, trying to also look at the person that had called her.
"Ottomano?" He can hear her ask right beside his right ear.
"So, you know the girl?" Asks England a bit shocked.
"I told you so! This was the girl I rescued from the Inquisition years ago!"
"Inquisition?!" Asks Iran and America at the same time, both surprised.
"Yes, yes, yes, …" Turkey turns to speak to the girl that was now watching with precaution. "I see you haven't grown an inch, my lady."
"Wait! If she has been here since the inquisition… that makes her…" Says America getting closer to also view her. Scared, she hides again behind Iran's back.
"A nation with no land." Answers Turkey on his turn. "I had my doubts back then, she always appeared and disappeared, do you remember Alisheba? You were always trying to sneak by me to get to Jerusalem."
"How old are you girl?" Asks America getting too close. Terrified, she embraces desperately Iran's back for protection. America immediately walks away seeing how fragile she was. "Oh… she is really…" He chooses not to go on.
"That's it! Everyone out! I think you have stressed her enough for today!" Shouts England pushing Turkey in the door's direction.
"But I want to catch up with her…" Mumbles Turkey.
"Not today!" England gives him a big push, putting him out of the room and turns around to mumble with the rest of them. "You too! Let the girl rest for today!"
Not complaining, America obeys and steps out of the room. Iran also lifts from the bed, although he had to turn around to convince the girl to let go off his hand.
"Don't worry, we will meet again." Unconsciously, he caresses her head for comfort. Her facial expression was appeased, and she lets him go with the others. Then, England carefully closes the door.
They all walk back to the living room. England still scolding Turkey for him daring to enter the room without permission, while Turkey whistled to ignore him.
"Blah, blah, blah… Who let the parrot out?" Asks Turkey facing England.
"Screw you!" Shouts England.
"So, I can assume the situation has become more interesting. England, you never told us about the fact she was a nation and not a human." Speaks America, getting England's attention, who crosses the arms, rumbling his thoughts to answer.
"I told you, I have seen her before, America... but that's another reason why we can't just let her stay all by herself. We need to get her a place to live."
"She has no home. That girl is the physical definition of an immigrant. She used to live everywhere. She lived near me, then near Egypt, and I saw her too in Europe while making my conquers. Who knows where else? She never stopped moving around the globe." Says Turkey.
"Don't you think that's why she ended up like this? She had no place to ever stay forever. I want to fix this before I step away from the Middle East." Answers England.
"Wait, where do you intend to put her?" Asks Iran.
England makes a long silence, letting them anticipate his answer. Sighing, he finally speaks.
"I don't want to do this, but… There's a strong community of Jews in Jerusalem and around it, she would be safer with them."
"Are you joking?!" Shouts Iran.
"AHAHAHAHA! And here I was convinced you cared for the girl!" Laughs out Turkey hysterically.
"Even I see just how wrong that is…" Says America. "… They barely stand us, what would they think if we send a stranger to their centre?"
"I know… I want your help with this." Confesses England, sighing with frustration and taking a seat in a chair near. "I was hoping she would say her home to Iran. Did she?"
"No, not yet." Answers Iran.
"Well, I know the Arabs will hate it, but I don't know what else to do with her. I can't leave this issue with Russia, France is broken shit and full of other problems, and I won't leave her with Germany for sure, the rest of us don't feel competent or mentally ready to take care of her. She is so…"
"I will!" Everyone turns around, shocked by America's answer.
"You will?!" They all shout together.
"Yeah! How hard can it be to take care of a girl?!"
"Wow America, you really work out on your image of a hero." Jokes Turkey.
"Wait, are you saying you will take her in your home?" Asks Iran.
"Well… no, I mean, weren't we speaking of who would just take care of her? I can do it. This way you can rest England, then help with the communists."
"America, I also think we should give her a proper home…You won't be able to take care of her forever." Says England.
"That's not our concern now. Leave the Arabs quietly, meanwhile, we will help the girl to get better. Then we will see what's the best solution for all of us and her."
"Wise words America, I'm truly impressed!" Laughs Turkey. "Anyway, seeing you are all getting the work done, I'm going out to refresh myself. Iran, are you coming?"
"In a minute." He answers, but Turkey makes his way out, leaving them three. "I'm really happy that you will help Alisheba, America. She has been thrown so much. She doesn't even have had parents all her life."
"Ali what?" Asks America.
"Alisheba…" Corrects Iran, feeling not so sure of trusting him now. "Never mind, I have to go now. I will be back in a week to speak with Alisheba again." Iran makes his way after Turkey.
"You always welcome." Waves England, before focusing on America very intensely.
"What?" He asks.
"I have something to tell you…"