Chapter 76

Belarus kept her cheek pressed up against the door to the basement, trying to listen for any hint of General Winter's distraction. She heard his voice slicing through the cold air, sharp and low in rage. She closed her eyes, wincing hard as she heard both Lithuania and Poland cry out in pain, then the closing of a door, lighter and smaller than the giant black door that kept Prussia and Russia locked away. She hadn't heard that one close. She turned back to her sister.

"Is the food ready?" She kept her voice low, almost a whisper.

Ukraine nodded, "It's just some vegetable broth, and some water… is that enough?"

Belarus nodded back, "It'll have to be…" she bit her lip.

"Oh no!" Ukraine covered her mouth with a gasp.

"What? What's wrong?" Belarus put her hands on her sister's arms, looking into her face.

"Gilbert. He's going to need drugs… If he doesn't get them…"

"I don't want that…" Belarus looked back towards the basement door. She didn't exactly like Gil, but he'd suffered enough. She couldn't do that to him too. Not if she could help it. "Do you know where they are? The drugs I mean?"

Ukraine shook her head, "No… I wish I did. I know where the painkillers are of course, but… that's not enough anymore. I don't know where he keeps the He… what GDR needs…" Ukraine bit her lip hard.

"All right…" Belarus sighed deeply, looking back towards the hallway, "I'll go to Russia's desk and try and find-" She turned back suddenly, looking to the corner of the kitchen, staring into the face of a child. His face was thin, skeletal, but his eyes sparkled. Belarus's breath caught in her throat. She looked up at the others with him: two men, one woman. Gilbert's ghosts.

"W-," she trembled, "Why are you here?" her voice broke, squeaking on the last few letters as her breath shook.

"Bela?" Ukraine stared into her sister's face, shaking, "Bela what are you seeing…?"

Belarus didn't respond to her sister, keeping her eyes fixed on the faces of the four ghosts, "Why are you here?" she asked again.

The little boy stepped forward, "Because he needs our help."

"I promise, we mean him no harm, only help," The woman spoke. Her voice was gentle, mothering, and kind.

"He's afraid we're angry with him," The taller of the two men said.

"Why would you be angry…?" Belarus asked, her eyes filling up with tears. To look into their faces broke her heart. There was so much pain, so much sorrow, yet she couldn't look away.

"Because… he's the reason… for this…" the shorter man rolled up his sleeve, revealing numbers so bold, so deeply tattooed, that they were clearly visible on his translucent skin.

Belarus brought her hands to her mouth, looking up into the man's eyes. The pain radiating from the four ghosts was almost more than she could stand. Her heart ached until it burned, and tears spilled over her cheeks.

"But we are not angry…" the woman spoke again, "We've been watching him, trying to talk to him… but he's afraid of us. He thinks we're going to take revenge… but that's not why we're here. Please, let us help you. We want to help you help him."

"Please…" The young boy said, "Please, he is in pain…"

"How can you help…?" Belarus asked, looking into the woman's eyes.

"We know where the drugs are," The tall man explained, "We can take you to them. But we have to hurry."

"General Winter isn't he being distracted by-"

"Yes," The shorter man cut off her words, "But we're losing him."

Belarus looked at them, confused, "He'll heal, he-"

The woman stopped her, "No, no he can heal physically… It's his mind that's fading. General Winter has almost destroyed it. Everything he was, everything he needs to be, we're losing it. We have to hurry. If we get him drugs, if we talk to him before, when he can see us… we might be able to save him."

Belarus nodded, turning to look back at Ukraine, whose face was almost white with terror. She couldn't see the ghosts, but she could see her sister's face.

"Bela… what's wrong…? Please…"

"The Ghosts. They… they want to help. They want to help Gil…" she turned to them again, "Can you make yourselves visible to my sister?"

Ukraine's soft scream proved their answer.

Belarus turned to them again, "Thank you. Please, show me where the drugs are for Gil."

The ghosts nodded, motioning for her to follow them down the hall.

She ran to keep up with them, her mind swirling. They had to be telling the truth. They didn't want to hurt Gil, they wouldn't, the pain in their eyes was too honest, they couldn't want to hurt him… could they?

…

"Wake up."

Lithuania opened his eyes weakly as his head was pulled back by his hair. The room wasn't brightly lit, but he blinked in the sudden light, pulling his head away from General Winter's hand. He groaned. His head throbbed where it had collided with the wall. General Winter had thrown him against it after he'd tried to stop him from choking Poland. Poland… he couldn't see Poland. He looked up, more alert suddenly, trying to see him, trying to scan the room, still blinking in the light. He wasn't there. He struggled suddenly at the ropes that bound him a chair, and looked up at General Winter, shaking with both fear and anger.

"Where's Feliks?" He asked, the trembling in his voice revealing the fear he wasn't trying to hide.

"Just in the other room," General Winter said, standing in front of Lithuania, his arms crossed over his chest.

"What are you going to do to him?"

"Shouldn't you be asking what I'm going to do with you?"

"I don't care," Lithuania shook his head, "What are you going to do to him?"

"The same thing I'm going to do to you."

Lithuania swallowed hard, shaking so badly he could almost hear his teeth chattering, "And?"

"Are you asking what I'm going to do to you?"

Lithuania nodded.

"I'm going to torture you."

Lithuania nodded again, looking away. He didn't care if General Winter hurt him, but Poland…

"You know, you and Poland, you really do care about each other, don't you?" General Winter walked behind Lithuania, his voice low and taunting.

"Yes. He's my best friend… I would die for him!" Lithuania's voice was more confident, stronger.

"Interesting, he said the same about you."

"He's awake?"

"Yes."

"And?" Lithuania swallowed hard again.

"He's waiting. He knows I came to talk to you."

Lithuania breathed faster, trying to stop his body from shaking, trying to slow his heart's pounding in his chest, "Just waiting?" He cried out in pain suddenly as General Winter's hand gripped his neck where it met his shoulder.

General Winter smiled, "Do you think Poland liked hearing that?"

Lithuania set his jaw. He couldn't do this to Poland.

General Winter let go of Lithuania's shoulder and walked back in front of him, lifting his chin high enough to strain his neck, gripping his jaw. He turned his face slowly, pulling it to the side hard enough to barely reveal the usually concealed scars under his collar.

"Russia left theses on you, didn't he?"

"Yes," he didn't see a point in lying. He felt General Winter's icy fingers slip under the fabric, pulling at it.

"I want to see them," General Winter smiled, pulling out his knife.

Lithuania closed his eyes as the blade slipped under the collar of his shirt, cutting away at the fabric until it was ripped away from his back. He gasped again as General Winter pushed him forward. He winced, closing his eyes. His still-tied arms aching as they were strained by General Winter's motion. He shivered as the rest of the fabric coverings back was torn away. He kept his head down and his eyes closed. He could almost feel General Winter smiling.

"There's a lot of pain behind these marks… isn't there?"

Lithuania nodded, "Yes…" he tried to keep his voice from breaking.

"I like pain… it's a good teacher… da?" General Winter said, his words completely void of all emotion.

Lithuania shivered but said nothing.

"You would know," General Winter ran his hand up the deep jagged lines etched into Lithuania's back, "And my Russia… he really did all of this himself…?"

"Yes…" Lithuania whispered, closing his eyes, "Are you proud of him?"

"Da. Very…" General Winter continued to press into the scars, looking down at Lithuania's back, "I don't know if I could have done better… they're beautiful…"

Lithuania shivered again, shaking his head, "Russia was right… he was right you are a monster…" he grit his teeth.

"He said that? About me?"

Lithuania nodded.

"He's right."

Lithuania closed his eyes, hating every second General Winter continued to touch his back.

"But none of these are new…" General Winter sounded almost disappointed, "How long as it been?"

"Not long enough," Lithuania whispered, his eyes still closed.

"He's still weak… after all these years… I tried to teach him…" The giant whispered as he almost caressed the scars.

Lithuania squirmed, earning him a slash from the knife across his arm. He bit back the cry of pain, turning to look back at General Winter.

"I'm impressed. But I suppose… you're used to pain aren't you?"

Lithuania said nothing, keeping his head down, not daring to look back at General Winter.

"Not like Russia," General Winter smiled, "I build him out of pain. It's how he thinks…"

Lithuania shivered as he felt General Winter breathing on the back of his neck as the giant leaned in close behind him, more threatening with every breath.

"Everything he does, everything he thinks, every time he breaks you," The giant walked around Lithuania, lifting his face again until he met his eyes, "All of it from pain… I taught him to think in it. And he's still. too. weak!" He struck Lithuania's face almost hard enough to knock the chair to the ground, "But you," he grabbed his face again, "You're used to it, aren't you? Being in pain? Tell me…" he touched Lithuania's face almost gently, "Does it even hurt anymore?" he gripped Lithuania's throat, not looking for an answer. He let go, stepping back and looking down at the dark-haired country in front of him. "You have no idea how weak you are, do you!?" he slammed his fist into Lithuania's face, sending his head back for a moment.

Lithuania looked back into General Winter's, "I thought you were going to torture me…?" He licked blood off his lip.

General Winter smiled, "Oh… I am…" he sheathed his knife and walked behind Lithuania, grabbing his hair and forcing his head back. He leaned down close to Lithuania's ear, whispering with icy breath, "I could let Russia beat you all day and all night, and it wouldn't cause as much pain as I am going to…"

Lithuania breathed hard as he closed his eyes, the shaking getting worse again as he felt the grip on his hair release. He brought his head up, bracing himself for whatever General Winter was about to do. He jumped as he heard the door close, but not lock. He turned quickly, looking behind him. General Winter wasn't there. He shivered, struggling a little at the ropes around his wrists, keeping them bound to the sides of the chair. The dead silence was almost as chilling as General Winter's hands. The only sound in the room was his own breathing, heavy and fast with terror. He wrapped his fingers around the sides of the chair, gripping until his hands were numb. He waited, ready to hear the door open, to feel General Winter's knife or a whip at his back. Anything. Anything except waiting. He closed his eyes, trying to process General Winter's words, trying to prepare himself for whatever pain the giant intended to inflict.

"LIET!"

Lithuania turned to the wall across from him, the wall he faced, the wall he was closest to.

"Feliks…" he whispered, keeping his eyes fixed on the wall.

Another scream, louder this time and without words.

Lithuania closed his eyes, shaking his head, "Please… please no…" he whispered, biting his already bleeding lip.

"TORIS!" the scream rang through the room.

"FELIKS!" he called back, struggling against the ropes as hard as he could, desperately trying to free himself. He had to get to the door. It wasn't locked, he had to get to the door… He couldn't get free. He turned to look at the wall again, tears filling his eyes as more screams rang in his ears, screams of pain. His chest ached, every muscle in his body working to get free from the ropes that weren't going to loosen. The tears spilled over his cheeks as Poland screamed for him again. He couldn't get to him. He could stop it. He couldn't get free. He couldn't save him. There was nothing he could do. General Winter was right.

…

"Here, hurry…" Belarus motioned Ukraine and the ghosts towards the giant black door that stood part way open. She stopped at the door, the others behind her. She covered her mouth, gagging. The smell of blood was overwhelming. She turned to look back at Ukraine, who'd turned as white as her shirt.

"We can do this…" Belarus nodded to her, whispering.

Ukraine bit her lip, but nodded back, gripping the pot of soup and the spoons.

Belarus looked down at the drugs in her hand. They were powder. She didn't have time to do anything other than grabbing as many bags as she could. She'd found 6. She didn't know if that was enough or too much, but she didn't care. She glanced back at the ghosts one more time before slipping in through the opening in the door, not daring to move it in case it made too much noise. She froze, her mouth falling open as she brought her hand to it. She barely registered her sister running past her and kneeling next to their brother, frantically touching his face, wiping away the blood with her bow after ripping it off her neck.

Belarus turned to look at Gil, rushing to him and kneeling in front of him. She touched his face gently, trying to lift his head. Her hands stuck to the blood on his face. She wiped them on her dress, brushing his white hair, soaking with sweat and blood, back off his face.

"Gil?" She asked gently.

He answered with a faint groan, opening his eyes weakly, trying to focus on her face. He shivered, biting his lip in pain.

"We brought food…" She tried to sound reassuring, looking into his face while trying not to look at the rest of him. He'd been stripped to his shorts and the proof of General Winter's brutality was all over his body, covering almost every inch of bare skin. She took off her apron, lifting it to his face, trying to wipe away the dried blood. She glanced back at Ukraine with her brother. He was slightly more conscious than Prussia, but barely.

Belarus reached for a bowl, filling it with the soup and bringing the dish to Prussia's lips, "Please… drink if you can…" She held up his head, tilting the bowl gently.

He tried to drink, the hot liquid spilling down his chin, stinging in the cuts. He pulled away, wincing, inhaling through his teeth. He could barely feel anything except pain. So. much. pain. He winced again as she wiped the broth off his chest. He swallowed hard, his throat so dry his tongue wouldn't even stick to the roof of his mouth.

"W-water?" he choked.

Belarus nodded, grabbing the glass and lifting it to him again, carefully tipping it until the precious clear liquid touched his dry lips. The glass was empty in seconds.

Gil shivered again, gasping for breath. He could feel his hands starting to shake. "D-Drugs…?" he didn't want to ask. He hated having to ask. He didn't want this…

Belarus nodded. She looked up at his hands, still chained above his head. She sighed in relief, they were locked in such a way that she could unlatch them. She did, catching him as he fell forward onto her shoulder, his arms falling limp at his sides. Carefully, she laid his head on her lap, letting him rest against her legs. She pulled the drugs out of her pocket, handing them to Gil. She bit her lip, looking down at him as he buried his face into the bags, breathing deeply, taking as much as he could, pressing it against his nose and mouth desperately, his body shaking. She pet his hair, turning away. She felt sick. Finally, she looked back at him as she felt him stop moving. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was almost normal. His left hand, covered in the white powder, resting on the ground beside him, his right still at his side. He didn't move. She kept petting his hair gently, turning to look up at the four ghosts as they walked forward.

Gil tried to breathe normally, the drugs just barely strong enough to hold off the withdrawal, but not nearly enough to make him high. He didn't move, just letting his body take in the drugs, just wanting to feel close to normal. He shivered suddenly, a deep, chilling cold biting into his chest. He looked up, expecting to see General Winter, but it was ghosts. Four ghosts. The same for ghosts as always. He tried to push himself away from them, too weak to accomplish his goal.

"Please…" he whispered, closing his eyes. He opened them slowly when he felt a hand touch his cheek. The hand was very thin, but the touch was comforting. He tried to look at whoever was touching him, expecting it to be Belarus. One of the ghosts, the woman, had her hand on his cheek, touching it gently.

"Gilbert…?"

Her voice was so soft, so gentle and kind that it almost took his breath away.

"Please…" he whispered, "Please don't hurt me… Please, I'm so sorry… I'm so so sorry…" he felt a sob rise in his throat, but his body was so starved of water there were no tears for him to cry.

"Gilbert, we aren't here to hurt you, and we never were," One of the men said from behind him.

Gil tried to turn to look at the man, but the boy caught his eye. He was so thin, so fragile. He just wanted to hold him, to apologize until he had nothing left. He reached for the child's hand weakly as the boy sat next to him.

"Gil… we…" the little boy started, "We're here because we wanted to forgive you. We wanted you to know that we forgive you."

"W-what?" Gil whispered, looking into their faces, "You… you what?"

"We forgive you."

"I was so wrong, I-"

"We know," The woman spoke again, "That doesn't change that we forgive you. For all you've done to us. We really, truly, forgive you."

Gil broke, deep, dry, choking sobs taking over his body. He buried his face in Belarus's dress, gripping the grey fabric. He kept the little boy's hand in his, letting the woman pet his hair. He didn't care about the pain anymore. Nothing else mattered. He couldn't believe them. They couldn't really forgive him… but the hand running through his hair was so gently, almost mothering. There was no hatred in her touch, no anger, only kindness. He didn't deserve it, but it was being given to him. He tried to stop crying, tried to hold in the sobs. But it didn't matter. The weight on his chest felt lighter, the deep starting to lift. Forgiveness… he would fight. He would fight back. He would stand up with his head held high again. He would heal, he would accept their forgiveness.

He opened his eyes finally, looking up at the woman as she started to fade away, her touch on his hair lightening. The boy's hand slipped through his fingers, and the two men were already gone. The woman was the last to fade, her hand gently brushing his cheek once more. He looked up at Belarus weakly.

"Did I dream that whole thing… or…?"

Belarus spoke through tears, quickly brushing her eyes and returning her hand to Gil's hair, "No. No, I saw them too… I heard what they said…"

"Forgiveness…"

A/N: Another chapter up! YAY! It's quite late here, so I won't be saying too much here in these author's notes.

Many (though not all) of the Jews did say they forgave many of the guards and people who hurt them. I think that is one of the noblest, bravest, most incredible things I can eve imagine someone doing. So I had to add it in. The ghosts have faded away. They've done what they wanted to do. To help Gil. To give him some peace. Bloodied and hurt as he is... forgiveness is a very powerful thing. One of the most powerful things in the world. I think, perhaps, second only to love.

Thank you so much for all the reviews (and so quickly!) on my last chapter! I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts on this one! Cookies and lemonaide for everyone! And birthday cake. It's my aunt-in-law's birthday today, so birthday cake for all! :)