Hey everyone! Sorry it took me so long to update, and I'm SO SORRY THIS IS SUCH A SHORT CHAPTER! But...it seemed like a great place to end the chapter, and I just couldn't help it.

This is the first half of Part Nine, and I think i'm going to try to do the next part in Romano's point of view.

My arm is doing a lot better, thanks to the people who wished me well!

I hope this chapter is good enough for you all, even though it's so short. Again, I appologize for that.

Chapter Nine: Italy; Brother My Brother

I stood there for a long time, thinking about what I had to do. I needed to find those things that I hid, that much I knew...and I would have to find them quickly before the monster found out that I had trapped everyone. I nodded to myself, and started walking forward, I think there was one in the cave. I couldn't remember exactly, my memory was all foggy, and I was having trouble remembering certain things...where I had hidden things, what my connection was with certain people.

I stopped, frowning, shaking my head. I couldn't think about that right now. I needed to focus and find them, even if I had to search the entire house. I nodded my head sharply to myself, and started walking again, making my way too the cavern. Perhaps one of the pieces was there, and I couldn't help hope that one was as I made my way down those dark stairs. I ran my hand along the rocky wall, frowning as I got to the area with the burnt rope.

"No...it isn't here, after all..." I found myself muttering out loud. "Where did I hide it again?" I let out a sigh, wringing my hands together as I looked around. "Was it on the third floor, maybe? Gah, I'm really nervous now..." I forced myself to shake my head a few times to clear it. "...if I calm down, I'll remember. I hid another one with America...and then...then...uh..."

A few stones fell from the top of the cliff, but I took no notice, staring at the area in front of my feet in concentration. I needed to remember. If I didn't...

"I FOUND YOU VENEZIANOOO!" a voice suddenly screamed out, causing me to let out a scream and scramble backwards.

"Wh-what?" I couldn't help exclaim, looking around. I couldn't see anyone...and finally my eyes rested on the top of the cliff, where I could just barely see the sunlight obscured forms of two people...one with an unmistakable curl on the right side of his head. It was Romano. No..."Ro-Wh-why?" He shouldn't be here...he couldn't be here...

"Good thing the front door wouldn't open..." he was saying, and I could barely see him grinning. "so I was just loitering around here. I finally found you! What the hell have you been up to?" I opened my mouth to respond, and the other person moved slightly to where I could see them better.

"Ita! Thank God!" the person said in relief, revealing itself as Spain. Of course, Romano wouldn't go anywhere without Spain...but...they shouldn't be here! "You can't stay there all alone...where are the others?"

No...nonono! They couldn't be here! They'd...I couldn't stand losing them too...they had to leave...but how could I make them? Romano never listened to me...

"What...What are you doing here? We didn't ask you to come here!" I exclaimed, taking a few more steps backwards. This wasn't happening...there was no way Romano could be up there, even as he turned his head to me, I could barely see a frown on his face.

"...What did you do with the clocks?" he asked suddenly, and I felt myself freeze up. "Did you break all of them?"

"How..." I stuttered. "How did you know about that?" I felt myself screaming...How could he know about that? It was impossible! I hadn't told him, I knew I hadn't told him, so how in the world could he know?

"Answer me!" He screamed back and I felt myself shrink back. "Did you break the last clock?"

"It can't be..." I muttered to myself. I couldn't believe this. Romano shouldn't have known about that...the clocks...Yes, we broke all the clocks...but...how did he know? "You weren't supposed to know about that...What are you even doing here in the first place..."

My attention was caught once again as stones started falling from the top of the cliff. I looked up, finding Romano hanging himself over the cliff-side almost dangerously. Typical him...trying to get something without thinking about his safety.

"Romano! I know you're happy to see him..." Spain started, and I barely saw him move forward, playing what looked like his hands on my brother's shoulders. "don't get too excite-"

"Veneziano!" Romano called out, shoving Spain's hands away. "I'm coming there right now, so don't' move!"

My body moved on it's own, stumbling forward, my hands balling into fists as tears came to my eyes.

"N-No!" I screamed, causing Romano and Spain to jump, and I could barely see a frown on Romano's face. "Don't come here, no matter what! Go home! What are you doing here? H-How di-did you know?" I couldn't help ask those questions...even though I could feel the tears starting to go down my cheeks. The people above were silent for a moment and I could hear my brother gritting his teeth.

"...Try saying my name." he finally said, and I took a step backwards. I didn't understand what he was talking about.

"R-roman-" I started to say but he interrupted me with a shout.

"NO! Say my full name!" he screamed, looking quite fierce from where I was standing. I didn't understand for a moment. Why did he want me to say his full name? He was Romano. No...wait...Suddenly I understood.

"...Italy. Italy Romano..." I muttered, and I heard him let out a laugh.

"That's right! I'm Italy too!" he called down to me, and I could almost feel tears prickling at the sides of my eyes. Of course he knew...he was half of me...but...if that was the case... "I don't know everything you remember...but I do plan on carrying a little bit of the burden on my shoulders too ya know! You haven't been alone all this time!" I heard his voice pause and I looked up at him. He was staring at me intently, making me nervous. "You've...broken a lot of clocks, haven't you?"

"Y-yes..." The question surprised me, causing me to stutter. "But..."

"The flow of time got fixed." Spain said cheerfully. At the moment, I envied his cheerfulness. I couldn't see how he could be so cheerful...but he hadn't been in the mansion...He had no idea the horror that I had been put through. "That's why we were finally able to get here. Not just us, ya know? Everyone's coming to help you guys."

Horror struck me, even as Romano let out a laugh. Everyone was coming? No...nonono! That couldn't happen! I couldn't let anyone else die, especially people who hadn't been in here before!

"I fiiiiinally found you!" my brother almost sang down to me, and I could see him grinning at me. "I've been trying to find you for ages...couldn't find you...phone wouldn't work..." he started rambling, and my mind started working again...it started to work logically...somewhat. "And sometimes, I felt these...shocks. Like...half of me had disappeared, every single time...YOU IDIOT!" I jumped a bit at that, confused.

However, now I understood. I hadn't been able to bear it...my mind had been overloaded, therefore several of my memories had flowed over to Romano. It caused him to come looking for me...but...why did they have to come here? Why? I couldn't understand it. Even if something happened to me, which I knew hadn't happened...my brother would carry on, right? But if he was here...No. No. I couldn't think about the first time, this was all too confusing. What did I need to do again? I couldn't remember...I had no idea what I needed to do anymore. I had been distracted...Oh. Right. I needed to find those things.

I shook my head a few times, trying to clear my head, and I took a few steps backwards, looking back up to Romano. I could see the look of confusion on his face as he leaned forward, despite Spain's hand on his shoulder.

"Veneziano?" he asked, and I shook my head again, trying to keep myself from crying.

"I'm...sorry, Romano." I started to say, and I could hear my voice cracking. "I have to go. I'm sorry...but...just go home!" I couldn't stop myself, even as I screamed that, from turning on the balls of my feet and darting off towards the staircase. I heard my brother scream a bunch of obsineties at me, and when I reached the stairs, I stumbled, letting out a muffled yell of pain as my leg was scratched up through the fabric. I wiped the tears that stung at my eyes before picking myself up and making my way up the stairs. I was relieved and horrified at the same time, relieved at the fact I had seen Romano after such a long time...and then horrified that he was actually here. I paused outside the door of the basement, closing it and leaning up against it. I had to keep my mind straight...what did I need to do? Oh yes...

"First...I'll look for another metal piece..." I muttered out loud to myself, pulling out the metal rod that I had taken from Germany. He'd probably be really mad that I took it from him, but I had too. "I think I remember where it was hidden...On the second floor...somewhere there...and if I look for them one by one...maybe...I'll remember more..."

I forced my legs to start going, and they protested. They were tired...I was tired. All I really wanted, at the moment, was to rest. But I knew I couldn't. I couldn't stop. I had to make sure that they all got out safely. If they didn't...I would have to go and turn the clock back again. I didn't want to do that again, go through that again. So I forced myself forward, even though in the back of my mind I knew I would regret it later. I had to find those pieces, so I could unlock the fifth floor...and get the key.

I stopped at the top of the stairs at the second floor...looking around in confusion. Which room was it? I couldn't remember. I decided to check the room where Germany's safe room was, and I opened the door, looking around. I checked behind the bookcase, in the desk, under the bed. It wasn't here.

"It's probably on this floor...but it's not in this room..." I muttered to myself, turning to leave the room. I decided to check the other room on this side of the floor, on the other side of the stairs.

"...It's not here, either..." I muttered after checking the room. I crossed my arms, standing beside the stairs. Shaking my head, I made my way down and to the right. I should check this room over here...and I opened the door, looking in. There were two beds...for some reason it didn't seem right, but I checked anyways.

"It looks like this one...but it isn't. I'll keep looking..." I muttered once I had checked everything in the room. I frowned, leaving the room and moving past the stairs to the room with the fireplace in it. Looking in, I frowned again. Yet again, this room didn't feel...right. Suddenly, I remembered something. The right room...I had hid the thing under a carpet. This room didn't have a carpet, so I immediately closed the door. There was only one room left. It had to be right. Hesitantly I opened the door. Yes, there was a carpet...

"Was it in here?" I asked myself, my voice small. I looked around, looking under the bed, in the bookcase, behind the bookcase...Finally I paused in the center of the room, and I couldn't help but stare at my hands.

"..I've finally got everyone together..." I muttered to myself. It vaguely occurred to me that I probably was going a little insane...I was talking to myself way too much, Germany would have scolded me. "I'll definitely get them to escape..." I clenched my fists. "Or else I'll be doomed to be in a world where I'm alone..." I couldn't help but sigh at that, in my mind's eye I could still see the blood that had caked those hands time and time again..."Then again...even though I tried to be at least a little reliable, it looks like they couldn't trust me..."

My legs finally gave out on me, and I fell to my knees with a gasp. Where did my strength go? I needed it...I had to find that piece...but...I couldn't help think about what I had done to everyone. Perhaps...my guilt stole my strength, because I felt large tears start flowing down my face.

"...If I went back...they wouldn't get mad at me, would they?" I asked out loud as the large tear drops hit my hands. I knew that would be wrong, they would be mad at him. "I'd say I was sorry, and...and they'd yell a lot...and scold me...and then..." I let out a big sniffle, rubbing my cheek with my hand as I tried to force my legs to work. "They'd...they'd hug me, and I'd hug them, and-and they'd also say that they were sorry..." My legs just wouldn't work. I felt myself start to sob. "Really...all this time...I..."

I hadn't been alone. I had thought I had been alone...but I wasn't. They had been with me the entire time...Why hadn't I realized it? I needed them...especially in the last room. Perhaps this time would be different...and Suddenly, my legs started to work again, and I managed to pull myself to my feet. "...with them...from...from here..." I muttered, not really sure what I was saying anymore as I tried to brush away my tears. That was that. I was going to get the metal piece and go and let them out of their cell...

The door banged open so loudly I let out a scream and turned around. With everything that had happened...I had forgotten. I should have grabbed the metal piece sooner, for now the monster...it was there, and there was no escape.

"Oh..." I noticed it's form had changed, it was tall, bulky...it's blank eyes staring at me greedily. It wanted me. It wanted only me. It didn't care if the others died or not, I was the one that had always gotten away. I let out a sob, backing away as it approached me slowly. I hadn't been quick enough...and now there was no one to help me. I would have too...

I shook my head, stealing myself. No. There was no way that I was going to give up now! I had to grab the metal piece and make sure everyone got out safely! But even as I thought that, the monster moved closer, raising a bulky claw to try and end my life, and I couldn't help the terrified whimper that rose in my throat.

"...Ger...ma-"