Chapter 5

Two days had passed in the Kingdom of Spades and England had had no luck in cancelling the ball that Alfred had planned. Every time that he thought of an excuse that he thought was good enough Alfred was always able to work his way around it. It seemed like Alfred was adamant on having this ball which was not what England wanted to happen, but if there was nothing that he could do to stop then he would make sure that Alfred would be happy during it.

It was the day of the ball and as the sun's rays passed through the window into the room; England slowly woke up in the bed finding that there was an added weight on his body. He looked to where the added weight was coming from and saw that Alfred was clinging to him in his sleep. Over the last two days Alfred had been able to somehow convince England to sleep in the same bed as him. "Damn it why does he have to be so clingy in his sleep." England tried his best to wriggle out of Alfred's grasp but that only seemed to make the other hold onto him even tighter, eventually England gave up and just let Alfred hold onto him. "What made me agree to share a bed with this oaf? Although this does kind of remind me of when America was young and he would demand to sleep next to me at night."

England was so lost in his memories of when America was young that he didn't notice that Alfred had woken up and was now looking at him and the smile that was on his face.

Alfred took himself off of England and then placed his hands on either side of the smaller blonds head there by pining him down onto the bed. He looked at the other with a half mischievous smile on his face. "What has got you smiling so beautifully in the morning my love? Did you remember something?"

England had to push Alfred away from him in order to get him away from him as to prevent anything from happening as England was keen to get back to his world without damaging anything in this world. "No I didn't Alfred." When England saw the hurt look on Alfred's face he felt bad for the other once again. It was becoming routine that every time that Alfred saw him he would ask if he got his memories back and every time he would have the same sad disappointed look on his face. "Memories don't come back to a person that easily Alfred. You need to give it time and stop asking every five minutes or whenever you see me."

"I'm sorry Arthur." Alfred grabbed a hold of one of England's hands and lifted it up between the two of them. "It's just that every time I see you I can't help but hope that you might remember something about me, about us. But you are right I need to be patient. I'm sure that you'll remember soon my love. Now come on we need to get ready the guests for the ball will be arriving soon."

At the thought of the guests England wished that he had done a better job of trying to convince Alfred that the ball had been a bad idea. But seeing as how it was going to happen then he might as well go along with it.

It was just after mid day when the first lot of guests had started to arrive and as England stood off to one side to watch as the guest arrived, making sure that he was out of view from everyone he wasn't even the least bit shocked when he saw the Royals from Hearts arrive and this worlds version of Germany was leading the trio with Japan and Italy not far behind, actually Italy was standing very close to Germany.

From where England was standing he could only just about hear what was being said between Alfred and the guests as each one of them arrived. The main thing that he was listening out for was the names of this world's version of the nations that he knew.

When he saw who this Ivan person was that Yao and Alfred had mentioned a couple of days ago he could understand why they didn't get along. "I should have known Ivan is this worlds Russia. I should have known. Those two won't ever get along no matter what universe that they are in." England soon left his little hiding spot not long after the Royals from Clubs had walked past him, not knowing that he was there and headed back to his and Alfred's room to wait until it was time for the ball to start.

Alfred and Yao were both left standing waiting for the last of the Royals to arrive, the Royals from Diamonds.

Yao stretched his arms above his head as he started to grow tired of waiting for the Diamonds Royals to arrive. "And as usual Francis is late to arrive aru."

"It is annoying how he does this all the time." Alfred looked at his pocket watch and saw that it was almost time for the ball to start. "If you don't mind Yao I'm going to go and get Arthur if you don't mind waiting here for the late comers."

"Sure Alfred I don't mind it is one of the jobs of the Jack after all. Now go, spend some time with Arthur before the ball starts." Yao watched as Alfred walked away with a smile on his face.

It was a little while longer before Yao saw a group of people walking towards him. He could easily tell that from the overly flashy clothes that the Royals from Diamonds had finally arrived. "Ah Francis, Lily, Vash thank you so much for coming all the way to Spades."

"Ah bonjour Yao it has been a long time since I last saw both you and Spades. I never thought that I would ever see them again in my life. Might I ask what has caused Alfred to throw such a big party?"

"I'm afraid that is something that you have to wait for as it is a surprise."

Francis, Lily and Vash all started to make their way into the castle each wondering as to what the surprise that Yao mentioned was. Lily looked to her brother as she asked him a question. "Big brother you don't think that Arthur has returned to Spades."

Francis cut off Vash before he even had the chance to give a reply to his sister. "Oh Lily I highly doubt that is the case. He's been gone for fifteen years now and what would be the chance that he would show up just like that after all these years?"

As Alfred walked back to his and England's room he had to stop himself from running from the pure excitement that he felt at the thought of getting to dance with Arthur once again. When he got closer to the door to the shared room he no longer cared about not running and quickly closed the distance between him and the door that separated him from Arthur.

Alfred quickly but quietly opened the door to the room as to not alert England that he was entering the room. What he saw when he opened the door nearly took his breath away.

England was sat on the sofa whilst looking out the window with his head resting on the back of the sofa. The sun shining into the room caught his hair and made it look as if it was glowing like a halo. Alfred was at a loss for words at the sight before him as it reminded him of the days from before Arthur disappeared. It was unfortunate that as Alfred closed the door to the room; the door creaked alerting England that he was no longer alone in the room.

England looked to the wondering who it was who had stepped into the room with slight worry, he relaxed once again when he saw that it was only Alfred. "It's just you Alfred. Is everything ok? You kind of look like you've seen a ghost."

"Oh sorry Arthur it's just . . . you looked quite beautiful with the sun shining behind you like that. Just like the angel that you are." Alfred slowly closed the gap between him and England until he reached the sofa that the smaller blond was sitting on.

Alfred sat on the sofa so that he was facing England and as he did so he cupped one side of England's face, his thumb brushing over the other blond's cheek. "I know that I've said this a lot over the last couple of days. But I really did miss you Arthur. When you where gone it left a whole in my heart that couldn't be filled by no one else than you. A feeling of longing to be together again that couldn't be explained. I never gave up the hope that one day you would come back to me, come back into my life once again."

Alfred leant in towards England slowly closing the gap between them in the hope that the smaller blond wouldn't noticed what he was doing.

England noticed that the feel of Alfred's hand was different from the feel of America's had but he could tell that both of them were expressing the exact same feelings. He was so lost in the similarities of the feelings that he didn't notice that Alfred's face was only inches away from his own. When England finally noticed he was quick to get away from Alfred as quickly as possible, which he did so my nearly leaping off of the sofa and when he looked back to Alfred he noticed the hurt look on his face and he felt hurt himself by what he had just done. "S-Sorry . . . isn't it about time that we head down for the ball?"

Alfred was silent as he made his way to the door to the room. It was only after he opened the door and went to step out of the room did he finally look back at England. "You're right it is best that we head down to the ball room now."

England couldn't really explain why but he felt like he had hurt himself when he had hurt Alfred. "Oh get a hold of yourself England. It is only because he looks like America. That is all and nothing else. Do not get attached to him or this world as you will make sure that you get back to your own world and soon." With that England left the room and made sure to catch up to Alfred as quickly as possible as he was still learning his way around the castle and needed the taller blond to help guide him around.

When the two blonds arrived at the ball room England could clearly hear everyone that was inside the room as if he was already in the room with them. Without noticing it England reached out and grabbed Alfred's hand and squeezed it.

Alfred was happy that Arthur had reached out to him and gave the others hand a squeeze back. "Don't worry Arthur everything will be ok, they'll be so happy to see that your back. And I'll be right by your side the whole time I promise."

Alfred then let go of England's hand only to quickly link their arms together instead; he then nodded his head to the two castle servants standing either side of the door who opened the door to the ballroom allowing Alfred and England to walk in with their arms linked with each others.

As they both stepped into the ballroom everyone that was in there all stopped talking at the sight that was before them. Alfred stepped to one side but still kept his and England's arms linked together. "Everyone thank you for being here today as Spades welcomes back our Queen, Arthur Kirkland."

There was silence for only a brief second before loud cheers echoed throughout the ball room. As England listened to the cheering he couldn't help but feel bad for all of these people; he wasn't the real Queen just someone who looked like him. "Stop. Just stop cheering. I'm not who you think am I. I'm not Arthur. I'm not even meant to be here. This is all a big mistake."

Despite how he felt on the inside England did his best to not let it show to the people around him and especially Alfred. After what had happened earlier and with the memory of the hurt expression on Alfred's face still fresh in his mind England felt some determination to make sure that the taller blond was happy and not just looking happy to others but truly happy.

At Alfred's notion music started to ring throughout the ballroom and the guest paired up as they began to dance. Alfred finally let go of England's arm only to extend a hand out to him. "Care to dance with me Arthur?"

England hesitantly took Alfred's hand. "Of course Alfred." once he placed his hand in Alfred's he was led into the middle of the ballroom where the two blonds danced with each other.

When the song ended both Alfred and England left the middle of the ballroom and made their way to the side of the room where they met up with the visiting Royals who were all shocked to see England next to Alfred.

Francis was the first of the Royals to speak to Alfred and England. "Well I must say that this was not what I expecting to happen. But I must that it is nice to see you back again Arthur after all these years."

England felt an instance disliking towards Francis. "No matter what he is nothing but a bloody frog and a nuisance in my life."

Ludwig was the next to speak. He took a step forward and placed a hand of Francis's shoulder. "Francis is right it is good to have you back Arthur. Zhings just haven't been zhe same vhilst you vere gone."

Feliciano then bounced up next to Ludwig. "Ve ve Ludwig is right Arthur. Nothing was the same without you around, especially Alfred. He just wasn't the same; he never smiled once. But~ now your back and he's smiling again."

At Feliciano's words England felt a pang in his heart knowing that if he was able to find a way back to his world he would just ending up hurting someone; someone who had already been badly hurt at the loss of someone precious to him.

Alfred was about to speak when once again music started to ring throughout the ballroom, and before he had the chance to ask England to once again dance with him when Francis quickly cut to the chase. "Sorry but I hope that you don't mind if I have the next dance with Arthur." Francis then offered a hand to England who was hesitant to take it.

"I don't know if this is a good idea. I don't get along with France but there is a chance that Arthur and Francis might. Am I willing to take the chance to get it wrong and reveal that I am not the true Arthur." England had to think quickly on his feet. He decided to take the chance as he accepted Francis's hand.

As Francis led England back to the middle of the ballroom he looked back to Alfred who was slightly stunned by England being snatched away from him. "Do not worry mon ami this is just a simple catch up between old friends."

As they danced England felt as if he had chosen the right option; but that feeling was soon gone when Francis whispered something into his ear. And it was something that he had been dreading that would happen. "I know that you are not the real Arthur you imposter."

A/N: first of all I would just like to say that I had actually got this chapter done weeks ago but I am only now just able to share it with all of you now as I've had no internet until today.

the angst is slowly returning so get your feels ready folks cause it isn't going to be kind to anyone. and now even England is starting to be affected by some of the angst.

how does Francis know that England isn't Arthur well you'll just have to wait and see what happens but I will say this . . . I hope it will turn out as good as I want it to.

favs, follows and reviews are all welcomed, please let me know what you think of this so far.

till next time gxgirl-93 out