Thanks to Cat on the table, The Winged Huntress, Praise's waterfall, Tokutske and olivia71295 for reviewing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Chapter 71

Lovino leaned against the wall as he watched his father grab the bag that he brought along with Lovino's belongings. His father insisted that he would carry everything, since Lovino still had difficulty staying on his two feet, and if he lifted something too heavy and had to exert his abdominal muscles…

Yeah, his father wasn't taking any chances.

Romulus nodded when he was finished, and Lovino followed after his father. He waved at the nurses when he passed, and Nurse Tino especially gave him a wide smile.

"Good luck, Lovino," Tino said. "And please, don't come back."

Lovino smiled and nodded. Considering this was the second time this year that he'd been in the hospital where they had to save his life, he understood that they would probably not want to see him there again. Because next time, it might have been more urgent.

That thought brought the impending trial to the forefront of his mind. If all went well, then he wouldn't have to see those three ever again. If all went well, he could finally be free.

He sighed in happiness when he got in the car. After being cooped up in the hospital for a week, this felt like paradise. Romulus placed the bag in the trunk before he got into the car as well.

"I hope you don't mind, but I need to stop by Mario's," Romulus said. "We ordered pizza to celebrate you coming home, and I even asked Mario for your favourite. And you'll need to go talk to him."

Lovino nodded. He was thankfully taken off the liquid diet now, but he was still advised to take it easy. So he would have to stay away from spicy food, for example, and he also needed to make sure that he didn't eat too much at once. Simple rules to follow. His appetite had suffered a bit due to the controlled rations.

He went with his father into the pizzeria. The wait staff (save for the one or two unfamiliar faces) immediately made their way towards him, and Lovino was reminded of the fact that they were rather fond of him.

"Lovino, you're out of the hospital!"

"Are you alright?"

Questions like these surrounded him, and he didn't know how to answer except by muttering that he was alright. And soon enough, the owner of the restaurant himself came to greet him.

"Lovino, good to see you again," Mario said. "You know, you've been a rare sight the last few months."

Lovino winced.

"Sorry about that," he said.

"Don't be!" Mario said. "I'm glad you made friends. So, any news on those three bastardi?"

Lovino snorted. Mario didn't mince words. But it did remind him of the impending trial, and his smile fell a bit.

"They were arrested, and there's going to be a trial," Lovino explained. "I… I need to testify, and… Um, those three will be there."

"Is that really such a good idea?" Mario asked.

"Apparently, they have to be there."

"Hopefully the police are smart enough to know that they shouldn't allow them anywhere near you."

Romulus had grabbed the pizzas, and when he was finished with everything, he nodded to Lovino to tell him that they were leaving. Lovino said goodbye to the restaurant's staff, and he sighed in relief when they were in the car again.

"Are you okay?" Romulus asked as he started the car.

"I… I just want to forget about the three of them for a few days," Lovino said. "And especially the trial. I just… I want to relax."

Romulus sighed.

"I understand," he said. "Something like this… It shouldn't happen to anyone. Especially not someone your age. So… we can have a movie marathon. See if we can distract you for a bit. I'm pretty sure we have enough Disney movies for that."

Lovino snorted.

"You're really desperate, aren't you?" he asked. "But… Si, I guess it would be nice, as long as Cello and Feli don't sing along."

Romulus winced.

"I don't think you'll have a lot of success in that regard," he said. "Especially from Feli."

Despite himself, Lovino couldn't help but smile. They lapsed into a comfortable silence as Lovino reflected on everything that happened the last week or so. He could still clearly remember the moment he realised what the trio intended to do to him, and he was glad that he managed to call his father. If he didn't…

There was also the fact that they wouldn't have been in a hurry if not for that call. Which meant they would have hurt him a lot worse before they killed him. And the knife wasn't even the original plan, merely a threat. What they originally intended to do to him…

He recalled the time he tried to drown himself. In his previous emotional state, the incident didn't really bother him that much. But looking back, the experience was certainly terrifying. It wasn't swift, and his lungs burned the entire time. He also remembered the time they tried to drown him on his tenth birthday. How terrified he was, and he didn't know whether or not he would have been able to escape that fate.

So, in a way, he was glad that they didn't end up trying to drown him again.

He jumped when his father placed a hand on his arm. He turned to him as the older male started to rub soothing circles with his thumb.

"Are you alright?" Romulus asked.

"S-si," Lovino said. "My mind just took a dark turn."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Lovino was silent for a while, first because he didn't know whether or not to tell his father, and second because he didn't know what to say.

"They… they originally wanted me to drown," Lovino said. "They wanted it to look like a suicide. They tried to drown me before, and the experience…"

Never mind what his father had said that last time.

"The idea that they would have tried it again…" Lovino continued. "They wanted to make it look as though the cuts and bruises came from the rocks. I think."

Romulus clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disgust. Lovino could see on his face that he was trying to contain his rage.

"I hope those three don't get off easy," Romulus said. "I hope they get everything they deserve."

Lovino just hoped a time would come when the three of them no longer had an impact on his life.

They pulled into the driveway about a minute later, and Lovino wanted to help with the pizza at least, but Romulus waved him off. So now, Lovino had nothing else to do except go towards the front door. He waited for his father to open it, and that was when he saw the boxes of pizza properly.

"Why so much?" Lovino asked.

Romulus didn't answer, instead focusing on unlocking the door. Lovino had a vague sense that he knew what was going on, but he allowed his father to direct him to the living room, where…

"Surprise!"

Lovino smiled, partly out of amusement because his prediction was correct, and partly because he was happy to see his friends along with his two brothers there. But that wasn't even the most touching part.

There was a happy howl, and a few seconds later Lovino was assaulted by a very happy husky. He was just glad that she hadn't reached her full size yet as she jumped up, desperate to lick his face, her tail wagging at a speed he didn't think possible.

"Hey girl," he cooed. "I missed you too."

He was careful to keep her away from his abdomen, where the stitches still boldly proclaimed that they were there. He sat down on the couch, and Chiara took her place beside him.

"We tried to hold her back, but she's pretty strong," Vlad said.

He scanned the room again, taking note of all the faces. The only ones not there were Gupta and Heracles, but that was understandable, since they were on vacation with their mothers. But he had a feeling that they would come to visit as soon as they returned. He also noticed that Yao's younger siblings came along, and when he realised that it was pretty late, he wondered if they would be spending the night.

"Alright," Romulus said. "Let's hope we have enough pizza for all of you."

"Thanks Mr Vargas," Yao said.

Marcello had gone to grab plates, and they all managed to get slices that they wanted. Lovino's favourite pizza was the exception, as everyone insisted that it was only his, but he could still get slices from the others. He only took one slice, though, since his appetite still wasn't as it should have been.

The dog refused to move, and instead she placed her head on Lovino's lap. He had a sneaking suspicion that she wasn't going to let him out of her sight for the foreseeable future. He held the plate in one hand and the slice of pizza in another, but he wished he had a free hand just to scratch her behind the ears.

"So, how are you feeling?" Mei asked.

He was expecting the question, so he tried to think of an answer without thinking about what happened earlier.

"Stomach still hurts," he said.

"That's pretty obvious," Leon said. "I guess it'll be a long time before it stops hurting."

"You're not tired or anything, are you?" Yao asked.

Lovino shrugged.

"I'm actually the opposite," he said. "I guess I'm just happy to be out of the hospital. No more hospital soup!"

"Si," Feliciano said, twisting his face. "It didn't look very tasty."

"So, what are we going to do now?" Feliks asked. "Like, we didn't come all this way just for pizza."

"We could watch a movie," Romulus suggested. "Lovino wants something to take his mind off everything."

"Anything you want in particular?" Marcello asked, already moving towards their DVD collection.

"No courtroom dramas, and no slasher movies," Lovino responded.

"I don't think we have slasher movies," Marcello muttered. "Musicals?"

"As long as no one sings along."

"Ve, but that's what makes them so much fun!" Feliciano chirped.

"No singing!"

"Alright," Marcello sighed. "Maybe a musical's not the best choice. Romance?"

"Nope."

"We're running out of genres here," Miguel said. "I also wouldn't recommend a comedy. Lovino might hurt himself laughing."

Lovino flinched when he heard that. It was true. He could already sense how much his stomach would ache. Marcello hastily nodded before delving in again.

"This is going to be tricky," the youngest Italian mused.

…

Gilbert lay on his bed, as was normal for him lately, simply glaring at the ceiling. He could hear his father and Ludwig having dinner, which was saying much because they were both pretty quiet people. Gilbert would have loved to play music, but that was also taken away from him.

Literally the only things he was allowed to do, asides from the punishment chores, was schoolwork and reading, with Ludwig even bringing a library book with him and mentioning that Lovino had read it.

That wasn't a book. That was a blunt weapon. And the name War and Peace certainly made him think that it was designed to be a weapon.

He wasn't interested in reading a brick disguising itself as a book, and since he had nothing else to occupy his time with, he was forced to think about everything. And the thoughts at the forefront of his mind all had to do with what happened earlier that day.

There was some sort of guy who came for a 'psychiatric evaluation'. Honestly, Gilbert couldn't remember ever answering so many tedious questions. Like, what kind of word did he associate with 'bicycle'? Seriously? What was that about?

Gilbert looked up when his father entered his room. No knocking, just entering. Gilbert lost that respect.

Well, at least he could still eat food, but only if his father or brother brought him. He was not allowed to sneak anything out of the kitchen.

"The psychiatrist called," Wulfric said. "On Monday, he wants us to go see a neurologist. Apparently there's something about your evaluation that made him a little concerned."

"What, does he think I'm crazy or something?" Gilbert asked.

Actually, now that he thought about it, it might be used to his advantage. Wasn't there a plea for insanity? If he was declared insane, then they shouldn't be able to properly sentence him, right?

"Or something," his father muttered, before placing a plate of food on Gilbert's desk.

Gilbert watched his father leave before he went to get the plate. He didn't want to seem too desperate. He wasn't starving, he was just so bored, and eating was at least something to do.

Sooner than he would have liked, the food was gone. He considered calling his father or brother for a glass of water or something, but it was humiliating to do so. It reminded him too much of the days when he was a toddler and needed other people to do things for him. He also didn't like the idea of getting tap water every time he was thirsty. There was just something in the way it tasted that didn't sit right with him.

His eyes scanned the room, looking for something to do, before he slunk off to his bed again. Not even sleep was a viable option. That was how bored he was.

As he stared at the ceiling, his mind wandered again, this time going towards his days in the kindergarten. This was what he got for simply thinking about feeling like a toddler. A few random memories came up, but there was one that stood out.

The teacher had given them rackets for a tennis lesson, or something like tennis. She continued to tell them to spread out to give each other a lot of space, but they didn't listen.

Gilbert held his racket, seeing the ball approaching him. He lifted his racket, running closer…

Only for something hard to slam into the side of his head.

He fell to the ground, and he screamed when the other side of his head collided with something. A rock. He felt tears spring to his eyes as he held both sides of his head.

"I'm so sorry!"

He looked up. One of those twin boys – Lovino, right? – was standing there with his own racket, a worried look on his face. The teacher approached him and coaxed Gilbert's hands away, examining his head.

"There's a bit of blood here," she mused, before picking Gilbert up. "The rest of you should leave your rackets alone, alright? I don't want anyone else to get hurt." She turned to one of the assistants. "Take care of them, alright?"

The teenage girl nodded her head, and the teacher carried Gilbert off to the school's building. And Gilbert noticed that Lovino was following after him.

"I'm really sorry," the boy blubbered.

The teacher turned to him and smiled softly.

"It's okay, Lovi," she said. "It was just an accident, after all. You both should be careful from now on."

Gilbert looked down at the other boy and glared. Lovino flinched, but he still followed after the teacher. He tried to help, but Gilbert would keep pushing him away, at least until the teacher snapped at him to be nice since Lovino was only trying to help. Gilbert kept glaring at the other boy, who thankfully got the hint soon enough and left to join the others.

If not for him, then Gilbert wouldn't be hurt in the first place. And he would somehow find a way to get back at him.

Gilbert gasped as he sat upright. He hadn't thought of that in years. Most likely not since the incident itself. But that was the thing with having so much time for reflection.

This hatred he felt towards Lovino… It couldn't be because Lovino accidentally hurt him when they were toddlers playing a sport they didn't quite understand yet. Because if it was… Then even Gilbert would have to admit that it was incredibly petty.

He hoped that there were other memories that would prove that he had a more legitimate reason to hate Lovino, but things like this never wanted to come when they were being sought after. He couldn't think of a single memory where Lovino hurt him.

But he could think of many where it was the other way around.

He remembered the birthday party at the pool. He remembered when he broke Lovino's wrist. He remembered that day when Lovino tried to kill himself. And he remembered that day at the bridge.

All of that… Please don't let the cause for all of that be an accident.

…

Lovino had grown tired after one movie, and so they allowed him to go up to his room. He noticed that there were two spare mattresses in the centre of the room, and he knew from experience that it would be more than enough space for his four friends.

Lovino quickly got ready for bed, hearing his friends moving around as well. Apparently they were making a plan regarding Yao's siblings.

Mei was sleeping in the guest bedroom. There was no way around it. She was the only female in the house, other than the dog, so she got a room to herself.

Lovino hesitated when he pulled his shirt off. He stared down at the bandages on his torso. He realised that these scars would be with him for life. He would forever have evidence that three people hated him enough that they wanted to kill him.

He was distracted by the sound of scratching at his door. He quickly pulled his shirt on before opening the door, allowing the dog to enter. He couldn't help but smile as she took her place on his bed.

Yes, he was home.

I was hit by a tennis racket when I was about six. I still have a scar on the side of my left eye. I also had to have a liquid diet when my appendix was removed. The soup the hospital served… No, just no.

I thought about the flashback with Gilbert while typing the chapter. When looking at the symptoms of brain damage, I'd say Gilbert suffers from the following: difficulty understanding others, shortened attention span, impaired decision-making ability, irritability and impatience, heightened emotions or reactions and increased aggressiveness. So, mostly cognitive and behavioural. I've been struggling for a long time with giving Gilbert a reason for his bullying of Lovino, but then I thought blaming him while suffering from possible brain damage might have had an effect. While it doesn't excuse his behaviour, it does offer an explanation.