Three minutes was a long time. Three minutes can change everything. Italy sat on the toilet see staring down at the pregnancy test held tightly between his fingers as he waited for the little dancing dots to give way to his answer and he bit his lower lip fiercely as his heart sped against his chest. There was something strangely terrifying about this moment; something so unsettling that Italy found that he couldn't string together two coherent thoughts as he stared intently down at that little test in his hands as he waited for the word to pop up. Pregnant or not pregnant. Italy had spent the rest of January sick as a dog and spent the first two wees of February sicker than anything; Germany merely thought it was some kind of super flu mixed with a stomach bug but Italy had known after those final wees of January that it was more than some flu and it was much more serious than a stomach bug. There was a nagging in his mind that had followed him throuhg the rest of January and yet he had been terrified to try the test during those first few weeks but here he was, alone in this big house with a pregnancy test in his hand waiting for the results. Pregnant or not pregnant. Pregnant or not pregnant. Pregnant or- There was a light beep as the test finally registered but Italy's eyes were suddenly riveted upwards as he released his lip and took deep breathes that stuttered and cause his chest to tremble as he squeezed the test fiercely in his hand while he swallowed nervously. This was it. This was IT. He closed his eyes taking a deep breath then angling his head downwards so that the first thing he would see when he opened his eyes would be the pregnancy test in his hand. He slowly opened his eyes and his breath was robbed away from him. Pregnant.

He was positive? Italy's hands quivered as he placed the test down struggling to get a breath into his lungs and the first sound that came out of him was some mix of a sob and barking laugh as he placed his hands on his knees and pressed a palm against his flat stomach. Pregnant, him? He knew he shouldn't put all of his hopes into one home pregnancy kit but if it was right, if it was accurate like others claimed it to be, then he was sure that he was pregnant. He'd go to the doctors and he'd get a blood test as soon as he possibly could. He stood up on trembling legs wishing, not for the first time, that he could run to the twins and tell them the news that they were to be big brothers finally but the empty house stood as a testament as to how alone he was. It was two weeks into the boys being at the World Academy and already Italy was missing their loudness, the way they'd come running into his and Germany's room looking to watch something on the TV and more than anything he missed their cherubic faces looking up at him. When they had brought the boys to the World Academy to drop them off Italy had been crying the whole time much like Wolfram had been doing. He cried on the airplane, he cried when they landed in America's lands, cried when he saw just adorable the boys were in their lilac blazers and pants, cried when they were brought to the little dorm room for the boys and he cried when he looked over their class schedule. He was a sobbing mess over how grown up the boys were and there was nothing to stop the tears in Italy when it came time to leave the boys and there was nothing he hated more than when he looked over his shoulder to find the twins waving from their dorm room wildly but tears that bloomed and fell in their eyes.

It had been the hardest thing that Italy had ever done. He missed his babies and he wanted to pull them from the school but he knew many other Nations felt the same way and that he wasn't alone in his feeling but he envied America and England who could fly over whenever they wanted to see their children when they wanted. Italy placed his hands down on the counter, the trembling fingers fanning outwards as he lifted his gaze to look at his reflection. His wide brown eyes, the way his hair fell against his forehead and just how shaggy it had become, the stubble forming on his chin and the way that his body seemed to tremble lightly as if in the after effects of some life altering earthquake. Italy was clutching at the sink as he studied himself in the mirror, going over his face looking and scrutinizing his eyes for some sparkle of joy in them but all he got was a look of fear in his eyes the longer he stared into them. Of course he was scared. Last time he took a pregnancy test and announced it to his husband there had been a miscarriage weeks later. Was it alright for him to be afraid of this pregnancy? He wished his husband was home so he could talk to him about it but the man was off doing work in the study and had asked Italy not to bother him for a short while unless it was an emergency. Italy wasn't sure that pregnancy announcements were an emergency but there WAS one person that he could talk to about this. He pushed away from the counter, snagging the pregnancy test as he moved away from the sink and marched out of the bathroom looking then spotting his cellphone. He rushed over to it snatching it up then unlocking the screen as he pulled up his contacts quickly and began scrolling through the endless list of names flooding his screen until he landed on the one number that he had been looking for.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up!" Italy chanted in a whisper as he squeezed his phone tightly and the pregnancy test with the other was the phone rang and rang. It was about this point that Italy began wondering if his brother would even answer the phone and he felt his curl scrunching up with his distress as he whimpered to himself. Then, like some miracle, the sound of the phone being answered and plucked up sounded out and Italy cried out wordlessly for a moment in relief. He adjusted his phone then cleared his throat and spoke. "Fratello? Are you there? I really need to speak to you about something!"

"Oh! Hola little Feli! Lovi's downstairs but he told me to get his phone!" Spain's voice cheerfully responded to Italy's rather desperate one and while he loved talking to his brother-in-law he wanted nothing more than to talk to his brother. "I'll bring him his phone though! Just let me get up and I'll bring him the phone! He has me on bedrest you know. Being at six months isn't as comfortable as I thought it would be but it's fine! He and the doctor think the baby will come early if I don't stay off my feet." Italy felt a stabbing fear at the thought of dear Spain giving birth early, the thought that they could have a premature baby had his heart thumping unevenly against his chest as he bit at his bottom lip. His curl remained scrunched, his fear still squirmed and clawed at him but he remained patient as he listened to Spain quietly grunting to himself as he moved down the stairs no doubt and then the sound of Romano's voice shouting.

"Oi, bastard! You're supposed to be in bed resting! What are you doing on your feet?" Romano's voice barked but there was a soft murmur of Spain's voice rising and then the sound of the phone being handed over to his brother muffled the sound of the call and Italy released his lower lip as he sat on the bed staring down at the pregnancy test in his hand. What would his brother think about his pregnancy? Would he think it too soon? Would he think it inappropriate somehow? Italy took a calming breath, trying to sooth his stomach as he struggled to breath around the tightness in his chest when the phone made it's muffled sound once again and Romano was suddenly there speaking in his ear. "What do you want, Veni? I'm trying to get lunch done for me and Toni. Is there something wrong? Did that potato bastard do something to you?"

"No! No, nothing like that!" Italy yelped then took a deep breath, the tightness in his chest refusing to abate and he focused his eyes on the positive pregnancy test as he answered his brother."No, Luddy would never do anything to me that I wouldn't ask for. This is about something all together, fratello. I'm, er, how do I put this?" Italy found himself strangely lacking in the word department but as he placed the pregnancy test down on the bedside table Italy felt his stomach growl with hunger as he picked at his bottom lip for a moment before closing his eyes for a brief moment. "I'm pregnant. I don't know what to do. I'm keeping the baby obviously but I'm...I'm scared. What if what happened last time happens this time too? What if I lose the baby again? I don't know how to feel but I know if I can get past this fear that I'll be happy but I'm just so scared, fratello."

There was a sigh on Romano's end and the line crackled lightly with the rush of air. "I should've known. When that potato bastard told me that you've been sick before and after the twins left I should have realized something more was going on with you." He paused and seemed to shift something around on his side of the phone before speaking again. "It'll be alright, Veni. I know that after what happened last time that some part of you might be hesitant but you gotta remember something important. This is YOUR baby, yours and the potato bastard's and you love him more than anything right? Well all you have to do is just make it throuhg the next nine months and think about the end goal because if all you do is let this fear control you then you'll regret having not enjoyed the discovery of it. You can't let one miscarriage rule your whole life."

"I'm not! I'm just worried!" Italy cried out as the creak of Romano's oven door shrieked over the line and Italy began to lightly pick at his pajama pants as he scooted bacwards on the bed and crossed his legs and scrunching them closer to his body as he bit his lip once again. Was he really doing that? Letting one miscarriage dictate his joy over a pregnancy? Letting it rule his life?"Fratello, do you miss Cristiano?" His plucking came faster as he considered his brother's answer for he finally had someone to talk too that would see the silliness in his behaviors and perhaps even the unreasonability in him. "Because I miss the twins. It's been two weeks and I've never missed the boys more than I do right now. It feels like it's going to be a long time until summer time and I know they're only going to be away for four months I still miss them."

"Of course I miss my kid! What kind of parent would I be if I didn't miss him? It's easier to deal with because they'll be back in their homes in four months time so I don't miss him as deeply as I should but it's only because I know he's going to be home soon." Romano replied as the shuffling from his side of the phone rang out and there was a mumbled question from behind him that Italys strained his ears to hear and all of a sudden the line was muted again along with his brother's voice as he spoe to Spain. Italy had never been nosey but he wished that his brother hadn't blocked the speaker just so he could know what they were speaking about. Was it about him? About their son? About the twins? About Germany? Or about Italy's fear for his pregnancy? The line was cleared once more and Romano's sigh rang out. "Look, Veni, you need to talk to the potato bastard."

"Why?"

"Because he's your damn husband!" Romano shouted into the line making Italy flinch at the sudden loudness and then he heard Romano take a deep breath. "If you want someone to support you too then you need to tell that blonde idiot. He's the father of the baby and he deserves to know about it! If you don't tell him and he notices you getting bigger then he's going to be upset with you, you know that. So why don't you go and tell him what's going on." Romano then sighed and Italy could hear the sharp impact of Romano's hand hitting the counter and the fingers tapping his nails against the pristine surface. "Go talk to your potato bastard. Talk to your husband. There's only so much support I can give you as your brother but I'm happy for you, Veni. I know that you've been wanting a baby for a long time but don't let one bad thing ruin this for you. Okay? Now I really have to go, Spain is complaining about his stomach hurting and I need to help him get comfortable upstairs. I'll talk to you later. Ciao."

His brother hadn't even waited for him to reply but rather hung up quick in order to help his pregnant husband and while Italy didn't fault him for that for if Germany was the pregnant one and they were talking to Romano he'd hang up just as fast. He slid his phone onto the bedside table then looked down at the pregnancy test held tightly in his hand and he pushed himself to his feet feeling a quiver roll through his legs as he rushed around the bed towards the bedroom door and he knew that Germany wouldn't be pleased to be interrupted but Romano was right. He needed to tell his husband. He needed to tell him right now. He needed those strong arms around his waist and his voice at his ear promising that everything would be alright and he needed to wrap his arms around that firm nec of his and hang on to the German until the shock faded away. He pulled open the bedroom door hesitantly before slipping out of the bedroom and rushing for the steps that would lead him up to the room that was essentially Germany's office floor and Italy felt his stomach clench tightly as he thought of interrupting. Germany was anal about getting his work done but would the man be pleased to hear they were having another child or would he be upset? Would he be angry? Worried? Joyful? Italy had no clue but as he walked up the stairs with his legs quivering as he climbed upwards and popped onto the third floor of the house and began walking towards the office door. It was a rich wood that was thick with the wood being made of cherry and was just as glossy as it's namesake. Italy raised his hand upwards and knocked.

It was quiet for a moment btu then the sound of papers rustling had him perking up and then there came a cough. "Ja? Vhat is it?" Germany called out making Italy push open the door stepping into his husband's study. It was a rather impressive with the room wall to wall filled with bookcases and a fireplace placed right behind the large desk, an intimidation sort of thing to give Germany a scarier hue or even throwing him into a light that was rarely seen. Italy had convinced Germany to make love to him countless times in front of that cherished fire place and it remained a special spot for them to this day. Those blue eyes lit up when they landed on Italy despite his previously gruff tone and he stood up pulling his reading glasses off of his nose and placing them on the desk while Italy walked forward with the pregnancy tucked securely into his palm. "Did something happen? If you're lonely I just vant you to know that I'm almost done vith the papervork so ve'll-"

Italy took a deep breath moving his hand forward in a whip quick movement and dropped the test onto the table where it clattered much like a pen would against the papers and Germany's eyes flickered downwards to the test. Italy couldn't breath. Couldn't think. He watched as Germany plucked up the test up, holding it between his fingers hesitantly but his eyes were riveted to the little screen that still declared the obvious at that moment but Italy just coudln't breathe. When those warm, cherished eyes lifted Italy felt his air rush out of him like a balloon deflating and he laughed weakly feeling tears beginning to sting in his eyes. How quickly they welled as he pressed his finger tips to the smooth surface of the desk and juggled his hand nervously as he laughed again but those tears began blooming in his eyes embarrassingly fast. "I'm pregnant."

"Alright." Germany nodded slowly then those blue eyes narrowed in on Italy's face like he was trying to spot something and he waled around the desk to place his hand on top of Italy's jiggling one and squeezed the hand gently. It was just the thing that Italy had wanted and as he tipped his face into his hand while closing his eyes when he nuzzled that loving palm. The scent of paper and ink clung to the palm of his hand and his fingers but as that thumb traced his cheek bone it was as if Italy was getting exactly what he had been looking for in his brother. Comfort. He reached up touching the back of Germany's hand before covering it with his own as he sighed softly and the German leaned in placing a kiss on his forehead when he whispered out three little words that made Italy's eyes pop open."But you're scared."

He looked up at his husband with wide incredulous eyes and found himself blushing with the embarrassment that rolled on through him and he dropped his gaze down to his feet as he considered those three words before coming up with what he thought was the best response. "Of course I'm scared, Luddy. Why wouldn't I be? It was three months ago that I lost our baby so of course I'm scared about this new pregnancy." He hesitated then lifted his gaze up finding Germany's leveled on him with nothing but understanding shining through the man's face and eyes. "I want this pregnancy to stick.I want to be as happy as Big Brother Spain is! But I just can't help being afraid that something bad might happen."

"I'm scared too." Germany's confession ahd the Italian's eyes widening and the blonde smiled crookedly for a moment. "Ja, me. I'm scared. I don't vant you to regret this pregnancy und I don't want you to be upset during it but rather I'd love to see you happy during this pregnancy. All I van't is for you to be happy, liebling. I vant you to be joyful, happy und delighted that you're pregnant. I don't vant you to be scared." He paused then stroked Italy's cheek rather lovingly making the Italian's toes curl against the carpet as he swayed forward and Germany then leaned in kissing the tip of his nose making him smile up at him softly while that crooked smile remained on the German's lips he rubbed his palm lightly against his cheek. "Ve can be scared together but I vant you to know that this really is one of the most vunderbar news I could have received."

"I-" The ringing of the phone cut off Italy's voice making both of them turn towards the shrill device and Germany's warm hand dropped away from his face leaving him feeling chilled. He crossed his arms across his chest as the blonde walked around his desk with all the professionalism as a man on a hunt and Italy raised his brows when the German plucked up the phone. He said a few words in German, paused, then sounded quite tired as he continued speaking when his eyes flew open wide and his brows flew up his forehead as he continued speaking. Italy rocked back and forth on his heels while tapping his fingers against his upper arm while Germany spoke and when he finally hung up the phone Italy tilted his head to the side looing at his shocked brother. "What's the matter? Is it bad news? What's happened? Are the boys okay?"

"Nein, it's not the boys it vas my bruder." Germany sat down in the chair heavily when Italy uncrossed his arms and walked around the desk to his husband's side and weaved his fingers throuhg Germany's and clutched his hand fiercely making the man looking up at his husband as he sighed. "Mein bruder is an idiot. He's not only staying in a hotel but he's also pregnant und he's upset about it because he und Austria are fighting right now." He rubbed at his temple letting out another breath as he looked up at Italy with a smile on his lips. "Looks like you und bruder are going to be due around the same time at least. Maybe the cousins vill grow up close to vun another."

"Maybe but poor Prussia! I wonder what he did to make Mister Austria kick him out. It must have been bad." Italy reached up smoothing his free hand across Germany's hair and the stiff locks pressed against his palm and fingers fiercely. Italy did feel sorry for Prussia; he had no clue what he would do if Germany kicked him out but in reality he knew it was never an option. Italy was far too precious for the German to kick out of his home. "Do you think maybe we should invite Prussia over here to stay with us? Or should we let them work it out? Because I know Mister Austria and he can be quite stubborn! I don't want Prussia to feel alone seeing as he's never been pregnant before."

Germany sighed as he brought their hands up to press the back of Italy's hand against his cheek and stroked the back of it against his cheek rather affectionately when he looked up at Italy. The sight of those blue eyes flickering in the lighting above them had Italy blushing at the sight but smiling for the blue of his eyes were warmer than anything he had ever seen. Warmer than the blue sky. "Nein. My bruder needs to vork things out vith Austria und if he comes running here there's the chance that he stays here und I doubt he vants to be so far avay from Fritz. Now that the girls are at the academy perhaps it's better they odn't have to see their parents fighting like this so vhatever is going on vith them should resolve itself between the two of them. Not me or you being dragged into it." He then sighed once more and leaned bac in his chair patting his lap allowing the Italian to squeal as he jumped into his lap and cuddled up to the German who wrapped his arms around Italy. "Besides ve have more important things to vorry about. Like us having a baby."

"We're going to have a baby." Italy whispered feeling a small spark of joy radiate through his chest as he pressed his forehead against the side of his neck as he tightened his arms around his shoulders and he smiled delightfully to himself as he felt the back of Germany's hand press and rub against his flat belly. There was something delightful, even a touch heart warming that made Italy snuggle into his husband's strong arms and there was magic to the words he had spoken just moments ago. THey were going to have a baby. Italy felt his heart flutter both happily and anxiously at the words but he knew that tragedy could not befall him a second time. It just couldn't. He would keep his mind positive and he would keep his heart clear. He was going to have a baby! A baby changed many things and a baby was just what he wanted after all this time. A little girl, maybe, who would take after her father as surely as her elder brother did. Italy felt warmth shoot throuhg his veins at the thought of a perfect little daughter with the coloring and features of her father. A perfect addition to the family and one that filled Italy with warmth as he clutched hismelf to the equally delighted German. He just had to believe he would make it the nine months.