Just Another Day

A/N: This chapter was definitely inspired by a Jelsa video with the song titled Endlessly by The CAB. I love the song almost as much as Angel with a Shotgun.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia

Chapter 3: Endlessly

Hy felt and overwhelming sensation of loss and hopelessness. This was far worse than any of his fears of losing her. This was losing her and not having her, without losing her at all. Emily did not remember them and that was a harsh blow, because he knew they had been in love before the accident. Such a blunt dismissal of his presence made him feel unwelcome and her hollow smile was equally uninviting.

Madeline had tried to comfort Hy by placing a hand on his shoulder. "She'll remember. You're important to her and she believes heroes can overcome anything. She'll be horrified to realize she's forgotten one of the most important people in her life, especially one who makes her happier than she's ever been."

Hy tried to smile. "Thank you, Madeline."

Madeline shook her head. "You're practically family. It's Maddie."

Hy's smile became a bit more genuine though small and lacking the usual life it held, he was truly grateful. "Maddie, then."

Lovina stared at Emily. "What the hell was that you idiota! You being a coward and running away from your problems?"

Emily stared at Lovina, slightly confused. She had memories of her and Hy, she knew he was a friend, she felt a niggling sensation that he was more but she didn't know if she wanted to explore that feeling. Happiness never really lasted for her. She wanted it, craved the love and devotion her parents had shared for years, but choosing to be a hero had been more important. She loved the innocent. She loved helping people and getting the chance to see relationships and all sorts of good things blossom from those she helped. It showed her that there is still hope for modern society. For Emily, being in a relationship wasn't feasible, not impossible, but highly improbable given the likelihood of it actually lasting and the need to protect herself from such hurt was great.

Lovina glared at her, the others having gone out to get snacks and drinks now that their friend had finally awoken and things were looking to be better. Even with a chunk of memory missing, Emily would bounce back. "Che cosa, Emily, you've been over the fucking moon in love with Hy for months and you're gonna sit there and look at me like you have no idea what I'm talking about?"

Emily's eyes widened. "Hy and I? In love?"

Lovina sighed. "Don't pull that on me Emily, no matter how believable that may be, you know. In your heart, you know you love him. You feel empty without him here and Hy was with you through the entire thing."

Emily shook her head.

Lovina forced Emily to stare into her eyes. "Stop lying to yourself. Get over your denial. Hy is more than a friend. You had a relationship you may have just ruined. You love him and you're about to ruin both of your happiness because he loves you as much as you love him."

"How do you know?" Emily asked, voice small, pathetic.

Lovina rolled her eyes. "I watch. All of our friends, the people we're around. I see even when I don't want to it is there. You love him as much as sorellina loves her damn potato bitch. Are you sure you can give that up? Would you be able to be who you are? Would you even be able to be happy again? Think about it before you lose everything."

Emily understood the underlying threat of what she was doing to herself. She thought about it so deeply she never noticed Lovina leaving. Honestly, she didn't know the answers to any of those questions. Did she want whatever they had to end? Could she be happy knowing she was missing something in her life that she had always wanted and apparently found? Her memory might be foggy but there was always a possibility she could remember. Could she lives with knowing what she had almost had and had let go?

…No, not really. Hy was already gone though. She was alone. She closed her eyes, thinking about all the things she believed mattered. Could she continue the farce of living with a mask that had been so carefully broken down over however long she and Hy had dated? Would he even still love her? There was a flash, something in her mind pulling her in. A hazy memory of a picnic in the park and dancing came to mind, images of Hy smiling, she could even vaguely hear the remnants of an argument but that was like trying to hear past white noise. She couldn't quite grasp what was being said, just the tone. Were they even still in love?

A tear slipped down Emily's cheek as she fell into an uneasy sleep.

Hy gave Madeline's words serious thought. She knew her sister well, better even, than Emily would ever willingly admit. The news that Emily was happier than she had ever been didn't sit well with him. Emily should always be happy, her beauty and liveliness were what attracted him in the first place though she had some weird habits here and there. Emily was easily one of the best people he had ever had the pleasure of meeting in his life, even Sakura loved Emily and Sakura liking anyone was a strange thought.

Was he really as important as Madeline had implied? More importantly, could he just let her go if it was the truth?

The simple answer? No. Hy would fully admit that when it came to Emily he was selfish. He would be the first to admit he wanted her all to himself, to make smile and laugh, to sleep next to and take care of, she never asked him to be anything other than who he was and it was freeing. She accepted him and all Hy had ever had to do was reciprocate. Hy needed her and hadn't even realized it until the moment she had almost been taken from him completely.

Hy walked into the little shop down the street and decided to return to the hospital the next day. Hy wouldn't let her go. Hy couldn't.

The next morning Emily had expected to wake up alone. She had expected to have to push a button to catch the attention of a nurse or doctor. Neither happened.

"Hy?"

Hy turned and smiled at her. "Morning, Em."

"Morning," she said blushing. "I thought you wouldn't be back…"

Hy smiled a bit. Seeing her like this was a rarity, the blush and slight embarrassment made her even more beautiful to him. "Of course I came back. I love you Em, I couldn't just let you go."

"You love me?"

Hy smiled and nodded. "I thought about a lot yesterday and there's this shop down the street where they sell plastic rings for a quarter a piece. I thought of you and even though it is cheap, I know it's not like gold in your dreams, but I hope you'll still wear it. Marry me, Em? Maybe you don't remember me, maybe you never will, but I can't live the way I did before. I can't imagine my life without you in it. Please, Em?"

Emily had tears streaming from her eyes by this point, she laughed a bit and hiccupped as she nodded and let him put the silly plastic ring on her finger. They weren't rich, and yes she wanted a dream wedding, but as long as it was with Hy, anything would be okay. As long as Hy was there she had everything she ever wanted and more. Hy made her feel loved and wanted, and even if she never remembered, this was the type of love that was worth fighting for and that was more important than anything else because she had never dared to hope she might one day find this happiness. She never dared hope to find what she could only define as true love.

I was a heavy heart to carry
My beloved was weighed down
My arms around his neck
My fingers laced to crown

I was a heavy heart to carry
But he never let me down
When he had me in his arms
My feet never touched the ground

Florence and the Machine, Heavy in Your Arms