A/N Hello? Anyone there? If you're reading this, thank you very much for being patient and loving. I promise i will update again after this.
For now, enjoy! I own no one!
This is the point France fell over in shock, smiling a goofy smile and trying to stifle the laughter.
"Oh this iz zo cute!"
"Quiet you toad!" England looked at the memory, which shuddered and moved like the surface of water, "If you disturb the memory, you can change it and mess it up."
"Vhat do you mean?" Germany stared intensely at the two countries as though daring them to begin fighting.
"Memories, especially older memories, aren't concrete, if we change any memories, we change Italy."
"Forever?" Japan's eyes widened just the slightest amount in shock.
"Forever, so we can't interact, no matter how much we may want to, we can risk even the smallest change."
"Oh I looka so pretty in my dress!"
Germany felt his jaw drop as he saw Italy spin around in a dress. The fabric was sky blue and almost as light as the air around her. She spun around one more time before sitting on her knees in front of Spain.
"Spain?!"
"You went to visit my bro…sister, without my knowledge?!" Romano was livid, face red at the Spaniard.
"I received a letter from Hungary asking for me to talk to her about her marriage to Holy Rome. She wanted someone to talk Italy about what she was getting into."
"She did?"
"Yes."
"Italy, come here so I can brush your hair."
"Okay!" She scooted to kneel in front of Spain, who pulled her hair back behind her ears.
"There, your hair is so long!"
"Mr. Austria doesn't like me to have short boy's hair, so I grow it out and wear pretty dresses."
"I see…Italy, Hungary asked me to visit to ask you something…"
"Is it about Holy Rome?"
Memory Spain stopped brushing her hair for a moment before taking in a breath of air, "How did you know?"
"She and Mr. Austria were talking about it for a long time but I didn't think she would ask someone to try and talk me out of it."
"I'm not going to talk you out of marriage, I want to make sure you know what you are getting into."
"I know what's going to happen; Holy Rome will come back, we'll merge and be happy. End of story."
"Italy…"
"I love him, he makes me happy. Isn't that important?"
"Of course, Italy."
"Then why are they afraid of us being together?"
"I think they're afraid of you making a mistake and regretting it."
"But why? I'm not going to regret it. I love Holy Rome. I'd wait forever for him."
Before Spain could say anything, Hungary opened the door excitedly, "He's back! Holy Rome's back!"
Italy jumped up, pulled Spain to his feet and ran down the hallway to the downstairs staircase. She ran down the steps two or three at a time, excited to be reunited with Holy Rome. She opened the doors and looked around at the army, smiling slowly fading as she saw very few soldiers and many wounded ones.
She quietly walked toward the commander of the army who was whispering something to Austria.
"I see…"
"What's wrong?"
Austria looked down at Italy's face and smiled slightly, "Ah Italy…maybe we should go inside…"
"Where's Holy Rome?"
Austria didn't answer but instead tried pushing Italy, Spain and Hungary into the manor. Italy struggled and protested, asking over and over where Holy Rome was when she broke free of his grasp.
She ran to the officer and pulled on his jacket, "You! You know! Where is Holy Rome? Why is he not with you? Tell me!"
Tears were freely running down her face and in her mind, she pled her fears not to be true.
"…Italy…we lost…Holy Rome is dissolved…we…we couldn't even find him…I'm so sorry…"
The world around Italy suddenly looked so dark compared to the bright sunlight it was a moment ago and when she turned her back to the officer, his face suddenly broke into a million shards like glass.
Italy took no hands or arms to cry into, instead running through the house, the world shattering all around her like a broken glass vase. She ran into her rooms (actually it was Holy Rome's but she had taken over the rooms) and locked the door, as though to keep the destruction out of her way.
She fell onto her bed and cried, making the blankets wet and cold under her cheeks. She wouldn't stop crying until someone was knocking on her door.
"Italy, please, let us in…" It was Hungary's voice, pleading behind the door. Italy did not unlock the door but instead placed a chair under the handle and pushed anything she could move in front of the door to be alone.
She took the blankets and pillow and crawled into her closet, shutting the door and barricading the door on the inside. She held the pillow tight and cried as loud as she could, certain that no one would stop her.
Germany wanted to pick up Italy, hold her, stroke her hair, comfort her, anything to make her stop crying into a pillow. He almost did walk toward her when Japan grabbed his wrist. He was reminded of the consequences if he interfered and he stayed put.
It was a long time before she stopped crying to go to sleep, her head deep in her damp pillow. She looked up and saw the black robes that Holy Rome wore and let a few tears slip down her face.
"…I…I never…I never want to feel like this again…if…if only we had waited…maybe it wouldn't hurt so much…"
"Oh Italy…" Canada sighed, wishing to comfort Italy like Germany wanted to do. The world went dark and although Germany did not notice it at first, he was being pushed out of the memory and into another one.