Ch. 10: Knowing

"It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at a pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll. This is how God does things."

~Donald Miller

A month had passed since the world had discovered the hidden change in northern Italy. Romano had not been seen since, rumor had it that he had holed himself up in Spain's house. Prussia had all but kidnapped his brother, as Prussia would not allow anyone to visit. Hungary and Austria were both beside themselves. Elizabeta had not smiled nor Roderich play any form of uplifting music since the world meeting. The world had shifted. Those confident in how things were now confused and questioned the certainty that they had built their lives around, while those with more open minds, willing to see the world as a strange and fantastical place of fantasy and magic, had a hard time believing in the reality set before them. No one understood what had happened to the annoyingly bubbly Italian they all loved and hated. No one could fathom the severity of the situation or its complexity. No one was sure of what it meant for the future. Everyone was worried, confused or reluctant to believe it was anything but a bad dream. For now though the world would wait. Wait and watch for any changes, shifts in the new status quo, praying that the equilibrium that they knew as the norm would return to them.

~* In Germany*~

"Bruder! Vhad exacdly is id dat you are nod delling me!?" Ludwig had finally cornered his brother. He was going to get his answers, one way or another. After all, Prussia had said that the needed to talk almost a month ago. Italy had been warring against Russia for almost a month. Germany felt as if time was slipping away from him. Valuable time. Time needed for him to save his Italian. No. Not his. Where had that thought come from anyways? Germany didn't know. It felt right though, somehow. He pushed it from his mind as he stared at his shorter brother.

To Gilbert, time was slow, gnawing, and painful. He felt the past forcing itself upon the present. Memories from so long ago, so long repressed, surged forward. It left him an emotional mess. He had been trying for a month to say something, to tell Germany everything. He wanted to. Tried to, but his own sorrows and guilt got in the way and stole his voice. He looked at the blond he had raised for so long. He was no longer the confused little kid, but a strong man, yet the look in his eyes, the confusion, made the years fall off of him, leaving the vulnerable little kid he had found wandering the woods.

"Bruderlin." Gilbert cringed internally at his voice. It sounded heavy. Old. It sounded as if the years of his long life had wrapped itself up in that one word. He didn't like it. Was this what guilt did? Aged you? Gilbert didn't want to think about it. Instead he forced more words out of his mouth.

"Bruderlin, vergeben Sie bitte mich." The words were laced with more sorrow and guilt than Ludwig thought his brother could ever posses. The Silver haired man had always seemed so happy and laid back. Now he sounded, well, pitiful. "I have kepd a secred from you, from everyvone. I see now dat I vas wrong. Vergeben Sie bitte mich." Prussia took a deep breath to steady himself, he would not break this time. "Ludvig, you vere vonce a gread nation. An empire!" Pride had weaved its way into Prussia's words. He had always been proud of the blond, then and now. He always would be, as a big brother should. "You unided almosd all of Europe! Had been sdrong, bud you vere sdill only a kid. Ve should have never led you go off do fighd. Scheiße! I should have never led you go off on your own!" Germany could hear the self-loathing in Prussia's voice. He could see the pain his brother was in. He didn't know what to do, so he listened as Prussia ranted on about how he was an idiot and God should punish him, and something about willingly subjecting himself to Russia's tortures if it meant he could take back the pain he had caused. Germany didn't exactly like that one.

"Bruder, you vere vone of de mosd awesome nations of the all dime. Historians sdill dalk aboud you, Heiligen römischen Reichs. They sdill admire you!" Gilbert's face was the most serious he had seen it in a long time, but that was not what caused Germany to freeze up. Holy Roman Empire? He, representation of Germany, had been the Holy Roman Empire? The empire that he had admired the most, second only to the Roman Empire. That Holy Roman Empire?

'Remember. I have to try.' He hadn't tried to remember who he was in a long time. Prussia had told him that to keep trying may just lead him to more answers than questions or more pain, so he had just stopped trying. It wasn't like he needed to remember the past to move into the future.

"Hehe! Ve~ Santa Roma!" That voice. Germany let himself follow it. The laughter was the same as when he had seen that painting. "Ve~ Santa Roma!" he let the voice take it's hold on him, opening himself to it. He was never one to let his guard down, but he trusted the voice. It was warm, safe, loving, everything that he could have ever wanted. He immersed himself into it.

"Santa Roma! You'll never guess what Mister Austria said!" The voice was behind him? He turned and opened his eyes slowly, scared that the childish voice would leave. A young girl stood smiling at him. She wore the oddest maids outfit. It was spring green. Most maids wore black and white. He could tell she was a child by her looks and voice, yet she was nearly eye level. Or had he shrunk? Was this a memory? Or a dream?

She seemed to be expecting an answer. He opened his mouth and spoke. "Vhat?" His voice was higher. Much higher. It still was familiar, his, but not his. Younger, more childish.

"He said we could play all day today! Isn't it appena grande!?" She laughed more, twirling in place. "Sister Hungary made him! She was all scary, threatening him with her frying pan like she does Big brother France, but he said we could play all day! Hehe! Ve~ No chores for a whole day!" She started laughing and twirling more. He could feel a smile from on his face. Her smile and laughter was just contagious. He couldn't help himself.

She stopped her twirling and came close to him. Her eyes turning into liquid pools of amber in the sunlight. Her smile making his chest tighten and his stomach flutter. Her soft reddish brown hair was messy. The light breeze catching strands of it and causing them to dance, especially the one odd one on the side of her head. The one curl that looked strangely like Italy's. That bounced like Italy's when he stood still during training with his arms spread wide as if trying to catch the wind. Germany looked over every inch of the girl's face. It was all there, how had he missed it? How had he not noticed sooner?

"Italien?" The girl in the green dress giggled some more and took off running. He shouted Italy's name, his human name, not his countries. The girl, no boy, stopped.

"Feli! Feli!" Germany called desperately after him. Trying to move, trying to get to his love. He needed to. Feli needed him! He had to get to him!

The young Italian turned towards him. The same bright smile was plastered on Italy's young lips, but it looked so wrong, so off. Italy's eyes, they were the problem. They were cold, nothing like the warm eyes that his dear Italy had. They shined with deep pain. Sorrow running so close to the brown haired nation's soul that it felt like it was going to consume him. The dead eyes of the Italy he had seen at the restaurant the reason Prussia was acting so weird. The reason he had nearly sent himself into a beer induced coma. The look on his friends, his loves face, was familiar though. He had seen a similar version somewhere before. But where?

'I have to leave, so you can feel at ease.' He remembered. When he left to fight the Thirty Years War, Italy had had that look in his eyes until he had had said that he, that he liked him. Had kissed him….

'No matter how many years pass, I like you most in the world!' He had left for was happy. Had left with the intention of coming back. Of seeing Italy again. But the war had gone bad, those he thought would support him didn't and he was dissolved. But he was still alive. He was no longer the Holy Roman Empire, he was Germany, but he was still the same person. Still loved Italy. He had always known that Italy meant something to him, now he knew what. He knew what he had to do. He wouldsave Italy. He had to.

"—vig! Lugvig! Come on bruderlin! Vake up! OI!" Germany groaned. His head hurt. Why did his head hurt? Flashes of colors and sounds had him sitting upright. That's right. He was the Holy Roman Empire, or rather, had been. Italy was in danger or himself and the world was currently really messed up. Germany stood up and Prussia followed.

"Ludvig! Stop! You jusd fainded and now you need do dake id easy!" Prussia grabbed Germany's sleeve and pulled him to a stop.

"Nein, bruder. I need do save mein kleines Italien." The look on Germany's face told Gilbert that his brother remembered, something. A very important something.

"Den vat are ve vaiding for!? Kommen Sie an!"

~*In Italy*~

He was having so much fun. The Russian's thought he was a pushover, that all Italians were pushovers. Oh, how he proved them wrong. So far the Italians had had the upper hand. They had lost the least in the way of supplies and men.

Russia himself was starting to feel the effects of their little war, or so went the rumors went. He had already sent a letter from the large nation. He was broken, but he was not unreasonable. Italy knew better than anyone what a long war does, or a prolonged period of fighting. He had seen it with Grandpa Rome, the World Wars, and with him. He closed his eyes. Now was not the time. He had papers to look over. Germany would have a heart attack, heck maybe a stroke if he ever that he had thought – or said – that. A quiet knock on his office door brought him out of his thoughts.

"Entrare." He kept his gaze down at his paperwork as his secretary walked in. She walked up to the desk and held out an envelope carefully, as if it might bite her.

"Signore, the Russian's have responded." He took the letter and looked it over carefully. Detecting no anomalies or traps he began to open it.

"Lei è congedato." He had the envelope open and the letter out and red by the time the door was once more firmly shut. A wide smile overtook the Italian's face. It seemed like Russia wanted to meet at the next UN meeting. So they would be having their parley. He set the letter down and picked up the desk phone. He was going to call his men off, if only part way. A cease fire of sorts. No use in spoiling a potential partnership before it could have the chance to bloom.

OMFG! I ISH ALIVE AND UPDATING! I knows it has been awhile. This chappie has given me a lot of frustration. I have to say that I had it started like 20 different ways going in, like, 20 different directions plot wise. But I have a direction now so all is good. Also thank bordem and my forensic science class. It is what prompted me to start writing…..and my boyfriend. He keeps bugging me about not updating this fic….so ya. LOVE YOU GUYS!

Translations:

Bruder - Brother (German)

Bruderlin – Little btother (German)

vergeben Sie bitte mich – Please forgive me (German)

Scheiße – Shit (German)

Heiligen römischen Reichs – Holy Roman Empire (German)

Santa Roma – Holy Rome (Italian)

appena grande – Just great (Italian)

Italien – Italy (German)

Nein – No (German)

mein kleines Italien – My little Italy (German)

Kommen Sie an – Come on (German)

Entrare – Come in (Italian)

Lei è congedato – You are dismissed (Italian)

Names:

You should know them by now…..