Ch. 11

"I think if I've learned anything about friendship, it's to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don't walk away, don't be distracted, don't be too busy or tired, don't take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff."

~ Jon Katz

The sun shone bright in Vienna. The breeze was soft. Cooling tourists and residents alike. Romano steadily walked towards his destination. Spain had been very against his decision to come here. To leave the house. Very against it. He had almost gone Conquistador on him. Romano would never admit it but it had been really frighting, considering the brunettes usual carefree nature. Not that Romano hadn't been subjected to that behavior before, though it was rare.

'Stupid Tomato Bastard. Doesn't he realize I have to do this? He's my fratello.' Romano took in a shaky breath. Now was not the time to let his emotions control him. He had a mission to complete. A mission that, if all went well, would give him help for his cause. Help to fix his brother. Spain walked behind his friend, silent, watching for any indication that this was the wrong thing to do. He could easily see how much pain Romano was in. He could feel some of it, as his own heart broke at the thought of the other Italian. But was rounding up a group of people who thought that they knew Italy the way to go about helping Italy? Or was this all going to back fire and hurt them all? Italy included...

It was a long walk from the city to Roderich's house, or rather small mansion. Being Nations did have it's advantages, one of them being that you got to own some pretty amazing homes. Sure they could haven gotten a cab at the airport or have had Antonio drive them, but Romano had said that he needed the time to think. To pull his thoughts together. To steel his resolve. Spain could see jut how much this meant to him. It was the only reason he had agreed to let him do this, but that still didn't mean he like it.

They maid it to the large house. It was the same as always. Large, neat, Austrian...Romano shook as he held his hand up to knock, silently praying for no one to answer, yet for someone to answer. The moments after the action seemed long as he waited for the door to open. Just as he was going to give up and leave, or start yelling, the door opened to a surprised Hungary.

"Oh, Romano, vhat are you doing here?" Romano balled his hands into fists and glared at the brunette.

"I'm here to save my fratello." Hungry blinked in shock. Romano's tone left no room for arguments.

"Vell then, come in. Austria is in the music room staring at his piano. I'll show you-"

"I still remember the way, damn it." Romano cut off heading straight for the other occupant of the house. He pushed past Hungry with an irritated growl. Spain shot her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that. He's gotten himself all worked up." Hungry shook her head.

"I would be too if I were him. Shall we?" she gestured in the direction Romano took off. Spain nodded.

~Meanwhile with the German brothers~

"Vest are you sure aboud dis?" For the twenty seventh time in the past hour Prussia had questioned his brother, who always gave the same answer.

"East, I have do." Yep the same answer every time. "Dis is my fauld." That was new.

"Was!?" Gilbert looked at him in surprise. Had he figured out what he had? That? Shit.

"I didn'd keep my promise. I didn'd come back. I lefd him vaiding for me." Ludwig's voice dropped to a whisper as drove toward the few people he knew would help. "Alone." Ludwig knew that there was much he did not remember of being the Holy Roman Empire. He knew that there were many precious memories that were lost to him for now. But he did know that Italy had felt alone, abandoned. He had heard Feliciano cry in his room at night, wishing on a star r praying to God that he wouldn't have to be alone anymore. That he would have someone there to take away his pain. Ludwig remembered going back to his room after those nights and would wish, pray, and hope to be the one to take way Italy's pain. And he had. Up until he hadn't.

Germany gripped the wheel of his car tightly as he turned onto the driveway of the nation he was going to see. Gilbert shook his his head. So he did figure it out...Only Spain, Himself, Italy and Ludwig knew the reason behind this shift, maybe Romano knew too, but Gilbert couldn't be sure. One way or another, though

Germany parked the car and got out of the vehicle. Prussia not far behind him. Ludwig entered the house, not wanting to waist time waiting for it to be answered. Prussia smirked. Germany really did love the little Italian if he was willing to against his own rules just to save him.

Both men stopped just beyond the foyer when they heard shouting.

"AND WHY THE HELL NOT YOU PIANO BASTARD!? IS MY FRATELLO NOT WORTH YOUR GOD DAMN PRECIOUS TIME NOW?! YOU WILL HELP ME! WE WILL SAVE HIM! AND I DON-MMPH!" There was sounds of a struggle and muffled curses. Curious, Germany and Prussia followed the noise. Both stopped and stared at the commotion. Spain was holding back an enraged South Italy, while somehow covering his mouth, Austria was dusting himself off and fixing his glasses. Hungry stood off to the side gripping her frying pan, unsure if she should intervene.

"Kesesesese! Looks like dey starded de pardy vithoud us, Vest." Hungry whirled around skillet at the ready. Germany put a hand up, blocking his elder brother from getting knocked out. Now was not the time. After all they had so very little of it to do the seemingly impossible.

"Since all pardies are presend I do nod see vhy ve cannot begin." Austria repositioned his glasses.

"Und, vhat is it dat ve are beginning, Germany?" Germany locked eyes with Austria before turning his gae to a stil struggling Romano.

"Ve are going to save Italy." Romano wiggled a little, not enough to get free but enough to remove the hand.

"And why do you think I want your help Potato Bastard!?" Not dropping his gaze or flinching from Romano's tone, Germany responded.

"Because I am the reason Italy is like this." The room got very quiet. Prussia kept moving his gaze around the room. Locking with Antonio's gaze only briefly, before moving it to Hungry and Austria.

"Ludvig, dear, you were not even a nation then. Vhy vould you think that you are the reason for Italy's behavior?" Hungry asked, voicing the question running through nearly everyone's mind.

Spain blinked in confusion before widening. "Mio dio...You don't mean!?" Romano looked back at the brunette.

"Oi! What are you going on about!? And let me go!" Spain ignored his friend's questions and looked over at his white haired friend.

"Ja." Was all Prussia said in response.

"Would you bastards care to join the rest of us in your fucking conversation!?" Germany sighed. This was going to go south fast whether or not he said those six words. The words that would change the rest or their history. He straightened up. He would face this as he did everything else; head on. He looked to everyone in the room, locking their gaze with his and effectively quieting the room.

"I vas, nein, am de Heiligen römischen Reichs."

OMG! OMG! I AM SO, SO, SO, SO SORRY! I ran into a bit of writers block after the last chapter and then school started and college gave me the worst semester ever! I am so sorry! *bows* But the good news is that I am back and that I know where I am taking this story.

Translations:

Fratello – Brother (Italian)

Nein – No (German)

Heiligen römischen Reichs – Holy Roman Empire (German)

Names:

You know most of them

Roderich – Austria