Hetalia © Hidekaz Himaruya

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

A/N: Hey guys! Another chapter to post and I introduce a few more OCs ;3 I also got two reviews that didn't have an account, so I'll answer those reviews at the end of this chapter… Okay? Cool! Heh, I'm in such a good mood today. I hope it lasts ^^' Well ENJOY!

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"Gregory!" you laughed happily, a small little boy laughing back as you opened your arms and engulfed him in a tight hug.

"-insert-your-name-!" he cried back, gripping you just as tightly as you were him until he looked up and came into contact with dark amethyst eyes. "… Сестра?"

"Yeah?" you answered, but you kept your grip on the boy while he tried to squirm away and point up to the man looming behind you.

"W-who's that?" Gregory asked, your grip on the boy loosening while you gently rubbed his arms and gave him a smile. "Is that the Alfred guy you were talking about –"

"No. His name is Ivan Braginski and I know him from work," you told him, letting the boy go while Gregory rushed over to the much taller man and stared up at him in awe.

"You Ivan?" Gregory asked, poking the man in the knee till he answered in a monotone voice.

"Да, I am –"

"Cool! You're Russian like me!" the boy giggled, grabbing his glove and pulling on Ivan so he could see his face better. "Do you come from America or –"

"Ivan lives and works in Russia," you explained, making your way over over to them with a smirk on your lips.

"C-can we trust him –"

"I feel like I can so it's up to you," you shrugged, Ivan giving you a confused look while Gregory smirked and continued to pull on the man's hand. "… Where's this Filipp guy you were worrying about –"

"I ran away before he could grab me," Gregory quickly explained, watching you nervously while you stood with your back to them, looking around wondering if there was a man making his way over to you, "a-and I left him to get the bags. I told him I would find you -insert-your-name-."

"Maybe we should ditch him if he doesn't show up in a few more minutes," you turned and gave Gregory a wink, walking over to them and looking up at Ivan. "Ivan," you began in a quieter tone, but it still held the same authoritative voice as the one you were using with your little brother, "I'm sorry if today has been boring for you –"

"Нет, not boring," Ivan told you, pausing for a second before continuing, "in vact I enjoy today."

Your mouth practically dropped, staring at him stunned by his response. "R-really?" You chuckled lightly and scratched the back of your head, "W-ell okay then –"

"-insert-your-name-," Gregory decided to interrupt by pulling on the end of your coat, "will you be flying home for Christmas?"

"Ummm… I actually don't know," you shrugged, "because I don't know Mr. Jones' schedule after Thanksgiving. I may have to accompany him to more meetings. I don't know."

"Oh… okay cool," the boy grinned happily, giving your arm a squeeze as he clung to your side, "because I wanted you to meet my friends."

"Friends you say?" you respond with a smirk, "And who are these friends –"

"T-there's only a few, maybe only two, but they're my best friends in the whole world! Though, I don't know if they'll stay for high school so it may be the only time to see them."

"Ah," you nodded, "Well we'll see. In the meantime let's just worry about driving back to the city, okay? Would you like to sleep in the back –"

"Yes please," Gregory answered, snuggling up against you side while you looked over to Ivan with a smirk before ushering the boy beside you as you began to walk, sit down on a bench, and wait for the man your brother spoke of to show up. "… N-now that we're together can I say something?"

"Sure," you shrugged, looking off to the gate before looking back down at your brother.

"… Did… did they suffer?" the boy asked, his eyes innocently staring up at your own while you blinked a few times and tried to grasp his question.

"Ummm… who –"

"Папа and старшая сестра, a-also дедушка. Do… do you also see дедушка death too? D-id anything bad happens to you –"

"One question at a time squirt," you smirked, but the smile on your face faded when a sigh escaped your lips and you scratched the back of your head. "... Maria… well… папа tried to stop it," you began, using your words wisely since Ivan was sitting next to you. "They left home because… well you know the rule Gregory," you shrugged, "and after they left… the curse caught up with them and Maria suffered with a… ummm… fatal wound to the head. The plane they flew in stalled, even though the gas tank was full. Her fiancé jumped out and broke her fall with his own body, папа fought that being… but… it didn't matter. It took папа and gobbled him up, then proceeded to kill Maria… старшая сестра did not stand a chance… as for me no. The occasional threats and guns pointed to my head, but nothing serious."

You ended your explanation with a smile, but knew that Gregory was going to ask more. "You didn't answer my questions completely," he pouted. "Be honest… w-what happened to дедушка?"

"… It was a heart attack," you continued, sitting back and staring off at the far wall, unable to stare at the boy's innocent gaze anymore, "but in reality his heart was ripped out of his chest and he bled on the ground dead. The autopsy concluded that his heart was missing, but Бабушка simply says that it was a heart attack so it can seem… well real. Happy now?" You ended your explanation with a glare, a look of pain and hurt held back on your face except for the small tinge staring down at your little brother through your eyes.

"Yes," he said with a nod, looking down at his hands as if he had done something wrong, "and I'm sorry for asking, but no one would tell me."

"Yeah, well, keep this secret between us and you won't have to worry about getting into trouble," you smirked, rustling up his hair while Gregory yelped and tried to stop your assault with his hands. "… Мама doesn't even know the whole truth. She knows what happened with grandpapa, but not папа and Maria because she honestly doesn't want to know."

"… D-do you think she will die –"

"Well everyone dies," you snorted and gave him a shrug, "and there's nothing you can do about it, but regardless you shouldn't give up living. That's what дедушка would say. Fight, don't let your enemies take your life, and remember that your family is all you have. You can run, hide, or refuse to stay, but when trials come into your life it's your family that will help you through."

Ivan listened contently to your words, a grin on the boy's face while he giggled. "H-he really said that?"

"Yep," you smirked, "and a few other things, but that's enough for one day."

"… I wish I could have met him," Gregory pouted, "because Бабушка doesn't understand and мама can't tell me… I miss Nick."

"That reminds me," you decided to comment, "but what did he do after their deaths?"

"Ummm… no one will say," the boy looked over at you and frowned, "but I have suspicions. Бабушка is the only person who talks to Nicholas… I think… he did something bad."

"Bad? –"

"He lives in Russia, mainly," Gregory shrugged and gave you a faint smile, "and he continues to say he can't come home, yet I think you know why."

"Sadly yes," you huffed, "but I guess there's nothing we can do about that. He shouldn't have done that though. He can't get out of that place once he's started."

"… Did you ever get contacted with those people –"

"At least six times," you told him, standing up and looking off to the terminal gates as they opened for the oncoming train, "but they contacted me long before they tried to get Maria and Nicholas to join them."

"What?!" Gregory jumped to his feet and gasped, "I-I didn't know that –"

"I never told," you smirked before giving him a shrug, "but that's in the past. I think it was because of my shooting abilities. That and I had left the states long before Maria did for that internship of hers."

"Did they say anything special –"

"They said," you sighed and shook your head, getting irritated with having to answer his questions, "that ummm… they saw promise in me and wanted me to join them. That I could, if I worked hard enough, run the entire organization and they would pay for my schooling and lodging at a private boarding school. Just… that would mean I would leave everything and I didn't want to do that… did they talk to you at all?"

"No," Gregory shook his head.

"Good," you snorted, your hands leaning lazily against the armrest while you waited, "because if they did I'll find whoever personally snuck up on you and kill them with my bare hands."

"You go do that," the boy shrugged as if your threats were normal, "but I'm fine сестра, honest." Giving him a nod you kept your sights on the station, noticing that Gregory had begun to shift behind you and hide behind your coat. "That," the boy said as he pointed to a tall man with messy dark brown hair and piercing brown eyes, "that is Filipp."

"Ah, okay boy. Just stay close," you responded as you stood up and took a few steps towards the man, Gregory letting out a startled yelp when his hiding place moved, causing the man's eyes to lock onto them. You kept a fairly large smile on your face, obviously a mask until you could interrogate the man properly. "Welcome to Switzerland," you grinned, Ivan standing slightly behind you, but you could see that he too was giving a false smile on his face while the man set down the two bags in his hands and stared down at you.

"Yes, привет," Filipp nodded and wiped his brow before sticking out his hand to you, "and you must be -insert-your-name- Rom –"

"-insert-your-name- is just fine," you told him, quickly interrupting him before he gave away your last name and you patted Gregory on the shoulder, gesturing him to stop clinging to you so tightly. "Let me just ask, who hired you?" You narrowed your eyes, you voice growing cold while you continued, "Because I'll have you know that us -insert-last-name- don't need supervision, right Gregory?"

"Right," he nodded, glaring up at the man from behind your back.

"Your бабушка hired me –"

"Then who do your work for?" you snarled, pausing and noticing his blank face before letting a huff and turning around. "If you won't answer me then we'll do this later. If we expect to get back to the city before nightfall we will have to depart now. Come on Gregory. You can sit in the back." Ivan watched with curiosity while you kept a stern, cold look on your face as you turned, walking back to the parking lot where you had parked the car. He was intrigued with this secretive family of yours and what else you were hiding from everyone. Plus he didn't like this new Filipp guy as much as you did. His eyes seemed too squinty as if he was hiding something and Ivan knew, while a smirk developed on his face as he walked behind everyone, how to hide devilish intentions. Filipp picked up his pace, obviously not liking the fact that there was a taller Russian man following him with an eerie aura radiating from his body, and would rather face your own annoyed wrath as you walked briskly to an elevator and pressed the button to go down then the man looming behind him.

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You let out a tired sigh, turning your head to the digital clock in the car. Almost two o'clock and it would still be another hour till they got back to the city. You turned your head to Ivan, noticing that he was staring out the window in front of him and seemed to be solemn, too solemn for your liking. You didn't want to question him, but your conversation with your little brother was too revealing for your liking. Should you try to kill him? Ask him questions? You don't really know and you're very tired. It seemed like Gregory was too, the three adults in the car hearing the child snore in the back seat. A smirk showed up on your face at the small squeak from your brother, your gaze soon growing grim thinking of what you'll say to Filipp. You didn't want your brother to hear you just in case the conversation took a turn for the worse, so you decided to make some noise by turning on the radio in the awkward car ride. "… So," you began over the sound of the radio, getting Filipp's attention, "who do you work for?"

"Your бабушка, of course –"

"Don't play coy with me," you snorted in disgust. "You know exactly what I'm talking about… So you're Russian I'm guessing?"

"Yes ma'am –"

"Flew in from Russia recently or only have family there?" He frowned, Ivan turning his head to you and giving you a questionable look.

You ignored him, only wanting to get the answers you seek. "… Why should I tell you –"

"You don't and I'll hunt you down and kill your family and friends," you answered bluntly, a gulp entering Filipp's lips by how emotionless and serious you are with your threat. "Бабушка probably told you about who I am –"

"Not her," he began, his voice growing quieter while you waited for a longer explanation. "… I… I know about the curse –"

"I don't care if you do or not," you snorted. "All I want to know is how you came into contact with my family? Whom do you know? Should I even have a tinge of trust towards you?"

"… I was born in Russia, grew up in Russia, and was ordered to go to the U.S.A. by my босс to watch your brother while he is in Europe –"

"Who's your босс?" you decided to ask before he continued.

"… You don't know him –"

"Are you saying that because you think I can't find out on my own or because you've been sworn to secrecy?" you responded, a soft breath of air escaping the man's mouth before he shook his head and looked out the window. "… Босс huh?" you thought with a smirk. "Is he –"

"Don't pry woman," Filipp threatened with a hiss, your smirk growing bigger at how annoyed he was getting ever so quickly.

"… You're part of the Russian mob, aren't you?" A low chuckle escaped your lips when Ivan snapped his head to look at you in shock, Filipp pulling out his gun suddenly to aim at your head. "Awww~ you don't want me to know –"

"Закрой свой рот," he growled, Ivan narrowing his eyes at the gun by the side of his seat.

"Is that an order of yours?" You snorted, acting as if the gun by your head wasn't a bother while you kept your eyes on the road, "To kill whoever knows that secret of yours? Or maybe you are going to do that anyways, Филипп немного, and kill me in cold blood because that's your order –"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Filipp snarled, "but all I was given was to watch Gregory while he's in Europe. That's all."

"Then let's settle this on a peaceful term and put your gun away," you snarled, a smirk coming to your face once the weapon retreated away from your head. "Wow. Some sense in that thick skull of yours."

"… Why are you testing me –"

"Because you infuriate me," you answered in an oddly calm tone, "and we can't trust you yet."

"… You act like your brother," Filipp grumbled, your eyes narrowing while you gripped the wheel tightly.

"Oh~? Whatever do you mean –"

"Николас. You are like Ник…" He paused, letting in a deep breath before breathing out and staring at the back of your head with a cold stare. "You are like босс too. I know about your family's relationship with us because I've had to spy on your family a few times. When your бабушка called and Николас answered her order he sent me here to spy."

"… How is that brother of mine doing?" you decided to ask, letting the thought sink into Ivan's brain while Filipp continued.

"He's run away once and got punished for it," he told you.

"And why~~ do you know all this –"

"I've been with босс long before Nicholas started. I don't understand why босс wants him, why he wanted to kidnap you, and –"

"Alright I get it," you snarled slightly in anger. "It's none of your business why he wants me; I don't even know him. Now if you know who I am why are you restraining yourself when talking to me?"

"… Because that's my order so far," he told you, "and I don't want to tell you –"

"Then understand me when I say this," you began to hiss, Ivan staring at you suddenly interested to your new tone of voice, "if you come between me and my family I will kill you. If you so much as try to kill me I'll take you down and your organization. Withhold the information I seek and I'll beat it out of you whether you like it or not. And if you haven't noticed, if you so much as dare scare Gregory in the way you've been doing these past few days I will take that gun on your lap, shoot you in the chest, and dig my fingers into your body until I pull out your sickening, beating heart and smash it with my own fists. Do I make myself clear, сука?"

"Громко и ясно, скучаю," he answered with a nod, putting his gun away while you drove down the unpaved highway and kept your eyes on the road.

You knew Ivan was looking at you, wondering and questioning you as you tried to keep calm and drive. You groaned, turning your head slightly to stare at Ivan and you gave him a pout. "You want to ask me something, don't you?"

"Нет," Ivan answered, humming to himself since the car got quiet again. "… Not now."

"Not now? –"

"Мальчик is listening," Ivan told you, turning his head to stare at Filipp and caused him to flinch back startled. Then he turned back to you, a wide grin on his face while you simply rolled your eyes. "No reason to ask vu yet, да? Ve have plenty of time ven we get home, подсолнух. No need to rush."

"… Are you going to tell Zavid o-r maybe your boss about this –"

"Нет," Ivan snorted lightly, though the grin was still on his face while he beamed at you. "This is betveen you and me." You didn't hear anything after that and didn't want to answer him, concentrating on your driving while Ivan continued to stare every once in a while at the passenger behind him. You had to admit you really didn't know what to do now. Can you trust Ivan? Well you'll have to, you sighed and shook your head, because you still need to interrogate Filipp and get more information from him.

After a while you began to hear quiet whimpers in the back, a snarl escaping your lips when Filipp didn't try to wake the boy up. "Личинка," you hissed, getting Filipp's attention, "wake the boy up."

"Why –"

"Are you talking back?" you asked in a threatening tone, the man pausing before a tired sigh escaped his lips.

"Извините," he mumbled, shaking the boy beside him until Gregory shot up and stared straight ahead in shock.

"Не поймите мен –"

"Gregory stop yelling and calm down!" you yelled into the back, the boy flinching and looking around at his surroundings completely confused.

"… С-cестра?" the boy gulped with a frightened look on his face while you turned to him and gave him a playful smile.

"It was just a bad dream Greg. You're okay now, with сестра," you continued to smile, but had your gaze on the road again. "You can go back to sleep now. You'll be woken up again before anymore nightmares can possibly come back, да?"

"Д-да," the boy nodded, closing his eyes and putting his head back against the pillow he had under his head, "okay. Good night."

"Good night Greg. Sleep well," you told him, letting the boy get back to sleep while a tired sigh escaped your lips. The rest of the car ride was quiet without as much as a peep coming from Filipp and Ivan. That didn't bother you in the least, you were just happy that for once you could spend some time with Gregory again before the events took a turn for the worse.

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A/N: Oh wow! So your little brother shows up in the story! I would try to do -insert-little-brother-name-, but that would get complicated. So I'll just give your brother a name, and there's a reason for the name too ;D Anyways I hope you enjoyed the story so far. I answered the reviews below and I hope to see you next time! Review answers:

NotSigningInXP (chap 2) – ah really? You think it's fantastic? Thank you! =D and I'm glad you decided to follow the story and I'll try to update consistently, but I'm not going to make promises ^^'

HAPPY READER (chap 9) – oh I'm writing, trust me! And I'll try to update as soon as I can ^^

босс – Russian – boss, honcho, master, tycoon, administrative boss

закрой свой рот – Russian – shut your mouth

Филипп немного – Russian – little Filipp

Николас – Russian – Nicholas

сука – Russian – bitch, slut

Громко и ясно, скучаю – Russian – Loud and clear, miss

мальчик – Russian – [the] boy

личинка – Russian – larva, maggot, grub, nymph, slug

не поймите меня – Russian – don't take me