One Year Later
The warm sun basked upon her skin as she heard the boys playing the waters, letting Briana and herself enjoy the beautiful day at Sperlonga. She smiled as she heard Lovi chase Feli down the sandy beach, seeing as Antonio and Luciana lift their daughter, Neva above the waves as she squealed in delight, just to hear Marques and Jalila laugh as they held their son, Saaf, close to them. She couldn't help but enjoy the day.
"Lost in that head of yours again Chloe?" Briana asked her.
"No. Just enjoying the day." she replied as her mind slipped to the past.
It was hard to believe that a year ago the war ended and the nations went home. That Genesis was no longer around as the rest of the nations cleaned up the messes they left behind. Slowly putting things back to normal and removing the bad from good as the days blended together. She loved traveling to the other nations and seeing the nations and capitals with their little cities playing around them; seeing new little ones join the bubbly group of friends.
"Now you are." Briana laughed.
"Alright I was there." she laughed along with her. "It's just hard to believe a year ago Genesis was defeated and the world was finally at peace. There really hasn't been a war at all since then. It's like the world finally gained what it really needed."
"True. Things have been quite calm and quiet since then." Briana agreed.
She smiled at her sister as the two boys came up to them, "Hey bella, not too hot, are you?"
"I'm fine Feli." she waved him off, "And so is she."
"She'd say she was fine even if her leg was cut off." Lovi said sitting beside Briana.
"And she's the same way." Feli said point to her.
The girls giggled at them as a small whine filled the air. Looking over on the blanket, she saw her little girl scrunch her face in anger as her twin brother slept soundly beside her.
"Oh, what's the matter Rosalia?" Feli asked as he checked her over.
"She's upset." Lovi said as he dipped her paci in Briana's ice treat, "There that should calm her."
Sure enough, the little girl calmed down and she looked at them all, holding onto Lovi's finger. Chloe couldn't help and chuckle at him as she, Feli and Briana stared at him, "What?"
"And you said you wouldn't be a good uncle." she said.
"Or a good papà." Briana added as her own hand laid upon the large bump.
"Shush." he said, his own hand laying upon Briana's belly.
"Still hard to believe there's two in here." she laughed, "I feel like a house."
"And you picked on me." Chloe poked her side. "Best thing is, they won't be far in age."
"It's funny." Feli said, "They're all twins as we all are."
"Only difference is that there are one of each." Briana stated.
Chloe laughed as she looked down upon her two little ones, Rosalia's hand finding Marco's and holding it tightly. She was caught in the moment when she felt Feli kiss her head.
"They are beautiful, just like you."
"You spoil me." she kissed him, feeling her world soar above everyone around her.
"Get a damn room." Lovi groaned.
"Language." Briana scolded.
"They're babies!"
"Lovino!"
"Uh oh, fratello is getting into trouble. Best get him out of here." Feli said as he flicked Lovi's ear.
"Oi get back her, I'm gonna punch you in the nose for that." Lovi chased after Feli as the man laughed and avoided his brother's reach.
Chloe watched them as they ran the beach, playing the usual cat and mouse game. Her mind sauntered back and forth from the year before to the present she resided in now, a smile creasing her face as everything made a full circle. A wandering idea of what the future laid before her and the others came to mind, for how things would be when the children were grown and the lands older and people within just wiser and living day by day.
As Feli ran from Lovi, gaining laughter from the others, Chloe let the past be as she found peace in the present and wonder in the future.
"As time comes and goes. There are things that push people to their limits, yet during those times comes the greatest amounts of Courage that some believe never existed."
The bath house was warm with steam and the water just comfortable to sit within as Harper held her daughter close to her chest, the little girl squealing in excitement as Kiku slowly came towards them, just the top of his head popping out of the water.
"Ā, koko ni kare ga kuru!" Harper played with Sakura as Kiku came up to her and kissed the babies belly, gaining giggles and squeals from her.
Harper watched as Kiku pulled Sakura to him, having her swim in the water with him as he pulled her around the whole tub, making her laugh.
"That some never realize that the power that laid within them was their own Voice that need to be heard during times of need."
"Tùzǐ?" the little boy asked Yao.
"Shì de, tùzǐ, fēicháng hǎo." he replied.
Nora sat beside the two boys as Yao taught Shen characters and had him writing them out. She leaned her head upon Yao's shoulder, gaining a small kiss to her head as he man sighed against her, listening to Shen repeat his words to them.
"Yet during times of hardships and difficulties, the strongest hold on things was the senses and pure Knowledge of the time and world at hand."
The girls high-pitched squeals echoed the back yard, making Dieter jump against Marie.
"Holen Sie ihm Mädchen, lassen Sie nicht, dass Vati weg!" she called to them as they dog piled on top of Ludwig.
Her and Eliza laughed as the trio of girls laid all over him just to have Gilbert join them, making Ludwig protest harder, making the girls laugh harder at them. Marie pulled her son against her shoulder, soothing him back down as he fussed at her with the same gentle grace that used to sooth Adrian back to sleep.
"With everything before the world, sometimes the greatest thing needed in times of falling, is just the simple Touch of love and understanding from the ones that have your heart."
"Daddy, what's that?" she heard Elizabeth asked for the fifth time as he gladly answered her.
Thomas wasn't far with the question as well as they rode the London eye on the drizzly day. Juliet smiled at them as their eyes wandered all over the city they soon became high over as Arthur explained the history of the place they called home, taking every question and hug they gave him as he spoke so clearly and diligently.
"Even after every fall that someone can endure, the real Strength of the person and more is the point of getting back up again and learning from that moment."
Amber smiled as she watched Alfred and the kids in the creek, pants rolled up and water up to their knees as Alfred explained to them how prospectors came to the west, searching for gold and the wondrous treasures they found and how the Native American's survived off the land.
"Daddy look!" she saw Lincoln point to the water as she saw crayfish moving around the waters.
Quickly the man dove his hand in and scooped up the little creature, showing Liberty and Lincoln the animal, both staring in awe as he showed them details of the crayfish. She herself, spoke of how they help the land and what they did and what else they could be for, enjoying the moment she had with her family.
"Yet during those falls of the world and people, the greatest aspect to it all was the Spirit within them that kept them getting back up and fighting."
She laughed at them as the boys tackled Ivan down to the snow-covered ground, attempting to pile snow onto him before he could get up and chase them again.
"Pobeda!" Alexei yelled
"My pobezhdayem papa!" Grigori said, patting the snow down.
The snow burst into the air as Ivan jumped out of the spot, arms raise as the boys took off, "Dumayu, net!"
Lily laughed, gaining Ivan's attention, just to have it settle on the bundle in her arms. He came over, giving her a quick kiss as he leaned down and kissed the pink hat upon the baby.
"Anastasia?" he whispered to her, just to have her bright blues land on him, "Privet Anastasia."
A stray snowball hit the back of his head making Lily laugh as she heard her boys giggling behind a tree. In a flash, the man was running over to them. He grabbed hold of them as he swung them around before falling into the snow in a fit of laughter.
"Though the harsh cold can freeze the belief and heart of the people, there always is Warmth to guide it back to its rightful place."
The evening was calm and soothing as Francis read to the children. Jeanne and Jacque under his arms as Jeanne held Pierre and Jacque had Satine, all four of them were intent on the book he read aloud to them, his face was content and happy that his family was with him as she was.
A gentle sigh pulled her gaze to the baby on her chest, her gentle sighs relaxed Brie as she rubbed her brown locks, placing a gentle kiss to her head.
"Bonne nuit Renae." she whispered to her, the baby snuggling deeper into her chest.
"Yet with everything learned before the time, that courage, voice, knowledge, touch, strength, spirit and warmth all lead to have the one thing that they all need, the Heart to hold it all together."
"So, with all that is known, the real question that remains. What is a nation without its capital?"
Fin