A/N: I AM SO SORRY. I'll explain more at the end of the chapter. :D Enjoy!

Though the plane ride was normal by anyone else's standards, it was undeniably the worst plane ride of Ivan's life so far. Alfred couldn't calm down, he was constantly up and about and always talking in the obnoxious Brooklyn accent, which grew more pronounced by the minute. It was really not a good thing, this intense obsession with Avery. Finally sick and tired of the American's constant fidgeting after two hours, he slipped a bit of Sudafed into Alfred's coca-cola when the younger man went to the bathroom for what seemed like the millionth time. The amount of drugs in the soda was enough to kill any normal human. Alfred was lightly snoring with his head on Ivan's shoulder within twenty minutes.

As a nation, he'd simply been knocked out. And why Sudafed? Because Ivan found it in Alfred's carry-on bag. Most likely it was left over from his last economic recovery. The blonde tended to intentionally knock himself out when he began recovering from a recession. Claimed it made his recovery speed up.

When Ivan thought about it, the problem was truly serious. Civil wars were always devastating to nations, but none more so than Alfred. His Civil War had caused more casualties to the blonde's people than both world wars and the Vietnam War combined. Entire towns had split down the middle, even a state. West Virginia should not have existed, and wouldn't have were it not for the Civil War. Ivan had never been able to guess during any civil wars he'd had if there was another version of himself out there. His wars had never been to the point where there was another one of him leading the charge. But Alfred...Alfred had been jumped by Avery before he even knew of the Southern state's secession.

Ivan considered what he knew of Avery. He'd rarely seen the 'evil twin' of America. And even when he did, it had been from a distance. He knew that unlike Alfred, whose eyes shone with sapphire fire, Avery's eyes glittered the sickly silvered color of an oil-slicked ocean, and while malice was visible in them, there was also intelligence. Avery had a spirit for freedom as strong as Alfred's own, but his ideals had no place in the world even in the 1860s. His hair was opposite of Alfred's, the little cowlick, which was Nantucket to Alfred, being Richmond to Avery. His hair was darker, though only by a shade or two. To further baffle Ivan as to how Alfred's security had missed him, Avery had always possessed a distinct Southern accent. Be it Texan or Carolinian or even Louisianian, Avery sounded distinctly Southern, or at least he did the two times Ivan was able to speak to him

Alfred's light snoring caused Ivan to chuckle softly as he was jostled from his thoughts. He kissed Alfred's head. An old woman across the aisle glared at him.

Even the fact that America's boss had signed a constitutional amendment legalizing gay marriage last year didn't stop people from being prejudiced. Russia had forced his last boss to sign a similar law just eight months ago. Still, for some reason, and particularly amongst older humans, the sight of two men or two women showing anything more than friendly affection was scandalous or immoral.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Ivan adjusted his scarf and looked restlessly out the window of the plane. They were flying over the Atlantic at the moment, and had been for at least two hours. They had boarded in Moscow and had since made stops in Poland, Germany and finally England, though they hadn't stayed long enough to say hello to any other nations. Besides, Poland and Germany wouldn't be all that happy to have seen Ivan. Though the last World War had been almost a hundred years ago, Germany, Poland and Prussia would probably never be comfortable in the same room as him.

"Sir," a flight attendant said, tapping him lightly, "How are you doing?" Ivan smiled a little at her.

"I am fine, thank you. Could we perhaps get a pillow? I'm afraid my shoulder is beginning to hurt." He gestured towards Alfred, crashed on said shoulder.

"Of course," she said.

Alfred snored on the pillow within five minutes. Ivan stared out the window at the endless ocean, hearing Alfred's even, calm breathing behind his head. He turned from the window and leaned down to Alfred, whispering in his lover's ear.

"Alik, I don't know if I ever told you how I fell in love with you."

Alfred grunted a little and shifted in his sleep. Ivan knew no one could hear him, so he started whispering to Alfred. It was the one tale he wouldn't have the courage to tell an awake, alert Alfred F. Jones.

"When you were small, I only met you once or twice. You were the most adorable little thing, and you reminded me of sunflowers. That was my first thought when Britain introduced you to the world, a little sunflower. The memory is very clear to me, da. Britain brought you in to a meeting we were having, just France, Britain, Prussia and myself. We were the powers of the time." Ivan smiled sadly. Those days were long gone, for all of these countries but himself. Britain was respected, as was France, but neither had the power of the seventeenth century. And Prussia lived in Germany's house and officially didn't exist. Ivan winced mentally and moved on.

"As I recall, Britain had dressed you in green. You were so tiny and cute...and then you lifted up the carriage that Britain brought you in with one hand and shook it, looking for a toy." He chuckled. "And you grew up into a nation so powerful that a carriage wouldn't even feel like a feather."

Alfred shoved his nose into Ivan's scarf. Ivan smiled a little and let his sleeping American breathe his scent. "I watched you grow. When you gained your independence, I was sure you'd do great things. No other colony had broken from Britain at that time. He was devastated. I probably fell for you when you first appeared as your own independent nation, but I didn't realize that."

He smiled at the memory of the brave young man who had defeated the all-powerful British Empire. "No, I knew I loved you just after your Civil War, when I saw how quick you recovered from it. How bright you still smiled." The plane shuddered as they hit a little turbulence.

"Even during the Cold War, when we thought we hated each other..." Ivan shuddered at the memories. "Even then, something in me wouldn't let me attack you. Something stopped me from wiping you off the face of the earth."

The plane speakers binged. "Attention passengers, this is your captain speaking. We will be arriving in JFK International Airport in approximately an hour."

Ivan sighed and closed his eyes, slightly annoyed that he hadn't finished his story, and decided to wait for sleep to claim him and prepare him for the struggle ahead.

Alfred had woken just before they had landed, growling unhappily when he realized Ivan had drugged him.

"Bastard. I didn't need to be drugged like that."

"You were driving me insane."

"You coulda just told me to stop!"

Ivan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I did." The stretch armored vehicle which had picked them up at the airport was traveling towards the White House, and as they passed the Washington Memorial Alfred made a move to bow, a quick gesture of respect. Passing the Lincoln Memorial seconds later, Alfred shut his eyes and clasped his hands together on his knees in an attitude of prayer that Ivan rarely saw. Alfred whispered something under his breath, unclasped his hands and opened his eyes. The accent was less obvious than it had been, but it was still clearly 'New York'.

"Alfred, you'll be okay."

Alfred smiled at Ivan. "Madison will fix it."

Yes, Madison Blake, Alfred's first female President. She was in the second year of her first term, and was doing a better job than her predecessor ever could have. Alfred was at his highest economic level in twenty years, the number one economy in the world, and his vigor was such that he could even tire Ivan out.

"Da. She will." They pulled into the White House secure entrance, generally used only by the nations since they would be seen going the regular way, and it would be impossible to explain them away over the years since they didn't visibly age. Five Secret Service agents waited for them. One pressed his hand to his ear as they exited the vehicle, other hand carefully hiding his face so his lips couldn't be read. They were led directly to the Oval Office, where President Blake waited, feet up on her desk in her typical careless manner. She spotted them and bolted upward, the papers on her lap fluttering to the floor.

"Alfred!" She was a tiny woman, just five feet tall in her military boots, prone to wearing black and purple. She had cropped brown hair and eyes of a wise, piercing grey. She despised formal wear, though her occupation often required she wear it. Ivan knew that if Alfred wasn't as intelligent as he was, he would have fallen for her, all consequences be damned.

"Madam President!" He ran form Ivan to engulf his tiny President in a bearhug. She shoved him without effect.

"Get off, Alfred! I'm being squashed!" He released her and grinned.

"Whaddaya know," he said, accent still clear, "You're actually happy t' see me!"

"Of course I am you moron." She turned to Ivan. "Russia, I assume?"

She'd never met him in person. Ivan smiled gently and shook her hand. "A pity we must meet under these grave circumstances, da?"

"Indeed. Now, Alfred, here's what we know." She gestured to the chairs on the other side of her desk. They sat as she settled back into her chair. "Avery has reappeared somehow, and he managed to bluff his way through the Secret Service agents. Thankfully," she held up a hand before Alfred could speak, "He didn't hurt me. He wanted to deliver a message, he said."

Alfred started. "What message?"

For a second she frowned. "Uh...Mr. Russia," He blinked at her. "I can have the staff bring you some tea or coffee or...something..." She still wasn't sure how to react to him. Of course she knew of their relationship, but since it really wasn't politically official other than trade and military agreements, she couldn't risk national security.

Alfred took over. "He can stay, Maddie, I need him. Besides, I'll just tell him everything later."

She nodded, not willing to argue that point. "Your, er, counterpart..."She cleared her throat. "He told me you needed to know that you never won the war."

Those five words rang in the silence of the Oval Office. You never won the war. Alfred's eyes were wide. Ivan could only imagine what was running through his head.

The war. War. You. You never won. The war. Never won. The war. You never.

You never won the war.

Alfred couldn't breathe, his head began to pound and his eyes widened to a startling degree. "Th-th-"

"Alfred?" Ivan tried to grasp Alfred's hand, but missed as said hand flew to Alfred's head, tangling in his golden hair.

Ivan drew back, feeling the tinges of something he could almost have called fright-but the Russian Federation was never frightened, was he? He watched Alfred's eyes for any sign of danger-since he and Avery were technically the same country, the had a strange connection. Ivan thought it sickening.

Alfred shook in his seat. "Th-that...that bastard..." He took a deep breath and steadied himself. "He's talking about the fact that I didn't kill him."

"Excuse me?" Alfred's president looked shocked. "You had a chance to kill him and you didn't take it?"

"What kind of a bastard do you take me for, Maddie?"

Ivan said nothing. He'd killed other nations before, such as Chechnya, but he wasn't about to remind Alfred of that.

"I don't, Alfred, but isn't it a sound tactic to take out any danger for good?"

He frowned. "I probably should have killed him, but what would that have done? Wiped out all the Southern states and all the humans who lived there? I would never be able to do that in good conscience, even if it ensured my safety."

He continued in the same breath. "I mean, even if I had been able to kill him without harming the humans, who can say whether he would still have come back or not? I knew when I spared his life that he would wait to return, I just never imagined he'd actually grow strong enough. You're sure no state has declared secession?"

"No...not even one." She grimaced. "Where could he be getting his power?"

Alfred shrugged. "I don't know, I doubt that the descendants of the original secessionists have enough numbers to bring him back."

Ivan decided it was time to say something. "Alfred, how strong is the population of far-right religious humans?"

Alfred shot him a curious look. "The evangelists? Good question. They don't make up a majority of the population, but they could certainly have something to do with Avery's appearance."

"Why do you ask, Mr. Russia?" Madison said, eyes sharpening.

"In some countries, a faction of religious followers have shaped the entire nation. The best example I can think of is how, during the time of Rome, the budding Christian movement brought Rome's grandsons, North and South Italy, to the fore rather than Rome."

"Ivan, that's one isolated example," Alfred said. "Is there anything else?"

"England discovered you due to groups of Britons leaving their home island in an attempt for religious freedom." He tapped his foot in thought. "In my own history, I was vastly changed by Orthodox Christians settling in my territory and converting most of my people from the ancient ways."

"Sometimes I forget how old and creaky you are." Alfred winked at Ivan's glare. "It's not a bad thing! I never would've thought of the religious humans being the power source."

"I'm sorry," interrupted Madison, "I don't like where this is going one bit. We can't blame a religious group for Avery's return, that goes so far against the Constitution I don't even want to think about it."

Alfred nodded. "That was formed on a basis of complete religious tolerance, true."

"But it gives us a place to start, da?" Ivan placed a hand gently on Alfred's shoulder. "What of census results? We could see how much of your human population is likely to support Avery, as well as their locations."

"The last census was only five years ago," Alfred said, instinctively leaning into Ivan's hand. "It would be a gold mine of info."

"I still think this is strange," Madison frowned. "Why not set up a meeting between you two, Alfred?"

"Nyet," growled Ivan. "The last time they were alone together was the last time that thing tried to kill him." He emphasised the impersonal designation, making it clear just how little he thought of Avery.

Alfred clapped a hand over Ivan's. "Ow. Leggo." Ivan released Alfred, snarling slightly. "Look, Vanya, I don't want to be alone with him any more than you."

"But you're going to do it anyway, aren't you?"

"Well...no." Ivan raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What I mean is..well..."Alfred's eyes dulled a shade. "In any other situation i would set up a meeting in Switzerland's place where we couldn't do any harm to each other without Switzy shooting at us, but I don't think he can leave the physical land yet."

"Что?"

"I think if he could, he would've tried to get at me in your territory. It'd be like him to think that someone with borders as big as yours might let something slip through."

"Боже мой, вы серьезно."

"Ivan, you're speaking Russian."

"Да, и? Это мой родной язык."

"Ivan. Vanya. C'mon."

Ivan sighed and switched back to English. "If I must."

"Yeah, you must."

"говно."

"Okay, I know what that means."

"Hmph." He clenched a fist. "I'm concerned about what you're planning."

Madison's grey eyes flicked from one nation to the other. "This is going to seem out of place..." Two blond heads, one lighter in color, turned to her. "...can nations have children?"

Ivan began to chuckle as Alfred looked confused. "Uh, what?"

"Could you two ever have a child?"

"Oh...Боже мой..." Ivan's laughter grew. "Why on Earth would you ask something like that?"

"I was simply thinking how frightening it would be for Russia and America to create a new country."

Ivan smiled. "No, we can't make another country. I don't think any nation pair has had children since the time of Graecia, Aegyptus and Rome." His names for the ancient empires got him a curious look from Alfred.

"Well, yeah and it'd be like...biologically impossible. I think."

"Alfred, unless you're hiding a womb in your abdomen we are not having children." He wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. "We're both male. We don't have enough space on the planet for more nations, and just the fact that we aren't human doesn't mean we can suddenly make two males have a baby. Graecia and Aegyptus were both female." He breathed a heavy sigh. "Though I suppose if Alfred's states had personifications we would have at least one child."

Alfred didn't miss that reference. "Hey, Alaska was not a deal sealed with sex, moron, I bought that land! And Hawaii and Texas have personifications!"

"That's because they both used to be their own countries, Alfred, and yes I know how you got Alaska." Ivan suppressed another chuckle. "I did sell the land freely."

Madison groaned. "I'm glad I'm such a source of entertainment. Can we move on?"

"Yeah, hey, you brought up babies and set him off!" Alfred whined slightly as he began poking a still-chuckling Ivan.

"I'm sorry, it was just too funny for me to pass up, da."

"Okay, great. Wonderful. I need to get in contact with my evil half."

"He didn't leave any information-"

"Don't need it." Alfred shut his eyes. Ivan got out of his chair.

"I hate this." He backed up to the other end of the room. "Alfred, just wait for him to show himself."

"No time, Vanya, sorry."

Madison joined Ivan at the other end of the office. "What is he doing?"

"It's a form of telepathic communication. Nations technically connected by blood can do it. In Alfred's case only Canada and, I suppose, Avery, can hear him. I'm not sure about Mexico." He kept his voice low.

"Telepathic connection?"

"I have it with my sisters, Ukraine and Belarus. All we can really do is let one another know we need to speak with them. Alfred's gift with it is much stronger, he's had whole conversations with Canada like this before."

"Why did you back up over here?"

"Since we're strongly connected emotionally, my mental frequency could disrupt his, at least according to China. He can do this with Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand and most of the other Asian nations."

"Why is your version of this...thing...so weak?"

Ivan looked annoyed at that. "I was separated from my sisters for most of our formative years. We were never taught to use it properly, like Alfred and Canada were. France and England can't hear each other like this, but apparently England and one of the Nordics, Denmark I think, have a very strong connection."

"I see...and why isn't this used more often?"

"It takes a great strain to produce." Ivan sighed. "I've only ever seen China do it without problems later, but he's thousands of years older."

"What does it do to Alfred?"

"All I can say is expect that the stocks drop a few points. Other than that I have no idea, he avoids using it like it's a plague."

"Then why now?"

He groaned. "We have no other way to contact Avery." His lip curled as if he'd tasted something nasty. "This is a surefire way to tell that Southern bastard that Alfred wants to talk, da."

Alfred's fingers massaged his temples throughout their whole conversation. He could feel the curious, cautious mind of Canada in the north, but turned his attention south. Shit, too far. His head was full of Mexico calling him a puta again. Sorry, not tryin' to fight, he thought, switching his attention again.

A black wall of anger hit his mind. Outwardly, he jerked slightly and released a tiny groan, but inside his mind he was curled up in pain.

Ow! Bastard, I'm just trying to find you! Don't go ripping my head off!

A darker mental tone rippled through Alfred's mind.

What d'ya want now, Yankee?

He continued massaging his forehead. Set up a meeting. Somewhere neutral.

Ya think I'm falling into that pathetic trap?

A sigh escaped him. It's not a trap. We can't lie to each other this way, I swear. It would just be Russia and I.

At the mention of Russia, the black wall grew spines. Keep that bear-bodied piece of frozen waste in his tundra. I won't go near him.

Afraid? Alfred mocked.

Never.

Then you shouldn't have a problem with him.

And who, Avery questioned, Who may I bring to ensure fairness?

I don't know, but I'm true to my word. Oh how his head ached...Ivan won't attack.

Oh, it's Ivan now? On first-name terms with the Russian bastard, are we?

I am, he thought, but you will never be. He knows your name, but to your face he'll always say 'the Confederacy'. Or just 'him', though personally I like when he calls you a 'thing'.

Avery broke the contact with a parting barb. We'll meet at your California house in two week's time. Perhaps your frozen Russian meat will melt and rot by the time I arrive.

Alfred gave a shout and collapsed, crumpling to the floor of the Oval Office. Ivan got there first, scooping the smaller man into his arms. Secret Service swarmed the office, and it took Ivan's massive size and power to clear enough space to lay Alfred out. He looked fine, just a bit pale and sweaty, though he had a nasty green tinge around the mouth. Ivan sighed and shook his head.

"I told him not to do it. Молодой дурак." The Russian supported Alfred's head. "Someone get me water." He unwound his scarf and piled it in a makeshift pillow under Alfred's head. The multitude of puckered pink-and-white scars on his neck were visible in the light, but no one was paying attention to how he looked.

"Alfred, герой, wake up." His voice was gentle, and his hands massaged Alfred's shoulders gently. "Come now, герой мой, wake up, da?" Alfred stirred weakly.

"Water." He trickled the water into Alfred's mouth. Alfred licked up the water, snorted and opened his eyes.

"Shi-iit I have a massive hangover..."

"Idiot. I told you not to use that particular trick."

"Shaddup..." Alfred didn't seem much in the mood to argue. He pulled Ivan down for a kiss rather hungrily, eagerly kissing the Russian until Madison coughed.

"You two realize you're in front of a good deal of people, don't you?"

Ivan broke the kiss, breathing slightly accelerated. "I'm sorry, he always gets like this..."

"Like what, h-" America cut her off with a slight moan.

"Mmm, Ivaaan, m'hungover n' horny..."

Ivan pinched the bridge of his nose. "I think I'll take him back to the house in DC for now."

Thankfully he didn't need an escort to leave. "I'll let you know what he learned when he's coherent again, da." Ivan carried Alfred to the car-he carried his scarf as well as his lover. Alfred took advantage of him and began kissing and nipping the old scars on Ivan's neck.

"Fredka, whatever you learned had better be good," Ivan said as they entered the car.

He did have a fun-filled night ahead, though...

A/N: I wanna apologize. A combination of school issues (end of Junior year...) and writer's block stopped me from putting this out. I created the mental contact thing as a helpful story aid, so please don't kill me over it. We can assume a lot about how nations might differ from humans.

When I mentioned Chechnya, I say Ivan killed the country of Chechnya because, technically, Russia ate up a bunch of smaller nations, and Chechnya is one of them. It was transformed into a semi-autonomous region of Russia, just like multiple other countries, but it's essentially a state.

Translations

Боже мой, вы серьезно-My God, you're serious

Да, и? Это мой родной язык-Yes, and? It is my native language

говно-Shit

Молодой дурак-Young fool (Young in the sense that, compared to Ivan, Alfred is really young)

герой-Hero :)

Puta-Spanish for whore

Thank you for waiting!