Ludwig had just sat there, focusing on anything he could to keep his mind off the Pope's safety. The trickle of blood going from his temple down to his jaw before falling onto his shoulder. The way it hurt him to breathe too deeply due to his possibly broken ribs.

It wasn't really working. No matter what Ludwig tried, his mind would always drift back to Feliciano and how he was in the dark about the Italian's safety. Ludwig would never say so, but he had the utmost trust in Gilbert to keep Feliciano safe from danger. After all, they trained to be bodyguards at the same school – he just graduated faster than Gilbert. Then Gilbert decided that running a bar was more of his style; though it did allow them the chance to overhear any plans that might affect the city and alert them of said plans.

Though still, Ludwig worried. Yes, Gilbert was skilled and had trained to be a bodyguard, but he had some rather…unorthodox methods when it came to trying to protect someone.

Ludwig heard the door creaking open again and looked up, glaring at Lovino and Matthew as they stood there watching him. "Do what you want, I'll never give in," Ludwig growled.

Lovino chuckled, motioning Matthew forward and saying, "We don't need you for information anymore which, sadly, also means we can't have you dying on us."

Ludwig gasped, not liking the sound of what Lovino just said. "What-?" He ignored Matthew, who walked forward and set down cloth bandages, starting to bind the still bleeding wounds from Ivan's pipe.

Lovino grinned, saying, "We know where mi fratello is going. We just need to use you as a bargaining chip in case we can't grab the Pope in time."

"They'll never hand over the Pope for me," Ludwig growled softly, glaring at Lovino in defiance.

Matthew finished wrapping the bandages around Ludwig's head and started on his shoulders, muttering something about how badly he was wounded and that it was a bad idea to have Ivan and Natalya torture him.

Lovino replied, "They may not, but if I know mi fratello as well as I do, then he'd be willing to hand himself over to keep you safe and, if he ordered it, they wouldn't do anything to stop him."

Ludwig gasped, not able to reply because he knew Lovino spoke the truth; Feliciano would be willing to hand himself over to the devil if it meant he could ensure Ludwig's safety. Even with Gilbert and Arthur and Arthur's guards there; Feliciano would just demand they don't interfere and make sure Ludwig was the one safe.

Lovino smiled again, knowing that he had Feliciano in his grasp. Even if the Pope got to Arthur's house, Feliciano would submit.

Matthew stood up, wiping a bead of sweat away from his forehead and said, "He'll be able to travel now."

Lovino nodded. "Matthew, go prepare the car. We'll be up there in a few moments."

"Okay," Matthew said, nodding and looking to leave the room a little too quickly.

"Oh, and Matthew," Lovino said as the Canadian reached the door.

"Y-yes?" Matthew asked, freezing where he was.

"See if you can't find Yao and tell him to meet me here," Lovino stated.

"Of course," Matthew replied, exhaling a little sigh of relief before hustling out of the room.

Ludwig and Lovino stared at each other, Lovino with a little smile on his face and Ludwig hoping that somehow he'd be able to help Feliciano.

"So why do you protect my brother?" Lovino asked, breaking the silence. He started walking at a slow pace, looking like he had all the time in the world.

"He is the Pope," Ludwig replied. "It is my duty."

Lovino shook his head. "Even though Feliciano doesn't want to be the Pope? Never wanted to be the Pope?"

Ludwig didn't reply.

"What? No answer?" Lovino taunted from behind Ludwig. It was impossible to see Lovino at this point.

"I have sworn not to answer," Ludwig said, remembering one of the many moments of weakness when it was just Feliciano and Ludwig talking.

"If you had known about this for nearly as long as your brother has been gone, why didn't you say anything?" Ludwig asked, shocked at Feliciano's confession about keeping his powers a secret for eight years.

Feliciano shook his head, tears starting to spill out of his eyes. "I-I knew that…if I told someone," Feliciano muttered, his voice shaking, "T-then they'd s-stop…they'd stop searching for mi fratello."

Ludwig blinked and put himself in Feliciano's position, having Gilbert be the kidnapped older brother he never had the opportunity of meeting. He realized that if that had happened to him, he would've done the same exact thing that Feliciano did.

"Y-you can't tell anyone!" Feliciano cried suddenly.

Ludwig winced, saying, "Don't worry. I won't."

Feliciano smiled and, despite his tear-stricken face, it looked genuine.

"Oh, you've sworn," Lovino chuckled. We walked back to the front so Ludwig could see him. "That's not surprising, when you think about it, but it does still strike me as curious."

Ludwig glared; his gaze competing with Lovino's calm, taunting one. Ludwig sighed and muttered, "It's because of how much he loves you."

Lovino took a step back, surprised, but quickly shook it off. He was about to make some sort of retort when they heard the door open.

An Asian walked through, wearing the same black formal outfit the Mafia wore. He had black hair that was held back in a ponytail. Ludwig guessed he was Chinese.

"Matthew told me you needed something?" Yao asked

Lovino nodded, saying, "We need to make sure that Ludwig doesn't try making a break for it."

"Okay," Yao said, nodding. He walked over to the German and untied his arms, but was quick in grabbing his wrists and using the same rope to tie his hands behind his back. Yao then bent down and untied Ludwig's legs.

Lovino smiled. "Yao, put it on him. We can't risk him knowing anything…"

Yao nodded again. Ludwig watched as Yao pulled out a black strip of cloth and tied it around his eyes.

Ludwig couldn't see anything, and had to be guided by Yao as he pushed Ludwig forward towards wherever they were going.

Turn, Turn, walk straight, turn…did they just make a one-eighty turn? Were they trying to confuse the German on purpose?

After more confusing turns and what seemed to be one-eighties, they finally stopped. The air here was cooler, and hinted that they were near a door or window. Yao said, "Five steps going downwards." Then they walked down those five steps and Ludwig felt himself being pushed into a car.

Someone sat next to him, and after hearing the doors shut, another door in front of him opened and closed. Then the engine of the car started.

Ludwig felt the car lurch forward and after a few moments he could tell they've moved outside; there was sunlight filtering in through the windows.

"I wish to speak with Ivan Braginski, recognizing the consequences of our conversation being overheard by those who best not hear it," Lovino muttered from next to Ludwig.

"Ivan," Lovino stated.

He paused, Ludwig listening to the sound of his breath. "Where are they now?"

"We'll be there. Don't have Natalya do anything drastic just yet," Lovino stated. His breathing lightened and Ludwig was immediately struck with worry for Feliciano and Gilbert.

He heard Lovino lean forward and muttered something to whomever was driving; Ludwig guessed it was Matthew; before sitting back.

It was impossible for Ludwig to tell Lovino was lost in thought…

/AN

I don't own anything!

R&R Please!

AN/