Alfred rolled over on the fluffy German comforter. If there was one thing Germans did right it was their beds. He made note to order one of these things for his bed back home.

He glanced over at the open door and realized that Ludwig must have already gotten up. He stretched out his muscles and hopped off the bed, making his way down the stairs to go outside and perform morning rituals in the grass. After six days of doing so, it hardly bothered him anymore. That is not to say he will miss it when he transforms back. Speaking of-

Alfred froze. Something was not right. He felt as if he was losing himself in the wolf body, being taken over by a sudden, instinctive urge. He probed his magic to see if this was it's doing or if this was because of a threat. His magic had barely stirred- the lazy morning thing that it was- when he heard it. A pained scream of torment. Somewhere in his mind, he knew it was muffled- probably by one's own hand- and more of a sob. But this did not matter to the wolf.

Sterling shot through the halls and barreled down the basement steps to the bathroom door outside of Gilbert's room. She pawed at the handle and it unclicked, swinging open. If that seemed strange to Sterling, she paid it no mind. Inside she slid to a halt at the foot of the shower.

Gilbert sent her a tormented glance full of pain and tears. She softly bumped her nose against his side as he slid down the wall to sit next to her. He wrapped his arms around her, digging his nails into her thick fur, and buried his head into her shoulders. Sobbs racked the albino man's body as he cried into the fur of his wolf.

Sterling tucked her head over his back, giving him the first calming wolf-hug he had ever received. His sobs slowed and his breathing attempted to slow down. "It hurts," he said between shaky breaths, "the pain of so many…"

Sterling whined at his distress. The Prussian pulled away from the wolf and rested his head on the shower wall. A constant stream of water was still running in the shower, hitting the distressed human with a sharp sprinkle of water. He Closed his eyes and sighed.

Sterling shuffled closer to her white haired master to gently bump her nose against his hand. He opened his eyes and rested his hand on her head behind the ears, giving them a quick scratch.

"Nations are strange beings, Sterling. So many transitions..." He ran his free hand through his hair, slicking it back because of how soaked with water it was. "I'm not a nation any more. But I just can't tell them… If they knew what could happen to them, what might have been before they are what they are now…" He trailed off to look at Sterling. Her eyes glimmered with near human-like concern. It brought a smile to the lips of Gilbert to think that a bond could be formed between human and animal in less than a week.

"C'mon girl, you're soaked!" Gilbert lifted himself up and shut off the shower. He grabbed a towel to dry and cover himself and another one to dry off the wolf. But Sterling had already shaken most of the water off of her, and onto the walls. Gilbert gave her a harsh glare before heading to his room to get dressed.

Sterling padded softly up the stairs and into the kitchen to chow down on the dog food. Urgh, this tastes just as bad as always, Alfred thought. He attempted to drown the taste with water but it was to little success. He glanced at the food on Ludwig's plate and then to Ludwig's face. The blond set his toast down and stared at the wolf. Alfred sent him a pleading look with a slow wag of the tail.

"No." Ludwig said. Alfred walked over to him and sat down, staring up with big eyes. "No," Ludwig repeated. Alfred lifted off his front legs and tilted his head to the side. Ludwig sent a sharp look to Sterling, "I said no."

Fine, if that's how he wants to play it, Alfred thought. He then laid down on the floor, just under the table and half on Ludwig's feet. He listened to the soft clinking of utensils on a plate as Ludwig ate. Alfred let a soft smirk flit across his wolfish face as he felt Ludwig shift in his seat and sigh. Then, a hand reached down, presenting a small piece of bread. Alfred carefully nibbled it out of Ludwig's hand then licked the hand in thanks. I knew you would give.

"Tell no one," Ludwig whispered as he got up to clean his dish and grab a beer. He then walked to the living room and lounged on the sofa. Alfred followed and jumped up onto the couch when Ludwig patted the cushion next to himself. Ludwig grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, flipping through the channels until he stopped on a news station and stretched out on the sofa. Alfred raised an eyebrow at the German as he was forced to move to the back of the couch and lay his forelegs on top of the blond's.

The news crew was lamenting about the apparent storm that was moving in and the loss of the local soccer team's last match. Or game, or whatever, Alfred had never paid too much attention to the sport; while it was fun to play, baseball was so much more fun. He moved to lay his head on his paws when a sudden roll of thunder startled him. Ludwig moved his free hand to Alfred's head and scratched him behind his ears while taking a sip of his beer. Oh I see, comfort the pretty wolf only if you have a precious beer. Alfred firmly denied to admit that he just called himself pretty or less important than a beer.

Alfred shifted his weight to a more comfortable position with his head down and his legs sprawled out. The news shifted to the other topics, such as upcoming events and big-time national news.

Alfred started to drift off to that mental land of daydreams because the news was so boring. Maybe that thing about the ending Oktoberfest was interesting but the rest was just… Alfred let his brow furrow. What did they say about an investigation? As if Ludwig had been thinking the same thing, the volume was turned up higher and the blond German sat up straight on the couch.

"-ion is still under way with so far no clues as to what happened, or where the student went. Authorities believe this to be an isolated incident, as no other exchange students have been attacked." The reporter on TV was standing in front of a blocked off beer tent while police officers were talking to people in the background.

"The student's friends who had brought the victim to the beer tent say that they had not realized their friend was missing until today because of his tendency to abandon them when they started started drinking. Today was the first day back of classes after their mini-vacation and teachers say they noticed something was wrong when Jackson did not attend any classes and none of his friends knew where he was at."

A new reporter appeared on screen, this one in front of a school campus and a shockingly familiar face standing next to the reporter. "That's right, Sabrina, " the reporter started in a monotone voice, "and I have here with me now one of Jackson's friends, Jaime Haydn. Now Jaime," the reporter took a step closer to the college student, "tell me about how your friend went missing and when you noticed."

Alfred started internally panicking. This was not good. He had completely forgotten about his less than elegant exit from the party and the fellow students he had driven there. "Well sir," Jamie began, "we all drove down there together in my car. Alfie drove us because he was the the most reliable driver but when we were ready to leave and he wasn't there, well." Jamie took a deep breath, "We figured he would have left the car for us, since it was mine, and hitched a ride with some pretty babe. We never even thought he could have been attacked…." The reporter nodded sympathetically before asking, "And why was that?"

Alfred cursed the reporter for his lack of sincerity - he never really did like dramatic media - while waiting anxiously for Jamie's response. "He got along with everyone, and he always seemed so… invincible. He was- is. He is a good friend and student. I hope the police find him soon."

The reporter thanked Jamie before turning back around to face the cameras and explain the situation further. "Alfred Jackson was a transfer student from America and set to return at the end of the semester. The official word released by authorities is that he has been declared missing and search and rescue teams are sweeping the area for any signs of him or clues to where he may be."

The screen switched back to the central station of the news and the host switched topics. Alfred frowned at the television flashing images and sounds that he zoned out of. This was bad. His government will know now that he had encountered problems and he wasn't in any condition to inform them of what really happened or that he was completely fine. And alive.

Not to mention that if word got out on American news stations they would start searching for the family of a missing fictional persona. And questioning the national government on the procedures for this and then there would be a whole huge mess and if any other nations heard about it and tried to ask him what's what, he wouldn't be available to talk to them and that would seem suspicious, which could tempt them to ask around and if no one knows where he was for the last few months… And if a citizen of his was "attacked" on foreign soil while the personification was "missing" …

Wind blew hard against the house causing it to creak and groan. The rain pelting the windows sounded as if thousands of demons were attempting to gain entrance. Alfred flicked an ear back to listen to the gentle roar of a far off thunder. The storm was different than the ones at his house, and yet still a thunderstorm so still the same. Home. This past week or so had been nice at Germany's house, and the cut-short-semester at the university a great experience… but the storm made Alfred ache to sit on his front porch in his Midwest home and watch a lightning show on the horizon. I bet even the smell is different, Alfred thought distastefully, But then again, I haven't been outside today so, I wouldn't know.

A door slammed open and closed followed by a silver haired Gilbert strutting his way into the room, Gilbird on one shoulder and a beer in one hand. "What's up loser brother?" Gilbert flopped on the couch next to said brother- right on top of Alfred.

Alfred yelped and pulled himself out from under the Prussian, sending him a death glare when he only laughed. "Oh, look! I-ve-e made the little lady offended!" Gilbert slurred. Alfred widened his eyes before narrowing them and curling his tail around his sitting body, doing his best to look superior from his new position on the floor.

Ludwig pinched his nose in agitation before snatching the beer bottle tilting precariously out of his older brother's hand. The obviously tipsy man scrambled to get it back but Ludwig had drained the last of it down.

"I need it more than you," he said in response to Gilbert's wine. "Aw, what happened? Your boyfriend dump you?" Gilbert teased. "No! I don't have a boyfriend!"

"Exactly."

With a growl Ludwig launched himself at his brother and they fell onto the floor, nearly hitting Alfred, and began what Alfred assumed was wrestling. It was a very harsh form of it, what with the many "I'll kill you"s and the fury of curses.

After the sixth time Alfred was hit by a stray foot or arm, he had had enough. With fierce determination, he jumped into the fray and barked and snarled at the brothers. "Knock it off! You need to work it out, get sober, and take me outside because damn it! I need to pee!"

The change was almost immediate. The brothers went from fighting to working together- to annoy Alfred. Seriously, something was wrong with these two. Or all nations. Something is messed up with all the nations. Example one? They love their dramatic entrances.

As Alfred ran from two questionably drunk Germans he came to the realization that, hey, he hadn't been outside today yet and, big surprise, he had to pee. Now, this was a bit of a problem when he was tackled and forced to be subjected to the horrible fate of belly scratching. Shut up! It was humiliating for him. Do you know how hard it is to be tickled and hold your bladder? It's doggone hard. And no, that was not a pun.

"Kesesese, looks like Sterling is ticklish!" "Stop harassing me!"

"You see? Humans always win, Sterling." Ludwig stated as he and Gilbert let Alfred up. "Yeah, yeah. If I was not a wolf currently you would both be moaning on the floor!" Alfred growled out. After a second of thought he corrected, "Not sexually, in pain. In severe pain."

The two brothers laughed and pushed themselves off the floor. "I think I needed that," Ludwig told his brother. "Ya, what was up with that? Why were you so pissy?" Gilbert inquired. Ludwig sighed and pushed his hair back into its usual slicked back position. "A United States exchange student went missing during the Oktoberfest. They have no idea where he is but they did find bloo-"

He was cut off when wind- no, a shadowed figure- slammed the front door open and stood hunched over while lightning struck behind him in a huge, booming crack. Both brothers stood frozen and Alfred's hackles raised as his body tensed for a fight. As the lights flickered back on, (when did they even go off?) they illuminated a shaggy blond in a business suit, water dripping from his hair and rolling down the expensive clothes. Clenched in his left hand as the right was steady against the ajar door, was a duct-taped hockey stick that looked like no virgin to violence. This uninvited figure shocked the three nations even more as he languidly raised his head to reveal vibrant violet eyes and a face that had often been mistaken for its twin's.

Before Gilbert could finish his whisper of, "Birdie?" the representation of Canada drew himself to his full height, lifted the hockey stick, and slammed the door shut. It only took a second after that for his bellow to come rushing out of his body, seemingly forcing it into a warring stance.

"Where the FUCK, is my brother?!"

.

Alfred was the first to come out of his shock. Mattie! What, how, why is he- Ludwig was the second to shake off his derangement and managed the question, "What? I-we don't-"

Matthew Williams was on top of them by then and shoved his weapon under Ludwig's chin. "English," he snarled. Alfred was confused for a second before remembering that yes, he was with the German brothers in their home and they were speaking German, a language that his twin had not mastered. Or bothered to learn.

"Ve do not know vhere your bruder is," Gilbert said for Ludwig. Matthew rounded on him and nailed him in the stomach with the top of the hockey stick. "Bullshit."

"Nein, it is the truth. Al-America is not here." Ludwig managed to say with only the stumble over which name he should use.

Matthew send a sharp glare at his almost-slip-up and raised his stick of death for a blow. "I don't believe you. I know where he was and now I know that he is not responding to my messages. The only reasonable conclusion is that he is here. NOW GIVE ME MY BROTHER!"

"Oh damn, calm down bro! I'm right here!" Alfred barked out. Matthew slowly turned and gave him a curious look. He took a step towards him and Ludwig placed himself in front of Alfred. Matthew gave a confused glance towards Alfred and then Ludwig and then Gilbert.

"Why do you have a wolf?"

"Vell, you see, ve vere vorking on-"

"Vhat mein bruder means is that she just showed up."

"Oh. Strange eh?" Alfred glanced slowly between the brothers and his twin. Normally his brother wouldn't let go of something that easy…. "Where were we? Oh, right. I was aboot to beat you senseless if you didn't TELL ME WHERE MY BROTHER IS!"

Ah, there it is.

With a battle cry he lunged at the two brothers and treated them to the nice hockey battle that is known as a fight. The Canadian raged around the room, hitting the two brothers and yelling profanities at them in both English and French. At one point Alfred was forced to jump onto the armchair to remain out of the way of his furious twin. But besides that it was pretty hilarious to watch. The normally silent northern country was now extremely loud and looked like a demon from hell. Whereas the normally tough Germans were basically pleading for their life while attempting to inform Matthew that Alfred was not in their home. Heh, actually I kinda am, but not really.

Alfred pricked his ears when he heard Ludwig trip over a table and fall onto the floor. Matthew took this opportunity to jump up with the intent to slam his weapon of pain and imminent death onto him. Gilbert gave a shout but from his position behind the couch he could not help his brother. So Alfred launched himself off the armchair and latched onto the hockey stick, using his weight to spin his brother around and placed himself in front of the German, hackles raised.

"Enough." he growled.

As Matthew stood in shock, Ludwig pulled himself off the floor and placed a hand on Alfred's shoulders, for support or thanks, Alfred didn't know or care. "Listen to me Kanada, your brother is not, to my knowledge, here." Ludwig stated in a calm voice. "Vhat makes you think he is?"

Matthew straightened himself to his full height and rested his hockey stick on the ground as if it were a cane or scepter. "My brother and I always keep in-touch. We never forget to message each other or respond to calls." Alfred felt bad about making Mattie feel like he forgot about him, even if there was nothing he could do. "The last contact I had with him was when he was doing an exch- When he went to the Oktoberfest."

Ludwig's hand clenched Alfred's fur at Matthew's stumble over his words. Alfred assumed he didn't want to tell Ludwig that the personification of America was taking college classes in his country without permission from him. "Und?" Ludwig prompted.

Matthew tightened his lips before replying, "I lost contact with him. Through our bond* I felt immense pain but I could not locate him and he was not responding to any of my calls or messages. I went to his boss and…" The way he trailed off left a bad feeling in Alfred's stomach. "They have no idea what happened to him either."

Ludwig leaned weight onto Alfred for support. Gilbert walked up to the other side of his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You think ve have something to do vith it?" Gilbert said more than asked.

"Germany was the last country he was seen in." Matthew said, implying that it was obvious.

"I svear I had nothing to do vith this," Ludwig stated strongly. Matthew spun his hockey stick in hand as a reply. Ludwig sighed and said, "This is not as important as your bruder being missing but, I think it might connect." Gilbert sent him a questioning glance as Matthew motioned for him to continue. "There vas an Amerikan exchange student vho vent missing at the Oktoberfest and they found a pile of clothes that belonged to him that vere covered in blood." Gilbert sent a sharp glance at his brother coupled with a, "Was?"

Matthew's face drained of any blood and pure fear flashed in his eyes. If it had just been any other time he probably wouldn't worry, but since Alfred had been an exchange student… and he was missing, and the student was missing from the same time and place…

"Call a meeting."

"Vhat?" Ludwig inquired of the Canadian.

Matthew raked his freehand through his hair, sending any remaining droplets of water onto the floor, and declared, "If I call the meeting no one will know who I am and therefore probably not come. The only reason you two remembered me right away was because you had to." The ominous, "Because I was about to kill you," was left out.

Ludwig let go of Alfred's fur and strode forward to the northern nation. "Ve vill find your brother, Kanada," he promised before walking into his study to contact the nations needed.

Alfred was about to follow him when he was hit with the sudden, inexorable need to micturate. Yes, he did just use micturate as a word for peeing. Get over it. He just really had to go. Unfortunately, the doors were still closed and locked, even the doggie door, to prevent the mud covered dogs from tracking muck all over the house. So, like any reasonable nation trapped in a wolf body, he decided to try the bathroom.

He left the Canadian and Prussian to discuss whatever they were as he slid past the door and taped it shut behind him. He flicked the lights on with his nose and set a determined look upon the toilet seat.

Behold my epic skills, he thought as he used his mouth (yes, it was very nasty) to adjust the toilet to be able to hold him while he did his business. Sure it was degrading that he could not even go to the bathroom properly but he would at least use the toilet and not the bathtub. He had a feeling the German bros would not take kindly to piss in their tub. As he jumped and perched on the seat, carefully- aw screw it. There was no way Alfred could make this sound any better in his head than it really was. He was forced to attempt to pee like a human when in a wolf body. How humiliating was that? Could it possibly be any worse?

Alfred regretted thinking that the moment he heard a little voice that he dubbed "Karma" saying, "Why yes, yes it can."

And to prove this to Alfred, his ears picked up the sound of footsteps coming his way along with the Prussian's voice directing where the "WC" was. Before Alfred could even think, Ah, hells nah, the bathroom door was opening and Matthew froze with his hand on the light switch.

The two brothers, one unknowing of this fact, stared at each other before Alfred attempted to break the ice. "Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."

.

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*As twins and previously existing beings before being nations (headcanon) that were siblings, they have a simple bond that allows them to sense the other.

I would like to thank all those who Followed or Favorited my story while I was writing this chapter and a huge thanks to all my reviewers! Also thank you to everyone returning to read this even though I too a long time to update. No, it was not a hiatus, I was writing the whole time but had very few opportunities to do so. Anyway, I did place a reference in this chapter, huh, I wonder what it was? And as for what the other references were, I am going to be honest. I do not remember. Sorry.

I would respond to the reviews but... nah. I'm lazy. I will just give you all a deleted scene at the end of this if you want it. Speaking of, there will be most likely one long chapter left or two chapters of any length they become.

Just as a note: to any who read the updates on World Stars, no. That thing with Prussia was not from that, I wrote that part before reading the update. It is based on the headcanon that most nations were mythical creatures or some-sort before being a nation and after their death they can become something else, such as a memory. Which is what I made Gilbert- the memory of the Holocaust.

REVIEWS ARE LOVED! Please tell me your thoughts on this. Also, for an who watched Captain America: Winter Soldier, what would you think of a one-shot that depicts Bucky confronting Steve about confusing memories and they have an epic misunderstanding/bro moment? Would you read it? (I would write it after I finish this and the background for why Al has magic / is a female wolf in this)