Chapter 4:

Dreams

"I didn't do it!" I screamed three weeks later. I'd been working in his house for almost a month now and I'd always been almost overly careful not to do anything he wouldn't like…he didn't seem to even hear me. His pipe crashed against my body again and again, blood already poured from my mouth with each strike. I was bleeding all over and with the next strike I felt my ribs crack. With the next they broke. I screamed in pain, looking up at Russia, my face bloody too. "What have I done!?" I screamed at him, begging for some explanation. He didn't answer me. after three more strikes to my body, and head, he walked out of my cell, locked the door, and left me there. I moved my arms from their protective position around my head and took of my shirt. I looked down at what he'd done to me. I could see and feel the point of a broken rib against my side, my body was bruising already. My head ached. I half wondered if he'd cracked my skull. I looked at my arms, they were broken too, bruising, cut and bleeding… I laid on my 'good' side on my bed. Good meaning less completely destroyed. I touched my hair and pulled away a bloody hand. My legs to, would hardly move, though by some miracle they weren't as broken as the rest of me. I moaned in pain for no one to hear, shivering in the cold. I rolled into a little ball as best as I could. The position was painful, but much more painful to move out of. That's when I started to cry. The tears mixed with the blood on my face and fell onto my pillow in red drops. It horrified me. I clutched my bloody nose with my right hand, trying to pinch hard enough to make the bleeding stop, not like I could tell, my hands were already so bloody. Eventually I let go, and it felt a little better, but I was in so much pain I could hardly tell what hurt and what didn't. I glanced at the door. Why had he done this? Why had he just left me? Why… why…why…? So many questions, no where near enough answers… I sighed. I just wanted to go home… home. Just thinking of home made the tears flow all over again… I cried myself to sleep. My dreams were full of my bruder…

"Prussia!?" He ran up to me, lifting me in his arms.

"Germany." I smiled faintly, Russia had just left me here to die.

He took me to a hospital. They fixed me up and he didn't leave my side for weeks.

"How are you?" He asked gently.

"Don't ok." I smiled as he held my hand.

"I missed you."

"It's only been three weeks. I've been gone for longer than that before."

"I know. I still missed you. I always miss you when you're gone." He smiled back at me.

I teared up. "I missed you too bruder."

He smiled, kissing my cheek and giving me a very gentle hug. He rarely gave hugs, only when he really really meant it.

I smiled at him, crying a little more. "Did you really miss me that much?"

"Of course I did!" He smiled, crying a little too. "I'm so sorry I caused all this mess… it's my fault…"

"You didn't have any control over what your boss told you to do." I growled. That man, I hated him. He'd destroyed Germany. He'd made him fight the other countries, filled his head with lies that he'd eventually believed. But he didn't believe them any more, but the other countries didn't trust him. Even though his boss was dead now they still didn't trust him. It was over, couldn't they see that? They treated him horribly… it made me really really angry. I sighed. "I did it to protect you. Russia would have been even crueler to you. I'm glad I could protect you…" I smiled sadly.

"But this was too much… you didn't have to do this…"

"Yes I did."

"No you-"

"Yes I did. It's ok Germany… I'll come back someday…" Somehow everything, including Germany, faded away. "I promise I'll come back…"

"Prussia!" He called my name. "Prussia…. Prussia!"

"Prussia? Prussia?" I felt someone touching my shoulder. I jumped, opening my eyes to see little Latvia kneeling beside my bed. "Are you ok?" He bit his lip.

I forced a smile. "I'm fine." I sighed.

"You don't look fine…"

"But I am." I smiled.

"Russia told me to bring you that." he pointed to the table. Some bandages, salve, medical tape, water, a cloth, a glass of water, and painkillers were on it.

"Danke." I smiled sadly. "Danke schon Latvia."

He smiled. "Russia said I could stay if you need me. I can help you clean up."

"Danke." I just said again, breathing a sigh of relief.

The little blond got up and brought the basin of water and the cloth over to the bed. Carefully and more gently than I'd expected he helped cleaned my wounds. His tiny delicate fingers worked almost too gently to feel as he rubbed the salve over the bruises and cuts. It felt cool and helped some with the pain.

"Latvia…" I asked finally as he reached for some more of the salve. "Why? Why did Russia do this? Why? What have I done wrong?"

The boy bit his lip, not answering.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"I… I don't know." He sighed.

"Did… Did he even have a reason?"

Latvia just sighed, biting his lip. "I don't know. He doesn't always have a reason."

"Then why would he do this!?" I started to cry. Was all this for nothing? Was it because he was bored? Is that all I was good for?

"So he feels powerful."

That made sense to me. I hated to admit it, but it made sense to me… Power… So that was what he wanted? Power over everything…

Latvia finished bandaging me up, helping me set the broken ribs. Then I fell asleep again…more like passed out from pain… when I woke up he was gone…