Rated M. This is a piece of literary fiction. The Author does not claim ownership pertaining to the ideas/characteristics/ect, of Hetalia or any subsidiary thereof.

Rated M.

OoOoOo

It was quiet.

Much too quiet.

Far too quiet to be a good thing.

Nations stared at each other, clearly ill at ease over the silence. Something was wrong... horribly wrong. Someone was missing... that had to be it.

Soulful brown eyes gazed around.

"Has anyone seen America?" South Korea asked.

China was about to scold the other, when he paused at the question. Now that it was mentioned, he had not seen America. He quickly scanned the room. Correction, he still did not see America.

"Maybe she is sick?" Morocco suggested with a tempered and polite smile.

"We should be so lucky," Brazil groused, his voice laden with some humor.

But her closest allies were not so certain.

"She normally calls when she is sick," Iceland commented, looking up from his previous meeting notes.

Germany waved away their concerns.

"If she cannot be here in a timely manner, we will start without her." He said, allowing no room for argument.

Everyone waited with baited breath for America to come through the door. Yet, she never did.

England exchanged glances with France. France looked to Southern Italy. Southern Italy scowled at Spain. Spain turned his eyes to Belgium. Belgium shook her head, no knowing where America had gone. Her eyes met the Netherlands.

The Netherlands looked overly bored with the meeting already.

OoOoOo

She missed the next eight meetings. Some private, and some not. Calls made to her government were not satisfactory, as their answers were vague and uninformative. Iceland had a terrible time with her phone option menus. He made a call to Hong Kong, who had not seen her either. Their consensus was that she must be missing, and her Government was covering it up.

Soon every nation was gossiping with another, wondering what had become of America. She hadn't been see in weeks!

Russia was not amused. There was no Amerika to exchange snarky comments with. No one to make his blood boil in rage, while simultaneously attempting to dangle friendship before him. He did not feel right without being able to bicker with the female nation. No one was permitted to hurt Amerika. That was Russia's claim.

England called her, leaving multiple messages. But the chit wouldn't answer him. He shouldn't care, she was a grown nation! Yet, he couldn't stop checking his phone every few minutes to see if she responded.

Canada checked his country nearly twice over. She wasn't messing with the people in Quebec, or teasing the Mounties. He was growing concerned, America normally sent him text messages.

Sierra Leone promised to check all hotels and places America was known to visit, but had not seen her in over a month. Though, he did mention that he had thought he'd glimpsed her. He called South Africa, who confirmed that he had not seen the Star-Spangled nation, but sometime a week ago, he had thought he sensed another nation nearby.

South Korea stopped in the middle of the street, listening to the reserved but worried call from Japan, who had not seen her either. Eight missed meetings. Obviously, something must have befallen her. South Korea had promised to be on the lookout for her. He went to the usual places she frequented when she visited.

France was actually... dare he say? Concerned. It wasn't like the Star-Spangled nation not to show up. He'd even been baiting her to show up with their usual banter poking at each other's flaws. Yet, his phone remained silent. No screams filled to the brim with irritation were being directed at him.

Germany argued that he didn't have time to look for her, but he would send a memo out to the other nations. Which, he then promptly did, but Prussia's crimson eyes darkened at the news. IT was totally un-awesome to go missing.

How could she be 'missing'? Did someone take her? Who could have?

Coast Rica had no idea where she went. And, was very vocal in telling the other nations what he thought of them. Which had nothing to do with America's disappearance, but it helped with his mutual unease at the situation.

Mexico didn't seem particularly worried, but then again, he had other obligations to take care of that did not involve America. However, he promised to get his Federal agents on it, when he had the time.

Australia wondered what the hell she'd gotten into as he checked around to make sure no Americans had recently been arrested for creating 'disturbances'. He fondly recalled the last time, but he had been with her then. And, he was able to persuade the Prime Minister to forget the incident. Which, he had helped cause, but America agreed not to mention that part.

Spain was demanding that Finland do something. Finland had no idea what Spain wanted him to do. Was he supposed to pop her out of a Christmas present?

Morocco steeped his fingers over his keyboard, his brow arched at the memo Germany sent. He would send some e-mails in coordination to find her. NATO would be up in arms soon.

OoOoOo

The Countries were all in a tizzy over the Star-Spangled nation. And, her lack of appearance. Some had suggested that it was a hoax or practical joke of some sort, but when America's place was taken by her Chief of Staff at the next meeting, they stopped thinking it was some childish game. It made the nations that much more disturbed by the situation.

The severe looking man did not grin or off track the meeting. His brown eyes watched them all as if they were crazy, which was not overly appreciated. Russia had tried to tease the American as he did the Nation, but it was met with blaze statements of political ramifications. Which was absolutely no fun and caused the Slavic nation to stare eerily at the man.

The Netherlands could not wait to return home, and nearly sprinted out of the meeting in an effort to get to his flight faster. His was not as long as others had to take, and so he enjoyed it far more when he had a good alcoholic beverage and a hot meal to ease his fatigue.

He would not know, until the next afternoon, as he took a stroll across his land, that what he had always known about America was going to change. And, it would change in a mere hour's time

As the sun was beginning to set, he continued down a dirt path, one that was used more as an access for harvesting than anything else, the endless colors bloomed before his very eyes. He took pride in his exports and his people did as well. They were hard working and dedicated. Something the Netherlands was himself.

A stray flash of yellow, caught his attention.

The Netherlands paused in his walk. His right foot still in the air, as his head craned to the spot of color that was off. Amongst the countless rows of Tulips, exploding in bright profusion, was a head of hair.

Not just any head of hair. He'd know that cowlick anywhere.

So, 'Missing' America was... in his lands? He blinked, feeling mystified as to why she would be there. He leisurely strolled down the row, careful not to harm the field or the flowers as he approached the female nation.

He was mere feet from her, when she surprised him again.

"Hey Nederland," she said quietly. Sometime about her seemed to ooze serenity and tranquility.

Though he was a tad ashamed to admit it, that concerned him. He moved quicker to her side. He took out his pipe from his coat pocket and set about putting tobacco it in. It was harmless to him and America. Not true for the humans, it turned out.

"Hallo," he responded dryly. "There are a lot of countries looking for you."

She didn't turn toward him, nor did she get up and bounce around as she usually did. America shrugged, seemingly relaxed.

"They usually are," America replied calmly.

The Netherlands could not argue that, so he moved to the side of the female nation and sat down, heavily. He wasn't trying to impress anyone, and it sometimes made America laugh. Today, she did not even chuckle. His green eyes narrowed at that.

"What are you doing here, America?" He asked, without judgment. It was as if he was truly just curious. She had most of the world out on a missing person's search, but she was sitting quietly and seemingly smelling the flowers.

There was silence as he puffed away at his pipe and as her sky-blue eyes watched the sunset from behind Texas. He'd thought for a moment that she was going to ignore the question, until she actually looked at him.

"I come here sometimes," she admitted softly. "When I can't ignore the feeling any longer."

"What feeling?" He asked conversationally, puffing on his pipe slowly. His green eyes turned toward her blue orbs as she smiled at him.

A soft and knowing sort of look, that was a bathed in affection.

"The feeling I get when my heart feels the need to come home."

The male nation continued to wait, his breath, mysteriously, caught in his throat.

"Wat?" He questioned again, slipping into his native tongue.

America gave a shrug, looking oddly at home amongst his fields of Tulips. He'd been thinking of charging her for any damaged ones, but now the thought seemed oddly inappropriate. Her blue eyes looked out over the vast array of color.

"My heart. Don't you still feel it?" She asked softly.

The Netherlands' eyes widened, as America placed her arms across her midsection. A wistful soft of longing filled her face as the sun's rays began slowly climbing down the horizon. The male nation stared at her a moment longer, as a slight pull began in his chest.

As if something had been long since buried in the dirt of the past.

A sensation tugged at the corners of his heart. Like something or someone was pulling on him, but then it gentled, like a puzzle piece falling into place. An instinctual sense of 'knowing' filled him.

They were, even after decades away from each other... connected.

"You do feel it, don't you?"

Her question, was more of a statement. For her features softened in a knowing expression.

She smiled then, as the wind played with her golden locks. The look she gave the Netherlands was filled with so many emotions that he could not name them all. So he sat there, by her side, as she laughed softly.

The Star-Spangled nation tilted her head, glancing at him once more with content merriment.

"New Amsterdam says 'Hoi'." America joked, at ease even in this deep and strange situation.

He blinked, unable to process what she was saying for a moment, until she touched a hand to her heart quickly, and raised a brow at him.

"Oh," he said more for making some sort of acknowledgement than to actually say something. "Hallo," he replied awkwardly.

Blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"Nederland," America chastised lightly, "don't talk to my chest."

Slowly, his face flushed red as his eyes widened, but then he grinned. She was teasing him. He could sense it. But, the words she had said; the reason she was here, still hung in his mind.

"You said that you come here when 'the feeling' gets too much?" The Netherland questioned softly.

"Yes," The female nation confirmed easily, hugging her knees into her chest.

"And you always do this?"

"Of course," The Star Spangled nation said as she glanced at the sunset once more.

"I have never seen you here before." He hinted, wondering how he had missed her presence here. Her blue eyes turned back to him.

"You haven't?"

Her surprise was evident, and the Netherlands felt the harsh nipping of embarrassment, which he hid behind a charming smile.

Suddenly her features pitched to a serene expression.

"Well, that's alright," she attempted to smooth the sudden misunderstanding. "I have come here many times."

"How many?" He asked, green eyes widening.

"Countless."

Her semi-enigmatic reply had his mind spinning. She headed the call from her heart from a connection forged so long ago? The Netherlands had no idea.

"How.. how long have you been here?" The male nation asked, puffing on his pipe once more to distract himself from the floundering feeling that was surfacing in his thoughts.

America raised a brow, one that suggested without words 'Which time?'

"This time," he added, nearly as an afterthought.

"Three days."

The reply startled him.

"You've been missing for weeks."

The Netherlands was understandably confused. Where had she been? What had happened? His green gaze focused on her face. Which scrunched up and then brightened. It left him even more confused.

"I'm not missing," she said with a laugh, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm spending time where I need to."

"What?"

Blue eyes captivated him in their stillness, and maturity. Something he'd never witnessed before from the exuberant nation. The one he'd always thought was too impulsive and brash. Like a child. Yet, there was none of that childishness before him now.

"I've been going to the countries that made me. Nederland, they all call to me."

It was such a stunning answer that it left him silent for a moment, as he puffed on his pipe absently.

America's lips pulled into a quirky grin. Her statement nearly blew the Netherlands away. He'd never thought about what it must have been like to have so many parts of yourself come from so many nations. How it must have made America feel as if she was being pulled in many different directions. It humbled him, briefly.

What must that be like?

"All of them?"

"Each and every one. No part of me is more or less important than the next." She replied with that same maturity that had his attention riveted to the side of her he'd never seen before.

"What of your native peoples?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I hold them dear. And when I go home, they are what hold me to my land."

Ah, that made sense.

"But the others," he thought through with his brow furrowing in concentration, "they did not see you."

"Nederland," the female nation said with fond exasperation, "neither did you, apparently, till this time."

Ah, this was true.

"I don't know," she admitted in a near whisper, "who I am going to be. But I always remember and feel who I have been."

He blinked, feeling his eyes stinging for no apparent reason. A deep sense of kinship prodded at his heart. He knew those times. Every nation did. The fear of what the future could make of them. No nation was impenetrable to corruption or war.

"Ik zie."

A warm hand wrapped around his, and the Netherlands startled briefly but did not pull away. He hadn't realized how much he needed that simple touch. She pulled at his hand gently, as the pipe fell to the earth. It smoldered, but created no problem.

"It's alright," she said kindly, "it truly will be alright, Nederland."

His green eyes widened, as she was trying to provide him with comfort, something that was not overly common for America. He felt for a moment as if he were intruding on something deeply personal. A side of her that no one had really glimpsed in its entirely, before. Yet, America seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.

"Stay," America asked, though he did not think he could leave her in this moment. "It feels better when you are here."

With his free hand, he pulled the pipe from the dirt, and brushed it off as he snuffed out the tobacco's smolder. She smiled at him, and he wanted to stay. His mind could not think of a reason in the world he should leave. He had nothing of import to do. It was the weekend, and he could tell the other nations he'd found her, later. He would call NATO and inform them she was safe, and unharmed.

She'd simply needed time to be with him again. He could feel it now too.

He couldn't say, no, he wouldn't say why his heart beat faster as America held his hand. As they watched the sunset without a care as the world continued spinning in the vastness of Space. For a moment, he felt like he held everything, as he held the hand of the Star-Spangled nation. Because she needed him.

For a singular, perfect, moment in time... He needed her too.