Chapter 7:

"NOOO!"

England had lost it. He strangled his own neck until it stretched all the way to the ceiling. His head kept banging the walls. "Whoa, dude, calm down, relax. This is no time to lose your head, sir," America said.

England released his own neck, and allowed it to shrink back to normal. He took deep breaths.

"You're right, you're right. Yes, I am calm, completely calm," he said. He leaned against the wall and slid to the ground. "I am..heartless. I have no feelings whatsoever."

"Dude?" America asked.

"I feel a sudden onset of clarity, America. I'll have to kill him myself." England said.

"What," America asked, puzzled. "you, you mean physically?"

"Well, you know what they say. If you want something done right.." he said.

"But that means you'd have go…up there."

"That's right. I have so many fond memories of Stockholm. And killing Sealand with my own two hands would be totally satisfying!" England said. He stood up and put his jacket on. "Well, time to go."

"But you're dead! You're falling apart, sir," America said in a panic. "How are you supposed to get to Stockholm in one piece?"

"I thought we'd take the train."

And once again, the reliquary came alive as it shot England up toward the surface, with America hanging on to his leg and crying out for dear life.

"Yes, I remember it all so well," a boy said in a little house in Stockholm. Lukas stood behind him, nodding, though doubtful. Finland was completely unconvinced by the girls performance. "Canada is America's brother, Uncle Den is from Denmark. And every winter-"

"We went to my place to visit the reindeer!" Finland interrupted. "Don't you have something better to do."

"Uh, yeah, uh, you gotta go now. Uh, see ya," Lukas said, shooing the imposter away. "I'm sorry Tino, that one did seem kind of convincing. But I guess I should've known better. He didn't have the same spark in his eyes that..he did."

He sat down on the couch beside him and handed him a some tea. "But don't worry," he said. "I won't be fooled next time. I've got some harder questions in mind that only he would know. So hard, that not even-"

"No," Finland said, staring down at his drink.

"What?" Lukas asked.

He turned to look at him, "My heart can't take it anymore, Lukas. I don't want to see anymore boys claiming to be Sealand." With that, he stood up.

"I see…"Lukas said and Sweden came in and said "It's fine Tino, Sealand will come here on his own hopefully." "Maybe." Finland said and Sweden kissed him.

"Who was Canada?" Lilli asked. The group had finally landed in Paris. They were on a bus, heading to Finland and Sweden's. She started quizzing Peter. But he didn't answer. Lilli could see how nervous he was by the way he rung his hands.

"Oh, what if Lukas doesn't recognize me?" he asked.

"Of course he will. You're Sealand," Lilli assured him.

"Well its just that a week ago, I didn't have any past at all, and now I'm trying to remember an entire lifetime," Peter said.

"That's why you got me," she said. "Now, who was Canada?"

"Um, America's brother."

After a half an hour, the four of them arrived at Finland and Sweden's. They walked up to the front door.

Mathias straightened up, smiled, and knocked on the door. The door opened a few seconds later and Erik and Lukas Bondevik stood in the doorway. Lukas felt his cheeks warm.

"Lukas!" Mathias cried happily. "Hey you want to go to the bedroom."

Lukas leaned against the door frame, folded his arms and smirked at him. "Well, well, well Mathias Køhler. You arrive at my house, for once, and that's the first thing you say? Seriously, you are hopeless."

"Aw come on, that's the 'hello' I get after all these years?" Mathias asked, pouting.

Lukas laughed and threw his arms around his neck. "Don't beg. Its very unbecoming of you," he joked. Then he leaned in and kissed him. They kissed for almost a minute until Lilli cleared her throat. "Right, so um, hehe, uh come on in everyone," Lukas said, slightly embarrassed. There's plenty of tea and cocoa in the kitchen. You can make yourselves at home."

To Lilli's relief, he didn't spare a second glance at her.

Poor Hanatamago didn't make it inside, though. The door was slammed in her face before she had a chance to enter.

Mathias gestured for Peter to come forward. "May I present micro-nation of Sealand," he said.

Lukas took a good long look at Peter. He had to admit that out of all the Sealand's he's seen, Peter was the most resembling. But when Lukas look at his eyes, his heart skipped a beat. There was a certain spark in Peter's eyes, a very familiar spark. But for some reason, the boy looked doubtful herself.

"Wow, he really does look like Sealand. But then, so did many of the others," he said.

Lukas and Mathias sat down on the couch and Peter took a seat in the chair across from them. Lilli stood by the mantle behind the couch, trying to remain unnoticed.

Lukas began to interview Peter. "Where were you born?" he asked.

"In the sea fort of Sealand," Peter answered.

"Right. And how does Peter take his tea?"

"Ew, I don't like coffee. I prefer cocoa."

"Very good."

Hanatamago sat in a flower bed right outside the window watching the interview. It went on for about two and a half hours. Peter answered each question flawlessly.

"And finally," Lukas said. The final question! Hanatamago climbed up to the window.

"You'll probably find this a…bold question, but indulge me. How did you, Finland and Sweden get out of the capital building during the siege?" he asked.

"There was a girl and she opened a wall…she said something about going out the servants quarters." Peter said "I'm sorry that must sound crazy walls opening."

"So? Is he Sealand?" Mathias asked Lukas.

"Well, he did answer every question," he said.

Mathias cried out happily. "Ya hear that, Peter? You did it!" He spun him around in a big hug. Peter laughed. "So when do we see Finland?" he asked.

"Sorry, but you don't," Lukas answered, sadly.

"What? What do you mean?" Mathias asked.

"Well, Tino just won't allow it," he said.

"Come on Lukas. Surely you can figure out some way for us to see him." Mathias put his arm around him. "Please?"

Lukas thought for a minute "Do you like Alexander Rybak?" They all nodded "I do believe that he is preforming tonight. We never miss it." Lukas winked at Mathias

Mathias went outside to were Lilli was. "WE DID IT! Were going to see Finland tonight!" He spun Lilli around. "We're going to get the eleven million dollars!"

Lilli sighed. "Mathias, he really is Sealand," she said quietly.

Mathias didn't hear her. "Peter was amazing! I almost believed him. And Lukas.. Ha, ha"

Peter came running out excitedly with Lukas right behind her. "Norway wants to take us shopping for the concert!" he said. "Shopping in Stockholm, can you believe it?"

Welcome, my friend, to Stockholm

Here, have a flower on me.

Forget where you're from.

You're in Sweden, children come.

I'll show you that French joie de vivre.

Stockholm holds the key to your heart.

And all of Stockholm plays a part.

You stroll to Vadu

Down what we call la rue.

And soon all Stockholm will be singing to you.

Oh la la, oh la la, oh la la.

Stockholm holds the key to l'amour.

When not even Freud knows the cure.

There's love in the air

At the Folies Bergère.

The Swedish have it down to an art.

Stockholm holds the key to your heart.

When you're feeling blue come to Les Moulins.

When you're heart says don't

The Swedish say do.

If you think you can't, you'll find you can-can.

Everyone can can-can.

You can can-can, too.

Stockholm holds the key to her past.

Yes Sealand I found you at last.

No more pretend

You'll be gone, that's the end.

Stockholm holds the key to you heart.

You'll be très joli and so smart.

Come dance through the night.

And forget all your woes.

A City of Lights

Where a rose is a rose.

And one never knows where to starts.

Stockholm holds the key

To his

Heart.

Oh la la, oh la la!

Lilli and Mathias were waiting outside the concert hall for the duo to arrive. Mathias kept pacing around nervously.

"We don't have anything to be nervous about. He's Sealand," Lilli said.

"I know, I know," Mathias said.

"No, no you don't know," Lilli looked around her before turning back to Mathias. "It was me. I was the girl in the capital building. The one who opened the wall and got them out. He really is Sealand."

Mathias stopped pacing. He looked at Lilli, who nodded. Mathias sat down on the steps and placed his head in his hands, trying to take it all in. "That means that I'm Peter's Uncle!" He thought aloud He looked up at Lilli once more.

"Its him, Mathias."

If what Lilli said was true then that meant, she was right. "We had him with us all this time," Mathias said. "We, we found him. Sealand is alive. He really did find his family. Us. And you…"

"Will walk out of his life forever," Lilli finished.

"What? But you.."

"Hoagie, I ran away. I turned my back on the countries. I don't even deserve to be a country. You were sent to find Sealand But lets face it. He's way out of my league now."

"But you can't just walk out of his life. After all these years, you, you have to-"

Lilli cut him off. "We are going through with this as if nothing has changed," she said.

"You have to tell him," Mathias said.

"Tell me what?" Peter arrived just then, he hadn't heard any of the conversation.

Lilli stood up. "Uh, nothing, just that were, ah, late. And we have to get in there now."

Peter wondered if there was something she wasn't telling him. But instead of pressing the matter, he just shrugged. "Oh. Okay then, let's go.