Here it is! Thank you for waiting! And thank you for your support! Reviews, favorites, and follows are all like wonderful compliments!

I decided to make two more chapters instead of one, because I wrote quite a bit!

Anyways, on to the story!

4. Hearts Are Spilled

"I-Italy?" I asked.

"You guessed right!" He exclaimed, clapping his hands.

"Y-You're Italy? But… You're a boy!" He looked confused.

"Of course I'm a boy. What did you think?"

"I thought… That… You were a girl…"

"What?" He exclaimed. "Well… That's embarrassing…"

"But I…" I couldn't finish. I felt my face heat up. I tried again. "I… I lo-"

"You what, Holy Rome?" Italy asked.

"I had… A… Crush… On you…" I mumbled. I heard him gasp.

"Veh?" He exclaimed. "Really?"

"Yes." I said. "And I thought you felt the same."

"Well," He started. "You were my best friend. So I was sad to see you go. But I didn't think of you that way. Sorry."

"No," I said. "I understand. But if you were a boy, why did you dress like that?"

"What?" He asked. "You mean this?" He pulled out a small book from who knows where. In it, he showed a small portrait of the Italy I knew. Green dress and all. "Did you not like my clothes?"

"Um, that's not what I meant…" I mumbled. "But it made you look like a girl..."

My brothers were staring at the portrait in shock. Prussia started laughing. "Oh boy!" He said. "I remember you now! I always saw you when I was stalking Austria!" He laughed more. Germany simply had his face in his hands.

Italy rubbed his head. "Really?" He asked. "I didn't know that… Sorry! But hey," He leaned closer to me. "Was I a pretty girl?"

I felt my face warm up. "Um…" I couldn't think of what to say. Of course, the Italy I had known was beautiful. But I couldn't say that to this man here!

"Quit it, you idiot!" Germany pulled Italy off the bed. He picked him up by his collar. "Do want me to beat you even senseless-er!?" Italy started crying. I almost stopped Germany, but I the remembered that Italy wasn't a little girl. Prussia just sat by laughing the entire time.

"Oh man," Prussia said. "This just turned out so great… Keeseesee…"

"Shut up, Bruder!" Germany yelled, slapping Prussia's head.

Chaos commenced.

Prussia began hitting Germany back, and the two started fighting. Germany was fighting while still holding Italy. Italy reached into his jacket and pulled a white flag from an inner pocket. He started waving it, blubbering like a madman. My two brothers starting yelling at each other, using quite a colorful vocabulary. Some of it I was familiar with, some I haven't heard.

I couldn't do anything but hold my head.

Some nurses came in just then. There were two large men behind them. The young woman I first saw was in front of the group.

"Sirs," She said. "If you don't stop right now, we will have to ask you to leave. This is a hospital. The patients need silence."

My brothers stopped mid-swing. They looked at each other, at the nurses, at me, and back again. The stepped back from each other, sitting in their seats. Germany dropped Italy on the ground. Italy stood up and ran to a chair in the far corner of the room.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you okay, sir?" The nurse asked me.

"Yes," I replied. "I'm fine, thank you." She nodded, and left with the other nurses and big men. As soon as the door was closed, I turned my glare to the two in front of me. "Can you please," I started. "Learn to control yourselves? Can you please not fight?" Germany gasped.

"A-uh…" Germany sputtered. "B-but Italy started it!" He pointed to the blubbering man in the corner.

I sighed. "Germany," I said. "You were the one who started fighting."

"B-but he was making you uncomfortable!" Germany protested. "And I hit Prussia to try and keep him in line! He was the one who hit back!"

"Germany." I said. "You ALL need to learn self-control."

Germany huffed, defeated. "Yes, Bruder."

"Yeah, whatever." Prussia said.

"Waaah!" Italy cried. "I'm sorry I promise I'll be good don't be mad at meee!" He said this all very quickly. Again, reminding me of long ago… Stop that! I mentally scolded myself. Things are different now. Italy is a grown man! There is no way!.

"We're Sorry, Bruder," Germany said, surprising me. I looked up at him. "We shouldn't be causing you stress after you've been asleep for so long. We'll be good." Italy stopped his babbling. All three smiled at me, at various levels. I smiled back at them.

Thank you." I said to them. "This world is so crazy, and unfamiliar. I'm glad to have you guys with me." Germany blushed slightly, as did I.

"Don't worry, bro." Prussia said. "Your awesome big Bruder is here to help you!" He pulled me closer to him with one arm.

"Veh!" Italy exclaimed. "We can all help you!"

"Ja," Germany said. "You'll get used to it in no time."

I looked down, feeling myself blush. I felt my eyes start to sting. I closed my eyes, as the moisture built up. I brought my small hands to my face, as the tears escaped. I couldn't believe I was surrounded by people who loved me like this. They cared so much for me. It made me feel so awful for abandoning them, so long ago.

"I'm sorry." I said hoarsely.

"What are you crying for?" Prussia asked. "You're starting to freak me out!"

"I fell so bad." I answered, fighting for control of my voice. "You all care so much. And I just left you alone. I made you sad, I hadn't the right…" My voice started to break. I cleared my throat.

"Aw, it's okay!" Prussia said. "At least you're here now!"

"He's right." Germany agreed. "You're here with us now. You're still alive. That's all we could ask for." Germany gave me a small smile.

"Yeah!" Italy chimed in. "Besides, it's not your fault that you disappeared! It was a mystery!" I looked at Italy, I could hear covered pain in his voice. He didn't know how I was hurt? Well, I suppose he didn't even know I was alive. I suppose he wouldn't know who defeated me.

"Actually," I started. "You should know-" Prussia and Germany both covered my mouth, giving me a stern look. They gave me an almost unnoticed shake of their heads. They removed their hands. They don't want me to tell Italy? I didn't know why, but I would respect their wishes. Italy looked oblivious, humming to himself.

"Well, anyways," I tried again. "I suppose that if it hadn't happened, then you wouldn't be here." I looked at Germany. He blushed slightly.

"I suppose you're right…"

"Yeah!" Italy agreed. "He's right, Germany! And Holy Rome," He came closer to the bed and bent down so that he was eye level with me. "I know this might have been awkward for you. But we can still be friends, right?" He opened his eyes, a rare sight. His eyes were so big, shiny, and pleading. He looked like a child. I smiled.

"Of course, Italy." I replied. "Of course we can still be friends. Best friends."

Italy jumped up. "Yippee!" He cried. "Oh, I'll teach you about everything you need to know! I can teach you how to make pasta, and how to flirt with girls! But I'll definitely show you how to make pasta!" He jumped up and down as he said this. When he actually stopped bouncing, I could see that his eyes were glistening. I definitely caused him pain. I'm just going to have to make amends.

While Italy was jumping around, I pulled Prussia closer. "Why didn't you want me to tell Italy about France?" I whispered.

"I'll tell you later." He whispered back.

That night, they all slept in the hospital room in various positions. Italy slept on the floor, using his jacket as a pillow. Germany slept on a chair in the corner, with his feet on a second chair. Prussia slept in a chair right next to my cot, with his head and arms on the mattress. I was the last to fall asleep.

I looked around at the people closest to me. My big brother. My little brother. My best friend. I couldn't wait to get to know them better. I may not be a nation anymore, but neither was Prussia(much to my surprise). I will be able to go on.

I went to sleep, thinking only of the future.

Tada! I'm finishing the real last chapter as we speak! (Unless it's already up. Then nevermind.)

It's so hard to write for the characters, give them a slightly different feel, but keeping them in character!

I could honestly say that I made myself laugh writing some of these parts.

Anyways! I need to finish the last chapter!