Ring. Ring. Ring

Elizabeta tapped the phone nervously. She glanced down the hall. It was still clear, thank goodness.

"Hello?"

Elizabeta smiled. "Austria."

"Elizabeta! How are you calling?"

"Hush!" Elizabeta glanced down the hallway again. Ah, still clear. "Ivan is away right now. I... I wanted to talk with you, Roderich."

"Is... Is everything all right?"

Elizabeta twirled her hair between her thin fingers. "It's terrible over here, Roderich." She bit back a sob. "Everyone is hurting over here. It's not anything like Arthur, Alfred, or Francis say."

"I'm so sorry, Elizabeta..."

Elizabeta sniffled a little. "It's-It's not your fault. I'll be strong for you."

"Psssst!"

Elizabeta jumped and looked down the hall. Ravis waved at her and motioned for her to hang up the phone.

"Is something wrong?"

"Roderich, I have to go. I will try to contact you again."

Click.

Elizabeta bit her lip to keep from crying.

"You... all right, Hungary?" Ravis asked nervously.

"Would everyone stop asking me that?" Elizabeta yelled as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Ravis backed away frightened.

"I'm-I'm sorry, Ravis." Elizabeta wiped her tears away. "It's just..." She sobbed into her hands and ran to her room.

Ravis watched her sadly. Even after years of being under Ivan, Elizabeta wasn't use to it. He couldn't blame her. After all, he had been under Ivan ever since he became country. He didn't know the sweet taste of freedom like she did. If you were to be in Ivan's grasp, it was better not to know what freedom was than to be in his grasp and dying for the freedom you once knew. Will this ever end? he thought sadly as he heard the all too familiar sound of the heavy bootsteps of Ivan. He put on his typical fake smile and hurried down the hall to welcome Ivan back home. "Welcome back, Ivan."

"Ah, privet (hello), Latvia. Everything going well?" the Russian asked as he smiled.

"Uh, everything is going well, Mr. Russia." Ravis hesitated a moment. "Did... did something good happen today?"

Ivan glanced back at Ravis and chuckled softly. "Yes... something very good happened today."

Ravis gulped nervously. That did not sound good... not at all.

Ivan pursed his lips as he looked up at his older sister. Her blue eyes looked pained. Something was not right. "You wished to speak with me, Katyusha?"

"Yes," she replied sharply.

Ivan raised an eyebrow and waved for her to take a seat. "What is it?"

"Ivan, what is going on?" she asked coldly. "What are you doing to Gilbert?"

Ivan clucked his tongue softly. "You worry about Prussia? Don't worry he is fine."

"You haven't let anyone see him since he tried to escape a few months ago."

Ivan sighed through his nose. "He is not ready to be with the others yet. I need to keep an eye on him a bit longer."

Katyusha knit her eyebrows together slightly. "You are hiding something, are you not?"

Ivan winced inwardly. His sister was sharper than he had originally thought. Ah well, it was about time for him to share his plans with his elder sibling. "All right. I will tell you."

"I'm done!" Gilbert leaned back in his chair and grimaced slightly.

Really? Gilbird landed softly onto Gilbert's desk.

Gilbert rolled his eyes at his bird. "Yes. I'm done for real." He massaged his shoulder a little. "Eeeesh... I hope Ivan doesn't plan to keep me in here doing paperwork for forever."

Gilbird whistled uneasily. That might really be his plan... so you won't be able to escape.

Gilbert frowned. "There's no way that's going to happen.

You can't be too sure... Ivan is smarter than you think.

"Oh stop being such a pessimist, Gilbird."

Gilbird ruffled his feathers. I can't help it. I'm worried.

Gilbert sighed through his nose. "Not this again..."

Gilbird cocked his head. Someone is coming.

"Yay... it must be Ivan." Gilbert straightened the papers on his desk. "You better hide, Gilbird."

Gilbird rolled his eyes and flew to his hiding place behind some boxes under the desk.

Creak.

"Privet, (Hello,) East."

Gilbert stood and gave a slight nod to Ivan. "Hi..."

"My sister, Katyusha, will be checking up on you now." Ivan waved his sister inside the small office room.

Gilbert raised an eyebrow at the Ukranian.

"Zdravstvujte, (Hello,)" Katyusha greeted.

Ivan hummed softly. "I have things I must do so I'll leave you to your work." He gave his sister a nod and closed the door behind him as he left. He pursed his lips as he glanced back at Gilbert's office door. Now that Katyusha was keeping an eye on him, things should be all right. But why was he worried? Surely, his little East had no intentions of... He shook his head hard. That would not happen. He would make sure of it. He chuckled softly to himself, a new plan was forming in his head. Ha, East would remain his this way. Gilbert would be his forever.

Author's Note: Wah... short chapter I know. XP I keep telling myself to make longer chapter but it just hasn't been flowing into long chapter. Hopefully, in the future the chapters will be longer. it would help if you'd review and tell me how I'm doing. ;)