A/N: Before I say anything of too much importance, I want to let you all know that this was only supposed to be a one-shot. I accidently hit the 'unfinished' button instead of the 'finished' button when I published the last chapter. Before I could go and change it, though, I had so many of you wonderful people adding it to Story Alert and Favorites that I just couldn't not give you another chapter! And then, when I started writing this part, it all sort of spiraled out of control...My one-shot is now going to be a three-shot! I hope everyone enjoys reading it and that it doesn't seem drug out or anything. Enjoy!

Just like Canada had expected, by the time the meeting was over the rest of the nations had already gone back to their lives. Lives in which Canada was non-existent and unimportant.

And that was fine because Canada was used to it.

At least, that's what he told himself when he crawled out of bed that morning. What he insisted as he checked the messages on his phone; one wrong number and nothing else. What he said allowed when he started mixing the pancake batter up and digging through the cabinets for his maple syrup.

As he made his way through the kitchen, pulling out a plate for himself and a plate for Kumajirou, Canada repeated the words in his mind like a mantra. It was fine. He hadn't really been expecting them to change anything.

That wasn't how the other nations were.

Unless something was being waved right in front of their faces, it was pushed to the backs of their minds. France was like that. England was like that. America was certainly like that; unless it was McDonalds, as that was one thing his brother could never forget about.

Flipping the last pancake from the plate to the pan, Canada turned off the stove and settled in at his table. A healthy portion of syrup was dumped onto his plate, with just a few drops put on Kumajirou's before it was sat on the floor for the small polar bear, and then he was digging in.

Just like always, the sicky sweet breakfast concoction seemed to just wash away all of the worries he'd woken up with.

Before the small nation could really settle down though, a loud ring sounded through his house. Wrinkling his nose, eyebrows furrowing and lips pulling down into a confused out when he did, Canada laid his syrup covered fork back down on the plate. "What the..."

It took a few minutes for the northern nation to realize that it was the doorbell ringing.

When he did though, Canada pushed himself out of his seat so quickly that the chair rocked and barely stayed upright. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a visitor!

Suddenly glad that he'd chosen a smaller house, at least compared to the one that most nations lived in, Canada rushed out of the kitchen and to the front door. Out of breath, he leaned against the wood for a moment to catch his breath. Whoever was ringing it was probably gone by now...

And the music to his countries national anthem, played all in bells, rang out through the house again. The young nation jumped, fumbled with the lock on the door for a moment, and then pulled it open.

"I-i'm so sorry it took so long to get he-Prussia?" Canada blinked, letting his arm drop down to his side. What was he doing here? If anything, the northern nation had been expecting some Girl Scouts or, if he was lucky, a messenger from his government. Certainly not the ex-nation now standing in front of him.

"Hey, Birdie. What ya doing this fine morning?" Gilbert asked, leaning against the side of the door. What was with the surprised look? Did Canada really think that after everything that was said yesterday, he was just going to be forgotten so easily? Right. That wasn't going to happen. Prussia would make sure of it.

Grabbing onto the shorter nations arm, Prussia tugged Canada out of the house. "Listen, I know I didn't actually speak with you about it yesterday but I got caught up. West wanted the awesome me to tag along with him over to his government office so he could hand in his paper. I figured we'd spend the day out though? Just you, me, and some beer!"

"Wa-wait!" Canada just barely managed to grab onto the handle of his front door and pull it shut behind him as he was drug off. "Gilbert, what are you doing?"

Prussia snorted. "What do you think I'm doing? Taking you to the car!" The albino tugged his northern friend down the cobble-stone and towards his car. His nice, shiny, powder blue prius

Oh, how he loved his prius. Germany, who preferred a black punch buggy over the sleek contours of the sports car, mocked him some times for it; for the long hours that Prussia spent scrubbing down and polishing the car, making sure everything was in the top-most conditions they could be in and throwing a fit when they weren't. And, next to Canada's beat up red pick-up truck, Prussia found himself loving it even more.

A Local Cafe, several hours later

"So..." Prussia waved his biscotti in front of him, not caring that he was leaving a trail of crumbs on the table. It would give the waitress something to do later anyways. Let the snotty girl earn her tip. "What do you think?"

On the other side of the booth, sitting not quite across from him, Canada blinked. The northern nation sat his own confection down on his plate and tilted his head at the albino. "About what?"

Prussia rolled his eyes. "Well, duh, Birdie! About our awesome day so far! I've got a bunch of other stuff planned, of course, but I think it's all been going pretty well so far."

Except for when the security guard at the mall they'd stopped at earlier had caught Prussia trying to shop-lift. And Canada had to pay for the watch. Which the other nation had insisted was fine but still...What sort of a Super Awesome Day Out included having to pay for your dates stolen goods?

"I-it's been really nice, Gilbert." Canada mumbled into his tea; black chai tea with just a smidge of cream added to it. The blond didn't look up either, preferring to look at the swirls in the wood on the table before them.

The truth of the matter was that Canada was having one of the best days he could remember. The last time that he'd gone out with another nation, when he hadn't forcefully reminded them of plans they'd previously made, was way back when he was still a colony under England. When he'd first been taken from France and America had decided to 'be a hero', they'd both run off and explored the nearby town.

Since then...It had been a struggle to get anyone to see him let alone go out somewhere with him. Occasionally, he was able to drag America to a hockey game or he'd convince Egypt to come over for a cooking session, but that was it.

"Thank you for bringing me out..." Mathew took a small sip of his tea, relishing the way the almost bitter flavor washed over him, and gave the ex-nation a small smile.

And Prussia felt his heart flutter. "No problem, Birdie. You didn't think I was just gonna leave ya be after yesterday, did you?"

Canada didn't tell him that, yes, he thought he'd be alone again. That seeing the albino on the other side of the door that morning had been the biggest surprise in a long time. Nor did he tell the other boy he was still waiting for Prussia to walk off to do something and never come back.

It came through in his eyes though, in the way he wasn't looking at Prussia. In the way his grip tightened on his plain white mug ever so slightly. How his lips pulled into a thing, strained looking smile.

And Prussia felt his heart plummet.

Cocky grin dropping from his face, what was left of his cookie-stick falling onto the plate in front of him, Prussia pursed his lips at Canada. "Seriously? You thought that I was just gonna forget everything that was said?"

Squirming in his seat, Canada gripped his mug even tighter. This was why he didn't say things. Either the person he spoke to felt guilty or got mad and, while it was often right that they felt guilty, the northern nation hated knowing he'd made them feel that way. After all, he didn't like the way guilt weighed down his heart and made his mind spin. Why would they?

Not sure what else to say, the Canadian muttered a soft apology. "I'm sorry...I just...I didn't think it would make much of a difference."

"Not make much of a difference? Gott, there really is something wrong with you isn't there?" Prussia exclaimed, throwing one hand up in the air. "Didn't I already tell you that we're the ones who should be apologizing?"

There wasn't a response, save for the True North moving both hands into his lap and looking away.

"Mathew." Prussia stated, all joking gone from his voice. Words just as stern and insistent as they had been the night before, at the meeting. "That's not going to happen. None of us want you to disappear! We're all just really, I dunno, ignorant. Things are going to be different though, I promise."

And Canada wanted to believe the albino, really he did, but there were so many things wrong there. So many promises that had spawned from that very thought that had already been broken, too many that had left his heart and his will shattered. Words were just words, after all, not oaths that one had to live by. Just things to placate someone with.

Canada hated that.

But, still, he said nothing. Aside from a small shrug, the northern nation didn't do anything either. Hands were kept in his lap and eyes firmly to the table.

Prussia wondered just how much damage had been done already. How much of it he could fix. Because he was going to try and fix the younger boy, to save him. In a weeks time, Prussia would prove that to the blond. Prove that he was worth being remembered and spoken to and loved.

"I was an ass for not remembering you before, especially since I know what that feels like." And it was a horrible feeling. As if, no matter what was said or done, no one could even see you standing there. Prussia's first few months after being merged fully with his older brother had been filled with that. "I'm so, so sorry."

Canada's head snapped up, violet eyes wide, to give Prussia an open mouth stare. "Wh-what? No! No don't be sorry! I-it's not your fault, Gilbert. I know that you all don't do it on purpose."

"Stop saying it's not our faults!" Prussia snapped, smacking one hand down on the top of the table. "We don't do it on purpose but we still do it! And we should be sorry! I should be sorry." His voice dropped down to a tone mirroring Canada's normal voice, quiet and filled with so much regret.

The northern nation winced as the hand was brought down on the table-top. "Gilbert..."

Prussia sighed and ran a hand through his hair, tugging hard when his pale fingers got caught in a large tangle. "Never mind...This is so un-awesome to talk about. Let's just head back to your house, alright?"

Cup of cocoa long empty, Gilbert grabbed the remaining chunk of biscotti and shoved it in his mouth as he got up. Still irritated but done with the conversation. It wasn't as if speaking about it to Canada was going to do anything. The smaller nation seemed determined to insist it wasn't the other nations fault, which it was, and refuse to explain what was wrong.

Which was fine for now. Eventually, Prussia would drag it out of the boy.

And, as Canada stood up and followed the albino up to the counter to pay, the blond couldn't help but wonder if it might just be better to tell him. It was what Prussia wanted, obviously, but even the thought of saying it aloud to someone that wasn't Kumajirou made his stomach churn. Canada had been hurt the last time he'd tried to tell someone; though to be fair to England it was right America gained his freedom and the northern nation should have known that his father wouldn't be paying attention.

He didn't want to be hurt again. But...Maybe it would be different this time?