AN: Hello readers! So this chapter would have been up ALOT sooner if the power wasn't off all day! Oh well I guess that's life!

Chapter 3

Gilbert woke in the morning with a dry mouth and a pounding headache. It had been two days since Francis's accident and every morning Gilbert woke up the same way; with guilt and a huge hangover. But that never stopped him from getting out of bed early to meet Antonio at the hospital so they could go together to visit Francis.

Gilbert started climbing the basement stairs when he smelled the aroma of something cooking. It was unusual for Ludwig to be cooking let alone still at the house this time in the morning. Gilbert hoped that he hadn't caused his younger brother to worry about him enough to not go to work.

"Maybe its Mattie..." Gilbert thought absently.

Gilbert rounded the corner only to stare at a familiar person's back. He had seen this person cooking millions of times and would never mistake him for someone else.

Francis was standing in his kitchen.

"Am I losing my awesome mind?" Gilbert whispered out loud.

"Basically, but what else is new." Francis said in his familiar smug, French accent before turning around.

"I really got to lay off the alcohol before bed...it's starting to make me have unawesome dreams..." Gilbert muttered as he closed his eyes and massaged his temples. "Okay, when I open my eyes I will be back in my bed and Francis will still be in the hospital."

Gilbert slowly opened his eyes and saw that Francis was now a hairs breath away from his face.

"Ta Da! I'm still here!" Francis proclaimed as he did jazz hands.

Gilbert fell backwards and scuttled across the floor until his back was to the wall. Francis smiled and went back to his cooking.

"You know I could be insulted by your reaction. Its looks like you have just seen a ghost!" Francis stated, throwing a mock glare over his shoulder at Gilbert.

"Well I'm SORRY! It's not exactly normal for your friend who is supposed to be in a COMA..." Gilbert trailed off, then with a worried look asked slowly. "Does this mean you're dead?"

Francis looked at Gilbert about to make a joke until he saw his friend's face. He then gave a small smile and chuckled softly, "non, my reliable source that that I am very much alive."

"Reliable source?" Gilbert thought but decided not to ask. Instead he asked, "How are you here?"

Francis put down his spatula and looked at the ceiling thoughtfully. Then he smiled and shrugged his shoulders just like he always did to annoy the hell out of Gilbert.

"Well you better hurry and eat your breakfast before it gets cold!" Francis declared with a false cheeriness before turning around to put food on a plate.

Gilbert slowly stood up and walked towards Francis, stopping in from of him and grabbing his shoulders. Francis gave him a wary look before the Prussian started shaking him. Francis's head waggled back and forth, his jaw shuddering and his eyes wide in alarm.

"What the hell?" Francis demanded, wiggling free.

Gilbert slowly took his hands away, shaking his head, a small smile creeping its way across his face. "Just checking." He replied.

As Gilbert walked down the street towards the hospital, he watched the faces of the people he passed. As far as he knew no one but him could see Francis. Gilbert looked over at Francis and saw that he was still talking about who knows what. Gilbert continued to nod so it would look like he was paying attention but stopped when he saw a homeless man give him a weird look as he passed. The Prussian thought how he would explain this to Antonio. He still didn't think that this was real and that at any moment he would wake up in his bed. Gilbert went through different ways that he could try and bring up the topic but could not think straight with Francis rambling in his ear.

"Would you shut up for a second!" Gilbert yelled.

Francis tried to hide his smile behind his hand and looked around like he was about to tell Gilbert a secret before leaning in to whisper in Gilbert's ear. "I don't know if you know this, but even if no one else can hear me, they can still hear you."

He then pointed to the people who had stopped to stare at Gilbert, who's face had gone as red as his eyes. Francis laughed and walked ahead towards the hospital.

Antonio paced in front of the hospital doors. Gilbert was late like always, but it still made him worry that something had happened.

"Where is that idiota?" Antonio wondered aloud. Gilbert was usually there by now. "I should go to his house and see if he is there."

Right before he started walking away Gilbert came speed walking towards Antonio.

"Okay...okay... this may sound weird, but you have to hear me out." Gilbert tried to explain to Antonio. His face was paler than usual and his eyes were glazed over like he wasn't actually paying attention to his own words. Antonio saw that Gilbert was close to freaking out as they moved to a more private place behind some bushes. "You just have to listen to me!"

"I'm listening amigo and may I remind you that I haven't said a word yet." Antonio said calmly putting his hands on Gilbert's shoulders.

"You are taking too long Gil! Do you know how uncomfortable this bush is?" A familiar French accent called out.

"Who is that?" Antonio glanced at Gilbert as he looked around for the owner of the voice.

"That is what I have to explain..." Gilbert started but was cut off when Francis burst out of the bush.

Antonio's jaw dropped and his face paled as he walked slowly towards Francis, or imposter Francis, he wasn't sure yet.

"Who are you?" Antonio whispered as he started to feel anger creep up his throat, thinking that this was some kind of a bad joke.

"Well that's just rude!" Francis exclaimed. "We have been friends for how long and you don't know who I am! Well I guess my fabulousness may have clouded your mind, but do not worry mon ami, I will search high and low for the cure to your illness!" Francis declared.

The Spaniard grabbed Francis and wrapped him into a hug, pulling Gilbert with him. The trio cried into each other's shoulders as they supported one another. Antonio looked at Gilbert, a rare serious look on his usually cheerful face. "Okay you are going to have to explain a few things."

"So... we are the only ones who can see him?" Antonio asked as the trio walked towards Francis's hospital room.

"Yeah, that's what it looks like so far." Gilbert replied as he watched as Francis tried hitting on a nurse that walked right past him without a glance in his direction. With a disappointed look, Francis walked back towards them.

"So how much farther till we get to my room?" Francis asked.

"The head trauma unit is on the tenth floor." Antonio replied, looking over his shoulder when someone called out to Gilbert from farther down the hallway.

"Gil! I got here as fast as I could! I had to find an earlier flight from Ottawa, but I finally made it!" Mathew explained breathless as he gave Gilbert a quick kiss.

Mathew had been in Ottawa for a business trip and had heard the news as soon as Francis was put on the hospital. "So... how is he? Can I go in?"

"In a minute." Gilbert looked sad. "There are some things that you should know first."

"What things?" Mathew asked with a worried look.

"His doctor said that even though he is in a coma, there is still a good chance that Francis can hear us talk. But the only things we can tell him are positive things. The doctor said it seems to help coma patients."

Mathew nodded and walked into the room, Francis trailing close behind. Francis let out a small squeak as his eyes fell on his body. An IV hung by his bedside, most of his wrapped in white bandages. Francis's face was peppered with blue black bruises, one bigger than his hand ran along his jaw.

"Bonjour papa, it's me Mattie, Gilbert and Antonio are with me." Mathew paused, tears in his eyes. "Everyone wants you to hurry and wake up. Won't you please wake up, papa?"

Gilbert clenched his hands and looked down at his feet while Antonio cried freely. Francis watched them all from the corner of the room feeling terrible for what he was making his friends and family feel. Francis knew what they were feeling. He had felt when Joan died; except that there was no chance he could ever get her back. Francis crossed the room over to Mathew and moved to put his arms around him. Even though Mathew couldn't see or hear him, this was the only way he knew how to comfort him.

The door burst open and a doctor ran into the room. Everyone looked up to see what was wrong. The doctor's kind eyes looked happy as he closed the door behind him.

"Is there something wrong ?" Antonio asked.

smiled, "I think that I have found a way to wake up Francis!"

AN: I'm sorry but that is where I have to leave it! I believe that the next chapter calls for some comedic relief! So until next time readers!