Italics=flashbacks\dreams\memories. Enjoy.

The clouds pass over the grey skies of London, where I'm staying with Iggy and Abby for a while, until I figure out exactly what I'm to do. The cool, summer wind rustles through the deep red leaves of the oak tree I'm sitting under, the world silent and beautiful at this very moment. I'm currently sitting in Arthur's courtyard, weighing my options. The possibilities flip through my mind as a book filled with battle plans, but in the end, there are three realistic options that I come up with. One, I could use allies and conquer Czech and Slovakia separately. My only concern is the amount of casualties that the other countries would have to face. Secondly, I could become one with Russia. My father had talked to him and permitted I could only under special circumstances (which meant no). Anyway, I have my eyes on a handsome Austrian by the name of Jacob. We've been best friends since we were little, and he is surprisingly a great soldier, despite being an Austrian (He's also a brilliant musician, of course).

My third option is a backup plan for most aspiring nations- invade Canada. I wouldn't want to invade the poor, invisible boy's vital regions though. I kind of feel bad for Mattie because he wakes up as lonely and unknown as the day before. Even his cute little bear can't remember his name, but that's beside the point. I've been sitting here for about an hour, and I have no decent ideas. It wouldn't hurt to take a little nap. Some recent nightmares have been keeping me up lately. I slowly close my eyes and drift off to sleep...

It was around the middle of June, 1940, and it is one of the first battles I have ever fought in. Currently, we are attacking France, and there was no way the Axis Powers could lose this battle (even Italy's troops were doing an exceptional job today). The adrenaline starts to flow through my veins as I run through an unoccupied cobblestone road in the innermost part of Paris, France. My mission is simple. Kill the Frenchman.

I focus to a pair of gleaming blue eyes in a nearby alley. As I hesitantly stepped forward, I realized it was Francis. "Please don't shoot!" he said, hands up in the air. I lower my gun. He isn't the one I want. A boy with almost identical looks to Francis (he was a LOT shorter though) stepped out of the darkness. I raise my gun, ready to fire. "Ze heir of France?" the taller man exclaimed. "You will not shoot my Jean!"

Without a thought or fleck of pity, I pull the trigger, letting the shot land in the target's head. Francis charges me in a fit of rage, grabbing my arms in a firm lock. Then it happens.

A single bullet flies from what seems like nowhere and hits me in the torso, the pain almost unbearable. I crumble to the ground, Francis laughing at me. All of a sudden, I see Arthur's bright emerald eyes in the midst of all the red. The last thing I remember is him bandaging my wound, telling me it will be all right. Why is he helping me if I'm the enemy? Iggy places a small kiss on the top of my head before I black out.

I wake up, my body in complete and utter pain. Hailey comes in and explains to me what happened. Turns out, when the Allies were fighting the Axis, Arthur stood back and watched me. Even though we were fighting on opposite sides, Arthur just loved to see me beat up French people (plus he's my godfather and has vowed to protect me). When I had shot the heir of France, Abby popped out of nowhere and shot me, yelling to Flying Mint Bunny about how Cedric Is also Edward Cullen. She evacuated Francis, trying her best not to shoot the annoying Frenchman. Arthur bandaged me up and is nursing me back to health in one of London's best facilities. I thank Hailey for the information as she walks out of the room with her usual bottle of scotch in her hand.

A little later, my parents, Gilbert and Elizabeta come to see how I'm doing.

"You completed your mission with complete bravery and awesomeness. It obvious you are my daughter, Gwen." the Prussian smirks. "You should have enough time to heal before we bomb London."

The Axis was going to attack London. I sat there, unable to speak. Arthur has done so much for me and I couldn't let him die. Abby would be the new England, and that would be great, but I'm not ready to lose dear Iggy just yet.

"I'm proud of all you have done." my mother says in a bright tone. She then starts to whisper. "I've tried to stop the plans for the attack on London, but Ludwig wouldn't budge. I want you to do what you think is right, no matter what Ludwig and your father tell you. There is a chance Arthur will survive the Blitz."

The Blitz.

I wake up quickly. The memories that I usually dream about are of the Blitz. It's not the thing I want to remember right now, being that I'm in London, the very spot where I had saved Arthur's life on that fateful day. London had fallen to the Axis and soon Alfred would step in and-

"Hello Gwendolyn. Have you any ideas of the war ahead?" Arthur comes and sits down next to me. My thoughts focus back to my plans as I start to explain.

"I'm planning to be allied with you, the bad touch (for the people who don't know, that's Prussia, Spain, and France), and Italy. Feliciano only has to provide food and reinforcements unless we need his troops. First we storm Prague, and hold a siege on the city. The troops there now are very weak and disorganized. Once we take over Prague, Slovakia will be ready for battle, so we use the code anaconda to surround and constrict Bratislava. As simple as that, the city will be automatically ours. I want the casualties low on both sides, because this is my future nation, and I don't want a lot of bloodshed for my sake. After both capitols are taken over, Hungarian troops will keep everything under control until matters calm down." I finish speaking, very proud with my plan.

"Your strategy sounds flawless, other than France and I being allied again. I'll do it for you though. If it makes you a nation, I'm in." the Brit replies.

"What would I do without you Iggy?"

A bomb falls on the sleepy city of London, and all chaos breaks loose. Innocent civilians will be blown to bits, and for what? World domination? Arthur has spent the last month bringing me back to full health and this is what happens. Germany makes an attack soon after I'm healed. The malice I have towards West is indescribable right now, for he is hurting my best friend. I need to find Arthur. I storm into his house, to find Abby there, gun pointed at my chest. I drop my pistol.

"Where is he?" I say in a demanding tone. She motions to the courtyard, lowering her rifle to let me through. I was surprised. She usually goes all Gollum on me when I come to see him, yelling "You shall not pass!" There must be something terribly wrong or else she wouldn't have let me by.

Another explosion lights the city in an array of flame as I approach the courtyard. Sure enough, Arthur is lying against the old oak tree, soaked in his own blood. I run to his side, crouching down next to him. "I couldn't stop Ludwig from doing this. I begged him but-"

"There's no need to explain Gwendolyn, I knew it was going to happen eventually. You should leave for your own safety." he barely was able to choke out the last sentence before he passed out cold.

"I'm not leaving you, ever."

I get a servant to bring some first aid supplies. First I clean Arthur off, the blood still staining his intricately embroidered uniform. I bandage him up, relieved to see the Brit regaining awareness of his surroundings. A wave of bombs attacks the streets of London, making Arthur cringe. They were destroying his beautiful city, and there was nothing in my power I could do to stop it.

I sit by Arthur, doing all I can to help him. The medical field was never my specialty, but I know just enough to help. It feels as if days have passed before the bombing subsides. "I told you to leave. You didn't need to stay and help me. Your well doing is much more important than mine at this point." Arthur's voice cracks.

"I wouldn't leave a fallen soldier in the path of war." was my reply. A single tear trickled down my face. I know that if I had not come for him, he would've been dead by now. "What would I do without you?"

As the legend has it, Arthur's blood had soaked into the roots of the oak tree, and since that day, the leaves had turned a crimson red, even if it was the middle of the summer. It became a remembrance to the friendship we shared, and how bittersweet it all can be.

Sorry if this chapter was a bit bloody, I'm a Prussian soldier, so it's a bit hard to avoid, especially in World War II. By the way, England and I have a FAMILY bond (just so you know it was not supposed to be romantic, just an extremely close bond between the two of us).

The Blitz was a real event in WWII, but I alternated a few tiny details to fit the story a little better. Feel free to review; I need whatever help and inspiration I can get right now. Sorry that these stories haven't been coming out that fast either. Finals have been approaching and I will be able to write more this summer.

French:

Jean- John