Spain rushed towards the smoke he saw. Darkening, the murky smolder illumed through the horizon the tops of the trees made as he ran. Soon enough though he made it to the flames licking tall and crackling loudly, daring him to come closer. He glanced back and forth, running around the cabin that he could barely see through the threatening blazes.

He growled in infuriation, huffing as the heat made the sweat pour from him. "Damn…" He muttered, but froze as the faint noise of horrified screams was heard over the laughter of the fire.

"Lovino…" Antonio whispered softly, knowing it was him. "Lovino! Lovino! I'm here!" He shouted back, unsure if his was heard over the cries of the flames. "I'm coming, Lovino!"

Again the Spaniard searched desperately for a place the fire did not engulf so he could get into the cabin. Again, he found none. He snarled louder, circling around until he found the door. Quickly he back up before rushing towards the closed opening blanketed by flames. He hoped this worked…

He felled after ramming the door with his full force, rolling on the floor to consume the fire that burned his nice clothes. He was burnt now but was more concerned with finding his little Italian he could hear screaming still. He stood, running and dodging the flames thrashing out, trying to grab him again.

"Lovino!" Antonio gasped, staring at the flames burning up from the bottom of his dress. Spain knew soon the fire would spread rapidly across the boy's clothes from the end of his wear and scorch more than his legs that it already had.

Tears ran down the screeching Italian's pain filled face. "Antonio! Antonio!" He shrieked.

"Lovino! I'm coming!" Spain yelled, rushing over. He tugged impractically on the bounds that held him there, cursing as Romano kept howling. As the Spaniard finally pulled the boy's arms free, he watched him use his hands to swipe uselessly at the flames on his dress that were burning his skin.

"Lovino! Stop! Stop, here!" Spain cried, jerking his own jacket off and using it to try his best at beating the flames.

When they were out, Lovino sobbed against the Spaniard that pulled him close, lifting him in his arms bridal style. "Hold on, Lovi." He whispered to him, knowing he couldn't hear him over the roars of the fire and his own cries. He tried his best to ignore the black, rotted skin that had been the smooth, tan flesh of his underling's legs where the fire had been and his hands where he had tried to swipe at it. The fire had burned him enough Antonio could see the blood dripping from him and the skin besmirched. "I'm so sorry, Lovino…So sorry."

Antonio held him close as he ran again, back towards the door. The wood forming the lodging had begun to fall, smashing roughly onto the ground below where the two nations stayed trapped.

"Dammit!" Antonio slurred loudly as the fire grabbed at him again as he reached the way that had been the door but was now filled with the bright heat.

"Captain!" Antonio heard suddenly, his head jerking towards one of the windows. He saw his crew who had been looking for him, and many townsfolk who had come to help stop the fire. "Captain!"

"Here!" Spain shouted back hoarsely, but knew he had been heard. He turned, searching what was left of the building for a safe way out. The only thing he did find were the stairs to the second level where most of the flames had yet to engulf. He looked back down at the crying boy in his arms, the hazel eyes squeezed shut in terror and pain. He had to get Lovino out…

He sprinted up the stairs and back to the side of the cabin where he had seen his crew. He laid the Italian down, careful of his legs, and opened the window. Growling, it wasn't big enough for him to fit Lovi through. He looked around before finding a crate he figured was filled with old, invaluable things and lifted it above his head. Thrusting it as hard as he could, it smashing the rest of the window so it left an empty hole. "Alright…" He stepped back to the opening and called out. "You! Peters and Gabriel! Catch Lovino!" He commanded to the confused looking two. But they nodded as Spain returned to the window with Lovino in his arms again.

"Ready, Lovi? I'm so sorry…Please, forgive me…" He kissed the boy's head. Only then did the hazel eyes greet his own emerald ones.

"B-Bastard Antonio…what are you doing…?" He moaned weakly, the tear filled eyes glancing around, only then did he realize he was being held out of a window at the second story. "Wh-What! No! Antonio!"

But the Spaniard kissed the boy again and carefully tossed him from the tall window down to the two men he had ordered to catch him. He watched quietly as Lovino landed screaming in their arms, and the one he had called Gabriel pulled the Italian into his arms like Spain had done because he could no longer stand on his burnt legs.

Antonio couldn't help but smile at the sight of his Romano being safe. But upon hearing his men yell for him to jump as he had thrown Lovino, he readied himself to be caught when he heard an uncomfortable squeak. The noise was loud and Antonio knew he didn't have the time to jump as the noise rose gaudier and swiftly the floor collapsed under him, dragging him back down into the flame submerged rooms of the first floor.

"Captain!"

The storm screamed on, singing abusively to the crew of Kirkland's ship as it made its way out into the shaded waters.

"Hold your places!" The soaking Captain yelled vulgarly as rain slammed against the group. The vessel danced with the great waves without mercy and the crew was uncomfortable.

Even Alfred, who had been focused solely on praying that Antonio would save Lovino, had moved away from the edge of the boat of fear he would be grabbed and dragged down into the unsparing waters. How crazy and angry had Arthur had to have been to go out into this kind of storm?

Alfred stumbled across the planks of the ship towards the glaring Englishman. "Arthur! Arthur! Arth-" He yelled before he was thrown off balance and landed harshly at the older man's feet by the rocking ship.

"Get up, Alfred! And it's Captain Kirkland!" England barked to the shocked boy on the ground. He hadn't told Alfred to address him like that since when they first met…

"Get up!" He ordered again, this time the American growled and climbed back onto his feet.

"Why! Why would you do that to Lovino!" Alfred hissed in return, the older nation glaring at him warningly.

"You have no right to question your captain, boy! Go help the others now!" Was the Englishman's only response.

"I refuse to obey such a cowardly devil!" Alfred spat, his hands in fists at his sides.

Arthur snarled, lifting his hands before thrusting it across the younger male's face. "How dare you speak to me that way after what I've done for you! You are a pirate, as am I! We aren't the heroes, twit! You obey your captain! You obey your savior! William! Take him down now!" The angry captain commanded crudely to a close crewmember, grabbing Alfred's shirt and throwing him towards the man who grabbed him promptly.

The younger, American boy was stunned. Arthur had…hit him? Hit him!

"Captain Antonio will save him!" Alfred shouted as he was dragged towards the little door that lead to the lowest point of the ship where they kept prisoners. "Captain Antonio will be the hero! He will, damn bastard Englishman!" He struggled before being heaved below, and that was the last of his screams Arthur could make out before he was hauled under deck and thrown into one of the icy cages.

"You wish, boy…" Arthur muttered to himself, the wind striking against him with the raindrops. None of the sounds of the howling wind and outcry of the waves or crewmen distracted Arthur from his thoughts as he stood there.

Maybe he was too rough on Alfred…maybe he could hear him out…maybe…no! He was Captain, and he realized now how he'd let the boy off the hook too many times, he'd become arrogant. No crew member, even his lover, was to talk back or question him!

He clenched his teeth together roughly in anger and snapped back into reality. "Keep it steady, men!" He directed stridently. "We're going to Italy!"