I really hate this chapter for some reason. I don't know why, maybe I'm just tired. It is almost ten after all and school starts up again on Monday. TT^TT Oh well, hopefully you like it better than I do.

June, 1961

"He didn't tell you what he was doing?"

"Of course not, you really think he talks to me about this stuff? If I'd have known I'd have punched him out!"

Berlin was in her room on the phone with America who had informed her that Russia had, once again, ordered all French, British, and American forces out of the Western part of her city. Oh was he ever going to get it. What'll it be this time? Thumbtacks under his pillow? Phone calls from across the city by an unknown person who would repeatedly call from one in the morning until six? No, she could do better than that, she just needed to think.

"Anya? You still there?"

"Ja, I am. I'm jus trying to think of what to do to him."

"Anya, don't do something that'll get you hurt again. I hate that he beats you up and that you won't let me do anything about it."

Berlin sighed, a small smile working its way onto her face. America could be really sweet when he tried. He'd even somehow managed to send flowers to her on her birthday last year. How that ha gotten past Russia, she had no idea but she was glad it had.

"Thank you for your concern, Alfred, I really do appreciate it but I already decided I wasn't going to sit and watch anymore of this nonsense. Besides, riling him up is just too much fun!"

She heard him sigh and she giggled, something she rarely did,

"Well, I guess it can't be that bad if it makes you laugh like that. Just be careful, okay? I…care about you Anya. I don't like it when you're hurt."

"I know you do and I'm glad. I promise to be careful. Now I have to go, I think someone's calling me from downstairs."

"Alright. Bye Anya."

"Auf wiedersehen, Alfred."

She hung up the phone and ventured downstairs, spotting Latvia almost immediately,

"Did you call for me, Raivis?"

The young nation shook his head no and she continued down a hallway. She could've sworn she heard her name being called from downstairs. Maybe she'd imagined it? Nonetheless, she still needed to think of how to get back at Russia. Then it hit her, a vicious grin crossing her facial features. Don't ask how, but Berlin happened to know that of all the things that he may be afraid of, spiders seemed to unnerve Russia to a very amusing level of anxiety.

This was why the next thing she did was call Australia and asked about exactly which spider was the biggest he could send without it dying en route. The answer she was given was the Goliath spider. When asked as to why she wanted one, she simply replied it was for educational purposes. She wasn't lying to him outright. She was trying to educate Russia that matters concerning her city were not to be kept from her.

When the vile thing finally arrived a few days later she managed to convince Hungary into helping her transfer it to another box (Berlin was actually petrified of spiders and Hungary was, well, Hungary). Once it was in another box that was then firmly taped shut, Berlin wrote a note just to make sure he knew who the spider was from and why.

My dearest Ivan,

Why do you insist on keeping matters of my own city from me when you know it angers me to such a state that I might spontaneously combust? Don't you love me anymore?

Anya

Was that was done she took the box with the note taped to the top of it up to his office and set it on his desk before quickly running back out. Then she sat on a stool in the kitchen, and waited. When she heard the front door open and saw him pass by she grinned in anticipation. She'd only seen Russia and a spider in the same room once before. Soon after, the spider was dead and Russia was attempting to regain his composure (and dignity after having two people hear him scream like a five year old girl).

Upon hearing the door to his room open and close Berlin's grin grew as she held a hand to her ear and waited. Only a few moments later, a very unmanly scream was heard throughout the house as well as a few crashing noises followed by several muffled curses in Russian and a loud thud. An absolutely sadistic smile graced Berlin's features as she got up and went around the kitchen to get things ready for dinner. It wasn't long before a very peeved Russia stood in the doorway glaring at her,

"Was the spider really necessary? Where did you even manage to find one that big?"

"Australia. Don't be mad at him though, he doesn't know what I used it for."

"Be glad I killed it otherwise you would have found it in your bed come morning."

She pouted,

"Surely you'd never do such a thing. Oh, and to answer the other question: yes, it was necessary. I'm tired of you not telling me about these things."

"So you used an enormous spider to get your revenge?"

Then he was suddenly behind her, his breath on her neck,

"Or are you just upset that I haven't been paying as much attention to you lately?"

She turned around to say something but it suddenly hit her that she had absolutely nothing that could serve as a come back to that statement. After a moment of staring at the other she said,

"Are you sure it isn't you who is trying to get my attention with keeping secrets from me?"

Something changed in his expression. There was a glint in his eyes and he smirked, leaning closer to her,

"And what if I was? Would you give me your attention if I said yes?"

"Well what choice would I have? After all it's not like I actually matter. I'm just another pawn, right?"

That made him stop and think of what to say for a moment and while he tried to think of something to say, she went about preparing dinner once again. Well, she did until she heard his response,

"You're not much of a pawn anymore."

"Really? Then what am I?"

She knew he was right behind her because she could feel his breath in her ear as he answered her question.

You're the queen attempting to poison the king…

August, 1961

Berlin had laughed hysterically at Russia's latest attempt to keep people in the East side of her city. Was barbed wire really the best he could do? She'd asked him this and he'd given her a quizzical look to which she had responded that her people would just dig tunnels underneath the offensive barrier.

Oh, but the barbed wire was soon replaced by concrete and guard towers…

November, 1961

The wall was complete, Prussia and Berlin and all the others were now completely separated from the rest of Europe and therefore beyond help. Well, at least that is how it seemed for the two German siblings sitting side by side on a park bench as the snow fell around. Technically Prussia should've still been underground hiding but after the construction of the wall he'd begun to worry about his baby sister and had gone to see her.

"I can't believe he actually did this."

"What did you expect, schwester? The guy's a possessive freak; I thought you would've realized that by now."

"I know but I never thought he'd go this far to keep all of us separated."

The former nation held his sister's hand, her lack of emotion in her words worrying him as well as the new bruise on her right cheek bone. They were silent for a very long time, the two of them just sitting in the park until the sun began to go down and they had to say their goodbyes. Berlin walked slowly back towards the house. The wall had somehow sapped her of her energy although she had no clue of how that happened.

Upon returning, she wandered to the kitchen where Lithuania had already started cooking. As always, she helped get things done and on the table. Most of the night was quiet as many of them had been quite sullen after the wall had gone up. Allies (if any of them still kept in touch with them) were now unreachable and help seemed a thing of a past. Russia had also become progressively difficult to live with during the past month.

This was proved later in the night when a single sound alerted all that were in the house that they should hide. Berlin, being near to Latvia, picked up the small nation and ran for the nearest closed off space. She ran in and closed the door to the closet. Berlin had no idea why there was a lock on a closet but she clicked it in place anyway and removed a floor board, ushering Latvia into the crawl space beneath before following suit and pulling the floor back into place. The child huddled close to her and she held onto him, looking up for any sign that Russia had found them.

There were only a few that she was close enough to that she would put herself in harms to protect them. Latvia was one of them, partly because he was so young and also because he was the most defenseless by far. She heard footsteps drawing closer to them and she held Latvia just a bit tighter. She heard someone trying to unlock the door and then heard the cracking of wood as it was broken down. Se heard objects being pushed aside as Russia searched for them and then heard more footsteps, this time receding. Berlin let out of sigh of relief and whispered words of comfort to Latvia who was very near tears. They had hidden well and would not be found.

Unfortunately, that only meant that someone else would be hurt that night…

December, 1969

It was cold. It was far too cold to be running through three feet of snow in a skirt but alas, this is what Berlin was doing. She had told herself she wouldn't run anymore, that she couldn't run and needed to remain strong. However, she couldn't fight back anymore. She was tired, she was injured, she was weak. Still, she kept running as fast as one can through snow. After seeing the look on his face and wriggling free from being pinned in a strangle hold to the wall, Berlin had fled the house.

She knew that look. She'd seen it before on the battle field on the Eastern Front in World War One. It was a look she had hoped never to see again but there it had been. It had turned her blood into pure adrenaline and forced her to dig her nails into his hands, making him let go just long enough for her to get free and run. She didn't even know if he was chasing her, she just knew she had to get away, she didn't care where. France, Denmark, China, anywhere was better then going back to that house.

She had run so far she wasn't even in the city anymore, she was somewhere in the country side and she did not see any houses. She paused, bending over and resting her hands on her knees as she desperately tried to get air back in her lungs. She turned and looked over her shoulder. There was no one there. She'd been running for no reason for who knows how long. She didn't even know which direction she'd been running. Despite the fatigue that was making her body feel far heavier than it was, she managed to smile. Getting lost in her own country, how sad.

She turned to take a step in the direction she'd been heading in but her legs betrayed her and she fell into the snow. She tried to get up but she was freezing and so tired. Her arms and legs refused to work and she sighed, accepting the fact that she would be going anywhere anytime soon. Snow had started to fall again. Her eyes slowly closed.

It was so cold…

Upon waking up, the first thing Berlin realized was that she was no longer outside in the now. The second thing she realized was that someone must have found her and taken her to the hospital because that was exactly where she was, or at least that seemed to be the case. Then she heard a very familiar voice,

"Oh mein gott, thank goodness you're awake!"

She looked to her left at the young man sitting in a chair near the bed and smiled wearily,

"Angermünde? Is that really you?"

"Yes it is! I found you on the side of the road last night. What in the world were you doing all the way out here?"

"It's a long story and one that you probably shouldn't hear. You probably have enough on your mind."

After a hug and a few more questions, Berlin's cousin went to get the doctor who told her she could be released as long as she promised to rest and not go outside for prolonged periods of time for a while. Once that was done, she left with Angermünde and headed for his house. Once there she called Hungary who upon hearing that it was Berlin turned frantic. Apparently nobody had been hurt but everyone was terribly worried about her.

She'd let Hungary know she was with her cousin and then told her how to get there since she knew if she didn't go back willingly they would come and get her and she wanted to spare her cousin that mental scarring. Once that conversation was over and hung up and informed Angermünde of what was happening.

Due to the snow, she didn't actually return to the house for two days…

Bah, stupid ending is stupid! *head/desk, head/desk* Well whatever, the next one will be better, I promise. Now I'm going to go watch Inglourious Basterds because I need to see someone getting beaten to death with a baseball bat so badly I'm about scream…..I really like the movie, stop looking at me like that. XD