AN: Hello Everyone! Sorry for the slow update. Between college finals and then forgetting my notes for this story, it was hard to update, but I have everything back now and so should be better about updating. This was co-written by Insane. Certifiably, and beta'd by the amazing Melody Syper Carston.
Anything that you recognize, I don't own.
Chapter 2: Mishap and Mayhem
The door to his office swung open, though America didn't register anything until it clicked shut again. He was absorbed in a tricky bit of balancing, something that was disregarded when the intruder spoke.
"Dad," the speaker, a gangly teen with a mop of red hair, flopped into one of the chairs in front of his desk. America set the paper aside. No matter how busy he was, he always managed to make time for his children, and this was no exception.
"Mum," greeted the other. Where the boy was a mess of limbs, disorganized and every which way, the blonde was carefully put-together, aside from that one flyaway strand that always poked up over her head no matter what she did to it. It was a long-suffering annoyance of Virginia's, and even now it was bobbing as she settled herself properly into the unoccupied chair.
The boy glanced sideways at her, an old circular argument brewing at the tip of his tongue, and America put a stop to it before they could start that again. Virginia called him Mum, she had her reasons, and that was that; Tennessee did not need to start questioning it again. "Tennessee, Virginia," he greeted, looking between them.
"Mum," his daughter dove straight in, "we want to meet our other parent."
"We being all of us," Tennessee clarified.
"Not going to happen," America shot back, "I kept you secret for a reason!"
"Like what?" his son challenged. His temper was as fiery as his hair, not surprising considering his parentage, but that was probably a large part of the reason Tennessee had been sent as one of those to persuade him.
If only Congress would work together as smoothly as his children did when they wanted something, he mused.
"Because!" he spluttered back.
"That's not a reason, mum." Virginia pointed out sensibly.
America's smile fell as he realized she was right. But it was so hard for him to look into those gorgeous green eyes that reminded him so much of one he loved and lost, and still think sensibly.
"I don't want to lose you too!" he insisted.
Neither of his children had any response to that, and America sat back down, wondering when exactly he'd stood up. He had kept the states a secret from the other nations for nebulous reasons that sounded better in his head. "I can't lose you," he said, gentling his tone.
"You aren't going to lose us, Mummy." Virginia was getting out the heavy ammunition. She only called him by the childhood endearment when something was very serious. "You know you'll never lose us. We love you too much."
Tennessee wisely chose not to try to add anything to that, letting Virginia work her magic. The worst part of all of this was that he knew exactly what she was doing, but then his eldest turned on green puppy dog eyes, and her request didn't seem quite so entirely unreasonable.
Truth be told, the states had collectively been bothering him for several decades now, wanting to meet their other parents. He'd been delaying, claiming Hawaii was too young to understand what was going on, but Virginia stopped that argument before it could even begin.
"Hawaii is old enough now," she said, "I was younger when the Revolution started. Please, she just wants a mum."
Tennessee snickered behind his hand, quickly cutting off as Virginia leveled one of her death-glares at him. "She's right," he shrugged, "I wouldn't mind meetin' my other parent. Don't think any of us would."
"We only want to meet them," she persuaded, "you could invite them to D.C. for the gathering. They could come on Saturday and Texas could drive them away with his cooking so they'll leave by Sunday."
Tennessee snickered at that too, and it was only long practice and much patience that America avoided a similar fate. Virginia's awful cooking seemed to be an inherited trait, something of her other parent coming through.
"I am not having the entire world at our gathering," America insisted, "I don't want to know what irreparable harm the Dakotas would cause to foreign relations."
"Maybe they'll think that pair is funny and take em home," the red-head suggested, "besides, you don't have to invite the whole world, just the ones you know somebody's related to."
"I don't know all of them," pointed out America, "I don't know either of Arkansas', or the Dakotas'."
"You know mine," Virgina pointed out, "you know Tennessee's, and Louisiana's-"
"And Florida's and Texas's and Alaska's," Tennessee recited, "and New York's and Indiana's. And you can ask Uncle Canada about his brood."
"Please, mum," the blonde cajoled, "they don't even have to stay the night. I'll tell Texas to let loose with the pepper and they'll leave sooner."
America sighed, watching as his arguments were shot down like fish in a barrel. Obviously, they had been planning this for a while, and since his children felt so strongly, perhaps he should at least consider it. He was rapidly running out of reasons why not, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let some of the nations meet their progeny.
Most of them wouldn't say anything if he said no, but he hated to disappoint them, and only a few were young enough not to take care of themselves.
"All right," he sighed, "but only the ones I know are related and only for one day."
Quick as a flash, his son leaned forward and stole the phone off his desk. He set to fiddling with it, a grin to rival the Dakota's across his face.
"What are you doing?" America asked, reaching for the electronic. "Give that back."
"Calling England," the redhead replied, "even if I have to take it to California and get him to hack it."
"Why?"
"Because," Virginia interjected, "we know you would conveniently forget to call him."
They were right, much as he hated to admit it. He would 'forget'. "I'll do it," sighed the nation. Heaven only knew what the states would say to the other nation if they got him on the phone, better for him to do this himself, now.
The phone rang and rang and disconnected.
"Call again," said his daughter.
Obligingly, America pushed the button again. This time, it was picked up on the third ring.
"Hello?" asked a clipped British accent.
America's throat went dry as his determination ran out like water in a sieve. It was one thing to go to world meetings where there were other nations and an agenda to stick to, quite another to call out of the blue and ask for a personal favor.
He glanced at his children. "England?" he asked, mostly to prove to them that he had, in fact called the right number and he wasn't thoroughly confusing some pizza place. He winced at how nervous he sounded and reminded himself that he was the leader of the free world. He could handle one piddly little phone call.
There was a pause on the other end, then: "America?" England sounded unsure.
"Yes?" he replied quickly.
"What is wrong?" England asked.
America opened his mouth and started to summon the words to explain, then thought better of it. How were you supposed to tell someone that they had a child over the phone? This was the sort of thing that needed to be seen to be believed. "I can't explain over the phone," he answered, "can you meet me in D.C. on Saturday?" That ought to soothe any worries the the green-eyed nation might have over something going terribly and immediately wrong. He wouldn't ask for a meeting later if the problem needed to be resolved now.
"I know it's short notice," he continued, "but it's important. Please. This needs to be in person."
There was another pause, and America had to remind himself not to hold his breath, heart knocking against the back of his teeth at every beat. "I'll be there," England finally promised.
England's answer must have shown in his face, because even as he was saying "Okay, thanks so much," Tennessee was leaping up. The state crossed the room in three long strides and threw open the door.
"We're meeting our parents!" he crowed down the hallway.
"See you Saturdaythengoodbye!" America ran the words together in an effort to stop Tennessee's victory cheer from reaching England. He snapped the connection closed and stood up, long legs making easy work of the distance between desk and door. "I haven't even invited most of them yet!" he hollered down after Tennessee.
"But now you've committed," Virginia pointed out reasonably, "now you have to invite the rest of them."
She hugged him, and America pulled his daughter closer, savoring the moment. Virginia was one of the most, if not the most, responsible of the states, and more proper than some others, and she didn't give hugs often; unlike Hawaii, who would hug a complete stranger if she felt they needed cheering up.
"Thank you Mum," she said when she pulled away, "they really did want this."
She would never admit to wanting it herself. Virginia was a bit too strong like that. It only made him more determined to protect her.
"I'll let you get to work," she said.
The door clicked shut behind her and, America resumed his seat. He stared for a moment at the paper in front of him, then pushed it to the side and, with a sigh, pulled a blank sheet toward himself.
England, he wrote across the top.
He paused a moment, simply staring at the name, then started scratching names across the page.
Saturday both couldn't come fast enough and was too far too quick to arrive. They had a family gathering each year, America, Canada, and all fifty states. Just because some of them weren't his biologically was no reason to say they weren't family, because they were. It was enough trouble to organize when it was just them; now add countries, even though it wasn't all the world's nations, and it became even messier.
Especially when the Dakotas were in the mix. He had taken them in when it became apparent that they were more than human, though no one had yet managed to pin down who their nation parent could be. It was a too-common story. He didn't care if it was the 'way things were done' or 'how new nations learned their land'. Perhaps he was tainted by having first a tribe to look after him, then England taking him in, but America didn't like having young nations, or states in this case, floundering about without guidance.
The day seemed to have started out fairly normally, but by midday everything had gone down hill. Texas had been in the kitchen preparing his barbeque sauce for later. America had gone downstairs to check in on him when he heard someone who wasn't Texas.
"Hey Tex," South Dakota, who sounded to be just on the other side of the door frame. "Look what I have." America peeked around the door frame and saw the state twirling Texas' hat around his finger. The southern state looked up from his cooking long enough to see what the mischief-maker had.
"Put that back," he growled. Texas was imposing, taller than even America, tanned and muscled, with dark hair and eyes, but the Dakota brother was unimpressed. He grinned impishly instead.
"No." he replied. The hat spun one more time and then he planted it firmly atop his head. "First your hat," he announced "then your girlfriend!" Texas launched himself at the northern state, but the lanky male took off in the opposite direction with speed born of decades of practices.
A rounder face than the more impish South Dakota peaked around the door frame once the combatants, and America had disappeared down the hall. He slipped quietly over to the ingredients and quickly switched out the salt and sugar, knowing that it wouldn't bother Texas, but that it would drive both the tea-drinkers and Louisiana insane after they tried to make salty tea or cookies. Not quite prone to his brother's fits of laughter, he merely smiled quietly as he slipped back out.
Nevada and Oregon were playing cards in the corner, and America was doing paperwork on an end table, the loudest sound in the room the rustle of papers and Hawaii's giggles as she went scampering through the room during a game of hide and seek. After the hubbub of earlier, everyone had calmed down and was sitting on pincushions while they waited for the other nations to arrive.
"DAKOTA!" came several different voices that echoed throughout the mansion. Louisiana ran out of the kitchen with all the tea lovers on her heels. They surged through the house trying to hunt down the boys. Thundering steps came downstairs and soon the reason for the other screams showed. The boys had rigged timed, colorful smoke bombs in certain rooms throughout the house.
Arkansas, from her spot at the back of the crowd, watched in amusement. A knock on the back of her chair caught her attention and she twisted around to see the lithe, gas-mask wearing red-head, attempting to use her chair as a shield. North Dakota hissed and waved a hand, imploring her not to draw attention to him, so she merely turned back around. Generally, they didn't particularly target her, and she didn't give them away, it was the sort-of pact she enjoyed with both Dakotas.
Unfortunately, Tennessee had seen the exchange.
"There's the other one!" yelled Tennessee, as he moved to grab the smaller boy. North Dakota leapt up, grabbing Arkansas to use her as a shield. This turned into an all out free for all with everyone yelling at each other. Even Virginia was yelling at the others for messing with her tea. No one messed with her tea.
America watched as Arkansas was trying to wiggle her way out of North Dakota's arms and saw her eyes briefly flick up towards the door, he followed her gaze and saw the other nations in the doorway. The shock on their faces was common for every new person who happened upon their house during their family reunions. She quickly disentangled herself from North Dakota, shooting him a glance as she ushered the other nations out the door. America seized his chance to get everything under control. He delegated the ones reponsible to clean up under Texas' watchful eye. However he didn't notice as the Dakota's slipped upstairs.
"A-mer-ica!" yelled Arkansas as she ripped open the door. "You get out there right now and explain to them exactly who we are and why they are here! I can't believe you gave them no explanation!"
America hurried out the door to find the nations standing there quite confused. He winced as shouting began to emanate from the house. Apparently they had all done as he asked, but were still boiling mad. "Excuse me a minute," he said and popped his head in the door. "Stop yelling or I'll turn you over to Virginia!"
"I'm yelling at Virginia!" returned Arkansas.
"Why?"
"Because she's trying to kill one of your sons!" A pin dropping would have sounded as loud as a clash of thunder outside the door in the next few seconds.
"Son?" repeated France faintly. This thought echoed for a while until their brains finally finished processing the entire statement.
"Sons? As in plural?" England said even more faintly.
Prussia grinned, wide and wolfish, "America, you've been a busy man."
America flushed a bright red, and turned back to the slightly open door. "Tex! he yelled, "stop her!"
"With pleasure." drawled back a male's voice.
"You will n-" a female cry was cut off mid-sentence followed by a chorus of "EWWW's"
"Und, how exactly did the 'Tex' stop her?" inquired Prussia.
Quickly sticking his head back through the door for a third time, he verified his suspicions. "Movie style." he replied.
"Vhat ze heck is zhat?" demanded Prussia
"A dip and a kiss," the American answered nonchalantly, "Haven't you ever seen a movie?"
"Of course I have!" yelled Prussia. America was soon shoved out of the way as Arkansas stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
Prussia stared after the hot-tempered female, watching her stalk off. She settled under a tree near the corner of the house, arms crossed and knees drawn up, still glaring in their general direction. "Vhat is wrong vith little girl?" he asked.
America flinched, and rubbed the back of his neck, eyes shifting without ever settling. "She's not happy I didn't explain what was going on or that we're making a giant mess."
"Why are we here America?" England prompted. If someone didn't straight-out ask the nation, he was going to take forever to get the point.
"Oui," an unlikely ally, France, back him up, "why are we 'ere? And who es 'we'?"
America shifted from foot to foot. "It's probably better if I just show you." He reached back for the doorknob and, with a glance over his shoulder that easily read as an invitation, disappeared back inside.
England looked around, suddenly inexplicably nervous. The others seemed to share his sentiment because their feet stayed rooted to the ground.
Germany moved first. He stepped forward, hand for a moment on the door frame before he steeled himself and slipped through. Not to be outdone, Scotland followed suit. Prussia pushed through after him, and one by one the nations filed into the house. England dallied outside the door, reluctant to see what was behind that door that had made America so nervous.
The sensation of eyes upon him made him turn. Maria, still under the tree, was watching him, but, when he turned she went back to ignoring him.
He shook off the feeling that his world was about to change. It was a ridiculous, foolish notion. He laughed quietly and followed the rest of the nations into America's house, closing the door behind him.