I huffed rather tiredly as I tossed out whatever this was supposed to be. I had… gotten distracted and my third attempt at breakfast was now destroyed. I didn't even have the energy to get irritated at wasting what could have been a wonderful meal. (Author note: cough cough wonderful cough right cough ugh… sorry artie I need a cough drop) I dropped the skillet with little to no care as I sat down and stared at it. The birds were chirping and singing and I felt no joy from it as I once had what felt like a lifetime ago. Mint bunny made a little whimpering noise and rubbed up against the arm I was using to prop up my head like a cat would. He was trying to offer comfort, I'm sure, but I hardly noticed it. His ears were flat against his skull and I numbly reached out and he pushed his head in my palm where I pet him absentmindedly. Just as I was about to will myself to try again the front door opened rather loudly. I flinched at the sudden sound in the nearly silent house.

"England!"

I could practically feel the color drain from my face. What was He doing here? What could he possibly want? I had to move. I had to get him out as soon as possible. What if he found the child? No doubt he'd hurt him to get at me. Or he'd corrupt him. I shuttered. I had to get him out before he caused anymore damage. What if he woke him up?

I was up and walking before I knew it. Unfortunately I wasn't ready to move that fast and I nearly fell as my head spun at my getting up too fast. I nearly cursed out loud as I was quick to grip the counter. Mint bunny did little to help me due to his size, but he was doing his best to help me. But as soon as I had my footing I was off and down the hall. He had better of not busted my door. Again. I know for a fact that I had it locked and if I had to pay for another bloody door I was going to flip a switch energy or no.

"Hey, Artie! Wh-"

"What are you doing here?" I practically hissed.

I could feel my body tensing up to the added stress. America turned to me as his search of the house was halted.

"France, I found him!"

"Pipe down you little twat."

Despite the added surprise the fact that he was yelling came first. The child needed rest due to last night's storm. France had quickly lost his smile when he entered the room though I didn't bother asking why. Quite honestly I didn't give a damn what his problem was this time.

"Do either of you have Any idea what time it is?"

"England-"

"Well?" I snapped plainly ignoring the concern in his voice. "What are you planning to waste my time with This time?"

"I have come to save you!" America grinned confidently like that would explain anything at all.

"What are you going on about now?" I rubbed at the crease taking place between my brows.

"The rebellion! I, the hero, am going to help you stop it!"

"I don't require your assistance for anything. Now get out and don't come back. And you will be paying for that door I assure you."

"Angleterre, you obviously can't handle this on your own."

"Don't you Dare tell me what I can and can't do. I have everything under control. This has nothing to do with either of you. So quit pestering me and get out before I get angry and-"

"Angleterre! Would you just let your pride go for one minute and listen?!" France took a second to straighten his appearance before continuing. "From what we understand this has been going on for over a year now. And judging by how you haven't been showing up to any meetings or events and add that to how sick you look, this situation hasn't gotten under control in the slightest, but worse. Can't you just drop the act and let us help you?"

"I don't need your help and I don't need you." I replied stubbornly.

"Well you're getting help anyway! I'll find out where they're holding their rebel meetings and evil workings before you know it!"

America didn't seem to sense the tension at all. His smile if anything had gotten larger. France looked slightly disheveled by the situation if anything. I on the other hand was just about seething. How dare they come in here uninvited and force not only their exhausting personalities, but their sorry excuse for help on me. They didn't even know the situation and here they were just thinking they can come into my country and do whatever they pleased.

"America. There is no reason for either of you to be here." My voice was low and threatening though he didn't seem to notice as he threw an arm around me.

"Oh I know you're happy we're here on the inside! We'll get this taken care of and then you can focus on more important things! Like being my backup when the zombie apocalypse happens! You can be the guy-"

"You don't want to finish that sentence."

"Oh come on, come on what's the big deal?! You can yell at me after we get you fixed up, can't ya?"

"I don't need fixing. I need you both out of my home-"

"Arthur?"

I froze. The other two quickly turned to the child and everything went silent. It was still besides little England rubbing at his eyes tiredly. His pajamas were still on signaling that he had just woken up. No doubt it was due to the commotion that these two were creating. The child seemed to be as oblivious as America at the moment because he obviously hadn't noted the arguing before coming in.

The air had turned very tense and the arm around me had tightened considerably. France slowly tore his eyes from the child to me while America had yet to move. He was still staring in shock at the child who looked so much like me I'm sure it was frightening. France looked horrified. His mouth opened like he was going to speak, but no sound came out as he couldn't seemed to remember how to work his voice.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, poppet. Just more work. You can go back to bed."

I attempted to go to his side, but I was trapped against America due to his strong grip. The one that kept tightening to the point where I could hardly breathe whenever I attempted to move even the slightest bit. Much to my relief he nodded once and turned and headed back toward the stairs with a simple 'mmn kay' and dragging steps. Silence besides the sound of my little doppelganger dragging himself back upstairs and a door closing. Then nothing for several minutes. It was now eerily quiet.

"England…Arthur." France spoke slowly. "Who was that?... Please tell me that's not what I think it is."

I had no response to that. I couldn't think up an excuse. I'm sure I had one ready back when I first took him in, but now it was lost to me. Lost under all of the exhaustion and stress of the moment.

"Please."

I could practically feel the concern and for some reason it made me uncomfortable. That worry didn't belong in his expression let alone in his aura. It wasn't right. He seemed to take my silence as a yes and practically fell onto the couch.

"Oh God, Angleterre… What have you done?"

He ran both of his hands through his hair out of a stress habit. America on the other hand had yet to move. The grip around me was starting to hurt a little. I could almost feel the bruising.

"Why would you… How… Angleterre, why?"

"Why do you suddenly care about what I do?" My voice was far weaker than I had meant it to sound and that only seemed to make the situation seem worse.

"This is Killing you. This has nothing to do with whatever fights or disagreements we had in the past. This is- This is- Oh God…"

He dropped his head into his hands. More silence played out before he spoke again.

"How long have you been keeping it?"

I stiffened, but made no move to answer.

"How long have you been growing it?"

My gaze wandered.

"England, Answer Me."

"That is none of your concern. He is my child and only I get to decide what to do with him."

"That Thing is not your Child." He was standing again and practically hissing at me as fought to stay quiet and not alert the child upstairs. "It is a Leech. A Parasite. A Rebellion and it is sucking up all of your resources and destroying your economy. Destroying You."

"Don't you Dare talk about him like that. He is an innocent-"

"It is getting in your head and hijacking your thoughts to make you think that way. It is Making you want to protect it. So you ignore the pain and feed it."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. He is a child and he-"

"England. You listen to me for once dammit." He had drawn closer rather quickly and I despite myself felt a little intimidated. "It is Nothing it is making itself out to be. It seems innocent now, but once it gets big enough it is going to kill you and take everything. Now you just focus on your country. Feel past that numbness it has set up for you. Can't you feel your people suffering? Can't you feel the pain?"

"Of course I can feel the pain. But that pain will make this country come back stronger just like it has in the past."

"It's worse than I thought. It really has you, doesn't it? If your people's pain can't snap you out of this… We need to take care of this before it's too late for you."

"Don't you even think about laying a finger on that child. I will make sure you wish you were never founded."

I was struggling to get a foothold in the argument, but before I could even get a single thought aligned America had decided to move.

Hey guys how are you? Kinda cold today or yesterday... oct 2 now so yesterday. Well hope you like this chapter. A bit of a cliff hanger but I want to go to bed and sleep in on my unexpected day off. But whatever I'm going to get my mother a few flowers 'tomorrow' for a late birthday present. I asked her what she wanted a week or two before her birthday and she said a clean house and when I told her nothing impossible she had nothing so now I'm getting mums for my mum. It's a fall flower apparently, but whatever. Night guys hope you enjoy this chapter.