Finally! Chapter 12!

Sorry for the extreme delay, guys. My computer had been quite stubborn lately. D:

Al: Yeah, yeah, everything's fine. When do I save everyone like I always do?

Soon, Alfred, soon.

Chapter 12

In a panic, Alfred ran toward his fallen comrade.

"Vash..." He kneeled down next to him, putting a hand on his forehead.

Meanwhile, an infuriated Arthur had jumped on top of Harold, cursing and threatening to blow his head off.

"Shut up, you damned brit!" Harold threw Arthur off of him, causing the latter to land hard on the floor. He made his way back to Alfred and yanked his arm.

"Now, to finish what I started." He grinned evilly, pushing the barrel of the gun against Alfred's hair.

"Please, Harold, you've got to believe me. It really wasn't my fault. I may have gotten into many fist fights then, but I swear, when I got there, the police told me that someone already gave out the information."

"And why should I believe you?" He tightened his grip on Alfred's arm.

Alfred gulped. "Okay, it was a traumatic experience for both of us. We were both young, remember? I only wanted to ensure your safety. I never thought that a great split would happen between us just because of that, or that horrible war between us and our other friends. I didn't know. So, Harold, I have just this to say: CAN YOU FORGIVE ME?"

Harold's eyes widened. This very man, the one who betrayed him, was asking him for forgiveness?

"Alfred F. Jones." He mumbled, looking away.

"Yes?"

"Well, all that was a lot of trouble for me. It was also a lot of trouble for you, Karey, and all our siblings and classmates as well. I was torn from the inside out in the shadows of war...which is why you'll NEVER receive my forgiveness!"

"No no no no no! Please reconsider!" The next thing he heard was a click, footsteps and...a woman's voice?

"Harold? Aunt Isabella wants you to go home for dinner. And why haven't you been answering your- wait, WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?" Karey Norm froze in shock and fear when she saw her brother pointing a gun at a familiar face.

"Alfred F. Jones? Is that you?" That only added more to her awe.

"Sup, Alabama? And perfect timing too. Could you please get this freak off of me?"

"No need for the nickname, sweet Alfred." She said, smiling kindly before throwing a dirty look at her brother. "Harold Norm, I thought you'd given up on crime!"

"I had, Karey. Until he suddenly decided to show up in my life once more." He glared down at the struggling American.

"That's no reason for turning back around. And besides, you two are supposed to be best friends, right?"

"That would've been right...back when our residence was entirely farmland. Now, things will never be the same again, now that I know exactly who betrayed me."

"I...wouldn't call that betrayal."

"WHAT?"

"And, it wasn't sweet, heroic Alfred who did it. I know for sure."

Harold winced at the words praising his enemy. "And how can you be so sure?"

"Because...I did it."

"Um, am I going deaf? Because it almost sounded like you said you did it."

"Because that's what I said. Fort Sumter was my good friend, and I had been looking out for her that week due to her paranoia and fear of being an open target to assault. And guess what? That's exactly what happened, when I went to give you your book back and saw you doing just that! I had to report it. It was the only way."

Her brother just stood there, paralyzed by astonishment. Alfred saw this as an opportunity to pull out of his grasp.

"And now that I've made my point, there's definitely something going on in that kitchen. And I'm going to find it, no matter what you say." Austerely, she marched into the kitchen to investigate.

"Karey. As a brother, I have to say...YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, WOMAN!" But she didn't seem to be listening.

"Traitor, get back here!" He ran towards her and was about to slap her when he felt a sharp pain on his back, and the ground quickly rushed to meet him.

"I don't think that will be necessary." Francis Bonnefoy had his fist raised, preparing to defend himself from anything this man threw at him.

Harold stood back up. "Sorry, French boy, but there's no room here for traitors or their sidekicks."

Francis saw a brick coming toward him, and in an instant, everything was gone. The last thing he heard was someone calling his name.

"Eduard..."

Amongst the darkness, Eduard heard someone call his name. A soft, familiar voice.

He was too weak to answer back. All he remembered seeing was a fist towards his face...

"Eduard? Eduard! Wake up, it's me, Raivis!" He felt a hand on his shoulders.

"R-Raivis!" The Estonian opened his eyes to see a relieved Raivis and a furious Feliks.

"Like, what the hell were you thinking, going out there all by yourself?"

"Don't blame me!" Eduard sat up, annoyed. "Wouldn't you do that if your brother was missing?"

"I don't have a brother!"

"But still! You get my point!"

Feliks sighed. "I know, Eduard, I know. But if Liet is somehow alive and finds out that you weren't, how'd you think he would feel?"

Eduard closed his eyes. "Agonized. Fragile. Lost. I know so, cause that's exactly how I feel right now." He opened his eyes and stood up. "That's why I'm here. It's the only way to get rid of it all."

"Eduard, where are you going?"

"To take back what he stole from me. I know he's in that gray building over there."

Raivis turned to Feliks. "Who's he?"

"Eduard von Bock! Like, get back here right this instant!"

Eduard ignored him and grabbed a rusted frying pan from a junk pile. "No. And there's no way you'll stop me."

Right after he spoke, he bounded into the building.

"Eduard! Nooooo!"

"Take that, Frenchie!" Harold yelled triumphantly, looking at the Frenchman lying on the floor.

Alfred, meanwhile, stood alone as the only one not injured.

"I'll take care of her later. I'm only focusing on killing you right now, America." He smiled evilly and pointed his gun. This was it. Alfred F. Jones would finally pay.

Harold didn't notice that he was standing with his back to an open doorway. That was his downfall.

CLANK!

Before he could fire, he fell to the ground, unmoving. The blond boy behind him twirled the frying pan in his fingers and smiled.

"That's what you get for child abuse and brother-napping!"

"Eduardddd!" Alfred suddenly had his arms around the Estonian. "Thank you Eduard, thank you, thank you..."

"That's enough, Al..." Alfred released his grip on him. "How did you find us?"

"Well, I was probably gonna get in trouble for it, but I followed you guys, which kinda explains Vash's paranoia." He said, smiling nervously.

His friend simply shrugged. "It was a good thing you followed us, though. You're here, and we've won the fight, so no harm done, my friend." He patted Eduard on the shoulder.

Eduard smiled-then remembered something. "Toris! We gotta find him!"

"Hang on, we might have to search the whole house."

"I don't think you'll have to." Came a shaky voice from the kitchen.

They both looked into the room to see Karey standing before a suspicious-looking door.

"This is the only part of the house he doesn't allow me to enter. You might find your friend in here."

The threesome opened the door and went in. The lighting in the room was horrible, so they turned on the light.

"Toris? Are you in here, buddy?" Alfred called out as he walked further into the room.

"Hey, I think there's someone over here." Karey stated from the other side of the room.

Not wasting any time, he dashed over in concern.

Upon reaching there, his suspicions were confirmed.

"Toris!" He cried when he saw his injured, bound friend lying on the floor.

"Toris..."

Finally, an end to that crazy, raging battle.

However, Al still has four wounded friends to take care of...

Al: I know. D:

Me: Sorry, Al.

The next chapter will probably be my last, so stick around for the conclusion of this story, I guess.

-Blue Cotinga Girl