-------Vichy France June 6th 1944-------

Aliz had seen Gilbert and Ludwig talking in hushed tones more frequently in the past few weeks. From the snatches of conversation she caught she was able to figure out that the allies were getting closer. However the worst news came one night as Aliz was passing the Axis meeting room.

"…depriving me of my punching bag. Which one is he going to?"

"Auschwitz."

Outside the door Aliz clapped a hand to her mouth, but not in time to stifle her gasp. Inside the room the voices stopped abruptly. The next second Gilbert had slammed the door open.

"Thought I smelled this rat sneaking around. Hearing things she shouldn't." Gilbert's hand strayed towards the knife sheathed at his hip. Ludwig grabbed Gilbert's wrist. "Behave yourself, bruder. She's still worth more to us alive."

"Hmph. I suppose that's true. Still, it's far past time for little girls to be in their beds. Shoo brat."

Aliz was lucky in the fact that Gilbert and Ludwig soon came up to bed as well. She waited until the room next door was silent before slipping in and taking one of the guns of the bedside table. While she kept her eyes in the two men in the bed, she didn't really register anything besides the fact that they weren't moving. What she put in the beer must have worked. She slipped out of the room and braced the door with some small pieces of wood jammed between the door and frame. As soon as she was sure the door was relatively secure, Aliz was sneaking quietly down to the basement and Francis' cell. Drawing the gun from her belt, Aliz took careful aim and fired.

Upstairs Ludwig bolted up in bed. At least, he tried to.

"Gilbert." Ludwig prodded the albino draped over him with his free hand.

"Gilbert! Get off!" Ludwig tried to roll his brother off the bed. Sighing, Ludwig gulped down as much air as he could with the dead weight crushing his ribcage and yelled.

"GILBERT! Get off me!" Ludwig head butted Gilbert in the face. The albino jumped and landed on the floor in a tangle of limbs.

"Mein Gott Ludwig! What the fuck do you want?" Gilbert clutched at his head. "Motherfucking son of a bitch. That little bitch put something in the fucking beer."

"Now's not the time Gil. Someone was shooting in the basement." Ludwig was already up and pulling his pants on, reaching for the gun on the bedside table. Gilbert swore, grabbing his pants as well.

"Where the fuck's my gun Ludwig?" Gilbert demanded, zipping up his pants. "I'll bet that little bitch stole it."

Gilbert drew his knife moving to open the door. It didn't budge.

"I don't have time for this shit." Gilbert swore, kicking the door open. Ludwig pushed in front of his brother, running down the stairs. He turned a corner, Gilbert right behind him knife drawn.

The door to Francis' cell was ajar and a battered Frenchman was leaning against the door frame.

Knowing she didn't have much time, Aliz hurried over to where Francis lay on the floor and untied his hands. At her touch Francis started and opened his eyes.

"Aliz… qui est vous?" Francis had to be suffering to be speaking in his native language.

"Not now, both our lives could be in danger. Let's go."

"Je ne peux pas bouger, Gilbert m'a gardé drogué." Aliz sighed and draped Francis' arm over her shoulder, half carrying-half dragging Francis up the stairs.

Aliz could hear Ludwig yelling at Gilbert through the barricaded door. As soon as Aliz was in her room she heaved Francis onto the bed, pulled off his coat, and began undoing his shirt.

"Quoi-"

"We look so similar they won't realize until it's too late." Aliz switched their shirts. "Also I need your pants."

Francis tried to protest but Aliz put a finger to his lips.

"You've done so much to keep me safe, now it's my turn. You're more important than I am to the survival of France. And I said that I'd protect you with my life. "

Aliz pulled on Francis' pants and coat and quickly dressed him in her clothes, blushing faintly when she had to put on the skirt. The yelling from Gilbert and Ludwig's room was rife with obscenities, so Aliz knew that Gilbert was awake. She would have to be fast. Aliz leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Francis' forehead.

"Try to keep out of trouble, cousin. I love you."

Aliz turned and ran out of the room, heading for the basement. Halfway downstairs Aliz's tongue ghosted over her lips and she tasted blood.

"Oh right…I forgot about that deta-"Aliz tumbled down the stairs in a flurry of limbs. A few inches away from her hand was a small knife.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm so glad Gilbert leaves his shit everywhere."

Aliz raised the blade to her forehead, gritting her teeth in anticipation. The thundering of feet on the stairs startled Aliz, the knife biting into her skin and leaving a long gash. She dropped the knife and staggered towards Francis' cell, stumbling into the doorway.

"Motherfucker, he shouldn't be able to move yet!" Gilbert swore as Ludwig trained his gun on the disguised Aliz.

"The Allies probably sent someone to rescue him. You deal with him. I'll look for the intruder."

"Bullshit, you baby-sit the pathetic meat sack; I'm going after whatever jackass that has enough balls to break in."

"You don't have a gun Gil." Ludwig said calmly.

"Fuck." Gilbert sheathed his knife and kicked Aliz into the cell as Ludwig ran off on his search.

-------Omake -------
-------Vichy France, July 1943-------

Francis looked up when the door opened, and immediately fought to free himself from the chair he was tied to. Gilbert had a gleam in his eyes that meant trouble. The bloodthirsty Prussian was fingering the barrel of a syringe filled with some undoubtedly vile substance.

"So. Good news, Francis. I'm going to untie you." Gilbert said, practically humming to himself. He was walking over to stand in front of Francis. "Bad news is that you won't wear through these for a couple days."

A second later Gilbert had stuck the syringe into Francis's arm. Francis struggled for the briefest moment before succumbing to the drugs.

As soon as he was sure Francis couldn't fight back, Gilbert untied Francis, kicking the drugged nation onto the floor. At the sudden collision with the floor, Francis's eyes fluttered open. Gilbert was smirking, a hand resting on the knife sheathed at his hip. Francis's eyes glazed over with fear.

"Gilbert. Don't -"

"Too late Francis, I've already severed ties with you." Gilbert said, unsheathing his knife. Francis closed his eyes just seconds before he felt a burning line on his hip. The combination of the drugs in his system and the pain of the knife caused him to black out.

-------Author's Notes-------
Author - Phoenix / Beta - Shadow