A/N: So the next few chapters all take place during JFK's presidency. Since there was so much going on, I'm diving them up into several parts (Cuban Missile Crisis, Space Race, Vietnam, Assassination just to name a few) so bear with me as I'm trying to make these chapters really REALLY good, cause Kennedy was a great man and I really want to portray that.

Chapter 9

Sino–Soviet Split/Inauguration/Bay of Pigs

1960-1961

"Our treaty is over, aru. If you could even call it that in the first place."

China had practically barged into Russia office that he had let the taller man use in his house. The desk was littered with unfiled documents and bills that should have been looked at months ago. Though the much smaller Yao held a rather firm and upset expression across his face, Ivan calmly has his feet resting atop a stack of papers on the desk. He looked at the much older nation as he placed his hands in his lap.

"Now, Yao, you can't be serious. You're just upset because I haven't been paying attention to you lately. Taking over the world leaves little time for socializing, you know." Ivan lightly smiled. He really did have quite a lot on his plate that day and the Chinese man was certainly taking away precious time. "We can talk later, but now-"

"No! You have ignored me and my people long enough, aru! Not only that, but you treat us as if we are your slaves! I will not tolerate it anymore!" China walked right over to his desk and slammed his palms on what could be seen of the polished surface. "For the past four years you have treated me as if I was beneath you and I feel our roles have reversed."

Ivan did not move his feet off of the desk nor did anything else for that matter, save for a few papers that had fallen. His expression changed slightly from content to displeased. "I am sorry that you feel this way comrade, but I did not mean to offend you" Ivan lifted his feet off of the desk and sat normally. He began to dig through the stacks of papers, looking for none in particular.

"My boss and my people wish to end our alliance. I am grateful that you helped me though my civil war but you have overstayed your welcome." Yao reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper. "This is to veto our treaty. It would be in your best interest to sign it." The much older man carefully unraveled the document and laid it gently in front of Ivan. It seemed that he had compelled himself from his outburst of emotion just moments before.

The Russian gazed over the words of the treaty and nodded. It surely would take the strain of caring for another country, but he would lose a rather important ally. He knew that China wouldn't get off of his back until he signed the damned paper, so against all strategical logic, Ivan reached for a pen and scribbled down his signature next to Yao's.

"Thank you, aru. You have just confirmed that my form of communism is superior as well as added a third party to your little war with America." Yao rerolled the veto and placed it back in his breast pocket. He bowed towards the Russian. "You have twenty-four hours to pack your things." China walked towards the door, but was stopped when he heard Ivan's syndical sounding laughter.

"You wish to join our little war, da? Have you not seen what it has done to Alfred? Even I have to admit that he was once a powerful nation, but now he is weakened by paranoia." The large man rose from his chair and walked over to the much smaller Chinese. His violet eyes pierced into dark orbs. "And I can say with certainty that is won't be long before you succumb to the same disease." With the, Ivan flashed his childish smile and walked out of what was now his former office, leaving behind a startled and unsure Yao.

---

Alfred was sitting on the balcony of the white house next to the new First Lady, Jackie Kennedy, in front of thousands of citizens who had all come to watch the peaceful transfer of power that is the inauguration. Alfred really didn't like to get too involved in politics, but the race for the presidency had truly been history in the making. It was easy to see that the people loved the man who was to become president. Women swooned over him and men thought him to be a hero, even though he had done nothing more than make the same promises others had made before him. However, John Fitzgerald Kennedy had a certain aura about him that made everything better and only added to America's new found sanity.

Alfred smiled as the people cheered for the president as he left Jackie's side to be officially sworn in as the thirty-fifth president. He clapped and looked over at Mrs. Kennedy. She was a beautiful woman with an elegance to rival Arthur's Queen.

Before realizing it, the president had repeated the Oath of Office and the people cheered. From his seat so high up, Alfred saw some people crying tears of joy and noticed that everyone was smiling, everyone. It certainly was rare to have everyone support the one man who would, in essence, hole their future in the palm of his hand. Mr. Kennedy took his place at the podium and waited to begin his speech as the crowd became silent.

"We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom — symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning — signifying renewal, as well as change."

His voice was rich with determinism. He was the voice of the new generation. Alfred sat completely upright in his chair, his back never once touching the back of the chair as he listened.

"To those peoples in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required — not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich."

America smiled. The people applauded their new leader's words and Alfred hadn't felt so empowered since World War II nearly thirty years prior. This man spoke the words that he and his people had needed to hear for so long. The inauguration process had always been somewhat droll to the young nation. The president would make a speech about current affairs and then he and the First Lady would party into the wee hours of the morning. Today, however, was something different, something new, and America had never been more eager to sit with his new boss in the Oval Office like he had done with all the others.

"Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.
We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed."

Suddenly the arms race popped into his mind. Alfred hoped that somewhere, Russia was listening to the president's speech and taking notes. He didn't want to fight with the arctic nation; he was tired of fighting, but he supposed that it was just another part of life. There were times of peace that would be followed by times of war and vice versa. Perhaps, peace could be obtained within the next four years.

"All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin."

There was another round of applause. As America clapped with all of D.C, he glanced over at the First Lady. She was clapping too, in a very dainty sort of way. A smile graced her lips as she looked over at her husband. Alfred wondered what was going through her mind. Sure, she must have been so proud of her love, but was she scarred too? Being the leader of the free world was a daunting task, but with the president's next words, Alfred knew he was up to the challenge.

"In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility — I welcome it."

Jackie looked to her right and smiled at her personified nation. America warmly smiled back as again there was a pause for cheers.

"With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own."

The president backed away from the microphone, signifying that his speech was finished. Alfred hadn't even noticed that the president had been talking for well over ten minutes; he was so focused on what the man had said. Everyone on the balcony stood and from what he could tell, so did everyone below. The people cheered and clapped and the president shook hands with his predecessors. He then made his way towards Alfred. For once, the nation was dumbfounded as he smiled and the two shook hands.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you, America."

"It's a pleasure Mr. President, and please, call me Alfred, or Al."

Their hands finally broke apart and Kennedy placed a warm hand on his nation's shoulder. "Of course Al, as long as you call me anything but 'Mr. President'. It sounds too formal."

America smiled and nodded in understanding. His smile lasted as the First Couple hugged and even through the final party of the night they attended. America had never felt so happy.

---

It was only three months into Kennedy's presidency and already he was making a very bold move. The president had requested America audience and the two met in the second home that was the oval office. Alfred wasn't really sure why the president had called for him, but he was eager to be able to sit with his boss. After all, both of them had been very busy, leaving little time for them to discuss anything together.

Alfred took his usual seat in the leather chair in from of the oak desk and the president sat in his own leather seat behind it. Because he wasn't sure what the meeting was about, America didn't bring his usual cola. He didn't know why he was so nervous, it wasn't like he had never done this before. Sure, it was always a little awkward when meeting with a new leader, but this time it was a little more difficult.

"Thank you for coming Al. I want to discuss something with you that President Eisenhower was working on before he left office." Alfred gave a slightly confused look. He didn't know Eisenhower was working on something towards the end of his term. Few presidents did little after their successor was elected other than wait out the last months and days of their term.

"What was he working on?"

"I looked over all of the documents and saw that Eisenhower was planning an invasion of Cuba to overthrow the government there." The youngest president in America's history leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. For a moment, it looked like he was much older then he seemed. "I wish to continue Eisenhower's plan and go on with the invasion."

America blinked and leaned slightly forward. "But why? Cuba hasn't really done anything. Sure, Marxism isn't the greatest thing ever, but they're not bothering us."

Kennedy nodded in understanding. "It is to prevent them from bothering us. As you said, Marxism isn't the most ideal for of government and with Cuba being so close, they could become a real threat. The invasion would be fueled by exiled Cubans, all we would do is back them up."

The president's world soaked in Alfred's brain for a few minutes. He had never thought of that before. Since Fidel Castro came into power, America had just simply ignored what his southern neighbor was doing. It unnerved him that the two nations were so close. At least with Russia there were several hours of distance, but he and Cuba were in the same time zone for God's sake! Alfred nodded and stood up.

"Go fourth with the invasion. We can't risk having an enemy so close to home."

---

It was a complete and utter failure.

An embarrassment not only for John, but for the entire nation.

Politicians criticized the president's move as being too bold and without reason. It would be a month before he would wash away the shame that would be known as the Bay of Pigs invasion.

It only made things worse.

Alfred didn't understand why it had failed so miserably. Did the Cubans have forewarning to the invasion? Did some of the exiled Cubans turn their backs to the CIA and back to their homeland? These were question that few knew the answer to. The invasion only served to intensify the revolution that was offering in Cuba, which was exactly what America didn't want. Castro was more popular with his people than ever and it unnerved Alfred more than anything.

The last thing he needed was an enemy that he could practically wave to from Florida.

Just a month later, Kennedy was planning to clean his reputation with something so drastic and bold, Alfred wasn't sure if his goal was even possible.

A man on the moon.

It was something straight out of science fiction. For several years, hidden by the thousands of other things going on in the world, Russia and America had been battling it out to gain control of space. It sounded childish at first, but space truly was 'the final frontier'. The superpowers would develop satellites and other gadgets to throw up into the atmosphere to circle around the earth.

The Russians may have launched the first satellite, the first probe to the moon (whatever that meant, Alfred really didn't know), and had the first person ever to orbit the earth, but America would be damned he let is slow him down. He was always right behind the cold nation but never quite succeeding him. All that didn't matter though.

Both nations knew victory would come to whoever made it to the moon first.

President Kennedy told the America people in the presence of Congress that "We choose to go to the moon." Alfred could easily see the determination in his leader's eyes and he felt it flow through his own veins.

They choose, because it was there.

It wasn't long before the Apollo Program started up to launch man to the moon. The best scientist America had to offer began designing and building a method of transport to make president's dream a reality.

Alfred didn't know how Ivan reacted to the news, if he even heard it at all. He was sure that the Russia has dismissed it as another silly "American Dream". One thing he knew for certain was that Russia opinion of John F. Kennedy was low and the young man was seen as a joke. Alfred also knew that he was assumed to still be completely insane. He would certainly use this to their advantage when the two leaders would meet for the first time in Vienna. It would be the first time that Alfred would see Russia since his breakdown at the NATO meeting and he made sure that all of the cards were dealt in his favor.

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A/N: Part one of a bazillion! Haha I hope to have the entire Kennedy presidency done before break ends. Don't forget to review and any ideas or commentary about how to handle the next few chapters are always welcome! Love you all!

Fun Fact: All of Kennedy's quotes are directly from his inaugural address. I love his speech so much. God, I'm such a history nut haha.