Hetalia isn't mine, and sadly, never will be.

"DAD IS DOING WHAT?" Arthur walked into the office one morning about a month after the world meeting to Anna's loud phone conversation. He saw her fingers turn white as she grasped her coffee cup in a death grip. Stay out of it if you treasure your life...

"No, Marco, I think you've got this all wrong. My. Father. Is. Gay. He's only had one true love, one partner, and that was. a. Man. I've never heard about any woman." Arthur watched curiously. Gay? Well, that explains the single father deal.

"So, you saw him making out with a woman in a bar. He probably was having another one of those crises he has every once and awhile. I bet you he was drunk, because when he gets drunk, he goes on about how he was there during the Civil War and all this crap about being the oldest American alive. He spouts such stories and does the craziest crap you've ever seen! Even worse, he starts buying crap off the television late at night. That's why we have a 'shower phone', because it apparently had a great info-mercial. I swear, I never know where he is when I'm talking to him."

Arthur passed by her and into his office. Her father was strange, but she always talked about what fun they had, with their little random dance offs, him reading to her the classics. Well, every one had their quirks. To each his own, even if that meant shower phone conversations.

"Well, make sure Dad doesn't make any rash decisions about this 'Terry'. She sounds a little young for him. I know he looks young, but that's no reason to date young. This girl is only a few years older than me!" She paused. "It doesn't matter if he doesn't look a day over 21 or whatever, he shouldn't date lower than, like, twenty-seven at his age."

She paused again, and looked up at Arthur, who realized he was standing right by the doorway, being very obviously listening in. Smooth.

"Marco, I'm sorry, my boss just got in. Why are you up so early anyway?" There was a forced cheerfulness in her voice, and Arthur could tell she was still brooding over her father's actions. "Trying to beat rush hour in New York, the city that never sleeps? You're crazy! Whatever. Bye, Marco. Watch out for Dad." She hung up the phone. "I'm really sorry about that, Mr. Kirkland, it was about my father, and I worry about him when I'm away from home. He doesn't talk to people about things, so I never know what's up with him."

"Quite alright. Oh, Anna, could you put your cell number into my work phone? I always lose that blasted slip of paper with your number in the wash, and I still can't get a grip on these dreadful contraptions…" Anna held out one hand while typing with the other and took the phone. She entered the number and put it in Arthur's speed dial as #2, seeing as he still was horrible at cell phones, and when he went into his contacts, he ended up deleting and mixing numbers around.

After thirty minutes of re-showing Arthur how to use speed dial and how to turn on the damn phone, she got him all set.

"Thank you, Anna. So, you're from New York?"

"Yes. Well, out in the suburbs. Don't know when I'm going to get back, though. I have summer classes here in England, and the internship…"

"Well, let's see, the last meeting was first week of February, so the next one is the third week in June… You get out of school for the semester in May, correct?" He couldn't believe he was suggesting this…

"Yes…"

"Well, the third week of June, I have meeting in New York. You could come with me and visit your family for the week, then when the week is up, come back. I could get you the time off, easy."

Her face lit up. "Thank you so much, Mr. Kirkland! This is the best early birthday present ever!"

She started talking very fast about how 'he'd have to meet her father' and 'that she'd have to show him around the best parts of the country side' and 'how happy everyone was going to be' when Arthur registered 'birthday'.

"Your birthday?"

She stopped her excited rant. "Yes, my birthday is this Friday. I'm turning twenty."

"Well, happy early birthday. If you want to do anything on Friday, I wouldn't mention it to the rest of the office. I don't, and they leave me well alone."

USUK

Friday came around and Anna walked into her office that morning to find cards piled on her desk and a package and a pot of flowers.

She sat down and smiled, opening all the cards, seeing some from the other workers at the office and some from home and college. There was even one from Arthur, which was a tad stiff, which made it all the more endearing. Apparently, the office was holding a party at lunch, even though Anna knew she hadn't told anyone. And Arthur was suspiciously already here, early.

She smiled and looked at the beautiful flowers, and read the tag. Marco. Her heart fluttered. She hadn't dated anyone in England, and remembered her reaction the first time someone in the office asked for a 'rubber'. She was touched.

She finally looked towards the package. On the return was her home address back in the states, and the package was addressed to 'My little lady Anna' Moore.

As she opened it, she found a card from her father, and started to tear up as she read it. She really missed him, and while she called him once or twice a week, she realized that they hadn't really gotten the chance to talk.

Sure, she'd told her father she was working for a stodgy Brit, but the office didn't want his name public, so she called him 'boss' or 'Mr. Dunkirk' once or twice, but never said his real name. She didn't know why the office had that policy, but maybe they wanted to keep Mr. Kirkland's privacy.

Anyway, when she talked with her father, it usually was about school, or about what her father had been up to. She pushed all that aside for the moment and pulled out something from the bottom of the box.

It was an old locket with etchings in its gold front. She was perplexed as to why her father had given this to her. She tried to find a way to open it, and when she finally did, a little folded note fell out.

Anna,

The orphanage found this locket a while back in your old files, along with what is inside it. It belonged to your biological parents. I hope you like it.

Papa

She looked inside and found two photographs, one of her mother and the other of her father. She felt a sob escape her throat, and she clutched it tightly to her chest.

Arthur opened his door at the sound of sobs, and looked out to see Anna on the phone.

"Oh, papa, thank you so much for the locket, it means so much to me, I miss you so much, this is the best birthday gift ever!" Arthur didn't understand the fast speaking Russian, but seeing his concerned expression, she paused and held out the locket in her hands. He looked at the pictures and smiled, seeing the obvious resemblance between Anna and the pictures. "Yes, Papa, yes, I'm calming down. Sorry for calling you at three in the morning…yes, yes, thank you."

Author's Note:

And here you have the next installment.

I have a favor to ask all of you. I have to write a paper making up a story about 2 species evolving over 250 million years from now, and while I've chosen my first animal, an Owl, I need help choosing the second. I have a poll on my profile. Your help is much appreciated.

Reviews = Love. They make me smile.

Fun Fact: The Eurasian Eagle Owl is the world's largest owl, and looks quite similar to the Great Horned Owl. The largest of this species have been found to live in England. YAY ENGLAND! (Owls are also my most favoritest of animals!)