Hello, guys! Welcome to Chapter 12 of Faded Scars!

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Nikolai is Male Belarus

Diana is Fem Lithuania

I don't own Hetalia nor Nyotalia.

'Erika?'

'Yes, Anne?' Erika asks her older cousin. She decided to visit Erika for a day.

'How are you... with your cleithrophobia?' Anne asks her uncomfortably.

'... I'm still uncomfortable about being trapped... but it's nowhere near my hatred towards cigarettes.' Erika explains watches Kenny crawl around the place.

'I remember that one painful moment when you were trapped in a elevator with two strangers...' Anne says as she remembers that day.

Flashback mode now activated!

Lilli sat with Anne patiently. They were currently in the college that Anne's applying to. It was close their place. It was a starter college where they begin with college basics.

'I'm hoping after learning here.' Anne told her. 'Hoping to get a college where I can apply a job working in a airport.'

'Just working at airport and not traveling in a plane.' Lilli asked her cousin calmly.

Anne nodded. 'I'm hoping to act as a security worker.'

'That's great, Anne.' Lilli said with a smile on her face. 'I'm here to encourage you all the way.'

'Thanks, Lilli.' Anne said as she smiled.

'Alright, Anne.' A man said. 'Please, come in.'

Anne headed into the room.

Lilli sighed, she's been in America for almost a month. She feels like that she's some sort of waste of space, because her homeschooling with Arthur won't start in a few months and she barely has done much. She feels like a heavy burden to her new family. She wakes them up almost every night from her nightmares about her old her life. Though she does have good friends like Alfred, Kiku, Lin, Bianca and Monika supporting her. Only Kiku and Alfred know about Erika and what's under her covered body. Heck, she still wears her scarf and long clothes to this day.

'Do you think that she's wearing clothes to cover her body, because she's secretly killing herself?'

Lilli noticed that there were a group students looking at her. They obviously talking about her. She had her face.

'Lilli.' Lilli turned to see Anne poking her head out, as she gave her car keys. 'I think that I've left my cell phone in the car. Can you please get it?'

'Okay.' Lilli said as she left the waiting area. Walking down the hall and the stairs.

They were in the third floor of the building. Lilli had to travel her way down the stairs, until she ran into a group of students. Whom stopped her half way down.

'How old are you?' A girl asked her in curiosity. 'You don't look like type to skip a few grades.'

'Actually, I'm not going here.' Lilli explained as fast as she could so she can avoid unwanted attention. 'I'm here to support my older cousin.'

'What's with the clothes?' Another girl asked her. 'Last time I checked it's a warm summer, unless if you just here from Alaska and couldn't afford updated clothes.'

'I'm sorry, but this isn't your business to criticize my clothing when we've just met.' Lilli explained the most firm as she could. 'So I suggest you to leave me alone, because you barely know me.'

'Why you...' The the girl growled in frustration.

'She's got a damn good point, you know.' A new voice spoke up from the lower stairs.They turn to see a young woman with curly dark brown, hazel eyes and olive skin. She was wearing a light brown shirt and frilly yellow skirt. She had a large frown on her face. 'This isn't high school anymore, kids.'

'Fine.' The girls growled in annoyance as they leave.

'Thanks for standing up me.' Lilli thanked the older girl.

'No problem.' She said as she gave a simple smile.

Lilli quickly run back to her error. Using Anne's car keys and got her cell phone.

She then heads back to where her cousin is. She noticed that a elevator was by the stairs.

'I'll get less unwanted attention in there.' Lilli said to herself, as she pressed the elevator's button. She patiently waited for the elevator.

'Excuse me, but are you taking the elevator?'

Lilli turned to see a boy and a girl standing the.

The girl had long wavy brown hair pulled into a side ponytail and soft forest green eyes. She was wearing a light brown shirt and dark green pants.

The boy had platinum blond hair with a hair curl sticking out of his head and dark blue ocean eyes. He was wearing a black shirt and dark pants. His left foot was in a cast and was being support by crutches.

'Yes... I am.' Lilli said uncomfortably.

'Is it okay that we can join you?' The girl asked politely.

'There's no reason to ask her.' The boy growled in annoyance. 'She'll know that we're going into the elevator.'

'Nikolai, please don't be harsh.' The girl said to the boy, whom was Nikolai.

'You can join me in the elevator if you would like.' Lilli said as she got their attention.

'Thanks, I'm Diana.' The girl introduced herself to Lilli.

'I'm Lilli.'

'I'm Nikolai.' Nikolai said as he looked away shyly.

The elevator door as opened. Lilli stepped in, while Diana helped Nikolai into the Elevator.

'We're going to the third floor.' Diana told Lilli.

'That's where I'm going.' Lilli said as she smiled.

'That's good.' Diana then asked in curiosity. 'Are you planning to go to go here? You seem too young.'

'No.' Lilli replied calmly as she could. 'I'm only here to support my older cousin.'

'That's nice.' Diana said with a smile on her face. 'Nikolai and I come here. This is our second year.'

'Why does it feel that this damn elevator is taking so long?' Nikolai asked out loud in annoyance.

'Calm down, Nikolai.' Diana said to him. 'We're only in here for three minutes.'

'We'll be up there in moments notice.' Lilli said reassuringly to him, but deep inside. She hoped that they'll be out safely.

They've waited for about a minute to realize that the elevator is not working at all.

'God damnit!' Nikolai hissed in frustration as he pressed the elevator's button to open the the door.

Nothing is happening!

'Oh uh!' Diana gasped in shock. 'This can't be good!' She pressed another one of the buttons to get them to work. Once again, nothing happened.

'I think that we're trapped.' Nikolai said in a annoyed tone as he leaned against wall in impatience. 'This just lovely.' He then looked at Lilli. 'Are you okay?'

Lilli looked horrified. She was shaking violently and began to sweat a little.

'HELLO! ANYONE THAT CAN HEAR US FROM OUTSIDE OF THE ELEVATOR?' Diana yelled out hoping that someone will hear them.

'HELLO?' Called through the elevator. 'WHAT'S GOING ON?'

'THE ELEVATOR HAS STOPPED WORKING!' Diana yelled out. 'WE CAN'T GET OUT!'

'What?' A new voice called out, then they've heard conversations.

'WHO'S IN THERE?' The voice asked.

'IT'S DIANA AND NIKOLAI! ALONG WITH A GIRL NAMED LILLI!' Nikolai called out, then looked at Lilli.

Her breathing seemed very off and she looked like that she's going to be sick.

'HANG IN THERE!' The voice told them. 'HELP IS ON THE WAY!'

'Please... hurry!' Lilli gasped out as her lips felt dry.

...

Anne managed finish her test. As she sighed as she leaves.

'Wait! Where's Lilli?' Anne asked in a shocked tone where she noticed her cousin missing, then realized that she asked her Lilli to do a favor, but never seem to come back. 'Don't tell that she got lost!'

Anne finds herself exploring all over campus for Lilli.

'Lilli, where are you?' Anne called out.

'Please, don't go yelling around the halls.'

Anne turned to see the same woman that Lilli ran into earlier.

'Sorry, I was looking for my cousin.' Anne apologizes uncomfortably.

'Cousin?' The woman asked in a interested tone.

Before Anne could reply. A familiar cried out.

'SIS! THE ELEVATOR'S STUCK! THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE TRAPPED INSIDE OF IT!'

'Wait! Bianca?' Anne asked in shock that this more mature looking woman is Bianca's sister.

'HelloAnneitssonicetoseeyouheretoo!' Bianca said quickly, but her mouth was covered by her older sister's mouth.

'Lower your annoying voice and slow the fuck down.' The woman growled in annoyance as she removed her mouth.

'Mature my ass.' Anne thought in her head as she watched the two sisters.

'Sorry, Chiara.' Bianca said frantically. 'But, there are three people trapped in the front office's Elevator!'

'That's nice, but I'm talking to someone.' Chiara said in annoyance, then resumed her focus on Anne. 'I've remembered seeing a girl in a light blue scarf and warm clothing in the staircase being picked on by some freshmen brats that still act like high school kids. She stood up for herself, but the girls didn't want to give up. I took care of them.'

Before Anne could respond back. Another familiar person came up.

'ANNE!'

Monika came running up with Matthew behind her.

'You guys are here, too?' Anne asked in shock.

'Thank goodness that you're here!' Matthew said as he panted as as if he and Monika ran there way here.

'What's going on?' Anne asked in annoyance, but also a hint concern do to the frantic atmosphere.

'The people that are trapped in the elevator... one them is named Lilli! They said that she's from the college and is with her cousin.' Monika said in shock.

'WHAT?'

...

Lilli shook violently. 'P-please h-h-huur-ry uppp.' She stuttered out weakly, as she felt herself collapse to the elevator's floor shaking violently. Her heart was beating uncontrollably.

'What's wrong, Lilli?' Diana asked in concern and worry, the poor girl seemed very horrified.

'You don't seem claustrophobic.' Nikolai pointed out calmly. He recalled the girl having no problem going into the elevator, plus it's not that crowd.

'I... hate... being... trapped.' Lilli said weakly as she felt sick... it made her think of the haunted memory of herself being tied down to the bed bleeding and surrendered by her dead family. The feeling of being helpless and unable to escape.

'It's okay, Lilli.' Diana told her with a smile. 'We'll be out soon.'

Nikolai looked at the girl in pity. How bad it can being trapped in a simple elevator and get help on the way? Most of all, what's with the warm clothing? It's summer and it's warm out. How can she stand the heat?

'THIS MAY TAKE A HOUR OR TWO TO FIX THE ELEVATOR!' A voice spoke up.

'OKAY!' Diana called back.

Lilli looked more horrified, then ever.

'Calm down you idiot.' Nikolai hissed harshly at Lilli. 'You're not going to die, now stop acting like it's end of the world.'

This didn't help Lilli at all.

'Lilli are you okay?' Diana asked her calmly with a worried look on her face.

'No.' She wheezed out.

'This is more serious then I thought.' Nikolai said himself in shock. 'Is there a phobia for being afraid of being trapped?'

'IS ANYONE STILL OUT THERE?' Diana yelled out.

'YES!' A voice respond.

'THERE'S A REAL SERIOUS PROBLEM!' Diana yelled out in a serious tone. 'WE HAVE A GIRL THAT'S AFRAID OF BEING TRAPPED AND IT'S EXTREMELY SERIOUS SITUATION!'

'Hey, kid.' Lilli looked up at Nikolai whom was looking down at her, but this time he wasn't being a prick. 'Please, hang in there.'

'WE'LL GET YOU GUYS OUT SOON AS POSSIBLE!' The voice yelled through.

'Okay!' Diana said back. 'Don't you worry Lilli. You'll be okay.'

...

Anne and the group ran their way to the elevator that Lilli is presumed to be in. There was a small crowd gathered around it. Carlos was standing there making sure that the trapped people were okay and reassured them.

'LILLI!' Anne yelled in there. 'ARE YOU OKAY?'

'She's hanging in there.' A unfamiliar girl's voice spoke through the elevator. 'The poor girl seemed to be afraid of being trapped.'

'Afraid of being trapped?' Anne asked in a dumbfounded tone.

'Oh! I've heard of that before!' Bianca said. 'I remember studying about phobias in my health class. It's hard to pronounce. It's slightly similar to claustrophobia. Most people with the fear of being trapped are okay entering small rooms or any place as long as they can leave the place. When they do get trapped, then may suffer some breakdowns.'

'What?' Anne asked in shock.

'I don't remember the symptoms.' Bianca said as she guilty on that. 'Sorry.'

'No, Bianca, there's no reason to apologize.' Monika told her calmly.

'She apologizes for stupid things that she didn't do, but she never apologizes for the careless that she does do.' Chiara growled under her breath.

'Chiara, please don't say that.' Matthew said with a frown.

'Does Lilli even know that she has that phobia?' Anne asked herself as she tried to recall something like that. She probably only dealt with she was... damnit! She does act anxious when it comes to going into closets or rooms that are easy to lock from the outside. Why didn't she noticed that sooner?

'Okay! We can open the elevator's door, but we can't move it.' A man that seemed to work there spoke up.

Carlos soon exchanged the news the Lilli and co in the elevator.

'Okay!' Diana called out in return.

The elevator door soon opened up, but they only get to see the elevator only seem to show half way up. Nikolai and Diana can be seen half way through.

'This should be interesting.' Nikolai said as he can see Lilli slowly recover, but still looked anxious and shaky.

'Nikolai, you go first since you're the one with the injured leg.' Diana told him calmly.

'Okay, then princess can go next. Be sure to pass me my crutches once when I'm up.' Nikolai said as he claimed his way up with the help from the others.

'Lilli your turn.' Diana told her.

'Okay.' Lilli felt herself being left to safety.

'LILLI!' Anne hugged tightly as she could. 'I was so worried about you.'

'Thanks, Anne.' Lilli said as she felt herself feel so much better now.

'Happy now princess?'

They turned Nikolai.

'Yes, Nikolai.' Lilli said as she smiled him. 'Thanks, Diana and Nikolai for being there to support me, despite having not much clue to do.'

'No problem.' Diana said with a smile.

'Let's just leave, Lilli.' Anne said to Lilli.

...

'So she has cleithrophobia?' Marie asked the doctor.

Lilli has currently been taken the hospital. Where she and her aunt were checking in what's wrong with her.

Lilli was currently reading a children's book to the younger patients while her aunt talked to her doctor.

'Yes. Based her reactions she seemed to suffer the common physical symptoms of cleithrophobia. Sweating, nausea, dried lips and rapid heart beats.' The doctor explained to Marie. 'She also almost suffered from some physiological symptoms which was a possible anxiety attack.'

Marie's eyes widen in terror. 'Will this ever happen again?'

'As long she stays away from places where she can trapped in. If anything I recommend to give her some meditation or yoga exercises.' The doctor suggested. 'If she ever stumbled into that a situation like that again, then she take those exercises and calm herself.'

'Okay, thanks doctor.'

...

'Yoga classes sounds like a great idea.' Lilli said with a smile on her face.

They were currently in Marie's car driving back from the doctors.

'I'm glad that you like this sweetie.' Marie said calmly as she smiled at Lilli.

They made their way home.

'LILLI!' It was Kiku coming up to her.

'Kiku?' She asked in a curious tone.

'I've heard that you were trapped in a elevator.' Kiku said as he looked worried.

'That's true.' Lilli said calmly as she looked at Kiku. 'I did find myself uncomfortable for a while, but when I was finally out. I felt relieved.'

'Good.' Kiku smiled at her sadly. 'I really need to tell you something.'

'What's that?' Lilli asked in worried tone.

'I... I'm not going to be here when summer ends.' Kiku said sadly as he looked down. 'Alfred and I are going away into a college out of the state.'

'So... you guys are leaving?' Lilli asked him in a sad tone.

'Yes.' Kiku nodded. 'But, we'll be here on holidays and summer. We're going to be extremely busy.'

'It's fine Kiku.' Lilli told him calmly. 'I've understand you.'

'Really? Thanks.' Kiku said with a smile on his face. 'Though, it won't be a while, until I leave. I was hoping we can go out and watch a movie together.'

'I'd love to.' Lilli said as she smiled.

Flashback mode now off!

'That wasn't until you showed up and tagged along.' Erika says in annoyance.

'What?' Anne asks in a confused tone. 'I'd was making sure that he wouldn't do anything to harm you.'

'You made everything more awkward.' Erika says in annoyance.

'You're lucky that he didn't date you until you were in your 20s.' Anne says in annoyance.

'Sometimes you're way worse then Uncle Karl and Aunt Marie competing against Uncle Erwin and Aunt Sarah in a bowling competition.' Erika then adds. 'With Mr Arthur and Mr Francis joining their sides.'

'They did made your job sound uncomfortable.' Anne agrees with Erika on that.

Kenny soon crawled up to them.

'I think that it's time to do a diaper check up.' Erika says as she picked him up.

'That's a lovely way to change the subject.' Anne says in sarcasm.

The door opened and Kiku came in.

'Anne, it's nice to see you.' Kiku says he smiles at his cousin in law or even sometimes in a joking way call her his sister in law.

'It's nice to see you, too.' Anne says back at him.

'Erika and I were talking about how she got trapped in a elevator.' Anne tells him calmly.

'Oh.' Kiku says awkwardly. Why does this woman have to be to so uncomfortable to talk to?

'Hey, Kiku.' Erika says as she came back with Kenny.

'Hello, Erika!' Kiku says he smiles at them. Kenny holds out his arms to Kiku.

'I think that he wants you hold him.' Erika says as she gave him to Kiku.

Kiku smiled as he holds his son, but soon changed into a pained expression. As Kenny took a hand of Kiku's hair.

'He seems to like pulling your hair better then pulled my hair.' Erika giggles at the sight.

'I wonder how that's even possible.' Kiku says uncomfortably as Kenny giggles gleefully.

'That's probably his way of affection on you.' Anne says with a smirk.

Kenny smiles at Kiku's funny reactions as he holds Kiku's hair tightly.

That's it for chapter 12!

What do you think?

Erika's suffer from Cleithrophobia. It's already been explained in this chapter.

Matthew, Carlos, Bianca and Monika are going to the same school as Anne.

Chiara is in the same school as well.

There will some fun flashbacks later on.

Please read and review!