AN: Hello darlings~ I wrote this chapter pretty fast, and this update was a lot faster than future ones are probably going to be... ^^; But yaaay! I finished! Motivation! :3 The first half is from Gilbert's P.O.V. and it switches back to Annaliese back for the second half! Some dramatic stuff happens and I'm pretty happy about how this chapter ended up! Oh! And Denmark joins the cast!

And a shoutout to PrussianCake~ Thanks so much for your review and I'm so glad you like my fic! X3

Enjoy~

Gilbert blinked, his red eyes clouding with sadness as he watched Annaliese walk out the front door. He sighed, picking up the hundred dollar bill and stuffing it in his pocket. 'I didn't even get her number,' he thought sadly. 'I don't even want this money. I wasn't gonna make her pay.'

A blonde man sitting across the counter tilted his head up at Gilbert. "Uh… Gilbro? You alright?" he asked loudly, concern in his voice.

Gilbert jerked out of his trance, looking at the man with the fakest of smiles on his lips. "Oh! Haha! Yeah, Mathias! I'm good."

Mathias raised an eyebrow, beer in hand. "Gilbert. Bro. I know you, and you're definitely not okay."

"So what if I'm not!?" Gilbert snapped defensively, refusing to look the Dane in the eye. "Why do you gotta go and make me admit that shit? It's so unmanly."

Mathias sighed, setting down his mug next to the three empty mugs already on the counter in front of him. "Hey, woah bro. Calm down and tell 'ole Matt what's botherin' ya."

Gilbert let out a long, drawn out sigh. He looked around the bar for his brother before leaning over the counter in front of his friend. "Did you see that group of hot babes that just left?"

"Oh yeah! Damn, they were sexy!"

"Yeah… Well… I was really diggin' that brunette… But then, they just left without warning," he explained quietly.

Mathias flinched, shaking his head slowly at his friend. "Awww, man. Dude, that's rough."

"Don't I know it," he grumbled, resting his head down onto the cold countertop. "Like, she just upped and left! Who knows if I'm gonna see her again!"

The Dane raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms slowly. "Dude, there are so many hotter chicks that go through this place. You'll get a better hook-up."

"But that's the thing! I didn't feel like I just wanted a hook-up," he muttered into a sigh. "I really liked her, but now she's just gone!"

Mathias inhaled through his teeth, making a pained hissing sound. "Gilbert… That's not good."

"Well why the hell not?"

"I dunno," he mumbled quietly, grabbing his arm awkwardly. "You and I have always been more of the 'lone wolf' type… Commitment has never been our thing."

"Well maybe it's worth a try," Gilbert shot back at his friend. "Annaliese made me feel something, you know? I've never really felt that with someone before that made me feel that before."

A sigh from Mathias.

"Don't think I'm crazy! I just have a feeling that I need to go after her. I don't think that's a feeling most people just stumble upon, so I gotta go after her," he explained, standing up straight as he began to grab the various mugs from Mathias.

The Dane sighed, shaking his head back and forth, looking down at his crossed arms. "You do know that that means our bachelor days are over, right?"

"Ja. I know," he mumbled sadly.

"And you're that willing to end the good times?"

Gilbert shrugged, cleaning the first of many mugs. "Not really… But that doesn't mean that we can't party like we used to… And that's only if Annaliese wants me. She was a high-class lady! She can do a lot better than me if she wants."

Mathias's expression softened, sighing as he relaxed his tense composure. "Hey… Don't think that… I'm sure she's into you. You just gotta stay positive, bro!" he chirped happily, letting out his obnoxious laugh.

"Yeah," Gilbert muttered, a smile making its way onto his face. "Yeah, you're right!"

"That's the spirit!"

The German laughed a bit, his signature smirk on his lips. "You're just gonna have to be my wingman, alright?"

Mathias nodded sternly. "Not a problem, bro! I'll make you sound fuckin' awesome!"

"But I /am/ fuckin' awesome!" he chirped, his hands on his hips.

"Yeah," the Dane mumbled quietly. "But you're also lazy, loud, obnoxious, crazy, and a drunk."

Gilbert's expression fell. "You're gonna suck as my wingman, dude."

Mathias laughed loudly, slumping back down onto his bar stool. "I'm just fuckin' with you, bro. I'm a kickass wingman! Next time we find her, I'll make her fall in love with your awesomeness!"

Gilbert froze, sadness returning in his eyes. He slumped back down onto the counter. "But that's just it," he muttered, desperation in his voice. "We don't know if I'll ever even see her again..."

"Hey," Mathias mumbled, reaching up and patting his friend lightly on the back. "What did I just say about positivity?"

Gilbert groaned, glaring up at the Dane. "But it's true! I'm probably never going to see her again. She was a high-class chick! She can do a lot better than a fucking bartender."

Mathias shrugged, running his finger around the top of his nearly empty mug. "That might be true, but you gotta at least go for it. You don't get anywhere without at least a little effort."

"I guess you're right."

"Damn right I'm right!" Mathias repeated loudly, a cocky grin on his face. "Now I suggest you stay positive and get your girl! No matter how long it takes!"

A smile slowly made its way onto the German's face. "Yeah... Yeah! You're right!" He smiled wide, puffing his chest out a bit. "I'm gonna get that girl. I'm gonna fuckin' do it!"

"Well, unless she's taken."

Gilbert lowered his eyebrows and glared at his friend. "You're not helping, fuck ass."

"Just sayin'!" Mathias squeaked defensively.

"Ja, well, shut up!"

Mathias nodded. "How 'bout I come every night with you to work? I can keep an eye out for her and we'll find her in no time!"

Gilbert raised an eyebrow, slowly crossing his arms as he looked down at the man across the counter. "What are you talking about? You practically do come in every night."

"Well now, I'll be here every fuckin' night!" He squinted his eyes shut as he laughed loudly. "It's gonna rock! Beer every night, bro! Every damn night!"

The German rolled his ruby red eyes and slowly shook his head. "And you're calling me the drunk," he teased, laughing a bit.

Mathias shot a playful glare at his friend, setting his beer down after taking a big swig. "Well anyway… What's the plan to get your girl?" he asked, looking seriously into the red eyes in front of him.

"Well I dunno," Gilbert mumbled awkwardly. "I guess we kind of just wait for her to come back… If she'll come back, that is."

"Positivity."

"Right. She'll be back."He sighed internally. 'Maybe…'

The creak of the door echoed through the large manor as a tired Annaliese crept inside. She turned back, making sure no noise was made as the large door shut. 'I wasn't supposed to be out so late,' she thought worriedly. 'Maybe Gari's asleep and I can sneak in bed.' She held her breath as she tip-toed across the living room to the hallway.

A light flicked on, illuminating the entire front room and the figure trying to sneak in.

"Hello, Annaliese," came a stern voice from the chair across the room.

Annaliese winced, looking over at the man with a worried expression. "O-Oh!" she barely squeaked out. "H-Hello, Gari. I was just heading to bed-"

"Where have you been?" he demanded, anger darkening his words.

The woman sighed, grabbing her arm as she shamefully looked down at her feet. "With the girls… You knew that."

"Yes, but I also knew you were going to be home over an hour ago," Gari grumbled, making air quotes with his fingers when he said 'knew.'

"Well, I'm home now-"

"Over an hour late," he growled, his cold eyes staring through the woman.

Annaliese flinched, her face turning red from shame. "I-I know… And I'm so sorry, Gari. I really am…"

"This," Gari began, standing from his chair and slowly walking over to their fireplace. "This is why I don't let you out with your friends. They keep you out all night and encourage you to disobey me!"

Annaliese shook her head, waving her hands in front of her defensively. "N-No! That wasn't it at all! T-They didn't encourage me to do anything!" she explained quickly.

"Then why the hell are you back so late!?" he snapped, shooting a sharp glare over his shoulder at the Austrian.

The woman looked up at Gari with wide eyes, taking a small step backwards. "I-I don't know! I-It just took longer than I expected!" she squeaked, stammering wildly as she tried to get her words out.

Gari huffed, shaking his head as he looked back at the mantle of their fireplace. "I'm not letting you out," he growled. "Not for a long time. Not after what you just pulled."

"What I just pulled?" Annaliese repeated, disgust in her voice. "I came home a little late! What's the big deal?"

"The big deal!?"Gari snapped, beginning across the room towards the Austrian. "The big deal is that I told you to be home at a certain time and you blatantly disregarded me!"

Annaliese flinched, slowly taking steps away from her husband. "B-But-"

"But nothing!" he snarled. "I'm not letting you leave this goddamn house again, do you hear me!?

Annaliese gasped as she hit her back against the wall behind her, looking with startled eyes at the angered Hungarian that stood before her. "Y-You can't just do that to me! You can't tell me what to do! I-I'm not… I'm not your damn prisoner!"

Gari reached forward, grabbing a hold of the top of Annaliese's dress to yank her forward. "No, but you're my wife and you'll do what I say," he hissed through his teeth.

The woman quivered in her husband's firm grip, grabbing his wrists in a weak attempt to pull away. "G-Gari!" she gasped, not sure what to do as fear began to consume her.

He leaned forward, forcefully putting their lips together in a firm kiss. He pulled her forward, not letting her go until he was finished. He released her dress and pushed her chest, breaking away the kiss by pushing her hard against the wall.

Annaliese gasped, falling against the wall down to her knees. She stared with wide eyes at the man who walked off. 'T-The hell just happened?'

"You've had your warning," Gari snarled, walking down the hallway to their bedroom. "Be in bed in the next hour."

Annaliese sat against the wall, watching with wide eyes as Gari disappeared from her sight. She trembled, afraid to move from her place on the floor. 'H-How… How did he just do that?" she thought, frozen in place. 'H-He's never tried hurting me before… W-We only fought verbally… T-That's it!'

She quivered more as she slowly got to her feet, holding onto the wall as she stood. She walked to the hallway slowly, her feet wobbling as she walked. 'M-Mein Gott. I-If it gets worse…' She shuttered, shaking her head as she stopped in her place in the middle of the hall. 'I-It won't… I'm sure it won't.' A thought suddenly occurred to her, making her sighed quietly. 'But… I was going out next week during his business trip… Gott, if he finds out that I was gone during that time, who knows what he'll do.' Annaliese reached up and put her hand over her now torn dress, sighing. 'But, I really want to go. I-It'll be worth it… Right?" she asked herself internally, as if she were trying to convince herself.

The woman put her face into the palm of her free hand, tears beginning to fall from her eyes as she began to shake her head slowly. 'I-If I make this worse though, who knows what'll happen." She groaned quietly, taking the first step down the hallway to her waiting husband. 'I have time to think before then… Don't stress yourself out, Annaliese. Everything will turn out fine… R-Right?'