AN: Finally finished another one! I've had finals for the last week or so, so this one took some time to write. But one more day of school and then I'm home free!

Another shout-out to PrussianCake, thanks for your input! And one to ziggy's pop too! I'm glad you enjoy it!

I hope you enjoy~

"He did what?" Alice growled fiercely at the Austrian.

"You heard me," Annaliese mumbled, shame in her voice as she sat down on her living room couch.

The Brit paced back and forth across Annaliese's living room. Her head was in her hand as she shook it slowly in disgust. "This isn't good, Annie. He has absolutely no right to push you into a bloody wall!"

"He was mad, I told you that."

"And you think that gives him reason to do such a thing!?" Alice spat, looking at her with an intense, emerald green glare. "What if he had done more? What if he hurt you!?"

Annaliese couldn't bare looking at Alice any longer. She looked at the ground, tears in her violet eyes. "I-I don't know," she muttered honestly. "I-If he hurt me, I really must have deserved it... Right?"

"Wrong!" Alice snapped, marching over to the brunette and putting a hand on her shoulder. "No one deserves that, no matter what he says or does!" She looked away, shaking her head slowly. "I always knew that man was trouble. That happy little mask he used to wear was just a trap."

"Don't say that!" Annaliese whimpered through her tears. "H-He really is a nice man. H-He was probably just stressed from work again..."

Alice groaned, reaching up to her face and rubbing her temples. "Why do you keep making up bloody excuses for him? He's apparently not as nice and caring as you thought, Annie. You need to accept that and figure out what you're going to do!"

"The hell do you mean? I don't need to do anything."

The Brit huffed, putting her hand back down from her face and glaring at Annaliese. "If he does that bullshit again, you need to think about divorce!"

"D-Divorce!?" Annaliese repeated, disgust in her voice as she looked up with bloodshot eyes at Alice. "I-I can't get a damn divorce!"

"And why the hell not!?"

"Well for one," she began, "it's never going to happen again, so I don't see why I have to jump to such hasty actions."

Alice quivered with frustration, beginning to pace back and forth across the room again. "You don't know that! Once he's already done it a first time, there's no telling what he'll decide to do in the future! You could get seriously hurt!"

Annaliese opened her mouth to argue, but stopped herself. She looked at the ground, shame in her eyes. "I-I... I don't want to leave him though. H-He was the first man I ever fell in love with. My first love. And you expect me to consider leaving him?"

"Well you've done it in the past!"

"You and I both know that my frivolous behavior is something of the past!" she snapped suddenly. "And that doesn't mean the heartbreak doesn't affect me. It means that I didn't let it affect me because I have a commitment issue."

"Well if he gets worse with his sudden anger and violence, giving up your first love will probably be a valid option for you," Alice mumbled, her tone turning softer and filling with concern. "I don't want him to hurt you. You're my best friend, Annaliese, and knowing that you're in possible danger concerns me. A lot."

Annaliese sighed, not daring to look up at the green orbs gazing down at her. "I-I know... And I appreciate that. If it becomes a problem, of course I'll tell you. But until then, or if that time even comes, I'll still be with him."

"All I ask is that you come to me when this gets worse," Alice said sternly, looking down at Annaliese, her arms crossed.

"If this gets worse," she corrected the Brit with a stern look.

Alice sighed, shaking her head slowly. "If this gets worse," she repeated half-heartedly. "Just remember that I'll always be here. If he pulls something at bloody midnight, you know you can call me and I'll be there in two shakes of a lamb's tail."

Annaliese looked up at her friend with shy, violet eyes. "That means a lot, Alice," she breathed, a grateful smile on her face. "But I'm sure we won't have to worry about it. I just felt it was important for you to know."

Alice leaned over the Austrian, hugging her tightly. "And it means the world to me that you were able to tell me something so serious," she breathed, smiling slightly. "Just please tell me if something happens, alright?"

"Alright," Annaliese breathed softly into Alice's shoulder. "I promise."

Alice nodded and pulled back, smiling a wide, toothy grin. "Wonderful! Now since your husband's out, how about you and I go out for some girl's time?"

Annaliese flinched, shaking her head quickly. "N-No thank you!" she squeaked suddenly.

Alice raised a large eyebrow. "Why the hell not?"

"W-Well," Annaliese began quietly, pushing her fingertips together awkwardly, "I'm sort of not allowed out of the house. Orders by Gari."

"Orders?" Alice repeated, crossing her arms again.

Annaliese flinched, waving her hands defensively. "O-Orders is how I put it! N-Not him!" she squeaked. "H-He just really doesn't want me to leave!"

Alice nodded slowly, not convinced. "Well you and I have always snuck out while Gari was away. Why won't you now?"

"I-I don't know," Annaliese mumbled near silently, still playing with her fingertips. "W-When he told me last week, he seemed a lot more serious. I-I really don't think we should test him this time, ja?"

"You've never cared what he said before," Alice grumbled. "I've seen you yell right back at his face for one of his ridiculous requests. Besides, you need this night out more than ever. Let's take a chance like you and I always have!"

The brunette bit her lower lip, an uncomfortable expression on her face. 'B-but... If Gari punishes me,' she thought. "Eh... Of course! T-then we'll go out tonight!"

"Excellent," Alice chirped, clasping her hands together as she began towards the Austrian's walk-in closet. "I'm going to borrow something for tonight, alright?"

Annaliese nodded, slowly standing up from her bed. "T-That's fine," she mumbled quietly. 'He won't know. H-He won't unless I tell him, which I won't do. Why are you suddenly so damn afraid of breaking the rules? Suck it up, Annie!' she hissed internally.

The young woman looked out the window of the limousine and sighed solemnly. Her eyes weren't looking at the outdoor scenery that passed her by, but the faint, worried expression that lay in between the outside world and the comfort of the limousine. 'He won't find out. He won't find out. He won't find out," she repeated quickly in her head, her foot quickly tapping on the floorboard from her overwhelming anxiety.

Alice blinked, looking over at the Austrian's foot. She groaned quietly as she reached over, pushing her leg down to where it couldn't move. "Would you knock it off?" she snapped bitterly.

Annaliese squeaked, looking wide-eyed at the Brit. "I-I'm sorry!" she squeaked, a bit of panic in her voice. "I-I'm trying to calm down, I really am!"

"Well try harder!"

"I can't just stop feeling like this!" Annaliese snapped suddenly, her expression turning from scared to anger in an instant. "It would make sense if it was you in my place, but since you're not, you shouldn't be so rude to me!"

Alice flinched, taking her hand back from the leg beside her. "A-Annie!" she stammered, not sure where her friend's sudden anger had come from. "I-I'm sorry! I'm just looking forward to a good night and your constant paranoia is bringing down my own mood."

Annaliese huffed, crossing her arms bitterly in Alice's direction. "Oh, so this is all about your fun and not the fact that I'm scared of getting caught?" she growled harshly. "How inconsiderate!"

Alice paused for a moment, then her eyes grew wide. "O-Oh god! I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it like that, I swear!" she squeaked out desperately. "I-I swear!"

"Well if you don't mean to be so rude, then don't say those things in the first place!" Annaliese snapped, reaching for the handle of the limousine.

Alice scared wide-eyed at her hand, reaching out slightly. "Annie," she said sternly, reaching out more. "W-What are you doing?"

The Austrian pushed open the door suddenly as the limousine stopped, stepping out onto the sidewalk of 5th Street. "Take the limo wherever you damn well please," she spat. "I'll meet up with you later." She looked back as she slammed the door shut, the last thing she saw being the Brit's shocked and confused expression.

Annaliese sighed, pulling her white, fur coat over her slender shoulders as she began down the sidewalk. 'The hell is wrong with me? Alice says that sort of thing constantly and it never bothers me,' she thought sadly, pulling her coat up further and snuggling her cheek into the soft fur. 'Something's just not right… I just wish I knew what.'

The soft clicking of her high heels on the street could softly be heard past the mumble of the city. Light smog dampened her view of the city as she walked down the familiar street. 'Isn't there a bar around here?' she thought, looking down the street at a brightly lit building a block away. 'I think I'll stop in for a drink or two…' She sighed. 'Maybe more…'

Annaliese pushed open the door to see a near empty bar, had it only being 4 o'clock in the evening. She looked around to see a blonde man sitting at the counter, obviously already drunk. He was singing loudly and obnoxiously, the alcohol completely consuming him and his actions.

The Austrian rolled her eyes at the sight, blowing a bit of hair out of her eyes as she approached the counter. She sat down a few seats over from the drunken man, tapping her forefinger on the countertop. "Where's the damn bartender?" she grumbled half to herself, taking her free hand and beginning to rub her temples.

"Takin' a wicked piss," came the slurred voice from across the bar.

Annaliese flinched and looked over her shoulder at the blonde. "Eh… Thank you, I suppose," she muttered awkwardly, looking away in an attempt to stop any conversation from beginning.

A short silence took over the room, before Annaliese felt a tap on her shoulder, making her squeak as she turned around. "What's the big idea-"

"You're hot," the blonde cut her off, smiling a stupid, drunken grin.

Annaliese lowered her eyebrows, clearly not amused by his attitude towards her. "Thank you," she growled through bared teeth, "but I really don't care."

The man chuckled oddly, reaching out his right hand at the Austrian. "The name's Mathias," he slurred, smirking a bit.

"Eh… Annaliese," she mumbled quietly, pushing his hand back with her forefinger. "And not to be rude, but I'd really prefer that you'd stop talkin-"

"Annaliese is your name?" he cut in for the second time. He tapped his chin a bit with a finger, leaning closer to the woman with his eyes intensely focused on her. "Why the hell is that so fuckin' familiar?"

Annaliese looked at the wall of wines across the counter, awkwardly grabbing her arm. "Could you please stay back? I really like my personal space."

"Mathias! Down!" a man yelled from behind the counter, laughing a bit. "Sorry about him, missy. He's trashed-…" He froze, his face turning an embarrassed red as he saw the face of the woman, who looked up at him with soft eyes. "O-Oh! It's you, sweet cheeks!" he chirped happily, laughing an odd, awkwardly laugh.

The Austrian smiled a bit, her face turning a soft pink. "Hallo… Eh… Gilbert is it?" she asked, which was responded to with a slight nod by the German. "Great to see you again, and your," she looked to Mathias, who was now face-first down on the counter and laughing, "friend…"

Gilbert laughed his odd laugh a bit more, putting his hand in his pockets and shrugging. "Yeah… He usually doesn't get like this, but I guess he kinda just let himself go, the fuckin' idiot," he teased his friend quietly, who obviously wasn't listening.

"That's fine," Annaliese mumbled into a soft giggle, smiling happily. 'I'm so glad I ditched Alice,' she thought. "Beer does that, I suppose."

"So what bring you here so early, sweet cheeks?" Gilbert asked softly, leaning over the counter in front of her.

Annaliese flushed a bit, smiling shyly up at the German. "Well, I really needed away from my friends, and… Things that have been bothering me," she muttered, looking down on her hands, which were set on the counter between them.

"What's been bothering you, Annie?" he cooed softly, his red eyes twinkling with a soft, comforting feeling.

The woman couldn't help but giggle, putting a hand softly on her lips. "It's nothing you'd really want to hear me talk about," she breathed.

"Try me."

"Well, best friend and I just had a bit of a falling out." She paused. "Actually, I left her in my limo and ditched her just a few minutes ago," she admitted with an awkward chuckle, putting her face into her hand.

Gilbert laughed aloud, shaking his head slowly as he laughed. "Woah, girly," he teased into his laughter. "You can't go and do that to her. If it's the same girl from the other night, than you're probably going to have to rescue her from a random bar across town!"

"Mein Gott, don't I know it," she muttered, laughing a bit harder. "Alice is going to kill me whenever I find her… Or probably when she wakes up tomorrow."

The German couldn't help but laugh, grabbing one of Mathias's mugs and beginning to clean it. He was internally furious at his friend, who was supposed to be his wingman for this situation, but was instead passed out drunk on the counter. "So you two are just pissed at each other or what?"

"Ja… I was upset about," she trailing off and cleared her throat. "Eh… Something… And she was being rude about the entire situation."

Gilbert shook his head slowly, sighing. "Jeeze… That blows, little missy. But I'm sure that she'll either get over it or be nicer in the future." He shrugged. "Either way, things will probably get better for you two's friendship."

A smile worked its way onto Annaliese lips. "Ja," she breathed softly. "Ja, I'm sure you're right. You have such a way with words, Gilbert…"

"Aww," Gilbert cooed in a teasing tone. "Thanks, sweet cheeks. That means a lot."

Annaliese giggled again, looking into the German's soft, ruby red eyes as she twirled her thumbs together in her lap. 'Alice was right... When I'm around him, I really do act like a stupid little schoolgirl…' she thought, sighing internally.

Gilbert chuckled a bit, looking over at Mathias and poking his arm. "Man, I really have to take this guy home," he mumbled into a sigh. "He doesn't have any family that could come and get him, so I kinda take care of him when he's drunk."

Annaliese rolled her eyes at the Dane on the counter. "Poor guy," she half-teased, reaching over and patting his back. "I suppose I'll leave then-…"

"No!" Gilbert said suddenly, reaching his hand out towards the now standing Austrian. "I-I mean… Why not come with me?"

"To go drop a drunk man off at his house?"

Gilbert face-palmed, shaking his head. "W-Well, I mean… We can drop him off, then go out and do something. It's early on a Thursday night and," his face burned a bright red, "I-I really wanna take you out. Like… On a date."

Annaliese froze, her face turning a bright red. 'I-I'm a married woman! Married!' she thought. Suddenly, the word Alice had mention early popped into her head, making her blood run cold. 'D-Divorce.' She flinched, tapping her foot quickly on the ground from her internal stress. 'N-No!... I-I love Gari. I really do. Divorce is not an option. B-But… Dinner wouldn't be bad. A-At least I don't think so."

After an awkwardly long silence, Annaliese smiled up at the waiting German, her face a flattered pink. "J-Ja!" she half-squeaked, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "W-We can go out to dinner or something." 'Why the hell did I just say that!?'

"Awesome!" chirped Gilbert, smiling a toothy grin down at the Austrian. "Anywhere you want, I'll take ya!"

Annaliese smiled uneasily, putting her hands together in front of her legs. "W-Wonderful!" The woman had to stop herself from shaking from fear. 'Oh mein Gott... I'm damn cheating on my husband.'