I have no idea what to put here so, enjoy the chapter.

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Feliciano watched Ludwig from across the breakfast table the next day. Earlier that week he had been surprised when the German had gone off for a meeting in Canada to discuss trade and come back happier than he had seen him in decades. He understood now. After yesterday's meeting he had put all the pieces together. Despite what the other nations thought Feliciano was far from being a simpleton. Sure he didn't usually try to make himself seem smart, actually it was the opposite. He tried to make people think he was a simpleton. Why? It was easier to survive. People tended to take pity on you if they thought you were stupid. But back to the anxious German sitting across from him. Feliciano had noticed when Ludwig had come back from that meeting so happy that he didn't even scold him for making a mess of the kitchen while he was gone. Feliciano didn't know why Canada had done it, but he was thankful to the Canadian for saving Prussia from the death he had been sentenced to. Yes, Feliciano was certain, despite what they may claim for the others, that that had been the one and only Prussia. He wondered if Ludwig would tell him that it was his brother but he doubted it. This seemed like one of those secrets that he would not be trusted with.

"Ludwig?"

"Hmm." The German doesn't even look up from the papers he is going over for the meeting that day, "What is it Feli?"

"Is everything alright?"

The German nearly does a double take at the seriousness in his friend's voice when he asks that question. He looks up at the Italian. Why is it that even after all these years he still manages to catch him completely off guard and surprise him. The first time had been all those years ago when Gilbert first disappeared and Feliciano had been there, comforting him and doing what he could to make the other overcome the loss. Truth be told, Ludwig felt bad for keeping the truth of Prussia's non-death from his friend but the Italian had the worst track record with keeping secrets. Just look at what happened when they had been captured by the allies, Feliciano had just run off at the mouth spouting all his secrets to the enemy. Ok so the secrets he had spilled had been embarrassing but harmless, but still.

"I'm fine Feli. Just tense about the meeting. These states might cause a disruption." He goes back to his paperwork, missing the Italian's frown.

A chair scraps across the floor as Feliciano stands suddenly and walks around to Ludwig. He grabs his arm and pulls him up, only managing it due to the shock of the German, before dragging him off and down a few halls to a secluded closet and shoving him inside before going in himself and shutting the door. "Ludwig, I'm not stupid." The German stares in mute shock at the statement. "You're worried about Gilbert."

"Was!" The German nearly screeches before getting himself under control and replying, "Feli, what makes you think that? Gilbert's been gone for decades."

"Well for starters you said that a lot more composed than you would have just a week ago. Also I know you had a meeting with Canada last week and you came back from it happier than you've been in decades."

Feliciano had his eyes fully open and was staring the German down, daring him to deny it.

"I," Ludwig looks his friend over, he had never seen him so serious, "You're right, I am worried about bruder."

Feliciano smiles brightly, going back to his bubbly self. "Ve~, I knew you were but you don't need to worry so much Ludwig. I'm sure Canada wouldn't have done this if he thought he would be in danger."

"Ja." Then something the Italian is saying strikes him as odd. "Hey, Feli?"

"Ci. What is it Ludwig?"

"How are you able to remember who Canada is? Even I've been having trouble with it."

"Ve~. Is that all? Its not that hard really. I never forget the scary people and I remember him from the war. Canadians are scarier than Russia in war."

Ludwig blinks. Wait, what? The shy young man he met couldn't be someone that the Italian honest feared more than Russia. "Feli..." He is interrupted from asking further by the Italian checking his watch and gasping, "Ludwig we're going to be late!" And then he finds himself dragged from the closet and being pulled towards the meeting room.

The meeting of the G8 was taking place that morning and Gilbert found himself forced to hang out with his 'cousins'. It had been Alfred's idea that He spend time with others like himself and what better way to do so than to go site seeing with them. Of course the older states had objected and most opted to stay behind and do whatever at the hotel so Gilbert found himself with Ohio, Alaska and Hawaii traversing New York and taking in the sites. Which is also how he found himself looking up at Lady Liberty from the grounds around her base.

"I always thought she was bigger." It was Alaska, she had apparently sidled up next to him without him noticing.

"Seems right to me." GIlbert then scrunched up his face a bit as his vision spins a bit and he is hit by a sudden memory. He was standing next to France and they were watching some artist working on a model for a larger statue that France had asked him to make, the two had come by to check on its progress. 'Pruessen, it will be magnifique. Amerique will love it, non?' The him in the memory had nodded and said something along the lines of agreeing. Getting a good look at the sculpture being worked on he saw it was the model for the Lady Liberty.

Shaking his head to clear it GIlbert smiles up at the towering statue. "Yep seems just like it was meant to be."

Alaska give him a curious look at his odd comment and behavior but is unable to voice anything when Ohio calls them over to her. They had brought a picnic lunch and were going to be eating it beneath the Lady. New Prussia quickly makes his way over to the other two, plopping down and leaving her standing there, staring after him.

Little did the group of states/regions know but they had been followed. Natalia stood far enough away to not be noticed but close enough to keep an eye on the group. Her brother had asked her to do so, he seemed overly interested in Alaska and New Prussia and she wasn't happy about it. Perhaps he just wanted them in the same way he had the Baltics. Yes, that must be it. After all soon all would become one with Russia and who better to start with than a couple of not quite grown nation wannabes.

She continued to watch the four eat their lunch and waited for an opportunity to present itself so she might grab one of them to take back to her brother. He would be so proud of her. Yes and then he would marry her.

Gilbert felt a shudder run up his spin as though he felt someone watching him and looks around. At first glance everything seems fine and he tries to dismiss the feeling but it doesn't go away. Looking around again he spots pale blonde hair topped by a white bow. Gulping he tries to figure out why that sight seems so familiar when he gets another memory, this one a bit more terrifying than the earlier one. A girl with pale blonde hair and white bow atop her head, wearing a blue dress with a white apron, is standing before him glaring. In her hand she held a knife threateningly. He took a step back and she lunged towards him. 'This is for hurting brother.'

Gilbert drops his sandwich onto his lap at the short but violent memory, the others stare at him.

"New Prussia, are you alright?" Ohio watches him with kind eyes, confused but also concerned. For a moment there the boy had been looking around like he expected the bogeyman to jump out at them before he froze, paled(more than he already was) and dropped his lunch. It was strange and she wondered why he was acting so strange.

"Oh, uh. Nothing, nothing. Just uh, maybe we should head back. They should be done with the meeting by now, right?"

New Prussia was gathering his scattered sandwich back into its baggy and moving to pack up, he seemed nervous and it didn't go passed Ohio's notice. "New Prussia, is something wrong?"

He pauses in his hasty packing of their lunch before responding and picking up the task at a slightly more leisurely pace, "We're being followed." Its quiet and Ohio almost doesn't catch it, but she does and begins to help him pack things up. If they were being followed it could mean trouble. It wasn't unheard of for humans to target their kind with schemes for kidnapping, but it also wasn't unheard of for other nations to try to get each other to agree to things they may not want to agree to by kidnapping them also. Alfred had made sure to warn his states of this before the conference, with a reminder that morning before they went out.

Once everything had been packed back up the headed for the ferry back to the city, Ohio instructing the other to all hold hands. Hawaii was the only one that objected but he eventually gave in when Ohio gave him that look that told him it was not up for debate. They made it back tot he hotel fine and got into the elevator. Just as the doors were closing someone joined them. Ohio thought she recognized her as one of the other Nations but they hadn't been introduced, she wouldn't have thought anything of it if New Prussia hadn't suddenly tightened his grip on her hand. The boy seemed nervous about being so close to the other nation. Ohio reaches towards the button panel to hit their floor but is beat to it by the other woman. The pale blonde doesn't hit their floor but when Ohio tries to hit the proper floor she is stopped again by the woman, this time with a knife.

"I would very much like it if you children would come with me to meet my brother. He very much wants to meet you."

Short but I can't figure out where to go next exactly, so cliff hanger so I actually have something for the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed, please review.

Oh and sorry for the long wait on the update, I was busy throwing a party yesterday for Gilbert. His birthday was yesterday.