Chapter 2: Together, We Face This War

Three days passed, the time Alfred must go to Europe and MacArthur to Australia was probably one of the saddest moments in Clara's life. At the night of his departure, she woke up (a mosquito bit her) and looked for Alfred. He was nowhere to be found. She panicked, of course. In haste, she hurriedly fixed her hair and ran outside to find him. Alas, she reached Manila Bay and found Alfred and MacArthur ready to depart. "KUYAAA! KUYA ALFRED! W-WAIT!" She tried to call Alfred's attention and luckily, she did. "Cl-Clara?" With no second wasted, she ran to him and hugged him tightly. "Kuya... You'll return... for me... right?" Clara said while crying and tightening her grip on his jacket. Not far from them was MacArthur, vowing his famous speech to the Filipinos. "... I shall return and vows to repel any Japanese invasion the moment I return." With his vow, the Filipinos had a spark of hope within their hearts. While Clara was awfully sad that Alfred would leave. Alfred looked at her and held her hands. "You heard what MacArthur said? I promise you, Clara. I shall return." Clara still has tears flowing in her cheeks and her eyes. So, she tried to smile with all her heart. "Yeah. You'd better return". And from a distant, Australia was running to Alfred. "Alfred! You didn't told me you were about to leave! Oh hey, Clara!" Australia cheerfully said to the saddened couple. "Kuya Austria... I am sorry if I am a burden to you. Please-" The two nations stopped the female nation to correct her. "It's AUSTRALIA, Clara." They both said. "W-well... sorry about that, kuya AUS-TRA-LI-A" The Australian chuckled. "Don't worry about it, young lass! As your big bro, I'll protect yah! Just what I promised to Alfred." Clara smiled. "Thanks." Later, Alfred left with MacArthur before Japan had seen them.

"Come on, Claire. We don't want to see the Axis slacking in your house, aye?" Clara agreed, still flustered. Australia tried to cheer her up by carrying her, bridal style. "W-wait, k-kuya! Please! No need to carry me... I-I can walk!" Clara blushed like, totally. (Poland possessed me). Instead of putting her down, he continued to walk to her house. Alas they reached her house. With shocked faces, the Axis has beaten them into it. "O-ohayo, Firipinzu-san." Kiku nervously said. While Feli was eating pasta, Ludwig wasn't sure that Kiku is alright. All he knows, Kiku's boss forced him to do this. Aussie placed Clara down. Clara went to Kiku to slap him but Ludwig stopped her. "I am very sorry, Miss Clara, but that's quite informal of you." Clara glared at him. "Why in the damn is it informal?" Aussie flinched this time. "Let her go, Doitsu-san." Kiku pleaded. Clara looked at him. 'He's invading me and defending me?'. "Why are you defending me? You're supposed to be invading me! I know that there's a reason behind this, kuya Kiku! I just know!" Kiku placed his gaze down. "Ve~ Clara... You don't have to talk to Kiku like that~ I mean... his boss just forced him to do this, ve~" Clara's eyes widened when she heard this. Then she transferred her gaze to Feli. Then to Kiku. "Please tell me it was true." Kiku looked away from her. "I-it was all a lie." From the way he said it, it was like forcing the words out of his mouth. "B-but Kiku!" Feli protested. Clara got confused now. She does not who to believe in. But she knows that neither Feli nor Kiku can lie! "Kuya! Don't you dare lie!" Clara warned him.

"I-I swear! It was a lie!"

"How could you do this to me, then?" Clara's eyes were now filled with tears. Kiku simply turned away from her. "Lock her in her room. You'll have to follow anything me and my companions order you." Now, every nation in the house was shocked. "Th-that's not really you, Kiku." Aussie and Feli both said. Ludwig was speechless and so was Clara. "Wh-what?". As what Kiku ordered, a bunch of Japanese soldiers got hold of her but luckily, Aussie grabbed her and ran as fast as they could away from her house. "F-faster, Clara!" While running fast, they tried to hide in the underground tunnels where other soldiers are hiding. "Miss Clara!" Everyone said and welcomed her. "Are you okay? Japanese forces had attacked us!" One of the soldiers said. Clara nodded sadly. Australia saw the sadness in her eyes and every soldier in the hideout. They all knew that this was going to be a long bloody war.

MONTHS PASSED~

War is still on in the Philippines. Like everyone expected, this was the bloodiest war in Philippine history. Men died for their country, women were captured and were raped and children were slaughtered. No mercy was shown to the Filipinos. Not even a pinch. Clara saw this all with Australia. She was war-torned like her country. And so was Australia. "H-how could he do this?" Clara silently asked herself. "HOW COULD KUYA KIKU DO SUCH THING?" Clara then felt her knees numb and kneeled with her hands on her face. She was crying hard. Aussie patted her head and comforted her. 'This was harder than I thought it would be.' He thought. Out of the blue, his phone rang. And hurriedly, he answered it. "G'day. Aussie here." He greeted. "Dude! How's Clara?" A familiar American voice was heard. "Wanna hear something funny? She's DYING, mate! When in the bloody hell are you going to return? Will you return if she DIES?" Aussie sarcastically said. "Whoa, dude. Hold you horses. My boss won't let me 'till I finish my job here!" Clara was practically confused. I mean, Australia was yelling like a sicko. "Um, kuya? Who are you talking to?" Aussie glanced back at her. "Please hold, you bugger. Uh... It's Alfred, Clara!" Clara's eyes beamed and ran to him in haste. "Can I talk to him!" She excitedly asked. Aussie nodded and gave his phone to her. "K-kuya! Are you okay? How are you!" Clara was back in her worry-wart self. Alfred chuckled in the other line. "Same old you. I am perfectly fine. How about you? Aussie told me you are dying!" Alfred asked, more seriously this time. Clara laughed softly and glanced at Aussie. He was looking at the war torned country. Clara frowned. "I am fine but my country..." Clara paused to take a peek at her land once more.

"I know that you're land is wrecked, Clara. B-but I can't return yet. But I will!"

"I-I know you will..." Clara started to feel tears in her cheeks. She was crying. And her trembling voice was heard on the other line. Alfred got worried now. "Please don't cry. I'll return as I fast as I can. I swear." Clara, sensing the other nation's sincerity, smiled and nodded. "Of course. You're the hero, right?" This calmed him a bit and returned to his normal self. "Yeah. I am the hero." Surprisingly, he didn't yell this time. Instead, he simply said it. "Remember your promise, okay? I am counting on you! And... I bet you're busy so I'll have to hang up, 'kay?" Clara said without a hint of sadness. "Wait! I haven't told you 'this' yet so um... ah...uh...I...I..." Alfred was stuttering. Clara was still waiting.

"Yes?"

"Um... I-I..."

"..."

"ILOVEYOU! THAT'S ALL!" Clara was shocked and sweat-dropped. "Did you just say 'I love you', kuya?" She innocently asked. "Um...Y-yes!" It was quite obvious he was blushing there. Clara smiled softly. "I love you too, kuya." She replied. Alfred let out a shocked laugh. "Really? I-I mean... yeah... bye." And he hanged up. The smile still plastered in her face as she returned the phone to Aussie. "You seem happy. He said it right?" Clara looked at him. "Yeah. But not for the first time..." Aussie laughed softly. "Sometimes, he just can't express his feelings directly and verbally." Clara blushed and looked down. "V-verbally?" He looked at her confused. "What do you mean by that?" Clara looked at him now, still blushing. "H-he can't express his feelings verbally but only in actions?" Aussie stared at her then, finally realized it. "N-not that way! I mean he does kiss you and all, b-but... it's not 'that' but... yeah..." Clara smiled awkwardly and punched his gut playfully. "Don't think of 'this' and 'that' about us, okay?" She smiled like Ivan (You know... kolkolkolkolkolkol) and that petrified him.

LATER~

"Minna-san! Gather up! I have devised a plan to capture Firipinzu-san." Kiku ordered to his fellowmen. While rest of the Axis was surely worried of him. "Ve~ Ludwig. I am kinda worried at Kiku~" Feli said worriedly. Ludwig simply looked at his ally and sighed. "I am as worried as you, Feliciano." And they returned to observing Kiku. He was guiding and instructing the soldiers. "Then, catch her using this net..." Kiku was still demonstrating on how to use the said weapon. The soldiers just watched him intently. A little later, "Understood?" He finally said. "Hai, Nihhon-sama!" Everyone replied then bowed and left. Kiku went to his allies. "Gomenasai, Doitsu-san and Italia-kun... that I was acting weird for the past few months." He bowed down at them. Feli patted his back in comfort. "Ve~ Kiku, why did you lie to Clara? She was so sad you know." He looked away and decided not to answer Feli's question. "Eh... Kiku~?" Ludwig watched him sternly. "G-gomen, Italia-kun but I can't answer that yet. It's too personal." Then, he walked away. The sad face still plastered in Feli's face. "What'll happen now?" Ludwig simply nodded his head. "I have to go. There's still war in Europe against the Allied Forces." Ludwig excused himself. Feli stood up and got his white flag. "Ve~ me too!"

Hey all! If the update was too long to come out... I am so sorry! *bows down rapidly* I forgot to warn you guys that this fic is historically based. So, it's kind of a history lesson~ And... it too dramatic too! I mean, I am breaking the law of Hetalia! The answer for that is that my cousin /forced/ me to write this. So... please forgive me! And enjoy this chapter~