MW: One of the quickest updates yet. I really cranked this one out and, in doing so, I did not reply to anyone's messages. If there is a personal PM you sent me or a review you left: have no fear. I know it's there. I will reply to it once I get my art supplements done.

Chapter 10 is a historically unpopular chapter. No matter what I do, people tend to lose interest (or at least, stop reviewing) around that time. Therefore, I'm going to just calmly remind you all that if there is a problem with the story, tell me so that I can fix it. Silence does not tell me what I exactly I did wrong. If you have nothing to say, the least you can do is express your interest in the story I mentioned the previous if I sound annoyed, but it is midnight right now and that stupid art supplement has me stressed. Super sorry! I'm not mad at you guys, just the college system!

Special shout out to the people who did review: HoneyBeeGirl94, NotSilentAnymore, and Isuckatreviewing. As I mentioned before, I will reply to your reviews soon.

I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.

Chapter Summary: Now back in our present time, our trusty heroes discover that they only have a short amount of time to figure out a plan to fix what they messed up before.

Warnings: Swearing, violence, blood.

~Chapter 11~

What Your Reflection Really Shows

"And thus I clothe my naked villainy with odd old ends stol'n out of holy writ; And seem a saint, when most I play the devil."

― William Shakespeare, British Poet and Playwright

The Fanboy: December 31st

I tripped over my own feet as I swayed to the side. I caught myself on the back of the cold street bench, hissing as I pinched the bridge of my nose. The beginnings of a migraine drilled into the center of my skull, making the snow-reflected sunlight painful to the eye. I leaned into the bench, keeping my eyes shut as I heard the others around me give similar groans of complaints. "Is everyone back?" Hidekaz asked, the only one unaffected by our sudden infliction.

Why were we like this? The last thing I remembered was holding Antonio's cat form in my arms as I challenged Agatha. I opened my eyes as I gasped. It all rushed back to me: waking up in THE WAR and my reunion with Liechtenstein. I placed a hand on my chest, ordering myself to calm down. My sister saved me from Agatha and America. She followed me back in time to save me.

"I think we're all here," Ari said, taking off his jacket and scarf. He fanned himself, muttering something about how warm the snow filled day was.

Antonio hooked his arms with Sadiq and, back to back, leaned forward to stretch the Turk's muscles. "Sherry actually got everyone who went back in time." he said, sending a smile to someone behind me. I turned around, seeing Lars wrap his scarf around my dazed sister. He held her steady with a hand on the shoulder, asking her if she could stand. When she wordlessly shook her head, he sat her on the bench.

I stared at her, amazed by the ginger girl in the African body. She saved everyone? My sister was capable of doing so much? I placed a comforting hand on her other shoulder, though she didn't seem notice. I could tell that she was doing the best she could to stay conscious. "Are you alright?" I asked.

She shook her head, but said nothing.

Hidekaz filled in the blanks for me. "She was warned that she only had a limited number of times she could send people back without having to tap into her own energy. She messed up and had to send Belarus back to our timeline all on her own. It's actually really amazing that she has not passed out yet. You should be in a twenty-four hour coma right now, Sher-bear."

She strained a grimace. "Thanks."

"What did you say about Belarus?" France asked, shaking out his hair. He looked like he was in a better state than the rest of us, less stiff and confused, but if you stood close enough you could see the dark purple rings hanging below his eyes.

Hidekaz raised his chin and said in a haughty voice, "In case you forgot, Belarus was with you when we had to go back in time. She was sucked in like the rest of you gits and you should be very impressed with Sherry for remembering to bring her back."

"Back to where?" I asked, looking around. The layer of snow all around was familiar, but I couldn't quite place when I had seen the streets laid out like this before. The shock of being back in THE WAR must have done a measure to my memory.

Hidekaz extended a hand, gesturing to the empty roads and deep blue skies. "New Year's Eve, an hour and a half before the bomb at the festival stage went off."

A collective surge a panic rose through our brains as all signs of confusion and fatigue evaporated like mist on a hot summer's afternoon. "That doesn't give us much time to fix everything!" Sadiq exclaimed, his voice edged with panic. He threw his hands us in the air as he stalked towards Hidekaz. "Why didn't you give us more time?"

The blonde rolled his eyes and eased Sadiq's face away from his. "I would have loved to, but time is of the essence and I would like to keep the amount of loose timelines to a bare minimum, thank you very much."

I squeezed my sister's shoulder, feeling my muscles tense with thought. We had less than two hours to figure out a way to outsmart Himaruya- something that I have never been able to do. I wanted to believe that there was something about me that made me better than him, but now I was starting to see that I had never been anything but a puppet whose strings were tied to his fingers. He had always known what I was going to think before I did. There was no way for me to ever gain the upper hand. "Can we even plan enough to change everything?" I asked. The same hopelessness that laced my voice nested inside my chest, leaving me feeling empty and sick. "Himaruya is probably already ten steps ahead of us. We can't do it."

"And so we're just going to stand back and let him walk right over us?" Ari demanded. I pressed my mouth together, taken back by the sharp glint in his eyes. "Too much as happened for any of us to back out now. We're all in this until the end whether we like it or not, so we have to at least try to make a difference."

There wasn't a single person who disagreed with him. Morally, we knew that he was right, even if we did not want to admit it. The point of no return had been surpassed long ago and now we could only pray that it'll turn out well in the end. After a moment of awkward silence had passed, Antonio turned towards Lars. "You've been rather quiet," he said simply. "Do you have anything to say?"

Lars looked back at my sister as he placed a soothing bunny into her cupped hands. Sherry was starting to look more awake, but a part of her was still far off. I wanted to slap her across the face and demand for her to stop being delirious since I needed her to stand by me now more than ever, but I couldn't bring myself to break her out of her quiet. I couldn't shake the idea that her tired eyes were a sign of the inner peace resonating between her bones. "I've been taking care of her," Lars replied, brushing a finger down the bunny's white coat. "I think that we need to stop arguing about this and actually make a plan. We don't have much time left."

"We can go back to Spain's apartment," France suggested. "It's close and it should be a safe enough place to talk." He pulled out his phone, swiping a thumb over the screen as he spoke. "I'll find someone to watch over the festival for me and fill in for you, Sherry. Luckily, I believe that Miss Hungary owes me a few favors..."

Sherry lifted her face. "Call Belarus," she said, sounding like she was trying to hold back a barf.

Every head whipped towards her, caught in disbelief. "Belarus?" Sadiq repeated. "Why that bitch?"

"Well she did get dragged into the past with us," Antonio stated. His eyes bulged in his face as she turned towards my sister. "Did you tell her about what's been happening?" Sherry nodded. Antonio pushed his hands into his hair, looking ready to pull out each russet curl one by one. "Do you have any definition of discretion? She could be working for Himaruya for all we know."

I straightened my back and aimed a glare at him. "Don't get mad at her," I snapped, earning a few surprised quirks of the brow. "We all know that Sherry wouldn't have done it if she thought it was unnecessary. And besides, I know Belarus. She would never work for Himaruya."

Hidekaz muttered, "You're not the best person to judge this."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

If my anger bothered him, he did not let it show. He buried his hands into his pockets, breathing clouds of white fog around his cold-redden lips. "May I kindly remind you that you were tricked into believing that Alfred was your friend and, if I recall correctly, you did not believe it was true until he physically harmed you. You're not the best judge of character."

"He tricked me- you said so yourself. Something like that could easily have happened to you or Antonio or Lars."

"But it didn't." Hidekaz gestured down the street. "The fact is that Belarus is a risk. She may not be working on our side."

"Aren't you some sort of all-knowing being?" Ari asked. "Shouldn't you know if she's going to betray us or not? Plus, we need all the support we can get since a lot of your power is based upon popular opinion."

Hidekaz sighed and looked away. "You chaps figured it out," he said to himself, almost wistful. When his eyes met our confused faces again, we saw nothing but his confident visage. "Yes, I know if she's going to betray us or not. And, if the conditions stay right, she won't. But I don't know her conditions, only how easy it will be for her to change. I would not feel comfortable with someone so unpredictable on our side, especially with no way to control her."

I stared at him, skeptical. Antonio had confirmed the night before (it seemed much longer) that Hidekaz would not hesitate to lie to me. I couldn't say for sure whether or not he really knew what would make Belarus switch sides. I couldn't make the claim what it would be either. In fact, I rather agreed with his logic. I wouldn't really want to be fighting with someone who could literally put the knife into my back at any given second. But something told me that Sherry was right. We needed Belarus. "I think that we need both her brains and brawn," I said.

"I agree," Ari said. "We'll deal with her betrayal if it happens."

The rest echoed their agreements. France held his thumb over his phone, waiting for Hidekaz to give him the signal. Hidekaz skimmed his eyes over us for a moment longer before releasing a long breath. "Give her a call."

France dialed the number, stepping aside to give her the invitation. Lars moved away from my sister, only to pick up Ari's abandoned coat and wrap it around her frame like a blanket. "We need to get moving," he said. "It's freezing out here and she needs rest." Acting on habit, Sadiq started to walk towards Sherry, looking ready to lift her into his arms. But Lars beat him to him, nonchalantly lifting her princess style. He held her close to his chest, making sure that both she and the bunny she held were properly covered from the cold.

Sadiq scowled, but quickly recovered. "Sherry and I also made allies with Switzerland," he announced. Before anyone could stop him, he pulled out his phone and called up his ex-boyfriend. Ari and I exchanged a mutual eye roll before following them to Antonio's apartment.

I trotted next to Lars, trying to steal looks of my sister. The cold flushed her face, smearing a bright red on her cheeks and the tip of her nose. Her breaths were steady and unlabored. If I didn't know better, I would have said that she was asleep. "Is she going to be okay?" I asked.

Lars smiled at me, though it looked unnatural on his stern face. "Like I said, she'll be fine. She just needs rest."

Antonio wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "And she deserves it too," he said, rubbing the knuckles of his fist into my head. I could not help but to laugh as I swatted him away. "You should be proud of her, bro."

I smiled. I was proud of my sister. She had been all alone, yet she managed to save all of us from our pasts. I didn't think she had it in her to do it, but she proved me wrong. In a strange way, Antonio also made me proud. For the first time, his words lacked the romantic lacing. For the first time, I was not his love interest. For once, he referred to me as his friend, his "bro." He might not be over me yet, but he was finally starting to respect my decisions. If he stayed like this, then I think things would turn out fine between us.

"So Neder." Ari's mouth twitched into the slightest of smirks. "Do you want to tell us about how you died?"

That caused an uproar with Antonio and I—since when did he die? –but Lars was able to explain himself quick enough. I listened with eager ears to his tale, of how he made a "mistake" and got himself murdered. He did not say who did it, but he did not make it seem like it mattered. He was just telling us about how Italy witnessed it when we arrived at Antonio's cafe.

Belarus and Switzerland- two people I never thought would be our allies- were waiting for us at the door to the apartment. Switzerland leaned against it coolly, an unnerved expression crossing over his face when he saw his sister walking with Hidekaz. Belarus stood a little to the side, her cheeks flushed as she panted. Anyone could tell that she ran to meet us here, but no one dared to point it out to her. She was still the wild card, no matter how we claimed otherwise.

Consequently, Belarus was the first to react. She stepped towards us, skimming her eyes over each face. Like Switzerland, she looked disturbed to see me with them, but she didn't say anything about it. Instead, she grabbed my shoulder and leaned her head towards mine. The points of her nails dug through my heavy coat as her warm words brushed against the rim of my ear. "Is Sherry with you?" she whispered.

I flinched. Logic told me that Sherry must have told Belarus her true identity when she was back in time, but to actually heard Belarus, the girl with those freaking knives, refer to her with such familiarity made me feel uneasy. Still, I did my best to appear unbothered. "She's in Seychelles's body," I said, gesturing to her. "Sherry did tell you about the whole possessing-other-people's-bodies thing, right?"

"Of course she did, but she never said anything about being in someone else's body." She glared at the rest of my group as they tried to look more absorbed in Sadiq's tense conversation with Switzerland than ours. "Is there anybody else here who's being possessed?" she asked.

"Just me." I strained a smile as I extended an awkward hand. The other one dove into my jacket pocket and fiddled with the wires of my cold glasses. I'd almost forgotten I had those things. "I'm Larry Sue, her younger brother. Nice to meet you- well, we've kinda met before, but you didn't know I was there. I was also in Liechtenstein's body during THE WAR-"

"Sherry told me about that too," she said, curt. She scowled at my hand. "I guess you know that I was in love with you back then."

Sweat pricked the back of my neck. "Sorry about that." I scratched my neck. "It's a little complicated why that happened and everything, but trust me when I say that Liechtenstein cares about you a lot. As a friend, of course."

"I'm more upset that I was mad at her for so long for something that you did." She mulled in her own thoughts for a long moment, long enough for me to wonder what was going on behind the creases between her brows. She didn't look mad, but she was definitely not as amused by it as other people may be. "There's no helping it then," she said. She took my hand at last, shaking it heartily. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Larry Sue."

"What do you mean Liechtenstein's being possessed?" I had a split second to prepare myself before Switzerland shoved Belarus away and took hold of my shoulders. He shook me back and forth as he sent a dark glare right through me. "You can't be possessed! I would know-"

I held up my hands, giving him a sheepish look. "Sorry to tell you, but..." His already red face deepened in color as he looked ready to yell again.

"Your sister is safe right now, so stop panicking!" Sadiq appeared at my side, peeling the blond's claws away as he scolded. "I thought you said that you were going to trust me. If I thought that something terrible would be happening to your little sister, do you think I would have allowed it?"

Everyone but Switzerland disagreed in silence (he did run off when we all thought Sherry was blown up by that bomb), but it was enough to make him pause. His critical gaze bore into me once again, though he lost a majority of his vigor. The viciousness, however, remained. "I don't care who you are, but if you're putting my sister in danger, then we're going to have a problem," he growled,

I lifted my hands up in the air. "Got it."

Belarus rolled her eyes. "You're being immature," she scolded. "You and I both know that Lichtenstein can take care of herself."

"But that doesn't mean I can't-"

Hidekaz coughed. "I hate to interrupt this jolly group conversation we have formed, but may I suggest we move this all inside?" he said, rubbing his gloved hands together for warmth. "It'll be both warmer and more secure for discussing such matters."

We waited in an uncomfortable silence as Antonio fumbled with his keys. When he finally had the door unlocked, we filed up the stairs, waited for the second door to open and flooded the apartment. Snow boots and dripping winter coats were shed and left by the front door in a disorganized mess. France started on making a pot of coffee as Antonio and Sadiq dragged the chairs from the kitchen table to the couch, trying to make more space for us to gather. All the while, Hidekaz clapped his hands and reminded us of our dwindling time.

"What should I do with her?" Lars asked, lifting Sherry a little higher in his arms.

I left my place on the couch to join him, saying, "Let's take her wet coat and stuff off and place her in my bed. You said she needed rest, right?"

"You've been staying here this entire time?" Switzerland demanded as he inspected the kitchen window, outraged. "Why? You've had both Italy and I worried sick-"

"Because I needed to do things," I snapped, already fed up with his overprotective instincts. "Now can you let me care for my sister?"

"Do you need me to look at her?" Belarus asked.

Something about her offer made my mood soften, "We know why she's a bit out of it right now," I said kindly. "There's nothing we can really do but let her sleep it off." Belarus opened her mouth to reply, but decided against it.

To this day, I still wonder why a small look of sorrow crossed her face as she sat on the edge of the coffee table.

To this day, I still don't know the answer.

Lars and I finally took Sherry into Antonio's guest room right as Hidekaz was announcing that he and Ari were going to try to explain everything that has happened in full detail to Belarus and Switzerland in the shortest amount of time possible.

Lars placed Sherry on the edge of the bed, holding her upright as I untied her snow boots. Her mouth moved up and down in delirium, and I first thought that she was having a dream until I realized what exactly she was saying to me. "I wanna... I wanna..."

I hushed her, yanking off the last boot and setting it aside. "Don't worry about it," I soothed, peeling off her soaked socks as well. I unraveled her scarf from her neck. "Just rest right now."

Her head rolled downwards until her chin was right against her chest. I worked around it as I began to unzip her jacket. "I don't wanna be worthless," she muttered softly. "I wanna help... planning."

I bit my lip as I set the scarf on the side table, thinking of a way to calm her. Jerry and Sherry were good at this stuff, not me. I was only good at riling people up until they wanted to punch me. I needed Sherry right now to tell me how to be nice to Sherry. "I want you to help too," I said, pulling the jacket off of her. I spoke in a soft voice, hoping that my relaxed tone will make her feel more at ease. "But you've done enough, Sherry. You deserve a rest. Let me, Lars, and Antonio handle this."

"I don't trust him." I looked at her, surprised, unable to tell if she was speaking lucidly anymore. Her eyes were already close, but her voice was slurred like someone who was fighting to go to sleep. She began to lean to the side, still muttering, "I don't trust... I don't..."

With a nod of consent from me, Lars allowed her to fall into the bed. We picked up her legs, slipping them beneath the covers. "Don't worry about," I ordered. I pulled the blankets up to her chin, making sure she was warm and comfortable. "Now go to sleep. I'll see you when you wake up." I waited for her to say something, but it seemed like she was already caught in another dream. I stood next to the bed, watching her chest rise and sink with the cadence of sleep.

Lars let his shoulders fall. "We should return to the others now," he said.

I nodded. "Yeah..." I tried to imagine what else Sherry would do if she was in my position, caring for a sibling. I felt like I've seen this situation before, somewhere in the recesses of my memory...

I remembered Sherry placing a cup of water on a table. I couldn't say who the cup was for or why it would help, but she did it anyways.

"But let me do one last thing," I said. I went into my bathroom and found a spare cup in the cover, one I should have been using for mouth wash, but seeing that I had neglected to use it, it should still be good to drink from. I filled it with tap water and placed it on the side table next to Sherry. I looked over my work and, deciding that it was right, placed a hand on her head. I smoothed down her frizz. "Night, Sherry. Love you."

"Love you too," she muttered back, apparently still awake.

I retracted my hand, stunned. I knew that she was my older sister and that she loved Jerry and me, but I felt like I didn't deserve it. I've spent far too long arguing with her, underestimating her, and doubting her to deserve her love. Full of guilt, I left her bedside and, in complete silence, led Lars back into the living room.

Everyone had found their place in the cramp space, creating a sort of organized disarray. Sadiq and Ari had taken the couch for themselves, the Turk's armrest taken by a grumpy Switzerland. Belarus still sat on the edge of the coffee table, listening attentively as Hidekaz paced as he ranted. France and Antonio had taken the two kitchen chairs and were sitting in them comfortably. Lars and I scanned the space and made our claims. Lars sat on the edge of the kitchen counter and lit a new cigarette. I considered taking a spot with Belarus on the coffee table, but decided to copy Switzerland and sit on Ari's armrest. If the teenage-looking nation minded, he did not say.

Hidekaz clapped his hands together, gaining my sudden attention. "...and that is a basic summary of everything that has happened so far," he finished with a smile. "Are there any questions?"

"How do you expect to even defeat this guy?" Belarus asked, sounding stressed. "Do you even have a plan?"

"That is what we are here to figure out." Hidekaz looked at his wristwatch, frowning at the face. "We have approximately an hour to do so. Half of that if we wish to have time to place ourselves."

France shook his head. "Even I'm starting to doubt ourselves," he said. "There simply is not enough time."

"We'll have enough if we plan effectively," Antonio said. He turned to the rest of us, "First we gotta figure out what we have to do to get him. Then we'll figure out how to get there."

"I think someone mentioned that being in Prussia's body was a protective shield," Switzerland said, "so obviously we have to get him out of that first."

"We actually had a plan for that before time was set back," Ari said, rising to his feet. All eyes went onto him as he stuck his thumbs into the pockets of his pants. "In theory, the power of a contract will be strong enough to rip Himaruya from his current vessel. However, we were concerned that we wouldn't be able to get to him before he could reattach himself."

I watched as everyone nodded in agreement. I knew that there was a way around that. It was just out of my grasp and if I could only grab it...

I perked with energy as the solution slapped me in the face. "What is we ripped them apart in the Room?" I suggested. Looks of agreement turned into visages of confusion, forcing me to explain. "In the room, I don't need to be in Liechtenstein's body in order to exist. It's just our souls there, so no bodies are necessary. So if we separate Himaruya and Prussia in there, Himaruya will be palpable and we'll have a better chance of attacking him before he could go back into Prussia."

Antonio turned to Hidekaz, mouth hanging open. "I hadn't thought of that."

"But will it work?" Sadiq asked, on the edge of the couch.

Hidekaz placed a hand to his chin, ruminating over the scheme. "It seems like it will," he said at last, causing a collective sigh of relief. "But we'll only have one chance to split them and it'll have to be only when we are positive that we can restrain him. Additionally, the person making the contract will have to pay a hefty price."

Ari scrunched his brows. "Why?"

"The amount of power it will take to affect my sibling of all people is substantial. Rules of the universe state that the price of a contract must equal the price of what the contractee is receiving. For example, the life of one person must be in exchange for the life of another."

"How much will this cost?" Belarus asked. She pulled out a knife and polishing cloth and rubbed the fabric down the silver blade.

"For anyone part of the positive world, ownership of your soul for a thousand years. But any soul not from this universe is immediately more valuable, so that would mean that someone from the negative world-" At this, Hidekaz looked at me. "-would only have to pay half of that."

Eyes landed on me. I tightened my fist, knowing he was right. I only had to do a job for Himaruya in order to save Sayaka while Mathias had to give up his soul in order for a mere chance to save Lars.

No one had to say a word to let me know what they were thinking. A thousand years was a long time, even for a nation. Five hundred years was still outrageous, but more reasonable in comparison. But I didn't want to lose my soul. I wanted to go home with my sister and brother. I wanted to wipe my hands of everything involving Hetalia and this strange world. I wanted to go home and take my girlfriend to see Chicago, like I planned. Selling my soul was not part of the picture.

But I knew that I had to do it. It wasn't fair to force them into a fate I could have easily prevented. This whole mess started with my sister and I would have to be the one to end it. For everything she and everyone else here had done for me, it was the very least I could do.

I slipped off the armrest, sighing in defeat. "Draw up the contract," I ordered.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sadiq asked as his eyes darted to each nation in the room, begging them to support his motion. No one did. "You're just a human. No one said that you had to-"

"And do you want to take my place?" I asked. He fell silent. Ashamed, he fell back into his seat in absolute silence. "I've already made up my mind. It's more logical for us to go with the lesser of evils, and that option is only open for me. Draw up the contract right now."

Antonio nodded and set to work. He moved his fingers in long mystic motions, forming a piece of paper midair. "Don't worry too much about this," he said with a smile. "Just because we own your soul doesn't mean we'll do anything with it. Hidekaz will just let you live out your life in peace, right?"

Hidekaz sent me a reassuring look. "Naturally."

A ball of worry I didn't know I had dissolved at his gentle expression. Maybe all of my plans could still happen in the end. They didn't have to die with my soul's freedom.

I scooted around the multiple pairs of legs and drawn up chairs to join Antonio at his side. I checked the progress of the contract. Antonio did not have to actually write on it with his hands- the words slowly burned onto the page as he thought them. I read them as they appeared, checking to make sure that everything is in place. "What do you want to do in order to trigger the soul ripping?" Antonio asked me.

"I guess something unusual," I said, "that way I don't accidentally do it too early."

Antonio grinned. "You could always kiss me," he joked.

I rolled my eyes, shoving him away. "Dream on. If we did that, then you'll be temporarily immobile. We'll need every person we have to make this work." I thought back to some of the movies I had watched, hoping that something would occur to me. A devious smirk etched onto my face when a method came to me. I didn't think that I had seen it before, but the motion of it was so epic that I couldn't turn it down. "How about..." I told him my idea with vivid words, painting the picture to the exact detail. Antonio copied my eager face when I finished and set to work adding it to the contract.

"So how are we going to actually get Himaruya into this 'in between' world?" Belarus asked.

France said, "I believe you have the ability to do that Hidekaz, or am I wrong?"

The Brit shook his head. "No, you're completely right. I can, but-"

"It'll be suspicious," Ari finished. "Forcing Himaruya there might tip him off to our plans. If we want to maintain our element of surprise, then we'll have to make him go to the mutual domain on his own accord."

"How are we supposed to do that?" France asked.

At this, Switzerland cleared his throat. All attention shifted onto his as he slipped off his armrest. He held himself like a military general as he spoke. "It's easy. We force him to retreat there, and we'll do that by taking out his henchmen. We'll split into five teams with one person to stay behind to watch over Seychelles."

Everyone accepted his plan when I nodded in agreement. There was no way I was going to let Sherry out there, not when she was in this state. "I can stay behind and watch here," Sadiq offered.

Memories of what how he ran off when we all thought Sherry was caught in the park explosion flooded my brain. "No way," I said quickly, earning a sharp glare. "I know you care about my sister, but I don't trust you. For all I know, you're just going to run off like you did last time there was an emergency."

He jumped to his feet, sneering, "If you think I would-"

"I don't think it, I know it!" I snapped back.

"You tried to stab her!"

"You left her, you piece of-"

"That's enough you two!" Switzerland stepped between us, holding his hands out in the universal sign to calm down. He waited a moment for us to stop planning murder with our eyes before he continued. "What happened in the past doesn't matter right now. What matters is bringing Himaruya down. Turkey, I need you to fight against America anyways. Someone else would just have to watch her."

"I'll do it," Antonio offered, looking away from the floating contract.

I relented, giving my friend a happy nod of approval. "I'll prefer someone I actually trust over him any day." Sadiq flipped me off in reply.

Switzerland looked ready to explode, though he said nothing about our behavior. Instead he focused on his plan, addressing everyone accordingly. "Larry- is that your name? -and Iceland will find the bomber and stop them before it's too late. I will take down Austria, using the long distance of my guns to aide me. Sadiq, you are the only one who matches America physically so you will need to work hard to bring him down. Hopefully, your brains will make up for any strength you may lack. The Netherlands will join you just in case-"

"Taking down Mathias is my job," Lars stated, smoke seeping him his lips. "I won't do anything else."

Knowing a lost cause when he saw one, Switzerland groaned. "Fine, though don't get mad at me when America beats him. France, you will join Turkey instead. Belarus, you and Hidekaz are to go after Himaruya yourself. You are to do most of the fighting and I expect your knives will give you both of a long and short distance advantage. I expect he will be the hardest to bring down, so everyone will join you as reinforcements once their individual missions are completed. Any questions?"

No one said anything. It was a solid plan by all accounts.

Switzerland checked his watch. "We have ten minutes until the half hour mark. We leave then. Everyone get ready."

"Larry." Antonio drew my attention back to the contract, holding towards me in victory. "It's finished," he announced. Everyone in the room seemed to stop and watch as he pulled out a pen. "Wanna sign it?"

I took the contract in my hands, hoping that my sweating palms won't stain the paper. I skimmed through the terms again, just to make sure everything was in check. Even though every detail was in its proper place, I still felt the well of anxiety in my stomach. A small, afraid part of me was back in the hospital on the dismal summer day, wet with rain as Austria handed me his clipboard. Back then, I didn't know what I was actually getting myself into. I had to wonder if I was repeating the past. This was Hetalia: a show the thrived off the satirical interpretations of history. As the proverb said, history repeats itself.

I banished the idea from my head. What was I saying? I trust Antonio with not only my life, but the lives of my family. He wasn't planning on double crossing me, not like Alfred did.

I signed the contract, feeling not a single ounce of regret.

Still, when I handed him back the pen, I dove my hand into my pocket. I toyed with my glasses again, calming myself. When I was sure that I could face my friends with a confident face, I pulled my hand out and began readying myself for war.

The Fangirl: December 31st

I knew I dreamed about something. I could not remember what any of it was about, only flashes of color and feelings. Whatever I dreamed about made me feel at ease, peaceful with the world around me. That tranquility disappeared when I opened my eyes to the real world once again.

At first, the messy bedroom seemed foreign until I remembered how I got here. I tried to sit up, but groaned when a wave of vertigo flashed before my eyes. I laid back into the pillows, staring up at the popcorn ceiling. My thoughts flitted through my head in sporadic trails, leaving me with a blurry train of thought.

A part of me wondered what was in my dream and why I felt so cold beneath these layers of blankets.

Another noted that a glass of water sat at the bedside table, begging to be drunk from.

Agatha words were of another concern. I knew that I would never be on Himaruya's side, but something about her confidence bugged me still. What did she know that I didn't? What was the missing piece of the puzzle?

Exhaustion stopped me from thinking about it any further. I yawned. When my head did not feel like it was going to explode, I'll put more thought in.

I turned onto my side, facing the bedside table once again. My eyelids began to droop the moment I saw my reflection.

Like the incident with my watch, I saw my own body instead of Seychelles in the reflection on the cup. I stared at it as I realized what it meant. There was another memory wanting to be remembered.

My arm felt like lead as I reached towards it, hoping to touch it before the image disappeared. I poke the edge and I felt myself falling into a familiar state in a familiar place, surround by a creeping anxiety that nibbled the back of my head...

The Fangirl: Saturday

I placed the cup of water on the coffee table, positioning it so that Jerry could easily grab it when he woke up. I stood over him for a tense moment, noting the peaceful rise and fall of his chest. I knelt and brushed his disorganized bangs out of his face. He seemed so calm now, so at home on the couch, but I knew better. He was with Himaruya now, somewhere deep inside Hetalia...

"What is he going to do with that?" Larry demanded from his place at the kitchen table, glaring at the glass. His face had been buried in the hand of his good arm when he lifted it to me. His broken arm still hung limply at his side. The dirty dishes before him could not distract me from the redness of his eyes nor the swollen skin around them. Snot and tears ran down his face in equal intensities. His glasses laid crooked on his nose. Despite the bitter tone of his voice, I couldn't bring myself to hate him and his cowardice.

I could only feel pity.

"Jerry can drink it when he wakes up," I told him, sounding sterner than what I would have wanted. I wasn't the bad kind of stern, though. It was Mom's voice coming from my mouth. "Go take a shower, Lar. You look like shit."

He sniffled and ran his arm across his face. "I don't want to."

I shrugged. "Suit yourself." I turned back to my youngest brother as Larry turned his face back to his hands. I concentrated on petting Jerry's hair, hoping that he would find some inner comfort from it. I did not focus on Larry's silent crying as he hiccupped and muttered to himself that this had to be a dream, that he was not a coward for choosing that he did, that Jerry was going to be find all alone in Hetalia, that there was nothing he could do for that world anymore, that he was over trying to save a losing cause, that Dad would be coming home soon and life will get better, that he should not have yelled at Jerry for his life decisions, that he could still go see that Broadway show if he wanted, that he loved Jerry so fucking much and he was so fucking sorry.

Jerry stirred.

I retracted my hand, hoping that it was all over and he was going to wake up. Instead, he curled onto his side and fell deeper in his sleep. I released a disappointed breath and looked down at our hardwood floors. There was the possibility that Jerry was okay, that he was going to stay innocent through it all. I prayed that he would be like me at the beginning: filled with the wonder that an anime world actually existed. I didn't want him to move beyond that. I didn't want him to realize that every move he made, each one of his shortcomings could lead to someone losing his life and the complete failure of a mission. I wouldn't wish that fate on anyone.

I looked at the front door, which was still open a crack from when America, Austria, Denmark, and Himaruya had left.

I shouldn't be here right now. I should be standing by Jerry in Hetalia.

"Larry." My brother's rambling voice ran dead when I stood. Determination gleamed on my face. "We made a mistake," I said. "We have to join Jerry."

He shook his head and looked down at his hand. "No. I... I can't go back there. Not ever."

"We can't just leave him there by himself. We should-"

"I killed a man!" Larry began to raise his bad arm, only to scream when the broken bone sent waves of pain up his nerves. His good hand gripped his shoulder as his body shook in agony. His eyes switched back and forth between his arm, me, and the throwing knife laying on the table a foot away from him, "I took a knife and threw it into some poor sucker's gut. Do you think that I can ever go back there? After all this? After knowing that we've been played this whole fucking time?"

I stomped to him until I stood at the other end of the table. "I know, but we just can't let Jer go through the same exact shit we did!"

He grabbed his throwing knife and stabbed it into the table top. "Yes we fucking can!"

I slammed my hands on the wood, causing the abandoned plates and silverware to clank together. "What about all that training you did? Are you just going to let all that go to waste?"

He hung his head in shame, but still managed to croak, "I'm not as strong as I thought I was. I can't go back..."

"And you'll just let Jerry become as fucked up as we are?" I demanded coldly.

Larry was very still, but then replied with a small nod.

I stared at him, amazed. Words failed me as I watched him collapsed, his forehead on the cold wood as he began to sob all over again. Contempt swirled with the pity in my stomach as I watched the poor, pathetic excuse of a brother- a twin brother -cry his life away. A part of me couldn't even call him pathetic without feeling any guilt. He and I had both watched our brother make the contract with Himaruya and we both failed to do anything about it.

But unlike him, I was going to change that. "Fine then," I growled, just barely holding back my anger. "You can let your brother burn. I'm going to try to do something about it." I turned and ran towards the stairs.

I was just hitting the middle step when he spoke up again. "How do you think you're going to do that?" he demanded, hoarse.

"I'm going to find Himaruya and demand to make a contract."

"And what? Lose your soul?"

"At least one of us has one." I didn't care if the blow was too low or that I was making him my enemy. I sprinted up the stairs nonetheless, intent on saving Jerry.

I slammed the door to my room, quickly changing out of my pajamas. I plucked a bra from my laundry basket and clothes from my drawers. I left my room a few scant minutes later in a pair of high-waist shorts and a purple shirt. The heat of the day made my hair frizz around my head like a halo. Whatever didn't frizz clung to the sweat on the back of my neck. I hopped down the stairs, ignoring the splatters of blood from the earlier battle.

What I did notice was that Larry was no longer at the table.

Neither was the knife sticking from the wood. It was missing.

I leaned over the rail to look at the couch. Jerry was still there, sleeping soundlessly. I relaxed my grip on the wood rail, relieved. I swept my gaze over the living room and kitchen again, once again not finding Larry and his knife anywhere. I walked down the rest of the steps cautiously, my arms prickling with alarm. Where was he? I was gone for five minutes. He couldn't have gone far.

Then, I saw him. My heartbeat picked up when I spotted him on the other side of the glass sliders. He was not alone. The lean figure of Spain stood with him at the poolside, moving his hands in large gestures as he raised his voice in argument. I stared at him, confused as their voices seeped past the glass. "...did you forget your promise, or-"

"I know I promised you, but I can't go back," Larry shouted back, the summer sun reflecting off the silver blade of his knife. I shielded my eyes from the glare, wondering why Spain of all people was standing with my brother in the backyard, talking to Larry as though he knew him. When Larry mentioned knowing an 'Antonio' at the table earlier, I first thought that it was Spain but to see it confirmed...

Antonio grabbed Larry's shoulders, pulling him closer to him. "We need you, Larry. I need you. You have to come back with me."

Larry struggled in his grasp. The momentum caused them to inch closer to the poolside. "Let go of me! I don't-" His eyes flickered down to his knife and I knew what he was about to do before he did it. Swearing, I ran to the door, fumbling with the handle as Larry swiped the blade upwards, just enough to frighten Antonio into letting go, but it didn't end there. Antonio grabbed the knife and with a twist of the hand, pulled it from his grasp.

By the time I yanked the door open, the two were caught in the middle of a struggle for the weapon.

"Stop it!" I yelled, running onto the patio. Their knees shook with pressure as they pulled the knife between them. Neither of them noticed me. Their grunts and demands for the other to cease drowned out my shout. I stayed frozen in my spot, knowing that I wasn't capable of doing anything in a violent situation yet still wanting to do something about this.

I watched Larry sweep his leg under Antonio, sending him crashing towards the ground. He yanked the Spaniard's knife hand towards himself. Antonio caught himself mid fall and sprang back up. There was a howl of pain—a speck of red –as the two fell backwards and into the pool.

"Larry!" I ran to the edge as water splashed onto the pavement, heart pounding.

I fell onto my knees just as Antonio surfaced. I looked around him, trying to figure out why my brother's dark form was not moving.

"Where's Larry?" he asked, gasping for air.

I finally saw a balloon of blood mixing with the chlorine.

Fuck.

All of my senses turned off as I jumped to my feet and dove into the water. My squinted eyes stung, but I refused to acknowledge it. I swam to the bottom of the pool, where Larry stayed motionless, floating a few inches from the mosaic ground as blood streamed from his side. His broken arm stayed suspended at a jacked-up angle. Pain stretched through my lungs as I looped his good around my shoulder. I pushed off the bottom and sent up flying towards the surface. From the corner of my eye, I saw Antonio grab his other side just as the water disappeared and my mouth was opening to an abundance of oxygen.

I gulped as much of it as I could as we carried Larry to the side of the pool. The already bright morning sun blinded me and warmed the humid air. When we reached the side, Antonio climbed out of the pool and pulled Larry out by his shoulders. I clung to the edge, resting my forehead on the curved bricks. I vaguely heard Antonio pump his hand up and down against Larry's chest, swearing before pressing a mouth full of fresh air against his. I only noticed a new warm traveling down my face, one that I knew was not the sun.

I raised my face, meeting the sight of blood once again. I screamed, jumping away from the edge as the sun gleamed against the knife's silver blade. It was the one they had fought over. It was embedded into his side. "You stabbed him," I whispered, hardly believing my voice. Yet, my spoken words shot me back to reality. I swam back to Larry's side and climbed out of the water.

I heard somewhere that keeping a knife someone was stabbed with in the body was a sure way to minimize blood loss. But he was already in a new pool, one made of his own blood. There was no way a human could bleed so much this quickly and live through it. I choked on a sob as Antonio swore loudly, pumping Larry's body full of air once again. "Damnit, Larry! Live!" he shouted.

"Can't you save him?" I demanded, my tears slurring the syllables together.

Antonio let his arms fall uselessly at his side. "I don't know if I can," he said, defeated. He shook his head, banishing the thought from his panic-stricken eyes. "No, there has to be a way. There has to be..." He looked up, an idea dawning on him. He looked at me as though I was the last light in the universe. "Make a contract with me."

I stared at him. "What?"

"A contract will be able to save him and you're the only one who can make it. You have to do it, Sherry Sue."

I curled into myself as I shook my head. Memories of Sadiq and Seychelles- of what we had discussed earlier at the breakfast table -flooded my brain. I knew that I wanted to go back there and save Jerry, but that was on my terms. This was not in my control. I felt like I was being forced into it, that I was going to end up like Sadiq with a loved one who would no longer love me.

Antonio leaned forward. I thought he was going to hold my hand in comfort, but instead he handed me an already written contract. "You have to sign it," he whispered. Water pricked the corners of his eyes. "Please."

It was inevitable.

I bowed my head and nodded.

Antonio handed me a pen and I signed my name on the line. I thrust it back at him and focused on my brother once again. "You're going to be alright," I muttered, feeling another sob clog my throat. I brushed his wet bangs out of his face and fixed his crooked glasses. "You'll be okay, Larry. I swear to God. You'll be fine."

Bit by bit, consciousness left me like a crumbling building. The picture of my gray-skinned brother faded away and, just when I was about to lose his face forever, I whispered, "I love you, Larry."

And then I was falling

and falling

and falling

and falling

a

n

d

. . .

The Fangirl: December 31st

I blinked, and the memory was gone.

I stared at the glass where my reflection was of Seychelles once again. For a moment, I couldn't remember what I had just seen. But, as I was about to fall back asleep, the full force of it smacked me again. I jolted awake, sitting up in the bed. Already my heart felt like it was going to pound right out of my chest. My panting filled the room as I stared at my clammy hands.

Larry was going to die, but I saved him.

The only reason why he was dying was because Antonio stabbed him.

But it was just an accident, right? Antonio would never hurt Larry intentionally, even if he knew that it would be okay in the end. But that contract was only supposed to save Larry, not drag us both into Hetalia. Did Antonio have this planned out all along? I wanted to say so, but I couldn't picture him as a villain. I couldn't see him pretending to be madly in love with Larry one minute and hurting him the next. There was no space on his gentle face for a crooked man's smirk. There was no way Antonio meant for this to happen.

Maybe he didn't have to be evil for all of this to work out. Maybe the stabbing was just an unfortunate accident and he took advantage of it. Maybe that contract he had me sign was prewritten. There was still a blank in my memories, from Jerry arriving at the top of the staircase to me caring for him at the couch. Something else might have happened during then, something that made America and them leave my house and Jerry to sign the contract.

What if none of these memories were true? Himaruya could be the one planting them into my head just so I would stop trusting Antonio.

But they felt so right.

Okay, so the memories are true, but what then? I still didn't know what to make of them.

I groaned, pulling the ends of my low pigtails. Agatha said that there was one fact I didn't know, something that would make me want to switch sides. This couldn't be it, though. Antonio may be up for question, but my hatred for Himaruya was still greater than my distrust of Antonio.

But he brought Larry and I here, even though I said not to.

This was too much for me. I needed someone to talk this out with. I needed Larry.

I kicked my sheets off and climbed out of bed.

My head swam and the world turned around me. "Fuck!" The next thing I knew, my legs were laying dumbly on the ground as I grabbed the edge of the bed for dear life. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the ringing in my ears. I may have felt awake and alert, but my body was still deprived of energy. I really wanted to fall asleep again...

I smacked my cheek. No. I had to tell Larry. Even if it turns out to be nothing, then we would at least know how we both ended up here.

Grinding my teeth together, I forced my legs to work again. They shook beneath me as I pushed off the bed. I stood upright for a brief second before I fell back onto the bed. I buried my face into the comforter and screamed a line of f-bombs. Walking was not going to work.

This time, I kept my weight against the bed as I edged closer and closer towards the door. Each dragging step of the foot made the ground tilt in extreme vertigo, but I forced myself not to care. If I had to do one thing right, it had to be this. When I reached the end of the bed, I measured the distance between it and the door. About five feet. I could do it if I tried.

I closed my eyes and counted to ten. Then, I pushed myself off and stumbled towards the door. I caught the knob in my hand and, in one swift move, turned it and pulled the door open. I had to move backwards to make room for the door. I took one step before I tripped over my feet. I landed right in front of the bed, my back banging into the mattress as my butt slammed into the carpet. The creaking door hit the opposite wall, bringing everyone's attention on to me.

I must have been a sight- a half-conscious girl stuck on the ground with the frazzled hair of a mad man. Bewildered eyes stared at me for an uncomfortable moment, unsure of what to say to me. About half of our team was still here. The open front door indicated that the rest had left to start the plan already. I scanned the faces, checking for my brother. I found Antonio, Switzerland, Sadiq, and France, but not Larry.

"What's wrong, Sherry?" France demanded as he rushed to my side. He knelt in front of me, worry creasing his perfect complexion. He cupped my face with his hands, checking my temperature like a fretful parent. "Darling, you shouldn't be out of bed yet."

"I remember-" I stopped myself. Antonio was right there. He was the last person I wanted to hear this. I placed a hand on my head, rubbing my fingers into my headache. Come on, Sherry. Think! There had to be something you could do. All you needed was to get someone alone to talk to.

France hushed me. "It's alright. Let's get you to back bed now." He wrapped his arms under my body, grunting as he tried to lift me.

"Oh God, you're embarrassing yourself." Sadiq walked into the bedroom, kneeling next to France. "Let me do it." As he fixed his arms to the spots under the crook of my legs and back of my shoulders, I remembered one simple fact: I trusted Sadiq with my life and, despite his grumbling and judgment, he still trusted me. There was only one person left in the world who stilled shipped me with him and that person was standing right next to us.

"We need to talk," I said as Sadiq stood back onto his feet. My voice was soft from weakness, but my lack of volume certainly did nothing to impede the impression I was trying to make. France's eyes lit up with interest as he took a few steps back. Far enough to give us privacy, but still close enough to hover.

Sadiq did not notice my vibe. "We can later. Right now I need to get out of here and make sure the plan succeeds," He carried me around the bed, saying, "You're brother came up with it. He's a bit of a genius, isn't he?"

I groaned when he laid me back on the mattress. Not from sexual frustration, but from the fact that Sadiq was so fucking dense. Any other friend who have picked up on my urgent vibe, or my telepathic demands for him to shut up and listen to me. "Sadiq, we need to talk now."

He bent down until his face was hovering just a little above mine. "This is time sensitive. I need to leave-"

Having quite enough, I grabbed his shirt collar and yanked his face towards mine. Our lips slammed against each other and, at my lead, we angled our heads into a deep kiss.

I didn't have time to think whether it was a good kiss or not (it was). I was only waiting to hear France give a happy laugh as he marched out of the room. "I'll give you lovebirds a moment or two alone," he announced as he left, closing the door shut to any eavesdroppers.

The moment I heard the door click behind him, I shoved Sadiq away. He rocked on his feet, a bit dazed from the sudden, stolen kiss. "Wow." He breathed, running his hands through his hair. He took a deep breath. "Okay, wow. I was not expecting that," he said. "I didn't think that you would-"

I rolled my eyes and yanked his shirt again. "Hey, pay attention doofus!" I snapped. "I only did that to get France out of here. There's something I have to tell you."

If Sadiq was disappointed by my trick, he did not show it. His gold eyes narrowed as his face grew strict and serious. I expected him to debate whether or not I was worth listening to, but I didn't see anything like in his eyes. He must have realized that I was operating on desperate measures right now. He sat next to me on the bed. "What is it?"

I felt myself begin to hesitate, but I stopped myself. I didn't have a lot of time. I needed to get all of this stuff out now. "Okay, so you know how I've been under contract and how I didn't remember? For the past day or two I've been getting these visions of what happened before I came here, like two hours before, and I just now got one that explains why I made that contract." I looked him directly in the eyes, letting him know how dead serious I was. "Sadiq- Antonio stabbed Larry and I made a deal to save his life. I mean, it was on accident, but he used it to drag Lar and I here. I just doesn't fit."

Sadiq stared at me was the weight of my story fell on him. "So Antonio betrayed us?"

"No, not really. But he's the reason why I'm here."

A knock sounded on the door. "Are you two done smooching now?" Switzerland called from the other side. "You need to fight America now, Turkey."

"Just a minute!" Sadiq called.

I gave him a concerned look. "Why are you fighting him?" I asked.

"It's part of the plan." He took his hand in mine. He squeezed them, sending a calming wave up my arms. "If we're not going to accuse Spain, then what should we do?" he whispered.

I lowered my volume as well. "I need you to find Larry and tell him. He'll know what to do."

"Okay." He placed his one free hand on the side of my face, cupping my feet affectionately. He leaned in closer to me, so enough for me to see the variety of swirls in his irises. "Sherry, listen to me. Spain is not going on the mission. He's staying behind to watch over you." My stomach caved into a pit. "Promise me you'll be careful."

"As long as you promise not to let America kill you."

A small smile appeared on his lips. "I promise." He locked his lips with mine again, this time quick and chaste, as the door opened.

Switzerland stood on the other side, flanked by a curious Antonio and eager France. His green eyes bore into us with disgust as Sadiq pulled away. Switzerland didn't have to say anything to let us know how much he loathed our heterosexuality. Sadiq jumped off the bed, a cocky smile on his face as he saunter towards them. "Sorry for the hold up. Let's get going, jackasses!" He laughed at his insult-turned-pet-name as he ushered his ex-boyfriend and current friend towards the front door of the apartment. He looked over his shoulder as he called out, "Have fun on house duty, Spain!"

"I will," Antonio called back. "Make sure you follow Switzerland's strategy to the key!" Sadiq let out a hearty laugh again. His eyes returned to mine once more and, for a quick moment, they grew serious. He nodded at me, reassuring me of his intent, before resuming his glee and leaving me alone with the traitor.

I looked down at my lap. I wanted to blush over that sudden kiss and agonize over the fact that Sadiq's somehow into me right when I gave him up (I was actually more willing to believe that he was just adding to our lovers act), but I didn't have the time. Spain was still lingering at the doorway, observing me with scrutinizing eyes. I fidgeted, trying not to look uncomfortable in his presence. I could still see him panicking while he tried to revive Larry. He was about ready to cry back then. At the same time, I could also see him as the man who planned everything to the smallest detail.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I jumped from my thoughts, making a small sound of surprise. "W-what?" I watched his casual concern turn into utter worry. I tried to laugh it away, trying to sound normal. "Yeah, I'm feeling pretty cool right now," I said. I slipped my hand into my pocket and brushed a finger over my watch. The icey-cold metal relaxed me. "I mean- I'm still weak and shit, but I'm pretty alert."

One of his famous smiles appeared on his face. "Why don't we play a game of cards then?" he asked. "Just to pass the time."

I forced a grin. "I'm down for that."

He left like an excited child to fetch the cards, giving me a moment of peace. I released a tense breath. He wouldn't do anything to me. He was still thought that I didn't remember anything. As long as I played it cool, he wouldn't expect a thing.

When Antonio returned with a triumphant grin and a deck of cards, I swore that I never acted so well before in my life. I greeted him with an equal amount of excitement, motioning for him to sit next to me in the bed. "What do you want to play?" he asked as he shuffled the deck at lightning speed.

I shrugged. "Just Go fish, I guess."

"Okay. Pairs of four." He dealt our hands and we held them in front of our faces like fans. "Do you have any twos?" he asked.

"Go fish. Do you have any aces?"

"Nope." I was in the middle of drawing my card from the deck when he asked, "Do you have any distrust of me?"

I froze, sweating.

How did he know that I knew?

I glanced at him and saw no signs of spite. He only stared at his cards with a look of indifference. Still, I could only wonder what he planned to do with me next. I swallowed whatever bout of fear I felt bubbling in my stomach. I took a deep breath. "This sounds a lot like an anime style confrontation scene," I said, placing the card in my hand. I was amazed at how calm I sounded when I was literally crossing my legs to stop myself from peeing with fear. "How did you guess?"

"I had my ear against the door earlier," he replied. "I heard everything." He lowered his cards with a sigh. "I don't know why this has you so upset," he said, sounding like a disappointed parent. "You know that I didn't mean to hurt Larry."

"You took advantage of the situation and dragged us here," I replied. "I don't care so much about dragging me, but you knew that Larry didn't want to go and you took him anyways. What happened, Antonio? I thought you loved him."

A pained look cross his face. "I do love him, but I have a job to do. I'm still Hidekaz's devoted servant and he wanted me to take Larry into this world. I couldn't return to him empty handed."

"So you tricked us."

"I didn't trick you guys."

I smacked my cards into the mattress. "Then why the hell did we lose our memories of everything?" I demanded. "I don't need anyone to tell me that Himaruya wasn't the person who gave Larry and I amnesia. I know for fact that they've been working to restore them. If you weren't trying to make Larry and I into your little puppets, then why the fuck would you keep all of this a secret from us?"

"That's not for your concern!" I flinched, hardly able to believe my ears. Was Antonio actually yelling at me? What's more, was his face really warped with such brimming anger? He placed a hand on his face, groaning as he ran it down until it dropped off completely. "You're too naive to understand any of this," he muttered with less spirit. "What we're doing here is protecting you two. Do you think that either Hidekaz or I wanted to make you guys forget? Don't you think that Himaruya is only making you guys remember things just so that his plan would work?"

Agatha's jeer came back to me. I felt her thick thighs on my back as she whispered her siren's song into my ear: "I know Himaruya's plan. I know what made Jerry decide to be on our side. And I know exactly what you'll do once you realize it too: you'll react exactly like me. You'll be on his side."

Somewhere in those forgotten memories is that changing factor, I realized. Hidekaz made us forget so that we'll stay on his side. Something happened between the gaps of my memories and it was enough to change my entire perspective of everything. I stared at Antonio with wide eyes. He was determined and, if I strained to look, cold hearted. I wanted to say that he didn't care about what I thought anymore. That plan was more important.

Making my decision, I edged off the bed. "I'm out of here," I hissed, taking a step. My leg shook and I fell. I grabbed the edge of the bedside table, stopping myself from hitting the ground.

Antonio got off the bed. He stood in front of me, extending a helping hand. "It's no use, Sherry. You're too weak. Just trust me-"

I smacked it away. "I can't!" I sneered back. "I'm going to find Himaruya and get him to give me the last of my memories back, and when I do-" I screamed.

Pain spread from my chest, stabbing its sharp points into my muscles until I could no longer breathe.

I collapsed.

My chin hit the carpet.

Pain jolted through my head.

I closed my eyes.

Oh God.

I coughed blood onto the snow white floor.

Not again.

Ringing consumed my ears, sharp enough to make my skull burst into two.

Why now of all times?

I curled onto my side, gagging as I barfed away the pain.

I sobbed, tears stinging my eyes.

Why

is

this

happening

to

me?

Two hands cupped my cheeks. The pain subsided, but only enough for me to focus on what he was saying. "You never read our contract, did you?" His voice was soft and soothing, almost like a lullaby. "Turkey is two things: unpredictable and romantic. He's like Belarus in how unpredictable he is. We had to control him. We wanted to use his romantic side against his recklessness, so we wrote into the contract that whenever he doesn't listen to my orders, he causes you pain." He swiped a thumb over my lips, wiping away the blood. I coughed more onto his sweater sleeve. "But no one ever put two and two together. Now he's going against my orders to stick with the plan to tell Larry everything."

Somewhere in between the wailing in my ears and the pain within my chest I saw Antonio's face. He looked sad, like he hated himself for what he was about to do. "You can't do anything in this state," he said, more to himself than me. For a moment, my world consisted of nothing more than the determined gleam of his green eyes.

Those stupid, vivid green eyes.

"I'm going to go make sure this plan doesn't get ruined by your hotheadedness." He released my face and the pain consumed me again. I coughed violently, spurting blood that mixed with the pool of vomit by my head.

Antonio stood and walked to the door.

At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to have company. I didn't care if it was him, I just wanted someone to wait out this pain with me, to hold my hand and tell me that the world was going to get better soon.

I reached a hand out to his retreating back. "Antonio..."

He closed the door behind him.

It clicked with the turning of the lock.

I lay on the carpet in a moment of complete disbelief.

When he didn't come back, I curled into myself, crying as the never ending pain made me nauseous and hysteric. I cried all alone, praying for all this to be worth something in the end.

MW: That was fun.

Notes:

"Luckily, I believe that Miss Hungary owes me a few favors..." I can't find the username now, but someone recently mentioned that they wanted more Hungry in this story. It's too late to give her plot significance, so this is the best I can do. Sorry!

Next Chapter: Switzerland's plan goes into action, but will Sadiq's mission to tell Larry the truth ruin everything?

Thank you so much for the holiday wishes! Happy New Years for you all!