Lost. Chapter 26.
A/N: Hey guys. Only 10 more reviews to 200 reviews. Reviews have been a little slow lately but I know you guys are reading. My goal is to reach 200 reviews within the next two chapters. I know you guys can do it since previous chapters have gotten between 10-20 reviews. I love hearing your guys opinions on plot and my writing. I always love to improve and the plot isn't set in stone so you never know if I might use a suggestion of yours. Oh and definitely listen to this song. I heard it for a drill team performance by rescued horses and the whole thing was absolutely moving. Seriously, look it up, it'll make your day.
Disclaimer: Hikari does not own Hetalia.
There's gotta be another way out
I've been stuck in a cage with my doubt
I've tried forever getting out on my own
Every time I do this my way
I get caught in the lies of the enemy
I lay my troubles down I'm ready for you now
Break me out
Come and find me in the dark now
Every day by myself I'm breaking down
I don't want to fight alone anymore
Break me out
From the prison of my own pride
My God I need a hope I can't deny
In the end I'm realizing, I was never meant to fight on my own
Every little thing that I've known
Is everything I need to let go
You're so much bigger than world I have made
So I surrender my soul
Im reaching out for your hope
I lay my weapons down, Im ready for you now
Break me out
Come and find me in the dark now
Every day by myself I'm breaking down
I don't want to fight alone anymore
Break me out
From the prison of my own pride
My God I need a hope I can't deny
In the end I'm realizing, I was never meant to fight on my own
I don't want to be incomplete
I remember what you said to me
I don't have to fight alone
Break me out
Come and find me in the dark now
Every day by myself I'm breaking down
I don't want to fight alone anymore
Break me out
From the prison of my own pride
My God I need a hope I can't deny
In the end I'm realizing, I was never meant to fight on my own
Lyrics to On My Own by Ashes Remain
Upon reaching Nantucket island, the boat occupants dove out of the boat and threw themselves into the water. Their joyful cried filled the air and the whole atmosphere seemed to be affected. Elizabetha and Ludwig guided the boat to the shore as the others swam ahead. All exhaustion was forgotten; relief and hope fueling their fatigued bodies.
Once the boat was stuck in the sand and wouldn't go any further, Ludwig collected Gilbert's body carefully into his arms gingerly. Face twitching in pain, Gilbert laid limply in Ludwig's grasp. With Elizabetha faithfully by his side, Ludwig carried his brother to the others so they could search for a hotel and hospital.
Elizabetha's eyes were trained on Gilbert's face. In his sleep, he couldn't hide his pain like he would in consciousness. The corners of his dirt streaked mouth tugged in a wince with every bounce in Ludwig's quick step. Ludwig tried to walk smoothly but he was urgent to get his only brother to medical care. His legs swayed slightly, causing Gilbert's mouth to twitch from the pain in his knee.
The others had run up the shore and thrown themselves onto the beach. The salty air was sweet in the mouth of those who had thought they wouldn't live to see land. The sand clung to their wet and sweaty bodies but they welcomed the gritty feeling. They would welcome nearly any feeling when it meant they were alive.
Ludwig took a moment to pause and look back at the sunset. He wasn't one to appreciate things like that but after everything that happened, he had the strange urge to just relax and appreciate the beautiful morning he thought he wouldn't live to see.
He wanted to join the others in the sand but he didn't want to take the chance of aggravating Gilbert's wounds either by the sand or unnecessary movement. Instead, he resigned to looking at the sun slowly climbing into the sky. Soft colors delicately painted the sky, stretching out across the span of the horizon. It was a sunrise he had not expected to see. He just wished that Gilbert was awake to see it and appreciate it.
"Ludwig?" Elizabetha's asked in a hushed voice. Ludwig tore his eyes away from the subset to look at his brother's girlfriend. He didn't know what he thought of her at the moment. She had been unnecessarily harsh to Gilbert but she had risked her life to get Gilbert out of the plane. She could have easily left him there and escaped, saving herself from the small scratches she had received from the mini-explosion, even though Gilbert had protected her from any larger injuries.
"Ja?" Ludwig asked. He kept his voice neutral so that he wouldn't sound judgmental or too soft. Elizabetha wasn't looking at Ludwig though. Her eyes were stuck on Gilbert and had been ever since Ludwig carried him from the plane. Ludwig followed her gaze and noted that she was staring at Gilbert's blood stained bandage over his eye.
"I-is Gil ok?" she asked. Her voice was uncharacteristically timid; barely over a whisper. Ludwig sighed. He didn't know how to answer that question. He didn't know the full extent of his brothers injuries nor did he know where to get help at. He didn't recognize the island but he assumed he was somewhere near America.
"I don't know." Ludwig admitted, another low sigh escaping chapped lips. He looked away from Elizabetha, not willing to look at her concerned face. "We need to find out where we are and find the closest hospital."
Elizabetha nodded in agreement. "Yes, I'm worried about his knee." she looked at his face thoughtfully before adding, "And his eye."
Ludwig sighed and nodded. "I hate to rush them but..." he let his sentence hang. Elizabetha took the hint and turned her back to him.
"Let's get going guys! We can't rest; we're not safe yet!" she exclaimed. She glanced up at the dawn sky, listening for the faint hum of a plane engine. All was silent, deafeningly silent. The others got what she was trying to say but wasn't willing to say.
Rising from the sand, their hopes renewed and new found energy fueling their bodies, they were ready to face all the challenges that they might be forced to face. Faces set in determined frowns spread throughout the group. Everything they thought was starting to turn shoulder and slap them in the face. They didn't know if some of their allies were really their allies, now wary in response to Matthew's betrayal, and they didn't know how much time was left for them. Alfred and Ivan's death still hung heavily over them.
Ludwig couldn't help but smile at their determination. He just hoped that Gilbert still carried the same determination in order to survive. He's survived this far; past WWI, WWII, and his dissolution. He could survive this as well. Just as Old Man Fritz had said once "I must in the face of a storm, think, live and die as a king".
They regrouped and headed opposite direction from the beach in search of a hospital. Gilbert was rendered unconscious for the entire time. Scarlet blood bled through the creamy colored bandages, a splash of color against white, just as his blood would have been upon his milky skin had it not been smeared in dust, ash and grit. Elizabetha remained faithfully by his side in Ludwig's arms. In the corner of her eye, she noticed how Roderick would glance back at them with a concerned look. He was with the others, helping anyone if they stumbled or grew tired as they trekked on. Ludwig seemed to have an endless source of energy. He wouldn't allow himself to take a break or let anyone take Gilbert from him.
After what seemed was hours but was only in reality a few minutes, they reached a sign by a road that read 'Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge'. Ludwig's eyes narrowed in confusion.
"Uh, where are we?" he asked quietly. Arthur looked at the sign and a look of recognition crossed his features. An affectionate smile graced his lips if only for a moment but the smile lifted the look of misery and exhaustion off of his face.
"We're on Nantucket island! Alfred's cowlick!" Arthur exclaimed. It felt good to finally realize where he was and he felt at home on this soil even though he was hundreds of miles from his home.
"Ok...if we're on Nantucket island then where is a hospital?" Ludwig asked quickly. Quickly, he added, "If there is one". Part of him doubted that there would be a hospital them but another part told him that they would need one being on an island.
"I believe it's on the other end of the island." Arthur tentatively mumbled, hating to be the one to tell Ludwig that he would have to carry his injured brother that far. "But we can find someone who will give us a ride!" Arthur quickly added.
Ludwig frowned and let out a deep sigh. "Ok. Let's get moving. I want to get Gilbert medical attention as quickly as possible. He waited long enough." Ludwig grumbled, proceeding forward down the road at a brisk pace, his energy renewed.
Elizabetha hurried after him and was closely trailed by the others. Ludwig managed to flag down one of the few cars and was able to hitch a ride to Nantucket's only hospital on the far end of the island; Nantucket Cottage Hospital. Ludwig finally handed his brother off into the capable hands of a doctor. He sat in the lobby silently with Elizabetha and the others. They didn't tell the hospital staff about the plant wreck. They just told the doctors that they had been on a camping-trip-gone-bad and left it as that.
Ludwig's mind was reeling. Who had shot their plane down? Did the person responsible know they were still alive? Would they go after them and hunt them down? Could they be safe on Nantucket Island or should they leave as soon as Gilbert was able, whenever that may be. Questions plagued his min. He couldn't calm down; couldn't relax. His shoulders felt heavy with the pressure of the whole situation and he felt more stressed than he did during a war; probably because he didn't have Feli by his side.
Ludwig's thoughts changed from questions to his brother. He wondered what would be wrong with him and how long it would take for him to recover. His brother technically wasn't a country but he had continued to live and not age so maybe he could still heal at the same rate of a country. His wounds had looked painful but it would be easy for a country to recover from them.
A hand rested over Ludwig's hands crossed in his lap. Ludwig jumped and snapped out of his thoughts. He looked to the owner of the hand and felt his face grow red with embarrassment to see Elizabetha trying not to giggle.
"Sorry, Ludwig. I didn't mean to scare you." she apologized. "You just looked like you were spacing out."
Ludwig sighed and ran a hand through dirty blond hair. "Sorry," he mumbled, "I guess I'm just a little worried."
"It's ok to be worried; completely normal." Elizabetha smiled. "He's your brother. He'd be worried about you too and we all know he says that worrying isn't awesome but it can't be helped when a person you love is hurt."
Ludwig allowed a small smile to tug at his chapped lips. The Hungarian woman always knew what to say to cheer him up. "Danke, Elizabetha." he murmured quietly. Despite all that happened, he was still awkward with emotions. He should have learned but it was too hard for him to do even though his difficulty was what helped to set Feliciano off.
Elizabetha patted his knee roughly as Gilbert might have done. Ludwig could practically see Gilbert grinning and slapping his knee or punching his arm or ruffling his hair. At least Gilbert had a girl like Elizabetha who stuck with him even during arguments. They understood each other better than anyone else and were meant for each other.
"Gilbert Beilschmidt?" a doctor asked, walking out of the room a few hours later. Those that were awake stood up, chairs squeaking in protest. The doctor blinked surprised when he saw how many people was there and how dirty they were.
"You all can't go in at once. Two at a time." The doctor informed them before promptly returning to the room. Without the need to discuss, Elizabetha and Ludwig followed the man intently.
Their hearts broke to see Gilbert lying in the hospital room, so frail and ashen. A bandage was wound around his forehead and around his eye. His knee was set in a brace to help it heal. He was still unconscious, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.
Approaching the bed quietly, Ludwig and Elizabetha scanned his body solemnly. He looked so frail compared to his usual muscular build. Ludwig's hand hovered over his head, calloused hands just barely grazing the bandages.
"We were too late to save the vision in his eye." the doctor informed them in a morose tone.
"Y-you mean...?" Elizabetha stammered, shock and horror spreading through her body like electricity.
The doctor nodded. "He's blind in one eye. His other eye is fine but his knee had been broken. It needs to stay in this brace for a while and he won't be able to walk without assistance for a few weeks." the doctor said.
A trembling hand rested over Gilbert's pale hand. Elizabetha closed her eyes tightly, remembering how she told him he was blind before the plane crash. She didn't want to imagine what it would have been like to really loose him. The Prussian could have been loud, obnoxious, cocky or malicious but he had a good heart no matter how much he tried to cover it up.
To loose Gilbert would be like losing half of herself.
She didn't even realize she was crying until Ludwig put his hand over hers. Her small sniffing turned to sobs, their volume increasing. Her hand not being touched by Ludwig was desperately trying to rub her eyes.
Ludwig, struggling with tears now himself, rubbed the top of Elizabetha's hand in soothing circles. A soft moan went unheard to their ears. A single scarlet eyes cracked open, drinking in the sights of the new surroundings quickly. Gilbert's gaze fell on Elizabetha. Without even really having to think about it, a pale hand gently cupped her cheek. His thumb gently brushed the tears away. Guilt stabbed his heart. If he had been smarter or thought better, he could have prevented Elizabetha's sadness. She already had enough to stress about without him making it worse.
"Hey," he whispered to her softly. Elizabetha looked at him with puffy red eyes, her cheeks pink from a plush and from the tears.
"G-Gil!" she stammered, "Y-you idiot! You scared the crap out of me!"
Gilbert smiled. That was his Elizabetha alright. "There's no need to get worried. Nothing ever happens to awesome people." Gilbert smirked.
Elizabetha smiled and laughed. Her laugh wasn't her usual laugh though. It sounded airy almost, as if she just had a great weight lifted off of her shoulders. Her smile did a strange thing to Gilbert. His heart thumped against his ribcage and his breath seemed to catch in his throat. Never the less, he managed a grin.
"I don't know if I'd call this nothing." Elizabetha teased playfully.
"Are you trying to imply that I'm not awesome?" Gilbert smirked. Something about Elizabetha's attitude changed again. Leave it to a girl to be crying then laughing then on the verge of tears again.
"No," Elizabetha whispered. She leaned forward and placed a sweet kiss upon his chapped lips. "You are awesome. I'm sorry for the hurtful things I said earlier."
A light blush tinted Gilbert's pale face. His heart yet again thumped against his ribcage. He was acutely aware of his little brother standing nearby. "It's fine. I was being an ass as well."
"I was a bigger ass though so..."
"Of course you've got a bigger ass!" Gilbert interjected her. He could only stay serious for so long before he had to tease someone or declare his awesomeness.
Elizabetha's mouth dropped open and Gilbert would have sworn a bug flew in it. "GILBERT!" she bellowed in a voice even Germany could envy.
"KESESESE!" Gilbert snickered. His shoulders shook in laughter and soon Elizabetha couldn't help but join in.
"Oh God," Elizabetha laughed, wiping more tears though this time from laughing too hard, "I love you, Gil."
Gilbert blushed. He was never a man off emotions that wasn't cockiness but his near death experience caused him to appreciate the things he usually wouldn't just a little more, of only for a few moments.
A gently smile tugged his mouth into a smile. Not a smirk or grin but a affectionate smile that melted Elizabetha's heart and her cheeks.
"I love you too, Liz" he whispered.
A/N: Sorry for this being so late. Please let me know of any mistakes or suggestions. Please don't forget to review! ;;w;;