aldjflasjdfljasdf- Billy

adslfjalsdfaldsjf- Alfred thinking

Alfred sat under his bed sheets as he sobbed quietly. After all, the last thing he wanted to do was wake up Arthur... "It's not fair", he sniffed and rubbed at his puffy eyes, "why can I see Billy, but big brother can't?" He whimpered and curled into an even tighter ball as Billy's deranged giggle echoed about the otherwise silent room. I'm the only one who can see him, too...maybe I am going crazy. "Maybe you are." Alfred didn't dare look for where Billy was. He already knew he'd be sitting at the foot of his bed staring at him with that horrific smile. He'd been doing it for the past six days now, after all. "Go away..."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I don't want you here..."

"Too bad brat-you're stuck with me whether you like it or not."

"Brat? Oh please, you're as old as me."

"Whatever you say."

"Why are you here, again?"

"Because I am."

"What kind of answer is that?"

"It's my answer."

"...What do you want from me?"

"..."

"..."

"Everything."

"W-What do you mean?"

"I want your everything. Simple as that. I want your house. I want your land. I want your title as America. But most of all, I want your England."

Suddenly Alfred flung off the covers and tackled Billy off the bed and onto the wood floor.

"NO! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HIM FROM ME!"

That horrible sharp-toothed grin snaked across his double's face, "Who's going to stop me? You? You're nothing. You're just a tool-a useless pawn. You can't do anything right. I told you before, Alfred. Arthur doesn't even really love you."

"LIES!"

"Alfred? Are you okay?"

Alfred shot his head up at the sound of England's voice. The Englishman stood in the doorway with worry written all over his paler-than-usual face. He was holding a lantern and was still in his flannel white shirt and brown slacks. He was barefoot. "Alfred? What happened? Who're you talking to?"

Alfred scrambled off Billy and dusted off his pajamas, "I had a nightmare and must've been talking in my sleep. It's okay, brother. I'm fine! Really!" He gave a faux grin for emphasis.

Arthur didn't look convinced but left anyway-but not before bidding his little brother goodnight and tucking him into bed with a kiss to the forehead.

When Arthur was well out of earshot, Alfred buried his face in his pillow and mumbled, "England loves me-I know he does. So I won't let you take him away."

It had been three weeks since Billy first appeared and he wasn't showing any signs of disappearing any time soon. Everywhere Alfred would go, Billy would follow. Billy didn't eat, drink, or sleep. When Alfred asked he said he just 'didn't want to'. He noticed the way Billy would always match his footsteps, and how Billy didn't seem to have a shadow. How whenever they would pass England Billy would stop and stare with that creepy smile of his until Alfred dragged him away...

Time and time again, Alfred would ask him why Billy was there.

The reply would always be the same.

"I'm here because I am."

Billy didn't laugh.

Billy giggled.

Like he was crazy.

And he most likely was.

He'd giggle whenever they passed England or whenever Alfred would ask him a question.

Or whenever they passed something dead on the side of the road...

Exactly two months since Billy had wormed his way into Alfred's life, Alfred asked the question.

"What do you want with England?"

He didn't expect the answer to be so morbid.

He didn't expect that answer at all.

"Because, I want to kill him."