Matthew buried his face in his brother's bloodied shirt, past hysterical. After Arthur had left and the monsters had exploded into black glitter, Francis and Matthew tried to find Andrew. They found him running past them with a look of terror on his face. They followed in haste, both dreading the worst.

And the worst they did find.

Arthur was already there, running to Matthew and stopping Francis half way, but unable to prevent Matthew from reaching his brother's corpse. Half of Alfred's face was gone, blown apart by something with enough firepower to singe the wound closed as it destroyed flesh.

Andrew shot a look at Bit who just whispered, "Billy is dead."

As if on cue, the world around them began collapsing. The floor beneath them shook and cracked, and Francis shielded Arthur and Matthew from the falling debris. Matthew choked back a sob and called above the chaos, "What's happening?!"

Andrew grabbed Bit's arm for support as the ground under his foot fell away into oblivion, "Billy's dead so his pseudo-world can't keep its shape anymore!"

Bit grimaced and pulled out something from his pocket that looked like a cellphone and threw it at Francis who caught it with ease. He looked at it curiously, it was a cellphone. "What's this?"

"It's Alfred's home phone. Call it and you three can return back to the real world."

Arthur shook his head with unshed tears in his green eyes, "No! Not without you two! I won't lose anyone else!"

Bit smiled sadly and Andrew copied the look, "We weren't real to begin with, remember? We're creations of Alfred's subconscious. We can't live without Alfred."

Bit closed his eyes, "But Alfred can live without us."

Matthew winced when another window shattered overhead, "What do you mean?"

Andrew smirked, "Just go home kiddo. It was nice spending time with ya. I don't think I can say much more than that." The three nations looked from the two personalities in confusion.

"Wha-"

"Goodbye. Arthur."

A phone rang in the distance and everything went white.

The next few months passed like a dream.

The three woke up where they had left off, side by side in Alfred's bed. Alfred, however, looked to be sleeping soundly in armchair by the window. Arthur bolted over to him and cried in relief when he saw that the boy was indeed just sleeping, all injuries he had received in Billy's dream world gone. However, try as he did, Alfred wouldn't wake up.

The world went on like nothing had changed, Matthew took control of Alfred's affairs and things went smoothly.

Gilbert still lived in Matthew's bed, Romano and Feliciano were proposed to by their secret and not so secret boyfriends on the same day. Francis and Arthur entered a relationship that actually seemed to worked, although Arthur refused to engage in any romantic activity in public.

But Alfred still wouldn't wake up.

Three months had passed and Arthur spent most of that time by Alfred's bedside. He just couldn't leave while the poor boy wasted away his life in a coma.

"Hey Alfred, I was here yesterday...and the day before that...nothing new has happened...well, except for that little bear thing that Matthew carries around with him turned out to be female..."

Alfred's face still held its boyish charm, even as he slept away the world. Soft light filtered in through the open window by his bed, and Arthur felt his eyes water.

"...Which is why you need to come back to us, Alfred...you made the world so bright and full of life...I've never had a dull moment when you're around...you were my whole world, Alfred..."

A bird called outside and Arthur broke down into tears.

"A-Alfred, l-little one, please wake u-up...please wake up so Mathew can show you his engagement ring and so you can go on and on about those silly hamburgers and just so you can smile... Oh please wake up and smile at me, Alfred..."

He sobbed and reached over to hold the boy's warm hand.

"Look at me, Alfred, did you ever think I'd be in a relationship with Francis of all people? I sure didn't...wake and smile for me Alfred...please just wake up and tell me it's going to be okay..."

Arthur froze when the hand he held squeezed back.

"It's going to be okay."

"A-Ah!"

Alfred blinked open his eyes blearily, almost blind without his glasses. Without thinking Arthur quickly placed the spectacles on the blonde's face.

"B-Better?"

Alfred smiled weakly and finally got a clear look at England, "Yeah...I guess I'm back...brother..."

Arthur didn't know whether to hug Alfred like he wanted to or to keep it cool. He decided on the latter, not wanting to bother Alfred after he just woke up.

"So...can you hear Billy at all?"

Alfred shook his head, "I think he's gone for good."

"What about Andrew and Bit? How are they?"

"Actually...I think that they're gone too."

"Gone?"

Alfred nodded and bit his lip, "I think they gave their lives to save mine...cuz I can't hear them anymore..."

Arthur deflated, "Oh..."

Alfred noted the englishman's sadness and quickly perked up, "B-But they're technically not really people so they're likely to come back! So don't worry! Be happy!"

Arthur chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, "Bob Marley huh? I'd expect nothing less."

Alfred smiled and sat up, reaching out with both arms, "Don't I get a hug?"

Arthur laughed felt his eyes begin to water again. He pulled Alfred into a tight hug, "Yes, you get a hug...lovable git."

The tea sitting next to them was left untouched, a tin sat beside it with a sharpied #18 on the bottom.