The World Conspires Against Us, My Love

by Coffee-is-Life

This is a sequel to The Second Kalmar Union. It takes place about 25 years after the conclusion of that story, in the year 2055. More shippy, more angsty, less funny. Probably will also be longer than SKU. And did I mention that America is the antagonist? Also, I now feel obligated to mention that there will be m-preg and major character death.

57. Chapter 56

The door opened.

Lukas blinked at the bright light flooding the basement.

"Come on! We have to go now!"

Who the hell was that? Lukas didn't move.

The person climbed down the stairs and stood in front of Lukas. "Norway, dude, we need to go now."

America….

Lukas could feel Sigmund's scorn, his hate, his anger threaten to take control of him. But he had the upper hand now. He shoved those emotions to the very back of his mind.

Lukas wondered idly if this was a hallucination. It was difficult to tell sometimes.

America grabbed Lukas's wrist and hauled him up. "Dude, we don't have time for this. Come on!"

America began walking back up the stairs, dragging Lukas behind him.

"What are you doing?"

No reply.

A faint sound caught his attention. "Is that thunder? It's not safe to go out if it's thundering."

America smiled grimly. "That's not thunder, and no, it's not safe to go outside, but we don't have a choice."

"Where are you taking me?" Lukas was rather nervous about leaving the basement, and possibly the house. How long had it been since he'd seen the sun?

"Somewhere safe, I hope. There's a secret bunker about a mile outside of the city, if we can get to it."

Bunker? Why did they need to get to a bunker? And if it wasn't thunder, then….?

Distantly, he remembered how the much thunder could sound like other, more dangerous things.

"The city's being bombed." It was not a question. He knew.

America nodded. "It is." They reached the front door of the house. America opened to door and dragged them both out. America began walking at a fast pace. Lukas found it difficult to keep up; the months in the perpetually damp basement had aggravated his respiratory issues. "Look, Norway, the bunker's that way." He pointed straight ahead. "It's fairly well-hidden, but you should have no trouble finding it."

"Aren't you going with me?"

"Of course, but… if I don't make it…" He shook his head. Lukas noticed how he clutched his side with his free hand. "We'd better start running; the city's not safe anymore."

So they did. Lukas wanted to ask why America was doing this for him, but he did not have the breath to spare.

They did not get very far before the world exploded in a flask of light, pain, and finally, darkness.