Many thanks to BlueFeatherStar, glad you liked it!

To DeathbladeMeister, yes, there is far too little for that wonderful pairing, it is tragic.

To Mitsuki 'Forgotten Peonies,' glad you liked it, yeah fem!China is rare-ish. Fem!ChinaxJapan is practically unheard of. I'm glad you like how the chapters are named; I was hoping someone other than me did! And as for the errors...yeah, I know they're there, I've been meaning to go over all the chapters and fix things, really, but...yeah...one day... Though I've done a few now.

And I'm glad you guys seemed to like the NiChu so much, I'm a hardcore NiChu fan myself but I was afraid you guys would be after me with scary pitchforks and torches! I think NiChu will win but it all really depends on my mood at the time. Don't give up hope yet RoChu fans!

But what I really can't decide on is USUK or FrUK? And 2p!USx2p!UK or 2p!Frx2p!UK. Or USx2p!UK, 2p!FrxUK, Frx2p!UK, or what?! Help me out guys!

Chapter 14: Iris

England sighed and looked past her America out the window of the jet on her right, Alfred sighed and put down his Nintendo 3DS, "why did we have to bring him?" He asked, nodding at Jean, asleep on her other side.

England shifted the arm Jean had fallen asleep on slightly to prevent it from going numb, "because, you git, the only other options were leaving him alone with them at my house or bringing all three of them with us so we could keep an eye on them. I am not bringing those three idiots with me here to speak with France and I don't know about you but I don't hate anyone enough to leave them alone with those two."

She expected Alfred to nod and agree, but he just looked thoughtful, "I might hate someone enough…" He muttered, but didn't elaborate. Arthurine looked at him from under her blonde lashes, there were sides to him she hadn't seen before. She blushed, there were definitely sides to him she hadn't seen before.

She fiddled with the skirt of her white dress, fingers absently tracing over one of strawberries patterned onto it, "hey, Alfred, about the other day…"

He glanced down at her curiously, "yeah, what is it?"

After he had kissed her the other day it had taken her a long time to process what had happened, by the time she had found her voice again, Jake had come back into the room and Arthurine just couldn't bring it up in front of him. After that the rest of the evening was a blur of packing a few things, arranging a flight and falling asleep, exhausted. This lead to where they were now. Arthurine glanced to her left, Jean was asleep, now was as good a time as any.

"Why did you…" she began carefully, "kiss me?"

America laughed, he'd been worried there for a second but that was easy, "because I wanted to!" He said.

Because I wanted to, England mulled over the words in her head, "because you wanted to," she repeated slowly, "so not because-"

Alfred knew what she was about to say and forestalled her, "I did it because I like you; I love you Alice, Arthurine, England. And I want you to pick me instead of him."

England's cheeks heated up as America said the words she'd longed to hear for a century now. But she was confused, there was a 'him' now?

"Instead of who?" She asked, there wasn't anyone else, I mean sure, Jean had kissed her. But that was all water under the bridge now, right? And there wasn't anyone else. America had to know he'd always been first in her heart, above friends and family, above everyone. Everyone knew that, it wasn't exactly Arthurine's best kept secret that Alfred was the person she loved the most in the world.

"You should know you were always my favorite," she murmured.

America laughed bitterly, "yeah, I was your favorite, like a pet or a child but I wasn't him, you never saw me as an adult, I'm still not sure you do now. I was never your equal, I became the strongest power in the world and you still see me as a child. Sometimes I wonder if you'll ever see me the way you see him!"

England was too shocked to speak as America finished his little rant; apparently she'd touched a nerve.

"America," she began, "I do not see you as a child and I have no idea who this 'him' is, I've been aware that you are an adult and your own person and my equal since your revolution."

They both winced, they were discussing love here, the last thing they wanted to talk about was the biggest wall between them but Arthurine knew they had to get it out of the way and if they didn't talk about it now it would just sit between them and fester like an open wound.

But it wasn't an open wound any more. It was a scar on England's heart that, while it wrenched and hurt occasionally, had healed and been forgiven. She had hurt and been hurt and forgiven and been forgiven.

"I'm not angry about that any more America," she told him gently, "I only ever wanted you to be happy and I'm proud, so proud of you. But most of all," tears glimmered in her eyes, "I understand, I really do."

America caught one of the hands shaking in her lap and held it between both of his much larger ones, "I just wanted you to see me, to notice me as a person, not as your little brother, I want you to look at me like you look at him."

England thought about the passionate, slightly rough kiss they'd shared back at her house and shivered slightly, "I don't think there's any danger of me seeing you as little or my brother Alfred," she whispered.

But that still hadn't answered her question, who on Earth is 'him'? Almost as soon as the question had crossed her mind it clicked with England, the only person America would ever think she would put before him, her constant companion, her rival, her equal.

"America, why would you want me to look at you like I look at France? As my recent actions have proven I am a bitch to France." She said, puzzled.

America shrugged one shoulder, "yeah but we all know you don't really mean it," he patted her shoulder enthusiastically, "and if you go too far you apologize! That's what we're here for, right?" He grew more serious again, "every time something happens or the topic of love is ever even hinted at you go running to him or he comes running to you. It's not hard to see how the two of you feel about each other."

What?! England shook her head frantically, no; America had gotten it all wrong, all backwards! She didn't run to France when the topic of love was brought up because she loved him, she did it because she didn't want Alfred to see how she really felt about him.France had kept her strong through every rejection and moment of heartache, he was her worst enemy but he was also her best friend.

But that was all.

Right?

England slowed her head-shaking, "no. Alfred, you're wrong. I'm not in love with France, I never was. I would always stick with him because, yes, he is my best friend, even if I don't exactly tell him that a lot. And because I was afraid..." her voice stuttered a little, she had dreamed of America returning her feelings for a century, that hadn't meant she had ever thought it would ever actually happen, she mustered her courage and continued, "because I was afraid you could tell how...I really felt...about you." She blushed and didn't dare look him in the eye. Her free hand fisted in her knee-length skirt and the one America was still holding began to tremble.

"Huh? How you feel about me? I don't understand," said America with an awkward smile.

England sighed exasperatedly, and yanked her hand away from his and used it to smack him around the back of the head. "I love you, you dolt! I have ever since you threw that stupid revolution and I realized 'bugger, I love this kid who I've just lost forever and guess what? He's not a kid anymore!'" She threw her hands up in the air for emphasis and then folded her arms scowling and blushing. That wasn't exactly what she'd thought the time but it was close enough.

America blinked, stunned, he felt as though she had hit him around the head a lot harder than she actually had. "You love me?" He questioned softly. His face split into a huge grin, "I had no idea you were in love with me!"

"Don't think I didn't think the same thing about you until ten minutes ago," England grumbled, still blushing.

Then America frowned, "you didn't know I loved you until ten minutes ago?"

England chuckled humorlessly, "believe me America, until you said so I had no idea."

Alfred smiled, "then let me make it clear to you." He tugged her out of her seat and pulled her onto his lap, England's heart stuttered nervously as she squeaked a protest, "then let me make it clear to you," he whispered.

For the second time in two days and the second time in her entire life America kissed her, England wrapped her arms around his neck as his went around her waist and pulled her closer.

This kiss was different from their last one, it burned through them like fire, consuming them both until all they could see and fell was the other person.

Jean stirred slightly and but did not wake, however, the sound broke the spell over America and England and they shot apart, panting. England felt mortification flood her, that had gone way too far. She couldn't believe she'd done that while Jean was sitting right next to them! She couldn't believe she'd done that at all!

"Sorry, that got out of hand," gasped America, England nodded shakily, medal for understatement of the year.

They sat in awkward silence for a few seconds, then Alfred's hand moved across the distance between them and curled around hers. Arthurine relaxed and, slowly, fell asleep.

The dream she dreamed was short and vivid, she was sitting on a grassy field, her head on his shoulder feeling absolutely at peace and happy. Her eyes were shut but the sunlight soaked through her eyelids as the sun bathed both their faces in warmth.

"I love you," she whispered. He hummed in pleasure at her statement.

"I've waited a long time to hear you say that," he commented lightly.

"I only wish I said it sooner," she replied sincerely.

His cool fingers slid under her chin and tilted her face up, "I love you Arthurine."

She smiled into his blue eyes and her own slid shut again as their lips met.

'I love you too Francis.'

Arthurine jerked awake with a soft cry, Alfred, snoring lightly on her right, didn't even twitch, it looked like he'd fallen asleep too. On her left Jean sat up, woken by her jerking upwards and knocking his head off her shoulder where it had fallen again.

"What's wrong?" He asked sleepily.

England tugged her hand out of Alfred's grasp, feeling like dirt, she had just confessed to America and made out with him and then dreamed about France! What did that say about her.

She ground the heels of her hands into her eyes, get it together girl, she told herself firmly.

"Nothing's wrong, everything's fine," she told Jean firmly.

She wrapped both of her arms around one of America's and laid her head against it, mind whirling.

What on Earth is going on with me? She wondered, she was so calling China the second they touched down in Paris, if there was anyone who knew about having mixed feelings for different men, it would be the older country.

I love you America, she thought firmly, hating herself. I love you. Alfred. I love you...

Jean glanced over at Arthurine who was leaning against Alfred's arm, "I can't believe it, she fell asleep again." He murmured.

Olivia Kirkland sighed and rubbed her brow, sounding much more like Arthurine than herself.

Arthurine and her America had decided to take Jean with them when they went to see Francis, on one hand Olivia was grateful, she didn't need this right now any more than Arthurine did and she wasn't sure that even she could keep Jean alive in a household that consisted solely of the two of them and a very pissed-off Jake.

Jake heard her sigh as he walked into the room, swinging his trusty baseball bat. Though he was careful not to let it hit any of Arthurine's furniture or her walls, the tiny blonde scared him more than a little bit.

"What's up pinky?" He asked bluntly, not as suave in his questioning as Jean was but sincere nevertheless.

"The sky?" Olivia tried lamely, it didn't work, Jake didn't lose his questioning look.

"He's never going to love me, is he?" She asked softly, Olivia had no idea why she was trying to have a heart-to-heart talk with Jake, she wasn't even sure he had one.

But she needed to hear someone else say it out loud before she gave up on the love that had dominated her life for most of her life.

Jake hesitated for a split second, he wasn't exactly a quick thinker but he wasn't stupid either. He knew he had to pick his words carefully, if he was insensitive he could wind up with a knife through the throat. If he was sensitive to her feelings and said the wrong thing he could wind up with a knife through the throat, if he was sensitive to her feelings and said the right thing...he could wind up with a knife through the throat.

Either way he was pretty screwed, Jake considered his words, the part of him that was an uncaring gangster who was in love with Olivia and didn't give a shite about Jean wanted to tell her that, no, he would never love her so she would just get over her damn infatuation.

The part of him that sincerely loved her wanted to tell her that, no, he would never love her and that was the cold, hard truth but he, Jake, loved her and wanted to make her happy.

"Sure he will, one day, you just need to keep trying, you wont get anywhere if you don't keep trying and are you seriously going to give up on him now? After everything you've been through?" Jake encouraged.

Olivia stared at him; she stared for a second, that was the last thing she expected him to say, ever.

Jake would rather gouge out his own eyes than see Olivia get together with Jean; she thought he would kill Jean before he let him have her but Jake actually did care about Olivia's happiness more than that. If her getting together with Jean made her happy then that was what he was going to encourage, no matter how much it hurt him.

Olivia could make him, Jake, happy but he couldn't make her happy, only Jean could. And that's why he had to let her go.

"You can do it Liv," he said, swallowing to force the pain back down to his heart.

Her face lit up into a beautiful smile, "thanks Jake, I needed to hear that. I can definitely do it. I'll win Jean's heart no matter what!"

Arthurine Kirkland looked around her and cursed, they'd been off the jet for a grand total of twenty minutes now and she'd lost both of them, "bloody brilliant," she muttered to herself, scanning the airport around her.

Suddenly a large man pushing a heavy trolly bumped into her, Arthurine, tiny and slender was basically sent flying. She stumbled backwards and braced herself for contact with the hard floor.

Slender, familiar arms caught her from behind, "ma cherie? What are you doing here?" An equally familiar voice asked her in English.

Arthurine blinked, a lot of things seemed to be catching her by surprise these days, she hadn't been expecting this either.

"France?"

Who does she pick guys? Did Jake make the right choice to tell Olivia that? Sorry I'm so late, stuff happened. Lots of stuff. But as long as I update once every week it's fine, right?

I named this chapter 'Iris' because it is the emblem of France and means 'Your friendship means so much to me.' France and England all the way!

Tell me who you want to end up with who guys.

R & R, hope you enjoyed!