"Hey, Bruder. I have a present for you."

"Uhh?" I open my eyes sleepily. I'm lying in the damned field again! The place where it rained but not a single drop got on me! Not this dream or whatever it is. The familiar gray sky, the perfect, cool temperature...

And Germany.

"West!" I jump up. "What's going on? What's happening?"

"Calm down," he says, his voice full of authority, even though he's older.

"Tell me," I whisper, "did you win the war?"

He pauses. "No."

"Will I win this war with Belarus? Do you know?"

"I don't know," he says. "Shh. It will be alright, Prussia. Also, thank you for visiting my grave the other day."

"What happened?" I yell. "Are you dead? Am I dead?"

"It depends," he says. "I can't give you the information you want, Bruder. I'm sorry."

"I miss you," I say. "I don't like this- I don't like it at all."

"Well, then, maybe this gift will help a little," he says, pulling something out of seemingly nowhere. A large hardcover book.

"A book?" I say. Sure, I'm grateful and all, but West knows I'm not all into reading. I could barely tolerate those little kid books I read him when he was young!

"Read," he says. "It's more than you think."

"Alright." I flip open to a random page and skim over the first paragraph I see.

1945-1991. Cold War. A decade-long 'war' between America and the former USSR, in other words, a race of technological advances. Oh, right. I had forgotten about that. But I was only alive for two years of it, and I had somewhat more worrisome things to take care of than bragging rivalry between the USSR and America. I flip to another page.

November 9th, 1989. Fall of the Berlin Wall.

Page after page of dates, pictures, names, wars... The book has new meaning. "Is this...?"

Germany nods. "Ja. It's a history textbook. A present day history textbook. From the world you left."

"How do I get back?" I exclaim. "Please, tell me. I want you to be alive again! I can't live there anymore!"

"Be careful," Germany says. "This is not a game. Nor is it a parallel universe. If one world exists, the other cannot."

"Are you telling me none of this really happened, then?" I hold up the real textbook angrily. He's not making any sense.

"It happened," Germany says. "Hmm. Think of it this way, Prussia. The other world exists, but it's frozen."

"Can I get back to my world, then?" Hysteria is threatening to take over.

"Ja," Germany says. "But tread lightly, Prussia. Ich liebe dich." He smiles for a second. "Also, Bruder, that was a nice stunt you pulled, burning Russia's house down before you died. Was it on your bucket list?"

"Wait-" I begin, but the vision is fading from my eyes.

Sunlight streams onto me. I feel it. It's warm, and I crinkle my nose, opening my eyes slowly.

"Prussia!"

"Easy, Hungary," America says. He's sitting in a chair. And I realize where I am- in the hospital. "Prussia's probably tired. After all, he did some amazing things." I frown, searching for sarcasm in America's voice or face or eyes, but he looks sincere.

Thank you.

"Beilschmidt-san," a nurse says, her Japanese accent light. Her dark hair is up in a bun, and she's tapping a pen on a clipboard. "I can't believe you survived. That accident had enough force to kill... I don't even know. You are certainly lucky, lucky beyond belief."

Not lucky, Frau. A country. There's a difference.

Russia, Hungary and America are sitting around, and I know they're thinking it, too: that I didn't die because I can't physically die. I wish I could.

"And you hardly have any injuries," she continues. "You actually can be released from the hospital at your earliest convenience. But..." there's a frown. "Why did you run into the street? Were you feeling okay?"

Ohh. She thinks it was a suicide or something. She's probably already researched mental hospitals.

"Actually, he saved my sorry-" America starts, but Hungary throws a hand over his mouth.

"No," I lie. "I guess I just wasn't paying attention. I'm sorry. Really, I didn't mean to."

"Okay..." she pauses. "Well, I'll leave you." She gives me a quick bow and walks the other way.

"There's stuff in that drawer," Russia says. "Toiletries, and a change of clothes. We'll be waiting outside."

America looks over his shoulder at me. "Hey, dude, Hungary and I are going to see if we can find a cafeteria or something. You can come along when you're ready, if you want to." I think he forgave me. Then they take their leave, and I can hear footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Russia waits for Hungary and America to exit the room, and then he turns to me for a quick second.

"Prussia, thank you for saving America. I mean, he's not saying anything, but he's actually pretty weak right now."

"Ja..." I open the drawer and jump back in surprise.

"What? What?" Russia says.

"It's nothing. Nothing!" I bark. "Get out, Russia! I'm trying to change. Don't be a Communist and a perv. Get OUT!" I shove him out into the hall and slam the door, returning to the drawer.

I didn't jump because I didn't want Russia to see me get dressed (although that's not exactly on my list of things I want to happen).

I jumped because, lying on top of a pair of clean, neatly folded clothes and a bag of toiletries, is Germany's history textbook.