"How could you?!" Arthur demanded. "I trusted you! Francis trusted you! And this is how you repay us?!"

The younger man took a step forward but Arthur turned his body so Francis was farther away and he could point his gun directly at Ludwig. Stopping immediately, Ludwig removed his gun from its holster and dropped it on the ground.

"Arthur," he begged, hands raised to either side of his head. "Please listen to me! I want to help Francis get out of here as much as you do! I've been looking for him for such a long time! I just want to help him!" He cautiously took a step closer. Arthur didn't move "This is all my fault but I promise you that I did not hurt Francis."

The weapon was not lowered, Arthur staring Ludwig down as he listened.

"Explain yourself."

"There isn't time. I will as soon as Francis is safe."

Both men stood silently, waiting for the other to do something. Francis leaned back so he could see the man who had appeared in front of them. His eyes widened as he saw the man and he whispered in Arthur's ear, "I trust him. He's not the bad man."

Arthur stared at him in shock.

"But you said he was?"

Shaking his head, Francis replied, "I thought the bad man was coming but he isn't the bad man. The bad man looks very different."

It was silent as the British man considered.

"Arthur please," Ludwig begged again. "All I want is Francis to be safe. I love him. I would not want to hurt him but I know who wants to so we need to go now!"

The frantic tone in his voice convinced Arthur to trust him, for now.

"Fine." He put his gun away and held Francis tightly. "Pick your gun up and lead us out of here."

Ludwig quickly followed orders and the group started for the exit, Arthur wary of any sign Ludwig would betray them. Suddenly he stopped and moved closer to the pair, pulling his gun out once more.

"He's here," he murmured and another familiar person walked up to them.

"Excuse me," the red eyed man began, voice icy and dangerous. "But I believe that belongs to me."

He pointed a long, pale finger at Francis.

"Gilbert?" Arthur asked, completely baffled. "Why would you do this? Aren't you and Francis friends?"

Gilbert groaned loudly, rolling his eyes.

"No! We've never been friends and we never will! You fight one war together and everyone thinks you're best friends," he mocked coldly, eyes narrowed and dark. "When in reality we've always hated each other but play nice around our mutual friend Antonio."

He couldn't wrap his head around this. The pair didn't get along? He had been friends with the ex-nation for centuries. How was it possible that he didn't know such a large fact about him? Francis' change seemed to opening his eyes to all sorts of things he should have already known.

"Well then why did you take Francis?"

Gilbert laughed.

"You don't know? My brother was able to figure it out long ago but you can't?"

The younger blond stiffened when he was mentioned and Arthur turned to look at him, betrayed again.

"You knew?"

"I…had an idea…" Ludwig uttered, not meeting his gaze.

"Well what is it?!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Gilbert taunted. "I'm dying! And I don't want to! Mattie has helped all he could with his little micronation but it didn't help! A new representative was born instead! And while it might be weak, I can't kill it!" He grimaced before grinning again. "But then I found out about Francis! How he had shrunk and couldn't handle his duties. I knew that if I could just get my hands on him I could kill him and steal his lands for myself! Prussia would be reborn and I would be a nation again!" Arthur gasped. "Now if you don't mind…" He leapt at the group. "Give me that child!"

The two others dodged out of the way, Arthur gripping Francis fiercely.

"No!"

"But I've finally figured it out!" Gilbert pleaded. "A single gunshot will do it! Just one! He's too weak to recover!"

Francis burst into terrified tears as Arthur ran, sprinting towards the exit and away from the crazed man.

"I won't let him hurt you," he promised the boy between pants.

Gilbert chased after them, shooting wildly. A few missed but several struck Arthur though he didn't stop. Another shot rang out and Francis groaned in pain. The bullet had passed through Arthur's back and deep into the little boy's stomach. Yelling in anger, Ludwig dove at his brother and knocked him to the ground. "Go!" he shouted as he held the older man down. The desperate man tried to wriggle free, something he should have been able to easily do but his strength had faded so much as his time started running out. He fought, bit, and clawed doing anything he could think of to get his brother to let go but he refused. Silent tears slipped down his cheeks as he had to watch his one chance for survival escape him.

Seeing that he had finally given in, Ludwig released him but Gilbert did not move. His eyes stared blankly at where Arthur had disappeared with Francis.

Bursting out of the building Arthur dashed to his car, tearing branches off of it so he could lay Francis in the backseat.

"Hold on, Francis," he cried. "Hold on! You're going to be fine! We'll be at a hospital soon!"

He drove maniacally with one hand on the wheel and the other holding Francis. He kept up his stream of encouragement as the boy's eyelids slowly lowered until the pretty sapphire irises could no longer be seen.