Hello everyone, just to let you know, no I really haven't disappeared off of the face of the earth. And no, I'm not giving up on this story! I realise it has been a rather long wait for this particular chapter, and I have to thank you all for being so so patient with me, you're all amazing.

I would also like to give some fair warning that although I will remain updating this story, I am unsure on whether I will be able to it on a regular basis - I am so sorry about that! But I am in my last year of college now, heading towards university - meaning exams, coursework and lots of stress! I will write this whenever I get the chance!

Well, I shall leave you to the story! Please enjoy, and remember reviews are always welcome! You're all amazing - Tigora7136

The squealing of tires raging against cobble roads bellowed as the two red-headed brothers all but charged to Kirkland manor, ignoring pedestrians and traffic lights as they went. The house was in sight, and as each mile decreased between them and the brick barricade separating them from their youngest sibling, the senses of dread and fear began to peak. What if they didn't make it in time? What if something had already happened? What if they couldn't fix it? The toxic 'what if's continued their attacks as the car screeched to a stop mere inches from the door.

"Alba, what am I-" Shawn began, the anxiety for his family encouraging doubt to fill his trembling body. He was scared. He was allowed to be, so many thing could go wrong. It all depended on him.

"No" Alba cut in, slicing his sibling's question at the bud "You're going to do grand, it's Arthur in there. Not an army, not some evil monster or nasty spirit. Arthur, our wee brother. You've done this before Shawn, you can do it again" taking a breath, the Scotsman calmed himself before fixing his brother with a reassuring gaze "Now, go in there and make sure the idiot hasn't done something stupid, got it?"

"Got it Alba" opening the door, the young Irishman got out of the car, standing by his door and muttering over his shoulder "I'll be in touch.. Go and protect Cymru, brother"

With that, the door slammed shut behind him as Shawn ran into the house, assured of his brother's get away as the engine once again sparked to life behind the door. Adrenaline and worry racing through his vaines as he rammed the door open, calling his youngest brother's name as he vaulted the stairs not knowing where he was going but trusting his instincts all the same.

It was only when a glimmer of light caught the corner of his eye, did Shawn realise what true panic could be. Within seconds he had cleared the gap between him and the sickly white door, shoving it open with a cry of his brother's name on his lips, his eyes sweeping this so called 'room of memories' until his gaze landed on the crumpled form of his Arthur.

Diving towards the blond boy, Shawn suppressed the urge to hug the younger man to his chest. He know he couldn't, not yet. There was no knowing what the lad had done to himself, and moving him may or may not make his current condition worse.

"Arthur? Arthur!" The Irishman called out, hands gently caressing his brother's cheek in an attempt to rouse him from his unconscious state. "Albion! Wake up! I need you to tell me what you've done little brother! C'mon" Jerking Arthur's head left to right Shawn contininued to check him over, his fingers pressing against the English boy's neck to reassure himself the nations heart was still in good condition. Releasing a small breath of relief when the steady beating tapped a rhythm against his fingertips.

"Master Shawn?" A small voice enquired behind the Irishman "Master Shawn! My name is Cherry Top, I need you to listen to me. Little Bunny drank some of the liquid in that vial next to you. Now it may seem country productive at the moment but, I need to make him drink the rest of it"

"WHAT?!" Northern Ireland all but screeched at the fae before him "make him drink the rest of it?! No! If that drink made him like this, I'm not gonna make him drink more! I'm not killing my brother!"

"Idiot! Listen to me!" The little red fae shouted in return, zooming so that he was face to face with the Irish nation, growling as he pointed a tiny finger at the larger beings nose in an attempt to be menacing "If Little Bunny doesn't drink the rest of that bloody vial he will not wake up! Do you understand! It is a potion made by the fae to force sleep upon ones self for eternity. Many humans drink it as an attempt for everlasting release - drinking half with cause a coma, drinking all will cause death. But Arthur Kirkland is a country, he cannot truly die. He will not die while his land and people still remain! His body simply won't allow it!"

"So, you're saying that if he drinks the rest, it will counteract the first half of the potion?" Hope drenched the elder Kirklands voice as he began to cradle his brother in his arms, reassured that he would do no damage by allowing himself this comfort. Waiting for the smaller being to nod his concent, Shawn quickly grasped the vial and began to pour the silver liquid into Arthur's mouth, stroking the front of his neck downwards to force the unconscious lad to swallow the last of this potions saving grace.

The effect was almost instantaneous, once the liquid had disappeared down the younger nations throat, his body began to convulse; his joints tightening and relaxing in violent motions, lifting his back from the comforts of the floor beneath him, Arthur's body locked into a bridge shape. Shawn continued to cushion his brothers head as he snapped and whipped his limbs in a broken pattern. Breath burnt his lungs and tears clawed against his eyes as a painful roar burst from behind the blond mans lips. The harsh sting of life knocking the wind from his lungs once more, leaving him gasping and coughing almost pathetically against his brothers should as his body began to feel numb and limp.

"S-Shawn? What-?"

"Shhhh little one, shhh" the red head cooed against his brothers hair, stroking and petting his arms and back in an attempt to calm him, as though the blond in his arms shared a likeness with a scared animal ready to burst from the room "it's okay, I've got you now. You're safe"

"I'm sorry brother, I'm so sorry" Arthur sobbed "I thought-" cutting himself off, Arthur hid his head in his older brothers shoulder, trying to hide from his own actions and beliefs. There was no excuse, he should have known. It was all his fault, again. He almost ruined this family, again. He had hurt them all again!

"Hush now Albion" Shawn whispered "it's okay now, just.. Please don't do that again, okay? I don't think I can handle it deartháir"

"I'm sorry.. I- I know I shouldn't have done that.. I'm so sorry I didn't mean to, really! I didn't!" Panic began to flood England's system as he rushed to explain himself to his older brother. He needed to make him understand, for both their sakes "I was just going to look at it, honest! I always do, I just get the bottle out and look at it.. But, I don't know! I - something changed.. I-"

"It's okay now bráthair, I get it. I really do baby brother, it's okay"

"No it's not"

"No" Shawn muttered, his voice warm and comforting "you're right, it's not okay right now, but it will be. Alba, Cymru and I will make sure of it" making to stand Shawn quickly placed an arm under his brothers legs and back, carrying him down the stairs into the living room. A small smile graced his lips as he felt Arthur try to fight against the action, reassurance that he was slowly getting stronger after his moment of weakness.

"I'll make some tea and you can tell me what has been happening while Alba and I have been MIA, got it? Then, I need you to pack a small bag and come with me, we are catching a taxi to the meeting - no complaining! I would like to get there a day early so we can catch up with those brothers of ours, aye?"

"Okay..." Sighing, Arthur curled up in the corner of the couch, not really noticing as his Irish brother walked out of the room, tapping away at his phone in order to inform Alba that their youngest, though not in perfect condition, was safe. Arthur couldn't concentrate, his thoughts flying a mile a second, colliding and exploding against the walls of his mind. He had done it. He had actually drank the potion, and now. Now what? There was nothing there anymore, nothing lingering in the back of his mind whispering bittersweet words of malignant promises. Promises that sought to wreck havoc and mayhem upon his being. It was gone. In it's place stood an empty silence begging to be filled, gasping for the relief of a smothering liquid or numbing drug. Anything. Anything that wasn't nothing.

"Artie, I've got your tea! I thought you might want one of the chamomile ones you're so fond of, atleast, that's what Cymru tells me anyway. Not really overly keen on the stuff myself" Shawn withered on as he placed the steaming cup in his brother's hands, letting the warms provide the younger male with some comfort to coincide with his nonsense talk "I proffere a nice cool Guinness to be honest with you deartháir, hits the spot just right"

"Brother.. I know you wanted to talk about what happened, but... I don't know what you want me to say" Arthur murmured against the rim of his cup, avoiding eye contact in favour of wearing the ripples rhythm within his mug.

"Arthur" the Irish nation began, his voice loving yet demanding "if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I won't push you to speak, even if I wanted to, it would be wrong of me to do so.. But I would like to know one thing.. Is- is this going to happen again? I really don't want to have to ask you this, but I need to know"

"I... No. I don't think it will anyway..."

"Okay brother" silence fell on the pair for a few seconds, the comfort of having the others company calming them both tremendously "but, you do know that now, we can't leave you alone again right? It's not that we don't trust you, we do! But-"

"But you need to be sure?" Arthur timidly supplied, his voice soft and understanding. He couldn't expect his brothers to trust him now, he couldn't even trust himself anymore "I get it.. I'm still sorry though"

"I know"

"I'm going to have to tell Alba about this aren't I?" The worry and uncertainty in his younger brothers voice caused Shawns chest to tighten. It was something he never wanted to hear from any of his brothers, and yet, here it was sitting with them like an unwelcome houseguest who couldn't take a hint.

"Yes, he needs to know. But, if you want I can tell him what has happened? I know you didn't mean for it to happen, but it did and now we need to take precautions to make sure there isn't a chance of it happening again.. You got lucky this time Arthur" Although his words were strict and commanding, his voice echoed the feelings of love and concern.

"I know.. I should have just gone to the hotel with Cymru should I?"

"It would have been helpful, but it wouldn't really have done any good" glancing at his brother, Arthur tilted his head to the side in confusion, prompting Shawn to continue "You wanted to be by yourself for a while. It wouldn't have mattered if you had gone to the hotel or not, you would have gone off on your own either way. Atleast here, we know where you are and the fae could keep an eye on you. At the hotel, you would have hidden from Cymru, meaning we wouldn't have known where you were. You understand?"

Not trusting his words, the blond decided to nod his head as a comfortable silence filled the room once again, neither brother truly knowing what to say to the other. Leaning forward towards the table infront of them, the Irish nation picked up the book laying abandoned on the surface, sending a questioning gaze towards the youngest Kirkland as to why it was there.

"I was reading for a while this morning after everyone had gone out" a faint blush gracing his face, Arthur moved closer to his brother to look at the book over his shoulder, Frankenstein: A Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, "It's a good book but a slow read, but slow to start if you know what I mean.. The letters at the beginning are good but a bit endearing in ways"

"Been a while since I've read this one, I remember seeing you walk around with it in your hands constantly when she first published it, you still have that edition right?" Genuinely intreagued by his brothers reading Shawn flopped backwards, taking the book and the blond with him a he waited for the answer

"Yeah, it's in the library" a wistful smile crossed Arthur's face "I met her a few times you know, before she passed away. For one so young, she was truly remarkable"

"I never knew you met the lass" Shawn gasped, marvelling at the new piece of information "When did that happen?"

"It was well before we all became a family again, so I'm not surprised you didn't know. I can't remember really, it was a series of very brief gatherings that we had been forced to go to and ended up keeping each other company. I still have a few letters from her in the library as well should you want to read them, but not right now" sighing, Arthur continued "She had a rather difficult time really, I helped her a bit and the favour was returned when it could be, the fact that I am rather fond of her writing was simply a plus"

Flicking through the book, Shawn paused on the saved page and began reading aloud, ignoring the look of shock from his sibling but welcoming as his Albion all but curled into his side listening to him as he read from the book;

"The different accidents of life are not so changeable as the feelings of human nature. I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room, continued a long time traversing my bed chamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep." Pausing in his reading, the red headed brother glanced down, taking note on how his brother's breathing had evened out and his grip had loosened on his shirt.

Smirking, Shawn repressed a chuckle 'somethings never change '