I don't own Hetalia okay? I know it's been a little while since I updated this one but hey. Anyway, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!

"So, you want to try and have me be your lead singer?" Leon asked as he looked at Lien, Roderich, Lukas and Christensen.

"Well, that's the idea." Roderich said. "I don't think Alfred will be coming back."

"Lien?" Leon asked looking at her.

Lien paused. She had not contacted Alfred back after she accidently confessed her feelings. He had tried but she never quite answered. She didn't know if she could handle that conversation. It's something we need to talk about for sure... "He doesn't think he would be able to come back." She sighed. "He's happy where he's at. And he said he wouldn't get mad if we went on without him. Even cheer us on." With this, Lien sighed, the words Alfred said to her sinking in.

"Wait." Lukas began. "This might be something that doesn't go anywhere."

"What do you mean?" Leon asked.

"Emma and Abel found the CD with Alfred as the front man. She wanted us with Alfred singing. No offense to you Leon, but we should call them and make sure that she would at least hear us out." Lukas said.

"Well, that is a fair point..." Leon sighed.

"Let me contact her." Lukas suggested. He pulled the card from his pocket and then called Emma, hoping that she would be understanding or willing to at least give them an audition with Leon instead of Alfred. "It's ringing..." He said as the rest of the group looked on, curious as to what will come of this.

"Hello! Who may I say is calling?" Emma said as she spun in her chair and looked over her office. Abel and her had set the office not up in the typical settings that one would expect but had bought an old building built in the late 1800s, in the heart of Los Angles itself. It was quite open and airy, and sounds often echoed except for the studio that was made perfect for any type of musician who would come in and sign under their label. They were small in comparison to some of the bigger and more famous corporate labels, but they knew that there was a demand for independent labels that did not conform to the corporate standards. She looked at the CD she had bought at the thrift store. How she would have loved to been the one that got ahold of that band and put them to success with a good label that knew their target markets. She recalled what Lukas had told her and hoped it was not too late to get them back. Sighing, her phone rang. "Hello? A and E Record Labels Emma VanDerBerg speaking."

"Hello this is Lukas Jensen, I remember meeting you a few weeks ago about my old band. You had found one of our CDs at the thrift shop I was working at." Lukas said, summon all of his professional energy. Back when they were dealing with getting signed, meeting executives and getting gigs, it was often either Roderich or Alfred who did this. Roderich was extremely professional and knew how to negotiate on a business level while Alfred had energy and charisma that you would not walk away from him without agreeing to some of his demands. Forget about Alfred's role in the band. That's done, that's gone. It's never coming back. You were the one who met Emma first, you need to start this conversation.

"Oh, I have been thinking about your band so much! I loved the CD and songs I heard! So you're coming to me with good news?" Emma asked excitedly I know I should be more professional on this but I want this band so bad! I know we could make them big and they could make the label a fortune and a household name.

"Well, sort of..." Lukas began.

"Oh dear..." Emma began.

"Well, let me just tell you the truth." Lukas said. "Our old front man, the lead singer and lyricist isn't coming back. Well, the offer isn't good enough for him to risk it again. He lives back on the East Coast and it's just too much for him to come out to Los Angeles after what he's been doing afterwards." There, professional sounding enough. The lady does not need to know about the grudges and new loves interests influencing this decision.

"Oh no." Emma moaned, sounding near tears.

"However, the rest of the band can give it another shot, even with what we have done to kind of pick up the pieces afterwards." Lukas explained.

"Well that's good, I guess." Emma said. "Are you looking to go into a sort of Classical style, with no lyrics while still doing rock?" She asked. I might be able to do something with that. I mean there's a niche and it would do good, but not as good as I could see before.

"Well, we hadn't thought about that but it could be an avenue to explore if this offer does not work." Lukas admit.

"What is your offer?" Emma said. "I am determined to make this deal work because when I listened to the CD, it was not just the words and the voice. It was all of you. You are all good together, even without the words."

"Well we found someone who does vocals and lyrics but we'd come off more like Linkin Park from what we have found. He does do good work and his skill is top notch but there would be a lot more hip hop and rap influences than before." Lukas explained.

"Hmmmmmm..." Emma thought. "Let me think over this a little. It's not like that isn't an avenue that cannot work." She looked at the city below her and began to pace the office, doing some quick calculations in her mind. "Okay, hear me out." She began as she heard Lukas grunt in agreement. "You bring this guy down to the studio and I will see how you guys sound. If not, we'll see what the Classical meets Rock way would do. Some Trans Siberian Orchestra kind of stuff without it being all Christmas. I am determined to get you guys working in music so that you do not have to give up on your dreams altogether."

"Thank you so much. When do you want to meet us?" Lukas asked.

"Hmmmmmm..." Emma looked at her calender. "February 2nd at 10am? Does that give you enough time to get the day off? We're going to play a lot and work over a lot of deals. I want you all to be ready to do your best. I am deeply saddened to hear your former lead singer won't be coming back, but who knows, this may be for the best."

"Well I was informed he would be rooting us on from a distance but he doesn't want to deal with the heartache he had put up with last time." Lukas explained.

"That's nice to hear he's supportive of you despite it not working out. One must do what works best for them, sometimes it's not what we used to do. Business is business after all." Emma sighed. "But I will see you then."

"Thank you." Lukas smiled. "We will see you then." With this he hung up and turned to Lien, Leon, Roderich and Christensen who were all looking at him expectantly. "February 2nd 10 am we are to meet her at her company's studio and go again for an audition. She didn't completely dismiss the idea of Leon replacing Alfred."

"Well." Lien said plainly. "That's something we can go for again."

"And Alfred's fine with us keeping on, said he'd be our biggest supporter. You know what kind of guy he is when it comes to things like this. He'd move heaven and earth." Lukas smiled, trying to smooth Lien's feelings over. He knew she would likely be conflicted and it would not be easy for her to get over it.

Oh if he would move heaven and earth he'd be our lead singer again... Lien thought. "Well, this is a second chance. Maybe it will work." She smiled.

"That's the spirit." Lukas smiled back, trying to reassure her.

Meanwhile, after a delayed flight in Helsinki due to an unruly winter storm, Ivan finally arrived back in Moscow where his sister was waiting for him at the baggage claim. She had driven him to the airport before he had gone on his business trip and agreed to look after his house while he was away. He had been concerned about who was looking after her place while she was away but just said it was her latest boyfriend who she had been seeing would take care of it for her. Ivan always got nervous hearing about some new lover she had. Most of the time, they were no good for her and ended up leaving her. But maybe this one would be different, they shared a lot of the same interests from what she had told him. He owned a decent sized farm and took a great interest in her. Guess he's better than some of the other men she had dated... Ivan thought as he saw his sister smile at him warmly.

"Vanya!" She waved. "How are you?" She said as she ran up and hugged him. "I have made sure your house and cat are well taken care of."

"That's good. Nice to hear about Koshka." Ivan said with a yawn.

"So, how was your trip?" Katyusha asked as the baggage carousel started up.

"Productive." Ivan yawned.

"Oh. I see..." Katyusha sighed with a snigger. "Anything interesting outside of work?" She hinted.

"Bol'shaya sestra please, I am very tired. I had a very long flight that had two long delays. One in London because that city doesn't know what snow is more like rain and then again in Helsinki for the same reason." Ivan said irritable as some of the baggage started to come out.

"Oh." Katyusha said. "I understand." She nodded. "I guess such a long trip would be rather tiresome."

"Thank you for understanding." Ivan smiled, trying to show that he wasn't personally offended at his sister, just exhausted.

"So, how is Fredka, did he find a way to how you say, stow away in your luggage?" Katyusha laughed.

"What?" Ivan yelled out. "No, of course not! I mean he wanted to." Looking around, not wanting to talk too much about it in public when he was as tired as he was, he sighed. "I just want to get my bags and go home if you don't mind. I am not due back at work until the 15th but I swear, I could sleep till then, it has been exhausting."

"I understand." Katyusha said. She looked at her phone and swiped through the pictures. "Here is who I am seeing now." She held it up for Ivan, it was a man who had a soft face kind of like hers and a small smile. He looked pretty strong, and was standing in front of a tractor overlooking a field. "His name in Dimitri Chernenko and he runs a farm in central Ukraine. It's winter so he's getting things ready for the spring but not much else needs to be done so he was okay with me watching your house."

"He looks nice." Ivan said. "Here's my bag." He said as he grabbed the brown rolling suitcase with a large sunflower sticker and cherburska luggage tag. "Thank goodness the tag and sticker stayed on through out this whole journey."

"I know how much you love sunflowers and that little creature." Katyusha smiled as Ivan followed her to the car and sighed. "What did Fredka think of it?" She smiled again. She knew well of the relationship that Ivan had developed with Alfred while he was in America, as he would often ask her for ideas, counsel, just help him come to terms with what he was feeling the whole way through the trip.

"Never said anything about it." Ivan yawned. "I don't think he noticed. Or if he did, he didn't care." He then turned to her, "Why do you want to know?"

"Well, if all goes like I think, then he may be my brother too one day." She teased as Ivan looked at her annoyed. She hadn't been like this since they were young.

"How's Natalya?" Ivan said abruptly changing the subject.

"Has a good government job in Belarus in the finance ministry. Ruthless." She said.

"Good." Ivan said. He tugged at the scarf he was wearing, partially because of the weather and adjusting it to sit better on his shoulders as he lay the front seat back in Katyusha's car a little bit so he could drift off and scumb to the the sleep his body wanted so desperately. But he was happy to hear that while cutthroat in her career, Natalya had a good and well, somewhat honest job. It wasn't in the criminal underworld, which fighting to get her free of was what gave him the scars on his neck in the first place. Fredka is the only person other than my sisters who know about these scars and how they came to be... Ivan thought as his eyes began to close as Katyusha turned from the airport onto the highway to the Moscow suburb that Ivan lived at.

Hearing a snore come from her younger brother, she giggled slightly and turned back to the road, when a car cut in front of her at high speed. "Na khuy ty! Dyvysʹ, kudy ty ydesh, neuka svynyu! Tobi poshchastylo, shcho ya nichoho ne mayu z soboyu! Mozhlyvo, ty rozbudyv moho brata!" Katyusha yelled as she turned onto the street Ivan lived.

"Big sister?" He said as he was startled awake from the unexpected road rage. "I would expect an outburst like that from Natalya, but you?"

"Oh, I guess I was just a little how you say, frazzled. I was worried when you told me you were delayed in Helsinki. I had hoped nothing bad happened." Katyusha reassured him.

"Okay..." Ivan sighed.

"Don't go to sleep just yet!" Katyusha added in a stern matronly way. "We're almost home. Then you can get a shower, and go to bed."

"Maybe the shower later..." Ivan said. Do I still smell like travel and what Fredka and I did... Ivan thought as he sniffed his armpit, hoping Katyusha didn't see as he noticed her laughing.

"Well I guess traveling across an ocean and a continent would tire me out too." Katyusha said. "Well we are here. Home sweet home Vanya."

"Good." Ivan sighed. He took his computer bag and headed up to his bedroom, wanting to just drift off to sleep. He never could quite get enough while on the plane. Sure, he had more room than most of the other passengers in business class as to their coach tickets but he couldn't relax. Part of it was going back to Russia, the other part was that Alfred wasn't there with him and they would be in different time zones, vastly different. And he knew that his band had gotten a second chance. Alfred had decided to stick with the path he was on, with the guidance that Matthew, and him had given him but he worried that if he wasn't there, the temptation would be stronger. Alfred swore he felt like Lien was like a sister to him and he did not see her as anything more, Ivan was under the impression that Lien wanted more from him. He trusted Alfred wouldn't stray and would be loyal to him and himself and stick with the good path he was on. You are so good at cybersecurity Fredka. I know it, my boss knows it. He is making you a part of the team, we had to fill out that stupid paperwork together and I got a crash course in American employment paperwork...Ivan thought as he slipped off his shoes, the heavy boots he liked to wear in weather like this, still in his large suitcase in the car in favor for ones that could be taken off easier in airport security checks. I will get it later. I am just too tired... He thought as he pulled out his phone, laying back next to his large Chebrushka pillow and closed his eyes, with Alfred's contact pulled up.

Katyusha, sensing that Ivan was much too tired to get his suitcase when he went into the house, pulled it from the trunk and carried it up to Ivan's bedroom for him. Seeing the door was closed, she knocked on it. "Vanya, are you decent? Or are you sending naughty images to your dearest kokhanets" She said, sensing what was going on with Alfred and Ivan and being the older sister, she could hardly resist a chance to tease her little brother, especially when he was so strict with her love life. Katyusha knew why, but that did not mean she did not find her brother being overprotective rather annoying. This was factoring out how scary Natalya could be if she sensed that one of her siblings were being done wrong. "Vanya?" She asked as she creaked the door open. "Oh," She noted as she heard him snore again. "Well now, we cannot have you asleep in your coat," She said as she looked down and saw that he had his phone open to Alfred's contact. "Oh you." She smiled as she quickly took his long heavy coat off, along with his gloves and his scarf and folded them carefully and placed them on the chair in the corner of the room. "You wanted to let your kokhanyy mylyy know you got home okay?" She said as she quickly took the phone and hit the message button typing. "'Dear Fredka, this is Ivan's sister Katyusha. I am happy to tell you that he made it in well and is currently resting from such an exhausting trip. I am glad to see that you have made my malenʹkyy brat so happy. Please call Ivan in a few hours as soon as you can. I know he misses you so much. Wishing you both all the best for the future, Katyusha Braginsky.'" She placed the phone on the nightstand. "There, no worries, your sweetheart knows you are home safe. Spy dobre bratyk." She smiled as she headed out of the room to let Ivan have a much need nap.

Translation Guide:

(obtained via Google Translate)

Bol'shaya sestra-Russian-Big sister

Na khuy ty! Dyvysʹ, kudy ty ydesh, neuka svynyu! Tobi poshchastylo, shcho ya nichoho ne mayu z soboyu! Mozhlyvo, ty rozbudyv moho brata!-Ukrainian-Fuck you! Watch where you are going you ignorant pig! You're lucky I have nothing with me! You may have woken my brother up!

kokhanetsʹ-Ukrainian-lover

kokhanyy mylyy-Ukrainian-beloved darling

malenʹkyy brat-Ukrainian-little brother

spy dobre bratyk.-Ukrainian-sleep well little brother.

So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? Let me know in a review. I know I don't update this one as fast as some of my other ones, but I do want to work on it. Luckily for work it is the off season time for me, so I have much more free time as long as writer's block doesn't kick in. Anyway, remember to read (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,

otherrealmwriter

aka

Realm.