The plot moves forward and more pieces to the puzzle are coming together. Will the mystery be solved before the worst can be unleashed? Is there any stopping whatever is to come?

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its characters.

Side Quest in-Progress

Children are resilient. The school day went on as normal for Alfred with both his dream and the uneasy feeling he had awoken completely forgotten. Now, all his attention was focused on the fun projects his teacher had planned for the next week. Halloween was approaching fast and the classroom was a mess of pumpkins, paints, construction paper witches and black cats, and autumn leaves. The class was even planning a special Halloween lunch with all kinds of spooky dishes like spider cider (which was just apple cider with candy spiders), jack-o-lantern oranges, witch's brew pudding cups, and pizza with the cheese decorated like a spider's web. To say the kids were excited would be an understatement. They were even allowed to wear their costumes the day of the party.

For Alfred's friends, seeing him so energetic again was a relief. Ever since his confession the other day, they weren't sure how to approach the situation. A loud, complaining, whiny Alfred they could handle; but a quiet, reserved Alfred scared speechless? That was uncharted territory for their group. Even Lovino had been unsure what to say when he saw Alfred that morning. When their friend had greeted them with his usual shining smile it was a weight off all of them... Except for Ludwig. He was always the more detail-oriented member of the group and not one to leave open ends. Years of cleaning up after his older brother had taught him not to leave things to chance. Something was, or at least had been, troubling the other boy, and Ludwig new that feeling hadn't completely disappeared. Alfred was just too distracted to notice the feeling himself.

"How are your knees?" He asked Alfred at lunch.

"Oh, they feel much better!" Alfred beamed. Then his smile fell into a grimace, "Arty did put some stinky medicine on them, though. That was worse than the scrapes!" Alfred grumbled.

"But Alfred, the medicine is good for you. It will help the boo-boo go away faster." Matthew said from his place next to Alfred.

"Heroes heal super fast on their own! They don't need nasty medicine that just makes it sting more." He retorted to his friend. He patted his knees to make a point, but winced as he made contact with the tender skin under his pants. Arthur had wrapped him up in thick bandages that made bending his legs more of a challenge than it needed to be.

"Will you settle it down with the hero crap?" Lovino complained.

"Lovi! We're at school!" Feliciano, Lovino's brother, fretted. He cast a look over his shoulder to make sure none of the teachers had overheard his brother's potty mouth. Lovino had been in trouble with that enough times before and he was always scared of what would happen when their parents found out what he had been caught saying. In response, the little Italian stuck out his tongue at the other. Most of group couldn't help but laugh at the brother's antics. Ludwig, however, was not so easily sidetracked.

"Seriously, though, Alfred," Ludwig persisted, "Are you feeling ok?"

"If this is about what I said, don't worry about it!" Said boy gave a thumbs up. "Everything is all good!" He flashed a toothy smile. His friend's smiled, but still seemed unconvinced.

"I'm serious, you guys!" He whined, not appreciating how pathetic he must look to them for being scared of nothing. "I did a lot of thinking about this! I'm totally fine! It was all just some stupid idea in my head that I let get the best of me." He justified. It helped to hear himself say it out loud as much as it did for the others to hear him say it.

"A stupid idea it right!" Agreed Lovino. "And I have a good idea who gave you that 'stupid idea,'" Ludwig nodded, on the same train of thought as the other.

"Ja. We all know who is to blame."

"Possibly... yeah... probably..." Matthew quietly agreed with others, as much as he didn't want to blame his older brother for scaring his best friend. It's not like he did it on purpose, he's just... He doesn't think about what he says most of the time.

"Hey, now! It's no one's fault, really." Alfred defended the older boys. "I think I just let all the ghost stories and Halloween Spirit get to me. My imagination turned up to max. That's all." He laughed, embarrassed.

"If you say so, ve...?" Feli replied, slowly being convinced by how genuine his friend was smiling. After his brother had told him about what Alfred had said he had been a bundle of nerves about how to help his friend. Ludwig was the thinker, not him. How was he supposed to come up with something to say? At least now it seemed he wouldn't have to worry about that anymore.

"You do tend to get a little carried away with your imagination." Matthew mused. "Like the time you jumped out of the tree house without using the ladder because you saw a face in the wood." The quiet boy chuckled at the memory. "You thought it was the ghost of some poor lumberjack." Alfred blushed and stabbed at his food.

"I remember that!" Feliciano offered. "You sprained your ankle trying to run as soon as you hit the ground!" More laughter erupted.

"Stupid! Ghosts aren't real. I've been asking them for years to give Antonio a good scare just to shut him up. Nothing." Lovino complained.

"Who would want to live in a world where they could never eat pasta again?" The other brother cried at the thought.

"Feli, I don't think ghosts have appetites." Matthew reasoned. "They don't really have stomachs anymore."

"All right! Enough with the serious talk!" Alfred decided now would be a good time to shift the focus away from his greatest fear and talk about something less terrifying. He just convinced himself that there was no ghost in the local Haunted House, he doesn't need to start seeing them anywhere else.

"What's everyone going to be for Halloween? We need some really good costume ideas so people give us the most candy!" They could already sense the sugar rush radiating off Alfred and they did not envy the Brit that would have to get him settled down after a night full of sugary treats. So the rest of lunch was spent planning out their trick-or-treat plans as if it were just another Halloween.

Meanwhile at a different lunch table, another important topic was being discussed.

"It's just a few dollars! I'm sure among the three of us we can do it." Francis was currently trying to justify the need for additional funds if they want to keep on the track they were on in their hunt for the truth. He had found an ancestry site while brainstorming and figured it was worth a try. Maybe there were still some relatives somewhere that would give them another lead. Out of the three of them, he had been the one more in the hunt for the fun than really thinking something dark was happening in their small, boring town. However, after what they found in the archives made him face the reality that something really might be off about the town's history. Whether it was supernatural or just some true crime cover-up, he didn't know. What he did know was that now more than ever he is fully convinced they cannot back down.

"I get what you are saying, Amigo. It sounds like a pretty full-proof idea... but..." Antonio glanced down at his simple school lunch.

"There is no way we can get that kind of cash on the spot!" Gilbert complained. They may get by doing odd jobs here and there around town in the name of their ghost hunt, but not that much.

"I know it is a bit steep, but we have managed to work miracles before! We may just need to work a little extra, there must be somewhere that could use some extra hands for a week?" He pondered. The idea of having to get his hands dirty with a part-time job was not appealing in the slightest. The heavy work was what they had Gilbert for, but they had never been so far ahead before. They actually had a solid, concrete name; which at least proves that all these years weren't for nothing. If they just had a little more information about this founding family.

"I guess I could ask Mama if she would be willing to offer some more allowance if I do some extra stuff around the house. I might be able to take over babysitting the kids for a weekend, if she trusts me enough... And if the other parents agree." Antonio didn't know if any of the parents would trust him if Gilbert came along, so he may have to work a solo gig.

"I'm so Awesome that I can't see why the jobs wouldn't be begging me to apply!" Gilbert was never short on confidence, even if skill was sometimes questionable.

"Right! That is the spirit, Mon Cher!" Francis was dreading his own idea about getting part-time jobs, but knew it wouldn't be fair if he had nothing to contribute. Plus, his curiosity was burning just as much as theirs. They were friends, partners! They had started this investigation together and now there was a chance they could finish it together. And the other two would beat him to a pulp if he sent them out to labor while he didn't lift a finger, that was also pretty good motivation. 'This was your idea, Francis.' He kept telling himself. 'You are so close to getting the answers you have already worked so hard for.'

"A decent subscription costs $288. That should be a good start. If we can come up with $96 a piece then we are golden." He said it more confidently than he felt.

"Nearly a hundred dollars a piece..." The Spaniard whistles. "That's a lot of babysitting jobs." He mentally tried to crunch the numbers.

"It is a lot... But, like you said, we've come this far." Gilbert agreed.

"Wee... It is for the greater good." Francis sighed. Maybe he would be able to find a nice easy job that didn't require a lot of heavy lifting. He had fantastic handwriting, he could take notes or something in a nice quite office building.

"All right, Trio! Operation 'Get a Job' is a go as of today!" Gilbert punched the air. "I expect no slacking from either of you!" He turned his eye toward Francis. "Especially not the person who is making us get jobs in the first place." The other waved a dismissive hand. "I understand."

"Are you three finally planning to put your ridiculous ghost hunting aside and become productive members of society?" Another voice butted into their conversation. They turned to see Arthur standing by their table carrying his lunch tray.

"What's up with you, Eyebrows?" Gilbert quipped. "No one want you at their table so your forced to stand around and listen in on things that are none of your business?" This caused Arthur to blush heatedly, "No! For your information I got to lunch late because I was helping out in the library! Some people," He gazed hard at Gilbert, "don't know how to put books back in their proper places." He huffed.

"Don't look at me. These two are responsible for the nerdy parts are of Awesome mission." Gilbert gestured toward his companions, who in turn looked offended.

"Anyway," The Brit continued, "What was that about you three finally shaping up are getting real jobs?"

"Didn't I just say 'none of your business'?" Gil defended.

"We need some extra cash to pay for a subscription to an ancestry website." Antonio spoke over Gilbert's shoulder.

"We actually got a very convincing crack in the case and are looking for a way to pursue this new information." Francis offered.

"Hey! Who said you could go blabbing to everyone?!" The self-declared leader protested.

"Oh, come now, Mon Cher." The Frenchman cooed. "He was the one that help get us this clue."

"Pardon?" Arthur choked. "How did I get wrapped into this?" He certainly wanted no part of their foolishness to be tied in any way back to him.

"You told us to check the old town archives, Amigo. It actually helped a lot." He gave Arthur a thumbs up. "Maybe we should come to you for advice more often."

"Please, don't." Arthur deadpanned. "That is the last piece of advice you'll ever get from me." He started to walked away to eat his lunch in relative peace.

"Oi! Do you happen to need someone to watch Alfred sometime?" Antonio called out. "I'm available starting at $50 an hour." Even his friends looked at him like he was insane. "What? We need quick cash. $50 an hour per child? Now that's a deal!" He reasoned. The three stares burrowing into him made him shrink back. "Maybe I could renegotiate my rates a little..." He laughed nervously.

"I would say so." The Brit almost felt bad for how desperate the three trouble makers seemed. Almost. "I don't think I would trust you to watch children for any amount."

"Hey! I'm great with kids!" Antonio took offence to the other's words. "Just look at Lovino and Feli." He crossed his arms meaningfully. "They are smart kids!" He said proudly.

"Lovino swears like a sailor and Feliciano seems more naive than anyone should be. Alfred gets a bad enough influence just being around them all day at school." Arthur said irritably. It was hard enough keeping us with his brother's natural energy. Combine that with the foul words he learned from his friend and the terrible life lessons the other twin seems to have learned and it was like a recipe for disaster. More than once Arthur was forced to reprimand Alfred for saying things no child should know how to say.

"I would resent that more if I had anything to say to that." Antonio cried. He knew he had no saving grace in this argument. Arthur stared at the disheartened Spaniard and felt a sting of pity. It's not like he's the worst person in the world, if a little irresponsible. But his is dedicated if the years of obsessive behavior are anything to go by... Alfred was a pretty trustworthy child. He could trust his brother not to do anything too reckless, especially if Ludwig or Matthew were around as well.

"I may be taking an extra shift at the bookstore on Saturday... I need to think about it, but I may be in need of someone to watch Alfred if he doesn't feel like hanging around the shop all day..." He extended the Olive Branch.

"Whoa? Really? Like, you mean that?" Antonio looked like he was waiting for the punchline.

"Like I said, I'll think about it." He turned his eye toward Francis before retreating, "We've been pretty short staffed at the shop lately. It would be nice if more people were interested in helping out." Turning away to hide a light blush and finally get away.

"All right, Tomato-Boy!" Gilbert, oblivious to the hint, clapped his friend on the back. "We got our first job! Now, me and Fancy-Pants need to step up our game." He took an exaggerated bite of his pizza. The others were so absorbed in the mission that they didn't notice Francis' silence. The Frenchman had noticed the subtle hint Arthur had dropped before leaving. Arthur had basically offered him a job to come work with him. It really would be perfect. Cool, quite, easy... Arthur... He just might take the man up on his offer.

"What with you?" The rough German voice pulled him back to the present.

"Hm?" He glanced up at his friends to see them staring at him. "What?" He blushed himself.

"You were grinning like a fool." Gilbert pointed to his face. "Now you are getting all red." He contemplated for a moment. Francis thought he might be putting two-and-two together, but he need not worry about giving the other that much credit.

"Already thinking of ways to slack off while we do all the work?" Gilbert eyed playfully. "Don't think you will be off the hook on this that easily."

"Non, I understand." He responded in a slightly shaky voice. He was as grateful and he was resentful that he had such dense friends. Antonio, not as easy to distract as one would think, just gave a slight nod and a smile. He knew there was something else, but he could read the room and knew better than to linger on it for now. There would be time for things like this later on, when they were all famous and successful.

"Starting after school today, we all pick up a part-time job and see where we are at the end of the weekend." Gilbert ordered.

"Do you really think anyone would really hire us for four days of work?" Antonio questioned.

"Just do it under the table. Out of sight. A silent force. Offer your services for a little cold, hard cash. You don't have to actual get a real job!" Gil explained.

"Right..." The other two were skeptical, but not going to turn it into an argument.

"Hey, Arthur!" Francis called as the last bell of the day signaled the end of classes. Lucky for the Frenchman he was the only one in his group that shared final hour with Arthur. He didn't want to imagine saying this in front of the others.

"What is it? I need to go pick up Alfred soon." He complained, but didn't make any attempt to turn away. He stood at the back of the class, everyone else rushing to escape the school day. They went ignored by their classmates.

"I was considering what you said at lunch earlier..." Francis began. "About needing some help over at the bookstore this weekend?" He tried to gather his words together in his head before he ended up rambling.

"Yes? So I did happen to mention that, didn't I?" He raised an eye, waiting for his peer to continue.

"Wee, you did..." He coughed into his hand. "I was just wondering, maybe, if there was no prior experience required... Maybe I could... I mean, I'm able to..." He darted his eyes around the classroom. "I could use the extra money..."

"Would you like for me to mention your name to the manager?" Arthur encouraged.

"That would be nice, Mon Ami." Francis smiled wearily. Why was asking a simple question so difficult? It was for the sake of research! Just for research...

"Of course. I'll be sure to do that..." Arthur agreed, then he turned his own gaze toward his feet unsure where to look. He should just look the other in the eyes like a gentlemen, but it felt impossible. The conversation died out after that and they stood in silence for a few moments before either spoke.

"Well, yes, I will get right on that for you." Arthur finished packing up his books. "I really should be going now. Alfred has a tendency to get into mischief when left unsupervised for too long."

"Ah, of course. What a curious little tyke." Francis smiled fondly. "Matthew is getting picked up by our Mama today. I had some plans with... Well, you know." He rubbed the back of his head, realizing now how predictable his life had become with only two real friends to his name. Where they really all he had? That's sad...

"Yes. I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow?" Arthur knew it was a dumb question, considering it was a school day.

"See you tomorrow, then."

He watcher Arthur exit the empty classroom. He was alone for the moment. He let out a heavy breath and lowered himself into the closest chair. He could not let this silly little feeling in the pit of his stomach get the better of his head right now. He had a mission, well, two mission at the moment. He needed this job to raise the money to pay for information about the town's early residents. He just needed a job. Then he could get back to the main task at hand. He was a member of the Bad Touch Trio and they were going to crack a case that had been swept under the rug for centuries! Even telling himself this, he couldn't shake the secondary feeling he had that Arthur was more involved than he knew. Than any of them knew. Just what part is it that the other man plays beyond his own personal misgivings?

'What the Bloody Hell did I just get myself into?' Arthur couldn't believe he just invited Francis, the flashy, pervy, flirty pretty-boy trouble maker, to work with him at the bookstore. At his job. In public. Together.

"Why do I say things?" He grumbled into his hands. Alfred, who had been watching his brother's despair, looked worriedly at the older boy. Arthur had been like this since he picked him up from school. Alfred tried cheering him up be showing him the drawing of a jack-o-lantern he had done in class, but his brother just said it was 'Very nice,' in a way that made Alfred sure his brother hadn't even really looked at it.

"Arthur?" He tugged at his brother's pant leg. "Are you ok?" The older looked down in surprise at seeing his younger brother. He had been working on autopilot since he left the high school and barely remembered walking to the elementary school, now he found they were halfway home and he had accidentally lead them the long way around town. With the weather continuing to chill Arthur's focus immediately snapped back to reality.

"Oh, Alfred! Lad, I'm terribly sorry! I have no idea were my mind has run off to." He knew exactly where, but now wasn't the time. He swooped down beside his brother and started adjusting his coat and scarf, which he now noticed hadn't been buttoned up correctly. 'How could I let Alfred walk home completely exposed to this cold?' He berated himself. The boy was already injured, he didn't need him catching a cold either. A sick Alfred is a nightmare to care for. Speaking of his injuries, though...

"Alfred, lad, how are your knees doing?" He can't believe he actually took the long way! That was a lot more walking for the poor boy and his knees must hurt from all the strain.

"Just fine!" The little boy smiled. "They don't even hurt that much anymore!" He stomped his feet a few times to demonstrate.

"Stop that! You're going to hurt yourself more if you don't allow yourself the proper time to heal." He knew he was wasting his breath. He had to push Francis to the back of his mind and not spend anymore of his time dwelling. Alfred was his first responsibility. He didn't have the time for silly thoughts that will lead to nothing. He took Alfred's hand and led him along the path home.

Arthur was able to drown out his uneasy feelings and forget all about the deal he had made as he listened intently to all the activities Alfred's teacher had planned for the days leading to Halloween. Apparently, there was going to be a big party for all the kids. Arthur wanted to scoff at the idea. School was supposed to be for education, but the excited look on his brother's face killed any objections he could have argued. If it made the kids happy to get up in the morning and go to class, a social function now and then was beneficial. Though, Arthur upset that when he offered to bring in some treats for the party Alfred showed him the note explicitly directing him to refrain from bringing in anything homemade. Store bought only. Still in the packaging. Only him. He had to bite his lip to keep from saying anything inappropriate around Alfred.

Alfred took no notice of his brother's pity. The boy's hand had tightened considerably in the older's grip. When asked what was wrong, he simply looked at the ground in front of them, refusing to meet his brother's eyes. Arthur looked around for anything that might have caused the sudden change in behavior. That was when he noticed where exactly they were. He had completely forgotten the long road home took them right by the old Spook House. They had just turned down the street where the house stood. It looked quite lonely. The houses built on either side were a considerable distance from the property and currently stood vacant. Then entire block seemed too quiet now that he really took a good look at the place. The houses across from the supposed Haunt always had their shades drawn and the residents tried to be in their front yard as little as possible.

'What is it about some broken down old building that has everyone so on edge?' Arthur mused. 'What does Francis see in pursuing whatever it is he is pursuing?' And with that thought, images of the other man swam back to the forefront of his mind. All the days he spent with Gilbert and Antonio spying on this house, reading about the history of the property. Always so sidetracked from everything else, especially around this time of year. Something about Halloween making spirits strong enough to appear in solid form. How stupid could anyone be to obsess over ghosts when there are plenty of local fairies and other magical creatures to be captivated by?

The older boy was so lost in thought, he didn't even acknowledge as started walking passed the old house. However, Alfred had no such distractions to keep his attention away as they came upon the entrance gate. He took a risk and spared a glance up at one of the upper floor windows. The reaction was instantaneous. The moment his eyes made contact he felt a rush of panic overwhelm him. Darkness played at the edge of his vision, his brain felt like it was being swished around in a tub of water. He felt so dizzy, he just wanted it to stop. He wanted everything to go away! Just stop! His insides were being squeezed so hard he couldn't release the pressure no matter how fiercely he ripped at his chest. His blood felt like it was boiling through his veins. His ears rang and he could hear his heart beating louder with every pulse. The bandages around his knees were constricting them! What was supposed to help him now felt like it was trapping him. Something was pulling at his legs. The dressings were no longer fabric, but hand clawed hands threatening to drag him away deep into the dark where he'll never see the outside world again.

"Alfred!" A muffled voice was calling his name, but he couldn't respond. He couldn't move. Something kept tapping at his face. Brief flashes of Arthur's worried face appeared and faded over him. 'Arthur!' He wanted to scream for his brother. Arthur would protect him, like he promised. If he could just get to his big brother this would all go away! Then, to his absolute terror, another voice invaded his head. It was soft, but cold. Mocking him.

'Your big brother cannot do anything to save you from this.' The voice rang from inside his mind, as though it was his own thoughts taunting him.

'But my big brother is so eager to meet you.' A hand came up to caress his cheek. It was the most chilling thing Alfred had ever felt. The hand was like ice rubbing over his skin. 'You're getting closer.' The voice sang. 'But we aren't ready just yet.'

"Ready for what?" His voice was so weak and raw from crying. Alfred slowly felt himself fade back to reality. The tightness in his chest loosened its grip and he became aware he was moving. But it was strange, he wasn't the one moving. There were arms around him, holding him close. He registered the slight jostling and made the connection. He was being carried. Whoever was carrying him was running, hard. He felt safe again. He tried to force his eyes open just enough to see Arthur's face above him. He looked awful. His cheeks were red and he was breathing really heavily. Arthur wasn't much of an athlete, but here he was carrying Alfred and running at full speed down the sidewalk. His brother was getting him somewhere safe. He was so grateful for his older brother, but his body was too weak to thank him.

He knew he was being taken away from that awful place. Away from the suffucating darkness. The adrenaline coursing through his body was wearing off and he just wanted to curl up in these arms and fall into a deep sleep. He was so tired. Before he drifted off, one more voice echoed in his ears. Unlike the first one, this voice was warm and light... But he also felt a kind of regret. It sounded sad, but hopeful. It told him, 'Don't be scared.' And for now, he wasn't. Arthur was with him.

But will the love of a big brother be enough this time? And if it is, who's brother will will the battle?

Hope you enjoyed, the next chapter awaits.