CONTENT WARNING: CAR ACCIDENT

Germany frantically searched his neighborhood for two hours. He searched through trash cans, cars, landscaping, abandoned buildings, and in peoples yards. When that didn't work, he tried searching by car, but the weather turned shortly after. Dark, heavy clouds rapidly suffocated the light of the moon, while the wind picked up an aggressive cold front. Before long, Ludwig had to pull over .

After coming to a full stop, Ludwig took a deep, shaking breath. It was evident that his search was getting him nowhere. Ludwig's head fell into his hands as his shoulders slumped from the fear of abandoning his brother.

"I've done it," he whimpered, "I've lost Gilbert."

The devastation of losing Gilbert was unbearable. Knowing that Ludwig's oversight could cost Gilbert his life caused the German to uncontrollably weep into his hands. His wails rivaled those of the winds outside.

As he sobbed, Ludwig could only think of what would happen when he found

his brother. Who's to say he wasn't frozen to death, trapped somewhere, or fighting with some animal? Or worse, what if someone had taken him somewhere he couldn't follow?

The sudden thought of never seeing Prussia again caused Ludwig to choke on his tears.

No.

Ludwig had to get it together.

In an attempt to soothe himself, Germany pulled his coat collar to his ears and rubbed the fabric between his fingers. The coat belonged to Prussia back in the 60s. It was beaten and tattered, patched in various ways, and discolored from the constant wear. It was one of the few things Gilbert had when he was on the other side of Berlin. By the time the wall fell, Gilbert was practically swimming in it. The weight he had lost made it two sizes too big, and he never really grew back into it. Ludwig gifted his brother a new coat shortly after, and this one sat in the back of Prussia's closet for two decades. About two winters ago, Ludwig took it home by accident, but it fit well, so he's been wearing it ever since. The musk of the wool was familiar and provided warmth and comfort. He'd never admit it, but the smell was reminiscent of Ludwig's childhood. Whenever he was scared, Prussia would always reassure his brother with a warm embrace. He'd remind him that Ludwig was strong, and that fear was natural, but action was honorable.

"Everything is going to be okay, right?"

Ludwig reminded himself that Prussia was also strong. His brother had survived much harsher winters with much less. He's a fighter, a survivor. It was just a matter of finding him.

"Okay Ludwig." his breath was a strained whisper "You can't give up…Where would I go if I was Gilbert?"

Ludwig squeezed his eyes shut and tried to imagine different places Gilbert frequented. There was the bar, the local nature paths, the adult store...

Ludwig huffed in desperate had already checked those places. Each location was a bigger waste of time than the last.

Truthfully, he was out of ideas. Despite the close relationship the two shared, East still had a whole life outside of were probably things he'd kept to himself. Private places, memories meant only for himself and his diaries, people who were closer to his brother in ways that he wasn't. Though he hated to admit the later point, it presented a possible solution. There had to be someone who knew parts of it better than Ludwig.

Germany sucked in a shaky breath at the idea of asking Prussia's friends for help. He had not talked to these people in a month or so. Would they even pick up the phone?

Well… they loved his brother just as much as he did…

Ludwig sniffed his tears up and wiped the snot from his nose. Once he felt a little put together, he pulled his phone out and hesitantly looked through his contacts. As familiar names scrolled by, the weight of his repressed emotions started to suffocate his thoughts. All the fear, the anguish, the loneliness that he was experiencing - no one he was scrolling past knew his hurt. To confront them with the truth was terrifying. Would they see his efforts and offer support? Or would they turn their noses at him and his brother like they did in '61?

Ludwig tried to push down the fear of rejection. If it came down to it, he'd do the same for all these other nations. If they had a brother who had gone missing, Ludwig would pick up the phone and try to help.

He gave himself a nod of encouragement, telling himself to follow through, for his brother's sake.

Who would be the safest bet? Ludwig had to be picky about who he called, or else he'd make the situation worse. Francis and Antonio were some of Prussia's closest friends, but Francis had been bothering Ludwig a lot lately and the Frenchman had been struggling with sobriety.

Ludwig shook his head. It was best to leave him be, he didn't want to be a bother.

Ludwig would have to try Antonio then. The silent clicking of his phone echoed in his ears as he scrolled back to the top of his contacts. When he got to Antonio's number, Ludwig took a steady breath to get his nerves together. He felt like Spain wouldn't pick up. Why would he? Ludwig had been ignoring texts and calls from him for the last month at this point. But… Ludwig glanced outside to the snow that was starting to howl at his car window.

He needed someone to help.

Another deep breath and Ludwig was listening to the dial tone of Antonio's personal. It rang seven times, each time feeling longer than the last. Germany's heart almost jumped out his chest when he heard a voice on the other end.

"...Ludwig?"

Germany's voice hiccuped when he tried to speak "Y-yeah. Antonio?"

There was silence on the other line. It made Ludwig slightly nervous. A couple seconds passed before Antonio answered. "Why've you been ignoring me?" The question was tense, and Antonio's voice was hurt.

Ludwig felt a pit in his stomach. What was he supposed to say? There was more silence between the two as Ludwig's emotions started to catch up with him again. The guilt of not being there for his brother, then the guilt for not being there for his friends. The fear of failure, of losing everything he fought so hard to keep. It hiccuped out of him "I need your help Antonio."

"..."

"Antonio…please?"

The Spaniard sighed from the other side of the line "That… didn't really answer my question Ludwig…"

Antonio was right. Ludwig didn't answer his question, but what was he supposed to say? The answer to Spain's question wasn't explainable. Silence was just easier.

This, or course, didn't help the situation. Ludwig could hear the frustration pick up on Antonio's voice. "So you have nothing to say for yourself then?"

Ludwig exhaled "I- look Antonio, I'm sorry. I haven't been present. I know, but I need your help. Please?"

Spain paused, and it made Ludwig anxious. He didn't know if Antonio was going to accept his bullshit apology.

"...I don't know Ludwig. I'm hurt by how you've been acting. You call me at 10:40 at night saying you need my help, but can't even manage a 'hey how are you' or 'I miss you?' You shut all of us out after your brother-" Spain caught himself and took a deep breath in before continuing, "You've been selfish."

Ludwig's brows furrowed in disagreement, contempt slowly rising in his chest. Selfish? His words were bitter. "I don't agree with you."

Antonio was exasperated. "See, that's the answer I thought you'd give. You know, if maybe-"

"You're wrong Antonio." Ludwig cut him off, "I've been anything but selfish. My brother has gone missing and I'm out here busting my ass to find him! I thought you'd help because you cared about him, but it's clear my call was misplaced. Thanks anyway though-"

"Hold up! wait!…did you just say your brother…Gilbert? He's missing?"

"Yes. Was I not clear?" Ludwig bit back.

"Did someone rob his grave?" Spain's bitterness had been replaced with shock.

"What? No. Gilbert is missing."

There was silence over the phone as Antonio processed this. "...Ludwig, your brother didn't just walk away. He can't. He's no-"

"Antonio, you are not listening to me!"

"No no no. Ludwig stop. We all saw him." Spain's voice was strained, "Your brother is dead. He's not coming back..."

It was frustrating how Spain wasn't listening. Ludwig pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a disgruntled huff.

"I don't even know why I called you. This was a waste of my time."

Antonio did not take Ludwig's response well. His demeanor quickly changed from concerned to pissed.

"Waste of time? You ignore me, call me some late ass time saying you somehow lost Gilbert, and then have the audacity to call me a waste of time? He's gone Ludwig... He's at the cemetery. If you want help, you can go there."

Click

Ludwig felt the urge to throw his phone.

Fucking… "Arschloch!" the slur came out of Ludwig's mouth before he even realized it. How could Antonio talk to him like that? The dick wouldnt even listen to him! Tears started to swell back up in Ludwig's bloodshot eyes. He was back at base one - no brother, no progress, and now he was distraught and pissed.

The whole phone call made him hesitant to reach out to anyone else, but a loud yip from the weather snapped Ludwig back to reality. His eyes darted towards the clock.

That's right. I don't have much time

Gilbert was out there, and Ludwig needed to pick himself back up, stop throwing a fit, and see who he could call next.

Ludwig took a deep breath to calm his rage, and started to go back through his contacts. After France and Spain, Prussia's closest friends were America and Denmark. Germany wasn't much of a friend to either - the relationships between their countries had formed before his time. That being said, Ludwig felt like they might have something worthwhile to say. Between the two of them, Alfred was the easier one to talk to, but the American had a habit of caring too much, and Ludwif wasn't too keen on sharing his personal business. Mathias, on the other hand, was known for running his mouth. The man was extremely difficult to have an intelligent conversation with. Amusing, yes, intellectual? No, but between the two of them, Ludwig would rather the Dane.

Ludwig dialed Mathias' number and held his breath. The phone rang for what felt like ages. After the eighth ring, Ludwig was about to give up, until he heard a muffled clatter from the other line.

Mathias was out of breath as he gasped into the phone.

"Ah he!… sorry. It's late and everyone is sleeping and I barely made it to the phone without tripping on a chair ...Who is this?"

"Mathias, it's Ludwig."

"Oh shit…"

Ludwig assumed the "oh shit" Mathias muttered under his breath wasn't supposed to be said out loud.

"Uh… listen Ludwig…I…I'm really really sorry…"

Germany was confused by this. "Sorry? For what?"

There was a bit of silence before Mathias answered hesitantly, "I… I really shouldn't be talking to you about this. I'm not even supposed to be on the phone with you…"

Ludwig was growing uneasy with Mathia's demeanor. It felt like Denmark was hiding something from him and it was against his will. It didn't sit right with Ludwig, and he wondered if he could coax it out.

"Mathias, what are you talking about?"

"I really shouldn't be talking to you Ludwig. I feel really bad. Norge says theres something weird and-"

"Who are you talking to?!" Someone interrupted Mathias from, what Ludwig assumed, across the room. The conversation was muffled, but Ludwig did his best to try to listen.

"It's no one! I promise I was just-"

"Give me that!"

"Wait no! I -"

There was a loud clattering sound, and then the connection was lost.

Ludwig sat there, shocked. The strangeness of their conversation was not comforting. Ludwig's brows furrowed together as he was trying to make sense of the exchange. It was true that the Nordic nations had been missing from major meetings. The way the Dane sounded on the phone was almost remorseful. Ludwig couldn't help but feel like a secret was being kept from him. He didn't like how Mathias insisted he wasn't supposed to be on the phone. It left a bad taste in his mouth.

Ludwig tried to push the feeling aside. Despite the mistrust and loneliness it stirred inside him, Germany needed to keep trying for his brother. What the Nordics did really wasn't his business, and it was for the best they left him alone anyway.

Despite his best efforts, the stress and frustration was getting to Ludwig. Options were dwindling away in terms of people Prussia liked or trusted. There was really only one person left who might know a secret or two of his brother's.

He hated the thought of it. He really did.

Germany and Austria had not spoken a single word since Prussia's accident. Not a text, not a call - nothing. At the time of the accident, the Germanic trio had strained relations. Ludwig wasn't entirely sure why, but Gilbert had been rather upset with Roderich a few months prior. His brother didn't say much about it and Ludwig didn't find any mention of it in Gilbert's journals. Because of this, the idea of calling Roderich for help was…uncomfortable.

Ludwig gave it a try anyway. If there was anything worth calling Roderich for, it was this.

After ringing twice, Roderich's phone went straight to voicemail. Ludwig wasn't sure if he was relieved or offended. There was no desire in him to talk to Austria about Prussia, but it was humiliating to have the man hang up on him.

Ludwig let out a frustrated laugh that was closely followed by tears. What was he thinking? Of course Roderich was going to hang up on him. No one cared enough about him to talk to him, or listen to him, or even just answer him? Did Ludwig and his brother even matter to all these people they called "friends?"

Stress like this made Ludwig crave the comfort from the one person who couldn't lie to him, but he was hesitant. He hadn't talked to Italy since he gave up his dogs.

Ludwig sucked air through his teeth. Feli had always been there for Ludwig. It would be alright if he called, even if it was just for some support.

Ludwig wiped his eyes and dialed Feli's number. It rang a few times before it was answered.

"No. Nope. You are not doing this." It was Romano.

Ludwig was surprised by the agitation and hostility in Romano's voice. "I don't think I called you Lovino. I'm pretty sure I was calling your brother."

"No. You were. And you did. You very much called my brother"

"I-" Germany paused. "Why did you answer then?"

"Because you made him upset, asshole."

Germany's brows furrowed. Before he even had a chance to say anything, Lovino picked back up with his ill temper.

"Also, when are you coming to get your dogs? If you ever plan on coming back." The accusation in his voice was off putting.

"Lovino, I'm just calling for help, I just-"

"No. I told you we aren't doing this. You've been a dick - hiding behind your brother, ignoring us, and then acting like everything is okay. Go fuck yourself."

The line went dead before Ludwig had a chance to say anything else. His mouth gaped open in shock, lips moving but no words. Germany was only doing what he thought was best. He didn't mean to hurt Feli. As the realization settled, Ludwig could feel the ache of remorse in his chest. In his grief, Germany had turned away the few people who he cared for. And yet, there was an even more intense feeling clenched in his jaw…

Anger.

The anger of being lied to, being excluded, being talked about behind his back, and being told to go fuck himself - it was all pounding against his skull. Ludwig trusted and cared for these people, and it felt like he had been betrayed.

Should he scream? Should he cry? Should he crash his car into the nearest lamp post and just hope that he'd find his brother before one of them froze to death?

"Die!" HONK! " Verdammten!" HONK! "Arschlöcher!" HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK! Ludwig's hand repeatedly slammed the wheel in a fit of rage, the honks getting lost in the snow. When he finished beating his horn, Ludwig's chest was heaving. It was not like him to grow angry like this.

Just breathe Ludwig, breathe. You can't help if you're angry.

Ludwig's eyes slowly glazed out to the dark snowstorm. The singular street light felt ominous as snow whipped around it. No traffic. No people. No signs of life. Just him, his car, and cold silence.

It didn't matter what Antonio or Lovino said. They didn't know Ludwig. He didn't need them...

Except he did need them, or at least just someone to help.

Ludwig huffed in exasperation. The only aid he could think of, aside from his peers, were the German police. If police organized a search, then they might find Gilbert; however, Ludwig couldn't guarantee his brother's return. Prussia was never one to comply, and if a fight ensued, Prussia would most certainly go to jail.

Ludwig rubbed his temples. Why did this have to be so damn difficult?! Gilbert had such a talent of getting himself into trouble.

actually…

Ludwig looked back at his phone, scrunched his face at the contact page, and switched over to a radio app. Technically, it's illegal in his country to intercept a police radio station; however, like a good German, he cheats. Ludwig's national status allowed him access to encrypted programming on his phone, including a tetra based frequency interceptor. Had Ludwig been using the program for its intended purpose recently? Not really, but it helped him stay ahead of trouble. As long as he kept his end encrypted, no one would be the wiser.

He recognized that it was possible the local police force might not find his brother. In fact, he really hoped they didn't, but Ludwig realized that Prussia was bound to make a scene. After all, Gilbert loves being the center of attention.

Ludwig connected the bluetooth in his car and sighed. It wouldn't help either of them if he sat in one spot and burnt out the car battery. Against his better judgment, Ludwig weathered the storm.

The german patrolled the neighborhoods for several hours waiting for something worthwhile to come up. Every once in a while, an officer would radio in, but none of it was interesting. The silence afforded Germany time to think over the last 6 hours.

Prussia's escape was not a coincidence. Multiple broken locks in Germany's home meant someone broke in, and the lack of missing belongings suggested that Gilbert was targeted for kidnapping.

Statistics suggest that Gilbert's attempted kidnapper was someone the two brothers knew. Even though Ludwig had been wary about other countries recently, he never expected one of his peers to break into his home and threaten his brother.

Unfortunately the perpetrator got away, and Germany has no idea who it is. Or at least, he assumed the kidnapper escaped. The blood streaked across the yard implied that the intruder died, but the body was missing. No body, no peace of mind. There was still a chance they were alive and running to authorities.

Ludwig hoped that the intruder perished somewhere along the way, as much as he hated to admit it. The anguish and stress this one person caused had Ludwig fantasizing a slow, painful death. There was solace knowing they had at least been maimed to some degree, but that alone was not enough to soothe Ludwig's anger.

Friends were quickly turning into suspects.

A forceful, frustrated laugh left Ludwigs lips. He had been naive to think he could trust others to stay in their last time he saw his peers, they were whispering about him and his brother. Accusations of how Ludwig had "lost himself" fluttering out their lips in distasteful hushes. Of course they didn't want the brothers to find peace. The Beilshscmidt brothers were doomed to misfortune ever since Prussia fell ill.

This couldn't happen again. He had failed his brother and let someone destroy their home - his commitment wasn't enough.

In that cold car, Ludwig swore a vow that he'd never leave his brother's side again.

Just as the vow passed through Ludwig's lips, frantic radio feed buzzed through the car. Ludwig's ears perked up as he focused his attention towards the static.

"11-26, John, over"

"30-13, Isaiah. Go ahead John"

"11-26, coroner's case, middle aged woman, brown hair, gash wounds along face and chest - 36, An den Pflanzländern - 60488. Original response was a noise complaint. Unable to locate attacker. Requesting forensics and search team"

"30-13, sending request now. Is danger present?"

"11-26, Unsure. Enforcing civilian lockdown."

"30-13. Copy."

Ludwigs eyes widened and his hands quickly fumbled to grab his phone and type in the address listed.

Verdammt! The damn address is 24 kilometers (15 miles) away!

Ludwig didn't have time to waste. Adrenaline shook through his body as he shoved the pedal into the floor of the car, wheels screeching behind him. He had to get there before anyone else did. Gilbert's life depended on it.

As the german sped through the icy roads, more radio feed came through.

"11-26 ambulance needed - 36, An den Pflanzländern - 60488. Possible dead body. Patient is male with silver hair, black shirt, navy pants, laced up boots, multiple attack wounds. Unsure if breathing. Attacker still at large. Repeat, ambulance needed - 36, An den Pflanzländern - 60488. Over"

"11-26 Patient has become aggressive! I repeat, the patient has become aggressive!"

"11-26 Employing firearms! Patie- ssssssshhhhhhh"

"30-13, 11-26 Do you copy? I repeat. Do you copy?"

Oh my god, they're trying to shoot Gilbert!

Ludwig clutched his chest as he imagined gunfire, the sensation causing him to choke. He could feel the excruciating burn pass through the right of his chest, shortly followed by another pass through his lower jaw. Although the feeling was familiar, it did not offer any comfort.

Ludwig pressed his foot hard into the gas pedal, leaning heavily into the steering wheel. As he raced the clock with his car, he couldn't ignore the panic that was beating out his chest. Gilbert was a proud fighter; however, a group of armed men is much different than hand on hand combat.

Ludwig's eyes darted back over at his GPS.

4 more kilometers (2.5 miles) to go before he was there.

More radio feed buzzed in

"30-13 SEK weapons and tactics team en route. ETA 8 minutes. Ambulance en route. All other teams stand by."

Ludwig's GPS said 7 minutes.

"I can make it." he breathed. A minute wasn't much, but with Gilbert's life on the line, Ludwig was thankful to have it.

His heart sank when he turned the corner into the neighborhood. In the distance, police lights were pulling over next to a house. Panic returned in Ludwig's chest. The SEK had made it before him. If they got to Gilbert first, it would spell the end for the brothers.

As he sped closer to the house, Ludwig was able to identify the vehicles the lights belonged to. There were 2 cars - a small BMW Authority, and a larger LAPV Enok directly behind it. A team of 5 men with covered faces were filling out, each armed with lethal firearms. If Ludwig couldn't beat them, then he'd just have to slow them down.

Without hesitation, Ludwig pressed the gas all the way into the floor. He gritted his teeth and prepared for impact as he sped directly towards the team of men.

At 56 km/h (35 mph), Ludwig's Volkswagen T-Roc rear ended the right side of the armored vehicle.

It didn't make much of a dent on the Enok, but it was enough force to lurch both the vehicles forward in a tangled mess, The front of Ludwig's Volkswagen crumpled from the impact, and the momentum from the back caused the car to swing out to the right. The policemen dove out the way, but Ludwig's car had moved enough to catch two of them in the impact. One of them was barely clipped, and he was thrown to the side of the yard. The other was not so lucky. The back half of the car slammed into his body, causing the man to fly back into the concrete with a crack.

Ludwig himself was not unscathed. His face was too close to the wheel, and the force of the airbag deploying broke his nose and gave him a concussion. Despite his injuries, Ludwig did not stop.

Germany's ears were ringing as he frantically shoved the airbags out the way and kicked open the driver's side door. He could feel the warmth spread through his face as he clamored to get the seatbelt off, blood steadily dripping down and vision blurring. He felt a pounding from behind his eyes.

None of that mattered to him.

While the rest of the police team tried to recoup, Germany was sprinting towards the house.

His head was spinning when he made it inside. Knowing his time was limited, Ludwig slammed the door and hastily locked it. His body was shaking violently from the adrenaline, and he could hear the clamor of the SEK outside. There wasn't much time.

"Gilbert?" Ludwig called out, voice trembling, "Gilbert, where are you?"

His eyes squinted through the dimly lit entrance. The small hallway had a singular light that was flickering on and off, and there was a slight hum in the air. The flower motifs on the wall paper were sagging, and the pictures on the wall were hiding their faces. The entrance gave way to the livingroom and kitchen, where the back door was open, causing snow to whirl in. A slumped feminine figure lay on the ground next to fallen chairs.

Feeling uncomfortable, Ludwig decided to turn down the hallway to the left, anxiety lurching in his stomach. Behind him, the rattling of the door as the SEK tried to break inside.

Ludwig's body rocked from nausea as he stepped further into the house. This time his voice was softer. "East…are you here?"

A low hum came from the last room down the hall.

Germany's heart skipped a beat when he heard the noise. For the first time since that afternoon, Ludwig felt a sense of hope. He fought through his dizziness and made towards the door. He held his breath as he turned into the door frame.

The room was a small study, with books on either end and a desk next to a drawn window. Near the front door lay a policeman. John, if Ludwig had to guess. The corpse was difficult to see in the dark, but it was undeniable that it was missing a few ligaments. Ludwig didn't spend much time looking at the body. There was someone more important in the room.

In the center of the office stood his brother.

"G-gooddd…morn…nnn…ing."

"You're okay…" Ludwig choked, an overwhelming wave of relief washing over him. Ludwig lips quivered as he ran to embrace his brother, kicking the officer's limp hand aside. Tears rolled off Germany's cheeks as he buried his head into his brother's shirt, hands holding tightly against Prussia's cool, damp back.

"I thought I had lost you." He wept, all of his emotions bursting out of him. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. I'll do better this time, I promise. I'll never leave your side again."

The embrace lasted only for a moment.

The sharp CRACK of splintering wood, followed by the WHOOSH of the front door interrupted the brothers' reunion. Ludwig's head shot up from Gilbert's chest when he heard the noise. He wiped the blood and snot from his face, realizing now that the two of them were in quite the mess. The room was cornered at the end of the hallway, and the window was too thick to break. Ludwig would take a bullet for his brother if he had to, but they couldn't be pressed into a situation where the two of them were separated again. Fighting was out of the question, so their only option was to surrender peacefully.

Ludwig took Gilbert's hand in his own as he turned around and stood protectively in front of his older brother. The shouting of the SEK echoed through the house, the boots stomping quickly over the wood floors. It wasn't long before Germany was met with a shining spotlight and the barrel end of a rifle.

"Hands up, now!"

The officer gestured his gun, slightly jiggling the light of the scope. Ludwig, unwavering, shielded his brother from the light and the possible gunfire.

"I said hands up! I will shoot!"

When the officer moved the gun again, a bit of the light flashed gilbert. He hissed in response from behind. The eerie sound cut through the air, sending cold shivers throughout the room. The view of Gilbert slightly illuminated shook the officer.

"I-I said hands up…"

Ludwig looked back towards his brother. "We'll be okay," he whispered, "Trust me."

Ludwig turned back towards the officer, eye dark. Slowly, he raised his hands.

((Hello everyone I know that it has been a while since you guys saw a chapter. I apologize. As I mentioned in the last one, life got busy. My partner is in school right now, which means I have time to dedicate to this twice a week. I haven't forgotten about y'all. I made a vow when I started writing that I would finish this, so we are out here putting in the work. I actually have some exciting surprises in store for this story with content outside of fanfic. I won't say much, but Ao3 will have them there. thanks so much for sticking through.))