New Life

Just the Begining

The sky was a clear blue. Almost the same shade America's eyes had been. Only a few clouds drifted across the august sky. Prussia watched the planes land and take off from the window in the terminal, bustling with activity. Prussia looked out the window through the flight. The small buildings and vehicles crawling around the ground. The roar of the engines helped to cloud his thoughts.

Austria waited for him at the terminal in Berlin. Prussia shouldered his bag, his shoes ceasing noise as he walked from linoleum to carpet.

"Enjoy your trip?"

"As much as I could."

Austria lead Prussia to his car and they both got in. Austria pulled into the road, not attempting to make conversation. Prussia watched, confused, as Austria missed the turn to his house.

"Um, Austria, you missed my place. You know that, right?"

"I know."

"Where are we going?"

"My house. Hungary is waiting there with someone else."

"Someone else?"

"Yes."

"And I suppose you're not going to just tell me who they are."

Austria kept quiet.

Prussia sighed. He leaned on the arm rest of the door, laying his head back. "That's a six and a half hour trip."

"Your point?"

"We could have just taken another flight there. Now we're going through the Czech Republic."

"It'll be worth it."

Prussia let out a deep breath. "It better." He pushed his seat back to lay down, quickly falling asleep to the rumble of the car running over pavement.

-

Earlier that day, in Berlin

The sky was overcast in Berlin. Hungary walked with Austria to the small breakfast restaurant that they always went to. Ordinarily, Prussia would join them, though he was taking a trip. That was why they were there. Prussia would be at the airport at around noon, and they were going to pick him up.

Hungary couldn't say that the events of March didn't still haunt her. Though, she knew it was hitting Prussia hardest.

"Table for Roderich and Elizaveta," Austria said to the attendant.

"Yes. Someone's here waiting for you. A little brother?"

What? "I think you're mistaken." He had only gotten halfway through his sentence before she walked away. Austria looked to Hungary.

She simply shrugged her shoulders before following the attendant with a perplexed expression.

The table was seated for four. The table sat under the shade of an umbrella, a small boy sitting, his legs swinging at the edge of the chair just over the concrete. He held the tall menu in front of him, shielding anything above his chest from view.

The attendant placed two additional menus on the table before leaving.

Austria cleared his throat. The menu dropped to the table top and revealed the boy's face.

Hungary froze. Breath, she told herself. There's an explanation. That's not him. He just looks like him. But...

"Alfred?" Austria asked. She heard the same stutter and shock that she felt in her own throat.

The same face and the same hair. The same wide eyes and bright smile. Among the only differences she could see was the color of his eyes. A strange twist of red and blue that somewhat blended to a deep violet. He wore the same cross that hung from his neck. He didn't have his glasses, though.

He quickly shook his head. "My names not Alfred. Alfred is the other me."

"The other you," Hungary restated.

The boy nodded with a wide smile. He slid down from his seat and ran to Hungary, who was nearest. His arms sprung around her waist, holding her close. "I've been waiting for you guys!"

Hungary carefully put her hands on the boy's back. When he pulled back, he had a toothy smile. Hungary kneeled down to see eye to eye with the boy. "You're America?" She whispered.

"Yeah," he whispered. "I can show you." He held out his hand and pulled up his sleeve just beyond his wrist. There she saw white scars lining his skin. Just as she remembered America's arm looking like.

Hungary felt her eyes sting. She pulled America into her arms, holding him close to her.

"America," she whispered. "You're back." She felt his arms around her neck before he slipped away.

America ran to Austria who knelt to one knee to embrace him. "I missed you, big brother."

Austria froze for only a moment at the name. It didn't stop the joy he felt though.

America pulled back to look at Austria. "Did you miss me?" He sounded almost worried when he asked.

Austria nodded. "Very much so." He hugged America again, only briefly before they sat down to lunch.

"I only wish Gilbert were here," Hungary said once they had settled down.

The mention of Prussia seemed to ignite new energy in America. "When's he coming home?"

"This afternoon. I'll pick him up at the airport around then," Austria said, a smile still fixed to his lips.

America grinned. "I can't wait!"

And though Austria was delighted that they could be together again, be the family that they had only had for such a short amount of time before, he worried. How would Prussia react? He'd be over joyed, of course.

Perhaps he was simply over thinking the matter.