What is... "Home"? (Hetalia Fanfic, Part 2)

Chapter 117~!

"Huzzah!" I cheered when Matthew came back to the waiting room, his cast and bandages off at last.

He grinned and ran a hand through his hair as we left the hospital. I snapped my fingers by his left ear and smiled when he had a reaction to it.

"You're all good now, hm?" I inquired, though I practically knew the answer already.

"I guess so," he replied happily. "What would you like to do now? We've got another few days before we're expected back at school."

I shrugged and hugged his right arm (I was still a little wary about his left). "I have no idea, you're the one who knows everything around here."

"True. Maybe..."

~~

"Are you sure this is really a good idea? You only just got your cast off," I said warily as my boyfriend strapped on his well-worn ice skates. I stood there in my sock feet, my own rented skates dangling from my hands on my hips.

He smiled reassuringly at me. "I'm not worried aboot breaking it again. I'm pretty confident on the ice, if you haven't noticed."

I gave in and sat down beside him, pulling on my skates and beginning to lace them. "I've noticed, I'm just really protective after what happened."

I was looking down at my handiwork when he pecked my temple and stood. "I know, it's only natural."

I blushed and ducked. "E-Ehhh...!"

Matthew just laughed gently and helped me get the knot right before taking my hands and leading me out onto the ice. I was shaky at first, relying heavily on his support, but a sense of calm came over me and I gained more confidence. We picked up speed and rounded a corner, where I let go of one of his hands and threw it out to my side.

"See? You're a natural, you just need a little push," Mattie was saying, but it was like listening through an echoing tunnel by the time he finished the sentence. 

"No no, don't let me go!" Chibi Me was begging as she slid forward on mini ice skates, Canada holding her hand gently.

"It's okay, all you need is a little push," he told her, using a hand on her back to propel her forward. She wobbled, took a step, and actually made it a ways before she fell on her bottom because she looked back and smiled at Canada.

"Melina? You okay?" Matthew asked worriedly. I hadn't noticed it when we'd come to a complete stop, but he was standing in front of me with his hands on my shoulders so I wouldn't fall. I looked up at him for a moment and nearly fell over had it not been for him catching me around my waist. "Whoa!"

I grabbed onto his shoulders and righted myself. "I'm okay now, really."

"What was that?"

I sighed. "It was another memory dream. Something triggered it, I think it was what you said just then..."

"What did I say that made you remember something?" he asked, retracting his arms and lacing the fingers of one hand with mine.

"It was "you just need a little push", I think. It was just a quick memory, you were teaching me how to ice skate."

"Do you want to go back home?" Mattie asked with concern.

I shook my head and smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine, we can keep skating. If you want."

~~~

"So, you really didn't do it?" America interrogated over the phone.

Kadi groaned and ran a hand through her long hair, shaking it out. "America, I'm not telling you again. ETA did not execute the bombing. My fiancée was there, so were some of my nephews and nieces, lots of family and friends! I had no motive nor any chance to create something like that. And if you ask me again, I'll give you something to really worry about."