The countries all made their way towards the police station. There was a long silence between them, all of them lost in deep thought. Gilbert walked near the back of the group with Elizaveta . Ludwig was not far in front of them walking with Kiku.

Ludwig was silent in thought. The plane crash was still a huge shock to him. He had almost lost his brother. Despite how cold they acted towards each other, they had a sacred bond that no one could split. Gilbert and Kiku seemed to be all Ludwig had of the old life he loved. The Italian he used to love had taken away so much. He used to wonder if it would be possible for them to ever have the same relationship they had again. It was an obvious question now after all the events that had transpired. He knew they could never be the same. He had lost all his trust for the Italian. He doubted they could still be friends.

And the German hated himself for loving the Italian still and for wanting their old relationship back. He couldn't stand to think that it was normal. Feliciano had been the catalyst of too many deaths. Maybe he didn't kill any of them with his own hand but he had sent the bomb to France which had killed so many people, he had allowed the Baltics to kill Russia. If he hadn't captured Kiku and Ludwig, Alfred would still be alive and god knows if Antonio and Romano are ok. Ludwig doubted that Feliciano would ever hurt his own brother, especially seeing how Feliciano had reacted when Ivan had beat up his fratello. Ludwig hardly knew Feliciano anymore; nobody did. Because of that, Ludwig wouldn't be surprised if Feliciano hurt his own brother.

Ludwig was brought out of his thoughts by his brother's rough, German accented voice, "Oi, why don't we go get some food or do something fun ?"

Everyone seemed to pause and look back at him like it was crazy to suggest something fun and normal. None of them have had any time of normality ever since this whole mess started. The thought of doing something fun and normal seemed so abnormal, and disgusting, yet also so tempting.

Gilbert was unphased by their odd looks, "We have about 30-45 minutes to blow. Do you really want to spend it moping around at a police station or do you want to spend it being awesome ?" Gilbert asked, flashing his usual grin. He was acting so much like his normal self that it made everyone forget the situation and the horrifying events for the time being.

Kiku was the first to agree, politely nodding his head, "Hai, I agree with Gilbert. We can at least have time to enjoy ourselves."

Everyone slowly warmed up to the idea, nodding their heads in agreement. Gilbert smirked, standing a little taller. It wasn't much but Ludwig noticed his straightened posture. Gilbert was use to hardships. He was a great guy to have around for something like this, as he knows how to think quickly in a pressured situation and knows how to stay positive no matter how hopeless the situation seemed.

"Right! Now let's see what good there is to eat! I don't want to eat at some shitty McDonalds!" Gilbert exclaimed, the normal gleam in his vibrant red eyes returning. Things were starting to seem more and more normal.

"I think I saw a sign for a mall a little ways back," Roderick spoke up, "We can go to the cafeteria and we can all get what we want and go shopping for new clothing."

Mei and Elizaveta seemed brightened at the thought of new clothes and probably a place to buy some make up. They had gone a long time without any of their make up or a change of clothes. The men was also excited but not as excited at the women were. They liked the idea of new clothes to at least make them feel a little cleaner.

They turned back and followed the sign to the nearby mall. They each got food from the cafeteria and indulged on the foot. Even the few that were picky eaters and wouldn't be caught in a place as dirty as the mall cafeteria was eating the food ravenously. After they finished eating to their hearts content, they split into groups based on gender to go shopping. Mei and Elizaveta happily explored the various shops of the mall and finding cheap make up and trying sample perfume from Rue 21.

The men each went and stopped into different stores. Gilbert rushed as fast as his leg would allow into Hot Topic while Roderick looked repulsed to be near a store that was filled with 'barbaric' clothing and blared 'unclean' and 'boisterous' music. Not having enough money to go into a fancier shop, the Austrian was forced to shop at a cheaper store which had casual clothing. He was the only one who looked uncomfortable in his new clothes.

They met up in a short time. They all wished they had more time of freedom but they were expected at the police station in 5 minutes. They complimented each other on their new clothing or commented on how different they looked not wearing their usual type of clothing. They all stopped when they heard a deep male voice shout.

"Stop!" the deep voice shouted. The group turned their head and saw two police men sprinting at them. They didn't think anything of it, as the police men could be running somewhere behind them and they had done nothing wrong. It was only when they go closer that they realized it was the Canadian police.

"Shit!" Gilbert cursed, red eyes widening, "Run!"

Turning on their heels, they all sprinted as fast as they could. Ludwig paused to rip Gilbert off his feet, causing his crutches to clatter to the ground, and carry the smaller man as if he weighed no more than a paper clip. Escaping outside through one of the side doors, they looked around rapidly, looking for a safe place to run to and hide. Some were already panting from running the short distance.

"Shit!" Ludwig spat out gruffly, "We came out the wrong side! The police station is in the opposite direction!"

Hearts pounding in their chest like a countdown, they rapidly searched their mind, "Go to the parking garage and hide in there!" Gilbert explained from Ludwig's arms. Without another room, the small band of refugees sprinted to the parking garage. They found an elevator and quickly loaded. They went to a different floor and got out.

Being temporarily out of danger, they sat on benches, leaned against the walk, and bent over in an attempt to catch their breath, "I think we're safe for now!" Gilbert commented. Ludwig nodded in agreement.

"I say we should try to get to the other side of the mall and get to the police station." Ludwig said. A few nodded their head at their suggestion. After waiting a few more seconds to catch their breath, they resumed their path, walking towards the opposite end of the building at a fast pace.

Gilbert looked around for more Canadian Mounties, as he could do nothing but sit in his brother's strong arms. There were no other Mounties and they made it to the entrance with no difficulty. They slowed to a speedy walk, not wanting to draw too much attention to them. Ludwig set Gilbert down for the same reason and kept an arm on his arm, trying to take some of weight off his injured leg. They didn't see any Mountie until they reached the police station where several Canadian cop cars were. They froze, wondering what to do next.

One of the Mountie glanced out the window and caught sight of them. He said something to their partner and started to hurry out the door. In the blink of an eye, Ludwig whisked Gilbert off his feet again and started sprinting. There was a wooded area across the street which they promptly ran to after avoiding several cars.

Stumbling over roots and ducking under branches and avoiding brambles, the group slowly weaved through the trees as the trees grew closer and closer together, making it harder to get through without earning themselves more scratches on their already tired bodies. The Mounties had caught up and were close behind. It was easy to hear their heavy breathing or their boots crunching twigs and leaves.

A large creek came into view. Ludwig groaned inwardly. If they went along the sides, they would surely get caught eventually. The best chance they had was to go through. "Keep going!" he panted to his friends that were slightly in front of him. He reached the water, quickly switching Gilbert to his back. He trudged through the shallow shore until he was forced to swim as the water became deeper. His clothes became soaked, as well as his brothers, making it impossible for him to swim. He bobbed in the water, trying his best to keep their heads above water. Water filled his mouth and panic began to set in. He thrust his head above, sputtering the water out of his mouth. In the meantime, the current was taking them downstream.

Kiku heard Ludwig's sputtering and swam back to help them. Ludwig shook his head, not wanting his friend to put himself in danger because of him. He realized that if he didn't accept his help, both he and Gilbert could drown, which he wouldn't let happen. He let the Japanese man assist him in helping the older German off of Ludwig's back. Ludwig was able to swim a little easier. Together, Kiku and Ludwig tried to help Gilbert swim across. Gilbert had been trying to swim the entire time but his leg was throbbing and made it difficult.

They were making good progress but unfortunately, the water zapped them of their strength. "The current..." Kiku coughed, spitting the dirty water out of his mouth, "It's too strong!" Ludwig nodded but was determined not to give up. The current swept them down further and further away from their friends on the shore. Gilbert's eyes searched frantically for Elizaveta until he found her, being restrained from going into the water to help from Roderick. He relaxed knowing that the Austrian wouldn't let anything happen to Elizaveta . He concerned himself to his brother and Kiku who were risking their lives to save him. He felt so useless. He could hardly move his leg without pain making him freeze.

Ludwig was concerned with getting his brother and his friend ashore. He couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to either of them. They were all he had left now. He and Gilbert had a sacred bond and he and Kiku had an unbreakable friendship. The thought of losing any of them gave him the strength to swim harder.

It wasn't enough though. As they drifted more downstream, their strength seemed to be carried away from them. Their limbs ached from swimming and their lungs burned from the dirty water. A roar was soon heard, filling their limbs with dread. They craned their necks to see what the source of the noise was. Their stomachs plummeted at the sight of the river speeding up even more along with rocks randomly jutting out of the foamy water. Fear gripped their hearts and they knew that they weren't all going to get out of it ok. Someone was going to be hurt, or even worse.

Too exhausted to speak, they floated helplessly into the rapid water. Ludwig felt a current split him apart from his brother and his friend and he was forced under water. Water filled his nose and his mouth as his body tumbled under water. His back and sides scraped against rocks. His lungs screamed for air but he couldn't tell which way was up or down. He kicked his legs and arms, desperately trying to break to the surface. He felt his fingertips break the surface of the water. He felt hope surge through him, giving him the strength to push his way to the surface.

He gasped and sputtered for air as he pushed above the water. He frantically looked around for his brother, his friend or the shore line. He spotted only the shoreline which he promptly swam to. He used the current to propel his body towards the shore. Once he reached an area where he could stand, he struggled to make it to the sand. Once he was close enough, he collapsed onto the shore, his lower half of his body still in the water. He closed his eyes, exhaustion taking over everything. He panted heavily and began to fall asleep. As his thoughts grew drowsy, he still wondered about his brother and his friend. He prayed that they had been able to do the same as him and was ok.

Sleep was almost upon him when he heard rapid footsteps crunching on the pebbles near the shore. Too exhausted to both to look up, he wondered if it was the Mounties or his friends that had reached the other side. Someone crouched beside him and a gentle pair of hands rolled him onto his back. He groaned lightly in response. One hand rested on his heaving upper chest whilst the other rested on his drenched hair.

"Just relax, Germany." Roderick's voice penetrated his thoughts, shaking him awake. Ludwig opened his eyes weakly and looked around. Violet eyes stated down at him sympathetically.

"W-where..." Ludwig whispered. Roderick frowned more.

"Just relax," he said calmly, "We'll find them. The others are heading downstream to see if they came aside or to see if they can help."

Ludwig nodded weakly and closed his eyes again. He must have fallen asleep for when his eyes shot open, he didn't remember thinking anything.

"I found someone!" Arthur panted as he sprinted over. Roderick nodded and Ludwig tried to stand.

"Ludwig, you need to rest." he said strictly, in the same tone he used to use on a young Italy. Ludwig shook his head in a determined manner.

"No! I need to see them!" he cried desperately. The fear that his brother or friend could be dead was too much to bear and made him sick to the stomach. Roderick seemed to understand and helped the weak German to his feet. His legs trembled and almost gave out but with a few, unsteady steps his legs strengthened enough to walk.

Roderick and Ludwig followed Arthur to where they saw Gilbert laying on the shore, his head in her lap. Fear seized Ludwig's chest but passed quickly when he saw his brother turn his head. Neither brother was too comfortable with emotions or contact, but when Ludwig finally made it to his brother, he half collapsed, half sat beside him, wrapping him in an awkward one armed hug. Gilbert returned it the best he could.

"You idiot! You could have gotten yourself killed!" Gilbert whispered to his younger brother.

"I thought I lost you!" Ludwig gasped. They quickly split from the hug. A weary grin tugged at the Prussians pale lips.

"I'm too awesome to die! You aren't ever going to get rid of me!" he insisted, ruffling Ludwig's wet blond hair.

Both still too tired to carry on the conversation, the brothers sat by each other, equally tired and equally worried for Kiku. They were so thankful that the other was safe. They both had some mild cuts and bruises but they were too worried and exhausted to care. They sat in silence, reminiscing and thinking about their situation. They were uncertain and frightened about what lay ahead for them but they knew they couldn't stop. They had to keep going and try their best to stay positive.

After what seemed like forever, Arthur sprinted over, "We found him!" he said, though his voice had a different tone to it. Fear gripped Ludwig's and Gilbert's hearts. Ludwig unsteadily got to his feet much quicker than before, driven by the need to see his friend. Roderick bent down, taking Gilbert into his arms. Oddly, Gilbert didn't utter a protest, also too worried about Kiku. The Japanese man wouldn't be in this situation if it hadn't been for him. Because of Gilbert's injury, he had hindered his brother and caused the Japanese man to come back and help them.

Elizaveta went to help Ludwig in case he needed it and together, the four of them followed where Arthur went. Kiku had been carried even further downstream. As they approached, the four could hear a girl crying. Hearts pounding and eyes burning, the four finally came upon the spot where Kiku had washed ashore. The smaller man was laid out across the shore, his upper body resting in Mei's lap. The girl was sobbing wildly, enough indication that the Japanese man was dead. His arms had been crossed over his chest and his eyelids closed. His face was deathly pale and his chest was still. Ludwig and Gilbert stood in shock for a while, unable to believe their friend was dead.

"K-Kiku!" Ludwig choked out. Tears sprung to his eyes, his breath came in heavy gasps. He couldn't believe it. Kiku couldn't be dead. He was one of his best friends, now his only best friend now that Feliciano betrayed him. He didn't want to say good bye to him. He didn't want to part with him like this. He wished he could have stopped him or told him what a good friend he had been to him. If Kiku hadn't gone back to help him with Gilbert, he might have gotten across and would still be alive. Ludwig knew it wasn't his or Gilbert's fault. Yes, it could have been prevented but he didn't have the heart to say he regretted his help. If it weren't for him, Gilbert may have died or both of them might have perished in the stream.

Ludwig knew the real person to blame on this was Feliciano. If Feliciano hadn't started the mess, Kiku, Alfred, and Ivan would still be alive. Not to mention the hundreds of people in France who died or were injured in the bomb. It no longer seemed like a shock to them. Their nightmare had become a reality of them. Nearly everyone was too mad at Feliciano and his allies to grant mercy on them.

Ludwig kneeled beside his best friends still body. He remembered all their memories together; training together, fighting as allies together, eating around the Katsu table along with Feliciano, being held prisoner together by Feliciano. If it hadn't been for Kiku, Ludwig surely would have fallen apart. Kiku had helped him deal with the situation even though he too was in the same situation. To think he would never talk, train, eat or simply hang out with Kiku ever again broke his heart.

Bowing his head over Kiku's chest, Ludwig's shoulders wracked with sobs. He clutched his sleeve and cried until he was too exhausted to cry. Gilbert touched the Germans shoulders. Ludwig pulled himself away and looked up. His brothers red eyes were soft and his mouth tilted in a frown. The expression seemed so foreign on his face that it caused another pang of pain to go through him.

"We need to go, Lud. The Mounties will be coming soon." Gilbert said solemnly. He gently squeezed his brother's shoulder. Ludwig nodded and rose to his feet. He looked into his brothers scarlet eyes for a few moments before looking back at Kiku.

"I can walk on my own." Gilbert told him, freeing him to carry Kiku as Mei wasn't strong enough. Mie reluctantly relinquished her brother, allowing Ludwig to pick him up and cradle his cold, limp body to his chest.

The group slowly recollected in silence. Elizaveta joined Gilbert's side, taking his hand and squeezing it. She seemed to notice something that the others didn't as her eyes were found with worry which Gilbert shook off. They made their way further into the trees, leaving the deadly waters behind for the unknown.