Hello, hello! I keep thinking I'm finished with Russia, but he keeps giving me stories to tell :) I very highly recommend reading any and all of my other stories for a complete characterization and history of events - I often pull in references to other stories. However, I think this one will be a little more stand-alone than the others I've written. I have no plans for any major OCs (though I may bring in Queen Elizabeth, because I love her). I love reviews and critique (so long as it's constructive!), and I will respond to questions, if asked. After this one, I believe I'll delve back into history, as I think I'm wandering further and further from the canon the more I add to my Russia series, and I don't want to go too far.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this one!

"How can it be that you have gained such skill," Russia said, bemused. His hand hovered over the chess pieces for a moment, then dropped in his lap. "I believe you have mated me."

Emma beamed. She reached out and toppled Russia's king. "I have a lot of time on the other side," she said, maneuvering the pieces back to their starting points. "Nothing but time. Of course I've been practicing."

The park was as it was when they first met: old men grumbling among themselves at the tables, children calling out to each other as they kicked their football back and forth, the constant whir of traffic, the breeze rustling the leaves. Russia looked up at a sky filled with perfect, cotton ball clouds and sighed.

"This dream is a good one," he muttered. "It has been a long time since I've seen the sky."

Emma looked up from the board. "How long has it been since I've seen you last? Time flows a bit differently on my side of things."

"A year." Russia returned his gaze to her and grinned. "I would almost believe that you are real, the way you ask such questions."

Emma threw up her hands. "For the last time, I'm as real as you, Russia," she said, exasperated. "I'm just dead!" Her features settled into a more pensive look. "So you've been locked up for fifteen years now? Are they ever going to set you free?"

Russia's face went blank. He shrugged and settled back in his chair. "I am sure someday I will have a boss who believes I am...rehabilitated. A boss whose memory of the Event is hazy, or nonexistent. But so long as the world remembers..." Russia shrugged and smiled. "Who wants a country who nearly destroyed the world to walk free? I have heard Canada is having similar...complications."

"That's not good."Emma's face flickered with worry. Clouds covered the sun, casting a shadow over the park. "There's a reason I'm visiting tonight. If you have no way to leave your cell, then I'm going to have to cut things short so you can prepare yourself."

Russia narrowed his eyes and sat up straight. "What do you mean?"

Emma opened her mouth. She looked strained, as if the words would not come. The people in the park disappeared as one. Wind whipped up, thrashing the trees. Russia glanced quickly around the dreamscape, then reached across the table and took Emma by the shoulders.

"What do you wish to tell me?" He looked her in the eye. "Come on, Emma."

Emma gasped. "Something is trying to block the warning!" She shook her head. "This is big! Everyone on this side with a direct connection to the nations...Russia, you have to prepare...protect..." Her words refused to leave her lips. She gave Russia a grim frown and knocked the chess set from the table. The trees exploded into flame, casting cinders and ash over Russia and Emma. Russia yelped as they burned his skin, releasing Emma to shake them off. Emma did not flinch. She spread the ash thin over the table and with a finger wrote IT'S COMING. PROTECT YOURSELF.

Russia jerked awake, sweating and gasping for breath. He flung his covers aside, turned on his lamp and tumbled out of bed. The platinum manacles around his wrists jingled. He jiggled his arms, repositioning them on his wrists.

"Something to write with," he muttered, quickly rising to his feet and running a hand through his hair, grown long and shaggy during his incarceration. He ran to his desk and paused. There were no pens, as he did most of his writing on his tablet. Chalks and paints and pencils he also did not have, as he was not given to artistic endeavors of a visual nature. He slammed a hand on his desk. "I should have taken Ukraine's offer to teach me to draw. How the hell will I create a circle?"

He searched his room with his eyes: 5 meters by 5 meters, a large bed set up against the west wall with a chest of drawers set at its foot, the north wall lined with book cases, the east holding his desk, a round cherry wood table and two upholstered armchairs at the center of the room, the south wall holding more shelves of books and also games, as well as the exit. An idea clicked.

He picked up his tablet and scrolled through his contacts. "Family first," he muttered, selecting Ukraine, putting the tablet on speaker and tossing it on the bed. He moved one of the chairs out of the way. Ukraine's muffled, sleepy voice echoed around the room.

"Russia?" She yawned. "It is one in the morning!"

"It is three here, sister," he countered, moving another chair and quickly the table. "Come to me. Now. Do not bother with official channels. Walk to my room."

"What? What on earth are you saying?" Ukraine's voice swiftly grew cranky. "That could cause a national incident! For both of us!"

"I do not care." He began throwing books from his shelves onto the floor. "Were you by chance having a bad dream?"

"I...well, yes," she said, confused. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

Russia dropped to his knees and began arranging the books into a large circle. "Just come as quickly as you can. I - "

China appeared in front of the door. Startled, Russia stopped arranging his books.

"Don't stop!" China snapped, dropping to the floor and creating a circumference of books. "Don't you feel that energy snapping at you? We don't have much time!"

"Who is that?" Ukraine said.

"China," Russia replied, still surprised.

"What?" And Ukraine was there, synching a dressing robe around her waist. "What are you doing here?"

"Hurry, hurry!" China placed the last book in the circle. "Get inside!"

"But I have more people to call -"

"Not enough time!" China grabbed both Ukraine and Russia by the arm and pulled them into the circle. "Quickly! Activate it, Russia!"

Russia nodded and closed his eyes, casting the protection spell. A band of white light rose from the circle of books just as a wave of power slammed against the light. Russia gasped at the strength of the power and shuddered. The light flickered.

"Hold it back!" China cried. "Come on, I know you have enough strength to do it!"

Russia steeled himself, and the light grew steady. The wave of power pummeled the circle for what felt like hours before finally receding into the chaos from which it came. Russia sagged to the floor.

"Catch his head, catch his head," he heard China cry before he lost consciousness.