The room he had been stuck in for the past few weeks had been cold, still was cold in fact but now there were people trying to help him outside and that helped warm him but better than anything else could've at the time. Alfred had never noticed how much he had always need human interaction and attention and how much he missed the time he spent with his friends and colleagues and how much he wanted those colleagues to /become/ friends.

Hearing everyone's voice for the first time was like giving a starving man food. Seeing the lights go off in front of his eyes for the first time in who knows long was like a miracle. After a little while it became tiring to answer to he only answer to a few people. Then that number grew smaller and smaller until he didn't talk to anyone. Matty came and everything was alright again. Seeing the navy blue that could barley be seen against the darkness was more reassuring than Arthur's lime green could ever be.

Leaning up against the cold metal Alfred could only wait for someone to come save him and he hated it. For so long he had tried to be a hero, to help his friends and to try and bring peace to the warring countries. For so lone he had failed in his mission and instead had ended up escalating thing every time. Now everyone was working together to try and help him.

It wasn't a bad thing but it caused a new feeling of hope, gratefulness and satisfaction to well up in his chest ready to over flow while his body was just too tired to do anything other than sit there like a damsel in distress.

"Is anyone up there still?" There was the sound of moving blocks which Alfred could only assume was Ivan and Ludwig working but he has to be sure. He was so scared that he had imagined everyone coming for him, it wouldn't have been his first hallucination while in captivity. He had seen Kiku and Arthur and Matty while he had been stuck in here reciting old poetry.

"Yes comrade?" It was Ivan and for once Alfred wasn't angry, annoyed or even scared of the bigger Russian. In fact he was glad to hear his voice. That meant they were trying to get him out. "Are you still lonely down there?"

Alfred rolled his eyes at the ridiculous question, "Of course I am. I've been stuck here for god knows how long and you guys didn't show up until today. I haven't had anyone to talk to in so long that it's nice to hear your voice."

Alfred could deal with Ivan right now beauties he was desperate to talk to someone and it was nice seeing Ivan's pine green baritone again.

"Who else is up there with you anyways," he called his voice slightly hoarse from talking for so long after being forcefully mute. "Did everyone leave? I head you guys talking about something but I couldn't quite make out all the words."

"It's nothing important," the color had changed now Ludwig was talking spikes of teal spiked with every word. "But it's only us here now. Arthur and Mathew have left in search of another entrance while Kiku is still searching for a ladder to help pull you out of there with. Francis and Feliciano are MIA. We'll let you know when they do get here."

"Thanks."

Everything lapsed back into radio silence, the only sound of color for Alfred was the pink dots spotting his vision from the moving rocks above his head. Time seemed to move slower inside the box he had been locked in so Alfred wasn't certain of the time but he knew it had been some time since Kiku had left in search of materials.

"Alfred,"Ludwig began speaking and Alfred perked up in interest. "So you think everything will go back to the way it was during G8 meetings? I mean searching for you has been something similar to a group effort and we've all talking to each other more than we have in years about something that wasn't official. It's been nice, but do you think it's going to last?"

Alfred thought about it for a moment.

It was a deep though he hadn't looked into too much seeing as how he wasn't an actual part of the exposition. "I'm not sure how things will go from here," Alfred admitted. "Everything from here on out is new territory for everyone involved. I think this is going to make everyone a lot stranger than we were before. I mean this is like a huge bonding moment right? This should change us, for better or for worse I'm not sure yet. We'll find out as we going along I think."

"Does it matter how it changes us?" Ivan asked breaking into the he conversation. "We are who we are no matter what happens to us. I will never change myself just because of a 'journey' like this. Neither would you. None of us changed. We've just gotten to know each other better."

"I supposed you're right..." Ludwig said thoughtfully as the sound of their voices grew louder. Another crashing magenta and light was streaming in from a hole a little smaller than a sheep in the wall three feet above Alfred's head.

Standing up Alfred stared at the light, squinting a lot from the sudden burst.

"Alfred!" Ivan called looking through the hole. "You're alive and well. We'll be getting you out of there in a moment. Don't move."

Alfred have them both a deadpan look,"There aren't too many options in hiding spot guys. Do you think you could haul me out of here or do you really need the ladder? If like to get out as soon as possible."

"Completely understandable," it was Kiku coming back from God knew where a bundle of rope over his shoulder looking as causal as could be. "I've come with rope. Alfred do you think you could pull yourself up? Or should he fasten you a harness?"

Stretching a bit Alfred trying to reach his arms above his head but they simply refused to move that high. "I think I might need that harness you mentioned," Alfred quietly. Obviously he hadn't meant to be heard but he could already tell they heard him anyways. The damn room has acoustics that were too good for a jail cell. "Where's Gil by the way. I heard him up there a while ago but now I can't see him there."

Ludwig looked around before panic mode ban to set in as he realized he had lost his brother in the basement of a federal government building that wasn't his own. Alfred could only be amused at the reaction.

The other two weren't.

"Alfred be a good boy and get into the he harness when we lower it down," Ivan said throwing the rope to him. Catching it The American looked at the make shift seat they had tied together for him. After maneuvering so as not to hurt himself Alfred was finally situated. With that Ivan began pulling him upwards, slowly and steadily because despite what he might like to think America was a large country and not all of it could be muscle.

The procession was stopped however when there was a yelp of surprise from above and the seat jerked before swinging wildly cause Alfred to shout out a loud curse in polish. Another swing, another curse and Alfred was left flat on his ass on the ground. He didn't mind the pain however because above him was a side array of colors telling him everyone had arrived and that everyone was there trying their best to save him and he couldn't be happier than that.