Hey all, I haven't done a songfic in quite a while, so I decided to give it a shot. Hope I'm not too rusty. (:

This is set to Bryan Adams' "You Can't Take Me". Please know that the lyrics are in italics, and they're to help you follow along with the flow of the song.

Enjoy!

I'm Free

*music intro*

The rain blasted through the darkness of the stormy night, thunder rumbling over the dark clouds as the water poured down in unrelenting fury from the heavens above. And where the water fell down, against the mud and the blood, amidst the gunpowder and the cries, one man stood looking over the battlefield, his eyes narrowed in quiet rage.

You can't take me..

Yeah!

Shouting out alongside his comrades, the man spurred his steed onwards, charging forward with his gun held high, racing downwards into the fray. The flag of his nation waved in the raging wind behind him. Thunder flashed and lit up the sky, gunshots blasted out left and right, men falling and screaming in pain, and through all of it, he raced on, the rain soaking him to his bones, the fury of the war overwhelming him.

Gotta fight another fight

I gotta run another night

Panting from his exertion, parting the soaked, blonde bangs which fell over his eyes, the man finally turned the reigns of his horse to the side, lowering his musket and surveying the battleground from the outside.

I'll get it it out,

Check it out

I'm on my way and I don't feel right

Narrowing his eyes, ignoring the sweat and blood which mixed in the rain running down his bare arms, the man instead backed up his horse a few more paces, numbly hearing the cries of his lieutenants beside him- yet they seemed to only faintly mix in with the sounds of killing and death all around him.

I gotta get me back

I can't be beat and that's a fact

Turning his blue eyes towards his comrades, the man nodded stiffly and took from their outstretched hands a large, rolled up piece of parchment, quickly stuffing it into his jacket pocket. Letting his sights return to the battlefield, his eyes narrowed once more as he watched his troops continue to overwhelm the enemy.

It's OK,

I'll find a way

You ain't gonna take me down, no way!

Gritting his teeth, and ignoring the cries of the others, the man once more gripped tightly his reins and jerked his feet back against his horse's sides, spurring the steed onwards with a shrill neigh and a battle cry, charging headlong into battle once more.

Don't judge a thing 'til you know what's inside it!

Don't push me, I'll fight it!

Never gonna give in,

Never gonna give it up, no!

Screaming alongside his soldiers, America shouted as he blasted through the enemy's ranks, stabbing with his bayonet and blasting his musket, reloading in an instant so he could shoot once again. All around him raged the heavy sounds of war, and, deep in fury, he contributed to those sounds, screaming as the blood of his enemy sprayed against him in another successful kill.

If you can't catch a wave, then you've never gonna ride it!

You can't come uninvited!

Never gonna give in,

Never gonna give it up, no!

The battle raged on as the commander raced through his ranks, shouting words of encouragement as he helped finish off the last of the enemy's remaining forces. Once more his bayonet pierced through the heart of another man, and, wasting not a second to think on it, America whipped back his weapon, his eyes scanning the battlefield, looking for a new target. And as he saw the last of the stragglers turning and running the opposite direction, down the hill... He walked a few steps forward on his steed, narrowing his eyes and looking after them with silent hatred.

You can't take me,

I'm free!

Lighting flashed once more, blasting across the sky in the rage felt by those who walked beneath it. The battle won, the troops slowly began to rally together, moving as one- weary and soaked in rain and blood from their fight- under their commander's call and turning to face their new destination. Heading up the rear and watching over his soldiers, America quietly began to follow after them, gently urging his horse forward.

Why did it all go wrong?

I wanna know what's going on

What's this holding me?

I'm not where I'm supposed to be!

And as America followed them in the back, his weary blue eyes also followed them... and yet, in a moment of mourning, looked outwards, over the hills around them and out towards the sea... Remembering faintly the father who once used to live where his tyrant had now come to oppress him from. Sighing, he shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts- but as a light shined against the moon over the hills, towards the sea, his eyes blinked open and he turned back once more, looking over the nearby hill.

I gotta fight another fight!

I gotta fight with all my might...

Walking closer on his horse, America's heart caught in his chest as his eyes fell over the enemy camp, hidden over the hills and banked by the ocean. Scores of soldiers stood around, protecting a single white tent in its center. And though the tent was far away, America's eyes widened suddenly, recognizing just the man who stood inside.

I'm getting out, so check it out-

You're in my way, yeah, you better watch out!

Before he could even think on what he was doing, the man, crying out in pain and in rage, jerked the reigns of his steed to the side, urging it to run to the top of the hill. His eyes confirmed what he saw- and, screaming once more in his agony and hatred, not bothering to heed the cries of his soldiers behind him, charged forward into the camp.

Ohhh, come on!

Don't judge a thing 'til you know what's inside it!

Don't push me, I'll fight it!

Never gonna give in,

Never gonna give it up, no!

The sounds of America's battle cry instantly alerted the soldiers to the new enemy presence, but as he cried and screamed, charging relentlessly through the waves of soldiers, swinging his bayonet and shooting at anything with his musket, the man easily broke the ranks of the soldiers, still racing towards the white tent in the center. As he raced past the enemy, he could faintly hear- but cared little of- the sounds of his soldiers following him over the hill and into battle.

If you can't catch a wave, then you've never gonna ride it!

You can't come uninvited!

Never gonna give in,

Never gonna give it up, no!

Finally, gasping as he jumped off his horse, America reached the white tent- and, in surprise from hearing the sudden invasion, the man inside had raced out- and stood still and silent, with wide eyes, at the man who stood before him, blood, sweat and rain pouring down his battle-torn soldier's clothes.

Tears streaking down his cheeks, his musket loaded and aimed dead center at the other, America set his sights on the man known as England, taking a shaky step forward and crying out in his heartache and his fury,

"You can't take me,

I'm free!"

The silence between the two men was not long, as the sounds of soldiers shouting and rallying grew around them both. In seconds, either side's troops had gathered and rounded behind their leader- but both sides were silent, instead all eyes focused on the standoff in the center of the camp.

Both men were quiet as America aimed his musket at the other man- and as England stared back, his surprise soon wore off, and he stared instead sadly into the pain-ridden and hatred-filled eyes of the other... of the man who used to be a boy... His boy... Who had now come with a gun, his tears, and the shaking determination to kill him.

His eyes still narrowed, his teeth ground together and his hands gripped firmly around his musket, America took another step forward, not lowering his musket...

And all around them, the storm raged on.

*music fades out*