AN: This is probably one of my favorite fics I've ever written. I'm really proud of this one! Though now I'm really proud of 'A New Beginning' as well! Yay! Um…anyway, don't own the characters and all that. Enjoy and please review!

America raced around his room, tears falling from his azure eyes as he dug through drawers and his closet, throwing unneeded things into a pile on the floor. Lithuania watched in shock as the American tore up the room repeatedly muttering the question "where is it?" under his breath.

"Where is…what, America?" Lithuania smiled, his voice hesitant as he asked the question.

"The letter England wrote me! The one he told me to read only if something happened to him!" America continued to rip his room apart as Lithuania walked to the home office and opened a certain drawer on a certain desk and pulled out an aged white envelope with a golden seal.

After walking back to the bedroom, Lithuania took the letter and handed it to the other man. "Did something happen to England?"

Sun-kissed hands shook as America carefully took the old envelope. "Nobody's seen him for months. At first, nobody thought anything of it, but now I know that something has gotta be wrong." The blonde broke the beautiful seal and pulled the letter out, gulping before unfolding it and reading.

Dearest America,

America felt weak when he saw England's handwriting, soft lines that curved and danced on the page like a piece of artwork. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes as he stared at those two words. Wiping the tears away, he continued reading.

Dearest America,

If you are reading this letter, then something has happened to me. But I am sure that no matter what that is and what has transpired between us since I wrote this; I sincerely apologize for leaving you. I never would. I would not want to betray you or hurt you like that, if I did hurt you at all. Now I have to admit that I am not so sure.

I never hated you. I never could, no matter what happens. America, I am not sure if I ever told you this or if I told you this enough, but I love you. I always have and always will love you, my dearest. My precious America. You must know that. No matter what has happened to me or what has happened between us.

That was enough to cause America to break down. He stopped reading and fell to his knees in the pile of discarded items, flat out crying. Knowing the tears would just come back, he didn't bother wiping them away before reading the soft lettering on the white page.

I was bitter about the Revolution, and I am sure that I held a grudge for quite a while. Who knows, maybe when you are reading this, I will still be holding a grudge. I do not know. But you cannot blame me. I felt betrayed, abandoned. You left me heartbroken. It never stopped raining after that. I have never been in as bad a shape as the Revolution left me in.

I am so sorry, America. For everything. I am sorry and I love you. Never forget that. And please, never forget me.

Forever,

England

"Forever…how could you say that? How the hell could you say forever if you knew I wouldn't read this until you were gone, you idiotic bastard?" America half-screamed, half- whispered the words frantically. He felt…angry…angrier…pissed.

The blonde stood and ran out of his house and to his private jet, his boots making loud 'thud's on the ground beneath him as he ran. He climbed in and yelled directions to the pilot. Anticipation made the flight seem even longer before they finally landed near England's house.

The hero immediately jumped out of the jet and ran as fast as he could to the front door. "England? England, open up! England!" He yelled and screamed in anger and anguish as he pounded on the door. He finally gave up and kicked the door down, his face expressionless. "England, I know you'll be here sometime. I'll just wait until then." Silently and slowly, America made his way up to England's bedroom. Azure eyes opened wide with shock when they took everything in.

England was lying in his bed, blankets pulled up to his chin. He was still and pale, his chest barely rising and falling in a somewhat steady rhythm. His golden hair had fallen dull and lost its luster. His sleeping face held no expression.

America gasped and walked toward the Briton "England…" There was no control to be had over the American's legs as he slowly walked forward. "England, what're you doing? Why'd you worry everybody? What's wrong? Hey…call me an idiot or a git or whatever! Anything! Just wake up, England!" America fell to his knees next to the bed and started sobbing, grabbing the Briton's hand from under the covers and holding it to his forehead with both of his own. "Why won't you wake up? What happened to you?"

"Ame…America…" Hearing a whisper of his name, America started searching frantically for a sign that the blonde woke up. There wasn't one. "America…please, come save me…Ame…" The whispers turned to screams of America's name as England's face became covered in pain.

In emotional pain as great as the physical pain England was in, America wrapped his arms around the elder blonde. "I'm here, England. I'm right here!" America pulled his former guardian out from under the covers, gasping at what he saw. The Englishman's bare chest and arms were covered in scars that only seemed a couple moths old. A couple months…England screaming America's name…reality hit the former charge like a ton of bricks. He cradled the now quiet Briton in his arms.

"Ame…rica? What are you…? You're…crying?" America tensed when he heard England's voice. "What's wrong?"

"England? You're…" America pulled back and stared into wide emerald eyes. He had always loved those startling green orbs, even when he was a child. But now, they were full of mixed emotions…shock, fatigue, happiness…"Awake…"
"Yes, I'm awake."

"You weren't waking up! I hadn't seen or heard from you in months! I read that letter and…well…had to come find you…"

"America…"

"I love you too, England!" America pulled England into a rough yet passionate kiss, making the older blonde blush.

"I…meant as a brother…"

"…Oh…" America reluctantly released England and nervously scratched the back of his head as England sat down next to him. "I just…I was so worried. What happened to you?"

England stared pointedly down at his scars. "I was attacked without any warning. There wasn't time to defend myse-"America grimaced and cut him off as he pulled the former empire into a tight embrace, refusing to let him go this time, despite the flailing and complaints.

"And I wasn't there to protect you. But that won't happen again. From now on, I'll stay with you. I'll never leave your side again. I will always protect you, England."

England struggled against America's hold to no avail. Finally he relaxed and let the tears in the corners of his emerald eyes fall. America tightened his grasp; his crying eyes set with determination as he leaned over and kissed England again, surprised when the elder blonde tangled a small hand into honey blonde hair and deepened the kiss.

As the two pulled away for air, America beamed down at the blushing Briton he held in his arms. They were both panting, trying to catch their breath as the hand that was still wrapped in blonde hair pulled the American down into another kiss. America smirked when the Briton parted his lips, begging for more attention which the former charge eagerly gave.

They pulled away again and America stared into England's emerald eyes, hypnotized. "What happened to 'as a brother'?"

"Feelings change." And suddenly America was on his back, staring up at England's smiling face. The words in the letter suddenly seemed so much more truthful.

Forever,

England

That's right, England would be with him forever. No matter what happened. Always. In his heart.