America raised an eyebrow at Pennsylvania as he watched him get off the plane.

"When were you planning on telling me you had snuck on the plane with your sisters?"

Pennsylvania nodded stiffly. "I apologize, Father. One should respect one's elders. However, it was my other self to do this deplorable act of mischief."

Behind him, Arizona (still with her headphones on) rolled her eyes and Nevada fake gagged.

For a moment, America's face sagged with weariness, and showed how worried he had actually been.

Then he remembered England was there and he put his smile back on.

"Hey, Iggy! So you've met Rhode Island and the Carolinas. And Pennsylvania."

England nodded. "Don't call me that. And yes, I met both sides of him."

America laughed. "I bet you had the bad luck to see him and Arizona in the same room."

The car door behind America swung open, and a tall, sixteen-year-old boy stepped out, opting to stand next to New Mexico.

He had on a cowboy hat and jeans, and looked like a miniature America, minus the glasses.

"Howdy, y'all," he said, giving a wide grin, showing off his white teeth.

Arizona grinned cheerfully, and skipped over to give her brother (England assumed) a hug. "You're back from…wherever you were!"

He laughed and tousled her hair affectionately. "Cali dragged me off to some convention for weirdoes."

Nevada came to stand over by them. "Dude, this is Cali we're talking about. She's, like, the definition of 'weird'."

"Can't argue that, sis."

"So is Cali back, too?"

"Nope. I barely managed to escape. She's still in…..that city."

New Mexico rolled his eyes. "Wow, Tex. You were there for a week and you don't remember where you even were."

Tex grinned cheekily. "'Course, lil' bro."

Rhode Island cleared her throat. "We do have a guest, ya know."

Tex looked up. "Right. I knew that."

Nevada rolled her eyes.

He stepped forward, holding out a hand for England to shake. "I'm Alejandro Jones, personification of Texas, twenty-eighth state."

"But you can call him Allie," Nevada said snarkily behind him, causing New Mexico and Arizona to snicker, while everyone else just looked amused.

Texas playfully hit her arm. "Whatever, Esperanza."

Nevada stopped laughing. "You did not just go there, oil head."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "So what, silver face?"

"Pretty boy!"

"Gold head."

"Idiota!"

America hastily stepped in. "Okay, both of you, calm down before I call in the cavalry."

The two looked at Arizona, who was grinning sadistically with a Russia-like aura surrounding her and cleaning her nails with a knife which she did not seem afraid to use.

Both states immediately shut up.

Arizona put away her knife, tucking it into a sheath in her pocket.

England made a mental note not to sit next to her in the car.

"I thought Texas was represented by America's glasses?"

New Mexico blushed as everyone cracked up.

"No," Arizona grinned. "Okay, so, like, Ginny-that's Virginia, officially- practices black magic, and when New Mexico was really little, he was looking for Texas. Tex and Ginny had got into a fight the day before, and when Mex walked into Texas's room, all there was was a pair of glasses on the bed. New Mexico freaked out. He thought Ginny had turned Texas into a pair of glasses. Turned out Tex had agreed to try to fix a screw on Dad's glasses, and we've nicknamed them 'Texas' ever since."

New Mexico glared at her. "You weren't even living in the house back then!"

She shrugged. "So? New York told me the story, after I started living there."

South Carolina raised a hand. "Um, can I just say one thing?"

"What?"

"SHOTGUN!"

All the Americans collapsed into laughter.

South Carolina looked around, confused. "What? I was serious."

Five minutes later, everyone was packed into a large SUV.

The southwestern states had immediately claimed the backseat, and with South Carolina in the front seat, England was stuck between an irate Rhode Island and an even more annoyed Pennsylvania, lecturing him furiously on manners, for no apparent reason.

As they pulled up America's driveway, England caught sight of the house. Well, 'house' was an understatement, really. It was more like a mansion. England supposed it had to be, to fit fifty people.

In the front yard, there was just dead grass, seeing as it was winter, and not much else.

America took out his key and unlocked the door. It was very quiet as he opened the door and everyone stepped into a mudroom. It was a large room, with a labeled coat hanger for every state.

He swung open a door to the front room, and they were hit with a barrier of sound.

New Jersey and another female state were in front of a TV, holding white controllers in their hands and taunting each other as they danced around, with a few other states cheering them on.

A few states were sitting in the corner, texting and talking. Nevada immediately skipped over to them.

Everyone started to go forward so America could announce who was here, when Pennsylvania stood stock straight, blinked a few times, and smirked. "Kesesese!"

"THE AWESOME ME HAS ARRIVED!"

Arizona's eye twitched.

"YOU CAN BOW DOWN TO THE AWESOME ME! I AM OFFERING AN OPPURTUNITY FOR YOU TO BECOME A MINION OF AWESOME!"

A sixteen-year-old boy got up and started walking toward Pennsylvania, probably recognizing the danger signs.

Arizona got there first. "NO ONE WANTS TO BE A MINION OF AWESOME, MORON!"

Pennsylvania smirked. "OF COURSE THEY DO! KESESESE!"

Arizona snapped. She threw a punch at him that hit his arm. He punched back, but she recovered quickly, and swiped his legs out from under him, causing him to fall down.

Everyone ignored them, like this was normal, and their second-oldest brother usually got beat up by the short-tempered thirteen-year-old.

The boy went to stand next to England. "Sorry about them. Arizona's got the patience of a rabbit. Anyway," he said, ignoring the cusses that were pouring out of both states' mouths, "I'm Nathan Jones, personification of Connecticut, fifth state. Nice to meet you."

England nodded. "It's nice to meet you, too. I'm England."

Connecticut squinted. "Oh yeah, I remember seeing you when I was working for Dad."

England gestured to the fighting duo. "Isn't someone going to stop them?"

Connecticut sighed. "Yeah, Dad or Texas usually step in about now. Texas and California kinda take care of the four corners and desert states, being the oldest two among them."

True to Connecticut's prediction, America quickly pried apart the states and spoke sternly to Arizona, who scowled and stomped up the stairs.

England sighed and massaged his temples. He needed some tea.

….

Arizona stomped up to her room, grumbling in Spanish about stupid brothers, when she heard something coming from Alaska's room. The rooms were arranged in alphabetical order upstairs, except for Louisiana's (she was afraid of heights-Arizona blamed the fact that she was so below sea level, personally), and she always had to pass her little sister's room to get to hers.

She stopped and glanced through the open door.

There was Alaska, who was very tall for a six-year-old, in her long coat and ever-present scarf, holding a knife.

There was also a man whose expression was a mix between adoration and terror.

Alaska noticed her presence in the doorway. "Become one with Alaska, da?"

Her usual greeting. But by the look on the man's face, he was enjoying it. Come to think of it, the man looked like a grown up, male version of the forty-ninth state. They had the same eyes and hair.

But this was the man who snuck into her little sister's sunflower-covered bedroom.

Arizona could feel the sadistic grin on her face growing as she pulled a pistol out of her pocket and planned all sorts of delightful torture.

Russia shrank back into a corner.

Arizona smiled. She really had to thank Alaska for teaching her how to create an aura of terror.

Even if it was, you know, for Alaska's benefit.

…..

England sighed and ducked into the kitchen, hoping to find some tea, though he doubted he'd be able to find any.

An African-American girl in a wheelchair was sitting at the counter mixing something in a pot while a girl chatted and peeled potatoes. A boy was also there, shucking corn quickly and listening to the two girls talk.

The girl in the wheelchair looked up and smiled. She looked a lot like France, except for her coloring.

"Hello," she said, with a thick Cajun accent, "You must be England. Daddy said you were coming."

England nodded.

The girl grinned. "I'm Fleurette Jones, personification of Louisiana, eighteenth state."

The other girl waved. "I'm Valentine Jones, but you can call me Vallie. Personification of Idaho, forty-third state, but I'd really prefer it if you called me Vallie."

The boy was still absorbed in shucking corn.

Vallie jutted her chin towards him. "That's Jack. He's Iowa. He doesn't talk much, unless it has something to do with corn."

He looked up. "Corn?"

Vallie shook her head. "No corn."

Iowa sighed and looked at his corn again.

"Anyways, so…..Do you like potatoes?"

England blinked. "Um, yes…but my older sister Ireland really loves them. And so does Germany, I think."

Vallie's eyes lit up. "OOOOO! I want to meet them!"

Louisiana laughed. "I bet you do."

A door opened, and Russia stepped out, being frog-marched by Arizona, who had a pistol, and a small girl in a heavy coat and scarf carrying a knife.

Even Iowa stared.

Arizona nodded nonchalantly. "Hey, Louisiana. Where's Dad?"

"He's in the front room. Why'd you take the back stairs?"

"So this guy," she gave Russia a hard jab with her gun, "couldn't make a break for it."

England found his voice. "Russia? What are you doing here?"

The small girl blinked. "Mother Russia?" She had a slight Russian accent.

Arizona looked surprised too. "Russia? What was Russia doing in Alaska's room?"

America burst into the kitchen. "Hey, Iggy!"

He stopped when he saw Russia. His voice turned hard. "What are you doing here?"

Vallie quickly yanked England out of America's way. Louisiana and Iowa were already out of the way, pressed as close as possible to the wall.

Arizona and Alaska seemed to be having a silent conversation, debating whether or not to stop America.

"I said, what are you doing here?" America's voice was dangerously calm.

"Hello, comrade! I simply wanted to meet your children."

"Get out."

"I think not."

America looked like he was about to forcibly kick out Russia, when Alaska ran over to him.

"Daddy! Please do not kill Mother Russia!"

America, momentarily distracted, bent down to scoop up Alaska.

"Sweetie, you know how I feel about Russia."

"But…but…." Alaska's lower lip trembled.

He sighed. "Okay, but he can't stay long."

Alaska's face lit up. "Yay! Mother Russia can stay and become one with Alaska! Thank you, Daddy!"

America grinned. "First introduce yourself to Iggy. Then you can go."

Alaska jumped down to the ground. "Arina Jones, personification of Alaska, forty-ninth state!"

She grabbed Russia's hand. "Come! Let's see the sunflowers in Kansas's greenhouse!"

Arizona stood back and watched Arina skip away, Russia in tow. She looked at her father with a half-smile on her face.

"You just can't say no to her, can you?"

America smiled sheepishly. "Guess I can't."

Arizona laughed and shook her head. "What are we gonna do with you?"