Countryhumans ; The 13 Days

Solution

Someone banged at the door. Perfect timing, America thought.

the America opened it and did a double take. The person standing at the door wasn't anyone he expected. Alaska—a statehuman, and his daughter—greeted him with a smile.

"Hey dad," Alaska said. "I know this is unexpected, I should've told you I was coming; but I just was in such a rush—"

"My god, hey Alaska," America said, giving his daughter a hug. "I'm actually pretty glad to see you. Nonstop it's just been officials visiting me, not any of you guys."

Alaska grinned. "Thanks dad. Everyone's worried about you. They all wanted to come with me but I didn't think 50 people coming to visit you would be a good idea."

America smiled. Another day, if his spirits were higher, he would've laughed a good laugh. But he didn't have the energy to today.

"Tell them not to worry, that dad can handle it." America said. Alaska chuckled.

"So, are you here for anything specific or did you decide to just drop by?" America asked, wondering why Alaska showed up so suddenly.  He walked over to his desk.

"Oh- um, right." Alaska answered. America watched as she closed the door behind her. "We need to talk."

America's eyes widened. "Please don't tell me something else happened within the country. I'm stressed out enough already."

Alaska shook her head in response, letting America relax in relief. "No! No, sorry- we need to talk about what just happened."

America nodded. "Okay. Right. Do you have any solutions? Because I'm so....stuck." America sighed, running his hands through his uncombed hair.

"No, I don't. But I know you do."

"Huh?!" America questioned, confused. "There's literally nothing I can do. These are missiles, Alaska. If I provoke anything, we could start an all out nuclear war."

America shuddered at the thought. A memory flashed through his mind, of when he first dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. It started this nuclear age. This was because of his actions, the blood was on his hands. But America wished he didn't have to atone for his sins so suddenly.

Alaska stared at him for a second, and America frowned. "What?"

Alaska let out a sigh. "I thought you would be like this..."

"Like what?" America asked. "Stressed? I think you would be too if you had the world's fate resting on your shoulders."

"No, not that!" Alaska said. "You're denying it. You know what the solution is to this situation but you refuse to accept it."

"Tell me it then," America said, beginning to get angry. "Because I don't know."

Alaska leaned forward, sighing. "You...you have to talk to Soviet."

America's eyes widened. It was like someone crossed a sensor at a bank, someone entered a place they weren't supposed to. Imaginary alarms in his head blared. The idea Alaska suggested...it was a bold leap, a risk even the reckless America would never take. Not after 20 years ago.

"No." America said firmly, shaking his head almost like a madman. "You are the only one who knows about...about my past relations with him—you should understand! I cannot talk to him."

America hasn't talked to USSR for decades; the only things they communicated through were officials and messengers. America never wanted to and would never want to talk to him again, after the things that happened after World War Two. It would be too much for him, to confront someone who caused...so much pain...

"Cut the bullshit." Alaska snapped. America was shocked on how suddenly fierce she was. "I'm the only one who knows and I'm glad. Because I can actually have the power to convince you."

America sighed. "But I—"

"This isn't about you, or Soviet. Like you said, the whole world is in danger! I know this isn't what you want right now, but you have to put this aside and you need to talk with him." Alaska responded, her voice unwavering. "You know USSR was the one who put those missiles there. You know that if you talk to Cuba, he'll just say 'I can't do anything about it, it was Soviet's doing.' Do you understand?! You have to talk to the USSR, no matter what. There isn't any other way, and you know that. If you want a world to exist tomorrow, you have to accept this."

America tried to process everything his daughter just said—and indeed, she was right. As much as he hated to admit it, Soviet was the one he had to talk to. He had to face him, after almost 20 years. Deep down, America knew it was bound to happen after tensions rose between the two. But he didn't want it to happen now. He simply wasn't ready.

America looked his daughter in the eye. "I'll be damned, you're right, Alaska. I have to talk to him, and very soon. But..." His voice quivered, and for a millisecond,

America remembered.

America remembered Soviet. His eyes glowing with happiness, his hearty laugh, the way he'd always make the best jokes, his ambitious way of protecting people, how he didn't even give up when Reich shot him...

America felt tears threaten to burst in his eyes.
"Alaska," America whispered, his voice hoarse, "I don't think I can...I don't think I could face him...after all these years..."

America felt Alaska wrap her arms around him. America sighed, a sad sigh. He didn't get why he was so worked up over another country. Countryhumans were more than this, stronger than this. But still, he felt himself near tears, after all the memories of the past.

"You're my dad, America." Alaska pulled away, looking at him with glowing eyes of firm confidence. "You've gone through so much. You're strong. You've said before that the country can do anything. You can do anything, too. I know it'll be hard, but if there's one person I can count on to save the world, it's you."

"God, Alaska. Thank you so much." America whispered, feeling comforted by his daughter's words. "I'll try my very goddamn best, as nervous as I am."

America pondered for a moment, then shakily said: "I'll go tell the military envoys to send a telegram to the USSR to discuss recent events."

"That's the America I know," Alaska said with a smile as America nervously collected his things. "I knew you could find a solution once you put your heart in it."

But thing was, America's heart wasn't in it—at all. His heart was somewhere else, back in time, trying to deny the rift of two star-crossed countries....