The Secret

Chapter 6

Russia had come to visit that day. It wasn't out of the ordinary. America told them it was because their political relationship was on the edge and they were trying to avoid another bloody war. Most times, the two nations would go to America's office with the door closed and wouldn't return until they were done talking. During these times, New Hampshire, New York and Massachusetts were left in charge to keep everyone else in the house in line. It proved more difficult on this particular day.

North and South Dakota had come to visit, as well as Montana and Texas. Add DC and it was a monstrous force to be reckoned with. A multitude of things flew about the air hitting walls and people. The three left in charge had just about given up. They knew that they probably shouldn't disturb America, but they figured that he would rather be interrupted than have a house in ruins.

The three walked up to America's office door. Without knocking, New York turned the door knob and pushed the door open. The small group stopped in their tracks only a few steps in once the door had been opened. Inside, America stood with Russia, their lips locked together. Both of them seemed to he holding the other close to them.

New York cleared his throat. "Um... Alfred?"

The two immediately parted once they saw their audience. "Jackson, Aaron, Dakota, what are you guys doing here?" America said.

"Well, um," New Hampshire started. "Everyone's kinda going off the walls and uh-"

"How long has this been going on?" Massachusetts asked suddenly.

America looked to Russia. "A few months?" Russia seemed to guess.

The three states just stared at the two, startled at the new discovery.

"Mind if I speak with them for a minute?" America asked Russia.

"Of course." Russia kissed America on the cheek quickly before passing by the states, closing the office door behind him.

"That's um..." New York tried and failed to say something.

"I guess you guys have questions."

The truth was, none of them knew what to say, really.

"I thought you guys were supposed to be having a war," Massachusetts asked.

America sighed, as if it was something he had explained numerous times before. "The two of us are countries, but we're also people. We have feelings that we can't ignore."

"And that means what, exactly?"

"You'll understand when you experience it, one day," America said. "You'll realize you like someone, maybe more than you thought at first."

"Right," New Hampshire said uncertainly. But even as she did, her mind automatically wandered to a certain person. She had mentally shook them from her head, not then understanding why she had thought of them at that moment.

America looked to his states and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to say."

"Hey," Massachusetts said. "It's not our decision who you suck faces with."

-

Alaska nodded. She held her hands firmly at her sides. Dad had said that no one could know. Would Jackson tell anyone else? Would she get in trouble?

"Did you draw this?" New York asked pointing to the scenery landscape she was going to send to her dad. "It's really good."

"Are you going to tell anyone?"

He looked up to her, slightly confused. "This?"

"Dad said no one could find out," she told him.

"Find out about what?"

Alaska turned around to see New Hampshire walk into the room. Alaska bit the inside of her lip, unsure of what to do. New Hampshire walked over to New York and glanced over the papers.

"Are you going to tell everyone else?"

New Hampshire looked up to Alaska. "Tell them about Alfred and Ivan? Of course not."

Alaska let out a deep breath, then thought about it for a moment. "Wait, you know?"

She nodded. "We've known for a while, kid," New York added.

She ran to their sides and picked up her drawing. "Do you think he'll like it?"

"I'm sure he'll love it," New Hampshire reassured her. "Now, why don't you finish up before everyone else comes back in."

She nodded with a smile and sat down as the two older states left her to finish her letter.

"Think it would really be a problem if everyone else knew?"

New York shrugged. "You never know. However, I can imagine it might pose a problem if other countries knew."

"That's true."

A little bit later, the dozen states that lived in the house were all settled down somewhere within the premises. The states that lived here - with the exception of Alaska - were all of the original colonies dating back to the seventeenth century; some of the eldest of them all. Any new states or territories usually stayed with them for a little bit before they went to stay in their respective house. Hawaii was one such state that came to stay with them. Her and Alaska quickly grew close. Maybe it was because they were so vastly different in climate wise and other ways, but their personalities weren't that off.

The next few years dragged on. The political war between the US and the Soviet Union didn't seem to end. That was, until the union was dissolved. It was a cause for great celebration, yet there were a few who found the news worrying.

The January of 1992, Alaska was looking forward to seeing her dad, as always. She didn't expect what she got for that birthday, though. Instead of going north, America took his daughter to a secluded park where you could hear only the bird song and the trees rustling in the wind.

"Dad, why are we here? Aren't we going to see Papa?"

They both sat on a park bench. "Rose, do you know what happened last year?"

She thought for a moment. "The war ended. We can be a family now," she said, her excitement dulled with curiosity.

"When the war ended, the Soviet Union was dissolved. All the nations that made it up are now their own countries." Alaska nodded. "Papa was in charge of the Soviet Union. So, when it broke up, it affected him greatly. He's not feeling too well, and he might need some time to recover."

Alaska looked down to her hands. She hated not being able to help her dad when he needed it. "Can't we visit? Just to help him get better?"

She heard America sigh, not doing a lot to raise her spirits. "I've been trying, Rose. And I'll keep trying. Things are hard right now." Alaska looked up to see her father take something from his jacket as hand to her.

She carefully unwrapped the package to find a small box. Alaska lifted the lid to find a silver locket. Putting the lid down, she lifted the piece and carefully opened the locket to find a picture inside. The three of them were there, all smiling as a family should. Beneath the box was small card, meticulously decorated, wishing her a happy birthday.

She put the locket over head and felt her dad pull her hair over the fine chain. She stared down at the picture before carefully closing the locket.

"Will we see him soon?"

"I hope so."

Alaska didn't look up to her father for several minutes, only having worried thoughts for her father across the ocean. If she had, she might have noticed how America's eyes were tinted red. How his smile was tainted with pain.