Memories

Life One, Act Five

Warning: Violence and mature themes. Abuse.

Chapter Summary: "Mom? Do you need your medicine?" - Yao Wang, China. "They died within months of each other...? That's just..." - Matthew Williams, Canada. "Multiple people have been filing such reports over and over for five days and he thinks it's a coup?" - Gilbert Beilschmidt, Prussia. "Why would she do this?" - Feliciano Vargas, Italy Veneziano.

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"Okay. Let's see how things have turned out for them." Greenland sounded anxious as she picked up the remote.

"This is almost finished, right?" Silence was the answer Orlando received, so she simply sat and pouted as Greenland pressed the play button.

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Two Years Later

The children were playing in their very spacious living room when the phone rang. Cecilia immediately went to answer it. Fredrick and Lukas walked up to her, worried her illness might act up again.

She had been diagnosed with a heart illness five months ago.

"Hello?"

"Good evening, ma'am. Are you Cecilia Ricci?"

"Yes. Is there something I can help you with?"

"I'm very sorry, ma'am..."

Yao had stopped playing chess with Hyung. They watched as their mother grow pale.

"Mom? Do you need your medicine?" Yao asked as he moved to reach the table where the pitcher of orange juice was. He took a glass and filled it with juice before walking over to his mother. "I... see... Thank you for telling me." She sounded weak. Yao took the phone from her grasp and put it down on its stand.

"Mom?" Yao asked once she drank some juice. "Your father was in an accident..." The room fell silent at the revelation. Feliciano sniffled. "Is... Is papa okay?" Marcello asked as he and Hugo put the board games away. "Mom?" Roderich and Vash had put away the used and unused glasses by now.

"Your father... was hit by a truck..." She tried to sound strong for the children's sake. Phuong looked up in alarm. "My brother was ran over by a motor... he didn't make it..." She said this in a quiet voice. "Mommy...?" Fredrik sounded worried.

The worry soon turned into sorrow as their mother smiled at them. Tears were flowing down her eyes. "He... he wouldn't want us to drown in sorrow." She said before telling them to get ready to go pick him up.

The funeral lasted two days.

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North Vietnam choked on a sob. "She... she didn't actually... see him get... run over... did she...?"

America had a solemn look on his face. Romano just glared at the wall. "Let's just get this over with..."

North Vietnam shakily pressed the play button.

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Two Months Later

Cecilia was admitted to the hospital. Her heart was steadily growing weaker by the day. "I'm so sorry..." She said. She'd been saying that since she was diagnosed five months ago.

"I love you all so much..." she lay on a hospital bed, IV drip and heart monitor performing each of their tasks without fail. Feliciano sat on the bed beside her, small hands clutching her own.

"We love you, too, mama..." he said, voice shaking with sorrow. "Yeah! We love you lots, mom!" Yong spoke up, eyes beginning to tear up. "Your father loved you, too. He and I will watch over you. Always. Don't forget that."