A Waltz in the Dark (Norway + OC Hetalia fanfiction)

Chapter 21

Mary moaned and opened her eyes. She blinked twice, frowning.

She was lying in a hospital bed. A steady beeping noise filled her ears, but otherwise the room was silent. She sat up, and then looked down at the thick, colorful quilts that lay on top of the usual white sheets.

"Wh-what happened?" she whispered out loud.

"You nearly froze to death," a familiar voice said. Mary tilted her head and saw Lukas for the first time. He sat to her left, in the corner, where shadows made him hard to see.

"Ve veren't dressed for a blizzard. Your body temperature dropped vhen the storm hit and you vent unconscious," he said, his voice apathetic, which gave Mary shivers, "I-I vas sure..." he paused. "I vas sure you vere gone."

"How am I alive, then?" she asked, staring at him. He took a deep breath.

"I think I believe in magic, too," he whispered.

*

Mary was released from the hospital later that night once the doctors were assured that she was stable and that her body temperatures were back to normal. Norway called his pilot, who agreed to take them right away.

It was nearly midnight by the time they were boarding the private jet.

Mary waved goodbye to Mr. Egner, who had brought their things to to the airstrip, including Norway's violin. She finally stepped inside the jet, and then he shut the doors. It was unbearably warm inside the jet, but Norway didn't complain. Neither did Mary.

They buckled up quickly and the jet took off. Mary had pulled her Norwegian flag blanket from her bag and now it laid across her legs. She stared out of the window as they soared higher into the sky.

Norway pulled his knees up to his chest, putting his feet on the chair. And then he rested his head on his knees, allowing his eyes to shut.

The day's events had left him weak, and he couldn't fight the exhaustion any longer.

But he managed to look up when Mary gasped. She grinned, staring out of the window. Norway turned his head and couldn't help but smile, too.

Blue and green aurora borealis lit up the atmosphere beneath them. He closed his eyes again.

"Lukas?" Mary whispered after a minute of silence.

"Ja?" he whispered back without opening his eyes.

"What exactly happened this afternoon?"

Norway forced his eyes open.

"I mean... how did you save me?"

He lifted his head. She stared at him with wide, wondering eyes.

"I carried you further up the trail until my phone got service," he fibbed, "And then I called the emergency number, and they sent the search and rescue out to find us."

The story wasn't all lies. He had called and they had sent a search and rescue team, but by that time Målselv had already stabilized her and carried them to his home.

"I'm sorry, but, I'm just now realizing that you... you saved my life," she said slowly. Lukas closed his eyes again.

"Ja. I suppose I did," he replied.

"... How on earth can I ever repay you?" she whispered.

"Yust say thank you," he murmured.

And then he fell asleep.

*

"Lukas? Lukas? We're here."

Mary was shaking his arm. Norway startled awake, looking around.

They were in his private jet. He looked up at Mary, who smiled, gently. Norway unbuckled and then stood and stretched. They stumbled out of the plane, both of them exhausted. Norway found his keys and unlocked his car, and then they loaded their things in his red convertible and climbed in tiredly. He slapped himself before he switched on the ignition, and Mary laughed at that.

He drove down the nearly empty streets of Oslo until they reached the University's campus. Mary directed him to the dorm complex and he parked in front of it. He got out and walked her to the door.

"Well, that was an adventure, wasn't it?" Mary said cheerfully as they walked up the path side-by-side. Norway just nodded, and Mary was silent for a time. When they reached the door, she set her backpack and duffle bag on the snowy ground and then faced him.

She stared into his eyes and he stared back

"Thank you for everything, Professor Lukas Bondevik," she said, "You're my hero."

She hugged him again.

And this time he hugged her back.

*

Norway yawned and stretched, careful not to hit the people in line in front of him. He had only gotten a total of five hours of sleep last night, including the two hours he got on the plane ride. When he got back to his apartment, he remembered he still had a lecture to teach the next morning.

He yawned again. He was sure all the coffee in the world wouldn't be able to wake him up, but it was worth a try.

When it was his turn in line, he went up and ordered a large, strong coffee with several extra shots.

"Will that be all today, sir?" the counter girl asked with a smile. He opened his mouth to say yes, when suddenly someone behind him said.

"And I'll have a caramel mocchiato with whipped cream." He looked as Mary came to stand behind him, credit card in hand. The counter girl typed in the order before Norway could say anything.

"And will that be everything?"

"Ja, takk," Mary said, handing the girl her card before Norway could protest. Mary then smiled and walked away. Norway turned and followed her. She smiled at him as they waited for their coffees.

"Vhy did you do that?" he asked.

"Consider it my way of saying thank you," she said, meeting his gaze. Her eyes said the rest.

"You already thanked me, Mary," he said, "And that is all the repayment I require."

"Then, just think of this as me buying you coffee because you're my friend and I want to," she smiled.

"Bondevik?"

Norway looked as two coffees were set on the counter. She took hers and he took his, and then they looked at each other.

"Well, shall we go sit down?" she suggested.

*

Author's Note:

My dear readers,

Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! I have loved writing this story and you have made the experience a gazillion times more awesome. <3

Unfortunately, I have some bad news.

Last night, after I finished writing Chapter 32, my computer crashed and my hard drive failed.

I have lost everything-- all my chapters, outlines, brainstorms-- everything.

So I'm going to have to put this story on hold for a few days while I begin to rewrite and reoutline and rebrainstorm!

Please be patient and understand that I have lost a lot and it's not going to be easy for me...

I have every reason to give up.

But you wanna know what I say to that?

NOPE.

Takk for reading, you guys!! I hope you'll stick around!

Hasta la pasta!

Mary P.J.