Homeless (a Hetalia Fanfic, Book Three)

Chapter 40~! Memory Splinters

"Our eyes are now down and the chatter the same.
Each weapon now loaded, no longer a game.
Eagles gather 'round and bow your heads low.
Europe awaits and the hour is go."

--Francis J. Turner, a paratrooper of June 6th, 1944

97 years later~

I couldn't exactly place why, or even how, but this mission just felt... different. Not because of the freighter we were on, or the new uniforms we all wore, but it was something else entirely. Was it possible the atmosphere had changed?

If so, then why?

The nauseous sensation in my stomach was undeniable, but I didn't throw up during the journey across the Mediterranean. Was it nerves making me feel this way? Before Egypt had slipped into his mysterious coma, he had said how there were undoubtedly at least two nations hidden away in his country. Seeing as how there were four missing nations left, that left a fifty-percent chance that my husband was in Egypt.

'I hope he's okay... With Hungary dead now, it doesn't really bode well for the rest of the nations we're looking for' I thought fearfully, gripping my locket through the fabric of my undershirt. Through thick and thin, that necklace had been with me, offering me support in the way inanimate objects could.

Slowly, I ran the pad of my thumb over the oval-shaped locket, which was tarnished but still incredibly meaningful. Inside, the picture of my family before the Vindicator battle remained. That left Sarah out of it, but that was why I had hidden a second, very tiny photograph of her as a newborn within as well.

Moving past the locket, my thumb touched the scrimshaw carving of the fierce phoenix, its fiery wings fanned out in graceful majesty. Because it had been carved with some of Kadi's special whalebone, it looked as brand new as it had been the second Cade finished carving it.

The same went for the wedding ring from my first marriage, in fact. That day was still fresh in my mind; the cannons firing, drinking rum on the deck of Kadi's ship, and dancing with the crew and my newlywed husband were all vividly recalled. I could almost smell how salty the wind had been and feel how chilly the ocean spray was.

I probably let out a sigh, because the next thing I knew there was a person sitting right next to me, touching our arms together and smiling brightly. "Ciao~"

"Ciao, Feli," I responded with almost as much cheeriness.

"What're you thinking about, bella?" he asked me curiously, noting how I was rubbing my thumb over the "charms" on my necklace. "The past?"

"Sì," I answered, allowing only a teeny bit of weariness to creep into my tone. "The adventure that we had with Rayn and the pirates. You remember that, right?"

"Sì, of-a course I do!" Italy declared happily. "You saved-a my life! And then you got married to Matthew, but-a you didn't know it-a was a real marriage and you both were so embarrassed." He giggled at the fond memory. "That was a scary adventure, but it was fun at-a the same time."

"Yup," I agreed, smiling for a moment before falling silent. What Italy said next surprised me a little bit.

"Hey... Oh, I just-a thought of some-a-thing!" he exclaimed, his mouth wide as his train of thought raced. "This is-a like that time, only switched!"

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"Well, it's-a just like how Canada went on a ship to save-a you, but now you're on a ship to save-a him!" The North Italian sitting beside me was beside himself with happiness at having seen the parallel right under our noses. "And me and America are-a here with-a you, too!"