In the midst of the darkened room comes a noise from the hallway outside. Suddenly, the door opens, and in walks The Pioneer. She looks through countless notebooks, and takes out a thin one, blowing off layers of dust quickly. For the first time in a long time, she begins to write.

Dear Reader,

I'm surprised someone is still reading my stuff!

Thanks to all you wonderful people, this story has over 15,000 views all together from around the world!

Speaking of which, this is a request from LunaTheBlackWolf, who wanted a bonus epilogue to this story. Originally, I was going to post it in my collection of drabbles known as "The Hetalia Files," but because it's a bonus scene to this story, I figured people would like it if it was included here instead.

I hope you all enjoy this little bonus treat as a thank-you from me to all of you. Thank you for all the wonderful support!

-Pioneering Author ~+~

Just when you think it can't get any worse, it can. And just when you think it can't get any better, it can.
― Nicholas Sparks, At First Sight

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"Matas, come back here with Daddy's flower pot!" Lithuania called, trying to sound serious and failing as he watched his four-year-old son running around with a plastic flower pot on his head.

The boy had grown tall for his age, and had his mother's eyes while his hair was a color in-between Lithuania's brown and Belarus's platinum blonde. Both parents were proud of their child, indeed. At the moment, however, the little boy was preventing his father from transplanting some special flowers into a bigger pot.

"All right, Matas, that's enough playing, come back here," Lithuania urged him as he stood up from his kneeling position by the flower beds.

"You better listen to Daddy," Another voice warned him quietly.

Turning around, Lithuania saw Belarus behind him, in the door of the house. He beamed at her. In the sunlight, her pale hair shone like silver chains hanging down her side, and her eyes twinkled as she watched their son running around willy-nilly. Both of them chuckled and shook their heads. Hearing his mother's voice, Matas took the pot off his head for a moment to briefly survey her face. The boy's dark blue eyes stared at Mommy, and then realizing she wasn't truly mad, his face lit up and he dashed away, giggling some more. Although Lithuania loved his boy's silly moments, he really did need that flower pot; it was the last one of its size.

"All right, Daddy's gonna have to stop you now," Lithuania sighed as he shook his head again.

"Oh, let him play," Belarus suggested with a wave of her hand, "You can transplant those flowers tomorrow."

"I suppose you are right... but I really don't want him losing that flower pot, or running around the world before I can catch him," Lithuania pointed out as he began jogging towards his son.

"What, are you ancient history already?" Belarus teased him.

Lithuania paused and looked back at her with a grin, "No... are you?"

"I'm not old! We both know it!" Belarus attempted to pout as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Well, your hair says otherwise," Lithuania replied with a teasing glow in his eyes.

"I happen to like my hair, and I'm gonna get you for that!" Belarus fired back, trying not to laugh at her son's antics in the background.

"Will you?" Lithuania answered, taking another step back.

With that, Belarus ran towards him, and he sprinted away laughing.

"You asked for it!" Belarus called to him, barely managing to keep up with him.

For a nation, a hundred years is like a few months, a decade is like a few weeks, and just a handful of years is like a blink. Indeed, the last years had been just a few blinks, and yet they had been marvelous. No, it wasn't perfect. Belarus and Lithuania still had things to work out-she still had her temper to keep in check at times, and he sometimes was a bit too passive. Nevertheless, they worked it out because they loved each other. That first year was utterly brutal, but it taught them both more about forgiveness and marriage than many humans learn in a decade. Over the years, they had raised their son with plenty of love and care, and even when they disciplined him they took care to not be too angry or harsh. Now that he was old enough to talk all day long, they also began telling him stories of their pasts, and telling him that he was different from other humans. They didn't want to tell him too much-not just yet, for the boy may not understand. Nevertheless, they did tell him how much they loved him and just how special he was. As for their siblings, Latvia had learned to be braver and was doing a thousand times better in his life. Estonia also visited often and offered to teach Matas all about economics, math, and organization. Russia enjoyed taking Matas on field trips to the Russian countryside, and so far all three of them were good uncles. As for the rest of the world, well they all were still surprised that Lithuania and Belarus were together, and they figured it would be a historic event that would never be forgotten. Every now and then a random nation would show up at their door, just to see the family for themselves. In this way, they ended up getting dozens of gifts from all over the world, and they figured Matas would end up being very well-educated about foreign lands as a result. In the meantime, Lithuania and Belarus enjoyed gardening together in their spare time, and, like today, had-

"Help!" A tiny voice squeaked.

The two parents slowed down and turned, seeing that Matas somehow got the pot stuck on his head.

"Matas! See what happens when you don't listen to Daddy?" Lithuania sighed as he jogged over and bent down to see what was going on.

"I'm sorry, Daddy... help, please?" Matas whined, thinking that for the rest of his life he would be forced to be a pot-headed child.

Lithuania carefully gripped the edge of the pot and after gently twisting it, managed to get it off his son's head.

"Yay! Thank you!" Matas cheered as he hugged his father, "Can we have dinner now?"

"We just had lunch a half hour ago!" Lithuania replied, still surprised at how hungry one young boy can be.

"But I'm hungry!" Matas moaned, his blue eyes growing huge and pitiful like a puppy's eyes.

"All right, let's find you a snack, My Baby Boy," Belarus offered as she extended her hand.

Matas cheered and gladly took his mother's hand.

As the two went back into the house, Lithuania stopped for a moment and pondered what exactly Matas was. Was he a new country? A city? Region? Would he... be the next Lithuania, when Lithuania was gone? The new Belarus of the future?Should Lithuania worry that he had a son? Thinking on the past, children nations tended to overthrow their "parents" eventually... would he have to wage war against his son one day?No, God forbid! He shook off those thoughts and began transplanting the flowers into the larger plastic pot.

No, he would not have to wage war against his son. Instead, his son would learn how to make peace and love unconditionally, like his father did not mean it would be easy, but he would do it, with God's help.