It all seemed like a dream. One moment, he was with his friends, the next, he was all alone in a dark, scary room that seemed to have no exit. The poor brunette was frantic. He called every name that came to his mind. Kiku, Alfred, Arthur, Ivan, Francis, Yao, Gilbert, Antonio, Romano or even Ludwig could have answered and the poor lost and lonely Italian would have clung to one of them and cried like a baby. He wanted to get out of this haunted place so badly; he would die for it to happen.

"Kiku! Alfred! Arthur! Ivan! Francis! Yao! Gilbert! Antonio! Romano! Ludwig! Someone please help me!" he cried, falling to his knees.

He heard footsteps and looked up in hope. He didn't see one of his friends though. A large, grey-skinned creature with soulless eyes approached. He let out a scream of terror and ran as fast as he could. He banged on the door until his knuckles bled and screamed until his voice was hoarse. The creature approached and was poised to strike when something heavy knocked the door over. Feliciano jumped away just in time, hoping it was just an inanimate object that had broken the door in and saved him. He was horrified to find that what had knocked the door down was the body of Ivan. Feliciano reached out, hoping that his friend was just unconscious and that a warm touch would rouse him. Much to the Italian's horror, the Russian's body was cold to the touch. Once Feliciano's eyes adjusted to the light, he saw red patches covering the dead man's face, neck and abdomen. Feliciano saw the killing blow: a thick line of red that looked like a sash worn by a beauty pageant winner curved across the bare flesh of the Russian's neck. The footsteps started again and Feliciano had no choice but to pry the faucet pipe from the Russian's cold, dead hands. A memory flashed through his mind at that moment

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It was just the day before the countries had discovered the deadly mansion. They were sitting around, each eating the preferred cuisine of their respective country.

"Hey Russia, what happens if someone wants your faucet pipe after you die?" Alfred asked, eating his odd American food with pride.

"They'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands, da." Ivan said, glaring at Alfred.

"That's enough. I don't want to get you two started fighting again." Ludwig said, his German accent slightly marring the English words he spoke.

"You sound funny, Ludwig~" Feliciano teased, hugging the German unexpectedly.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Feliciano almost laughed at the irony the situation had created. He had no intention of keeping the Russian's precious faucet pipe. He simply needed it to bash the creature's skull in. He shuddered at his own thoughts. Never before had he ever even thought he would be in this situation. He swung the pipe in blind, Innocent Violence and did so repeatedly until there was a dent in the grey creature's forehead. It let out an unearthly howl and suddenly, there was light. The Italian's face morphed from triumph into horror. There was what seemed like a clock painted on the floor in blood. There were dead bodies of his friends on the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. 1, 10, 11, and 12 were unoccupied. The creature dragged Ivan's body onto the number one. Now only ten, eleven and twelve were left. Ivan now laid on the number 1. Alfred lay on number 2; he seemed to have been killed by a gunshot. Arthur laid on number 3; he also seemed to have been killed by a gun and was holding Alfred's hand. Yao laid on the number 4; he seemed to have been killed by being burned because his skin was charred. On the number 5 lay Gilbert, Ludwig's brother; he seemed to have been killed by a sword to the heart because of the wound on his chest. Gilbird, the little yellow chick who always inhabited Gilbert's hair, lay next to him. Number 7 was inhabited by the dead body of Francis; he seemed to have died by being shocked, judging by the little sparks that came off his boy occasionally. The victim that lay on the number 7 was Kiku, one of Feliciano's allies and dear friends; he had been killed by a sword as well, but it was a slash from his left shoulder to his right side, which looked sickeningly like a sash that a girl would wear to prom. No organs were around the dead body but Feliciano felt the strength sapped out of him; Kiku and Ludwig drove him more than anyone besides his fratello. On the number 8 laid Antonio; he was apparently killed by something ingested, judging by the vomit mixed with blood beside him. In his arms was Feliciano's brother Romano, whose lower body rested on the number 9. Feliciano's eyes widened and he wailed in terror, pain and loss. He quickly noticed that someone else he had come with was missing.

"Germany… Where is he?" the Italian said, whipping around to glare at the foreign creature.

The creature did not respond and Feliciano screamed again, raising the pipe once more, "WHERE IS HE?"

The creature walked out of the room, only to walk back in with the corpse of Ludwig, Feliciano's best friend. Ludwig had no shirt on and his body was covered with whip marks.

Ludwig awoke in the dead of the night to hear Feliciano's screams of terror, anger and Anguish. He shook the Italian awake, calling his name.

"Feliciano! Feliciano! Feli! Wake up!" he yelled, slightly shaking Italy's shoulders.

The Italian woke with a yelp and when he realized that he had been dreaming, he clung to the German as if he were some sort of lifeline.

"Ludwig! You're alive!" the brunette cried, burying his head in the blonde's chest, much to the chagrin of the blonde.

Ludwig made a 'wtf' face and sighed softly, stroking Feliciano's brown hair absentmindedly. Feliciano's body was trembling from a combination of crying and fear. His tears stained Lugwig's shirt, but the German man didn't mind. His instinct was to calm his friend, then ask him what happened. Once the Italian was calm, the German spoke in a soft, gentle tone, afraid that his very voice could break the calm air enveloping the room.

"Feliciano… You were screaming in your sleep. What happened?" Ludwig asked softly, gently pushing away a stray tear with his thumb.

Feliciano looked up at Ludwig with big, sad brown eyes. He held onto Ludwig tighter and proceeded to start sobbing again. His words were a jumbled mess and Ludwig guessed that Romano would even have a hard time figuring out what Feliciano was saying.

"Fel… Speak slowly and don't cry too hard. I can't understand you." Ludwig said softly, stroking his hair.

Feliciano looked up again, opening his mouth to speak, "I *hic* had a scary dream. Everyone was dead. Gilbert, Francis, Antonio, Alfred, Arthur, Kiku, Ivan, Yao, fratello, and even you! You- You were all dead and I couldn't help and thatthingwasgonnakillmetooo!"

Ludwig's forehead creased in confusion and worry, "I'm not dead, Feliciano. I'm alive and perfectly-mmph?"

Before Ludwig could finish his sentence, Feliciano had kissed him on the lips. His eyes were wide open. He watched the Italian's eyes close and sighed softly through his nose, kissing gently and softly back. Feliciano was always clingy and liked hugs and kisses on the cheek but never before had Feliciano been as bold as to kiss Ludwig on the lips. Feliciano pulled away, looking at the floor and removing his arms from around Ludwig and curling in a ball away from the German's warm body. Ludwig's face scrunched up in confusion and slight hurt. Was that what all this was about?

"Fel, look at me right now." Ludwig demanded sternly.

Feliciano shook his head, not moving. Ludwig sighed, standing up and walking over to the other side of bed, laying beside Feliciano and facing him. He kissed Feliciano on the lips with passion. The other boy kissed back, wrapping his arms slowly around Ludwig's neck. Ludwig wrapped his arms around Feliciano's waist, pulling him closer. When they parted, they breathed heavily, staring into each other's eyes. Without thinking, Feliciano let two words fall from his lips

"Ti amo…" Feliciano said softly.

"Ich liebe dich…" Ludwig replied in his own tongue, "I promise, I'll protect you."

The Italian nodded, snuggling into the German's chest. Feliciano knew he was safe in the arms of his lover. He knew that Ludwig would always be there and he had nothing to fear. He continued to have the scary dream, but every time, one less person was dead. Finally, when the dream was gone, it was replaced by a dream that made Feliciano happy. The new dream the Italian dreamt was about his future with his favorite German lover.