Hero: A man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength.

The principal character in a play or novel or poem.

Someone who fights for a cause.

A being of great strength and courage celebrated for bold exploits.

I call myself a hero, but am I really?

I would rush to the aid of a friend no matter the danger, being the personification of a country gave me a high standing, and my strength is still unmatched.

Does that make me a hero?

I am the main character in my life.

I know that doesn't make me a hero.

I don't just fight, I always have a reason, whether to protect someone or myself.

That doesn't seem enough to make me a hero.

I have strength and courage, I do bold things all the time, but I'm not really celebrated for them.

So I'm not a hero after all... I guess all these years I've been lying to myself, everyone else was right, I'm no super hero, I'm just another Nation, there's nothing special about me.

With a sigh, I shifted my arms, the one that had been propping my head up landed on the table, while I placed my other elbow on the edge, using that one for support now. These meeting always drag on. Looking over at England, I noticed him arguing with France, like normal, but today, I felt no need to intervene, no need to stop them.

This proves it... I really am no hero... Could any of us be considered heros? France is to much of a chicken to do anything, same thing with the Italy twins. Japan is to calm, he would plan, not rush in to save someone. England, any more, I think he only cared about himself, he was cutting us all off. China, now, he really only did care about himself, and Russia, he was to busy torturing people. Canada, he's to timid, no one ever even remembers him, he can be demanding when he wants, but that's hardly ever.

Shaking my head I looked away from the fighting Nations, then to the blonde sitting across from me, who had his eyes closed, and was rubbing his temples.

Not even Germany is trying to stop them... I guess none of us are heros... Are we really only meant to be the spokes person for our country? If we weren't here, would our land remain? Would our people notice? Would the world go on, like nothing happened...? Probably...

Sighing again, I pushed away from the table, grabbing my papers as I stood, heading toward the exit, North Italy looked back at me as I reached the door.

"Ve~ America, where are you going?" Finally France and England stopped fighting, only to look at me, just like all the other Nations did, I pulled the door open without a word, walking out.

The world doesn't need me... My country doesn't need me... Everyone just thinks I'm an annoying, loudmouth anyway... Who would notice if I just... Vanished? The Roman Empire did, and his lands still there, Prussia's country was disbanded, yet he was still here. Why couldn't it go the other way?

Stepping out onto the streets of New York, I looked up, water droplets shattering on my glasses, with a small sigh I looked around, watching the people rushing by, in a parade of umbrella's.

My people. They don't need me either...

Turning to the right, I pushed through the sea of people, ignoring the rude comments, an insults that were aimed at me if I accidently bumped into someone.

How did my citizens become like this? This isn't what I wanted... Look what I've done, I've ruined what could have been a great country... Maybe I shouldn't have become independent of England, he never would have allowed this... He would have kept me in check... I guess it's to late now though...

Turning onto a less crowded street, I stopped to catch my breath, it has never been easy to get around New York during rush hour, though lately I'd gotten used to it. As the rain started falling harder, I starting walking again, my hotel wasn't to far, I was supposed to go back to D.C tomorrow... Loud splashing behind me didn't really catch my attention, but I did stop when someone put their hand on my shoulder. Turning my head to look back, I sighed to see England standing behind me, looking worried.

"You never walk out of a meeting like that. Are you okay?" Shrugging his hand off, I nodded, then kept walking, stubbornly he followed. "America, I can tell something is bothering you, why won't you tell me? Don't you trust me anymore?"

Long ago, England was my hero. That's why, as I grew to be bigger than him, and more powerful, I wanted nothing more than to return the favor, in turn though, I only became a nuisance to him. So it wasn't that I didn't trust him, I just didn't want to cause any more problems for him.

"It's not like that Arthur, and you know it. I just, need some time to myself." Looking over at him, his mouth turned down, and his emerald eyes looked forward, when he finally looked back at me, I couldn't help but note the sad look his features now held.

"Alfred, if something is bothering you, please, don't feel like you have to hold it in, you can always speak to me. Believe it or not, I remember what it's like to be a young Nation... The doubts, the fears. Trust me, I know it all to well."

Oh really? Do you now? How could you have ever known this feeling? You were the most powerful Empire until I broke away. This is something you could never understand...

"England, I'm fine really, I just need to think some things over... Go on back to the meeting... Tell the others I'm sorry for just walking out, but I just needed to be alone." For a while he continued to walk with me, then nodded, before he departed, he spoke one last time.

"Don't do anything stupid Alfred. Please?" I stopped and watched him run back toward the meeting, sighing I walked into the hotel and up to my room.

There was another piece of evidence, no hero would be afraid to tell someone that he loves them... At this rate, England would never know how I feel... It was probably better that he didn't anyway...

Closing the hotel door behind me, I put my papers on the side table, the pulled a small vial out of my suitcase, one that read. Toxic! For lab use only! Being a Nation sometimes paid off, you had plenty of ties to get you whatever you wanted, and nobody thinks a thing about it. Taking a note pad out of the side table drawer, I wrote a simple sentence, then sighed, setting it back down.

This is supposed to be strong enough to kill a Nation...

"Let's hope he didn't lie..." Pulling the cork out of the vial, I lifted it to my lips.

Walking down the same street from earlier, I sighed, wondering if America was alright, I had never seen him like that before. Motion to the left caught my attention, looking over, I was surprised to find France holding an umbrella over both of us.

"Sorry Mon ami, I couldn't let you come alone, you seemed to troubled." Looking at the almost empty street in front of me, I nodded, then looked over at him.

"I am... I'm worried. Alfred seemed out of it earlier... He seemed depressed, he's so rash, I'm scared of what he may try..." France smirked, then chuckled a little, spinning the umbrella, he looked over at me, seemingly amused.

"Oh my, 'e is to into 'imself to try anything Mon ami. 'E would never try somezing like zat." I sighed once again, then looked at the ground as we reached the hotel.

"I hope you're right Francis... I hope you're right..." Walking through the front doors, I didn't hesitate to walk up to the check in counter, the boy looked up at me, then looked between France and myself shocked.

"What can I do for you Mr. England, Mr. France?" I smiled the best I could, France leaned against the counter

"We were wondering if America was rooming here. Could you tell us?" He looked down, then flipped through a book, nodding quickly.

"Yes sir, he's in room six twenty on the third floor." France smirked, then tucked some of his hair behind his ear.

"Could you do us a favor, and give us a key to 'is room? It's rather important zat we see 'im right away." The boy hesitated, but then figured it'd be better to have the wrath of one Nation and not two. Quickly he dug through a tub, then handed us a room key, we smiled and thanked him, then hurried up to the third floor, to Alfred's room. For a first attempt, I knocked on the door, no reply, knocking again, fear gripped my heart like ice.

"Alfred? Are you in? Francis and I need to speak with you..." When there was still no reply, France had enough, he used the key to open the door, walking in before him, I glanced into the room next to the door, then walked into the main room. I stopped dead in my tracks as my heart skipped a beat, a cold feeling washing over me.

"Fr-Francis... C-come here... Now!" France came up behind me, about to make a sarcastic remark, till he saw what I was looking at, he stopped, his breath catching in his throat. Tears welded up in my eyes when I finally processed what was in front of me. America was laying crumpled on the hotel room floor, with a bottle of what seemed to be poison next to his hand, when I could finally make myself move, I knelt down beside him, checking for any sign of a pulse. Streams of tears ran down my cheeks as I checked first on his neck, finding nothing, picking up his wrist, I checked there, then almost choked on my tears, turning to Francis quickly.

"Hurry! Call 9-1-1! He still has a faint pulse!" Without a word he pulled out his phone, as I glanced over at the side table, seeing a note pad there, picking it up, I looked over at Alfred, more tears running down my cheeks. "It doesn't matter what the world thinks you git... You're all I could ever ask for... You're my hero..." I set the note pad down, on which he had written in his scratchy writing.

I'm sorry I couldn't be the hero I claimed to be.

Francis poked his head back in, tears running down his face as well.

"I regret what I said... I can't believe 'e actually did... Ze ambulance is on it's way..." I nodded, just now noticing the sirens in the background, I looked at Alfred, then checked for his pulse again.

"Al... If you can hear me... Please... Know I can't lose you..." I felt his hand twitch under mine, then his eyes fluttered open, leaving dull azure orbs staring at me, a small feeble voice, one that seemed nothing like him, spoke. I was straining to hear him.

"A-Arthur... Arthur..." Gently stroking his cheek, I couldn't help but smile a bit, while tears still endlessly flowed down my cheeks.

"Sh... I'm right here... Please, don't talk..." He ignored what I said, his voice even fainter when he spoke again.

"Arthur... I-I love you... I thought... You'd be happier this way... Without me to pester you..." My heart fluttered, then dropped, I choked on my tears as I started to speak, having to pause for a moment.

"You fool... The only thing I'd be without is heartbroken... I love you, too, Alfred... Don't you leave me, not again..." He chocked out laugher as his eyes started to close, the echo of footsteps rushing down the hall reached the room, and he looked up at me.

"In the end... I still did nothing but hurt you... I guess I really am, just a nuisance..." His eyes closed, and never opened again. I closed my eyes as a sob escaped my lips, one of the men from the ambulance rushed over, checking for a pulse, first checking his neck, then his wrist, finally he sighed and stood.

"Get the chief of police in here... We got here to late..." Another sob broke free as a familiar voice spoke to France.

"Francis, what's going on, eh? Why did you call me here?" Of course he would call Canada, he was America's brother after all.

"L'amour, what you're about to see, may 'urt you... But you 'ave ze most right to know..." I heard them walk into the room, Matthew gasped, then a thud followed shortly as he fell to his knees, tears running down his cheeks.

"No... Alfred. No!" Lavender eyes turned to me, I put my arms around him, allowing him to cry on my shoulder, while I continued sobbing.

If only I had told him how I felt earlier, he never would have thought I'd be better off without him, this is all my fault! All I had to do was tell him!

I sat up quickly, looking around, and relaxing when I found that I was only in my room, wiping my eyes, I became confused when there were tears on my cheeks. Had it all really just been a dream? It seemed to real... Could it really have been a dream? Glancing over when someone else shifted, I smiled to see Alfred laying beside me. He shifted again, then opened his eyes, lazily looking up at me.

"Arthur? Are you okay?" He sat up, putting his hand on my shoulder, his azure eyes looking worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine, it was just a dream... Sorry if I woke you." He moved his arm around my waist, pulling me back down next to him in the bed, where I placed my head on his bare chest, listening to his heart for a minute. "Al..." I looked up at him, he smiled then looked down, slightly curious.

"Hm? What is it Iggy?" Nestling closer to him, I felt his grip on me tighten, I smiled slightly to myself.

"You're my hero..." He chuckled, then kissed my forehead, pulling me closer.

"I love you Arthur." Moving up, I capture his lips with my own, pulling back shortly after, with a grin.

"I love you, too, so much..." Laying back down beside him, he pulled me close, putting one arm around him, I closed my eyes. Thankful that I had him by my side.