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6. The Lucky one

America was lucky, he knew that. He was born in a time when nations were far more civil to each other then they had been when England and France had been his age. He used to sit and listen to France after the revolution as he told him about all the things him and England used to inflict on one another centuries ago. America had listened pale in silence.

"Would you do anything like that to him nowadays?"

"Of course not, I am now a man of class, not a dirty savage," responded France with a laugh and a handsome tilt of the head. "We are like children I suppose, we copy our parents by example. Except instead of parents, we follow the lead of our people."

"I don't know. Your people seem rather barbaric still."

"Shush now, look whose talking."

America's luckiness carried on for many more years as he was never fatally wounded in battle. Of course he had been badly injured many times, it was impossible to escape injury in the many years he had been on the battle field. He remembered one painful time he took a canon ball to the leg. That had been very hard to fix.

It wasn't until he had lived far longer than any human did he have his first death.

Normandy was an absolute blood bath, one that they had thankfully won, even though he hadn't been conscious to see it. In fact he had only lasted slightly after the whole thing started. He had got off with some troops, the water round his legs and then he had felt it.

The next thing he knew he was on his back behind a hunk of metal, England by his side. He clutched at his stomach as an intense pain ripped through it and he moaned in pain.

"Wha-what's going on?"

"You got shot, that's what's going on. Guess you were just unlucky today."

"How bad i-is it?"

"Really bad. I'm afraid it's fatal, but don't worry, it's not like we die for long. Just wait here while I go sort this thing out, afterwards I'll get someone to take the bullet out. Hopefully while you're still unconscious."

"Wait, what does it feel like to die?"

England stared down at him in utter shock. "You've never died before?"

"No. It's not like I'm scared or anything, I j-just want to know."

England sighed before looking out to the battle field, already stained with blood.

"It's strange. All your pain just disappears and you just sort of float in a nothingness. Don't worry, you don't actually acknowledge the passing of time. It's not that bad actually."

"I don't think I want to die. Are you sure that it's not horrible?"

"It's not, but it leaves you feeling strange." England stoked his hair and sat closer. "Don't worry, I'll sit with you until it's over and I'll try and be here when you wake up."

"I'm n-not some baby that needs to be sat with as they fall asleep."

"Well you sure are acting like one. I would have loved to have had someone sat there, comforting me one of the many early times I died."

"How did you die the first time?"

"I can't remember."

Something about his voice was wrong. It took America a few seconds to place it, but he still got it. England was lying. The type he told when America was younger and he tried to shield him from the horrors of the world by spinning a sugar coated story. He tried to open his mouth to try to convince England to tell the truth, but no words came out and he suddenly felt more tired. He stared desperately at England, who squeezed his hand tightly as the world began to spin. The last thing he was aware of was his own hand going limp in England's.

When he awoke he was in a bed, England was slumped sleeping in a chair to his side. The bed was hard, the covers were itchy and the smell of blood was strong in the air, yet he felt strangely comfortable. The pain in his stomach was still there, yet he barely felt it. He also felt incredibly stronger, like he could fight the rest of the war singlehanded. He smiled to himself as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Years later he realized that he never did get the truth from England.

A/N: My laptop died and had to be sent off for repairs. The entire chapter was on it, which is why it was so late. I'll try and be quicker with the rest. Reviews and criticism is welcome.