The rain fell in sheets and pattered against the large glass window Romano had positioned himself in front of. He watched it listlessly, hunched forward in his wheelchair like the invalid he was. It wasn't that he particularly liked observing the rain, but it was something that required very little thinking. Very little remembering. Maybe if he just watched the rain forever, he could pretend everything was a dream, just sink into the cool wet oblivion and finish his metamorphosis into a silent vegetable. He would do it eagerly if not for the one variable that kept him alive, that kept him trying to recover.

The one person who overwrote Veneziano's crazed eyes.

"Romano!" The door opened and shut with a jingle and Romano raised his head slightly. "Romano! I'm sorry I had to leave you for so long! I brought us some pizza from down the street. I thought we could eat it together. It might be a bit soggy, though."

The Italian nation (now the only one) straightened a little and began to wheel himself into the kitchen, where Spain was setting down the paper-bagged groceries on the table and balancing a pizza box in one hand. He grinned when he saw Romano roll into the kitchen. "How are you, lovely?"

Romano's mouth quirked into a slight smile but that was all. Spain's face fell. "Still not talking, huh? I guess I should stop getting my hopes up, it's only been a couple months and the doctors said it could take y-years . . . even for nations." He took a deep breath and Romano watched him carefully, heart breaking a little on the inside. He opened his mouth as if to say something, something meaningless yet reassuring. A euphemism of some sort that they could both take comfort in. He then shut him mouth once again, swallowing deeply in disappointment.

One day everything will be alright.

Selective mutism was a horrible term, wasn't it?

Still cradling the pizza, Spain pushed Romano in the living room where he had previously kept up sentry against the rain. He set the pizza down on the elegant oaken coffee table and moved his lover up to it, taking the place on the couch opposite of him.

Spain watched as Romano took a slice of pizza with trembling hands before grabbing a piece of his own. He sunk his teeth into it tore off a large chunk, eyes never leaving Romano.

"Romano?"

Romano looked up.

"I love you," Spain was staring at him intensely now. "I'd just like to remind you that I love you more than anything or anyone else in the world and I'm so glad I managed to save you. I'll be with you forever and I'll never ever abandon you, even if it takes you forever and a day to recover. Okay?"

Romano nodded, another smile forming on his lips and in his heart. These proclamations from his lover were anything but rare, but they allowed him to keep trying just a little bit harder. He'd get better. He'd be normal again. If only for Spain. He took a bite of the pizza and chewed thoughtfully.

"Oh!" Spain snapped his fingers and straightened up a bit. "I got a letter from Germany today."

Romano's brow darkened and Spain chuckled happily. As long as Romano kept some of his old personality quirks, they could hold on to belief that things could be the same again.

Spain took it out of his pocket and shook the water droplets from it. He peered over the edge, expression melting into one of concern. "Is it okay if I read this to you? I don't want to upset you. It's about . . . what happened."

Romano hesitated then nodded.

"Okay, good," Spain sighed in relief and glanced back down at the letter. "Belgium is doing fine, her recovery is going well and she's moved in with Switzerland. He's looking after her now since Netherlands is d-dead. So that's good, right? Belgium's going to be just fine.

"Norway is . . . taking a little longer to recover, but his situation was almost as bad as yours, so that's understandable. At least he has Denmark, just like you have me. Iceland went to live with Hong Kong and the other Asians for now. A sort of rehabilitation thing, since Hong Kong is Iceland's friend and Scandinavia isn't exactly the best place for him to do so at the moment. Finland is still at little b-broken up about Sweden, understandably. But he has Sealand and Hanatamago so he's not alone.

"Estonia is now living with Ukraine, since we decided she would be accepting enough to take care of him. Germany hasn't heard much news but according to Russia things seem to be going alright.

"The funerals for Netherlands, Italy and P-Prussia were held a month ago. Quiet. Not a lot of people attended," Spain's voice broke. "I w-wish I could have gone to Prussia's . . . to say goodbye and to say s-sorry." He let go of the paper and buried his face in his hands, sobbing softly. "Oh, Romano . . . it's my fault he died, isn't it? It's my fault and France's fault and Germany's fault and Hungary's fault and Austria's fault, because Prussia didn't think we l-loved him. If what I-Italy . . . if what Veneziano said was true then that means P-Prussia died thinking we didn't love him."

Romano couldn't stand this. He couldn't look at the face of the man he loved and know that two months ago, he had almost lost everything that was precious to him. To see Spain so tortured . . .

Prussia's death was the fault of only one person: Veneziano. No one else deserved to suffer for it.

Romano shifted some of his weight to his still healing leg, wiggling it around a little bit inside the cast. He gritted his teeth and braced his hands against the arms of the wheelchair. After a flash of pain almost sent him back to his knees, he managed to lever himself out of the wheelchair for the first time it what felt like forever.

Spain still had his face hidden and didn't seem to notice what has happening. Using the edge of the coffee table as a crutch, he sidled around the edge, almost falling once or twice. The pain was excruciating and he wondered if his legs would be able to take the strain. He focused on keeping his breathing calm and even, as not to alarm Spain. He wanted to be able to do this himself. He didn't want help.

At last he made it near Spain, Romano's legs gave out and he collapsed on top of his Spanish lover. Spain made a surprised squeaking noise, quickly reaching out his hands to catch him. Romano grabbed his forearms, slowly pushing Spain down on to the couch and awkwardly lying himself across him, head nestled in the hollow of the other's neck.

"I love you so much, you goddamn bastard," Romano choked out and Spain nearly stopped breathing.

"Romano . . . Romano, you spoke," Spain's voice sounded almost disbelieving.

Romano almost began sobbing but managed to keep himself together. "I don't want to see you like this. I don't w-want you destroyed over something that isn't your fault. W-what would P-Prussia say if he could see you now? You know, he probably c-can. So he knows that you cared about h-him and he probably doesn't want you to b-be like this. I d-don't want you to be like this, okay stupid? I love you too much to see you hurt."

Spain wrapped his arms around Romano, hugging him tightly to him. "Romano . . . thank you, Romano. I love you, Roma. I'm so glad . . . I'm so glad I have you. Do you think that things will e-ever be okay again?"

Romano pressed his head to Spain's chest, listening to his heartbeat, the comforting, slow bass that told him that maybe the dream of what they once had wasn't so far off after all.

"Yes," he sighed. "Yes, I think so. But for now, can we stay like this forever?"

Spain tilted his head to press a deep kiss to Romano's lips. "Of course we can."

Outside, the rain poured down, but inside the cozy little place Romano and Spain called home, the sun was just again beginning to shine.

(a/n It's over? It's finally over? This was supposed to be longer . . . but I like it at this length better. I hope the ending wasn't too sappy, but I think Spain and Romano deserved it after all I've put them through.

Thank you so much for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites. You guys gave me the confidence and motivation to finish this monstrous fic. I just want to print out all those lovely words of praise and cherish them forever.

I do promise to start updating my other stories with more regularity.

It's hard to believe this is goodbye, but thank you once again for making to the end of this crazy joyride with me I wouldn't hold your breath for a sequel (though I do have one planned), I'm just swamped with a lot of other things right now Reviews are still loved.)