A Beautiful Melody

"Daddy! Daddy!" She ran up to me. "I'm here early! The snow made us come home!"

I laughed, and hoisted her from the ground. "Did it now? That mean old Jack Frost."

She giggled. "Jack Frost isn't mean, daddy. He let me come here to see you early!"

"That he did..."

"Alfred..."

I averted my attention to the door. She jumped from my grip. "Papa! Tell daddy what we did today!"

"Slow down, Elli. We just got here."

I smiled. "I'd love to hear about your day."

Elli giggled again, then bolted to a chair in the corner. "Come on, papa! Come in and sit down."

It was his turn to smile. "Alright..." He walked into the room and sat in the chair. She jumped into his lap and got comfortable. I walked over and took a seat in the chair next to them. "So what was your adventure for today?"

"Elli lost her first tooth today."

She gave a cheesy smile, a gap left where one of her front teeth were. "What a big girl! I'm so proud of you...Did it hurt?"

She shook her head. "Not one bit! I was brave, just like you told me to be."

"Make sure you put it under your pillow for the tooth fairy."

"The tooth fairy isn't real, daddy!"

"She's not? Don't you believe in a little magic," Arthur asked. I saw him smirk slightly. I poked her nose. "Just try it, you just might get something."

"Okay, daddy, I will."

"They've got Rice Crispy Treats in the cafeteria today, Elli. Why don't you go snag a few for us."

"Okay!" She slid to the floor, and dashed to the door. "I'll be right back!" Then out the door she went. I sighed. "How is it going, Alfred?"

"Pretty good...I have my days in..."

"So you're coming home tonight?"

I nodded. "It feels like it's been years..."

"I'm glad to have you back." He took my hand. "It's been torture without you at home..."

"I'm sure...But don't tell her, it's the tooth fairy's surprise."

"I wont, I promise." He put a finger to his lips in silence. "I love you, you know...I haven't been able to tell you that enough."

I hugged him tight. "That's all I've wanted to hear...the only thing that kept me going were those three words."

(Months before)

"Catch me daddy!"

"Slow down, Elli! Daddy cant run the fast!"

She stopped short, causing me to trip over my feet. "Liar. I saw you play soccer with Lovi, Ludwig, Francis and papa! You can run fast!" She sat on the ground in front of my face. "Everybody knows Americans run fast."

"Where'd you learn that?"

"School. I also learned that Americans eat a lot too. Just like you, daddy!"

I sat up and brushed off the dirt. "Did you also learn that English food-"

I was hit in the back of the head with a blunt object. "Say another word, Alfred, and I will gut you alive."

Elli laughed. "I was going to say tastes absolutely wonderful."

"Mhm, let us go with that."

"Come on, Arthur..." I got up. "You know I love you and your amazing culinary skills."

He shoved a grill pan in my face. "You're pushing it, Alfred."

I took it. "I'm cooking tonight, I presume, if you're shoving this in my face."

"Yes. For once, I'm craving some American food. Homemade hamburgers, not cheap McDonald's Hamburgers. With Bacon, cheese, and BBQ sauce."

"A specific order? What happened to Arthur?"

He slapped my arm. "Do you want burgers tonight or not!"

"Sure I do. My specialty. Would you like Fries with that?"

"And a shake."

"Ooh going all in depth here. I am proud to be married to you."

"Don't get too cocky, Alfred F. Jones. Just make me a damn burger."

I turned towards the grill. "As you wish." I ran as fast as I could before another strike could be blown to my head. I heard Elli laughing behind me, trying to keep up with my pace. "I told you, daddy! You run fast!"

"With the British chasing me!"

"Very funny, Alfred!"

I threw the pan on the grill and started it up. All the ingredients were lain out for me. She ran up behind me and grabbed my leg. "Papa is coming, daddy!"

"Well if he wants dinner, he's going to have to wait to knock me out with my own baseball bat."

"Oh, Alfred, I can still cook, I don't need you awake to do that."

"You're right." I smirked slightly. "But..."

He slapped the back of my head. "Must I remind you there is a child around."

I threw some burgers on the grill. "Nope, I just wanted to see your reaction."

"You're an ass, you know that."

"Language...there's a child around." My smirk grew wider. His glare signified death. "I'm just messing with you..." I kissed his forehead.

"You're always messing with me. Just pay attention to the burgers so you don't burn them."

I peered at the grill. "Point well taken." I flipped the burgers, and then placed the cheese onto the already grilled side. "So what special occasion are these burgers for? It really isn't like you to have me cook."

"As I told you before, I just want a burger that isn't fake."

"Right..." I looked back at the grill. "It's a wonderful night to have a dinner picnic, don't you think Elli?"

"Yeah! What do you say, papa? Can we do it? Can we have a picnic?"

Arthur shifted his feet slightly. "I think we should eat inside tonight, it's going to be a little chilly."

My mind pondered for a while the sudden change in attitude. I pointed to a box in a corner. "Find one of our picnic table cloths, Elli...we'll just bring the picnic indoors."

"Okay, daddy." She ran to the box with much enthusiasm. She buried herself in cloths. I looked at Arthur with concern. "Is there something wrong? Please tell me..." I took his hands, and noticed their slight shaking. "This isn't like you..."

"I know, I'm sorry..."

"What's wrong...I can help you."

He shook his head. "It's nothing, really."

Something inside me wanted to pursue it more, but Elli dashed up holding the most festive cloth she could find. "Is the food ready, daddy?"

"Almost, go ahead inside and find a spot."

She ran inside, giggling like mad. I let go of his hands, and took the burgers off the grill. "If something does come up, let me know...you know I don't like being left out."

"I promise I will."

I carried the food inside, with Arthur trailing behind me. "Alrighty then! Let the feasting begin." I set the plate down, then sat myself on the edge of the cloth. I placed a burger on Elli's plate, and let her fix it her way. A smile spread across my face as I watched her create her masterpiece, everything as perfect as I had taught her. I constructed mine, not really caring for the look, and took a bite. "Thanks, daddy..."

"For what?" I asked, mouth still filled with food.

She gave an elfish smile. "Your food...what is America without food?"

"I swear, they tell her these things just so they get back to me..."

"It's not a surprise, not every child has a family consisting of human countries, do they?"

"I suppose not, but still...she even learned a polite way to call me fat! Which, I am not."

He laid his head on my shoulder. "You're not fat...you just eat a lot..."

"Hey, give me some credit. I've cut down my eating to only 6 meals a day..."

"Only 6 meals a day?"

"Yeah. Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Linner, Dinner, and a midnight snack."

Arthur chuckled. "Only 6..."

(Months later)

I quietly tapped on the front door, and it instantly opened. "Welcome home..." he whispered. I smiled. I hadn't seen home for almost 2 years. I walked inside, trying hard to keep the wooden floors from creaking. I set my bag down on the couch, then walked into the kitchen. I sat on a chair. "I'm so glad I'm home..." I whispered. He sat on my lap and lay his head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him. "I'm so sorry that I did this to you, Arthur..."

"Alfred..."

"I made you suffer alone...I knew it was going to happen...and I couldn't stop myself..."

He sat up and looked into my eyes. We kissed at that moment, a year and a half's worth of anguish relieved in seconds. I felt the warm tears fall down my face. I felt his hands cup my face and wipe the tears away. I opened my eyes to look into his smiling ones. I knew I was home. And from the stairs, little noises did stir. Elli walked into the kitchen, her stuffed puppy in her grasp. "Papa...what's going..." Her sleepy eyes focused. The stuffed animal dropped from her grip, her eyes wet with tears. "D-daddy!" She ran up to us both, and Arthur stood to let me stand. I got up and grabbed her tight. "You're home, daddy, you're home!"

"I am home, Elli, for good...I told you the tooth fairy was real."

"I love you daddy! Please don't ever leave me, or papa alone again!"

I smiled slightly. "I don't plan to ever do that..."

I walked over to where she dropped her puppy, and picked it up. "Will you stay with me tonight, daddy?"

"Of course I will...are you going to stay with us, Arthur?"

"Why, of course I will, Alfred. You're not going to get away from me that easily..."

I smirked. "Let's go then!" I ran up the stairs, leaving the British nation behind to smile.

(Months before)

I opened the door and walked inside. "I'm home!" I called. I was left without an answer. I shrugged it off, and walked into the kitchen to grab a soda from the fridge. "Arthur?" I popped the top and took a sip. I set it down and walked up the stairs. "Hey, Arthur..." I opened the door to the room. The bed was messy on one side. The bathroom door was open and the light was on. I walked up to it, and as I got closer, sounds were clearer. "A-Arthur?" I pushed the door open, and he was on the floor, coughing. "Arthur!" I rushed in and knelt down next to him. I took him into my arms, feeling his entire body shake when he coughed. "Alfred..."

"What's wrong..."

"I'm sorry...that I didn't tell you sooner...but I've got a very...deadly illness..."

I felt my heart sink in my chest. "Don't say that...you're going to be alright!"

He coughed again into his hand, and blood dripped from his fingers. "It's gotten worse...I thought the antibiotics I was taking would work...it's not enough..."

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed for an ambulance. "You're going to be fine, Arthur, I promise!"

"Alfred...I love you...I want you to know that I always will..."

Tears fell as I sat in the waiting room. Why...why didn't I notice...he was constantly shaking...coughing...shivering...damnit, why didn't I notice?

The doctor walked into the room, but remained quiet while all these thoughts were circling in my mind. Then finally, he spoke up. "May I speak to you?"

I looked up. "U-uh, y-yeah."

He took a seat. "I can't tell you at this moment if he will live..."

I closed my eyes, failing to fight the newest stream of tears. "It's all my fault...I never noticed it..."

"You did very good getting him here...there's a chance he can make it through...it's very slim. We're going to try as hard as we can..."

"I can't live without him..."

The doctor patted my back, then left me in silence.

I drove my car down the street, watching the lights of the signs of stores and restaurants. Elli was staying with her friend that night. I saw a familiar sign to my left, and I parked my car. I stared at the bar door, knowing I would probably regret what I was about to do. I got out of the car, and walked into the bar, without looking back.

Over two months passed. I would visit the hospital everyday, still with no hope of his condition getting better. I would then sit at home, and down an entire bottle of whiskey, and watch the static dance on the television screen. I sent Elli to stay with my brother Matthew for a while. I didn't want her to see me in this condition, the monster I would become with alcohol in my system. There was not a time in those months that I was sober. I could not see that the house was filthy, or the dishes were piling up in the sink, or that the trash had filled with bottle after bottle of beer, or wine, or whiskey. Another month went by. I got a call one Monday morning from the hospital, but I was too hungover to reach for the phone. So I let the answering machine pick it up. "I'm sorry for calling so early, but I actually have some good news...he's going to be okay...we've noticed an improvement in his health...at this rate, he should be able to come home in a matter of weeks...call me back, please..."

The machine made a tone, before everything went silent again. I lie in the bed, staring at the ceiling. I could not cry for joy, all my tears and emotions were drowned in alcohol. So I just lie there. I laid there for a whole 2 weeks. I heard the front door open, and close. But I neglected to get up. I heard shuffling through the house, and then footsteps up the stairs. I put a pillow over my face, ashamed of what I had become over the months. The bedroom door opened silently. "Alfred..."

I remained silent. The footsteps came into the room. The floor next to my bedside creaked, and I moved the pillow slightly from my face. "Alfred..."

"H-hey...A-rthur..."

"You smell like alcohol...what have you been doing?"

"Nothing much..."

"Where is Elli?" He was more demanding.

"With Matty...ah, what a good little brother..."

"You're bloody drunk...how much have you had to drink, Alfred?"

"I don't remember...count the pile in the trash..."

"How long has this been going on?"

I threw the pillow away. "Since you were in the hospital..."

"Alfred...you smell like a bar! When was the last time you showered?"

"I dunno..."

He was angry. "Well, you've certainly made up your mind, haven't you?"

"About what?"

He walked to the door. "I'm not staying here...not while you're like this...I'm taking Elli and going back home."

I sat up, my vision swimming. "Whoa, what...you're...leaving me?"

"Figure it out, Alfred. I am not going to bring a child back into this filth! Call me when you regain your mind!" The bedroom door slammed.