Summary: Rather than their capitals being born the moment their cities are built, the personified countries of the world have to choose a human to become their capital. The catch is the human has to be on the verge of death to let this happen. This is the story of an ordinary girl who was forced to become Liberty M. Jones, the personification of Washington D.C.

Disclaimer: Own nothing but the personified capitals!

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Prologue

She knew it was just her luck to have this happen to her the one day she willingly stepped out of her dorm.

Her roommate was pestering her to go enjoy the wondrous sights of what was America's capital, Washington D.C. For weeks since her move to the capital her roommate kept telling her to get out and explore what would be her home for the next four years. She didn't really care about exploring some city she was going to move out of once college was finished with. All she cared about was getting a good education and maybe figure out what she wanted to do with her life. After many weeks of complaining and whining, one autumn day she finally gave in and decided to go look around the area. You know, get out of the stuffy dorm room and get some fresh air for once. She thought it would be an ordinary day.

Up until lunchtime it was a normal day. She looked around some shops, walked down a park, fed little ducklings, and maybe spotted a hot guy or two. When her stomach grumbled she decided to go to this little burger joint on the corner from across the park. She ordered a good ol' burger and fries (not chips. Fries were fries and chips were thinly sliced things she had no idea when they were invented) with a milkshake. After finishing and paying for her meal, she exited the restaurant when a woman started screaming.

Down the street, she saw the source of the scream was a woman being held at gun point by some black masked guy. Both had just come out of a bank and the man was screaming to the gathered crowd to let him go or the woman's brains were going to decorate the pavement. No one made a move as the man started inching towards a back alley to make his escape. She thought it was a good thing no one was doing anything stupid or somebody already called the police. That is, until she heard someone cry out.

"Hey, buddy! Let her go!"

A blond haired man wearing a bomber jacket rushed out of the burger joint from behind her. His blue eyes were narrowed from behind his glasses, blazing in defiance. He stalked towards the armed robber, but stilled to a halt in front of where she stood and slightly to the side as a distinctive click resounded through the suddenly silent street.

"Take one more step and this lady's death will be your fault!" the robber growled, pressing the barrel of the gun to the hysterical woman's temple.

"Dude, seriously? That's so not cool using someone like that as a hostage," the man, who looked barely older than her, scoffed. "Look, let her go. She's innocent."

"Yeah, sure. This bitch is the one who got the police scrambling here as we speak!"

"Let her go!"

"Fuck off!"

It was the stupidest thing someone could have ever done in such a delicate situation. The man's patience and common sense ran out. His hand, which had secretly reached behind his back, pulled out the concealed handgun strapped underneath his shirt. With a swiftness she was amazed with he pulled it out and shot the robber with an accuracy she's only seen in old western movies. Unfortunately for him, the robber saw him whip out his gun.

Several things happened in the next moment. At the last second the robber pointed his gun back at the man at the same time the man took aim. She had no idea what happened or why she would even do such a thing, but the moment she saw the robber aim at the man she moved. She reached an arm over and pushed the man out of the robber's aim at the same time twin gunshots rang through the air.

Hot pain flared through her chest. Gasping, she was unable to bear the pain for long and she collapsed on the hard, unforgiving ground. Screams began to fill the air.

"Oh, my God!"

"Someone's been shot!"

"Somebody call an ambulance!"

She clutched at her chest where it was beginning to get harder to breathe. Her hand became slick and she didn't know why. All she knew she had been shot and it hurt like hell. Each breath she took became much more painful. She did not realize someone had grabbed her and turned her over so she was facing the sky. Well, she would be facing the sky were it not for the face shadowing her. But, the sky blue eyes staring down at her in panic and concern made up for that.

"Oh, God. Why would you do that? You didn't need to do that. I was gonna be the hero!" he stammered.

She took a shuddering breath. Oh, God. It hurt so much.

"I-I don't know…Didn't mean…to be a hero…" Her heart began to speed up at the dark thoughts crossing her mind. Tears leaked out of her eyes. "C-Crap…I don't wanna die…I…don't know…what I wanted to…do with my…life…"

Why was she suddenly getting so sleepy? She blinked rapidly, the tears streaming down the side of her face. It became difficult to see the man above her as he slipped in and out of focus, but she felt the sensation of being shaken violently. His face, from what she could tell, had twisted into desperation.

"No, no, no! Hey! Stay with me! Don't you die on me, ya hear! Hey!"

The man continued shouting at her. She wanted to listen to him and keep her eyes open. Yet, she was getting so sleepy. It was hard to resist the sweet temptation of slipping into sleep, darkness beginning to cover her vision. Her heart slowed and a single thought crossed her mind before she was engulfed by the dark.

I knew I shouldn't have gone out today.