Alfred couldn't stop gripping the chair cushion he was sitting on as he stared out a nearby window. The room was cloaked in a pale light from the clouds building and swarming outside. It was as if they were trying to press up against the window and stare inside… Gazing at the body laying out on the couch.

Arthur, he had fainted.

Tap, tap, taptap tap, tap -

Tapping echoing from his foot against the worn finish of the wooden floor of the sun room, Alfred gripped his chair more and gave a soft sigh. His face felt frozen in a neutral, unresponsive expression. Mouth molded into a tight line, eyes unblinking and watching clouds shift and dance about in the sky on what was suppose to be a spectacular autumn day. Or, well, the day after. He knew he should feel tired, but he didn't. He had stayed up all night waiting for Arthur to awake from his fainting spell… And yet he still hadn't, and the thought upset Alfred and kept him on the edge of his seat.

Arthur had to wake up eventually.

He had to know what the Brit really thought about his proposal, but right now Alfred simply assumed the worst. Arthur was probably going to reject his feelings - call him creepy, or something like that, and tell him that he wasn't interested at all. He couldn't be - it must have been a passing affair for him or something-something ridiculous like that!

But… Real love?

Alfred gripped his seat again and gave another sigh as he simply waited. Waited and waited, toes ever tapping, and heart ever expectant to see Arthur awake like Sleeping Beauty. It may feel like an eternity, but eventually…. H-he would wake up!

…. If he was lucky. He just had to be patient.

"Ngh…" Alfred perked up when Arthur shifted and made a small sound, his eyebrows furrowing together. "Unh…"

Rushing over to his side, he shook Arthur worrying and practically yelled in his excitement and terror, "How are you?! What did I do wrong?! Do you hate me -?!"

"What?" That seemed to be too many questions at one time for the just awakened man, as he blinked at him with bleary eyes. "What are you talking about? Of course I don't hate you, you idiot!"

"But you fainted when I proposed!" Alfred pointed out, now shaking and grabbing Arthur's hand, mostly to comfort himself as he gazed tensely into Arthur's eyes. "A-and I thought that meant you-you -!"

"Alfred," Arthur spoke his name so quietly that it silenced him, forcing him to take notice of how pale Arthur was getting and how his eyes started to zone in and out again. "You… you really don't want to marry me…" his weak voice tried to convince him.

Alfred furrowed his brows in confusion and squeezed Arthur's hand comfortingly as he argued, "Of course I would!" he leaned in and gazed even more, if that was possible, into Arthur's eyes, "That's why I proposed!"

He watched Arthur just stare back at him, his mouth agape in unspoken words before shutting. He saw those emerald orbs search every part of his face before quickly filling with tears as Arthur blubbered, "No… you don't understand…" He sniffled and wiped at his eyes, taking his hand away from Alfred's. "I, I have to tell you something…"

Alfred tensed up, feeling his heart stop. O-oh God… W-what was he going to say?! Swallowing dryly, Alfred dropped Arthur's hand as a light rain started to fall outside, "W-What is it?!"

Arthur swallowed, his entire mouth run dry as he tried to think of how to say this. "Alfred, I…" He closed his eyes and whispered as quietly as he could, "I would love to marry you…" He opened his eyes to stare directly into Alfred's. "But I can't… it wouldn't be right - it would be so, so wrong…! This whole relationship is just, just wrong!" He took a shaky breath and couldn't take it anymore - he wrapped his arms around Alfred for one last hug as he buried his face into his shoulder. "But of course you don't see it; how could you?" he whispered into his neck. "You don't know…"

Alfred felt stunned as he let Arthur hug him, feeling at a loss for words. This relationship wasn't right…? W-what had he done wrong? What had he done for Arthur to think something as lucrative as that?

They stayed like that for a moment until Arthur lifted his head, staring sadly into Alfred's eyes. "I'm about to tell you something that will make you want to kill me," he told him, his voice informative and straightforward.

Alfred just felt himself nod loosely. None of this was making sense… Unless… N-no! Arthur wouldn't do that?! H-He couldn't possibly have…

Cheated. Could he?

"S-so, before I do that…" Arthur's lip quivered and he pressed almost desperately against him, his next whispered words not giving Alfred any answers. "Can I have one more kiss from the most loving man on Earth?"

Arthur received no kiss, however, and just that long, empty stare. A stare so hollow and void like that it made his stomach sink more.

"It was worth a shot," Arthur mumbled. Taking a deep breath, he placed his hands on either side of Alfred's head and closed his own eyes. "I don't expect you to forgive me…" he whispered.

Before Alfred could ask him what he meant, his eyes widened as his head started becoming filled with memories. Memories of him… being Francine's father?! N-no, not Francine - her name was Françoise… that's right, Françoise was his! She was the last child born to him before his wife had died! She was Armel's sister - she hadn't been adopted at all! Au contraire, she had been taken by his nemesis, Professor Dreamweaver!

… Who, who was Arthur…

… Arthur… He had taken her from him. The day of their first meeting, with that interview - he had pulled of an illusion to take Françoise, and then made him forget all about it…

He sucked in a breath when he was shoved back into reality, a shameful Brit sitting in front of him with his eyes cast downward.

"... I'm sorry…" he whispered, his hands now clasped together in his lap as he started to shake, tears falling into his lap. "I know you won't believe me, and I don't blame you… just, before you kill me, let me replace Françoise's memories so she knows you're her father…"

…
"You bastard!" At that Arthur felt himself being taken by the collar and slammed down into the floor of the living room, a raging Alfred looking ready to sock him in the face. Hot tears were flowing down his cheeks, and his teeth were clenched together in an animalistic snarl. "I can't believe you would do that to me!"

Arthur looked up at him, the hollow look in his eyes portraying that he had completely accepted anything that was to happen to him. He couldn't even find it in himself to care about the pain coursing through his body, or how his heart clenched and crumbled under the heated, hatred-filled gaze of his previous lover. "I know…"

Eyes starting to glow, Arthur could tell Alfred was turning on his lazer vision as he clenched Arthur's collar more and then aimed a well timed punch into his stomach as he screamed, "I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you for doing this to me!"

"Good!" Arthur coughed out, feeling blood coming up his throat. He deserved this - he deserved so much more… Why did he do this? What had made him think this was a good idea? And now, through his pain-induced numbness, he felt like laughing. Because the idea just hit him…

Why hadn't he just married someone who had kids already? It would have solved all of his problems, and he wouldn't have caused this man so much pain. This man whom he loved… and would never see again.

Especially as he was raised up and punched into a wall.

Tears clogging up his vision, the lazer eyes powered down as Alfred started to sob furiously while charging up some energy blasts… And then with a loud and feral scream, shot them up at the ceiling and flew through the hole he had made. He didn't care anymore. He was beyond angry - he really wanted to kill Arthur!

But…

He knew he wouldn't be able to. He knew that deep down he still loved Arthur.

But he didn't care about that love at the moment either.

Instead, the feeling of betrayal was all he really felt as he bolted out of the house and flew away, wanting to fly up, up, up into the stratosphere, though he knew that was impossible. He just had to get away! He had to calm himself down so he could get his daughter back and explain everything to his son and-and then do something about Arthur!

Though he wasn't sure what…

Arthur stared up at him as he flew off, confusion mixing through him with the agonizing pain he felt all over. Though nothing could rival the throbbing, aching, broken feeling in his chest - where his heart used to be.

He should have killed me.

Arthur sniffled and wiped at his eyes, sitting up and immediately sucking in a painful breath as a bolt of pain shot through his ribcage. Ah, he must have a few fractured ribs… He was surprised they weren't broken from Alfred's superhuman strength.

Clenching his jaw, he closed his eyes and focused. He had to make himself not feel the pain… just long enough so he could set everything right. Then he'd let everything take its course; he'd feel the pain and either heal or die from it - he didn't know or care at the moment.

His eyes opened up, all of the pain in his chest gone as he stood up. Tricking himself into not feeling pain was a draining move, though, so he had to move quickly. He walked swiftly into Armel's room, smiling softly when he saw the hyper boy still sleeping. He looked so peaceful, so blissfully unaware of what had just occurred in his living room…

Arthur walked up to him, sitting next to him on the bed and placing a hand on his forehead. "I'm sorry," he whispered, starting to fill his head with happy memories of his sister. "I'm sorry for taking your sister from you…"

When Armel smiled in his sleep, full of new and old memories, Arthur left.

Despite his better judgement, he ran to his house. He wasn't sure how long Alfred would be gone, and he wanted to have Françoise back at his house before he returned…

His door slammed open as he ran through it and to his little girl's room, where the babysitter was playing with her. "Mr. Kirkland!" she exclaimed, running to him and frowning. "If you're going to be gone the whole night, you have to tell me!"

"Right, I'm sorry…" He had been saying that far too much lately. "I'll pay you double - ah, and I won't be needing your services anymore."

"What?" She gave him a confused look. "But -"

"No questions." Arthur reached into his wallet and handed her money - he didn't even care how much it was at this moment. His eyes were starting to see spots; he was going to faint, either from the unacknowledged strain in his ribs or from overuse of his powers. "Please, just leave."

The babysitter gave him an exasperated look before snatching the money and walking out, grumbling something under her breath. Arthur didn't take notice - he just went up to Françoise, quickly snatching her up and beginning to run back to Alfred's house. He didn't have much time left… And giving Françoise her memories back was surely going to take a lot out of him. He had to do this quickly.

"Papa?" She asked him curiously, wiggling in his hold and looking concerned, "What are you -?"

"Shh," Arthur tried to give her a reassuring smile, even as his vision blurred so much that the girl in his hands just looked like a big, yellow blob. "It's all right - we're going to see Armel. Isn't that exciting?"

"Oui!" She chirped at first, much to his relief till she gave him a concerned look and tugged at his hair. "But you are crying!"

"Am I?" Arthur chuckled a little bit, turning his head forward again, his smile widening even as he felt the salty tears run over his tight lips. "Well… that's to be expected…" He was about to lose everything, after all. The thing he had worked so much for, and wanted his entire life… and something that he had never even thought about achieving. A child and a love.

What more did he have? A job? Yeah, right. He could hardly call that joke of a newspaper a job…

There was only one more string to snap now: saying goodbye to Françoise, and maybe erasing any memories she had of him - giving her all the ones with Alfred as her Father in its place.

After all, it's not like she needed to know of him anymore.

… Great, now he was practically full-on sobbing.

He continued running to Alfred's house, ignoring anything Françoise was telling him. Talking to her anymore would just made him want to keep her… make him want to take everything back and just make Alfred forget him, so he could keep her…

… No. No, he couldn't do this anymore.

He set her down on the couch, since he himself was unaware that with telling Alfred the truth, everything related to Françoise had come back. Her old nursery, her old photographs… everything physical had come back. But he didn't know that.

"I'm sorry, Françoise…" he told his darling little girl, cupping her small, soft cheek in his hand and smiling sadly at her. "I'm so, so sorry…"

She blinked her eyes up at him in confusion and reached her soft, delicate hands up to touch his cheeks in return and ask him in a small voice, "Françoise -?"
"That's right," Arthur told her, laughing once and stroking her hair back. "That's who you really are…" He leaned in, transmitting her memories through a kiss on her forehead as the last of his bitter tears fell. She would recognize Alfred as her father, and have nothing but good memories of him. She would remember Armel as her brother, and have nothing but joy…

She would forget everything she had known about himself, and never question what she knew now, for she was too young to question whatever it was she was told to believe about her real or fake life.

Françoise fell asleep, once the process was complete. It was to be expected - your head being filled with memories was am exhausting process. He couldn't help but smile, though; she was still such a cutie… all curled up and sucking her thumb, her delicate hair falling against her in an almost tangled way. Why was it little kids always got their hair tangled?

A sob racked through him, his eyes filling with tears again. He tried to stand, and found himself immediately collapsed onto the floor. His illusion had given out - he could feel the pain in his chest so clearly, so strikingly… He was probably going to die of internal bleeding!

He strained his eyes to open. He tried to force himself to crawl out of that house. He didn't want to be here - he knew Alfred wouldn't want to see him again, and he didn't want to cause him anymore pain… He had to crawl out of here, even if it felt like he was already dragging a dead body. He had to crawl through this house, and out past that white picket fence of Alfred's dream home… He had to crawl out of Alfred's dream life, and dream family, for good.

He just had to get away. No longer would the world believe the lies he had sown into people's minds. And no longer would Arthur and Professor Dreamweaver be two separate people.

From now on… he was going to refer to himself as one thing, and one thing only.

That bastard…

No longer would he disgrace this white picket fence with his presence.

Author's notes, TheGuardianKnux: Well, that's the end! :D To the first story that is~

AN, Annzy: Heehee, that's right! The first chapter of the sequel is up right now everybody - pop over if you want to see that happy ending~

Knux: IF THERE IS ONE THAT IS~ OAO

Annzy: Oh there better be one XD

Knux: Anyways, pop over and read it now! HOORAY.

Annzy: But first, thanks to everyone who's read this far, reviewed, followed, and favorited :) It really means a lot to the both of us! ^^ You are the wind beneath our writing wings! :)

Knux: And we mean it! So thanks and we'll see you all in the sequel! :D G'day!