Can He Stay? Ch. 3

Up in America's room, Francine was tucking in the two sniffling children. She smiled at them and then turned the gas light down, and left the room. They were both supposed to go right to sleep, but that wasn't the case. Alfred leaned up on one hand, and looked to Canada.

"Why did you have to go and ruin our game?" The boy stared at the nark with irritated eyes. Matthew sat up and crossed his arms over his chest in protest.

"It wasn't my fault…besides…your brother is smart, do you really think he wasn't going to find out?"

"I hide a LOT of things from big brother, he wouldn't have known…stupid!"

"Don't call me stupid you…you JERK!" This comment set America off, and he lunged for Canada. They wrestled in bed, and had no concept of how loud they were being, as it was still slightly early, England was sitting down in the parlor having a glass of whiskey and reading.

"Blimey, what are those two doing?" He eased into his chair, and sipped the soothing beverage. Not wanting to even bother himself with the troublesome twos, he sat back and re-read the same sentence he had been working on for the fourth time. As he began, he heard a short rapping on the door. Annoyed, England got up and walked to the door. It was Hughes. The man carried with him two delinquents. England raised an eyebrow and did not say a word, instead he looked over to his gentle butler.

"I am so sorry Master Arthur, its just that they were very unhappy, and making such a ruckus…I thought it would be better to bring them down to see you."

England did not make any motion to acknowledge them at first. He took a larger sip of his drink, and then set it down. It was apparent that had he not been drinking, he would have "smack the daylights" out of both of them, but he kept his cool.

"I leave them in your hands sir." Hughes went to leave and then was stopped by England clearing his throat.

"Hughes…do not go anywhere." Turning his attention to the two. "I sent you both to bed…there should be no reason as to why you are awake. If you can not find a way to get along, as you both have been before, then I'll box your ears…the both of you! I will not warn you two again. Right back upstairs, get into bed, and I will see you in the morning."

America stepped forward slightly scared. He did not know what it was to box one's ears, but he was not about to find out. His lip quivered and his eyes became as large as could be. England saw this, and his heart broke. This was the last thing he had wanted to be known as was a ferocious beast. He dropped to one knee and held out his arms. Motioning to both boys, he spoke gently.

"I am sorry Alfred…Matthew. Its been a long and trying day. But your behavior does not reflect well right now." Looking up to Hughes, the man gave a stern glance. "Hughes, please see that these two children are put to bed." Releasing the two, he looked at America. "We're not going to have anymore problems Alfred?"

"No, no big brother…Matthew and I will go to sleep." The two boys took the butler's hands and walked back up to America's room. England shook his head and took another drink.

He sighed and wished for some adult company. Then he groaned…he had a meeting with Prussia the following day. He had always thought the nation was annoying, arrogant…and sort of callous. Prussia made fun of England's cooking in the past, and it greatly bothered him. Getting up from his chair, he set his tumbler down on the desk, and headed to his room. Changing out of his clothes, he stumbled and fell on the ground.

"Shite!" He screamed out, but then immediately put a hand to his mouth. He didn't think he had said it too loudly. Opening the door, he looked out into the hall and down towards America's room. There was no sound, so he closed his door, and got into his bed. Night was harsh. England had drank a little too much, and woke up with the most horrible aftereffect from the alcohol. He sat up in the bed and squeezed the bridge of his nose as the pain from his head was radiating down and his vision was slightly blurred.

"Oh bloody hell…what a feeling." He leaned over to his servant bell and rang it twice. In a short while, Hughes walked up the stairs and opened the door. Just from the look of the nation's face, Hughes could tell something was the matter.

"Sir…are you feeling slightly under the weather? What got into you last night?"

"Had a little bit too much to drink old fellow. I completely zonked out last night…ughhhh." He rubbed his eyes, and then looked over at the clock by his nightstand. It read eight thirty. He suddenly threw aside the blankets and went to get out of the bed, but his intense headache made him fall back into the pillows. "Oh my god…Hughes…are the children awake?"

"Rest at ease sir…when I didn't see you awake and down in the dining area, I made it my point to wake them, and they are down in the parlor with Miss Francine.

"Well that's a relief. I suppose I will take a glass of water Hughes, and perhaps some medicine…and then I will be down to check on the two." He propped himself up against the pillows and smiled politely at his butler.

"Sir…I do hope that I am not out of bounds saying this, but I do believe you should stay in your quarters…at least until you are feeling better."

England was about to object, but did not say anything more. Hughes was right, and had always been in the past. After all, Arthur did grow up with him. He simply nodded and eased back under the covers. His head was killing him. The gentle butler bowed and left the room. He walked down the steps and approached the kitchen. He took out a glass and filled it with some water, then he walked back through towards Arthur's room. He passed by the parlor and witnessed the boys giggling with Francine. Alfred saw him and ran over to the man.

"Hughes! Where is big brother? I want to see him!" The boy stood holding his bunny and stared into the man's eyes. Hughes knelt down, setting the glass of water on the ground.

"My dear little Alfred…your brother is not feeling well, and he needs peace and quiet for now. I suggest you and Matthew go play quietly in the garden, is that clear?"

"Well…can't we play in the nursery?"

"Master Alfred…it would be wise to play outside…as Arthur needs peace and quiet. Now I do not want to have to repeat myself. Go ahead…go outside boys."

Matthew ran out of the room first, and Alfred followed him. They laughed as they ran out the door. A frantic Francine trailed after them, and gave Hughes a smile. The butler walked back up the nation's room and delivered his water and medicine. England thanked him, took the caplets and drank it down. He then suddenly remembered he had his meeting with Prussia in a little while.

"Oh bugger. I have a meeting with that confounded Gilbert today…oh seriously can't I have a moment's peace? Hughes…can I just retire and never face any of this nonsensical crap anymore?"

"I can not answer that sir…you have your duties. Shall I send a telegram to Mr. Gilbert and alert him not to come?"

"No…well, I am not entirely sure…well, no…bugger. He is most likely already on his way, and I will do my best to make myself prepared for his arrival. Hughes…please run a bath."

"Sir, do you really feel all that well to…"

"I am quite capable of getting on my feet. Thank you kindly." England gave the man a stern glance and flipped his legs to the side, while heaving himself out of the bed. Hughes prepared the water, and leaving his master, walked out of the room to check on the children. England sat in the bath not feeling any better.

"Okay…so I am going to hide, and then you have to count to ten and find me…okay Matt?" America jumped up and down. He looked over at Francine who was sitting in the shade, keeping an eye on them, but also at the same time reading about the War of the Worlds.

"Where do you want me to stand Alfred?" Canada looked adorably clueless and stared at his friend.

"Go stand and count by Francine. Close your eyes, and no peeking, you can't see where I am going to hide!"

"Okay." The boy ran over to the maid, and stood with his hands over his eyes. In the meantime, Alfred knowing the lay of the land, having been in the gardens almost everyday thought of the perfect place. He went over to one of the larger sycamore trees. It was a perfect tree for climbing.

He started climbing, and remembers one incident when he was much smaller, around the age of five and being stuck in the tree. It took Hughes, and most of the house staff to get him out. England was truly worried, and told him that climbing trees was something that was to be done when he was much older. Smiling to himself, he shrugged his shoulders…seven years old was much older to him. He got to a decent enough height, and looking down he gasped. It was very high…and now slightly worried, he hung on to the branches tightly.

"Eight…Nine…Ten! Ready or not, here I come!" Matthew uncovered his eyes, and cast a peek at Francine. She smiled and without looking away from the book spoke to him in a slight whisper.

"I am not telling you where Master Alfred hid, it would be against regulations." She laughed, and Canada shrugged his shoulders. He then ran over to the fountain, and for some odd reason thought, maybe Alfred would be in the water. That would have been strange.

Hughes came outside and walked over to Francine and the boy. He smiled, and then looked around, not seeing the other child made him wonder. After being reassured by the maid that they were just having a game of hide and go seek, he smiled, and went back into the mansion.

Alfred sat up in the tree. He was shaking slightly, being so high up he wondered how he was going to get down.

England got out of the bath, and dried himself off. He still did not feel one hundred percent, but never the less, he got dressed and descended down into the dining room and hoped to keep down some tea and breakfast. He sat down at the table looking slightly uneasy. Hughes walked over to him at once.

"Sir…what can I get for you?"

"May I have a cup of weak tea, and perhaps some dry toast. That is all I believe I can stomach right at the moment." He grabbed the newspaper that lie on the table. Sensing peace, he called into the kitchen to Hughes. "Er…Hughes…what are they doing? It is awfully quiet, even for them being outside."

Hughes walked in with a cup and a saucer, and a plate of the dry toast. Setting it down on the table beside Arthur.

"I believe they are hiding, and/or seeking. Francine is sitting with them. I believe young Master Alfred is hiding, and Matthew is seeking." Hughes chuckled. Arthur smiled, and took a bite of his toast. It immediately did not agree with him, and he held his hand to his mouth holding back an unpleasant feeling.

"Sir?" Said an alarmed Hughs.

"Quickly Hughes…quickly, fetch a basin…" The butler ran and grabbed a small bin. Handing it to England, the man took care of his business and set it aside. Hughes quickly took the bin and cleaned it post haste. Sitting back in his chair, he looked flustered. "This is most aggravating right now."

Canada looked throughout the bushes, and behind some of the statues in the garden. He looked behind the trees and everywhere he could think of. That's when for no apparent reason, something made him look up into the old sycamore tree a few feet from him. He stared up into the branches and saw Alfred looking down at him with a grin. Matthew just stayed completely still.

"Hey Matty! Look at me! You found me!!!! Nah nah, boo boo! I bet you can't get me!" The boy was waving his arms, but Matt did not smiled back.

"Hey! Be careful up there! You are really high up…let's go play some more!"

"Okay…" The boy agreed, but from where he was…he was now scared. He started to tear up. "Matt, I can't get down…I'm scared!"

The boy held on to the branch he was sitting on and continued to cry. Canada couldn't think of anything to do, so he ran inside and found himself in the dining room where England and Hughes were talking. The little boy was out of breath and leaned against the table panting. England, even in his state feeling the way he did stood up looking quite a bit alarmed. Hughes walked over to the young boy and knelt down, but before he could say anything, England spoke up.

"Matthew…whatever is the matter with you? Why are you out of breath?" He looked around to see where the other trouble maker was. Shaking his head, and swallowing hard he asked the other question he had not wanted to. "And where is your accomplice?" He raised an eyebrow, and the boy was not afraid to answer. In fact he yelled out while grabbing hold of Hughes.

"Alfred is stuck up in a tree…we were playing hide and seek, and he must have climbed a tree and I went to find him, and I couldn't find him, and I looked up and…" The boy had to breath deep to finish speaking, but England held his hand up to stop him. He knew telling the boy in the past that climbing the old sycamore tree was not to be done till he was older. "Okay Matthew…come along, I am going to go outside with you." England pushed back his chair, and walked to the boy.

He was still slightly queasy, and Hughes saw this. The three then walked outside and a frightened and scared straight expression fell upon little America's face once he saw the look on his big brother's.

"Alfred Frederick Jones…what do you think you are doing up there?" Crossing his arms over his chest, England gave the boy a deathly stare, and all the boy could do was look down and say nothing.