Maryland's POV:

Allen and I were traveling down the busy highways leading to Washington D.C., groggy from the three hour trip and constant bickering about me not driving fast enough. I told him to look out for any government limos, stating that Canada would probably be in one with his boss and D.C.

"NICK, PULL OVER!" Allen suddenly screamed, his eyes wide with horror. I veered to the side of the road, almost crashing into other cars but somehow managing to pull to the side of the road. I turned to the back, angry and about to cuss him out for making me crash, when I saw the look on his face. He was pale, shaky, and there were even tears gathering in his eyes. With a shaking hand, he pointed ahead to a car on the side of the road. It was roaring with flames, and people were screaming and swerving their cars to get away from it.

"W-We're too late," Allen said with a shaky voice, and I saw the tears begin to roll down his cheeks. My breathing hitched and I shook my head wildly, getting out of my car and rushing over to the burning shell of the other. As I drew closer, I realized with terror that someone was screaming inside of the car. I recognized the singed logo on the side of the car, indicating that it was a limo from Washington D.C., and tears of my own began to gather. The screaming of the person inside of the car grew louder and were mixed with pained sobs, making my blood run cold.

"I'll get you out! I promise I'm going to get you out!" I yelled with tear filled eyes. D.C. was in that car! As I tore at the metal door, blisters from the heat welled up on my hands and I hissed in pain. My eyes burned with anger and I pulled harder on the door, my superhuman strength making the door bend and groan. Allen quickly came to my side and grabbed another part of the door, his face filled with panic and tears rolled down his cheeks. Finally, with one last shriek of metal against metal the door flew open and was flung off the car and into the road.

"N-Nick..." the charred body on the floor whimpered, unmoving. Diving into the flames and crawling towards D.C., I ignored the burning and the intense pain as I tried to reach my brother. "Nick, hurry, the car is going to explode any second now! There's gasoline everywhere!" Allen said in a panicked voice. I nodded and scooped D.C.'s damaged body in my arms, crawling back out of the limo and falling to the ground. Allen yanked me to my feet and took D.C. from me, running as fast as he could away from the limo. I followed him, the burns on my legs making it harder for me to run.

"Hurry!" Allen screamed, looking behind me with horror filled eyes. A loud explosion shook the ground and I crumpled to my knees, shaken from the tremor in the ground. I glanced behind me to see the limo engulfed entirely in flames, all but the shell entirely demolished. Shaking, I got back to my feet and joined Allen where he was clutching D.C. in his arms. He was sobbing, rocking my brother's lifeless form.

"Not you too...please no," Allen choked out, and I sank to my knees beside him. He looked away from me, grimacing and wiping his eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I tried to help, I...I didn't this to happen here too...' Allen whimpered. I said nothing and just took D.C. from him, holding his small and charred frame close to my chest. His eyes were half closed and he was still breathing shallowly, but I knew he wouldn't be able to make it.

"N-Nick...i-it hurts," D.C. rasped, his hands going to his stomach as he let out a low groan. A sticky mixture of blood and a thick, white substance stained what remained of his pants and shirt, and as I realized what it was I started to cry harder, nuzzling my face into his hair. "I-I know D.C., I know. I'm sorry...I'm so sorry," I whimpered. D.C. rested his head on my chest, grabbing at the front of my shirt desperately.

"It's not your fault. C-Canada, he..." His voice trailed off and he shuddered violently, breathing heavily and burying his face in my chest. "He hurt me, not y-you. Alfred...He's going to try to kill Alfred when I'm dead. You have to protect. Please, for me," D.C. managed to choke out, his grip on me becoming weaker and his breath coming out less and less often. I kissed the top of his head, ignoring the bitter taste of his singed hair.

"I will, I promise. I'll make sure Alfred's okay. You can...you can rest now," I said softly. D.C. managed to smile, making his burned face twist. "Okay," he replied, and his closed his eyes. He let out one last strangled breath before going completely limp, his hand falling to his side and his body lying flat across my arms.