Tennessee sighed as she walked out of the Meeting Room, accidentally bumping into two chests.

Looking up, she saw two men standing before her, also noticing that they were Italian.

"Sorry, y'all," she apologized, knowing that they were the people she had just bumped into.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" Romano told her.

"I said I'm sorry," Tennessee replied, "I truly am."

"Aw, don't be so hard on her, big brother," Veneziano replied with a happy grin. "She didn't mean any harm."

"I'm super sorry," Tennessee told them, standing up straighter.

She didn't want to make them angry because they were Axis, while she was a part of the Allies.

"Ugh, all Allies are the same," Romano huffed. "She's probably related to that loud-mouthed American. She looks just like him."

"Excuse me?" Tennessee sassed, glaring at him. "That's my brother you're talkin' about! If I were you, I'd shut your pie hole."

"Do you know who you're talking to?" Romano yelled back. "I'll gladly shut yours with my bare hands!"

"Hey, that wasn't very nice," Veneziano scolded his older brother.

Tennessee huffed as she went on to say, "Your ass is jealous of all of the shit that's coming out of your mouth!"

She smirked at their shocked faces, becoming proud of herself.

"I'm Cathleen, Fire Boy," she said with a wink.

Romano just rolled his eyes in annoyance, clearly not in the mood to deal with her.

"If you think that you can impress me just like that, you have another thing coming!" he told her.

"I like your moxie," Cathleen giggled. "You're cute."

"Don't mind him," Veneziano answered. "He's always like this."

"It's okay," Cathleen replied. "You're cute, too. What's your name?"

She repeated her earlier sentences in Italian, wanting to make them feel comfortable around her even though she could clearly speak English.

"She does realize that we can speak English, right?" Romano asked his brother, confused as to why Cathleen was speaking Italian all of a sudden.

"I'm Veneziano, and this is my older brother, Romano," Veneziano introduced to Cathleen, ignoring his older brother's statement. "I'm the North, and he's the South!"

"Nice to meet y'all," Cathleen smiled. "Welcome to Nashville, Tennessee, USA. I'm Cathleen Scarlett Jones, also known as the Southern State of Tennessee."

"Making some new friends, Cath?" America asked with a grin, using the nickname he had given to her when she was younger as he walked up to them and pulled her into a side-hug.

"Yes, I am, America," Cathleen giggled, hugging him back. "They're quite fun!"

"Yeah, I figured that she was with you," Romano huffed. "You have, like, forty-nine other ones like her, right?"

"Brothers and sisters," America proudly replied, "along with England and Canada."

"Yeah, I have a huge family," Cathleen laughed.

"Yeah, well, some of us aren't as lucky, so see you never again," Romano snapped. "Come on, Vene."

The older brother pulled the younger one along, walking out of the building.

"Don't mind them," America chuckled. "They're always like that."

"Bye, y'all!" Cathleen called to them. "I hope that I see you again!"

She looked back to her brother, a big smile on her face.

"I like them," she told him.

"What's with all of the yelling?" England smirked, walking up to them. "I think I'll need Iceland's earmuffs if you two continue to yell."

"Big brother!" Cathleen cheered, hugging him tightly with a smile.

"I told you not to call me that," England scolded her. "You're not a child anymore, remember?"

"You're still my big brother no matter what," Cathleen replied. "You'll always be my big brother."

"Yes, yes, I know," England sighed a bit.

Cathleen giggled and playfully kissed him on the cheek.

"Don't touch me," England pouted, crossing his arms.

"Now who's acting like a child?" America laughed.

Cathleen looked a little hurt by the situation.

"Do you not love me?" she teared up, looking at the blonde as she gave him the puppy-dog eyes. "Wh-why, big brother?"

She began to fake cry, making England freak out.

He sighed, realizing that she was messing with him, gently hugging her.

"You're cruel, you know that?" he laughed.

"I learned from the best," Cathleen replied.

"Yeah, I guess you did," England chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Anyway, shall we go? Or are we just going to stand here all day?"

"Where's Miss Israel?" Cathleen wondered. "I need to see her first."

"She went home like everyone else," England answered, "which is exactly what we should be doing. Come on, you two."

"Okay, Mister Know-It-All," Cathleen said sarcastically.

"Very funny," England replied with an eye roll.

"Let's go home," Cathleen teased him.

"That's what I've been suggesting for the last three minutes!" England groaned, walking off with his laughing siblings.

They kept laughing as they got into the car.

"How did I end up with you two?" England went on above Cathleen and America's laughing. "I feel cursed."

"Hey, I feel awful now because you said that," Cathleen replied. "Love, I'm the best thing that's happened to you."

"Yes, well, I'm sure that the rest of your siblings say the same thing," England laughed.

He started driving them home, laughing along with his siblings.

~~~~~~

In a few hours, they were home; America had 'Family Homes' set up in all of the States, that way, whenever England and Canada came to visit, they wouldn't have to rent a hotel or anything like that.

It also made it easier for them to see their family as well.

"Well, looks like we're home," England smiled.

"Yay!" Cathleen cheered, running inside the house.

"She went in there fast," England chuckled.

"Well, she is basically like me," America  replied with a grin.

"Even though she should be acting like a lady," England answered seriously.

Whatever you say, old man," America laughed.

"I'M NOT OLD!" England shouted, pointing an accusing finger at his brother.

"Oooh, someone's angry," America smirked, poking his brother's nose.

"For your information," Cathleen began, "I actually have table manners, unlike America."

"Yes, America's table manners need some touching up," England agreed.

"Oh, you have a call for you big brother," Cathleen smirked. "It's your girlfriend."

England blushed in embarrassment and anger, walking up to her.

"She's not my girlfriend, Cathleen!" he told her, taking the phone into his hand. "We're just friends."

"Yeah, right," Cathleen scoffed with a grin.

"We are!" England defended for himself. "It's not polite of you to assume something like that, and for the last time, the relationship between Israel and I is mutual, business, that's all! Nothing more, nothing less."

"What?" Israel asked, confused, as she had heard the whole conversation. "Who are you talking to, England?"

Cathleen laughed, along with America.

"Nothing," England replied. "Cathleen is just being a silly girl like usual."

"I'm not a kid anymore!" Cathleen yelled at him, running up to her room.

"I'm just...." America cut off, slowly walking away as England rolled his eyes at their behavior.

"I wanted to ask you something," Israel told him, "if it's not a bad time?"

"No, it's okay," England replied. "What is it?"

"Would you like to get coffee with me tomorrow?" Israel asked, blushing a bit as she played with a few strands of her hair on her end of the phone. "I'm in town, and I would like to hang out with you."

"Yes, I would," England smiled, ignoring the blush that was dusting his cheeks. "That sounds like fun."

"Great!" Israel answered with a happy giggle. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. I'm glad that you have agreed to this. It makes me happy."

"Well, what are friends for?" England asked, trying not to jump around in happiness himself.

"Thank you, again," Israel replied. "See you tomorrow!"

"You're welcome," England answered. "See you tomorrow."

They hung up, leaving the conversation at that.

"Got a date?" Cathleen smirked.

"It's not a date, Cathleen," England told her. "We're just going to hang out. That's it."

"You told me yourself that you love her," Cathleen giggled with a big smile.

"Friends can say that too, you know," England sassed. "Especially if they're close friends like Israel and I. Seriously, is your favorite pass-time tormenting me about my nonexistent love life?"

"Aw, England," Cathleen laughed as she hugged him tightly, "I just want you to be happy."

"And I am happy," England replied, "but seriously. Israel and I are just friends, so leave it alone now, okay?"

"Okay, big brother," Cathleen agreed with a sneaky grin.

~~~~~~

The next day, Israel began to curl her hair for her "coffee date" with England.

England was already at the cafe', due to his punctuality, and he was dressed up in a casual outfit since their "hang out" wasn't anything super fancy.

Israel walked into the cafe', sitting down across from him.

"Hey, Arthur," she smiled, "what's up?"

England noticed that Israel had simple eye makeup and bright red lipstick on, along with a cute, black and white striped dress with black heels.

"Hello," he smiled back. "Nothing much, really. I was just making sure we had a good spot and everything."

"Oh, I have something to tell you!" Israel told him. "Prussia told me that he heard from Germany that Hungary got her ass beat in the bathroom yesterday."

"What?" England tried not to laugh. "How did that happen?"

"Tennessee got tired of Hungary disrespecting her, and she beat her ass," Israel explained. "Tennessee said that she dunked Hungary's head in the toilet."

"Cathleen did that?" England cringed. "Bloody hell, Hungary must be really angry right now."

"Ukraine found Hungary hung up on the coat hook on the bathroom stall," Israel went on, "and Hungary had a bruise on her head and her makeup was smeared."

"That's awful," England sighed. "I should probably talk to her and apologize. No, wait. I'll talk to Cathleen and make her apologize. There, that's a better idea, don't you think?"

"Now, I personally thought that it was funny to see Hungary get humiliated like that," Israel continued with an evil smirk. "Prussia told me how it happened, too. I mean, in all honesty, Hungary has been giving me crap as well."

"Okay...." England answered awkwardly.

"Like yesterday, for example," Israel started. "Hungary had asked my brother 'Why is she here?' and I said, 'You know, you'll be seeing a lot more of me around here!' and then Hungary said, 'Without a broom in your hand?' and I replied with, 'If I do have a broom in my hand, it will be to sweep up the white trash!' and she answered with, 'Like you would, Jew!' and I said, 'Oh, no you did not!' and then my brother held me back from kickin' her ass!"

"I'm so sorry that happened," England told her. "That was pretty disrespectful of her to do that."

"It's fine," Israel answered. "Hungary deserved it, anyway."

"But why did Hungary do that to you?" England wondered. "Usually, she has to be provoked in order for her to do something that drastic."

"Because she's a mean ass," Israel replied. "That's why Tennessee has my back. She's my bestie, and my second muscle besides my own."

"I'm still not impressed that Tennessee did that to Hungary, though," England stated. "I mean, a more mature and productive way to de-escalate the situation for you and Tennessee would have been to just walk away."

"Yeah, I guess," Israel agreed.

"Sometimes, Hungary doesn't understand people's boundaries," England went on, "mainly because of the fact that she had a rough life when she was younger, so I think that you two should have ignored her. For her safety and yours."

"Yeah, but at least she won't mess with me anymore," Israel laughed.

"I don't know about that, actually, but enough talking about another possible war," England smiled awkwardly. "How about we talk about something more...lighthearted?"

"Well, I just got my doctrine for human medicine," Israel grinned excitedly.

"Oh, Israel, that's amazing!" England grinned back. "That's what you've always wanted, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it is," Israel answered, "but I'm trying to get a clinic, though."

"Are you going to enlist in the War?" England wondered, becoming serious. "I know that the Allies, especially myself, could really use the medical help."

"Sure, maybe," Israel thought about it.

"You don't have to," England replied, feeling like he had rushed the question. "It's just...so many of our troops are coming back either dead or injured on the Front Lines, and I know that America's Fighter Pilots aren't enough to drive Germany back from crossing France's Border."

"I might be a War doctor," Israel began, "but I'll think about it more. I mean, I know all of the new stuff, so...."

"That's good," England nodded. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring this up."

"You're good," Israel smiled. "So, what's new with you?"

England sighed, looking at his cup of tea.

"Nothing, really," he answered. "It's just...right now, the War isn't looking so great, so my Army is thinking about doing Bombing Raids on Berlin to slow Germany down, but I don't want to do that. Germany hates me enough already. I don't want to do anything that drastic to make him hate me even more, you know?"

Israel nodded silently, wanting him to continue.

"And it's not like the War that America and I had, where I can just walk away," England went on. "As much as I would like to, I'm in an Alliance, and so I have to help the others. They need me, and I need them, whether all of us will admit it or not."

"Yeah," Israel said as she held his hand in hers, "I know exactly how you feel. Germany is murdering so many of my people, and I don't even know what I did wrong."

"It's not because of you, Israel," England tried to smile, keeping his tears back.

"Are you sure about that?" Israel sniffed, tearing up as well. "Why did Germany target me of all people?"

England helped her stand up as they walked out of the cafe' and to a park where they could be more private.

"I'm sure of it," he told her, pulling her into a side-hug. "Sometimes, humans are stupid. It's not because of you, Israel, it's because of Hitler."

Israel hugged him back, crying into his shoulder. He sat them down on a bench, keeping her close to him.

"I know, Israel," he whispered to her, "I know."

"I love you, England," Israel told him. "You're my best friend, you know that?"

She continued to cry more, knowing that, in reality, she was madly in love with him.

"You're my best friend, too, Israel," England answered, gently stroking the back of her head. "On a better thought, you shouldn't enter the War. We can find medical help somewhere else, all of us can. I don't want to put you in danger, and even though we can't die, being countries and all, I still don't want you to get hurt."

England would never admit it to anyone but himself, but he loved Israel as more than a friend, and all he wanted to do was protect her and keep her safe.

"England...I've got to get this off of...my chest," Israel hiccuped due to her crying. "It's been something that I've been holding in for quite some time now."

"Okay, what is it?" England answered, slightly confused.

"I-I love you," Israel replied. "I hope it's not too soon to say that, but I had to get it off of my chest."

Without warning, England gently pulled Israel into passionate and soft kiss, whispering to her after he slightly pulled away from her,

"I love you, too, Israel."

Israel blushed as she smiled brightly. She put her forehead against his, and there the new couple continued to sit as the setting sun started to cast a beautiful, golden light upon them.

Maybe this War wasn't so bad after all.