"Don't leave." Shelby muttered, grabbing his hand and holding it in between hers. She wore a red, long cotton dress. Under her dress was a brown undershirt that had long sleeves, which came up to her wrists. Her dark hair was pulled up in a bun, and over her head was a simple hat. "We don't know for sure that the Germans are moving to invade."

"If there's any possibility, I must go." Poland smiled solemnly, "How could I call myself a country if I didn't?" He was in his military uniform, a green material with a cape hanging on his shoulder and over his back.

"I don't like this, Feliks. Not one bit." She sighed, before leaning forward and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I don't want to lose you. You're my best friend..."

"You worry too much, kochanie. I am an immortal country. I'm like, invincible and stuff. I'll be fine." Poland assured her, rubbing her back lightly.

"Do you promise?" She muttered, closing her eyes as she relished this final embrace before he left for the front lines.

Poland smiled, breaking their hug and placing a kiss on Shelby's forehead. "Pożegnalny, Shelby."

With that, he backed out, bowed slightly to her, and turned, leaving for to the car that would take him to the front lines that were gathering for the supposed German invasion.

Shelby watched, clutching her hands together in front of her lips, tears falling down her cheeks. "You didn't promise." She whispered quietly.

Shelby sat on the floor, her back against her couch as she listened to the radio drone on about the German troops surrounding her home. Her parents were able to escape with her sisters, but the brunette refused to leave, hoping that Poland would return. She had to believe they could hold out. The French and British would surely send troops. They wouldn't be standing alone for much longer.

Suddenly, the shouting could be heard outside, and Shelby jumped in surprise, before tentatively crawling towards the window, where she peered out into the streets of Warsaw.

It was Poland.

He was stumbling as he tried to take a few steps back, his pistol aimed at the tall German soldier approaching him. He was gripping his stomach, where blood steadily flowed out of the shot wound. His face was splotched with dry blood, his uniform ragged and dirty with mud.

"Drop your weapon." Germany stated simply, his arm extended with a hand pistol, his nazi armband gleaming a brighter red than Feliks's blood.

"I will never surrender my country to you!" Feliks yelled, his hand beginning to shake. "You chose the wrong country to invade. My people have been through far worst in the last 300 years. I will not give up on them just cause you asked me to!"

Ludwig's hard blue eyes narrowed. Shelby's feet were already moving. His finger pulled the tigger just as Shelby threw herself in front of Poland, screaming for Germany not to shoot him.

"STOP!" Shelby screamed, before jerking awake in her bed. She was shaking like a leaf in an autumn storm. She sat up, trying to steady her breathing as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Quickly, she grabbed her phone and sent a text to Feliks as quickly as her fingers would allow her to.

Shelby: Hey, are you awake?

Suddenly, Shelby's door swung open, revealing a half dressed Alfred who had a major case of bed head with his glasses were set on his face crookedly. "Shelbs, are you okay?" He demanded.

Hoping the dark concealed her distress, she let out a forced laugh. "Yeah, sorry, it was just a dream. My bad." She assured him, hoping her voice wasn't shaking as hard as her hands were.

"... Okay. See you in the morning, then." America muttered, before closing her door. Shelby's phone vibrated, and she glanced at the screen, trying to read through the extra moisture in her eyes.

Feliks: ya isn't it like 2 in the mornin there what are u doin up

Shelby let out a short, relieved breath, laying back down as she wiped her tears away. AmeriCat, who had snuck in while his owner had the door open, mewled loudly, hopping on Shelby bed and plopping down on her chest.

"It was just a bad dream." She promised the cat, who lapped her nose repeatedly with his rough tongue. She frowned as the image of a bleeding Feliks surfaced again in her mind. "Just a really bad dream."