Note:  Rome's Flashbacks are told from his point of view

[name] = your name

[h/c] = hair color

[e/c] = eye color

Narrator's POV

"Vhy zhe hell are jou here again?"  Germany asked, annoyed at being woken up by Rome staring at him again.  Rome just laughed.

"To-a see my adorable grandson!"  He said, pulling back the covers on Germany's bed, revealing Italy's sleeping form.  Rome was quick to start nuzzling his grandson as Germany sighed and sat up.

"Geez, vhat zhe hell is vith both of jou and sneaking into mein bedroom?"  Germany mumbled.  Rome looked at him and laughed heartily, giving him a pat on the back.

"Don't-a act like you-a aren't happy to-a see me, the-a Great Roman Empire!"  He said, puffing his chest out.  Germany sighed, casting his glance over at Rome.

"... Still... jou vere so great... how... how did jou just disappear?"  Germany asked, sounding like a small child.  Rome stopped posing to turn to Germany, sighing with a melancholy expression on his face.

"You-a really want to-a know that-a badly?"  He asked.

"Ja,"  Germany said, looking up at the older nation.  Rome sighed again, his body seeming to sag as he sat beside Germany, a faraway look in his eyes.

"I-a already told you that-a it's a difficult question to-a answer.  The-a short version was-a like I-a said last time; I-a was a big idiot who-a didn't realize that-a my power and-a wealth wouldn't-a last forever.  And-a when I-a did realize it... I-a was an old-a man whose past glory had-a long left me."  Rome said, sounding oddly serious.

"Vhat made jou realize it?"  Germany asked, wanting to know.  Rome glanced at Germany with a sad smile on his face before averting his eyes down to the ground.

"I-a told you; I-a was an idiot."  He said, beginning to tell a tale from long ago.

---------------- Flashback -----------------

I told you this before; I lived a life of lavish luxury during my reign.

Baths heated by slaves everyday, feasts lasting weeks on end, a party at every house, harems of ladies surrounding me everyday as gold and jewels piled up.

It was at one of those parties that I met her.

Beautiful [h/c] hair that had jewels woven into it.  Skin without a single blemish, making it glow.  A dress made out of treasured fabrics in treasured dyes.  Gold and gems adorning her figure.  And she was knowledgeable to boot.

Truly, it was she who was the personification of those times with her beauty and intellect.

---------------- End of Flashback -----------------

"A voman?"  Germany asked in disbelief.  "Really?  Zhe cause of jour downfall vas a voman?"  Rome chuckled.

"Not-a quite right."  Rome said.  "To-a get why I-a fell, you-a have to-a hear about what I-a did before."

---------------- Flashback -----------------

Every man wanted her, including me, so for once, I did the chasing instead of the running.

And all she did was just smile and laugh as I did so, always staying a step ahead of me, just out of my reach.  I chased her from Rome to Venice to Florence to Sicily and back to Rome.

But the fruits of my labors eventually came to be on a warm summer's night;

Another elegant party for us to play chase in.  I caught her by the fountain in the garden.  We talked, we laughed, we embraced, we kissed, and then we-

---------------- End of Flashback -----------------

"I don't vant to hear zhe details."  Germany groaned, making Rome get on his knees.

"You-a truly are-a a saint."  He said, pressing his hands together, annoying Germany.

"I am not, now hurry up vith zhe story, but skip zhe part about jou two in a porno."  Germany said, sounding annoyed.  Rome let out a sigh as he sat back on the edge of the bed.

"Okay, no-a need to-a be so-a grumpy about it-a."  Rome said, taking a deep breath.

---------------- Flashback -----------------

You can't imagine the joy I felt as the morning sun hit me the next day, waking up to find myself holding her tight, our night of passionate love-making still fresh in my mind.

"Mmm, Rome... last night was fantastic,"  She said.  I grinned.

"It-a was."  I said.  I hugged her tight.  "But does-a this mean I-a finally caught you?"  I asked, making her giggle.

"That all depends,"  She said.  I chuckled and reached into a small satchel I had brought with me.

"Does-a this get me an-a answer?"  I asked, handing it to her.  She opened it up and emptied the contents onto her hand, her eyes widening as she looked to me.

"Well?"  I asked with a grin.

"Of course you big lug,"  She said, giving me a kiss as we went back to-

---------------- End of Flashback -----------------

"Vhat vas in zhe satchel?"  Germany asked, making Rome tilt his head.

"You-a really can't-a guess?"  Rome asked, making Germany let out a sigh of frustration.

"I could but zhis vill be easier to get an answer."  He said.

"You-a know, you-a don't have enough-a imagination Germany."  Rome said.  Germany just groaned.

"I am aware of zhat, so just give me zhe answer."  He said.

"Fine, fine,"  Rome said.  "I-a gave her a ring."

"A ring?"  Germany questioned with a blank look on his face till he realized what that meant.  "J-jou mean jou-?!"

"Si, I-a proposed."  Rome said, a sad smile on his face.

"Jou don't look too happy about it."  Germany observed.  Rome shook his head.

"No, it's-a not that I-a wasn't happy, because I-a wanted to-a marry her, but like I-a said, I-a was an idiota,"  Rome said.

---------------- Flashback -----------------

After that, we had a huge ceremony and I took her to my home on a hill overlooking my heart; the city of Rome.

We spent so many happy days together laughing and talking, eating and dancing, an of course love-making.

And-a then-

"You're going to that party tonight?"  She asked.

"Si, it's-a been so-a long since I-a had."  I said, putting my cloak on as she sighed.

"I'd rather you didn't Rome,"  She said.  "You know how many harem women will be there."

"Feeling a bit-a jealous~"  I asked with a laugh, making her blush and shake her head.

"No, but this is your last night here before having to go with the army out to the Providences."  She said, coming over to hug me.  I hugged her back.

"Si, but I-a want to-a party because when I-a go out-a there, there's-a not going to-a be any fun times."  I said, pushing her away, leaving her, making my first mistake.

---------------- End of Flashback -----------------

"Jour first mistake?"  Germany asked.  Rome let out a sigh.

"Si; leaving her to be with others."  Rome said.

 ---------------- Flashback -----------------

That night was filled with dancing flesh of young women who had just entered their bloom.  I gave into temptation that night and devoured them like a beast.

In the morning, for the first time, I felt guilt, but I put it past me to go out and fight in the Providences.

We went from one place to another to another where I saw so many people's lives had been disrupted, and like a fool I turned away and retreated back to Rome where everything was happy and bright.

"Rome, I'm so happy you're back safe and sound," [name] said, greeting me with a loving embrace.  "Come now, you must be tired and hungry.  I have a hot bath already set up and a delicious feast waiting for you."  She said.

"[name], cara mia, I'm-a afraid I-a have to-a go see the-a emperor first."  I said.  "He's-a having a party tonight and-"

"But you just got home,"  [name] said.  "Surely the emperor can wait a night.  I'm sure all the other men are just as exhausted as-"

"No,"  I said firmly.  "I-a need to go."  I said.  And with that I turned and left her again to see the emperor who only wanted to show me off at the party.  But [name] was right, I was so tired.  And then I made my second mistake.

---------------- End of Flashback -----------------

"Jour second?"

"Si; staying at the emperor's house for the night."  Rome said.

---------------- Flashback -----------------

The emperor offered me a wonderful room with a wonderful bed.  As I was falling asleep I had an unexpected visitor; the empress.

She came in and offered me some drugged wine and... well, you can imagine what happened next, and the repercussions that followed.

"You slept with the emperor's wife?"  [name] asked as I got home.

"Bella, I-"

"No, I'm not done talking Rome,"  She said, putting her hands on her hips.  "I have been faithfully waiting and you go off and sleep with her."

"She-a drugged me."  I said.  Her expression wavered but she was still mad.

"She would not have been able to had you come home that night, or better yet, had not gone to the party."

"But I'm-a the personification of-a the Great Roman Empire,"  I protested.  "I-a had to-a be there."

"But you just got back from long and difficult battles where many of your men did not come back from."  She said, making my eyes widen.

"How-a did you-?"

"I can hear the people talking in the streets Rome,"  She said, giving me an earnest look.  She came forward and put a hand on my scarred body.  "Your body doesn't lie either."  She said, giving me a sad look.  I couldn't help but recoil from her touch.

"That's-a not true."  I said.  "I'm-a fine, fit as-a can be!"  I declared.

"Rome, please, there's no n-"

"No!  It's-a not true!"  I yelled, storming out of my house.

---------------- End of Flashback -----------------

"So jou denied jour problems?"  Germany asked, getting another sigh from the older nation.

"Si... I-a was in-a a very long and-a deep denial..."

---------------- Flashback -----------------

After that I spent nights out drinking and feasting at lavish parties, ignoring calls to go home.  I left to travel to other prosperous providences, ignoring anything that seems wrong or destitute.

Like an idiot I kept myself surrounded by an ever shrinking pile of riches, convinced that it was still the same size.

After fighting a long, hard battle that lasted for many years, I finally let my longing overcome me, leading to my return to my home overlooking Rome.

The house was so quiet when I returned.  There was no laughter, no cheers, no scents of delicious foods being prepared, no nothing.

I remember walking from room to room, seeing everything so bare, my riches gone.  I continued to walk till I came to gardens where [name] and I spent many blissful days together.

I walked through it, just as the sun was setting, a feeling pulling me towards one particular area where I found only a large stone waiting for me.

---------------- End of Flashback -----------------

"A stone?  Does zhat mean-?"

"Si..."  Rome whispered out.  "[name] was-a dead by the-a time I-a finally returned."

"Rome... I... I don't know vhat to say."  Germany said, staring at the saddened man beside him.  Rome just kept looking down.

"I-a found out that-a I had-a been away for-a nearly ten years... and through it-a all, she-a waited for me."  Rome said.  "She-a waited for an-a idiot to-a return."

"And zhen you fell."  Germany said.

"Si,"  Rome said.  "After that, I-a could see all was-a lost; my riches and-a lands were-a being plundered, and I-a was too old to-a do anything about-a it."  With that, Rome stood from the bed, turning to Germany to place his hand on his head.

"Let-a this old man give-a you some advice,"  Rome said.  "Cherish what you-a love, especially if it-a is a human.  For their-a lives are-a so short, and they-a themselves are-a so fragile, but-a they make the-a biggest impacts in our-a lives."

Germany nodded, knowing that these were wise words to hear.

"Rome... I..."  Stopped talking as he looked up, no longer feeling a hand on his head, only to see that the older nation had vanished, leaving nothing behind but the wisdom he had imparted on Germany.

~Fin~

Afterwards

"Ve~?"  Italy sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey-a Germany, I-a just had a dream about-a Grandpa Rome and-"  Italy was cut off by the sight of Germany still sleeping in bed.  Italy's eyes widened as he ran to the phone.

"Hey-a Japan, I-a woke up earlier than-a Germany!"  Italy said excitedly into the phone.

"Oh my!  We must cerebrate with red bean rice."  Japan said over the phone.

"Si!"  Italy said before going on to excitedly talk on the phone with Japan, unaware of Grandpa Rome watching him from the doorway.

'I'm-a so happy that-a my cute grandson has-a grown up so-a much, and that I-a could convince God to-a let me come visit,'  Rome thought to himself before disappearing, knowing his time was up.