Updated 1/23/25

"Dad. We have a problem." Kansas said, popping her head into her father's room. She saw Dad place his phone on the table, as vibrations from it seemed to cause the table to shake.

"Add it to the list then." Dad said with a slight chuckle, "What's up, Sunflower?"

"New England's gone. They left. No one can find them, and Tenny says that Flora says they are going to talk to Britain." Kansas informed him. Dad sighed.

"They've gone to meet their namesake. My father will love this." Dad said with a small groan. Kansas laughed, rolling into the room.

"Well, they have wanted to introduce themselves for a long time. Figures they'd be the first to run off without telling you, although they certainly won't be the last. We all know that Monty will want to meet up with Canada again." Kansas said.

That was just the tip of the iceberg, too. Many states talked about what they wanted to do, who they wanted to talk to once their existence was revealed.

Of course, even then, none of them were stupid enough to reveal their existence without Dad's approval, without the approval of their family.

Texas. What a loyal, prideful dumbass.

"While I do trust my British family, I don't trust my children not to kill them. Well, maybe not all of them, but definitely Uncle England and Dad." Dad said, standing up and placing his phone in his pocket.

"Well, Flora is right about New England getting in trouble. I'll try to stop them before more shit goes down. I don't need them bugging me about any attempted murders when I've already gone most of Europe complaining about how I didn't tell them, and family who knew about my states asking about Confederacy," Dad said.

"What a mess," Kansas said, knowing that this was going to interrupt his father's sleep schedule even more. Kansas was going to have to talk to the other alters about ensuring he got some sleep.

This was their mess, too. They could help share the responsibility. Even if Dad was insistent he could do everything himself.

Dad was clearly the cause of Texas's dumbassery. Not Mexico. She seemed to have more common sense than Dad. But what did Kansas know? Maybe Mexico could be just as big of a dumbass.

That would explain why Texas is the king of all dumbasses.

Kansas would have to meet Mexico to see whether or not that was true.

"Indeed. No one listens when they want answers. And a lot of people want answers." Kansas said. Dad pulled out his phone again.

"You don't need to tell me twice." Dad said, looking at the messages that were still coming in, "How can one man send so many messages in such a short amount of time? Canada, you never seek to amaze me."

"Dad. New England. Pressing problems." Kansas reminded him.

"Right that, I'll get onto that. Will you let Ginny know they are in charge while I'm gone?" Dad asked. Kansas snorted.

"I'm sure they already know, as they always are. Unless they are somewhere else. Or somehow in trouble. Which is rare." Kansas said, pausing as she realized she was beginning to ramble.

"Anxious Sunflower?" Dad asked, recognizing her nervous tick, putting his phone away and bringing his attention to Kansas.

"Who isn't? I'll be fine, though. Promise." Kansas said, trying to reassure him.

"You sure?" Dad asked. Kansas smiled.

"Mostly," Kansas relented. Dad placed a hand on her shoulder and knelt down to pull her into a hug.

"Let me know if you need anything, my sweet Sunflower," Dad said. Kansas hugged him back, enjoying the warmth and security his hug brought.

"I will," Kansas said, pulling away. Dad put his hand on her cheek and smiled at her, his eyes showing warmth and love.

"Thank you, Sunflower. Now, I need to stop some homicides. Love you." Dad said before kissing Kansas on the forehead and rushing off.

"Love you too, Dad! Maybe just let them kill England, though!" Kansas called, hearing her father laugh as he walked off. Kansas grinned widely.

Kansas was glad. Even though things were getting rough, and something terrible might happen, Dad was still Dad. He was still putting them ahead of him, still looking forward with a smile.

Still staying hopeful. Still waiting for things to work out.

Still hiding things from everyone who loved him.

Hopefully, the alters could continue their all-important job of talking sense into Dad, even as everything changed and crumbled.

But while they had that job, Kansas had one of my own.

Recruiting her siblings into Tennessee's betting pool. Because Kansas wanted to help fund a new motorcycle for Nebraska after Hamburg destroyed his old one in that fight with Bavaria.

And Kansas needed the money that would allow her to help him buy that new one.

Kansas was a great twin.

So, time to pull in some new victims!

"Hey, Bama!" Kansas said, calling out to her brother, "Nesse's started a betting pool because New England has done something stupid again! Want to join?"

"Oh, hell yeah! What did those idiots do this time?"

"Homicide against an Englishman!"

"Are you sure they are going to get in trouble for that?" New Mexico cut in. Alabama and Kansas began laughing at that comment, knowing that there was probably some fact in that statement.

How much trouble could that region even get into?

They had Vermont!