Britain couldn't believe Thirteen participated in such a costly form of protesting, and that was the first real news Britain got of his son in years. The tea would cost much to replace, and Britain was already in debt. What gave Thirteen the right to think he could do this? It was only a small tax. Britain didn't understand why these taxes had gotten him all upset. Taxes are perfectly normal, and these taxes are for the good of the empire.

Britain raised his son to understand the importance of the empire and to be a good and loyal son. What had happened? How did his son end up this far gone?

Britain knew that he would have to retrieve his son and punish him until all these silly thoughts were gone. It was a shame that every time he brought himself to Thirteen's land to find him, his son fled, but at least England had him under control–for now.

Britain knew it was now time for him to be patient and wait for a better opportunity to present itself.

His son couldn't survive without him; Britain made sure of that, so all he had to do was wait, and Thirteen would return to him.

And Britain had just the idea to make sure that it happened.

———————————

Massachusetts was numb. His head hurt, and he felt weak and sick.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

He shared a body with his father. He couldn't be sick until his father was, till all of the Thirteen Colonies were.

But Massachusetts was sick.

And everyone else was perfectly fine.

———————————

"You cannot be serious," Thirteen said.

'I'm going to kill England.'

'Even if we were involved, not everyone was!'

'These laws are intolerable! Massachusetts shouldn't be punished like this!'

"I know you might not like them, but the Coercive Acts are your punishment for the destruction of the tea. Be reasonable, Thirteen." England protested.

"Like hell, I will! You're revoking Massachusetts' charter!"

"The colony has to be punished for its defiance!"

"You've closed Boston Harbor to trade! Many people depend on that harbor for their jobs!"

"You're people aren't capable of leaving the ships in the harbor alone!"

"And you want them to pay for the tea! How can they do that if you've taken away their livelihood?"

"They should have thought of that before they destroyed the tea!"

"You've banned town meetings!"

"They breed defiance! They breed traitors!"

"Some of those 'traitors' are my friends, people who suffer because of you!" Thirteen said, clutching his fists, using all his self-control to keep himself from punching England.

'Punch him. Bastard deserves it.'

'What if that makes it worse?'

"You shouldn't be friends with people like that. What happened to helping the Empire?" England asked. Thirteen scowled.

"What happened to the Empire helping me? You'll get my support once you start treating my people like the English citizens they are, like they are beneath you!" he snapped back.

'Yeah! Our people have rights! You can't ignore our rights!'

'They may be colonists, but they're still English!'

"We aren't treating the colonists like they are below Englishmen born in my country, but we are treating these traitors the way they deserve to be treated. These acts are just being taken against Massachusetts. When the other colonies see these actions, they'll separate themselves from Massachusetts and not follow its lead." England said. Thirteen raised an eyebrow.

'We aren't going to do that!'

'If they wanted us to remain separate, they should have passed these acts before they did everything else.'

'We aren't going to back down now!'

'And we aren't going to abandon another colony.'

'Join or Die. That's where this is going. And I don't plan on dying.'

'Isn't it unite or die?'

'Only in Pennsylvania and New York.'

"You don't understand my people, England," Thirteen said.

"I don't understand what you mean?" England asked.

"I mean, you don't understand my people. These acts aren't going to divide them. These acts are a threat to our constitutional and natural rights! They're a threat to our colonial charters! They're a threat to all of us, not just Massachusetts. And we aren't going to back down, but we are threatened. We aren't going to back down because you passed some laws. These acts are unnecessary and cruel." Thirteen said, "They're hurting me."

England looked slightly surprised, but his expression quickly changed to anger.

"You're overreacting. These acts are not a threat to all of the colonies. These acts are just punishing Massachusetts." England said. Thirteen's hands were clenched even tighter as he fought the urge to punch him.

'Is he serious? Not a threat to all of us? They are a threat!'

"These acts aren't just punishments against Massachusetts! They're attacks on the lives of the people. Boston is a port town, and you've closed their port. The people will suffer! It's just some tea! Tea isn't worth the lives of my people!" the Colonies argued, tears starting to well up in their eyes.

'Exactly! Who knows what'll happen to Boston after these acts!'

'Nothing good, that's what.'

'Boston will suffer because of these acts. Why can't England see that?'

'He is blinded by false truths. He believes our people are just like him and his people. He thinks we can be quelled with a few laws threatening our livelihoods. He thinks he can make an example out of Massachusetts. He can't.'

Why couldn't England see how these acts would hurt their people? How the acts seem designed to hurt the colonists? England sighed.

"Thirteen, please, you're over—"

"Don't you dare tell me I'm overreacting! You're a country from across the ocean! You may be part of the governing power over the empire, but you do not represent my people, and you don't get to tell me how they feel. I am them. I know what they feel." the Colonies said, their arms trembling and tears falling. They were so tired of the same old argument repeatedly, an argument that England never listened to.

"Thirteen-" England started, but the Colonies cut him off.

"No. Enough of this. You aren't going to listen. You've made that clear. I won't waste my time arguing with a stubborn fool like you. I have more important things to do." they said, leaving the house.

"And what's that?" England asked.

"Going to Pennsylvania," the Colonies responded.

"You can't go to Pennsylvania!" England said.

'Are you going to stop us? I'd like to see you try?'

"Try and stop me because I'm going whether you want me to," Thirteen responded.

"Why do you even need to go to Pennsylvania? If you're so angry about the acts placed on Boston, why go there?" England asked.

'Something important is happening there.'

"I told you my people aren't planning on backing down. We aren't. And we aren't planning on letting Massachusetts deal with this alone. I'm going to Pennsylvania because it's about time the colonies joined together to give you our thoughts on these acts. If you don't listen to us separately, maybe you'll listen to us together. And if you still won't listen...Well, I don't think that would end well for you."

"Is that a threat Thirteen?" England asked.

"No. It's the truth. And if you take the truth as a threat, that is probably a sign you aren't doing the right thing. We don't want to hurt the empire. We want to be treated like the English citizens we are. It's not hard for you, yet you struggle with it. Stop with these acts. Stop targeting our livelihood. Treat us like the Englishmen we are. That's all we want, England." Thirteen said before he walked off, not bothering to listen to England's response.

He was done listening to England. It was about time he listened to Thirteen for a chance. And hopefully, whatever this Continental Congress said would convince him to listen.

Thirteen hoped, at least. He hated constantly fighting with his family, but Thirteen had to support his people. Thirteen was their home, their colony. He can't betray them, even if that means betraying his family.