I don't own Hetalia okay? I don't have much else to say so enough with the A/N, on with the fic!

Arthur looked at Gilbert and scowled. "So Julius knows." He repeated.

"I do have good reason to believe he knows. Maybe not that your brothers were the ones that stole the truck, although I am sure he wouldn't have tolerated the cowardice shown if what Seamus and Patrick said were true. Which I have no reason to doubt them, there was no signs of a struggle when I met them that night." Gilbert said. After Julius had stopped in, Gilbert had opened the business up like it had never happened, if for no other reason to show he was not afraid, but part of him was. It had meant that they were coming onto Julius' detection and knew that they needed to get ready. Julius was more established than they were.

"Well, cannot say this wasn't expected to happen. Maybe a little faster than I had anticipated but we cannot act like this was never a possibility." Arthur sighed.

"He said if we mind our own business, he'll mind his." Gilbert said.

"Yes, and it may be that way for a little while, but you and I both are not fools." Arthur stated as he sipped the egg creme that Gilbert had given him. "Someday someone's going to have to make a move on the other."

"He won't just let us be. Eventually he'll consider us a threat." Arthur said.

"Indeed." Gilbert replied. They sat there, sipping the sweet drinks thinking. "But we should not be the ones that make the first move."

"Whatever we do, we need to mind our business now but at the same time we need to be tougher on who comes in. Julius is bound to want some of his men to sneak in and find out who exactly is in charge." Arthur said.

"Indeed." Gilbert agreed. "All they know so far is that a rival gang had a speakeasy here one time. I can easily lie and say I was coerced to host it. I won't squeal on you Artie."

"Good." Arthur said. "But who will be our guard? Toris doesn't have an imposing nature, Alba maybe but he's often being sent places for the railroad and he's our liason in Versailles..." Gilbert looked at Arthur as if he had mispronounced the French name. "Oh, Alba found a very good supply when he bought a closed warehouse in Kentucky. The townspeople loved he helped one of their own and have connections to moonshiners as well. They're great to our aid. They will not say a word against someone who is helping them. He had asked if anyone else had done the same, and they said no."

"I know a guy who might be able to help us with the guard thing. Don't like him, and when I found out he hand come to the same city I had out of all the land in this country, I was ready to scream. He's this Russian guy named Ivan. He has a sweet baby face, but get on the wrong side of him, you'll regret it. He might be having a hard time getting work, what him being from fucking Russia and how these yanks seem to hate there..." Gilbert added.

"Talk to him." Arthur ordered. "We need muscle and he sounds like he won't betray us to the other side."

"I should hope not." Gilbert said. "Next gig still on?"

"Still on." Arthur said firmly. "I am not about to be scared into rolling over because of some Italian who thinks he's Caesar."

"There's the Artie I know." Gilbert laughed. "Go on, get out of here, I have to clean up and close up."

"Good bye." Arthur said tipping his hat.

"Ja, Ja, Auf Wiedersehen" Gilbert said walking him out.

Arthur walked along, thinking over this recent revelation. Julius knew something was going on on the North side but was not wanting to make a move just yet. It would be dangerous to continue but something that he had that Julius did not was the fact his network could prepare for such an onslaught and to keep an eye out for anyone who would mean them ill will. I must warn Amelia, they don't know I am the leader just yet. But I need to let her know to be on her guard and defend herself. He thought as he headed down the street to her apartment to talk with her. Taking a breath as he headed up the stairs and to her small apartment, he knocked on the door.

"Artie!" Amelia smiled. "Come in, come in, I have some coffee and cookies..."

"Thank you." Arthur said.

"I'm sorry it's such a mess..." She blushed as Arthur looked around. The apartment was very small, it had a small kitchen in an open room that the only doors was to the bathroom for privacy.

"It's fine." Arthur said as he looked to her sitting area.

"Have a seat, I haven't heard from you outside of letters for awhile. Do you have another gig for me and my neighbors? It was so much fun." She added as she placed the cookies and coffee on the table in between her and Arthur. "Sorry these are just Uneedas but I haven't had a chance to really bake for a long time..."

"It's okay." Arthur said as he took a bite of the mass produced biscuit. I miss Mum's biscuits. The ginger snaps. Even if I had the time to bake, I am horrible at it. He thought.

"There's a serious reason you're here, isn't there?" Amelia asked worried. Arthur looked at the cup silently. "Look I have been told many times I cannot read a room, cannot take hints." She placed her hands on Arthur's, causing his heart to flutter. "But I can read you like a book Artie."

"I guess it is of no use hiding it." Arthur said. "Julius is onto our operations." Amelia's mouth widened. "Well, the most he knows is that there was a speakeasy at Gilbert's and that whoever had that speakeasy were the ones who stole his truck."

"Well that is the truth." Amelia said.

"You aren't worried about this?" Arthur asked.

"Well it was inevitable was it not?" Amelia said. "And I have prepared for this." She pulled a small Colt pocket hammerless from a drawer in her kitchen. "I carry it with me. A girl needs to be able to defend herself."

"So brave." Arthur smiled. "It's good to know. But Julius does not know more than the location of one of the speakeasies. At most Gilbert may be in more danger but so far they have a tense truce. What happens on the north side, stays on the north side, same with the south."

"You really think the guy who thinks a man who thinks he's Caesar will be happy to follow that?" Amelia laughed.

"Of course not." Arthur replied as he looked at Amelia munching down on a biscuit greedily. "but I have ordered everyone involved to avoid the south side unless absolutely necessary for everyday life. We still have to keep up appearances."

"Remind Feliks to act more Jewish in public. I have seen him go to town on some kielbasa. I'm pretty certain it's not kosher. And to read from a copy of the Torah not a Bible."

"He told me he tells people he's studying to provide counseling for Christians as well as Jews, and they believe it." Arthur asked. "But yes, eating pork when most people know that Jews cannot is not a good look. Or if he must eat kielbasa in public, he should not be dressed like a rabbi."

"Don't worry so much Artie," She placed her hand on his knee, causing him to blush. "I trust you. You're smart and from what your brother says you can be tough if need you need to be. You got this. No guy from Italy with a big head will stop you."

"I love that you trust me so much." Arthur said as he placed a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Awww Artie..." Amelia said blushing as she looked away.

"Anyway, I need to head home, I am deeply sorry I can't spend more time with you but I need to make sure that the house is ready for when Alba comes home." Arthur said getting up.

"Don't be a stranger and thanks for the heads up." Amelia said as she waved and her heart fluttered as he waved back, tipping his hat.

Julius had gone to the farm and picked Alfred up personally while dropping off some farmhands of his own that Alfred had to admit did not do a bad job of running it and keeping the cows safe. On the long drive back, he explained what happened and why he was needed and how Lovina had requested him personally. This caused Alfred to perk up. Why does she need me so bad? He wondered. Or does she want me that bad? Once Julius pulled up to the mansion, Lovina came and took Alfred's hand and ran into the guest bedroom that was his.

"Ah, so she fell in love with Alfred." Julius said to Giovanni.

"I see..." Giovanni said.

"Perfect." Julius said. "I can keep him close to me and use him for my ends with Lovina's heart as the prize."

Lovina shut the door behind him and sat him on the bed and looked at him. He looked at her worried. She did not look like she did any other time she wanted to sleep with him. Something had her worried. Best to just say it... she thought of Helena's advice. "I missed my cycle, and well I went to the doctor and now I am with child." She said as Alfred looked at her clueless. "I mean you do know what can happen when a man and a woman have sex right? Because it did." She didn't want to come out and say it directly in case anyone was overhearing them, but it looked like he wasn't picking up on what she was saying. She then sat on the bed closer to him and looked overwhelmed with feelings.

Alfred blinked as he looked at Lovina ready to either strangle him or fall apart crying in his arms. "Are you saying what I think you are?"

"Are you deaf dumbass? All those bullets blow out your eardrums? " She asked.

"I don't think so. I thought you said you were pregnant." Alfred blinked simply, the gravity of the situation slowly overcoming him.

"Yes that is exactly what I said." Lovina yelled with angry tears. "So am I done to you? Do you want me to get rid of it?" She said as she pulled the box of pills Helena had given her and threw them at him. "It would save us all the hassle and no one would be none the wiser about us." They had been keeping their relationship a secret as neither of them had wanted to be bothered, nor did they quite know what they wanted from it. Alfred had liked Lovina because she had no pretension on anything and didn't chase him and Alfred treated her like a person rather than a mob boss's granddaughter and could braid her hair pretty well. She happened to be proud of her long mahogany hair and hated the bobbed style and anyone who liked it.

"No. I am not going to make you get rid of it." Alfred said firmly.

"It would solve everything, I would just be rather sick for a few days, that's about it. Helena said I could blame it on bad tzatziki ." Lovina laughed trying to calm him down.

Alfred sighed. "Yes, but it would be the easy way out, and it might not even work. Those things don't work all the time. And you could die. I am sure Helena knows her stuff, but even if someone does, it's a risky gamble. One I won't do with you. I love you." He said, the first time he fully admit it to her and himself. "I'll take responsibility. Makes things move a lot faster than I wanted them to, I am sure your grandpa would be happy."

"That, I am not sure of." Lovina sighed.

"Well you can't tell yet. So if we just quickly marry and then like a month or so after you come out and say it, well it's all good. They'll think it happened on the wedding night is all." Alfred assured her, although he didn't believe it himself. "You haven't told anyone but Helena, have you?"

"No." Lovina said

"Not even Felicia?" Alfred asked.

"Why would I tell her this? If I did, you'd have my grandfather shotgun wedding us at best." Lovina laughed feebly.

"Well I'll talk to your grandfather and tell him that you are the love of my life. That I cannot stand the distance any longer and I need to marry you to be happy." Alfred sighed as he held her close and stroked her hair. "Say I need to marry you as soon as possible to be near you and then well...we will see what happens. But you will not be alone. I won't leave you and I will step up and take care of you and the baby." He added kissing her on the head.

"Thank you." Lovina said simply as she pushed him back on the bed and just laid on him, listening to his heartbeat. "I was worried you wouldn't want me anymore."

"I could never abandon you. I have always wanted a chance to have a family of my own and do good by the kid, something that I never really had." Alfred smiled.

"It may be the baby, but I think you could." Lovina said as she closed her eyes on his chest.

So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? Let me know in a review. I have a good streak going so I might be able to update sooner. Anyway, other than that, I don't have much else to say other than remember to read (well you just did) and review. Ciao for now,

otherrealmwriter

aka

Realm.