All the time in the world (UsUk)

Chapter 28 - Loose ends

POV America

"America, you did ask the appropriate people before your proposal right?" England asked over breakfast.

"Of course I did!" I said hotly, I am not that incompetent! Ok, maybe I am sometimes, I think thinking back to last year: thank God England brought an extra present for Canada's last independence anniversary. It would have ended quite badly if Canada knew I'd forgot. But this time I actually did do what I was meant to!

Flashback

"Hello Mrs Queen, mam, your highness, majesty!" I say giving her a proper salute. The Queen always chuckles after I address her, I swear I'm doing just like England does! Is it my accent? I bet the Queen thinks I have a sexy accent. "Hey Mrs May!"  I say cheerily, she just gives me a little contemptuous huff and walks out.

"Hello America dear, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She's so sweet, everyone says she's so grumpy but she's so nice!

"Um well I wanted to talk to you about a proposal I'm going to make..." Geez why am I so nervous? Perhaps it's the traumatising Obama experience, or maybe just it feels like the Queen can look into your soul. It's no wonder she's the British diplomatic secret weapon. I laughed; everyone laughed: when England stubbornly kept the monarchy. But one state visit with that little old lady and suddenly most country leaders end up kissing England's feet! This woman is a terrifying cunning minx! By no means someone to underestimate!

She also feels like the grandma I never had and I don't want to disappoint her. Also England will kill me if I hurt her in any way. Basically I'm very stressed.

Her face lights up. Ok, so far so good, haven't started a war yet. Manners think about manners! Goddamnit why did I never listen to England when he talked about proper etiquette!

"I'm going to marry England! If that's like ok with you and stuff." I say with my feet on the table. Totally nailed it! Manners like a pro, screw you Iggy I'm totally the best at etiquette. The Queen smiled, delighted, although she had that scary look in her eye that I normally associate with Hungary and Japan.

"That's simply wonderful! You simply must let me organise everything!" The Queen is 90 right? Is she immortal? She's probably immortal. Also Igs will probably kill me if I put her under any stress.

"That's very kind of you but I can handle it! I'm the hero, I've got it covered."

"Yes young man and I am the Queen, learn your place, I will be organising this!" She says suddenly extremely stern. Ah! Oh my God she is actually terrifying. Also since when did she rank above me!

After another look at her terrifying glare I decide not to question my place any further.

"... So I take it this mean I have your permission?"

"Why of course dearie." And there we are back to sweet, innocent old lady mode. Anyone who says she does nothing is just wrong. She clearly holds the country together.

End flashback.

"And there you have it England. I clearly did what I was meant to do." I say giving him a smug smile. "Did you?" I say condescendingly.

"Yes. I know you hate him, believe me I do to, but I went to talk to Trump about the marriage. It was absolutely awful being in a room alone with that man!" Iggy's got that right, I shiver just thinking about having to do just that for the next four years. "I mean it was bad enough with you and Theresa May there with me. For the first few minutes I just stood there while he poked me randomly, eyed me up and said things like 'yes you'll do very nicely'" wait a second, he touched England, and made him uncomfortable! If I didn't have an excuse to attack him before I for sure do now! I try to tell my mind to chill but then I think of all the terrible things he's already done and I really want to punch him and his tiny little hands into oblivion. "Anyway when I asked about marring you I braced myself for homophobia, but it never came. He just looked delighted and said 'we need to surround America with people who will love him' and then starte rambling on about making you great again. I was this close to exploding, listen hear Trump, America is already perfect and you are destroying his image." England looked hurt and upset, and that made me even more upset, because seeing England upset makes me upset and then he gets upset because I'm upset and then we both get even more upset because the other is upset and well you get the picture, it's a cycle of destruction. "Anyway, I kept my cool and got his permission and then I got Oprah's and John Oliver's approval for good measure, although I had to use out human names and they both seemed a bit confused, but never mind." I pulled him into my chair and wrapped my arms tightly around him and said with total sincerity, "if Trump does anything that makes you even remotely uncomfortable again, I'm going to smash his face in." England laughed gently, then he replied with total sincerity, "if he says one more time that you need be to great again I'm going to attack him full force, because while your country might not be perfect you are." Normally I would make fun of him for such a cheesy comment, but it had kind of left me speechless, bright red and very, very happy. So instead I paused for a while, just holding him while he contently rested his head on my chest. And then, suddenly, I made a decision I never thought I'd make.

"Hey England I want to show you something." I said quietly, the Brit looked discombobulated, but what he didn't know was that this house, my fall mansion which Lithuania used to look after, held some secrets. Specifically ones that Lithuania and I had immensely stressed over hiding, Goddamn storage room was hard to steer curious Brits away from!

I miss Lithuania coming to think of it. I'll have to invite him and Poland over, I know England would love to see Poland anyway. Even though Iggy thinks he's incompetent he really likes Poland at the same time.

All to soon we reach the door. And I suddenly decide that maybe this is a bad idea, but I can't think of anyway to steer England away now that we are just staring at the door.

"So, are we going to go in?" Asks England after I just stare at the door, unmoving, for a couple minutes.

"Um... Yes!" I make a split second decision and before I can stop myself I turn the brass handle and we are inside the room.

England's eyes widen with shock, and then fill with joy. He starts practically sprinting around the room saying, "oh I remember this! And that! And..." He trails off when he spots the rifle. It's upturned from the last time I was down here trying to tidy up. The scar on it as clear as the day it was made.

He turns to me, "you kept all this?" He asks, he sounds both touched and sad. But it makes me glad I never did manage to find the courage to tidy.

"Yeah," I say awkwardly scratching the back of my neck, "every time tried to clear it up I got caught up in memories and couldn't bare to throw any of it away." The pair of us just stop and stare at various things in the room.

"Well, why don't we try today?" England eventually asks, he's holding one of the toy soldiers from so long ago in his hand and that combined with his words just triggers something in me and I start crying. God I need to get a hold of my emotions, you'd think after a couple centuries you'd have it mastered but no.

Probably sensing some deeper psychological stress within me England wraps his arms around me and lets me cry it out. Once I've stopped he says, "I'm sorry for leaving you alone after you left me." I laughed into his now damp shirt.

"Why are you apologising? I'm the one who left."

"Because I was a controlling dick."

"No you were an amazing guardian, the only person who cared about me, and I just threw you away!"

"Yes but I should have thought more rationally, I didn't really consider the situation properly. I gave you the cold shoulder for a really long time and that wasn't right of me. Also Canada and I kind of went over the top in 1812." That lightened the mood a little and made me laugh.

"I think we're both to blame huh?"

"Yes we are definitely a couple of gits." He then paused before continuing, "I don't regret 1812 though." With a cheeky grin on his face."

"You did not have to burn down the white house!"

"Yes I did. It was therapeutic!" I jokingly started attacking him and he fought right back. Before long we were in a full on wrestling match which somehow ended up turning into a cuddling session.

Head on my chest England said, "here's to finally moving on." I kissed the top of his head and hugged him closer in response.

A/N: Hey guys, this is either the second last or third last chapter. Thank you so much for reading this far, it means a lot to me, I have had such a great time writing this story, I absolutely love it. Even though it makes me cringe, cringe so hard.

For anyone wondering Mrs May is Theresa May who is Iggy's current Prime minister, though you may have already picked that up from the Obama chapter.

A prime minister is kinda like a president except with  less power and they are not the head of state! (that's quite a watered down explanation so maybe go learn more) The head of state is the Queen! Long live Lizzy! I can't believe she's actually 90! I kinda agree with America she may be immortal, we should all be very scared.

Anyways thanks so much for reading and if you enjoyed this chapter please leave a like! And if you didn't maybe give the like button a little poke, just to check it's working!