Worry overcame Francis and he drove to the apartment block that Arthur said was his. He went into the office, and asked for the number for the Kirkland's, and went there to check on him. He didn't care if he got the cops called on him, he just wanted to ensure Arthur was okay. When he got up to the door, he knocked

Alfred was the one who answered. "Hi." He said, smiling. "Are you my babysitter?" The child asked. He was much younger than Arthur. "Brother said you are nice, so you have to act nice ok? He had to go see Mama, but he says he'll be back in the morning, so you can leave around school time. You're really late." the other babysitter had forgotten to show up, and this toddler was left all alone.

Francis looked at the boy and smiled softly. "I'm sorry, I'm not you babysitter, I'm a friend of Arthur's and I wanted t check up on you both... how about I stay with you until your babysitter shows up? It's not safe for someone so young to be alone..."

Alfred smiled and then took Francis' hand. "Ok! We can eat some of Arthur's nasty cooking." He handed Francis a plate of overlooked spaghetti and odd tomato sauce. "I didn't think you looked like Mrs.Jones. You have a beard...can I touch it!?" The child talked nonstop almost all night and finally fell asleep.

Around three in the morning, Arthur came stumbling in. He was drunk and over half naked, his eyes half closed and his hair matted down. He looked like hell and didn't even see Francis and the now awake America. He was crying a little, and went slowly over to the kitchen, taking a gun from a secret drawer. He wasn't thinking straight, not thinking of his little brother. He held the gun in his mouth and Alfred cried, latching himself to Francis, afraid Arthur would really do it.

"Arthur!" Francis ran over and yanked the gun out of his hand. "what is going on??" he turned the safety on the gun and slipped it in his pocket so Alfred no longer had to see it.

Arthur blinked a few times and then looked at Francis, looking puzzled. "Why the bloody hell are you in my house..?" He slurred and fell on the floor in a heap.

"I came to make sure you were okay..." he sighed and picked up Arthur to put him in his bed. "sleep." he left Arthur alone and went back to Alfred. "Al, how about we put you in bed too?"

Alfred was crying and he grabbed a hold of France. "Don't let him leave me too." He sobbed. "I don't want brother to go to the special place without me." He sniffled and tried to calm himself.

"I won't let him..." Francis brought Alfred in the room with Arthur. "Both of you lay down... We can talk in the morning."

Alfred laid down beside Arthur. "What's wrong with brother?" He asked.

"He's just worried Alfred..." He stroked the small boy's head. "Get some sleep. I'll cook you both breakfast in the morning."

When Arthur woke, he saw Alfred beside him. They were already late. He groaned as his hangover hit. He had no idea Francis was there and walked out in his undies.

Francis was reading a book, waiting to hear one of the boys stirring when he heard Arthur. "Good Morning Arthur... "

Arthur just made a sleepy noise. "Mm.." He walked to the kitchen and made something to to fix his head ache. "Why are you doing here?" He asked.

"I'm here to check up on you... You didn't show up for school..." Francis said, frowning. "Alfred was here alone when I got here, so I stayed to make sure he'd be okay until the babysitter showed up, but... they never did..." He stood and looked at Arthur.
"Would you like breakfast?"

He frowned. "I hate it when people are not reliable." He said quietly. "And no thanks. I'm not hungry."

"Alright... May I ask you a question? Feel free to not answer though... But... Were you at a strip club or something...? You came home reeking of alcohol..."

Arthur froze in his tracks. "i'm only sixteen. Fancis." He said, but didn't answer the question directly.

"... Okay..." He stood up and walked to the counter. "Another question... Were, you seriously about to leave Alfred without a brother...?"

Arthur gripped the counter with both hands and ever muscle in his bare back tensed up. "Francis...my mother...passed away yesterday...I don't know...I may would have."

"Arthur..." He walked over and put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Please relax... Imagine how bad it would've been if Alfred was left with no one..."

England ran his hands throw his hair and sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Then, how about we talk about school? Do you even want to attend today?"

Arthur was fixing to speak when he heard a yell. "ARTHUR!!!" There were two small arms wrapped around his waist within an instant. "I love you brother." The child cried and Englnd sighed. "And I love you Alfred." The boy looked up at Francis. "Do we have to go to school today?" He asked, clearly not wanting to. "No, go back to bed." He said and America did so. "I'll be staying here today." He didn't mention that he didn't plan on coming back to school at all. He was dropping out for Alfred's sake. They needed money and Arthur would have to find a second job to work during the day if he wanted to put Alfred through school. His brother's education was worth more than his own.

"would you like me to bring you the work from the classes? I can teach you the material so you don't fall behind.."