Hello. It's me, once again not updating on time. God, I'm so sorry. But I did actually have a good excuse for being gone!

At first I couldn't update because I was moving from Kentucky to South Dakota, but then I couldn't update because I got bit by a spider and ended up in the hospital with blood poisoning! Gross! DX

But now I'm updating! So please don't kill me! I'll have the next chapter out soon!

Germany had to admit, shopping at the mall and spending quality time with Hungary and her eight-month-old daughter sounded a lot more fun over the phone.

"What do you think about these panties?" Hungary asked, brandishing a bright pink pair of undies in Germany's face as if they were a dagger. "Very sexy, no?"

"Yeah, they're nice. Very...uh, pink." she muttered, turning back to the more comfortable, more modest underwear bin and rifling through it again. Hungary sighed.

"You're so boring! Come on, you have to like at least one pair of these panties!" she cried, crossing her arms. Lotte gurgled and reached out for the grey pair her mother was holding.

"Sorry. I just...I'm not comfortable with wearing those kinds of things." Hungary chuckled slightly and narrowed her eyes.

"Well, I know one person who'll like them." she said, tossing her hair and then coyly turning back to the delicates. Germany's cheeks flushed, and she shot her Hungarian friend a look, debating whether or not she should cover her daughter's ears for the upcoming conversation. "Besides, if you want to get "closer" to Italy, he won't be able to say no if he sees you in these!"

"I'd prefer we don't talk about...that...right now." she mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck, a deep blush creeping from her ears to her cheeks and nose. "It's...sort of complicated."

"What's complicated about it?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. "I mean, you had sex—"

"Shh!" she hissed, slapping her hands over her daughter's virgin ears. Hungary ignored her completely and continued on.

"—and then you had Lotte, and now you two are dating or something." she rubbed her chin in thought and then frowned slightly. "Actually, you know what? It is sort of complicated, isn't it?"

"Yes. That's why I said "it's sort of complicated" before!" she huffed, rolling her eyes and prying a bra from Lotte's little fingers. "I just don't know where it's going. I mean, we're obviously...attracted to each other, but...maybe only attracted."

"Only attracted?" Hungary scoffed. "Have you really not noticed yet?" Germany looked up at her, confusion displaying across her face.

"Noticed what?"

"How much he really does love you!" now it was Germany's turn to scoff.

"Where have I heard this before?"

"No, I'm serious! Italy talks about you all the time!" Hungary cried, flapping her hands and stamping her foot. "He really does like you! Prussia says he never shuts up about you! He always talks about how pretty you are, and how cute Lotte is, and how he wants to make a proper family with you!"

"A proper family?" Germany cocked her eyebrow and tried to mull over the idea in her head. "What the hell does that mean?"

"You know!" Hungary huffed, crossing her arms. "Like, marrying you and settling down, having a few more kids..." Germany's head began to swim.

"M-marriage?! Kids?!"

"Yeah! Isn't that usually what settling down means?" Hungary grinned. Germany shook her head and took a deep breath before continuing.

"Well, yeah, but...I'm not...I'm not into the whole housewife or blushing bride type lifestyle. I'd much rather just stick with the kid I have now, and just..." but suddenly, she was at a loss for words. What did she want to do?

Of course, she wanted Lotte to grow up in a proper family and have a good childhood, one full of a loving mommy and daddy, and maybe a few siblings. But at the same time, she would have to have more kids to make sure that happened, not to mention marry Italy. It was a big decision. But...if the future of her daughter depended on it...

But what was she saying? She grew up without proper parents, having been raised by her older brother. And she had grown up just fine...wait a minute. Oh no.

There really wasn't any other choice, was there?

"But I don't want to marry Italy because I have to! I want to marry him because I love him! I want to start a family with him because I'm ready!"

"Are you saying you weren't ready for Lotte?" Hungary asked, chuckling slightly. Germany threw back her head in exasperation and groaned.

"Of course I wasn't ready for Lotte! I'm only twenty-two! I'm a nation! I have a busy enough life without all of this—" she briefly covered her daughter's ears, "—shit going on!" but as she removed her hands and stared down at her daughter's rosy cheeks and ice-blue eyes, something inside of her tugged uncomfortably, and she let herself smile. "But that doesn't mean I don't love her."

"Oh, that's not what I meant!" Hungary cried, rushing forward. "Of course you love her! And I mean, if Austria and I would've had kids, I would've had a complete meltdown! I just mean...maybe you'll be ready if you have a loving husband by your side."

Germany picked her daughter up from her small stroller and held her close in her arms. Lotte, despite having had to be changed many times today, still smelled nice and comforting...and warm. She was snugly and squishy, and she fit perfectly in the crook of her arm. So maybe she hadn't been ready for Lotte. But whenever she held her like this, whenever she made her laugh or even just smile, she knew that she...would never, ever be ready for any of her future children.

Not in a million years.

But that was okay. It was okay not to be ready. Hell, she still wasn't ready! But there was someone...who was. And she was ready for him. And all she had to do was say the word.

And if this wasn't love, than she didn't know what was.

Okay, kinda a short chapter, but the next one is full of goodness and stuff!

Hasta la Pasta,

SausageMahoney98