Chapter 7: Thousand Point Drop

Summary: A Nation's health was in it's economy, and America's already damaged economy was about to take another hit ... a big one.

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A market is the combined behaviour of thousands of people responding to information, misinformation, and whim."

- Kenneth Chang

As far as vacations went, England had to admit, this was a pretty good one. Not that he'd intended to take a vacation, but this was pretty nice. A piece land far away from the nearest town, with nothing around for miles. It was a relaxing, quiet place.

"Hey! Has anyone seen my mp3?" Alejandro yelled.

"You left it down here!" America called back. England sighed and turned away from the view out on the balcony, heading back inside the house. Well, at least it was quiet most of the time. When Alfred and the states decided to communicate vocally as opposed to text messaging, then things got loud.

"Would it kill you to text each other and spend less time shouting?" England said as he came back downstairs. America and Arizona glanced at each other.

"We weren't that far away. Why waste a text?" America asked.

'Never mind," Arthur sighed as he turned and walked away. He needed a cup of tea, and the kitchen should be this way.

Just when he was sure he was lost, the door opened and Clay entered the room. He noticed England, then asked, "Are you lost?"

"No, just turned around. Where's the kitchen?"

"I'll show you. Just let me set this stuff down first." Texas dumped his briefcase and files down on the table and slid out of his suit jacket, dropping it over a chair. "This way." He led the way back out of the room, around the corner and a few feet down the hall until he came to a swinging door.

"This is the kitchen." Texas said. "If it's tea you're looking for, that would be in the far cupboard just to the right of the sink. Mugs teacups are in the cupboard to the left as you enter the kitchen."

"What are you two doing?" America asked as he came to a stop next to the pair.

"I was just about to make some tea." England said. "Do you want some?"

"No thanks. Besides, it's mid afternoon out there and it's hot, how can you drink that stuff?"

"I'm used to drinking it, you dumb wanker, and besides -" Arthur broke off abruptly as he saw the strange look on America's face.

Texas noticed it too. "Dad, what's wrong?"

"The Dow just dropped ... way down." Alfred said, then his eyes slid shut and he collapsed.

"Dad!" Texas exclaimed as he and Arthur raced to the other nation's side.

"If this is because of a stock market drop, then he should be fine once the market recovers." England said.

"I know that." Texas said. The door to the kitchen opened and Mrs. Baker, Clay's housekeeper, exited, glancing at the scene in front of her.

"Mrs. Baker, I need you to find Arizona and see if he's alright." Clay said. The woman nodded and headed off to try and find the state.

"Are you sure that was the right thing to do?" England asked.

"It's fine. she knows the truth about what we are," Clay said as he wrapped America's arm around his shoulders and stood up. "Will you help me get him upstairs?"

England stood up and took America's other arm, and together, the nation and the state headed for the stairs, holding the prone country between them.

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T.A.R.N.S.: In this story, When something like this stock market dive happens, America takes the brunt of the hit. The states are less affected, though they still feel it to a degree. Texas has a strong economy, so he doesn't feel it as much.

On May 6th, 2010, at 2:48 p.m., for unknown reasons, the stock market suddenly took a 1,000 point drop. To this day I'm not sure anyone's figured out why, though I have heard it said that it might have been a computer error.