As the summary states, there are spoilers for The One in this one-shot. Continue reading at your own risk if you haven't already read the book. :)
Bullet filled the air. I was full of fear, not knowing where Maxon was or if he had made it to safety. Guards were falling around Clarkson and I but we continued in our sprint down the hallway. This wasn't how I wanted the day to go—running for our lives in what was the worst attack by the rebels yet. There was a completely different air to the day then what I had woken up to this morning.
I smiled as the sun slowly crept in against our window. It couldn't have been a better day to have beautiful weather, even if it was winter. All of the girls that had come in and out of our palace in the last few months had returned the day and night before. The hallways had been decorated and turned the palace into the most magnificent scenery I had seen since my own engagement day. I knew in my heart who Maxon was going to choose and I had for a long time. I couldn't be more proud of my son and for the man that he was becoming. Though Lady America would need some time to adjust to being a princess, as Clarkson had pointed out to me in his fits of anger towards her rebellious streaks, she was the only person I had ever seen make my son this happy. I would be honored to have her as my daughter-in-law and the mother of my grandchildren. I hope their home would be filled with the sound of many small feet learning how to walk and run, learning what it meant to be princesses and princes of our great nation.
Another shot. This one blew past me and I could almost feel it grazing my ear. Clarkson pulled me to his side and down another hallway. In front of us, rebels had swarmed a little more than 100 feet away. They had begun to fire as we turned, knocking out a few of the guards in front of us. Some from behind us move to the front to take their place, others falling behind to fight off our pursuers. I looked at my husband, whose face was suppressed of any fear and only determination to get us to a safe place. But as it seemed, our every turn was cut off. Some castle guards had begun to fire at us as well, meaning that the rebels had gotten their uniforms. No one was safe. We didn't know who we could actually trust. But we kept running with those escorting us anyway.
I remembered my engagement day. Clarkson had arranged for flowers to be strung along the pillars and walls of the palace. It was beautiful and everywhere I was surrounded by their beautiful scent. My feelings of admiration for him had begun far before the Selection had ever begun. Far before I even knew I would have been able to get in. And yet, here I was with only four girls left and I knew I held his heart and affections as equally as he did mine. He was passionate, kind, loving. Everything I had ever dreamed or thought I had simply imagined of him in the factories. Yet, our day was here. I smiled as I greeted my family before the rest of the world would flood in on our special moment. I didn't mind the cameras anymore. When I was with Clarkson, he was all I could focus on. Even with all of the flashing lights and questions being thrown our way, I always felt as if we were the only two in the room. I saw him walk towards me and he picked my hand up and kissed it smiling. My family was shown to their seats while the rest of the girls would walk in and be sent home. While I knew several of my friends had grown to deeply care about Clarkson, I couldn't help but to be happy they hadn't been chosen. This was my dream and I knew I wouldn't be able to imagine a life with someone else.
Another bullet was fired at us, this time cutting Clarkson's leg. But he didn't let us stop running. Fear filled my heart that I would never be able to see my son's wedding day but it also fueled me to keep running faster. Clarkson's pace began to slow as the blood flow from his leg increased. We stopped, curled behind pushed over tables and chairs as the guards took out the three rebels who had managed to keep up with us this far. However, the shots were mutual and we found ourselves without any protection. I kept my hand in his, wanting to fall against him but this wasn't a safe place. We wouldn't be able to survive if we stayed here, eventually someone would catch up with us. I watched as Clarkson got up and moved to the opposite door, quietly but swiftly trying to see if we would be able to run once more.
Maxon's birth was another happy moment in our life together. While there were many pieces of Clarkson and I spun together into knots, this was undying proof of our love and life together. Our beautiful son who would one day become king himself. As Clarkson held our son for the first time, I could see the pride beaming in his eyes and he smiled over at me. For all of the trouble we had before I had conceived Maxon, the world was finally feeling as if all of the pieces had come into place and nothing was missing anymore. I was a loving wife and had finally given Clarkson the heir he wanted and needed. Nothing could have made me happier than this new journey we were about to take together.
With Clarkson's back turned to the other door, he didn't see the rebel that crept in and took aim. I couldn't let that bullet hit my husband. I knew I wouldn't be able to live if he died. I knew that screaming his name wouldn't give him enough time to respond to my warning and get out of the way of the bullet. I flung myself behind him, feeling the surging pain as it hit my left shoulder. I fell to the ground but I was happy that Clarkson had not. He turned to face the rebel guard as he heard the thud of my body fall down on the tile. In a matter of moments, I found him on the floor next to me, our blood forming a pool together and mixing on our clothing. He pressed me to his body with what little strength he had left. I grasped his hand. At least if we were going to die, it could be together.
"I love you Amberly, I always have," he whispered in my hair. I could feel his breath becoming shallow and his body becoming still.
"I love you Clarkson," I whispered back. The rebel who had shot us was long gone and I was thankful. No palace guards had been around to see us get shot. No one was coming to our aid. And I didn't know who was alive that could help us anyway. At least in these final moments, we could have some privacy. We hadn't had privacy in years. "Maxon, Maxon," I whispered, wanting my son to know how much I loved him. How much I knew his father loved him. "We love you," I said. No one would be around to hear it. But somehow, I hoped he knew I had said it anyway.
Clarkson held me close as he had on many cold winter's nights. We were together in life and together in death. My last thoughts were of my family. How I wished that I could see how Maxon and America's lives would be together. How happy they would look on their wedding day. What it would have been like to see Clarkson become a grandfather. How it would feel to finally have a large family filling the castle. All of the little moments that we would miss. And all of the memories that we had already had together. Every little fight. Making up. Watching Maxon grow up and wishing we had been able to have more than one child. I close my eyes, at peace with the life I had lived with the man I had always loved, wishing nothing more than that for our son.