This particular one-shot is again in Maxon's point of view, it is the scene of and after Maxon was punished by his father. I know it's a little sad and I had a tough time writing it, but I do hope you enjoy it! Please don't get mad if I get some of the quotes wrong or leave out a few bits or mix up the scene a little, this is a weird fanfic to write without the book on hand, thanks.

I nodded my head towards my father and he grinned maniacally. America looked at me with pleading eyes of apologies but I knew what was about to happen. I had intended for this very moment not to happen, ever again. "I followed after my father's footsteps to his study. There it was quiet, tucked away in the castle so no one could hear what was about to happen.

I removed my coat and top shirt and bent over the small chair. I could practically hear my father grimace as he said, "You should of let me have her." Seconds after he said that I felt the burning pain of the whip. It lashed out on my skin and I grunted a little, but managed to stay as quiet as possible. Six slashes later my father dropped the whip on the ground and ordered in his head guard.

This guard has known about my lashings for years, he picked up the whip and left to go clean it, ridding it from my blood and flesh. "You are a fool, Maxon." My father spat. "Get up." He handed me a small silver box and said deliver this to the conference room, keep it safe. "And don't dawdle." He added as he left the room. I bowed my head and gritted my teeth, though it was no way to end the pain. I stiffly stood up and put on my shirt. I could feel the blood and skin stick to the fabric and immediately howled in pain. Taking the box into my hands I left the room. Soon a maid would be in to clean the blood stain off the carpet and the whip would be placed back on my father's shelf, waiting to be used again. I slowly walked out of the room and turned a corner. America bumped into me and the box fell to the floor. I twisted my face to hold in the pain and she looked at me a little funny before apologizing.

I simply nodded my head and told her to just get back to her room quickly. She picked up the box and handed to me, just by looking in her eyes I could hear her apology, I could see her face crumple into tears, genuinely sorry. But she only sniffed and turned away. As she did so an alarm went off. A guard bounded around the corner an slammed into my back. I yelped a little in pain but grabbed America's arm and led her to the nearest safe room. My grip, very weak held on to her and I tried to run as fast as I could. Once we got in the safe room we were left alone.

She stood awkwardly in the corner for a minute before she broke the silence. "I am really sorry." I shifted and grimaced. She seemed to notice right away, "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing." I responded. "It's all right." She looked at her shoes and a small tear slipped out, she looked back at me gave me an odd look, not sorrow, not even mad anymore, she was distressed. I sat back a little and said, "That's it I can't take it anymore, America please help me with my jacket." She quickly walked over to me, her heels clicking on the tile. She helped to shrug off the blazer and she set it on the bed. When she turned around I grabbed her wrists. "What you are about to see stays between us. You can not tell anyone. Ever, no matter what the circumstances are." She nodded solemnly and began to unbutton my shirt with me. I looked at her as she helped and I could see fear in her eyes. As I tried to slip off the shirt, it stuck to my back and I had her finally go to my back. I heard a gasp of horror and then felt the shirt being detached from my back. I tensed up, trying to ease the pain, unsuccessfully might I add.

"Who did this to you?" she asked. I told her my father and she didn't respond. She pulled out the bench and had me sit down on it. "Where is the first aid kit?" She asked. I pointed to a shelf and she made her way there and back. She took out the little towelette and got it warm with water. Just before it hit my skin she warned, "This is going to sting a little bit." I nodded and prepared myself.

When the towel hit my skin I winced. She paused and then went back. I managed to get through about a couple minutes and said, "Damn that stings." She eased up and waited. I nodded my head again and she went back to work. Her hand was so gentle and soothing, even if it stung it felt comforting to have her take care of me. She stopped what she was doing and opened the medical kit. "This might sting as well," she prepared me. As she spread the gel over my back it instantly stung, but then soothed the pain, making my back feel a little numb. My back relaxed as she covered it with bandages silently. The whole time I was thinking about her, was she disgusted at this? Did she see my other numerous scars? Will she ever look at me the same again?

I heard a noise of the kit closing and she set it on the table. "You're all done." She notified, with a voice that quavered. i responded to her lightly, hoping to lift the mood a little, "Thank you, you did much better than I ever did on my own."

Horrified she said, "Didn't anyone ever know? Your mom?" "No, well I'm sure the doctor suspected but he kept quiet and I would never give mother any idea. She knows father is harsh on me but I would never tell her."

Her face crumpled a little but she restrained herself. She stood looking at the ground again but I just kept staring at her. When she looked up at me she walked over, I had hoped she would sit down and just talked to me. I was so scared she would find me repulsive for this. But she grabbed my shirt and said, "I'm going to wash this." She carried it to the sink and began rinsing out the now red shirt. I began to set up a little bed for us if the raid lasted long enough and she was soon finished. When she did she sank down the wall and sat on the floor, her face buried in her hands. "Why Maxon, why? Why did he do this to you?" She sobbed.

I waited for her to calm down a little and sat down next to her. I put my uninjured arm around her and held her close, "I was afraid if he didn't have me, he would want you."

That only resulted in more tears. "Thank you. I am so sorry Maxon, if I had known, but I didn't. I was so mad. I was so, so mad. And now I lost you. I'm so stupid. I'm going home aren't I." She confessed.

"I am afraid so, it is out of my hands now. But I am so glad, that these are on my back, and not yours. And yes you are stupid." I said with a hint of a joke. That made her smile a little but she became somber soon again. "What are the others from? Sorry, that's rude to ask." she mumbled.

"Things I said, things I knew." I told her in a whisper. She shook her head and responded, " You mean things I knew. I was so mad at you and now I am just going home and I will never see you again. I threw it all away. Maxon what will I do with out you?"

"I will write you." But she put that idea down. "If you do you have to tell Kriss."

I agreed and then we talked on and on about me and Celeste, me and Kriss, and then her. Trying to explain everything so when we parted it would be a little easier. But truth be told, it would never be easy to say goodbye. By now we had talked ourselves sleepy and she headed to the make-shift mattress. As she laid down, I put on my dried shirt and she cuddled up to my arms. She confessed she should have let me propose to her, she should have allowed me to love her. I brushed her hair with my fingers and she closed her eyes. As she fell asleep I kept stroking her locks of fiery red hair. As her breathing pattern was steady, she seemed a little more at peace. I know it sounds kind of crazy but I loved watching her sleep. I felt like this was the only time she let down every wall. As I put a protective arm, covering her waist, around her, she snuggled in a little closer to my chest. I gladly let her in and she sighed a little breath of relief.

I didn't want to see her suffer anymore being here anymore. I knew something or someone here bothered her but I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe it was me maybe it was the idea of being a princess. But I couldn't stand the idea of seeing her leave more than any of that.