Hey all! Hope you're having an amazing Labor Day and have enjoyed the long weekend. I had an amazing time and even managed to get a chapter written for you all! It's kind of a filler but still fun. It's leading up to the party which will be next chapter! And on that note, there's a poll on my profile. Whoever gets the most votes is guaranteed a POV next chapter so make sure you vote! I think that's everything. As always, thanks to my fantastic reviewers: XOStarbrightXO, LeaGirlWriter22, wolfofstark, ApolloSerenity, and Cookiedoodles168.

...

"You've got to be kidding me," Taylor screeched as she finally caught up to the other four girls, "I can't believe we are seriously lost out here."

Tristyn rolled her eyes at the blonde's antics, "No one forced you to come."

Tris flounced away from the blonde and over to where Blaise and Sage were sitting on the ground, talking in hushed voices. She wasn't too worried about being stuck out in the woods. If there was one person she could have chosen to be with her, it was Blaise. While the brunette wasn't the friendliest person, none of the girls could deny that she had the best survival skills, which is why Tris wasn't concerned about being in the woods.

"Are you sure?" Sage asked Blaise and Tris began to pay attention to what they were saying.

"Yes," Blaise sounded exasperated, "we'll be fine. There's nothing dangerous in these woods, they're part of the palace grounds. And even if there were animals, that one," she jerked her head at Taylor, "is loud enough that they wouldn't bother us. My main concern is the rebels."

Vivi, who was sitting nearby, visibly paled at those words. She was easily one of the most delicate out of the Selected and it was no secret that the rebels terrified her. Tris put a comforting hand on her back and shot her a smile. Vivi timidly smiled back.

"What do you mean?" Sage wondered.

Blaise looked like she wanted to slap someone, "I mean that the rebels had to come from somewhere and they're probably going to come through these woods to avoid guards, and I for one don't want to know what'll happen if they find us."

"Well then why don't we just go back to the palace?" Taylor demanded, looking ridiculous in her short dress and heels among the dirty forest.

"Great idea," Blaise told her sarcastically, "why don't you lead the way?"

"Fine," Taylor said, turning in a circle and taking a few steps before coming back and trying a different direction until finally she stomped back to the group, "well I don't know where we are," she huffed.

"Exactly," Blaise told her.

"Then how are we supposed to get back?" Taylor demanded.

"These woods are south of the palace which means we need to go north," Blaise said, "normally I could tell which way north is but these trees are so dense I can't and like I said before, we need to avoid the rebels. If we wait until night I'll climb a tree and navigate using the stars. Hopefully the rebels will be gone by then."

"So we're just supposed to wait here until night?"

"Do you have a better plan?" Sage asked.

Taylor remained silent.

"That's what I thought," Sage said smugly.

"Shut up!" Taylor snapped.

"Both of you shut it," Blaise told them, "you're gonna attract every rebel in this forest if you don't. And if you don't shut up I'm gonna leave all of you and then you can have fun wandering these woods for the next two weeks."

All of the girls were silent after that, terrified of what would happen without Blaise. Sure, none of them were particularly fond of the harsh girl but no one could deny that they needed her right now.

Without another word Blaise turned and walked away from them until she found a soft spot on the ground where she sat down, regardless of the dirt and her nice dress. She leaned back against a tree and closed her eyes, seemingly at peace for the first time Tristyn had seen her.

"Now what?" Vivian whispered.

Tris sat down right where she was, glad to get the pressure off of her aching feet, "Now, we wait."

...

They didn't have to wait too long. It had been less than an hour when the girls heard the unmistakable stomping of feet through the underbrush of the forest.

Blaise was on her feet in an instant, quickly rousing the other girls and whispering, "Go, go."

Vivian jumped up, terror gripping her. But she couldn't let it control her, she couldn't slow down the other girls.

Swallowing her fear, Vivian slipped silently to her feet, taking careful steps away from the noise and towards Blaise who was motioning to her.

Carefully the girls crept through the woods, Blaise making them stop every so often to listen for their pursuers. It didn't seem like they'd been discovered and soon the girls couldn't hear the rebels anymore. Still, they were careful. Blaise moved silently through the woods, almost as if she were a part of them. Vivi, with her short stature and dark hair was almost as invisible. Tristyn was relatively quiet but her heels made walking difficult for her and she was slipping constantly. In contrast Sage and Taylor rampaged, seeming to step on every stray twig and fallen leaf. It was like they were trying to make as much noise as possible. They also looked different from the other girls. Sage's vibrant hair was a stark contrast to the forest around her and Taylor's sparkly dress shone even with the dim sunlight they had. Plus the two girls couldn't go more than ten feet without snapping at each other, usually about who was being louder. For the most part Vivi ignored them, following closely behind Blaise and leaving Tristyn to quell the squabbling.

Every so often the girls would hear other people moving around but Blaise was careful to keep them away and did all sorts of things to cover their tracks. It was the worst hours of Vivi's life and she thought they would never end, but finally the sun began to set.

Blaise declared it safe enough for the girls to rest and they all collapsed gratefully. Sage's stomach let out a loud growl and Tristyn barked out a laugh.

"What? I skipped lunch, I'm starving," Sage defended herself which just made Tristyn laugh harder. Soon all the girls, even Taylor, were laughing hysterically even though nothing was that funny. Vivian was pretty sure it was because they were all so tired and the adrenaline from the afternoon had finally worn off.

"I'm not hungry," Taylor said, "but I'd kill for a glass of water."

While Vivi thought Taylor wasn't exaggerating, she had to agree. Her tongue stuck to the dry roof of her mouth and she was sure no matter how much chapstick her maids gave her, her lips would stay cracked for weeks.

Just when Tristyn opened her mouth to contribute Blaise cut her off, "Alright that's enough. We'll be back at the palace soon enough so you can all stop complaining," then without another word Blaise stood up from the ground and began walking, the other girls all scrambling to keep up with her.

"Who died and made you the boss?" Taylor said.

Vivian thought Blaise was going to rip Taylor to pieces but instead she just said, "Find your own way back, I'm done dealing with you."

Taylor's mouth dropped open in shock, "You can't just leave me out here!"

"Watch me."

"But I could die."

"Then I suggest you keep your mouth shut the rest of the time we're out here," then Blaise turned away and swung herself up into a tree, making it look as easy as if she did it everyday.

Vivian watched as Blaise shimmied up the tree until she was out of sight.

She was gone for longer than Vivian thought necessary for someone as experienced as Blaise, but Vivi also thought she might just be using it as an excuse to avoid the chaos that was waiting for her on the ground.

Finally the girls heard the rustle of leaves as Blaise descended the tree, jumping from one branch eight feet up and landing nimbly on the balls of her feet in front of the group.

"North is that way," she pointed then turned and began walking without checking if the other girls were following or not.

Vivian hurried to catch up, not wanting to be stuck outside by herself at night. It seemed like they walked for hours, all in silence, but finally the trees began to thin out and Vivi thought she caught sight of light. After a bit more the trees stopped entirely and the girls were met with the sight of the palace at night, lit up like a fairytale.

"It's amazing," Tristyn breathed.

"Yeah," Vivi agreed.

"It's so pretty," Sage added.

"It doesn't matter what it looks like," Blaise said, "we just need to get inside."

And so they trudged on.

...

"Your Highness."

Brandon looked up at the door the second the words had left the guard's mouth.

He'd been pacing his study for the last few hours, feeling utterly useless and miserable. He hadn't been able to comfort any of the girls during the attack and once they were let out of the safe room he'd been bombarded with questions about the missing girls and hadn't had a chance to catch his breath.

Guards had been scattered all over the palace, intent on finding the missing girls. Aria was discovered in one of the staff safe rooms. She was a bit shaken up but otherwise unharmed. Logan had been with her and Brandon trusted the young photographer and was grateful he'd kept her safe. The other five girls were still missing. Juliet, whose ankle was badly sprained during the attack, had said the other girls had fled and were somewhere on the palace grounds. Groups of guards had been looking for them for hours but with no success whatsoever.

But now, a guard stood at the door, waiting for Brandon's response before he could speak. Brandon wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the news, he was fearing the worst, but he had to know.

"Are they okay?" he gasped.

The guard nodded quickly, "They've just returned. They're downstairs in the kitchen."

"Did the guards find them?" Brandon asked.

"No, they came by themselves. The guards are still out in the forest, but they're on their way back."

"Thank you," Brandon told the guard before walking past him into the hallway.

The second the guard was out of sight Brandon broke into a sprint, racing through the hallways regardless of whether or not he was waking people up.

He took the stairs two at a time, nearly falling several times in his rush.

When he got to the kitchen however, he hesitated. He wasn't sure if the girls would want to see him. After all, it was his fault they'd spent the majority of the day trapped outside hiding from rebels. And it was his fault they were in the palace suffering attacks anyway. Eventually though, he plucked up his courage and swung the kitchen door open.

Despite the late hour, the kitchen was bustling. It wasn't the usual flurry of people and activity that it was during the day, but Brandon was shocked by how many people were still there. He looked around at the cooks busy working, the servants doing dishes, and the maids hustling by. His inspection stopped however when he caught sight of the five Selected girls sitting together in a corner shivering.

While Angles wasn't anywhere near freezing it couldn't have been fun to spend so many hours outside at night, and especially not in the thin dresses the girls were all wearing.

Brandon watched them for a minute. They were all perfectly at ease, chatting and laughing together with warm mugs in their hands and empty plates in front of them. No one had spotted Brandon yet and he wasn't sure if he should interrupt their comradery. He was ready to leave when he heard his name.

He looked up and saw Sage waving him over, her bright hair in disarray after the long day she'd had.

Brandon walked over to them, very unsure of himself and what to do.

"Um," he mumbled, looking at his feet, "I'm glad you're all okay. I was worried about you."

Brandon wasn't sure if he'd said the right thing, but based on the girls' reactions he thought it was fine. They all thought his concern was sweet, but it really was genuine.

"You didn't have to come check on us," Taylor said, batting her eyes at him.

"Of course I did. It's my fault that happened to you and I wanted to make sure you didn't need anything."

"They've taken good care of us," Tristyn told him, "it was rough for a while but since we've been back everything has been great."

"I'm glad to hear it," Brandon said, "and if you ever need anything don't hesitate to let me know."

"Thank you," Vivian told him softly with a bright smile.

She was easily one of the most delicate in the Selection and Brandon had been distraught when he'd learned she was out in the forest.

Brandon gave her a smile before turning it to the rest of the girls. They looked him expectantly and Brandon wasn't sure what to do. Thankfully, Tris made the decision for him.

She placed her empty mug on the table and stood up. She walked over to Brandon and wrapped her arms around him. Brandon was a bit shocked but he hugged her back anyway. Usually Tristyn was so strong. It unnerved Brandon to feel how frail she was in his arms. He held her for a minute longer before pressing a kiss to her cheek and letting her go.

As soon as Brandon released her Tris squeezed his hand and exited the kitchen, on her way up to her room after the long day.

Sage was the next one to leave and Brandon held her for a bit, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Sage was so small but Brandon knew she could hold her own in any situation. When she was with him though, he sometimes forgot how tough she was and wanted to protect her.

Blaise was not a touchy person, which Brandon knew. The two had never really connected but Brandon still had hope of getting to know her. She was definitely the most independent of the Selected and Brandon hadn't had to worry about her at all that day because he knew she could handle herself.

When she got up to leave Brandon didn't try to hug her, but she did grant him a firm handshake which was the most contact they'd had during their time together.

When Taylor hugged him, Brandon couldn't help how his heart sped up. There was just something intoxicating about Taylor on a purely physical level. She fit perfectly in his arms and Brandon was acutely aware of every inch of her skin that was touching him. Still, when she leaned up and tried to capture his lips Brandon turned away. He wasn't ready for what kissing her would entail and he wasn't sure if he ever would be.

She looked a bit stung at his rejection so he pressed a kiss to her cheek before turning to the last Selected girl.

Vivian met Brandon's gaze but waited until the sound of Taylor's heels had faded before she launched herself into his arms.

Brandon staggered back under her assault, not expecting the tiny girl to be so strong. When he finally caught his balance he pulled Vivi against him, shocked to find her trembling.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, forcing her dark eyes to meet his.

Slowly she nodded, then buried her face in his chest. Brandon didn't force her to talk, he just held her.

Finally she looked at him, "That was one of the worst days of my life."

"I know," Brandon said, pulling her close again, "I'm so sorry."

"I was so scared," she admitted, "but the whole time I was worried about you too. I just kept hoping that you were okay and nothing had happened to you."

"You don't have to worry about me. It's my job to worry about you."

"But what if something had happened?" Vivi wondered.

"But it didn't. You don't have to worry," Brandon promised her, "I'm not going anywhere, I'll always be here for you."

Vivian nodded but didn't look totally convinced, "It was just awful."

"I know, Vivi, but I'll make sure nothing like that ever happens to you again."

Vivian pulled Brandon in for another hug and said, "Thank you."

All Brandon could do was smile and lean down to kiss Vivi's cheek. Then, when she had calmed down a bit he took her hand and started leading her out of the kitchen.

They reached Vivian's room and Brandon let go of her hand.

"Thanks for checking up on me."

Brandon smiled, "Of course, make sure you stay safe tonight."

"I will," Vivi told him, "goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Brandon made his way back to his room feeling conflicted. He'd thought the elimination would have made things easier for him but instead he was more confused than ever. When the girls had been missing Brandon had been worried about each of them. One didn't stick out to him more than the others which was good and bad. Brandon had thought that lowering the number of girls would make it easier for him to get to know them and figure out who he was meant to be with, but instead it just made it harder for him to let them go. There were twenty girls left in the competition and Brandon didn't know how he would ever get it down to just one.

...

Alright guys, I know that chapter was kind of boring, but the next one won't be! It'll be jam-packed with stuff so I hope you're as excited as I am! Don't forget to vote on the poll if you want a certain POV next chapter. Or tell me in the reviews and I'll consider those too.

I hope you guys didn't mind this chapter but leave me a review and let me know. Even if you don't have a character in it, if you read and enjoy my story please let me know. It means a lot to me and helps me write faster if I know people actually care :).

Summer's pretty much over now so I'm wishing you all a great fall!

~Jen