It was approaching the Christmas holidays. I didn't know whether to be excited or grief stricken. The holidays had everyone's emotions at edge. This would be the first Christmas with Maxon , but it would also be the first without his parents, without my father. I haven't been sleeping well, and it was starting to show. I snapped at Maxon and Aspen … and even Marlee this week . I felt horrible, but I also didn't have enough energy to fix it .

It had turned unseasonably cold , and it was raining. Not cold enough to snow ,so everything was cold and gray when I looked out the window . It was the last few minutes of peace and quiet before I would be expected to start work. Maxon sleepy pulled me into him and just held me tight. Despite his grip I moved to face him. He was awake but I could tell he wanted to go back to sleep to get that last few minutes he could.

" It's a nasty day, why don't we just stay in bed all day ." I suggested coyly.

"By royal proclamation I declare today is national stay in bed day ." Maxon said with as much theatrics as pre-coffee would allow.

I giggled and snuggled deep into his arms. " No, I'm serious, can't we just take a day off to just be us ."

"America, I have meetings and things to do. " he said sitting up resolved that he wasn't going to get any more sleep today. "But I'll promise to see what I can do to cut out early …. Deal?"

" I know you're right but I'm not happy about it . " I kissed his cheek and headed to my room to get ready . He slumped back down on his back looking up at the ceiling .

It was shortly after lunch when Marlee came by with Kile , he was getting so big now but still just an infant. We resolved into gossip and I didn't hear Maxon come into my office . He pinched my waist and I jumped , with a scream waking kile who had just nodded off.

" Maxon Schreave ! You just woke the baby!! I don't care if you're king or not I want to ring your neck! " Marlee lamented .

I'd never heard Marlee use that tone, and clearly Maxon was alarmed by it too.

"Marlee I'm so sorry" he said over kile's wails. "Here let me see if I can get him to sleep since I woke him up. " Marlee looked at me , though I have no idea why so I just screwed my face in puzzlement back at her .

"It's fine , I should really take him to bed, I'm sure you both have lots of work to do."

"Marlee I insist, let me get him to sleep." And he reached out his arms to her and she gave him Kile.

For a few minutes he looked like a deer in headlights but then begin to bounce him like I had seen both of my parents do with my younger siblings . Humming a age old lullaby. Marlee and I watched as Kile calmed down and went back to sleep but he just kept bouncing him and humming . That was When Marlee jab me in with her elbow and whispered in my ear . " he's a natural " she said and winked at me . She got up and took Kile leaving us alone.

I tried to busy myself but I knew I shouldn't bother because there was no way I was getting any work done after that, and we both knew it. It was then that the palace shook with a large crack of thunder and the sound of rain pounding on the windows could be heard .

Maxon almost magically appeared offering me his hand with a bowed head to dance . This was a vow he made with me to dance with me when it rained , so I was not surprised by his gesture but when he dragged me out into the nearest courtyard I certainly was .

"Maxon if I get struck by lightning I'm going to haunt you forever." I said as threatening as I could into his neck as he held me tighter. We were both cold and soaked to the skin in seconds , but his touch and his kisses felt like fire from inside . When I felt his teeth start to chatter I'd had enough.

"Enough I said, we're going to catch colds and won't be able to work for a week. Let's go get dry warm clothes and act like two people who have some common since ."

I saw the grin on his face and I saw what was coming . He picked me up and headed off towards our rooms. When we got into his room my teeth were chattering as were his, he looked like a half drowned skinny teenager in his soaked suit. My dress was heavy and laden on my frame making me look like a kid playing dress up . I don't know why but I knew I needed this movement to last forever … Maxon was bending down to take off his shoes when a darted to his desk . I grabbed his camera… turned and snapped the flash caused him to leave his shoes and look at me … I snapped again . This time Maxon smiled and laughed. I snapped again . He then stoped and looked worried , but I quickly realized it was because I was holding his camera and we were both soaked. He took it and looked at it but determined it was fine and he then started to help me out of my soaked dress.

"Maxon, I want those photos blown up as big as possible."

"Why, I'm sure I look awful "

I cut him off with a look and kissed him.

"Ok, my Dear." He said. I saw his look softened and even a smirk, he had tons of candid photos of me, but I didn't have many with him. I wanted an unguarded moment for myself .

I don't know why my brain had suddenly gone fuzzy and unfiltered but I was lost in this moment, he was too and it just slipped out without warning or planning. I knew what had been making me crazy the past few weeks. It was fever… baby fever.

"Take off your crown, for a minute…I just want Maxon. He looked at me with a strange puzzled look because I'd never told him when I needed him before he always just guessed, but this felt different… I continued.

"I want a baby." He didn't speak, but he didn't need to . He tangled me up in his arms and it was clear . We were headed down a path to creating an heir