A/N: Thanks again to Sweetwaterspice for helping me get back in Maxon's head! It is a rather handsome head.

After visiting with Natalie, I walked as quickly as possible to America's room, hoping she had taken my advice about enjoying a few more hours in the palace. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. When no one answered, I tentatively opened it. "Hello?" My voice echoed.

She was gone. It was as if all of the life, the beauty, she brought to the room had been sucked out. I exhaled sharply. No.

Backing out of the room, I crashed into one of America's maids.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness," she curtsied, I noticed her eyes were red-rimmed from crying.

"Where is America?"

She stood up, surprised. "She's… she's gone, Your Highness," she stammered. "I thought you knew."

No. I raced down the stairway towards the front door. When I turned the corner, there she was, reaching for the doorknob.

Relief washed over me. "America?"

"Hey," she said.

My adrenaline was pumping, I walked quickly over to her, feeling like I couldn't waste another moment or she would disappear. She looked like a queen in a regal purple gown. It was as if fate was telling me to ignore everything my father had just said about America not being princess material. If only he could see her now, the image of a queen.

"You look absolutely breathtaking," I mustered, unable to take my eyes off her. A few hours ago I was certain I was going to lose her forever. Now we had a second chance. For a few moments I couldn't do anything except breathe in her presence, so thankful to have it once again.

Attempting to rid myself of the onslaught of emotion, I cleared my throat "I've spoken with my father."

"Oh?" Surprise was clear on her face.

"Yes. He was quite happy that I wasn't killed last night. As you might have guessed, carrying on the royal line is very important to him." And now to clue America in to my plan, I hoped she hadn't already done anything to negate the lies I had told. "I explained to him that I nearly died because of his temper and attributed my finding a hiding place to you."

"But I didn't—"

"I know. But he needn't. I then told him that I set you straight on some behavioral things." Stifling a smile again at the thought of her in the context of obedience, I tried to remain calm and business-like. "Again, he needn't know that's untrue; but you could act like it happened, if you wanted."

She nodded.

"Considering that I owe my life to you as far as he knows, he agreed that my desire to keep you here might be somewhat justified, so long as you were on your best behavior and could learn your place." She didn't say anything, but stood there, shocked. Perhaps she had accepted leaving as a viable option. Perhaps she didn't want to stay. Didn't want me anymore. Nervous, I continued, wanting to fill the space I could feel growing between us.

"Really, the fair thing to do is let Natalie go. She's not cut out for this; and with her family grieving right now, her home is the best place for her. We've already spoken."

She still didn't say anything. I stared at her for a moment, drank in the sight of her beauty. Her hand was trembling slightly, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Shall I explain?"

"Please."

I took a deep breath, "You would stay here as a member of the Selection and still be a part of the competition, but things will be different." I flinched slightly, thinking of my father's outburst when I had asked America to stay. There was no way he would be going down without a fight. "My father will probably be harsh toward you and do whatever he can to make you fail. I think there are some ways to fight that, but it will take time. You know how ruthless he is. You have to prepare yourself."

"I think I can do that."

"There's more." I looked down guiltily, unsure of how to continue. To explain my father's feelings towards her was one thing. But to express my own feelings and reservations in the light of day was causing my heart to fracture at the betrayal. Stripped bare and unable to meet her eye, I admitted, "America, there's no question that you've had my heart from the beginning. By now you have to know that."

I peeked up, trying to hold back everything I was feeling. "I do," she said softly.

"But what you do not have right now is my trust," I blurted out, unsure if I would be able to bring myself to say it if I waited a moment longer. Although I realized my father's accusations were meant to make me doubt her, the more I thought about it, the more I felt there was some truth to them. I had given her everything… my heart, my trust. And she had not returned either.

"What?" She whispered, obviously upset.

I tried to remain calm and kept a professional space between us as I continued. "I've shown you so many of my secrets," My soul, I thought to myself. "… defended you in every way I can. But when you aren't pleased with me, you act rashly. You shut me out, blame me, or, most impressively, try to change the entire country."

I continued carefully, needing to compartmentalize my depth of feelings and form a rational argument. "I need to know that I can depend on you. I need to know that you can keep my secrets, trust my judgment, and not hold things back from me. I need you to be completely honest with me and to stop questioning every decision I make." My voice became husky, full of secrets. "I need you to have faith in me, America."

She looked down, "I do have faith in you. And I hope you can see that I want to be with you. But you could have been more honest with me, too."

A pang of guilt hit me and I nodded. "Perhaps. And there are things I want to tell you," So many things. "… but many of the things I know are of such a nature that they cannot be shared if there's even a minuscule chance that you can't keep them to yourself. I need to know that you can do that. And I need you to be wholly open with me."

We stared at each other.

"Maxon, there you are." Kriss said, walking towards us. "I didn't get to ask you earlier if we were still on for dinner tonight."

I didn't take my eyes off America. After the day I'd had, I wanted to be alone with my thoughts, catch my breath, revel in my small victory against my father… not plaster a smile on for Kriss. But America needed to understand, I wasn't going to allow myself to be just hers anymore, not until I could trust her to do the same. "Of course. We'll eat in your room."

"Wonderful! America? Are you really leaving?" she asked, coming up to us. I clenched my jaw, watching America carefully for a reaction. She looked back at me and I could tell I had hurt her. But she had to understand, this was my one shot at love. And up until now, she had not taken that… or me… seriously.

"No, Kriss, not today."

"Good. I was really worried about you last night. I'm glad you're okay." I felt guilty. Partially because Kriss was sweet and I had hardly been giving her a fair chance. But also because I was face-to-face with the woman I loved, as well as the woman I had promised my father I would marry if all else failed.

"Thanks, it was lucky the guards got there so fast." I hid my smirk. Neither of us thought that was lucky, we would have appreciated a few more hours wrapped in each other's' arms.

"Thank goodness. Well, I'll see you later." Kriss turned to me and smiled "And I'll see you tonight." I nodded and she skipped away.

I turned to America, my expression serious again. She was watching Kriss saunter down the hall, pain clear in her eyes. "I know you don't like that, but I need her. If you let me down, she's my best bet." A shiver went down my spine. Is that really what this had come to? Anxiety gnawed at me. Would I be left with no other choice but to force myself to fall in love with my only option?

"It doesn't matter. I won't let you down." My heart skipped at the hope in that sentence

She kissed me on the cheek and walked away. I stood, watching her go and felt a knot in my stomach. I felt so empty after having spent so much time with her, it felt wrong to return to sharing my affections with the other girls.

I headed to my room, shutting the door and locking the world out. Collapsing on my bed, I couldn't get the days' events out of my mind.

I still couldn't believe I had convinced my father to allow America to stay. Victories against him were such a rarity. Something about America being here, from the beginning, had boosted my confidence. She made me feel less alone, more in control of my future. Buried beneath the formalities and pleasantries, the constant fear… she had uncovered… me. However, I had a duty to my country, to choose the best queen they could ask for. Right now, I couldn't trust America to be the steady influence I needed. As I had suggested, Kriss contained that quality… but was it enough? Enough to be merely sated by her calming presence, instead of eternally hungering for more? America filled me… completed me… unraveled me.. inspired me in a way the other girls had not. Would I ever be satisfied with anything less?

My hand brushed against the small box located beneath the pillow. I sat up, opening it and looking at the beautiful ring inside. When I had designed it, I had been so full of hope, of certainty. Now I was muddied in confusion. Sighing, I closed the box. I won't let you down, she had said. And I wanted nothing more than that to be true.

A/N: Thank you for sticking with me for the last few chapters! I have loved each of your reviews and I can't wait to hear what you have to say about this last chapter. As I have mentioned before, I do have an ongoing story of Maxon's perspective during the end of The One, it is called Yours to Break. Check it out if you are wanting more!