Hey guys! It's been a while…again. I am sooooo sorry! Don't kill me! Between vacations, theatre camp, summer camp, and my computer basically breaking down, I haven't gotten a chance to update in a while. So pm me if you have any ideas! Don't forget to favorite me and the story! And check out my YouTube channel that I share with my cousin! TC_Coverz! Thanks! Here's chapter 12!

America:

"So where are you taking me, Maxon?" I asked playfully. He shook his head and grinned mischievously.

"Why would I tell you that? We aren't even there yet!" I smiled at him. He glared out the window, admiring the water. I couldn't help but realize how perfect he looked. The moon, glaring through the glass, brought light to his face. His blonde hair was layered perfectly. His eyes, a dark chocolate color, turned to me.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"No, I just can't help but realize how handsome you are, Your Highness." He laughed at that, and leaned over to me. He kissed me passionately.

Until someone srcreamed.

"OH MY GOSH! HOLY CRAP! AHHHH! HE-HE-LP! KI…KING…Ma...Max."

"BANG!" The screaming suddenly stopped. Maxon rushed out of his seat. The plane began to shake. I looked out the window. We were going down.

"MAXON!" I screamed. It was more like a screech. I heard another gunshot. Than a vortex entered my ears. I couldn't breathe. I got up quickly, and headed to the cockpit.

My breathing got worse, especially as I entered the cockpit.

"MAXON!" I screamed again. There he was, bleeding in the pilot's seat. The pilot was on the ground, dead. The plane door was wide open. We were falling, and still high in the air. We were far into the troposphere, and possibly in the stratosphere. I still couldn't breathe.

Maxon had been shot in the arm area. I rushed over to him.

"Maxon? Please, stay with me." His eyes fluttered open.

"I…will…always." He responded. They closed. I had to do something. Between the teardrops and heavy breaths, I managed to get up. I quickly took his pulse.

He was alive, thank God!

"Oh, hello there, Queen America!" I turned around. There was Aspen.

"You did this? How could you?" I was disgusted.

"Well I wasn't alone," He pointed out the door and grinned, "and I couldn't resist! I would love to get you back, America. And seeing your prince, or king, for now, in pain is pure joy. I love you. I would never hurt you. But him, he is evil. Please, come back with me!" I couldn't believe this.

"You are insane! I hate you! How could you do this?" I was screaming at him, I couldn't cry anymore.

"You, you don't mean that Mer. You can be my dear. We already took over the kingdom! I am king! You are queen! Amberly is dead!" Did he just say that?

"You, you killed, Amberly?" He nodded, looking rather proud. I slapped him. He frowned, and took control of the plane, knocking Maxon out of the pilot's seat.

"America?" Maxon asked.

"Maxon!" I kneeled down to him.

"Why are you still alive? Where's that gun?"

I searched the ground. I had to grab it before Aspen did. I wasn't going to let Maxon die. And I was definitely not marrying Aspen.

I looked under the controls, and saw it. I crawled under and grabbed it.

"Found it!" I shouted pointing it at Aspen.

"Why thank you! Why don't you kill Maxon, Mer?" Maxon glanced at me. My eye contact showed him my true intentions.

"Or, maybe you." Aspen froze. I had trouble pulling the trigger. All of a sudden, the tree house came back to memory, the selection, and my entire life.

"BAM!" Aspen was dead. Maxon, with struggle, got up. I pushed Aspen out of the seat, and into the ocean. Maxon held his strong arms out, and I collapsed in them.

The plane began to shake. We were falling again. Maxon quickly rushed to the controls, and began to fly us back to Illea.

"Maxon…Aspen told me something when you were knocked out." I said stressfully. Maxon looked up at me.

"Your mother is dead."

*Later that day*

Maxon:

I was horrified after landing. My mother might be dead, and the palace could be taken over by rebels.

I quickly ran to the palace, my hand in Americas.

"Mother? Mother?" Dead bodies were everywhere. I kept screaming. Blood stained the walls. America searched the closets. Dead maids, guards, servants, and butlers were everywhere. This had to be the worst rebel attack at the palace."

I wound up in the corridor. I circled the room, remembering every memory, my father's beatings, my mother's warm hugs.

"Maxon? You should see this." America called. I slipped out of my daydream, or nightmare. I followed her shaky voice to a safe room. There, in her throne, next to mine and America's, was my mother's body. Cold, quiet, dead. I collapsed to my knees. My face fell into my hands.

"Why couldn't it have been me?" I screamed. America pulled me up. I cried into her shoulder, and she did the same in mine.

*A month or two later*

America:

The palace appeared better. Mary, Anne, and Lucy were fine. Thankfully, so was my family.

Maxon, however, was completely torn. He would never be the same. He stopped calling me his dear, his darling. He became cold. I rarely woke up next to him.

"Maxon, I need to tell you something."

"Yes." He responded flatly.

"You can't let a moment like what we experienced define you forever. You can mourn, but never become stuck in the past. I understand if you aren't ready to let go yet, but you have been neglecting so much. Your country needs you, I need you," I stopped for a minute, "our baby needs you."

"What?" He grinned. "Did you just say our baby?"

I nodded.

Hah! Cliffy! Man, that all happened so fast! I promise to update more! Don't forget to check out TC_Coverz. Here is the link! channel/UCdg799HlO3UNHtCsdIoV2bg

Thanks guys!