Author's Notes: Hi out there, happy new year, and thanks for being here! From the bottom of my heart.

This very well might be the final piece of this project, because of how difficult it is to translate a television concept into book form. And not everyone is familiar with ABC's 'The Bachelor'. I decided to add this chapter in celebration of tonight's premiere, and I think this will be the end of it. I have a million ideas and scenes storming my mind, but writing them out would be a hard monster to wrestle with.

I'm delighted to know I'm not the only one that feels Prompto deserves to be pampered by a bunch of doting contestants.

Before we begin, here's a bit of contestant information, in case you're not familiar with them and/or their games. Locke Cole's a dashing, mischievous, pure-hearted gentleman from Final Fantasy 6. He's a cheerful, noble thief that is burdened by a dark past-one that includes a young woman he loved dearly.

Serge is the blue-haired protagonist of Chrono Cross. The bandana-toting adventure seeker was born and raised on the waves.

Gippal was a part of Yuna's adventure in Final Fantasy X-2. Quiet yet strong-willed, he's a treasure seeker that never shies away from a challenge.

Zephyr's a gunner from Square-Enix's 'Resonance of Fate', a game that's not really well known. He's one of the punks in the group, not too much of a team player but surprisingly devoted to his mission: getting Prompto and his brothers to fall in love with him.

Thank you for being here, very much. Enjoy the show!

"Hi there, ladies and gentlemen! It's Iris Amicitia again, and you're just minutes away from The Bachelor's season premiere! Excited? I bet you are. Who wouldn't be, with such an adorable bachelor waiting to find his one, true love?"

"Yesterday you got an action-packed sneak preview of what this season's going to offer. Well, I've got a few more previews to show you before the adventure of a lifetime begins. Buckle your seatbeats, and thanks for tuning into Eos' first season of The Bachelor!"

In the infirmary's quiet glow Locke smiles. Finds himself through chains weighing him down. His body wants nothing more than to rest, but he goes on smiling, radiant, reborn, like an airborne bird no one ever thought would taste the sky again. He'll spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in slumber, so he smiles with the strength he has left. "I'm in love with you," he confesses, as though tomorrow won't come, weaving his heart, spirit and memories into every word.

The confession stuns him for a moment, as though someone had channeled the message through him, but then he regains awareness of himself. "You excite me. You captivate me. Whenever you're near me, my world becomes something new, something wonderful. Something kind. Whenever you're near me, I come to life. And that's something I want to explore. I want to be with you. Want to learn more about you. With you, I can be. I can breathe. I can live."

Prompto Argentum, 20, Bachelor and Chocobo: "I don't know where to go from here. Locke means a lot to me. He really means a lot to me. The guys like him a lot, too. It would kill me to let him go, but I don't know if I can compete with her. He really loved Rachel. I'm nothing special. I'm not too much of anything, really, definitely not compared with someone like her."

"I don't think this is gonna work. I hate sayin' this, but…that's…that's what I'm feelin'. I don't think we can go anywhere after this."

Panic seizes Locke's eyes, mouth, heart, every thread of his being. He stares at Prompto, unable to speak or even comprehend the breath flowing through his body. He's barely able to stand. "Wait, what?" he asks, breathless, feeling his knees about to crumble. "Why? What happened? I leave you for a few minutes and suddenly I'm falling off the edge of the earth?"

Locke Cole, 25, Treasure Hunter (and Thief): "I was nervous about having Prompto meet my friends, but who wouldn't be nervous, right? Taking the guy you've fallen madly in love with to meet your family? I was nervous, yeah, but I didn't think the world would end. I didn't think…damn it, the angels are laughing at me again."

Zephyr stands up in instant retaliation, daring the other contestants to continue their assault against him. Tensions are high but he's determined to go on standing, eyes flashing, voice a knell of quiet fury. "Think whatever you want," he snarls, eyeing the men around him. "I don't give a damn. I'm not here for you. I'm here for him. I'm here for his brothers, too, and if you don't like it, piss off."

Gippal refuses to stand down, rising to his feet in a show of calm wrath. "Sorry, but you're gonna hafta try harder than that to scare me off. In case you haven't noticed, Poppet, the guy we're here for is gonna need a hell of a lot more than a paperweight to make 'im happy."

Ignis steps into the living room, into a sea of furious faces, eager faces. Worries and hopes. "My apologies, but I'm afraid there will be a late arrival. Due to extenuating circumstances, this contestant wasn't able to arrive in a timely manner. However, with Prompto's permission, he will be joining you tomorrow morning."

Noctis rests a hand on Prompto's shoulder, mind flooded with concern. "Maybe you should take a step back and think for a moment," he urges, soft, patient, loving. "Y'know, just breathe. Think before you act."

Prompto gives him a look that grinds his heart into ash. "But I don't even know where to begin," he shakes his head. "What am I supposed to do? What should I do? What if I make a mistake? I don't want to hurt him. It's just not in me. I can't hurt someone I care about!"

Gladiolus storms onto the scene. He's a meteor that leaves nothing but smoke in his wake, his anger strong enough to erase all of creation. "Back off," he growls, arms out, preventing any of the contestants from getting closer. "If you value your life, you'll back off, now!"

Serge turns to Zidane with wide eyes, gripped by shock. "Locke? He might be going home? What's gonna happen next, is Prompto going to tell us he really is a chocobo in disguise?"

Serge, 18, Explorer: "Locke wasn't at all happy when he came back to the mansion. He's been a pack leader the whole time, and now, coming back from the 'Meet My Family' challenge, he's down in the dumps? I dunno what happened, but I'm really worried. About Prompto and about Locke. I know we're all competing for the same guy here, but we all know how incredible he is. That's what binds us together. And Locke's a great guy."

Noel forces Kou against the wall, pinning him by the neck. "If anything's happened to him, I swear on Shiva, you will not live to see tomorrow. If even a hair has been plucked off his head, you will not live to see tomorrow. Mark my fucking words!"

Stay tuned for all of the action, romance and heartache this season of The Bachelor has to offer! Will our bachelor find true love? Will he lose the contestant that could possibly be the greatest love of his life? Will Ignis kill any of the contestants? All of that, and more, in this stunning season of The Bachelor!