Hey guys! I'm back for chapter 10. I'm technically supposed to be doing homework right now, but I decided to write a new chapter for you guys instead. Enjoy! And, as always, Kiera Cass owns everything.

Aspen POV

Maxon seems to be having some sort of internal struggle, his eyebrows are furrowed and his lips are pursed. I sigh, as much as I love chatting with the prince, I do have to get back to my rounds. After a few more seconds of watching Maxon debate with himself in his head, my patience runs out.

"Just spit it out Maxon", I huff

Maxon's head snaps up, his eyes meeting mine. The look in his eyes scares me a little. They are frantic and seem to hold an ancient grief. This is my first clue that whatever Maxon was having trouble telling me was pretty important.

"Maxon, just tell me", I say a little more gently, straining to keep the irritation out of my voice.

Maxon gnaws on his lip for a second and then realizes a short breath. "It's America", he confesses. He then bites his tongue, almost as if he was physically restraining himself from saying more, from saying too much.

At the sound of America's name, I go stiff. I may be with Lucy now, but that doesn't mean that I won't always love her like family. And the things Maxon had done to her were inexcusable. Leading her on just to betray her in the end. It was absolutely sick.

"What about America?" I ask through gritted teeth. Maxon shifts backward a little, putting some distance in between the two of us. And maybe I imagined it, but I see a look of fear go through his eyes as he catches sight of the expression of my face. I had no doubt that it was menacing and very, very protective. My reasons for protecting America were different now. I no longer had to protect her from getting too close to Maxon. That had already happened. I had to protect her from getting her heart broken again.

"I just...", he trails off. He then takes a deep breath and lets out a quick jumble of words. "IstillloveAmerica." They were quick, but not too quick for my highly-trained ears to catch. At his words, I became furious.

"How dare you?" I spit. "You broke her heart. You didn't see her after the Choosing ceremony. She was an utter mess, laying in bed for three days straight! And the way she had her arms wrapped around herself, as if she was trying to keep herself together. You have no right to go and try and win her back!" The majority of my speech had consisted of me shouting at him, but I pronounced the last line quietly, enunciating each word to make sure he understood.

"But I have to!" Maxon bursts. "I was an absolute idiot when I didn't choose her. I can't live without her! I realize that now." His expression is pained and he inhales quickly before continuing. "And you're wrong. I did go and see her. To try and get her back, actually. And do you know what I saw? I saw her with another guy!" Maxon's body is shaking violently, but he takes a deep breath and calms himself down before I have to intervene.

It takes me a second to process his words. When I do, my mouth drops open in shock. How could she have moved on so quickly? Even with me, it took her much longer. But three days! And back at her house America had looked completely broken. How had she managed to get herself together in order to go on a date?

Maxon must have seen the questions on my face because he speaks up. "She claims Celeste made her do it. But how can I be sure? How can I be sure that she still loves me? When we talked afterward she said she did. But how can I be sure?" he repeats, his voice hysterical.

"Maxon, calm down", I instruct, my guard training kicking in. "I can't help you if you go crazy", I say with a humorless chuckle.

Maxon stopped breathing. "You- you're going to help me?" he asks incredulously.

"Of course I am", I said promptly. I couldn't believe I had just said that. But it was true. How could I not? I had gone through the same thing just a couple of months ago and had found my happily ever after. It's only fair that Maxon found his.

"Why?" Maxon asks hesitantly, probably fearing that I will change my mind.

"Because I know how you feel. I was in the same position just a couple of months ago. I loved her and I feared she loved someone else. And, it turned out she did. I know how much it hurts, and I want to help you. Not because I want to give Mer her happily ever after, though I want to do that too. It's because I'm your friend." My voice was sincere throughout it all, because I truly meant it. Maxon and I were friends, or at least some form of it.

Maxon takes in a shaky breath. "You want to be my friend?" he asks hopefully.

"Of course I do. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have as a friend."

"It must be because I'm going to be king", he quips, smiling.

"What other reason would I have?" I ask innocently before breaking into a grin.

Maxon suddenly breaks into a brilliant smile. His eyes light up and I can see that he's taking a visit down memory lane.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask curiously.

"It's just that thing you said about not being able to think of anyone you'd rather have as a friend. I said the same thing to America when she first got here." He continues smiling, reliving his memories for a bit longer, leaving me to my thoughts.

And that's when I decided it. Maxon and America were meant to be together. The way he talked about her, he loved her irrevocably. And she felt the same. I vow to try my hardest to get them together.

Maxon shakes his head slightly, jolting out of his trance.

"Anyway", he says. "I had something I wanted to ask you. Are you interested in joining the Maxerica club?"

I can't help the small laugh that escapes me. "The Maxerica club? Don't you think that's a bit too obvious?"

Maxon chuckled quietly. "I'm still working on the name", he admits. "But basically it's a group of people. And our goal is to get America and I together. And then I can make her my rightful queen." I notice that his eyes inhabit a wistful look whenever he thinks of America. It just intensifies my belief that they're meant to be.

"I'd love to join. But I do have a suggestion." Maxon looks wary. "Go on."

"I think out first order of business should be coming up with a better name", I say with a teasing grin. Maxon's eyes immediately lose their tense look. "Great idea."

And then, we start to discuss the more finite details of the club. We make plans to recruit more members and Maxon assigns me the job of asking America's maids to join.

"Ok", I say after we're finished. "So basically our only obstacles are your father, Kriss, and the fact that nobody has ever gone back on their choice of the One."

"I could care less about the last one", he says dismissively. "But the others are top priority. Oh, and there is one other little obstacle we have to face", he says a bit sheepishly.

I sigh, frustrated. "And what would that be?" I ask tiredly.

"Well, it seems that America doesn't trust me at the moment. I have to win her over somehow to even consider putting this plan into action."

I sigh. This was going to be much harder than I had first anticipated.

"Well, you're going to figure out that part on your own. But I'll take over with the planning while you solve that issue."

He nods. "I know. I was wondering if you had any suggestions on how I would go about doing that", he asks hopefully.

I shake my head. "Sorry, no. America is a force to be reckoned with it", I say, an amused smile playing on my lips. "But I know that if she truly loves you, she'll forgive you."

Maxon nods, seeming unencouraged.

"Maxon, seriously, don't worry. I've seen the way she looks at you. She loves you too much to hold a grudge. She'll come around eventually. You'll see."

Maxon nods again, slightly more reassured.

Suddenly, we hear voices from the other side of the hall. It sounds an awful lot like the rotation of the guards. I steal a quick glance at the clock and my jaw drops open. I've been gone for nearly an hour!

"I'm sorry Maxon but I have to get back to my shift", I apologize.

"No worries", he says, lost in thought. He wanders over to his bed and takes a seat on it.

"Good luck", I wish him. He gives a grunt of assertion. I then slip through the door, hurrying back to my post, my head filled with thoughts about Maxon and America. My last view of Maxon is him holding in his head in his hands.

Don't give up yet Maxon, I think.

Yay! Maxon and Aspen are friends! And preparations for the Maxerica club are underway. Please submit any ideas you may have for a better name. I need them! I hope you liked this chapter! Next chapter will be America because he haven't heard much from her for awhile. Please review your thoughts. Stay tuned! Bye!