gave you inspiration for this book? - I guess it was just reading books like the Hunger Games and Divergent and thinking, gee, what would happen if Maxon and America had to deal with a war of sorts? What would it be like for them to basically go crazy? And from those couple of questions this story was born.

Unicoons? - No. Kangaphants.

"If he dies, I'll never go home. I'll spend the rest of my life in this arena. Trying to think my way out." - Katniss Everdeen, Hunger Games

Sawyer sighed. "It's not like he has a great track record for honesty."

She plopped down in one of the chairs, anger roiling off of her in waves. "Just…don't talk," she told him, holding up a hand to stop him. He laughed and stood to make himself a cup of coffee. "Where's Christian?" she finally asked. "They were supposed to be here five minutes ago."

But as she spoke, the door opened and her son ran in. He had lost weight and was pale but he was as adorable as ever, his blonde curls bouncing as he ran to her. "Mommy!" She stood and his body crashed into hers.

She ran her hands all over him, as if checking for injury but he was in one piece with no superficial injuries at least; she knew she'd probably have to deal with nightmares for weeks to come but she could do that if it meant having her son back. "I've missed you so much," she said, starting to cry.

"Mommy, don't be sad!" he exclaimed. "Daddy came and told Grampy that he'd stay so I could go home. Grampy really liked that idea. They're probably having fun, right?"

America had frozen, her eyes locked with her son's chocolate eyes in horror. Sawyer had paused behind Christian. His coffee mug crashed to the floor. "Daddy saved you?" America finally asked Christian quietly.

"Yeah. I don't understand why Grampy wasn't happy just with that Aspen guy…"

"Aspen?" America repeated. "He was there too?"

Christian nodded. "He showed up before Daddy. He wanted to trade too but Grampy liked Daddy more," the toddler said matter-of-factly. "Mommy, I'm hungry," he complained.

She recovered quickly and ran a hand down his face. "Of course. This is Sawyer. He's really nice, okay? He's a friend of Mommy's so be nice to him. He'll get you something to eat."

Marcus had just walked in and ushered her into Maxon's bedroom. America started shaking. "That's why he came to me last night. He was planning on trading his life for Christian's." She perched on the end of the bed. "We need to go save him. We don't have a choice."

Marcus nodded. "I agree but what about Christian? He needs his mother America."

"And his mother needs her husband." She stood up and approached Marcus, hands folded and pressed to her lips as she spoke, "Marcus, I know I'm being selfish and difficult and childish…but I've had to face Maxon's death so many times I don't know how many more I can handle without completely losing it. I already feel like I'm going crazy. Please, let me go with you to rescue him."

Marcus was quiet for a few moments but he finally nodded. "Fine. We're leaving in a half hour, okay?"

America crouched behind the line of pine trees and held up the night vision goggles to look at the cabin they had hunted down. The snow from the snow bank they were kneeling in starting to soak through the knees of her pants and she could feel the skin there going numb. "Well, at least all of the lights are on," she whispered to Marcus.

"My men are circling the house now. They're four of my best men; they'll get the job done."

She nodded. The cabin – which had been lit from attic to basement – went dark and she heard the slam of a wooden door echo in the cold night. She lifted up the goggles and saw two figures chasing a third and fourth figure. Something flickering from within the cabin made her refocus on it. In one of the bottom windows, fire licked up the framing. "The cabin's on fire!" she exclaimed, giving away their position but she was already running.

The snow made it difficult for her to run but she climbed the hill leading up to the cabin. By the time she made it, the entire bottom floor was engulfed with flames. She kicked one of the doors in and ran inside, vaguely aware of people over her radio ordering her to get out. She ran around the bottom floor and concluded it was clear. The stairs were starting to give away as she charged upward.

On the second floor landing she ran into the two other soldiers. They had Maxon and Aspen unconscious at their feet. "Your Majesty, we only have time to save one of them," they told her.

"What?" she demanded. "You can't carry both?"

"And get out before the whole house collapses? No."

All of her life she'd been pressed to choose between Maxon and Aspen and she had always found a way out of it. But now she had no choice. It was time for her to choose and this time, the one she didn't choose would lose his life. There was Aspen, who was always there for her and gave her whiplash with his ever-changing personality but he was comfortable and well-worn, like her favorite pair of slippers. Then there was Maxon, who had never ceased to love her despite all of the crap she'd done to him, despite her breaking their vows to one another repeatedly.

With a haunting conclusion, she realized that Aspen was her first love and Maxon was her forever love. She nodded to Maxon and the men immediately grabbed him and hauled him down the steps. The smoke from the fire was starting to choke her and she knew she didn't have much time before she collapsed.

She knelt down next to Aspen who was just barely opening his eyes. "I knew I'd never beat him," he coughed out.

She felt tears pool in her eyes. Forget everything evil he had done; he was still Aspen. He was the same guy she had met in her treehouse all those years before. "I'm sorry Aspen."

A beam above her crashed down beside her, sending her sprawling for cover. She took off for the steps and made it outside in the snow before the world went black.

I know it was short but it was exciting! So, the story will be taking on a new angle from here. It'll be a bit more political starting with these next couple chapters. But there's plenty of action to come, trust me! The most important question is: is Aspen the last main character to die? Duhm. Duhm. Duhm. (I didn't even know the answer to that question yet.)

P.S. I had an awesome Valentine's Day (got yellow tulips which are my favorite from my boyf and macarons - nom nom nom). But you guys are awesome and great people and if you don't have a special someone in your life today, remember that God loves you more than anyone on this planet will ever love you!

Review and send me questions please!