A/N: Sorry for the delay, I forgot to save this and was so frustrated that I didn't want to rewrite it! All characters belong to Kiera. Thanks sweetwaterspice for helping out!

I steeled myself for Kriss' arrival as advisors swarmed around me, each needing my attention. This last day had been the single most overwhelming day of my life. I certainly hadn't expected any of this to happen when I woke up in America's arms yesterday morning. Was that really only yesterday? It felt so long ago. I had almost lost the woman I loved, prepared myself to propose to another woman, been shot, lost my parents, became king… I sighed, feeling like I had aged 20 years in a single day.

The murmuring around me stopped and I saw Kriss enter, curtsying slightly before running over and launching herself in my arms. I groaned as a shot of agony coursed through my body. Kriss pulled back, "Oh I'm so sorry, Maxon. Did I hurt you?" I shook my head, gritting my teeth. Her eyes were full of relief and love, which made me feel even worse. This was going to be harder than I had hoped for. "I was just so happy to see you, I was so worried... when Officer Leger brought me to the safe room, he said you had been shot! I'm sorry, I should have been there with you..." she started to cry.

"No, my dear," I said, for the first time cringing at the endearment. Kriss was still dear to me, as I had told America all the girls had been, but somehow I suddenly understood America's objection to sharing an endearment with the other girls. "I wanted you to be safe and am happy to see you in one piece."

She nodded, leaning to kiss me. I turned my head slightly and her kiss landed on my cheek. Now that my heart had set course for America, all of this felt like a betrayal. Kriss pulled back, confusion in her eyes.

I turned to the advisor closest to me. "Could someone please get Lady Kriss a chair so she can be more comfortable?" She was still sitting on the bed and I thought it would be easier for both of us if we had space for this conversation. "And then if you could excuse us, I need to speak with the lady alone."

She seemed slightly taken aback by my tone as she sat. She traced circles on my hand before bringing her lips, slowly kissing it. I felt my body tense, unsure of how to proceed. "Maxon, I was so worried about you." She sighed, "I'm sorry to hear about your parents. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, thank you though." I felt terrible for having this conversation so soon after the events of the day, but I wanted everything to be in place before America awoke. I cared about Kriss deeply. Our relationship had been steady. For a while I had convinced myself I loved her… but now, with the overpowering love I felt towards America, I was not so sure it had been true.

"Kriss," I squeezed her hand, looking into her eyes as I spoke. "You are extremely important to me. I have been a lucky man to have had you these last few weeks." She smiled, hope lighting her features. I felt a pit in my stomach, realizing she had come in here expecting a proposal. I clenched my jaw, angry at myself for making this worse. "Kriss, I am so sorry. My actions earlier were hasty, I was shocked and angry. I do care about you, but..." Her face fell and she suddenly leaned back in her chair, tears glistening in her eyes. "but I am in love with America. You deserve to be with someone who can give you his whole heart."

She looked shocked, angry tears spilling down her cheeks "You want her? After everything she has done to you? Sleeping with some guard?"

Her sudden accusations about the woman I loved surprised me and I felt guarded, a wall built between Kriss and I. "That was a misunderstanding," I said sternly.

"Misunderstanding?" She laughed humorlessly and I braced myself for more accusations, but they didn't come. She looked to the ceiling as if aligning her thoughts and turned back to me, pleading in her eyes.

"Maxon, please.I love you. Please don't rush into this decision, so much has happened today."

"I'm sorry, Kriss. I didn't want to hurt you. But I have never been so certain of anything in my life."

"But you told me you loved me! You were going to propose to me!"

"I was. I am sorry, but that would have been a huge mistake, and one we both would have regretted."

"But why? Why not me? I never did anything except love you."

I hesitated, unsure of how to explain myself. "You are wonderful and kind. You would have been an excellent choice. But it was always her. She had my heart from the beginning."

"So all the time we spent together, it was all for nothing?" she seethed.

"I did… I mean, I do care for you," I fumbled.

She glared at me, "When did you know? If she was the one from the start," she choked.

I faltered, not wanting to hurt her more.

"Tell me! I deserve to know." She sounded more angry than I had ever seen her before.

"The first time I saw her." I blurted out. I sighed, realizing it was true, a part of me had fallen for her that first night in the garden. "I planned to propose at Halloween, but wasn't sure if she felt the same way…"

"So before I even had a chance? This whole time, I have been what, your backup plan?" I didn't know what to say, so decided not to say anything. "I loved you, Maxon. I gave you everything! My heart, my first kiss!" She broke down with her last words.

I began patting her back as America had taught me but she pushed my arm away.

She cried for several minutes before she wiped her face and spoke again. "Maxon… I wish I had never met you!" and she ran from the room.

When she was far enough away, I groaned and ran a hand through my hair. That had gone… about how I expected. But I was glad it was over, now we could move past the selection. An advisor peeked around the corner and I sank back on the bed, waving them all back in.

Worn out and completely overwhelmed, I ran my hand through my hair for the hundredth time of the day. My father's advisors had been in and out of my room all day with papers to sign and decisions to make. I could tell some were surprised at my depth of knowledge on the country's issues, which pleased me. They had obviously underestimated me and I was happy to prove my father wrong.

I looked up as a nurse ran into the room, curtsying briefly.

"Is she awake?" I asked, relief filling me. I started to get out of bed but my advisor put a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.

"Yes Your Majesty. At least…" she seemed nervous, which worried me. "She is not in the hospital room. Actually, we aren't sure where she is exactly." Seeing my glare, she continued hesitantly. "A nurse had checked on her only five minutes before she went missing, so we are certain to find her shortly."

I laughed wearily and the nurse seemed shocked. "She doesn't make anything easy for us, does she?" I continued, motioning to the nurse and a guard. "Please let the staff know to send her this way when they find her." I turned back to the paper in front of me, still chuckling to myself.

Ten minutes later, I looked up to a guard's voice in the hall. Into my room walked an abnormally shy America in a dirty, torn dress. I smiled, the sight of her made my heart leap. I was so grateful she was alive, and seemingly unharmed.

"Your Majesty," she breathed, curtsying respectfully.

Too tired to laugh at her unusual formality, I turned to Stavros, "Set the papers here, Stavros. Would everyone please leave the room? I need to speak with the lady."

She was uncertain as she walked towards me, almost lost. She reminded me of the America I first met, always unsure of her standing with me. Suddenly, I realized her hesitation was my fault. She hadn't believed my dying words, couldn't know of my conversation with Officer Leger.

"I'm so sorry about your parents."

"It doesn't seem real yet," I said, patting the bed next to me. She sat too far away from me, if I wasn't so exhausted I would have pulled her into my arms."I keep thinking that Father is in his study, and Mom's downstairs, and any minute one of them will come in here with something for me to do."

"I know exactly what you mean."

I smiled gently, it had only been a few days since her own father had died. "I know you do." I reached for her hand, not only needing the comfort of her touch, but needing to reassure her and break the barrier between us. "She tried to save him. A guard told me a rebel had my father in his sights, but she ran behind him. She went down first, but they got Father immediately after. She was always selfless. To her very last breath."

"You shouldn't be so surprised. You're a lot like her."

I pressed my lips together. "I'll never be quite as good as her. I'm going to miss her so much. At least you're safe," I said, suddenly unable to look at her. Even thinking of losing her made me dizzy. "At least there's that."

I paused, trying to think of the best way to begin. I couldn't wait another day to tell this woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. "There's something I want to show you. Mind you, it's a bit rough, but I think you'll still like it. Open the drawer here," I pointed to where I had placed my few belongings from my old room "It should be on the top."

She pulled the papers out, looking at me, questions in her eyes. I smiled and nodded that she should begin to read.

I watched her as she read. She frowned and shook her head slightly in disbelief. Her look of confusion was adorable. Could this woman finally be mine? I could feel my palms sweating as my pulse began to race.

"Are you . . . you're going to dissolve the castes?" she asked, looking up.

"That's the plan," I smiled, thinking of how much my life had changed since I first saw those icy blue eyes in the garden, how much I had changed. "I don't want you to get too excited. This will take a long time to do, but I think it will work. You see, I want to start from the bottom. I'm planning on eliminating the Eight label first. There's a lot of construction we need to do; and I feel like, with a little bit of work, the Eights could be absorbed into the Sevens. After that, it gets tricky. There's got to be a way to get rid of the stigmas that come along with the numbers, but that's my goal."

Her lips opened slightly, as though she was planning her first question. I wanted to kiss them so badly, but if I did, I didn't know if I could keep myself together long enough to finish explaining "I want you to know that this is all your doing. Since the day you called me into the hallway and told me about being hungry, I've been working on this." I shuddered slightly, thinking of how angry I had been at the thought of America hungry, in pain. "It was one of the reasons I got so upset after you did your presentation; I had a quieter way of reaching the exact same goal. But of all the things I wanted to do for my country, this would have never crossed my mind if I hadn't known you."

She looked down at the paper again, seemingly amazed. A grin lit up my face and I ran my hand through my hair before reaching underneath my pillow. This is it, Maxon. I wanted to reach out and grab her in my arms, but I could barely move my arm.

I took a deep breath. "There's something else," I clenched my jaw. I felt like words were escaping me so I opened the box and placed it on top of the papers she was still staring at.

"I've been sleeping with that darn thing under my pillow," I said jokingly. She looked up, stunned. I wanted to remember her forever like this. Her red hair fell in bundles around her face and her eyes were sparkling. "Do you like it?"

She opened her mouth several times to speak. I became more nervous every moment she didn't say anything. Had I misunderstood? Had her words simply been to comfort a dying man? If I pretended to pass out right now, would she forget all about this? Tears came to her eyes and she nodded. In that instant, all of the emotions of the day hit me at once and I felt a lump in my throat.

Do not cry, Maxon. You are the king.

I cleared my throat, "Twice now I've tried to do this on a grand scale and failed spectacularly. As it is, I can't even get on one knee. I hope you won't mind if I just speak to you plainly."

I swallowed, unable to think of any of my previously planned speeches. "I love you," I blurted out. "I should have told you a long time ago. Maybe we could have avoided so many stupid mistakes if I had. Then again," I smiled, "sometimes I think it was all those obstacles that made me love you so deeply. What I said was true. My heart is yours to break. As you already know, I'd rather die than see you in pain. In the moment I was hit, when I fell to the floor sure my life was ending, all I could think about was you." I stopped, too overcome to speak. I had been so close to losing our future together, and I was so happy to have this second chance. Tears filled her eyes, I wanted to kiss them all away. Pull yourself together. I took a deep breath, swallowed, and continued. "In those seconds, I was mourning everything I'd lost. How I'd never get to see you walk down an aisle toward me, how I'd never get to see your face in our children, how I'd never get to see streaks of silver in your hair. But, at the same time, I couldn't be bothered. If me dying meant you living," I shrugged, "how could that be anything but good?"

She started to cry and I squeezed her hand.

"America," I said softly, trying to control my own tears. "I know you see a king here, but let me be clear; this isn't a command. This is a request, a plea. I beg you; make me the happiest man alive. Please do me the honor of becoming my wife."

My heart stopped as I waited for her response. She crawled into my arms and I sighed with relief. It felt like an eternity since I had held her. I inhaled into her hair, squeezing her like I would never let her go. I leaned down to kiss her, unsure if I would ever be able to stop. I could taste her salty tears. She would be mine, forever. My confidante, my partner. The two of us could do anything together. I felt complete and utter joy.

As our kisses slowed, I pulled back slightly, smiling, awaiting for her to agree to the rest of our lives.

"Yes."

A/N: Let me know your final thoughts! Did you like the Kriss breakup? I may have had a little too much fun writing that... I'm probably done with Selection fanfictions for now unless I feel inspired! I do have a few others started but I have a bit of a Warner obsession at the moment.

If you love the Selection and you haven't read Shatter Me, you are missing out! I promise you will love it. So go read it and come back here and read some of my Shatter Me fanfiction.

Thanks for sticking around to the end! I appreciate all of your comments, likes and follows!