When in doubt trust the title! :)) Anyway, I have to do loads of work for different courses, so I won't be able to upload in a while. :( I'll try uploading as soon as I finish all the schoolwork.

Hope you enjoy this chapter! Well not really enjoy... but you get what I mean right? =)) Please Review! :D

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-Maxon's POV-

I woke up to the sight of America, sleeping on my right shoulder. She looked really worn out. Her eyes were puffy while dried tear-marks decorated her face. I looked up to the ceiling fan and recalled everything that happened yesterday night. I thought I had her. I thought that if we knew about how deep our feelings ran, it would have been enough. Circumstances thinks differently though.

She told me that night to let 'us' go but how can I let go of something so beautiful? Something that made me live? Something worth fighting for?

'Love can save the world.' I've heard, read and encountered this quote so many times. I thought it was such a cheesy and stupid line but when I met America, I've learned how true it was. She saved my world. I never thought I'd need such a complicated feeling in all my life; never thought I would be able to become a victim of such an emotion, but I did; and I loved it, craved for it, and needed it. She was what made the world beautiful and meaningful to me. Never in my whole life did I want to have the day pass sooner, so that I could be with her once again. It was such a wonderful thing: to love.

'How can something so perfect, so breath taking be so painful at the same time?' I pondered. Why was the world so cruel to me and my love? Just as fast as I've come to experience and have it. Just when I've fallen so hard. Just when it became something that I lived for. It was taken away from me.

Tears started to form on my eyes. I don't want to cry anymore, but I can't stop it. I'm so tired, so exhausted. I felt America shift closer to me, so I pulled her closer, enveloping her with my warmth. She won't ever be able to have a baby. And it pained me not just because it meant we can never get married and that she can never be my queen, but also for the reason she can never have a family. We've talked about it. I knew she wanted to have a lot of children but now she can't even have one. I felt guilt and despair course through my entire body. I wish I could turn back time and be the one who took the gun shots.

"Hey. What are you thinking about?" She said, as she rubbed her eyes. I looked at her and she gave me a weak smile. "Good morning."

"I wouldn't call it 'good' though." I responded sadly. She sat up and crawled out of the bed. I looked at my shoulder where she slept, missing already her warmth and the weight of her body next to me.

I was about to pull her down the bed when someone knocked and opened the door. It was Doctor Matthew, who for a moment looked stunned but regained his composure quickly.

"Did I disturb anything?" He asked looking at America. She just shrugged at him and went to the bathroom. He watched her go and then looked at me. "Rough night?"

I nodded. "Very."

We remained silent for a while till I mastered my will to talk. "She told me."

He looked at me confused but then realized what I meant. "I'm really sorry, Prince Maxon."

I gritted my teeth. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to give Miss Singer the chance to tell you, herself." He explained.

"And for what?! Don't you know how hard it was for her to tell me? Don't you know how much pain it caused her? YOU DON'T! Just because you think it's right doesn't mean it is!" I shouted.

"It'll never happen again." He said as he ducked his head low. I knew he meant well, but I couldn't stop myself from bursting out. I was losing the very thing that made me want to live. I'd like to think that I have the right to be unreasonably mean for the time being, but then I wasn't like that.

"I'm sorry." I sighed. "It's just that, everything is a mess to me, right now."

"I understand." He said and gave me an assuring smile.

America came out of the bathroom, looking more refreshed and with a set of new hospital gown. She went towards me and smiled, then looked at Doctor Matthew quite nervously. "Morning Doctor Matthew, what brings you here?" She asked, her voice a little bit shaky.

"Well, I have something good to tell you." He said while he looked at the clipboard he was holding.

She looked stiff for a moment and somehow I knew what she was hoping her. My heart was beating fast. I brushed my right hand against hers. She looked at me and squeezed it.

"You can be discharged by tomorrow." He simply stated.

"Just that?" Her eyes hoping for more.

"Just that." He replied, his eyes showing glints of sadness. She sighed and was about to let go of my hand but I held on to it. "Well, I better got going. I have things to do. I'm sorry for disturbing you."

"It's alright." I said and offered him a smile. He smiled back and went his way. When we were finally alone, I let myself fall down the bed.

"I guess this is the final good bye, huh?" She sat next to me.

I looked at her, brows frowning. "What do you mean?"

"I'll be discharged tomorrow, Maxon. I'll go back to Carolina. I've been gone for too long." She explained.

"What about me?" Why does it seem so easy for her to let things go while I feel like I my whole world is crumbling before my eyes.

She looked at me meaningfully and all negative thoughts were dispelled off me. I just can't help but adore her.

"What about ME, Maxon? There's no use in staying in the palace if we already know who you are going to pick in the end." Her voice trembled at each word. And from that, I knew she felt the same way I did.

"I'll always pick you, America. No matter the circumstances." I said softly.

"And you'll always be in my heart." She added.

"If only I wasn't a prince." I chocked. I was getting rather emotional again.

"But then I wouldn't have met you." She offered.

"You don't know that." I argued.

She laid right next to me, and shifted her body so that she was facing me. "I don't but I wouldn't come to know you like this." She smiled quite brightly. Beautiful.

"You know, you have to stop looking like an angel or else, it would be harder for me to let go." I joked but my voice sounding a little bit strained and forced. She didn't respond. She just looked straight at me, I couldn't see anything else but sadness in her eyes.

"How do I let you go, America?" I suddenly asked, not realizing that tears were already falling down my face. "Please, tell me." I cried out, my shoulders shaking.

"I can't answer that, Maxon. I can't also seem to let you go." She replied, almost like a whisper.

"Then we don't." I concluded.

She looked at me and shook her head. "I hope it was that easy."

"Maybe it can be." I said rather too optimistically.

She looked thoughtfully and then shrugged. "Maybe… but not in this lifetime, Maxon."

We were silent again. The room somehow feeling emptier than before.

"I—I love you. I just want to let you know that." I blurted out. I was afraid that if I didn't say these words I would never able to say it again.

Her eyes widened and then she chuckled. "I remember how hard it was to say those words in the past but now we can't help but say them."

"Yeah." I looked up the ceiling fan and recalled all those times that I was about to say those 3 words but didn't, because I was too afraid. Afraid that it would scare her. Afraid that she would reject me; that she only wanted nothing more than friends from me. If I had said it only sooner then things might have been different.

"Maxon." I heard her say, her voice trembling a little bit. I looked at her and waited for her to continue.

"Can I ask something from you?" She said nervously.

"Anything, America. Anything." And I meant it. I'd give the entire world if she told me so.

"I want—uhm... nevermind." She backed out and shrugged. Her face somehow looked flushed. She tried to leave the bed but I pulled her down.

"Tell me, America. Please?" I plead.

She covered her face with her hands and then looked at me again. She pursed her lips as if trying to master the will to tell me. Her actions made me more determined to know what it was.

"You're not going to let me go, if I didn't tell you, am I right?" She asked, her voice shaking.

I shook my head and looked straight at her again.

"I—I want you to be my first." She quickly said and then covered her very red face. It took me a few seconds to understand what she meant. I blushed furiously. "Forget about what I just said." She sighed and then tried standing up again but just like earlier, I pulled her down.

"America, look at me." And she did. I kissed her faintly and smiled. "Me also."

Note: I'll still keep this story rated T. So don't expect you-know-what scenes. :)))