I'm sorry this is so behind. I hope you like the story! Also, I plan on writing one long story for the month of Decmeber. I'm not sure what fandom I should write it in, so let me know if you have any thoughts. I have a google form link on my tumblr if you want to respond that way! Otherwise let me know in a review!
-owl

America sighed softly as she closed the door behind her. She had just finished putting Kaden to bed after the Halloween ball. Maxon had offered to put the twins down, which was normally a very long process, but they were both tired from the ball and America could not imagine that it would take too much to get them to sleep this time.

America turned down the hall to return to the ball. She had only allowed herself a few minutes to put the kids to bed before she had to return anyway. Just as she was passing Eadlyn's bedroom, Maxon exited it and carefully closed the door behind him.

"Did they go down ok?" America asked her husband as they fell in step with each other.

He nodded. "Yeah, Ahren did, he was asleep two seconds after being tucked in. Eadlyn, though, I had to promise her she was indeed scary nearly five times before she would let me even say goodnight, let alone tuck her in. However, I do think that the ball really tired them out. Are you ready to go back?"

America nodded and they walked in companionable silence until they reached the ball room. When they entered the room, she looked at the clock. It was already 8:30 PM, which surprised her.

There were less people in the room now, as a lot of parents had left to put their children to bed, Marlee and Carter Woodwork in particular. The French queen was similarly absent from the room. Some others had most likely left because they themselves were tired. May and Gerad were still there, though, talking to Aspen and Lucy.

Maxon broke away from her to talk to his aunt and cousins, leaving America to continue towards the group May was part of. As she joined the group, May pulled her in for a hug.

"I know I already said it, Ames, but thank you for letting me have this dress!" She exclaimed.

America smiled slightly. "I don't fit into it anyway, May."

"I thought that her dress looked familiar," Aspen commented as Lucy laughed at him.

She shook her head. "I could have told you that! Seeing as I was one of the people to have made it!"

Aspen had the grace to look ashamed that he had not recognized the work of his wife. "Sorry, Lucy."

Lucy shook her head again with a smile on her face. "It's ok. Who made your and Maxon's costumes, America?" she asked then, turning to America.

"I think it was just the people in the workroom, no one specific," she answered, looking down at her dress. She and Maxon had decided to go as a pair of pirates. Him in a very similar costume to the one he had worn at the Halloween party during the Selection. And her in a plain, loose, gray-blue gown with a black pirate-y vest and a pirate's hat on her head.

"You look very nice, America," Lucy commented.

"What was Eadlyn dressed as, that she was so worried people were calling her cute instead of scary?" Gerad asked. "We'd noticed her correcting other people around us, so we made sure to say she was terrifying."

America sighed. "She was going as a ghostly queen, that's why she had her face painted and why she was in shades of silver and white."

"I would have thought she and Ahren would've been wearing matching costumes," Gerad put in.

America shook her head with a laugh. "Eadlyn adamantly refused to have anything to do with a matching costume. Ahren was kind enough to offer to pair off with Kaden."

"In a way their costumes could be seen as a whole story," said Aspen. "The dragon killed the queen, so the knight had to capture the dragon." The only response he was given was blank looks, so he tried to defend himself. "It's not like I'm insinuating that Ahren killed Eadlyn, it was just a way of having all three costumes be a group."

They all shook their heads at him and Lucy grabbed his hand.

"I think it's time for us to return to our room now, anyway. Aspen may be able to see why we're all so annoyed."

America nodded and watched the couple leave the room together, then she turned to May and Gerad. "I know I sent both Kota and Kenna invitations to the ball. Kenna responded that Asta is sick, and that she wouldn't be here. Have you heard anything from Kota, though?"

May shook her head. "I've barely spoken to him since Dad's funeral, to be honest."

"He told me to pass along his regards, but he was too busy with his art to come," Gerad offered. "He came by my house a week ago."

"I would have thought that he would've made an effort to come to the palace with an invitation, even if only to promote his sculptures," America responded.

"Did you invite Mom?" May asked.

America nodded. "Yeah, but she said she had been asked to sing at someone else's party tonight, she didn't want to disappoint them."

"Oh."

All the guests had finally left, back to their rooms to go to bed. The only light was the gleam of the full moon through the windows. It was midnight, and the guards were on shift or asleep. America and Maxon were as alone as they could be in the palace.

"We haven't had time to dance together yet, My Dear," Maxon said as he took his wife's hand gently.

"Haven't we had a discussion about calling me your dear?" America grinned and asked playfully. Letting him lead her out onto the ballroom floor. There was no music for them to dance to, but they didn't need to, they were together, dancing in the dark.

"It's like the time we were dancing in the rain," America giggled. "No music, no one around us."

Maxon smiled at her. "Anytime dancing with you is the highlight of my day, my dear."