Hello, readers! Answers to the comments I receive are below...

Guest Review:

"I love it, but the reveal at the end was the best!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thank you for reviewing! I really do like ending my chapters dramatically.

Virtue01 Review:

"Love the chapter now they are on their honeymoon in New Zealand. I have always wanted to go that country because I love mountains hearing America described the view, it is something I will try to do. Thank you for the update and choosing such a lovely site for the honeymoon."

WriterQueen123 Response:

I'm so glad you like the place I chose for Maxon and America's honeymoon! I wanted to go somewhere special but where I had visited so I would know the feel of it. Thank you for the continued support!

Littlesunshine123 Review:

"I love your writing! It's amazing how you use clever words to form a storyline, and how well you know the actual books to add in into this fanfiction! I love how you used America at the end as her name, and as the place! LOVE THE STORY! Keep it up! And plss update soon!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Your kind words mean the world to me. Thank you so much and I will definitely keep it up!

bja133 Review:

"New Zealand. Is it still New Zealand in this future? a kingdom, a democracy, a primitive island run by clans?"

WriterQueen123 Response:

That's a great point. Actually, I've decided to keep New Zealand as it is now, a parliamentary democracy under constitutional monarchy. I don't know much about their politics so I'm not really going to get into that. However, I purposely decided to keep the name "New Zealand" so that readers wouldn't be confused about what I was talking about if I completely changed the name. Thank you for reviewing!

xoxowb4ever Review:

"Gahhhh i love this! Can't wait for the next chapter!

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thanks for the enthusiasm! I'm so glad you're enjoying the book.

Thank you to all who have expressed themselves in the comments and consistently read my book. I appreciate it so much! I hope you enjoy the following chapter. Don't question the reality of this too much - I really wanted this storyline even if it doesn't make complete sense.

By the way, the tunnels I refer to in this chapter are actually real. There are underground caves from hundreds of years ago that I've actually explored in New Zealand, so that's where the inspiration for this plot came from.

I chose to wear a light dress with flowers painted in pastel colors that my maids had packed. Maxon dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. I loved seeing him so carefree and normal - both of us were relaxed because we weren't close to the main cities of New Zealand and nobody around would recognize us.

I fried some eggs in the cozy kitchen on the primary floor of our house while Maxon struggled with the toaster.

"Just stick the bread in the two slots," I laughed at my husband's third attempt to make toast.

"You mustn't forget I've never done this before," Maxon sighed, but the smile in his eyes told me he wasn't annoyed at all. After expertly flipping the last egg and sticking them on a plate, I wrapped my arms around Maxon from behind and took his hands holding the bread in mine.

"You've had the toaster set way too high the whole time!" I giggled. "That's why it always burns." I gently led his hands toward the meter and dialed the temperature down.

"So that's why," he shook his head and slipped the bread in.

After a nice, comfortable breakfast, Maxon and I decided to go out and explore the area. I slid my hand in his soft, warm one as we walked out the front door.

"Where are we going?" I asked Maxon curiously, gazing up to his twinkling eyes.

"To the tunnels. Thousands of years ago, underground caves were dug around New Zealand. I've researched them and thought it would be a fun place for an adventure."

"Sounds amazing!" I agreed contentedly.

After a short walk around a hill, we arrived at the entrance to the tunnels. I could see a maze of dark passages under the little hill.

"Here it is," Maxon announced.

"Where will we get out?" I asked nervously.

"The walls are marked with small white stickers. Whenever we find one, we'll know we're on the right track to go out. I think it'll take about an hour to go all the way through, and there are multiple natural exits."

"Are you carrying a lantern?"

Maxon pulled out a small flashlight that was half the size of his hand. "This has a really strong beam. Don't worry, Ames."

"Okay. Let's go," I said bravely, pushing away the fear of getting lost in the back of my head.

Maxon and I wandered around for about ten minutes, holding hands tightly as we toured the caves.

"I can't believe people were able to create caves with such simple tools," I marveled. We passed through a particularly tight spot and Maxon, clasping my hand, followed me through single-file.

"This really is amazing," Maxon agreed wholeheartedly, shining the flashlight on the fifth white mark we had passed. After a few more minutes, we came across a fork. There were three paths that we could choose to take.

"Which one?" I questioned.

"Whichever you want," Maxon replied. "They all lead out." I chose the middle path, hoping it really did lead outside. Out of nowhere, I heard a moan.

"Did you hear that, Maxon?" I asked anxiously. It sounded like it was coming from behind us.

"I didn't hear anything," Maxon said, but he gripped my hand tighter as we moved on. After a few more seconds of tense silence, I heard another faint groan.

"You must have heard that," I said desperately.

"I did," he said lightly, pointing his flashlight around us. "I think it's just the sound of our breath and footsteps bouncing around the caves. The natural echoes make everything louder," Maxon reassured me.

"If you say so," I said doubtfully. Really, I was worried that a Southern Rebel would jump out and kill us, or Hunter Bersole would be lurking around the corner.

I almost ran into the wall in the middle when we came to a two-way split, releasing Maxon's hand to shield myself.

"Which way?" Maxon asked me. I nodded towards the one on the right and started down the path.

"Why did you turn off your flashlight, Maxon? We need it on," I said.

My request was met by silence.

"Maxon?" I whipped around frantically and reached my arms out to him, but my husband wasn't around. "MAXON!" I screamed, my voice thundering around the caves.

I began to run back to where I came from, when I abruptly tripped on a roof and fell forward, the wind knocked out of me. "Maxon," I croaked as I regained myself and stood up, my skin burning where it had been scraped.

I heard the moan again, magnified by the caves. My mind imagined that it was Hunter Bersole, here to get me once and for all. Or were these moans the sounds of Maxon's pain?

I continued down the path, pushing away my dreadful thoughts and hobbling as quickly as I could but feeling disoriented. Shouldn't I be at the split by now? I wished I had been carrying a watch. This was a disaster.

"MAXON! WHERE ARE YOU?" I yelled as loudly as I could. Suddenly, I could hear another echo. Was that Maxon's voice?

"America!" Maxon responded faintly. He sounded so far away.

"MAXON!" I shouted, tears threatening to spill from my eyes. "IT'S AMERICA!" I began to run again, motivated by Maxon's voice.

"America! America!" I heard Maxon again, and he sounded slightly closer. Finally, I came to the split again. I couldn't see anything, but I could feel the walls. However, I was really confused. If I was coming from the tunnel on the right, which was the one on the left that Maxon had gone through? There were two possible tunnels and I couldn't bear the thought of going down the wrong one, especially blind.

Sighing in defeat, I curled up on the cold ground in the middle of the fork, crying softly. Why did the world seem to make everything go wrong between Maxon and I? Why couldn't we just have a nice date and stick together through all the tunnels?

My tears turned from sorrow to frustration. I couldn't just sit here moping around. I was going to return to Maxon.

"MAXON!" I screamed again, desperate to find him. I leaned into each tunnel, calling his name until my voice cracked.

"AMERICA!" Maxon yelled from much closer than before. "AMERICA! I'M CLOSE!" he promised, and I could hear the fear in his voice. I heard it coming from the tunnel I was facing and I broke off running towards it.

"MAXON!" I was startled by a strong beam of light, and jumped back before I realized it was Maxon. "Maxon," I sobbed, running into his arms. "Maxon."

"America, you're safe," he murmured into my hair, hugging me tightly.

"I was terrified," I whispered hoarsely.

"We're safe and together," Maxon repeated calmingly, stroking my hair until my heartbeat slowed. I could feel his own heart racing until we both relaxed.

"I thought I'd lose you forever. How did that happen?" I asked shakily, looping my arm in his and slowly walking down the tunnel, hoping to escape already.

"I'm so sorry, Ames. I thought you started down the left path, so I followed you down, but then you weren't there. I'm so glad you're okay."

"I had nodded towards the right tunnel, but I guess I forgot that you couldn't see me." I leaned my head against his shoulder as we trekked forward but squealed as my scrape rubbed against Maxon's arm.

"What's wrong, America?" Maxon asked, concerned. He directed the light at my face, gasping when he saw my cuts. "Darling, you're all scratched up."

"I'm alright," I said, my voice quivering slightly. "Let's move on."

He pulled me back gently. "How did you get these?" Maxon asked, caressing my face around the cuts.

"Without a flashlight, I tripped," I explained reluctantly, a blush rising to my cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Ames. That really gave me a scare as well." Maxon wrapped his arms around me and we kissed tenderly. A warm, fuzzy feeling spread through my body and the cool, damp air of the tunnels escaped my senses.

"Let's go home," Maxon smiled as we came apart.

"Together," I agreed.