Hello!

Virtue01 Review:

"Excellent chapter I love that she took the bullet for Maxon now they both have the same scar. Happy that they made up and Marlee, Carter and the twins are safe. Can't wait for Maxon to deal with his cousin. Thanks for the update."

"Sorry I forgot comment on the reviews comments. I personally think that you continue to respond to your readers comments. I like to see my comment and your response and I am sure others do too. It shows that you care about you readers thank you."

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thank you so much for your consistent support and answering my question about review responses! I'm glad that you like them, and I'm going to continue writing them.

Lesliesan Review:

"Is she preggers...?"

"Anyone else want an episode where America's on her period and she's all moody but Maxon doesn't know what a period is and he freaks when he see blood in their bathroom but America is just like 'oh its that time of the month' and he's really confused until someone explains to him what a period is... no just me okay..."

WriterQueen123 Response:

The period idea is so funny! I might have to do that ahahaha. Also, you probably already read further, but America isn't pregnant in the chapter in which she has a nightmare - just sick. Thank you so much for commenting!

Leslie Review:

"I love the comment section at the top! I really like knowing that you take the time to respond to the comments, not to mention the fact that you even accept some of the ideas in you writting! Oh and I absolutely LOVE this fan fiction keep up the good work!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thank you for your thoughtful review! I'm so happy that you like the comments section and are enjoying the story!

BlissfulBillie Review:

"Awwwwww, got to love a good pair. Bullet for bullet! Thanks for the great chapter!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Yes! Maxon and America are the cutest. Thank you for commenting!

Sarah the Selection-addict Review:

"Didn't Anne die in the rebel attack in the last chapters on The One?"

"Your story is amazing! I love reading it! And I like the way you changed the plot a little (Anne's death) :). I'm very excited to continue reading!"

"Awhhh what a cute ending! I'm not exaggerating when I say this is as good as Kiera Cass' version, seriously. Although sometimes the cliffhangers really wreck me, I really love your story."

WriterQueen123 Response:

I'm so glad you liked my little plot twist! It means the world to me that you think I could be on the same level as Kiera Cass! Thank you for your support.

Guest Review:

"Oh my gosh! They are so cute! Thank goodness everyone is okay! Thank you so much for doing this for us. You are such a talented writer! Please update as soon as you can! I hope you and your family are safe and well. Thanks again!"

Maxerica Review:

"Please update! I love this story!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thank you for the enthusiasm! I do my best.

WriterQueen123:

Your welcome! It's become a lot harder for me to make time to write and update during these times (surprisingly), so I really appreciate your support. I hope you and yours are staying safe too!

Anandita Review:

"OMGGGGG HOWWWWWW R U SUCH AMAZING WRITTER i litterly CRIED during some parts of this fanfic. You don't understand how much your writting makes me happy:)"

"Ohh yayyy they made up im so happy and lets take a moment to apreciate your WRITTING SKILLS AND FOR YOUR AGE? My goodness im 12 and absolutly love love LOVE The Selection. I think you have captured the esence of the charectors so well! Have fun writting and thank you for writting as well. Love from Virginia 3"

WriterQueen123 Response:

You are the sweetest! You have no idea how much is warms my heart to read your supportive comments. I'm so glad that I could make you cry! (haha) Thank you for your kindness, and I hope I can continue to deliver!

Guest Review:

"Please keep the reviews! They are so much fun to read before the real story beings! I bet you have a lot of time to write during quarantine! Keep writing!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thank you for the sweet message! I'm so glad you like the review responses. By the way, I literally have so much less time to write during quarantine! After being on screens for super vigorous online school all day and getting horrible headaches, it's really hard for me to get back to it and write another chapter. Anyway, I'm so glad to have your support and hopefully I'll be able to keep going strong!

Thank you for your super sweet comments! You are all so kind - the best readers I could ever hope for. I hope you enjoy!

Hours passed, and Maxon and I still hadn't been able to leave the safe room. The pain medication he'd given me was wearing off quickly, and my shoulder was burning.

"Do you need me to put a new bandage on that?" he offered, noticing me wince when I sat up in the cot.

"It's fine, Maxon," I brushed it off. "Don't worry about it."

Maxon chuckled knowingly and stood up to get the First Aid kit anyway. "Oh, America."

I rolled my eyes, biting the inside of my lip as the pain heightened. He returned with the kit and sat next to me.

"Here," Maxon handed me the pain medication, which I swallowed with some water. "It's going to hurt, okay?" he warned me. "You were unconscious last time, but putting the ointment and bandage on is not going to be easy."

"I can handle it," I reassured him. I tried to smile, but my bottom lip trembled. Maxon's eyes softened, and he brushed his lips across mine.

"Ready?" he asked, locking his gaze onto mine. I nodded weakly. Maxon removed the old bandage efficiently, but pain still tore across my arm when it was lifted off. When I saw my shoulder, I let out a horrified cry. A deep hole was surrounded with blood and torn up skin; my pale shoulder looked like it had been chewed up by a rabid animal.

"Oh my...," I whispered, taking in quick, strangled breaths.

Maxon briefly closed his eyes, too. "Don't look, baby, don't look," he said with a pained expression, rubbing my back. I pursed my lips tightly as Maxon reapplied the ointment as gently as he could. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he repeated, tormented by my own agony. Finally, he wrapped a new bandage around my arm and sealed it with a faint kiss.

"Thanks for taking care of it," I murmured, finally releasing the breath I'd been holding.

"Don't thank me!" he yelled. Maxon angrily threw his fists down on the cot so hard that I jumped, surprised, landing against my bad shoulder with a pained cry. Maxon gasped and quickly helped right me. "Oh my God. What is wrong with me?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before continuing softly. "It's not your fault, Maxon."

"What do you mean? I just dressed a wound you got protecting me! Everything is my fault! Every stupid, messed up thing in this country is my fault."

"No, it's not." I gently nudged his chin toward me, waiting until his distressed gaze met mine. "There are unkind people out there. You'd know better than anyone. It doesn't matter what kind of rebels these were or who was working with them." I'd told Maxon about Lady Dominique earlier. "We're going to get attacked no matter what. This isn't the last danger that we're going to face."

"Exactly. And I haven't been able to protect you. Twice you've been hurt by a rebel!"

"And twice I've gotten through it, Maxon!" I raised my voice desperately. "What I'm trying to say is that we're never going to be safe. You can get as many guards as you want and still have loopholes in the security."

"Believe me, I know," Maxon muttered, glancing at my bandaged arm and quickly looking away.

"So we can't waste our time on it! Our security isn't perfect, but it's pretty close. Do you really want to spend the next months interviewing everyone in the palace, searching Lady Dominique, and creating a new system? We've improved since going through the work of background checks and lie detector tests, but nothing is flawless." My voice broke. "I just don't want to spend the time we've been given trying to protect something that will never be guaranteed."

Maxon looked like he wanted to argue, but he closed his mouth and sighed. "I know you're right. I'm so, so sorry for my crazy outburst. I just...hate having so much power yet so little at the same time."

I kissed the tip of his nose. "Repeat after me," I giggled, earning a real smile from Maxon. "It's not my fault. Not what's happened to America nor the rebel attacks in general. I've done my best."

He rolled his eyes. "It's not my fault. Not what's happened to America nor the rebel attacks in general. I've done my best."

"There we go," I smiled. "And now we've got matching scars!" I bumped his left shoulder with my unharmed one.

"How fun," Maxon said sarcastically, chuckling.

"Let's have some real fun," I said in a dramatic, seductive tone that made us both burst out laughing.

"I'm up for it," Maxon said airily, pretending to fan himself with his untucked shirt so that I could get a glimpse of his abs. I pulled his face down to mine with my left hand, my lips tingling where he kissed me.

Maxon got settled next to me in the cot, careful not to disturb my right side. He gently pulled the neck of my shirt open wide and kissed along my neck and ears. Then he pulled up my left sleeve and slowly kissed as far down my arm he could reach. It made my breath hitch.

We laid together, our hearts beating the same rhythm, until the danger was over.