I'M SO SORRY THAT I HAVEN'T POSTED IN OVER A MONTH. THAT'S WAY TOO LONG, SO I APOLOGIZE. I'VE JUST BEEN SO BUSY WITH SCHOOL AND SWIM AND CLUBS AND OTHER WRITING AND DRAWING AND- I NEED TO LEARN TO SAY NO, HUH?

AMERICA

Through the next couple days, two things happened: we planned for Trapp's demise, and everyone's relations grew. By that, I mean everyone fell just a couple more steps in love. Maxon and I, T and Lucy.

"With my father gone, it is my duty to see Trapp dead!" Maxon said during one of our meetings with the captains and strategists.

"As the heir to the throne, you cannot risk bring caught or killed!" Sterling shot back.

Maxon looked over at me and bore his eyes into Sterling. "I'm not going to risk anyone else's life."

"But that's their job."

"No matter. He took too many things from me. He shall die by my hand," Maxon said stubbornly, crossing his arms.

"May I interject?" T asked, holding onto Lucy's arm as he looked down at a map.

"Certainly," I said.

"As I was previously a mole inside the Southern Base, I think I'd be of use in killing Trapp."

At this point, we were fairly certain that Trapp knew that T was on our side. I mean, he's been gone for almost... Two weeks? Three? The day I'd been kidnapped was so far off in the past...

"But what if you're killed?" Lucy said to T, worried.

I'm so happy for them. Lucy needed a new love, as did T, and they had finally found one in each other. Over the past few days since their meeting, they'd been spending almost every second they could together. Last night, I caught them kissing outside of Lucy's bedroom door. I just smiled and went to see Maxon. Despite the teasing I could have done, I might add.

"No matter. I have to do this."

I knew that killing Trapp was important to both Maxon and T. Trapp indirectly killed T's best friend, Teddy. But he also indirectly killed Maxon's father... Who abused Maxon... But he killed hundreds of people, Maxon's people. So...

"Maybe I could?" I proposed. If I could stop my boys from getting hurt, I would take any means necessary.

"No!" Maxon immediately shouted. "I'm not going to lose you again!"

My eyes nearly watered up. I loved him so much...

Love?! Yes, love.

"Neither of you are going out there," T said, motioning to Lucy and I.

"Perhaps I?" asked Kenai.

"No! None of you!" Maxon said, frustrated. "Well, maybe T, but..." he murmured.

"We'll do it together then," T said with an air of finality that even an angry woman could not sway.

"But- " Sterling interjected.

"No. It's settled. T and I shall use whatever means necessary to bring Trapp to his end," Maxon said, staring him straight in the face.

Sterling looked around the room, first at Maxon, then T, then Lucy, then Kenai, and finally me. "You- You can't be serious!" he said.

"Oh," said Maxon, "but I am."

"I'm going with you," I blurted.

"N- " Maxon started.

"If you want to kill Trapp, I'm coming with you. Or else."

"Or else what?" He thought I was bluffing? Hmph.

"Or else... I'll..." I looked around the room, hoping for something to use against him. I found Kenai. "I'll run away with Kenai!"

Maxon's face became ashen with literal fear. Kenai put his hands up defensively and said, "Leave me out of this."

"Fine. You can come," Maxon consented, "but you have to stay hidden and safe. No schemes or stunts, okay?"

I smiled. "Yes."

"I'm coming too!" shouted Lucy as we all started to leave the room.

"No, you can't, please, you might get hurt- " T started begging Lucy.

"I'm coming. I'm not risking you getting hurt," she said firmly.

T looked at the carpet in thought. It seemed as thought it really hurt him to let her go. My goodness, he is so in love...

"Fine. But you have to stay COMPLETELY safe. You and America both," he consented.

"Thank you," Lucy pecked T on the cheek. A crimson blush painted his cheeks and the beginnings of a goofy smile began to spread.

We all left the room. Maxon and I lingered, T and Lucy quickly passing us. Maxon looked at me sadly. I couldn't read much. Why would he be so sad?

"Please don't come," he asked. He came forward and wrapped his arms around my mid-back, his breath tickling my ear.

"Maxon," I said, hugging him back, "why are you so sad?"

He sighed. "When you were gone and thought dead, it was like the life had been sucked from the world. I was always so depressed. I was crying. I nearly went insane on a plane... Don't ask. The point is, I was devastated and at the point where I didn't feel like living. If... If that happened again-" he closed his eyes and started choking back sobs- "I don't ink I could live."

My grip on him tightened. "Oh, Maxon. I felt the same way when I thought you were dead. And that's why I'm going. To see to it that you're safe."

He buried his face in my shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered back.

"Please don't go. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't go to the Pentagon with me," he begged.

I looked in his eyes. His desperation was pouring out into water and that was leaking out of his eyes. I wiped at his eyes and said, "If it'll make you happy."

"Really?"

"Yepskerdoodles."

His lips crashed against mine, and his arms held me tighter than I thought possible. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Oh poor Maxon. Doesn't he know a woman's always got a loophole?