My Hero- A Selection Fanfiction

Chapter 7

After the burial, Amberly organized a luncheon for special guests. She instructed me to go change into my lunch outfit, and then left me to myself. She could tell that I needed a little alone time.

I was surprised to find the guard on duty outside my door was Aspen. He smiles encouragingly at me as I walk up to the door. "You did a wonderful job today Mer. Maxon would not have been prouder." he says. I'm touched. "Thank you Aspen. You know how much that means to me." I'm about to open the door when Aspen touches my arm. "America, I want you to know..." but he doesn't get to finish, because the rebel alarms are blaring.

Aspen pushes me toward the safe room door and shoves me in. I run down the stairs. Gerad is already there, curled on a top of a cot in the corner. I go and wrap my arms around him when I hear the door open again. It's Amberly. No one else follows. Where is May?

"They're attacking us on our weakest day. These rebels are the lowest people that exist..." Amberly scowls. I've never seen her angry, but she looks infuriated now.

"This is a disgrace to Maxon's honor, Clarkson's honor, and such a depressing situation for our lovely guest..." The safe room door opens and a line of guests stream through. Still no May.

"Everyone, please have a seat. These attacks are normally close to an hour, so make yourselves comfortable. Please sit with your families and alert me if any of your family members are not here yet." Amberly says. How could that newspaper ever think she was unstable? Amberly is the strongest person I know. Even the death of her family does not bring her down.

The door to the safe room swings open once more. This time I can hear shots being fired down the hallway, but my fright quickly melts away when I see my little sister standing in the doorway. She looks a little shaken, but otherwise unharmed. I smile warmly at her. She must be so scared, but she is strong as she walks over to me. I squeeze her so tight. "Ames..." she wheezes. "Can't. Breathe." "Whoops." I say. "Sorry May, I was just so worried about you." "As was I." says Amberly as she glides quickly over to us. "You are my children now, and I don't know what I would have done is I had lost one of you as well." she smiles tightly and moves on to check on the other guests in the room.

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The rebel attack lasted 2 hours. Afterward Amberly served the luncheon for dinner and sent us all to bed saying, "It was such a hazardous afternoon, we all need some rest." I gladly climbed up the stairs and let my maids prepare me for bed, then I go to the room next door and make sure May is going to get to sleep okay. I open her door and find her sprawled across her bed in her dinner dress, already asleep. I pull a blanket over her and leave her to her dreams.

I walk down the hall to Gerad's room. He is sitting in bed, pajamas on and reading a book on insects. "Hiya sis!" says Gerad as he waves. I smile. "Are you alright Gerad, I know that rebel attacks can be very scary." "I'm fine Ames. Aspen saved me. He's the best." "He is isn't he..." I trailed off, to me there was someone better.

"Are you and Aspen going to get married now?" asks Gerad loudly. I blush furiously, and then I see Aspen standing in the doorway. I blush even harder. "No Gerad. Not anytime soon..." Aspen says. He winks at me and tucks the covers up to Gerad's shoulders. "Goodnight Gerad." we say in unison. I smile and let Aspen lead me out the door.

"You said you wanted me to know something?" I say when we reach my room. "Yes..." he says. "Something very important, in fact.""Mer" he says, "I'm going home next week." I gasp. I need him here. Aspen has been the friend holding me together these past few days. I don't know what I'll do without him. " They said my work during the rebel attack was so honorable and heroic that they want me as captain of the guard. They want me to take a week off, and go home and bring my family up here." I breathe a sign of pure relief. Aspen was not leaving, not for a long time. "Aspen that's amazing! Now we will both be working here!"

It was then that it occurred to me that I hadn't told Aspen about Amberly adopting me. I could tell by that strange look he was giving me. He takes me by the shoulders and sits me down on the near by bench. He had the look on his face that told me he was going to have to scold me, but he really didn't want to. He always treats me so fragile these days. I wonder what he will say.

"America, I know you are going through a really hard time right now and you feel like you need to be here, but don't you think it's time to go home to Carolina? What do you have tying you down here?" He looks at me so sincerely that I can't help but let out a giggle. "What? What'd I say?" he looks so confused that I laugh even harder. "...it's ...nothing ...Aspen ...just ...nothing." I calm myself just long enough to say, "I'll consider going home. Thanks Aspen." He'll just have to find out with everyone else.

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Aspen left the very next day. I waved to him as his car drove away and then went back inside. He'd be back in a week with his mother, sisters, and brothers, and I couldn't be more happy to see them again. It would be nice to have some people from home here so that I could get used to making this palace my home.

Breakfast was a happy affair. It was only Amberly and my siblings, and it was fun just to be in each other's company. May had taken a particular interest in tiaras since living in the palace, and Amberly shared all she could remember about getting her first tiaras made. Gerad had had a science lesson the day before, and he couldn't stop talking about . Amberly recommended a good soccer team in Angeles, and Gerad couldn't stop smiling.

"Thank you so much your, err, mom," I said, stumbling over the unfamiliar words. Amberly only beamed.

"I'm so happy to have you as my children. I can't wait to make it official on tonight's report!" She then scurried away on to preparations and plans for the report no doubt. I headed off to find my maids. To get me ready.