The Second Choice | COMPLETED

Alternate Ending - Chapter 15

Hello! It's me! So, we reached 19.9k so I decided it would be alright to post so here is the promised alternate ending. You might recognize the beginning, because it is the same, but it'll change quickly, so don't worry. Enjoy!

It was about four weeks later and we were boarding a humongous, white cruise ship named the Amberly to set sail to the Bahamas. I was sure anyone could guess who the boat was named after. Kriss was holding Kriston in the crook of her arm, the other looped through my own. The sun was shining and I could tell, it was going to be a good day. There were about ten guards and five staff members boarding with us, two maids, a butler and two chefs. I had only requested the aid of one maid but eventually had been swayed to let them all aboard. It wasn't that I didn't want the help, it just wasn't always necessary and I didn't want anyone to do something they didn't want to do. However, America had somehow managed to find a place as one of the maids that would help out on the boat. She had fully awaken about three weeks ago and despite the many protests from Marlee and the others, she had gone straight to work. She hadn't spoken to be though. I guess I understood. So I managed to spend a lot more time with my family, and especially Kriss.

"Maxon?" Kriss hummed as she set down one of her bags that she had insisted on carrying.

"Yes, darling?" I replied, kissing her cheek.

"Isn't this wonderful?" She sighed dreamily and I chuckled.

"It really is, my love." Kriss smiled at me, and it was a wonderful, beautiful smile that could light up the world.

We set sail at noon, the ship pulling away from the dock. Kriss, Kriston and I spent the day, mostly on the top deck. It was a wonderful day.

Evening fell, and while Kriss was putting Kriston to sleep, I had decided to change into nightclothes. It was when I had just finished that I heard a loud, horrifyingly familiar bang and an even more terrifying scream. I threw open the closet door, to see a guard, fully dressed in uniform, laying on the ground, a spot of blood rapidly growing on his chest. A second scream erupted from Kriss as I hear another shot let loose. My eyes widened and I was frozen. I was too slow and too late. No. Please, no.

I watched as she fell to her knees, grasping at the wound in her chest. I rushed forward and there was so much blood.

"Please, Kriss, don't leave me. Please don't leave me." Tears began to stream from my eyes. I felt her fingers slip between mine. And in that very moment, she smiled at me.

"I love you." She whispered, her voice so quiet I could barely hear. Her face, the beautiful face that I had grown to love was paling and I knew, god, I wish I didn't, but I knew she didn't have long.

"I love you too." I took in a shuddering breath.

"As much as the sun, loved the moon." Her voice murmured. I recognized it, if was part of a bedtime story she often told Kriston.

"So much, that every night, he would die." I continued, pressing my forehead to hers. She was taking rapid breaths now but she kept going. Of course she did. She was never a quitter.

"Just so she could breathe. I-I know you love her. America. Go. Find her. For me. I just-" She took a deep breath.

"Be happy." She whispered. I blinked back tears but they slipped through my poorly built walls.

"Go. Save her. Love her." Kriss managed to tug a small smile onto her lips and in that very moment, I knew I had to go. I kissed her. Just one last time. Her fingertips grazed my cheek lightly, a whisper of a touch. And her eyes closed. Something pulled at my chest, the ache spreading throughout my entire body. I grabbed Kriston and I ran. Quietly, I slipped past rooms, until I saw a fiery wisp of hair. Stupidly, I cried out.

"America!" The figure turned around. It wasn't her. Fear seized me and as the person took out a gun, I heard a crack. Someone else had whipped the butt of a gun across the rebel's forehead. It was America. America.

I darted forward, still holding Kriston in the crook of my arm. He was whimpering. I kissed his forehead.

"You'll be alright. I won't lose you too." I murmured before I reached America and grabbed her hand.

"We have to go." I pulled her through a hidden door. Ridiculous, for a boat but useful for ours.

"Wh-where's Kr-her highness?" Her voice was high pitched and shaky. I shook my head and her face paled.

"Maxon." She whispered. I just shook my head again and she went silent.

"This way." I urged, turning at a fork in the narrow tunnels. I'd never used these once in my entire life, but I had them memorized nonetheless.

"Everyone else, Jessie, Gage, Kishan-" America took a shuddering breath.

"Gone."

I recognized the names as the second maid, the butler and one of the chefs. 

"What about Marina?" She was the second chef that had boarded with us. A small noise escaped America's lips.

"She was the one who let them in." Realization dawned on me. Marina was a rebel. And she had helped murder Kriss. She'd murdered innocents. A wave of rage swept through me but I didn't have the time to dwell on it anymore. We had to get a life boat. We had to go.

Finally, we reached the small hatch that lead to a lifeboat attached to the side of the ship. America climbed up first. I passed Kriston to her before climbing up the rope ladder too. Checking the stock quickly, I found we had plenty of water, food and enough fuel to help us reach land. We were off in seconds.

A cry of relief tumbled from my lips, before it turned into a sob. I'd lost her. I had grown to love Kriss, her kindness, her gentleness. Everything. And she'd been torn away from me so quickly. If you were to ask me, I would still say I loved America but Kriss had been there for me since day one. I could never forget that, forget her. America wrapped an arm around me.

"It'll be okay. You'll be alright." She whispered, over and over again.

I learned then that the universe had a plan for us all, and when it was time, it would be revealed. We would only have be patient.  One day, our destiny would find us. Until then, we wait.

Thanks for sticking around :)