United As The Ten- Part One Of The Conclusion To The United Series

Chapter Twelve

Hazel's POV:

We sail the Argo ll towards Chicago, hopefully where Max will be. Hopefully everyone's there and safe, that the battle is won and over before we get there.

I take a glance at Leo, who still looks excited and nervous at the same time as he steers the Argo ll, hopefully to reunite him with the love of his life.

-Time Skip Brought to you by Reyna's Metal Doges-

We make it to Chicago before we know it. The Argo ll is a fast warship, I'll say that. The battle is almost over, the two Mogadorian skimmers rapidly retreating. I wonder what made them retreat so quickly.

Leo lands the Argo ll on the roof of the John Hancock (just barely making room) and quickly jumps off, sprinting to the 100th floor. He's so anxious to see Max it's actually heart-warming.

Hopefully he'll find what he's looking for.

Leo's POV:

I want to see Max. I need to see Max. I need to hold her in my arms and never let her go. I need to kiss her, hug her, and show her how much I love her.

I jump down to the 100th floor, looking around. Barely anybody's hurt and whoever is hurt is getting healed by John and Marina. I frantically look around. Everyone hears me coming down the steps and Nine smirks at me. He obviously knows I want to see Max. Is she here? If so, then where is she?

I rush up to Nine and stare him in the eye. "Where's Max? Is she here?" I ask him frantically. He gives me a small smirk before I feel someone softly grab my hand from behind.

"Looking for something?" A soft voice asks me. I turn around and Max is smiling happily at me. I gasp and wrap my arms around her waist, lifting her up and spinning her in the air. She laughs and hugs me the moment I put her down. I squeeze her tightly and she looks deeply into my eyes.

I don't hesitate. I lean in and softly place my lips on hers. She automatically kisses me back, cupping my face with her warm hands. Adam and Eight holler at us and Nine shouts at us to get a room, which makes Max and I laugh and we break from our kiss, but I can't stop staring into her green eyes.

"Oh, Max, I have something for you," I whisper to her then reach into my tool belt. Max looks confused until I pull out her sapphire. Max lightly gasps and grabs the sapphire from my hand, then examines it for a few seconds before giving it back to me.

I furrow my eyebrows and Max looks up at me. "I want you to keep it. To show how much I love you, though this doesn't even begin to show it," Max whispers to me, her face just inches away from mine.

"But Max, you-" I start but Max cuts me off.

"I love you. That's all I need," Max replies and I can't believe I'm dating her. I'm actually dating this beautiful, way out-of-my-league girl. I can't believe she acknowledged me, that she fell in love with me.

But why me?

"Max, why did you fall in love with me?" I ask Max, who smiles warmly at me.

"Well, loving you wasn't exactly my choice, was it?" She replies with and I chuckle.

"No, I mean, why did you say yes when I asked you to date me?"

"Because you are the most amazing guy I've ever met. Any girl would be so lucky to have you," Max answers. I smile, staring deeply into her bright, dazzling eyes.

"So...you consider yourself lucky?" I question her. Max gives me a soft kiss on my forehead, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Very."

I lightly press my forehead against hers, keeping myself as close to her as possible. I never want to let her go.

Max looks around the room, not letting go of me- though I'm more than okay with that- and her smile fades. She looks troubled.

"Max, what's wrong?" I ask her. Seeing her upset and troubled kills me on the inside.

"Where's Ella?" Max wonders aloud, still scanning the room a little frantically. I look around with her and I don't see the small Loric anywhere.

Max breaks away from me then stands on the coffee table in the middle of the living room, just like Percy did when she went missing. Like brother-like sister

"Everyone! Where's Ella?!" Max calls out to everyone. Everybody immediately starts looking around, muttering worriedly.

"She's gone. We have to get her," Marina tells Max. Max nods her head in agreement then jumps off the coffee table and sprints to the roof of the John Hancock. She knows the Mogadorians have Ella and she wants to look for her. She's automatically stopped by Percy, who grabs her wrist and forces Max to look at him. Max brightens when she sees her brother again and wraps him in a huge bear hug, but it doesn't last long. When Max and Percy break from their hug, Percy looks Max in the eye pleadingly.

"Max, you just got back. I barely got to see you, you can't just go," Percy begs to Max, giving her sad, baby seal eyes.

"Percy, Ella's in trouble and I need to help her," Max argues then rips herself away from Percy's grip and runs to the roof. Jason follows closely behind her and I know he's going with her, just in case she loses her legacies and Jason has to fly her out. I don't follow after her, seeing that they'll need more room for Ella.

I just hope they make it back safely.

Max's POV:

"Do you see it anywhere?" I ask Jason, scanning the horizon for any signs of the skimmers that attacked us. Jason shakes his head, also looking around for the ships.

"Guys!" I hear someone call to us from behind. I turn around and see Leo sprinting to Jason and I, looking worried and frantic.

"On the news, the Anubis is over New York, and that Setrákus Freak walked out on a stage," Leo informs us and I'm not sure what he's getting at, but his next sentence sends a ball of rage hurling at me. "With Ella next to him."

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