After my shower, I went straight to the leisure room to find all the bean bags and cushions all together in the middle of the room, with Leyton, Leandra, Charlotte and Jayden already sat comfortably.

Jayden's head snapped to my direction almost immediately and he began to sniff, his nose crumpling up like some kind of dog, "what's that smell?" he asked, his eyes almost narrowing to slits.

I shrugged and took a seat towards the end, "dunno. Coconut oil?"

He shook his head and tapped his chin in thought, "no..."

I shrugged again. I used the same unscented soap I had been using since I got down here, and my perfume ran out a long time ago. I didn't know what he was smelling, and no one else seemed to notice whatever it was.

Jayden leant across and once again sniffed, even more intense than before, "you," he waved a long finger at me, smirking, "smell like sex" he hissed. The emphasis on the last word, made me physically feel every muscle in my body tense up.

Charlotte flushed red and Leyton's eyes almost bulged out of his sockets at his brother's unwanted statement. My eyes flickered towards the three of them, before landing on Jayden, speechless.

Jayden burst out laughing, clutching his sides and slapping his thigh. Did my expression give it away, or was my silence?

"I-I do not!" I stammered, my body once again betrayed me. I couldn't even lie in peace!

"I know what sex smells like, and you reek of it!" He said through laughs and even Leandra was snickering a little.

"She and Alex can have sex. They're both adults, and married, might I add," Leyton blurted out.

"Of course. It's a completely natural thing to do," Charlotte added, her face still bright red as she avoided any and all eye contact with me and Jayden.

"How long did he last?" Jayden inquired, leaning forward some more and his lips curling up into a smirk.

I closed my eyes to avoid eye contact with the creasing Jayden and everyone else in the room, embarrassment clouding my anger.

Why was this so funny to him?

"I'm sure Alexander lasted a decent amount-"

"Stop talking about my sex!" I finally snapped, causing Jayden to collapse to the floor almost in tears, his piercing laughter echoing around the room.

Then it hit me what I said.

I sighed, completely giving in to my embarrassment and slammed my head in my hands. I felt hot all over and not the same kind of hot I felt less than an hour ago. That would be weird.

"You're embarrassing her!" Leandra was nearby and I think it was her hands on my shoulder. She tried to sound like she was holding back her laughter.

God.

I was livid.

Sure it was natural but not everyone needed to know!

My head shot up as soon as the door opened and closed again. Alexander stood there with bags of popcorn under his arms. His eyes locked with mine immediately and he flashed a small smile in my direction. Then, they left mine and scanned the room slowly, feeling everyone's stare directed at him. Moving like a sloth, he took a seat beside me, feeling the heavy tension in the air, sensing something was off.

When I glanced over at him, Jayden's grin grew and grew and his blue eyes twinkled in mischievousness, which only made my heart sink further and further. He was going to do something even worse than before. Something even more embarrassing. I knew it. I knew him.

I pleaded silently with the blue-eyed boy, begging him not to say anything that would embarrass me in front of Alexander. He wiggled his brows in response, ignoring the desperation in my eyes.

"What?" Alexander finally snapped over the silence of the room.

"How did it feel finally getting some gravy for your sausage?" Jayden finally asked, and if I could've snapped my own neck then and there I would've.

Alexander moved his head in an upwards motion, in a I-see-what-you're-talking-about way. "Felt great, thanks for asking." He answered chirpily, a grin on his face, as he passed the popcorn bags around.

"Oh my god, I hate all of you, you're all so embarrassing," I buried my head in my hands again, wishing I'd just dissolve into nothing.

Alexander pulled me in and snorted. "You want me to lie and say it was terrible? Say that I would've preferred no gravy?"

Everyone started laughing again, and when I peeped between my fingers, even Leyton and Charlotte appeared to be amused.

"Please, God, just kill me," I groaned out.

Alex laughed slightly, and then leaned in to whisper, "I love gravy."

I squealed and pushed him away, and he began laughing, as did everyone else, who obviously heard what he said clear as day. I never wanted to hear something like that again! If no one spoke to me or looked at me ever again, I'd die in peace.

"You're being so dramatic," Jayden commented while starting up the first movie. "Hope y'all like Marvel films because that's all we're watching."

Alexander planted a longing kiss on my forehead and pulled me in to cuddle. He felt a lot warmer than usual, and so did I from my earlier public humiliation, but I didn't mind. It was nice to do something so normal again.

*

At some point during the marathon, I drifted off, and when I arose, I was gently being placed in my bed.

"Aren't you going to change?" Alexander asked as he stood in the doorway. I nodded. "I'll go change too."

After changing as quickly as my tired body would allow me (which wasn't very fast), I slid into bed, with Alexander sliding in behind me promptly, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me close.

"Aren't you tired?" I questioned.

"How'd you know I'm not falling asleep?"

"Your breathing isn't slowing down."

He scoffed, "sounds exactly like something a murderer would say."

"Shut up," I murmured, my drowsiness returning promptly.

"I don't know if I'll be able to sleep. But you're tired and you need to rest."

"For what?"

He was silent for a second, "don't ask questions, just sleep."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered.

I smiled and drifted off quickly, knowing Alexander could function normally on little to no sleep every now and again, I, on the other hand, could not.

*

I woke from a peaceful sleep, on my back, on the edge of my bed, which was emptier than it was when I went to sleep. My alarm said it was only 6am, but Alexander was nowhere in sight and I didn't know how long he'd left the bed or where he was. But he wasn't here.

He was gone.

Did he actually leave or did he go back to his own room? He wasn't sleeping much these days, I noticed that but- usually, he didn't leave until I'd woken up.

I frantically searched everyone's rooms- he wasn't there. He wasn't in the cantine or in the leisure rooms. The showers were empty, and so were the gyms, and everyone I'd asked hadn't seen him today.

If he was doing what I thought he was doing then so God help me and him.

My heart rate picked up just as I swung open the door to the General's office, to see him sitting in his dimly lit room with his legs crossed, staring straight ahead as his head rested on his hands.

"Where is he?" I asked through gritted teeth, trying to contain my anger.

I didn't know whether to be more angry at him for fully supporting Alexander and letting him go, or at Alexander for lying to me and going, without so much as a note.

I came further into the room, ready to yell at him for ignoring me when I saw just what he was staring at; the large screen at the foot of the table, it had one large video taking up most of the screen, and seven more surrounding it being broadcasted. It appeared that each screen was some sort of body cam, each had the name of the wearer and the status of their vitals.

It looked as if they were in the back of a helicopter, and on one of the broadcasts, I caught sight of Alexander through one of the smaller screens, in the same black coveralls as everyone else I could see.

"Can I talk to him?" I asked the General, taking a few steps closer to the table.

The General pushed a tablet over to me which slid to a halt just at the edge of the table. The names of everyone on the mission, including Jayden and Leyton were there too, but I wanted Alexander's.

I tapped his name and eagerly waited for it to tell me I've been connected.

"General Cory Phaeus?" Alexander's voice was confused with a tinge of annoyance.

"I'm not the General..." My statement was followed by a silence from Alexander's end, glancing up at the screen, I saw him staring at Leyton like a puppy caught misbehaving. "You couldn't leave a note?"

"You wouldn't have been any less angry with me if I wrote you a whole essay to explain myself."

I sighed, "Alex..."

He was right, I maybe might've been as furious, but at least he would've explained himself beforehand. I wouldn't have had to wake up to an empty bed or had to search high and low for him.

But I guess he'd been telling me all along. He was adamant. The movie night last night and the events before. It all made sense. He was saying goodbye. I was just too naive not to realise.

"I'm the prince, I have to."

"I can't lose you," I pleaded. I really couldn't, I wouldn't be able to cope if I went through Austin capturing him again and if anything worse happened...

"You won't."

"You can't kill him," and that wasn't me telling him he wasn't capable of doing it, that was me knowing he was fully capable, and telling him not to do it. He wouldn't be any better than Austin.

"We're not human, we don't do things like you guys do."

I thought back, and remembered Austin saying that when I went to Drecott for the peace treaty, "he said something similar." Alexander was silent. "You just make sure you come back."

"I always come back."

I nodded, and handed the tablet back to the general, "I don't know how to end the call," I murmured.

"General, make sure she eats and takes care of herself while I'm gone," I heard Alexander say.

"You're not in control down here- but I will, after all you're doing for us."

As soon as the call was finished, the General placed down the tablet and turned to me, he nodded his head in the direction of the door. "Go to sleep, there's still a while before they arrive in Drecott. If you're not back, I'll send someone to get you."

I narrowed my eyes at him and finally gave in. I was knackered. I had no idea what time I went to sleep but I know it was late, and after all that running around my adrenaline had finally run out. A couple of hours wouldn't hurt, and god knows I needed them. Unfortunately, with so many thoughts running rampant at once in my mind, it was much more difficult than it should've been. But slowly and surely, I did it. Alexander and those with him would be okay, everything would be okay. It was only a helicopter ride, after all, what could go wrong?