All Characters and Setting belong to the incredible Ally Carter

Scene that fits in the end of Take the Key and Lock her Up.

"Can't we talk about this? You left me for a prince! You were going to throw away our entire relationship for the safety of everyone else." I huffed as pain and fear bled through my bravado.

"I know that, but we both know that it was the best option." Gracie softly whispered.

"No! It was an option, but it wasn't the BEST option and you know it. You know what you mean to me,and you know I can't survive without you. How could you do that?"

"Because I couldn't let you die Alexie! They threatened your life, they threatened Noah's life, they threatened everyone I care about- so yes I agreed to marry that idiot of a prince. I did it for you. Besides that we both know that I am not an emotionally stable person! I can't be trusted." Her voice dies down to a whisper with those last words and I realize just how fragile she is.

My voice is softer now, as I cautiously lower myself onto the blanket struggling to keep my composure together- to not break down. "You know that I would support you in whatever you tried, but you left me. You can't do everything by yourself Gracie, and the sooner that you realize that the safer you will be. Just because you can doesn' t mean you have to. I don't think you understand the agony of always being the one left behind."

"You think it's easy to choose who lives and dies? For everyone to think you are literally insane? How dare you say that I am always leaving-"

"Because you are! You leave me behind every time and I can't have a relationship with someone who doesn't want to have a relationship with me."

"How can you say that? I do want a relationship with you." Tears stream down her face as she reaches her arm over to stroke my face.

"Gracie you know that I love you. You know that there are no words for what you mean to me, but when I realized that you had left me I wanted to give up on have the power to destroy me or save me, and you are so worried about everyone else that I am worried about what you would choose if you were faced with a similar situation." Frustrated, I run my hands through my hair trying to convey my heartbreak. I want her to understand but I honestly don't think she does.

"You don't know what it's like to have to make a choice that could potentially get people killed. You don't understand."

I can feel myself weakening under the power of her light blue eyes framed with dark lashes that are pleading for me to understand. I want to believe that she would choose me- but deep down I really don't know if I can trust her. I want to but I don't know if I can survive her leaving me again. I know she's waiting for my response but I don't know if I can give her the answer she wants to hear. I reach over and take her hand and envelop it in both of mine. "You're right that I don't understand. I am asking for the chance to. I am asking for you to give me the chance to be your warrior. I will run headlong into fire as long as I'm running with you. You can run away, but you have to take me with you. Please?" Her chin quivers and I watch her mask slip down a little farther.

"Alexie, I promise you that from this day forward I will never leave you again. I will never shut you out again. If you give me another chance, I promise to run to you instead of away from you."

A smile stretches across my face as I offer her a hand up off the blanket. "That's all I ask my love, is that you try." Then hand in hand we walk down the beach towards our peaceful but tumultuous life.