A/N: This chapter picks up from the first chapter of Manchester United. Thanks for BK2U for beta services. These are a mess before she gets her hands on them! Also, thanks to Team Fluff for emotional support – this would not have been written without you!

Tobias snuck a glance at his watch. When he looked up, the representative from his mother's company looked at him balefully. He tried to look guilty, but he really didn't care. He had a 10 PM flight out of New York to Chicago and had every intention of being on it.

He clapped politely as the speaker, some actress he only vaguely recognized, finished talking about her latest trip to a Malaysian refugee camp. It wasn't that he wasn't interested, the United Nations Children's Fund was one of his favorite charities, but right now he'd wished he told his mother that he couldn't make it. He hadn't seen Tris since she'd surprised him in Manchester right before the World Cup. Knowing that they were just a few weeks away from her permanent move to England was making it even harder to be away from her.

Molly, the representative from his mother's company, leaned towards him and hissed, "You're here representing Kattalakis-Johnson Shipping. Try to behave with some decorum!"

Tobias took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "The only reason I'm here," he muttered back, low enough that only she could hear, "is because Evelyn guilt-tripped me into this and she's hoping my presence will give her company a boost. I'm here, so get off my fucking back."

Molly shot him another dirty look and turned back to the older man sitting next to her.

Tobias stifled a groan and once again wondered how a simple good deed had gone so terribly wrong. After they'd won the World Cup, Tobias had been approached by UNICEF about doing a couple of publicity shots for them. He was a large and regular donor and the World Cup had only added to his cachet. He'd agreed because it was supposed to be a quick stop in New York on his way to Chicago, and it was for a good cause. He'd made the mistake of using it as an excuse to get out of joining his mother and husband number two in Greece. Evelyn had immediately jumped on the idea of him attending the fundraiser with Molly in tow. She thought it would be a boon to Kattalakis-Johnson Shipping if Tobias were there to represent the family business.

His relationship with his mother was complicated at best. Marcus Eaton had been physically abusive to both Evelyn and him for as long as Tobias could remember. Evelyn had finally gotten the courage to leave after an altercation with Marcus when Tobias was sixteen. Marcus had grabbed his son roughly, and Tobias had gotten angry and pushed Marcus's hand off him. Marcus proceeded to punch him, giving him a black eye. Evelyn had tried to intervene, then he'd gone after her. It was the loudest fight Tobias could remember. Someone had even called the police. No one had gone to jail, but it scared Evelyn out of her inaction. She'd later confessed to Tobias her fear that one day Tobias would reach his breaking point and hurt Marcus badly. She would not have been able to forgive herself if Tobias ended up in juvenile court. So, she'd taken him back home to her family in England.

Tobias didn't regret his parents' divorce. If anything, it had come as a great relief. What he didn't realize was that his mother was, in many ways, just as manipulative as his father. She wasn't physically abusive, of course, but she had no qualms whatsoever about pushing Tobias's emotional buttons. One of the biggest reasons he'd gone back to the United States to go to college had been to get away from her.

He felt a vibration in his pocket and reached for his cell phone. He pulled it out, keeping it under the table so it wouldn't be terribly obvious. Next to him, Molly let out a scandalized breath. He didn't even look up.

He smiled when he saw the text was from Tris. He opened the message to see a picture of a bed, neatly turned down, plump pillows on pristine white sheets. The message read: Got us all checked in at the Drake.

He started to reply when the phone vibrated with another incoming text. He opened it to see a picture of a pile of clothes on the floor next to the bed. I'm making myself comfortable.

Tobias shook his head. You're a fucking tease, he typed back. He looked around the room, finally noticing that the orchestra had begun playing and people were now milling around, photographers circling the room like vultures. Molly had finally left, moving around the room, presumably schmoozing with the other philanthropists. He glanced at his watch. He only needed to stay another 45 minutes or so. His bags were already in the hired car and he prayed there wouldn't be much traffic in the airport so late on a Tuesday. Even if he had to charter a plane himself, he was getting to Chicago.

His phone vibrated again. He opened the message and chuckled. How's this for teasing? He scrolled down to see a bare leg partially covered by white sheets, bent at the knee. Tobias swallowed hard. He could see the smooth expanse of her inner thigh, her knee in the air. Her foot must've been resting flat on the bed as he could just glimpse the graceful curve of her calf. Her skin looked even creamier against the snow white sheet. Tobias had traced a path up that inner thigh many times and he knew exactly how soft her skin was there. He remembered tracing his lips from her knee, up her thigh, the heady scent of her skin making his head swim as he buried his mouth…

"Tobias Eaton?"

Tobias quickly tapped his phone, locking it and looked up at a dark haired woman. He was momentarily struck dumb. He recognized her, of course, but hadn't realized that she was just as beautiful in person as she was on the glossy magazine page. Her long, wavy, dark hair spilled around her shoulders. She was practically poured into a turquoise dress with a halter top that barely covered her large breasts. She was a walking wet dream, amazingly curvy with long legs. She dropped gracefully onto the chair next to him and held out her hand.

"I'm Nita Carias," she said, her shiny red lips curving into a smile.

Tobias shook her hand. "Yeah, I know. Nice to meet you."

The smile never left her face. "I'm sorry I missed you earlier at the photo shoot." Her accent flowed over the words, making them sound soft and exotic. "I've been wanting to meet you. Your donations have been extremely generous."

Tobias shifted, slipping his phone into his pocket. "I, uh, heard you were named a UNICEF Ambassador. Congratulations."

She shrugged and Tobias noticed her caramel-colored skin seemed to glow with something glittery. "I enjoy children."

Nita was the daughter of the deputy Finance Minister of Brazil. She'd recently exploded onto the international media scene as a model and a world-class party girl. That didn't stop her from also being a very generous philanthropist. She was a series of contradictions; she clearly enjoyed the finer things in life, but also seemed just as comfortable in khaki pants, feeding a starving child in Somalia. She was also amazingly, unrealistically gorgeous.

A waiter walked by with a tray of champagne. Nita gestured and the waiter handed her a flute. She sipped then turned her attention back to Tobias. "And congratulations to you on winning the World Cup. I was in the stands. I saw you kick that game-winning goal."

Tobias shrugged. "Pure luck," he said, shaking his head at the memory. "Heikle got distracted for a moment and I managed to get past him."

She flashed another brilliantly white smile. "You're being modest. You are very good. You have excellent legs." She trailed a red fingernail along the rim of her champagne flute.

Tobias laughed, a little nervously, realizing she was flirting with him. "Uh, thanks, I guess."

She leaned forward, her dark curls falling over her shoulder to tease the tops of her breasts. "I've been watching you play for a while," she said. "I enjoy football. I especially enjoy watching you."

Tobias swallowed and struggled to come up with a reply. Before he could, a photographer came by. "Can you guys get together for a picture?"

Nita smiled. "Of course." She leaned close to Tobias, snuggling up to his arm, her hand resting on his forearm. Tobias managed a slight smile as the camera flashed. The photographer hurried off, a huge smile on his face. Nita turned to Tobias. "I can't wait to see how that turns out." She trailed her fingers down his arm. "I have a feeling we look good together."

Tobias frowned. She had to know about Tris. He'd talked about her in his post-game interview and the press had gone nuts for it. The snippet of his interview calling her his greatest good luck charm had been played repeatedly for a week after the World Cup.

He was saved from replying by an older couple distracting Nita, speaking with her in rapid Portuguese. He glanced at his watch and was relieved to see it was time for him to leave. He stood gracefully. "I hate to interrupt but I must be going. Nita, it was lovely meeting you."

She held out her hand for him to shake, looking disappointed. "Oh, must you go?"

He nodded. "I'm meeting my girlfriend tonight in Chicago," he said firmly, his dark blue eyes flashing with meaning.

Nita's almond-shaped brown eyes narrowed slightly at the term girlfriend. Tobias realized that she did indeed know about Tris. "Well, have a good flight."

He smiled tightly. "Thanks." He made his way across the ballroom, smiling slightly at people who called his name, but he continued on, determined to get out. He was nearly to the door when Molly caught up with him.

"You're leaving already?" She asked, her voice shrill.

He nodded. "I told you I had a 10 PM flight." He really wasn't in the mood to deal with her. Nita's flirty act had bothered him. He'd never been super-comfortable with aggressive women, and now that he'd publicly committed himself to Tris, he had even less tolerance.

Molly's face was creased in annoyance. Tobias figured that must be her default expression because it seemed natural on her. "You told your mother you'd represent the company."

Tobias clenched his jaw. He really couldn't lose his temper in a room full of people, especially since it was a fundraiser for a children's charity, so he took a deep breath. "And I showed up. I took pictures. I smiled at people. Now I'm done." He turned and strode out into the hallway. Luckily, he quickly found his driver and soon was off, heading towards LaGuardia airport.

In the back of the limo, Tobias sighed and allowed himself to relax. He reached up, popping the top couple of buttons on his shirt, loosened the black tie and rolled his head from side to side. He vowed that he'd never let his mother talk him into something like this again. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his cell phone. He pulled up Tris's last message. The image of her bare leg on the bed made him smile. He hit reply and typed swiftly. I'm leaving the fundraiser. You'd better still be naked when I get there.

It was only moments before he got a reply. You'll just have to wait and see, won't you? She'd added a winking smiley face. Tobias chuckled. He was immensely grateful that he'd only packed a small carry-on so he could check in online. All he had to do was get through security.

Luck was on his side, he thought, as they got to LaGuardia much sooner than he'd expected. He tipped the driver, and made his way quickly to the security line. He'd signed up for the TSA's pre-check frequent flyer program; he was in the States at least three or four times a year, so for him, it was worth the cost. The line was much smaller so he made it through in just a few minutes. He strode purposefully to the gate and stopped. And stared.

The screen behind the counter was flashing the one word that made Tobias's heart sink: delayed.

Trying not to snap, he approached the counter. "Hi, about how long is the delay?"

The flight attendant glanced up and did a double-take. "Ohmygod, you're Tobias Eaton!" He said.

Tobias forced himself to smile. He usually wasn't a fan of being recognized but if it could help him get some answers, he was all for it. "Yeah."

"Wow. Okay, wow." The flight attendant typed on the screen in front of him. "Okay, only about an hour. They have to replace a part in the cockpit. It's not a big deal, just takes a minute."

"It won't get canceled, will it?"

The attendant shook his head. "No, it's a really minor repair."

Tobias tried not to groan. "Okay, thanks." He pulled his suitcase over to a relatively empty part of the waiting room. He pulled out his phone and dialed swiftly.

Tris answered immediately. "Are you about to board?"

"No," he responded ruefully. "They had to replace some part in the plane. It'll be about an hour."

Tris sighed, disappointed. "Okay. That puts you here about, what, 1 AM?"

"Probably." He slouched in the chair. "I'm sorry, baby."

"Why are you apologizing? It isn't your fault."

"I just wish I'd told my mom no."

He heard a rustling and tried to banish the image of Tris in bed, alone, naked. "So how was the fundraiser?"

"Boring as fuck. The food was okay, but you know how I hate the smile and pose thing."

"It's for a good cause," she reminded him. "And you should draw in a lot of publicity for UNICEF, Mr. Winning Goal in the World Cup," she teased.

He chuckled. "I'd rather be there." His voice dropped. "I can't get that damn picture you sent out of my mind."

Her laugh was rich. "That was my intent," she said, her voice a low purr. "Hang on, there's room service."

"You go. I'll text you when we board."

"Okay, have a good flight."

"I will. I love you."

"Love you, too." They hung up, Tobias turning off the phone and groaning. He wished, really wished, he could just get the hell out of New York.

Tobias wiled away the time trying to distract himself with books, a game on his tablet, anything. But time seemed to crawl. After what felt like an eternity, they announced his plane was boarding. He was among the first to head down the jetway and found his seat quickly. He settled down in the plush seat and was suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion. Business class may have been an indulgence but the extra room was a necessity for his long legs. The adrenaline of the last couple of days was beginning to wear off. He pulled out his phone and winced at the time. It was almost 11 PM in Chicago. He knew Tris had been up since early that morning so he didn't want to wake her if she'd fallen asleep. Boarding. Love you. He texted and turned off the phone. As soon as the plane door closed, Tobias was asleep.

Tobias practically stumbled out of the cab in front of the Drake Hotel. He was exhausted. It was after 1 AM. He'd slept for most of the flight, and between that and the whirlwind in New York, he was ready to pass out. He'd only been in the States a couple of days and it was clear that jet lag was catching up with him. He'd be in Chicago for a couple more days, helping Tris get ready for the move, then would head back to England. They wanted to get settled in before the new season and her classes started in August.

He blearily made his way to the front desk. The woman looked up and smiled at him sympathetically. "Good evening, Mr. Eaton," she said, her voice soothing.

He smiled. "Hi. You know who I am."

She chuckled lightly. "Ms. Prior let us know you'd be checking in really late. I've got everything ready." She handed him a piece of paper. "I just need your signature right there." She handed him a pen and Tobias had to shake his head so he could see clearly. He signed and pushed the paper back. The desk attendant handed him a plastic card. "Okay, here you are. The elevators are behind you. You're in room 426. I've taken the liberty of putting a Do Not Disturb on your room."

Tobias gave her a tired smile. "Bless you."

She smiled. "My pleasure. Sleep well, Mr. Eaton."

Tobias made his way to the elevators. He was so tired, he barely registered the small space and leaned his head back against the wall. It seemed like only a second passed before the doors were opening. He stumbled down the hallway to the room; it took three tries before he could get the card to register in the reader. He closed the door quietly behind him, not wanting to wake Tris, even though he knew she could sleep through a nuclear war.

She'd left the light on for him, but she was curled up facing the door, deeply asleep. He smiled softly. She looked beautiful, her honey-blonde hair spread out on the pillow, her features relaxed in sleep. The sheet was molded to her body, one shoulder peeking out. He could tell by the outline of her body that she was naked. He wished, desperately, that he could wake her, but at this point, he was so tired he knew he would not be up for it. He tiptoed across the room, quietly pulling his shaving kit out of the suitcase. He closed the door to the bathroom so he wouldn't wake her while he brushed his teeth.

He made his way to his side of the bed. He pulled off his clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor, just as she had in her picture. There was no sign of them so she must've cleaned them up after she sent him the picture. He flipped off the lamp and the room was plunged into a soothing darkness. Tobias curved his naked body around hers, his arm under her breasts. He took a deep breath, breathing in the scent that was uniquely her. He felt the stress of the day melt away as she snuggled back against him in her sleep. He kissed the back of her head and, calmed by the warmth of her body, fell deeply asleep.

Tris woke to a warm body pressed up against her back, a large hand cupping her breast. Without opening her eyes, she smiled. Those large hands with their quick and nimble fingers rolled her nipple, pinching lightly. Her hair was pushed to the side and Tobias dropped gossamer-light kisses along her neck and shoulder. Tris tried to hold back her reaction but she felt Tobias chuckle behind her. His soft lips brushed across her ear. "I bet I can wake you," he whispered.

She smiled and didn't say anything. She did her best to stay still.

Tobias kissed the back of her neck, his tongue darting out to lick a path down her neck. As he nibbled on her shoulder, his hand ran down her side, pushing down the sheet. He retraced the path up her side to again play with her breasts.

Not to be outdone, Tris pushed her hips back into his, grinding against him. She chuckled when she felt him hard against her.

"See?" He whispered in her ear as his hand slid down her flat stomach and tangled between her legs. "I told you I could wake you."

Her laugh turned into a moan and she parted her legs wider for him. She reached behind her to run her fingers through his hair and turned her head for a kiss. Her lips found his and she slipped her tongue into his mouth just as he slipped his fingers into her. She kissed him as deeply as she could in her position, only breaking it off to gasp when his nimble fingers slid up to rub in tight circles around her sensitive bundle of nerves.

"Tobias," she moaned, "I need you."

He kissed her. "Anything you want," he murmured. His wet fingers traced up her leg, pushing her thigh gently in front of her. He lined himself up with her entrance and slowly thrust inside her. They gasped together, each loving the feeling of completeness when they were connected. Tobias nuzzled the back of her neck with his nose. "I love you."

"I missed you," she whispered.

Tobias kissed the back of her neck as he began a slow withdrawal. Tris gasped as he thrust back inside sharply. She moaned with each hard thrust back in and slow slide out, and buried her face in the pillow. Tobias rocked in slow, measured movements, drawing it out, savoring the clutch of her body. He moved his hand up to cover her breast, kneading gently. She couldn't touch him in this position; she could only tilt her hips back and grind against him, hoping to encourage him to move faster.

Tobias's lips made their way from her shoulder back up to her ear. "I love how you feel," he growled in her ear, his voice made husky with passion. "I can't wait to do this every single night." He punctuated each final word with a sharp thrust of his hips. Tris couldn't take it anymore. She needed release. She covered his hand with hers and urged it down her body to between her legs. "More," she moaned. Tobias nibbled on the back of her neck as he moved inside her, his fingers dancing over her in rhythm with his thrusts. Tris let out a sharp gasp, the pleasure building swiftly to its peak.

"That's it, baby," he whispered, "Come for me."

Tris pushed back against him, moving her hips to meet his. Tobias sped up his movements, moving faster inside her. He was unable to hold back his own groans of pleasure, knowing Tris was so close to the peak. With every movement, he felt her muscles clenching tighter and tighter around him. She bit down on the pillow as she exploded, waves washing over her as her body spasmed around him. He kept moving through her orgasm, prolonging it until Tris thought she was going to scream. She leaned back against him, reaching back to run her hand along as much of his flank as she could reach. He leaned forward and captured her lips with his, his tongue wrestling with hers.

Tris was determined to get him to lose control. She threw her leg back over his, the hair on his legs tickling the inside of her thigh. She reached down and fondled him each time he pushed inside her. Tobias let out a long moan, his hand clutching her hip. He shuddered against her back, his hips moving erratically. Tris moved her leg back in front of her as Tobias gently slipped out of her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and buried his face against the back of her neck, panting.

Tris loved the way he enveloped her, holding her tightly to him as if she were the most precious thing in the world to him. She let him cuddle her for a moment before she turned over and wrapped her arms around his neck. She brushed his lips with hers and kissed him slowly, languidly. "Welcome home," she murmured against his lips.

He chuckled. "Mmm, do we have to get up?"

She nodded, propping her chin up on his chest. "Yup. We have to stop by the house that Christina and I rented and get the last of my stuff before we go to my parents'. They're expecting us for dinner." She gave him a pointed look. "Plus, I want to address the boxes I'm sending to Manchester. If I ever find out where to send them."

Tobias grinned. "Speaking of which..." He got out of bed and pulled a small stack of papers out of his suitcase. He handed them to her as he sat on the edge of the bed. Tris sat up, pulling the sheet over her breasts. She frowned at him as she glanced at them.

She stared down at the image of a brick semi-detached house. It was an end unit with a Victorian bay window in front. Tris flipped through the papers, looking at the pictures of the rooms, the enclosed patio. There were three bedrooms, one bath. Tris looked back up at him. "This is a house."

Tobias nodded. "Yep. Our house."

Tris's eyes rounded. "You bought us a house?"

"Yeah." He shifted a little, nervous. "It's a good investment. It's in a good place, nice neighborhood." He looked at her. "Are you mad?"

She shook her head as if to clear it. "No, no, it's wonderful!" She launched herself at him, hugging him tightly. "It's so adorable."

He hugged her and laughed in relief. "I hoped you'd like it."

Tris pulled back and looked at the papers again. "I love it." She flipped through. "There's a cellar?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but it's really just storage. No plumbing down there. The washer/dryer combo is in the kitchen."

She laughed a little at the living room. "This wallpaper is hideous."

"I'm having all the rooms stripped and primed. Then you can do whatever you want with it."

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I can't believe you bought us a house."

He grinned. "I'm just a great guy like that," he teased.

They showered separately at Tris's insistence — she didn't think they'd ever get out if they were in there together — and then had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel's restaurant. As they were leaving, Tris noticed the doorway to the French ballroom was open. Tugging on Tobias's hand, she stopped to peek inside.

The grand ballroom was already set up for an event. Crystal chandeliers threw sparkles of light against the rich fabric wallpaper in jewel tones. The carved pillars in a subtle off-white made those colors glow that much more brightly. The tables were set with white hydrangeas in clear glass vases, surrounded by a full place setting of white china with a thin gold border and cut crystal champagne flutes. "Oh, wow, Tobias, isn't this beautiful?" Tris asked. Tobias smiled, hoping this was the opening he needed.

"It will be absolutely perfect for your wedding."

They turned around to see an elegant woman in a grey suit approaching them, her dark hair pulled back in a smooth chignon. She smiled at them. "Hello, I'm Margaret, the special events planner here. I assume you are Richard and Maddie?"

Tris chuckled a little nervously. "Uh, no, sorry, we were just glancing in."

"Oh." Margaret's demeanor changed slightly but she honed in on their entwined hands. "Sorry, I have an appointment soon, I just assumed you were that couple." Her dark eyes narrowed. "If you are considering the Drake for your wedding, I would suggest making an appointment as soon as possible. We book up quickly and a deposit is required." She reached into the portfolio in her hands and removed a business card. She offered it with a sharp smile. "Please feel free to call anytime." She turned and walked away on her ice pick heels.

Tobias stuffed the card in his jeans pocket. "Well, I guess I need to make sure I remember the checkbook when we come back, huh?"

Tris rolled her eyes at his teasing. "Well it's a good thing we aren't ready for marriage then." She tugged on his hand, leading him out of the hallway. She didn't notice the stricken look on his face.

"The wallpaper is hideous." Natalie commented. Tris chuckled.

"I know. Tobias said he's having it all taken down and the walls will be primed so we can customize it. I'd also like to change the light fixtures in the living room." She glanced up at him and frowned slightly at the drawn expression on his face. Unbeknownst to her, he'd been replaying her words, that they weren't ready for marriage, over and over. When their eyes met, Tobias quickly smoothed out his expression.

"Why don't I clean up?" Tobias offered.

Natalie smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks, Tobias." Tris's eyes tracked his movements as he stacked their dinner plates. Tris's attention turned back to her mother at the sound of her voice.

"I think a rich color would work around the bay window. Maybe a peacock blue…" As Tris and her mom looked over the house pictures, Tobias took the plates into the kitchen. He stacked them in the dishwasher, grateful for the moment of silence. Once he was done, he looked out of the window over the sink, into the backyard of the house he grew up in, directly behind the Priors'.

Andrew quietly entered the kitchen and noted Tobias's hunched shoulders. Tobias was never a gregarious man, but Andrew noticed he'd been even quieter than normal today. Tobias had been nine when the Priors moved into the neighborhood. He'd been a quiet, withdrawn kid, the complete opposite of his best friend, the outgoing, goofy Zeke. For some reason, Tobias and Zeke had appointed themselves the protectors of the new Prior kids, refusing to let anyone bully them, particularly Caleb. Tris was more than willing to stick up for herself, but Caleb, a shy, slightly nerdy kid, had been a favorite target of some of the meaner neighborhood kids. Tobias and Zeke had put a stop to all of it. It was something Andrew in particular appreciated. He'd been the geeky kid in his neighborhood, just like Caleb. Tobias's defense of Caleb had gone a long way to earning Andrew's admiration. Everything else he'd endured had only solidified it. When he realized Tobias was staring at his childhood home, he cleared his throat.

"He moved, you know."

Tobias glanced over his shoulder. "No, I didn't. I haven't spoken to him since my first year of college."

Andrew came over and stood next to Tobias. "The entire neighborhood found out about what happened when you two left. I think Marcus found it uncomfortable that everyone knew he was hitting you and Evelyn."

"Did you know? Before?"

Andrew took a deep breath. "We suspected." He hesitated, then told Tobias the truth. "I'm the one who called the police that night. He'd left the blinds open. I saw him hit you and I called."

Tobias nodded and leaned against the counter. He met Andrew's eyes. "I would never do that to her." He said quietly. To his relief, Andrew laughed.

"It never even occurred to me you would. You've always been a good kid, Tobias. Even when you were angry, you had lines that you just wouldn't cross." Andrew folded his arms across his chest and regarded the young man in front of him. When he and Tris were together, Tobias was usually a lot more outgoing, but today he'd been a bit melancholy. "What's wrong?"

Tobias started to reply that nothing was, but when he looked up, he found himself pierced by Andrew's bluish-gray eyes. They were the exact same color as Tris's, and just as he did with her, Tobias found himself blurting out the truth.

"I want to marry her."

Andrew raised his eyebrows. "This is not a surprise to me."

Tobias chuckled weakly. "She doesn't want to marry me."

Andrew's expression quickly went from amused to confused. "She's moving to England to be with you. Why would you think she doesn't want to marry you?"

Tobias spilled out the brief conversation with the event planner. "I was planning on taking her to the Navy Pier tonight and giving her this." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a black velvet pouch. In it was the ring he'd had for nearly a year.

Andrew looked at the emerald-cut solitaire with diamonds running down each side of the band and felt a lump in his throat. Tris was his youngest child, and even though he was pleased with the idea of Tobias as his future son-in-law, it was bittersweet to know she would no longer be his little girl. "Tris loves you. I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding," he said quietly. "Even if tonight is not the right time, you'll know when it is. And she'll say yes."

Tobias dropped the ring in the pouch and stuffed it back into his pocket. "Do you really think so?"

"I know so." Andrew clapped him on the shoulder. "Your father is an ass." Tobias let out a bark of surprised laughter. "But you aren't," Andrew continued.

"So, does this mean you approve of my asking her?" Tobias asked hesitantly. The conversation hadn't quite turned out the way he wanted, but Andrew's approval meant a lot.

"Yes, I do."

Tobias held out his hand and Andrew shook it firmly. "I won't let you down, Andrew."

Andrew smiled. "Welcome to the family."

Tris and Tobias walked along the Navy Pier, making their way through the crowd to the railing so they could get a good view of the fireworks. Tris staked out a place and pulled Tobias next to her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled into him, her head on his chest. It was a warm, clear night so Tris figured the display would look wonderful.

"You've been quiet," she observed.

"Jet lag catching up to me, I guess."

Tris suspected he was lying, but it was certainly possible, so she didn't call him on it. She wrapped her arms around his waist. "I can't believe we'll be living together again in less than a month."

He squeezed her shoulders. "I'm looking forward to it."

She looked up at him, her eyes glittering in the low light. "Are you really?" She asked, her voice pleased.

He nodded and dropped his head to brush his lips across hers. "Yeah." Tobias had kissed her for the first time during that fireworks display when they were teenagers. Whenever he was home, they made it a point to come here. It was why Tobias had wanted to propose here, but now...

They looked up at the first crack of the fireworks. Tris laughed a little; she'd always loved the fireworks and the summer displays at the Pier were particularly enjoyable. She snuggled into Tobias's side, her eyes glued to the sky, a huge smile on her face.

Tobias looked down at her, glad that she was happy. But for him, the colors were just a bit muted.