Beating Heart Chapter 6: Family, a divergent trilogy fanfic

AN: I KNOW KILL ME! It's been around 6 months but I have been very busy... starting senior year in a new school and a new city is a killer but I promise I will try my best to write and upload more... This chapter is dedicated to all of mt reviewers and I would like to thank all who pointed out tha track time mistake I meant for it to be 4:43 not 43 so I'm sorry.. I already fixed it... but thanks anyways...

I apologize in advance for any errors in this chapter as I wrote it and uploaded it at 2AM...

Someone asked me about a song used so here is the playlist in order of each chapter that I have used (songs in this chapter included!)

1-Slipped Away by Avril Lavinge (chap #2)

2- Let me go by Avril Lavinge ft. Chad Kroeger (chap #3)

3- Road Between by Lucy Hale (chap #4)

4- Darkside by Kelly Clarkson (chap #4)

5- Because of You by Kelly Clarkson (chap#5)

6- In My Veins by Andrew Belle (chap #6)

7- Heart Like Yours by Willamette Stone (chap #6)

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! ALL RIGHTS TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS...

Happy Reading!

Chapter 6: Family

The rest of the day pass by quickly, i kept up my facade all day, and told the gang that I had a doctor's appointment and that's why I missed the first half of the day. However I learned today that Zeke is Uriah's older brother who is also Four's age.

As soon as the bell rang, I took was the first out of the gym and in and out of the girls' locker room. My mind had drifted back to the letter while playing basketball at the begining of the game and I had wanted nothing more than to be alone ever since, but I kept up my act for the hour. Zeke and coach Amar wanted to speak to me after class as they were calling my name as I was leaving the locker room but I pretended that I couldn't hear them over the chatter of the increasing croward when the dismisal bell rang. I walked hurridly to my car and fumbled with car keys until I got the door unlocked. I felt the my eyes burning and i knew instantly that my downpour of tears will start soon. I jumped into the driver side of the car, threw my bag beside me on the passenger side and took a deep breath to calm myself down. I clutched my locket and couldn't help but think of her and how strong and brave she is to have been through all what i had learned recently about her and even through her hardest days she kept on smiling and was there for Caleb and I and even Andrew.

I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. In the blink of an eye, i was already down the road, headed towards my house. 10 minutes later i parked my car in the driveway of her house, leaving the parking garage for my dad's Ferrari. I entered the house, or mansion as some people refer to it, and headed straight to my room dumping my bag on the floor near the door, but not before taking the box out of the bag. I jumped ot my queen sized bed and in my yoga position as i placed the box in front of me.

Taking a deep breath, I lifted the lid open and with shaking hands opened up the envelope and pulled out the letter. I slowly unfolded the paper and I soon recognized my mom's cursive and neat handwriting. Breathing a deep breath, I began reading.

Dear Bea,

I would like you to keep in mind that no matter what you read in this paper, do know that I have kept this a secret from you to protect you. It was and still is for the best.

I met your father, Andrew in my senior year of college. Both of us had attended Chicago University. We had known each other back in high school but we were just classmates. Our feelings for each other started to change into more than just frienship in the middle of the year. My friends, Hana, Evelyn, Tori and Isabelle had warned me against being in a relationship with him and I kept telling them that nothing will happen as he was from a very popular group always hanging around Harold, Marcus, George and Noel. Well as it turns out I learned that Harold was dating Hana, Marcus was dating Evelyn, Noel was dating Isabelle and I learned that George was Tori's brother. I was so schoked and hurt because my childhood friends had kept this a secret from me. I always knew that Tori had a brother, but I never saw him much as he was attending boarding school in Boston.

In my fit of anger and hurt, I went to a resturant that had a bar and I started drinking, never be schoked Bea, I was a teenager once. It was then that I had a real conversation with your father and one thing lead to another. From then on we started dating and well, I forgave the girls. Harold and Hana had gotten engaged by the end of our senior year in college along with Marcus and Evelyn, and one month after the graduation, we had a monthly get-together as we still had been in touch with each other and Hana announced that she was pregnant and that our 3 couples had tied the knot. 2 months after that, Evelyn said she was pregnant and Tori said that she is now dating a guy called Bud who she think is the one. The month after that, late December, Isabelle said that she was pregnant and 1 year later I announced that Andrew and I had started sending out wedding invitations.

By late January of the next year, your father and I had been married for around 1 year and 6 months and 2 weeks later I realized I was pregnant with your brother Caleb. Around that time, Harold and Hana had had their first baby boy who was called Zeke and Evelyn and Marcus had a baby boy too called Tobias. When I found out I was pregnant with you, right after Caleb was born, Isabelle found out that she was pregnant and with a girl too, though you were born 2 months earlier than her daughter, Christina.

7 years into our marriage and the start of our little family, (we had moved to New York 6 months after you were born,) when you and Caleb were around 6 years, I was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic Leukemia. The doctors had said that the cancer had been in my body for around 5 years but had recently started to show signs. Since that diagnosis Andrew was never the same, he changed from the caring and loving person I knew and fell in love with, and turned to alcohol to drown his sorrows, on certain days he is the person that I knew back in college and on others, he is the drunk person that he became. I tried reasoning with him many times, but that ended up with him beating me or hurting me. It was then that I picked up the phone and called the only person who I knew could help me or at least hear me out, Tori. She and I, we had grown close over the years and stayed in touch when we moved to New York, even though the friendship between the rest of the group and I had fallen apart. I may have never mentioned this before, but Bea, your godmother is Tori and your godfather is George.

When I called Tori and poured my heart out, she just told me to hang in there, I was very disappointed that my friend- who is almost like my sister- didnt't beileve me, but I never said anything, the next day I woke up to the sound of the doorbell ringing, I opened the door and saw her on my doorstep and all she said "I'm very sorry you had to go through this Natalie, I had to wait for him to be gone before I came to see you." She held me tightly while I cried my heart out, she stayed with me all day until she had to leave when Andrew arrived, but as she was leaving she said, "Nat, if you can't take this anymore, file for divorce and with the way he has been the past 2-3 years, you will gain custody of the kids easily, come back to Chicago, we can all help you there."

It took me another 2 years to do what she said and during those 2 years he had started blaming you Bea, that you were the source of the my diagnosis, and up until now I can't find any relation between you and my diagnosis. His words started getting to your head, you stopped being the out goinging person you were, and stopped socializing with anyone, you would stay in your room all day. It was then I discovered that he was not only abusing you mentally but physically as well. I couldn't stand by and watch my baby girl get hurt so I filed for divorce and he seemed to snap back into the Andrew I knew. He begged me for another chance and me being who I am, gave him his second and last chance. The road to rehabilation was hard, but he slowly but surely, started to turn back into the loving father that he was. He stopped hurting you though you and I though you were never the same, you lost that spark of happiness in your eyes and for that I will forever feel guilty, that I never noticed before.

I was getting treatment, and my chances were high, and 3 years later, I have survived the 5 year survival rate, and was to check with the doctors for check ups every 6 months. By then Andrew stopped drinking all together and was back to being the same man I knew. Things started looking up in life again and I was never any happier, I mean we still had our fights here and there but I mean, who doesn't? I started working in organizing charity events and voulnteer for helping the homeless and Andrew was in the goverment.

Bea, I wanted you to have this letter and know what happened in the past, I hope that you don't hate me for keeping this from you, I wanted to tell you, but I never found it in my heart to tell you, every time I looked you in the eyes and at your beautiful face, I lost my courage, I found that I could write it in this letter and it was better if I gave it to you, I also hope that you don't blame your father for what he did, everybody takes a dark turn in their lives Bea at least once or twice and maybe sometimes three times, do know that WE will always love you baby girl, always.

Love,

Natalie Prior

I couldn't beilve this, my mom had Leukemia and I never knew until now, until she died. Tears were streaming down my face and I felt nauseous that I ran into my ad-journed bathroom and threw up my lunch. Sighing, I stood up shakily, brushed my teeth and washed my mouth, I prepared some grilled chicken for dinner and on my way up to my room, I passed by the music room. I sat at the piano bench in the middle and started playing and soon enough I found myself singing to one of mom's, Caleb's and my favirote songs.

Nothing goes as planned

Everything will break

People say goodbye

In their own special way

All that you rely on

And all that you can fake

Will leave you in the morning

But find you in the day

Oh, you're in my veins

And I cannot get you out

Oh, you're all I taste

At night inside of my mouth

Oh, you run away

'Cause I am not what you found

Oh, you're in my veins

And I cannot get you out

Everything will change

Nothing stays the same

Nobody here's perfect

Oh, but everyone's to blame

Oh, all that you rely on

And all that you can save

Will leave you in the morning

And find you in the day

Oh, you're in my veins

And I cannot get you out

Oh, you're all I taste

At night inside of my mouth

Oh, you run away

'Cause I am not what you found

Oh, you're in my veins

And I cannot get you out

(No, I cannot get you out)

(No, I cannot get you)

(Oh no, I cannot get you out)

(No, I cannot get you)

Everything is dark

It's more than you can take

But you catch a glimpse of sun light

Shining, shining down on your face

Your face

Oh your face

Oh, you're in my veins

And I cannot get you out

Oh, you're all I taste

At night inside of my mouth

Oh, you run away

'Cause I am not what you found

Oh, you're in my veins

And I cannot get you out

(No)

No, I cannot get you out

(Oh, you're in my veins)

No, I cannot get you out

Oh no, I cannot get you

I stopped when the song ended and heard the sound of clapping coming from the doorframe. I turned my head around quickly and I saw my father standing there with a small smile on his face.

"You haven't played in a while Bea." Was his greeting. It took me by surprise so I took some time to answer.

"Uh, yeah, I guess I finally found it in me to start playing again after what happened. I had to play something in music the other day and ever since then my hands have been itching to play, I hope you don't mind." I answered quickly and nervously.

"I would never mind you playing sweetie. Bea…" he started then stopped.

"Hmm?" I asked

"I.. I am sorry." He said quietly with a soft expression that I felt that I hadn't seen in forever.

"For what dad?" was my answer.

"I saw the letter on your bed, the one from your mom and I now know that you know what happened and what I did to you in the past and with my actions nowadays, I know I haven't been the greatest father in the world and I wouldn't want anything more than for you to forgive me." He looked at me with a broken expression.

"Dad… I… I realize now what happened and I know that you haven't exactly been the greatest father but I also know for a fact that you are trying and as mom said in her letter everybody takes a dark turn in their lives at least once or twice and maybe sometimes three times and family should stick together and they will always be there for each other. The last couple of months haven't been the best for niether you or I and I don't blame you dad, everybody deals with the pain and grief in different ways, i'm hoping that we are over that stage this time and we can start a new chapter you and I?" I answered with a serious and calm expression.

"I would love for nothing more." He answered as he walked over to me and enveloped me tightly in his embrace.

We stayed like that for what felt like years but in reality it was 5 minutes. He pulled back slowly.

"Bea i forgot to tell you but I bumped into some old friends at work and they are joining us for dinner, I hope you don't mind." He started again.

"Oh? Who?" I asked with a small smirk.

"Well, you read about them, Marcus and Evelyn? Marcus said he will come with Evelyn. As well as George though he said he wasn't sure if Tori will come.. oh and Harold said he and Hana will join too. I know they are many so I got chinese take out with me." He answered with a grin.

"Hmm... is that what you will serve your guests?" I teased him.

"Yeah, well they suggested actually since we moved back recently, Bea, I... I haven't told them about.. you know..." he said quietly.

"It's fine dad... We will tell them togehter or maybe let it slide this time... how about a cover story? Mom and Caleb are still in New York tying up loose ends?" I said while choking up a bit at the end. Dad nodded with a small smile.

"They will be here in half an hour... in the mean time why don't you play something... I missed the sound of you playing and singing in the house."

I smiled slightly and went to grab my guitar and sat on a chair near the window while he sat on the piano bench and closed his eyes, waiting for me to play.

I started strumming aimlessly until I decided to play one of his favirote songs.

Breathe deep, breathe clear

Know that I'm here

Waitin'

Stay strong, stay gold

You don't have to fear

Waitin'

I'll see you soon

How could a heart like yours

Ever love a heart like mine?

How could I live before?

How could I have been so blind?

You opened up my eyes

Sleep sound, sleep tight

Here in my mind

Waitin'

Come close, my dear

You don't have to fear

Waitin'

I'll see you soon

How could a heart like yours

Ever love a heart like mine?

How could I live before?

How could I have been so blind?

You opened up my eyes

Hold fast hope

All your love is all I've ever known

Hold fast hope

All your love is all I've ever known

How could a heart like yours

Ever love a heart like mine?

How I could I live before?

How could I have been so blind?

You opened up my eyes

I finished with a smile on my face and heard more the one applaud, I turned around and saw that dad was near the doorframe with all of our guests standing near him, all of them smiling at me.

We greeted each other and they introduced themselves to me and we quickly set the table, when they asked about mom and Caleb dad told them the cover story and they all seemed to not think twice except two pairs of eyes who I knew belonged to George and Tori (who actually showed up, though it was awkward at first because she is my teacher)

Chatter filled the room and the atmosphere was light and warm, filled with laughter, something I thought I would never experience again, not any time soon at least…

I smiled to myself as the men went to the living room to continue talking about work and the government while Evelyn was preparing dessert, Hana was cleaning up the table, I was doing the dishes and Tori was drying, as they insisted on helping. Tori kept giving me side-glances. My thoughts as I was finishing up in the kitchen, the place that mom loved the most were….

Mom, dad, Caleb… I will always love you guys… no matter what happened in the past and what the future holds for me… Mom and Caleb I know that you guys are watching over me always and you will forever be in my heart and dad may not seem like it from past events and with what happened recently but I know that he is trying and for that I am forever grateful… family will always stick together and be there for each other and love each others as that's what it is filled with… love.