CHAPTER 7

We've been walking for two weeks and still no life has been found. I'm also now five months pregnant and the baby now moves more often. Walking has become a lot easier, probably because I tend to just zone out and day dream about all the happy scenarios I wish life would be right now.

"Tris?" I sat in the lounge room of our new house, my stomach bulging as I was eight months pregnant, when Tobias called out after he had come home from work. As he rounded the corner and into the family room, he smiled that smile that he showed me every time he saw me each afternoon. "How are my two favourite girls doing?" he questioned, kneeling before me and placing his hands on either side of my belly.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Tobias, I told you already—I think it's going to be a boy, not a girl."

He chuckled as the baby kicked at where one of his hands lay. "Mmm, I know but when have I ever been wrong?"

I opened my mouth to reply—

—"Look over there!" Someone yelled, breaking me out of my fantasies.

My head snapped in the direction where they were pointing to. Tobias took my hand in his and together we began running with the group. He kept his pace at mine, never wanting to leave me alone. I stopped running suddenly when a sharp kick from the baby went to my ribs.

Tobias felt the tug on his hand and immediately he came to halt as well, gazing at my face and my stomach worriedly. "Tris, what's wrong?"

I shook my head, smiling stupidly at the ground and then finally I raised my faze to Tobias. "Nothing, nothing, it's just the baby—"

Tobias' eyes seemed to widen to the size of saucers. He closed the small distance between us and placed his hands on my stomach. "Oh, no, it isn't time, is it?"

Now my eyes widened to match his. "What? No!" I giggled and soon the titters were shaking my body hysterically.

"Tris?" Tobias questioned softly, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes slightly. He started to laugh with me and soon we were both in tears.

I stopped laughing as another kick was sent to my side. Once again Tobias pulled on his concerned mask. "He's just kicking, Tobias."

He smiled at me and then offered his arms to me. "C'mere." He whispered and drew me into his arms.

After a moment of just standing there in each other's arms, I pulled away and stared off to where the others had roamed to. "We should go after them." He nodded unwillingly.

***PAGE BREAK***

"Where is everyone?" I asked Tobias as we came out of a house that had been long abandoned.

The boy beside me only shook his head. "I don't know but we should keep searching." I only nodded.

We continued wandering for what felt like almost an hour before we finally caught sight of a small group of people. I let go of a breath I hadn't realised I was holding.

We hurried over to the group where they seemed to have stopped for lunch. Tobias meandered over to his mother who seemed to be talking to Edward, who was wearing the eye patch with the painted on eye.

I sat down in the dirt and began to rub my stomach, feeling it calm the baby which continuously squirmed. My back and my feet ached, my ankles were swollen—I was already beginning to hate pregnancy.

After a few moments of sitting alone, Tobias walks over and sits beside me. He begins taking out some of the food that he packed and doesn't say a word to me.

"Tobias?" I question. "What's going on?" He stops rummaging through the bag and looks at the ground and then at his hands and then at my hands, avoiding my gaze. I reach out to him, but he withdraws away from me. "Tobias, tell me, please."

"They, um," he clears his throat. "It's all abandoned. There's nothing or no one here."

"Tobias…" I begin but he cuts me off when he takes my hand in his and presses a finger to my lips.

"No, no, don't talk." He said softly, "Just let me say something to you… Tris—I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have dragged you into this… even when you wouldn't take my no for an answer, I shouldn't have taken your no for an answer." Once again I opened my mouth to protest but still he continued to press on, ignoring my attempts of objections. "I can see how all of this walking is taking its toll on you and I know in four months, the baby will be here… And I—"

I pressed my mouth to his, stopping all of the guilt that he had stored up from flowing out. I pulled away first. "Tobias, stop. Its ok, it's all ok. I'm with you, which are all that matters to me right now. I don't care if we're in the middle of nowhere and we're having a little bit of bad luck. I believe that things should go downhill a little before they begin to get back on track." I watched as Tobias sighed and smiled sadly at me. "Everything will all turn around soon, I'm sure of it."

He smirked mischievously; trying to hide the sadness that I knew lurked behind it. "Since when did you become so wise?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, ha-ha, very funny." I gazed at him, into his dark blue eyes as he gazed back at my blue ones. "I love you, Tobias." I whispered.

He smiled at me, drawing in to plant a kiss upon my lips. "I love you too." Tobias whispered against my lips.