Chapter 9
I think you guys will like this chapter ;)
Tris P.O.V.
As I sit there in my living room cradling my mother's head in my arms, I think about what we ever did to deserve this. We did absolutely nothing. We are a selfless family, we think about others before ourselves. I continually struggle with that, but I try, at least. I try to be intelligent without being annoying, selfless while still occasionally thinking about myself, honest without being harsh, kind without being peppy, and brave without being reckless. Is it even possible to accomplish all of those things?
I faintly hear sirens in the background of me and Caleb's sobbing. "Mom, just hang on a little longer, please," I plead, "You'll be just fine. You're a fighter, you always have been."
I text Tobias, somehow, with my shaky fingers.
Only you and Chris come over. Emergency.
I don't wait for a response, I just continue cradling my mother in my lap while Caleb continues pacing the same path up and down the living room.
"Did you read the note, Caleb?" I ask shakily.
"No, give it," he demands. I hand the note to him and he scans his eyes over the worst words I have ever read in my life. He just tears up even more.
The medics barge in and take her from my lap and onto the gurney. "She still has a pulse! Go, go, go!" This gives me hope. Too much, perhaps.
A police officer follows and starts to talk. "I assume you are the son and daughter?" we just nod. "I am Head Detective Amanda Portman. What are your mother and father's name?" she asks me.
"Natalie Prior and Andrew Prior." She scribbles their names down and nods.
"Okay, what are your names?"
"Beatrice and Caleb Prior."
"You're Caleb Prior?" she asks in awe and he nods. "Okay, so I assume this has to do with your death threats?" she asks softly.
"How do you know about that? Only the Witness Protection Program knows about this," he says.
"I'm the head detective of the station, so I'm the only one that knows because I was the one that suggested you go there with your parents. I tried to get you all to go, but they refused," she shakes her head. "I'm working with the program on this case. We have a few leads, would you like to come to the station tomorrow?" We both nod in response. "Okay, we'll probably take her to the hospital a few blocks away. So, what condition did you find her in and what were you doing today?" she asks.
"Well," I begin, "I was showing Caleb around town today since he got here last night. Our mother was supposed to be gone volunteering until January and our father is high up in the government, as you know, and he is supposed to be gone for a month, too," I bend down and pick up the notes. I hand her the one that was taped to the door and say, "We found this taped to the front door at about 2:10 today. We left at about 10:30 this morning so that leaves about a two and a half hour time frame." I hand her the second note and say, "I found this one lying next to her when I rushed to her side while she was collapsed."
"We're going to have to take these for evidence. We are going to run fingerprint tests and see if there is any kind of match on them, but it's highly unlikely. The suspect probably was wearing gloves, they're probably not going to make a silly mistake such as to show fingerprints," she observes the notes even closer by squinting. "This is definitely the same person that wrote the notes, the handwriting is the same. It is most likely a woman. That's another great lead, too." She scribbles something on her notepad. "The handwriting is very neat, almost like calligraphy. These are short, but it is likely that a man wouldn't have cared what the note looked like," she turns to Caleb, "No offense."
"None taken, statistics show that men are sloppier than women by a mile."
"Okay," she turns around, "Linden, get my two evidence bags!"
"So, what happens now? When can we visit my mom in the hospital?" I ask.
"Tomorrow. Do you guys have anyone you can stay with?"
"I can ask a friend, they have a pretty big house," I say.
"Portman, there's no more evidence here. We tried for fingerprints but there are none. There's no forced entry, either." He hands her two evidence bags, who I assume is Linden. "Do you leave your door unlocked?" he asks and we shake our head. "That's weird; maybe the suspect saw Mrs. Prior outside and took her key then dragged her outside?"
"That's a possibility, and it's probably what the suspect did," Amanda sighs.
"Tris!" someone yells. I turn around and see Tobias and Chrissy standing there being held back by an officer.
"Are they allowed to come in?" I ask. "They're my best friends." She nods.
"Hey, it's okay, Nickson, let off," Amanda yells and Nickson nods and let's them run to me. The ambulance is long gone and the police officer's cars are here now.
"Tris, what happened?!" Chrissy yells and Amanda walks away.
"Okay, Chrissy I know this is a lot to take in at once, but this is my brother Caleb. He's alive, and I found out last night. You cannot tell anyone. He's in the Witness Protection Program. He goes by Michael Brack. When we're alone, you can call him Caleb. Now, Four, this is what you don't know," I look at him. "I was showing Caleb around town today and when we got home we found a note taped to the door that said, 'How many threats does it take before you take me seriously? Your worst fear has come true,' we ran through the door and found my mother lying on the ground unconscious. I found another note next her limp body that said, 'You'll be lucky if she gets out of the coma. Am I taken seriously now?' We've been getting death threats from an unknown source for about a year, which I didn't know about until last night." She just stands there in shock but nods. The police and detectives are now leaving.
"Okay, so Four, can we stay with you? I know it's a lot to ask for but—"
"Yeah, of course, it's fine, only for about a month though until my father gets home."
"Thank you so much, Four," I hug him. I realize what I'm doing and pull back and blush. Caleb raises an eyebrow.
"Our father should be here in town soon, too. He'll probably come as soon as possible seeing mom's condition. We'll probably go back to the house once our father's back in town," Caleb says.
"Okay, that's fine," Tobias smiles.
"You guys should probably get going; I'll be at your house soon, Four."
"Why don't I stay and help you pack some stuff then give you guys a ride home?"
"Your truck only has two seats though," I sigh.
"Well, there's actually three, but we'll have to squish you in the middle since you're the smallest," he gives a small chuckle.
"Okay, that sounds good," I say, "Let's head upstairs." Chrissy says bye and heads out to her car. We head upstairs and I start to put a few pairs of clothes and pajamas in the large bag in silence.
"So…" he says.
"So…" I mock.
"Well, what are you making of this whole situation?"
"I try to make the best of it," I sigh. "My mom is a fighter. She always has been. I know she'll be okay and wake up soon. She wouldn't leave us behind like that. What about you? You said your dad was out of town, what about your mom?" I ask, trying to take the attention off me.
"Well, my mom passed away a few years ago…" he scratches his neck.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up."
"No, it's okay, I just don't talk about it much," he says. I go into my bathroom and grab a few other things and he follows. "I mean, I guess it doesn't naturally come up in a conversation much. Especially when Uriah talks about the stupidest things," he laughs and I do too.
"Anyway, I'm ready, let me go check on Caleb." We walk out and I already see Caleb waiting by the door.
"It's about time, what were you two doing up there?" he smirks and we both blush.
"We weren't doing anything, Caleb. Besides, shouldn't you be that overprotective brother?" I ask and laugh.
"Oh, trust me, I am," he says firmly with his smirk wiped away, which makes Tobias tense up. Caleb can obviously see that so he says, "Why'd you tense up if you're not dating?" he smirks again to Tobias.
"I, uh, I don't know. 'Cause I wish we were," he says more confidently.
Caleb says, "Do you, now?" and takes a step closer.
"Yes, and she already knows that," Tobias shrugs.
"Wait, so you two admitted that you like each other, but you're not dating?" he says.
"Yeah," I simply say.
"So why aren't you dating?"
"I'm about sick of answering that question," I roll my eyes. "I wasn't ready for one."
"Wait—wasn't? As in past-tense?" Tobias asks while smirking.
"Yeah," I roll my eyes and get into the truck with my bag sitting on my lap. The boys soon follow after me.
My shoulders are scrunched because it's so tight in here. "This is really tight," I laugh.
"Yeah, well that's what you get when you have a super muscular guy and a semi-muscular guy in a small truck with you," Caleb says.
"Yeah, but I've got more muscle than Four, over here. I broke six bags and he only broke four," I smirk.
"Rub it in my face, why don't ya?" Tobias smiles.
"Oh, trust me, I will," I wink at him.
"Wonderful," he playfully glares.
"You guys realize there is so much sexual tension here, right?" Caleb says.
"Would you stop? You sound exactly like Christina!" I yell. "Wait, did Chrissy put you up to this?" I ask in shock.
"Hey, she gave me ten bucks," he shrugs.
"Oh my god! I can't believe you guys," I say in frustration. We are now parked and I push Caleb out the door and he falls to the grass.
"That's what you get," I laugh. He gets up and tries to give me a noogie, but I get out of his grasp and flip him to the ground and walk inside. I take my shoes off and collapse on the couch.
"Make yourself at home, Tris," Tobias laughs.
"Thank you, I have," I laugh into the pillow.
"So, about earlier and the wasn't—"
"Four!" Caleb yells from the front door. "Can you show me my room? I'll just be reading. Tris, don't bother me," he says.
"Yeah, I'll be right back," he says.
I sit there in silence and just think. Maybe I am ready for a boyfriend. I mean, yeah, my life is a little stressed right now, but Tobias would only help me work through all of this because he already knows about Caleb. Plus, I mean, I'll be living with him for the next week, so I might as well make the most if it…
Tobias sits back down next to me. "Hey, Tobias."
"I like the way you say my name," he smiles and I do too. "Okay, that sounded really creepy," we laugh.
"Just a little," I smirk.
"Well about earlier, I wanted to tell you something," he says without looking me in the eye.
Oh, god, what if he doesn't like me anymore? This is going to be so awkward.
He starts taking off his shirt and stands. What the…? But then I see his back. I spring up and touch his scar covered back. "Tobias, who the hell did this to you," I say firmly. (A/N he doesn't have tattoos he's 17, sorry)
"My father, Marcus Eaton."
"Marcus? He works with my dad. Oh my god, I've met him before and I didn't even know what kind of monster he is! How long has he been doing this?" I say in fuming anger.
"Since I was a kid," he says.
"Oh my god," I whisper.
"I don't need your pity, Tris."
"I don't pity you, Tobias. I can't say anything, because my parents raised me better than to call someone some very, very, very bad names behind their back. Plus, I know you don't need my pity. I know you don't need it. I was the same way, that's another reason I didn't tell people about him," I shrug.
"Thank you, sorry I snapped, but I've never told anyone about this but you."
"Really?" I ask and he nods. "Well, Tobias Eaton, I am honored," I laugh.
"Say my name again," he smiles and finally looks me in the eye.
"Tobias Eaton," I chuckle.
"You're amazing, you know that?" he says softly. I just shake my head and hug him. I can't seem to get the fact that he has no shirt on and I'm hugging him to go through my head.
I look up and see lust in his captivating icy, dark blue eyes. I pull back with my faces inches from his and immediately feel his lips crash onto mine. I am shocked for a moment but lean into him. I feel the tingling sensation all throughout my body coursing up and down and side to side.
I pull away, breathless, and smile. "I'm sorry, Tris. I really just could not handle myself right there. Seriously, I—" I cut him off by kissing him again.
"It's okay, Tobias," I smile.
"Good, because I'd like to do that more often," he says grinning.
"Well, I think I might just let you," I grin.
