AN: Thanks for all the reviews. Please keep them coming! I hope you like this chapter. I wrote it several times before posting, trying to get it right.

Tobias

As I leave my simulation room, a song plays in my head. Someday, some how, I'm gonna make it all right, but not right now. I know you are wondering when. It has been playing through me head all day. My mind goes to Tris. It's been days since I have seen her face. I feel a pain in my chest. I head down the hallway towards the dining hall. I take the long way. I am not in a hurry to see anyone, and don't want to deal with Lauren and Shauna asking me if I have talked to Tris. I know they think I'm not trying, but I am trying. I have hung back after training, hoping to catch her alone in the hallway, so I could talk to her. She must be leaving as soon as training is done, because she hasn't been there.

I did go by Christina and Will's apartment after dinner one night, right before we started phase two. I saw them in the dining hall and asked about Tris. I had typed out the list of initiates in everyone's simulation rooms. I was going to use giving it to her as an excuse to talk to her, but she was never in the dining hall. They said they hadn't seen her, and I thought she might have left and gone back to her house in Abnegation for a while. But then, I saw Christina get a plate of food and knew she had to be there. There aren't many people a Candor, like Christina, would lie for, but Tris is one of them.

I just stood outside the door. I just couldn't bring myself to knock. I wasn't ready then, to forgive her. Now, I have realized there was nothing to forgive. She didn't do anything but tell me the truth. I was the one being dishonest, hiding my feelings about the uprising from her. We promised after the uprising to always be honest with each other. She kept her end of the bargain. I was the one who couldn't live up to it.

I see her across the Pit. She is staring at the chasm, lost in her own thoughts. She breaths out hard and presses her palms to her face, wiping them on her jeans. She is trying not to cry. She always does that when she is trying to seem tougher than she feels. I need to be near her, to comfort her.

I start towards her, but I stop. I don't know what to say. How do you start a conversation with a person you turned your back on? She didn't leave me. I left her. I did this to her. I am the reason she is on the verge of tears. This was all my choice. But, I want to change it. I want her to know I choose her. I will always choose her. Love isn't something that just happens, it is a choice and I choose to love her.

I just stand there, lost in my own thoughts for a moment, then I hear it. That voice. It sends shivers down my spine. He is drunk. He is looking for trouble, and he is talking to her.

"Looking awfully lonely there Stiff? I could help with that." Eric says, looking her up and down with a hungry look in his eyes.

She doesn't respond. She just continues to stare at the rushing water in front of her. She is smarter than to antagonize him.

"What? You know you want to. Now, that you have gotten over that seventh fear and all." he says. He is right beside her, touching her face and moving her hair behind her ear. I see her whole body stiffen at his touch, alert. She breathes in and out slowly. She doesn't look at him.

"Go away, Eric. You're drunk, and I'm not interested," she says, firmly. Her hands are clasped tightly to the rail. She looks a little like a trapped animal.

He leans in and says something in her ear. Her face contorts in fury and she slaps him hard across the face. In a flash, he grabs her arm and wrenches her towards him. I see fear flash in her eyes, but only for a moment, then she hardens her gaze.

"Get your hands off me." she hisses at him.

"I don't think so, I think I am going to take you with me." he says, an inch from her face. He sticks his tongue out, and licks the side of her face. "I like the way you taste, Stiff. Can't wait to find out what else I like about you." He sneers.

I had started towards them as soon as he brushed her hair out of her face. My nervousness over talking to her replaced by my stronger need to protect her. I don't really care if she loves me or not right now, as long as she is safe. I was only a few feet from them when he licked her, and now I am right in front of them. My fists are tightly clenched and my whole body vibrates in anger. If he even tries to move an inch with her, I will end him.

"Don't touch her," my voice is loud and firm. "Don't fucking touch her."

He turns around to face me, Tris's arm still firmly in his grasp. He is squeezing her arm so tight, her skin is starting to bruise.

"What the hell do you care Four? You're done with her anyway. She is just your leftovers now." He looks at me with a smug smile. She continues to struggle to free herself from his grasp.

"Let her go, Eric. I won't ask you again." My voice is low, my words come out more of a growl.

"You won't ask me again or what? What are you going to do about it?" He says, arrogantly. "Everybody else may be scared of the mighty Four, but I sure as hell aren't. You aren't going to do shit and we both know it."

Before he has time to react, I rush him, knocking Tris hard to the ground. She backs up instinctively and scrambles to her feet. But she doesn't run, instead she takes a defensive stance. She won't leave me. She is choosing to stay. She is choosing me.

"Run Tris, now!" I command her. She doesn't move. She just locks her eyes on Eric.

Eric scrambles back to his feet. His has a murderous look in his eyes, absolutely psychotic. He will kill us both, if we give him the chance. He comes back at me and I am ready for him. I duck low and punch him in the stomach hard. I knock the breath from him, but he doesn't go down. I feel his fist collide with the side of my head and my vision goes blurry at the edges. I stumble backwards and my legs feel unsteady. I see Tris lunge for something, but I don't have time to look at what it is. I recover and come back at him. I see blood spatter from his mouth as my fist connects with his jaw. This time he is the one who sways. Tris sees her opportunity and lunges forward wrapping her arm around his neck, a knife clearly visible in her hand. She presses the blade of the knife into his skin, blood trickles down his neck.

He closes his eyes and grins a little. It is a predatory look, he is not afraid, he almost seems like he enjoys the pain. He throws his body weight forward and Tris is unable to hold on. She falls to the ground, the knife flying across the room. He swings his foot and connects hard to Tris's face. I see blood run down her chin and her body goes limp.

Something inside me snaps. I don't really know what I am doing, I just know that I will kill him. I don't think, I just lunge at him, my hands wrapping tightly around his throat. He laughs hysterically and wraps his hands around my wrists. He head butts me, but I barely feel it, adrenaline and pure rage pumping through my veins. I press my body weight forward and he falls to the floor taking me with him. I continue to squeeze my hands around his throat like a vice. Staring at him, watching his eyes roll back in his head. I can feel the life leaving him. His grip loosens around my wrists, and I know he is close.

"Tobias, don't. Its over... its over now." Her voice is weak, but it is all I need to hear.

I instantly let go of Eric's throat and I hear him cough and sputter, gasping for air. I run over to Tris, picking her up in my arms. She is conscious, but I don't know for how long. I run towards the infirmary with her. Her arms clench tightly around my neck and her head is pressed against my chest. I feel her head stir against me and look down to see if she is ok.

"Take me home, Tobias. I want to go home. Please?" her eyes sparkle at me, and in that moment I forget all my anger, all my hurt, and all I can feel is her love.

I don't argue with her. I just do what she asks, because I want to go home too. I arrive in front of our apartment door a few minutes later. I carry her in and lie her down on the bed. I start to stand up, going to put on a clean shirt. The one I am wearing is covered in blood. She reaches out trying to pull me back to her, but her face is swollen and she can't really see to grab me. I catch her hand in mine.

"Tris its ok, your home now. Your safe. I'm just going to change my shirt. I"ll be right back." I stroke her hair trying to calm her down.

"Tobias, please.." She coughs and blood trickles out of her mouth. I squeeze her hand, she needs a doctor now.

I immediately pick her up again and she is limp in my arms. No. Not again. I can't lose her. I run with her towards the infirmary. I burst through the doors and the charge nurse looks up at me in surprise. Christina. Her eyes look at me and then at Tris's lifeless body in my arms.

"Help! She needs help now." Christina jumps up and runs over to me. A few nurses follow and immediately start trying to work on her, they are saying something to me, but I can't process what they are saying.

"Four, you have to let go of her. We can't help her if you won't let go. FOUR!" Christina slaps me across the face hard, bringing me back to reality. "Four put her down, you have to let go so we can help."

I nod and lay Tris on the gurney. The rush her away through a set of doors, yelling codes and words I don't understand. I stand there, rooted to the spot I let go of her. She will be ok. She has to be ok. It feels like I stand there a lifetime, but I know it has only been a few minutes, when Christina walks back out.

She glares at me. "What the hell happened to her? I swear if you had anything-"

"Eric." It's all I can manage to say. I press my hands to my forehead. I take deep breaths trying to calm myself. My mind is going in a million different directions. I need to get control over myself, or I won't be any help to anyone.

"You need to leave now, Four." Christina says, her voice is low, like she is trying to warn me about something.

"Tris. What about Tris?" I say. I don't care about the danger Christina thinks I'm in. All I can think about is her.

"She is stable. I will come find you when I finish here. But you have to get out of here, now. They brought Eric in about thirty minutes ago. He was barely breathing. They are looking for answers. You need to go. You can't be here." She takes my arm and leads me towards the door.

I walk with her willingly for a moment, but before I make it out the door, I stop hard. "Tell her I'm sorry. I love her. Just tell her I love her, ok?"

Christina looks at me, staring into my eyes, like she is searching me. "I know you do. I will tell her. But, you have to go now."

I turn and walk as fast as I can back to our apartment. As soon as the door is closed behind me, I drop to my knees, my whole body shakes and tears flow uncontrollably down my face. Please, God, let her be ok.