When Tobias turns our over-full car into the park entrance the kids go wild. They've been cooped up inside the apartment for far too long. This will be really good for them, although I still worry about Tyler overdoing it. He's only been out of the infirmary for three days. Panic bubbles up into my chest as I think about all he's been through this week but I push it down. He's fine now. Besides, Zander will be here if, God forbid, anything were to happen.

I notice lots of familiar faces milling around our favorite picnic area as we pull into our usual parking space, and I smile broadly. Most of our friends were able to make it. Unfortunately, Uriah, Christina, Brody, and Ana are with their initiates so they obviously couldn't come but everyone else is here. I get out of the car once it rolls to a stop and unload three very hyper kids who immediately dash off to the play area where the other kids are already congregating.

"Be careful," I call out after them but they pay me no mind at all and I can't help but roll my eyes. "What can I do to help?" I meet Tobias at the back of the car just as he raises the trunk. He looks around then pulls me up against his hard body and runs his fingers down my cheek and gently cups my chin.

"You can kiss me, beautiful," he murmurs. Who am I to say no to such a request? He tips my head back and slowly lowers his gifted mouth to mine. I wrap my arms around his neck and press my body against his as we move our lips together slowly, tenderly, purposefully until he pulls me even closer and deepens the kiss. Desire hums through my body, and I go weak in the knees. He forces my mouth open with his and thrusts his tongue inside, tenaciously mating it with mine. I fist my fingers in his hair and mold my body to every inch of his. I feel his hand slip under my tee and up to cover my aching breast, hardening my throbbing nipple, and I moan into his mouth. How are we ever going to wait until tonight?

"Oh, dear God!" Zeke excl. aims. "No, no, no! I've already seen this once. I don't ever need to see it again." My cheeks flame at his words, and I tear myself away from my husband. "My eyes!"

He turns on his heels and starts to walk away when Tobias growls, "Get your ass back here, you idiot." Neither of us really like being reminded of the time we lost control in the fear landscape room after Tobias' horrific simulation and that Zeke has seen us making love. I cringe at the memory. "Dramatic much! I was just kissing my wife. You're not a stranger to the concept." Zeke grins like a loon. Early last year, we all thought he and Shauna were over for good after she caught him in a passionate lip lock with some floozy in the Pit after a particularly rowdy game of Candor or Dauntless. Earlier in the evening, on a dare, he kissed the same girl on the cheek. Apparently, she already had a crush on him and set her sights on getting him into bed even though it was common knowledge he was in a committed relationship. He had had entirely too much to drink and obviously wasn't thinking straight. Shauna immediately kicked his ass to the curb but they managed to work things out, and on Valentine's Day this year, they said their I do's in front of all their friends and family at the same spot Will and Christina got married. I'm very happy for them. It was a rough three months for everyone while they were apart. None of us wanted to take sides but it was hard to maintain friendships with both of them. I gravitated toward Shauna and, of course, Tobias was there for Zeke. I'm glad everything is back to normal now. "Here take this," Tobias grumbles as he shoves the volleyball net into his best friend's arms.

"I really was only kidding," he says with a chuckle. "You'd think less of me if I didn't tease."

"No, I wouldn't," Tobias roughly says and I shake my head.

"Hey, Tris," Zeke says as he moves the net out of the way and leans in to kiss me on the cheek. "I can see why your man had his hands all over you. You look good."

"Dude," Tobias says as he gives him a "what the hell" look, "stop flirting with my wife and go set the net up."

"All right," he says with a shit-eating grin on his face then turns and walks away.

"Jackass," Tobias mutters under his breath and I giggle.

"You two kill me," I say.

"I'd like to kill him."

"No, you wouldn't," I say rubbing his shoulder lovingly. "You would be lost without him."

"I should have pushed him into the chasm during our initiation."

"Hey," I say and he turns his gaze on me. The longer we stare at each other, the more his look softens. "He really wouldn't be Zeke if he didn't remind us of our … indiscretion."

"I know," he sighs, "but with what happened last night, it kind of hit me the wrong way."

"I love you," I remind him.

"I love you, too, Tris." He leans in, and I shake my head.

"I'm afraid if we start we aren't going to want to stop," I whisper. Even I can hear the longing in my voice. Maybe I should have taken him up on his offer of staying in bed all day. "The past 24 hours have been an emotional rollercoaster for both of us, and I know how we deal with stressful situations." We tear each other's clothes off.

"I want you so much right now," he mutters. I want him, too, and he knows it because I can't hide it. I don't even try.

"Tonight, baby," I say. "Tonight." It's not a statement, it's a promise. Nothing will keep me from locking myself away with him. Nothing! He lowers his mouth to mine, his eyes seeking permission the entire way, and I nod just before his lips meet mine and he kisses me tenderly.

"Stop making out and get your asses over here," Zeke yells at the top of his lungs and I can't help but giggle against Tobias' lips.

"He's so dead," he murmurs.

"But he's right," I say after a quick final kiss. "Come on, baby." We finish unpacking the car and carry the stuff over to the sea of blankets beneath the umbrella of ancient oaks. God, I love this place, and it's such a beautiful day. There's a light breeze, and the temperature is in the high-70s, which is unusual, especially for early July. The lows are usually in the mid to high 80s.

After saying our hellos to everyone, I look toward the playground to make sure the kids are okay. Tyler found Zane, and they are on the swings, pushing each other to see who can go the highest; Tessa is repeatedly going down the little slide with a huge smile on her face; and Teagan and Liam are holding hands running back and forth over the swinging bridge. When Tobias sees this, he growls. I think Christina and I have teased him too much about them being boyfriend and girlfriend. I have to remind him that they're still practically babies and to stop eying Liam that way. We spread our blanket out in between Zeke and Shauna's and Avery and Callen's then he goes to help Zeke, James, Trevor, and Stefan set up the volleyball net, and I settle down on a nearby blanket with the girls.

"Hey, Tris!" they all say in unison except for Lynn who gives me a dirty look. She must know about my altercation with Hector yesterday. Part of me wants to question her about his behavior and her part in it but I want today to be fun and drama-free. I had enough yesterday to last a lifetime.

"Hey, girls," I say then slide my eyes over the two beautiful baby boys being passed around the group and add, "and boys." James and Ciara's little boy, Lincoln, is sitting in Shauna's lap playing patty cake. He will be 18 months old on the 30th and is the light in his parents' eyes. He was the sweetest baby and has grown into a well-behaved, beautiful toddler who looks exactly like his mother with his curly blonde hair and light blue eyes. It makes us all laugh because he looks nothing at all like his father and that has become the butt of many jokes. Grayson, Ella and Stefan's nearly 6-month-old son, is sitting on his Aunt Kirsten's lap smiling up at her, his fist shoved in his mouth, drool running down his chin. He's a perfect mixture of his parents with his light mocha skin, chestnut-colored hair, and eyes so dark brown they're looking more and more like Ella's every day. I now recognize the familiar tightness in my chest that I get every time I look at them, especially Grayson. I guess I wasn't even being honest with myself about wanting a baby.

"Hey, Tris," Shauna says. "What happened yesterday between you and my idiot little brother?" Her eyes aren't as friendly as they normally are, which surprises me.

"He was extremely rude and disrespectful," I say. "He challenged my authority in front of the other Dauntless-born and called me a Stiff, which I definitely did not appreciate. That kind of behavior will not be tolerated."

"But why put him with the transfers?" Lynn asks, obviously irritated. She's sitting with her girlfriend of one year, Bailey, who is a pretty, petite redhead with dark green eyes and a spattering of light freckles over her nose and cheeks. She's as sweet as they come. Lynn got lucky when she found her. Some of the others were shocked when she came out but it actually made how she used to look at Marlene make perfect sense. I'm glad she's happy now but I remember her betrayal and frown.

"He needs to learn how to respect authority but the biggest lesson he needs right now is that coming from a different faction doesn't make a person any less Dauntless," I say. "Where did his attitude come from, anyway?"

"Probably our mother," Shauna says with a sigh.

"I wasn't going to ask this question here but you guys brought it up so, Lynn, do you still call me Stiff when I'm not around?" I notice everyone advert their eyes, and I confirm what I suspected yesterday. She finally nods. "Why would you do that? I thought we were friends."

"We are friends," she says. "And it's just a nickname."

"No, it's not. It's rude, disrespectful, and to tell you the truth, it hurts my feelings. Do you call Christina Candor or Will Erudite when they aren't around? I've been a Dauntless member for the exact same amount of time you have so where I grew up shouldn't matter. I need you to stop. I have no idea what got into Hector, he was always a sweet kid, but you disrespecting me behind my back had to have contributed to his attitude. Promise me."

"You're right, Tris," she says, remorsefully. "I never thought of it that way. I'm sorry."

"It's how we were raised. Don't get me wrong, I'm not making excuses for anyone," Shauna says. "I love my mom but she's old school and her opinions are set in stone. Her attitude must have rubbed off on him."

"I take it she doesn't like me," I say.

"She doesn't like the way things are being handled in the entire city," Lynn says. "She likes the separation between the factions. She doesn't appreciate the new rules that have been implemented and the ones that are trying to be passed."

"That doesn't surprise me," Stella says. "A lot of people my age and older are old school, as you say. We've had faction before blood drilled into our heads our entire life so the loosening of restrictions these past couple years have been mind boggling for some to say the least. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but not everyone shares my opinion."

"Mom hates it," Lynn says. "She also thinks you and Four are making Dauntless soft. Shauna and I disagree but apparently Hector's taken up her cause."

"I'm sorry we got mad when we learned he's been put with the transfers," Shauna says. Lynn nods in agreement. "It's really none of our business but we love the little shithead. Maybe I should visit him and kick his ass. Four taught me everything I know so I'd be able to do it."

"Yeah, me, too," Lynn says. "That should straighten his ass out."

"Come on guys, no more shop talk." Ciara pouts then her expression turns sunny. "I have some news," she singsong. We all look at her expectantly. "Lincoln is going to have a baby brother or sister in approximately six-and-a-half months." Cheers of celebration gain the attention of our men, and they come over.

"You told them?" James asks, one eyebrow arched as they approach and Ciara nods.

"Told who what?" Will asks, looking over toward Liam, making sure he's okay.

"Cici and I are having another baby," he says. As the guys pat his back, grasp his shoulder in congratulations, and give out delighted yet awkward man hugs, Tobias' eyes find mine. I'm ecstatic for them but it just makes me want a baby that much more, and after his face falls slightly, I know I must look sad. I feel sad. I'm making this harder than I intend for him, and I hate myself for it.

I'm not the only one who looks sad. Kirsten looks like she is fighting back tears and Trevor puts his arms around his wife and kisses her temple. They got married early last year in a beautiful double ceremony Christina planned – she's made such a name for herself planning parties and weddings that now she does it fulltime – with Ella and Stefan. They both immediately started trying for families and after many unsuccessful months, Kirsten found out that she can't have kids because of an infection she had when she was a child. We all grieved with her but I know she still feels the loss every time the subject of children comes up. She and Trevor have started the adoption process but haven't had any new news for quite some time.

"That's awesome," Will says. "I'm so happy for both of you."

"We're all happy for you," Trevor softly says. I guess I've never taken into consideration his feelings about his wife's infertility. It's his loss, too.

"Mama, Mama, Mama," Tessa yells as she comes running up to me.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I sirsty," she says. I pull her into my lap and give her the sippy cup full of cold water out of the handy cooler. She tilts it back, resting her head against me and drinks her fill. "Ah!" I expect her to get right up to go back to the playground but she stays where she is. Her eyes widen as she takes in all the familiar faces she's been around since birth looking her way that still make her nervous and shy. I wrap my arms around her and she hangs on for dear life.

"Need more to drink, little one?" I ask and she takes the water and drains it. I lean over and softly say to her, "Remember to tell Mommy or Daddy when you have to go potty, okay?"

"Otay! Pay again?"

"Of course, you can play," I say and she gets up and sprints back toward the other kids.

"Careful!" Tobias and I yell at the same time, earning chuckles from all our friends. They all know how protective we are of our children.

"Who's up for volleyball?" Zeke asks. Hands go up and people start trash talking one another. You've got to love the Dauntless competitive spirit.

"I think I'll sit this one out," I say. "I'm kind of tired. Yesterday was a rough day, and I didn't sleep very well."

"I'll stay here with you," Ciara says.

"Me, too," Abigail and Stella say at the same time.

"Would you like me to stay with you?" Tobias asks as he squats down behind me.

"No," I say. "Go play. Have fun!"

"Okay, love," he says. He gives me a quick kiss then jogs off to meet up with the rest of the group.

"Want to hold Grayson, Tris?" Kirsten asks. "I want to play."

"Sure," I say. I carefully take the baby out of her lap and coo at him, making him smile. "You're such a pretty baby, yes you are." Stella, Abigail, Ciara, and I watch as everyone else splits up into two teams by the net. Since there are 20 of them, the teams are even. The captains are Zeke, who picks Shauna, Will, Lynn, Kevin, Marlene, Stefan, Bailey, Nathan, and Kirsten and Tobias, who picks Ella, James, Murphy, Trevor, Avery, Zander, Afton, Callen, and Declan.

"Why was I picked last?" Declan whines.

"Cause you hit like a girl," Zeke and Tobias say at the same time causing him to grumble but everyone else to laugh. Thankfully Declan is a good-natured guy and doesn't mind the ribbing the others give him. He would much rather be behind a computer screen than pursuing physical activity unless it's with his girlfriend of five years, Afton, who just happens to be Avery's best friend. Because of Av's connection to Tobias and me, her good friends are now our friends. In the past three years, our table in the cafeteria has doubled in size and is getting crowded again, especially with the addition of little mouths to feed.

"So how are you handling Avery living with Callen?" Abigail asks Stella while we watch the beginning of the game. I notice that all the kids, except for Lincoln and Grayson are huddled over by the volleyball net to watch the game. My girls are the cheerleaders and keep trying to hug their father every time he hits the ball. I shake my head but I can't help but smile sweetly at them. I think they're going to give me a heart attack.

"I'm taking it better than Zander is," she says. Avery and Callen moved in together just six short weeks ago after dating for three years. They are taking their relationship very slowly. A lot of it has to do with his trust issues after everything that happened with his mother and brother. One Saturday afternoon while we were at the pool with the kids, Avery confided in me that after more than two years together they still hadn't had sex, and she very much wanted to but he was still leery of being betrayed and getting hurt. I suggested that she sit down with him and immediately have a heart to heart. The next morning, they both looked very very happy. She hugged me tightly and thanked me for the great advice. She still comes to me for guidance every once in a while, which I'm happy to provide. She's like the little sister I never had, and I count her as one of my three best friends, the others being Ana and Christina, of course. "There's something unsettling about knowing your child is having sex even if they are an adult." She shudders.

"Ugh! Don't put that image in my head," Ciara cringes. She looks down at the now sleeping boy in her lap. "I know it will happen one day but I never want to know about it."

"I agree," I murmur, looking over at Tyler, Tessa, and Teagan who are all sitting down now and out of danger of being stepped on.

"When I look at her, I still see my little brown-haired waif with her braces and braids," Stella sigh. "She shouldn't be old enough to be living with a boy."

"At least you don't call him that boy like Zander does," I chuckle.

"He really likes Callen but Avery will always be his little girl," Stella sighs. "According to him, he better never make her cry."

"He'd never do anything to hurt her on purpose," Abigail kindly says. "He loves her more than anything." Abigail is playing the part of protective stepmother very well. She and Nathan announced one random Thursday morning not long ago that they had went to the justice of the peace the day before and gotten married, shocking us all and I do mean all. Callen didn't even know about their plans. They didn't want any fancy ceremony or a big party. They just want the world to know that they love each other more than anything and want to spend the rest of their lives together. I'm so happy for my uncle. He, too, deserves to be happy after the hell Dru put him through. No one should be treated that way.

"I know that," Stella says. "I was concerned when they first started dating because he was so quiet and brooding, and I hate to admit it but I held his mother and brother's actions against him but I quickly changed my mind. He's a nice young man and my Avery loves him with all her heart. I'm glad they found each other, and I'm glad they're taking things slowly. I'm not ready to be a grandma yet."

"I wouldn't mind that," Abigail says earning a playful scowl from Stella. They have become good friends over the past couple years because of their children dating.

"So how are you feeling, Ciara?" I ask. "I'm so happy for you and James."

"Thanks, Tris," she says. "Although it's too early to find out the sex of this baby, I'm convinced that it's a girl. Everything about this pregnancy is the complete opposite of the first and I mean everything. With Lincoln I had morning sickness sometimes three times a day and my breasts were so sore I wanted to cry all the time. My ankles swelled from before I knew I was pregnant until I delivered, and I lost all interest in sex. But this time I can't get enough of James and his cute little tush." We all laugh at her. She's positively glowing as she gazes at her husband. "I'm wearing him out and that has never happened before. He's always been the insatiable one. My breasts don't hurt, and I haven't had morning sickness … not once. If it weren't for the ultrasound picture hanging on our refrigerator and the fact that I've heard its heartbeat on two separate occasions, I wouldn't even know I'm pregnant. So far this is so much easier."

"You're thinking of having another one," Stella says, her eyes locked on mine.

"How do you know that?"

"Oh, honey it's written all over your face," Abigail says.

"Are you two trying?" Ciara asks. I still don't like talking about this subject but I remind myself that these are some of my closest friends.

"No, not yet," I murmur. "We just started discussing it yesterday, as a matter of fact. One minute I'm enjoying my pizza and breadsticks and the next Tyler is asking for a baby brother. The girls aren't on board with that plan though. They informed us they would like a sister. Then they wanted to know how babies get into tummies and I have Tessa asking if I ate Teagan. She was appalled at the thought. It was a big old mess." The women laugh softly with me. "But because of the preeclampsia we have to be careful."

"Let me guess," Stella says, "Four doesn't want to risk it. That would mean he might lose you."

"He goes a little crazy at that thought. We've watched him when you are hurt or sick," Ciara says. "And none of us ever want him to become the man he was before you."

"Was he that different?"

"Night and day," she says. "We tried to set him up with numerous women and I hate to say but even a couple men."

"What?" I laugh at the thought of them thinking that my insatiable man might be gay, and she just shrugs her shoulders.

"He wasn't interested in any of the girls we picked out for him so we began to think he was just too shy or too stubborn, one of the two, to tell us he liked guys instead. He wasn't amused when we gave him Gary's number." Tears are rolling down my face I'm laughing so hard. That is hilarious. "I remember the first time he talked about you like it was yesterday. It was the morning after he threw the knives at you. He was pissed at himself because he felt like he had to hurt you to keep you protected from Eric but there was a spark in his eye and an excitement in his voice when he was telling the story that none of us had ever seen before. I knew right then and there that he was in love with you. I think it took him a while longer to figure it out."

"It took us both a while longer," I say, loving the insight into the man I love more than anything on this earth. "Tell me more about him."

"He was rough and gruff and also standoffish. He went out with the guys once in a while but he mostly spent his spare time in the training room, tattoo parlor, or control room. We'd try to include him in group outings like this one and the few times he would come, he'd sit off by himself not speaking to anyone. He was the scariest Dauntless soldier in the compound but at the same time it felt like he didn't quite belong." She's very astute.

"He didn't think he belonged in Dauntless," I confide. "He was going to leave to join his mother with the factionless but then he met me." All three women gasp and I wonder if I did the right thing by telling them that.

"Wow, he must really love you," Ciara says.

"Just a little bit," I giggle and they join me. I watch as Stella's mouth falls open and I follow her gaze and my tongue darts out of my mouth to moisten my suddenly parched lips. All the men have taken off their shirts except Tobias. He still hasn't shared his faction tattoo with anyone but me but I can appreciate the sight before me. Our men are scorching hot! There is just no other way to put it. Even at their age, Zander and Nathan have tight, toned bodies that can make any woman sit up and take notice.

"My God! Why did he have to take his shirt off?" Ciara moans. She squirms a bit and clenches her thighs together tightly, and I realize she wasn't kidding about not getting enough of James. She's acting the way I do when Tobias has me so aroused I can't think straight, which brings a blush to my cheeks. We sit back and watch the action before us, enjoying the game. I watch every move Tobias makes. For as tall and muscular as he is, he's graceful and light on his feet. He dives head first after balls and comes back to his feet like it's nothing. After a couple minutes, I'm squirming in my seat just as much as my friend is and I blush again.

"That's the game!" Tobias says just after he spikes a ball that lands between Zeke and Stefan.

"Let's play again," Zeke whines.

"How about after we eat lunch," I yell, starving in more ways than one. Everyone seems to agree and makes their way back to their own blankets and packed picnic lunches. Tobias and I made turkey and Swiss sandwiches with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and dill spread; sweet potato chips; cauliflower, broccoli, celery, and carrot sticks with dill and ranch dipping sauces; and sliced apples with caramel dipping sauce. We also packed a bottle each of apple juice and milk not to mention the two dozen or so bottles of water. I'm not surprised to see everyone's lunch is very similar to ours. Tessa and Teagan both cry as Tobias carries them over from the playground, one under each arm. He had to physically take them off the slide. They're too busy to eat. Tyler comes running ahead of them straight into my arms.

"Hi, Mommy!" he says. "I'm hungry." He looks at everything as Tobias deposits the girls on the blanket then sits beside them.

"No wanna eat," Tessa cries. "I wanna pay!"

"Sorry, little one, but you and Teags both need to eat and rest before you play again." They sit side by side, tears streaming down their faces.

"Stop," Tobias softly but firmly says. "If you don't, there won't be any dessert." Dessert? We didn't bring any dessert. They both stop crying but silent tears continue to wet their cheeks. They are so tired. More than likely they will both fall asleep the minute they have their tummies full. I put a plate before each of the girls while Tobias makes Tyler's. Teagan starts eating but Tessa stubbornly crosses her arms over her chest and refuses to eat.

"I have to go potty," she announces 10 minutes later, a pout still on her face.

"Okay," I say. I set my nearly empty plate aside and look at Teagan. "Do you have to go potty?" She shakes her head. "Baby, will you check her diaper after you finish. I have a feeling she's already went."

"You got it, love," he says.

"I never thought the day would come when I saw Four changing a diaper!" Zeke laughs.

"I've changed hundreds of them, idiot," he dryly says.

"I'm not an idiot," he pouts like a two year old. "You're the idiot." Tobias growls.

"Enough name calling, children," I mutter as I get to my feet, grab a training diaper and wipes out of the bag in case she doesn't make it then drag a squirmy Tessa into my arms. "We'll be right back." I hear my husband and his best friend bantering back and forth as I hurry to the public bathrooms across the street and can't keep the smile off my face.

"I'm very proud of you," I tell Tessa as she sits on the toilet going potty. "You told Mommy you needed to go and didn't potty in your diaper. You're such a big girl." She smiles widely at the compliment. "But big girls eat lunch when their Mommy and Daddy tell them." Her smile disappears and tears flood her eyes. "Aren't you hungry, little one?" She sticks her bottom lip out and nods somberly. "Let's go back and you can eat a sandwich after you tell Daddy you went potty on the potty!"

"Otay!" she says as a few tears escape down her cheeks, twisting my heart. I wipe her with the baby wipe then pull her dry training diaper back in place and fix her clothing then hold her close, kissing away the tears.

"Don't cry, little one," I say. "Mommy's got you. I love you so much." Movement out of the corner of my eye captures my attention and when I turn to see who is coming through the door a flash of red hair quickly moves to the right, out of my line of sight. I narrow my eyes at the now empty doorway trying to figure out who that familiar figure was. When I hear a ghost of a laugh on the warm afternoon breeze, my heart jumps into my throat, my pulse begins to race, and I feel sick to my stomach. "Olivia?"