A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! You flooded me with responses, and I really, really appreciate it. Thank you also to Rosalie and BK2U, who both reviewed this chapter at different points in time while I was struggling between it and the previous one. You're both fantastic!

Chapter 12: Anna – Restoration

It always feels strange to be back in Chicago these days. It's so small compared with Philadelphia, and the factions seem so…wealthy.

It's also very different than how it was when I lived here. The streets are no longer filled with factionless people, and there's a mix of colors among the clothing I see everywhere I look. In some ways, it's more like the country we're struggling to form.

We're getting close to that goal, I must say. The economy is doing much better, and there's a sense of community that Margot says never existed before. It keeps getting better as we wipe out the remaining traces of NUSA, too. Peter estimates that over ninety percent of the former leaders have been killed or imprisoned, and he's working hard on the rest.

And between Tris and our leadership group, we've finalized the structure we want for the new government. We've even picked out a name: the United Citizens of America, or the UCA. I think it has a nice ring to it.

The next big step will be to hold elections, but that will take a while to arrange. Tris is optimistic, though, and she has Caleb working on organizing the voting structure and getting equipment in place. Of course, that might have something to do with her desire to finish her term in office. I can't blame her. She's worked harder over the last months than I've ever seen anyone manage, and she certainly deserves a break.

We all do, really. I know I'm thoroughly exhausted, too, and I can't say I'm excited to be back here for the fifth time, still trying to figure out the details for Chicago to be part of the UCA. My first trip was a disaster, with Evelyn and Tori at each other's throats the way they were when we were preparing for NUSA's attack. I wouldn't have returned the second time if Tris hadn't had such a strong sentimental attachment to this city.

But after three more trips, I finally managed to work out an arrangement that both Evelyn and Tori were willing to accept, and the other city leaders quickly followed suit. I'm hopeful that this trip will be the last one we need to iron out the details.

I look around the small office that the leaders let me use whenever I'm here. It's in the Erudite headquarters, and part of me wonders if Douglas was ever in this room, before he transferred to Dauntless so many years ago. Before I met him.

My fingers find the ring that I wear around my neck – the one I slipped onto his finger at our wedding ceremony decades ago. It's a good thing I didn't have it with me when Tris and Tobias and the others left on their mission last year, or it would have been sold along with mine. I certainly don't regret giving them my ring – the money from it probably saved their lives – but I'm glad to have this one to comfort me on long days.

I know Douglas would be proud of what our grandchildren have accomplished, and touching this ring reminds me of that. Of him.

I jump at the sudden knock on the door. It's after dinner, and I can't imagine who would be here to see me this late in the day. Even Evelyn is generally long gone by now.

But I was Dauntless for far too long to hesitate. "Come in," I call.

Tobias Eaton enters the room. He's dressed in the mix of colors I've come to associate with his Kaizen faction – black pants with a gray and blue button-down shirt – and he looks serious, as I've always seen him.

"Tobias," I say in surprise. "What can I help you with?"

He pauses awkwardly just inside the door, standing so tall that his head almost hits the top of the door frame. But when I gesture to the guest chair, he doesn't take it. He's presumably nervous to be seeing me again, given that I'm Tris' grandmother.

"Please," I say with a smile, "have a seat." I feel bad about how things fell apart between him and my granddaughter, but I want him to know that I don't dislike him for it. With everything he did to help the rebels, and the citizens of NUSA, and those in Chicago, it's impossible to hold a grudge against him for leaving afterwards. Particularly when I know he only left because he was trying to protect Tris.

"Thanks," he says quietly, "but I'm fine standing." He shifts a little, uncertainly, before reaching into his pocket and removing something. He crosses my office in a single long step, extending his hand to me over the desk.

"I just need to give this back to you."

I don't know what to expect, but I hold my hand out automatically. Whatever I might have thought was coming, it certainly wasn't what he places gingerly on my palm.

I'm staring at the wedding ring Douglas gave me.

"But…" I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "But you sold this. Tris said you had to." I touch it lightly with my forefinger, tracing its smooth, familiar lines. It's definitely my ring.

"Yeah, we did," Tobias says. His voice is still soft – and more emotional than I can remember hearing it. "But I went back for it."

I look up slowly, meeting his gaze. Somehow, I never noticed before just how blue his eyes are.

"It didn't feel right to sell it," he adds, "so I found a way to retrieve it."

For a long moment, we just stare at each other. There's no doubt in my mind why he did this, but even though it wasn't for me, I'm grateful beyond words that he did it.

"Thank you," I murmur. He just nods, turning to go.

"Wait," I say quickly. "Can I at least pay you back for it?"

He shakes his head, turning toward me again. "No," he says firmly. Apparently, he's not a man of many words.

He rubs the back of his neck in silence for another second, not quite meeting my gaze. His voice is quieter when he adds, "But…someday, if Tris ever gets married, maybe you could give it to her?" His eyes are dark with emotion. "That seems like it would be right."

The words pull something from deep inside me – some answering devotion from my life with Douglas.

"That was always my intention," I tell him softly. "Natalie couldn't use it, since she lived in Abnegation, so I always planned to give it to Tris if she was in a position to wear it."

He nods. "Good."

"Tobias…." I hesitate, knowing that he probably wants to leave, to let his emotions out in a more private place. But I have to tell him….

"I'd be honored if you were the one to put it on her finger someday."

He doesn't answer, but I can see him swallow. After a moment, he turns away, presumably wanting to hide his reaction. He's halfway to the door when he stops for the second time.

"How is she?" he manages to ask, his voice rough with feeling.

It's a difficult question to answer. She's certainly not over him, which is undoubtedly what he's really asking. And it's obvious that he's not over her. But I don't know if he actually wants to hear that from me.

"She's all right," I finally say. "She spends a lot of time with me, and with Caleb, and working. I don't know if I'd call her happy, but it helps to have family around."

He nods, still with his back to me, before he leaves, pulling the door shut behind him. I stare after him for a long time, vaguely wondering if he'll return, before I move my gaze back to the ring in my hand. I turn it over and over, feeling every part of it and remembering so many moments with my husband, and my family.

"I love you, Douglas," I whisper before I lift the chain off my neck, opening the clasp and sliding my ring onto the necklace next to his. I can't wear it on my finger without causing Tris to ask about it, and for now, I'd rather not broach that subject. She needs more time to heal.

But I hold both rings together in my hand for a long while, feeling them pressed against each other for the first time in far too long. There's a small smile on my face as I put the necklace back on, letting the rings slip behind my shirt and against my heart. It's strange that such a little piece of metal could make me feel so complete again.


A/N: This obviously concludes the part of the story that revolves around getting the ring back. The next part follows Anna to Philadelphia and focuses on Tris. That part will have more action and will give you a chance to see how Tris grows during her time away from Tobias. After that, they'll finally get back together. As a reminder, though, this story interacts with my "Determinant" story, so their reunion is the one that's in that story. They don't get together before that, but I will definitely include multiple chapters after that reunion.

Anyway, please take a moment to review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. I'm in the middle of drafting some of the heavy action sequence, so I could use motivation to write quickly! :-)