A.N. WOW. First off, I want to thank everyone so much. I kind of figured the last chapter would get a lot of reviews for some pretty obvious reasons, but I never expected that. You guys are literally the best. I hope the rest of the story lives up to your expectations-dauntlessbybirth
I start to open my mouth to say something, anything, but I'm immediately cut off when Tobias' arm wraps around my waist and his lips crash into mine. I didn't think it was possible, but my heart starts racing faster than it was before. In the middle of the most imperfect moment, Tobias found a way to make everything perfect. I let my body sink into his and enjoy the closeness and the feeling of his lips against mine. Any angry feeling I had before is replaced with immediate bliss.
When Tobias eventually pulls away, my mind is racing at a million thoughts a minute. I never want him to stop. My lips feel warm and my fingertips are tingling from excitement. I look up to meet his eyes, but I don't see my same thought reflected in him. His eyes are filled with worry and concern.
My heart sinks a little. Did he not like it? Does he regret it?
"I'm sorry." Are the only words that slip out of my mouth. It's the only thing I can think to say.
Tobias's eyebrows pull together in a frown.
"You're sorry?" He asks. "Why on earth would you be sorry?" He starts to laugh to himself and I can feel the heat of embarrassment crawl into my face. This is worse than I thought it would be.
I start to think I might cry before he wraps his arms around my tiny frame.
"Tris, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." He finally says. "I know it wasn't great, but I didn't know what else to do. When I came down those stairs and saw the look on your face, all that anger and sadness, I just had to make it better. I can't stand to see you like that." I'm still somewhat stunned. This is the most I've heard Tobias talk about feelings in the entire time I've known him. A huge smile appears on my face.
"Something tells me I know exactly how long you've been waiting." I say when I find my words again. I've wanted him to kiss me for basically as long as I've known him, it just took a while for me to admit it to myself.
I'm lost in such bliss, that I almost forget that I ran out of an entire room full of friends and family.
"I need to go back upstairs and fix this." I tell him. He nods his head in agreement. I take his hand in mine and we start walking up the stairs together. Right before we reach the door of my apartment, I turn and look at him.
"I think I just need one more, you know, for strength." I say as I stand on tip toes to kiss him again. I worry that it won't be the same as our first kiss, that maybe we just found passion in the heat of the moment, but I'm instantly proven wrong. This is right and every inch of me knows it.
I open the door to the apartment to find Will, Christina, Zeke, and Uriah still sitting at the table. Some of the food is gone, but the scene looks almost the exact same as I left it. The only difference is my brother is gone.
Will stands up and pulls me to the side. Thankfully, Tobias goes back and sits down at the table. It probably won't take long before Zeke and Uriah pester him for information.
"Tris, Caleb is pretty upset. He thinks you've given up. I don't think this is an issue of him wanting his sister around, I think he's worried that you're settling. He went into your room."
"Thank you, Will. Please apologize for Christina to me." I give his arm a quick squeeze and head to my room. It's hard not to chuckle a little to myself. Only Caleb could find a way to turn this situation into an issue of who can be more selfless. On one side is me, putting my dreams aside so he can pursue his without the burden of a sister to support. On the other side is him, working a full time job as well as being a full time student to give his sister a chance to live.
I find Caleb sitting on the bed, his forearms resting on his legs. In his hands, he holds the picture of Mom and Dad.
"You know they wouldn't want this for you." He says, never looking up from the picture. In this moment, he looks as fragile as the day we lost them.
"Mom and Dad wouldn't want any of this." I tell him softly. "Caleb," I start. "I would give the world to be able for us to live a normal life. I want to go to school, and I want to visit you on the weekends, and I want to get in trouble, and I want to have fun. But this is my life right now. Those people in the other room mean the world to me and if I left to move to California with you, I would just be the little sister that is still following her big brother around." This isn't the first time we've had this conversation and I know it won't be the last.
"I just want to make them proud." He says after a few seconds. It doesn't take any more explanation. I know exactly what he means. He sets the picture frame down and turns to me with a slight smile on his face.
"I think I need pie." He says, very matter of factly. I can't help but laugh.
"Pie isn't going to work here." I inform him. "What you need is a pineapple."
We walk back into the kitchen and by now, everyone has forgotten the outburst. Will and Christina are sitting close together on the couch and Zeke and Uriah are trying to tell Tobias a funny story, but can't seem to get through their words without laughing. Tobias' faked amusement is priceless. When he sees Caleb and I walk back into the room, he immediately gets up, leaving Zeke and Uriah looking somewhat disappointed.
"Crisis averted?" he asks in my ear. His hand rests softly on my hip. The instant he touches me, Christina perks up and look over the back of the couch. We make eye contact and it takes all she has to contain her excitement.
"For now." I tell him.
"I guess that's all you can ask for." He pauses for a moment and I can tell he has a question for me.
"Are you okay?" I ask slowly.
"You said you needed strength from me today and I hope I gave it to you. I was wondering if you could do the same for me. Give me strength I mean." He says.
I don't even have to think about it. "Of course." I tell him.
We said our goodbyes to everyone at the apartment. Christina gave me a wink before I left. She knows exactly what happened in that stair well without having to be told. I walk with Tobias for a little while, but he hails the first cab he sees. Wherever we're going, it's not in this part of the city.
I sit close to him in the backseat and I can feel his body tensing. He wasn't kidding when he said he needed strength from me.
Eventually, the cab stops in front of a very tall building. Tobias hands the driver a stack of bills and tell him to keep the change. We walk up to the front of the building and a man holds open the door for us. We silently walk passed him, through the lobby of the building, and straight to the elevators. Once inside, Tobias hits the button for the penthouse floor. The elevator slowly begins to rise. Tobias turns to face me, my back against the elevator wall.
"Are you sure you're okay?" I ask him. It's the first words we've spoken in almost an hour.
He keeps his eyes closed and leans in towards me. He doesn't say anything. The doors of the elevator slowly open.
When they open, I'm slightly taken back by what I see. However, everything starts to fall into place as well. The penthouse apartment is furnished in a way that seems slightly fitting to what I know about Marcus. Everything is grey, but sleek and new. It almost looks like no one lives here at all. Tobias walks right in, past a hall closet and a few minimalistic paintings on the walls. The foyer opens up into a large dining room filled with men in grey and black suits. Some turn their heads to look at Tobias, but most don't even acknowledge him. I know we stand out like a sore thumb, both in jeans.
"These people can't be your family." I say to him. I half don't expect him to answer, sensing how alert he is from far away.
"In Marcus' world, family is irrelevant. There are only enemies and allies." He informs me. I still have yet to see Marcus.
"So who are these people?" I ask slowly.
"Both." He replies. A man dressed in a black dress shirt and a tie offers us two glasses of some drink. The scent of it burns my nose. I take it and tell him thank you, sipping at it gingerly. Tobias throws the whole drink back in one gulp and sets the glass back on the tray. It's becoming more evident as to why he asked me to come. This could easily turn into another drunken night on my couch.
Soon after we receive our drinks, Marcus strides into the room. If I didn't know any better, I would say the smile he gives to Tobias and I is genuine. I would say that he is excited his son is here to spend a holiday with his father and in reality, maybe he is. However, I know the feeling isn't reciprocated.
"Hello, son." He says to Tobias confidently. "I see you brought a friend to dinner." He extends his hand to me. I reach out to return the gesture, still a little too stunned to speak.
"Father, this is Beatrice." He says. When Tobias says my full name, it sounds formal and wrong. The only person who calls me Beatrice anymore is Caleb, and even then it sounds out of place. Why did Tobais choose to use it now? "And we unfortunately can't stay for dinner. Beatrice's friends are waiting for her." He turns to me for validation.
"Yes" I respond almost instantly. "My older brother flew into town last night and I can't stay long." It feels odd to lie to someone I've never spoken to before.
"Well that is a shame." Marcus replies. "I won't keep you long. You've met your part of the agreement."
After this, there is no more discussion. We don't stay to eat or meet any of the other people in the apartment and Tobias doesn't give his father a goodbye. He simply nods his head, turns on his heels, and walks back to the elevator. I don't know what else to do except follow him, leaving my drink on a table in the hallway. The encounter lasted no more than fifteen minutes.
Once in the confines of the elevator, Tobias loosens up again. It feels like I have been with an entirely different person for the last hour. The Tobias that I know doesn't let people get under his skin. He's the Tobias that stood up for me against Peter, the one who made me calm after Caleb almost ruined my Thanksgiving. It almost makes me wish he had walked into the apartment as Four, not Tobias.
"Do you want to explain?" I ask, feeling frustration in my voice.
"There is a reason Marcus comes to Dauntless at random times. I don't feel any good feelings towards him. I didn't want to spend a holiday with my father and I didn't want to go to dinner with him that night I ruined your…date." He begins. "Tris, when I left home it wasn't a pretty sight. Marcus and I have just gotten into an...argument. It was the first time I ever hit him back. But it wasn't enough. I needed him to hurt more and I didn't care how. I took one of his cars from the garage and started to drive out of town. I ended up flipping it on the highway. When the police found me, they were going to charge me with grand theft auto, reckless endangerment, and probably a million other things. But Marcus was smarter than that. He bailed me out. I don't even know how much the car cost, but I know it wasn't cheap. He agreed that he would let everything slide if I didn't try and run again."
"And not because he loves his son." I say quietly, realization hitting me like a train.
"Exactly." He continues. "He knows this is the only way to keep me in control. If I run again, he's going to come after me for the money I owe him. And when you're as powerful as Marcus is, you have very effective methods."
"How much is it?" I ask warily.
"A little over fifty grand. I don't think the deal he made with the police was exactly legal. He knows I can't pay it." I can feel my mouth begin to dry up. I don't know how to respond. It feels surreal, like out of a movie.
"Why are you called Four?" I ask. I don't know why it comes to my mind now.
"That's how many times the car flipped." He tells me, not even hesitating. "They said it's a miracle I survived. Zeke started calling me Four while I was recovering, to make light of a shitty situation. The nurses and doctors picked up on it. Eventually I wasn't Tobias anymore, just Four."
I wish I could help him, say something to make it all better or tell him that we can find the money together, but I can't. Nothing I can say or do can make this go away. It eats me up inside. In my mind, I always thought that my situation was bad, but it seems I have found something far more terrifying. I would give anything to have my parents back in my life, to have them hover over me, and fret about how often I see them. But this is not the same. This isn't the love of a parent, this is a prison sentence. When we finally walk out of the lobby, the cold wind hits my arms. But the chill that is sent down my spine isn't from the air, but from the man who is fifty stories above us, watching us walk away. He knows that Tobias is almost in his grasp. Almost.
A.N. I know there was quite the wait between updates, but for good reason. This chapter was always kind of in my head, but when I got to writing it, it was hard to make it sound authentic while trying to stay true to the characters. I know it's not perfect, and maybe one day I'll change it, but for now, the stage is set.-dauntlessbybirth