DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All rights to Veronica Roth.

Chapter 21
You're Such A Good Mom

Tris' POV

I was whole again that night. I was deprived of Tobias' body for 9 months and it was magical feeling this way again. He seemed almost robotic to me when I first met him, but after being with him I feel like he is more human than anyone in the world.

We were a jungle of limbs afterwards, my face tucked by his neck as he rested his chin on my head. I would kiss the hollow of his neck every so often because sleep seemed almost impossible and I wanted to spend every waking minute admiring his body. My hand was tracing his abs while the other ran over the markings on his side. He seemed Godly, glistening beside me as his breathing tried to even out, I was in heaven.

After what felt like the most amazing moments of my life we fell asleep. My body was tucked into his sweet smelling chest, time stopped for what felt like forever.

But of course in the life of Tobias and Tris Eaton, nothing perfect lasts forever… we heard a loud cry from the nursery.

I shot up in bed, Tobias following quickly. I threw on my underwear and shorts along with Tobias' red shirt leaving the room as fast as possible. When we entered the nursery Damien was crying with such furiosity I thought the whole compound would hear him. I approached his crib side; looking quickly to find Phoenix staring at the ceiling with such fear her body shook.

"Buddy, what's the matter?" I ask, placing my hand on his stomach only to find it firmly swollen. I look to Tobias fearfully as my mind racks to figure out what Dr. Pomel told me the first time I breast-feed Damien.

Be sure to burp them otherwise gas fills their stomachs and they can get colic.

COLIC! That's it.

"Tobias did you burp him after we feed him?" I ask quickly.

"No I thought you did." He says, picking up Phoenix who began to cry.

"Oh boy, we need to get a better handle on this!" I exasperate, picking up Damien and walking to the living room. I press the switch to start a fire and place him on his moon shaped pillow.

"Tobias go grab me his blanket." I say lightly, while lying next to Damien and running my hand over his stomach.

Tobias returns with the blue knit blanket. I take it as his hand falls over Phoenix's ear to block out the sound.

"Can you take her to our room? Try to put her back to bed and slip her on top of the covers with her moon pillow around her." I suggest scooting the moon pillow towards him and going back to rubbing Damien's stomach.

"Okay, do you need anything?" He asks while scooping up the pillow.

"No, just try to put her bed, and get some sleep yourself. You have to go back to the control room in the morning anyways. Don't worry about me, I'll take care of Damien." I shoo him off and he walks into our room quickly, shutting the door and calming Phoenix immediately.

"Shh Damien. It's all right mommy's right here. Your tummy hurts, I know baby." My voice soothes him as his continues thrashing his arms and legs. I proceed to whisper sweet nothings and run my hand over his stomach for the next 6 hours straight. Soon enough his eyes become droopy and despite his stomach still being swollen his sobs subside and he is whimpering in a light sleep.

I don't stop my hand however, I know it's keeping him asleep.

My eyes feel heavy, my head in spinning slightly but I will not sleep until Damien's stomach has become soft once again and he is sleeping without pain.

My hand reaches to his forehead momentarily, touching both his cheeks in case he has fever like Phoenix. It stayed cool though, just as I had hoped and I return to rubbing his stomach. From outside I begin to hear the first people leave their apartments indicating the start of a new day.

When I watch Damien in the firelight a pang of remembrance hits.

The day my mom fell and broke her wrist I cried, it was supposedly selfish of me since I wasn't the injured person but I was young and fearful. That night while dad was still out working mom sat on the couch with me. The both of us watched the fire as she stroked my blonde hair with good her hand and whispered sweet words. She was different from other Abnegation mother's. She wasn't someone who abolished Caleb or I when we did something a little selfish like cry when it was someone else's pain or pout when someone got something we didn't. Instead she told us how emotion is something incomparable and even though we live under certain faction rules it's okay to feel certain ways. She told us the proper way to act though, adjusting our ways so we'd be better children. Caleb learned quickly, I've always been stubborn.

"Tris?" Tobias whispers as our room door creaks open. He approaches me with a blanket and pillow, placing the pillow under my head and tossing the blanket over Damien and I.

"Thank you." I whisper sleepily. He strokes back my hair and kisses me on the lips.

"I'm going to take Phoenix to Shauna and Zeke. They can babysit for us." He assures.

"Okay, there's some milk in the fridge, tell them how to prepare it and remind them to burp her. I'll probably pick her up at lunch time."

"Zeke and Shauna said they will be back from work at 12pm . I'll keep Phoenix for the time being at the control room. Max said she can stay all day but I think it may get a little difficult juggling work and a baby." He says.

"I'll see how Damien does then." I say thoughtfully, Tobias nodding.

"You're such a good mom." He comments, kissing me once again and then standing up. I watch him walk to the bedroom and hear the tap of the shower turn on. The sound of water against the shower floor echo's lightly for 5 minutes before Tobias shuts it off. The drawers creak open and shut with a little click.

When he emerges from the room he is dressed in jeans and a black shirt, his arms cradling a still sleeping Phoenix. He walks to the nursery and begins to pack a baby bag. I can see him go from one side of the room to the next through the crack in the door. Phoenix is changed into a footie outfit and then placed into a carrier that Tobias straps to his chest.

"All ready." Tobias whispers to Phoenix, crouching to grab the diaper bag he packed and heading to my side again.

"Call me if you need anything!" He demands, placing a kiss by my ear and then on my lips.

"Okay, love you." I whisper, kissing Phoenix's head and then allowing them to stand up.

"Love you too."

And with those words he left, Damien continuing the light whimpering in his sleep as his stomach staying rock hard.

~.~.~

My eyes feel heavier, as the hours go by. I need sleep, coffee, a shower! Something that can wake me up just a little bit more then I am right now.

Damien's earsplitting cries start again, his face turning red faster then I thought and his little fists flailing in agony. I get to my feet and pick him up, my hand still rubbing his tummy.

I don't know what to do, I'm alone, and it's only 7am. Tobias is at work and the only way I can call him is by lunchtime. Until then I'm stuck trying to calm down my baby.

"Do you want a bath? Is that what you need? Maybe water will help you fix your tummy ache." I sooth him quickly and carry him to the bathroom. I flip the tap of the shower on and wait for a small amount of water to flood the bottom. I place Damien on the small changing table we built in as he continues his angry kicking while rocking back and forth, the small fences around the sides keeping him from falling out. While his cries persist I grab the baby shampoo and soap from under the table and place them by the tub.

"It's okay, you'll be fine." I promise him, removing his pajamas and still clean diaper. He was never the kind of baby to soil himself at night.

I lift him from the table and place him in the tub, the warm water stopping his crying almost immediately.

"You see it's not so bad." I whisper, scooping water with a cup and lightly splashing his stomach. His eyes go back to closing so I continue with my splashing.

The water stays warm for a good 10 minutes before I feel it cool slightly. His hair gets a quick washing and rinse before I run a hand over his slick stomach to find it has become softer. It isn't completely normal but it's loosening up.

I unclog the drain and take Damien for a quick dry and change into new pajamas. Too cold and tired to do anything else I take him back to the living room and place him on his pillow. My head lays on the one Tobias brought me and with a few rubs of Damien's tummy I'm out like a light.

Tobias' POV

I handed Phoenix off to Shauna and Zeke at the beginning of lunch, excusing myself so I could go and check on Tris and Damien. I felt awful leaving her especially since she's been up all night but I was requested to start work again today and I need to keep this job to provide for the family.

I shove my hand into my right pocket extracting the apartment key, which I push into the lock and open the door with. When I enter the whole room is silent, I drop my keys with a clink on the entrance table and head over to the living room. The fire is a light yellow; Tris must've changed the temperature to keep Damien from over heating.

They were both sleeping, Damien actually snoring instead of whimpering. I reconsider waking up Tris, I know she hardly slept last night due to her soothing Damien. But concern gets the better of me so I crouch down beside her body and stroke back her short hair.

Her eyes flutter open to reveal her red eyes.

"Hey sweetheart, I know you're tired but I was wondering if you wanted anything. I can go and get you some food or make you something to drink."

"I'm just really not feeling to good. Do you mind taking Damien to his crib while I go to our bed? His stomach seems fine now."

"Okay," I nod, taking Damien and placing him in his crib with his blanket back on the end like Phoenix's.

Back in the living room Tris is sitting up, her hands are rubbing her tired face before she gives off a very heavy cough. It seemed to have shocked her as much as it did me because she placed a hand over her chest as though it hurt a lot.

"Tris," I say with concern as I rush to her side and place my hand over her forehead and cheeks.

"I'm fine." She decides, pushing my hand back and trying to stand up. I look at her in dismay as she sways all the way to our room. Her body gives way when the bed is close enough and with her little energy she covers herself with the blankets.

"Tris," I say again, not caring that she pushed my concern away last time. I sit on my side of the bed and run a careful hand through her hair. "Honey I know something is wrong." I test, trying to make her confess how she is feeling.

"I'm just really tired Tobias. If you can just let me sleep that'd be great. I'll see you after your shift is over. Bring Phoenix home as well, Damien is okay now." Her voice is raspy and it seems to pain her to speak.

"I don't want to leave you because I know you're getting sick." I demand.

"Tobias, please!" She begs, flipping over and pulling the blankets tighter around herself.

"Okay, call me if you need me here though." I say, kissing the back of her head and getting to my feet. She says nothing so I head out the door saying a quick, "I love you."

~.~.~

I watch the many screens in the control room. A few surround the pit and chasm, others stay in the cafeteria and hallways of the compound.

"How's Tris?" Danny, the past initiate who was cut from Dauntless but was brought back upon my request, asks.

"Damien had colic last night, she stayed with him the whole time. By lunch time he was better I guess so she's finally getting some sleep."

"My little brother used to get colic a lot, he'd cry all night so my mom had to stay with him. If it happens again try heating up warm water with honey and mint. It's a light tea that helps sooth stomachs. Cured his colic in less time."

"Thanks Danny." I smile at her quickly and then look back to the screen.

In the cafeteria Drew, Molly, and Peter sat at a table. Their ugly faces kept contorting with laughter and as much as I'd like not to know what's it's about part of me knows that it isn't funny to anyone else but them.

At the pit Myra and Edward sit together by the railing while Shauna and Chris play with Phoenix. They promised to stay in view of a camera so I can see my little girl.

"That's Phoenix isn't it?" Danny asks, transfixed by the screen showing my little baby.

"Yeah, here I have pictures." I say, digging into my pocket and pulling out my phone. I unclip the back of my case and pull out two small pictures. One is of Damien holding the finger of Tris. The other one is of Phoenix hugging her black bear and sleeping as usual.

"They're beautiful." She comments, smiling at the two small pictures.

"Thanks." I say, tucking the pictures away and going back to watching the compound.

I began to notice the excessive fanning of hands from people trying to cool off.

"Danny, turn up the air conditioning." I say, she does as told and people begin to relax in the pit.

"Much better." She laughs, leaning back in her chair and changing the music that plays in the compound.

The day stays like this until Max comes in to tell us our shift is over.

~.~.~

"So where are you off to?" Danny asks as I punch in the code to my locker door.

"I'm going to get some food for Tris and pick up Phoenix in the cafeteria."

"Alright, see you tomorrow." She gives off one more smile and then heads out the door, I follow her once my walkie talkie and control key are tucked in the small locker.

In the cafeteria I stand in line and request for the food to be for me to take home.

"Hey Four." Lynn calls from our usual table, everyone is there except for Tris.

"Hi guys." I say, walking over to them with a brown bag full of food.

"Where's Tris?" Chris asks with her eyebrows furrowed.

"At home with Damien, I supposed Shauna told you all about his colic. She was up all night. I'm just getting food and picking up Phoe." I say gesturing to the baby in Uriah's arms as he awkwardly tries to hold her with Marlene's assistance.

"Take her, she's too tiny I think I might break her!" Uriah exasperates. I take Phoenix who begins to squeal with happiness. I kiss her nose and wipe the drool that leaks from the edge of her lip.

"Thank you so much for taking care of her." I say to everyone, giving one last smile and then leaving for my apartment.

~.~.~

Upon entering I can hear the heavy cough I heard after tucking Damien into his crib.

The sound carried all the way from our bedroom so I quickly deposit the bag of food on the counter and then Phoenix on her moon pillow by the yellow firelight.

"Tris?" I whisper as I open the room door.

"What do you want Tobias?" Her tone is scratchy and rather hostile.

"I want to check on you, please don't be mad at me." I beg, running a careful hand over her arm. She turns away and coughs a very chesty cough.

"I'm fine, just feed the babies with formula and burp them please." I would fight her until she gives up and admits she's sick but I'd rather not anger her even more.

"Fine, I'll be in the living room. I brought some food back from the cafeteria for us incase you're hungry." I kiss her boiling forehead and leave the room with quite footsteps.