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Chapter 35
Tris P.O.V
It has been two weeks since we got the news that Eric's killer has finally been caught. I had honestly given up hope, after all the time that had passed. But Max had informed me that Peter had gotten ignorant, really stupid, extremely lazy and very cocky, after all this time. He skipped town shortly after killing Eric. No one knew where he went, he simply disappeared. It wasn't until he was busted in the middle of a carjacking here in town, that he was finally captured. He had probably thought he had gotten away with it, after so much time, no one would be looking for him. Little did he know, Max had never stopped looking.
Tobias has been more than supportive. It's weird how quickly the tables have turned in our relationship. First he saved and supported me, then I helped and supported him, and now we have come full circle, as I am the one in need of his support.
I can honestly say I don't know what I would do without him. I know sooner than later, I will have to leave him and go back to my apartment. He doesn't need me anymore. Last week the Doctor finally took Tobias' cast off of his arm, and his burns have almost completely healed, they're no longer open wounds, they're just tender to the touch. The Doctor has lifted all of the restrictions that he had been following. Tobias is set for his evaluation to go back to work next week. I know he is looking forward to that. He is the kind of man that needs to help the people around him. He hates being useless. But, like I've told him many times, in my eyes, he is far from useless.
To both our disappointment, Tobias and I have yet to make love since he was cleared. Tobias basically explained to me that we should wait until after the trail. He said it just didn't feel right. He wanted me to have a clear head and heart, when I finally gave myself to him. I understood, but that didn't help the disappointment.
This past week we have been really busy, and have kept our minds off, the one thing we both physically want most. We have spent a lot of time planning the baby showering, which was really overdue. We settled on the theme, Peas in a pod, Tobias hated the idea, which means it was cute, and needed to be our choice for their baby shower. We also settled on the venue, guest list, and a few other ideas that we have in store for the parents to be.
Just a few days ago, we were invited to go with Zeke and Shauna to their 20 week appointment. Tobias and I held hands, while Shauna laid on that uncomfortable examining table, and Zeke stood by her head holding her hand. We watched on the monitor as the little alien in Shauna's stomach appeared. It brought tears to both Shauna's and my eyes, as we finally found out who precisely we would be god-parenting. Shauna and I both jumped for joy when the technician announced it was a girl, as Zeke and Tobias both asked the very annoyed young woman if she was sure. I couldn't help the laughter that Shauna and I shared, when Zeke insisted that the sex hadn't finished baking yet.
Today is the first day of the Peter Hayes' trail. He is being charged with not only the murder of Eric Coulter, but 25 other counts of homicides, along with possession of narcotics, grand theft auto and assault with a deadly weapon. Even though he will be facing life in prison if he is found guilty, it still doesn't feel like enough.
To my left, Tobias sits holding my hand, giving me his strength. To my right, Shauna is holding my other hand. I look down at her empty hand. It is sitting protectively over her stomach, as Zeke has his arm resting on the back of her bench. Behind us are my loving parents and Caleb, who didn't hesitate to fly in for this trail.
Up until now, my family hasn't met Tobias, although they have heard of him through our countless conversations on the phone. I can't think of a more awkward way to meet the parents, other than this moment. Well except of course, how I met Tobias' parents. After all they only walked into Tobias' hospital room and found me on their son's bed, kissing and cuddling. The other benches are filled with off duty police officers that Eric had met or worked with through the years. They are all here to see that justice has finally been served.
We see the side door open, as guards walk the prisoner in. My eyes go to the shackles around his legs, that are also chained to the cuffs around his wrists. I finally get the courage to look into the face that has haunted my nightmares for the past four years... only now I recognize the face as the man that held me against a wall by my neck as he beat me to a pulp. If it wasn't for Tobias, God knows what would have happened to me. I glance at Tobias wondering if he recognizes the man before us. I quickly get my answer when I see his jaw clenched tightly and his hand squeezes mine tighter than before.
"Son of a bitch!" He mutters under his breath. I find myself scooching closer to him.
The trail took just one day to wrap up. It was really an open and shut case. Peter pleaded guilty to all counts, on the belief that he would be cut a deal for handing over the scientist behind the death serum that Peter distributed. He never even bothered to testify. Although his lawyer tried to justify his actions by pointing out how the system failed a person like Peter, his father abandoned him, his mother neglected him, where else did he have to turn to. Although I hated hearing his excuses, I understood the justification. After all look at Eric, who came from the same background that Peter came from. The only slight difference was me, Eric always said, I was that light he found at the end of the tunnel. The light that made him see differently, that made him change his ways. Peter didn't have that. But that still doesn't justify the awful things he did, and all the innocent lives he helped destroy.
"You okay?" Tobias asks, squeezing my hand.
"Yeah. It's just... it's finally over. After all this time... it's finally over." I express, I turn in my seat, facing him. He gives me a small smile, while nodding, telling me he understands. Zeke and Shauna are both smiling, happy at the outcome. We might not know the sentencing for Peter just yet, but that he was found guilty on all counts, which is a relief beyond anything that we could have hoped for.
I kneel down on the grass, placing flowers in the vase that is built into Eric's grave stone. My fingers lightly trace the letters of his name, the name that was such an important part of my life, for so many years. I don't turn around, to know that Zeke, Shauna, and Tobias are right there standing behind me. After all, they have always been behind me, every step of the way, and I know without a doubt, they always will. If it wasn't for them, all of them, I don't know where I would be right now. I will never be able to return the gratitude and appreciation that I feel towards them, but I'm going to spend the rest of my life showing them exactly how I feel.
"We... um... miss you Eric. Even though there were many times that we thought that we might kill each other, I miss that too. Don't worry about Tris... we got her." Zeke says, he he places the bunch of flowers that he and Shauna bought into the same vase as mine.
"Erica." Shauna says. She looks at me, and then at Zeke with a gentle smile. "Her name.. should be Erica." She explains, as tears fall from her eyes. Zeke nods, silently telling Shauna that he agrees, as he wraps his arms around her waist, guiding her back to the car.
"They did it Eric... they got him, he was found guilty today. You can rest now, baby." I say, as tears fall down my face. They are a mixture of sad and happy tears... sad for the life that we all lost too soon, but happy for the overdue justice that has been served today. "I'm... I'm gonna be alright Eric... I want you to remember that you will always be apart of my heart, and I will never forget you, that there isn't a single day that does by that I don't think about you, but I know now that I will be alright... that I can do this thing that they call "life." I bring up my index and middle finger to my lips and give them a light kiss, before placing them on the gravestone. "Goodbye Eric," I say, before I stand up and trail behind Zeke and Shauna.
Tobias P.O.V
I stay back, watching Tris slowly make her way across the grass to my truck. It's been a long and exhausting day, I can see the wear and tear of it bearing down on Tris. But there is something I need to get off my chest. I realize I have something on my mind that I need to say, and I need Eric to hear. I don't even know if he can hear my words wherever he is. But I still need to speak my piece. I crouch down facing Eric's gravestone, as I wipe my mouth with the palm of my hand. I glance over my shoulder at Tris... she is so brave, and strong. I watch her share a conversation with Zeke and Shauna for a moment, as they laugh at something Eric must have said. She is so beautiful, I can't even believe that she is mine. That she choose to be with me.
"I want you to know, that I did everything I could that day to save you... but I couldn't. I'm so sorry that I wasn't able to." I take a deep breath, collecting my thoughts for a moment. "You had something that I thought I would never have.. a love that was worth living for... worth fight for. I get why you didn't want to leave her, she's everything. I am the luckiest son of a bitch to come second in her life, I know that." I continue, staring into Eric's gravestone. "You have her past, and her memories... and I have her future. I'll swear I'll take care of our girl... I'll love her, cherish her, and protect her to my dying last breath. I'll make sure to always keep her happy, and I'll make sure to cherish each day and every night that I have with her. Because she is worth it. Thank you Eric... that day changed me more than you will ever know. Goodbye, Eric." I say, as I stand up nodding, giving a small smile to his gravestone, as I begin to step away and walk towards the woman we both love more than anything in this world.
I reach out holding Tris close to me by her waist. I catch the last of their conversation, something about a pressure cooker and it exploding everywhere, including on their faces. The three of them laugh uncontrollably...as Tris wipes tears that escape her eyes from laughing so hard, and Shauna holds her swollen stomach as she continues to laugh. Zeke attempts to hold on to her, but fails because his laughter overpowers him. I may not know exactly what the funny event was, but the scene before is enough to have me join in the laughter. When the hysterics finally die down, Tris and I both hug and say our goodbyes to Shauna and Zeke. We stand outside my truck, as we watch our close friends drive off. My hand still glued to her waist, holding her tightly to my side.
"How about we... go home... while you take a nice hot bubble bath... and I order Chinese?" I say slowly, as I look down at her seductively. Although we both agreed to not having sex for a little while longer, it doesn't mean I can't tease her, and fool around little bit. After all, who could resist this beautiful, sexy woman that is standing right next to me.
"That sounds wonderful." She says, smiling widely at me. I love that I can make her smile like this with the simplest things. I can't help leaning down, claiming her lips as my own, while being careful not to get carried away.
I retrieve a beer from the fridge, as I wait for the delivery man to arrive with our order. Tris is soaking, naked in my bathtub, full of soothing hot bubbles. This beer is not a means to get me drunk, or drown my sorrows... I just needed a little something to swallow the events of the day. I take my first sip, as I begin to process, the hell that was today.
When they brought in the prisoner, Peter Hayes, I admit the last person I expected to see, was the same man that was holding Tris by the throat and hurting her that terrible night. The moment I recognized that bastard, it took everything in me not to jump out of my seat and beat the crap out of him. I wouldn't have given a second thought to the consequences of those actions. But Tris' hand kept me grounded, I knew I had to keep it together for her. It wasn't about me at that moment, and how I felt about what he did to the woman I love... it was about Tris, and the person that killed her fiance. Since Tris refused to file a report that night, it was her word against his… there was nothing that could be done about the attack.
Because I didn't know the person responsible for murdering Eric was still at large. I never thought twice about the attack on Tris being anything other than a random attack, a random burglary. If I had known, I would have definitely been a lot more protective of her. Then again, that time in our relationship was a completely different ballgame, compared to now.
I finish my beer, as a knock on the door tells me that our dinner has finally arrived. I answer the door, signing the receipt for our food, and making sure the door is locked behind me. I start to place several of the containers on the coffee table, as well as some utensils and plates. I stand to grab our drinks as Tris emerges from the bedroom, seeming much more relaxed and more like herself. I can't help my eyes, that rake her tight, petite body, as I take her in. She sports her usual blue short shorts, that when she bends over I see a sneak peak of her delicious ass. My eyes slowly go up her hips, to her waist, to her delicious breasts. I know from us sleeping in the same bed that she isn't wearing a bra under her black tank top.
"Go ahead and sit down on the couch, I'll get us something to drink. How does a coke sound?" I ask, after clearing my throat. Without saying a word, Tris nods, moving herself to the couch to get comfortable. I grab a few coke cans from the refrigerator, and head back to my seat next to Tris. We eat our delicious dinner in comfort, while watching the last few episodes of The Walking Dead. I cleaned up and put away the leftovers once our stomachs are full and content. I grab a blanket, as I make my way back to where I want to be the most right now, beside Tris. We act like magnets. I sit down moving my arm, so it's wrapped around her, as she shifts closer to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. I drape the blanket over both of us, as we lay back into a comfortable position, and continue to binge on Netflix.
I wake up from a stiff neck in the middle of the night, noticing the black screen with the words, "are you there." I glance down at the sleeping beauty on my chest. I reach out grabbing the remote to the TV, turning it off. I slowly slip from under Tris, then turning around, gently picking her up. I hold her close, careful not to wake her. Both her legs draped over my right arm, as I cradle her neck with my left arm. It never fails to amaze me how perfectly she fits in my arms. I am careful with each step I take not wanting to drop her or wake her. I slip her into bed, covering her with the sheets and then with the comforter.
"Did I fall asleep?" Tris says, groggily. I make my way to the other side of the bed, as quickly as possible. My body craves the feel of her warmth next to me again.
"Shh. Go back to bed. We have to be up early." I say, I can't help the goofy grin that appears on my face.
"Why? You are still on medical leave until Monday and I took off the rest of the week for the trial." She says, I can hear her disapproval at the thought of waking up earlier than she has to.
"It's a surprise. I'm taking you on a trip." I answer. But I refuse to say anything else. We both deserve this time away from all the worries and stress in our lives. "And no.. I'm not telling you anymore than that."
"Mmm k. Good night Tobias, I love you." She barely whispers, if I wasn't laying so close to her, I probably wouldn't have heard her.
"I love you too, Love, More than you know."
A/n
Next chapter will be released December 19th
This chapter was brain stormed with FDFobsessed
This chapter was beta approved by Dimpls742
Take care and like always, Happy reading everyone
Trini