A/N: Thank you, Thank you Thank you for all the love on the last chapter!


"Chris, I need you to turn on CNN" Zeke says quickly as soon as Christina answers the phone. It was late Thanksgiving evening and Zeke, Shauna, Tris, and Tobias were all still in Chicago. She had stayed in Charleston. She and her Mom had a small dinner with Max and Hana since Rose went to England with Therese.

"Why," she says hesitantly.

"Just do it please Chris," Zeke says again.

She fumbles for the remote with her mother looking at her not sure what is happening at the moment.

"The USS Chaffee, that was part of a mission in Yemen, has been hit by a terrorist attack though to be orchestrated by Al Quaeda when the destroyer docked for a fuel stop early this morning. It's being reported that over 40 US Sailors are dead, injured, or missing…. "

Christina drops the remote and her phone and falls to the couch. She feels her chest tighten, she can't hear anything. She sees her mother rush to her but she can't process anything right now.

Stephanie picks up Chris's phone and talks to Zeke. She quickly hangs up and dials Hana.

"Christina, Baby can you hear me?" Stephanie asks shaking her daughter slightly trying to get her to snap out of her shock.

Hana and Max arrive about 20 minutes later and Hana goes directly to sit next to Christina.

"Christina, Darling, I need you to look at me," Hana says quietly turning Christina's head to her.

Christina focuses on Hana, not sure how long she had been zoned out. When did she get here?

"Ms. Hana, he can't be gone" Christina chokes out and breaks down in tears. Hana pulls her into her chest and lets her cry as she lets her own tears fall.

"We don't know anything yet, We have to pray that God will bring him home to us" Hana soothes as Stephanie and Max stand teary-eyed on the other side of the room.


Tobias, Tris, Shauna, and Zeke were planning to leave that evening due to Zeke's need to get back for practice on Friday and his last game of the season on Saturday. Everyone is quiet the entire trip back to Charleston. Uriah was the light and life of their family. When anyone had a bad day, Uriah was always there to crack a joke and make you smile. Zeke and Tobias were not going to satisfied until they were with their mother as soon as possible. Tris and Shauna packed their bags in a hurry, with Zeke and Tobias checking to see if they could get on an earlier flight than the 10 am flight they were scheduled on.

Tris had noticed, Shauna had been more quiet than usual over the trip but she didn't push her to talk especially now. Tris herself feels like she's going to cry any minute at just the thought that Uriah might be gone, maybe it was wearing on her too but she felt like something else was going on with Shauna. She knew her best friend was a mess and so was her fiancé. Tobias was trying to hold it together for Ms. Hana and Zeke. He had held her so tight the night before like he was afraid she was going to disappear.


The next three days are difficult for everyone. Tobias has his last week of class to teach. Gabe asks if he needs him to take over but Tobias welcomes the distraction. Amar tells Zeke to be with his mother rather than worry about practice and the game. Everyone knew that if Uriah was dead protocol would be for a soldier and a Chaplin to show up at Hana's house. Zeke and Tobias were there around the clock with Christina but no one came and there hadn't been any other news so everyone dares to feel a shred of hope that he was okay.

Tris and Shauna cook and bring meals over to Hana's house and try to be as supportive as possible. Tris is struggling but she pushes herself to be strong for everyone. She can tell Tobias holds on to her a little tighter at night when they try to go to sleep.

On Thursday Christina goes back to her house to get some more clothes before going back to Hana's. She had told her mother to go back to New York even though Stephanie was reluctant to leave. Christina assured her she would be fine with all the support she had with everyone and Rose would be moving back with her in the next week when the dorms closed for the semester. Her staff had been wonderful about handling all the catering jobs knowing that she couldn't deal with it right now. She had intended to pack her bag and leave but she ended up laying down in one of Uriah's t-shirts and fell fast asleep in their bed. Christina wakes up disoriented as she hears her phone ringing. When her eyes focused she sees that it's 2 am, She reaches for her phone and answers the unknown number groggily.

"Hey Beautiful" Uriah's voice greets her from the other end of the phone.

"Uriah! Oh my God, Baby, You're alive" Christina starts to sob immediately placing her hand over her mouth as the hot tears fall down her cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm sorry I couldn't call before now and I forgot about the time difference, I just needed to hear your voice. I know you've been going crazy with know news. I thought someone would have called you before now but it's been crazy. There's still some of my shipmates missing."

"I'm just happy to hear your voice too, can you tell me where you are?"

"Yeah, I'm in a hospital in Germany, I don't know how long they are going to keep me"

"Are you injured?"

"Yeah, I got a dislocated shoulder, and a concussion but I'll live"

"I love you so much, I've been so worried the past three days"

"I love you too, will you call my mom, I don't know when I'll get to use the phone again, Hopefully, I'll be stateside soon"

"Of course, I will don't worry"

"The docs are coming in to run some more tests, I'll call you as soon as I can"

"I love you, Uriah"

"I love you too, Chris"

Christina looks at the clock, it was just after 2:15 am, she decides to say the hell with everything and wake Hana up knowing that she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep anyway.

"Christina is everything alright Dear, I was worried when you didn't come back this evening but I thought you might have wanted," Hana says sleepily after picking up on the 4th ring.

"He called me Ms. Hana, He's okay!" Christina says hurridly cutting Hana off mid-sentence with tears still running down her cheeks from relief and happiness.

"Thank you, God, Uriah's alright Max" Christina hears her tell her husband. Christina takes a few minutes to go over the information Uriah told her and his injuries. Christina promises to head to Hana's house as soon as she is dressed in the morning.

Christina sends a group text to her mother, Rose, Shauna, Tris, Tobias, and Zeke so they would all see it when they wake up in the morning.


Two days later Uriah is on a plane to Washington, D.C.. He spends another three days going through debriefing before he is processed out and he's on a flight to Charleston.

Christina can hardly keep still on the way to the airport to pick up Uriah. Zeke and Shauna are in the front seat, Tris was so nervous she didn't trust herself to drive. Everyone was planning to go back to their house for a short welcome home celebration knowing that Uriah still needed to rest.

Tris and Shauna, wrap their arms around her as they check the board and see that the flight has landed and they make their way as close to the where the passengers will exit the terminal. Everyone smiles as they see him coming down in his Navy issues blue camouflage fatigues. Uriah breaks into a huge grin when he sees his family. He breaks into a jog and as soon as he crosses the red TSA line Christina runs to him. His arm is in a black sling but he still picks her up with his good arm and Christina kisses him until they both can't breathe. He gives her a few quick kisses before setting her back on her feet.

"My baby" Hana croons as pulls him down for a hug and kisses his head holding him close. Hana starts to cry and Uriah hugs her with his good arm. They stay like that for a few minutes before Hana lets him go and Max pulls her to him as she wipes her eyes.

"This is going to be like that time when you fell off your bike and broke your arm when we were kids" Zeke teases as Uriah pulls him into a hug.

"Yeah, but we won't complain about you being babied this time though" Tobias adds as he moves in for a hug as Uriah laughs at the memory.

"You two stop," Hana says playfully as she smacks her two oldest sons on the arms and everyone laughs as Uriah moves to hug Shauna and Tris.

"Admit it Ma, you let him get away with anything those six weeks," Tobias says laughing. Zeke and Tobias had been 14 and Uriah 12 when Uriah on a dare from Zeke and Tobias tried to jump his bike off a ramp they had constructed on the street. Uriah ended up with a broken wrist and Hana had fussed over him the entire time he was in a cast. He had a bell he would ring to have Tobias and Zeke bring him anything.

"Hey, I had a broken bone" Uriah defends with his classic boyish grin as he shakes hands with Max.

"Oh like you didn't milk it for all it was worth, You had Ms. Hana believing you couldn't even carry your bookbag" Shauna laughs as she remembers the incident.

"I hope you made a lot of food, I'm starving" Uriah announces as they head to the parking garage.

He had lost all his personal belongings in the explosion on the ship. He keeps his fingers laced with Christina's not wanting to take his hands off her. Christina true to her word had her Dauntless Cake waiting for Uriah and she made two, one for him to eat all by himself. Uriah eats his fill while everyone fills him in on things that have happened while he was gone. Hana runs everyone off after about an hour wanting Uriah to get some rest and everyone promises to not bug him too much over the next few days.

Christina is hesitant to make love to Uriah that night, not wanting to hurt him or aggravate his shoulder but he pleads with her as he just needs to be connected to her. Uriah was still having a hard time sleeping. He would never forget the things he saw and the only thing that made him not get lost in the grief was his fiancé. She was the thing that grounded him, that was helping him make sense of it all.

That night when they make love, It's slow and sensual as pleasures him with her mouth and this moves to sit in his lap, both of them relishing being connected again. Christina wraps her legs around his waist and holds him close by his good shoulder. His good arm holds her bottom as they move against each other, Christina nearly climaxes from the emotional intensity of their union as they both whisper how much they mean to each other as they share the deepest connection they have ever felt and tears fall from both their eyes as they make love to each other until they both climax. After Christina lays against his good shoulder, moving her fingers across his stomach, and as they lay with their legs intertwined, a feeling comes over her and she sits up and looks at him.

"Uri, I want to get married this week, Let's just go get a marriage license and go to the courthouse" She blurts out unsure of what he will say but she knows this is what she wants.

"I was thinking the same thing the whole plane ride home" he admits as he pulls her down for a kiss.

Uriah doesn't sleep much that night. He watches Christina intently as she sleeps, smiling at the faint smile on her lips. She had looked so tired when he saw her at the airport, he knew she probably hadn't slept since she heard about the attack. He lets the sound of her breathing and the rise and fall of her chest lull him to sleep for however long before he knew he would awaken with the horrific dreams that he'd been having for the past week. Bad dreams or not, he was home with his family and he had to keep on living.


Tris, Shauna, Tori, and Christina are in Nordstrom on King's Street looking for an ivory dress for Chistina to wear the next day for her and Uriah's courthouse ceremony. Rose has to take a final that morning and makes her sister promise to send pictures. Christina has three dresses to try on. The ladies are all indifferent about the first two and she steps into the fitting room to change into the third while Shauna, Tris, and Tori start up a conversation.

"So Tris, how's the baby-making going?" Tori teases.

"Well, I got my period yesterday so nothing interesting yet but I didn't really expect to get pregnant in the first two months, at least I don't have to worry about being on for the wedding or during the honeymoon" Tris replies with a shrug, she and Tobias had agreed to not put any pressure on themselves with the whole trying to get pregnant thing.

"What about you Shauna?" Tori asks turning to her knowing that Zeke and Shauna had been trying as well.

"Not great actually," Shauna says quietly.

"What is happening? Why haven't you said anything?" Tris asks placing a hand on Shauna's arm.

Christina steps out from the dressing room at that moment and sees Tris comforting Shauna.

"What's going on?" she asks.

"I found out I have fibroids which are apparently very common in Black women but it also has been making it difficult for me to get pregnant. I had a miscarriage right before Thanksgiving" she confesses looking at her hands in her lap.

"Shauna, why didn't you tell us?" Christina says rushing over to her friend.

"I wasn't that far along, and Zeke and I wanted to wait to say anything for a few more weeks, and then we were going to talk to everyone after Thanksgiving and everything happened with Uriah. I just didn't feel right saying anything. My mom knew so I wasn't going through it alone".

Christina pulls Shauna into a hug. "I don't care what is going on, we are here for you, don't ever feel that you can't tell us what's going on"

"Yes, Seriously Shauna. I have fibroids too. Since Harrison and I decided that we don't want to have kids its not as big as an issue for me but don't feel like you have to go through this alone"

"I'm so sorry Sis, what can we do?" Tris says rubbing Shauna's arm.

"I'm okay, really, it's just been very emotional with everything going on, I found a fertility specialist my OB recommended that I have an appointment to see in January. I just really want to enjoy December and celebrate everything our family has to be thankful for. I'm not giving up on us having a baby Zeke and I know we have lots of options. Those three days we thought Uri might have been killed in that attack really put things into perspective for me."

Tori pulls Shauna into a hug and Shauna wipes a few tears away as they settle back into their seats.

"Damn Chris, that dress is the one," She remarks with a laugh as Christina looks down forgetting she was still wearing the third dress she had tried on. Tori and Tris agree and the ladies all share another hug.

Tris snaps a pic to send to Rose as Christina looks at herself in the mirror. The form-fitting white dress was a one-shoulder design with pleated detail on the right side.

"Yes, definitely the one" Tris agrees.


On that Friday afternoon, Everyone gathers at the courthouse to witness Uriah and Christina tie the knot. Stephanie had taken an early morning flight, determined not to miss her eldest daughter's nuptials and Rose picks her up just in time to make it to the ceremony.

Uriah is able to ditch his arm sling even though it will still be several weeks before his shoulder is fully healed. Christina thinks he looks absolutely handsome in his Navy Dress Blues and white hat and boutonniere. She smiles as she bites her lip and he leans in to whisper how he can't wait to get out of that dress as they stand in front of the judge.

The ceremony is quick to the point and as everyone goes to exit the courthouse Tris stops them and puts down Ms. Hana's broom for Uriah and Christina to jump before the exit the courthouse. Zeke and Tobias had already handed out confetti for everyone to throw. It was a beautiful moment for everyone as Chris and Uri jump the broom to the cheering from their friends and family with confetti flying everywhere. It has been an emotional year but everyone was looking forward to the trip to Jamaica to celebrate Tris and Tobias and have a little relaxation.

The week before Christmas is pure craziness. Shauna, Tori, and Christina all decide they want their hair braided for the trip and spend hours in the braid shop that week. Uriah has physical therapy at the VA every day and Tobias has to get all his papers graded and submitted. Tris helps Rose and Therese move out of their dorm room for the Fall break. She makes a mental note as she lugs one of Therese's suitcases down the steps of the dorm to ask Max why they have to move out fully when it would be much easier to let them keep their things in the dorms over the winter break. Her brain was on overload with planning for the house full of people she had coming next week as well as making sure everything was in line for the wedding. She takes a deep breath and just reminds herself that it's just a few more weeks and all she will have to do is lay on the beach in Montego Bay for two weeks with her husband.


Everyone leaves for Jamacia for the wedding festivities on December 28th. Uriah had two months of leave due to his injuries and return from deployment so he and Christina were planning to stay in Jamaica an additional seven days with Tris and Tobias. Everyone has a house full with everyone gathering in Charleston for Christmas so they can leave for the wedding together on the chartered plane. Stephanie and Rose are at Christina and Uriah's. Lauren and her husband are at Max and Hana's. Marlene, Lynn, and Shauna's parents are all at Zeke and Shauna's. Shauna's parents wanted to spend Christmas in Charleston even though they weren't attending the wedding and they planned to say through the New Year. Tris and Tobias have a house full as well with Therese moving back in after fall moveout for the dorms. Edward had arrived as soon as his Fall term was over. Tobias had told him to fly straight to Jamaica for the wedding but Edward had insisted he come to Charleston for the two weeks before the wedding.

"I don't understand why Ed is so hell-bent on being here in Charleston during his break, he just saw Therese over Thanksgiving break," Tobias replies as he and Tris cuddle a few minutes before getting up to start the day.

"You are so cute Baby, Ed isn't flying across the Atlantic for his sister," She remarks as she chuckles and kisses him on the forehead as she gets up to shower.

Tobias thinks to himself and laughs and his misreading of the situation. Tris had been telling him since the summer that Edward and Rose were interested in each other but Tobias hadn't been fully convinced. Now Therese and Rose's trip to London for Thanksgiving makes even more sense. Therese was also bringing a date to the wedding, a football player named Shiloh that she had been seeing. Zeke had assured Tobias he was a good kid, a good athlete, and a good student. Tobias couldn't help but give him a stern look and talk at Homecoming causing Tris to laugh at his overprotectiveness.

The Priors and Marcus arrive in Charleston a few days before Christmas with Caleb and Cara driving down on Christmas Eve. Marcus officially meets Therese and Edward who are cordial and give him a chance. He informs them that his divorce from Evelyn has been finalized so he assumed that she and Thomas would probably be marrying soon. Therese and Edward roll thier eyes in response. Marcus shakes his head, he hated that his now ex-wife couldn't see what damage she was doing to her children but as one of the issues he was working with his therapist on, he could only control his actions and work on his relationship with Tobias. He spends some time telling them and Tobias stories about their grandfather and he grew his business. Therese and Tobias appreciate hearing the stories about Nicolas and hearing about what he liked. Edwards spends a great deal of time discussing business with him wanting to hear all about how he runs Divergent.

Tris had always thought she and Tobias could do with a smaller place, she had still been getting used to having multiple large houses in multiple countries, but this week was a good reason that they needed such a large house.

The morning of the 28th Natalie and Tris cook breakfast and for their house full of visitors before the car services Tobias hired shows up to carry everyone to the airport. It's organized chaos as everyone double-checks to make sure they have all their belongings and passports. Tris feels like it's a scene from Home Alone. Stephanie, Uriah, Christina, and Rose arrive not long after the van carrying Natalie, Andrew, Tris, Tobias, Therese, Edward, Cara, Caleb, and Marcus does. The next van arrives with Tori, Harrison, and Tobias's three line brothers, Reggie, Bobby, and Jeff, and their significant others. Finally, Max, Hana, Shauna, Zeke, Lauren, her husband Malik, Marlene, and Lynn arrive in the last van. Tobias makes sure to leave a tip for the attendants helping with all the luggage. He can tell Tris is a little tense going over her checklist in her mind even though Tori, Shauna, and Christina have assured her that they have everything under control.

Marcus pulled some strings through his business contacts to get a larger plane to accommodate the large group. Natalie Andrew, Caleb, Cara, Tris, Tobias, Christina, Uriah, Hana, Max, Zeke, Lauren, Malik, Shauna, Stephanie, Lynn, and Marlene were on the larger plane while, Rose, Edward, Therese, Shiloh, Tori, Harrison, Reggie, Bobby, Jeff, and their girlfriends were all on the smaller plane.

By the time all the guests are settled on the plane for the two and half hour flight, Tobias gets the flight attendants to bring Tris a drink and she leans against his shoulder and he kisses her on the forehead and lets her sleep most of the flight.

Christina, Malik, Lauren, Zeke, and Uriah are all chatting in one area of the plane. When Lauren points out a quiet corner of the plane.

"Chris, your mom is totally flirting with Tobias's dad" Lauren observes causing Zeke and Uriah to look up and burst out laughing.

"Oh my God, she is, Oh lord this is so embarrassing" Christina groans as she watches her mother toss her hair over her shoulder as she laughs at something Marcus says and crosses her legs toward him as she sips her drink before she gently touches his shoulder.

"They say weddings are a common place where you can meet somebody" Lauren offers causing Zeke and Uriah to errupt in laughter again as Christina hides her face in her hands as she laughs.

The resort Tris and Tobias choose the posh, luxurious, and all-inclusive Excellence Oyster Bay resort which is located on a private peninsula about 30 minutes from the Montego Bay airport. An escort awaits the party to get everyone through customs and loaded on to the transport vans to the resort. Everyone chooses to relax for the evening either exploring the resort or trying one of the 10 restaurants available to guests.

Tobias had booked the five private beach villas of the resort for him and Tris, Chris and Uri, Zeke and Shauna, and Max and Hana and the Priors. Each couple has a spacious ocean-front cottage, that boasted a living room, master bedroom, walk-in closet, private pool, private courtyard, and a small strip of private beach.

Still not accustomed to the level of wealth of Tris and Tobias, Natalie and Andrew had protested but Tris and Tobias insisted, the most of a vacation either of them took was traveling to Atlanta or Charleston to spend time with Tris and Caleb. They deserved this vacation after years of never taking a break from the group home. Everyone else in the party was not far away in the club section of the resort with Beach House suites that each had a balcony and a plunge pool.

Shauna, Lynn, and Marlene are having a drink at the bar when Zeke sees Christina standing alone looking out at the ocean. Zeke tells Shauna he'll be back as he walks over to check on his sister-in-law. The weather is perfect and there's a slight breeze as the sun begins to set across the ocean. When he gets to Christina, he sees that she's watching Uriah as he walks along the beach by himself with his head down. They stand there for a few moments not speaking just watching.

"I'm worried about him Zeke" Christina finally says quietly.

"I know, we all are"

"He's not sleeping well, he wakes up with these night terrors and I feel so helpless that I can't make it better for him," she confesses as her voice cracks.

"You do make it better for him Chris, I don't think he would be doing this well if it weren't for you. Give him some time. It's only been a month. T. talked to him about setting up an appointment at the VA to talk to someone after you come home."

Christina nods as Zeke pulls her in for a hug and rubs her shoulders before they walk back to the bar together.


A/N: Let me know what you think of this chapter! I've added pics on my Pinterest board! The Excellence Group Hotels are my favorite when traveling to the Caribbean! Since the next chapter is the wedding I'm hoping to post it on NYE since it's a NYE wedding!