Hope you'll like this one!
I also wanted to thank j-wcth who told me in 'Nocturnal Escape' that Tris grandmother was speaking Dutch instead of Norwegian. Shouldn't have trusted google translate on that one ?

Well, happy reading!

Her first steps

Tris POV :

Winter is coming again. I watch as Tobias puts the ironed clothes in the closet from my wheelchair. I hate watching him without being able to help him, let it be for cleaning, cooking or everything else.

But for now, that's all I'm able to do. Watch him do all of it without helping.

"Love, can you bring the rest please?" He asks kindly.

"Yeah."

I take the empty basket and go to the laundry room where the ironing board is full of laundry. I take what is folded and ironed and put it in the basket that I quickly bring back in the bedroom.

"Thank you."

He leans down to kiss me.

"Anyway, that's what I do best now."

He sighs and drops the laundry. He sits on the bed and asks me to come closer. I know I'm going to get scolded but I do what he says. I stop in front of him, he takes my hand in his.

"I know it's difficult for you. Not being able to do what you used to do. All of that is recent but you'll get used to it with a little more time."

"I don't want to get used to it. I want to walk again. It's been three months and I can't get used to it."

"Unfortunately, you don't get to choose. You'll have to get used to it. I'm here if you need me, or if you need to talk."

He wipes a tear on my cheek and kisses me.

"And we're going to get married in three months. That should make you happy."

"I'd rather marry you standing on my legs."

"As long as you're here and say 'I do', I don't care if you're standing or in your wheelchair. You're still going to be gorgeous."

Someone knocks at the door. It must be Christina, we must go to the dressmaker to make a few changes on my wedding dress. I kiss Tobias who then goes back to the laundry as I wheel myself to the front door. I take my back on the way and open the door.

"Hey, how are you?"

"Fine and you?"

"I'm so excited to see your dress!"

She helps me climb in the car, puts the wheelchair in the trunk then sits behind the wheel. Christina hasn't seen my dress yet because the first time, I went with my mother and Hana, Tobias' adoptive mother. His mother died when he was 4 and his father got killed a year after that. Hana, his aunt, didn't hesitate to adopt him.

We found the perfect dress a few days before my car accident which took away my ability to walk. A drunk driver run a red light and hit me straight in the left side. I'm not a doctor so I couldn't explain what happened to make my legs still but I've been told about a cut nerve in my spinal column. First, the doctor told me that I would never be able to walk again but a week ago, I learned that the nerve wasn't cut but compressed. An operation could give me back my legs and re-education, the ability to use them. I've got an appointment with a surgeon tomorrow with my mother to know more about this operation.

I notice we've already arrived when the door opens and the wheelchair is waiting for me. I drag myself inside. I refuse Christina's help to push me. I must do it alone. We enter the boutique and the woman I saw last time greets us.

"Miss Prior, I'm happy to see you again. I'm sorry about your accident."

"Thank you. I've had your message. The alterations are done?"

"Yes, follow me."

She guides us to the changing room for disabled person then go find my dress. Christine helps me undress and put on the dress. I chose a dress with a puffed skirt because I've always dreamed about it but I realize now I won't be able to wear it. The skirt will be stuck in the wheels. I start crying when I realize it.

"Tris.."

Christina kneels in front of me and holds me.

"I'm so sorry. Do you want to look for another dress?"

"No."

She nods and gets up.

"Is it possible to keep the dress and we'll come back another day?"

"Of course. I understand."

I whisper a thank you but don't react when Christina helps me redress then pushes me out of the boutique. We don't go back to the car, she pushes me to my favourite coffee shop where the hot chocolates are to die for. I smile above my shoulder.

"Thank you. You always know what I need."

"You're right, I know everything about you. You should marry me, leave Tobias behind."

"I'm not sure you could satisfy me like he does."

"Eww… Tris!"

I laugh as a waiter takes our order. Two hot chocolates with whipped cream and two raspberries tarts.

"So speaking of him, how are you doing?"

"Fine. He is happy enough for the two of us."

"You should be happy. He didn't hesitate to stay beside you when he knew you wouldn't walk again. Some men wouldn't do that."

"I know but I'm scared that one day he won't stand it anymore… that I can't do anything."

"He wants to marry you. I don't know what you need more."

"You're probably right… and it'd tell me if it was bothering him, right?"

We eat our tarts in a more relaxed atmosphere. Later, when she drops me off, I don't talk about what happened with the dress to Tobias. I will wear that dress on the day of my wedding! Nothing will make that impossible!

The next day, when I button up my blouse, I notice Tobias watching me by the door.

"Can I talk to you?"

I nod slowly, my throat dry. He's going to tell me he's had enough of me, he has doubts about us. He crouches in front of me, a hand on my knee.

"What's the problem?" I inquire.

"I should be the one asking."

"What do you mean?"

"Tuesday, you went to the restaurant with Caleb. Wednesday, you went out with your friends. Thursday, you had something to do with Uriah. Yesterday, you spent the day with Christina and today, you leave with your mother. I'm glad you're going out and all that but I'd like to spend time with my fiancée too. We only see each other a few minutes a day. I miss you."

"I'm sorry. I thought you liked not having me around, not disturbing you…"

"How many times do I have to tell you? You aren't a burden to me. I love you, with or without your wheelchair."

"I promise that tomorrow, we'll spend the day together. Okay?"

"Fine. I'll take care of you with no interruption."

We kiss slowly when we are interrupted by a noise. Of course, my mother just had to walk in now.

"I'm sorry to disturb. Honey, we have to go."

Tobias stands up to greet my mother then comes with us at the car. He helps me settle in.

"You'll call me if the doctor sees something new?"

"I promise."

He kisses me through the open window.

"See you tonight. I love you."

"I love you too."

We leave in silence but I see my mother's smile.

"What? "

"Nothing."

"Say it."

"You are adorable. I would have loved to see his face when he knew you could walk again."

"He doesn't know."

"What? You didn't tell him?" She asks.

"I don't want to false expectations."

"But he has to know."

"I want to surprise him. You know walking to him."

"That's sweet but it will take time. Re-education takes a long time."

"I want to show him at the wedding. I want to walk to the altar."

"I don't think it will be possible."

"I'll ask the doctor."

We stay silent until we park at the hospital. We go in then to the ward that takes care of my case. I wave at the nurses who know me well now.

I wait only a few minutes before the doctor lets us in.

"Hello Beatrice, how are you?"

"Good, hoping for great news."

"I understand."

He invites my mother to sit and takes my file.

"So, I took the opportunity to show your file to my colleagues and they are unanimous, the operation can happen."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. However, you should know that in every operation, there is a risk."

"A risk? What risk?" My mother says.

"Mom!"

"No, if the risk is too great, you aren't doing this operation. Tobias would say no too."

"Let me ease your mind, Mrs Prior. The risk isn't that important, well a bit. In every operation, there is a risk of not waking up but it never happens, the patient is under constant monitoring. The risk I'm thinking about is that the nerve could break during the operation."

"Well, I'm already disabled.

I mean that if the nerve were to break, we would never be able to mend it."

"But at least, you would've tried to make me walk again. If the operation is a success, I'll be forever grateful."

"You're determined."

"I want to walk for my wedding."

"I like your thinking. Let's look when we could do that."

He takes out a big agenda and flips through it.

"So… when is your wedding day?"

"In three months. On February 22nd."

"Knowing you'll need two months of re-education to walk a little bit, I can suggest December 14th, in three weeks."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Mom…"

I see my mother already in tears who doesn't wait to hold me against her.

"You'll walk again, honey. It's possible."

"I'm sorry to tell you this but I have to remind you this is a sensitive operation. You must remember it could fail even though I'll do everything I can to succeed."

"Thank you, doctor. It's enough already. Thank you so much!"

He takes out papers I have to fill for the operation. I'm so excited I have to make sure I filled it perfectly before signing it. He gives me a whole lot of papers to explain how the operation is going to go and how to prepare for it. I keep them to read later. I'm so excited, I don't want to wait.

"Well, I think you know everything you have to know. I'll send you some more papers and prescription for preoperative products."

"Thank you doctor."

"You're welcome. I'll see you in three weeks, Beatrice. Take care of yourself."

"Thanks. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

I can't wipe the smile off my face. And that, Tobias noticed it the next day. I can't stop smiling. We lay on the bed after a wonderful lunch he cooked for us. I love laying with him like that because it's the only moment we can't see my disability.

"What makes you so happy now?" He asks as he rubs my back.

"I'm not allowed to be happy with you?"

I love being in his arms. I would give everything I have to be able to throw my leg over his waist and love him without him having to move a finger.

"Of course you can. It's nice to see you smile again."

"I'm getting used to the wheelchair. That's how it is and I should be happy to be here because the accident could have killed me."

"He kisses my forehead.

"So how is the wedding planning going?"

When I began to feel bad when I couldn't help him around the house, he offered to let me plan the entire wedding and he would take care of the honeymoon.

"Everything's fine. I have a big surprise for you."

"Really?"

"Mmmm. I think you'll like it."

"I'm eager to see it then. And everything is settled for the honeymoon. I'll tell you where we are going at the last moment."

"It's going to be amazing. Just us for one week."

"I have an idea, Tris. What if we change the wedding day? I mean, no need for a big wedding, you have your dress, we just have to say yes."

"No!" I exclaim.

"Oh… I thought you'd like that. We just have to be married."

"It's just… my surprise isn't ready yet."

"Doesn't matter. You'll me when it' ready."

"I really want it to be on our wedding day. Please."

"Alright, it seems important for you."

"It is… and… hum, my mother would like to go see my family the week before Christmas."

"Just you and her?"

"Yes."

"And you leave a week?"

"Six days."

"I'll miss you if you leave so long."

"We're going to New Zealand, we can't leave for two days only."

"Have you already seen the conditions for your wheelchair on the plane?"

"Not yet. Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"You're going to see your family, I can't tell you don't go. And I'm sure it'll do you some good."

"Thanks, I'll think so too."

He rubs my back. He has a hand lower, on my thigh, his thumb running circles. I can't feel it so I just watch it. I stare at the way his fingers dance on my pants and try to remember how it feels to be touch like that. I'm telling myself I should have enjoyed it when I could because now, I can only watch.

Tobias notices my stare. He takes off his hand immediately and lifts it on my waist.

"Sorry."

"Don't be, you can continue if you want."

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"You aren't, I mean I don't feel anything."

"That's the thing. I want you to feel my hands each times I put them on you. I want you to enjoy it."

He tickles my rib to make me laugh.

"There's nothing sweeter to my ears than your laugh. I love when you react like that."

"I love you Tobias."

"I love you too. A lot."

I arrived at the hospital at 8 o'clock. I haven't eaten since last night. I took a shower with this antiseptic soap. I put on their awful gown. I am laying on the bed ready to go. My mother is holding my hand as we wait. My hair are in a cap. I'm so nervous.

"It's going to be okay. It's going to be alright."

"I can't wait."

A smiling nurse comes in.

"Are you ready?"

Two men follow her and after a last kiss from my mother, they bring me to the operation room. I wait a bit outside the room when a nurse comes out. He asks me my name to make sure I'm the right person then puts an IV in my arm. Next, I'm wheeled in. There is a lot of person but I see the surgeon smiling at me.

"Ready?"

"Of course I am."

"Alright, let's begin."

The anaesthetist comes forward and puts a mask on my nose and mouth. The smell is terrible but soon, I feel my eyelids drop. In a snap of a finger, I'm gone.

I'm awaken by my name. Someone is yelling my name in my ear. I groan and my eyes flutter to open.

After a minute, I manage to keep them open. I feel a pain in my back but my legs are still unmoving. I remember what happened now. The operation. It didn't work, that's why I can't feel anything.

"Beatrice, do you know where you are?" The nurse asks.

"Hospital…"

What is this dumb question? That's obvious.

"Do you know why?"

"My back."

"Great."

And she leaves while writing things down. I'm left alone in the recovery room for ten minutes… thirty minutes… an hour. Eventually, someone comes to get me. They bring me back to my room. My mother isn't here.

She comes back an hour later with the doctor. While waiting, I had a light lunch with a ton of medication.

"Hello Tris, how are you doing? Any pain?"

"How did it go?"

"Straight to the point. Alright. The operation went very well. Your nerve went back to its place and I promise you that in two days, you'll start to feel things in your legs. For now, you are forbidden to move your legs without a doctor or a nurse here. Don't try to get up alone or to do your exercises at home. You could damage your nerve, it's still very tender. Understood?"

"Yes, I do as if I was still paralyzed… Oh my God, I'm healed! Thank you, doctor."

I hug my mother with all the strength I have and cry. For now, I can say this is the best moment of my life.

Re-education is slow and painful. As promised, I started to feel my legs two days after the operation. Feeling my toes moving or Tobias' hand on my thigh almost made me cry the first time.

A month after the operation, I go to the physiotherapist four times a week. I told Tobias that I had to learn exercises I would do at home too so I wouldn't lose the muscles in my legs when in fact, I was really training to gain muscles. The physiotherapist had that machine which was holding me up and I wasn't feeling my weight. That way I could learn to place my feet perfectly to walk.

Now, I have only two weeks left before the wedding and for the first time, I'll try to walk with nothing holding me up.

He takes my hands to help me stand up. That I can do alone. Standing up is easy. He pushes my wheelchair away in case I were to fall and it could hurt me. I see my mother with watery eyes.

I take a deep breath, drop his hands and take a step forward. Looks like it works. I try another step. Then another one. And one more. I'm walking.

I'm walking!

I cry as I walk to my mother and fall in her arms.

"I'm walking, mom! I did it!"

"I'm so proud of you, honey. It's amazing!"

The physiotherapist interrupts us to start working again. I'm far from being ready to walk to the altar. I've got to work about it.

Tobias POV

I've never been so nervous in my whole life. I've checked three times if I was totally dressed, that I didn't forget my underpants, my socks or even my shirt.

In twenty minutes, I'll see Tris. She said the surprise will be just before the wedding, I can only wait now.

My two half-brothers, Zeke and Uriah are with me and help me staying calm.

I'm so eager to see Tris. To see her in her dress, her make-up, her hairstyle. She's going to be amazing, I know it. According to Uriah, Christina tried do decorate Tris' wheelchair but she said no immediately.

When I learned she would be paralysed, my first reaction was to find a solution for Tris. I wanted her happiness and staying in a wheelchair her entire life wouldn't be the right solution. Unfortunately, her nerve was cut and there aren't many solutions or they are equally as expensive. Even if I wanted that more than anything, I couldn't afford any of it. But she seems to accept the situation now and I'm glad because I couldn't stand to see her unhappy and depressed anymore. It killed me inside.

"Tobias, are you ready? It's time!"

"Already? How do I look?"

"If Tris stayed with you all this time, she mustn't be too demanding on your looks." Zeke teases.

I hit him in the shoulder as he laughs with Uriah. Mom joins us and smiles.

"You're so handsome. Ready to go?"

My heart beats fast in my chest as I wait at the altar. Tris should come any minute now. The organ plays. She's coming.

The flower girls come first then comes the bride pushed by her father. Even sitting, she is stunning. I have to hold back a tear when I see my future wife.

When she's reached the middle of the aisle, her father stops and takes her flowers. Is that the surprise? She wants to come alone?

She smiles nervously which makes me nervous too and makes me take a few steps toward her. I see her put her weight on her hands as if she wanted to stand up. What is she doing? I walk a bit faster. When I'm ten metres away, she stops me with her hand up. She leans forward again but this time, she stands up. And she doesn't sway. I have no idea what happened but the fact that she can stand in front of me, the day of our wedding, this is a miracle.

And now, I see her move a foot. Then the other. A giant gasp reverberates in the room from all the guests, and I, I fall on my knees. She's walking. She can walk.

She smiles a little more with each steps but when I see her sway, I move. I quickly get up. I take her in my arms and lift her above the ground.

"Oh my god! You walk!"

"Surprise!"

"How?"

"Let's talk about it later. Let's get married first."

I carry her to the altar where a chair is waiting. Even though I would have loved to have her standing next to me, I know it would be too tiring for her. However, I keep her hand in mine.

I don't know what is said, I can only think of one thing. Tris is healed. She can walk. I have a hard time standing still.

Soon enough we are presented as husband and wife to our friends and families. I help her stand up and kiss her passionately.

"I love you so much."

She happily laughs in my arms. Slowly, we walk to leave the room. We are going at her pace but just holding her so she can walk makes this moment magical. We climb in the car which will drive us to the reception venue. We stay close in the car in spite of the heating being turned on. We aren't looking for warmth, we want the closeness. She is cuddled against me, my arm around her shoulders.

"How is it possible?"

"I had the operation the week before Christmas."

"You didn't see your family."

"No, I had to make an excuse to leave so you wouldn't suspect anything."

"Why didn't you say something? I would have come with you for the operation and the re-education."

"I'm not done with the re-education so you can still come with me but I wanted to surprise you. And the doctor said that it could not work, I didn't want to give you a false hope."

I take the opportunity to kiss my face. Without thinking, I lay a hand on her leg. She smiles against my lips.

"I can feel your hand. I still can't believe it. The first time I felt it, I thought I was going to cry."

"You couldn't have had a best present."

"I think I do. You've always said you wanted a baby…"

"You… you're pregnant too?" I stutter, overwhelmed by emotions.

"No! I didn't say that. I thought that you'd be happier if I were pregnant."

"Don't say that. We have all the time in the world for that and I think our child would be happier with a mother who can walk and run with him."

"I'll need some more time to run again."

"I told you, we aren't in a hurry."

The car stops and I climb out. I see everyone is waiting for us. I smile at my mother-in-law who winks at me. I offer my hand to Tris. She takes it and first, moves her legs out of the car. With a bit of help, she manages to stand up and I kiss her quickly. I walk proudly with my wife at my arm. We are blinded by the camera flashes. We are congratulated, well mostly Tris. Everyone wants to hold her and hug her but today, I am selfish. I don't let her leave my side.

Today, our lives changed completely. We can pick up the life we had before her accident and maybe, improve it with one or two little monsters in our family.

As always, don't hesitate to choose a new story to translate, one of the following or another one.

"Will you tell us a story?" Tris and Tobias had a beautiful and happy life. But the end comes always too soon. Now that he is alone, Tobias doesn't live. He survives. And his family realizes that too.

"Like sisters" I've never thought I could feel like that. Ever since she was born, my daughter was my world. Maybe it is time I let the woman in me live. Even if it's just for a second.

"All about money" Everyone knows it, a relationship only works with trust. A lie can throw it all away. Will Tris and Tobias stay unaffected or will there be consequences?