Thank you everyone for the kind birthday wishes and words of encouragement last week. I can't say that this week was any easier as we navigated through the events in Columbus OH. Sends love, and light to everyone. My creativity has still been zapped so I'm glad that I was ahead of the game with this chapter.


Tris feels strong arms around her as she wakes up and smiles. The sun was peeking up across the ocean and the dawn breeze moved throughout the room. Tobias instinctively tightens his arms around her when she snuggles close to him, his chest pressing into her back. Last night had been emotional but also so hot and sexy. Tris didn't want to fight with him anymore but the pent-up emotions and sexual frustration from the past three weeks had definitely fueled their lovemaking. They still had some difficult conversations to have but he had made it clear to her last night he wasn't giving up on their relationship or her.

"I've missed waking up like this" he whispers in her ear causing her to shiver at the sound of his deep baritone morning voice.

"Ummm, me too" Tris giggles as she shifts and turns to face him and weaves their legs together.

She bites her lip and fails at trying to keep a moan from escaping her lips when he starts to kiss the spot between her neck and shoulder. She can feel his morning wood pressed firmly against her.

"I think I could stay here with you like this forever," he says before moving her on top of him. His gaze was intense and Tris saw nothing but love and devotion in his eyes.

"Don't tempt me" she teases as he smiles.

They make love tenderly and slowly this time with the ocean waves providing the perfect melody against the faint rays of the morning sun peeking over the ocean and fall asleep again in each other's arms. A few hours later with the morning sunlight coming in as it climbs higher in the sky, Tris wakes up and sits up on the edge of the bed with the sheet wrapped around her. She hears Tobias groan as tugs the bedsheet and she looks back at him with a smirk.

"Oh no you don't Sir," she giggles when he tugs a little harder causing her to fall back against him on the bed.

"Come on Tris, we've been apart for almost a month" he teases and tickles her side causing her to erupt into a fit of laughter.

"Yeah I know but I'm starving, don't even try to tell me you aren't too"

"Touche" he laughs out and stretches with a grunt as he extends his arms and legs out the length of the king-size bed as he stetches.

"What this?" she asks as she pulls on her robe and picks up the extra room key he had placed on the table by the bedroom door when he had dropped his luggage off the night before.

"Beth thought it would be a good idea for me to have an extra room, just in case you threw me out last night" he shrugs.

Tris snorts out a laugh "So was everyone in on this?" She knew how her family could be.

"Ummm pretty much" he laughs out as he gets up and walks over to her pulling her into a hug and kissing her forehead. "I have your heart meds in my bag. Your dad was going to mail them but he asked me to bring them"

"Ah, I clearly hadn't thought all this through when I left. I was running low"

"It doesn't matter now," he says quietly.

"Are we really okay Tobias?" she asks with a sigh as she turns to look at him as he sits up and moves to the edge of the bed "I know I was confused, still kind of shocked, and angry. I was feeling so many things and I didn't know what to do. I'm sorry I shut you out."

"I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have shut you out either" he confesses. "We are in this thing together, no matter what"

She smiles and nods in response not missing the look in his eyes and the husky sound of his voice as he stands up and moves in front of her.

"Tobias" she moans out as he slides her robe off her shoulders and the silk material falls gently to the floor around her feet. She had been keenly aware that he was still naked, and now food was starting to drift further and further away from her thoughts.

"I know we need to eat but come shower with me," he says with a grin before picking her up earning a squeal from Tris. She wraps her legs around his waist knowing that showering wasn't going to be the only thing that was about to happen.

It ends up being lunchtime before Tris and Tobias finally emerge to find lunch at one of the resort restaurants. Tris feels like the weight of the world has been lifted off her shoulders as they wind through the resort with their fingers laced together. Beth gives them a big smile from the front desk where she was speaking with several other staff members. Tobias gives Beth a big smile. She winks at him and nods her head.

Kiki bounds over when they reach the restaurant giving Tobias and Tris a big hug at their reunion. Tris promises to call her later, Tobias could tell they had bonded over the time she had been on the island. Tris tells Tobias about some of the things on the resort and the few places on the island she had been with Kiki and Beth. After their food arrives Tris picks up her phone after it pings with a message Tobias takes the opportunity to tease her a bit.

"Since you are on your phone, do you think you could unblock me now?"

Tris grimaces and pulls her lips together remembering that detail had been one of the reasons that she hadn't talked to him in three weeks.

"Yeah sorry about that, I Ummm did it on a whim after I got here. I figured that you would have called before I left if you wanted to talk to me" she lets out with a nervous chuckle.

"You know how to hit a guy where it hurts" he laughs out as he dips one of his fries in ketchup. "I had one hell of a hangover thanks to you not taking my calls"

"No you didn't" she laughs and then sees him smirk.

She covers her face when he relays the story of his drunken night after the fundraiser. He leaves out the part of the story about him flirting with India not wanting to press his luck and put it out there right now.

"I'm sure it will be 10 times more hilarious when Zeke, Shauna, Will, and Lene tell it to you. I'm probably never going to live it down"

Tris laughs again. It reminds her that not only did she miss Tobias, but she also missed her family too. She had been prepared to stick to her guns and stay in Grenada but clearing the air with Tobias made her realize how she had pushed those feelings away too. After lunch, they go back to the suite and sit on the terrace on one of the large lounge chairs with Tris curled against Tobias looking at the ocean. Even though it was humid, the quietness except for the waves crashing on the beach made Tobias feel completely at peace.

"Baby, Can I ask you something about last night? I've been thinking about it but I'm still confused" Tobias says as his hand lightly strokes her arms.

"Sure, what is it?" she asks shifting to sit up so she can look at him.

"You said, Why did I let you leave, Why didn't I stop you...I didn't know you were leaving, Tris. When I finally got it together to call you, I'm assuming that's after you blocked me because all I would get was your voicemail and you didn't respond to any of my text messages"

Tris sucks in her breath as her eyes widen as she looks at Tobias. She can't believe how gullible she had been with Evelyn. She played her, and Tris fell right into it. She used the entire situation against her.

"I'm so stupid, why did I believe her!" Tris sits all the way up with a scowl on her face placing the palm of her hand against her forehead.

"Believe who?"

"Tobias, your mother came to see me telling me about how she was worried you were falling into a depression just like you did after Lauren died because of how you were feeling with the news I had her heart. She encouraged me to leave when I told her I thought about giving you some space and I had family I could go and stay with. She said she would tell you I was leaving at dinner that night"

Tris gets nervous when she sees the look of pure rage that comes across Tobias' face and it's several moments before he hops up to grab his phone off the charger in the bedroom. He had his phone in airplane mode connected to the wifi so he could still make calls and texts.

"Baby…."

"Just a minute," Tobias says as his fingers dance quickly over the screen of his phone as she texts his sister.

Tobias: Really Lene, I thought you were going to keep the info about Tris's heart between us

Marlene: What are you talking about? I've only talked to Zeke, Shauna, Christina, and Will about it. What's going on? Are you and Tris good?

Tobias: Tris and I are good, but she said Mom talked to her and knew everything, she basically told Tris that she needed to go away.

Marlene: WHAT?!

Immediately his phone rings with Marlene's face on his phone for a Facetime call. Tris is now standing watching him still not sure what is going on.

"Tobias, I swear on my life I didn't tell her" Marlene apologizes on the other end of the line.

Tobias frowns as he looks at his sister and sees the angst on her face. Marlene wasn't one to gossip. When she had told their parents about Tris's transplant it was from a place of standing up for Tobias. If there was anyone in the world Tobias felt like he could completely have in his corner that would always have his back it was his sister. She wouldn't betray him or Tirs like this.

"I believe you, but how the fuck did she find out? Hold on a sec. Tris, what day did my mother come to see you?" Tobias asks, looking toward the door where Tris was standing nervously playing with the fabric of her sundress.

"Umm, I bought my ticket to Grenada that day so it had to be maybe three days after I told you"

"Lene see what you can find out, but do me a favor and don't let her or Dad know that I'm in Grenada or that Tris and I are on good terms"

"Okay, but what are you thinking?" Marlene asks with her eyebrows furrowed.

"I'll fill you in later, just do it for me"

"Hey, T. I'm glad you made things right with Tris"

"Yeah me too, thanks for helping me get my shit together, little sister" Tobias grins as he hangs up the phone. He throws it down on the bed and walks to Tris and pulls her against him into a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry Tris, this whole thing is because I didn't handle it right and now my mother…"

"Hey, look at me" Tris instructs as she pulls back. "We are moving forward, we both made mistakes and we are not going to make those again"

Tobias nods in response. "I need to tell you something else about the other night when I got drunk"

Tris takes a deep breath. She feels her stomach twist in anticipation of what Tobias is about to tell her. God, what he slept with someone else, it would be her own fault for not talking to him.

"I went to that fundraiser trying to not think about you because I was starting to feel that I lost you. I didn't want to be there but Marlene was going and my mother had been hounding me about meeting my filming contract commitment. My mother introduced me to a doctor working with my father on a fellowship, and I had too much to drink and I was probably more friendly than I should have been"

Tobias sighs and lowers his eyes and lets his hands fall. He didn't want Tris to be disappointed in him, he hated that the entire situation his mother put him in.

"Did you?... Ummm" She says nervously not liking where this was going but needing to know. She was terrified but she wasn't going to make the mistake of not talking things out with him again.

"Oh God no! The minute she turned things to suggest something I told her I had a girlfriend"

"You still told her you had a girlfriend even though I wasn't talking to you," Tris says with relief washing over her and finding it hard to fight a smile.

"Yeah I did and Marlene intercepted me and cussed me out for being stupid" he chuckles. "That's when I left and went to the bar and it all went downhill from there"

"Well, flirting isn't that awful, I'm glad that's all it was" Tris sighs and looks up and the ceiling the relief washing over her.

"Me too, I never meant to disrespect you like that Tris, even if we weren't seeing eye to eye. I should haven't been drinking that heavily either. But apparently, my mother had told her that I was not in a relationship and she misread the situation based on that"

Now Tris has the cold-blooded look on her face that Tobias had earlier. She knew Evelyn thought she wasn't accomplished enough or fit the image that she had of what a proper girlfriend for Tobias should look like but this was twisted and hateful.

"How dare she, she deliberately..." Tris almost yells out.

"I know, and believe me this is far from over and now it's going to be all over that damned TV show of hers" Tobias replies coldly.

"You know what, I don't even care. Tobias, as long as I have you, I don't care" Tris says sincerely and Tobias feels his heart swell as she pulls her to him for a kiss.

She could feel her anger melt away with the kiss. It was a reminder of her words, she didn't give a damn what his mother thought. Tris pulls back after a minute before things get carried away as she thinks back to what he told Marlene.

"What are you thinking since you told Marlene not to let her know we worked things out?"

"I don't want her messing with us, the less she knows the better right now"

Tris nods, she was having a hard time not understanding what Evelyn had against her. She had been nothing but respectful to her. She knew image was important to Evelyn but was she really willing to have her son be unhappy just for the sake of image?

"Don't worry Tris, I won't let her come between us again" Tobias soothes bring her close for a kiss.

Neither will I, I won't underestimate her again. Tris thinks to herself. She needed to make a statement that she wasn't going to let her run her out of Tobias's life, but what could it be?


Tobias books them on a flight back to Chicago for the following weekend giving them four more days on the island. Tobias and Tris spend the next few days playing on the beach or the pool and making love to the sound of the ocean waves. In the mornings Tobias works after breakfast until lunchtime while Tris sits out on the terrace and paints, finally getting her creativity back. They spend time talking as well promising to communicate better and communicating through when they needed time alone to process things even if it was just a simple, I need some more time alone so that neither one was left guess for days without communicating with the other. Some conversations are emotional as they talk through their feelings about Tris having Lauren's heart. Tobias also asks Tris to move in with him fully, no more shuffling around he didn't want Tris to think that he wasn't sure about moving their relationship forward. Knowing that he was going to propose he hoped that laying the foundation would influencer her decision to say yes.

They have dinner with Beth and Kiki every night either at the resort or at their home on the resort grounds. Beth keeps them all entertained with stories of Andrew and Harrison from their childhood that Tris can't wait to tell Rose, Christina, Caleb, Uriah, and Zeke. Kiki's boyfriend Oshani and her father Randall join them for dinner two days before they are set to leave. Randall had just returned from a trip to the UK on business and was excited to meet his wife's cousin. Tobias had tried to pay something for their stay but Randall and Beth wouldn't hear it. He really wanted to make amends so kind of way so he and Tris think about sending a nice gift basket for each of them with things from Chicago to show their thanks. He had already sent Zeke the money to cover the plane ticket Tris had bought on his credit card even though Tris had protested saying it wasn't his fault. After dinner, Kiki had suggested they all go back to relax for a bit at the resort after having a great dinner out in St. George. It was the resort h Karaoke night, and the group grabs a drink to relax among the other guests while Tobias encourages Tris to sing a song.

"Tris can sing?" Kiki asks excitedly.

"Oh, you have no idea" Tobias grins.

Tris goes up to talk to the DJ about finding the song she wants to sing. Tobias pulls in Kiki, Beth, and Randall to help with his plan since the next day would be their last evening on the island. Part one of Tobias's plan with Tris had been accomplished and Beth now knew to set up part two for dinner the following evening. Everyone settles back in their seats all smiles when the DJ announces Tris and her selection. Tobias, Kiki, and Oshani let out a round of applause and cheers. She smiles at Tobias as she starts to sing Love on Top by Beyonce

Honey honey

I can see the stars all the way from here

Can't you see the glow on the window pane

I can feel the sun whenever you're near

Every time you touch me I just melt away

Now everybody asks me why I'm smiling out from ear to ear

(They say love hurts)

But I know (it's gonna take the real work)

Nothing's perfect but it's worth it

After fighting through my tears and finally you put me first

Baby it's you

You're the one I love

You're the one I need

You're the only one I see

Come on baby it's you

You're the one that gives your all

You're the one I can always call

When I need to make everything stop

Finally you put my love on top

The guests and the staff all cheer as Tris sings. Beth, Randall, Oshani, and Kiki all express their amazement at Tris's voice. Tris however can barely keep her eyes off Tobias. She hadn't sung in almost two months and it felt like her entire world was aligned right now. She had that feeling she loved when she saw some of the guests get up and start dancing. Even despite they still had to deal with the fact that Evelyn had tried to purposefully destroy their relationship, The past few days had been perfect. She and Tobias felt strong together. There wasn't any doubt in her mind about his love for her.


The next afternoon Tobias finds a pair of linen pants in the resort gift shop and Oshani lends him a white shirt to complete his look for the evening. Kiki whisked Tris away to find a dress for her in the closet. Tris thinks that Randall and Beth are taking them out to a fancy restaurant in St. George for their last night on the island but little did she know she was in for a surprise that evening.

"You look amazing Tris" Kiki gushes as she places a fresh flower in Tris's hair on the side just above her right ear. Kiki had put cornrows in the top of Tris's hair halfway at the top and then helped her style the rest of her curls down her back.

Kiki had picked a flowy one-shoulder royal blue dress that had a diagonal cut across the top that hid her scar just the way Tris liked. The color popped against Tris' skin that was now a deeper caramel for all her time in the sun the past month. Tris added the simple necklace that Tobias had given her for Valentine's day. She had been glad it was in her bag the day she left or she might not have brought it. Kiki finds her a simple pair of dangling silver earrings to complete her look.

"Why aren't you getting dressed?" Tris asks as looks herself over one final time in the mirror.

"I need to run back into the office and handle one thing. You and Tobias can hang out at the bar and have a drink. I'll be back before you know it"

Tris shrugs, grabbing her phone as they head out the door. It was only a short walk from the residence to the front entrance of the resort. Kiki waves and smiles as she heads to the office. Tris smiles when she sees Tobias waiting for her with a single white rose looking handsome as ever in his linen pants, leather flip flops, and white shirt. The sun had deepened his golden tawny complexion over the week too and it made her want to continuously run her hands over his skin.

"Hi," she says when he leans in to give her a soft kiss.

"Hi, you look amazing" Tobias feels his heart skip a beat. Tris really was so beautiful, and he could see the happiness radiating off of her.

"Thank you, so do you" she gushes as she takes the rose out of his hand. He offers her his arm and she loops hers through his arm and they start off toward the bar. When Tobias leads them past the bar Tris looks up at him questioning where they were going.

"We actually aren't going to dinner with everyone else. I wanted you all to myself tonight"

Tris smiles at how thoughtful Tobias was, he always went out of his way to plan the most romantic dates. Tris gasps when they get to the end of the walkway that leads to the beach. There set up was a private table set up with candles in the sand in the shape of a heart around the table. The table set for two had red rose petals scattered around along with more candles. The sun was setting and it provided the backdrop of the orange and pink sky as the sun faded from view.

"Tobias, Baby" Tris coos almost wanting to cry. It was just like her birthday and their first time together. She puts her face in her hands smiling from ear to ear.

The dinner is amazing and the wait staff is attentive but still gives them plenty of privacy to enjoy their meal. Tris had fallen in love with the conch salad over the past month and Tobias made sure that it was on the menu that night. The conversation is light as they talk about when they might come back to the island. Tris had a list of things she wanted to do with her family that they would love like paddleboarding and snorkeling.

"So the dedication of the community center is going to be in about three weeks. It would mean so much to me if you would sing a song" Tobias asks towards the end of the meal.

"Oh Tobias, I would love to. You know I was so confused and freaked out at first when I found my letter at your house. But this week I've been feeling thankful that I can help keep some of the things she loved alive."

"I've had that same thought, it was a shock at first but I'm glad it was you Tris"

She smiles and reaches across the table to squeeze his hand. When dessert comes Tris doesn't think she could eat another bite. The sun had set but the candles provided the perfect ambiance.

"Tobias, I don't think I can eat another bite," she chuckles, as the waiter refills her champagne glass.

"Come on let's go take a walk on the beach" Tobias smiles offering her his hand as he stands up.

They thank the waiters and Tobias gives them a generous tip for the special meal. They walk down along the beach. Tris tells Tobias about all the things she's going to miss about Grenada. They swing their arms between them with their fingers interlocked as they walk just out of reach of the waves. The moon was full and it provided the perfect amount of light across the water on the clear night. They walk back in the direction of their table, the faint sounds of steel drums from the resort's Caribbean night event can be heard from the beach. There are a few other couples walking as well. When they reach their table again Tobias stops. There was just the right amount of light from all the candles in the sand and on the table.

"Tris, I know we haven't talked much about what happens when we get home tomorrow night but I don't think I can be apart from you. I need you Tris, like I need air to breathe"

She smiles turns to face Tobias as she hears his words. He slowly gets down on one knee and Tris feels her legs get wobbly realizing what he was doing.

"Tris, I love you, you have been my second chance at happiness and true love. I know they say you only have one true love but I must be the luckiest man in the world to have found it twice. We were meant to be together Tris, I know that in my soul. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I do. Will you marry me?"

Tris feels a few tears escape from her eyes, her heart is so full. When she came here she thought she was leaving Tobias behind and she had no idea how she was going to figure out how to move forward without him. Then four days ago he showed up determined to fight for her, for them and nothing else in the world mattered, nothing but the two of them.

"Really?" she asks, smiling.

"Really, I want to be the Jake Ryan to your Samantha Baker. I was trying to plan the perfect moment after we left New Orleans. I knew then Tris that I wanted to marry you. It doesn't matter whose heart you have, nothing is going to change the way I feel about you"

"Yes, Yes I will marry you," she giggles and grins even bigger at his profession of love as he reaches for her left hand to place the ring on her hand.

"Oh my God, Tobias, it's so beautiful!" she exclaims as she turns her hand in the light provided by the candles.

She squeals when Tobias picks her up bridal style and swings her around. She quickly places her hands around his neck and places a kiss on his lips. Suddenly they hear applause and catcalls coming from up on the sidewalk leading up to the pool and the main area of the resort. Tobias spins around making Tris giggle when they see Beth, Randall, Oshani, Kiki, and several of the hotel staff applauding and cheering.

"She said yes!" he yells at the top of his lungs to everyone on the beach and their crowd of admirers which gives them more applause and cheers.

"It's like we have our own fan club" Tris giggles before she kisses him again. He sets her down and kisses her with so much passion Tris it takes everything for her to pull away.

"Can we go back to our room now?" she says breathlessly with a smile and Tobias pulls her and they run hand in hand until they get to the outside of their building.

That night Tobias takes his time as he makes love to his fiancée he tries to kiss every inch of her body. Tris relishes in all the attention and she is so emotional she starts to cry after they climax together.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy and God, I just love you" she gushes out as he wipes her tears away.

"I love you" Tobias starts to pepper her face and neck with light kisses that elicit a giggle from her. This is what he wanted for the rest of his life.


Leave a review and let me know what you think! Until next week.