"Hey," came a sweetly sleepy voice from the doorway. "Why didn't anyone wake me up?"

.

Amar looked up and smiled at Tris. "Good morning," he said as he stood to pull out her chair and serve coffee. "Tobias wanted to let you sleep. He's on a call right now."

"Sit down, Amar," Tris gently chastised. "You're on vacation. I can pour my own coffee."

"So how are you guys?" she asked as she filled her cup. "What have you been up to?"

George sighed wistfully. "This place is amazing," he said. "We've been eating too much, walking on the beach, and reading in the hammocks outside our bungalow. Yesterday we had a couples massage. It's been so restful. How about you? How was the safari yesterday?"

"Incredible," Tris said with a broad grin as she swiped at her phone to open her photos. "Tobias adopted the cutest baby hippo and named it after me. See? That's Beatrice." She handed George her phone, a picture of the little hippo on the screen.

"So cute," George agreed as he showed Amar.

"How do you say hippopotamus in Albanian?" Tris asked.

"Hipopotam," Amar said.

"Hipopotam," Tris repeated. "Beatrice është një hipopotam i ri." (Beatrice is a young hippopotamus)

"Very good!" George encouraged.

Tris shared more of her safari photos with George and Amar. Tobias joined them a few minutes later, and Amar stepped away to make the call about changing Tris' phone number again.

When Amar returned, Tris asked Tobias for his phone so she could show their friends more pictures. While she was flipping through his photos, a new text popped up from her dad.

A: Natalie and I have decided to stick with our original plans. There's nothing more we could do from home anyway.

"Tobias!" Tris said in alarm, nearly dropping his phone. "What does that mean? What happened? Are my parents okay?"

Tobias looked at the new text, then put his arm around Tris. "Your parents are fine, Zemra ime. They're enjoying London, and their trip has been smooth so far. But something happened at home. Your Aunt Jeanine is being investigated for unethical research methods. It kind of blew up yesterday when they caught her trying to destroy evidence. I don't know how serious it is or if your brother is involved, but I spoke to your dad this morning and offered to fly them home early if they felt they should be there. As you can see, they're opting not to change plans - at least not yet. Apparently your mom is excited to go to Paris today."

Tris picked up her own phone and leaned heavily into Tobias' side as she shut off airplane mode.

"Huh," she said. "A couple unrelated texts from Christina and Marlene, but that's it."

"Your brother's name hasn't been in the news yet, and no one has been arrested, so it's pretty much just business news right now. Most people haven't even heard about it."

"If a scientist like Jeanine is willing to destroy records, this is going to be ugly," Tris predicted. "Jeanine and Caleb are all about their research, and research is all about proof. If she's destroying proof…"

"Let's not worry too much," George suggested. "Like your dad said, there's nothing we can do right now. I think the fact that Tobias didn't invest in their project should help us relax a little, and if your brother needs help eventually, you can evaluate it then."

"If he comes to me for help, he's going to be disappointed," Tris spat. "I don't care if he is my brother; if he and Aunt Jeanine did things that hurt people, they'll get nothing from me - not even sympathy."

Tobias pulled Tris closer to his side and kissed her forehead. "Tris is the one who decided we shouldn't give them any money," he said. "I offered since they're her family, but she talked me out of it."

"I've never seen eye-to-eye with my aunt," Tris elaborated, "and I hated it when she suddenly took interest in me because of Tobias' money."

"Our money," Tobias corrected.

"It wasn't back then," Tris said, still irritated. "Anyway, Tobias and I will invest and donate our money to opportunities and causes that we believe in. Yes, I wish Caleb and I were closer, like George and Tori, but I've accepted that that will never be our story. Caleb is self-important, manipulative, and… and verbally abusive."

Tobias wrapped his other arm around Tris, crushing her in a fierce hug. "Finally," he said.

Tris nodded against her husband's chest and hugged him back. "It took me a long time to see it," she admitted, "but yes, Caleb's behavior has been unacceptable and even qualifies as verbal abuse. I never felt like a victim, but that doesn't change the fact that he was an abuser."

"You're not a victim," Tobias agreed. "Marcus made me a victim for years, so I know the difference. You gave me the strength to become a fighter, and I became a survivor with your love and support. But you were never a victim. You never let Caleb do that to you. He's an asshole, but you're a fighter and a strong woman, and you always have been."

"Tobias," Tris said gently. "I didn't recognize Caleb's abuse for what it was until you were there to help me see how bad it was and that I deserved better. You saved me, too."

"I'm so glad I don't have to send you back to Chicago after this trip," Tobias said, kissing Tris' head again.

"Gëzuar! Cheers to that!" George declared, and they all clicked coffee cups and went back to discussing lighter topics.

.

Tris and Tobias spent the next day lounging and relaxing again. They had a special massage appointment in the late morning. Tris had suggested a couples massage as part of their honeymoon activities, but Tobias hadn't been comfortable with the idea of someone putting their hands all over his scarred back.

Rather than disappoint Tris, he arranged a couple's massage lesson. They met an English-speaking massage therapist in the resort's spa, and the woman had demonstrated on Tris, then taught Tobias the basics of giving a good massage. They traded places so Tobias could massage his wife, and the therapist gave him some tips.

Tris found that the experience of a massage was even better when it was Tobias' strong hands on her body. She paid close attention to the therapist's lesson, and when they got back to the bungalow Tris rewarded Tobias with a massage of his own. Feeling completely relaxed, the couple took a nap in the hammock again.

Later in the afternoon they woke feeling completely relaxed and refreshed, and decided to go for a swim. They ran, splashed, and played in the beautiful water, eventually going out deeper where the water was up to Tris' chest.

They were headed back to shore, laughing and holding hands, when Tris suddenly cried out in pain.

"Tris?!" Tobias asked.

Tris cried out again, grabbing her right leg and struggling to stay on her feet as her knees buckled from the agony.

Tobias scooped his wife into his arms and out of the water.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed. "Jellyfish!"

Tobias used his long legs to hurry them away from the offending sea life and onto shore. He continued running across the sand, carrying Tris to their bungalow. She whimpered in his arms, but didn't object.

Tobias deposited Tris onto a padded lounge chair on the porch and ran inside, where he grabbed his phone, a bottle of water, and a big fluffy towel. He quickly dialed Amar as he used the bottle of water to wash Tris' reddened thigh, which was starting to swell.

"Tobias?" Amar said by way of greeting.

"Tris is hurt," Tobias said, skipping the pleasantries. "We ran into a large jellyfish, and it stung her badly. I need help."

Without waiting for a reply, Tobias hung up. Tris was starting to shake, and he knew this was either an especially nasty jellyfish or she was having an allergic reaction.

"Hold on, Tris," Tobias said, wrapping the big towel around her.

Amar and George arrived quickly. Tris' thigh was red, hot, and swollen, and she continued to shake in spite of the warm sun and the towel wrapped around her.

George was searching the internet while Amar called the resort staff when Tris suddenly turned her head and vomited on the ground.

"She needs a doctor!" Tobias exclaimed, tugging at his hair.

"Get her a bottle of water," Amar ordered.

Tobias turned to go. "N… no!" Tris exclaimed, reaching for her husband's hand.

"I'll get it," George said, rushing inside.

"Tris, can you breathe okay?" Amar asked.

Tris took a few deep breaths. "Y… y… yes," she stammered through chattering teeth.

"Good," Amar said soothingly.

George brought out several water bottles, and Tris rinsed out her mouth while George cleaned off the deck.

Three resort staff raced up in one of their electric carts.

"Mr. Amar! Mr. and Mrs. Eaton! Is everyone alright?" asked the resort manager.

"My wife was stung by a jellyfish," Tobias said.

"She seems to be having a reaction or something," Amar added.

A heavy set woman in her forties stepped forward and said something in a language they couldn't understand.

"This is Mrashi," the manager said, pointing at the woman. "She is our nurse."

The nurse asked a series of questions as she examined the marks on Tris' leg, and Tris answered as the manager translated for them both.

Can you breathe? Yes.
Is your heart racing or are you having chest pains? No.
Are you certain it was a jellyfish? Yes, we saw it.
Have you ever been stung before? No.
Do you have any known allergies? No.
Do you have a headache? No.
Stomach ache or nausea? I did, but not since I threw up.
Muscle pain? Only at the site of the sting.
Spasms? No.
Weakness, fainting, or drowsiness? I am feeling a bit weak and tired, like an adrenaline crash, not like I'm going to pass out.

Mrashi nodded after each answer was translated. Her lack of alarm comforted Amar, but Tobias would not relax. He sat by his wife's uninjured side, rocking slightly and gripping her hand like she was going to disappear if he didn't hold her there.

The nurse listened to Tris' heart and lungs, and seemed satisfied. She pointed at the cart and said something, and the third staff person grabbed a first aid kit. Mrashi dug around in the kit, pulled out a packet of Benadryl, and gave it to Tris. She kept up a steady stream of relaxed conversation they couldn't understand as she closely examined Tris' leg, her tweezers ready to pluck any stray barbs from the jellyfish. When she was satisfied, she slowly poured a bottle of vinegar over Tris' leg as the resort manager translated.

"Mrashi says that you should take this pill and then go take a hot bath. Your husband must stay there to help you if you feel weak. Once you are washed and dressed, she wants to see if the allergy medicine did enough. It will make you sleepy, but you should eat a light meal before you go to sleep. She says that you are probably allergic to the jellyfish sting, and you are lucky it was just your leg."

"I think we need a helicopter," Tobias said. "I want to take her to the hospital."

"Tobias," Tris said in a warning tone. "Look at me, T'keqen. Relax. See how much better I am already? Right now I am going to take this Benadryl, and you are going to take me inside and help me bathe. After that we'll decide what to do next. My heart and breathing are fine; this isn't a life-threatening emergency."

Tobias bit back a reply and handed Tris her bottle of water so she could take the pill. He helped her to her feet, and as soon as she took her first halting step, he scooped her up and carried her into the bungalow, through the living room and into the bedroom's en suite bath.

He didn't just stay close, he stripped out of his board shorts and got right into the tub with his wife.

"I want to take you to the hospital," he said stubbornly as he washed Tris' body with her favorite softly minty soap.

"I know," Tris said, leaning her back into his chest, "and I love the way you care for me, Tobias, but it's not necessary. It's just a jellyfish sting. Yes, my leg hurts, but it will pass soon. It's our last night here, and I just want to relax."

"I thought I was going to lose you," Tobias explained. "The way you suddenly cried out in pain, the shaking, the vomiting. You were falling apart before my eyes!"

"Tobias, let's compromise," Tris offered. "Let's get out of the tub, put on something comfortable, and eat our dinner. Tomorrow we can leave earlier than we planned, and I can get checked out before we fly home."

Tobias got out of the water and grabbed towels. He wordlessly helped Tris dry off and get dressed, though she insisted that she was fine and could do it herself.

"How are you feeling?" he asked before they left the bedroom to join the others.

"Fine," Tris assured her husband. "I'm a little drowsy from the pill, and my leg still stings, but I'm going to be fine. Okay?"

"Okay," Tobias said in defeat.

.

Tris ate dinner with six sets of eyes watching her every move. Nurse Mrashi examined Tris again, applied a topical cream to the sting, and declared that she would be fine.

The resort staff cleaned up the remains of dinner, packed up their cart, and left. Tris noticed that the sofa in the bungalow's living room had been converted into a bed, and that all of Amar and George's luggage was there.

"Are we having a slumber party?" she asked, pointing at the luggage.

"I, uh, we…" Amar stammered. "Tobias wanted to leave tonight and go to the hospital. We thought you might convince him to stay. Either way I wanted to be ready, and I thought that if we stayed tonight we should be close by in case you get sick again."

Tris sighed. "Okay," she said. "I can agree that's a fair compromise. I'm fine, but I've already agreed to go and get checked out before we fly home tomorrow. Tobias would rather go tonight, but he has agreed to wait for morning. You got packed up and are sleeping on a sofa bed to be available. No one is completely happy, but we've all made accommodations to give a little and take care of each other. Is everyone content with that?"

"I still want to take you to the doctor," Tobias said.

"And you will," Tris agreed, "in the morning. "Right now I'd like to go to bed."

Tris rose to her feet and walked to the bedroom under her own slightly limping power.

"Am I wrong?" Tobias asked when Tris was gone. "You saw the way she shook and vomited. She should be seen at the hospital!"

"You're a good husband, Tobias," George said. "But the nurse was here, and she wasn't concerned. That first reaction Tris' body had was an allergic response. That passed, and the Benadryl will keep it from flaring again. The rest is just a jellyfish sting. We'll have a doctor check her out more thoroughly in the morning."

"George and I will be right here if you need us," Amar added.

Tobias hated this compromise. He felt like he was gambling Tris' safety to let her have her way. He was tense walking into the bedroom where he found his wife already asleep on the bed.

It was early, but Tobias was feeling hypervigilant, and he knew he wouldn't be sleeping any time soon. He got out his phone and started digging into the investigation involving Tris' aunt and her research lab.

.

Marcus stood over Tobias with his belt raised, and the grown man suddenly felt nine years old again. He cowered as he heard the leather belt whistle through the air. It landed, not with the 'crack' and sharp sting that Tobias was used to, but with a wet-sounding 'thwack' and an electric jolt that laid him out helpless, twitching, and immobilized.

"No!" he heard Tris yell angrily. "You will not treat him like that again!"

Marcus laughed darkly. "What are you going to do about it, Little Girl?" he taunted. "You came to my house. You live off my money. You're in my world now!"

The electric belt flashed as Marcus raised it over his head and swung it at Tris.

"No!" Tobias yelled from where he was stuck helplessly to the floor. "Tris! No!"

Tobias sat up in bed, his cry still ringing in his own ears. He was in bed. In Zanzibar. On his honeymoon. With Tris. Tris. Tobias' eyes darted to his wife, who was waking up beside him.

"Tobias?" Tris asked sleepily.

The bedroom door opened, and Amar stuck his head in.

"Unë kisha një makth" (I had a nightmare), Tobias said. "Cdo gje eshte ne rregull." (Everything is fine.)

Tobias' assistant nodded and disappeared, closing the door behind himself.

"You had a bad dream?" Tris asked, reaching for Tobias.

"Marcus," Tobias said in agreement. "He went after you. He said you're in his world now."

"He can't hurt us anymore, T'keqen," Tris said soothingly. "He's dead and gone. I'm not in his world; his world is gone. I'm in your world, and you've made the world a much better place."

"How are you feeling?" Tobias asked, eager to change the subject.

"Other than a stinging in my leg, I'm fine," Tris said. "Now lay back down so I can hold you."

Tobias complied, snuggling into Tris. They held each other silently for a few minutes.

"I want to protect you," Tobias said. "I don't want to let anything bad get to you. I thought I was doing a good job, Tris, but some things are just beyond me."

"Shh," Tris soothed. "You can't control everything. Bad things happen to everyone. But I know that you'll be there to go through life with me. We'll celebrate the good things together, and face the hard times together, too. Marriage is a partnership for life, not a shield from it."

.

The morning brought more news from America. Jeanine was arrested for murder. Tris and Tobias were shocked by the charge. Allegedly Tris' aunt had used an untested and unapproved drug on study participants who thought they were being given something else. Several of the participants had become sick with severe side effects, and one died.

The reaction by the FDA had been shock. The drug they approved for trial was not known to be associated with those kinds of side effects. They immediately ordered a stop of the clinical trial, but Jeanine withheld the information from the other participants, and more of them got sick as the drug built up in their systems.

When the dead participant's family got vocal, another participant's family heard for the first time that the trial was supposedly cancelled. They contacted the FDA about how they were not told to stop, and the investigation got rolling. When a whistle-blower at Erudite sent an anonymous video of Jeanine shredding evidence, warrants were issued, and thousands of documents were seized. They quickly discovered that the drug Jeanine was testing was not the drug that the FDA had approved for the test, and she was arrested for murder.

So far Caleb had not been charged with anything, but Jeanine's charges were piling up. On top of the criminal charges, several lawsuits had also been filed against both Erudite Labs and Jeanine herself.

Tris was heartbroken when she learned that her aunt (and, most likely, her brother - though she wasn't ready to admit that out loud) had been responsible for someone's death. As they ate breakfast, packed their things, and rode back to the dock on the resort's motorized cart, Tris was quiet. She clung to Tobias, in need of his strength as sorrow and guilt weighed her down.

For his part, Tobias was still consumed with Tris' health. He took her silence and near-desperate affection to mean that she still wasn't feeling well.

The boat landed on Zanzibar's main island, and an SUV was waiting for them when they disembarked. Amar and George loaded up the baggage while Tobias all but carried Tris to the vehicle and buckled her in. She remained quiet on the drive to the doctor, and Tobias' anxiety grew.

Tris didn't know how Amar did it, but everywhere they went, anywhere in the world and even with little time to prepare, things were always laid out smoothly for them. Vehicles were waiting, reservations were procured, appointments were scheduled. They hardly ever had to wait for anything, and there was always someone to translate when needed. The doctor in Zanzibar was no exception. Tris was taken right in, and the doctor spoke perfect English with only the slightest accent.

Tobias joined his wife in the exam room. He listened to Tris tell the story of her jellyfish sting, and added a few comments of his own to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.

"It sounds like you had an allergic reaction," the doctor said, agreeing with Nurse Mrashi's assessment. "You're fine now, but the sting will take a few days to heal. When you get home, I want you to have a full allergy panel with your own doctor. He or she may give you an emergency injection to carry when you go to the beach. If the jellyfish stung your chest or throat, you would need instant relief to keep breathing, and the injection provides that."

From the clinic Amar took them to the airport, and they were in plenty of time to meet Tris' parents, who flew overnight from Paris to meet the honeymooners in Zanzibar.

Andrew climbed down the steps to the ground first, and before Tobias knew what was happening, his wife was out of the car, across the tarmac, and sobbing in her father's arms.

"How could she do that?" Tris was wailing when Tobias got out of the SUV. "What kind of horrible person is she? And what about Caleb? What if he knew?"

"He knew," Andrew admitted in a defeated tone. "I talked to him last night. Worse than that, he's still defending her. My own son and sister."