A/N: The full story is written and uploaded - yay! 53 chapters total, so there are a few more twists and turns coming. Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! -Libby

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As they had the year before, Amar and George hosted a gathering on New Year's Eve with themselves, Tris and Tobias, and Tori. Tris was surprised that Rebekah didn't join them. She knew that Amar had extended the invitation since her assistant didn't have other family to be with like Roza, Rraman, and Jorik did.

"Isn't Rebekah coming?" she asked when they sat down at a table set for just the five of them.

"She's with Jorik," George said with a broad grin and twinkling eyes. "He's introducing her to his family."

Tris gasped. "I knew it!" she exclaimed.

Their little family had a wonderful evening together. They ate a rich dinner and exchanged gifts. Tori presented the Eatons with the pizza globe painting they'd talked about since they first met. They gave her a soft sweater and some perfume. For George and Amar they got a fancy new espresso/cappuccino machine and a very nice bottle of wine. Tori got her brother and brother-in-law some vinyl record albums for their collection, and they got her a pair of black boots she was very excited about.

"What did you get Tris for Christmas?" Tori asked Tobias.

"A van," he replied.

"A van?" Tori asked.

"I let her pick her own gift," he said, "and she asked for a van for the family center, so they can take kids on field trips. But Lauren got her to go shopping in New York, so I'm satisfied that she's properly spoiled."

"I'm beyond spoiled," Tris chimed in. "And the van is awesome. We're going to take the preschoolers to the zoo in February, and they already used it to help a family move into their new house."

"And what did she get you?" Tori asked Tobias.

A broad grin split his face, and he looked to Tris as if asking permission to share. She blushed and shrugged subtly.

"One red glove with a finger missing," Tobias said, smirking at the artist, "a star-shaped cookie with one leg missing, a little picture of the Olympic rings with a ring missing, and a roll of Lifesaver candies with the green ones missing."

"What?" George asked, as confused as Tobias had been.

"You're missing a gift," Tris pointed out.

"Right," Tobias said. "The fifth gift was all the missing pieces and a very special offer."

He smiled at his wife and held out a hand toward her. Tris stood up from the couch and crossed to the chair where Tobias was sitting. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

"I told him I was ready to give him the fifth," Tris said shyly as Tobias squeezed her close.

For just a beat the room was quiet, then Amar started laughing. George threw his arms around his partner, and Tori squealed.

"Did you ever explain it to Caleb?" Amar asked, continuing to laugh as he remembered how Tris' brother had worked so hard to figure out the gift.

"No," Tobias said with a grin. "We decided to make them wait until either they figure it out or we have an announcement to make."

"My mom knows," Tris said. "She actually figured it out. It's funny to watch Caleb work so hard and not get it. He's always thought he was so smart."

She giggled, and Tobias enjoyed the sound, thinking that he could never get tired of it. When Tris giggled, everything was right in his world.

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New Year's Day saw the Eatons hosting the staff and their families, Tobias' business associates, neighbors from the village, and friends, at an open house party. Tris wore a simple sleeveless black Christian Dior dress with a gold CD belt buckle. It was understated but elegant, and not too warm. She'd learned the first time they hosted a party that the house got very warm when it filled with guests.

Tobias watched his wife circulate among the visitors. She was the queen of their castle, just as he'd hoped, and she treated each guest - from the part-time gardeners to the CEOs of the companies he owned - as a valued and welcomed person. As he stood near the bar and sipped on a glass of special edition scotch the Coulters gave them as a wedding gift, he couldn't help but admire her and the way she charmed and welcomed everyone.

"Zonja Eaton!"

Tris turned from a conversation with Davud, the Director at the Albanian Family Center, just in time to catch six-year-old Edon as he threw his arms around her. Eighteen-month-old Elira toddled after her big brother.

"Edon! Elira! Gezuar vitin e ri!" Tris greeted the children, wishing them a happy new year.

Tobias set his scotch down and moved to greet the children as well.

"Zo Ee-an!" Elira squealed when Tobias swept the toddler into his arms. Though she was at the age where little ones are leary of strangers, Elira knew Tris and Tobias enough not to shy away. Plus, the little girl loved anyone and anything her big brother did, and Edon loved them.

Tris watched her husband kiss the little girl's chubby cheeks and exclaim over her frilly party dress. Elira insisted on getting down from his arms so she could show him how her dress twirled, and he expressed the proper admiration.

He's going to be a wonderful daddy, Tris thought. Though they both hoped to conceive a son to carry on the family name, Tris could see them with a daughter, as well. Tobias was just too cute with little Elira.

Tobias looked at his wife, who had squatted to Edon's level as he told her all about school. When Tris looked up at him and smiled shyly, he knew they were thinking the same thing. Soon, he tried to convey with a look.

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January second was a day of rest and recovery for the Eatons and Amar. The extra staff hired for the party got the house put back together under Roza's watchful eye while the master of the house and his queen slept away their lingering jetlag. They soaked in the big master bathtub, and worked on making a baby, too. It was too soon, Tris knew - the second was actually the day her shot should have been renewed - but a little practice never hurt.

They skipped breakfast, but had some coffee mid-morning before they put on sweaters and took a walk on the beach.

Tris noticed that Tobias seemed a bit tense as they walked hand-in-hand along the Adriatic. The weather was cool and windy, making the normally placid, turquoise water choppy and dull grey-blue. His mood seemed to match.

"I think the party went well," Tris said, hoping to draw him out. He'd been fine all morning, but ever since they sat down for coffee, he'd been tense and quiet, and she was becoming concerned.

"Mm hmn," Tobias responded, and Tris knew he wasn't hearing a thing she said.

"Lauren is shipping the Loch Ness Monster over for a vacation," she said. "Do you think Nessy will handle salt water okay? We don't have a lake, and the Adriatic is salty."

"Sure," Tobias said absently.

Tris stopped and yanked her hand from his, resisting the urge to stomp her foot like an angry toddler. "What is wrong with you?" she asked. "I thought we were having a nice morning together, and now you're all moody and pretending to listen when you haven't heard a thing I've said."

"I'm sorry," Tobias replied, scrubbing his hands over his face. "What were you saying?"

"Nothing," Tris grumbled, shoving her hands into her pockets.

Tobias reached for his wife, but she side-stepped his reach. "Come on, Zemra ime, I'm sorry," he said. "It's just… business stuff. I'm distracted. I'm sorry."

"What's going on?" Tris asked, trying to reset the conversation.

"Ugh," Tobias sighed. "Nothing. Just work stuff. I don't really want to talk about it."

"Oh," Tris said, shutting down at the sting of his rejection. What went wrong? she thought to herself. We had such a good morning. He was happy when we woke up. We took a bath together and he seemed fine. Was the sex not good? Did I gain weight over the holidays or do something wrong? Was there something he wanted that I didn't catch on to?

Tris led the way back to the house, and neither of them said anything to the other, both caught up in their own thoughts. When they walked into the house, Tobias wandered into his office without saying anything to his wife.

Roza served lunch in the dining room, but no one showed up. Amar had the day off, so she wasn't sure what to do. She messaged Rebekah, and the younger woman went looking for Tris. She found Tobias first, shuffling through a pile of papers on his desk in the home office.

"Me falni. Dreka është duke u shërbyer në dhomën e ngrënies," (Excuse me. Lunch is being served in the dining room,) Rebekah said.

Tobias didn't look up. He merely grunted. "Have Roza bring me something in here," he said in English.

"Do you know where Tris is?" Rebekah asked.

Tobias looked up at his wife's assistant. "What?" he asked.

"No one knows where Tris is," Rebekah repeated. "She didn't come to lunch, and Roza asked me to look for the two of you. I found you here, but I haven't seen Tris anywhere."

Tobias sprang to his feet, suddenly flashing back to the day Tris drove herself to see Caleb in the hospital. Before Rebekah could ask where he was going, he bolted from the room. She sighed and followed him, reaching the living room as he disappeared up the stairs.

"Tris?" Tobias called as he burst into the master bedroom.

"Out here," she called from the balcony.

Tobias rushed out to find his wife sedately reading a book.

"We… we were looking for you," he exclaimed.

"I see you're speaking to me again," Tris snapped, "and I've been right here the whole time. Nobody messaged my phone or anything."

"Well, uh, lunch is ready," Tobias said.

Tris set her book down and stood up, walking back into the bedroom. Tobias followed her.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you," Tris asked, "or is lunch going to be as cold as that walk we took earlier?"

Tobias sighed. "It's business," he said, dropping onto the foot of their bed. "I don't… I have to deal with something. I got an email earlier. Amar is off today, and I've just been thinking about it."

"Can I help?" Tris offered, stepping closer. "I don't like when you just shut down like that. If you told me I might be able to help."

Tobias shook his head. "You can't," he said. "It's business associates in China. They were friends or colleagues or something of my father. I hate dealing with them, and I've been trying to separate from them as much as possible, but I don't think I can avoid it this time. I'm going to have to go there soon, and I hate going there. Last time I went they sent prostitutes to my hotel suite. Amar found a listening device in the room, and we had to have the airplane swept for devices when we got home. These guys play dirty and they're horrible, but Marcus liked playing that game, so there were agreements. I can't break them yet, so I try to minimize my connection until I can. I got an email this morning about something I can't put off any longer. I'm going to have to go to China."

"China," Tris breathed. "Do you want me to come along?"

Tobias shook his head. "I don't want you anywhere near those guys," he spat. "Plus, I have no idea what it would take to get my American-wife-with-Albanian-residency a visa to go to China. It's better if you stay here so I know you're safe."

"Oh Tobias," Tris exclaimed sympathetically as she threw her arms around her husband's shoulders. With her standing and him sitting on their big bed, they were eye-to-eye, and Tris took advantage of that to pull him close to her chest comfortingly. "If I knew what was bothering you, I wouldn't have gotten so upset with you. One minute everything was fine, and then you suddenly didn't want to talk to me. I thought I did something, or that I wasn't... "

"Wasn't what?" Tobias asked, concerned about the way Tris trailed off. She let go of him as her gaze fell and her cheeks turned pink.

"Nothing," she mumbled.

"Wasn't what, Zemra ime?"

Tris didn't reply, only shook her head and refused to look at him. Tobias realized that she was fighting tears. He sighed, stood to his feet, and took Tris in his arms. That little act of tenderness was all it took. The dam burst and Tris began to cry into her husband's chest.

"I… I thought I disappointed you… earlier," Tris whimpered.

It took a minute for Tobias to realize what she was upset about, but when he did, his heart shattered.

"Tris! No!" he exclaimed. "You never disappoint me - you never could disappoint me. Why would you think that?!"

For several minutes, Tris couldn't answer. Once she started crying, it was hard for her to get ahold of herself. Tobias had really hurt her feelings, and PMS wasn't helping.

"I'm sorry," she eventually managed to whisper. "Everything was going so well, then it suddenly wasn't, and, I don't know, I just felt so bloated and insecure."

"No," Tobias said firmly, "I'm sorry. I should never make you feel rejected like that. I love you so much. I am not disappointed in you. Let's go get our lunch, then we can come back here and watch a movie in bed. Maybe, if you're feeling up to it, I'll get a chance to show you how very, very not disappointing you are to me."

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Tobias was as good as his word. He escorted Tris to the dining room for lunch, where he paid attention to her throughout the meal. They talked about the future, travel, and what the upcoming week held for them.

After the meal, they went back to their bedroom, and Tobias turned on a movie. He paid little attention to the movie, but focused on holding and caressing Tris gently, to make sure she felt his attention and affection. While he had fully intended to seduce his wife and prove to her just how much he enjoyed their lovemaking, Tobias soon realized that Tris was asleep in his arms. He smiled as he squeezed her tighter.

While Tris slept, Tobias used his phone to work on business. Marcus' friends - if a man like Marcus could be said to have such a thing - were quite demanding. There was less than a year left on the agreements between them, and the Chinese businessmen desperately wanted a new contract.

These particular men were as ruthless and crooked as Marcus had been. At first, they'd tried sweet-talking Tobias. They invited him to visit soon after Marcus' death, and Tobias had eagerly and naively jetted off to see China. It hadn't taken him long to recognize that Mr. Lee and his top men were a lot like Marcus, and definitely not people he wanted to do business with.

Tobias never told the men how he felt, but on their second day together, they seemed to know about his change of heart. They were colder toward him, and seemed shrewd and calculating on a new level.

That night they'd taken Tobias to dinner and tried way too hard to get him drunk. Tobias caught on to their ploy and had played along, acting as if he drank the strong liquor through a series of pretended sips and shifting glasses around.

Toward the end of the meal, Tobias had excused himself to use the bathroom and put a bit of a stumble in his step. On his way back from the bathroom he stopped at the bar for some water in a cocktail glass. For the remainder of the evening he kept that glass in his hand and nursed it carefully.

When Amar came, even he thought Tobias was drunk. Once they drove away from the restaurant, Tobias told his assistant everything. They were baffled by the businessmen's goal. Why would they bother getting him drunk if they never tried to get him to sign anything? They knew Amar was coming, so they obviously weren't trying to take him anywhere. What was the idea?

The idea, it turned out, knocked on the door to his hotel suite just minutes after his return - two young prostitutes. In that moment Tobias and Amar realized that the suite was bugged, if not rigged with hidden cameras. Mr. Lee couldn't fool him with fake friendship, so he set up a scenario that would result in blackmail fodder.

Amar and Tobias texted one another right there in the hotel room so the bug wouldn't pick up conversation. They determined to stick together every moment until they were away from the ruthless men, and to go home that night. The girls were turned in to the hotel staff immediately. Within an hour, the plane was ordered, the bags were packed, and Amar found a listening device near Tobias' bed. They determined then and there to minimize their contact with Mr. Lee and his associates, and not to renew their agreements when they expired.

Tobias considered their relationship over, but Mr. Lee had pulled every string he held and was pressing for another meeting. While he couldn't avoid it, Tobias was determined to control the situation and terminate the relationship permanently.

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When Amar came to work the next morning, he was dismayed to hear that Mr. Lee had popped up again. He and Tobias began planning immediately. They would spare no expense, but would plan the trip with full knowledge of Lee's crafty ways. They hired no flight attendants, but twice as many pilots as usual so they could leave quickly if need be. They hired security guards to travel with them so they could stay and watch the plane, do the driving, and guard the hotel suite while Amar stayed with Tobias. They ordered an abundance of food and water for the plane. They thought through everything, and took every measure they could think of - even if it seemed excessive.

"I want to hire some extra security for the estate while we're gone," Tobias eventually said, tugging at his hair as he reluctantly broached the subject he'd been avoiding.

"I was thinking about that too," Amar said with a sigh. "If you explain to Tris, do you think she'd allow Jorik to do all her driving for the week?"

"I don't want to get her worried," Tobias lamented. "We're probably being ridiculous."

"But if we're not?" Amar pressed. "If something happened to her, you would never forgive yourself - I would never forgive myself."

Tobias nodded, unable to speak around the lump in his throat. Amar was right. Given the choice between alarming Tris and having something hurt her… well, there really was no choice. She needed to know.

Amar deftly turned the conversation away from the trip to China and toward other business, and the day passed quickly.

The rest of the short week also passed quickly. Tobias and Amar stayed busy planning their travel. Tris went to the center as usual. On Friday after dinner, Tobias surprised her with an invitation to join him on the master bedroom balcony for dessert.

"Tobias!" she exclaimed. "I know this isn't Chicago, but it's still January. We'll freeze out there!"

Tobias grinned and raised their joined hands to kiss Tris' fingers. "We won't freeze," he promised. "I have a surprise for you."

Tris eyed her husband warily as he led her up the stairs, down the hall, and through the master bedroom.

The balcony lights were on low, casting a soft, romantic glow over the little table. The first thing Tris noticed was a covered fondue pot with a lit candle under it and covered plates around it. The second thing she noticed was that she was warm.

"Wha… Where is the heat coming from?" she asked Tobias.

He grinned. "I know you love the balcony, and I love being out here with you, too. In the winter it's too cool out here at night, so I had heat installed."

"How is that possible?" Tris asked, looking around in the semi-darkness. "And how is it not extremely wasteful?"

Tobias chuckled. "See the little glowing bar under the overhang?" he asked, and Tris nodded. "It's a directional electric heater. It's high efficiency, and it's on a timer, so if we forget to shut it off, it will shut itself off in thirty minutes. It's a bit extravagant, but I think we can use it judiciously and not be too wasteful. Besides, it's really not that cold here, so it's just strong enough to take the edge off."

"Are you trying to butter me up, Mr. Eaton?" Tris asked flirtatiously, then laughed at her husband's confused face.

"Butter?" he asked.

"An expression," Tris explained through giggles. "I'm asking if you're being sweet with this new heater and fancy dessert because you want something from me."

"I always want something from you," Tobias said huskily, making Tris blush. "But in this case, I'm hoping to soften the blow of some things I have to tell you."

He lifted the lids on the fondue pot and the assortment of fruit, marshmallows, and baked bites provided for them to dip, then poured them each a glass of wine. As he speared a raspberry, then a cube of cake and dipped them together into the hot pot of chocolate, Tobias began telling Tris everything he knew about Mr. Lee and his associates. He talked about Marcus, about their agreements and the unethical and illegal things that the two businessmen had done together. He told her about his first trip to China, and his decision to run fast and far from that business relationship. He explained the necessity of his upcoming trip, and the possibly excessive lengths that he'd implemented to assure his safety.

Tris' hands shook as they dipped things into the sweet chocolate fondue. She listened to everything Tobias had to say. Cold dread took root in the pit of her stomach, and the molten chocolate couldn't thaw it. She set her fondue fork on her plate.

Tobias finished his lengthy monologue by telling Tris about the precautions he was taking to secure their home while he was away. "I know I'm probably going overboard," he said, "but there's no way to know what those guys are capable of, or how far their reach extends. During the week I'm gone, I don't want you to go anywhere alone. Take Rebekah, and have Jorik drive you when you go to the center. Even if you're just going into the village to see Tori, have Jorik or Rrarman drive you. George is going to come and stay at the house, and I've hired security guards to monitor the grounds at night. I don't care if it's unnecessary. I don't care if it costs a little money. I just want to be confident that you're safe while I'm gone."

Tris' mind screamed that Tobias was being paranoid. Does he really think that a Chinese businessman would have me kidnapped or something to force him to sign a business deal? What is this, an action movie? she thought to herself. She was tempted to argue. She was tempted to roll her eyes. Instead, she bit her tongue and took a deep breath.

"Okay," she said. It was the only thing she could do.