Here comes the next chapter, and it's pure fourtris, so you can just sit back and enjoy reading!

It took me a while to write it and I spent lots of time editing until it was the way I wanted it and I felt the mood was right, so I'd be happy if you find the time to leave a review.

Also a big "Thank you" to all of you who follow this story and keep reading every new chapter. It's great to know there's people out there who like it.

Chapter 11

Tris

What a night! First all those revelations about Erudite and their strange connection to Dauntless, and now I stand somewhere outside, waiting alone in the darkness. I wonder what Tobias is up to. Different ideas keep crossing my mind; I suppose we're somewhere near the fair, but I'm not entirely sure. When he left me, I heard a door squeak and then close. How long will he make me wait here? He said two minutes. They must be almost over, I think.

Finally, I hear the squeaking sound again and soon Tobias is standing behind me. I feel his breath tickle my neck when he speaks close to my ear.

"Don't expect too much. I just wanted to take you to a place that has a meaning for us. For our relationship."

I shiver at his choice of words. To hear him referring to us like that makes me want to kiss him right away.

His hands untie the scarf and when he pulls it away I find us standing in front of the Ferris wheel. The memories of the night we passed here return and I recall how he saved my life. Right in front of me is a rusty gondola, its door standing ajar. Inside Tobias has spread the blanket on the floor and scattered some small cushions on it. The leather bench on the right is covered with a thin towel which serves as a tablecloth. On it are two delicious-looking sandwiches, two small apples, a bottle of sparkling lime lemonade and two glasses. On the left bench, three candles flicker in the darkness. The metal candelabra that hold them are fastened to the chapped leather with black tape.

I stare at the scenery in disbelief. It's easily the cutest thing anyone has ever done for me. I look at Tobias and he smiles shyly at me. Lost for words, I take two steps forward and enter the gondola. It starts swaying gently from side to side, the movement pleasant. I sit down on the floor and, although it's covered by the blanket, it still feels like floor, hard and a little uncomfortable, but not too cold. I extend my hand to Tobias to invite him to join me, and he climbs in, carefully bowing his head, pulls the door close and sits down beside me.

"Thank you for this," I gesture around us.

"You're welcome," he says. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Yes, please."

He pours us some lemonade. "I got the idea yesterday when I walked around here to free my mind. I saw the Ferris wheel and it reminded me of the night we played capture the flag."

"How could I forget that? You saved my life for the first time that night."

I take a glass from him and we both drink. I shudder remembering those moments in which I was clinging to that one single metal bar for dear life.

"I hope I won't have to make a habit out of that in the future," Tobias says half-serious, half-joking.

"Believe me, I'm not too keen on putting myself in danger again anytime soon. Not without an important reason."

"That's good to know."

We sit there in silence for a while, sipping on our lemonade. It's sour, yet not too much, and it's tingling on my tongue. I've never had this kind before, and I like its refreshing taste.

"When I came here yesterday, I did not only think of that stunt of yours. The Ferris wheel also reminded me how you made me brave enough to climb up after you. You inspired me to fight my fear of heights, so from now on I'll always think of that night when I have to face one of my fears."

He keeps his eyes cast down all the time he's speaking and only after he has finished he looks up. Somehow I like it when he's a little shy around me. To everyone else he's known as Four, and they are intimidated by his behavior and his physical strength and only with me he's Tobias. To me he shows who he truly is. I appreciate it, a lot. And it always makes me want to take him into my arms and reassure him. Now is no exception. I kiss him gently.

"The way you talk about it makes overcoming a fear sound like something romantic."

He chuckles softly against my neck. "Maybe it is, if you do it for someone you're in love with."

My stomach clenches at his words. Did he just tell me he was in love with me? He might not have said it intentionally, but he said it.

My lips find his again, and we kiss, only this time less guardedly. Never before have I felt such urgency to touch anyone. I grab his head with my hands, then let one travel down along his back while the other plays with his hair. His hands are on my shoulders, and he slowly runs them down my arms and back up again several times before moving them to my back. Our lips never lose contact as we shift our bodies and come to lie down on our sides next to each other on the floor.

There was more to his message than what he deliberately said. The part about trying to be stronger than your fear for someone else was not only about him, but about me as well. I know he was disappointed when I had the simulation with 'him' in it again yesterday, and we haven't talked about it yet. Although I'm not altogether keen on discussing the issue again with him, because I don't want to have to justify myself for my fear, I have the urge to clarify things between us.

I put a little distance between us and hold Tobias' wrists because I'm unable to think straight while his hands are on me.

"Tobias, wait." He glances at me, slightly concerned. "About yesterday's simulation."

He shifts around a bit and props himself up on his elbow.

"I'm listening."

"I know you didn't like what happened in there again. It took me by surprise, too. I felt so close to you after the weekend, after you showed me your tattoo, that I didn't expect I would produce a simulation so similar to the one before."

"I revealed so much of me when I let you see my tattoo. That's why it was twice as hard for me that this fear came up again, and it hurt me how the shocked expression in your face was so real."

I have to swallow hearing his confession.

"Tobias, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to hurt you, not at all. I just wasn't aware I was in a simulation in the beginning. Whenever they involve you, I don't realize it."

"And why do you think it is like that?"

I've been trying to find a reason for that for a while now.

"I have a theory that it's because I'm so emotionally involved with you that my brain can't focus on anything else but you."

My voice is quiet. He clears his throat.

"Emotionally involved?" he asks, raising his eyebrows.

From the sparkle in his eyes I can tell he pretty much knows what I want to express, but he seems to enjoy teasing me. I sigh. I can be brave.

"It means I'm in love with you, too."

My words sound to me as if it was another voice speaking them. They don't come easily, although they're the pure essence of truth.

"Oh Tris," Tobias mumbles, burying me in his arms and I cuddle close to him.

"Please believe me when I say that I don't want to have this fear. But just because I decided I don't want to be afraid anymore doesn't mean that it goes away all at once. If it was that easy, you wouldn't be afraid of heights anymore because you chose to ignore it that one night you climbed up here with me."

I crucially need him to understand the difference. He nods.

"You're right. It's a good comparison."

We remain silent for a while until he whispers, his face hidden from view at the side of my head, "I don't know if it's really necessary to say it out loud, since to me it goes without saying, but I promise I can wait for you. I never want you to feel forced to do anything you're not comfortable with, ever. We can take one step at a time, together."

His gentle kiss on my temple elicits a sigh from my mouth.

"I want to take another step with you tonight," I murmur while my hands fumble with the hem of his sweatshirt.

I know he's wearing a shirt underneath, but still it is a first for me to start to undress him. If he notices my hesitation, he doesn't show. Probably he wants me to do it out of my own accord. Then I just pull up his sweatshirt, and he raises his arms over his head to make it easier for me to take it off. Barely two seconds later, his arms are around me again and I inhale his unique scent deeply. I want to feel his skin again like when we were in my apartment the other day, so I sneak my hands under the remaining fabric. He takes a sharp breath and I pull off his shirt. It's so tight that he has to help me pull it over his head. My hands roam over his naked skin and I do nothing but feel.

Tobias hesitantly pulls down the zipper of my jacket. My heart speeds up immediately. I'm both excited and nervous when he takes it off, turning me to lie on my back for a moment, so he can pull the second sleeve from my arm. Our kisses heat up as he slides his hand under my pullover and caresses my stomach, then moves his hand upwards, but directs it to my back before he reaches my breasts. We keep kissing for a while before he takes off the pullover. I shiver as the cool air surrounds my arms and shoulders.

I get warmer again as soon as Tobias' arms are back around me and his hand moves over my waist and hip down the side of my leg to my knee and back up, until it comes to rest at the small of my back. He pulls me closer to him until there's no room left between our bodies and I'm pressed firmly against him, and a groan escapes his throat. In the same instant I notice the hardness against my thigh and the warmth his kisses always cause spreading through me turns into heat and creeps through the veins all over my body. I push the emerging fear into the back of my mind because, although I register it's there, my longing for Tobias is stronger. His words reassured me that I'm allowed to feel safe with him.

He tries to put some distance between us again, but my hands come to rest on his butt and I pull him back to me. When he rolls his hips against mine and another groan drops off his lips, I begin to understand the extent of my influence on him.

Tobias

I toss Tris' pullover aside and quickly embrace her body again before she gets cold. My heart somersaults about the fact that she allows me to begin undressing her. I know she has to put a lot of trust in me to let me do it, and I love that she does. My hands keep moving over her and my left trails down along her side to her hips. I pull her firmly to me and groan at the contact with her body. It feels so good to be with her like this and I hope she won't get scared when she feels how hard I am against her. Up to now, I've always paid attention that she wouldn't notice, but I don't want to hide the effect she has on me any longer.

For a second or two, we both freeze. Maybe it's better if I slow down what we're doing. I slide back a little when Tris puts her hands on my butt and pulls my hips against hers. I groan at the friction it causes. We repeat that after hesitating shortly, and every time or hips roll against each other's, the awkwardness of it turns a little more into pleasure.

The first time Tris moans into our kiss feeds my desire for her and our kissing gets fiercer. I'd really like to take her top off, but I keep reminding me that I don't want to be like the guy in her simulations and that I just promised her I could wait. It has to come from her.

I draw invisible patterns on the skin right above the waistband of her jeans and when she does nothing to stop me I circle her bellybutton with my fingertips. I notice she stiffens a bit at that, so I withdraw my hand and continue stroking her back through the fabric.

When she pulls away from the kiss I think she's going to put a stop to what we're doing, but then I hear her voice silently in my ear, "You can take off my shirt, but it's the last piece of clothing for tonight."

"Only if you want that, too." My voice sounds throaty.

"I do. Otherwise, I wouldn't let you. You have to trust me, too, you know?"

Fair point. I kiss her ear and move my lips along her neck to the ravens flying over her collarbone and kiss every single one of them. Her breath quickens as my lips brush over them and I take it as good sign. I push her shirt up over her stomach and caress her soft skin there with my hand, then continue to remove her top. She's wearing a simple black bra, and I blush when she looks at me with raised eyebrows, smiling shyly.

Shit, I didn't realize I was staring.

"Sorry, I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable," I apologize, unintentionally all Abnegation.

"You don't. Just take me into your arms," she replies, and I obey willingly.

We lie there for a long time, kissing and touching and moving against each other. I enjoy the sensation of her delicate skin, her little sighs she unsuccessfully tries to suppress and the lust running through me caused by the friction of my hips moving against hers. I've stopped worrying about Tris' fear at some point, since she doesn't seem scared at all anymore after having set the boundary for tonight. On the contrary, she relaxes more and more as she lets her guard down, and she kisses me back feverishly. I have lost all track of time and could go on like this forever.

We're both startled at the beeping sound coming out of my backpack lying somewhere at our feet.

"Sorry, I set the alarm earlier in case we dozed off, so we wouldn't be home late," I explain as I sit up, groping around to find the alarm clock to switch it off.

When I finally hold it in my hand, I turn around and accidentally knock over the bottle and the remaining lemonade spills onto Tris' pullover and top lying on the floor.

"Oh no, no! I'm sorry!" I exclaim, trying to pull the clothes away to keep them from getting too wet, but it's already too late.

Tris bursts out laughing, "Don't worry, it's just lemonade. You should see your face. You look as if you just destroyed something that can't be replaced."

I join in laughing while I try to spread her clothes on the towel, so they can dry at least a little until we have to leave. There's still about half an hour left to stay and I take the two sandwiches from the bench and hand one over to Tris.

"Here, we totally forgot to eat. I don't want to carry those all the way back," I say with a wink.

"Yes, cause you must have spent hours in the kitchen preparing them," Tris teases me.

"You have no idea," I chuckle.

She seems a bit uncomfortable sitting there half-naked now, so I hand her my sweatshirt.

"Here, take this. You can keep it until we're home and give it back to me tomorrow."

She pulls it over her head in one swift motion. We sit next to each other then, our backs leaned against one of the benches, so we can watch the candles flicker on the other one. They've burned down noticeably.

We talk about our plans for tomorrow. We both have to get up early for the daily simulation training, and we'll see each other again in the afternoon, since I'm scheduled to lead the physical training as well. After finishing our sandwiches we blow out the candles and pack all the stuff back into the backpacks. We laugh when Tris manages to stain my sweatshirt with some liquid wax dripping from one of the candles that she tried to stow away too hurriedly.

"That's fate's revenge for laughing at me when I soaked your clothes with lemonade," I joke.

She pulls on her jacket over the sweatshirt so that the small white spots aren't visible anymore and keeps confirming me that she isn't cold.

We make it back home and into the compound without trouble, and I fall asleep as soon as I lie down in my bed, my last thought how good it felt to be skin on skin with Tris on the floor in the gondola.

DISCLAIMER: I own neither the Divergent world nor the characters, they belong to Veronica Roth.