Tobias' POV
She's already out of breath and she looks ill.
She's smiling widely.
I wonder what she thinks of me, I haven't really cared about my appearance in a long time but I imagine that I look dreadful.
Tris' POV
I look through the window to see Tobias, on the other side of the door, standing upright. He's shirtless and I can see the damage Chloe has caused. I knew from the other rooms, he'd been tortured but this? I never expected to see him like this. Layers upon layers of bruises and cuts. So many wounds, some stitched, some inflamed and bleeding. His frame seems smaller too, muscles weakened and –
"Tris, it's okay."
I look up at him sadly and shake my head.
Tobias' POV
I can't stand seeing her like this. Her mouth is slightly open and I can see the pain behind her sore eyes which are now brimming with tears. I feel so exposed, I don't want her to see me like this.
"No, Tobias. It's not okay, none of this is okay. It's all my – it's all my fault." She says panicky between breaths.
No, how could she think it's her fault? There's something else, something she's not telling me.
"How do I get you out of here? There's a screen over here," She looks to the left of the door, "What's the passcode? How many tries do you think I have? I could probably guess it, right?
She's starting to scare me, what's so urgent? What has she done?
"Tell me what's wrong." I demand.
She lets a few tears go and they trail down her cheeks, I have an overwhelming urge to wipe them away but I can't. Instead she wipes them away with a shaky hand,
"Just let me get you out of here first, okay? Stand back and I'll kick the door down, then we will get you out."
I let out a small sad laugh, "you can't."
"And why he hell not?" She looks hurt, I hope she doesn't think I don't want to leave because I sure as hell do.
I sigh, "Even if you manage to kick the door down", she looks at me angrily but I can on, "it wouldn't help. You see, Chloe installed a fancy sensory system in the door which means that when the doors latch is broken, hundreds of gas boxes…"
I pause looking upwards to the ceiling, "right above my head, killing us both."
She doesn't even look shocked anymore just desperate. I did however watch her look away for a second when I said Chloe's name.
"And what about the code?" She questions.
"I don't know what it is, she always changes it."
"What d'you think would happen if I got it wrong?"
"I don't even want to imagine it."
I get a sudden thought. She has no intention of leaving me here and she can't stay here. Chloe would definitely kill her but not without torturing her first. I won't let her stay here. I love her too much.
Tris POV
I can feel my chest getting tighter and tighter but I'm not leaving until I get him out of there. I remember that I have two gas masks in my pocket.
"You have to leave, if Chloe finds you down here, I'll never forgive myself."
"What?"
"I want you to leave." He says seriously.
I try not to get too hurt, he's only saying this because he doesn't want me to get hurt.
I take out the two gas masks from my pocket and dangle them in front of the mirror.
"What is that?" He raises his eyebrows, I forgot he hasn't heard about them before.
"They're gas masks. You put them on so it covers your mouth and nose, so you can't breathe in the gas."
"And?" He says sounding frustrated.
"AND? And I can break the door down without us being gassed too much." The pain in my hurt worsen as I raise my voice.
Why doesn't he want to get out there? I know he wouldn't want me to get hurt but I'm way past that. I'm already damaged.
"I don't know, there's so much gas. Even in the few seconds where I don't have a gas mask on, I could die. There's too much in just this room. I can't be sure we'll survive."
I thought pops into my head, "how do you know?"
He itches the back of his neck and looks away.
"Tobias?"
"Because… Because I've done it before. " He takes a deep breath.
"Were you warned beforehand?"
He ignores me.
"Did you know you could've died by doing it?" I say more forcefully.
He nods, "Yes! Yes I did."
I groan out as the pain in my chest surmounts and spreads to my back. My vision goes blurry as I grit my teeth and clench my fists. It doesn't stop.
"Tris, you're in pain. Are you hurt?"
I feel my heartbeat in my ears. It's irregular, slow and quiet.
"Talk to me." He begs.
No, I can't die yet. I can feel my muscles aching. It doesn't relent. I've got to break the door down and just hope that it doesn't hurt him too badly. If I do nothing, I die here and so does he.
I put the gas mask over my face.
"Tobias. Move away from the door."
"No, Tris. You have to let me go, just leave. Now. Please."
"Move!" I scream.