Tobias reached out and cautiously took her hand, pulling her into his room; he'd only put on pants, not bothering to cover what she'd already seen. He looked tentatively between her and the door; it was a silent question that she understood. She leaned over and closed it herself, looking up as she waited for him to speak.

"It's hard to talk about," he began hesitantly. "And I could have... I should have said something sooner. I mean, you've been in my head. You've seen my fears."

"You don't have to—"

"But I want to. I want to share this with you, Tris." I want to share everything with you were the words he really wanted to say, but didn't. Her eyes softened a little, as if she heard his thoughts. He let out a sigh before he turned around, allowing her to take it all in.

Tris had never looked at a tattoo up close before. She would notice the occasional flash of one on a Dauntless patrol when she volunteered with the factionless, and even at the Bureau she saw them, peeking out from a collar or a sleeve. But the massive image laid out before her was unlike anything she had ever seen before.

"The bird is a phoenix," he continued, taking in a deep breath. "It's a mythical creature, one that dies by combusting into flames, only to be reborn from its own ashes." Her eyes roamed over red, orange, yellow, and black, the colors blending into an image more vivid than she ever could have imagined. "When I first came to the Bureau, I felt like my existence was finally going to be justified. That I would discover that I was born for something greater than just being Marcus's whipping boy, or the son who failed to keep his mother out of harm's way. The Bureau made me believe that I was being tested because I was something special, but as soon as that status was dangled in front of me, it was snatched back when they decided I wasn't good enough."

Tris's eyes fell lower, to the faction symbols that were hidden within the gray ashes. They lined his lower back, the phoenix rising up in flames above them. She reached out, her fingers lightly trailing over the ones that represented her. "And these?"

He stiffened at her touch, wincing slightly. The softness of her fingertips on his back was unexpected; he had only known the lash of a belt on his bare skin.

"I was so desperate to find somewhere I belonged. My father was a miserable excuse for a human being, and my mother became too caught up in her own needs to worry about mine. I think I had always felt alone, really, but it somehow felt worse here. I was actively being ignored by people who didn't have to abide by a faction's customs.

"I spent a lot of time in front of the screens, watching the different factions and the people in them, trying to find one that I could latch onto. I needed to know that I could find solace somewhere, even if I couldn't physically be there. But the harder I looked, the more I realized that I didn't belong to any of them. That I couldn't belong to any of them. My own faction had turned a blind eye to what was happening, and when I asked for help, I got condescending stares and knowing smirks from another. Why would I choose to be a part of something that continuously failed me?"

She looked at the image again: its wings spread wide, crying out in triumph after being freed from the ashes of its previous life. It was Tobias, she thought, turning his back on the life that had let him down, being born again into someone better, fiercer, stronger: someone that didn't require any faction. She reached her hand out again, pressing her palm to the center of his back, trying to imagine how he must have felt.

"It's because you're Divergent," she said.

He spun, trying to ignore how her touch was reigniting his desire for her. "What?" His voice was full of disbelief. "I'm not, Tris. I told you, I don't have the mark—"

"I don't care about the marker! And screw what the Bureau says. You make decisions based on your life and what you've experienced, not because your genes tell you what to do. You said it yourself, you don't fit in anywhere. Well, neither do I, and maybe that's because we are healed, Tobias. I don't need some test to prove to me that you are a good person."

She could see his chest heave, hear the loud exhale of the breath he was holding. It made her realize that he had probably never heard those words before. He probably hadn't heard a lot of good things growing up. "You are, Tobias. You deserve to know that. You deserve to know that you, too, are more than your genes. That you are cared for."

His eyes ran down her body, taking in every last inch of her; the subtle shift closer and the way she licked her lips as she stared up at him. A part of him wanted to believe that he deserved a good life, perhaps even one with her in it. But after years of having abuse hurled at him, followed by years of being ignored and treated as nothing more than damaged, the physical and emotional scars overpowered the hope he was feeling.

She took a step forward and placed her hand gently over his ribs. Over the one part he hadn't yet covered. He could see the sadness, the questions written all over her face.

"Marcus," he sighed, and she closed her eyes. "It was what finally pushed my mother to leave him. I don't even know what it was about, to be honest. I just remember he was livid and I was his target. He made me take off my shirt right there at dinner, when he would normally make me go upstairs to my room and wait for him. He lashed out at me, whipping me over and over with his belt. I had to stay silent, or else it would go on even longer. I bit down hard with each lash, tasting blood and feeling it trickle down my back, trying to keep from crying out. I thought it couldn't get any worse." He stumbled on his words, and Tris felt an ache in her heart unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

"When my mother yelled his name, trying to stop him or turn his attention towards her, he hurled a chair at her and it shattered against the wall. He picked up a piece, a leg, I think. He hovered over her as she cowered, but he turned and came back at me. I had never felt pain like that in my life, never heard a sound like it. The cracking of wood and bone, the scream that I couldn't hold in any longer. He swung with both hands, splitting my skin, making some of the lashes connect into one giant wound. He stopped after that, and left without a word. It was like he only did it to see how hard he had to push me before I broke. I couldn't go to the doctor without raising suspicions, so she patched me up as best as she could, and I was left with this."

Tris felt the tears in her eyes. She hadn't opened them the entire time he was talking, too afraid of seeing the hurt and the pain on his face; it was hard enough to hear it in his voice.

"Natalie helped fix it before we left, wrapped me up to help set my ribs and gave me antibiotics. I see so much of her in you, Tris. I could never repay her for everything she did."

She threw her arms around his neck, not bothering to fight the tears any longer. His hands found their way onto her back first as he slowly pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her. Every inch that connected the two of them felt like electricity and fire; it was the most alive he had ever felt in his life.

"He can never touch you again," she whispered, her voice wavering with each word. "I'll kill him if he tries." Tobias felt himself smile as he pulled away. He took her face in his hands and leaned his forehead against hers. If he ever had any doubt that he was madly in love with her, it completely vanished in that moment. He wiped her tears with his thumbs, smiling at the brave, fierce woman who just vowed to take on a man twice her size for him.

He pressed his lips to hers, the spark sending his desire into overdrive. He struggled with trying to find the balance between their upbringing and his thoughts from earlier; he settled for gripping her hip, his fingertips pushing under her shirt to find a sliver of bare skin. He pressed himself closer to her; she responded by threading her fingers through his hair, a soft sigh escaping.

"Tobias," she whispered, as he pulled away. Her eyes were half-closed, drunk from his touch. She brought her hands down, placing one on each cheek, forcing his attention on her. "You deserve so much more, and I'm… I'm here for you."

"I know."

"No. I don't think you understand. I won't ever do… that. I'll never hurt you, Tobias. I want…" She trailed off, her eyes roaming to his lips and back, her thumb idly brushing against his cheek.

"What, Tris..." His voice was barely above a whisper. "What do you want?"

"I want you."

Tobias took her in his arms again, trying to convey everything he felt with just his lips. They moved from her mouth to her jaw to her neck and back, receiving a soft sigh in response each time. He was bolder this time, pressing both hands against the small of her back. Her skin was warm and silky beneath his fingertips as they grazed a little higher. He heard her breath hitch in her throat; stopping was the hardest thing he had ever done. He wanted nothing more than to feel her body pressed against his, with their clothes somewhere else, but it wasn't just his decision.

"Sorry," Tris whispered, as he placed one last kiss on her cheek.

"Don't be. There's no rush. It's just you, and me, and all the time in the world." She smiled, a little laugh escaping. Even though she was somewhere that was throwing her life into chaos, she was thankful that she had Tobias to get her through it. Tris knew he would be the constant in her life, that he would keep her safe and grounded.

They were inseparable, their last moments of freedom spent no more than a few inches from each other. They ate lunch with Matthew, gardened in Amity, and spent some time in the little room by Erudite looking at items they were unable to name. When she mentioned housing at dinner, Tobias took her to his room to show her what they looked like.

It was a small, single bedroom unit; the standard for most rooms at the Bureau. There was a sitting area, a small kitchenette with a bar, a private bathroom, and a bedroom not much larger than the dorm. It reminded her a lot of Abnegation: nothing more than the bare necessities. It actually made her feel at home.

"There are three units that I know of near me that are empty," Tobias said, handing her a glass of water. "It would be nice if you could choose one of them."

"Aren't they assigned?"

"Yeah. But you're 'the one'," he said, smirking. "You could probably ask for the moon and they'd give it to you."

"Ask for moon," she repeated, writing a fake list on her hand. "Got it. Anything else?"

"Hmm. A kiss, maybe."

She bit her lower lip. It was easy, the give and take between them. The subtle flirting, the stolen touches, the lingering glances; she never expected any of it to happen when she took his hand that day in the factionless sector. She placed her glass on the counter, reaching out to pull him to her; his face broke into that lopsided grin she was learning was her favorite.

As Tobias's lips found hers, she was glad that she had never given much thought to the boys in Abnegation. The irony wasn't lost on her that they were both from the same, stifling faction. She also knew that even if they had both stayed there, this would have never happened; there wasn't enough freedom for them to find each other, let alone become so close. If she believed the teachings of her faction, she might have called their meeting divine intervention.

Her hands found the hem of his shirt as he pressed her against the counter. Her heart sped up as she reached underneath it, running her fingers along the small of his back the same way he did to her. She smiled against him when he let out a hum of approval. Their moment was short-lived; she wasn't sure when she felt the first one, but the second was larger, more pronounced. Scars, covered in ink. She pulled away, searching his face for any indication that she had hurt him; she didn't have any scars of her own to compare. She was met with an inquisitive look.

"Tobias," she whispered, splaying her hands along his back, "Take me."

"W-what?" he stammered out.

She felt her neck get hot, realizing how it must have sounded to him. "Tattoos," she clarified, laughing lightly. "I want one."

"Oh," he said, chuckling a little. He wasn't quite sure if he was relieved or disappointed. "Can I ask why?"

She shrugged. "You got yours to distance yourself from them, but I think I want one to bring me closer."

He smiled, nuzzling her cheek with his nose. "Okay."

She headed back to the dorm to start packing up some of her things while Tobias went to find Emma to see if she was free. He thought about asking for the both of them, but decided that this should be Tris's moment. He was just happy to be a part of it.

"Any idea what she has in mind?" Emma asked, pulling out her sketchbook. She flipped to one of her favorite pieces, the one that was covering his back, and smiled.

"No. I have a feeling it won't be anything like that, though," he replied, tipping his head towards the sheet in her hand.

"Good. I only have a couple of hours before my shift starts, so hurry your ass back here."

"Yes, ma'am."

She glared at him, pointing a finger as he shot her a smile. "Call me that again and see what happens."

Tris pulled out the black tank top, running her hand over it like she had done before. She smiled as she took her baggy t-shirt off and pulled the new shirt over her head. It felt foreign showing so much skin, but it also felt empowering; she was realizing more and more that she would never be that same girl from Abnegation, and it was time to start embracing her changes. She smoothed it down, noticing how it hugged her body tighter than anything she had worn so far. She second-guessed her decision for a moment and then shook her head, tossing her self-doubt aside to continue putting her things in the bag she was given in preparation for moving. It wasn't long until Tobias knocked on her door.

"Ready?" He took in every last inch of her, almost begging Tris to save the tattoo for another day so they could hole up in her room.

"Yeah."

Emma was an older woman with short gray hair and a fair amount of tattoos. She smiled kindly as she flipped through a large portfolio of her artwork, talking about her inspiration for some of the pieces, or how long it took her to complete the sketches.

"How long will it take?" Tris asked.

"It depends on what you choose," she said. She pulled two pieces of paper out: one was an intricate piece full of trees and birds and other animals Tris had only seen pictures of, while the other was full of small sketches ranging from the faction symbols to stars to skulls. "Something like this one would take many sessions, upwards of a month to complete, while one of these could be knocked out in an hour or less."

Tris sifted through them, nothing really catching her eye except the forest scene. For some reason she kept being drawn back to it, even though it was something she couldn't imagine having on her body for the rest of her life. It wasn't until she really looked at it closely that she realized what it was that called to her.

"The birds," she said, running a finger over them. "Do you have anything with just them?" Emma thought for a moment before standing and rummaging through a bag on her counter. She pulled out a tiny book and began flipping through the pages, smiling when she turned it towards Tris. It was filled with tiny sketches, a few of them birds in flight.

"I actually did these the other day. I was sitting near the greenhouses on my day off, watching the people come and go, sketching some of them, when a huge flock landed. Guess it was meant to be," she said, flashing a wide smile. "Shall we?"

They followed Emma down a few halls to another room. It was barely wide enough for the three of them to fit comfortably, the large chair and counter for equipment taking up the majority of the space. "It was an unused storage room. I asked if I could put my things in here, instead of cramming them into my room. I have to admit, I was surprised they said yes. Then again, James does have quite a few tattoos." She winked at Tris and patted the chair. As she sat down, she vaguely recalled meeting James that morning; it didn't seem like anyone in David's council would indulge in something like tattoos.

Tris closed her eyes and reclined in the chair. She took a few deep breaths, steadying herself and calming her nerves while Emma set everything up. She opened her eyes when she heard Emma's stool roll over to her.

"You ready?"

"Yes."

"Where do you want me to place them?" Tris pointed towards her left shoulder and swiped across it. She was still as Emma cleaned the skin of her collarbone with an alcohol wipe then prepped the gun, dipping it in the ink and priming it. "Fair warning, it's gonna hurt. Just remember to breathe." Tris nodded once, her eyes finding Tobias. He was leaning against the door, arms crossed, eyes locked onto her. She grimaced, the first touch of the needle stinging.

It wasn't completely unbearable. The motions created a steady burning sensation, but she found herself closing her eyes often, her face contorting when Emma worked on certain areas. It didn't take long for Tobias to end up by her side, rubbing soothing circles on her calf. She gave him an appreciative smile.

Emma talked over the buzz of the gun, Tris assumed, to try and put her at ease. She learned that Emma was from a city called Nashville; it wasn't an experiment, but rather a free city. Emma had lost her girlfriend to a raid there when she was mistaken for someone else. She left right after it happened, wandering on foot with minimal money and no plan in mind until she was picked up by the Bureau, somewhere near St. Louis. She told them what had happened and asked for a job since she had nowhere to go. She transferred to Chicago a few years later when they asked her to, and she'd been content ever since. Cleaning the compound wasn't her ideal job, but they supplied her with what she needed to do tattoos, which made her happy. Before Tris knew it, Emma was wiping the excess ink off her skin and bandaging her up.

"Okay, Miss Tris. Keep that covered for a couple of hours, then wash it gently. Don't pick at it, and keep some of this on it at all times." She handed Tris a small tube. "Just bring that back when it stops flaking. About a week should do it. Any questions?"

"I don't think so," she said, looking down at the white bandage covering part of her upper chest.

"Well, I think this guy can help you, if you think of anything."

"Thanks, Em." Tobias shook her hand.

Tris found herself bouncing, full of energy as they walked down the halls. She didn't know what she wanted to do, but she knew she didn't want to go back to her room to pack. She was content to stay awake all night, keeping tomorrow from reaching her any faster.

"Adrenaline rush," Tobias said from next to her. "Happens every time."

She laughed. "That obvious?"

"I don't think I could keep you still, even if I tried."

She gave him a smile that sent his heart racing. "You might be surprised."

She could feel the heat on the back of her neck and her cheeks; the more time she spent with Tobias, the bolder she was becoming. He raised an eyebrow, smiling, and she decided then that she liked this new part of herself. Tris liked to see the effect she had on him, even if she still blushed.

She hurried ahead of him, more than happy to have him chase after her. She felt young, and thought if she could just stay in the moment, she could push all her responsibilities away. She wouldn't have to worry about genes or changing the outcome of the human race or whether they were being deceived. Tris was perfectly content to just laugh with Tobias, kiss him, and hold him close.

She led him underground into the depths of the Bureau. He pressed her against the wall in the dim light, no longer giving a damn if anyone knew about them as his lips thoroughly explored hers, roaming to her neck as his hands squeezed her hips. Tris had never thought of herself as desirable, but the time she spent with Tobias made it impossible to feel any other way. She loved it. She loved him. Tris bit her lip, almost letting the words tumble out as his lips found a spot just beneath her ear. She fisted his shirt, arching up into him, sighing contentedly as he smiled against her, satisfied that he made her do that. "Come on," he whispered against her skin. "Let's celebrate."

They found a table in the corner of the bar underneath the colored lights. They kept to themselves, sipping their drinks and talking about nothing in particular. She enjoyed it; it was how she had imagined her life would be outside of the city. Despite all that was happening around her, she wasn't worried about anything other than that moment. It felt like freedom.

They finished their drinks, dragging their feet as they headed back to their rooms, wishing for the night to never end. It was late, though, and Tris could feel herself coming down from her rush, relaxed from the alcohol in her system. It was a warm, lazy sort of feeling; it made her smile.

"What?" Tobias asked from next to her.

She turned her head to see a wide smile on his face. "Nothing. It was just a nice evening."

"Yeah, it was."

They passed the bathroom on the way to their rooms, and she caught sight of the bandage in the mirror. She fished the tube out of her pocket, turning to Tobias. "Go on," he said. "Let's see it." She peeled the edge of the bandage back, slowly revealing the mixture of blood and black that had seeped onto it. She scrunched her nose as Tobias handed her a bar of soap. Holding the strap of her tank top out of the way, she washed the tattoo gently, rinsing away all the impurities, revealing the picture underneath. She smiled as she stared at it in the mirror.

"Three birds?" Tobias said, wrapping his arms around her torso from behind.

"Yeah," she said, looking up at his reflection. "My mother, my father and my brother. No matter what, they're still my family. And now I'll have them right here with me, always." She put a little ointment on her finger and massaged it over the birds winging their way along her collarbone; she held her hand over her family, the trio flying towards her heart. She wished that like the birds, they too could take flight to come be with her.

"It's beautiful," Tobias whispered. He brushed her hair aside and leaned down, kissing her shoulder. "You're beautiful." She wrapped her own arms around his, keeping him close to her. She may have lost them, but she would be damned if she lost him, too.

A/N:

And our duo has finally admitted to themselves that they're in love. Aww. :P

So, we are at the halfway point of this story! I know it's been a slow, slow burn, but I promise, this back half is almost non-stop action. I mean, we can't just have a nice story where they fall in love and absolutely nothing happens, can we? I do like a few of the theories I've seen crop up though, so keep them coming. Who knows, maybe you'll be right and then you can gloat about it haha.