I head back down to the Pit when I believe everything is over. I arrive into the cafeteria just as Zeke begins his speech.
"It's been three years since the faction system has been operating well enough to have Choosing Ceremonies. Now, it's back. And you all are the new faces of Dauntless. This year, no one gets cut. There will be no Factionless. You will have the opportunity to move freely amongst the factions until you find one that you think best defines you." Zeke says, moving his eyes around the new Dauntless. "Enjoy your time here. Welcome to Dauntless!" He finishes, raising his glass high in the air. Everyone copies.
"To the new Dauntless!" He yells.
"To the new Dauntless!" Everyone chants back. He smiles and takes his seat. I weave my way through the crowd and up to the empty seat next to him. "How nice of you to join us, bud." He says, pulling my chair out for me. I laugh and take my seat. From here I can see the whole cafeteria and it's greatness. It's huge, but empty. The life and people have faded away over the years, but Zeke hopes we will be getting more this year. After the war, many people were lost or died. Died. My chest tightens up for a second before letting go. No, I can't. I begin shoveling food onto my plate. "Hungry, are you?" Zeke asks, a smirk plastered on his face. While laughing, I hit his shoulder.
"Starving." I reply, patting my stomach.
After dinner, I show the initiates to their dorms. After Zeke took over he's made the dorms a lot more 'live-able'. They actually look better than my apartment. "Get settled in and get a good nights sleep, training starts early tomorrow." I say to them, before closing the door. I begin the long, boring walk back to my apartment when something catches my eye. Blonde hair, flopping about as the person it's attached to runs around the corner. I pick up my pace and follow it. I followed it around the corner, and down a long hallway. "Hey!" I called out. The person turned around. All of the air inside me left and I clutched my chest. At first I thought I was hallucinating, but then she began talking. "Tobias.." She says softly. I reach my hand out to touch her face. She doesn't flinch, she just stands there, smiling as she stares into my eyes. Those eyes. The ones I grew to love. "Tris?" I ask quietly. My finger traces her jawline and around her chin. It's all so real but I can't believe it. She nods slightly, her eyes swelling with tears. "Come with me." She whispers. I follow her without hesitation. It's been so long, I don't even know what to do. I arrive at my apartment, I reach into my pocket to get my keys but she already has it covered. She pulls a key out of her pocket and unlocks the door. We make our way over to the sofa where I just sit and stare at her. "You've been alive this whole time?" I ask softly, after a short silence. She shrugs a little before answering. "I can't remember much." She says. I nod. I've missed her so much.
"Why haven't you come to see me? Or sent me a letter? Or something?" I ask. She shakes her head and smiles.
"I was, I just wanted to pick a good time." She explains softly. I nod slightly, then I open my arms, stretching them out wide. "I need a hug, please." I say quietly. She bursts out into tears before leaping into my arms. When she is safe and comfortable I start stroking her hair. The once perfect blonde hair has now gone a dark brown. She smells faintly of roses. Where has she been all this time? I don't care. I've missed her so much. "Tobias," she whispers softly "I love you." I kiss the back of her head.
"I love you too." I reply softly.
I then drift off to sleep with my Tris back in my arms.
Knock. Knock. I groan and sit up. Instead of being on the sofa where I thought I fell asleep, I am in my bed. I quickly turn over to see Tris, but to my disappointment she isn't there. "Come in!" I yell out. My door opens, and like basically every morning, Christina is standing there. With a paper bag. "Morning sleepy head. Training starts soon." She says, setting the bag down onto the bench and then walking over to me. She carefully strokes my hair. "How's your head after the fall?" She asks. Fall? What fall? I shake my head slightly. "I fell?" I ask. She laughs and then nods, carefully running her fingers down my cheek bones. I'd love to see Tris here right now. "You were unconscious in the hallway opposite the dorms. Don't know what happened?" She asks. I shake my head slightly. "Christina, I saw Tris." I say. She flinches when I say Tris's name but then starts to laugh. "Funny one, Four, but I think I'd know if my best friend was alive, which she's not." She says cooly. I swat her hand away and stand up. "What a great best friend you are, aren't you? Trying to move in on her boyfriend." I reply. Christina scrunches up her face, then crosses her arms. "Old boyfriend. Relationships don't go on after one of them dies. It would be a little hard, wouldn't it?" She says with a laugh. I spin her around and push her towards the door roughly. "Get the fuck out of my apartment." I say, before slamming the door in her face. I walk back over to my bed and sit down. A piece on the opposite bed side table catches my eye. I jump up and grab it,
"Tobias,
I wish I could stay with you, but not yet. Don't worry, this isn't the last you'll be seeing of me. Meet me on the train tracks at 12pm tonight. Need to explain some things to you.
-Tris xo
P.S. Try not to tell everyone that I'm back. I want it to be a surprise."
I clutch the note hard against my chest.
"She's alive." I say quietly.
I reach into the bag and pull out a muffin. Like every morning. I decide I will head down to the training room and wait. Just as I leave my apartment, I see Zeke. "Four!" He yells. "Head down to the training room, bud. Don't leave Peter with those initiates!" Shit. Are the initiates already in there? With Peter? I begin to walk a little faster. I don't trust Peter, but he's Dauntless.
"Four," Peter says as I walk into the training room, "Nice of you to show up." I nod and walk over beside him. I cross my arms. He is just staring at me. "Continue." I say, motioning with my hands. "Everyone, this is Four. He is also a trainer. Ladies, don't get your hopes up with this one", he says with a laugh. I then notice the girls eyes which are locked onto me. I look back to Peter. How I wish Tris was here. Four and Six. "Alright, we'll be doing a series of physical combat, training and then fighting. Later on we will also bring in things like learning how to shoot and blah blah blah." Peter says. I take over. "During this lesson we will be learning the basics in hand to hand combat. Peter will demonstrate some moves and you will copy them. Try to copy Peters stance as perfectly as you can." I say. They all nod.
"Alright, lessons over. Go have some time to yourselves!" I yell. I get some girls eyeing me up and down, which makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm hoping Tris will be here soon. Ever since the huge change in the factions, people from the ages of 16-20 can choose a different faction. Which makes most of these initiates my age. I glance over at Peter who is talking to a short boy with bleach blonde hair. I decide not to interrupt them so I head to the cafeteria.
The cafeteria is buzzing with life. It's never quiet, but it's never really noisy. I find my way up to my seat next to Zeke and sit down. It was already 10PM. Meaning two hours until I can see Tris again. "How's things?" Zeke asks. I shrug. "Getting better," I say "Slowly." Zeke nods and then pats my on the back. He knows how I feel. After loosing Uriah he just went downhill. Everyone thought he was going to kill himself. I blamed myself for it, because it was my fault. "Hey, want to go have some drinks tonight? Get your mind off of things?" Zeke suggests. "Maybe tomorrow night, yeah?" I say. Zeke nods. Slowly, I am getting my friend back. Just like I'm getting myself back.
The next two hours went through fast, and I find myself on the train tracks. No signs of Tris. I sit just beside the tracks and wait. I fiddle with the hem of my shirt and glance up every now and then. The sound of the train coming towards me makes me sit up immediately. I can see the lights from the front of it. Where the hell is Tris? It rushes past me, blowing my hair all over the place. I start to run along side it, then I jump. I press the open button for the doors then slide in. The first thing I notice is her, sitting in one of the seats a few rows down. I walk down the empty train and sit beside her. "Ready for an explanation?" She asks. I nod, then wrap my arm around her. She leans into my chest and begins talking. "I woke up in Erudite a few months ago. I thought I was dreaming. I didn't believe it. Turns out Caleb took my body back with him, and tried everything to bring me back. He even got some of the Erudite leaders to try. But no one could do it. It's simply impossible for someone to be brought back to life." I watch her as she talks, as she stares off into the distance. I carefully take her chin and turn it to face me. Her eyes are red with tears. I plant a kiss on her forehead. My hands are shaking so much. I thought I had lost her. "Are you coming back to Dauntless?" I ask. She smiles, a wide smile.
"Of course I am!" She replies. I kiss her cheek, while cupping her face with my hands. "My little ray of sunshine is back." I say quietly. She slips her arms around me and rests her head on my chest. "I'm here to stay, this time." She replies quietly.
We sit like that for hours. I think we both missed it so much. "Are you coming back tonight?" I ask. She grins and tells me to wait there. She disappears off into the next compartment and comes back with a huge bag. "Of course I am!" I laugh and take the bag from her. I am surprised as to how heavy it is. "What do you have in here, Tris?" I ask. She giggles and sighs. "Oh, you know, just some dresses and things... and.." She says, unzipping the bag. She pulls open the bag and lying there is a person. A person I thought was dead. Tris grins at me and nods.
"Hello, Four!" Uriah says with a grin.