CHAPTER 4

As soon as the screen goes blank, the place is in commotion, everyone sprinting to people and gathering items and weapons. I feel Tobias' worried eyes on me as he sees my face go pale and then a light shade of green.

I'm going to be sick, I—I run to the garden bed outside the Erudite Headquarters and the sound of Tobias' footsteps behind me oddly comforts me. I stand with one hand supporting me against the pillar outside, bent over, but I realise now that I no longer feel as if my food is going to make reappearance.

I feel Tobias' hand on my arm, gentle and comforting. I turn away from him and sit on the steps with a huff. Only now do I begin to realise how cold it is out here and how stupid it was to only be wearing jeans and a sleeveless top. I feel the shivers that spiral through my body, raising goose bumps along every inch of my body.

"Here," I hear Tobias say quietly as I feel the warmth of his jacket envelope me. He takes a seat beside me and stares at me, weaving one arm around me and pulling me tightly against his body, providing more heat.

"You know now you're going to get cold." I reason with him but I don't take his jacket off, only hug it more tightly to my body.

He chuckles. "Yes, but I'm not the one carrying our baby." I glance up at him, tears forming in my eyes. He places a hand under my chin gently, his thumb reaching to my cheekbone where he softly guides his thumb over the bone. He kisses me lightly on the cheek and holds me to him. He sighs against me. "I love you, Tris." I wish to say it back to him but I'm not sure any words can get past my throat. So to answer him, to express just how much I love him, I kiss him with everything I can muster. Tobias is surprised at first, he hesitates but soon his lips are pressing against mine, equally as passionate. I pull away from and rest my head on his chest.

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It's been a month since we found about Edith Prior and nobody has known what to do. I've barely seen Tobias, for he, Harrison and Tori have been going to several meetings among the Faction leaders. There have been many discussions about going past the wall, where no one has been brave enough to venture past. But that's the problem, the fear everyone has of what lies ahead is what squishes that idea.

I'm beginning to show and I know people are starting to notice. Its not a huge bump… yet, but its slightly visible.

One night when I'm lying on Tobias' bed in his room, while Tobias is at one of his many meetings, I begin to whisper sweet nothings to my baby; I'm not sure why, it just felt like the right thing to do at the time, probably because I was scared of what the future held.

I roll over onto my back and press one of my hands lightly to the small bulge of my stomach, where my baby grows. "Hey baby, it's your mummy. You know I love you so much, don't you? Yes I do and I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect you, I promise you. And your daddy, I'm going to keep him safe too." I begin to think. "I hope you are just like him, I hope you have his eyes, his smile, his strength…"

"I hope our baby looks just like you." A voice speaks from the entrance of the room. I start and sit up quickly and see Tobias standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. He smirks and walks towards me, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside me. He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"How long were you standing there for?" I ask him, lacing our fingers together.

He looks down at our hands and then back up at my face. "Oh, not long. Just long enough to hear the protecting part and how much you want our baby to be like me."

"Oh," is all I say and slump against him tiredly.

He chuckles. "Why don't you get some sleep?" he suggests and I nod against his chest. Raising his arms above his head, he slides his shirt off, unbuckles his belt and unties his shoes. I'm already under the covers when he finally wraps me in his arms.

"Tobias?" I question quietly, turning so my back is pressed against his chest.

In the darkness I hear Tobias murmur, "Mm?"

His hands flatten against my stomach and I place mine on top of his, curling my fingers with his. "You're not going to leave sometime tonight, are you?" I ask quietly.

"Why would I have to?"

I shrug, "A meeting or something…"

I roll towards Tobias, facing him. He raises one of his hands and places it along my cheek. "No, I don't."

"And you'll be here when I wake up?" My arms move to circle around his waist. I pull myself closer to him and feel his lips press against my forehead.

"Yes," is all he whispers. My eyes flutter closed and that is how I fall asleep; with his warm lips against my skin and my arms around his torso.