CHAPTER NINETEEN

"So, we all know that the society we currently live in is not the best society, that it has many flaws." My voice echoed and rung out firmly as I spoke to the onlookers. Currently, we were in the meeting that would decide our future and I had stupidly volunteered to announce it. Everybody from Chicago was here, eager to listen to whatever I had to say. "There are many things that could be looked at and fixed. However, if we look at our entire society, and I'm talking about the government and how the government has shaped each and every one of us, why not just change the whole government? Why not change all of Chicago? Right now, we live in a world where the government makes all of the decisions for us, where we have no say, where we have to conform to the government's ideal frames. But wouldn't a world where we can choose what we say, where we have the rights to speak our mind, to be different without being executed, to not only dream of future possibilities but to live within those future possibilities, wouldn't that world be a beautiful place? A place where we would want to want to raise our future generations?"

"For those of you who don't know, I recently gave birth to a son, and I can easily tell you that the world that I grew up in is not a world that I would wish for my child to grow up in. If there is even the slightest chance that he is divergent, then I do not want him to be hunted down like some sort of animal, I don't want him to be speared, shot or hung just because he has some different genes than everybody else."

"History has shown to us that searching for people that have different skin tones, or different accents, or people who speak a different language and killing them, never solves a thing. They say we have learnt from our ancestors' past mistakes. But have we really? Aren't we just going down a completely similar path? Yes, we may not have an answer to why some people are smarter than others, why some people are braver, selfless, more honest or peaceful. Yes, we still don't know why some people are classified as divergent, why it makes them seem so much different. But does it really matter? We are all human, are we not? Is that not the only thing we have to worry about? Being human?"

"I know people who live within Candor's borders, who are truthful because that's how they were raised, but who are also smart, brave, selfless and peaceful. I know people who come from Amity, but despite not wanting to fight in our battles because they believe in peace, can also be brave in many other ways, who can be smart in the way they are brave, who can be selfless so they can help others be just as brave, help others be just as smart, help others be just as honest."

"Everyone is brave, smart, selfless, honest, and committed to peace, we don't need to categorise ourselves to be just one when we can be all of those. So I say, we scrap the old factions and live in a world where we are equal, where we can be whatever we want, can live in the dreams that we only thought about when sleeping."

People were out of their seats faster than I could say 'thank you.' Their applause and rippling whistles surrounded me and only vaguely was I aware of a pressure against my waist and a hand clutching mine. Tobias, no doubt. When I glanced in his direction, sure enough it was him; he was also gazing down at me with this expression that was filled with such love and awe that it made my heart expand in my chest.

"All right, all right. Thank you very much, Ms Prior." Edith had become a sort of leader to us ever since she had returned to our home with us. She was a natural leader, born to guide people, and that was what she did.

It wasn't long after that day, where I had suggested a new way of living and where Edith had been nominated to be our new president, where the factions had been stripped almost instantly, where people were living now in this glorious happiness, that everything seemed to fall into the place it was supposed to.

A year had passed since I had found out I was pregnant with Mason. A year had passed since I followed Tobias into the middle of nowhere to find a woman who might or might not have been still alive. A year since we found that woman who was named Edith Prior. A year since our whole world changed and Mason was finally able to settle into my arms. A year since Tobias had proposed to me.

I was a bundle of nerves despite my excitement for the day. Today was finally a day for me. Today was finally a day for Tobias. For us. Finally. Today, I was marrying the love of my life. It was just a small function, just our closest family and friends, that's it. At least that's all I hoped it would be.

Finally, Christina came to get me, dressed in a black dress that fell to her knees. She was my one and only bridesmaid, but I didn't care. She was all I had wanted. It was show time. Time for me to walk down the aisle. Unfortunately, there was an empty spot beside me, the spot where my father should have been, giving me away. But he couldn't be and while it depressed me to no end, I knew he would be smiling from above with Mum, watching me finally have a happy moment with Tobias.

I should have known. If it was possible, everybody from Chicago was there to see me get hitched. A small thing it was supposed to be, a big thing it was. However, as soon as my eyes landed on the man waiting for me at the other end, all worries disappeared. Zeke stood beside him as his best man, hands clasped in front of him.

Tobias clutched my hands in his once I had reached him and I stared intently into his eyes. I paid no attention to the minister as he spoke, and I had a funny feeling that Tobias didn't either. We exchanged vows and then our rings were presented to us by Christina and Mason. She carried his chubby, one year old body down the alter, holding the ring cushion in the other hand and I couldn't help but grin at the sight. I pecked Mason on the cheek once before he left again and then finally Tobias and I got to kiss.

The moment that made it official. The moment that we were officially faithful to each other. The moment that we belonged to each other and always would.

After the wedding, people stayed for refreshments and we were congratulated on our marriage about a million times by various guests and by various people who had invited themselves. Eventually, we managed to slip away. Christina saw in our eyes that we wanted to be alone for a little while so she promised to take good care of Mason.

The house was silent when we returned; hand in hand, we crept up the stairs and into the bedroom. The chemistry between us was on fire by the time I had closed the door. Tobias was already waiting on the bed when I turned around and he beckoned me over by holding out his arms. Without any hesitation, I stepped into the circle of his arms and brought my lips crashing down onto his. I pushed him so he was laying down flat onto the bed and quickly crawled over him so I was sitting on his lap.

As our bodies came together with love that night, it was hard to decipher where one of us began and the other ended. But that was exactly how I liked it and exactly how I wanted it to be. Because Tobias and I were one, we were a team and I loved him with all of my heart. I didn't need to know anything else but that he loved me back and that we had a son who we loved just as much, if not more than each other.

Finally, life was good. Finally, life was happy. Finally, life was full of love and family.

Author's Note: Hi guys! I am not usually one to put A/N's on my fanfictions… In fact, I rarely do. I never used to be really interested in them. However, now I am beginning to change my views on them. I am beginning to find that they are a great way for readers to get to know the person behind the screen and I think they will become a regular habit of mine.

Anyways, I wasn't expecting this to be the last chapter… but I just felt like this was a nice place to end. So I guess this will be my last for this story. HOWEVER! I am thinking of possibly doing a sequel where I will possibly include a second child and possibly some romance between other characters? What do you think? Let me know, and let me know what you thought about this chapter and this story in general.

I want to thank each and every one of you who have stuck by me as I have trudged through this story. I know I have left it for months without updates many times and I apologise for that… but I'm sure you can understand how life sometimes gets in the way (school, etc.)

Okay, I guess that is it for me for now. Don't forget to review! ;)

Ciao!

~PasoMaddie xxx