Chapter 3: Tris

Walking hurts but after two days of being in a bed I decide I need to move. Of course Tobias helps me but I can tell he doesn't want to see me in pain and it's a pleasant surprise when he starts to rub my legs.

The room is cold and I'm only dressed in a tank top and shorts, but his hands are warm on my skin. I take the time to think about everything that has happened and try to wrap my head around it.

I'm going to help train the new police force. I'm going back to the city, to Dauntless. And I'm going with Tobias.

The death serum made me sluggish and heavy, but I could still think and move knowing that my body was fighting it off for me. What I couldn't shake were the bullets David fired into me. But I got to see my parents again and while I was happy to see them there was a hole in my heart that couldn't be filled.

Tobias.

My parents hugged me and welcomed me home, back with them. They said that I did well and I was brave and selfless at the same time, but that I wasn't done yet and that it wasn't over. I knew that I couldn't stay but I also knew that I needed to see them one last time so I could let go.

"I love you," My mother said running her hand over my hair. "No matter what."

My father held me against his chest tightly kissing my forehead like he did when I was younger. He was angry when I defected from Abnegation especially after Caleb had just gone to Erudite, but he was proud of what I had done and how strong I had become.

Abnegation was suffocating me slowly, anyone with eyes could have seen that and Dauntless was free. But it was more than that, it was a way for me to see how strong I really am and not just physically. I could tell with the hug that he forgave me and knew that I chose well.

But I couldn't leave Tobias, not now and they understood that. After everything my parents had been though together they understood why I needed to do it. So we said good bye and that we loved each other and I was brought back.

I decided that I could try to forgive Caleb but I would never forget what he did to me, Tobias promised to be my family but Caleb is still literally my blood.

Still, Tobias was there for me whenever I needed and pushed me to my limits to show who I am. And still here he is rubbing my legs and sitting with me.

"You know, when they told me that you had died I started thinking about everything that I wanted to do with you with the rest of our lives." Tobias still shocked me with how much he loved me, he was fierce and comforting and the only person who knows the real me. "I thought about us living together, getting married, and having children. Normal relationship stuff."

There was something in the way he said it that made my stomach flip. "I'd like that."

That night Tobias curled up in the bed with me with his arms wrapped around my middle tightly enough to know that I wasn't going to leave but not tight enough to hurt me. We've only slept together curled tightly like this a few times and each meant that something had happened and we needed to comfort each other. This time it meant that we were together and that was enough.

The next morning I woke up still entangled in Tobias, his face peaceful and his body warm. I couldn't help but run my hand over his cheek and through his hair causing him to wake up. "Good morning,"

"Morning," I mumble back watching his eyes open slowly. "Want to see if I can walk any better today?"

Without a word he rolls off the bed and helps me down holding onto my elbows to help keep my steady.

"Looks like you're doing well," Matthew walks in with a tray of muffins and watches as I take a few steps. "I think you'll be alright to leave today if you want."

"Good, I need a shower really badly."

By lunch time I was walking down the hall with Tobias holding onto my arm balancing me, it took a long time before we got back to the dorm and my legs were on fire but I finally made it.

"Tris!" Christina ran over and looked at me up and down checking for anything. "They let you out?"

Nodding I moved to the closest cot and sit. "Matthew said I was alright to leave but I need to take it easy."

"Well that's good news," Amar and George walk into the room and smile. "Good to see you back Tris."

"You two will have a few weeks to settle in and recover before training." George crosses his arms and smiles reminding me of Tori and I have to look away. "Amar and I will drive you in whenever you're ready."

"We haven't exactly decided where we're going to live yet."

Tobias shrugs and smiles. "We could always stay in my old apartment until we find something else. It's in Dauntless so it's close and there's a medical facility in case we need it." And just like that we have a place to live.

Christina tells me that she's going to stay at the compound for a little trying to figure out what she wants to do, Cara is going to be working with Caleb but they leave in a few weeks.

Tobias helps me get to the shower and stands outside while I clean myself off, in Abnegation we were taught that physical affection is something that is meant for serious relationships, you don't kiss or hold hands until you're engaged and if you're interested in dating you're expected to eat dinner with their family and help clean up.

It's weird that less than a year after choosing to leave for Dauntless I'm showering with my boyfriend standing just on the other side of the curtain, I've kissed him more than I can count, we've slept in the same bed, and he's seen me almost naked.

"Feeling better?" He asks as I turn the water off. The towel appears above me as he hands it over and I start to dry off, the good thing about short hair is that it's easier to dry than the long hair I had before.

"Much better." Securing the towel around me I push the curtain aside and let Tobias help me out of the tub. "Turn around while I change."

He turns and stares at the corner before I let the towel drop and pull the clothes on, my underwear is challenging enough though so I have to ask for help pulling my pants on. Watching as his face turns red and as he tries to keep his eyes on my legs instead of anywhere else I can't help but smile. I never would have imagined that I would ever be in this position but now I can't imagine being anywhere else.

Helping me stand again I pull the jeans over my hips and button them, then grabbing the towel from the floor we leave back to the dormitory and I try to dry my hair more.

"So we're going to be living together soon, you think we need to get everything out in the open? No more lies, no more secrets." After everything we've been though I feel like there would never be anything else that I could ever keep from him, but I nod and lie down on my cot listening to him. "I hope that now everything is over you can stop being so reckless, I don't think I can worry about you anymore. It might kill me."

"If there is another uprising I will make sure to stay out of it, but only if you agree to do the same." He nods. "And that includes keeping me in the loop with your plans, all of them."

"I promise." With a kiss he curls up behind me and we start to talk about everything we need in the relationship. Most of it no longer matters because the war is over but the ideas can help us in the long run and it feels good to finally be entirely honest.

"Hey, wake up you two. You need to eat something." Cara shakes my shoulder and smiles as I open my eyes. "I'm glad you're back Tris."

I smile as she walks away and wake up Tobias as I pull on my shoes so we can go to eat. It's nice to be able to walk around and stretch my legs just like it's nice to see the familiar faces of my friends and even Peter.

"I'm thinking we leave in a couple of days back to the city?" Tobias insisted that I sit with Christina while he got food for us, "You'll be able to walk around and we can figure out what we need to do to train everyone."

It makes sense to do all of the police training in Dauntless and I silently hope that I can talk them into keeping some of the initiation traditions, from the look Tobias gives me I think he feels the same way.