Years.
It didn't feel like years to Tris. Not even months. Evens weeks stretched it a little.
It felt it had been just yesterday that she'd been lining up behind Caleb; so nervous and scared that she didn't even think about slitting her hand at the Choosing Ceremony.
It felt like just hours ago that she'd been a brand-new initiate, preparing to jump into that dark hole. It felt like minutes ago she'd survived the Abnegation Slaughter and just seconds ago she'd come off the battlefield, bleeding and weeping and laughing like a lunatic.
And at the same time, it felt as though all of that was a lifetime away.
Tris didn't understand it. Didn't pretend to either. It was a quirk, one that strengthened every time Tobias rolled over onto his side in the middle of the night and looked into her eyes and whispered to her: "is it really over?" so very delicately, like if he raised his voice their perfect, peaceful, happy life would shattered and they'd fall back into war.
It strengthened every time she caught Tori looking at her with an expression that said: "is that really the little Abnegation girl I tested way back when?"
It strengthened every time she caught Caleb in the newly created United Factions Library, poring over books and documents and manuscripts and journals from ever faction trying to fit together how their world came to be.
Sometimes it strengthened so much she was the one asking Tobias if it was really over.
Sometimes it strengthened so much she was the one looking at Tori with an expression on her face that said: "is that really the Dauntless woman who tested me way back when?"
Sometimes it strengthened so much it was Caleb who caught her poring over the more recent wartime documents in the United Factions Library, trying to figure out how it had happened.
And sometimes she just sat there, looking at the twenty-odd pictures that were scattered around her office, both nailed to the Dauntless-red walls and sat up on every available surface, and wondered: "where have all the years gone?"
Yeah I know, not exactly the knockout, second-to-last instalment you were all waiting for but I thought it fit. I mean that's kind of how I feel when I read this story over, except my version's "where have all the letters gone?" I mean, hell people! We're going onto Z! The last chapter!
… Or will it be? You'll just have to wait and see!
Thank yous go to: Awesomet88, iuhcidieh, xHPFan31x, DarkAlice and avisandoppungo!
Sincerely,
BlackRoseGirl666