A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and to Rosalie and BK2U, who both reviewed this chapter at different points in time! This chapter is short, but hopefully it's satisfying anyway.

Chapter 33: Tris – Choosing Day, Part 2

I have no idea how Tobias knew I would be here, or that his presence would be the perfect comfort at this moment. I didn't even decide to retrace my steps from two years ago until after he'd left for work, so I certainly didn't say anything about it to him.

But he seems to understand what I'm doing without being told, as he so often does. And he gives me a tour of Dauntless the same way he did my first day here.

"We're about to go into the Pit," he comments, trying hard to keep a straight face, "which you will someday learn to love."

On our original tour, Christina interrupted him at that point, and he snapped at her in response, but today I finally hear the rest of his planned talk.

"It is the center of activity in Dauntless. You will acquire faction clothing there, as well as any other supplies you need. It is also where the dining hall is located, along with most of the recreational activities."

He pushes the set of double doors open, and I follow him into the space. Even though it's much more familiar to me this time, I can't help but be awed anew by the sheer size of the cavern. It hasn't changed much, and I watch as people race along the narrow paths that are carved into the rock walls. Their energy is palpable in the air.

After a while, Tobias continues. "If you follow me, I'll show you the chasm."

We walk over to it, barely noticed by the Dauntless who are wandering the Pit, going about their daily business now that there is no longer an initiate class to greet.

"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy," Tobias begins, but then his words falter, and he stops. It's easy to tell why – he's thinking of the times that line was crossed during my initiation. When Peter, Drew, and Al tried to throw me over the railing, and when Al ended his life here shortly after that.

His eyes meet mine, and I take his hand, moving close enough for him to hear me over the roaring of the water.

"I think that's enough reliving of old events," I tell him. He nods, and we both turn silently toward the chasm, leaning on the railing as we look at the water striking the wall and the river far below us.

There are so many memories associated with this place. Tobias saved my life here. At the time, I thought that would be the only instance when I would need that kind of help, but now I realize that he saved me once even before that, by hiding my Divergence. And he's certainly saved me many times since.

We kissed for the first time by the river below us. In my mind, I picture Will and Christina and myself throwing papers from here, before I followed Tobias up to his fear landscape. That was when I learned his real name – and just how much we had in common.

I can't imagine my life if I had never met him. Turning toward him again, I look into those deep blue eyes, and I realize that I can't imagine a future without him, either.

"Tobias, will you marry me?"

The words come out on their own, but I know they're right. I want to spend the rest of my life with him, and I'm fairly sure that he's been thinking the same thing. There's been a look in his eyes at times, as if he was about to ask me. And I don't want to wait any longer for something we both want.

My certainty disappears when I see his reaction. He stares at me, frozen, as if he has no idea whatsoever how to respond.

"Just like that?" he finally asks, his voice strained. "No planning, or figuring out the right way to ask? No speech…. Do you even have a ring?"

"Ummm." My voice trails off. "I figured we could pick those out together."

There's red rising on my face now and a weight sinking into my stomach. I was wrong. He doesn't feel the same way.

He shakes his head, a strange sort of half-smile lifting the corner of his mouth now. Is he laughing at me?

"Tris, you really need to be better prepared for these things." He shoves his hands into his pockets as if he doesn't even want to touch me.

"Now, if you had a ring," he continues, his voice changing in a way I can't identify, "then you could do it like this, instead."

He drops to one knee as he removes his hands from his pockets. And now I'm the one staring at him as he takes my left hand and extends his other hand toward me, holding up a small, open box. Everything inside me freezes.

"Beatrice Prior," he says unwaveringly, his eyes holding mine with an intensity that makes it impossible to look away, "you have changed everything about my life since you literally dropped into it two years ago today. You have helped me to grow, and to overcome my fears, and to become a better person. You make me happier than I ever thought I could be. And you make me fall more in love with you every single day. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to be your family officially. Will you marry me?"

I seem to have lost the ability to speak. This whole time, he's been planning this. Somehow, he knew even before I did how I would spend Choosing Day, and he came here to propose in the place where we met. And then I startled him by asking first. Something inside me wants to laugh at the absurdity of my timing.

My gaze finally rips from his long enough to look at the open box. There are two rings in it – a man's and a woman's – and my eyes focus on the one he intends for me. It's perfect – simple, yet elegant, with a beautiful curve to the setting that holds the diamond.

It's also strikingly familiar.

"Is that…?" I stutter, reaching toward it automatically and running my fingers over it. My gaze shoots back up to Tobias'. "Is that Anna's ring?"

His smile is all the answer I need.

"How?" I gasp, thinking of the last time I saw this ring, on a pawn shop counter in Pittsburgh. How could he possibly have gotten it back? We haven't been apart for even a full day since I returned to Chicago, and it takes longer than that to travel between the two cities.

Tobias' smile widens, and his voice is deep when he answers.

"Tris, for you, I will always find a way."

I'm not entirely sure that I move, but I must, because suddenly my lips are on his, and my right hand is wrapping around the back of his neck as I kiss him with everything inside of me. He responds just as enthusiastically, twining his fingers with those of my left hand as his other arm pulls me closer.

"Is that a yes?" he murmurs when we finally pull apart enough to talk.

"Of course, it's a yes," I laugh. "I just asked you, too, you know."

"Yeah." He's grinning so widely, I'm surprised he can speak. "But mine was better."

I actually giggle, probably for the first time in my life, as I kiss him again. "I'll give you that," I whisper.

He pulls back, joy radiating from his entire face as he lifts Anna's ring – my ring – from the box and slips it onto my finger. It fits perfectly, and for a moment, we both just stare at it. It looks absolutely right sitting there.

"Your turn," he says, extending the box toward me.

For a second, I'm confused. "I thought men didn't wear a ring until the wedding?" I ask.

His chuckle is deep. "Since when have we ever followed the rules, Tris?"

His eyes hold mine almost challengingly, and I realize that he's absolutely right. We've spent the entire time we've known each other changing rule after rule and defining how we want to live our own lives. There's no need for us to care what people "normally" do.

"I want everyone to know that we're together," he adds firmly, and I nod, taking the box. My fingers shake slightly as I lift his ring out and place it on his finger. In this moment, it all becomes real. He'll be wearing this for the rest of his life. As my husband.

I can't help the wide grin that forms on my face.

His arms wrap around me as he finally stands back up in a single, swift movement, lifting me with him. Our lips find each other's again, and our bodies press together into one form, the crashing of the water surrounding us.

"Where were you originally going to ask me?" I murmur against his mouth.

"Where we first kissed." He sounds amused.

"Until I ruined the moment, huh?"

"You did," he says, setting me back down and lacing his right hand with my left. I can feel him pressing his fingers against my ring, enjoying the sensation. "But I'll forgive you." He leads me toward the hidden path that goes down to the river. "Particularly since it turned out kind of perfect."

I sigh, leaning my temple against his shoulder. "Completely perfect."

We walk in silence for a moment before another thought comes to me. "I do have one condition, though…."

"Oh?" He raises a questioning eyebrow.

"We should keep the name 'Prior.'" I bite my lip as soon as the words are out, suddenly wondering if it's too much to ask.

But he just smiles, pulling me closer to him as we continue down the path. "As if there was ever another choice," he murmurs.

A/N: What do you think - did I keep it non-cliché enough?