Chapter 6

-Prague, Czech Republic-

Tobias woke up before Tris did, and he smiled when he saw her. Then the memories came back from last night, causing him to frown. He knew it was best to stay friends, but it was hard for him. She may have only known him for four days, but he's known her for longer.

His phone started to vibrate in his pocket, and he decided to answer it this time. It'd been ringing all day the day before, and he just didn't care. He hadn't answered it since Milan.

He stepped out into the hallway and answered it. "Eaton."

"Where the hell have you been?" Bud yelled.

"Hey, listen, she's here, and she's safe."

"Eaton, we've been trying to reach you. You're orders have changed."

"What?"

"You're assignment has been over since you jumped onto that train to Milan."

"What?"

"Listen, you've got to bring Prior in. Now. We've got a plan—"

"No. I told her I'd take her to the World Body-Painting Festival in Paris next week. We can meet you there."

"Four, she needs to be brought in now."

"No. Feel free to follow us Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, and London, but there's no way I'm going to let you ruin this for her."

"What do you mean?" Tori said. It must've been on speaker.

"This is the freest she's ever been. You should see her. She… she's herself. All this time I've been protecting the first family without evening knowing them, and now I know her. I always thought she was some snooty brat with a perfect family, but now that I know her… She's an amazing person. And no one will ever get to know that because she's locked up in the land of the free."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Bud said.

"What?" Tobias asked.

"You have a thing for her, don't you?"

"I am one of the secret service agency. I do not have a crush on my assignment."

"Shit, man. Yes, you do."

"No. I don't."

"Christ, you guys aren't married, are you?" Tori said.

"What the hell? No."

"Well we just received intel from an agent that spoke to Gianno Peretti. He says that you two were newlyweds. And you kissed on the boat."

"That's only half true."

"You kissed her?" Tori asked incredulously.

"Only to protect our faces from you guys, the waiter, and the security guard."

"And what about after that? Did you get back on the train and snog each other's faces off?"

"She kissed me back on the canal because she knew what I was doing. I tried to kiss her again on the train, but she pulled back. Said we only had five days together, and she didn't want to put herself through the torture of having to do that. Happy? Is that what you wanted from me? Wanted me to tell how I like the most wanted girl in America right now?"

"So she likes you back. Fan-freaking-tastic," Bud mumbled.

"No, no," Tori said, "we obviously aren't happy about that. Struggling, young love sucks. But… with her… you can't be with her, Four. Just talking from friend-to-friend."

"Don't you think I know that, Tori? I was already thinking about quitting, but now I can just get fired. Please fire me."

"We don't have the authority for that. Plus you'd really quit for her? You've known her for four days."

"Not her. I want to be a photographer. Always have. You know that. I've just had some extra encouragement lately."

"Let me guess," Bud mumbled, "from Free Rein."

Tobias had almost forgotten that Tris's code name was Free Rein. "Of course from Free Rein," Tobias confirmed.

"Four, you're one of the best young agents we've got out there," Tori said.

"But I'm not happy doing this, Tori. That's the thing."

"You're headstrong, and I know that I won't be able to stop you. But please. At least wait to quit until we get Free Rein in."

He paused, and the only thing he heard was the crackling line. "Okay."

"We won't follow you guys, but I want two updates a day. One per night, one per morning. All right?"

Tobias nodded, even though he knew they couldn't see him. "Okay."

"And—Four?" Tori asked.

"Yeah?"

"Take care of her."

Tobias sighed. "I will. I have been."

"Okay. Talk to you tonight."

And with that, Tobias hung up. He didn't want to call them twice a day, but it was a million times better than them coming to take Tris in.

He wanted quit right then and there. Half because of his love for photography, half not wanting to lie to Tris any longer. She didn't know about the call he'd received about her mother telling him to stay with her until the other SSAs—Secret Service Agents—arrived, but she wasn't supposed to know he was an agent. But what he hadn't realized was that he'd disobeyed orders by going to Milan. He thought he was just supposed to follow her wherever she may've roamed. Never would've he've disobeyed his president's orders. Well, not until now. There was no law about being a secret service agent and kissing one of the first family. But he felt like it probably wouldn't have been allowed. Tris was wrong about him living in London though. He obviously lived in America because he was a secret service agent, but he'd never dropped his British accent. He'd moved back to America at the age of twenty because he wanted to visit Chicago again. Little did he know he'd be recruited for the agency a year later. His father one too. He had never been home, therefore never being close with him. It was just him and his mother. Always. He never relied on anyone else. Sure, he had friends, but he never trusted them like he did his mother. Sure, this made him sounds like a momma's boy, but he never cared. Sure, he had girlfriends, some he really liked, but he always had trust issues.

But when he met Tris, those issues suddenly seemed to've faded. That was why he told her his real name. Not because he liked her, not because he wanted her tell him who she really was—even though he already knew. He told her because he trusted her. And he obviously didn't go throwing that word around a lot. The only reason he hadn't told Tris he was a secret service agent was because 1) she would've hated him, 2) she wouldn't have trusted him, and 3) she would've stormed off and been all alone in a continent she knew nothing about. Well, she knew a lot about it, but not the people. She always saw the best in people, which was a good and bad thing. Good: she never judged too quickly. Bad: she trusted too quickly. Perfect example: Uriah coming into their room and her immediately offering for him to stay.

Tobias didn't know how long he stood out there thinking about her, but he knew it had to've been at least fifteen minutes to a half-hour. He quietly tiptoed back into the room, and Tris's eyes fluttered open.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Tobias," she whispered, then plopped her head back down onto the seat. "I'm tired," she said quietly.

"You can go back to sleep if you want," he said gently. "We only have about a half hour left till we get to Prague, so it'd only be for about twenty minutes."

"No," she said as she stood up, stretched, and yawned again. "I'm up now." She sat back down.

Tobias sat down on the bench across from her. "Did you sleep all right?"

She shrugged and looked out the window. "Eh. Okay, I guess. Where did you go?"

"Just out in the hallway. Some friends from France called me wondering where I am."

"Oh."

"So," Four said, "what's on your list for Prague?"

She shrugged and laughed. "I don't really know."

Tobias chuckled. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

She shrugged again. "Exactly what it sounds like. I kind of just want to walk around a little."

Tobias smiled an shook his head. "You are somethin'."

"Hey," she laughed. "I am awesome."

"Have you ever been to London? I don't think so. That means you aren't awesome. I am. Nanah nanah boo boo, stick your head in doo doo," he said, sticking his tongue out like a seven-year-old.

Tris laughed. "Well, I'll be awesome in a few days."

Then Tris shivered, as if she were cold, and Tobias immediately took off his jacket.

"Here," he said. "Take it."

"N—"

"Yes. Take it."

Tris sighed and took it. Tobias felt her freezing fingertips and about recoiled back.

"Shit, Tris, you're as cold as Antarctica."

She smiled at him and put on the jacket. It was already warm from his body heat, so he hoped she'd been warm enough by then.

"Thank you," she said. "For everything, really."

He smiled. "My pleasure."

Tris was looking at the ground, and her head slowly moved up so she could see him. "Why did you tell me your real name?" she asked, squinting.

He shrugged and looked out the window. "I trust you."

"What? Why? We've known each other for five days."

He turned back toward her. "You just have that personality."

She listed her head, confused.

"I just feel like I could tell you anything. Spill out my hopes and dreams," he chuckled.

Tris smiled. "So do it. Spill out your hopes and dreams to me."

Tobias raised his eyebrows. "You can't be serious."

"I am. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

Tobias stayed silent.

"Passengers, we will arrive in Prague, Czech Republic, in approximately two minutes," the announcer said after the deafening silence.

"Oh, looks we're out of time," Tobias said.

"Nice try," Tris said as she stood up and put her bag on her back. "You're telling me on the way to Berlin."

"Fine."

Tobias and Tris got off of the train, then found when the next train to Berlin left. The next was at three in the afternoon, so that'd give them five hours to wander. But if they took that train, they'd arrive in Berlin at 8:30 P.M., therefore getting to see the city at night. Granted, it would still be amazing, but Tobias knew Tris was disappointed when they looked at the tickets. It was either that, or leave the next night.

"I know you may not like this that much," Tobias said, "but we're going to have to sneak onto that train."

Tris evilly grinned. "I've got that covered."

They walked around town awhile, and Tobias ended up getting a hold of the camera again, causing Tris to punch him in the arm. It hardly hurt him though.

"Tobias, I know you're taking pictures of me," Tris said, not even turning back to see if he was. And she was right. Tobias was lagging behind, and he'd taken a few of her. He couldn't resist. This girl was every photographer's dream.

Every man's dream.

They walked around Prague mainly enjoying each others' company rather than the city.

They were walking on the Vltava River when Tris said, "So since we're just talking here, why don't you just spill out all of your dreams to me now?"

"I was really hoping you'd forget about that."

"Oh, c'mon. It can't be that embarrassing."

He laughed. "I've always wanted to be a photographer. Ever since I was seven. My mom got me a super nice camera when we moved London, when I was twelve. Before that I just had a shitty disposable one, like the one we have now. Which I actually love working with, strangely enough. I've never really liked working with people when I take pictures, but I just couldn't resist it when we were in Venice. You looked—still look—beautiful, and I mean that in the most non-romantic way," he said, chuckling.

Tris blushed, but laughed too.

Tobias continued. "I love landscapes and and architecture, mostly. I—"

"I went through the pictures that you took when you stole the camera in Milan, and there were hardly any of architecture or landscapes," Tris pointed out.

Tobias smiled. "You were distracting me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Yes. Really."

"I was distracting you? More like the other way around."

"How do you mean?"

She huffed. "Please. Have you seen yourself in this leather jacket?" Tris plucked the sleeve of Tobias's jacket, which she was still wearing.

He stopped in his tracks. "Oh, so now you're saying I'm the distraction? I'll let you in on a little secret." He dropped his voice to a low whisper and neared his face more toward hers, then said, "I've been restraining myself since Venice not to beat up every guy who checks you out. And don't even tell me a guy wouldn't check you out." Tobias pulled his face back.

Tris raised her eyebrows disbelievingly at him. "Oh, whatever."

Tobias shook his head and started walking again. She really didn't understand how beautiful he truly thought she was.