Hey guys! I started writing this chapter not really knowing where it would go, but it took an angsty turn :) Happy Independence Day to all you Americans out there! Thanks for all of the reviews; they make me write more :D Anyway, be sure to let me know what you think! - Loopy

"Thanks for tonight, Tobias," Tris whispered suddenly, clouding the air between them. He'd been staring lazily at her, his eyes practically singing her skin, and she'd abruptly realized how much this man had helped her, whether he knew it or not. His expression didn't change except for the widening of his grin.

"You're certainly welcome, Tris. I've had fun," he mumbled, reaching over and lacing his fingers with hers. He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss against her knuckles.

She smiled. "Me, too." Her grey eyes took in the sight of her arm above the couch, her skin against his mouth, her tattoo's vines wrapping around her wrist, and she was suddenly reminded of their earlier conversation, the one that had been interrupted by their waitress.

Tobias's eyes grazed the broken clock he could now see on Tris's skin, and he slowly lowered her hand, turning over her arm. His fingers traced the clock, the broken glass, and then the blue vines protruding from the black rose beside it. He could feel his brow furrow, the corners of his mouth lift. She had more tattoos, more stories to tell, and he was eager to learn everything about her.

His eyes met hers. Waiting. Expecting. Tris spoke. "Blue is a color of self healing," she started, her fingers coming to join his on the vines. "And black roses are a symbol of memorial." She'd designed this tattoo when she was still in high school, knowing it was one she wanted for sure. It fit everything about her, and she felt a stronger connection to it than any of the other designs on her body.

Her eyes didn't lift to his face, but he could see the memories clouding their irises. It made him sigh. "And the clock?" he wondered softly, moving his thumb over it. He was entranced by the tattoo, yes, but he couldn't seem to get enough of her skin. It was impossibly smooth.

Tris lifted her head, trying to hide the effect he had on her. His face was less than six inches from hers. She cleared her throat. "Passed time. Remember the past to become a better person. I sketched it out in high school, but I didn't get it until recently. Tori did it for me."

Tobias scanned her face, completely in awe at her quiet beauty. She was amazing, intoxicating, without even trying. Without even knowing.

He pressed his lips to her wrist, then trailed kisses up her arm, slowly, hotly. She tasted so good.

Tris closed her eyes as his mouth made its way to her shoulder, over her collarbone. She felt a shudder pass through her, and then his smile against her skin. He sucked on her pulsepoint, and her hands automatically tangled themselves in his hair. It was astonishing, the effect he could have on her, and she was steadily losing control. It was exhilarating, liberating. Terrifying.

But Tobias knew her better than anyone else, and he moved from her neck to her cheek, then to her surprise, he finished with a sweet kiss to the tip of her nose. He was grinning when he finished, but she could see his eyes were a shade darker than usual. It made her heart race. She hadn't noticed until now that his arms had wrapped around her, gripping her tightly against his chest.

His mind raced. They'd grown very close this past couple of months, and she'd been slowly letting her walls down, introducing him to her problems and insecurities. It made him feel wanted, appreciated, when he could see how much she trusted him. After everything he'd been through, trust wasn't really something he was used to. And now, he was sitting here with this beautiful person, in her house, in her arms, and she wasn't turning away. She wasn't holding back. She was telling him he was worth trusting, that he wasn't who he'd always seen himself as.

And suddenly he realized he needed to tell her everything about him, too. His insides twisted with nervousness, hesitation, and he held her tighter to him, burying his face in her hair. He'd need her strength to do this. He'd need to feel her arms around him, accepting him.

Where do I start?

Tris's brow furrowed as Tobias breathed deeply. His demeanor had seemed to change, and instead of holding her for affection, he appeared to be comforting himself. She felt a warmth pour through her at the idea she could comfort him, that she could be useful. Her arms tightened, too, and she reassured him, "You can tell me anything, Tobias."

Her voice was little over a whisper, but it gave Tobias the strength to continue. She really was extraordinary. What did I ever do to deserve this? Another deep breath. "My father - Marcus. He's the reason I came to you in the first place." And then Tobias paused, because in that statement he'd come to a realization. Without Marcus, there would be no Tris. He wasn't sure how to feel about that, so he swallowed down the thought and continued, his throat suddenly very dry.

"He tried to force me to be someone I'm not. And he hated that I couldn't do what he wanted, that I couldn't do anything right." All of the insecurities came rushing back, whispering his insignificance, his worthlessness, and he felt his body start to shake. He'd thought - really believed he'd moved past all of that. But he understood now that he'd only buried the fear, not faced it. Surely Tris would see how much of a coward he was, and the thought made him even more scared.

Tris's arms were the only thing holding him together. "He'd beat me with his belt, lock me in closets for days on end. 'It's for your own good,' he'd say, until I finally believed I was as worthless as he said I was. So I… I stopped after that…" his voice faded into a cracked whisper, and Tris couldn't take it anymore. She pulled back.

Her hands framed his face, her heart wrenching in pain at the sight of his red eyes, his fear. She leaned forward, placing her forehead on his. She didn't know how to make him forget, but she needed him to know she was here for him. "Stopped what?" she asked softly.

His eyes had been closed, desperately trying to stay away from Tris. She didn't need this kind of coward in her arms. But she was still here, wasn't she? Holding him, talking to him, making him stronger? So he pried his eyes open, staring into hers, and he was abruptly hit with his mistake. Tris was keeping him strong, not burdening him. He needed, craved, the intensity in her stormy eyes. "Feeling."

Tris felt her own tears coming on as she imagined a younger Tobias becoming numb to the world and his own emotions. All he knew was hate, so it was all he believed. It ripped her apart to think that he didn't know what he was worth, that he stopped believing anyone would love him.

But she didn't say anything, not yet. Despite the pauses, she didn't think he was finished yet.

Tobias's breaths were shaky and irregular. There was still so much he couldn't find the words to explain, but he had a feeling Tris would understand anyway. But there was one thing he could mention, even though it was something he'd never even thought about himself, because of how much it'd hurt.

He brought his hands to grip Tris's face, as she was doing to his, and she turned her head to kiss his palm. It made him shiver, and he continued. "My mother left when I was seven. I heard them arguing the night before, heard Marcus hitting her hard in a way he hadn't before, since he usually wanted to keep the marks hidden from the outside world," he said it with venom, hatred, remembering the way his father had made him pry himself off the floor and get ready to leave for church, or the store, or wherever else he wanted to take him, to show him the control he had over him.

"Tobias," Tris called softly, her thumb tracing over the lines between his eyebrows, trying to ease away the memory. She was terrified of the hateful distance in his eyes, like he was falling away into a void where she wouldn't be able to reach him anymore. His eyes instantly drifted to hers, and she could see the despair in them. "It's okay. I'm here," she whispered.

Tobias swallowed, grateful for her presence and her obvious concern. He didn't want to think about what he'd be like without her. "He said something about another man, and I knew she'd found someone better. She was gone the next morning, along with all of her stuff, and I can't tell you how much that hurt." His brow furrowed again. "To know she ran away for a better life, and she left me behind. Like this new life would be even better without me, too." He felt another tear slip down his cheek, and Tris's thumb moved to wipe it away.

Tris held back the rest of her tears. He needed her to be strong, to encourage him that he could be, too, and that was what she would do. She was so angry at his parents, at these assholes who were blessed with the most caring, thoughtful, intelligent man, and who took him for granted because they were too horrible to see his worth. And not only that, but in the process, they convinced him he wasn't good enough, too. She knew that feeling all too well, and she hated that he'd had to feel it. Because he was the best person she knew, the best person she ever would know, and he was more than enough. He was amazing.

"I… I don't…" he hiccuped, and Tris could see he was at a loss for words. That must be the end of the explanation, other than how it's made him feel. But she'd gone through enough of his insecurities to know somewhat how he was feeling, and she didn't want to make him go through the agony that was saying it aloud. Admitting to the weakness, even though he'd been so strong to rise out of that as a better man.

She couldn't hold back anymore. She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his and trying to pour out the emotions she felt. She needed him to know how much he meant to her, how important he was.

Tobias kissed her back with a powerful combination of relief and desperation. She was still here, accepting him, and when they separated, he only saw anger and sadness in her eyes, not pity. Not disgust. He smiled a bit.

It was Tris's turn to speak. "Tobias, you are the most amazing person I've ever met," she started, and she could feel herself starting to tear up again, but she swallowed it down, determined to make him understand. "You didn't deserve any of that. No one ever does. But you got through it, you got away from there, and you've become a better person because of it. You're strong, you're brave. You're incredible."

His eyes drifted away from hers. He didn't really deserve what she was saying. He wasn't a good person, wasn't worth anything…

Tris grabbed his chin and pulled his gaze back to hers, a new kind of fury pulsing through her. That someone had the audacity to make someone this kind, this loving, make him feel less than he was. She needed him to understand. "I'm sitting here with you because you deserve that kind of affection. I'm holding you, I'm trying to make you see how awesome you are, because you're worth it. I've spent my entire life terrified of myself, of not being enough, of being in the way, but I'm not letting that pull me away from you because I'm selfish and you need to understand how much you mean to me."

A weight in Tobias's chest lifted as he watched the energy radiating off of Tris. She made him feel important, and it was an overwhelmingly unfamiliar sensation. He wanted to talk to her, too, to let her know how incredible she was, but right now he was frozen with exhaustion and awe and love.

Tris abruptly realized what she needed to say, what she needed to add to make him know. And the idea of telling him didn't make her hesitate. This was right.

She put her hands on his cheeks again and dragged his mouth to hers for another passionate kiss. There were tears on both of their faces, but neither seemed to care as their lips moved slowly against each other. Her tongue ran across his bottom lip and then entered his mouth, entwining with his, before she pulled back, breathless.

Her eyes bore into his, and he knew that whatever she was about to say was sincere, important.

"I'm in love with you because you're worth loving, Tobias. Don't ever doubt that."