*Enjoy. Housekeeping notes at the end. IT'S IMPORTANT MAKE SURE YOU READ THEM.*

Chapter 22

Four POV

He was going to do it. He was going to talk to Tris. Calmly, rationally, and it was going to, hopefully, go in his favor. The plan was to corner her before Job Selection, and apologize to her. To tell her that he loved her. That he still loved her. To explain…To get her to love him again.

There she was. And Christina had just walked away. Tobias took a deep breath and walked over.

"Tris." He said softly. Tobias could see her stiffen.

Tris didn't even turn around. "No."

"Tris—" He said again, he had to get her to listen.

Without even turning around, she said. "I'm going to go sing now. Listen good."

Tobias was about go after her, but Tris had already disappeared into the crowd, headed for the stage. She sang. She was absolutely wonderful, but…she was moving on. Tris was strong, standing on her own two feet, and she didn't need Tobias anymore. He was happy for her, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt, knowing she was ready to be done with him.

Tobias sighed and simply went to his seat. Zeke and Shauna sat down a few minutes later.

"Did you do it?" His best friend asked him.

Tobias shrugged, feeling defeated. "She wouldn't even look at me. Tr—I mean Six just went up to the stage and sang about how she was done with me. I feel kinda defeated, honestly. A different kind of defeated though, because this isn't mad, Zeke. That was just…done."

Zeke shook his head. "Go talk to her tonight. And make it good. A present, flowers, the works."

Tobias nodded, but before he could answer, Max was on the stage, speaking to the crowd. It was all a bunch of political crap. Nonsense that made Tobias stay as far away from being a leader as humanly possible. But Tris would do well being a leader. She was good at listening, but also at for fighting for what she wanted. The only thing she needed to work on was learning when to let it go. Eventually Eric called Tris to the stage, and they got into a fight in front of the entire Dauntless population because Eric wouldn't give her the job as leader-in-training.

He looked like a baby whose favorite toy had been taken away from him. It was great. He handed her a gold key for her special apartment, and Tris left the stage. Tobias pretty much zoned out for the rest, because the only person he cared about was Tris. He thinks at some point he had fallen asleep.

Afterwards, Tobias bolted out of the gathering area in the Pit and headed for their shopping district. He went to their jeweler and asked for Carson. He was a friend who owed him a favor.

"Who's callin' for me?" Carson bellowed, coming out of the back room.

The thing about Carson was that he was absolutely terrifying. Huge, in every sense of the word. He was black, not that it had anything to do with anything, but his entire body was covered in tattoos and piercings. Shortly after Tobias had gotten his job in the control room, he saw Carson getting into some trouble on the cameras. Trouble that could have theoretically ended up with Carson factionless.

Now, Tobias didn't want to have to turn him in. He went and talked to Carson, who ended up being a really great guy, and they settled that at some point in the future, Carson would repay Tobias for the favor of saving him from living factionless.

It was a win/win situation.

"Over here, hulk!" Tobias called, walking to meet his friend.

Carson rolled his eyes and smiled. "Four! What're you doin' here? I never see you lookin; through the crown jewels."

Tobias shook his head. "I'm calling in my favor. Like, right now."

Carson's eyebrows furrowed. "What's goin' on?"

"I need you to make me a piece of jewelry, right now. Please."

"I can't, I'm booked. I can have it for you tomorrow, that's what I can promise. What happened, you get into trouble with your imaginary missus?" Carson laughed.

Tobias sighed. "Something like that. Look, if you do this for me, we're even. And I don't even think that what I'm asking for should take too long."

Carson rocked back and forth on his heels, contemplating. "…What's the design?"

Tobias smiled. "That's what I like to hear."

Three hours later, Tobias walked out of the Pit, jewelry in hand. He stopped on his way out to buy orchids—Tris wouldn't like roses, those were too extravagant and tacky—as well as pick up some Dauntless cake. Hopefully this would endear her to him a little more.

Soon enough, Tobias had found her apartment. Taking a deep breath, he knocked. He could hear her call out something about Christina, and then she opened the door. Her jaw went slack.

"Tobias." She breathed, not moving from her position holding the door open.

He forced a timid smile to his face, even though terror was wracking his body. This shouldn't be so hard. "I really want to talk to you. Please, Tris. I think it's time."

Tris was silent for a moment, before she seemed to regain some brain function. "Tobias, I, I really don't think—"

"You don't need to do anything but listen, Tris. I just want you to hear me out. I think we've both had plenty of time to cool off and think…and I really just want to be able to explain." Tobias could practically hear the begging in his voice. God, he was pathetic.

Tris stood there, her face hardening as she thought about letting him in. He prayed this would go in his favor.

"You have ten minutes, and then you're gone, are we clear?" She said firmly.

Tobias nodded as she let him in. "Thank you so much, Tris."

Tris bobbed her head a little, and said, "Talk."

"Right." Tobias said. "Uh, is there any place I can—"

"Here. You can put them on the counter behind you."

Tobias nodded and did as he was told.

After, he turned around and stared for a minute at Tris. She was so strong, so capable. He took a deep breath to gather his thoughts and finally he spoke.

"I screwed up. Big time. And it started when I was sixteen. I was so in love with you Tris, but I just couldn't stay. You have to understand…my dad, he whipped me with his belt—you saw my Fear Landscape. My fear of confinement came from him locking me in the upstairs closet in our house. I needed to get out."

"You don't get it Tobias," Tris sighed. "I'm not mad that you left. We always talked about being Dauntless, it was that fact that—"

"That I didn't tell you." Tobias finished for her. "I know. And I know that it was wrong, and unfair, and horrible. But I was going to tell you, I was. But then right as was ready to tell you, you told me that you loved me. And I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. Because you were so happy, and we were in love, and everything was right, and I couldn't take that away from you. I just wanted to keep you as happy as possible for as long as possible. So I'm sorry for that."

Tris was silent. "I guess I understand. I just thought you hated me, that I did something wrong. But then, you lied to me. You knew how hard I was looking for you, and you deliberately lied to me."

Tobias nodded. "I know. I was…completely stupid. I was an ass, and…after that, I know I don't deserve anything from you. And then Candor or Dauntless." He sighed.

"I had changed so much since being Abnegation, just like you did, Six." Tobias smirked at her, and he saw her cheeks flush pink. "When I left Abnegation, I did a complete one eighty. I really just wanted to separate myself as much as I could from what I used to be. I grew up, and I changed. When you came here, you were looking for Toby, Tris. I need you to understand that Toby isn't there anymore.

What scared me was that you would figure out who I was and that you wouldn't love me anymore. That you wouldn't want what I had, so I thought that if I waited, if I got you to fall in love with the person I was now then I could tell you."

Tris shook her head. "What does that say about what you think of me, though, Tobias? You didn't believe in me enough to at least try and—"

"You're my fifth fear Tris!" Tobias said desperately.

Tris seemed surprised. "Excuse me?"

Tobias closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're my fifth fear, Tris." He said softly. "I went back in after our fight. The thought of you hating me for the rest of my life, of leaving me forever…that's my fifth fear."

There was a palpable silence in the room, the only thing he could hear was his heart pounding in his chest. Finally Tris spoke softly, her voice cracking.

"How do you know that you haven't already lost me, Tobias?" She paused. "How can you be sure that any of this is going to work?"

He shrugged. "I love you. I guess I just had to try and hope that I still had chance. That you might still love me too, and know that I never really meant to hurt you."

Tobias dared a glance up at Tris. There were a few tears in her eyes and she was biting her lip. She said softly, "What are your grovel gifts?"

Tobias smiled. An actual, real smile. He quickly made his way to his gifts. "I got you orchids, and Dauntless cake, and a necklace."

Tris raised her eyebrow and smirked. "Not roses?"

"I figured they'd be too extravagant for your taste."

Tris nodded and smiled. "They're beautiful. I…I love them, Tobias."

"I'm glad. Can I ask you a question?"

Tris nodded.

"Why do you keep calling me Tobias?" He asked softly.

Tris smiled at him. "Because you aren't fully Toby, but you aren't fully Four, either. You're Tobias. A blend of Abnegation and Dauntless. Like me."

Tobias nodded and smiled. "When did you get so smart? You've always seem to know me better than I know myself."

She shrugged. "I think it's just kind of knowing your other half."

Tobias grinned. "Do you want your necklace?"

Tris laughed and nodded. "Yes, if you must."

Tobias took the jewelry box off the counter and handed it to Tris. She smiled and opened it. Her eyes filled with emotion when she realized what the necklace meant.

"Oh, Tobias…" She breathed. "Can you…please?" Tris held the box up to him. Tobias smiled and took it from her. He went around behind her, and moved her hair out of the way. That was when he saw the IV in black ink on her neck. She still loved him. He hooked her necklace around. A small, silver pendant hanging off of it: VI
IV

Tobias was so happy. He leaned around and whispered into her ear. "I love your tattoo. Your new look…" He paused and took a deep breath. "Dammit Tris, I just love you."

Tris turned around sharply. She stared into his eyes, he could tell she was looking for any insincerity. When she couldn't find any, she grinned, she was grinning so big he thought her face might be stuck like that forever.

"I love you too, Tobias." She kissed him.

God, it was wonderful, her lips moving against his. He deepened it after a moment, his hands gripping her hips tightly to keep them steady. After a while they separated.

"I love you, Tris."

She smiled. "I love you, Four."

"I love you, Six" He teased kissing her nose.

But then that led to her lips, and they were kissing again. Tris' hands roamed up his shirt, and in one swift move it was gone. Eventually they made it to her bedroom, after searching for God knows how long in that penthouse, and when he pushed her back on the bed, her eyes went wide.

"I want to stop now." She said softly and Tobias descended upon her.

His eyes furrowed in concern, and he brushed some hair out of her face. "What's wrong?"

"I just…I'm not ready for this yet…I mean, I'm barely used to you being my boyfriend, let alone kissing in my bed and—"

Tobias could feel his mind whirring a million miles a minute. "Did you just call me your boyfriend?"

Tris' eyes went wide, like a deer caught in headlights. "No. I mean yes. I mean…maybe? I-If you want?"

"Déjà vu." Tobias whispered, intertwining their hands, and laying on the bed with Tris wrapped in his arms. "Just like when you were eight."

He could feel her breath on his chest. She laughed lightly. "Yeah."

"You're mine, Bee. Always."

Tris was quiet for a while. He thought that she might've fallen asleep until she looked up at him, and smiled. "And you're mine Toby."

Tobias just smiled and kissed her.

*Okay, so I need a few important things from reviews this time around.

1)Thoughts? You guys finally got what you wanted and I want to know what you guys think!

2) Would you be interested in a sequel? We're nearing the end, and your guys' opinion will completely alter how I write these last few chapters!

3) What would you like to see in the sequel? If you have any BIG plot ideas, please feel free to message me! If there are small things, like little events with characters, ect. just review!

Next, I've been getting a lot of questions about is this a war story? Answer: That will sort of be answered in the next chapter, and will be a big part of the sequel, which I will give a vague plot outline for after the next chapter in the A/N

So I think that's everything! That was a long chapter! REVIEW!

All my love, always, Rosaline*