Here we go!

Chapter 55

-Tris P.O.V-

After finding Uriah and sending him to Christina's apartment, I found Tobias and told him what was going on. He didn't say anything, instead just followed me in my search around the compound. I searched everywhere I possibly could. It was hard to tell if Bella was still in the compound since she could be hiding out in some random apartment.

After searching nearly all night, I leaned against the door to my apartment. Next to me, Tobias sunk to the floor, his head in his hands. For a second I thought he was going to start crying. I know I wanted to cry.

I also wanted to scream. And go to Candor and find that bitch Bella Lynn Sawyer. And kill her.

But most of all, I wanted Carter.

"We need to go to Candor." I said, voice shaky.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tobias nod ever so slightly. Suddenly he stood up. I straightened as well. He snaked around me and thrust the apartment door open. I followed him inside, watching him carefully.

"What are you doing?" I asked cautiously.

"Getting ready to go to Candor." He said as if it was obvious.

"Tobias," I said while walking up behind him. "It's late, we should go tomorrow." As much as I wanted to find my daughter, I was too exhausted and I didn't trust my judgment.

"IT COULD BE TOO LATE BY TOMORROW!" He shouted. Tobias whipped around as he spoke, catching me in the face with his elbow as he did so.

The impact sent me flying towards the counter. I steadied myself before turning to face him. Tobias hadn't moved. His face was frozen in a look of horror. I took a step towards him and he took a step back. I reached my hand out to him and he looked at it as if it was revolting.

He extended his arm slowly, as if he was afraid to touch me. Once our hands touched, his reaction was instantaneous. Tobias collapsed to the ground, bringing me down with him. I sat in a way so our bodies were interlocking. I wrapped my arms around him, allowing him to sob into my shoulder. It surprised me that I was comforting him right now. I guess that I was more angry than anything else.

"I'm so sorry," he sobbed. His body was shaking. "I'm so sorry Tris."

I leaned back and gently lifted his tearstained face. "Tobias, look at me." I demanded. His blue eyes were filled to the brim with pain. "Calm down. It's alright. Everything is going to be fine. Okay?"

"Okay." He whispered.

I got up, grabbed his hand, and pulled him to his feet. I led him into the bedroom and got him to lie down.

We lay facing each other. He was tracing the growing bruise on my left cheek. It was sore and felt swollen. Tobias apologized profusely. I couldn't convince him that I wasn't angry with him. It was an accident.

"Tobias?" Now it was my turn to break down. "What if we go to Candor tomorrow and we don't find Carter?" Try as I might, I couldn't stop a tear from falling.

He wrapped his arms around me and said, "We'll find her Tris. Bella can't keep us from our daughter."

-Page Break-

Before Tobias and I left for Candor, we knew we had to tell our friends where we were going. They looked appalled when they saw my face, but I assured them that it was an accident.

Just as we were about to leave, someone was shouting at us to wait.

It was Marlene.

I had completely forgotten to ask her why she was at Christina's last night.

"Hey Marlene." I said casually. I was about to ask her but she spoke first.

"I want to confess something." She looked like she was ready to cry. "I helped Bella steal Carter."

"What?" I asked, confused. But she had been on the floor when I got there. She was unconscious.

"We had a plan." She explained. "We wanted to steal Carter. I wanted to because I just wanted a baby so bad. Bella wanted to because she hated you guys. The plan was to initiate the fear by breaking in. Then we waited until you dropped her off at Christina's. I went in, made small talk, and when she turned around, I hit her in the head with a lamp."

Marlene needed to take a pause.

"After I had seen what I turned into, I realized that I couldn't follow through. Grief drove me to Bella. And I realized that taking it out on you was not going to make me feel better. Since Uriah and I broke up, all I could think about was a baby, and then Bella came. I told her I couldn't go through with it. She came up behind me and hit me with the lamp. Then she left."

I didn't know what to say. She tried to steal my daughter, then didn't. I was very confused. Before I could explode and say some very bad things, I turned around.

"I can't talk about this now." I told her. "I need to find my daughter."

As Tobias and I walked towards the trains, I tried to block out what Marlene had just told me. I focused on the chilly February air; I focused on Tobias' long, quick strides; I focused on Carter.

The train ride seemed to take forever. Neither Tobias nor I said anything the whole way. We just sat there, loosely hanging on to each other's hand.

As we neared Candor, Tobias and I positioned ourselves so we could jump. Neither of us has been to Candor so we just had to wing it. We wandered through the streets for a while, trying to find some official building. It took some time, but we finally stumbled upon something that could be useful.

There was a desk with a computer and a chair behind it. No one was there, but there was a bell to summon whoever was stationed there. Soon after I rang it, a petite woman scurried out to help.

"What can I do for you?" she asked in an annoyingly cheerful manner.

"Can you tell us where Bella Lynn Sawyer lives?"

"Sure!" she exclaimed. "What is the purpose of your visit? Business or pleasure?"

I looked to Tobias. "Business."

She spoke without looking up from her computer. "Are you from Dauntless? She was just there. Did she forget something?"

"Yes." I smirked. "She forgot something very important."

The lady didn't catch my sarcasm. Instead, she just told us where Bella's apartment was.

It took a lot of effort to not sprint, for Bella was only a block or two away. I grabbed Tobias' hand and set off at a brisk pace. Ager, excitement, and worry ran through me. My emotions were out of control. They got worse as we stood outside of the apartment. Carter could be right on the other side.

Tobias knocked loudly. From inside the apartment, we heard a loud, feminine response.

The door opened and what do you know, Bella's face appeared.

Her initial reaction was shock, but it was quickly replaced by a straight face.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

We didn't bother with a response. Tobias and I just pushed her out of the way and entered the apartment.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bella shouted.

"Trying to find my daughter!" I exclaimed while storming into the main bedroom.

"I don't have your daughter!"

I walked straight up to her and slapped her. "Bullshit!" I said. "I know you took her. Marlene told me."

Bella smiled at me. "I don't have her. You can tear my place apart, but you won't find Carter."

I slammed her back against the wall. The action appeared to have knocked the wind out of Bella. "Where did you take her?" I asked fiercely.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She said smugly.

Tobias came back into the living room where Bella and I were talking. "She's not here Tris." He informed me.

I dropped Bella and walked out.

-Page Break-

The ride back to Dauntless was as quiet as the one to Candor. Neither Tobias and I wanted to say anything about the situation. Carter was gone, and there was nothing we could do about it.

The minute we left Bella's apartment, we demanded to see Jack Kang, the leader of Candor. We insisted the he use truth serum on Bella, but Jack refused. He told us that there was no evidence that she did anything wrong. According to him, putting someone under truth serum required at least some evidence that they have committed a crime.

I only had a sliver of hope left. Tobias, I had no idea what he was thinking. He wouldn't say anything.

Part of me believed that I would never see Carter again.

I'm going to try and get another chapter up by Saturday but don't take my word for it. It might even be earlier. Cross your fingers. Love you!

~A