AN: Thanks everyone for your reviews! I'm so sorry to those who I haven't replied to individually, I've had a lot going on, and spent my free time getting this out :) I appreciate the support of everyone who has reviewed, read, and followed. I hope you enjoy this little Christmas bonus.
Bonus Chapter 3
"I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need," Christina sang dramatically, crooking her finger fiendishly at Will.
"Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock," Marlene countered, bumping her hip into Tris's for emphasis on 'rock'.
Tris grinned in amusement at her friends Christmas antics.
They in turn both looked expectantly at her.
Tris stared patiently back, unperturbed by their stares.
"I think they think it's your turn," Four said in an obviously loud whisper.
Tris, from her place on his lap, replied, "I don't think so, they're stupid, but they're not stupid."
"We are not!" Marlene exclaimed in happy indignation. "And now you have to sing, because you were mean."
Tris gave a begrudging grunt and then sang dolefully, "You're a mean one, Mr Grinch, you really are a mean one."
"Okay, she doesn't have to sing anymore, she's bringing down the Christmas spirit," Marlene decreed. "And I won't have my Christmas spirit brought down. We are trimming the tree, Uriah is going to be allowed to have his bed down here with us for an hour, and it's Christmas Eve! Take your Grinchiness somewhere else and don't come back until you can be a good Christmas elf!"
"I think we should take a walk, and leave the others to the tree trimming," Four decided, nudging Tris so that she would get up off his lap. "Come on, my fair Grinchy lady."
"I don't hate Christmas, you know," Tris said, as they walked down the hall hand-in-hand. "I'm just not feeling as chipper as they are. I'm happy, and trimming the tree is nice, but you won't catch me singing unless I'm in choir and I'll be graded on it."
"Tris, you do sound a little Grinch like," Four said in amusement. "Anything bothering you?"
"Nothing," Tris said vaguely. "I'm happy to be home, and it's our first Christmas together, I'm happy, really."
"I sense a 'but' in there," Four guessed astutely.
"But, I feel kind of grumpy because I miss sleeping in my snobby designer silk pyjamas," Tris admitted in a rush. "There, I said it, I became soft and addicted to the luxuries of a rich and snooty life. I'm ruined. I love silk pyjamas."
Four looked blank for a minute, trying to assess whether she was serious or not. He quickly realised that she was, and started shaking with silent, repressed laughter.
"It's not funny, Four!" Tris wailed. "Christina and Marlene would love what's become of me."
Four began laughing in earnest at this, and Tris pouted and crossed her arms.
"Stop laughing, or you won't be getting any for a week," Tris said in a quiet, serious voice.
Four sobered up immediately.
"I'm not stopping laughing because you threatened me with that, but because I realise you're serious. You know, it's okay to like nice things, especially nice pyjamas. I'm sure if you really want them you can just get them from the clothing department," Four suggested calmly. "Marlene and Christina will probably be happy to see you developing some interest in fashion, and they won't tease you, at least not much."
"Well, you're probably right," Tris allowed. "Oh, I think there was a red set! That should really help get me in the Christmas spirit."
"Glad to hear it," Four said, smiling. "Now, I believe we're in charge of arranging snacks for tonight. Shall we go and raid the kitchen and see what the cook can provide for us?"
"So long as there's chocolate cake I don't care," Tris agreed happily. "You know, I like how we've just kind of claimed that common room as ours, complete with our own tree and everything. It gives this place such a homey feel."
"And nearly everyone is home for Christmas, expect poor Lauren. Having to leave on a mission right before Christmas is never fun," Four added. "And Uriah is finally out of that drug haze he's been in the last couple of days."
"You're right, there's so much to be happy about," Tris concurred. "I'm done being the Christmas Killjoy."
Four squeezed her hand, and they shared a moment of content silence.
They were soon in the kitchen and made quick arrangements for some food for their Christmas Eve gathering.
"I need to wrap a couple of things before dinner," Four told her.
"Okay, well I might do something about getting my pyjamas back, and you can meet me in my room," Tris suggested.
"You were in choir?" Four asked suddenly.
"Yes," Tris said with a laugh. "That surprises you?"
"No," Four replied. "It's just intriguing. Will you sing for me?"
"Maybe, if you're lucky, and the others aren't around," Tris allowed with a shy smile.
"You don't like to sing for others?" Four asked curiously. "Or are you bad? No, neither of those can be true, not if you were in choir in school. What's the deal?"
"I was never a soloist, I've never really liked singing for others. I enjoy singing, but for me, and I enjoy blending my voice with a lot of other voices, but I've never craved the attention of having others listen to me sing," Tris explained. "But if you're lucky, I might sing for you later."
They parted a few minutes later, both quickly completing the tasks they needed to.
Half an hour later Tris was in her room, making a pile of presents on her bed to take down to the tree.
There was a knock on her door and she called, "Come in."
Four entered, presents under his arms. "I wanted to knock, in case there was Christmas secrecy going on."
"Nope, I'll all done with my wrapping," Tris said happily.
Four pressed a quick kiss to her lips and then said, "And as of about two minutes ago, so am I. Can I have my present?"
"No, you can wait until later," Tris said, squirming a little.
"Will you sing for me then?" Four pressed, grinning like a naughty school girl.
"Fine," Tris agreed with a small grumble. "Any requests, oh demanding one?"
"Anything you want," Four said serenely.
"Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light. From now on all our troubles will be out of sight. Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Make the Yule-tide gay. From now on our troubles will be miles away. Here we are as in golden days, happy golden days of yore. Faithful friends, who are dear to us, gather near to us, once more. Once more," Tris sang sweetly and shyly, not quite looking Four in the eyes.
"I liked it, you sounded beautiful," Four said, giving her a kiss. "You should think about singing for others, you know. Be confident, they would be lucky to hear you sing."
"You're just saying that because you love me," Tris said playfully.
"I'm not even going to try arguing with you, I know it can only end badly for me," Four replied with a laugh. "Now, are you ready to be a Christmas elf and take our presents down to the tree?"
"You bet," Tris agreed. "And I'm even more ready for dinner!"
The presents were put under the tree, dinner was eaten, and then Tris, Four, and their usual circle of friends returned to their common room to spend the evening of Christmas Eve together.
"Are we doing presents tonight?" Marlene asked eagerly.
"I thought your present was just me being here," Uriah said in a quiet but happy voice, from his bed.
"It is," Marlene said seriously, giving his hand a squeeze from her seat next to him. "It's the best Christmas present I could have asked for."
"I guess I'll just keep your present then," Christina said blithely.
Marlene settled for poking her tongue at her.
"Very eloquent," Will teased.
"Where's the food?" Lynn piped.
"We just ate," Christina pointed out.
"Yeah, but it's Christmas, you have to eat constantly, and I'm hanging out for some hot chocolate," Lynn retorted.
"Shauna and Zeke are collecting the food from the kitchen right now," Four said reassuringly.
Before long they were all comfortably installed on couches, a Christmas album was playing softly in the background and everyone was sipping steaming mugs of hot chocolate.
"So are we doing presents tonight?" Christina eventually asked, revisiting Marlene's question from earlier.
"Let's do them tomorrow," Shauna suggested. "There's just something magical about opening presents on Christmas morning."
"All in favour?" Zeke posed.
There was a chorus of 'ayes'.
"So, we'll meet back here, say 5 a.m., before breakfast?" Marlene asked jokingly.
A general chuckle circulated around the room.
"But seriously, we're doing presents before breakfast, right?" Marlene pressed, imploringly endearingly.
"You're going to wake us all up nice and early whether or not we say yes, aren't you?" Tris deduced astutely, a small playing on her lips.
Marlene grinned happily, her hand still laced with Uriah's, she had not let go of it all evening.
The spent a further half hour or so, talking, laughing and enjoying the company of one another. Then it was time for Marlene to arrange for Uriah to return to the infirmary, and the others prepared to call it a night as well.
Tris and Four headed up to their rooms, hands intertwined, walking together in content silence.
Four walked her to her door, then cupped her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly.
"Are you coming in?" Tris asked breathily.
"I'll never say no," Four told her, stroking her cheek softly and following her inside.
Some time later, both fully sated, they fell into a deep peaceful sleep, enjoying the sensation of just being together.
Some hours later there was a bang on Tris's bedroom door and a cry of "Wake up! It's Christmas!"
"I thought her waking us up was a joke," Four said with a sleepy groan.
Tris rubbed her eyes sleepily, grabbing a black sweater from next to her bed and pulling it on.
"Let's just go back to sleep," Four said, rolling over and burying his head in the pillow.
"Marlene will be back, and you know it, she's persistent, so you might as well face the music and get up now," Tris said matter-of-factly.
"I could find it easier if there was some music," Four said, brightening up a little. "How about you sing to me, as a little bonus Christmas present?"
"Get dressed, or I'm leaving for present opening without you," Tris told him with an unfeeling grin. "This 'sing for me' thing is not going to work, you know. I'll sing for you when and if I feel like it."
"Well, I think I'll just head up to my room and get some fresh clothes," Four said in content resignation. "Do you think wearing all black today is okay? Or do I need a splash of colour?"
"Oh, some reindeer ears ought to do the trick," Tris teased. "See you soon."
Just as Four closed the door behind him she heard a girlish giggle, and then, "Oh, look, it's Four, doing the walk of shame!"
Four merely growled, "Marlene!", before continuing on his way to his room.
Soon they were all assembled in 'their' common room, all looking a little bleary eyed, but growing steadily merrier.
"Tris, I want to see what you got Four!" Christina exclaimed late into the present giving proceedings, a mass of wrapping paper covering the floor.
"I know what she got him," Marlene teased, a roguish twinkle in her eyes.
Four pegged a balled-up wad of paper at Marlene, hitting her directly in the head.
Tris saved the situation by grabbing a present from under the tree.
Four unwrapped a flat, fairly square parcel, revealing a tasteful, wooden photo frame, with a photo of herself and Four at the Snowflake Ball a few days earlier.
They were dancing together, and the look of love they were sharing was so strong, so passionate that it practically radiated through the image.
"I noticed that you have no pictures in your room, so I thought there should be one of us," Tris said shyly, suddenly feeling that the eyes of everyone in the room where on her.
"I love it," Four said thickly. "I somehow makes my present seem way less intimate and sensitive."
"I love my knife, and the engraving on it," Tris said, hugging him tightly. "Love conquers all. Merry Christmas, Tobias."
"Merry Christmas, Tris," he replied, kissing her softly, and then wrapping her in his arms, happy to be with one another, and their friends, celebrating the joy of Christmas.
AN: Thanks for reading :) To those disappointed by no heavy make out scene, or a lack of description of them spending Christmas Eve in bed together, I'm sorry. I'm not particularly fond of writing those scenes, and forcing myself to expand on it didn't really sit right with me, especially because that's not what this chapter was about. Hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway!
The next update will be the final one, a 'sequel epilogue', and will probably take me a little while to write. (A week I would guess).
Please review!
(Feel free to ask for any desired inclusions for the 'sequel epilogue' and I'll see what I can manage :) )