Here is the next chapter in the story. I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you to everyone who continues to read this, you all mean the world to mean. I don't own Divergent and any military-related mistakes are mine. Happy Reading!
Chapter 20 Anywhere But Here
"Tris, please wake up." I hear a male voice that I recognize, but I also hear another voice, one that I don't recognize say, "Squeeze my fingers, if you can hear my voice." I come to as a bright penlight blinds my eyes. "He found me, Tobias!" I whisper as I blink rapidly. Tobias glares at the mirror as he continues to hold my head in his lap.
The man with the penlight continues to stand over me attempting to examine me. I don't know who he is, but Tobias seems comfortable with him in the room. He turns the penlight off, and my eyes readjust to the bathroom light. I blink and rub my eyes, looking around, checking to make sure Peter isn't hiding, waiting to kill me behind the open shower curtain.
"Stephen, is she going to be okay?" Tobias asks nervously, to a man who has blonde hair, a crew cut, and blue eyes.
"Yes, I think so. She seems a little dehydrated to me." The man says calmly as he leaves the room to Tobias, who is staring at me with nothing but concern filled eyes.
"He found me, Tobias," I say, grasping his hand. "It was Peter. Peter did this! I know he did! How did he get onto the base?"
"If it was Peter, I don't know, but I am going to find out."
"He is going to come back for me. He is going to hurt me. He is going to kill me." I say, my voice lowered to a hush.
"I'm not going to let him hurt you." He says with a worried look in his eye.
"It's too late. Peter has already hurt me. This is all a game to him. I know it is. I know how Peter likes to play his games."
Tobias's look turns from concerned to murderous when he hears me talk of Peter killing me as his voice hardens, "If he wants a game, then I'm going to give him a game that he will never forget. A game that will be the one to end all of his games. Who the hell does he think he is, breaking and entering into my house? Who does that type of shit for fun? Next time, I'm going to be here when he does it, and I'm going to shoot the bastard. I'm not going to let him touch you, Tris, ever again."
Stephen returns with a glass of water as he says, "Four, she needs some rest and fluids. After that, she should be as good as new." With those words, before I can even respond, Tobias lifts me, cradling me into his chest, carrying me into our bedroom. We both glance around looking for somewhere to sit together, but there isn't any place. The bedroom is destroyed beyond recognition, along with the rest of the house. Tobias sighs as he sets me down onto my feet gently, whispering, "I'm so sorry for all of this."
"No, I'm sorry for ever bringing Peter into your life," I whisper as Stephen hands me a glass of water. I take a large sip first, then down the rest in a large gulp, already feeling better as I listen to Tobias say, "You are worth all of it, even if I have to endure hell itself, you will always be worth it. Peter can do anything he wants to me, but you, you will always be worth it to me, don't forget that." Tears glisten in my eyes at his thoughtful words as I draw him close.
After two more glasses of water and a shower, I return to the living room to look at the damage with a fresh pair of eyes, only to find Stephen and Tobias attempting to put the house back into order. I move into the bedroom and start rearranging it back into working order. Even as Tobias crawls into bed with me that night and holds me against his chest safely, it is no use. My nightmares have returned in full force even with Tobias laying behind me, holding me. I dream about what would have happened to me if I'd been there when Peter broke in. I wake up screaming and sweating as my fist smashes into Tobias's eye.
"Shit!" I'm so sorry." I murmur as tears fill my eyes realizing that I hit Tobias.
"It's fine. Don't cry!" He whispers as he kisses my hair, "It's not like I have never been hit before. I think I am going to go to the commissary tomorrow, and buy some earplugs to help me sleep."
I giggle, "That sounds like a plan. At least that way, I know you will be able to sleep with all the noise that I make throughout the night."
"Maybe, I secretly like listening to all those noises that you make because it means you are still here next to me, sleeping." He grins at me as I smack him in the chest, smiling.
Tobias is nursing his cup of coffee when I come into the living room the next morning. "This is my sixth cup." He says, raising the mug at me. "I don't think this crap is helping at all. I need to get going or I'll be late. At some point today, a repairman should be around to fix the two doors." He kisses me, then leaves in his camouflage uniform as I stare after him, wondering how I was lucky enough to find such a great guy in an airport of all places.
Every little sound in the house makes me jump, and sets my nerves on fire, like when I first came to live with Tobias. I decide to get some fresh air by getting the mail. When I open the mailbox, I discover there is a stack of bills, junk mail, and other things in the mailbox, but sitting on top is a letter in Peter's handwriting, sending waves of nausea through my stomach. My hands shake as I open the letter, reading.
Tris,
Leave Eaton or else he will be killed. I will have someone do something to his plane. I have my ways to accomplish that. Did you like my little message that I left for you on the bathroom mirror? I left something for you and I stole something from the house, did you and Eaton figure it out yet?
Love,
Peter (Your not so secret admirer)
I quickly walk out off the porch of the house, clutching the letter in my fingertips. As I walk, I look around, hoping to clear my mind, but it is no better. I'm looking around every corner waiting for Peter to jump out, to kill me. As I am walking through the center of the base, I see the back of Tobias's cap covered head, walking away from me, in the opposite direction towards the airfield. I take off, running in his direction, but he makes it into an authorized personnel only place, and the two guards stop me from crossing onto the airfield. "I'm looking for Captain Eaton."
"You and everyone else, lady."
"Please! He's my boyfriend. Captain Eaton can't get onto any planes until they are checked." I scream hysterically when I see a plane take off above me, and suddenly it bursts into flames. "Tobias!' I scream, tears rolling down my cheeks.
"Miss." One of the airmen says to me, his voice sounding bored "The young lieutenants are learning to fly drones today. No one is in those."
I hear someone's harsh voice yelling at someone in the distance, and suddenly, Tobias appears behind the two airmen looking pissed off. "What is-" His voice and face drop as he takes in my expression as he pushes past the two guards, pulling me into his chest. He turns to looks at the men, his voice stern, "Gentlemen, if Tris, tells you to come to find me. You best, come find me immediately! Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir."
His voice becomes light as he asks, "Baby, what's wrong? You are shaking like a leaf." My throat tightens as I pinch the letter between my fingertips, handing it to him. His brow scrunches as he reads it. His voice turns deadly as he says, "Check all the damn planes."
"What do you think he stole from the house? What do you think he left" I whisper.
"I don't know. There was nothing missing that I found. There was nothing new, that I saw at least. Maybe he is just messing with us."
"Peter doesn't mess around," I whisper, a shiver shoots up my spine as his arms encircle me, drawing me closer to his chest. He kisses my forehead as the tears continue to flow out of my eyes as I continue, "I was so scared when I saw that plane burst into flames."
Tobias chuckles saying, "The young lieutenants are learning how to fly for the first time. New recruits straight out of officer training school and pilot school, just earned their wings. You wouldn't catch me dead on a plane with one of them flying. Today, I am just teaching them the plane controls."
"What about that plane that burst into flames?"
"That was a drone enemy plane. The drone pilots are also learning new skills for combat today. It is a very busy area back there." He chuckles again to himself.
"Nice of your fellow airmen to inform me after I saw one go up in flames." I grumble at him as he kisses my head, and says "They can't exactly reveal that information. It is classified."
Nothing is found in the planes. It was just Peter making empty threats according to Tobias, but I don't feel so sure. Tobias feels that Peter is trying to get to me and rattle me, which if that is what he is aiming for, then it is working. I, however, feel like Peter never writes or says things that aren't true or going to come true. I don't trust him.
Early, the next morning, an ungodly alarm sounds through the room breaking the silence at four in the morning. It is even earlier than normal for Tobias to wake up, he pulls me closer as I grumble about the time. He kisses my cheek as he gets up to get ready for the day. The bed moving wakes me, rubbing my eyes, I see Tobias in his green flight uniform. He kisses my forehead, as he pulls me close, laying his head in my lap for several seconds. Eventually, he lays next to me, staring at the clock until it hits five. My head on his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around me, fear radiating off him, every once in a while he rubs soothing circling into my back. I know something is wrong. He is never like this. When the clock hits five fifteen he says "Baby, I gotta go."
"What's wrong? Something is wrong. You never act like this!"
He grimaces like he is swallowing something sour saying, "I have a secret temporary duty assignment, but you're not supposed to know that. I'm just feeling a little uneasy about it. I should be home tomorrow. Be careful while I'm gone."
"Of course. You too. Please be careful, Tobias. I'll miss you. I'll be here waiting for you."
He smiles slightly, gently running his fingers along my cheeks as his lips press into mine gently as he kisses me, then picks up his duffle bag, heading out the door. I fall back to sleep for a while. My cell phone wakes me. "Christina!" I sing into the phone.
"So tell me, how is that hunky pilot of yours?" I smile as I answer, "Wonderful. He is everything that Peter isn't or wasn't. Oh God, he invited me to his military ball, and I have no idea what to wear, or even what you are supposed to wear to this thing."
She laughs "Seriously Tris, you are going to have so much fun. Will and I always have fun at his, but make sure you eat before you go. It is a long night before you actually get to the food."
"I'm excited, but I don't want to embarrass him. His ex never went with him so he has never gone to one before, and as you have said before, he is kind of a big deal around here." The idea, sending me into a panic attack.
"Breathe honey! You are going to want to make sure that your nails look good, and probably painted. Your hair should be done in curls or professionally done, and you want a dress that isn't bold in color. Oh, I have the perfect one for you to wear. It is a black ball gown. It is set to come out in my fashion line for next spring for Prom. When is the ball?"
"You're going to kill me."
"Why?"
"It's in nine days."
"Nine days, Tris. You didn't leave me with a lot of time to get the dress out to you, but don't worry. I'll get it to you." She laughs "Oh the best part, Four will be in his dress blues. He should look hot in his because Will always looks hot in his dress uniform, like give me babies right now, hot." I blush and giggle already envisioning Tobias in the blue uniform that I have seen in the bag, that is tucked into the back of the closet, the one that matches his dark blue mysterious eyes, that I want to learn all the secrets behind. "Which one?"
"What do you mean which one?" Christina asks sounding confused.
"Well, he has more than one dress uniform. Which one will he be wearing? His really formal one or his less formal one?"
"Oh, probably his less formal one, but I'm sure he will still look hot! Don't do anything to him that I wouldn't do!" She giggles.
"Christina!"
"What?"
A knock startles me from what I am about to say "I gotta go, Chris, send me the dress. Tell Will hi for me." I walk to the front door where a blonde haired, blue eyed man, who looks familiar to me, but I can't place is standing there with a little girl who has bright red hair and bright blue eyes. I hesitantly open the door. "Hello, Madam. I'm sorry to bother you, but is Captain Eaton home?"
"Oh no, I'm sorry, he isn't." The man turns, bending down to the young girl, whispering something to her, and she starts to cry as they walk away. "Is there something, I can help you with?"
"Don' worry about it, madam."
"Is there a message, I can give to Captain Eaton. I'm not sure when he will be back, but I will be more than happy to give it to him."
"No, Miss. You see Captain Eaton, on his last tour overseas was stationed at the same base as her dad, my partner, and my daughter here was looking to visit with Captain Eaton. Also, I know in his letter that Mark had said he was sending something home for Mattie with Captain Eaton. My over anxious daughter wanted to come to see if daddy, did, in fact, send something as he promised. I'm not sure if you remember me or not, but my name is Stephen. Last time, I saw you, you were pretty shaken up, and this is Mattie, we live next door. I'm sorry, I haven't been over sooner to introduce us, but I have been busy working."
"I'm Tris, but I guess you already know that. I'll let Captain Eaton know that you stopped by, and I will give him your message."
Mattie tugs on Stephen's sleeve saying "Daddy! Do you think Miss Tris wants to go to the park with us?"
He grins at his daughter saying "Oh honey, why don't we let Miss Tris get back to whatever she was doing. We have taken up more than enough of her time. Plus today is our date day."
Mattie begins to pout, looking at her father like she is ready to cry. "Actually, if you don't mind me tagging along, I would love to go to the park with both of you. Let me just grab a few things. It will be nice to get outside, and not stare at these four walls for the rest of the day." Mattie's face lights up with a smile as she begins to jump up and down.
When we are walking to the park, which I learn is down the road in the opposite direction of the main base, Stephen and I talk amongst ourselves as Mattie runs ahead. I tell him that I am an ER nurse. He tells me that he is a physician, which I knew already from Tobias, but I don't tell him that. We exchange stories of how we met our significant others. Stephen tells me that he and Mark, met through friends when one day he came in for a physical. The tips of his ears turn pink as he talks about how he gave Mark several shots in the ass, and how Mark stayed until the end of the day to ask him out for drinks. Stephen had rejected him, telling him no, that he didn't date patients, but Mark kept coming back every day for a month until Stephen finally broke down and told him yes, he would go out for a drink. They got married as soon as proposition eight was struck down in California in two thousand and ten, but until recently their marriage had been kept a secret in the Air Force because of the don't ask, don't tell policy which was repealed in two thousand and eleven. Stephen tells me how he and Mark adopted Mattie when she was three months old shortly before they got legally married, that she has never known any other parents, and that she has made them into even more of a family than they already were.
I tell Stephen a small story about how Four was originally my neighbor, and we started dating. I leave out all the stuff about meeting in the O'Hare airport, the fact that we were both with other people when we met. That Peter beat me, and how Four saved me. Stephen seems generally interested in our story. At the park, Mattie is full of energy. She runs me around, making me play with her, and making me chase her. She has me push her on the swings, and go down the slides with her. She makes me go on the teeter-totter with her. By the end of my time at the park, I am exhausted. For a few short hours, I don't think about Tobias, and how much I miss him already. By the time, the sun is going down, Tobias isn't home still as much as I wish he was. I make dinner, and attempt to go to bed early.
It's futile. I can't sleep. I turn and turn until my dreams overtake me. My nightmares are back and stronger than ever without him by my side. I dream of Peter coming to kill me. My screams are the thing that wakes me. The next day Tobias still isn't home. I look into the counseling that Tori suggested. I feel I don't need it. I read a book for a while, and I watch tv. I eat dinner and go to bed only to be awoken by my own screams once again.
By day three of Tobias being gone, I start to panic. Why isn't he home yet from his temporary duty assignment? Did something go wrong? Why haven't I heard from him?. The sound of the quiet morning air is broken with a knock on the front door. I glance at the clock, it reads seven. Who the hell is that? As I round the corner, my heart shatters into a million pieces. Tears prick my eyes, with shaky hands, I grab the door handle to open the door for two airmen standing there in their blue dress uniforms. At that moment, before they say anything, I know my world is about to crumble.
Cliff hanger and you all probably want to kill me for it. What do you think the airmen are going to tell Tris when she opens the door? Thoughts on the chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! Next chapter will be up the weekend of February 16.