Hey readers: here is the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy it. Fair warning it is on the shorter side, but when I was editing it this chapter needed to be cut here for certain reasons. Sorry I wasn't able to personally respond to everyone who reviewed, however I have been horribly sick, and now I am hopefully on the mend. However, I did read all the reviews and I appreciated them. Happy Reading!

Chapter 22 Hide Away

A knock breaks the empty, quiet mid-morning air. My face feels tight from crying all morning. I open the door to see Stephen standing there, staring at his feet, when he hears the front door creek, his eyes lift to mine. "Tris, I heard about Four." I move to shut the door before he can finish. I can't stomach another, 'I'm sorry' today from another person. His hand keeps the door from slamming shut in his face as I swing the door quickly.

"I'm not in the mood for company," I mutter.

"I know. I just thought that you could use someone to yell at or something or be pissed at the world with. I can do that for you. Maybe we can get a drink together because the world isn't a fair place."

"Are there even any bars around here?" I ask, liking, the idea of an alcoholic drink, suddenly feeling like I can't breathe as I stare at the walls of Tobias's house, my eyes catching on his 'Fear God Alone' picture on the wall, feeling the walls closing in on me.

"Of course, you are on a military base, after all. I will find us the very best one." He smirks at me.

"Wait, what about Mattie? Where is she?"

"Staying with friends at the moment." He answers as I shut the door behind me.

"How's Mark?" I ask Stephen as I walk down the street, trying to make small talk, wanting to avoid silence at all costs.

"Mark, at the moment. I hate him."

"What happened?"

"Nothing that he can control, stupid political crap, keeping him away from our daughter and me. His deployment got extended, but you have the trump card of a missing or dead boyfriend. At least, my husband is alive and well for now. He was supposed to be home by now, this is the second time that his deployment has gotten extended. Now, he will have been gone for over a year, and I miss him, terribly. I am tired of trying to explain to Mattie when daddy is coming home or having to explain to her, why he isn't coming home when he is suppose to. But, enough about my problems," He smiles as he bumps his shoulder with mine. "What are you going to do about Four's final arrangements? I'm sure it is a lot of work, if you need help or need an ear, I am here."

"I am trying not to think about it, but I know, I need to start making arrangements. I just feel like if I do, then it will all be real, and in my heart, I don't believe that he is dead."

"Why do you say that?"

"They never found his body."

"Oh, Tris," the way Stephen says my name it sounds like Tobias walking behind me, my head turns, thinking that he is behind me, but he isn't. There is only black, empty road. "His plane went down. You really think he survived a fiery crash like that? Most of the time, they never find a body because the body gets burned beyond recognition, think about it." The tears start to roll down my face as I glance behind me, willing Tobias to appear behind me as my mind drifts to the last time that Tobias ever kissed me, thinking it could have truly been the last, our last embrace. Stephen stares at me like I have two heads as he ushers me into the bar, and hands me a shot of whiskey, urgently. I down the shot. The burn of the liquor as it goes down my throat makes me feel better. Stephen and I take shot after shot as I try to drown my sorrow, attempting to lose my thoughts of Tobias, and everything that I could have lost, if he really did die in that plane crash.

"You know, you should be my date for the military ball," Stephen says, looking at me out of the side of his eye.

"I was supposed to go with Four, but clearly that isn't going to happen," I whisper, blowing my bangs out of my face.

"Yeah, well Mark and I were supposed to be going together too, but clearly that isn't happening as he is still three thousand miles away. Come as my date."

"Is that even allowed?" I ask, giving him side eye.

"Of course, it is allowed. I'm in the Air Force too, remember. How did you not figure that out from my story of how I met Mark. Be my date, Tris?" He asks, his eyes turning serious as he looks me in the eye, "You need a night out, away from all of this."

"Well, I do have a dress and everything else, my best friend sent me. She is a fashion designer in New York."

"Oh Yeah? Anyone that I would know?"

"Christina." I smile as the alcohol starts to cloud my head.

"Oh, I know that designer, she makes great kids clothing. Mattie absolutely loves her dresses. She is fantastic. Wait! Are you serious, she is your best friend and even sent you stuff to wear to the ball?" I smile, biting my lip, not replying to him. "Now, you are definitely going with me."

"Fine." I grumble "But, I need to go home to sleep, first."

Stephen helps me off the stool, putting his arm around my shoulders as we both stumble down the street. I fall up the stairs, laughing to myself as I open the front door, as Stephen stands at the bottom watching me. I turn to wave at Stephen, who is smiling at me with a goofy grin on his face, "Good night, Tris. See you tomorrow."

"Night." I sigh, turning towards the open door.

As I enter the living room, all my memories rush back to me of Tobias in this house, or of us in this house, of every look, every touch that he ever gave me, and every memory that floats into my brain causes tears to rush to my eyes, and the tears start rolling down my face, as I crawl into bed wearing Tobias's Air Force jacket, wishing life wasn't so cruel, as I stare at the night sky out the bedroom window.

Thoughts and opinions about this chapter? Please review. Do you think Tris should start planning Four's final arrangements like Stephen said she should, do you think that she should ask for help with the planning, or are you still thinking like Tris, that Four is alive? If you were in Tris's postion would you be hiding away from the world, not wanting to hear another 'I'm sorry.' Thoughts on Stephen? Next chapter will be up on the weekend on March 16.