Thank you to everyone who commented on this last chapter and who continues to read this story! I don't own Divergent and any military-related mistakes are mine. Sorry, this chapter is going up slightly later than intended, but my real life has been a little crazy. Happy Reading!
Chapter 4: All Signs Point to Virginia
"Yes." He asks me lovingly, staring into my eyes, and, at that moment, I think maybe he would tell me if I asked for real this time, maybe he would answer me instead of giving me an excuse, of how he doesn't talk to anyone about his ribbons or medals. After all, the last time I asked him these questions, we barely knew each other. Not that we still don't know a lot about each other, but now, I know things like: his middle name, his favorite color is orange, and when his birthday is: January fourth. But, I still want to know more. I always want to know more about Tobias; he is like a drug that I crave all the time, and I am a junkie looking to get her fix. I want to know his hopes, what his dreams are for his and our future. I want to know more about his past: why he is the way he is. His eyes meet mine, through them, pour his love and devotion for me. I bite my lip, losing my courage, and I chicken out, "It's nothing. I forgot what I was going to say." I whisper, smiling at him.
He quips an eyebrow at me, a smile playing on his lips as if he doesn't quite believe me, he replies playfully, "Okay, whatever you say, Tris." We say goodbye to Cara, then leave, driving back to the house, a sly grin tugs at his lips, his eyes slowly pass to mine, eyeing me, trying to dig whatever I wanted to ask him back at the airfield out of me. Once we reach the confines of the house, I take a deep, steady breath, I ask, gathering my courage from deep within, "Tobias, can you please, tell me, how you were awarded your medals?"
He grimaces, pulling off his dress coat, his eyes darting to the floor, and he murmurs, "Tris, I would love to, I promise to one day, I do, but war, it isn't a pretty thing. I earned a lot of these metals on the ugliest days of my life. I'm not sure what I was thinking in those moments. I'm not sure I can even begin to explain what happened in those moments of my life. Honestly, I was trying to survive to come home, to keep my men alive."
"Try me," I whisper, walking over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind. I feel him take a deep, unsteady, breath, he whispers, "You are so innocent, and I don't want to taint you with the dirtiness of war."
"You do realize I lived with Peter, right? I dealt with all his ugliness. I'm sure your war stories, won't scare me off." I muse. Tobias slips my arms from around his waist, he roughly says under his breath, unbuttoning his shirt, "Don't remind me, you lived with that bastard." I shoot him a look, continuing, "The point is Captain Eaton, I love you. I want to know all of you, and that includes all your ugly stories from your past. You did what you had to do to survive." I whisper to him, reaching to wrap my arms around him again, kissing his back, holding him. He leans into me for a short second. I feel him take a deep breath, he turns towards me, looking me in the eyes, and sadly says, "I know, one day, I promise, I will tell you Tris, but right now. I can't, so please, don't push me to. Let me protect you from seeing me in a different light while I still can."
"Okay, but I need you to know nothing can change the way I see you. To me, you are a hero, you are my hero." I say, confidence strong in my voice. His eyes glisten with unshed tears, he looks at me, his fingertips ghost over my collarbones, I continue lightening my voice, "I will hold you to telling me about those awards one day especially this one." I say, pointing at the one that looks like a silver star. Tobias groans, "How about, we start with some of my other ones first, like my marksmanship ribbon or some of the ones that I earned from OTS?"
"Whatever, you would like. I will be waiting to hear all about it." I whisper running my fingers up and down his stomach, playfully. A sly grin creeps across his lips, and my fingers land on his naked chest. He leans his head down slightly, his breath caresses my ear, sending a shiver up my spine, "Deal," he murmurs, his lips nipping at my ear and neck, his arms drawing me closer to him, I giggle hysterically from his five o'clock shadow tickling my neck. Pushing me away, a serious look appears on his face, he questions, "When do you want to get married?"
"Whenever you want Tobias. In my heart, I'm already married to you. You should know that by now, after everything that we have been through together in our short time as a couple, I feel more connected to you than any other person in this world, and I don't need a piece of paper to prove that." I reply to him honestly without thinking.
His eyes brighten, a smile falls onto his lips, and he tugs me into his chest, kissing me, and together we fall onto the couch, a mess of limbs, laughing together. He envelops me in his arms, pulling me onto his lap, his fingertips draw my lips to his, and we kiss each other in the silence of the room. A ringing bursts our quiet bubble, an obnoxious ringing, my mind comes back to reality recognizing my cellphone ringtone. "I need to get that," I whisper against his lips, breaking the kiss.
"Leave it." He whispers against them. I shake my head, he huffs, letting go of my hips, I move off him, off the couch, and move to retrieve my phone from my purse to answer it. "Christina!" I squeal happily. "Trissy Poo, where have you been all my life?" Chris's voice questions bursting through the speaker of the phone.
"Right here!" I smile, turning to Tobias, who is watching me from the couch. He bites his lip, trying to keep a smile from them, watching me talk back and forth with Chris. Chris's voice suddenly echos throughout the room, "You will never guess where Will is getting transferred to?" She says, excitement heavy in her voice.
"Paris?" I ask, knowing Christina's love of the city. If she had her way, that is where she and Will would finally tie the knot, when she makes up her mind on the date for their wedding. Hell, if it wasn't for Will's job, in the Army, Chris would probably be happy, living in Paris, as a fashion designer.
"No silly! Virginia, that's where Four and you are being transferred to in a few months, right? I have even better news than that though!" She giggles, I ask, bouncing on my toes, "What's better than finding out I get to live near my best friend again?"
"Will texted me, his time off, finally, got approved by his higher-ups. We are coming to visit you in Maryland." She laughs, I squeal, "Really? When? How long will you be here for?" Tobias shoots up from the couch, a worried expression crosses his face, an eyebrow quipped.
"We will be there for about a month, I think. Will has some training or something to do in the area, but he got approved for a few days of leave." Chris giggles through the phone. An infectious smile spreads across my lips at her news."When will you be here?" I ask.
"In two days, once Will gets back from more field training. I swear, that boy is always going for training or leaving for missions in the middle of the night. Only to return a few days later, telling me he can't talk about it. It's a good thing I love him, I don't think anyone else would put up with his schedule. Anyways, guess what?" She sings happily. "What?" I ask, wondering what else Chris has up her metaphorical sleeve. "Your wedding dress is done, and I'm not talking about the design either. I'm sitting here, staring at it. If I do say so myself, it is gorgeous, my best work yet."
"Really! Four and I were just talking about that date!" I say, a smile tugs at my lips, I glance over my shoulder at Tobias, he pulls me closer to him, his arms wrapping around my waist as Chris continues excitedly, "I can't wait to see you in it. I think Four might die when he sees you in it."
I giggle sarcastically, rolling my eyes, "I hope not. I kind of need him around. I love him, you know." She replies sincerely, "I know, and I am so happy you found a great guy, finally!"
"I can't wait to see you and Will." I excitedly say as Tobias begins to kiss up and down my neck. Even more, giggles erupt from my throat as he tickles me with his five o'clock shadow along my neck, a playful, mischievous smile tugs at his lips. I roll my eyes at Tobias, a silent conversation passes between us, it is broken by Christina's voice, "I gotta go pack Tris, there is just so much to do with so little time to do it in." She says hanging up the phone.
"Good news?" Tobias asks, pulls himself away from me.
"Yeah, great news honestly! Chris and Will are being transferred to Virginia, but they are coming to visit us first, here. They will be here in a few days. She said my wedding dress is done, and in hand." Tobias's eyes light up at the news, he asks, his voice curious, "So, I get to marry you before I have to ship out?"
"Ship out? Are you leaving on a boat?" I ask, joking with him.
"Ship out. Deploy, same shit." He laughs, his fingers moving along my sides, I giggle "Well, then yes, Captain Eaton, I guess, we do get to tie the knot before you ship out." He lifts me, we both laugh, our smiles contagious, he begins to spin us around the living room, he laughs, "That is the best news I have heard since you agreed to marry me." I smirk, "Well then, I guess, we have some shopping to do?" My eyes floating to his empty ring finger.
"Shopping?" He asks, quipping an eyebrow at me. I point at his empty left hand, "You need a wedding ring." I smirk at him, "Because I want the whole base to know that you are mine and that we are married."
"The whole base already knows who I am committed to. I talk about you, all the time, everyone is sick of hearing about our amazing life together." He whispers, drawing my lips to his in a short kiss. I respond, "Yeah, well, I want a wedding ring on that finger, either way."
"Tris!" He groans, looking upset at me, placing me down onto my feet. "Yes, I know all about the g-forces as you have pointed out before, but I want a ring on your finger, Mr. Eaton. Have you ever heard the saying happy wife, happy life?" I whisper, pointing to his left hand's ring finger once again.
"I'm Mr. Eaton, now? I've been downgraded from Captain?" He asks playfully, crossing his arms.
"You will be in this house, if we don't go ring shopping for you," I say, playfully, crossing my arms back at him, determined to win this battle.
"Yes, ma'am, we can go ring shopping tomorrow after I get home from work." He mocks salutes me, as I do him at the same time. I burst out into a fit of giggles, "Fine, you win, Captain Eaton. I just want the whole world to know when you are on the ground you are married, and that you are mine." I roll my eyes on the captain part of his name. Tobias notices the eye-rolling, his fingers reach toward my sides, attempting to tickle me, I take off running away from him, he chases after me laughing throughout the house until he catches me, tackling, tickling me on the bed, peppering kisses onto my face.
Can anyone guess what the next few chapters might be if Christina is coming to visit with Tris's wedding dress? Please review this chapter and let me know what you thought of it. Can we please try to get to 20 reviews before I post the next chapter which will be on the weekend of Feb. 15. Another question as well, do you think, I should condense this story and place it into the O'Hare Affair story, somehow differentiating that this one is book #2, or leave it the way it is as a separate volume. I hope everyone has a great two weeks, until next time!