Hey everyone, sorry this chapter is a little late being updated to the system, but life has been crazy since my last update. I lost power due to a tropical storm/tornado we had and the power came back a few days ago which put this chapter behind with the final stages of editing. Don't worry, I'm not abandoning the story! Without further ado here is the next chapter. I don't own the Divergent characters, I only own the plot, any military-related mistakes are mine. However, to make the story more interesting I did take some liberties with some aspects in regards to the military. Thank you to everyone who continues to read and to everyone who continues to comment on this story. Happy Reading!

Chapter 17: Real World

"Tobias, who is Colonel O'Connell?" I ask. Tobias stares at me like I have two heads. He answers, staring at me through his thick frames, "You mean Colonel Asshat? He is in Intelligence in one of the shops, he flies on the bigger planes and doesn't have any friends. Most people are nice to him because they genuinely believe he is secretly crazy. Why? The man has been driving me up a wall since I came to this base from Travis. I can't wait to get to Langely to be away from him." I giggle, catching his eyes, "Ryan believes I'm married to him." Tobias's brow furrows, narrowing his eyes, asking, "Why does he believe that nonsense? Why were you speaking about what your husband does in the Air Force?"

Shrugging my shoulders, I answer, "I may have let it slip that my husband knows a lot about the planes on base, that he is in your shop, and his job is top secret. Ryan was getting too close to knowing the truth that we were married, and I wasn't going to be the reason he found out the truth. As it is, he was accusing you of favoritism." Tobias frustratedly tugs at his hair. He snaps his eyes shut, takes a breath, then a deep, musical laugh emits from his lungs while he bends over trying to regain his composure. He says, "I can't believe Ryan thinks you are married to O'Connell out of everyone in the shop." Shooting him a questioning look, I shrug my shoulders, carrying my bowl of cereal to the table. I shove a spoonful of Cheerios into my mouth to avoid answering him. My mind drifts to the news I received two days ago: Tobias is leaving in four weeks, and he never said anything to me, never gave me any type of warning. Gripping my spoon, I ask frustratedly, "Why didn't you tell me you only had four weeks left until you deployed?"

Tobias immediately stops laughing. A grimace replaces the smile on his lips, "Because, I see how you react every time a deployment is brought up by someone in the shop. You shut down on me, shut me out, and I hate it. I lose a part of you, and I was trying to avoid that until the very last moment." Frustration laces my voice, I ask, staring at the wall, "So, what were you just going to sneak out, and leave a note on the table, like Will does to Christina?"

Reaching his hand toward mine, his quiet calm voice replies, "No Tris, I would never. I love you too much to do that to you. Will and Christina have a completely different relationship than we do, and Will has a different job than I do, you can't compare them to us. I was going to tell you next week. I was going to make you dinner, and take you stargazing again, and I was going to tell you then. You have to believe me. I would never sneak off on a deployment, leaving you with only a note to find in the morning, that isn't my style."

"I'm sorry I suck at being a military wife," I whisper, the tears blurring my vision. I can't look at him, knowing he is right. I do shut down. I do shut him out. I can't bear to think about him being gone for all that time. I can't stand to know he will be in harm's way in a war zone. "Hey, don't apologize. There isn't anything to apologize for." He whispers, his fingertips touch my jaw, drawing me out of the ugly thoughts in my head, continuing, "I have somewhere special I want to take you today, but we might get into trouble," he winks.

I moan, "Tobias, I don't want to go to your job today! No offense, it is dull, doing flight plans all day. I didn't enlist into the military, and I'm a little sick of Four's criticisms every single day. I married you, Tobias, not Four, and, quite frankly, if Four makes another statement of how I don't salute properly or how I don't march properly, I might snap on him, or scream! I might even punch him, but, knowing my luck, I will probably get yelled at for punching wrong as well."

Tobias laughs, "I would like to see you do any of that in public. I would have to make a public example out of you. The Colonel stopped by my office yesterday after you left for the day. He is very impressed with how well you are doing, and I had a very long talk with him yesterday about you and the situation we find ourselves in. O'Connell seems to agree that after this deployment, I'll be able to have my rank restored with his good word." A smirk pulls at my lips, I leap at his side, I ask, "Really? That is great! I'm so happy for you that after deployment you officially get to go back to being Captain Eaton, but I still don't want to go over another boring flight plan." He smiles, "I hate to hurt your feelings, I know how much you were looking forward to doing more flight plans today, but we aren't, we are going flying. We are doing flight training today for someone from the Coast Guard, so I need you on your best behavior today, you are representing the Air Force."

"You got it," I wink, asking, "Will it be me and you alone in a plane all day?" A smile tugs at my lips, not believing him. His smile lights up his eyes, replying, "Well, you, me, and a headset. I need to be able to hear the flying orders that we did yesterday. Also, you are going to need this." Tobias walks into his office and returns with a green jumpsuit. It's identical to his, but it doesn't have any patches on it. "You are serious?" I ask. Nodding his head, I fling myself at him, screaming, "Yes! I have wanted to go back up in a plane with you since the last time."

Tobias quips an eyebrow sarcastically, replying, "If I recall correctly, you were scared out of your mind and accused me of trying to kill you." His lips tug apart revealing his straight white teeth. I remark, motioning between us, "Did I, make such a statement? I don't remember accusing you of trying to kill me. I recall that was only after you did those stupid barrel rolls."

Tobias laughs, "Those are fun to do! Where are you going? We need to leave in like ten minutes." He stares at me walking away from him. I twist, answering, "To get the mail from yesterday." The mailbox is empty except for one letter addressed to me with no return address. I open the letter, wondering if this letter is finally from Sam. I had written to him once again, sending him my new address in Maryland, and he still hasn't replied to me. Opening the letter, a powder-like substance falls to the floor, Tobias asks nervously, "Tris, who is that letter from?" Grabbing a napkin from the table, he rips the letter from my hand. I whisper, "I don't know, but I don't feel so good all of a sudden. I feel dizzy, Tobias." My head begins to feel foggy, my vision blurs and darkens, and the last thing I remember is my knees falling out from under me, while the whole world fades to black . . .

Well, that is all for now. I know, I left you all with a cliffhanger. Please don't hate me for it, but that chapter needed to be cut there when I was editing otherwise this chapter would have been massive. Who do you think Tris received that letter from? The next update will be on the weekend of August 29, 2020. It's crazy to think summer is almost over! Everyone, please stay safe and healthy, and to those of you in California with the wildfires please stay safe as well!