Hey readers, sorry this chapter is on the later side than promised, but I have had a busy two weeks since I posted the last chapter. I hope everyone is doing well. Thank you to everyone who continues to support this story, your support truly means the world to me. I don't own Divergent, the only thing I own is the plot, all military-related mistakes are mine. I did take some liberties with this chapter in terms of the military. Happy Reading!
Chapter 13: Trouble
Tobias takes a deep breath, clearing his lungs. I attempt to push the last of the fog from my mind wondering how I'm going to explain myself, "I-" I begin to answer the question. Tobias shoots me a shut up, let me deal with him, glance. Colonel Asshat glares at me with disgust written all across his features. I have only seen looks like this from one other man in my life before: Peter. Tobias folds his arms across his chest, glancing at me, answering "Sir, I'm sorry this has happened. I, myself, actually have no idea how she found this place. I was about to ask her myself, and she was about to leave when the smoke and gas bombs went off. I would like to know the same thing, how did you find this place?"
When he finishes speaking, he narrows his hard blue eyes at me, assessing me, and at that moment, he looks intimidating as hell. He doesn't look like my husband at all, he looks like a soldier, who will follow any command without question. I stare at him, attempting to reach him through his eyes, but I can't. How am I going to explain to both of them, I broke into an office and found a map with potential drill locations. I'm going to get Tobias into trouble if I confess! I'm going to get these innocent men into trouble!
"I-" I begin to answer but freeze when Tobias's eyes meet him, his glare somehow becomes further intimidating. My mouth feels sticky, unable to form the words I wish I could say. How can he be so intimidating? His voice sharp, he commands, "You best think, and speak, very carefully before answering, Miss. Prior." My eyes drift to my sneakers quickly then to his eyes once again, hoping to find some semblance of my husband, but find none. My gaze hardens, hurt he isn't standing up for me, hurt he is treating me like this in front of this man. Swallowing hard, I gather my courage, muttering, my eyes staring at a rock on the ground, "Before I say anything, I don't want anyone else to get into trouble, this is all my fault," my mind drifting to Will, Christina, the innocent men in the building and barracks.
Colonel Asshat's eyes narrow at Tobias. Tobias's arms quickly and seamlessly move from across his chest to behind his back. "I'll be the judge of that, Mrs. Eaton! Captain Eaton, why are you standing at parade rest? You should be standing at attention!" Colonel Asshat yells, I jump at the sternness and anger of his voice. My scared eyes snap to Tobias, he stands idly by at attention, his eyes trained on Asshat. Narrowing my eyes at the Colonel, I reply, "There are two soldiers, who guard your office building at night, they let me in." When my words hit the Colonel's ears, a look of shock colors his face, he asks, "What do you mean? No-one stopped you, or asked what your reason for being there was?" I shrug my shoulders, "No one ever asks questions at this base or bothers me. They all fear him," I answer, pointing at Tobias. The Colonel's eyes widen then narrow, nodding his head, snapping, "I will deal with them later. Now, tell me how the hell you got into my office?" Staring at him, I tell the truth, "It was unlocked when I tried the door." His fists clench shut, he screams, "What!"
"You heard me!" I yell, Tobias attempts to inch away from both of us. I have had enough of this man talking to me like I'm not a human being! Zeke's face catches my eyes momentarily in the distance, he is shaking his head at me. Tobias is staring off into the distance, not looking at me, not looking at the Colonel either, looking like he wants to escape the entire situation. An evil smirk crosses the Colonel's lips, he muses, "Mrs. Eaton, I was going to let you go after giving you a verbal talking to, deal with your husband on my own, but since you can't seem to figure out that your actions affect your husband. You willingly married into the military, maybe we can try a new experiment that the President of Dauntless has been trying with his military members, and having great results with, it is where the military member figures out a punishment for their disobedient civilian spouse who gets them into trouble."
Tobias's voice interrupts, his eyes briefly meet mine, then snap back to something in the distance before the Colonel notices, "Sir, with all due respect, we live in America, not Dauntless." The Colonel declares, his eyes narrowing at Tobias, "Captain Eaton, deal with her, figure out a punishment, right now! I hear you are up for a promotion for Major in the next few months, that comes with more responsibility, prove you can discipline your fellow airmen when they are out of line. Give me an appropriate punishment for her. If I don't approve, you will be getting a demotion in rank along with everyone else in these barracks. You will also get an extra tour of duty, and whatever else I deem fit."
"Am I still an American? I didn't join the fucking military, and have no plans to! Did I fall through time, and end up back in England when the Kings and Queens ruled, when a husband decided to punish a disobedient wife!" I yell, frustration lacing my voice. Colonel Asshat takes a step, leaning into my face, he smiles, placing his hand firmly on my elbow, "No Tris, you didn't, you did one better, you willingly married into the military," Tobias breaks his stance, and sternly commands, "Take your hand off of her! Tris, please stop, you are making this worse for everyone involved. I know you are trying to help but stop." The Colonel drops his hand off my elbow immediately while Tobias quickly steps next to me, his body between mine and the Colonel, his stance protective. The Colonel smirks sadistically, continuing, "And, now your husband can't protect you without ruining his career. Each base has a motto. I'll let you in on what this one is, you best learn it quickly if you wish to survive: Air Force mission before family." Tobias's face drops while Asshat commands, "Isn't that right, Captain, the mission before family. Now give her a punishment!" The Colonel states in such a way, he makes it sound like his statement isn't up for debate. Tobias takes a deep breath, repeating, "With all due respect sir, Tris and I have only been married for a few days, and we haven't been together that long. She is still new to military life. She is unaware of our ways. She meant no harm with what she did tonight, I'm sure she learned her lesson, and won't attempt anything like this again, it isn't fair to punish her."
The Colonel crosses his arms, narrowing his eyes, turns around, and begins to pace back and forth, yelling, "Life isn't fair!" Tobias rolls his eyes at the man's turned back. His troubled, sad blue eyes shift to mine momentarily, and it sends a shiver down my spine. I'm sorry! He lowers his voice, "Tris, you shouldn't have done what you did tonight, but you can't change the past. Now, you have placed my whole military career in jeopardy." I whisper, "I'm sorry, Tobias." I feel awful for placing him in this situation! "I know, but now you have left me to deal with the fallout." Tears gather in my eyes, he whispers, "Don't cry. I don't like to see you crying. It breaks my heart," his fingertips reach, touching my cheek, to wipe the tears cascading down my cheeks. I'm so stupid for not leaving sooner. I should have tried to make a run for it instead of going into the building. I never should have gone along with Christina's drunken plan. I knew it would blow up in my face. Tobias eyes me, "Tris, welcome to the Air Force at least until I deploy. You will do PT with me, come to work with me, go to approved meetings beginning at 0400 on Saturday." A smile tugs at my lips at his words. Extra time with Tobias! He continues, "Once we walk out the door, you are no longer my wife until we step foot back into the house that night. You will learn to salute, walk, talk, and behave like a proper airman." I smile, "Sure," at Tobias who raises an expectant eyebrow at me, I stutter, "I-I-I-I, mean yes, sir."
"That's better, now go home, and attempt to stay out of trouble until I come home from training," he smiles slightly. Taking a few steps away from Tobias and Colonel Asshat, preparing to attempt to find my way out of this maze, the Colonel's voice boom's, "Tris, not so fast. Come back here!" I return to standing beside Tobias, Colonel Asshat continues, "Captain Eaton, excellent choice on the punishment for your wife. Maybe now she will learn how hard you work and will think twice before jeopardizing your career again with her foolishness. However, now you must decide, and you must decide now. I will give you dealer's choice: do you want an extra six-month tour in Iraq, add six more months to your already six-month tour in Syria, or would you like to take a trip to Dauntless for a year? Take your pick!"
I whisper under my breath, "That seems illegal," to Tobias. Tobias answers his voice stern, "I'm not extending my deployment, or taking another just because you don't like me and my wife made a stupid mistake. I don't even agree with forcing her to follow me around until we deploy, wasting her time and mine with nonsense when she should be looking for a job of her own. If you press the issue anymore with me, I will go to our higher-ups, to resolve our differences. As it is, ever since I came to this base you have made my life miserable."
The Colonel angrily shouts, "I have had enough of you, for some reason you think you are a god or something. Someone from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia contacted me, requesting you transfer early before your three years is up here for a job no one else wanted nor would take with the Department of Defense, training recruits from every branch. I have already approved the request for the transfer to get rid of you out of my shop. I wouldn't mind losing you sooner rather than later. You have been nothing, but a pain in my ass, since the day you arrived from California."
My ears catch on the word: Virginia. I don't understand, Tobias and I are scheduled to move to Virginia in a few, short months. Tobias's orders are already in the process of being cut. How is this punishment? This man doesn't know Tobias's orders. I keep my mouth shut, not saying a word, Tobias stares the Colonel down, stating, "I'm bringing Tris with me, correct." The Colonel scratches his chin momentarily, then yells, "Absolutely not! The woman I spoke to said nothing about your wife!" Tobias crosses his arms, responding, "This is against Air Force protocol, and you know it! I will go to our superior officers, your bosses if I need to about this matter. If I'm being re-stationed, then my wife is allowed to follow me as long as the base is not located in a country we are at war with or have political tension with." The Colonel angrily glares at Tobias for standing up to him in front of the other men, he screams, "Fine, you may bring her, but one wrong move from you or her, and I will find something to court-martial you, to end your military career with! You got it?" Tobias responds, "Yes, sir," returning the hard glare from the Colonel.
The Colonel narrows his eyes infinitesimally, his eyes bouncing between Tobias and me, "Good, I would hate for you to not make the promotion to Major because of her after you get back from your deployment to Syria." The Colonel's eyes snap toward a noise around the corner, he swiftly walks and begins to yell at his next victim. I take a step back from Tobias, hoping he has forgotten I'm still standing there beside him. My eyes follow the Colonel's retreating form, Tobias rounds on me, a huge smile pulling at his lips, "Did you hear that Tris?"
I ask, "Hear what?" Attempting to read his mood. He smiles, his teeth on full display, I tease, breaking the tension, "I did, Major Eaton." His eyebrows shoot to his hairline, he mutters, "I'm not a major yet," the grin tugging at his beautiful lips, I return his infectious grin, sighing, "I like Captain better."
Cocking his head to the side, he asks, "Why?" Sounding hurt, "The pay is better," he explains. Oh, Tobias, I don't care about your pay, you idiot! Truthfully, I answer, taking a step toward him, gazing into his eyes, "I fell in love with you as Captain Eaton, not Major Eaton. It's irrational, but to me, it feels wrong like you are going to be a different person like I'm cheating on you. I love you, I would never want to hurt you like that." Tobias marvels, pulling me into his chest, "It's still me, Tobias Eaton. It will always be me. It's only a silly rank and title. The Air Force could attempt to make me King of Scotland, and I would still be lowly, Tobias Eaton, the man who is madly and deeply in love with you, the man who you make lose his mind every time he lays eyes on you." I giggle, "King of Scotland, Tobias, really?"
"Come on let's get you home." Tobias says, looking at a woman, he calls, "If anyone asks, I'm making sure our unwanted guest finds her way off the compound, this place is a maze if you have never been in here before. I'll be back before the debriefing." He doesn't wait for the woman to answer, he begins to walk, I follow him, laughing to myself, attempting to imagine Tobias wearing a plush red and gold crown being proclaimed King of Scotland. Rounding several corners away from the barracks, he turns, glancing at me, asking, "What's so funny?" I smirk, "King Tobias of Scotland," taking a step towards me, towering over me, he encircles his arms around my waist, his forehead leans against mine, whispering, "Okay, not King of Scotland. How about President? Either way, it would still be me at the end of the day, it would still be me coming home to you, the person standing before you today, the person who you fell in love with. I love you more than life itself, I hope you know that."
His lips press against my forehead, my eyes close absorbing his voice, he continues, "Now, let's get you out of here before you land me into more trouble," he holds out his hand, I take it, and he leads me through a series of more darkened paths to a well-lit road. At the road, he points, observing, "Follow this to the street where we live. I will see you in a few days, I love you," he presses his lips against mine, I whisper, "I love you," against his lips. He pushes me toward the well-lit road, toward the road that leads home. Turning to wave at him, he is gone in the blackness like a ghost, I imagined in my mind.
Sighing, I begin my walk home in the early dawn light. Pushing open the front door, my eyes fall on the clock. Questions drift through my mind. Where is Christina? Did she land Will into trouble like I did Tobias? Did she get into trouble like I did? Pulling my cellphone from my pocket, my eyes land onto Tobias's and my beach honeymoon picture staring back at me with no missed calls or text messages from Christina.
Thoughts? Opinions about this chapter? What do you think happened to Christina? What do you think about Asshat's decisions he had Tobias make? The next chapter will be up hopefully the weekend of July 4th.