Hello readers, I'm back with the next chapter of this story. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and Happy New Year. I would like to thank everyone who continues to support this story through your various ways. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I don't own Divergent. I only own the plot, any military-related mistakes are mine. Just a reminder I have taken some liberties in regards to the military. Happy Reading!

Chapter 26: Oops

My stomach jumps into my throat when I pull up and wait in the line of cars for what I hope is the Langley base entrance gate. My head still feels like it is in the clouds from seeing Stacy moments ago. While I wait in the line of cars, the GPS blacks out again. I yell, "I hate this useless piece of junk!" I frustratedly shake the GPS, but the screen remains black, taunting me. I give up and throw the worthless device into the empty seat where Tobias should be sitting. I near the front of the line in the truck, when my eyes catch on an entryway similar to the one Andrews had. My eyes spot a man bundled head-to-toe in his camouflage uniform, checking the ID cards of everyone entering the base. When it is my turn, I roll down my window, smiling, and attempt to hand him my card. The man politely greets me with, "Good afternoon, ma'am."

The card slips from my fingertips before the man has a grip on it; it falls to the ground with a splash directly into a puddle. Heat floods my cheeks. I mutter, "Sorry, I'm having a bad day." He laughs, his eyes twinkling, "It's no problem. Bad days happen to the best of us," bending to pick up the card from the puddle. I like the people on this base better than Maryland already. This gate guard even seems more laid back. The man's eyes glance between the ID card and me. He asks, "What's your business on base today, ma'am?" Recalling the multiple times I was yelled at while at Andrews's entrance gate by the gate guards for having my eyes covered while attempting to gain access to the base, I tug my sunglasses off my face immediately. I answer confidently, "Today, I'm moving onto the base. Can you tell me, by chance, where Andrews road is?" The man glances at me with confusion filled eyes. He asks, "Are you sure you have the right base?" The moisture begins to build behind my eyelids, and I blink to hold back the tears, feeling lost in a new environment without Tobias to help navigate. I mutter, "This is Langley Air Force Base, correct?" My cheeks heat with embarrassment. The man smirks, laughing, "Absolutely!" Another airman approaches, and the man turns business-like, responding quickly, "I have always wanted to do that to a newcomer on base. Welcome to Langley Air Force Base, ma'am." The man gives me step-by-step instructions to the new house. When he hands my ID card back, he glances at my card one more time, asking, "You don't happen to be related to a Major Tobias Eaton, are you?"

I grin, "I'm married to him. Why?" My heart drops into my stomach, believing something horrible happened to Tobias. The man mutters in awe, "The rumors are true. Have a nice day, Mrs. Eaton." The young man turns to another airman, a smirk playing across his lips, "Hey Diaz, you owe me forty dollars! Those rumors are true! I told you, I heard Lieutenant Daniels speaking about Major Eaton!" I giggle, nodding my head, "You both stay warm out there," rolling up my window.

Turning onto Andrews road, my eyes are drawn to an adorable house. My heartbeat increases at the idea of this cute, cream-colored, single-story, red shuttered house with a wrap-around porch belonging to Tobias and I until we have to move again. This is the type of house I imagined our future home looking like when I think about one. The residence is surrounded by a small fenced in yard with a thin layer of snow covering the grass. Images of our children playing, dancing, and building a snowman float through my mind. Subconsciously, my fingers reach for my stomach of their own accord. I need to get a grip. I'm not pregnant. I can already feel the funny feelings in my stomach, knowing mother nature is on her way to disappoint me once again.

I walk up the brick walkway, and my eyes fall onto the five brick steps to the house. There is a porch swing hanging, swinging in the cool breeze. That swing looks familiar. Suddenly, a man's voice behind me causes me to jump, "I hope you didn't mind, but Mattie was jumping at the door to come and see you." A smile tugs at my lips while I twist to find a welcomed sight from my past: a man with blonde hair and blue eyes. Stephen stands at the end of the sidewalk. He holds his curly, red-haired, blue-eyed angel, whose name I couldn't ever forget, Mattie. "Did you do this?" I ask, pointing to the hanging swing. He shrugs his shoulders, playfully responding, "Perhaps, I hope you weren't waiting on Four or anything to put the swing up. In the past, Four and I have always helped each other out with moving. I saw the movers come earlier. Mattie and I supervised them for you since you weren't here yet. They left the swing on the porch. We sort of hung it up for you." I smile, "Stephen, it's so good to see a friendly face!" The fear I wouldn't know anyone on this new base disappears from the pit of my stomach instantly. I launch myself into his open arms, continuing, "I thought you were stationed in New Jersey with Mark? I have missed Mattie and you so much since you left California! Where's Mark?" Wanting to meet his elusive husband. Stephen rolls his eyes, "Mark is downrange somewhere, where else, and Mattie and I got re-stationed again due to the needs of the Air Force. This time, apparently, doctors were needed to run the hospital here. The only upside, Mark put in for amended orders to join us next year. We are hoping his orders get approved."

Sadness fills my chest at his words. I whisper, "That's awful. I can't believe you and Mark have to live apart again. You finally got to live together after months, years, of being apart, and now you have been ripped apart again." Stephen shrugs his shoulders, answering, "We make it work. Mark is hardly home anyway. When he is home from deployment, most of the time, he is downrange." I giggle, "English, please," smiling at him, winking at Mattie, attempting to understand what he is saying. Mattie giggles with me. Stephen replies, "He is training in a field." He sets Mattie on the ground, who begins to dance and sing, "Baby Shark." Stephen and I laugh at the obnoxious children's song. Stephen asks, "Do you want any help unpacking?" I smile, "I would love the help, but can I look at the inside of the house first? I need to figure out where everything is going to go."

"Absolutely. When you are ready for help, let me know. Mattie and I live over there," Stephen says, pointing to the house diagonal from mine, continuing, "Come on, honey, let's go get some food. Do you want Taco Bell?" Stephen picks Mattie up while she sings, "Yes, Daddy Shark!" Bouncing up and down in his arms. I laugh at her singing. He responds, kissing her on the cheek, muttering, "Okay, my baby shark," walking away.

I stand at the door. As my fingers touch the golden handle of the red front door, my mind is instantly transported back to Andrews Air Force base, and how Tobias wanted to start a new tradition of carrying me over the threshold of every house we moved into. Anger boils in my chest. I whisper, "Where are you now? You couldn't keep that promise!" I open the front door, and the place smells like fresh paint and new carpeting. The doorway leads into a small entryway. I can already envision his work boots sitting by the door. The first box I tug down from the pile is his uniforms. I find a pair of his boots, I place them by the door. There is a combination living room and dining room with a connecting kitchen. In the living room, an electric fireplace. The whole house is an open floor plan. A pair of French doors in the living room leads into a huge master bedroom, a walk-in closet, a bathroom with his and her sinks with a separate shower and bath. I'm in love! The kitchen and bathroom have black and gray granite countertops with wooden cabinets and stainless steel appliances.

Rolling up my sleeves, I begin the hard work of attempting to arrange the furniture in the house. I push and shove the furniture, but it's heavy. Maybe Will or Stephen can help me move it? Giving up momentarily on the furniture, I begin to hang the pictures on the wall. Tobias's "Fear God Alone" is one of the firsts I find to hang. I fasten it near the front door. Next, I find one of my favorite wedding photos snapped by Cara. It's a black and white silhouette with us against the wall. Tobias's hands are on my waist. My hands are on the wall next to his head. A smile tugs at my lips while I hang the photograph. The memory takes over my mind of that night after we left everyone. I believed he was drunk even though he didn't have a drop of liquor in him. Outside of the restaurant, he pulled me to him. I glanced at him. With his forehead pressed to mine, his eyes stared intensely into mine while he whispered with his breath ghosting over my lips, "Beatrice Elizabeth Prior Eaton, my wife, I love you more than life itself. I have always been an airman. It has been the thing that makes me happy, all I have ever wanted to be in this life, but you, Mrs. Eaton, you have taken me . . . prisoner. You have stolen my heart like no one else ever could. I will forever happily remain your prisoner for the rest of my life." My phone vibrates in my pocket, bringing me out of my wedding day memory. I pull the phone to find it ringing with Christina's picture. "Chris," I smirk. She sings, "What are you up to?" I giggle, "Nothing much. I was attempting to unpack. Why?" She answers, "No particular reasons. Do you want to come over?" I reply, "Sure." My eyes glancing around the room at all the boxes left to be unpacked. She laughs, "Cool, I'll see you in about thirty minutes!"

"Can't wait!" I exclaim, hanging up the phone. I run out the door, and take off in the truck. This time, I use my cellphone's GPS to find the base Chris and Will live on. The thirty-minute drive passes quickly. I pull up to the main gate. A man in an Army camouflage uniform steps up to the truck, smirking while I hand him my ID card. His eyes catch mine. He asks, "What's your purpose for visiting this base?" Will I ever grow used to hearing this question? I smile, "I'm here to visit my friends, Will and Chris, who live on this base." My eyes catch on the sign behind the man's head: Welcome to Joint Base Langley-Eustis: Eustis. The man crosses his arms over his chest, asking, "Are you sure they live on this base?" I lift my eyebrow, replying, "Yes, Will is in the Army." The man glances at my ID card once again, sarcastically saying, "I hate to tell you this, Mrs. Eaton, but we don't provide on-base housing at this base. Your friends must be living somewhere in the community." I ask, "Are you serious?" Not believing him. He smirks, "Yes, or my name isn't Thomas." The young man smiles at me, attempting to make eye contact. I blow my bangs out of my eyes, asking, "Do you know where Jackson Avenue is? My GPS is telling me it's in here." The blonde-haired man uses hand gestures, pointing while giving directions to the road Christina lives on. He finishes, "They live about two minutes from here." Kindly, I say, "Thank you, Thomas," glancing at his chest. My eyes fall to the center, noticing he is a private first class. If I use his title he will think I'm interested, and I'm flirting with him. I'm not. I'm only attempting to be nice to him since he was nice to me. Pulling away from the gate, I shoot Chris a text. Be there soon got lost. Within seconds she responds: How did you get lost? Rolling my eyes, I reply: Apparently, there are 2 Jackson Avenues. I thought you lived on base.

A smile tugs at my lips when I spot her house, turning onto the right Jackson Avenue. Their house is a stunning two-story brick house. I knock on the bright blue front door, smiling. This door is completely Chris's idea. Chris answers, an excited smile spreading across her lips, yelling, "Trissy!" She launches herself at me. I laugh, "Christina," Enveloping her in my arms, "I have missed you!" She pulls me into the house by the hand, grinning, "Me too! The East Coast has been too dull without you by my side. Have you talked to Four lately? How is he?" A dreamy smile tugs at my lips at Tobias's name. I answer, "Today, we spoke briefly, but the last time I got to actually see him over the camera was the day before Thanksgiving. Why?"

Chris shrugs her shoulders, giggling, "No reason. I might have heard something through the grapevine. Come with me." She pulls me out the door with her. I smirk, asking, "Where are we going?" She laughs, "Trust me. You aren't going to want to miss this!" Her eyes glance at the clock on the wall. She tugs me out toward her baby blue 1980's VW bug. I laugh, "I still can't believe Will let you get one of these. He always made fun of them in high school." Her eyes become dreamy-like at his name with a smile tugging at her lips, "Please, Will bought the damn thing for me. Actually, it was a present as an apology for being away all the time. Plus, he didn't want me to drive his baby while he was away." Eyeing Chris, I ask, "What baby? Do you have some news to share with me?" A look of horror crosses her face, shock fills her voice, "Absolutely not!" She motions to the other car in the driveway, "You know, that stupid Dodge Challenger, he loves more than me!" Laughter bubbles into my throat. I grin, "I'm not a guy or anything, but you must admit. That car is sexy." She rolls her eyes, placing her fingers against my forehead, "You have been hanging out with Four and the Air Force guys way too much if you find a car sexy. That car only supports my theory. Will is secretly James Bond, and you need a healthy dose of shopping." I roll my eyes toward the sky. She pushes me toward the car and onto the snowy sidewalk. Inside the car, she grins, "It's a good thing you are living near me now. I can begin to infuse the girliness back into you again."

I giggle, "Where are we going?" Wanting to change the subject off of myself. She smirks, "Somewhere, but first, we need to drop the truck back at your house." I sigh at her idea. Driving back to the house, images of Tobias and I playing with a child float through my mind the moment I see the snowy front lawn. I park the truck, hop into Chris's car, and shut the door behind me. The heat warms me instantly while Chris drives down a side road. I ask, "Where are we going now?" She guns it down the snowy highway, giggling, "It's a surprise!" She twists the knob of the radio, a pop song fills the cabin, and she begins to sing her lungs out while she races the car next to us, laughing with glee.

Thoughts and opinions on this chapter. Please review. Who's excited that Tris is back with Christina? Where do you think Chris is bringing Tris? The next chapter will be up on the weekend of January 30, 2021.