Divergent Trilogy 1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Divergent_._**

**Hey, everyone! I have finally posted this...I hope you guys like it. Baseball is a big thing in my family and, while the Yankees are my number two favorite team, they're amazing and I love them and they are the basis for this Fic. And yes, loving the Yankees does include the Boston rivalry. So there will be some Red Sox bashing in here.**

**Thanks for reading!**

"This is the trainer's room," my guide - Christina, I think - tells me. "This is where you'll see the players. You, um, should probably lock it when you aren't here - it might get used for other things if you don't." She waggles her eyebrows, and I grin.

"Thank you, Christina," I say sincerely. "It's nice of you to show me around."

"Oh, no problem, Beatrice. Do you want to meet the pitchers and catchers here for Spring Training?"

"Please," I correct, realizing I can be a new person here, "call me Tris." I grab my phone. "Can I have your number? Maybe we can hang out later," I suggest.

"Oh, I'm not -"

I laugh. "Neither am I. I meant as friends."

Immediately Christina relaxes. "Sorry. And yeah." She puts her number in my phone, and I text her from it. "So let's take you to meet the players. They'll be eager to meet you. Oh, and don't be offended if they hit on you. They only stopped hitting on me after I beat one of them up."

I grin. "Sounds fun. Do you do martial arts, or boxing, or what?"

"Kinda a combination of some different martial arts," she replies, handing me a key card. "This is your all-access key card. They only give these to trainers, managers, and a few players - Four and a few others." Then she returns to our previous conversation. "So. Do you fight?"

"Yeah. Most people think because I'm small, I'm weak. But I'm not. I can take men four times my size down." Then I blush. "Sorry if I'm boasting. It's just...it's one thing that makes me feel powerful."

Christina shakes her head. "No, I get it. And I'm really glad to have another girl - the only girls here are you, me, and three secretaries slash personal managers - Lynn, Marlene, and Shauna."

"Who're these four you talked about?"

She laughs. "No, it's one guy. His name is Four. His number is Four, too. He's a switch pitcher and a catcher for the team. Why?"

I redden. "I thought you meant like four people."

Christina grabs the card from my hand and scans it. "Nah. So here we are. The boys should be coming in from practice -"

"Nah, Zeke!" one shouts, opening the doors from the fields. I'm hit with a slight smell of leather, dirt, grass, and sweat. Baseball. "I'm definitely a better shortstop."

"You ain't a shortstop," the other replies (Zeke, maybe?). "You're a catcher, and my bitch. I throw the balls at you, and you try not to get hurt."

Then a third joins in. "C'mon, Zeke, we all know Four's a better pitcher then you." He jerks his thumb to a guy currently pulling his jersey off.

I look more closely at the guy. He's attractive, with a full lower lip, stunning blue eyes, and dark hair. He seems quiet.

"Yeah, 'Zekey Boo,'" Four teases.

Zeke sits on a bench. "C'mon, admit it, Uriah's my bitch."

Uriah whips Zeke with a towel. "I may be your brother, but the only bitch in this room is you."

"BOYS!" Christina shouts. The entire room looks up at her. "Good. This is the new trainer. Her name is Tris and, before y'all get too excited, she can beat you up as well as or better than I beat Al up. Kapiche?"

I see Peter and glare at him. He smiles angelically back, so I flip him off. We glare at each other for another few seconds, and then Uriah breaks the silence. I don't think anyone noticed Peter and I glaring at each other. The bastard.

Uriah smirks. "Well, new -"

"Believe it or not, Uriah," I say venomously, "I have an inkling that you're either going to flirt with me or piss me off, so I don't care. If you want to keep your dignity, I suggest you shut up."

Uriah whitens, and Zeke laughs. "I was just going to welcome you to the New York Yankees?" he amends weakly.

I smile. "Now isn't that nice?"

I see Four and the third boy laughing. Four stands up and walks over to me. "My name is Four. You've clearly met Uriah, and his brother is Zeke. The boy with the blonde hair is Will. Mr. Big and Stocky over there is Al, Piercings is Eric, Shiny Hair is Peter, Redhead is Max, Spiky Hair is, well, Spike, I should hope you know who Mariano Rivera is, and the rest of the team isn't here yet. These are only about half of our prospective pitchers and catchers - the rest area are having a little more practice."

I shake Four's hand firmly. "Thanks." Then I turn to the rest of the team. "Any of you need anything?" I give Peter a look that says "don't even think about it."

Four raises a hand, wincing slightly, as does Al. "Okay, come with me." Once we leave, I realize I need to be directed to my room. "Um, Four, where is trainer room, um, six?"

Four and Al lead me to it, and I thank them. "So should we come in?" they ask.

I stare at them for a second. "What do you want me to do, wave a magic wand at you from in here? No, get in here!"

Al chuckles. "Nah, it's just the last trainer was kinda picky and weird. Didn't let us in his room unless we were asked or told."

I busy myself with grabbing a pen and paper. "Well, why don't you two sit down. What are you, pitchers? Catchers? I heard you're both, Four."

Four nods, and Al says, "I'm just a pitcher."

"So do you guys just have the general sore pitching arm?" I grab some ice and ace bandages.

Al nods. "Could you adjust my arm and neck, too, a little, please?"

"Sure thing. What's up with you, Four?" I set the ice and bandages down and pat a table for Al to lay on.

"You just finish up with Al," he evades.

I shrug. "Okay." I stretch Al's arm and readjust his neck, and then wrap him with the ice and bandages. "You should be good to go, Al."

He stands. "Feels a lot better. Thanks, Tris." Then he leaves.

I clap my hands together. "So what's up with you?"

Four gestures to the table. "May I sit?" At my nod, he does, and pulls off his undershirt.

I frown at the purple bruises covering his chest. "Are you here for me to treat those? Look, if you got in a fight -"

Four shakes his head. "Nah. I've been catching without my gear - it got 'lost.' Anyway, can you check and just make sure nothing's too bad?"

"That's dangerous, Four. It only takes one hit for your career to be over," I warn, walking over to him. I allow myself to quickly look appreciatively at his firm, fit chest before gently feeling his ribs and organs. Nothing seems to be displaced, so I check for breaks, starting in the front. When I move to the back, I see a large tattoo with symbols - which is not uncommon in baseball players - but I also feel scars beneath my fingers. I don't ask, and he doesn't tell. "Nothing's broken or displaced," I answer.

He relaxes. "Good. Can I have some ice?"

"I can put you in the ice bath," I offer.

Four nods, and I fill one up for him. He grimaces at the cold but allows it. "Thanks. Can you just tell Zeke I'll grab a taxi to the bar tonight? He was going to take me to -"

I shake my head. "You aren't going to any bar. You may not have any broken bones, but you have quite a few bruised ones."

Four frowns. "I'm not a child. I make my own decisions."

"Who do you trust more - me, with a degree in sports medicine, or you?"

He looks away. "Whatever."

I raise my eyebrows. "I'm going to go talk to the other players, and you can sit here. If I find you've moved an inch...let's just say one of your testicles might not be working so well tomorrow."

Four pales, and I nod, leaving. I find my way back to the locker room. Zeke and Uriah are still there, and there are new guys coming in. Zeke stands on the bench.

"Pitchers and catchers! We got us a new trainer! Her name is Tris and she can and will kick your ass. She already verbally kicked Uri's!" he shouts, grinning and pointing at me.

The other men nod at me and begin to undress. None of them seem to need anything, so I start walking back to Four.

"Tris!" Christina calls.

I spin on my heel. "What's up?"

She grins at me. "So you have Four in your room right now? Are you gonna -"

"I'm not that kind of trainer."

She shrugs. "I dunno. He's pretty hot. I'd date him if I wasn't already in a relationship."

I nod. "I guess. So do you want to hang out tonight?"

"Sure. How about we go to a bar? There's a new one that just opened up. I think a lot of the team's going there tonight," she offers.

I shrug. "Sounds good." Then I enter the room. Four is on his phone, texting someone. I shrug and sit at my desk. "Do you need anything else, Four?"

He shakes his head. "Can I sit here a little longer, though?"

I turn back to my computer. "Go ahead."

* * *

"Do you have a towel?"

"What?" His voice had startled me. "Oh, yeah. Here."

Four steps out, dries off - except for his wet shorts - and pulls his shirt back on. "Thanks. See you later."

"What?" I ask again, but he's already gone. I grab the stack of files someone had put on my desk - fortunately just for the pitchers and catchers - and begin learning them.

I linger on Four's. Apparently his name is Four Eaton, he's twenty five years old, he grew up in Chicago - my hometown as well - he went to Stanford and played baseball there, and he has a suspicious past of injuries. I look carefully at the x-rays, and I can tell that he was abused as a kid. I won't bring it up, though - he's a big boy.

I look at Zeke and Uriah's, as well. They're brothers - the Montenegros - and Uriah is twenty three. Zeke is twenty five. Both of them went to Stanford and played baseball and grew up in Chicago.

Will is twenty three, grew up in Pennsylvania, went to Penn State, and his name is William Paterson.

* * *

"Tris!" Christina says, rather frustrated.

"What?" I redden. I had been engrossed in the files. I'm almost done.

"I said it's time to go. Where is your room? We need to change," she gushes.

"My hotel is a few blocks from here," I reply. "I walked here this morning."

She grins. "Mine, too. Which room?"

"Ten sixty four. You?"

"Ten sixty three!" she squeals.

I smile. "You're an excitable one, aren't you?"

She nods and continues, "Marlene and Lynn are ten seventy seven, and Shauna rooms with Zeke. Now I have a neighbor!"

I shake my head. "Damn, Christina. So where's this bar?"

"It's not too far. I have a car; we'll drive there." She grabs the room card out of my hand and opens my door. "So you shower and I'll pick an outfit out for you."

I grin. "Forward much, are we?" But I obey, scrubbing my hair extra well because I didn't have a chance to wash it yesterday or the day before.

* * *

When I step out, wrapped in a towel, I see Christina has laid out a low-cut and -backed tank top, skinny jeans, and boots with spikes on the side. I shrug and pull it on, adding some eyeliner, mascara, and a French braid that wraps its way around my head.

* * *

"So who are you dating?" I ask, staring out the window at the dark Florida scenery.

"Number six, Will," she explains, twiddling her thumbs on the steering wheel and attempting to bite back a grin.

"Ah. So that's why you were staring at each other in the boys' locker room," I not, grinning.

She smacks me lightly. "Shut up! He was not staring at me!"

"I beg to differ."

* * *

"SO!" Christina shouts. "DO YOU MIND IF I GO DANCE WITH WILL?"

The club-bar thing is really loud. People are grinding on the dark dance floor. Some make out or drink in the booths, and a few loners like me sit at the bar. I see Al and Uriah dancing in the crowd, and Will and Christina grinding.

Someone slides into the seat next to me. "Hey, Tris."

I look over and see Four sitting next to me. I smile slightly. "I thought I told you not to go to the bar."

He shrugs. "I'm not drinking. Haven't had a drop of alcohol."

"This isn't your scene?" I ask, tearing myself away from his midnight blues and looking out at the crowd.

Four laughs. "Not at all. Zeke insisted I come. Something about how I need to get laid." He shrugs. "I dunno. I just - most girls that want to get with me for the money. I don't want a girl like that."

I look at him. "Makes sense. You earn that money." I bite my lip. "Most guys don't want to get with me at all."

"That doesn't make sense," Four mutters.

"What?" I ask, even though I heard it.

"Nothing." Four shifts awkwardly. "I need to use the bathroom. I'll be right back, okay?"

I wait awkwardly for him to come back. When he does, he asks the bartender for something and hands me a drink. "What is it?" I ask.

"A coke." He sips his. "So which room are you?"

I take a sip, too, savoring the cold, sweet liquid. "Ten sixty four. You?"

Four chuckles. "Really? Mine is ten forty six."

"Cool," I reply, kind of uninterested. "So how long have you played baseball?"

Four responds, "Since I was three - Zeke's dad signed Zeke and I up for a peewee league. We joined Little League when we were six, and began playing year-round when we were eight. When Zeke's dad died when we were fourteen, his mom would take us to practice and the batting cages. We went to college and played ball there, and Uri followed us two years later. I got drafted when I was twenty-two - straight to the major leagues. Zeke followed me a year later, and Uri a year past that. They each spent a year in the minor leagues, and now here we are. I'm pretty certain Uri will be moved up this year."

"Wow." I hesitate. "What about your parents?"

Four frowns. "I don't want to talk about them."

"Sorry." I yawn. "I think I'm going to walk back. Tell Christina, will you?"

"Can I walk back with you?" he asks instead, hopping off his stool to follow me.

"Sure."

* * *

"Goodnight, Tris," Four says, yawning slightly. "You wanna come to practice tomorrow morning?"

"What time is it? And where?"

"How about I pick you up from here at seven and we go to breakfast and then practice?" he replies.

"Sounds good." I shake his hand. "Thanks for walking me back, Four."

"Thanks for walking with me."

* * *

"Tris?" Four's voice floats through the door. "You ready?"

I pull the Yankees hat on backwards. "Yup!" I call. Then I grab my little backpack - which has sports medicine stuff in it as well as some miscellaneous items - and open the door. "Hey, Four."

Four smiles at me, and his deep eyes meet mine. "Hey." He offers his arm, grinning lopsidedly. "My dear?" he says in a fake English accent.

I chuckle and decline his arm. "So where are we going for breakfast?"

"Well, I thought maybe we could eat with the players?" Four suggests.

I nod. "Sounds great. Thanks for, you know, showing me around and stuff."

Four shakes his head. "Why would I deny myself time with a pretty girl?"

I grin at him. "Thanks."

* * *

"Eaton! Montenegro!" the coach shouts. "Warm up. Eaton, you're catching."

Four pulls on a mask and goes to catch with Zeke. I walk over to the coach, keeping an eye on Four.

"Hi, sir. My name is Tris Prior. I'm the new trainer," I say, extending a hand. The coach shakes it. "Four doesn't have any gear out there and yesterday he came to me with a bunch of bruised ribs from catching without gear. Don't you have any he can use? If Four breaks a rib, he won't be playing until it heals. Completely."

The coach growls slightly. "Fine. Go look in the gear shed." He jerks his head toward it. "Eaton, go get some gear with the girl."

Four stands, obviously slightly embarrassed, and follows me to the gear shed. "Why did you do that?"

"So you don't get seriously injured," I reply. "You should be thanking me."

He scoffs slightly. "But - yeah, you're right. How'd you get the coach to let me use this gear? When I told him my gear was missing, he told me I had to pay for replacement gear. I did, but its not here yet."

I grin. "I made sure he understood that if you broke a rib from catching without gear, you'd be out for a while."

Four nods at me. "Blackmail. I like it. So, Tr-"

Just then, my phone rings. I see my Dad's number pop up and say to Four, "Sorry, but this is my dad and I really need to take it. Do you mind?" Four shakes his head, so I pick up. "Hey, Dad. How are you guys? How are Caleb and AJ?"

"Caleb is good. AJ, however, is in trouble," Dad replies. "And he is going to tell you what he did."

I hear the sound of the phone being handed to someone else, and then the sound of a kid breathing into a phone.

"Hi, AJ. What did you do?" I ask wearily. That boy will be death of my family.

"I kinda accidentally hit a baseball into Mr. Parker's window," he tells me.

"Why is Dad making you tell me that?"

"Because then when Mr. Parker came over to ask if it was me, I lied," he mumbles, sounding guilty.

"Have you been punished?"

"Yes. Papa took away my T.V. privileges for a week," AJ says.

I sigh. "AJ, bud, you promised me you would be good. Remember?"

"I know. I'm sorry. Papa is taking me to apologize tomorrow and give my allowance to him," AJ adds.

"I have to go, bud, but I love you and I'll see you soon. Can I talk to Dad?"

"Beatrice -"

I take a deep breath and cut him off. "Dad, I'm sorry -"

"It wasn't your fault, Bea. You weren't here. How do you like Florida?" Dad asks, amusement in his voice.

"It's great, Dad. But -" I lower my voice slightly "- but Peter's here, Dad. On the Yankees. I knew he played baseball, but I didn't know he was here."

"Are you okay, Bea? You can quit, come live back with us. I'm sure the Tigers will take you back," Dad offers, a worried tone to his voice.

"No." I shake my head. "Hasn't he affected me enough, Dad? This is my big break - the Yankees have always been my dream."

Dad sighs. "I know. I just want my baby girl to be safe."

"I will be, Dad," I assure him. "Give Caleb and Mom and AJ hugs, okay?"

"Of course. I love you, Bea."

"I love you, too, Dad," I reply. "Bye." I hang up and turn to see Four standing behind me. "Were you -"

"No. I came over to ask you to help me with the gear and I heard you talking," Four explains.

I sigh. "So you were. How much did you hear?"

"Who are Caleb and AJ?"

"Why?" I ask, scowling.

"Just curious." Four picks at a fingernail.

"Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong," I growl.

He holds his hands up defensively. "Sorry, okay?"

I shake my head, brushing him off. "Why do you need help with the gear? Aren't you a catcher?"

"Yeah, but my ribs," Four reminds me, his midnight blue eyes flashing - in anger, annoyance, or hurt, I'm not sure.

"Right. Sorry," I mutter.

He nods, and I help him into the gear.

* * *

"Stop," I call to one of the pitchers. He obeys, looking at me, confused. "If you keep throwing like that, you'll tear a ligament in your elbow," I explain, readjusting his arm. "Not to mention you'll have more power this way."

He nods and tries it. "Thanks. Trish, right?"

"Tris, actually," I correct, walking away.

* * *

I stand next to Four and watch him catch the balls Zeke throws. His positioning and return throws are excellent - except for the fact that he's leaning a bit too much on his left leg. So I stride closer to him, motion for Zeke not to throw, and nudge him very carefully in the perfect direction to knock him over. I know you're supposed to be easy enough to push over, but Four's positioning was off.

He grumbles at me but fixes his mistake. "Thanks."

I nod, clap him on the shoulder, and move on to the next player.

* * *

At the end of the day, the coach approaches me. "Tris, I wanted to thank you for your help with the player," he tells me.

I laugh. "Thanks, sir, but I was just lessening my workload when the other players get here. Speaking of which, I need to go see if they need help."

He shakes my hand, and I jog inside. I walk to my office, and Four and Peter are there. Four has a rather hostile - and plenty scary - look in his face. Peter looks kind of cowed, and I find myself smiling.

"What did I miss?" I ask, grinning at Four.

Four shakes his head. "Not much, right, Peter?"

Peter sneers as lunges toward me. I snap back, fear coming across my face just slightly. "No, not much. I've still got it, though, right, Bea?"

"Stay away from me, you fucker," I hiss. "You're a terrible coward, and the sight of you _sickens_ me."

Peter lifts his arm to hit me, and Four catches it before he can. "Don't touch her, Peter. And don't forget our little talk."

Peter balks. Four tightens his grip, and Peter grumbles out a "yes."

Peter leaves, and I unlock my office, collapsing in my chair. Then I remember Four, who's currently sitting on my table, wearing an accusatory look.

"What?" I snap. "Sorry."

"Did you and Peter have a bad breakup or something?" he asks.

"You could say that," I lie, turning around and grabbing Four's file so I can hide my face.

"He hurt you."

"Four, if you aren't hurt, please leave." I grit my teeth.

"Fine," he huffs.


	2. Chapter 2

**_I don't own _Divergent.**

**Hey, everyone. Thanks for the 40+ followers already! Here's the next chapter - I hope you like it. Feel free to guess about AJ!**

_"Four, if you aren't hurt, please leave." I grit my teeth._

_"Fine," he huffs._ Then he turns on his heel. "I forgot I _am_ hurt. Can I have another ice bath, please? My ribs are killing me."

I gently push him onto the table and pull his shirt off. I feel his ribs again. By the time I'm done, he's very pale. I'm not sure if it's with pain or because he got turned on. "Nothing is broken, Four. I can give you another ice bath, but the bruises will just need to fade."

* * *

He hisses as I help him into the bath. Then I go back to my computer and some more files silently.

"Look, Tris -"

"Don't, Four," I snap. "Just leave me alone; go away."

"Tris!" Four says sharply. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry. It's just - I've been talking to you a bunch, and you haven't said anything."

I let out an exasperated sigh and spin around. "Look, Four, if I wanted to talk, I would."

Four grunts in annoyance.

* * *

"Tris!" Christina yells through my door. "Git your butt up!"

"But we have a day off!" I yell back.

"Tris!" Four adds.

"Why are you outside my room?"

It's been a week and a half since I arrived here. Four has been around me...constantly. I think he's trying to keep Peter away from me by staying with me..._constantly_. He hasn't been nice, persay, but he's been funny. I kind of like it. Apparently, he doesn't really hang around with people like he does me. I think it's just because he thinks of me like a kid sister he as to protect.

"Why does it matter? Get up!" he orders.

I don't know if I like him thinking of me as a sister.

"Get up or we're busting in there," Christina threatens.

I hurry to pull a shirt and a pair of basketball shorts on. I slept in my underwear.

I open the door, bleary eyed. "Happy?"

Four pushes his way in. "Damn, Tris. Your room is clean," he comments, grinning at me.

"Get out, Four," I order.

He shakes his head. "Shower and get changed and meet me for breakfast in ten minutes."

"Excuse you, she needs twenty," Christina interjects.

"I'll take fifteen. Thanks, guys. Now leave?" I order, chuckling.

* * *

"Dad?" I say. "What's up?" I'm on my way to breakfast.

"AJ wanted to talk to you," Dad explains. "But first, I wanted to tell you how nice he was to Mr. Parker - he gave him all of his saved-up allowance and apologized. Mr. Parker wasn't too bad about it, either. He told AJ he didn't have to give up his allowance - just said that he should be honest in the future." Dad pauses. "You should be proud of him."

"Thanks, Dad. How is he doing?"

"Pretty good. His preschool teacher's been happy with him - no more fights with that one kid that kept trying to bully his friend," Dad says. "Wait - he's tugging on my arm to talk to you." In the background, I hear Dad tell him, "Be patient, AJ. Patient. You can talk to her in a second, I promise."

I chuckle. "How are you and Mom? Has she done any new service recently? How's your job? How does Caleb like Microsoft?"

"Good, good, everyone's good," he evades.

"C'mon, Dad, what's going on?"

"Caleb went on a date," he offers.

"Let me guess," I drawl. "He went on a date to, say, a coffee shop with Susan."

"Yup," Dad confirms. "And your mother is actually at the homeless shelter right now."

"Sounds good." I hear the sound of AJ in the background. "Maybe I should talk to AJ now. I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, Bea Wee."

"Hey, AJ," I say gently into the phone.

"Hi."

"You were excited just a second ago to talk to me," I tease. "Do you not want to? 'Cause I can -"

"No! I wanna talk to you, I promise," he assures me.

"Are you playing in the peewee league?" I ask.

"You know I am. You signed me up." I can hear the annoyance in his voice.

"I know, bud. I was just asking. Do you like it?"

"Yes!" he exclaims. "A lot. My coach is really nice, too."

"That sounds fun. Guess what I'm doing?" I shift the phone to my other ear as I step off the elevator.

"Helping people train for baseball."

"Yes, sort of. I help them when they get hurt, remember?"

"Yes."

"Guess who I'm with," I tell him, waving to Four.

"Uhh…Mariano Rivera?" he asks hopefully.

I chuckle. "No, but I've talked with him a few times. Four Eaton."

"Four?" AJ says reverently.

"Yup. Maybe, if you're good, you can meet him," I offer.

"Please please please please please," he begs. "I'll be good and do my homework and not break Mr. Parker's windows and not lie and go to bed and -"

"I have to talk to Four," I cut in. "I'll think about it."

AJ shifts the phone, pausing for a second. "Papa says I have to go to school," he tells me.

"Have a good day, sweetie," I say, making a kiss sound.

"Bye. I love you."

"I love you, too." I plop down next to Four with a plate full of eggs, pancakes, fruit, and syrup. I have a glass of OJ, too.

"Who was that?"

"AJ."

Four hasn't pressured me about my family since my second day. I haven't asked him about his. "Oh. Um, that's nice."

"Caleb is my brother," I offer wearily.

"There's progress," he mumbles. "My father is Marcus Eaton."

"Marcus Eaton…the stock guy?" I ask.

"Yes."

"Oh. Caleb works at Microsoft, just like my dad. They're both system managers. Insanely smart. My mom volunteers." I shift awkwardly.

"My mom was Evelyn Johnson-Eaton. She disappeared when I was nine." Four takes a big bite of his eggs to prevent further talking.

"Oh." I take a bite and swallow. "So what are we doing today?"

"Zeke is putting together a scrimmage baseball game, with some of the pitchers and catchers, you and the girls, of course, the manager, and some others. It should be fun." Four smiles hesitantly at me. "Do you have any gear?"

"Of course," I say quietly. "I played softball from when I was three until I was nineteen."

Four shrugs. "Can you throw it on and meet me at the fields? Zeke doesn't want to start it for another hour, but I figured - hoped - you and I could warm up a little, maybe?"

I nod. "Sure. I'll be down soon." I run up to my room, leaving Four down there.

I open the bag of my old softball stuff and lay my jersey out on my lap. It's then that I start to cry. I didn't think the jersey would affect me like this. Stupid hormones.

I take deep breaths and get it back together. I put the jersey aside carefully, pull on long black basketball shorts, a big black tee shirt, my Yankees cap, and my cleats, with my "6" socks from my softball days. Finally, I grab my glove, bat, and a water bottle and jog out of my room.

* * *

"Hey, Tris." When Four really sees me, he frowns. "Are you okay? Why were you crying?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm okay," I tell him. "Are we gonna warm up or what?" I growl, setting the bat and water bottle down on the bench.

Four shrugs. "Sure." He looks down. "Damn, Tris. You have nice cleats. Ooh, and you were number six. That's funny, 'cause I'm number four and all…"

"Yeah. I got that." I jog onto the field, grab a ball off the pitcher's mound, and hurl it at Four.

He catches it just in time and then yanks the glove off his hand, shaking it out. "Damn, woman - you got an arm on you."

"Yeah, I do," I say fiercely. "Anyway, I'm going to jog out to the outfield, and you're gonna stand at home. I wanna see if you can make the throw." I jog off without waiting for his response.

Four winds up and throws to me. I catch it.

"SO DID I PASS YOUR TEST?"

"YES! YOUR ARM IS AMAZING!" I yell back. Then I jog in. "So what do you want to do?"

"Could you maybe help me with fielding?" Four asks. "Hit balls I have to field while I'm on the mound?"

"Sure. Do you guys have a basket of balls?"

Four goes and gets it while I grab my bat. He hands it to me and stands out at the pitching mound.

I grin and smack one at him. Hard. Four lunges at it and catches it, rolling it back to me. I hit one aimed at about two feet above his head. He jumps and just barely tips it.

"SLOPPY, EATON!" I scream, grinning. Then I continue to hit them at that spot until he catches them most of the time.

* * *

"Tris! Four!" Zeke calls. "How long have you two been at this?"

I shrug. Four looks a little exhausted. "An hour and a half?" he guesses.

Zeke shrugs. "Are you two ready to play?"

I nod and scan the people behind Zeke. As predicted, some of the team, the girls, the manager, and a few people I don't know stand behind him.

"Max," Zeke says, gesturing to the manager, "take your pick."

"Peter." Peter joins Max.

"Four," Zeke decides.

"Al."

Four whispers into Zeke's ear. Zeke frowns and glances at me. Then he shrugs. "Tris."

I walk over and stand next to Four. Fourth pick - not bad for me.

* * *

In the end, we have a few pitchers, other staff, and catchers I don't know, Christina, Marlene, Four, Zeke, and myself. Zeke grabs a bat and steps up the the plate. He bats lefty.

Four plops down next to me. "What position did you play?"

"Shortstop, pitcher, catcher or first. Mostly shortstop and pitcher, though."

"Did you pitch overhand or underhand?" Four turn slightly on the bench to look at me.

"Depended on the team and the league," I shoot back. I turn so I can look at him a little closer, too - his deep blue eyes and perfect face...

"Lefty or righty?" He snaps me out of my reverie. Like he would ever go for me anyway.

"Switch for both." I turn back around. "Looks like Marlene's up."

Four turn back to the game as well.

* * *

Four grabs my arm before I leave the dugout to bat. "Peter will aim for the lower right hand corner of the plate."

"Thanks." Then I tug away and walk to the plate.

Peter growls when he sees me. He's going to try something.

The first "pitch" he throws would have hit me if I hadn't moved. Same with the second and the third. I don't want a walk, so I turn to face him, standing over the plate.

"What the hell, Peter?" I shout. "Just throw a goddamn strike."

"You want me to throw a strike?" he calls back. I nod, and he throws the ball. I feel it hit me in the stomach, and then I fall over.

Four jogs out of the dugout and helps me up. I groan. Shit. What did he do to my stomach?

Four starts leading me toward the dugout, but I pull away and walk toward Peter. I slap him across the face and kick him in the balls so he falls down. Then I proceed to sit on him and rain blows on his face.

"I hate you," I repeat, like a mantra, with every blow. Then I feel someone lifting me off of him. I can tell it's Four, but I don't fight him. Instead I sigh and look at my hands - covered in red blood and dirt. Then in look at Peter, who's barely conscious.

"Are you okay, Tris?" Four asks softly.

"I'm actually better now," I say level lay, surprising myself.

"That's -"

Max enters the dugout. "What was that, Tris? You injured one of my best players! And all because he hit you with a ball."

"No," I correct, walking toward Max and lowering my voice. "No. This had nothing to do with that. I knew Peter before I came here. He is and was an awful, terrible, cowardly...he's not even human!" I spit. "This was because of something he did to me. The debt is finally repaid. I won't have problems with him again, sir."

"Good, because I need you to treat him." Max turns to the rest of the field. "The game is done!"

Everyone hurries to leave. I grab Four's and my stuff, and he carries a half-conscious Peter.

* * *

"So can I ask what happened between you and Peter?" Four asks, leaning against another table as I work on Peter.

"No."

I set his broken nose and tape it up, wipe the blood from his face, and hand him an ice pack. The only area I hit was his face, so I should be done.

"Go now, Peter," I growl. He stumbles away. I then being to treat my own hands - I split my knuckles and my hands are covered in bruises.

Four comes over and take the cloth from my hands. "I'll do it," he grunts.

I stare at him. "How do you know how to treat split knuckles?"

He gives me an incredulous look. "I know you've read my file and put two and two together. I started fighting back when I was sixteen. I used to split my knuckles all the time."

"How did you know I knew?"

"I saw my file open on your desk and the underlining you did," Four explains, gently dabbing at one of the knuckles. I hiss - I can feel the isopropyl alcohol.

"Oh. Sorry. I just didn't want to make you tell me - I don't like it when people pressure me." I am red.

"No, it's fine. Most people don't know. I guess if you're smart enough to figure it out, you deserve to know," he answers.

"And I could kind of, um, feel some scars on your back when I was checking for broken ribs," I mutter.

Four laughs. "Of course you did." He takes his hands away from mine to grab the ointment for my hands, and my hands immediately feel cold.

"Well, hey. You can't see them," I defend.

He shrugs. "I dunno." His face twists into a scowl, and he looks away. "They're ugly as hell, and I hate them. That's why I got the tattoo - to cover them up."

"Hey," I say sternly, turning Four's head to face me so I can look at his eyes, "they aren't as bad as you think they are. Trust me. I don't think they're ugly."

"Thanks, Tris." Four grabs some butterfly stitches and tape my knuckles back together, adding bandaids over those as the final touch. "I'm done."

"Thanks, Four. It's a lot easier to do to someone instead of to yourself," I comment.

He nods. "Don't I know."

I don't let go of his hand just yet, and he doesn't pull away. I just hope he doesn't notice I'm holding onto him. "Does Zeke know?" I ask softly. "Uriah? Their mom? Anyone?"

Four shakes his head, and then nods. "My old coach. Amar."

"Then I feel honored," I announce quietly, a smile working its way onto my face.

"You don't look at me like a kicked puppy. I - thank you. Amar did, and I hated it." Four looks down.

"I might consider looking at you like a kicked puppy…if you were one." I wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly. "But you're not. You're an amazing man, Four - successful, happy, honest, and morally sound. Marcus should reaize how great you are."

"Thank you," he whispers. "But I don't see Marcus much anymore."

I chuckle. "I wonder why."

Four wraps his arms around me as well. Then he releases me and leans casually against the table. "So, Tris. Why don't we play 'I ask you a question and you ask me a question'?"

"Sounds okay." I hop up on the table and look over at Four.

"How old are you?"

"I am twenty three. I'll be twenty four in July," I answer. "What's your real name?"

"I refuse to answer that." Four crosses his arms.

I shrug. "Okay. Then I won't answer any more questions, either."

Four scowls. "My middle name is Jeremiah."

"Really?" I ask, suddenly alert. "So is AJ's. Well, his real name is Andrew Jeremiah, but everyone just calls him AJ."

"What's your name?" Four asks me.

"Beatrice Grace Prior," I respond. "Can I call you FJ?" I tease.

He gives me an incredulous look. "Hell no. Anyway, will you tell me who AJ is? Is he your little brother?"

Suddenly I feel sick. Like throw-up sick. I run over to the trash can and puke my guts up.

"Tris?" Four asks, concerned. "Tris?"

"Ugh," I moan. "I think it's from the pitch to the stomach." I sit on the floor, lift my shirt, and wince at the sight of the big, purple bruise. Then I begin pressing lightly to check for displaced organs. Shit, that hurts. Fortunately, nothing seems to be displaces, just bruised.

Four kneels next to me, looking at the bruise. "Are you okay?" Then he takes a closer look at my stomach. My scar. Shit. "Tris…why do you have a scar running across your stomach?"

I stand up and pulls my shirt down. "Nothing. It's nothing. I'm fine, Four."

Four strides closer to me and pulls my shirt up again. "No, it's not. What is it?"

"It's nothing, Four! Just go." I'm near to tears now.

"No," he hisses. "I let you in, Tris. Just let me in."

"I can't, Four." I'm trembling now.

Four sighs and pulls me into a tight hug. I press my face into his shirt and allow him to hold me. He hushes me, though I'm not crying…I think.

"I'm sorry, Tris."

* * *

Four knocks on my door. It's been a week since the Peter incident. The only time Four has let me be alone is when I'm asleep.

I open it.

"How long have you been up?"

"About a half hour." I yawn.

"Ready for breakfast?"

* * *

"What's your favorite color?" I ask suddenly, right when Four's taking a bite of bacon.

"Why?"

"I realized I know a ton of, like, deep stuff about you, but nothing little. Superficial," I explain.

"Oh. It's gray. You?"

"Blue."

"Favortie food?" Four asks.

"Spaghetti." I grin.

"Chocolate chip cookies."

"When's your birthday?" I hope he'll tell me.

"March fifteenth," he answers.

"Hey, that's soon. In a few weeks," I say, surprised.

"Yeah, I guess. When's yours?" Four evades.

"July eighth. Are you doing anything special?"

"Nah." He looks at his watch. "We should go."


	3. Chapter 3

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey, everyone. You guys should be really happy...this chapter is really long. I promise there will be more baseball talk soon. Oh and I think I'll update ADD tomorrow. Thanks for reading!**

_"July eighth. Are you doing anything special?"_

_"Nah." He looks at his watch. "We should go."_

* * *

Peter's nose looks less purple and swollen now, though I guess it's permanently crooked. Not that I'm complaining. It might warn girls away from him.

Peter and I glare at each other for a few seconds. Four is standing at my side awkwardly.

"You better go practice."

* * *

"Hey, Tris," Four says. I can hear his ragged breath - he must have just come in from practice. "Will you go to dinner with me?"

"Sure. Where?" I get off of my bed.

"Well, there's this really good Italian place about ten minutes from here. You up for it?" I hear his door close.

"Sounds good. Outside my room in twenty minutes?"

I hear the phone being put on speaker. That means he's pulling his sweaty workout clothes off to shower. "Yup. Bye, Tris."

"Bye, Four." I hang up and look in my closet, trying to decide what to wear.

* * *

"You look…you look great, Tris," Four says.

"Thanks," I reply, looking down. I decided upon a dark blue knee-length dress with a gray sweater and black and white converse. I put a little makeup on, too. "You don't look half bad yourself." He's wearing dark jeans, a light blue button-down, and converse.

"Thanks."

* * *

"This is good," I say, taking another bite of pasta bolognese.

"Mhm. I know the owner, actually. That's why she gave us this nice private booth." Four takes a bite. "Otherwise I get kind of swarmed."

I nod. "Makes sense, what with you being a baseball star and all."

"Yeah. Tris, I -"

My phone rings. I look down at it, and it's my dad. "Four, it's my dad. I'm sorry." I pick it up. "Dad?" I whisper. "This was a bad time. I'm at a nice restaurant with Four."

"Beatrice, I'm sorry." Dad sounds panicked. "I need you to have AJ with you. We just got off the plane - we're in Florida. I need you to come pick us up at the airport."

"Dad, we aren't anywhere near the airport!"

"Beatrice, it's important. I'll explain when you get here." Dad still sounds panicked. "AJ," I hear, "hold your suitcase for a second."

"Dad, what's going on? Are you guys okay? And I don't have a car!"

"Just come." Then he hangs up.

I look at Four. "Look, Four, I'm really sorry. Can you, maybe, drive me to the airport? I know it's not anywhere near, but -"

"I'll do it," Four interrupts. "C'mon, let's go. Your dad sounded frantic."

He throws sixty dollars on the table and pulls me out of the restaurant.

* * *

My dad and AJ are waiting, my dad's face tense. AJ is sitting on a suitcase. I jump out of the car and scoop AJ up in my arms. "I missed you, bud," I whisper.

He hugs me, balanced on my hip. "I missed you, too, Mommy."

I kiss his little blonde head. Fortunately, he looks nothing like his dad - he looks like a little me. He's small, too, and lean. "I love you, AJ."

Four walks over, and AJ sees him. "FOUR?" he says in awe. "Four Eaton?"

Four grins at him. "AJ? AJ Prior?"

"How do you know my name?" AJ asks suspiciously. "My mommy says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," he adds.

Four grins and looks at me. "Is Beatrice your mom?"

I mentally facepalm as AJ says, "Yeah. Why?"

"Well, your mom is my friend." Four steps closer. "How old are you, kid?"

"Four." AJ cuddles closer to me. I can tell he's kind of tired.

"Are -"

"Hey, Four," I say, tone light but commanding, "why don't you go sit with AJ in the car? AJ can tell you about his peewee league."

Four shrugs and holds his arms out for AJ, who wraps his arms around me tightly. "Mommy, I wanna stay with you."

Four helps me gently pry him off. "I know, but, but I need to talk to Papa. Remember how you said you wanted to meet Four? Well, now you get to."

AJ sighs and allows Four to hold him. I walk over to my dad, who has put both of the suitcases into the trunk.

"Dad, what's going on?" I ask. "I need to know."

Dad opens his mouth and then closes it again. "I'm really sorry, Bea. I can't tell you yet. I swear to God, though, when I can, I will. When this is all over."

I sigh and hug him, knowing he won't tell me more. "I love you, Dad. Whatever this is, be careful. Promise?"

"I love you, too, Bea. I promise. I promise." Dad hugs me tightly and then looks at his watch. "My flight leaves in fifteen minutes. I have to go. I love you, Bea!"

I hug him one more time and watch him go. Then I get in the front seat of the car. Four is in the driver's seat, turning around to talk to AJ, who's nearly dozing off.

"AJ, are you buckled?" I ask. He should be in a car- oh. Wait. Four must've put him in the carseat Dad brought.

"Yup. Four buckled me," he mumbles, falling asleep.

I hold a finger to my lips, looking at Four, grab my phone out of my pocket, and put the sound machine app on. I set the phone on "do not disturb" and put it on the seat next to AJ, who's asleep.

Four isn't looking at me, just concentrating on the road ahead of him.

"I'm guessing you want an explanation," I say, my tone defeated.

"That would be nice."

"AJ is my kid. Peter - Peter -"

"Peter got you pregnant and left you?"

I shake my head. "Peter raped me. Then I found out I was pregnant…and I couldn't bear to give it up. My parents supported me, even suggested I give him up for adoption. But then…when I saw him in the hospital…I just couldn't. He was - is - a beautiful byproduct of terrible violence. So I kept him. My parents let me live with them - they understood - and I finished college - a combination of online credits and classes at the university I'd been at. Then I started working for a high school as an ATC. I spent the most time with the baseball and softball teams. I would sometimes bring AJ to work with me. Everyone understood. Then I applied for a job with the Yankees…and you know the rest."

Four bites his lip. "I'm guessing you don't want to be looked at like a kicked puppy."

I chuckles slightly. "No, I don't. But I also don't want to be looked at like I'm…dirty. Impure."

Four scoffs. "Like anyone would do that. It's not your fault he raped you." He glances at me. "Do you get child support?"

I shake my head. "I haven't tried. Why?"

"Because he technically has to pay it. I'll hire you a lawyer," Four offers.

"How do we prove he's Peter's?"

"DNA. We'll get samples from you, Peter, and AJ. We don't even have to mention the rape part, if you'd like," Four explains.

"How do you plan on getting Peter's DNA?"

"Leave that to me."

I hesitate. "Four, why are you doing all of this? You've only known me for like two weeks and -"

"I'm doing it for a lot of reasons," Four interrupts, "some of which you will never know. But one of them is because it's what's right. The bastard raped you and got you pregnant, and he isn't even paying you child support?"

I lean over and wrap my arms around him. "Thank you, Four. You're a great friend."

He smiles down at me for a second. "You're welcome, Tris."

* * *

"Look, Max, I'm sorry -"

"We can't have the kid at practice." Max points at AJ. "He has to go somewhere else."

"It's just for today! I'm going to figure out somewhere for him to go tomorrow, I promise," I say hurriedly. "I can put a helmet on him or whatever. He has one."

"Why is he even here?"

"My parents were taking care of him," I say slowly. "Then they couldn't. So last night, my dad flew him out here. I only found out he was here last night at about eight. You can ask Four; he drove me to pick AJ up."

Max sighs. "Just for today. And he had better stay out of the way. Whose kid is he, anyway?"

Just then, Four comes over to me, looking surprisingly happy. He hands me a bloody rag in plastic bag. "I got Peter's DNA," he announces. Then he sees Max. "Oops."

"Peter is the dad?"

"Um. Yeah. We -"

"He raped her when she was eighteen," Four supplies. I punch him in the side.

"Oh. If you're saying that officially, I have to kick him off the team, but I'll let you decide. Does he go?" Max offers.

I shake my head. "The more money he earns, the more child support he'll have to pay me. He stays. Speaking of which, Four, where is he and how did you get the blood?"

Four puts an angelic look on his face. "He fell down the stairs and broke his nose again. I just helped him mop it up."

Max shakes his head. "I didn't hear that. So is he coming, Four?"

Four nods. "He's about two minutes behind me." Then Four squats down and begins to chat with AJ.

"So that's why you hate him so much," Max muses. "I would've thought you'd be more afraid of him."

"I would be, but I learned to fight and now I can take him."

Peter stumbles onto the field, looking a little dazed. I scoop AJ up from Four and start walking over to him. Four scrambles to follow me.

"Tris," Peter sneers. "Got yourself pregnant?"

I growl at him. "No, you son of a - no. Andrew Jeremiah here is your s-o-n. He will never know, but I thought you ought to. And soon you will be paying me c-h-i-l-d s-u-p-p-o-r-t for him. And I will repeat myself: AJ will never know he is your s-o-n. I don't want him know his f-a-t-h-e-r is such an awful person. You are a d-i-c-k, and I hate you."

Peter's eyes widen. "What?"

"Yeah," I say fiercely. "And we're going to the doctor soon to have it verified that he is your s-o-n."

"Bitch," Peter says. "Why didn't you do it sooner?"

"Because I didn't know where you were." Then I walk back to the dugout, where I stand next to Max, AJ still on my hip.

"Who was that, Mommy?"

"Someone mean," I reply, kissing his head. "You don't need to worry about him. So did you and Four have fun this morning?"

"Uh-huh. He said he would play catch with me. At the park," AJ says excitedly. "And he said I can meet Mariano Rivera and Zeke Montenegro!"

I chuckle. "Maybe you can, bud."

I see Zeke saying something to Four, gesturing at me once or twice. Four gives him the scariest death glare I've seen in a long time and says something back.

* * *

AJ has fallen asleep on my shoulder, despite my moving around and the sounds on the practice. I'm currently walking around, giving tips. I walk over to Zeke and shift AJ from one arm to the other so I can grab Zeke's arm.

"Stop, Zeke," I order. "Your neck and back are tensing too much right now. Why are you so tense?"

"I'm angry," he admits, glancing at Peter.

"Zeke, that is my business and my business alone," I tell him firmly. "He's already been beat up twice, and Four is helping me take some legal action. The best thing you can do is just ignore him. Apparently AJ and Four are going to the park. Maybe you can come and bring Will and Uri. I don't know. Just leave Peter be."

Zeke relaxes. "Okay. I'll see if I can convince Mariano to say hi to him, too."

I clap him on the back and continue to walk around, giving tips. When I get to Four, who's pitching today, I nod.

"Looking good, Four." I touch his shoulder and let my hand linger there for just a second before walking away.

* * *

"I wanna go to the park," AJ whines.

"If you don't stop whining, you won't be going anywhere," I warn.

AJ sighs and goes back to his coloring book. I pull a sweatshirt on and grab some clothes for AJ to change into: his favorite navy blue basketball shorts and a white Yankees tee shirt with "4" and "Eaton" written on the back, and "Yankees" on the front. I hand him the clothes, and he changes.

"Four!" AJ squeals, obviously delighted that he's here.

"Hey, kid." Four steps into my room, followed by Zeke and Mariano Rivera. Rivera squats down.

"Hi," he says.

AJ's eyes are like saucers. "Mariano Rivera _and_ Four _and_ Zeke Montenegro."

All three chuckle. Rivera shakes AJ's hand. "Do you have your cap? I'll sign it."

AJ practically runs to his backpack. He rummages through it and pulls out his peewee league hat. I smile as all three of the men standing there sign it. Four also signs AJ's shirt.

Mariano Rivera claps AJ on the back and leaves, while Four picks AJ up and puts him on his shoulders.

"If you hurt my kid, I'll kill you!" I shout to Four, who's currently running through the halls with AJ on his shoulders. "So who all is coming?" I ask Zeke, who's walking beside me.

"The gang - Chris, Will, you, Four, me, Uri, Mar, Lynn, and Shauna," Zeke answers.

"Sounds good." I see Four letting AJ climb up on him and do flips. "Four Eaton, put my son down, now."

Four sighs. "Fine." Then he puts AJ back on his shoulders and continues to walk.h

* * *

"What does the park look like?" AJ asks...again.

"Four already answered that question, Andrew," I say, a warning tone to my voice.

"Uh oh," he says in a small, cute voice. "You're mad at me. You only call me Andrew when you're mad."

* * *

"We're here!" Four announces.

I help AJ out and we look around. It's a playground with a baseball field next to it. AJ loves it, though. He grins at Four and then runs onto the field. There are a few other kids on the field. I grab our mitts and follow him. Four follows me, and Zeke and the others slowly come, too.

"- can't play," a boy, probably eight, says. "You're too little, kid."

"But -" AJ protests.

Four steps forward. "It's okay, AJ. You and me and Zeke can go play in the outfield. I'm sure these kids don't mind if we use a little of their outfield."

The kid looks up. "Wh- Four? Four Eaton? From the Yankees? How does he know you?"

Four nods at the boy, and then puts AJ on his shoulders and walks away. We all follow, everyone on the field staring at the three Yankees going to play ball with a kid.

"Thanks for playing with AJ," I say to Four as Uriah and Zeke play with him. Four and I are sitting on a bench, watching.

Al jogs up to us. "Hey, Tris."

"Hi." I don't take my eyes off AJ.

"That your kid?"

"Yes." I hear Four snort very slightly beside me.

"He's cute." Al sits next to me. I move closer to Four.

"Thank you." I glance at him quickly and give him a tight smile.

"Do you wanna go out with me?" Al asks, all in one breath.

I look over at him, surprised. I feel Four tense beside me. "Um. Sorry, Al, but I don't really think of you that way."

"Sure you don't. You had your hands all over me four days ago." He's referring to when I checked his ribs for a break.

"Um, no," I say, confused. "I was checking your ribs for a break, because you told me you thought you had one."

"Yes, you did."

"No, man, she didn't," Four growls. "I was there. Leave her be. Go."

Al leaves. I lean on Four slightly. "Thanks, Four."

He shakes his head. "It's totally fine."

* * *

"Look, doctor," I say quietly, "please don't mention what this is for. He doesn't need to know who his dad is or how awful he is just yet."

We look over at AJ, who's sitting on the table, swinging his legs and looking at us. The doctor sighs. "Fine."

"Thank you." I sit nex to AJ. "The doctor's going to prick your arm a little and take a little of your blood, okay? Then he's going to do mine."

"Can he do yours first?" AJ requests.

"Sure I can, kid," the doctor says. He switches out the vials and takes my blood. I don't even flinch, just look at AJ. The doctor puts a little gauze and a piece of medial tape on my arm.

AJ screws his eyes shut as the doctor takes his blood. The doctor puts a smiley face over his needle mark.

"Thank you," I murmur.

"You're welcome. The results should be ready in about thirty minutes," the doctor tells me.

We return to the waiting room, where AJ immediately climbs into Four's lap. He's gotten much more comfortable with Four since he first met him a week and a half ago.

I laugh and pull AJ onto my own lap. AJ hugs me. "I love you, Mommy."

* * *

"Beatrice Prior?" the receptionist calls. I stand, balancing AJ on my hip. Four follows us back, a hand casually pressed to my lower back.

AJ now sits in my lap in the office while Four leans against the wall. We agreed that once the doctor got here, Four would take AJ away so I could talk with the doctor.

"This just proves what I already knew," I say. "I knew Peter was the father. And you can match the DNA sample from Peter to the one from his stay in jail for a DUI?"

The doctor nods. "You're good to go, Beatrice. This is enough proof to convince a judge to issue a court order for child support."

I shake his hand and take the file. "Thank you."

* * *

"What did he say?" Four asks me. We're driving back to the hotel.

"We just need this as proof," I reply, holding the file up.

Four takes it from me. "Why don't I hold this?"

"Thanks." I lean my head on his shoulder, and he glances down at me quickly.

* * *

"Come on, AJ," I order, pulling him along by his arm.

"Stiff!" I hear from behind me.

I spin, putting myself between Peter and AJ. Only...Al is there, too. "What do you guys want?"

"Just to talk," Peter replies, cracking his knuckles. I pick AJ up, run the remaining feet to my room, toss him inside, and start to push the door shut. Al and Peter are trying to open it.

"AJ, baby, get my phone and call Four," I order. He does while I do my best to keep them out. "Tell him I need him."

"He's coming," AJ tells me.

I hear approaching footsteps and then a weight is pulled off the door. I wait a few seconds and open it cautiously. Four has a foot on Peter's throat and is holding Al up by the throat.

Four drops Al and hugs me. "Are you and AJ okay?"

"Yeah. I got us in the room and all, but I couldn't get the door closed, so I had AJ call you." I take a deep breath and hug Four tighter. "Thank you."

Four kicks each of their sides, hard. "Don't ever come near her again." Then he leads me back into my room, where he picks AJ up and hugs him, too.

I look at my phone. It's nearly eight. "Time for bed, AJ," I announce. "Get your PJs on and brush your teeth, okay?"

He sighs but obeys. "Will you tuck me in, Four?" he asks hopefully through a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Go spit and I will."

AJ runs off to the bathroom. Four stays sitting next to me on the couch.

"Thanks for coming, Four," I say quietly. I lean into him slightly.

"No problem, Tris. I wouldn't want you or AJ to get hurt," he murmurs. His arm slides around me just a little.

"Four?" AJ says.

Four stands and leads AJ away. I wait for him to return and, when he does, curl back into his side.

"Thanks. Do you want to watch a movie?"

"Why don't we just sit and talk?" Four suggests.

I smile. "Sounds good."

* * *

I wake up in my bed. I don't remember coming in here. I get up and stumble out. Four is sitting with AJ, talking about baseball. Of course.

"Hey, boys," I say, rubbing my eyes. "Why are you still here, Four?"

"Do you want me to -"

"No, it's fine. Just - how did I get into my room last night?" I cut him off.

"Oh. Well, you fell asleep next to me, so I carried you to your room," Four explains, rubbing the back of his neck.

I sit next to him, resting my hand on his warm shoulder. "Thank you, Four. Do you have practice today?"

"No. The rest of the team is getting here today. I was thinking we could go get you introduced to them?" Four suggests.

I haven't moved my hand yet. "That sounds good. When do they get here?"

"Today, anytime. I was thinking we could grab some breakfast, do some practice - I told AJ I would help him with pitching for a little while - and then go say hi." Four smiles at AJ.

I kiss the top of AJ's head. "Sounds good, Four. Do you mind watching him for a few hours? I have some work I need to do."

Four frowns. "I don't want to leave you alone."

"Just for a half hour. Then I'll bring my new files to the field and memorize while you guys play," I bargain.

"Fine," Four gives in.

* * *

I hug AJ. "See you in thirty minutes, bud. Have fun with Four."

I start entering the people I've treated so far this week into the computer. It's a dull process, but I get paid to do it. I'm about to leave, and then someone drags me from my chair. I smell the familiar soap and begin to struggle. It's Peter.

He bangs my head against the wall and begins to hit me. I'm dazed; I can't fight back. Then another pair of hands join, holding me while the first ones punch me over and over again.

Then someone knocks on my door and enters. I look up, trying to focus. It's Four, carrying a sleeping AJ. When he sees what's happening, he sets AJ on a table and proceeds to beat both of the men up. Peter tries to get away, but Four grabs his shirt and finishes beating them up. He leaves them unconscious on the ground and picks me up. He lays me on one of the tables.

"What do I do, Tris?" Four asks, sounding like he's trying to control his emotions.

"Lift my shirt," I say, "and gently check for breaks. Gently, Four."

He does so. "How can I tell if there are breaks?" He presses on one last area, and I hiss.

"There's a fracture there," I tell him. "It should go away." I wince. "But my head...he banged it against the wall and everything is dizzy."

Four gently wakes AJ up. "Come on, bud. Can you hold onto my shirt? I'm gonna carry your mommy somewhere and I don't want you getting lost."

Four lifts me up and carries me away. I clutch his shirt and breathe in his comforting smell - like metal with a hint of sweat, and at the same time something heavy and kind of sweet.

* * *

I feel very comfortable when Four lays me down. I must be in a bed. But I hear talking.

"- not on the team, Four, and you know it," a man says.

"Please, sir," Four begs.

The man sighs and gives in to whatever Four is asking. Wow, the lights are really pretty in here - all yellow and sun-like.

"Hi, honey," he says. "Do you know what your name is?"

"Beatrice Prior."

He continues to do different concussion tests on me, and then he double checks my ribs for breaks. I found Four's hands to be much nicer.

"Okay, Four. Take her to - wherever, ice her head and her ribs, and stay with her for tonight," the doctor.

"- concussion?"

"No. She's just out of it. She should be fine."

Four lifts me up and carries me away. I reach my arm down for AJ, who grabs my hand. "Are you okay, Mommy?"

"Yes, baby," I murmur. "I'll read you a story later, okay?"

* * *

Four sets me down somewhere soft. It's his bed, I think, because it smells like him.

"AJ, stay here with your mother," Four instructs roughly. "I'll be back soon."

AJ comes and cuddles up to my side while we wait for Four. My head is starting to clear.

* * *

"Four?" I croak when the door shuts again.

"Yeah?" Four lifts the dozing AJ and puts him on the couch. Then he lifts me up and lays me so I'm in his lap, and he's holding me so I can sit up.

I lean into him. "I think my head is starting to clear."

"Then why are you leaning on me? Not that I'm complaining."

I don't move. "I never said it was clear. Just clear-ing."

Four holds me slightly tighter. "You know...I'm really glad I met you."

"Can I ask why?" I murmur, pressing my face into his neck.

"Because you're great. Because AJ is an amazing kid, and I'm lucky to know you two," he responds.

"I'm pretty lucky to know you, too. I mean, other than the fact that you're helping me with Peter and you don't think I'm weird or dirty or wrong, AJ positively loves you and I can't help but feel safe and loved around you," I admit.

Four wraps his arms around me more tightly. "Thank you, Tris."

"Mhm." I breathe in his scent again. "Where did you go?"

"Beat Peter up again and dropped him and Al off with the doctor."

I make a disinterested sound and lay my head back on his shoulder. "I'm tired."

"Can I let you sleep?"

"No, but you can sleep next to me," I reply, grabbing a fistful of his shirt.

Four kisses the top of my head. "Okay." And with that, I doze off on his lap.

* * *

When I wake up again, I'm still cuddled up to Four, but we're laying down in his bed. He's watching me, a small smile on his face.

I move myself away. "Sorry," I mumble.

Four shrugs. "No, it's okay. You're cute when you sleep."

I hesitate. "Why did you come in from the field?"

"It had been much more than a half hour, and AJ started to get cranky," Four explains.

"If you hadn't come and gotten me, I would have died. I guess I'm not as safe as I thought."

"Hey, to be fair, they got the jump on you - you didn't know they were there," Four argues.

"I know." I lay my head back on Four's chest.

* * *

"We," Four announces to AJ, Will and I (mostly AJ), "are going to take you to the park for a few hours and give your mommy and Christina some time together."

"Do _not_ feed him ice cream," I warn, "no matter how cute he looks. I guarantee he'll be bouncing off the walls for hours if you do."

"Yeah yeah yeah," Four says.

I sigh and shake my head. "Go."

"Ingrate."

"Go, nerdface," I repeat, smiling.

* * *

"So…is there anything going on between you and Four?" Christina asks as soon as they leave. We've already bolted the door and such.

I shrug and lay back on the bed. "I don't know. I kind of want there to be. Remember when Peter and Al beat me up? Last week? Well, the morning after that, I woke up spooning with him."

"Naked?"

I laugh. "No, but the principle applies."

"Do you want there to be anything?"

I sigh. "Yes, I do. A lot. AJ loves him, he's amazing to me, and I really like him. Even though it's only been a month."

Christina bites her lip. "You won't know if it's meant to be unless you try."

"Yeah, but I don't even know if Four likes me. Chances are he doesn't. I mean, I'm small, ugly, small, short, I was raped, so I have issues, and I have a son. Why would he like me?"

Christina take my hand. "Honey, AJ and Peter are not your fault, and Four knows that. He would never think any worse of you for it. And…" She hesitates. "And Four's never acted the way he acts around you around anyone else. Everyone else he just…he just puts his walls up."

I nod slowly. "If he initiates anything, I'll go along with it. If not, I'll just have wet dreams and think about him constantly."

Christina smacks me soflty. "I did not need to know that."

I grin. "That's why I said it. I don't have wet dreams. I never have."

"So…"

* * *

"AJ!" I say, picking my baby up.

"Mommy, I wanna get my hair cut," he announces.

"How?"

"I want it to look like Four's." He points at Four's fohawk-thing.

"I do it with gel, bud, not a haircut," Four explains.

"Oh." This doesn't faze him. "Will you do it for me?"

"Sure, sometime. C'mon, AJ, let's get you dressed and off to practice with the big boys," Four says, lifting him out of my arms. We walk to my room, and Four helps AJ pick out some clothes. Then we grab his glove and walk to the fields.

"So he'll be meeting the rest of the team for the first time," I comment.

"When do you come back to practices?"

"Tomorrow." Then I chuckle. "Remember when Max said AJ could only stay for a day?"

"Kid's charming as hell, and cute as a button," Four points out.

AJ runs onto the field when we get there and jumps into Zeke's arms, yelling "ZEKEY!"

The other players chuckles. Zeke grins and hugs him. "Hey, kid. Where's your mom?"

"Present," I mutter and pick him up. "AJ, we don't want to hurt Zeke," I say loudly, grinning. "I mean, we know he's a baby and all, but no need to intentionally hurt him." Then I whisper, "I'm kidding, bud."

AJ looks at Zeke. "I'm sorry."

Then AJ starts laughing, really hard. I chuckle and kiss his head. I put him down, and he looks around.

His eyes widen. "Derek Jeter…Robinson Cano…A Rod…Brian McCann…Michael Piñeda…Mark Teixeira…Jacoby Ellsbury…Ichiro Suzuki…oh my gosh."

"Your kid knows his baseball," Four says.

"My dad, AJ and I used to sit and watch the Yankees games together," I explain. "Dad would explain the plays and which player was which."

Four smiles at me. "Sounds like fun. Have you heard from him?"

I scowl. "AJ!" I call. He turns around from staring at them and comes to me. I whisper in his ear, and he obeys.

"What did you tell him to do?" Four asks.

"You'll see." Just then, he takes Zeke's glove and gives it to me. Zeke doesn't noticed, but Four does.

"Mm. Why?"

"Because Zeke will be looking for it." I turn and put it in the cooler. "We're all good."

AJ is still watching the "big boys," eyes wide and mouth open. I shove Four out to go play with them and pull AJ onto my lap.

Zeke starts to panic when he can't find his glove and makes an idiot of himself. Four is smiling.

I grab it from its place in the cooler and put it back where it was before, and then come and sit with AJ again.

Then someone rattles the fence behind me. I turn and see Peter there. "You can't just eff off, can you, Peter?"

"Not with you. Your boyfriend over there beat me up because of my little lesson to you. I think it's time for another," Peter tells me, beginning to climb the fence. I run out onto the field, straight to Four.

Four sighs and lifts Peter by the shirt. "Dude, how many times do I have to beat you up to get you to understand that she isn't your punching bag or rape toy?"

"She made you beat me up!" Peter snarls.

"No, she didn't. She was so badly beaten that she couldn't see, let alone talk," Four growls back.

"She still made you."

Four sighs and looks at me. "Why do you bother letting him stay on the team?"

I don't answer, just set AJ down. "Hold his head up for me," I order. Four looks at me weirdly, but does so. I peer at his eyes and feel his pulse and then pinch him. He responds a second later. "He's on drugs. Get a cup and make him pee," I tell Four.

I lift AJ again. The other players jog toward us. "What's going on?" they ask.

"Peter's on drugs," Four answers. "Any of you got a cup?"

"I'll go get one," Zeke volunteers. He disappears.

Peter struggles slightly against Four, who doesn't look like he's having any trouble holding him back.

Zeke returns with the cup, and I turn away with AJ, feeling sick at the thought of seeing that...again. Four taps me when he's done and walks me off the field.


	4. Chapter 4

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey, everyone. Here's an update. I'll try to update ADD soon...finals are coming up and teachers are loading us with tests. Enjoy!**

_Peter struggles slightly against Four, who doesn't look like he's having any trouble holding him back._

_Zeke returns with the cup, and I turn away with AJ, feeling sick at the thought of seeing that...again. Four taps me when he's done and walks me off the field._

Four drops the pee off with someone and then walks AJ and I back to our room. "I need to go do something," he tells me when we're at the door. "Keep the door locked while I'm gone."

I nod and hug him tightly. "Thank you."

* * *

"AJ!" I roar. "Get in here."

"I don't want to take a bath, Mommy."

"You can take one later," I grumble.

Then I shower instead of him, making sure to first put on a show in Spanish.

* * *

When I get out, I swear quietly. I forgot to bring a towel in. I peek out and AJ is glue to the T.V., so I walk out toward the linen closet. Right before I reach it, the door opens and Four walks in.

For a few seconds, we stare at each other. His eyes roam my body for a few seconds longer, and then his cheeks redden and I grab a towel. I should've done that sooner, but I was frozen…

I grab my clothes and run back to the bathroom.

* * *

"I'm sorry about that," Four apologizes. "I - I should've knocked, or -"

"It's fine, Four. It wasn't your fault." I grin. "You didn't…enjoy it or anything, did you?"

His eyes widen, and he reddens. Then he looks away. "No."

Taking a deep breath, I kiss his cheek. "It's okay," I say in a low tone. "It's perfectly natur-"

Four shakes his head. "No, Tris - it can't be - I -" he takes a deep breath "- you make me crazy," he admits. "I think about you all of the time."

I give him a small smile. I open my mouth to reply - and then AJ mumbles something in Spanish, and I realize it was a curse word.

"AJ, honey," I call, standing up from our seat on the ground. "What did you say?"

"_Pendejo_," he repeats. **(A/N: this is a real, extremely offensive curse word in Spanish. Do not repeat.)**

"Baby, that's a mean word," I tell him. "Don't say that one, okay?"

He nods. I motion Four over. "Hey, AJ."

"Hiya, Four."

"Maybe Four will help with your bath," I hint.

"I don't want to take a bath."

Four lifts him up. "Well, you have to, bud. C'mon. It'll be fun."

We walk to the bathroom. I fill the tub while Four convinces AJ to take his clothes off. Or tries - he ends up having to just pulls his clothes off.

I sit AJ in the tub and leave, giving Four a "good luck" smile.

* * *

Four and AJ come out of the bathroom. Four's shirt is wet and bubbly, but AJ is clean and dry. Four has him wrapped up in a towel. I hand Four clean clothes for AJ.

"I don't have anything for you," I say regretfully.

Four shakes his head and strips his shirt off. "No, it's okay. Unless you want me to put a shirt on?"

I hit his arm lightly. "What time is it?"

"Like five thirty."

I look down at AJ. "Let's -"

"Actually," Four interrupts, "I kind of changed our rooms. I got you, me, and AJ a three-room suite, so we could all stay together. Is that okay?"

I nod. "That's nice of you, Four."

* * *

"Okay, that's the last of it," Four grunts. He hands me a key. "What should I wear to dinner?"

I look over to where AJ is standing. "AJ, bud, grab a coloring book and go color," I order gently.

He obeys, and I pull Four into his bedroom. I take his hand and look through his bags.

I hold up the baby blanket and smile. "What's this?"

He reddens and snatches it away. "Nothing."

"Hey, Four," I say in my firm-but-gentle AJ tone, "I'm not judging you. I think it's sweet that you carry around a baby blanket. I still carry around my teddy bear."

Four softens noticeably. "It's just - my dad, he never let me have any toys or anything. My mom helped me hide this blanket under a floorboard, and he never found it. It's the only thing I have from my childhood that's positive, other than Zeke."

I place my hand on his still-bare back. "I don't mind the scars. In fact, I think they represent regrowth and rebuilding - you made an amazing man out of a terrible past."

Four sighs. "Thanks, Tris."

I hand him a dark blue button down and hold two pairs of pants in my hands. "Where are we going? Do I need to dress AJ and I up?"

Four nods. "It's a surprise where we're going, but dressing up would be a good idea."

I hand him the black slacks and put AJ in one of his two dress outfits: navy blue slacks, a blue shirt, and a grey-blue tie to match his eyes. Then I throw a dress (black with some silver accents) and a little makeup on.

"You look pretty, Mommy," AJ tells me, ever the little angel…until he reverts to his devilish, stubborn me self. He's a great kid, though.

Four steps out of his room, too. He's re-gelled his hair, and put on the outfit, and added converse. I chuckle and grab my phone and AJ.

I buckle AJ into the car and get in the front seat. Four begins to drive, and I pull out my phone and text Christina.

_Chris. (me)_

_What? (Chris)_

_Four, um, he kinda… (me)_

_HE KINDA WHAT!? (Chris)_

_…saw me naked? (me)_

_OH MY FUCKING GOD! (Chris)_

_It was an accident and we talked about it afterwards and I kissed his cheek and… (me)_

_YOU DID FUCKING WHAT? (Chris)_

_And he said I'm pretty much all he thinks about. (me)_

_Oh my god! My little girl is growing up…. (Chris)_

_And when I was naked he stared at me and turned bright red and then stammered later when I asked him if he enjoyed it. :D (me)_

_I think he likes you *squeal* (Chris)_

_I hope. (me)_

"Who're you texting?" Four asks.

I look up, surprised. "Uh, no one." I blush. "Chris," I mumble. He cranes his neck to read the messages, and I pull the phone away. "It's private!" I exclaim.

Four shrugs. Then he looks back at the road, and I look back at my phone.

_I think he does. I'll get Will to ask him. (Chris)_

_NO NO NO NO NO NO! (me)_

_Why not? (Chris)_

_We're adults; let us figure it out. (me)_

_Ugh. You're no fun, but fine. (Chris)_

_Thanks. (me)_

_But you have to promise to tell him you like him tonight. (Chris)_

_Ugh. You're no fun, but fine. (me)_

_Don't mimic me. (Chris)_

_Fine. Thanks, Chris! (me)_

_Np. (Chris)_

"We're here." Four chivalrously gets out and holds my door open for my. I hold his hand for a second longer than necessary, smiling at him.

Then I let go to get AJ, making sure to bring his coloring book.

* * *

"Hello, Four," a woman with black hair and a gray streak says, smiling at him in a friendly way.

"Hey, Tori. This is Tris, the girl I was telling you about, and her son, AJ," Four says as a way of introduction.

"Nice to meet you, Tori." I shake her hand, and pick AJ up so he can too.

She grins at him. "What a little gentleman you are, AJ." She looks over to Four, who gives her a pleading look. "Tris, if I may, we have a children's dining area. It's staffed by child care experts. He'll be safe there if you want to hang out with Four for a little while."

I hug AJ and hand him to Tori. He takes his coloring book and crayons.

* * *

"This is nice," I say quietly, sipping the water Tori gave us.

"It is," Four agrees.

I look down. "Four, I -"

Four leans in suddenly and kisses me. I hungrily kiss him back, and then pull away once I realize what I'm doing.

"I'm sorry!" he exclaims. "I - I didn't mean to -"

I take a deep breath. "It's not you, Four, I promise. I really - I like you. That's what I was going to tell you. But then my fear of - of intimacy kicked in."

Four smiles at me. "I'm sorry." He moves slightly away, and we eat our dinner.

* * *

The way back is rather awkward. AJ has fallen asleep, and Four grips the steering wheel so tightly his fingers are whiteish yellow.

I reach over and take one of his hands, rubbing gently. He takes deep, even breaths, not reacting.

* * *

I carry AJ in and tuck him in, simply stripping him to his underwear. Then I turn his sound machine on and kiss his head.

* * *

"Tris, about -"

I lean over and kiss him firmly. "Four, don't worry about it. We're even now." I don't mention how much I enjoy kissing him.

Four smiles at me. We sit there, simply looking at each other, for a few minutes. Then I scoot closer to him on the couch - so I'm actually cuddled into him - and wrap his arm around me.

"Should we do this?" Four asks, not looking at me, but staring at the blank wall. "Should we take the chance of ruining something as good as this?"

I sigh. "I don't know about you, Four, but I - but I think the chance to find love is worth risking friendship."

"Yeah, but what if we don't click? Then everything is messed up and our friendship - and everything I have with you," Four argues feebly.

"I like you, Four. A lot. If we don't give this a go, it'll ruin us as much as if we do." I look up at him.

He nods slowly. "I like you more than you know," he tells me, finally looking at me with blue eyes ablaze with desire. "I just don't want to mess things up."

I lean my face up and kiss him again. This time he responds hungrily, and then pins us to the couch.

We pull away out of breath. "Maybe we should go on a few more dates before we get all, um, you know," I suggest, reddening.

"I don't mind going slow," Four murmurs. He pulls me onto his lap so I'm straddling him, and I lean my head on his chest.

"I never got to thank you," I tell him. "Thank you for helping with AJ so much. You've been even more amazing than ever, and you were pretty amazing even then."

Four kisses my head. "I got something back from the judge," he tells me.

I perk up. "What?"

"He sent me a copy of the notice he sent Peter. Peter has to pay you twenty percent of his yearly income," Four answers.

My eyes widen. "What does he make?"

"Eleven million a year or so."

"Wait - so does that mean I get like -" I pull out my phone and pull up the calculator app "- two million, two hundred thousand dollars a year?" Four nods again. I grin and hug him. "Thank you so much."

His hand finds my back. "It's no problem."

"I'll pay you ba-"

"Unnecessary," Four cuts in. "I don't need your money. AJ does. You do. I have enough money to last me a lifetime - my income is nearly twice as much as Peter's."

My eyes widen. "Wow."

"Yeah."

* * *

"Tris?" Four's voice awakens me.

I sit up and see that he's shaking like a cold puppy. "What's wrong?"

He moves closer to me and my bed. "I - I just - had a bad dream, I guess."

I smile at him. "Do you want to lay with me?"

Four reddens. "Yeah," he mumbles.

I open my arms, and he crawls into my bed, burrowing into me. I sigh contentedly, and we fall back asleep.

* * *

"Mommy. Mommy. Mommy!" AJ whines, bouncing on my bed. He stops bouncing suddenly "Four?"

Four and I sit up. I look at Four and realize what I didn't last night - he's wearing only boxers.

I also realize my bare legs are practically tangled with his.

Four untangles himself, reddening. "What's up, AJ?" Damn, his morning voice is cute.

"I'm hungry and -"

"Okay, AJ," I moan. "We're getting up, we're getting up."

"Good." He jumps off the bed and casts a glance back. "Why were you two in bed together?"

"Four had a bad dream, sweetie," I reply, standing up.

"Oh."

* * *

I quickly spot Christina when we go down for breakfast. She's sitting close to Will, giggling at whatever he's saying. I leave Four and AJ in line - telling Four what to get for me - and sit next to her.

She quickly abandons Will and squeals at me. "So what happened? Did you tell him?"

I lean closer to her and whisper the story in her ear. She squeals in all the right places, occasionally giggling.

"So are you two going to be going out?" she whispers.

"I don't know. It's up in the air - he said he doesn't want to 'ruin what we have,'" I reply, furrowing my brow.

Christina frowns. "Does that mean -"

Four sits down. "It means exactly what I said. It means I really like being friends with Tris and I don't want to mess that up, but I really, really like her," he growls quietly - so Will can't hear - to Christina.

Christina looks away, and I blush. "Thanks," I mutter, taking my food.

Four gives me a look. "Why did you talk to Christina?" he asks.

"She's my friend. It's what girls do," I respond.

Four discreetly grabs my hand under the table. I smile and finish my oatmeal.

"I have practice today. Are you -"

I lean up a little further and kiss his cheek. "I'm taking AJ to sign up for preschool, remember?"

Four blushes. "Yeah, I remember. So I'll see you later?"

I nod. "I'll stop by your practice, okay?"

* * *

"AJ, get out," I order quietly.

"But I don't wanna go back to school," AJ complains.

"If you want Four to play with you later tonight, you need to get out and come," I warn.

He huffs and allows me to help him out of the car.

* * *

"Andrew Jeremiah Prior," I repeat softly. "His nickname is AJ. He will be five on March twentieth. He is allergic to Benadryl, bees, and shellfish."

"Why the transfer from..." The receptionist checks the papers I gave her. "Chicago?"

"I got a new job with the Yankees, and my parents couldn't take care of AJ any longer," I repeat warily.

"When will you be dropping him off and picking him up each day?"

"Do you mean like full day and half day?" I reply

The lady shakes her head and pushes a chart towards me. "We have several different options - you can do four hour, six hour, or eight hour."

I bite my lip and look at AJ.

"Honey, he'll be fine here for eight hours," the woman assures me.

"His old preschool was three hours a day," I murmur.

"You can sign him up for the eight hour one and then take him out if you need to on some days," she coaxes.

I put him down for the eight hour one, and then begin to fill out the emergency contacts list.

I hesitate when I get to the second one. I could put my dad, but he's all the way in Chicago. Biting my lip, I add Four to the list as the secondary emergency contact. Then I add Caleb and my parents.

* * *

"Hey Four," I say, sidling up to him as he drizzles water over his head during a water break at practice.

"Hey."

I bite my lip. "Um, I put you down as AJ's secondary emergency contact. Is that okay?"

Four smiles at me warmly. "That's great, Tris." He hugs me. "Are you going to watch today's practice?"

I grin at him. "When do I not?"

* * *

I can see Four is trying to show off a little for me. It's cute; I like it. I can see Zeke notices, too, and Al. Speaking of Al, he's still black and blue from Four's beating. Peter's been out of practice. I believe Four said he returns tomorrow.

* * *

I plop down next to Four as he sits, rubbing his arm from his extra hour of pitching practice.

"Remind me why Max made you do an extra hour?" I tease.

He glares at me. "Don't even."

I hug him. "Wanna come with me to pick AJ up?"

"Hmmm… Let me translate that: will you drive me to pick AJ up?" Four frowns and looks down. "No."

"Please, Four?"

"No."

"Fine. Then will you go pick him up?" I offer.

"I guess."

"Thank you, Four," I say in an almost sing-song voice, hugging him.

* * *

"Zeke!" I hiss through his door. "It's me. Let me in!"

He peeks through a crack and then does so. "Good, good. Four's picking up AJ?"

I nod. "Hurry. The preschool is only twenty minutes from here."

A half hour later, we've planned Four's birthday party, as well as double-checking with Max that it's on an off day. We've also sent invites out.

* * *

I wait in our room for Four and AJ.

* * *

AJ jumps onto me when he gets back with Four, telling me all about his day - how he played, about a boy named Jakob, about nap and snack time, and about how much he likes this preschool. He also solemnly informs me that they told him to tell me he was a good reader, even for kindergarten level.

I smile at him. "I take it you like this preschool?"

He nods, grinning, and runs into his room. Four joins me on the couch. "It was all he would talk about on the way back."

I look over at him and force myself to not jump his bones. I have to bite my lip and look away. "I'm going to take a shower," I mumble.

I can feel Four's eyes on me as I leave. I shut myself in my room and lean against the door.

Four knocks on the door. "Tris?" A pause. "Tris, I know you're in there and not in the shower." Another pause. "Tris, please."

I sigh and open the door. "What?"

He leans his head down and kisses me. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Tris. I do want to be with you. I just - I just -"

I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him.

"Eeewww!" I hear. "Your tongues are touching!"

Four and I jump apart and see AJ making a funny face and sticking his tongue out. I pick AJ up.

* * *

"So are you and Four together yet?" Christina asks, whispering in my ear at dinner as she watches the older boys play with AJ, Four among them.

I shake my head. "Christina," I say in a warning tone.

"Okay, okay."

* * *

"MOMMY! Mommy!" AJ cries, jumping on my bed to wake me up. "Momma! Four says we need to leave to drop me off for school soon!"

I moan and drag myself from the bed. "Tell Four he can take you to get breakfast," I reply. I then proceed to pull a sweatshirt and pair of basketball shorts on. I wash my face, brush my teeth, and meet Four and AJ in the dining hall.

Four hands me a muffin, a cup of coffee, and a cup of yogurt, and we leave.

* * *

AJ hugs Four and I. "Bye, Mommy. Bye D- bye Four." Then he runs off.

I look at Four. "I think he wants to call you Dad."

Four looks down. "Is that okay with you?"

I take Four's hand. "He needs a dad. A real dad. Are you okay with it?"

Four nods and stands abruptly. "We have to go. I have practice in forty minutes."

* * *

Max calls everyone together before he begins the practice, myself included. "Peter Hayes. You all know him. He was caught to be on several recreational drugs. He has been suspended for one hundred games. If any of you else are on drugs, I recommend you fess up now." He pauses and waits for a response. "Good. Get out there and warm up."

He grips my arm, stopping me from following them to watch. "Two things, Tris. One: I'd like to promote you to head trainer. Two: I'd like to submit the players to random urinalysis tests. Can you help me organize that?"

I bite my lip. "Look, sir, now isn't the best time to do it - the players will be expecting it. Wait at least four days."

Max shrugs. "Works for me."

* * *

I hesitantly join Christina for lunch. Four eats with his teammates.

"Where's Four?" she immediately asks.

I scowl. "Why does everyone assume we're always together?"

"Did something happen between you guys?"

I shake my head. "No, not at all. I just want to be allowed away from him without fear of judgment because he isn't with me."

Christina pats my shoulder. "To be fair, you two are fairly inseparable. So did you need to ask me something?"

"I asked Four if he was okay with AJ calling him Dad," I say flatly. "He said he was, and then he got up really quickly."

"Huh. That could mean any number of things. Just ask him again," she suggests.

"Wow. Helpful, you are," I tell her sarcastically.

* * *

"Hey, um, Four," I say, walking along with him from practice.

He wipes his brow. "What?"

"Look, this morning, you were a little, um, awkward about AJ calling you Dad," I mumble. "I just wanted to see if it was really okay with you."

Four looks over at me, confused. "Why wouldn't it be? And I wasn't awkward, just late."

"Oh, I reply, relieved. "I guess I was reading into it too much."

Four chuckles. "Yeah, you were."

* * *

Four yawns slightly as we drive to pick AJ up. I study him while he's not paying attention - his perfect body, his handsome face, and his beautiful eyes.

* * *

AJ falls asleep on the way back, as does Four. Fortunately, I'm driving.

* * *

"Hey." I shake Four slightly. "Hey, Four. C'mon. We're back at the hotel."

Four sits up, rubbing his eyes slightly. "Oh. Yeah."

* * *

Four, AJ, and I eat dinner alone. When we're nearly done, someone comes up to Four and taps on his shoulder.

Four looks up and swallows. "Um -"

"Come with me." It's not a request, or an idea - it's an outright order.

Four lets the man pull him away.

"AJ, hurry up," I order gently.

He dawdles slightly in his eating. I clear Four and I's dishes.

"AJ," I warn after a few minutes, "if you don't finish that in two minutes, what you've eaten will be all you get."

AJ pouts but hurries. I pull him to our room and open the door. I hear thwacks of fist upon flesh and cracks of a belt upon flesh. I put AJ on my hip and shut him in his room.

"Whatever you do, don't come out," I warn.

I open Four's door. As I suspected, the man - Marcus, presumably - is beating up a nearly unconscious Four. I step in front of Four, block the next blow - allowing the belt to whip around my wrist - and grab the belt.

"Don't touch him," I hiss. "Don't come near him ever again or, I swear to God, I will rain down a lawsuit on you."

"Why haven't you?" Marcus asks, wiping a little blood from his lip. I guess Four fought back at first.

"Because he's that one that should get to do it….unless you come near him again. Now get out," I order.

I make sure he leaves and then deadbolt the door. I grab some medical supplies and put on a t.v. show for AJ.

"Hey, Four," I say softly, tapping on his cheek.

He shifts slightly. Then he moans something.

I figure - and this is gonna be a shocker, so prepare yourselves - he's a little out of it from the beating, so I simply strip him of the now-useless shirt and pants. Sighing, I pull his underwear off, too. Marcus neglected to leave any part of Four's body untouched.

I clean and bandage him and then redress him in basketball shorts. I place him on his stomach on the bed and then clean up.

I put AJ to bed and run to the kitchen, requesting something. They look at me like I'm crazy, but oblige.

I wake Four up and hand him the quite honestly nasty-looking smoothie.

"What is this?" he mumbles. He takes a sip and chokes.

"Avocado, banana, salt, sugar, lemon juice, chocolate milk, butter, protein powder, spinach, and orange juice," I reply. "Drink up, Four. It's good for blood loss."

"Yeah, and it tastes like someone shit in the cup." Four grimaces and swallows more.

"I don't care. Finish." I put a hand on his shoulder. "Four, I -"

He grabs my arm, staring at the welt. "Did Marcus do this?"

I shrug. "I grabbed the belt from him. It's no big deal, Four."

"No, it's an enormous deal," Four growls.

I pull my arm away. "Four. Drink your smoothie. I'm gonna grab some advil."

He sighs and obeys.

* * *

"Here," I say, pressing them into his hand.

"Are you okay, Tris?"

"I'm fine, Four. I promise. Marcus didn't hurt me," I reassure him, placing my hand on his shoulder again.

Four sighs. "I'm sorry, Tris."

"How do you feel?"

"I'm okay. This isn't the worst I've had by far," Four answers, adjusting his shoulders slightly.

I sit in front of him on the bed and move my hand to his chest. "Hey, Four - you should never have even had this."

He shrugs. "Well, I did."

I run my hands through his hair hesitantly. He leans closer and fills the gap between us, kissing me softly. I feel a pang in my chest - the good kind.

When we separate, I can feel Four's heart racing as fast as mine beneath my hand. He kisses me quickly again and then attempts to stand, stumbling. I catch him.

"Hold up, soldier," I tease slightly. "Where are you going?"

"I need to pee," he admits.

"I'll help you to the bathroom."

* * *

"Tris!" Four calls softly as I go to leave. "Will you - will you stay with me tonight?"

I smile at him. "Sure. I need to check on AJ, though."

I smooth the hair back on my baby's forehead. Then I gently lift him up and bring him to Four's room.

"Tri- why'd you bring him in here?"

I look down at AJ. "I couldn't resist. He's so beautiful."

Four smiles at me. "He's a great kid, Tris, but you should let him sleep in his own room."

I sigh and put him back.

"I love him so much."

Four wraps an arm around me. "Feeling nostalgic?"

I shrug. "I remember the day I found out I was pregnant. I was horrified - I'd recently been raped, and I was having major issues. I'd dropped out of my college for a semester. I was basically sitting in my room at my parents' house, wrapped in blankets with my mother. When I found out, I basically began throwing things in my bathroom. Then I broke down and just cried. I yelled for a long time.

"Then we were talking about whether or not to keep it. My mother didn't care much - she wanted me to do what I thought was best, but my dad felt pro-life. So I kept it.

"I planned on giving him up for adoption, but then, after they handed me my baby, I couldn't sign the papers. So I gave him a name - Andrew, for my father, and Jeremiah, because the prophet Jeremiah was so strong, and, I don't know, I just want AJ to be strong. Especially when he finds out about Peter."

Four hugs me. "It's amazing how - how perfect you are today, considering everything you went through. Also...AJ is so perfect. You managed to heal yourself as well as raise a great kid."

I cuddle closer to him. "Well, they say adversity builds character."

"It does, it does."

"Hey, Four, I - Max said he's going to start drug testing the team," I whisper. "In four days. Three, really. I know you're not on drugs, but are any of your friends?"

"None of the close ones - Will and Uri and Zeke wouldn't need drugs to do well," Four answers, yawning.

I run a hand through his hair again. "Good. Don't tell anyone."

"Never," he mumbles.

I cuddle closer again and drift off.

* * *

I wake up early tomorrow and slide out of Four's grasp, kissing his cheek quickly before getting AJ ready for school, feeding him, and driving him to preschool. Then I tell Max that Four is sick, leave Four a note telling him he has the day off, and go to help Max with practice for the day.

"When is their first Grapefruit League game?" I ask.

"A week." Max watches tersely and then turns to me. "What did you say is wrong with Four?"

"He's, um, not fit to play today," I reply.

Max snorts. "Getting drunk does not qualify as 'not fit to play'," he informs me.

"Max, he wasn't drunk. Trust me. He's not fit to play," I insist.

"He'll be here tomorrow."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

At lunch, I bring Four some food. He's asleep when I get up there, so I wake him gently and give him the tray.

"What time is it?" he mumbles.

"Lunchtime."

"Oh, shit - practice."

"Max knows you're taking the day off," I soothe.

He sits up and eats. I touch his split lip and then trail my hand down his chest slightly.

"Dude, you're so incredibly perfect it's hard to believe," I whisper. "All of you." I waggle my eyebrows.

Four chokes on his bite of banana. "How have you - I never -"

I chuckle. "Marcus destroyed all of your clothes. I had to strip you. And, I have to say, you were pretty hot."

Four reddens slightly and smiles at me. "You shouldn't be talking about me till you take a look at yourself."

I lightly slap his shoulder. "Shut up, you."

"Nah." But he does, taking a bite of soup.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm okay, Tris. I just need a little more rest and I'll be golden," he responds.

I pat his shoulder. "I have to go. I'm going to pick AJ up after practice and then I'll be back. Don't you dare leave this room. Get some rest." I kiss his cheek and return to practice.

* * *

"Where's Four?" AJ asks, looking around.

"He doesn't feel very good," I reply. "He's taking a nap."

"Mommy, Tristan's mommy asked me to ask you to watch him for a little while. She gave me this for you." AJ hands me a note.

It reads:

_Hey, AJ's mom. He said your name is Tris? I'm sorry about not being able to actually talk to you about this - I only found out today about the meetings. I told the preschool this morning you'd be taking Tristan home. I'm sorry!_

_My number is: 646-123-4567. I know, easy._

_\- Susan Black - Tristan's mom_

I shrug and go ask the preschool for Tristan and his carseat as well.

* * *

I look at the boy with brown curly hair in front of me. He has dark eyes, medium skin, and brown hair.

"Tristan?" I ask, squatting down.

"I'm not allowed to talk to strangers."

"I'm AJ's mommy. I'm going to take you home today, okay?" I say, holding a hand out.

He takes it. "Okay. Where's my mommy?"

"She has a meeting." I buckle AJ and Tristan in and drive back. They chatter the entire time.

* * *

Once we're at the hotel, I tell the boys to hold onto my shirt and then text Susan.

_Hi, Susan - this is Tris. I just wanted to let you know I have Tristan with me. (me)_

A second later, I get: _Hey, Tris. Thank you so much for taking care of him! I'm really sorry about this. I can pick him up about nine, if that's okay. Where do you live? (Susan)_

_It's no problem. I get the childcare issue, believe me. I actually work for the Yankees for Spring Training, so I stay at the Hampton at Clearwater? Do you know where that is? (me)_

_Really? You work for the Yankees? I work for the Mets - hence the 646 number. And yeah, I know where that hotel is. Thanks a ton, Tris. (Susan)_

_Np. (me)_

* * *

Four is sitting at the table when I get back, head in hands and shirt off.

"That's Four," AJ whispers to Tristan.

Four stands and looks at me, smiling. "Hey, Tris."

"Hey." I pick AJ up. "This is Tristan, AJ's, uh, friend. We're watching him for tonight."

AJ leans over in my arms and hugs Four tightly. Four winces, but AJ doesn't notice. "Four?" he whispers. "Can I call you Daddy?"

Four looks at me and then back at AJ. "Sure. Why not?"

AJ grins and then jumps from my arms. "Mommy, Tristan and I are gonna play in my room!" he tells me.

"Don't be too loud!" I call. He nods and shuts his door.

I place a hand on Four's shoulder. "How -"

"Don't ask me how I feel."

"What do you want for dinner?" I amend, holding a hand out for him to grip to stand up.

He shrugs and winces. "I need to shower."

I help him to the bathroom and leave the door cracked in case he falls. Then I check in on AJ and Tristan, who are playing with what appear to be Avenger action figures. I kiss AJ's head and ruffle Tristan's hair.

* * *

"Tris!" Four calls. I've been reading on the couch, waiting for him to need help.

I stand and walk to his bathroom, yawning slightly. "What's up?"

"I need help," he admits.

I allow him to lean on me and hobble to the bed. Then I give him some clothes and leave.

I get AJ and Tristan ready to go to dinner. It's a little early - about five fifteen - but I anticipate Four will take a while. Also, I want to put the boys to bed early - including Four.

* * *

After waiting about fifteen minutes for Four, I bang on the door of his room. "What are you doing, Four?" I pop my head in and see him lying on the bed, asleep. I sigh and wake him up. He's still naked. "Get changed, Four," I remind him, leaning on the wall.

He yawns and pulls on the clothes on the bed, wincing. "Dinner?" he mumbles.

I pull him up. "Yeah. Come on."

Four yawns again and stands shakily. I allow him to put an arm around me, and we walk down to dinner, AJ and Tristan in front of us. By the time we get down there, it's nearly six.

Zeke sees us and grins, but then deflates slightly when he sees Four hobbling along. Christina stands and helps with the boys while I support Four.

I get food for Four and I and carry it to the table, all the while allowing him to lean on me. Zeke helps him into a seat. I place his dinner in front of him, and he eats, looking embarrassed and beaten.

Max walks over to us and claps Four on the back - hard. Four hisses, swears, and winces. Max looks at him surprised. "What's wrong with your back, Eaton?"

"It's hurt, sir."

"Will you be in practice tomorrow, Eaton?" Max's eyes flicker to me only once.

"Yes, sir." Four sits up straighter.

"Good."

* * *

"Tris," Four moans when he wakes up in the middle of the night, face white with pain. "I think - ow."

I pull his shirt off and unwrap the bandages. One of the lash marks ripped open again after today's practice. He didn't tell me. "I told you you shouldn't play," I remind him, adjusting it and rewrapping him.

He bites his lip. "I know. Oh, it hurts."

I sit next to him on the bed and rub his shoulders and the base of his neck. "Let's talk about something else to take your mind off the pain."

Four nods, clearly measuring each breath. "Can I ask you -" he winces "- questions?"

I kiss along his jaw. "Sure."

"What's your favorite type of music?" He takes a sharp breath.

"I like a lot of different genres. I'd say that my favorite band is The Front Bottoms. Maybe Seahaven or Modern Baseball." I gently rub the front of his shoulders, too.

"Mmm. I like The Front Bottoms," he replies. "Where did you grow up?"

"Chicago. Englewood, mostly," I reply. "We moved to Lincoln Park when I was seventeen."

"That's where I grew up," Four answers drowsily. "Boyfriends?"

"A few in high school and Peter in college. None of them were serious," I reply. "Well, it was serious when he raped me."

Four looks up at me. "I've actually only had a few girlfriends." He hesitates. "Other than Peter, are you a virgin?"

I bite my lip and look away, a flush creeping onto my cheeks. "Yes. You?"

"Yeah. I mean, I've fooled around some, but nothing..." He trails off, getting his point across.

I press a kiss to the back of his neck tenderly. "How's your back?"

"Why do you bother asking?"

"Because I care about you and want to know how you are," I reply, continuing to rub his neck and shoulders.

He instead decides to ask, "Do you - do you really like me?"

I hesitate, my hands faltering for a second. "Yes. Do you like me? For real?"

Four frowns. "Why would you like me? Especially after what you saw - saw with Marcus?"

I almost laugh, but settle for smiling at him. "For a guy, Four, you're pretty self-deprecating."

"I like you. I do. I just don't get why you would go for me," he insists.

"And I don't get why you would ever go for me. I'm not pretty, I have a son, I was raped, and I have nothing interesting about me. But you do like me, and I do like you," I reply matter-of-factly.

Four sits up and kisses me softly. "Yes. Yes, we do."

"Four, I -"

"Don't call me that."

"What should I call you, then?" I retort.


	5. Chapter 5

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey, everyone. This chapter is _very_ fluffy, and I think most of you will be very happy with the ending. Sorry that it's quite a bit shorter than most of my updates for this story - about one thousand words shorter. Enjoy the update.**

_"Four, I -"_

_"Don't call me that."_

_"What should I call you, then?" I retort._

He bits his lip. "Nothing...yet."

I chuckle. "Okay...then how about Number Four?"

He smiles at me slightly. "I'm serious." Then he kisses my forehead.

* * *

"Did you put AJ and Tristan to bed yet?"

I shake my head. "I -"

"I'll do it," Four offers.

"Hang on, let me come." I stand and help him out of bed. Susan asked me to watch Tristan again. She's going to pick him up a little earlier this time, so we can sit and chat.

I hand Four a shirt and watch as he pulls it on. His back has been healing in the past week. His birthday is two days from now.

* * *

"Good night, AJ," I say, kissing his head. "Good night, Tristan. Get some sleep, boys."

Four hugs AJ and Tristan. I hear AJ whisper, "Good night, Daddy." Four smiles and kisses his head.

"Get some sleep," he repeats, turning the lights off. It's only seven, but the boys will talk for a little while.

"How does 'Daddy' feel?" I tease, kissing his cheek. "Now go put on some jeans." I pinch his leg through his boxers.

"Ugh, fine. You know, it's like we're dating already," he calls to me, stuffing his boxers into a pair of jeans.

"Mm," I reply uninterestedly.

Four hugs me and kisses my head. "When does Susan get here?"

I shrug. "Soon."

* * *

A knock on the door reaches our ears. I offer a hand to Four and we get the door.

"Hey, Susan," I say, smiling at her.

"Hey, Tris. How are you?" Susan shakes my hand, her skin pale against mine. Her hair is blonder than mine as well, but her eyes are dark.

"I'm good. You?"

"Pretty good. I hate the childcare battle, though. I've had to put my daughter - she's five and in kindergarten - with different friends, too," Susan explains.

"Come in, come in," I say. She steps in, smiling at me. I gesture to Four. "This is Four, one of my good friends." There's no awkwardness or tension there.

She smiles at him, too, and shakes his hand. "Four Eaton, huh? All-star pitcher and catcher. What's your average now?"

Four smiles. "Actually, Tris has been helping me raise it. I went from a two-ninety-seven to a three-fifteen this season."

"Wow. That's great," she says. Then she turns to me. "How was Tristan?"

I smile. "He was good. He and AJ always have fun."

Susan is about to reply when AJ comes out, eyes red with tears. Four picks him up, and I pluck him out of Four's arms.

"What's wrong, baby?" I ask.

He hiccups. "I had a bad dream, Mommy. A man was hurting Daddy. He hurt him really bad and you had to take care of him and you got hurt by the bad man, too."

"Oh, AJ, it's okay," I tell him. "No one's hurting me and Four, I promise."

AJ hugs me tightly. "Can Daddy tuck me in?" he requests.

I smile and kiss his head. "Sure." I hand him to Four, who murmurs to him, walking back to his bedroom.

I sit next to Susan on the couch. "Is Four AJ's dad?" she asks.

I chuckle. "No, Four wasn't around when I had AJ. AJ just calls him that for lack of a father figure. My dad was always 'Papa.'"

Susan hurries to say, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have -"

I shake my head. "No, it's fine, Susan."

"Are you two -" she gestures.

I look at the door. "No." Then I stand and go check on them. Four is softly singing a lullaby. I smile, lean on the doorway, and gesture for Susan to come.

She smiles, too. "He's a good guy."

I nod and slip back out of the room. When Four returns a few minutes later, Susan and I are chatting about our jobs.

Four sits and tries to listen politely for a few minutes. When we begin talking about different muscle injuries, he shakes his head. "I think this is my cue to leave," he whispers to me, kissing my temple. "See you in the morning. Don't forget to come check on me." He smiles wryly and shakes Susan's hand again. "Nice to meet you, Susan."

Four lumbers into his room, and I hear him getting ready for bed. I smile. "Well, he's gone."

She chuckles. "Our conversation was pretty dull, to be fair. Even to me."

I giggle. "I thought it was boring, too. So, not to be rude or anything, but where is Tristan and your daughter's father?"

She looks down. "He died. In a car crash two years ago. Hayden remembers him - sort of. She has a few memories. We got married when I was nineteen and had Hayden when I was twenty and Tristan when I was twenty one."

"I'm sorry," I say softly. "I know the whole 'young motherhood' thing is hard, especially by yourself. Were your parents helpful?"

She nods. "They were great, really. So where is AJ's dad, if he's not Four?"

I look away. "AJ's father raped me when I was eighteen and I had AJ at nineteen. His father actually plays for the Yankees, but I recently got him suspended for drug use. That's why Four stays with AJ and me - it's to protect us."

Susan says, "I'm sorry, Tris. I didn't mean to -"

I shrug. "No, it's fine. I have AJ."

"I was born Catholic," Susan begins. "I was always taught that children are a blessing, children are a requirement, children are the product of a good marriage. I never really believed them, but Nicholas was Catholic, too, and wanted to get married in the church, so I pretended to want kids." She sighs. "When they came along, I loved them. I still do. But now I don't have Nicholas. And...and if the church teaches that children are a blessing, then what about that bastard who raped you?"

I nod. "My dad was Catholic. My mother was Jewish. When the Catholic Church told my father I was a sinner for having a child outside of wedlock, he promptly converted to Judaism, and then wore his yarmulke to a Sunday mass with me, though he did not take communion. I had been raised Jewish, so I had never taken it. My father walked up to the priest, me and AJ at his side, and told him exactly what he thought of him. I smiled innocently."

Susan chuckles. "I like that story. Is AJ Jewish?"

"Yes and no. He can read some Hebrew and speak some Yiddish, but we don't go to the synagogue or celebrate much. He's going to have a bar mitzvah, but not for a while," I reply.

We hear a thump from Four's room and a curse. "You okay?" I call.

"Yup. Just tripped," he replies.

"Speaking of Four..." Susan says. "Go after him." Then she disappears into AJ's room and comes out with a sleeping Tristan. "See you soon. Thanks, by the way."

"No problem."

* * *

Four wraps his arms around me. "I never knew you were Jewish."

"I never told you." I look at Four and bite my lip. "I think AJ saw or heard something that night with Marcus. Why else would he have a bad dream?"

"I don't know. I think we should let it go, though," Four answers, rubbing a warm hand up and down my arm.

I lean my head on his shoulder. "Okay."

* * *

"C'mon, boys," Susan and I coax. "Four is going to play. Let's go."

The boys get out of the car and follow us. Max told me I have to be in the dugout, and I'm bringing AJ with me. I got Susan tickets to watch it with Christina, who Max gave tickets. His birthday party is tomorrow, so we're hoping he wins. Well, we'd be hoping either way.

* * *

I sit AJ in a corner of the dugout with Uriah, who did make the major league team but is currently not playing, and make sure both of them know not to move without telling me. Uriah grins at me. "Calm down, baby mama. I have other siblings besides Zeke."

I punch him and sit next to Zeke. "Is Four warming up?" I ask.

Zeke nods. "I'm not pitching today. Uri's not catching. I think Eric is, actually."

"Who's batting for him?"

"I dunno. Some new designated hitter. Personally, I think Four has a good enough average that they should stick him out there, but it's against American League rules. Dumbass rules," Zeke mutters.

"Is everything set up for the party?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah. Just get Four out of your room for a few hours tomorrow at about ten, okay?"

I nod and wait for the game to begin.

* * *

Four collapses next to me, looking stressed. "Hey, Tris."

I put a hand on his back. "How do you feel?"

"My back is okay," he replies, a smile fighting its way onto his face. "I'm just tired from the inning."

"You're playing well."

"Thanks."

We watch until it's time for Four to go back on the field, and then I sit AJ on my lap. None of the players have gotten hurt yet, and I intend to keep it that way.

AJ watches the game with rapt attention. I think he's going to continue to play baseball. If he ends up being no good, he can be a coach. But I think he'll be good, considering Peter's a baseball player and I played softball for a long time.

Four ends up pitching the entire game. The last inning, he gives up one RBI, but that's the only run the Tigers score.

* * *

Before I can stop him, AJ runs out onto the field and leaps into Four's arms. Four chuckles and sets him on his hip.

I go out onto the field some, and Four grabs me and drags me further. I dig my heels in, grinning at him.

"He's your kid," he whispers. He sets AJ down. "Go get him."

I shove him and pick AJ up, still grinning. "Ha. He still listens to me more than you." Then I walk off the field loftily.

Four jogs after me, grabs my head, and kisses me. From all around the stadium, I hear an "_awww_." Christina also screams something, and Susan cheers. I can taste gum, sweat, dirt, and leather on him. I like it.

Four releases me, grabs my hand, and pulls me off the field.

Once in the dugout, the men surround Four and cheer him on, both for the game and for "getting some," to quote Zeke.

I kiss Four's cheek. "Go shower, nerdface."

He sticks his tongue out at me but obeys.

* * *

Four grabs my hand and kisses it. "Wouldst thou liketh to ride with me in my automobile?"

I hug him. "I wouldst, but I have to take my own car back. Meet you there?"

He nods and kisses my cheek.

* * *

Christina and Susan nearly tackle me, each squealing happily. I chuckle. "English, guys, please."

"That was so romantic," Susan gushes.

"OH MY GOD, TRIS! FOUR IS PERFECT!" Christina yells.

I smile. "It was pretty romantic, wasn't it?"

They grin. "We're going to have us some girl time," Christina warns. Then she smirks. "But not until you bang that."

I hit her lightly. "My child is in that car," I remind her.

* * *

"Hey, Four."

He kisses my cheek. "How are my favorite two people?"

"Good." I set AJ down. "That was really romantic," I mutter in Four's ear, "even if it was incredibly embarrassing."

Four chuckles. "I've been getting calls from tons of newspapers asking about you."

"What have you said?"

He looks away. "Nothing, yet. I wanted to know what you want me to say."

I bite my lip. "What do they want to know?"

"About our relationship. About AJ. About every facet of my personal life," he answers. "And if that sounded bitter...no, nah, it was."

I chuckle and wrap my arms around his waist. "Well, there is no 'us' as of now. AJ is my son. Anything said of him will come from me. And your personal life is you personal life."

Four leans closer to me. "You're right. There is no us."

"There should be an us."

"Mm." He nuzzles my neck. "There should be an us, eh?"

I kiss his jaw, leading to his lips. "Yes," I whisper against them.

"Then will you go out with me?"

"Of course."


	6. Chapter 6

**_I do not own _Divergent_._**

**Warning: Tris and Four are adults. In this chapter, they will have sex more than once (nothing descriptive - I'm sticking to the T rating).**

_"Mm." He nuzzles my neck. "There should be an us, eh?"_

_I kiss his jaw, leading to his lips. "Yes," I whisper against them._

_"Then will you go out with me?"_

_"Of course."_

* * *

"C'mon," I say stubbornly. "You and I are going to a birthday coffee. Chris and Susan are going to watch AJ and Tristan today."

Four sighs. "Fine." He kisses my cheek and allows me to pull him towards the car. "Where are we going?"

"I'm going to drive until I find one," I reply. He buckles into the passenger seat and takes my hand.

Before I start the engine, I reach over, pull his face to mine, and kiss him.

"What -"

"Happy birthday, Four."

* * *

"Tris, are you ever going to find a suitable coffee shop?" Four asks, looking slightly annoyed. I'd been stalling to give Zeke more time.

"Oh, look. There's a nice one," I respond, pulling the car into the parking lot and putting it in park.

Four steps out. "Hmm. Why do I have the feeling you chose this one?"

"Because I did. I searched a little on google first," I reply. "This one seemed the nicest."

He shakes his head. "Anywhere with you is perfect."

I giggle. "Well, let me rephrase that: this is where one of your gifts is."

Four smiles at me. "You didn't have to get me anything."

I look down. "Well, it's not only for you..."

He kisses my nose. "Let's go in."

* * *

His eyes widen when he sees AJ and Tristan with peewee league uniforms on and their gloves. Four's glove, bat, and a ball are sitting on a chair. I also asked Susan to buy Four a coffee - just the way he likes it, with a little caramel sauce and some cinnamon. He sips it and hugs me.

"Daddy," AJ says matter-of-factly, "'cause it's your birthday, Tristan and I made cards for you."

The quiet, curly-haired boy nods with AJ. "My mommy and Tris helped us with them." Susan hands a card to each of the boys, and they solemnly hand them to Four.

Four scoops them up. "Thank you, boys. I love them." Then he sets them back down. "Why are you wearing your uniforms?"

They grin at each other. Tristan replies, "I have a game today. AJ is gonna play and we want you to come. Please? Tris brought your glove and bat and stuff so you can play with us."

Four smiles. "Sure. When does it start?"

"Soon," I reply. "But we can walk there from here."

Four holds my hand as we walk and carries AJ on his shoulders. AJ giggles and holds onto his hair. About halfway there, Four puts AJ down and Tristan up on his shoulders. He puts them both down at the park and allows them to run to the field.

* * *

The coaches shake Four's hand. He nods at something they say and gestures to AJ and Tristan. One says something else and Four's face darkens, and he growls something. I step forward, grasp his hand, and gently pull him away.

"What was that?" I whisper as the boys warm up on the field.

"One of them made a suggestive comment about you and I and how he saw us kissing on the field." Four watches AJ carefully for a second. "Looks like someone got his mother's arm."

I smile. "He's actually pretty good."

* * *

"Good job, boys," Four says to the teams. Then he picks AJ up and puts him on his shoulders. He picks Tristan up, too, and holds him on his hip. "Let's go."

"Can I come over to your house, Four?" Tristan asks.

"Sure," Four says.

"I can drive Tristan and AJ," Susan offers, going along with the plan. "You two can spend a little time together."

I nod at her subtly and Four and I get in the truck. She pulls away and I pretend to be about to put the car into drive. "Sorry, Four - I have to use the bathroom. Do you mind?"

He shakes his head. "Nope."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

I dawdle in the bathroom to give Susan about a five-minute head start.

Then I get in the car and start it.

* * *

I kiss Four as we reach the room and "accidentally" hit the door to let everyone know we're here. Then I open the door, flip the light on, and shout "SURPRISE!" with everyone else.

Four looks shocked. Then he turns around and kisses me again. "Thank you, Tris."

"Hello, I helped, too," Zeke says, grinning. Four claps him on the back.

* * *

"How do you like the party?" I ask nervously.

Four slips an arm around my waist. "I love it, Tris. Thank you."

Zeke walks over and hands us both a beer. I look at him suspiciously. "Where are these being kept?"

"They're away from the boys, don't worry," he assures me.

* * *

AJ is exhausted by the time the party is over. Susan told me she was going to keep him for tonight and "give Four and I some alone time."

Four wraps his arms around me. Zeke and Uriah, after cleaning up, have left.

"I have another gift for you," I say, whispering into his ear huskily. I feel him shudder with excitement, and then I smile and pull away.

"What is it?"

"Damn! For a grown man, you're horny," I comment.

He frowns at me. "I -"

I kiss his cheek. "It's not a sexual gift, F-um, Eaton. I got you a Modern Baseball vinyl. And a Joyce Manor vinyl. I saw from your playlist that you like them."

He kisses my cheek back. "Thank you."

"Although," I murmur in the same voice as before, "if you want it to be sexual..."

His face flushes, and he smiles excitedly again. I kiss him again. "But you're injured, so not now," I whisper.

He moans with frustration. "Damn, Tris, stop teasing me!"

I kiss his cheek. "Are you tired?"

"No."

"Do you want to watch a movie?"

"No."

I lean closer and whisper in the voice that apparently turns him on, "Let me guess...you want to have sex."

"Yes. Quite a lot, now. Especially," he says, "because your hand is now near my package."

"Mm," I murmur. I bite his ear slightly. "Are you sure you wan-"

"Yes," he growls and picks me up.

* * *

I wake up pressed against a very bare Four. I inch off of him. The blankets follow me, and I can see all of Four. Damn...

I look at the clock and swear. He only has fifteen minutes until practice.

I wake him up. He stares at me for a second. "What - _whoa_."

"Get up. Throw clothes on and run to practice. I'll bring you some breakfast," I reply.

I put a sports bra, sweatshirt, and basketball shorts on and throw my hair into a ponytail before flying to the cafeteria and grabbing Four and I breakfast burritos.

"Here," I gasp, handing it to him. He's about to leave the room.

He kisses me. "Thanks. See you later?"

"I'm going to come to practice, at least for a little while," I reply, yawning.

Four kisses me one more time. "Last night was great."

I flick him. "Get going." As he's leaving, I add, "I agree." He smirks and closes the door.

I shower and change into clean basketball shorts, clean underwear, and a clean tee shirt. Then I grab some work and my bag from my office and jog to the field.

Four is warming up with the other players. I feel my cheeks flush slightly, remembering last night. He catches my eye and grins, knowing what I'm thinking of.

* * *

Apparently Zeke can tell, too, because, during the break, he claps Four on the back, grinning and whispering to him. Four nods, almost smiling at Zeke. He chuckles and claps Four on the back again.

* * *

Christina slides in next to me. "So you and Four banged last night?"

I look over at her, surprised. "What?"

"C'mon, it's obvious," she says, rolling her eyes.

I shake my head. "I'm not saying anything. I plead the Fifth."

She hits me lightly. "Was it good?"

"Christina!" I yell.

* * *

Susan has just dropped AJ off. He gushes about his night at Tristan's, but I can tell he's tired and put him to bed early - right after dinner.

* * *

Tonight Four and I simply lie still in his bed, his arms around me loosely. "How was work?" he asks, grinning.

"Oh," I tease back, "pretty good. I saw a really hot guy play baseball."

"Ooh, should I be jealous?"

"Probably."

Four kisses my cheek. "Let's get some sleep."

I cuddle closer, feeling...feeling safe. He wraps his arms around me very tightly. I like it.

* * *

Four kisses me to wake me up. "Game day," he whispers. "C'mon, get up."

I groan and sit up, rubbing my eyes. In the past two weeks since the first game, Four has pitched in eight games and helped win seven of those eight. He's pitching today, too, against the Red Sox.

* * *

" - Four Eaton, pitcher. Uriah Montenegro, catcher..." the announcer drones. He continues and then the game begins. Four pitches well in the first inning, striking two players out and helping with the third out.

He sits next to me while the Yankees hit. "Is AJ at school?"

"Yeah. Susan's going to watch him until I pick him up after the game and doing some work," I reply. "Good pitching, by the way."

He smiles widely at me. "Thanks."

* * *

The next inning, Four also pitches well. The fourth batter hits a ball into Four's glove really hard and Four keeps it. I see his face whiten and know he's hurt something, but he finishes the inning anyway.e

* * *

"Sit down," I order once he finishes the inning. I notice his face is beaded with sweat, too.

He obeys and pulls his glove off. "Shit, that hurts."

I swear quietly, too, and jog up the dugout stairs to talk to Max. "Max, Four's got something broken in his hand. I'll need to examine it further to tell exactly what, but there's no way he can play."

Max nods. "Tell Montenegro to warm up."

I send Zeke to warm up and pull Four out of the dugout.

* * *

"What's wrong with it?" Four asks, pallor still off slightly.

"You broke your pinky finger in two places, your ring finger in one, and sprained your pointer and middle fingers," I answer.

"How long will they take to heal?"

"The sprained fingers a few days, the ring finger a week and a half or so, and the pinky two weeks," I explain, grabbing some materials to set and wrap his fingers. "But you don't need your pinky much." I grab a pinky-sized splint. "I have to set your pinky. It will hurt. I'm going to -" I set it while he's distracted, and he winces and swears. I set the other break and put the splint on, wrapping it in medical tape. I set the break on his ring finger and brace and tape that, as well. I tape the remaining two fingers together and hand him water, ibuprofen, and an ice pack. "You're lucky you didn't hurt your thumb, A broken thumb takes freaking forever to heal," I inform him. "C'mon. let's watch Zeke pitch."

Four hops off the chair and follows me.

The team is hitting again when we get back out. Zeke grins at Four. "How's your hand?"

Four holds up the bruised, bandaged, and icing hand. I smack his other hand, and he sits obediently.

Zeke winces. "Damn, man. But that was an amazing catch!"

Four almost pouts and sits back to watch the game. I hold his uninjured hand and rub soothing circles on it.

* * *

Four slams the door of the car shut. I can tell he's angry. "Hey, Four," I say softly but firmly, not moving the car, "what's up? I know you're angry. If it's about the game, -"

"It is my fault," he insists.

I kiss along his jaw, something that seems to comfort him. "Even if you'd wanted to pitch, you couldn't have. And Zeke did well."

"Not well enough."

"You can't blame yourself for Zeke not doing well," I point out.

"Let's just go."

I sigh but drive silently back to the hotel.

* * *

I unlock our door and step in. Then Four pushes me against the wall and kisses me. I kiss him back, wondering what's going on, but rather liking it.

I flip us around forcefully and pin his arms to the wall. I feel his smile on my lips and tug on his lower lip. Four pulls away slightly, a pleading look in his eyes. I lean forward and capture his lips with mine. Then I lock the door and allow him to pick me up. I giggle.

* * *

I lay in bed awake, AJ and Four both sleeping soundly. I think back to what F-Tobias told me earlier...

_"'No,' he insists, 'call me Tobias. That's my name. Tobias. I'd like hearing it out of your mouth, I think.'"_

I had smiled and kissed him again. I sigh, thinking again of today before AJ came home.

Four pulls me closer, mumbling about something in his sleep. I kiss his head. "I love you." Then I drift to sleep.

* * *

"Trissy." Four's voice floats through my dreams. "Get up, Tris." He sighs. "I'll send AJ in here if you don't..."

I sit up, groaning. "What time is it?"

"You and AJ have to leave for the preschool in about forty five minutes," Four answers.

I appreciatively look over Four, who slept in only a pair of basketball shorts. He strikes a pose. "Like what you see?"

I chuckle and pinch his pec. "Not a bit, fatty."

He laughs also, and I kiss his cheek. "Silly girl. I'm clearly the epitome of male hotness."

I shove him toward the bathroom. "Get ready, epitome. I'm going to go get AJ and myself ready."

* * *

AJ whines all the way to the preschool. By the time I get us there, I have a pounding headache. I drop him off and sit in the parking lot for a few minutes.

* * *

"Hey, Tobias," I say, yawning.

He wraps an arm around me. "How was the office work?" Four flashes a grin at me.

"Shut up," I reply, hitting his arm lightly.

"You wound me with your bitter words and harsh blows," he teases.

"Sucks to suck." I shrug.

* * *

"C'mon, AJ," Four coaxes. "We gotta go, kid. We're going to New York."

"But I don't want to leave Tristan," AJ says. I can hear the tears in his voice. I lean on the doorway of his room, watching them interact.

"Tristan lives in New York, too, bud," Four reminds him.

AJ sighs and starts packing up. "But what about my other friends?"

"I'm sure you'll find at least a few friends in New York." Four helps him pack up.

* * *

AJ sniffles as he looks back at the hotel from the backseat of the truck. Four is driving us back up to New York. He's told me a bit about his house - he lives in Brooklyn, in a remodeled townhouse. He has two cars - his beloved truck, which we're driving in now, and a smaller, more practical, Prius.

"Mommy..." he whines.

"AJ, I have a headache. Please don't start," I beg.

"But -"

"AJ," Four says firmly in his quiet voice, "your mother gave an order. Listen to her."

AJ huffs and sits back in his carseat. He slowly falls asleep, and I turn a sound machine off. Soon, I begin to doze as well.

* * *

Four wakes me up sometime later. He looks pretty tired. "It's lunchtime. I stopped at a little restaurant." He yawns. "I'd also like to take a little nap, if -"

"I'll drive after lunch," I answer.

He smiles and takes my hand. "AJ is using the bathroom in the restaurant. We should go meet in with him."

"You left my son in a restaurant by himself?" I ask, honestly worried and annoyed. I huff and jog into the restaurant. AJ is sitting on a bench, looking only slightly worried.

Four follows behind me. "I'm sorry! I figured he could be alone for a few minutes."

"He is only four, Four. Not even old enough to be in kindergarten!"

"I was left alone at that age!"

"AJ isn't in your situation," I hiss. "And he never will be."

"You're right. He never will be," Four answers. Then he buries his face in his hands. "We'll continue this discussion later. Not in public and certainly not around AJ."

I huff, but we eat lunch.

* * *

I begin to drive. AJ is asleep again, and Four has his headphones in, clearly trying to sleep. I get us to the motel Four booked in a small town called Roanoke Rapids. I get us checked in and then get everyone to bed. Four doesn't attempt to speak to me. I sleep in AJ's bed, and Four drives the next morning.

* * *

My mouth drops when I see Four's "remodeled" townhouse. It's not the size that gets me, it's the architecture. It's three stories and probably twenty two feet in width. But the stone is intricately carved, with pillars and carved stone window spaces. The stone is light-colored, with no flecks of other colors. The door is a dark, polished wood that works perfectly with the house.

"It's amazing, Four," I breath.

He nods. "All I did was redo some of the inside. I didn't have the heart to mess with the outside. It's too perfect."

I turn to face him. "Four, I'm sorry about my yelling at you for leaving AJ alone and the comment about your situation. I didn't - I - I was just worried about him. He's a little kid."

Four nods. "It's fine. I shouldn't have put you in that position to begin with."

I nod again and look back at the house. "Damn, Four - this house is amazing!" I sigh. "AJ and I will be moving out as soon as I can find an apartment. Thanks for letting us stay."

"No problem. Stay as long as you need." Four grabs a bunch of bags and begins to walk them up the walk. I give AJ his little bag, grab some more bags, and do the same.

* * *

Four and I are cuddled up on the couch with AJ, watching Frozen...again. AJ and Four really love it. Four grins when "Let It Go" comes on and sings along softly. I smile. "You actually have a good voice, Four."

Four kisses my cheek. "Thank you."

"Susan and I watched you tuck AJ back in that one night," I add. "Singing to him was really...really sweet. She commented on how sweet you are. You'll be a good dad someday."

"I already am one."

* * *

I sign AJ up for preschool at the school Tristan goes to, even though it's a bit of a hike. Susan and I have worked out a schedule of days to watch each boy and Hayden, based on the games and other commitments. Christina has also offered to watch the three of them when we can't.

Today is Susan's day. Four and the Yankees have a game.

"FOUR!" the fans roar as he walks out. They've roared for the other well-liked Yankees as well so far.

Uri goes to pitch for Four, grinning at me.

During the first inning, I focus on Four and Uriah. When they return to the dugout, I give them each some tips. Both of them nod and collapse onto the bench, Four putting his arm around me. I move it, wrinkling my nose.

"No way, Mr. Sweaty," I say, pinching his side half-jokingly.

He leans down to whisper in my ear, "You don't seem to _always_ mind when I'm sweaty."

I redden and hit him. He bursts out laughing, and Uriah seems to realize what he was saying and chuckles as well.

* * *

"You played well," I say to Four, grinning.

"Thanks."

* * *

"You look nice," I say appreciatively. We're going to dinner tonight. Four put on a black collared button down shirt and black slacks and spiked his hair especially crisply.

He grins at me. "So do you, Tris. You always do."

"Good answer."

* * *

"What's good here?" I ask, biting my lip, not really understanding the menu.

Fou-Tobias chuckles. "Sorry, it's in Italian. You should get the pasta bolognese."

I shrug and order it.

* * *

"This is good," I say, taking another bite.

Four reaches his fork out. "Can I try some?"

I take his fork and put some on. "Yup."

"Mmhmm..." he moans. "It's great."

I reach my fork over to his dish, which looks like spaghetti and meatballs. "May I?"

"Of course."

* * *

"- and then my friend Grace fired the ball at me. I swear to god I thought I was going to die. she broke three ribs!" I recount, giggling.

"Ouch." F-Tobias leans closer. "Once, when I was playing catcher, I whipped my mask off to catch a fly, and the batter swung his bat right into my face. It was on purpose, too. The ump threw him out of the game, of course."

"What happened?"

"He didn't break anything, only gave me a bat-shaped bruise and black eye," Tobias answers, grinning.

I scoot closer. "One time, Caleb was teasing me about only have a three point six GPA, so I gave him a really puffy black eye. Then -" I giggle "- then I asked him how his four point oh brain liked that."

Tobias laughs heartily. "When is Caleb coming up? I wouldn't mind meeting him."

"Oh, no. You are not meeting my family yet. All of them are über-protective. Plus, my dad and mom are mixed up in something. I haven't heard from him yet."

Four shrugs. "You will soon," he promises, wrapping an arm around me.

"I hope so."

**A/N: in case you were unaware, the time skip from around Four's birthday to when they're leaving for NYC is about a month-long skip, as Spring Training generally ends in early to mid April. Also, please give me reviews. Did you like? Not like? Danke, gracias, etc.**


	7. Chapter 7

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey, everyone. I know it's been a while, but I hop you like this update. I do.**

**About EVAS...I know a whole lot about it, seeing as I have it. It's not uncommon, and it doesn't necessarily make you fully deaf - I have full hearing in my right ear, and about 25% in my left (the lowest tones only). Just putting that out there. Oh, and if I get any rude comments about EVAS, I will be pissed. Like, really pissed.**

**ENJOY!**

_Tobias laughs heartily. "When is Caleb coming up? I wouldn't mind meeting him."_

_"Oh, no. You are not meeting my family yet. All of them are über-protective. Plus, my dad and mom are mixed up in something. I haven't heard from him yet."_

_Four shrugs. "You will soon," he promises, wrapping an arm around me._

_"I hope so."_

* * *

I sit at his kitchen table. Four doesn't have a game today. I'm pouring over the paper for housing options.

Frustrated, I groan.

"Hey," F-Tobias says softly, so I know he's there.

"'Morning."

"Whatcha doing?" He sits next to me for a second and then gets up when he sees the house ads. He busies himself making coffee. He's a bit of a doodie, really - super specific about all his food and with a ton of special equipment. It's quite adorable. Everything about him is adorable, though, so...

"Tris?" The tone of his voice makes me think he's said my name a few times.

"Oh! What?"

"I just asked if you'd like a cup of coffee."

"Yes, please." I grin as he sets one down immediately, despite having asked me.

Then Tobias leans against the counter, facing me and sipping his coffee. He lets out a groan and puts the cup down. "Goddamnit, Tris! I don't want you to go," he tells me. His eyes are screwed shut, and he's scowling. "I like it when you're here. I don't feel...alone."

I stand and rest my hands on his bare chest. "We've been staying in your house for almost a month, Four. I think we've overstayed our welcome."

Four opens his eyes, looks down at me, bites his lip, and looks away. I inch closer, trying to ignore the burning fire spreading through my body from being so close to him. He finally snaps his head back to look at me. "Will you move in with me?"

"I live in your house."

"You know what I mean. Will you properly move in with me? I think I'm in love with you, Tris, and I don't want you and AJ moving out!" he says, running a hand through his already adorably mussed morning hair.

I lay my head on his chest, my cheek almost pressed against his shoulder. "Yes," I whisper. "We'll move in with you."

"I have something I need to tell you," he says. I run my fingers along the tendons in his hands and look back at him. "I might be in love with you." He smiles a little. "I'm waiting until I'm sure to tell you, though."

"That's sensible of you," I say, smiling too. "We should find some paper so you can make a list or a chart or something."

I feel his laughter against my side, his nose sliding along my jaw, his lips pressing my ear.

"Maybe I'm already sure," he says, "and I just don't want to frighten you."

I laugh a little. "Then you should know better."

"Fine," he says. "Then I love you." His eyes hungrily search mine, waiting for the same reply.

I bite my lip. "I think I love you, too."

"You think?"

"I'm not sure I'm ready to -"

"It's fine." _But it's not, Tobias, and we both know it._

"No - Tobias - I do love you," I say, grabbing the waistband of his basketball shorts as he tries to leave. "I just - the thought of loving someone the way I love you, especially after only a few months, is terrifying to me. Admitting it to anyone, let alone you, is even worse."

He turns around and kisses me. "I wish AJ wasn't here," he whispers.

"School starts in about two months," I reply into his lips.

I can feel his smile. "Then I can't wait for school to start."

I pull back. "Four, I know you really like AJ and all, but you don't need to do so much for him if you don't want."

He shakes his head. "I love your kid, Tris. I love him as much as I'd love one of my own. I don't mind."

I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him again. "I love you."

He grins. "I love you, too."

"Mommy? Daddy?" AJ says, running towards us with tears running down his face. One of his hands is over his left eye.

"What's wrong?" I waste no time in picking AJ up.

"There's a bad man in my room. He hit me, Daddy." AJ presses his face into my neck and we follow Four to AJ's room.

Peter is sitting on AJ's bed. "Hello, Tris, Four. AJ."

AJ cries harder and presses his face into my neck. "Mommy, make him go away."

"Four's going to do that, baby," I whisper, rocking AJ back and forth slightly.

"Why are you here, Peter?" Four growls.

"To visit my dear friends."

"Tris, take AJ and sit in my room," Tobias brusquely orders. "Lock the door and don't let anyone in until I knock."

I obey, closing and locking the windows, as well, and shutting the shades. I turn to look for AJ, and he's buried in the blankets of Four's bed. I smile and get a wet rag from the bathroom.

"AJ, honey, can I look at your eye?"

AJ sits up, and I can see Peter hit him hard. I take a picture of the already swelling eye and then dab at it with the towel. He begins to cry again, and I sigh. "How about I let you have the towel and you can dab at your eye?" I suggest, handing it to him.

AJ presses it to his eye, still whimpering.

I hear a roar of pain that could come only from Four and then the sound of glass breaking. "AJ, baby, lock the door behind me, " I order.

AJ nods, and I leave. In AJ's room, Peter is out cold on the ground, bits of blue glass surrounding his head. Four is sitting against the bed, hand over his arm. I see a little blood oozing out.

"What happened?"

"Peter stabbed me near the shoulder, and I knocked him out," Four replies. He hisses. "Call the police, please."

I pull out my phone and dial nine-one-one. "Hello? Yes, this is..."

* * *

"Are they on their way?" Tobias asks.

I sit next to him and help apply pressure to his arm. "Yes."

"Go get AJ. I'll be fine by myself for a minute."

"I don't want him seeing this," I answer.

"Go get him, Tris!"

I grit my teeth. "I do not want my son to be here."

He stares at me. "Please?"

I meet his eyes and search them. Then I stand and knock on the door. "AJ, baby, please open the door." He obeys and runs into my arms.

"Mommy." He hugs me. "Where's Four?"

"He has an owie," I answer. "C'mon, let's go sit with him."

* * *

The police pound on the door. I put AJ on my hip and let them in.

"Hello, ma'am. Are you Tris Prior?"

"Yes, Officer...Hernan," I reply.

"Can you please take me and the EMT to the room where this all happened?" he requests.

I motion them in and walk to AJ's room. The EMT immediately begins to stitch and treat Tobias - though I could have done this, I thought it better to allow someone with the police to do it - and the officer turns to me.

"What happened?"

"Peter Hayes broke into Four's house and punched my son. AJ came to get me, and Four and I went in there. I went to get AJ away from Peter, and Peter and Four began to fight, from what I gather. Peter stabbed Four, and Four knocked him out with something made of the blue glass. You should really ask Four for specifics, though," I answer, giving the EMT AJ to inspect.

"Do you know why Mr. Hayes would have cause to do this?"

"Could we speak somewhere else? Perhaps somewhere without my son?" I request.

The officer nods and allows me to lead him to the kitchen. "When I was eighteen, Peter raped me. AJ is his son. He has no rights to him, as his name isn't on the certificate, but he pays me child support because a judge ordered him to. Also, Peter is or was on drugs. I helped the manager of the Yankees to prove that. He believes that everything is my fault and Four's fault."

"Thank you, Ms. Prior. That will be all for. We will take Mr. Hayes into custody, but we will need a statement later from the three of you."

* * *

I sit in the waiting room of the hospital with AJ, rubbing my temples. Beside us, there is a crying baby, two screaming toddlers, some school-aged kids, and a bunch of adults. All of the above are sick or hurt or have family that is sick or hurt. And no one is being quiet.

AJ gets up to to somewhere, and I hold him down. "Don't move, AJ."

I think he can tell I'm not in an arguing mood, because he obeys, sitting down.

* * *

"Family of Four Eaton?" a bored nurse asks.

I stand and walk toward her, putting AJ on my hip. She leads us to a room where Four's sitting on a table, conferring with a doctor.

"Hey, Tris," Four says. "Hey, AJ."

"How are you?" I ask quietly.

"The doctor says I can go to L.A. to play the Angels," he answers.

The doctor nods. "I did the stitching as securely as possible, and from what Four told me, you're a pretty good doctor."

I shrug. "Only a trainer, sir."

"Make sure he rests," the doctor adds quietly, pulling me away. I set AJ down next to Four and walk away with the doctor.

"Is it really safe for him to play?" I ask. "He -"

The doctor glances at Tobias and pulls me further away. "I need to talk to you about something I saw in Four while I was examining him."

"What?"

"His genes - I don't know if the child is his, but if it is, he's at risk for a gentic hearing disorder called EVAS - enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome. It's passed on genetically - not uncommon, but he won't necessarily have it," the doctor explains.

"AJ isn't Four's. But..." I hesitate. "But Four and I might want to have kids someday."

"I don't mean to scare you - there's a chance the child won't have it, especially if you don't. But Four's genes, and his MRI, clearly show that he has mild EVAS, and the chances he will pass that on are good, especially if you have the gene as well," he adds.

I bite my lip. "Do I need to tell him?"

"Eventually, yes."

"Could you explain what this is?" I ask.

He pulls out a diagram of the inner ear, and then a second. "In this one, the aqueduct is normal-sized. In the second, it's slightly enlarged, which forces the endolymphatic sac to grow as well, which makes the affected unable to hear normally."

"Can a cochlear implant be done? Or hearing aids?"

"Cochlear implants do not help. Hearing aids are useless. But not all children have full hearing loss," he replies, shaking his head.

I swallow. "Why is it a syndrome? Are there symptoms?"

"Yes. Teenaged and adult people with EVAS often have vertigo. An unexplained ringing sound in the ears is common, as well," he says.

"Thank you, sir. I will talk to Four."

* * *

The drive back is tense and silent. Even AJ can tell.

* * *

After I tuck AJ in, Tobias gives me a look telling me we need to talk. We sit on his bed. "What did the doctor tell you?"

I bite my lip. "We need to talk about something else, first. The way I explain it will depend on our discussion. And I need you to be one hundred percent honest with me in this discussion, okay?"

"What do you want to talk about?"

"What do you want in the future?" I ask. "Am I in it? Is AJ? Do we get married, have kids?"

Tobias' eyes widen. "I, uh, yes." He swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing, and looks away. "I see you. I see us, married, with a baby. I see myself adopting AJ. I see AJ graduating high school and college, us behind him, and playing baseball, I hope."

I kiss his cheek. "I see something like that, too. But you need to know..."

"I need to know what?"

"If you have kids, you'll put them at risk for a certain hearing disorder," I whisper. "It's called EVAS."

Tobias looks down, no longer watching my expression. "What are the chances my kid would get it?"

"Medium."

He bites his lip. "I would never wish that on a child...but I still want a kid of my own. Maybe more than one."

"And they wouldn't necessarily have EVAS," I remind him. "And if they do, we'll learn to deal with it."

He kisses me. "I want you to be the mother."

"I'd like that," I whisper. "But let me have a little while."

"I'd wait forever for you."

I kiss him roughly and pull his shirt over his head.

* * *

"Chris!" I yell.

She grins and walks toward AJ and I. "Hey, AJ. Are you ready to have a party weekend? We're gonna have a lot of fun!"

"I don't want you to go, Mommy." AJ pouts and his eyes begin to water.

"I have to. I'll see you soon, baby. I love you." I kiss his head and hand his bags to Chris. "Thanks for watching him, Chris."

"No problem. Have fun with the team...especially number four, " she adds, grinning mischievously. "Speaking of him...anything interesting going on?"

"On the night Peter attacked Four, we 'danced'," I answer.

She grins. "What is that, four times?"

I shake my head. "Nope. I just didn't tell you about all of them." I kiss AJ again and walk back to the truck. Christina yells after me, but I just keep walking.

"How's AJ?" Tobias immediately asks.

"He'll be okay soon. Susan is going to watch him for part of it, and he's very comfortable with her, Hayden, and Tristan," I answer, leaning my head against his shoulder.

Tobias slips his arm around my waist. "He'll be fine."

He kisses me, and someone honks loudly. Tobias jumps and starts the car. Then he flips the honker off and begins to drive.

* * *

Tobias' demeanor changes slightly as we enter the airport. He seems stiff.

I take his hand and hold it as much as I can as we go through the airport. Tobias gets more and more tense as we get closer to the gate.

"Tobias, what's wrong?" I ask, pressing my lips to his ear.

"I don't like heights."

"Ah." I pull him to a Starbucks in the airport. "Well, I'll sit next to you and entertain you and help you fall asleep."

"We have beds." **(A/N: I know it's very unusual for baseball players to be given first, business, or even economy plus seats, but let's assume for some reason some of them were.)**

"Then I'll lie next to you," I amend firmly.

He sighs and kisses my head. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

Tobias has to force himself to step onto the plane. I see him fighting himself, but he makes it to his bed. I sit on the one next to him - I gave Zeke mine.

As soon as the plane begins to move, Tobias whitens and grips the bed. I can't get up until the seatbelt sign is off, so I simply reach over and take his hand.

"Hush, Tobias." I squeeze his hand. "Pretend I'm, um -"

He gets the idea and laughs, cutting me off. "Sounds good."

The plane takes off, almost without him noticing.

* * *

The second the fasten seatbelt sign is off, I'm sitting on his bed, smiling down at him. He chuckles. "Damn, Tris, eager much?"

I lean my elbow onto a certain part and he swears. "Nope."

* * *

Tobias and I play cards. My plot to keep him entertained has been working. He throws down his cards.

"I win!" he says triumphantly.

"Nope. Look at my hand." I lay it out and he hands me a few M&amp;Ms grudgingly.

"This is fun," he says simply.

"See, planes aren't so bad," I point out.

"Not with you, they aren't," he muses.

I kiss his cheek. "Get some sleep."

"Ugh, fine." Something he doesn't know is that I slipped the pain meds, which have a built-in sleepiness factor and he's been refusing to take, into his water. _Whoops_.

I sit and read and do work, waiting for him to wake up. He doesn't, not until I have to wake him to tell him we're landing soon. He nods and begins to pack up.

* * *

Max gave us one room, a knowing smirk on his face. Tobias was red for a while after Max whispered something in his ear.

* * *

He immediately falls asleep on the bed. I let him nap for an hour and then smack him awake. "C'mon. You and I are gonna do some extra practice."

Tobias groans and gets up and ready.

I drill him in the pitcher's position for about an hour. Then I toss him a mask, chest plate, and leg guards.

"No supports?' he calls, fastening them quickly.

"Nah. Help build up those legs of yours."

"They're built up already. You should know that," he hints, waggling his eyebrows.

"Shut up, horn dog," I order, chuckling back at him. "I'm going to pitch at you, okay?"

"You can pitch?"

"I was a pitcher-shortstop," I answer. "Now get down, boy."

He squats, and I fire one into his glove. "Damn. I guess you were a pitcher."

"No shit, Tobias." I throw another and another and drill him.

I move back towards second base and continue to have him throw to me. By the time I'm at second base, his arm has warmed up and he's making precise throws almost every time.

* * *

"That was torture," Four groans, rubbing his arms. Truth be told, I'm pretty sore, too.

"Let's shower and go to sleep," I mumble.

"Shower or shower?"

"I'm not up for that kind of shower tonight, Four. But maybe tomorrow," I answer.

"What's tomorrow?"

"July eighth," I say.

"Your birthday," he points out casually, leaning against the wall in front of the bathroom.

"So?"

"So we should celebrate."

"You have a game," I remind him.

"I know. After the game, let's get Zeke and Uriah and Will and go to a bar," he suggests.

"Sounds good, but -"

"I had Christina slip a good outfit into your bag," he tells me, smiling triumphantly.

"Okay, okay, we'll go." I lean up and kiss him. "Now let me shower, horn dog."


	8. Chapter 8

_**I don't own **_**Divergent**_**.**_

**Please, please, please don't hate me after this chapter. For the FourTris thing, not the Uriah thing. I like that twist. And I know some people get annoyed when authors change the characters' sexualities, but I decided I want to. So shut the fuck up it you don't like it. Oh, and Tris and Uriah won't get together...at least, not in my FanFics. And plus, in this Fic, Uriah is gay (or perhaps bi, I haven't decided yet). So yeah. Do you guys want him to be gay or bi?**

**Enjoy and PLEASE DON'T YELL AT ME I KNOW IT'S SAD SORRY!**

**Oh yeah... Warning: quite a bit of swearing in this chapter.**

_"I know. After the game, let's get Zeke and Uriah and Will and go to a bar," he suggests._

_"Sounds good, but -"_

_"I had Christina slip a good outfit into your bag," he tells me, smiling triumphantly._

_"Okay, okay, we'll go." I lean up and kiss him. "Now let me shower, horn dog."_

* * *

Four and I take the bus to the game. I have my trainer bag, and he has his baseball bag. Most players put theirs under the bus, but Tobias insists on keeping it on on his lap - and therefore on mine as well. We chat the entire bus ride, really only about insignificant stuff. Then we're there and we walk in. Tobias goes to change and I sit in the dugout.

He plops down next to me in the dugout and pulls my legs over his lap.

"You ready?" I ask.

"Yeah. Will you stretch me, though?" he requests, standing and bouncing on his toes a little.

"What part? And I swear to God, make a dirty joke and I will bite you hard enough to draw blood somewhere you won't like it the next time we have sex," I warn.

He smiles innocently. "Who, me? Anyway, my arms and legs, please."

I nod. "Lay on the floor."

He obeys and I stretch both of his arms and legs. Zeke requests the same treatment, so I stretch him as well.

Then Max calls the players to circle up and then sends the onto the field, except Four, who suits up as a catcher, with Zeke pitching to him. I predict Rivera will be the closer.

Tobias plays well as catcher in the first four innings, though some more practice wouldn't hurt him. Then, after everyone else has come in, he stays out a little longer, looking at me and then pointing at the scoreboard in center field. I walk up the dugout steps and lean against the railing, watching him and the scoreboard.

Then I see it. "TRIS: HAPPY 24TH BDAY! YOU'RE AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU! LOVE, FOUR."

The entire stadium awws and Four jogs off the field and kisses me. I shove him away, chuckling, but pull him back for another kiss.

Zeke claps Tobias on the back. "You're _so_ getting laid tonight," he adds "quietly." I kick Zeke in the balls and sit down in a very ladylike way. Tobias kisses me again and sits next to me. Zeke collapses next to us, groaning about his manhood.

Tobias presses another kiss to my temple. "Happy birthday, Tris, hon."

I kiss him. "That was sweet, Tobias."

"I gotta go get ready to bat. I love you," he murmurs. He kisses my cheek, grabs his batting gear, and warms up his swing.

There are three batters on, with one out. If Four can get a good single, he can bat at least one guy in.

Tobias steps up the the plate, glances at the pitcher, and switches his stance to the other side of the plate, smirking slightly. He's batting lefty against this pitcher, I guess.

The pitcher grimaces and pitches anyway. Tobias doesn't swing, a wise decision. It's called a ball, though it really could've gone either way. The next ball he throws, Tobias gets ready to swing at, but doesn't. It's a strike. The third ball thrown Tobias seems to like, because he sets himself up and swings. I jog up the stairs to see where it goes. It sails…and sails…and sails right over the back wall! Tobias grins and runs the bases, the other three runners going ahead of him. All of his teammates clap him on the back, but he joins me and kisses my cheek.

"Mmm…sexy man hitting a grand slam," I say, grinning at him.

He chuckles. "Mmmm…sexy woman watching him," he teases. He wraps his arms around me.

I shove him off. "One, ew, you smell. And two, go get geared up."

He sighs. "Fine, woman." And Tobias trots off.

Eric sidles up to me. "Hey, Tris."

"Hi, Eric," I say, in a more closed-off tone. "Do you have an injury?"

"No, but neither does Four," he points out.

"That's different, Eric."

"Oh, you mean because he's fucking you?"

"What do you want, Eric?" I cross my arms.

"You to sleep with me," he quickly shoots back.

For a second, I'm stumped - is he kidding me? But then I see the determined set of his eyes and realize he's serious. "Why in hell would I do that?"

"You slept with Peter and Al and Zeke and -"

"Whoa, buddy," I say, pushing him back slightly. "I don't know where in hell you got those names, but Zeke is dating someone - and neither of us have any interest in each other anyway - and I've never slept with Al in any way, shape, or form. Lastly, Peter raped me, Eric. That's a lot different than sex."

"So? He still got to sleep with you!"

Four comes up behind us, an ice-cold look in his eyes that tells me he's been hearing our conversation. "Back the fuck off my girlfriend," he hisses, "or I swear to fucking God I will fucking tear you to pieces."

Eric swallows and moves away. Four smiles a sickly-sweet smile at him, shoots him one more threatening glare, and joins the team on the field.

Eric grabs my arm roughly. "You should be glad you had your little boyfriend to protect you." His other hand drifts dangerously close to my breast.

I grab his hand and snap his wrist in a single move. "Don't need him. And I suggest you get that taken care of. But you can't go showing Max that I did that, can you? I'm pretty certain sexual harassment would get you thrown off the team."

He growls and stalks off.

* * *

"What did you do to Eric after he grabbed you?" Tobias asks, fingers gripping the armrest tightly.

"Snapped his wrist and threatened to get him kicked off the team if he tried to go to Max," I reply, rubbing his thigh gently. "Tobias, I'm fine. I don't need you to protect me."

He pulls me into a tight hug. "Yeah, but I want to, because I love you."

I sigh. "To- Four, that was a great hit!" I say cheerfully, as Rivera switches seats so as to sit next to Tobias and, presumable, talk to him. "Oh, hey, Rivera."

"Hey." He turns to Tobias. "Great hit today, man. And turning to hit lefty? Good play."

Tobias nods, smiling tightly. "Thanks. Your closing was good."

Rivera claps him on the back again and goes back to his previous conversation.

Tobias relaxes some. "Thanks."

"For what? I just didn't say your name," I answered. "And, Tobias, I really don't need to be protected. I can fight."

"I know, Tris. I just feel like if I'm not trying, not enough's being done, because, if you got hurt or something happened to you, I don't think I would deal so well." Tobias stares down as he speaks, cheeks almost flushed, presumably with embarrassment. "I know it hasn't been that long that we've been dating, but you're the only girl I've actually found a connection with."

I smile and kiss him. "I love you, Tobias. And I've only ever dated you and Peter, and I think we can safely say I've only felt a connection with you."

Tobias chuckles. "Yes, that would be a safe assumption."

I lean my head on his shoulder. "So you heard everything today?"

"Yeah…?"

"Why didn't you come earlier, if you were going to anyway?" I ask quietly.

Tobias gives me a sheepish look. "I wanted to see what you would say, to be honest."

I laugh quietly. "It's fine. I might do the same, if I were you. Then again, Eric might not be the best test of loyalty, seeing as he's rather repulsive."

Tobias laughs outright at that. "True, very true. But still."

I don't comment on that, just lay my head in his lap and let out a content sigh. For the rest of the ride, he absent-mindedly fiddles with my hair, me watching him as he thinks something through. His eyes harden a few times, so I can assume he's thinking about something serious.

As we near the hotel, Four smiles at me, but it's almost forced. "You ready to go to the bar?"

"No, not really. But I figure I can let loose, at least for a little while. I just don't like how crazy it gets at bars and clubs and stuff."

Tobias nods understandingly. "I get it. Don't worry, cute little innocent bunny - I'll watch out for you." He grins impishly at the end.

The bus come to a stop. I hop onto his lap, gathering my stuff, grab him through his pants as payback, and walk off the bus calmly.

"DAMN YOU, TRIS!" he yells.

"Too late." I jog to our room, making sure to get there before him, and lock the door. Then I take a nice, long shower.

When I get out, he's pounding on the door. "C'mon, let me in."

I sigh and unlock the door. He steps in and I close it.

Tobias stares at me, going obviously hard at the sight of my bare body.

"Go take a cold shower, horn dog," I order, shoving him gently. He sigh and obeys.

I rifle through my bag which, according to Tobias, Christina slipped a club-/bar-appropriate outfit into.

She packed me a freaking stripper outfit. Well, not literally, but it might as well be.

I throw pajamas on and storm into the bathroom, where Tobias is just stepping out of the shower, reaching out for a towel. I grab his chin and force him to look at me. "The next time you want to go to a bar or a club or whatever and surprise me, tell me to pack myself something. Or have someone OTHER THAN CHRISTINA DO IT!"

Tobias looks concerned. "What's wrong, Tris? Did something happen?"

"Christina packed me a stripper-worthy outfit," I answer.

Tobias chuckles and pulls me into his chest. "You look beautiful in everything, Tris. _Especially_ in my clothes."

This gives me an idea. "Give me your white striped dress shirt," I order.

He obeys, and I take it and go change. I put on the black "skirt" Christina gave me, a white tank top of my own, and Tobias' dress shirt, cinching it with the thin black belt Chris provided me with. It's long enough that it goes down further than the "skirt", though you can still see it.

Tobias steps in to change and his eyes widen considerably when he sees me. "Wow."

I smile - it feels good to have someone compliment me like Tobias does - and hug him. "Thanks. Now get some clothes on. As much as I may like with without them, I'm pretty sure Zeke and Uriah and Will would rather you wear them."

He chuckles. "True, true." Tobias sticks his hand into his suitcase and pulls out boxers, dark blue jeans, a white undershirt, and a casual grey button down shirt.

I put a little makeup on in the bathroom - not too much, I know Tobias doesn't like a whole lot, and I don't necessarily need it - and return. Tobias is watching more sports while I wait.

"I have to say," I begin, chuckling, "that I would think you might get tired of watching sports."

Tobias turns around, looking over me, amusement in his eyes as well. "I watch old and new baseball games, learning the signs of the managers, catchers, and pitchers. It helps me in my game."

"Ah." I sit in his lap. "Could that wait until tomorrow?"

"Definitely for you." He stands, almost knocking me off, but catching me in the last second. "Mmm. Let's get going. Zeke and Uri convinced the hotel to lend them a car for the night. Probably not the most wonderful idea, but I'm hoping at least one of us will stay sober enough to drive back."

I chuckle. "I'll do it. I've gone out a few nights after I had AJ - leaving him at home, of course - and so I learned to not get inebriated like everyone else manages to."

"I remember you saying bars weren't your scene." Tobias closes the door behind us.

"Yeah. They aren't, really, but I guess it's a nice enough celebration, beca-"

"Let's just go somewhere for dinner, then," Tobias suggests. "Zeke and Uriah can go to a bar when we get back to New York."

"Okay," I agree.

Tobias smiles and kisses me, kicking Zeke and Uriah out of the driver's and front seats, respectively. I settle myself in the front seat, making sure to put the seat back as far as I can to cramp Uriah's legs. Will smirks at me in the mirror, and I chuckle.

Tobias sits, looking on his phone for a few minutes before driving off. He makes sure to do a few sudden starts and stops, causing the boys in back to complain.

Tobias finally pulls into a parking lot, looking like a little boy that has just been given a large bag of candy. I chuckle. "So where are we?"

"An Indian place. Is that okay?" Tobias drums his thumbs on the steering wheel nervously.

"Yeah. I love Indian food, actually - it's my favorite." I smile and kiss his cheek. "Now let's get you boys in there."

Tobias claims the bench for him and I. Uri and Zeke sit across from us, and Will on Tobias' right. I'm on Tobias' left.

Tobias orders for us, and Zeke whispers something in the waiter's ear. He nods, and Zeke gives him a charming smile. I notice Uriah watching him leave. Or watching his ass leave, to be specific.

"Hey," I say, snapping my fingers in his face. "Hey, Uri! The rest of our group is on earth, not watching that guy's ass."

Uriah whirls around, face abnormally pale. "I - I wasn't looking at his butt," he stutters.

"Uriah, none of us care," Tobias says, yawning. "I watch Tris' ass, believe me," he adds with a wry smile.

Zeke shrugs. "Bro, it's not a surprise. You stare at the guys when we shower."

A strange, serious look comes onto Uriah's face. "I don't want to talk about this. Plus, it's Tris' birthday. C'mon, let's celebrate."

Everyone shrugs and we eat, as the food just arrived. Tobias wolfed down enough for three people, seemingly easily.

After we're done with the entree, the boys all pull bags out. Tobias gives me a folder first, giving the others a subtle glare to let him go first.

I open it and scan across the document. I grin as I understand it. Then I kiss Tobias. "Thank you, Four. I love it. But you really need to talk to AJ first. I'm all up for it, and I think AJ will be, too. My only question is…what if, for some reason, we break up? Would you still want to be AJ's dad?"

Tobias nods, a stubborn look on his face. "I'd love AJ even if I wasn't dating you. And he needs a dad." Tobias takes a deep breath and slips out of the booth, getting down on a knee. I know what he's doing now, and I unconsciously swallow.

"Tris, I know I haven't known you for that long, but I really, really, _really_ need to ask you this." Tobias takes another deep breath. "Will you please marry me?" He hold a black velvet box out, a simple ring inlaid with a few small stones, but very well designed inside of the box.

I swallow and look down at it. I really, really, _really_ don't want to turn him down, but I don't want to get married just yet.

Time seems to slow down as Tobias stares up at me and Uriah, Zeke, and Will watch us.

I reach down, and Tobias' eyes light up, but then I slowly close the box. He sharply inhales, understanding my answer. Then he stands and strides briskly out of the restaurant. I stand and run after him.

Tobias sits on the curb, tears running down his face. He hears me approaching. "Go away," he mumbles, tears choking his voice.

"Tobias, it's not what you think," I say, sitting next to him and rubbing his back gently.

"All I think is that you said no," he gets out.

"Tobias, I do want to marry you," I whisper.

"Then why in hell did you say fucking no?"

I cough, tears burning my eyes. "Because I don't want to marry you yet. Keep asking, Tobias. I'll say yes when I'm ready, I promise."

"And why aren't you ready now?"

I wriggle under his arm. He leaves it over my shoulders, albeit tensely. I lay my head on his shoulder, letting my tears drip onto his grey shirt. "I'm sorry, Tobias," I whisper. "I really do love you, I promise. And I do want to get married. Just…not yet, okay?"

I can tell he's not.

"Yeah, whatever."

"This is going to change things for us, isn't it?" I move away from him a little, gather my knees to my chest, and rest my head on them.

Tobias sighs. "Yes, I think it is. But I want you to know that, no matter what, I love you."

"I love you, too." I swallow. "We're still…together, right?"

"Do you want to be?"

"God fucking damnit, Tobias! I love you! I don't fucking want to break up with you! If you're going to get angry, get fucking _angry_. If you're going to cry, _cry_. But don't fucking act fucking indifferent!" I shout at him.

"I don't know what to fucking say, Tris! I thought this would be the perfect evening - I was going to propose to my girlfriend that I love, and she was going to say yes, and we would live happily ever after!" he yells back.

I notice he said "love." Not "loved." That's good, I guess. "Well, it wasn't," I say quietly, angrily wiping my tears away with the back of my hand.

"No fucking duh."

* * *

I sit in the back, kitty-corner from Tobias - as far as I can get from him. Zeke sits in the front seat. No one has spoken to either Tobias or I since dinner. And Tobias and I haven't spoken since we yelled at each other. We each angrily wipe our tears away periodically.

"Hey, Tris," Uriah says quietly from next to me - quietly enough that Tobias, Will, and Zeke can't hear. "If you want, you can crash with me tonight."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. We drive the rest of the way in silence, Uriah holding my hand comfortingly. When we get out, I walk off with Uriah, not meeting Tobias' eyes.

Uriah leads me to his room, allowing me to cry. Once he opens the door, he engulfs me into his arms. "Shh. Tris, it's okay."

I hiccup and get myself under control. Then I whimper. "But it's not."

Uriah sighs and pulls me so I'm sitting next to him on his bed. "What happened? After you, uh, sai- ran out?"

"We fought," I say miserably.

"Hey, Tris, it's gonna be okay," Uriah whispers, hugging me. "He loves you. You guys will be together, I promise."

I swallow and hug him back. "Thanks, Uri." I force a smile onto my face. "Uriah, why don't you just come out?" I ask quietly.

Uriah smiles sadly at me. "Not everyone is as liberal as you guys, Tris."

"They can go fuck themselves."

Uriah chuckles. "Yes, that might be a wise idea." He presses a kiss to my forehead. "I'll come out when I'm ready."

I nod. "I understand. It's like my wanting to wait to get married to Four."

Uriah smiles. "See? You guys still love each other." He stands, pulling me with him. "Now let's get some sleep." He hands me a pair of shorts. "They might be a little big, but I think you can sleep in them."

I nod and walk to the bathroom. I pull the skirt and Tobias' shirt off and the shorts on. I cinch them at my hip with an extra hair tie, and then walk back out. Uriah's sitting in the bed.

"Thanks, Uri."

"No problem. Wanna watch an old, romantic movie and bawl our eyes out?" he asks, smiling widely.

"Sounds good," I say, smiling back. I slip into the bed next to him. It feels weird to be in bed with someone other than AJ or Tobias, but Uriah is just being nice and brotherly.

I doze off at about ten thirty, leaning on Uriah's shoulder. I feel him lay me down and pull the covers up, and then cuddle up next to me. I fall into a deeper sleep.

**I'M SORRY, PEOPLE. Anyway, see you soon...**


	9. Chapter 9

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey, peeps. Whasup? Methinks I failed my math and Latin exams. #YOLO, I guess. That's way overused...**

**I'm in kind of a rambling mood, if you couldn't tell. That's where Tris gets her Tobias-ramblings at the end.**

**So I just wanted to say... I know a good number of you were disappointed with Tris' response. Yes, it is going to be awkward, but they're still going to try. They are not just giving up. One thing I _try_ to do in my FanFictions is have some sense of reality (I'm not even going to try to claim that they're always realistic in any way). I know we all hear about those weddings where they met a few months before. I guess that does happen sometimes. Usually, people date for longer. Also, Tris is probably going to have at least a few issues after being raped and having to raise her kid pretty much on her own. So yeah...reality...Tris no marry Four yet...yeah.**

**Enjoy and please follow/favorite/review.**

_"Thanks, Uri."_

_"No problem. Wanna watch an old, romantic movie and bawl our eyes out?" he asks, smiling widely._

_"Sounds good," I say, smiling back. I slip into the bed next to him. It feels weird to be in bed with someone other than AJ or Tobias, but Uriah is just being nice and brotherly._

_I doze off at about ten thirty, leaning on Uriah's shoulder. I feel him lay me down and pull the covers up, and then cuddle up next to me. I fall into a deeper sleep._

I wake to Uriah pulling a jockstrap on and stuff my face into a pillow. "Ew, Uri. Please tell me you have at least boxers on now."

"Yup. Got my pants on, too," he answers, though I can hear the smile in his voice. "But hey, all I did was moon you."

"Shut up, Uriah."

"Okay. Anyway, you should go back to your room and get some clothes and stuff. Breakfast opens in fifteen minutes." Uriah hesitates. "Talk to Four on the bus."

I swallow. "I'll try." I get out of the bed, hug Uriah, grab my purse and clothes, and sneak to my room. I open the door to find Tobias passed out on the couch, empty bottles of liquor surrounding him.

I swear quietly - I don't want to wake him up - and run a bath. Then I strip him down and practically carry him into the bathroom. He pukes into the toilet when I get him there. I hand him a toothbrush and he brushes and spits. I help him into the tub and make sure he washes himself. Then I hand him a towel, help him out, and go grab a cup and some aspirin. I fill the cup and hand him it and the aspirin. Then I change into what I normally wear to away games - a grey Yankees shirt with black shorts and converse. I brush my hair and teeth and leave, not having said a word to Tobias.

I sit next to Uriah, about ten minutes late to breakfast. He eyes my plate. "You should've gotten more."

"I have food."

"You'll be hungry." He points to my eggs. "Those aren't a whole lot of food."

"I have an apple and some juice, too," I remind him. "And I keep bars in my bag."

Uriah sighs. "What took you so long? Did you talk to Four?"

"Four was knocked out when I got there," I say flatly. "Drunk."

"Oh." The tone of Uriah's voice tells me he's not surprised.

"So I cleaned him up and left."

"Ah."

"You don't sound surprised that he was drunk," I mention.

"Zeke might have mentioned it to me," he mumbles.

"I don't really care. So long as it isn't a habit and he can play, I don't care." I bite my lip. "I didn't mean to hurt him, Uri."

"I know."

"But you did," a new voice adds. I see Zeke, who's glaring at me.

"Zeke, lay off her," Uriah says in a warning tone.

"She fucked with him," Zeke points out, taking a bit of his omelette.

"Not on purpose, Ezekiel." Something in Uriah's tone is final now.

Zeke grumbles but eats silently.

* * *

Uriah gives me a meaningful look, shoves me into the seat next to Tobias on the bus and sits behind us.

"So," he mumbles after a couple seconds. "You spent the night with Uriah. How was the sex?"

In about a millisecond, Uriah has his hands around Tobias' neck. "Careful, Four. I may want her to talk to you, but that does not give you permission to be shitty to her. Especially considering how nice she was to you this morning."

"Yeah, yeah," Four grumbles. "I'll be civil. Now let the fuck go of me."

Uriah releases him. "Be nice to her," he repeats.

Tobias looks at me, rubbing his neck. "Okay, that may have been a little mean," he concedes.

I raise an eyebrow. "You just insinuated I had sex with a gay man right after I fought with the guy I love. A little might be an understatement."

"Of the century," Uriah adds. "And _Tris_," he complains.

Both of us ignore him. "Look, Four, I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You did."

I grab Tobias' knee. I lean closer. "Look, Tobias. I won't deny I was upset and angry and shouldn't have yelled at you. But I do love you, and I do want to get married. I'm just not ready. I'm sorry."

Tobias bites the inside of his cheek, hard enough to draw blood. I gently unhook his mouth from his teeth. He meets my eyes, pain abundant in his. "I think the fact that you saying no shocked me the most. I never dreamt you would - not in a million years. I love you, and that hurt me - a lot."

I wrap my arms around him. "I'm sorry."

Tobias' hands soon find my waist. "Were you serious?" he whispers. "If I keep asking, will you eventually say yes?"

I kiss his cheek. "Yes, Tobias. I'll eventually say yes."

He lets out a breath, but doesn't say anything.

Then both of us are flicked in the back of head. We turn around simultaneously, glaring at Uriah.

"Make up and kiss already," he orders.

"I don't think that's going to happen, Uriah," I mumble. "Things have changed."

"But you still love each other."

"Love isn't a magic cure-all," I whisper, remembering hearing the same words come from my mother's mouth.

Tobias looks at me, a surprised look coming onto his face. "What did you say?"

"Nothing. Just something my mom said to me once," I murmur.

Tobias searches my face carefully. He opens his mouth to say something, and then decides better of it and turns back to Uriah. "Leave us be."

* * *

I see Eric in the dugout, his right arm in a cast from finger to mid-upper-arm. I smirk at him, waving girlishly, and then jog up the stairs and lean on the railing next to Uriah and Tobias. Tobias doesn't touch me, and I don't touch him, but there's less tension.

Tobias doesn't play in this game at all. Uriah does. This makes it awkward for me.

I decide to check my phone. I see about a thousand texts on it, all of them from Christina. I choose not to read them.

But there's one from my dad, too. I grab Tobias' arm roughly. He looks at me and then glances down at my phone. His eyes widen.

"Open it," he whispers, pulling me off the steps. We sit on the bench.

I click on it. It reads: _Tris, honey, your mother and I are safe. We've dealt with the…business, and will be flying up to New York in four or so days to visit. Can you please text me your address?_

I let out a sigh of relief and collapse into Tobias, almost in tears. Tobias doesn't push me away; on the contrary, his arms wrap around me and he pulls me closer to his chest.

"Tobias?" I whimper.

"Yeah?"

"Can we leave?" I finger with the hair at the nape of his neck.

He stands, unfortunately. "I'll go talk to Max."

"Thank you," I whisper, but he's already gone.

I watch his retreating figure. He speaks to Max for a second, and then Max scowls and waves him away. Tobias nods and grabs my hand.

"He said we can go if we can get ourselves back." Tobias leads me out of the dugout and towards the street. He hails a cab and gives the address of the hotel.

While we're in the cab, he holds me tightly, stroking my hair and whispering to me. He pays the cabbie and we go to our room.

Tobias allows me to cuddle into him on the couch. "They're okay," I finally whisper. "Whatever they were in…they're okay."

He presses a kiss to my forehead. "Yup."

"Thanks, Tobias," I say, yawning and cuddling closer.

"For what?"

"For comforting me and stuff when…after everything," I reply.

He grunts and looks down at me. "You helped me out this morning. Tris, we both still love each other, just like Uri said. It's just -"

I cut him off, pressing my lips to his firmly. He smiles into the kiss and adds his tongue. I break of the kiss, stand, and walk to the bed; he follows.

* * *

We lay pressed against each other. We used that to explain our feelings to one another right now. I'm not going to lie, not all of them were positive.

I trace a pattern absent-mindedly on Tobias' chest. "Why did you ask me so early?" I murmur.

"I'm in love with you." Tobias rubs his hand along my bare back.

"Yeah, but you had to have known I wouldn't be ready."

He shrugs and leans in to kiss me, gently brushing my lips with his own and nuzzling my cheek. "It was in the back of my mind. I just thought you might love me enough to say yes anyway."

I sit on him, straddling him. "So that's what this is about. You think I don't love you as much as you love me."

Tobias shrugs. "I guess."

"Tobias, love isn't a magic cure-all," I reply.

"Why would your mother tell you that?" Tobias asks, scowling.

I bite the inside of my cheek. "That doesn't matter, Tobias. All that matters is that it's true."

"No, it does. You know a lot about my childhood. How come I barely know anything about yours?" Tobias props his head up on an arm.

I bite my lip hard. "What do you want to know?"

"Let's start with the easy stuff. Where'd you grow up?" Tobias watches me carefully, searching my face.

"Chicago." I harden my face into a mask, letting nothing through.

"Where in Chicago?"

"Not important," I deflect.

He sighs. "Okay. Who was your best friend growing up?"

"My brother, Caleb, or our neighbor's kid, Mac," I say easily.

"What did your parents do for work?"

How do I answer this one? He'll be able to tell if I lie, but how do I explain what they do?

I swallow and don't answer.

"Ah…that's their secret. Their jobs. What were they, mobsters? Drug dealers? Gang leaders?" Tobias asks. "Politicians?" he adds, smirking slightly.

"No - no! My parents do good for the community, they just don't do it under the law. My parents round up people from gangs and mobs and stuff, make them befriend each other, and train them to keep Chicago safe. They're an unofficial police service. They also rob the rich and give to the poor," I explain. "My parents have been lowering the levels of gun violence in Chicago by a lot."

Tobias swallows. "That's an interesting job."

"Did I scare you off?" I whisper.

Tobias shakes his head. "No, no. Just - what're they called?"

"Divergents. Why?"

Tobias grins. "They robbed my father's office once and spray painted symbols all over it. I was maybe sixteen. I may have found it amusing, but my father did not - he beat me for laughing."

"Oh." I lay back on the mattress and cuddle with him.

"Okay, so are there any other family secrets?" Tobias asks.

"My uncle is in the police force and gives my parents information about gangs and criminals. He also tells my parents when the police are on their trail." I look away from Tobias.

"So your uncle's a dirty cop?"

I glare at him. "No. The police chief likes the Divergents. Only the mayor and the rich people and politicians don't. He keeps the city safer, Tobias. My uncle just aids that."

Tobias shrugs. "It's a cool job, I'll admit."

"But you -"

"No, I'm not judging your family. It's just a surprise. Is that where you learned to fight?" Tobias asks, tracing my lips with the tip of his finger.

"Yeah. I would run amongst some of the most dangerous criminals in Chicago without a second thought," I reminisce, chuckling. "They were all very nice to me, though. I learned how to fight with gangsters, how to swear with mobsters, how to shoot with the best of them, and how to throw knives from my father."

Tobias smiles. "You learned how to swear from a mobster?"

"From multiple, really," I reply. "In several languages."

He kisses my forehead. "Sounds like a nice childhood."

I nod. "My dad is pretty lethal, but everyone likes him, so my neighborhood was kinda like one big family."

* * *

I sit next to Uriah at dinner. Tobias sits next to Uriah at a different table. Will is being smart and sitting with Rivera.

"So what happened after you left the game?" Uriah mumbles through his food. "Why'd you leave the game to begin with?"

"I got a text from my dad," I answer, shrugging. "I just wanted to go talk to Four about it."

"What happened?" he pushes.

I bury my face in my hands. "We had sex."

Uriah chokes. "You what? I mean, I'm glad you made up, but -"

"That's just it," I interrupt. "We didn't, at least not really. The sex was great and everything, it's just…it wasn't the same. It wasn't making love."

Uriah nods knowingly. "But hey, it's a step. How's he doing?"

"He thinks the reason I turned him down is that I don't love him enough," I reply.

"Oh. Well, I'm sure you said you did, right?"

"Yeah." I elbow Uriah. "Meet any hot guys recently?"

"We aren't talking about me, Tris."

"A girl can hope." I smile at him. "Anyway, I'm starting to think you're a better best friend than Christina."

"Would you still say that if I wasn't gay?" he whispers, not meeting my eyes.

"Of course, Uriah. The only reason I haven't said that before is because I haven't seen you in action." I hug him. "I'm not going to judge you, Uri." I look him up and down. "I might have someone for you…"

"A guy?"

"No, Uri, he's a rainbow unicorn," I tease. "No, he's an ex-gangster turned civilian. His name is Robert. He's a good guy. I think you'll like him."

"Where does he live?" Uriah asks. I can see I've spiked his interest.

"My dad's having him move to New York soon," I almost-sing enticingly.

"Why?"

"Ummm…" I trail off, thinking of what to say. "Uriah, you grew up in Chicago, right?"

"Yeah." He takes another bite of chicken. "Why?"

"You've heard of the Divergents?" I bite my lip.

His eyes widen, and he automatically lowers his voice. "Yeah, everyone has."

I moisten my lips. "Let's just say my family knows them pretty well. Robert is one, and -"

"Is your family the head?" Uriah pushes.

I bite my lip again. "Yes. Anyway, Robert is one, and my dad is having him move to New York to talk with the Insurgents, the New York branch. There's one in New Orleans, too - the Allegiants." I look him in the eye. "Don't tell anyone about this. Anyway, I'll introduce you to Rob when we get back to New York. You're totally his type - the last guy he dated was a fireman who played catcher in a weekend league. Oh, and the joking part. That, too."

Uriah grins. "What does he look like?"

"Blonde hair - more gold, really. Dark brown eyes. Fit body. Kinda tanned skin," I describe. "Big lower lip. Strong jaw. Pretty tall. Straight, medium-sized nose. His hair's kinda curly, too."

Uriah nods. He hugs me. "Thanks, Tris."

"No problem. Do you wanna hang with Four and I tonight? I figure I should really stay with him, and if you're there it won't be quite so awkward." I smile at him hopefully.

"Sure. See you at seven?" he offers.

"Sounds good." I flick him in the head and sit next to Tobias. "I invited Uriah to watch some movies with us, Four."

"Ah. To alleviate stress?"

I nod. "Do you mind?"

"No, it was a good idea," Tobias mumbles. "Should we invite Zeke?"

I give the other man, currently conversing with another baseball player, a cursory glance. "No. But you should explain to _your_ friend that this isn't all my fault, though I admit I may have unknowingly started it." Then I stand up and walk away, meandering to my room and turning the TV on.

I flick through the channels of the TV boredly, and then slip into pajamas and drag the quilt off the bed. Uriah knocks on the door about ten minutes later, already in his pajamas. He plops down next to me and pulls some of the quilt over him.

He's quiet for a few minutes. "You should really reply to Chris' texts. She's pretty worried, Tris."

I sigh. "I didn't want to go through her yelling at me for turning Four down."

"She's not going to yell at you. Just read them," he encourages.

I sigh and pull my phone out. I unlock it and scroll upward some.

The messages read:

_Tris, honey, what happened? Will told me Four proposed and you said no. Are you two okay?_

_Tris? Please answer me, Tris._

_Tris, sweetie, Zeke has been texting me some pretty nasty things. What's going on?_

_Tris, you need to talk to me. And Four._

_Okay, now I've been texting Uri. He said it wasn't only you; he said you and Four fought._

_Tris, please text me back._

_Sweetie, none of us are mad at you._

_TRIS._

I sigh and tap out a reply. _Sorry, Chris. I wasn't checking my phone much._

_What happened? (Chris)_

_I'll explain when we get back. It's not really something for texts. (me)_

_Okay. Thanks, sweetie. (Chris)_

_No, thank you. I have to go now, Uriah and Four and I are going to watch some movies. (me)_

_Have fun! (Chris)_

I put my phone away and Uriah wraps an arm around me while we wait for Tobias.

He doesn't come for a little while. When he does, he simply sits next to me and buries his face in my shoulder. "I love you."

I wrap an arm around him, and he smiles at me sadly.

Uriah glances at us and turns the movie, Pitch Perfect, on. Tobias groans when he sees the title, but just tucks his legs underneath himself and pulls me and the blanket closer.

* * *

About halfway through the movie, Tobias falls asleep. I hold a finger to my lips at Uriah, who's watching the movie interestedly, and half-carry, half-drag him into the bedroom. I pull his jeans and shirt off and tuck him into the bed, kissing his head and rejoining Uri.

"Once a mother, always a mother," he mumbles.

I hit him. Hard. "I'm not that much of a mother, you bully."

Uriah raises his eyebrows and goes back to the movie. I sigh and do the same.

A few minutes later, I amend, "Okay, maybe I'm a little bit of a mother."

Uriah grunts his agreement and then yawns. "Okay, Tris. Anyway, it's like eleven and I have a game tomorrow." He hugs me. "See you at breakfast." He turns the TV off, collects his stuff, and leaves.

I yawn as well and join Tobias in bed, pulling the quilt over us. He sighs and cuddles closer to me as I lay awake.

I have to say, when I first met him, I never imagined him to be a cuddler. Then again, I also never imagined that he would propose…or that I would say no.

I really didn't mean to hurt him. I do love him - enough to marry him, even. I just don't want to do it yet. I just wish he could see how much I love him.

Ew. I sound like a lovesick teenager. Do all people have weird, immature thoughts before they fall asleep?

Mmmm…Tobias still smells like baseball. I've always loved that smell. Tobias smelling like it just makes me like it more, though his cologne doesn't smell at all like baseball.

He wraps his arms around me in his sleep, and I succumb to the feeling washing over me, closing my eyes.


	10. Chapter 10

_**I don't own **_**Divergent**_**.**  
_

**Heylo. Sorry this is late an unedited. I have to go. Sorry. Enjoy. Will update more and ADD ASAP. If you don't get the baseball terminology (I did explain some of it...) just look it up.**

_I have to say, when I first met him, I never imagined him to be a cuddler. Then again, I also never imagined that he would propose…or that I would say no._

_I really didn't mean to hurt him. I do love him - enough to marry him, even. I just don't want to do it yet. I just wish he could see how much I love him._

_Ew. I sound like a lovesick teenager. Do all people have weird, immature thoughts before they fall asleep?_

_Mmmm… Tobias still smells like baseball. I've always loved that smell. Tobias smelling like it just makes me like it more, though his cologne doesn't smell at all like baseball._

_He wraps his arms around me in his sleep, and I succumb to the feeling washing over me, closing my eyes._

Tobias wakes me the next morning. "Hey," he says simply, a neutral yet intrigued expression on his face.

I press my face into his chest. "Hi, handsome."

He rubs my back gently. "In a good mood?"

I yawn. "Why do you ask?"

"Just 'cause, I dunno, this feels right. Not awkward like it has for the past few days," he replies, smiling.

I smile back at him and kiss the corner of his mouth. "Looks like I'm not the only one in a good mood."

Tobias nods. "What can I do to make you say yes?"

I look down. This conversation took a quick turn. "Let's talk on the bus," I suggest, standing.

* * *

Tobias pulls me down into the seat next to him by grabbing my arm and literally pulling me. I squeal in protest.

"We're on the bus," he commands, eyes dark and demanding.

I look out the window at the dismal gray sky. I think it will rain; Tobias and the Yankees will play even if it does. The stadium roof will be shut.

Tobias grasps my arm and pulls me back to face him, not roughly, but almost. My heart falls at the look of pain and desire in his eyes. "Please, Tris." His voice is rough.

I take a shaky breath. "Tobias…"

He takes my hands. There is no sign of the laughter I can usually detect; there's not even the toughness others usually see. There's only pain in his eyes.

"Tobias, just give it time," I whisper. "Give _us_ time." A burning sensation races through my body, settling behind my eyes. The tears threaten to spill over, so I bury my face in his shoulder.

His soft, large hands find their way to my back, rubbing it soothingly. "And you'll still live with me?" he murmurs.

"Of course."

* * *

The Yankees stretch and toss the ball around for a bit before gearing up for batting. Uriah is first on the lineup. He throws his gear on, goes up to the plate, and promptly swings at and misses the first ball. He hits the second, but it's thrown to first before he can get there.

I shrugs at him when he jogs in.

Each player batting goes once - the order is finished and next inning will begin with Uri. Two runs are scored. The team gets ready to take the field, Uri strapping the protective gear on.

Tobias smiles at me as he makes his way to the mound. Uriah nods at me from behind the plate.

Howie Kendrick steps up to bat. He has an average of two-eighty-nine this year - there's a good chance he'll hit off of Tobias. Tobias glances at Uriah, who studies the batter for a second and signs for a fastball. Then he winds up and throws a straight, even fastball. The pitch's speed is ninety-five. My eyes widen.

Uriah tosses it back, grinning. Tobias glares at Uri's glove and nails another one in there. Both have been strikes. Both have been about ninety miles per hour; the second was ninety-eight.

Tobias winds up again, and the batter prepares to swing. Kendrick thinks Tobias is going to throw another fastball. No. Tobias smirks just slightly, signs to Uriah, and throws a knuckleball that, at its fastest, is as fast as the second pitch - ninety-eight miles per hour. Damn.

Kendrick is out, shaking his head as he hands his batting gloves, bat, and helmet to a bat boy.

Tobias soon strikes another batter out. Then he gets two strikes on the third before the batter hits a pop that Uri easily catches.

The team jogs in and those batting gear up. Uriah's going first this inning again, and he gulps, his Adam's apple bobbing.

I clap him on the back. "Uri, you'll do great. Remember, you just need to FUCKING SLAM IT!"

He jumps, because I shouted the last part in his ear. "Okay, okay."

I grin, hand him his helmet, gloves, and bat, and shove him towards the stairs. He pulls them on and walks to the warmup circle, taking a few swings with the extra weight and then stepping up to home plate.

The pitcher throws his first ball: an eight-nine-miles-per-hour strike. Uri doesn't swing at it. He swings at the second, and it's a foul tip. Then a third pitch… Uriah swings and slams it far into left field, getting a double. I grin as the crowd grumbles.

Tobias sits on the bench beside me. "Hey."

I hug him. "Good pitching."

"I was thinking of you," he admits, leaning closer and whispering. "Thinking of some of the things I'd like to do to you."

I flush, thinking of those things, too. "Better not get too turned on," I whisper back. "I don't want the whole stadium seeing your boner."

He chuckles. "No, I'd rather that not happen."

We banter as the rest of the team bats - Uri even goes twice. Damn, the Angels are not doing well.

When they finally get a second out, Tobias grabs his glove and begins to stretch. I automatically step close to him and do it for him, stretching exactly what should be stretched so he won't get hurt. Then I release his arm and smile.

The Angels finally get their third out, and Tobias has a quick chat with Uri and Max before jogging back out onto the field. Uri quickly joins him and stretches his legs before squatting down. Tobias throws a few soft pitches to loosen his arm and then allows the batter to step up to the plate.

Tobias strikes the first batter out with two curveballs, one of which the batter tips, and a fastball. None of his pitches have dipped below ninety-two miles per hour.

The second batter foul tips on the first ball, and Uri catches it.

The third batter drives a ball down the first base line. Tobias fields the ball and tosses it to Mark Texiera. The out is made easily, and the Yankees head into the dugout to begin the top half of the third inning.

Tobias sits next to me, yawning. He adjusts his cup and then puts his arm around me. I giggle.

"What?" he asks.

"Shauna told me a story," I gasp, "about a woman who fan-mailed the Yankees. She offered her services as the 'official crotch-adjuster' for the Yankees. Shauna started laughing, but replied with, '_Thank you for your email, Yankees fan! Would you like a complimentary prize bag? If so, email us your address!_' because she had to."

Tobias chuckles. "The only person I want adjusting my crotch is you," he murmurs suddenly.

I elbow him. "What is it with you and sexual innuendos today?"

"I dunno. Maybe I'm extra horny. If I play a good game, will you -"

"Shut up," I order, smiling. "I don't have sex for bets."

He pouts. "Not even with me?"

"Nope."

"What about a deal?" he asks.

"Nope."

Tobias gets down on his knees. "Please? I'm extra horny!" He waggles his eyebrows for extra effect.

I just about fall off the bench laughing. Zeke walks by, sees me laughing and Tobias on his knees pouting, and chuckles. "Did you just beg to bang and she said no?"

I nod, still laughing. "He waggled his eyebrows after he said he was extra horny," I gasp, and then begin to laugh again.

Zeke shakes his head. "Damn, man. I really thought you were above that."

Tobias frowns and bites his lip. "I am. I'm just really horny."

"We can see that, teenaged boy," Zeke says and walks into the door in the dugout.

The Yankees get a few more runs in the bottom half of the third. Then Four and Uri are back on. The first batter, a righty, drives one down the third-base line. Jeter quickly fields it and throws it to Texiera. Tobias strikes the second batter out. And the third one hits a pop that is easily caught by Brian Roberts.

The next four innings progress in much the same way. It's currently eleven-zero, Yankees, and the bottom of the seventh. Four strikes the last batter out, and the team walks in.

The seventh, eighth, and ninth guys on the lineup all get on base, and Uriah steps up to the plate. I can see a trickle of sweat making its way down the back of his neck.

Uriah doesn't swing at the first pitch, and it's called a strike. Uriah ripples the muscles of his forearms. Then he stands straight, holds an arm out to the pitcher, and walks toward the dugout and Max. I jog up the stairs, leaving Tobias behind, to hear.

"- bat lefty," Uriah says firmly.

"Your lefty batting average is significantly lower than your righty average," Max argues.

"Their right fielder has a slight limp. They were stupid to play him injured," Uriah counters.

"Uriah is right, Max," I say. "Their right fielder has a sprained ankle at the least, I'd say. Perhaps a heel injury. Let him bat lefty."

Max sighs. "Fine." He turns to a bat boy. "Get his lefty helmet, boy."

The boy scurries off and returns with a helmet. Uri hands him the other with a smile and puts the new one on.

Uri grins at the pitcher as he takes the other side of the plate. I know the pitcher will aim for low inside pitches, and I suspect Uri does, too.

he readies himself to swing and does. I hear a satisfying crack as the ball flies into the outfield. The right fielder jogs after it, but it makes no difference - the ball is caught by a fan. Uriah hit a home run - a grand slam, really!

Uri grins, tosses his bat to the side, and runs the bases. His teammates all clap him on the back, grinning.

After Uri's grand slam, three batters get out.

Four strikes three batters in a row out easily.

We get three more runs - all home runs - and Tobias goes to pitch again. It's the bottom of the eighth. Two more innings of good pitching and Tobias will have pitched a perfect game. I just hope he can do it - only twenty-three pitchers ever have. The most recent was Mariners pitcher Félix Hernández, who did it in August twenty twelve. **(A/N: In case you aren't as well-versed in baseball as I am [that's a nice way of saying I'm a huge baseball nerd], a perfect game is when not a single batter of one team gets on base. For example, in Félix's perfect game, not a single Ray got on base. Félix struck most of them out, but some of them hit and were consequently gotten out at first.)**

Tobias strikes two batters out and Jacoby Ellsbury makes a catch for the third out. Tobias is on his way to adding his name to the list of perfect-games. He'll be the twenty-fourth. How _appropriate_.

I don't dare mention this to him. Instead, I punch him in the arm.

"OW! What was that for?" he asks.

"I dunno. I was just annoyed and felt like punching something and you were there," I reply, grinning sheepishly.

Tobias shakes his head and kisses mine. "You are one strange girl, Tris Prior."

I smile and nod. "Yes, yes I am."

The top of the ninth goes quickly. Three people are gotten out in quick succession.

Tobias steps up to the mound for the bottom of the ninth - his deciding inning. He strikes a batter out.

He throws a ball to the second batter. Then another ball. Then a strike. None of them are under ninety miles per hour. He throws another ball, and Max signals for Uri to call a time-out and go talk to Tobias.

Uri has a quick conversation with him, ending it by saying something that makes Tobias redden and chuckle. He waits for Uri to get back in position and throws a curveball - a strike. Then a knuckleball - another strike. One more out, and this will be a perfect game.

The third batter hits a line drive down the first-base line. Texiera dives for it and makes the catch. It's a perfect game!

The entire teams rushes onto the field and engulfs Tobias. I worm my way through them and hug him.

"I'll have sex with you," I whisper.

His grins widely and nearly runs off the field. The entire team looks at me curiously, except Zeke, who just smirks and shakes his head.


	11. Chapter 11

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey, everyone. Here's an update. Still having family troubles, so don't mess with me. At all. Like that guest who decided to review correcting me yesterday...I would so cyber-punch you right now.**

**_Any_ways...enjoy.**

_The third batter hits a line drive down the first-base line. Texiera dives for it and makes the catch. It's a perfect game!_

_The entire teams rushes onto the field and engulfs Tobias. I worm my way through them and hug him._

_"I'll have sex with you," I whisper._

_His grins widely and nearly runs off the field. The entire team looks at me curiously, except Zeke, who just smirks and shakes his head._

Tobias is jittery the entire way back to the hotel. Then he nearly drags me to the room. I kiss him right before he opens the door and stop him from doing so. "I love you, Tobias," I whisper, cupping his head between my hands. "I'm sorry I messed everything up."

He freezes for a second, but I guess his horniness wins out over his emotions, because he opens the door and gets us inside.

* * *

We lay on the carpet floor of the living room, bare skin pressing against each other. We didn't even make it to the bedroom.

There's an unnaturally awkward silence filling the gaps between us. We breathe it in; it fills our bodies with guilt and shame. We just had fucking emotional sex when we knew we probably shouldn't have.

But neither of us regrets the physical part. It feels good to have a release like that. But the mental? Knowing I - _we_ \- let us do this? That's what's making both of us feel guilty. We knew it was stupid. We're both apparently kind of angry at each other…or at least that's what I picked up from this.

Tobias taps my cheek gently. "I'm sorry, too," he whispers. "This is my fault. I got all pissy because you said no." He strokes my arm reverently. "I love you, too."

I move off of him and lean against the wall, burying my face in my hands. I soon feel the warmth that is Tobias next to me.

"Tobias, we shouldn't have had that sex," I say quietly. "We were both way too emotionally charged, and we both knew we shouldn't do it, but did anyway. Everything we do just seems to fuck this up more."

He gasps. "Are you breaking up with me?"

I shake my head. "No." I shake it again. "No, I couldn't do that. I'm just saying we need to stop doing fucking stupid stuff. We're pissed at each other, Tobias. I know you felt it."

He swallows and opens his mouth to argue. Then he snaps it shut and hangs his head. "Yeah, I did."

"I'm angry, Tobias, yeah, but not only at you. I'm as angry at myself. I keep fucking things up. I fucked things up as much as you did." I feel his arm wrap around me.

"Yeah." He doesn't bother disagreeing. "God, I'm a fucking idiot. I should have talked to you about it, a little, first. Hinted. I dunno. Talked to Christina, Caleb. Your parents. I don't know! I should have been less stupid. And on your birthday, too. I just fucked that day up for you forever."

I lift my head and lay it on his shoulder. "We just need to fix us."

Tobias kisses my head. "Mmhmm. Maybe Uri wasn't so wrong."

Someone pounds on the door, and then Zeke opens it. I squeal and duck behind Tobias, who shields me with his body, probably figuring that my privacy is, well, private. Zeke's seen Four naked before.

"Oh. Oh, shit. Sorry, guys." Zeke reddens and then grins. "You two really are horny. You couldn't even make it to the bedroom? Wow. That's worse than Shauna and I."

"Shut up and get out, man," Tobias orders, not a hint of amusement in his voice.

Zeke says, "Yes, sir." Then he walks towards the door and sets his hand on the handle, but pauses. "I just wanted to tell you that Uriah and Will and I are going to have a movie marathon today after dinner. You guys should come, if you're not too busy fucking or having issues." Then he leaves.

Tobias stands and locks the door behind him. Then he returns to where we're sitting and kisses me passionately, and one thing leads to the next, and we're having sex again. I hate to sound cliché (though I do), but this time, it's more than sex, and it's definitely less angry than last time - it's lovemaking.

* * *

When we finish yet again, we shower and pack - it's only about five pm, and, if we go to the movie thing after dinner, we won't have time to pack and sleep - our flight leaves at six am and the bus leaves the hotel at three am.

We each pack quickly and finish, leaving only our pajamas, bathroom stuff, and a change of clothes for tomorrow out.

Then we walk to dinner. I hold Four's hand and fiddle with his fingers. "Four?" I ask suddenly. "Are you still going to adopt AJ?"

Tobias looks at me, a serious look on his face. "Of course. I still want to be his dad. I really want to be his dad." He shakes his head. "I gave you those adoption papers after thinking it over for a long time, Tris. I wouldn't back out even if you'd broken up with me that night."

I smile and hug him. "He'll be really excited."

Tobias doesn't reply, but he wraps an arm around me, and it's less awkward. I lean my head on his bicep as we walk. We sit together at dinner, and nothing is as awkward. The tension is still viable, though.

Uriah finishes as I do. "Hey, Tris, could I, um talk to you?" he asks. "Privately?"

I smile. "Sure."

I clear my dishes and follow him. "So I just wanted to check up on you and Four," he says casually, leaning against the wall.

I redden. "Did Zeke, uh, tell you?"

Uriah frowns, and his eyebrows scrunch together. "What?"

"Uh, nothing. Four and I are…" I search for a good word. "Improving. Four and I are improving."

Uriah grins at me. "That's good. So what did Zeke not tell me?"

"He didn't not tell you anything."

"Oh, yes he did." Uri waggles his eyebrows. "Did you and Four bang?"

"Since when is two people banging a surprise, Uriah?" Tobias asks. "I seem to recall you walking in on your brother and Shauna a number of times."

Uriah scowls. "I - that - but -"

Tobias chuckles. "And now, my dearest of all dear Uriahs, I am going to steal Tris away to go over some legal things about the adoption."

I hug Uri and follow Tobias back to our room. He pulls out the folder and opens it.

"Did you understand it?" he asks seriously.

I blush. "I, uh, no, not really." I clear my throat. "I mean, I got the gist of it, but legal work has never been my thing. My dad tried to explain a bunch of it to me a while ago, but I was hopeless. My brother Caleb was a lot better. He got a law degree and works as my dad's lawyer."

Tobias chuckles and points to the page. "This means…"

* * *

Zeke pounds on the door. "Are you guys fucking again?" he complains. "C'mon, we wanna watch movies with you!"

"No, we're just going over some legal stuff!" I shout back. "You can come in, but it's boring," I warn.

He sighs and comes in, Will and Uri following him. Tobias continues to explain clauses in the document to me, slowly and carefully. I ask him about certain parts of it, and, when I'm satisfied the agreement, I sign my name and Tobias signs his.

Uri immediately scoops the legal documents up and dumps them in Tobias' and my room. Then he plops down next to me and pulls the comforter over him and me. Zeke and Will glare at him, and Tobias pulls some of the blanket over himself and wraps an arm around me. I lay my head on his shoulder, and he kisses my hair. Uri leans on me, and Zeke and Will lean against the couch, sitting on the floor. Zeke takes the remote and finds a movie about baseball - _The Perfect Game_.

It's a movie about a group of impoverished boys from Mexico that want to play in the Little League World Series. I keep wondering to myself in it why the boys seem to speak English sometimes, except when they're speaking to people who actually speak English. The Civil Rights fight in it is intriguing, though. And I see Jake T. Austin is in it. Is he Hispanic?

Zeke and Will fall asleep about halfway through the movie, but Uriah and Tobias stay awake with me. Once it's over, Tobias and I wake the other boys up and kick them out. Then we curl up on our bed, replacing the blanket on the bed.

* * *

When the alarm goes off at the ungodly hour of two am, Tobias and I get up and shower, too tired for anything else. We eat a little - who the hell is hungry at two am? - pack the last of our stuff, and get on the bus.

I sit in the aisle seat and rest my head against Tobias' shoulder, trying not to hear the sounds of the other players getting on and off the bus. Tobias seems to recognize my discomfort, because he wraps an arm around me and pulls me closer.

* * *

"Tris, we're here," he says softly, awakening me. "C'mon, let's go."

I sit up and rub my eyes. I see Tobias smiling at me in the sad way we now do and turn away. I get up and walk off the bus. I collect my bags and hurry into the airport, feeling Tobias' sturdy warmth behind me the entire time.

* * *

Tobias climbs onto my bed as soon as the seat belt sign is off and holds me to his chest. I fall asleep like that, and I think he does, too, because I only register him moving when the plane begins to descend. I buckle my seatbelt and go back to sleep until Tobias wakes me. Our bags are at his feet. I take mine and walk off blearily. Tobias follows and we stumble through the airport to his truck. I help him load the bags and then were off. He stops to get coffee before we head home to unpack, sleep a little more, and then pick AJ up, get changed into court clothes, and go have Tobias adopt AJ.

By the time we get to the house - traffic from Newark to Brooklyn is not fun, and it took us nearly an hour and a half - I'm semi-awake, so I help Tobias carry the bags in and begin to unpack.

"Will you make breakfast?" I request. "I'll finish up here."

He kisses my cheek. "Sure. You want pancakes?"

"Sure." I grip his chin and kiss him. "I love you, no matter what."

"I love you, too." He disappears down the stairs and I go back to our bags, sorting into fold, hang, and dirty. Most of it goes in dirty, but Tobias' blazer and a few of my things don't.

I throw everything I can in the wash and shower again while Tobias is still cooking. Then I put on a blue and gray sports bra, a white, rather see-through tank top, and black leggings. Then I amble down the stairs and plop down onto a chair. Tobias places a plate of pancakes in front of me and then adds the little velvet box to the top, a hopeful expression on his face. It is then that I realize things are at least okay with us, because he's going back to trying.

I realize I've been staring at the ring for about a minute. I glance at Tobias, and his expression gains hopefulness. I stand, take the box, place a hand on his cheek, and kiss him. "Thank you for trying," I whisper. "I love you, you know that?"

He sighs and takes the box from me. "Yeah, I know. I love you, too." Tobias kisses my cheek. "Now eat. I didn't make those pancakes just to get turned down."

I chuckle and we begin to eat, playfully teasing each other.

* * *

"Hey, bud," I say as AJ launches himself into my arms. "How were Christina's and Susan's? Did you and Tristan have fun?"

He nods. "But I missed you, Mommy."

I kiss his blond, now fo-hawked head. "I missed you too, baby." I smile down at him. "Guess what?"

"What?" His four-year-old eyes search mine, so full of innocence.

Tobias comes up and hugs the both of us from behind, in the middle of the Manhattan sidewalk. "You and me and your mom are going to go make me your real daddy today."

AJ's eyes nearly bug out of his head. "Like…like Papa is your daddy?"

I nod. "Yes, like that."

Tobias plucks him out of my arms and puts AJ on his shoulders. "But first, we have to go home and get dressed up."

"Why?" AJ whines.

"AJ," Tobias says in a warning tone even before I can say anything. And, to my surprise, AJ buckles down, only a slight pout on his face.

"Fine." He hesitates. "Mommy, my nice shoes don't fit me anymore."

"Are you sure?" I ask. Buying dress shoes is not cheap.

He nods solemnly. "I had to take them off last time."

I sigh. "Can you wear them today?"

"I'll get him a pair," Tobias offers.

"You -"

"I'm his dad now, too, Tris."

* * *

Tobias pulls up outside a big shoe store and parks. Then he unbuckles AJ and I follow them into the store.

Tobias sets AJ down nce we're in the store and whispers in my ear, "How do I know which pair to get him? What size is he?"

I chuckle. "C'mon, you baby. Just take him to the boys' shoes section, ask him which ones he likes, and then pick out a few you think will actually look good. I'll help you."

Tobias and I lead AJ over to the boys' shoe department and he tells AJ, "Choose a pair to try on that you like."

AJ looks up at us and then walks away slightly. I watch him as he looks at the different shoes and chooses a surprisingly sensible pair of black leather lace-up dress shoes. Tobias' face mirrors mine in its astonishment.

Nonetheless, I grab a pair of loafers, just for him to try on. They're also black.

I wave a salesperson over. "Could you please measure his feet?" I gesture to AJ, who's taken his Converse (a gift from my dad) off and is sitting in a chair.

She smiles at me. "Sure thing. And do you have any shoes you'd like to try on?"

I nod and gesture to the pairs next to AJ. Tobias adds a pair of nice Nikes to the pile, and I glance at him uncertainly. He shrugs.

The salesperson finishes up, picks the pile of shoes up, and disappears into a storeroom. AJ squirms with excitement in his little leather stool. Tobias smiles and squats next to him, whispering things in his ear.

When the salesperson returns, AJ tries on his shoes, his eyes alight.

We end up buying all three pairs - or, rather, Tobias buys them - and then heading home. Tobias tells me he'll get AJ and himself dressed, so I go put on a dress and do my hair and makeup.

When I return downstairs, Tobias and AJ are both cleanly dressed in light blue dress shirts and khakis for AJ and navy slacks for Tobias. I smile at them and kiss Tobias.

"You look good," Tobias says softly.

"Thanks," I reply. "Good job with AJ."

"Thanks." He holds out a hand. "Ready?"

"Do you have the papers?" I ask.

Tobias holds a briefcase up. "Yup. And I have his birth certificate."

I pick AJ up and buckle him into his carseat, and then I hope into the front seat of the truck. Tobias sits in the driver's seat, smiling at me. I take his spare hand as he drives to the courthouse.

The three of us stand outside it for a moment, taking it in. Or at least Tobias and I are; I think AJ is simply looking at the ice cream truck down the block.

It's an old building, made of what used to be white marble but is now green-gray. There are six pillars in the front and center; the doors are between the innermost two. To the right and left of the pillars are green-gray walls and dirty windows. There is a clock tower in the top of it that reads four pm.

Tobias takes my hand and leads AJ and I in.


	12. Chapter 12

**_I don't own _Divergent_. I do have a tumblr, though (thepassiontogive) so follow me._**

**Enjoy. If you, don't, don't tell me. Still having family issues. _Nice_ reviews are always appreciated.**

_I pick AJ up and buckle him into his carseat, and then I hope into the front seat of the truck. Tobias sits in the driver's seat, smiling at me. I take his spare hand as he drives to the courthouse._

_The three of us stand outside it for a moment, taking it in. Or at least Tobias and I are; I think AJ is simply looking at the ice cream truck down the block._

_It's an old building, made of what used to be white marble but is now green-gray. There are six pillars in the front and center; the doors are between the innermost two. To the right and left of the pillars are green-gray walls and dirty windows. There is a clock tower in the top of it that reads four pm._

_Tobias takes my hand and leads AJ and I in._

We stand in front of the judge, who's sitting at a desk. "And these were drawn up by your lawyer, Mr. Eaton?"

Tobias nods. "He said he can be here if he needs to."

The judge shakes her head. "That's not necessary."

I glance around the fairly boring room - it has dingy grayish walls, steel-framed windows, and no adornments other than the plain, dark wood desk. There are no seats other than the chair the judge sits in, but there are boxes and boxes of papers - or, at least, that's what I think they're full of.

The judge's voice calls me back to reality. "Ms. Prior, now is your last chance to say it if you do not want this man to be your son's father. Do you have any qualms?"

I shake my head. "None."

She signs the paper and hands it to Tobias. "Give it to Maria at the desk and ask her to make a copy, give you one, and file it." He takes it and we walk out. I put AJ on my hip.

"Did you take a nap today?" I whisper to AJ.

He shakes his head. "No."

"Then it's early to bed, sleepyhead," I reply, stroking his head.

He doesn't argue, just lays his head on my shoulder.

Tobias kisses my cheek and tells me to go put AJ in the car, so I take the keys from his pocket and carry the dozing boy to the car. I buckle him in and wait for Tobias, who quickly comes.

* * *

Tobias gives AJ a bath and puts him to bed for me after dinner. I put a movie in for us and make popcorn.

When Tobias wraps his arms around me from behind, I jump. Then I smell his cologne, which smells heavy and sweet and metal-like and sweaty (though that last part might just be him being sweaty), and relax.

"You know," I say, voice low, "I kind of like it when you smell like baseball."

"What?"

"You know, like the field and the leather and the grass and -"

"I know what baseball smells like," he interrupts with a chuckle. "Why do you like it?"

I shrug and watch the popcorn. "I just do."

He kisses my cheek. "I'll put the cologne on less, then."

"I don't mind the cologne. I just like the baseball smell."

"No one will ever understand the mind of a woman," he mutters darkly.

I chuckle and kiss his cheek. "That's probably true." I put the popcorn in a bowl and plop onto his couch. "I put a movie on."

His disinterested grunt earns a laugh from me. "What?" he complains.

"You're just so obviously not wanting to watch it," I reply, climbing into his lap.

Tobias presses a kiss to my neck. "I just want to spend time with you."

I rest my head on his firm, warm chest and look down at the soft, inviting bluish corduroy of his couch. "Do you want to play a game?"

He rubs my back through the dress. "How about we just go lay in bed and talk?"

"Sure."

"I love you," he adds. And with that, he scoops me up and carries me effortlessly up the stairs of his beautiful brownhouse.

Tobias lays me on his bed carefully. Then he lumbers to the dresser and tosses me some clothes, also grabbing himself some pajamas. Or pajama bottoms.

I wriggle out of my dress and shoes and into the shirt he threw me. The clothing goes into the laundry basket, and then I wash the light makeup off my face.

Tobias picks me up again and tosses me into the bed. I giggle - causing him to smirk - and pull him down next to me, wrapping my arms tightly around him.

"So what do you want to talk about?" I question, lazily moving to lean on the headboard.

He leans next to me. "Anything. Everything. Nothing at all."

I smile and kiss his shoulder. "How about you simplify?"

"I'm content to just be here with you," he replies simply.

"Well, aren't you the charmer," I drawl. Then I turn over to face him. "Seriously, though, Tobias. Something's up that you want to talk about. Just go ahead."

He nuzzles my neck. "I just - I don't know if I'll be a very good dad. You saw how inept I was at the shoe store."

I stare at him for a second. Then I shake my surprise off. "Um…Tobias, being a dad isn't just about knowing how to act with him in public. It's about knowing how to comfort him, guide him, help him, let him get himself hurt…" I trail off, my eyes probably glazing over. "And it's about making mistakes. Both you and your kid will learn from them."

He smiles and kisses me on the forehead. "Seems to me not all of us make mistakes."

I smile back, but my smile is dark. "I've made more mistakes with AJ than I plan to admit."

He pulls me onto his lap, and I can feel the ever-constant heat I feel around him warming me up. "I find that hard to believe. Very hard."

I shrug. "Then don't believe it. That is of no loss to me."

Tobias sighs, but it's content. "You're perfect, Tris. You're loyal and loving and caring and beautiful and wise and humble and…perfect."

I kiss his cheek. "I'm glad you think that, because no one else does."

He rubs my back. "Lots of people do," he protests.

I shrug again. "My parents will be flying in soon," I say flippantly. "Two days from now, actually."

Tobias kisses the top of my head. "Are you excited? Because I definitely am."

"What kind of guy is excited to meet his possible future in-laws?" I ask, giggling.

"This one."

We settle into a comfortable silence for about a half hour. Then I begin to kiss him, rubbing his chest through his shirt, and things get heated pretty quickly.

* * *

I wake up the next morning on top of a naked Tobias, who's lazily grinning at me. I reach up and fiddle with his ear. There seems to be a hole, presumably from a long-unworn piercing.

"Is your ear pierced?" I murmur.

He leans down and catches _my_ ear between his teeth, making me shiver. "Yeah, why?"

"I can feel the hole," I reply.

"Does that bother you?"

I redden. "No - I actually like guys that have ear piercings."

He chuckles. "I -"

"Mommy?" AJ says, coming into the room.

Quick as a flash, Tobias pulls the covers over us before AJ can see anything.

"Yes?" I say, cuddling closer to Tobias.

"I'm hungry," he announces.

I moan internally. "We'll be right down, Aje."

"'Age?'" Tobias asks, brow furrowing, as AJ leaves.

"Aje, actually - 'A-j-e,'" I correct. "Caleb got tired of just calling him AJ - because Andrew is reserved for when he's in trouble - so he started calling him Aje sometimes. It stuck."

Tobias smiles. "I like it." He groans as he gets out of bed and hunts around for a pair of boxers in his drawer. "Have your parents contacted you?"

I shrug. "I dunno. My phone died last night, so I plugged it in in the kitchen. I'll check when we go to make AJ breakfast." I clamber out of bed, too.

Tobias pulls a thin tank top over his head. "Good idea. You should text him our address, too."

I bite my lip. "Did you just say 'our?'" I question, my eyes lifting to meet his.

He nods. "Our address. Our home. Our son."

I give him my warmest smile and hug him, pulling a pair of basketball shorts on. "I love you," I remind him.

He nods and pulls his own pair of black basketball shorts on. "I love you, too." He hands me a sports bra from his drawer, smirking slightly, and adds, "I have today off, but I have practice tomorrow morning and a game tomorrow afternoon. Why don't you check when they get in?"

I pull it over my head and grab another tank top of his for myself, smirking slightly back at him. Then I look more seriously at him. "I'll come to practice tomorrow with AJ. I think I'm watching Tristan and Hayden, too, though. They're also going to stay the night - is that okay?"

Tobias looks surprised for a second. "Yeah - I just didn't know. Can they all sleep in AJ's room?"

AJ's room is a guest room, already painted blue, that Tobias and I added a toy chest, his clothes, a fun baseball carpet, and a baseball comforter cover to.

"I think AJ and Tristan can, at least. They can share his bed. I'll talk to Susan about giving Hayden one of the guest rooms. If Susan's not sure she'll be good with that, we can let the kids have a big sleepover on the ground with blankets in AJ's room."

Tobias kisses my cheek as we begin to walk down the stairs. "Sounds good."

"Are you okay with my parents staying here?" I blurt.

Tobias looks at me as if I'm crazy and I immediately regret asking, as I think he'll say no. "Why wouldn't I be? And where else would they stay?"

"In the Insurgent headquarters here," I explain, the feeling of stupidity coursing through my veins.

Tobias smiles at me. "I don't think so. We have quite enough space here, even if we do end up putting Hayden in her own room."

I kiss his cheek. "Okay. I'll let them know. Just to warn you, they're very, ah, selfless. Don't be surprised if you find my parents cleaning the house, or my mom fixing the truck, or my dad fiddling with the leaky sink. And don't bother arguing with them."

Tobias nods and gets out stuff for eggs and sausage. I hand him some bread, too, and he pops it in the toaster.

AJ sits on the couch with a coloring book. I pick him up and carry him to the kitchen, noting the way his head droops onto my shoulder and his slightly warm skin.

"Mommy, my stomach hurts," he complains suddenly.

I sigh. Of course he gets the flu right before Dad and Mom come and Tristan and Hayden begin to stay with us. "Okay, honey. Ask F- ask your dad for some water, and I'm going to go get the thermometer, okay?"

He nods and I set him in a chair. Damnit!

I retrieve the thermometer from the upstairs cupboard and return before Tobias gives AJ anything to stick it in his mouth.

I was right - he has a fever of one hundred one. I sigh and pick him up again.

"It's back to bed for you," I inform him, kissing his head. "Do you want anything?"

"Can I have some water?"

I fill a glass from the tap and hold it to his lips. He drinks it quickly and asks for more. I give him a little fever medicine first, and then let him drink the nasty taste away with the water.

I return to the plate of food Tobias made me and eat it fairly quickly. "Are you good staying here with AJ?" I ask. "I need to go get a few things I know he likes when he's sick and I also need to call my parents."

He nods and kisses my head. "I'll see you soon."

I go to our bedroom and put more suitable clothes for going out on. I also put on a sweatshirt and pull my hair into a ponytail.

I grab my phone and wallet from the kitchen and leave, kissing Tobias one last time.

I say hi to a few of our neighbors on the way to the store. Once I'm in the store, I grab a cart and my phone and dial my dad's number. He picks up on the third ring, right as I'm grabbing some of AJ's favorite applesauce.

"Hey, Bea."

"Hey, Dad. What happened? Are you and Mom okay?" I immediately ask.

He chuckles. "Yes, yes, we're fine. How are you and, um -"

"Four," I supply. "We're good. But AJ is sick right now. It's a really bad, time, because I'm watching my friend's kids starting tomorrow, and you guys are coming, and -"

"We'll come early," Dad says. "We can take care of AJ, and you can watch the other kids and go to work. Or we can watch the other kids."

"Thanks, Dad, but your tickets -"

"Will be switched," he interrupts again. "We'll be arriving late tonight, okay?"

I grin to myself. "Yes, Dad. I love you. And I'll have Four come pick you up - from JFK, right?"

"Yes. Love you too, Bea. By the way, our flight will arrive at approximately -" he pauses, and I hear the click of a keyboard and mouse - "eleven fifteen."

"Okay, Dad. I have to go, Four's calling me about AJ. I'm getting food for him," I say.

"Love you," he says one last time.

"You, too," I reply, then click and and answer Tobias' second call. "Hey, babe. What's going on? Is AJ okay?"

Tobias groans quietly. "No. I went in there to check on him, and he said he was about to be sick, so I grabbed the trash can from the bathroom and thrust it under his face just in time. Now he's asleep, but he's definitely sick."

"Did you give him any food?" I inquire, grabbing a carton of peach sorbet, just like my parents get us when we're sick - including AJ.

"Mmhm. I gave him a little dry toast."

"Stupid," I say, grinning. "You should have just given him water or maybe some apple juice to see if he could keep it down."

"Oh." Tobias sounds embarrassed. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine." I grab saltines, cream of wheat, gatorade, and ginger ale and put them into the cart. "Do we need anything from the store?" I add.

Tobias is silent for a second. "No, I don't think so."

"Okay. I love you," I say. "And don't give AJ any food. Or water. Wait till I get home. I'm checking out now."

"Okay." He ends the call and I put my phone in my pocket.

I put the food on the counter and a man rings me up. "You got someone sick at home?" he guesses.

"Yeah, my son," I answer. "With the flu. And right before my parents come to town." I shake my head.

"Bad luck," he says. "That'll be twenty dollars and forty three cents."

I give him twenty two dollars and leave. I lug the bags home and allow Tobias to take them. Then I take the now-cleaned trash can from him, get a rag wet with warm water, and fill a glass with lukewarm water.

I wake AJ up. "Hi, honey. I heard you threw up a little," I say, wiping the edges of his mouth and giving him the glass of water.

His eyes fill with tears. "You weren't here, Mommy," he whimpers, and then drinks the water.

"I'm sorry, Aje. I went to the store to get some stuff for you." I feel his forehead. The medicine helped some, but I can still tell he's a little feverish. "And your dad was here."

AJ shrugs. "I wanted you."

I kiss his head. "You go back to sleep for now, and I'll make you some cream of wheat, okay?"

He nods and turns over.

I join Tobias in the kitchen and put water on the stove to boil. "Four, my parents are actually going to fly in tonight," I mention.

"Cool. What time?" He props his feet up on the counter and sips his coffee.

"About eleven fifteen. Could you pick them up from JFK?" I request.

"Sure. JFK at about eleven fifteen," he repeats, flashing me a smile.

"And they, um, don't know about the adoption yet," I add. "I was thinking we should tell them together."

Tobias nods. "Sounds good. Is that for AJ?"

I nod. "I can make you some with milk, too, if you want," I tell him.

"Yes, please."

"Do you ever stop eating?" I tease.

He pretends to think. "No, not really."

I smile and go back to the cream of wheat on the stove. I take another pot out and, instead of water, put a mixture of coconut milk, whole milk, and water in. Then I set that to heat and watch the two pots.

I jump only slightly when Tobias wraps his arms around me from behind. His breath tickles my ear, so I turn and kiss his cheek.

"What's up?" I stir the pots and add the grains to AJ's.

He rubs my stomach affectionately. "I want to have another kid with you," he whispers.

I shiver, despite the steamy New York summer air. "Is that so?"

Tobias chuckles and releases me. "I love you."

I elbow him lightly and add the cream of wheat to Tobias' pan. I check AJ's and it's almost done, so I grab a bowl and the brown sugar. I add applesauce and some sugar to the bowl. Then I put the cooked cream of wheat and add a little water. I stir it up and carry it to the stairs.

"Watch your cream of wheat!" I call to Tobias, who grunts. Then I wake AJ up again and feed him some of the cream of wheat. He eats about half of the portion, drinks another cup of water, and goes right back to sleep.

The day continues like this, with Tobias and I continually checking in on him and, at one point, giving him a bath.

Tobias leaves at about ten to go pick my parents up. AJ has been fully asleep for two hours. I clean up around the house, do some laundry, take a much-needed shower to rid myself of the puke smell, and set up one of Tobias' guest rooms for my parents.

* * *

He returns, a suitcase in each hand and my parents trailing behind, at about twelve fifteen. I kiss his cheek and run right into my mother's arms. My dad joins our hug, too.

"I missed you," I tell them.

"We missed you, too," Mom says, eyes tearing up.

Dad just hugs me tighter. Then he returns to his normal, selfless self. "How is AJ? How are you?"

I smile. "AJ's pretty sick, but he's asleep right now." I shake my head. "Of course he gets sick right before his papa and nana get here."

Tobias comes back down the stairs, having put their bags in the guest room I set up. He stands to the side, indecision on his face. I grab his arm and pull him into our little circle.

"Mom, this is Four," I say. "Dad, you've already met him."

Tobias smiles at them hesitantly, and squeaks only a little when my mom pulls him in for a hug. "Of course, we did kind of meet you at the airport," she quibbles.

Tobias nods and rubs the back of his neck. Then he kisses my cheek. "I'm going to go check on AJ, okay?"

"Sure." I kiss his cheek in return and release his hand. Then I lead my parents to the kitchen. "Do you guys want anything? Water, coffee…" I glance at my dad, knowing his love for coffee.

"We're good, thanks, Bea," Mom replies. "Come sit and chat with us."

I hug my mom again. "I was worried," I whisper. "I thought someone had gone after you guys."

They sigh. "Someone did," Dad says. "We'll explain later, when we have more time."

"Does Four know about the Divergents?" Mom asks.

I nod slowly. "Him and my other good friend, Uriah."

Dad looks me up and down. "And you've slept with him?"

I choke on my gum. "What?"

Mom chuckles. "It's pretty obvious. You two are very comfortable around each other, and touchy-feely in an 'I've seen you naked and you've seen me naked so this doesn't matter' kind of way."

I cough. "Um, yes, we've slept together." My face turns sad. "He proposed, and I said…I said not yet. I wasn't ready."

Mom hugs me. "After Peter, it's quite understandable. How are you two doing?"

"Clearly not too badly," Dad mutters. Mom elbows him.

I shrug. "We're working through it." My sad face morphs into a smile. "Four, c'mere!" I say, knowing he's right around the corner listening.

He walks in and plops into a chair next to me. "What's up?"

I kiss his cheek again and whisper, "Now's a good time to tell them about AJ. You should do it; he's your son."

Tobias swallows and stands, shaking my father's hand once again. "Sir, I assume you know my father, because your men broke into his office one and spray painted, stole, and destroyed."

Dad shrugs, only a hint of a smile visible. "Perhaps."

"Well, his name is Marcus Eaton, and I am Tobias Eaton." Tobias swallows once again, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Anyway, Tris, um, she, I adopted AJ. I'm his legal father now." Tobias loses his eyes, anxiety written on his features as he waits to be chastised or perhaps hit.

Dad grins and claps him on the back. "That's great, Four."

Mom hugs him as well. "AJ needed a real father," she adds.

Tobias smiles widely. I stand and thread my fingers through his.

My dad yawns. "Well, it's rather late and we're kind of tired. Would you mind showing your mother to our room, Bea?" he requests forwardly.

I chuckle. "Yes, sir." I wait for Mom to get up and then lead the way up the stairs. I show her to the room and explain how to use the shower in the bathroom. I give her the towels I grabbed and hug her. "I'm going to go check up on Toby and Dad, okay?"

"I love you, bea. So does your dad. And we're very proud of you," Mom says, hugging me.

"I love you, too, Mom." I smile and walk down the stairs.

Tobias' dark face and serious eyes tell me just what my father talked to him about. I give my dad a "really?" look and tell Tobias he can show him to the guest room. Then I plop onto Tobias' and my bed.

Tobias sit next to me. "Tris -"

"I don't want to hear it," I cut him off harshly. "I don't want to hear how you understand, how you're here for me, how it sucks I went through that. I don't need my dad telling people what happened to me and then them feeling sorry for me!"

Tobias wraps his arms around me. "I was just going to give you a hug and say I love you," he whispers.

I shake his arms off. "Sure," I say sarcastically, "you think I'm so strong and can handle it on my own. No one thinks that, Tobias!"

He pulls me onto his lap. "I think you _can_ handle it," he insists, "but I don't think you should _have to_." He suddenly flips us over and pins me to the bed, gripping my chin. "I think you get stronger the more you're pushed. My first instinct is to push you until you break, just to see how hard I have to press. Fear doesn't shut you down, it wakes you up." Tobias presses on my jaw harder and then releases me.

I stare at Tobias, shocked. "Wh-what?"

"You heard me." He kisses me. "Anything else you got to say?" Tobias teases.

I shake my head. "No…"

Tobias kisses me again. "I love you, Tris." He grins. "And I'll always want to protect you - not because you're weak, because I love you."

I sigh and wrap my arms around him. "I'm sorry. It's just - I don't want pity, y'know? I just want to be treated the same as everybody else."

Tobias is quiet for a moment. Then, "Yeah. I know."


	13. Chapter 13

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey, everyone. Sorry for being MIA; I listed the reason(s) in my most recent ADD update. I'm going to be pretty spotty in my updates starting on July first (for me) because I'm doing Camp NaNoWriMo (like easier NaNo, in my opinion, because you can choose your number of words), and, starting tomorrow, I'm staying with my aunts and cousins for a while while my dad and stepmom are in Rome. So enjoy this nice, _long_, update.**

_Tobias kisses me again. "I love you, Tris." He grins. "And I'll always want to protect you - not because you're weak, because I love you."_

_I sigh and wrap my arms around him. "I'm sorry. It's just - I don't want pity, y'know? I just want to be treated the same as everybody else."_

_Tobias is quiet for a moment. Then, "Yeah. I know."_

Susan knocks on our door with Tristan and Hayden at seven the next morning. Her flight leaves at eleven, but she wanted to stay and chat a bit.

I get the door, smiling already. My parents are in the kitchen with cups of Tobias' delicious coffee. "Hey, Susan."

"Hey, Tris. What's up?" She ushers her kids inside. Hayden drops her bag and picks it back up again.

"Nothing much. AJ's still sick, so we're going to put Tristan and Hayden in a different room. My parents are in town. Is it okay if they watch Tristan and Hayden, just during Four's practice? I have to go, but -"

"It's fine, Tris. I trust you to make good decisions about who to leave them with." Susan follows me into the kitchen. Tristan and Hayden have set their bags down and are teasing each other. Susan silences them with a glare and points to the kitchen. They docilely walk in. "Neither of them is allergic to anything. You have my number."

"Do they have any weird food dislikes? Like AJ and beef?" I ask, chuckling.

She shakes her head. "Nope. And you know them pretty well, anyway."

"Do you want a cup of coffee, Susan?" Tobias offers.

"Who would turn down a cup of your coffee, Four?" Susan asks.

Tobias shrugs. "A dumb person?"

"Wow, Four, your joking skills stun me," I quip dryly.

"Shut up," he retorts, grinning at me quite adoringly.

I shrug. "Hey, Tristan, Hayden. Do you guys want some breakfast?" I ask, ruffling Tristan's brown curls. "We have eggs, sausage, and toast."

They both nod and hop up to our counter. I scoot around Tobias and give them each small plates, putting glasses of almond milk next to their plates. The kids eagerly eat and drink, and I warm a small dish of applesauce to bring to AJ.

As I'm going to give it to him, Mom stops me. "I'll give it to him," she says kindly, taking it from me and kissing my head. "You go hang out with Susan."

I give her a warm smile before crawling into Tobias' lap and sipping from his coffee. "So, Susan, who are the Mets playing?" Tobias asks, voice like honey to me. I snuggle closer.

She sips at her coffee. "Phillies. Who're the Yankees playing today?"

"Mariners," Tobias says quietly.

"Think they're going to win?" Dad asks.

Tobias bites his lip. "I think many of my teammates underestimate many of their players, namely Félix Hernández. I think when they are here, they are actually good."

"They're fourth in their division," Susan points out.

"Yes, but the last time they were here, they severely beat us." Tobias scowls. "I only wish I was pitching today instead of Zekey."

"Why?" I ask. "Because Zeke isn't as good?"

"Yes and no. Because, even if Zeke is fucking perfect today, he's still developing as a pitcher, and Hernández is better." Tobias shrugs. "I just don't want him to compare himself to Hernández."

I kiss his head. "Then tell him that."

Susan drain her cup and walks to the sink. She rinses it and sets it in the dishwasher. "Thanks, Tris. I'll call you when I land, okay?"

I hug her. "Yup. Have fun!"

She chuckles. "I wish. Max is much nicer than Mr. Collins."

"That sucks." I grin. "But you should go. You're going to be late."

She sighs. "Don't remind me."

Tobias and I get ready in our well-choreographed dance, making our way around each other to change and such. Then we give last-minute instructions to my parents for Tristan, Hayden, and AJ and lget in the truck. I run back in and grab my cap and purse, and then we actually leave.

* * *

We arrive right on time and go our separate ways. I head to my office, organize a few things, and then head out to the field to help the players stretch and adjust their muscles.

Tobias is stretching next to Zeke, joking with him and keeping his mind off the upcoming game. I walk over to them and pull Tobias' arm further, eliciting a groan of annoyance and slight pain from him. For Zeke, I show him another stretch. He adjusts his stretching and I move on to other players, but not before tenderly ruffling Tobias' hair.

When I get to Al, he looks so bad I'm shocked - there are purple rings around his eyes, and he's pale and thin.

"Hey, Al. Wh-"

"Tris, I'm really sorry about what Peter and I did to you. Forgive me?"

I bite my lip and look away. "I don't know, Al." I show him another stretch, too, and walk away, my eyes burning.

I sit next to Tobias as he does some sit-ups and pushups and stuff. Once he finally finishes, he pats my shoulder and offers a hand. I take it, avoiding his sweaty and yet really hot chest in the tight, sleeveless tee he's wearing. He presses a kiss to my head and gathers his gear for practice. He's going to warm up with the catchers today, as he'll be catching for Zeke, and Uri will be in the outfield.

Thinking of Uri reminds me of my promise to him about Robert. So I stand, walk a distance off, and dial his number. He's been a good friend to Caleb and me, as well, in the past few years.

"Hey, Rob!" I say cheerily as he picks up. "It's Tris."

"Hey! Long time, no speak," he jokes.

"Yeah, sorry. So how're things for my favorite ex-mobster?" I tease back.

"I'm fine. Andrew has had me helping with some of the Insurgents', er, plots." I hear his smile through the phone.

"That's...interesting," I reply. "How're things with, um, Steve?"

"We broke up and you know it, Tris," he says, clearly exasperated.

"Right. Sorry. And I know you don't like matchmakers, but I mentioned you to my friend, Uriah Montenegro, and -"

"Wait, your friend is Uriah Montenegro?" he interrupts.

"Yes, dimwit," I tease. "Anyway, he asked me to set up, well, to introduce you two. Will you just come to today's game? I'll get you free tickets."

"Sure. Who would turn down Yankees tickets?" Rob scoffs. "And this Uriah…he's pretty hot, right? I mean, his face is nice and pretty and all, but how's his body?"

"I have a boyfriend, too, Rob," I say with a wry grin. "But Uri is pretty, um, fit. Him and his brother have workout contests."

"Okay. So when can I meet him?"

"How about after today's game?" I switch the phone to my other ear and walk towards where the outfielders are warming up.

"Sounds great. Should I pick up tickets at will call?" Rob coughs.

"At the VIP/Players' entrance," I correct.

"Okay. See you after the game!" He hangs up.

I walk over to Uri and help him stretch better. "I set things up with Rob," I murmur, so the other players can't hear. "He's coming to the game, and he said he wants to meet you afterwards. Can I give him your number?"

Uri grins and then grimaces as I pull his leg further. "Thanks a ton, Tris. And sure. I don't care if you don't."

I clap him on the back and move on to the next player.

* * *

When we get home, Tristan and Hayden are napping, AJ is in his room, presumably also asleep, and my parents are watching a movie on the couch.

"Hey, Bea," Mom says. "Hello, Tobias. How was practice?"

I take Tobias' bag from him and then take it and my own upstairs. I hear Tobias telling them about practice and then excusing himself to join me.

Familiar arms wrap around me. "You smell sweaty," I inform him, kissing his cheek.

"I thought you liked it when I smell like baseball," he complains, kissing mine.

"I do. You don't smell like baseball." I push him away from me. "You don't have to - well, whatever you normally do to clean yourself, but at least rinse the sweat off and put clean clothes on."

"Ugh," he moans. "So much work. Will you help?"

I shake my head. "I'm going to go check on AJ and then force my dad to tell me what happened."

Tobias sighs. "Okay. Will you - could you tell me, maybe, what happened? Like, later. When we go to sleep."

I kiss him. "It depends. I'll give you at least a basic idea."

He holds me in place a little longer as we kiss more firmly. Then we break apart. He heads to the shower, and I glide to AJ's room.

He's sitting up in bed, a book spread out on his lap. Upon closer inspection, I see it's a Dr. Seuss book.

"Hey, baby," I say, kissing his forehead. "How do you feel?"

He scrunches his eyebrows together. "Like I'm gonna either sleep constantly, die, or puke."

I chuckle. "That's what the flu feels like, bud."

"I don't like the flu."

"No one does, Aje, but almost everyone gets it," I reply, rubbing a thumb over his cheek.

He lays back down and hands me the book. "I'm gonna go back to sleep. I love you, Mommy."

"I love you, too, bud." I kiss his head, turn the fan and sound machine on, and close the door quietly. Then I join my parents on the couch. "So, what happened?"

Dad sighs and pauses the movie. "Well, I don't really want to get into specifics, but the Divergents planned a raid on Marcus Eaton again. We succeeded overall, but Eaton took one of our men. One of the guards only pretended to be unconscious. Not checking them cost me one of my best men. Anyway, Eaton offered to give him back for a ransom if I met up with him. I did, and he had a hired sniper try to take me out. I got my man, and we ran - well, I ran and carried him - and got away. Eaton's mercenaries tried to take any Divergents they could out for a while. They succeeded - they killed Ralfie, Jamal, Ethan, Maria, Mario, Ana, and Jackie. I had the rest go into hiding in the bunker while your mother and I figured out how to stop Eaton."

"Your father stopped him finally," Mom says. "Andrew captured him and threatened to take him out politically with some, ah, sensitive files if he didn't stop. He also threatened to expose him about the abuse of his - of Tobias."

"Sir," Tobias suddenly breaks in, entering the room, "I'd really rather you didn't do that."

"Tobias," I say sharply, "I understand if you want to know what's going on, but don't eavesdrop. Just come sit."

Tobias, red, drops onto the couch next to me. "Sorry. And I only heard the part about my dad, anyway, when I came down to tell you we should leave in about a half hour."

"We won't, Tobias. We have enough other damning evidence for him." Dad claps him on the back. "Good luck today."

I follow my dad to the kitchen. "So Tristan and Hayden can watch about a half hour of some educational show if you guys need a little quiet time from them. They'll do some easy chores if you ask them; so would AJ if he was better. You know that. Tristan and Hayden aren't supposed to have a ton of sugar, but they can have a little cookie after dinner if they eat their veggies and drink their milk. Almond milk."

Dad smiles. "Tris, I've raised two and a half kids and dozens upon dozens of gangsters. I think I can handle three kids. One of them will be sleeping, anyway."

I hug him. "So everything with Marcus is done? You promise?"

"Yes, Bea. We have the evidence. It's all over. The Divergents are back to work in Chicago." Dad kisses my head. "Get ready to go."

"Yes, sir." I make Tobias and I sandwiches to eat on the way to the field. I know he'll probably eat something after batting practice and before the game, but it's good for him to have something other than a power bar.

* * *

I kiss Tobias' cheek as we hop in his truck. He starts the engine and I hand him a sandwich. He tears into it, shredding the bread, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and turkey with his teeth. I watch for a second before biting into my sandwich.

"So how much did you hear?" I ask once we're both done and heading over the Brooklyn Bridge.

"Not much, honestly. Just that your father stopped my father from doing something by threatening him." Tobias glances over at me. "I'm guessing my dad was the cause of your dad's problems?"

I nod. "He went after my dad and some of his people. His men killed seven or so of them." My face contorts. "Ana and Jamal were some of my friends. I didn't know the rest well, but -" I spread my hands "- but they laid their lives down for my dad. And your dad just killed them."

Tobias' hands clench the steering wheel. "He's a dickhead, Tris. He won't stop, you know that, right?"

"My dad has evidence he won't dare risk being shared," I reply.

"Whatever you want to believe." Tobias shrugs.

Tobias and I separate outside the locker rooms. I put on navy blue basketball shorts and a striped Yankees shirt and head out to the field.

Batting practice is uneventful. _Not_. Tobias manages to miss about three quarters of the balls the machine provides, much to Zeke's amusement. But I can see that Tobias is not okay with the taunts, as his hands clench tighter and tighter around the bat. I cross over to the cage, put a hand up to the batboy feeding balls into the machine.

"Tob-"

"Don't say anything, Tris." Tobias lowers the bat slightly from his shoulder. "I know I'm screwing up. It's just - the stuff with my dad…"

I rest my hands on his shoulders for a second. Then I heft the bat back up, adjust his grip and the placement of his shoulders, and squat. I move his legs and stand back up, placing my hand on his cheek. "Tobias, you aren't doing badly. Zeke…well, he knows he isn't as good as you. This makes him feel better. Just suck it up…and keep swinging." I remove my hand and kiss Tobias' cheek. "I love you." I kiss his other one. "Go out there and win for me and Aje, okay?"

Tobias sighs and kisses me back. "I love you, too." He grins wryly. "Will I be rewarded if I help us win?"

I hit him lightly. "If my parents weren't here, maybe. But since they are…hell, no."

He chuckles and hefts the bat higher. "Go once she leaves!" he calls to the batboy. To me, he adds, "I'll try."

I pat his cheek and trot out of the cage. Tobias goes back to swinging, with both a new fire in his eyes and my corrections in his stance. He does much better, too, and Zeke stops teasing him.

* * *

I meet Rob at the VIP entrance with his ticket. He gives me a bone-crushing hug, letting loose some words that cause a few heads to turn. I chuckle and swear back at him, hugging him tighter. My Chicago accent comes through quite a bit as I swear - I generally try to hide it.

Me swearing gets a bunch of glares and glances. Robert laughs loudly and takes his ticket. "So I can meet him after the game?"

"Yeah, just stick around and perhaps text him after." I hand him the slip of paper with Uri's number on it. "He's excited." I grab his arm and lean closer. "Look, he's not used to…dating, I guess. I think it'd be better if Four and I went with you. Maybe for a late dinner. I'll talk to Uri." I hug him. "You look good, Rob. It's good to see you."

He grins. "Sounds good." His smile widens and becomes more sincere. "I've missed you, Bea. It's…I'm glad we're both here."

"I have to go, Rob, but we should set up a time to chat. Catch up," I reply. I hug him again. "I can't wait for you to see Four if you think Uri's attractive."

Rob pouts. "Aw, you get the hottie and I'm stuck with second-best? Now that isn't very fair, though it's very you and me."

I hit his arm. "I really do have to go."

Rob flashes me one last grin and hugs me again. "See you after the game, Bea. Thanks for the ticket!"

"No problem, Rob." I jog through the halls and make it to the bench just in time. Max gives me a slight glare for being a little late, but Tobias gives me a smile as he pulls the last strap tight. Many of the other catchers have the batboys help, but both Tobias and Uriah prefer to do it on their own.

"_I love you_," I mouth. He grins and jogs out onto the field. He takes his place behind the plate and Zeke throws a few balls to him. But both Zeke and Tobias know he isn't in the best position tonight to be pitching, especially against Hernández, whom the Mariners fans have dubbed "King Félix."

Tobias signs to the ump for him to wait and jogs to the mound, whispering to Zeke. Something he says makes Zeke grin and redden slightly, so I'm assuming it had to do with Shauna.

Tobias returns to his position behind the plate and motions to the ump to start the game.

By the third inning, it's clear Zeke isn't up for this. The Mariners already have seven hits off him - three of which Uriah caught in the outfield - and he's walked three of them. As he comes in from the final out of the inning - a good catch from Ellsbury - I can see him clenching his cap so tightly his fist is white.

Tobias kisses my head. "I'm going to go chat with Zeke and Max, okay? Maybe we can stick a rookie in, for an inning or two, and then close with Rivera."

I kiss him. "Sounds good, baby."

"Eaton!" Max roars. Tobias scurries over and has a quick conversation with him, and then goes up to bat. So far the Yankees have two hits off Hernández - one home run from Uriah, and a hit from Jacoby Ellsbury.

The Mariners have three runs. If someone doesn't get their act together, we're screwed - and this is the team that's like third or fourth in their division.

Tobias goes up to bat and calmly hits a single. Jeter hits another single. Ellsbury gets out. Uri hits a third single. Texiera gets out, and the last batter in the lineup hits a single. The lineup starts again with another out, ending the inning with only one run - an RBI from the last batter.

Zeke's shoulders are tense as he pitches a ball, strike, and second ball. I bury my face in my hands. Max needs to take him out. I hear the familiar crack of the bat and look up in time to see Uri make an amazing catch - he jumped probably two feet in the air and caught it. Still, it was a hit off Zeke.

Zeke squats on the mound for a second. Then he stands back up and begins pitching again. His pitches are fast now…but even more wild than before.

Max is nearly pulling his hair out. His face is red, and he looks spitting mad. I wouldn't be surprised if he does spit on the team as he yells at them later.

* * *

Even with Zeke taken out and Rivera closing, we lose fifteen-five to the Mariners. The Mariners. I scurry out ahead of Max and the players and text Rob. We meet again outside the VIP ticket pickup.

Rob shakes his head. "Montenegro did not pitch well today," he comments.

"Don't mention that to Uri - he's protective of his brother. Well, they're protective of each other." I lean closer. "But you're completely right, and the entire team knows it. None of them played tip-top today."

"Your boyfriend is Four, the guy who played catcher today, right?" Rob asks.

"Yeah."

"His ass is _nice_," Rob comments unabashedly.

"It really is," I reply, chuckling.

"So is Uriah's," he adds.

"So is Uriah's what?" Tobias asks, kissing my cheek from behind.

"I informed Tris I think both your and Uriah's asses are damn fine," Rob says, straight-faced.

Tobias swallows. "Oh. Um, thanks?"

Rob chuckles. "So, Bea, what've you been doing, other than fucking players?"

I grin at him, though Tobias' mouth drops open. "Working. Raising AJ. Making friends. Unfortunately, not fighting any street gangs. You?"

"Mmm… Well, I, for one, _have_ been fighting street gangs. There are some seriously stubborn gangsters in this city!" Rob chuckles again and shakes his blond curls. "None of them are as stubborn as the Insurgents, though."

I shake my head as well. "No, I'd imagine not. Is there anything I can do?"

"Now how would your dad feel about his little girl getting back into fighting?" Robert asks.

"We can ask him," I offer. "He's at my house now."

"Really?"

"Well, our house," I amend, looking at Tobias. "Maybe you and Uri should just come over for dinner."

Tobias kisses me on the cheek. "I'm gonna go find Uri. I'm fine with them coming over, by the way." He lowers his voice. "But this Rob fellow…are you okay with him treating you like that?"

I look at Tobias like he's crazy. "How else would he treat me?"

He shrugs. "Be right back."

Rob slings an arm around me. "How's AJ? Does he like Four?"

I nod. "Yeah. Four, um, adopted him."

Rob freezes, mid arm roll. He was dancing, grinning at the people around us. "He _what_?"

"Adopted AJ."

"Why?" Rob just stares at me.

"Because AJ and I love him and he loves us back," I say.

Rob grins. "That's great. AJ needed a dad."

I bite my lip. "Rob, everyone keeps saying that. Aren't I doing - or, rather, wasn't - I doing a good enough job on my own?"

Rob puts an arm back around me. "Bea, you were doing an amazing job. But - but AJ needed a father figure and a mother figure. You were doing your best to be a dad, and that may have worked for a little while, but AJ will get to the age where he needs a dad."

I chew on my lip. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am!"

Just then, Tobias returns with Uriah in tow. Tobias has Uriah by an arm. "I had to drag him away from Zeke. Fawning over him like a mama and baby bear," Tobias grumbles, shooting Uri a dirty look.

"He was -" Uri starts.

Rob steps up and cuts him off, saying, "Hey, Uriah. I'm Robert - Rob, really."

Uriah smiles hesitantly at him and offers a hand. "I'm Uriah." Then he reddens and curses. "You knew that, though."

Rob shakes it. "No problem, man. I was watching you in the field today..."


	14. Chapter 14

_**I don't own **_**Divergent**_**.**_

**Hi. I know this is uncharacteristically short, even for me, but I'm behind on Camp and have some more family stuff to deal with. Anyway, speaking of Camp, please check out my FanFic profile and look at/donate to my fundraising page for Camp NaNo (which, by default, donates to regular NaNo). I know I'm not supposed to solicit or anything, but donating to Camp benefits a ton of people that want to participate in Camp and NaNo for free. Camp and NaNo help young, and older, writers develop their skills with pep talks and winner gifts (things like a free editor for a novel, etc.) that have to be paid for. Please think about it and check it out and maybe donate. If every person that views this chapter donates even a dollar, we'd have a shit ton of money to donate. That would go a long way. Please at least check the link on my profile out. It's legit - I'm not scamming for money. Hell, I**** don't know _how_ to scam for money.**

_Rob steps up and cuts him off, saying, "Hey, Uriah. I'm Robert - Rob, really."_

_Uriah smiles hesitantly at him and offers a hand. "I'm Uriah." Then he reddens and curses. "You knew that, though."_

_Rob shakes it. "No problem, man. I was watching you in the field today..."_

Rob and Uri chat in our living room while Tobias and I make some dinner. Tobias makes pasta and coffee while I whip up a tomato sauce. While they cook, Tobias wraps himself around me from behind.

He nuzzles my neck. "I love you."

I kiss his cheek. "I love you, too."

I add meatballs to the sauce and Four dishes the pasta and sauce up. I pour cups of his coffee and put our sugar, milk, cinnamon, and caramel out. We put the dishes on the table and call Uri and Rob in.

"Post-game dinner is served," we inform them.

"Thanks," says Uri, sitting and digging into the food.

"Yeah," Rob echoes, fixing his coffee and taking much more civilized bites of pasta.

"No problem," we chorus, sitting down for our own meal.

"So, Uri," I begin, "how do you like Rob?"

Though he has a mouthful of pasta and meatballs, he nods eagerly and motions good. Rob chuckles. "I like you, too, Uriah. We should go on a real date sometime."

Uriah nods and swallows a few times. "Sounds good. Thanks, Tris."

I grin. "I'm happy for the both of you." I feel Tobias' hand on my leg. "Uri, when are you and Zeke going to have that barbeque?"

Uriah's face drops. "Shit. Zeke. I need to go talk to him."

* * *

That kind of ends our night. Uriah leaves, Robert in tow, and Tobias and I clean up and head to bed. To prevent any fighting or scarring in the house, we have a quiet, non-sexual night of sleep.

* * *

The next day, I stay home with a mostly-better AJ and Tristan and Hayden while Tobias is at practice and my parents speak with the leaders of the Insurgents and Allegiants. AJ still sleeps, but I entertain Hayden and Tristan for a while, helping them with a puzzle, helping them back their mom cookies, letting them watch a little Discovery channel, giving them lunch, and finally putting them down for a nap at about twelve forty five. Tobias gets home at two to me sitting on the couch with AJ on my lap asleep. He lifts him and carries him to his bedroom, presumably tucking him in.

"Hey, love," he gruffly says to me, kisses my cheek. "How were they?"

I shrug. "Pretty good. AJ's been sleeping a lot."

Tobias nods. "And how's my favorite girl?"

"Bro, I your only girl," I tease.

Tobias picks me up. I hang my head back. "How do you know?" he asks, kissing my head.

I touch his cheek. "I love you, Tobias."

He walks up to our room. "Mmm. I love you too." He grins and strips his shirt off. "Wanna take a shower?"

I pat his chest. "You're horny from a lack of sex, aren't you?" At his nod, I walk by him and add, "Not today, babe. I don't want the kids waking up and getting scared."

He sighs. "Okay. Are you coming to the game tonight? I'm pitching."

I smile. "Of course, Tobias."

* * *

Tobias and the Yankees win against the Mariners, one-zero. Both teams played hard, but the Mariners didn't have Hernández today.

Tobias slings an arm around me after the game and kisses me. "We won." He grins.

I see Zeke sitting in the dugout, face in hands. "Shh," I urge Tobias. "You're making Zeke jealous."

Tobias rolls his eyes. "So?"

"So it's mean, Tobias Eaton," I hiss. "Stop it!"

He huffs but quiets down and goes to shower.

I meet him again outside, and we return home to a late dinner with my parents, who cooked a meal for us.

"Hey, Mom," I say, sitting down next to Tobias. "Hi, Dad. How was the meeting? Did you plan any raids?"

My mom smiles at me. "It went well."

I give them a suspicious glance. "And?" They always told me what happened in their Divergent meetings. I am a part of the group.

Dad sighs. "And -" he glances at Tobias "- and nothing."

Tobias sighs and pushes his bowl of soup away from him. "I'm not stupid," he snaps. "I can see that you two are withholding information from Tris because I'm here. So I'm going to go." He glares at me and practically stomps up the stairs.

I glare at my parents. "C'mon, guys, did you have to be so -" I stopped. Dad's eyes, his face, were pained. "Dad, what happened?"

"We made emergency arrangements for if something were to happen to us because of Eaton," he explains. "You and Caleb would take over the Divergents. You'd have to move to Chicago."

"What about the Insurgents and Allegiants?" I find myself asking.

"Well, you know Tori and George Wu are the head of the Insurgents, right? Well, Tori has a kid with Bud, her husband. His name is Maxton. He'll take over. The Allegiants will be taken over by the niece of Johanna Reyes, Jada," Dad says.

I nod slowly. Then I say, "Dad, you know that Caleb and I aren't exactly, um, trained fully to do this job."

He nods. "We need you to come back to Chicago for a few weeks soon, honey, and we'll train the both of you."

I scowl. "Can you wait at least till the season's over?"

Dad sighs and looks at me, eyes pained. "Probably." Mom gets up and starts to clear the dishes, Tobias' and my father's included. "We'll be leaving in a few days, Bea. We're going to try to stay off the grid, so we'll have Caleb contact you."

I nod and hug my dad. "I love you."

"We love you, too." Mom joins our hug and then pushes me towards the stairs. "Now go talk to your man."

I sigh and look wearily up the stairs. I set my shoulders and go to our room, where Tobias is not. I continue into our bathroom, where he leans over the sink, hands gripping the sides viciously. He's shirtless.

I place my hands on his shoulders and gently massage him.

"Don't, Tris."

"Tobias, they're really stressed. They weren't trying to be mean." I rub my temple with one hand and return it to his shoulder. "They have a lot of people they need to keep safe, myself, AJ, you, and my brother included. They're doing the best they can. They just don't want to involve anyone that doesn't have to be involved."

"He's my father, Tris!" Tobias is raising his voice. I'm sure my parents will be able to hear us. "He hates me! I'm as much a part of this as you, because he has no qualms hurting me or people I care about. He'll _enjoy_ hurting you and me. He'll _enjoy_ hurting any semblance of a family we have, because he hates me and he hates your family. I am already a part of this, so don't act like I'm an innocent little bystander that you need to protect."

"Tobias, we do have to protect you," I say, my voice rising like his. "Even if you are involved in this, you don't need to know everything. It's safer if you don't. Only Caleb, my parents, and I really should." I sigh and pace away from him slightly. "Look, Tobias. You are AJ's father now. This of it like this: What would you do to protect him? You'd do everything in your power without letting him know what you're doing. You'd want to keep him innocent. That's what my parents are trying to do - and not only with you. They haven't told me or Caleb everything, either."

Tobias growls in frustration. He knows I'm right, and it kills him. "Whatever." And he stalks off to go to bed. I get ready for bed, too, and go back into our bedroom, sitting for a moment next to where he pretends to sleep, facing away from my side. I kiss his head and let my palm linger on his cheek a moment extra. "I love you, Tobias. I hope my family and I don't let you get hurt in all of this."

He doesn't reply, so I slip into the bed next to him and cuddle up to him from the back. He doesn't acknowledge me. I sigh, kiss his head from behind, and drift off to sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Sorry for being so MIA. Time flies...when you don't realize it's going by? Anyway, for a full explanation, check out chapter seventy-one of _A Divergent Dauntless _(which you should read anyway because it's very awesome in my opinion). Sorry.**

**Enjoy the update!**

_Tobias growls in frustration. He knows I'm right, and it kills him. "Whatever." And he stalks off to go to bed. I get ready for bed, too, and go back into our bedroom, sitting for a moment next to where he pretends to sleep, facing away from my side. I kiss his head and let my palm linger on his cheek a moment extra. "I love you, Tobias. I hope my family and I don't let you get hurt in all of this."_

_He doesn't reply, so I slip into the bed next to him and cuddle up to him from the back. He doesn't acknowledge me. I sigh, kiss his head from behind, and drift off to sleep._

My parents leave today. It's been a week since they said they were "leaving soon." Tobias has been cold but better than that night.

We decide to drop AJ at Susan's house for a playdate and then drive my parents to JFK. Currently, I'm helping my mom pack.

"How're you and Tobias?" she asks, folding a shirt.

"I don't know." I put the rolled-up pair of pants I just rolled in. "He's pissed still. I think we'll probably talk on the way back from the airport today."

She pats my cheek. "Stick with him." Her eyes glaze over slightly. "When I first met your father, he was a real mess, kind of like Tobias is internally. He was beaten by his father, too. Andrew was the son of a politician. Andrew was a screwed-up drug addict. I was a messed up kid from foster homes. We met when we were seventeen and ran away from Indianapolis to Chicago and graduated there. We saved each other, Bea. That's what you and Tobias need."

I sigh and put the last of my pile of pants in the bag. "Okay, Mom."

She grips my chin. "I'm dead serious, Beatrice. Fix your relationship."

I meet her gaze. "We'll try, Mom."

She kisses my head and hands the bags to my dad, who just walked in. "Thanks for having us, Bea," Dad says.

"Thanks Tobias," I tell him.

My parents grin. "We will." Mom kisses my head and hugs me. Dad smiles, ruffles my hair, and puts an arm around me as we walk down the stairs.

Tobias waits for us outside. He leans (quite sexily, I might add) against his truck, reading a newspaper. When he hears us, he helps my dad with a suitcase and then hops up. I take my place in the front seat, and my parents sit in the first row of backseats.

"You guys ready for your flight?" Tobias asks politely.

"Tobias, we aren't stupid," my dad soberly informs him. "It's quite obvious that you're pissed."

Tobias scowls. "I don't want to talk about this. Let's just go."

I end up sitting in the backseat of the truck with my mother, and Dad sits in the front with Tobias. Dad chats amiably at Tobias, who sits stiffly and drives, no facial expression whatsoever on his face.

When we finally get to the airport, I hug my parents tightly - Mom first, and then Dad. I say, "I'll come as soon as the season is over. I'll get Max to give me a little time off."

Mom kisses my cheek, and Dad kisses my head. "We love you. See you soon."

I wave and get back in the truck, this time next to Tobias. I lay a hand on his thigh as he drives, softly kneading his flesh through the basketball shorts he's wearing.

"What?"

"Tobias, please. Just talk to me." I let my hand drift slightly further upward. He doesn't push it away.

"I don't want to." He keeps his eyes on the road.

"Oh, for God's sake, Tobias. Stop being such a baby. It's fine for you to be hurt, disappointed, whatever. I don't care. I just won't let you be so immature about it. Tell me what you're thinking and feeling and we can talk about it." My hand continues to knead his flesh, though I'm angry with him.

He huffs. "Well, for starters, apparently I'm not important enough to know the goings-on of things that involve me."

"Tobias, I told you everything I know." My scowl deepens. "And there are rules for being a Divergent. They're very - specific. They include vows of secrecy to protect both those involved and those blissfully uninvolved. Hell, I was breaking about five of them telling you what my parents told me. I'm high-ranking in the group, because I've been an active member since I was fifteen, so I have higher security clearance. I'm not even told everything. Everyone involved is on a need-to-know basis." I move my hand slightly higher again and touch my boyfriend's cheek. "Tobias, neither of us is more special than any other Divergent, Insurgent, or Allegiant. My parents have to follow protocol with us, and I have to follow protocol with you."

Tobias sighs and then is quiet as he drives. "I'm not really mad," he admits. "I just don't like the thought that my dad could be coming after us and I don't have all the information."

I kiss his shoulder. "I think it'll be fine, Tobias. My parents are good at throwing people off."

"What about when you go to Chicago for training?" he asks quietly.

I sigh. "I'm not helpless, Tobias. I can hold off a few men bigger than me, and I'll book a day time flight with some of my dad's guards to pick me up and drop me off." I sigh again and make a face. "And I think I'll need to go meet with Tori. Have you met her? She owns a great tattoo shop. Tori Wu. I got my tats there on visits here. She always does them free for me. Caleb, she made pay."

Tobias nods knowingly and traces the birds - three originally, four since AJ - on my collarbone. "I'd like some more work done on my back."

I slip a hand under his shirt and gave him a skeptical look. "And where exactly would you put this new tattoo?"

He shrugs and shifts his gaze back to the road. "Shoulder blade, maybe. Heck, maybe I'll get something on my arms."

I sigh. "Like full-sleeve?"

He shakes his head. "Like an armband." Tobias shakes his head, reconsidering. "Full-sleeve might be cool, though. If you designed it."

I shake my head. "Please don't get full-sleeve." I shake it again. "This conversation got drastically off-track." I trail a hand up his arm. "AJ is at Susan's until the game tonight," I hint. "And you don't have practice for a few more hours. I think we have time for some, um, dancing at home."

Tobias glances at me, face and crotch aroused. "Really?"

I nod and kiss his cheek. "Girls get horny, too, you know."

* * *

When the time to get ready for the game and pre-game practice rolls around, Tobias and I are laying in the bed, bare skin pressed against each other, staring at the ceiling. Tobias suddenly kisses my head, rolls over onto his stomach, opens the drawer in his bedstand, and pulls out a familiar velvet box, opening it towards me with a hopeful look. I lay a hand on his cheek, kiss him, and roll out of bed to shower and get ready. Despite the muggy New York summer air, Tobias' brownhouse is cool with the air conditioning blasting. However, our, um, activity has made me hot and sweaty again, so I turn the water temp down low and let the cold water soothe me. A minute or so later, Tobias joins me, making no effort to get me to marry him again.

I turn around in the shower and wrap my short arms around his neck, not kissing him, but staying close. I look into his eyes. Tobias gives me a small, unconvincing smile. I kiss his cheek, letting my lips rest there for a moment before they drift over to his ear. "I'm sorry, Tobias." I hesitate. "Just keep trying, okay? For me. One day I'll say yes, I promise."

He brings his lips to my ear. "I know someday you'll say yes, but how much longer will that be? I know I'm ready to marry you and live out the rest of my life with you, Tris, and I know you love me as much as I love you. What's holding you back?"

I bury my face in his bare shoulder and mumble, "I don't know. I don't know, Tobias, but I'll know when I _am_ ready."

Tobias sighs and wraps his arms around my waist, putting his own face in the crook of my neck. "Okay, love."

After that, we truly shower and get ready. We're on-time to practice, but we separate at the field. I go to my office and work on my records. A few minutes in, there's a knock at my door.

"Come in!" I call, not looking up.

"Miss Prior, they need you on the field for, um, well," a bat boy stutters.

I look at him and recognize Brandon, one of the bat boys preferred among the players for his willingness to do things quietly, quickly, and well. He has dark, shaggy hair, sparkling dark eyes, and lightly tanned skin all year. If he weren't like five years younger than me, and I wasn't going out with Tobias, I might consider going out with him. He's cute.

I give him a friendly smile, until I see his dark frown. "What happened?" I ask, standing. "Is someone hurt?"

Brandon bits his lip. "No, Miss -"

"Tris," I automatically correct.

"- Tris," he continues, almost smiling. "It's about Albert Lee." Another dark look crosses his features.

"What happened?" I repeat, following him out the door, making sure to shut and lock it behind me.

Brandon gives me a sad, dark smile. "He's dead."

"How?" We turn a corner leading to a door that enters onto the field.

"Well, we don't know yet. They're announcing it in the briefing they're having now." He bites his lip. "I think he killed himself, though. I heard Max talking about the East River and a body."

I chomp down on my own lip, open my mouth, close it again, and then say, "Did they find it?"

Brandon shrugs. "I don't know."

I put a hand on his shoulder. "Did they say why?"

He shrugs again and then nods. "He, um, was depressed. And, um, not doing well. They were going to demote him to the minor leagues."

"That's not a reason to kill yourself," I say firmly.

Brandon nods. "I agree."

We reach the field and move to separate, but at the last moment, I grab his shoulder and pull him to sit with Tobias and I and our friends. He sits next to me, almost awkwardly, as I press my face into Tobias' shoulder. His hands find my shoulder and waist and pull me closer. He rubs my back soothingly.

"I wouldn't forgive him," I whisper. "He asked and I said no."

Tobias leans his head down and nuzzles my neck, responding, "He didn't deserve your forgiveness. And there were a bunch of other reasons." I feel his shrug. "He was just weak, Tris. Killing yourself as an escape is just plain weak."

I don't reply, only push my face more into his shoulder. Another hand joins Tobias' briefly on my shoulder, and then drops after a few seconds.

"It wasn't your fault, Tris," Uri whispers. "It wasn't, I promise."

I heave a sigh and shrug. Tobias continues to rub my back, until I hear Max tapping the microphone.

"Yankees and Yankee employees," he growls. "Shut up. Today Albert Lee jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, into the East River. His body hasn't been found yet, but police are looking for it."

"Why?" someone yells up, over the whispers and gasps.

"His exact reasons are unknown," Max replies. "Today's game was cancelled. Tomorrow, before the game, we will hold a memorial service. You're free to go after this assembly is over."

"When will he be buried? Where?" Uriah asks.

"His family will take charge of the funeral. I imagine he'll be buried in his hometown," Max explains.

"He was a coward," Tobias repeats to me, his soothing circles on my back not doing much.

"Dismissed!" Max yells.

Everyone stands and somberly disperses, except for Brandon, Uriah, Tobias and I. Tobias still has his arms around me, but we're now standing and looking at Uriah and Brandon.

Brandon sticks his hands about as far into his jeans' pockets as he can while avoiding our gazes. "Well," he finally says, "it was nice to meet you, Tris."

"You, too," I answer softly.

Uriah gives him a wide smile. "Next time you meet someone for the first time, you should try not to tell them someone they knew is dead."

Brandon shot him a dirty look. "That's not my fault."

"Aren't you cute," Uri replies. Then he throws his cap back on and grabs his gear. "See y'alls at the barbeque. You should come, too, Brandon. It's at Zeke's and my place. I'm sure Four will give you the address." Uriah salutes and walks off the field, despite Brandon's continuing dirty look.

Tobias pulls out a pen from his bag and gives me an expectant look. I tear a sheet of paper from the notepad in my bag and hand it to him. He scribbles out Zeke's address and hands it to Brandon. It's honestly a miracle Brandon, or anyone, can read it.

"Maybe I should do the writing from now on," I mumble to him, giving Brandon a smile.

Tobias chuckles quietly and kisses my head. "Maybe so." He grins at Brandon. "See you tonight, then, kid."

"See you," he mumbles back.

I wave slightly as we leave, Tobias' arm around my shoulders. Outside the stadium, a few hopeful fans wave balls, posters, gloves and hats at Tobias. He shakes his head, shoulders slumped. "Not today, folks," he calls.

They grumble slightly but disperse as we walk to the truck. We hop in and I lean against the window on the way home.

* * *

Susan comes by to drop AJ off at five after hearing about the game being cancelled. Tobias decides to invite her to Uriah and Zeke's impromptu barbeque. She nods yes and leaves.

I throw on jean shorts and an old jersey of mine and walk to AJ's room. I help him into basketball shorts and a Nike Just Do It shirt, along with socks and the new Nikes Tobias got him. I kiss his head and lead him to the kitchen, where we wait for Tobias. He walks down the stairs shirtless, much to my appreciation.

"Tris, do you know where my blue henley shirt is?" he asks, tugging a white tank top on.

"No," I say. I walk over to him and tug the tank top back over his head.

"No…you don't know where it is?"

"No, you're not wearing it," I reply. I disappear into the laundry room and come out with a camo button down to wear with his jeans. Glancing at the tank in my hand, I pull it back over his head and give him the camo shirt. He tucks his arms in and buttons is most of the way, leading the way out the door.

I help AJ into his carseat and buckle myself into my own seat as we wait for Tobias, and then it's off to the barbeque.


	16. Chapter 16

**_I still don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey, world of readers. I want to thank all of y'alls that read this - your support means a lot to me as a writer. You "_pick_ me up when I am down," to quote Hedley (that's for you, 4655).**

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**Enjoy the Fic!**

_"No, you're not wearing it," I reply. I disappear into the laundry room and come out with a camo button down to wear with his jeans. Glancing at the tank in my hand, I pull it back over his head and give him the camo shirt. He tucks his arms in and buttons is most of the way, leading the way out the door._

_I help AJ into his carseat and buckle myself into my own seat as we wait for Tobias, and then it's off to the barbeque._

When we get there, it's surprisingly somber. Well, I guess it's not surprising, considering today's news. Brandon stands off on his own, leaning against the wall and sipping from what looks to be a cup of soda.

Uriah and Zeke sit slumped on the couch. Marlene and Lynn sit together in an armchair. Shauna sits on the right of Zeke. Susan sits on the floor with Tristan and Hayden. When AJ sees them, he crosses the room and sits next to Tristan.

Tobias takes in the scene. Then he walks over and punches Zeke. "Stop sulking," he orders. "Let's do something. I'm going to get some burgers started. You…make people stop sulking."

Zeke sighs. "Okay."

I silently follow Tobias. He acknowledges me only by handing me some stuff to take to the grill, and then walking off. I follow again and hand him the stuff, and we grill the burgers and buns silently. As we're watching them cook, one of his hands sneaks down and slips into the back pocket of my jean shorts.

He kisses my head and whispers, "I don't know if it's damning for me to be thinking of right now, but those jean shorts look really good on your ass."

I bite my lip to contain a chuckle. "Well, those jeans look pretty good on your butt, too," I murmur back.

Tobias smiles and flips a burger. "I'm glad you like them."

"I like them better off," I reply, squeezing his leg. "But they're nice on, too."

Tobias chuckles. "Dirty, thinking things like that."

I kick his leg. "Shut up, horn dog."

He smiles innocently and continues to flip burgers. I get a plate to put them on and then check the buns, which I deem ready. I bring them inside and tell everyone to fix themselves one, and then return with the first batch of burgers, which disappear onto buns quickly. I check Zeke's fridge and pull out a twelve-pack of beer and a twelve-pack of Fanta. I set them out and return for the second batch of burgers, which also go pretty quickly, leaving only three left - for Tobias and I.

I fix our burgers and hand Tobias a plate and a bottle of beer. He wrinkles his nose at it, but takes a swig anyway. I find myself taking one, too, though I normally don't drink, especially around Aje.

Then I remember that one of us has to be somewhat sober, so I put down the half-finished bottle and plop onto Tobias' lap to finish my burger. The only noise in the room comes from the kids, who eat and laugh quietly.

Susan finally stands and walks over to me. "I'm sorry about your teammate," she says to Four. To me, she adds, "I'll take AJ home with me tonight. You can pick him and my kids up tomorrow morning. I have an out-of-town stretch, remember?"

I nod numbly. "I have one starting right when you get off - back. Whatever." I rub my temples. "Thank you."

She smiles and pats my hand. "See you later." She gathers the kids and leaves.

I sigh, set my plate down, and cuddle into Tobias. "I hate…"

"What?" he mumbles.

"I don't know. Cowards. Depression. Life," I reply.

Tobias rubs my back. "I'm sorry, love. It'll get better."

"The problem is that I don't feel…sad," I say, furrowing my brow. "I just feel…nothing for him. Maybe pity. Maybe disappointment in myself that I didn't do anything. But I don't feel anything for him."

He sighs. "It'll be okay, Tris," is all he says.

* * *

Chris comes with me to watch the kids during the game. Every Yankee employee wears a black patch with number forty eight, Al's number, on it. I put AJ in a black polo and khaki shorts, as well. Tristan and Hayden wear dark colors.

It's an hour before the game actually starts, and Al's family sits above the dugout. I look at his mother with a sad smile. "I'm sorry," I say.

"Were you his friend?" she asks, wiping away tears.

I bite my lip. _No_, I think. "Yes," I find myself saying. "He was a good player."

She smiles. "Thank you."

I smile back and hold my cap over my heart for the anthem, which they're playing before the memorial. After the anthem, the players and employees sit in chairs on the field, along with Al's family and some news people.

They play a slideshow of Al as a kid, and then in middle school, and then in high school, and then in college, and then in the Minors, and then on the Orioles, and finally on the Yankees. He looked so…life-full until the last few pictures.

After the slideshow, Max gives a gruff speech, followed by one from Al's dad. Then Max announces that the team will wear the patches for the remainder of the season and every year on the anniversary of his death.

_That's putting it nicely,_ I think. _Suicide. Cowardice. Not _death_._

I sit next to a few other trainers, none of whom I know well. I sigh and sink down into my seat. Then I glance over at the players. Tobias meets my eyes and gives me a small smile.

I rub my temples and wait for the service to be over. When it finally is, the team disperses to get ready for the game, and some of the Yankee employees begin to take the stuff on the field down.

I find Tobias in the mass of people walking off the field. "Hey," I say softly.

"Hi."

"What position today?" I ask.

"Catcher." He gives me a smile. "Can you adjust my left shoulder before the game starts? It's feeling a bit sore."

I nod. "Get ready except that, and I will."

A few other players ask for adjustments, and I give them. Then Tobias returns and I easily adjust his shoulder.

I kiss him lightly on the lips. "Good luck," I whisper.

He gives me a wry look. "I don't need luck. I have you."

I hit his shoulder lightly. "Oh, shut it."

He jogs onto the field and takes his place behind the plate. Zeke is pitching today.

I see Tobias give Zeke a reassuring look before he squats down. As the batter steps up, Tobias gives a signal, and Zeke nods ever so slightly.

* * *

Zeke pitches pretty well until the sixth inning, when he gets three guys from the Astros on base in a row. He throws another pitch, and the guy hits a ball to the shortstop, a new guy named David, who throws it in to Tobias quickly. Tobias tags the runner sliding into home out quickly.

The ump calls it out, unsurprisingly. However, the batter throws his hands up, saying something quietly to the ump. The ump shakes his head and gestures to Tobias.

The player, with an angry look on his face, stomps over to Tobias and digs his cleat down Tobias' calf hard, ripping the fabric of his socks and pants as well as the straps of his gear and his flesh. I run onto the field with my kit to a collapsed Tobias, peeling his hands away from the wound.

The cleat marks are deep and nasty, bleeding sluggishly with visible dirt in them.

The Astros' trainer runs up and joins me on the ground, kneeling my Tobias. "_Shit_. I'm sorry, Mister Eaton," the guy murmurs. To me, he adds, "Do you want me to call for an ambulance?"

I consider. "Yeah. I think he needs a tetanus shot. We don't have them."

The medic-trainer person stand and walks into our dugout, calling on the phone there. The umpire, Zeke, and Max approach. Will and Uriah jog out from the dugout, and all the players slowly form a wide circle around him. When I feel there's not enough space around him, I glance up at everyone around him.

"Get away," I order. "Give him space."

The ump kneels. "How bad of an injury is it, trainer?"

I hesitate. "Bad enough. He won't be playing for at _least_ two weeks."

Tobias lets out a ragged breath. "I'll be fine, Tris."

I smack his uninjured leg lightly. "Don't do that, Four. I can see this hurts you. I'm not stupid."

He sighs. "I'll be fine," he insists.

"I called for an ambulance," the other medic tells me. "We should clean it, though."

I nod. "We need to turn him onto his back, though." I glance into the crowd. "Zeke and Uriah," I call. They come forward, caps tucked into their belts. "Help us turn him."

They do as we say and then step back. I pull out gauze, and the other medic produces some hydrogen peroxide. We work together to clean the dirt out of the wounds. Tobias stays admirably still, though I can tell us touching them is like us recutting him.

Max kneels next to Tobias, too. "Tris, will he be okay?" he asks.

I nod. "Eventually."

Max lets air hiss out through his teeth. "How long?"

I shrug. "We'll see after the stitches. A few days on crutches, and a lot of rest. At least two weeks, though." I run my fingers through Tobias' hair.

The umpire stands. "Mister Girardi," he says, gesturing to Max, "where is Mister Porter?"

"Here," a voice calls, and Bo Porter, the manager of the Astros, appears.

"Mister Porter, where is the player that did this?"

Bo Porter grimaces. "In the locker room, being held down by several of his teammates."

Max scowls, and the umpire says, "He will receive a suspension, Mister Porter. He will be out as long as Mister Eaton is out."

Bo Porter did a double take. "Um, sir, can you do that?"

"It's only fair, isn't it?" Max says quietly. "I lose one of my best players, you lose one of yours."

"Exactly," the ump agrees. "It's decided, then. I'll tell my supervisors my decision, and you can tell yours."

Max returns to Tobias' side, and the umpire walks off the field with Bo Porter, only to return a minute or so later.

"The ambulance is here," Zeke tells me quietly.

I touch Tobias' shoulder. "They're going to want to put you on a stretcher. Do -"

"I'll walk," he announces. "Help me up, Tris. You, too, Zeke."

Zeke glances at me for permission, and I nod. We help him up.

The crowd begins to applaud, giving Tobias a standing ovation. I think he would nod and smile, if it didn't require require so much effort to simply stand and have Zeke and I help him off the field. Instead, he grimaces.

"Who cleated you?" I ask.

"Number six, Villar," he replies, face red with exertion.

I help him onto the stretcher in the ambulance, and an EMT begins to strap him down. I help, as well as help bandage his leg.

The other medic runs up to the back of the truck. "Sorry about Villar," he gasps.

I shake my head. "Four will be fine after a while."

Tobias groans. "I don't want to be out."

I give him a look. "Sucks to be you, then, babe."

Both the EMT and the medic give me a weird look at my use of "babe." I giggle.

"She's my girlfriend," Tobias explains. Then he grimaces in pain. "Can we just leave already?"

The EMT walks forward the driver's part and talks with him for a second. Then he walks back, closes the doors, and sits, gesturing for me to do the same. The ambulance starts moving, and I hold Tobias' hand. I smooth his hair as we go quickly through the New York streets, though it takes nearly twenty minutes. The other EMT has readjusted the bandage on Tobias' leg so that he doesn't lose too much blood, though I can tell that one little tightening hurt Tobias like hell.

In the hospital, the EMTs wheel him into the emergency room. I follow them to the room they bring him to, where a group of nurses quickly come in to help move him onto the bed. He lets out a controlled huff of breath.

I sit next to his bed. A nurse approaches me. "Are you one of the field medics?" she asks.

I nod. "Yeah."

"Can you please explain what happened and the gravity of the injury so I can give him a number?" she asks.

"He tagged a runner out and the runner got angry. He purposefully cleated Four's calf. The wounds are about eight or so inches long. They're deep enough to cause concern, and I think, without the bandages, he'd be losing blood pretty quickly," I explain briefly.

She nods and takes notes. "And how long has he been waiting for treatment?"

"Well, it took about twenty minutes for us to get here, plus another five before the ambulance got there." I glance at Tobias. "I can stitch him up with the proper supplies, but I think he needs a tetanus shot, too. Of course, I assume you guys can handle everything. I'm just offering." I smile.

"It's no problem. A doctor will be in in a few minutes." She walks out of Tobias' room, flips a flag outside the door, and writes on the whiteboard.

I take Tobias' hand. "How bad is it?" he mumbles.

I kiss his head. "It's not good, babe."

He sighs and groans. "This fucking sucks."

The doctor comes in, a nurse wheeling a cart following him and shutting the door. "Hi, Mr. Eaton. My name is Dr. Machel." He takes the cart from the nurse, giving her a polite smile. "I can take it from here, Farah."

She leaves, closing the door again behind her.

Dr. Machel gives me a smile. "Are you his girlfriend?"

I raise my eyebrows. "Um, yes. I'm also the Yankees head trainer."

He carefully begins to unbandage Tobias' leg. "Ah. Well, -" he cuts himself off when he sees the wounds, frowning. "These are nasty lacerations you've got here. I was told they're from cleats?"

I nod. "One of the other players cleated him."

He takes out the necessary items and begins to clean and stitch. "Well, considering the depth and number of these wounds, I'm going to have to give you crutches, as well as recommend physical therapy once they're healed."

"How long will this injury keep me out of play?" Tobias asks hoarsely.

"A month, at most."

"The season will most likely be over in a month! It's August!" Tobias protests.

"Four," I warn.

"Then you'll most likely be missing the rest of the season," Dr. Machel replies, half-shrugging as he stitches.

Tobias moans. "I'm going to kill that bastard."

"Is hanging out with me and AJ that bad?" I tease, stroking his hair.

"You'll still have to go," he grumbles.

"I'm sure Max will let you tag along," I reply.

Dr. Machel moves on to the next wound. "And I said at most four weeks. It could be less, Mr. Eaton."

Tobias slumps back into the pillows of the hospital bed anyway. "It's still a long time to be out."

Dr. Machel finishes the last wound. "Well, I'll send a nurse in here with crutches. I think we'll keep you here overnight, Mr. Eaton, as you lost enough blood to be of a little worry and I want to make sure those stitches don't get infected." He puts the stuff on the cart and holds up a hand. "No driving, extensive exercise, running, walking without crutches, or anything along those lines for the next week or so." He ticks them off on his hand. "Balanced diet. Don't st around on the couch all day and eat junk food."

I smile. "I can handle him."

Dr. Machel gives a wicked smile. "Oh, and no sex for at least a week."

Tobias sinks back into the pillow, mumbling something. I give another, tighter, smile. "Thank you, Dr. Machel."

He leaves, and I sit on the edge of Tobias' bed. "I need to go home soon for AJ," I murmur, stroking his hair. "Are you okay here tonight?"

He huddles back into the pillow. "Yeah, whatever."

I stroke his hair. "I'm sorry, Tobias, but I can't leave AJ with Susan like that. I'm sorry."

He huffs. "I told you it's fine, Tris. Just go"

I take his hand. "I'll be back tomorrow early to pick you up."

"And then you have the game," he grumbles.

"And then I have the game," I confirm. "But hey, it's not that long. I technically don't have to be there for the warmup and batting practice. I'll stick with you for as long as I can, and then leave AJ with you."

"What about when the team leaves? They're going out of town in a few days," he complains.

"You'll stay with AJ," I repeat. I run my fingers through his hair. "It's only for a little bit, Tobias. It won't be hard."

He sighs. "Whatever."

"I'm sorry, Tobias, but this isn't my fault," I say softly, sitting on the side of the bed. "And the team will only be gone for a bit."

"Eleven days," he corrects.

"I'll Skype you -" I kiss him "- and call you -" I kiss him again "- and we can do some sort of..._dancing_ before I leave."

His eyes light up at the thought of sex. "When?"

"When I think your leg is okay enough," I reply, stroking the side of his face for a second. Then I kiss him one last time. "I love you, Tobias. I'm going to go pick AJ up from Susan now, okay?"

Tobias pulls my head down and kisses me for a long time. "Yes," he finally says, slightly out of breath. "I love you, too," he adds as I leave.

* * *

The next day, I get AJ up at seven to go get Tobias, who was released only about an hour ago, but without a ride, he was stuck there. When we get there, AJ is rubbing his eyes, and Tobias is clearly angry about me leaving him for the night.

We don't talk much on the car ride home. AJ sleeps, anyway. When we get back, I put Epic on for him and follow Four to our room.

"Tobias, I'm sorry," I murmur, stroking his thigh.

He sighs and leans towards me, towards physical affection, from our seats on the bed. "It's okay," he finally says, eyes half-lidded.

I move my hands from his thighs to his shoulder, gently rubbing. "Do you want me to massage you?" I ask, already starting through his shirt.

He nods, reaching down to the hem of his shirt and pulling it off. "Yes, please." He lies face-first onto the bed and sighs as I begin to massage.

I work out some of the kinks in his back as we lounge. We don't talk, but I occasionally hear soft grunts or sighs of contentment from Tobias.

After about a half hour, I remove my hands from his back and give him a clean shirt to wear. He kisses along my jaw.

"Thank you," he murmurs, still kissing.

"No problem," I reply, running my hands along his sides.

He shivers slightly and presses his face into my neck. "I'm so fucked up."

I wrap my arms around him. "I…know."

"Then why do you stick with me?"

"Because I can see the real you. The one that's not fucked up," I explain slowly, stroking his hair.

He sighs lengthily. "Only you, Tris. Only you."

I hug him tightly. "No, not only me. AJ. Uriah. Zeke. Shauna. Will. Christina. Marlene. Lynn, I guess. My parents. Susan. Lots of people."

"I guess."

"Tobias, don't be…ugh. You're annoying me now," I say halfheartedly.

He chuckles slightly. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Now let's go watch Epic for the four millionth time."

"We _have_ seen it a lot, haven't we?" he asks, standing.

"Yeah. I could probably speak along with it." I shake my head. "I can't wait until he finds a new 'favorite' movie."

I feel his laughter against my side as we descend the stairs. "Me neither."


	17. Chapter 17

_**I don't own **_**Divergent**_**.**_

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**On a slightly more sad/angry note, I LOST FOLLOWERS. This makes me sad. Anyway, please check out _ADD_ is you don't already know about it! I will be continuing, so don't unfollow, please.**

**Also, if any of you watch _TVD_ (_The Vampire Diaries_), check out thrustypipes. She writes a _TVD_ Fic. I don't watch _TVD_, or else I would read it.**

**So yeah - to recap, feel free to tell me your problems (I'm not as mean as I seem, I promise), please don't unfollow, check out _ADD_, and check out thrustypipes. **

_He chuckles slightly. "I love you."_

_"I love you, too. Now let's go watch Epic for the four millionth time."_

_"We have seen it a lot, haven't we?" he asks, standing._

_"Yeah. I could probably speak along with it." I shake my head. "I can't wait until he finds a new 'favorite' movie."_

_I feel his laughter against my side as we descend the stairs. "Me neither."_

Today is the day I go out of town. Tobias has reluctantly agreed to stay with AJ, and I'm packed and ready to go off for almost two weeks with the Yankees. Our first stop is Seattle.

I'm about to start the car when Tobias raps on the window. He has a few bags and AJ with him. I roll down the window. "What the fuck, Tobias?"

"AJ and I are coming." He opens the backseat and helps AJ in, buckling him into the carseat, and then hops into the front with me. "I just checked it with Max."

I put the car into gear and begin to drive. "You may have asked Max, but you didn't talk to me."

His face pales as he realizes he crossed a line. "Sorry."

"I like to keep AJ in as stable an environment as I can, Tobias, and I need your help to do that," I tell him quietly.

"I can still take care of him," Tobias offers weakly.

I huff and drive to the airport, ignoring Tobias' attempts at conversation.

* * *

At the airport, I take AJ's passport and bags from Tobias, grab my own, and take AJ's carseat and his hand. Somehow I manage to carry the stuff a few feet. Then Tobias reaches me and takes some of it.

"Tris, don't be irrational. Let me help carry."

I huff, but give him one of AJ's bags (the bigger one) and hand AJ his backpack to wear, which he takes without complaint. He follows me through the airport.

* * *

On the place, we have two coach seats and a first class seat. I immediately head back with AJ, buckling his carseat into the middle airplane seat and him into his carseat. I put my earbuds in his ears with the sound machine on, and he falls asleep soon after the plane takes off.

Next to AJ is an old woman knitting. I smile kindly at her.

She smiles back, revealing straight white teeth behind wrinkled lips and a wrinkled face, showing years of life. "Good morning, hon." She has a slight Southern lilt to her voice.

"Good morning." I glance at AJ, making sure he's fully asleep. "My name is Tris. What's your name?"

"Marjorie. Is he your son?" She gestures to AJ with her elbow as she knits what appears to be a blue sweater for a boy about AJ's size out of fine yarn.

"Yes. He'll be quiet, though, I promise," I say quickly.

She smiles. "Well, he's sleeping, so I should hope he'll be quiet."

I smile a bit. "Do you have any kids? Grandkids?"

She nods. "Three kids. Seven grandchildren, so far. One of them is about his age. This sweater is for him."

I look at AJ and take his sweatshirt from my bag, propping his head up with it. "That's wonderful." I smile, thinking of my mother's knitting. "AJ grew out of the sweater my mother knit him for his second birthday last year." I swallow. "She doesn't have much time to knit anymore." _Too much time running from Eaton,_ I think.

Marjorie knits a few stitches together and then continues the row. "Yes, knitting takes a lot of time. But I have that time. I find it both relaxing and productive. You -"

"Tris?" Tobias says, crouching next to my seat.

My head snaps over to look at him. "You shouldn't crouch," I tell him. "And where are your crutches?"

"The doctor said I only had to use them for a week," he argues.

"Yeah, but you did a lot of walking today," I reply. "Go get them."

He huffs and limps toward first class again.

"Your husband?" she asks. "His father?" She, again, gestures to AJ with her elbow.

"His adoptive father," I say. "But not my husband, though he'd like to be." We quiet as he returns with the crutches, which TSA let through after they saw the bandages covering his leg.

He crouches again, and I raise my eyebrow. "I'm only on my good leg," Tobias hurries to say. I nod. "Anyway," he continues, whispering in my ear, "I'm sorry. I should have asked you." Then he pulls back slightly, hope in his eyes.

I kiss him lightly on the lips. "It's okay, Four." I shrug slightly. "Anyway, we need to talk about which school to send him to."

Tobias nods. "When we get to the hotel?"

"Yeah, sure." I loosen my seatbelt and hug Tobias, holding him to me for a second. He places his hands at the small of my back and presses his face into my neck. "Don't leave me, Tobias."

"I'm on the plane, Tris. I can only stand here for so long," he mumbles in the same quiet tone I used.

"I mean in life," I reply. "Don't leave me."

"I won't. Not now, not ever." I feel him smile. "But I would definitely like to marry you."

I chuckle. "I assume you plan to ask again soon?"

He nods. "Yup." Then he stands and uses the crutches to lean on again. "I have to go back up, but I love you."

"You, too," I reply, smiling.

He hobbles up and I sit back and tighten my seatbelt.

Marjorie grunts. "He's Four Eaton."

"Yes."

"Do you come with him as his girlfriend?" She frowns as she knits, and then pauses to count.

"No, I work for the Yankees anyway as a trainer. I'd have to come anyway." I turn the volume up on my phone a little more and plug it in.

"Ah, so there are a lot of Yankees on this plane."

"Yeah. The top ones are in first class, and the rest are in coach." I look around and locate a few. "Any favorites?"

She shrugs. "They're all amazing. I was sorry to hear of Albert Lee's death."

I look down and softly reply, "Yes, that was…_sad_."

"Did you know him?" She looks up from her knitting for a second and examines my face.

"Yes, I…knew him." I fiddle with AJ's straps for a second.

"But you didn't like him."

"Let's just say he wasn't the victim everyone thought he was," I reply stiffly.

"And Peter Hayes…his suspension. A lot of bad luck for the Yankees this year," she comments, not looking away from my face.

"The team is better off without Peter," I say firmly. "Him getting suspended was by far the best thing that happened to us this year."

She watches my face for another few seconds and then shrugs and goes back to knitting. "That's not necessarily wrong."

Tobias wanders back again. "Do you have my food from the airport?"

I fish around in my bag and pick out his bar, apple, banana, trail mix, and beef jerky, handing them to him along with a bottle of water.

"Thanks, love," he says, kissing my cheek and hobbling back up.

* * *

I doze off after he leaves and wake up to AJ tapping me about two hours later. "What's up, bud?" I ask.

"I have to go potty," he whispers. I unbuckle him and help him down the aisle. Suddenly, the plane hits some turbulence, and AJ falls and hits his shoulder on an armrest. I pick him up as he holds his shoulder and fights the tears the fill his eyes and threaten to spill over.

"You're okay, Aje," I whisper, carrying him to the bathroom now.

He buries his face in my sweater as he does start to cry, sobbing softly. I set him down outside the bathroom and pull the sleeve of his blue tee shirt up. I see a bruise forming and kiss his shoulder.

"It's just a little bruise, Aje," I say, kissing it again. "Now go potty. I'll be right here."

He goes into the bathroom, still sniffling. A flight attendant taps my shoulder. "What happened to him?"

"He fell when we hit turbulence," I reply. "He hit his shoulder on an armrest."

"Do you need anything?"

"No, we're fine, thank you," I decline politely. AJ comes out and holds his arms up for me to pick him up. I do, and walk back to the seat. I buckle him in and help him lay his head on the sweatshirt.

Marjorie doesn't speak to me until long after AJ is asleep again. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine, just tired and a little sore," I reply. "Do you have family in Seattle?"

"Yes, that's where some of my grandchildren live." She furrows her brow. "My daughter-in-law Evelyn has two kids, Marcia, who is sixteen, and the surprise, Toby, who is five."

_Evelyn_. Tobias' mother's name. The woman that ran out when Tobias was nine…and he's twenty five now. Sixteen years.

I realize I've been quiet for a few minutes. "Oh, that's great." I glance at AJ and then look up towards first class, where Tobias is seated. "Do you mind if I leave for a second? I need to speak with Four."

"No, it's fine." She continues to knit as I unbuckle and walk up towards Tobias.

He's sleeping, so I shake him urgently. He snaps awake, a grumpy look on his face. Then he sees the urgent look on my face. "Tris? What's wrong?"

"Tobias…the lady next to AJ has a daughter-in-law named Evelyn." I fix him with a serious look.

He freezes for a second. Then, "Lots of people are named Evelyn."

"Not lots of people with a sixteen year old daughter named Marcia and a five year old son named Toby," I reply softly.

He squeezes his eyes shut. "So what, Tris? She abandoned me with him."

"So I think we should see if it is her, Tobias. Just see." I hesitate. "Tobias, did Marcus get Evelyn pregnant again before she left him?"

Tobias looks me in the eyes. "I know she was pregnant. I also know both of my parents had affairs. I just…I don't know it it was _his_ or not."

I sit on his armrest and stroke his dark hair. "I'll ask her if we can meet Evelyn."

He nods slowly and squeezes my hand. "You have to understand, Tris, if it is, this is going to be hard for me."

I hold his head in my hands. "I know, Tobias."

He bites his lip, and then takes a breath and says, "I have other family in Seattle. My dad's brother's kids. My cousins, I guess. They're my cousins Rob and Sarah. They're married to Andrea and Jimmy, respectively. Rob and Andrea have three biological kids and one they adopted. Sarah and Jimmy have three." Tobias gives me a hopeful look. "I wanted to visit them."

I kiss his head. "Sure, babe." I glance back. "I have to go back. I love you." I tuck my head into his neck for a second to get that smell of Tobias I love so much - baseball.

He chuckles and bears his neck for me to smell. I kiss him and walk back to my seat. AJ is still asleep and Marjorie is still knitting.

"Um, Marjorie?" I say.

She glances up. "Yes, Tris?"

I take a breath. "Well, your, um, daughter-in-law, Evelyn, might be Four's mom. We were wondering if he could, maybe, meet her and see?"

Marjorie gives me a blank look and then nods. "Yes, sure, he can meet her. But…what makes you think Evelyn is his mother?"

"Evelyn left Four and his father - admittedly abusive - when he was nine. Sixteen years ago," I answer.

Marjorie nods. "It may very well be her, then. Marcia isn't my son's biological daughter."

* * *

When we get off the plane, I end up having to carry a sleeping AJ in his carseat, along with both his and my carry-on bags. Tobias has his backpack at his shoulders and is using his crutches.

Instead of following the team, we follow Marjorie, who goes to baggage claim. Tobias collects our bags and I wake AJ up. He carries his backpack and wheels his rollaboard as I carry my backpack and AJ's carseat and wheel my rollaboard. Tobias somehow manages to roll his rollaboard and use the crutches; I'm not sure how.

We follow Marjorie to where a man, two kids, and a woman wait. She has angular features, a hooked nose and sparse upper lip, olive skin, curly dark hair and very, very dark eyes. Tobias stops when he gets a good look at her and I know for a fact this is his mother. I nudge him forward, and he breathes deeply and walks forward.

The man is currently huggin Marjorie. "Mom!" he says.

"Micah," she replies. She hugs her grandkids and then gestures back to us. "Micah, Evelyn, this is Tris and her boyfriend, Four Eaton. Four thought he might know you, Evelyn, so -"

"Tobias," Evelyn breathes.

The little boy looks up, and he has Tobias' features, including the dark hair, but dark brown eyes as well. "Yeah, Mommy?"

"No, she means me," Tobias says gruffly. "Mom." He sets his bags down at my feet, and AJ and I follow suit. AJ tugs at my arm for me to pick him up, and I do. I then set a hand on Tobias' shoulder.

"Tobias," she repeats again.

Micah and Marjorie watch both of them carefully. Marcia looks up, and I quickly know this child is, in fact, Marcus'; she has the signature blue eyes. She looks between her brother and mother as well.

"Mom?" she says. "He's - is he Dad's?"

Tobias, and Marcia, look nothing like Micah, who has blockier features, an easygoing lilt to his smile, and brown eyes. His hair is dark, but his skin is pale.

Tobias arches an eyebrow. "Me? _His_? No. My father - and yours -"

"Tobias," I say sharply. "Be nice to her."

He bites his lip and looks away. "Our father is - he lives in Chicago," he finishes.

Marcia looks like he slapped her. Evelyn steps forward and touches Tobias' cheek. He recoils, stepping back into me. "Don't touch me," he hisses. "You left me."

"It was better for you," she insists.

He scoffs. "Better for me? You may not remember, but he beat me, Evelyn." He gestures to Marcia. "You took her with you and left me with him."

"He had a home, a stable source of income." She glances at Marcia. "And she was still - I was still pregnant with her when I left."

"You would have left me, too, Mom?" she asks, features changing and contorting.

Evelyn looks trapped. "I don't know. Look, Tobias - if I hadn't left, Marcus would have beat me until she was dead. Hell, he might have killed me. I had to leave. He thought she wasn't his."

"Was I?"

"Yes, yes. Look at the resemblance between you and Tobias - and you both look like Marcus." Evelyn takes a deep breath.

"You left me," Tobias repeats.

"I -" Evelyn starts again.

"Ev, let's take this somewhere else," Micah cuts in. "Our house, perhaps?"

Evelyn nods. "We have space in our car for both of you. She looks at AJ. "He can sit in the far back with Marcia and Toby."

Marcia opens her mouth to argue, and Micah gives her a look. "No arguments, Marcia," he tells her sharply.

Micah, Evelyn, and Marcia help carry the bags. When we get to their car - a Honda minivan - they help load, too. AJ keeps his backpack with him, and we put Tobias' crutches at our feet.

I sit between Tobias and Marjorie, with Tobias behind Evelyn. As soon as we're buckled, Tobias turns in the seat and buries his face in my shoulder, barely containing his sobs. He's not crying, but I know he will as soon as we're in private. His breaths are shaky but quiet.

Evelyn stares numbly out the windshield, but AJ and Toby fortunately make conversation. Marcia has earbuds in and is staring out the window, a troubled look on her face. Marjorie knits.

"I'm sorry, Tobias," I whisper. I thread my hands into his hair.

"It's not your fault," he replies.

"But I suggested - pushed, really - that you try to see if this was her," I say.

"Tris, I would've seen her eventually," Tobias argues.

"We're here," Micah announces. I help Tobias out and give him his crutches. Then I get AJ and Toby out, and Marcia climbs out.

The family helps us put our bags in the entryway. Then we sit awkwardly in their living room.


	18. Chapter 18

**_I don't own Divergent._**

**Hey, everyone. Sorry about not updating for a while. I just wanted to _finish_ this update. It didn't feel done to me until now. I've also been pretty busy getting ready for school, and I posted a one-shot two days (which all of y'alls should go read ASAP - it's called _Thank You for Giving Me a Chance_). I'm thinking about extending it, but I want to completely finish _ADD_ first. ficorrie edited it for me and she is amazing. You guys should all go check her out. **

**I made pasta this morning. Like the homemade kind, not the dried kind. It was good. And I used this really good, easy recipe from America's Test Kitchen (my stepdad's favorite cooking show). **

**To the guest(s) "I Love Softball", "Varsity Pitcher", "varsity catcher", "SOFTBALL", and "BASEBALL": Are you all one person, or did I just magically get a bunch of reviews from guests with similar guest name ideas? I know I normally don't reply to guest reviews on my Fics, but that question was driving me nuts. So yeah...**

**Anyway, sorry for my rambling. Enjoy the update and review/follow/favorite at your discretion :).**

_"We're here," Micah announces. I help Tobias out and give him his crutches. Then I get AJ and Toby out, and Marcia climbs out._

_The family helps us put our bags in the entryway. Then we sit awkwardly in their living room._

"Toby, honey, why don't you and AJ come play outside with me?" Marjorie suggests, picking her knitting up and ushering the boys outside.

Evelyn still stares numbly at Tobias. Micah's expression is hard but safely neutral; apparently he isn't one to wear his heart on his sleeve. Marcia glares at the ground.

Marcia is the first to speak up. "Why did you lie to me?"

Micah clenches his jaw. "When I met your mother, she explained that she was pregnant and, well, everything. I quickly fell in love with her, and since we wanted kids...it seemed natural to adopt you."

"But only Toby is truly yours."

"No, Marcia. I raised you and I love you. You're my daughter." He bites his lip. "Blood isn't everything, Marcia."

"Yeah," Tobias agrees. "I'd much rather have Micah than Marcus." He gives Evelyn a hard look. "And she'd apparently rather have Toby than me _and_ Micah than Marcus."

"Tobias, that's not fair," I say, tightening my grip on his knee.

He clenches his jaw and screws his eyes shut, and then leans down and whispers, "I'm doing the best I can, Tris." I can practically hear the rest of his sentence: _This is emotional for me, so I'm covering my pain with dickiness._

"It may be hard, but you don't need to be a dick," I answer.

He rolls his eyes, and I pinch his leg sharply. Tobias now glares at the ground like a sullen child.

Evelyn makes her way over to Tobias again. She reaches out and touches his face. "You're so handsome, my boy. So much better than I was, too. A better man than Marcus, a better person than me. You got through it unharmed."

Tobias grits his teeth and stands. He unzips his sweatshirt and strips his tee shirt off. He's showing them the scars. "Unharmed is a bit of a stretch." He turns to look at me so they can get a look at his back. Micah inhales sharply, Marcia coughs in surprise, and Evelyn sighs. A sigh. A goddamned _sigh_.

Tobias hacks out a noise somewhere between a sob and a scoff. I hand him his clothing, only admiring his taut muscles a little. He continues to face me as he puts them on, face contorting as he struggles to contain the sobs. I lay my hand on his arm, and he lays a hand over mine. He slips his sweatshirt back on and finally gets his features back to coldness.

I slip my hand up the back of his shirt and gently knead some of tension in his back away, but the only thing that changes in his face is a slight softening of his eyes. His eyebrows are still drawn low over his eyes, his mouth is still in a tight scowl, and he's still biting the inside of his cheek.

I keep my hand under his shirt. Marcia stares at her older brother, face troubled and yet contemplating. Micah stares at his wife. Evelyn stares at the carpet.

For a few minutes, that's how it stays. Then Evelyn looks up. "I'm sorry, Tobias. I - I abandoned you because I was weak. Too weak to worry about my child. I'm sorry." She hesitates. "But I kept tabs on you. Marcus said if I walked out, I couldn't come back, but I always watched out for you. I knew when you went to Stanford, when you got drafted to the Yankees. I have your jersey. I never...didn't care about you."

Tobias clenches his jaw and shuts his eyes. "We need to get to where we're staying, and we need to get a car from the airport. Where's the nearest five sixty stop?"

"No, I'll drive you," Micah quickly inserts.

"I'm going to go get AJ," I murmur to Tobias. "Be civil."

Marjorie sits on a porch swing outside, finishing up the blue sweater - well, it's done, but she's examining it. The boys play something on a small, weathered playset.

"Aje," I call. "C'mere. We're leaving, bud."

He pouts. "But I'm having fun with Toby."

"Andrew, we have to go," I say, more firmly. "Come down now."

He sighs but hops down. Toby hops down after him.

"Bye, AJ," Toby says. "Can you come over again?"

"I hope," AJ says solemnly. He turns to me. "Please?"

I kiss his head. "Maybe, bud."

I turn to Marjorie, AJ's hand still in my own. "Thank you. So much." I hesitate. "Tobias needed that."

She hugs me. "No problem. It's a wonderful coincident." Then she hands me the blue sweater. "For AJ."

"I can't -"

"Yes, you can. I'll make Toby a new one." She pushes it into my hands. "It was wonderful to meet you, Tris."

I nod and walk back inside. Tobias is at the door with Micah and our luggage. I kiss his cheek and grab some bags. AJ sighs and takes his backpack.

When we get to the airport, Micah helps us unload. When we go to walk to the rental car place, Micah grabs Tobias' arm. He whispers something. Tobias scowls and nods, and then whispers something back. Micah says one more thing and then releases Tobias' arm.

WHen we get the rental car, I get in the driver's seat and look at Tobias. "Where am I going?"

"Bothell, Washington," he answers, smiling.

"Bothell?" I frown. "Are there hotels there?"

Tobias chuckles. "No, but I always stay with my cousins when I come into town. AJ can share a room with Robyn and Andreas' older son, Matias. He's six. They also have a two-year-old, Ben, an eight-year-old, Alyssa, and an eleven-year-old, Claire." He smiles at me. "James and Sierra have an eight-month-old, Dominic, a twelve-year-old, Kiara, and a fourteen-year-old, Noah."

I shrug and begin to drive towards Bothell. Tobias gives me instructions, and AJ complains. I sigh and turn onto the private road.

"Pull up in the first driveway," Tobias instructs. He flashes me another smile. "They live next door to each other. Sierra and James live here; Andreas and Robyn live next door."

A tall man, balding slightly, with dark skin and dark, curly hair, jogs towards the car. "Tobias!" he calls.

"James!" Tobias hugs him tightly. Then he drops his hands back onto the crutches. "How are you, man?"

"Good, good. What happened?" James gestures at Tobias' leg.

Tobias scowls. "Angry player." Then he motions for me to come forward. "This is my girlfriend, Tris. She's the head trainer for the Yankees."

I shake James' hand. "Nice to meet you, James."

"You, too. Did you two start dating recently?"

"Almost seven months ago, actually." I smile and beckon to AJ.

Tobias puts AJ on his shoulder. "This is AJ. He's my son."

James give Tobias a suspicious look. "You didn't have a son last January."

"He a-dop-ted me at the court-house," AJ solemnly informs James.

James smiles. "Well, little man, that sounds cool. How old are you?"

"Five."

"You two need help with bags?" James asks, heading towards the car.

"Yeah, that'd be great," I say. "We're going to be on the road for another thirteen days, so we have a good amount of luggage."

"Tobias!" Another man - presumably Andreas - comes out. He's shorter than James, but he's also stockier. He has dark, curly hair and blue eyes. "Hey, dude."

Tobias grins at him. "I'll introduce all of yous later. Can you help James and Tris with the bags?"

"Yeah, no problem." Andreas and James each take two bags, leaving me with only my carry-on and AJ's carry-on. I follow Tobias, James, and Andreas into what is presumably James' house.

On the leather couch wrestle a boy and a girl. The girl has dark hair, like James', but skin lighter than his. The boy has lighter hair and skin than the girl, but his hair is as curly as hers.

"That's Noah and Kiara," Tobias murmurs.

In a Pack'N'Play (which, by the way, just about saved my life with AJ) sits a baby dressed in an orange tee shirt and camo shorts.

"Dominic," Tobias adds, pointing to the baby. "Sierra is in the kitchen."

Sierra wipes her hands on a towel and comes out of the kitchen, smiling. She has dark, softly curling hair and bright blue eyes. She looks a lot like her brother...and Tobias. "Hey, Tobias. Finally got yourself a girl, I see." She smiles at me. "Hi. I'm Sierra, Tobias' cousin." She looks over at the kids wrestling. "Noah! Kiara! Come say hi to Uncle Tobias." She offers her hand. "What's you name?"

"Tris," I reply, shaking it firmly. "Whatever you're cooking smells _amazing_."

Kiara and Noah come over, shoving each other. "Hey, Uncle Tobias," they chorus.

"Hey, guys." He hugs them awkwardly, AJ still on his shoulders.

I stand on my tiptoes and lift AJ down. He clings to me, shy because of the new people.

"Noah, Kiara, Sarah, Andreas, this is my girlfriend, Tris, and my son, AJ." Tobias smiles proudly and kisses AJ's head.

"Your..._son_?" Sierra asks. "Did you get her pregnant, Tobias? And not tell us?"

Tobias chuckles heartily. "No, I adopted him a few months ago."

Sierra shakes her head. "Okay, Tobias." She fixes a stare on Kiara. "Kiara, go get Robyn and your cousins. Tell them to come over."

"Did Auntie make food, too?" Noah asks hopefully.

"Of course, Noah. This wouldn't be a proper family gathering without it," Tobias teases. He punches his cousin once removed in the shoulder. "Shake Tris' hand, you wimp."

Noah blushes as he shakes my hand. I clap him on the back. Kiara races in the door to see him blushing at me and immediately begins to sing-song, "Noah's got a cru-_ush_, Noah's got a cru-_ush_."

Noah hits his sister. "Shut up."

Robyn comes in. She has dark, also softly curling hair and green eyes. She's got more of a sturdy build, like Andreas.

She holds a toddler in her arms and has three other kids surrounding her. All four have dark hair, and three of the four have dark brown eyes. I'd guess that the one with light eyes is adopted.

The toddler looks around suspiciously. His gaze settles on me and he lares at the ground. Robyn comes over and offers her hand. "Hi. My name's Robyn." She then hugs Tobias. "Tobias! How are you?"

He smiles. "Great." He glances over at the kids crowding around Robyn and wolf-whistles. They quiet down. "Guys, this is my girlfriend, Tris, and my son, AJ." He kisses AJ's head. "_Adopted_ son," he hastily adds. "Tris, AJ, the oldest one is Claire. Her younger sister is Alyssa. The older boy is Matias, and the toddler is Ben."

They all nod, and then hug Tobias. His family reminds me of mine growing up.

"So, Tobias, how'd you get hurt?" Andreas asks.

"Angry player," Tobias replies. "Tris was amazing, though. She ran onto the field and managed to keep me from getting tetanus, or worse, bleeding out." He kisses my head now.

"It was bad," I say quietly. "He had seven gashes down his leg, and they were all deep. It was disturbing even for someone with medical training. The doctor was taken aback."

Everyone who understands grimaces. AJ looks up at his dad. "Daddy, can I play outside with Matias?"

Tobias nods, and AJ and Matias go out the back door, Ben, Alyssa, and Noah right behind them.

I step behind Tobias and push on his spine slightly. He gives me a half-smile and straightens his posture on the crutches.

"Tobias, you and Tris can sleep in the basement on the bed down there," Sierra offers.

"And AJ can stay with Matias," Robyn finishes.

"Why don't you go get settled in?" Sierra suggests.

Tobias nods and starts going down the stairs. Our bags are already down there. I bring AJ's back up and then return to Tobias.

I close the door softly behind me and cross the carpet and couch to get to the bed, where Tobias is huddled, crying.

I wrap my arms around him and let him cry into me for a few minutes. "Tobias...do you want to talk?"

He struggles to breathe at a normal pace, instead his breaths shuddering and different in lengths. "What's there to talk about? I met my mother again and she feels no remorse for leaving me with that monster."

"Oh, Tobias." I press kisses to his face. "Tobias, she feels bad that he hurt you." I grimace. "I think…I think she actually thinks it was better to leave you. She wasn't sure what the future would hold, and she thought being in a stable household with food and a roof over your head would be better."

"She let me get hurt," he hisses.

"There wasn't anyone else that - guessed what was going on? Did they ever do anything?" I ask.

"She was my mother, Tris. Not some teacher or something." Tobias squeezes his eyes shut. "He used to beat me and then shut me in a closet for days, Tris. He'd only let me out when I was half-dead, be it from the injuries, or exhaustion, or hunger, or thirst."

"Are you comfortable…telling me anything else?" I whisper.

He grips my shoulder and my hip. "He would…usually whip me. Hit me, too. Tell me it was for my own good." A slight Chicagoan accent leaks into his voice. I don't normally notice it, but now I do. "He took a knife to me a few times. He broke some ribs each time." Tobias' breath shudders. "I - I can't anymore, Tris."

I hold him to me as he cries quietly into my shoulder. The door opens a bit, but Tobias doesn't notice. Sierra pops her head in and is about to say something when she sees Tobias crying into my shoulder.

"_Can I do anything?_" she mouths.

I shake my head minutely.

"_Is this because of us?_" she adds.

I shake my head again. Tobias shifts and sniffs. Sierra makes herself scarce.

"Tobias," I murmur, stroking his hair. "Oh, sweet Tobias. I love you."

He coughs. "We should go back up now." He coughs again, and sniffs. "Do you have any tissues?"

"No, but there's a bathroom down here," I murmur. Tobias stands and walks to the bathroom. I linger, half inside the small bathroom, half outside it, as he splashes water onto his face and blows his nose. I take his hand and kiss his cheek. "Do you need help getting up the stairs?"

"Nah. Just - hold the baby gate open for me?"

"I'll help you." I carry his crutches and let him lean on me to get up the stairs.

Sierra is the only one still upstairs, and she appears to be waiting for us. "Do you two have swimsuits? Andreas set up the slip'n'slide."

I nod. "I'll help him. You can go over."

"Oh, it's okay. Dominic is still sleeping, anyway." She smiles tightly as she examines her cousin. "Are you alright, Tobias?"

"I'll be fine, Sierra," he says brusquely. "Tris, can you help me back down the stairs?"

I guide his arm around me and we make our way back down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, I untie his sweatpants and help him out of them. He grimaces as he puts some weight on his bad leg. I help him out of his boxers, too, and his sweatshirt. Underneath is a simple Yankees baseball tee.

I grab his navy and green swim trunks and help him into them. Then I sit him on the bed and strip myself. He gets a little aroused, but I pat his cheek and put a modest one piece on.

When I was younger, I used to wear bikinis. That was before Peter and before the scar on my stomach from AJ. Now I wear swimsuits that I look just as good in, if the look on Tobias' face is any indication, but cover me more.

I kiss Tobias' head and pull jean shorts and a Tigers shirt from the high school on.

Tobias stands up and kisses my shoulder, studying my shirt. "Where's that from?"

"I used to work at Bogan High School," I reply. "I worked with the student athletes there."

He kisses the tiger on the front. "That's cool."

I nod and help him up the stairs. "I really liked a lot of the kids there. I would bring AJ to practices a lot. We're still in contact with a few."

Sierra is still sitting on the couch. "Have fun," she says. "Tell Robyn I'll be over soon, Tobias."

Tobias nods and hobbles out of the door. I help him down the stairs outside her house, and then he crutches around, onto the road, and to the next house over, which I presume to be Robyn and Andreas' house.

Tobias opens the door and hobbles in. Andreas comes over quickly and helps me help him stay up. He helps him outside, but Robyn takes my arm. "You can hang out with me, if you'd like," she offers.

I smile. "Sure," I reply quietly.

"Bit overwhelming for you?" she guesses. "Our family's a bit much if you're used to something quieter."

I chuckle. "Not at all. My family's made up of gangsters and mobsters and criminals. Wonderful people, but a bit loud."

"Ah. Then what's up?"

"Do you guys…know Marcus and Evelyn?" I ask. "No, never mind. I need to go see…I need to go check on AJ." I shake my head and hurry off, furious with myself.

"Wait - Tris!" she calls, but I'm already out the sliding glass door.

Tobias grabs my arm. "Tris - the hell? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let me go."

"_No_." He pulls me closer, right next to him. "What's wrong, Tris?"

"Robyn asked me what was wrong," I murmur. "I - I almost talked about - well, Marcus."

Tobias grimaces. "They know about Marcus, Tris. He's beaten me in front of them before. When I was younger. Hell, until I was sixteen."

I redden. "But still…it's not my place to talk about your stuff."

Tobias grips my chin. "Tris, this is heavy stuff for you, too. You don't have Susan to talk to here, and he'll if you can talk to me. It's okay. Open up to her. She understands - her dad used to throw her around some."

I redden further. "Now I've embarrassed myself, Tobias."

He gives me an amused look. "It'll take a lot more than wanting to protect someone you love to earn you judgement from Robyn, Tris. Or from any of my family."

I sigh and press my face into his neck.

"Tris, you're not acting like yourself. What's wrong?" He nuzzles my neck, pressing a kiss or two to the tender skin there.

"I'm going to go inside." I stand and force myself to walk away from him.

Robyn's still inside, but now she's in the kitchen, cutting carrots. I silently grab a few and a knife.

"So when did you and Tobias start dating?" she asks.

"Seven months or so ago." I smile. "How long have you and Andreas been married?"

"Longer than I'd like to admit," she replies, laughing lightly. "How old is AJ? Who's his biological father?"

"Five, and Peter Hayes," I say quietly.

"Thing for baseball players?" Robyn guesses.

"He raped me."

Robyn's eyes widen and she pauses her cutting. "Oh. Sorry, that was rude of me." But she doesn't say anything else.

I guess it would kinda be a conversation killer.

"Why did Tobias adopt him?"

I jump, not expecting her to speak. "Wha- oh. Well, I think there were a lot of reasons. AJ needed a father figure. A real one, not me or my dad. We don't see my brother enough. Tobias also just...really connected with him. He loves him."

Robyn nods and hands me a cucumber to cut. "We adopted Matias. He was a foster kid with us for two years first, though."

"Tobias told me." I hesitate. "Tobias said he grew up in Chicago…but you guys seem to be pretty close. Did you guys live there?"

"No, Tobias lived with us in the summers. Marcus would come sometimes and…" she trails off, telling me exactly what happened.

I avert my eyes. "That must've been…tough."

"I always wanted to do something," Robyn agrees. "But Andreas insisted that we stay out of it. He said we could prove nothing anyway, and the majority of when this was happening was when we were underaged. Then Tobias begged us not to do anything."

I sigh. "He might not be where he is if you had, though I'm not sure not saying anything was the right thing." I scowl. "Sometimes I just want to go kill Marcus." A sly look crosses my face. "It wouldn't be hard."

Robyn scowls, too. "I get the feeling."

I sigh and lean back against the chair, taking another cucumber. It's quiet for a few minutes. Then Robyn says, "So…earlier you said you grew up with criminals, mobsters, and gangsters. What…what did you mean?"

"It's a long story." I chew on my lip.

"So…what do you do?"

"I'm the head trainer of the Yankees," I reply softly. "That's how I met Tobias." I shake my head. "That sounds so weird to say to anyone but him. No one else in the Yankees but me knows his name…so I keep it quiet. It's just…weird to be able to say it out loud."

Robyn smiles at me. "Will you be at tomorrow's game?"

I nod. "Do you guys want to come?"

Robyn laughs. "We have too many little kids."

"Tobias can stay with them." I raise my eyebrows and add drily, "He's not completely useless with kids. Just partially."

She chuckles. "Maybe the guys and Noah could go."

"Sure." I hand her the now-cut veggies.

She neatly stacks them on a plate and pulls out a casserole from the over. I inhale deeply. "Smell good?" she asks.

I nod. "Very."

"Sierra made spaghetti and meatballs and broccoli, I made this and baked potatoes. She should be here right about now." Robyn also pulls out a bunch of potatoes from the oven.

Sierra comes over, James in tow, with Dominic and two big bowls. James has another two. "Hey, Robyn," she says, setting the baby on the floor. He crawls over to me, and I pick him up.

"Hi, cutie," I say quietly.

He gurgles and grabs at my hair. I grab his hand, smiling.

"_Ah ah_," I say.

He gives me a "deer caught in headlights" look and sucks his lower lip into his mouth. I smile at him. "You _are_ a cutie."

Robyn and Sierra talk quietly. Ben runs in, screaming something, with a sheepish Kiara and Claire behind him.

"Claire…" Robyn says threateningly. "What did I tell you about teasing your brother tonight?"

"'If you tease him, you make it better'," Claire quotes.

Robyn points to the small boy. "Take your brother."

Sierra raises an eyebrow at Kiara. "Kiara, stop teasing Ben and take him and your brother to swim in the baby pool."

"Mom!" she protests.

"Now." Sierra points to me.

Kiara comes and takes Dominic from me, huffing. "Fine."

Robyn and Sierra sit next to me at the tables. "Why was Tobias crying?" Sierra asks.

"He saw Evelyn. Found, Evelyn, really." I shake my head. "Do you need anything?"

They shake their heads, so I stand and walk out to where Tobias sits, watching James and Andreas interact with their kids. I pull a chair up and put my hand on his thigh, kneading it slightly. He sighs and presses a kiss to my temple.

"How does your leg feel?" I ask.

He grimaces. "Not so good. I think…well, I dunno. It hurts."

I turn my chair to face him and pull his foot up. I pull his shoe off and unwrap the bandages. The stitches seem to be in place, and his leg isn't red or puffy. I gently kiss his knee and then put the bandages back on.

I kiss him softly. "They aren't infected, and the stitches haven't ripped out. I think you're just sore from having been on it all day. Would you like an Advil?"

He nods. "I'd really like a bottle of whiskey, but I doubt that's good for healing."

I smile and kiss his head as I gently set his foot on the chair and go inside. Robyn has disappeared, but Sierra is setting up.

"Do you have an Advil I could give Tobias?" I request politely.

"Med box high up in the pantry by the washer," she instructs. "For his leg?"

"Yup." I find the box and step on the step stool to reach the box. I dig out two Advil for him and fill a glass with water. Then I bring them to him, stroking his hair as he takes the painkillers.

The kids, as one herd, scurry inside and return with dish soap. I see AJ in the back, wearing swim shorts that are not his own. I grab his shoulder and he turns to face me.

"Hi, Mom." He turns and looks at the kids that are now putting soap on the slip'n'slide. "Can I go?" he whines.

"Andrew." He huffs and turns to look at me. I arch an eyebrow. "That's better. I want you to sit with your dad for a few minutes and talk with him." He protests. "Did I make myself unclear, bud? Go sit with him. _Now_."

AJ walks over to Tobias and crawls into his lap, beginning to talk to him. Tobias laughs at something he says and looks at me, giving me a "_really_?" look.

I shrug and point at AJ. Tobias turns back to him and talks with him for a few minutes before releasing him to go play with the kids.

After dinner, things begin to wind down. Andreas, Alyssa, Matias, AJ, Ben, and Dominic are in bed. It's getting dark. I help Tobias out of his chair and give him his crutches.

He crutches over to Sierra's, and I walk slowly alongside him. After we make it past the door, James locks it, yawning, and heads upstairs with Sierra. Tobias and I go downstairs and Tobias flops onto a couch. I open up his suitcase and pull out a pair of boxers and a pair of pajama pants. I help him out of his shirt and swim shorts and into his pajamas. He sighs and presses his face into my neck. "I love you," he mumbles, "but I'm really starting to hate having to ask you to help with everything."

I chuckle and kiss his head. "Okay, baby."


	19. Chapter 19

**_I don't own _Divergent_, unfortunately._**

**Hey, people. Sorry I haven't updated in so long; Exeter is super busy. I've barely had time to sleep! I always have bags under my eyes by the weekend. I wish I could update more often, but it's unlikely. Sorry!**

**I started an update for _ADD_, but it's not done yet. Bye and thanks for staying true!**

_He crutches over to Sierra's, and I walk slowly alongside him. After we make it past the door, James locks it, yawning, and heads upstairs with Sierra. Tobias and I go downstairs and Tobias flops onto a couch. I open up his suitcase and pull out a pair of boxers and a pair of pajama pants. I help him out of his shirt and swim shorts and into his pajamas. He sighs and presses his face into my neck. "I love you," he mumbles, "but I'm really starting to hate having to ask you to help with everything."_

_I chuckle and kiss his head. "Okay, baby."_

The next day, I wake up at six. The game starts at one, but I have to be there at eight and I need to shower.

I press a kiss to Tobias' head, waking him up. "Morning, baby," I whisper.

"Morning," he mumbles.

"I'm going to go shower and get ready for the game. Do you want to come to the game? You could take AJ and Andreas and James could take Matias and Noah," I suggest, stroking his cheek.

"Mhm," he agrees, still half-asleep.

"Do you want to get up now and shower with me?" I ask.

He sits up. "What's this about showering with you?"

I laugh softly and kiss his forehead. "I said you could shower with me if you get up." I put a hand on his chest. "A real, clean, shower-shower. Not a sex shower."

Tobias shrugs and sits up. I help him off the bed. Outside the room are two towels, presumably left there by Sierra. I scoop them up and lean over in the bathroom to turn the shower on. Then I strip my clothes off and Tobias'. In the shower, I help him, though he could do it on his own. He repays me by washing my hair and massaging the conditioner in. I sigh as he rubs my head. I then rinse it out while he scrubs at his pits. We finish showering and I step out, drying off and then handing Tobias a towel. He dries off, too, and I brush my hair while he shaves. Then, wrapped in towels, we return to the basement room and change. I wear my game uniform shirt and basketball shorts; he wears cargo shorts and his jersey.

"Bit pretentious, isn't that?" I ask, pointing to his shirt.

"It makes me feel better."

I don't argue after that, just walk upstairs. Sierra and James are in the kitchen, making out. Dominic sits in his high chair, whimpering. I chuckle and give him a piece of eggs from the tray. He gargles.

They seem to realize I'm here then, because they break apart, flushed.

"Ah, the troubles of parenthood," I tease, smiling and giving Dominic another piece of egg.

James wipes his face and grabs his laptop. "I have a little bit of work to do," he informs Sierra. "I'm going to use the shed. Wake Noah up at nine and tell him to come work out."

She nods and turns her attention to Dominic. I lean against the counter, smiling. She looks up, still slightly red. "Sorry."

I shake my head. "No, it's all good." I grin. "Tobias and I have done that enough times when we aren't around AJ."

"Please, don't tell me about all the times you've messed around with my cousin," Sierra groans.

"What's this about messing around with me?" Tobias asks, limping towards us.

"Crutches." I point to where they're leaned against the wall.

"Yes, ma'am." He grabs them and hobbles over to me, kissing me softly. "So, Sierra," he says, taking a bite out of a bagel sitting on the counter. I pluck it out of his hand and replace it with an apple, "Tris and I'd love it if Andreas and Mat and James and Noah'd come to the game with us today. They can sit in the dugout with the players and I." He grins at me. "I would normally get them seats in the stands with me, 'cause I won't be playing 'cause of my leg, but Tris insists I sit in the dugout so she can supervise me."

I pinch his leg through his basketball shorts. "And what would you be doing if I didn't supervise you? Drinking beer, which would screw with the antibiotics, eating hot dogs, which is against the doctor's orders, and standing without your crutches?"

He grins. "Probably."

I chuckle and kiss his cheek. "Dugout it is."

He turns to Sierra again, now munching on the apple. "Two things: do you have any yogurt and granola, and can they come?"

"I'll talk to them," she promises. Then she takes yogurt out of the fridge and granola out of a cupboard next to it. "Help yourselves. There's OJ, milk, and coconut milk in the fridge, and I assume you can see the water dispenser on the fridge." She gives Dominic another bite.

"Are you going to call him Dom when he gets older?" I ask. Tobias hands me a bowl, and I spoon some yogurt and granola in.

She glances at me. "Why when he's older?"

"I feel like it's a big name. He's such a little guy that I think he needs a little time to grow into it." I smile at Dominic. "It's a good name for him, though. He just needs to grow into it."

Sierra nods slowly. "Yeah, I guess."

Tobias wraps an arm around my waist for a second and kisses my cheek. "I love you," he whispers.

I kiss his cheek back. "I love you, too."

He puts his cereal bowl on the counter and hobbles around to pull a chair up. Then he sits and begins to eat it. I eat mine, too, leaning against the counter and watching Sierra and Dominic. I was like that with AJ, except I didn't have a James until I met Tobias.

I finish my bowl of cereal and load my dish into the dishwasher. Then I grip Tobias' chin. "If Andreas and James decide not to come, stay here with AJ. I don't want you driving." I kiss his cheek. "I'm going to go get AJ's car seat." I walk out to the rental car and untangle the seat. I bring it back to Sierra's house and put it on the porch outside the door. Then I go back in and kiss Tobias softly. "I have to get going soon, but I'm going to go see if AJ's up." I smile at Sierra. "See you later."

Tobias grabs my waist and pulls me to him for a kiss that leaves me breathless. He smirks. "Bye. Love you."

"You, too," I reply, then walk to Andreas and Robyn's. Matias, Alyssa, and Robyn are up. "Morning," I say.

Robyn smiles at me, though more cautiously than yesterday. "Morning. Are you leaving for the game soon?"

"Practice." I yawn. "Gotta go stretch some big, smelly guys."

"You're dating a big, smelly guy," she points out.

I chuckle. "Yes, but I like that big, smelly guy. And he now wears deodorant every day."

Robyn smiles. "Now?"

I huff. "It was a battle. Anyway, is AJ still asleep?"

"No," AJ says. "Hi, Mommy."

"Hey, bud." I open my arms and he hugs me. "How did you sleep?"

"Good, Mom." He chews on his lip. "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, bud, but I'll be back soon. And Dad might bring you to the game." I kiss his head. "I love you. Take a nap today, okay?"

"Mom," he whines.

"Bud, it's seven and you're up. You need to sleep a little more." I kiss his head. "Or you can go back to sleep now, if you want."

He huffs, but goes back into a room, turns a sound machine on, and shuts the door. I yawn and smile at Robyn. "I've gotta go. See you later."

* * *

I yawn as I follow Zeke onto the field. Uriah has an arm slung around my shoulders. "So I hear Four came with, huh?"

I huff. "Yes, he did. Without asking."

"Ooh," Zeke says. "Bending the rules there. My rebellious little Four."

I roll my eyes. "Shut it, you two." I push Uriah off of me. "Get working, freaks."

They grin and begin to jog. I walk around, stretching a few players, offering tips to others. The time flies by, and the game starts in under half an hour. As the players put their uniforms on, I check my phone. There's a single text from Tobias, saying he's coming with the guys. I send him a quick reply, saying I'll meet him in the dugout.

Then, a few players come out, requesting I stretch them, so I start, sighing. Some of them, like Eric, are really quite annoying. Uriah comes over, smiling impishly. I shove him lightly, grinning, and stretch him briefly. Then, Max motions for all the players to come in so he can tell who's playing. I follow Uri into the dugout, missing the outfielders. "- Jeter, shortstop, Cano, second base, Texiera, first, Headley, third. Montenegro, you're pitching, and Montenegro, you're catching. Gear up, men. Go warm up, Montenegro. Little Montenegro, get gear on and catch for him."

The players obey. The ones that aren't playing sit on the bench. Someone taps me and I turn to see AJ and Tobias with Andreas, James, Matias, and Noah, who's bug-eyed.

"Four," Eric calls, laughing, "why are you even here? You can't play with your little wimpy leg."

Max glances at Eric, annoyed. "You go get yourself cleated and you can sit out and call him wimpy. But for now, you can go get some water for me."

"There're batboys for that," Eric complains.

"I know. Now, go get me my water," Max orders.

Eric huffs and walks out of the dugout. Tobias leads the guys over to a corner of the dugout and sits them down, AJ included. I kiss AJ's head and Tobias' cheek. Then I walk up and lean against the railing next to Max, who watches his team warm up. He put Ellsbury, Ichiro, and Gardner in the outfield, and tells me he's having Beltran bat for Zeke.

"How's Four healing up?" he grunts.

I consider. "The stitches haven't ripped out, which is excellent, but it's causing him a lot of pain to walk on it. He might be out for the rest of the season, Max, unless we make it into the playoffs." I make a face. "That means beating the Mariners and the Tigers for the second wild card, though."

Max shrugs and blows a bright pink bubble. "Team needs to step up and do a better job. We need to beat the Mariners in this series, too."

I nod and we continue to look out. The Mariners take the field and the team jogs in, except for Cano, who goes to bat. Jeter pulls a helmet on, as does Uriah after he finishes taking the gear off. Jeter grabs his bat and warms his swing up.

I hear the telltale crack of the ball hitting the bat and see a flawless hit to center, which the Mariners' center fielder runs to get but misses. Cano makes it to second. Some people in the stands cheer, but there are mostly mutterings. Angry ones.

"Do you need me, Max, or can I go sit with Four and AJ?" I ask.

"Go." He watches Jeter bat.

I sit down next to Tobias and pull AJ onto my lap. Tobias takes my hand and watches the game, a slightly bitter smile on his face.

Zeke sits next to Tobias (in between Tobias and Andreas) and talks to him quietly. Soon he has Tobias chuckling about something or other. I point at first base and say to AJ, "Do you know who's on that base?"

"Mark Teixeira is on first," he says matter-of-factly.

I chuckle and kiss his head. "Sometimes I forget that Papa taught you so much."

He turns to me eagerly. "Tristan says he's going to Collegiate. Where am I going?"

"Your dad and I are still working that out, bud. We sent three applications out, and they want to interview you when we get back." I kiss his head. "We did send an application to Collegiate, though. We also sent one to Ramaz, which is a Jewish school, and a school called Buckley."

He nods his approval and then turns his head to look at Tobias, and then back at me. "The Jewish one…would you want me to go there?"

I look at him. "Honestly, I like Ramaz and Collegiate best. I'm going to call Papa and Uncle Caleb and talk to them after you've interviewed with the schools."

AJ nods and looks back at the game. Then he turns to Zeke. "Zekey, there's two outs and two strikes on the batter," he announces. "You should get ready."

Zeke ruffles AJ's hair. "Thanks, little man." He stands and grabs his glove and cap. "See ya, Four."

Tobias leans over to Andreas and whispers in ear. Andreas grins and whispers in James' ear. Then they all laugh.

I lift AJ off my lap and set him in Tobias'. Then I lean and whisper in Tobias' ear, "I hope whatever you're laughing about is worth my wrath later." I give him a friendly smile.

His face whitens and he makes a face. I pat his head gently and go lean against the railing, this time next to Will. "Hey, Tris," he says.

"What's up, Will?"

"Well, I believe that cloud is above us." He points upward and then grins.

"Shut up, you erudite." I hit him lightly.

"Erudite is an adjective," he informs me.

I only smirk.

* * *

Noah keeps glancing at Jeter and then looking down. It's the top of the seventh, and it's tied three-three. I think Jeter's noticed Noah looking at him a few times.

I sit next to Tobias. "Ask Noah why he's staring at Jeter."

Tobias looks up at his nephew (cousin once removed, whatever) just in time to see him glance at Jeter again. Tobias leans towards him. "What up, Noah? You got a question for Derek?"

Noah nods slowly. "I…" He reddens. "I wanted to ask him about running exercises." He reddens further. "And to sign my cap."

Tobias stands and crutches over to Jeter. He says something that makes him smile and then nod. Tobias returns to his seat on the bench clapping Noah on the back and lifting AJ back into his lap. I take his hand and kiss my son's head. "What'd you say?" I murmur.

"Pretty much exactly what Noah said. Jeter agreed to practice with him for a bit today." Tobias kisses my head.

"Good." I stand and go lean next to Zeke. "How's your shoulder feeling?" I ask.

He shrugs. "It's fine."

"You're pitching pretty well," I comment.

"Yeah, but we all know Max'd rather have Four out there to combat Hernández." Zeke scowls. "I'm just not as good as he is."

"Maybe he's doing better right now, but you have to potential to do better, Zeke. I've seen your pitching. With a few adjustments, you'll be throwing just as good as he is." I grab Zeke's arm. "Zeke, you're a major league pitcher. Just because Four practices a little more doesn't mean he's any better than you."

Zeke sighs. "I'm done in the game, anyway. Max is putting Mariano in."

"Max takes Four out, too," I remind him.

"Not on the perfect game day," he mumbles.

I hit him in the shoulder. "That was one day, Zeke, and he was angry as fuck with me. That's why he pitched so well. He was angry."

Zeke shakes his head, pulls his cap low over his eyes, and stalks off the railing towards the showers, grabbing his gear. I sigh and watch Beltran hit.

* * *

After the game, Jeter keeps true to his word with Noah and takes him out on the field for a little bit while the other players shower and leave, except for Zeke, Uri, and Will, who are apparently having dinner with Tobias' family…and us. I guess, by extension, they're my family, too, because Tobias adopted AJ, and AJ is my son.

God, that makes my head hurt. I shake my head and walk over to Tobias, who stands with AJ, watching Noah and Jeter. Noah's grin must be stretching his face, it's so wide. AJ watches with enthusiasm as they catch, gripping Tobias' hand tightly.

Tobias smiles at AJ. "Careful, little man. You're going to pull me down."

AJ lets go quickly. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Tobias looks out at them again. "You guys ready to leave?" He looks to me. "Can you take AJ and I back with you?"

"Yeah." I turn and walk to change. Tobias makes a strange sound, but I just keep walking. I shower and change quickly into my jean shorts and a tee shirt.

As soon as I step out of the bathroom, Tobias pulls me to him, holding me to his chest. "What's wrong, my love?" he asks.

"Nothing, Tobias," I say, taking his hand. I boost AJ up to my hip. "Where's his carseat?"

"James' car." Tobias puts an arm around my waist for a second before I open James' car and fetch the seat. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I buckle AJ into the carseat and put the front seat all the way back for Tobias. I help him in and then get in myself and start the car.

"Tris, a-"

"I'm fine, Tobias." The icy tone in my voice tells him to leave it be.

"Okay, okay." Tobias looks out the window.

"Mommy, am I going to have a brother like Noah?" AJ asks.

"What do you mean, bud?" I ask.

"I mean '_will I have a brother like Noah?'_," AJ sassily replies.

"Well, probably not, bud," I reply. "Noah is older than you. You might _be_ a brother like Noah, though."

AJ chews on his lip as he considers this. "Could we adopt me a big brother?"

I chuckle. "Ask your dad."

Tobias looks over. "Ask me what?"

"Can you adopt me a big brother?"

Tobias chokes a bit. "Maybe. Maybe we'll make you a little brother instead," he says.

AJ ponders this silently. "Maybe I'd like that."

Tobias turns and smiles at him. "We'll see, bud. Your mom and I are going to get married before we have any more kids."

AJ grabs his giraffe off the seat next to him. "Okay." Then he closes his eyes and promptly falls asleep.

* * *

I pull into the parking lot. Tobias unbuckle AJ, who hops out of the car and runs up to Robyn and starts babbling. I grab his giraffe and slam it into Tobias' chest. He reaches up to clutch it, staring at me. "Tr-"

"Just leave me be." I squeeze his hand lightly. "I need a little time to myself, okay?"

Tobias hugs me. "No, not okay. I'm going to be here, Tris, whether you like it or not."

I sigh and rest my head on his shoulder. I straighten and put a smile on my face. "It can wait until tomorrow, 'kay? Or tonight. But now we have to, I dunno, interact or something."

Tobias laughs and holds my hands. "Yes, I guess that's true, isn't it?" He walks over to AJ and picks him up mid-sentence, boosting him up onto his shoulders.

"Dad!" AJ squeals. He grabs Tobias' head.

"I think you should go into the pool," Tobias teases.

AJ can't seem to get the smile off his face. "But Dad -"

I stand on my tiptoes and pluck AJ's hat off and Tobias' phone and wallet out of his pockets. "Now you're both good to go in."

Tobias grins and kisses my head. "You wanna come?"

I shake my head and lean closer. "Try it and you'll learn the meaning of 'celibate' the hard way."

Tobias chokes slightly and backs away. I grin. Robyn comes to stand next to me. "How long have…him and AJ been like that?"

I don't tear my eyes away from my boys as Tobias tries to get AJ into the water. "Since they met, really. AJ just took a liking to him…immediately."

I hear the smile in her voice as she says, "Has he asked you to marry him yet?"

"This week?" I ask, chuckling to cover my discomfort. "Tobias asked me to marry him in July."

"And you said…no?" Robyn asks. "Why?"

"Why would I turn your cousin down, or why are we still together, or why did he adopt AJ, even though we're not getting married yet?" I reply, letting out a little bitter laugh that sounds more like a cough.

"All three."

"Because…because I can't marry him yet. We're still together because…well, it's kind of like we're agreeing to get engaged…later. His adopting AJ was his own decision." I shrug. "I don't understand his reasoning."

"Do you know anything about my past?" Robyn asks.

I nod, eyes still on Tobias and AJ. "Tobias mentioned your dad was…like Marcus."

"No, not really." Robyn touches my arm. "What has Tobias told you about Marcus, Tris?"

I look down. "Nothing. I've seen his medical reports and x-rays, and I guessed. He…he also has scars from the belt."

Robyn sighs. "Marcus nearly killed Tobias…_more_ than once when he stayed with us, and I'm sure more than that during the school year." Her hand clenches on my arm. "I think the only reason he got such good grades during school is because he did the work, was smart, and his teachers knew what was going on."

I watch Tobias. "Some of his injuries never healed properly," I whisper. "I didn't have the heart to tell him." I chew on my lip. "And his late onset of EVAS - a hearing problem - probably has to do with head trauma sustained during puberty."

Robyn coughs, and I turn to see her crying silently. I wrap my arms around her. "I…I should have said something," she whispers.

"Robyn, Tobias doesn't begrudge you for it," I say. "And this is Marcus' fault, not yours." Is it, though? They could have prevented it, stopped it. But that doesn't matter - it's over. "Is there…did Marcus do anything else?"

"I don't know," she murmurs. "You'll have to ask him." She coughs again. "I should go clean up and start dinner." She gives me a look, and then glances at AJ and Tobias. "Hey, AJ," she calls. "Do you want to come play Minecraft with Mat?"

AJ clambers off Tobias. "Yeah!" He glances down at his sopping clothes. "Mom, can I have a towel?"

"I'll get one," Robyn promises him. She gives me a meaningful look. "Your mom and dad have to talk for a little while."

I look at Tobias, who stands out of earshot, sopping wet and grinning. "I'm going to get him a towel," I decide. I walk into Sierra's house and get a towel from downstairs. I hand it to Tobias.

"What were you two talking about?" he asks, stripping his shirt off and handing it to me.

I take it. "We'll talk once you're dry."

He scrubs at his hair. ""Seriously, Tris. I saw Robyn crying."

"We'll talk once you're dry," I repeat, "and we can go inside."

Tobias sighs and scrubs at his shorts until he's not dripping anymore. "Okay, let's go inside then."

I walk to the basement, giving Sierra a friendly smile. She nods and lets us walk through. Tobias limps down the steps after me while I carry his crutches. I guide his arm around me and walk him to the room down there.

"Strip," I order, rummaging around in the bags. I hear a rustle and a plop. "Put the shorts and the boxers in the bathroom," I add.

I turn around to find a proudly naked Tobias grinning sheepishly at me, his erection obvious. I arch an eyebrow. "How did I even turn you on?" I ask, shaking my head as I help him into dry boxers and basketball shorts.

He shrugs. "It's pretty easy."

"I can see that," I mutter, sitting on the couch and pushing him into a seat on the end. I pull his leg into my lap and unwrap it. I clean the stitched areas with peroxide and apply bacitracin before putting a new bandage on. I kiss his knee softly and throw out the old bandage.

Tobias pulls me into his lap so we're facing each other. "We're alone, and I've been tended to," he reminds me. "Talk."

I lean forward and hug him. "Robyn asked what you'd told me about Marcus," I say quietly. "And I said nothing."

Tobias stiffens. "What did she say?"

"She said Marcus nearly killed you more than once while you were with them." I chew on my lip. "She says we should talk about this, Tobias."

"And we should," he whispers. He hunches forward and puts his head to my shoulder. "Tris, I - I don't want to scare you," he adds.

"Tobias, I just want to understand," I reply, rubbing his back.

"And…no pity?" he asks, sounding so young and unsure that my heart turns in my chest with pain.

"No pity, Tobias. You don't need to be pitied." I press my lips to the back of his neck.

He sighs and relaxes further into me, his hands now gripping my hips through my shorts. For a second, I panic, remembering the feeling of Peter grabbing me by the hips and throwing me onto the bed. Then I smell Tobias' scent and calm down somewhat, though I gently pull his hands from my hips and wrap them around me.

"He did almost kill me. Usually whenever he was really mad," Tobias says, eyes screwed tightly shut and face pressed into the crook of my neck. "He'd beat me with a belt, his fists, my bat, whatever he could find. He took a knife to me while I was here once." Tobias shudders. "He'd throw me into walls, kick me, hit me, whatever he felt like. Once he threw me into the wall so hard I went partway into the plaster."

I hold Tobias increasingly tighter with every word. "Tobias…"

"And the closet," Tobias continues. "The closet was by far the worst. After he was done beating me, he would lock me in the closet, sometimes for days. When I was here, the second Marcus left the room, they'd rush in and get me out and tend to me. I begged them not to do anything. Their parents didn't know; Marcus always told them I was asleep or didn't feel well or had work."

By now, tears are streaming down my face. Tobias' mouth is open and his warm breath hits my neck. I hug him tightly. "I love you, Tobias." I kiss his head, breaths shuddering. "My life has changed so much for the better with you in it, and I can't imagine not having you."

Tobias leans his head up gently and kisses me, the kiss starting out slow but building in intensity.

Soon, he's placed me on the bed and locked the door, and he's kissing me again, and I'm kissing him back, and our hands are roaming.

* * *

After we finish, and Tobias blankets me with his warm, strong body, we lay, me stroking his hair. I kiss his head, and he looks up at me. "Marry me?"

I kiss his head again. "Not now, Tobias." I kiss him. "Thank you for asking, though."

Tobias kisses me back. "One day, you'll say yes."

"One day," I agree. Then I stand and get dressed. "Do you want me to tell them you're asleep, or do you want to come up?"

Tobias chews on his lip. "Asleep."

I kiss his head. "Just in case, you might want some clothes." I help him into his boxers and basketball shorts from before.

He pulls me down for a kiss. "I love you, Tris."

"I love you, too, Tobias." I hug him once more and sit on the edge of the bed for a second, pulling my hair up. "You know, I was thinking you and AJ should do something - just the two of you - in Seattle tomorrow." I kiss his head. "Take him to some of your favorite childhood places," I suggest.

Tobias nods and yawns. "I will."

I run my hand through his hair and go upstairs. I close the door and immediately Sierra takes my arm, her eyes flashing. "Where's Tobias?" she asks.

"Sleeping...?" I reply, furrowing my brow at her tone.

"Robyn called and said you two would be talking," Sierra says. "I want to see how he is."

I hesitate. "He's sleeping."

"Tris, that stuff would kill him to talk about. How can he be asleep?" Sierra looks as though she wants to stomp, or maybe just knock me over to get to him.

"Sierra, please, let him sleep. You're right, he's upset, but we talked, and he wants to sleep for a bit." I grab her arm. "He needs the rest. He hasn't been sleeping very well. Please, Sierra, leave him be."

She gazes into my eyes for a few seconds, and then walks away and picks Dominic up. "Okay."

I sigh and walk out of Sierra's house to Robyn's. Robyn is outside, playing with Noah, Matias, and AJ. Claire and Alyssa play on the swing set with Ben.

I watch AJ run, giggling, away from Noah. He stumbles and somersaults down the hill, popping up again at the bottom and scrambling back to the top. Andreas watches from the grill, a faint smile on his face.

I slip my shoes off and leave them on the little patio-like thing they have outside their sliding back door. "Hey, Andreas," I say.

"Hey, Tris. How's Tobias?" Andreas flips a burger, not turning around.

"Asleep." I walk past him slightly. "What are they playing?"

"Tag." Andreas gives me a tight smile.

"I think I'll go see if I can join," I say, walking away from him. What happened while Tobias and I were, um, dancing? Whatever it was, it screwed with them.

I walk over and lay a hand on Robyn's shoulder. She doesn't turn around, but instead asks, "How's Tobias?"

"I'd like to talk to you," I say.

She nods and fixes Noah with a look. "No hurting the boys."

Noah nods, an innocent look on his face. "Why would I ever?"

"I'm serious, Noah." She leads me to the porch swing. "What happened?"

"What's going on with you and, well, all the adults?"

She frowns. "Marcus is coming to town. Says he wants to see Tobias."

"What?" I shake my head. "You can't possibly be letting him do that."

"I can't stop him, either! It's his free will to come here," she replies.

I put my head in my hands. "The last time I saw Marcus - well, the last time when I wasn't trashing his office and taking papers - he beat Tobias severely."

Robyn buries her face in her hands. "Look, I tried to talk him out of it, tried to tell him he'd be busy. I didn't have any say in the matter. I may be an adult, but to Marcus Eaton, I'm nothing. No one is anything except him."

I sigh. "When? I'm going to need to talk to Tobias."

"Tonight." She stands. "And Zeke, Uriah, and Will are coming tonight, too, for dinner. They always do."

"I'm going to go talk to Tobias. I'll be back soon." I stand and grimace as I walk towards Sierra's house.

"Mommy!" AJ yells.

"What's up, bud?" I ask.

"Will you play?"

"I have to go talk to your dad for a minutes, but when I get back, I will." I kiss his head. "Love you, bud."

He nods and runs off, tagging Noah with a triumphant grin on his face. I sigh and jog to Sierra's house. When I get there, I give James a grim nod and jog down the stairs, where Tobias is hopefully asleep. I open the door quietly and he is, in fact, asleep. I sit on the edge of the bed and stroke his hair. "Tobias," I say softly, continuing to stroke his hair.

"What's up?" he asks, groggily sitting up. He looks at me and frowns. "Tris, what's wrong?"

I take his face in my hands. "Marcus is coming."

His face whitens. "What? Tris, are you kidding? 'Cause that's really mean."

I press my lips to his forehead. "I'm sorry, Tobias. Robyn tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen."

Tobias grabs me and pulls me closer to him. "He's…coming here?" Tobias chews on his lip. "But…AJ…and you…he'll hurt you."

I kiss his head. "We won't let him, baby."

Tobias looks up at me through hooded lashes. "Stay with me at all times. Promise?"

"I promise. Now, let's get you in some real clothes and up those stairs." I help him off the bed and pull his shorts off. I grab him a pair of cargo shorts and a Minecraft tee shirt, helping him into them easily.

Tobias sighs as I help him up the stairs, crutches in hand. "Sometimes, I can't believe how much you turn me on," he growls, nipping at my ear.

"Tobias," I say sharply.

He sighs and presses his warm, soft lips to my cheek. "Sorry."

I turn my head and plant a similar kiss on the place where his shoulder meets his neck. "It's fine, but not in front of Aje."

Tobias grins sheepishly. "Sometimes, I just can't contain my boyish impulses to be silly."

"More like to be horny," I mutter.

Tobias now chuckles. "Who, me?"

"Shut it, horn dog," I order, grinning and kissing his cheek.

* * *

As it gets closer and closer to when Marcus will get here, even though we're playing a game outside with the kids, Tobias gets more and more anxious, calling me over to where he sits increasingly more often.

This time, I perch on his knee for a second. "Tobes, he's not here yet. Chill out and watch your son, okay?"

Tobias takes a deep, heaving breath. "Okay."

I kiss his head. "Good. We're playing freeze tag, by the way, and AJ's coming up behind me to tag me, so I'd better go."

I hop off his lap and skip away from AJ, teasing him, almost letting him catch me. He lunges and I hop forward. "Missed me," I tease, grinning and unfreezing Noah, who runs to unfreeze other people while I tease AJ.

I hear the sound of Tobias crutching behind me and he grabs my hand. I don't even need to hear him say it; I can see from the expression on his face.

"AJ, bud, can you come here?" I say. "I think we're going to be done with tag for a little bit, okay?"

"Mom," he complains.

"AJ," Tobias says, "come here, now."

AJ huffs but submits to Tobias and takes my outstretched hand. Tobias crutches back up to the patio and AJ and I follow him. I set AJ on Tobias' lap and put his leg up. I pull up a chair to sit next to him.

"Tobias," a male voice says. It makes my blood run a little cold.

"Marcus." Tobias glances at his father and then back down at AJ, who tells him of something he did today.

"Won't you even get up and see your father? Selfish, as always, I see," Marcus comments.

"I can't get up. Other than the fact that I have a child on my lap, I can't walk," Tobias counters. "Hey, AJ, sit on your mom's lap, okay?"

I pull the small, tow-headed boy onto my lap. "Marcus, you can leave now."

But that just turns his attention to me. "Ah, yes. Tris Prior. I heard you were dating my son."

"Scram, Marcus. No one wants you here," I repeat.

"And who's the little boy? Your son? Not Tobias', I assume." Marcus examines AJ, and I have the impulse to cover AJ.

"His name is AJ, and, yes, he is my son," Tobias says through gritted teeth.

"I hope you've not taught him your selfishness, Tobias." Marcus gazes at AJ speculatively. "Boy, come here."

AJ looks up at me. I glance at Tobias, who nods. I put AJ on the ground, and he clings to my knee. "Mommy," he complains. "Mommy, that man hurt Daddy."

Marcus' fack flickers with surprise. "Little boy, come here."

AJ shakes his head. "Go away, mister."

"He doesn't wanna talk with you, Uncle Marcus," Noah says gravely. "C'mon, AJ. Come play with me."

AJ shakes his head and grips onto my leg tighter. "No."

"What, you don't want to play tag? I'll let you be on my team," Noah offers, crouching and pulling AJ's arms from around my leg. "It'll be fun, AJ."

AJ sighs and glances at Tobias, who forces himself to grin at him. He runs off with Noah.

I scoot my chair closer to Tobias. "Marcus, please leave."

Marcus pulls a chair up next to Tobias. "The Divergents have been pressing in on me more."

"Good for them." Tobias clenches his jaw and watches AJ.

"Did you know your little girlfriend is a part of them?"

"Yes, Marcus, I was aware of that. Either way, it's not your job to tell me." Tobias reaches over and takes my hand.

"You should not be dating someone that is deliberately trying to hurt your father," Marcus says.

"Shut up, Marcus. 'Fathers' don't abuse their kids." Tobias still doesn't look at Marcus.

"It was for your own good, Tobias. I helped you. I made you into the man you are today," Marcus argues.

"That is a complete lie, you fucker," Tobias spits. "I made myself into who I am. I worked my butt off to get where I am today. Get away from me and my family."

"Ah, yes, your precious girlfriend and son. You'd better watch them at night." Marcus stands and looks at Tobias one last time. "Do something about the Divergents or else."

"Get the hell out of my life, Marcus." Tobias shakes his head.

Marcus' fist flies towards Tobias and I hear the impact of it on Tobias' jaw. "Don't talk back to me, boy."

"I'm twenty-five, Marcus. I'm not a child any more."

"You'll always be less than me," Marcus replies and then walks away.

I immediately stand and perch on the edge of Tobias' seat, pulling his jaw towards me to look at the already bruising skin. "How much does it hurt?" I ask quietly.

"Can I have some ice?" he asks thickly, holding tears back.

I kiss his head. "Of course, baby. I'll be right back." I slip into the house and immediately Marcus grabs me. "Tobias!" I yell, before he clamps a hand down over my mouth.

He has me from behind, my legs pinned with one of his, my arms pinned to my sides, and my mouth covered. I struggle greatly, but he doesn't let go. I snap my teeth down on his finger and he releases my mouth for just long enough for me to scream, "Help! Help me! Andreas! Tobias! James!" before the hand is back on my mouth, though I taste blood now.

Andreas bursts through the door then, seeing me struggling to get out of Marcus' arms. "Put her down, Marcus. Now. And get out of my house. Leave. Go on."

Marcus, seeing Robyn and Noah coming in, releases me. I scramble to get away from him and stumble right into Robyn's arms. "Shh," she whispers, "it's okay."

My breaths shudder, and then AJ comes in. I lunge to grab him, but Marcus is faster and plucks my son up. My breath catches again and I begin to cry. "Put him down, Marcus. He's my son. Put him down. He's not yours. Don't touch him."

Marcus holds AJ, who's now also crying, by the scruff of the neck. "Mommy!" he wails.

Tobias crutches in, sees the situation, drops his crutches, and dives at Marcus. He cradles the impact of AJ's head with his hand, and AJ runs over to me. Tobias pins Marcus to the ground, even with his leg, and begins to rain punches down on Marcus' face. It takes both James and Andreas to haul Tobias off. When he's up, he brushes his hands off and looks down at the bloodied man at his feet. "Never touch my family again," he orders, a deathly look on his face, "or else I'll kill you."

Tobias picks his crutches up and then pulls AJ from my arms, holding him tightly to his chest. "You okay, bud?" he whispers.

AJ only buries his face in Tobias' shirt. Robyn still has her arms around me, and she rubs my back slightly as Andreas and James haul Marcus up and out of the house.

"It's okay, AJ." Tobias kisses AJ's head and sits, pulling me into his arms, too. "We're here, bud."


	20. Chapter 20

**_I don't own Divergent or any of its characters._**

**I'm so, so, sorry for being so MIA, guys. I literally have no time to do anything but eat, do homework, and sleep (well, I might neglect that one a little bit...) This is a bit of a short chapter, but I'll try to get a new one up here soon. At least there's something! Thanks for staying faithful. I'll try to update ADD sometime soon, too, though I fear it's winding down a bit, no matter how much I love Asaiah and Wyatt.**

**Love you guys! - nikisamazing**

**ENJOY!**

_Tobias picks his crutches up and then pulls AJ from my arms, holding him tightly to his chest. "You okay, bud?" he whispers._

_AJ only buries his face in Tobias' shirt. Robyn still has her arms around me, and she rubs my back slightly as Andreas and James haul Marcus up and out of the house._

_"It's okay, AJ." Tobias kisses AJ's head and sits, pulling me into his arms, too. "We're here, bud."_

It's been an hour, and Tobias is still cradling a sobbing AJ in his arms. AJ pauses for a second and coughs. His sobs slow, and he fists his hands in Tobias' shirt. I lay my head on Tobias' shoulder.

His nose worms its way into my hair, and Tobias breathes deeply. I put an arm around AJ, too, and he huddles closer to both of us.

"Do you guys want anything?" Andreas asks softly.

Tobias shakes his head. "No. No. We - where's Marcus?"

AJ's breaths have evened, and I realize he's asleep.

Andreas replies, "James is dropping him at a bus station."

Tobias nods. "Good." He shifts a little, and I realize AJ and I might be hurting him. I inch off, AJ in my arms, and put him on the bed in Matias' room. When I return, Tobias is stretching and cracking his joints. I sit next to him and take his hand.

"How are you?" I whisper.

"Tired." He rubs his eyes. "Tired of everything."

"Go, take a nap," I encourage.

"Come with me?"

I sigh and lean closer to him yet. "I need some time, baby."

He nods and kisses my temple. I stand and walk off, and he hobbles over to James and Sierra's house.

* * *

The next day, only Tobias and I go to the game. The silence that has surrounded us since yesterday still shrouds us, but Tobias holds my hand as I drive, comforting me.

"Tobias…are you okay?" I ask.

"I'm not dead, am I? I'm okay." Tobias sighs. "Sorry."

"It's fine." I squeeze his hand and watch the misty Seattle road. "I love you, Tobias."

"I love you, too." He grips my hand and brings it up to his mouth, placing one long, closed-mouth kiss on it.

"Tobias, I was scared," I whisper, not taking my eyes off the road. "I was really scared."

"I'm so sorry," he replies. "I'm so sorry." His voice cracks a little, and I glance over, but his face is turned away from me.

I lean over and press my lips to his cheek, tasting salt. "It's okay, Tobias."

He sighs and drops his head onto the dashboard, covering it with his muscular arms.

When we get to the stadium, I help Tobias out of the car, and he leans on me while I get his crutches. I situate him in the dugout and kiss him for a second. He barely responds, so I release him. "Tobes…are you okay with me going?"

Tobias grips my hips as I lean over him. "Stay close?"

"Why don't you get your crutches and come out on the field?" I suggest, stroking his head.

"Help me up." He pulls himself up using me, and I allow him to lean on me and grab his crutches. I clip my med supplies to my waist and walk out beside Tobias. He crutches along beside me as I talk with the players, stretching them occasionally.

"Hey, Zeke." I grin at him as he stretches, though he won't be starting today. Mark is.

"Hey, Tris. Four." Zeke grunts as he stretches a little further. I push him at the single point that will make him topple onto his side, laughing lightly. "Wow, thanks, Tris. Good to know that I can trust you to be a good trainer and not injure me."

Four chuckles. "Yeah, Tris."

I grip Tobias' shirt. "Oh, do you want to join him on the ground, mister?"

"No, it's alright," Tobias replies, the corner of his mouth lifting.

I give him a quick kiss there, grinning. Then I offer a hand to Zeke and pull him into a good stretch.

He groans. "This hurts."

"No, it stretches." I pat his back. "See, you're tense there."

"Four, couldn't you have chosen a normal girlfriend?"

"I like this one," Tobias says carefully.

I take his hand and pull him away. "Let's go see Uri."

"Hey, Tris," Uri says, grinning.

"Hey, Uriah," Tobias inserts, a sour look on his face.

"Oh, hey, Four." Uri chews on his lip. "Anyway, Tris, I was thinking - we should hang out when we get back to New York."

"Sounds good. Why not tonight?"

"I'm, um, busy." Uriah looks away. "Sorry. When are you free?"

"Same times as you." I squat down and whisper, "What's going on?"

"I'll text you," he answers as I wrap my arms around him for a hug.

I stand up and kiss Tobias' cheek. "I'm going to use the bathroom. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

"I'll come sit in the dugout," he says.

"Sounds good," I reply, one hand sliding up the front of his shirt and feeling his abs for a second.

"Mhm," he gets out. "You know, if you don't -" he sucks air through his teeth as I move my hand to where his belt buckle would rest, but he's wearing basketball shorts "- God, Tris - stop soon, the world will see my sperm."

I grin and withdraw my hand, letting him sit on the bench. "Need a cold shower yet, bub?"

"Goddamnit," he mutters darkly. "You will be the end of me, Tris Prior."

"Love you." I kiss his head.

* * *

"How was the game, Mom?" AJ asks from his seat across the table.

"Good, honey. How was your day at the Science Center?" Robyn took Matias, Alyssa, and AJ to the Seattle Science Center for a free class on gravity for kids.

"Fun." He takes a big bite of salad. "I miss Papa."

"Well, maybe we can go visit him soon." I smile at my boy. "Sound good?"

He nods earnestly. "Can Papa take me to the Mu-se-um of Science and Tech-no-lo-gy again?"

"I can take you to the Museum of Natural History," Tobias says suddenly, looking up at AJ. "I used to go there with Zeke and Uriah when we first joined the Yankees."

AJ grins. "Really?"

"Yes," Tobias promises. "It has a big dinosaur."

AJ nods to himself and takes another bite of salad. He makes a face as he swallows, the same one I see on Tobias' face when he takes a big bite of salad and gets a bitter piece of arugula or something.

I chuckle to myself, and Tobias takes my hand underneath the table.

"You guys done?" Andreas asks Matias and AJ.

"Yeah," Matias says. "Why?"

"Because we're going to watch _Epic_," Andreas says, clapping his hands together.

"_EPIC_!" Ben squeals, hopping out of his chair.

Matias and AJ clear their plates and Ben's and follow Andreas and Ben away from the table. Alyssa wriggles down and joins them. Claire huffs and follows, too.

Robyn hugs Tobias and I. "Why don't you two go have a little alone time at Sierra's?" she suggests, a knowing half-smirk on her face.

I help Tobias up. "Thank you, Robyn."

"No problem, hon. He loved it." Robyn waves as I help Tobias to the door.

Tobias has an arm around my waist; this hand sneaks down and cups my butt. I turn my head and raise an eyebrow, not saying anything. "We fly back two days from now," Tobias comments, hand not moving.

I move one hand and cup him through his pants, smirking. "Yeah, we do."

He grunts. "Jesus, Tris. Is that necessary?"

I adjust my hand slightly. "Yes."

"Goddamnit," he mutters. "Fuck, Tris. Please. We're near Sierra's."

I release him, and he adjusts his pants. I laugh lightly and help him up the stairs. Sierra, James, and the kids are out back, and I wave to Sierra as we pass the the glass door. I help Tobias down the stairs and onto the bed. He immediately takes his crutches and shuts the shades and the door, locking it tightly.

On second thought, he opens the door again and puts a note on it. I don't read it, but I assume it says something along the lines of: _"Asleep. Go away"_.

Tobias locks the door once more and rips his basketball shorts off in one fluid movement. He groans and sits on the couch.

I walk over and kiss his head. "Have fun jerking off." I lean over and pluck my book up, curling up on the bed as he groans again in frustration.

After five chapters in my book - supplemented only slightly by me glancing over at my boyfriend - he sighs and walks over to me, nuzzling my neck. He sits beside me, lower half still unclothed.

I set the book down and put a hand on his cheek.

"I love you," he murmurs. Then he pulls the little velvet box out from behind him. "Marry me? Please, please, please marry me."

I kiss his deeply for a moment. "I love you, too, Tobias, but not yet."

He hugs me to him tightly. "One day," he promises, whether to me or him, I don't know, "one day we'll be married and lying together here."

I press myself flush with him and nuzzle my nose into his neck, enjoying the cuddling. "One day," I agree.


	21. Chapter 21

_**I don't own **_**Divergent**_**.**_

**Hey, everyone. Sorry about being gone for so long! I've been super busy. I just - as in last night - posted the last chapter of ADD (ever!). I'd love it if you all went and read it/reviewed it. It would mean a ton.**

**Anyway, here's the long-awaited update. It's a hefty update, so I don't want to hear any complaints. Now that this will be pretty much my only story, I think I'll have a bit more time, but updates will still be few and far between. I have long, long days, especially with hockey.**

**Thanks for reading, enjoy, and please R&amp;R!**

"We can drive you to the airport," Andreas offers as James loads the last suitcase into the trunk.

"No, it's fine. We have to return the car, anyway," Tobias replies. He pulls Andreas to him for a short man-hug. "Good to see you, man."

James hugs Tobias, too, and then picks AJ up. I hug Robyn, and Sierra, and Andreas, and James, and Noah, and a few other people. Robyn presses a bag into my hand, and I peek inside to see food.

Shrugging, she explains, "I don't like feeding my kids the unhealthy stuff at the airport. I thought you might like this."

I hug her again. "Thank you, Robyn, for everything."

"No problem, Tris." Into my ear, she adds, "Marry Tobias. You two love each other, and I think it's what he needs - to feel like someone really loves him for him, not for him being part of their family."

I nod slowly. "Soon."

"Okay, Tris." She releases me. "I expect you guys to visit!"

"We will, Robyn," Tobias promises, pulling AJ from James' shoulders. "We have to get going, guys. Love you!"

* * *

Tobias sits in the back with AJ as we drive to the airport, entertaining him. I swear at the Seattle drivers in my head, and mutter benign words to myself about them.

"So, Tris, what do you think of Seattleites?" Tobias questions, smirking.

"So far, that they're terrible drivers," I reply.

He chuckles. "They're not all that bad."

"I've lived in Chicago my entire life," I reply, shooting him a sour look.

Tobias grins innocently. "Just saying."

"You'll be 'just saying' sorry when you're on the couch alone tonight," I threaten.

Tobias tries to hide his grin and goes back to talking to AJ. "- really big dinosaur. It's not scary, though. It's made of really, really, really old bones from him."

"What does he look like?" AJ asks.

"Well, he has a head big enough for me to sit inside," Tobias describes. "He has little arms and big legs, and a big, long tail."

"What's his name?"

"Tyrannosaurus Rex," Tobias answers. When AJ furrows his brow, Tobias adds, "But you can call him T. Rex, if you want."

"T. Rex." AJ nods. "I wanna see him."

_"Si eres un niño bueno, podrás ir al Museo de Historia Natural,"_ I say, testing his Spanish.

_"Sí, Mamá. Seré un niño bueno,"_ AJ promises, switching without hesitation.

Tobias looks to me for translation. "What was that?"

"Mom said, if I'm a good boy, I can go to the Museum of Natural History," AJ translates, yawning. "And I said I'll be a good boy."

_"Sí, mi encanto."_ I smile at AJ in the mirror. _"Tu español es muy bueno, AJ. ¿Quieres aprender como escribir en español?"_

AJ shrugs. "Sounds fine."

_"Dinos el alfabeto en español a tu papá y a mi,"_ I order.

_"Ah, beh, ceh, deh, eh, effe, ge, hache, i, jota, ke, ele, eme, ene, eñe, oh, pe, koo, ere, erre, ese, te, ooh, ve, duble ve, equis, igrieda, y zeta."_ AJ smiles shyly.

Tobias ruffles his hair. "That sounds great, bud."

I nod, turning for a second to say, "Good job, bud. Papa will be proud."

* * *

"Hey, Uri," I say, opening the hotel room door. "What's up? What's so urgent?"

He pushes his way inside and pulls me to the bedroom, away from where Tobias and AJ sit, laughing, on the couch. A pit settles in my stomach, and I pull away from him. "Uriah, what's going on?"

"Four," he mutters. "Four."

"Uriah, what the fuck is going on?"

"Zeke said -" Uriah hugs me tightly. "Zeke said Four was going to do something with Marcus. 'End it once and for all,' I think."

I hug him back. "I'll make sure he doesn't. It'll be fine, okay? You've just got to help me make sure he doesn't go anywhere without us."

Uriah nods and then releases me to join Tobias and AJ. He watches us for just a second as I pick AJ up and set him on my lap, and then lets himself out.

I meet Tobias' eyes, letting him squirm under my firm, slightly pissed off gaze. _We'll talk about this soon_, I mouth.

Tobias chews on his lip and glances down at his watch. "Oh, whoa, bud. It's nearly eight!" It's seven. "You gotta get ready for bed."

"But I'm not tired, Dad," AJ replies. "I want to stay up with you and Mom."

"Mom and I are going to bed, too," Tobias says, picking AJ up. "C'mon, I'll tuck you in."

AJ squirms a little bit, but Tobias grips him tightly enough that he can't get away. Tobias takes him into the small room next to ours, and then comes out again with the boy in PJs and his toothbrush. He now takes him in the bathroom and I hear them laughing a little about something.

I stand and lean on the doorframe of the bathroom, the unfamiliar and harsh tiles pulling my eyes to them for a second. Then I watch as Tobias helps him brush his teeth and then tickles him for a second. Tobias picks him up and carries him into his bedroom.

I sit on the couch and watch the commercials idly. Tobias is taking a while in there. What's he doing?

About ten minutes later, Tobias reappears, smiling faintly. He flops onto the couch next to me.

I pull him into a hug. "Tobias, what did you do?"

"With AJ? I just told him a story." Tobias doesn't meet my eyes, but puts his head in the crook of my neck.

"Tobias, what have you done with Marcus?" I growl, grabbing the skin at the base of his neck and pulling him backwards.

"God, Tris!" He pulls away, wincing. "I'm not going to do anything, okay?"

"You're right, you won't." I look him dead in the eye. "I'm going to call my dad and have him put a few guys on you. If you do anything, and I mean anything, suspicious, they'll let us know and then proceed to stop you."

I pull away and call my brother, still staring at Tobias. "Hey, Caleb."

"Hey, Bea, what's up?" He coughs, and the phone makes it sound even scratchier.

"Is Dad around?" I reply.

"Yeah, you wanna talk to him?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Caleb." I tap my foot while I wait.

"Hey, Bea."

"Sorry to contact you but…it's an emergency." I take a deep breath. "I think Four is going to try to kill his father, and I want a few guys on him to make sure he doesn't."

Dad take a deep breath on his end, holds it in for a second, and then allows it to hiss through his teeth. "That's a big accusation, Tris. Are you sure?"

"Yes, Dad." I tell him about what happened with Marcus, AJ, and me. "And Uriah says Four told Zeke he was going to take care of it 'once and for all.'"

Dad sighs. "I'll see what I can do. Thanks, Bea."

"I'm doing this to protect Four." I chew on my lip. "He can't have Marcus' blood on his hands."

I can hear the hint of a smile in my dad's voice as he replies, "I know, honey. Everything you do is for that man in some way or another."

"Love you, Dad. Say hi to Mom and Caleb for me."

"Will do, Bea. Love you, too. Bye." Dad ends the call.

Beside me, Tobias' head is pressed into the cushions. "Oh, come on, you baby. Get out of there." I yank him upwards. "Tobias."

He sits up, glaring at me. "Tris, why would you do that? Now your parents will think - they won't like me!"

"Oh, believe me, Tobias, it would take more than that for them to dislike you." I run a hand through his hair, which is getting a little long. "My dad best of anyone understands the need to kill someone for righteousness or safety."

Tobias sighs and leans into me again. "This needs to be over, Tris," he mumbles. "Marcus needs to be gone."

"But you can't be the one to make that happen," I reply. "And you shouldn't think like that, Tobias. I know you couldn't hurt anyone unless you had to. So don't start."

"What about you?" he fires back. "You've killed."

I look away, and my voice hardens. "And the look of your father when he's dead? It will never leave you, Tobias. It's better to never kill anyone. Ever."

Tobias sighs. "Sorry."

I hug him to me. "It's not your fault, Tobias." I kiss his head. "I love you, baby. I'm only trying to protect you."

He sighs. "I know. That's what kills me - that I can't protect myself. I never have."

I kiss him deeply, losing myself in his lips for only a second before gathering myself and pulling away. "It's going to be okay," I whisper. "C'mon, let's get you into bed."

He laughs. "I'm not AJ, Tris."

I hoist him up anyway. "Well, why don't we go into the bedroom anyway. Maybe we can 'dance'."

Tobias nods at the prospect of sex and motions for me to set him down. He kisses me, fingers threading into my hair.

* * *

A few hours later, there's the lightest of taps on the door. I slip from underneath Tobias's sleeping form and put on a sports bra, one of his shirts, and a pair of basketball shorts before opening the door to a few of my dad's guys.

I nod at them. "Hey."

"Hey, Bea." The leader - who was an initiate in my first class - Thomas, says, hugging me. "We were in Peoria, just finishing up some business, when Andrew called. We drove here real quick."

"Thanks, Thom. Hey, Mykel." I nod to the two I know and extend a hand to the third, who looks to be only twelve or so. He must be Thom's son. Thom was twenty when he went through initiation for the first time, and I was eleven. I think he had the kid when we met, but I've never met him. "I'm Bea. Are you Thom's kid?"

He nods, shaggy brown hair falling into his face and covering dark brown eyes, and replies, "Honored to meet you, ma'am. My name's Henry. Well, Enrico, but everyone calls me Henry."

"Nice to meet you, too, Henry." I grin at him. "You hungry, Henry?"

He glances at his dad, and then back at me, straightening his shoulders. "I'm fine. I can stay and listen. I'm grown."

I chuckle. "Well, I'm hungry. How about you guys sit down, and I'll grab some granola bars for us." I slip into Tobias' dark room and make sure he's completely asleep before rummaging around in my bag for granola bars and grabbing a sweatshirt. I check my hair quickly, too, making sure I hid the post-sex frizz.

Satisfied, I kiss Tobias on the head and slip back out. I throw a bar to each man and give them glasses of water as well. "So, Thom, did Dad tell you anything?"

"No, Andrew just called and said you needed us." Thom bites into his bar, eating half of it in one bite, and Henry tries to copy him and can only fit a third of it into his mouth. He chuckles and claps Henry on the back. "So, what's up?"

I cough and glance back at the bedroom door. "My, um, you know Four Eaton? The baseball player?" At their nods, I continue, "He's, um, asleep in there, and his dad is the politician Marcus Eaton. I know you're familiar with him, Thom." I clear my throat. "Eaton's been giving us some trouble recently. Four wants to, um, end the problem, if you know what I mean." I sigh. "Honestly, I kind of agree, but Four can't have Eaton's blood on his hands."

Thom and Mykel glance at each other, and then Thom glances down at Henry and says, voice slightly harder, "Henry, go wait in the bathroom."

Henry heaves himself off the couch, chewing on his lip. "Why?"

"Because we're talking about something not for young ears," Mykel replies.

I cough, realizing what they're thinking of. "Oh. Um. No. He can stay. I don't want you to kill Eaton."

Henry sits down again, leaning forward. "Then what do you want us to do?"

Thom places a hand on his shoulder. "Enrico, this is a job for the adults," he says gently. "If Bea says you can be here, you can be here, but no butting in."

"Yes, sir."

Thom nods at me. "What do you need?"

"If it's not too much to ask - since you have Henry - could I put you guys on a tail on him?" I bite my lip. "I can manage him until we go to Chicago, if necessary. It's only three days here, right?"

Thom chews on his lip. "We can do it," he decides. "I need a place for Henry to sleep, though."

"He can share a bed with AJ," I offer, also noticing the boy's "hidden" yawns. "I mean, if you guys are okay with that."

"That's fine," Henry cuts in.

I smile. "You want to go to bed, kid?"

Thom nudges Henry forward. "Get some sleep, son."

Henry sighs and allows me to lead him into AJ's room. I chew on my lip as I check out the sleeping situation. It's a twin bed in a tiny room, so I lift AJ off the bed. "I'll put AJ in my room. Do you want a shirt or anything to sleep in?"

"No, thanks." He takes off his sweatshirt and begins to unlace his shoes. "I'll be fine."

"Good night, then." I close the door behind me and carry AJ into our room, setting him in Tobias' arms. I kiss Tobias briefly as he stirs. "I'm meeting with some guys outside, 'kay? And one of their boys is asleep in AJ's bed, so he's going to sleep in with you and I tonight. In the morning, just stay in here, okay?"

Tobias nods. "About…Marcus?"

I kiss him again and leave. "Everyone's settled but you two. You guys want me to see if I can get another room -"

"Not tonight," Thom replies. "We can take shifts on the couch."

"Thank you, Thom. It means a lot."

"It's only for three days, right?" Thom smiles weakly.

"No. I'll upgrade to a bigger room tomorrow. And then it'll be only two days." I hug him. "G'night, Thom. See you tomorrow. We'll be up at about seven for pre-game breakfast, and then I'll head off to pre-game practice. Then it's back here for lunch, and then back to the stadium for the game. You guys can come, if you want."

Thom yawns. "We'll see tomorrow." Turning to Mykel, he adds, "You want second shift?"

Mykel shakes his head. "You should sleep. I'll take first."

I yawn and thank them one last time before snuggling up to AJ and Tobias.

* * *

Tobias shakes me awake the next morning. I glance at my watch - it's six, a whole hour before I have to be up - and glare at him. He chuckles. "It wasn't me that woke up, it was AJ."

"Well, it can be you that lets me sleep for another hour." I grab his hand. "Thanks, Tobes. Love you. And, by the way, those guys out there are Thom and Mykel. The kid is Henry."

He sighs, shaking his head. "I'll give you forty five minutes."

I press my face back into the pillow and collapse back into my restful state.

* * *

Then Tobias is waking me again, this time nakedly.

"Why are you naked?" I yawn.

He leans over me, placing his elbows on either side of my head. "Henry's watching AJ and the rest of them are chilling. I thought it was a good time to take a shower." He nips at my ear. "Wanna come?"

I pull him to me, hugging him tightly. "I love you, Tobias." I kiss him lightly. "Sure."

* * *

Twenty minutes - and no sex, just for the record - later, we get out of the shower, chuckling to ourselves. I hand him a towel and begin to dry off, discreetly watching as he does the same. I press a chaste kiss to his shoulder and comb my hair. Tobias takes the towel from his waist and rubs it through his hair, leaving him deliciously bare.

Tobias walks over and wraps himself around me, kissing my neck slightly. "I talked with Thom and Mykel," he murmurs.

"Did you try to convince them you weren't going to do anything?"

He nods, but his mouth doesn't leave its place on my neck. "Yeah. It didn't work, though."

I pinch his cheek. "Don't leave any hickeys, Tobias. I have to go to work." Once he releases my neck - which both relieves me and disappoints me - I kiss his cheek. "Anyway, it wouldn't have, no matter what you said. These men are under my father's command and, after he delegated them to me, they're completely loyal. They wouldn't stop their mission for anything. Well, Thom might stop to save Henry."

Tobias sighs. "Tris -"

"This is fair, Tobias, and you know it." I pull away and get dressed for the day, smiling at him as he grudgingly does the same.

* * *

"AJ, get in the car and have Dad buckle you up," I order, packing a few last things up.

"Got it," Tobias says. I hear the sound of his crutches and the door.

"D'you need us to do anything?" Henry asks.

I smile. "No, thanks. Just stick with Thom and do what he says."

He nods seriously. I finish packing a bag of food and stuff for AJ to do and then fill my water bottle and head out, Thom, Henry, and Mykel behind me.

* * *

Tobias kisses my cheek as we sit in the dugout. I've stretched all the other players and we simply sit in the dugout. Tobias also got his tail tickets.

I take his hand. "How's your foot?" I ask.

"Fine." Tobias shifts, and I see a glimpse of pink, swollen flesh.

"Tobias!" I say sharply. "Why is your leg swollen?"

"It's not."

I reach down and grab his leg, pulling it onto my own lap. I prod at a place where I know there's _not_ a cut. He winces. "Tobias, you're coming with me. I'm going to check out those cuts."

He sighs and stands up. I sidle up to Max. "I need to check out Four's leg. It looks a little swollen. I should be back quickly." Max nods, so I walk over to Zeke. "Watch AJ, please," I murmur. "I need to check Four's leg out."

Zeke goes back into the dugout with me and sits next to AJ. I lead Tobias to an exam room, thankfull stocked with some medical supplies, and sit him on the table.

"Take off your pants," I order, closing the door.

"What?" Tobias' face is alarmed.

I chuckle. "Unless you want me to have to cut them off, I recommend that you take them off, Tobias."

He still looks uncomfortable, glancing down at his jeans. "But -"

"Did you forget to put on boxers today?" I ask, walking over and unbuttoning his jeans, pulling them over his leg carefully.

Tobias reddens. "I am _so_ glad we're dating," he mutters, glancing down at his bare crotch.

I smile at him and lock the door. "There, happy?" Then I join him at the table and unwrap his leg. "Oh, Tobias," I say, stroking his arm. "Why didn't you tell me it hurt?"

"It doesn't," he insists.

I kiss his head. "Lay all the way down on the table."

He obeys, and, when I feel his lymph node, grabs my hand. "What are you doing?" he asks.

I continue to prod. "If you have an infection, and it spread, I'd be able to feel it in your lymph node, which is located here." I poke where his lymph node is, which, I guess, is a little too close to certain parts of his body.

Tobias scowls. "It's not infected."

"I'll make that decision," I say gently. I run a hand through my hair. "Well, it's a little swollen and pink, and -" I prod by one of the cuts to see if anything comes out "- there's some puss, and it seems a little too painful."

Tobias' face is white. "Well, it definitely hurts."

I run a hand through his hair and kiss his head. "I'm sorry, Tobias, but it's infected." I peel my gloves off and put a new pair on. I clean his cuts carefully and then look around. Seeing what I'm looking for - a tube of Mupirocin - and slather some on. "Fortunately, the infection hasn't spread past your cuts yet. I'm going to write you a prescription for some keflex." I pull my prescription pad out and scribble him out a prescription. "Let me just call this in to the nearest pharmacy so we can pick it up on the way back."

Tobias sighs and says, "Wait." I stop searching on my phone. "T-Tris, how did it get infected?"

I rub the outside of his muscled thigh for a second. "It just happens sometimes. It wasn't anything you did."

Tobias sighs and pulls me closer. "I won't be able to play for a while."

"No, you won't," I tell him softly, hugging him and grabbing some bandages. I carefully cover his leg again and then grab his jeans. "Here, let's get these on you," I murmur, gently guiding his jeans over his legs, one leg at a time.

"Thanks, Tris."

I grab my phone and dial the number of the nearest pharmacy. "Hello, this is CVS pharmacy, Megan speaking," a pleasant female voice says.

"Hello. My name is Tris Prior and I am an ATC. I need to call in a prescription." I pull out my license, knowing she'll need the number.

"May I please have your registration number, Ms. Prior?"

"Yes." I read her my number.

"Thank you. What prescription do you need filled?" She hits enter, and I hear the telltale sound of the computer pulling up my information.

"Ten days' worth of -" I glance over at Tobias and change what I was going to say "- of levofloxacin, please."

"And who is this for?"

"Four Eaton." I glance over at him. "But I'll also be there."

"Okay. Estimated time of pickup?"

"About three hours from now." I hear Tobias sighing.

"Thank you, Ms. Prior."

"Thank you." I shut my phone off and hop onto the table with Tobias. "Tobias, it'll be okay."

He sighs, glaring at the ground. "I won't be able to play or - or - do anything."

I kiss him. "You really love to play."

A tear slips out, and he angrily wipes it away. "I'm acting like such a baby," he mutters.

"This is about more than your leg, isn't it?"

He nods. "Yeah, it is."

"Do you want to talk?"

Tobias wipes another tear away. "It's just - I -"

"Just start with one thing," I coax, rubbing his back.

"I want you to marry me," he says. "And I'm worried about Marcus. And my leg, and…and, well, I guess that kid who cleated me showed me that not everyone in this sport loves it like I do." He closes his eyes. "When I'm out there, and the ball's in my hand, it's like everything else disappears." He grins. "Well, except you."

I sigh. Tobias' regular marriage proposals have started to get through. I almost want to tell him now that I'll marry him, but…but I know it's mostly because of the pain he's in. "Thom and Mykel won't let anything happen to us. And most people that play are in it for the same thing as you." I pat his leg. "And you'll be able to play soon."

Tobias lays his head on my shoulder. "I hope so."

"You will," I promise, squeezing his hand. "You will."

* * *

**Spanish phrases in English:**

_Sí, mi encanto. _\- Yes, my darling.

_Tu español es muy bueno, AJ. ¿Quieres aprender como escribir en español? _\- Your Spanish is very good, AJ. Do you want to learn how to write in Spanish?

_Dinos el alfabeto en español a tu papá y a mi. _\- Tell your father and me the alphabet _OR_ Tell the alphabet to your father and me.

_Ah, beh, ceh, deh, eh, effe, ge, hache, i, jota, ke, ele, eme, ene, eñe, oh, pe, koo, ere, erre, ese, te, ooh, ve, duble ve, equis, igrieda, y zeta. _\- This is just the alphabet in Spanish. There are two extra letters - _eñe_ and _erre_. Other than that, the only ones that are confusing in the least are: _hache_ = h, _duble_ _ve_ = w, _equis_ = x, and _igrieda_ = y._  
_


	22. Chapter 22

**_I don't own Divergent._**

**Hey, everyone. Here's another quick update for y'all. This term is going to be _really_ busy, so don't expect lots of updates... However, I have Christmas break in like two weeks, so maybe then.**

**Enjoy!**

_I sigh. Tobias' regular marriage proposals have started to get through. I almost want to tell him now that I'll marry him, but…but I know it's mostly because of the pain he's in. "Thom and Mykel won't let anything happen to us. And most people that play are in it for the same thing as you." I pat his leg. "And you'll be able to play soon."_

_Tobias lays his head on my shoulder. "I hope so."_

_"You will," I promise, squeezing his hand. "You will."_

As soon as we get back to the hotel, I ask Zeke to keep an eye on AJ for a little while, and then tuck Tobias into bed. "I don't want you moving," I threaten.

Tobias groans. "I won't."

I sit next to him. "I'm going to make a few phone calls and then give you some food to have with your antibiotics."

"Don't leave me," he begs, grabbing my arm. "Please."

I sigh. "Tobias…"

He pulls me closer. "Please."

I feel his forehead. He's burning up now. "Tobias Eaton, next time you have a _scratch_, you had better tell me so I can make sure it doesn't get infected." To myself, I add, "I should've checked it last night after the airport. Goddamnit."

"I will."

"I'm going to give you some water, a granola bar, and a few pills," I inform him, standing and grabbing said things. "And you, baby, are going to eat them." I sit back down and feed him bites of the granola bar amidst sips of water and pills: two advil and his antibiotic.

Tobias soon begins to grumble. "I'm full," he says first.

"You've barely eaten today," I retort, pushing another bite into his mouth.

Next, he tries to refuse a sip of water. "I'm not thirsty."

"Water will make you feel better," I say, dribbling more into his mouth.

He continues to grumble, but I don't let up until the granola bar and water bottle are finished. "I love you, Tris."

"You, too…?" I kiss his cheek. "I need to call Zeke, Max, and Thom. I'll be back."

I slip out of our darkened room and decide to get the easiest over with first: Thom. I find his contact and call him. "Hey, Thom."

"Hey, Bea, what's up?"

"Four and I are in the original room. I know I said I'd upgrade it today, but I just realized that Four's leg is pretty infected. I have to take care of him." I cough. "He's not doing so well."

Thom is silent for a moment. "That's fine. We can stay in the -"

"No, it's not fine." I chew on my lip. "I'll upgrade it by tonight, okay?"

"Thanks, Bea."

"No problem. Thanks for doing this." I glance back at the door to the room Tobias is in.

"No problem. Hey, see you later." There's some slight scuffling. "I have to go. Bye."

"Bye," I echo.

I sigh. Next is either Max or Zeke - which'll be easier?

Max it is. "Hey, sir. It's Tris," I say.

"Hey, Tris. What can I do for you?" I hear him sit down.

"Four's leg is infected. I've started him on a course of antibiotics, but I can't leave him here without someone medically trained that he trusts. He'll flip out if he finds a stranger taking care of him."

Max sighs. "Damnit. What do you propose?"

"I think I need to stay here with him and take care of him," I reply.

Max coughs. "But I - but we need you at the stadium. As the trainer."

"Phillip will suffice for a trainer for tomorrow," I answer.

"Phillip isn't you. The players don't trust him like they do you," Max argues.

"Look, Max. I have a responsibility to the team, but I also have a responsibility to my family." I bite my lip and taste blood. "Max, I can't come in tomorrow. I'll see you when I can."

He sighs. "Okay. Thanks for calling, Tris."

"Bye, Max." I hang up. I sigh. I have to call Zeke now. "Hey, Zekey."

"Hi, Tris. What's going on?"

"Four's leg is infected." I wait for the barrage of words, but there's silence for a minute.

"Tell me you're joking," is his response, a little late.

"I wish." I sigh. "I started him on antibiotics."

"Will he be okay?"

Now _I'm_ silent, trying to decide how to be realistic and gentle.

Zeke takes a deep, sharp breath in. "He won't? Tris, what's going on?"

"No, no!" I take a deep breath my self. "No, I think he will. I just…can't be one hundred percent sure."

"And what _exactly_ does that mean?" Zeke growls.

"It means no guarantees. It means that he should get better…but sometimes they don't. He might have to go to the hospital if the antibiotics don't help."

Zeke is silent for a minute. "What do you even know? You're not even a doctor!" he yells into the phone.

"And neither are you," I hiss back. "But at least I have medical training."

"Sorry," Zeke amends. "I know…I know you know what's best for him."

"I'm just doing my best, Zeke." I sigh. "Are you playing tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"Is Uri?" I chew on my lip.

"No."

"I'm going to give him a call and see if he can watch AJ tomorrow. For now, can you bring him up to me?" I reply, reminding myself to also call the front desk.

"Sure. See you in a few."

I decide to call the front desk next and end up getting even more that I bargained for - they gave us the adjoining room, which just happens to have a connecting door. And since Tobias is pretty much too delirious to make a run for it, I know it won't be a problem.

"Hey, Uri," I say, rubbing my temples. "So Four is pretty sick - his leg is infected - and I need someone to take care of AJ tomorrow. Can you? Please?"

"Of course, Tris. What happened?"

"I'm not sure." I hear Four coughing in the background. "Sorry, Uri, but I have to go. I've been on the phone for a while."

"Bye Tris," he says, and then ends the call.

I go back into where Four now sits against the bedframe. He coughs again and looks up in response to the light. "Tris!"

I sit down next to him. "Lay back down, Tobias." I tuck him back in. "Do you want anything?"

"Will you lay with me?" he requests.

"You're really milking this, aren't you?" I reply, gently running my hands through his hair.

"A bit."

Zeke knocks on the door outside.

"I have to go let AJ and Zeke in. I'll be right back, Tobias." I slip away and open the door.

"Can I see him?" Zeke says immediately.

"He's asleep," I lie.

"I want to see if he's okay!"

"He'll be fine, Zeke. Give me AJ and go calm down." I hold out my arms and AJ jumps into them. "I'll tell you what's going on."

Zeke's mouth opens, but he slowly closes it. "Okay."

* * *

I sigh. AJ is now asleep, freshly bathed and fed. I fed Tobias about an hour ago, too. Now I just need to clean him up.

However, what I _really _want to do is just collapse next to him and sleep.

"Hey, Tobias," I murmur.

"Hey," he replies, looking up from his laptop. "What's up?"

"How's your leg feeling?"

"It's fine. You almost ready for bed? You…" He frowns and leans closer to me, examining my face. "You have really dark circles under your eyes, and you're swaying a little."

"Just tired," I reply, leaning back and smiling at him tightly.

"Don't run yourself into the ground for me, Tris," he says, grabbing my hand.

"I'm fine," I insist.

"Don't think your lies work on me any more than mine work on you," he hisses, pulling me closer to him.

"I don't think it matters," I reply. "I have to do a few more things. I'll sleep when I can."

"Tris -"

"This isn't up for debate, Tobias," I snap.

He slips into Four mode. "Whatever."

"Fine." I jerk out of his grasp and march out the door, ignoring him. I knock lightly on the connecting door and then open it. Mykel is sprawled out on the couch, snoring.

I hear laughter from behind one of the bedroom doors, so I knock lightly. The laughter subsides, and Thom calls, "Come in."

"Hey, guys." I smile tensely. "What's up?"

"Not much. Papa and I are just looking at old pictures," Henry answers, running a hand through his hair.

"D'you need something, Bea?" Thoma asks, sitting up.

"No, I was just going to tell you that Four's leg is infected and I'm going to stay here with him tomorrow. AJ will be gone."

"Sounds good. Maybe Myk can stay here and hang and Henry and I can go hang out for the day," Thom suggests.

"Okay." I glance back where Mykel is. "Why's he sleeping out there?"

"He's crashing for a few hours to take first watch," Henry supplies.

"Okay." I yawn. "Well, I'm going to crash. Thanks again, Thom."

"No problem."

I walk back to where Tobias glares slightly at his computer screen and begin to change, yawning. I put on Tobias' tee shirt and a pair of boxers and brush my teeth. Then I snuggle up to Tobias, yawning again.

Tobias stiffens at first contact, but then slowly relaxes, putting his computer down and kissing me. "Sorry."

"Me too," I reply, resting my head on his chest. "I feel like such a mom."

"You are a mom, love," he reminds me, kissing my head.

I feel the slightly warm skin of his chest. He's still running a slight fever. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," he murmurs.

"Your leg?"

"Hurts," he mumbles.

"I'm going to give you some water," I say, pushing hair from his forehead.

"Not thirsty," he complains.

"Water will make you feel better," I remind him, stepping off the bed and going into the bathroom. I fill a glass with water and sit next to him on the bed. "Sit up, Tobias."

"I don't want water," he insists.

"Sit up," I repeat.

He obeys, looking at me through hooded lashes. "I'm not thirsty."

I hold the water to his lips. "Drink."

He obeys, looking at me the entire time. When the water is gone, I stand and return the glass and then join him in bed again.

"Love you," he says.

"Sleep, Tobias," I order, kissing his head. "You too," I add. I curl up with him and we drift off.


	23. Chapter 23

**_I don't own Divergent._**

**Hey, y'all. Thought I'd give you a quick update. I never really have much time any more. Hope you like this. I have like eight tests this week... XP. Anyway, enjoy...and Happy Chanukah/Merry Christmas/Happy Kwaanza!**

**Enjoy and R&amp;R&amp;F&amp;F.**

_He obeys, looking at me the entire time. When the water is gone, I stand and return the glass and then join him in bed again._

_"Love you," he says._

_"Sleep, Tobias," I order, kissing his head. "You too," I add. I curl up with him and we drift off._

* * *

"Up," I say, poking Tobias.

"I'm not playing today," he grumbles.

"Of course you're not. But I need you to watch AJ for a little while." I grab the front of his shirt and lift him out of bed. "Take my son anywhere near Marcus - hell, take him out of this hotel room and I will _end_ you, Tobias." I drop his shirt and grab him by the ear. "I'm not even joking, Tobias. I'm going to give Thom complete jurisdiction over what happens to you."

"You wouldn't let me die," Tobias argues feebly.

I pause. "No, I probably wouldn't, but I _would_ let you be maimed." I release him. "Love you," I add, kissing him. "Don't leave the room."

"I won't," he replies, and then turns away from me.

I sit next to him and wrap my arms around him. "What's wrong?"

"You," he replies, turning to face me. "Setting up a tail for me, threatening to let them hurt me if I go after Marcus - you're not respecting me. Hell, you're not even trusting me."

I grimace. "I'm sorry, Tobias." I kiss his neck. "I wasn't trying to do that. I was trying to care for the people I love, you being at the top of the list, even above AJ." I kiss him, shifting to straddle him. "I _do_ trust you, Tobes."

"Do you?"

"Of course!" I kiss his head. "I have them as a tail on you just as much to protect you from him as to keep you from going after him, if not more."

Tobias sighs. "You just don't get it."

"What don't I get?" I grip his shoulder.

Tobias looks down. "That I…" He chews on his lip. "It was immature," he mumbles. "I was joking with Zeke and I started talking about how I'd love to kill Marcus. I was drunk and so was he. I didn't know he took it seriously." He sighs. "And then I stuck with it…because you were paying attention to me."

I laugh. "Really?" I hug him. "I'm sorry, Tobias. Uriah was so upset about it that I automatically believed him."

Tobias gives me a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

I hug him again, this time grinding against him slightly. "No, Tobias. It's my fault. Completely my fault." Then I hop off him. "I'll tell Thom we've worked something out and he can go back to my dad."

Tobias nods, relief evident on his face. "That'll be nice. I always feel like he's judging me."

I shake my head, saying, "He's not judging, he's a bit jealous. Your job is much more glamorous than his, no matter how dedicated to this life he is."

Tobias shrugs. "Whatever you say." He gestures for me to come closer and gives me a quick kiss.

I hug Tobias to me firmly. "I love you, Tobias. I need to go to my dad's headquarters today -"

"Can I come to HQ?" AJ asks, cuddling under my arm.

"Bud, remember about knocking?" I kiss his head. "And not today. You and your dad are going to spend a day together. Maybe you can come with me tomorrow."

AJ sighs. "When can I see Uncle Caleb?"

"Soon," I promise. "I have to go now, though." I hug AJ and kiss Tobias. Then I tie my sneakers, grab my backpack, and go.

"Tris…" Tobias says, tone off.

"Yeah?"

"Why does your backpack have a knife hanging off of it?"

I take it off my shoulders. "Damnit. I thought I'd gotten that one in there."

Tobias stands and takes the bag off my shoulders. When he sees what's inside, his eyes nearly bug out of his head. He grabs my arm and leads me away from AJ. "What the hell, Tris? Why on earth would you carry that stuff with you, let alone allow AJ to be near it?"

I raise my eyebrow. "Tobias, it's just a few knives and a gun. And AJ knows he can't touch that stuff. My dad taught him that _very_ well." I shrug. "I'm sure Dad will start teaching him how to fight soon, anyway. I think I was four the first time Dad showed me how to punch. Of course, I didn't start gun training until I was eight. I started knives when I was nine."

Tobias shakes his head. "I don't - I don't think it's a good idea for him to be around those kind of weapons."

"I -" I shake my head. "You know what, I'm going to go before I say something I'll regret."

Tobias sighs as I leave, grabbing my backpack and blowing AJ a kiss.

* * *

As I emerge from the L, I pull on a black baseball cap with the converse logo on it. My dad's scout nods, allowing me to pass. I jog to the door of the compound and nod to whoever's on duty, slipping in and jogging down the flights of stairs.

"Hey, man," I grunt to Maize.

"Hey, Tris." She gives me a side hug and continues on.

I nod to various people as I walk down the halls to where Dad's no doubt teaching some new initiates. I open the door to the training room. "Hey, Dad," I call.

Dad turns around, grinning. "Bea!" He turns back around, to the camera, and yells, "CALEB! GET IN HERE!"

Then he walks over to me and hugs me tightly. He takes my bag. "How are you? How's Four? AJ?"

"Four's leg got infected, but he's doing better." I smile. "And AJ's fine. Excited to be starting school."

Caleb races in and my brother and I hug tightly. "Beatrice," he breathes. "I missed you."

"You too, Caleb." I grin and hug him again. "How are you?"

"Fine, fine," he replies, holding me at arm's length and examining me. "You look great."

I ruffle his hair - he's apparently been letting it grow. It now flips out around his ears. "You, too, big brother."

Dad looks over to the initiates. "Initiates, this is my daughter, Beatrice. She's a member of Dauntless."

One initiates says, "Wait, is this Six? _The_ Six?"

I look to Dad, who chuckles. "Yes, this is Six."

"I'm what?" I ask, poking Caleb.

"Your fears," Caleb reminds me. "There are six of them. Also, everyone who played softball knew of you. Number six."

I shrug. "Okay then." I wave to them. "What're they doing?" I ask.

"Knife-throwing," Caleb supplies.

I scowl and grab the knife Tobias had seen from my bag. I hurl it at a target and it gets buried hilt-deep in the middlemost ring, a black dot about the size of a quarter.

Dad nods and signs for me to retrieve it. I walk to the board and, hearing the telltale _whizz_, duck just in time. I grab my knife and roll my eyes at my father, who grins sheepishly. I get his knife, too, and toss it to him. He catches it hilt-first.

Caleb hugs me to him again. "I missed you, Bea." He grins at me. "I heard you were dating. Tell me who so I can threaten him."

"Four Eaton," I reply, grinning to myself.

"The baseball player?" Caleb asks, eyes wide.

"Yes, the baseball player," I say, rolling my eyes. "He's great."

"You know who his dad is, right?" Caleb hisses.

"Yes, I know," I hiss.

Caleb looks to me for a second. "Okay, then. Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"No."

"Then c'mon," he says.

* * *

Dad comes and sits at our table for lunch. Caleb and I have been here since about ten am. "Hey, kids."

"Hey, Dad," I say, patting the seat next to me.

"Where's AJ?" he asks, putting his tray down.

"With Four." I take a bite of my sandwich.

"And you think that's…safe?" Dad asks carefully.

"We worked it out," I reply. "He wouldn't put AJ in danger like that, anyway."

Caleb opens his mouth to say something, but Dad puts a hand on Caleb's shoulder to silence him. Then he sits down next to me. "How is Four's leg?"

"Better than a few days ago, but what he really needs is a lot of rest and antibiotics." I yawn. "So why'd you want me to come today, Dad?"

"To see us, of course," he says. "And, also…to start a little bit of the training, at least as far as understanding specifically what's going on."

I raise an eyebrow. "Dad, I understand _exactly_ how you run the Divergents. You forget that I helped you run it for three years."

"Those three years were…a long time ago," Dad replies.

"You mean before I got raped?" I scowl. "Dad, it's not like that was the turning point of my life. I'm the same person I was before that."

"You did change, Bea," Caleb says. "But I don't think that was your turning point. I think your turning point was with AJ."

I shake my head. "I'm the same person!" I insist.

Dad sighs. "Okay, Bea."

"No! Don't -" I shake my head. "I need to cool off." I stand and walk out of the cafeteria, walking to my old room and putting the password in. It opens, and I sit on the bed, burying my face in my hands.

I want Four to be here now so badly. I chew on my lip. Hand shaking, I pull my phone out and dial his number.

"Hey, Tris," Tobias says.

"Hi," I whisper.

"AJ, sit down," he says, tone changing. "Sit there for a few minutes. I'm going to go in the other room and talk to your mom. Don't move, okay, bud? You can watch something on tv." He shuts a door and continues, "Tris? What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay?"

"I just…needed to talk to you," I reply, voice cracking.

"I'll be right there." He opens the door. "Wait, where is there? Where am I going?"

I give him the outer address and tell him to text me when he's getting off the L.

Tobias, with AJ and his crutches, moves towards me as quickly as he can, gathering me into his arms. AJ wraps his arms around my leg, too. "Sorry you're sad, Mommy," he says. Then, glancing up, he adds, "Can I go see Papa and Uncle Caleb?"

Tobias kisses my forehead. I take AJ's hand. "Let's go, buddy. _Puedes hablar con Tío Caleb y a tu Abuelo mientras tu papá y yo hablamos._"

AJ nods and leads me to the door. Dad waits on the inside, and, seeing AJ and Tobias, lifts AJ into his arms and gives Tobias a look like, "Fix it!"

Tobias kisses my hand. "Where to?"

I begin to walk, knowing he'll follow. I unlock the door and pull him into my embrace. He drops the crutches and wraps his arms around me very tightly.

The sobs that shake my body are silent and, fortunately, tearless. Tobias walks me over to the bed and lays us down, holding me to him.

"T-T-T-" I stutter.

"It's okay," he soothes, rubbing my back.

"It's a-all coming b-back," I whisper, shuddering.

"Just calm down a little, and then we can talk," he says, blue eyes holding me in their calm grasp.

"Y-You don't understand." I take a shuddering breath. "The r-r-ra-"

"The rape," Tobias finishes, kissing a tear away from my eye. "Tris, he's never going to hurt you again. _No one_ is ever going to hurt you again, if I have any say in it."

I shut my eyes tightly. "Before the - before Peter - before -"

"It's okay, I get it. Go on."

"- I was…a little different, I guess." I grip his shirt and pull myself closer to him. "I was lighter, I guess."

Tobias inhales deeply and kisses my head.

"Well, I guess that's obvious. But - I don't know, I guess it's just true. When - when -" I inhale with Tobias. "Peter…he…well, we'd been dating for a few weeks. Nothing serious, just out to coffee and lunch and dinner, once. He invited me to a party at his frat." I scowl, and Tobias hugs me. "I went. I didn't drink, I didn't touch anything. But then Peter made his way over. He gave me a coke. I didn't…I didn't - I trusted him. Turns out he'd spiked it, and, when I woke up, he was raping me and there was blood and -" I cough and Tobias clutches me to him more tightly.

"Tris -" Tobias says.

"And - and he was laughing," I add. "That's what I remember most. His laughter." I begin to sob again, and Tobias just holds me as tightly as he can, trying to make me feel safe, I guess. "I guess I'm just like every other stupid college girl that got raped," I whisper.

Tobias presses kisses to my cheeks. "Tris, what happened isn't to be brushed off. It did happen. It was terrible and I can't imagine how you might've felt, but…" He kisses my head again. "But it _did_ happen."

I take shuddering breaths that slowly calm while I'm in Tobias' embrace, but he doesn't release me just yet. Instead, he shifts us so I'm above him, lying on his chest, and he's looking up at me. As my sniveling quiets to just calm breathing, he rubs my back and lets me breath his scent in. I slowly drift off into a comfortable sleep.

* * *

When I wake with a start, I grab for Tobias, having just had a dream about Peter, only to find he's not there. "Tobias?" I call.

He pops his head out of the bathroom. "You - I'm sorry. I just had to use the bathroom." He limps back over and kisses me on the head, settling himself beside me. "You okay?"

I wrap my arms around him and nod, yawning. "What time is it?"

"Three thirty," he replies, lips finding mine for a second. "How are you feeling?"

I pull away. "The better question is how are _you_ feeling? Is your leg okay?"

Tobias pulls me onto his lap. "I'm fine, Tris." He smiles. "So you're feeling a bit better?"

I sigh and drop my head onto his shoulder. "Yeah. My dad…wants me to be retrained. Before Peter…raped me, I was basically my dad's second-in-command." I scowl. "Dad said I changed after the rape."

Tobias is silent for a second. "I think he's right."

"Tobias!"

"Just hear me out, love," he requests, kissing my neck slightly. "I think we change every single day. I think every little interaction, sight, smell, noise, feeling - I think it all changes us." He rubs my leg lightly. "You'd be a different person then you were five years ago regardless of whether or not you were raped."

I sigh. "That's reasonable."

"Yes, it is," he murmurs, lips finding my neck.

I allow him to kiss me for a little bit but then push him away. "I don't…"

"It's okay." He smiles. "I get it. Not today." Tobias sets me down and stands to stretch. "Hey, do you mind taking a quick look at my leg?"

I stand and settle him back on the bed. "Off with the jeans," I tell him, grabbing medical supplies from my bathroom. "Did you bring the ointment?"

He hands it to me and wriggles out of his jeans. He wore boxers today, which is probably good for if my father comes in.

I pat his thigh lightly and begin unwrapping his bandages. Tobias lies back and watches me. The bandages aren't stuck to him, but there's a little resistance when I pull them off. The cuts look better, but the infection is still there. I clean them with hydrogen peroxide and re-lather ointment on before re-bandaging him. Then I crawl up him and straddle his hips, just looking down at him. He sits up and wraps his arms around me.

A while later, there's a knock on the door, and Dad pokes his head in. "_Oh_-kay," he says. "Pants are not optional."

I just bury my head further into Tobias' neck, but Tobias chuckles. "Yes, sir. Tris was re-bandaging my leg, but I had to take my pants off to get to the cuts easily." He chuckles again. "The first time, I'd forgotten to wear underwear that day."

Dad closes his eyes and puts a hand over them like it's real. "Okay, um, well, that's a lot of information. I really only came in to check on you guys and let you know that dinner's ready, if you want it."

Tobias nudges me nearly imperceptibly. I shake my head and clutch his shoulders more tightly. "I think we're okay for now," he says. "Are you okay with watching AJ for a little longer?"

"Nat loves that little boy," Dad replies. "Your only worry should be if you'll get him back at all."

Tobias nods. "Well, um, maybe we'll come up later." He threads one of his hands into the hair at the base of my neck and holds my head to him. "See you later, Andrew."

Dad shuts the door and Tobias tucks his nose into a bit of my hair. He sits with his arms around me, protecting me, hugging me, for a long time. I honestly don't know when I drift off again, but I know he's still holding me when I do.

* * *

I wake sometime later to someone poking me. My eyelids flutter open, and Dad is leaning over me. "Up," he orders quietly. "Uniform on. I want you to train initiates today."

"Can Tobias come?" I murmur.

"Yes." He kisses my head. "I'm sorry about yesterday, Bea. You two should get up and go to breakfast now, though."

"What time is it?"

"Six thirty. Mom'll take care of AJ," he says. "I have to go."

I nod, and Dad slips back out. I sit up - Tobias must've gotten tired and laid us down - and fit my lips to Tobias, waiting until he kisses me back to pull away. "Good morning," I murmur.

"I'll say," he jokes, kissing me again.

I pull away, smiling at him shyly. "I have morning breath."

He rolls us over and pins me to the bed, kissing me again. "So?"

I smile slightly wider and pull myself flush with him. "C'mon, let me up. We have to go." I kiss his cheek. "My dad wants us to train initiates."

Tobias raises his eyebrow. "Me?"

"Well, he said I could bring you," I amend, slipping from underneath him. He flips over and watches me.

I look in the dresser for a uniform. "Damnit, he must've -" I mutter, and then look on my desk, where I see Dad has placed two uniforms, complete with the training shoes, which are slightly weighted. "Never mind, then." I pull my clothes off and dress in the smaller outfit.

Tobias watches, smiling at me sheepishly when he notices my gaze. "Sorry."

I kiss his head and hand him his uniform. "It's fine, baby." I slip into the bathroom and wash my face and brush my teeth. Tobias soon joins me, not shaving, but following his normal routine. When we're both done, I lead him to the cafeteria, where he receives a normal Dauntless breakfast.

Tobias stares down at his food while I eat. "What?" I ask.

"I'm a MLB player and _I_ don't eat this much protein," he says.

"Eat up," I say. I put an apple next to his plate. "You can eat this while we walk. You have five minutes to eat as much of that as you can."

Tobias, sighing, begins to eat.

* * *

I open the doors to the training room, Tobias - and his crutches - at my side. "Hello again, initiates," I say crisply.

"Six," they chorus.

"This is Four. He'll be watching today," I inform them, selecting a slingshot from the wall. "Who's your best shot?"

"Matthew," they says quickly.

"Very well." I hand the slingshot to the guy they indicated. He's maybe eighteen, with closely-cut dark hair and chocolate-colored skin. "Matthew, take your best shot at that target over there."

He aim the slingshot and hits the red ring around the middle black dot. "Sorry."

"Close, but not quite good enough." I pluck the pen from Tobias' left front pocket. "What I plan to teach you today is how to be resourceful. How to make a weapon out of, say, a pen."

Tobias snatches it out of my hand. "But not that pen."

I chuckle. "I know not that pen, Four. It was just an example." I hug him and kiss his cheek. "Can I have the one in your other pocket?"

He sighs. "What are you, telepathic?"

"No, but we live together," I quip. "I've learned." I raise an eyebrow. "Which drawer do I keep my favorite socks in?"

"Your sweatpants and basketball shorts drawer," he replies immediately. "Wait, how did I know that?"

"You watch," I reply, cracking the pen open. The initiates have gathered. "Anyway, within a pen, you have a sharp tip, a usually a spring, oftentimes ink and plastic tubing, and of course the outside of the pen. All of these things can be used as a weapon in worst case scenario." I set the pen on the table. "Make one."

Tobias and I slip out of the huddle of initiates and I hop up on a table next to him. He leans over and kisses me, sneaking an open-mouthed kiss before I pull back, grinning, and pinch his hip. "You said no open-mouthed kisses until after you brushed your teeth," he explains. "You've brushed them, remember?"

I chuckle and give him a quick kiss. "Yes, I remember." I run a hand over the stubble covering his cheeks. "I kind of like this." I kiss him again. "Maybe you should keep it."

Tobias smiles mischievously and kisses me. "If it means I can kiss you as much as I want, then, by all means, I'll keep it!"

I hug him. "Not as much as you want." I chuckle. "Then I wouldn't have anything to taunt you with."

"That wouldn't be too bad," he shoots back. Tobias takes my hand with his right hand and rubs my knee with his left.

"Then how on earth would I be able to leave you with blue balls?" I ask, grinning.

"I'm perfectly fine with normal-colored balls," he replies.

"But that's not _nearly_ as much fun." I tickle him for a second. "See? Now that's also fun."

"And it doesn't leave me with blue balls," he adds. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me close. "I love you."

"You, too," I murmur, hugging him back.

"Six?"

"Yeah?" I sit up and release Tobias.

"We think we have something," an initiate pipes up.

"Well, bring it over here," I order. Tobias doesn't lift his arm.

The group walks over and quite possibly the smallest of them hands me a pen, but a reassembled pen. "When you press the clicker," she starts, voice accented, "it shoots the tip out at a fast enough speed to injure someone."

"Would it kill?" I reply.

"Perhaps. It depends on what artery you rupture."

"And as for the aim?"

"Not great, but you'd need to be pretty close for the tip to make it in anyway." Matthew steps forward and take the pen from me. "I could aim it well enough, but it wouldn't work unless I was within two or so feet."

I hop off the table and fetch a dummy from the closet. One of the Erudites here - they're still Divergents, but they don't fight like the Dauntless do - designed them so that they bleed like a real person and, when they've "bled out", a big black x appears on their chests. "Show me."

Matthew aims the pen carefully and clicks it. It hits the neck, and the dummy slowly begins to bleed, but not quickly enough to kill it.

I pull another pen out of my pocket. "Make it better. I want one that can kill." I heave Tobias off the table and hand him his crutches. "We'll be back. I'm going to go get more pens." I give them a hard look. "Fool around and you'll see just how good my fighting skills are."

Tobias chuckles when we're out of earshot. "I know that you're violent, but you wouldn't actually hurt them."

"Maybe," I say. "It's how we toughen initiates."

"But - don't they already come from lives on the streets, in gangs, stuff like that?" Tobias asks, furrowing his brow.

"Yeah, so?"

"So…they probably don't want to be injured more," he replies.

"This is just how it works, Tobias," I say, grabbing a box of pins and a box of tampons from the supply cupboard.

"What're the -" he gestures to the pack of tampons - "for?"

I chuckle. "The tampons? I'm going to make the initiates make weapons out of them."

Tobias looks down at his feet as we walk (or crutch) to the training room. "That'll be interesting."

I nod and kiss his cheek. "I think we should split them into two groups. Boys and girls." I hold the door for him, and he goes through and sits on the table. I toss the boxes to initiates. "Finish the pen challenge, and then split into boys or girls - or whatever you identify as - and work on a new weapon with one single tampon."

The initiates sigh and huddle back up. I sit next to Tobias again. He takes my hand and we just sit there. Suddenly AJ runs in and jumps onto the table, almost making it and then falling. I laugh and nod at him. "Try again."

AJ pouts. "Mom!"

"Try again," I repeat, voice changing.

AJ sighs and does another running jump, this time making it. He pulls himself into my lap.

"Where's Nana, buddy?" I ask, rubbing his back. I notice he's now wearing the blue sweater Tobias' step-grandmother knitted.

"She wanted to take a nap," he replies, yawning.

"I think someone else needs a nap," I say.

"I'm not tired," he argues, rubbing his eye.

"Just lay down, bud," I encourage.

AJ nods and presses his face into my stomach. Soon, his breaths have evened and he's limp in my lap. I lean on Tobias, who wraps an arm around me, pressing a kiss to my temple. He whispers, "I love you. _Both_ of you."

I nod and, with the hand that's not supporting AJ, rub the inside of Tobias' thigh for a few seconds. Then I set my hand on his knee.

Tobias places his other hand on AJ, who snuggles closer in his sleep. Tobias leans down and whispers in my ear, "Will you marry me?"

I tilt my head up to look at him and fit my lips to his. "Not yet."

He smiles bitterly. "How much longer?"

I shrug. "I'm not…I don't feel ready."

Tobias nods and pulls me closer. "I love you."

I nod. "I know you do. If you loved me any less, you wouldn't wait."

"Then I guess you're lucky I love you," he teases.

"I guess I am," I reply. I shift AJ over to his lap. "I'm going to go check up on the initiates. Make sure he stays asleep." I glide over to the initiates and watch their work. "How's it going?" I say, startling most of them.

"Fine."

"Good, because you have five minutes. Whatever you have then will be the grade for the assignment." I raise my eyebrows. "And I suggest you _all_ participate."

I walk back to Tobias and run my hands through his hair. "I'm going to use the bathroom. Make sure they don't go too crazy."

"Yes, ma'am." He kisses my head. "Have fun."

"You perv," I tease. Then I walk to the bathroom.

* * *

Tobias and I settle AJ into bed in his bed at Mom and Dad's house and then return to my room. Tobias strips down to his boxer-briefs (provided by my father) and brushes his teeth. I change into sweatpants and a sports bra and join him in the bathroom.

When Tobias sees me, he kisses my cheek. "I don't know how you do it, but you make even sweats and a sports bra look stunning," he murmurs.

I hug him. "And those boxer-briefs are fabulous," I reply, pinching his butt through the soft cotton.

He squeaks. "Fuck!"

I chuckle and kiss his cheek. "You ready for bed? I'm exhausted."

He nods and scoops me up, fitting his lips to mine. I thread my fingers into his hair. When he sets me down, I'm beneath him on the bed. "I didn't know you had a personality like that," he murmurs.

"We all have aliases," I reply, lips brushing his again.

Tobias nods. "True." He nubs his nose against mine. "But yours is…unlike you."

"No shit, Sherlock," I tease, pulling him onto me slightly.

He lets out a breath at the contact. "God, Tris."

I hug him and drop back down to the bed. "I'm tired."

"Tris," he groans.

"G'night," I reply, snuggling up to him and shutting my eyes tightly.


	24. Chapter 24

**_I don't own Divergent._**

**Hey, everyone. Sorry for not updating for a while. I think you guys'll like this update. As usual, thanks for reading, and please review/rate/favorite. And please share this story with your friends! That would make me super happy. Anyway, enjoy! And there are translations at the bottom for the Spanish.**

_I hug him and drop back down to the bed. "I'm tired."_

_"Tris," he groans._

_"G'night," I reply, snuggling up to him and shutting my eyes tightly._

The bed is shaking. At first I think it's part of my dream, but then I realize I'm waking up and Tobias is tossing and turning so much that the entire bed is moving. "Tobias!" I say sharply. I pull away from his arms and pin him to the bed. "Tobias!"

"Stop," he rasps. "No, Marc- stop! Don't - TRIS!" he bellows.

"Tobias, wake up," I say, slapping him.

He sits up so fast he nearly throws me off the bed. I grab onto him. "Tris!" His hands roam my body, focusing on my stomach. "Oh, Tris," he murmurs, burying his head in my shoulder. "Tris."

"What were you dreaming about?" I ask.

He squeezes his head between his hands. "It's…I - I can't talk about it." He shakes his head. "It started out so good," he murmurs, one hand on my stomach and the other holding my left hand.

I run my fingers through his hair and then begin to rub his back. "Well, whatever it was, it's over." I kiss his cheeks and kiss the tears away.

He looks up. "Marry me?"

I stare down at him. I run through everything in my head. I guess I must sit and think for a while, because soon he leans up and kisses me. "So it's a no again, then?"

I press my lips to his again and shake my head. When I pull away, I whisper, "Yes. I'll…marry you."

Tobias kisses me again and then presses kisses to anywhere he can reach without removing my clothes. "I love you," he gasps between kisses. He hugs me tightly. Then, grinning sheepishly, he reaches into his backpack and pulls out the ring. "Can I…put it on your finger?"

I hold out my hand, looking down. "How did you… Did you bring that from New York? How did you find it in the dark?"

Tobias gives me a nervous smile. "I…keep it in the same place, and I think about it a lot."

I lean down, heart panging in my chest, and kiss him. "I've been thinking about saying yes since Seattle."

He laughs bitterly. "My family turn you?"

I kiss him. "No, it was all you." I hug him and hold him tight. "Since I met you, Tobias, it's been all you."

He looks deep into my eyes. "I love you, Beatrice."

"I love you, too," I reply, leaning my forehead onto his.

"It's been nearly five months since I first asked," he murmurs.

"And nearly five minutes since I said yes," I retort.

"Mmm," he hums.

"Mmm," I agree.

The next day, I wake Tobias early to go speak with my parents and Caleb. The grin hasn't worn off Tobias' face.

"Dad?" I knock on his door again. "Dad!"

"PAPA!" AJ yells. "Someone's at the door!"

"I heard, Aje," Dad says. "_No tienes que decirme otra vez._"

"Sorry, Papa," he says. "But open the door. I wanna see Mom and Dad."

Dad chuckles. "Okay, AJ." He opens the door, and smiles at us. "Hey, Bea. Do you guys need something?" I nod and grin, whispering in his ear. "Of course I'll go get her," he replies. "_AJ, quédate con tus padres._"

"_Sí, Abuelo._" AJ hugs me. "Hi, Mommy. Can I come train initiates with you again?"

"I want you to stay with Nana today, bud," I tell him, smoothing his hair.

AJ pouts. "But -"

"No buts."

"Mom!"

"No moms," I add, kissing his head. "Plus, you love hanging out with Nana. She spoils you rotten."

AJ sighs as my parents come back in. Tobias takes my left hand in his right. The ring still covers that thin patch of skin, but Tobias' hand covers mine.

"What happened, Bea?"

I smile. "Is Caleb here?"

Mom shakes her head. "Bea…?" she says uncertainly. "Are you two…?"

"Pregnant? No." I glance back at Tobias, who smiles broadly at my father and singles out my left ring finger, holding it out. "Engaged…yes."

Mom runs forward and hugs me tightly. "You finally said yes?"

I nod. "I…I did."

My dad pulls Tobias into a hug. "Congratulations." He pats his back once and then envelopes me in a hug.

"We need to go call my family," Tobias tells me.

Dad nods. "Go. I'll tell the initiates training is postponed a bit."

Tobias grins at me and kisses me. Then he kisses AJ's head. "Bud, do you know what engaged means?"

AJ shakes his head. "Can I come -"

"Sorry, bud. Nice try," I cut in.

Tobias grabs the hem of my shirt and pulls me closer. "It means your mom and I are getting married." He kisses AJ's head again. "It means we're going to be a real family."

AJ smiles shyly and shakes his head. "We already were one, Dad. You just didn't know it." Then he runs over to my mom.

Tobias smiles widely and kisses me. "C'mon, my love."

I lead him back to my room. "C'mon…let's call."

Tobias fiddles with the zipper on the side of my leg as we dial his family. After four or five dial tones, Robyn picks up.

"Hello? Tobias?" she says. "What's up? _Ben, put that piece of chocolate _down_!_"

"Do you have a minute?" Tobias asks. "I…_we_ have something to tell everyone."

Robyn pauses. "Um, yeah. Give me a few minutes to…gather people. We'll call you back."

After she hangs up, Tobias taps out a rhythm on my leg. I rub the inside of his thigh tenderly and kiss his cheek. "Tobias, it'll be fine. They all love you and -" I grin at him "- quite frankly, they love me too."

Tobias chews on his lip. "Yeah, but I'm worried they won't think we've been a couple long enough."

I raise my eyebrow. "Tobias, you are the legal father of my child. I think we're past that."

Tobias leans his head down and kisses me. "I -" The phone rings, cutting him off. "Robyn?"

"Hey, Tobias," Robyn, James, Sierra, and Andreas chorus. "What's up? Is Tris with you?"

"Yeah," I say. "How are you guys?"

"What is your news?" Sierra says, tapping her foot.

"Be patient, Sierra," James says, a hint of laughter in his voice.

"I agree with her," Robyn says.

Tobias chews on his lip, but says, "Tris and I…are engaged."

Robyn squeals. "Finally!"

"Congratulations, guys!" Sierra says. "Not that we're _that _surprised."

"Finally got the guts to ask her?" James asks.

"More like she finally got the guts to say yes," Tobias replies, grinning.

I feel that in my stomach - it's like he punched me in the gut. However, I suck in a breath and say, "Thanks, guys."

Tobias glances over at me and squeezes my hand. I shake my head. He looks at me and says, "Well, guys, I think we have to go. We'll come visit over Christmas or something, okay?"

"Love you," they say.

"You too," Tobias answers. As soon as he's hung up, he hugs me. "What's wrong?"

"You made it sound like I was afraid to get married," I say, pulling his hands into my lap.

Tobias sighs. "I'm sorry. That was…insensitive. I only meant to - well, I was griping. But it was wrong. I should've been ecstatic. We're getting married!" He kisses me. "I _am_ ecstatic."

A pit begins to settle in my stomach and I pull away, the burning sensation in my eyes making me want to hide from him. "Yeah," I agree.

"Tris," he says, pulling my face to face him. "Oh, Tris. I'm sorry. Do you feel like I pressured you into this? That's the last thing I want."

I look down and he hugs me. "I just…it's kind of overwhelming," I murmur.

He rubs my back. "I understa-"

"No, you don't. You think you do, but you don't." I pull away from him again. "You don't get what it's like, Tobias."

Tobias grabs my wrist and pulls me back onto the bed. "Then tell me."

"I can't." I furrow my brow. "I just…I can't."

"Tris, I will never understand if you don't let me," he answers. "I don't understand what's going on in your head." He chews on his lip as he fights back tears, too.

I sigh and stare at my feet. "I can't explain it because I don't understand it."

"Then just tell me what you're feeling," he begs, taking my hand.

"Scared," I whisper.

"Of…me?"

I shake my head. "I told you. I don't - I don't understand it."

Tobias pulls me onto his lap and begins to kiss along my neck. "Does this have to…do with the engagement?" At my nod, he continues, "Why don't we just stay engaged for now? We'll give you time to get adjusted to the idea, just like with the whole 'getting engaged' thing." He nuzzles at my neck. "The only thing I want is for you to be comfortable and loved." I feel his smile against my neck. "Well, you are loved. But you know what I mean."

I wrap my arms around my Tobias, pressing my face into his chest.

"I'll take that as a yes," he says, rubbing my back.

"Sorry I've been so emotional recently," I murmur.

"You do so much for me, Tris," he replies. "Why on earth would I be mad that you're going through a tough time?"

I shrug and grip him like he's my lifeline. My hands find purchase in his hair, on his hips, in the dips and curves of his body that I know so well.

"Hey now," he protests slightly. "How about we just head off to training the initiates? I'll text Max and tell him I'm still sick."

I climb off his lap, sighing, and pull my Divergent jacket back on. I forgot I'd taken it off.

Tobias stands behind me, pulls his jacket on, taps out a text to Max, and grabs his crutches. "Well? Aren't you going to lead me to the training room?"

I smile and let out a breath that _almost_ sounds like a laugh. "Of course." I walk through the halls on autopilot, churning over our conversation in my head.

How could I possibly… How does Tobias deal with me? I'm so temperamental…and he's right, he doesn't understand what I feel. Hell, _I_ don't understand what I feel. Most of the time I don't tell him what I'm feeling, either. Or thinking.

I open the door to the training room and look onto…one lonely initiates. "What the fuck?!" I spit. "Where are the others, kid?"

"Sleepin'."

"What's your name, boy?" I ask, grabbing a fistful of his shirt. He's laying flat on one of the tables used to hold knives. He's slight, too, and maybe only five-six.

"Maynard, ma'am."

"What mob are you from? Not Italian. Not Spanish. Definitely not Chinese." I peer at him. "A gang, maybe? You've got the right sort of tats for one."

"You hit the nail on the head." He sits up. "Nice to meet you, Six."

I nod. "Now, why don't you tell me why you're the only initiate here?"

"He isn't," another voice pipes up, and two people stand up. They were sitting underneath the table and I didn't notice them. Damnit.

"Morning, Six," Matthew says.

"Morning, Matthew," I grunt. I nod to the other kid. "What's your name?"

"Jockey."

"Funny name," I reply.

"Funny person," he retorts. "And I'm here, aren't I? That's more than you can say about some of the other initiates."

I shrug. "Now, why don't you three tell me why none of the other initiates are here?"

"'Acause Andrew told 'em we didn't have to be here early. Everyone's asleep," Maynard explains.

"Well, then they're all stupid," Tobias says. "Anytime a leader says you don't _have_ to do something only means that they won't force you, but they want you there."

I nod. "I'm going to go wake them up." I kiss Tobias. "I'll be back in a few." I walk to the initiates' dorms and throw open the doors. My old bunk is inhabited by the girl that first made the pen weapon yesterday.

I grab the squirt gun my dad keeps behind the door and begin squirting people. "Get up, initiates. Just because my dad said training was starting later didn't mean it wasn't happening today. Hell, it didn't even mean it was starting later." I throw the empty gun at a kid. "You guys have fifteen minutes until I expect you to be in the training room. Spend it how you will, just be there. Your time starts now." I walk out of the dorms and return to the training room, where I find that Tobias has struck up a game of solitaire with Maynard. "You had better not be gambling," I warn Tobias.

He looks up. "Why?"

"Because all these boys are just going to cheat you out of every last penny," I explain, striding over and plucking up the money Maynard had been sliding out of Tobias' wallet. "Maynard, you know you aren't supposed to steal." I smack Tobias. "Don't you ever gamble with gangsters, mobsters - I don't care. Don't gamble at all."

Tobias gives me a sheepish smile. "Can I have my wallet back?"

"No." I pocket his wallet and clean up the cards. "The other initiates are going to be here soon. Look - well, _try_ to look responsible."

Tobias gets to his feet and limps over to his original table. "Sorry."

I kiss his head. "It's okay." I set three tampons on each of the available tables and wait for the initiates. When they finally get there, I split them into groups. "You have and hour and three tampons," I say. "Be wise."

Immediately, there's a rush of sound. I raise my eyebrows and plop down next to Tobias. I set out another game of solitaire.

"What are you doing?" he asks, frowning.

I smile and hand him his wallet. "I'm going to teach you how to cheat at cards."

"I still don't -" Tobias starts, but an initiate interrupts.

"Six? We have a prototype," Matthew says. He hands it to me.

"What does it do?" I ask. "'Cause it only looks like a tampon to me."

"That's the point," Matthew says. "A tampon can't be used in a lot of ways. Therefore, at least in our opinion, the best way is simple stuffing it down someone's throat or something along those lines."

I hand him the unopened tampon package back. "Come up with something better."

* * *

I thread my fingers through Tobias'. "You packed yet, baby?" I ask.

"Almost."

"Why don't you go finish? I'll say goodbye to my parents and get AJ ready," I reply.

"Sounds good to me," Tobias replies, kissing me.

I walk to my parents' house and throw open the door. "Dad!" I yell. "Where's AJ?"

"Here, Mom," AJ says, hugging me. "I'm all packed, too. Nana made sure."

"Get your bags. We leave in five minutes." I kiss his head and walk into the kitchen, kissing my mother's cheek and hugging my dad. "G'morning, guys."

"Hey, Bea." Dad hugs me back. "It's too bad you have to go. We could really use your help. The initiates informed me that they liked your impromptu weapons training. Of course, they still got butchered after lunch with fights."

I chuckle and sit down across from them. "How is everything with, you know, Marcus?"

"Surprisingly quiet." Dad rubs my hand. "Once you two get AJ settled into school, we're going to need you to come stay up here for a few weeks."

I nod. "We have to go catch our flight, but I'll call Caleb."

* * *

We got off our flight about a half hour ago. Even though it's nearly one am, I told my dad I would call, and I will. But when I go to take my phone out, Tobias grabs my hand. "We need to talk," he informs me.

I search his eyes. "Okay." I shift AJ in my arms and Tobias pushes the cart with our luggage along. We get into the truck and I buckle AJ in, setting my phone with the sound machine app on next to him. When Tobias gets into the passenger seat, I say, "What do we need to talk about?"

"I don't think you should go."

"Why not?" I pull out of the garage.

"It's dangerous, and, frankly speaking, it's not your responsibility." Tobias kisses my cheek. "I love you, and I would die if you did. This is too dangerous."

"No," I reply. "It's not. It's my duty as a Prior. I have to do this, Tobias."

"Why can't Caleb?"

"Caleb was never meant to take over the Divergents," I reply. "He doesn't have the right personality. He's an Erudite, and I'm an Abnegation-Dauntless-Erudite split. A true Divergent. Like my father." I glance back at AJ. "And though the current plan is for AJ to take over, if he doesn't turn out as an Abnegation-Dauntless split, at least, then he won't take over after me. I suppose I'd have to choose someone, unless you and I had a child that fit."

Tobias frowns. "What in hell do you mean?"

"Your job in the Divergents is determined by how you think," I explain. "I think selflessly, bravely, and intelligently. Well, sort of."

Tobias chews on his lip. "I'm still against it, Tris."

"That doesn't mean I'm not going to do it," I reply.

"I know." He leans over and kisses my cheek. "I love you, my beautiful fiancée."

I frown and take his phone, dialing Caleb's number. "Hey, Caleb. Are you at Dad's?"

"Yeah. Here he is," Caleb replies.

"Hi, Bea."

"Hey, Dad." I keep my eyes on the road, but I know Tobias is watching me.

"How long until AJ is settled in and the season is over?"

"At least a month," I reply.

"Will Four be okay with staying with AJ for a few weeks?" Dad coughs once, and adds, "Or however long it takes."

"He had better be," I say. "Anyway, realistically, how long will I be gone?"

"Two to three weeks," he admits.

"Okay," I answer. "I'll make it work. I love you, Dad."

"Love you, too, Bea."

Tobias reaches over and takes my hand. "Collegiate or Ramaz?"

"Collegiate," I say. "And we have his interview there tomorrow."

"It's one am," Tobias complains. "And I'm sick, remember?"

"Liar." I pat his knee. "I'm going to check your leg after we get AJ in bed, okay?"

"Sounds good."

* * *

"Tobias, why don't you ever wear underwear?" I ask, grinning as I unwrap the bandages.

He shrugs. "I was lazy?"

I pull his face down to mine for a quick kiss. "What if AJ were to pants you in public?"

"That would be really embarrassing," he admits.

I peer at his stitches. "They look great," I tell him. "Did you take your antibiotics this morning?"

Tobias raises an eyebrow. "Of course."

I pull his shirt off, too. "Get in bed, babe."

Tobias pulls a clean pair of boxers out of the drawer and falls into our bed. I chuckle and brush my teeth before joining him.

* * *

"Fuck," I hear. I sit up slowly, rubbing my eyes. "Oh. Sorry, Tris. You can go back to sleep." He kisses my head. "It's eight. We don't need to leave yet."

I yawn and hug him. "Is AJ up?"

"Yes," he replies. "But seriously, you're tired. Get some sleep."

I give him a look. "What…? Are you planning something?"

Tobias sits on the bed and kisses me. "No, I just want you to be well-rested for today. Sleep until eight thirty and then I'll come wake you up and we can shower.

I turn over and close my eyes again. "Okay."

He runs a hand gently across my body before standing again and leaving the room. "I love you," he mutters.

I mumble something back and then fall back asleep.

I wake the the feel of being undressed. I jump and lash out at my "attacker", who turns out to be Tobias. "What the - sorry," I mumble, kissing his cheek and rubbing a hand over where I punched him.

"Ouch," he grumbles.

"You scared me," I explain, smiling sheepishly. I pull his shirt off, and he goes for my shorts.

"So you punched me?" He takes my bra off next.

"Well, I - it was self-defense," I argue feebly, pulling his boxers off.

We step into the shower. He smiles and leans in, tilting his head to the left like he knows I like. I tilt mine to the left, too. His lips brush against mine, and he grins, pulling me closer to him.

"Nothing dirty," I murmur. "AJ is awake."

"He's with Susan," Tobias replies, kissing along my neck now. "She came over about ten minutes ago. Her interview is right after ours."

I hold his head in my hands and begin to kiss along his neck. "Well okay then," I reply.

He grins and pushes me up against the wall. My hand between us stops him as I flip up around, grinning back.

* * *

Tobias runs a hand through his hair one last time in his suit and tie. I shake my head and take a comb out of the drawer. "Kneel," I order.

"Tris -"

"Kneel." He obeys, and I part his hair, combing it neatly.

He wrinkles his nose. "It looks so…boring."

"It looks professional," I correct. "Unless you'd rather me buzz it?"

He runs a hand through his hair again. "Maybe later."

I sigh and run a hand through his hair, too, fixing it a little. "You can get up now," I say softly, kissing his cheek.

Tobias grabs his crutches and we usher AJ to the car. "Buckle yourself up, bud," I order, hopping in the driver's seat.

"You ready, little man?" Tobias asks, turning around in his seat to look at AJ.

"I guess," AJ replies.

"Then let's do this," Tobias says.

* * *

**Okay, so I'm sure you guys have noticed the Spanish. It will continue, so I'm going to write translations at the bottom. This chapter doesn't have much, but future chapters will have more.**

_No tienes que decirme otra vez _\- You don't have to tell me again.

_AJ, quédate con tus padres _\- AJ, stay(remain) with your parents.


	25. Chapter 25

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey, everyone! Here's an update. I would LOVE some follows/reviews/favorites/whatever. It makes my day a whole lot better when I see that I got a nice review or something, and it makes me want to keep putting stuff out there for you guys.**

**That said, thank you to all the amazing people that leave me wonderful little messages after I update! You guys rock!**

**Thanks and enjoy,**

**Nik.**

_Tobias grabs his crutches and we usher AJ to the car. "Buckle yourself up, bud," I order, hopping in the driver's seat._

_"You ready, little man?" Tobias asks, turning around in his seat to look at AJ._

_"I guess," AJ replies._

_"Then let's do this," Tobias says._

"Hi, Andrew," a receptionist says to AJ, smiling and offering a hand. "How old are you?"

"Five," he replies, clinging to my hand. "And my name is AJ," he adds.

"Well, okay then, AJ," he says. "Are you ready to meet Mr. Levison? He's the principal."

AJ nods and reaches out for Tobias' hand, too. "How old are you?"

Tobias chokes slightly beside me and I nudge his ribs with my free hand. He releases AJ's hand so he can use the crutches better and AJ looks up at the receptionist.

"Bud, that's not a question you should ask people," I say.

"He asked me," AJ points out.

"AJ," Tobias says. "Apologize to Mr. Samuels."

"Sorry," AJ mumbles.

"It's okay, AJ. Well, we're here." He knocks on the door. "Mr. Levison, I have the Eaton-Priors here."

"Thank you, Mark. Send them in, please."

He opens the door and motions for us to go inside. "See you later, AJ."

There are two big chairs and a little one between them. I sit in one of the big ones and AJ sits on my lap. Tobias leans his crutches on the chair and sits, awkwardly propping one leg up on the other.

"Hello, Andrew," Mr. Levison says, offering a hand to AJ. He reluctantly takes it. The principal shakes Tobias' and my hands as well. "My name is Mr. Levison. I take it you want Andrew to be a part of the incoming kindergarten, right?"

I nod. "Yes. He can already do some basic reading and counting, and he's fluent in Spanish."

He nods and opens a file. "Yes, I know, Ms. Prior. I'm more interested in what Andrew can offer to our community."

Tobias leans forward slightly. "AJ, why don't you tell Mr. Levison why you want to go to Collegiate?"

AJ looks at Tobias. "I want to go because Tristan's probably gonna go."

I choke back a laugh. "AJ, why else, buddy?"

"I don't know, because it seems like a cool school?" he guesses.

I chuckle aloud this time. Fortunately, so does Mr. Levison. "Okay, Andrew. Would you rather me call you AJ?"

AJ nods. "My mom only calls me Andrew when she's mad." Tobias shifts again in his chair. I reach over and take his hand. AJ glances up at us and adds, "My dad never really calls me Andrew."

"Okay then, AJ. Why don't you go outside and hang out with Mark while I talk to your parents?"

Mark comes back in and offers AJ a hand. "I have juice boxes," he says.

AJ glances at Tobias, who nods, and then slips out the door with Mark.

* * *

"So how do you think it went?" Tobias asks. AJ is playing on Tobias' phone in the backseat.

I shrug and pull out. "You never really know."

Tobias reaches over and rubs my back. "Tris -"

"I'm fine, Tobias."

At the next light, he leans over and kisses my head. "I know you're stressed about this. It's okay. And don't forget, we have Tristan today, and you have to go to practice." He gives me a light, quick kiss. "I'll watch the boys today."

* * *

I lean on the bullpen fence next to Uriah, who shoves me lightly. I shove him back and he hugs me. "Haven't been seeing much of you recently," he comments.

"Yeah, Four and I've been busy with AJ and my parents." I shake my head. "I'm going up to stay with my dad for a few weeks and do some training with him in September."

Uriah puts an arm around me. "Well, maybe you and Four can have Rob and I over for dinner again."

I chuckle. "Why don't you just ask him out, Uri?"

"I have," he replies. "I just wanna see you guys, and I think that'd be fun."

Tobias limps up to the railing, too, and kisses my head. "The boys are entertained," he says.

"Uri and I were just talking about having him and Rob over for dinner," I comment. "This might be a good time to…you know…tell everyone. We could have a barbeque or something."

Uriah looks at us, frowning suspiciously. "What happened?"

Tobias chuckles and kisses my cheek. "Have fun, love." Then, grinning and shaking his head, he retreats to the bench to sit with the boys.

"Fucking coward," I mutter, turning back to the game.

Max comes to stand next to me. "I'm taking Zeke out after this inning. Put some ice on his shoulder, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

Max shakes his head at me. "How is Four's leg? Will he be playing any time soon?"

I shake my head slowly. "From what I've seen, sir, Four won't be playing anything more than video games for a few more weeks."

Max curses under his breath. "We need him. Damn good pitcher and catcher."

I pat his shoulder. "Next season, sir. Next season."

He walks off, shaking his head.

Uriah grabs my arm. "What the hell happened with you and Four?"

Grinning shyly, I reach into my pocket and give him a glimpse of the ring. Uriah grins and hugs me. "Tris, this is amazing!"

I bite my lip and nod. "Yeah, I guess it is."

"Tris, what's wrong?"

"I just…" I grimace. "I love To-Four. I really do. It's just…something about this really scares me."

"Have you guys talked about it?" Uriah turns to face me more.

I nod. "We're giving me…_time_."

He nods back, turning to face the game once more. "That's good."

"Yeah," I agree.

He doesn't turn to face me, instead keeping his dark eyes focused on the field. "Have you guys talked about _why_ you need time?"

"He could never understand," I reply.

"Why not?"

I frown and look down. "I feel like he wants so much to be loved that he'll commit to me too quickly and then realize he's making a mistake. I don't want AJ and I to be a mistake."

"That doesn't tell me all of why you don't want to do this with him," Uriah reminds me.

I grimace and watch as the first baseman misses a catch that would've gotten an out. "I'm scared he'll leave," I finally say.

"You're practically leaving him," Uri says.

I scowl. "That's not fair, Uriah."

He shrugs. "Maybe you're right."

I sigh. "This may make me think, but I don't think it'll change anything significantly."

"The first step to change is knowledge," he quips.

"I'm going to smack you someday," I threaten, shoving him lightly.

He wraps an arm around me and grins. "Looks like the inning's nearly over. You should get ready to get some ice on Zeke."

I nod and move to where he'll come in as the second baseman gets the third out. "How are you feeling, Zeke?" I ask, fingers already probing his shoulder.

"Just a little sore," he replies. "Nothing serious."

I lead him in to my game treatment room and allow him to unbutton enough of his jersey to expose his shoulder. I slide his wife beater down, too, so I can feel his shoulder better. "Where was it sore during the game?"

He points to the place where his bicep attaches to the ligament. "And only a little," he adds.

I shake my head. "You tough guys," I scold. "Anyway, I'm just going to put some ice on your shoulder for now, but I want to start heating it before games and practices and icing it afterwards."

He nods. "Can I go watch the game?"

"Hang on," I say. I help get his jersey back up and then I tape a bag of ice on. "You're good to go," I tell him. "Tell me if anything hurts worse."

"Will do," he replies, but he doesn't move yet.

"What's up?" I ask, putting the tape away.

"What were you telling Uri?" he asks.

"C'mon, Zeke. Don't you pay attention to the _game_?" I ask.

He nods. "Of course. But I noticed. And you two looked serious."

"Four and I are…" I swallow. "We're engaged. I'm…getting adjusted. That's it." I pull him off the table and give him a slight push.

"I get the message," he says, grinning. "But first, I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted when you and Four had your, um, first engagement try. I was awful to you."

I hug him. "It's fine, Zeke. I get it. Now go."

He grins sheepishly and shifts the ice pack, leaving. "See you, Tris." The door swings shut and I log Zeke's visit in.

The door swings open again. "Do you need something else, Zeke?" I ask.

Someone starts gently kissing my neck. "I love you, Tris."

I cup Tobias' head in a hand. "You scared me for a second there, Tobes."

I feel his laughter rumble through his lips to my neck. "Sorry. Just saw Zeke coming out and thought I'd say hi."

I nod and sit back on the table. He comes to stand between my legs. "Tobias…do you ever think about what you would do if you weren't, you know, a baseball player?"

He shrugs and kisses the end of my nose. "Not really. What do you want to do?"

I chew on my lip. "I've been thinking about becoming a doctor."

Tobias stares at me for a few seconds. "That sounds amazing, Tris, but…you've never mentioned that before today. I knew you like treating people, but…wow."

I look down. "So you don't like the idea?"

"No!" He takes my hands. "I _love_ the idea. I just was surprised."

I chew on my lip again. "I'd have to study and apply to some med schools," I say. "It might be best to wait until AJ's settled in and we're sure you won't be traded or anything."

He presses his lips to mine softly and pushes me back into the plaster wall, climbing up onto the bench with me. "Whatever you think is best," he says, pulling me up onto his lap to straddle him.

I meet his perfectly blue eyes and nod, dropping my head to his shoulder. "I'm tired," I say.

"Me too," he replies. "But we have to keep going. C'mon, Tris, get up. Let's go."

I sigh and stand. "I have to finish logging Zeke's visit in, Tobes."

He nods and stand behind me, arms wrapped around me, as I finish putting the information in. I then throw my jacket back on and return to the field, where Uri and the infielders are just coming in.

I peek over at the boys and kiss AJ's head. Tobias sits with them and begins to tell them some sort of story. I kiss his cheek and walk up to the railing with Uri, who watches the game with rapt attention.

"Can I text Rob to come over to your place after the game?"

I shake my head. "Not tonight. I think we're going to have a family night before we go to bed."

Uri nods and gives me a hug. "Are you going to try to talk to him?" he whispers.

I shrug. "We'll see."

* * *

Tobias grabs my wrist gently before I go through our door. "Do we need to talk tonight?"

I meet his eyes, my own widening. "W-what?"

"I saw you and Uri talking. It seemed important. So, I thought we might need to talk," he replies, kissing my cheek. "I'm not mad."

I let out a breath. "Yeah, we probably should." I pinch his hip slightly as he walks through and then I follow and lock the door.

He takes my left hand and kisses my ring. "I love you," he says, almost like he's reminding me.

I nod. "I know." I smile wryly and kiss his cheek, just brushing his lips. "I love you, too."

"I know," he replies, pushing me against the door and kissing me firmly.

I chuckle lightly and slip from his grasp. "I'm going to go get the boys ready for bed. Why don't you make popcorn and get out some fruit?"

Tobias nods and kisses my cheek, limping past me.

I run up the stairs and grab the boys, throwing one over each shoulder. "C'mon, boys. Let's get ready for bed and then we can watch a movie."

AJ hugs me. "I love you, Mom."

"Love you, too, bud," I reply, setting him and Tristan on the bed. "Put your pajamas on."

Tristan grins and pulls out his Yankees pajamas. AJ laughs and pulls out his Mets ones, and they both put them on. I then open the door to the bathroom and watch to make sure they brush properly.

Then I take them downstairs and we settle in to watch the movie. Well, part of it. We're putting the boys to bed in about fifteen minutes and then we're going to watch our own movie.

* * *

Tobias collapses, half-on me, half-off. He presses a lazy kiss to my cheek and his hands slide up my bare sides. "So you still want to talk, right?"

I chuckle. "You're so much calmer and more agreeable after sex."

"Mmhmm," he agrees, tracing patterns on my shoulder and just generally cuddling with me.

I rub his back. "I just wanted to…talk _to_ you. At you, I guess. I just need you to listen, okay?"

He nods and puts his chin on my chest, looking at me seriously. "Okay."

I smile slightly. "Thank you, Tobias."

He presses a kiss to my shoulder and flips us over. I chuckle and he says, "Well? I'm an impatient person, Tris."

I laugh again and kiss him. "I want this to come naturally, Tobias."

"The wedding or what you're going to say?" he asks.

"Both," I say. "Tobias, I just…I feel like you're going to think what I'm going to say is stupid."

He shakes his head vehemently. "Nothing you say is stupid, except that I would ever think anything you say is stupid."

I roll my eyes slightly and push his dark hair out of his face. He pushes a blonde lock behind my ear in response. "I'm kind of scared you'll…leave," I whisper. "I know it's dumb. You've never done anything to make me think -"

"Tris, it's not dumb, but I would still never leave you _or_ AJ," he says, kissing me.

"And I guess I'm more worried that AJ and I are a mistake."

Tobias raises an eyebrow. "Tris, you are quite possibly the only thing I've ever done right in my life. I am so, so lucky to have you."

I sigh and tuck my head into his shoulder.

He rubs my back. "I'm going to put boxers on," he murmurs, "and grab you a shirt and some shorts, in case Tristan comes in."

I scoot off of him and he does so, then pulling the shirt over my head and the shorts up my hips. He pulls on his boxers and slides back into bed with me, kissing me again as he slides my shirt up, but not off.

I chuckle and he pulls away, but only barely. I chuckle again. "It makes the whole idea of clothes kind of redundant if you just keep taking them off."

He shrugs and kisses my neck a few times before just hugging me to him. "I love you," he says.

I nod and then laugh slightly.

"What?" he asks, lifting his head.

"It's just…some girls complain that their guys don't tell them they love them enough." I chuckle again. "We've never had that problem."

He tilts his head. "I guess I figure if I don't tell you exactly how I feel, I might not get the chance."

I climb onto his chest. "You're so sweet, Tobias," I say. "I don't know why you don't show very many people that."

He shrugs. "Habit." Then he pulls me down to spoon with him and kisses the back of my head. "Let's get some sleep, my love."

I sigh and cuddle closer to him, and then I allow myself to fall asleep in the arms of my love.


	26. Chapter 26 (First Baby Pt One)

_**I don't own**_** Divergent_._**

**Hey, everyone. So I've been trying to update since like Tuesday, but FanFic was having a problem with the Doc Manager? IDK. Anyway, this might be the last update for a little while because I haven't really been able to write for a while due to some family issues. I'll do my best, but just be patient, please, guys.**

**Have a good day and I hope you enjoy.**

**\- Nik**

* * *

Tobias fiddles with my ringed finger. "So..." he starts, glancing up at me. "We've been married about two years now."

"Mmhm," I agree, turning a page in my book.

"Can you put that down?" he asks.

I set it down and raise my eyebrows. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

Tobias clears his throat. "Yeah. It's just..." He looks down. "I want to have a baby with you," he finally murmurs.

"What about AJ?" I say.

Tobias chews on his lip. "I love AJ. I really do. But I still want more kids."

"You mean..._your_ kids," I infer, patting his knee.

"Yeah, kind of," he admits. "It's not that AJ isn't my son. He is, in every way that matters. Only...I want more kids. I guess...kids with my DNA."

I rub his knee. "I understand." I lean up and kiss him. "Why now, specifically?"

He shrugs. "It just seems like a good time. My baseball is going pretty well, and you're settled into helping your dad and Caleb run the Divergents from New York, and AJ is doing great at Collegiate. It just...seems like the right time."

I kiss him again, this time allowing my lips to linger a little. "Okay. Let's get pregnant, baby."

Tobias grins. "I love you." He pushes the book off the bed and climbs over me. "Can we start now?"

I chuckle. "Is AJ asleep?"

Tobias nods. "I checked on him before I came in here."

I capture his lips in a deep kiss. "Okay then," I mumble.

* * *

Tobias sits next to me against the wall of the bathroom as we wait for the stick to develop. This is the fourth stick this week. He frowns as we wait. "What does that mean?" he asks, pointing at the stick and frowning.

I pick it up and grin. "Congratulations, baby daddy."

He grins and stands, picking me up. "I love you." He kisses me. "I love you," he repeats.

"I think we should make a doctor appointment." I frown. "And call my parents, Susan, Chris...everyone." I nod. "I can get all of AJ's baby stuff - well, whatever hasn't been given away - from my parents."

Tobias kisses me again. "Not yet." He grins mischievously. "Right now, I plan on making love to the one I love. The one that's carrying my baby." He picks me up and carries me to our bed. "How does that sound?" he asks, beginning to kiss my neck.

"I suppose I can wait," I reply, wrapping my legs around his waist.

"Hey Mom, Dad," I say, already grinning at them through Skype. Tobias sits next to me, grinning, too. "We have news."

I grin at Tobias, who nods, and we say, "We're pregnant."

My dad's eyebrows shoot into the air. "Wow...that's...news."

My mom grins. "Congratulations." She raises an eyebrow. "I assume you want me to pack up all of AJ's old stuff and send it to you."

I nod sheepishly. "But we did just want to tell you guys."

My dad is still frozen, eyebrows raised. "Another baby," he mutters.

Tobias grins. "Another baby."

"Have you two told AJ yet?"

"Not yet," we admit.

"Then get off FaceTime and tell him!"

"He's asleep."

"Okay, a bit later." Mom grins again. "I just can't believe it."

"Neither can I," I murmur.

"Neither can I," dad says. He shakes his head. "Two grandkids, and I'm only forty-eight years old."

"One grandkid," I correct. "This one hasn't popped out yet."

Tobias rubs my belly with one hand. "What was it like?" Realizing no one knows what he's saying, he adds, "With the first pregnancy."

Dad laughs. "This is Bea's second pregnancy."

Tobias scowls. "Yeah, but it's my first one. I mean, it's not like I'm carrying the baby, but I want to know what to expect."

Dad chews his lip. "Nerve-wracking, to be honest. With Caleb - hell, even with Bea - I was a young dad, like you two, sort of. Every moment, I worried I was going to screw something up and Nat was going to lose the baby or, worse, I would lose her. However, once it's there, it'll get progressively easier, especially because you two already have a kid."

"Yeah, a eight-year-old kid," Tobias retorts. "And I've only known him since he was four."

"I've known him since before he was born," I reply. I pat Tobias' cheek. "Don't worry. I'll help you out. This is my second baby, remember?"

"How could I forget?" he mumbles, earning a pinch on the inside of the thigh from me.

"Well, Mom, Dad, it was great to talk to you," I say, smiling at the camera in the computer.

"You, too, Bea. Good luck with the baby. We love you!" Mom replies, waving.

"Love you, too," we chorus. "Talk to you soon."

Tobias ends the call. "Anyone else you have a burning need to tell now?"

I shake my head. "But I think a few more pregnancy tests might be a good thing. Why don't you go pick a few up?"

Tobias nods and kisses me. "I'll be back soon, m'lady."

"Thanks, baby." I hug him. "Boy or girl?"

"Girl," he replies, a hopeful look on his face.

I smile and pat his butt as he stands. "I think it's a boy."

"Why?"

"Let's call it mother's intuition." I stand, too, and kiss him. "Be back soon, love."

* * *

"I want them to develop," Tobias growls, stalking back and forth in the bathroom.

"Patience, baby," I say, tracing a pattern on the tile. "Come sit."

"I want to see," he complains.

"Then sit next to me and wait," I snap.

Tobias' gaze snaps over to me and he bites his lip. "Sorry." He plops next to me, nearly wriggling with anticipation. "Are -"

"Ask me any form of 'are they ready yet?' and I'll castrate you." I shrug. "On second thought, I just won't tell you the results."

He slowly closes his mouth and looks over at the sticks himself. "I think that one's ready," he finally says.

I pick it up. "Positive."

"This one?" he hands me the next one.

"Also positive."

Tobias grins as he hands me the next one. "This one?"

"Positive." I climb into his lap and hug him. "We're really, actually having another baby."

He smiles and cups my currently-flat belly with one of his hands. "I'm going to be a good dad," he says, looking straight at my belly.

"You already are," I tell him, kissing his head.

* * *

"AJ!" Tobias yells. "Breakfast!" He runs down the stairs into the kitchen, where he kisses my cheek. "Morning, love."

"Good morning," I reply. I hug him, and he wraps his arms around my waist. "How are you after last night?"

"Couldn't be better," Tobias answers, pulling away and beginning to set the table.

"Don't forget, you have training today," I tell him, bringing some fruit over to the table. I poke my head out of the kitchen. "AJ! TRISTAN! If you two don't get your butts down here in the next minute, you won't be able to sit on them at all today!"

They emerge from AJ's room and jump down the stairs two at a time. "Morning," AJ says. "What's for breakfast?"

"Eggs, toast, and fruit." I fix his shirt collar and check Tristan's clothes. As usual, everything about Tristan is pristine. AJ, on the other hand, has a mud stain on his left pant leg, messy hair, and a previously messed-up collar. I sigh. "AJ, you need a haircut." I look pointedly at his khakis. "And a new pair of pants."

"My other ones got ripped," he complains.

"Then put on a pair of jeans." I push him towards his bedroom. "And clean underwear, please." I smile at Tristan. "Come have breakfast, bud."

Tristan nods and walks into the kitchen, serving himself and starting to eat. "Morning, Four," he mumbles.

"You boys tired?" Tobias asks as AJ comes back into the kitchen, yawning (thankfully now in a pair of un-stained, un-ripped pants).

AJ nods.

"We told you to go to bed at seven thirty," I tell them. "When did you boys fall asleep?"

"Like eight thirty," Tristan replies.

"Boys," Tobias says, "you should have listened. AJ, you're going to bed early tonight."

"Get some breakfast, Aje." I pour Tobias a glass of orange juice and set his plate on the table.

"Why did you give Dad a plate?" AJ complains.

I kiss AJ's head. "Because he's my husband and is nearly incapable on his own." I chuckle. "You, however, are quite young and I expect you to be capable."

"Hey!" Tobias complains, mouth already full of eggs. "I'm not incapable!"

I kiss his head. "Just a bit." I fix myself a plate, too. "Tristan, you want OJ or milk?"

"Milk, please."

"I want OJ," AJ says.

"You're getting milk," I tell him, pouring two glasses of almond milk. "It's good for you." I set glasses in front of them and begin to eat off my plate, watching my boys at the table while leaning against the kitchen counter.

After breakfast, the boys do the dishes. Tobias heads up to put his workout clothes on and I oversee the dishwashing.

"Hey, AJ, buddy," I start. "You dad and I need to talk with you for a bit."

AJ nods. "Um, Tristan, will you, um, go get our bags?"

Tristan leaves and Tobias returns, freshly shaven. "Ready to talk?" Tobias asks, standing next to me and putting a hand on my belly.

AJ crosses his arms. "What's going on?"

I grin and hug my little one. "You're going to have a little brother or sister."

AJ scowls. "Why?"

"I'm pregnant, AJ."

He continues to frown. "No, I meant why are you having another kid? I don't want a sibling."

I smile fondly at him. "Well, your dad and I wanted more kids, and now was just a good time. We agreed."

AJ looks down. "Whatever." He turns. "Are Tristan and I taking the bus to school?"

"Yeah, go get ready," I say, smoothing his hair for a second. "See you after school, bud."

After AJ leaves, Tobias grabs my hand. "Why is he mad?" he asks.

I stroke his face. "It's normal, Tobias. He's just a little jealous."

Tobias kisses me. "Are you coming with me to training?"

"Of course. Max told me to be there." I pinch his thigh. "For all the players, not just you." I chuckle. "You're spoiled."

"Bye, Four. Bye, Tris. See you later," Tristan says.

"Have a good day at school," Tobias says.

"Not possible," AJ mutters, slamming the door.

* * *

"Hey, Susan," I say.

"How're you guys doing?" she asks. "How's Tristan?"

"Good, good. Four and I are pregnant, though," I say.

"Oh my god!" She laughs. "That's great. Congratulations. How did AJ take it?"

"Not too well," I reply. "I think he'll get over it, though."

"Well, I have to run, and I imagine you do, too, but congrats again!" Susan says.

"Thanks. Good luck!" I reply and hang up.

"Who's next on the list?" Tobias asks, tapping his foot impatiently while waiting for the light to change.

"Zeke." I dial Zeke's number and give the phone to Tobias.

"Hey, man," Tobias says, voice adorably deep.

"Hey. You coming to training?"

"Of course." Tobias clears his throat. "Just, um, I - Tris and I are pregnant."

"That's amazing, man." Zeke coughs. "I'm really excited for you guys."

"Thanks, man." Tobias clears his throat again. "See you soon, man."

I reach over and rub the inside of his thigh lightly as he ends the call. "I'm going to call Uri now," I tell him, leaning over and giving him a kiss. I take the phone back and call my - well, our - friend. "Hey, Uri."

"What's hangin', Tris?" he teases.

"Tobias and I are pregnant," I exclaim.

"That's wonderful, Tris." He chuckles. "You're making me think Rob and I should look at adoption!"

I grin at Tobias. "Maybe you should. Four and I can't be the only ones with kids around the Yankees."

"Maybe we will!" Rob yells.

"Shut up!" Uriah exclaims. "She's not supposed to know you were listening."

"I do now," I say. "And so does Four." I chuckle. "Well, how _are_ you guys? Enjoying the married life?"

"Yup," Rob says. "Anyway, bitch -"

"Douchebag," I reply.

"- congratulations," he continues. "Are you coming to practice today?"

"Yep, and then I have school," I reply.

"Yeah, how _is_ med school?" he asks.

I chew on my lip. "Hard," I decide. "Hard, but definitely what I want to be doing."

"Are you bone-tired yet?" Rob adds, plopping down on what sounds to be Uriah's lap, due to the _oof_ I hear.

I shrug and take my husband's hand. "It's okay. Anyway, Rob, I have to go - we're almost at the field. Tell Uri he needs to hurry up if he doesn't want to be late for practice."

"I heard that," Uri mutters.

"Then do it," I retort. "See you guys later."


	27. Chapter 27 (first baby pt 2)

_**I don't own**_** Divergent_._**

**Hey, everyone. Sorry for the long wait, though I think most of you read the reason? Anyway, I just wanted to thank you wall for the support I've gotten. It's made this easier. Love all you you!**

**Enjoy!**

_I shrug and take my husband's hand. "It's okay. Anyway, Rob, I have to go - we're almost at the field. Tell Uri he needs to hurry up if he doesn't want to be late for practice."_

_"__I heard that," Uri mutters._

_"__Then do it," I retort. "See you guys later."_

Tobias fidgets with my fingers as we walk towards the dugout for practice. He picks his catcher's mask up. "Can you stretch me?" he asks.

"Sure thing, babe," I answer, pulling him onto the field and beginning the basic stretches.

"So what do you think's going on with AJ?" he asks, wincing a bit when I pull at a sore muscle.

My fingers feel out the spot I pull. "Nothing to worry about. Does this hurt?"

"No. I think I just pulled it a little bit weirdly in yesterday's game." He lifts his arm for me to stretch. "But what's he _thinking_? I don't understand."

I pause momentarily and look at the bleachers. "He's used to being the star, Tobias. He knows what happens when another kid comes along. Look at what happened with Hayden, Tristan and Nick."

Tobias sighs and nods. "You're right."

"But that won't happen," I assure Tobias. "I -"

"Um, excuse me, Prior -"

"Eaton," I correct, glancing up at the voice before going back to stretching Tobias. "What can I do for you?" It's the newest rookie, Perry something-or-other.

"Well, if you're almost done playing with your boytoy -" he starts.

"Husband," Tobias cuts in," and unless you want to become ball-less in the next hour, I recommend you think twice before you finish that sentence."

I shove him slightly, grinning and finishing his stretches.

"Um, I need you to look at my shoulder," he replies, looking down.

"Sure thing, Rookie Boy," I reply. "I'll take you to my room. Four, I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Love you," he says. "Oh, and I need that flash drive from you. I'll just take a lap and then run in and grab it, okay?"

What flash drive?

"Okay," I agree, waving. "C'mon, Rookie."

"Why do you all call me Rookie?" he complains.

"'Cause you're the Rookie," I reply. "We even called Uri 'Rookie' for a year after he was done being a rookie."

He huffs and sits on the table. "It's stupid."

"Learn to live with it." I eye him from the corner of my eye as I prepare. "So what's bothering you?"

"Hurts," he replies, looking around.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," I say. "Specifically what? What do you have to do to make it hurt?"

"Lift it, mostly," he states, shifting on the leather-padded table.

"Okay. It doesn't sound bad to me. I'm just going to get you started with some heat, and then after practice we'll ice and I'll show you some exercises. Sound good?" I begin getting out the necessary equipment.

"Yup." He runs his other hand through shaggy blonde hair and looks to the ground.

I strap the heating pad to his shoulder. "Just sit tight while I log you in." I sit in front of my computer, mostly paying attention to him. Why did Tobias act so weirdly earlier?

The Rookie watches me, as he thinks I don't see him, and then licks his lips and reaches his hand - oh, gross. That's just disgusting. I don't want him on my table!

I pull out my phone and text Tobias to hurry with whatever he's doing, and a minute or so later, he comes through the door and sees probably exactly what I nearly saw.

Tobias chokes. "Rookie, keep it in your pants!" he exclaims. "And that's nasty, doing it in a public place and around my wife. Go on. Git."

"But my heating -"

"You can keep it," I tell him.

"Go on, Rookie," Tobias says, glaring at him.

He sighs and leaves the room.

I cringe. "That was beyond disgusting."

Tobias kisses my cheek. "Sorry I -"

"No, you were great," I say, cutting him off. "Thanks for coming."

He hugs me and then leans down and kisses my stomach. "Hi, baby," he whispers. "I don't think you can hear me yet, but I'm your daddy. I can't wait for you to come out so I can be a dad to you." He kisses my stomach. "Love you, baby."

I smile and thread my fingers into his hair. "That makes two of us," I reply, kissing him. "C'mon, you have to get to practice and I have to let Max know that Rooks came to me with his shoulder thing."

Tobias makes a face. "Yuck."

I chuckle humorlessly. "Yuck, indeed."

* * *

When I get home, Tobias is in the living room, cleaning up a little. "Hey," I say, leaning against the doorframe.

"Hey, love," he replies. "How was school?"

"Pretty good. How was the game?"

"We won," he replies.

I hug him. "That's great. Is AJ here yet? Have you had dinner?"

"I offered him dinner, but he went right to his room and locked the door." Tobias shrugs. "So I ate and cleaned. I figure he'll come down if he's hungry."

I sigh and go fix a plate. Then I walk up to AJ's room and knock on the door. "Hey, Aje."

"What?"

"Andrew, open your door." I shift to one of my hips as my son opens the door. "Drop the attitude," I order. "_¿Quieres tu cena?_"

"_No quiero comer,_" he replies, scowling and moving aside to let me in.

I put the food on his desk, which has his homework spread over it. "_¿Por qué no?_"

"_Porque no quiero tener un hermano o hermana menor,_" he says, sitting on his bed and crossing his arms.

"_No puedes decidir eso, AJ,_" I remind him. "_El bebé va a nacer. Tú vas a tener un hermano o hermana menor, aunque no lo quieras._"

He shakes his head. "Why? I don't want you guys to forget me, like with Tristan and Nick."

I kiss his head. "Baby, your father and I would _never_ forget you." I point to the food. "Eat up and then get ready for bed. You only have like an hour before lights-out."

He sighs and nods. "Will you come and say goodnight?" he asks.

"Of course, baby." I give him a smile and glance around his slightly messy blue room. "I'm going to eat, talk with your dad for a bit, and do a little bit of work, and then I'll be back up here to tuck you in."

He nods, blonde hair covering his eyes, and chews on his lip. "Mom…who's my dad?"

I freeze for a second. "You dad is your dad," I reply. "What do you mean?"

"I mean my real dad," he says. "I know Dad adopted me."

I take a deep breath and turn to face him. "Tobias Eaton is your father," I say.

"All I want is a name, Mom," he begs.

I run a hand through his hair. "Tobias is your real dad, AJ." Then I turn and leave, frowning.

I knew this day would come, but I thought…well, I _hoped_ it wouldn't come for a while. I hop down the stairs covered in a dark red runner and then plop onto the couch.

"What's wrong?" Tobias asks immediately, kissing my cheek. "Is AJ still upset?"

I look at him, deciding whether or not to tell him. "AJ asked about Peter," I reply. "I mean, not specifically about Peter, but about who…sired him."

Tobias jerks back as though I've slapped him. "But -"

"I told him that you're his father, Tobias," I reply, rubbing my temples. "I didn't think he'd be asking so soon," I murmur.

Tobias breathes deeply. "Are you going to tell him anything?"

"I don't think _we_ should say anything yet," I answer. "He's not old enough to understand and, even if he were, it's not a good time."

Tobias nods and covers my hand with his. I'm sure his fingertips overlap over mine onto the corduroy couch. "Do you want me to fix you some dinner?" he says after a few minutes. "Then you can start reading."

I smile and kiss him. "That would be wonderful, my love." I pull out a book and my notebook and begin to read, studying up for the cadaver dissection we're doing tomorrow.

Soon I feel something warm pressing against my knee, and I glance up. Tobias hands me a plate. "Thanks," I murmur, taking the fork, too, and going back to my reading.

"What are you reading about?"

"What?" I glance up, fork midway to my mouth.

"I asked what you're reading about," he repeats, blinking and frowning just slightly.

"Oh, sorry. We have a cadaver dissection tomorrow, and I'm just doing a little bit of pre-reading. It's pretty complicated stuff," I answer, putting the bite of chicken in my mouth and returning to my textbook.

"I'm not dumb," he mutters.

"I know," I reply. "I'm sorry, Tobes. If I had more time, I'd explain it. But I have a lot of stuff to do tonight, and I want to spend some real time with you." I rub the inside of his thigh quickly and turn my attention to the book.

* * *

I put my dish in the sink and walk up to AJ's room again to tuck him in. "Hey, bud," I call, standing just outside his door. "Are you ready for bed?"

"Yeah," he replies.

I step in and he's in bed. I chuckle. "Thanks, Aje. Did you finish your homework?"

He nods and opens his arms. "Tuck me in," he begs.

I sit on his bed and give him a hug. "Which song do you want tonight?" I ask, referring to how, when AJ first started at Collegiate, Tobias and I would sing some campfire songs to him to put him to sleep.

"The River Jordan one," he says. "With the milk."

I chuckle. "'Michael Row the Boat Ashore'?" I ask. AJ nods, so I begin to sing.

By the time the song is over, AJ is asleep, so I kiss his head, turn out the light, and take his plate to the kitchen, loading the dishwasher while I'm in there.

Tobias hands me my book wordlessly when I sit back down on the couch.

"I'm done for tonight," I reply, putting it back in the bag. "C'mon, let's go upstairs."

Tobias shakes his head. "You go. I want to watch the rest of this fight."

My eyes widen and I set my bag down. "Tobias, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Tris," he says, but in _that_ tone.

"Tobias Eaton, do you think I'm stupid? Jesus Christ. Just tell me what's going on." I climb onto his lap.

"Nothing. Just go do your reading or study or do whatever. I don't care." He turn his head.

I sit back slightly, but I don't get off. "So that's what this is about? Do you feel like I'm not paying enough attention to you?"

He scowls just slightly and I know I'm right. "Just go."

I grab his head slightly so he can't turn away and then I kiss him. "No."

"Go."

"No." I kiss him again and then another time until he begins to kiss back, just slightly. "That's better. I'm sorry you feel…well, unloved, I guess. I should be more attentive to you. It's just…I'm always so busy and stressed and I guess I've been putting myself and AJ in front of you. I'm sorry."

He smiles slightly and kisses my cheek. "It's fine. I guess I'm overreacting. And you _should _put yourself before me."

I grin wryly. "But not AJ?"

He hesitates. "I…hate to say it, but if I had to choose between you and AJ, I would have to choose you, Tris."

I shake my head. "You'll never have to make that choice, Tobias."

"Let's hope not," he says. Then he presses his firm lips to mine. "Will you watch some TV with me?"

"Do you mind if I read and cuddle with you?" I reply. "I guess I do have a little more reading," I admit, taking his hand.

"Go ahead," Tobias replies. He presses a kiss to my temple. "Sorry again."

"Tobias," I say in a warning tone. "You didn't do anything. We're good, okay?" I stand, get one of my books and a pencil, and sit next to him, close enough that my back is partially against my chest and one of his arms wraps around my shoulders. Then I begin to read again.

* * *

"Hey, Tris," Tobias says.

"Huh?" I look up.

"The show is over. Do you want to go upstairs?" he asks.

I nod and gather my stuff. Then Tobias grins at me, blue, blue eyes twinkling, and lifts me up. I squeak as he carries me up the stairs. "Tobias!" I say sternly, but then I giggle.

He smiles innocently. "I have to keep you on your toes," he teases.

"As if AJ doesn't," I mutter. Then I laugh again as Tobias drops me on the bed. The quilt Tobias has - the faded blue one he's had since I met him - begins to warm me and I smile up at Tobias. "Tobes, who made the quilt?"

He freezes for a second, and then replies, "Evelyn." He chews on his lip. "She made it for me right before she left."

I stroke his cheek. "Sorry."

"It's fine." He plops down on the bed and sits against the headboard. "Are you done with your reading?"

I hesitate. "I -"

"Finish it, Tris." He hands me my bag. "Go on."

I smile and kiss his hand. "Okay."

* * *

**Spanish Translation:**

**¿Quieres tu cena? -** Do you want your dinner?

**No quiero comer._ \- _**I don't want to eat.

**¿Por qué no? - **Why not?

**Porque no quiero tener un hermano o hermana menor. - **Because I don't want to have a little brother or sister.

**No puedes decidir eso, AJ. El bebé va a nacer. Tú vas a tener un hermano o hermana menor, aunque no lo quieras. - **You can't decide this, AJ. The baby is going to be born. You're going to have a little brother or sister, although you don't want one/it.


	28. Chapter 28 (first baby pt 3)

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey loyal readers! So sorry for not updating in so long, it's been really hectic. I wrote this chapter a while ago and never got to putting it up until now. I think this is one of the last chapters in MMLM, but I'm working on a few new things I think you'll like. Super sorry about the lack of updates. Also, there is translation for the Spanish at the bottom of every chapter that uses it. Enjoy!**

_He freezes for a second, and then replies, "Evelyn." He chews on his lip. "She made it for me right before she left."_

_I stroke his cheek. "Sorry."_

_"It's fine." He plops down on the bed and sits against the headboard. "Are you done with your reading?"_

_I hesitate. "I -"_

_"Finish it, Tris." He hands me my bag. "Go on."_

_I smile and kiss his hand. "Okay."_

Tobias squats behind the batter and flashes a two to Zeke, signaling a fastball. Zeke nods and winds up. The batter also gets ready and Zeke throws the pitch. The batter swings and misses. A second ball, and it's another strike.

"And a swing and a miss," the commentator says.

The third pitch is also a strike, and Zeke and Tobias share a confident look.

Zeke quickly strikes the next two batters out and the infielders jog in, some patting Zeke on the head or back.

Tobias strips off his gear and throws on his batting helmet, taking his batting gloves and bat from the boy standing with them. "Wish me luck," he grunts to me, giving me a lopsided grin.

I chuckle and push him towards the field. "You don't need it. Warm up your swing."

He nods and goes into the circle with his bat, turning up to the crowd and giving AJ a thumbs-up.

Tobias slams a double into center field and manages to make it a triple with quick thinking. He glances at me with a smug grin and I chuckle, grinning and shaking my head.

Tobias makes it home with an RBI and plops down on the bench behind me. "Come sit," he begs.

"I have to watch the game, Four," I say, but I turn around and give him a slight grin. "Good hit." Then I go back to watching the game.

He sighs and comes to stand next to me. "Playing hard to get, are we?" he murmurs, biting my ear just slightly.

I shove him. "Tobes," I hiss. "Not here." Then I raise an eyebrow. "You get _so_ much more cocky at games."

He shrugs. "Can't help myself."

I shake my head and look back at the game.

* * *

Tobias squats behind the batter once more. Tobias flashes Zeke a two and Zeke throws the pitch. The batter swings and misses, but, because Tobias moved forward to get the pitch, like he normally does, the backswing from the batter hits him in the head. He falls to the ground, pushing his helmet off before falling still.

I grab my kit before running onto the field. Tobias is starting to move again.

"Did he lose consciousness?" I ask the ump.

"I think so," he replies. "While you were running out."

I nod and pull his helmet off the rest of the way. "Four?"

His eyes snap up to mine before wandering away.

I sigh. "Four, is your head okay?"

"Hurts," he mumbles.

I feel the side of his head.

"Ow," he moans.

I take out my flashlight and test his eyes. "Okay," I say. "Let's get him up." I nod to the other trainer and we boost him up, half-carrying him off the field. The trainer helps me get him onto the table in my examination room.

"Do you need any help?" he asks.

I shake my head. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Tris," Tobias moans. "My head hurts."

"I know," I reply. "I'm going to do my best to make you comfortable, babe, and then I'm going to get you home so you can get some rest. I'm going to monitor you tonight, okay?"

He tries to focus on me. "Huh?"

I sigh. "You're concussed, Tobias."

He shrugs. "Nah," he slurs.

I sigh. "Get off the bench."

He stares at me for a second and then obeys, wobbling before falling into me. I support him and walk him to the dugout, where I put a helmet on him and sit him down on a bench. He leans over and pukes a little bit.

"Uri, hold him up," I order. Then I walk up to Max. "Four's concussed," I tell him. "_Badly_ concussed."

"Does he need to be taken away in an ambulance?" he asks.

"No," I reply, "but I need to get him home. Philip can take over."

Max scowls. "Send him to your house with Philip. You leave with him too often."

I take a deep breath. "Okay. You can order Philip to drive him home."

Max turns on his heel and stalks inside. Soon, he and Philip reappear, Philip frowning and nodding.

"Give Philip the keys to your car," Max says.

"I have to get home somehow," I reply. "And I have to get my son home."

Max scowls. "Use your car then, Philip."

Philip glares at me. I shrug.

"Hey, Four?" I call, carrying AJ into the house. "Philip?"

"He's upstairs," Philip says. He holds out his hand and I just look at him. "Aren't you going to pay me for gas?" he asks, pushing back wisps of white hair.

"That's Max's job," I reply, "not mine. And anyway, you're being pretty rude." I start to carry AJ up to his room, where I pull his shoes off and tuck him in. I walk back down the stairs. "Would you like a cup of coffee?" I ask, rubbing my temples.

"Sure." He sits. "Four mumbled some interesting things on the way back from the stadium," he comments.

"What did he say?" I ask immediately.

"You're pregnant?" Philip asks.

I nod slowly. "Anything else?"

"Other than that, it was just mumbo-jumbo," Philip replies, taking his coffee from my outstretched hand.

I nod. "He's definitely concussed."

Philip laughs dryly. "Definitely." He looks around a bit. "He also mentioned med school."

I clear my throat. "I, um, yeah. I'm taking classes at NYU. First year."

Philip raises his eyebrow. "You're taking care of a kid, a husband, and a kid on the way, working, _and_ going to school?" He whistles. "Must be tiring."

I nod. "Speaking of which, I have some work. Sorry to kick you out."

Philip puts his cup in the sink and leaves. I notice he put the key on the counter. "Bye, Philip!" I call. "Thanks."

"No problem," he yells back, closing the door. I walk towards it, locking it behind him and then cleaning up a little before bringing a glass of water upstairs.

I shut the shades in our room and gently wake Tobias.

"Tris?" he says, trying to focus on me. "Tris, is that you?"

I kiss his head and hold the water to his lips. "Yes, Tobias. Drink."

He takes a few sips and then looks up at me. "My head hurts."

"I know. We're going to let you rest for all of tomorrow and until you can walk straight," I reply. "Go back to sleep for now."

He nods and his lips clumsily brush my cheek. "What's today?" he asks.

"That's not important. Go to sleep, Tobias." I kiss his head and walk back down the stairs, turning on a few lights in the family room and curling up on the couch to do some of my reading.

My phone starts buzzing when I'm about halfway done. "Hello?" I say sleepily.

"Hey, Tris," Uri says, and I can hear Rob breathing in the background.

"Hey," I reply, yawning. "What's up?"

"How's Four?"

"Concussed," I reply. "Why?"

"Rob and I are outside your door. Let us in," he explains.

I stand and go look outside the door, where Rob and Uri do indeed stand.

Rob immediately hugs me, and Uri soon does too. "What can we do?" Uri asks.

I yawn. "Nothing, now. I'm just reading. But tomorrow, I could use some help monitoring Four."

Uri nods. "Right now, though?"

"Nothing, Uri. Do you guys want to sleep over?" I crack my neck.

"Gross, and sure." Rob steps around me and plops onto the couch. Uri sits on him, ignoring Rob's muffled squeaks of protest.

I grin slightly to myself. "You two are too cute. I'll put you on the last bedroom on our floor if you promise not to be too loud tonight."

Rob shakes his head. "You should probably put us in the attic, Tris, darling," he says, grinning widely.

I shake my head and lead them up the stairs. "Come on, nerds. Bring your bag or whatever upstairs." I lead the way up the stairs to the attic room, which I open. "I don't get why you always ask to stay up here, Rob," I say, stepping in and looking around the slightly dusty room with exposed boards and beams.

Rob sets a bag on the ground and looks around the room, smiling faintly. "It reminds me of the compound. You don't see it, Bea?"

I take another look. "Maybe some parts," I grumble.

Rob hugs me. "How is that going, anyway?"

I shake my head. "Not important. Insurgents?"

He scowls. "They're sending me to Ohio on a mission in a week."

I pat his back. "I'm sure Tori and George have their reasons, Rob."

"Sometimes I'm not sure," Rob admits. "I know that the reason these groups exist is to make the world better, but sometimes I'm not sure if Tori goes about it the right way. She's really, really obsessed with killing Jeanine."

"Who's Jeanine?" I ask.

"Someone trying to uncover the Insurgents," Rob replies, rubbing his temples. "I'm sure Tori and George just want to handle it without involving your father, but I don't think she should be killed."

I nod. "I'll call Dad tomorrow," I promise. I hug him. "See you tomorrow, Rob. G'night, Uri." I shut the door behind me, bring my stuff up to Tobias' and my room, and collapse onto the bed next to a heavily sleeping Tobias.

* * *

When my alarm goes off next morning, I wake up and turn over, moaning. "Fuck," I mutter, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.

I glance over at Tobias, who's still out like a light. I dress quickly in jean shorts and a Yankees shirt.

I take his pulse and temperature, all without him waking up, and record them. Then I grab my blood pressure meter and take that as well. I tape the piece of paper to the door as I leave, and then I wake Rob and Uri up. "I have to get AJ ready for school and then go to work and school. I'll pop back in here a couple times today, but I need you to do these things for Tobias." I hand Rob a sheet of paper, which he sleepily looks over, nodding.

"Will do," he promises. Then he stands and, running a hand through golden curls, takes a step and then cracks his back loudly. "Ahh," he sighs. "Much better."

I nod and hug Uri, who hugs me back and then pulls a shirt over his head, stretching his arm. He smiles and says, "My car is here, so I'm just going to drive today."

I pull at the muscle he's aiming to stretch. "Sure, whatever works. I'm leaving to drive AJ to school and then go to practice in about a half hour."

Uri picks his green duffel up and ruffles through it. "Okay. What do you guys have in terms of food?"

I chuckle. "I'll make breakfast." I give Rob a hug, too, pressing at a point in his back that makes him squeal. "See you later, Rob. Don't forget about Four."

"AJ!" I call. "C'mon, bud, we're going to be late!"

"_¡Estoy viniendo, Mamá!_" he yells back, running down the stairs.

"_¡Ven más rápido, por favor!_" I open the door. "_Tengo tu almuerzo. ¿Estás listo?_"

"Yeah," he replies. He runs out, pulling a red hoodie on and slinging his backpack over his shoulder. He glances at the railing down the steps and slides down to the sidewalk. "Mom," he complains. "Now you have to hurry."

I chuckle and get into the car with him. "Are you excited for school?"

"I guess," he says. He hesitates. "Mom…I, uh, I'm sorry."

"About what, bud?" I glance behind me as I pull out.

"Um, the baby," he mutters. "I was talking to Uncle Uri, and I…uh…I don't know." He looks down. "Maybe a little brother wouldn't be so bad."

I smile. "I'm glad, AJ." I reach back and ruffle his hair. "Love you, bud."

He smiles at the ground. "Mom," he complains.

I chuckle and turn back around. "When you get home today, I'm gonna need you to be pretty careful and quiet around your dad, okay?"

"Why?"

"He got hit in the head," I reply.

"So?"

I pause and take a turn. "It's kind of like his head got a really bad bruise, but on his brain. We have to be really careful around him and not be too loud. Can you be a super good boy and do that?"

AJ nods. "Sure, Mom."

As I pull up to Collegiate, AJ unbuckles and pulls his backpack on. He leans forward and hugs me from behind. "Bye, Mom," he says, already opening the door. "See you later?"

"I'll be home by the time you get to bed," I answer, blowing him a kiss.

* * *

Max pulls me aside in the beginning of practice. "How long will he be out?"

I hesitate. "It's hard to say this early on, sir. When the effects start clearing up a little more, I'll be able to give you a better timeline."

"What's your preliminary guess?"

I stuff my hands into my pockets. "Two months?"

"Jesus fucking Christ," Max mutters. "He just got hit in the head."

"Sir, if he isn't at one hundred percent when he goes back to playing, one little tap could give him a double concussion or, worse, send him into a coma or kill him." I stare at him solemnly. "Two months is an estimate, but it could easily be more or less."

Max sighs. "When can he be back at the stadium and _not_ playing?"

"That depends, too, sir, but as soon as all of the symptoms except the headaches completely disappear, he should be able to come, as long as he wears a helmet and leaves once he gets a headache," I reply. "Concussions aren't fun. As loopy as he is right now, you probably don't want him here. I'll have him taking the Impact test as soon as I can."

Max nods and rubs his temple. "Take care of him, Prior. I need him here."

I stare at him for a second. With a nod of his head, he turns on his heel, leaving me in the hallway.

I fall onto the couch when I get back, eyes half-lidded and brown messenger bag on the floor beside my head.

Rob plops down on the couch next to me, smiling faintly at me and placing a hand on my knee. "How was your day?"

"Sooooo tiring," I complain, letting my head droop back. "Max tried to argue with me about when Tobias could come back. Then I had a bunch of unhappy players to deal with, especially once they found out Four was going to be out for a while. I guess it's good that it's so early in the season, though."

Rob lets his breath out slowly. "Well, that's good, I guess." He stands and offers me a hand. "Uri and I made dinner, and AJ's in bed. C'mon."

I smile and hug him. "Thanks, Rob." I sigh. I hope it gets easier from here on out.

* * *

Spanish translation:

_¡Estoy viniendo, Mamá!_ \- I'm coming, Mom!

_¡Ven más rápido, por favor!_ \- Come faster, please!

_Tengo tu almuerzo. ¿Estás listo?_ \- I have your lunch. Are you ready?


	29. Chapter 29 (between babies 1 and 2)

_**I don't own **_**Divergent**_**.**_

**Hey everyone! So this update, set between first baby pt 3 and second baby pt 1, is brought to you upon the [rude] request of a [cowardly] guest who reviewed their response. Anyway, it's meant to explain some big jumps that I didn't really explain between the two chapters.**

**However, I would like to mention that, while this time the [rude] review was right, I'm always more inclined to write and post when talked to politely ****(and less angry while doing so)****. **

**Further, I would like to direct all of you to my profile, where I'm coming out (in more ways than one). If any of you are homo- or trans-phobic...well um that sucks? Please educate yourself? I'm really not a scary person? I don't understand why I'm scary?**

**I understand many people on this site are probably either allies or queer themselves. Hey, guys. (One side note [don't read if young or easily offended]: reading slash because you think it's hot doesn't make you an ally - you can be an ally and read slash, but reading slash doesn't make you an ally and personally I think it's a little creepy, but that's beside the point [I think most smut is creepy, but particularly so when straight women are writing/reading slash smut, sorry]). Anyway, thanks for the support.**

**As usual, enjoy!**

* * *

"Hey, Tobias," I say. "Are the boys in bed? How was the game?"

He holds his arms out to embrace me. "They boys have been asleep for about an hour, the game was good, and you are beautiful," he informs me.

I laugh and kiss his cheek. "Thanks, handsome. What's up? Why are you so charming?" I sit next to him on the couch and curl my legs up to my chest, facing him.

"Well, I heard a few players talking today…" He huffs and hands me a pamphlet.

"Foster care," it reads. I look up at Tobias. "Do you want us to become foster parents?"

He nods slowly. "We have the resources and I just think we should give back. We have this great house and happy family and I think we should extend that."

I open the pamphlet and scan the inside. "They want people to foster LGBTQIAPP+ kids," I mention. "I'd like to do that."

Tobias hesitates. "Why?"

I meet his eyes with a firm gaze. "Tobes, queer kids in the system are going to get hell. You should know that. I've seen queer kids that came from the system to my dad and they were usually pretty fucked up."

Tobias takes a deep breath. "Look, I'm open to anything. I agree with the fact that queer kids are going to need more help, which is why I hesitated - do we want to take that on?"

"I think we could definitely take one kid on," I goad slightly.

Tobias nods. "Let's do it, then. Let's become foster parents."

I lay my head back. "It'll have to start after this weekend," I tell him. "I'm flying to Chicago to check up on Caleb and my dad, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Are you taking either boy with you?" Tobias' face is hopeful.

I chuckle. "I'm taking both." I stand and head to the kitchen. Tobias follows. "How many games do you have this week?"

"Three more, counting tomorrow's." He kisses the side of my neck.

I turn and give him a quick kiss before going back to warming myself up some dinner. "Do you need anything in advance?"

He shakes his head and helps me. "I'll be fine for a few days, Tris," he says, laughing lightly.

"Thanks, babe." I kiss his cheek. "Love you."

* * *

"Dad!" I call.

"Papa!" AJ drops his bag and runs for the older man, knocking into him.

I chuckle and pick up his bag, making my way to my dad. "Hey, Dad."

He hugs me and then picks JD up. "Hey, baby girl," he says. "C'mon, boys, let's help your mother out," he says, taking a bag from me.

AJ sighs and takes his bag back from me. "Let's just get to Papa's," he says.

"You and AJ are going to stay with Gramma, and I'm going to stay in the compound with Papa."

AJ sighs. "Okay, Mom."

I kiss his head. "Sorry, Aje. But I have to work with Papa and Uncle Caleb all weekend. I wish I could hang out with you two, but I have some responsibilities. But I think Gramma's going to take you guys to some museums and do some fun things with you."

AJ nods. "I understand." He walks ahead to the car, and Papa and I follow.

* * *

"Bea!" Caleb hugs me. "How are you? I haven't seen you in forever."

I laugh at my brother. "I'm good, how are you?" He's in his classic blue shirt.

"Good! I missed you." He pulls me towards the cafeteria. "Come have some coffee with me and then we can get to work."

"Okay." We walk to the cafeteria, chatting and laughing. Once there, I grab cups of coffee for both of us and we sit at a table. "How's everything going?"

"With the Divergents?" Caleb sips from his coffee. "Eaton is trying to gain power again."

I hum. "Has anything worked?"

"No, and he's trying to get Uncle fired." Caleb frowns. "Something needs to happen."

I swallow. "I think I know what needs to be done. I'll go tomorrow."

"Why not just do away with him?" Caleb asks.

I hesitate. "Well… I guess there are two reasons. One, Eaton really has done some good in parts of the city. Education, and stuff. And two…killing him isn't our right, and it could stir up too much trouble."

Caleb lets air his through his teeth. "Okay."

Dad sits next to Caleb. "What's going on, kids?"

"Bea wants to go talk to Eaton tomorrow," Caleb replies.

Dad frowns. "Is that a good idea?"

I sigh. "Jesus, Dad. It's not like I can't handle him. He's an old man."

Dad raises an eyebrow. "Eaton had Tobias, who's about your age. That means he can't be that much older than me. Am I an old man?"

"Does Eaton train recruits every year and continue to do dangerous missions?" I retort, grinning at my old man. "And yes, you are an old man."

Dad laughs lightly. "If you'll spar with me for the recruits tomorrow, then you can go."

"Dad!" Caleb says. "She has kids! She's my little sister!"

"Hey, whoa," I say, shoving my brother lightly. "I'm neither yours nor little." I shake my head. "Not that I'm sure Tobias would be into this, but I really couldn't give any less fucks."

"_¡Mamá!_"

"That's JD," I say drily, standing up and looking around for my little boy. I see him and a sheepish-looking AJ at the door and walk towards them.

JD races towards me and throws himself into my arms. "_AJ es antipático_," he says.

I kiss his head. "_AJ es su hermano_," I reply. "He loves you."

AJ gives me an impish grin. "Hey, Mom."

I shake my head at him. "What were you doing, you little rascal?" I ruffle his hair. "You know, your brother is not the _only_ form of entertainment out there.

AJ chuckles. "Sorry, Mom." He surveys the room. "Where are the initiates?"

"Papa has them in lunchtime training," Caleb says. He hugs his oldest nephew and ruffles his hair, too. "Hey, buddy." He kisses JD's head, too.

"Uncle Caleb!" AJ grins. "It's great to see you, Uncle Caleb."

"Do my eyes deceive me?" A big, burly man comes up to AJ. "You're AJ, right? Six's kid?"

AJ nods. "Who are you?"

"You fell asleep on your mom's lap in one of my days of training," he says. "I helped create a pen weapon. I doubt you'd remember."

AJ shrugs.

I grin. "Matthew?" I guess. "Geez, I need to keep up with y'all initiates. Where'd you end up placing?"

"Hey, Six." Matthew shrugs. "I tested into Dauntless-Erudite, but I chose Erudite. Little safer, y'know?"

I nod. "Makes sense."

"I do some initiate training, too." He grins shyly. "And I have a little kid of my own, too. She's one."

I nod. "Congrats, Matthew." I nod to JD. "JD's my youngest, but Four and I plan on fostering."

Matthew nods. "That's great. What are you doing here?"

"Meeting with Dad to go over basic Divergent stuff. Maybe testing AJ, too." I look down at my son, currently preoccupied with something else. "I don't know if I hope he tests into the right ones. I want his life to be normal, but if he tests into Dauntless and Abnegation…Dad'll need to start training him soon. This summer, probably."

Matthew looks him over. "He'll be fine."

"I hope."

* * *

Dad helps me strap AJ into the chair. "Don't worry, kiddo," he says. "The straps are just to make sure you don't hurt yourself if you freak out during the simulation," he informs my son. "But don't worry, your mom will be right here. You really needn't worry, AJ."

AJ nods. "I'm fine, Papa. Just…why are we doing this, again?"

Dad sits back on his heels. "Well, AJ…you know that your mom is supposed to take over the Divergents once I get too old, right?" At his nod, Dad continues, "Well, you're supposed to take over after your mom. We need to make sure you're eligible for a leadership position, to see if we need to start training you this summer. By your age, your mom was helping train initiates. We'd simply stick you in with the initiates."

AJ nods slowly. "And if I'm not? If I'm, say, Amity-Candor?"

Dad and I exchange a look. "Then you'll still come train with your Papa," I say, "but you wouldn't take over the Divergents."

AJ nods. "Okay. I'm ready, Papa."

Dad nods, injects AJ with the serum, readies a few more things on the computer and double checks a wire attached to AJ, and then he says, "Okay, Aje. You have one minute before it starts."

AJ smiles at me. "I love you, Mom." Then he stares straight ahead and waits.

I watch my son for a physical response carefully, but he sits still as he navigates what his mind is showing him. Dad watches only the computer screen, but he doesn't look upset, so everything must be okay. Dad continues to watch and AJ continues to sit still until he wakes up, face pale and shiny.

"Are you okay, bud?" I ask.

He nods slowly. "Can you unhook me?"

I begin to work on the straps. "How'd it go?"

"Fine, I think." AJ reaches down to help once I've freed one of his arms. "Papa, how'd it go? Did I pass?"

Dad smiles. "Yes, AJ. You passed."

"What is he?" I ask.

"Same as his mother," he says, chuckling. "Dauntless-Abnegation-Erudite."

AJ smiles and throws himself into my arms as soon as the last strap is off. "When do I get to come train with Papa?"

I meet Dad's eyes. "It might be best for you to just stay for the rest of the summer, bud."

Dad nods. "I'd need to start his training now, if possible. Initiate training has just started, but I don't want him to be too behind. Speaking of which, we have to get to training."

Yesterday, after we talked with Matthew, Dad and I agreed to test AJ before training started today and then send me to Eaton after I sparred with Dad.

I smile at my son. "We're going to go get you a uniform, and I need to grab one too. C'mon, Aje."

He beams at me and follows me to a stockroom. I hand him one in his size and send him into a changing room, stepping into the one next to him.

* * *

"Initiates, this is AJ Prior-Eaton," Dad says. "And I'm sure a few of you have heard of my daughter, Beatrice."

I chuckle and kiss AJ's head. "Join the initiates, AJ."

AJ wipes his head. "Mom!"

I shake my head. "Git." I turn and face Dad, who hands me some sparring equipment. I slide it on and check Dad's straps as he checks mine. Next, he hands me a sparring dagger. AJ's eyes are like saucers when Dad slides his dagger along my suit to check its marking ability (the daggers are coated in a special substance that reacts with the material of the sparring gear). I do the same, and then I give Dad a grin. "Let's see if Pops is still as good as he was."

Dad laughs. "I'm usually able to beat you!"

"You also practice significantly more than me," I point out. "C'mon, old man."

Dad gets into position. I mirror him, and he lunges at me, nearly catching me off guard, but I dart out of the way. I lunge forward and make a shot on his ankle. Next is one aimed at his chest, but simply slices down his arm. He gets a few in on my forearms, but I haven't let him any closer.

"Come on, Bea! Can't you do any better?" Dad grins at me.

I shake my head and fake over his head, going under a second later and making what would be a fatal blow. But, of course, both Dad and I are covered in the little red slashes.

Dad calmly begins to unstrap his gear. "Congratulations, Bea," he says.

"Thanks, Dad." I work on my own straps. "How you feeling, old man?"

Dad finishes his straps, chuckling, and helps me with the last of mine. "I'm fine, baby girl." He hugs me. "It's good to see you, Bea." Dad turns to the initiate. "My daughter has been training like that since she was nine. Today, you'll have AJ with you. He's never been trained -"

"I've showed him a little handfighting," I murmur.

"- and he's only eleven," Dad continues. "I'd like you all to be fair to him. Not nice, necessarily, but fair, given that he's not like you." The initiates nod. Dad smiles. "Good."

"Bye, AJ. I'll see you tonight," I say. "Bye, Dad."

"The stuff you need is in your room," he murmurs. "And I want you to take Thom with you."

"Geez, Dad." But I don't fight him on it, not here.

* * *

"Hey Thom," I grunt, suited up and ready to go. I shoot Tobias a quick text and slide the phone into my backpack. "Ready to go?"

The older Dauntless nods. "Don't see you much around here," he comments. "What brought you back?"

"Dad and Caleb and I are just going over stats and stuff, and Dad wanted to test and train AJ." I shrug. "I mean, Dad's okay and all, but he's getting older. It might be time for him to retire in a decade or so, which means AJ needs to be ready as _my_ replacement."

Thom nods. "Is it always going to be a hereditary leadership position?"

I shrug. "I mean, my dad doesn't make all the decisions for the Divergents. The council makes the majority of them."

Thom shrugs and steps onto the L. I follow him and we hold onto the rails, him watching me quizzically.

I shake it off and lead the way towards Eaton's office. There, a security guard tries to argue with us, but I give him a name for Eaton and he quickly lets us through.

"Ah, Beatrice." Eaton turns in his chair. "I never expected my son's wife to come greet me without him."

"Well, I'm here, aren't I, Marcus?" I put my hands on his desk. "I hear you're stirring up trouble, as usual."

"Well now, quick to jump to accusations, aren't we?"

Thom stands behind me.

"Look, Marcus. You should be glad it's me here and not someone my brother or father sent." I shrug. "They wanted to kill you." I give him a malicious smile. "I disagreed, and not because I like you. I disagreed because I think, if you are to be killed, that Tobias should do it."

Marcus swallow slightly. "So…what do you want, then?"

"Ah, good. Cooperation. That's always good." I slide a file across the desk. "Take a look, Marcus. These are Tobias' injuries. I've taken the care to examine him and have him examined and document the injury, when it would have occurred, and how, if at all, it was treated. Tobias has also given his statements in that file." I take the file back. "Now, here's the deal: you back off my dad, or I send this file to the Chicago Tribune and let them make of it what they will." I grin. "I'd consider carefully. And remember, all it takes is one single email for your entire career to come crashing down around you. You want to be a politician, don't you?"

Marcus swallows and looks at the folder in my hand. "It seems we have a deal." He stares at me. "I want you to know that we _are_ on the same side, Beatrice."

I stare at him. "You're an evil man," I say. "It's nearly time for us to leave, Thom, but first -" I pull out my Divergent knife and walk to Marcus' side of the table. "After this one, Mr. Eaton, you'll only have one 'd,'" I comment, carving the letter into his skin. "I'd be careful, because there's not much I can do if you get your fourth."

* * *

"How'd it go?" Dad asks.

"We came to an agreement," I reply, blowing on my soup before taking a bite. "How was training?"

"Okay." Dad glances at AJ, who's raptly listening to Dad and me talk, and then away. "We can talk about it later."

"Speaking of which, when does it start up again?"

"Twenty minutes."

I glance at AJ. "Are there any younger initiates he can hang out with for a little while?"

Dad considers. "AJ, why don't you go hang out with Bubble?"

AJ gives me a protesting look but obeys.

"So what happened?" I give my dad a sort of worried look.

Dad shrugs and gives me the half-half symbol with his hand. "Nothing bad, persay. There's just - discomfort around him. He's not as good as them, but I have to be more gentle with him, and they notice that."

"How much worse is he?" I ask.

"A lot," Dad admits. "He just hasn't had the necessary training, Bea."

I nod slowly. "I can try to work with him between my meetings." I sigh. "Sorry, Dad."

"No, it needed to be done. I'll talk to the initiates and explain to them that this is just a formality - that AJ is too young to actually go through initiation right now." Dad smiles and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Come on. We should go get ready."

I finish my water and check my phone. Tobias has called twice. "I should probably call Tobias," I admit. "How're Mom and JD?"

"Your mother had apparently been bringing him to all her meetings, and he's been quite the charmer, from what I've heard." Dad gives me a wry grin. "The Eatons are just a charming bunch."

I laugh and put my phone to my ear. "Hey, babe."

"You were at my dad's office?" comes the explosive response.

"Jesus, Tobias. I'm perfectly capable of going to his office. All I did was threaten him, and, besides, I had Thom with me." I walk out of the cafeteria, holding an apple in one hand.

"Tris! He's crazy!" Tobias hits something.

"Calm down, Tobias! You're going to injure yourself, you idiot." I take a deep breath. "Tobias, it's over and he'll back off. Besides, I'm fine. Look, I've got to go. I have training with my dad and then a meeting. Oh, and -" I break off.

"And what?" Tobias just sounds weary.

"And AJ's going to be staying here to go through initiation," I finish weakly. "He'll be staying with Dad, though - not in the dorms."

Tobias sighs. "How long?"

"A few weeks past when I leave. It depends." I sigh. "I love you, Tobias. I'm just doing what's best for my family."

"_Your_ family?"

"Tobias -"

But he's already hung up.

"Fuck," I mutter, walking towards the training room.

"Didn't go well?" Dad guesses.

"No, and I made the mistake of saying I was trying to what's right for my family." I sigh violently. "It was just a slip of words - it didn't mean anything, and yet it meant everything to him. Jesus. He knows my family is his family."

Dad rubs my shoulder. "Everything will be okay."

I sigh and say, "Hey, Matthew."

"Hey, Bea." He grins at me. "You know what I was thinking?"

His grin is so infectious that I can't help but smile back. "What?"

"Your nickname - Bea," he starts. "I was thinking it could be improved."

I laugh lightly. "This doesn't sound like your thinking, Matthew."

He scowls slightly. "Okay, so Maynard came up with it. But still - he told me to explain. Anyway, _Maynard_ and I were thinking it could be improved. We came up with Bear."

I chuckle slightly and then pause and consider it. "I actually kind of like it."

Matthew gives me another infectious grin. "I'll announce it to the initiates then."

"Jesus, Matthew," I say, laughing despite myself. But the grin drops from my face as the last two initiates straggle in. They've both been beaten to a pulp, but they're still holding hands.

The shoulders of one of the girls starts to shake, and the other one puts her arm around the girl and pulls her into a tight hug.

"Manni, what happened?" Dad demands.

The girl just shakes her head. "Shh, Jeanie, it's okay."

"Have you been to the infirmary?" Dad looks around the room. Several initiates have careful looks plastered on their faces, and Dad notes this, if the tightening on his face is any indication.

The girl who must be Manni shakes her head.

"I can take them, Dad," I offer.

"Mom, can I come with you?" AJ asks in a small voice.

I catch Dad's eye. We have our silent conversation. "No. Sorry, bud. Stay with Papa."

I put a hand on one of the girls' shoulders and lead them out of the room. "What happened? You can tell me - I'm not my father."

Manni swallows, on the brink of tears herself. "Jeanie and I are in love," she murmurs. "But not everyone likes it."

I sigh deeply and shake my head. "I'm sorry, girls. I'll stay with you at the infirmary, if that's okay." I give them an apologetic look. "I have to take you back to training once you've been cleared by the infirmary."

Jeanie sniffs. "It's okay. Thanks." She straightens and sensibly wipes tears from her bruised dark skin.

Manni kisses her head and takes her hand. Where Jeanie has longer hair and dark eyes, Manni has a light brown buzz and golden eyes.

* * *

I wait in the waiting room for a nurse to come and talk to me about the state of the two girls. When one finally comes in, I'm on the edge of my seat. "Are they okay?"

She nods. "Both have been treated. Neither has any worrisome physical injuries, but the psychologist is worried about putting them back into intiation."

I set my mouth. "We have to. My dad doesn't have a choice. And he'll watch over them."

She shakes her head, sighing. "I know, Six. I've worked here for twenty-five years, you know."

I slump into my chair. "I'm sorry."

Manni comes into the waiting room and sits next to me. A few cuts and scrapes have been cleaned and bandaged, and she smiles at me. I see a sort of defeat in her eyes, though.

"Hey," I say, taking her shoulders. "You said you love Jean, right?"

Manni nods. "Why?"

"You need to not let this get you down. Show her how strong you are. Be strong for her." I give Manni a small smile. "You can do it."

* * *

Caleb hands me a folder and I open it, scanning the first few pages. "The council's been edgy recently," he explains.

I nod. "I'll just listen today." My phone starts to vibrate in my pocket and I make a face, trying to subtly slide a hand under the table into my pocket to turn the vibration off.

* * *

"Why'd you call me four times?" I ask Tobias as I walk towards training.

"You didn't answer the first time and then I got worried," he explains.

"I was in a meeting, Tobias. A meeting!" I itch my nose. "And now I have initiation. Look, I love you, and I'll call you later, but I really need some space here." I hang up and enter the initiation room, smiling as Dad throws a knife. I pick a knife up off the table and call, "Dad!" as I release it. He turns and catches the knife, grinning at me.

"Care to be part of target practice?" he asks.

"Sure, Dad," I say, laughing.

"My daughter, the Bear," he jokes. Matthew winks at me as I stand in front of a target. Dad flicks his wrist and the first knife embeds itself next to my right hand.

"Papa, that trick is _boring_," AJ announces.

The initiates titter and the spell is broken. I grab the knife and step away from the board, ruffling my son's hair.

Manni holds Jean's hand near the back of the group and I smile at the fierce look she gives anyone that meets her eyes.

* * *

Bubble (who I discover is the thirteen-year-old sister of one of the initiates, who's going through her initiation with her sibling), AJ, Manni, and Jean all end up on one end, and I help AJ and Bubble, while also keeping a close eye on the girls. AJ's soon hitting the target (though the knives aren't sticking). Bubble gets the concept a little quicker, so I show her a grip change and her knives begin to stick.

"How can I make _my_ knives stick, Mom?" AJ tries to copy Bubble's grip and his knife falls before hitting the board.

"Give me your knives," I order.

"Mom!"

"Initiate, give me your knives," I repeat, voice changing.

AJ hands over the knives, eyes wide.

"Now practice your throw as if you had a knife in your hand." I move his feet to a proper position. "Move your feet." He moves and I shove him. "Now get them back into proper position."

AJ sets his face and moves back to the proper position, miming a throw. "Was that right?"

"Do it again."

He shakes his body and steps out of position. Then he resets and mimes the throw again. I hand him a knife.

He takes a breath, puts his feet in the right position, and throws the knife. It sticks, just for a second, but it sticks.

AJ grins and throws himself at me, hugging me tightly.

"Good job, buddy."

* * *

"So what are you going to do?" I ask Dad, shoving through initiates to talk to him.

"About what?"

"Manni and Jean," I reply. "They were _beaten_, Dad."

"I have to treat it like I treat any other form but bullying," he replies. "I issued a warning for the future and a threat to the past."

I sigh. "Even when it's homophobic?"

"I have to be fair to a tee to hold power here, Beatrice. You should know that." Dad sighs and turns to face me. "Look, I wish I could do something, Bea. I can't."

I sigh but stare at the ground. "You can't…but can I?"

"Bea, if you beat them up, it'll spark the same sort of response," he replies.

"What if i do it in training? As part of a sparring thing?"

Dad releases air slowly. "You'd have to find out who beat them, first, without asking the girls."

"I already know," I reply smoothly.

* * *

"So we're going to do some handfighting today," Dad says. "When I say 'handfighting,' I really mean there are going to be matches. The first match will be between my daughter, the 'Bear,' and an initiate of her choosing."

I pretend to scan the room, though I already knew from the start who I was going to choose. "How about you, Shaun?" I suggest lightly, picking a nail. "I'll even go easy on you."

The boy swallows and moves up to the front of the pack. "I, uh, you don't have to, uh…"

"Oh, it's my pleasure." I get into a fighting stance. "At ready, initiate."

He swallows and obeys.

"Be fair," Dad says. "Go!"

He stumbles at me and aims a sloppy punch. I duck and drive a first into his ribcage. He coughs and moves back. He next tries a kick, which I block and reciprocate with a kick that brings him to his knees. From there, it's a few more kicks to the ribs and a few more punches to the face before he finally surrenders. I grab him by the shirtfront and hoist him up so I can whisper, "Don't touch them again, you homophobic piece of trash. You or your friends come near them, and I'll personally make sure you're delivered to the trash receptacle, where you belong." Then I drop him and leave.

* * *

"Tris!" Tobias hugs me tightly. Then he releases me and picks JD up. Then he hugs both of us tightly.

I laugh and carry the luggage in. "How was your staycation?" I tease. "JD, buddy, why don't you go get your jammies on," I add, pointing in the direction of the stairs.

As soon as JD steps on the first stair, Tobias has me back in his arms, pressing his lips to mine. "I missed you," he murmurs. "I'm sorry for getting angry about you going to see my dad."

"It's okay. You were just worried." I kiss him and slip out of his grasp. "We need to get JD to bed and then I need a shower."

He catches me again with an arm around my waist. "I think I need a shower, too," he informs me, growling against my neck.

I laugh lightly. "Later, Tobias."

He grips my hand for a second, giving me a deep smile, before releasing me. "Love you. Oh, and I scheduled an appointment with a social worker for tomorrow."

My face darkens. "Yeah, I have something to talk to you about."

* * *

Tobias tosses me one of his shirts as he's pulling on a pair of boxer-briefs. I finger my damp hair and then pull the shirt on. "Tobias, I need your help with something," I say, grabbing a pair of basketball shorts from my drawer.

"What is it, love?" he asks, pulling a tank top on and rubbing my towel through his hair one more time.

"I want to cut my hair," I reply. It's long, nearly hip-length.

"I'm not sure I'm most qualified to do that," he says slowly. "I don't really know how to use anything but my clippers."

"That's fine," I reply. "I want to donate my hair, and I'd rather someone I love be doing it than some random person."

Tobias nods slowly. "What…how much do you want off? What cut?" His fingers grasp the hem of my shirt, and he pulls it over my head.

"Let's start with a bob and then go from there," I reply. I follow him to the bathroom. He pulls a stool out and then looks for his clippers and scissors, bringing a brush and a comb as well.

His fingers brush my scalp as he brushes and then combs my hair, and for a few short seconds I remember how my mother used to cut my hair every three months.

"Are you sure you want to cut it all off, love?" Tobias asks, banding the hair into six ponytails and poising to cut the first one.

I meet his eyes in the mirror. "Yes."

The scissors _snip_ and a chunk of my hair falls to the floor. Tobias quickly cuts the other five and lays the ponytails on the counter.

"So you just want me to cut it around your chin?" he asks.

I nod and close my eyes as he moves the scissors around my head.

"I'm done with the bob, Tris," Tobias says quietly, hand on my shoulder.

I open my eyes and meet his in the mirror, smiling at him. "Thanks, Tobes."

He nods. "I'll make you a deal - I'll do the buzz, too, but I want you to tell me what you're upset about. Does it have anything to do with wanting to cut you hair?" He plugs the clippers in and looks through the case for the proper setting. "I'm going to use a four," he mutters.

"Okay," I agree. "And, if you will, can you part it right here -" I point, and Tobias parts it with a comb. "Now buzz that section." Tobias starts to buzz it, and I say, "Two girls were beaten while I was there."

"Okay…? Why?" He's cautious and his fingers are soft and deft. "Was it you guys?"

"No! And the girls - Manni and Jean - were dating. Are dating. They were beaten because they're queer." I sigh. "The worst part is that it's not even that uncommon."

"Were the bullies punished? Tobias asks, touching up where he just clipped.

"I beat one of them up, but other than that, nothing else could be done." I moisten my lips. "Some of the kids we get got kicked out, or beaten, or had to leave their homes, their families, just because they're queer."

Tobias kisses my shoulder and says, "I understand now."

"What?"

"I understand more why you want to foster queer kids," he replies. "What do you want me to do next with your hair?"

"Part it here," I reply, half-dazed. "And an undercut on that side, too," I murmur. "What made you understand?"

"When you meet someone, you make an instant connection and you really care for them, Tris." He pauses in his clipping. "And so, having seen so many of these people hurt, just for a simple fact about themselves, you want to save them." He continues to clip. "Jeez, Tris," he says, voice light now, "you can't save everyone, you know."

I laugh and smile at him in the mirror. "I love you." I turn the ring on my finger. "But I'm glad you understand."

He pulls the bob away from the undercut on either side that extends down to my neck. "Do you like it?"

I nod. "Thanks, Tobias."

He kisses my shoulder again. "Anything for you, love."

* * *

Spanish translation:

_AJ es antipático - _AJ is mean/unkind.

_AJ es tu hermano _\- AJ is your brother.


	30. Chapter 30 (second baby pt 1 repost)

_**I don't own **_**Divergent**_**.**_

**Hey, guys. So this update is more timely...**

**I'm seeing only two, maybe three more chapters in this fic, but I might, as I've hinted, add some stuff you like. Currently I'm deciding between adding more to either _Thank You_ or _Payback_ OR putting up something you guys haven't seen yet, which would be a post-war AU in which Tris survives. I'd like you guys to tell me what you'd like! Let me know in the reviews, please.**

**Enjoy this update!**

* * *

_R__ob lets his breath out slowly. "Well, that's good, I guess." He stands and offers me a hand. "Uri and I made dinner, and AJ's in bed. C'mon."_

_I smile and hug him. "Thanks, Rob." I sigh. I hope it gets easier from here on out._

JD starts to cry...again. What the hell are Tobias and AJ doing with him? I put the broom against the wall.

First he lets AJ and JD play with flour. Then he doesn't clean it up. Now he's teasing the sick two year old? Why do I let him be alone with the boys?

I storm down the stairs and pick JD up, rubbing his back until he stops crying. AJ gives me a sheepish grin. Tobias shrugs.

I shake my head and walk over to him. "Tobias Eaton..." I turn around and hand JD to AJ. "AJ, take your brother into the living room and play a game with him. I need to talk to your dad. And I swear to god, AJ, if you do something that makes him cry..._te azotaré. Te azotaré muchas veces, y después te castigaré de otros métodos_."

AJ winces. "_Sí, Mamá. No lo hare._"

"_¡Mamá!_" JD wails. "_¡AJ me estaba molestando!_"

"_Yo sé, JD. AJ ya no te va a molestar. Juega algo con tu hermano._" I rub my temples.

AJ, glancing back at Tobias and I with a worried look on his face, takes JD into the living room. I grab Tobias by the sleeve and push him into the bed in our room.

"I -" Tobias starts, hands up.

"Tobias, I worked a ten-hour shift at the hospital and came home to a huge mess. Then I ask you to watch the boys for another half hour so I can clean it up. And your 'entertainment' is teasing JD until he cries. I need you to help me out," I say, cutting him off. "It's not that much to ask."

"Tris, you leave the boys with me almost every day now! I didn't sign up to be a stay-at-home dad!" Tobias stands up. "I'm sorry if your day was stressful. I'm sorry we made it more stressful. We weren't trying to. But I don't think it's fair to blame this all on me."

I laugh. "You think you're a stay-at-home dad? Tobias, during the season, I juggle two kids, training with you, and fucking med school, which now means ten to fourteen hour shifts every day. I understand that you're still learning how to deal with the boys. I'm fine with that. I just need you to try a little bit harder." I sigh and step closer to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. "I also..." I trail off, deciding it's the wrong time to tell him. He's already frustrated with just two. "It was just a bad day," I mumble, pressing my face into his chest.

He sighs, too, and rubs my back. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you after the boys are in bed," I reply. "Sorry for yelling at you."

"Sorry for putting stress on you," he retorts. "Do you want to watch the boys while I clean up?"

I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him. "Sure." I release him.

"Wait - what were you guys saying earlier downstairs? I understood some of it, but...not all of it." Tobias grins sheepishly at me.

"I told AJ I would whip him and then punish him in other ways if he teased JD," I reply. "And then AJ said he wouldn't, and JD complained about how AJ was being bad. I said he wouldn't be anymore." I grimace. "It sounded better in Spanish..."

Tobias chuckles. "So you threaten even in Spanish."

I nod. "_Si tú quieres que yo hable en español, entonces hablaré en español._" He just stares at me and I laugh. "I'm going to go watch the boys now." I walk downstairs and lean on the doorway, watching AJ and JD play a board game, although it's mostly AJ playing for both of them.

AJ looks up. "Mom, can you take him now so I can play Xbox?"

"Bud, did you even ask if you could play?" I reply, picking JD up. He begins to squirm and fight me.

"Sorry, Mom. Can I? I'll play Minecraft," he says.

"Isn't Susan picking you up in twenty minutes for hockey practice?" I reply.

He shrugs. "Yeah, so?"

"So you need to eat now, and you need to be ready in fifteen minutes. Come to the kitchen. I'm going to make you a sandwich. And have you started your homework?" I say, carrying JD still.

"Yeah," he says. "But I only have a little bit."

"Good, because you're going to bed at seven thirty tonight," I respond, buckling JD into his high chair and giving him a toy.

"That's when the baby goes to bed!" he whines.

I raise my eyebrows. "Your dad and I agreed that that's your punishment for the flour mess. And JD is going to bed at seven tonight, because he's sick." I hand AJ his sandwich and pour him a glass of almond milk. I put a little chicken noodle soup into the microwave for JD.

"What did we agree on?" Tobias asks, popping his head in.

"That AJ is going to bed at seven thirty tonight," I say, giving him a meaningful look.

"Oh, um, yeah," Tobias says. "AJ, listen to your mom." He leaves the kitchen, probably heading towards the laundry room.

AJ stuffs his sandwich into his mouth and gulps down his almond milk. "Fine," he says, glaring. Then he stomps up to his room.

"_Mamá, ¿por qué está AJ enojado?"_ JD asks.

"_Porque él tiene que dormirse más temprano anoche,"_ I reply, kissing his head. "_¿Cómo estás, JD? Te duele la cabeza o el estómago?_"

"_Sí, me duele la cabeza _y _el estómago._" JD yawns.

"Hey, guys," Tobias says. "How you doing, buddy?"

"My tummy hurts," he whines.

"I'm making you some chicken soup, and then you can go nap." I look away Tobias. "Babe, can you make sure AJ gets ready for hockey? Susan is picking him up for practice in ten minutes."

"Of course," he says, kissing my cheek and leaving.

I take JD's soup out of the microwave and grab a spoon, taking a small bite myself to test the heat before giving him a bite.

He dutifully swallows a few bites before pushing the spoon away. "I don't want any more, Mamá."

"A few more bites, baby," I coax, pushing another in his mouth.

He sighs and eats a few more. Then he pushes the bowl off the high chair. "I'm done."

"JD, you can't just push your food off," I tell him firmly. "When you're done, tell me."

I clean the soup up and pick JD up, rubbing his back. I walk up to his room and rid him of everything but his diaper, which I change and then duct tape. I lay him in his crib and turn the sound machine on, closing the door as I walk out.

The door downstairs shuts. I peek over the railing and Tobias looks up. "AJ's with Susan." He takes the stairs two at a time. "How about you take a bath and nap maybe, and I'll make dinner?"

"I have reading," I protest weakly, allowing him to pick me up.

He carries me to our bathroom, sitting on the edge of the bathtub, and begins to fill it. "You can read tonight."

"What if JD wakes up?"

"He never wakes up from his naps, even when he's sick." Tobias adds soap and a little essential oil to the flowing water.

"What if AJ's practice is canceled?"

"Susan is having him for dinner," Tobias replies, beginning to undress me.

I sigh. "Only if you come in, too."

He pulls his shirt off. "I think that sounds okay."

He sets me in the bathtub and finishes undressing himself. He steps in after me and pulls me to rest on his lap.

"Will you massage my shoulders?" I ask, cuddling closer.

He presses a kiss to the back of my neck. "Of course." Tobias begins to massage my shoulders, and I sigh.

"That feels wonderful," I murmur. "This was a good idea."

"Of course it is," he replies, pushing me forward slightly so he can continue down my back. "You feeling better?" he asks.

I lay my head back on Tobias's shoulder. "Keep massaging," I say, turning my head and pressing a kiss to his shoulder.

Tobias chuckles and turns me over, not stopping the massage. "Tell me about your day," he encourages.

I look up. "Well, I found something out today..." I begin, kissing his cheek.

"What?" he asks, hands moving down to cup my rear.

"I think we're going to need to buy another crib," I say, grinning and watching his face.

"Oh...oh my God!" He kisses me. "You're pregnant?"

I nod. "Boy or girl?"

"Both," he replies, putting a hand between us to rest on my stomach.

"You think it's twins?" I ask, kissing him again.

"I hope," he replies. He stands up in the bath and grabs the shampoo and conditioner. Then he sits back down and begins to rub the shampoo in.

"I think it's a girl," I say.

"A girl would be nice," Tobias admits. "But I love the boys, too."

"We'll see," I say.

He takes a cup we use to wash the shampoo out of JD's hair and and begins to rinse my hair out. Then he rubs conditioner in, making me sigh again and run a hand into his hair.

Tobias rinses my hair again and begins to wash himself. I watch idly, breathing in the sweet-smelling air.

"Enjoying the view?" he teases, kissing my cheek.

"Very much," I reply, pinching his inner thigh.

He squirms away and stands, reaching over and grabbing a razor.

I kiss him and the razor makes its way to the ground.

* * *

"Bathtub sex is the best," Tobias decides.

I chuckle. "Why?"

"It just feels different," he replies.

I chuckle. "I'm glad you feel that way, babes." I sigh and pull the plug of the drain. "We should switch the water."

Tobias nods and lays back. "Mmkay."

* * *

"MOM! DAD! _¡__ESTOY EN CASA!_" AJ yells.

I walk into the entry hall and smack his arm lightly. "AJ! JD is asleep."

"Sor-ry." He rolls his eyes. "Can I have a glass of milk?"

"Go brush your teeth and put your jammies on," I order. "I'll have your dad bring you one."

"But Mom -"

"It's seven fifteen. Go on. Get upstairs." I shoo him and pour a glass of almond milk. "Tobes?"

He appears in the doorway. "What's up, Tris?"

"Go tuck your son in," I tell him, handing him the glass of milk.

He kisses my cheek. "Yes, ma'am."

I grin. "I like that. Make your sons do that, too."

Tobias chuckles. "It's too late for AJ, but we can try with JD."

"I don't think eleven is too late," I say, putting a hand just under his shirt to rest on his hip. I kiss his cheek and he sets the milk on the counter, getting onto his knees.

He lifts my shirt and presses kisses to my belly, even the scar from where AJ was taken out of my nineteen year-old body.

I smile down at my husband. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He looks up at the ceiling. "And you, boys." He kisses my belly. "And you, babies."

I thread my hands into his hair. "Do twins run in your family?"

He nods and stands back up, leaning on the counter beside me. "You know, I was thinking we could visit Robyn and Sierra," he says.

"When?"

"Christmas." He kisses my cheek. "They've invited us for a few years, and we went to Chicago last year."

"Don't worry, I was going to agree." I kiss his cheek. "Go tuck AJ in, and then we can talk more."

* * *

"Hey, babe, I'm going to the gym," Tobias says, grabbing his keys off the counter.

"Not unless you plan on taking the boys," I say, grabbing mine and gesturing to my scrubs. "I have a shift. Sorry, babe."

He sighs and scrunches his eyebrows. "I need to train."

"Find a babysitter," I advise. Then my phone starts ringing. "Hello?"

"Beatrice Prior Eaton?"

"You're speaking to her. How may I help you? Who's speaking, please?" I frown at Tobias.

"We may have found you a foster child," the voice on the other end says. "Oh, it's Laura, by the way."

"I figured it out," I say, grinning at Tobias and kissing his cheek. "They found us a foster kid."

He grins and hugs me, twirling me around. "How old? When do we get them? Boy or girl?"

I chuckle. "Hang on, baby." I put the phone back to my mouth. "Tell me about them."

"Well, because you mentioned an interest in LGBTQIAPP+ teens that got kicked out, we found you a fourteen year old bisexual girl," Laura, our social worker, says. "There's just one thing."

"Which is?" I grab Tobias' hand, grinning at him. "We'd love to take her."

"Well, she has a sister, and she's refusing to go anywhere without her sister. I know you two only wanted one foster child, but -"

"We'll take them," I say. "When?"

Tobias grins and kisses my cheek. "Two?"

I nod. "Sisters," I mouth.

"Well, if it's not too quick, we'd like to get them to you tomorrow."

"No, that's entirely fine. We'll be ready for them." I wrap an arm around Tobias. "Thanks, Laura."

"No, thank you two." Some papers are shuffled in the background. "See you tomorrow."

"Wait - Laura," I say. "We were planning on going to Seattle for Christmas."

"And you don't want to take them?" Laura sounds defeated now.

"No - no! I just wanted to make sure we _could_ take them," I say, laughing lightly.

"Oh, of course. You'll have to pay for their travel, of course, but we'll supply you with their passports and everything else." Laura chuckles. "Thanks, Tris. See you tomorrow."

"See you," I reply. I hang up and throw my arms around Tobias. "Two girls," I say. "A bisexual fourteen-year-old and her sister."

Tobias hugs me back. "I'm so happy."

"Can you make sure there are two rooms ready for them?" I put a hand on his cheek. "Just make sure their are sheets on the beds and drawers and stuff."

Tobias nods. "I'm so excited," he says. "My family is growing steadily." He kisses my belly. "Love you."

"Love you, too." I grab my keys. "Boy, am I glad tomorrow is a Saturday and I have the day off," I mutter, waving goodbye and heading for the hospital.

"MOM!" AJ roars.

I walk up the stairs into his room, where Tobias leans against his doorframe. "What's up, Aje?"

"Dad said we're getting new kids tomorrow," he says, crossing his arms at his desk. "Are we?"

"Yes, AJ," I say, letting Tobias put his arm around me. "We're getting foster kids."

"Where are they going to go to school?" he asks. "It's the middle of the year."

I sigh with relief. "A high school around here," I reply.

"Why didn't you tell me until now?" he asks, putting his pencil down.

"We only found out this morning," I admit. "And then I had to go to the hospital."

He sighs. "Okay. What are their names?"

"Alejandra and Rosaria," I reply. "Rosaria likes boys and girls," I say also, sitting on his bed. "Like she likes to date both of them. It's called bisexual."

AJ nods. "I know." He stares straight at me and announces, "I like boys."

I smile at him. "Only boys? As in, you only want to date boys."

He considers. "I think so."

"Okay, Aje. I love you." I stand up and kiss his head. "We get to meet them first thing tomorrow."

"G'night, Mom. G'night, Dad," AJ says, closing the door behind us.

Tobias raises his eyebrows at me. "He's eleven."

"We still have to respect whatever he says. If he realizes he likes girls, too, or only girls, or neither, or that he was right at eleven, then all of that is great. But, right now, he says he likes guys, so he likes guys." I kiss Tobias' cheek. "And I will love my apparently gay son."

"I love him too," Tobias says. "It's just - he's young."

"He is," I agree.

* * *

Spanish translation:

..._te azotaré. Te azotaré muchas veces, y después te castigaré de otros métodos_. - I will whip you. I will whip you a lot, and then I'll punish you in other ways. (Just to be clear, Tris doesn't plan on following through with these - she's just threatening him).

_Sí, Mamá. No lo hare._ \- Yes, Mom. I won't do it.

_¡AJ me estaba molestando! _\- AJ is annoying me, or, in this case, AJ is being mean to me!

_Yo sé, JD. AJ ya no te va a molestar. Juega algo con tu hermano._ \- I know, JD. AJ isn't going to be mean to you anymore. Play something with your brother.

_Si tú quieres que yo hable en español, entonces hablaré en español._ \- If you want me to speak in Spanish, then I'll speak in Spanish.

_Mamá, ¿por qué está AJ enojado?_ \- Mom, why is AJ annoyed/angry?

_Porque él tiene que dormirse más temprano anoche. __¿Cómo estás, JD? Te duele la cabeza o el estómago?_ \- Because he has to go to bed early tonight. How are you, JD? Does your head or your stomach hurt?

_Sí, me duele la cabeza _y _el estómago._ \- Yeah, my head and my stomach hurt.

_¡__ESTOY EN CASA! _\- I'M HOME!


	31. an

Hey, sorry! This is just an A/N, because I think most of you are going straight for chapter 30 on the Fic - go back and reread chapter 29. I got a few confused reviews questioning the jump from the first baby [JD] to the second [the twins Tris is pregnant with in what's now chapter 30].

Also to answer another question: between chapter 25 and first baby part one, there are four years. Between first baby part three and second baby, there are two years. So, AJ went from being five to being eleven.


	32. Chapter 31 (second baby pt 2)

**_I don't own _Divergent_._**

**Hey, guys! Here's the next part of the second baby story. I think there will be about one more chapter after this. We'll see. If any of you missed it, go back to chapter 29 for a bridging chapter between first baby and second baby.**

**ALSO: I need answers! Do you guys want me to add to _Thank You for Giving Me a Chance, _put something new up, or put up a shoot-off of this fic (MMLM)? The shoot-off would have a different plotline (Tris would be training Tobias as part of the Divergents, and AJ wouldn't exist. The only way it would be a shoot-off, really, is in the way I would use the concept of the Divergents from this fic). Please leave votes in the reviews!**

_"We still have to respect whatever he says. If he realizes he likes girls, too, or only girls, or neither, or that he was right at eleven, then all of that is great. But, right now, he says he likes guys, so he likes guys." I kiss Tobias' cheek. "And I will love my apparently gay son."_

_"I love him too," Tobias says. "It's just - he's young."_

_"He is," I agree._

The knock comes at about ten. Tobias and I have breakfast ready and JD is on my hip. Tobias opens the door, AJ peering out from behind him. My baby bump is showing, too, in my tank top.

"Four! Tris!" Laura says, curly hair bouncing slightly.

"Come in," Four says, smiling.

Two hoodie-d figures holding black trash bags over their shoulders come in. Tobias and I each take a trash bag and I offer a hand to one of them. "I'm Tris," I say.

"Rosaria," she replies, grinning. "And this is my brother, Javi."

"Alejandra," Laura says, "take your hood off. This is Rosaria's sister."

"I'm a boy!" Javi bursts out, glaring at the ground but pulling his hood off to reveal black hair choppily cut short. "My name is Javi and I'm fifteen," he says. "I'm _not_ Alejandra."

Laura smiles nervously.

I offer a hand. "Javi, I'm Tris, and this is my husband, Four. This is AJ, and the one on my hip is JD. We have twins on the way, too." I heft a trash bag over my shoulder. "If you want to follow me, kids, Four and I will show you your rooms, and then we can eat."

JD stares at the newcomers from my hip. AJ also watches them, but from behind Tobias.

Fortunately, both of the rooms Tobias prepared have unisex furniture and stuff. I put Javi in the room with mostly grey and Rosaria in the room with mostly white stuff.

"Do you guys want some breakfast, or would you rather unpack first?"

"Breakfast would be great," Rosaria says. "Right, Javi?"

"_Sí, hermana._"

"_¿Hablan ustedes castellano?_" AJ asks, eyes wide. "_Mi familia habla español. Mi abuelo enseñó a mi mamá y mi mamá nos enseñó a JD y yo._" He looks down. "_Y soy homosexual_," he adds.

Rosaria ruffles his hair. "Cool, little buddy. Javi and I speak Spanish, yes. And I'm bisexual."

"I like girls," Javi mutters. "I'm straight."

Tobias leads the way down the stairs. "What are your favorite subjects?" he asks.

"Math and science," Rosaria says immediately.

"English and sports," Javi replies. "I like to draw, too."

Tobias glances at Javi. It's Sunday. They've been with us for a week and a day and Javi's just starting to be friendlier.

"Javi, if you want, I can even your hair out," he offers. "I have clippers. I cut AJ's hair."

Javi looks up. "I'd love that, sir."

"I can cut your hair, too, if you want, Rosaria," I offer. "Or Tobias can, whatever your prefer." I ruffle AJ's hair. "You need a haircut, too, buddy."

"Can you give me an undercut?" Rosaria inquires of Tobias.

"Of course," he says, standing and bowing grandly. "But Javi is first," he adds. Then he leads the way up the stairs. JD is napping. He sets up a stool, trash bag, and clippers.

* * *

"Hey, Mom," I say, holding the phone with my shoulder while handing out lunch bags. "How are you and Dad?"

"Good. Are you and Tobias headed up here for Christmas?" she asks hopefully.

I sigh. "We're taking all the kids to Tobias' family in Seattle."

Tobias raises his eyes over his newspaper. "Not excited?"

"No - Mom - yes, I'd love to be there, but I'd like to see Sierra and Robyn as well - no, it's not because I'm mad at you - Mom!" I stare at the phone. "She hung up on me!"

I shake my head and hand the rest of the lunches out. "Have fun at your last day of school until break, kids. Love you."

Susan knocks on the door. "JD! AJ! Hurry up!"

* * *

Tobias holds my hand tightly. "I'm so excited!" he whispers. "We'll get to figure out their genders and everything."

"I don't think we should tell anyone their sexes," I say slowly. "Or really do anything about them until third trimester."

"I am fine with anything," Tobias says, kissing my temple.

"Good."

* * *

"Hey, Tobias," James says, hugging Tobias. "More kids?" he says, shaking his head. "Geez, man."

Tobias laughs. "You had four, don't judge me."

"Tris!" Robyn runs out of her house and hugs me. "We're so glad to see you guys." She grins. "AJ!" She ruffles his hair and picks JD up. "Hey, buddy." Then she hugs each of Javi and Rosaria. "I'm Robyn. What are your names?"

"I'm Rosaria and this is my brother, Javi," Rosaria says quickly. "I'm fourteen and he's fifteen."

"I'm pleased to meet you." Robyn grins and hugs me again. "So, you and Tobes are in Robyn and Sierra's basement, as usual, and AJ will be with Mat. JD will have to stay with you two some nights, but I'm sure he can share with Ben or Emma sometimes." She looks at the foster kids. "They can share Noah's room and he can sleep out in the shed for a few nights. James set it up real nice."

Javi watches Robyn as she helps us to get moved in and unpacked. I put my arm around him. "Do you like them?"

He nods. "They're very - familial."

"I agree. They're great people." I smile at him. "Hey, when do you turn sixteen, Javi?"

"Don't they tell you that stuff in the docs they give you?" He frowns suspiciously. "But my birthday is in February."

"Have you thought about hormones?"

Javi looks down. "The state won't cover them."

"Maybe you and me and Tobias could talk about it," I suggest carefully.

"I can't," he says. "There's no guarantee Rosa and I would stay with you two."

"Have your parents lost their rights entirely?"

Javi glares at the ground. "They gave them up after Rosa and I came out."

I sigh. "I'm sorry, Javi. But I can promise you that Tobias and I don't plan on letting you guys go any time soon."

He nods. "Thanks, Tris."

* * *

Tobias and I have all our kids in Sierra and James' basement to open parts of their Christmas presents. Hanukkah already finished, but we mostly only gave the kids _gelt_ and quarters and little trinkets. The kids also know that we're giving only small presents here to save space.

We go from youngest to oldest. JD opens a little toy car that used to be Tobias' and begins to play with it, giggling. "_Gracias, Mamá y Papi_," he says. We hand him another little present - a doll that was AJ's when he was younger. JD immediately puts the doll on top of the car and begins to make it _vroom_ on the floor.

"Here, AJ," Tobias says, handing AJ his gift.

AJ's gift for here is more practical than fun, but his gift at home is significantly more fun for him. AJ tears through the wrapping paper to discover the nice mouthguard Tobias found for him for hockey.

"Wow! Tristan was talking about this. He really wanted it. Did Susan get one for him?" AJ looks at Tobias. "I thought they sold out," he adds, cocking his head.

"We got this a while ago," Tobias informs his son, ruffling his hair. "It still needs to be molded, but I thought you could play with it in your next game. I use a similar one when I catch."

AJ beams up at Tobias and hugs him, next hugging me. "Thanks!"

"Rosa, you're next," I say, handing the girl, currently sitting with her brother and looking to the ground, her gift.

She takes the gift, smiling. "Feels like a book," she comments, smiling as she peels the paper off. We chose a beginner's Java programming book for her. "Thanks, Tris and Tobias. It's…really thoughtful." She smiles to herself and opens the book.

I smile widely as I hand Javi his gift. Tobias and I had discussed this and got Rosa in on it, She, too, smiles at her brother before returning to her book.

He feels its softness and frowns before, in the same way as his sister, peeling off one edge. He pulls out the binder and grins. "You guys got me a binder? How'd you know my size? Rosa, were you in on this?" He grins and runs over to me, hugging me tightly. "Thank you, Tris." He shakes Tobias' hand and grins. "Can I go try it on?"

I nod. "Go on. Do you know how to get it on right?"

He nods and nearly runs to the bathroom. Tobias pulls me close and puts a hand on my ever-growing belly.

When Javi returns, he's grinning widely and flat-chested. He hugs me one more time.

"This comes with responsibility, Javi," I say firmly. "I need you to promise me that you'll take it off if you have trouble breathing, or it hurts. Ever. Carry a sports bra with you if you need to, but promise us that."

He nods, running a hand over his chest in the meantime. "Thanks, Tris," he says.

"I'm glad you like it," I say.

Tobias watches and kisses my head. "Your turn, darling," he murmurs. He hands me a small gift and I smile at him.

I open it to reveal a pair of socks with dragons and phoenixes on them and I hug him, kissing his cheek. "I love them," I say, "and you, I guess." I grin and kiss him lightly.

He hugs me and holds me in place for a second, kissing me again. "Love you, too."

I hand him the last gift. He smiles at me and takes it from my hands, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. He unwraps it to reveal a crimson tie.

"It's beautiful," he says, pulling it out. "It's so silky."

I chuckle and kiss his cheek. "It's made of silk, Tobes."

He rolls his eyes. "Thanks, love."

* * *

"AJ, have Tobias help you with your tie," I order, helping JD button his shirt.

Tobias grunts. "I'm trying to tie my own tie," he grumbles.

"I'll do it," Javi says, and he steps forward to help AJ tie and straighten it.

Both Javi and Rosa are impeccably neat and clean. I notice, with a little glee, that Javi is wearing the binder underneath his dress shirt and tie.

The kids sit off to the side at a kids' table off to the side, but Javi sits right next to me, despite the offer to sit at the kids' table. Tobias is on my other side, and Robyn sits across from me. I tilt my head to the right to gesture to Javi and then smile. She shakes her head just slightly and gives me the same smile back.

Javi eats his mac'n'cheese silently, staring at his plate. The other adults chat comfortably, but I squeeze out of the conversation and put a hand on his back. "What's wrong, Javi?"

He drops his gaze even further, to the floor. "I - nothing."

"Javier."

"If you learn anything as a foster kid, it's to keep your mouth shut." He stands, pushing his plate away. "I'm going to go to bed."

"Okay. G'night, Javi," I say, smiling at him and taking another bite.

Rosa glimpses him leaving and starts to get up, but I shake my head and she stays seated. I finish my food, clearing Javi's dish and then mine.

Tobias catches my eye and gives me a confused look as I go up the stairs. I shake my head and make my way to Noah's room, knocking on the door. "Javi?"

"Who is it?"

"It's Tris," I reply, turning the handle.

"Okay," he says, like I knew he would.

"You wanna talk?" I ask, sitting next to him on the (neatly made) bed.

He shrugs. "What about?"

"Well, it's Christmas and you're practically hiding in here instead of out there," I comment, laughing lightly.

Javi shrugs. "I…I don't think they really like people like me," he says finally, and slowly.

I put an arm around him. "What do you mean?"

"Queers." He looks to the door and then back to the floor.

I pull back. "Javier, what are you talking about? I've never seen Robyn or Sierra say _anything_ bad about anyone."

"It wasn't Robyn or Sierra." He looks down. "Look, it's not my place, okay?"

I sigh. "I won't force you to tell me."

"But you want me to." He fiddles with the buttons on his shirt.

"I'd like you to." I run a hand through my hair, which has just started to hit chin-length since I asked Tobias to buzz it.

"This is all I'll say," he says, beginning to unbutton his shirt, "but kids learn from their parents." He gives me a hard, flat, look. "Good night."

I hug him. "Good night."

"What was that about?" Tobias murmurs once I sit down.

"Nothing."

Tobias crosses his arms. "Tris!" he hisses.

"We can talk later, okay?" I shake my head at him.

Tobias puts a hand on my leg, but quiets down about Javi and returns to his conversation with Andreas.

"Where did Javi go?" Robyn asks. "We had a gift for him."

"Javi went to bed," I reply. "He wasn't feeling too well."

"Mmmm," Robyn says. "Well, okay then. We can give it to him tomorrow when he wakes up."

"Sorry," Rosa mutters. "We didn't mean to cause no trouble."

"It's okay, Rosa," Robyn says. "Now, let's keep celebrating. It's Christmas!"

The chatter continues and eventually everyone moves to the basement for the kids' annual dance. As they're setting it up, I turn to Noah, who's on my right and ask, "So how's college, buddy?"

"It's great," he says, smiling at me. "I really like Occidental."

"That's great," I say. "Any special friends?"

His face closes up, and he looks around the room, eyes darting. "What do you mean?"

"I just meant…are you dating anyone?" I put a hand on his arm. "Is something wrong?"

He shakes his head. "No. Nope. Everything is okay."

"Looks like they're about to start," I say, trying to give him an escape route.

"Yeah."

* * *

"You wanna tell me what happened tonight?" Tobias asks as we lay in bed.

I laugh. "I honestly have no idea. There was Javi, and then all those weird, awkward conversations…I don't even know, Tobias."

He snakes an arm around my waist. "Tell me everything," he murmurs.

"Javi feels uncomfortable here," I reply. "He mentioned something about the kids saying something about queer people."

Tobias lets out a breath. "I'm not surprised."

"I thought you'd be mad," I say, laughing lightly. "But what do you mean?"

"I mean…they're not exactly in love with the idea of homosexuality, or transgenderism." Tobias shifts uncomfortably. "They're my family and I love them, but they're not accepting of everything I'd like them to be."

I sigh. "So Javi was right."

"Yes."

"I was hoping you'd say that your family would _never_ do or say anything like that." I sigh and kiss his cheek. "Oh, well. I'll just stick around Javi. Lord knows he likes to be near me anyway."

"Yeah, I've noticed that he's gotten pretty attached," Tobias says. "I think it's good." He scoots down into the bed and kisses my stomach. "Love you, babies."

* * *

"Javi, Rosa, do you guys want me to pack you lunch?" I ask, yawning.

"No, it's fine," Javi says quickly. "I can do it tomorrow morning. You go to bed."

"Okay," I say slowly. "Is something up?"

"No, but Tobias mentioned you have your five-month checkup tomorrow," he replies, smiling. "You should be well-rested. I can pack AJ and JD's lunches, too."

"Thanks, bud," I say, turning to go up the stairs. "See you tomorrow."

"I expect to hear all about it," Javi says, smiling. He's been wearing his binder nearly every day since he got it at Christmas. It's midway through January now.

* * *

"Good morning, Miss Tris, Mister Four," the nurse says, smiling at me as I raise my shirt and she rubs the gel onto my belly. "I'll just get everything set up now," she says, humming. "Have you had any cramping or spotting this far into your pregnancy?"

I shake my head. "No. So far, it's been the same as my other two, except I'm growing faster."

She looks at my belly. "You say you're having twins?"

I nod. "I'm about twenty weeks along."

"That's odd," she says. "Your belly's a bit - small for twins of twenty weeks." She gives me a comforting smile. "Let me just get the measuring tape and measure to compare with your last checkup. Some people just don't get very big."

"Okay," I say, voice cracking just a bit.

She measures my waist and puts the number into a spreadsheet. "Well, it looks like you're growing more slowly now, but let's just take a look to be sure." She pulls out the ultrasound equipment and sets it up, but she doesn't turn the screen towards Tobias and me.

Tobias' face is tight, but he smiles and takes my hand. He kisses my head and whispers, "I'm sure everything is okay, my love."

"I'm going to go get the doctor," the nurse says, smiling at me. "The three of you should talk."

"I must have miscarried," I say slowly. I breathe out shakily, staring down at my belly. "No!"

"Tris, it's okay," Tobias says. "I'm sure everything's -"

"No, Tobias! Everything's not okay. I must have miscarried." I huff out now.

The doctor comes in, a folder of papers in her hand. "Hey, guys." She hands the folder to Tobias. "How are you feeling, Tris?"

"I miscarried, didn't I, Dr. Stork?" I ask, staring straight at her.

She sighs. "Yes, as I'm sure Four is reading now. But there's good news. You -"

"How is it good news? I lost my babies." I take a shaky breath.

She puts a hand on my arm. "Listen, please, Tris. You didn't lose both babies. Just one of them." She smiles. "You still have a healthy baby in there, sweetie."

I look up, blinking tears away. "Which one?"

"More importantly, what can Tris and I do to make sure we don't lose the other twin?" Tobias asks.

"Well, one thing we need to talk about is how to proceed with the lost fetus," Dr. Stork says. She holds up a picture from the ultrasound and indicates the twin that passed. "See…"

* * *

"Tris -" Tobias starts, closing the door. "Love -"

"Just go, Tobias." I sniffle. "Leave me alone."

"Can't we talk about it?" He takes my hand. "I -"

"No!" I run up the stairs, leaving him behind, and slam the door in his face. "Get out of here, Four! Leave me alone!"

I sit on the bed, starting to actually cry. I lost the baby. The doctor said I didn't do anything wrong, that it was already a risky pregnancy, but I must have done something. I lost one of my babies.

Someone knocks on the door. "Go away, Tobias," I say, still crying.

"It's Javi," he says, opening the door and stepping in. "Hey."

I sniffle. "Hi. You know -"

"I'm not going to leave, Tris," he says calmly, sitting next to me. "What happened?"

"I miscarried one of them," I whisper, breaths shuddering. I circle my arms around my knees, and then i pull at my short hair.

"Oh, Tris. I'm so sorry." He hugs me, pulling my hands from my head. "Everything will be okay."

"What did I do wrong?" I whisper. "I must have done something."

"You didn't do anything," he whispers. "It just happens sometimes. One of my best friends lost three of her pregnancies, and that's how she found out she was infertile."

"How old is she?"

"Sixteen, but that's beside the point." He smiles. "Everything will be okay. You still have one twin, and two other kids to take care of. And Tobias. You have your whole family, and one more on the way. Just focus on them."

"And that includes you and Rosa. Thank you, Javi." I hug him.

"Not that the miscarriage is going to be easy," he adds. "It's hard. Really hard. But I know you can get through it."

* * *

"I want you on bedrest," Dr. Stork says, snapping a binder shut. "Call off school, work, everything. It's a miracle you've gotten into the eighth month without this being necessary."

"But Dr. Stork -"

"Look, Tris. I'm going to be honest." She sits across from me and looks me straight in the eye. "Since you already miscarried one of the babies, it means the other baby is at high risk. You need to be on bedrest."

"But Dr. Stork," I say, "I already skipped spring training. Tobias is down in Florida and I four kids to take care of, as well as med school." _And I need to keep busy, lest I think too much about my baby. _

"Hmm. Where do you go to med school? And what year are you?"

"Third year at Hofstra. I'm supposed to be taking shifts every day now," I tell her. "I _can't_ be on bedrest."

She sighs heavily. "Hmmm."

"Please."

"Okay, well, let me think about some other options." She taps her pen on the railing of the bed. "I'm going to call the head of your school and discuss with them." She fixes me with a stern look. "For the next day or so, however, I expect you to be at home, off your feet. If you need to call someone to help, do so."

I sigh. "Alright."

"Then I'll call you the day after tomorrow," she continues, "and we can talk about the plan."

I nod and get off the table. "Talk to you soon." I pull out my own cell phone and debate who to call.

"Hey, Tris. What's up?"

"Hey, Rob. I'm really sorry to ask this of you, but could you guys come stay with me for a few days to help out? The doctor wants me on bedrest and Tobias is in Florida…" I sigh. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's totally fine. Mirin and I will be over as soon as we can." He sighs, but not unhappily. "I get the childcare struggle. Uri's off in Florida, too."

"I know." I groan. "I might have to leave school for a little while."

"Everything will be okay. You just get yourself home, and Mirrie and I will be there," he assures me. "She's a little sweetie. Her and JD get along, no?"'

"Yeah. How old is she?" I get into my car, having paid for the appointment.

"Nearly three. JD turned three a few weeks ago, didn't he?"

I nod, even though he can't see me. "Yup. April seventh."

"Okay, well, see you soon."

"Hey, love," Tobias says. "What's up? How was the appointment? How is the baby?"

"Okay," I reply. "Dr. Stork wants to put me on bedrest, but she's talking to my professors to make a decision. Rob is coming over to help out. I think he and Mirin are going to stay here for a few days and help out."

"Okay," Tobias says. "I can leave Spring Training if I need to."

"Tobias!"

"Okay, okay. I'll stay." He sighs. "I love you, Tris. Stay safe, okay?"

"Love you too."

"I have to go. Sorry, love."

When I get home, I wearily make my way up the stairs, glad the kids are at school and Susan's husband has JD. I collapse onto my bed and fall asleep, too tired to even contemplate doing anything else.

* * *

"Hey, sweetie," Rob says, shaking me slightly.

I sit up, rubbing my eyes. Then I hug him to me, hard. "Thanks so much for coming, Rob."

He kisses my head. "Anything for my favorite breeder," he says, making me laugh. Then he puts an arm around my shoulder and one under my knees. "I'm going to bring you to the couch," he informs me.

"You fucking asshole," I reply, laughing.

"That happens," he admits, grinning devilishly at me.

"Aww, shut up." But I let him carry me to the couch. "Where's Mirin?"

"Asleep for her midday nap," he replies. "What do you want for lunch?"

"I can make my own food, Rob," I say, amusement in my voice.

"Doctor said bedrest. That means you shouldn't be on your feet," he informs me. "I'll be doing the cooking and the cleaning around here until she says otherwise."

I roll my eyes at him as he sets me down. "Okay, okay. But Javi and Rosa and AJ can all help. And Tristan. He'll be with us tomorrow, along with JD, of course."

* * *

"Dr. Stork?" I say into the phone.

"Yes, Tris," she says. "I've talked to your professors."

"And?"

"Well, I quite like them," she says, laughing. "But anyway, we came up with a plan. You'll go back to school for another two weeks or so, but on shorter shifts. It's near the end of the term, anyway, and then there's a two-month break. Since you've already taken your Boards, skipping the last few weeks of the term shouldn't hurt too much. You can go back tomorrow. How do you feel?"

"I feel fine. My friend Rob has been staying with me," I reply. "Thanks a ton, Dr. Stork."

"No problem, Tris. I'll see you in two weeks."

Dr. Stork spreads the cold gel on my stomach. "How did the two weeks go? Nothing too hard?"

"Of course not, Dr. Stork. I was fine. It was a bit hot, but other than that everything was fine." I glance hopefully at the screen. "Everything okay?"

"Everything looks great. I want you on complete bedrest now, but we'll tentatively schedule another appointment for a week from now. You might go into labor sooner, though." She laughs lightly. "Get ready for your baby, Tris."

* * *

"JAVI!" I yell. "JAVI!"

"Tris?" He pops his head in. "Are you okay? What's wrong? Should I get To-"

"Call Tobias now," I say. "I need to go to the hospital. I'm going into labor."

He nods and runs out of the room.

Twenty minutes later, Tobias, Javi, my bag, and I are en route to the hospital. Tobias is gripping the wheel tightly, as he did with JD.

"Have you guys picked out a name?" Javi asks, letting me grip his hand. "I know you were considering some, but…"

Tobias smiles at me in the mirror. I say, "We have one picked out. We can call them by their middle name or stick with the two-letter name tradition with have."

Javi smiles. "My middle name is Zola. That means I'm JZ." He hugs me with one arm. "But I really like that idea"

I grunt as another contraction hits, and then I give Javi a small smile. "You're one of our kids, Ja- Tobias, fucking drive faster!"

"You did so, so good," Javi says, hugging me. "They're beautiful." His gaze softens. "Did you lose a biological female or male?"

I press my face into Tobias' chest, and he replies, "We lost a baby girl." He rubs my back. "It's okay, love," he murmurs, kissing my head. "Do you want anything? Food? Drinks?"

"Apple juice," I reply.

He chuckles. "You wanted apple juice after JD, too," he teases. Then he stands and kisses me lightly. "I'm going to go get Tris apple juice and make some phone calls, Javi. Watch her."

I look down at the baby in my arms, already latched on and feeding. "The things the human body and make stun me every time," I murmur, stroking my baby's cheek. "But I still - I lost the other twin, and I - I - I can't help but feel guilty about being so happy right now."

Javi nods seriously. "They're beautiful." Then he sighs and strokes the baby's hair. "You don't need to feel guilty, Tris. You and Four made a beautiful baby, and just because you lost one doesn't mean you shouldn't love this one."

I smile at him, tears in my eyes. "Thank you, Javi." I hug him. "You're a great son, buddy."

He smiles at me, and then looks down at the baby. "I try."

* * *

AJ, Rosa, and JD are shuffled in by Rob, who's accompanied by Mirin and Uri. Uri, like Tobias, is still in his uniform.

"Hey, girl," Rob says, hugging me. I'm cuddled up with Tobias already. "Is it a boy or girl? What's the name?"

Tobias and I look at each other. "We're not telling anyone their sex," I reply. "We're going to let our baby decide their gender." I grin and kiss my baby's soft head. "But their name is Kenai - Bennet Kenai Eaton. Or BK."

Rob gives me a broad grin. "I love the idea, Bear."

AJ hops up onto the bed. "Hi, baby," he says, already having gotten the drill down with JD. "I'm your big brother, AJ."

JD peers at the baby, too, and then goes back to his doll, unimpressed.

Rosa smiles at the infant in my arms. "They're beautiful," she informs me. "Hi, Kenai," she says softly. "Welcome to the family."

* * *

Spanish Translation:

_Sí, hermana - _Yes, sister.

_¿Hablan ustedes castellano?_ _Mi familia habla español. Mi abuelo enseñó a mi mamá y mi mamá nos enseñó a JD y yo._ _Y soy homosexual_ \- You guys speak Spanish*? My family speaks Spanish*. My grandfather taught my mom and my mom taught JD and me. And I'm gay. *Castellano is a dialect of Spanish - the dialect spoken in Latin America and parts of Spain. However, in English we just call it Spanish.

_Gracias, Mamá y Papi _\- Thanks, Mom and Daddy [I didn't want to use Papá, because AJ already calls Andrew Papa].

* * *

**AGAIN: I need answers! Do you guys want me to add to _Thank You for Giving Me a Chance, _put something new up, or put up a shoot-off of this fic (MMLM)? The shoot-off would have a different plotline (Tris would be training Tobias as part of the Divergents, and AJ wouldn't exist. The only way it would be a shoot-off, really, is in the way I would use the concept of the Divergents from this fic). Please leave votes in the reviews!**


	33. Chapter 33 (second baby pt 3)

_**I don't own**_** Divergent_._**

**Hey, guys! This might be a bit of a ranting, rambling A/N, but please, please read it.**

**1) I thought I made it clear in my A/N about homophobia and transphobia: I won't put up with it. I don't care if you were suckled homophobically and transphobically at your mother's breast - if you don't like queer fanfiction, don't read this. I'm sorry you're scared that you might be gay. I'm tired of getting bashed for letting my characters be themselves. There's nothing graphic in MMLM.**

**2) I'm going to do one last installment. You'll see what it's like. Then I'm going to update _Thank You_.**

**3) Have a good day and enjoy :).**

* * *

_Rosa smiles at the infant in my arms. "They're beautiful," she informs me. "Hi, Kenai," she says softly. "Welcome to the family."_

"Hey!" Tobias says. "So I have a game in Seattle the weekend after next, and Tris and I wanted to bring the family up so we can, you know, see you guys. We're going to get a hotel room this time, though, because our family is just getting too big to stay with you guys."

I can't hear the response, but Tobias' mouth tightens, as does his grip on my hand.

"No," he says, "we will not be bringing our baby girl with us. We don't have a baby girl, nor do we have a baby boy. We just have a tiny human, whose name is Bennett Kenai."

I swallow and put a hand on his hip. "It's okay, baby," I murmur. "They just want to know."

He listens to what they're saying for a second, and then replies, "Kenai is too young to have gender stereotypes pushed on them without them having made the choice of which gender feels more correct. If and when Kenai tells us what gender they associate with, we will tell anyone Kenai wants us to tell. They are only a month old, James." He sighs and listens for a second. "We'll see you soon. Bye."

Tobias groans and flops over on top of me. "I hate this."

"I'm sorry. I really think it will be better for Kenai," I say, giving him a reproachful look.

"I agree. I think it's good that we're doing it. I just hate explaining it to every. single. person." He sighs and kisses my cheek. "I love you." He kisses my cheek. "And I love BK, and JD, and AJ, and Rosa, and Javi."

"Mommy?" AJ says, coming into our room. His cheeks are streaked with tears. "Mommy, I -" He hiccups, and I pull him into the bed with us.

"What's wrong, baby?" I ask, kissing his forehead. He's now twelve. "Are you okay?"

He buries his head in my stomach. "They found out, Mom," he says, shoulder shaking.

"Who? About what?"

Tobias puts a hand on AJ's shoulder. "What happened, AJ?"

"I told Max I like boys," AJ says. "And he told the entire grade." He begins to sob again. "Today no one talked to me all day."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner, AJ?"

"Because I don't want you to do anything," he replies. "I'll handle it."

I let air hiss between my teeth. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Mom, if you and Dad get involved…it will be bad." He looks up at me, tears still in blue-grey eyes, and says, "Please, Mommy."

I meet Tobias' eyes. "We won't get involved in it through the school," I say. "But we're going to do a lot of talking with you and with Tristan, and we're going to help with with a few things."

* * *

I lie awake after Tobias has fallen asleep. I've been noticing things with Kenai. They don't…jump at loud noises. They don't respond right away unless they can see whoever is near them.

I think BK might have EVAS.

I know it sometimes doesn't appear until after the inner ears are done with development - about age three - but if we're already noticing hearing loss now…

Tobias turns over and sits up on his elbows. "What are you thinking about?" he asks, tracing my jaw.

I stare at him for a second. "I have something to tell you," I finally say. "The year we met, a doctor told me you have a hearing disorder called Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome."

"Okay," Tobias says. "I think I can hear pretty well."

"Yes, well, in you, it's a very minor hearing loss. It probably didn't even take effect until you were in high school. I don't know. But my point is…" I sigh and close my eyes. "EVAS normally shows up in one of three ways: due to head trauma, during adolescence, or…during and after development of the inner ear, from ages zero to three." I cuddle closer to him. "I think Kenai might…might have it, Tobias. They're already showing telltale signs -"

"Like what?"

"Like not responding to loud noises, and only recognizing someone when they can see the person." I put my face in his neck and inhale deeply. "The doctor warned me that any kids we have are at risk, because you have it…but then nothing was wrong with JD, so I didn't think -"

"You didn't think anything would be wrong with BK," Tobias finishes. "So…they might have this, because of me."

"It would have had to be in my genes, too, and it's also completely random," I say. "The chances -"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Would you have wanted to do anything else about it?" I ask. "We have no control. And we don't even know if it _is_ EVAS. There are _tons_ of hearing disorders."

"But the baby was at high risk for this one," Tobias says. He sighs heavily. "What are we going to do about it?"

"I made an appointment for after we get back from Seattle," I mumble. "I'm sorry, Tobias."

He wraps his arms around me. "I'm not mad. You were just trying to protect me." He kisses my head. "Now go to sleep, love."

* * *

Tobias smiles at breakfast and hands AJ a package. The other kids at the table watch curiously, and I hold BK on one shoulder.

AJ slowly unwraps the plastic and pulls out the tie. Frowning, he looks up at me. "I don't understand."

Tobias takes the tie from him and ties it around AJ's collar. "It's a pride tie, Andrew Jeremiah," he says, and then he hugs AJ tightly.

AJ smiles widely at me. "Thanks, Mom."

Javi pulls me into the kitchen by an arm. "Tris, what's that about?"

I smile at him. "It's nothing you need to worry about, Javi."

He glares at the ground. "Yes, it is! He's my brother. I want to protect him."

I hug my newly-adopted son. "Thank you so much for caring about AJ like that, Javier, but I -"

"Tris," he says, voice pained. "What's going on with AJ?"

I sigh. "Kids in his grade found out that he's gay." I shift BK to the other shoulder.

Javi lets air his through his teeth. "That's - what happened?"

"They've been ignoring him," I reply.

Javi hums. "It will get better. Don't go to the principal." He walks towards the door. "I have school."

I stare after him. He's taught me more in the months I've known him than most people I know.

* * *

Tobias wraps his arms around me and presses his lips to my cheek. "Ready to go to Seattle to see them?"

I nod and fit my lips to his. "I love you," I murmur.

He groans. "I hate having to wait two more weeks," he complains, kissing my head.

"For what?"

"To have sex," he replies, pouting.

I laugh and kiss his cheek. "Want to take a bath?"

He nods and then the smile drops from his face. "One of us has to stay out for the baby," he says. Then he kisses my head. "Go bathe and nap. I can watch them."

"Oh, c'mon. BK is asleep. We have a bit," I reply. "Please?"

"Fine, but I might be getting the baby whilst not wearing clothing," he reminds me, following me up the stairs.

"So? They can come in the bath with us, then." I turn the hot water on. "Are you playing today?"

He nods. "Catching, I think. But I don't have to be there until later." He kisses my head. "No BP for today." He hums as he drops his basketball shorts. "How much longer are the kids in school for?"

"AJ gets out next week," I reply, "and Javi and Rosa don't get out for another two weeks after that. JD has half-day preschool for another week." I cock my head. "I think Rob is coming over today to watch JD and Kenai so I can go to the game with you, and then tomorrow I have Mirin and our kids so he can go to the game."

Tobias gets in the bath and pulls me in with him. "Are you picking up a shift today?"

I nod and lay back against his shoulder, relishing in the feeling of our bare skin touching with the hot water surrounding us. "We're not having any more kids," I murmur. "Five is enough."

He chuckles. "Okay, love." Then he kisses my shoulder. "I would have been happy with just AJ," he says, "but I absolutely love our big, happy family."

* * *

Javi sticks close to my side as we drive up to Robyn's house. "So…they're not liking the idea of your gender-neutral baby."

"Nope." I glance back at said child, who's asleep in their carseat. "It's for the best. That's all we want for our kids." I look at Javi. "I wish we could have done it for you."

He smiles at me. "Thanks." Then he puts on a serious face. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to help protect BK."

I laugh lightly. "Okay, bud." I take Tobias' hand. "Are you almost ready, baby?" I ask.

He shrugs. "Everything will be fine."

"Mom," AJ says. "Mom!"

"What?" I say, glancing to the far back, where Rosa, JD, and AJ are seated.

"I don't want to."

"You don't want to…what?" I ask.

"See them. They don't like people like me," AJ says. "_Tengo miedo, Mamá_."

Tobias' hands tighten on the wheel. "AJ, everything will be fine. They love you."

"AJ, who told you they don't like queers?" I demand. "_Y...no tienes que tener miedo, chiquito._"

"The kids talk about it all the time." He shrugs. "Can I stay close to you, Mom?"

"If you want to, bud."

* * *

James gives Tobias a tight smile. "Hey, man."

"Hey," Tobias replies, shaking his hand.

"How's - everything?"

Tobias smiles widely. "Great. I'm loving the five-kid life. Tris is going to be a doctor, my baseball is great, and I love our newest kid." He kisses my cheek.

"So…can we see him?"

"JD?" Tobias asks pointedly. "Of course."

"Her?"

"Rosa?" Tobias offers.

"The baby!" James snaps. "We want to see the baby." The rest of the family has gathered.

I unhook the carseat from the base and hand it to Tobias. He shows them BK, smiling the entire time.

BK is dressed in blue leggings and an orange shirt. They're still asleep in the carseat. The kids coo over them, and they don't wake up. The dog barks, and, while JD jumps, BK sleeps through it.

I sigh and exchange a look with Tobias. He nods back and then smiles at Andreas. "Thanks for having us for dinner, Andreas and Robyn. It's good to see you, Sierra, James."

Andreas nods to his cousin. "It's no problem, Tobias. You're family."

The tension in every adult is tangible. Noah looks around and tugs his left sleeve down. I see a rainbow poking out onto his hand and I realize why he was so jumpy at Christmas.

"Why don't we head inside to eat?" Robyn suggests. "Kids eat outside," she informs the group. "Adults can stay inside."

AJ gives me a pleading look. I nod my head towards Tobias. He runs up to his father and whispers in his ear. Tobias shakes his head and AJ sighs.

"I am most definitely staying near you," Javi murmurs.

"It's not that we don't _approve_ of your choices," James says. "We just don't think they're right with God."

"Letting my child not be pushed into a box is 'not right with God?'" Tobias asks.

"Letting them _choose_ a gender is not right with God," he says. "And your other boy…the gay one. And the bisexual girl. And Javi."

"I don't even know how to reply to this," I say. "We're not letting Kenai 'choose.' We're letting them identify, without feeling pressured. And how do we have anything to do with AJ's sexuality? Or Rosa's? And Javi is straight."

"Javi is a _girl_," Andreas says. "And you're allowing your children to sin against God."

Javi stands up and looks Andreas straight in the eye. "I am _not_ a girl," he says. "I'm a fucking guy. I was born into the wrong body and, regardless, gender, sex, and sexuality are three very different and separate things. Tris and Tobias have done nothing wrong. They're raising BK, JD, AJ, Rosa, and me in the best way they can - by supporting us and not being closed-minded and homophobic. Do you know why Rosa and I were in the foster care system?" He takes a shaky breath. "It's because our birth parents hated our 'sin' so much that they gave up their parental rights. It's people like you that are sinning. God makes each and every person as they should be and if that means He gave me this test of being put in the wrong body, then so be it. I can withstand the test and still believe in Him." He glances at me. "If you want to be homophobic and transphobic, go ahead. But do it silently and _never_ attack Tris and Tobias like that again." His voice gets so threatening there that even Robyn leans back a little.

Noah stares at Javi for a second before clearing his throat. "Mom, Dad," he says. "I - I'm pansexual, and I'm dating a man named Sebastian. I've been dating him since the middle of freshman year."

Now everyone at the table turns and stares at Noah, but I give him a broad smile.

He gives me a small smile. "You knew, didn't you?"

I nod. "I did."

"Noah -" James says, voice breaking. "Are you - how - I don't understand."

"Pansexual means I like all genders and sexes," Noah says. "But, currently, the only person I like is Seb."

Javi grins at Noah. "You're brave, Noah," he says. "I commend you."

Noah shrugs. "I don't think my parents plan on kicking me out."

"But - why would you choose this for yourself?" Sierra asks. "We thought we raised you right."

"I didn't choose anything," Noah says. "This is a part of me, not a choice."

"Bullshit," Kiara says. "Bullshit. Excuse my language, but you chose this, Noah. You chose to date a fag and you chose to be one, and, on top of that, you chose to lie to all of us."

Claire shakes her head at her cousin, too. "How could you do this to us, Noah?"

"Maybe it's better you _do_ leave, at least for a while, Noah," James says, finally looking at his son. "Just until everything settles down."

"You're fucking kicking me out?" Noah says, staring at his parents. "I'm your son!"

"My son doesn't do things like this," Sierra finally says. "If you see him, tell him his mother misses him and loves him."

Noah stares at his family for a second and then gets up. "I'm going to go pack," he says.

"Wait -" Sierra starts. When he looks back, she says. "We really do love you, Noah. This is for the best. You'll see. This separation will help you understand everything better."

Noah shakes his head. "I can't believe this," he says. "I can't believe you guys. I'm your _son_." But he leaves Robyn's house.

Tobias stands, too. "The Sierra I knew would never kick her son out," he says. "Noah has done nothing wrong. Maybe it's better we leave, too." He looks at me. "Go talk to Noah," he orders softly. "Tell him there's always room for him with us, if he needs it."

I take BK out of their carseat and put them over my shoulder as I walk over to Sierra's house. I walk up to Noah's room, knocking on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Tris and Kenai," I reply. "Can I come in, bud?"

"Yeah," he says. I open the door and he wipes at his face. "What's up?"

"Do you need any help?" I ask. "Also…if you want to come to New York for the rest of the summer…Tobias and I always have room for family." I hand him some boxers out of his top drawer. "We'll get you a ticket back with us and you can stay in the hotel with us until then."

He wipes his face again and sits back against the bed. "I still just - can't believe it."

"At least you're of age," I say. "Javi and Rosa…"

"I know," he says. "Sebastian lives in New Jersey. I'm going to call and tell him what happened." He leans his head back. "I think I might have to live with you." He snaps his head up. "Not that it's bad - thank you so much - I'll pay rent and everything."

I smile at him. "It's okay," I say. "I know what you mean. And for now, I'll pack for you and you can call your boyfriend. Go on." I set BK on the bed, and they coo at the ceiling while I pack. Every few minutes, I tickle them slightly and let them feel an interesting object.

Noah comes back in a few minutes later, and he's washed his face. "I talked to him," he says. "He says I can stay with him sometimes, if I need to, and he'll come down to see me."

"That's good, bud. Do you have boxes you can pack some of this stuff into to ship it, or would you rather leave it here?"

He pauses. "Is it realistic that this will ever be my home again?" he asks.

I hesitate. "I don't know."

Tobias comes in. "Tris, everyone is mostly ready to go," he says. "Javi's entertaining them in the car."

Noah looks at Tobias. "Should I pack up everything?" he asks. "Boxes?"

"I'll help. Tris, why don't you drive everyone to the hotel and then come back here to pick us up?"

* * *

"Mom, I don't want to share with BK, too," AJ whines. "I already share a room with JD."

"Why would you share a room with BK?" I ask. "And JD and BK are going to share once we get BK on a good sleep schedule."

"Because Noah's going to live with us," AJ says, taking BK from me with expert hands.

I chuckle. "Noah's going to be in the attic," I reply. "Nowhere near you."

AJ steps back. "Okay then. I'm fine with it." He grabs a suitcase in his free hand and continues to cradle BK in the other arm. "Love you," he adds, scurrying away.

Noah looks up at our house. "Thanks," is all he says before disappearing into it.

Tobias hands me a suitcase. "Noah's other stuff should arrive here in a week or so," he says.

A car pulls up across the street from our house and a man with dark hair tumbles out of it, barely having parked and locked it. Tobias and I watch for a moment.

"Sebastian?" I mutter to Tobias.

He shrugs. "Maybe."

The man, who I now see has the dark eyes to match his dark hair, begins to look at the house numbers. He sees us and calls, "Are you Four and Tris?"

Tobias nods. "Noah is inside," he calls back.

Sebastian runs across the street, dodging a car. "Thank God," he says. "I'm Sebastian. You two are - amazing."

I smile at him. "Nice to meet you. I'm Tris."

"And I'm Four," Tobias says. "If you want, you can help us all by helping us unload."

"Of course, sir," Sebastian says, and grabs two suitcases, running up the steps.

I laugh and follow him. Tobias grabs the last suitcase and locks the car.

Noah and Sebastian are embracing in the hallway, the suitcases forgotten at Sebastian's feet. Noah has his face buried in Sebastian's neck and they cling to each other. AJ watches from a seat on the stairs.

"AJ, c'mere," I order, and my son hops down the stairs. "Stop watching and bring these suitcases upstairs."

He huffs but obeys, casting one glance back. I put a hand on Noah's back, and he jumps back, face reddening slightly. "Sorry," he mutters.

"No, Noah, it's entirely fine," I say, laughing. "I don't care if you and Sebastian show affection." I meet Tobias' eyes and he mimes sex and then gestures to them. I laugh for a second and then say, "We also don't care if you two have sex. Our only rules are: nowhere but your room or bathroom, not when my kids are around, and with full protection." Both men have gone pure red. "And keep anything around my kids PG, please."

Noah is now just staring at me, so Sebastian says, "Okay, I, uh, thanks?"

I laugh and walk by them. "See you at dinner, boys."

Tobias kisses my head. "When's the appointment for BK?" he asks, handing me the baby. "Also, I think they need a nursing."

"The appointment is tomorrow at eight AM," I reply. "I'm going to go nurse. Make sure everyone gets unpacked and then start dinner." I start to leave and then turn around. "Also, I need you to take AJ to the Center for his appointment tomorrow."

"But I have BP," he argues.

"I can't take him," I reply. "My shift at the hospital starts at twelve."

Tobias sighs. "Can't Noah or Javi?"

"You can ask them," I reply. I hug him. "Sorry." I turn and take BK into the bedroom that Tobias and I share.

* * *

"Tris, Four, what brings you and BK here today?" Dr. Bowen asks, tapping her pen on the clipboard. "BK had a checkup recently, didn't they?"

"We're not here for a checkup," I say. "BK…well, Four has a hearing disorder called EVAS."

"Has BK been showing signs of hearing loss?" she asks.

I nod. "They don't respond to loud noises, and I tried the clap test, and…I think - well, I don't know."

"Hmm." She taps her chin. "I'd like to see their response to the clap test. Four, if you will, hold BK to be facing you."

Tobias moves the baby to face him and then looks up at the doctor. She claps, loudly, from directly behind. BK doesn't change their behavior, still playing with a button on Tobias' shirt.

She next claps near their right ear, with the same response. When she claps near their left ear, BK pauses for a second, glances around, and then goes back to playing.

Dr. Bowen hums. "I think BK has hearing loss," she says slowly. "Given the circumstances, EVAS would make sense." She pulls out a sticky note. "I'm putting the name and number of an pediatric ENT doctor here. I would recommend going to see him for a full diagnosis." She gives me a sympathetic look. "Children that show hearing loss this early usually have speech issues, if they learn to speak at all. I would recommend everyone in the family learning ASL so you can start teaching it as soon as possible."

I nod and shake her hand. "Thank you." Then I pick BK up and walk out of the room.

* * *

Tobias drives on the way home. It's pretty quiet in the car. "So," he says. "BK might not talk."

"That would be okay," I reply. "We can learn ASL." I pull my phone out. "I'm going to call that doctor."

"Don't do it now," Tobias says. "I don't want to be there."

I put my phone back in my pocket. "Okay."

* * *

"Where'd you go?" AJ asks.

"Kenai had a doctor appointment," Tobias replies, slamming the door and walking up the stairs without another word.

"For what?"

"They have a hearing disorder," I explain. "They have significant hearing loss."

AJ's face falls. "What…what can we do for them?"

I shrugs. "I don't know, AJ."

"How can you not know?" he says. "This is your baby, Mom. What would you have done if it was me?"

I turn sharply and look him sternly in the eye. "AJ, I'm a doctor. We learned about this syndrome. It's understudied and no one understands it. If that's what Kenai has, there's little to nothing we can do. Hearing aids are useless more than half the time. Cochlear implants are futile. There's nothing we _could_ do."

AJ swallows. "Sorry, Mom."

"No, I'm sorry I yelled at you." I sigh. "Can you take BK for now? I need to get ready for my shift."

"I thought you were taking me to the Center for my appointment," he says.

I sigh. "I'm really sorry, AJ, but I think Noah is."

"But I've never gone without you or Dad," he says, gripping my wrist.

"AJ, Noah is even better than your dad or me," I say. "He's dating a man."

AJ looks down. "It's just -"

"I'm sorry, buddy," I say, kissing his head. "But I can't skip work and Dad has practice. We'll take you next week."

"It's fine." He takes the baby from me. "Go, get ready for work."

"I really am sorry, bud." I stroke his cheek. "But it will be fine."

He nods. "I'm okay, Mom." He kisses my cheek.

Javi hugs me. "I'm sorry about the hearing loss," he says.

"It'll be fine," I answer. "We can deal with whatever curve balls are thrown our way."

"I know you can, Tris," he says. "But AJ is right - you need to go get ready for work."

* * *

"Okay, so the Center is the the resource center for LGBTQIAPP+ people in New York," I explain to Noah. "AJ has a therapy appointment there, at the youth center, which is next to the main building. It'll be about an hour long. You and Sebastian are free to do whatever during the appointment as long as you're there to pick him up. If I were you, I'd check out the regular Center. It has a museum and a bookstore and it's generally pretty cool."

Noah nods as I grab my bag. "When should we leave if we're driving?"

"In about an hour," I reply. "Thanks, Noah!"

* * *

"Tris!" Someone hugs me.

"Hey," I say, smiling. "How were those last two weeks?"

Leah laughs, nose stud glinting. "Hot," she admits. "How's the baby?"

"They're great," I reply. "Four loves being a dad - obviously - and we have his nephew staying with us for a little while. How's Lio?"

She grins and twists a ring. "July fourth," she says, looking down and smiling to herself.

I hug her. "I'm so happy for you."

"Students!" Dr. Wilcox roars. Every sound stops. "Good. I have the lists for your rotations. After this, get changed and be there promptly. I'm going to read each rotation group."

Leah and I are in pediatrics. "Kids are so cute," she gushes.

I shake my head. "I don't like pediatrics. Too many sick and injured kids."

Leah considers and rubs the inside of her arm. "That's fair."

* * *

Most of the day is spent treating puking kids, putting in stitches, putting on casts, returning dislocated bones to the proper places, and generally calming the children. It's honestly exhausting. My shift goes until midnight and I know the house will be silent when I get back. Tobias might wait up, but we'll both be exhausted. I hope he just goes to bed. I check my watch. It's nearly dinnertime now.

I grab the newest chart and walk towards the room. It briefly outline what happened. Boy, playing in the park, fell off swingset, possible broken arm. I look up once I'm in the room and recognize my son, along with my husband.

I rub my temples and pull Tobias into a hug. "What happened?" I ask, kissing JD's head.

Tobias is still in his uniform. I guess he came from pregame practice. "Javi said he and Rosa took AJ, JD, and BK to the park after Noah and Sebastian got back with AJ. Apparently JD was trying to get off of the swing faster and flew off, trying to catch himself with his arms and - I guess he broke something or something. They called me and I left practice."

JD begins to cry. "Mommy, it hurts." He holds up a purpling left arm. "_¡Mamá, me ayuda!_"

I kiss Tobias' cheek. "I can't treat him," I reply. "I'm going to go get Leah and an attending."

"No!" JD says. "_¡Mamá, te necesito!_"

I sigh. "I'll be right back, baby. I'm just getting a different doctor."

I find Leah and pull her towards the attending. "Dr. Matthews?"

"Yes?"

"Leah has a patient she needs your help with," I say.

"Why are you talking to me about Leah's patient?"

I sigh. "He's my son. It was my patient but I can't treat him."

Dr. Matthews looks up. "What's wrong with him?"

"He fell off a swingset, and it looks like he fractured his radius or ulna."

Dr. Matthews shuts the binder. "Take us to him. Is his father here, too?"

"Yes, but I might need to translate for him," I say. "He's slipped into speaking mostly Spanish." I start walking.

"And you want to be there for the treatment of your son," Dr. Matthews adds.

"Yes," I admit.

Dr. Matthews nods. "You're going to need to remember that you're not the doctor on this one."

"I know."

Tobias has a screaming JD on his lap, and he gives me a thankful look.

To their eternal credit, both Leah and Dr. Matthews react well to Tobias and my screaming son. Tobias hands him to me, and I calm him from full-out screaming to just a little crying. Dr. Matthews smile at him. "Hi, JD. I'm Dr. Matthews."

He just buries his head in my shoulder.

"I can help you feel better. Can you tell me what happened?"

"_Me caí._" He sniffs. "_Me duele el brazo._"

"He said he fell, and that his arm hurts," I say. "_Habla en inglés, por favor,_" I whisper.

He sniffs and begins to cry again.

"Ready the ketamine and propofol mixture," Dr. Matthews mutters to Leah. "I'm going to go do x-rays. Eaton, can you bring your son with me?"

I cradle him against my chest and follow my attending. The x-rays are quickly taken and Leah administers the drugs to help him feel better. I lay him back on the bed as they take effect.

Tobias pats the chair next to him. "Did you see the x-ray?" he mutters.

I nod. "Fracture of the left ulna," I reply. I take his arm and show him where. "Because the bone isn't displaced, they don't need to set it. They just need to put a cast on."

Beside us, JD is asleep. Leah and Dr. Matthews come in with the cast supplies. "What color, Tris?" Leah asks.

I grin at her. "How about green?" I say.

"Sure thing." She readies it and helps Dr. Matthews with the plaster.

Once they're done setting it, Dr. Matthews releases Leah to go work with other patients. "I'm going to talk to Mr. Eaton, Tris, but you're free to go work." The order is implied.

I kiss Tobias' head. "Take videos of JD when he wakes up," I say. "You won't regret it."

* * *

"Thanks for waiting up," I say, crawling into bed next to him.

"I'd hardly call it waiting up," he mumbles. "I've been dozing."

"It's fine," I say. "How was JD?"

"He complained a little once the medication wore off, but he was okay after I gave him a little Tylenol," Tobias answers. "He likes the color, by the way. He kept murmuring 'verde' under his breath and looking at his cast on the way back."

I chuckle and wriggle out of the jeans I wore to work, even though I change into scrubs before actually working. "Did you go to the game?"

Tobias' hands find my waist and he pulls me close, even though the comforter separates us. "No," he admits. "I called and talked to Max."

I pull off my shirt and hold out my hand expectantly. One of Tobias' shirts soon rests in it and I pull it on before getting under the light covers with him. "It's alright. You weren't supposed to start as a pitcher, anyway, right?"

He shakes his head. "Nope. Not even as a catcher. Zeke pitched and Uriah caught."

I lay my head on his shoulder and take his hand. "BK went down easily?" I ask, settling into the bed and my normal routine.

He kisses my head. "Like an angel."

"AJ helped with the dishes?"

"He did."

"And Rosa and Javi are okay?"

"They're wonderful," he replies, kissing my nose. "Good night, my love."

* * *

Spanish Translation:

_Tengo miedo, Mamá -_ I'm scared, Mom.

_Y...no tienes que tener miedo, chiquito_ \- And...you don't need to be afraid, [chiquito is the diminutive of chico - not sure how to translate it. Kiddo?]

_¡Mamá, me ayuda! -_ Mom, help me!

_¡Mamá, te necesito! _\- Mom, I need you!

_Me caí._ _Me duele el brazo _\- I fell. My arm hurts.

_Habla en inglés, por favor _\- Speak in English, please.


	34. Chapter 34: Epilogue

_I don't own _Divergent_._

_Hey, everyone. So...this is the last chapter! No more after this. I suppose it's an epilogue, not a chapter. As for my next work, if any: I will be working on _Thank You_, and I might try a _Supernatural_ fanfic. Any _Supernatural_ fans out there? Anyway, no promises on the _Supernatural_ fanfic, but it would be Destiel if I wrote one...anyway, to recap: this is the last chapter of MMLM, and upcoming is: _Thank You_ and possibly a _Supernatural_ fic. Have a good day peeps, and thanks for reading all of this. Love you all!_

_\- Nik_

_PS: Enjoy!_

* * *

"Okay, guys," Tobias says, moving the camera a little. "AJ, put your hands on JD and BK's shoulders. Javi, Rosa, arms around AJ. Tris, wait for me there, love." He glances at the family, nods approval, and sets the timer. He signs to BK to smile. "Smile, everyone," he says as he comes to stand next to me, putting his arm around my waist. He and I are behind the kids.

The camera flashes, and Tobias runs to look at the picture. He examines it, and then nods. "This is fine." He waves a hand. "Now with the extended family. Javi, an arm around Mari. AJ, an arm around Jack. Rosa, where's Emma?"

Emma giggles and runs into the room, kissing Rosa's cheek. "Sorry," she says.

"No problem," Tobias replies. "Arm, Rosa." He looks everyone over. "Okay, good. Remember to smile." He sets the timer and once again runs to be with me. He looks at this one, too, and then nods. "Okay, we're done."

I turn to BK and sign that they are free to come help in the kitchen if they want to, or they can try to play with Nick, JD, and Mirin. They nod and get up, hugging me. They ask if Noah is coming for dinner. I smile and shrug, and they run off.

Tobias puts his head on my shoulder and wraps his arms around my waist. "I love you," he says. He nips at my ear. "What are you thinking about?"

"How I never imagined my life been like this when I was twenty-three," I reply frankly. "I never imagined I'd have four more kids."

Tobias kisses my cheek. "With Javi, Rosa, and AJ out of the house and JD not far behind them, I think you'll be an empty nester soon."

I laugh. "I still have at least four years for JD and at least seven for BK," I argue.

He laughs. "You'll have a grandkid in less than a month," he reminds me.

I let my head fall back. "I'm too young for grandkids! I'm only forty!"

Tobias chuckles. "I don't predict I have much longer with the Yankees," he admits. "A year, maybe two, at the max. My pitching arm is worn out, and my knees will eventually complain."

I kiss his cheek and take his hand. Baseball means so much to him. "Everything will be okay."

"Zeke's already retired," he says, frowning. "And Uri's planning to retire next year. I'm going to be one of the last if I stay past next year."

"Do what you think is right," I tell him. "Now let's get to cooking." I pull him into the kitchen, where Uri sits at the counter, flirting with Rob, and Susan is already pulling pots and pans out. The doorbell rings and Tobias goes to get it, returning with my parents and Noah. I hug my dad tightly.

"Hey, baby girl," he says, grip weaker than usual.

"Dad," I say contently. "How are you?"

"Retirement is in the near future, Bear," he says, a hand tracing my face. "Are you up to it?"

"Maybe we should just put AJ straight into the position," I suggest. "Is JD well enough trained to be AJ's backup, or should I take that position?"

Dad twists his mouth. "I'd rather not put AJ in the position yet," he finally says. "You're older, more experienced. And if Tobias is retiring soon, you could just move the family to Chicago. Javi's starting his adult life and so is Rosa, and AJ's at UChicago anyway."

I nod slowly. "Tobias and I can talk. Maybe next year."

Dad hugs me tightly. "Does JD have hockey tomorrow?"

I nod.

"Maybe we can go watch. But for now, let's cook dinner!" Dad rubs his hands together. "I hear you've put Tobias and me on turkey duty?"

"Mainly because I don't want to do it," I say drily. "Frankly, I prefer baking. I'm going to be doing pies and helping out with a few other parts, but Rob and Susan are doing the most, to be honest."

Dad nods and hugs Tobias tightly.

Javi hugs me tightly. "I missed you," he admits.

Because of the hormones he now takes, Javi has grown a beard and his voice has lowered. I smile at my son. "You saw me a week ago, Javi."

"I know. I guess I meant…" He sighs. "I guess I meant I'm _going_ to miss you."

"Did you get a job offer?" I ask, gripping his hands and grinning.

He nods. "They gave me the choice of L.A. or Chicago. I haven't given my choice yet. I have a week."

I consider. "Tobias is going to retire soon. He can't do as much on the field as he used to. But the point is that my dad also needs to retire, and you know he works in Chicago. Speaking from a mother's perspective, I'd rather you choose Chicago. That said, if L.A. is better, go there. What does Mari want? Will she go with you?"

He gives me a flat look. "Jesus. She's pregnant with our son. Of _course_ she's coming with." His gaze softens as he looks on his wife. "We haven't talked much about it, honestly. I only got the offer yesterday."

"Listen to her opinion," I tell him. "Does she like our family enough that she would want to -"

"Yes," he says, "but you're right, I should talk to her at length." He hugs me again. "Speaking of which, I need to get my darling wife to a place to lay down."

I rub his arm for a second, smiling, before we separate.

* * *

Tobias smiles out at everyone from the head of the table. "I won't bore you all for too long, but I just wanted to say a few words about my family."

"C'mon, Dad," AJ protests. "A few words will last you at least an hour."

A chuckle rises from around the room and I smack my boy with a dishtowel. "Hush and let him speak. He's getting older."

Tobias gives me a sour look at that one, but I also get a laugh. "Now, as I was going to say," he says, shooting my and AJ slight glares, "I was going to talk about how when I was twenty-five, I never even imagined having kids. Ever. Then I met Tris, a hurricane of spirit with a mini-hurricane known as AJ, and I fell in love. Now I have a huge, crazy, wonderful family. And I'm loving every minute of it. Cheers!"

Everyone raises their glass and sips from it. Tobias has grape juice in his, as do I, but some of the other adults have wine.

* * *

I put an arm around Kenai's shoulders as they stare at the house they've grown up in.

_Why do we have to leave, Mom? _they sign.

I hug them to me. _It's what's best for the family, baby. Grandpa needs us, and Dad's done with baseball in a few games. You and me and JD are just going to drive up now._

They sigh and carry the box to the bed of the pickup truck and shove it in there, under the hood. Then they grab their backpack and pillow and get in the car, leaning their head against the pillow.

"C'mon, JD!" I yell. "Get your butt and boxes out here."

He comes tumbling down the stairs with a few boxes and puts them in the back of the truck, also putting a suitcase in there. He and his backpack go into the front seat. He sits on his pillow. "Happy?"

I grab the last few boxes and fit them into the bed of the truck, closing the back hatch and pulling the cover over the boxes to make sure nothing flies away. Then I grab my own backpack and pillow and get in the driver's seat. I turn around and ask if everyone is ready. Kenai nods and JD sighs, putting earbuds in.

* * *

We stop for the night halfway through the drive. I lock the truck and we take our backpacks into the motel. I let the kids choose dinner, and they decide upon pizza, so pizza and soda are ordered, and then we watch an hour or so of cartoons and I put them to bed.

I call Tobias as I stand outside the room, leaning on the wall. "Hey, baby."

"Hey," he says. "How are the kids?"

"Good. Sleeping, hopefully. We're at the hotel for the night."

"That's good," he says. "I'll see you in a few days."

"I'm excited," I say. "How was the game?"

"It was okay. I only pitched four innings. How far did you drive?"

"About six hours. BK isn't too happy to be leaving, and neither is JD, but they'll be fine in Chicago. How are you feeling about this?"

He's silent for a minute. "I'm going to miss New York, and Rob and Uri, but I'm happy as long as I'm with you."

"I love you," I say quietly.

"I love you too. I'll see you soon, love."

"Good night," I say.

"Good night."

* * *

"Up and at 'em, kids," I say, opening the shades. I shake BK.

JD groans, and BK sits up and rubs their eyes.

"Mom," JD complains, "it's six in the morning."

"I'm aware." I sign for them to brush their teeth and get ready to go to breakfast and then leave. They drag their feet as they get ready for the day. JD showers while BK brushes their teeth and then they switch. Breakfast is lukewarm eggs, bacon, and a muffin from the front desk, and then we get back in the car and I drive.

* * *

Dad gets up on the makeshift stage in the cafeteria, and the Divergents, as well as representatives of the Insurgents and Allegiants, all begin to clap for him. "Oh, hush," he says, but he smiles. "As most of you know by now, I'm getting old. I just can't do the things I used to be able to do. Therefore, I am stepping down. My daughter, Tris, has been tested and trained and will take my place for the time being, until we deem AJ ready. Tris's position is not temporary, however, and I expect you will give her all the respect you give me." He waves for me to come up. "Thank you. And now - Tris."

I wave at everyone, smiling. "As many of you know, I grew up in this compound, along with my brother, Caleb. I'm excited to take this position and help in any way I can to make the Divergents the best they can be."

I get respectful applause, and Dad hugs me and hands me the master key to the compound. "Good luck, Bea," he says, kissing my cheek.

I chuckle slightly as we walk off the stage together. "I'll need it. I don't know how you managed all the stress for so many years."

"I'd advise you to buy a good biteguard," Dad says. "Helps with the tooth grinding."

I chuckle further. "Thanks, Dad."

* * *

Tobias looks around the apartment. "Hmm."

"What?" I say, already heading to the master bedroom with some of his stuff.

"Not what I expected, I guess."

"You don't like it?" I ask, faltering.

"No, that's not it at all," he says, striding over to me and kissing my cheek. "And I - I understand why we had to move."

I meet his eyes and don't say anything for a minute. Then, "If you want to live somewhere else with the kids, I can stay here on my own. It's only for a little while."

Tobias shakes his head and walks past me into the master room. "Don't be childish, Tris. You know I want to be wherever you are."

I grit my teeth but follow him. "Tobias, that was a serious offer."

"It sounded like you trying to guilt me."

"It wasn't!" I take a deep breath. "Tobias, the last thing I want is for you to be unhappy or angry with me because I practically forced you to move here."

Tobias mechanically begins to unpack. "I'm neither."

I wave a hand and begin to change into all-black workout clothes. "Whatever. I have the tail end of training going on with AJ." I walk out and get JD from his room. "C'mon. Training."

He groans but comes along willingly. AJ's been there all morning, doing some of the stuff I haven't had the time to do. The after-lunch session should be beginning just about now. JD has been doing some of the training sessions. AJ has informed me, more than once, that JD should have started when he was younger, like AJ did.

I ruffle my son's dark hair. "You know, you look a lot like your dad," I say.

"I know, and AJ looks like you, and BK looks like Papa," he says, rolling his eyes. "We've all heard it a million times."

I push him lightly and open the doors to the training room. "Shove it, kid," I say, grinning. "And listen to your brother," I add seriously.

"He could beat me to a pulp," JD mumbles, and he joins the initiates.

AJ nods to me. "Hey, Mom. We're just about to start fights. We're only doing a few today, though. Then it's more guns and knives."

I pick a knife up off the table and twirl it around my hand. "I could use some knife practice."

AJ laughs. "You were _always_ the best at knives, Mom."

"Doesn't mean I can't be better," I say. "Anyway, let's see these fights, bud."

AJ and I lean against a table as the initiates spar. We decided they could use the practice after viewing the fights.

"So," I say, "how's Jack?"

"Fine."

"C'mon, AJ," I say. "I'm your mother. I want details."

AJ raises his eyebrows. "Do you really?"

I shove him lightly. "Oh, shut it."

AJ shrugs and looks down. "We're good. He's cute."

I grin at him. "You know, when you first came out, your dad and I weren't sure if you were serious."

AJ turns a confused look on me.

I shrug. "You were eleven. We may have wondered, but we always respected what you said."

AJ nods slowly. "I get that."

"But then as you got older, and you continued to assert that you were gay, we became more and more confident," I say, voice turning tender. I kiss his forehead. "You've always been my baby," I say, smiling at him.

"Jeez, Mom," he says, but he gives me a small smile. His gaze falls back onto the initiates and hardens, but he's not entirely _here_.

* * *

Tobias kisses my cheek. "I'm sorry."

I raise an eyebrow. "For what?"

"Being an asshole about the move," he says. "Now that I've…gotten adjusted, I've seen that I, uh, I can deal with it here. I like it. I'm with you."

I look at him. "Thank you, but I feel like there's something else."

"I'm bored," he admits. "I'm…not doing anything. No baseball. No job. No practice."

I stare at him for another few seconds. "Would you like to coach?"

Tobias scratches his ear. "I mean, yes, but - where?"

"I'm sure we can find you something," I say, smirking. Then I pull the covers over my legs. "Good night," I say, burrowing into the pillow.

"It's like nine thirty!"

"I'll be up at five," I murmur. "Good night."

An arm snakes around my waist and pulls me close, but Tobias says nothing more.

* * *

AJ rubs a hand through his hair, dark circles under his eyes. "Late night?"

"Yeah. Where's Dad?"

"With BK. I think they're both asleep. I got JD up and forced him to get over here. He wasn't too happy."

AJ laughs. "I was doing it when I was eleven. He can do it at fourteen."

"JD's…not like you, AJ." I shrug and look out over the initiates.

"What do you mean?"

"Your papa and I tested him for divergence last year and he's just - not. He's Erudite, Aje, through and through." I meet AJ's eyes. "If BK, Rosa, or Javi aren't matches, you're gonna need to have a kid. And fast."

"Let's pray BK is a match," AJ mutters. "But I don't know if they're the best candidate."

I nod, accepting this as true. "But we can prep them like we prepped you. They'll work in a pinch. You could also just give me a grandkid, Aje."

"Not for a while. Javi gave you one."

"I know that, but there's a higher chance your kid would be divergent," I answer. "Anyway, you should start training. I'm supposed to watch you and groom you even more for this position."

AJ nods and opens his mouth to say something more before deciding against it.

* * *

"Who's my birth father?" AJ suddenly asks over lunch.

My grip on my fork tightens. "Why?"

"I need to know."

"Telling you will hurt your father. He wants you to know that you're his, through and through."

"But you don't want to tell me either, do you?"

"Not particularly, although I might do it if I thought it would benefit you." I shake my head. "Trust me, Tobias is the best father you could have had."

AJ nods slowly and sighs. "I'd like you two to tell me, when you're ready."

"We'll try." I cup his cheek. "We love you, AJ."

"I know."

* * *

"AJ asked again," I say, stirring the stew on the stove.

Tobias frowns. "Did you tell him?"

"No," I admit. "I - it would be so hard on him - to find out that he was a product of such violence - could he take it?"

Tobias breathes out slowly and pauses in his cutting carrots. "I think we have to tell him sometime."

"I agree, but - I don't want to hurt him."

"And you don't want to hurt me," Tobias adds.

"That's true." I sigh. "AJ knows you're his - real father, but he still wants to know who his biological father is. It's not because he doesn't love you. Quite the opposite, actually."

"I know. How do you want to tell him?" Tobias hugs me from behind.

"We should get Jack over here and have him here to help AJ, you know, deal." I turn my head and kiss below Tobias' ear. "His psychiatry training should help him."

"But how specifically? What will you _say_?"

"I'll just say it outright and then try to explain," I say, grimly setting my mouth.

"I'll call Jack and invite him over, and you can make AJ stay until he gets here." Tobias hugs me and goes back to his carrots.

* * *

Jack knocks on the door in the middle of dessert (chocolate cake, naturally). Tobias gets up to get the door, even though the rest of the family looks confused.

"Jack!"

"Hey, baby." He kisses AJ's cheek and sits in the chair next to him.

Jack knows why we asked him over tonight, but AJ doesn't, and obviously JD and BK don't know why their brother's boyfriend is here.

Tobias eventually ushers JD and BK into the living room to watch some TV, or a movie, or whatever. He comes back and sits next to me, taking my hand. Jack seems to take this as a sign and puts his hand on AJ's leg.

"Mom, are you - today, huh? Why Jack?" AJ frowns at me, and then looks at Tobias.

"We thought it might be helpful for you to have him here," Tobias says quietly.

"All I want to know is his name," AJ says. "How hard can that be?"

"It was Peter Hayes, AJ," I say quickly.

"Why would you sleep with _him_?"

I look down, and Tobias says, "She didn't, AJ."

"Then how - oh. He raped her, didn't he?" I nod slowly and look up, and AJ chews on his lip. "So…you got pregnant with me because my - because Peter raped you?"

"Yes," I say. "But -"

"Jesus," he says, "I'm just - it makes me sick. I'm a product of fucking rape."

"Hey there, AJ," Tobias says. "Watch the language."

"I'm not a kid anymore, Dad," AJ mutters, but his heart isn't in it.

"AJ," I say sharply. "Listen to me, will you? When I found out I was pregnant, I was angry. Hurt. I'd been raped recently, and I dropped out of school, and Mom and Dad were treating me like glass. Caleb barely spoke to me.

"Dad and I talked through my options and we decided to put you up for adoption after you were born. And until the day you were put in my arms, I was going to do it. But once I saw you - a beautiful baby - I couldn't give you away. It was like you were a sign, showing me things would get better. You were a beautiful product of something awful." I reach across the table and take his hand. "And I raised you in the compound as best I could, along with trying to get Dad let me to help and working for the high school.

"Then I got my job with the Yankees and we met Tobias and you just - you just lit up when you met him. I could tell it was something special. Then, at my birthday party, he asked me two things: would I marry him, and could he adopt you."

Tobias laughs. "She told me she wouldn't marry me, but she wanted me to adopt you. I'm sure you remember that day."

AJ nods slowly. "Mom put me in a suit."

"And then he was just your dad. He's been there for you for eighteen years, buddy," I say. "You were a blessing, AJ."

AJ fights to keep his composure, and Jack puts his hand on the back of AJ's neck, running his hand down AJ's spine. AJ curls into the touch and then into the man that sits next to him.

I stand and walk around the table, kissing AJ's head. "Dad and I are going to go watch TV with BK and JD. If you want to talk with either of us, we're always here, but we thought you might want some time with Jack to - think things through."

AJ nods, and Tobias and I go into the living room and curl up on the couch, kicking JD and BK off.

* * *

"Can Jack be here during training?" AJ asks under his breath.

I nod. "He's already here."

AJ shrugs. "Figured I'd shoot now and ask questions later, so to speak."

I ruffle his hair. "How are you doing, baby?"

"I'm not a baby," he grumbles.

"Oh, be nice, bubbles," Jack says.

AJ's face hardens and he spins. "I _asked_ you not to call me that in public," he growls, face now red.

Jack laughs and grabs AJ, kissing him firmly. There's an _ooh_ from the initiates and AJ grins slightly when they separate. Jack sneaks in another kiss.

The man my son loves is shorter than AJ by a few inches, and he has curly dark hair that wisps around his head when long. His eyes are dark, and they sometimes seem blue and other times green and occasionally brown. He studies psychiatry at UChicago, and has an uncanny knack for recognizing personal problems and offering solutions. I'm sure he talked thoroughly with AJ last night.

My son leans against a table, taking Jack's hand and watching the initiates. I study my boy for a moment. Then I pull out my binder and hand him a file. "I want to test an initiate. This is the case. I'll send Maynard with them."

AJ rubs a hand across stubble filling in on his face. "Raj," he calls sharply. "Come here."

An initiate steps up. Thick black hair, darkish skin, medium height, light muscles. "Yes, sir."

AJ hands him a file. "You have a mission. Maynard will supervise you."

Raj's face doesn't change. He nods and follows Maynard out.

"Did I pass my own test?" AJ asks.

"Yes," I say thoughtfully.

* * *

"All of my babies will be in one place!" I hug the newest arrivals - Rob, Uri, Mirin, and their newest addition, Linden, who's three years old.

Javi and Mari are expecting another baby, and Rosa is here with Emma. I expertly hold Cedar in one arm.

Noah and his girlfriend should arrive in a few hours, and then everyone will be together and my family complete. Mom and Dad are already cooking in the kitchen, and JD thinks I don't know he's making out with a girl in his room.

Tobias kisses my cheek and takes the baby from me. "Great to see you, Uri. Rob." He ruffles Mirin's hair and smiles at Linden.

Rob and I hug firmly. "I missed you, asshole."

"You too, cocksucker," I reply, finally releasing him. "If you're comfortable, JD could use some cockblocking."

"Oh, of course. I'm always in the mood for a good cockblock," he says. "Except when it's my cock being blocked, of course."

Uri chuckles. "And by 'my,' do you mean _yours_ yours or mine yours?"

Rob shrugs. "Does it matter?" He kisses his husband and walks towards the door JD has decorated with "Do not enter!" and "DND!" signs.

Tobias sits next to me, handing Cedar back. "Did you send Rob to stop JD from trying to go too far with that girl?"

"You think far too much like me," I inform him, kissing his cheek. "How's the cooking going?"

"BK and your parents are loving it," he replies. "I'm totally fine doing the dishes if I don't have to cook."

I laugh. "I'll keep that in mind, baby."

"All of my family, together," Tobias says contentedly. He puts an arm around me and pulls me into his side. "And I'm only forty-three," he says, kissing my cheek and laughing.

I smile at him and lay my head on his shoulder. "Everything started with you and it will end with you," I tell him.

He pulls me closer and we watch our family.


End file.

Divergent Trilogy