~Jade's POV~
We get back into Dauntless, and all five initiates part ways from us and each other. All except for one. Bellamy tags along, and I know why. I've yet to give him an explanation. I make everyone stop in front of Lauren's apartment, "Okay, Bell, it's time I tell you what happened between me and your brother." I say, and he holds up a finger.
"No, it's time you both tell me what happened between you two. You guys can either wait inside until I come back with him, or you can come with me, but this is happening one way or another." Bell says, "No Bell I can't se-"- "Yes you can," My love cuts me off, and I'm shocked, along with confused. "You can see him, but one way or another, I'm gonna be right there with you." He adds in explanation, looking at me. "Alright then, the more the merrier, I'll bring him to this apartment so don't go anywhere." Bell says, and heads off around the corner. Miles heads inside behind Lauren and Liam, "When he get's here, one of you tell him to act like I'm not here. I have absolutely nothing to say to the guy." He says, and Tobias gladly takes that job for him. And it amazes me how much my boyfriend and brother dislike my bestfriend.
Well, uh, my Ex-bestfriend. He took a malice-filled job towards Ben from my brother, without knowing or asking for the reason. I compare how me and Miles treated Ben when we first got here to Dauntless, to now. And it makes me sad. It makes me wanna argue with Tobias. I love Benji, but not in the same way he loves me.
He wants Tobias's spot, and of course, Tobias doesn't like that. All I want is for him to return to the spot he was already in, the spot he was okay with being 'stuck' in. My bestfriend spot. And even then, he's not that to me. He's like another brother to me, biological or not.
His mom and our mom were and still are good friend's, to this day. He is literally apart of my family, as is his little brother. Something inside of me hopes I'll have him back after today's little intervention but, as the grimace on my boyfriend's face grows, that hope fades. Ugh. I hate him right now. But I love him at the same time.
In fact, I hate him because I love him. But I get why he's being so defensive about me. He thinks that some way, some how, if I keep in contact with Ben, I'll eventually end up leaving him to be with my bestfriend. But that just isn't the case. I get out of my head to talk to him but, I notice he left to the bathroom.
I start thinking again and, 'Knock, Knock, Knock,' could be heard from the apartment front door. On impulse, I walk over to open the door. And when I do, I'm faced with someone I haven't seen in awhile. We make eye contact, Green on Hazel. I take in his appearance, hair slicked back, piercings in his eyebrow, nose and cheekbone.
Along with newer tattoos covering his neck. I open my mouth to say something but, he hugs me before I could. I freeze at first but, I eventually hug him back. I hear a little someone clear their throat, and both me and Benji release as if on command. I look back at Tobias, and he aims a glare passed me and straight at Ben.
"I'll be in my bedroom with this little princess," Lauren quickly says, nearly darting for her room with Mel. "Yeah, I'll be in the kitchen if needed." Miles announces his departure also, walking pass Ben without a lick of eye contact. "Hello to you too Miles, I love how we're becoming such great friends like me and Nat here." Ben says, sarcastically. And Miles clenches his jaw, and while obviously holding his tongue, he darts his eyes up at Tobias. "Sorry Benji, it'd be best to act like Miles isn't even here. He officially has absolutely nothing to say to you." My love hisses, walking over only to pull me away from him.
Ben cracks his knuckles, "It's Ben to you." He says, obviously having a nerve hit for him, since the next thing he did was try to get into my boyfriend's face. And by try, I mean try. The moment he stepped, I stepped. I put my hands on both Tobias's and Ben's chest, keeping them away from each other. "Boys! Knock it off!" I shout, looking back and forward between both.
Tobias backs off, taking the hand on his chest, right before Ben backs off, "The only boy here is him." Tobias mutters, and I snatch my hand out of his grip. "I said, knock it off! Cut it with the attitude or I'll gladly send you out of this apartment, and out of this conversation." I snap at him, and he scoffs, but before he could say something, the reason why we're having this conversation speaks up. "So it's him," Bell says, "He's the reason you're not talking to him." He adds, pointing over to Tobias while looking at me. "What does us having powers have anything to do with him being a jealous insecure prick?" Bell questions, and I gasp at his words. "Ooo you better watch that lip boy, mind you, you're talking about a Dauntless leader." My love responds, slipping his clenched fists into his pockets.
Just then, Miles comes out the kitchen, with a bowl of cereal in his hands. It goes still and silent, besides the sounds of Miles's walking and slurping. He sits on the couch casually, "Don't mind me. I'm not here remember." He says in between bites. Ben looks over at him, "Y'know what? Why don't we talk about that instead? Why are you not here Miles? What is your reason for disowning me?" Ben questions, and Miles sets his cereal down, and swallows before standing. "I don't know, why don't you tell me Ben?" My brother asks, and I see the confusion on Benji's face. He doesn't know.
Miles didn't talk to him about Gen. "Miles," I start, "You did talk to him right? After we visited mom and dad?" I ask, and Miles starts smiling. "It's funny how you think I'd be the one to tell him." My brother responds, and I start to get upset. "What? Did you think I'd be able to tell him? Wake up idiot I couldn't!" I yell at my sibling, and he just shrugs his shoulders. "Tell me what?" Ben questions looking between the both of us. "Hold the fuck up, one scandal at a time!" Bell stops Ben, but all his brother does is give him a look, and he backs off.
"What aren't you guys telling me?" Ben asks again, and I look over at Miles. This has nothing to do with me. "Oh nothing, just that you did a little more than just find my sister's necklace before we left Amity together. So tell me, did you fuck Genevieve before or after I did? Cuz like, I need to know If I can ask how sloppy my seconds were?" My older brother asks, and I had to use my ability to stop myself from laughing. I love and miss Ben but, how my brother worded that was just too amusing. Tobias on the other hand though, could care less if his laughter was heard.
Ben clamps a hand over his mouth, "Miles I . . ." Ben starts, "Let me explain-," - "Just answer the question Ben. I could care less about an explanation, and so should you. So just answer the question, so I can either A. Let the betrayal sink in or B. Rub it in your face. So go on." Miles cuts him off with. "Before or after?" He asks one more time, with a tinge of uneasiness in his voice. And Ben doesn't hesitate, "Before." He blurts, and I watch my brother's face fall. He replaces his sad expression with a nonchalant one, and sits back down to continue eating. "Just know," He pauses, "I'd never do some shit like that to you." My brother says, before taking another spoonful.
I wait for him to continue telling him about Gen and her kid, "Miles." I hiss once, and he rolls his eyes, "You tell him the rest Nat, I got nothing else left to say to this guy." My brother says, once he chewed and swallowed his bite. "Alright fine." I huff, "Benji, she has a kid. He went to visit her, and spotted her with a new born baby girl. She then later explained to him that he wasn't the only possible father to said baby. You're also a possibility Ben." I explain, and I realize something. "You're dad had blue eyes right?" I ask him, glancing over at Liam. Ben nods at me, and Liam gets my hint and walks over to both Ben and his little brother. "Liam here has the ability to see and show the future, and to answer your question from before Bell, this is where powers comes into play when it comes to me and your brother." I say, just as Liam holds out both his hands to both brother's.
I come over and set my hand on my brother's shoulder, just as they each take a hand. He shows them that baby at our age, again, but this time, he showed a different moment. A moment where her eyes were more green than blue. And seeing her, after seeing Benji again, had tipped the scales even further. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that Benji is that little girl's father.
They're basically twins. Liam thus reverses time in the images he shows us, and stops once that girl is merely a little baby, in Gen's arms. I open my eyes and lift my hand, just as the two brother's let go of Liam's hands. I look at Ben, and so does his little brother. He looked flabbergasted, "I-I . . ." He trails off, "I have a daughter?" He asks under his breath, and I couldn't tell if he was either excited or afraid. "It looks like it bud. And uh, " Liam looks at his watch, "If you leave now, you'll be able to catch the 5:05 straight shot train to Amity." He tells him, patting him on his shoulder.
Ben almost leaves but, he looks at Tobias, "If I leave, should I expect to be hammered by the alpha when I get back?" Ben quickly asks. And Tobias eventually shakes his head, "I may not like you, but I'm not petty. Go." He surprisingly says, and Ben smiles before rushing out the apartment. "Wow Four, I didn't expect that." Liam says, and my love rolls his eyes. "Oh come on, the guy just found out he has a kid, I'm not gonna add to his plate. If I were him, and he were me, I'd want for him to do the same. And anyways," He kisses my cheek, "I'm pretty sure him having a kid is gonna nullify his little crush on what's mine. So why treat him like shit?" He adds, and I get excited. If he's right, then that means I could possibly have my bestfriend back.
"Y'know what, I think so too. Liam could you check if it did?" I ask of my brother, and he closes his eyes. Over time he furrows his eyebrows, and then opens his eyes wide, with a gasp. Miles stares at Liam, and then gasps too. He read his mind. "What? What is it?" I ask, burning with curiosity.
"Neither of you are gonna like this." My younger brother says, and his tone scares me. "Should I show you, or should I just tell you?" He asks us, and both me and Tobias look at each other, and I take his hand, and hold out my hand for Liam to grab. "Alright, can't say I didn't warn you," He takes my hand, "This is your lives if you never fell in love with one another." He tells us, and my mind is then swarmed. I see me, Miles, Liam, Chris, Will, Al, Ben and Eric. And oddly enough we're on the roof, as if it were choosing day again.
I stood next to Tris and Christina. Tris walks up out of the crowd of initiates, and jumps first, instead of how it actually happened, with me as the first jumper. The images follow her down, and the next thing I see is my boyfriend, face to face with Tris, giving googly eyes to one another. Just like how it actually happened, but with me and Tobias. Not Tris.
Next thing I see is Ben, as the second jumper, and me as the third. He helped me out the net, instead of Tobias. Since he was too busy eyeing Tris as he pointed her over to the side, like he did me. The images seem to fast forward, and I start to see images of me and Ben, sitting on Amity's playground together. I kiss his cheek and I expect for his mother to walk up like she does but, she weirdly doesn't.
In fact something I would've never expected happens. I kiss him, and he kisses me back. The images fast forward again, and I see the unbearable. The love of my life, locking lips with Beatrice, on our balcony. In the exact same spot and way he kissed me.
The images fast forward one more time, and I see the totally unexpected. Me, Ben, Tris and Tobias walking together as couples, laughing and chatting it up. I let go of Liam's hand, feeling disgusted, hurt, jealous and angry all at the same time. He's supposed to be with Tris. But yet, here he is with me.
I don't know how to feel about this. I let go of Tobias's hand to rub my temples, since my brain felt violated. I could've gone without seeing that. I look over at Tobias, and he's pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes scrunched closed. "If you two never met, in that exact moment on choosing day, that's what would've happened." Liam says, and my boyfriend and I look at each other, unsure.
Suddenly, I'm so glad I had the metaphorical balls to jump first. But I'm also a little conflicted. If I never shown interest into him, he would've ended up with Tris. I always knew he had a type, and I'm definitely not it. But at the same time, we're together, I did meet him in that exact moment on choosing day. And I made him fall in love with me. I don't know whether if I should be mad or happy. And just by the look on his face, I can tell he feels the exact same way. "I told you, neither of you were going to like it." Liam repeats, and I hold Tobias's eye contact for only a little longer. "We'll talk about whatever that was, later. Matter fact," I take my little brother's wrist and look at his watch, "It's 5:30, you have somewhere to be." I remind him, heading into the kitchen. "Bell, Liam, kitchen please." I say, and I hear footsteps behind me.
We stop once we're near the fridge, "Please tell me you pulled us in here to explain what the fuck is going on here? I just heard that my brother likes you likes you. What? Your big leader boyfriend can't handle a little crush?" Bell goes off, making less and less sense as he went on and on about Tobias. I cut him off, "Bell! You're brother doesn't just like me!" I yell, and he shuts his trap. "He loves me okay? Just like Four does, that's why he doesn't like him. And stop babbling about my boyfriend, Ben was the one who separated us. He saw that I was fighting and risking my relationship with Four just to keep him in my life, he saw how unhappy I was Bell. He saw that I didn't want to fight with my boyfriend anymore. He made me promise him to always be there for him, and he broke that promise himself. My boyfriend may have been apart of it, but it wasn't him who put a stop to us being like we used to." I explain, and Bell starts to relax. "Wow . . ." He starts, "So you're saying he stopped being bestfriends with you, so you and Four could go back to being good again?" He asks, and I nod. He gets a little fired up again, "I'm sorry but uh, I can't help but see your boyfriend as the problem here. He seems a bit controlling from what I'm hearing." He says, which thus leads me to explain that me dropping Ben, or uh, Ben dropping me, was apart of an ultimatum slash deal.
The deal where he'd drop someone I didn't like in his life in return. I also explain how this someone was a female friend of mine, who wanted my spot in Tobias's life. And that's all I explain to him, I don't go into to detail about who thought who should drop who. He thinks for a second and then throws his hands up in defeat, "Alright, I can't argue with you there, since I've been in his position before." He says, and I gasp with a smile. "You had girlfriends back on Amity?! Whaaatt?" I question, "Of course I did, you see these good looks?" He says goofily, and I laugh.
I send him out the kitchen, "Now that that's out the way," I face my little brother, "What the hell was that you showed us?!" I whisper-shout inching closer. He backs up, "I told you! That's what would've happened if you guys didn't meet. It was a new vision and it came to me, I warned and asked you if you even wanted to see it!" He whisper-shouts back, "I didn't know I was about to see my boyfriend kissing all over the one bitch I hate! Now we both don't know what to think, he thinks I'm supposed to be with Ben, just like I think he's . . ." I trail off, realizing what I'm saying. My bottom lip quivers, and I start breathing fast. I'm panicking. "He's supposed to be with Tris?" My brother finishes my sentence for me, as tears start to roll down my cheeks, yet I don't sob. He engulfs me and I engulf him, and I squeeze him tight.
"Shh sis, there's no reason to cry, trust me." He whispers to me, and we release. "When it comes to you and Tobias, nothing's ever gonna stand between you two." He tells me, wiping my tears away. "Is there anything you could tell me? About me and him in the future? That'll put my nerves to ease at least?" I ask, nearly desperate. He gives me this look, "I can't tell you anything about it but, I can say there's something coming." He explains and I frown. "Something unbelievable." He adds in a whisper, and somehow, his calmness through the words gave me the reassurance I needed.
~Tobias's POV~
I look among the large, noisy, factionless group, looking for my mother. And it didn't take me long to spot her. I walk over and greet her with a kiss on the cheek. She smiles, "He won't be long now, he's usually always a few minutes early." She tells me, and she catches something over my shoulder, and stares fearfully. I turn around and straighten out my collar, and lay eyes on the man I'm disgusted to call my father.
When he spots me next to Evelyn, he continues to walk over, but with a smirk directed right at me. Once he got closer though, he looked over at my mother, who now clung to my arm. "Well isn't this a nice surprise," He says, and hearing his voice again makes my skin crawl. But I clench my jaw, ignoring the growing pit in my stomach. "Hello son, it's been awhile since I've seen you, yet, I heard you've taken a leadership spot in Dauntless. Leader's meet every month, and all I've seen from Dauntless is your alpha. How come that is, Tobias?" He asks me, stepping even closer.
Hearing him talk to me like we're actually father and son makes me wanna fry him from the inside out. "Four," I say, and he looks at me confused, "My names Four, at least to you. You lost the privilege to call me that a long time ago." I say, making sure my voice doesn't crack or shake. "To call you what? The name I gave you when you were born?" He asks, laughing. "Whether you like it or not, I'm one out of the two reasons as to how and why you're standing on this earth. I'm your father, and I'm also going to address you with the name I gave you, again, whether you like it or not." He says, and now I step a little closer. "You are not my father, we may have the same blood but you," I jab his chest, "Are not my father. And starting today, you're no longer Melody's either." I announce to him, and he raises his eyebrows.
"As if you're gonna stop me from seeing and raising my daughter." He responds, and looks over my shoulder, "Evelyn, where's my daughter?" He asks her, making an attempt to go around me to get to her. And by attempt, I mean attempt. When he stepped, I stepped. "My sister, is safe and sound within Dauntless Headquarters, and that's where she'll be staying. Oh and uh, rest assured," I lean closer to his shoulder, "I'll make sure she forgets the façade you put up with her, cuz I'll be damned if I let her see you as a suitable male figure to even think to look up to." I say, and the scowl on his face grows deeper and deeper, and the deeper it gets the more nostalgic it becomes. And it all starts to come back, I start to feel every slash of his leather belt linger on my back.
I straighten up, realizing who I'm talking to. "There it is," He mutters, smiling. And he towers over me, making me sweat. "I think you just remembered the reason why you let Max go to the meeting's alone." He gets closer, making me back up behind a wall. "Do I scare you, son?" He asks me, and I continue to back up. I haven't felt real genuine fear like this ever since I nearly electrocuted Natalie.
Oh my god, Natalie. I could really use her presence right about now. Just then, someone jumps in between me and my father, stopping him. My mother shoves him back, "NO!" She yells, nearly in tears. "You stay away from him." She says with a glare directed at him, shielding me from him.
It takes me back to the times she'd do the exact same thing back on abnegation, in our grey little house. She'd jump in front of ten year-old me, ready to take anything in order to protect me. But I'd know what would happen next, every time. He'd grab her by the wrist, and beat her, until all she could do was lay there in agony. And every time I'd want to do something, to help my mother, yet she wouldn't let me.
She made me promise not to whenever he'd get like that. Suddenly, my father takes action, and grabs her wrist, exactly how he used to. He takes his rough hand, and backhands my mother across the cheek, making her fall to the ground. And as pure, raw adrenaline rushes through my bloodstream, I make the firm decision to finally break that promise. I rush him, grabbing him by his collar, ramming him into the nearest wall.
I let him go, and do the one thing I've always wanted to do. I punch my father in the jaw, hard. He seems to be in shock for a moment, before spiting to the side of us. He wipes the blood from his lip, and smiles at me. "Took you long enough," He says, and does the unexpected.
He tackles me to the ground, and lays his hands on me. Throughout those long torturous years, all he ever did was use his belt, never his fists. I block majority of his blows but, he nailed me a couple times. I shove him off me and I stand, and before he even gets the chance to get on his feet, I kick one of his legs out from under him. In any normal family, this wouldn't be something a son should feel good about doing, especially in front of his mother.
I grab the back his collar and drag his ass away. I grab the hair on the back of his head and lift it up, "This? Is for hitting her in front of me," I say, shocking him one good time, letting him watch my eyes turn silver. He screams, "This? Is for beating me." I say also say, and I shock him even harder, and even longer than before. He screams louder, "And this?" I ask rhetorically, leaning down next to his ear, "Is for beating and raping my mother." I whisper, and I use both my hands and shock him like how I shocked Tris that day, when she almost drowned Natalie. But unlike that time, I don't stop when I did.
I keep going, until his blood-curdling yell stops. I take my hands away, and for a split second, my stomach flip-flops, as I realize I may or may not have just killed my father. I check his pulse, and roll my eyes. Nope, still breathin'. Just unconscious.
I stand, and wipe the blood from my nose and lip. I give him a good soccer kick to his side, and walk away, leaving him laying in the dark hallway, as he probably did my mother those years ago. And speaking of which, she meets me halfway, "Oh my goodness, Tobias, your eye." She says gently touching around my left eye socket. I guess he got me good, "You should see the other guy. Let's get out of here though, yeah?" I suggest, seeming that he won't be out for long.
"You're staying in Dauntless with us, at least for now." I tell her, and we walk out the factionless site, and walk over back to Dauntless. I lead the way all the way to Lauren's apartment, and keep my mother close to me as we pass a bunch of Dauntless members. They look at her funny, seeming she looks out of place. I glare back at them, and they get their heads straight as we pass each other by. I stop in front and knock on Lauren's door.
Lauren answers it herself, and gasps at the sight of my face, and then at the sight of my mom. She lets us both in, and everyone turns their heads to us. I see everyone expect Natalie. "Lauren, Miles, Liam, Bell," I say pointing at each when I say they're according names, "I'd like you to meet my mother, Evelyn." I say, and they start coming over, greeting her with handshakes. "Mommy!" I hear my sister yell, and she tackles our mother's legs.
"Where's Natalie?" I ask, looking at everybody who was here when she was here. "Back at your guy's apartment, she just left to get Mel's toys and such." Liam tells me, and I thank him. My mother picks up my sister, "I'll be right back." I tell them, and head back out Lauren and Liam's apartment. I head towards me and my girlfriend's apartment, and just the thought that I'm about to see her again makes me happy. I know we parted ways not entirely on a good note but, I just really need to see her.
More importantly, we need to talk to in private. I make it in front of our door, and just as I was about to go for the door knob, the door swings in, and there she is, coming out with Mel's bag. She sees my face, and gasps, before pulling me inside and dropping the bag to the ground. She sits me down on the bed without a word, and goes into the bathroom. And I smile as I watch her wet a clean rag, and then rush out the bathroom to go to the fridge, probably to get an ice pack.
She walks back over to me, and hooks a finger under my chin, to lift my face up. She cleans my lip, nose and gently pat's the ice pack around and on my eyelid. "Look uh," I start, with my eyes closed, "About what your brother showed us-" - "Tobias, you have a busted lip, bleeding nose, and a black eye. And you just came from seeing your father, tell me what happened." She interrupts me, giving me worried eyes. She uses her other hand to run her fingers through my hair, "Well, uh, he greeted me aggressively, which lead to me responding aggressively. And uh, I don't know what happened but, when he gave me this certain look," I almost trail off, remembering when I was younger. I let my eyes fall from hers, "It was like I was ten again, in that god forsaken grey prison. And I realized who I was talking to, and how close I was standing to him. I started backing away, and he started getting closer so, my mother jumped in front of me." I explain, and she slowly lifts my head back up, so she could look into my eyes.
"He hit her, right in front of me. Like I was still that scrawny, afraid little boy of his." I say in disgust, "so I decided I was gonna show him different." I add, running my fingers over my right knuckles, they're bruised a little. I take her hand, that was still patting my eye with the ice pack, "I'm okay really, compared to what I did to him." I tell her, and she squints at me. "You used your ability didn't you?" She asks, and I nod. "It felt good. Are you mad?" I ask her, and shakes her head. "I personally think that man deserves that and more. So no, I'm not mad. I just don't like that he hurt you, and your mother again. I'm just letting you know now, If I ever run into that man, I swear to god I'm gonna-" - "Do absolutely nothing. Period point blank." I interrupt her, there's no way I'm gonna let him find out anything about my personal life.
And that includes Natalie. "The last thing I need is him finding out there's another female that I care about in Dauntless. Because Natalie, if he so much as touches a hair on your head, I will hurt him like I did today but unlike today, I'd do it with absolutely no hesitation to kill." I explain, very seriously. She suppresses a smile, and looks down as she fiddles with the edge of the ice pack in her hands. "You care about me that much huh?" She asks, showing me that smile I fell in love with. I take the ice pack out her hands, and hold them.
"I really really do. You're literally my favorite person. Which means, I'm always going to protect you, from anyone." I say, kissing her knuckles. She blushes, and I stand, and she holds my eye contact as I rise above her. She's so short, it's adorable. I pull her close and and I stare in her bright hazel eyes. I sigh, "Okay," I start, "about what Liam showed us, I just wanted to say-" She cuts me off by putting her finger to my mouth.
"You don't have to say anything, I honestly don't care for it. I'm not with Ben, and you're not with her. It's me and you, who cares what could've been." She says, but it's funny, since I could hear how fake her tone sounded. I chuckle a little, "you can't even say her name Natalie. It's okay, you can be upset. I mean, I know I'm upset. You don't kiss me like you kissed Ben in that vision of his." I argue, playful yet kinda serious. She kissed him so sensually, it made my heart ache. "Oh don't even fucking go there, you had your tongue down her throat in the same spot you kissed me!" She argues back, and I smile. She's cute when she's jealous, not to mention, I'm glad it even makes her jealous at all.
"And you said you didn't care for it?" I ask laughing, and she slides her hand to the back my head and pulls my hair again. "Of course I'm mad. You're mine. Not hers. Mine. And now my future telling baby brother is telling me if I hadn't jumped first, you'd be with Tris? I'm honestly more hurt than I am mad. You have a type Tobias! Do I look blonde?" She asks me half laughing, obviously still a tad serious. "You have a type too!" I respond, gesturing to myself. "Pretty boys with nice eyes and brown hair! I know you think his eyes are better than mine." I point out, I have brown eyes that only change colors in the light and when I'm in a good mood. His are green and girlfriend stealing material.
"Oh, and let me not mention how happy you looked walking with him." I also point out, slipping my hands into my pockets. She pushes off and away from me, "oh shut up," and then rolls her eyes, "you had your arm over her shoulder whilst kissing her during the walking part. And once again, before that you kissed her like you were dying and she was the fucking antidote or something! You never kiss me like that!" She yells at me, and we just stare at one another for what seemed like hours. "Come back over here," I tell her, and she crosses her arms and avoids my eye contact. I'll gladly show her what she thinks she's missing out on. All she has to do is, "Come here," I say again, giving her my signature look.
She hates when I use it on her, only because after I do, I get what I want. She slowly steps closer to me, and it takes a minute until she's finally front and center. I step even closer, closing the very little space between us, and grip her waist, before placing my lips on hers. I start off slow, feeling every inch of her soft, plush lips against mine. The beat of my heart starts to pick up, as per usual whenever I kiss her.
That's how I know I'm in love with her. Also, she always moans a bit when I kiss her, and it's one of my favorite things. Since it tells me she loves what I do, when I do it. And there she goes, doing just that, as I kiss and hold her against me. Suddenly, a part of me wants me to just drop down on one knee right now, and ask her already.
Yet another part of me wants that one perfect night still, and seeming we were just upset with one another earlier, I'm not so sure today was perfect enough for her. She pulls away, yet pecks my lips a couple more times, "I'm never leaving you, y'know?" She says, slowly walking her fingers up my chest. And it's like music to my ears, "This other Natalie, in this parallel universe, is out of her mind. I may still love and appreciate Ben in this universe, but there's no way I could love him like I love you. I don't know how many times I need to say this but, I am in love with you, Tobias. I want you to stay my boyfriend, I want you to be my husband," She says, and I pay attention to her body language. Does she know? "And sooner or later, I want you to become the father of my children. Do you see my point? I want my kids to look and be like you. There's no other man I'd want to be in your position." She continues, making me smile.
I read her eyes, and I'm pretty sure she still has no clue about what I have in store for our anniversary. "Yes, I see your point. And it makes me happy to hear you say that, since I want to be all of those things. Especially the husband and baby-daddy part." I joke, pecking her lips this time. She giggles in between kisses, "Oh yeah, that reminds me, I have two questions for you." She says, "Ask away my love." I tell her, holding her close. "Okay, I know my brother told us we're going to have four babies but, how many do you honestly want? And what would you want to name our first boy and girl?" She asks me, and I know the answer to one. And believe it or not, I'm a pretty family-oriented person so, "Four." I say, answering her first question.
"I honestly want four. What about you?" I ask in return, and she gives me a smile. "I honestly just wanted two at first, but now I'm liking the thought of four. I'm hoping for two boys and two girls. And on the names?" She says and asks, and I think for a minute, and I remember a certain girl name that I liked. "There is a girl name that I like." I tell her, and she nods for me to go on. "Nevaeh. Nevaeh Eaton." I say, and she smiles wide. "Awee, I love that as a first name. What do you think about Makayla? As the middle name?" She asks me, and I can picture my daughter now, "Nevaeh Makayla Eaton." I mutter, envisioning a little girl that looks like both me and Natalie combined.
"It sounds perfect. What about if we do have more than one boy or girl though? We need more names, just in case." I realize, and she doesn't even take time to think. "That's easy, if we have more than just the one known boy, I want a Junior." She says, and I tilt my head at her, "Tobias Noel Eaton Junior. I love your middle name too by the way, hate that you never told me it though." She pokes my chest, and I wonder who told her. Since only a handful of people know what it is. "Who told you?" I ask her, and she rolls her eyes, "Not you, that's who. But come on, who do you think told me? My little brother's girlfriend." She tells me, "What do you think of it though? Having our son be named after you?" She asks sweetly, obviously in love with the idea. "That's something I was actually going to ask you for so, I'd absolutely love to have our son be named after me." I say, "I hope our first-born is a boy. I'd be the happiest man on earth." I add, tucking a curl behind her ear.
"I'd be happy too. But your sister is honestly making me want a little girl first." She tells me, and I remember where that little girl is, and who's she's with. I pick up her bag, getting ready to head back over. "I'm already crazy over-protective of my mother, sister, and girlfriend. If I have a daughter first, I'll become a whole different man." I say, making her laugh. "And also, just to give you a heads up, whenever you're pregnant, you're not allowed to go anywhere without me. No matter what month you're in, and no matter where you wanna go." I let her know, and she smiles, before kissing me again. Just the thought of her being pregnant and either falling, getting attacked, or going into labor without me, being right there for her stresses me out.
"Sounds good to me, let's get back to Lauren's and my brother's though yeah? We've been gone awhile." She says, and we head out our apartment, and back to said apartment. We stand outside the door, "And oh yeah, my mother's in there by the way, there's no way I was going to leave her behind so, she'll be staying with us in our apartment, only until I can find another close-by apartment for her and Mel." I explain to her, and she nods. I knock a little before entering, since the people inside knew we were coming back. I walk in with Natalie and see that everyone's getting along, Miles and Liam seemed to be taking turns giving my sister piggy back rides, while Lauren and my mother seemed to be chatting up an amusing storm. I'm guessing Bell left to wait for his brother at his apartment.
The sound of my sister's laugh fills the room, and it makes me smile. Natalie heads over to my mother and Lauren, and I head over to where Liam was taking a break, watching Miles run around with Mel. He looks over at us, "Here, let me get that for you," He says to me, gesturing to his own face before putting out his hand. I take it, and I feel as all of my wounds heal. "Thank you," I say, and he tells me not to mention it. And I can see it in his face, he already knows what happened between me and my father.
I want him to go do the same for my mother, since I spotted the mark on her face on the way out earlier. Stealthily of course. I open my mouth to ask him but, "Say no more." He stops me with, and heads off towards where my mother, friend, and girlfriend were. I notice Miles running over to me with my sister on his back, "Your turn big brother," He says panting, and I turn around as he turns Melody towards me, she transfers over while laughing and wraps her arms around my neck. I hold her legs and take off, running around the apartment.
She laughs harder than ever, which makes me laugh too. I slow down a bit, and notice everyone's watching me with my sister. My mother, my girlfriend, her brother's and Lauren, all watching in awe. And in that moment, I realize, I have a family. A place where I belong for once.
Just then, Liam gets my attention by waving me over as he walks to the kitchen. I stop, set Mel down and walk her over to our mother, and she tackles her with a hug. I walk into the kitchen, and ask what's up, "Okay, quick, I know I shouldn't be nosy into the surprise for my sister and all but, for once I can intervene and it'll be because of me that nothing drastic happens so, I can't stress this enough, do not let Alex hold on to my mother's ring." He quickly explains, and I ask why. "Because, it'll be destroyed, but it's not what you think." He simply says, and places his hand on my shoulder. Images of a certain short haired blonde appear in my mind, and she seemed to be crying, while looking at the exact ring in my pocket.
Tris? It fast forwards and shows the same blonde smashing the ring with a hammer, and it's then he lifts his hand. "And that's just a few days from now, if you don't let me hold onto it." He says, and I don't even argue with him. I reach into my pocket and give him the ring, "But wait, If I did give it to him, how does Tris find out about the ring not to mention get her hands on it?" I ask, and he gives me this look. "Four, the man looks like you," He points out, "How do you think Tris finds out about the ring?" He adds, patting me on the shoulder before heading out the kitchen.