Mended vs. Settled

Epilogue: The Difference a Year Makes

Date: End of October 2802 +o+ Andy is two years old

^^ One Year Later ^^

"Tris, will you be able to get that town ordinance filing completed before you leave for lunch? I don't need it until Thursday, but the sooner the better," Tris's boss, Sandra, asks while offering her a donut from a large box which is now almost empty.

"Yes, to the filing. In fact, I'm already done, but I want to review it in full one more time." Tris smiles before adding, "And no, thank you, to the donut."

"Wonderful! But are you sure about the donut? The donut shop on Main Street has already run out for the day. I got the last dozen for the office," Sandra offers again.

"I'm sure. My husband is in town making a delivery this afternoon, so we are grabbing lunch together. It's sort of a date, so I don't want to ruin my appetite," Tris adds quickly.

"Sounds fantastic! I'm impressed by how you both always manage to make time to be alone with each other. Michael and I have been married thirty-three years, and we have always worked hard to keep our connection strong," Sandra calls over her shoulder while walking towards another employee to offer them a donut.

Tris glances at the older woman before getting back to work. She's thankful to have a great boss, and really enjoys her role in the small town's city planning department.

When she and Tobias decided to leave Chicago for a quieter life in the country, Johanna was very supportive; she offered to help both of them with their job searches. With Johanna's help, Tris secured a part-time job in city planning. The couple left Chicago, and at the same time, the woman Tris currently splits the position with was about to go out on maternity leave to give birth to her first child. For the first three months, Tris worked full time while covering her co-worker's leave. Her co-worker's goal, when she was ready to return, was to only work part-time. So, they took one position and split it in two. Because Andy had just started preschool every morning, she and Tobias decided to wait until Tris's position switched back to part-time before Tobias started his job in government.

It could not have worked out better. With his mornings free, Tobias concentrated on fixing up their cabin in the country. It needed a lot of work, and when he was done, it was almost unrecognizable. Tobias had never felt so alive as when he was able to roll up his sleeves and work with his hands.

Tris has reread Tobias's letter — the one he wrote for her while they were at the Bureau — over a hundred times. The part where Tobias admitted his dream for their future and regretted not telling her before their mission has always resonated with her the most:

I had dreams, I should say dreams that always featured you by my side. Looking back, I wish had told you then. If even just to hear what your thoughts would have been. That last day in the training room, I allowed myself to dream of completing our mission. I knew that Chicago would be safe, the Bureau would be forever changed, and that you and I would be able to build a new life for ourselves somewhere. I dreamed of a place where I would trade my guns and knives for more productive tools, screwdrivers and nails and shovels. I had hope for us. I regret not telling you. Part of me will always wonder if that would have changed the choices you made that day.

They've successfully accomplished what Tobias had always dreamed for them. Not only had they started a peaceful life away from Chicago, his dream of using his hands with 'productive tools' in order to provide for his family had been fulfilled. Tobias started his own business as a contractor, also concentrating on custom carpentry work as a side passion.

Sighing quietly, Tris forces herself to stop daydreaming in order to finish her work for the day. She is counting the minutes until she meets Tobias for their lunch date. As their house is a full thirty-five minute drive from town, the couple can no longer slip away for a 'nooner' as Tris's friend, Sherri, had called it.

It's a shame, Tris thinks to herself, remembering some of those times quite fondly.

+++o+++

"Every time we meet now for a weekday lunch date, I can't help but miss our 'uninhibited special time' that we used to have in Chicago," Tobias croons in her ear while ushering Tris out of the café where they just ate.

Tris blushes, remembering one of their wilder lunches. Tobias slips his hand in hers before they walk down the busy street. It is a beautiful fall day. The leaves are changing, but it is still warm enough to not need a jacket.

"Tris, I wish you'd wear a coat. I don't want you to get sick." Tobias's voice falters as she gives him a look of annoyance, simultaneously tugging on the flannel shirt he is wearing to make her point that he isn't wearing a coat himself. Clearing his throat, he says, "I won't apologize for worrying about you more than I usually do."

"Tobias, I'm pregnant, not sick!" she reminds him. The couple has had some form of the same conversation almost every day since finding out they were expecting.

Pulling his pregnant wife closer to his body and giving her a peck on the nose, Tobias replies, "I know, Tris. I'm really happy, but I just have this incredible urge to keep you near me and safe at all times. If I could enshroud you in bubble wrap and keep you at the cabin, I would!"

"Gee, that sounds really romantic," she teases while tightening her arms around his waist.

Equally stubborn, the pair lock eyes before eventually bursting into laughter. They resume walking to the doctor's office. Tris's twenty-week prenatal appointment is today, which includes a sonogram. The doctor is hopeful they will find out the gender of the baby at this appointment.

+++o+++

The appointment with the doctor went well, everything is on track and the couple is relieved to officially be at the halfway point of the pregnancy. Tris and Tobias are escorted to a different exam room, and Tris sits down nervously on the padded table. She has the first ultrasound appointment after lunch, and the technician is running a few minutes behind.

"Are you nervous to find out if we are having a boy or a girl?" Tobias asks while giving her hand a small squeeze.

"No, not at all. Aside from hopefully finding out the gender, they are going to take measurements to confirm that the baby is developing correctly." Tris pauses to take a deep breath. "I'll just feel better when I hear that everything is okay. I guess…I don't know…"

His eyes are warm as they stare intently at her, and he takes his time before responding. "I understand." Kissing her hand, Tobias smiles. "With Andy, we were handed this perfect, healthy, six-month-old infant. Pregnancy, the waiting…this is all new to us both."

"I know this is what I wanted, and I'm grateful to be pregnant and experiencing all these things I didn't get to feel with Andy. But, I never took into account how nervous and anxious I would be." Tris's voice trembles, realizing the depth of her fear as the words tumble out.

"Hey, no matter what, good or bad, you and I are in this together." Tris processes his words, a calm settling over her. She knows Tobias is a good man; he shows it to her every day.

"You know, I keep meaning to tell you…" He stops to chuckle. "I still can't believe you let me stay in the doctor's room when you were getting that third opinion on whether you'd given birth previously. That was such a personal exam, and it's not like we were in a good place back then."

Tris begins laughing as well. "Honestly, it was the third time in two days that my feet were in the stirrups. Not only was I starting to be desensitized to the process, I desperately needed your opinion on their reactions and the information. At that point, I didn't know what to believe."

"I'm glad you wanted me there, especially since it was for the purpose of finding out about our child," he assures her before kissing her hand. "It just shocked me!"

When the technician enters, she smiles immediately and thanks the happy couple for their patience. Tobias moves to his spot next to Tris, tucked out of the way. He holds her hand as he always does.

Lowering the band of her maternity pants below her baby bump and pulling her blouse up, Tris gives the okay for her to get started.

"As you know, this gel has been warmed for your comfort. I will use the transducer device to record images and the sound of the baby's heartbeat," she says before starting.

"I would like to get all of the necessary growth measurements before the big finale. My fingers are crossed that your baby is willing to show us if it is a boy or girl today," the technician sounds hopeful.

Nodding eagerly, Tris realizes that she is anxious to find out her baby's sex. The technician goes through all of the measurements, marking the screen and saving images while working. Tris alternates between watching her baby on the screen and studying the technician's reactions to most of the recordings. She assures them that everything looks to be right on target. The baby looks healthy and strong.

"Per the measurements, we are still looking at conception being June 8th with a due date of March 1st. Baby Eaton is right on track and where we expect he or she to be." She smirks, not giving away the gender. She had asked them to look away from the screen when she reviewed the images that told her the gender. "Okay, any other questions before you find out if you'll need to buy pink or blue paint?"

"None. Tell us, please!" Tobias blurts out as Tris emphatically agrees.

"Congratulations, you are having a baby girl!"

The moment Tris hears the word 'girl' leave the technician's lips, tears well in her eyes. She would have been thrilled either way, but she knows deep down that Tobias really wanted a little girl to join their family. Turning to see his reaction, her heart jumps in her throat at the shocked expression on his face. It's as though he can't believe this is actually happening.

"Thank you so much. We are really happy," Tris manages to get out while using a paper towel to clean the gel off of her abdomen. She waves goodbye to the technician, who gives them a moment to clean up and gather their things.

"A little girl — I'm so happy!" Tobias beams, leaning down to kiss her firmly on the lips. "Now that we actually know, are you still happy with the name Victoria?"

"I am! And I can't wait to tell George when he and Amar come to visit us next month. I want to wait until we see them in person," she reminds Tobias. "Tori was such a special person to us both. I love the long version of her name."

"I agree with you. I'm confident both George and Amar will appreciate the gesture." Tobias recalls how happy they were to hear the pregnancy news while at Andy's second birthday party earlier this month.

And what a party it was! So many of their family and friends made the trip from Chicago. Most of them were very curious to see what their new life was like.

++o+ Flashback to Earlier that Month +o++

"Tobias, your home is gorgeous! When I first saw the photos of the cabin you and Tris purchased, I was a little worried about how run down it looked." Evelyn looks around the cabin in amazement. "I'm so glad we were able to make the trip for Andy's second birthday party!"

"Well, I never doubted you for a moment, Tobias. I saw the raw potential in this place right away. You did it justice," Ned compliments, pulling Evelyn close and hugging her gently. "And let's not forget what good helpers Zeke and I were!"

Tobias laughs. "We are glad you made the trip. I will never forget the hard work both Ned and Zeke put in; having you both here for the heavy lifting portion of the remodel was a huge help. Thank you again."

"Eh, I wasn't fishing for a compliment, Tobias. It was my pleasure to help you and Tris get on your feet in your new home. It also gave me a chance to get to know Evelyn's son better. That was my true goal," Ned smiles at Evelyn adoringly.

Tobias and Tris share a secret grin, happy to see that things are going well for his mother and her boyfriend. Evelyn and Ned are very serious and in love; Ned even asked Evelyn to marry him at last year's Christmas dinner, shortly before Tris and Tobias moved away. Ned had already professed his love for her months earlier, and had respectfully asked Tobias for Evelyn's hand in marriage. So, the young couple knew the proposal was happening that night.

Evelyn said no.

It was so awkward, Tris wanted to dig a hole in the ground and crawl into it. Tobias looked like he wished he were anywhere else but there in that moment. Ned looked stunned as well. Evelyn quickly asked Ned to speak with her privately, and they left the apartment to go for a walk.

To both Tris's and Tobias's surprise, his mother and her boyfriend were happy and smiling when they returned. Evelyn explained to Ned that many years ago, she had made the personal decision to never marry again — not after all she had suffered with Marcus. Together they agreed they would not let a piece of paper define them, and Ned was satisfied with moving in together and having a committed relationship. He explained that was all that really mattered to him. They moved into Ned's home before Tobias and his family left Chicago that January.

"That reminds me, how is poor Zeke doing?" Evelyn asks as her brows furrow.

Tobias breathes a sigh of relief before answering. "He's actually really good. And we're even now: he married Shauna while he was still in the hospital, just a couple of weeks ago. So, he can no longer give me crap about not being there when I got married!"

Zeke was badly injured in the line of duty last month. It was a pretty scary situation. Zeke was so impacted by almost dying that he asked Shauna to marry him as soon as possible. So, they married the next day, right there in his hospital room.

"Zeke and Shauna were disappointed that they couldn't make it out here for Andy's party, but we will get to see them next month when we travel back to Chicago for Caleb's wedding," Tris shares with Evelyn and Ned.

"Um, Tris! Andy is getting into his cake again," Jessica interrupts from the kitchen. Tris quickly excuses herself to go save the cake. Tobias chuckles at his son's mischievousness, then turns his attention back to Evelyn and Ned.

"Mommy said no, we will do cake after we have lunch!" Tris lightly scolds as her rambunctious child chortles in her face, dipping his finger into the icing anyway. "Andy!" Tris cries while picking up her son and carrying him out of the kitchen.

"Terrible twos, eh? So, this is what I have to look forward to?" Jessica says with a little bit of fear in her voice, holding her infant daughter, Bella, on her hip.

"Nah, Jessica, you have a little girl. I am guessing for us it will be bearable for the toddler/kid years...but we will get ours when the teenage years arrive. Drama, drama, drama!" Michelle teases as her daughters sit sweetly next to their father in the living room.

"Tris, will you find out ahead of time if it's a boy or a girl?" Jessica asks.

"Yes, we definitely want to know. Hopefully, we'll find out at my next doctor's appointment," Tris shares excitedly. She excuses herself to answer the front door as more party guests arrive.

Caleb and Candice are standing at the front door with a large birthday gift for Andy. At seeing who has arrived, Tobias walks to stand by Tris in order to welcome the couple into their new home and to the party.

"So good to see you! Thanks for making the trip," Tris says warmly, hugging Caleb.

"Of course, sorry we are so late...we, um…" Caleb's voice trails off as he fumbles with the birthday gift. "Could I put this down somewhere?" he finally asks.

Once Caleb is no longer within earshot, Candice turns to Tris and Tobias with a wicked grin on her face. "I made sure we were a little late to this party. I didn't want to arrive too early and have a repeat of last year," she teases.

Wincing, Tobias runs a hand through his hair and lets it settle on the back of his neck while Tris blushes, shaking her head and laughing. It's been a while since either of them thought about Andy's first birthday party and what Candice walked in on.

"Lucky for you, we don't have a mudroom in this house," Tris playfully shoots back, and both women laugh.

++o+ Flashback End +o++

"Andy is completely out. Ugh, I hope he will still sleep for us when we get home." Tris turns back from checking on her son, sound asleep in the backseat of the car. "We have got to find a way to keep him awake in the car."

"Well, we know his favorite music is not enough, but how about a kid's video on one of our phones? Since we limit his screen time, he may find it motivation enough to stay awake," Tobias suggests.

The family of three is driving home from the town's Halloween block party which was hosted on Main Street. Because their cabin in the country is over a thirty minute drive from town, they are used to their toddler taking a solid catnap in the car. A nap sounds great, of course, except he is often wide awake when he gets out of the car and is convinced it's time for a new day.

"We can try it next time. I can probably download an episode of one of his favorite cartoons to have on my phone," Tris says out loud, sighing resignedly.

"We may get lucky this time — he ran hard while at the block party. He had a great time," Tobias offers hopefully.

"Yeah, he sure did. He loved his dragon costume this year, his little roar when anyone asked him what his costume was almost killed me. I think he gets cuter every day that passes," Tris whispers, leaning over to kiss her husband on the cheek, then his jaw, and then his neck.

"Careful, my dear wife, I'm trying to drive here," Tobias teases her, smiling broadly and looking at the road. Tris grins while sitting back in her seat.

"I really want to have sex when we get home," Tris says nonchalantly, watching for Tobias's reaction.

"When do you not want to have sex nowadays?" her husband teases her.

Tris rolls her eyes, acting injured. "I remember a time when a certain someone was beside himself with how little action he was getting. And now you are complaining because I want you too much?!"

"Um, in my defense, you were so horribly sick your first trimester that I was the one in trauma. I was legit scared I would not have sex again for a full year. It was a horrible feeling, Tris!" he exclaims.

"A year? I don't need to explain gestation periods again, do I?" Tris teases, squeezing his hand and bringing it to her lips for a kiss.

"No, you don't, 'Little Miss I Want to Die I'm So Sick'. I was worried you would be sick your entire pregnancy, and then I found out we can't have sex for about eight weeks after the baby is born...so, just about a year, thank you very much," Tobias shoots back. "Even I can figure out that simple math."

"Well, lucky for you, I was only terribly sick those first two months," Tris reminds him.

"How could I forget? You were so mean to me. I really thought that reminding you about the things you missed while being in the coma and pregnant with Andy would cheer you up," Tobias mutters.

Grimacing at how poorly she behaved back then, Tris remembers how livid even the sound of his voice would make her as she maintained a constant state of nausea.

"It was the only time in our entire history that I have seen you mad enough to scream, 'shut the fuck up' at anyone. Let alone at me, and I think that says a lot!" Tobias snorts as Tris crosses her arms across her chest, now glumly looking out the car window.

"Baby, you know I love you, and I completely understand that our baby was sucking the life out of you. I'm just glad you are feeling better." Tobias smiles wickedly at his beautiful wife. He's looking forward to satisfying her. "Because those two months of you having no sex drive almost killed me!"

"Don't be so dramatic — we had sex! Well, at least once or twice…" Tris's voice trails off while she tries to remember. She wasn't very invested in sex during the first trimester of her pregnancy.

Tobias scowls, remembering one time in particular. "Me, dramatic?! Even worse than no sex is trying to finally make love to your wife who, after just three minutes, barks at you for taking too long!" Tobias reminds her with indignation. His mood only gets worse when he's met with Tris's blank look.

Finally deciding he is probably telling the truth, Tris smirks. Instead of apologizing for something that happened months ago, she plans to make amends in a different way. "As soon as we get Andy to go to sleep, I'm really going to make it up to you. I promise I won't scold you for taking too long." Moving her hand to his thigh while he drives, she watches his Adam's apple bob as she caresses up and down his leg, her hand moving dangerously close to his groin.

"Tris, you are driving me crazy," he says hoarsely. His foot presses a little harder on the accelerator of the car. "I can keep going," she whispers, her fingertips lightly tracing the growing bulge in his pants. The fire in her belly is growing stronger as each moment passes.

Shifting uncomfortably before reason wins out, Tobias refuses her advances, moving her hand back to his knee. "No. Once we get home and get Andy to sleep, then hell yeah." Tris puts up her hands in defeat.

"We've got to wait. If Andy wasn't with us, I'd pull off to the side of the road. I really enjoyed that time we fucked in the car," Tobias reminds her with a smirk. Tris moans, remembering how they couldn't wait another moment. They'd been unable to make it all the way home to relieve the babysitter, especially knowing that Tris needed to then drive the middle school-aged sitter back into town. In desperation, they decided that pulling off to the side of the road and driving further into the trees to get some semblance of privacy would be perfectly acceptable.

Paying the sitter for the additional hour had been well worth it.

"I really enjoyed that, too," Tris croons while tightly squeezing her legs closed, trying to relieve some of the pressure. She wants him to take her now — she is so ready for him. Gnawing at her lip, she can feel how moist her panties are getting.

"We're almost home." Tobias ogles his wife, clearly recognizing her signs of arousal. "And for the record, I love how much you want me right now."

Pulling into the driveway and around the back of the house, Tobias has barely put the car in park before he releases his seatbelt buckle. "Andy looks exhausted, I'll carry him up to his room and try to get him to go straight to bed. You can...um…"

"I am going to get naked and wait for you in our room!" Tris offers, opening the back door and holding it for Tobias, who now has Andy in his arms.

As promised, Tris is comfortably waiting for him underneath the cool sheets of their bed. Having listened through the baby monitor in Andy's room, Tris was relieved to hear that Andy went straight to bed, even sleeping through his diaper change.

Entering their bedroom and locking the door behind him, Tobias stands tall while his eyes roam up and down his sweet wife who is waiting for him. Tris sits up on the bed, allowing the bed sheets to pool at her waist. Her perky breasts are bared to him, practically inviting him to lavish them with his attention. In three long strides, Tobias is at the foot of the bed and peeling his own clothes off while she ogles him.

Tris giggles when Tobias's foot gets caught in the bottom of his jeans and he topples onto the mattress beside her. Without speaking, Tris pushes Tobias down to lie on his back, and bending her head down, she immediately wraps her lips around his semi-hard dick. "Shit!" he hisses in shock, caught off guard at how quickly Tris is moving things along. Propping himself up on his elbows, he watches as Tris expertly kisses and licks his shaft before fully taking him in her mouth; he groans as he grows harder and harder in her mouth.

"Tris," Tobias moans, sitting all the way up. "I'm ready, baby; let me touch you." His priority is to pleasure her, always. Tris moves closer to him on the bed, his hands now sliding up her inner thigh, aiming to touch her core. "No, don't," she whimpers. "I want to come with you inside of me. I need you now. Please."

Tobias grunts as Tris moves to her side and lies directly in front of him, offering him her ass and looking over her shoulder as she rubs her butt against his hard cock. "I want you to fuck me really hard," she says huskily, curving her arm back to slip her fingers into his hair. Pausing at the sudden taste of iron on his lower lip, Tobias realizes he has broken the skin, having bitten down too hard.

His mind wavers, struggling between wanting to give his woman exactly what she wants and fearing for the safety of the baby growing inside of her. "Tris, the baby… I can go slowly. I'll still get you there," he croons while leaning closer to her and pulling her closer into his body. His hand softly glides around her to caress her small baby bump.

Tris lifts her left leg and hooks it backwards around his. Pushing her butt back into him, she can finally feel the head of his dick rubbing against her wet folds. Tris hisses with lust, desperate for him to fill her, to satisfy her. He's right; she has never been so horny in her entire life. She wants him all the time. Pressing his lips to her neck, he moves his hand up to massage her breast before pinching her nipple. Tris cries out loudly; her breasts are more sensitive because of the pregnancy.

"Give it to me, I need you!" she demands, her voice sounding frantic. Tobias's breath hitches as he slides his leg in between hers, aligning the head of his cock perfectly between her folds. He gently pushes into her, using soft and shallow strokes. His large hands hold her, touching her softly while he makes love to her.

Tris groans in frustration; it feels good, but it is not enough. She needs more from him. "Tobias, don't hold back. I know you want to fuck me." She is practically begging him as she rolls her hips, taking him in deeper.

Unable to resist her desires or his, Tobias curses under his breath and pulls out of her. "Get on your knees and grab the headboard, I'm going to take you hard. I don't want your stomach pressing into the mattress," he demands. She gasps with anticipation, anxious to have him inside her again. She spreads her knees wide and sticks her ass up in the air, ready for him to plunge into her again. She submits to him gratefully, and he takes her by beginning a pattern of thrusts that are both deep and quick. Tris's hands support her weight while he furiously pounds into her. His hands firmly secure her waist, allowing him to control the pace while also insuring she doesn't push too hard into the mattress below her.

The view of his cock sliding in and out of her causes him to growl with lust. Without thinking, he slaps her butt cheek, making her yelp with shock. "Is this good?" he demands. He is taking her roughly, but also remembering that she is pregnant. "Yes, so good. Don't stop, please!" Tris cries out loudly as they passionately collide their bodies together. He closes his eyes, enjoying the way she clamps tightly around his shaft when she comes, her loud moans reverberating throughout their entire home. His hands hold her hips in place while he mercilessly chases his finish. His climax comes suddenly, his body jerking over hers. Waves of pleasure roll through him, causing him to grunt repeatedly.

Collapsing next to her on the bed, he pulls her into his arms, both of them gasping for air. "You sure you're okay? I didn't hurt you?" he asks worriedly, his fingers tracing patterns up and down her arm. Tris turns to face him before planting quick kisses all over his face, only stopping when he laughs and tries to move away. "I'm good. Thank you, for always taking care of me," she whispers, touching his face lovingly.

"Always," he promises before fitting his mouth to hers.

+++o+++

Handing Tris a blanket, Tobias says, "Here you go." He beams as he sits next to her on the wooden porch swing at the front of their home. It's a cool night as the couple snuggles together, enjoying each other's warmth. Tris thanks him while running her hand along the fine craftsmanship of the wood swing. "I'm amazed you made this. Oh, wait, let me clarify — I am amazed how much your talent and skill have grown in such a short amount of time. It's so beautiful, I love that it is the first thing our guests see when they arrive at our home."

Tobias shrugs sheepishly. Tris has been incredibly supportive of his decision to leave the office setting behind and start his own business. Looking around their home, he smiles with pride at how different the two story cabin looks compared to when they first bought it. The addition of the covered wraparound porch has added much needed charm as well as functionality. With his own home being a prime example of his work, business has been booming. More and more people are moving out to their growing town. Tobias and Tris chose this cabin because of the large plot of wooded land it was on, both of them thankful for the peace and quiet, and the separation from their neighbors.

"The Nogales family fell in love with this swing when they saw it during Andy's birthday party. They custom ordered one almost exactly like it; they just had more intricate requests for the carvings," Tobias shares proudly as Tris's eyes gleam with excitement and pride at her husband's hard work. "That is fantastic, Tobias! I am so proud—"

Tris stops mid-sentence with a gasp, her hand quickly grasping her stomach. Tobias is immediately startled, panic blossoming for Tris and their daughter. Is something wrong?! He is about to ask her when he sees the joy on her face. "Tris?"

Without saying a word, Tris moves his hand to her belly, finding the spot where little Victoria is kicking up a storm. Tris had already felt the baby moving a few times in recent weeks, but it was never during a moment when Tobias was around to feel it. Watching her husband's eyes widen with wonder as he feels his child moving within her is enough to make her cry happily.

"Tris, that's amazing! I don't even know what to say… That's our baby!" he exclaims.

"This is what I was so sad to miss with Andy. Moments like these that I knew had been stolen from us," Tris admits. With the baby no longer kicking, he moves his hands to cradle her face, resting his forehead on hers. Staring into her eyes, he also knows the bittersweet pain she feels.

"Tris, with every new milestone we experience with this baby, we learn of something else that we didn't have with Andy. It's not fair; what happened to you was awful. But instead of fixating on what we lost, I think we need to be grateful for what we have now, which is a lot more than most people," Tobias concludes. Tris smiles at him and nods in agreement.

Placing her hand to his cheek, Tris leans closer and touches her lips against his. He immediately presses his mouth to hers, his tongue gently teasing her lower lip until she opens her mouth for him, both of their tongues enthusiastically swirling and caressing the other's. In that moment, Tris concentrates on the good: her loving husband, her healthy and amazing son, a baby girl on the way, and all of their family and friends. These are the precious things she is most grateful for.

The happy couple snuggle for a while longer before deciding to turn in for the night. Tris stands up first and begins to fold the blanket they had been using. Tobias stands to help her fold it, then tucks it under his arm. When Tris turns to walk inside, Tobias feels a strong urge to remind her how important she is to him.

"Tris, wait!" he stammers, catching her hand to turn her to face him. Furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, her expression softens as he moves closer to her. Pulling her into his arms and burying his face in her neck, Tobias takes a moment to plant generous kisses before whispering, "You have made me the happiest I've ever been. Thank you for loving me and letting me love you the way I have always wanted."

Her heart fluttering with strong emotions, she can only stare at him. She can't even find the words to communicate how much he means to her. Her eyes shine with love; she knows he understands how she feels about him and about the life they fought so hard to have.

Right at the entrance of their home, Tobias settles to his knees in front of his wife. Tris laughs nervously at his mischievous look. "You want to do that out here?!"

Realizing that she thinks he is going to go down on her, he bites back a laugh. "Um, no. But only because it's a little too cold out tonight. I wanted to do this…" Tobias murmurs, pulling Tris even closer and lavishing her baby bump with kisses while speaking to their child. "I love you, Victoria, and I can't wait to meet you, our sweet girl." With a last kiss to Tris's stomach, he rises before her. Tris circles her arms around his neck and hugs him.

"That was really sweet and sexy. I'd like to show you how sexy I'm feeling when we get to bed," Tris promises with a mirthful tone.

"More sex? I'm so shocked," Tobias jests, taking her hand and leading his wife into their home. He teases her about her crazy sex drive, but the truth is he couldn't be happier. She has always been the one for him.

Tobias knows that will never change.

+++o+ +++o+ +++o+ +++o+

+++o+ Meanwhile +o+++

The car runs idle, its lights having been turned off hours ago while he observed from the backseat. As always, the car was parked close enough to watch the house with the aid of binoculars, but was far enough away to not be noticed or seen. Knowing the young couple well enough by now, his hunch had been proved correct: they spent some time on that blasted swing, enjoying their evening and enjoying each other.

The passenger has seen enough by the time the couple stands to enter their home hand-in-hand. His attention is suddenly caught again when they stop before walking inside. He watches as the man drops to his knees and showers his wife's stomach with affection. The scene playing out before him makes his stomach churn.

He frowns, realizing that no woman has ever looked at him the way that Tris looks at Tobias, complete devotion and adoration clear on her face. It's also obvious Tobias feels the same affection for his young wife, her belly swelling with his child.

They are having a little girl, he knows.

Having seen enough, the man instructs his driver that it is time to depart. He doesn't want to see any more.

Once there is some distance between their property and the car, the man picks up his cellphone to make an important call.

~ ~ Phone Call ~ ~

The man in the car: "Yes, I have reviewed the copy of the test results. The baby is a girl."

. . pause . .

The man in the car: "Agreed. We need to wait until after the birth. Their combined DNA and thus their children are crucial to The Project."

. . long pause . .

The man in the car: "No. No, relax. I was just watching them at the house. In fact, they just had an argument and she shoved his hand away. She couldn't even stand to have him touch her. You have nothing to worry about with him," the man lies into the phone. Cringing, an image of the loving couple flashes through his mind.

. . pause . .

The man in the car: Chuckling ruefully, the man says,"Yes, I'm quite certain I can get him to cooperate. Trust me. I know exactly how to get him in line, and most importantly, how to keep him there."

. . line goes dead . .

~ ~ Phone Call Ends ~ ~

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+o++ EPILOGUE END ++o+

Author's Note: As you can see, I added a little twist at the end of the epilogue. I have plans to one day write a second book for the Tris and Tobias of this story. In the meantime, just know that they are happy and all is well in their lives.

Special thank you to BK2U for editing the crap out of this chapter! This was also my first Divergent chapter written in third person…so it was pretty much a hot mess. ;-) Thanks again B.

Have a wonderful day everyone, and thank you for reading.

Warm regards, FourTrisHEA

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