So, that's it. The final chapter is here, and with this update, "Discoveries" is finally finished.

I spent almost two years working on this book and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported me during this time, whether with follows, favorites, votes, kudos, reviews, comments or pm's. Your positive feedback is what kept me going through the difficult parts and made me reach this moment in which I hit "completed". When I started with the first chapter, I couldn't imagine how long this story would turn out to be, even if I had an outline for the whole plot.

I'm going to take some time off now from publishing anything to plan out my next story, which I've already started writing for. I'll keep my author's page updated regularly, so that you can see what I'm working on. Meanwhile, I'm always happy to hear from you and chat a bit if you like.

Love, Springberry

Update: I just started posting "A birthday present for Tobias", a short glimpse into the life of Tris and Tobias two years after the end of "Discoveries". :-)

DISCLAIMER: I own neither the Divergent world nor the characters, they belong to Veronica Roth.

Tris

When I come back from the pit, where I helped Christina and Marlene oversee the election process, Tobias is already waiting for me in my apartment.

"Hi, what a nice surprise," I say as I see him lying on my bed.

"I figured you'd come here first, so I decided to wait here instead of my apartment."

"So impatient to see me?" I grin as I slip out of my shoes.

"Damn impatient," he replies and sits up.

I walk over to him and sit down on his lap, facing him.

"Oh, I can feel just how damn impatient you are," I smirk.

"Can you, hm?"

He wraps an arm around me and pulls me against him with his hand on the small of my back, and I can only nod. He slowly leans in to kiss me, but just inches before our lips touch, he turns and trails his open mouth along my jaw to my ear and from there to the side of my neck. His lips ghost over my skin while his hot breath increases my need for real kisses. I press my core against him, but his mouth stays lingering softly over my skin as he moves it up to my ear again.

"Impatient yourself?" he breathes.

"Just a little," I whisper, but I know my rapid breathing is giving me away.

"Just a little? Want me to go on teasing you?"

He nibbles on my earlobe with his lips, not his teeth, and it's still so gentle.

Two can play at this game.

I push his torso down until he's lying under me and run my hands up his arms until I reach his hands. I intertwine my fingers with his and push his hands into the mattress beside his head as I lean down above him. My mouth is close enough to his to breathe the same air, but not touching. I let go of his hand with my right one and stroke down over his arm and chest and then down between our bodies.

His breathing hitches as I reach his pants and press my palm onto the bulge I feel. He raises his head from the mattress and tries to steal a kiss, but I don't let him. Instead, I ease my pressure on him and slowly open the buttons of his pants one by one. I slip my hand inside his briefs and run it along his length teasingly.

"Tris," he groans, a sparkle in his eyes.

"What?" I ask innocently, relishing in my power.

"That's enough teasing," he says.

I squeal in surprise when he turns us around faster than I can process. Suddenly I'm lying under him, trapped by his full weight on me, but all my body can concentrate on is where his hardness presses against me. I buckle my hips against his intuitively, and we begin rubbing our bodies against each other's while our hands reach under our clothes in search of naked skin.

An insistent knock on the door kills the mood from one second to the next, and we both freeze.

"Tris? Four? If you're in there, please open the door! It's important!" Shauna shouts, her voice muffled by the door. This is the worst moment to disturb us, I swear it is. "Jack Kang called. He is going to pronounce the sentences on Jeanine, Eric and Max in a few minutes. We all went looking for you, you sure wouldn't want to miss it, wouldn't you?"

"Damn!" Tobias mutters and starts to get up. "We're coming! Give us a minute!" he shouts.

"Worst moment of all," I mumble as I comb my hair with my fingers and then tie it back into a high ponytail.

When we open the door, Shauna looks from me to Tobias and back to me apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," Tobias says, and we set off to the pit together. Tobias' hand rests on the small of my back the whole way. Although I appreciate the gesture, it doesn't help my body to cool down.

"So, uhm, I wanted to apologize to you two again. For what I've said about the likes of you, you know?" Shauna breaks the slightly awkward silence half-way to the pit. "I was so prejudiced and wrong with what I thought. I..." She stops in her tracks and turns to face us. "I wouldn't be standing here without you, both of you, and maybe Lynn wouldn't be back safe. And Tris... you saved my life. I was stunned you were ready to put your own life in danger to get me out of Eric's grip, so I owe you everything. It would be... It would mean a lot to me if you could try to forgive me."

I see her struggle with her emotions and fight back tears while she speaks, and I believe that she's being honest. I'm not someone to be resentful.

"It's okay, Shauna. I accept your apology," I say and give her hand a little squeeze.

Our eyes turn to Tobias.

"It'll take time," he simply says.

Shauna nods in understanding. "I guess I deserve that. I'll try to be a better friend again in the future, you'll see. Thanks for giving me a chance. I hope the two of you make it into leadership. You'd be great in that position. I didn't put my name on the list, I don't deserve to compete with you after what I've done."

With that, she starts walking again, and we strive into the pit along with the rest of Dauntless.

XXX

The pit is like a giant beehive, crowded and humming with excitement. Rumors are shared, as well as some early drinks. The tension is so palpable that a single spark will be enough to make the emotions burst out and take over. I'm almost sure that the party is going to start as soon as the stream from Candor is over.

I take Tobias' hand the moment the screen turns on and Jack comes into view. Nobody pays attention to us anyway, and even if someone saw us holding hands: So what?

Jack welcomes all the factions to the live stream. He gives a brief summary of this morning's meeting again, but that's not what we're here for. I shift my weight from one foot to the other nervously. I wonder why I feel more nervous at this moment than all the times I put myself at risk.

"We will now proceed to the pronouncement of judgment," Jack finally says, and he gets back all my attention. "We interrogated four accused yesterday, one of whom we already acquitted as innocent. The other three are here today to be passed sentence on."

Jack steps aside and the camera shoots Jeanine, Eric and Max sitting side by side, bound hand and foot to the chairs they're sitting on. While Eric shoots angry looks at Jack and Max looks down seemingly ashamed, Jeanine's face is indifferent. Only the brisk raising and lowering of her chest gives away how she must really feel inside. I hope she's burning with fear.

"I will keep this as short as possible, we've already spent enough of our precious time listening to you. We find you guilty, the three of you. There is no considerable difference between what each of you has done and planned to do.

However, after spending the night consulting the statutes, we found that your actions are not enough to deserve a death penalty. Ironically, that would have required you to actually commit murder, but your plans were thwarted by the Allegiant."

What?

Shouts and catcalls emit throughout the pit. The Candor who sit behind the traitors gasp and start to murmur, too. Jack silences them with a gesture.

"Even I can't put myself above the law, although, personally, I wish I could. But don't crow too soon. Your punishment is still severe, and some would say it's worse than death."

Jack steps right in front of the accused and looks them in the eye.

"You're convicted be administered memory serum tonight, and after that, you're going to stay in prison for life."

Tobias and I squeeze each other's hand so tightly it hurts, but I need the pain to remind me I'm neither in a dream nor in a simulation. This is real.

Eric starts to protest and shouts profanities at Jack in particular and Candor and the Allegiant in general, while Jeanine finally looks suitably scared and Max looks nothing but defeated.

Am I a bad person for enjoying those three people's misery and pain, their fear and bewilderment? For feeling deeply satisfied that they'll get what they deserve?

"Do you have any last words before we wipe your memories?" Jack asks, and I swear he's taking gratification out of the situation, too. I envy him a little for being there and seeing their reactions in person.

"You bastards, you have no idea where Chicago is heading! You're ruining this city, you bunch of fuckers! You..."

Eric doesn't get any further, as Jack gives Niles a nod, and he steps beside him, balancing a white tray with three syringes full of transparent liquid on it. Eric stares at the syringes in disbelief, as if he realizes only now what is going to happen. Jack picks up a syringe and holds it up against the light, tips it two times with the back of his middle finger and then steps in front of Eric. I watch him inject the serum into Eric's forearm, and Eric's eyes glaze over only seconds after Jack is done with him.

A shudder goes through me at how fast the serum works, at how fast it wipes away a personality.

But since this person wanted to kill me, my boyfriend, my parents, my friends and my entire former faction, I don't feel any sympathy for him.

Jack steps to the left where Jeanine is sitting between her two accomplices.

"Any last words?" he asks.

"One day, the Divergents are going to take over this city, and then a lot more people are going to die than we would have sacrificed for the greater good of keeping Chicago a safe city for our children and grandchildren," she says bitterly.

Even in the face of memory serum she manages to spread hatred.

"Well, you won't take much notice, will you, Jeanine?" Jack says as he takes another syringe and holds it up into the light.

Jeanine snorts at his comment, but she can't escape the injection, no matter how much she's struggling against the ropes that tie her to the chair in her last moments of being herself. Even if only during these last seconds, I'm contented to witness her cool demeanor crumbling.

And then she's gone. Jack takes the remaining syringe from the tray and turns to Max.

"Max?"

"I'm not afraid."

Jack administers the serum to him, and his eyes go as blank as Eric's and Jeanine's have before.

And that's it.

It's over.

They lost.

We won.

XXX

We're already in the middle of the biggest party Dauntless has seen. Drinks are for free - a decision Zeke and Uriah made this morning, saying that they wanted to take advantage of being in a leadership position at least once. They put up huge speakers and colorful lights and lasers that turn the pit into an excellent party location, and we're all celebrating together on the dance floor.

"Let's go get another round of drinks. Mind coming with me?" Christina asks me.

"I'll be right back," I shout to Tobias dancing next to me, and then I let Christina lead the way through the crowd to the bar.

Tonight, we have to prepare the drinks ourselves, given that we don't have to pay for them and nobody wanted to manage the bar while the rest of the faction is partying. I join her behind the makeshift counter and watch her pour different sorts of spirits and juices into a huge shaker.

"Could you look for glasses?" she asks.

I have to stand on tiptoe to reach the last row of clean glasses on the upper shelf. Nobody bothers to clean their used ones tonight. There's gonna be a lot of work tomorrow.

"I just wanted to say, I keep my fingers crossed that you and Four make it into leadership. You deserve it, and you're going to be great leaders," Christina shouts into my ear after mixing our drinks.

"Thank you! What are you going to do next? Why didn't you run for a post yourself?" I ask while I watch her filling our glasses with the bright red cocktail she created.

"Too boring. Honestly, I didn't choose Dauntless to spend my time going to faction meetings after all."

"That's not all leadership has to do!" I protest.

"I know, I know. But I don't think I'm into it. I want to work in the tattoo shop and be creative. If Tori becomes a leader, I could take over from her."

"That sounds like something that suits you. What about Will?"

"You mean if he doesn't become a leader? I think he doesn't know yet. There was too much on his mind, too, to think about it. But he'll find something he wants to do, he's interested in a lot of things. I hope Caleb and Cara are done with counting the votes soon. - Do you see a tray somewhere?"

I look around and spot one lying on the counter. It's so sticky that there's no danger for us to spill the drinks while we carry them back to our friends through the dancing crowd. We clink glasses as soon as everybody has grabbed a drink, and Tobias locks his eyes with mine.

Instantly, desire for him is racing through me again and I think back to our interrupted moment on my bed. I step closer to him until he can hear me over the loud music.

"Want to sneak away with me for a little while?"

Tobias

Tris and Christina take off to make more drinks and I'm left with our friends. I've hardly been this relaxed in a place full of people like I am tonight. Maybe it's the alcohol, or the triumph over the traitors, or being in love, or just how comfortable I've become around others. Zeke steps next to me, puts an arm around my shoulders and grins.

"Man, I'm sorry for interrupting you in that office earlier. You looked very... busy."

"And you looked pretty embarrassed. What's going on with you? Never seen anyone make out on a desk?" I smirk at him, trying to cover up how awkward the situation was.

"Not someone from Abnegation," he retorts. "I just happen to know how shy you two have been together, and seeing you in action..."

He arches his eyebrows and his grin gets even wider.

"Shut up, you idiot!" I say with humor and wind out of his friendly embrace.

"Yeah, sure. I like being your friend, too, Four."

I can't wait for Tris to get back with the drinks now that Zeke reminded me of our time together and how we got disturbed twice today. We could run off for half an hour and be back right before the election results are announced. My imagination already runs wild with me by the time Tris really gets back, and we clink glasses with our friends. I can't take my eyes off her. She looks so beautiful and strong.

"Want to sneak away with me for a little while?" she says in my ear suggestively, and I don't even have to think about it.

XXX

I slam the door shut behind us, and then we're alone, finally. Without saying another word I crush my lips to hers and wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her close to me. Her hands are suddenly everywhere, roaming over my back and sides and chest, searching for contact.

We open our mouths to let our tongues join the kiss, and I push her backwards against the wall with a groan. She half-stumbles in surprise, only to pull me fiercer to her once she's regained her balance. I follow her will and press myself against her, letting her feel my hardness between her thighs, rubbing it against her core. She starts moaning into my mouth and I lift her up. Her legs wrap around my waist willingly and I carry her over to the bed with one arm beneath her butt, the other around her back to keep her as close as possible.

I stand at the edge of the bed and lower her onto the mattress. Her eyes open and pierce mine teasingly while she lowers her hands, unbuttons her tight black pants and zips them open. Black lace underwear comes into view beneath the fabric. I bend down and reach for the waistband of her pants to yank them down, but she swaps my hands away, condemning me to watch her slide a hand inside her panties.

My breath hitches at the sight of her fingers stroking herself, although the fabric prevents me from seeing what exactly she's doing. But her head falling to the side, eyes closed in delight, and her back arching just an inch from the sheets are enough to make me throb for her.

If she doesn't let me take off her pants, I can take off mine first. They fall down to my feet quickly and I creep up onto the bed, lingering over her. I place a hand on her cheek and turn her face to mine. Her eyes glow with lust when she opens them again, and she keeps them directed at mine while she keeps moving her hand against her sex, the movement of her wrist noticeable against my stomach.

"What are you doing to me?" I ask, but it's purely a rhetorical question. Her new self-confidence in bed is such a turn-on.

"Right now, I'm only doing things to me," she smirks and slowly withdraws her hand out of her panties, trails it over my stomach and chest until it comes to rest on my cheek.

Oh, she drives me crazy. I know she's fully aware that I can smell her arousal on her fingers... I groan and turn my head to kiss her fingertips, inhaling her unique scent, before I grab both of her wrists and pin her hands down beside her head, covering her mouth with mine and invading it with my tongue. I no longer support my weight above her, letting her feel all of it as I lay my body down on hers.

She wriggles her wrists free and pulls off my shirt in a rapid motion, then sends it flying somewhere on the floor beside the bed. Immediately after that, her hands stroke down my back firmly until they reach my boxers. Without hesitation, she slips them underneath the fabric and takes hold of my ass, her fingernails digging into my skin. I groan at the perfect mixture of lust and pain that it causes.

She pulls me firmly to her center and starts to rub herself against my hard-on. Her moans are the sweetest sound in the world, and I want more of it, and louder.

I push myself up until I kneel between her legs again. This time I won't let her stop me from undressing her. I want her too much, too desperately, and she allows me to tear off her jeans and panties both at once.

I take a look at Tris lying in front of me, her black top pushed up until right under her breasts, her cheeks flushed with heat, her eyes pleading me to continue. But I don't have time to undress her further, not now. First, I want to taste her.

I put my hands on her inner thighs and spread her for me.

"Tobias," she moans, "kiss me!"

"Whatever you want," I groan before I lower my head between her legs and begin to lick her, the taste of her arousal spreading immediately on my tongue.

She loves it when I go down on her, and so do I. I relish in her pleasure that only I am able to give her. Her hands pull on my hair and her legs capture my head between them to keep my lips and tongue where she needs them most. I enter her burning insides with first one, then two fingers, stroking in and out of her in the same rhythm she arches her hips towards me.

It's not long until she gets closer to the peak, her body shivering from the sensation, building tension that finally strikes. Her back arches off the bed, and she pushes herself against my mouth and finger one last time as her insides clench and her already loud moans turn into a short scream.

I stay the way I am, letting her orgasm wash over her, until her whole body relaxes under and around me, and she lets go of my hair. She doesn't really notice how strong she's pulling on it when she gets carried away by her lust, but I don't mind. In fact, it's the sexiest thing she can do, letting all her defenses down and just take what I give her, what she wants me to give her.

I crawl up over her, getting rid of my boxers with one hand, and kiss her. I don't care that I still have her taste on me. My tip grazes along her and I can't wait to push inside. I savor this moment every time we have sex, tonight being no exception.

XXX

Finally satisfied, we arrive back in the pit just in time for the election results. The others are about to enter the stage, and apparently they've been searching for us.

"Where have you been?" Caleb asks with an accompanying reproachful look.

"Busy," Zeke replies and gives him a wink.

I can count the seconds until Caleb understands, because when he does, his cheeks turn red.

"Let's start, then," he says, and we all take our positions on the stage. Cara and Caleb have taken care of counting the votes, as they are supposed to be neutral. We can still check the lists tomorrow anyway, if we want.

The sudden silence contrasts the blasting music. It won't last long after the announcement of the results.

"So, I'll keep it short," Caleb begins. "I guess you're all curious about your new leaders. It was a head-to-head competition, that much I can say. I know there should be five leaders only, but we have two people sharing the fifth place. You'll have to see what you make out of that. I'm talking about Zeke and Uriah."

The crowd cheers and the two brothers look at each other and burst out laughing. I shake my head in disbelief. Of course it had to be them. They attract the unusual, really. When the first wave of applause has died down, Caleb continues.

"Your other leaders are going to be Tori, Lauren, Four and Tris!" he exclaims, and my heart stops for a second.

We both made it! Now we have the power to make a change and build a better faction and a better city.

The sounds of the crowd are tuned down by the music playing again, but we stay up on stage and enjoy the praise we're getting from the faction. Our faction. I've felt like a guest in Dauntless for a long time, but, finally, not anymore. Now I feel at home.

I keep glancing over at Tris waving to the crowd with her arms raised, a big wide smile plastered on her face. She keeps smiling at me, too, and it stirs my insides with longing. I want so much to close the distance between us and just kiss her there in the middle of the stage for everyone to see. I want to show everyone that Tris and I belong together, want to tell the world that we're in love.

And then, out of a sudden, I realize there's nothing left to stop me from doing exactly that. I turn towards my girl, take her hand and pull her towards me and into my arms that seem to have been made to fit around her perfectly. I look into her radiant eyes, searching for a sign of doubt, but there is none. So I lean in to kiss her, and she kisses me back.

Yes, there's no doubt: This is where I belong.

Tris

Tobias and I steal glances at each other while the Dauntless try to drown out the music with their cheers and applause, and I wonder what's stopping us from being together now. And, no matter how hard I try, I can't think of anyone or anything that could hold us back. We've been through so much already, and I don't want to hide any longer.

Tobias must think the same, as he takes my hand and pulls me into an embrace that's already much more than one between friends. I look into his eyes deeply, encouraging him to kiss me, and he does.

I kiss him back and I want everyone to see it. I want the world to know that we're together, that we love each other, and that nothing can ever pull us apart anymore.

I may be Divergent, and I may have been told there wouldn't be a place for me to fit in, but that was a lie.

There is a place I fit in perfectly, and that's here, right where I am: In Dauntless, as their youngest leader, and, most importantly, with Tobias. Forever.

The end