Hey, rating change from here. Might be a bit premature for this chapter but I would need it to go up soon anyway.

Chapter Twenty Six - Tobias

Tris is too light and through she elbows me and kicks out, none of the blows land with any force. But that she fights me at all gives me hope. When I saw her face, all pale skin clinging to bone where once there had been well defined muscle, I'd thought that we'd waited too long.

Keeping one arm around her waist, I encourage her to jog, though she looks back longingly to where her mother has just disappeared from view. Natalie Prior, whose words from mere minutes ago echoed like church bells inside my skull.

When I stepped out of the building, ironically through the same door I had used to meet Caleb, I saw Natalie and Christina waiting from me. Natalie nodded once to Cara, who disappeared like a shadow into the darkness around us.

"Where's Tris?"

"The generators are down and Beatrice coming now, we must go as soon as we can." I could see fresh worry in the lines around her eyes. "I have rigged the refrigeration unit to blow once the emergency generator kicks in, a second wave of attack that they will not expect. But, Tobias listen, I cannot predict how long they will take to get the back-up generator on. And once they do we will not be able to get away unseen."

"So we hurry."

"It may not be that simple." She moved closer and spoke in a voice for my ears only, "You must promise me something now." I saw the gun in her right hand.

"No." I shook my head, not wanting to hear it.

She stepped closer, her free hand closing tightly on my wrist, "For Beatrice, you must promise that you will take her and go if I ask you to."

"We'll find another way."

But she just looked at me hard in a way that was painfully similar to her daughter. "Promise me."

And so I did.

The predicted explosion had us both falling to our knees and brought me forcefully back into the present. A reminder from Natalie to stay focused. I jump up and help a dazed-looking Tris to her feet. There is no time to explain, so I drag her on once more.

For several minutes, I am only vaguely aware of the sounds of multiple guns behind us - I look only ahead. At the pace we are going, the others have left us behind. We agreed to meet at the train tracks but I fear they will need to leave without us.

The flurry of shots increases for a moment and then a pause in the shooting brings us both to a stop. I wonder if Tris understands what this means, the lack of return fire. Her face shows that she does. Pulling from my grip, she staggers back one step the way we have come.

Then a hare run across the road, illuminated weakly by moonlight. It blocks Tris' path.

I have never seen a hare before and I thought of them, in what I now realise was a childish way, as simply large rabbits. There is nothing rabbit-like about the intelligent face of this creature. The purposeful way it tilts it head and holds its ears. I can see the muscles in its legs vibrating with suppressed energy as it waits, watching us.

Its eyes – her eyes – hold mine, a stern reminder of a promise to save Tris no matter what. I have never been a religious or superstitious person but as that hare stared at me I knew that Natalie was gone. The hare turned its gaze on Tris, softened slightly, and I knew Tris felt it too, the certainty of what had happened.

I heard all the air leave her lungs as she sank to the floor, fresh tears on her cheeks. The hare didn't start or startle, it moved one hop closer, its ears flat to its back and continued looking up at Tris. And then it was gone disappearing into darkness as it ran away from the Erudite compound, just as we should be.

I didn't speak, just slipped an arm beneath her knees and lifted her up, holding her against me as I ran towards the others. Where I found the energy after so long on so little food, I'll never know.

Our friends may not have seen the hare but they understood Tris' grief without explanation as we stood together on the platform.

Every second waiting for that train felt like an hour, to the point where I was silently convinced that the Erudite had closed the line. But it was an unfounded fear, and with Zeke, Will and Christina's help, all five of us get onto the passing train.

Once aboard the train, Tris slid away from us, down the compartment. After all she has gone through, the least I can do is give her space. I try not to feel rejected, that would be selfish, but it is hard...

Be practical. "What is the plan now?"

Christina answers, "Stay hidden, stay safe." She indicated the bag she is holding, it contains food and though it is full to bursting I know that it would barely last a week with half as many mouths to feed.

"Where?" I ask, feeling sure that I know the answer. Silence greets me and I nod. "OK. I know a place."

It takes over two hours to reach what would have been my factionless home, I take a route too convoluted for anyone to follow at a distance, changing trains more than necessary. Our survival now depends on staying hidden.

In the doorway I explain that I have kept supplies here just in case and suggest we all find somewhere in the building to stay tonight and make a better plan when we are all rested. I don't expect to sleep, I barely have since Tris was taken but to rest with her near would be the next best thing.

If she will come near me.

Will and Christina find an office empty enough to roll out a blanket. Zeke stays on the ground floor, claiming he wakes easily and can remain on guard, I can tell from his eyes that what he has seen in Erudite has changed him – I don't think he will sleep either.

I take a wraith-like Tris up to the room she has seen before, though her face shows no recognition. The good thing is that she accepts my help on the stairs and doesn't complain when I take off her shoes. When I lead her to the mattress she stiffens.

"You should try to sleep," I whisper. One nod but no eye contact. She lies down. I sigh quietly and sit back against the wall so that I am between her and the door. Cloud cover throws the room into total darkness.

"Tobias?"

"I'm here."

"Stay with me."

"I'll never leave you."

"I can't see you," her voice trembling.

It is the permission I needed. I slid onto the mattress beside her and her hands grip my shirt, pulling me close. "I'm here," I repeat. Her head rests against my chest and I run my fingers through her hair, gently, trying to avoid the knots. How long has it been since I've done this? Since we've been this close?

My shirt feels damp but that is the only sign of her tears. I wish I could make it better but I know Tris needs this, needs to grieve. I run a hand over her back and remember with a shock that she still wears the hospital gown from the laboratory. Skin meets skin at the places between where it is tied.

"Are you cold?" I ask, though I am suddenly too hot.

"A little."

I roll away and return as quickly as I can with some clothes of my own: a top too large for her and sweat pants. "Here. Wear these." She hesitates, not taking the clothes. "I won't see," I say, hoping to reassure her.

"I know, it's not that. I haven't change my underwear since I left Dauntless…" she trails off. I am glad the darkness hides my anger, it is not for her.

"I have spare boxers?"

She squeezes my hand, "Thank you."

I get up again and bring back what she needs. My cheeks warm slightly, not because I am giving her boxers specifically, but because she will be naked against my clothes.

I hear the rustle of clothes being taken off then her hand is fumbling towards me, I pass her the boxers, then the sweat pants but when I offer up the t shirt she finds my free hand instead. In the darkest part of the night, together and yet hidden even from each other, she is brave.

She rests my hand on her ribcage and I gasp. Her ribs are more pronounced than I'd like but her skin is soft. I glide upwards and under her arm to her shoulder blades. Tris hums, content, arching into my hand. I wonder how much physical contact she has had recently, how much of it as gentle and caring as she deserves.

My other palm rests on her waist while the fingers of my first hand stroke down her back and without sight, every sensation of her skin under mine is exaggerated. She takes my wrist and I allow her to guide my hand up towards her chest, when it rests just below her breast I stop her. "Are you sure?"

"Please," she begs and I know that tonight she just needs to feel connected to another human being.

I move my hand and take one breast in my palm, feeling the weight of it. A moan breaks the stillness and, embarrassed, I realise that it was mine. She sighs and I continue to explore her, rolling her nipple between two fingers and feeling it harden.

I want to use my mouth but I don't want to go further than she is ready for, I don't want to break this moment. Instead I kiss the side of her head, clumsy in the darkness, and move across to her other breast.

When she tugs up on my t-shirt I quickly remove it and Tris pulls us down onto the mattress. She curls into me, with the points of her breast pressed to my chest. I know I am too aroused to sleep but she seems more relaxed than I could have hoped for. "Sleep," I murmur into her ear.

"I'll try," she says and I hold her until her breathing deepens.