How do you love somebody that moved away when he found out that you were pregnant with his kid? How do you know that he was scared-that he would turn out like his father and of being a parent? And when he comes back to you two and a half years later, is it even possible to love him? Modern Day AU/Fourtris/Rated T-M

Tris POV:

My hand guides its way across each aisle, walking me past each candy or energy drink section. I can do it blindfolded. I come here at least three times a week now.

And it's normally fairly pleasant. Nearly all Seven Elevens are.

"Hey," an all-too-familiar voice says in front of me.

I don't look up.

"Hey, Tris," he says. Then he sighs, "C'mon, talk to me."

I step back, suddenly forgetting that I'm here to get animal crackers for Lily.

"Tris," he begs.

"N-no," I stammer out. "You're not supposed to be here!"

Heads turn in the mini-mart.

"Tobias," I whisper furiously, "What are you doing here?"

He cracks a smile. "Just thought I'd come back to town. I heard you had my kid."

"Let's go outside," I say after a while. "We need to talk."

"Wait," he says. "Can I get you anything?"

I look down at the list in my hand. Animal crackers and Trident bubblegum, it reads.

"Yeah," I say.

Tobias takes out his wallet.

"I got this," I say quickly, taking out mine.

"Nah," he tells me. "I ran away from you for two and a half years. It's the least I can do."

I flinch. Must he bring it up now?

When we finally get outside, Tobias offers me a beer.

I laugh. "Are you kidding?" I say. "I'm twenty. I live with my dad, who loves the law more than the president and I have a job working a cash register at a tattoo parlor. Oh, and I almost forgot. I have a kid. The least thing I want right now is a beer."

Tobias shrugs and opens one for himself. "Just wondering," he tells me, as he sits down on the curb.

"So," I say, sitting down next to him. "What are you doing in Chicago after all these years?"

He shrugs and takes a sip of his beer. "I took a year off of college to travel."

"And just happened to end up in your home town? What is this, a television sitcom?"

Tobias shakes his head again and grins. "Wow," he says.

"What?"

"You really are a character."

I roll my eyes. "Please. You left me when you found out I was pregnant a month before I graduated high school."

"Tris," he whispers. "I was scared."

"So was I. But I have a child now. And all I know about you is that you're the father of my daughter and that you need to get a life." What I don't tell him is that I was scared the night we did it. I was always taught to frown upon PDA and I should have just listened to my father when he taught me selfless values after my mother died.

"A daughter?" he asks anxiously.

I nod.

"What's her name?"

"Lily," I respond. "Lilian Natalie Prior."

"Will I get to see her?"

I shrug.

"Tris," he pleads. "You've got to understand. I left because I was afraid I'd turn out like Marcus."

I gasp. Once upon a time, when Tobias and I were close, he'd told me that Marcus had beaten him. "Yeah," I say after a while. "I...I guess I'll let you meet Miss Lily."

Tobias grins and wraps his arms around me, just like he did when we were close. Who cares if he's doing this just because he's drunk and has to get away from his father? Hopefully with Tobias coming back to Chicago, the old one I knew and loved will come back with him.

"Tris," he whispers in my ear. "I love you. I've missed you."

And maybe I would say it back, but all I know is that I love Lily. Maybe I'll feel the same way about Tobias as I did two years ago, but for now, he's just going to have to make it up to me while he's here.

If he is staying at all.

"So," Caleb tells me. "Did you hear Tobias Eaton is in town?"

I gulp. Maybe if I don't say anything, the topic will change.

Then my father looks up from his newspaper and nods. "Marcus told me yesterday." He glances at me, and I look down to my lumpy oatmeal. I feed some to Lily, which she takes generously. Then I look back to my father. "He also told me that Tobias was planning to speak with you," he continues.

"Oh," I say. Did Tobias just run into me on 'accident' yesterday? Although, I'm sure Marcus told Tobias all about Lily and beat him for taking away my virginity. I'm not surprised if he did. Marcus and my father are good friends. They share a law firm together, one of the most successful ones in Chicago, and never keep secrets from each other.

"Are you going to meet up with him?" Caleb asks. He glances at Lily, who suddenly pouts.

"She's got to meet her father sometime," I tell both people in front of me.

"Beatrice, are you sure that's the best idea?" my father asks.

"Yeah, Beatrice," Caleb says. "You don't want Tobias to get any wrong ideas."

"What wrong ideas?" I stand up, suddenly furious. "Look, in your eyes, Lily is probably seen as a mistake that Tobias and I made, but I love her. And I don't care what you both have to say about this. Dad, you taught me that having two adults in a child's life provides stable care. Caleb, you work at the hospital. You know that that is true as well. So for your information, when the time is right, I will show Tobias Lily."

Caleb lets out a small laugh. "So you're just going to forgive him for all he's done?"

I bite my lip. "Why not? Maybe I don't like his choices, but I respect them. He was probably just scared of being a parent. And now that he's back, maybe he's not as scared."

My father stands up. "Beatrice, that is enough. I do not want Tobias Eaton in your life."

"Why not?"

Before my father can answer, Caleb looks to him. "Listen, dad. Yeah, Tobias did something terrible to Tris. But maybe it's good to have him back. He can explain what he did and why to her."

My jaw drops, then turns into a smile. "How can you say that?" I ask Caleb. "Yeah, we were taught that public displays of affection were looked down upon, and I was scared the night it happened, but it wasn't Tobias' fault. I-we-weren't really aware of what we were doing at the time."

My father grumbles. "Fine. Beatrice, you may see Tobias, but only if he wants to see you."

I smirk. "Oh, I have a strong feeling that he wants to see me."

"Mama," Lily whines.

I narrow my eyes at the men in front of me. "Do not blame Tobias for what happened that night."

"Did you already talk to Tobias?" Caleb asks.

"I-I've got to go change Lily's diaper," I say quickly. I pick her up and rush up the stairs into our bedroom.

"I'm almost done, Lily," I say. "Stop squirming."

"Beatrice," a voice insists. "Did you already see him?"

I whip my head around. "Caleb, you know I don't like it when you come in here."

Caleb shrugs and walks over to Lily.

"What do you want?" I ask.

"I already told you," he responds, putting a gray shirt on Lily. "Did you talk to Tobias?"

"When would I have?" I ask.

Caleb shrugs. "He came in yesterday afternoon. You could have seen him last night."

I bite my cheek. "But I didn't." Then I walk towards Caleb. "This really isn't all you came here for, was it?"

Caleb shakes his head. "Do you need a ride to work?"

"Sure." I pick up Lily. "Thanks for dressing her."

Caleb grins and tickles Lily. She lets out a small laugh, which makes Caleb chuckle lightly. "Anytime."

I swipe some guy's credit card at the register and hand it back to him.

"Thanks for supporting our business," I say flatly, reciting the exact words that Tori has me say every time.

"Thank you," he says, flashing me a wiry smile. He takes his credit card from me, giving me a peek at the dragon tattoo he got on his wrist. Then he waves to Tori and walks out.

I turn back to Tori, who's cleaning off her airbrushes. "Hey," she says, looking up.

"Hi."

"Where's Lily today?"

"Daycare," I respond.

"Did you hear-"

"Yeah," I say. "Tobias is in town. Everyone I see tells me."

"Are you going to talk to him?"

I shrug. "Depends if he wants to talk to me. But between you and me, I saw him yesterday."

Tori gasps. "You did not."

"I did."

"...And what did you tell him?"

I shrug. "He just told me that he was scared and that's why he left. And that he wants to meet Lily."

"Are you going to let him?"

"I guess."

Then, the bell on the door jingles.

Tobias walks in. He looks at me. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here," I say. "What are you doing here?"

"I want a tattoo. Is this not the place to get one?"

Tori clears her throat. "Umm, I'll be in the back if you need me, Tris."