The Way Back

Chapter 31

TOBIAS POV

Today has been inherently ugly.

First, I woke up in the middle of the night because of a nightmare that left my heart pounding and my mind wandering. I drifted in and out of sleep until early morning. My inability to relax even kept Tris up, but she was lucky enough to stay home today and sleep as much as she wanted.

Because of my exhaustion, I stumbled around the compound with no coordination. So then I walked into a stone wall on accident and bruised my face on the way to get breakfast. Yeah.

And I thought I was finished with everything leadership-related until I was called in for one last meeting in which I had to confront my father, who I try to avoid at all costs. I was bored out of my mind until late afternoon, and then when I was finally about to leave, I was bombarded with questions by my father-in-law concerning Tris's wellbeing.

Now, heading home to the apartment, I want nothing more than to collapse and stay immobile for the next twelve hours. I have already had dinner, so nothing is stopping me from resting.

But that plan is done away with, because when I walk in and dump my jacket and boots by the door, Tris is there to talk to me. And as tired as I am, nothing would make me happier in this moment than to spend time with her.

"Hey," she greets with a bright smile that doesn't show any signs of losing energy any time soon. Lucky.

I grunt in response and accept her kiss gratefully.

"You look really tired," she comments as we sit on the couch. Well, I sag more than actually sit.

"I am," I confirm, closing my eyes.

She curls up into my side and says, "Tell me about your day."

It starts out as a boring run-through of today's events, but then it progresses into a rant about every possible thing I could have found annoying in one day. She listens and pipes up every once in a while to offer support.

As we talk—well, mostly me—Tris runs her hand through my hair, since my head is lowered against the back of the couch. The gesture reminds me of the old days between us, since it was once a habit of hers, though we aren't far from that place now. It soothes me until the point where I am no longer high-strung, and eventually it ends my one-sided bantering completely.

"I should go visit him soon," she says randomly. "My dad, I mean."

"Yeah. He seems pretty eager to see you since you got the memory treatment." Trust me.

It seems inane to think that just a week ago she was given the reverse memory serum. Since then, so much has changed, and not just with her memory, but with our relationship too. Out of nowhere she will say things like, "Remember when we climbed the Ferris wheel during my initiation?" or, "Remember when Uriah and Zeke threw cake at each other at our wedding?" And I will laugh or smile each time, though I hide how much joy each statement really brings me, because what I actually feel when I hear those things makes me want to pick her up and spin her around, which is out of character for me.

Tris has become much more comfortable around me also. She tells me nearly everything she thinks about—or so I believe. We have shared glances that only we understood in public, and casual but meaningful touches. There has been a lot of kissing between us. A lot. She even changed in front of me the other day without warning, but hey, I wasn't complaining.

I said I believed that one day we would both be in love again. That day will be here any moment, I think.

"Your bandage is a mess," she points out, interrupting my thoughts.