Until Forever

01

Tris's POV
I open my eyes and see the words, "Fear God Alone" on the white wall. Tobias lies next to me asleep, with the tattoo on his back peeking out of the blue quilt. Today is the day of the Choosing Ceremony. Today. Exactly 2 years after I made the decision to change my whole life. Two years after I chose Dauntless. Two years after I met him. That was the best decision of my life. I hear a grumble that brings me out of my daze.

"Good morning," he says holding me close and kissing my cheek.

"Good morning," I reply.

"Do you know what today is?" he asks, arching his eyebrow.

"First day of initiation. I'm so excited! This will be the first year I..."

He cuts me off by pressing his lips to mine. "Two years ago, I met you," he says grinning. I smile, probably blushing.

It takes us about an hour and a half to start heading down to the pit. Between eating breakfast and taking showers and getting dressed, he kept distracting me by kissing me. I'm not complaining. I'm glad this is where my life is now. But I know with these new initiates and my secret, life is about to get crazy.

Tobias's POV
As we leave my apartment, I hold on to Tris's hand. Her touch always comforts me. Initiation doesn't usually worry me, but with Tris coming this year, I am worried. I just want to keep her safe. There are a million things that could trigger one of her panic attacks. The training room, the dorms, the chasm. She is strong. I know she is. She'll be fine.

"Where are we going first?" she asks, with an eager look in her eyes. I smile.

"Well, since we aren't going to the ceremony, we get to go straight to the net."

I feel her squeeze my hand and hold onto my arm with her free hand. "Well then, you're going the wrong way" she replies, frowning.

"I actually have a surprise for you first. Come on."

I lead her to a usually empty hallway that I set up last night with candles and rose petals. Thankfully, Christina got the ones that don't wilt quickly. This morning, Zeke and Uriah lit the candles and made sure everything was perfect.

Before we turn the corner I stop her.

"What?" she asks with a puzzled look on her face. I can't help it. I lean in and kiss her on the neck, then the lips. We kiss for a few moments and I let the moment linger.

"Are you ready for your surprise?" I ask.

"Definitely" she replies, smiling from ear to ear.

"Okay, close your eyes." Then I lead her around the corner.

Tris's POV
"Okay, open your eyes" Tobias whispers into my ear. When I do, I gasp. The hallway is lined with candles and rose petals. He takes my hand and leads me into the center of a candlelit heart. He holds me by the waist and kisses me. I run my hands down his back and find the hem of his shirt. He is strong. And even after almost two years, he still gives me butterflies. I kiss him back. He runs his hand down my hair and down my back. This would be the perfect time to tell him.

"Tobias," I say, "I have to tell you something."

I was going to tell him, but then there was an all too familiar popping noise. I look at Tobias and I must have the same look in my eyes as are in his.

"Can it wait?" he says, looking almost sad. "We should go find out who has gotten ahold of a gun now. Will you be okay to come?" I nod. I know he is worried about me having another panic attack. Dauntless initiation took a toll on me. But I am not as fragile as he thinks. Besides, I shouldn't tell him until I'm sure.

We run toward the Pit, hand in hand.

When we get to the Pit, it's absolute chaos. Standing at the entrance are 5 men dressed in black with hoods on. But they aren't Dauntless. They are wearing black Candor pants and black Dauntless shirts. Factionless. They are shooting at the Dauntless. How did they get guns? I hear a loud pop, and then a thud. Someone has been shot. I scan the pit floor. I see Eric lying on the floor with a pool of blood growing from his leg. He's still alive, sadly. I don't hate Eric, Dauntless would just be a little bit nicer without him.

"Come on" Tobias shouts at me. I come out of my daze and see him grab a gun and start firing at the Factionless. I run toward the nearest gun I can find. It's 20 yards away. 10 yards. 5 yards. And then nothing. I feel a stabbing pain in my left shoulder and fall to the ground. And then it's just black.