A Dauntless Love

Chapter 26

Liz's POV

Love is about forgiveness and I love Eric. Sure, what he did was awful but I could not deny my heart. It may have been selfish to ignore everything he did but it didn't really matter to me. I loved him and I wanted to be with him. When we are in love sometimes we have to forgive the things that the person that we love does. I had only been back at Dauntless for a day and already things fell back into place with Eric. He was extremely attentive to my every need and hardly ever left my side. Today I was being released to go back to our apartment here at Dauntless. I couldn't put into words how excited I was to be getting out of the hospital wing. Eric came back into the room with breakfast for me. He put it down on the table beside the bed.

"So you can either eat this weird breakfast or I can take you home and make you breakfast." He said.

I smiled. "Is that even a question?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought." He replied.

Eric handed me some clothes to change into and I went into the bathroom to change into them. The scare with the baby was over now and the doctor assured me it was only stress. I had heard the baby's heartbeat for myself and it sounded strong and sure. I was ready to get back to normal life, well life with half of Dauntless gone now, including my best friend. I put on the black v neck shirt and black leggings. I laced up my boots then looked at myself in the mirror. It felt good to be in my Dauntless colors again but it was strange to see at the same time. Dauntless clothes were always tighter than the other factions so my baby bump was very obvious in my tight fitting black shirt. I knew that Eric had probably picked this one on purpose for that very reason. He was always looking at or touching my bump. It was like he couldn't believe that our child was actually in there. He seemed completely in awe of the whole concept. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and opened the door. Eric wolf whistled at me and I laughed.

"Now there is my hot mama." He said.

"Oh stop it." I said throwing my hospital gown at him.

He threw it on the bed and came over to me. He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me against him. It felt so good to have our bodies pressed up against one another again. It felt right. He leaned down and kissed me with a feverish passion. I groaned and pulled my lips away from his.

"We can't just yet Eric. The doctor said we needed to wait one more day. You can't tempt me with these kisses." I said.

Eric groaned in reply but pulled my body completely against his. He hugged me tight against him and stroked my hair. He then abruptly let go.

"Okay one more day. I've waited practically a month. I think I can wait one more day." He said.

Eric took my hand and we left the hospital wing. Walking through the almost empty hallways of Dauntless gave me chills. This place was usually filled with laughter and music. Now there was hardly any sound at all. The people will did pass all looked concentrated or angry. Many of the people glanced at us, my belly and then away. I suddenly felt very exposed in my tight shirt. I wanted to cover my baby bump so no one could see it. Eric did not seem to notice the glances or my discomfort at them. When we reached our apartment I was able to relax. Eric opened the door and I felt home. Here we could close the doors and I could pretend that everything was exactly the way it was before. Here I could imagine that nothing bad had happened. It was incredibly selfish of me but the minute Eric closed the door I did just that. I forgot about the slaughter at Abnegation and the part my fiancée and father of my child played in it. I forgot that half of Dauntless was gone and the half that remained seemed darker. I chose to look at Eric and see only him. I flopped down on our couch and breathed in the smell of our apartment. It smelled like Eric and I and it was the best smell I could imagine. Eric came and sat down on the couch next to me. He pulled my legs into his lap and we just sat there. It was mundane and it was normal which is what made it perfect. We sat there with each other until the silence was interrupted by my stomach growling.

"Oh I forgot about breakfast sorry." Eric said.

"It's alright I did too. I was just enjoying being here with you." I replied.

"Well lets go into the kitchen and you can be there with me." He said.

Eric pulled me up off the couch and I followed him to the kitchen. He lifted me up and set me on the counter effortlessly.

"Pretty soon you won't be able to do that." I said.

He smirked. "Do you doubt my strength?"

"No, I doubt my ability to stay tiny with this baby growing inside me. Soon it will be like trying to lift a cow." I said.

"A cow? Aww Lizzy you are way cuter than a cow." He replied laughing.

"You say that now but wait until I'm out to here." I said holding my hand out in front of my belly by a foot.

Eric took my hands and kissed them. "Never. I will always find you beautiful" He lifted up my shirt and put his hands on my bare belly. "And I have never seen anything as beautiful as this."

I leaned back on my hands and Eric lifted my shirt up to reveal the whole baby bump. He put his hands on either side of it and leaned down to kiss right below my belly button. His fingers gently rubbed the sides as he placed kisses all around. I was in awe of how loving and gentle Eric was in that moment. He was truly smitten with the idea of his child growing right there inside of me.

"Hello baby its Daddy. Do you remember who I am? Daddy loves you so much and I can't wait to meet you." He said to my belly.

My heart clenched as he spoke. I had been selfish to take that time away from him. He had not gotten to experience the first glimpse of the bump with me. He laid in the hospital and I had run off with our child. I touched Eric's face and he looked up at me. I placed my hands on his cheeks and brought his face up.

"Eric I am so sorry for leaving. I should not have left without talking to you. I should have been there for you and I wasn't. I'm so sorry." I said.

Eric wrapped his arms around me and held me close.

"Shh Lizzy it's in the past. We are together now and that is all that matters. As long as we have each other there is nothing we cannot get through. I promise we will never be apart again."

I nodded and he kissed my forehead.

"Okay now what do you want for breakfast?"