Three Words

Chapter 13 - Tris

I wake up still being held in Tobias' warm arms, but continue to keep my eyes closed. I don't want to leave them just yet. I want to continue to feel safe in his embrace.

I breathe in deeply, letting it out slowly. I'm not sure how to feel after last night. Tobias revealed a part of himself to me that few people have knowledge of. He felt I was trustworthy enough to receive this information. I know there is more to the story, but I could see that it was hard enough to expose himself like that. I wasn't going to ask him to repeat his terrors till he is ready.

I'm glad he thinks I'm trustworthy enough to receive the information he did give. But in his willingness to trust me, he has given me a rage toward a person that I've never met. I have never felt this level of hatred toward someone, especially someone I've never met or seen. I don't know who his father is, but I'm not sure if I ever come in contact with him I won't be able to control myself. How could anyone do that to a human being for ten years of their life? How could a father do that to his son? Where was his mother when this happened?

I try to compare my father to his, but there just isn't one. My relationship with my father has always been good. I can only think of maybe two times he had to spank me when I was young, and I think he felt worse than I did. I know the one time I had to spank Zoe, I had to go into my bedroom and let Matthew deal with her. I cried harder than she did.

I think my prohibition on dating is slipping away, though. I really think in the near future I want to take the next step with him. After I placed my hands on his chest last night, I felt how fast his heart was beating under my touch, so surely he must feel something toward me besides friendship. I know he got out of a really bad relationship and probably doesn't want to date yet. I think I could see us going out on a date, but I'm not sure. I doubt he's going to say anything any time soon, so it will give me some more time to figure out how I feel about all of this.

I didn't have nightmares plaguing me last night confirming my hypothesis. I had thought long and hard about what had happened the night I fell asleep on his chest. Some subconscious part of me must have felt safe, and knew he would watch over me when I was sleeping. I didn't want it to just be because I was so exhausted I couldn't hold my head up anymore. Last night confirmed that. He alone protects me from my nightmares.

Tobias takes a deep breath in, pulling me gently closer to him. He moves his hand from my shoulder to softly begin stroking my hair. I can feel his smile through my hair. I just want to stay like this for the rest of the day. But I do want to actually spend time with him today.

"Good morning Tobias." I say against his chest.

"Mmm...Good morning Tris. How long have you been awake?" His voice rough with sleep.

"Not long. Just a few minutes. I didn't want to wake you." I pause as I realize it's a little too light in the room. "Hey Tobias, what time is it?"

He holds me tighter, taking in a deep breathe. "I don't really care. I just want to stay right here."

I smile. He is stirring feelings in me I haven't felt in so long. "Tobias...really. What time is it?"

He sighs, unraveling himself from me, trying to look at the clock on the nightstand, his other arm still keeps me close though. He rolls back over wrapping me into the safety of his arms. "Um...I think we might have missed your mystery adventure. It's 9:45."

Well crap. I really wanted to take him on a hike to my favorite spot today. It's a bit difficult, but there's a waterfall at the end of the hike with a pool that you can swim in, but you have to start the hike early. "Well, I don't think we will be making it today to my mystery spot." I pull myself a little from his embrace so that I'm on my side, propping my head up with my hand. He rolls so that he is facing me, but keeps his other hand resting just above my hip under the blanket. I notice his hand doesn't touch my bare skin from where the shirt has ridden up. It's like he doesn't want to stop touching me, but doesn't want me to think he is going to try anything. I sigh, maybe he has something else in mind we could do today. "Well, that's ok. I'll save it for another day. Did you have something else you would like to do today?"