Three Words

Epilogue - Chapter 36 - Tobias

A/N: This has been an extraordinary journey writing this. For everyone that has given this story a chance and made it to the end, I have nothing but gratitude. If you have enjoyed it, then I have done my job as a writer and couldn't be more thrilled that I was able to give you a bit of an escape. Thank you again for all that have followed, liked, commented, and read. Enjoy life. Find those three words that complete you. Thank you everyone.

I walk down the stark white hallway, following Dr. Butler who's in front of me.  At least, that's what was on his name badge.  He says something, but my heart is hammering so hard in my chest, I can't seem to make out what he is saying.  He pushes through a set of double metal doors with the word 'Morgue' on a small plaque beside them. 

"Why are we here?"  My voice shakes with dread.

Dr. Butler doesn't say anything, his face sad, as he continues leading us through the doors until he gestures toward two stretchers.  Two bodies are laying on top with sheets covering them.  One is smaller than the other, and I can feel my heart drop into my stomach. 'No.  This isn't real.  This isn't happening.  This can't be real.'

I finally hear Dr. Butler say, "I need you to identify the bodies Mr. Eaton.  Are you ready?"

My mouth feels dry as I gape at the bodies.  'I'm not ready.  I'll never be ready to see what's under the sheets.'   Before I can respond, he pulls the first sheet back revealing Zoe.  Her lips are blue, her skin pale, and her smile is gone.  My lungs stop working.  My heart stops beating.

My beautiful daughter can't be dead.  She may not have been mine by blood, but my love for her was endless.  I promised to protect her.  I couldn't save her. 

Dr. Butler must take my silence as confirmation because he moves to the next stretcher, and pulls the sheet back. 

I thought seeing Zoe was enough to make me think my world had ended, but I was wrong.  Tris.  My beautiful wife.  My soulmate.  She can't be dead.  She just can't be. 

My eyes are frantic to find some clue to prove my brain wrong, but then they land on the thin scar on her shoulder.  My brain finding the confirmation it needed to prove this is indeed her.  That my beautiful Tris was indeed gone. 

I hear Dr. Butler say, "The autopsy revealed she was pregnant.  I'm so sorry for your loss sir."

The floor comes up to meet me as my world shatters.  I pull at my hair screaming.

My eyes snap open, and I sit up with a start, gasping, my heart racing, and my hands shaking.  I quickly turn and see that Tris is still asleep next to me.  I gently place a hand on her shoulder, and feel her warm, scarred skin beneath my shaking fingers. 

I close my eyes, sighing.  'Thank God it was only a nightmare.'  I lay back down and gently wrap my arms around her, trying not to wake her as I pull her close to me.  I need to feel her warm body against my bare chest to know she is ok.  I haven't had a nightmare like that in a long time, and the only way to calm myself has been to hold her close to me like this. 

I hear Tris take a deep breath in, her voice groggy.  "Are you ok?"  She's been woken many times like this before after I've had a bad dream.  Her voice calming me in the dark.  They plagued me for weeks after she was shot, but they have gotten better with time.  Especially when David was sentenced for life in prison, with the possibility of parole being in thirty years. 

I nod my head, breathing her in, "Yeah.  It was just a nightmare."  I kiss her hair, and whisper, "Go back to sleep."

She turns in my arms to face me.  Her eyebrows knitted together.  "Do you want to talk about it?  You haven't had one of those in a long time."