Since You Been Gone

Chapter 1

Tris P.O.V.

I wake to a small hand covering my face. My eyes shoot open and I find the source of the tiny hand. A small boy with deep blue eyes and dark hair stares up at me. His round belly peeks out from the bottom of his race car pajamas. An old teddy bear hangs by the ear from his hand while the bear's body is dragging along behind him on the gray carpet.

"Mommy! Wake up!" he says in a classic two year old voice. His slurred words bring a smile to my face. I slip my legs out from under my sheets. I pick him up and take a quick peek at the alarm clock resting on the bedside table. It reads 7:23.

"Why are you awake so early?" I ask him. I sit down on the bed with him still in my arms. He crawls out from my arms and tunnels his way under the blankets so only his head—and the teddy bear's—peek out from under it.

"I'm ready to go to Uncle Zeke's house!" he exclaims. I shake my head and reach for the remote on the night stand. I turn on the television and flip through the channels. I land on Curious George. His eyes leave mine to watch the little monkey peeking out from under a big yellow hat.

"You know you aren't going to Zeke's house today. You are going to Aunt Christina's house. Will will (I didn't mean to do that. I just happened.) be there to," I reply. He sighs and crosses his arms. The blankets fall down and the little bear falls over.

"But I want to go to Zeke's house! He lets me watch football and do stuff that real men do!" he complains. I roll my eyes and rise from my position on the bed.

"Lucas, you have to understand that Uncle Zeke is busy. He has classes today and Christina and Will don't. You'll have fun with them," I reply. I pull some jeans and a cami out of my dresser and walk towards my bathroom. I stop at the door and watch my son.

"Why can't I come with you, mommy?" he pouts.

"You know you can't come with me to interviews. Why is Christina so bad?" I ask. He gives me a puppy dog face and sticks out his bottom lip.

"Because Aunt Christina likes doing girl things! She only has princess movies. And she still always makes me watch Frozen and sing and dance," he says. I hold back a laugh. One time I walked in while this was happening and he didn't want to leave even though he always complains about it.

"What about Fluffy? Zeke doesn't have a Fluffy," I bargain. He sticks out his bottom lip again. Fluffy is Christina's dog. She found him on the side of the road a couple of months ago and cleaned him up. We're not really sure what breed he is but he has curly, white hair.

"He doesn't need a Fruffy. Zeke is already cool," he complains, mispronouncing Fluffy's name like usual.

"Lucas, you are going to Christina's house. End of story," I say. He sighs but doesn't respond. Instead, he turns all of his attention to the little monkey and dog running around in a hotel lobby.

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"Lucas James Prior! If you do not eat your fruit loops you won't leave this house today," I say. He kicks his legs at his spot on the bar stool. He sits his spoon down.

"Good! I don't want to leave!" he complains.

"Fine. You can be here all alone with the monsters and there will be no one—and I mean absolutely no one—here to protect you from them. When I get back from my interview all I will find are your monster inc. tennis shoes," I explain. A surprised expression comes to his face. He picks up a spoon and shoves into his bowl. Two fruit loops—one blue and one red—land on it and are shoved into his mouth.

"Can I ask you a question, Mommy?" he asks after taking a couple more bites. I nod after swallowing a piece of bagel.

"Sure. What's up?" I ask. He swirls the dozen fruit loops around with his spoon.

"Do I have a daddy?" he asks. The question leaves me surprised. I bite the inside of my cheek. It's been two and a half years since I've seen Tobias. Some days he never even crosses my mind. But, that's once in a blue moon. I will never forgive him for leaving our son fatherless. I spin the little promise ring he gave me for Christmas around on my finger. I had gotten so used to wearing it, it's been an everyday thing for me.

"Well of course you have a daddy. Everyone has a daddy," I say. He nods and eats several more fruit loops.

"Why haven't I met him?" he asks. I sit the bagel with pink cream cheese on top on the counter. I lean over and look Lucas in the eyes. The bright blue color reminds me of his father. Lucas is the only thing I can look at with Tobias's features. Well, other than the pictures of the times when I was happiest.

"Lucas, your daddy had somewhere to go. I don't know if you'll ever get to see him," I quickly explains. He eats his last bite of fruit loops and I pick up the bowl and spoon. I put them in the sink and cut on some water to rinse out the bowl.

"But that's not fair! He should have taken us with him!" Lucas complains. I finish off my bagel and throw the paper towel away. I walk around the counter and pick up Lucas from his spot on one of the bar stools. I put him down and he walks to the entry way of our house.

"He couldn't take us with him. They have a rule about people like us," I say. I take his shoes out of the coat closet and set on the floor next to him. He takes them and undoes the Velcro that keeps them fastened.

"But we're cool people! They like cool people, right," he says. I nod and slide the tennis shoes with Mike and Sulley onto his feet. He fastens the Velcro while I pick out a pair of brown, leather boots that stop right below my knees.

"We're just too cool for them," I whisper. He nods and puts on his thin jacket with the characters from Cars on it. Right below Lightning McQueen there is a grass stain from where he plays 'football' with Zeke.

"So, Christina would fit in there?" he asks as we walk out the door. I laugh and nod.

"Sure. Aunt Christina would fit in there," I reply.

First Chapter! Yay! I'm really sorry if you thought it was too long of a wait! I just wanted time to finish the other story I was working on! Winter break starts today so I might get pretty far with this in the next two weeks... Don't depend on it, though! There might also be a sequel for my other story, too! Please comment andd vote! Your comments at the end of City Of Chicao High were priceless!

Veronica Roth owsn Divergent, not me.