ALLEGIANT- Alternate Ending

(Allegiant / Veronica Roth - Chapter Fifty-One, Page 489 - Tobias P.O.V.)

TOBIAS

As we walk into the compound, I know for a fact that Caleb succeeded, because there is no one in sight. That can only mean that they have been reset, their memories forever altered. "Where is everyone?" Amar says. We walk through the abandoned security checkpoint without stopping.

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On the other side, I see Tris. Her lip is bleeding, the stitches above her eye sticking out. Tris's hair is plastered to her face with sweat. I am happy to see her alive, but quickly suppress my relief-driven smile at the troubled look on her face.Though I'm staring straight ahead, I can sense Amar glancing at me.

"I'm going to go and make sure the memory serum is working properly," he says, and jogs away. I make my way towards Tris, my heart rate increasing. She looks at me, her blue eyes flickering up and down.

"What happened?" I ask, taking one step closer to her worn figure. I wrap my arms around her, but she immediately recoils, a hand pressed to her rib cage. I lift up her jacket slightly to see the beginning of a bad bruise; on the left side of her ribs, near her hip, is a deep purple spot. I don't cringe though, that is nothing compared to the training bruises and injuries I've seen, it is nothing compared to what I did to Drew after he and two others attacked Tris by the chasm during initiation.

"I tried to stop Caleb," she starts, and I can see tears are forming in her eyes.

"Of course you did, it's the Abnegation in you," I say, giving her a small smile as I embrace her, taking more care to mind her bruised rib cage.

Tris rests her head on my chest and continues, "I couldn't do anything to stop him, though. Caleb wouldn't budge. He refused to let anyone else, let alone me, go in." We stand in silence, pressed against each other. Tris and I, we are the only thing that makes sense right now.

"I'm sorry Tris. I'm sorry," is all I can think to say.

TRIS

We're all sitting around the same table where I once attended the first of what would have been several meetings to train me to become a leader of the Bureau of Genetic Welfare. Christina, Uriah, Tobias, Cara, Amar and I are here, as well as Matthew. Peter had taken the memory serum when the group with Tobias went into the city to confront Evelyn.We are here to decide how, and if, we are going to get back to the city. We are also going to decide what to do with Nita. David died in the Weapons Lab; the death serum that also killed Caleb killed David, who had been waiting for me to come in. It should have been me.

"We could use the Amity trucks to get back," Christinia suggests, snapping me from my thoughts. "Is it possible?" We all turn to look at Matthew, and I look at him, really look at him, for the first time since the meeting in the basement where we united in silent agreement that cemented the fate of my brother. Matthew's form is slightly crumpled, his eyes unfocused.

Christina, who is on the other side of Matthew, is the first to say, "What's wrong with him?"

"Do you think he was exposed to the memory serum?" My question is directed towards Cara, the Erudite, but it's Tobias who answers me.

"When I ran simulations, some of the initiates looked like this. I don't think he's dead, though. I think the memory serum takes a while to set in, anyways, so I think it's possible. " I nod.