Astringent

1 - the End of the Beginning

Tris POV:

I slowly regain consciousness. The only part of me that seems to be working at the moment are my ears. Even those are muffled. Like my head was stuffed with cotton and then shoved into an extra soft pillow. I hear voices. They emerge from my clouded mind like birds from a tree. I start to make sense of the words.

"-need to stop staring at her dead body," Christina. Oh how I missed that voice. I wish I could jump up and hug her, "It's not going to change anything."

"I just can't let go," this is a lower, rougher voice. Scratchy and raw. But I know that voice. I would know it anywhere. Tobias, "I keep thinking this is all just a nightmare, and if I can just find the flaw, I'll wake up." he talks like he's trying to overcome a fear simulation. I want to see him. I want to kiss him. I want to eliminate everything that stands between us. I want him.

"She wouldn't have wanted to see you like this. Never excepting that this is reality. Lost, confused, unwilling to let go what is already gone. She would want you to move on. To be happy. We owe it to her."

I finally make my lips form words, "Tobias," it is so quiet, I'm not even sure I said it out loud. All the voices, all the noise, stops. It is dead silent, "Tobias. Tobias, please." please what? I'm not even sure what I want right now.

I manage to open my eyes and bright, white hospital lights nearly blind me. Then a shadow falls over the light and I see his face. I see his spare upper lip and full lower one. I see his dark, captivating, blue eyes. I see his sharp jaw. I see tear tracks down his cheeks. I see sorrow with everything that he does. I see the amazement, shock, love, and awe plastered on his face.

"Hi," my voice comes out dry and croaky. My throat is thick and sticky when I swallow.

"Hi?" Tobias raises his eyebrows at me and rambles on exasperatedly, "I thought you were gone for five days! I thought you were... dead. All you say is 'hi?' God I love you so much." He leans down to kiss me. I stiffen for a moment, surprised, but then I welcome his warm mouth. His scent washes over me and I feel my chapped lips split open with the pressure of the kiss. But he is soft and mine. And I am here again. I am back and I'm not leaving again any time soon.

"Can you two get a room?" I chuckle as Christina's voice breaks me out of my haze, "Make out on your own time! My friend just woke up from the dead!"

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So i started this a while ago, but I recently unpublished it and edited it, so here it is again! Enjoy!