Convergent

Chapter 5 - Tobias/Caleb

Tobias

I had been waiting all night long outside Tris's new room since they moved her here from the last one. Matthew, the doctor, and a few nurses came in and out of her room while I waited in a chair by the door. I wanted to see Tris so bad, it hurt. When I saw Matthew approach me, I stood up immediately and asked, "What happened?" Matthew's brow creased while he thought about the question.

"She is awake but she is just recovering, so I think you should let her rest," said Matthew in a tired tone. I could tell he wasn't telling me the whole story, I raised my eyebrow. Matthew shook his head, his signal for not here not now.

"Has she asked for me?" I asked longingly.

"She has but you have to understand Tobias, she has just woken up and she's still in pain," said Matthew. He smiled as if he knew I would ask that. Suddenly, we heard a blood curdling scream burst out from Tris's room. Matthew jumped up and unlocked the door; he was about to go in when I shoved him out of the way. Tris was curled up on the bed with the sheets thrown around the room. I went running to her and shook her shoulders.

"Tris, Tris, wake up!" I said in a desperate tone. Tris threw the pillow she had been hugging, across the room as she woke up. She looked up at me with terrified blue eyes and she softly whispered, "Tobias."

I bent down and kissed her desperately, when our lips touched I felt my whole body set on fire; she whispered my name against my lips. I looked into her eyes and saw the passion we both felt. We were both breathing fast; our hearts racing. I needed her; I would protect her.

I heard someone clear their throat behind us, but I ignore it. "What were you dreaming about?" I asked her softly.

"The fear serum." Tris's eyes unfocused as if she sees something that isn't there. I remember the serum too; I had to give up the locations of the factionless safe houses so the Erudite would sedate her.

"Don't worry Tris, everything is over now," I say in her ear softly, as I move to her lips and kiss her again.

Chapter 55

Caleb

I got tired of waiting for Matthew to let me in to see Tris, so I decided to step outside to get some fresh air. I let my feet take me where they wanted and ended up in the orange grove. The sunlight snuck through the dark brown branches making the snow covered ground look speckled, while the cold breeze flowed lazily through the maze of trunks. You could just barely see the sun coming through trees; it tinted the snow a golden pink. I shivered-I should have brought a coat.

I saw movement to my right and heard snow crunching softly under someone's boot. I looked over as Susan walked out between the trees; the sunlight setting her blond hair on fire. I feel a pang of guilt as I realized I had never apologized to her for giving Jeanine information that got her family killed. Susan had on a gray wool coat, Abnegation color of course, and silver boots; she also wore black leggings, unusual for her faction but since the factions disbanded it didn't matter. I walked over to her as she leaned against the tree.

"Hello Susan." What do you say to someone who lives selflessly in every way?

"Hello Caleb." Her voice sounded strained-bitter.

"How are you?" I asked her.

"As fine as I could be with my family dead, the factions gone, and a new world full of people willing to wipe my memories so they can continue manipulating their experiments. We are those experiments! So you know fine and dandy." Susan looked at me; I saw pain in her emerald eyes and it was directed at me.

"Susan, I'm sorry; I thought I was keeping everyone safe by helping Jeanine withhold the information. I didn't know it would lead to so much pain and death!" I defended myself with the facts.

"As a Erudite you should've thought through the consequences! I don't care if you just heard a whisper about the video or if you had seen it yourself, you still helped overthrow the factions and cause the destruction of everything we knew!" I stepped back; I had never seen a furious Abnegation. Susan's face contorted like it was trying to show the anger suppressing her Abnegation upbringing; anger didn't fit her, it contorted her pale white skin and made her bright green doe eyes look like a snake's eyes.

"Susan, everyone I know hates me now! They think I'm a mass murderer-I tried to redeem myself but obviously no one thinks I can change," I spat the words at her.

"If I was still in Abnegation I would be happy to say anyone can change! I-" Susan suddenly stopped. "I didn't know you changed in the first place." I stared at her with a blank expression on my face-then it hit me. She knows me as the kind, selfless, knowledge driven boy that I want everyone else to see. She sees the true me that was exploited by powerful people for selfish reasons-the me that no one can see because of what they think I did.

I suddenly felt warm inside, even though it was frigid outside. I had always felt a little better around Susan, but I had never thought that I would feel something toward her. I looked at her crystalline green eyes and saw something I had never seen before in them; my sister, Beatrice, and Tobias looked at each other like this.

"My hands are cold." Susan let out a breathy laugh. I laughed with her.

"My hands are cold too." I tentatively grab her hand and she grabs mine. In Abnegation it was selfish to show affection in public, but for now all that mattered in the world was each other.

"Caleb, I..." Susan's voice went out. "I love you Caleb. I don't care what anyone else says about you, I think they're all wrong." She looked at me questioningly.

"I love you too Susan," I answered her.

I look into Susan's beautiful emerald green eyes and start to lean towards her. Our lips crash together and I feel fireworks go off. As we try to kiss, all I felt was love toward her, it was not just a kiss it was more than that, I feel as though I would be able to live the rest of my life with her. As we pull away from each other Susan says, "That was amazing."

I laugh happily, "You'll have to grade me lower because this is my first kiss."

"Does this mean I'm worth less because I'm your first love?" Susan tried to give me a pointed look but ended up with a big smile.

"It means that-"

"I know what you meant Caleb." Susan flips her hair as she walks back toward the compound and gives me a smile that means the world to me.