Allegiant alternate ending

Chapter 53

"For dessert, dauntless cake!" Tobias cries. He brings two plates to our table, one for me, and one for him.

We dig in, and I ask, "how'd you get your hands on this?"

"I have my ways." He grins at me, and I laugh at his chocolate covered mouth.

"Hon, did you get any IN your mouth?" I ask, laughing. He laughs with me.

A second later, someone sits down at our table with their own cake. "Why are you guys laughing? Oh. Tobias, I think you have some...uh.." Uriah laughs. Then Christina comes and sits beside him.

"Hey Tris, getting around okay?" She leans over and kisses Uriah on the cheek. I knew they had something going on.

"Yeah, great." I smile at her, then glance at Uriah. She just rolls her eyes in response and blushes. I look at Tobias then say, "Tobias and I were thinking of moving back to the city. You know, now that I'm healed and everything. What do you guys think of coming with us?"

Christina smiles a little and says, "Yeah, I hear they are cleaning up the city. The marsh, they've started on that, too. It will take a long time, but it will eventually be back to its purer self. Although it's hard to forget them, people don't really belong to a "faction". Everyone's just scattered around, doing their part. I think it sounds great, to go back. Don't you, Uri?"

"Yeah, I think it would be cool." He replies, stuffing more cake into his already full mouth.

"Alright. Well, we can talk later about it. Bye," I blow Christina a kiss and wave to Uriah as Tobias and I link hands and head towards the elevator.

We reach his apartment door and go in. We kick off our shoes and I walk to a barstool in the small kitchen in the corner.

"Do you want anything? Water, juice.."he asks.

"Water, please." I smile at him.

He smiles back as he grabs two cups from the tiny cupboard and fills them up at the tap. He sets one down in front of me, then circles the island to sit next to me.

"So, how does it feel to be out?" He takes a sip of his water, then sets it down in front of him.

"Really great. I hate sitting in bed all day, I feel like I've lost so much muscle." I respond.

"We'll have to train you back up again, once you're able." He pokes me in my arm, and I laugh and poke him back in the stomach.

Pretty soon, we were running around the apartment with our fingers extended. I saw an opportunity and leaped onto his back. He almost stumbled, but regained his balance. Tobias ran to the bed and tipped back, sending me crashing into the mattress. I laughed at him as he crashed down beside me. He linked his fingers into mine, and we just laid there. Eventually, we fell asleep.

I woke up early. I knew it was early because it was still pretty dark out. I glanced over to the glowing numbers of an alarm clock and read 5:46am. I slowly unlinked my fingers from Tobias' and tiptoed to the bathroom. I stared at my reflection. In abnegation, this would be strictly forbidden, but I am dauntless now. I have been for a long time.

No, I thought to myself, you were dauntless. Now you are-

What? What was I? I wasn't factionless because there are no factions anymore. I guess I was an, equal?

I turn my attention back to the mirror. I have lost muscle, a lot. I am now more boney than I was before the attack. My hair has grown almost to my shoulders, shinning blonde in the pale light. My eyes stare. Part of me still feels this is wrong, despite everything.

I give up on me and lay beside Tobias again, this time, facing him. He stirs as I lay myself down. I stare at him as he sleeps. He looks so peaceful, at ease.

I think of the tattoos swirling his back and suddenly have the urge to trace them with my fingers. I look at his face again, and his eyelids twitch open slowly. He turns towards me and looks back. Without saying anything, I snuggle up close to him and put my head under his. He grabs my back and brings me closer, and I smile to myself. We fall asleep again.