Traveling Soldier

All It Took



                   Tris's POV
        
       "Its too hot in here," Will says, flopping down onto my bed. Chris glares at him as she stall with burning out the last candle. "You never wear dresses," he says, looking at me.
    "I felt like doing something different for once," I say. He shrugs, getting up. He opens the door and let's Al, Uriah, and Marlene in. I throw my hair up in a loose pony tail, not caring if its messy.
     "How you doing?" Uriah asks. I shrug. "I've never actually had someone around me that's going through the same thing. Zeke's all I got really. I mean, I have my mom and dad, but that's my big brother. He has to be fine...right?" Seeing Uriah of all people have tears in their eyes almost makes me loose it.
    "We can only hope." He nods, looking at his hand.
    "Shauna had the baby. They named it Athena," he says. "Four would kill them. He hated that name." I chuckle, scratching the back of my neck.
     ×××××××
           "Folks would you bow your heads for a list of local Vietnam dead," the man says over the loudspeaker. Neither Uriah or myself have been able to enjoy the football, dreading this. "Johnathan Rivers," he reads off. Uriah places his hand on my shoulder and squeezes.
    "I'm gonna take a little walk," I tell him. He nods. I get up and walk down the bleachers. "Four Eaton." I stop in my tracks, my heart stopping. "Now the pledge of allegiance." I turn so I'm under the stands, letting the tears fall. That's all it took for me let go of all the pent of emotions I've been holding in. He's gone.
      ××××××××
          One year later::
      "I'm just saying," Marlene says. I shake my head, laughing at her. The door to the coffee shop opens and Uriah walks in with someone behind him. Marlene squeals and runs over. They all walk back over. Immediately I recognize the  person as Zeke.
    "Hey," he says, forcing a smile at me. I force back tears. "I know I'm the last person you ever want to see, but I would be a bad friend to him if I didn't follow through with my promise. He said to give you this before he passed," he says, handing me a letter. I take it from him and smile.
   "Thank you, Zeke." He nods and walks back. I sit down at one of the tables and open the letter. The sight if his hand writing almost makes me lose it. He should still be here.
    "Dear Tris, If your reading this I'm sorry. Zeke's kissed at me for accepting the fact that I'm going to die. I've fought on for as long as I can since I got shot, and I have to give up. Please understand that I'm in pain and don't want to live if it's like this. I love you so much and hope that this doesn't effect you much. I want you to have a happy life, with a great husband and kids. Of course, I wish that husband could be me, but the obvious happened. One day we'll meet again, in a long time, but until then I'll keep watching over you. I love you, Tris. Please know your worth when the next guy comes around. Love, Tobias, your traveling solider."

AN: This is the end. For those of you who never listening to the song Traveling Soldier, this might be a little bitter sweet surprise. I have a new Divergent fanfic starting very soon and another one coming next month. Please comment and share! Be brave 🔪🔪🔪         -Vaeh