We Can Be Mended (Divergent fanfic)

Chapter 22

(Tris)
"Yes we're safe."
"Yes she's doing fine."
"Yes! For god's sake Christina, will you stop worrying?"
I suppress a grin at Tobias's exasperation. He is on the phone to Christina, reassuring her that we are ok. I haven't spoken to her since our first reunion when she found out that I was still alive. I am relieved to know that David has not found her. Yet. I don't know what they will do to her if they do find her, but I know better than anyone what they are capable of.
My fingers hover over a small cut on my wrist, it is barely noticeable but to me, no matter how small, it is still a symbol of my torture. The scars on my body and mind are proof of the extent they will go to to get what they want. I have no doubt that they will do the same to Christina and anyone else they can get their hands on. I sigh and rub my eyes, trying to push away the memories. Maybe I should not have come back here. Every person I have spoken to since my return is now in danger. Because of me. I didn't think about the consequences of my actions, even in the whole six years that I thought about escape, my plans always ended with turning up on Tobias's door. But now I am beginning to wonder if I made a mistake. He may be the only thing keeping me going right now, but my selfishness has put him right in the firing line. If I was far away from here, I would at least know that he was safe. But I know nothing anymore.
A hand on my arm drags me back to the present. My body shudders in a moment of fear. Tobias removes his hand, worry masking his features.
"Sorry," he says sadly, "I didn't mean to scare you." He holds out the phone, "Christina wants to talk to you."
I nod and take the phone from him, trying to ignore the pain on his face. He still cares about me too much.
"Hey," I hate the weakness in my voice. I always used to force myself to appear strong, even when I was breaking up inside. But now it feels like I will never be strong again, there is no point even trying to act like it.
"Tris! Oh thank god, you know I have been wondering if I dreamt what happened the other night. It's such a relief to know you're okay. And to know I'm not going crazy." I smile to
myself at the laughter in her voice. No matter how terrible the situation is, I know I can always rely on Christina to be cheerful.
"You're not going crazy," I tell her, grinning.
"Well you never know, I mean this whole thing is insane." I half listen to her bubble on about this and that, relaxing to the sound of my best friend's voice, that I have not heard for six years. It is clear that she hasn't grown out of her candor ways - she still talks far too much. But I love her for it. "...I can't believe you actually came back from the dead!"
"You know I never actually died," I say, trying not to laugh.
I hear her own suppressed laughter over the phone, before it is abruptly cut off.
"Christina?" Tobias looks up from the sofa across from me at the apprehension in my voice.
"Yeah, I'm still here," her cheerful tone is gone, replaced by a tense whisper - so quiet I can barely hear it. "Hang on a sec Tris, I heard something that's all."
Fear clenches my gut. The phone is sticky with sweat from my palms.
"Christina? What's going on?"
Tobias is now fully alert to our conversation, his expression reflecting my own feelings of dread.
The silence drags on. I can hear Christina breathing on the other end of the line, but her breaths are too fast. Clearly she is as terrified as me, which just makes it even harder to force air into my lungs.
"Hey it's okay, it's just the wind or something I guess" her voice is back to normal volume, she sounds a little shaky but the dread has gone from her tone, "I think I really am going crazy," she says with a nervous laugh.
Relief floods my veins and I sink back against the sofa. I hadn't even realised I was so tense. Tobias senses my relief and goes back to reading his book. My eyes brush over his face as Christina babbles on. His nose is long and hooked and his eyebrows turn downwards, giving him an almost stern expression. Other people might describe them as flaws, but to me he is perfect. He always has been.
And now, just like Christina, he is in danger because of my selfishness.
"You sure everything's alright? You know with these people out looking for me, you might be in danger too," I tell her gently, not wanting to scare her anymore than she already is. But as much as I hate to admit it, it's the truth and she needs to be aware of the danger she is in.
"Yeah I know. Don't worry about me Tris, you've got your own problems to deal wi-"
A thump clangs through the ear piece, making me wince. It sounds like the phone was dropped. I can hear a voice in the background. Too deep, too rough. A male voice.
My heart thunders in my chest, "Christina?" I shout through the phone, panic biting at the edges of my
mind.
A deafening scream thunders through the phone. A crash. And then silence.