Waiting Four You

Chapter Tobiasty-Roth (Beatrice)

I can't decide what to wear for the council meeting. Should I dress casual and wear the outfit Christina had bought for me when we went down the Zip Line, or should I get something new that's a little more formal?

"Tris," I hear Tobias's voice behind me. He's watching me intently as I rifle through the few clothing items I own. "You aren't expected to wear anything special. We're Dauntless, the other factions are honestly glad that I don't show up in clothes that are ripped to shreds. Wear something comfortable."

I continue to stare at my clothes making him sigh. "Tris, I know that you're nervous about seeing your dad again, but he's going to be too proud of your accomplishment at becoming a leader to care about what you wear."

He reaches past me and takes hold of the outfit Christina gave me when we went down the Zip Line.

"I'm more worried about his reaction to..." I trail off as I take the outfit from him.

"I'm nervous about that too, Tris."

I finish getting dressed, and we head to the base of the Pire to get in the car that James has waiting for us since I can't jump on the trains right now.

All too soon we find ourselves in front of the Hub, and my dad is waiting by the door. Great, he's going to notice that we didn't come on the train.

Tobias takes my hand gently, and walks with me towards my dad. I'm not ready for this conversation.

"Beatrice," my father greets me once I'm close enough to hear him. "I wasn't expecting to see you any time soon." He has a puzzled look on his face as he takes us in before his eyes zero in on Tobias's ring that we bought after our wedding yesterday.

Tobias sees where dad's eyes are directed before giving an explanation. "We had a small ceremony with James yesterday so that our friends didn't try to plan something elaborate that we didn't want."

Dad nods at Tobias's explanation. He probably understands our wish for simplicity being an Abnegation member. "James said you had a new leader to introduce to us today."

Tobias smiles before gesturing to me. "James chose to go with our first ranked initate."

A small, proud, smile flits across my father's face before returning to the typical expression of an Abnegation member. He gestures for us to follow him inside, and I immediately recognize the route to his office from the many times I visited it while growing up. Inside the private room, the proud smile returns as he gathers me into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you, Beatrice."

I give him a small smile in return thinking of how I expect him to take those words back after he learns about my pregnancy. I'm thankful that I haven't started to grow a bump quite yet.

The three of us talk for a little while to catch my dad up on the rest of my initiation before it's time to head into the council room. Just before we leave his office, dad invites Tobias and I to dinner so that mom can congratulate me on my accomplishment in person. We accept his offer, and I decide that dinner is also the best time to tell them our other news.

The council meeting is pretty boring in and of itself. I decide to simply listen to the proceedings, unless I get asked to speak, so that I can get a feel for the current mood of the assembled leaders and representatives.

Erudite and Amity only have representatives, since each faction only has one leader, and Candor's representatives include one leader each with four non leaders. Dauntless is the only odd group to bring more than one leader to the meetings. Tobias and I are joined by the woman named Tyler, and two representatives. How does our faction run with only two leaders at home on Council days?

The meeting starts with my introduction as Dauntless's new leader, and, surprisingly, Caleb's introduction as an Erudite representative. I give my brother a proud smile when he gets introduced since I know that my father can't give him the same expression in public.

Council representative Jonah, from Abnegation, starts us off by asking if anyone wishes to propose new laws, or to change existing ones. I watch a lot of paper shuffling before one of the Amity representatives, an older woman with long auburn hair that's streaked with grey, stands and proposes a change to the long standing Faction Before Blood law. She asks that families, split between factions, be able to visit one another more often than just visiting day.

My father glances at Caleb and I for a brief moment each before standing. "I second Fae's proposal."

Fae smiles at dad before turning to Jonah. Jonah calls for a vote that almost turns into a tie until Jonah changes his vote having been friends with my father since they both joined Abnegation.

No one else gives any proposals, so we work solely on what changes would work best for the law. By the end of the meeting, we haven't decided on the exact changes, so my father requests that we all think on our ideas until next Wednesday, when we will next convene.

Caleb refuses dad's offer for dinner saying that he has to file a meeting report immediately, but that he'll ask for permission to visit next week.

"Why weren't you introduced as Prior?" Caleb asks me once we're alone after Tobias walks off with dad to talk to Jonah.

I laugh a little. "Don't you remember why mom used to take me to Dauntless visiting day? I know that you knew Tobias and I weren't 'just friends.'"

"But you're too young to get married, Beatrice." Caleb scowls at me.

I shake my head at my brother. "Maybe for Abnegation, and I have no idea what the rules are like in the other three factions, but in Dauntless, age doesn't matter. As long as you are a member, you can basically do anything."

Caleb's scowl deepens. "You still should have waited. Most couples who marry young don't last. That's why Erudite encourages waiting for marriage until you're twenty-five."

"Well it's a good thing Tris didn't choose Erudite, then," I hear Tyler behind me. The other three leaders know about my pregnancy already, but I know that she won't spill that information to anyone without my permission.

Caleb gives me one more scowl before turning to follow the other Erudite representatives to a car that will return them to their faction.

"Don't worry about those Erudite snobs," Tyler says as I turn to face her. Honestly, if it wasn't for the name, I wouldn't remember that she was actually born male. I swear, she even has a larger chest than I do, and her long, glossy black hair seems to be brighter than my blonde.

"That was actually my brother," I tell her. "He's always looked down on me for not being selfless enough."

Tyler laughs and shakes her head. "I have to agree with your husband and say that you are definitely one of the most selfless people I know. Dauntless is supposed to be somewhat selfless, sticking up for others without any thought for our own safety, but it changed drastically over the past six years." She pauses, but I can tell that she's simply taking a short breath before continuing. "I'm hoping that without Max, we can return to the old ways."

"So do I."

So I have been the worst author ever and haven't updated in forever, but I finally got this out there for you. Tyler is actually inspired by a woman I work with, and I really hope you enjoy her character. She won't be a major character, but she will appear from time to time.

Again, I am truly sorry for not updating in so long, but I'm struggling more now that I'm out of the book, and into 100% new territory.