From Here On Out

two

"The rivers between us are deep. And dark as the secrets we keep."

Present Day

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry??" Zeke says, watching Tobias ignore him. Continuing to strum the same chord on his guitar.

"Tobias, I didn't know she was gonna be there. Hand to god!"

"Zeke," Tobias looks up, his jaw clenched. "go away."

Sighing Zeke leaves, knowing it's better to let Tobias be then push him further.

The sound of the G chord fills the empty apartment, as the strings play a song Tobias had started the night before. Coming home he had the words and melody stuck in his head, the emotions that played all throughout him soon flowed into his music.

Humming softly, as he picks the strings. Writing words on the pages, his phone vibrates on the table.

It lights up with a number he doesn't know, so he lets it go to voice mail. But once her voice fills the room, he wishes he would've picked it up.

"Tobias," A pause. "hey it's Tris."

It was like she was in the same room with him, feeling the same pain, same missing you kind of silence.

"I got your number from Shauna last night," Tobias can picture her chewing her bottom lip as she did so many times. "even after she warned me a hundred times that it'd be a mistake and I shouldn't even ring you... she gave in and got it to me."

She laughs lightly at the other end of the line, and the sound of that makes Tobias smile. A smile of hearing her laughter, was a smile he hadn't smiled in so long.

"It really was good to see you last night, I mean I wasn't expecting you to be there... so I would've worn something different," Another moment of laughter. "but I was happy to see you there. Looking. . . better."

"Anyway, I called I guess to see if you'd want to meet up." She sounded nervous, and he picked up on that.

"I'd love to see you again, and talk you know..?"

He couldn't help but smirk after she said that, maybe because of all the fantasy dream type thoughts flooding into his head. Of things he knew would never happen but wished could. Or because there was hints of the excitement in her voice, from the thought of seeing him again.

"So just call me back, or uh... text me. Something." Tris stumbles on her words.

With a quick 'goodbye' she hung up, leaving Tobias with so many different signs and signals he didn't know where to start.

But he decided calling her back would be a pretty good place to begin.

/    /    /    /

One Year Ago

"Wow," She breathed as he removed his hands from covering her eyes. "It is really beautiful."

Standing on the white stone bridge, overlooking the river and the sun setting over it.

"Thought it'd be a good spot for us." Tobias tells her, wrapping his arms around her.

They both wear jackets as the September breeze blows in signs of cooling autumn.

"What do you mean a good spot?" Tris questions, confused by her boyfriend's comment.

Tobias kisses her cheek, leaving it pink from her blushing. "Every couple has a spot, one to call their own. To go and just be with each other. Talk, or sit."

Smiling at the explanation, Tris looks at the sky as it become a darker much stronger orange color. With signs of light pink still within.

"It's perfect for that."

Tobias grins against her cheek, "I can see us coming here years in the future, can't you?"

Tris grips the railing, smelling the wind and Tobias's cologne wrap around her. "Yes."

/    /    /    /

Present Time

Leaning on the railing, that he once stood at with her in his arms, he looks over the sparkling water. He always loved the way the water would flow and shine as long as it could, until the day it would finally freeze over with winter.

"You really showed." Tris's voice came from behind him, making him turn to see her walking closer. Dressed in jeans and a tan jacket, with the ring on her finger to draw his attention once again.

"Why wouldn't I?" He asks, seeing her smile.

Tris shrugs, thinking of all the answers she could respond with. The times he promised to show and never did, the times when she counted on him and all he counted were the bottles on the floor.

"You look good Tris." Tobias tells her, as she leans on the same railing. Remembering the feeling of the first time he brought her there.

The smile she could only ever smile when Tobias was in the room makes it's way onto her lips, "You too Tobias."

The sounds of the whirling wind and racing cars fills the silence between the two of them. Their hearts heavy with words they crave to say to one another, but their mouths unable to create them.

"How long have you been sober?" Tris asks, her voice seeming farther away.

Tobias sighs, looking down at his hands lightly laying on the white railing. "Nine months next week."

The answer surprised Tris, maybe because somewhere in her she believed he'd never be truly clean of his addiction. But maybe more so because almost ten months ago she dropped him off at rehab and never looked back.

"Wow," Tris comments, "so the rehab worked."

Tobias nods, "This time."

Tris shuts her eyes at the memories flooding back to her, "so who's the lucky son of a bitch?"

Tobias's tone was joking but you could tell there was anger and jealousy mixed in.

Tris opens her eyes, sighing. She knew he'd ask, but she still wasn't ready to explain how she could be marrying someone other than Tobias.

"His name's Al." That makes Tobias chuckle, in a rude manner.

"Sorry," Tobias apologizes, although his 'sorry' was mostly empty. "continue."

Tris rolls her eyes, "I met him in January, just a chance encounter I suppose."

Two months after Tris dropped him off at the Rehab Facility, Tobias thought.

"We clicked, something like that." Tris shakes her head, feeling out of place talking about this with him of all people.

"The ring? How'd that happen?"

Tris smiles just slightly, "Asked me last month, after dinner."

Another moment of silence overtook them, as the sun started to show signs of dusk.

"Always thought it would be me." Tobias speaks up, his voice cracking.

Tris looks at him, her back to the water. "Giving you a ring."

The words hit a painful nerve deep inside Tris, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "Me too."

Breathing out those two words, the emotions she wanted Tobias to know flew out and he picked up on them. The hurt, the pain, the love that still stood there between them.

"Sometimes I wish I could just do everything all over again." Tris says, the wind blowing through her honey blonde hair.

"What would you change?" Tobias asks, looking at her as she looks anywhere and everywhere but his eyes.

"Nothin."

Her eyes slowly lift to meet his, "Everything."