From Here On Out

nine

"If you know what's good for you, you'll just let her go."

Present Day

"You did what?!" Al exclaims, after hearing that his fiancée invited her ex- fiancé to their wedding the day earlier.

Tris shrinks back in her chair, "It just came out."

Al pinches the bridge of his nose, as he leans against the wall. Dressed for work, as this is the last thing he wants to deal with in the morning.

"What'd he say?"

"Said he'd let me know."

Al grabs his coat, and heads out. "Al!"

Tris calls following him, "What do you want me to say Tris?"

She stops as he stops at the front door. "We're supposed to be married in less than a week, and all you want to do is talk and rekindle what ever flame with your ex."

His words stung.

"Al," Tris walks towards him. "I'm sorry. You're right, I thought after the month without speaking to him I was fine again. But then he called and I just--"

Al sighs, kissing Tris's forehead. "Uninvite him."

Tris looks up, her eyebrows pushed together in confusion. "What?"

"Tris, this is something I need from you. And you need for yourself. I'm not going to be going into a forever with someone who's hung up on a past with someone else."

The ultimatum is reasonable, it's the best thing for all of them. But that doesn't make it any easier.

"Okay." She responds.

"I love you." Al says, bringing her into a hug.

"I love you too." She tells him, resting her head on his chest for a few seconds. Before he leaves for work.

/ / / /

A Year Ago

Waking up she feels two arms wrapped around her like a warm prison, and her legs tangle with his.

"Morning sleeping beauty." He whispers to her, his hands playing with her swept over the shoulder hair.

She smiles at the sound of his voice, the low rasp of the morning in his words.

"Morning." Stretching her arms out on the ruffled sheets, her eyes can't help but land on the sparkle her ring in the ray of sunlight makes.

The smile grows on her face, thinking back to the night before. How he poured out his heart to her, asking her the biggest question she had ever answered. The love they shared after, physically and emotionally.

"You like it?" He asks, loosening his grasp on her.

She rolls over to face him, and his vibrant blue eyes. "I love it."

Tobias smiles a soft smile, kissing her nose. "I don't feel like I deserve to be laying here next to you, with that ring taking place on your finger. I feel like I should be low in a grave or somethin."

It'd been two months since his third rehab stay, and still feeling the guilt of what he put her through. How so many times she thought he'd drink himself to death, and how many times he knew she'd leave him eventually.

"Well you do deserve to be here with me," Tris says. "and I'm proud of you."

Tobias smiles down at the girl he can proudly call his fiancée. "Can't believe I'm gonna be marrying such a wonderful little lady."