From Here On Out

fourteen

"Our love is like the moon, rising too fast, fading too soon"

One Year Ago

Holding her hand up to see the diamond sparkle in the light of the open fire beside them, she smiles.

"Where do you see yourself in the future?" Tris asks, her voice breaking the comfortable silence they were sharing.

Tobias leans back into the couch, as Tris rests her head back onto his bare chest.

"With you." His answer makes her smile even more, her heart beating with so much love.

"What about you?" He asks her, running his fingers through her hair. Twirling it as they talk.

Tris hums in thought, "I see myself with the man who stole my heart, my soulmate."

"I see myself with two children runnin round us, and our lives moving forward right here in this house you built."

Tobias stays quiet after she answers, making Tris turn her head to look at him.

"What's wrong?" She whispers, resting her chin on his shoulder. As her body moves better to face him.

He lets out a small sigh, "What if I start drinking again,"

He looks down at her now, "when we have a family."

"Tobias," She sits up a little to be at eye level with him. "you can't let you head go there."

"Tris, I just want to be able to--"

She sighs cutting him off, "Stop."

"Tobias, the third time's gonna stick I know it." Her words are heavy with genuine belief, and emotion.

"And hey," She says. "I've got so much faith in you, you're gonna be a sober man and stay one. And you're gonna be a wonderful daddy to them, I just know it."

Her smile, her words, her faith in him... makes him feel deep inside like he could really do this.

/    /     /     /

Present Day

The shine of her engagement ring that she will soon share with her wedding band later that day, seems to be dimmed. The sparkle, the feel of excitement while looking at it seemed to disappear.

It feels as if she's the only one who's not excited for today.

Getting out of the bed, and quickly pulling on a pair of black leggings, her brown leather boots and an easy sweatshirt she grabs her keys.

Trying to sneak out before her girlfriends know she's missing, they've been anticipating helping her with everything. Hair, make-up, the dress, everything.

Driving, she turns on the radio. Hoping to god that a song, a simple word will hit her and make her realize she's making the wrong choice. But none do, and soon she finds herself at the place she's scheduled to get married at in less than 6 hours.

Getting out she notices Al talking to the people setting up the white chairs on the large lawn, the place already looking beautiful with decorations. The many people working hard to put it together, the alter being set up with red and white roses lining the ends.

Crunching on the frozen ground, that she's surprised isn't coated in a light layer of snow she reaches her fiancé.

"Hey babe," Al says, a large smile growing on his face. "the girls let you out?? I'm surprised."

He laughs, both knowing that they wanted to make sure neither one of them saw each other till the moment on the aisle.

She tries to give her best smile, but fails. "I had to come see you, and talk with you."

He sets down what he was holding and walks closer to her. Stuffing his cold hands into his pockets, he nods. "What's goin on?"

His smile still present on his face.

"I love you," Tris says. "you know that."

Al reaches out and holds her hands in his. She lets out a breath, and watches it freeze in the air.

"And I've been up all night thinkin about us."

His smile begins to fade, as her words seem to take a turn down a different road than he expected.

"Honey, I made a terrible mistake."

Her words hit Al hard, he wants to keep any hope that she's speaking of something she did that has nothing to do with them. But the burning pain inside him says otherwise.

Looking at him, she knows what she's about to say will break him. "I can't marry you."

His face hardens, and his eyebrows come together in confusion. A blind side on the day of, she knows it's unfair. But she also knows it's better now than later.

"I want to," She explains to him. "but I can't."

Their hands that once held each other tear apart, as Al's takes his back .

"It's like you said, you don't want a future with someone who's hung up on someone from their past. It isn't fair to you, it isn't fair to--"

Al shakes his head, "Al, listen to me. You did nothin wrong here, I'm just trying to be the most honest, and most fair to you."

"Was any of it real? Or was I just some long rebound??"

His anger makes sense, but his words sting none the less.

"Of course it was, I truly loved you Al. I said yes because I loved you, and still do. I said yes, because you are the kind of man I want to be with." Tris tries to explain, but fears she's just digging a deeper hole.

"So maybe I am a man you'd want to be with," Al says. "the problem is I ain't Tobias am I?"

She bites her lower lip, her head hanging low as she stares at her feet. Before looking back up at him, "I'm sorry Al."

Her voice comes out in a whisper, and what he doesn't know is that it isn't just his heart breaking here.

She doesn't want to have to do this, she doesn't want to be truthful and hear herself say that she's still hung up on the only man from her past. But she knows she can't marry Al just to keep running away.

"Yeah," He breathes out, unable to look at her. "me too."

Sliding the ring she held this morning, she hands it back. Watching as many emotion run over Al's face, her tears unable to be contained.

Walking away, she hears his smash the chair to the ground. And as she drives away, she sees him throw that very ring as far as he can. Making her cry harder, as she looks away from it all.

Leaving it behind her, there in the rear view mirror.

A/N: These chapters are so emotional to write, but I love writing them at the same time.