From Here On Out

forty eight

"Fireflies dancing in the yard, underneath a blanket of stars."

Last Night

"Any day now," Tris breathed out, as her hand stretched out against her swollen belly. Feeling their baby girl kicking up a storm. "She'll be here."

Tobias laid beside his wife who was dressed in one of his longer shirts, as close to none of her own shirts fit her. And the maternity clothes weren't as comfortable as his own, or so Tris said.

They laid in each others arms as they waited for sleep to find them, content in the embrace of their soulmate and content in the way their life was going. Any day now, two days after her due date, their baby girl was going to be here.

"It's surreal," Tobias whispered into the dark night air. Kissing the top of Tris's head, he smiles to himself. "but I can't wait."

Tris loved hearing Tobias talk about his excitement for their little girl, she knew he was still worried. He was stressed and anxious about how he would really be as a father. But hearing his joy in waiting for their girl to arrive, she knew his excitement was bigger than his fear now.

"I still can't believe you did her nursery all by yourself." Tris says, snuggling further into Tobias's warm chest.

The nursery down the hall has pale yellow walls that Tobias painted himself, a soft and beautiful shade of yellow. The crib, he put together late one night, is white. The white wood matching the white decals on the walls, decorations of swirling branches from the large tree in the corner of one of the four walls. Cursive letters spelling her name that sits above the crib, and her shelves are filled with books and stuffed animals. Everything in that room was put together by Tobias, and Tobias alone.

"I hope she'll like it."

Tris laughs softly, "She'll be an infant when she sees it Tobias, but I think she will love it."

"I think she'll love it, knowing that her daddy put it all together for her."

"They say that there's this instant bond between a mother and her child, a love so indescribable. Do you think she'll love me like that?"

Tris sits up best she can, and twists to look at Tobias. Even in the low light from the moon flooding in from the curtains, she can see the nerves twinkling in his eyes.

"Why would you ask that?"

"Because, one day I'm going to want to tell our daughter my mistakes so she can avoid making the same. But once I tell her, I want to know she'll still love me the same."

"Tobias," Tris's heart breaks for Tobias. "She will love you unconditionally, because you will love her unconditionally. That's all that will matter to her, not who you were or what you did long ago. But what you do now, the person she sees now."

"I'm being silly aren't I?" Tobias laughs, embarrassed he asked his wife such a question about their unborn daughter.

"No," Tris shakes her head. "I don't think you're being silly. It's a question you needed an answer to, and that's okay."

"I love you Tris."

"I love you too Tobias."

Leaning downward, Tobias presses his lips to Tris's covered up stomach. Kissing it softly, "I love you too baby girl."

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Present Day

Tobias was pacing anxiously behind stage, a few minutes before going out to play his set. Tris had told him she would try to make it, but she still wasn't out there.

Swinging his guitar over his head, he rests the brown leather down on his shoulder. He can hear the chatter of people out there, ready for a show and catching up between sets. The lights flicker brightly on the stage feet away from him, and he can begin to feel the heat radiating off them.

"There you are! It's crazy back here." Tobias turns around and spots Zeke pushing through the crowd of other band members and people performing later in the evening.

"Hey man," Tobias grins at his friend. "glad you could make it."

"Yeah--"

"Shauna here with you?"

"No, she's with Tris."

Tobias shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "Do you know if Tris is coming? She said she'd try if she felt up to it, but I don't see her out there yet. But if she's with Shauna maybe she's--"

 "Dude!" Zeke cuts him off, and Tobias's eyes widen at his sudden outburst.

"I've been trying to find you, Tris went into labor."

Tobias freezes, his eyes wide and his heart pounding. Taking his phone from his pocket he sees four missed calls from his wife, only a few minutes ago, but with the noise level of this place he didn't hear it ringing.

Tris was in labor, their baby girl was coming tonight. And Tobias wasn't there.

A/N: Short chapter, kind of a filler before the big chapter where their daughter enters the world!