Chapter 13 - Blue-Grey Eyed Baby

Cara

"Genetically, it is impossible." I look up from my daughter to meet Caleb's eyes. "She can't have direct genes from Tris for obvious reasons. But it is obvious that the two have very similar genes."

"Yeah. The Wright side. I remember one time overhearing my mother tell Beatrice about her side of the family; filling in the gaps that her journal didn't mention. Tris has her blue-grey eyes from my grandfather; my mother's father. I remember her saying that Tris's had more of a blue color to them than his did, and now, so does the baby. She also has an identical but smaller facial structure to Tris, her nose especially. I don't know where either of them got it from though. It's not my mother's, nor my father's. It must come from somewhere earlier down the line." Caleb acknowledges, reaching over and stroking the baby's small cheek while she silently lays in my arms, looking up at me in her deep blue-grey eyes. They seem to have more blue than grey in them, just like Tris's.

"She's perfect." I hear him whisper, smiling.

We both sit, smiling at our beautiful baby blue-grey eyed girl.

"Have you heard anything about Tris yet." I ask.

He nods, looking down at his feet.

"Not good?" My heart drops as the words leave my mouth.

"I'm afraid not." He sighs, his eyes meeting mine.

"So last night, well, actually early this morning, I was talking to Four in the bigger waiting room by the end with hospital patients. I went to see who was there once the nurses kicked me out and took the baby out for tests. Four was the only one there, and he had just gotten news from Tris's doctor at that point. She had surgery and they stitched her leg all up, but the bullets weren't usual bullets and they tore up the muscles in her leg." He takes a deep breath.

"They have everything all stitched up, inside and out... But stitching muscle back together doesn't always work. They aren't sure if she'll be able to keep her leg. She also has extreme trusting issues, which is understandable, but she is freaking out with anyone she doesn't recognize. They said that because of all of the blood she lost, she really should be in a coma, but instead she is almost the complete opposite of that. They said that she's basically perfectly conscious, but fighting for her life. It would almost be easier on her if she was in a coma. Then she wouldn't have to deal with the panic attacks and trusting problems." He sighs.

He clenches his eyes shut tightly. "They really aren't sure she'll make it. They said at first thought it seems like she would because her surgery went fine, she's conscious, and if she had to, she could have her leg taken off and still live; but, stress is eating her like a wild animal, they're scared she might hurt herself, or that her body is just shutting down because of everything."

I feel a tear roll down my cheek. I was praying she'd pull out of this one like she always seems to do because of her strength. But it's still not too late for her to.

Sensing something is wrong, the baby whimpers. "Shh." I stroke her small cheek, but I just can't smile, no matter how much I want to tell my daughter it's all okay, it's not.

I've been thinking about it for a while, but I just really need to ask Caleb. I hope now won't be too rough of a moment.

"I've been thinking of baby names, well, just a baby name."

"Yeah."

"Promise me you won't flip out on me, please."

He nods.

"Can we name her after your sister, Beatrice?"

He looks up from the ground finally and his green, now turning pink eyes meet mine directly.

I feel the tears not stopping on their trail down my face as we don't stop our eye contact. He begins to cry as well.

"Yes. Yes, her name can be Beatrice." He stands up and sits on the edge of the bed, wrapping his arms around mine, holding the baby with me, his head on my shoulder.

"Hi, baby Beatrice." I coo, choking on my words at the end.

We sit for a while, Caleb leaned back on the bed, then me leaning against him holding Beatrice.

"I told Four I wanted him to meet Beatrice before we had a bunch of people meet her. He agreed to, but I didn't tell him how much she looks like her. I just wanted to have him see that on his own before others told him about that, if you know what I mean." Caleb says.

"How about you go find him. The doctor said that visitors are allowed today now."

Tobias

I sit in the same waiting room for the third day on end.

Three days.

It's been three days.

They still won't allow visitors to see her.

So I hear, Will and Mr. Prior, Tris's father have been released today.

I look over to my left and see Caleb heading in my direction.

"Hi." He says looking a little anxious.

"Hey... What's up?" I try to not sound awkward as I reply.

"Do you... want to come meet the baby?" He hesitates.

"If you'd like me to, than sure." I try not to question his hesitation.

He smiles and I follow him through the hospital.

"How's Cara and the baby doing?"

"They're both fine. I mean, Cara's kind of tired, but they both are healthy, so that's great." He talks fast, and yet again I try not to question it, but this time I can't help myself.

"Are you alright? Is it the whole not sleeping thing or are you nervous or something?"

"Sorry, you probably won't understand until you see the baby. You'll see..." He stops outside of a door and opens it.

I follow Caleb in and see Cara in a hospital bed holding a little pink bundle. I really can't help but smile and feel happy for both of them.

"Hi Four." She smiles when she sees me.

"Hey. How are you, well you two doing?" I correct myself.

"We are both doing good." She smiles down at the baby.

She looks up at me. "Would you like to hold her?" I can tell by the look in her eye that she really wants me to.

"Yeah, sure, I guess." I smile.

I don't have much experience at all with babies, but I do remember how to hold one from helping at a daycare in my teenage years of living as an abnegation boy.

She carefully hands the little bundle over and immediately I recognize the eyes.

"Oh my gosh." I can't help myself from saying out loud.

"She really looks like her, doesn't she?" Caleb says.

"I'll say."

She has Tris's nose, her whole facial structure, and their eyes have to be identical.

"Isn't that like, impossible?"

"They must have both gotten similar genes from the same side of the family; Caleb's mother's side." Cara says.

"I don't know what to say."

I hear Cara chuckle.

"Does she have a name yet?" I ask.

"Beatrice." Cara answers and I look at her. I feel the smile come to my face and I don't try to hide it.

"It was really impossible to not name her after Beatrice." Caleb says looking at the baby.

"Baby Beatrice." I smile looking down at the baby. She looks up at me with those blue-grey eyes I know all to well.

I don't know how long I stay with Caleb, Cara and Beatrice, but I left once it was time for the baby to be fed. I made my way back down to the waiting room that I had been camped out in for the past three days and I sit.

I sit for hours, watching the clock go by. Nurses and doctors come and go, people and patients come and go.

It was much more peaceful and quiet at three this morning.

I kind of dose off, looking at nothing in particular for who knows how long until a panicked nurse comes up to me.

"Are you the man here for Beatrice Prior?" She asks me seeming frazzled.

"Yes, why?" I feel myself get nervous by her panicking.

"Follow me, please." She says already walking away.

"Why? What's wrong?!" I catch up to her.

"She's paranoid. Her heart rate is increasing way to fast and her stress levels are through the roof. She won't stop screaming and shaking. We can't get her to calm down and if she doesn't calm down we could loose her. You're are last and only shot in calming her. Just try talking. Maybe hearing someone she knows will help her calm down." She says as I follow her down the long hallway.

I feel my hands begin to sweat as I begin to hear the faint sound of her screams.

I don't know if I can do this.