I peek through the cracks in my curtains. There is still a large crowd of reporters out there. I recognize a few. I have been asked questions by several of them at press conferences with my team. I was always asked the usual things like my plans after school or my reflection on a certain play. Never once have I been asked if I had a child or I was somehow connected to a famous author. I pull the curtains closed when I hear my phone ring. I quickly answer it.

"Hello?" I ask, scared that somehow my number has been leaked to the public. I understand why Tris would want to keep this a secret. It is the same reason I never told. Keeping Lucas out of the public was best for him. He wouldn't just be a picture on the cover of a magazine or the kid hiding behind his mother's legs in poor quality, phone shot videos on the news.

"Hey, have you talked to Tris? She said she needed someone to pick up Lucas but wouldn't explain why. I figured it would have something to do with why you, Lucas, and Tris's pictures on the news this morning," Christina says quickly. Of course Tris would call Christina, they are best friends after all.

"Oh, um, somehow news of me being Lucas's father got released to the public," I mumble. I hear Christina gasp and then some mumbling, probably to Will or possibly Zeke or Uriah if they are together, which they normally seem to be.

"How?" she asks. I can hear the confusion in her voice. Christina has never seemed to be one to hide her emotions. She was sobbing when we went with Lucas to go see Big Hero 6.

"I don't know. Why wouldn't Tris explain anything?" I ask. I flop down on my couch, the only furniture in my small living room except for the television that I brought with me from my dorm and the cardboard box it is sitting on.

"I don't know. She sounded really panicked. She asked me if I could find someone to pick up Lucas. I told her I could and then she told me she was going to the waterfall, whatever that means, and hung up," she explains. I nod a little even though she can't see me. This isn't the first time Tris has ran in undesirable situations. I remember the time she refused to talk to anyone after her parents kicked her out.

"Do you think you could possibly pick him up?" I ask. I know what kind of trouble that would erupt if I picked Lucas up. It would only make things ten times worse. I hear some more mumbling.

"Um, I actually have a class this afternoon. Uriah says he can, though," she says. We are both quiet for a few minutes, unsure of what to say.

"Thanks, Christina," I finally say.

"No problem," she replies. We then hang up. I keep my phone in my lap. I can't help but be worried about Tris. I pick up my phone and dial her number with hope that will probably die soon. As I expected, she doesn't pick up. I put the phone next to me on the couch. Where could Tris have gone that would possibly have a waterfall? Then, it hits me.

She went to the waterfall we went to senior year before Lucas and college and everything else.

§§§

I walk down the familiar dirt path with strong hope that Tris will be here. I reach the clearing and nothing has changed. Trees still surround the area. The same little stream trickles through with rocks making a path to the waterfall. It step on one of the rocks and slip but manage to catch myself before falling in. I make it across the other slippery rocks without any trouble and then I jump through the waterfall and into the tiny cave.

I quickly survey the area and almost miss the small figure curled up in a ball in the corner. Among the jeans and black sweater, I recognize Tris's blonde hair. Either she doesn't hear me or just doesn't want to acknowledge me because she doesn't bother looking up. I sit down on the cold, hard floor of the cave next to her.

"Hey, Tris. Talk to me," I whisper. I pick up the slight nod of her head. She still doesn't look up or anything. I sit there next to her awkwardly, not really sure what to do. "Tris, please," I whisper. She doesn't even give me a slight shake of her head. I slowly pick my hand up and rub circles on her back. After a few minutes, I feel her jerking and muffled sobs escape her.

"Tris, come on," I whisper. She lifts her head up and wrap my arms around her. She rests her head on my chest, allowing herself to sob. I don't say anything else. At least she opened up this much. I continue rubbing circles onto her back. Her hair is sticking to her wet clothes. I can't feel her tears on my already damp tee shirt.

"I tried so hard. How did it end up getting out?" she whispers so quietly I almost miss it. I shake my head a little even though I know she can't see it.

"I don't know. I promise we will find out, though." I reply. She sits up and moves herself so she is sitting next to me with her back up against the wall. I wrap my arm around her and she leans her head on my shoulder.

"I just don't want them to hurt him," she whispers. I shake my head, the only type of hurt in my head the physical kind.

"They won't hurt him. I promise," I whisper back. She nods to reply and then we are both silent. I think over what I just promised. She meant she doesn't want him to be hurt because of his parents decisions. There really isn't a possibility of them causing physical harm.

I still intend to keep my promise, though. I won't let anything hurt Lucas.