This was just a scene that came to me as I wondered what Divergent would have been like if Four had actually taken a leadership position. There's not much more to the plot than that!

xXx

I walk down the dark, cold hallway towards the Leadership office. People hustle past me but I barely notice them. There's a buzz in the air these couple of weeks before Choosing Day. Dauntless is usually bustling with activity but this anticipation is different. Parents are nervous, hiding it behind the certainty that this life, this faction, is the best, the only way to live in the city. Teenagers are anxious, wondering about the test, what it will tell them about who they are. The Leaders are huddling together, planning for the new initiate class. Although I'm not a Leader, I've been asked. Initially, I turned Max down when he approached me but he told me to think it over. I have until Choosing Day to make up my mind. Again, another choice that will determine my future. It seems to be a pattern.

I pause briefly before the door to the Leadership office. I'm not fully sure why I was asked to be a part of the training planning but I think it is Max's way of hoping I'll change my mind about becoming a Leader. I open the door and survey the room. Max looks up and smiles. He's pleased I've come. The other leaders, Opal, Michael and Paul also smile and nod. The only one who isn't happy is Eric. He's frowning slightly so I smirk at him. As expected, his frown deepens and I'm filled with satisfaction. Needling Eric is one of the few joys in my life and has been since we were initiates.

"Okay, everybody, let's get started." Max announces. We sit and Max begins discussing the training. It is all familiar, weapons, hand to hand, strength training. Who will oversee what? I barely listen until Eric makes his suggestion.

"I think we should up the competition between the initiates. Heighten the tension. Make them work harder for it."

I sit up straight when I realize Max is intrigued. "What would you suggest?"

Eric looks pleased at Max's interest. Figures; he lobbied hard for the leadership position when I didn't immediately take it after initiation and has been trying to prove he was the right choice ever since. "Those lowest ranked should become Factionless. This will encourage the initiates to do their best. It will force them to work as hard as they can. The Choosing Ceremony tells us nothing about their ability. It isn't enough to choose us. They have to be brave enough to fight to the death."

Opal is frowning. "We already have those mini-tests. Getting on the train, getting off, jumping into Dauntless. If they can't do that, they'll know right away this isn't the life for them."

"It isn't enough." Eric argues. "We are responsible for every life in this city. Our people have to be the best, the strongest, the bravest. We have to be willing to hold the line in case anything happens." He looks at each of us and I do the same. Max and Michael look convinced. Paul and Opal less so but willing to listen. Eric continues. "We should also eliminate as we go along. Make hand to hand a real competition. Have them fight until one physically can't do it anymore."

"Wait a minute." Paul holds up a hand. "We'll end up with initiates in the injury ward all the time. Initiation will last forever." He runs the infirmary and I can see why he'd hate that. He rarely has enough help so a lot either falls on him or he has to send people over to the hospital run by Erudite.

"No it won't." Eric continues smoothly. "If the initiate keeps losing, they will drop in the ranks, eventually become factionless. If they aren't strong enough to win here, how can they protect us out there?"

Paul shrugs and I can see he won't rock the boat. So I will. "This will never work." I say quietly.

Eric stares daggers at me. "Why?" Max asks.

I shrug, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. There has been something brewing here in Dauntless over the last few months and Eric's at the center of it. I've noticed more and more Erudite here, meeting with Max. And Eric. Considering Eric is a transfer, from Erudite, I just don't trust it.

"It is our responsibility to keep order among the factionless. We're just putting more angry, disgruntled people out there for us to manage. Plus, they won't be initiates forever. Those that make it will be Dauntless. They will need to trust one another. Having them compete against each other will make it so much harder for them to work together after this is over. They'll always be looking to plunge a knife in their fellow faction member's back. If we create disorder here, how can we keep order out there?"

Eric's face is flushed. He's clearly angry. "We need these transfers to be tough."

My eyes meet his. "Our transfer class didn't seem to have any problem. We even made it to the top of our class." He practically growls. He hates being reminded that we are both transfers. And that I was first in our class. This time, I'm the one with the smirk. Eric visibly takes a deep breath as he realizes all eyes are on him.

"I don't think we should foster weakness." He says. "We are soldiers. We need them to be willing to march into fire, if necessary."

"We also need them to be smart," I snap back. "Erudite doesn't have the lock on brains." Eric's eyes narrow as I continue. "These initiates need to be able to handle what happens on the street. We can't beat the hell out of everyone."

Max gauges the look on all of our faces. "Let's reconvene tomorrow." He suggests. "I think we need to consider everything. We still have a couple of days."

xXx

I stand with Zeke and Shauna in the Pit, passing around a brown bottle of Old Jim's best. "I just don't see how this is possibly a good idea." I scowl and take a pull from the bottle. It burns like the fires of hell down my throat, warming my chest, and, quite possibly, eating my stomach from the inside. As soon as I'd met up with them, I'd blurted out Eric's whole plan.

Shauna drinks and passes the bottle to Zeke. "Like we haven't known since initiation that Eric's an ass." She said bluntly. For Eric and Shauna, it was hate at first sight.

Zeke drank and sways slightly. He tried to focus on me, squinting one eye. I wonder, not for the first time, what in the hell Old Jim puts in his white liquor. Then again, I've often wondered, usually the day after, why the hell we keep drinking the stuff.

"So why don't you do something about it?" Zeke asks, pronouncing his words carefully, a sure sign that he's drunk.

I frown at him as he passes Shauna the bottle. "What do you mean me?"

"You're the one they asked to be Leader." He leans slightly on Shauna, reaching for the bottle. She holds it away from him, turning her head to drink. She hands it to me.

"He's got a point, Four." She said. "There's no reason for you to turn it down. You were top in our initiate class. Amar wanted you for leadership and so does Max. If you want to keep Eric in check, you should become a leader yourself."

Maybe they are right. Maybe I've been thinking about this Leader thing the wrong way. I've been thinking of how I can avoid facing Marcus. How I can avoid dealing with my own few fears. But maybe that's wrong. Maybe I should think about the good I can do. I was Abnegation, now I'm Dauntless. I may have chosen this for the wrong reasons but I've fit into this life. I've been good at this life. Maybe by being selfless, I can begin to be brave. Maybe then I can reconcile those pieces of myself that never quite fit together.

I thrust the bottle at Zeke, who grabs it and downs the last of it as I turn. "Hey, where're you going?" He slurs.

I grin at them over my shoulder. "To see Max."

xXx

At first, all I register is a gray blur. I reach out a hand and grasp hers, small, warm, delicate. I pull her across the net and help her down. Wisps of blonde hair frame her face and her big, gray eyes meet mine, glittering like diamonds. I think I lose my breath for a moment. She's not classically pretty but in that moment only one word comes to mind. Beautiful.