Fuckin' great, Fox thought angrily.

Eric glanced her way and snickered again and Fox was sorely tempted to beat the smartass look right off his smartass face. As fellow leaders, they were thrown together far too much for Fox's liking. Eric had been an ass during her initiation two years ago and he was still an ass now, even with Fox a full-fledged, although admittedly rookie, leader assigned to training the newest crop of transfer initiates. Four was Fox's choice as a fellow trainer, but he'd accepted a higher position in intelligence, and she was now stuck with Eric Coulter, the supreme reigning asshole of Dauntless.

"Fuck you," Fox mumbled, but Eric's sharp hearing caught it all the same.

"Just say when and where baby." He shot back, throwing Fox a lascivious wink.

Fox rolled her eyes and turned away, gritting her teeth at Eric's soft chuckle. Figures, last year's wargames with Four had gone off without a hitch, but this year with Eric around, everything had gone spectacularly to pot. After losing to the big jerk (and she'd never hear the end of that), and checking for any last stragglers left over at the pier, Fox had rolled her ankle, falling heavily to her knees with a curse. She'd hobbled as best she could to catch the train, only to see it disappear around the bend...without her. That was bad enough, there would be no more trains running until morning, hours from now, but to add insult to injury, who else but Eric Coulter appeared at her side, smiling despite the fact that they were now effectively stranded miles from Dauntless. With a growl, Fox turned, fully intending to stomp away.

The uneven ground proved dangerous again and Fox heard a sickening series of snaps as her compromised ankle rolled a second time, throwing her to the ground. Fox bit back a groan and rolled onto her back; she decided to lay there for a minute until the initial pain in her leg subsided. Eric appeared, hovering over her and for once, the smartass grin was gone.

"You okay?"

"Leave me alone, Coulter. I can't handle you right now."

"You can't handle me, period." He replied sweetly, winking again.

Fox growled in frustration, enough with the innuendos, you freak! and sat up. The movement sent a fresh stab of pain through her leg and Fox couldn't stop a ragged groan. She wondered if she'd managed to break her ankle this time. Eric knelt down and began pulling at Fox's pants leg.

"Get off!" Fox snapped, temporarily forgetting her situation and yanking her foot away. The sharp movement caused white hot pain to flash up her leg and Fox bit back a scream, her vision greying out at the edges. She felt herself swaying, I going to faint, in front of HIM, goddammit.

Dimly, Fox felt strong arms wrap around her, guiding her gently to the ground. She heard some shuffling and felt her head lifted carefully, a wad of clothing pushed underneath for a pillow. Her vision began to clear and focused on Eric leaning over her, the smart ass grin gone for once and replaced with genuine concern.

"Just lay still Fox, I won't hurt you."

"Just mock me to death," Fox mumbled, closing her eyes. They shot open again as she felt strong hands tugging gently at her boot. Fox lifted her head to let Eric have it again but stopped when she saw the careful concentration on his face. He really was trying to help this time. Fox dropped her head, wincing as Eric finally managed to pull her boot off and her ankle twinged sharply.

"Sorry."

Fox didn't respond, biting her lip as Eric pulled cautiously at her sock. Once free, he gently cupped her foot and pushed her pants leg up. His hands were strong but gentle and began probing her ankle, pushing carefully along the bone.

"Fuck!" Fox cried, snapping up onto her elbows, panting heavily and glaring down at Eric. His fingers had found a sore spot.

"I don't think it's broken, but you've definitely seriously sprained it. You're going to be out of training for a few weeks." Eric reported. Setting her foot gently back down, he began to pull off his vest. He'd already shed his jacket for her pillow.

"What are you doing?" Fox asked suspiciously. Was this the when and where baby he'd teased her about?

Eric threw Fox an exasperated look and pulled his t-shirt off. Fox quickly looked away from the mountain of sculpted muscles otherwise known as his torso and focused on the Ferris wheel in the distance. She looked back when she heard cloth tearing. Eric was tearing his t-shirt into wide strips and, as Fox watched in surprise, began winding them tightly around Fox's ankle like a tensor bandage. His touch was skilled, and the raw pain in her ankle actually lessened a bit as Eric tightened the final knot in the bandage. There was a distinct chill in the air and Eric's chest was covered in goosebumps. As he pulled his vest back on, Fox caught sight of barbells through both his nipples. Player.

Eric pulled his phone from his belt and started tapping on it. Replacing it he looked up at Fox, who waited with a raised eyebrow. "I was just sending a message to Max, letting him know we missed the train but we're fine and we'll catch the first one back to Dauntless in the morning."

"What?" Fox snapped. "We're staying here tonight?"

Eric shrugged. "Yeah, why bother sending out a team? It'll just be a few hours...why, are you afraid?" His tone was mocking and Fox glowered at him.

"No. I'm not afraid."

"Then what?" The gleam was back in Eric's eye.

Fox grumbled and looked away, not ready to get into the real reason she was so reluctant to be alone with him.

Eric glanced around then turned his attention back to Fox. "It'll probably be warmer in the tower, no wind. Can you make it that far?"

Fox's pride wouldn't let her say no, and that's how she ended up leaning far too much on Eric's shoulder as they climbed the tower stairs, trying hard not to notice just how hard his muscles were, how softly and carefully his hand cupped her shoulder as he half-carried her. Damn you Fox, get it together.

Eric helped Fox sit down once they reached the top floor, where not too long ago Fox's team had hid their flag. He was right, the wind was blocked here and it was warmer, but it was still going to be a chilly night. After a quick glance around, Eric set up a small portable lantern for light then dropped down to his knees and examined Fox's ankle again, readjusting the bandage. Keeping his gaze focused on her foot, Eric spoke again.

"What's the real reason?"

Fox decided to play dumb, it was safer that way; maybe Eric would buy it and leave her alone. "For what?"

"Why you're scared to be alone with me?"

Fox scoffed. "I said I'm not."

"Then what's the problem?"

Fox glared hard at him. "Just drop it, Coulter. You go to your corner over there and I'll-"

"No!" Eric growled. He raised his head and looked directly at her. "Tell me why."

Fox sighed sharply; fine, he wanted to know. "Because you always act like a dick, that's why. You're always bugging me, teasing me, making little comments. You've made it fucking obvious that you hate me, so yeah, I'd rather not be alone around you." Fox broke off, breathing hard. You liar. You're such a liar Fox!

Eric shook his head and looked away, mumbling something under his breath.

"What?" Fox demanded.

"I said you have no fucking idea what you're talking about! I don't hate you! I-" Eric broke off and stood, storming over to the ledge. His shoulders were tense, his back to Fox and she watched him carefully. This was skewing far away from Fox's comfort zone with Eric, and she wasn't sure where this was going. Eric whirled to face her again and began to pace.

"I don't hate you, goddamn it. How could you think that? I've been fucking trying to get your attention since you fucking fell into the goddamn net! You've been giving me the cold shoulder for two fucking years and I can't stop trying." Frustrated, he broke off, stabbing his fingers through his hair as he stomped back and forth.

Fox stared at him in shock. What?

Eric stopped pacing and leaned back against the ledge, his hands gripping the edge. When he spoke again his voice sounded tired. "Teasing and bugging you like this was the only way I can get your attention. I tried to talk to you at your graduation party, but you made it clear you didn't want to listen."

Fox thought back, confused. Vaguely, she remembered. She'd been drunk, beyond tipsy, laughing with Tris, Uriah and Christina. Christina had glanced over her shoulder and grinned. 'Leader at six o'clock.' Fox glanced behind her, saw Eric pushing his way through the crowd towards them. Fox had curled her lip in distaste. Eric's training methods had grated on her, and she'd been on the receiving end of his punishments more than once. Now that she was no longer in limbo as an initiate, was now a full-fledged member of Dauntless with the real prospect of becoming a leader, as well as rip-roaring drunk, she decided now was the time to give Eric a taste of his own medicine. Hurt him like he'd hurt her. As Eric got closer, Fox waited, a nasty sneer pulling at her lips.

"Fox? Can I talk to you?" Eric had asked, his voice far softer than in training.

Fox remembered tossing her hair over her shoulder as she turned to face him. She looked him up and down before sneering, "what do you want, Eric? I'm not an initiate anymore, you can't boss me around."

A faint flush had coloured Eric's cheeks and Fox had been momentarily thrown, but recovered quickly. "Whatever you want to say, I don't want to fucking hear it. I don't need to listen to your bullshit anymore, you've been a dick to me the whole time I've been in Dauntless and I'm over it." Without another word, she'd whirled back towards the others, watching the stunned looks on their faces.

"Wow, Fox. That was harsh." Uriah murmured, eyeing Eric pityingly.

Fox waited until the others relaxed before asking. "Did he leave?"

"Yeah," Christina muttered. "He looked like you stomped on his favourite puppy."

The momentary high Fox had felt was rapidly dissipating. Eric hadn't been a dick, he'd been a trainer, trying to turn soft transfers into hardened warriors, and Fox had fought him every step of the way. Not out of spite, but because she'd immediately been captured by the steel grey of his eyes, by his strong jaw, by his everything, and, like a dumbass, had gone about trying to get his attention in a completely ass-backwards way.

"Whatever." Fox had muttered.

The next night, Fox had prowled the Pit, looking for Eric. While recovering from her hang-over, she'd decided to start acting like a Dauntless, and just fucking tell Eric how she felt about him. Apologize for being a bitch and confess it all, that she had a major crush on him and wanted nothing more than to get to know him better. Finally, she'd spotted him and stopped dead, her heart shrivelling in her chest. Eric had some blond girl pressed against the Pit wall and was sucking face with her, his tongue halfway down her throat and her mile-long legs wrapped around his waist. Stunned, Fox had turned away and left, vowing to never tell Eric the truth and invite the same treatment she'd given him, the same scorn. Their relationship had been fucked ever since.

Fox shook her head, coming back to the present. Her cheeks burned. "Yeah, maybe I was a bitch to you, but you sure recovered quick, almost fucking that blond against the Pit wall the next night."

Eric frowned in confusion a moment before his brow smoothed out. "I was pissed off, she was a distraction. They all were." He sighed heavily. "It's always been you, Fox."

Fox's heart stuttered. Eric had never kept a girlfriend long during these last two years, and Fox had never allowed herself to wonder if she'd been the reason why. It had always been easier to ignore the real issue and instead make fun of Eric the manwhore.

Fox felt a crushing sensation in her chest. Her attraction to Eric had never left, had never waned. It had grown into an all-consuming fire that she'd fought daily, nursing bullshit hurt feelings that didn't even matter anymore. Fuck, she'd been so stupid, she'd wasted the last two years. She held out her hand uncertainly. Eric hesitated before pushing off the ledge and stepping towards her. He dropped heavily to his knees beside her but kept his eyes on the floor. He was breathing far harder than the exertion of their argument suggested.

"I'm sorry." Fox murmured quietly. Tentatively she reached out and touched Eric's cheek. He exhaled with a shudder. His skin was surprisingly soft and Fox began to stroke his cheekbone with her thumb. A low moan escaped Eric's lips and Fox's heart skipped. Is it real, do you have the same feelings for me as I do for you? Have we both wasted the last two years?

Eric raised his head and the expression in his eyes told Fox everything. Her breath caught in her throat; how could she have been so blind? Every time Eric had flicked her hair as he'd passed, every time pushed into her shoulder and made her stumble, every time he'd teased her and made her blush and look away, every time he'd been near her he'd been trying to tell her, trying to get her attention, trying to win her. Sure, it was a backwards, juvenile way to do it, but what choice had she given him? Blinded by her own prejudice and hurt feelings...she'd been a bitch and didn't deserve this.

Eric read her thoughts with spooky precision. "Yes, you do," he murmured before leaning towards her. He paused, waiting for her to pull back, but Fox didn't and her breath caught in her throat when Eric's hand came up to cup her cheek and he crushed his lips to hers.

A jolt shot through Fox and she couldn't help a moan. Eric's tongue brushed her lips and she opened her mouth, moaning again as she felt Eric's tongue. Was this what it felt like to kiss someone? To really kiss someone? It's never felt like this for me before...

Eric groaned deep in his chest, his free hand wrapping around Fox's back. Fox let herself fall gently back and Eric moved with her, his lips still touching hers. Their kiss rapidly deepened and Fox's head began to swim. Tingles shot through her whole body. She'd had her share of boyfriends in Dauntless, but she'd never felt this alive before with anyone, and she realized now that all the men she'd gone with, kissed, slept with, they'd all just been her own confused attempts to replace the man pressed to her now, the man she'd needed all along. Fox curled her fingers into the back of Eric's hair, where it was shaved short and pulled him closer, swallowing his guttural groan.

Desperate for skin contact, Fox yanked at Eric's vest and he reared back long enough to pull it off and throw it away. The look in his eyes as he dropped back down beside Fox made her heart almost stop. Fox ran her hands over Eric's broad chest, brushing his piercings and curled around his back. She felt Eric pulling desperately at her coat, small moans catching in his teeth. Is this it? Fox wondered briefly. Finally!

Pushing Eric gently away, Fox sat up and began pulling off her jacket. Eric sat back on his heels to watch, his pupils blown. He panted, his lips parted, gazing at Fox like a starving man at a banquet. Impatient, he reached forward and yanked Fox's jacket off, earning a squeal of surprise, and pulled her vest and shirt none too gently off.

Fox pushed his hands away before he could tear her bra and nodded to his combat pants, now obviously tight at the crotch.

"Get those off." She commanded.

Growling low in his chest, Eric complied. He stopped dead when Fox removed her bra and just stared for a moment. Fox felt herself growing uncomfortable and moved to cross her arms. Eric reached out and pulled her arms back down.

"Don't," he breathed. "You're so fucking beautiful."

Her skin tingling at the compliment, Fox held Eric's hungry gaze as she shimmied her pants down. Eric looked like he wanted to rip them off her, but he held back, mindful of her damaged ankle. His hands curled against his thighs instead. Trembling slightly, Fox gingerly pulled her ankle free, but Eric's bandage helped and she felt only a slight twinge. She looked up.

She and Eric now faced each other, wearing only their underwear. Fox was breathing hard, her skin tingling in anticipation. Eric panted, his eyes black, fingers twitching on the tops of his thighs. He was waiting for Fox to make the next move, but he couldn't wait much longer.

"Eric," Fox breathed, and that was all the encouragement he needed. Crushing his lips to hers again, Eric lay her gently back down on the floor, and, laying half on top of her, supporting himself with one forearm, began to kiss her again, the deep, soul-stealing kiss as before that made Fox's heart hammer. His hand cupped her cheek before trailing down her throat and finally, finally, caressing her breast. Fox moaned against his mouth, overwhelmed by sensations. Eric pulled his lips from hers and began to kiss and nip along her throat, gradually dropping his head down to join his hand. Fox gasped as he bit gently at her nipple, tingles shooting to her core. Eric trailed his nose up her throat and along her jaw-line.

"Fuck Fox, I've wanted this for so fucking long, you're so fucking hot." He breathed into her ear and Fox came undone.

"Eric," she moaned, and Eric groaned, understanding perfectly. Quickly Eric divested the both of them of their remaining clothes and kneed Fox's thighs apart, settling between them.

Fox panted, feeling the head of Eric's thick cock at her entrance. She was so ready.

"Yes," she murmured and cried out sharply as Eric thrust inside, filling her with one push. He was large and stretched Fox deliciously to the limit.

Eric shuddered and groaned, his face pressed in Fox's throat. He lay still for a long moment, just breathing hard and Fox moved her hips against him, begging for more.

"Oh fuck baby," Eric moaned, beginning to thrust into her.

Stars exploded in Fox's sight, fuck, this feels so fucking incredible! her mind screamed and Fox clawed at Eric's muscular back, relishing the deep groan it tore from his throat. Pulling his head from her neck, Eric claimed Fox's lips again, one hand supporting his weight as the other grabbed Fox's thigh, pulling it higher on his hip, deepening his angle inside her. Fox bit back a cry as Eric hit so deeply within her and felt that familiar tingle collecting in her core. Surrendering to it, Fox cried out, plunging deep into a powerful orgasm, spasming around Eric.

He groaned gutturally, holding himself still as Fox quaked, trying desperately to last just a bit longer, but Fox was so fucking hot, and Eric had wanted this for so fucking long that he knew he wouldn't be able to last. Thrusting again, Eric bit at Fox's pulse point, his hips snapping against hers. It had never felt like this before, sex had never been so intense and visceral for Eric before and he threw everything he had at Fox, spine arching sharply as he slammed into her, crushing his lips to hers. His thrust became erratic as Eric felt himself losing control, and he would have felt embarrassed at how long, short, he was lasting, if not for the look in Fox's eyes.

Fuck baby, Eric's mind hummed. The look in Fox's eyes as she gazed at him, heavy-lidded, her body jerking with each of his powerful thrusts pushed him over the edge and roaring, Eric surrendered to the ecstasy, slamming hard inside Fox one more time as he pulsed, spilling deep inside her. Fox's cries matched his as she followed, her walls milking him as she came again, the sounds she made absolute fucking music to his ears.

Groaning, his body twitching with aftershocks, Eric collapsed onto Fox, panting. He moved to roll off, not wanting to crush her but Fox wrapped her arms tightly around him, holding him close. Humming happily, Fox nuzzled into Eric's throat and he felt himself begin to drift off, truly content and sated, for perhaps the first time in his life.

Eric woke later, startling slightly when he felt only cold floor around him. He lifted his head, looking around frantically. He relaxed when he saw Fox standing at the ledge, looking out over the Pier as the sun began to rise. Eric stood and padded quietly to stand behind her. He gripped Fox's hips and pulled her ass back against him, his cock already hard. He'd fought for Fox for a long time, and now that he had her, he sure as fuck wasn't going to let her go.

Fox looked at him over her shoulder, and Eric saw the same thoughts in her eyes. You're mine, Coulter, her gaze said and Eric's heart raced. With a moan, he pushed inside Fox from behind, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head in the crook of her neck. Fox arched against him and their lips met, tongues dancing as Eric drove into her, pushing Fox against the ledge. His hips snapped against her ass and Fox cried out, curling her fingers on the edge. Pulling away, Fox looked out over the Pier, her eyes finding the sunrise again and Eric gazed out with her, his cheek against hers and his chin resting on her shoulder as he thrust, watching the sun rise with her as they made love.

"You're mine," Eric panted in her ear. "You're all fucking mine."

"I'm yours baby," Fox moaned.