Disclaimer: I do not own the Divergent books, movie franchise or any of the characters from it. I do, however, own the plot and characters you don't recognize.


"You'll never..."

It's a hiss in her memory.

She sucks in a sharp breath, rolling her shoulders, trying to dispel the lingering feeling of phantom fingers tearing into her flesh. But a moment of paranoia sneaks up on her. And she latches onto her the neckline of her sweater, tugging it down, seeking the dark claw-like bruises she should know are no longer there.

As she braces her right foot on the ledge, I remind her that it was all a part of the simulation, and none of it was actually real. She ignores me, per usual, and digs inside her boot where she'd stowed away her carton of cigarettes. I try to soothe the anxiety knotting in her stomach with more gentle words. But I'm interrupted by footfalls sounding against the gravel.

"Those can kill you, you know," says Four, leaning on his elbows beside her.

Spinner snorts obnoxiously before she clenches one between her teeth. "I haven't lit it yet, so I'm good for the next few seconds," she returns cheekily, fishing her rustic Zippo lighter out of her bra. She thumbs open its metallic lid and strikes the wheel on the surface of her jeans, lighting the end of her cigarette and puffing it to life. "Well?" She shoots Four a glance. "I assume you're not just here to tell me how bad smoking is for my health. So, come on, out with it."

She's always been a smart-mouth, her native faction being Candor before—

"Eric's looking for you."

"He doesn't know I'm up here, does he?" Spinner flicks away some ash over the side of the building before taking another drag.

"How long have you been out here?"

"An hour, an hour and a half tops."

"Then that should answer your question."

"Hm, touché." She nods. "I just hope he doesn't kill Lauren."

Four elevates a dark brow, and Spinner emits a sigh.

"I had her distract Eric while I came up here for some air. He always bitches when I smoke in the compound."

"Isn't that why your apartment burnt down?"

"I don't think that's any of your business," she countered primly, glaring at the bits of week-old soot still obstinately embedded under her fingernails.

She had fallen asleep on her couch with a lit cigarette in her hand. Ashes dropped onto the carpet and started the blaze, and Eric had been the one to drag her unconscious body from the raging inferno. She spent nearly three days in the infirmary recovering from smoke inhalation, and he was anything but compassionate.

He even told her she should've died from her stupidity.

"I'm the one who had to evacuate the compound," Four points out.

"Yeah, well, your presence is annoying me now." Spinner grounds out her cigarette butt under her boot. "Don't you gotta be in the control room or something?"

"Ouch, I thought you enjoyed my company."

"I liked it better when you didn't talk, to be honest. Y'know, when you were all broody."

Four suddenly frowns. "I don't brood."

"You could've fooled me, bud." She pats his shoulder before twirling around and noticing Eric standing by the exit door. His thickly muscled arms are folded across his chest, eyes dark and direct, with something undeniably dangerous raging inside them. "Well, shit, looks like I've been discovered." Taking two short steps, she hops up on the ledge.

"That's only going to make him angrier," Four remarks flatly.

"I know." With a wink and a rebellious grin, Spinner pitches herself forward and plummets through the gaping hole with deranged laughter.


She lands in the net quite gracefully, where Lauren is already waiting for her at the side.

"You have a death wish, Spin," the instructor huffs slightly. "Eric nearly tore me in half after he figured out what I was doing."

"Did he have that vein bulging on the side of his neck?" Spinner grins again as she finds her footing on the platform.

"He had two this time. I thought I was done for."

"That means I'm getting better." She delves into her pocket and pulls out the penlight she'd swiped from the infirmary during her recovery. "Well, m'lady, thank you for assistance, and I'll catch you on the flip side." She pecks Lauren on her cheek, then takes off running towards the maze of hallways.

"You're insane, Spinner!" Her friend calls after her. "The Pit tonight, okay? If Eric doesn't kill you by then!"

"The big oaf has to catch me first!" Spinner shouts back, unruffled by her comment.

Normally that word would have her flying off her hinges.

She switches on the penlight, even though the tunnels are lit with blue lantern above. They're not bright enough for her. They don't chase away the lingering shadows she often sees in her dreams. Darkness, a fear she has never been able to overcome ever since she was a small child.

Something shifts up ahead, and Spinner slows her pace as she readies her fist to strike.

Unnecessary, I bite out, then remind her that these tunnels are means of Dauntless transportation. But the rest of my warning dies a swift death as the figure emerges, and then she swings her arm with all her might.

Luckily the person is swift and she'd been a little distracted, and they catch her arm midair before twisting it behind her back. The penlight slips from her hand as she's spun and shoved up against the stone wall. Spinner barely turns her cheek in time to avoid a broken nose. "Son of a bitch!"

"Petra?" Max's voice questions behind her.

She grits her teeth at the mention of that name. A name weighted with tragedy and suffering. But he and Jeanine refuse to call her by her new moniker. They find it inappropriate and somewhat degrading towards her circumstance. "Sup, Bossman, can I have my arm back now?" She wiggles her fingers.

"I can't believe she swung at me." Loosening his grip, Max clamped a hand on her shoulder and maneuvered her around to face him. Eric is right beside him, his features more menacing than they were on the roof. "Can I ask you what I did to deserve it?"

"Sorry, force of habit I suppose." Spinner innocently—or what she deems as innocent—bats her long eyelashes at the faction leader. "You know how terrified I am of the dark. I wasn't really thinking straight."

"Oh, bullshit," Eric scoffs.

She winks at him as Max is bending down to retrieve the penlight, and quickly schools her face into her guilty façade before he returns to his full height.

"Where were you, Petra? Eric has been looking all over the compound for you."

"That's funny, I've been looking all over him. We must have kept constantly missing each other. My bad, Eric."

His lip turns up into a sneer.

"Jeez, do you even know how to smile?" She shakes her head. "Anywho, now that we've all found each other, what can I help you guys with?"

"We just wanted to know how your time here has been so far." Max releases her shoulder, and then the three of them begin walking. "Aside from burning down your apartment, that is," he adds. "You're lucky to be alive if it wasn't for Eric."

"I would've gladly let the smart-mouth burn to death. Teach her a lesson. But unfortunately, if she dies, it's on my head."

"Aw, love, you're such a sweet talker," Spinner croons, watching his shoulders tense against the term of endearment. "And I'm really diggin' Dauntless. It's very… eccentric. But in a good way."

"Diggin'?" Incredulousness was rampant in Eric's voice, and he spares her a glance, the twin eyebrow piercing climbing higher on his face. She mimics his expression, and he promptly glares at her before turning to Max. "Exactly where did Jeanine find this kid?"

"From my understanding, apparently I was left in a pretty big basket on the steps of Erudite."

"You're not funny," Eric says pointedly.

"I know, I'm fucking hilarious." Spinner surges past him and skips ahead. "Like I said before, I'm diggin' Dauntless."

I worry about how long Eric will put up with her until he loses his patience and hurls her into the chasm.


I couldn't get this out of my head since I saw the new Insurgent movie and gone through the books. For some reason, I was drawn more to Eric's character then Four's. So hopefully from the little introduction of this chapter, I managed to keep everyone in character.

Hope you guys enjoy!

Leave me a comment telling me what you think so far and hopefully, my OC is quite different from the rest.

See you soon!