As he walked through the gym Four scanned the room, checking to make sure everything was in its place. He loved the metal smell of the place, the gleaming machines after 12 hours down, the fresh air pumping through the vents, the rubber beneath his feet. His hand slipped over the top of a machine and he stopped to look over the place. It would be a few minutes before he unlocked the doors and the regulars would start coming in.

His first few years at Dauntless, Four had floundered, wondering what his place was going to be. Numerous opportunities had been thrown out to him but none had stuck. Becoming a trainer at the Dauntless gym seemed to do the trick. It was a place that gave him space and allowed him to work as an individual. He had more non-gang affiliated customers than Dauntless, which surprised him. In the end, the job gave him purpose to help people, teach self-defense or guide people toward a healthier lifestyle. Fighting wasn't everything, even though most Dauntless would disagree.

He heard a knock at the glass and turned to see who it was. He went to the door to let Zeke, one of his closest friends, in.

"It's early, what are you doing here?" Four asked going behind the main desk and turning on the computer. Zeke shrugged off his coat and leaned on the counter.

"I thought I'd get here before Eric." Four smirked but continued to type on the computer.

"Did you want to race him in weightlifting?" He asked with a chuckle.

"No." Four looked up at Zeke who had not laughed at his joke. "He's coming about some rumor." Four's eyebrows went up and he stopped typing to give Zeke his full attention. "About you and a certain Abnegation." Disgust crossed Four's face and he shook his head.

"Nothing to talk about." He replied. Eric was just another blockhead looking for a leg up in the hierarchy. He was a ruthless member of Dauntless willing to take out anyone in order to advance his position. The two did not get along, as they had competed for their ranks when they joined Dauntless, Four ultimately scoring above Eric. Four focused on the computer, but not without knowing that Zeke was still standing in front of him. "I'm telling you, nothing happened." He repeated.

"No girl? No trio of idiots?" Zeke questioned. Four groaned out his frustration and stopped typing.

"Look Zeke, the girl was alone, who the hell knows what they would have done. I'm supposed to leave her?"

"You're supposed to turn your head and be loyal to Dauntless." Four walked away from Zeke, slamming his hand on the counter as he went.

"Wrong." Four didn't question his actions that night. He did what was right, even if that endangered his Dauntless membership. Zeke lined his body in front of Four's stopping him from walking away.

"Four, you're not supposed to do things that question your loyalty." They faced off for a few seconds before Zeke ran a hand up his face, rubbing over his eyes. He looked past Four at a few customers coming in. "Just be careful man." Zeke said. Four relented and nodded understanding Zeke's opinion. Even if he was justified, Dauntless members like Eric would use his actions against him, and Four had nowhere else to go.

Four did miss Eric at the gym, which did not come as a relief or disappointment. Four did not care who or what thought of him. He was Dauntless by choice and had earned his place in the gang on his accord, without growing up in the system like Eric. At the time, he figured it had scared Eric. He recalled their first fight. Eric had been training for years as a child of Dauntless parents, so most assumed he'd win. Four didn't let that stop him. He wasn't afraid of Eric, and he didn't always have an off button when it came to fury. Anger filtered through Four's veins infinitely, a consequence of his childhood, which was unknown to those at Dauntless. It did not take much for Four to see in Eric what he always saw in his father and channel that anger toward Eric instead.

He only remembered that Zeke pulled him off of Eric because by that point his vision had clouded and he no longer saw a human beneath him. No leader had stopped them, but they noted the lethal ability of Four and calculated its translation on the street. While Abnegation was known for its selflessness, Dauntless was known for its danger. They trained their members to be warriors – kindness was not always a necessity.

To the leaders, a transferred member from the outside with no history who was very successful at Dauntless initiation was frightening. If Four had brought those skills with him, people would wonder where or who he was a part of and the skills they had. However, the leaders assumed Four was without affiliation, and rather a young man looking for a place to belong. They invested in the danger Four could produce.

However, to Four it wasn't always about being dangerous as he had proved the few nights prior. Four never wanted to hurt anyone and only felt the need to defend himself when it was absolutely necessary. He had proved himself over and over again to the leaders of his capability and loyalty, so he didn't feel the need to be the Dauntless member who sought out trouble. He'd rather go to his job at the gym and rest easy alone at night in his apartment.

Four slipped his gym bag off his shoulder and dropped it on the sagging couch of his apartment which was located conveniently above the gym. He peeled off his clothes and started a shower, trying to block out any thoughts of the day and allow the hot water to help his muscles relax.

But that was impossible. His mind had kept drifting back to the skinny girl from Abnegation since Zeke's reminder this morning. The fire in her words had stuck with him. Although Abnegation was a gang and at times brutal in their movements, they also had leaders who preached selflessness and kindness toward others. Abnegation members often had to go through many hours of volunteer work, which made them the source of many jokes over at Dauntless. They also usually kept the female members less equip to handle physical altercation, which is why he figured the girl would need help. But her relentless attitude and defiant words and stance interested him. He had yet to meet a girl who resembled more Dauntless than Abnegation.

A/N: Sorry this took so long. I'm having trouble with what I had previously written to follow the first chapter, and even now I'm not sure it's working. Bear with me. Kind reviews are always welcome. -B.