I do not own Divergent or its characters.

Days went by without anyone coming by except those who brought food.

Eric was just drowsing off to sleep when he heard footsteps coming closer. He looked up over his shoulder when he heard a clinking noise to see Four standing behind the bars. He sat up to see the source of the noise to be handcuffs Four was smacking lightly against the bars. Rolling his eyes he sighed, "I am not going to give you the pleasure of living your fetish again."

When Tris stepped into view his eyes softened just a little bit and he got up, never taking his eyes off of her. "Come here and turn around," she gestured for him to come to the bars and to her surprise he complied, slowly but he turned and moved closer to the bars. Four started handcuffing him but Eric kept his eyes trained on Tris.

Looking over his shoulder he grinned smugly at Tris, "Just so you know, if you want someone a bit gentler, I'm free." But before he could see her reaction Four shoved his shoulder breaking the eye contact.

They led him out of his cell, through the long empty hallways to a small room where several people waited for them. He saw mostly Amity, some former Dauntless and the rest weren't dressed in any particular way, they must have been the factionless. He browsed the faces but didn't recognize anyone.

Four pushed him into a chair in front of everyone. He looked to his side to see a small table with a syringe placed on it. Tris took it and as he kept staring at her she grabbed his chin to turn his head.

He hissed when he felt the needle pierce his skin. While Tris pressed down the plunger he suddenly felt very aware of her hand still lingering on his chin rubbing tiny circles, soothing him. But before he could get used to it her hand left him and she sat down next to Four, watching him like the rest of them intently.

His vision started to blur and he tried to focus on Tris' green eyes but he felt the serum kick in. He knew it was the truth serum and he was afraid of what he'd reveal. What bothered him the most was that he didn't know what he was going to tell them.

He didn't really know anything except that he was terrified to tell them that he had feelings for Tris.

Now they started asking questions, first the easy ones, who he was and where he came from, his family, how he became a leader.

But then they moved on to the topic of Jeanine's plan to undermine the system and he could only shrug. He told them that he had to be more strict, the new rules, watching for strange behavior. He wasn't supposed to ask questions and he fully trusted Max to guide him into becoming the best leader there had ever been in Dauntless.

His head began to hurt when he told them about shooting the boy that proved to be divergent while they armed the Dauntless soldiers. Max had ordered him to shoot and out of fear of rejection or his own death he had complied. And then there was Jeanine's hysteric outbreak about him being pathetic and worthless for being unable to catch Tris. She threatened to kill him if he didn't get Tris back. When he failed again and was taken prisoner by Four and Tris he had wished they killed him, he didn't want to live as a failure.

Their questions ceased and when no one said anything anymore he felt his head roll back his eyes closing.

Four grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. He staggered and almost fell forward but Tris kept him from falling with her hand to his chest. For a moment he smiled down at her hand on his chest but scowled at her when she withdrew her hand. He was obviously too drugged to keep his facial expression in check. Four pushed him forward and with a grunt he complied.

He put one foot before the other but looking at his eyes opening and closing in a drunken manner Tris held on to his arm leading him out with Four still on the other side. Walking back to Eric's cell he shook his head to clear the fogginess but couldn't get rid of it. Tris couldn't help sneaking glances at him all so serene and when he started humming in answer to questions only he could hear, a smile crept up her face.

"Four.." he forced out all of a sudden and looked down at Tris, his eyebrows narrowing, "You don't deserve her."

It came out slurred and Four looked around Eric at Tris and she shrugged wondering whether Four had understood. Eric grinned like an idiot as if in triumph and Tris asked herself what was going on in his head.

They made the rest of the way in silence until they stood in front of his cell and Tris opened the door. Four heaved him inside and stumbled as Eric tripped over his own feet. Tris rushed to his side and helped him up laying him down onto the cot, his face connecting with the bed as soon as their hands left him.

From the corners of his eyes he could see her still standing next to him. "Tris, I..." he mumbled reaching out his hand slowly for her wrist feeling the warm skin beneath his fingertips making it the last thing to remember before he drifted off to oblivion for good.

Opening his eyes to the dark sky above he sighed, looking at the stars before lowering his eyes towards the small figure. He smiled when she turned around away from the ledge towards him. Although he stood in the dark shadows she saw him, she walked over to him her hips swaying lightly making him grin in anticipation.

Tris touched Eric's arm gently cupping his cheek with her small hand and he leaned into the soft skin of her palm. "I've waited for you," he whispered as she closed the distance between them. His arms snaked around her waist drawing her closer bringing up his other hand to tuck back her hair. When her lips captured his it was timid at first but turned passionate and hungry quickly.

A sudden gunshot noise made him look up at Four behind Tris and when Eric looked down at Tris her body was limb in his arms blood dripping from her side.

Eric woke with a start, his eyes flashing open to the dull grey walls of his cell. His head was aching and he grimaced in disgust when he lifted his head off the mattress noticing the small puddle of saliva where his mouth had been pressed against the fabric. He glanced up at the window noticing that the sun was just about to rise.

The dream had come back to him as of late and he didn't mind. It was soothing him every time he replayed it in his head. He knew that back then it had been different, she didn't see him watching her from the shadows, needless to say that they didn't kiss. But he had wished to do so, ever since she had stood up for Al, he admired her for her bravery and that she'd rather endanger herself than others. He had always suspected she was divergent and yet he wouldn't deliver her to Jeanine in hopes that he was wrong about it.

He shot up into a sitting position when he heard a noise from the cell door. Turning around he saw Tris standing there in the darkness. He jumped to his feet and staggered feeling a wave of nausea wash across him.

He braced himself against the wall and Tris mumbled, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up."

His feet made padding noises as he walked over to her. She leaned back a little when he approached and he grimaced inwardly remembering that he could look menacing at times. He felt another wave and grabbed the bar with one hand leaning his forehead against his forearm. He tried to suppress a groan as his other hand grabbed onto the bar for support.

"Are you alright?" Her voice was but a whisper. He hummed in response and she grabbed on to the bars to take a closer look at him.

When he looked down at his hand he was glad that his face was hidden behind his arm because he couldn't stand to see the rejection he was sure to see in her face as it overcame him. His hand was just so close to hers.

Tris could feel his fingertips brush across the back of her thumb. He was surprised when she didn't flinch away. He caressed the soft skin on the back of her hand. He let out a sigh from a breath he didn't even notice holding in.

Tris tried to see his face as his big hand closed timidly around her small one. He relished this moment, her warm skin against his hand was soothing him. He wondered whether it was just another dream.

"Eric?" He lifted his arm away from his face and she could see his eyes bore into hers. Whatever was going on in his head, she couldn't tell, he was hiding it very well. She didn't say anything for a few moments not wanting to break the intimate moment.

When his eyes dropped to their joined hands she spoke, "Why did you say that Four doesn't deserve me?" His hands left the bars, left her hand and it felt cold against the night air. He rubbed his face to hide the anger that started boiling up at the mentioning of Four, "Shouldn't you be in bed with him now?" he spat out through gritted teeth.

She sighed shoving her hands into her pockets, "I couldn't sleep."

He snorted thinking, Yeah because you were wandering in my dream.

He looked at her with tired eyes which were glaring at her now and she wondered about his sudden mood swing. "So, you came here to me out of all people? How low can you get?" he sneered and his nostrils flared.

Her lips parted and he regretted opening his mouth immediately when she started turning around. He grabbed her arm through the bars and to his surprise she didn't tear away from him.

"I'm sorry," he pleaded, "Don't go away."

She frowned when she heard the turmoil in his voice. He sighed, "I just woke up from a nightmare, I'm a bit out of it."

She sat down cross-legged in front of him and looked up at him with wide eyes. With a small smile she patted the ground right next to his feet prompting him to sit down. He sat down and leaned against the bars staring at her beautiful dark green eyes.

"Tell me about it," she inquired. Eric snorted, he couldn't tell her out of all people what his dream was about. She smirked playfully at him, "Or don't."

He narrowed his eyes at her and rubbed his face in an attempt to think of what he could tell her. He sighed in exasperation as the scene of her in his arms bleeding to death played out again and again. After a long moment he looked up at her compassionate eyes fixated on him, "Someone got shot in my dream, I can still feel the blood on my hands.."

"Who?" He cleared his throat but didn't say anything, how was he supposed to explain that he had dreams about her.

"Was it a family member?" He shook his head raking his fingers through the short beard that had grown during his stay here in the prison. "Was it someone from Dauntless?"

He let out a long breath and looked into her eyes, "Yes, one of the initiates. They got shot and I couldn't do anything about it, they were bleeding to death in my arms."

She touched his leg in affection, "But it was only a nightmare, right?" He fidgeted with his fingers and nodded.

"You want to know why I couldn't sleep?" He stared back at her making a small gesture for her to explain. "I was thinking about you."

His heart skipped a beat at her open confession and if the light was any brighter she could have seen him blush. When he didn't say anything Tris explained, "Four is leaving tomorrow for a meeting with Evelyn and the factionless. He told me to keep you imprisoned until he returns."

His lips drew to a thin line and he sank his head in defiance. "I don't think it is fair, though. Clearly you didn't know a thing about the attack on Abnegation before it began. Your interrogation showed as much."

She sighed and looked at his hands which were nervously scratching at the dry skin around his fingernails.

Suddenly she stood up and Eric followed her, she was nervous he could tell and waited for her to speak. "I'll come back tomorrow and I want to let you out." Hastily she added, "On probation, of course. You will wear a tether and you will help the Amity people in the field or where ever they need help." She watched him biting her lips and after a moment he nodded slowly, "Fine. If that is what it takes to get out of here."

He hated the idea of working with the Amity but he would hate to stay imprisoned even more. She smiled and bounced on the balls of her feet seemingly excited to go through with her plan. He wanted to hug her in thanks but the bars prevented him from doing it so he cast her a smile and whispered, "Thank you."