First encounter with Eric and North! :D

It's been three years since I've chosen Erudite and I've been working as a medic, it's been 2 years. After our rigorous training, I was graded as the top of the initiates, and Jeanine had chosen the five top elite, which was composed of the three Erudite born: Me, Jack and then Nathan, and then two transfers; Joel and Vicky. We were graded within the first six months and the last six months of the year, us five trained to be medics, or doctors. It was a new project that Jeanine wanted to put in place, it's been a few years, that she would lend each of the factions a doctor that was well-trained, along with a companion of the faction's choice to accompany the doctors.

For the next two years after our theory, we needed to practice our application, because they were obviously two different things. So we were split, and were sent into each faction for about four to five months each. And of course, during our work, we had to keep in mind and record the statistics on the greatest and least reasons as to why they needed to see us. And while I struggled for a while, mainly because I was a little insecure about my social skills, but I soon realized that their health was my first priority and got over that easily. Surprisingly, I found myself having an easier time with the Candor and the Dauntless than the rest of the factions, mainly because they were honest about what really happened which caused less complications and because they were strong enough to withstand and endure the pain of their treatment.

During the three years of my training, I had only encountered my family once, the first year of my stay for Visiting Day. After that, I was more motivated to work harder, to be better, because my family reminded me that I was to make them proud and so I studied harder, trained harder, worked harder, stayed longer and slept less. And while I hadn't made that much friends, I had grown closer with my fellow companions, Jack and Nathan in a different way. We understood each other differently than I did with Vicky and Joel, who we studied together for the last six months of the first year.

My two year of travelling taught me many things, and that people were soft and had fears and weren't fearless because they were brave in Dauntless. I learned that even if people in Candor were always honest with each other, it doesn't make it easier to say the true things. I learned that in Abnegation, despite the rumors, were selfless enough to help the factionless and risk their lives and reputation for them. I had learned that just because there was constant peace in Amity, it didn't mean that there weren't small petty fights amongst one another. And yes, Erudite, that even if one would research their own illness and try to diagnose it, weren't always right, that they didn't always know everything, despite what everyone thinks. And that in we weren't all snobs as surprising as that sounds.

Now, I'm on the train from Dauntless, to the Erudite headquarters, to meet with the rest of the doctors and for further instructions. I look outside, back to where the Dauntless roof was, where Tris and Four were, where Four helped me get on the train because I wasn't yet used to it, and where Tris stood and waved me good luck. Their retreating figures were getting further and for the first time in five months, I finally felt relaxed and calm. I'm alone again and I'm going to be home soon.

I barely got any sleep on the train, too busy thinking about what was yet to come, and when I arrived, I jumped as properly and carefully as I possible could without hurting myself and dusted my leggings that I received from Dauntless and looked around me. There were several people from all factions walking around, and to my right there was the school where the kids attended before they had to choose their faction, and the right of that building, was the building where we had taken our tests. There was no wonder that there were people from all factions. It was December, and it was getting colder. I waited patiently and after what seemed like half an hour but was actually half of that, I met Jack, who waved eagerly to me.

"Jack!" I called out, excited as he appeared. We chattered about our times, and not surprisingly, he preferred working with the Amity, where the majority of the issue was scrapes and occasional cuts from the farms were from. It was easier to communicate and he appreciated the calmness, which was a contrast to his usual home, where everyone was always stressing and loudly voicing their concerns and comparing each other. He was the total opposite from his family, because he promised me, one night after a really rough argument, that he would never allow his future children to live in a household such as his. Sooner than we would have liked, a car stopped close to us, and the driver came out, telling us that everyone had arrived except for us. We entered the car and made our way to the Erudite headquarters.

When we arrived, Vicky had told us that Jeanine was going to return in half an hour and that left us half an hour to talk about our experiences together.

As promised, half an hour later, Jeanine arrived, and explained how we followed procedure and how much of a success this project was, and that the other factions were pleased with our presences. Thus, we would stay here for two days to return and relay our information we recorded to Erudite and head back to one faction for the time being. We weren't sure how long we were going to stay, but it was most likely that we would stay for a longer time than about two years. And just when we thought we had returned to our home.

It turns out that I would be the lucky one enough to stay in Erudite. Jack had gotten Amity, and I could tell how pleased was from his lack of emotions (because we were to keep a professional façade at all times,) Nathan got Abnegation, which I'm not too sure whether or not he was happy about, as long as he didn't get Candor he said he was pleased. Vicky got Candor, where she was originally from before her choosing ceremony where she chose Erudite, so I guess she was having mixed feelings with that, and finally, Joel got Dauntless. Immediately, he refused, but after a scolding form Jeanine, he decided to accept his fate and retreated to his room.

That night of, we hardly saw any of Joel, only when we had to return and exchange our notes and results from the five factions, all of which we were of course being watched and reported to Jeanine. We didn't see him at lunch, nor at supper.

Although I wasn't close with Joel, I felt bad for him. But did I feel bad enough to change positions with him?

It turns out, my mother and my four month stay at Abnegation really took their toll on me. Being selfless enough, to offer to change factions with Joel. Two years with Dauntless wouldn't be that bad, I mean, I liked them enough to not mind, but I'd miss my home.

I found myself in front of his door at 8:00PM, an hour and a half before our curfew, with the rest of the doctors surrounding themselves to see what would happen, but keeping themselves hidden. The rooms were mainly occupied from the rest of the transfers who worked in the other departments and divisions, so that left the hallway mainly vacant, excluding the four peeping toms.

Deep breath. Knock softly.

I repeated to myself like a chant and knocked on his door three times.

The door opened to reveal his tousled black hair, and sad brown eyes, which matched the features of his factionless brother, who was known as West. We were closer when we were younger, until he had to change factions and dropped out, and I never heard of him again. However, my younger brother, South, was in Abnegation, and when I passed by Abnegation, he had told me he had encountered him and they reconnected. I was a little torn that my younger brother had left, but it hadn't bothered me that much, because I knew it was best for him, and the success of the five factions.

Joel coughed a little, "Yes?" he inquired.

"Joel! Good evening, I was wondering if you were willing to change factions with me." I smiled.

Joel just stared at me blankly, couldn't believe his own ears.

"You're sure? I have Dauntless." He replied.

I smiled and nodded. Surprisingly, he hugged me and lifted me up into the air, seeing as I was only 5'6 and he was 6'0. I wasn't used to such a contact, and so was he, because Erudite wasn't known to be so… touchy… but it showed how grateful he was.

"Thank you." He whispered in my ear.

He let go of me and I explained that I had to meet with Jeanine to inform her of the change and for her approval.

He grabbed ahold of my wrist, "I was scheduled to leave tomorrow in the early morning, because Dauntless headquarters is further than the rest…" his voice trailed off.

I gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's fine, " I replied. After bothering Jeanine to tell her of the change, she was a little disappointed with the change, but informed me that I was the next person the Dauntless would have wanted as their doctor.

I returned to my dorm, and wrote a letter informing my parents about all that happened and passed by Joel's at 9:15, so he could pass the letter along.

"Be careful about Eric." He said, before I had left.

Eric? They met? Isn't he a leader? I hadn't met any leaders during my stay…

I left and prepared my things to leave for the train the next morning.

I boarded the train and I arrived at the headquarters faster than I had left from there to arrive at Erudite. I jumped off the train, and when I got up, I came in contact with a hard chest, and when I looked up, I could see the leader that Joel warned me about. I took a cautious step back to look at him fully in the eyes.

"You're not Joel." He said mockingly.

A/N: What happened was that Joel was fun to poke fun at, and he was the total opposite of West, his brother, and was a total typical Erudite. A lot like Caleb if you must. The reason is because he doesn't want to repeat his brother's mistakes and follow his footsteps, so he forced himself to study and train hard to be accepted in Erudite. Hope you liked! Thank you for reading!

~ tulip