1Author's Note: Wow, I have never updated so often on a story ever before! I guess it's because of all your encouraging reviews. Thank you so much! I LOVE YOU GUYS. Especially hollybridgetpeppermint, because she reminded me to turn the rating up to T for the rather mature suggestions in my last chapter. Thank you so much, I hope you see this, hollybridgetpeppermint!

Well, I am currently reading the Will of the Empress. I am almost done. I am sure most of you avid Tamora Pierce readers have read this book. It has entirely enforced my feeling that Tris and Briar should be together. Anyways, when I was reading the scene where Tris tells Daja about her two attempts at romance. I picked the one where she gets dumped with honey, and had Briar come into the scene. Yes, I know that couldn't have happened, but then again that's why this is called fanfiction. Enjoy! If you give me reviews, I'll give you chocolate!

Disclaimer: Fanfiction. Break it down. Fan. Fiction. Key word: fan. Meaning I am merely a fan of Tamora Pierce, nothing more than that. Except maybe obsessed.

You Caught Me

Tris carefully arranged a sheer veil over her braids––she wanted to hide the fact that they were fizzing tiny lightning bolts from excitement. She had chosen to wear a pink overgown with rather large bell rose-colored sleeves. Well, they were rather large to her standards. The gown had stayed crinkled up in the back of her wardrobe (but immediately straightened as if just ironed at a single shake, Sandry's doing, of course), because, frankly, Tris never wore pink, and never wore puffy sleeves.

But this was an exception.

Tris nervously slipped down stairs with surprisingly nimble (and slippered with flat pink shoes that looked almost new) feet. Avoiding Niko will be some trouble, Tris mused as she stood against the wall next to her teacher's open door, but maybe if I just...

She gently and softly called a breeze wandering out of his open window, and lured it through the window. It easily pushed the door closed in an inconspicuous fashion. Tris quickly passed by and through the door, keeping the breezes away from her so that it didn't ruin her hair. Three years ago, Tris thought with amusement, if somebody had told me that I would one day turn the breezes away from me just to keep my hair in safety, I would've immediately put them in an insane asylum. It was a strange feeling. She had never before kept the wind away from her, only embraced them.

In no time, she was in the garden. Briar must be somewhere in here in the garden...as usual, Tris decided, thinking dreamily about his green eyes for a second before blocking her tie with him rather wistfully. She didn't want him to know what she was doing––but she still didn't like blocking her connection with him. It's not that I like him or anything. It's just that he's my brother. My...my saati.

Bushes lined every rubble-strewn walkway, with different flowers blooming like young noblewomen with their faces turned up to the sun. Occasionally, a slim spring green tendril lightly placed itself on her arm, sensing the small amount of Briar's magic intertwined with her own. She would shoo it away and keep walking, heading for her destination: the white rose-infested platform in the heart of the garden.

There, standing in the middle of the platform, in the middle of the garden, he stood, his smile wide and his brown eyes––was that a glimmer of contempt and mischief in them? No, it can't be, she assured herself.

Silently, Tris climbed the steps up to the boy, trying not to breath too hard and show how easily she tired when it came to stairs. She finally reached the top and attempted to give him a sweet smile. "Hi, Jared," she greeted him breathlessly.

He grinned at her, flashing his white teeth. "Hey Tris," he said casually, then leaned forward, his pink lips puckered slightly.

Woah, sort of fast, huh? Tris asked herself, but closed her eyes and waited anyway. Instead of finding his mouth on her own, she heard Jared call nonchalantly, "Get the fattie, guys!"

A thick substance was dumped over her. Tris opened her eyes and found her hands and the rest of her plump body covered in honey. Jared and several other boys laughed and pointed at her, as if––as if I were a tortured animal on display, she thought furiously. "Even all that honey wouldn't fill you, would it, fattie?" Jared howled with laughter, as did his pals that stood ringed loosely around him like noblemen before their king. "You actually believe you could have me? You're not very smart, are you, tubby?"

Tears streamed slowly through the honey on Tris's face. Tricked, Tris thought numbly, I was tricked. He didn't want me. She clenched her fists angrily, and her braids fizzed with medium sized lightning bolts––this time out of anger, not excitement. She felt a strangled sob wrench itself from her throat.

When the teenage boys only laughed at her tears, Tris cried, "You will leave me alone!" Rain poured down from the suddenly grey sky in sheets so that you could barely see anybody a foot in front of you. The honey slowly dripped off, leaving her gown to soak in the storm. Tris suddenly wished that she hadn't worn the ridiculous dress with it's uncomfortable puff sleeves.

"She's making it rain!" one of Jared's cronies yelled. "Let's get outta here!" Jared and the other boys ran from the platform, leaving her to stand alone in the pouring rain. Once they were gone, Tris let the tears run freely, and let the cries escape her mouth. I can't believe I fell for him, she thought over and over again. I can't believe it, I can't believe it. How could I've been so stupid? Heart mangled with pain and humiliation, Tris's knees grew weak and gave way. She collapsed––collapsed into strong arms.

Tris could just make out Briar's green eyes looking kindly upon her, and his warm arms circled around her. "You caught me," she croaked. "You caught me...you caught me when I fell."

"What great observations, Coppercurls," Briar joked, but his eyes were soft. "What happened to you?"

Tears streaming down throughout the whole time, Tris told him everything. "I used to read––well, still do read––those romance books," she confided with him, pained heart making her mind go static. If she had not been so hurt, she never would've told him this. "Whenever I read them, I always yearned for one of those fairy tale loves. I guess that won't happen, ever."

"Who says?" Briar asked, a funny look in his eyes that Tris couldn't discern.

"I say," Tris replied forcefully, leaning against his damp chest, his arms still around her. She enjoyed his embrace, and how he smelled sweetly of damp moss and freshly turned earth. "And Jared says."

"Jared's a bleater, don't listen to him," Briar murmured softly to her. "And you...well, you tend to know what's best for everybody but yourself. Of course you'll get a fairy tale love. I know you will."

"How do you know, Oh Clever One?" Tris smiled sleepily.

Briar took a deep breath. "Because...Because, I––I think I love you, Tris." He waited, hugging Tris closer, as if she would drift away at the thought of his love. "Tris? Tris!" He turned her to him.

Tris had fallen asleep.

Briar smiled at her face, which was angelic with sleep. "Maybe some other day, Tris." He kissed her forehead and carried her home.

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Author's Note: -whoops- Yay! I hope you liked it. What do you think? Too angsty maybe? Well, review, review!