Thanks heaps for reviewing sharonmayes353 and Reedy1012 and thanks to those who followed and favorited. I really enjoyed writing this chapter so I hope you enjoy reading it!

Chapter 4: Knife Thrower

The next day Rain found herself in a training session that she absolutely loved. Knife throwing. It was so different to shooting a gun and she found a sense of healing in the art of it. It was something she used to practice herself when she was in Amity. A few years back she had begun to train herself. She had been out in the fields gathering certain herbs and reeds with the rest of her group. They each had a knife to cut them with - it was a common gathering tool. It was one sunny day in the afternoon when she saw the shadow of a tree cut across another trees trunk and she was somehow filled with the urge to aim her knife at the edge of the shadow. She had failed miserably the first time but over the years she had developed a fine aim and a graceful technique. It was as if the knife was a part of her own arm and she could bend it to her will.

"Damn girl," whistled Michael. "You're good at this!"

Rain laughed. "Thanks!"

They had been at it for almost an hour and everyone had noticed Rain's ability. Most were jealous, especially a Candor transfer named Oliver.

"So who'd you sleep with to help you with those skills Amity?" he taunted. Rain's back stiffened.

"Back off asshole!" Michael defended her.

"It's ok Mike, I'll tell you Ollie honey. I slept with your father! He's not so good in the sack, but he's got mad knife throwing skills."

Oliver's face went red and he stormed over to her. "What did you just say to me bitch?" he whispered viciously.

"Is there a problem?" came Four's voice from the other side of the room. He had been helping Nora with her stance. Everyone suddenly became quiet watching the scene unfold, however before either Rain or Oliver could answer they were all interrupted.

"Is this how you train your initiates Four?" came Eric's judgemental voice as he entered the training room. He pointedly looked around at all the initiates doing nothing. They hastily began throwing their knives again. All except for Rain and Oliver who were still glaring at each other.

"They're training just fine," Four stated clearly. "I'm just wondering what's happening between these two.

Eric reached them as Oliver replied, "We're just getting to know each other Four, it's not a big deal."

Michael turned around. "That's crap! He was giving her shit because she's a better knife thrower than him."

Eric's eyebrows raised in surprise as he looked Rain up and down. Then he turned his attention to Oliver.

"You're letting an Amity girl get the best of you initiate?"

Oliver grit his teeth. "As if!" he scoffed.

"Oh please," started Rain, "I'm better at this than you and you know it." Rain knew she should have kept quiet but Oliver had pissed her off and although she wouldn't admit it, she didn't want Eric to think Oliver was better than her.

Eric was more than slightly intrigued now.

"Everybody stop!" He commanded. They all did. "Apparently we've got a bit of competition on our hands here. Nothing wrong with that. Well come on you two, let's make it a game. You get three chances. Whoever hits closest to the target's heart wins. Whoever loses has to do an extra three hours of training and then pack up the training room." He then indicated for them to step forward.

"Ladies first," mocked Rain as she glared at Oliver. Eric held back a laugh. He was mesmerised by her feistiness. He nodded to Oliver who unwillingly picked up a knife and threw it. It landed on the target's shoulder.

Eric then raised his eyebrows at Rain to take her shot.

She sighed irritably then picked up six knives on the table closest to her with her left hand and put one in her right. She turned to glare at Oliver then threw the knife. She had aimed for the target's groin and it hit between the target's legs perfectly. Before anyone could say she missed the target she spoke clearly.

"My bad, I was thinking of you Oliver." She mocked, a smirk upon her face. His face turned red again as many of the other initiates laughed. If she had looked Eric's way she would have noticed his unhidden desire for her.

"Rain…" Four warned.

"What?" she said, annoyed. "You want the heart? Fine." She tossed the knife carelessly and it landed perfectly in the target's heart.

"Or how about the brain?" The knife hit the target perfectly with a thud.

"Tits?" Twos knives went flying. Again, both hitting the target.

"Middle finger?" Again, perfect shot.

Eric was dumbfounded. How was she so good at this?

"Go back to training everyone!" Ordered Four. "Rain come over here." His voice was firm. Rain walked over to Four and Eric not caring about the earful she was going to get next. Oliver was a dick and she had done nothing wrong.

"Your arrogance is unnecessary," he stated.

"He was being a dick," she protested. She was still fuming so she didn't notice how Eric's eyes never left her.

"Even so, did you ever think that instead of fighting with him you could turn the situation around and help him instead? You of all people should know that the best way to defeat an enemy is to become their friend."

Eric and Rain scoffed in unison and before Eric could mock Four, Rain replied.

"Sorry but I don't have that much Amity left in me."

Four sighed. There was no way he could get through to her. Not when she was in a mood like this.

"You're done here, go up to the roof and practice your shooting. You're not so good at that are you?"

Rain's eyes narrowed but she didn't say anything. Eric watched her body sway gracefully as she walked out of the training room.

This didn't go unnoticed by Four.

Michael and the others noticed that Rain didn't come down to dinner.

"You don't think she's still on the roof do you? Asked Beverly as she took a spoonful of her dessert. "It's been three hours."

"I don't know," Michael shrugged. "I'll go check."

"Here, take her some food." Nora put a few pieces of pizza on a plate for Rain and handed it to Michael. Unbeknownst to them Eric was watching them from the corner of his eye at the next table and listening to their conversation. He hated this Michael kid. Why was he always following Rain around like a lost puppy? He watched as the kid left the dining hall. He wanted to follow him but unfortunately he was stuck in a conversation with another Dauntless leader.

Michael found Rain on the roof. She was laying on the ground looking up at the stars, the gun she had been practicing with was on the ground further away from her.

"You call this training?" he teased as he sat down next to her.

"Ugh! I gave up on that unholy instrument of death two hours ago," replied Rain still looking at the sky.

"Unholy instrument of death," Michael laughed. "Nice. Very poetic, very Amity."

Rain glared at him.

"Hey don't hate me, I brought you pizza!"

Rain's glare turned into a smile and she sat up taking the plate from him. "Angel." She said to him as she took a bite.

"So why didn't you come down to dinner?" he asked her.

"Got lost in thought I guess."

"What were you thinking about?"

They settled into a comfortable conversation each learning more about the other. Rain liked how easy it was to be around him. She could be herself. Back in Amity she always found herself feeling guilty or apologising for what she said or how she reacted. Not here. Half an hour passed easily without either of them becoming bored or running out of things to say. They were enjoying each other's company so much that neither of them noticed when the door to the roof opened or that they were being watched.

Eric was leaning on the closed door unashamedly listening to their conversation. As he watched how easy Rain was in Michael's company he found himself becoming more and more frustrated.

"No way! No way did you do that!" Rain laughed. Michael had been explaining some of the rebellious pranks he had played in Candor and Rain was in hysterics.

"It's true." Michael laughed.

"Geez, you're way more crazier than I thought you were!"

"Me?" Michael replied. "What about you and Oliver today? At one point I really thought you might reach out and slit his throat!"

"Ugh! What a douche!" Michael nodded his head in agreement.

"I have more self-control than that you know. I didn't to want kill him."

"Uh-huh," Michael answered with a look that said he didn't believe her.

"What? I didn't! I just thought about slicing his dick off, that's all!" Rain grinned widely.

Michael chuckled. "Nice, very Amity of you."

"Well I could write a poem about it afterwards if that would make you feel better?" Rain offered cheekily.

They laughed together. Eric's eyes narrowed. He really hated this Michael kid - though he wouldn't admit to himself that it was because he was jealous.

"You know what I don't get? You're crazy good at knife throwing but you can't shoot a gun to save your life."

Rain frowned. "Dude, they're totally different weapons."

"Not really, I mean, you aim you shoot, you aim you throw…" he shrugged his shoulders.

"It's not that simple and you know it!" Rain argued. "Guns are made specifically to end someone's life. Knives are not."

"Is that why you struggled to pick up the gun in our first session?" Michael asked curiously.

Rain looked down and sighed. "You saw that huh?"

"You were looking at it like it was a tiger ready to pounce or something. Have you had any experience with guns before? Is that why you -"

"Michael I don't want to talk about this." Rain interrupted him looking down.

Michael looked at her with sympathy in his eyes. He reached over and gently putting one finger under her chin, he raised her chin up so they were looking at each other.

"Hey don't be sad," he said kindly. He got up and reached his hand out to her. She took it and let him pull her up. "Come on," he said and walked over to the gun she had been practicing with earlier. "Show me what you're made of!"

Rain rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fine. If you enjoy seeing utter failure." She took the gun from him instantly feeling a nervous alertness in her fingers. She held herself in position, clicked the safety off, aimed the gun and fired. The bullet hit the outer ring of the target.

Eric was about to reveal himself by saying how pathetic her attempt was but Rain beat him to it. She clicked the safety back on, put the gun down and made a noise of frustration.

"Ugh! See how much I suck? I have reached a new level of suckage! I could build a Kingdom for myself and all would bow down to me - the Queen of suckiness!"

Michael chuckled, "It's not that bad babe, come on I'll help you." He moved so that he was standing behind her. He put one hand on her waist and the other over her right hand on the gun.

Eric glared at Michael's hand on her waist. He wasn't going to let this go on any further. He walked towards them.

"Well isn't this sweet."

Both Michael and Rain turned around in surprised to find Eric smirking at them. There was nothing teasing about his smirk, if anything it was rather sinister.

"I-I was just helping her with her aim," Michael tried to explain. Eric's eyes narrowed at him and Michael instinctively took a step away from Rain.

"A lot of good that will do, an initiate training another initiate. Go take this back to the kitchens." Eric picked up the plate Michael had brought Rain's pizza on and shoved it into Michael's hands. He took it and gave Rain a look that asked her if she was ok if he left. This annoyed Eric.

"Are you deaf initiate?" he spat out at Michael. Rain nodded to say that it was ok. Michael looked at her apologetically and left.

Eric's arms were crossed and he was glaring at her.

"Your boyfriend didn't seem too happy about leaving you alone with me."

"He's not my boyfriend," Rain snapped.

"Does he know that babe?" Eric emphasised the last word to show that he had overheard them.

"What does it matter to you anyway? If he was my boyfriend that would none of your business Eric." Rain was now crossing her arms and glaring back at him. So much for her plan to stay off his radar.

"Watch your tone initiate," Eric warned in a low voice. Their eyes were locked to each other. Rain swallowed nervously and thought about how to get out of this situation.

"I," she started. "I should go. Got to be up early for training and all that. Goodnight Eric." She made to walk past him and leave but his hand reached out and gripped her arm tightly. He was touching her bare skin and she felt a bolt electricity run through her. She took a shaky breath.

"Did I say you could leave?" Eric whispered.

So what do you think? Want more Eric and Rain goodness? If so then review!