'Grenade'

Chapter Seven: Blame It On The Night

You make me wanna live forever,

You're my remedy to yesterday.

Duke Dumont: Won't Look Back

"Al?" Tris gasped, stunned, tears welling in her eyes as he stumbled towards them.

"Tris," He begun to cry, "Tris, I'm sorry."

She heard footsteps behind them and suddenly Four had appeared, "What the hell is going on here?"

Tris trembled, Peter's hands still clasped around her upper arms. "Let go of her Peter and come with me." Four's eyes were on them and he glanced around at Drew on his knees on the floor and Al's pouring nose.

Peter's face darkened dangerously and he practically snarled but Tris opened her mouth first, "No! Four it wasn't Peter, he saved me," she choked, a tear falling down her face, "It was Drew and, and Al."

Four's eyebrows shot up in surprise and his gaze turned to the other boys. "What happened Tris?"

"They tried to throw her over the chasm." Peter answered shortly, his grip tightening around Tris as if he imagined they were going to try again.

Four stared, stunned, before he hauled Drew to his feet by the scruff of his neck. He glared mutinously at Al, "Come with me."

Al froze and turned to Tris, his eyes full of tears, his face painted with sorrow, "Tris, I'm so sorry, I don't know what I was thinking, Tris, please…" Tris broke free from Peter's grasp to punch Al square in the face. He stumbled back and Four grabbed her to stop her from hitting him again.

"I will never forgive you!" she screamed, struggling in Four's grip. She tore herself from him with a sob and turned, catching sight of Christina, Will and some of the others rounding the corner. They stopped in their tracks, stunned silent.

"Tris are you ok?" Christina started towards her, eyes wide, until she stopped. She had seen Peter. "You!" she screeched and lunged for him, pushing him hard, "What did you do to her?!"

"Stop it Christina!" Tris shrieked back, stepping in front of Peter, "It wasn't him!"

Christina stumbled back, shocked at Tris' interference, "What?!"

There was a long silence as everyone glanced around at each other.

"Al and Drew are coming with me. The rest of you get to bed." Four growled.

"Al?" Will stepped forward, "What happened?"

"He tried to chuck the Stiff in the chasm." Peter said sharply. Tris stiffened next to him and felt him glance down at her.

"What?" Will looked flabbergasted, "Tris?" His eyes begged her to refute Peter's claim.

"They dragged me down. Peter managed to get them off." It was all she could manage, she could feel herself shaking.

"How could you?" Christina sounded close to tears too as she turned to Al.

He started to cry until Four shoved him forward; the crowd of initiates parted straightaway. "Tris, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Four shoved him again, half-dragging Drew, "Tris, you need to go the hospital. Christina, you take her. The rest of you get to bed. NOW."

They all watched him go then scarpered off, whispering wildly. Will, Christina, Peter and Tris remained silently. Christina took hold of Tris' hands and pulled her gently towards her. "Come on Tris."

She let Christina pull her away, but she couldn't tear her eyes from Peter as he watched Will and Christina lead her away. She wanted to thank him, to ask him to come with them, but she couldn't get the words out. He said nothing either, and as Tris rounded the corner he stayed where he was and she could no longer meet his gaze.


When the nurse had checked her over she walked slowly back with Christina and Will to the dorms. Every small step made her a little anxious, but they flanked her and looked around carefully. Before they reached the dorm Christina finally spoke, "I can't believe Al would do that."

Will looked at her sharply, "He's a coward. He was trying to kill her because she was winning."

Tris stopped, "You think that's why? Because he was scared of that?"

"What else would it be?"

Tris didn't answer Will's question, but it made her wonder if Eric had somehow put them up to it- promised Al a place in Dauntless, and Drew? Well he wouldn't need any incentive to kill her.

"I just can't believe it. What do you think Four will do?" Christina said. They had all stopped in the hallway now.

"He'll have to report them- they should be kicked out." Will answered. "Are you ok Tris?"

"I'll be fine," she said softly, her head ached but her main concern was why Al had turned on her: Eric? Or his own fears? She couldn't imagine just Drew persuading him. She was scared that it was to do with being Divergent; about what she and Four had discussed earlier.

"Do you really think Peter had nothing to do with it?" Christina asked.

Tris turned to her, "What do you mean?"

"Well, he just happened to turn up? Maybe he set them up to give himself a clean record?"

"He doesn't have a dirty record now." Tris could feel the anger burning in her, "He hasn't done anything wrong."

Christina's eyebrows shot up, "How hard did you hit your head? He's done nothing but bully you since he got here; he threw the knives at you; he practically killed Edward and got Myra kicked out."

Tris flinched, "He didn't have a choice with the knives! And what happened to Edward and Myra wasn't his fault."

"You're seriously defending him?!" Christina's voice was full of disdain and disbelief.

"He just saved my life Christina- maybe he's not what you think he is." Tris said quietly, before walking off. She couldn't fight with Christina, not now, not about Peter.

"Drop it Christina, she's been through enough tonight." Tris heard Will say as she rounded the corner and just before she entered the dorm she heard Christina say, "I don't trust him Will."

Tris sighed and crept into the dorm, hoping everyone was asleep already and wouldn't try to speak to her. She slunk through the darkness, afraid that at any minute someone else would jump out on her. She moved slowly, completely alert now and made her way to her bed. She pulled her boots off once she got to her bed and then slipped under the covers. She heard Will and Christina come in and climb into their beds next to her.

She stayed still, not wanting either of them to speak to her, and laid on her back, eyes on the ceiling. Her heart was pounding again. She couldn't believe what had happened to her in one day. She thought of Four and his Divergent theory; of Al and Drew trying to murder her; Peter being her rescuer. Peter. She blinked and the ghost memory of his lips on hers made her shudder in her sheets. She needed to speak to him; to thank him… she just wanted to see him and ask him who he was: good or bad? She needed to know.

She stood up, slipped silently out of her covers and crept over to Peter's bed. He was led still but suddenly shifted as she approached. "Stiff." He knew it was her and he sat up. She froze.

"Peter, will you come with me?" She had whispered so quietly she didn't know if he would hear her, but he stood up from his bed and towered over her. She swallowed at the sight of his broad silhouette in the dark and turned on her heel, heading back to the hallway. She could hear him following her and when she got out of earshot of the dorm she turned around to face him. She couldn't see him clearly still but his eyes glittered back at her.

"Spit it out Stiff."

She sucked in a breath, "I wanted to say thank you. For saving me."

He snorted, "You needed it."

Tris ignored that barb, "How did you find me?"

"What? Don't worry Stiff I don't waste my time stalking you. I was going to the training room."

Tris wasn't sure she believed this but she said nothing.

"Is that it?" His voice was bored.

"No," Tris replied softly, she stepped towards him, "Why did you save me?"

"Why not? Figured it'd be more fun keeping you around to see if you actually make it. Besides, it gets rid of Al now that he's caught- that pussy really pisses me off." He was smirking as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Tris glared, why was she bothering? "Why do you have to be such a dick all the time?"

He snorted again, "Not very grateful are you?"

She huffed, "What's the point in being grateful if you didn't do it for me."

"You want this to be about you?" She could practically feel the smugness emanating off him now and she flushed.

"That's not what I meant."

He stepped towards, his eyes glinting in the near-dark again, "What did you mean then Stiff?" his voice was low and she stepped away, determined to keep her thoughts clear, when her back hit the wall. He stopped a foot in front of her. Her body remembered only its reaction to his kissing her before.

"Are you good or bad Peter?"

"What do you want me to be Tris?"

She shivered as he whispered her name- the first time he had ever said it- and he leant forward again, his hands both resting on her hips. They slid up to her waist and pulled her slightly into him and he dipped his head down to hers.

She couldn't speak, her whole body felt like an exposed nerve, but she pushed her body against his with a sigh and as he pressed his lips against hers she felt her eyelids flutter shut and her hands snaked up to clutch at his biceps. She opened her mouth under his and his tongue traced her bottom lip and a mewling sound escaped her; she would have been embarrassed if she was not so aroused by him. He pulled back from her though, his lips just millimetres from hers. She opened her eyes and he pulled further away, dropping his hands from her waist and stepping back completely. She stared at him, her heart in her throat.

"Night Stiff." He said throatily, before turning away from her and walking back into the darkness of the dormitories.

It took her a while to realise he hadn't answered her question.


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