Sarah watches his eyes light up with surprize and his fingers twitch around her neck, the pressure becoming sufferable and allowing her to greedily suck in the air around her.
Eric's grip becomes less as he stares deeply into her eyes, until he suddenly shoves her away.
Her hands instantly feel around the burning skin of her aching throat while taking deep shuddering breaths. She can only comprehend what the soldier is feeling as Eric doesn't make a move to let him go. But she sees his eyes rolling into the back of his head, the consciousness draining.
"Get out!" he bellows, scaring those present. Dropping his pinned victim to the floor, he rubs at his brow, not bothering to face any of them. Wayne hesitates for a second, before dragging the girl to the door, and the soldier is left in a crumpled heap on the floor, along with his futile attempts to come around. "All of you, OUT!"
Opposed to test him further, Sarah hurries into the corridor, leaning against the wall to gather herself. Clair had made the right decision to sit back behind the safety of her desk, but her eyes are glued on the Abnegation girl, somewhat softer than usual. Stumbling up to the desk, Sarah manages to croak out, "Can you show me back to the apartment…please…", catching the way curious stares linger towards her neck.
"You're either brave or stupid," Is all that Clair says before standing and guiding her to the elevator.
It's not like Eric's apartment was any comfort to Sarah but at least it is far away from him and his foul mood.
A whisper in the back of her brain comments on how he had been so close to choking the life out of her. But what also confuses her is how he refrained from doing just that. Defying his known character.
For some absurd reason, she suddenly thinks back on a conversation at school about how life is supposed to flash before the eyes at the very end.
But it hadn't been anything like that. All she could only think of was preventing a huge mistake he would've made by drawing away the attention.
Whether it had been her Abnegation upbringing or plain stupidity as Clair had rightfully commented, she didn't know. And she didn't want to think of another outcome.
Sure, Eric had been difficult the last day or so, and for reasons he didn't divulge. And she was also aware of some of the workings of his mind, but it seems different this time. His lack of control. His dismissal of the room. Eric was fraught…
She takes her time idling in his apartment. At one point dithering over looking in one of his draws in the bedroom and thinking better of it when she imagined him finding out.
As darkness falls and there's still no sign of him, she takes the longest shower, leaving her hair down but redressing while packing her bag. She is going to tell Eric that she wants to go home. Putting up with her parents would be better than constantly risking her life. She needs time to herself, away from anything that is him as the lines of their symbiosis and bizarre association with each other are becoming blurred. She realises that distance is needed, especially for her own sake.
Sarah is eating at the island bar when she hears the familiar sound of the lock swirling, and Eric steps into the room. He looks at her for a long moment and then to the bag, putting two and two together.
"You're leaving?" He still sounds mad, his face echoing his annoyance. Eric's usually pristine appearance is corrupted by his scruffy collar, his jacket half-mast and the dark bags under his eyes.
"I have to go home," she says. "I can't stay here. Not with you. I can't be with you in the day and put up with in the night as well. Not anymore." He doesn't say anything, just waits but still frowns agitatedly at her. "I'm not under orders to stay here."
She breaks eye contact unwillingly, showing her anxiety. She swirls her pasta with the fork with her heart racing erratically while all the while trying to appear indifferent. Time away from him and the cool off had given her a slice of confidence. Not a lot, but enough to voice herself.
After all, she had looked death in the eye and survived…
Eric sighs, shrugging off his jacket and moving closer, making her shift a little back in her seat when he reaches out and caresses the faint marks on her neck, reminding him slightly of his tattoos. "You have a habit of royally ticking me off," he all but whispers. "The man deserved to die."
"And that was your decision to make?"
"I had every right." Eric says defensively, dropping his hand. "You don't have any idea of what's going on do you? …of course you wouldn't… you only see what you want to see," he half mumbles to himself, stifling a jeer at her expense.
"I only see what you want me to see. And same goes for everything else…"
"Fine." Eric pulls a stool, sitting uncomfortably close to her. "I'll tell you. The other factions are being intercepted by the factionless for food and supplies. I've been working on securing multiple zones and fencing off areas for safety. Redirecting popular routes and forbidding places factionless tend to roam. I've squared off Abnegation and Amity first," Eric says slowly while tilting his head, watching as his words sink in by her mouth parting slightly and avoiding him. "Along the way we get examples of the soldier in my office earlier. Thinking they know better and getting too big for their assigned boots." One of his eyebrows rises as he talks, exhaling the next minute before explaining further. "He ordered a patrol into a well-known and highly hazardous area where five Dauntless lost their lives this morning." Sarah swallows dryly. "Killing him would save a trial. But I now have to do that, on top of everything else because you played diplomat."
"I couldn't watch you-"
"And that's why you're not going home. It's not safe." Eric stands, trying to end the conversation by ignoring anything she says completely.
"You can't keep me here." She slips off the stool, taking a step behind it. "I don't belong here."
"Give it a rest."
"No!" She raises her voice. "You tried to kill me!"
"Fuck you. Fuck your stupid ass opinions and thoughts, you know jack shit," Eric waves her off dismissively.
"I know that you are human like the rest of us and you try to pretend you're not. I know that you think you are in control, but you're not! Look at what you did to me! Again!"
"You're testing my patience," he growls threateningly as he saunters towards the bedroom. He grabs her bag on the way, taking it with him. He empties the contents on the floor just inside the bedroom.
"What are you doing!?" She races over, trying to pick everything up, reluctantly crying now as every plea seems to have been shot down in Eric's stoic style and knows there is no way he was going to allow her to leave. He throws the empty bag across the room, treading quickly into the bathroom where he washes his hands and splashes his face with cold water. "I need my bag. I need my stuff. I need to go home-"
"And I need you here!" Eric's tone is heavy but decisively clear. His hands slam on the bowl of the sink powerfully with his words and he leans down into his arms, his head between his two broad shoulders. "Fuck this…"
He rushes past, grabbing his jacket and heading for a quick exit.
"Why?"
With the door ajar, he peers back to her standing there nervously and playing with her hands. Her damp hair wavy and long, framing her face. Her cheeks are rosy, eyes catching the light and they shine with unshed tears. When she bites at her lip and looks to the floor, his resolve breaks… Shatters.
"I don't know why I do. But I do. Just accept it." He snarls the last part, expecting her to throw herself sobbing to the floor. But she doesn't. Keeping his voice even and body taut, he tells her, "I won't be long." And the door locks behind him.
Eric doesn't really know why he is here. But he knows he needed to get away from the Stiff before he did something he might have regretted later.
He knocks once, quickly, and hears the footsteps on the other side.
Nina only opens the door a fraction, eyes widening, and leans up against the frame with a flirty smile on her face. "I knew you'd be back."
"I knew you'd be waiting."
"Got bored with your adorable little pet?" Her hips sway as she walks away from him, inviting him inside. It's not the first time he's been here. He's been here in the past, but the size of the room always seems to throw him compared to his lavish place. "I guess you didn't come here to chat?"
"Not quite."
She pours two glasses of bourbon, smiling over her shoulder on his reply.
She's much taller than Sarah. Her legs longer. Her hair dark and cut to just above the shoulders. Even her clothes sit tightly to her body, the complete opposite to the Stiff. Eric gnaws his cheek, he cannot think of the stiff now.
He sits down quickly on her small couch, leaning against the back and casually throwing his legs out in front of him. Even though she poured the drinks and brings them over, she places hers directly on the side, handing him a glass which he knocks back quickly as she throws her legs either side of him, straddling his lap. She takes the glass from him, and whether he wants to or not, he looks at her hands, nails painted black and long as they then grip at his jacket, pulling him closer. Nina grinds her hips against him and his irritation starts to peak already.
"Wow…you're a little strung tonight, aren't you?" Nina whispers in his ear derisively seductive. "You want me?" Her tongue begins to trail across his jaw.
An unusual white noise buzzes in his ears, scenes flashing back from all the questionable things he's said and done towards Sarah. His own voice replaying in his head. "I want you to want me."
"I do want you." But it's the wrong voice speaking back to him. Suddenly his body tenses up, realizing he muttered the words aloud and grips her hips painfully as she leans towards his lips.
He smirks. "You are such a whore…"
The dark haired woman pulls her head back, eyes flicking up and down in confusion. "What?"
"Get off me." Eric all but kicks her away, watching her drop like a heap to floor. His hands shake and he begins to feel the rush of heat up his back. The feeling almost similar to panic. Desperation riddling him to get back to his apartment.
Stepping over her, he throws the door open, leaving it to swing back on its own as he redirects his path the way he came. Wayne spots him, hovering at his door and pressing his code into the keypad as Eric passes. "Hey!" He calls with an amused smile on his face but Eric barely looks at him.
"Not now."
The elevator even takes too long, making him tap his foot and push the button repeatedly. The corridors seem torturous, the people he passes too curious of his stride.
Typing in his own code, he steps quickly into his apartment. Sarah's not in the kitchen like he thought. "Sarah!" He shouts while peering to the bedroom. He hates the desperation riddling through him.
There she sits, meekly, on the end of his bed. Her hands are cupped in her lap, her skirt splayed out either side of her. And she looks frightened. "What happen-"
Gripping her forearm and making her stand, she braces against him, and he dips his head, claiming her lips hungrily. Out of surprise she doesn't respond straight away, probably vying on the edge of caution – and rightfully so. But that's only until he licks at her top lip and he feels the goose bumps rise under his hand. "I need you…now." She tries to divert her eyes but he pulls her face up to look at him where reluctantly their blues meet. "I need you. I won't say it again."
"Eric I-"
"You what? Don't want me? We both know you do." His hands slip down the small of her back, caressing and soothing with the pads of his fingers.
Sarah lets her eyes close with the sensation, sucking in her bottom lip when she feels the hot trail of his mouth on the side of her jaw, lowering onto her neck. The room slightly sways and her knees buckle when he bites at the skin lightly. A small moan subconsciously leaves her throat.
Humming through her own noise, she mutters, "It's not that…" Next he pays attention to the small reveal of her collarbone, sucking at the flesh and leaving her almost panting. "I imagined being with someone I… loved. Not like-"
"I never thought you were one for romantic fairy tales." She feels him smirk on her skin. "Live a little." Knocking out her knees, she lands on her back, staring up at him with wide eyes as he looms over her. He parts her legs and she allows him to press his hips between each thigh. He kneels between her and reaches for her stockings, slowly lowering one until they strip away from her skin. He drags his hand up her leg teasingly, the trail of heat and the strength in his hand making her quiver before he begins working on the other.
Not knowing what to do with her arms, she leaves them loose at her side, but ruffling the sheets between her fingers. "Am I just a toy to you?" It is a question lingering in her mind from all the times people called her out on being his play thing. She needs to know, through his words.
Eric leans back, his brows dipping in thought and the light catches his piercings. He takes a minute to find his answer, seemingly mulling over the words in his head before he utters them. "You're not a toy… You are Sarah Bennett."
The stocking is peeled from her leg and he hitches up her skirt, revealing her stomach, placing his mouth on the smooth skin. Her breath is caught in her throat as his tongue swirls soft patterns, moving up towards her ribs and a wandering hand skims a thumb under her breast. "…Assigned to me." When she manages to breathe again, he leans back and she watches his eyes roam across her stomach, his palms moving along the curves of her hips and waist as if he is memorising every little piece of her. "…A distraction." His gaze burns, and she fidgets self-consciously. "…A woman with too many questions."
He tugs up the material of her dress, forcing her to slightly sit up as he pulls it over her head, the long locks of hair cascade across her bare skin. He makes light work of the pale cotton bra and he throws it across the room, only to latch onto her breast, his mouth cool against her warm flesh. She hisses and squirms, his erection hard against her core through the cotton of her underwear. "…And you are mine."
Eric groans in annoyance and complete frustration, sitting back on his heels to undo his restricting jacket, shrugging it from his shoulders, revealing the plain black shirt underneath. He hooks his fingers under the hem of his shirt, about to pull it off, but she sits up and reaches out, doing it for him.
She travels the plains of his body once bare, with splayed hands, avoiding eye contact at all costs because she knows he will love the way she is finally showing her interest. He gazes down at her wanderings and he seems to give her a minute to scour across the tense muscle, fixatedly watching the movement of her hands. Trailing up his chest, he leans back down to her, his weight dipping the mattress as he braces an arm either side of her body, his lips capturing her mouth.
"Promise me something." Sarah says breathlessly. "Promise you won't hurt me anymore."
"I'm Dauntless, Sarah. It's what I do."
"Not with me." She needs to hear it. "I need to be able to trust you. I don't want to be frightened."
So he nods. "I'll try." But before she can protest, he pushes his fingers into her underwear, sliding between her folds till he enters her. Some sort of sighing gasp of his name quivers from her lips and it makes him hum to himself appreciatively.
She has never sighed anyone's name in that certain way before. Fully aware that she has also certainly never felt the need to have his hands on her body as much as she does now. Maybe she is just as deluded as he is. But it is thrilling. His need and lust for her gives her a sense of empowerment. The big bad Dauntless Leader, capable of many things, but when it comes down to her, she is the main reason for his lack of control. It makes sense, his frustration with her, his crazed actions towards her. He was out of his depth. Though she knows it is lust and not love; she could bet that this was the first time he has ever told anybody he needed them. It was all in the tone of his voice and his hot and cold attitude towards her. His games have turned into his weakness; and he loathes weakness and in turn loathes her, which has turned to lust. It is all his own doing.
She is snapped from the thought by the same sound of her underwear. The piece of cotton is discarded to the side of the bed somewhere and his thumb encircles her clit, making her grip onto the mass of his shoulders, trying to anchor herself as the feeling of release almost becomes uncontrollable.
Sarah is vaguely aware of the sound of his belt buckle and the wash of cold air rushing between them when he shifts upwards while discarding his pants. But she can barely think with the way his fingers curl, and he alternates the movement of his hand. It is all too much but not enough at the same time. She knows that he knows exactly what he is doing. If he would bother to up his pace she would be lost to the bliss of ecstasy within a few seconds, but he won't let her. Eric is in control now, and what's more, is that she wants him to be.
He pulls her up, and turns until he is propped up against the headboard as he all but drags her with him. She fumbles as he tugs her to hover over him, the heat of their most intimate parts just grazing against each other, his thick thighs stabilizing her, her knees on either side of his hips. A pulse thrums throughout her body, she knows what is happening, what is about to happen - and she wants it to happen. And it is with that realization that she looks away from him, suddenly overwhelmed and embarrassed by that peculiar sensation.
"Look at me."
The hot hand that cups her jaw is so unlike the man she has perceived him to be, especially when his thumb caresses against her flushed cheek. She makes sure to keep her eyes on him when he reaches between them, placing his erection at her entrance. The usual piercing blues are almost black when his eyes flick up to meet hers again.
"There's no pleasure without pain," his voice rumbles lowly while his grip tightens around her hips, and he pulls her down on top of him.
Inch by inch, with the rhythm of his rolling hips, she accepts him. Sarah finds herself biting the inside of her cheek tasting blood and clamping her eyes shut, unwillingly yelping. He sits completely up, wrapping his arms around her body in some form of comfort. Eric's breath flutters elatedly but all she can think of is how tight everything feels.
Whimpering to herself, he silently instructs her by slowly rocking, guiding her how to move.
Open mouthed kisses cross her chest, strong hands moving up the indentation of her spine and he pulls her closer. She dares to feel the muscles in his arm, digging her fingers into the skin and he exhales sharply. "You're fine, Sarah," he comforts her, "Fucking fine." She watches his lips as they part in pleasure while he gazes up at her, then eventually capturing them between his teeth with a groan.
Reaching out to his face, she traces the line of his jaw, the day-old stubble rough underhand, and she is amazed with the fact that for once he isn't frowning or mocking with his expression.
Still in his embrace, Eric flips them both over, thrusting into her before her head hits the mattress. Parting her left leg wider, he then grips it, his mouth back onto her neck.
Sarah doesn't cry out because of pain, it's the pulsing of pleasure, the ache of unfamiliarity of something she had never known she wanted. She actually likes hearing the hitch in his throat, the one or two moans that escapes him loudly.
Eric's hand slips down her arm, his fingers entwining with hers as he holds her tight, chasing his release. Then it hits her. The gasp caught, her eyes fluttering shut and her head tilts up towards the ceiling. Eric doesn't stop thrusting into her, and she says his name again breathlessly while a whitewash of bliss whisks her away. She only hears him grunt quickly, between a growl and self-satisfaction while pulsing against her womb as he comes inside of her.
Sarah's legs quake. Both of them catching their breath and Eric's body seems less tense while on top of her. She can barely move, and he doesn't for a good minute.
Eventually he peels himself away, the slippery wet feeling pooling between her legs as he does. "Go to the bathroom." Eric says quietly, "I need to eat." She watches him scour for his boxers, but only to wipe himself with them then saunters off naked to the kitchen.
She cups herself as she walks quickly, closing the door behind her and sitting on the toilet. There's blood - not a lot, and she is sore, but she finds herself more sated than anything, yawning while sitting there and head feeling heavy.
Sarah slips back into bed and sleep overtakes quickly. Whether Eric comes back, she would never know.
Biting the end of a pen was an unavoidable habit of Eric's. Sitting back in his chair, surrounded by the familiarity of his office, he smirks, watching as the girl before him shakes with anxiety.
Should he tell her that he slept with her sister last night and that she fucking loved it?
Calling his name and moaning underneath him the whole while and that she utterly wanted it?
Mary peers to the floor when catching the amused expression on his face. And now he knows she is not to his taste. She's taller than Sarah and her hair a weird matt brown he didn't like. Although her face is round, her chin had a different shape and it ruined the image for him. Plus, her eyes were horribly lighter than Sarah's ocean blue and he thinks that there is definitely not an ounce of fire within her.
Whenever he moves, she seems to be on the verge of passing out. She probably would – Eric stifles his laugh on that thought, though the image was highly entertaining.
But anyone who would quickly look at the two girls would say they were easily related to each other. He wonders if they felt the same…He shakes his head, pushing the evil thought from his mind.
Somehow he still writhers back in thought to the morning, when he had woke. He had dressed quickly as per usual, leaving Sarah to sleep. However, he had been reluctant to leave and had found himself hovering over her as she had slept, for a long time that would've been considered creepy if it hadn't been him doing it himself.
With an inner turmoil, he had reached out to her face, lightly stroking the line of her cheek and feathering off into her hair, twisting a lock between his fingers. At that moment he had scolded himself, turning swiftly and heading straight for his office where he had known Mary would be waiting for him. However, Sarah didn't know that. Eric wonder if she even knows what day of the week it is.
"You're timely, like your sister," Eric finally breaks the silence. He has been sitting there grinning to himself for far too long.
"Thank you, Mr. Coulter," Her warbling voice replies back to him. "Is my…is Sarah okay?"
"She's fine. She says hello."
Mary nods multiple times, keeping her head low. "Where is she? I-I thought she would be here."
"She's in my bed," he smirks back to her at the way her eyes widen and she can't even look at him anymore. "She had a rough night."
"Oh."
"Oh indeed…" He taps the desk, thinking back to the way Sarah sighed his name. "So…" He says way too loudly and scares the young Abnegation. "I'm guessing you know why you are here.? And I wish I could say that Mr. Tulver is as timely as you are, but he's proven that to be untrue." He pulls back a draw and finds the same papers Sarah signed. "Come here and sign this."
Eric pursues the same tactic he used on Sarah, making her lean across him to sign her name. Mary's hands shake, unlike her sisters. He's about to comment on it when a dishevelled Wayne enters his office, patting down his wild mane of hair in the process.
"Speak of the devil… Mary meet Wayne." Eric watches as the Dauntless official scans her up and down, and then smiles appreciatively.
"Why…the pleasures all mine…"
It's around midday when Eric enters into his apartment, catching Sarah in the middle of the living area. A bowl of whatever she's eating in hand while wearing his shirt from yesterday. She looks up at him, the fire that Mary lacked fully sparked in her eyes. It takes him five short strides to stop in front of her, coaxing the bowl from her hand without much effort to place it on the nearest counter.
He then scoops up the back of her bare thighs, her legs wrapping around his waist and making her grip onto his shoulders. "Hello, Sarah." His words gravelly while he walks towards the bedroom. "Did you sleep well?"
Sarah's head tilts a little at him, almost shyly and there is no way to avoid his penetrative gaze. "I did."
"Good." He places himself seated on the edge of the bed with her clinging onto him.
"I need more clo …oh…othes…" She trails off as he unexpectedly pushes his fingers inside of her, testing her and teasing her. He chuckles because her juices are already flowing and for the main fact she's not wearing underwear.
Sliding a hand up her back, he grips her hair harshly and she gasps, her breaths fluttering on his face while forcing her head back to reach the soft skin of her neck. There are marks from their last encounter along with the prints of his fingers. It only signified how much she is his and no one else's,. And if he had his way, she'd never leave the apartment again so she didn't so much as have to breathe the same air of another man.
She still watches him closely, her eyes hooded in this position. "Hold on to me," Eric says while standing, leaning to get room to unbuckle himself. Slipping his pants to his knees, he repositions himself so she can get a better balance on the bed. And slowly, she sinks down on top of him. For a minute her face scrunches up, and he allows her time to adjust.
But he really ought to tell her that her sister is here…
He waits till a spark of his own pleasure fills him, the wicked thought heavy on his mind, fuelling his arousal. He grips her face harshly and she stops moving against him. "Do you know what day it is?"
Confusion sweeps over her features. "Saturday?"
"No. It's Sunday." He smirks up at her.
"What?!" She tries to pull away, shifting her legs to get off him, but he holds her hips steady. She bucks like a fucking rodeo horse and it feels fantastic.
Quickly he stands and flips her onto her back, pulling her ass to the side of the bed. "It's Sunday, Sarah." He thrusts deeply inside her. "I guess you know what that means." Her pathetic attempts to fight only fuel him further. She even goes as far as biting his forearm and he hisses out a curse, paying her back by driving deeper.
Eric sees her hand and grabs it before it connects to his face, biting the pulse point of her wrist. She yelps, but his pace quickens and eventually she lays a hand on his shoulder, her head tilting back as a sure sign of the pleasure controlling her.
Eric exhales sharply, peering down between their bodies and licking his lips in a frenzy of need. "You're going to stay at Dauntless," he commands, having finally made his mind up. She doesn't say anything nor seems coherent when he tries to make eye contact. "I'm going to allow you to go home…" He pushes her leg wider and she moans underneath him, small hands tugging on his neck, nails biting into the skin. "…and I'll come and get you tonight." Sarah's lips are parted and he can't help but graze the bottom one with his teeth, her tongue responding by jutting into his mouth where he sucks on it. "You hear me?"
But she's gone. Her forehead touches his and she whimpers repeatedly, curling her fingers into the material of his jacket, her walls constricting around him as she spasms underneath him.
Reluctantly following suit, he murmurs her name…
Sarah had to wear her clothes from yesterday – without underwear. But that is only until she got home. She waits impatiently for the elevator to land on the level of the pit where she knows Mary would be waiting because Eric has told her so.
The doors slide open and she spots her instantly, looking around herself anxiously and cowering away from a group of Dauntless who passes her.
"Mary!" She shouts, jogging the little distance between them, and the sweet eyes of her sister latch onto her, a smile spreading across her face. She opens her arms and they almost collide. "I've missed you."
"I can tell!"
"Are you okay?" Sarah pulls back, pushing a stray hair out of her face and bringing her back in just to feel the warmth of her embrace again.
"I'm fine," she chuckles. "It wasn't as bad as I thought."
"Oh." Sarah frowns. "You ready to go?" Mary nods and they exit past the guards and follow the usual short path back to Abnegation. "I got you this…" Sarah digs around in her grey bag, pulling out an apple, one for her and one for Mary. Surely Eric wouldn't miss two apples…
As they both buff and then bite into their apples they smile at each other briefly. "So….you're staying at Eric's?"
"Only for a while. He says it's safer." She takes another bite and peers off between the large buildings, knowing full well that she's avoiding going into details. Mary isn't stupid.
Between the alleyways and sparse roads are six-foot metal grated fences separating them from the abandoned parts of the city. Every once in a while, a truck of Dauntless would pass loudly and they would have to step to the side and the guards would stare them down. Eric was right, he has been busy. "What's been going on?" Sarah breaks their silence.
"Protests from factionless. They were outside Abnegation a few days ago and Dauntless turned up. We had to stay inside till they were dispersed and school was cancelled. But nothing other than that. Oh, and Father is on the council now!" Mary smiles.
"That's…great. How has-"
"Mother been? Hmm, well, let's just say she's been…difficult. I don't know whether it's her leg or something that's now frustrating her, but nothing gets passed her without her knowing, and she's flipping awful," she giggles. "But Lizzie stepped up and has been taking care of Thomas, although you can imagine she doesn't stop complaining."
Sarah's heart sinks a little as they get nearer to the grey square buildings they called home. "Mary, I have to tell you something. Our parents caught-"
"I know." But Mary focusses up ahead. "It's okay. It's really none of our business."
"Thank you."
Mary looks at her now, her brows furrowed, and touches her hand briefly. "For what?"
"For being the only one not judging me."
"I think you're incredible, Sarah. I really do. After today…" She grimaces. "I see that this hasn't been easy for you. At first, I admit, that I thought everything was perfect in your life and I was jealous. I knew how good it would be to have your initiation within Dauntless and perhaps the options for your job aspects would be endless. But it's not like that… I know that now. Abnegation are selfless. And what you did without a second thought for the family is a prime example of that."
"When did you get so smart?" Sarah nudges her arm with her elbow.
Mary laughs and they stop on the gravel path outside the house. "Maybe it's because I have a great role model."
Though it is a compliment, Sarah feels heavy. Not everything she has done is agreeable. And she certainly doesn't want her closest sister having to look up to some of her actions or take anything from her. "The things I've done-"
"Thomas will be excited to see you," Mary cuts her off purposefully. "And I'm sure Lizzie is the same although-" She stops because of the yelling inside the house and they share a look between each other. "Lizzie…" Mary rushes forwards, swinging the door open.
"I'm not a babysitter!" Lizzie shouts towards the propped mother at the table. Thomas is crying in the corner and Sarah rushes over, scooping him up.
"Sarah?" Her mother questions, but she ignores her completely, trying to calm the distraught boy. "How was Dauntless, Mary?"
"What's going on?" Sarah speaks for them all and over the top of Thomas's howling. She didn't really care anymore if her mother sniped her, or called her out or even completely ignored her for that fact.
"Oh, it's just Elizabeth being Elizabeth."
"It's not fair! Both of you are at Dauntless." Lizzie points to them. "And I'm now the official babysitter?!"
"It's just one day." Mary says softly.
"I want to go to Dauntless too."
"You're fourteen, you're being stupid. Not until you're older…" Sarah says while stroking Thomas's head and pulling up his jumper.
"What does he see in you anyway?" Lizzie begins and Mary tries to shut her up by condescendingly calling her name. "Look at you. Walking back in here like you have a right to and trying to belittle me for not wanting to be a mother hen at fourteen. Do you know my friends don't have to do this?"
"Lizzie stop, you're upsetting Thomas." Mary tries.
"Whatever…" She puts her hand up flippantly. "I have girls at school telling me things about my family. They laugh-"
"It's just rumours, " Mary says quickly.
"Oh really? Our parents caught her. She is a slut. You're only defending her because you feel sorry for her." Mary gasps, looking at Sarah and shaking her head to the false words.
"It's okay," she says, still tending to Thomas. "She can think what she likes. Whatever I say isn't going to change her opinion."
"I knew this was going to happen," their mother exhales. It grates on Sarah and she feels herself tensing up even just by the sound of her breathing. Her patience with the woman has gone below zero. She'd been faced off with people far more threatening than her and she'll be damned if she lets this judgemental woman get away with it any longer. "Prime example of your reckless behavior."
"What the HELL are you talking about?" The room drops to silence. "Mary take Thomas upstairs." In passing, Mary nods at her. Until they are out of sight, Sarah waits, then approaches the table slowly. "Lizzie, sit down please." With the serious look on her face the young girl does what she's told. "You wanted me to do this. Now you don't?" she says incredulously.
"I wanted you to keep it a secret. The entire world apparently knows."
"That's not my doing."
"No? Then whose is it?" Her mother tilts her head.
"You're jealous, aren't you?" Sarah leans forward on the table, a shocked sneer on her face as she shakes her head. Her mother was cruelly deluded. "This isn't about my behavior at all. Not that you have a say anymore and not that I have a sense of pride to really be bothered. You're jealous that I took your job. At first, you thought that he would have his fun with me and then get rid of me just so it could benefit you. But you know now that I'm staying on, and that's why you hate me. Anyone would think you have a crush on him."
"How dare you!"
"No!" Sarah shouts for the first time. "How dare you!" She hits the side of her fist on the table and surprizingly the sound echoes. "I used to think Eric was far worse than being at home with you, but now I know how deceiving you can really be. I seriously can't stand to be in a room with you. If it weren't for my brother and sisters, I would happily never set foot inside this house again." Sarah looks at Lizzie. "So now you know who we should all really blame - If we're playing the blame game. It's that disgrace of a woman in front of you. Thanks Mother, for showing me the lesser of two evils." Standing up, she wraps her cardigan round her. "Every Sunday I'll be visiting my siblings, not you. And the fighting stops here. Once your leg is better, you will look after Thomas, and Lizzie can do what she likes. After all…" She shrugs. "You don't have a job anymore."
Sarah leaves the table, heading upstairs to find Mary, and her mother peers at Lizzie, a little too relaxed after the eldest daughters outburst. "We shall see. A daughter always needs her mother."
A/N
Thank you for all your fantastic reviews and messages! I hope you enjoy this one ;)