A/N: Included in this chapter was a personal challenge to myself. To include a chapter about a pick up football game in the world of divergent. Challenge accepted! And what better day to do said chapter than on a day that was filled with coffee, football, baking and general loudness as I muttered and yelled at the screen in our home. So in tribute to ridiculous calls and plays...I give you another weekend retreat chapter but also some really touching moments with Eric and Elle.

Disclaimer: This is all V Roth's thunder dome...I'm just tossing in stick figures for the big dogs to play with.

Chapter 10

The rest of that morning passed almost too quickly. I baked a few cakes and other items after breakfast. Logan had ended up finding a football so we got together a couple of teams, but had to explain the rules first, and the plan was to play until lunch.

Logan looked around the kitchen where everyone playing was gathered. "Alright we're going to have team captains. But the captains don't pick their own players. The other one picks for them. Eric and I are those captains. Does everyone understand the rules? And remember, you can tackle but let's keep this civil and fun. If you can't you don't play."

His eyes went to Four and Eric who were glaring at each other. Although Four's glare was more directed at Erics arm that was around my shoulders, draped lightly but still holding me to his side.

"We got it Logan." Zeke said looking over at Four with a frown but then he smiled and looked back to Logan. "So let's get to picking teams. I'm ready to play!"

We all laughed and then Logan and Eric started looking around the room evaluating. I smirked though because I already knew what Logan was going to do and he had first pick.

"Alright I won the toss. I get first pick. So for the first pick for Eric's team. Four." He was trying to suppress his smirk but was failing and the both guys were glaring at him.

Eric's jaw clenched. "Fine. Will you go with Logan."

"Scott." Logan picks the second player.

"Uri" Eric calls out and from the they shoot off names rapid fire.

I am surprised though when I do end up getting put on Eric's team. I think he would have killed Logan if he hadn't though. When I got called for the team Eric almost had a wide ass grin on his face and pulled me closer to him.

In the end our team was Eric, Four, Me, Zeke, Scott, Hector and Lynn. For Logan's team he had himself, Uri, Will, Candice, Jake, Seth and Emmett. Size wise it was a pretty good distribution. I was the smallest and I could see Jake, Emmett and even Scott smirking at that thought.

They didn't know that just because they might be bigger doesn't mean they are better or faster. I have been watching old football matches for ages. I am big sports fan.

We get time to talk plans and plays off to the side. And Eric looks at me seriously. "Alright let's work this shit out. I am thinking that Four you will be a running back. Elle, you too, you guys are going to be the fastest two. Lynn, you can be the tight end. Zeke, you got center. Scott and Hector will be my linebackers but Zeke you and I will need to pull double duty. We protect our running backs. Nothing touches them. You got Four and I got Elle. Four how do you feel about doing the long passes?"

I am already smirking because I like this plan. Four looks to me and cracks a smile to me for the first time today and my face lights up. I can see guilt flash in his eyes before I shake my head and just keep smiling. He sighs and looks to Eric. "Yeah. I could work with those."

Eric nods and looks to me, his smile softened to see me so happy about the game but Four as well. I can see a bit more tension towards Four, for the moment anyways, lessen. "Elle, I will be putting some down the field for you too but I am thinking of doing some fake hand offs with you. You're fast so I think we can pull those off."

I smirk and nod. "I'm ready when you guys are." I start rolling my shoulders a little and Lynn throws her arm around my shoulders as we make our way back to the center of the big clearing we found to play at.

Logan was smart and had some fast runners set to be all over me. He didn't expect Eric to go with Four as the other running back but he sure as shit pegged me. I couldn't do the real passes but I got in some fake handoffs that Eric set to pass to Four as he was going to run the ball or like he was going to pass to him but then I had it.

Eric took his job seriously and it was a sucky day for Will and Emmett when they went after me. Not that Four wasn't any better to be honest because he took it upon himself to help out there too. I still got hit a few times but it wasn't too bad. I had to restrain Eric once when he thought it had been 'unnecessary roughness' until I pointed out it was tackle football we went with not flag football for a fucking reason.

He had just smirked and commanded me not get tackled again. He was only half serious.

It was fun because for 'half time' everyone that wanted to watch but not play had found places to set up food, beer and other beverages so we all just plopped around in different spots eating or taunting each other about plays we had made.

Four and Eric even seemed to get along during the game but it might because they were on the same team. There was still tension especially when Eric hugged me or held me during timeouts. Really anytime he put his hands on me, which was a lot, there was tension. It started to lessen as the day progressed though and I guess when they both started working together to keep me from charging down field and being tackled it got a bit better.

I told Tris later that if all it had taken was for them to act like a couple of fucking rams and headbutt while trying to protect a girl with a ball for them to get along then maybe that should have been done a hell of a lot sooner. We laughed but Eric and Four didn't find it amusing. Eric just quirked his eye at me giving me a look like he was promising me pain later.

In the end our team won. Not by much but it still felt fucking amazing to win.

We did zip-lining again after lunch but then groups started breaking off, mainly couples, to go do things. By some agreement Eric and Logan had decided that Logan, Emma, Eric and I were going to go hiking on our own. So we packed up and headed out for our hike.

We also ended up doing some rock wall climbing but didn't go far or do much because Emma couldn't do all of the ones we would have done otherwise. Once we were at the top we stopped and had our own smaller lunches. The views were amazing from the new place we hiked too. I tried not to blush when Logan insisted we get group and couple pictures up there.

We almost didn't want to head back it had been so relaxing. Eric had held me against his chest as he we sat on a rock, with me between his legs. I didn't feel the need to fill the silence with chatter and we just took the time to enjoy the quiet, the view and each other.

The lodge was chaos compared to the mountaintop we had just been on when we got back. It wasn't bad just a bit jarring. I ended up going to go get a shower and changed for dinner. On the way I got waylaid by Chris, Shauna, Mar and Lynn.

They all wanted to see about getting that serum. Emma came to my rescue and promised to handle it for me. She also came with me to get ready in my room and to talk.

"How did you know Elle?" She asked quietly as she sat in my bed. I was pulling out things to wear and waiting for Zaria to get done with her own shower. Caleb had just dropped off my new tablet phone.

He had one delivered to us and had turned over the other one to keep it active and recording any messages or calls Tyler made to it.

That was Tris and Eric's decision to be able to give him room to hang himself. He had apparently threatened me via message at least one more time.

I looked at her and chewed my lip. "Logan is who I go to for pretty much anything that is really bothering me. I have pretty much been close to him from the day he and I met. I had talked to him about relationships and he told me about his one real relationship. He didn't mention your name but enough that between the looks and what he told me, I figured it out."

She sighed and nodded then gave a small sad smile. "I've tried for years to move on but I just never could."

I frown and go to sit beside her. "I'm sorry if I made things worse for you two the other night. I don't know what I was thinking…." I trail off unhappy I might have caused them pain.

She pulls me to her in a hug. "No you didn't make it worse. I have felt whole for the first time in years. I won't lie and say it won't be difficult but we will find a way to be together. We've both been miserable without each other and it is time to change that."

She spoke so firmly and happily that I smiled at her. "Emma, is Olson your mother's maiden name or something?"

She smiles proudly at me. "As a matter of fact it is. I changed it when Logan and had our choosing year. We knew Eric was….." She stopped and looked at me. "Has he told you Elle?"

I blush and nod. "I guess I should have known then that he felt something for me. When I went to Dauntless, I was staying days or evenings at Logan's because Four and Tris were going through something. He started to talk to me about things. That was one of them. I had asked for his side on why Four hated him so much. He was approached to act as a spy of sorts and act like he was all for the plans."

She nodded with a frown. "At first he refused. All he saw was the danger to me. Our parents were among the ones to suggest it so he wasn't worried about them. It was because he knew I would be staying in Erudite that he wouldn't contemplate it at all. So before he gave the final word we came up with the plan that I would distance myself from him publicly. He would do the same and then when I had my choosing I took my mother's last name. The hope was that I would be removed from their minds completely and he could concentrate on what he needed to do. It also gave me the chance to go where I needed to go as well to help where I could. I was a plant of sorts at the school. It was how I knew about you and was able to approach your mother. I already felt protective of you Elle. Your passion for learning but also just your passion reminded me of Eric so much." She squeezed me slightly. "I tried to protect you as much as possible but also to help you prepare too." I smiled at her softly.

"You did everything you could. You and Caleb even warned Mom and Dad and that helped so much Emma. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't done that." I hear Zaria getting out of the bathroom and calling she is done.

Emma nods and rises. "I'll go get ready for dinner. I think tonight will be pretty low key. A lot of the couples are heading off to do their own Amity explorations and dinner plans." She blushed when she said it so I guessed that Logan and her and something planned.

"You two have fun then." I smirk at her and stand up to head to get ready. I take my tablet phone and put on music while I get ready, just taking to time to relax. I don't dress up but I do make sure to look nice.

I put on a long sleeved black top that had a embroidered damask lace design on the neckline. The neckline cut was a v neck so it was nice without being to stuffy or revealing. Pairing that with regular jeans and boots I left my hair down and makeup simple. When I was finishing up I heard a knock on my door.

"It's open." I called from the bathroom trying to get the eyeliner on. I always hated that part.

I knew it was him before he came all the way into the bathroom and luckily I was pretty much done.

"You look amazing Elle." He smiled as he leaned against the doorway.

I blushed and smiled. "Thanks." I looked over him and saw he was dressed similar but he looked still looked amazing. He had a simple black ribbed short sleeved light sweater on that still managed to cling in all the right places, dark black jeans and his normal boots too. "You look really good too Eric." I finally managed to say as I tore my eyes away from him, face flushed

He chuckled and pulled me over to him. "I am never going to get tired of the way you look at me." He whispered as he tilted my head up so he could look into my eyes.

"How do I look at you?" My blush got deeper because I had to have some crazy looks sometimes when I was fighting my body to just jump him.

His smile got a bit deeper and I melted a bit more against him. I loved that he showed me this side of him. "Like I am someone worth being with."

I couldn't help but press myself against him as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Eric." I sigh his name and then lift up on my toes to kiss him. I don't know the words to say that he was always worth being with. That I feel lucky that he was willing to wait for me because I don't feel worth that wait.

His hands go around my back to grasp my shirt as the kiss turns passionate for the both of us. I don't know how long we stood there kissing until our hands started to roam each other. I couldn't help but give small moans and whimpers into the kiss as we explored each other a bit.

Our breathing was getting more ragged and I could feel the burning and need going deeper into me by the time he pulled back. He was almost gasping when we did break apart and clung to each other, his lips pressed to my forehead and both of our eyes closed.

When our breathing returned to normal he cleared his throat. "I wanted to ask you….we might be too busy after Academy starts….but did you want to have dinner with me tonight? I just, I want to have our first date when we aren't having to worry about schedules and all the other stresses we might have."

Neither of us had moved away from each other or the position we were in so I smiled and nodded slightly, with his lips still against my forehead. "I would love that Eric."

I felt his smile against my skin and he sighed almost in relief. "Good. I hope you don't mind, but I thought we could just have it on the balcony again. It seems every nook and cranny is filled with people with the same idea."

I laughed and nodded. "No last night was perfect."

He nodded his agreement with the smile still in place. "I really liked getting to hold you all night Elle." He admitted it so softly that I might have missed it if we hadn't been pressed close together.

"I really liked it to Eric. I even liked waking up with you." I blushed hard at the thought of me this morning.

He groaned a bit but chuckled. "Yeah me too. You don't have to but if you want.."

I smirked and moved my head to press against his neck and kissed him softly. "That's kind of why I mentioned it Eric."

I felt his heart pick up as I kissed more along his neck. His voice got husky when he chuckled low. "You are going to make it very hard for me to take this slow, aren't you?"

I was still smirking into his neck but didn't answer. He groaned and then pushed me back slightly and kissed me softly before pulling back. "I don't know if you want to take anything for if you do stay with me tonight. I want to go and get things set up but could you meet me at me room in fifteen minutes?"

"Fifteen minutes sounds good. I will meet you there. Did you need any help?" I ask with a blush.

He shakes his head and cups my cheek. "No I want to take care of it." With one more kiss and look he leaves so I can get some clothes together. While I am doing that I have a thought and I message my sister.

"Elle?" Tris comes into the bathroom a few minutes later as I am putting things in my bag.

"Hey…." I trail off and blush and she walks over to me with a knowing smile.

"Are you going to stay with him again?" She is trying not to laugh.

I nod and then frown. "Hey wait. How do you know I stayed with him last night?"

She shrugged and rolled her eyes. "Four. He came and knocked on your door and Zaria told him she had seen the bed was empty from your side of the bathroom door. Don't worry we are talking him through his issues."

I frown and nod. "He seemed better after the football game. I hope at least."

She nodded and smiled "He even said he felt guilty for taking it out on you. He is just worried. He is a stubborn ass sometimes and refuses to see things until he is almost hit upside the head with them."

I sigh and nod. "I think most of the problem is they are so much freaking alike. But yes, I am staying with him. He asked me to have dinner with him. As our first date because he didn't want to have to do that while we are all so busy."

She smiles that knowing smile but is genuinely pleased with his actions. "He is already scoring major sister approval points then. You deserve to be treated like that Elle. Someone that wants and will do nice things for you because you will be doing the same thing for him. Don't think I didn't notice that all he had to do was mention that he liked mexican food for you to make that one of the meals you brought for all of us during one of those meetings."

"Shut up Tris." I mutter blushing. She wasn't wrong. He had mentioned it during a conversation at a party and I had remembered it. So when I started making meals to take them I had just automatically thought of and made that.

"You should have seen his face and smile after he opened the box of food when you left. He just stood there looking into it for a few minutes before Max got his attention with a cough." She giggled a little as she followed me out of the bathroom and I gather the rest of the clothes, nightclothes and essentials I might need.

I sighed internally at the story and then looked at her seriously. "He said something earlier and it almost broke my heart but at the same time I felt something...something almost overwhelming and scary and wonderful." I say in an almost whisper.

She comes over with a worried look. "He didn't say that he…"

I shake my head to interrupt her but my stomach does flips at the thought of it. "No. But it was probably more important. I was looking over how good he looked and I didn't realize how long I was looking at him. He just chuckled and held me. Then he said he would never get tired of me how I looked at him. When I asked him how I looked at him….he said like someone worth being with."

Her face softens and she pulls me to her, knowing it was breaking my heart that he hadn't had that before or that he still had to be known as the asshole because it was what our faction needed. "You need that too Elle. Does he make you feel that way?"

I nod into her shoulder. "That and so much more."

She sighs relieved. "Good. Then I won't worry, because as long as you feel something Elle then I don't care if in the long run it doesn't work out, or if it does. I just don't want you to settle."

With that she kisses my forehead but walks me down the stairs and breaks off when I go to head to Eric's room.

I try to tell myself that I won't try and push too far tonight, but I can't lie to myself. He might be trying to take things slow for me but I don't know that I even want to do that much. The passion and affection I have and am feeling for Eric feels like a tidal wave pulling me under and I don't know that we should be trying to fight it. If the next few months will be so busy and stressful….why not take the time to enjoy each other and this while we can.

Carpe Diem….right?