I sleep surprisingly well considering the upcoming trial. I'm sure the rich dinner, drinks, and adrenaline crash after my new tattoos play a part in that. With no commitments in the morning, I plan to sleep in, but old habits die hard, and I'm awake almost as early as usual.

Rifling through my closet I feel completely overwhelmed about what I should wear to the trial. I decide that a visit to Christina, who is supposed to be opening at the clothing store, will solve that problem, so I throw on something comfortable and head down to the pit.

I don't find Christina at the store, and her coworker tells me that she took the day off to attend the trial at Candor. I make my way to her apartment and knock quietly in case she's sleeping in. She answers the door almost immediately.

"Hey, Tris!" she says. It's obvious that she has had her coffee already this morning, because she is usually quite crabby in the morning.

"So you took the day off?" I ask.

"Yeah," says Christina. "I wanted to be there for you at the trial. Will is only working until noon so he can go, too. Uriah and the other ambassadors are going because they have to represent Dauntless. Zeke is staying here with Four, and Shauna and Marlene are on duty. I don't know if Lynn is going."

I can't help but smile at how thoughtful my friends are.

"That's kind of why I was looking for you," I tell Christina. "I don't know what to wear."

"You came to the right place," says Christina with a grin.

She runs back to her bedroom and gathers a huge bag of clothing and god knows what else, then practically drags me back to my place.

"Okay," she says, throwing clothes out of my closet, "what are you thinking?"

"Short sleeves," I say. "I got my leadership tattoos and I want them to show."

"What!?" Christina squeals. "When did this happen? Did you get your test results already?"

"Yesterday. Eric came and got me for dinner and told me, then the other leaders met us at Tori's after dinner and we had drinks after I got my tattoos."

Remembering Eric's gift I run out of the room.

"Tris?" calls Christina.

"Hold on," I yell back. "I have the best news."

"Better than your test results?" she asks.

"Okay, maybe not better than that," I respond coyly as I return to the bedroom sporting my new leather jacket in place of the hoodie I had been wearing.

Christina screams. Literally screams. "Oh my god, Tris! What? How? Where did it come from? Were you messing with me making me think it was gone?"

"No," I assure her. "In fact I cried over it after you left my office the other day. Eric bought it for me. He had seen me visiting it at your shop and bought it as a congratulations gift. He gave it to me last night when he brought the news that I passed my test."

"He so likes you," she says knowingly.

Just then we're interrupted by my apartment door bursting open.

"Tris!" calls a panicked voice.

I rush out to the living room and find Eric standing there shirtless, wearing only a pair of jeans. There's shaving cream residue on the edge of his jaw.

"What happened?" I ask, startled by the sudden intrusion.

"I heard you scream," he says as he catches his breath.

"Christina, get out here!" I yell. "You owe my neighbor an apology!"

Sheepishly, Christina peeks her head out from my bedroom.

"Sorry, Eric," she says. "I got kind of excited and squealed."

"Squealed?" he asks. "That was a full-on scream. I thought Tris was in trouble." I watch his muscles tighten as fear hardens into anger.

"Sorry," she repeats, shrugging her shoulders and ducking back into my bedroom.

I approach him carefully, and place a hand on his bicep. I resist the urge to stroke the planes of his muscular arm, and lean in close to his ear conspiratorially.

"Now do you see why I can't give her my spare key?" I ask quietly so Christina won't hear me.

Eric laughs, his tension evaporating. He pulls me into a tight hug and sighs.

"I'm glad you're okay," he says finally.

Suddenly realizing my face is pressed into Eric's bare chest, I pull back, blushing. Eric chuckles again.

"You're wearing the jacket," he says in a low voice, reaching out to stroke the supple leather on my arm.

I nod. "That's actually why Christina screamed. She was so upset the other day when the jacket was gone from her store that she cried about it. She got a little excited when she found out I that you bought it for me."

"A little excited?" he chuckles. "I'm going to finish getting dressed now. I'll come get you at 1:00 if that's okay with you. Max wants us to travel to Candor together. He has a car for the leaders."

I nod in response, and he drops a kiss on my forehead before leaving the apartment.

As soon as I walk back into my bedroom, Christina gives me a knowing look.

"I told you he likes you," she says confidently.

I roll my eyes at her. "Enough teasing. Dress me, oh fashion guru."

We settle on black skinny jeans, my combat boots, and a short-sleeved black sheer top with a black camisole under it. It showcases my leadership tattoos, and my raven tattoo shows faintly through the sheer material. Christina fixes my makeup with strong black eyeliner and a neutral lip. I feel strong and confident.

Christina convinces me to grab a quick lunch in the cafeteria with her and Will. I get a lot of stares, but my between my jacket and knowing my leadership tattoos are under there, I feel confident. Let them stare. After today this whole Peter mess will be behind me, and I'll be a leader of this faction.

Christina hugs me before she and Will leave to catch the train to Candor. I briefly wonder if she's nervous about going back to her old faction, and if she'll see her parents or sister.

Walking back to my apartment, I find Tobias and Tiffany standing in the hall outside my door.

"Tris!" he calls as I step out of the elevator. "I was afraid we missed you."

I shake my head. "I just had lunch with Chris and Will. Eric is picking me up in a few minutes."

"I just wanted to check with you one last time. Are you sure it's okay that I'm not going to be at the trial?"

"Four," I begin, not sure if I should call him Tobias in front of Tiffany yet, "not only am I okay with it, but I think it's actually for the best. I want to keep you out of this as much as possible. Between Peter's confession and my report I think we can do that. Try to relax and I'll check in with you as soon as I get back from Candor. Okay?"

"Actually, Zeke managed to patch us into Candor's security feed, so we'll be watching the trial in the control room," he says.

"You can do that?" I ask, wondering who else will be observing me today.

Tobias shrugs, "Zeke is a goofball, but he's a whiz with technology. He connected to their camera feed. No one else can do this, that we know of. It will just be the three of us watching from here. You don't mind, do you?"

"No, To -, um, Four. I actually don't mind as long as it's just you guys. It'll spare me from having to talk about it later and I can just go home and crash."

"That's exactly what you're going to do," comes a deep, firm voice from down the hall. "When this is behind you I'm making sure you get a chance to rest, and no one will be allowed to disturb you."

"Hey Eric," I greet him. Tobias nods and Eric returns the gesture.

Eric comes down the hall and puts an arm around my shoulders.

"I'm still not happy with you, Eaton," he addresses Tobias. I notice Tiffany has no reaction to hearing Tobias' surname, so I assume he has told her at least that much about his past. "You were in charge of the initiates and you knew about the attack. It was your responsibility to file a report and see that jackass removed from Dauntless. He nearly killed Tris and you just let him get away with it."

"Eric, stop," I say firmly. "We've been over this. Four wanted to file the report, but I wouldn't let him. Let it go."

"I'll let it go when justice is served," Eric replies, still staring at Tobias. "Until then I just wanted to say my piece."

"For what it's worth," Tobias says in a contrite voice, "you're right. I should have insisted on reporting it. I should have done my duty as a trainer. After everything my father put me through I should have been the one to move heaven and earth to get a jerk like Peter the punishment he deserved. I let Tris' pleading sway me. I'm thankful every day that Peter didn't come back for Tris or hurt anyone else, and I want to see him pay for this as much as anyone, if not more."

Tiffany wraps an arm around Tobias and begins rubbing his back. I guess she knows all about his past since he mentioned his father's abuse in front of her.

"Well, we all said our piece," I say in my firmest voice, trying to move things along. "Now let's go to Candor and see that Peter, and only Peter, pays for what he did. Eric, I believe Max is waiting for us."

"Thank you, Tris," says Tiffany.

I look right in her eyes, smile, and say, "I'll do my best."

.

xxxx

.

From the moment we leave the hall outside our apartments, Eric is stuck to my side like glue, offering silent support to me, and intimidating glares to anyone who approaches us. We walk down to the Dauntless garage and climb into a black SUV. Max sits in the front with the driver, and I'm seated between Veronica and Eric in the back seat.

When we arrive at Candor, Max leads us into the building while Eric and Veronica flank me. The five faction ambassadors, including Uriah, walk behind us. We make quite the intimidating spectacle with our tattoos, piercings, black leather, and scowling faces. We march en masse to the elevator bank, then divide into two groups to take the lifts to the top floor and Candor's largest courtroom. Once both elevators arrive, we get back into formation and march into the courtroom with military precision. It's an incredible show of strength, and in spite of my growing anxiety I feel safe in the middle of this group of Dauntless leaders.

The courtroom is a semi-circle with raised rows of chairs that allow the audience to see everything, even from the back of the room. At the front of the room is a platform with a single chair, and an elevated desk with an image of the Candor scales on its face. Between the audience and the stage are two tables, with two rows of chairs behind each. Max leads us to the first table, which is labeled "Plaintiff." Max, Eric, Veronica, and I all sit at the table while our faction ambassadors fill the row behind us. I see Christina, Will, and Lynn in the first row of the audience, directly behind the ambassadors.

The second table is labeled "Defendant," and the only person seated there is a young Candor lawyer in a black suit, white dress shirt, and black and white tie. An older couple sits in the row directly behind him, and the woman is sniffling and dabbing at her eyes. They must be Peter's parents, who live here in Candor.

Promptly at 2:00, Candor's head leader, Jack Kang, enters the room. Everyone in the room collectively stands to their feet. Kang steps up onto the platform and says, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Candor criminal court, the honorable William J. Peterson presiding."

At this, an older man in a long black robe enters from a side door and takes his place up front at the elevated desk. "Be seated," he calls, "and bring in the jury."

We take our seats as a group of twelve Candor men and women file in from another side door and take their seats in a box to the side of the judge.

"Bring in the accused," Judge Peterson calls once the jury is settled.

Two Dauntless and two Candor guards enter the room with Peter. He is dressed a shapeless outfit that looks like hospital scrubs. They're a black and white print, I notice, but from a distance appear to be grey. How fitting. Candor wants everything to be black and white, right and wrong. But as the accused, they have yet to decide which side Peter belongs on. Until that's determined he's in a grey area, and Candor can't tolerate grey areas.

Peter is seated at the table with the young Candor lawyer in the black suit, and the four guards sit in the row behind him, with his parents.

"You may begin," the judge says to Jack Kang.

He nods. "Ladies and Gentlemen, today we will be hearing the case of Dauntless vs. Peter Hayes. Hayes is accused of two counts of assault and one count of attempted murder. Mr. Hayes, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty," snaps Peter.

With his claim of innocence comes a sudden realization that Peter could get away with this and come back to Dauntless looking for vengeance. My breathing becomes shallow and the courtroom swirls around me in a grey fog. Eric notices my panic and grabs my hand under the table. His other arm wraps around to my back and he begins rubbing it comfortingly. Veronica, seated on my other side, pushes a glass of water toward me. I take a small sip and a deep breath.

Kang admits into evidence Peter's taped confession, which is played for everyone in the courtroom. His words are slurred, but clear enough, and it's terrifying the way his eyes light up when he brags about attacking Edward with a butter knife, and laughs about getting Al and Drew to help him throw me over the chasm. Eric and Veronica lean in close during this part, and at one point I feel Uriah's hand on my back. Max glances at me as the video ends, and I nod my head and sit up straighter.

The next thing Kang presents is my written version of the events surrounding my attack. I hear whispers and even some gasps as the details are read, but I keep my head up and bite my lip to control its quivering as I fight tears.

"Does Dauntless have anything to add?" asks Kang.

Max looks at me and I shake my head. "No," he says in the strong voice of a confident leader.

"Very well," continues Kang. "The next step is to question the accused under truth serum. Mr. Hayes please come sit on the stage."

Peter complies, looking defiant in spite of his prison uniform and bound hands. The Candor leader injects Peter with a green serum, and a minute later his shoulders slump and his eyes become glassy.

"Please state your name for the record," says Kang.

"Peter Hayes."

"To which faction were you born?"

"Candor."

"Which faction did you choose for yourself?"

"Dauntless."

"Thank you, Mr. Hayes," Kang continues. "You are accused of assaulting another initiate by stabbing him in the eye with a butter knife. Did you do this?"

"Yes," says Peter through gritted teeth. "That stupid bastard…"

"That's enough, Mr. Hayes," Kang scolds. "Just answer the questions, nothing more. You are also accused of assaulting Tris Prior. Did you do this?"

"Yes," Peter growls. "The stupid bitch was going to beat me by sleeping her way to the top."

"Mr. Hayes," snaps Kang, "I'll remind you again to answer the question without including your personal feelings. Tell me about the night you assaulted Miss Prior."

Peter tells his story: goading Drew and Al into helping him, waiting for their opportunity, following me into the hall, and the attack itself. Every word comes through gritted teeth as Peter tries and fails to fight the serum.

"Mr. Hayes," Kang asks when Peter's monologue ends, "what happened to your accomplices, Drew and Al?"

"Drew became factionless when he failed initiation, and Al killed himself, the pansy," says Peter.

A woman in the back of the courtroom sobs loudly. I peek over my shoulder and see Al's mother, whom I recognize from visiting day all those months ago. Her cry reverberates in my soul and tears roll down my cheeks as well. I wonder if his parents were informed of his death, or if this is the first they've heard about it. Veronica hands me a box of tissues as Eric resumes rubbing gentle circles into my back.

The judge bangs a wooden hammer on his desk. "Order, please," he calls out, and the courtroom quiets again.

Jack Kang resumes his questioning. "Mr. Hayes, when you and your accomplices attacked Miss Prior, was it your intention to kill her?"

"Yes," Peter spits. "I told that dumb lug Al that we were just going to scare her, to give her something to be afraid of and screw up her sim times, but I wanted her dead."

"Mr. Hayes, before I administer the antidote, do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"Yes," says Peter in a much easier voice. "I was the best initiate Dauntless had. Edward ranked first because he fought dirty, and I wasn't going to take it. The stiff ranked above me even though I was a much better fighter because she was sleeping with our trainer. He adjusted her sim times to bump her past me. I was defending myself and ridding Dauntless of corruption.

On top of that, the video confession you showed was a total setup. I was out drinking with my friends and that bitch decided to flex her muscle as a "leader in training" and have me locked up because I told the truth about what a pansy Al was. I don't remember saying the things in that video. I think it was a setup!"

Rage washes through my body. Not only is Peter saying this crap to defend himself, but he actually believes it. I take several deep breaths and another sip of water, trying to collect myself as the antidote is administered to Peter and he returns to his table.

"Max," Kang addresses our leader, "would you care to address Mr. Hayes' accusations against your faction?"

"Certainly," says Max, jumping to his feet. "First of all, Peter Hayes was by far not our best initiate this year. If we compared both transfer and Dauntless-born initiates, he was fourth or fifth after the first phase, and significantly lower after that. Secondly, if an initiate felt that something in training was being handled unfairly, they should have come to a trainer or faction leader with their concerns. Assault is unacceptable no matter how the assailant feels. Third, Miss Prior's simulation times were not manually entered, with one exception when a computer overheated, so there is no way they could be manipulated, even if she had been unfairly favored by her trainers. Fourth, Mr. Hayes' lockup on the night of his confession was completely warranted. Miss Prior called on security because Hayes was trying to start a fight. When he was taken to the detox hold, a breathalyzer test was done, and he blew .1%, well above the legal limit, which proves that his lockup was beyond justified. Surveillance cameras show that Hayes was alone from the time he was locked in his cell until the next morning, so the confession caught on camera could not have been provoked by anyone in Dauntless."

"Defense, do you have anything to add?" asked Kang.

"No," says the young lawyer, completely defeated by Peter's testimony and Max's statement.

"Dauntless, do you have anything to add?"

Max glances at me, and I shake my head. "No," he states.

"Then ladies and gentlemen I rest this case," says Kang.

"Thank you, Mr. Kang," says the judge. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you will be taken into the jury room to deliberate on the guilt of innocence of Peter Hayes. You are to consider nothing but guilt or innocence on the three charges that have been presented here today. Guard, take them away."

A Candor guard leads the jury back into the door from which they came at the beginning of the trial.

"We are at recess until the jury returns with a verdict," says the judge, banging his hammer again.

"How are you doing?" Veronica asks quietly.

"Fine," I say, leaning in as she puts an arm around my shoulders. "I'm glad that part is over. Now they just need to come back with the guilty verdict so this can be over with."

"I'm confident they will," says Max, "and quickly, too. It's a pretty obvious case."

"I hope so," I say, afraid to believe that it will really be this easy.

Less than ten minutes pass when Jack Kang returns to the courtroom. Everyone stands again as he introduces the judge, and we sit as he calls in the jury.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" the judge asks.

"We have," they state in unison.

Jack Kang walks to the jury and receives a sheet of paper from a juror in the front row. He carries it to the judge who reads it aloud.

"We the jury find Peter Hayes guilty on all counts."

I sigh. The crowd cheers. Peter's mother sobs. The judge bangs his hammer again to silence everyone.

"Based on the evidence and the jury's verdict, I offer the following sentence: on the two counts of assault, which carry a maximum penalty of factionlessness, I sentence Mr. Hayes to factionlessness. On the count of attempted murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, I sentence Mr. Hayes to life in prison. Combining all three charges, I sentence Peter Hayes to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Court is adjourned."

With a final bang of the judge's hammer, it's over.

The audience applauds justice. Peter's mother continues crying as her husband drags her out of the courtroom. Peter himself is silent as he is led away, still shackled. I observe all these things at once as I am mobbed by my friends, fellow leaders, and well-wishing strangers. It's a wild blur of noise, motion, and hugs. All I can do is hold my head up and force a smile that probably looks more like a grimace.

Eventually Dauntless leadership works our way back to the elevators and out to the waiting cars. I cling to Eric's hand, letting him lead me out of the Merciless Mart and to the waiting SUV. He guides me into the back seat and climbs in behind me. I take in a shuddering breath and the world fades to black as I pass out.