The atmosphere at the table is torturous. No one has said anything to each other, just shared looks every now and again. Sarah actually finds herself glancing towards the front door, longing for an escape in the form of certain Dauntless Leader.

They are waiting patiently until John enters. He stares at her in disgust but sits quietly with a long sigh and they begin serving the food. Sarah wishes that she had taken another place at the table, away from him. They are too close and sometimes she could feel his eyes burning holes into her, especially towards her neck.

"Isn't this nice…," Her Mother says suddenly. Everybody looks up at her but she keeps her eyes on her food. "The family back together." Mary catches Sarah's attention and shakes her head, pleading with her not to react. "We going to do this every Sunday now? Is this now a thing?" Nobody answers. "Hmm?" she keeps probing. "Sarah? You are the one who set this new thing, after all. An arranged family meal only on Sundays to see only your siblings."

John wasn't here for their earlier argument and now he directs a sharp glare at Sarah.

"There is no need to go over this again," Sarah says quietly. "Let's just enjoy-"

"No, I want to hear." John interrupts her. "Is this true? That means you're not coming back during the week anymore?"

"It's not safe to be moving between here and Dauntless," she explains quickly, "especially with these protests."

"Are you in a relationship with Mr. Coulter?" her father asks in a cold voice, completely ignoring her explanation.

Sarah blushes instantly. "No, of course I'm not. That's ridiculous."

"How so? This has gone farther than just a job to the point where you are staying at Dauntless. What other interest would he have if you weren't benefitting him with a relationship?"

"Hold on a second, what type of relationship are we talking about here?" Even though she's defensive she also feels trapped. She's a terrible liar.

"Look at your neck."

"It's none of your business. I'm sworn to confidentiality."

John just laughs at her.

"We all see it, dear, we're not blind." Her mother always has to have her piece. "At least you did something right-"

But she is saved by a loud knock on the front door, and John glares at her one last time before standing to open the door. Eric fills the frame but he's looking half-way down, out towards the street. When he sees John, he peers behind him.

"Sarah," is all he says, a command and an acknowledgment in one.

She stands briskly, happy to get away from all the attention, and waves lightly to her siblings all staring at her.

"Thank you again, Mr. Coulter; for your swaying hand on my position in the council," John says proudly.

"Yeah, whatever." Eric watches her approach and she can't help but swallow thickly under a man with such influential power by just the way he holds himself. "You got your stuff?"

She points beside the door and his head drops before he bends and picks it up. Sarah throws on her long jacket and watches Eric nod at John before he hurries her along by putting a hand between her shoulder blades. The truck is directly outside, the tires on the small patch of their pathway to the house leaving a huge tire-marked hole.

She pulls herself up into the truck and finds her seatbelt, wrapping it around her. Eric starts the engine and drives off silently. The sound of the rumbling distorts the air around them and she forces herself to look at him. "Thanks."

Eric seems lost in thought when he glances at her, his eyes curious as they roam over her, forcing her to explain. "I don't like going home anymore. Nothing is the same." When he doesn't reply, she gazes out the window.

"That Mother of yours is a real piece of work."

A chill swirls in the cab and Sarah pulls up her hood, wrapping her arms around herself. "I didn't think you noticed."

"I notice everything," Eric smirks to himself, his eyes sliding across to her. "Like two apples missing."

Sarah bites her lip and tilts her head down, trying not to show her smile.

Eric wakes before his alarm. His body is used to the routine. But what he's not used to is a warm body pressed up against him. All the times they've shared a bed he always finds Sarah curled into his back, her nose poking between his shoulder blades. Most of the time he moves away or pushes her and she'll sleepily roll away. He knows she doesn't have a clue of her actions, even before they started sleeping together, and he isn't going to lie and say he doesn't enjoy it. In fact, half the time, he forgets she is there.

Eric likes his own personal space, and any form a physical closeness is not needed. He also knows being psychologically close to her is impossible; they are too far and between in terms of morals and personality. What he does like is control. And control he has. Over her physically, and now, it also appears mentally.

He throws a hand out behind him, pushing her thigh to get her to move, and she does, as expected. It gives him enough space to roll onto his back, and he looks at her, her side rising and falling while she sleeps.

What he could say, is that he likes the fact that she is quiet. She keeps to herself and is just as comfortable as him to sit in silence. Silence is a sacred treasure and he can't afford disturbances caused by some deviant woman. Also, her ability to control actions and thoughts hasn't gone unnoticed, although he could bend them to his will if he really wants to.

It's on that delicious thought he rolls to his side and presses his chest to her back, running a warm hand across her ribcage, dipping down into the small of her waist.

He also likes it when she moans his name…

Lizzie hates the way her faction cower from the fences. They haven't been there that long ago and now it is just stupid that there seems to be this new rule of boundaries and they literally can't cross that line. Before that line, this area had been part of Abnegation.

"Thomas, hurry up." She yanks his arm a little harder gathering the young boy's attention and he picks up his speed a little.

The same thing every day. All her responsibility now. What made her sisters so special?

"Oi!"

Lizzie throws a look to the voice beyond the fence, still walking hurriedly. The young man, no older then eighteen-nineteen she guesses, jogs along the other side to her. "Hey! Slow down."

She keeps her face guarded. Speaking to the factionless could get you in trouble and she doesn't like the group of young people he just strolled away from who are staring at her.

"What?"

"I knew it. I knew you were different." He smiles, accentuating his green eyes and Lizzie frowns at him. She scans over his black but tattered clothing. He was a bit dusty and the jacket he wears is worn but he doesn't look dirty like some of the older factionless.

"What makes you think you can speak to me?" She turns to face him and Thomas hides behind her.

"The fact that you look like you'd rather be anywhere else than here right now, made me speak to you? Were you talking to yourself?" He's still smiling.

She looks both ways before stepping closer. "I wasn't speaking to myself, I was…thinking out loud." Has she really been mumbling on the way to school? "I'm not allowed to speak to you. Good day."

She begins marching off and he keeps pace.

"We're all human here."

"Apparently you're not. You're just… dangerous vermin."

"Ouch! That hurt, little red." She halts mid-step, annoyed that her fiery hair has come into the conversation. "Careful…these fences are nothing more than a deterrent. We could pass through them if we really want to?" His eyebrows rise at her. "Which leads to a pretty good question. Because, are we fenced out, or are you fenced in? Who is really in control here?"

"Eric Coulter. And if you're not careful, I'll tell him." The guy is right, though. It is pretty much just a small barrier and anyone with a brain could get through. Her stomach flutters at the thought of it, suddenly feeling unsafe.

"The man himself? Get out of here! Like he'd listen to you." His face gets all smug and if it weren't for the fence, she'd probably slap him.

"Maybe not me, but to my sister he would. So I'd be careful if I was you." Crossing her arms, she gives him her most sinister glare.

"You're sister… and the Dauntless Leader." He bursts out laughing. "You're lying."

"She works for him. She stays at Dauntless." Suddenly realizing she's said too much, she fumbles for words then begins walking again.

"I used to be Dauntless. I was too good and they chucked me out. But I'm glad. I'm free now. No ties. No responsibilities. He your kid?"

"Unless I was six when I gave birth, no. He's my brother." She looks down at Thomas who looks frightened. A sharp laugh makes her squinting back to the factionless man.

"It's a shame. Are you just a glorified babysitter then? What a waste." He pulls a cigarette out of his pocket and lets it hang out of his mouth before he lights it. "I'm Edgar."

"I'm not a baby…," Thomas mumbles.

Peering up to the street, she sighs. "I'm Lizzie. And look, the Dauntless are coming so you better go."

"Good shout. Thanks for the heads up." He whistles to the group and they begin to disperse. "See you around, Lizzie," he winks. Instead of replying she just nods and hums, yanking her brother beside her. She gives Edgar one last look over her shoulder as she walks away.

Sarah listens intently to the two Erudite men as she stands beside Eric in his office. They are the same people as before, and she guesses they are close associates of Jeanine by just the way they held themselves.

"She isn't happy with the numbers." One clean-cut Erudite representative says with a smooth voice. He looks much younger than the other but in a more authoritative position from his clothes and because he speaks first. He attempts to push his glasses further up his nose before he talks again. "You've given Amity and Abnegation a far higher percentage of patrols and soldiers than Candor or Erudite. She wants to voice her concern that these are not the main factions we should be focussing on."

Eric sighs. "Right, so it's like Amity doesn't feed the rest of us," he says dryly.

"Her concern lies more in the concentrated security of Abnegation. There is no overall-"

Eric raises his hand in a sharp gesture, cutting him off. "Don't finish that sentence. Abnegation have personnel within Dauntless, so equally, they are of importance. If I let their safety slide they will uphold no allegiance or cooperation." Eric looks up at Sarah briefly and she makes sure to focus on the men while steadily typing out both sides of their arguments.

The young man stutters, sharing something unspoken with the other next to him. She almost wants to smile as she has the feeling they aren't going to get any slack with Eric today. "She's calculated a far more efficient schedule." He eventually finds his tongue.

"Oh, has she?" Eric feigns a smile at them, leaning forward to take the papers that are offered from shaking hands.

"She concludes that if there isn't a settlement that benefits Erudite we'll have to-"

"Have to what? " Eric interferes again. "Because all I see is that we are actually doing you a favor here, not the other way around. Erudite has their own security. If anything it should be Candor representatives sitting here." Eric scans over the papers. "What is this shit?"

His question brings Sarah's attention to the multiple sheets. There's various equations, times and different colored marked circles with numbers. It's a rough draft of the basic layout of where the factions are, and she finds herself fascinated seeing it at this scale. The fascination disappears when she spots a significant amount of red circled guesstimates surrounding Abnegation and along the road towards Amity. Her chest restricts painfully. That is her home. Her family.

"Is that the numbers for the factionless?" Sarah blurts out, almost touching his shoulder as she leans down, the shock making her voice her worries.

"Yes, Sarah," Eric says condescendingly. He looks at the two men. "Get out my office. I'll decide what action Dauntless will take, not Jeanine. And remind yourselves of that before you even think about making another reappearance. Next time I might not be so willing to waste my time."

The Erudite men's eyes widen and the one who spoke stands haughtily, far more offended then the other and readjusts his glasses again. "We'll be in touch." Their nifty blue long cloaks swirl as they hurriedly leave the room.

"Don't bother," Eric calls calmly after them, but Sarah's mind is running a mile a minute. "Your dysfunctional family is safe, Stiff. Stop fretting."

"I'm not." But her eyes linger on the paper and Eric raises an eyebrow at her. "Why are they nearer to Abnegation than anywhere else?"

"They are less inclined to defend themselves and stupid enough to still feed the factionless who are like stray cats nesting near the nearest source of food," he snorts. "Jeanine believes Abnegation are to blame for their own predicament."

Sarah glances down to the floor. "Yeah, I kind of got that impression."

"Are they?" he asks, and she squints confusingly at him. But he just waits, amusement pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"We have only ever been charity for them. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"So they are to blame?" Eric twists in his chair playfully.

"I don't know what you want me to say."

"I want you to see that whatever happens to Abnegation are tail ends of their own actions," he explains calmly. "They've made the factionless greedy. Believing they should be inclined to resources when they are merely nothing but rodents. I want you to say that you agree that the factionless should be sanctioned away from the other factions – far away, and Abnegation berated for aiding them."

Sarah puts the electronic device on the desk and folds her hands. "There are children involved. There is plenty enough to go around. I'm sure that if we come to an agreement with them that this would end."

"So you think we should compromise?" Eric lays his hands across his stomach, leaning back in his chair. "Compromise is for the weak. Compromise is admitting we are wrong."

She sees that he's just trying to make her uncomfortable and she breaks away from his gaze, shifting uneasily. "What do I know?"

"Clearly nothing."

"Then…then why ask me?"

Eric stands, tilts his chin down and pouts. "Perhaps I just want you to share my goals. Who knows? Grab your stuff," he says while placing the electronic pad in her hands.

Sarah does what she's told, then opens the door for him to pass, but he stops. "Ladies first."

"Where are we going?" Her voice echoes in the corridor and Clair peers up from her work behind the desk. Her sharp look makes Sarah hurry towards the elevator.

But Eric is as casual as ever, barely acknowledging the woman. "Amity's supply is coming in. I need to make sure the supplies are right."

Once in the elevator he folds his arms across his chest and Sarah looks at her reflection in the mirror for a split second before she sees the mirrored image of his eyes watching her, and she quickly looks away.

"You're not going all Abnegation on me, are you, Stiff?" His tone sounds strangely flirty. She tries to process his mood quickly and even the slight distance between them. "You look different today? What's this?" He reaches over, playing with the collar on her neckline, then he slants back, eyeing up the pleated skirt. "I haven't seen this before."

"it's standard-"

"Issue, yeah, yeah. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the Stiff's around me…" He leans closer. "I was missing out." The elevator dings and he steps out. Sarah finally exhales.

Who she didn't want to see was Wayne. But it was inevitable.

He is already there when they arrive and Eric strolls right up to him and of course she has to follow. Wayne gives her the once over and smiles.

"What we got?" Eric asks, but he's watching the trucks pull in, some reversing up towards the warehouses.

It's cold and Sarah pulls her jacket tighter, her fingers already frozen and hovering over the pad.

"Minimal damage," Wayne says casually, his hair blown by the sharp wind that is swirling over the courtyard. "Truck three."

"We better get it fixed before we send it back," Eric say, mainly to himself, then signals to someone with a hand. "Sarah, grab the notes from Wayne." He sets off towards one of the trucks.

"Hello, Sarah." Wayne gives his best smile and she gives him a tight lipped one back. "I've written it down, just copy this." She juggles the extra device in her hands and he keeps his head towards the commotion in front of them. "You look different. Glowing." But she ignores him. "Eric's in a better mood." She looks up at him as he leers at her. "Don't play innocence with me." Her mouth opens but nothing comes out. "You're not so special anymore, are you?" He sighs, putting his hands in his pocket to face her. "See, I saw Eric the other night leaving Nina's apartment. Saturday night, I think."

Sarah ignores the stab of hurt caused by his words. "That's…great." She attempts to keep her voice uninterested.

"Just thought you'd like to know, that's all." When he turns away, she looks up to Eric commanding the trucks and an eerily shadow begins to form right before her eyes. She should've known better.

It takes most of the afternoon to organize the supplies and they leave the courtyard late, heading back towards the Pit which, for once, seems different. It's extremely busy, music blaring off the rock walls and the glass ceiling above. The bass is electrifying beneath her feet, almost curdling in her stomach. She blinks a few times, her eyes needing time to adjust to the dim lighting that is bathing everything in a blue hue.

A group encircles two people fighting ferociously, but Eric doesn't so much as glance at them. More Dauntless are dancing all around them with a few here and there chatting among themselves. To her, everyone is tall, all their recognizable features distorted by the weird lighting, the tattoos shoved in her face along with fancy hairstyles she's never noticed before. She tries to keep up with Eric, his back broad in front of her as the crowd part before him.

She really doesn't want to be here. She doesn't like the closeness and the heat thrown off the crowds or when someone would randomly bump into her. The shouting is deafening and she squeaks and grimaces a few times as she snakes her way through the crowd, holding up her hands as if showing mercy and unwillingness to touch.

Nobody notices her in the slightest, which she's thankful for. They are all too consumed with themselves and what's going on around them – or in front of them. She hopes desperately Eric will just make a quick exit, but that idea is bashed when somebody grabs him and he greets them with a slap on the shoulder.

What turns into a minute; turns into five. She stands awkwardly, completely out of place and feeling like she is an aloof attachment of Eric's, wishing for some sort of rock or stone to hide under. Through a parting in the bodies, she spots a piece of outer wall unoccupied and she quickly makes her way over to it, leaning her back against it with Eric still in view. The wall is jagged and cold but a comforting support to her fleeting nerves. At least she felt like she was out of the spotlight, away from attracting any attention to herself.

"Gray." A man tries to insult her as he passes, sipping his drink quickly with his smirk and she chomps down hard on her lip. "Come on, Eric." She whispers, bouncing on one foot to the other, watching the pathetic Dauntless walk away with a frown on her face. The group of men Eric's talking to look older and relaxed around him. She watches the confident way he speaks and even graces them with a smile from time to time and she has no idea what they are talking about. She's more fascinated that a change of lighting and atmosphere can control the way people felt. She doesn't find him so daunting under these circumstances, not when his face flashed with blue lighting.

The music starts to become just a thrum in her brain, and the realization hits at how different a life they lead; how she could never get used this way of life forced upon her. A woman steps on her foot with a pointed heeled shoe, the pain causing her to yelp. "Oh sorry, I didn't see you." The woman laughs, drunkenly stumbling with the guy she's with. Sarah wraps her arms around herself and tries to control the unraveling sensation within her chest. Whether it be tiredness or defeatism, maybe even a sense of betrayal, she felt like crying. Away. Alone.

Bringing her eyes back up to Eric rather than her now throbbing foot, she sees her…

Nina struts up behind Eric and puts a hand on his shoulder, whispering something in his ear which he replies to, half his head turned towards the group. And somehow, Nina gets involved, saying something and they all listen.

Sarah looks down at her dress. It was the same color of the wall she'd leaned on. Of course, no one really saw her. Not really. They saw just a stiff. Why would they pay any decent, intellectual attention to her at all? Her parents were right. Her Mother was right. She was now a mistress. Just a mistress.

Nina was everything Eric really needed, in more ways than one. Sarah was sure she could rebuild her life if she needed to. If she kept low, in the background – which wouldn't be hard to do if detached from Eric. She could find a life back in Abnegation if she needed to.

"Hey!" Sarah's head whips to the left at the voice.

"Stacey?"

"Hey, stiff. What are you doing? You look lost." Stacey smiles genuinely. Sarah hadn't seen much of Stacey since the first aid course, and it was extremely comforting to see her familiar face again.

"I'm just waiting for Eric." Sarah rubs her neck, gesturing to where he stood. "I think he's forgotten I'm here."

Stacey has a drink in her hand and sips it as she follows her gaze, "Nah, Eric never comes here. I'm not surprised. This is prime time for people to get their piece in. Bet he regrets it."

She just nods. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know the way back to Eric's?"

"Not that I've ever been there, but I know." She explains the route quickly from the point of the elevator and Sarah thinks she half understands it and will hopefully recognize most of the way when she does get there.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Remember to stop by some time. Anything related." She winks and Sarah finds herself frowning. Not really understanding what she meant.

"Uh, yeah…" Instead of walking through the middle of the pit, she skims along the walls, trying to avoid people and eventually making it relatively safely back to the elevator. Although she doesn't know his code, waiting outside his door seemed a better option than the insufferable atmosphere in the Pit and watching Nina cling pathetically to Eric, whispering god knows what into his ear.

Sarah takes pride in finding the apartment without getting lost and she's sure next time she would get here perfectly fine by herself. The silence of the corridor is heaven. She tilts her head back closing her eyes and breathes deeply in the scent of some type of lingering cleaning product while pushing her back up against the door. Her bones ache from standing out in the cold and she wants nothing more than to slip into bed.

"Sarah." She startles as she opens her eyes. Eric's already in front of her. "What are you doing? Why did you leave?" When he reaches out she slides away to the whitewashed wall of the corridor creating distance between them and he frowns. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm tired." His expression says he doesn't believe her, but he opens the door anyway. She wastes no time in going to the bathroom, turning on the shower and waiting for it to warm up. Stripping off, she folds her clothes next to the sink then unravels her bun, the blonde waves slinking down her back adding an unusual tickling warmth before she steps in.

Leaving her head under the flow of water and allowing it to consume her face, she sighs contently, imaging it washing away the cold and dirt from earlier… Moments later, she's surprised to find Eric stepping in after her, but he stays behind her and she concentrates on the silver taps, not daring to look at him.

"Tell me now." He demands, but his voice is quiet.

"Tell you what?" She grabs the shower gel from the hanging metal shelf and lathers it in her hands, still avoiding him.

"Don't play dumb." He skims her side and she quickly turns to face him, pulling away as much as she can in the small space they have.

"Don't… touch me." It would've sounded menacing had she not been so naked in front of him. The words weren't malicious either, they were more of a plea. He merely plucks the bottle of gel from behind her wordlessly, then washes, but she doesn't look away. Although, his eyes flick down to her body at times.

She finishes before him and steps out quickly, grabbing a towel and heading to the bedroom.

Eric's behind her, she can feel it like a weird sixth sense. She peers over her shoulder and he watches her put on her nightgown from the doorway. "Take it off."

"No."

"Sarah…" He chuckles. "Are we seriously going to play this game again?"

"This isn't a game, Eric. I just want to go to bed with my clothes on." But hands grab her nightshirt from the bottom and begin lifting it from behind. She may be able to tell he's there, but she never hears him approach. "Eric!" She tries to bat him away and failing to do so, she firmly grips her nightwear, but he pushes her forward and she lands face first on the bed, her arm twisted behind her. "Get off of me, Eric!"

"What? You don't want it anymore? That almost sounded threatening." His hands skim her thigh, slapping it when he gets higher to her ass. Automatically, she throws her head back, clipping his face in the process and he shoves her, standing to his full height and cupping his nose. "Fuck."

Sarah turns and scrambles on her back across the bed. "You- you deserved it!" Her eyes widen at the small drip of blood from his nose, and in her pause, he launches forwards, grabbing her ankle tightly, pulling her to him.

Pinning both her hands in one of his against her chest, he smirks. "Brave move." He wipes a thumb across the trail of blood and smudges it on her face while she thrashes her head from either side. When she stills, she blows the hair out of her face, panting as she gazes up at him. "Pretty..." He sneers, then unexpectedly kisses her roughly, too roughly that it's painful and she bites him. "Fuck you." He puts his hand round the back of her head and pushes his mouth to hers again, one she can't back out of.

"I said, no!" She brings her knee up to his abdomen and a gush of air evacuates through his mouth with a grunt. More droplets sprinkle her white nightwear and she wastes no time scrambling and falling off the other side of the bed. "I'm not … an object for you to mess with when you're bored, Eric. I know you went to Nina's… before…" She can't finish, just motions to the bed.

Eric laughs, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"W-what?" Her voice shaky and momentarily dropping her guard.

"If I'd of known how jealous you get, I would've used that to my advantage earlier…Who'd of thought."

"I'm glad this is so funny for you. You've taken something I can never get back. Because I stupidly trusted you!"

"Oh, you trust me? I'm so honored." He begins walking towards her, slowly. "And if I did fuck Nina – which I didn't, that's none of your concern. What do you think happened, Sarah? I saw her and came back here and screwed you too? Wow, I do have a reputation."

"That's between you and Nina, I don't care for you or what you do. I don't want this anymore. We've had our …fun, let's just… finish it here. I don't belong in Dauntless. I just want to be forgotten, please."

"Sarah…" He purrs her name. "We've only just started. It finishes when I say it finishes, not you."

"I want to be gray!" As stupid as it sounds and probably how much it likely did confuse him; it was her earlier thoughts. She wanted to blend in, be gray like the wall she stood next to, like the woman who didn't see her. She wanted out of his eye-line. She wanted to be as invisible as she felt.

"And yet, you are so far from it." She puts a hand on his chest to stop him from getting closer. "The only thing gray about you is your clothes you try to hide behind."

"It's what I am."

"I pity you." He knocks her arm away when the strength leaves her. "Can't you see I've already tainted your gray? Don't you understand? You will never be able to view the world the same way you did before, it won't be enough."

"When we're done here. I'm not staying."

"Do you even know how long you have left?" She doesn't, everything has blurred together since being here and she knows her face mirrors her confusion. "You don't, but I do. From the very beginning. I know the exact days. I could tell you exact hours if you like as well?"

"Don't bother, it doesn't matter."

"Oh but it does. There is very little people I bother to acknowledge and they are the only people who I grace with my time. They never leave." Eric plays with a lock of her hair between his fingers, twirling it in front of him. "You will not leave."

The force of his words make her fold in on herself and nothing but a whisper leaves her. "I have my own mind."

"Do you need me to make your mind up for you?" He speaks quietly. His already bloodied thumb traces her bottom lip and she just stares up at him. Next, he mimics the pattern of smeared blood on her cheek, pushing his body closer. Leaning in, he whispers, "I'm pretty good at it."

The moment she turns her head to decipher his intentions, he guides her towards him with his other hand cupping the side of her face. There is something exquisite she tastes on his tongue. Nothing specific but something bitter-sweet.

His hand feels strong and warm, the thought of how deadly they could truly be, provocative. His fingertips dig into her skin possessively and he alternates the movement of his mouth to stiflingly slow. She opens her mouth a little wider but he hovers, leaving their lips just lingering against each other. She tries to bring him back by grabbing his shoulder, and he nips her lip, his hot breath against her face before he swirls his tongue against hers. She can hear the shaking longing as he breathes and a rough hand travels from her hip down to her thigh.

Eric lifts her, leaving one leg loose and dragging as he pushes her backward. Her ass hits the nightstand and the lamp crashes to the floor. With the shattering sound, everything becomes a little more frantic, even an urgent groan from Eric as he pushes her to sit on the small cabinet. He pulls her nightwear over her head, dipping down and feasting on any piece of skin as she holds on to him.

Eric yanks her forward by her hips, reaching between them and thrusting inside of her quickly. She almost slaps him, but stops, splaying the fingers on the side of his face instead as he pushes deeper. The cabinet knocks against the wall each time he drove further and he looks up into her eyes and holds them.

At that moment, she didn't feel the need to be invisible anymore, nor blend into the bleakness of the world she categorized herself in. – She saw color, felt the rush of warmth flush in her body sparking an unkindled fire that had been left too long in its morbid gray ash.

She was alive.

"That's not what I…can we change the-" Sarah fumbles to correct her mistake.

"You said it." Eric cuts her off, shutting her up with a hand and taking a huge bite of the sandwich sitting in front of him. "Is your bread moist, Sarah?" He asks after swallowing, his face a mixture of glee and slight exasperation.

She blushes instantly, the awkwardness of her small vocabulary now making her not as hungry.

The mess hall is just as lively as it ever was. But they sit to one side, away from most of the prying eyes. The last week had gone fairly quickly and since her self-doubt and apprehension things had gotten a little better. She knew, at this time; it was a false feeling of security. She had worked out there was only a week left of her initiation within Dauntless and after that, she didn't know what was going to happen.

However, it was now Sunday, she still had yet to see Mary and she was actually dreading their Sunday family get-together.

But at least Eric had been less intimidating, and most mornings she woke up with a wetness between her legs and his warm body pressed up against hers. He still shoved himself away when he fully woke, but that didn't stop him from laying minutes longer than he usually would or restarting what they had finished the night before.

Eric now refused her to clean up after their copulation and seemed oddly fascinated with leaving a piece of him behind, like he had to leave his mark. At first, it was uncomfortable, however, she now enjoyed the lay of claim. It was nothing a shower couldn't fix in the mornings.

"What are you thinking?"

She's pulled back to the here and now by Eric's voice and she blushes again, looking down at her half-eaten food. "I've worked out how long I have left here."

"Oh really? How devious of you. That's not…" His eyes travel over her shoulder and she follows his gaze. Mary begins for their table and she hears Eric sigh.

"Can I talk to you?" She asks Sarah, peering around her and twisting her hands together. "Hello, Mr. Coulter."

Sarah looks at Eric and he just shrugs so she stands, guiding Mary by her arm. The girl looks tired and frightened and when they get outside the doors she still acts as if any minute someone was about to reprimand her. "It's Lizzie." Mary's voice breaks on her sister's name.

"What about her?"

"I wanted to come sooner but I couldn't. And…our parents don't know this, but…" She's frantic with her words, squeezing her eyes closed and shaking her head.

"Mary… relax. Breathe."

"I caught her talking to some factionless three days ago when I walked with them to school. A young guy. I didn't tell our parents because I knew it would just cause hell. Well, she's missing."

"What?!"

"Since some time this morning." Mary finishes. "She'd been going on about how she was fed up with being stuck on her own with Thomas and being his 'glorified' babysitter all through the week. I didn't think anything of it. I think she's gone with them."

"Oh my god…" Sarah whispers. "Do our parents know she's missing?"

"They know she bunked this morning but they think because of Thomas. I didn't tell them about the factionless. I think she's got herself involved in them. I think she's in trouble. Sarah…what if something has happened? It would be my fault. But I knew they would make it into this massive thing and I thought I was just trying to help."

"Calm down…We'll just go and get her after work. Do you remember what the factionless people looked like?"

"I think so. I'm sorry, Sarah. I should've done something, but it's Lizzie, you know. I didn't think. I'm an awful sister. I should've-"

"You did the right thing." Being in Mary's position she would most likely have done the same. "Try to concentrate on work and don't tell anyone. If anyone finds out she could be detained for it or accused of working for the factionless. Hopefully we can get her before anybody notices and before it gets dark."

"Sarah!" Eric snaps as he opens the door. "What the fuck is taking so long?" He looks at Mary's shaking form but Sarah tries distracting him with a smile and he squints questioningly at her.

"Just…women's stuff." Turning back to Mary she rubs her shoulder. "I'll see you later."

Whether Eric had been suspicious or not, he didn't say. In fact, he was busy filling in reports when she was dismissed. But he seemed to stare up at her for a long moment before saying he would come to get her later.

Mary grabs her arm, pulling her from the thoughts. Sarah was walking at an incredible pace trying to get closer to Abnegation and Mary was panting behind her, trying to keep up. "Slow down!"

"The more time we waste, the more chance she'll be in trouble. Where did you see her?"

"Walking back with Thomas from school. By the train tracks." Mary whispers as a large Dauntless truck passes by.

"Ya got any food?" A croaking voice barks from the fence next to them and Mary shrieks, stumbling behind her back and gripping her jacket.

"Sorry. No, we don't." Sarah says to the old woman. Her dirty hands are entwined through the diagonal shapes of the fence, holding them way above her head, almost as if to support her. The arms of the woman look like they could snap at any minute and her hair is greased to her head along with her tattered clothes. The factionless were bad before, and she'd seen them when they would deliver care packages, but this woman was far the worse than what she remembered.

"Get away from the fence!" An authoritative voice blasts through the speakers of the truck that had stopped further up the road.

"Let's get out of here." Sarah pulls Mary and the truck reverses. The beeping from the reverse warning halts as they stop and stare down the two Abnegation women.

"Get home and stay there!"

"Yes, sorry." Sarah apologizes even though her voice is quiet and drags Mary behind her. The fence by the train tracks stood elevated over one part of Abnegation before it swerved off into a more abandoned part of the city. They still had yet to get there but the distraction of the woman and the truck of Dauntless focussing on her, it was the perfect moment. "Now, Mary."

"I can't climb that." Mary refuses and Sarah sighs, looking at the height of the fence. She was right. Gnawing her lip she travels along and spots the side panel of part of the fence resting up along the side of an old Abnegation house that had been long abandoned. It's not entirely lined up with the building and there's a minute gap. Though the fence was mainly a deterrent it wasn't particularly secure. "We can squeeze through." Sarah begins discarding her jacket, folding it and packing in her bag before pushing into to one side out of view. "This is our chance."

"This…this is a bad idea."

"Would you rather we tried and failed or not bothered at all and something happens?" Sarah's already pushing her leg through the gap. With her weight, it moves ever so slightly and she slips through, falling to the ground on the other side with a loud thud.

"Sarah!" Mary whisper-shouts, grabbing onto the fence and looking down, but she stands up patting herself and looking at the hole in her stockings.

"I'm fine. Come on." Mary's a little more graceful and slower and she hisses as the wall scrapes her back as she passes through. Sarah thanks the genes in their family for being small bodily builds. Once through, she grabs her arm and they jog away towards the train tracks.

"They could be long gone now."

"No. They are near Abnegation; I've seen the maps. If you say it was near the tracks, I believe they would still be there, there's a camp of factionless not far."

What should have been half an hour of wandering, turns into an hour and the sun begins setting. It appears darker with the rails above their heads and the larger buildings in the distance creating shadows as they wander beneath the train lines. "Sarah, our parents will be looking for us."

"We're not going back without her." She tries to sound determined but is thrown off by the daunting struts of the train tracks either side of them and the expanse of it above their heads. There's a smell of burning in the air which she put down to the factionless trying to keep themselves warm and there were obvious signs of people occupying the shelter the tracks gave.

"She's not here!" Mary stops, throwing her hands into her hair. They had checked the surrounding area, the entire area underneath of the tracks and even kept a close eye on groups of factionless nearby looking for Lizzie's signature red hair. Mary was right, she was nowhere to be seen.

"God damn it!" Sarah shouts, finally stopping. She leans up against one of the metal struts and rubs at her forehead. "I thought we could find her. I really thought we could." The first tear seeps from her eye and it angers her. She was cold, tired and fed up being constantly mocked with bereft situations she had no control over. It made her become angry thinking of Lizzie and how stupid the girl was, and what made it worse is there was nothing she could do about it.

"What do we do?" Mary asks, sliding up next to her and copying her.

"We report it." She wipes at her face. "It's messed up. Does Lizzie even know what she's done?"

A glittering orange dot flutters down in front of them. As it hits the ground the sparks of the cigarette bounce around it and they both look up at the same time. Sarah runs out first, standing back and staring up at the tracks above them.

"No." Mary shakes her head at Sarah. "We're not going up there."

"Stay here then. Keep an eye out." Sarah wasn't brave or physically strong, but she had to do this, she had to know.

She grips the rusting strut, putting her foot into the zig-zag pattern that ran up and down each leg and pulls herself up. Halfway up, she makes the mistake of looking down at Mary and feels queasy, so determinedly puts her head up and climbs higher until she eventually hits the top. It takes all her upper arm strength to pull herself onto her stomach and get a leg up, albeit ungracefully. Her hair is a mess, her body sweaty but she peers down to Mary one last time, her body swaying at the height and wondering how the hell she was going to get back down.

Gazing out into the distance with the low-light of the sun setting, she sees a different type of light. More specifically headlights, and a few of them. She points it out to Mary but concentrates back on finding Lizzie.

Further ahead is a group of people and she can see a small girl. But suddenly the tracks begin vibrating and rumbling underneath her and she stands right on the edge of the small metal walkway that graced either side of the structure. The train thunders past, her clothes swirling and forcing more of her hair from her bun. She almost loses balance at one point, suddenly finding her feet and shields her face from the wind.

When the train is gone, she realizes the group of people have stopped and they are looking at her.

"Lizzie!" She shouts anyway, squinting as if it could help her see better and taking a good a guess as any that the small girl just had to be her. She hoped. Prayed.

"Sarah?!" Finally, that stubborn voice she was so used to replies back to her and she sighs in relief, walking on jellified legs to get closer. "What are you doing here? Go home!"

"Yeah, stiff! She doesn't want to be Abnegation anymore." A male voice echoes and someone laughs.

"Lizzie, come home! It's not too late. You don't want to do this!" She keeps walking. "I didn't know how bad you truly felt. I'm sorry. I should have been there for you."

"Sarah!"

She wobbles when she hears Eric's voice behind her, her hands shooting out either side to steady herself. She briefly acknowledges him and he looks utterly furious. "What are you doing here?" She says to herself quietly. Ignoring him she turns back to Lizzie. "Lizzie! Come on! Let's go home." But to her dismay, one of the people Lizzie is standing with puts an arm around her, talking between themselves and she can't hear what they are saying. "Liz-" She scares as two powerful hands land on her shoulder and Eric pushes her behind him, keeping a hold on her forearm.

"Lizzie. Come back now!" Eric yells, snarling under his breath at how stupid she was. "They've coaxed you with lies. Being factionless is not a place for the likes of you. You're Dauntless. I know." He looks back at Sarah who staring up at him bewildered. "You won't be able to be Dauntless if you don't come back now. This is your last chance."

The vibrations begin under their feet again and Eric grips Sarah's arm tighter. But she notices his other hand lingers over the holster of his gun on his hip. She can't make out Eric's true intentions. "There's a train coming." Is all she manages to croak out, peering behind her. "Eric…"

The group of factionless cross the track, still walking away, but Lizzie stops, her silhouette appearing to pull away from the guy with his arm over her. To Sarah, they looked like a bunch of shadows. She couldn't really make out specific differences between them apart from Lizzie. They begin arguing, the males voice louder and she can't hear exactly what they are saying. As the train approaches, it's headlights pierce a light onto Lizzie pulling back her arm harshly and losing balance. She topples over with a loud shriek curdling into the air. The small girl falls back on the track and Sarah naturally moves towards her but Eric blocks her with his body.

"Fuck." Eric breathes, then starts to sprint forward, much faster than Sarah can on hindered, fearful legs. She can only concentrate on Lizzie's form on the track, her body flipping onto its front and she's crying as she crawls, saying something Sarah can't hear over the noise of the train. Eric is much further ahead now and only her breath shudders in her chest, her feet clumping against the metal walkway as a rising of urgency floods her body.

"Eric, the train!" She calls out ahead of her, trying to swallow her fear.

The clacking from the wheels on the track can be heard behind. How close, she had no idea. She couldn't bring herself to look… But Eric does.

He abruptly comes to a stop and she almost runs into him. He spins her from the direction of Lizzie's form on the track, pulling her tighter and gripping the back of her head as the train sails past them, keeping her restrictively tight to his chest. The wind hits them like a wall, and Eric juts his chin beside her face. "Cover your ears." Someone's shriek pierces the air which she can only imagine as Mary and she puts her palms fiercely against her ears, barely being able to breathe, beginning to sob uncontrollably, but Eric keeps his eyes in front of him.

Eric's body braces for a fraction of a second…

Finally, he speaks, disturbing the buzzing in her head and throbbing of her heart, knowing truly, but hoping earnestly. "I'm sorry." He says firmly, just loud enough next to her face for her to catch it.

"No! No! No! No!" She fights his grasp frantically but he doesn't let go, his body solid and unmoving. The noise of the train diminishes as it continues to its destination leaving a leering silence and she can finally hear Mary howling from below as reality comes to. Eric walks backwards with her and she tries to turn. "My sister!" Her voice breaks. But he snatches her head in both hands and looks deeply into her eyes. "Don't turn around." But his eyes are softer than usual, a sense of concern. And they say what he doesn't have to.

"MY SISTER! My sister! My sis-" She falls into his arms weeping and floppy, and he slowly sways her from side to side, letting her cry. "I couldn't help her… it should've been me. Take me. Take me instead."

Eric speaks into his radio situated on his wrist. "Wipe them out."

A/N

Thanks for all your great support and messages! Very much appreciated and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

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