AN/ Disclaimer: New Chapter! This would've been up sooner but work is kicking my ass right now! (Not that I'm complaining I love making money) This next chapter will deal with Paul. Perhaps we'll even see the end of him; it depends how I'm feeling really. I don't want this to be generic, and though I want Paul to pay, I want his comeuppance to be original and unexpected.

Anyhow, lets get on with it shall we!

When I got back to the dorms I left almost immediately afterwards. It was too depressing, everyone was dealing with the aftermath of todays introduction to fear landscapes. I needed to be somewhere where I could escape the consuming feeling of Pauls belt in my hands, the one I used to strangle him; in simulation of course. I hated how I saw his blank eyes everywhere I looked, I hated the feeling of his body thrashing desperately against mine, and I hated the sick satisfied feeling I'd felt when it was all over; the secret strength that I'd never get to feel again.

I decided to go to the Tattoo place in the pit and my decision was a good one. My mind was filled with the images in front of me, and my thoughts were drowned out in the sweet hum of the ink guns. I was greeted by a friendly man with a close trimmed beard behind the counter. I smiled to him, scanning the designs that lined the walls and trying to pick one. I wanted two today. One to honour my fear landscape; I'd decided I would get one for each fear I had, once they'd all been revealed. The second tattoo I'd be getting today would be something fun and spontaneous. I had to stay optimistic during this stage of initiation so I needed something permanent to make me feel bold and brilliant.

I chose my designs and the man with the beard, Simyn, got to work. I stayed silent to whole time, and Simyn seemed to understand that I needed this process to be uninterrupted. I felt the prickling sting of the needle against my skin and actually enjoyed the dull ache it left. I let my mind drift as he finished one tattoo and started the other. I didn't look at it until they were both done though. And I loved the surprise.

They were still raw and red, but the black ink looked alive across my skin. In the mirrors reflection I could see the intricate line design that encircled my upper forearm in a thick band. It contrasted nicely to the trees on my other arm. I then looked down to see the almost lifelike shading of the next tattoo. The one I'd gotten in memory of my first fear; in memory of my innocence. It was a thick, darkly shaded belt that was done in a way that it looked buckled. It was placed right below the scars Paul's nails had left, circling my thigh. It was just like I thought it would be; empowering.

I left the shop on cloud nine and realized it was actually quite late. It's usually dark in the Dauntless compound, but it was definitely nighttime by the time I left the shop. I suppose you just can't rush art, I thought as I made my way back to the dorms.

The dorms were darker than the hallways, but not as quiet. The fear landscapes had taken their toll on many, I heard quiet crying and hysteric sleep talking. Thankfully I'd managed to face my fear, if only in a simulation, but it seems as though the others had some worse luck. I hopped into bed, mindful of my fresh tattoos and intended to sleep like a rock.

And I did for the most part. I didn't sleep deeply enough to dream, but my mind was still able to wander before it was put to rest. It wandered into the dark parts of my mind; where I kept my memories of Pauls attacks, and now the simulations. I didn't let it get far enough, my good thoughts pulled it back. Like thoughts of Eric, how he'd opened enough to show emotions to me now; or perhaps I'd just grown used to finding his tells. I could definitely tell the emotions he'd shown me today. It was a fierce protectiveness and I'd be lying if I didn't find it an attractive quality.

Somewhere between the battling thoughts of Eric, and Paul, and just my dauntless life in general

I found myself slipping off to sleep and by that point I was accepting every second of shuteye with open arms.

I woke to Dhani shouting in my ear.

"REYNA! Get up! Getupgetupgetup!," I felt her sharp fingers jabbing my sides.

"Ughhhh," I moaned inelegantly.

"Your sorry ass is dead if you don't get it up and out of here in five minutes," she demanded.

I gathered up my strength and flipped off the covers, brushing past her to change my clothes and get ready. She was right, the two trainers had been secretly nice to me (well nice by their standards) but I didn't want to test my boundaries.

I walked into the room and took a seat as I waited for Eric and Four to show up and commence todays simulations. I scanned the crowd of initiates who, like me, were waiting for the day to start. Dhani had her eyes closed as she rested against the wall. Nadia seemed quite content to be talking with Halen and Forner. Geoff was still eating most likely.

I noticed the others as well; the dauntless born initiates who were waiting just like we were. It was strange to think that now we were on a level playing field with them. They were just as likely to fail as we were now. The thought scared and encouraged me.

They all looked pretty standard as far as Dauntless go. Their style was vibrant and tattoos and piercings showed against the black clothed backdrop. One girl had her entire eyebrow lined with shiny silver studs. But the one who stood out most to me was the one who was quiet, he stood against the wall eyeing everybody dressed in black like the rest of them but somehow not the same. His appearance was muted, with only a tight long sleeved black shirt and standard black shorts, but he looked every bit as dauntless as the rest of them. Maybe even more. His eyes were so a dark brown, like the dark chocolate my father would have on special occasions. His build was stocky and I couldn't help but put him up against Eric. A good match, they were both intimidating.

Speaking of, Eric and four entered the room and called the name of the first initiate to be tortured that morning. Just as Four called the name of a dauntless Initiate, Paul came sneaking into the room. My breath hitched as I gave him a silent once over. I couldn't see any injuries so Eric must've kept his word to me, he didn't kill him. I had mixed feelings about that.

But whatever Eric didn't do yesterday he sure made up for now. Using Pauls lateness as an excuse to let the smallest bit of his anger out.

"Initiate," Eric yelled, drawing the rooms attention to Paul who was now making his way over to me. "You want to let the room know why you're late," Paul scowled at Eric.

"No that's okay," Paul mumbled.

"Speak up initiate before I lose my patience," Eric walked right up to Paul this time, making the height difference between the two hard to miss. "I don't want to have to hurt you," Eric whispered icily to Paul, though the Candor in me could tell he was lying.

"I, uh I," This was the first time I'd seen Paul anything less than out together, and it was a fantastic sight.

"I don't have time for this," Eric looked down at him disgusted. "For every minute of my time you waste your rank will drop by one,"

"Eric stop," Four sighed tiredly, "This isn't how it's done,"

"Alright then Four how should we do it," Eric spat rounding on his partner.

"We should continue on with the training and deal with him later," Four stated calmly.

And so we did. Training resumed like nothing had happened, although Paul was still in a foul mood and Eric was glaring daggers at him as he sat down beside me. I just wanted this over with. So when Four called the first Initiate into the simulation room I finally allowed myself to relax. That was until Paul pulled me close to him and started whispering in my ear.

"Why don't you find a way to entertain me while we wait," He smirked, placing his free hand on my upper thigh. Right over my tattoo. I felt my stomach churn. I'd had enough and I was not letting him get his way again, I wasn't afraid anymore.

"Why don't you fuck off," I scowled viciously, throwing his hand off my leg.

"What did you just say to me," Paul leaned in, whispering harshly in my ear. Hs breath hot and uncomfortable on my neck.

"You heard me," I said a little louder this time, unknowingly drawing the attention of one a certain dauntless initiate. "Get away from me,"

"You think you're strong enough bitch? Do you want to test me? I'll ruin you. You're mine," Paul continued goading in my ear, "Do you really think you're strong enough; you are fucking weak."

"Maybe, maybe not. But I know someone who is definitely strong enough, and I think he knows a little about you too," I glared into Paul's sickening eyes and saw him falter. It was just a flicker of uncertainty but it was enough.

"You lay a hand on me again and I'll make sure you wish you'd never been born,"

"Is that a threat bitch," Paul seethed digging his grip painfully into my shoulder.

"No that is a promise," I stood up to leave the room. Not wanting to be anywhere near the loose cannon that was Paul.

"Don't walk away from me," Paul yelled when he'd finally followed me out of earshot.

"Eric knows," I whirled around, "And so does Four. You're as good as dead,"

"I'll kill you," Paul ran at me, backing me up to the nearest wall and holding me there with a tight grip on my throat. My feet dangled above the ground and I felt my heart pick up. Breathe, Four's voice told me, only I couldn't. This wasn't a simulation and I couldn't just will myself to get air into my lungs.

"I told you I'd end you if you told someone, you stupid bitch," Paul seethed.

"I didn't have to tell anyone. You were my fear landscape genius," I gasped through my thick throat to get the words out. I don't know why the truth was so important to me now of all moments.

I felt my vision blur as his grip tightened and I knew that it was the end for me. I would die here today. With so much left to be felt in my life I was not ready and it scared me. It wasn't like I feared the beyond, I wasn't stupid once I was dead I was dead. But I couldn't stand leaving behind what could've been. I needed to be Dauntless so badly. It was everything I'd worked for, everything I'd wanted; well not everything I'd wanted. I'd wanted eric as well.

I didn't bother screaming for help, not that I could've anyway with my windpipe crushed under Pauls hot grasp. I think it was due to the fact that if I'd been this weak, this stupid, that maybe I should die. Although I'd rather have the satisfaction of dying on my own terms, instead of giving Paul the chance.

Maybe I could try to save myself, I thought. The black spots clouding my vision growing exponentially with each second wasted. I tried kicking out my legs, but the response was only a twitch, I was done for.

But then somehow I wasn't. Pauls hands left my throat and I dropped to the ground like a rag doll, sucking in breath like it was my only option. It was. Then my fuzzy vision cleared almost as fast as I could get the air in and I could see the sudden change of events. Paul was on the ground, his face was no longer recognizable. Why? Because the dangerously calm dauntless wasn't so calm at the moment. In fact he was my new definition of force. It was intimidating, not scary so much. But I felt compelled to look away, as if this was something too powerful for my eyes to see. Not to mention the tremendous amounts of blood. I needed him to stop, if only because I didn't want to witness a murder.

"Stop," I croaked out, nearly a whisper, hoarse as if I hadn't ever tasted water.

"Stop," I said again, louder this time. It worked, he turned to me and left Paul like it was nothing. As if he hadn't just beat a guy within an inch of his life.

"Are you okay," The guy bent down to me and I struggled to nod. "We need to get you some water," He said, mostly to himself. I nodded again, water sounded like a very good idea.

I wasn't talking, firstly because I couldn't, secondly because I was stunned into silence.

This guy was beautiful, like an angel that was no longer an angel. If that makes any sense. His eyes were the exact colour of dark enough. His hands, that were no gripping my forearms and pulling me to my feet, were rough and too big. The shirt he wore was extremely flattering and I could tell he'd spent more than a few nights in the gym. It wasn't necessary for me to hold on to him so tightly, but I didn't like wasting opportunities.

He half carried half walked me to the now empty mess hall. He set me down at a table and left to get me my promised water. All this was done in silence, the type of silence that killed me.

I touched my throat gingerly and felt a strange sort of pain across the skin under my fingertips. The sort of pain that comes with a bruise, only sharper. It was addicting to touch so I kept prodding.

"There are some wicked bruises if you were wondering," I jumped at his honey-soaked-sandpaper voice. "So you should probably stop poking them,"

"Right," I whispered. Taking the water he held and drinking every drop.

"Now that that's done we've got to get back. I wouldn't want your boyfriend seeing us missing,"

I frowned, "Paul is far from my boyfriend," How could he even think that?

I was met with a smirk, "I wasn't talking about Paul,"

What? What? The only male attention I'd had was from Paul. Who the fuck was he talking about.

"I'm not sure I follow," I frowned again, confusion screwed into my features.

He laughed at this, "I didn't think you would," He had a beautiful laugh.

"Alright well if you're done laughing at me I'm just going to go,"

I stood up to leave, fighting the urge to sit back down again. I was unbelievably dizy. I left the room and he followed at a close distance.

"Don't I even get a thank you," he asked, his voice enveloping me from behind.

"If the only reason you saved me back there was for thanks, I definitely won't give it to you now,"

"that wasn't the only reason," He stated calmly, his voice holding more than I could catch.

"In that case thanks," I smiled at him. Hopefully showing that I meant it.

"You're welcome. Besides your boyfriend wouldn't like you in trouble would he,"

"I wouldn't know because unlike you I'm unaware that I have a boyfriend," I glared. He seemed unreasonably smug when I turned to look back at him.

"You'll see beautiful," He grinned.

I was called up like last time. The only difference being I wasn't so nervous. This was cake compared to what I'd just done. I was also being given a hard stare from Eric, which was a new addition. I knew what he was thinking. I'd been gone, along with Paul, when he'd come out from the room. He wanted to know what I was thinking. He was calculating. I saw the Erudite eyes sweep me from the bottom up. I saw them zero in on my neck and the obvious finger shaped bruises that had formed there. When his eyes met mine I could tell he was mad at three people. Paul, himself, and me.

I walked past and onto the chair without a word. Four caught my eyes and looked disapproving, and concerned. An odd mix, but I chose to ignore it.

"You want to tell me what happened," Eric questioned once the door was closed. His stern look told me he wouldn't be taking no for an answer.

"It was nothing," I shrugged. I didn't want the drama that seemed rooted in my life these days.

"Don't lie to me Candor," Eric demanded.

"Paul was choking me but I took care of it," I sighed. Eric took this the exact way I thought he would.

"I'm going to beat him to a pulp," He was angry, and that was an understatement.

"Cool it Mama Bear, somebody already did," He looked a little shocked at that.

"Who?" It was the first time since meeting the Dauntless initiate that I realized I didn't know his name.

"I don't know who," I replied, puzzled, "I don't know his name,"

"Well find out," Eric still didn't seem happy, and now it was starting to get on my nerves.

"Whatever, lets just get this over with," I sat in the seat and Four helpfully injected me with the serum.

This time it wasn't dark. It was bright white, so bright I couldn't see anything. I was as blind as I'd been in the darkness. It was unnerving, but my eyes were soon able to adjust to see what my next fear was.

There was a table right in front of me, and on it a gun. Beyond that were three figures I couldn't yet make out. I could, however, tell that they were bound. They were helpless. I felt helpless too and I hated it.

Take the gun. I wasn't sure if it was an impulse, a thought, or a voice that I'd heard but I did what it said.

The gun felt heavy in my hand, but when I looked down it was a sleek metal handgun. The weight of it didn't match the model, I knew because these were the guns they'd trained us on at Dauntless. I looked up to see the figures again, they weren't as blurred as they once were.

I could make out the first, a woman. She had striking features and effortless beauty. Even though she was still a little blurred to me I could tell, it was my mother. Her green eyes were bloodshot and terrified. It occurred to me that she would never have been Dauntless. It was an odd thought to have, but it was true. It was also odd that I felt very little attachment to her, bound and powerless in front of me, that was true as well. Sad but true.

Beside her was a stranger. No man I'd ever met, but somehow familiar. He had that look about him of a businessman, generic but familiar. He was wearing the Erudite blue and it suited his structured appearance. Though he was quite distraught now I could tell the certain collected profile he usually kept. He was frozen in fear, my heart should've ached for him but it didn't.

The last figure I faced had my heart in the pit of my stomach. Eric was restrained, gagged, yet somehow still fearless and it tore me apart. His eyes were the clearest ice blue, but they no longer held the steel there. His head was held high, but he still looked to me with that openness. The kind he reserved and hardly ever showed me.

You have one bullet. Choose wisely. And there it was, one of my darkest fears. I had a choice to make. I had the power, and it was something desperately unwanted. I looked to them, My mother, the stranger, and Eric. They were all afraid; afraid, I realized, of me. Looking into their eyes I knew I had to make a choice. My mother's green eyes were calculating and distant as they'd always been. The warm brown eyes of the stranger were pleading and watery, begging me to spare him in silent communication. Eric's eyes were honest and open, the truest shade of blue I'd ever seen. Tears welled to life in my own eyes. I couldn't do this.

Choose. The voice said more urgently. I needed to do something soon. I couldn't bare looking at them anymore. I needed to think. I could never kill anyone of these people, but looking at then looking back at me I knew that my heart could never be steady. I looked to them one last time; cold green eyes, warm brown eyes, and my favourite shade of blue eyes. I'd made my choice.

With shaking hands I lifted the gun. It's weight left my arms screaming for relief. I knew this would be over as soon as I'd pulled the trigger so I made my next moves fast. I brought the gun up to it's full height, turned it, and pulled the trigger. I didn't have time to register the bullet, but saw wide eyes as my world went black.

Coming out of my simulation I saw Four looking at me with wide eyed admiration. Eric on the other hand looked like he'd seen a ghost. It was the reverse of last time I'd awoken from my sim.

"You handled that really well," Four said putting a hand on my shoulder awkwardly. I couldn't meet Four's eyes, it was too strange to see him pleased with me. But looking at Eric was harder, his emotions were locked away. Nothing could give me a sign to what he was thinking, or feeling, but I knew it wasn't good. It hurt me to look at him, so I just got up and left.

AN: Guys! this has been my longest chapter yet! (nearly 4000 words!) I love how this one turned out, but I need your advice! First off we have a new, and potentially interesting insert to the story! Second I have to decide what to do with Paul. He is quite problematic to me now! Third I want to know if you loved this chapter as much as I did so REVIEW! Like right now! I need feedback, suggestions, criticism, compliments you name it and I love to hear it.

Also I was so happy how you guys wanted updates! Like really wanted them! It was nice to see. I can't believe how great it's been writing this, and half that greatness is because of you! I like to see you enjoying this as much as I do! Anyways, just thought you should know! Now I'm off to watch the Divergent movie that I just finished downloading!