A/N: I just want to start out with an I'm sorry that it took so long to do this chapter. I've had a writer's block for some reason. Oh, well I guess. It's here now! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far but I want to give a special thank you to all the guests who have reviewed this story as well! I see your comments too ;).
This chapter is dedicated to Hello (a guest. I'm assuming you know who you are). Thanks for the awesome sweet review! I love your honesty with me too! After I read it, I was on cloud nine and began outlining the chapter.
Here it goes!
I roll over on the pillow to Tobias's side of the bed and stretch out only to find he isn't there. I sigh. How stupid I was to think that he'd be sleeping. Pressing my nose into the mattress, I close my eyes and smell a mixture of wood chips and cologne, imaging he is here. I miss him more than I care to let on. I mean, we see each other every day but in the mornings we rush off to work and put our full attention on the initiates needs to pass the first stage of initiation then at lunch I eat with our friends while he's in the control room fixing this or that and by the time night comes around, we are too tired and stressed to even offer a kiss on the cheek. Two days ago we got in a small argument about me going back to work in the hospital. There has been a shortage on staff because some of our nurses and doctors went to Amity to help with some sick children while our own faction brings in a couple of coughing, sick people. Tobias's argument is that the staff can deal with a couple of sick people but I know the real reason is he doesn't want me to go in there because it means I could get sick with whatever is going around. I'm still going in despite whatever Tobias says which is why he's still a little mad at me. Hopefully, this tension doesn't last long because I'm missing him.
I walk into the kitchen, my eyes still heavy with sleep, and brighten a little when I see what is on the table. Tobias as made me a full out breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausage, strawberries, and a glass of orange juice. I pick up one of the sausages and find that it is still warm, and I frown. He must have left no more than ten minutes ago. I could have said goodbye to him. There is a note on the table I didn't see and I read it while I'm picking at the strawberries.
Tris,
Sorry. Something in the control room crashed. Heading there now. You'll have to run the stimulations for the initiates. Made breakfast for you. Eat it all! Meet me in the Pire at seven tonight. It will be worth your time. Love you, six!
-Your-husband-to-be
I smile to myself. Maybe things will finally go back normal. I'm famished so I finish my breakfast in record time and after locking up the apartment, I'm on my way to the stimulation room. The initiates are in the second stage of initiation, and they already know what it is about and what is going to happen. Abby paled and almost passed out, Jenna tried not to cry, and the oddest one of all was Henry who actually smiled like we were giving him an early birthday present. I'd never admit it to anyone, even Tobias, that I'm a little intimidated by him. He's the perfect mix of Eric and Peter rolled together and it scares me that he could do something unpredictable.
As I near the room, I hear shouting coming from down the hall and the screams of a girl initiate. Abby. Running the rest of the hallway is a challenge since the screams are getting louder and more desperate by the second and my legs can't seem to move fast enough. Is someone hurting her? Are they trying to...touch her? I can't breathe, I can't think. This hits a little too close to home.
Finally, I arrive at the end of the hallway and take in the scene before me. Xander is kicking Rex in the ribs and Rex tries to hook his foot around Xander's knees so that he falls but each kick is distracting his mission. Abby is hanging on to Xander's arm screaming for him to stop and the rest of the initiates are staring on in horror. I can't move. Xander has never been like this.
"Stop it!" I scream and Rex turns his head to look at me. The look in his eyes is vacant and hollow like he can't even see me.
"Xander!" I snap and go to grab his arm and pull him away from Rex but he shrugs me off. This makes me boil with anger. I am his instructor, his teacher, and he just shrugs me off. My Abnegation side if my divergence says that he's just angry and him pushing me off has nothing to do with his lack of respect for me but my pride takes control of the situation.
I dig my nails into his forearm so hard, I swear I'll draw blood, and say, "Get the hell of him, Alexander!"
Then he backs off but it's not by his own will. Connor stands beside him as he yanks him away from Rex. "That's quite enough," I hear Connor whisper quietly.
I bend down Rex. The left side of his face is starting to bruise and there's a steady stream of blood flowing from his nose. His ribs must be in pretty bad shape too because his breaths are ragged and every time he inhales he winces. I help him up and demand, "Jenna, get him to the infirmary." She rushes forward and I loop one of Rex's arms around her shoulder's s that he leans a bit on her. The weight might be a little much for her because she was so small but she holds him up enough to drag him to the hospital. They get halfway down the hallway when I turn to Xander who is wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
"What was that about, Xander?"I spit at him as I grab his arm, forcing him to look at me. "Have you forgotten where you came from?"
He flinches slightly at my words like I physically threatened to slap him. Of course he hasn't forgotten, I never have. I shake my head at him and let go of his arm. "We'll discuss this later," I hiss and take Delilah into the room.
I'm hooking up the wires to the computer and connecting the other ends to each side of her temple and one on her chest like Tobias taught me. I'm in the process of hooking another wire on my own temple when Delilah blurts, "How old are you?"
I usually don't like telling my age because being only sixteen in Dauntless isn't to your advantage but I tell her anyway. Her eyes widen as she says incredulously, "You're the same age as me. But you're a leader...?"
"There were some open spots in the leadership position," I explain quickly and she nods. I'm not exactly lying. There was an open position but it was due to the execution of Eric and Max. I didn't even want the position but Tobias wouldn't do it and I thought that maybe if I joined he would too. I could see it in him, how good he would be at leading, but the thought of dealing with Marcus when he had to travel to the other factions always kept him away from the position. Now that Abnegation is here for a short time, he's going to have to deal with him anyway so he claimed the position saying it would only be until the Abnegation leaves to return to their sector of the city. But then I wonder who would refill his spot and mine? We can't have another Eric and Max. Not again.
I push the thoughts away and focus on Delilah. When I pick up the needle she tenses but I ignore it. If she's going to face all of her worst fears in a month, she is going to have to deal with a needle. I plunge it into her neck and drain the liquid.
"Be Brave, Delilah," I mutter as she slips into the stimulation.
I watch the screen as her fear comes to life.
She's lying on her bed in her old bedroom at Candor. I can tell because of the plain white walls and carpet with a black bedspread. She closes her eyes and lets out a sigh of relief. She thinks her fear is returning home. But I know better. Delilah had a bit of homesickness when she first arrived and I overheard her talking to Gabe one day at the table about how she was afraid what her parents would say if she returned to Candor. She wasn't thinking of returning as far as I know but her the fear behind her thoughts always stayed the same: She was afraid to go home because of what her family would say to her. But that's not something the system would pick up yet because the first test picks up the worst fear. I'm not sure where this is going.
Suddenly her heart rate picks up and her eyes snap open. My brows furrow in confusion; she must be hearing or smelling something that I don't. Then she screams and I understand what her fear is as flames eat away at whatever is under the door. Her worst fear is of fire.
"Delilah!" screams a voice. It sounds like a small child, six at the most.
"Boone!" Delilah shrieks back. "I'm coming! I'm coming!"
She runs to the window I didn't see and pulls on a latch so that she can get out the window and get to Boone's room. But the latch won't open. As much as it pains me, I made the window lock so that she couldn't get out so that she could face her fear. She backs away from the window her heart rate doubling. Come on, Delilah, I silently coach her as I wait and watch the screen. Calm yourself down. It will be over soon.
She screams a little more for Boone and then her screams stop as the crying of the little boy ceases.
I'm sick to my stomach. Realization hits me as Delilah sits down on the bed, setting her head in her hands. Her fear is not of fire. It's knowing that someone you love is dying and you cannot to do anything.
Delilah wipes at her eyes and stands up, looking murderous. Then she walks to the window and punches it with her fist. It shatters under her touch. No no no. Divergent. There is more screaming down the hall but this time Delilah only stiffens and walks back to the bed letting the tears stream down her face. She lies down in the bed and closes her eyes, effectively slowing her heart rate. I breathe a sigh of relief for her, glad that it is over. If I can't watch this, how can I watch all the others? Delilah slowly awakens and when she takes in her surroundings she starts to sob. I rub her back and whisper it's over; it's over again and again until she sniffles one last time and asks weakly, "Was it that bad for you?"
I hesitate. How can I compare having crows peck at your flesh to hearing someone you love die knowing you cannot do anything to help them?
"Mine was a different kind of fear," I admit.
She nods like she expected me to say that. "Can I ask you something?"
I shrug to show my indifference.
"Do you have a phone in here?"
I blink. "Not in here. There is a phone by the control room though."
"Can I use it?"
"Well," I began," considering I'm not supposed to know it probably not, but I think we can make an exception."
She attempts at a weak smile but ends up looking more like a grimace than an actual smile so she gives up and follows me out into the hall. Truth is that there isn't a phone by the control room, it's in the library, but I need to talk to her where I know there aren't any cameras. I lead her down hallway after hallway not speaking until we reach the control room and then pull her into the supply closet.
"What's going on?" Delilah asks as I check for any cameras or bugs of any kind. Tobias taught me how to do it after I was admitted as an instructor for the initiates. An ache runs through my body for him, suddenly, and I can't wait to see him tonight.
"What where your test results?" I ask abruptly.
I see a flicker of fear and recognition behind her blue eyes just for a second and then she quickly tries to cover by replacing it with a deadpan expression on her face. "Obviously Dauntless."
"Really? Because I heard a rumor that they were inconclusive." There wasn't any rumor going around like that but I need to know; I need to know to try to keep her safe.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," She says and crosses her arms.
I roll my eyes. "Never knew a Candor who could be such a liar."
Her face hardens as she hisses back, "Never knew Abnegation could be so curious."
"I am not an Abnegation anymore," I chide her as I move a broom into the opposite corner of the small room.
"And I am not a Candor anymore," She adds as she watches my actions.
"You will always be a part of Candor," I murmur and she drops her gaze. An overwhelming pang in my chest hits me as I think of my mother, my father, and all the things I left behind in my former faction. Funny how grief can take you off guard.
"Inconclusive, "Delilah confides quietly, her gaze still trained on the floor." The answer to your question they were inconclusive. They said I was-"
I cover her mouth with mine like my mother did to me not so long ago and harshly whisper to her while looking into her eyes, "Never say that word. Never."
"Why not?" she questions innocently after I remove my hand and her eyebrows furrow together.
"Because it's dangerous," I sigh. "It's not safe in a faction like Dauntless."
"You're not giving me any real answers!" She throws her hands up angrily and then mutters," Nobody is."
My head snaps up at that. "Who else knows about your situation?"
"N-no one," Delilah stutters and crosses her arms across her chest again.
I glare at her until she caves and sighs, "My test administer..."She lowers her gaze to the floor and whispers, "and Gabe."
I moan. No no no. "Why did you tell him?"
"He's my best friend!" she exclaims. "We tell each other everything!"
"Do you know how much danger you put yourself in? That you put him in?" I demand.
When she doesn't answer, I shake my head. "Look, I just want to keep you safe, okay? Do not tell anyone else about this conversation or about the situation unless you want to get yourself killed, alright?"
She nods, her eyes alarmed. "Good," I say then reach for the door handle.
"Why do you care?" She blurts. "I mean, why don't you want me dead?"
I shrug. "I like you."
We're silent for a few seconds then Delilah bursts out laughing. I soon join in and then we are both laughing so hard that I have to sit down and she's got her hands on her knees. It feels good to laugh even if what we're laughing about isn't all that funny.
"We..." she takes in a deep gulp of breath before continuing. "We both know that you're not doing this because you like me."
I give out a short laugh and say, "No. No, I'm not."
"Then why?"
I stop to think about that. Why am I helping her? Why should I care what happens to her? Why did Tobias help me? I mean, sure he had an interest in me, but is that enough to risk your own life in the process of saving someone else's?
"You and me," I began slowly and quietly," are not all that different."
Her eyes widen as the impact of the information I'm giving her hits her. "You mean...?"
The silent question hangs in the air: you mean you are Divergent?
I nod. "Have you heard the saying birds of a feather flock together?"
Delilah nods.
"Well, people like us stick together. We help one another. Does that make any sense?"
"Yeah," she says quietly after a moment of silence. "I think so."
I give a terse nod and turn to leave the room.
"Thank you," Delilah whispers so softly I think I may be dreaming it. But the look in her eyes suggests otherwise so I whisper just as softly," Your welcome."
We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.
It really is a beautiful thought.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Oh and I've been looking for a beta reader so if anyone is interested, PM me. And to whoever said to bring Tobias back a little more in this chapter, (sorry, I can't remember your name for the life of me) don't worry! Our favorite man will be back in the next chapter! I just wanted Tris and Delilah to bond for this one.
-Kel
