A/N: Okay, trouble in paradise, not everything is sunshine and flowers yet. Eric and Fox say some things to each other they shouldn't. Are things going to collapse from the inside now, after surviving all the external challenges? Please read and review! :0

Fox woke the next morning pleasantly sore and deliciously cozy. Sometime in the middle of the night Fox had awakened to Eric's lips on her throat and his hand cupping between her legs. They'd made love slowly, almost lazily, the moonlight gleaming off of Eric's powerful back and ass as his muscles had flexed and relaxed with every slow thrust. Fox had come almost gently, so unlike the screaming explosions of earlier that night; and Eric had shuddered into her hair a few thrusts later, his quiet grunts soft and melodious in Fox's ear. He'd lain gently down on top of Fox afterwards, murmuring to her as Fox drifted back to sleep.

Fox was still a moment; she lay on her side, pulled back tightly against Eric's chest, his arms banded around her. His breath tickled the back of her neck with each slow, regular exhale. Slowly she began to wriggle out of his embrace but before she'd made it out, Eric sighed sharply and pulled Fox roughly back against him.

"No." He grunted, his head buried in the pillow.

"Let me go," Fox replied with a slight grin.

"You're not leaving my side again," Eric mumbled, rubbing his face back and forth into the pillow a moment before stilling again.

"Alright then, come with me to the bathroom." Fox teased.

Eric was still a moment, considering, then relaxed his arms. "Don't go far," he grumbled, turning his head enough to fix Fox with a sour eye.

Fox rolled hers back and climbed out, squealing as Eric managed to slap her ass as she stood.

Fox returned a minute later, and curled back under the covers, instantly Eric pulled her back to him, snuggling close with a heavy sigh.

"Eric, we have to get up. You have to go to work, I'm going to go talk to Max."

"No."

"Eric-"

"I'm taking today off and we're not leaving this bed." Eric replied, his voice still muffled by the pillow.

"You've got this all planned, haven't you?"

"Mm-hmm."

"We going to make breakfast in here too?"

"Going to make something," Eric purred suggestively, his hand beginning to trace the curve of her breast.

"As tempting as that is Coulter, I'm hungry...I'd like to shower and you've missed enough work because of me already," Fox made an attempt to get out of the bed again and was foiled once more by Eric's iron grip; he hooked his legs around hers for added leverage and Fox rolled her eyes. He could be such a man-child sometimes.

Fox elbowed Eric semi-seriously and earned only a grunt and a further tightening of his arms. He nuzzled his head into her hair and growled playfully. "You're mine and you'll leave when I say you can."

This was getting old. "Eric! Let me up!" Fox snapped.

Eric's growl went from playful to warning but he relinquished his hold and rolled over onto his back. He flung an arm behind his head and watched Fox grab some clean clothes before disappearing into the bathroom. Thoughts of cheekily joining her were cut off as he heard the door lock.

Fox emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a black tank and training pants, towel-drying her hair. She stopped and looked down at Eric, still in bed and holding his arms open for Fox to climb back in with him.

"Get up Eric."

When he didn't answer, only smiled winningly and continued to hold out his arms, Fox sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. Instantly Eric scooted closer to pull her down with him but Fox put a hand on his chest, a warning look in her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was low and serious.

"As much as I want to, we can't. You need to go to your office, you can't tell me you're not behind on paperwork. I need to talk to Max and get back too. We're leaders, Eric; we have to look like it. We have responsibilities-"

"Fuck responsibilities!" Eric suddenly roared. "Right now I want to be with you! What is so hard to understand?!"

Fox leaned back in surprise at his outburst, then narrowed her eyes. "Finished?" She asked, her voice dangerous. She and Eric didn't argue as much as other Dauntless couples, but they were still Dauntless. Underneath his cold exterior, Eric was surprisingly passionate; at least where Fox was concerned; and Fox had made it a point back in Amity to never back down; so some of their fights had the tendency to skew sharply into knock down-drag out territory; with one memorable night about two weeks before Fox's abduction where Eric had slammed out of the apartment and not returned until after work the next day.

"No, I'm not! Why do you always fight me on this? I've told you how many fucking times before that leadership doesn't fucking matter to me compared to you! Goddammit woman, you know this!"

Fox stood, pointed a finger sharply at him. "Don't try and pull that shit! Would you extend that leniency to any other? Just skip out of work whenever they feel like staying in bed with their girlfriend?"

"Fiancée!" Eric roared back, sitting up. His face had gone red. "You're my fiancée! We're going to be married!"

"Not if you keep this shit up. Calm the fuck down and act like a man. Go to work."

Eric stared at Fox, a mixture of incredulity and rage in his eyes. Why was she fighting him on this? They'd just gotten back together, he'd be useless at work today anyway, imagining all the ways he was going to have Fox when he got home. Didn't she want that too? Why was she so eager to get him out? And what was this 'not if you keep this shit up' shit?

"What is that supposed to mean?" The tone of Eric's voice would be sending anyone with half a brain running for cover; but not Fox, never his Fox, the woman had no fear.

Fox sighed. "Forget I said it."

"Oh, no. What the fuck did you mean?!"

"Eric, calm down."

"NO! WHAT DID YOU MEAN!"

Fox lifted her head, fixed her attention to a spot slightly above Eric's livid face. "I will not be controlled, Eric. Not by you, not by anybody. I'm sorry that the last few weeks have been hard, I never intended to get abducted by a madman and held prisoner; but I'm not some delicate little bird that needs to be caged. They tried in Amity, to keep me under their control, toe their line, and I refuse to do it here in Dauntless too."

"I'm not trying to control you! I just want to spend the day with you!"

"Eric, I don't want to fight."

"Could of fooled me." He spat.

Fox blew out a breath. "Okay. We both need to calm down. Go to work, or don't, but I'm not staying in here." With that, Fox turned and stormed to the door.

"Where are you going?" Eric demanded, but Fox had already left.

With a frustrated growl, Eric slammed his head back down on the pillows, bashed his fists down into the mattress on either side of him and ground his teeth. What the fuck? Where in the hell did that come from? Eric was trying to protect Fox, not control her. And fuck, she'd made him wait long enough for her sweet ass lately, he deserved a day alone with it, he had plans for it. His heart thumped unpleasantly, Fox didn't throw out random threats, not even when she was angry, not the way Eric did when he was really wound up. Had she meant that? She was seriously rethinking their engagement? What the hell had been going through her head since Tom had imprisoned her? She'd never given any hint to these types of thoughts before.

"No." Eric growled low, almost inaudible. Fox was his, she'd moaned those very words last night as Eric marked her body with his teeth, slammed his cock inside her, made her scream his name as she shattered around him. No, she wasn't leaving, not after all this.