A/N: Hello everyone, so sorry for the super long wait. I was hit with a huge case of writers block =(

But in the meantime, the story broke 50 followers! I never thought I would have so many people actually wanted to read this story, let alone would be willing to get their inboxes spammed by new chapters =) Thank you all soooo much, and now I think I've kept you waiting long enough. enjoy!

Gideon yawned loudly as he headed into the training room. He had been up all night worrying about Lily. After the hair salon she had rushed off, claiming that she needed her rest, and he spent the rest of the evening wishing they could have at least gotten some basics in before training began. Xavier and Jackson had tried to reassure him, claiming that there was no way Four would just throw them all in the ring on the first day, and he should just worry about himself for now.

"I know you want to help her, but it doesn't do her any good if you get kicked out." Xavier had reminded him.

Now he looked around the room, searching for Lily. He spotted her on the other side; but he also spotted two rings, two lines of punching bags, two of everything. It was clear that he wouldn't be venturing over to the other side of the room anytime soon.

"All right everyone," Lauren called for their attention, "as you can see you are going to be training alongside the transfers, but don't think that means you will be training at the same level as them. You are Dauntless-born, that means there are no excuses with you. I expect every one of you to be the prime example of what new transfers are striving for. You'll will train longer, faster, and harder than them, and you will never once complain about it. Now I'm pretty sure I don't need to teach any of you how to fight, if I do then the faction has already failed you, so everyone get in front of a punching bag and we'll do a run through..."

Gideon found a punching bag, across the room he could see the transfers doing push-ups, punching the bags, and running around the room.

"Why is Four just letting them run wild like that?" he whispered, "Shouldn't he be teaching them or something?"

"Maybe he is," Jackson suggested, "I mean, they need to get in shape, right?"

Gideon shook his head and continued on his bag, he'd really hoped Lily would get some technique training from Four today.

About an hour into training, Lauren had run the dauntless born through every exercise imaginable and now had them competing do see who could do the most of one exercise or another, at the moment it was how many push-ups in a minute. If her intent was just to make them look more polished than the transfers, then it was working. Four hadn't barked a command in forty-five minutes, and the transfers were beginning to look like children on a playground rather than soldiers-in-training.

"Hey Four," Lauren called out "are you running an initiation over there or just babysitting?"

"They're building stamina." He said curtly.

"Really, because it looks like they're just goofing off."

Four ignored Lauren, so she egged him on.

"I mean really, those pansy-cakes wouldn't last a day in a really Dauntless training course."

"It's their first day. They'll improve."

"They're going to fail. I thought you were supposed to be training future Dauntless, not the Factionless of tomorrow. I knew Max made a mistake assigning you this job."

Four clenched his jaw and then shouted, "Abercrombie, Lewis, in the ring!"

Gideon's heart jumped. He watched as Lily slowly climbed into the ring, followed by a large, brutish boy, twice her size. Lily smiled sweetly at him, Gideon wanted to run forward and pull her out of the ring. She wasn't ready. She didn't even seem nervous, she was underestimating the danger in front of entirely!

"Gather up everybody!" Lauren waved them over, "Take a look at your competition."

"Hi Jason," Lily was grinning at her opponent, "this is gonna be fun don't you think?"

"This ain't a drum circle, Amity."

"I know that..." Lily said slowly, regarding him as one might regard a toddler, "it's a fighting ring. You knew that, right?"

Gideon couldn't help but chuckle when he realized, Lily was messing with this guy. He could see it in her eyes. He was a little less worried now, but he still bit his lip and rung his hands when Four began to list off the rules of combat.

"You will fight within the ring only, using whatever hand-to-hand method you see fit. The fight is over when one of you surrenders or when one of you cannot continue. Begin!"

Gideon held his breath as Lily and Jason tiptoed around each other, Jason swung at Lily and she dodged, sidestepping him easily. Another punch and she ducked. Her reflexes were quick, but Gideon knew she couldn't keep up this dance forever. Then lily did something Gideon never saw coming, she kicked. She threw her leg out, overshooting a little, and her shin hit Jason in the arm. He stumbled back a little, grabbing his elbow, and wincing. Gideon could tell from where he stood the kick hadn't been that hard, he wondered what Jason was playing at.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry!" Lily gasped, her hands flying to her mouth before reaching out to check Jason's arm. He threw her back against the edge of the ring and she fell. He shook his arm out then pushed her down with his foot to hold her in place. He looked up, smiling at the crowd, pleased with himself.

Gideon stared him down, mentally daring Jason to make eye contact. Jason looked right at Gideon then froze. His face drooped and his eyes widened. Gideon held his gaze, his most primal instincts taking over. He knew he'd told Lily he would let her take care of herself, but she needed him, and if Jason so much as breathed on her again he would rip him to shreds. Jason looked at Lily on the ground and then stepped back. "Well then, get up and fight." he said, he tried to sound strong but he voice cracked. Lily stood slowly, raising her fists. They went back to toeing around each other, and after a few minutes without a hit Four stepped into the ring.

"That's enough," he said, "You're both just embarrassing yourselves. Everyone, go run 20 laps around the training room. And if that is difficult for you then you need to get out now, so no complaints."

"You all go to" Lauren called to the Dauntless born, "show the newbies where they need to be."

As Gideon turned to start his laps he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Four not two inches from his face.

"You can't protect her forever," Four whispered, "She needs to look after herself."

"I don't..." Gideon wasn't sure what to say, but Four had already let him go and begun jogging behind an Erudite born girl who was running too slow for his taste.

Gideon sped up to find Lily, jogging alongside her when he caught up.

"That was good back there." He said.

"It was awful."

"No, you took it like a pro, it was good for your first fight." He reassured her.

"I can't believe I just hit somebody. I've never hit anyone in my life."

Gideon tugged her off the track behind a stack of wrestling mats. She looked like she was going to cry.

"Gideon, I don't want to do that again. I feel so bad. God what was I thinking." She gripped her head like it would fall off if she didn't hold it in place and sobbed.

"Baby, Lily," Gideon gripped her shoulders to steady her, "look at me. You're ok, and Jason is ok. You just need to train."

"No," Lily insisted, "I can't do that again, I just can't."

"So what then? You're just going to leave, become Factionless?"

"I don't know," she cried, "I don't know."

"Okay," Gideon said slowly, pulling her into his arms, "look, we can figure this out. Come meet me back here after dinner tonight. We are going to make this work."

"You promise?" Her eyes shimmered with tears and she looked at him like her whole world relied on his answer, which, he supposed, it did.

"I promise."