AN: Another confusing POV chapter, but definitely not one of the romantic ones. Oh no, now it starts. LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

When Factions Collide

Chapter 25

~Theo~

Today would put me in agony. I had decided that a while ago. Wren, being as selfless as she was, but also in her selfishness, wouldn't let me mope about it. I loved her for her optimism, which was fake, I could tell, but what if she did get picked? No one would volunteer for her. There was a good chance of her winning, though, and I knew that. So I hoped that if worse came to worse, she would come home. No. I needed to stop thinking like a pessimist. She would have killed me if she knew.

~Wren~

"Theo, wake up." I pushed against the warm lump beside me, trying to get him up in time to go to the Hub. It was already eleven, reaping was at two and it took us about half an hour by train. It was the day, reaping day. No, I wasn't that excited, but I really wanted to prove him wrong, that I wouldn't get picked. I wanted Caroline and Adam to be, though.

"I've been up, love." he kissed my cheek.

"You've got to get dressed. Something nice."

"Yeah, Yeah, what are you wearing, Stiff?" he refused to stop calling me that, but I was okay with it.

"A dress." I had one laid out in my dwelling as of last night before I spent the night at Theo's. I was getting ready in my own place, though. "Come over when you're ready." I kissed him goodbye and got up, my hair a mess and my shirt sleeve falling down. Oh well, not like I was walking too far.

I got back and saw Mels and Payton doing each other's hair. Mels had hers curled, something she never did, as Payton relied on Mels' hands to braid it, delicately making each strand part of an intricate pattern.

"Morning," I said, stepping into the bathroom to shower. My hair would be going up today, nothing overly spectacular. But I did want to show off the tattoos I had gotten yesterday, one of the Dauntless crest on the back of my neck, and two little patterns going across my collarbone. My dress was black with a gold lace trim over it, fitted to my body perfectly, except for the sleeves, which flowed out. If I was going to get picked, I might as well look the part.

"Damn, Wren!" Payton almost shrieked as I came out.

"Thanks, sweetie." I winked at her.

There was a knock at the door, it had to be Theo. I didn't want him here yet, I wasn't done! I had to complete my look with the eyeliner that I had bought and as it was a special occasion, Dauntless red lips.

"Don't let him in." I giggled a bit, I admit. It was about three minutes later that I sauntered up to the door and slipped out.

"Wren, you look-" his eyes were widening.

"Don't kiss me. You'll ruin them." I pouted to show off my lips.

"You look amazing." he finished, blushing.

"Don't you look dapper as well!" It was more of a statement.

We walked to the train hand in hand, finally in public, and burst out running to catch up to the train. It was about twelve thirty now. That was the good thing about Dauntless. Even though I was wearing heels, everything was made for running. I was still easily able to jump on the train, heels and a dress.

Thirty minutes went fast and we jumped off a few blocks away from the statue in front of the Hub. There was a stage set up outside of it with two glass globes set on a table. One of the ambassadors from the Capitol, Anita, was here too, hosting the reaping. She was originally from here as an Erudite, and given the looks of her wardrobe, still felt loyalty to her faction.

"Gather in, gather in." she cooed, her voice soft. Theo held my hand tighter. "This year's Quell is an interesting one," she started. "Four tributes, as always, but this year, double the victors. Four victors will be coming home instead of two. With that, let's see who will be facing off." she went to the ball holding all the girl's names.

"Caroline Fletcher." Yes! She was the unlucky one! She would never make it. Caroline went up, teary eyed, to the stage and faced the crowd.

"Next, Wren Tailor." Theo's face froze at the sound of my name. My body froze as well, the echo still in my mind. I forgot how to breathe. There were no volunteers either. I never thought I would actually get picked.

"Wren?" she asked, and people started looking around at me, a few whispers going around from the people of Dauntless. Could this be a plot against the Divergent? What if Peter-no. No. I was just unlucky, the bad draw.

I let go of Theo, steadied myself and walked to the stage. My hands were balled into fists, my face flat, no expression. Once could say I looked Dauntless, but I could only say I felt dead.

"Now for the male category." she chose a name from the bottom. "Adam Standford." she called. Oh, not too bad, I would at least get to kill my adversaries before I died myself. He joined Caroline on the stage, tears falling down his face, a disgrace to my faction.

"Hey, Wren." he whispered.

"Isaac Reems." was the next tribute. Oh, poor Isaac. But wait, there was a voice of dissent.

"I volunteer." That voice belonged to Theo as he stumbled up the stage to join me in my death, taking the place of his best friend.

"Very well. We have our four tributes." she said cheerfully. "Follow me."

No. No, no, Theo, with me. He could die in these Games. I couldn't have that. The tears I was holding back spilled over my face. How could he do this, sacrifice himself? My only answer: so we could die together.

~Theo~

Her name was picked. Of all things, of all people, her name was the one to be chosen. Not even an Abnegation volunteered to go up. I had to go with her, protect her, make sure she stayed alive. I couldn't let her die.

"I volunteer." I gasped out as soon as Isaac was called. Funny, how fate played it. Four Dauntless tributes. Me and Wren against Adam and Caroline. There had to be a joke here, I was missing the punchline.

When I got on stage, Wren looked at me in horror. I was fairly sure our expressions matched. As we were ushered back into the Hub before being loaded on the train.

"You have fifteen minutes with your friends." Anita opened a door to a room in which our friends and family had been gathered into. In it, I saw Mels, Isaac, Bri, Nate, Payton, Em, Erin, Tom, Peter, Four, and even Wren's mother. Adam and Caroline had no attachment to these people and stood back in the corner, waiting. We all embraced each other, and I felt the love and empowerment come from these people that I had come to love, all because of the girl that I was holding onto, the girl I was going to die with.

"I'm sorry." Mels told us, tears flowing.

"I'll be fine."

"You'll win. You'd better win. I have faith in you. Anything we can do to help." such encouraging words of advice from all of these people, crowded around me and Wren. She was the strong one, grounding herself so I wouldn't have to, such a selfless act. I only hoped I could do something like that for her. I knew I would be able to. A laugh escaped at the thought of her living up to such an Abnegation standard.

Fifteen minutes too short, and we were ushered once more out of the room and onto the train, direct route to the Capitol.

"Should be about a fifteen hour trip. We'll be there by the morning." It was three now. We would be there by six in the morning. The doors closed after we were in, sealing us off from our home forever.