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CHAPTER 29
FOUR POV
I decide to go to mum and dads' for dinner. I hope they are home. I need to talk to dad about Marcus and Tris. I don't know how I am going to tell Tris the truth. Although I'm guessing she has a pretty good idea about it now. I shouldn't have said what I did. But it's just like I told her I get so confused around her. And when she was saying those words all I could think was that she was saying them to me. Which now I have had a moment to think about it I know that is completely ridiculous.
I knock on the door and wait until dad opens it. "I thought you would come for dinner tonight. But then Charlie had an interesting story to tell me when I got home." I just shake my head as I walk into the lounge room.
"Four!" Charlie and Jed yell out at once. Charlie runs over and gives me my second hug for the day, with Jed coming after her and falling at my feet. He hasn't been walking that long and he is always falling over whenever he tries to go to quick. I pick him up and give him a big hug. Hoping it will stop the tears that usually come after he has fallen. He gives me a big smile and I smile back.
I carry them both over to the couch and flop down with them both climbing all over me. I don't get to spend enough time with them while initiation is happening. I'm usually too exhausted after training. But now I'm more emotionally exhausted than physically.
"Mum, Four has a girlfriend," Charlie calls out to mum who is in the kitchen.
"Really?" Mum pops her head out from the kitchen.
"Yep, she was at his place today, they were holding hands and everything."
"Charlie," I say.
"What? It's true. I saw you."
I grab her and start tickling her. And instead of my love life being the conversation we now get to hear Charlie laughing. Then Jed jumps onto my back so I start tickling him as well. He has such a sweet little laugh. I really love spending time with my family and it is taking away from everything else I am going to have to deal with over the next few days.
I walk down stairs after reading Charlie and Jed a story and tucking them in. Mum and dad are sitting on the couch and I go and sit with them.
"So a girlfriend?" Mum asks.
"Tris?"Dad asks.
"Yeah but I think I might have screwed it all up," I say.
Dad laughs. "What's so funny?" I ask.
"I doubt you have screwed it all up. That's just how they make you feel," he says.
"We do not," mum says with a smile on her face.
"Please, how many times did I almost screw it up with you?" he says. "Wait, don't answer that."
We all have a laugh. "So seriously, what do you think you did wrong?" Dad asks.
I tell them both about what I said outside the dorm. "She is going to hate me when she finds out the truth, that is if she hasn't already worked it out," I say.
"I don't think you're giving her much credit Four. I think she is going to be shocked, probably hurt. She will probably need some time to process all of it. But I don't think she will hate you," mum says.
"I don't even know how to tell her," I say. We all sit silent for a minute. Then mum says, "take her through your fear landscape."
"What? Am I even allowed to do that?" I ask.
"There aren't any rules about it son. It's really up to you. It might be the easiest way to explain it all," dad says.
"I don't know, I need to think about this. I mean she is in there. How is she going to cope seeing that?" I say. Mum and dad both know what my fear landscape is; I told them after I went through it. I haven't been back in there since my initiation finished. I couldn't stand watching Beatrice and I had enough of Marcus in my nightmares without torturing myself even more while I'm awake.
"Well you are going to need to make a decision soon. With these Erudite reports surfacing we have no way of knowing how Marcus is going to react," dad says.
"I wanted to talk to you about that. I think it's time," I say.
"Are you sure?" mum asks.
"Yeah. I need to face this fear head on," I say. "I'm going to need your help dad."
"Whatever you need. Just let me know how you want to do this," dad says.
"I need everything you have regarding that day," I say.
"What are you going to do?"
"I want him to back off. If I can't get him to back off then I want him to pay for what he did. I'm going to talk to Jack. See if he is available to administer some truth serum. I am hoping it won't come to that, but if it does then I want to make sure he suffers for what he put me through."
"If he goes under truth serum then the whole city will know," dad says.
"I know and I don't want that to happen. But if it has to happen that way than so be it. I chose Dauntless because I wanted to be here. So no matter what anyone thinks about what happened in my past they will know I chose Dauntless because this is my home."
"When do you want to do this?"
"I need to talk to Tris first. I will let you know."
MARCUS POV
That bitch. What is she playing at putting this information into the paper for everyone to see? I wanted this done quietly. Now she is questioning all of Abnegation and our ways. I can't go and see her; she has barred anyone from Abnegation from Erudite headquarters. She is up to a lot more than she has been telling me. At least I haven't handed over any members to her for testing yet.
There is a knock at my door and Andrew is standing there. This affects him now too. What were his children playing at by defecting? Their home was probably the most loving Abnegation family I have ever witnessed. His children make me sick. They should have been given a good belt across their backs, maybe then we wouldn't have such a bloody mess on our hands.
"Andrew, how are you?"
"Marcus I was coming to ask you the same question. I am sorry for the reports that have been surfacing. It must be extremely difficult to have to relive such painful memories."
"Thank you Andrew. Yes it has been difficult. I don't understand why Jeanine would be doing such a thing." I know why she is doing it but Andrew can't know. If anyone finds out about by deal with Jeanine, I can't think like this. No one is going to find out.
"Jeanine does like to think she is superior to everyone else."
"Well I suppose we need to look at what has happened this year and see if we can't fix it. I don't know when we have ever had three traitors defect in the one year."
"I'd hardly say they are traitors Marcus. They are young and Abnegation isn't for everyone." I can see he is not happy with my description of his children. I will need to tone things down a bit; I don't want to upset people on my own council. Especially with Jeanine ready to pounce.
"Well I suppose I may have been a little harsh. I think it would be good if we weren't seen visiting any of the children on visiting day. It would be setting the wrong example."
"Well even if I wanted to see Caleb we can't get into the Erudite compound. They are not letting anyone from Abnegation in. As for keeping Natalie from visiting Beatrice. I will not ask her to stay at home. Natalie was originally from Dauntless I think she is proud of her choice."
"That is ridiculous, how can you let Natalie do this?" I am angry now. Well more angry than I already was. He should keep his wife in line. This is why they defected. Andrew is too soft, he needs more backbone.
"It is Natalie's choice Marcus. I will not interfere. Now would you like to come to dinner tonight? I would hate to think of you all alone in that house after reading that report."
"You are very kind Andrew but I wouldn't want to burden you with my problems."
"Very well Marcus, I'm leaving now. I will see you tomorrow."
