I wake up in the dormitory, and I find I'm not the only one who is awake. Christina, Will and Tris are all getting dressed, pulling on tight black tops, and leathery, dark trousers. "Didn't want to wake up the monster, huh?" I joke, and they all laugh. It feels good to laugh again. "Nah," Christina retorts, "didn't wanna risk it!"

I jump out of bed, and quickly slip into my Dauntless outfit – black trousers, black top – surprise, surprise. Will and Christina are ready pretty quick, and the, scarily sunny, Tris offers to walk with me – to give them their, 'alone time'. I can't help sniggering, but I soon stop when Christina shoots me a deadly glare.

A few minutes after Christina and Will have left, Tris and I head down to the noisy cafeteria. We are walking down the damp passages of Dauntless in comfortable silence, when Tris suddenly blurts out, "I'm sorry, by the way." I frown at her, confused. "What happened…with…your father." I suddenly see red, and I have to resist the urge to slam Tris against the wall. I have to remind myself, it's Tobias' fault that she knows, not hers. "It shouldn't have happened. No-one should face that." She adds, I shake my head in reply, restraining myself, trying not to let myself give in to the cold human I am inside. How badly I want to shove this stupid girl's sympathy back in her face, how badly I want to scream at her. Tell her she can never understand the pain of the lashes, the sickness of your father taking away your innocence, how it feels to hear your brother's screams while you are looked in a closet.

She can never understand.

I can feel Tris' eyes upon mine as we walk down the hall. I know the sympathetic look she's giving me. I've had it before, not for this, though, for many of the other crimes committed against me. The water drips as we walk, and I un-clench and clench my fists again and again – hoping it will release some of the anger inside me, cool the fire burning inside me. I can feel the flames flickering inside, the un-controllable rage, bubbling up. I can feel the harsh, cruel, cold words sitting in the back of my throat, waiting on the tip of my tongue. But I can't say anything, I know it's not her fault. I know it's not her my anger should be directed at, it's him. It's him I should be envisioning slamming against the wall, again, and again. It's him I should be should be imagining strangling, watching the life slowly bleed out of his eyes, as he begs for forgiveness. It's him I should be directing this rage at.

But it's not.

I am so pre-occupied with my anger that I jump when Tris starts talking again. "He kissed me." It's all she says, and a huge grin spreads across her face, which is light up by a fire lantern on our right. "What?" I ask, and Tris rolls her eyes, as if I am the dumbest person in the world for not getting her right away. "Your brother. And me." I raise my eyebrows, and curse my brother for being so clumsy – he can't afford to have a relationship with any initiates – especially not Tris. "So are you together now?" I ask, trying to fake my happiness.

Tris shrugs, "I guess so."

I don't think it will work, Tobias is too harsh, too closed, for Tris. Tris, brave, and selfless. Tris sticking up for people who don't deserve it. Somehow, I can't see it working. But, I'm not always right. This time, though, I hope - for everyone's sake - that I am.

The walk to the canteen seems to last forever, and the once comfortable silence has turned into a silence as cold as ice. A silence full of tension, accompanied only by the sound of the water dripping from the damp rocks above us and our steady breaths. We are both much fitter now we have nearly finished initiation, and I can walk for a long while before I get out of breath now. I can't help but feel I am fuelling the tension, yet, I don't know how to calm myself, or the static in the air.

Eventually, we reach the dining hall, and the noise of the irrelevant chatter that fills the room. Shouts echo throughout the hall, and I can see Uriah beckoning Tris and I over. "You look good this morning," Uriah murmurs into my ear, and I smile at him, before placing a kiss on his cheek. Everything feels so easy, like maybe it could all work. In that moment, with laughter and the teasing calls of Dauntless around me, I can't help but think that it could work. I can't help but hope.

We are all sitting and joking around, when I notice Tris suddenly straighten up, looking like a helpless puppy. I turn my head, and find Tobias staring at me, before looking away.

Ignoring Tris.

I can't help but let out a sigh of relief, and I'm glad no-one has noticed. I turn back to Tris again, just in time to see the perky smile she has been wearing all morning slip off her face. She bites her lip, and under her breath I hear her mutter, "I guess it's like that, then." I give Tris a sympathetic smile, knowing her doubts.

I know what she's thinking, I know she's doubting herself, doubting my brother's feelings for her. But she's wrong, he's not ignoring her for the reasons she thinks. Tobias will still be besotted for Tris, but he's protecting her, and protecting himself as well. If anyone found out what happened last night, Tobias would be accused of favouritism, Tris could lose her chances for ever getting into Dauntless.

That's why, when I get up to leave the roar of the hall, I discreetly whisper into her ear,

"It's for the best,"


A/N: Hope you like this chapter! I'd like to thank you all so so so so so so so so so so much for 51 followers and 30 favourites! It means so much to me, and I really hope you enjoy this chapter.

I won't spoil anything for those who haven't read it yet, but I'd like to take a second to thank Veronica Roth for the awesomeness that is Four: A Divergent Collection, it really helped with this fanfic as well, because I could see more into Four's point of view. If you haven't read it, I really recommend you go and get your copy ASAP. I'd just like to comment on the little signing off in the acknowledgements that was: 4 - I mean, that is clever.

Also, don't forget to review and guess my age!

NovelFlower

Xoxo