Tris had become unbearably sick. It all started with that night that they had been sent out on that mission; the harsh winter was taking its toll on Tris. It didn't help that her and Eric's living conditions was sleeping on a cold damp floor. Over the next two weeks, it had developed from a sore throat, to a runny nose, to coughing, and headaches. Not to mention that their concrete floor was mildly uncomfortable making both of their backs sore every morning. And with her and Eric both being chained to the wall they couldn't cuddle together to try to preserve whatever body warmth they had. Tris saw it as a good thing; she figured she was far away enough from Eric not to get him sick.
Tris hadn't mentioned the 'thing' to anyone. She didn't have the heart to tell Eric; she knew that no good could come from telling him. She didn't necessarily mean to be putting it off like she was; there was just no good time to tell him. She was now fully convinced that she was pregnant. Her belly was protruding, her pants were getting tired, she was constantly nauseous, but once her cold mutated to the flu no one questioned her vomiting.
Anytime anyone came into their cell to provide their pathetic meals, Eric would berate them endlessly. His fury was consuming him. He spent most of his time apologizing to Tris and telling her that he would find a way to keep her alive and get her out. However after a particularly nasty night full of painful coughing fits and throwing up into a bucket all night Edgar began to see the need for changes.
One early cold morning, Tris lay huddled against the wall. Her lungs were immensely sore from all of the coughing and she was shivering from the cold. Eric could only look on helplessly from the opposite side of the room. The locks on the iron door clicked out of place and Edgar, Andy, Amber and her boyfriend, Jeremy, entered the cell. Tris went into another coughing fit.
"Damn," Edgar said with a disgusted look through her coughs, "you look like shit and you sound like it too."
"I cannot wait to watch the life drain out of your eyes Edgar," Eric spat at him.
"Gonna be hard to do when your chained to the wall bro," Edgar said turning to him, "You know you look like you're losing a bit of muscle there man."
That was true, despite Tris' delicate state, the sad meals that Edgar gave them wasn't enough to sustain them. It kept them alive but only barley, they were both losing weight and becoming sickly, Tris more so than Eric.
"I don't care if you kill me Edgar," Eric replied, his eyes dark as icy steel, "because one way or another I'm going to take you with me on my way to hell."
Amber came over to Tris kneeling down beside her. She tried to put a comforting hand on Tris only for Tris to shake her off. She couldn't look at Amber the same way regardless of growing up with her. Jeremy rolled his eyes over them puffing on a cigarette.
"I'd love to see you try," Edgar challenged.
"I swear to god Edgar if she dies," Eric stated grimly with a clenched hand, "I will kill all of you with my bare hands."
Tris could feel her stomach drop at Eric's words. It only made her cry more than she already was.
"You know, y'all should be a little nicer to someone coming to give you guys a gift," Andy said with his usual sarcastic tone.
"A gift?" Eric asked unamused.
"Yeah man," Andy said throwing his arms up, "it's Christmas day, Merry Christmas motherfuckers!"
Tris closed her eyes as her mind swam back to happier times. Abnegation usually rejected Christmas which only made her first Christmas in Dauntless all the more magical. She was blown away by the monstrous Christmas tree that was put into the pit of Dauntless covered with decorations and lights in fact all of Dauntless was decorated accordingly. The halls always smelled of pumpkin pie and their custom made candy cane hot chocolate. Back then, Tris had been with Four, who bought her a beautiful diamond pendant with their initials on it. The best was that on Christmas Eve all of dauntless would gather in the pit for a party for a grand feast, games and activities and gift exchanges. Tris wondered what Christina and Four were doing and if Dauntless had their Christmas party last night.
"Yup," Edgar stated, "and for once Eric…I agree with you. Tris can't stay here anymore or she'll bite the dust."
"I'm not leaving Eric!" Tris screamed out unable to move much. She didn't care how uncomfortable she was, she would not leave him.
"Tris stop!" Eric shouted back at her, "I know you Edgar; everything comes with a deal with you."
"Yes," Edgar said solemnly, "and you and I are going to be discussing that later, for now let's go."
With that being said Amber got out of the way as Jeremy forced her and began unlocking Tris's cuffs around her wrist and ankles. Andy did the same for Eric. It was hard to get up, especially for Tris. They were both weak and tired. Tris was slow going at it as her whole body was sore, eventually Jeremy got fed up with waiting and went to go pick her up and throw her over his shoulder.
"Don't you fucking touch her!" Eric screamed out at seeing Jeremy, "Give her to me I'll carry her!"
Jeremy looked irritated over at Edgar.
"Just let it go man," Edgar shrugged, "it's Christmas, stop looking so bitchy."
"Whatever man," Jeremy said and grabbed onto Amber's arm and dragged her out.
For the first time in nearly three weeks Eric and Tris were able to get closer than five feet apart. Eric's beard was beginning to grow in thick and his two piercings above his eye brows were beginning to close up and turning into scars. If Tris hadn't been so tired she would have just melted into his arms begging him to never let her go again. He had the same look on his eyes but she could tell that he was keeping a stony face. The burning blue of his eyes told a different story. Still as gently as he could her wrapped an around her back and one underneath her legs.
Just as Tris had expected she melted into his arms, resting her head on his chest. His body was just as cold as she was but somehow being in his arms felt right. She wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes and listened to his strong heartbeat, thinking back to all those times they had slept together in his warm bed and she'd listen to the same heartbeat. As they walked out of their cold room Tris had snuggled into his neck holding him tighter as a shiver ran through her whole body. Eric, in feeling sympathy for the freezing woman in his arms leaned down and kissed the top of her head sending a different kind of shiver through Tris causing her to smile for the first time in weeks.
"Alright, this is your place now," Edgar said stopping at one door with the same complicated locks.
The iron door opened and in they stepped into a new room. It wasn't much bigger than their other one, only difference was that the floor was dry, the walls were a bit more insulated so the air was less cold, in the center of the room was a small empty fire pit and on either side of the walls were two small cots, a pillow and a blanket on each of them. And sitting on top of their new beds was a fully made sandwich, a bright red apple and a gallon of water each.
Tris and Eric both eyed their new surrounding suspiciously.
"Why are you doing this?" Tris murmured.
"I told you it's Christmas," Andy said with his cheeky grin.
"Glad you asked," Edgar stated, "Eric let's go. We need to talk."
"Will you just give me a minute?" Eric asked walking over to a cot and set Tris down gently.
"What?" Andy asked mockingly, "wanna say bye to your honey bun?"
"Would you shut the fuck up?" Eric growled, "God, I've never fucking liked you Andy."
"Everyone just shut up," Edgar ordered, "Andy, Jer, Amber get out, you got 60 seconds."
With that being said everyone walked out of the room, leaving Tris and Eric alone. And just like a parent would do with a child, Eric pulled the blanket out from under Tris, fixed the pillow and tucked her in. The blankets were thin but offered some warmth, the relief on Tris's face must've been obvious as she closed her eyes and relaxed. Eric sat perched next to the bed, and gently cupped Tris' face rubbing his thumb on her cheek and simply starred at her and all Tris wanted to do was enjoy the feeling of Eric's strong hand holding her face.
"What do you think Edgar wants?" Tris murmured with her eyes still closed. She felt so weak.
"I don't know," Eric replied.
"You don't think he's going to kill you is he?" Tris asked with a small whimper.
"Hey don't," Eric said moving closer to her, "I'll be ok. I don't think he's going to kill me. He wouldn't have just given me a bed and food just to turn around and kill me."
Again, the silence. Tris could feel Eric's gaze on her and his thumb continued to massage her cheek.
She opened her eyes to him, "Can I ask you one thing?"
"What?" Eric responded.
"Kiss me?" Tris whispered hopefully.
Eric seemed at war with himself, Tris knew he wanted to but his words still rang in her ears.
"You can't love me. I'm serious Tris you don't love me. Not now not ever, you can't."
"Please?" Tris begged.
"Eric let's go!" Edgar shouted stepping back into the room, "C'mon, I got shit to do today."
Eric closed his eyes trying to hold back tears, "Fine…I'll be back later Tris. Eat my sandwich if your still hungry."
Eric swiftly stood up and followed Edgar and Andy out the door and went down the hall.
"Get some sleep kid," Edgar ordered and closed the iron door shut and locked it.
Tris turned over in the bed pulling the blanket closer to herself and cried herself into a slightly more comfortable sleep.