I'm still working on Eric and Jade's next chapter, so I offer this as a filler for the time being. I had a few requests for Rachel and Sebastian's side story, so here's a little glimpse at their relationship and where it may go. It takes place after the wedding ceremony from Leap of Faith. Only warnings are profanity and angst. Enjoy!

-Emmy

"Ten credits say they're next."

Samantha smiles, gesturing with her beer bottle. Rachel follows her line of vision to see Eric and Jade at a side table, deep in conversation. Eric stands behind her, one arm wrapped around her waist while leaning close to her ear. Jade strokes the other arm wrapped around her shoulder, a soft smile playing on her lips. She turns her face to Eric's as they whisper to each other, with soft fleeting kisses in between.

After the ceremony, all gathered in the Pit for what constituted a "reception". It was just basically a large gathering, with the newlyweds as the center of attention. The obligatory speeches were given, with all of the faction toasting them in true Dauntless fashion; slamming their drinks and roaring at the top of their lungs. Ashley and Rob were sent upstairs to their wedding night after receiving their congratulations, with everyone else hanging around the Pit.

Eric and Jade remained off to the side, secluded in their own little world. It's ironic they're the only two people who can't see how in love they are…when anyone with eyes could tell.

Rachel turns back to Samantha. "If this were a few months ago I'd have taken that bet gladly, expecting an easy victory. But now I think you're right…I've never seen Jade this way before. She's actually in love." Samantha smiles, taking another sip of her beer.

"This is a whole new Jade…it looks good on her. I just can't believe Eric Coulter is the one to finally tame her," she laughs. Rachel chuckles under her breath, taking a sip of her own beer. "Eric is probably the only one that could…he's the only guy in Dauntless not afraid of her."

"I don't know…Ayden had a ring on her finger for a while," Samantha points out. Rachel shrugs, knocking back the rest of her drink. "On the real; I'd have been very surprised if Jade actually went through with it."

"Went through with what?"

"Marrying Ayden…

"You don't think she loved Ayden?"

"She loved Ayden, but she wasn't in love."

Rachel glances back at Eric and Jade, now slipping out of the Pit hand-in-hand. "Not like she loves Eric, even if she won't admit it yet. Those two have truly found their match…" She trails off, a wistful smile coming over as she watches them step on the elevator.

"May we all be so lucky," Samantha says in a quiet, pained voice. Rachel gives a sympathetic smile, brushing her arm. "We will be…when the time is right. There's always the lottery, if not," she laughs. Samantha shrugs, forcing a light-hearted tone. "Maybe that would be best…having someone else choose for me. I seem to fuck up royally when I do it myself." Rachel purses her lips.

"You didn't fuck up, Sam…what happened with Jason wasn't your fault."

"It kind of is…"

"How do you figure?"

Samantha looks away, her hurt coming to the surface. "It's partially my fault because I put up with it for so long. I knew he was screwing around, and just never said anything. Hell, I was even starting to justify it in a sick way. I tried to tell myself it was better for him to do it all now before we got married…that it would eventually stop…God, I'm such a fucking idiot…" Her eyes well with tears, Rachel instantly shaking her head.

"You're not an idiot, Sam…you were in love. That tends to fuck with a person's sense of logic…which explains why the Erudite are the way they are. You wanted and hoped for the best… though it may not seem like it right now, what happened was for the best."

Samantha turns to her with confused eyes. Rachel leans on the table with a pained expression, swallowing a sip of her beer. "Jason made you think you had something substantial…something worth waiting for…that he saw you as more than just a place to shove his dick. In a fucked-up way…I think he probably did see you as his mate. As the saying goes, he didn't know what he had until he lost it. It's for the best that happened before you tattooed his name on you."

Samantha arches her brow. "Like it turned out for the best with you and Sebastian?" she counters quietly. Rachel feels an instant stab in the gut at his name, making her flinch. Samantha doesn't waver, though she gives Rachel a moment to compose herself.

"It's not the same…"

"How is it not the same?"

Rachel takes a deep, painful breath. "It's not the same, because Sebastian and I were never together...I never had a chance at something real with him. I was just the latest in his lineup, and like a fucking idiot, I let myself forget that and become deluded," she laments, hearing her heartache in her tone. Samantha sighs, propping her chin on her hand.

"How do you know it wasn't real for Sebastian?"

"You mean besides him not bothering to hide that he was going to fuck another girl that night?"

"Did you ever confirm that actually happened?"

Rachel whips her eyes to her friend, anger clenching her jaw. "Just because I was born Dauntless instead of Erudite, it doesn't mean I'm a fucking idiot, such as the one Sebastian liked to believe I am. No one had to tell me anything…I saw the way he was with her that night. This is also Sebastian Black we're talking about…the same guy we both grew up with. He's been with almost every girl in Dauntless, one of our best friends included. Put a hole in the ground, and he'd fuck it," she snaps, her hurt getting the best of her. She shakes her head sadly, tossing back the rest of her drink.

"Even if he didn't fuck her, he still made it perfectly clear I mean absolutely nothing to him…"

"How so?"

"He flat-out told me…"

Tears brim Rachel's eyes as Samantha waits for her to explain. "His exact words were 'whatever…no big loss…you were just free pussy and I've had better anyway'…not exactly terms of endearment," she whispers in a shaky tone.

"Sebastian may have lost his temper, but I don't think he meant a word of it…" Samantha tries to console as Rachel brushes her tears away. Scoffing, she purses her lips. "Oh, he meant it alright…if he didn't, he wouldn't have been able to say what he did." Samantha shakes her head, making Rachel narrow her eyes. "How can you possibly defend him?" Rachel asks indignantly.

Samantha glances above her shoulder. "I'm not defending him...I'm just saying right now, he doesn't look like a guy that doesn't give a shit…he can't take his eyes off you." Rachel forces herself not to turn in the direction of where the guys stand in their usual spot, shaking her head stubbornly. It was hard enough to walk down the aisle and not burst into tears when she saw him.

"Miss 'atchel! Miss 'atchel!"

Her train of thought is suddenly broken, hearing the small voice behind her. She and Samantha turn to see Damien, a three-year-old boy in her daycare class hurrying toward her on his little legs. Rachel grins, stooping down and holding her arms out. "Hey little man," she greets warmly, scooping him up.

"I was wondering when you were going to come see me," she teases settling him on her hip. The little boy shyly buries his head on her shoulder. "Miss 'atchel…you look pwetty," he giggles in a whisper, wrapping his small arms around her neck. "Thank you Bubba," She laughs, giving him a kiss on the forehead.

"Where's your Mommy?" She asks, her eyes sweeping the crowd. A second later Piper, Damien's mother comes hurrying through the Pit looking around frantically. "Piper!" Rachel calls, holding him up. With a sigh of relief, she quickly makes her way through the crowd. She's carrying her other son, five-month-old Xander, trying to shield him from the cigarette smoke.

"Damien!" she scolds as she reaches them, shifting Xander to her side. "I'm so sorry, Rachel…he's like a little Houdini lately. All of a sudden he saw you and took off," She explains with a sheepish smile.

"No bother…he's one of my favorites in my class. Very well-behaved."

"Probably because he's in love with you…"

Piper winks at her son, as he buries his head on Rachel's shoulder again. Rachel ruffles Damien's hair affectionately, giving her a smile. Piper suddenly turns to Rachel hopefully.

"Hey…could you do me a small favor?"

"Sure…"

"I just got off patrol shift, and I need to check my rifle into the armory. Could you watch the boys for just ten minutes while I run down there? I'm just going to go and come back…I don't want to have to juggle the kids while handling weapons…"

Rachel nods, setting Damien down and reaching for Xander. "Absolutely." She smiles at the baby, brushing her finger over his plump little cheek. Piper smiles gratefully, slinging her rifle onto her back. She reaches into the other bag on her side, pulling out a bottle. "Would you mind giving him this? He just woke up, and he'll start wailing without it…." Rachel takes it from her as she zips her bag.

"Thank you so much…I'll be right back," she calls over her shoulder, hurrying toward one of the tunnels. Samantha holds her finger out, the baby grasping onto it. "He's adorable," She coos, as Xander smiles. She sets her glass down, pulling out her phone.

"I was actually going to go up to your place and get some of my stuff…do you need any help here before I go?"

"No, I got them…as soon as Piper comes back I'll come up and help you."

"You don't have to leave, I can handle it…"

Rachel swallows the lump in her throat, forcing a smile to her face. "I was going call it a night soon anyway…though I'm happy for Ashley and Rob, I'm really not in a romantic mood right now," she says quietly. Forcing a casual smile, she gestures down.

"I also need to get out of this dress. Leah will slit our throats if anything happens to it."

Samantha chuckles in agreement, looking down at her phone. "Yeah, she will…okay. I'll see you at your place in a minute." She smiles at the baby and winks at Damien, now holding Rachel's hand. As she takes off in the direction of the elevator, Rachel glances up. "Oh shit," She mutters. Jason is at the foot of the stairs leading to the upper tier, his gaze locked on Samantha as he takes off in her direction.

Looks like no one is going to escape drama tonight.

Rachel forces herself to turn her attention back to the kids, so she doesn't lock eyes with Sebastian. She's felt the heat of his gaze on her all night, and it's only made things harder. "Miss 'atchel," Damien says below her, tugging on her hand. Rachel smiles down at him, hoisting his baby brother on her hip. "Let's go over here, honey," She says, leading them off to the side.

Sitting down on one of the carved-out rocks, she settles Xander on her lap then gives him his bottle. As Damien prattles on in his toddler chatter, Rachel listens with a soft smile. She holds Xander's bottle as he eats contently, rocking him lightly in a soothing motion. As she's burping the baby on her shoulder, she involuntarily looks up…

…Her eyes connecting with Sebastian.

A strange expression crosses his features, watching her with the boys. His hands are gripping the upper railing, his chest heaving slightly. Rachel tears her eyes away after a long minute, making herself concentrate on the kids. Damien sits beside her, looking up with adoring eyes as she rubs Xander's back.

Piper appears from the tunnel a moment later, hurrying toward them. "Thank you so much," she breathes as Rachel hands her the baby. "No problem…you've got some great kids here. These two are adorable," she replies with a smile. She kisses the top of Damien's head, smoothing his hair. "I'll see you soon, buddy…thanks for hanging out with me." Damien looks between her and his mother earnestly.

"Mommy…can I marry Miss 'atchel when I get big?" He asks hopefully, as serious as can be. Both women burst into laughter, Rachel's heart melting at his sweetness. Piper grins as she takes her son's hand, pretending to shrug. "If she's still available by the time you get through Initiation…but we'll see," she teases, shaking her head. "Just make sure you eat your vegetables, so you can grow…and maybe one day we'll jump off the ledge together," Rachel laughs, truly touched. Damien gives her a big smile, stepping toward her.

"Miss 'atchel, come 'ere..." Rachel leans down, and he presses a kiss on her cheek. Giggling, he runs back to his mother. Piper pretends to groan, as Rachel can't help but giggle. "All right, let's get going…thanks again, Rachel," she says as she heads toward the elevators. Rachel waves them off, gathering her phone to head home herself.

As she makes her way toward the elevators for her building, she feels a stabbing stare gripping her whole body. Her senses tingle, knowing Sebastian is probably near. She begins to walk faster, just wanting to get out of his eye line. She enters her tunnel and starts to walk toward the elevator, an inexplicable sense of urgency driving her. She takes a few steps, then her heart thuds.

Sebastian steps out of the shadows and into her direct path.

His expression hardens as their eyes lock, Rachel's breath hitching in her chest. She stops dead in her tracks. After both of them remain frozen for a few moments, Sebastian starts to make determined strides toward her. Rachel takes a deep breath, forcing herself to snap out of it. Turning on her heel, she quickly heads for the side tunnel to the back elevator.

"Damn it," She whispers, hearing his footsteps behind her. Ignoring his call of her name, she desperately prays the elevator opens immediately. She's about a yard away when Sebastian catches up to her. "Rachel…fucking stop," he snaps, quickly moving in front of her. Rachel stops, but only to keep from running into him. "Get out of my way…now…" she orders through gritted teeth. Her temper begins to flare, with her hands clenching into fists. The last thing she wants is for this to get physical, but she will do what she has to do if it comes to that.

Sebastian puts his palms up, not wanting to do what he has to do if she won't hear him out. What Brady said before about doing whatever it takes echoes in his mind, realizing how true that is now. His eyes narrow as he takes a commanding posture, but he forces his voice to remain at a normal level.

"We need to talk, Rachel…I'm trying to do it the easy way."

Sebastian's voice is even, but Rachel doesn't miss the warning undertones. With her heart racing, she looks up with a defiant eye. "We have nothing to talk about…you said all there is to say already, so we can just leave it at that. Have a good night…" Rachel replies in a low, firm tone. She hears Sebastian's sharp intake as she sidesteps him, desperate to put some distance between them.

She gets no further than a few feet when she feels his hand close on her arm. After stopping her again, he quickly steps in front of her. "Get your fucking hands off me," she hisses, wrenching her arm from his grasp. Fuck, she thinks as her tears start to well. Damn it, he will not have the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Sebastian towers over her, clenching his jaw in determination.

"Rachel…just give me a minute…please..."

"I'm not in the mood for a screaming match, so I'll pass."

"That's not what I-"

"I have nothing to say to you, and I don't give a fuck about anything you have to say to me! Get the fuck out of my way Sebastian!"

Rachel again tries to sidestep him, but Sebastian refuses to let her pass. He blocks her path, feeing his own temper flare. "Shut the fuck up for two minutes and let me fucking speak!" He thunders through gritted teeth.

Sebastian's chest heaves with frustration, struggling with his self-restraint. He feels like an absolute moron right now, completely out of his element and not knowing how to handle this. After they stay deadlocked for several heated moments, Rachel finally relents. Leaning back against the rock wall, she crosses her arms protectively and trains her gaze to the side.

"Fine…you have something to say, say it…just get it over with."

Sebastian takes a deep breath, running his hand over his head. "Rachel…I…" he trails off. Swearing under his breath, he sternly commands himself to get his shit together. He's stuttering like a fucking idiot, something he would normally punish one of his soldiers for doing. Exhaling loudly, he tries again.

"Look…things got a little out of hand that night, and I said a lot of shit I didn't mean…and that I'm sorry for saying," He begins, his tone much calmer this time. He waits for her response, his heart pounding wildly. He wants her to see his apology is sincere, though she has every reason to doubt him. Sebastian doesn't think the words 'I'm sorry' have ever come out of his mouth before, and certainly not to a woman if so.

Rachel has an effect on him no other woman before her ever had; the ability to make him give a shit. He's entirely at her mercy right now, and he knows it. He also knows that he loves her…and has for a long time now.

Rachel says nothing, continuing to look everywhere but at him. Some of her anger comes to the surface, twisting her mouth in a sneering grin.

"Don't sweat it, Sebastian…after all, I was nothing more than a 'convenient lay'...and 'not worth the bullshit hassle' if I recall correctly. In your own words, you can find 'free pussy that you've had better anyway', so there's no point in wasting any more of your time or energy on me," She spits out, biting her lower lip to keep her tears from spilling.

Sebastian's eyes close tightly, his features twisted with regret. He opens them and takes a step toward her, with Rachel reflexively taking a step back. "Don't touch me," she warns again, her fist clenching. Sebastian forces himself to stay put, trying to keep his tone neutral.

"As I already stated…there was a lot of fucked-up things I said and certainly didn't mean. I was just angry and overreacted…though you probably won't believe this, I am sorry…I just hope you don't hold this against me forever," he declares quietly. A solitary tear tracks down Rachel's cheek, making him feel like a knife was plunged into his chest. She hastily wipes it away, taking a deep, shaky breath.

"I accept your apology…but it doesn't change anything."

A heavy silence falls between them, with Sebastian struggling to bite his tongue. He knew this wouldn't be easy, but it looks like it might be more difficult than he anticipated. Rachel takes a tense posture, determined to keep herself together. Though it's not what she wants, clear boundaries need to be established. Rubbing her forehead, she exhales loudly.

"Look…we have friends in the same circle that are dating, so we have to get used to being around each other. I don't want shit to be weird. There's no reason we can't be…civil…maybe even...friends, in time…"

Rachel hears her voice catch at the end, a painful lump forming in her throat. She fidgets uncomfortably, his furious gaze piercing right through her. Sebastian narrows his eyes, his jaw clenching in vexation. After a pregnant pause, he inhales sharply while crossing his thickly muscled, tattooed arms. "Friends," he utters, his voice dripping with disdain. He finally shakes his head, his mouth set in determination.

"We're not going to just be 'friends' Rachel…not when both of us want more than that."

Rachel finally meets his eyes, seeing the same longing and pent up frustration she's sure are in hers. Don't fall in this trap again, that little voice whispers.

Squaring her shoulders, she draws herself up and resolves to stand by the promise she made to herself. "This isn't a negotiation, Sebastian…it's one or the other. We can go back to being friends…whatever that may look like…or we can keep pretending the other doesn't exist. Take it or leave it."

Sebastian's eyes flash at her refusal, visibly struggling to keep himself calm. He can't lose his temper again…that's what got them here. The last thing he wants to do is make the same mistake. Though he knows that she's aching for him as badly as he aches for her, Rachel isn't going to make this simple and uncomplicated. He's going to have to break this wall she's put up, but he can't do that if he loses his shit and she shuts him out again.

If he's going to get her back, he has to play the long game.

"It is what it is, I guess," he finally replies, rubbing his jaw. He steps closer, but Rachel doesn't recoil this time.

"For whatever it's worth…what you think happened that night, never happened," he states quietly. Rachel looks away, desperately trying to blink away her tears. "It's none of my business either way, Sebastian. Let's just forget the whole thing." Sebastian stare hardens, her choice of words striking a chord within him.

"I don't want to forget it, Rachel…I want to make it right. I just wish you'd give me the chance."

Rachel's heart beats faster, feeling as if her insides were being ripped out. She can't and won't do this to herself again. She may love Sebastian, but she's not stupid. Men like him don't change, and she will not fool herself. But she does need closure and doesn't want the time she spent with him to end on such a bad note. She doesn't want it to end at all…but knows this is what has to be.

Rachel sighs, moving closer. Without warning, she wraps her arms around Sebastian's neck in a light embrace. He stiffens in surprise, then his whole body seems to relax. Closing his eyes, he wraps his arms tighter around her waist, breathing in her scent. They stay like this for a while, both filled with longing and regret. Rachel takes a deep, painful breath while forcing herself to pull back. "No hard feelings, okay?" she whispers, struggling to keep her tears at bay. Sebastian searches her face, desperately trying to find the right words.

Rachel decides not to give him the chance. She can't keep herself together much longer and doesn't want to break down in front of him...which she's in danger of doing at any moment. She leans in again, ghosting a kiss over his cheek.

"I'll see you around, Sebastian…take care of yourself."

With her 'goodbye' hanging in the air between them, she slips out of his arms. She hears him utter her name lowly as she turns on her heel, but forces herself to not stop this time. If she turns and looks at him, she won't be strong enough to not give in. Go, she tearfully commands herself. Just go…

She feels the heat of Sebastian's eyes all the way to the elevator, praying he doesn't try to follow her. To her relief, the doors swing open a second later.

As she steps on, she wills herself to keep it together until she's away from prying eyes. She pushes for her floor, finally looking up to connect with his anguished expression. With a small smile laced with sadness, she gives a little wave as the doors finally begin to close. They stay in each other's gaze until she's finally out of his sight, her face crumpling with restrained tears.

Rachel tilts her head back, letting them finally fall freely down her face. Grateful she's alone, she allows herself to let it out. Resting her head against the back paneling, deep sobs rack her body as she's carried upward. Sinking down to the floor, she gathers her knees to her chest and attempts to get a hold of herself.

"Stupid fucking bitch," she scolds herself, squeezing her eyes shut while reflecting on everything. "How the fuck could you have let this happen."

After dropping off the last box of Samantha's stuff at her new place, Rachel again heads for home. As she rides up to her floor, her grief once more attacks her. She sinks down to the floor again, holding her head in her hands.

Although this is not what she wants, she knows it's better this way. Sebastian will never be the man she needs, and it's time to face facts. She's in over her head, and it's time to pull herself out. She knows exactly what kind of man Sebastian is…she grew up in Dauntless with him, he's never hid himself. He's a guy that will always think with his cock, never satisfied with only one woman. That's not what she wants for her life.

She's trying to convince herself that this is the right thing to do, but Sebastian's apology has her questioning it. Her heart wants her to believe that he can be capable of loving her, that they could ever be something more than just sex, but her head is telling her not to be an idiot. Men like Sebastian simply don't love…men like Sebastian just use… she's worth more than that…

No matter how much she loves him and wishes things were different, and they could be together as something real.

Rachel angrily wipes the tears from her eyes, begrudgingly rising as the doors swing open on her floor. Desperate to be alone and free to cry her heart out, she begins to make her way home when she hears a loud banging. Stopping in place, she cautiously peeks her head around the corner to her hall.

Sebastian is outside her door, both arms propped up on the frame. "Rachel," he growls. Rachel covers her mouth, willing herself not to make a peep. She knows the minute she's face-to-face with him her resolve to end this will crumble.

"Rachel…please, just open the door if you're there…we can't leave it like this…"

Pressing herself against the wall, she squeezes her eyes shut while silently imploring him to go. Her throat closes with unshed tears, beginning to feel light-headed. A few more minutes pass, with Sebastian still pounding on her door. Just as she's about to give up and just face him, she jumps as he slams his hand against her door.

"Fuck," he snarls, his boots thumping heavily on the concrete as he stomps away.

Slowly letting out her breath, she waits a bit more to make certain he doesn't come back. Peeking around the corner one last time, she quickly makes her way to her door and unlocks it. Closing it as silently as she can, she presses her back to it, putting her face in her hands as panic begins to set in.

She can't stay here. She doesn't have the strength to send Sebastian away when he comes back, and she knows he will. Forcing herself to focus, she remembers Jade hardly ever uses her own apartment and will be with Eric tonight…and Rachel is programmed into Jade's palm reader.

Rachel quickly grabs a change of clothes. Counting to ten, she listens for sounds outside her door before opening it. When she doesn't hear the stomp of Sebastian's footsteps or any other peculiar noise, she silently slips away back to the elevator.

Her heart squeezes in her chest as she rides to Jade's floor. Taking several deep breaths, she tries to get herself in check. With a grateful sigh, she gets off on Jade's floor and lets herself into the sanctuary of her best friend's apartment.

After changing her clothes, she curls up on Jade's bed. Trying to block Sebastian's face from her mind, disgust at her behavior sets in. She's no Erudite, but she's certainly smarter than this. When this began, she kept telling herself to remember exactly who she was getting in bed with…and a long line came before her.

Rachel thought it was going to be a just-for-fun kind of fling, with no feelings and no unrealistic expectations. At first, it was…until she was the one that started getting things twisted. She doesn't even know how it happened… now she's paying the price for naiveté.

Tears slip down her cheeks as she flings her arm over her eyes. It's actually a good thing Sebastian confronted her that night, saying the things he said. Though the reminder was painful, it was the figurative bitch-slap she needed to wake her up. She's glad she was able to pull herself out of this dreamland before she fell even deeper into the hole.

She just wished she had figured it out before she fell so hopelessly in love with him.