So a major thank you to Bamberlee!

She sent this to me early, but I've had a migraine for four days and just now I am finally able to see well enough to update!

Thanks to everyone reviewing! I can not believe there are less than ten chapters left! 😲

Enjoy your weekend!


"Does she really think these things can be cured by plants? Or Herbs? Or that witchcraft is the answer?"

Daniel's voice is loud enough that I pull the phone away from my ear. His rant keeps going, skipping over the part where he actually greets me or asks how I'm doing, and instead launches into an attack on the newest woman driving him mad.

Everly's mother.

"I don't think it's witchcraft." I smirk, because it wouldn't be out of the question. After all, Everly loved the books about wizards and magic, and she had clearly gotten it from someone. "But yes, from what I know, Eden does believe they are a viable alternative to regular medical care."

"Eric, is Everly…is she…does she share those beliefs? Actually, on that note, where is she having the baby?"

I knew this was coming.

Since leaving Blythe, Daniel's life had suddenly transformed. I sat down through an incredibly awkward coffee break with Arlene while she filled me in on what she and Daniel had talked about while he was inspecting the infirmary.

And it was a lot.

I had a little more respect for him now, knowing that not only had he not gone back to Blythe, he'd moved on just fine. He threw himself into living his best life. With his schedule wide open, except for his work, he now chose to spend his free time with people who made him happy. I wasn't even aware he had friends in Erudite, but they'd come out of the woodwork, and each one had congratulated him on leaving his wife. Turns out, most of their colleagues had found Blythe to be sort of unbearable. They had all kept quiet since he kept quiet. They understood and respected her job and position in Erudite, but past that, they knew she controlled every aspect of Daniel's life.

All that changed when he left her.

He was suddenly surrounded by people who supported him, and the confidence boost didn't go unnoticed.

He bought furniture on a whim. He ditched his ties, mostly, save for the important days. He bought shoes in a color Blythe didn't like. He got his hair cut less frequently, though that didn't last very long. He ate at restaurants he actually enjoyed, rather than ones Blythe found to be impressive. He sometimes ordered just dessert and no actual dinner. He read the Erudite news updates while he drank his coffee, and no one tried to tell him they were garbage.

I'd sat up very straight when Arlene told me he even printed out a picture of Everly and myself. He told her it was in his office, and I'm sure if Blythe saw it, she'd rip it right down. She'd probably rip it up, too. But he was a man on a mission. He had purpose. Drive. Determination. A will to be better. To better himself and everyone around him.

Until he went to Amity.

Once there, he and his new shoes were horrified by the lack of medical care. I could imagine the look on his face when he thought of Everly growing up there. His daughter-in-law, existing for her entire life with only a band-aid and paste made from leaves and weeds. The panic had set in next. All the people in Amity, walking around, unknowingly carrying who knew what? His mind would have raced to the next great outbreak of some infectious disease. A plague. A slew of unvaccinated Amity, roaming the streets like wild animals, ready to infect everyone around them.

Arlene said he'd decided then and there that they would accept his thinking on the subject of updating their infirmary to higher standards.

Judging by his tone now, it hadn't gone well.

"Eric, are you having the baby there? In Dauntless? It's an acceptable facility, but I'd much prefer you both be here. We have some of the best working on the maternity floor. I could get you the names of them. They'd be happy to take Everly on."

"She's seeing someone from Erudite. Dr. Denten." I pick up my calendar, squinting at it with great annoyance. "And I haven't figured out what she wants to do yet. I want her to have the baby in Erudite. I planned on telling her that when it got closer to her due date. But I don't know what she's thinking. Maybe she'll want to stay here. Either way, it'll be fine."

Daniel is silent.

I hear him sigh, as the chances of delivering his own grandchild dwindle away.

"Well, I mean, I'm not implying I'd like to be there. Or I'd be the one delivering the baby. I'm not an OB, but I did have to take an entire course on it." He thinks out loud, and I know he's considered it. Though I doubt Everly would be comfortable even having him in the room. "I just thought I could maybe help. Or at least make sure she and the baby have the best care."

I'd normally snap something at him to mind his own business or to quit inserting himself into mine, but I can appreciate his concern.

"I know." I answer slowly, and I cross out a meeting with Max. "I'm sure she won't object to having the baby in Erudite. She likes you enough that if you suggest it, she might agree to it."

I stop when I hear him saying something to someone, and I swear the voice is familiar.

"Sorry, Camille needs my signature on a few things. Listen, back to the Amity faction. It was so…I don't know how their faction is even alive. The medical center is one building, and half the stuff isn't labeled. They have better medical care for the animals than they do their members."

"So you're telling me Veterinarian is their most respectable position?" I laugh, crossing off my meeting with Tori. She and I weren't exactly seeing eye to eye lately, and I figured she wouldn't mind if I rescheduled.

"Eric!" Daniel sounds horrified at the thought. Modern medicine wasted on their livestock. "Actually, come to think of it, you're probably not that far off. Maybe Eden will switch careers."

"Doubtful. I think she's the best they've got. If I've learned anything, it's a different lifestyle. Maybe Eden's stuff does work. They seem to have enough members who are still alive. But if it makes you feel any better, Eden probably didn't like you there, either."

"She was very kind, but very insulted by everything I said. I told her she couldn't cure everything with these oils she was making and she told me to get out of her kitchen."

"Why were you in her kitchen?" I lean back in my chair as Karl arrives. I motion for him to sit down, and I mouth two minutes at him. "Daniel?"

"She made me some tea that I couldn't bring myself to drink. I suspected there was something in it. It looked…odd."

"There probably was. It was probably her magical fertility tea." I joke, but there's a brief moment of horror that runs through me. Sticky, vomit inducing horror. Not just that Eden would have been brave enough to serve him such a drink, but that Daniel would take advantage of his new bachelor lifestyle, and I'd wind up with a brother or sister twenty-six years younger than me.

"Possibly. There were some interesting things going on that I wanted to look at. She was making something, but there were so many children there. I couldn't get close enough to look. But I didn't stay long." Daniel keeps talking, until some alarm goes off. They announce a code, and he sighs again. "I'll have to call you back. That's for me."

"Good luck." I hang up, thinking this conversation had taken a far different turn than I expected. This was the first time he'd called since leaving Dauntless, and I had a lot of things I wanted to talk to him about. I feel the familiar wince of being pushed off by his work, but my own email lights up, and I wouldn't have had much longer to talk to him anyway.

I make a mental note, reminding myself that next time we spoke, I would ask him about Blythe.

But for now, I was glad he was happy.


A day later, I get ready to leave with Harrison and Karl.

They show up early, really early, and Everly blinks at me from the bed like I've personally wronged her. She'd let out a groan of protest when I got up this morning, and I agreed. It was hard to untangle myself from her, but I'd committed to this little outing a day ago, and I knew Harrison wouldn't appreciate it if I canceled.

"Are they…here?" She sits up, looking incredibly disheveled. Her hair is mostly all over her face, and she doesn't even open her eyes past squinting at the light as Harrison apparently busies himself by moving our couch. "Are they in our apartment?"

"Yes. We're heading out in a few minutes. Harrison wanted all of us to go check out a possible location site."

"What are they doing?" Everly opens her eyes slightly, then shuts them again. "Did they find more of Evelyn's men?" She pauses, and there is a loud crash from the kitchen. "Who told them they could come in?"

"I did. And oh, I'm sorry. Did they wake you up when you were dead asleep? How…unfortunate that must feel."

"Funny," Everly mumbles, but she catches what I'm mocking. "Tris wasn't that loud and you know it."

"You're right. She was louder. But to answer your question, I invited them over, and yes, Harrison found something. He seemed pretty excited about it." I watch her lie back down, and she pulls the covers up back over her. "Are you going back to bed?"

She makes a sound of muffled annoyance, and her head turns toward my pillow. "It's five in the morning, Eric. I'm not getting up. I don't even have to be anywhere until this afternoon."

I smirk at her, fixing my jacket collar for a moment. The fabric is stiff and pristine, recently made by Christian. And thankfully, very black.

"Alright. Maybe you'll be awake when I'm back." I watch her still not move, except pulling the covers up higher. "Or maybe not."

"Go away, Eric."

Everly's tone is highly grouchy now, but she's wrong.

It's not five am, it's four thirty in the morning.

"I love you too Amity." I walk to her side of the bed, ignoring her scowling face. I lean down to kiss her goodbye, and she opens one eye at me.

"Do you promise me you'll come back? Or you'll answer your phone if I need you?" She looks up at me intently, and I can tell she's seconds away from falling back asleep. I stare down at her, and I reach my hand to touch her cheek, wondering if there was something she was worried about.

I let my fingers linger over her skin, and they skim into her hair for just a moment.

"I promise."

She smiles, and I swear she's back asleep before I can turn around to leave.


We leave with great fanfare.

There's a whole slew of issues that are minor annoyances, but they delay our departure by a good thrity minutes. Harrison gets into an argument with the kid assigning trucks out for the day. The gate security code doesn't work. Karl's keycard is flagged as lost or abandoned, and it takes several minutes for him to prove he's actually himself.

To make it even better, Daniel calls right as I climb into the truck, only to ask me if Everly still drank coffee. We were barely to the gate before he rattled off the horrors of what too much caffeine could do to her and the baby. I sighed heavily, because I'd seen Everly without caffeine, and suggesting she cut down on her coffee consumption didn't bode well for my future.

"I'll see what I can do. I could always order her some decaf." I half-heartedly try to reassure him she'd be fine, but deep down I know this won't go over well. I could take a risk and not tell her it was decaf, but she'd quickly figure it out when she didn't feel any more awake after drinking it. "You know, we're about to head out into Candor now, so I'll have to call you when I'm back."

"Of course."

Daniel agrees, and I have to admit these conversations are a complete surprise to me. They feel what I think is normal for most. There's still a hint of awkwardness to them, but it stemmed from years of being let down by him. It wasn't something I could shake overnight, and he seemed to know that.

Still, I had never expected to be anything but cordial to him because I knew better than to be hopeful. But since he'd been on his own, I felt like things might be different now. I still didn't entirely trust him, and maybe I never would, but it felt better than it had.

"Hey, I heard your father went to visit Eden."

I look up from my phone to Harrison's stare, which is on me and not on the road. Where it should be.

"She doesn't like him." He cheerfully informs me, swerving violently to avoid a truck returning. "She found him to be annoying."

"I'm sure." I answer, and I glance in the rear-view mirror. There's no one behind us, and I catch a glimpse of Karl eating his breakfast while Harrison careens down the street. "I can't say I blame her. He's not very good with people who don't believe in modern medicine. He gets all worked up when people choose home remedies over actual medicine."

"I believe she said he was a little too intense for her liking."

I look at him out of the corner of my eye, and Karl asks the question I haven't wanted to.

"Isn't that Everly's mom?" He swallows down part of his breakfast burrito, and shrugs. "I think I met her once. At your dinner. She was like, raving about lettuce."

"You did." I answer quickly. "And yes, that's her. She lives in Amity and works as a…" I fumble for the word, finding myself mirroring Daniel's hesitancy at labeling her an actual doctor. "She works there."

"Sounds fun." Karl shrugs. "Daniel's your dad? I think I met him, too."

"Yes," I answer flatly, and Harrison laughs.

"Welcome to the family, kid. You've met all the important people."

"Great, so why doesn't Eden like your dad? Isn't that…awkward?" Karl finishes his burrito and reaches for his coffee. I'm not quite sure how he's eating with Harrison driving, but I didn't know where we were going, so I was forced to sit here while he drove. "You know what, I did meet him at your dinner party. We talked about the market. I think I've seen him there before."

"I wouldn't know." I find myself irritated, mostly because this small talk was too invasive for my liking. "I can't picture him going to any market. Ever. I would guess he orders things and has people pick them up for him."

"I think he said he sent someone. I could be mixing him up with Tris' parents."

I close my eyes.

Then I open them, because this won't go away just because I don't answer. "Either way, he doesn't not like Eden. He just doesn't like anyone who tries to cure their illness with things like…tree bark and essential oils."

"Yeah, I could see that." Karl sounds like he's pondering this, and I look back at him. He looks deep in thought, like he's trying to put all these pieces together. I debate telling him it's not worth it. Eden Carlen was her own mystery, and Daniel, well, he'd probably relax once he realized the Amity faction would be fine.

"What does your father do?" I watch Karl somehow continue to drink his coffee, and I wonder how he's not thrown it up with all the turns Harrison is making. "Harrison, what are you doing? Are we going anywhere or are you driving us in fucking circles?"

"We're almost there." Harrison answers, and he's texting someone on his phone. I watch him send nine messages in a row, and he only looks up once to make sure we don't veer off the street. "Karl are you still hungry?"

"Yeah, this burrito wasn't amazing." He pauses, and he shrugs. "My dad worked in an office in one of Jack's buildings. I never really understood what he did. Something with the testing of truth serum and training people on how to interpret the results." Karl doesn't look impressed. "But he's retired now. I might invite him here if I ever get married. Max said if I got the job, I could invite anyone I wanted and they'd be allowed to visit."

"You're getting married?" Harrison turns sharply, and the sleek line of Candor appears before us. "Good for you. When?"

Karl falls oddly quiet. I can still remember the way he'd looked at Everly, so hopeful that she'd even glance in his direction, and there's an odd relief that he's found someone else. I can't hold it against him. I had fallen for her the same way, having fought it the entire time until I simply decided fuck it. Why the hell not? Why not kiss the only initiate I had, considering she was living with me and trying to figure out a way to sit closer to me on my couch while the entire faction waited to see what happened.

Karl stays silent, but when he looks up, he's grinning, and his expression is pure happiness.

"I don't know. I gotta propose to her first. See if she even wants to get married."

Harrison looks at me, and I know what's coming.

"Don't you even say it." I warn him threateningly, before he can tell me that he knew I didn't propose to Everly. I shake my head at him, then I look back at Karl once more. "Ask your girlfriend nicely. Apparently, they like that better than when you just marry them."

Harrison and Karl both laugh.

They continue to laugh, snickering as he parks the truck off to the side. We walk along the pathway, following Harrison right past the large doors of the office building. The sun has risen now, it peeks around the buildings, drenching us in warm light.

I stop in confusion, and I crane my head up to look at where I believe Jack's office window is. I had thought we'd be heading toward the woods, or perhaps the very outskirts of Candor. Or even up to see Jack. It wasn't unusual for us to be here on his request, especially not now.

But it's not until Harrison flings the heavy glass door open that I realize there is no mission today. We aren't here to find Evelyn or her henchmen.

Harrison simply wanted to go to breakfast.


My afternoon back in Dauntless is pleasant.

I spend the rest of my day recovering from breakfast with Harrison. After so many days in Amity, he was feeling pent up in Dauntless, and he wanted to get out. He graciously took both Karl and I along with him, and we enjoyed a nice quiet breakfast, where I spit out my coffee when he told me he stayed with Everly's mother.

"No. What the fuck."

I had blurted the words out so threateningly that Karl laughed. He laughed so hard he spilled his coffee and knocked his plate off the table. I motioned for our waiter to come over, and I was pretty sure we'd be asked to leave. Especially when Harrison cheerfully poured himself an entire cup of coffee then nearly smacked the waiter in the face by waving it in the air.

"She's a lovely lady. She needs some help though. She's got a lot going on in her house."

I knew what he was talking about, and I couldn't even answer him. Our waiter mopped up the mess, I looked right at Harrison, and he smiled.

"We'll talk about this another time. Not here. Not yet. Maybe in a week or so."

"Now."

In the end, I hadn't even been able to force him to tell me anything, because a minute later, they gave us our bill, and stared at us until I handed over a card to pay. We left shortly after. I didn't want to risk someone fetching Jack to tell him we were here or he'd insist we stay all day. I'd tried to get Harrison to spill something, even a minute detail or two, but he was lost in his own thoughts.

Despite all this, our drive back was pleasant, and my mood stayed that way, until Everly showed up in my office, looking like she might strangle someone. It's an odd look for her; she's normally pretty easy going, save for a few dark glances or scowls when things don't go her way. But this look is something fierce, and I understand why the minute she tells me what happened.

I lean back in my chair, and I have half a mind to head down to the control room and properly strangle Kacie.

"No, it's fine. You don't have to do anything." Everly shakes her head, but her expression betrays her words.

I understand why.

Being questioned about how she was still in Dauntless was one thing, but being asked if she was pregnant was another. Implying she had gotten pregnant to stay in Dauntless was something else. It was beyond obnoxious, and punishable by my fist in Kacie's face.

I carefully take in Everly's appearance, and I go back and forth deciding if this needs my involvement. On one hand, it sounded like Everly had handled it well. She might have gotten up and walked out, but that was fine by me. I could easily sign off on whatever hours she needed, and the fact that she'd shown up to complete the shift was impressive. She knew her way around the control room fairly well, enough to work a shift there, and this was no doubt remedial for her.

On the other hand, she was my wife, and I didn't take kindly to people thinking they had the right to know every detail of her life, let alone hint that they knew what was really going on.

"You're sure?" I raise an eyebrow at her, lingering near the edge of my desk. "You don't want me to go in there and…"

"I think she got the hint that she was out of line. I think she's stressed out. It seems like everyone is," Everly answers, clearly wise beyond her years. She swallows, looking down at the books I'd opened up an hour ago. "Plus, you said I could always ask you if I needed help with anything, and I figured you know the computers better than her. I wasn't going to learn anything else by sitting there and fending off her questions."

Her gaze skirts over the books, curious as ever.

They are Harrison's.

Most are older than he is, but some are relatively newer. They are all battle strategy planning guides. I'd found them to be an excellent refresher while I read through them. Everly would have to work with him soon, and I hadn't decided if I thought it would go well or not. She hadn't expressed a burning desire to map out our plan of attack, but Harrison was incredibly knowledgeable. He would be able to show her things I couldn't, and she would be lucky to have the chance to sit down with him.

I turn my attention back to Everly, and I nod my head.

"Okay," I answer casually, and I motion for her to come over to me. "I'll sign off on whatever you need. You've had enough control room training anyway."

Really, she had.

I could even use the time she went to visit Four in the middle of the night as training hours. I mentally calculate what else she has left, and I decide I'll sign off on them no matter. If Kacie really wanted to play dirty, I could take a personal interest in the control room, especially her schedule.

"I agree," Everly heads around the desk, and she hands me the papers that Kacie would normally sign. I take them from her, and I toss them onto my desk without looking.

We both know I'm turning them in to myself, and I'm in no real rush right now.

"How late are you working today?" Everly grins as I reach for her. She'd stopped just far enough away that I have to lean forward. I grasp her by the hips, and I pull her toward me, my eyes locked on hers. Once she's close enough, she sits down carefully, balancing on my leg, and I smile at her.

There's a lot behind this question.

I don't mind it at all, because I know she wants me to come home. There's a good feeling to that unspoken request, and I relish it as she leans back against my chest.

"Until five." I wish it were sooner. My plan was to finish up everything I could in the next hour, hopefully heading home as soon as possible. I'd much rather spend the afternoon with her than here.

She stays quiet. Everly rests against me, her calves against my shins and her fingers on my thigh. I reach for the sleeve of her shirt, the dark fabric soft between my fingers, and I wish I had been there to see her tell Kacie off. I would have enjoyed every moment of it, especially the moment when Kacie realized she was fucked, because Everly wasn't taking any of her shit.

"I'm proud of you, Everly."

I announce this to her and only her, and I can feel her smile.

My praise was rarely spoken, but always well earned.

Today is no exception.

I feel Everly smile, and her fingers find mine.

"Thank you."

Her words are a sigh of relief and utter happiness. She stays on my lap for a few minutes longer, the two of us enjoying the silence of the office, until Max shows up looking frantic as ever.


I head home ready to kill someone.

It takes me a long time to even get home. I have half a mind to head out, fully armed, and not return until I had found Evelyn. Until I could drag her in by her hair, and I would finally be sure she wouldn't take another breath.

Someone had sent me a letter.

Max was the chosen one to drop it off, and his expression told me he was going to wait while I opened it. It was addressed to me, and the handwriting on the plain envelope was distantly familiar. There was a flash of lukewarm nausea as I opened it up, to the same sort of paper Evelyn had sent to me the first time. But it wasn't from Evelyn, at least not directly.

The letter was short and to the point, and Max stayed to make sure I didn't do anything I'd regret.

Everly Coulter, Section Nineteen, Erudite Executive Offices. 12pm


"Where did those come from?"

I return home to my kitchen table covered in boxes. I storm through the doorway, my ears ringing with a high-pitched sound that had started the minute I read the letter and had yet to lessen. I had sat at my desk for a long time, wracking my brain over what to do with this note, when I eventually decided to do nothing.

There was no plan of action I could take that would end well. I could forbid Everly to step foot outside, completely going back on my word to support her choosing her own job. I could overhaul Karl's authority, demanding he send his men in every direction until they were exhausted. I could take over the entire army, risking using our men and women for my own personal fear, rather than doing their job of protecting the factions.

I could turn the letter into Erudite, perhaps asking Cara to see if the labs could examine it, maybe finding fingerprints or at least guessing where it came from.

None of that would stop Evelyn. It would only confirm what she'd long suspected. That if someone really wanted to hurt me, Everly would be the best and only way to go. It would be exposing the only weakness I had, giving Evelyn another chance to get ahead in this game.

I had left after Rylan came into my office, confirming he was coming over for dinner. I'd shoved the paper beneath my other work before he could see it. Max watched me, but kept his mouth shut and he and I locked eyes when Rylan left. There was a moment of unspoken conversation between us, and for once, he got it.

He didn't say a single word, and neither did I.

This would stay between us, until I decided my next step.

"They were just dropped off. Were you expecting a delivery?" Everly walks back over to the table, inspecting each box intently. When I step closer, I notice there's a label on each of them, all addressed to Mr. Eric Coulter.

I grimace at the Erudite logo stamped above the label. I'm still on edge from earlier, and I wonder if these came from the same person. But that fear eases up when I see the return label, and I know they aren't. Oddly enough, they are from Blythe.

There's some relief to this because I don't think she sent the letter. It had come from someone watching Everly, someone who had gotten into our security feeds, and that wasn't Blythe's style. She was more in your face. If she were going to do such a thing, she'd want me to know. Her signature would have been all over the letter.

But I can't even begin to guess what she's sent.

"You open them." I announce. I head past Everly, toward the bedroom with the papers in my hand. I can't imagine what took up four boxes. I almost hope the boxes are empty, but she's making a point to Everly and me, one I can't quite place. I mull this over while I throw my jacket and the papers on the dresser, and I take off my boots.

I come up with nothing.

I stand there for a long minute, debating just going to bed. Calling Rylan and telling him sorry, we'd have to do this another night. But that felt a lot like Evelyn winning, affecting me the way she wanted. The best way to deal with her was to continue living as though she wasn't out there, biding her time. I turn to look at the dresser, and I shake my head. I keep thinking of Harrison's words, informing me that this was almost over, and I can't help but hope he's right.

"What is it? Everly, did you open them?" I call out, and I head back out into the living room. There's a tension in the air that wasn't there before, and I'm greeted to the sight of Everly surrounded by all sorts of things I hadn't expected.

To my complete surprise, Blythe had sent baby clothes.

My eyes narrow at the fabric strewn across the tables. Piles of stiff clothing, suited more for the Erudite faction than Dauntless. Dress shirts, tiny slacks, pajamas that no actual person, let alone an infant, would willingly wear. A few dresses, all formal, all blue. There's a note tossed to the side of the clothes, written in perfectly sharp, even handwriting, and beneath it, Blythe's signature.

Everly looks up at me, waiting to see my reaction. Her eyes are wide, full of disbelief at what she's seeing, and in her hands, she's holding the remnants of my childhood. At least what was important to Blythe. There is an oddness to what she's sent, but it's telling. In her eyes, the only things worthy of holding onto were proof of her accomplishments as a parent.

Academic achievements, including trophies and certificates. Awards, boasting my superior intelligence and general brilliance. Ribbons and medals, letters from teachers that mean nothing now. A plaque, the first of many I'd receive, this one stating I was beyond proficient in some class I'd taken.

There is nothing that tells anything of how my homelife really was, only the superficial façade Blythe had built.

"Yeah. It's…it's a bunch of your old stuff. Your mom sent it over, along with some baby clothes from her staff and some things for your dad." Everly looks over at me and her hands tighten on the stuffed dog. It's dark, the fur somehow pristine despite being well loved, and everything inside me tenses up.

I hadn't seen it in years.

"Blythe sent all this?" I look at Everly, and she doesn't look happy. Her gaze sweeps over the clothes, impractical and unnecessary, and she shrugs.

"Yeah," Everly answers quietly, and her shoulders are pulled up high. "But why would she send all this here? She didn't want to keep it?"

I reach for a paper that's on top of the shirts. It's an award for a science project that had taken me a single hour to do. I hadn't put any effort into it, and I'd done the project mockingly. I'd won, despite being completely uninterested in the assignment. "I'm surprised she kept this much."

"Is this yours?" Everly looks up at me, and she's holding the dog tightly. It's uncomfortable to look at her, holding the only part of my childhood that I had any attachment to. "He was in the box."

"He?" I raise my eyebrow at her, wondering how she'd come to that conclusion. I take the dog from her, and the fur is soft beneath my fingers. I'm immediately taken back to a time years ago, standing in a dark hallway, listening to Daniel and Blythe argue over something. They were loud enough that I'd woken up and wandered out to find them. The only light had come from beneath their bedroom door, and I stood there, listening, until Pamela had come and taken me back to my bedroom. I remember that moment vividly; I can still smell the sharpness of the cold air, and the way Pamela's hand had grasped my arm, pulling me back before anyone knew I was out of bed.

"It looks like a boy," Everly tells me, and I blink, jerked right back to reality. "It looks like you liked him," Everly's words are a very low point for me. They hit a nerve I liked to pretend didn't exist, and my fingers burn until I set the dog on the table. "There were dogs in Amity. I never had one, but I've fed one before."

She keeps talking, her voice pretty and sweet and I realize we grew up very differently. I had never really thought about it, but it suddenly seems drastic. I had never once seen a stray animal in Erudite. There wasn't even a chance one could get near the home I grew up in.

"I didn't have a dog, Everly. You really think Blythe would have wanted something that could potentially shit on her white carpet?"

"Was your house too fancy to have a pet?" Everly looks right at me, and her face tells me she knows it was. She doesn't have to guess that the house I grew up in was pristine. So pristine it was like no one actually lived there.

To be fair, no one really had.

I sigh heavily, knowing this was going to bother her. I'd been to Eden's house, and I knew it was the exact opposite of Blythe's. Everly had grown up in an entirely different world, and I couldn't begin to explain to her what it was like to grow up in Erudite. "I wouldn't worry about it, Everly."

Her face falls, and I glance back at the table. The dog is there, mocking me with its permanent grin. I'd liked the dog, like any small kid would. It had been happy no matter where I'd dragged it, and it had stuck by my side for years. Now, it seems embarrassing that it was a source of comfort during the odd times when Pamela wasn't there.

"Blythe would never have bought that. I had a nanny for most of my life. She gave me the dog one year." I shrug away the confession, not wanting to get into this. "And before you ask, I don't know what happened to her. I can only imagine she was fired by Blythe at some point and went on to work for another family. There's big money in raising other people's children."

I look to the side of her, because those words are a lie.

They are a sharp, edgy attempt to cover up the awareness that Everly feels bad for me. A girl who grew up in Amity, sharing everything she owned with half a dozen siblings, felt bad for the way I'd been raised. I could feel it in her stare, heavy and pressing as she blinked her upset at me, and I knew that talking to Pamela had been stupid. Admitting this to Everly would be stupid as well. There was nothing to be gained by telling her that I'd seen the woman who raised me, and I'd blurted out all sorts of things. Like I had something to prove.

It felt shameful, like some dark secret I'd like to keep to myself. That was a time of my life I'd like to leave behind, especially now.

"Eric..." Everly starts to say my name, and I cut her off, overwhelmed by a flash of guilt. I'd told Pamela I'd see her again. I'd wanted to show her Everly, maybe even the baby once he was born. But now it feels stupid, and I refuse to feel that way.

"Rylan and Christina are coming over. Do you want to eat here or go out? I can make dinner or we can go to Clyde's."

"Eat here," Everly answers immediately, smiling up at me. "Want me to help you cook?"

I smile back at her, and I feel marginally better at her terrible offer. "I'm not really in the mood to put out any fires tonight, so why don't you just go relax? I can always call you if I need help."

She smiles at me, watching as I head toward the kitchen. The situation seems to have diffused itself a bit. Everly glances at all the stuff on the table, and I realize there's more to it. Some of Daniel's belongings that could have very well been sent to him, as well as Blythe's letter.

I decide I don't need to read it.

Everly lingers for a second. She thinks she's slick, but I watch her pause by the end of the table, purposely slowing down. She reaches for the stuffed dog, and she takes it along with her, disappearing into our bedroom.


"Fuck your life."

Rylan takes a large swallow of whiskey, and he slams his drink down. I'd served everyone but Everly a glass, figuring we could all use it. It was expensive and rare, but it felt like a night to celebrate. I had spent my morning trying to figure out if I should ever tell Everly that Harrison was more than likely sleeping with her mother. I had a note from someone telling me they were the ones listening in when Everly got shot, and they were still out there. I had Blythe, sending me my entire childhood, neatly packaged in three boxes.

So tonight, whiskey felt appropriate. Celebratory.

Necessary.

"Harrison told me he wanted to meet with you to talk about some plans he's come up with. He said he would only need two or three hours," Rylan loudly reminds me, laughing as Everly shudders at the thought. She's the only one drinking water, and the only one who won't have a headache tomorrow.

I roll my eyes at him and his hilarity. "He's got a lot of experience, so there were a few worthwhile things. But I cut the meeting short after an hour. I'd heard enough."

Our dinner was going well, so I didn't have the heart to tell him there was no meeting. I had sat in on plenty of meetings with Harrison, all equally as long and thrilling as one would think. And this had taken three hours, but only because he'd driven us to another faction to eat breakfast.

Rylan wouldn't have wanted to go, but I didn't want to bring it up until I could tell him all the details. Since I hadn't, I'd played it off like it was a normal day, with Harrison rambling on about something that would inevitably be what saved the day.

I thought of this while I made dinner. I chose to cook steaks, picking out something different. Everly was looking a little run down, and I thought she could use the iron. She had spent some time putting away everything Blythe had sent over. I had watched her face while she picked some of the stuff up, and I knew our child would never be wearing any of that. The gesture was kind, I suppose. But the intent behind it wasn't kind, and that was enough of a reason for me to dismiss it altogether. I suppose in a way it was closure for all of us. Blythe had put the final nail in the coffin, informing us that she was done with all of us.

Which was fine.

But it wasn't fine with Everly, and I could tell. Her posture screams defeat, and she pushes her fork around her plate while she mostly stares at her food.

"Everly, are you alright? Do you want more salad?"

I ask her quietly, but everyone turns to look at her. She looks up in surprise, then immediately stabs her salad with her fork.

"I'm fine." She smiles, but it's not quite a smile. "I was just thinking about your mom."

I immediately frown at her words. Rylan looks over at me, and he's instantly on the defensive.

"What did Blythe do now? Did she finally offer up her congratulations on the baby? Try to smooth things over?" His tone is heavy with mockery, because he knows Blythe well. He's also long sided with Everly and myself on this whole Blythe and Daniel debacle. He would stand by Everly forever. I saw him hug her when he came in, and he looked pleased to see that she was happy to see him. He'd even combed his hair to come over tonight.

I sigh, because his words bring up a weariness in me. Even if she had tried to smooth things over, it was unlikely it would last. Blythe had made her feelings very clear, several times now. It felt funny to know someone disliked you, and then have them outright prove it. It doesn't entirely bother me. I'd long learned that not everyone would like me, and I liked maybe three people in general.

But Everly was innocent in this whole ordeal, and it was unfair that she was attacked by a woman whose whole marriage was a lie.

"Did she call you?" Rylan asks carefully, and he's looking at me out of the corner of his eye. He'd eaten plenty of meals with the Coulter family, not always happy dinners, either. His own father wasn't around a ton, and he and Daniel had a strange bond. I suppose it made Daniel feel good, like he was doing something right. I never resented Rylan for it, because I had no connection to Daniel. I watched him go through the motions of parenting when he could, the best he could. But not Blythe. Blythe disliked Rylan almost as much as she had disliked me. "To talk about the baby?"

I lean back in my chair, and I take a long sip of my drink. I fiddle with the glass for a moment, and I feel bad suddenly, like I should have told him this earlier.

"Daniel left her. He moved out and she had someone clean out the house. Sent a few boxes of my stuff, along with some baby clothes and things Daniel left behind. Everly didn't like that she only kept my awards from school. Blythe figured I'd want them back, so she shipped them here."

Rylan looks at me for a moment and frowns in confusion. "Whoa, wait, your dad left Blythe?"

I nod, staring at the glass in front of me so I don't look right at him. "He told us last time he was here. He finally got sick of her shit."

"Thanks for telling me," Rylan mutters, and he's rightfully insulted. I dislike the onslaught of things I'm feeling, and this isn't making it any better.

Unfortunately, I can't do anything about it. I'd been busy since seeing Daniel, and announcing he was getting divorced wasn't high on my list of priorities. "We just found out. I didn't see any reason to broadcast it to the entire faction."

Rylan ignores my little jab that's not really meant for him, and he leans back. "Daniel's good, though, right?"

"He seems fine. Relieved it's over."

"So, Blythe wasn't great with this and blamed you and Everly?" Rylan glances at Christina before taking a gulp of his drink. He then takes another and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand as he waits for my answer.

I look up, catching Everly out of the corner of my eye. She's still not eating, but she's listening. Her head is tilted at Rylan, and she takes in every minute gesture he makes. Our friendship was something not many saw like this. He'd been a part of my life as long as I could remember, and that included here. But sometimes, he was just as big of a reminder of my life in Erudite as the stuffed dog.

"Of course she isn't good with it. Her husband just left her and she assumes we had a hand in it. She's not going to take it lying down," I say the words more harshly than I mean to, and I slam my fork down. "She'll still trying to make his life miserable any way she can."

Christina watches all of this, just as silent as Everly. I'd barely paid attention to her since she'd arrived with Rylan, but I knew she was here. I'd greeted her politely, having a hard time separating the mouthy initiate from Rylan's girlfriend, but he liked her. Really liked her. That meant I welcomed her inside, and pretended I was comfortable with her hearing all this.

"So, it bothers you that she sent ugly baby clothes and Eric's trophies for Best Mathlete?" Rylan looks at Everly, and he grins as he tries to lighten the mood. "You know, Eric was pretty much the king of math."

Everly sort of smiles. It's halfhearted at best. "I saw that."

Rylan stares at her for a beat before his head tilts to the side with heavy concern. "So, what's really wrong? You're upset that she sent over Eric's old math homework?"

To my surprise, Everly nods. "It bothered me that those things were all she saved out of everything he'd ever done. There was nothing personal in there. It was all schoolwork. I would have thought she'd have saved other things…"

I can't help but laugh. Everly looks at me with a funny expression, but her words are downright hilarious. She'd met Blythe a few times. I wasn't sure what moment stood out to her as the one where Blythe revealed herself to be Mother of the Year. "Why on Earth would she keep anything personal? Anything of the sort would have been trash to her."

Everly shrinks back in her seat, and I can see why this is personal to her. The talk about Amity, asking me if the house I'd grown up in was nice, her expression when she carried the stuffed animal to our bedroom. She'd grown up in a house where personal things mattered. I had no doubts at all that Eden had saved anything and everything her children ever gave her.

But things were different in the former Coulter household. Personal things didn't matter. I hadn't really mattered, only when Blythe needed to remind everyone that she had a perfect life.

Rylan notices Everly's downtrodden grimace, and he looks suddenly sympathetic. He looks at me while I cut my steak, neatly and violently slicing the section without much satisfaction. "Don't take it so personally. You know she's not a nice woman, Everly. Eric said you've met her at her worst."

Everly takes a very slow bite of her salad. She chews slowly, somewhat angrily. "I did. She said some really mean things to me. I guess I just thought maybe she'd… I don't know, be less hateful now."

"Because of the baby?" Rylan asks.

Everly nods her head. "I mean, he's her grandchild. And she didn't send us clothes, they were from her staff."

"Wait, he?" Rylan turns to look at me, and his face breaks into a wide smile. "No shit, I didn't know you were having-"

I cut him off.

This night was quickly turning into a list of things I didn't tell him. Next to him, Everly still looks rather depressed, and it annoys me that Blythe has any power over her.

"Blythe will never care about anyone other than herself. I can guarantee you this isn't the last time any of us will hear from her. She mailed all that shit to be petty. She knew what she was doing." I don't answer Rylan. I'm looking at Everly, watching her look at me with this painful expression that I absolutely loathe. I smile tightly at her, and I reach over to touch her knee. "Don't waste another second thinking about her. I spent my entire life learning how to play her games."

She stays silent. "Everly, she's not anyone you'd even want around. I know what you're thinking, and while the idea is nice, seeing her grandchild isn't going to make her any less bitter. This isn't about you, and it never has been. You can't save the world."

That seems to do the trick. Her expression softens back to a happier one, and she relaxes. "Thank you. At least Daniel will be around. He can come and see him."

"Your old man's excited about the baby? He seems like he'd be the type who would be," Rylan interjects, pausing only to wink at Christina. "Eric's dad has always been better with children. He used to try to get Eric to go outside and play with the neighborhood kids. Something about creative play stimulating the neurons."

I roll my eyes at him, though I admire how easygoing he is. He's unfazed that moments ago Everly was crushed that Blythe didn't like her, and now that she was feeling better, he's moved on to the next subject. I look at Rylan, already back to cheerfully grinning in our direction, and I appreciate everything about who he is.

"Funny, but there weren't any kids, in case you've forgotten. Our nearest neighbor was a good mile away. Blythe didn't like anyone living too close to her."

"Where did you live? At the edge of Erudite?" Christina asks carefully, and she sets her drink down. "You didn't live in the city?"

Her question is very logical, yet I still stare at her for a moment. There's a large part of me that wants to ask her if this is information she really needs. But she's a good friend to Everly, and I know she's curious. I finally give in, and I hope Rylan is in this for the long run with her.

I nod my head, and she waits patiently. "Half an hour drive from the heart of Erudite. It's an exclusive neighborhood. Blythe doesn't even belong in it now that she's not married to Daniel."

"Will she have to move?" Everly asks, and she sounds rather optimistic at the idea.

I shake my head no, and I find myself pleased with the minute speck of pettiness the idea brings me. While I didn't think he'd do it, Daniel could force her to if he was pissed off enough. But just like Everly was hoping one day Blythe would have a personality transplant, Daniel wouldn't go out of his way to screw Blythe over. "No. She can stay where she is. Not unless Daniel pushed for her to be moved, but he won't. I think he's done with her just as much as we are."

My words are very final, and everyone seems to get that.

"I don't think you'll see her again." Rylan offers, and his eyes light up. "Hey, we have something for you guys. We had them made this morning."

"What is it?" Everly watches him stand up, and he heads back to the counter. He returns with a box of something, and he sets it down in the middle of the table.

"Quinten made them. Christina made sure they were spelled correctly."

He dramatically opens up the box to reveal an arrangement of cupcakes. They are frosted with thick chocolate frosting, and they spell out 'Congratulations Eric and Everly', in pink and blue. Everly smiles widely at both of them, and her salad is long forgotten.

She reaches for one, then grabs one for me as well.

"Here, it's your favorite color."

She laughs as she hands me the one she's picked, and I smirk at her as I accept it.

The frosted E is pink, nearly the same color as her pink dress had been.

It's as pink as her nails, and as pink as the dots on her dress.

I stare at it for a moment, before Rylan elbows me to tell me about Jason and Meghan.


"Hey, I'm sorry about Daniel. I mean, I'm not sorry. We both know it's for the best, but I'm sorry it came to this." Rylan stands before me, and his expression is unusually serious. "If you're okay with it, I want to call him."

I nod my head, and I hope Daniel answers his call.

"You can call him. I think he's…fine. He didn't seem torn up about it, but who knows?" I shrug, and I stare to the side of him. I stare at the wall beside my apartment door, and I wonder if Daniel was okay. There had to be a large amount of defeat in admitting your marriage was over. While understandable, it had to sting. "He was happy when we saw him. He said he's already moved. Bought a new place closer to work."

"But now he can come to see you and Everly, right?" Rylan looks remarkably torn over this. I knew his own father didn't have a particular interest in Rylan's life, though he was in it. He had worked just as hard as Daniel, but unlike Daniel, once we left for Dauntless, he'd never once tried to see how he was. I suppose I could manage a speck of gratitude that at least Daniel knew I was alive.

"Yeah, he hinted that he's free to come whenever now. Blythe never would have let him continue seeing either of us."

"Are you going to try and call her?" Rylan looks at me curiously, and I shake my head fuck no.

"She said something to Everly that I can't overlook. Even an apology wouldn't make it better."

"I understand." Rylan reaches over and slaps my arm. "Well, I'm team Everly. Forget about your mom. You have Everly, you're both grossly into each other, and things are turning out far better for you than anyone else."

"Thanks." I half laugh, half snort at his words. I glance over at Everly talking to Christina, and they both look incredibly happy.

"Thanks for being nice to Chris, too. I know you tried to kill her once, but we seem to have worked past that."

"Get out." I point to the door, and he laughs at how done I am with all this togetherness. "I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks for dessert."

He laughs right as Christina appears by his side, and she takes hold of his hand. She waves at me and they head out after one final goodbye.

I lock the door, and together Everly and I head to the bedroom. I turn on only the light on my nightstand, and Everly stares at the bed longingly. This day felt very long. In fact, this morning feels like it was months ago rather than today. I pull out my phone, and I try to decide what time I need to set my alarm for.

"What time do you need to be up tomorrow?" I wait for Everly to answer, raising my eyebrow as she looks at me with a blank expression. I'm sure she's forgotten she has a meeting, but she hasn't.

"I told Harrison I'd meet him at nine. I know you just had your meeting with him, but I have to complete the battle planning section of my training, and you said he knows what he's doing."

My lips curl up. She was in for quite the treat tomorrow, and not just because Harrison was very surely involved with her mother. "I'm sure you'll love it. You could be there all day."

Everly purses her lips, and her expression tells me she won't love it. She could have signed up with any of the other leaders. But this was Harrison's specialty. It was an area we were sorely lacking in, and it was better if he taught her.

I had a feeling she would be overwhelmed by the amount of things he had to show her. He was a brilliant battle strategist, often picking up on ideas or patterns no one else did, but he knew it. He liked to fuck with everyone because he was bored, and he had little patience for those who didn't understand the art of war.

"Sounds great." Everly pretends she's thrilled, and she looks up from rifling through the dresser drawer. "Maybe you can come by and sit in on it. See how it goes. You know, stop him after a few hours."

"I'll think about it," I smile, but I have no intention of stopping him. She had to complete this section, and it wouldn't look very good for me to pull her out of it. "I'll be back."

I head into the bathroom, snickering as she mutters 'great'.

She'd be fine.

I could sit in on part of it and make sure he stayed on track. I hadn't seen him preparing anything for their lesson, but that didn't worry me. I'd sat beside him while he quickly whipped up entire works of art regarding fighting, and I could appreciate them.

I hoped she could, too.

I return to the bedroom to find Everly standing beside the bed. I pull my shirt over my head, and I watch her eyes rake over my chest. She's not very subtle with her observation, but I find it oddly flattering. I find it even more flattering when her skin flushes as I kick my pants off.

"You feeling alright, Everly? "When's your next appointment again?"

She nods her head, and she pulls back the comforter before sliding into the cold sheets. "I feel fine, I'm just tired. And my appointment is in a few days. You're coming, right?"

I turn off the light on my nightstand, and the room falls dark. There's a brief second of separation between us that I don't like, but it's gone when she scoots over to find me. She turns on her side so her back is against my chest, and I pull her closer. Her legs bend to fit around mine, and she sighs in content when my fingers touch her temples.

She'd been sleeping like this for a long time. I imagined it felt safe; we were completely away from the heart of Dauntless, and it was only her and I, surrounded by the pleasant, cold darkness. I slide my fingers into her hair, and she pushes back further against me, waiting to hear if I'd come to her appointment.

"Of course I'll be there," I answer huffily, and she smiles.

"Good."

I can tell she's half asleep. Having our friends over was a nice change, and it had been an enjoyable evening. But it was exhausting. I often looked forward to escaping the daily socializing by coming home to Everly. She tended to be on the quiet side unless there was something she wanted to know, and I appreciate that about her. She was content to be with me, and she didn't need to go out at night, or head down to the Pit and party until the sun came up. Our normal quiet time had been interrupted, but for good reasons.

I keep my fingers in her hair, running them down through the strands until they reach the tangled ends. I return back to where I started, behind her ear, and she sinks against me. She'd done this to me, long ago, when she shouldn't have been touching me. I know how it feels, nails scraping pleasantly against one's scalp, and it's no surprise to me that her breathing slows down.

"Goodnight, Everly."

I slide my leg between hers, and I sling my arm over her.

I fall asleep seconds later, as a wave of content washes over me.


"Is she ready?"

Harrison stands in the doorway of my office, and I stare at him for a good minute before answering.

"Yes. Are you?" I watch him shift his weight to lean against the doorframe, and something is off. His usual posture is that of every soldier here. His confidence has never wavered since I've known him, and there's always an aura of disinterest to those around him. Like he's not paying attention to what's going on, but he is.

But today, he looks…wobbly.

He pushes his hand over his eye and shakes his head.

"Fine. I've had a damned headache all day. I think someone might be trying to poison me."

I blink. I also recline back away from him, pushing my desk chair an inch further.

"Did you eat something weird?" I wouldn't call myself paranoid. Far from it. But I disliked when people felt ill, and I had no plans of getting sick. I had no time for it. It wasn't something I could fit in my schedule nor did I want to.

"I said I think someone's trying to poison me. Obviously they won't get away with it. But they're trying."

I push my chair back further. "I'll have Jason look into it. Everly is ready. She's waiting for you. I heard she's looking forward to today." I smile at him, ignoring that he looks slightly sweaty, and I stand up. "I'll walk you there."

He nods his head, and I have to say, he looks considerably better as we head out of my office.


"The best vantage point is typically a high vantage point — though not necessarily the highest point —because it offers our soldiers cover and concealment, fewer obstructions for clearer communications, the best arc of observation, and an unobstructed line of fire with greater range. It presents a tactical advantage in terms of battle position; it's harder to mount an attack going uphill, shots fired upward by the enemy will tend to overshoot, and gravity will work to our soldiers' advantage if they're shooting from an elevated position."

Everly looks up at Harrison and her eyes have glazed over.

She smiles anyway; it's polite and respectful, and they look very similar as they stare at each other. He's looking at her with a sense of pride, because she's picked up on a lot of his teachings quickly, and for the first few hours, she'd looked at him the same way.

I'd sat in on a good chunk of it. The review was fascinating to me as well, and helpful. Even Everly seemed to really like what he was talking about. She took diligent notes and listened to him intently, right up until the moment he showed her how to write out the battle plans. Her enthusiasm dropped considerably, especially when he pointed to a third well-worn map. I immediately recognize the area as land by Abnegation, a rocky space that wasn't great for anything.

"What would you do here? Is this a better location or is this one?"

Everly looks at me, and her eyes are wide with accusation as I take a slow bite of the donut Linda had given me. It was actually the second one I was eating. I normally wouldn't indulge in such sugary garbage, but I figured it was better than trying to figure out how Everly felt about having a stepfather.

She turns back to Harrison, still looking slightly sweaty as he patiently waits for her answer. He's been very kind to her. I know he wanted this to go well, for a multitude of reasons. And it had. Things had been moving along easily for a while, but now, Everly is watching me, and her eyes have narrowed with raw jealousy.

She should be jealous.

The donuts were good.

My eyes lock with hers, and she scowls as I take a slow bite. I smirk at her expression, but there's no chance in hell I can give her one. Harrison has her right where he wants her and interrupting him would be rude. So I lean back, sipping my coffee with great delight, and I watch her return to her lesson as I idly finish a few things on my phone.

"Uh, that one. It's closer, but less covered. But would that be the more preferable location, depending on the target?" She gives him her best answer, and his eyes light up.

"Exactly," he exclaims, and this is the best he's looked all morning.

He folds up the map they were working on, and Everly perks up. She immediately wilts when he opens up another. This one is used more frequently. It's an outline of the borders of Dauntless, giving her a broad scope of how large the faction is.

"Now, what about here…" Harrisons starts, but he's interrupted by a sudden fit of coughing. He tries to stop, but he loses for a few minutes. I watch him, my donut halfway to my mouth, until he is finally able to stop. I return to my phone when he reaches for his coffee, swallowing down a huge gulp of it, and it temporarily helps.

"Are you okay?" Everly asks him, her voice heavy with worry. I don't look up from my message, a lovely one from Rylan, asking if I ever wondered if we had any bats living here and could we train them. "Do you need a minute?"

"No, I'm fine," Harrison coughs out, though he's clearly not. He coughs again, and this time, his face turns red. "Actually, yes. I'll be right back. Wait here, we still have a few more things to go over."

Harrison rushes past me, still coughing. It's a deep, barking cough, and it sounds painful. I focus on my phone, and I reply maybe. I suppose there might be bats here, though I'm not entirely sure how trainable they are. I move on from his message to the confirmation one from Max, and when I glance over at Everly, her stare is very concerned.

"That's unfortunate," I raise my eyebrow at her and I notice her expression slip into pure annoyance. "Are you alright? You look a bit—"

"Eric, I'm starving and you didn't even offer me a donut," She stands up, stretching slowly after hours of sitting here.

"I didn't offer you anything because you didn't look hungry," I inform her. "And I didn't want to interrupt your lesson."

Everly glares at me, and she puts her hands on her hips. "Well, I was. And that was rude."

"Rude?" I smirk at her, surprised at her suddenly defiant attitude.

"Yes, rude." She glares at me, her stare dark and unimpressed, until I hold both hands up at her in surrender.

"I was waiting. I thought you'd want to celebrate with something better than a donut," I watch her pretend to be intimidating, but I don't buy it. Not with the dress she has on.

"Celebrate what? The fact that you didn't share your breakfast or the fact that Harrison is probably going to die in the next five minutes?"

I snort at her answer. "Calm down, Amity. With our luck, he'll live forever. And we're celebrating... this."

I shuffle the papers in front of me, until I find the one I want. I'd been working on them off and on all morning, trying to tie up all the loose ends I could. They are similar to those used during initiation. They have plenty of boxes to mark off and a section for comments or critiques, and all require my signature. I finally find the one I want, a certificate of accomplishment that few have received, and I hold it up to her.

Her eyes widen in surprise, because it's not what she expected.

"I'm done?"

"Yes," I answer her quickly, standing up and reaching for a pen. I point to the blank line, and I raise my eyebrows at her. "Sign here."

She stares at me, disbelief all over her face. I reach for her, sliding one arm around her waist and pulling her right up against me. I hadn't been very forthcoming with this training schedule. I let her go at her own pace, giving her whatever time she needed. We'd covered everything she should know, and while there was plenty she'd still learn, I was confident in her abilities.

"I can tell you know what you're doing. I would trust you to map out an attack, I'd trust you to shoot someone, and I'd trust you to oversee a patrol squad. And while you can't overpower me, you know how to take someone down. On paper, there's nothing left for me to show you."

Her lips part in surprise at my words, but I mean every single one of them. I push her hair behind her ears, and my eyes lock on hers. "I'll still help you with whatever you need. If something were to come up, you could always ask me. You know that. Keeping you in this program any longer would only be for my own selfish reasons."

"Are you sure?" She asks, and she leans in closer. "I'm really done? I mean, I thought I had more… I thought there was more I needed…"

"You've completed everything I was supposed to show you," I answer her lowly, and I bend my head down to meet hers. "Congratulations, Everly."

She stares up at me, and her eyes swirl with every emotion possible. I understand all of them. She's come far from the girl who first stood before me, and I couldn't be more proud of her.

"But I won't be working under you anymore."

She blurts out those words, and I feel them deep within my soul. She'd been with me since the start. There had only been minor separations that weren't our decision, but we'd made it through each one of them. This would be no different, but I understand why her voice wavered.

"I'll still see you around. You get to keep your same office. It's not like I won't see you every day," my forehead rests against hers, and my fingers tighten in her hair. I try to reassure her that she'll be fine. She won't be far away from me, and if anything, I can eat lunch with her every day.

"But Eric…"

Everly starts to say something, a worry or viable concern, but I kiss her instead of answering. There's a sweet moment of relief as she presses her lips against mine, rising up on her toes to gain better leverage.

"Jesus, don't you two live together? Or am I confusing you with the other Eric and Everly that I know?"

I break away from Everly slowly, keeping my hands on either side of her face. I immediately glare at Jason for interrupting us, because he's standing there, staring at us with a very entertained expression.

"For real, you two are married, right? Isn't that enough togetherness?" Jason asks, cocking his head to the side and completely ignoring the fact that I could kill him. "Or did I dream it all?"

He snickers, and my fingers leave Everly. I head toward him, pushing him back a step and into the hallway.

"Get back to work. Aren't you supposed to be out with Max?" I snap, but he's ignoring me. He's looking at Everly, and I get the feeling he's been sent down here to see how she is.

"I'm on my lunch break," he answers quickly. "I'll let you guys get back to whatever it was you were doing. If either of you need me, I'll be checking on Harrison since you don't seem to have noticed he's about to die."

"Great, let us know how that works out for you," I hiss at him for ruining my moment with Everly. I kick the door shut, swearing even though he's not in here. "Fucker."

I stop, catching a glimpse of Everly standing there. It's her turn to look amused, but that's not what I notice. It's how different she looks. How alive and pretty she is. How her hair is messily braided, long and dark and skimming her side. She doesn't look so much like the Everly who showed up with nothing to lose, but now, an Everly with everything to lose. With an entire life here. Purpose.

Me.

I smile at her, the one that happens when I don't plan it.

"You know," I tell her, closing the distance between us with a few steps. "I never told you this, but I have to say that I think you're the best initiate I ever had."

I smile when she reaches for my hand, and her fingers slide between mine.

"And I'd have to say you're the best trainer I ever had," she answers, and my lips turn up.

I like her. A whole lot more than I ever thought I could. So much, that I love her. Or maybe I had always loved her and just not known it.

"Everly…"

I don't get to finish my sentence.

Jason –clearly still outside the door – yells through it.

"You two are gross. No one cares how much you like each other. Go home before Harrison dies."

His words make me snort. I return to kissing Everly, and we both ignore Jason shrieking Harrison's name.


Harrison lives.

He returns a half hour later, cough drops in hand and a grimace on his face. He doesn't look at all happy, and his eyes flick to Everly with heavy regret. He didn't get to finish his lesson, but he was out of time, and it was unlikely we'd make her repeat the lesson. She'd have plenty of chances to experience it firsthand.

He still looks pale and tired, and he's silent as he watches Everly initial every single paper I'd scored.

"Welcome back," Everly smiles up at him, and she sets the papers down. "Are you alright?"

I lift my stare from the paper, and my chest tightens in sheer horror.

He definitely doesn't look okay.

"I'm fine. I seem to have come down with some sort of flu. I wasn't feeling great this morning, but I thought it would go away. Apparently, I was wrong," he pauses, sighing heavily in disgust that he wasn't actually being poisoned. "Arlene says I have to go home until the fever breaks and it doesn't hurt to swallow anymore. So, we'll have to cut our lesson short for today. Sorry about that, Everly. We can finish up when I feel better."

My stare swings to Everly. My beautiful, perfect wife, pregnant with our child, who has just spent hours with him. In a small, warm room, where he was highly contagious. My hands clench into fists and I lean back.

"Get out," I bark, and I stand up abruptly. "And don't come back until you're not sick."

"She said it could be a week. I doubt it'll take that long. Though she did think I could be contagious," Harrison ignores me completely. He waves his hand to shut me up, and looks at Everly. "I'm sure Eric can finish up your lesson. You were a great listener, Everly. You'll do very well in your new position."

His words are incredibly kind and incredibly proud.

"Thank you. I hope you feel better," Everly answers him sweetly, and she returns to her papers.

I give him three more seconds of contaminating my office before I walk around the desk and fling the door open. "Bye. Enjoy your week off."

Harrison takes a step out the door, and I yank my phone out of my pocket. I pull up my contact list, and I select the name of the only person who has a chance to stop this flu in its tracks. She answers quickly, and I demand she comes up here right now.

"He's highly contagious." I hiss, watching Everly fumble with her own phone. She answers it brightly, and a second later she greets Tris. "I want this entire floor disinfected. Bring every available nurse you have. Call some in. I don't care. Everly and I are not catching what he has."

"Dramatic, yet somewhat reasonable. I'll be right there." The response is quick, and she hangs up immediately.

Everly looks over at me, and her gaze is very amused.

"I didn't know you were so afraid of getting sick."

I look at her, and my eyes narrow. "He touched everything in here. Including you."

I survey the room, and I try to figure out where his germs would possibly land. I wrack my brain to remember everything I know about infectious disease control and if we stood a chance against this flu. I try to think of what Harrison touched, and where he stood. How close he was to my wife.

She's unconcerned.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. I doubt either of us will get sick."

I ignore her.

Because a moment later, my office door flies open, and a true angel walks through.

Arlene, and the entire infirmary staff.