flopysox: Glad to have you on board! I hope you continue to read and enjoy. :)

Angelicminx: Plenty of drama a action to come. You can count on that.

Sky: Y'all have to earn the mushy stuff! lol

Vex: Haha, thank you! More action to come very soon.

Classybird: *spoiler alert* There will be one more scene with Tyson before they set out. :)

NOTICE: Due to complications in plot flow, I've gone back and changed a few things concerning Rain's knowledge of what lies beyond the wall. The rest of the story remains the same, but a re-read from chapter 34 and onwards might be a good idea. Sorry for the confusion. :(


Chapter #44: Hypocrite


The wind whipped passed the open door of the train where Rain stood, her hair flowing gently as she stared out at the steadily setting sun. Behind her, Eric stood in close proximity, sharing a comfortable silence with his hand rested at her hip. Her lips twitched upwards when he nuzzled her neck affectionately from behind and ran his hand down her arm, and she turned her head over her shoulder to look up at him with a fond smile. Leaning in, they shared a short but sweet kiss.

"Ready?" she asked softly.

"As always."

With that she jumped from the train once it reached lower ground, and he followed suit. They landed rolling side-by-side before promptly picking up a leisurely jog through the city.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Eric asked after roughly five minutes of silence.

"You'll see."

After a brief jog, they came to an abandoned skyscraper, its crumbling walls silently groaning with age-induced strain against its massive weight. Eric slowed to a stop as they neared, staring up at the building, and it was then he realized it was the same building he had taken refuge in after getting shot at Erudite. Looking to Rain, who stood at its base, he saw she was watching him with a smile. She said nothing and started to climb.

Deciding it wasn't worth questioning, he merely shook his head and followed after her, grabbing onto the jagged wall and heaving himself upwards. As they scaled the precarious height of the skyscraper, Eric kept reminding her to be careful, unable to ignore the thought of the 200+ year old concrete giving way under her grip. He had grabbed her by reflex at one point when she had slipped, only to scowl up at her upon hearing her snort back her laughter. It was when he saw her solid grip that he realized she had only been messing with him, and his still racing heart made him snap at her without meaning to.

"Bitch."

"Guilty." Winking down at him, she kept climbing.

A little over halfway up, he had glanced down at the lengthy drop below them. He had never been scared of heights, but everyone had their limits, and they were depending on crumbling walls to hold their weight as they climbed. It was enough to make him slightly wary, and even more so for Rain.

"You know," he began, as he resumed his pace, "most people would have the common sense not to climb a rickety old death trap like this."

"You scared of heights now? You and Four have more and more in common every day."

The look he sent her was foreboding. "I'm not scared of heights. There's a difference between being scared of something and knowing better than to feel comfortable with it."

"Fair enough," she chuckled, "but what's life without a little risk here and there?"

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. Finally, after what felt like hours, they finally reached the top floor. Rain walked up to the edge where the windows and wall had been long since shattered, exposing the outside world and setting sun as it bathed the city in a golden light. She leaned back against a cracked pillar, staring out at the distance where the wall stood firm at the city's perimeter.

Eric joined her once he'd reached the top. The first few moments were spent in silence, both their eyes trained intently beyond the wall, distant and calculative. Without the knowledge of Evelyn, they had been meeting with Four, Tris, and a few select others to bring together their plans of venturing beyond the gate. It would be tricky, and it would be dangerous.

Eric's chest expanded as he drew in a deep breath, exhaling through his nostrils as he shook his head slowly from side to side. "We're really gonna do this."

"Yes."

He continued to shake his head, trepidation making itself evident in his every feature. "We have no idea what's out there."

"I do." Rain's own eyes scanned over the distant, unknown land with an equal amount of thought; though, any unease she may have felt was completely concealed behind her composed stare. "All of our lives will be at risk... but Tris is right. It's time."

Eric drew out a long sigh whilst lifting his hand to rub the back of his neck. "Evelyn is going to do everything in her power to stop us if she finds out. Any friendly ties you still have with her will be cut."

"If she doesn't suspect me already, I'd be very surprised."

"Which means she's just waiting for us to make a move."

"Probably."

He sighed again. "And to think my role in all this was supposed to end months ago."

"Still haven't absorbed your new life, huh?"

"Probably never will." He looked at her finally. "You know, according to ethics, just because I've done good things since joining Renaissance doesn't make me a good person."

"Once an Erudite always an Erudite." Her lips twitched. "You keep forgetting that you aren't the one that gets to decide whether or not you're a good person, Eric. Everyone else does."

His eyes fell briefly, and then he was looking back out at the wall once more.

"You can make a difference."

He glanced back at her to see she was staring at him pointedly.

"You can make a difference." She pointed forward. "Out there."

He looked out at the wall once more, but not long after his eyes lowered again. Sensing he was still troubled, Rain stepped up to him and reached up to loosely wrap her arms around his shoulders.

"I wouldn't have you any other way."

His lips twitched, and within the same moment his head was tilting down, and he was capturing her lips with his, but the moment was shattered when the holographic monitors suddenly came to life in the form of Evelyn Eaton, her voice echoing far and wide over the city.

"People of Chicago..."

A sigh of irritation left Eric as he separated from Rain, turning his head to glare at the monitor.

"I know you're curious about what's beyond the wall... but sometimes walls are there to protect us. Remember... our founders were the ones who divided us into factions, so until we know their intentions the wall must stay closed."

Shaking his head, he scoffed.

"Jeanine is dead. Today we begin the trials of her conspirators..."

Still shaking his head, he reverted his eyes to Rain. "They were going to shoot me in the head without so much as 'any last words?', and these fuckers are getting fair trials."

"I highly doubt they'll be fair."

He shook his head again with another scoff. "Things have been getting out of hand these past few weeks with Evelyn running the show. I still can't believe you're letting her get away with all this."

"Four has asked me to stand back while he tries to talk to her, so I'm giving him time. She hasn't done anything out of line yet. Though, these trials have me concerned..." Rain looked out at city. "Nevertheless, I have to keep my head down... at least for now. The more I argue with her, the closer she's going to watch me."

"She pisses me off."

"Eric, everyone pisses you off."

He was silent. "We should be getting back."

She nodded.


Eris stood in the shadows amongst the boisterous crowd stuffing every corner of the cavernous room, observing the activity with vigilant, impassive eyes. Above, all of Jeanine's conspirators stood locked in cages, helpless amidst the angry mob of civilians below who were eagerly awaiting the trials to start. Slews of obscenities and dark oaths were throw up at the frightened prisoners, an occasional object or piece of trash thrown their way to taunt them further. Already, Eric had a bad feeling festering in his gut. This wasn't a trial. This was a goddamn arena with no control or restraint. In the center standing around a cleared platform were all the leaders of the city, Rain, Domino, and Four among them. As his eyes scanned over each head, ticking them off in his brain, however, he noticed Tris was not present. It didn't surprise him, really. She was a fighter, but she wasn't cut out for this type of brutality.

"Eric."

His head lifted to see Domino walking towards him, eyes hardened.

"Get your ass out there."

Barely sparing him a glance, Eric simply returned his dead stare back out to the crowd. "Why isn't Rain saying anything?"

"She will if things get out of hand. That's why she's out there. To let the people know she's involved."

"If it were a different occasion, I would be out there, Domino." Turning his head, Eric finally met his eyes. "I'm not backing out of this because I'm a saint. I just don't think this city needs hypocrisy any more than it needs a mob of animals deciding a human being's fate."

"Standing this out might not look any better for you than if you joined us. People might take it as indecision. That you're still loyal to the traitors you once worked for."

"They can think what they want. I know where I stand."

The look Domino was fixing him with dripped with scrutiny, but also a grim knowingness. Nevertheless, he didn't argue further, finally turning away after a lengthy silence with a quiet sound and shake of the head. A moment later, Jack Kang was stepping into view, standing in the center of the arena-like courtroom as his voice rang loud and clear over the almost deafening crowd.

"We all find ourselves on new ground. I dedicated my life to seeking the truth, but under Jeanine it passed me by. And for that... I humbly apologize."

The crowd burst into applause, and their volume only rose tenfold when two guards walked into the clearing escorting a Dauntless traitor. From his place amongst the shadows, Eric watched with grim eyes as the Dauntless was forcefully injected with the Truth serum, grimacing as the long needle pierced his neck. Eric remembered him. He'd walked alongside him during the invasion at Candor, an event that felt so long ago, yet it had been mere months. It was like looking through a mirror to an alternate dimension.

"But my personal failure has only strengthened my resolve to make things right," Kang continued, loud and clear. While the faction of Candor may no longer exist, I want everyone to know that I will not stop leading the pursuit of honesty... as we rebuild our city."

More cheering commenced, and from the side stepped in Evelyn.

"Let the trials begin," she announced. "Justice will be done."

Eric eyed her scornfully as the room roared, fists raising in the air. Already, this was turning into a gladiator show. This wasn't a trial. It was a joke.

Knowing where Tris lingered, his eyes shifted up to where she stood on a ledge above, only to catch her eyes darting from his in the same second. He knew she disapproved of Evelyn's ways just as much as he did, but would she allow her brother to be shot down like a dog? He didn't think she had it in her. His eyes took a brief turn towards Domino at feeling his eyes on him, and they locked gazes momentarily before reverting back to Kang as he approached the prisoner.

The Candor's voice was toneless and stoic as ever as he questioned the Dauntless, eyes impassive as he circled him. In many ways, he reminded Eric of a robot, programmed to analyze, conclude, and seek the truth, and nothing more. When asked if he believed in Jeanine's methods, the Dauntless confirmed that he did, sealing his fate as the crowd flew in an enraged uproar.

"Well, here's what we believe!" shouted a voice. Maybe we should exterminate you!"

Agreeing shouts came in response.

"Kill him!"

"Kill him now!"

"Murderous scum!"

"End that son of a bitch!"

"KILL HIM!"

At hearing their jeering shouts, Eric was unceremoniously brought back to the beginning of his journey at Renaissance, where similar taunts were thrown at him. He didn't utter a peep, feeling oddly misplaced as he watched the angry mob grow increasingly bloodthirsty. His eyes then took a turn back to the Dauntless standing in the center of the room, head bowed and eyes directed at the floor. It could be seen clearly on his face that he knew what was coming to him, and that he was afraid, but he remained silent. There was nothing that could be done for him now. This was an execution, and the decision had been made.

"Jeanine!" Johanna's voice suddenly yelled. "Jeanine is dead," she continued once the room had quieted down. "Let's not keep her spirit alive."

"Kill him!"

Her words had done little to stifle the crowd's anger. What few voices did vote to spare the Dauntless were drowned out by the vast majority that wanted him and the others dead. It was a hopeless cause. Eric watched the other leaders closely as they gathered around Evelyn, without a doubt pressuring her into making a decision. The look on Johanna's face was that of contempt, while Rain and Four stood side-by-side, looking no less contempt with the nature of these so-called "trials". He could see Evelyn's lips move as she responded to something Johanna said, when she suddenly stepped forward to confront the crowd.

Turning his head, he sent a frigid sneer Evelyn's way when her voice rang over the room once more.

"And I yield to the wishes of the people!" she announced. "And it's time that we break from the past!"

The people roared. All around, voices snarled for the trigger to be pulled, reverberating off every possible surface in echoing malice as he Dauntless stood helpless. It was as his head bowed, and his eyes closed, that Rain suddenly turned to face Evelyn, eyes fierce as she stepped up close to her.

"This is not the way."

The older woman turned her head to eye her coolly. "He spoke the truth he believed in. He believes killing innocent people is just."

"So did Eric." Rain shook her head. "People change, Evelyn. Please. Stop this."

Evelyn stared her right back in the eyes. "It's too late."

As Rain's lips parted to retort, a deafening bang abruptly cut her off, as her head snapped to the Dauntless just as his lifeless body was falling to the ground.

Eric's eyes had glued themselves to the body, staring even as it was dragged away like a bag of garbage. In a way, he felt like he was watching his own body being dragged away, because that was almost him. That was supposed to be him. If Rain hadn't stopped Four's finger at that last millisecond, he would have been disposed of, forgotten, and never thought of again. No one to give him a proper burial. No one to mourn him. Yet here he was.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was no saint, and he didn't regret that he'd personally executed Max. He had threatened Rain—had threatened to rape her—but this man wasn't Max. Eric remembered him. Yes, he had been loyal to Jeanine, but he was nowhere near as savage or malicious as he or Max. Brainwashed was a more appropriate term.

He hated how unsettled this all was making him feel, cursing dark oaths against the nausea building up within his stomach and twisting it into knots. It only worsened when another prisoner was escorted into the clearing, terror alight in their eyes. He knew this one, too, and he knew he had only worked for Jeanine due to fear. He had been nothing more than a lab rat, but he hadn't supported the death.

But that didn't mean anything. The trials were rigged, and at this point all the audience wanted was blood. A man who had committed no crime other than scribbling out some equations was about to die because Evelyn couldn't control the monster she had created. This wasn't right.

But he said nothing. He didn't speak up. Turning, he ducked through the nearest doorway, not so much as glancing back.

Rain, who had noticed Eric's sudden departure, frowned after him. Glancing to where Four stood, she saw he was already looking at her, eyes just as solemn. Looking to her left, she exchanged mildly troubled looks with Domino, but he just nodded.

"Go. I'll keep an eye on things... though, I doubt it matters."

It didn't take her long to locate Eric. He'd taken refuge from the chaos in an unoccupied room, and through the thick walls they could still hear the raging mob jeering at the helpless prisoners. All it took was a single exchange of the eyes for her to know he was in a grim mood, and she could already see an argument forming.

"Eric, what are you doing? This is hardly like you."

"This isn't my place, Rain. You saw how they reacted to Johanna. They aren't even listening to you. What makes you think they would listen to me? I am a conspirator."

"Were."

"Don't do that." He set her with a mild glare. "Don't turn this into another 'you're a good man' lecture."

"Then don't make me."

Head throwing back with agitation, he stood sharply, turning to face her fully that likely would have appeared threatening if it hadn't been Rain. "Evelyn is turning this place into a concentration camp, Rain! All these people are being shot in the head for the same things I did, and here I am standing amongst the good guys like I'm one of them."

"Eric, how many times do we have to go through this?" Rain sighed.

Eric was shaking his head down at her, when he released a sound between a scoff and mirthless laugh. "You still don't get it, do you?"

She was silent.

He took a step closer to her. "It doesn't matter how many times we go over it, Rain. It doesn't matter if you or others think I've changed. Fact of the matter is that I got off easy, and they don't get to so much as plead their case. I was just like them until you took a stand for me. If you hadn't taken me in, I would have ended up just like those poor bastards." Straightening, he looked away while shaking his head. A silence lingered between them after that, as he stared holes into the wall with cold ice blues. When he finally did speak, his voice had lowered to a cold, solemn tenor. "The only reason I didn't end up like Max or Jeanine is because of you." He met her eyes gravely. "Face it. If you hadn't fought so hard to show me a different way... to show the others that I've had a change of heart... I wouldn't be here right now."

Rain was silent, green orbs having saddened as she listened to him. At that moment, she knew there was nothing she could say to alter his mindset. All she could do was watch as he shook his head again, sighing while looking back over his shoulder in the general direction of the established court room.

"They don't have anyone to do that for them," he finished with a dismal edge.

Her eyes fell as he walked off, making no move to stop him. During times like these, she had learned to give him some space before confronting him, so, for the time being, she turned back towards the factionless-made courtroom. What neither of them had noticed was that they had a spy.

Leaned back against the wall around the corner, Tris' eyes lowered.


Eric sat alone on a large concrete slab amongst the rubble littering the outside of the Factionless headquarters. For the past two hours, he had been staring out at the city, mind travelling to a million different places. Just months ago, he had been knelt before Four with a gun pressed between his eyes. It was overwhelming what had happened since then—how dramatically his life had changed. Just months ago he had liked nothing about Rain. He had wanted to kill her in multiple different ways. Now he was married to her, completely devoted to her safety.

Hell, he was teaming up with Four and Tris, for Christ's sake.

It was as he was lifting his hand to massage the bridge of his nose that his senses alerted him to the sound of footsteps approaching behind him. Assuming it was Rain, he didn't so much as turn, but the voice that spoke was not hers.

"Hey."

He tensed on reflex and looked over his shoulder and up at Tris. She held his gaze calmly for a moment before briefly lowering her eyes, and then she stepped forward to sit down beside him. A silence lingered between them for what felt like minutes, but he made no move to speak, a part of him hoping that she would just leave if he ignored her. No such luck, though.

"Crazy how things have turned out, huh?"

Eric didn't answer.

"You didn't stand with the leaders." Tris was eyeing him. "Why?"

His stare remained forward, unreadable. "I'm an asshole, but I was never a hypocrite." At last, he looked at her. "What's your excuse?"

She shifted in her seat, leaning back on her hands. "I don't want to make the rules, and I don't want to decide if someone lives or dies. We killed Jeanine... but nothing's changed. If anything, it's gotten worse."

Eric grunted. "Four talk to his psycho mother yet?"

"It doesn't matter. She's never going to change her ways... not without a good enough reason. That's why we have to figure out how to get over the wall." She turned her head to him once more. "Do you disagree? Not gonna lie, I've notice how quiet you've been during the meetings."

He looked away. "I think we need to figure out what's going on out there, yeah... but that doesn't mean I think it's a good idea."

A vague roll of the eyes was the girl's immediate response. "You sound like Four."

He sent her a look from the corner of his eye. "We have no idea what's out there, Stiff. We could be walking straight to our deaths. You heard Rain. She's the only one with any experience on this."

"She hasn't even been out there, Eric."

"Exactly. You don't find that a little strange, Stiff?" Eric looked her in the eyes. "She was told the truth, but she was sworn to secrecy? Doesn't that raise red flags?"

She was quiet.

"I think they're just telling us what we want to hear, which raises the question of what they're trying to hide. If she's cautious, you should be."

"To be honest, out of everyone, you're the last person I'd expect to admit they're afraid."

"There's being afraid, and there's being smart." He fixed her with a forceful, vaguely irritated glare. "Anything could happen. You could be killed. Four could be killed. Any of us could be."

Her eyes fell.

"Yeah, I want to know what's going on... but that doesn't mean I'm willing to put everyone at risk to figure it out, either."

"But can you live with never knowing?"

He didn't reply to her with an answer, but with another question. "What are you going to do about your brother?"

At this, she avoided his eyes promptly, and Eric looked back forward.

"Stiff, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret."

She returned her attention to him, and he met her eyes directly.

"Blood doesn't mean shit. The ones that stick by you despite the odds or risks... those people are your real family. You don't owe that pathetic shit anything."

She blinked, seeming surprised, but before she could speak on it he looked back forward.

"But I'll tell you something else... he hasn't done half of what I've done, and here we are having a conversation like I'm not the one responsible for Abnegation being destroyed."

A long silence fell between them after that. It was a few minutes before he glanced back at her, only to see she was staring at him calculatingly. Without another word, he stood and left her without so much as a backwards glance.


Eric lay awake that night, staring up at the star-bejeweled sky through the windowpanes with distant eyes. Now that the time was drawing so close, his anxiety had risen to the point where he was now losing sleep, unable to get his mind to shut off its constant image stream of every bad thing that could happen. Beside him, Rain slept peacefully; though, he couldn't fathom how. She was always so calm, even when she wasn't. He knew she was just as cautious about the whole thing as he was, so how was she able to remain so composed?

His heartbeat quickened by a few beats at just the thought of what might happen, and his eyes shut as he inwardly cursed himself for being so weak. He was weak when it came to her. Without really thinking about it, he turned his head to look at her sleeping form, admiring the curve of her hip and the way her body gently rose and fell with each silent breath, and it was as he did this that he realized he may never sleep beside her like this again. Might never be able to feel those curves beneath his palms again. Might never feel the heat of her body against his. Might never experience the taste of her lips...

Shutting the thoughts from his head, it was as if his body had switched to autopilot as he rolled onto his side and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her against him snugly, and she emitted a quiet moan in her sleep.

"Rain?" It disturbed him how vulnerable and quiet his voice sounded, as he nuzzled his face against the crook of her neck. "Rain?" he repeated, a bit louder this time.

"Mmmm?" was the sleepy response he received. It took her a moment, but it seemed she sensed something was wrong, because she was forcing her eyes open and looking back at him the next moment, and at seeing how his eyes averted hers she frowned and rolled over to face him. "Hey." Reaching forward, she caressed his chin with her fingers and gently guided his eyes to hers. "What is it?"

For the first few moments he didn't answer her, unable to gather his words, for no matter which way he tried wording it he sounded like a pathetic sap. However, as he stared into her concerned eyes, he knew if he didn't swallow his pride and just say what was on his mind that he might never have the chance to say it again. So, swallowing his pride, he allowed himself to be vulnerable with her. Though, at the same time, he vowed he wouldn't allow anything to happen to her, and if that meant shutting down completely once they were beyond the wall, then so be it.

"I don't want to lose you."

Rain's furrowed brow lifted, replaced by a softened, knowing glint in her eyes.

He forced himself to keep eye contact. "I don't want to lose you, Rain."

Sighing quietly, she moved her hand to hold his jaw line and drew him into a brief kiss. "We're going to be fine. Both of us. We just have to be smart. I know I don't have to tell you this, but don't trust anyone, no matter what they tell you."

A long sigh left him. "Just promise me you won't hide anything from me."

"I promise," she replied immediately. "You're my husband. We're in this together. No secrets."

At last, his lips twitched into a small smile. "Still haven't processed the whole 'Mrs. Greyson' thing, either."

"Well, process it. You're stuck with me now."

A small snort escaped him. "Please. I've been stuck with you since you kidnapped me."

She kissed him.


I think we can all sense how Eric is going to be dealing with his stress once they're beyond the wall.

I hope to hear back from you all! I've missed you guys. Keep the story alive.