My mind wakes up before my body does. I feel drained - my muscles ache, my skin is bruised, and a throbbing pain in my head is the main thing my mind focuses on. Something very, very cold is against the throbbing pain, making the throb feel like a searing pain. Everything hurts.
I try to focus on other things. I'm not alone in the room - wherever it is I am. I hear distant, but still close, voices nearby, murmuring.
I catch, "... all alone, I guess. Until Belle came along," and "... who do you think it was?"
Someone grumbles. The voices are distinctly male, deep and low. One voice sounds like velvet, softly crooning at my side.
I hear the sound of a door opening, and then a flutter of voices. "... it just happened, Eric. I didn't know where to take them, or if they wanted ... so I brought them ... badly bruised ... nothing too major ... may need stitches," a voice says, but I only catch part of what he's saying.
Again the throbbing in my head takes front and center stage, bringing me back to think about the pain.
The voice that sounded like velvet croons again to me, rubbing my head. Suddenly, the cold thing against my head is taken, leaving the chill behind. I catch the voice say, "Which idiot put the ice pack directly on her? You're always supposed to wrap it in something, pansycake, not apply directly onto skin!"
The voice drifts away as they speak, but returns shortly to lift my head and re-administer the ice pack that is now wrapped in a soft cloth.
The searing pain leaves, but the throbbing stays in place. It grows stronger and rhythmically throbs to the beat of my heart.
The next time my mind wakes up, my body is ready to join my awakened mind. I stir, knocking over the ice pack which hits the floor in a thump. My eyes flutter open and take in the dim lighting. Next to me in a chair is Uriah, dozing off - his head in on hand that resting against the armrest. Behind him, on the couch, is a resting Tris. Four sits next to her, in a chair like Uriah's, only he's wide awake.
He hears the thump of the ice pack and turns, his eyes widening when he sees me. "You're awake," he says.
"I guess so," I say as I try to pull myself up.
He gets up out of his chair and reaches for the ice pack. "Still need it?" he asks. I shake my head, no.
"What happened?" I ask as Four moves to put away the pack.
"Not entirely sure, actually. I was hoping that you and Tris could clear things up, but she's still out," he says, eyes sad as he looks over at Tris.
As I try moving up, I hit my head against the soft couch, which surprisingly hurts. I groan and manage to sit up as I clutch my head.
"Tori came in and stitched you up. Banged your head pretty hard," Four says.
I don't know what's more shocking, the fact that Tori can be a medic or the fact that my head can hurt so badly.
"Do you remember what happened?" he asks, eyes full of concern.
I touch my head lightly, feeling the stitches with one finger. "Uh, I woke up hearing some - well Tris - scream, and I ran to help. They started to beat us, then dangled Tris over the chasm. They-" I choke up as I remember what they did to Tris. "They... touched her... and then started taunting her over the edge. Someone started choking me, until I'm guessing you came along."
Four nods. "They ran, but I caught a few of them. Drew, Molly, and Al, all claimed Peter was an accomplice who's idea this whole thing was."
"I think he was mad because Tris beat him," I say, my head still throbbing.
"That could be why," Four says cocking his head to the side.
"You should get some sleep though, tomorrow's a day off and the next day's the final test."
"Going through our fears right?" I ask.
Four nods. "We just meet tomorrow, discuss a few things, and then the next day's the last test."
I nod and let that sink in.
"What about all the battle plans you found? And what are we going to do about SerumX?" I ask, as a headache takes over from all the thoughts I have swirling around.
Four frowns. "We'll have to talk about that tomorrow, Belle. Your eyelids are half shut already."
Sleep starts taking over and the last thing I manage out is," Mhmm," as I drift asleep.
