Time skips!

Bree pats her arm reassuringly, laughing along with the others.

The weeks to come provided difficulty for some of the initiates. Each day can normally fit all of them in, if not they go to the training rooms to spar or Lynn supervises while they throw knives or shoot guns. Some of them have gained more fears but Issy has only had the first three so far but there is a lot more time left before Stage Two ends yet. The wolves pop up more often than not and she has been able to cut her time down on that one, even if its only by a few minutes each time but what's really holding her back is her fear sim of needles and of Reese's death. Her timing on needles has been staying to the same time as her first go at it, give or take a few minutes and she's only thrown up once since her first try. Reliving Reese's death has been difficult for Issy. Whoever is in charge of overseeing her sim at the time isn't allowed to pull her out of it like Eric did the first time, she has to find her way through it on her own. Her timing for that particular sim has only increased and she's starting to think she might not make it into Dauntless.

When they're not training, the initiates have all banded together, ignoring all rivalries they had in Stage One. In the first stage Issy had never had a reason to talk to Crystal or Meg and she had stayed well away from Kayden and Charlie. Crystal and Meg had only added to the laughs they had and gave the twins great ideas for pranks against their friends, one of which was putting cling film across the frame of a door so when someone opened to door they walked straight into it. All of the initiates had gotten up very early one morning and the Dauntless borns had ran into the Transfer dorms before their instructors had came to wake them up. With the cling film tightly over the door, they had sat in full view of the door and waited. The door had opened and Four had walked straight into it and fell on his arse. There was no fear sims that day, Four had ordered them to run around the training room until they passed out but it was so worth it. Kayden connected well with everyone and became a brotherly figure to most of the girls, even Issy. Charlie was actually quite quiet when they were out in places like the Pit but when they were all alone or waiting to have a go at their sims he told the most hilarious stories to take peoples minds off what was to come. At one point Noah had found a medium sized soft ball and when Charlie wasn't telling stories they would play a series of games, mostly catch. When Issy found time to herself she had gone back to the tattoo parlor and handed Josh and Bud her full sketch book, having already starred the designs for her folder before being given another book, this time one with black paper instead of white and Josh gave her a few white pens and pencils to start with. The very next day she got her second book back and the folder had been updated.

At the end of the second week, the first rankings for Stage Two were shown and it shocked a few of them.

1 – Alec

2 – Hector

3 – Luke

4 – Lilah

5 – Cody

6 – Noah

7 – Bree

8 – Flare

9 – Sam

10 – Kayden

11 – Issy

12 – Meg

13 – Charlie

14 – Crystal

Issy remembers being frozen in shock when she saw her name. She was one place below the line. Alec's hand grabbed her wrist so tightly she had marks from his nails when he let go. If she had took her eyes off of the board she would have noticed how her friends had immediately created a tightly knit wall around her and Alec. No one could get through them as Alec tried to talk her out of her shock, not even Dec or Hugo could get through once they saw the rankings. Her friends stood firm even when Four had told them to move followed by an order from Eric. It was only when Eric threatened to make them all factionless did they move and Issy snapped out of her shock. She used her friends as cover, making her way out of the room before either of her brothers or her instructors could get to her. She avoided everyone at all costs, including Alec. Issy kept out of the view of most cameras and stayed on the move. She never turned up to lunch or dinner nor did she go back to the dorms at curfew, not that she had ever listened to that rule anyway. Issy knew she'd have to face everyone the next day for sim training but she just didn't want people saying it'll be okay. It won't be okay until she cuts all of her timings down, until then she didn't want any reassurance. Only she can make it okay and Issy knows that.

Throughout that night she thought of ways she could possibly get through the sims she knows she has. That morning she missed breakfast as well and showed up to the sims at last minute and before Four could choose who was first she volunteered herself to go. With new determination, she walked past the shocked faces, straight into Four's room and sat on the chair. She held her head high as she waited for Four to get the computer ready as well as the needle while she ignored Eric's presence. That didn't mean her hands didn't shake when Four prepared the needle or that her senses wasn't on high alert. Her knee started to bounce as her nerves skyrocketed. She tried to keep still as Four slowly stood up with the needle in his hand. Issy shook harder with every step he took until he stood right by her side. She inhaled sharply as she jumped up and away from the chair, stuttering that she couldn't do it. Eric's arms pulled her back into his chest and she tried not to fight him but by now it was just reflex. He pulled her tighter until she couldn't squirm and Four prodded the needle in. Issy faced the needles again and she tried to calm down through the ways she thought of the night before. Once Issy had awoken from the sim she immediately bounced up from the chair and shook out her limbs before pacing for a few seconds. She turned to Four and his face showed nothing.

"So, how was it?" She had asked.

Four looked disappointed and she stopped pacing, glancing from him to Eric, who also showed nothing. Four had started to smirk. "You cut your time down by nearly ten minutes." Issy had fist pumped the air, shouting and whooping with glee. Eric and Four were smirking at her happiness and Issy couldn't keep the grin off of her face.

More weeks went by and slowly, Issy began to rise through the ranks. Now she was back up to sixth with her brother still in first. The lowest times she had managed so far was eleven minutes for her wolves, fourteen minutes for needles and nineteen minutes for Reese's death. She was able process her brother's death better after she and Alec had pulled Cody, Noah and Bree away from the others and had told them about Reese and how he died.

Yesterday, Issy had shaved another minute and a half off of her needles sim. Now, she was sat with the initiates as they waited for their go. There was six initiates each side of the room and they were currently throwing the ball at each other in a zigzag motion, slowly speeding up. Those that come out of the doors instead of taking the back way out join in with the game. One of the doors open and Kayden comes out. He quickly joins one of the ends next to Issy as the ball bounces back down the line. Eric leans on the door frame watching them as the ball comes down the line until it switches direction.

"Issy," He calls out once she threw the ball to Alec opposite her. "Come on." Issy followed him into Four's room. She had never really noticed until now that both her and Alec or always with either Four or Eric or both, she doesn't know if that's because of Dec and Hugo or just a happy coincidence. Either way, she didn't really care. It was just Four in the room as she and Eric entered so neither of them had called backup and she noticed the dart gun leaned against the wall. Her eyes narrowed at it. For a while now Issy can sit in the chair (while shaking) until they stand right by her side with the needle and she jumps away and then either Four shoots her with the dart gun or Eric has to hold her in place. She's even tried to inject it herself but her hands shook so much when she held the needle it dropped to the floor and broke.

Issy walked to the chair with a slight quiver to her hands and sat down. She watched as Four prepared the needle. She didn't pay attention to anything other than Four and the needle and she didn't understand why Four was smirking, watching people's fears isn't funny. But she understood when she felt a sharp pinch in her neck and she turned to see Eric grinning with an empty needle in his hands. Arsehole. She rolled her eyes at them both.

"I bet you think you're so fucking clever for that, don't you?" She rubbed at her neck as she laid back.

Eric snorted. "You're just pissy 'cause you fell for it."

"You know what," Issy said while her lids began to droop as the serum took effect. "You can go fuck…each…other."

When she opened her eyes, Issy breathed in sharply. In a row is all of her family gagged, bound up and on their knees with faceless men behind them and a gun at their heads. Issy drops to her knees in front of them.

"Mum? Dad? What's happening?" Her breathing becomes frantic as something appears in the corner of her eye. She turns her head to find a women in Abnegation grey and black hair. Issy's eyes narrow as she stands up and walks to her. The woman put a hand behind her back and pulls out a gun, handing it to Issy.

"Choose." The woman says, motioning her head to her family. Issy opens the barrel to find five bullets and she snaps the barrel back.

"Choose? What do you mean choose? What is going on?"

"Choose." The women simple shrugs. "They can't all survive. Choose one to live."

Issy's eyes widen and she shakes her head in disgust. "I'm not gonna shoot my family!"

"Choose. Or else they all die."

With fury enlaced in the tears in her eyes Issy takes a few steps back, raising her gun and shoots at the woman. The bullet goes straight through her head but she doesn't drop down dead. Horrified, Issy watches the bullet go to the other side of her head until it drops to the floor on the other side. The wound slowly closes up and she smirks.

"Fine." She nods to one of the faceless men and a gun goes off. Issy screams as Declan falls to the floor with a bullet in his head. "Choose." The woman repeats.

With shaking hands, she looks to her remaining family. Looks of understanding run through their eyes as she raises the gun again. Her eyes close as she fires and a body slumps to the floor. Reopening her eyes she sees blood dripping from her mum's head. Shoving a fist in her mouth Issy tries not to scream as tears run freely down her face. She looks at the woman who is gesturing for her to continue. Clamping her eyes shut, she fires again and another body goes down. Her dad's blue eyes are lifeless as they stare up. Issy now looks between Hugo, Alec and Cara. They all hold the sane look in their eyes, a look of pity and understanding. She raises the gun and looks between her siblings. Her arm drops as she takes a few steps back and drops the gun. Shaking her head, she starts to hyperventilate as she paces. A gun fires and Issy jumps. Issy's eyes widen as she stares at her hands. 'But I haven't got the gun, I haven't –' Spinning around, the woman quirks an eyebrow. Issy glances at the floor to see Cara's blonde hair dyed pink with blood.
"Choose."

Trembling, she picks the gun back up. Looking between Hugo and Alec, the gun rattles in her hand. Who does she choose? Her older brother who she loved to play chess with, who she debated about books to and still does, who understands that sometimes it's better to be quiet than loud, the one that still can keep up with her when her overactive mind pulls her in so many directions she just has to stop. Or her twin, her other half of her soul, the caution to her temper, the one that keeps her grounded, the one that encourages her wild side through pranks and tricks, her partner in crime, her team mate that always has her back and she has his, her twin brother with the same unnatural-natural hair and golden eyes as her. Which one lives and which one dies? Issy looks at the gun as she raises it. "I love you." She says, one last time before pulling the trigger. Hugo's body collides with the floor and Issy lets out a breath. She drops the gun and shares the look of relief in Alec's eyes as his shoulders slump. Issy looks to the woman with raised eyebrows but the woman looks smug, almost happy.

"I'm afraid you were too slow." Another shot fires and Alec's body collapses to the floor. Issy rushes forward with eyes wide, her hands clawing at her brother, dragging him up into her lap as she screams. She tries to calm her breathing as the faceless men disappear and the woman laughs. Carefully she rolls Alec to the floor and she pats the floor blindly until her hands touch the cool metal of the gun. Her fingers curl around it and she notices it feels heavier than before. Her golden eyes flicker to her families' bodies lingering on Alec's while her hand fists the gun. Anger pours into her body at herself, at the woman and at life and death. Slowly, Issy stands up and clicks the safety off. The click gains the attention of the woman who is still laughing to herself. She laughs more as her eyes fall on Issy but she suddenly stops when their eyes connect and she takes a step back, fear flooding her features. Issy is tense, shaking with anger and pain. Her eyes aren't blue nor are they gold. Pale flecks of gold and blue are splattered in the creamy-white irises of her eyes, her pupils dark like the night and sharp like a knives edge as she narrows her eyes. The new colour screams her feelings so loud that the woman takes another step back. Fluidly, Issy raises the gun before she can react and shoots repeatedly with every step Issy takes forward. When she runs out of bullets Issy charges forward, throwing the gun to the ground and a fist to her temple.

Unlike the fears she'd gone through before she didn't bolt up from the chair. Issy slowly sits up and as calmly as she can she brings her knees up, leaning her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. Issy breathes in and out until her heart calms down. "I just want some normal fucking fears." Her voice breaks as she whispers to the room. "Is that really too much to ask?" She brings her hands away from her eyes and looks between her instructors. Four immediately looks away and Eric stares into her eyes.

"Issy," Eric motions a finger to her eyes and picks up a mirror. "Your eyes." He hands her the mirror and she gasps as she looks at her mirror image. Her pupils are vertical slits like a cat and are the palest she's ever seen them. Intrigue, she looks at it from all angles. She grins as she wills her pupils to go even thinner and she glances up at Four.

"Hey Four!" Four looks at her and looks away again, groaning as he involuntarily shivers. Issy laughs and she turns her gaze to Eric. She pouts when he doesn't react and so she wills the colour to shift into different shades and her pupils to reshape. Eric raises an eyebrow unimpressed and her pout deepens. She wills her eyes to go back to their normal colouring while Four glances at her. "So," Issy swings her legs over the side of the chair to face Four. "Number boy. What's the damage this time?"

"New fear obviously. Your timing this time is," He tilts his head from side to side. "Averageish at twenty two minutes but good for a new fear."

"Certainly better than my others." Issy runs a hand through her hair, grinning.

"Better yes," Eric says. "But it still needs to improve."

"Oh-kay doh-kay." She mockingly salutes him and he rolls his eyes but Issy catches the small twitch of his lips.

"Am I free to go now?"

"Shoo!" Four waves her off.

xXx

Today had shaken most of them up more than normal. When she had came out, she glued herself to Alec's side. Alec didn't say anything, he just held her tighter as the ball game went on. Issy had left with her friends once everyone had finished from the day and they had all piled into the Pit. She spotted a familiar mop of black hair and darted towards it. Hugo was surprised to say the very least when Issy caught him in a hug and burrowed her head into his chest. He shot a confused look at Eric.

"You okay Issy?"

"Just groovy." Issy's answer was slightly sarcastic as she pulled back a little bit but didn't fully let go as she looked over his shoulder while Alec moved closer to them. Normally at this time of the day Dec is nearly glued to Hugo's side but he's nowhere in sight. Her stomach flipped nervously which didn't help her anxious feeling about her brothers' safety as soon as she got out of the sim room. "Where's Dec?" Hold on Hugo only tightened when he sighed and glanced to Alec and Eric. Four had joined Blake at the bar and was waiting to be served.

"Dec's had to go out to the other factions along with the other ambassadors to fill them in with a basic overview of the patrols in their sector as well as mention any changes that are due to happen soon. Today they went to Erudite, tomorrow they'll be heading to Candor straight from Erudite, the next day they'll be going to Abnegation and then finally Amity. They should be away another two days, three days if the meeting with Abnegation drags." Her hold tightens impossibly more and Hugo winces. Issy worries about her brother's safety, especially after her fear today but she knows deep down that Dec is more than capable to protect himself. "Don't worry Iss, he's with Tris and Jason and Holly, which I don't think you've met."

"Why has Tris and Jason gone too?" Alec questions as he rubs his sister's back, feeling her muscles relax slightly.

"Tris is the ambassador to the stiffs," Eric answers, his gaze fixed on Issy and she watches him from within Hugo's arms. "Jason is ambassador to Candor and that leaves Holly to Amity."

"Let me guess," Issy snots into Hugo top lightly. "An Amity transfer?"

"She was in my initation." Hugo's voice drifts to her ears as she stares at Eric. Issy has this random need just to wrap her arms around Eric's waist and never let go but she doesn't think it'll be a good idea so Hugo will do. I don't think he'd care if you did. That fucking voice in her mind needed to go fuck itself. Or, you know, you could go fuck Eric. 'Shut up!' Issy hisses to herself mentally as she blushes deeply and looks away from Eric.

"C'mon." Alec grabs one of her hands, thankfully pulling her from her thoughts and away from Hugo. "Let's go stir some shit up, shall we?" The troublesome grin on her twin's face has her smiling and Hugo groaning as Alec pulls her to catch up with their friends who are leaving the Pit. Issy glances back to see Hugo accept a beer from Four and Eric doesn't look away from her until he disappears from her sight. Alec pulls her to a run until they catch up and hear the end of Hec's sentence.

"– a game of dares makes people laugh therefore it helps." Issy's interest is caught in an instant.

"Dares? I'm game." She looks around and a few of them nod their heads with smirks. A grin slides onto her face as she gets an idea. "Seeing as it was your idea Hec, how about you go first?"

Hector gazes at her grin warily before lifting his chin. "Come at me."

"Alright. I dare you to profess your undying love to Max."

They laugh as Hec blanches and stutters on his words. "O-okay."

They jog around the compound in search for Max while they tease Hector. They check the Leaders offices, nope. They go to the Leader's common room, still no luck. Its only when Lilah starts giggling that they all spot him. Sat at a table in the center of the Pit, Max has an arm around his wife, Marissa and on his knee is his youngest daughter Olivia, or Livvie as she prefers, that most of the transfers have only seen once or twice. Lilah smiles fondly as her mini-me pokes Max's nose with the most adorable face. Around the table are some of the other, older Leaders with their families. Issy couldn't stop the grin from widening on her face, with this amount of people Hec would be embarrassed and its in the Pit so this will spread like wildfire. She can tell the others know this by their own wicked smirks. With a huff, Hec makes his way to Max with his friends a few strides behind him. Max looks up just in time and groans as he glances from Hec to the rest of the initiates. Lilah laughs when she whispers that every year an initiate is dared to do something that somehow involves her dad. Max hands Livvie over to his wife and braces himself as some of the other Leaders snicker into their hands and cups.

Hector dramatically goes to his knees, clutching on hand to his heart and the other outstretched towards Max. "Max, my love, your as beautiful as the chocolate cake I hold dear to my heart." The initiates quietly burst into laughter along with the members close enough to see and hear what's happening as Hector dramatically confesses his love for Max, while Max watches with an amused smirk. The twins laugh at how poetic Hec sounds and Alec slides to the floor, clutching at his stomach. "My love for you is kept hidden but when you stand close it lights up brighter than the sun in the sky." Issy waves her hands in front of her eyes as she cries from laughing too hard. Issy is currently leaning into Kayden's side with Flare leaning into his other when Uriah appears to Hector's right and gasps with a hand to his forehead.

Uriah staggers back with misty eyes. "My dearest Max, I thought our love for each other was going strong? And now you insult my heart with this filth." Uriah pouts. "I can feel my heart creaking as it breaks. You can have your love back, we're over!" Uriah sobs loudly with a hand over his mouth to hide the wide smile Issy caught sight of as he leaves the Pit.

Issy just slides to the floor and she holds her hands over her hurting cheeks. She claps her hands with tears in her eyes while Alec snickers into her shoulder. "Oh my days, that was brilliant!"

"Why me?" Max pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a loose chuckle. He shakes his head and looks to Hec. "Who's idea was this then?" Hec wordlessly points to where the twins are on the floor, pointing mainly to Issy who is still quietly laughing to herself. "Why do I have a feeling you're both gonna be worse than the Pedrad brothers?" A loud sob comes from within the crowd and Issy giggles, leaning back until she's leant against someone's legs. One weirdly feels different to the other so she glances up to Hugo and Eric staring down at her and she laughs harder as the dramatic sobs get louder and someone, Uriah, mutters 'My love.' dejectedly. Hugo looks like he's honestly questioning their sanity and Eric is smiling that big smile Issy loves so much.

"I don't know what you mean." She manages to get out between laughs. She takes a few minutes to compose herself but she when she finally calms down she either hears Uriah sob again or Alec is imitating Hector and/or Uriah in her ear and she cracks up again. Several others of their friends are still laughing but those that weren't join in when they hear Alec's voice mocking them. She can't even look at Hec without laughing. "You are never letting this down!" She wipes the tears from her eyes and stands up, staggering a bit when Alec leans his weight on her as he stands up too. The twins look around with the same smirks on their faces as they look around.

"So who's next then?" Alec asks.

Hector clicks his fingers, moving forward and grabs onto Kayden's arm, dragging him away from the Pit. "C'mon Kayden, your turn!" The initiates whoop and laugh, running after them. When the twins begin to follow Hugo calls them back. They spin back around to face Hu who had been joined by Four, Zeke and Blake to the other side of Eric. All five men were smiling at them.

"Don't get into too much trouble!" Hugo shouts and Issy and Alec share a look, grinning mischievously.

"We make no promises!" Alec shouts back and they take off, out of the Pit and after their friends.

They go through numerous amounts of dares. Kayden somehow managed to get into the kitchens unnoticed and make it out alive with two untouched cakes with several paper plates and plastic knives then Alec had gone back and managed to get plastic forks as well as another cake. Luke had been dared to run nude around the compound but was allowed to keep his boxers on. He ended up being chased around the compound by Dauntless guards as Flare and Lilah chucked his clothes at him and he got dressed as he ran. Issy had followed him with her phone, recording everything. Now Luke, fully clothed and puffing for breath turned to Issy.

"I dare you to make on of our Instructors blush. And when I say blush, like really bad, red as a tomato blush." Issy laughs a bit as she thinks about who she can target. Eric is a definite no go and so is Lynn, Issy doesn't know enough about Lauren to pull this off so Four is probably the easiest. "Can I take an helper?"

"Sure," Luke shrugs. "Just make them flustered as fuck."

Issy grins. "Come on Bree." Issy begins to whisper her battle plan in her ear and Bree laughs. "Let's go and see if we can make the almighty number boy blush." The girls lead them back to the Pit and searched the crowds. Issy had given Alec her phone to record it, just in case it becomes a great piece of bribery. Crystal finally spots him stood with Eric and Hugo and the girls remove their grins from their faces before walking to Four. When they stand at the end of the table both Issy and Bree seem somewhat nervous as shuffle from foot to foot.

"Four can we have a word?" Bree asks quietly and eyebrows are raised questioningly as there's a slight quiver to her voice.

"Uh, yeah, sure." Four walks away from the table until they're out of hearing range of the table where the rest of the initiates have joined them, some of which are bouncing in excitement. "What's up?"

Bree and Issy share a look before Issy clears her throat. "Well, um, we have a problem and we don't know what to do…"

"What is it? Are you both okay?" Four's tone becomes serious and Instructor Four comes into play.

"We didn't want to go to Lauren or Lynn 'cause we don't know them very well and your our Instructor and as our Instructor we trust you to help us." Bree's voice breaks half way through her sentence.

"We both woke up yesterday morning with blood in our pants and we're on our periods and I don't know what to do." Issy bites back the laugh that threatens to escape when Four chokes and averts his gaze with a light blush on his cheeks.

"I don't know about Issy but my blood was really heavy yesterday and I didn't want to take a shower and I always get really heavy blood flow when I'm on."

"What do we do Four?" Issy almost whines as she clutches her stomach. "It hurts and I don't know what to do."

"Uh, um, you um –" Four stutters over his words as his face becomes redder than Amity's clothing. "Have you, uh, gone to the infirmary – to Marlene or, uhh, someone. Uhh," Four cranes his neck to check his watch and they can see the blush runs all the way down his neck. "I have to shift, uh, a shift to go to, um, try infirmary." His eyebrows scrunch up as he concentrates on his words. "Uh, bye." Bree and Issy watch him go. On his way out of the Pit he bumps into several people and tables as he goes. The girls exchange a look before they both burst out laughing. Together they walk back to the table where their friends are gasping for breath as they laugh.

"What the hell did you say to him?" Hugo demands as he glances between the two. Bree repeats back some of what they said and Eric bursts out laughing. "You're an evil, evil person Iss." Hugo says between his own laughter.

Issy shrugs as Alec hands her back her phone. "I just can't help myself sometimes."

If anyone is interested I'm starting (or reposting) a Hobbit fanfic soon from my old account GoldenBookDragon that will be slightly rewritten. Also I'll be using my OC's Issy and Alec in that story as well as in some other fandoms (if I ever get to writing those stories and posting them...) as my main characters as I just tend to put them in different scenarios in my head so often that it just tends to stick.