Long chapter and double update! Another scene that I've had planned for ages and shit begins to go downhill from here… Sorry I guess?
Eric sighs into her hair as he pulls her closer, leaning his head against hers as they watch Max hold back his tears while giving the speech about Adrian and Lottie. Issy turns her head into Eric's chest when Max starts saying about how braze the couple are for exploring the unknown, trying to block it out. Eric's arms wrap tighter around her and he doesn't comment when his shirt becomes damp under Issy's face.
As the weeks pass by, there's something that made her friends and family increasingly tense and cautious – something none of them would tell Issy. She had forgotten about it for a while until one morning.
Since the day had started, something immediately sent alarm bells ringing in her head, something she couldn't pinpoint until now. Issy stands with her older brothers, Eric, Jason, Hec and Red in the corridors leading to the Leadership offices. Firstly, Declan, Hugo, Jason and Eric are all tense and watching their surroundings. Secondly, Hec and Red straight out refused to let Issy walk to Dec's office alone after their patrol. And finally, Eric is standing closer to Issy than normal, their arms pressed together lightly. Issy didn't mind their closeness and she had simply raised an eyebrow when she noticed a hint of worry in Eric's eyes.
The men around her make simple conversation but Issy can tell none of them really mean it. And then Max's door opens, they all tense up even more as Max's voice is heard talking to another. Dec and Hugo step up immediately so that they're slightly behind Issy on both sides. Jason, Hec and Red stay where they are to Eric's right and Eric steps slightly in front of Issy – protectively, might she add. Confusion flitters across her face until she sees just who Max is talking to.
"Emmett." She gasps. Issy doesn't realise she's said it out loud until Emmett turns in her direction and a snide grin settles on his face.
Emmett walks slowly towards her, noticing how Eric shifts closer to her, and stops near her. He holds himself differently, but he looks like the same, charming boy she was with in Erudite and that's what instantly sets the bells off again. "Hello Issy," Even his voice is different as he slowly looks her over. To her right Eric shifts again and for the first time since coming to Dauntless, Issy wants to hide behind Eric's large frame. "Dauntless looks good on you." As Emmett turns to her brothers and her other friends. "I didn't expect a welcoming party. Miss me?" As Emmet talks, Issy slowly inches herself closer to Eric and allows herself to hold onto the back of his jacket. She feels Eric relax slightly and unclenches his fists just a bit. When Issy looks back to Emmett he is already watching them with a dangerous glint in his eyes that has Issy tightening her hold on Eric's jacket. Eric slips an arm around her waist and pulls her back into him, his dark glare never leaving Emmett. Emmett smirks at this. "How cute. You've got your own guard dog." He says with mock cheerfulness and Max clears his throat.
"That's enough Emmett." Max says firmly. "Come on now, I'll show you to where you'll be staying."
Emmett nods his head and steps back, his gaze never leaving Issy, or rather Eric's arm around Issy's waist. As he walks past Issy though he grins. "I'll see you soon." He directs towards Issy with an underlining dark promise before he follows Max down the corridor.
As soon as he's out of sight, Issy slumps into Eric's hold as he wraps both of his arms around her and pulls her in closer. Issy feels both mentally and emotionally exhausted as she burrows her nose into the crook of his neck. He leans his cheek against his temple. "I'm not gonna let him hurt you." Eric whispers. "I promise."
Issy looks up at him, her eyes wide and pale. "What happened Eric? What – I don't understand…"
She's vaguely aware that Red and Hec leave them to go home and her brothers and Jason pile into Dec's office after Hugo rubbed her shoulder for a moment. Eric looks down at her, his eyes searching hers before he nods his head and pulls her to his office.
Once in his office, Eric guides her around his desk and sits down in his chair. He opens his arms out towards her. "Issy come here." He says softly and she sits down on his lap. After Issy gets comfortable with her legs thrown over his and her head on his shoulder Eric sighs. He rolls the chair forward a bit and picks up a file from his desk and places it in front of them.
Issy eyes it curiously while she shifts so her back is against his chest. Slowly, she fingers the file open to the first page and Eric leans his chin on her shoulder. "Is this Emmett's file?" He hums in her ear and she leans forward slightly to glance over the paragraphs. Most of them are by different hands and Issy can spot Four's, Max's, Lauren's, Lynn's and a few of the other Leaders.
Emmett Henley…. Faction of Origin: Erudite…. The girls in his transfer class stay away from him… Boys of the transfer class acted out towards Emmett and appeared to protect the girls…. Asked Four if they could move to the Dauntless Borns' dorm….. Strange bruises and markings appeared on some of the girls…. They've started to flinch away from males… Markings got worse as Stage Two went on…. A few Dauntless Borns came up to Four and Max stating, not asking, stating that the female transfers were moving into their dorms… Girls slowly stopped flinching around other males… Emmett is prone to angry outbursts…. After the end of Initiation all of the girls of that class - Dauntless born and transfer - reported several acts of sexual harassment and abuse from Emmett… Marks….. Scars….. Damaged confidence… No proof other than words and marks…. More reports of sexual harassment and abuse from other female members ranging in age….. Has a team in the Control Room looking to catch Emmett in the act 24/7… Two months no proof and more reports….. The Leaders agree to send him to a remote part of the fence under lockdown for two years….. Bring him back for a three-month trial, after it he will be sent to Candor and injected with the truth serum no matter the outcome of his trial back at the Compound…. If more reports are made before the end of his trial then he will immediately be sent to face Candor's court.
The next paragraph is distinctly in Eric's writing.
The scowl on his face as Max, Harrison and I give him his orders to go to the fence. To the side of us is Commander Larce, a man known for taking absolutely no shit. He knew what Emmett had done, his sister being one of the victims left shaken. Emmett knew what this was really about. His scowl deepened as he sneered at us. Max sneered right back, having caught Emmett eyeing his daughter and her friends once or twice. I had intervened one time before Emmett could get close, telling Delilah that Max wanted her and her friends to go to his office. I followed closely after as he glared at me. After I told Max what had happen and Flare and Meg had said that he wanted to meet up with them at some point, Max designated guards to watch his daughter and her friends.
Its then that Issy stops reading. A few of the reports of Emmett's time on the fence follow after. A tear falls down her face. Her friends, the ones that are her family could have been one of Emmett's toys he played with until it broke. Lilah. Flare. Meg. Crystal. They could have been one of the girls' lives he ruined. And now, from the way Emmett leered at her, Issy feels like she's next.
"I won't let him come near you." Eric says firmly. "All of our friends already know. Max told his daughter and Flare personally yesterday; Bree was also there so she knows to be careful. Lilah has moved in with Alec and Cody for the time being and Kayden has moved in with Flare. On top of that Max has also ordered guards to shadow the girls that Emmett used in the past. They also know that Emmett is back in the compound, Max held a meeting and told them yesterday too." Eric breathed in deeply as his arms wrapped around her waist. "I've also assigned soldiers from my squad to shadow you, Lilah, Flare, Bree, Tris, Christina, Shauna and Marlene while Emmett's here. Declan and Hugo will be moving in with you for the time being." Before Issy can open her mouth to say anything Eric cuts across her, his hold tightening and his voice desperate. "I will not see you with no one Issy. Emmett's dangerous and that's why you'll have someone with you wherever you go excluding the shadowed guard."
Issy turns her head to look at Eric. There's pain in his eyes as he holds her close, his grip tightening to make sure she's still there. "Eric." She says but his eyes are on the file on the desk. "Eric." Its then that Issy realises that he's scared – an emotion that she never thought Eric would acknowledge. Her heart begins to hammer in her chest. Shit is really serious if her ex from years ago can make Eric react like this. She shuffles so that her back is against one of the arm rests. Issy raises her hand to his cheek and pulls his jaw in her direction. "Eric I'm not going anywhere." Eric's lips twitch into a small smile but he doesn't look like he believes her. Issy leans closer, her hand sliding into the short strands of his hair. She presses their foreheads together and Eric sighs. "I'm not going anywhere."
Eric's hand runs through her hair, pressing her closer until their noses brush. "You're not going anywhere." He presses his lips to hers seconds after and Issy can feel his desperation to believe it.