Kayden's POV

For most of Kayden's life he had been shunned from the rest of Amity. From an early age he had the most terrible temper, often lashed out violently when angry or upset. Everyone knew he wasn't Amity, everyone knew he was Dauntless. He was always prone to the needles filled with peace serum, many times he had to be held down and injected with the blasted stuff.

His mother was upset that her second oldest of three would also transfer out and his dad ignored anything that suggest that Kayden would one day leave. His older brother, Callie (short for Callum), transferred to Candor when Kayden was eleven. Callie could always calm Kayden down, he was always there for him when he felt left out. Callie was his bestest friend but that ended when Callie transferred. His family tried to reach out to Kayden when Callie didn't come back on the day of the Choosing Ceremony but even then, his mother and father only tried once before giving up and going on with their lives and in turn Kayden pushed everyone away.

Apart from his older brother he only really had one other best friend, one that kept coming back no matter how hard Kayden pushed him away. Noah had stopped trying to push his way back into Kayden's life when Kayden spat out an insulting remark that Kayden can't even remember now. Noah had recoiled back, hurt clear on his face and walked away as Kayden's chest heaved in his rage. Kayden watched him go, already he was regretting his words but he didn't dare go after Noah and apologize, he didn't like admitting that he was wrong. Once Noah's retreating back disappeared from his sight, Kayden collapsed to his knees. He grabbed harshly at the weeds in front of him and squeezed his eyes shut, he was so angry with himself that he didn't hear the pitter-patter of small footsteps until they stood in front of him. Kayden looked up, oblivious to the red splotches on his face, and gazed at his little sister. Adele smiled at him and he pulled her forward, burying his head into her shoulder. She laced her arms around his neck and held him their as he choked on his tears. He cried for the resentment from the population of Amity, he cried for his brother, he cried for his words to Noah. While he did so, Adele just held him close, humming a tune their mother taught them. Once he had calmed down Kayden wondered how Adele knew where he was but he never questioned it, she observed things better than the elders of the faction did and she was only eight. Kayden allowed his sister in, he allowed her in when he was hurt the most and he was thankful that he did.

Over the years Kayden grew up and his Dauntless tendencies grew with him. He learnt to stay away from people when he was in one of his moods, he knew not to talk to the people he got so easily annoyed with. Adele also grew up too. She grew up into the prettiest girl in the faction, sharing his dark hair, light eyes and pale skin, but then again Kayden was probably being biased. She loved every little bit of life and never stopped running about or giggling. She would laugh as she raced him to the top of trees, grin as she jumped from tree to tree like a squirrel and pout at her brother until he agreed to do something reckless with her. To put it lightly, Adele was the best kind of crazy, the kind that makes him laugh when he it in the mood to. She always did know what to do to make him crack out into the biggest of smiles. But then something happened that tore them apart.

It was a year or so before his own transfer to Dauntless, Adele supported him and pushed him in that direction, Adele would have been fourteen/fifteen. Kayden was helping lift the heaving bags into the trucks to go into the city, he had a silent agreement with the group that he was in. If they ignored him, he'd ignore them and they could get the work done faster. Adele was in a field not far from him, picking apples from the highest of branches where others couldn't reach. He was confident in her abilities that she'd be okay even if their parents didn't like her climbing trees. He was on his last bag to put in the truck when a scream tore through the happy atmosphere. People looked to him as his name was screamed again and he bolted to the fields. His legs hit the dirt as fast as he could make them go, somewhere in the back of his mind he registered that Noah had ran after him with a few other boys of his age following them. She screamed out again, louder now as he got closer. Older faction members ran in the opposite direction to where he was running to with fear on their faces. 'Fear?' He had thought with confusion. 'There's nothing to fear in Amity.' He didn't understand fully until he skidded to a stop, astonished with what was before him. A bear was on its hind legs against a tree. Kayden was confused as to why a bear was so close to their homes, bears normally stay away from the main parts of Amity. Then he noticed his sister in the tree it was leant against and his heart stopped. She cried out again and the bear became more intrigued with it. Without thinking he ran forward, ignoring the shouts of Noah and the other boys. The bear slammed its front paws against the tree and it shook violently. Adele cried for her brother as she slipped from the branch she was on. She managed to grab at a lower branch but now she was closer to the bear. The tree shook once again and Adele fell to the ground, hitting her head on a branch on the way down and fell unconscious. Kayden halt to a stop, his heart hammering in his chest, threating to break his ribs. The bear pushed itself off of the trunk and began to plod towards his sister. He picked up a medium sized rock and chucked it at the beast. A growl came from it and it turned to face him, grumbling its pain. Kayden picked up another rock and threw it. It hit the beast's snout and it bared its teeth. It took a step forward and another before it rose onto its hind legs and Kayden audibly swallowed. It was huge! Taller than Kayden definitely. He took a step back but tripped and fell. With wide eyes, he scuttled back as it stomped closer. A whizz passed his ear and the bear roared in pain. Kayden glanced back and there were several Dauntless crouched with their guns raised and they proceeded to shoot at the bear until it collapsed in a lifeless heap. A breath left him. Then he was on his feet and rushing to his sister.

He yelled and shouted for help for sister when she didn't respond to him. It felt like hours until a healer came. Kayden was pushed out of the way for the healers and wasn't allowed at her side. An arm grabbed at his shoulders and pulled him back. His father pulled him away from where his sister lay and there was a sharp pinch in his neck before his eyes began to droop and he succumbed to the darkness.

Three days Kayden was out for and in those three days Adele was taken to Erudite to be treated. On the second day he was out, Adele woke up with a major problem, there was nothing the doctors at Erudite could do and she was brought home. When he finally woke up and became aware of his surroundings he noticed his father sat by his side and Kayden was instantly wary. He and his father never saw eye to eye on things and found it was best simply to avoid each other.

"Adele? Is she okay?" Kayden had shot questions at him and when he started to shake his head Kayden thought the worse.

"She's alive." He had said but his voice was void of emotion. "There was just a problem when she woke up."

"What? What is it?"

"Kay," Kayden's eyes widen with worry. Its been years since anyone has called him that. His father took a deep breath and raised his glassy eyes to meet his son's. "She can't remember us." Kayden felt a part of him die when those four awful words were registered. "She can't remember anything about us." Tears ran down his face as Kayden stopped paying attention to anything his father was saying. 'She can't remember me. My little sister can't remember me.' He choked, coughing on his tears.

Kayden remembers that dreadful moment where he had to introduce himself to his little sister like they'd never met. He remembers working with her every day trying to help her remember. She remembered stuff about Callie a few days after he came to introduce himself, she started to remember the song their mother taught her and remember how their father would push her on a swing but never him. Adele never remembered anything about him and it broke his hardened heart every day. As she begin to remember more about the world around her Kayden found himself wandering around Amity, avoiding everyone. He walked about endlessly but he'd always end up where it all started. Where the bear's carcass once lay. Where his sister lost her memory. It become painful to be in the same room as Adele when once it was a joy so he just didn't let that happen.

On the day of Kayden's Choosing Ceremony, the day he'd knew he would come back to Amity, Kayden had sat it front of Adele and said goodbye to her, that he'd be leaving and she simply smiled and wished him luck. It hurt that this was his last moment with her and that she only had memories of him that went back to when he introduced himself. He felt his heart clench as he walked out the door with his mother to the trucks, his father would be staying with Adele.

Now, at Dauntless and several weeks into Stage One, Kayden misses her. Even without Adele being anywhere near him he is constantly reminded of how she was before the accident. Every day Issy is the one that reminds him of how she used to be. Their attitudes to life, their mischievous streaks a mile wide, their recklessness. Nearly every thing about Issy reminds him of Adele. The only thing that's different is their height and, of course, their eyes. That's way Kayden disliked Issy at the start of initiation, they were just too similar for his liking.

Now though, there were grins in there eyes as they hissed and snapped at each other. Today was the last day of Stage One and their last obstacle course. For their last course they had been paired together, much to the surprise of the initiates. He had hadn't even opened his mouth when Issy cut him off. Kayden wasn't going to insult her, well, not really but she did bring up an important point. They both liked winning too much to lose. It had been Kayden's spark of brilliance to keep up the act of hating each other until the very last moment. Kayden had watched as Issy stormed angrily from the cafeteria and by the looks of her brothers and friends it hadn't been good. He didn't realise how their act would affect those around them, but then in his perspective, it wasn't any thing new.

Four's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "You will have ten more minutes to discus your strategy with your partner." Four glances at Issy who stands at the line, staring at the table and at himself. "After those ten minutes are up we will be coming round to attach a microphone to you to listen in to see how your work in the course. Your ten minutes start now!" Kayden walks with a scowl on his face until he stands by Issy. He looks at the table of weapons and tries to understand what has caught her attention.

"It'll be over soon." He lightly snarls at her, his hateful mask in place.

"It better fucking be." Kayden know whatever happened at breakfast really pissed Issy off. There's no playfulness in her eyes as she snarls. She glares at the table. "Do you see that grey pair of gloves at the end of the table?" She hisses at him and he steps back with a furious snarl on his face.

His eyes run over the table curiously. "The fingerless ones with the red stitching by the curved band?" Issy give him a subtle nod. "Yeah why?"

"You get a gun and some ammo, I'll get that."

"What is it?"

Issy's grin is feral. "You'll see."

"Your ten minutes is up!" Lynn calls out. "Gather round for your microphones!" They all line up as Lynn and Four go down the line clipping them on. Kayden and Issy are towards the back of the line. Kayden grins, bouncing on his heels. Its time. He shares a subtle smile and wink with Issy when Alec makes a snide comment about Issy losing when Kayden laughs, smiling as he openly winks at Issy. Everyone in the room turns to them shocked and confused as Issy grins, shaking her head.

"Oh brother dear," She drawls sarcastically. "Bless your delusional heart. It's gonna break so much when we win." She saunters over to where she and Kayden stood not ten minutes ago and Kayden joins her soon after, flashing smirks at everyone he passes.

"Ready?" Kayden flashes a smile her way. All hatred is gone from their voices as they talk and dare he say it but he like the joking tone they share.
"Are you?" They laugh causing a few jaws to drop as they clasp hands. He looks around with a cocky look. 'It worked!' He mentally shouts as they prepare themselves at the starting line.

"Ready!" Four calls out when himself, Lynn and Lauren have joined the Leaders.

"I've got your back if you've got mine?" Issy murmurs to Kayden.

"I've got your back." He answers and Issy nods back.

"Set! . . . Go!"

Kayden and Issy quickly take the lead, running side by side. They both slam into the table and his fingers fiddle with the dart guns provided while he slings a crossbow over his shoulder and load the darts, shoving a few spare in his pockets. Kayden spins around, firing at incoming initiates as Issy puts on her gloves. From the corner of his eye something glows red and he turns just as Issy flings her arms out wide, splaying out her fingers. As she moves the gloves reacts with her movements and red holographic blocks appear from her gloves, pushing forward and forming a barrier between the rest of the initiates and them. Gasps come from the Leaders and instructors as Hector and Alec run straight slam into it and fall to the floor. Issy laughs eerily as Kayden turns to her wide eyed.

"How did you know how to do that?!"

She grins at him, glancing up at the Leaders before turning her gaze to the rest of the initiates who are trying to find a weak spot in the wall. As she curls her fingers back into fists, the red wall illuminates with them. She does this once more before bringing her hands backwards so they are level with her face. "Because I designed and manufactured the tech." Suddenly she pushes her hands forward and the wall shadows her movements by going forward and pushing the initiates back forcibly before heading to the maze. Kayden laughs and shakes his head as he sprints after her before taking the lead through the maze. Issy brings her left fist to her shoulder and the wall disappears but the blocks separate and reform just behind her into a smaller version, protecting their backs.

For a while they come upon no one having had the generous head start. As they turn the corner Kayden comes to a halt as Noah and Flare appear in front of them. Quickly, Issy duplicates the barrier behind them and creates another front of them just after Noah shoots. Three of them stand amazed as Noah's darts hit the barrier and fall to the floor.

"Shoot!" Issy whispers in Kayden's ear. A few seconds after Kayden shoots, a surprised expression clouds his face as his darts go through the barrier hitting their targets.

"You amaze me Golden Eyes."

"Perhaps you can save the compliments until after we get out of the maze thanks." Issy pushes the front barrier forward, pushing Flare and Noah back. Issy follows after Kayden through the next opening. "I just hope we don't run into Alec." They go through the course determinedly, only having met two dead ends and three other pairings – none of which happened to be Alec and Hector – and Issy prayed they wouldn't stumble into them. Kayden ran forward slightly dazed by the tech Issy holds until he shakes his head and focuses. He halts to a stop when Hec and Alec appear in front of them

"Fuck!" She utters as blue holographic spears raise from the ground and shoot towards them. Kayden is pulled out of the way as the spears pierce through the red barriers. "That fucking cock sucking bastard!" She shouts towards her brother as his defensive blue barrier falls into place. Kayden puffs out a disbelieving laugh as he and Hector exchange glances while Issyraises her own barrier and she summons more red blocks. The blocks begin to shift until two sets twenty red arrows hover above the ground on her left and right. She shoots them towards her brother randomly before she grabs Kayden's collar, pulling him away and in a different direction.

"Hey! Wait, Issy what are you doing?!" Kayden tries to pull back but Issy's grip is firm as she pulls him forward.

"That tech is the exact same as mine." She throws over her shoulder as she takes the center opening with Kayden now jogging by her side. "There are no weak spots for either of them and we'd be there for days unable to get the upper hand. The blue tech is meant for offence and the red tech is meant for defense only. Yes, that means Alec's attack would be stronger but my defense would also be stronger. They were made to level each other out. We originally created this tech to fight beside each other not against each other."

"Okay." He sorta understands what she's trying to say, at least he thinks he does. . . They come to a cross roads with four openings – excluding the one they had just came from. Kayden grabs her wrist and pulls her to the one on the end, following the strong feeling he has. "This way, I have a strong gut feeling about it. When in doubt, go with your gut."

"Well then, your gut better be correct or you'll be getting a fist to it." Issy laughs as Kayden mock winces as they set off jogging. Kayden leads until they both stop in surprise as the leave the maze.

Grinning happily, Kayden punches Issy on her shoulder. "See? I told you my gut was right!"

"You never actually said those exact word just to follow your gut." She snarked as they took off sprinting towards the finish.

"Oh shut up smartass."

When they crossed the line Issy saw Bree clapping at them as she walked forward with Sam just behind her.

"I have to say you fooled me with that performance. I had honestly thought you both couldn't do it, me and everyone else it seems." Sam winked at them.

"Don't look at me, it wasn't my idea." Issy raises her hands in surrender and red blocks appeared in front of them. A sheepish smile covers Issy's face as she presses the button on the headset and the blocks disappear.

"Damn girl, where do you get that from?"

Kayden smirks as he answers for her. "She created it back at Erudite."

"Technically it's still just a prototype, I'm not sure why Dauntless has them." Issy takes of the gloves and the headset. "Anyway, how did you guys get out so quick?"

"Oh! That would be down to me." Bree smiled slyly. "I have photographic memory so when we were overlooking the maze I was able to more or less save a picture of it and navigate using that."

"Damn. That would be handy." Kayden laughs along with Sam.

While they waited for the other initiates to finish they chatted with ease, which surprised Kayden. Normally he'd get hateful glowers and be ignored but when both Bree and Sam pulled him into conversations, saying he was surprised would be an understatement. Taking third place was Noah and Flare. When they explained their plans Noah had laughed and clasp hands with Kayden, saying that Kayden's idea was a clever one. Their eyes held each others and Kayden knew he had to apologize for the words he said all those years ago. Forth dragged in Alec and Hector. Hec joked about Issy and Kayden being a better team than Issy and Alec, this resulted in two firm punches from each shoulder from both of the twins. Kayden laughed with the others. Maybe they could be friends, maybe they couldn't but as Kayden watched them he realised he was glad he had been paired with Issy. He may have hated her because of the similarities to his sister but now, throughout the maze, he has come to respect her as she amazed him at every turn.

When they were dismissed, Kayden caught Noah's eye with his own and began to deliberately lag behind. Noah mumbled something to his friends before lagging behind with him. They walked together towards the cafeteria.

"I'm sorry." Kayden quietly whispered with his eyes on the floor.

Noah stopped walking and turned to him. He watched him for a moment. "What for? You've got nothing to be sorry for?"

Confused, Kayden raised his gaze to Noah's. "When we were eleven. . ."

"That's fine." Noah waved it off "I knew Callie meant the world to you and then he transferred without saying anything. I must have been difficult for you."

"I'm sorry I pushed you away and for what I said."

"It's fine. After I walked away, I told Adele to make sure you okay."

"You –"

Noah grinned. "You're welcome."