Eric's POV
Eric sat in front of the computer as he prepared five needles just in case shit went wrong. Himself and Four had agreed to have Issy go first and then Kayden, getting the most difficult initiates out of the way. Eric sighed, slumping into the chair. He hated watching Issy's sims, he felt so useless that he couldn't protect her from them. Eric swears he died a little inside when Declan died in her fear sim that one time when Dec wasn't actually in the compound. He hated the way fear plagued her eyes when she realized Dec was no where close as she clung onto Hugo. The look she gave Eric made him want to pull her into his own arms and never let go.
The door opened, cutting Eric from his thoughts, and Issy slowly walked into the room. He took notice of the bags under her eyes and the lack of light that's normally in her golden-blue eyes as Four moved around her to stand next to his dart gun. Eric's eyes followed her as she stopped in front of the chair. Issy groaned, rubbing at her eyes with enough force she would be seeing stars before pulling her hands away and nearly falling into the chair. He shifted, wanting to reach out and hold her. The redness around her eyes made his chest clench.
"You look like shit." 'That fucking number boy!' Eric shot a quick glare to the bastard to his side but Eric couldn't help the minute part of him that agreed. To put it bluntly, she did look like shit but that's what the fear sims did. When Issy didn't take the bait, Four raised an eyebrow surprised. "Now I know something is definitely wrong."
"Things are just peachy." She snapped at him with enough venom that Eric was surprised too but he noticed how her face fell immediately afterwards and he knew she was guilty. As she leaned forward and sighed into her hands, Eric quietly picked up a needle while he shared a look with Four and made his way over to her. At the last minute she glanced up and jumped away from the needle, yelping as she fell to the floor. Four leaned over her as she curled into herself. Eric thought of her curling into him on his bed and he froze as he began to harden. 'Now isn't the time.' He tried shoving the image away but every time he blinked it appeared again. He came back to reality when Four asked her a question while he shot her with his gun.
"Are you actually getting any sleep?"
"A few hours tops." Eric shook his head as he inserted the needle in her neck and help Four place her in the chair. Eric and Four sighed as the simulation went into affect and Eric mumbled Be Brave.
Four took the seat that Eric had just occupied and they watched as the dark screen lit up. Eric groaned when he realised it was her fear of needles. Like every time this one shows itself Issy looks around the room with fearful eyes, struggling at her bonds until the door opened to reveal her damned uncle. He went his usual speech that never changes as he injects serums into her. After the third enters her body Issy's heart rate picks up as her sim body freezes all movement to the point where they can't even see her chest rise as she breathes. Eric's fists clench as he glances at her body in the chair to remind himself she is breathing, its not real. Sim Issy gasps as she regains movement. Eric's eyes are so fixed on Issy that he doesn't notice Four double check her vitals.
"Shit! Eric!"
Eric snapped to attention and looked to where Four was pointing. Issy's vitals were off of the charts which sent a jolt of concern through Eric. "Pull her out."
"But Max said –"
"Pull her out!" Eric shouted and Four began to ease her out of the sim. "I'll deal with the consequences." Issy's head lolled to the side and she began to throw up down the side of the chair. When Issy didn't stop Eric jumped up to her side as Four jogged out of the room, slamming the door behind him. After she had finally stopped throwing up, Issy started shaking while tears stained her cheeks red. Her eyes flutter close as Eric leans over to grab her arms. "C'mon. Let's get you to the infirmary." As he pulled her to her feet Eric immediately felt her knees go as she swayed so he pulled her forward and she leaned her head in his neck. He knew it was wrong but Eric couldn't help but sigh contently with Issy in his arms, leaning into him and gripping onto his arm. Slowly Issy stopped shaking and her breathing was back to normal so Eric started to guide her to the back door but when she tripped over her own feet his eyebrows furrowed with worry and Eric crouched down, hooking an arm under her knees with his other along her back. Her head rolled into his shoulder as he picked her up and pressed her against his chest. Eric noticed that sweat had began to break out along her forehead while he quickly walked through the halls. Every few minutes he'd check on Issy and each time she appeared worst than before and now Eric was almost running. In his arms Issy moaned something that he couldn't make out. "Issy?" She didn't respond. "Issy!"
The infirmary was rather quiet when Eric stormed in. "Marlene!" He shouted with fear laced in his voice, his eyes wide and gleaming with it. The nurse jumps in surprise and her eyes widen when she spots Issy in his arms. She points to a private room, following close behind the young leader and shuts the door behind them while Eric gently places her on the bed. His eyes very leave Issy as he steps a few paces back and slumps into the chair while Marlene flutters around the bed taking blood, her temperature and other things but it was all blurred in the background with Issy as the main focus. He doesn't even notice when Marlene left the room.
Eric ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling the perfection he slicks his hair into every morning. The feelings he always keep locked up deep within him break free around Issy, because of Issy. Strangely Eric has never felt like this, never felt remotely terrified for anyone before. Tell a lie, Eric got pretty scared in his first year as a leader when a report came through that Declan had got shot and was in surgery, except Eric didn't read the report properly before he headed to the infirmary. In reality, Declan did get shot but it was just a graze and there happened to be another Declan with him, Declan Foxx (often called Foxy due to his red hair). Eric had huffed, annoyed with himself while Dec laughed. They had made a silent agreement never to mention it but Eric could see that Dec was happy that Eric didn't just 'tolerate' him, that their friendship was more than that. The only other time Eric had felt like this was when the first ranking for Stage Two had been posted. Despite being an instructor, Eric had no idea what Issy's ranking was. He remembers being stood with Dec and Hugo with Four somewhere near by while Lauren and Lynn revealed the rankings. It shocked him to the core when he finally spotted her name. Beside him Declan had slapped a hand over his mouth to conceal his cry as Hugo gazed into the crowd, gasping. Eric's and Dec's eyes followed Hugo's line of sight to where Issy was stood pale, wide eyes and frozen in the centre of a wall created by the other initiates with Alec talking rapidly to her but she didn't seem to respond nor did her eyes move from the board. The older Vince brothers pushed their way through the crowds with Eric and Four not far behind them. The initiates wouldn't allow either Dec or Hugo through, they didn't even budge when Four ordered them to move. Eric had just wanted to get to Issy and so he lost his patience, threatening to make them all factionless. His spirits lifted when they began to move but his spirits quickly fell when Issy disappeared into the crowd. Declan was beside himself, nearly ripping out his hair when he saw she had gone. It worried her brothers even more when she didn't turn up to lunch and Four had gone to the control room afterwards to kept an eye out for her with Blake. Four reported that they saw glimpses of her around the compound but she never stopped. Eric had walked through the same halls himself hoping to come across her but he never did. He even skipped dinner wandering through the halls when he got a message that she didn't turn up to that meal either.
When she finally reappeared, Issy strode into the sim room with her head held high not even sparing a glance at Eric as she sat in the chair. Eric had narrowed his eyes, angry that while her brothers, her friends and himself had nearly gone mad with worry she seemed indifferent to the whole situation. However, deep down, he knew she has her flaws and that was understandable, she needed time. Time to recollect herself because even though she was broken, she is also brave and strong all at once and when she does fall down she gets right back up. Though that didn't stop him from being pissed off with her but he was impressed with how she tried to control her emotions while she sat in the chair. That was until Four stood next to her with a needle in hand and she jumped from the chair. Without even thinking about it Eric had stood up and pulled her into his chest, pulling her tighter when she struggled. Eric's anger simmered down while he held her and he could feel her shaking like a leaf. She cut her time down rather impressively and in the weeks after that she slowly began to rise.
Eric was once again torn from his thoughts by a door opening. Marlene stepped into the room with a folder, closing the door firmly behind her with a grim expression on her face.
"What?" Eric leaned closer to Marlene with a frown, annoyed by her silence. "What is it?"
"Issy's had an allergic reaction to the fear serum."
"What? But all these months she's been fine."
"I know but going by the results her body has changed slightly." Marlene gnaws at her lip as she flips through a few pages. "Going by what has been recorded from her life in Erudite, including the mentions of unknown serums being forcibly injected, there shouldn't be anything wrong with her. However the only hypotheses I can think of is whatever serums were injected into her when she was eleven has messed up with her body." 'Unknown serums... That bastard!' Eric's jaw clenches as Jeremy's face appears in his mind. "What we can gather with a few quick tests without having sent the samples to Erudite is that if a serum is injected into Issy daily over a long period of time that changes her senses her body will learn to fight it. If it can't fight it then her body and brain will register it as something she's allergic to. Like what happened earlier, her body couldn't fight the fear sim off so it was registered as an allergy she her body forced her to have an allergic reaction to it." Marlene looked to Issy with sombre eyes and Eric gazed at the golden-eyed girl on the bed with a similar expression. "Thankfully its the last day of the fear sims, isn't it? And tomorrow the fear landscape. She shouldn't have a reaction to the serum tomorrow with it being slightly altered but keep an eye on her just in case."
Eric quickly glanced at the nurse. "So she'll be fine?"
"Given that this is her first negative reaction anything can be possible. As to when she'll wake up is unknown but other than that she'll be fine." Marlene said with a smile and Eric nodded his head.
"Could you forward this information to Max, Four and myself along with any additional notes?"
"Of course." With another smile, Marlene left the room.
Eric smiled to himself. She was going to be okay, but she just needed to wake up now. He looked at his watch, noting they had been there for over an hour. Sighing, Eric settled himself back into the chair while he ran another hand through his hair. Eric wasn't going to be moving any time soon, he refuses to. He will not be moving until Issy wakes up. Eric scoots the chair closer to the bed before reaching out to brush a strand of hair back, his fingers ghosting over her jaw. "Now you just need to wake up babe." 'What has the world come to?' Eric thinks to himself with a shake of his head. Babe. Once he would have mocked anyone who said that word and now here he is, saying the very same word to the woman who holds his heart without knowing it. What a sap he's turned into. 'With very good reason.' His inner voice pipes up while Eric gazes at Issy and he agrees without question.
Over the next few hours – which in reality feel like years – Eric catches up with his reports, checking on Issy now and then. Within the last hour she has begun to stir but hasn't yet regained consciousness. Eric has caught his reflection in his screen and he winced. He hair is sticking up at all angles and his clothes are wrinkled as fuck. Eric's hand was half way to his head when Issy stirred, shifting in the bed. She mumbled something and Eric moved closer. "Issy?" She mumbled something again and his hopes rose as he began to lightly shake her shoulders. "Issy? Come on babe please?" Relief soars through him and her pale eyes find him. He leans forward, placing his elbows on the edge of the bed. "Hey." Eric whispers.
"Hi." Eric was thankful when Marlene brought in a glass of water half an hour ago but he hadn't touched it. Issy's voice was rough and he handed her the glass which she gulped down within seconds. "What happened?" When she was done Eric took back the glass and put it back. Eric smiled, noting how much more she sounded like herself compared to the croaky voice before.
Eric looks down to his lap. His features scrunch up as his lips move, forming words with no sound and then he looks up at her, eyes piercing into hers. "Apparently the serums that he forced into you as a child messed up some shit." Eric ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it up again. "Marlene ran some quick tests and somethings been pushed into overdrive which means if you take a serum that fucks with your senses and plays with your brain repeatedly for a few months your body learns to fight against it until you are no longer affected by the serum. But if you do take the serum after your body has become immune to it you'll be forced to react like you're allergic to it which is just what sorta happened in a way. " Issy pinches her lips together and Eric elaborates. "Basically your body has begun to become immune to it so you had an allergic reaction to it."
"Is it just with serums or vaccinations too?"
Eric sighs. "Honestly I didn't pay much attention to what Marlene said after she confirmed you'd be fine.
A wry smile plays at her lips as a light blush covers her cheeks. "So how long have I been here for?"
Eric checks his watch, tilting it into the light. "Not long. It's around half one now so we've only been here for three and a half hours." He watches with a warm smile as she loses herself in her thoughts. He knows this by how the gold fades away and the blue sharpens as her eyes lose focus, like they do every time Issy is lost in thought. His eyes flicker to her bottom lip as she rolls her bottom lip between her teeth. Slowly, not being able to help himself, Eric reaches forward, cupping her cheek gently and pulls her lip from her teeth with his thumb. Issy's eyes focus, snapping up to meet his own and Eric can't help the smirk that slides its way onto his face as she gazes at him both shocked and a little bit surprised until his tablet beeps, demanding attention. His face crumples as he leans down to pick it up, annoyed because of the interruption. Eric placed it on his lap and scowled as he read a message he received from Max.
Now that Issy is awake and fine, surely you could bear to part with her to discuss todays events?
Eric scowls. As clear as day, he can hear the slightly sarcastic tone of his mentor and he knows despite there being a question mark it was not a request. Before Eric could reply back, another message popped up and Eric huffs out a breath in annoyance as he reads it.
Don't scowl like that Eric. Be thankful I allowed you to stay with her this long instead of calling you up straight away. Now send a message to her brothers to pick her up and get your arse here now.
Eric's scowl deepens as his eyes get colder and he glares up at the camera in the corner of the room before typing his reply quickly. When he looks back up he watches Issy as she watches him and a smirk appears on her face as her eyes dance with laughter. His eyes narrow with dark playfulness before sighing and dropping the coldness in his features. "Max is demanding a meeting in ten minutes. I've sent an email to Dec to come and sign you out." Eric brings his hands up to cover his face as he sighs into them with his elbows on his knees and his muscles tense. A moment later Eric almost thinks he's imagining shit when he feels Issy's fingers ghosting across his forehead, brushing his hair away from his face and back up. Eric begins to relax, enjoying the oddly calming effect its having on him and he leans into her hand while her fingers rake through his hair and against his scalp. When she withdraws her hand a rumble of protest comes from deep within his chest. Eric frowns, pissed that Max demands his attention now (and is still probably watching) and pissed that Issy stopped. He reluctantly stands up and straightens his jacket out with as much control as he can muster until he looks like the fearless, ruthless leader ninety nine percent of Dauntless know him to be. Desire darkens his eyes as he catches Issy's eyes with his own and he takes a small step forward until his legs bump into the side of the bed. Eric raises a hand to the top of her head, stroking down along her jaw until he holds her chin, his thumb drawing circles. "Rest up. You have a few hours until the rankings are posted and then try to sleep as much as you can, the final test is tomorrow and I want you in a clear, steady mind set." He taps the underside of her chin with his finger. "Chin up Issy, it'll all be over soon." With one last smile Eric leaves the room.
xXx
It had been half an hour since Eric had left Issy's side and honestly he wished he didn't. For the past half an hour Eric had been repeating exactly what Marlene had told him. Despite Max's bored expression, Eric knew Max was really worried about Issy and wanted to make sure she'd be okay for tomorrow. When Eric had entered Max's office he knew that he was correct in thinking that Max hadn't stopped watching the camera feed after that last message because Max was wearing a not so subtle sly grin with his hands laced in front of him.
"So," Max had began, grinning like the Cheshire cat and Eric groaned, glaring at him. "Would you like me to invest into a comb for you?"
Eric had slumped into the chair in front of Max's desk, still glaring, and told the older leader to go fuck himself. That earned a few pleased chuckles from Max and Eric glared at him until he stopped.
Now Max sat rubbing at his temples with his eyes closed for a moment before opening them to check his watch. "Come on." Max stood up. "Its nearly time to reveal the rankings."
Eric followed Max out of the office and waited as Max locked the door. His curiosity got the better of him. "Is her ranking good?" Eric knew he didn't have to elaborate who her was.
Max smirked at Eric with a twinkle in his eye. "Meh, good enough."
xXx
Eric was reasonably surprised when Max mention Jeanine and a few other Erudites were coming to Dauntless to watch the Final Test. He was even more surprised when one of them turned out to be Ella with Jeanine and another Erudite he didn't know. Max says a few words to the Erudites as the other Leaders hook themselves up to the computers in front of them when Four comes into the room with the initiates walking behind him. Eric watches as the twins sit nearest to where the Leaders are on the front row with their friends around them. Eric listens in on Four's speech as he takes a drink from his glass. "– and don't fuck up."
From where the initiates are sat, Issy snorts and rolls her eyes. "That's a great pep talk number boy," Eric smirks over the rim of his glass as Issy's tone drips in sarcasm. "Got any more up those majestic sleeves of yours?" Eric chokes slightly as he covers his laugh. It seems Eric's not the only one that's not in the mood for Four's bullshit today. His eyes catch Ella's and he smirks as she grins at him. When Eric looks back to Issy, Alec's hand is covering her mouth while she glares at him and flips him off with the other initiates laughing around them.
"If you're quite finished," Max rubs his face but Eric can see the amused smirk on his face. "We'd like to start."
Four shares a look with Eric and he sighs. "Excuse me for a moment." Eric mumbles to those around him, walking straight to Four while nodding at Jason and Bud, having requested their presence.
"Shall we get this over and done with Kayden?" Four asks and Eric looks over to see Kayden slumping further into his chair before he stands up. Four suddenly turns to Issy. "I don't know what you're grinning about, you're after him." Eric shoots Four a glare when Issy begins to shuffle in her seat.
Kayden walks towards the chair as Jason and Bud walk closer until they are able to get him into a tight hold. While they do that Eric fills up the needle and Four paces close to Kayden. It isn't until Eric comes closer with the needle does Kayden start to panic. Kayden starts to struggle in the hold until he breaks out of it but it's not long until the breath in his lungs are stolen from him as Jason tackles him to the ground and tries to put him in a submit position. Eric struggles to find an opening as Kayden starts to thrash and snarl in the hold more when Jason yells for the needle. 'I know fuckface,' Eric mentally yells. 'I know!'
"Is he alright?" Max's voice calls as Kayden's knees pound Jason's back until he can twist his body enough to buck him off but before he can get up hands grab at him, pinning him down.
"Oh it's fine." Four huffs out a breath while he puts his body weight onto Kayden's legs and Bud more or less sits on his chest while he holds Kayden's head in his hands, making his head go still. "He's one of two initiates that made Stage Two particularly hard because of their," Four pauses, looking for fitting word. "dislike for needles."
"And who's the other?" Winnie pipes up curiously from the side of Max. Eric watches Four as he glances at Issy without even realising it and she slumps further into her chair as anyone who heard their conversation turn to Issy. Despite being slumped all the way down in her chair and looking somewhat submissive, Issy glares at each and every one of them until they look away and Eric grins at her fleetingly. During their conversation, Eric noticed Kayden was rather distracted by his surroundings and Eric managed to stick the needle in his neck. Together, the four men carry Kayden to the chair.
Eric yanks Four by the arm. "Why the fuck didn't you grab the dart gun?" He hisses quickly. "You moron, go get it just in case." Eric quickly makes his way back to the other Leaders and hooks himself up as Four jogs out of the room.
The Leaders along with those from Erudite watch as Kayden go trough each of his fears. Being ignored by others. Being controlled or having no choice in his life and Eric finally understands the shackles tattooed on his wrists. Needles, but not as extreme as Issy's are. Bugs. Failure. A bear in between himself and a smaller girl that resembles Kayden. And finally the girl from before dying. When Kayden comes to, sweating and breathing heavily, Eric realises that Issy and Kayden are more alike than he originally thought.
Eric unhooks himself as Four motions Issy forward. She glances in Eric's direction as he stands up, walking towards the chair and Eric smiles reassuringly.
With shaking legs, she clenched her hands into fists as she made her way to the chair. Eric watched her carefully as she stopped right in front of the chair and exhaled unsteadily. Eric held up his hand in Jason's direction when took a step without taking his eyes away from Issy. Eric know she can do it if she pushes away her fear but Eric understands it's harder than that. Her instructors waited with baited breath as Issy stepped up to the chair and sat down. Her pale blue eyes met Eric's again and she nodded. Eric motioned for Four to move and she watched as Four prepared the needle. Issy swallowed when Four began to tread slowly towards her with the needle in hand as if she was a wild animal, ready to bolt. She began to shake her head as her body trembled and when Four took the final step forward, shit exploded. Jason and Bud grabbed her shoulders from behind the chair and pulled her back. Fear flooded into her eyes as they paled even more into the lightest blue either of her instructors have ever seen. Eric moved forward while Four grabbed her arm. A moment later Eric was shocked to see Four staggering back onto the floor, dropping the needle as he clutched his now bleeding and broken nose. Issy thrashed and snarled and hissed in Jason and Bud's hold and Eric could them losing their grip. Eric stalked forward, grabbing both of her wrists with his hands and pulled them to the side.
"Four! Get your arse up!" Eric barked and Four stumbled back onto his feet, moving back to the monitors. While Four prepared another needle, Issy snapped her head back and forth as she thrashed again. Eric let out a frustrated sigh as he roughly pulled at her arms, securing her wrists with one hand as he wrapped his other arm around her head. He was breathing heavily when he lowered his head down to hers, his lips by her ear. Issy snarled at Four when he came closer with the second needle. "Issy!" Eric quietly hissed in her ear, he felt better now he was holding her. "Issy! Listen to me, listen to my voice." Her snarl lessened slightly. "You'll be okay Issy. I would never allow anyone to hurt you." By the time her breathing had slowed, Four was now by her side but as soon as Four placed a hand on her neck she snarled so fiercely that Four backed up a step. In any other situation Eric would have laughed at number boy's reaction but with Issy's eyes almost whiteish-gold with fear, Eric concentrated on his golden-eyed girl in his arms. "Issy." Eric's voice calmly scolded her as she bared her teeth at Four and Eric's hold tightened, as did Jason's and Bud's. "C'mon Issy, you can do this. I believe in you." Issy's head stilled enough for Four to get the needle in her neck. She hissed, snapping her teeth at Four as three sets of hands let her go, Eric doing so reluctantly.
Eric moved into her line of sight, shooting her a quick smile as he jogged back to his chair and hooked himself up again. He ignored the disbelief on the faces around him as he braced himself for her fears. Eric caught Ella's eyes with his own, his eyes with nothing but sorrow and pain. Ella nodded slowly as the screen came to life. Shadows danced around Issy, he had to pay attention to the screen to notice anything at all. She spins around as something moves again before disappearing. In the distance two red dots appear and when they get closer Eric can see that the red flickering flames are brighter since he last saw them on a screen.
Issy takes a step back subconsciously while one huge black, blurry paw steps out from the darkness followed by another until one very familiar wolf stands eye to eye with her. Lucifer, as Issy calls it. His eyes are redder and burning hotter than before. His fur is darker than the darkness surrounding Issy, his edges blurring and floating like smoke. He snarls at her as he begins to circle her just like he always does, its like a dance they do. Issy watches with caution clear on her face as Lucifer smiles that wicked grin, fangs bared. The snapping of jaws makes her spin around again. Wolves like black shadow and red flame lurk from the darkness grinning, snarling, snapping, circling her but they make no move to take her down. Each wolf is different; be it by size, by how dark their fur is or how bright their eyes burn but, of course, the biggest, darkest, glowing eyed wolf is Lucifer who is sat there grinning his wicked grin like a fox who got into the chicken coup.
One of the smaller wolves that circle her jumps forward. "Worthless." It snaps in Jeremy's voice and Eric's fists clench, a large part of him now wishing that Jeremy had joined Jeanine today. The wolf backs back into the circle but Issy doesn't move an inch when more of the shadow wolves pounce forwards.
"Weak." Says another.
"Waste of space."
"You are nothing." One whispers.
"Pathetic." Ones jaws come far too close to her arm but she still stands her ground, golden eyes glaring fiercely into red.
"Disappointment."
"Weak."
"You're not worthy of Dauntless." 'She is.' Eric thinks to himself.
"Worthless."
"Weak."
"You don't belong here."
"Nothing."
The wolves growl, snap and snarl more insults her way. Issy hisses and snarls back, stepping forward as another wolf moves to growl at her but hesitantly steps back into the circle and they begin to chant louder, circling in closer. Lucifer again doesn't join in but his face is far from pleased. In the corner of his eye, Eric sees her heartrate skyrocket higher as she stares into Lucifer's eyes. Lucifer growls to those around him and they shut up, backing away from him and Issy, bowing their heads to him. Issy tries to get her breathing under control while her fists clench. She stands still, glaring with her heart still beating fast as Lucifer stalks closer, her jaw clenches together when he brushes against her side and she bites back a cry.
"No one loves you," Lucifer says and Eric feels like he knows it from somewhere, he just cant think where. "Why would they?" He laughs brutally behind her, resting his great head on her shoulder. "You're nothing but an experiment. You're not brave enough to face your uncle, what good are you in Dauntless?" She cringes as his nose nudges against her ear. He chuckles, moving his head away from her before he turns to sit in front of her, cocking his head to the side. "It's your fault Reece died. It's such a pity, he would have grown into such a strong man. If anyone was to die that night it should have been you. No one would miss you if you were to go. Why? Because you. Are. Nothing."
Eric looks up to the monitor where her heartbeat is displayed. Its still high and Issy's fist clench for a minute as she closes her eyes. Slowly her heartrate begins to decrease until its almost normal. She smiles for a moment before she opens her eyes. The glow strong and defiant and something that's just so Issy. "I'm not weak." Issy says firmly and Lucifer steps back as she steps forward. "I am not nothing. You may have teeth like a wolf but you'll always cry like a little sheep." Issy grins tauntingly as he snarls. She takes another step forward as he takes another back. "Who's pathetic now, little wolf? I am what I am." A step forward. "If that makes people disappointed then so be it. That is their opinion of me, it doesn't matter. All that matters is my family, my friends, those that I hold close to my heart and if they really think that then they can go fuck themselves into the seventh realm of hell and I'll see them there soon." With a winning smirk she reaches out to Lucifer and swishes her hand to the side, brushing the smoke apart until it fades and the red eyes vanish.
The wolves disappear and Issy spins waiting for the next one to come when something slams her back into the ground and the scene becomes clear. Eric blinks repeatedly as the screen goes from one extreme to another when he sudden bright light fills the screen. Issy hisses and scrunches her eyes closed. Her back is once again against the coolness of metal with bindings on her wrists and ankles. Her eyes snap open, blazing pale gold and she tries to sit up. Unable to sit up more than a few inches, she looks around the room. The blood rushes out of her face and her jaw clenches as she pulls at her bindings. Issy winces as she pulls harder at her bindings until her skin burns. The rope bites at her skin red raw and a tear runs down her face as she whimpers, slumping on to the cool metal. Issy doesn't look at the objects in the room with her but then she glances up to the tables which are littered with empty needles. Some of the substances in the needles slosh about as it rolls across the table. Issy gazes at the solitary door in the corner of the room with false hope.
Loud noise from the other side of the door makes her heart race and numerous voices merge together. Her name is always hissed like a curse, a taboo. The door opens a tad and it becomes easier to hear what is being said.
"Serums...0503 and 0122...Ranges in strength...Should have...Results....."
The door opens wider. At first there is only a trolley being wheeled through with ten needles neatly aligned in the middle. Her eyes widen when she sees the face of the one pushing the trolley. Eric's jaw clenches as Issy starts to fight the bindings with a greater need as she chokes on her tears. She bites back a cry when the ropes rub against her skin and small rivers of blood rush from her wrists while Jeremy chuckles as he gets closer.
"That's not going to work, darling niece." Jeremy drawls with a wicked grin as he comes to a stop behind her, out of her line of sight. Issy inches up, craning her neck to see him, to watch him when her bindings are pulled tighter and she cries out loud as she is pulled against the metal. Tears blur her vision as she struggles to even arch her back off of the table. From the corner of her eye Issy sees that he left the door open an inch or two. Hope flares in her body while Jeremy comes back around and his fingers dance over the needles, each one a different colour and the substance a different density. His hand stops over one on the end. Its red liquid sloshes around as he picks it up.
"No..." Issy mumbles, shaking her head and tugging at the ropes, trying to get some leeway. "Nonono! Please! No!" Tears rush down her face as he stalks closer.
"This wouldn't've happened if you got Reece out faster." He pauses with the needle raised high. "Well," He laughs. "At least not to you."
Issy breathes heavier, straining to get closer. Her glow gold with hatred as she snarls at him. "Touch my family again and you're dead. Touch them again and it'll be your heart that no longer beats!"
He steps back, laughing with malicious glee. "There's the Dauntless spirit you're known for." He sneers. Before Issy can register his words, he surges forward, grabbing onto her neck roughly and stabs the needle in her neck. Issy gasps, all colour drains from her eyes until she's left with a sickly pale blue. She claws at the rope. Her body seizes still for a minute, for two. When it reaches the fifth minute, her body regains movement. Her ribs heave with every breath she takes as she chokes until red runs from her nose. She slumps back onto the metal, her eyelids heavily drooping as Jeremy notes something down before retrieving the next needle. This time it was thick and orange. Issy choked as she once again struggles against the rope albeit not with as much force as before. "And anyway it has to be you now." His grabs her neck roughly as the second needle goes in. This time Issy's limbs slowly stop listening to her as she wills them to move. Eric could see it in her eyes while her head swayed. She forces her eyes open as Jeremy walks towards the trolley with his back to her, still drawling on. "Reece was the perfect subject. But unfortunately the smoke damaged his cells. I was so lucky that you happened to be there at the same time, so lucky. For some reason the serums that were grounded up and put in dear Ella's food when she was pregnant with you and Alec affected you more, even if it was only by a small amount." From his left he hears Ella gasp, her hands clasped over her mouth as tears run down her face. In the sim Issy manages to reach up to her other arm and grabs her wrist. With one swift motion her wrist snaps into an awkward angle and she bits back a scream. Eric cringes and winces with the rest of the Leaders as Issy slips her wrist out of her bindings. Her lip is bitten raw from trying to keep the gasps in. Tenderly, she takes a hold of her wrist now its free and snaps in back, the Leaders cringe even more. Jeremy is still drones on, unaware of her battle for freedom. With numb fingers Issy manages to untie her other hand and then she gets to work on her legs.
Once free Issy quietly moved off of the table and slammed a fist into Jeremy's jaw as he turned around with a third needle. They went to the ground with a crash as Issy ran to the door and slipped into a room beyond that. Jeremy's cursing died down until silence greeted her. Issy rubbed her sore wrist gently while she walked forward. Six spotlights caught her attention and she strode towards it. Issy breathes in sharply when she sees who's under each spotlight. 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 Cara falls to the floor with a bullet in her 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. "I love you all." Issy gasps as tears run freely down her face. Her eyes close as she fires and a body slumps to the floor. Reopening her eyes she sees blood dripping from her dad's head. Biting her lip, Issy forces herself to continue. Clamping her eyes shut, she fires again and another body goes down. Her mum's blue eyes are lifeless as they stare up. Issy now looks between Hugo, Alec and Declan. They all hold the sane look in their eyes, a look of pity and understanding. She raises the gun and looks between her siblings. "I love the three of you the most." Issy chokes on the lump in her throat, closing her eyes as she fires. Issy glances at the floor to see Declan's blond hair tinted pink with blood.
Issy looks at the gun as she raises it, quoting a part of a poem she once knew. " 'Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us everyday. Unseen, unheard but always near. Still loved, still missed and very dear.'" She takes aim, her hand somewhat steady. "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.
The woman nods to her reluctantly, gesturing for the men to follow her. When she glances back to her twin he isn't there. None of her families bodies are there. In fact she stands in a room that looks like a bomb exploded in. Stepping out of what must have been a door at some point Issy finds herself near the Hub, or what was once the Hub, its just more ruined than normal. In fact all the buildings around her are. They're all far more decayed than normal. Fog covers the ground, hiding the floor from her eyes. That is until she steps on something and it snaps. Looking down she slaps her hand over her mouth to stop the scream that threatens to rise. A body. She can't tell who it is – or was. Issy turns around, staggering back when she sees bodies littering the ground. White and black. Grey. Red and yellow. Blue and white. Black and red. Their colours separate them from each other but together they lay emotionless, unmoving. Issy's head snaps up to the horizon when she hears gunshots and she quickly ducks low to the ground. More gunshots go off and Issy's mind whirls to a stop when she sees a figure near by cladded in black. With a quick scan of her surroundings she scurries to the body and begins to search for a weapon. Her fingers wrap around a gun and some ammo, her other hand finds another gun and a knife. Checking both of the barrels, Issy slips one gun in her waist band and lifts her top to cover it and the other she keeps out just in case. She shoves the ammo into one of her pockets as she takes the knife's sheath off of the body and ties it to her left forearm, slipping the knife in. while she does all that Issy constantly checks all around her at the slightest noise.
A minute later she hears footsteps running towards her, two sets at least pounding against the ground, getting louder, getting closer. Her mouth parts in surprise. "It cannot be." Unconsciously she takes a step forward and then another until her own feet are pounding into the ground, bolting forwards. Hurling herself over bodies and rubble, she pushes herself to go faster. Her twin brother comes to a stop on a large ledge made from rubble not twenty feet in front of her in Dauntless uniform. His knees are bent as he crouches low with a gun in his hand, glancing around. "Alec!" She shouts and his eyes snap to her as she gets closer. Issy is greeted with a frown, his eyes screaming at her to run.
"Issy! Go!" With a free hand, he points in the direction she came from. "Don't look back, go! I –" He suddenly stops talking. His eyes go blank as he falls onto his knees.
"Alec?" Issy whispers. Slowly, as if time was put on slow motion, his body falls forward and she sees a knife sticking out of his back. "Alec!" She screams at her brother, rushing forward the last few steps between them. Falling to the ground next to him she carefully rolls him over, cradling his head in her lap. Tears race down her face as she begs him to get up, to move, to breathe. She looks around with confusion on her face.
"Issy?" Another voice she would recognize anywhere speaks up. Hugo. Her eyes pale with sadness lock with his and she takes him in. Just like Alec, he's in uniform, ready for battle with a gun strapped to his thigh and another in his hands. His eyebrows are scrunched down in confusion until his eyes focus on Alec.
"Hugo! Hugo we have to help him! We have to do something!" She grips at Alec's jacket as Hugo's stance loosens.
"Issy what –" A gunshot cuts him off and his blue eyes widen as he starts to sway. "Iss-" Hugo topples over on his side. Unmoving. Not breathing. Dead. Issy chokes on a lump in her throat as she gently lays Alec's head on the ground before crawling over to Hugo. Shakily she checks his pulse with false hope. Nothing. Her eyes blur as she brushes his black hair away from his face.
Somewhere behind her more footsteps pound and more gunshots follow. Her instincts take over and her eyes clear. Quickly Issy takes the gun from Hugo's cold hands and his thigh, checking the safety is on and rams them into the back of her waistband with the other one she picked up. Standing up, she crouches low to the ground and stalks forward carefully, alert and ready. Something shoves her into the ground from behind, pushing her into the ground from the weight. She tries to fight, to reach for the gun that spun out of her grasp when another familiar voice filled with worry and a small bit of annoyance stops her.
"What are you doing?" That voice. Declan. His face becomes clearer to her now despite it being somewhat dirty. It's as familiar as those that follow it.
"Issy come on, we need to go! Declan get her up!" Dad. It's their dad stood to their left. Dec's hands grab at her arms, heaving her up. She turns to see Cara leant against a wall with their mum lifting up a bloodied bandage from Cara's arm. Declan is still holding her close when Issy notices they all are prepared for war. Their dad stands with a rifle in his hands, their mum has a gun strapped over her back and Cara has two on each hip but what Issy finds the strangest is that they're all in Dauntless uniform. All of them. Their dad watches as their mum finishes fiddling with the bandage before speaking up again. "C'mon we need to –" A force pushes him forward and he too falls to the ground, blood pouring from his neck. Cara screams and their mum pulls her back. She stands their with her eyes fixed on the blood.
"There's nothing we can do, we have to leave them." Their mum's voice breaks as her eyes drift to Alec to Hugo and to her husband. She takes a deep breath before pulling out a hand gun and leading the way to fuck knows where. Cara follows with Issy behind her after Issy picked up the gun from the floor and Declan brought up the rear, constantly checking their surroundings. None of them speak, none of them can form the words. She doesn't question what they're doing, where they're going or what happened.
A gunshot goes off in the distance and they freeze. Issy clicks off the safety while their mum shares a look with Declan. As a squad, they move towards another building across the street. Bodies wearing the faction's colours are still covering the floor and Issy's curiosity gets the best of her.
"Okay, so what the fuck happened here?" Issy whispers to Cara once they reach the building.
Her sister's eyes cloud over. "Times change Issy."
"What? What's that 'posed to mean?" Issy throws her hands up in frustration when Cara doesn't answer. "Cara! Tell me!" She hisses louder. Just as Cara opens her mouth to answer, something ghosts past Issy's ear and draws blood before it lands in Cara's chest, forcing her to the ground. Issy rushes forward and grips her hair when she finds no pulse. "Cara? Cara! Mum! Cara, she – Mum? Dec?" Issy's gaze was too focused on Cara to noticed what happened but their mum was slumped against the wall, glassy eyed, and Dec was on his back, choking and coughing up blood. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" Issy collapses at Declan's side and her fingers run along his body for any open wounds. When she gets to his ribs, she comes into contact with something warm and sticky. Her hand comes away covered in blood and she almost wants to gag. Instead she rips the bottom of her top and pushes it into the wound. Dec coughs up more blood and smiles grimly as she does everything she can to stop the bleeding.
"Issy." Declan's voice is raspy and rough and painful. It's so unlike Declan, it almost hurts. Shakily, he raises a hand to cup her cheek and Issy leans into it, covering it with her free hand. "It's gonna be okay. You'll be okay." She doesn't know if he's trying to reassure her or himself. "We all love you. We'll always…love…you…." With his last word, he exhales his final breath.
Issy screws her eyes shut as she holds his hand to her cheek with both hands. Breathing deeply Issy places his hands on his chest and slumps back. The tears she couldn't find earlier finally fall, slowly, quietly, one by one. With the palm of her hands she brushes her tears away. She unarms herself, placing her guns, ammo and the knife she found to the side. Issy brushes her fingers through her brother's hair and leans forward to place a kiss on his forehead. With quivering legs, Issy stands up and walks way without a second glance. Issy keeps walking but for how long she doesn't know. A sudden chill seeps into her bones and she wraps her arms around her waist. Her muscles tense when thunder rumbles in the sky as rain starts to pour. Issy sweeps her now soaking hair out of her eyes. Something looms in front of her but she can't quite make out what it is. That is until lightening strikes in the darkened sky, revealing a house. Not just any house, her old home. Lightening strikes again as thunder crackles and her home abruptly sets alight. Issy stands there, shocked and horrified as flames eat at the building. Flames hiss as they come into contact with the rain. Shivers run up her spine and her heart stops as a scream comes from within the house. Not a loud scream, just one loud enough to hear the pain in their voice.
"Reece." She whispers to herself, she can feels tears collecting in her eyes. Issy takes a small step forward and then another until she is sprinting to the house and throwing herself into the flames. Down the hall she can see small flames lick at the chairs in the kitchen, eating at family pictures hung on the walls to her side. The hallway feels cramped as smoke clogs her lungs and she coughs, tears stinging her eyes. Her eyes widen as the crying gets louder.
A child cries out, the very same cry that's been carved into her for years. "Mama!"
Issy breathes in sharply as a tear escapes. "REECE!" She spins around frantically and volleys herself into more flames. Running from room to room she yells for her baby brother, ignoring the flames as they become thicker, as the smoke makes it unbearable to breathe. As she reaches the bottom of the stairs the cries become louder. She looks up and shouts his name.
"Iszee!" The little boy calls back.
Wasting no time, she sprints up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. She hisses as the fire eats at her heels, as it touches her skin, burning into her soul. Opening each door she finds no one but the cries get louder. Coming to Reece's room, she flings open the door and there he is. He sits in his cot, his blue eyes red-rimmed with tears streaming down his puffed up cheeks. His light brown hair is ruffled and his hands are gripping the bars. She gasps his name and dashes forward only to run head first into an invisible barrier. Slamming her hands against the barrier again and again, she wails as loud as her brother does. "Please! Please!" She begs. "Reece!" A cold laugh comes from the darkened corner of the room. A man with greying hair and emotionless eyes steps forward into the light next to Reece's cot and she stops breathing. "Jeremy." His mouth twitches up into an ugly sneer as he walks towards the barrier. He cackles as he looks between Issy and Reece.
"Feeling useless Issy?" He grins as she slams again harder. He saunters over to Reece and picks him up. The little boy's crying softens a bit, it would look like a normal uncle calming down his nephew if Issy didn't know better. A feral grin slid onto Jeremy's face as her fists pounded against the barrier.
"No! No! Put him back! Leave him be!"
"And why should I do that?" He walks closer. "What can you offer me instead?"
"Take me!" She screams, ramming her shoulder into the invisible wall. "Take me instead! Please!"
"You know," Jeremy drawls out as he holds Reece up to look at him. "I don't think I will." His grin curls up into a sneer. As if Reece was nothing more than a doll, Jeremy grabbed his head and smashed it against the wall making a sickening crack.
"NO!" Issy screamed and screamed. Her knees buckled from beneath her and she slid against the wall, crying her eyes out, and shouting her throat raw. Clawing at the wall she begged to get closer, to hold her baby brother. From the corner of her eye she saw Jeremy smiling, looking very smug with himself. Furious, she turned to him. "You monster! You sick, vile bastard! Three! He was only three yo –" Issy screamed in frustration, gripping and pulling at her hair. Her breathing heaved as she curled into herself. "It's not real. It's not real. It's not real." Issy chanted to herself until she could feel her breathing slow. "It's not real. It's not real. It's not real." Her breathing slowed to a steady rhythm and she closed her eyes.
A sharp inhale of breath comes from the chair. Four hovers over her, muttering something before Issy stands up without so much as a quiver in her body as she walks back to her seat with her head held high. Her friends clap and cheer for her and, slowly, a grin forms on her face as she sits down. Eric looks to Ella and she shoots him a supportive smile, dabbing her eyes then motioning to his. Hesitantly, his fingers touch his cheeks and they come away wet with moisture. Max's hand clasps his shoulder, rubbing it for a moment. Eric meets his mentor's gaze with his own to see tears running down his face. Max shakes his head silently and Eric understands that he'll have to wait until after the rankings.
For a moment, while Luke walks to the chair, Eric realises something and joy breaks out in his chest as a pleased grin takes over his face. 'She not afraid of me.'
The rest of the landscapes go without much problem. Some fears repeat themselves through each landscape like bugs, drowning, claustrophobia and heights. Max had to excuse himself from the room when one of Lilah's fears came onto the screen. The sim version of Max shouted at Lilah about what a terrible daughter she was, how she's not worthy of Dauntless or even Leadership. When the sim was over and Lilah came to, Winnie went to retrieve Max. He came back, shooting a glance at his daughter and after this Eric knew they'd be having a thorough conversation.
With only one initiate left, Four motioned Alec up to the chair. The screens came to life as Alec went under and a familiar scene appeared. Confusion covers Alec's face as he walks around for a while until he sees his family in front of him. A burst of relief runs through his features as he runs forward, only to run head first into a glass wall separating him from his family. Tears break free from his golden eyes as one by one his family is shot down from unknown sources until his breathing slows and the scene changes. The tables were turned as Alec stands in front of his family with a gun in his hands while they kneel on the floor bound and gagged. Alec does as the women says, shooting his family until only Issy remains. Alec exhales a sigh as he closes his eyes for only second but when he reopens them Issy is gone. His hands shake as he spins around the room, calling for Issy. Alec slumped to his knees whimpering his sister's name and the scene changes again. The screen goes dark and Eric half expected a shadowed wolf to emerge when a flash of lightening appeared behind him. His limbs shook and with wide blue eyes Alec looks around while lightening struck the floor a few feet in front of him. He scampered back but the lightening followed him. Alec fell back to the floor, bringing his knees close to his chest and he covered his eyes. With Alec's eyes closed, he couldn't see the final bolt of lightening strike the floor, sparking a small flame until it grew into a large fire, the flames licking at Alec's face. With a gasp, Alec jumped up to find himself surround by flames, trapped by the heat. Alec breathed in deeply before he sat back down, bringing his knees back up to his chest and burrowing his face in his hands.
Alec gasped sharply as he came to, jumping up from the chair and back to his sister as Four dismissed the initiates. They literally ran from the room with glee, laughing as they went. The other members left the room afterwards and with only an hour until dinner, the Leaders unhooked themselves from the sims. Max guided the Erudites to the car bay while the other Leaders walked to the conference room, armed with the notes they had taken. When Max rejoined them, he motioned for them to begin.
xXx
Eric was grinning, he was pleased with the rankings. Okay, maybe pleased doesn't quite cover it but nonetheless, he was happy. Initiation was over, both Issy and Alec claimed first and second place and now Eric was in search for one golden-eyed woman but as to what Eric will do when he does find her, he doesn't yet know.
When the rankings were posted Eric lost Issy in the sea of chaos. It was even more chaotic than normal with eleven initiates being accepted this year so he lost sight of her quickly. While the room cleared he spotted Declan and a few of Issy's friends at the back of a large group, heading into the Pit and Eric followed after them.
As he entered the Pit, Eric bumped into someone and he was greeted with Dec's joyful laugh.
"Careful there." Declan grinned. "Who you looking – oh!" Declan grins smugly at him, nudging Eric's shoulder with his own. Eric rolls his eyes, shoving him back. "I don't think she's here mate. She's definitely not by Alec's side, or even Bree's." Dec points out. "Have you tried her little alcove by the Chasm?"
Eric's mouth parts in realization. He points a finger at Dec. "I did not."
Dec gasps mockingly. "Eric! Not think something through? What is the world coming to?"
"Shut up!" Eric grins as he playfully pushes him out of the way, heading towards the Chasm.
As he thought the Chasm is empty but he didn't know about the alcove in the wall Eric would have walked straight out again. Treading quietly, Eric stands in the entrance of the alcove, watching as Issy paces from one end to another without noticing his presence.
Smirking, Eric clears his throat and Issy halts in her tracks. She looks to the entrance of the alcove with shock. They hold each other's gaze for a moment and Eric's smirk deepens.
"Finished?" Issy nods silently as he walks further into the alcove, closer to Issy. "I'd expected you to be with your brothers and friends in the Pit but you weren't." He lets his statement hang in the air for a moment before carrying on. "Not regretting your transfer, are you?" His tone is baiting as is his eyes.
"No!" She snarls while Eric grins gleefully as the golden fire flares in her eyes and she bares her teeth at him a little bit. "It's just – It was –" Issy stutters slightly.
Eric's face softens while he remembers how it was at his final rankings. Despite being in Dauntless for all those months, he still wasn't used to the atmosphere compared to the tranquility of Erudite. "Too loud." He whispers, understanding laced through his words. Issy nods and begins to play with her sleeves. "Congratulations on ranking first Issy."
She beams up at him. "Thank you." As stupid as it sounds in Eric's head he has no idea what to do next. Does he just leave or does he dare bring up what he felt for her during initiation. Even if he did decide to bring it up, how would he bring it up. Eric realises he's never actually thought this far and he's stumped on what to do. He sighs lowly, turning to go when she called him back. "Eric, thank you." To say Eric was surprised at the amount of emotion running through her words would be an understatement and it had him stumped even more as he stood in front of her, lost in his thoughts. He thought he was fucking dreaming when he felt a soft pressure on his mouth and Eric's eyes focused on Issy with her lips to his. Before he could apprehend whether or not he was dreaming, Issy tore herself away from him but Eric missed the soft pressure, her close presence as soon as she did. He reached out for her, to pull her back into him and never let go but she dodged his arm and the last thing he saw of Issy was her cheeks burning red as she walked away from him.