To the wonderful Guest that commented on the last outtake: I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I should be saying thank YOU for leaving such a great review. I'm happy that Eric's still coming across as a hard ass but from what VRoth wrote of him, I think there was so little that she told us about him, but I'm happy to have a large amount of freedom to play with who Eric really is (at least in my opinion). That goes for all her other characters too!

As you guys won't be seeing Eric for a while in GF, you'll be seeing him in this outtake and the one after it, which will be Bree's POV – and will be a heartthrob, I'm sorry…

Ella's POV

Another year had rolled by before she knew it. So many changes had happened in this last year alone, but for Erudite, not many seemed to care about the internal struggle Ella was facing. No one but her family. The Vince family had always seemed to be more caring and compassionate towards their children than the rest of their peers. Maybe it was the Dauntless upbringing in them... Maybe it was something else... If either Ella or Richard wasn't as skilled in their chosen fields as they were, then most definitely all of Erudite would frown at them. Erudites looked out for themselves and all the knowledge they can gain. The Vince family looked out for each other and made sure no one was left behind.

Their house was currently buzzing with excitement for the day ahead. Ella was currently sat at their dining table with a cup of tea in her hands as she read the morning's paper. There wasn't anything new, just the usual articles about the Abnegation apparently abusing their kids and the odd updates about what's happening within the factions.

Richard joined her after a while dressed in a smart but durable blue and white suit with a mug in his hands.

"Anything interesting?" He says before he presses a kiss to her temple.

"Nothing but the usual." She smiles at him as he tsks. "Is Cara ready yet?"

"No idea." Ella rolls up the newspaper and hits him lightly. He grabs the wounded area with a mockingly hurt expression on his face. "That was very rude wife. Shame on you." Richard pulls out the chair in front of her and sits down.

Their light banter had always been a part of their lives. They met through slightly insulting banter and it has kept them together ever since. It was originally an easy way of showing that they cared about each other while still being Dauntless enough not to be labelled as Amity. In time it turned into a secret language they used as a family without disregarding the ideals of Erudite. At least, when outside of their home.

Footsteps thundered down the stairs, a complete contrast to the ideals of Erudite. Cara swung around the doorframe, the wood creaking with strain, and her long braid swinging with her. With Visiting Day being classed as a holiday, there was no need for the sharp and formal blue skirt with the accompanying blazer over a white shirt (occasionally a blue and silver necktie as well if the situation permits it). Instead Cara wore white skinny jeans and shirt with a light blue jumper. It's casual but still smart. Her braid was in such a mess and Ella raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

"What?" Cara shrugged, obviously not bothered. "It's not like Dauntless will care."

"Dauntless definitely won't." Richard leaned back on his chair, grinning something that wouldn't be out of place in the faction of the brave and wild. He leaned forward and there was a quiet thud as all four chair legs were back on the floor. His grin faded into a slight frown. "Though the Erudite that will also be visiting their relatives will care. To them, it will affect the image of our faction."

Their youngest started grumbling under her breath as she took out the braid and redid it until not a wisp of hair out of place. Once finished, she shot her parents a look that distinctively said is that good enough? Such a look made both Ella and Richard start laughing.

xXx

The drive over to Erudite was smooth. Then again, it was Erudite's latest model of car that had the top of the range shock absorbent. It was a startling contrast to the vehicles of Dauntless. Cara was humming a tune under her breath as she watched the scenery change from glass buildings of Erudite to the concrete structures of Candor until the buildings became rubble and the land flat as they crossed onto Dauntless territory. This area was mostly used for outdoor exercises and sometimes setting up gun ranges. Ella smiled reminiscence, thinking back to all those days during her childhood that she spent with Max, Bella, Ari and Richard, along with a few of the other rowdy kids of their age pranking people and running wild. Those were the days but the way of her life no longer.

There wasn't really such a thing as a car park outside one of the main entrances above ground but there was a large area of flat concrete. There were already a few cars parked around, some were obviously from Amity as they were more like trucks.

Richard pulled their car into a spot close to the doors that led to the heart of Dauntless where there were a few soldiers guarding the doors. In the rear-view mirror Ella saw Cara lurch towards the car door.

"Ah!" Ella scolded lightly, smiling as her daughter huffed and shuffled back into her seat. Though, as soon as the car's engine was off, Cara was out of the vehicle and tapping on the side impatiently. "It seems three more years can't come quick enough for someone, eh?"

"No," Richard smiled at Cara fondly. "It appears not."

Once they had gotten out of the car, Ella looked around until she spotted their childhood friend. "Max!" She called and waved. Max grinned from his place at the door and nodded to the guards who stood. Ella could see the happiness in his eyes but as head of the faction, he still had a role to play. Marissa, who stood by his side, did not. The Leader's wife ran at them until she collided with Ella, making them stumble slightly into a laughing mess. Richard smirked at them as he walked forward to hug Max.

"Oh Ella!" Marissa said as she pulled back and held her arms. "It doesn't feel like its been a year already. And look at you!" Marissa turned to Cara and spun her around, making her giggle. "My, how you've grown. You look more and more beautiful every time I see you. Now come on." She pulled them towards where their husbands were standing by the door. "The family is waiting –"

"And it has gotten a lot bigger." Max pulled both Cara and Ella into a tight hug, before leading them into the darkness of Dauntless.

xXx

Marissa led the way to the Pit with Cara by her side, discussing all that happened in Erudite this last year. Though its not like Ella and Richard didn't already know the way through these cavernous halls. Eighteen years running through the compound is hard to forget.

Just like every year, the large area was filled with the colours of each faction. As the small group weaved their way towards the back, Ella waved to Tris, who stood with her mother and Four. The younger woman waved back with a smile on her face before turning back to her family. Richard and herself nodded at their colleagues and Cody as he stood with his parents. Walking deeper into the Pit, Ella noticed with slight surprise, the table that they took up every year had another table shoved against it. She stared at Max and he grinned at her. It didn't take them long until the group stood at the end of the table. On one side was Blake, Josh and Jason, Ari and his daughter Flare with Kayden on the other side of her, and finally Hugo. On the other side was Declan with a gap between him and Bree and next to her was Noah, and finally, Alec and Lilah with Livvie on her lap. Their original table was large enough but with two tables combined, there were large gaps between the inhabitants.

Most of the table tensed when they realised who stood beside them. The air around them was heavily with anxiousness and all three of the Erudite could spot some of their family was missing. Cara smirked at them, a secretive look on her face. Alec, who had originally been pressed right against Lilah, shuffled away from his girlfriend but kept his arm across her seat.

Richard grinned down at their youngest son. "You didn't think we don't already know about this?" He gestured to Alec and Lilah. "Oh no boy. We've been kept updated and who do you think found out about that little talk that Max had with you, eh?" Alec blushed in response as Max chuckled.

"That means we also know that Issy along with Hector and Uriah are in Amity with their squadrons." The table relaxed with several audible sighs.

Ella sat down in front of Bree, while her husband sat in front of Josh and Jason. Cara was quickly pulled over by Hugo at the other end of the table. Max and Marissa excused themselves then to make their rounds and see Marissa's relatives.

Ella arched her back and gazed around the room, looking for the one person they were still missing. As she looked back, Bree caught her gaze and smile sadly.

"He'll come; he promised me he would…" Issy's best friend and sister frowned as Noah rubbed her back soothingly. Declan's face shifted into a pained look, picking at the table before he lifted his head up and plastered a grin on his face. To outsiders, Declan was his usual self. To those on the table that knew him most, they could see through the cracks in his façade to find him in pain and his soul crying for his brother.

xXx

It was hours until Eric finally joined them.

They heard the scandalised whispers first and Declan's whole body tensed. His fists clenched and Bree sat up straight, scanning the room. Richard frowned at Ella and she shrugged. Worry and fear seeped through her. Eric was just as much her son as Declan was, and damn them if they messed with her family.

Suddenly, Eric slumped down into the space in between Dec and Bree, groaning softly. Bree sighed, patting his arm. Ella heart ached for him as he appeared so lost. Ella reached out and held his hands in hers, squeezing them tightly. Eric lightly bumped his shoulder with Bree's, a meagre smile on his face.

"I don't break promises, ya know?"

"I know. I'm just worried for you." Bree said with a frown.

Eric gazed at Bree before nodding his head once with a small smile.

Jason looked between Eric, Bree and Declan before launching into a conversation about the weapons department pros and cons with Hugo and Blake while trying to draw the rest of them into talking.

It pained Ella to see this Dauntless family seem so out of place. Clearly they had all been so used to having Uriah or Issy or Hec insert sarcastic or witty comments that the conversations just seemed too bland. The gaps of silence that followed a rather suggestive comment were perfect examples of this and the family seemed to deflate slightly each time there was an elongated gap. Some of them tried to fill these silences with their own comments but the attempts quickly fell short.

Declan's heart wasn't in the teasing comments or his usual radiant smile. Alec started jokes but his face fell when he remembered his twin wasn't there, her mind on the same wavelength as he, to finish his sentence. Jason had opened his mouth several times to start a new conversation but stopped halfway through a sentence once he realised a topic brought the three missing family members. Bree would purse her lips together, a slight glare directed to Jason whenever he started down a particular conversation route and she glanced at Eric.

Ella had been keeping an eye on Eric since he had sat down. He was quiet like he normally was on Visiting Day but today, instead of smirking or smiling along with what was being said, his gaze was solely fixed on the table. The only way you could tell he was paying attention was the slight tense of his body every time someone mentioned or implied something about her golden-eyed daughter.

Half-hearted laughs filled the table, Ella tuned into a conversation about a game called Manic. She didn't recognise the game so she guess it was created after her transfer. Ella was both amused and not at all surprised when she realised Issy had created the game along with the help of Declan, Four, Zeke, Will and Blake. Eric's body tensed and then his eyes met Ella's.

Ella didn't know what she was expecting to see in his grey eyes but she was shocked to see the flashes of hurt that were nearly drowned by the sheer force of longing. Other emotions flickered through his eyes but she couldn't pin them down. Her heart deflated as his jaw clenched; the only indicator he was trying to keep his emotions at bay other than his eyes.

Whatever happened or is happening between her daughter and the man before her wasn't really Ella's business, but God, she hoped Issy and the rest of the squads would return from the mission soon so it would be solved. Ella hoped and prayed with all her heart that her golden-eyed daughter came back without a single scratch as she stared into those glassy grey orbs, portraying a man who has recently lost his world.