A/N: Thank you so much for your follows, favorites and reviews! Guest, sorry for taking it down... I didn't like where I had it going and had a little freak-out. I walked away from it for like a year before I reread it and started developing some new/different/better ideas.

I probably won't post 4 chapters in a week ever again, but here's one more. After this I'll have to slow down to once or twice a week or else, because it will definitely slow down once I have posted everything I have written so far.

ABNEGATION HELLIONS

CHAPTER FOUR

Tobias POV

The dining hall is filled with people in what I suppose is their Dauntless best: some are hardly wearing a stitch of clothing in order to show off all their tattoos. Today is Initiation Day, one of the many occasions the Dauntless use as an excuse to get wasted. As if they need an excuse.

It has been one month since I left Abnegation, and two weeks since I let my fear of Marcus overshadow my desire to see Beatrice. Today, I will find out for sure whether I made it into Dauntless.

I have been ranked first throughout initiation. I didn't lose a single fight, and I was on the winning team in Capture the Flag. My times for my fear simulations are among the best. And today at the fear landscape, our final test, of course I was the fastest, as the rest of the initiates had at least twice ― usually more than three times ― the number of fears that I had to face.

And yet, I still feel nervous. I think it is because so much is at stake. I left Beatrice to come here, we have a plan. If I don't pass and I instead end up factionless, I will have thrown it all away, all of both mine and Beatrice's hopes and dreams of a life together.

"Look, here comes Max!" hisses Shauna, a Dauntless-born, while nudging my arm. Zeke and I befriended her when she asked for my help with fighting.

Max, Dauntless' head leader, climbs onto a table and taps his microphone. Shauna hugs Zeke's arm like a lifeline. They have been spending more and more time together lately. I recognize the way Shauna looks at him; it is so similar to the way Beatrice looks at me. Shauna glances nervously at her younger sister, Lynn, whose face, for once, is more anxious than scowling. Lynn's best friend Marlene grabs Lynn's hand, looking as though her anticipation almost matches that of the initiates. Next to me, an Amity transfer named Mia chews on her lip.

"Attention," Max says into the microphone. The crowd slowly quiets down. "When this year's scrawny bunch of initiates jumped into Dauntless, I wondered if any of them were going to make it through initiation and become full members." The crowd chuckles politely. "They have now completed the three stages of initiation: stage one, the physical stage; stage two, the simulation stage; and stage three, the fear landscape. To my surprise, every one of them have earned the required scores for Dauntless membership." Feet stomp and fists pump. Shauna visibly relaxes, and I realize just how nervous she was that she might not become a member of Dauntless.

I glance at the table to the right of ours, where most of the other transfer initiates sit: three Candor and an Erudite transfer named Eric, who shoots me a glare. Eric has hated Zeke and me from the moment we jumped onto the train, dressed in gray, after the Choosing Ceremony, and his disdain for me has only grown as I consistently stay a step ahead of him in the rankings.

"We aren't big on speeches here," Max continues, "so I'll give you what you've all been waiting for. Here it is: the rankings!" As the last words leave Max's lips, the screen behind him lights up, listing our entire initiate class from the top ranked to the bottom. My eyes scan the list, first looking for Zeke, who I find on the fifth line, and Shauna, who I see ranked eighth.

I start again at the top and I see listed in first place is my name, "Four", with my photo next to it.

I scan down the rankings. Eric's name is just after mine, in second place. I also see that Shauna is immediately followed by Mia, who ranked ninth. There are fifteen new members in total, but I don't bother paying attention to the rankings of those I hardly know.

My lips turn up into a smile and Zeke claps my back. "Way to go, Four!" he shouts over the ruckus that surrounds us. I can feel Eric's glare on me, more hateful than ever, but I don't care. Not only have I made it into Dauntless, I will also get first pick of jobs. I can set up a good life for myself and Beatrice, and that is all I have ever wanted.

Next to me, Zeke turns toward Shauna and I see her face fall a bit as he pulls her into a hug. I know she was hoping he would kiss her. Zeke is so oblivious.

"Thank god we made it," Zeke laughs. "Can you imagine how mad the twins would be if they showed up next year and one ― or both ― of us was gone?"

"That's exactly what I was imagining, until I saw our names up there," I groan. "After I missed them on Visiting Day, your sister might have actually killed me."

"So?" Mia cuts in. "Will you finally try a drink, Four?" She dangles a flask in front of me. I grab it out of her hand and unscrew the lid before swallowing a swig of the spirits inside. The alcohol burns as it goes down my throat, but makes me feel warm.

"I drank a few weeks ago," I protest. "At the dare game. Just cause you weren't there to see it doesn't mean it didn't happen."

Zeke laughs. "It's true, don't you remember how hungover he was for his fight with Eric?" Zeke playfully punches my shoulder. "It's a wonder you beat him, Four." I scoff.

"Okay, okay, it's time we celebrate!" Shauna squeals. "Let's play dare!"

Soon we have gathered together a group, but as we walk to the train platform, my heart clenches remembering the last time we played Dare. It was my initiation instructor, Amar, that invited me and Zeke, and we were the only transfers among the group of Dauntless. Amar took a special interest in me after seeing Marcus in my fear landscape. I wish he could celebrate my victory with me today. Instead, I attended his funeral last week after he was found dead by the train tracks. It was ruled a suicide, but I just know that Eric had something to do with it, I can feel it in my bones. Like me, Amar was divergent, and Tori, the Dauntless tattoo artist who administered my aptitude test, has told me how dangerous divergence can be.

-oOo-

Mia drops into the web of arms after she releases herself from the zipline sling, a smile bright on her face, and Shauna tosses her the flask. After taking a long drink, Mia's eyes fall on me. "Four," she says with a glint in her eye. "Hmmm… I dare you to run through the library in Erudite Headquarters…" she grins. "Naked."

"Oooh," a few croon. I feel my face heat up as if it's on fire.

Zeke is nearly doubled over laughing. "Yeah, take it off, Stiff!" he chortles and I glare at him. Most people have already forgotten where I came from, and I would like it to stay that way. He instantly stops laughing and shrinks back.

I sigh. "Fine, come on."

The cuts on my back have now healed, and a flame tattoo covering my rib cage conceals most of the evidence left behind by Marcus's belt. In the dark, no one will see it; I will just have to run fast enough that no one inside the library gets a good look at me.

We jump off the train when we reach Erudite, and we all head toward their central building. I choose a side door and Zeke waits beside it. I quickly strip off all my clothes, covering my groin with my hands as I don't really want everyone getting a good look at what only Beatrice has seen. I take a deep breath and throw open the door, darting through the library to a backdrop of startled gasps. A couple of scrawny looking security guards begin to chase me and I run faster; they can't catch me. I hear a commotion behind me and almost pause when a glance back reveals Caleb sprawled in front of the guards, a stack of books scattered around him. He winks at me as I run out the door and I realize that he did it on purpose to slow up the security guards and keep me out of trouble. I try to shoot him a look of gratitude before I quickly turn my attention in front of me again.

Once I am outside I dart behind the nearest building. Zeke soon catches up, laughing and out of breath, and hands me my pile of clothes. I quickly pull them on. When we rejoin the group a block away from the library, I hear a sound behind us and I put up a hand and shush everyone to silence them. I am relieved when it is Caleb that comes around the corner.

"Caleb!" Zeke shouts joyfully. He bounds up to his brother like an overexcited puppy and tackles him in a hug. Caleb grins as he reciprocates.

"Who's that?" Shauna whispers to me.

"Zeke's brother," I reply. "He created a diversion to slow down the guards in there. He chose this year, too." I step away from her and give Caleb a high five-turned-handshake.

"Everyone, this is my brother, Caleb," Zeke says, still grinning. "Caleb, this is… everyone." Caleb waves. Zeke turns to him. "So, did you pass initiation, smarty-pants?"

Caleb laughs. "Yeah, actually, at almost the top of my class. Looks like you two are still Dauntless as well?"

"Four here ranked first," Zeke says, putting a hand on my shoulder. I know he is really just making sure that Caleb learns my new name before he tips off everyone to my identity.

"Yeah, yeah, it's you that surprises me. They really let you stay, huh?" Caleb grins.

Zeke clasps his hands over his heart. "You wound me, bro!"

Lynn, Shauna's sister, clears her throat. "This reunion is fun and all," she says, sounding bored, "but I think it's time that Four picks the next victim."

"We're playing dare," I explain to Caleb.

He rolls his eyes. "I gathered. I will let you all get back to your game. Congratulations on your initiation." We nod to each other one more time and he disappears back into the shadows as he returns to the library.

I dare Marlene to climb the big metal sculpture in nearby Millennium Park. She almost falls once, but makes it up and back down safely. Next, she picks Zeke.

"Zeke," she calls out, taking a long sip of vodka. "I dare you… to go to Abnegation and egg Marcus Eaton's house."

Zeke's eyes widen and he glances at me, like he is asking just how bad of an idea this is. It is a very bad idea, and I try to tell him so with the look I shoot back at him.

But this is Zeke. He won't back down from a dare.

When we arrive in Abnegation, a Dauntless-born named Elliott pulls a dozen lukewarm eggs, wrapped in a few plastic bags, out of the backpack he has been carrying. "Eww," Marlene says as Zeke opens the carton and we see that two have broken. Zeke shrugs.

We all start toward my former home. I am only a few houses away from Beatrice right now. I hang back so I am following slightly behind the group. When I see the Prior residence across the street, I slow even more. Quickly looking both ways, I position myself to dash across the street so I can climb the tree outside her window.

"Four!" someone hisses. I pause and turn to see Shauna. She tilts her head to the side. "Where are you going?"

"Uh," I stutter. "Um, I was just…." I trail off and stare at her, glance back at Beatrice's window, then look anywhere but at Shauna's eyes. "Nothing. Forget it."

Shauna doesn't look convinced, and she looks at the Prior home for a few seconds, then back at me. But a moment later the pounding of combat boots on cracked asphalt thunders toward us, getting louder and louder as the group of Dauntless nears us.

"Come on, we gotta go!" Zeke pants. "Damn, I'd love to climb that tree right now and see the twins, but he's after us! Good thing he's slow."

I am sure fear flashes in my eyes as I grab Shauna's wrist and take off at a sprint, not stopping until we are on the train.

I can only hope that Shauna forgets about my attempted detour and doesn't say a word about it to Zeke.