A/N: Hey guys, Before you start reading I want to give you some advice and a warning. I got a message on from someone claiming to be from a publishing company. Of course I did my research before even reaching out, and it was pretty obvious it was a scam anyway, but please if anyone reaches out to you about publishing (especially on a fanfiction site) do your research. These people are like your phone scammers, they will just take your money and vanish. You want examples of their work, a legitimate publishing company name, reviews of the company, etc. Please be careful out there I don't want any of you to be a victim. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Tobias' POV

I make sure all the initiates landed safely and wait for them to take the lead. I stand, my feet slightly spread, my arm crossed in front of me. Marlene walks up to me and puts her hand on my shoulder.

"When your team won, where did you put the flag?" She asks.

"Telling you wouldn't really be in the spirit of the exercise, Marlene." I want them to figure this out themselves. This isn't about me beating Eric or proving my leadership skills. This is a test for them.

"Come on, Four," she drawls, giving me a small with half-lidded eyes. She didn't seriously think that would work on me did she? Plus it's pretty obvious her and Uriah have something going on. I shrug her hand off my arm and roll my eyes.

"Navy Pier," Uriah says. Of course Zeke told his brother. "My brother was on the winning team. They kept the flag at the carousel."

"Let's go there, then," Will suggests. I didn't just want to let them copy a previous win but Zeke would want them to beat Eric and Uriah would probably do anything for Marlene. No one suggests anything else so the group starts toward the carousel. I keep in the back watching making sure none of them sneak off.

The initiates talk amongst themselves as we walk. Soon enough the buildings start to disappear and the small attractions appear in view. I catch some of the initiates conversation and I have to agree with Will. Who would ride that for fun? I check my watch as I pull out the flag.

"In ten minutes, the other team will pick their location," he says. "I suggest you take this time to formulate a strategy. We may not be Erudite, but mental preparedness is one aspect of your Dauntless training. Arguably, it is the most important aspect." I would probably be dropped into the chasm if anyone in leadership heard me say that other than maybe Max. Will retrieves the flag from me, taking charge.

"Some people should stay here and guard, and some should go out and scout the other teams location."

"Come on Brain Boy, I know you can do better than that," says Mar plucking the flag from his hands.

"Maybe we should develop a more defensive strategy," Christina suggests.

"That's the sissy way out," Says Uriah. "I vote we go all out. Hide the flag well enough that they can't find it."

Myra is talking about breaking into teams of two, as I look at the sky, when I notice Tris has silently left the group and is walking towards the carousel. What was she doing? I make sure all the others were still in the group before following her.

She walks towards the center supports. The metal is rusted in so many places I wonder how it's held together during the years. She approaches the ladder and jumps on the bottom rung to test it. Oh God, she's going to climb it.

"Tris," I make her aware of my presence. She turns just her face to look at me and her eyes catch mine.

"Yes?" She says casually as if she wasn't just about to do something that was going to get her killed.

"I came to find out what you're doing."

"I'm seeking higher ground." I allow a smile to grace my face. Of course she would think of that and think nothing of climbing a rusted, decrepit ladder a hundred feet in the air. It was a solid plan, get a good view of the surrounding area would be much faster than scouting a 2 mile radius. But she was going to get herself killed if someone didn't make sure she was safe, not to mention maybe I could take some time to get to know her. I swallow the idea of the height and focus on her.

"Alright, I'm coming." Her eyes narrow. Obviously she still doesn't fully trust me.

"I'll be fine."

"Undoubtedly." And I was being completely honest, it was the Ferris Wheel I didn't trust to hold up. She doesn't say anything just turns back to the ladder and starts to climb. I follow, allowing her to get some distance first. However in my haste to get this climb over with as quickly as possible I quickly catch up to her. I try not to focus on the height as a mild breeze brushes my face. I look up to avoid looking down, but this just gives me a quite nice view of Tris' behind. My mind starts to wander and I have to distract myself before these thoughts overwhelm my sense.

"So tell me... what do you think the purpose of this exercise is? The game, I mean, not the climbing." She courageously looks down before looking up.

"Learning about strategy. Teamwork, maybe."

"Teamwork." I want to laugh but a strong breeze reminds me of our height and it's cut off before it begins.

"Maybe not," she says. "Teamwork doesn't seem to be a Dauntless priority." Another gust comes and this time she pulls herself closer to the rungs and slows. So she is human.

"It's supposed to be a priority. It used to be." She's silent and her next few steps are slower, more deliberate, but the height seems to be affecting her too now.

"Now tell me... what do you think learning strategy has to do with bravery?"

"It...it prepares you to act. You learn strategy so you can use it. Are you alright Tobias?"

"Are you human, Tris? Being up this high..." God, one bad rung and we can both fall. She seemed unfazed. "It doesn't scare you at all?" She goes to look at the ground as if reviewing my statement, but a gust of wind hits her and knocks her balance. She grasps at the rungs, I reach my hand up to catch her. My fingers find a strip of skin under the cloth. I can feel the ridges of more scar tissue. How many more does she have? I squeeze a little at the thought.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Besides if I fall it will be short and honestly a relief." I didn't like that. The Abnegation don't believe in suicide. The fact that she viewed death as a relief was concerning. I was going to have to change that. Someone who doesn't fear death can be reckless. We finally reached the landing and Tris sits at the edge. I move to sit against a rail as far from the ledge as possible. Tris looks down and for a moment I fear she'll jump.

"You're afraid of heights," she says, not as a question but a statement. "How do you survive in the Dauntless compound?"

"I ignore my fear. When I make decisions, I pretend it doesn't exist." She stares at me with a look I can't understand. It's not pity, it's somewhere in between confusion and admiration which doesn't make sense.

"What?" The desire to know what is going on in her head is driving me insane.

"Nothing." She looks away and I want her to look back.

"My father used to dangle me from my bedroom window," I don't know why I say it. She already knows who I am, maybe I can get her to look deeper and maybe I can find something else about her. Her head snaps back to me, there's shock and horror on her face. That's new. "Our house was on the edge of Abnegation as I'm sure you know. My bedroom was in the back corner next to the factionless so no one could see. He'd threaten to drop me and no one would care. He would have told them the grief was too much and I jumped. So no, I've never been a fan of heights." She looks back down at the ground.

"At least I never had to go through that," her voice is quiet. I feel like I've found another piece to a puzzle but have no clue where it goes.

"What did you go through?" I ask. She looks out at the city.

"We're not high enough," she deflects once again, standing to continue up somehow. "I'm going to climb." Really! I just explained why I am terrified of heights and she wants to go higher?! Definitely reckless, or she just wants to torture me. Probably a bit of both.

"For God's sake, Tris."

"You don't have to follow me," she says not even looking back.

"Yes, I do," I wasn't going to let her be reckless alone. I would never forgive myself if something happened that I could've prevented. She carefully begins to climb, testing her weight on each rung. She continues higher with each step. I focus on her but it looks like she is starting to show fear. her muscles trembling just barely until she stops.

"See that?" I can't at my level. I need to get to her height. I carefully step on either side of her legs and put my arms on either side of her. My lips are just above her ear, and it takes more restraint than it should to resist kissing her temple. What is happening to me? I focus on looking out again. if you ignore the height it truly is an astonishing view. Then I see what she's talking about, a small flashing light, the flag. I smile.

"Yeah. It's coming from the park at the end of the pier. Figures. It's surrounded by open space, but the trees provide some camouflage. Obviously not enough."

"Okay," she says, and I forget where we are. I look at the view, and see she's looking at me. I forgot how close we are and I'm frozen.

"Um," she clears her throat, "start climbing down and I'll follow you." Right, we are several stories high, and we need to get down. I start to head down. I'm shaking but not from the height. I'm buzzing from head to toe because of her and I don't know why.

On our way down a bar collapses beneath her. "Tobias!" she yells. What can I do? I won't be able to catch her if she drops! There has to be something. I look down and see the controls and an idea pops in my head. "Hold on! Just hold on, I have an idea." I rush down without caution, ignoring the height. I have to hurry, she can't hold on forever. I can't let her fall.

"Tobias!" I hear her call out again, not in anger or spite but in desperation. I won't let her fall, she's hardly been in my life but I can't stand the thought of a future without her there. I go for the main switch and I hear the creak of metal. The wheel is moving bringing her closer to the ground. I see her drop and roll out of the way, but she doesn't move. I run to her worried she's injured. Her hands cover her face. I gently pull them off and hold them to look at her face.

"You all right?" I shouldn't have let her do this. I'd blame myself if she was hurt. I love her.

"Yeah." She's incredible, brave and strong. And then I start to laugh at my thoughts. I love her. Damn, my friends are right, and when they find out ... then she starts to laugh.

She sits up, reducing the space between us and we both stop laughing. The air around us buzzes, the knot in my stomach returns and I suddenly understand the term butterflies in my stomach.

I ignore it and help her to her feet.

She attempts to break the tension and I don't really pay attention to what I answer, but then I remember the others, we should get back before people come looking. I gently take her elbow and lead her back.

As expected when we return they aren't the happiest that we turned on the wheel, and half of them already left to look. I explain Tris' idea and let her come up with a plan. After our victory I can't keep my eyes off her. I watch her laugh and enjoy herself with her friends and I smile. She deserves this.