Couple of Author's notes:

First, if you don't understand military time it's on a 24 hour clock. If you say 05:00, that equals 5:00 AM. If it says 17:00, then that is 5:00 PM.

Second I have used some lines from the original book and I give all credit to Veronica Roth for that. I won't give it away but you'll recognize it.

Oh and this might get more edits as I go through it a couple more times.

Reposted for minor edits: 10/18/2020

I don't know how long it was later but a knock on the door woke me from a dreamless sleep. I got up slowly not sure how I'd feel but actually did feel a lot better. "Just a minute," I yell and make sure I'm at least covered appropriately. I open the door to see everyone, including Four and Zeke, there with I don't know how much food between them. What did they do? Bribe one of the cooks? Four, standing behind everyone else, gave me a look that read sorry but I couldn't stop them.

"Hi, guys," I said opening the door wider.

Uriah came up and hugged me, "You feeling better?"

"Yeah, actually, I am," I say with a tired smile.

Christina smiled a knowing smile, "Good. You hungry? We may have just snuck out with a table full of food."

"Aren't you going to get in trouble for that?" I ask.

Zeke shook his head, "don't worry about it they usually look the other way if it only happens once in awhile. You know, because it's kind of a Dauntless thing to do."

They spread the food out on my table and we all sit around communally eating out of the same piles. Strangely, this was fun, probably not healthy but at least fun. Somehow the fried chicken was piled in front of Uriah and he was guarding it like a dog with a bone. I reached over and grabbed some of it and started handing it out to everyone else.

"Hey, babe, you're supposed to be on my side." He said in mock hurt.

"Hey, BABE, I am. I'm keeping you from being pummeled to death over chicken," I stated.

He rolled his eyes, "Fine."

It hit me how much my world had changed since the night before choosing day. I was sitting here with friends, talking loudly and fighting over flavorful food that had been stolen from the dining room. When a year ago I would be sitting at my parents table listening to them talk while eating plain food that I probably prepared.

Yesterday I got into a fistfight with a guy who was now sitting across from me eating and I planned on having some form of intimate relationship with him in the future and 3 years ago we were in Abnegation together and we didn't even know each other.

Zeke looked over at me and asked, "What's up, Tris? You're looking very thoughtful." He and Will had found a couple of small tables to pull over and sit on since there weren't enough chairs at the table. It was funny because they were sitting slightly lower than everyone else.

I shake my head and laugh, "Just thinking about how much my life has changed. But I'm glad. Some things are hard but I'm glad I have you guys."

Uriah nudged me, "Look at you getting all sappy. Must be whatever medication they put you on down at the medic."

I shrugged and didn't look up at Four, "I think I'm just tired, I've had a lot going on and I didn't sleep last night because someone's snoring kept me awake."

Christina shrieked, "I do not snore!"

Will laughed, "No but you sometimes sing in your sleep."

She smacked him, "You told me you wouldn't say anything."

I looked surprised at her, "How did we miss that in initiation?"

"There wasn't much to sing about during initiation," Four said lightly and then looked around the room at the four recent initiates who stared at him. "Seriously, you guys were killing me. I wasn't sure any of you were going to make it."

Christina was the first to come out of her shock, "Did you just make a joke?"

I see his lips quirk for just a second, "I don't know, did I?"

And Zeke started laughing so hard I thought he was going to fall off of his makeshift chair. "And this is why I hang with this guy. You just never know with him."

But I did and I glanced back down at my food with a small smile. He was loosening up just a little bit. But not enough that he wasn't still in charge.

When everyone was leaving Four hung out in the hallway and waited for people to start to clear out. When it looked like Uriah would never leave, because he was trying to protect me from Four, Four finally spoke up, "Hey, I hate to break this little love fest up but I need to talk to Tris about the meeting I had with Max today."

Uriah glanced at me and then to Four and back at me as if to ask if that was okay. I nodded and he said, "Oh, okay, I'll see you tomorrow then Tris." He said then started down the hallway after the others.

I waved to him and walked back in my apartment. Christina and Will had done all the cleaning up so there wasn't anything left to do. When Four came back in my apartment and shut the door he sighed, "It's nice to come through the door for a change." Then he charged at me and threw me over his shoulder as I giggled.

After laying me out on the bed he laid down next to me, "I missed you last night." He said. Then he looked concerned, "What happened that you got sick today?"

I felt heat rise up in my cheeks, "I got my birth control shot. But it made me really sick." He pulled back but didn't say anything, "The upside is the base from that injection is the same to the Aptitude test serum that also 'made me sick' according to the records." I smiled.

He smiled for a minute but then after processing all of what I said he asked, "Birth control?"

"Mmhmm…" I said shyly while turning red.

"So does that mean…" He couldn't finish the sentence either.

I giggled, "It takes two weeks to be fully effective. But the doctor gave me back ups." I got up and went to the drawer that held the bag of condoms. Tossing the bag at him he sat up and caught them.

He opened the bag and laughed, "What do they think dauntless are? Rabbits? There has to be 50 of them in here."

I walked back to the bed and sat down beside him, "I'm not ready." He looked at me curiously, "I mean I am but just not tonight."

He took my hand and squeezed it, "It's okay, I'm not completely heartless. You've been sick. I think you've been through enough today," he leaned into me and kissed me softly. "I want this to mean something. I want it to be special for both of us."

I kissed him back, "It'll be with you so it will be special. But right now I want to sleep."

He stood up and said, "Well we actually do need to talk about Max." He started pacing, "He agreed with what you said and he is sending out messages to the 30 candidates to meet us on Friday at 17:00 hours. If anyone needs to get out of work they need to let him know. We start training Saturday at 05:00. Anyone who doesn't show up is automatically eliminated. Three weeks every day after work and weekends all day. Either enough people drop out or we decide who stays at the end of three weeks."

He stopped in front of me, "I told him I noticed about six days of the month you weren't in the faction because I didn't see you leaving the apartment. He said he'd talk to Di and see what arrangements could be made."

I rolled back on the bed, "Ugh me and my big mouth. I don't want to do this again!" I was not happy with myself.

He laughed, "Too bad. Max loves the idea. So much so, that he is having insignia made for the teams and reserved seating in the dining hall."

"You're kidding me? I like sitting with my friends," I complain, knowing this was my own fault.

"I don't think it's going to be a requirement unless he wants to meet with all of us from time to time. We can discuss it with him later."

I reach up and pull him back down on the bed with me and cuddle up with him. He whispered, "Hey, I have to leave and come back through the window. They need to see me leave."

I nod sleepily, "I need to get a shower too. I'll leave the window open so you can just come on through."

He kisses my forehead and I walk him to the door. He takes a second to straighten his clothes and hair then opened the door. "I'll talk to Max tomorrow. See you later," in his Four voice.

I'm too tired to give a thought out response so I just say "okay, see you." And close the door. I went straight to the shower and clean up. I throw on the same t-shirt I wore the night before to bed and opened the bathroom door to see Tobias sitting on my bed. I smiled and leaned against my door frame.

He was sitting and reading the instructions on the condom packet. He'd pulled off his shirt but not his jeans yet. I just stood and studied him. He was almost a work of art and the Abnegation part of me thought I was being selfish just enjoying the view. But the Dauntless side of me, that was taking over, was saying, "Hell, yeah, he's mine."

He looked up and smiled, "What?"

"Nothing, I just like looking at you," I said being completely honest. I blushed a little because I was not normally that honest with anyone.

"Really? Why?" he asked seriously and it dawned on me that he didn't think he was worth it. His Dad hadn't shown Tobias love and support after his mom's death. I realized that he felt like he didn't deserve affection or admiration. Well that was going to change right now.

I walked over to the bed and straddle his lap and his arms wrapped around me. "Because I don't know how I got so lucky for you to be mine. You're amazing, strong, and beautiful inside as well as out. And I am amazed by you. Plus you're sexy as hell."

He smiled as he slid his arms tighter around me. "I have something to tell you," He says.

I run my hands from the back of his neck down his back, "What?"

"I might be in love with you," He smiles a little. "I'm waiting until I'm sure to tell you, though."

"That's sensible of you," I say, smiling too. "We should find some paper so you can make a list or a chart or something."

I feel his laughter against my chest, his nose sliding along my jaw, his lips pressing against the spot beneath my ear.

"Maybe I'm already sure," he says "and I just don't' want to frighten you."

I laugh a little, "Then you should know better."

"Fine," he says "Then, I love you."

I smile, "I might be in love with you, too."

He laughs and lays back pulling me down on top of him, "Damn, this is difficult because now I want to make love to you and show you how much I care."

I ran my hand across his cheek, "soon we will, but it's enough to know that you're willing to go through all of this hell to protect me. It's not just for you. You're saving me. That shows you love me more than anything else in the world could."

He lifted his head up to kiss me then rolled us both over in the bed pressing that part of his body against mine, making us both groan. Before long he pulled away from me breathing hard, "We have to get some sleep."

I nod while he pulls the sheet up and I crawl under. He pulls his jeans off and spoons up behind me. I can feel how his body reacted to me and it makes me smile just a little that he is just as frustrated as I am. But as tired as I was it wasn't long before I was actually asleep.