OWithout realising I take a step forward, only to have my wrist grabbed from behind to prevent me from moving. I don't even look back to scowl at whoever did it, I just watch the rest of the initiates rush to the edge, while Lily dangles of the underside
of the bridge.

"If you manage to hold on for long enough, maybe I'll let you back up." Eric drawls, and Beth looks up at him, eyes wide and shaking.

"But… she'll die if she falls!" She says, and I admit it was a stupid move with Eric.

"Yeah, she will." He replies shortly, his hardened gaze passing over her. There's a baited silence as we wait, and I can't force my eyes away, no matter how indifferent I may look. The hand is still gripping my wrist tightly, and I wait. My heart's beating
faster than I'd like, as I can see Lily's panicked breathing through the planks of the bridge.

Damn it. I'm so worried for her, but I don't even know why. I've been pushing myself away from her reckless bravery for a week now, but there's something about it that's so… warming. Every time she's got herself into trouble… like now… is because she
stood up for someone else. And though I didn't need it… it's mostly been me.

My fists are clenched and when Eric looks over to me, I try to force myself to look back with my usual non-comittence, but I can't stop the discomfort spreading on my face. I should be asking, why? Why is he doing this? But I know. Asserting fear into
the initiates, to sort the ones who can take it from the ones who can't. Once initiations over, it produces stronger, more obedient, and once they get used to it, loyal soldiers. But it feels different when its used on someone who stood up for me
rather than myself.

After some long moments, I don't even know how long, of staring, he glances down to Lily. She's slipping, sweat and water spitting from the chasm coating her hands.

"Please…"She whimpers, and there's panicked looks all around. Her grips loosening. I lock gazes with Eric once more, pulling on the hand still grasping my wrist, sending him a pleading gaze.

"…Time." He says, and just then, she loses her grip.

My body moves on instinct, so I pay no mind to my arm still in its brace, as I slip over the railing myself. My legs hook and cross over a beam securely as I will by body to fall faster to grab her still outstretched hand. I take it, but its still slick
with liquid, so within a second my other hand is grasping her wrist, slowly pulling her up by her arm.

Once I've gotten to her shoulders, I grip her under her arms. With a harsh swing backwards, I launch her weak body upwards to take hold of her legs, helping her push up and climb weakly to the hands pulling her onto the platform. I see Beth, Jay and Ben
crowd over her, giving her a jacket as she's soaked from the water of the chasm. Hastily, I pull myself up by my legs and use my arms to climb through the gaps in the platform, greeted by what I assume is the same hand that was holding me back.

"…Avery." Four says curtly, helping me up. "Walk with me." He walks back the way we came and I stay half a step behind as to not be in his line of sight. I wonder what he wants to talk to me about. I'd say we have a reasonably relationship, I've trained
with him since the start because of my arm.

"You've got yourself a target on your back. Eric's got his eye on you, and once that's happened you're practically doomed." Four says under his breath as he takes long strides forward. He sounds frustrated, "I don't know what got you on his radar in the
first place, considering you haven't been in fights, but stay unnoticed."

"You think I don't know that?" I cut in, and his eyes fly to mine unexpectedly. "I never meant to stand out. I know I'm his target. I tried to stay as one of the pack, it just didn't turn out that way. So now I'm just going to make the best of it. If
I can."

"You're on your own, you know." He mutters, and I nod.

"That's how I'd prefer it." I answer, and we reach the pit. He turns to me with eyes cast aside, and nods in farewell. It doesn't surprise me Four's picked up on Eric's interest in me, though I doubt he knows Eric's true reasons. I guess I know I just
need to be careful with Eric, he's a dangerous man. But something just makes me trust him.

Later that day, I head back to the dorm after some wandering around the shops. Tomorrow I'll be getting my brace off, but AFTER the fights in the morning. When Jen told me so I was… more than pissed. But there isn't much I can do about it.

I walk in, lost in thoughts, but I know I can't avoid Lily, who's sitting on her lower bunk across from mine. I pause. I could just leave and come back later when everyone's asleep, but that would be avoiding it.

"Hey Lily." I start, walking over and calmly putting on my oversized black knitted jumper over my sportswear.

"Hey." I hear a quiet response, but I daren't turn to face her.

"…thanks… for saving me." It's barely a whisper, but it was impossible to miss. I turn around.

"I couldn't exactly let you fall. Not when you got yourself into trouble standing up for me." I say, and it comes of harsh. I mean it harshly. I give her a detached gaze. "I thought I've told you about sticking up for someone like me Lily. It's not a
good idea."

"I know you've said so, but I just can't stand it! If you look like you need help, I'm going to give it to you." Lily replies stubbornly. I sigh.

"If I need help I'll ask for it. I know when I'm out of my depth. I'm nowhere near as weak as the image you see." I answer, grinding my teeth. She's not going to understand through my oh so brilliant convincing. Reckless bravery indeed.

"So you're saying I shouldn't help you? Even if-" I interrupt, tired of the same conversation.

"You should help the weak. But at the moment that's you." I finish harshly. "I'm done with this conversation. Goodnight." I climb up to my bunk, waiting for the rebut from the ferocious girl, but there is none.

After lying in bed resting for a reasonable number of hours, I climb out of bed at around 4 am. I was even more restless than usual, and though I wish it weren't, I know its because of my conflicting feelings over Lily. I need to move. I need to train.
Eric never did say anything about those training facilities being out of bounds.

I stretch my limbs and head to shower, donning sport leggings, a sport tank top with the largely oversized charcoal jumper over the top. As I pass through the dorm, I realise there are initiates out of bed. Most noticeably, the two of the Candor boys,
Kasper and Mickey, along with Zander the abnegation. I do know some initiates go out drinking, especially since the dauntless are so relaxed, though I would've thought they would've been more careful than to have gone out the night before fights.
Then again, they're all vicious, arrogant, and irritatingly, high ranked at the moment.

I head through the compound by memory, and pass easily through the hallways. But as I near the pit, the hairs on the back of my neck raise, and I look around warily.

"Oi! Amity!" I hear the nickname called, and pointedly ignore it as I recognise the voice of Kasper. His fluxuating tone tells me immediately he's drunk, and out of my peripheral view I see him flanked by Mickey and Zander, both looking equally inebriated.
"Hey! What are you doing?"

I carry on walking. I know I can take them easily, especially drunk, but I rather they not realise I can actually fight. The poor broken arm act is working brilliant on pretty much everyone, minus Lily. However, I know I can't avoid them, they're blocking
my only route to the training block.

"Hey, wassup…" Kasper slurs, stumbling into me as I take some steps back, trying to keep space between him and me. He's tall, very tall, and though I haven't had any experiences with him personally, I can tell enough from his fight with Isobel. He's malicious,
and sick. He's places his hand heavily on my hip, before leaning in to whisper in my ear.

"I've always thought you'd be a good lay… you've got that look about you…" I can feel his drunk breath on my ear and am easily disgusted. There's no way I'm going to get out of here without hurting him, well at least I won't let him leave unharmed after
this.

"I'm flattered, Kasper, really…" I murmur softly, leaning in to place my arms around his shoulders. "But if you want to rape someone it might be better to find someone who won't fight back." I growl, and sharply knee him in the groin, much harder that
I did Eric the day before, and run in the direction of the training block. A short glance back tells me he collapsed, and his lackeys decided to help him up rather than chase me.

I know I would've lost them in the dark, complex corridors, which leaves me scowling at the ground. Pure irritation courses through me, if they weren't so hammered I would've had to fight them. Besides, the mere thought of that monster even touching me,
let alone anything more, is just disgusting. My thunderous gaze doesn't leave me as I find one of the many small empty training rooms, and start hammering at a punching bag.

Only a good fifteen minutes later do I realise, I had been punching with both hands.

"Oh shit." I mutter flexing my fingers, but regardless of how little I had being paying attention to the punches, I can tell there was no discomfort. At least I know my arm's healed, but there's no way Jen will clear me for combat today. I take a few
step back and throw some kicks up for another fifteen minutes, before realising - There's no one here to stop me from breaking Jen's orders.

With an easy smirk on my face and a picture of Kasper's drunk face in my mind as an incentive, I let myself into an easy hand stand. I haven't REALLY trained since before initiation, but I'm pleased that I can still control my angle and position standing
on my hands with ease. Its simple when you think about it, just keep your centre of gravity in the centre, and you won't fall. Then after some exercises to test the strength of my muscles to hold me up, I use a quick flick of my wrists to get back
onto my feet. I move over to the exercise machines, quickly finding the rowing machine for an all-over body workout. I manage to row for 20 minutes before I get bored, an impressive feat might I add. Unfortunately, I haven't managed to save up the
points to get an mp3 player, after my overpriced watch which was a necessity.

After leaving the rowing machine I move back to the punching bag, and move to spinning kicks. These have never been my favourite, since whilst spinning your eyes are off your opponent, which I try to avoid at all costs, but they can be incredibly useful.
Axel favours them. But just as I move onto my 7th set, the smallest of sounds, an exhale, reaches my ears and a sudden presence at my back alerts me, and I spin halfway round, with the intent of pushing them to the floor. However, I was grabbed. Yes,
that isthe best explanation I can use. I was grabbed, and so ended up with my legs either side of the broad man beside me, who was pinning my arms to the floor.

"Well, well, who's here out of hours." His voice is gravely, once again lower from the early hour, and I can't help notice the involuntary shiver that runs through me.

"With due respect, sir, you never specified when hours were the last time we were here." I say calmly, though my mind is flittering at every ounce of contact between us, savouring the feeling of his torso wrapped up in my legs. Despite how much I try
not to acknowledge it, I know it's a losing battle.

"Last time we were here I didn't have the chance to tell you hours." He answers in a false innocent voice. Ah… how did I forget. "I'm not sure why, perhaps because I was knocked unconscious…?"

I swallow, noticeably it seems as his eyes move to trail down my throat.

"I guess I never apologised for knocking out a superior." I reply in an equally sickly sweet voice. "I didn't realise it would be so easy."

I'm provoking him, and I'm damn well enjoying it as his eyes darken and he leans that much closer to me.

"I guess I should also apologise… for letting you break the rules." His breath tickles my ear, and for a breath second I swear his lips brush against my ear, before he's up and standing over me. "Regardless of whichever of devil's hour you wake up at,
come here no earlier than 5:30." He orders, before turning to a punching bag.

"Wasn't it five last time?" I wonder before I can close my lips, and he glances my way.

"I make the rules." He mutters forcefully, and I get the feeling he changed the time just because he could. And then I remember yesterday.

"Did you make yesterday's punishment worsebecause it was me?" I ask before I can take it back. He glances my way briefly. "Did you? I understand she was out of line, but was it worse because of me? I just need to know." My words waffle out and I
regret them almost immediately. Almost.

"If I said yes what would you do?" He asks indifferently.

"Nothing. Bias exists regardless of any controls." I answer easily.

"Then yes." He finishes, turning away.

I might as well make use of this time. At the moment Eric's the only one I can half let go in front of, and I can actually get advice from him. I mean Axel's already back on patrol. I step back into place, before starting practice on a "downwards" kick.
It's an unusual technique since you kick above the target then bring it down with extra force from gravity, and tends to work like a fake. I don't tend to use it since it takes up more time, but as with the spinning kicks, options are always useful.

After a good few more rounds with the punching bag, I take a step back and grab a quick drink, trying to tear my eyes away from the ever so distracting figure of Eric, glistening with sweat. Does he know he's this distracting? Of course, he does what
am I thinking?

I've gone through pretty much all the basic kick drills, and I can't do any further techniques against a bag, and I'm bored. My eyes flick around the room, and I find a horizontal bar used for pullups and acro. I'm surprised they have one, but they're
useful to me.

I walk over, feeling Eric's eyes on me as I grab on with my left arm then bring my legs up over my shoulders to hook around the bar. My hair hangs down from my ponytail, and I can see the purple, red and burnt oranges falling from my natural dark scarlet.
I vaguely see Eric quirk and eyebrow, before I pull my body up into a sit up… though from hanging on a bar. It's more like a crunch in mid-air. I get through a reasonable thirty before I re stretch my muscles and do another set of thirty. I repeat
the same process for a while, before getting bored once more. Letting out a sigh as I swing up to sit on the bar, till my breathing evens out and the burning in my abs dies down.

I debate for a little whether to do another one of my more specialist exercises, before just going with it. I quickly hook my ankles round the bar, before swinging my whole body down. The bar was high, since it was made for the taller dauntless male,
so I'm nowhere near the floor. With a deep breath, I bend my knees, slowly moving myself into an upside-down crouch, before lowering again. The strain in my legs is almost unbearable, but it's worth it for the balance practice I get with this. After
a slow ten of this I let my eyes close and merely hang there, regaining my strength from the painful exercise.

"You have some very… intriguing methods." His voice is suddenly in front of me, and my eyes flash open to Eric looking down at me. His gaze is distracted, but then again I may be imagining things since all the blood has rushed to my head.

"It helps with balance. Not to mention my leg muscles, they're killing me." I say slightly breathless.

"Normally I'd say fighting is the best training for fighting, but…" He trails of, and I nod hastily.

"I'd agree, but I've been inhere for a while and… punching bags don't make good opponents." I finish lamely. He stares at me, still distracted, before turning away.

"Get down from there, it's distracting." I blink unknowingly, before pulling up to sit at the top of the bar and with the movement I feel like facepalming. And I would, if not for the fact I know he'd see. While I was down there… with this sports tank
on and even the sports bra, my boobs must have been half falling out… and if my eyes were level with his chest… his must have been with mine.

I let out a defeated sigh before hoping down from the bar and looking at my watch.

"We're late for breakfast. I won't tolerate tardiness just because you've been training here instead of with the others." Eric says as the clock reads 6:46.

"Who would?" I question in reply before pulling on my jumper and following him out.

As soon as we reach optional routes I take the one he doesn't and we separate to get to the pit. As the noise grows louder I enter and make a beeline to Jay, Ben and Beth after grabbing two breakfast muffins, and sit down.

"Hey, up early as usual?" Ben asks and I nod.

"What can I say, early riser." I reply shortly.

"Anyway, as I was saying, don't you think Kasper was acting really weird earlier? I mean he's usually creepy but that was really weird." Beth says.

"What exactly did he say, I missed it." Jay asks.

"Just looked at me… like he wanted to eat me, then muttered some stuff we couldn't hear before calling Lily weak. God, such a creep." Beth answers as we all get through our breakfast.

"Where is Lily?" I ask, and Beth shoots a slightly wary glance at me.

"Oh, she's taking a shower. Wasn't really hungry after yesterday, plus she's scared of the fights." Beth says sadly. She stayed at the dorm…

I jerk my head up as a thought crosses my mind, looking to the candor boy's usual table, to find Kasper missing. My blood runs cold as I remember what I said earlier that morning.

…"But if you want to rape someone it might be better to find someone who won't fight back."…

I stand from the table and immediately take off to the dorms, ignoring the calls I hear from the others, and the black clad man I run into. I sprint through the path I remember, and run straight into the dorm. There's no one here, but I can hear the showers
running. With just a few more steps, I round the corner, breath caught in my throat.

I blink at the sight, Lily lying on the floor, bloodied and bruised all over, drenched with her blood running into the drains. She wears just her underwear, though her sport's bra strap has been pulled low. Kasper kneels by her unconscious form, shirt
off, and just as I'm about to run up and help her, the metal clang of the pipe rings three times from the dorm.

I pull myself into the broom cupboard next to me as Kasper looks up, wary, before looking around and walking out past me. My breathing's ragged as I burst out towards Lily, quickly reaching for her pulse and looking for injuries.

"Go to breakfast, initiate, it's not a question!" I hear a familiar growl from the dorm, before the scuffling of feet.

Her pulse is steady, and the blood is from cuts subsequent from all the bruises forming rapidly. There's no way I can do anything about this myself.

I pull my jumper off easily and put her in it, on me it reached my thighs but it goes down to her knees like a dress. With a quick arm under her I haul her up into my into my arms. I walk briskly back into the door, but pause as I see Eric's figure in
the hallway. His gaze falls onto Lily in my arms, then meets my gaze with a questioning stare.

"I'll sort it. Don't pretend I'm not late when I will be." I mutter, with a look so hard it could be considered a glare, before stalking past him taking the quieter route to the infirmary.

So many thoughts rush through me as I let my legs carry me. Shit, he couldn't have just moved onto her because I rejected him? Please say he didn't do this to her because of what I said. What I said about not fighting back. I curse to myself as I hurry
through the narrow, empty corridor round the back as to not attract attention, before seeing the white of the infirmary.

Without thinking I head straight in, and am surprised to be met with Jen before I take another step.

"Jen, she was attacked in the showers." I say quickly to Jen, whose brow furrows before rushing forward, guiding me to a nearby room with a hospital bed.

"Right, can someone get in here, I need assistance!" I hear her yell whilst pushing me into a nearby chair. My eyes glaze over as two more doctors come in quickly, whilst I merely count the seconds, watching her shallow breathing.

It's been six minutes thirty-eight seconds when Jen finally turns to me.

"She's not critical. There's a ridiculous amount of internal bleeding and bruising, and she probably has a couple of cracked ribs, but she hasn't had any blows to the head." She quickly summarises.

"So she'll be fine?" I ask quickly.

"After a little treatment and a lot of painkillers, yes." She answers. "Do you want to stay-?"

"No." I scowl, before stalking out of the room and the infirmary.

I can't keep track of my thoughts as I walk to the training room at an angry pace, not caring that I'm over 10 minutes late.

I know I'm not in my right mind.

"Well if she's not here then surely I win by default? I mean I would regardless…" A dumb voice washes over.

I walk in and I immediately see the blackboard with names written in chalk, along with Jay's name circled next to Tom's. Then I see the next two names, Kasper and Lily.

"Put me in." I exclaim strongly, eyes locking onto Kasper's whilst Four and Eric look at me with surprise.

Woohoo! Yay another chapter, I know I've taken longer with this one, but I've been in four concerts this past week, and it's been my birthday so I haven't had much time. But oh my god we're getting interesting here! Obviously in case anyone didn't realise, we will be seeing Avery unleash her calm anger in the next chapter, and we got some nice Eric scenes! I have to say, I have always pictured this as an OLDER teen fic, almost bordering M since I plan some VERY suggestive content, and though I did add the boobs hanging out while she was upside down thing this chapter that's just the start. So I'm thinking of putting a warning at the start of chapters when more suggestive content so readers aren't too alarmed, and if you don't like suggestive content (ngl I FUCKING LOVE IT) you can just skip it out or ignore it, and still enjoy the story. Thoughts?