Chapter Five: Overstayed Welcome

I felt like I was running before I stood, racing toward the buildings. I wasn't sure what I looked like, but people literally leapt out of my way. Granted, if they had gotten in my way I'd be more than likely run them over verses going around them. My heart was racing as I made my way toward the conflict room. Tris would be taken there and be given a dose of the peace serum. Something that she would not be happy about.

When the building came into sight, I watched as Four started to trudge toward the orchard. Weaving through the crowd, I swiftly skidded to his side. He looked at me but before I could ask what happened he had his arms around me. Hugging him tightly, there was both anger and concern in his grip.

"She's going to ruin this." He whispered.

"I know." I told him hugging him tighter. "We all are."

"What are we gonna do?"

"We need to talk to Johanna. But my father thinks we need to leave. Like yesterday."

"Why?"

"I don't know. They still won't tell me what they're hiding and how they know what they know. But they know more about what's going on than I ever thought they would. I think we should listen to him. I think we need to go."

He nodded. "Let's see what Johanna says and then we'll decide."

"What happened?"

"Peter stole the drive we took from Erudite." He sighed, pausing for a moment. "He provoked her and she acted."

"Of course she did." I replied with a sigh. "Did you get it back?" I asked.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"And I'm sure they ushered her off to the Conflict Room." I stated. He nodded. "Be prepared for her when she comes out." I told him. He frowned at me. "They will inject her with peace serum, it's protocol, so she's going to be feeling pretty damn good."

"Great." He frowned. "That's all I need. Tris hyped up on yet another serum."

"I know, Tobias. But everything is going to be okay. She'll be okay. This is probably good for her. She's been through a lot and maybe a few minutes of forgetting that will do her some good."

"Or piss her off."

I laughed, "Yeah that might be more accurate."

He sighed, sitting at the base of a tree. Sitting with him, I held tight to his hand. He was struggling just as much as I was. As Tris and everyone else was. There was so much going on and we were all dealing with it in our own way.

"Talk to me, Pen." He told me softly. "Get my mind off of whatever they're doing to her."

Nodding, I sighed, trying to think of what I could say to him that would actually make him feel better. "I had to be given the peace serum once." I told him, getting a smile from him. "Hazel had just knocked me out of a tree. We've always kind of been at odds with each other. Anyway, I was fourteen and feisty. As soon as she saw me pissed off, she refused to get out of the tree. Climbing back into it, I attempted to grab her as she struggled against me. Eventually I managed to grab the bottom of her dress, yanking her out of the tree. Then I started to hit her, though I only got one good hit in before Maggie dragged me off of her. My father was so mad that he allowed them to take me and dose me instead of dealing with us at home. He told me it was about time that I learned a little bit of peace and if this was the way than so be it."

"He should have known then that you didn't belong here." Four smiled.

"Oh, I think he did." I nodded at him. "He just hoped that I'd learn my lesson and stay here with them. Obviously that plan didn't work out."

"You belong in Dauntless. You belong with me." He told me sadly, squeezing my hand.

"I'm here for you, Tobias. No matter what happens."

"What about Eric?" He asked next. "What are you going to do when we come across him again?"

Smiling, I felt a slight blush rise in my cheeks, "Probably attack him, kiss him passionately, tell him that I love him, and then run for my life."

He laughed, which actually kind of surprised me a little. "That sounds like something you would do."

Then I couldn't help but frown, "I miss him, Four. I miss him and want to be with him."

"I know." He said pressing a kiss into my hair.

"What is she making him do?" I asked, needing to be reassured.

"If he really loves you, he's doing what he has to until he can be with you again."

It did the trick, but deep down I couldn't help the doubt I felt. Out of sight, out of mind. What if he didn't care about me anymore? What if he would do her bidding without pause and when the time came when we stood face to face he'd kill me rather than kiss me? Doubt. I was now filled with doubt.

Four could see it, pressing another kiss into my hair before pulling me tighter against his side. "Either way, everything is going to be alright. I won't let anything happen to you." Smiling against him, it fell as he added, "If I can help it."

Sighing, we waited for Tris to be released, remaining silent. It seemed neither of us were very good at cheering each other up right now.

It wasn't too long before yelling reached our ears. Looking at each other, we both let out a sigh as we recognized Tris' voice, yelling for Four. By the sound of it she was flying high at the moment.

"Here we go." I told him and stood. "Remember, she's going to be feeling really good. She's not going to be acting normal." He sighed and nodded we moved toward the sound of her voice.

"Four! Where are you?" She hollered.

"Tris?" Four said as we watched her stand there giggling.

Sighing, already feeling annoyed, she ran toward us, almost falling over if Four hadn't grabbed her waist. It was like everything in her turned on at once and she pressed her body against his and kissed him. What I told him had officially been proven. She was feeling way too damn good. Especially for her. I was almost jealous of her.

She kissed him again. "That was lame." She told him all groggy like. "Okay, no it wasn't, but…" She stands on her tiptoes to kiss him again but he stopped her with his finger against her lips.

"Tris. What did they do to you? You're acting like a lunatic."

"That's not very nice of you to say." She complained. "They put me in a good mood, that's all. And now I really want to kiss you, so if you could just relax—"

"I'm not going to kiss you. I'm going to figure out what's going on." He told her.

She stuck out her bottom lip, pouting at him, but then she grinned as if some lightbulb had turned on. "That's why you like me!" She exclaimed. "Because you're not very nice either! It makes so much more sense now."

"I know you said she'd be different but, is she supposed to act like this?" Four frowned at me.

I looked at Tris with furrowed brows. "Actually, I don't think I've ever seen anyone act quite like this. Not this bad anyway. She's acting completely drunk. In an extremely annoying way. They must have given her too much."

"Come on." He said to Tris. "We're going to see Johanna."

"I like you, too."

"That's encouraging." He replied flatly. I don't know if it was the way he was reacting to her, or seeing her in this state, but laughter started to bubble, spilling out of me before I could make it stop. "Come on. Oh, for God's sake. I'll just carry you."

Unable to stop laughing, he swung Tris into his arms and she wrapped hers around his neck, kissing his cheek. He is not amused and yet I think this is the most entertaining thing I'd seen in a good long while. I practically lost it when she started to kick her feet, making Four role his eyes and sigh at me. I just shrugged and laughed at both of them. As annoying as she was like this, it was completely adorable. I made me like her more, knowing she was capable of such good feelings. Even if it was only because of a serum. It still came from inside of her.

Going to Johanna's office, we walked right in, seeing her sitting behind a desk with a stack of papers in front of her, chewing on a pencil eraser. She looked up at us and her mouth drifted open slightly. I was still laughing, shrugging at her, embracing the happy feelings moving through me.

"You really shouldn't cover up your scar." Tris told her, staring at the chunk of dark hair that covers the left side of her face. "You look prettier with your hair out of your face."

"She's right you know." I told her between laughs.

Four just sighed again, sitting Tris down hard, but she started to laugh and I couldn't help but laugh harder at her. I hadn't laughed this hard in a long time. Bending over, I tried to stop but I just couldn't do it. The harder I tried, the harder the laughter spilled out of me. I had been with Eric the last time I'd laughed this hard, fooling around and doing stupid shit.

"What did you do to her?" Four asked Johanna, clearly annoyed. "What in God's name did you do?"

"I…" Johanna frowned at him. "They must have given her too much. She's very small; they probably didn't take her height and weight into account."

"Pen said that it was a peace serum?" He said to her questioningly.

"You have a nice voice." Tris grinned at him. I continued to laugh.

"Tris," he said annoyed, "please be quiet."

"Yes, the peace serum." Johanna nods. "In small doses, it has a mild, calming effect and improves the mood. The only side effect is some slight dizziness. We administer it to members of our community who have trouble keeping the peace."

Four snorted at her. "I'm not an idiot. Every member of your community has trouble keeping the peace, because they're all human. You probably dump it into the water supply."

"Was Penelope given it as well?" She frowned at me.

"No."

She nods, seeing that he wasn't going to let it go. She didn't respond for a few seconds as she folded her hands in front of her. "Clearly you know that is not the case, or this conflict would not have occurred." She told him and I started to calm down. This damn fucking conflict. "But whatever we agree to do here, we do together, as a faction. If I could give the serum to everyone in this city, I would. You would certainly not be in the situation you are in now if I had."

"Oh, definitely." Four replied with heavy sarcasm. "Drugging the entire population is the best solution to our problem. Great plan."

"Four." I said calmly.

"Sarcasm is not kind, Four." She replied gently. I thought I had myself under control but laughter broke from me again. I'd become extremely sarcastic in my time at Dauntless, making me once again wonder what the hell I was still doing here. "Now, I am sorry about the mistake in giving too much to Tris, I really am. But she violated the terms of our agreement, and I'm afraid that you might not be able to stay here much longer as a result. The conflict between her and the boy—Peter—is not something we can forget."

"Don't worry." Four told her. "We intend to leave as soon as humanly possible." My laughing is done now and I look between them.

"Good." She said with a small smile. "Peace between Amity and Dauntless can only happen when we maintain our distance from each other."

"That explains a lot."

"Excuse me?" She asked. "What are you insinuating?"

"It explains," he said with gritted teeth, "why, under a pretense of neutrality—as if such a thing is possible!—you have left us to die at the hands of the Erudite."

"Four." I said calmly with a hint of hardness.

Johanna sighed quietly and looked out the window. Beyond it is a small courtyard with vines growing in it. The vines creep onto the window's corners, like they are trying to come in and join the conversation. I want to join too but at the moment I don't know what to say, only wanted Four not to make the matter worse.

"The Amity wouldn't do something like that." Tris adds. "That's mean."

Putting my hand on her arm, I smiled down at her, "Time to be quiet." She grinned up at me, gently gripping my wrist, her thumb moving back and forth across my skin.

"It is for the sake of peace that we remain uninvolved—" Johanna begins.

"Peace." Four almost spits the word. "Yes, I'm sure it will be very peaceful when we are all either dead or cowering in submission under the threat of mind control or stuck in an endless simulation."

Johanna's face contorted, making me wrap my arms around myself. Tris is mimicking her and it takes all of me not to start laughing again. But this isn't really a laughing matter. Moving my hand to her back, she looked at me, wrapping her arm around my waist and resting her head against my stomach. Embracing her, I sighed, watching Four and Johanna closely. She may be from the faction of peace, but even she can be hard. We were seeing it right now.

When she spoke next, it was slow. "The decision was not mine to make. If it was, perhaps we would be having a different conversation right now."

"Are you saying you disagree with them?"

"I am saying that it isn't my place to disagree with my faction publicly, but I might, in the privacy of my own heart." She replied. I nodded, looking at Four.

"Pen, Tris and I will be gone in two days." Four states. "I hope your faction doesn't change their decision to make this compound a safe house."

"Our decisions are not easily unmade. What about Peter?"

"You'll have to deal with him separately." He replied. "Because he won't be coming with us."

Four took Tris's hand and turned to leave. "Four." She says stopping him. "If you and your friends would like to remain…untouched by our serum, you may want to avoid the bread."

Meeting Johanna's eyes, she barely raised a brow, but I knew what she was saying. Nodding, I turned to look at Four as he did the same, giving me an expectant look. "I'll be just a few minutes." He nodded and left.

Johanna sat back down and I stepped closer to the desk. "You let that boy speak for you." It's not a question. I nodded in response. "Why? Are you not able to make up your own mind?"

"Like you, it's not always my place to disagree with my faction." I replied with a hard tone.

"Stay, Penelope. You don't belong with them." She said sadly.

"I do." I reply quickly. "I do belong with them, Johanna. I belong with them far more than I belong here. I'd need an IV drip of peace serum to keep me in line. You don't understand how hard it is to be here after having left. I'm not the same little girl that left here five years ago. I will never be her again. I don't want to be her ever again. I'm strong now. Stronger than I ever thought I would be. I've seen and done things and understand myself and the world far more than if I had stayed here." I paused, trying to keep my voice as even as possible. "Amity would have slowly strangled me to death. I look around, even at the people who raised me, and I don't recognize them. But I recognize Four and Tris and even Peter. I recognize the family I created all on my own. I have a man who loves me, who I love in return. Amity would never have given me half of what I have now. I'm happy, Johanna." Pausing again, I thought of everything that had happened. "Or at least I was until all of this started. But I'll get back there. I need to."

"I hear through the grapevine that it's the malicious Eric who holds your heart." She stated.

Over everything I'd just said it was that that she had latched onto. "What does that have to do with anything?" I frowned at her.

"I feel like you're a tainted version of the Penelope I once knew." She said softly.

My anger was boiling now. It wasn't the first time I'd been referred to as tainted. I wasn't tainted. I'd simply made decisions for myself. "The next person who calls me tainted will find a new meaning for the word pain. He is nothing like you think he is and I will defend him with my dying breath."

"Perhaps you need some bread, dear."

"What I need is for you to not underestimate me." I replied. "And don't judge me for things that you don't understand."

"You don't think I understand?" She told me, now smiling.

"You don't know me anymore, Johanna." I stated. "So, no, you don't understand."

"I understand love, Penelope. I simply think you've been seeking it from the wrong place."

Opening my mouth to reply, I stopped, closing it as something flickered in my mind. "What do you know?" I asked her. "What has he done?"

"From what we've heard, he's been on a bit of a killing spree." She told me without feeling. "He's been leading soldiers in and out of homes, kidnapping and killing all who get in his way."

"He has orders." I stated defensively. "If he doesn't listen then he'll be labeled a traitor and be killed himself. He's doing it in self-preservation."

"Is he?" She asked, clearly thinking the opposite.

Rushing forward I slammed my hands down on the top of the desk, glaring at her. "You don't know him, Johanna. I would appreciate it if you didn't jump to conclusions when you don't have all the facts. I'm telling you that he is worth the risk. If you know me at all, then you would know that I don't put my all into anything unless it's worth it. He's worth everything. And I'll do everything I have to until he's back in my arms. Even go against you, my family, and anyone else that gets in my way. Do I make myself clear?"

For a long moment she just looked at me, then she lifted a cup, a small smile moving across her lips, "Tea, dear?"

Smacking it out of her hands, I turned and walked away, "Two days, Johanna." Leaving the building, I started to march off angrily with no destination, only to have Maggie fall in step next to me. "Been waiting for me?"

"I've gotta spend as much time with you as I can." She smiled.

"It's starting to get a little creepy." I stated.

There's a long moment of silence before she spoke. "I can't tell if you're being serious or not."

"I'm not." I smiled at her. "We'll be gone in two days. Let's make the most of it."

"Why two days?" She asked as we started to head to our parents' home.

"Enough time to prepare to leave."

"Okay." She nodded.

Reaching the house, I stopped, unable to take another step. "I can't go in there right now." I told her. "I'm not calm enough yet. Can we go somewhere else?" I asked her.

"I'll be right back." She told me, running into the house.

It was only a few minutes later when she came sprinting out of the house, flying past me. Following her, I could hear my mother yelling behind us. Laughing, we sprinted toward the orchard, sitting under the shade of the trees. We were out of the way, hoping to be left alone, wanting to just spend time together before I left. It didn't take long for her to start to play. She had grabbed my sketchbook, so while she played, I sketched, talking like we did for all the years of my life before I left.

It was going to be hard to leave her. She was by far one of my most favorite people. I needed her more than I realized. Wanting to ask her to come with me, I knew that that was too selfish. I couldn't ask her to join a fight that had nothing to do with her. She was safe here. Once it all blew over I'd come back, hopefully with Eric, and let her meet him. I didn't care what the rest of my family said, but I would give just about anything for Maggie's approval. Even though I knew that I already had it.

"Drawing anything fun?" She asked a few hours later, watching as I filled up page after page.

"Yeah." I nodded. "I've been working on filling it since I've been here and I think there's almost enough."

"Enough what?"

"Memories." I replied softly.

"Pen." She replied softly.

"These are just a small piece of the girl I was and of the woman I have become. Just in case this fight takes my life or the lives of those I love, I want a memory of what my life was like before all this started."

"How many are Eric in?" She asked with a smile, tucking my hair behind my ear.

Meeting her eyes, I returned her smile, "Almost every one of them."

"I hope I get to meet him someday."

"Me too. I just hope it's on good terms."

"Me too." She told me.

With the afternoon gone, we finally made our way back to the house. The walk was quiet and the whole time I was trying to think of what I was going to tell my family. What I was going to tell my parents that didn't make them freak out. Dad told me to go. But I knew that Mom would put up a fight. Her and Johanna thought that I belonged here and I didn't know what to say to make them see that I didn't. I didn't belong here. Maggie was the only one from Amity that I felt had my back. I knew Four and Tris did, but everyone else was just white noise in this hell that Jeanine had thrown us into. Shot. Forced from our home. More questions than answers. People dying all around us. What should be done versus what we were going to do.

Taking a deep breath, I followed Maggie inside, both our parents looking up from the table. Without saying a word, my father got up, moving to me, and wrapped me in his arms. "I'm sorry I've been gone all day." I told him, my face buried in his shoulder.

"We thought you'd left without saying goodbye." He told me.

"I wouldn't do that." I smiled as I released him. "Mama." I said embracing her next. "I love you." I told her.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Tris got into a fight with Peter. I was keeping Four company while we waited for her."

"Did they give her serum?"

I nodded, smiling, "Yeah, too much. She was flying pretty high."

"How are you?" She asked next.

Sighing, I nodded again, "I lost my temper with Johanna. Only that was after Four confronted her about Tris. We're leaving in two days."

"You should leave tonight." My father said putting his arm around me.

"I know, Dad. I do. But Four said two days, so we'll wait two days."

"Why are you listening to him?" Hazel asked coming down the stairs.

Looking up at her, I had to choke down the anger I wanted to spew at her. "Because he's older and more experienced. Plus he's a glorified leader of my faction. I respect him and will follow him." I explained.

Everyone but her nodded, my mother breaking the silence, "What did you argue with Johanna about?"

"My love life mostly." I stated with annoyance.

"We know who Eric is." My father said sitting at the table. Something I already knew.

Mother went into the kitchen, followed by my sisters, helping her prepare dinner while I went to the table, sitting next to my father. "And?"

"And we're concerned." He replied with a raised brow.

In this moment I saw myself in him, making me smile, "He's good to me, Dad."

"Is he?" He frowned. "From what we understand of him, he's not a good person. I can understand why, but he hasn't done himself any favors."

"How can you understand?" I asked him, now frowning.

"Because I knew his parents." He replied.

"What?" I frowned back at him.

He nodded. "I was younger, making a few deliveries to the other factions and I met a young man. He was horrible with a scrawny thing latched onto his arm. I met them several times over the years and I never once could bring myself to be kinder to them than the bear minimum. They are not good people."

"I know they're not." I told him, nodding.

"Did he tell you about his parents?" He asked.

"Not exactly." I told him, getting an expectant look in return. "Are you at all familiar with the Dauntless Fear Landscape?" He nodded. "He uh – he took me through his. One of them dealt with his parents. They were abusive toward him. Made him feel like he was nothing." He sighed and nodded. "I know he's done bad things, Dad. But I am in love with him. I am so in love with him and I will not rest until I'm with him again."

"Are you sure he feels the same way?" He asked next.

"Yes." I replied and for the first time since I'd been apart from him, I meant it with all of me. "He loves me, Dad. I know he's done bad things, but he's better when he's with me. I can help him be a better man. He can be a better man."

He smiled, taking my hand, "Okay."

"Okay? What does that mean?" I frowned.

"It means that I approve. As long as he's not using you."

"He's not, Dad. Things are a bit weird now that he knows I'm Divergent but we'll figure it out."

"Have you talked to him since he found out?"

I shook my head, taking a deep breath, "No. But it won't change anything."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." I said, meaning it this time as well. "He may not come after me or act like it, but he won't hurt me."

"He hit you though." He frowned. "More than once."

Looking at Maggie, it would appear that she had been filling our parents in on my life without me knowing about it. I had probably been keeping them all up at night, screaming and carrying on about Eric. That in itself should have been enough to convince him. I wouldn't be so afraid if I didn't love him.

"He did." I nodded. "But both times he's hit me, it was to protect me. He is a leader of Dauntless and is under the heel of Jeanine. He needs to keep up pretenses if he's going to keep us alive." He frowned at my use of 'us'. "He needs to keep himself safe."

"What do you think he's doing?"

"I think he's doing what he has to. He's killed people. I know that. But I'll forgive him. Part of me is still hoping he's working on the inside and will eventually turn on her and come with me."

"I get that you hope for that, but what do you think is real?"

"That Jeanine is manipulating him and he doesn't know how to get out from under her." I replied. "She has a hold on him that I don't fully understand. He's known her his whole life and she put him in his leadership position to discover anyone who is Divergent. He has never had anyone before me. That's a long time to look to someone you think you can trust only to find out that they want to kill half the city." Dad nodded at me but didn't say anything. Annoyance started to come over me. "And I am so sick and tired of having to defend him." I added, letting my annoyance show. "None of you know him the way I do and I can't convince you that he's changed. He'll have to prove it."

"Something that he has yet to do." Hazel said as she started to set the table.

Clenching my jaw, Dad put his hand over mine, looking up at his eldest, "Hazel, your sister is only going to be with us for a couple days. Please try and keep any negativity at a minimum. Anything you have to say she's already heard."

"Thank you." I smiled at my father. "He just needs to be given a chance."

"I'll give him a chance." Maggie smiled.

"Me too." My mother added.

Dad smiled, squeezing my hand, "Me too."

"Thank you." I said again, tears filling my eyes.

He leaned forward, pressing a kiss against my forehead. "Now go help your mother."

Smiling, I did as I was told. Maggie never failed in lightening the mood, even getting a smile and laugh from Hazel. Spending more time at the table than usual. My mother cried, cherishing the moment where all her children were safe and with her. My father offered inspirational words that we could all use when things got dark. I couldn't promise that I'd remember them word for word, but I'd remember the feeling his voice sent through me when he spoke them.

When everything was clean and put away, Hazel went upstairs to her room, the rest of us going to the living room. Watching as everyone took a seat, I paused at the base of the stairs, looking up them. Sighing, I slowly made my way up them, walking down the hall to her room, letting myself inside.

"Hey." I said softly. "Can we talk? And maybe not yell at each other?" She nodded, setting aside her journal. Stepping up to her bed, I sat down on the edge of it, bending my knee so I could face her. "Listen, I know you don't like me very much anymore, but I'm still your sister."

"It's not about liking or not liking you, Penelope."

"Then what is it about?" I asked.

"It's about the life you have and the one I was deprived of." She told me.

I could hear the jealousy in her voice. "Why didn't you transfer?"

She sighed, leaning toward me. "Because I thought it was the right thing to do." She replied. "I did it for our family."

"It's not about our family though. It's about doing what's best for you."

"And I chose family over myself."

"Now that would be Abnegation. I don't think you belong with them." I smirked at her.

She smiled, "No, definitely not."

My smile fell and I asked the one question I really didn't want the answer to, but I needed to know. "You would've chosen Erudite?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Do you believe what Jeanine did was right?"

"To an extent." She nodded. "I'm not for all the killing that has been going on but I do believe that the situation needs to be contained and that's what she's trying to do."

"What situation?" I asked.

"The problem with the Divergent." She stated.

My stomach started to turn and I wanted to be angry with her, but I kept myself in check, "What about me? Where do I fall in what you believe?"

"I don't want anything to happen to you, Penelope. I love you. You're my sister. I just feel like there's a way to fix it."

I wanted to yell at her until she realized that it was just who I was, instead I smiled and nodded at her, "Okay."

"And I think you're a fool to be in love with Eric." She smiled.

Laughing lightly, I nodded. "You're not alone in that."

"But if you love him and if he truly loves you, than I support you."

"Just not what I am." I said softly. She shrugged lightly, still smiling at me. "I love you too, Hazel."

We sat for only a few minutes more before I offered her my hand. She took it and together we went to join our family. We were only halfway down the stairs when the door burst open and Four ran in out of breath. All eyes moved to him before they were all on me. Rushing down the rest of the stairs, I threw my arms around my father, then my mother, telling them that I loved them. Turning to Hazel, I hugged her as well, telling her I loved her. Then I turned to Maggie, tears already in her eyes.

Pulling her to me, I wrapped my arms around her neck. "I love you." I whispered. "You are the hope that will lead me home. I'll come back."

"I love you." She replied.

"I gotta go." I smiled at the rest of my family and looked to Four. He offered me his hand. Taking it, we ran from the house. "Erudite?"

"Yeah."

"Do we have time?"

"I don't know."

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

"To get the others and then we have to play Amity."

"That's the plan?" I frowned at him. "Did Tris get the drive and the gun?"

"That's where she was headed. And many had to change."

I was re-wearing my embroidered skirt with an orange shirt and sandals. I was about as Amity as you can get. Asking if I could have a red scarf from one of the Amity, she obliged, and I quickly draped it over my head. My hair was a dead giveaway and despite the thinness of the fabric it was wide and dark enough to obscure it. Tobias was wearing a red collared shirt and a pair of jeans that are fraying at the knee. He looked ridiculous but Amity enough. Joining the others at the dormitory, Tris was also wearing red. It's supposed to symbolize brightness and kindness but to me it's the color of blood. The first feeling of fear started to seep into me. But also excitement. If Eric is here I could at least be able to see him again.

"Here." Susan, a girl I don't know but has been lingering with our group, handed me a red blanket. "Your arm." She says pointing at my tattoo.

"Shit. Thanks." I told her. I was so used to it I hadn't even thought about it.

"You're welcome." She smiled.

Abnegation. I think to myself.

I'd barely got it in place when the Erudite cars pull up to the compound. There are five of them, all silver with black roofs. Their engines seem to purr as the wheels bump over uneven ground. We move just inside the building, in an attempt to keep out of sight. We weren't moving until we were ready to. The cars all pull to a stop, and the doors pop open, revealing at least five men and women in Erudite blue.

And about fifteen in Dauntless black.

When the Dauntless come closer, we can see strips of blue fabric wrapped around their arms that can only signify their allegiance to Erudite. The faction that enslaved their minds. Four took Tris' hand and gripped my wrist, pulling me away from the door and into the dormitory. My eyes were searching but I didn't see him. Maybe he hadn't even come.

"I didn't think our faction would be that stupid." He told us. "You have the gun, right?"

"Yes." Tris replied. "But there's no guarantee I can fire it with any accuracy with my left hand."

"You should work on that." He states matter-of-factly. Always an instructor.

"I will." She replied. Seeing a shiver run through her as she adds, "If we live."

"Okay, play Amity." I say softly, skipping every few steps with a big grin on my face.

A bell sounds, once, twice, three times. It is a summons to the dining hall where the Amity gather for less formal occasions than the meeting we attended. We join the crowd of Abnegation-turned-Amity.

"Tell the kids to play tag." Tris told Susan.

"Tag?" She replied.

"That's a good idea." I nodded at Tris.

"They're acting respectful and…Stiff." I can hear the cringe she makes afterward, knowing what the nickname means to her. "And Amity kids would be causing a ruckus. Just do it, okay?"

In the next moment the kids are running down the hallway, dodging Amity feet and yelling, "I touched you!" "You're it!" "No, that was my sleeve!"

Susan shrieks with laughter while I continue to walk along skipping with a stupid grin on my face, pretending to talk to Four and laugh every once in a while. We catch up to the Amity in front of us as we cross the courtyard to the dining hall and disperse among them. I manage to find Maggie, sitting next to her while keeping the others in my line of sight. A pair of Dauntless traitors stand by the door to the dining hall, their guns in hand, putting me on edge. Maggie didn't say anything but smiled and giggled at my side.

Tobias was sitting across from Tris a few tables down while Susan sat with her. Peter and Caleb are a few seats down from them. Suddenly feeling like I was too far away from them, I jerked as if to get up, trying to quiet myself, bowing my head and muttering to myself that I'd be okay. But if we were forced to make a run for it, I'd be easily singled out because I'm so far away from the others.

Tensing, Maggie gripped my hand. "It's going to be all right. Stay calm. If I need to run a diversion, I will." I nodded, unable to trust my voice right now. "You gotta smile or you'll look suspicious." She said and gripped me behind my knee, making me shriek and a smile cross my face.

"Thank you." I whispered to her.

Finally Johanna walked in with an Erudite woman. Her bright blue shirt seemed to glow against her skin, which is dark brown. Her eyes are searching the room as she spoke to Johanna. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly, trying not to shake with fear and anticipation. I feel like a loaded spring, ready to move if I have to. The energy to hold still was starting to make me anxious, my eyes darting between my people and the traitors.

"Our Erudite and Dauntless friends are looking for some people." Johanna called over the crowd. "Several members of Abnegation, four members of Dauntless, and a former Erudite initiate." She's smiling, making my heart start to race. "In the interest of full cooperation, I told them that the people they were looking for were, in fact, here, but have since moved on. They would like permission to search the premises, which means we have to vote. Does anyone object to a search?"

The tension in her voice suggests that if anyone does object, they should keep their mouth shut. Taking another deep breath, letting it out slowly, my knee is bouncing so bad I'm afraid they'll see. Some of my anxiety starts to ebb as no one says anything. Johanna nodded to the Erudite woman.

"Three of you stick around." The woman told the Dauntless guards clustered by the entrance. "The rest of you, search all the buildings and report back if you find anything. Go."

For a long moment I feel myself calming. I haven't left anything that they would be able to find to prove our presence here. But then my stomach dropped and my heart started to race. "My sketches." I whispered to Maggie, feeling the color drain from my face.

"I hid them. They'd have to be extremely thorough to find them." She whispered back. I nodded, already calming. "It's going to be okay."

Looking at Four and the others, I see a Dauntless soldier moving toward him. My heart started to race again. I would have lurched toward him if Maggie hadn't kept me still. She subtly shook her head, repositioning the scarf so my hair was fully covered.

"Your hair is pretty short for an Amity." The female soldier told Tobias.

"It's hot." He replied.

The excuse might've work if he knew how to deliver it, but he said it with a snap. She stretched out her hand and with her index finger; she pulled back the collar of his shirt to see his tattoo. And then Four moved. He grabbed the woman's wrist, yanking her forward so she lost her balance. She hit her head against the edge of the table and fell. Across the room, a gun goes off, someone screams, and everyone dives under the tables or crouches next to the benches.

But instead of diving, I'm on my feet, rushing toward him. Maggie is yelling my name, but she can't stop me. Not now. I watched Four grab the Dauntless woman by the back of her neck and wrenched her to her feet. He has her gun, using her to shield him as he fires over her right shoulder at the Dauntless soldier across the room.

"Tris!" He shouted. "A little help here?"

She's just sitting there. She started to move for her gun but she can't grip it. Rushing behind her, I pulled the weapon free, shooting the Dauntless man at the end of the aisle, his own gun drawn and aimed at us. He barely had time to scream before he fell dead to the ground.

Four still had the Dauntless woman by the throat, his gun now trained on her. "Say another word and I'll shoot." He shot at her. The Erudite woman's mouth is open, but she doesn't speak. "Whoever's with us should start running." Tobias called, his voice filling the room.

All at once, the Abnegation rise from their places under tables and benches, and start toward the door. I still have the gun up, my back against Four's. I watch Caleb pull Tris up from the bench and start toward the door. As they walk, Tris suddenly dived and a shot filled the air. The Erudite woman had concealed a small gun. My gun is now on her.

"Put the gun down." Four ordered, pointing his revolver at her as well. "I have very good aim, hers is better, and I'm betting that you don't."

The Erudite woman dropped her gun. Together Peter and Tris walk toward the door. Four and I follow, walking backward so we can keep our guns on the Erudite woman. Moving my eyes to where my family was, I smiled and nodded at them. My mother was crying, as well as Maggie, but both forced a smile for me. My father had a set jaw but he smiled as well and nodded at me. Moving backward until I was past the threshold, Four was just ahead of me, slamming the door between us and her at the last second. Turning, we all froze, another truck had arrived and five Dauntless were standing in front of us with guns raised.

My breath caught and my gun lowered, "Eric."

His eyes were locked on me. His face contorted with the struggle of what to do. He knows what he should do but he's fighting it with everything in him. Staring at him, it takes all of me not to rush to him, throw my arms around his neck and kiss him with all the pent up passion I have for him.

"Eric." I said again, seeing his muscles start to relax.

Then he tensed and turned, shooting the Dauntless closest to him. Four and I fired as well, dropping the other three before they can let off a shot. There's a long moment when no one does anything. Then I lower my gun and smile at Eric.

"Run." He told us, lowering his gun. The others don't have to be told twice, taking off down the path through the orchard. I didn't follow. Rushing to him, I threw my arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. "Go." He told me, pain in his voice as he gripped me tightly. "Pen, you need to go." He said with his hand against my face, before he gently pushed me away from him. "Run." Staring at him, I took his head in my hands, kissing him passionately as I snaked one arm around his neck as the other found his face. It felt so good to touch him again. "Pen."

My name had never sounded so good. Staring into those beautiful blue of his eyes, I kissed him once more, slow and deep. Then I smiled at him, running my thumb across his lips. "I love you too." Then I released him and broke into a run.

Now there is the sound of yelling and shots are being fired. I can hear Eric's voice, looking over my shoulder to see him once more. His gun was up and pointed at me but I knew it was just a diversion to save face. A bullet flew past me. Meeting his eyes, he gave me a subtle nod, giving me a small smile. Giving one in return, I see him pull the trigger again, only then everything went black.