Hey guys! I'm so sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. It isn't that long as well. I was just struggling really hard with this one.

I hope you like it! Please read and review - there's nothing better than waking up to another review!

And while you wait for the next chapter, feel free to check the oneshots I posted a while ago ;)

A huge thanks to Sarahliz1624 for being my awesome beta!

Title: Secrets That We Share - Chapter 4

Rating: T (M overall)

Word count for this part: 1,745

Secrets That We Share

Chapter 4: FIGHTS

In my dream I see my mother smiling at me. She looks much younger than she really is – around her twenties, I assume. Her eyes are warm with affection and her hand is reaching for me.

I've been missing her so much since I left and my eyes fill with tears as I reach my arm forward. I want to touch her, to hug her again.

But when I finally reach her she disappears and my dad is there instead. He spreads his arms, as if telling me to wrap mine around him. He doesn't seem to be angry with me for leaving Abnegation.

The moment the thought crosses my mind his figure disappears just like mother's did and I stumble forward.

A strong hand grabs me and steadies me. I turn around to see Tobias, his face is gentle and kind and his eyes are piercing mine. He lets go of my hand and he isn't spreading his arms for me, but something in his stance tells me he invites me to hug him; maybe the way he slightly leans towards me or the barely noticeable smile showing in the corners of his mouth.

I reach my hand forward but stop midway to him. "You will disappear as well," I whisper.

He shakes his head. "Never again."

So I take a step forward and wrap my arms tightly around him. I inhale his familiar scent and let myself get lost between his long, muscular arms.

~8~

"Come on, Stiff! That's pathetic!"

When I look up from the ground, all I see is black. It stays like that for a few moments and then I see the ceiling of the training room. I clench my teeth while I get up and try to find balance. Every single part of my body hurts from being hit over the last week. When I take my place besides Christina, I'm not angry about being called "Stiff" again. Surprisingly, the only thing my brain seems to be able to process is how accurate the word is in my current situation.

In the end of the day Eric leaves and Four stays behind. "Tomorrow will be the last day of the first stage. I'm going to write your rankings on the board. Tomorrow will be your last chance to change it, so sleep well and be ready. Some of you will be gone after dinner tomorrow."

I hope I only imagine his eyes lingering on me, but I know better. I have won only two fights so far – once against Al, who wasn't even trying, and one against Myra, who was the only one weaker than me.

He turns around and uses his chalk to write on the green board.

1. Edward

I'm not surprised. Will tells us Edward has been taking lessons ever since he was ten years old, and we've never seen him lose a fight.

2. Peter

I hate Peter, but I can't say he didn't win this spot. He is strong, scary and powerful.

3. Molly

4. Christina

5. Will

6. Drew

7. Tris

8. Al

9. Myra

Christina squeezes my hand, trying to comfort me. Unless two of the Dauntless-born initiates are worse than me, I'll be leaving tomorrow.

I remember the factionless people I used to see on my way home from school every day. I can't allow myself to become like them – I can't stink of trash cans and count on the good hearts of Abnegation people in order to get food and clothes. I can't live in the streets without a home, without a family.

I have to become Dauntless.

I have to.

~8~

I step out of the shower and sit on my bed. My hair is still damp and I like the refreshing feeling of it after the long day. I try not to think about the ranking, not to see this evening as my last one in Dauntless, but the thoughts fill my mind.

What will I do if I become factionless? Will my parents accept me back at home or will they let me live in the streets like the others? Will I become one of those smelly, grumpy, terrifying people, or stay the way I am, only without a faction?

The thought of losing everything and everyone makes me shiver uncontrollably, and that's when Molly decides to interrupt my thinking. "Trying to decide what to do tomorrow when you're no longer an initiate?" she asks.

We're alone in the room and as much as I hate depending on other people, I wish Christina or Will were here. "Shut up, Molly."

She sits next to me on my bed. "I don't think you need to worry. Factionless people are no different from Abnegation in most people's eyes: we hate them both."

I grit my teeth, feeling the anger spreading inside me. "I don't care what you have to say, so shut up."

She shrugs. "You know, on the first day of initiation when you jumped off that roof I thought there might be something special in you, but you proved me wrong. You're just another Stiff who thought she was worth something. But you're not."

I say nothing. I know my face is red and I can feel my eyes fill with tears, but I say nothing because maybe she's right. Maybe I am no better than the others, maybe I don't belong here. Maybe I did make the wrong decision when I chose Dauntless.

"Why did you come here, anyway?" she continues. Either she's too dense to sense my fury, or she doesn't care. "Did your parents abuse you? I remember your brother transferred as well, and everyone in Candor knows Abnegation parents use physical punishments on their children."

I look up and fix my gaze on her. "What did you say?" My voice is quiet, and I think I've never sounded so intimidating. Molly can go on as much as she likes about me, but I won't let her talk about my family like that.

"Yeah, that day before the choosing ceremony there was an article in the newspaper, claiming that Abnegation guy, Martin Eaton or something like that, used to abuse his son and that was why he left the faction. Probably he was a coward who couldn't stand up to his father."

I stand up. My hands are shaking by my sides, my vision is blurry – whether in anger or in craziness, I don't care – and my mouth is a thin line on my face. In a swift movement I take my arm back, my fingers in a fist, and throw a punch to the corner of her mouth.

"Shut up!" I scream. "My parents are amazing people! They are good people, they are kind, and they have never – never – laid their hands on my brother and me!"

Tears form in Molly's eyes as she brings he hands up to cover her mouth, and I see some blood behind them. I don't care. "And don't ever talk about Tobias Eaton! He was the bravest person I've ever known! He was ten times braver than anyone in this faction! So shut your dirty mouth and don't ever talk about my family or my boyfriend again!"

"Your boyfri-"

"What's going on?"

We both turn to look at Christina and Will who stand at the door. They look confused; their gazes switch between me and Molly.

"Nothing!" I snap before exiting the room. I need to be alone.

I don't know where my feet are taking me until I'm in front of the training room door. I stare at the dark wood for what seems like forever before I push it open and enter the room. Although no one has told us we cannot use the training room outside of training hours, I feel like I'm trespassing as I make my way towards the boxing bags.

I hit the bag in front of me for such a long time my fingers start bleeding, but I can't make it move. Frustration takes over me and I try harder, kicking the leather and punching it with all I've got, but it doesn't move.

At some point I realize I'm crying, and I don't know if it's because I'm angry, or frustrated, or scared. Maybe it's a combination of all of them.

"Mom," I cry as I throw another punch, the friction between my skin and the bag causing it to feel as if it's burning. "I miss you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"You're doing it wrong."

"What are you doing here?" My voice sounds empty even to my own ears.

I hear footsteps and then Tobias wraps his arms around me from the back. Maybe it's because I'm so tired from being angry, but I don't object. He sways me a little, like a mother trying to calm her crying baby down.

"You can't be factionless," he says. "You can't leave me again, Beatrice."

I stiffen. "I didn't leave you, Four. You left me." I release myself from him and turn to face him.

"You have to stay," he whispers. "I can't lose you again. I won't lose you."

For the first time since I've come to the Dauntless compound I see him lets all his walls down. His face looks vulnerable, his eyes bright with tears. "What did you mean when you said I was doing it wrong?"

He looks at the bag behind me. "With your size you must use your elbows and knees. Developing enough strength to beat someone using only punches and kicks will take you months of training." He takes my arm in his and folds it so my elbow is pointed in the direction of the bag. "Reaching your entire arm forward requires more energy than doing it with only half of it, so if you use the same strength while doing it, you'll increase the power." He plays with my arm while speaking, showing me what he means.

I nod and try his advice. When he takes a step back I start fighting against the boxing bag again, this time using my elbows and knees as well. It doesn't take me a long time to move it.

I stop and look at him. "I want to fight Molly tomorrow."

"Why?"

"She said things."

Our eyes stay locked for a long time before he nods and turns to leave the room. "Don't lose, Beatrice."

"My name is Tris," I call after him.