A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but I'm back! From this point onwards, my stories will be updated regularly and at least once or twice a week. Sorry for the short chapter, but things are going to change starting from now. The plot will roughly follow the same outline as the original one, but Four's influence will change many things... I hope you're ready...

Eric stands at the edge of the mat, idly twisting one of the many metal rings in his eyebrow. He doesn't care about any of them. He's enjoying this.

I clear my throat as I walk over towards the group of initiates. They all stand in silence around the outside of the mat, none of them daring to speak. Christina's eyes are wide, and Tris' hands are clenched into fists at her side. Last time, Al had beaten Will with ease. What had happened differently this time?

Eric's eyes flicker to mine for the briefest of instants before he looks away. A smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth, and the sunlight reflects off the many piercings in his face. He thinks he's won, I realise with a start. He still thinks he's better than me.

I grit my teeth and turn my back on Eric. If he keeps looking at me the way he is right now, I'll snap.

I busy myself with straightening the punching bags and mats as Eric introduces the first two fighters; Tris and Edward.

"No," I hiss between clenched teeth. My muscles go rigid and my breath catches in my throat as I try to regain my composure. "No."

"What did you say?" Eric's voice is dangerously soft and barely above a whisper.

I turn slowly, my arms tense against my sides, and look him in the eye. "I said no."

"You don't have a say in the matter." Eric reaches for the stick of chalk and scribbles down Tris' name in the empty space next to Edward's on the score board. "I have the authority here. Not you."

I lean against the door frame in what anybody would think to be a casual way and shrug my shoulders. "Ok," I say, nodding my head, "but I don't think Max would approve. A true Dauntless wouldn't take pride in forcing a skilled soldier to fight a… less able one."

I instantly regret the words the moment they leave my mouth. My eyes flick to Tris'. Her expression is guarded, though I can see the hurt in her eyes as the blood rushes to her cheeks when a dozen pairs of eyes turn to her. Eric thinks she's weak, and that's her advantage. I can't slip up now and let Eric see my true intentions towards her.

Eric's eyes narrow, but he doesn't say another word. He pulls his jacket over his hand and rubs Tris' name from the blackboard, filling the now empty space with Peter's name instead. I take a deep breath. Tris is safe for now, but for how long? Eric is already getting suspicious, and the Erudite part of him won't give up until he knows the truth.

The room falls silent as Eric addresses the group, and the fights begin.

I trudge to my apartment well past dinner time. The initiates were dismissed hours ago, but I was forced to stay behind and put away all of the equipment. The dark corridors are eerily quiet as I pass through, but strangely, it doesn't bother me; my mind is too preoccupied.

I pause at the entrance to the Pit. It is strangely vacant, apart from those who are huddled around the bar with a bottle in their hand, talking quietly among themselves. After much deliberation, I turn, heading down the small, rocky path leading to the river. Very few people know about this place. I come here when I need to clear my head.

The water rushes over the jagged rocks, the violent current smashing against the side of the huge boulders. I squat at the edge of the river, putting my bruised and bloodied knuckles into the cold water. Today's events still seem like a bad dream. I don't usually lose my temper so easily, but if anything, today showed me that I can't pretend not to know her. I can't treat her the same I do the other initiates. She means too much to me to simply block her out.

Cautious footsteps treading down the path behind me cause me to look up. I hurriedly pull my hands from the water and tuck them into the pockets of my jacket as I stand, leaning casually against the side of a huge rock.

The shadow walks straight past me, unaware of my presence, heading straight towards the river.

I step from the shadows and clear my throat. "You're not going to jump, are you?"

The figure turns around, stumbling slightly as the heel of their foot slips from the edge of the rock. They quickly regain their balance. "Why do you care? I'm less able than everybody else. Nobody wants me here."

Her voice rises slightly as she finishes her sentence. She takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

I shake my head, a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Yes, you did." I run a hand through my hair, leaning back against the rock. "I guess I deserved it, though."

Tris tries to smile, but it looks forced, unnatural. "I'm still sorry." The raven tattoo gleams under the light, the three birds on a path of flight towards her heart. I almost smile. Almost.

Sorry for the abrupt ending, but it was needed for what happens next... Prepare yourselves...