Chapter Three: Steady As She Goes
Sitting in bed, facing the headboard, the sun had been down for hours. Eric lay sleeping soundly, but I couldn't fall asleep. My mind was alive with this new mission Four had gotten me into, the reason he stormed off afterward, and what had been said and done since then. Sighing, I forcefully ran my fingers through my hair, trying not to rock the bed too much as I got off of it. Looking at Eric, he hadn't moved.
Grabbing one of his shirts, I slipped it over my tank. I wasn't cold; I just wanted to have his scent near me. Burying my face in the neck of it, I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath. It smelled like his cologne. He'd been wearing it more since we'd left home. He must have packed it when we left Dauntless. He'd packed more than I had thought he had. Not having noticed since it hadn't been long before he disappeared and all hell broke loose.
Picking up one of his books next, I smiled as I flipped through the pages. For being Erudite, he didn't read to gain knowledge like one would think. He read for the enjoyment of it. To escape into another world. To relieve some of the stress of the real world. I hadn't done a lot of extracurricular reading, but I did enjoy the few times where he read out loud to me. It had started since we'd been here and I had hoped it would become a habit for us. So when he asked me what was normal for us I could add that to the list.
Putting it back down, I stepped up to the window, looking out over the city. It was an odd feeling to know that we were all basically factionless now. Something that used to terrify me and now I was honestly not too upset about it. I just hoped that when this was all over people would still want tattoos and would still need me to help patch them up. I was all for the idea that Evelyn had in her head. I was simply worried about the execution of whatever plan she had in mind. I wanted a place to call home and a life that was worth living. Out from under the control of anyone. I get authority and leadership. I just hoped that we would end up with someone who was looking out for the best of everyone and not just themselves.
Turning back to Eric, I smiled, imagining the life I wanted to have with him. Remembering the day I met him. My first day in Dauntless, he was already a leader and in charge of showing us our new home. It went down a lot like it did when Tris arrived, only he was more malicious. Thinking back on that day, something finally clicked in my brain. The moments when I caught him looking at me, thinking it was just because I was new. After our resurrection and we were reunited, he told me that he'd known we'd end up like this. Together. I thought he was crazy when he told me and I still thought he was a bit crazy now. He was the last thing I expected and yet he told me that I was all that he'd wanted. He surprised me every single day.
Going to my bag of things, I pulled out my sketchbook. Having packed it from home, I opened to a blank page, sharpening my pencil. Pulling the desk chair to the window, I put my feet up on the metal ledge that connected the windows. Hunkering down, my pencil hovered over the paper for just a moment before I made the first line. With it also came the relief I'd been looking for. The calming effect was almost immediate as the people I loved started to come to life. Like the book I had left in Amity – with Maggie – my life started to appear on these pages. Where Eric read, I drew, and together we made one hell of a story.
"Baby?" Eric's voice said softly, breaking the night's silence.
"Just one sec, baby." I replied just as softly.
He waited literally one second before I heard his feet hit the tiled floor, making their way over to me. Smiling as his arm wrapped around my neck, he pressed his lips against it. He was far too distracting for me to keep drawing, making me lower my pencil and turn my head toward him, pressing a kiss against his temple.
"I didn't wake you, did I?" I asked him.
"No." He replied, resting his chin on my shoulder as he looked down at the paper. "I don't sleep well without you in bed with me."
"Even though I'm still in the same room?" I smiled at him.
"Not the same as being able to reach out and touch you." He replied, his lips once again finding my neck.
"When did you get so sentimental?" I asked as a shudder moved through me.
"When I met you." He replied.
Opening my mouth to reply, I didn't get the opportunity before he had me in his arms, the book and pencil falling to the floor. He kicked the chair out of the way and carried me back to the bed. He put one knee on the edge of it, gently lowering both of us down on top of it. He pressed himself against me as he kissed me passionately. Gripping the base of his shirt, I pulled it up, sliding my hand underneath it so I could feel his skin. Slipping my fingers into the waistband of his pants, he groaned against my mouth, his tongue slipping into it, taking my breath away. But as quickly as he started, he stopped, rolling off of me.
"Hey." I frowned, propping myself up and looking down at him. "It was just getting to the good part."
"Yeah." He frowned.
Now I was worried. "What is it?" He didn't say anything; he simply rolled out of bed and picked up my sketchbook and pencil from the floor, coming back to bed. "Baby."
"I know I just ruined the mood, but I want to look at this." He replied.
"You've seen it before." I replied, moving against him, wrapping my arm around him as he turned it to the beginning.
"I've seen your sketches for the Parlor." He clarified. "It's what comes after them that I haven't seen."
"You're going to call me creepy again." I smirked, pressing a kiss against his shoulder.
He furrowed his brows at me before flipping through the pages. Once he got to the ones of him, he continued to flip and I almost felt embarrassed as his face kept appearing over and over and over again. I actually had to look away, lying on my side, wrapping myself around him. I half expected him to leave me right here right now. Only he leaned against me, making small noises here and there.
He must have reached the end since he set the book aside and turned his torso, putting his arm on the other side of me. I buried my face into his side, unable to look at him. Gently pushing me onto my back, he rested his chest on top of me. Meeting his eyes, a blush filled my cheeks as he stared at me.
"Say something." I told him, running my hand up and down his arm.
He just looked at me before smiling at me fondly. "I love you, woman."
Smiling, I put my hand on the back of his neck, pulling him down to me, kissing him passionately. "I love you, Eric." I replied. "You are my most favorite person."
"And you're mine." He replied and kissed me again.
"So me being slightly obsessed with you doesn't creep you out or anything?"
He furrowed his brows, "Of course not."
"Good."
"If I could draw like you, I'd have portraits of you everywhere." He added with his lips against mine.
Laughing, I wrapped my arms around him, brushing my nose against his. "Can we get back to the good part now?"
In response he pulled both his shirt and mine from me, my pants following. For a moment he took in my naked body, his fingers running down between my breasts before cupping one in his hand. His lips found the other, taking my nipple between his teeth. My heart was already pounding, wet with anticipation for what came next.
As always, he did not disappoint.
Come morning, our bed was a mess, a pillow had been torn open, and I was lying on my stomach on Eric's back. He was very comfortable. Grinning, I pressed my lips between his shoulder blades, placing a long kiss against him. He moaned happily as I ran my hands along his arms, lacing my fingers with his.
"I'd have to call that one of our best night's yet." He grinned as he brought my hands underneath his head. Grinning back, I pressed another kiss against his skin, my tongue touching him as I took a deep inhale of him. "Keep that up and I'm never leaving this bed."
"Maybe that's my plan." I replied trailing kisses up his spine to his neck. Taking his earlobe between my teeth, I breathed against his ear, whispering to him, "Who knows what I might do to you."
Grinning again as I felt him quiver, he threw me off his back, moving over me. "You should be more concerned about what I'm going to do with you."
"God I love you." I breathed with his lips against mine.
"I love you."
Then the door burst open. "Lots of love in here."
"Claude!" I yelled in an attempt to cover us. Failing horribly, she stood with her hands on her hips, grinning at us. "Why do I bother?" I said exasperatingly. Eric laughed, his lips finding my neck. "It's not funny."
"I think she's kind of cute when she does this." He replied, gently biting my neck.
"No she's not." I frowned at him, shoving him away from me. His laughter followed me as I rolled out of bed, facing her, my sister in every way but in blood, naked and exposed. "There, are you happy now?" I frowned at her with my hands on my hips.
"Yeah, Claude, are you happy?" Eric said standing next to me.
"Eric!" I exclaimed, grabbing the sheet and wrapping it around his waist.
He frowned down at me, "You do remember that she favors women over men, right?"
Freezing, I felt my cheeks flush and I took the sheet from him and wrapped it around myself. "You have a point." Claude burst with laughter, grinning, and winking at me. Eric's laughter joined hers. The sound was like music to my ears, making me join them. "Yeah, laugh it up." Eric wrapped his arms around me, his lips in my hair. "What can we do for you?" I asked her as I ran my fingers up and down his arm.
"Some company for starters." She replied.
"Where's Terra?" Eric asked.
"She's decided to take part in the training that Evelyn has the Dauntless putting on for the Factionless." She sighed.
"And you didn't want to be with her?" Eric frowned.
"That is odd of you." I frowned as well. "You're as obsessed with her as I am with him. Seems to me that you wouldn't want to leave her alone. Especially with everything that's been going on."
She narrowed her eyes at us. "You two are awfully chipper considering everything that has been going on."
Eric grinned at her, "We had a good night."
Claude raised a brow at him, crossing her arms, "Then you both should have worked up an appetite. Let's go."
We both sighed, Eric being the first to move to put clothes on. I watched him get dressed, staring at the contours of his body, letting a moan escape me. Then the back of my head was hit and I frowned at Claude who was glaring back at me. Getting dressed, the three of us left together, making our way toward the cafeteria. We'd eaten pretty well since we'd been here. It was one of the perks. As well as being an object of wanting for Evelyn. That's why Eric and I had our nice little room with the nice view. I was being buttered up for a position I was never going to take.
We had barely entered the room when I was torn off my feet, being tossed over Henry's shoulder and spun before he basically dropped me onto the floor. Laughing, he helped me back to my feet, though Eric was frowning as he took my waist, keeping me close to him as we grabbed our oatmeal with a sprinkle of brown sugar and our mug of coffee before we found a seat.
"Opie." Four said pressing a kiss into my hair as he sat down.
"Hey, handsome." I smiled. "How've you been?"
"I'm okay." He said returning a weak smile.
Running my fingers through his hair, missing Eric's, I kissed his temple as he sighed. "What's bothering you?"
"Something's going on." He replied softly.
"What is it?" Eric asked.
Four looked around us before replying, "Evelyn is planning something."
"We knew that." I frowned at him. "What's changed?"
"Baby." Eric said as a manner of shushing me.
"What?" I frowned at him.
He kissed me sweetly, "Please be quiet."
I went from a three to an eight before I managed to bring myself back down, glaring at him, but kept my mouth shut. Motioning to Four, he smiled, looking at Eric before winking at me.
"After we met with her, I lingered."
"You stormed off." I frowned.
He just shook his head.
"And?" Eric asked with anxiousness.
"And she's going to be putting on some sort of demonstration."
My spoon fell and I had suddenly lost my appetite. "I thought she wasn't going to be playing around with any simulations."
"I don't think she is." He replied. "This is something else."
Shoving the food away from me, I slouched in my chair, picking at an imperfection in the table. "Do you know what the demonstration is?"
"No." Four replied softly.
Eric put his fingers against my forearm, trailing them up and down it. "It's okay." He told me.
"The last demonstration I was a part of consisted of serum being repeatedly pumped into my system." I told them, starting to feel detached. Pushing the chair back, I quickly stood and moved away from them. "I'm not doing it again."
"Pen." Eric said softly as he was following me.
"No." I said moving faster.
"Opie." Four said appearing in front of me.
My ears were pounding and I felt like I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. "No."
"Baby." Eric said wrapping his arm around my stomach. "Just calm down."
"No." I repeated.
Before anything else could be said, there was shouting. Looking up at Eric, he was looking at Four, tightly gripping my hand as we moved toward the sound. Pushing our way past anyone who got in our way, we moved into the lobby of Erudite headquarters. For a second my eyes fell on the remaining shreds on the floor that used to be the portrait of Jeanine.
There was a group of factionless gathered outside in the middle of Michigan Avenue. The partially clouded sky made a haze settle over everyone. Something that felt extremely foreboding. Like something horrible was about to happen.
"Death to the factions!" Someone shouted.
Others joined in until the phrase surrounded us. Fists were in the air like excitable Dauntless, something we were all familiar with. Only there is no excitement in their tones. They're angry.
"The demonstration." I whispered, leaning into Eric's side, hugging his arm.
Keeping close to his side, he followed Four as he pushed through the middle of the group. When we finally made it through, we saw them all gathered around the huge, man-sized faction bowls from the Choosing Ceremony. They were turned onto their sides, their contents spilling across the road, coals and glass and stone and earth and water all mingling together.
"What are you doing?" I asked attempting to move forward only Eric stopped me. Phantom pain moved through my palm where I'd cut it the day I chose Dauntless. "Stop it!" Then I spot Edward, shards of glass ground to dust beneath his heel, a sledgehammer held above his head. "Ed!" I yelled, attempting to move to him only to have Eric hold me back again. He brought it down, coal dust rising into the air. "What is happening?"
The crowd was growing by the second. Only not just with factionless wearing black armbands with empty white circles on them, but with people from every former faction, their arms bare. An Erudite man burst free from the crowd just as Edward pulled back the sledgehammer for another swing. The man attempted to stop him, gripping the handle of the hammer. For a moment I see ink smudged on his hands. Then they were pushing against each other, fighting for control.
Pulling free of Eric's grip, I rushed forward, too late to stop Edward from pulling the sledgehammer from the man's grip. He swung it, connecting with the man's shoulder at full force. I could hear the bone crack.
He screamed and for a moment the whole room went silent as if everyone inhaled at the same time. Then the crowd exploded, everyone running toward the bowls, toward Edward, toward the Erudite man. I reached Edward first, gripping his wrist and shoulder. He reacted by swinging the sledgehammer, putting me off balance, pain searing through my shoulder blade as I fell to my knees.
Before I could recover, bodies started colliding everywhere. Yelling as they all started to fight each other. A foot found my stomach, momentarily lifting me off the ground. Scrambling to the side, I got to my feet, ducking underneath an arm before a fist found my cheekbone. Anger started to boil and I swiftly gripped a shoulder, punching them as hard as I could. I wasn't even looking at faces as the fight started to heat up. Backhanding another with a closed fist, I gripped the back of another's neck, bringing their face into my knee before shoving them to the floor.
Hearing Eric's feral yell, I spun to see him taking on two, clearly enjoying the fight as much as I was. I couldn't deny that I wasn't enjoying myself. Two more fell before I turned, seeing Four going for Edward. Moving toward them, I was engaged in multiple hand to hand encounters before I reached them, gripping Edward's shoulder.
Then a gun went off. Three shots total.
Falling to the floor, I wasn't sure what had just happened. People were still moving, only now they were scattering, running from the threat of bullets. My hand was still on Edward, only now there is warmth running underneath it.
"Ed." I said getting to my hands and knees.
"Pen!" Eric's voice was yelling.
Looking up, he was rushing toward me, seeing the red on my hand as I looked at it. My eyes fell on Edward. The bullet had hit his gut, blood pooling underneath him. Putting my hand over his wound, I put pressure against it, already seeing him pale.
"Ed, you're gonna be okay." I told him. "You're gonna be okay." His remaining eye was moving back and forth behind his eyelid. Putting my hand against his face, I stared at him, "Stay with me, Edward. You don't get to die. Not like this."
"We have to get him to the hospital." Four said dropping at his other side.
"Pen." Eric said wrapping his arm around me as he fell to his knees next to me. "Are you hurt?"
"I don't know." I told him, shaking my head. "I don't think so."
Four's eyes moved over his shoulder to where Tris was kneeling next to the Erudite man. "Is he…?"
Jerking my head toward her, her fingers are against his throat; her eyes are wide and empty. I knew the answer she was going to give. Shaking her head, it was confirmation of his death. Lifting up Edward's shirt, I look at the exterior damage. Shaking started to take over. Why was there always so much blood?
"We have to go." Tris said looking at Four.
Something passed between them. He repeated her words. Something had just been decided. But I couldn't care about that right now. Not while Edward was bleeding out in between us.
"Help me." I told Four before looking at Eric.
He nodded and between the four of us, we carried Edward to the makeshift hospital. His lack of screaming wasn't reassuring. The smell of chemicals hit my nose and for a second I had to fight a sense of nausea. We were soon swarmed by nurses and then the doctor who treated Tori.
"Doc!" I exclaimed, my hands still trying to keep Edward's blood in his body.
"I'm starting to feel like trouble follows you." She smiled at me before her smile disappeared. "What do we got?"
"Single gunshot wound to the abdomen. Heavy blood loss. Unresponsive." I told her.
She started to take in his wound. "Okay." She nodded. "We have nurses here, Kid. Let us take care of him." For a long moment I held her eyes, a nurse on either side of me ready to replace my hands with theirs. "Kid, we've got this."
"It's just…" I started and stopped.
"I know." She nodded. "I've read your reports. I'm confident you've done all you can." She put her hand on my wrist. "Let us take it from here."
Finally nodding, I stepped back. Hands were on my arms and I was gently led away from Edward and the entire scene. Looking up at Eric, he sighed, and for a moment I couldn't breathe. Shaking my head, he stopped and wrapped me in his arms. Curling my hands into fists, I attempted to keep the spreading of blood minimal. Burying my face in his chest, I couldn't help the sobs that escaped me.
He let me calm down, before gently pulling me away from him, cupping my face in his hands. He smiled at me sweetly, "I'm still not a fan of the tears."
Laughing lightly, I nodded, "I know. Me neither."
"Let's get you cleaned up." He said pressing a kiss against my forehead.
Nodding, we made our way to the elevators, seeing Four sitting near them. "Four?" I said getting no response from him. "Tobias?" I said putting my hand against his shoulder. He jumped, looking up at me with a frown. "Hey, it's okay." I told him softly.
He shook his head, looking at Eric, "She planned this."
Eric squatted, keeping his balance with his forearms on his knees, lacing his fingers in between them. "What do you mean?"
"I mean she did this on purpose." Four repeated, his anger boiling. "She planned for a fight to break out. She knew it would get out of control. She needed to make a big statement about the factions, without caring about the consequences."
Knowing he was right, neither of us had time to respond when the elevator doors opened and Evelyn burst out of them. "Tobias!"
She rushed toward us, swiftly taking Four's hands in hers. His hands have as much blood on them as mine did. It was kind of nice to have someone else carry the burden of blood with me. And Evelyn actually looked concerned for her son. I almost believed her.
"Are you hurt?" She asked him.
"The blood is Edward's. I helped carry him here." He told her.
Then my wrist was grabbed, making me jump as my hand was jerked palm up, "Are you?" She asked.
"No." I said jerking my hand out of her grip. "It's Edward's."
"How is he?" She asked.
Four shook his head, "Dead."
Taking a deep breath, I felt tears start to brim. I actually felt sorry for Evelyn. She shrunk back, letting go of Four as she sat on one of the chairs. Edward had been her right hand man since he was forced out of Dauntless initiation. She had helped make him the man he was. He might have been rough around the edges but he was a good guy. He shouldn't have died this way. Tears are actually glistening in her eyes. Her fingers were trembling and I didn't know what I was doing until I was doing it, kneeling in front of her, taking her hands in mine.
Four looked at me before looking at his mother. "I'm sorry." Meeting his eyes, I gave him a sympathetic look. "Why didn't you tell me about the demonstration?"
She shook her head, "I didn't know about it."
She didn't know? She was lying. Then I couldn't help but think that if she knew about it, maybe it was done to attempt to force me or Four into the position. Feeling anger start to fill me, I stood and paced away from her. Eric put his hands on my arms, frowning at Evelyn. We knew she was lying. Looking at Four, he was going to let her get away with it.
"Oh." He told her, scratching behind his ear. "You can go in and see him, if you want."
"No." She replied. "I know what bodies look like."
"Maybe I should go."
"Stay." She told him, touching the empty chair between them. "Please."
He sat next to her and for the first time I saw them as mother and son. His feelings may be torn when it came to her, but in this moment they were both weak. Something she would appreciate but I was afraid that if he started to feel something, whatever happened next would be difficult for him.
"Are you okay?" Eric asked me.
"Can we get out of here?" I asked looking up at him.
He nodded, wrapping his arm around me and leading me away.
Going back to our apartment, he led me straight to the bathroom, stripping me and getting me into the shower with him. Not saying a word, a stray tear falling here and there, he cleaned the blood from my hands. He gripped my elbow and pain seared making a hiss escape me, my head jerking toward my arm. Red covered his hand and for a moment fear crossed his face. It'd been a long time since he had my blood on his hands. He brought my arm up, looking at it. Sighing, he gently touched different places, pain accompanying each one.
"What is it?" I asked.
"A bullet grazed you." He told me with a raised brow.
Sighing, I nodded, "Nothing serious than."
"Nothing serious?" He told me with a hard expression.
"Eric." I said gently, sensing his anger already.
"What about here?" He said touching my side. "And here?" He said slamming his hand against my thigh, making my skin tingle. "And here?" My ribcage. "Here?" He went on, spinning me and touching my back. "Here?" My arm. "Here!" The top of my shoulder. He was yelling now. He jerked me into him, slamming against his chest, his voice suddenly quiet, "…here." He said with his fingers against my temple. "When you say nothing serious, I think of all the bullets you've taken. The fights you've been in. All of them alone may not be serious but you should probably be dead by now. Each one could have been your life. So don't tell me that it's nothing serious. This whole thing is serious and you shouldn't joke about it. Ever."
Tears were once again in my eyes and for a moment a flutter of anxiousness filled me. "Okay."
He sighed, wrapping his arms around me. Doing the same, I buried my face in his neck, unable to hide the shaking that had settled in. "I'm sorry." He told me. "I wasn't there to protect you then. I'm here now and I promised myself that I wouldn't let anything happen to you."
Leaning away from him, I smiled, shaking my head, "Baby, things have already happened. You can't protect me from everything. We don't know what's going to happen. You're not the only one who made some promises to themselves. I too promised to keep you safe."
"And I'm bullet free." He stated with a raised brow.
"So am I." I smiled. "No bullets are embedded in me. I'm not the one lying on a slab." I added and suddenly felt a wave of depression.
"But you could have been!" He yelled.
"Why are you yelling at me?" I asked with as calm a tone as I could muster. "I didn't know what was going to happen. I didn't know he was going to get shot."
"Would it have stopped you?" He asked, not yelling, but his voice was still raised.
"Yes!" I yelled. "It would have stopped me, Eric!" Letting out a heavy sigh, I lowered my voice. "It would have stopped me because if I knew a gun was involved I would have been at your side, making sure you were safe. If I'm going to take a bullet for anyone it's going to be you."
Anger crossed his face, only then I was against the wall, his lips crashing against mine. Bending, he gripped me behind my knee, bringing it to his side, lifting me off the floor. In the next second he was inside of me, sliding in with ease as I melted at his touch. Groaning, our mouths still against each other, breathing heavily, he thrust in and out of me, keeping me in place while I gripped him tightly. Digging my nails into his back, I moaned, wrapping my arm around his head as I moved my lips to his ear. Pressing my lips against his shoulder, I bit down as he thrust deeper inside of me. The glass fogged over, the water feeling cool compared to the heat between us.
Spinning me, I climaxed as he slammed me against the wall again, feeling him release inside of me at the same moment. Lowering me back onto my feet, he pressed himself against me, his hands wiping the hair that was sticking to my face. Kissing me deeply, I wrapped my arm around him, running my hand along his shoulder blades before resting it against the back of his head.
"I love you." He told me.
"I love you." I replied. "More than anything. And anyone."
He nodded, "I know."
"So don't be mad at me. I didn't jump in front of that bullet and I wouldn't endanger myself on purpose."
"I know." He repeated.
"You're all that matters to me."
"I know."
Laughing, I momentarily threw my head back before taking his head in my hands. "Please say something more than that."
"You're everything to me. I may have grown to care about Four and Claude and Terra, hell, even Tris, but you're all that matters to me."
Grinning, I kissed him, running my hands across his hair, "I know."
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