Chapter Eight: Decision Made
When it came time to leave, I was pacing the room as we waited for Eric to get back. It had been over an hour and so far every time he'd left something had happened. He said the same was true for me. If that was the case then we both clearly needed supervision if we wanted to ever leave this room.
"We need to go." Four told me.
"I know." I nodded. "You guys go. I'll wait for Eric and we'll catch up."
"Are you sure?" Claude asked.
I nodded again, "I really am. I need to wait for him."
"Okay." Four said and moved toward the door. "You know the way?"
"I do. But Eric can get us there unseen."
"Okay." He smiled and kissed my forehead.
Henry stepped up to me and did the same, pulling me tightly against his chest. "Love you."
"Love you too." I smiled and watched him leave.
Once again pacing, I was about to burst from the room in search of him when he stepped through.
"Baby." I said rushing to him, throwing my arms around his neck. He hugged me tightly, burying his face in my neck. "Are you okay?"
"I am." He replied letting me go. He cupped my face in his hand, "Are you?"
"I'm fine." I told him. "Are you sure you're okay?"
He smiled, running his hand down my hair, "Yeah."
"Stop leaving me behind." I complained.
"Okay." He smiled.
"Did something happen?" I asked worriedly.
"Yeah." He nodded and held up my sketchbook. "I brought this to my parents."
"Eric." I frowned. "Stop confronting them." He was smiling at me adorningly. "What?"
He took my hand, running his thumb across the top of it. "I realized something and I needed to get it off my chest."
"And what was that?" I asked with furrowed brows, slightly cocking my head.
"I love you. You complete me and yet I hadn't fully appreciated you until the second you attacked your best friend in my defense." He told me. I was still frowning at him. "You would do anything for me. You've said it. But I'm still surprised when you prove it to me. You've been family to Claude for years and the second she verbally attacked me, you reacted as if it was aimed at you."
"What does that have to do with your parents?" I asked.
"They needed to know that I have found someone who loves me for me. Faults and all. Someone who can see past all my bullshit and still want to be with me. Someone who is my better half in every way. I found that person because I defected." He paused, his arm moving around my waist. I brought my good hand to his face, before running it across his hair and resting it on the back of his neck. "I actually thanked them for what they'd done because they were the reason I left and the reason I found you. You've changed me for the better. I know I fall every once in a while but you're there to pick me back up. Thank you, Pen. I'm grateful for you."
Leaning against him, I smirked up at him, "Eric?"
"What?"
"Will you marry me?" I asked him.
Both of us laughed but he pulled me tighter against him, dipping me as his lips found the hollow of my neck. Then they were against mine, kissing me deeply. "Yes."
"We'll get through this just like we have everything else."
"I know." He told me.
"And you're right. I'd do anything for you." I stated.
"I'd do anything for you too." He replied. "That's a promise."
"You're amazing." I beamed at him.
He laughed lightly, "And we're gonna be late."
I sighed and nodded, "You're right. Let's go."
"I'll get us there."
Leaving the room, Eric led us down halls I'd never been down before. Leaving the back of the building, we slipped into the dark alleyways. Running as silently as possible, soon Candor came into view. Walking in side by side, we took the stairs to the top, already hearing voices coming from the interrogation room.
"It's about time." Claude smiled at me.
"My fault." Eric replied.
"I'm sorry, Eric." She told him sadly.
He nodded and smiled at her, "I know."
Taking Eric's hand, I looked around the room. There's a circle of lit candles arranged over one of the Candor scales on the floor. There are more people here than I had anticipated. Most of them I didn't know. I recognized Susan from our time in Amity and Peter of course, Zeke and his brother Uriah are here, Tori is standing with them. But no one else was familiar. Not so far anyway. Christina is standing with a middle-aged woman and another young girl. There was a resemblance between them, so I could only assume that it was her family.
"Is it bad that I'm super anxious right now?" I asked Eric softly.
"No." He replied, his grip on my hand tightening.
Four was close to me, Tris having gone to meet Christina's family. I wasn't paying much attention to what they were saying, more concerned with everything else, but the room grew quiet and when Christina's sister spoke next I couldn't ignore her words.
"So you killed Christina's boyfriend."
My head jerked toward her and I can see Tris's struggle. Rushing toward them, Four's arm gripped me round my waist, "How dare you?" I shot at the little girl.
"Rose!" Christina scolded.
Both Four and I are at Tris's sides, tense and ready for anything. Feeling Eric's hand on my shoulder, I reached my hand back, feeling his thigh, shaking as I glared at the girl in front of us.
"I just thought we would air everything out. It wastes less time." Rose explained.
"And you wonder why I left our faction." Christina stated. "Being honest doesn't mean you say whatever you want, whenever you want. It means that what you choose to say is true."
"A lie of omission is still a lie."
"You want the truth? I'm uncomfortable and don't want to be here right now. I'll see you guys later." Christina took Tris's arm and we all moved away from her family. "Sorry about that. They're not really the forgiving type."
"It's fine." Tris told her.
"No it's not." I frowned at her. "She deserves her ass beat for a comment like that."
"Opie." Four said gently.
"What?" I shot at him. "Was she there? Did she see what happened? No. But I was. I was there the whole time and Tris did what she had to do."
"You saw it?" Christina asked softly.
I looked at Tris who shrugged, "I hadn't mentioned that part."
Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair. "Yes, I was there. She did what she had to do. I don't think I would have been able to shoot him. We'd probably be dead right now if she hadn't done what she did."
Christina kept my eyes for a long moment before she spoke, "Thank you."
I nodded, "Yeah."
Midnight had arrived and the door across the room opens and two people entered. My mouth fell open as I took in Johanna. The second is another woman in blue. I instinctively gripped Tris's wrist. I could feel her fear as well as my own. The woman looks strikingly like Jeanine. But she's dead. We both know she's dead. She's statuesque and blond, like Jeanine. A pair of glasses dangle from her front pocket, and her hair is in a braid. An Erudite from head to toe, but not Jeanine Matthews.
"Tris." I whispered. "Who is that?"
"Cara." She replied.
Frowning, I had to rack my brain until I finally remembered who she was. Will's sister. I was officially confused now. Were Johanna and Cara the leaders of the Allegiant? Why wouldn't Johanna have mentioned this to me sooner?
"Hello." Cara said and all talking stopped. She smiled at us, "We aren't supposed to be here, so I'm going to keep this meeting short. Some of you—Zeke, Tori—have been helping us for the past few days."
Jerking my head toward Tori, frowning, she just smiled and shrugged. She had to find some way to hold on to her leadership, and it looked like she'd found it. She and Zeke had played spy in Erudite; it would appear that some sort of bond had developed in their time together.
Johanna was next to speak, "Some of you are here because we want to ask for your help. All of you are here because you don't trust Evelyn Johnson to determine the fate of this city."
"Can I speak now and ask what's she's doing here?" A man I didn't know asked.
It took me a long moment to realize that he was pointing at me. "Excuse me?" I frowned.
"Watch yourself." Eric shot at him.
Johanna raised a brow at him, "Explain your meaning?"
"She's spent a lot of time with Evelyn. They've met on numerous occasions and from what I've heard Evelyn is attempting to recruit her to take Edward's place."
Scoffing, it took all of me not to rush the guy. Before I could say anything, Eric spoke, "She is as loyal to Evelyn as everyone else in this room. If you're going to accuse her of something you better have more to go on then rumors and be prepared to accept the consequences." He had taken a few steps toward him, who was now swiftly backing down. Smiling up at him, he stepped in front of me protectively. "Let's keep this going." He told Johanna.
Cara nodded and she touched her palms together in front of her. "We believe in following the guidance of the city's founders, which has been expressed in two ways: the formation of the factions, and the Divergent mission expressed by Edith Prior, to send people outside the fence to help whoever is out there once we have a large Divergent population. We believe that even if we have not reached that Divergent population size, the situation in our city has become dire enough to send people outside the fence anyway.
"In accordance with the intentions of our city's founders, we have two goals: to overthrow Evelyn and the factionless so that we can reestablish the factions and to send some of our number outside the city to see what's out there. Johanna will be heading up the former effort, and I will be heading up the latter, which is what we will mostly be focusing on tonight." She pressed a loose strand of hair back into her braid. "Not many of us will be able to go, because a crowd that large would draw too much attention. Evelyn won't let us leave without a fight, so I thought it would be best to recruit people who I know to be experienced with surviving danger."
Putting my hand on Eric's back, he reached behind, taking my hand. Hugging his arm to my chest, we met each other's eyes. It was the truth and yet we'd had our fill of danger. But we weren't stupid enough to think we were done with it.
"Christina, Tris, Tobias, Tori, Zeke, and Peter are my selections." Cara told us. "You have all proven your skills to me in one way or another, and it's for that reason that I'd like to ask you to come with me outside the city. You are under no obligation to agree, of course."
"What about Pen and Eric?" Tori asked.
"Peter?" Tris demanded at the same time.
"He kept the Erudite from killing you." Cara replied mildly. "Who do you think provided him with the technology to fake your death?"
"And us?" I asked her.
She looked at the pair of us for a long, agonizing moment, then she nodded, "Okay."
"What about Claude, Terra, Henry?" I added.
"We can't take everyone. Someone will have to stay behind and help Johanna." She replied.
"Unless you want to volunteer for that part." Johanna smiled at me.
My brows slowly furrowed and I was suddenly put in the middle a rope of a tug of war. I had promised Four that I'd leave the city with him. But now Johanna – a woman I love and trust fully – was asking me to stay. Gripping Eric tighter, I looked up at him. He looked just as torn as I was. He would stay if I stayed and I would go if he left. What were we supposed to do?
"We'll stay." Terra spoke when the silence grew unbearably heavy.
"Terra." Claude whispered.
"She's right. Evelyn will revolt against any move we make and Johanna will need our help. Henry is a badass fighter and you are just as smart as any Erudite. You would be an asset to the cause."
"You want to go." Claude frowned at her.
Terra met my eyes, seeing the pain and indecision. She smiled and nodded, looking up at Claude. "And you want to stay. You get your way this time."
"Thank you." Claude said and hugged her tightly.
"I thank you as well." Johanna smiled with a slight bow of her head. "Though I would have loved to work alongside Penelope."
"Sorry, Johanna." I told her. "I've made promises that I intend to keep."
"I understand." She nodded at me.
"That's a lot of Dauntless." A girl at the side of the room spoke, looking skeptical.
She had thick eyebrows that didn't stop growing in the middle, and pale skin. When she turned her head, you see black ink right behind her ear. A Dauntless transfer to Erudite, no doubt. Something I'd never seen and couldn't help but frown at her. She just looked awkward.
"True." Cara nodded. "But what we need right now are people with the skills to get out of the city unscathed, and I think Dauntless training makes them highly qualified for that task."
"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can go." Zeke spoke. "I couldn't leave Shauna here. Not after her sister just…well, you know."
"I'll go." Uriah added quickly, his hand popping up. "I'm Dauntless. I'm a good shot. And I provide much-needed eye candy."
I couldn't help by laugh, Tris as well, making us look at each other. He was charismatic, you had to give him that. Though Cara didn't look amused at all, but nodded, "Thank you."
"Cara, you'll need to get out of the city fast," the Dauntless-turned-Erudite girl stated. "Which means you should get someone to operate the trains."
"Good point." Cara replied. "Does anyone here know how to drive a train?"
"Oh. I do." The girl stated. "Was that not implied?"
"She's annoying me already." I whispered to Eric, hearing Tris snicker.
The plan started to weave together. Johanna suggested we take Amity trucks from the end of the of the railroad tracks out of the city, offering to give them to us. The guy with Susan offered to help her with it. Christina's family volunteered to monitor Evelyn's movements in the hours before the escape, and to report any unusual behavior to the Amity compound by two-way radio. My family and the other Dauntless offer to find weapons for us. The Erudite girl prods at any weaknesses she sees, and so does Cara, but soon all the gaps are full and we have a solid plan.
When all was said and done, there was only one question left.
"When should we go?" Cara asked.
For a long moment no one said anything, then Tris piped up, "Tomorrow night."
The crowd dispersed, watching as everyone made their way to an exit. For having come together, it didn't seem like those who weren't of the same faction wanted to be around the others for long. Not that I cared.
"Penelope." Johanna said softly.
Smiling, I stepped up to her, hugging her tightly. "Johanna."
"How are you?" She asked.
"I'm surviving." I nodded at her. "And you?"
She gently cupped my face in her hand, "Still happy to know you're still alive."
"Have you seen my parents?" I asked her.
She nodded, "I have."
"And?" I frowned.
"They're willing and ready to fight." She replied.
"What?" I frowned. "They can't fight."
"When I told them that you still live, it fueled their desire to leave Amity and come join you."
"They aren't here so I'm assuming that you talked them out of it." She just smiled and then a door opened, watching as my parents started to rush toward me. "Mom." I said with surprise. "Dad!" Rushing toward them, I threw myself into their open arms. "What are you doing here?" My mother was crying into me and my father's grip was painful. "Guys." I said pulling away from them. "You shouldn't be here."
"You're alive." My mother beamed at me.
"I am." I smiled. "I'm sorry about what happened."
"It wasn't your fault." My father told me with furrowed brows.
"It was mine." Eric said stepping up behind me.
My father's expression turned dark and he lunged at Eric. Moving just as quickly, I shoved my father back. I never thought the day would come where I'd act against my father, but here I was, watching him stumble backward.
"Don't." I told him with a sad expression. "Please don't do that again."
"Penelope." My mother said with a shocked expression.
My father stepped toward me, his expression angry, "This is the man who killed your sister!"
"I know." I nodded. "I know he is. But you also know that I love him."
"He killed your sister!" My father yelled. My mother was sobbing behind him.
"And I'm in love with the man that killed my sister." I told them, feeling Eric press against my back. "Hearing about her death was one of the hardest things I've ever had to go through. But so much has happened since. So much is about to happen. I am so sorry about Maggie. God, I'm so very sorry. But I love Eric." I stated with certainty. "I love him more than anything. I'm sorry if that hurts you or makes you never want to see me again, but I won't let anything happen to him." My father started to pace and my mother looked on the verge of hysterics.
Then my father stopped and pointed at me, "It should have ended the second you found out what he did."
Frowning harder, I shook my head, "You have no idea what he's gone through."
"I don't care!" He yelled at me.
Scoffing, I ran my fingers through my hair, "He's the least of your problems, Dad."
"Bullshit." He spat back at me.
"In this room, I'm pretty sure he's the one with the least indiscretions." I shot back at him.
My mother looked aghast, "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about whatever you've been keeping from me. More than that, you should worry more about Hazel." I told them. They both faltered, looking at each other. "She's been put on trial for being the traitor she is. She is to be executed with the other traitors."
"Patrick." My mother said putting her hand on his arm.
"You knew about this?" My father frowned at me.
"I knew she was in a cell." I replied. "The rest of it I didn't know until today."
"Penelope." My mother said with fear in her eyes.
My father pointed his finger at me again, "This is your fault. If you hadn't defected than none of this would have happened."
"Dad." I frowned.
"Patrick."
"You can't deny it, Lilian!" He yelled at her. "She's going to be the only daughter we have left! How does that happen when she's the only one who defected?!"
"You have no idea what she's done or been through!" Eric yelled and stepped toward him.
"Eric, don't." I said gripping his hand. "Please."
"This is all your goddamn fault!" My father yelled and lunged at Eric again.
"No!" I yelled and put myself between them, feeling a fist against my cheekbone, sending me to the ground. Hearing Eric's feral yell, he went after my father. "Eric, don't!" I yelled. He already had my father on the ground, gripping him by the collar, his arm pulled back, ready to hit him. "Please."
He frowned but looked down at my father. "If you ever touch her again I will kill you." He hit him anyway before he got off of him and moved toward me.
His hands found my waist as I picked myself up off the ground. "You can blame me. I can't stop you. But before you decide, you need to know what's happened. What your precious eldest has done."
"Pen." My mother said holding her hand out to me.
"Not another step." Eric said and moved me behind him. "If either of you touch her without permission you will answer to me."
"Like Maggie answered to you?" My father shot at him.
Eric tensed but didn't move. Feeling tears in my eyes, it took all of me not to lunge at him myself. "You have no idea what's happened." I told them. "I owe my life to Eric. He saved me when Hazel was about to lead me to my death. She joined Jeanine in Erudite and was going to let her kill me."
My mother looked shocked and didn't seem to believe me. "She wouldn't."
"She would!" I yelled. "She told me that she didn't belong in Amity and that she belonged in Erudite. She abandoned you."
"Because of you." My father said but was calmer.
"Yes. Fine. It was because of me." I shot at him. "But do you know what they found in Erudite? Do you know what is beyond the wall?" They looked at each other, things starting to make sense. "You do." I stated and nodded. "That's how you know Tris's parents. That's why when you found out I was Divergent you tried to get me to leave. You knew all of it and you didn't tell me."
"What were we supposed to say?" My father asked, now looking guilty. "We were trying to protect you."
"Protect me?!" I yelled. "Look at me!" I tore my shirt off, showing them what I'd been hiding from them. The scars that I was protecting them from now blatantly obvious. "LOOK AT ME!" I screamed, tears starting to stream down my face. Both my parents started to cry, my father falling to his knees. "The only protection that I've received is from this man next to me. He has never left my side and he has never disappointed me or let me down. Eric is the only person I need." I told them before I turned my back to them, putting my shirt back on. "I would have loved to go through this with you. To fight next to you. But clearly that's not going to happen."
"Pen." My mom said sadly.
"No, Mom." I frowned at her. "This is a mistake."
"No." My father said swiftly moving to me, taking my hands. "Please, honey, don't do this."
"Faction before blood." I told him, pulling out of his grasp and moved next to Eric.
"The factions are gone." My mother stated.
"Not if Johanna succeeds. Those who want this life can have it. We're leaving."
"Pen." My father said pleadingly.
"Goodbye." I nodded at them. "I love you both. So much. I'm sorry about Maggie and Hazel. If we succeed in saving her life, I hope you'll think better of me."
Turning away from them, Eric wrapped his arm around me, pulling me tightly against his side. Leaning against him, letting him support the majority of my weight, I took a deep calming breath. He buried his lips in my hair as I put my hand over my mouth, leaning my head against his chest.
"It's okay, baby." He told me. "You did good."
As soon as we were a few blocks away, I stopped, stopping him with me, wrapping my arms around him as I cried into his chest. He enveloped me, making me feel warm and safe. Taking another deep breath, I calmed myself, stopping the tears even though I stayed pressed against his chest.
"You did good." He told me again.
"I thought that they would understand." I told him. "I thought we'd talk and they would accept you and they'd be okay with everything because I was alive and am going to keep Hazel alive. I thought this would make us stronger." Sighing, I meant to hug him tighter but I just felt as drained as I had earlier.
His grip tightened, his lips finding my neck before he let me go. Taking my head in his hands, he smiled before kissing me deeply. "We don't need them." He told me. "As long as we have each other."
Smiling, I wrapped my arm around his neck, my hand finding his face, "All I need is you."
"And you'll always have me." He told me, brushing my hair over my shoulder before gently touching my jawline.
"You'll always have me too." I replied before kissing him deeply. "I'm so in love with you. Thank you for always being there for me. Even when you don't agree with me."
"Always, baby." He replied. "You've been more supportive of me than anyone ever has been. We're together in this. We're together in everything."
"Thank you." I told him again as I pressed myself against his chest.
"Thank you." He replied, pulling me away from him. "We don't need your parents."
"I know." I nodded. "But I had still hoped to show you what having parents that love you was really like."
"I have you." He stated. "You're my family." Nodding, he smiled and kissed me again, "Come with me."
"To where?" I asked.
He just smirked at me, "Don't you trust me?"
Sliding my hand into his, I smiled up at him, "With my life."