Author's Note: My loyal readers, I have another chapter for you. I wanted to have this up last week, but with the winter break coming up and finals, I have not had any time to sleep, let alone write and update. I have chapter 13 here, and I have chapter 14 already started, so it should be up soon.

-Elise (Daisydot227)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Divergent, or any of the characters. I am quite obviously not Veronica Roth.

Chapter 13: Truth

Tris's POV:

The air was brisk and cold outside the Erudite building. It was 8:00 pm, and the sky was a deep black sprinkled with dim stars. I stepped inside, rubbing my hands together underneath thick woolen gloves. The same woman sat at the front desk, typing furiously away at the computer.

"Hello," I greeted her. She looked up and recognized me.

"Here again?"

"Yes, I need to have a follow up meeting with Mr. Prior," I lied, using the same excuse as before.

"I assume you remember the room?" she asked me, the light from the computer screen reflecting in her glasses.

"I do. Thank you," I told her, and turned to the elevator.

I reached Caleb's floor and knocked on his door. It was opened by a boy with curly black hair. He looked at my Abnegation clothes and sniffed with obvious distaste.

"Caleb," he called back in to the room. "Someone from Abnegation is here. I'm guessing it's for you."

The boy disappeared back in to the room as Caleb came over.

"Thanks, George," Caleb told him, and then to me, "Beatrice?"

"Hey, Caleb."

He dropped his voice. "Didn't I tell you that you weren't supposed to be here?" he hissed. "George is one of those people who aren't particularly fond of the Abnegation."

"Right," I replied whispering. "I know. I just… can we talk?"

Caleb stepped back glancing at George. He ran his fingers through his hair, which reminded me of Four.

"I… I guess so." He opened the door wider, and I stepped in to the room. George was sitting at his desk, and he swiveled around in his chair.

"I suppose I'll leave you alone," George said, leaving the room and shutting the door firmly behind him.

"What's his problem?" I inquired.

"Like I said, he doesn't approve of your presence here. But don't mind him, he was probably looking for an excuse to go and make out with the girl down the hall."

I sat on Caleb's bed like before and he sat across from me.

"So what?" he asked. "Why are you here?"

"I'm worried," I divulged. "Two nights ago, I was walking with Four, but we were being careful not to be seen. But when we were leaving, I looked in to the house across the street, I could see a face. A face in the window. And it was looking straight at us."

"Beatrice, that's bad. That's really bad. And you say it was across the street? Which house?"

"Marcus's," I said, frightened. "He's my boss, Caleb. What am I going to do? It's only a matter of time before he puts two and two together and he comes after me. The secret would be out."

"And the whole damn city would riot if it did. That's the thing, Beatrice. The secret won't get out to the people. But the leaders, oh yeah, they'll know. And they'll hurt you. I'm sure they'd give you a choice, but you can't be sure. It would be safer just to eliminate you."

I grit my teeth, hearing the horrible truth that I knew would come. "We'll just be more careful. We won't get caught. We'll stick to the house and… and we will only meet late at night. It'll be fine. We'll be fi-"

"Beatrice don't you see? It's not going to stop there. First of all, Marcus is smart enough to figure out what is going on. Black and grey are similar, but they are most definitely different. And second, do you want to spend your entire life hiding from everyone? It will only get harder. You'll have to give yourselves up eventually, either break up, or rat yourselves out to people."

I blinked back tears that I didn't realize had formed. I could see Caleb was frustrated.

"This isn't just about you anyways," he growled, looking at the floor. "Whatever you do affects me, and most importantly Susan."

Susan?

"What do you mean Susan? Oh…"

Caleb was looking at me with red rimmed eyes. "Yeah, I know it's stupid. But I did what you said and wrote, and look where it's gotten me."

"I know you wrote to her. I heard, because she told me. And she was so happy, Caleb. You don't know what you meant to her. What you still mean to her."

"It still doesn't matter if we're in different factions. It's not allowed."

"I know, I know. I just need to think. I'll talk to Four, and I'll let you know my decision."

Caleb studied my face. "Okay," he said. "Promise me, you'll let me know."

"I promise," I told him. He seemed a bit more relieved.

"I trust your judgment," he said.

I smiled and remembered the book tucked under my coat. I took it out and ran my hand over the cover.

"I read Romeo and Juliet."

"What did you think?"

"It was wonderful. I mean, the ending wasn't my favorite but the writing… I can only dream of being so talented."

"You are talented, Beatrice."

"At what? I don't have any skills."

"True," he said smiling, and I hit him on the arm. "I mean, sure you don't have any skills now, but you have good aim, and you're attentive. You have wonderful hand-eye coordination. It's above average."

"So I'd be good at shooting a gun."

He laughed. "Yes, you'd be good at shooting a gun."

"Well then it's a real shame I didn't choose Dauntless."

He smiled sadly. "Maybe."

I inhaled sharply. "Caleb. I'm happy in Abnegation. I can't regret my choice. I have to trust I made the right decision."

"I know, but regretting your choice is sometimes a side-effect of making a big decision. Are you sure you don't doubt your choice?"

"I mean, sometimes I think that my life would be a lot more simple if I had decided on Dauntless. But I don't want to rethink my choice. I just want to be happy. I really don't think that's too much to ask."

"Then why did you choose Abnegation?"

"You. I thought you would be there. And for mom and dad, what would they think if I left? It was what I was supposed to do. But what about now? What am I supposed to do now?"

Caleb stood up, and he looked almost mad. "See, Beatrice? That's your problem. Your choice was for everyone but yourself. You can't let everyone walk all over you. You've just got to make yourself happy for once."

"I thought you said that I don't always have to be brave."

"That doesn't mean that you have to become a doormat, Beatrice."

I clenched my teeth. "Don't call me that."

"Then don't be one." He glared at me. "If you really want to be happy, find whatever is in Abnegation that makes you happy, and don't. Let. Go."

"I don't know what makes me happy! I don't know what I want!" I was practically yelling by then.

"Of course you don't! You're 16! But Four makes you happy, doesn't he?"

I let out a breath. "Yes. He does. He makes me happy, and I so desperately don't want to let go."

Caleb looked satisfied. "Then don't. If he makes you happy then don't let him go. I don't do much Beatrice, but I do read. There are whole books from times past that are about finding 'happiness' and 'the meaning of your life' bullshit like that. There are works of fiction, too. They aren't all self-help books. But these fiction books, the character always finds what they're looking for in what makes them happy."

I felt drained and sat down. Caleb followed, sitting back across from me and took Romeo and Juliet in his hands.

"Thanks for the book back."

"Thanks for the advice," I replied. "I think I know what I'm going to do."

"And what is that?"

"I'm not going to let go."

It's not a really a spoiler, but a huge progression in the story will be made in the next chapter. I won't keep you waiting long. Please review!