"Move in with me." Dresden turned her head to look at Eric who was lying on his bed next to her both naked sweaty on top of the covers their clothes strewn in a pathway from the door to the bed.

She just laughed at his comment before turning to look back up at the ceiling, "And give up my en-suite room in my parents with an actual kitchen living room for dorm housing no thanks, Eric."

"I am serious," Eric was now looking at her sat up, so he could look down on her face. She was so beautiful even with a split lip and the remnants of a black eye. He'd thought he'd be able to get past her beauty that it would just make his life easier, his job easier. He needed to become a leader the Yorke's where his fast track pass. Dresden was his fast track pass. This thought was turning out to be anything but easy. For the first time he was feeling things, things that would get in the way of the job.

"So am I Eric. We fuck that's all I barely know a thing about you. And you know nothing about me he'll I bet you couldn't even tell me my favourite colour." Shit!

Okay, Eric mentally prepped himself, he was clever an Erudite he could do this. "Your favourite colour is green, not grassy green or bright green dark green almost black. You have a dress in the colour it looks amazing on you." He remembered the dress she'd worn it to their first formal function after passing initiation. She wouldn't go with him, so they had arrived separately he'd gotten there first so he'd been there when she stepped out of the entryway. He didn't know if anyone else had noticed her he suspected they had. How could they not see her standing above everyone the dark green dress clinging to her body so sinfully the studded sleeve like armour she looked like a warrior princess with those wild waves braided back from her face but left free to tumble down her back.

There was a saying in Dauntless 'There must always be a Yorke in Dauntless' it was taken from an old book or TV show history was unclear which. But it was about this family the Stark Family and their home Winterfell and how without a Stark in Winterfell it fell became a shadow of the power it had once been. The Yorke's where Dauntless' Starks, the ruling family from day one. There had never been a time a Yorke had not sat as one of the three Dauntless Leaders. And now Dresden was the last remaining Yorke. That night seeing her standing there Eric had questioned his mother's plan to steal her seat her mother thought Dresden weak a warrior, not a leader her mother had said but that had been the first time Eric had seen it Dresden Yorke was born to lead.

"So, you noticed my favourite colour it's superficial Eric you know nothing about me."

"So tell me something then." He urged unsure on whether he wanted leverage or to learn about this incredible woman in his bed.

"Yeah right like I am going to trust you. You're a snake Eric a power-hungry snake."

"I came out as Erudite on the aptitude test." Fuck he had no idea where that had come from he'd told no one the results of his test. Dauntless had always been the plan his mother's plan and his. The results of the aptitude test were meant to be Dauntless she'd raised him to be Dauntless.

"What?!" Now Dresden was sat up staring straight at him in shock!

"My result was erudite."

"But..."

"I had to get out of there I wanted to..." He had no idea where this was coming from was it the truth in Dauntless he was away from Jeanine but not fully this had always been her plan she still had him attending meetings. Part of him wanted to escape to use Dauntless as a way of getting away from her but part of him still craved her attention.

"I killed Jordan Powers…" and with those four words, everything was different Eric's thoughts where no longer of his mother just the woman in front of him now sitting up looking straight at him. Eric didn't know what to say or do thankfully Dresden kept talking, "he was a transfer number two in his intake he attacked Bell and put him out of initiation, so I killed him I pushed him into the carven. I killed him, and I felt nothing. Everyone thought it was suicide that he knew he'd been caught and would be thrown out for it, so he jumped. But I pushed him, and I would do it again he attacked my family."

"When... how old were you?"

"Eight years ago I was ten. He hurt my family Eric he attacked my family he took someone I loved, and I am not sorry he is dead. You think you know me, you think maybe you even love me. You don't know me. You have no idea what I am capable of."

"Come here. Dresden, please come here. I know you think I don't know you, but I do I know a fierce and loyal woman who would stop at nothing to protect those lucky enough to be loved by her. You tried to scare me off telling me that. I am not scared Dresden I am in awe."

"No!"

"Dresden!"

"GET OUT!"

"It's my…"

"GET OUT!" Eric went pulling his clothes on before slamming the door shut pissed at how that had gone. He initial statement had shocked him, but he knew her and he knew she was capable of killing he knew she was fiercely loyal and protective of those she loved and she had a temper. He'd been on the receiving end of her loyalty and temper before. She'd not come for his life though he'd not done enough to warrant that, he was sure if Four had not survived the attack or been injured and thrown out of Dauntless. His life would have been up for grabs despite him not having anything to do with it.

A walk around the floor was all he gave her to get out as he suspected it was all she needed pushing the door open his room was empty. Any trace of Dresden gone except the mess of sheets on the bed and a lingering scent in the air. Collapsing back on the bed Eric tried not to think he didn't want to continue the endless battle between the part of him that just wanted to cut Jeanine loose to forget her and try and make things real with Dresden and the part of him that saw her as little more than a tool he could use to get what his mother wanted.

Growling Eric flopped over burying his head in the pillow that still smelt of Dresden leather whiskey and sex it was a wonder her father was able to still see her as his little angel when she was sin personified.

"Coulter." Eric looked up from the pile of paperwork he'd arrived at his desk to this morning to find Ty Yorke standing over him he looked mega pissed.

"Sir."

"Dresden seemed pretty upset when she came home last night anything I should know?" Eric wanted to ask how Ty knew his daughter had anything to do with him. He was sure that whilst Dresden was her Daddy's little girl she wouldn't have told him about them and she refused to be seen out with him. He was her dirty little a secret like the good girls in the books she liked to read that liked to secretly mess around with the school bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks.

"She left me, sir." He wasn't stupid they'd had other fights before but this was different. Normally they would have had hot makeup sex by now. Dresden hadn't come back to his room last night, she hadn't met him in the gym early in fact she'd made a statement of walking into the gym late with Lauren. This was it Dresden Yorke was done with him and now he needed a new way of staying on Yorke's good side. Dresden might not have announced her intent to go through leader training yet but that didn't mean she wouldn't. Ty Yorke would be the next leader up for retirement he needed to make sure he was the obvious pick over Dresden despite the superstitions.

"She?"

"Broke it off, left whatever you want to call it."

"Oh, Dresden." Eric was confused he was sure the old guy would accuse him of something of hurting his little girl. "She seems so strong I sometimes forget the effect things had on her. I am sorry Eric I feel this is my fault." Now he was really confused what could Ty have done to Dresden to cause her to break up with him. Hanna and Ty where everything he'd always dreamt his parents had been they supported their sons move to Amity even met him in the hub on occasion they loved each other and supported their daughter. Ty doted on her she was his little girl his pride and that was obvious to see. "I should never have followed through with the stupid ruling found a loophole or something. Dres was so young she should never have had to see that gone through that I should have at least protected her more."

"Sir I am sorry I don't know what you're talking about?"

"The ramblings of an old man Coulter just ignore them. Though I must ask you please don't give up on Dresden she just needs a bit of coaxing." With that Ty was gone off down the hallway leaving Eric with more questions than answers. He was sure this had to do with Jordan Powers Dresden had killed him age 10 because he'd threatened her family. But he didn't understand what he'd done and who the hell Bell was.

Leaving the papers Eric turned to his computer and searched the records for a 'Bell' nothing came up. He wondered then if Bell was a family name and so he searched again this time for anyone with the surname York. All but the four he could account for on the list when long dead with no date of death occurring when Dresden would have been 10. None of this made sense. Dresden hadn't been lying when she'd told him about Powers he was sure of it. Growling in frustration he got out of his chair and went to find the youngest of the leaders and Dresden's cousin Max.

"Eric is there something I can help you with?"

"I hope so I am wondering what you can tell me about Bell Yorke?" Eric took a stab the Bellamy was a full blood Yorke and was rewarded with the turning of Max's face telling him he'd hit a nerve.

"Never bring that name up here again. Bellamy Yorke is gone he is in the past and that is where he is going to stay. I don't know who told you that name, but you forget it now. Get out."

Eric did as he was told and left Max in his office. He didn't bring the name up again with anyone he wanted to know who to ask before he risked saying anything aloud again. For the next week, he continued to search through physical and digital records trying to find out just who Bellamy York was and what had happened. But the name was nowhere at some point Bellamy York had simply ceased to exist.

To make matters worse Dresden had somehow become the master at avoiding him and in the rare moments, they saw each other she would just blank him. He was tired and fed up and had a million letters from Jeanine wanting to meet up in The hub no doubt expecting an update on his progress through Dauntless.

"Fuck." Eric breathed out as he watched Dresden walk into the office and drop down in the seat next to him. Ignoring him as she had for the past week was one thing, but this was petty she was purposely pushing him now.

"Dresden finally saw the light and agreed to join the leadership training programme."

Eric seethed silently through today's 'lesson' he waited for Dax to leave before shutting the door and turning on Dresden who clearly anticipating his move was leaning against the desk looking straight at him waiting. "Please inform me of what a bitch I am how horrible and twisted I must be to take this from you."

"You won't take this from me I was number 2 your already behind you can't rely on your surname you won't you have too much pride."

"Maybe I do maybe I don't but the fact is Eric I am Dauntless not some Erudite dressed in black I am going to destroy you on these tests."

"What the fuck did I do?" Eric asked, "Seriously please tell me what I did. Because as far as I see it all I did was let you in all I did was fall in love with you."

"I told you that would be a stupid idea."

"You love me."

"You are delusional."

"No, I am not… you fell for me."

"I am done."

"You fell for me but you're scared. Not just scared terrified."

"I hate you."

"STOP… just stop it, no you don't. I saw your fearscape Dresden I know your fear... to lose those you love. I know I appeared in it."

"Shut up."

"Fine you won't admit it I will! I want to be with you! I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Eric couldn't believe he'd said it the anger he'd felt was quickly ripped from his chest as he was left staring at her. He hadn't even known it was true until it was coming out of his mouth. "I want you." He sighed throwing his hands in the air. "You know what fuck it you want the leadership role it's yours." With that Eric left he couldn't fight with her any more.

He'd spent his whole trying to win the love of a heartless, cut off bitch. No more he was in Dauntless now he was free of her he could make his own choices his own plans. He was done.