A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter already! I was so happy to get all those responses in just a day. Thank you also to my wonderful beta reader, Rosalie!
Judging by some reviews, it seems that there are still people reading this who haven't read "Determinant" yet. This story will make far more sense if you read that one first. To find it, click on the "Windchimed" link near the top of this page. That will take you to my Profile page. Scroll to the bottom of it, and you'll see all of my stories listed there. Please take a look! Seriously. If you read much further in here, you'll really spoil "Determinant," so go read it first. I mean it...
Anyway, as promised, here's the next chapter just a day after the last one.
Chapter 21: Christina – Voting
My inner Candor says to lay Tris' request on the table, in front of everyone at once. It's hard to know how Four will react, but this isn't just his decision. And talking to him in advance would imply that it is.
So, as we're all finishing dinner, I ask that we hold a faction meeting afterwards. People want to know why, of course, but for once I seal my lips and say they'll find out soon enough. Maybe I'm finally learning when not to blurt everything out.
The rest of us migrate to the gathering room while Uriah and Zeke take care of the dishes. It's really just Zeke's turn, but Uriah must owe him some kind of favor, because he helps without being asked.
While we wait, Shauna and Cara discuss an experiment that Erudite is doing on stimulating nerve endings. Apparently, it holds promise that Shauna could regain feeling in her lower body – and potentially some level of movement, though Cara is careful to say that it probably wouldn't be enough to let her walk again. I'm glad to see that caveat right up front; I never like it when people hold out false hope.
George chimes in periodically, and his helpful comments remind me that he has an aptitude for Erudite along with Dauntless. I try not to think in those terms anymore, since our faction focuses on continuous self-improvement in all areas, not just our natural strengths, but old habits die hard.
It takes a while for Zeke and Uriah to finally join us, finishing up their conversation as they enter the room.
"I'm telling you – it's yellow," Uriah says as he plops onto the couch between me and Cara.
Zeke just shakes his head as he sits at the end of the second couch, closest to where Shauna perches in her wheelchair. "We'll go look tomorrow, but if I'm right, you're buying cake on the way back."
Uriah opens his mouth to answer, but I clear my throat to get their attention and smile when they turn to me. It's time to begin.
"Okay, I'm just going to be blunt here," I start. Half the group smirks, and I know that doesn't exactly shock them. "Tris is planning to move back to the city in a month or two, and she has asked about the possibility of living here."
Four looks up sharply at the mention of his ex's name, and I study his expression to see what he's feeling. He's gotten a lot better at communicating over the last few months, but he still rarely admits to his emotions at the moment he feels them. Fortunately, I've gotten good at reading his poker face.
Right now, I see plenty of determination, with perhaps a trace of fear and definitely an edge of raw hope. I don't know if I should crush it or not, since it's difficult to say just what Tris wants when it comes to him. I don't think she knows, herself.
I decide to ignore it for now.
"So," I continue, "we need to take a vote, right?" As one of the newer members of the faction, I've only been here for one vote, but I'm pretty sure that's the usual process.
"Yes," Four answers immediately.
"Is that a 'yes' we need to vote or a 'yes' vote?" Uriah asks with a grin.
Four just looks at him. "Both," he answers a bit coldly, touchy, as always, about discussing Tris with Uriah. He's come to terms with their kiss, but that doesn't mean he'll ever like it.
"Not so fast," Zeke says, frowning at Four. "You need to think about this, man. You can't just vote on the hope that you'll get back together."
"I'm not," Four snaps, not even trying to hide his annoyance. His feelings are always strongest when it comes to Tris. I guess we'll see how that affects his anger management today.
Zeke is clearly unfazed. "So, you'd be just fine watching her date someone else?" he asks, raising a cynical eyebrow. Gesturing toward his brother, he adds, "Even Uriah?"
It's a reasonable question, though judging by Four's expression, he considers it to be a low blow. For a long moment, the two of them glare at each other, and then Four speaks in a level tone.
"She could do a lot worse."
It's an interesting response, and I study his face again, noticing that he's hiding more fear in the set of his mouth now than before. I wonder who he's thinking of that would be so much worse than Uriah.
Shauna makes an exasperated sound. "Yeah, of course she could, but that's not the point. The point is that no matter who it is, you'd have to watch it, and the rest of us would have to watch you tear yourself apart in response. And maybe we don't want to do that!"
There's no way to miss the fury on Four's face at that comment. "I am not a child," he snarls, his eyes boring into Shauna, "who needs you to make decisions for him." He sweeps his gaze over the rest of us. "I am a grown man, and I know exactly what I'm voting for here. My answer is still yes. Tris should be able to live where she chooses, and I will find a way to deal with whatever happens next."
His voice is low and dangerous when he adds, "And if any of you vote otherwise, it had damned well better not be in some attempt to protect me."
There's dead silence after he finishes, and I half expect him to storm out of the room during it, but he doesn't. He controls his temper and remains sitting, focusing his intense gaze on each of us in turn to make sure we understand just how serious he is. The Candor in me would find it kind of hot, if he were remotely my type.
Cara clears her throat, drawing our attention to her. "The same applies to me," she says firmly. "I've come to terms with the fact that Tris killed my brother, and I'm fine with having her live here. Your votes shouldn't have anything to do with me, either."
The words send guilt through me. It's been a long time since I associated my best friend with Will's death. After seeing the others when they were under the simulation – and trying everything I could think of to keep Marlene from climbing on that ledge – I know that Tris really didn't have a choice when she shot Will. If she had just injured him, he wouldn't have stopped.
But this isn't the time to dwell on that. Refocusing my thoughts, I say, "So, that's two 'yes' votes, right?" Cara nods, and I manage a small smile in response, despite the turmoil she's created in my stomach.
"I'm one as well," I add. "You know, just in case anyone doubted it…."
"So am I," Amar says far more forcefully than he normally speaks. "Absolutely." The intensity makes everyone stare at him. He tries so hard to keep an even keel, to avoid stirring up all the demons in his head. But he looks strong right now. Dauntless. It reminds me that Four's broadcast made him see Tris as a role model, and maybe it would be good for him to have her around.
"I don't know her well," George says, giving his husband an evaluating look, "but I have no objections."
We all turn toward the last three. Shauna purses her lips, watching Four and crossing her arms over her chest while Zeke looks more contemplative.
"All right, then," Zeke says quietly. "I'm going to trust that you know what you're doing, Four." He glances at me as he adds, "Yes."
Shauna sighs as she nods slowly. "Yeah, okay," she mutters, dropping her hands onto the wheels of her chair and moving back and forth a bit as she often does when she's agitated.
All eyes turn to Uriah, who gives a nervous smile. "Um, I'm really new here, so I'm just going to abstain, okay?"
"What?!" several of us demand at once.
"You little pansycake," Zeke scoffs, using Uriah's word against him. "What – Four can watch her date someone else if it comes down to it, but you can't. Is that it?"
I know instantly that he guessed right – that Uriah may be fine with seeing Tris and Four together, but he doesn't want to watch her with anyone else. After the broadcast, I can't entirely blame him. It feels wrong to think about either of them with someone new.
But of course Uriah denies it.
"Nah, I already told you – she doesn't like me that way. And I'm not dumb enough to keep chasing someone who isn't interested." He gives a smile that would be convincing if I hadn't spent my entire childhood in Candor.
"Besides," he adds, his grin widening, "I've moved on." To my enormous surprise, he leans closer to me and wraps an arm around my shoulders.
"Yeah, that's not happening," I state flatly, despite the smile I can feel tugging at my lips. Honestly, there's no denying that he's hot – and a good guy, for that matter. But if we ever get together, it won't be now. Neither of us is at the right point in our lives for that.
So, I take hold of his wrist, giving it a nice little self-defense twist as I lift his arm from my shoulders. I grin as he winces in response.
"Ow!" he exclaims in a highly exaggerated voice. But he doesn't even pause before wrapping his other arm around Cara. He's having a hard time keeping a straight face as he continues, "As I said, I've moved on…."
It's an effective distraction. Most of us laugh, and even Four cracks a smile. Cara, on the other hand, looks vaguely disgusted.
"No. Absolutely not." She squirms away from him. "It was bad enough kissing Zeke."
There's a long pause at that before Uriah and Four both lose it, bursting into more laughter than I've ever seen from my former instructor. Zeke, in the meantime, turns a deep shade of red, while Shauna, unsurprisingly, looks livid.
"What?!" She rounds on her boyfriend. "What the hell, Zeke?"
"It wasn't…" he splutters, looking at the others for help. "It was just a joke, I swear. I didn't think anyone would really do it."
And they launch into a story about favors that occurred while rescuing Caleb from Erudite, and exactly what happened while I was stuck in the other building with my injured leg. It's absolutely hilarious, but half-way through, I notice that Four has turned away from Zeke and is looking at me. His expression has turned serious again, and I meet his gaze curiously.
"I'll start getting an apartment ready for her," he says simply. His voice is just loud enough for me to hear him over the raucous story-telling, and I nod to let him know I understood.
"We'll help, too," George offers, but Four shakes his head firmly.
"No," he answers. "This one is mine."
A/N: That's the first time I've written from Christina's perspective, and I kind of enjoyed it. It was interesting to think how someone who grew up Candor would view the world. Please let me know what you thought of it.
By the way, the next chapter returns to Tobias' POV. It's basically Chapter 45 (Returning) from "Determinant," but showing Tobias' day instead of Tris'. And yes, he sees Tris again at the end of it... :-)