Four wanted to reschedule the field trip but Eric insisted. He realized from here on out, his life was going to be miserable. Eric wasn't going to go easy with the knowledge he had. Four was going to have to be very careful and keep a closer eye on Tris. He didn't need anything else happening to her because of his lack of self-control.
He was waiting on the platform as the initiates began to arrive. He saw Al and Will join the group but couldn't find her or Christina. Either they weren't coming, which would be a horrible choice, or they were still on their way. The train was about 5 minutes away, hopefully they hurried or they would miss it. He stepped as close to the tracks as possible, trying to clear his head of thoughts of Tris. As the train approached, he stepped back to allow the initiates to get on first. He saw Christina and Tris, limply horribly, burst out of the door onto the platform just as the train was coming through. He pulled himself on the train, needing space otherwise he would grab her and never let her go.
He can see her struggling to get on the train and before he can react, Al reaches out, grabs her and hauls her in. Just as he is thinking he is going to have to teach that kid some personal boundaries, he realizes Tris' personal space isn't his to protect. He hears Peter sneer, "Feeling a little….Stiff?" at her and he bites down the urge to push him out the door. They continue to bicker back and forth until his self-control can't take it anymore. "Am I going to have to listen to your bickering all the way to the fence?" he growls. Everyone quiets down and Four grabs both handles and leans out of the train, never looking down, just trying to clear his head of the image of Tris huddled in the back of the train all bruised and broken.
He can feel her eyes on him, burning a hole in his back. He ignores it but wonders what she thinks of him this morning. Does she hate him for allowing that fight to happen? As he is thinking, he hears Christina and Tris hypothesize about what is beyond the fence. When Christina answers Tris' question of what is beyond the fence with "Monsters" he can't help but smile.
They reach their destination and Four feels the train begin to slow. He and the initiates all jump off as it slows to make the turn back toward the city and Four leads them toward the gate. He sees Tris stick close to Christina and wonders who she is more scared of, him or Peter? Four turns to address them all, "If you don't rank in the top five at the end of initiation, you will probably end up here. Once you are a fence guard, there is some potential for advancement, but not much. You may be chosen to go on patrols beyond the Amity farms but-" "What would be the purpose of that?" Will cuts him off. "I wouldn't know, I wasn't ranked that low. I suppose you will find out if you are." "What rank were you?" Peter shouts out. Four gives him a hard stare, to let him know he is no match for him. "I was ranked first." "And you chose to do this? What? Couldn't get a higher job?" "I didn't want one." With that Four walked away and headed toward the gate. It was all he could do not to kick that kid in the face.
As the gates open, an Amity truck was waiting outside but Four takes no notice of it. The initiates clamber out the opening doors, some of them getting their first sight of what is outside the fence, which is lackluster at best. He hears a worker from the truck call out and turns to see him addressing Tris. "Beatrice?" He sees her turn with recognition in her face but the wary kind, not wanting to appear too attached to the past. The boy jumps from the truck and wraps her up in a hug and Four has to watch another man hold her in his arms. He grits his teeth and turns away but his ears are focused on their conversation.
"Beatrice? What happened? Are you alright?" Her response is quiet but then Four hears Molly's loud mouth break through, "Beatrice? Is that your real name?" He starts to turn to tell her off but Tris beats him to it. "What did you think Tris was short for?" "Weakling?" Molly laughs as she joins Drew and Peter. They must be sharing the joke because he hears cackling coming from their group of three. Four's focus is back on the boy. He tried to introduce himself to Molly with no avail before he turns back to Tris. "They don't seem like nice people Beatrice, are you happy? You could probably go home if you want, Abnegation would take you back." Four turns knowing Tris' face holds more than her words. Her look drips with acid, "What makes you think I want to go back? I chose this. My main goal in life isn't just to be….happy." Four sees Robert back away and jump back into the truck and Tris storm, as fast as she is able to, back toward the gate. He imagines a different world where Tris and Robert are married because that is how it works in Abnegation Four assumes Robert is from Abnegation and transferred. A guard asks him a question and he quickly answers it before stepping close to Tris.
"You seem to have a knack for making unwise decisions." Four lets some of his jealousy get the best of him and confronts her. Tris crosses her arms and that familiar fire dances in her eyes. "I spoke to him for two minutes." "It's not the length you spent talking." Four can't help himself, he is far from Eric's eyes and his hand moves before his brain can react. He finds himself brushing her eye where it is bruised, sad that he couldn't stop that from happening. Her breath hitches and he can't make himself remove his hand. This is the first contact they have had since he helped her with her fighting stance. "You know, if you attacked first, you might do better."
Tris responds quickly, "Attack first? How will that help? I tried with Peter but…." "You're fast, you just let your fear take over. If you relax and get in a few good hits, you could win." He knows he has to move now or he is going to take this physical contact further than he should. He lets his hand fall away and starts to walk away when she says, "I'm surprised you know that. My fight didn't seem very entertaining to you, since you left half way through."
Tobias takes in a deep breath; he didn't realize she saw him leave. Now, not only does she think he set her up to lose, but that he was bored with watching her struggle. He leaned in close and whispered, "It wasn't something I wanted to watch." He walked away and yelled over his shoulder, "Next train is coming, time to go Tris." He sees her walk over to Christina to get on the train and he moves ahead a car, needing to be alone. That was as close as he's let himself get to her and the feeling of their touch and her amazing smell had him all in a daze. It was all he could do to stop himself from kissing her when that fire flashed in her eyes.