Thank you guys so much for the favorites and alerts! And thank you HeartOfGold, AvesCallaghan, and Jessy Ann for the reviews!

I kind of wanted to show that just because Alex acts all tough doesn't necessarily mean she is. Plus, I wanted to get a little more Four in there :P

Hope you guys like!

"Just conceded. Please, Kristen. Don't make me do this," I begged as I stood over her. Her face was covered in blood from the cut over her eyebrow, her bloody nose and busted tested lip. I didn't want to do. I can't. I was never expecting to have to fight one of my friends, I never wanted to, but I didn't have a choice. I couldn't afford to lose my second fight.

"I'm sorry. You have too," She tried to sit up on her elbows as she wiped blood from her eyes. The irony in her words hurt. Here I was, standing over her after giving her a beating and she was apologizing. For the first time since my blood dripped onto the burning coal I questioned my choice in choosing Dauntless. I brought my foot up and reluctantly smashed it into the side of her face, causing her body to go limp on the mat.

I looked down at my bloody hands, ashamed. "Winner; Alex." Eric announced. "You're free to go," he spoke to everyone in the room. "We're done for today." I didn't look at him as I brushed past him towards the door.

"Alex!" I heard Four call, but I ignored him as I hurried out of the training room. I didn't know where I was going, I just knew I couldn't stay in there as I watched them carry Kristen's unconscious body to the infirmary. It was selfish that I was only focusing on my pain and not her's, but then again, there was a reason I wasn't Abnegation anymore.

My ears filled with the sound of rushing water as I approached the chasm. If there was one place that I could drowned out my thoughts, it would be here. I navigated over the uneven and wet rocks, sitting on the edge. I looked down, the harsh water rushing into the abyss. I wish I could disappear just like the water did. I didn't want to be in my right mind right now. I wish I could swap places with Kristen, but I can't. I'm Alex Eaton, the victor, and I have to deal with what I've done to one of my closes friends.

I looked down at the red on my hands. I rubbed them together, trying to get rid of the stick substance, but didn't secede. I rubbed harder and harder, but to no avail. Having Kristen's blood on my hands made me stick. My eyes began to water no matter how hard I tried to fight it.

"You're not gonna jump, are you?" I jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. The noise of the water prevented me from hearing him come up behind me. My hands clenched together, feeling the blood squish between my fingers.

"Why would you care?" I nearly choked. Eric ignored my warning as he made his way over the wet rocks. I wiped the wetness from my eyes with my arm and stood. He stopped when he was a few feet away from me.

"Well, personally, I wouldn't, but if Max found out an initiate jumped under my watch he'd have my ass," I rolled my eyes at his reply.

"I'm so not in the mood for this right now," I groaned. I went to walk past him, but his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.

"This," Eric motioned to my grief stricken face and puffy eyes. "isn't gonna cut it in Dauntless. Get your shit together or you won't make it here."

I yanked my arm out of his grasp. "Don't touch me," I hissed. "If there's one reason why I won't make it here is because you're driving me fucking insane!"

"You'll thank me for this later down the road. I'm helping you. I'm-" I cut him mid-sentence.

"That's bullshit! Enough of this 'helping me' crap. You just want to see me squirm and suffer at your hand and I don't understand why…" I looked away from him and at the rocks beneath my feet.

"You deserved everything that I've put you through," he retorted.

"Why?" I looked up and met his grey eyes. "Because I don't know how to keep my mouth shut, right? Because I have the balls to say what other people don't? Because I remind you of the fact that you're not as high and mighty as you might think?"

"Enough!" He barked. I could see his anger begin to rise through his facial features. "You have no filter between your brain and your mouth, do you?"

"I guess not," I snarled.

He sighed and ran his hand over his face, looking annoyed. "I'm done with this conversation." He turned to leave as I spoke.

"Wow I definitely wouldn't categorize that as a fucking conversation," he ignored me as he began to make his way back up the water laced stones. "That was like shouting at a goddamn brick wall."

Once Eric was out of sight, I too made my way back up the slippery rocks. My feet pulled me towards the direction of the training room. I was sure that everyone would have gone by now. When I entered the room I was met with only the presence of one other person; my brother.

He looked up at me and frowned. "I'm sorry you had to do that," he put down the broom in his hands and motioned for me to sit on a nearby bench with him. I did just that, resting my head on his shoulder.

"I didn't have a choice," was all I said as I looked down at the now dried blood on my hands. Four noticed this and stood.

"I'll be right back," I nodded. He walked off, but I didn't really pay attention to where he was going. He returned a few minutes later with a wet rag in his hands.

He sat back down next to me, taking my hands in his. The red began to transfer from my fingers to the rag. "It reminded me of Marcus," I admitted.

"What did?" he questioned.

"Having that power over her. It reminded me of when he used to… you know, beat us. Except, I was in his shoes this time around," I choked. "I hated that feeling, because I know that's what he must have felt when he…" I thought making the switch to Dauntless would mean that I had escaped him forever, but I was wrong. He still haunted my thoughts, my feelings.

"You're nothing like him and you never will be. He had a choice, you didn't. You can't let this get to you. It'll wreck you." Four moved to the other hand. His voice was so calm and reassuring. It put my nerves at ease.

"Yeah, I know." I sighed.

"I noticed that Eric followed you out," Four mentioned. I really didn't want to talk about it.

"Did he?" I tried to act as if I hadn't notice.

"This is why you don't belong in Candor," he chuckled. "You're shit at lying."

I smiled at his comment. "To say the least I wasted my time talking to a brick wall,"

"That's Eric for you," Four put the rag next to him as he finished with my hands, but didn't let go of them. "Hate is a strong word, but I've never disliked anyone more than I dislike Eric."

"Why?" I was curious about the animosity between the two.

"He did and said some shit that crossed a very clearly drawn line," Four said vaguely. I could tell that that was all I was going to get out of him.

"Why does that not surprise me?" I laughed. I don't know why I found that funny. Maybe it was because I could relate to it.

Four smiled at me and got to his feet, pulling me up along with him. "Come on, let's go get something to eat." At the mention of food I realized just how hungry I was.

"Maybe after I go see Kristen…"

"No, we're going to go eat now because sitting next to her in the infirmary sulking isn't going to help anything or anyone." My brother gave me a stern look, letting me know that there was no room for argument.

"Okay, okay." I caved and followed him the direction on the door as we made our way to the dinning hall.

XXX

The walk the dinning hall was silent, but a comfortable silent. Four held the door open for me as I walked in before him. The volume of the chatter hit me like a wave as I transitioned from the quiet journey to the thriving room. Our entrance went relatively unnoticed due to the amount of other actives and people in the room. I scanned the room for any familiar faces and was happy to find Olivia, Jake, and Aidan at a table off to the far left.

I followed Four to the buffet of food and began stacking my plate. As we reached the halfway point of the food line, Four nudged me in the side to get my attention. My focus shifted from my growing pile of food to him.

"I don't know what you said to him earlier, but since we walked through those doors he hasn't taken his eyes off you," His tone had sifted from his calm and familiar one to one with a protective undertone to it.

"Huh?" I wasn't quite sure what he was talking about.

"Eric," He said sharply. "He's been giving me a hell of a dirty look too." I wasn't even aware that Eric was in the dinning hall. Trying to look as causal as possible, I turned slightly to look over my shoulder. My eyes found Eric's as he sat at a table with Max and the rest of the leader's. Once he realized that he had my attention he scowled and turned back to his fellow leaders. What's his deal?

"I honestly don't know what his problem is. I wish he would just leave me the hell alone. It would make my life a hell of a lot easier," I complained as I turned back to Four. We had reached the end of the line and began to walk towards the tables.

"I think Eric's sole purpose in life is to make other people's lives more difficult then they have to be," he smirked.

"Tell me about in," I chuckle in agreement. "I'm headed over to Jake, Olivia, and Aidan. Wanna sit with us?" I knew it was a long shot, but what the hell.

"I'm sorry, I can't," he frowned. "Instructor, remember?"

I nodded as he head towards Zeke and Shauna, who waved in my direction. I waved back as I sat across from Jake. I greeted the gang, but my attention pulled my mind elsewhere. My eyes found Eric as he got up from his seat at the leader's table and made his way out of the dinning hall.

I didn't understand him and like I said, it drove me insane. Sometimes, I wish I could just crack his skull open and see what makes him tick. I wish I could read the thoughts that ran through his head and what drives him to do the things he does.

"Alex?" Olivia waved her hand in front of my face.

"Sorry," I mumbled, as I turned my attention back to my friends.

I hope you guys liked it! I'd love to hear what you guys think so feel free to leave a review or shoot me a PM! :)