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I groaned as Four helped me off the mat. I had lost my third and final fight against Logan. Logan was one of Seth's degenerate friends that had transferred over from Candor with him. They looked quite similar, so much so that they could be brothers. I was winning for most of the fight until Seth distracted me with a snide comment that he had made. I lost focus and my attention shifted from Logan to Seth. With that unconsciousness came soon after as Logan laid me out on the mat with one powerful punch to temple.

"Dammit," I mumbled. Four wrapped an arm around my waist to balance me. The room still hadn't stabilized yet so the added support was greatly appreciated.

"I'll take her," I heard a voice come up behind us. Eric appeared next to me and I sent my brother a pleading look, begging him not to leave me in the hands of Eric. Eric never took initiates to the infirmary, he always left that task to Four. The look Four sent back told me that he didn't have a place to argue with the leader and that he had no choice. Even after our moment during our capture the flag game, I still wanted to keep my distance from Eric.

Four's arm was replaced with Eric's and I was forced to lean against him for support. It was my turn to reluctantly rely on him for support. I tried to push him away and stand on my own, but failed as my head began to spin. Eric's arm tightened around my waist and I sucked in a sharp breath.

I frowned in my brother's direction as Eric began to lead me out of the training room and to the infirmary. The tension was thick and awkward as silence fell between us. As we reached the half way point of our trek, Eric finally broke the silence. "What happened out there?" I was glad to hear that he had left his harsh, cold tone in the training room. It was softer now, but still authoritative.

"I just... I got distracted," I admitted. The funny thing was, I couldn't even remember what it was that Seth said to grab my attention. Maybe it was just the fact that he had opened his mouth that pissed me off.

"You can't let that Candor kid get in your head. He's just pissed because you knocked his ass out," Eric smirked. Something about him seemed different, he seemed less guarded.

"Eh," I shrugged. That might be part of it, but it wasn't all of it. Seth had it out for me, I knew he did. Whether it was insulting me every chance he got or trying to trip me in the dinning hall, he always put in the extra work to fuck my day up. Or at least tried to. I tried not to let it bother me.

"Don't try to act like I didn't notice by the way," I sent a confused look his way. I wasn't sure what he was talking about. Was he still talking about Seth?

"Notice what?" I raised my eyebrow in curiosity. What was he talking about?

"The way you won your fight against him," Eric's smirk made yet another appearance as we rounded a corner. He was referring to the choke hold that I had used against Seth. The same one that Eric had used on me during our fight.

"Oh," I looked down at my boots as I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. I didn't think he would notice, nonetheless mention it. "I couldn't think of anything else to do. He was bigger, stronger... It was the only way I was going to win," I didn't really know how to explain it to him.

"Well, at least something positive came out of me knocking you on your ass," Eric teased. I rolled my eyes as I chuckled. It was strange though, I, for once, was having an actual conversation with Eric. No arguing or taking jabs at one another, it was kind of nice.

"Hey now, I busted your lip. That's pretty good for my first fight, especially from a girl from Abnegation," I said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, whatever," This time it was Eric who rolled his eyes. "You caught me off guard, that's all," he shook his head and chuckled, looking over at me. Our eyes connected and my breath caught in my throat. All coldness from his features were gone. He didn't look like a cruel Dauntless leader right then and there. He looked like a normal boy who I might have gone to school with. A Dauntless boy that I could have been friends with.

"Whatever keeps the tears away at night," I mocked. His smirk turned into a smile. A genuine smile too. It took me completely off guard. I'd never seen him smile, the most I would ever get was a smirk. His smile suited him. It took away the coldness that he was infamous for. "You should do that more often," I took a risk as I looked back down at my boots.

"Do what?" he asked.

"Smile. It suits you. It doesn't make you look so... mean," I could tell by the look on his face that he didn't know how to take it.

He didn't respond as we arrived at our destination. We were greeted by Lizzy as we entered the infirmary. "Please tell me she isn't here because of you again, Eric."

"Not this time, Lizzy," He dropped the arm that was around my waist. My heart sank a little at the absence of his touch.

"So then what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"The usual. Check over for a concussion, broken bones, cuts, scrapes and what not," Eric looked over at me briefly, then back at Lizzy as he smirked. "She has a hard head though, so I'm pretty sure you can cross any type of concussion off that list."

"Asshole," I shoved him playful and he chuckled in response.

Lizzy shook her head at us and motioned for me to follow her to the back room where I had been barely a week prior. I noticed that Eric didn't follow. I looked over my shoulder just in time to see him make his exit.

"He's in good mood today," Lizzy noted as I took a seat on the metal table.

"I know right?" So I wasn't the only one that noticed this. "It's weird. Do you know what's up with him?" I figured that if anyone would know it would be Lizzy.

"Maybe," She smirked.

"Lizzzzzyyy," I moaned.

"Fine, yeah, I know why he's so happy," Lizzy pulled a small pen shaped flashlight out of her breast pocket. "Follow my finger with your eyes," She shined the light in my eyes as she moved her finger back and forth. I followed it with ease. She placed the flashlight back in her pocket before she continued. "So, apparently Max was super impressed by how far the initiates have come so far, you in particular."

"Me?" I questioned. Why on earth would he be impressed with me?

"Yeah, you. The only Abnegation transfer this year. The transfer that's kicking some serious ass," she smiled as she pulled the stethoscope that was hanging from around her neck. "He gave Eric a big pat on the back and told him to 'keep up the good work'." I was about to speak when she placed the metal ring to my chest, sticking up her hand to tell me to say silent. Once she had finished, I continued with what I was going to say.

"I don't understand why impressing Max would take him from 'grr I'm a cold hearted leader' to 'hey, let me not be a dick for once'." I shifted on the table as Lizzy placed the stethoscope back around her neck.

"Eric only became a leader a few months ago so impressing Max is a big thing for him. He's hoping to gain Max's respect and his trust. Overseeing your initiation was Eric's first major task and Max seeing that Eric is succeeding is definitely a positive push," Lizzy informed me.

I sat there a few moments and mulled over the new information I had received. Maybe that was why Eric was so keen to put me in my place. He was a new leader and wanted to be respected. A loud mouth initiate would certainly not work in his favor towards that goal. "Let's not talk about Eric," I finally said.

"Okay," She leaned up against the counter behind her. "Visiting day is tomorrow."

I'd rather go back to talking about Eric. The thought of visiting day made my insides turn. The image of Marcus made my head hurt. "Yeah, it is, isn't it?"

"Any family that you're hoping to see tomorrow?" She asked as she turned to start cleaning up her work station.

"Nope," I replied, popping the 'p'.

"Aw, well, if you want you can always come on down and spend your day with me," Lizzy looked over her shoulder and smirked.

I chucked and smiled back at her. "Thanks for the offer," I hopped off the table and fixed my shirt. "If that's it, I'm gonna head out."

"Yeah you're all set, but if you start feeling dizzy or sick, come see me," she informed me.

"I will, thanks," I waved her a goodbye as I made my way out of the infirmary.

XXX

The next morning at breakfast I picked at my food while the other initiates chattered away around me about how excited they were to see their families. A small part of me wished that I had a family that I could be excited to see, but that small part of me vanished as my only family walked into the dinning hall.

Four walked up to our table and cleared his throat to get the attention of all the initiates. "Alright, some of your family members have started to arrive. You're free to head down to the pit, but remember what Eric said earlier," he advised. 'It's best not to seem too attached. That will make it easier for you, and easier for them. We take the phrase 'faction before blood' very seriously here.' I shook my head at Eric's words as they echoed in my head. My blood, my family, they were my faction. Most, if not all the initiates at the table got up and rushed out the door in search of their families.

I gave Four a sad smile as I walked past him. Visiting day was a reminder to both of us of our past that we so desperately wanted to forget.

I followed the initiates as they ran down the hall, except when given the option to take the path down to the pit or continue on the path that I was on, I choose the later. Once I found a sufficient spot, I sat down, my feet dangling off the path as I looked over the pit. I couldn't help but smile as I saw Kristen and Olivia find and embrace their families.

"Mind if I join you?" I looked up to find Four standing over me. I shrugged and he took a seat next to me.

"I remember this day last year," I looked over at him, but his eyes were cast over the pit to the other initiates. "I wanted to see you, but Marcus wanted nothing to do with you. He beat me for just mentioning your name..."

"I've never forgiven myself for leaving you with him," he said quietly. The look on his face broke my heart as he turned to me.

"Tobias, I wouldn't have forgiven you if you stayed. You had a chance to get out and you took it. It was only a matter of time till I got mine," I rubbed his back as I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"I'm so proud of you," he could hear the pride his voice as he spoke.

"For what?"

"Not only did you survive a year with Marcus on your own, but you're taking Dauntless by storm. Words gotten around that you've impressed Max," he smirked.

"Why does everyone keep bringing that up? I don't understand how," I sat up and raised my eyebrow in question.

"Well, both your shooting and knife throwing skills are great. You've beaten guys twice your size in fights. Plus, on top of all of that, you won capture the flag for your team," his smirk turned into a smile. "Max has always rooted for the underdog."

I chuckled. "I'll remember that for the future."

I turned as I heard footsteps come up behind us. My shoulders dropped as Eric appeared in the distance.

"Don't you have family to be seeing?" Eric questioned as he approached us. I noticed the nasty look that Eric sent Four's way as he spoke.

"I'm gonna get going," Four got to his feet. "I'll be down in the pit if you need anything," with that he nodded me a goodbye and brushed past Eric. I scowled at Eric as he took a few steps closer. I was none to happy that he ruined a good moment that I was having with my brother. Those moment seemed very few and far apart since I got here.

"You never answered my question," Eric insisted.

"I have all the family I need right here in Dauntless. Abnegation means nothing to me," I snapped. The Abnegation knew what my Father was doing to me and Tobias, yet they just stood by and let it continue. How much more selfish could they be.

"Easy there, little wolf, it was just a question," he sat in the spot that was previously occupied by my brother.

"Little wolf?" I questioned the nickname.

"It suites you." He still seemed much more relax then he usually was. I'm surprised that he didn't give me the whole 'watch your tone' lecture. "You're fierce and rebellious."

"I thought you didn't train rebels, you trained soliders?" I asked, using one of his own lines against him.

"You can't tame a wolf, at least it doesn't seem that way," he smirked and looked over the pit, but my eyes stayed on him. Something about his relaxed and open state made me smile. If people saw Eric like this I'm sure their opinions of him would change.

"If all it took to get you in a mood like this was a pat on the back from Max I would have forced his hand a long time ago," I chuckled.

"Trust me, my mood has nothing to do with Max," he leaned back on his hands and faced me.

"Then what changed your mood?"

"You," My eyes went wide as I looked at him. Was he serious? The genuine look on his face told me that me meant what he said. I bit down on my lip piercing and noticed that his eyes followed the movement. Before either one of us had a chance to speak I heard my name being called from the pit.

"Alex! Come here! I want you to meet my family!" Olivia shouted as she looked up at the ledge and over at us.

"I uh...I've gotta go," I looked away from Eric and quickly stood up, making my way down to the pit.

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