*So fun fact, I had this chapter done YESTERDAY, but the site wouldn't let me upload the document! GAHHH. SO I'm only just getting this up now. Our goal for this chapter? Please give me fifteen reviews. What do you say? Do you think you can do that? I'm already hard at work on chapter 9 if that gives you any incentive...Enjoy!*

Chapter 8

Tris POV

Tris fell asleep that night dreaming of Toby…and then…Four. His fingers tracing so gently over her tattoo…

"Tris, wake up." Christina was shaking her.

"No…" Tris mumbled, rolling over. "Sleep…"

She could hear Christina groan, and then her blanket was being ripped off her body. "Up." Christina commanded. "Get. Up. If you're not dressed at the train in ten we could get kicked out of initiation Tris! And besides that, Four is waiting by the train…"

Tris bit her lip, and got up slowly, not wanting to give Christina the satisfaction that Four got her motivated. Tris quickly got dressed and then ran with Christina to the train.

"Glad you decided to show up." Four snapped at them, nodding to the on-coming train. "Hop on."

Once everyone was on the train, Eric started to explain that they were headed for a different part of the city where they would split into teams and play paintball capture the flag. The winning team got bragging rights.

"Alright," Eric said, "Let's split into teams. Four and I are captains. You want to go first?"

"I can win without going first, Eric." Four said non-chalantly, leaning against the train car wall.

"Fine. Edward."

Four's eyes scanned the crowd quickly and without calculation. "I want the Stiff."

Tris could feel her cheeks flush bright red as everyone in the car laughed.

"Got something to prove?" Eric smirked. "Or are you just picking the weak ones so you have someone to blame it on when you lose?"

"Something like that."

Tris was livid as one of the Dauntless-born initiates pushed her towards Four. If this was a joke it was sick.

"It's your pick." Four said in a bored voice, not even making eye-contact with Tris.

"Peter."

"Christina."

"Molly."

"Will."

"Al."

"Drew."

Eric shrugged. "Last one is Myra so I guess she's with me. Dauntless-born next."

Tris stopped listening as Four and Eric split everyone else up into teams, still absolutely angry and actually hurt that Four would pick her because she was weak. It was a big joke to him, wasn't it? Even after the moment they had shared earlier that day.

They all hopped off the train and everyone split up. They were at Navy Pier, and Tris' team was bickering about strategy. Four stood off bored in a corner while everyone continued to fight. Tris refused to be useless and weak. That was what Four was expecting. That was what he wanted.

She looked around and saw a giant Ferris Wheel. Tris looked back at the group and then promptly turned on her heel and went straight for the giant, looming structure. It didn't take long for her to hear footsteps begin to catch up with her.

"Where are you going?" The deep rumbly voice asked.

Tris ground her teeth. "I'm going to the Ferris Wheel."

"Why?"

Tris sighed and turned around. "Why do you care. I'm useless and weak anyway. What will it matter if I climb and fall to my death Four?"

"You're going to climb?"

Tris paused, her breath leaving her. Did he really not get it? "Am I going to—You know what, whatever. I don't care."

Tris turned on her heel and double-timed it for the Ferris Wheel, beginning to climb up. She heard creaking below her and saw Four following her up.

Why was he following her?

"What are you doing?"

Four breathed heavily and continued to follow her up, obviously trying not to look up or down. "I'm finding out what you're doing."

"Jesus." Tris sighed. "I'm seeking higher ground. This is higher ground."

"So tell me—"

"I'll be fine, Four. I'm not a child."

She could hear the amused smile in his voice when he spoke again. "Undoubtedly."

"You can go now then." Tri said slowly. She could hear his breathing in spurts and starts.

Four though, of course, ignored her. "So tell me, what do you think the purpose of this exercise is?"

Tris thought for a moment, pausing at a small landing in the middle of the wheel. "Strategy. Teamwork, maybe, although that doesn't seem like a Dauntless priority."

Four lifts himself up and sits next to her, releasing a small laugh that sounds a lot like a panicked breath. "It used to be a priority. It's supposed to be a priority."

They both sat in silence as the wind blew around them. After a moment, Tris let out a slightly nervous breath and looked up. "We still need to get higher."

Tris started to climb again, and as she climbed, she realized it wasn't the height making her nervous—although she suspected the height was making Four nervous—but no. It wasn't the height, it was Four. Something about him made Tris feel like she was about to fall. Or turn into liquid. Or burst into flames. A sudden burst of wind knocked Tris from her balance, almost sending her flying from the ladder. Four's hand instinctively reached around her hip and brought her back to the ladder. Tris could feel her body start to shake, and it wasn't from the near-death experience.

"You okay?" Four asked in a gasping soft voice.

Tris barely nodded before breathing out, "Yeah. Yeah I am."

After another moment Tris began her ascent up the ladder. The top landing was so close.

"Tris, are you even human? Being up this high…it doesn't scare you at all?"

She laughed a little and didn't respond. Tris looked down. Being up this high should scare her…but she knew she wouldn't fall. They reached the top landing and Tris sat down and swung her feet over the edge to dangle in the air. Tris looked behind her and saw Four pressed up against the back of the landing.

Tris laughed. "Scared of heights?"

Four glared at her, and then let out a shudder. "Only a little."

Tris smiled to herself. Toby used to be scared of heights. She wondered if he had ever grown out of it. "I can't believe the big, bad, Four is scared of anything."

"Only a few things. We're all scared of something Tris." Four said quietly. She could practically feel Four's eyes on her back. When she spotted the flag.

"Four—"

"You're not weak, Tris."

What? "What?" Tris turned around, confused.

"Earlier." Four said. "I, I didn't agree with what Eric said. You're not weak, you're just…unexpected. You come out of nowhere like this giant burst of fire. It's amazing."

"Well…thank you. It's nice to know I'm not useless. And I found the flag."

Four shook his head as he started his descent, Tris not far behind him. "Never."

They climbed down in comfortable silence, the wind blowing gently now. Tris put her foot on one of the rungs, and it gave way beneath her right as they got near the bottom.

"Four!" She screamed, hanging by her hands.

"Hold on!" He shouted back, climbing down quickly. "Just hold on!"

Tris could feel her fingers slipping, as the wheel creaked underneath her weight. She could feel tear spring to her eyes. She didn't want to die here. Not like this. Suddenly, she was moving. She looked around, the Ferris Wheel was moving. Tris held on tight as she came closer to the ground. Four was standing there, arms outstretched for her to drop into. Just like Toby used to do outside her window. With one, large, gasping breath, she flung her body forward and into Four's waiting arms. With a small cry she wrapped her hands instinctively around his neck and buried her head into his chest while they caught their breath.

"Oh thank God." Four breathed, setting Tris' small body on the ground.

"H-how did you…" Tris asked, still grasping onto Four's arms for support.

"Lucky guess."

Tris stared at Four in bewilderment for a moment, before leaping into his arms and hugging him tightly.

"You're okay now." Four whispered.

"Thank you, Four." Tris said, breathing in Four's warm and manly scent. "Thank you."

Four pulled back and smiled. "You're welcome. Now let's go get the flag."

Tris smiled and started running back for the group. Together, they came up with a plan, and attacked. Tris even got to shoot Eric a couple times, and Christina managed to capture the flag. It was a day of victories and Tris hadn't ever felt so high. Four shot her a smile on the way back, and Tris was positively giddy, all thoughts of Toby gone until they were back at the Dauntless compound and her and Christina were ready to go to bed.

"Christina." Tris whispered through the dark.

Christina sat up in her bed, and looked at Tris. "What?"

"I'm so confused. What about Toby?"

"What do you mean 'what about Toby'? We're going to find him, Tris." Christina whispered.

Tris nodded and said goodnight to Christina, but suddenly she wasn't so sure she wanted to find Toby anymore.

*What did you think? Give me fifteen reviews and I'll hand over chapter 9! How frustrated are you? What is Tris going to do? What is Four going to do? What will outside parties do regarding the Toby situation? ...WHAT?! Yeah. Outside parties. Anyhoo. The sooner you review favorite, follow, ect., the sooner I put up chapter 9! All my love, Rosaline.*