*So I got so excited about Chapter 9, that I decided to forgive the fact that you guys hadn't done fifteen reviews-only nine-but I love you guys, and I LOVE this chapter, and I think you guys will too, even if it's a little sad...here's the deal, I'm already hard at work on chapter 10, so if you guys give me ten reviews-in honor of chapter 10-chapter ten will get posted. Also, this is my longest chapter yet! EEK! Possibly even today! WHAT?! Oh yeah, Three updates in a day you give me those ten reviews. And who knows what might happen if you give me more than ten...anyways! Enjoy the chapter!*

Chapter 9

Tris POV

Tris was dead tired and exhausted. The last few days had been nothing but fighting and stealth training. She wished she could be like Al, and not have to worry about her ranking, but unfortunately, Tris was having problems winning.

"What are you doing, Stiff?" Four screamed at her, as she got pummeled by Molly.

"Four," Eric's stern voice came through, "Let the Stiff lose, if that's what she's going to do."

Tris waited for a hole in Molly's defense to kick her in gut and finally roll from underneath her. Tris tried to stand up and get another hit in, but Molly was up quickly, sweeping her feet out from underneath her, and began to pummel her again. Then everything faded to black…

Tris' head was pounding. She could actually hear the pounding in her ears. "God…" She groaned, trying to shake off the pain, "Everything hurts."

"Tris!" Christina screeched. "Will, Al, Tris is awake!"

Suddenly there was a warm body hugging Tris, and she flinched. "Uh, Chris, could you maybe not right now? Also, maybe keep it down? Because everything hurts…"

"Oh, god, I'm sorry, Tris. I can't believe Four and Eric—they just let Molly pummel you into the ground!"

"It's what they're supposed to, Chris." Will said, sitting next Christina, rubbing her arms soothingly.

Christina began to ramble on about how this was an extreme injustice, and Tris tuned her out. She really liked Christina, but sometimes she was a little too much. Al smiled at Tris softly.

"Hey Tris." He said.

Tris smiled a little at him. "What's up?"

Al shrugged, and sat on the other side of the bed. "Not much. You know you scared us all back there. Me especially."

Oh God. He was looking at her like she was important…Al was looking at her like he…like he liked her. Tris was suddenly very uncomfortable. "Yeah, well…I'm okay now, see? I'm almost ready to just hop back in the ring."

"Four told us that rankings are going up tonight, and that the day after tomorrow we start stage two." Will said quietly from next to Christina.

Tris sighed nervously, biting her lip and wincing. Molly had split it. "Can one of you go check for me? I'm…I'm just not ready to find out if I'm factionless just yet."

Christina smacked Will upside the arm. "Well GO. Tris is waiting. We're all waiting to find out!"

Will rolled his eyes good naturedly, and told Al to go with him, after they left, it was just Christian and Tris. As soon as the door shut, Christina pounced.

"So what is going on with you and Four? I can practically see the sexual tension."

"Chris!" Tris screeched. "There isn't any sexual tension! Four hates me, remember? And besides, I don't like him. I don't."

Christina raised her eyebrow. "You're really just so convincing, Stiff."

"Would you all just stop with the Stiff already? I thought I had proved myself!"

"Fine, fine. Now tell me what's going on with Four!"

"Oh my God…" Tris sighed, exasperated. "There's nothing going on with Four and I. I'm more worried with finding Toby, Chris!"

"Toby might not even be here, Tris!" Christina shouted, getting fed up with hearing about Toby. "The Toby you keep telling me about wouldn't have even made it through the first day of initiation!"

"Shut your mouth." Tris hissed.

"NO. I want you to listen to me. We'll keep looking, okay? But you need to get it through your head that maybe Toby is factionless, or dead in a ditch somewhere, because these initiates are psycho, Tris! Look at what Peter did to Edward! He stabbed him in the eye with a butter knife, and now both him and Myra are gone. How do you know that didn't happen to Toby?"

"Because," Tris said, "He wouldn't let it happen, I know that he wouldn't. He's smarter, and, and braver, and—"

Christina nodded. "Yeah. Toby's perfect huh."

Tris rolled her eyes. "What are you getting at, Chris?"

"I'm just worried." Christina said, her voice going soft. "I'm worried about what happens when we find Toby and he isn't everything you're making him out to be. What happens if he's completely different now? Or even worse, God forbid, what if we can't find Toby?"

Tris shook her head. "Impossible."

Al and Will camer running in breathing heavy, Will looked excited, but Al…his face was pale.

"The rankings, are…" He breathed hard. "Jesus, we sprinted there and back. The ranks are as follows:

Peter

Will

Christina

Molly

Tris

Drew

Al."

Al breathing hard said, "Apparently Edward would have been first, and Myra would have been last but after..."

They all nodded in understanding. There was a knock at the door, and Four was peeking his head in. "Guys, go get some rest, I'll get Tris checked out and back to the dorm."

No one dared fight with what Four was saying, and in a matter of seconds the room was cleared out. Four sat down by Tris' bed, both quiet. Finally, he spoke.

"Congratulations on sixth."

Tris nodded. "I don't know how—"

"Knife throwing, shooting, and you developed the strategy, as well as climbed the Ferris Wheel when we played capture the flag."

Tris swallowed hard. "Is, is Al safe this time?"

Four nodded. "Yes. Edward and Myra left, so we're calling this round a freebie, of sorts. But he's going to need to step it up in the next stage, which is significantly more difficult."

"The emotional stage, right?"

Four nodded. It felt like there was a valley of silence between the two of them, and Tris wasn't sure what to do with it.

"Visiting Day is tomorrow." Tris stated, and Four looked up, and smiled just a little. Tris decided she liked that smile.

"That it is. Are you excited?"

Tris thought for a moment before responding. "I don't know. I don't even know if my parents will show up, I mean, Caleb is in Eurdite, maybe…I don't know. I miss them, I do. But then…" Tris went quiet.

Four reached over and grabbed her hand. "But then…" He asked almost gently.

Tris looked at Four and smiled a little. "I guess, I'm so different now. I'm not sure if my parents will like this new me I'm becoming. I'm not the sweet, scared, shy, little girl from Abnegation anymore. I'm just not, and…you know what? I don't want to go back to that. Even…even if it means they don't like me. Even if Toby doesn't like me anymore."

Four was quiet for a moment, and then said, "Toby couldn't hate you."

Tris just shrugged, and Four cleared his throat. "Uh, speaking of Toby…do you have his full name?"

"Hm?" Tris asked looking up, Four snapping her out of her thoughts. "Oh, uh yeah. His name was Tobias. Tobias Eaton."

Four smiled a little. "Okay, well I'll put that name in the system and see what I can find, okay?"

Tris smiled more. "Thank you."

Four just shrugged, and helped Tris get out of bed, and left while Tris got changed back into her regular, Dauntless clothing. She came out a few minutes later, and Tris was surprised at how relieved and excited she was to see Four standing there, waiting patiently for her. He looked at her from where she stood, and quickly came to replace where the nurse had just been.

"Come on, let's go get you a little food, and then we'll get you back to your dorm, okay?"

Tris smiled and nodded. The cafeteria was close to empty when they got there, Four chose a table and had Tris sit while he went and got them food. She was practically blushing at how sweet he was being. While he was gone, one of the new Dauntless initiates sat down across from her.

"Hey, I'm Uriah." He winked playfully. "Uriah Pedrad."

Tris shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I'm Tris."

"I know who you are. Heard you got pummeled by that Candor chick earlier today. Molly's a bitch. I'm sorry."

Tris nodded. "Yeah…uh, thanks. Um…so how did you know me?"

Uriah's smiled. "My brother Zeke works in the control room with Four. They talk about the initiates all the time. Zeke wants to screw with the transfers, but Four keeps telling him no."

Tris' eyes went wide with fear. "What? When?"

"Hey, hey," Uriah said soothingly, reaching for Tris' hand and squeezing it reassuringly. It was warm, it felt nice, a little like home. But it wasn't Toby's hand. It wasn't Four's. "Don't worry, no one dares cross Four. When he says no, it means no. And if it means anything, now it's two against one. You've got me on your side." Uriah smiled at Tris warmly, and she smiled back.

"Uriah get your ass out of here." Four hissed, sitting down by Tris with food.

Uriah's eyes went slightly wide, but he teased Four, starting to draw small circles on Tris' palm. "Why, you want the new girl all to yourself?"

"Shut up, Pedrad. Mind you I can talk to Lauren about your behavior."

"What behavior?" Uriah challenged. "I was talking to Tris, I'm just holding your hand."

Tris pulled her hand away at the death glare Four was giving them. She wasn't sure that she'd ever seen Four like this before.

"Hey, I liked that." Uriah pouted.

Four leaned forward and hissed so quietly, Tris strained to hear what he was saying. "If you want to keep your hand, you won't do that again."

He leaned back casually and began to pick at the food before him. Uriah nodded quickly said a brief goodbye and left. Four continued to eat while Tris sat there, fuming. Who the hell was Four to tell her who she could and couldn't talk to…or flirt with? That was flirting right? And on top of that, he was acting all protective like he was her boyfriend, when in reality, that just wasn't true.

"Are you going to eat?" Four asked kindly, sticking a piece of muffin in his mouth.

"What the hell was that, Four?" Tris asked, not even bother to dignify his question with a response.

Four's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What was what?"

"You being all scary and mean to Uriah. We were just talking!" Tris argued. God, Four could be so infuriating.

Four's eyebrows raised. "You were flirting. Now, I know that the Abnegation might not know what that is but—"

Tris spat at him, "You're not my mother. You're not my father. You're not my brother, and you're sure as hell not my boyfriend, so I don't see how you have any right to tell me who I can and cannot flirt with or scare them off!"

"Uriah is a playboy, and besides, Marlene already has dibs on him. Look he's a nice guy but—"

"But one, I'm faithful to Toby. And two, I'll make my own judgments about Uriah, thankyouverymuch."

Four sighed. "You want me to apologize don't you?"

Tris shrugged and took a piece of Four's muffin.

"You took a piece of my muffin! You have a muffin!" He whined.

Tris shrugged. "Yours is better."

Four sat there, like he was just waiting for Tris to give in, but it wasn't happening. She just continued to pick off pieces of his muffin.

"Oh for God's sake." Four sighed, raising his head to the ceiling, before finally looking at Tris and saying sincerely, "I'm sorry for being mean to Uriah. I won't do it again."

Tris waited a moment before popping the last of the muffin into her mouth and smiling. "Thank you. And what a tasty muffin that was. I think I'll eat mine now."

Four just groaned and began eating his own food, mumbling something about women. Tris smiled and stared at him for a moment, loving just how easy it was to banter with him, even when he was being a complete idiot. There was hope for him yet.

When they finished eating, Four helped Tris up, and took her back to the dorm, holding onto the crux of her elbow the whole way back. He said it was to make sure she wouldn't fall over while she walked. She was still weak apparently. Tris knew that she had plenty of strength to walk back without his hand guiding her, but it felt so nice she just couldn't tell him to let go. The looks Christina, Will, and Al gave her when Tris reached the dorm were definitely curious, suspicious, and slightly accusing. But to be honest, Tris was too content to care.

When they got to her bed, Tris stopped short. In bright red letters, the word 'STIFF' was written all over her sheets. She could feel Four trembling in anger.

"Four—"

"What the hell, Tris? Why does Peter think that he and his lackeys can get away with this?" He hissed. Christina and Will sat by wide-eyed. Tris was scared herself.

"How do you know that it was Peter?" Christina asked in a small voice.

"He stabbed Edward in the eye with a butter knife." Four spat. "What makes you think he wouldn't do this?"

"Four." Tris spoke softly. "Just go. I'll get a new set of sheets, and we won't even give him the satisfaction. He can't know that he's getting to us. He can't."

"Tris—"

She smiled at him, and turned him around, shoving Four for the door. "I'll be fine. Everything will be fine."

Everyone watched as Four had a stare-down with Tris, Four glaring, and Tris smiling sweetly. Eventually Four sighed and backed down, just turning and stalking out of the room. The room was silent.

"How did you do that?" Christina asked after a moment, Tris already halfway through pulling her sheets off of her bed.

Tris shrugged and threw them in the trash. "I don't know. I just don't bow down to Four's every will. I guess it's a little like training a dog."

Christina laughed, poking Will. "Damn straight. I'm still working on this one here."

Tris laughed. "Well you have to do it with every man, I guess. It's all about dominance. You just have to teach them that you aren't going to back down."

Everyone laughed, and Tris just stared at her bare bed, before sighing. "Hey, can you guys go get me some new sheets? I'm going to shower and try and wipe off some the grime I feel coating my skin."

They all assented, and Tris smiled, happy to know that she had good friends. She toweled up and went to shower, washing all the tension and stress out of her body. When Tris finished, she realized that she had forgotten clothes. She sighed, and just wrapped her body up in a towel planning to change quickly by her bed before anyone could see her. When she stepped out of the bathroom, she saw Peter, Molly and Drew all sitting on their cots by each other snickering. When she entered, they all looked up and had varying degrees of leering smiles, sneers, and evil grins.

"Well look who decided to show up to the party?" Molly laughed. "What didn't get enough this morning? You came back for more?"

Tris ignored them and just went straight for her bed, where Christina had already replaced her sheets.

"I see you got my message." Peter snickered, stepping up to her. "You know, it's not nice to throw out things from people."

Tris just closed her eyes and took a deep breath, reaching for her trunk, but then Peter grabbed her towel and yanked it off of Tris' small frame. She was bare before her three tormentors.

Molly and Drew laughed as Tris reached angrily for her towel back.

"Look at her," Drew sniggered, "She's like a twelve year old!"

"Give me my towel back, Peter!" Tris screamed.

Peter laughed, keeping it away from her. "Once a stiff, always a stiff. Here." He threw her towel back at Tris, the soft material hitting her in her face that was still bruised and swollen. "Take your goddamn towel. I don't want to see your ugly body for another second."

Tris quickly pulled her towel around her body and rushed to her trunk, yanking clothes out before running back to the bathroom to change. There was a full length mirror for Tris to look into before she changed. She slowly took the towel off of her body, and stared at herself, bruised, some place bleeding again from the fighting. Her fingers were beginning to become calloused from the fighting. Her body was small, she was beginning to develop defining muscle and curves, but Tris wasn't well-endowed, like Christina. Her chest was small. Her butt was small. Everything about her was small. Unattractive. Her face was the kind that blended into a crowd. Peter was right. She was ugly.

Four would never love that.

Toby couldn't love that.

No one would ever love that.

*Hope you liked it! Remember, ten reviews in honor of chapter ten! Tell me what you guys thought, what you guys want/think will happen! I think the next chapter is from Four's POV...who knows? ALSO, they might might MIGHT be discovering each other soon...WHAT? What do you guys think will happen when Four finally comes clean and tell Tris that he's Toby? All my love and ten reviews, Rosaline*