AN
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Hopefully I'll live up to your expectations. Enjoy...
Chapter 2 - Informing Dauntless
Muffled up completely in Eric's jacked, the little boy clung to the young leader trustfully, his face buried in his shoulder for comfort. With his left arm Eric supported the weight while his right stroked Teddy's back. Despite the fact that, due to the regulations, he hadn't had many opportunities to get to know his friend's son in the last years, those rare and short encounters seemingly had been enough for Theo to trust him.
'Was this common for children of Teddy's age? Did they trust easy?'
The young leader asked himself, since he didn't know any other children, he had no clue he brooded. Only moments later he reprimanded himself:
'Why are you pondering over this? He trusts you!'
Eric let himself cherish this knowledge despite the current situation. This tiny human being trusted him, an honor to hold dear. Wondering briefly if his friend had sometimes talked about him to his son, memories of Ethan flooded his mind. Only, now was not the time. He would grieve for his friend, but first of all he had Teddy to look after. Again and again he scanned the area to make sure there wouldn't be any more threats on his way to the station. When he finally got here, it seemed forever for the train to arrive and then there was the arduousness of entering the train: He would have to use both his hands. Eric decided to make some sling out of his jacket that would be able to support Teddy. Had Teddy been older, he would have simply taken him piggy pack but that was out of question here, that much he knew. Warily Eric scanned the area anew and finally the train arrived.
"Teddy. I need you to put your arms around my neck and hold on to me tight, okay?"
Teddy didn't reply but Eric could feel his arms coming up around his neck.
"That's it Teddy. Like that. I am going to jump unto the train now. Hold on as tight as you can."
Eric ran alongside the train and jumped unto the small platform outside of it, gripping the handle and then reaching for the door to open it. Finally inside he stayed as far away from the door as possible, only then did he reach for Teddy to get him off. Gathering the boy in his arms, he let himself slide to the ground and tried to get them both comfortable. Sitting down on the ground he mentally listed those things he had to take care of immediately:
Informing the other leaders of the attack and his new responsibility - Teddy
Making sure, Teddy could rest
He wished he could switch these two but he knew there was no way around it short to handing Teddy to someone else, the one thing he wouldn't do. At present Teddy was still under shock but certainly not for much longer and Eric wanted to be able to comfort the boy, when everything came crushing down on him.
Perhaps he would be able to get a book about children development at the market, Eric mused. None of his friends had children so he couldn't ask them and there was no way he'd ask anybody else and let them know how clueless and helpless he was.
Dauntless youngest leader had long since learned his lesson not to broadcast his weaknesses to the world.
When Eric entered the Dauntless compound the guard looked at his leader twice, then, seeing the man was about to open his mouth to say something, Eric glared at him. He gritted his teeth; he was in no mood for noisy questions. Luckily the man was scared enough to let him pass without further enquiry. In times like this Eric was glad of his reputation. Sure, scuttlebutt would start soon but Eric couldn't care less, while he was heading out to the leaders bureaus with big strives.
"Sean?" Eric asked knocking at the office door of the oldest leader.
"Eric. Come in." Sean answered. "Give me a moment." He continued without looking up, only to rise quickly once he finally caught sight of Eric.
"Eric? What happened?"
"There had been an ambush on an amity truck by Factionless rebels and a family from Abnegation, who was passing by, was shot. " Eric reported with a quiet voice.
"Wait, the boy is from Abnegation?"
"Was." Eric corrected roughly, trying not to let his emotion show, at least not too much. "It was the dying wish of his father for me to look after him."
"Eric," Sean began haltingly "not that I don't believe you, but was there a witness?"
"Barry and Dan. They both can testify for it as well as the men from Amity."
Without noticing it himself, Eric protectively placed his arms slightly more around his friend's son.
"Well, its good thing there're also the men from Amity. " Sean replied kindly "It will be easier, when we inform Abnegation." Stepping closer he looked at the child he asked: "What's his name?"
"Theodore."
"Hi Theo." Sean now addressed the boy who had lifted his head a tiny bit out of the Eric' shoulder upon hearing his name
Teddy just looked at him but didn't shy away. Sean smiled at the child. "My name is Sean." He then addressed Eric again.
"For his own safety we will have to cover up, that he is from Abnegation. This is need to know and since I'm the main leader, I'd say no one else needs to know. Especially not Max. You know about is hatred for Abnegation."
Eric nodded relieved. "So, what do we tell everyone?"
"Well, best we stick as close to the truth as possible, especially since Theo is old enough to talk about his parents. So, his parents died and entrusted you with him. We only cover up the fact that he is from Abnegation. "
Knowing his reputation Eric replied: "People know I've only few friends. Wouldn't they get suspicious? Especially Max?"
"No. I don't think so. Most dauntless hardly know anything about your private life, so we can make something up, telling everyone they would have known if they bothered to get to know you. But that would also mean that we'd have to hold a fake funeral today, tomorrow the latest."
Eric nodded his agreement: "That will work."
"It also depends whether or not you trust Barry and Dan not to tell everyone."
"I do." Though he wasn't close friends with them, Eric had come to know them over their common patrols. He was secured enough in his judgment, that he dismissed the thought of threatening them into submission. No, with them, that wouldn't sit well – they had relied onto each other too often during combat.
"Okay. I inform the guards to send them up to me once they get back."
"Thanks." Eric said truly grateful for his support.
"I'm not quite sure about his name. Theo isn't typical dauntless…" Sean continued.
Eric contemplated this. Sure some changed their name with initiation but that were because they wanted to change who they were also. But his name was all Teddy had left from his parents. Then Eric almost smiled, he had the perfect solution.
"Ted. His parents used to call him Teddy at times." He added as explanation.
Sean looked at him sharp: "How'd you know that?"
'Ah shoot.' Eric stiffened, and then taking a leap of faith, he confirmed: "His father was a childhood friend of mine. We met again one day on a patrol and I met him and his family once in a while, also on patrol." Eric confessed half of the truth.
"Well, now I understand why his father asked you to take him in." Sean realized. "So, from now on he will be Ted Coulter. I will make the background up."
"Ethan" Eric filed in, grateful to Sean for letting him off the hook easy. "Ethan and Abigail Hamilton. They were his parents."
"That's settled then. Now take this little guy home and make sure no one sees his grey clothes." Then, with an afterthought, Sean added. "I will send my wife to catch some new clothes and bring them to you."
"Thanks Sean." Eric replied stunned.
Carefully covering Teddy up with his jacket, he left to go straight to his apartment.
Sean
Sean had been engrossed in his paperwork when someone knocked at his office door.
"Sean?" He recognized Eric's voice. It sounded a little bit off. Without looking up he answered:
"Eric. Come in. Give me a moment."
Then, after he had finished the sentence he had been writing, he looked up.
There stood their youngest member of leadership disheveled and with a small child in his arms, clinging to him. On top of that not only didn't Eric seem to mind but it almost looked like he was comforting the child. Quickly Sean got up.
"Eric? What happened?"
"There had been an ambush on an Amity truck by Factionless rebels and a family from Abnegation passing by was shot. " The voice in which the simple report was given sounded oddly quiet. Although Sean had learned by now that, despite his reputation, Eric hated for people he felt he should protect to get hurt, he had never been this distraught. Then his mind caught up to what had been said
"Wait, the boy is from Abnegation?" It was only now Sean noticed the grey outfit underneath the black jacket.
"Was." Eric corrected roughly "It was the dying wish of his father for me to look after him."
Stunned Sean stared at the young leader. It wasn't unheard of for orphaned children to be looked after by relatives in another Faction, but that didn't apply here. Eric had no ties to Abnegation. And even though he had been able to get a glimpse behind the mask their youngest leader carried and even though he liked what he saw there, Sean highly doubted someone would entrust him with his child like that. Only, his doubt that Eric would make something like this up was higher.
"Eric," Sean began "not that I don't believe you, but was there a witness?"
"Barry and Dan. They both can testify for it as well as the men from Amity." Eric held onto the boy protectively, Sean noticed, whereas Eric didn't seem to be aware of it.
'Good. The Amity were a neutral party in this which would come in handy if anyone was to question if Eric was telling the truth.' Sean told Eric as much before asking the name of the boy.
"Theodore."
"Hi Theo. My name is Sean." Sean approached the child. When Theo looked at him he could clearly see the terror in his eyes from the recent events.
It wouldn't be wise to let people knew about Teddy's heritage from Abnegation, Max in peculiarity.
After a short discussion they came up with a plan. They would stick to the truth as much as possible. For a while he had pondered whether they could say Theo was the result of a one night stand Eric had but he quickly dismissed it without even letting Eric know. The reputation of his youngest leader wasn't the best as it was since people didn't bother to look past his harsh demeanor. He himself hadn't been thrilled when Eric was all but pushed on him into leadership after Four declined, but over the past years he had come to know him better, though Eric had stuck much closer to Max then himself. Perhaps that had been his own doing as he hadn't bothered to cover up the fact that he hadn't been glad of Eric joining leadership. Despite his changed point of view, he had never explicitly told the other man he considered him a good leader by now. Perhaps he should do so once an occasion arrived. Briefly Sean wondered about the other man's opinion about him. He was glad to hear Eric trusted Barry and Dan as much as he did.
Okay, they had their story covered for Theodore. Sean cringed at that name. It wouldn't work in their favor. The least that could happen was for Theo to be harassed about it by the other children. Dauntless wasn't Abnegation after all, but changing a child's given name wasn't something done lightly.
"I'm not quite sure about his name. Theo isn't typical dauntless…" Sean addressed the matter.
"Ted. His parents used to call him Teddy at times."
'What? Did Eric just admitted meeting Theo's parents before and more so, apparently so often he knew how they used to address their child on occasion? As in, this could be considered as treason at his faction if someone was ill minded?'
Sean's head snapped around to Eric. "How'd you know that?" He inquired.
Eric stiffened noticeable and looked him in the eye searching for something before he spoke up:
"His father was a childhood friend of mine. We met again one day on a patrol and I met him and his family once in a while, also on patrol."
Sean could tell there was more to it but it was enough of an explanation they could hand out to others who'd dig into this mess. Bedsides it did clear up for him why Eric had been chosen as the child's guardian to begin with. Eric friends with some Abnegation, who would have guessed.
"Well, now I understand why his father asked you to take him in. So, from now on he will be Ted Coulter. I will make the background up."
The other man's relieve was evident for Sean when he gave him the names:
"Ethan. Ethan and Abigail Hamilton. They were his parents."
"That's settled then. Now take this little guy home and make sure no one sees his grey clothes."
Thinking about it, Sean knew they had a small problem at hands. Eric couldn't very well take Teddy shopping while he was still dressed in grey and after today's events Teddy couldn't be left with anyone other than Eric for now. Best to get his wife to help them:
"I will send my wife to catch some new clothes and bring them to you."
It was obvious Eric was surprised by this offered assistance.
"Thanks Sean."
Before he left, Eric carefully covered Teddy with his jacket, making sure to cover him fully. But Sean hadn't expected anything less, only, he was unused to seeing Eric being so gentle. Teddy sure brought a whole other side of Eric to the surface.
AN
So obviously "Sean" is my own character. I know, that this is a major change, but I wanted Eric to have some Support in leadership and didn't want to chance one of the original leadership-characters.