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9 – Indictment and challenges

Two days after the funeral Eric left Sean's office, shaking with rage.

"Fuck!" He cried out loud, as behind him unnoticed his own office door opened. "That son of a bitch!" He kicked the wall of the hallway.

"Eric? What's up, man?" Mike asked concerned standing in the door to the young leader's office.

Eric whirled around. Mike looked at him quizzically while Teddy eyes had gone big and a little frightened. 'Shit!' Now he had done what he promised himself never to do – he had terrified Teddy. Immediately he crouched down to the boy.

"I'm sorry Teddy. Did I frightened you?"

Teddy nodded his eyes still wide.

"You don't need to be afraid. Okay Teddy? Never be afraid of me."

Teddy nodded again, more relaxed now.

"Come here." Eric opened his arms and when Teddy immediately stepped into his embrace, Eric felt relieve flooding him – he hadn't screwed this up yet. Picking the boy up, he finally addressed Mike:

"I tell you in my office."

After closing the door, he sat Teddy down again. In one corner of his office were toy blocks littered all over the place and among them stood proudly a small tower.

"I see that you have been building quite the tower there. How about you play some more with your bricks while Mike and I have to talk, okay?"

"Kay. I build a new tower. A real big one." Teddy raised his hands above his head.

"That big? That's quite a challenge. I'm sure you'll get it. How about I help you later?"

"I like that!"

"I thought you would!" Eric smiled at him.

Teddy went over to his corner and enthusiastically began to work on his tower.

Eric pulled Mike in the opposite corner and began to explain the situation in a low voice.

"Marcus Eaton pulled Candor into this. He requested that Teddy is handed over to Abnegation. Said it was against Faction law. Apparently he hasn't only gone behind our backs but behind the council members as well since Andrew Prior told all of Agnation at the funeral Teddy would be Dauntless now."

"Shit!" Mike cursed.

"This is so fucked up. Sean is currently doing some digging into the Faction law. The only good thing is, that we already had the papers for the adoption on the way so he can't claim we were going behind everyone's back."

"Okay. That's something. What about Max? Does he know?"

"No. Luckily Condor addressed the matter only with Sean. They will handle it confidently in order not to shake up the system. So it'll be a closed trial. That's something at least or next thing I know, Jeannine will stomp in here and have him take an aptitude test or something like that." Eric snorted in distain.

"You sure don't like her." Mike commented.

"Nope." Eric thought Jeannine to be cold blooded, stripped of all emotion and power hungry but, he had to give it to her, she had a sharp mind and often was right about things. "And don't tell me you do."

"No. I'm glad it's you who has to deal with her and not me. It's one thing I don't envy about your position."

"You envy me?" Eric teased his friend to distract himself from the situation.

"O shut up." Mike growled lightly shoving him at the shoulder.

They got quite for some time, looking at the playing Teddy in a heavy silence. Eric was glad Teddy was doing better today, since he was not as quiete and withdrawn as before. When Teddy told him about the tower he wanted to build he had been nearly cheerful. Everything had been getting better, but of cause Marcus, the fucker, had to pull this shit. Eric could feel rage creeping back up on him, the old rage about Ethan's death, which he had believed to be successfully locked away came rushing back along with all his insecurities. These feelings were consuming him, he could feel them taken over. Just when he had been able to get ahold on things, that shit happened, making him feel helpless again. Helpless about the situation and helpless to stay in control. He loaded that feeling – being about of control, with only added fuel to the fire. Eric felt the urge to trash something.

"Mike?" He asked clenching his fists. "Could you…? I need to go to the gym."

His friend took one look at him and, seeing the state his friend was in, agreed at once.

Giving Teddy a short good bye, Eric was stomping down the corridors, no longer trying to rain his anger in.

Four

After his shift in the control room Four had decided to go to the training room for some exercises, wanting to be at his best once initiation started in a few weeks. There were a number of other Dauntless there, some sparring, some lifting weights or doing other exercises. Suddenly the door was torn open and in stormed Eric, walking straight into some poor guy who had been leaving.

"Hey! Watch it!" The man said, gathering himself from the floor, which had him Eric at his throat immediately.

"What did you say?" Eric hissed, taking the man by his collar.

Four tensed, watching the scene.

"You want to tell me what to do? Come on let me see how you fight, smart mouth." Eric taunted, already dragging the other man over to the mats.

Both got into fighting stance without bothering to remove their boots. Four, who knew the other man to be an experienced and skilled fighter, came closer to watch the fight but it turned out to be ugly and short: Within minutes the soldier lay unconscious on the mats while Eric stood there, not even out of breath, wiping blood out of his face.

"Anybody else?" He shouted. Of cause nobody stepped up on his challenge.

"You! Tom! Take him over to the infirmary!" The young leader ordered a man, who had been lifting weights.

Four decided to confront Eric and walked over to him, while Tom dragged the unconscious man out.

"What was that about?"

Eric glared at him. "Not today, Four. I won't take your shit today."

Four wasn't one to give in easily and was about give Eric a piece of his mind, when the door opened anew and one of the patrol guards he didn't know the name of stepped in. Swiftly scanning the room the man locked eyes with Eric and walked over to them.

"Jack." Eric greeted him.

"Eric, Mike told me." Jack sad with a grim but sympatric voice, without acknowledging Four in the slightest, while his inflection left Four wondering what he was talking about.

"Come on, dude. Let's beat those punching balls to a pulp." Jack gripped Eric by his arm and Four waited for Eric to flip, but much to his astonishment Eric let himself be dragged away by Jack.

Shortly Four contemplated following them, since as far as he was concerned his conversation with Eric hadn't been over, but when he saw the violence with which Eric now attacked the bag, he decided against it. Shaking his head Four decided to leave the tension of the trainings room and go for a run.

Eric

Jack had had to go a while back, but taking a step back from the torn open punching bag, breathing heavily while his eyes followed the sand as it steadily rippled to the floor, Eric felt that he had finally a grip on his emotions. When he sauntered out of the training room he ordered one of the last year's initiates in passing, gesturing to the bag:

"Clean it up, Fiona."

She was about to argue with him, he could tell, so gave her a meaningful look. His mood hadn't improved that much, that he would be willing to let anybody question any orders from him.

Eric found Teddy and Mike still in his office. He should have given Mike his keys.

"Eric!" His little guy came rushing to him.

'Has it been really just three days since he took Teddy in?'

"Hi scout!" Eric took him up. "Thank you Mike. I appreciate it."

"Any time, mate. Look, you know I've gotta go, but Jack and I will drop by once we're back."

"Thanks. Watch out for those groups among the Factionless we've run into lately." Eric briefly switched back into leaders mode. Lately the Factionless seemed to be much too organized in their attacks. They had to watch out for this troublesome development.

"We will." Mike firmly confirmed his order.

"Oh and thanks for the toys."

"Don't mention it."

After a quick goodbye Mike went to brief his patrol captains while Eric was left lost in thought until he felt a small hand tugging at his pants.

'Hu?' Looking down, Teddy looked up at him with a frown.

"You promised."

'Promised what?' Eric tried to concentrate back at the child before him. 'What had he promised?'

"Said you helped me."

'Help him? With what?' He could see Teddy getting worked up by his lack of response. Focus Eric! What was it, the little guy wanted from him?' It was only when his eyes fell onto the bricks that it him: construction!

"Sorry Teddy. I got distracted. Let's see how high we can build this tower."

Teddy face lit up again.

"But..."

Eric noticed Teddy frowning again. "…first we have to get to my apartment. Okay?"

"Why?"

"Because it will be more quite there. See this is my office, people will come by here all the time. Also, I need to take a shower."

Teddy got a look of concentration on his face, clearly processing his explanation.

"Kay. But we have to start new." He agreed with a little pout.

They gathered everything back into its bag and Eric took some of his paperwork with him, before reaching for Teddy's hand without even thinking about it. They had barely left, when they walked into Max.

"Eric." The greeted.

"Max."

"So this is him? The child, Sean told us about?" Max asked.

"This is Teddy."

Max looked at the child while Teddy was shyly hiding somewhat behind Eric's leg. Eric who had been concentrated on Teddy, now looked up again only to see a slight sneer in Max eyes. 'The hell?' He felt himself stiffen. 'What was his problem?'

"Shy, isn't he?" Max commented. "Now, I'm sure you know how to get rid of it."

Eric felt a chill going down his spine. He knew Max had meant it as a complement to him but he didn't felt complimented at all. Not with the way Max were implying he would get 'rid' of the shyness. He didn't want to get 'rid' of it. He wanted Teddy to overcome it with time. What was Max expecting of a child, who lost is parents?

What he said was: "I have to go. If anybody is looking for me in an urgent matter sent him to my apartment. I'll be working from there for the next days."

"Remember our meeting with Janine!" Max reminded him.

"Will do."

He led Teddy away and back in his apartment. He had to make good of his promise.

At first the young leader felt awkward sitting on the floor of his apartment playing with bricks, but after a while he felt himself relax more. At least it put his mind off the upcoming trail. While he was playing with Teddy, he had observed two things: First, Teddy wasn't someone to give up. In his effort to build a high tower he had to restart again and again due to it crumbling again and again – a trait that would help him settle into his new faction, especially since it was considered to be dauntless. Second, Teddy was patient. Of cause he frowned whenever the tower was tumbling down again but Eric was fairly sure most children would be in the middle of a temper tantrum by now. Frack, even he was becoming slightly annoyed by now. It had to be the tenth time or so they were starting anew.

Crash!

Yep. Once again the tower came down.

He had to persuade Teddy to build it wider on the bottom otherwise there was no chance to ever achieve their goal. He had waited for Teddy to figure it out himself but apparently he was too young.

Teddy looked at the fallen bricks with a frown on his face.

"Okay Teddy. I have an idea."

Teddy perked up: "What idea?"

"We will build it wider on the bottom. That way it has a big footprint from the beginning that will help us higher up."

Teddy nose crunched before he started to giggle. "Towers don't have footprints."

"Yes they do."

"Do not!" Teddy laughed.

"Let me explain: The footprint of a building means its base or area. It's the way building constructers call it and you are a constructor, are you not?"

"What's that?"

"It's someone who builds buildings or bridges or towers."

"I am a con...contrutor." Teddy nodded firmly.

'Okay. Clearly the word was too hard for him. Question was, should he correct him? If he didn't Teddy wouldn't learn it properly and if he did, it would most likely spoil Teddy's enjoyment of their playtime. Perhaps he should simply use the word again, let him hear the difference?' In the end that was what he went with:

"That you are. A Constructor." Eric took some bricks and illustrated what he had meant earlier: "See if we place more than one brick on the bottom we will have more ground to build our tower on." Eric demonstrated. "You want us to try it?"

"Yes."

Eric had to grin at the determination in Teddy voice. 'Yep. He wouldn't give up.'

They began to build a new tower and this time it stood steadily while it grew in high. Finally it was nearly as high as Teddy so Eric held him up so he could put on the last bricks. The wide smile on the boy's face when the tower eventually upheld had been worth this. Eric was proud of his boy's endurance.

"You did it Teddy. I'm proud of you. You never gave up."

Teddy beamed at him. "You helped me."

"I promised, didn't I? So we did it together. Now give me five."

"Five?" Teddy was clearly confused.

'Should have known. Growing up in Abnegation he probably never heard of it.' Eric scolded himself.

"Just do as I do, okay Teddy?"

Eric held his right hand up and Teddy lifted his left one mirroring him.

"No, look, take the other one." Eric demonstrated while turning so he was no longer facing Teddy but standing by his side. Teddy looked at him in concentration and changed so his right hand was up in the air. Once he did so, Eric turned so he was facing Teddy again.

"Now we slap our hands together. Like this." Eric moved his hand and gave a slight slap into Teddy's.

"Again. Together this time, Teddy: Give me five!"

Teddy giggled and their slapped their hands together.

"See that it!" Eric smiled. "You can do it to congratulate someone who's done well."

"It's fun." Teddy giggled.

Looking at his friends giggling son, Eric didn't knew what he'd do if they would take Teddy from him. Well they could try but he wouldn't go down without a fight, that's for sure. He never liked Marcus much and learning what he did to Four had let him to distain him, but this now? This was personal and he had begun to hate Marcus. Shaking himself out of it, he looked at the watch. It was nearly noon.

"Time for lunch." He announced trying to keep his dark mood out of his voice. Eric had decided earlier on to make them some spaghetti; they were something he'd always liked as a kid.

"Now you have to decide: You want to play some more or you want to help me?"

"I help you."

Eric wasn't sure if Teddy really wanted to help or if this was just his upbringing in Abnegation.

"You sure?"

"I help. Papa and Mama said to always help when you can."

And there it was. Abnegation. But at this point Eric didn't want to shake Teddy up further by telling him that he didn't have to do so here. Besides helping people was a good thing, he only had to find a way to show Teddy that sometimes it was okay to say no.

"All right pal, come here." Eric lifted the boy up and sat him down at the corner at the wall on the kitchen counter so there was less risk he'd fall down.

Eric got out two pans. He had rarely used them since he took most of his meals in the cafeteria though he had cooked for his friends on occasion. Holding out a box of spaghetti to Teddy he requested:

"I want you to put them into the pan."

Teddy nodded and gripped some with his hands putting them into the pan. After he had repeated so several times, Eric felt they had enough for the both of them and told him to stop.

"Now we will add water to them." Eric explained "Can you open the faucet for me?"

"I do that." Already sitting close to the sink he scooted over a bit to accomplish his task.

"Thank you, Teddy." It might be that Dauntless didn't believe in good manners but Eric sure did. It was some of the values Erudite had ingrained into its members he still agreed with. Although he had tuned it down to those he liked. Of cause it was also useful in some situations like dealing with other faction leaders.

"Now we will add some salt and then boil it for a while." He explained further while doing so. "Okay now we will make a tomato-juice."

Fetching some tomatoes, he handed them to Teddy: "We need to wash them. Like this. See? You think you're able wash the others?"

"Yes."

Eric watched Teddy working intently on his assignment before he exclaimed: "Finished!"

"Well done Teddy." Eric praised him. "You can go back to play some more. I finish the rest." He went to take Teddy of the counter but stopped when Teddy asked:

"Can't I stay?"

"Of cause you can. I just thought it would be boring for you."

"No, I like it."

"What do you like? Cooking?"

"Beeing with you." Teddy answered with the honesty of small children.

Eric stilled, caught off guard.

'Shit!' He wasn't used to this.

He could feel a lump forming in his throat. Swallowing hard he was finally able to rasp out:

"I too."

Not quite eloquent for a former Erudite, but who cared? Teddy certainly not, by the beaming smile he sported. Continuing with the cooking, Eric deliberated his new life with Teddy anew. Clearly he had vastly underestimated the emotional challenge of opening up. Though he had never backed down from a challenge and one thing he knew: He couldn't lose Teddy.