Hi everyone! Finally the next chapter is finished. Enjoy. And let me know what you think.

Still riled up by the stunt Marcus had tried to pull earlier, Eric headed straight to the fear simulations as he had been ordered by Sean. Orders were not options and as much has he longed to see his son to insure himself of his wellbeing, he returned to his duties in overseeing the fear-sims. As a leader you could learn a lot about their potential new members by knowing their fears and how they conquered them. After today the young leader had no doubt that there would be an additional fear in his fear landscape. Eric had been scared, badly at that, to loose Teddy and reflecting on it, he thanked all those hours he had had to spend in his fear-landscape, which had helped him to conquer his fears and had enabled him today to think on his feet and act rather than freezing up surprised by Marcus attack.

Of cause he would have fought back, if things would have gone differently earlier. No one would take his son away from him. With a thunderous glare Eric made his way through the corridors, never minding everything else. Dauntless members who came across him took one look at his expression before they scurried out of his way. Finally he reached the rooms were the fear sims took place. A bunch of initiates were sitting alongside the walls, waiting for their turn. From experience he knew how uncomfortable these chairs got after some time. Eric shrugged mentally. There were without a question more pressing matters to spend points on. More of those new weapons came to his mind and the playground could to with some maintenance. Perhaps he should address these matters later, when he reported to his fellow leaders about today's council meeting. Maybe they could even ad little climbing wall or zip line. With this pleasant thought he entered the room to be greeted with the spectacle of Graham, one of the weaker initiates, bolting from the chair, then tumbling and tripping over one recently detached surveillance cable knocking Four down in the process, who on his way down hit his head at the table and came to lie on the floor.

Panting hard from the experience under the sim Graham stuttered:

"I… I didn't, I'm sorry."

Eric narrowed his eyes at him, while he got down to check on Four. Still breathing. Now is that good or bad? The young leader wondered. He wouldn't have to put up with wonder boy anymore but given how liked the other man was, as undeserved as it was, it was probably for the best. Not to mention that Tris would haunt him probably for month or even years.

Without another word Eric opened the door and looked at the lined up wannabe members. His eyes zoned in on a stronger one at the end, who wouldn't be up for the sim in a while.

"Zane, get in here, help Graham to carry Four to sickbay."

At his words suddenly everybody was up, asking questions. Questions he wouldn't answer. There was an iron rule: what happened during fear sim, never left the room. Glared at them he barked: "Shut up. Sit. Next one in."

Expecting his orders to be followed, he turned around to prepare the next sim. At least he wouldn't have to handle Four for today. Eric's mood was already improving.

He should have known better, Eric sighed as Tris stormed in, demanding answers while he was in the middle of another sim.

"What did you do, Eric?"

The implied insult of thinking him capable to simply attack Four had Eric clenching his fist. Not to mention the disrespect she showed by barging in like that. She knew very well, that she had no right to disrupt the procedure of the fear sims. But of cause none of all this seemed to cross her mind. Once she thought an injustice happened to a friend she stopped acting rationally. She had already proven that when she acted out at him during her own initiation. Obviously the lessons he had tried to teach her failed.

"Tris." He addressed her, his voice flat and deadly calm. "I didn't do anything. Out. Now. Or there will be consequences."

With huff Tris stomped out, slamming the door. That the only thing that had changed – she no longer was that meak abnegation. With that obnoxious girl finally gone Eric immediately concentrated fully back at his initiate.

'Damn!' He almost hadn't been able to follow the scene displayed on the monitor and on top of that it had been a mayor break of privacy on Tris side. If someone had done this to her, she would have complained. Of that Eric was sure. For a while he sat their surveilling the monitor, though nothing big showed up: It was only one of the common fears of spiders. So Eric allowed himself to thinks some more about the mishap and realized that Four must have hit his head pretty hard if he hadn't been able to tell the tale. Maybe he was lucky and Four would be out for another day? Once again Eric felt his mood change this day. This time for the better.

Some more spiders, heights and humiliations later it was time for a break.

"Okay everyone." The young leader informed his initiates, half of them were still waiting for their turn. "We'll be having a break. Be back here in one hour." With that order being issued, Eric was finally able to see his son and left for the daycare without sparing them a second glance.

When Teddy immediately jumped into his arms on his arrival Eric was finally able to let go of the all the bottled up stress from the council meeting.

"Hi little man. You good?"

Teddy nodded and Eric reluctantly let him back down.

"Did you already eat?"

"No."

"So how about we eat together then. "

"I like that!" Teddy exclaimed while Eric felt him tucking at his hand trying to move him forward: "Come on! I'm soooo hungry."

"Just one minute. We have to tell Tara."

In a flash Teddy run up to Tara: "I gotto go, eating with Eric. Bye."

Chuckling Eric made his way back to his apartment to warm up some left overs. He had no desire to run into Tris or some of Fours minion blaming him falsely for his condition while Teddy was around. Eric sighed. He would have to inquire after Four after lunch, before continuing the fear-sims. Since all this didn't left him time to cook properly, leftovers was it.

Eric enjoyed his quality time with his son. Teddy was happily chatting along how he was learning to form small animals out of modeling clay, when he suddenly stopped mid-sentence looking a little bit flustered.

"Teddy?" Eric inquired.

Silence stretched out between them, while Teddy was fidgeting around in his chair. Eric didn't like that one bit. Something was off. He wanted Teddy to be able to come to him, not trying to hide things.

"What's up?"

Teddy was tearing up. 'Damn! What was happening?' Unsure how to approached the subject, Eric got up and pulled Teddy into his arms. When it came down to emotions, he had always been better with actions rather than words and by now the young father could hardly remember the time were he had felt insecure about hugging, at least when it came to his little man. Sadly, Eric was partly only successful. Teddy calmed down again but he didn't open up on the matter, leaving Eric with a feeling of insufficiency in his parenting skills. Therefore Eric found himself once again in a bad mood though this time he made an effort not to let Teddy know or even suffer from it. But Eric wasn't very sympatric when he inquired after Four in the infirmary. Once he got there Four was about to be dismissed and declared fit for duty for the next day if he rested for the afternoon.

"Tell Tris not to jump to conclusions so quick and teach her more manners. My patience is wearing thin." He snapped coldly hat the other man. "I expect you back tomorrow." 'Damn! One day more without that guy would have been great.' Eric thought though he had schooled his expression once again in his trademark non revealing mask.

He stepped out of the room and was about to lock for Mia, when he felt a small hand on his arm.

"Eric?"

Turning around he looked straight into the concerned eyes of his girlfriend.

"Hi Mia." He smiled happily at her.

"Hi yourself." Mia smiled back. "Don't let them bother you. I already gave Tris a piece of my mind, when she through around her recriminations earlier."

"You did?"

"Sure!"

"Didn't stop her from repeating them right to my face, when she barged into the sim room earlier." Eric sighed. "You don't have to get yourself into that mess, Mia. I've learned to live with it."

"Eric, your mess is my mess and you shouldn't have to live with people accusing you blindly."

"Thank you for trusting me. I know not many people do." 'Apparently not even his son.' Eric added getting lost in his thoughts.

"Eric?" Mia's voice reached his ears. "Eric, what's up?" Mia asked him leading him to an unoccupied room and closing the door. For a while Eric just stood there leaning against the wall, pondering whether to tell her about the incident with Teddy earlier or not. He didn't wanted to look incapable in her eyes, but he if he didn't tell her she might think that he didn't trusted her, though he did.

Mia had kept quite while he was thinking, a trait of hers he really liked. She gave him space and time when he needed them. Giving her a contemplating look, he detected nothing but honest concern in her eyes.

"It's Teddy."

Immediately Mia expression changed to concern.

"Apparently he doesn't trust me."

Now she looked at him disbelievingly, but all she said was: "Tell me?" reaching for his hand and giving it a light squeeze.

Taking a deep breath Eric told her what happened during lunch break while Mia listened attentively. Once Eric had finished his tale, she kept quiet for a while before she began to speak her mind:

"I can see were you're are coming from Eric, but after spending so much time with the two of you, I know he trusts you. Maybe he remembered something embarrassing or maybe he needs more time."

'Something embarrassing? Why hadn't he thought of that? Of cause Teddy wouldn't tell him!' Though he felt bad for his little guy if something embarrassing had happened, Eric could easily sympathize with his refuse to tell him. He sure as hell would rather get punched before sharing something embarrassing with anyone.'

Eric smiled at Mia: "Thanks you, my wise girlfriend." at which she giggled. Then, opening the door she shoved him out.

"Off you go! All will work out. See you tonight! And don't let that crazy girl's talk get to you." She added referring to Tris once again before getting on her tiptoes to give him a light kiss.

When he walked back to continue the fear sims Eric was in a good mood again, feeling reassured by Mia.