SHE IS THE STRONG ONE

TRIS POV

Tonight I went to bed early. It had been a crazy day and I was exhausted. Having to fight my friend was the hardest thing I have had to do since I got to Dauntless. I dream about Christina hanging from the railing. She is hanging by her toes and someone shouts that only someone who is Divergent can help her. I run forward to pull her up, but someone shoves me over the edge, and I wake before I hit the rocks.

Sweat-soaked and shaky from the dream, I walk to the girl's bathroom to shower and change. I think back to what really happened with Christina after Tobias rescued her from Eric. Tobias and I took her back to the dorm and he told her to go take a shower. She was soaked with the cold water from the chasm. He told her to rest up and that she was excused from training for the rest of the day.

We walked out of the dormitory together. It is the first time I have been alone with him since that first day in Dauntless. I have really missed him. "I promise I will do everything I can so that the fights aren't as brutal," he told me. I was so relieved when he said that. I don't know what he said to Eric but the fights were stopped by either him or Eric for the rest of the afternoon. I was grateful for it. "I wish we could have more time together," he said as he held my hand. We were in public and neither of us can afford for anyone to see us as more than a trainer and initiate. I can't wait for initiation to be over and then we can be together. I have missed him so much. It was bad enough with the two years we were apart but I think being this close but having to be so far away at the same time is harder than it was when I couldn't see him.

I beat Suzy in our fight but just barely. I don't know what happened between her and Eric after I left but she was angry, I could see it in her eyes. It is probably the only reason I won the fight. If she wasn't so angry I'm sure she would have been able to concentrate harder and not let her guard down. But it was like everything she had learnt went out the window and she wasn't thinking straight. When she did hit me it was extreme force but she kept letting her guard down and eventually I was able to beat her.

I walk back to my bunk and find the word "Stiff" is spray-painted across my mattress in red. The word is written smaller along the bed frame and again on my pillow. I look around, my heart pounding with anger. I also see that the same has been done to Suzy's bed.

Peter stands behind me, whistling as he fluffs his pillow. It's hard to believe I could hate someone who looks so kind-his eyebrows turn upward naturally, and he has a wide, white smile.

"Nice decorations," he says.

"Did I do something to you that I'm unaware of?" I demand. I grab the corner of a sheet and yank it away from the mattress. "I don't know if you've notice, but we are in the same faction now."

"I don't know what you're referring to," he says. Then he glances at me, "And you and I will never be in the same faction."

I shake my head as I remove my pillowcase from the pillow. Don't get angry. He wants to get a rise out of me; he won't. But every time he fluffs his pillow, I think about punching him in the gut.

Al and Suzy walk in and they see what is on both Suzy and my beds. I hear a gasp come from Suzy's mouth. I don't know why he is picking on either of us but especially Suzy. She is the nicest person you will ever meet. Al starts to help without either Suzy or myself asking him. Suzy goes to get more bed lined for us while I finish stripping her bed. Al carries the stack of sheets to the trash can while Suzy and I remake our beds.

FOUR POV

I walk into the training room and see that Eric is writing the names on the board for the fights. As he finishes I glance over to see that Tris is having to fight Peter. I know why he is doing this; he is trying to get back at me for yesterday. Eric might want to change what is going to happen with Erudite but he is still holding resentment that I am a better fighter than he is.

I understand that what happened when we were initiates had his father murdered but it's time for him to let go of his anger towards me. Neither one of us had control of what happened back then and he needs to let go of these petty jealousies or it could end up killing his mother as well.

"Really?" I ask. Knowing he will know exactly what I am talking about.

"She needs to learn and you know you can always stop the fight before she becomes too injured," he says.

"Yeah and I can see that you are doing exactly the same for Suzy," I say sarcastically. He has paired Suzy with Myra, she will win that easily. Myra is going to fail training it is easy to see. I just wonder what Edward will do when she is told to leave.

"Four she will have to have tough fights too. I'm not playing favourites it is just the way it worked out," he says.

I know Tris has to come across stronger fighters but I don't like it. I just hope she doesn't hate me when she sees the match ups for today. Eric was right; at least I can stop the fight. I just have to make sure that I don't stop it too early and show my favouritism towards her. I don't even know how I am going to be able to watch this fight.

I'm broken from my thoughts with the initiates starting to file into the room. I see a smile on Peter's face as he looks at the board, I would like nothing more that to go over there and wipe it off his face. Tris walks in and when she sees the board she stops in the middle of a step. I shake my head trying to let her know that I didn't plan this. I see a small nod or that is what I am hoping I saw and that she is understanding that this isn't my fault.

I see Tris start to talk with Suzy, Al and Christina. I'm glad she is making friends and that she has Suzy but I also feel jealous when I see that she is getting to spend time with them and not me. It also concerns me the way Al looks at her, I know she doesn't reciprocate but it is still hard to watch.

Molly and Edward's fight is over quickly. Thankfully Eric stepped in before too much damage was done to Molly. I have sent Molly to the infirmary to be checked out. Now it is Tris and Peter's turn. I can already feel the knot in my stomach and the fight hasn't even started yet.

I am standing next to Eric with my arms crossed across my chest. I need to try and keep my Four face on and stay calm as I watch what is about to unfold. I can hear Peter taunting her and it makes me want to step in and give him a beat down. Peter has put himself into a fighting stance as he still continues to taunt Tris.

I see Tris try to kick Peter in the side but he has caught her foot and yanked it forward, knocking her off-balance. Her back smacks into the floor but she quickly scrambles to her feet.

"Stop playing with her," Eric snaps. "I don't have all day."

I turn and stare Eric down and he quietly says to me, "the quicker it is over the better. You know that even if you won't admit it to me."

I don't answer him I just turn back to watch as Peter has hit Tris in the head. Again she is off-balance and I don't think this is going to last much longer. Peter is quick and he then kicks her hard in the stomach. She looks like she is having trouble breathing and I release my arms from their crossed position ready to call the fight but before I can Eric has put a hand on my shoulder.

"Not yet, it will look to obvious if you stop it now," he says. I know he is right but it doesn't stop the bile from rising into my mouth. Next he grabs her hair and punches her in the nose. He then shoves her and she falls to the ground. I can see that she is trying to get up. She is a fighter I will give her that but I know that if I don't stop this now Peter will just keep inflicting more damage to her and he won't stop until she is unconscious. I am about to say stop when Eric calls out, "Enough!"

I walk over to Tris and pick her up off the mat. She has a bloody face, I'm sure her nose is broken and she can't hold herself up. I put my arm around her and take her to the infirmary.

I am in the waiting room while they check Tris out. I asked them to put her in a private room at least if she is in there I can talk to her without prying eyes. The nurse comes out and guides me to her room.

I walk into her room and see that she has been cleaned up and is sporting to black eyes and a bruised jaw. She turns and smiles when she sees me. I don't know how she can muster a smile with what she has just been through. I take the chair that is in the corner of the room and I move it over next to her bed and sit down.

"Hi," I say. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got beat up by Peter," she says.

"I'm sorry Tris," I say.

"What? No Tobias this isn't your fault," she says.

"If we had stayed in Abnegation you wouldn't have to be going through this," I say.

"No," she says forcefully. "don't you ever say that. Don't even think it. I only have to get through a couple of days of fights; it is nothing to what you had to go through for all those years with Marcus. We both know that he would never have left you alone if we had stayed. This is nothing, I'll be fine," she says.

I wish I had the strength that she has. I take her hand in mine and I kiss her hand and I lay my head on the bed next to her leg. I feel her running her fingers through my hair and it reminds me of the nights she would stay with me until I fell asleep after Marcus had beaten me. It was the way she always comforted me. The worst part about it is, is that I should be the one comforting her not the other way round. But I don't want to lift my head I have missed this more than I was ever willing to admit.

"Tobias it is all going to work out. You need to stop worrying so much. As long as I can pass initiation and not get cut it will be okay." I don't dare tell her what is happening with Erudite and Abnegation. I need her to keep this positive attitude to get her through the coming days of training.

I lift my head off the bed and smile at her. She gives me a smile back. "I don't know how long until your friends will be here to see how you are," I say. Then I stand up and lean over and give her a quick kiss. I don't want to do more than that because I can see how bruised her face is. I sit back down, knowing I should be walking out of the room before her friends do get here.

There will be too many questions from them if I am still here. "I really should go Tris," I say.

"I understand. I miss you," she says.

"I miss you too," I say and with that I get up and give her a hug and a kiss on top of her head and I leave. Feeling like crap because she is the strong one, she is the one getting us both through her initiation. I don't deserve her but I can't ever let her go either.