Two hours later I am still stroking her hair. I found out that helps her to sleep.

I want to extend the moment as much as I can, grateful to the world to be here and now. With one arm, I have Jeanine firmly embraced, and with the other, I covered her with a blanket.

I thought it would be a perfect time to say "I love you" in her ear, but I did not want to risk waking her. Besides, I do not think that word expresses very well what I felt at that moment. The complete relief, both physical and psychological and perhaps even spiritual.

I just hugged her a little more.

Of course, until (again) my brother entered the room. It would always be the same?

Caleb opened his mouth to say something, but the words died in his lips as his eyes opened like watermelons. Immediately after, the despair invaded him, and he covered his ears and eyes.

At least he was silent.

I got out of bed, costing me a lot of work to be smooth, fast, and quiet. I dressed in a hurry, but without getting underwear. I crossed the room in two strides and dragged Caleb outside.

- Jeanine is right, you must learn to knock on the door.

Caleb narrowed his eyes at me.

- Of course. - he muttered sarcastically - Of course I would imagine that would you be ...

He shook his hands, and his face turned red.

- I also can't guess every time you come looking for me.

- A hospital, Beatrice? Are you sure that this is an appropriate place?

I took a deep breath and stared him, embarrassed.

- It does not .. does not matter now.

- Okay. - He said - I'll tell you at once what I have to say. Johanna Reyes wants to see you.

- What?

- Jack and Johanna held an important meeting after you left. They request your presence in Candor headquarters now.

- But I just got out of there ... - I looked through the glass and saw Jeanine asleep. Her face was calm and serene and she was totally undefended. My heart sank. - No way. She has just been acquitted in a judgement where most people wanted her death. Anyone out there would be very happy to kill her. I can not take away their reason, anyway, but I will not allow.

- It's all right, Beatrice. I spoke with Angela, and she stepped up security at the hospital's entrance. Soon there will be guards here as well. Jeanine will be safe.

I thought for a moment.

I did not like the idea of leaving Jeanine, especially when two-thirds of the city still wanted her head. However, she has been absolved in a judgement in which I argued for her. Even though the final word had been of Angela, it was me who they saw as responsible for Jeanine Matthews had been unpunished of her crimes.

That definitely wasn't a good time to challenge them.

I looked at Caleb and gave a defeated sigh.

- It's ok. But I'd feel better if you stayed here too. I do not trust anybody like I trust you. I will be more peaceful if Jeanine stay under your eyes as well.

He smiled at me.

- It is something so good to hear ... You know, when I needed pretending I was cheating you, I thought I had lost you forever. I thought you never would forgive me, even after knowing that everything was a lie. And yes, of course I'll be here. I could not look you in the eyes if something I could have prevented happened to her.

I returned the smile.

- Thank you, Caleb.

I hugged him quickly, and then started walking toward Candor headquarters, waiting not be in trouble again.

…

When I arrived at Candor headquarters, the climate of judgement was undone.

Now, the meeting had the appearance of a business meeting, but even so, I could not help and felt a shiver down my spine to remember that a few hours ago, that same people were there deciding about my life. Or my death.

- Sit down, Beatrice. - Johanna said quietly, sitting next to Jack.

To the left of them, I saw Tobias, and in sequence, Christina, Will, Tori, Peter, Cara, Uriah, Lynn and Zeke. The only place available for me to sit was on the right side of Tobias. I sat down, and he sent me a resentful look.

Maybe he never would to stop looking at me like that.

- All right. - Jack began - We are here to discuss something very important after the revelation that was presented to us by Beatrice Prior. The possibility of leaving the city.

- This is nonsense. - I said loudly, causing all looked at me - you all know what lies beyond the fence. And everyone saw that it's nothing that worth knowing. I see no reason to venture into enemy territory.

- They aren't enemies to you. - said Lynn - You will be very welcome on the outside.

I looked at her in disbelief.

- Do you really think I only think of me?

- Enough. - Johanna said in a quiet but authoritative voice - Let's not start a conflict here.

- Listen carefully. - Jack started very slowly. - At this time, the balance of the city is very fragile. The whole city expected that justice would prevail by Jeanine Matthews's execution. - Jack looked me straight in the eye, and I don't knew decipher his look. - Since it is no longer possible, the city has to settle for something else. Or else everyone will take power by force and leave.

- What does that have to do with us? - Tobias went straight to the point.

- The city trusts you. Yes, even you, Tris. Most people just think you have Stockholm syndrome. - Johanna said.

I was beginning to hate the word "Stockholm".

- Honestly ... we've already discussed that. - I said, wearily.

- Yeah. - Jack looked at his fingers. - But anyway, despite the recently acquired information, the city is still in the dark about what is outside. - he rested his chin in his hands. - And that will not change until someone go and see with own eyes.

- Sincerely, because I must be honest and not friendly about this, I'd rather send anyone else other than you. - he glanced at Peter, clearly dissatisfied - But we don't have many choices.

I was not surprised when Tobias was the first to speak.

- I will go.

- If Four goes, I go with him. - Lynn said.

Uriah nodded. I saw Peter nod grudgingly as well.

For a moment everyone turned to look at me. And I knew what I was going to respond, even before thinking.

My moments of peace with Jeanine last less and less.

- We need a plan.

…

When I returned to my girlfriend's room, I was planning my words carefully. I needed to explain carefully, discuss it in peace like a normal couple, even though I knew that me and her were not a normal couple. We were not even normal people.

But Jeanine was not alone.

I saw Angela before walking through the door. She was stroking Jeanine's blonde hair in a motherly gesture. My girlfriend was still asleep.

Angela did not turn to me when she spoke.

- I just came to check on her.

I entered the room. Angela pulled her hand of Jeanine's hair, settling into the chair.

- I brought her a gift.

She opened a box, and inside was a large fruit. Um melon.

I did not understand right away. Maybe it was something that only they understand, like a childhood memory or something.

- I wrote a card: "Get well soon, and I'm sorry for threatening your whole city, except your girlfriend, to die." ... is better than "except your girlfriend" be very clear.

I wanted to smile, but there staring at her, one more important thing came to my mind. Something that could not be delayed.

- Angela. - I said before losing the courage - I need your help for one thing.

She looked at me, studying me like I was the most interesting object in which she had laid her eyes on. I forced myself to ignore it.

- My help? About what?

I told her about my will to stop the Bureau, about my plan to infiltrate and do something to stop them. She heard everything quietly, her look to me was almost of admiration.

- I do not think this is something very safe to do. - she finally answered - I think Jeanine has told you about David. It is not very intelligent face him squarely.

- I know. And that's exactly why I ask for your help. I have a plan, but, at the same time, I don't have a plan. I only know that the only way is infiltrate me there, but I'm not sure what to do after that. You know David and the Bureau more than me. Do you think there is a way to stop them? Is there something there that can be used against them?

Angela's face was thoughtful.

- They have many weapons ... but I do not think that a massacre is the best option. They have a lot of technology, many serums. Too much memory serum, lot of it.

I looked her carefully. With wide, blank eyes, that woman almost seemed a character of nightmares.

For a moment I wondered if I had done the right thing. The fact that Jeanine trusted her doesn't mean she doesn't was dangerous. Perhaps she was able to make even worse things. Evil did not have a limit.

But I could not do it alone. I needed to trust someone. I just hoped that person was Angela.

- Confronting David face up is suicide. - Angela began - So, you want to attack him from behind. And frankly, I think it could work. The Purest Pure is too tempting, even for him.

She turns to me. The atmosphere felt dark.

- If you even do that, you must not only ignore that you know me. You must make him believe that you hate her.

That was something in which I had not thought. If David learned of my relationship with Jeanine while I was under his power... The possibility was frightening.

Our conversation was interrupted by movements in the bed.

- Beatrice ... - in a dream, she extended her arm, looking for me at her side.

It was not even a second until I was at her side.

Jeanine finally woke up and saw me leaning over her, and her eyes blinked to ward off the residues of somnolence. Her lips smiled quietly, and she stroked my cheek.

Angela coughed.

- I'm here. - I said tightening her hand - It's all right.

For a moment, my face had all her attention, but then she looked back my shoulders and her eyes widened while her mouth opened in shock.

Angela tried to keep her expression unchanged, but it was impossible don't see the excitement in her eyes. A look that showed pure relief, a look that a lost child would have after to find the parents.

Both stared each other for long seconds. In their eyes there was a million things mixed. It was something so intimate that I forced myself to look away, feeling like an intruder in the scene.

- I told you. - Angela finally said - I told you that at the first sign of disaster I would intervene.

- Angela ...

- I warned you, right? You remember very well my words. I warned that it was dangerous, I warned you could be injured. I warned about falling in love ...

- Enough. - Jeanine interrupted her - It's better go jumping all over this discourse of '' I told you''. I just ... I'm just very happy to see you.

Angela nodded.

- Me too, Jeanine. - she sighed deeply, as if she was taking a weight from her chest - You have no idea how much.

Looking at the emotional faces of the two, I felt joy. Joy for knowing that Jeanine had someone besides me who cared about her, someone who understood her. That filled me with hope.

My mother always told me that love can cure anything, fix anything. The love that Angela and I felt for Jeanine, and that Jeanine felt for me and Angela could be the key to everything.

Perhaps it would be this love that would to help us to win this final battle, and heal the wounds after it.

...

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