Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters from Twilight and Divergent. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and Veronica Roth. I do own the original characters created for the storyline. Please support the official release.
Writer's Notes: Thank you for the reviews! I am still mobile so I think I saw Delia and Munzke's name on the reviews! I appreciate all the support. I love this story so much and I hope everyone loves it as much as I do. We are coming to a close on this story arc soon which makes me sad but I know that a good ending is necessary. As always don't forget to follow, favorite and review!
Bella woke up early, seeing Eric next to her in bed sleeping peacefully. He seemed relaxed here. No stress. She longed for a world where when they woke up there wouldn't be so much stress or battles to be fought. But it seemed that everything worked against them. She got out of bed carefully, trying not to disturb Eric's sleeping form. She got dressed quickly and used the bathroom before she left quietly. She looked at her palm pilot seeing the message from Max that morning to come see him when she woke up.
She didn't stop for food, she went straight to Max's office. She opened the door and walked in, closing it behind her. "Its early. What do you need?"
"Fast track Jasper for leadership. And Demetri. They're top two on the board." Max said, shuffling through some papers on his desk.
"I rather Christina be in leadership. Demetri doesn't have leadership qualities." Bella said and walked over, laying her hand over the papers that Max was looking through forcing him to look up at her. "Christina."
Max gazed up into her domineering gaze and nodded. "Sure. Whatever you want." He said with a nod.
Bella smiled a little. "You have been such a good boy lately. I think it's time for your reward. Later tonight. I'll be back here. This time… lock the door." She said, dropping her voice seductively.
Max felt himself rise. He smiled, seeing the light and invitation in her eyes. "Of course. Locked doors are a must." He said and leaned back in his chair. "I'll see you tonight." He said with a nod, watching her leave.
Bella went to the chow hall first to grab something to eat before she took her medicine and went to see Carlisle.
By the time she made it to Carlisle's, it was 6am. Carlisle looked up at her when she entered. "I'm feeling okay. Before you ask. No I haven't been nauseous today. Yet."
Carlisle smiled and patted the exam bed. "That's good. Let's take a look at the twins and see how they're doing."
Bella hopped up on the bed and peeled up her shirt and let Carlisle roll the cool jelly over her belly. She looked over at the screen and watched the twins come into view. Their hearts fluttering strong. She smiled as she stared at them. She was going to be a mother. She was anxious. Everything around her was a battle. The mission was so much more important now. She needed a world that was good enough to raise her children in.
"Everything looks great. They're growing right on schedule. Make sure not to overdo it. Take your medicine and drink plenty of water. Rest when you can." Carlisle said and handed her the printed picture of the twins.
"Well I'll try my best to take it easy. I'm doing the thing tonight."
"So soon?" Carlisle frowned. He hated that everything was falling into her to take care of. Killing a person was never easy no matter who they were. He knew that mentally it would take a toll on Bella.
Bella sighed. "I have to. We need to move forward with the plan. Even if it's playing into Jeanine's favor."
They needed a better plan but they would still have to continue forward on the mission. The mission to stop Jeanine from destroying the faction. She left Carlisle to get food before the start of the day.
Eric woke to an empty bed. He almost felt like he dreamt last night but he was in Bella's bed and not his own. He got up, pulling his clothes on and strapped on his gear before leaving to his own room to throw water on his face. He wanted to talk to Bella about last night and what this meant. He needed her so much that it hurt. He never wanted to let her go again but he knew that a talk was important. He combed his hair back, freshened up for the day and left his room. He glanced at his palm pilot. There was a message from Bella.
Leadership supply.
Eric walked that direction, going through part of the bazaar that was empty at this point of the day and found Bella upstairs in the supply.
"Max wants Jasper and Christina in leadership." Bella said when Eric came in. She had palm pilots sitting on the table and she was inspecting handguns now.
Eric frowned. "Before the round is up?" he asked and moved to grab the other gear.
"Yeah. He originally wanted Demetri but I convinced him Christina was the better choice." She said and glanced at her palm pilot. "Lukas and Four are going to start training this morning but are sending Chris and Jasper our way now."
Eric just nodded as he pulled together the gear with Bella. They were silent as they worked. They couldn't say too much because there were cameras in there that were live.
There was a knock on the door and Eric moved to open it. Jasper and Christina stood there a little confused.
Eric handed them jackets with stripes on them. "Here." He said and they took the jackets and Bella got their palm pilots and guns and handed them off.
"Does this mean we don't have to train anymore?" Christina asked taking the gear and getting it strapped on.
"Congrats you're past the first round. Jasper you have security detail. Patrol the wall. Christina you'll be running factionless interference until I can move you to the pit." Bella said.
Jasper looked at Christina and then back at Bella. "Do I get a team?"
"Rosalie and Topher. Take them and then I'll send Will with you later." Bella relayed. "We'll move you from recruit barracks later. For now. Let's get through the day."
Eric nodded. "Ping us if you need anything." He said, slapping Jasper on the back.
Christina frowned. "I just go and patrol the factionless area like we've been training to do?"
"Pick a couple recruits they haven't done it before. Show them the ropes. You're their leader now." Bella said. "I'll check in on you later."
Christina nodded still shocked that she was now in leadership. She didn't believe that the day would come. She got an easy detail but she would take it very seriously to show them that she could handle it. She left the supply closet to head down to the pit to gather a couple recruits. Probably Andrew and Uriah.
Bella and Eric left the supply room with Jasper. They walked for a bit before Jasper stopped to look at them. "Something is happening."
"Be ready to back me up tonight. I'll be in Max's office tonight around 7. I'll take him out then. I have to be at Erudite by midnight to deliver him to Jeanine." Bella said, not looking at Eric. "Normally I'd do this myself but I need the muscle to lift him since I can't lift him myself."
"Wait. You're doing it tonight and didn't tell me?" Eric looked at her shocked.
Bella sighed. "I didn't have time. You were sleeping good this morning and I didn't want to wake you with my decision. Oh. Here." She said and reached into her back pocket and pulled out the ultrasound picture of the twins and handed it to him. "We're all fine. I went to see Carlisle this morning." She said and looked at Jasper. "Be there. 7."
Jasper nodded, understanding. He wouldn't let her do this alone. He left her there with Eric. It was clear that they needed to talk.
Eric studied the black and white picture of the twins. He was amazed at the image. He was going to be a father and that amazed him. Bella amazed him. He was worried about her. About how fast she was moving for trying to take out Max and then ultimately Jeanine. "We need to slow down. What if-"
"I have to do it tonight. We need to get a plan together to stop Jeanine fast. I need to feel safe. Those two…" she pointed to the picture. "are my every reason why I am doing this full steam ahead. They matter more than anything right now. I need this city to be safe for them. I can't carry them and deliver them into a world that has Jeanine Matthews calling the shots. I need this Eric."
Eric studied her. He saw the fear in her eyes. He knew that she was right. That the city wasn't safe with Jeanine at the helm. He nodded, reaching a hand up to caress her cheek gently. "I know." He murmured his steel eyes searching hers.
Bella looked up at Eric. Last night she needed him. Needed him more than she cared to admit sometimes but the pain was still there. "Last night Eric… I was weak and I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have rushed it. I need you to give me time to work through the pain. I can't trust you won't walk away again and it's going to take me time to completely forgive you. I know I fucked up too. I took things too far with Max but I also know that I didn't deserve what you did." She whispered, her voice breaking a little.
Eric knew that last night was a dream for him. He swallowed and nodded. He needed her. He needed her to know how sorry he was but he knew he also needed to let her have the time she asked for. "Okay. I will wait however long you need. I'll prove that I love you and will never walk out again. I will spend the rest of my life making up for it. I promise."
Bella wanted to believe his promise but she couldn't right now. She just nodded.
"Are we…."
"No. Not yet. I need to focus today and I don't want to give you an answer of whether we're back together or not because of what I have to do tonight. I don't-"
"You're going to… sleep with him aren't you…" Eric murmured, feeling the sting to his heart.
Bella shook her head. "No, but his hands will be on me Eric. I need to be close to do it. If he thinks for a second that his life is in jeopardy. It becomes more dangerous. For me and the twins. I need you to understand that."
Eric didn't like any of it but he nodded. He would have to understand it. "I understand. I just… I love you… please be careful."
Bella nodded then tipped up and lay a kiss on his cheek. "I will." She said before she turned and walked away. Tonight, was going to be hard on everyone all around. After tonight, things were changing.