Chapter 64 - Midnight Hour

"I really want, really want you to hold me

Take this train and keep it on the tracks

'Cause I don't know where I'm going

Yeah I don't know where but I'll be right back

'Cause you're the first glance

And I'm that second chance

And you'll have a stone hold

I'll be turning cold

You be the red light

Late in the midnight hour

Where we both know

What good would I be if I let you go?"

[Midnight Hour, Sierra Eagleson]

Kat

Tris's assurances that the sims would get better don't prove to be correct. Not exactly anyway.

It's the second day of the second stage and everyone seems to be in about the same state as we were the day before. Although, everyone also seems to be more...not accepting really, more like resigned to things.

I know that for me it was just as bad as the day before.

Because of my reaction the first time, they moved me to the back of the line the second day. This was fine with me because I figured it would give me more time to calm and center myself then try to come up with a plan on how to get out of hell.

It's still the same fear, the one with the demon clown. I still have the same reaction to it that I did the first time. No matter how many times I strike it down it just won't die. In fact, if I kill one of them...two more will pop up. I come out of it hell-bent on taking down whatever it is that's threatening me. The odd thing is that both times I focused solely on Tobias.

Even when Eric specifically stood in my way I didn't even try to go after him. I just bypassed him completely. Luckily, he was prepared and held me back enough to stick me with a sedative and didn't have to put me in a sleeper hold again. I learned that's how he knocked me out the first time.

While I was under the influence of whatever Eric stuck me with I heard Four suggesting putting restraints on the bed. I could hear the pain and hurt in my old friend's voice and despite the calming nature of the meds I was given, I felt hurt too.

No matter how things currently are between us, Tobias will always have a place in my heart and it's breaking right now, knowing I'm hurting him without meaning to.

I found out that there is a new serum that's made the fear sims extremely intense for everyone. When I was in the clinic to be checked out after my second run through the fear, Zach quietly filled me in on that little tidbit. This meant we could rule out my divergence playing a part in how strong my reaction is to the new serum. Even so, my reaction to the sim seems to be extreme even by the new standard they expect everyone to have now.

Going into this stage the biggest worry we had was that I would handle my fear sims too easily or that I might manipulate the program like other divergents have supposedly been able to do. According to everything they've been told about divergence, I should be able to recognize that I'm in a simulation.

I wish that were the case for me but it's not.

Although I remember having a thought that it felt wrong...once that thing showed up I seemed to be incapable of rational thinking. I became so consumed with the fear that I couldn't breathe much less think clearly. The one real thought running through my mind at the time was that I had to fight it, to destroy whatever was causing me to feel that way.

It's so strong that even when I do come out of the sim it lingers for hours afterward and that worries the hell out of me.

It should help that more than a few of the other initiates seem to be struggling as much as I am, but it doesn't. I guess it would if any of us were actually talking to each other about what we're going through but like me, they don't seem to be any more willing to do that. The result is that we are, in general, a pretty miserable bunch to be around.

I feel like it's even worse for me, though, because of the other things going on in my life. Mainly that I have to see Eric every day, be so close to him, and yet we're no closer to resolving things between us. That little bit of time spent together is never alone, so I can understand that we can't use it to try and hash things out. However, there are several hours before lights out that I'm completely free...and nothing has happened.

At first, I reasoned that Eric didn't make any attempt to get me alone because he was busy with the fear sims. When I realized that all the fear sims were done by the time lunch was called, I couldn't use that to excuse him anymore.

Of course, my mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario; that Eric wasn't trying to get me alone because he didn't want to. Because in his mind whatever we were is over now.

That started to spiral me down some very dark places that primarily centered around me thinking along the lines of the fact that it was always bound to happen at some point anyway. Wouldn't it be better to just let things be to save me even more hurt later? Besides, hasn't my fear simulations shown everyone just how damaged I really am? It's no wonder Eric would want to wash his hands of me.

Those are the kind of thoughts that plague me...even during my sleep.

**** Worth Fighting For ****

Sleep was not my friend last night.

I had a horrible and disorientating mix of nightmares that I can't remember when I wake up. All I can remember is what it's left me feeling and that's a complete and utter dread of having to subject myself to my fear sim again.

Another thing I'm able to remember from the dream is what I feel asleep running over in my mind regarding me and Eric. Those same doubts haven't disappeared with the dawning of a new day...they actually seem to be worse.

The day in general isn't starting out promising for me. I meant to try and wake up early so I could try and get in some training before fear sims, but I woke up later than normal. I still thought about trying to at least go for a run until Tris woke up right as I was in the middle of debating the matter. After I filled her in on what I was thinking, we decided to just head to the dining hall together since neither of us really felt up to it. This is saying something because that's something even we normally are always up for and enjoy.

When we make it to the dining hall I see that Chase is the only one of the usual group here. Even though I'm disappointed, I'm also still too exhausted to dwell on that too much. I'm having enough issues as it is with just performing the necessary actions to keep myself functioning...like eating.

My breakfast the last few days has mainly consisted of just coffee. Yesterday I didn't even try to pretend to eat and just grabbed a cup of my preferred beverage then went right to the table. Today Tris drags me away from the coffee, insisting we try and eat at least a little bit of something. She bypasses the line where things like breakfast casserole, eggs, bacon, and sausage are served; heading to the area where the other small and lighter foods can be found.

This station is usually stocked with things like muffins, toast, and cereals during the hours for breakfast. I start to grab some toast until Tris points out some new additions. There are two covered soup tureens with no indication of what might be under their lids. Curious enough we decide to each take a lid to see what might be under it. My nose scrunches up when I see the oatmeal in mine and quickly close it, then move over to my sister after she lets out a small gasp of delight.

"Look what they have now!" I peek into the metal container and see a hot cereal made of rice.

"I thought that was just an Abnegation thing," I mutter even as I'm smiling along with her.

"What is?" Will asks after he and our other friends join us.

"Hot breakfast cereals, in general, seem like they might be something only Abnegation or Amity would do, but it's pretty surprising that this one is made from rice. Since that's a main staple of the Abnegation diet it's pretty common to see it for many of the daily meals. I just didn't think the other factions would have it as often as I've seen it served here." Tris answers for us with a shrug after picking up two bowls, then handing me one of them.

As my sister said, oatmeal and rice were two of the main foods that Abnegation never seemed to be lacking. They're easy to store, filling, and not indulgent in the least by our former factions standards. Though a few households went with oatmeal for breakfast, a good majority of them choose rice instead.

I guess it just came down to personal preference and in our home, we preferred rice. Mainly because Tris and I absolutely hated making oatmeal. The few times we tried making it, it came out looking like a slightly runny concrete mix might before it hardens. After mom showed us her tricks to making her rice cereal taste so good we made that from then on.

"Oh, no we had a lot of rice in Erudite too. My sister and I made the same rice cereal for breakfast as well, but we would cook it in non-dairy milk made from either soy, oat, or even banana. She would also add cinnamon and ginger." Will informed us with a smile as he peered into the tureen.

"We used powdered milk for cooking it and added whatever spices we might have from our trading with Amity. Usually cinnamon or honey." I sniff the bowl after I've put a few scoops into it, trying to determine what they might have used for this one. "I think they might have cooked this one in coconut milk."

"They do if there's enough of it to use, otherwise they use powdered milk as well. Since it's just starting to get cold they'll only make it once or twice a week. As the weather starts to get cooler you'll start seeing a lot more of these kinds of things available at breakfast as well as soups or stews for lunch and dinner." This last bit of information came from Chase, who stepped up to see what all the fuss was about and why we're all hanging out by the cereals.

Then he comments that we should probably get whatever we're going to eat and head to the table. It's close enough to the start of the day that it won't leave us a lot of time to linger over breakfast this morning.

Only Tris, Will, Christina, and I decided to have some of the hot cereal for breakfast. There were a few choices for toppings, although I was wary of adding too much and making it sweeter than I could handle at the moment. Tris suggested just sticking with what we already know and adding our normal cinnamon as well as a bit of butter. We also grabbed a small handful of raisins and sprinkled them on top as a treat.

My appetite seemed to wake up after the first bite and before I knew it I finished the entire bowl. Afterward, I sat sipping my coffee for our last few minutes before we had to go.

Lauren was supposed to round up all of us this morning but Chase ended up sending her to get their room ready instead. When I commented on the fact that he seemed to always be stuck with doing all the work when she should be helping, he didn't agree or disagree. Instead, he just got up with a sigh and called for all of us to finish up and meet him in the Pit.

It didn't take as long for us to all shuffle out after him. Even though the entire group seemed able to eat more than we have the past few days, we still don't have enough of an appetite that eating takes us very long. Breakfast for many of us was either a few slices of toast or whatever else they might have that could help settle our stomachs.

My breakfast this morning helped a bit but as soon as Chase called out for us it started to churn again and I seriously feared I was going to be sick.

**** Worth Fighting For ****

Eric is the one to call me into the room. I walk towards him slowly, hoping to see something in his eyes...knowing he won't let anything otherwise show on his face. All I get is icy blue with nothing in them to indicate what he might be thinking or feeling about me.

I swallow hard as I pass him in the doorway, fighting back the burning that I know means I'm close to tears. I refuse to let them fall.

Four is already over at the computer station, pretending to be deeply engrossed in it. I know what he's really doing is probably trying to make me forget he's even in the room so maybe this time I won't come out of my sim and go after him. I don't think it'll work, there's something about him being here during this that has me extremely aware of him.

There's no need for any speeches or talk between the three of us. Everything I needed to know about the fear sims I've been informed of already. So I have nothing to distract me or any reason to stall. I walk over to the chair and get settled in, all while stewing in the turmoil boiling inside me.

Maybe it was something in my expression. Something that hinted at my mood or how close I am to breaking down right here and now. I don't know what might have indicated to Eric that the cause for my current distress isn't what I'm about to face. Whatever it is that he sees in me caused Eric's stony expression to crumble.

I didn't see it at first, I was too busy inspecting my hands clasped tightly in my lap. I knew it would be a minute or so before he got me connected to the computer then injected me. I didn't want to have to keep looking at him only to see nothing there for me when he looked back.

Eric has other plans apparently. It starts with a lingering brush of his fingers where he's attaching the nodes at my temples. That quickly turns from just incidental brushes to purposeful caressing.

Even with this first sign, I'm not ready to believe that it's something he's purposely doing. I tell myself that I'm reading too much into it and continue to avoid looking at him. I keep my eyes closed tightly and try to control my reaction to his touch.

It isn't until I feel him moving a loose strand of hair that I realize I can't stay in denial. Because he doesn't stop at just that subtle gesture, he also repeats one that's burned into my memory. His fingertip lightly traces the outer edge of my ear, just like it did that night on my bed in the dorm, and my eyes pop open in surprise.

I find he's watching me with a hint of amusement lurking in the beginning of a smirk and twitching of his lips. But it's his eyes that really hold my attention in the way that they always do. It doesn't matter what I'll find when I look into them, I just know I'll get caught up in them. Hoping that it will be one of those times when he'll let me see behind the mask.

It doesn't take long before I get my wish...he lets me in just before I'm pulled into the sim and my vision of the real world goes black...he lets me in enough to leave me feeling even more confused than I was before.

**** Worth Fighting For ****

I can't fall asleep as easily as I have since the start of the second stage. It's been extremely exhausting for all of us, so after dinner, most everyone just goes back to the dorms and passes out.

The instructors have said this stage was mostly mental but I call bullshit on that.

It's taking its toll on our bodies and our emotions. It's only day three but I can already see the strain building in some of us more than the others. For some reason, all the Candor's seem to be among the most heavily affected. It makes me wonder what the hell goes on in that faction that could have them reacting as badly as I am to the fear sims.

Tris seems to be affected by the sims as well, although not in the way the others are. She's withdrawing into herself while at the same time she is hell-bent on keeping me in her sights at all times.

I decided to leave the dining hall early after dinner, passing on the cake. I still didn't have much of an appetite so it didn't take me long to eat. Tris was running late to dinner, which wasn't all that surprising. I knew the second Christina volunteered to go with my sister to the commissary it would turn from just picking up a few things to an all-out shopping trip.

I didn't think it would be a big deal to leave early since I was going right to the dorm. Needless to say, she got upset and nearly lost her shit on me. I guess it wasn't so much that I didn't tell her where I was going but the fact that I was alone. Honestly, her reaction seemed to be about much more than just the fact that I left but I wasn't going to try and push her for answers when she was in the middle of a panic attack.

Luckily we were alone in the dorm so no one else saw this, but it took way too long to calm her down. By the time she was better everyone else had joined us and I lost the time when I could be alone that I had been hoping for when I left dinner. The chance to gather my thoughts with no one around was lost to me.

Technically, I'm alone now with everyone around me sleeping soundly after collapsing into their bunks. Most of them didn't even bother taking a shower or changing out of their clothes into pajamas.

I should have been in the same state as the others, too tired to do much more than getting myself under the threadbare covers on my bed before passing out. I mean, that's about how the last few nights have gone for me and I am honestly just as exhausted as those previous nights. But no matter how tired I am, my mind simply will not turn off and let me rest.

I'm too on edge from dealing with the sim as well as my sister's constant need to keep me in her line of sight.

The persistent sounds aren't helping matters. The water dripping from the faucets in the bathroom, the rustling of the others as they shift and turn in their beds, the soft whimpers from a few of them...as if they're being plagued with something unpleasant in their dreams.

Oh and to just top it all off...the smells in this room are at an all-time high right now. Which makes no kind of sense because for the past three days we haven't had any physical training, so there should be no reason for the foul and toxic stench. I can only put it down to the fact that the room is too saturated with years of built-up old sweat and the fumes from the open bathroom.

Uri once tried to describe to me the foulness of the boy's locker room at school and I hadn't believed him. Now I think his description made that place much more pleasant than this dorm room.

The cherry on top of my shit sundae is that I can't get Eric, and what he let me see just before my sim started, out of my mind.

I saw his worry for me and the hurt in his eyes. I also saw anger, frustration, and so many other things that there was no chance of me being able to tell what he was hurting about or what he might be thinking.

I thought for sure that after letting me in he would find a way for us to be alone as soon as he was done with the sims...but once again he didn't. He wasn't even at dinner tonight either. Zach did explain that by mentioning that Eric and a few of the other leaders were on a conference call with Erudite about the new serum. I knew that he was telling me the truth but it didn't stop me from feeling disappointed.

It did help me come to a..resolution?...or resolve?... I don't know. What I do know is that I set a mental deadline of sorts. I determined that if Eric still hadn't tried to come to me by tomorrow after dinner...then I would go to him. Because what hit me at dinner is that I'm not ready to give up on him or us.

I didn't come to Dauntless with any thoughts of relationships other than the ones I formed with my friends and the ones I wanted to regain with my sister. I did, however, put plenty of thought into other aspects of my life here and what I would want to do with the freedom available to me.

Some of those plans probably wouldn't be surprising for someone coming from Abnegation like I am. They are rather simplistic and boring by Dauntless standards, but they were the kinds of things that kept me going when things were at their worst for me.

For instance, I used to think about having a place of my own, no matter how small it might end up being. Both Four and Amar had given me some idea of what lodging is like for Dauntless members and what it all depends on.

I know that even those people who are permanently stationed in an area are given their own quarters wherever they are assigned. For those who guard our borders, they lived in housing pods made from old shipping containers. Those who worked in the detaining center in Candor lived in housing in their sector. It wasn't in the main buildings that the faction used for their own residences, rather it was a smaller building beside the detaining center dedicated solely for Dauntless use.

The people who are on the two-week rotation schedule sleep in bunks' rooms when they are on their scheduled time, but when that two weeks is up they come back to the compound and their permanent quarters here where they usually share an apartment with others with similar positions.

So, I know that no matter what job I end up in, I will have a place of my own. I might need to share it with one or two roommates, but it will still be mine. A space I can decorate if I want to, and spend my time there how I want.

I've had so many other plans or dreams, too many to count, that I've thought up over the years. But...in all my daydreaming of life here in Dauntless...a romantic relationship was never included.

I never planned on the kind of life that would have room for one, if I'm honest with myself. And I'm finding it's necessary for me to be honest with myself now instead of living in the denial that I have been for so long. Thanks to my talks with Zach...I'm seeing more clearly.

My plans to make things right for Dauntless mostly centered around removing Marcus's influence from the city, though I wasn't completely sure how I was going to go about doing that. My hope was that maybe with him gone, Dauntless could remove all those restrictions and penalties that were imposed through his manipulations. I'm seeing now it might not be as simple as that.

What I've also realized is that while I might not have imagined myself having Eric in my life before, now I can't imagine it without him.

I really did mean to stick to my deadline as well as the resolve to see if he would come to me first, but laying here not being able to sleep isn't helping things.

I kick the covers off me, feeling confined by them and not being able to tolerate their scratchiness one second longer. I whip my legs over the side of my bed and sit up, then I just stay there and debate with myself until the need to get out of this room becomes stronger than my reasonable side trying to tell me it's a bad idea. I don't bother to put on the clothes that I have on top of my trunk, ready for the next day. I just reach down and grab the socks and tennis shoes from the top of the stack and pull those on.

Even as I'm doing this my mind is still trying to come up with reasons that I shouldn't.

I could get to Eric's apartment and he could slam the door in my face. Or worse...I could get there and he's not even home to slam the door on me because he's out somewhere else...with someone else...moving on from me.

My mind flashes to the memory of that night in the Pit when I saw him leave with that girl, reminding me how easy it would be for him to find a replacement, and my stomach churns like I might just be sick.

I don't let the fear and doubt stop me though.

I keep right on quietly creeping to the stairs. I do pause a little when I pass the people who are restlessly tossing around in their beds. If either of them is awake to notice when I pass them they don't say anything. They're probably too caught up in their own problems to give a shit about one of the stiffs sneaking out of the dorm.

When I get to the door I'm already cringing, dreading that it's going to make enough noise that it will wake up the one person I know would have a problem with me leaving. A gust of relieved breath leaves me when it doesn't make any noise, either on opening or softly closing it behind me. I pause again to wait a few seconds, just to make sure no one is coming out behind me.

When I don't hear anything, I move to take a step away from the door but as I'm turning a hand comes out of nowhere towards me. I go on the defensive even while my mind is trying to identify who the hand belongs to. I grab and twist it, allowing my body to react with the instinctive need to eliminate the threat. I have enough presence of mind to start with subduing the person until they are on the ground and I'm hovering over them. I haven't let go of their arm and I have it twisted behind their back, waiting to deliver the final blow if I need to.

"Oww shit! Fucking hell, stiff," The hissed exclamation comes from a voice I know all too well.

What shocks me momentarily is that for a second I felt a small flash of relief and even comfort at the fact that it's just Peter. With that I scowl, then release his arm and push away from him as if his touch was burning me.

"What the hell were you thinking surprising me like that in the dark of all places, Peter? Hasn't it been proven lately that's not exactly a bright idea?"

I shudder as I think about what I almost did and how badly I could have hurt him.

"Aww...is that worry in your voice, stiff? For little old me?" He picks himself up off the ground, brushing himself off and all but laughs as he huffs the words out.

I narrow my eyes at him and scowl even harder. "Hardly," I sneer and push past him as I move away from the door before someone hears us. "I just think it would be a shame not being able to clearly see your face after I completely wipe the floor with it."

My tone had no real bite to it, which made him chuckle, something I clearly heard since he was right beside me.

"Why are you even out of bed and how did I not notice you were gone?" I glance over at him and see he's dressed for bed but is also wearing shoes like I am.

"I don't know how you missed me leaving but I walked out of there about an hour ago. I couldn't sleep and I couldn't stay in that room either. I decided to go out and sit in the hallway for a bit." He shoves a hand through his hair, trying to tame the wild look to it then snorts and smirks at me. "Besides, I knew just by looking at you not sleeping in your own bed that you'd make a run for it soon enough too."

I stop in my tracks at this and I can't help frowning at the thought that he seems to know me so well. Or is it that I really am just that easy to read? Either way, I don't care at the moment. I just want to get to Eric and get this over with.

"Come on, stiff. No sense getting caught lurking here in the corridor." Peter's drawled words as he calls back to me spur me on and I catch up to him fairly quickly.

We're quiet as we make our way along. Even though I have a moment where I want to say something to him about just presuming he knows where I wanted to go. I don't because it would be petty and we both know it. I also don't because of how Peter is acting right now.

Like he's on alert and expecting an attack. This becomes especially apparent when we would come to a branch or we needed to change corridors. He wouldn't let me go until he went first and checked it out. I didn't point this out to him or comment on it at all.

I'd come to realize at some point that Eric and the others must have put him up to keep an eye on me, although I'm not sure exactly when they did it. If I had to put a timeline on it...I think it might have been sometime around capture. That was when there was a definite shift in his attitude towards me and shortly after that he also started being a little more neutral with Tris.

However, since the attack in the dorm, there's been another shift with him. One that I'm not entirely comfortable with or even know how to deal with. His almost protective attitude right now is just one example of this shift. I know that it's not all because of whatever the guys said or did to him to get him to cooperate at first. There's something else to it that I'm not sure I really want to know.

We make it to Eric's hallway unscathed, and sooner than I'm ready for I'm standing in front of his door. Peter stops a foot away from there and leans against the wall while I just freeze in place and stare at the space in front of me.

It feels like my arm has fifty-pound weights attached to it when I go to raise it and knock. I let it fall back to my side, clear my throat and turn to ask Peter a question in order to give myself enough time to work up the courage to knock.

"Are you going to come in?" It's a valid question, one that is just now occurring to me.

"There isn't a chance of that happening, not that I wanted to," He snorts and shakes his head. "I'll hang out here for a few minutes to wait for you if you want to leave. If you don't or I hear any indications that you aren't going to be leaving anytime soon," here he pauses, looks up at the ceiling and mutters what might be a prayer that he hopes he doesn't hear anything like that before he continues. "Then I'll probably just head to Zach's and wait there instead of going back to the dorm."

"Right," I nod and face the door again. This time I'm able to raise my hand but I don't knock. I drop it again, frowning then huff and raise it one more time. I make it closer to the door but I pull back again and bite my lower lip in trepidation.

Am I really prepared for the scenarios I imagined earlier? What if he does really slam the door in my face...or not answer at all? What then?

"Good grief, stiff. You're not going to get whatever you came here for by standing there staring at the door. Just...get on with it already."

I shoot him a glare then turn back to the door. I know he's purposely taunting me, in his own way he's trying to help me, I guess...and it works as I inwardly curse myself for being a coward. I square my shoulders and lift my chin, then before I can give myself time to let more doubts in, I raise my hand and knock hard enough that it rattles the door and loud enough that it reverberates down the entire hallway.

"So much for the subtle approach," I hear Peter mutter and chuckle under his breath at the same time as I hear movement in Eric's apartment.

It doesn't take long for the door to be opened but it feels like I've thought of running about ten times during that span of seconds. Zach's the one that answers and as soon as he sees me the frown he was wearing turns into worry.

"Kat? Are you okay? Did you have another…"

"I'm okay. It wasn't another dream or anything...I just...I couldn't sleep...and I...I needed to see him." I rush to assure him, blushing and shifting nervously then notice movement in the corner of my eye. I'm reminded that I didn't come here alone so I motion towards Peter who isn't leaning against the wall anymore, in fact he moved a little closer. "Neither of us could sleep."

His expression softens and he nods in understanding. Then he briefly addresses Peter with a small smile. "I'll be right back," and motions me through the still partially open door. I walk in expecting to see Eric right away but when I don't I look back at Zach who's still at the door. "He's in the shower. We just got done with a workout. The call with erudite was really long and stressful so he needed to let off some steam."

"Oh," I puff feeling only slightly relieved but still very worried about my reception when he does see me. "Maybe this isn't a good time then."

Zach walks forward the few steps towards me then puts his hands on my shoulders giving them a slight and gentle squeeze. "You two need to talk, the longer you wait the harder it will be on both of you, Kat. Just remember what we talked about...

I nod reluctantly and sigh shakily when he pulls me into a brief hug. "I'll try, Zach."

He eyes me for a moment, hesitating to step completely out of the door before he finally nods and quietly exits.

I don't blame Zach for doubting that I'm going to be able to do as he suggested I do whenever I talked to Eric again. But I am being honest that I will try to open up a bit more. I know simply apologizing isn't enough and that I need to try to tell him what I can that might let him understand why I reacted the way I did that morning.

No matter my reason for reacting the way I did, I know that it doesn't excuse how I handled things. Both by first trying to run away and then by lashing out. While Zach agreed that wasn't the healthiest of ways to handle things, he said I was being too hard on myself.

I pace a little as I run through different apologies in my mind and curse myself for not planning that out before I left the dorm. With my state of mind, it's not a surprise that the path of my pacing takes me closer and closer to the door.

Only two or three minutes have passed since Zach left me here alone. But by the time I hear movement coming from behind his bedroom door that lets me know he's about to emerge, I've worked myself into a panicked state that has me ready to bolt those few steps to the door, then out of it into the night.

"Whoever was banging on my door this fucking late at night must have had a death wish." Eric snarls as he throws open the door to his room and stomps out and my eyes widen as my heart skitters. The scowl he's wearing doesn't lessen one bit once he spots me standing in his apartment.

My flight reflex that seemed to be broken decides to finally show up as I whirl away from him and bolt for the door.