Natalie's POV

After telling Andrew we needed to talk, I decided to take some time and speak to Caleb first. I'm sure he's not too thrilled about being told to go to his room, especially when he thinks he was in the right. He's always been a very protective older brother, but somewhere along the way, that changed. He became an overbearing older brother. Fortunately, I think there's still time for my children's relationship to be repaired. I take a moment to rest my forehead against the wall and just breathe. When I'm ready, I knock on his door.

"Come in." Caleb says quietly.

I entered and sat next to him on his bed. This is going to be a difficult conversation, partially because Caleb is so good at showing his ability to conform to Abnegation behavior. After a few moments of awkward silence, I finally say, "Caleb, what happened today can't keep happening."

He starts nodding his head and says, "I know mom. She's just so stubborn and so selfish. I can't make her change."

I looked at my son's troubled face. Still, I must get through to him. "Caleb, what I meant is that your behavior towards Beatrice, can't keep happing." I admonish. He looks at me with his eyes wide, his expression shocked. He looks so much like Andrew, but with my green eyes.

He furrows his eyebrows and huffs out, "What?! Am I supposed to just let her keep messing up?! She's terrible at being Abnegation! She'll embarrass Dad, and he's on the council and has his reputation to protect!"

He stares angrily away from me. I know he's frustrated and right now he probably also thinks I'm crazy. I need to find a way for him to understand how his sister feels. He's so smart, brilliant even, but sometimes that makes him blind to the feelings of others.

"Caleb, how would you feel if I came in your room and searched it high and low, and took away all the books you've got hidden in every nook and cranny?" I ask sincerely.

He turns to me and gasps. "You know about that?" he asks guiltily.

I chuckle and respond, "Caleb, who puts all the clothes away? I've also made you bed before, when you've been sick. I'm your mom, I know you. Please answer the question."

"Well, I would feel like I couldn't really be me. I love reading. I know it's selfish, but I just like to learn everything I can." he mumbles out.

"It's not selfish, Caleb. If anything, it's selfish for your parents to expect you to be someone you're not. We chose Abnegation. You and Beatrice didn't." I whispered the last part, while giving him a small smile.

He looks to me questioningly, "How can we just be ourselves and still live in Abnegation? Mom, we still have six years until our Choosing Day."

"I have some ideas about that, but I have to talk to your father first. I believe we will have some changes soon, at least, within the walls of our home." I say, hopefully.

"What about Beatrice though? I'm just hiding that I like to read and learn. She's just so... active. She never sits still. She bounces when she walks. She laughs out loud at school, and she's even a bit snarky to her teachers sometimes." he asks with genuine concern.

"I have some ideas about that too. We'll figure it all out as a family." I say as I give him a side hug. I scruff his short, Abnegation hair. After telling him he can leave his room, I leave to go talk to Andrew.

When I enter our bedroom, Andrew is waiting for me. I see remorse in his eyes. I know he didn't mean to cause any harm. He was doing his best and what he thought he should. It's not like parenting comes with a manual. I smile to let him know that I've calmed down and that I really do just want to talk and not argue. He's always been such a kind husband and father.

"I really messed up, didn't I?" he asks, remorsefully.

"No, Andrew, we messed up. I should have pressed the issue, instead of staying quiet, to keep the peace." I say ruefully.

He smiles and says, "Well, where do we go from here?"

"I have some ideas. Both our children are struggling. Both show aptitude for different factions. I think Caleb is only good at fitting into Abnegation, because of his brilliance. He definitely got his Erudite thirst for knowledge from you. Beatrice, on the other hand...", I pause, trying to figure out how to sum up our daughter.

"You think she's di-", he warily whispers.

I interrupted him before he finished the word, "don't say that. We'll figure it out when she's older. Max will help. He's been protecting our family for years."

"What can we do to help our children, now, in our home?" he asks.

"I think we should let them be themselves in the confines of our home, but they'll need to do their best to act Abnegation when we're out and about the faction, or in public. It will be easy for Caleb, he's already a natural, he just won't have to hide his love of reading and learning when he's at home. I want to hear the sounds of happy children. This unnatural quiet doesn't feel right. It's not what I imagined back when I daydreamed of one day having a family with you." I quietly finish while looking down at my hands, which are folded in my lap.

Andrew uses his finger to lift my chin so I'm looking into his eyes, and says, "this isn't what I imagined either. I think I've spent too much time with Marcus and got caught in his constant concern about appearances. It really doesn't make sense that we force children, who haven't made a choice, to fit into our factions. They should be able to explore the factions before their choosing days, to make friends in other factions, to blend at school. All this separation has only caused turmoil in the city."

"You're right. Faction Before Blood is causing division and unrest. The whole system is going to unravel if something isn't done. Jeanine wants the power Abnegation holds and it's only a matter of time before she makes a move to remove Abnegation from power by force. She's so intelligent yet blinded by her own perceived superiority. We're supposed to choose a faction and forget our past, unless we remain in the same faction. We have a small population. Eventually, we're going to have first cousins becoming involved with each other if it hasn't already happened." I exclaim, frustratedly.

Andrew laughs and says, "Okay, we're supposed to be discussing our children, but we've gone off on a tangent and are now trying to revamp the whole system and fix our city. We can't push for immediate changes; they must be gradual or those non-progressive thinkers, like Marcus and Jeanine, are going to rebel against such 'traitorous' thoughts."

"You're right. Back to Caleb and Beatrice. I talked to Caleb, and we can't let him talk to her the way he does. She has a voice and her own will and needs to be able to use both. We can't expect a child who isn't cut out for Abnegation to be something she clearly isn't. We also need to tell our children the truth about what's going on in this city. Again, gradually, we can't tell them everything at once. I just want them to be prepared when they do make their choice." I speak from my heart.

Andrew smiles, "So we'll find a way for Beatrice to get the exercise she needs, somehow. We'll also let the kids speak at the dinner table as long as we don't have company. Caleb may have all the books he wants, and we'll spend time together as a family and talk to and get to know our kids. We'll let them get to know us. Who knows, maybe if they actually know us, they'll want to stay in Abnegation." he says hopefully.

"It's starting to get dark out. I should probably go out and see if I can find Beatrice. I'm starting to worry. She's been gone for almost four hours!" I say worriedly.

Andrew furrows his brows and looks out the window, he says, "it's starting to get dark out too."

I'm getting even more worried when my emergency phone, given to me by my sister, Violet, starts to ring.

Andrew goes downstairs to see if Bea has come home, while I answer. I speak for about two minutes, then hang up and rush to my closet to dig out some old Dauntless clothes I kept. I put on the black leggings, T-shirt, and hooded sweatshirt, and hurried downstairs.

I told my husband that it was Max and he'd found Beatrice. I rush out the door and head for the train tracks. I get to the tracks right as the train is coming, I start to run along the tracks and jump towards the first car, grabbing the handle and swinging myself into the car. Just like old times! What I don't expect is who I come face to face with when I turn around. Evelyn Eaton, alive, and dressed like a factionless. I certainly never expected to see her again, since my family attended her funeral. I eyed her suspiciously.

We both ask at the same time, "what are you doing here?"

"Hmph. Like you really didn't know I was alive? That you didn't attend a fake funeral? Your husband is, after all, on the council. Isn't he one of Marcus lackeys?" she asks haughtily.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Did he make you leave, or did you choose to leave? "I question.

She raises her eyebrows, challenging, and says, "If your husband were beating you and you decided to leave, would you consider that a choice?"

"If I chose to leave, I would also choose to bring my children with me. I've had my suspicions about Marcus for a while now, particularly how he treats Tobias. You've just confirmed them. Yet, you left him with Marcus. Why?" I ask, in what I hope is a calm, even, voice. I'm not sure it worked.

She stares at me for a while, as though sizing me up. I wonder if she's really going to answer my question. She seems to be thinking about whether she wants to answer truthfully. She walks towards the exit, grabbing the handle, then says, "I'm making a real difference. He would have hindered me and made me look weak." Then she jumped out the open train door, into the night, towards the factionless sector.

I guess that's what I should expect from a mother who abandoned her child to her own abuser. A chill sweeps over me as I ponder ways to help Tobias. It will be difficult, Marcus has too much power. I'm so deep in thought that I almost miss my own exit. I grab the handle and propel myself onto the roof, then walk over to the ledge and let myself fall forward, into the seven-story drop, and onto the sturdy net at the bottom. My sisters, Hana, my twin, and Violet, my little sister, are waiting for me. They help me down and we immediately go into a tight embrace. Oh, how I've missed them!

When we finally stop hugging, I ask, "how on earth did my Beatrice end up here?!"

Hana laughs and says, "That, dear sister, is a story we're all looking forward to hearing!"