Beatrice woke up in a slight daze as sunlight streamed through her windows. Her windows.

It was choosing day. She was in her bed for the first time in nearly a year. Marcus let her go home to be with her family before initiation started. Unbeknownst to them, it would be the last time she would ever sleep or eat with them. Beatrice put on her normal grey dress, relishing the fact that it was the last time she would be forced to wear such baggy, dull clothes.

Her test results had been confusing, to say the least. Marcus let her go to school for testing day, giving her strict instructions on how to test and not appear as a disappointment. He also provided a complimentary beating to remind her to behave. But of course, she didn't follow his test instructions, and now that word-Divergent-floated through her mind, taunting her regardless of what she was doing. Luckily, Beatrice knew exactly which faction she was going to choose. She had known since she was 13 and had trained as much as possible for it. Today was the day she finally got the chance to choose Dauntless.

Something more important was on her mind, though, which was that she was going to see Toby again. Just the thought of seeing him sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Heat flooded her body enough so that Beatrice had to take a moment to make it go away and melt her smile. She only had to be a perfect Abnegation for a couple more hours. Then she would be free.

When Beatrice made her way downstairs, she found breakfast already made on the table for her.

"Good morning, Beatrice."

"Good morning, sir." Beatrice flinched when she realized she said sir instead of father. Her father gave her a curious look but went back to reading the newspaper. Dull memories of him arguing with Marcus replayed in her mind. What was only a few months ago felt like years. She sat down and filled her plate with toast and eggs. Her stomach felt empty, a typical feeling for her, and she was eager to fill it. Even if it meant eating an abundance of tasteless food.

It felt weird to be back home. She wanted to feel comfortable and safe like she used to, but Beatrice couldn't help but feel on edge. She was in pain, so much pain, and all she wanted to do was lay down and rest. It didn't help that it felt like Marcus would pop out at any moment and take her back, never letting her leave. She wouldn't feel safe until she left for Dauntless.

How was Toby going to react when he inevitably finds out what happened to her? He was the reason Beatrice knew what signs gave away the abuse. He would pick up on them immediately without a doubt. Which would be bad. What if he got upset with her? It was her fault, after all. If she hadn't been so idiotic and selfish, Marcus wouldn't have caught her so soon.

She hoped Toby didn't think that she abandoned him. What if he thought she was no longer interested in him? He might have moved on and found someone better in Dauntless. What if he just ignored her as soon as she made it there? The thought of any of those what-ifs happening caused a sliver of ice to pierce her heart. He wouldn't do that. He promised that he would wait for her.

"Are you nervous about the ceremony, Beatrice?" Her mother's voice was gentle but startled Beatrice enough to cause her to jump and drop her fork. Embarrassed, she picked up the fork and looked at her mom.

"No, not really."

"The knife doesn't really hurt-you can make a small cut. And they'll give you a bandage afterward."

It was ironic how she thought Beatrice would be worried about a cut. As if that was the worst injury she would have received in the past few months. A cut was nothing.

"That's kind of them. Thank you for letting me know." Using a monotone voice used to be impossible for her. It took a month of Marcus beating her for her tone until she fell into using it always.

After breakfast, Beatrice walked to the ceremony with her family. They walked in the proper Abnegation way with Caleb walking in pace with her, behind their parents who walked ahead. They had walked this way ever since Caleb was old enough to walk. What had it been like for them to walk without her there? The thought of Caleb trailing alone behind their parents felt wrong.

At least they were used to her not being there.

They walked into the hub and up the long flight of stairs where Caleb and Beatrice separated from their families. They joined the outer circle of students in the proper reverse-alphabetical spot. Beatrice watched their parents pick out a seat and sit down together. Her mother seemed distant from her father, refusing to hold his hand or lean against him, which were the only socially acceptable forms of intimacy in Abnegation. Had something happened?

Beatrice wondered how they would react to her transfer. A year ago, it would devastate them. But now? She basically didn't exist to them anymore, she didn't expect them to miss her much when she left. It wouldn't be abnormal, at least. That was something good Marcus had done for them. Marcus. He was sitting in the front row, staring at her. His eyes held an all too familiar glare. He had to know she was transferring. Marcus was stupid, but he wasn't dumb. There wasn't anything he could do, though, without looking suspicious. So for now, Beatrice was safe.

Soon the leader of Erudite, Jeanine, began to speak. Beatrice tuned her out, having heard the faction meanings and history enough times to have it memorized. Soon enough, Jeanine called out the first name. Birth faction. And then another. Birth faction. And another. The first transfer.

She watched as the person left to sit with his new faction, while his parents sat sobbing in their section. Moments later they were escorted away so they wouldn't disturb the ceremony. Was that going to be her parents? No, they would be too selfless to cry. No matter how upset they were, they wouldn't disturb the ceremony for other people. Plus, they would have Caleb, their perfect Abnegation child. By leaving, Beatrice was just relieving them of a burden.

At least, that's what she told herself.

Soon enough, it was Caleb's turn. She never understood why they went backward through the alphabet, but it didn't matter much. Caleb walked up to the 5 bowls and carefully cut his palm. From her close-up view, Beatrice could see him flinch with pain. He took a moment to let blood collect in his palm, and he looked between the Abnegation and Erudite bowls. He held his hand quickly over the clear glass that stood for Erudite and let his blood drip onto it. A loud gasp was heard from all around the room. Caleb was a transfer. Selfless, perfect Caleb.

Before Beatrice could register, it was her turn. She shakily walked up to the 5 bowls, ignoring the immense pain throbbing in her body. All 5 of the faction bowls stood in front of her. She took a new knife that Jeanine handed to her and cut her palm with it. The cut hardly hurt but was deep enough to draw blood. Breathing in, she held her hand over Dauntless, and let it out as she turned over her hand.

The blood dripped onto the coals and the sound of sizzling was heard throughout the whole room. No one made a sound as Beatrice walked towards the Dauntless, who began to cheer as loud as ever. She was the second Abnegation to Dauntless transfer in the past century. Someone handed her a bandage for her cut and she pressed it tightly to the cut to stop the bleeding. Smiling, Beatrice took a random seat among them. She had done it. She made it to Dauntless.

One year ago, Tobias was standing in front of the five bowls that determined everyone's destiny. Like most, he knew exactly where he was going to choose. Unlike most, he was confident it wasn't his home faction. He was still nervous, arguably more nervous than most people were at their choosing ceremony. But now, a year later, he was here. Standing at the net waiting for the initiates to drop.

He couldn't go to the ceremony. He couldn't bring himself to watch Bea choose, knowing there was a chance she would choose something other than Dauntless. While transferring was her idea in the first place, he wasn't sure what to think after she missed not one, not two, but every meeting he tried to plan for them in the training room. He wanted to think she had an explanation, but he couldn't let himself be hurt on the off chance the explanation included him. Watching her choose to betray their plan would have broken him more than initiation ever could. Erudite would be lucky to have her, and she could always stay in Abnegation.

All he knew was that he missed her. He missed her smile, her hair, her laugh. He missed how she could always make him smile. He missed her grey-blue eyes that always reassured him that he was okay. But maybe, just maybe, she did choose Dauntless. He would train her, keep Eric from targeting her, and they could make a life together. Finally.

Eric broke him from his thoughts by yelling at the initiates above the net. Tobias kept his eyes on the net, waiting to see who the first jumper would be. No doubt it would be a Dauntless born, and he was willing to put points on it being Uriah. Just for bragging rights over his brother, Zeke. Being the first jumper was a big deal, especially in an initiate's first year. And Tobias got a front-row seat.

Whoosh

The air rippled as the first jumper fell from the building down into the net. Tobias's brain couldn't comprehend the grey blur falling until he heard it. Bea's laugh. She had just fallen down a 10-story building and was laughing. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach for the first time since visiting day. Tobias pulled the net for her to slide off towards him. He offered his hand to help her jump, even though she had just proven she did not need it. Any excuse to be close to her.

"Name?"

"B-" She hesitated.

"Think about it," he said with a small smile playing on his lips. "You don't get to pick again."

Bea nodded slowly. "Tris. My name is Tris." That was the nickname he gave her, all those months ago. She remembered it. She chose it.

"Tris..." Lauren said behind him. "Make the announcement Four."

Tobias looked into Bea's eyes, hoping she recognized him just like he recognized her. He was so relieved she was there, even though there was little doubt in his mind she would transfer. Having her in his presence made everything feel better, safer.

"First Jumper! Tris!" He reluctantly let go of her hand, letting her join the crowd of Dauntless for the first time. Pride filled his chest. She did it. "Welcome to Dauntless."

I hope you enjoyed!

DFTBA,

thebooktrooper