After Eric dropped her off at Carter's office, Tris spent the morning filing loads of old miscellaneous paperwork. Carter had admitted to being a bit lazy when it came to filing but was also adamant that in doing the filing, Tris would be able to get an idea of the different types of tasks Carter's jobs required of him.
If she was being honest, Tris found the filing quite boring, but at the same time she was grateful to be alone in the quiet room without the worry that Carter might do anything inappropriate.
When she was finished, Carter had sent her off to have lunch with the promise that the afternoon would be a bit more stimulating.
"Here are your temporary codes," Carter says passing Tris a document with upwards of a dozen different logins and passwords. "The top one will give you access to your leadership computer and your leadership tablet. Both devices will grant you access to confidential information. Once you've changed your passwords do not share them with anyone. When you leave today, you'll give Max your passwords and he will be the only person with access to them. Understand?"
Tris nods her head as Carter passes her a new laptop with a datapad resting on top.
"I'm going to have you set yourself up here for now," he continues, pointing to the empty space at the end of his expansive desk. "If you end up being my assistant you will get your own desk and workspace but for now, you'll likely have lots of questions, so it'll be easier for both of us if we are in close proximity."
The words at face value seem innocent, but the tone in which he says them cause an uncomfortable shiver to run down Tris' spine.
"Get yourself set up and logged in and then I'll help you get started on your tasks for this afternoon."
Tris settles herself in on the opposite side of the desk and logs into her laptop. It automatically prompts her to update her password and with a little contemplation she comes up with something she is sure to remember but would be difficult for anyone to guess. She does the same with her datapad.
Before letting Carter know she is all logged in, she takes a closer look at her password sheet. There's one for an email address, a few for different databases, one for what she thinks is a group chat of some kind and a few that she can't tell what they are for yet.
"I'm all logged in," she says tentatively to Carter.
"Perfect," he replies rolling himself over to her. "Now, click that icon there."
Tris follows where he is pointing and double clicks on the blue icon.
"This is the member database. Every member of Dauntless has a file in here. Dauntless born files are created upon birth and transfer files are created the day they transfer. Over the years, the information gets updated here and there as people move, accept jobs, get married, start families, defect and so on. Every month there's usually a few updates that need to be made. I typically set them aside until I have a least a dozen and then I input them all at once. Let me grab you the file."
Carter gets up quickly and grabs a thin file from the cabinet next to his desk before returning to his position next to Tris. Opening the file he passes her the first page.
"This one is very simple. It's a change of address. You'll find the members name at the top of the form and you can search them by typing their first and last name in there," he says pointing to an empty search bar at the top of the database.
Tris looks down at the form and then proceeds to search for the member.
"Great," Carter says as a new screen pops open. "For each member you'll find a number of tabs. Personal information includes full name, date of birth, if available, family members and so on. Then there's one for address, one for emergency contacts, one for job title and description and so on and so on. Click the address tab."
Tris does as she's told and the screen switches to a screen labeled address that has multiple text boxes below.
"Don't delete the old address. Just tick that box that says previous and underneath add the new address and tick off current. We like to have a track record, so we rarely delete any of the old information."
Tris nods her head and does as she's told.
"Easy enough?" He asks.
"I think I can handle it," she responds with a small smile.
"Sounds good. Why don't you work your way through the file. It'll give you a good grasp on the database."
Carter rolls his way back over to his computer and goes back to typing.
Tris thinks briefly about how her day is going so far. Carter is much nicer than she anticipated. Maybe she should have given him the benefit of the doubt and not been so skeptical of working with him. So far, he has been nothing but pleasant and encouraging. Maybe Max talking to him really made him change his ways.
Tris picks up the folder and grabs the next form. This one is a change of occupation.
The new girl in housing, Tris thinks to herself, remembering Khloe's words from a little over a week ago.
Tris continues to make her way through the file with growing confidence until she accidentally hits a combination of keys and the file she's working on goes blank.
Her eyes grow wide, and she starts to panic. She clicks around the screen and even returns to the search page but when she searches for the member's name nothing comes up. Her eyes flit to Carter and then back at the screen. She feels dumb for already having messed something up, but she knows she needs to tell him.
"Everything okay over there?" Carter drawls from across the desk.
"Um..." she starts but before she can finish, he's up and around the desk looking over her should.
"What happened?"
Tris blinks and resigns herself to telling him what happened.
"I don't know what I pressed but I lost her entire file," she responds tentatively with a frantic look in her eyes.
Carter smiles. "Take a breath Sweetheart. The files are all backed up on a weekly basis and since I only input information around once a month, outside of more active times of the year, it's very rare that you won't be able to find something that's gone missing. On top of that, if something really is well and truly deleted, we always have the paper copies on file. It can be a bit of a pain depending on how old the person is and how many changes have been made over the years but it's always doable."
Tris let's out the breath she'd been holding, too relieved to react to the fact that he's just called her Sweetheart.
"Oh, thank God. I'm so sorry."
Carter shakes his head. "It's your first day, I don't expect you to be perfect. I'll help you retrieve it."
Tris looks back at her computer screen waiting for Carter's instructions but instead, she feels a set of hands on her shoulders and thumbs beginning to massage her tight muscles.
"My God your tense. Relax."
Tris doesn't know how to react. Does she try to relax so it'll be over faster? Does she tell him to stop? Does she stand up and walk away?
"What do I do to find the file?" She asks hoping to distract him.
"Right, right," he says, removing his hands from her body and pointing at the screen. "Click there."
Tris breaths a sigh of relief as she follows Carter's instructions.
The next couple of hours go by quickly and Tris manages not to lose anymore files as she works her way through the changes.
When she is finished, Carter tasks her with updating the emergency safety protocol document based on the changes Max had emailed him. She then sends out an email to all the leaders and department heads requesting they read the updates and reply to the e-mail with 'read' once they have had a chance to look it over.
When the email is sent out, she looks to Carter for what to do next.
"That's it for today. I know it's a little early but I have a bit of a project for you to work on the next couple of days and I'd rather just wait until the morning so we can really dive into it."
"Are you sure? I'm happy to stay even if its a bit late." Tris asks, wary of leaving early her first day.
Carter chuckles.
"I appreciate your enthusiasm Darlin' but, I'm sure. You did great today. I look forward to working with you closely over the next couple if days. Now leave and promise me you'll relax."
Tris gives him a small smile while nodding before shutting down her computer and leaving.
As she begins the walk to her apartment, she wishes she could talk to Eric about her day, but he's still busy doing double duty and she doesn't want to bother him. With both of their schedules filled up with work, Tris wonders how long it'll be before they'll be able to spend time together again.
The next morning, Tris arrives at the office earlier than she had planned and immediately gets to work checking her email and making a list of everyone who has responded to the emergency protocol update. When Carter walks in, he stops short, clearly surprised and impressed to find her already there, hard at work.
"Morning Sweetheart," he drawls. "You're really setting the bar high."
"Good morning, Carter," she replies trying her best to ignore the feeling in her gut that arises from him addressing her by a pet name. "I've just finished going through my emails, I thought I'd get it done first so I'd be prepared for whatever you have in store for me today."
"Well, since you're here early, let's dive right in, shall we?" he says, sitting down and turning towards her. "We've finally been given the green light to organize a Spring Equinox celebration for the Dauntless. It's been a struggle to get Max to approve any events after the overspending issues with the old leadership, but he's finally agreed to let us have one event with a conservative budget."
He pauses, clearly expecting a reaction of excitement from Tris, but unfortunately for both of them she has no idea what he's talking about and only manages a confused smile.
"As the head of the event planning department, I've been pushing for months to have something to work on. Timing-wise, it had to be the Spring Equinox celebration otherwise I was going to have to wait even longer to plan something and I really want to show him how amazing a celebration will be for moral around here. But there's a catch. All our plans need to go through Sam in the finances department before we can start any real preparations."
Tris nods, following along as best as possible.
"Your task is to go through the old event files and put together three different proposals. One that shoots for the stars, one that's a middle ground, and one with a bare-bones budget. We'll present the extravagant plan to Sam first, expecting he'll shoot it down. Then, we'll negotiate with one of the more modest versions, depending on his reaction."
Tris smiles nervously. One proposal for an event like this already feels like an insurmountable task for someone with absolutely no experience, but three? Is he serious? It's only her second day, is he trying to push her to failure?
"Got it," she says with as much confidence as she can muster. "I'll head to the filing room right away and pull the old files."
Carter claps her on the shoulder. "Perfect. There should be old proposals within those files as well as pricing lists that Amity has supplied us in the past for food and decorations and what not. It's been a while so the pricings might not be quite accurate, but we'll use those numbers for now."
Tris feels a wave of relief knowing that she'll have a clearer idea of what is expected from her proposals once she gets her hands on those files.
"And remember, there's no need to rush. I've been waiting ages to plan this, so take your time. We're still a couple months out from the Equinox and I really want to make this celebration something to remember."
On her way to the filing room, Tris tries to recall what exactly is so special about the Spring Equinox. She knows it's meant to be a celebration of new life and new beginnings, but having grown up Abnegation, she's never done more than acknowledge it's passing.
As Tris immerses herself in the archived records, she feels a knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach. She finds detailed reports, budgets, and photographs from past celebrations, but the sheer volume of information is overwhelming. She notes the decorations, the festivities, and the overall themes of past events as she tries to ignore the weight of responsibility pressing down on her shoulders.
As Tris sifts through the files, her nervousness builds, and she starts to worry that she's in over her head. The fear of failure begins to grow in her mind but a sudden vibration from her com device breaks her from her negative thoughts.
Almost as if he had read her mind, Eric puts her nerves at ease with a simple message of encouragement.
"I don't know what Carter has got you doing, but I know you can handle whatever he throws at you. You've got this."
Tris hopes his belief in her isn't misplaced. She's been able to tackle everything Dauntless has asked of her so far, why should this be any different? She starts rereading the message in hopes that it'll give her the assurance she desperately needs right now just as another one appears.
"Miss you," it says simply.
She smiles as she responds.
"Thank you for knowing exactly what I needed to hear. Miss you too."
She puts her com away and with a newfound sense of confidence mingled with slight apprehension, she starts drafting the three proposals, each carefully designed to meet Carter's strategic plan.
She becomes so absorbed in her work that she forgets to go to lunch, her nerves and excitement fueling her through the day. By the time Carter comes to check on her, the desk in the file room is covered with sketches, notes, and budget breakdowns.
His eyebrows raise in pleasant surprise.
"It looks like you've made some fantastic progress, Tris," he says, genuine admiration in his voice. "You've put in more than enough effort for one day. I'm heading out. Why don't you head home and get some rest?"
Relieved and grateful, Tris smiles. "Thank you, Carter. I appreciate it."
As she gathers her things, a sense of pride and accomplishment settles over her. She knows there is still much to do, but for now, she allows herself to enjoy the small victory.
The next day, Tris arrives at the office early once again, this time with a clearer sense of purpose. She spends the morning refining the proposals, making sure every detail is accounted for. Her confidence grows with each passing hour, and by the time Carter arrives back from his lunch meeting with Abnegation, she feels ready to present her ideas.
As she lays out the three proposals, Carter listens intently. After some discussion, they agree on the best approach to take with Sam. Tris feels a surge of pride as Carter praises her thoroughness and creativity.
"You've done an excellent job, Tris. Now, let's take these to Sam and get his feedback," Carter says.
Tris nods, her excitement tempered with a touch of nervousness. Together, they head to the finance department, ready to advocate for their vision of the Spring Equinox celebration.
When they meet with Sam, Carter presents the extravagant plan first, as they had strategized. Just as Carter predicted, Sam raises concerns about the budget. They then present the more modest proposals, and after some negotiation, they reach a compromise that satisfies everyone.
With the green light from Sam, Tris feels a wave of relief and accomplishment. She knows it's only been a few days, but she's already starting to feel like she belongs here.
It's nearly time to go home as Carter and Tris head back to his office.
"We did it!" Carter cheers excitedly eliciting a grin from Tris. "I have to admit, I wasn't expecting you to get those proposals done so quickly or so well."
"To be honest, when you first gave me the project, I wasn't sure I was capable of it either."
"Well, I guess we are both pleasantly surprised."
Tris nods.
"It's too bad you won't be able to follow through on the planning."
Tris hadn't really thought about that. She had been so engrossed in doing up the proposals that she almost forgot she would only be working with Carter for a few short days.
"Right," Tris says, slightly disappointed.
"Unless of course, you end up being my assistant full time," he says sounding hopeful. "Would you like that, Sweetheart?"
Having never considered Carter as an actual option, Tris was caught of guard by his question.
"Um, well…I still have to shadow Khloe and Eric," she starts, trying to figure out how to respond without offending him.
Carter chuckles.
"Would you really want to work for Eric?" he asks, catching Tris off guard once again.
"Why wouldn't I?" she asks hesitantly.
Carter shrugs.
"I just assumed you were using him to get a shot at leadership. You know, the way you used Four to climb the ranks during initiation," he says bluntly.
"Wha…what did you just say?" she stutters.
"I think you heard me just fine," Carter replies, taking a step towards her. "Once this trial run is over, I assume you'll drop him too?"
He pauses to let her respond but her brain seems to be stuck, and she says nothing, so he continues.
"Well, it would be pretty awkward to have to work for him for a full year after that, so I assume he isn't really an option for you. Additionally, are you aware that Max made all the leaders vote on whether or not we should give you a chance?"
Tris nods silently. Her voice still absent in her state of shock.
"Well, I happen to know that Khloe voted against you joining. So, I wouldn't bank on her giving you a rave review to Max after your week of shadowing. That leaves me. I will say, when I voted for you, I wasn't actually expecting you to be good at the job. But that didn't really matter to me. I figured we could just come to some kind of…agreement. Like you had with those boys. Except with me you could be straightforward, there'd be no need to pretend you were actually interested in a relationship. It would be entirely…transactional. Something we'd both benefit from."
Tris was reeling. The only vote she had confirmation on was Eric's, but she had assumed Khloe was also on her side. Could Carter be right? Did Khloe really not want her here? And if that was true, her options were now even more limited. Would Max allow her to work for Eric knowing they're romantically involved? If not, would her only option be Carter? Before this conversation, Tris may have considered it, but now…would it even be worth joining leadership if he was her only option? She thought she had really managed to prove herself to Carter these past few days. But it turns out it didn't matter either way, he had his own agenda all along. How could she have been so naïve?
"Think about it," he says, making his way to the exit. "I'll be around if you decide you want to discuss your options."
After breaking out of her stupor, Tris texts Eric to see if there's any chance they can get together that night. Tris feels embarrassed and shaken by the situation with Carter and hopes that talking to Eric will help her feel better.
She waits a few minutes wanting to ensure she won't run into Carter on her way out while also hoping Eric will respond quickly.
The reply Tris receives isn't what she hoped for.
"I'm really sorry. I've got too much shit to catch up on tonight. How about we make tentative plans for tomorrow night instead?"
Tris tries heart sinks as she responds.
"Sounds good. I'm shadowing Max, but hopefully I'll be done by the evening. Let's aim for tomorrow and see how it goes."
Tris pockets her com and heads towards the exit.
A/N: Well...I don't even know how long it's been, but here we are. This story has never left my mind, but life just hasn't been allowing me to make it a priority.
I want to apologize that the first chapter back is a bit...errr...boring? I even cut out some yammering with Sam but here we are anyways. Maybe I could have been more concise or moved this forward a little bit faster but I wanted Tris to feel comfortable enough with Carter before having a bit of a blow to her ego. Unfortunately, our girl is in for a rough ride in the coming days.
Anyways, I have an outline for chapter 14 done, I have chapter 15 written (this one came easier to me despite knowing what I want from 14) and I have chapter 16 started. All that to say, I WILL be uploading at least 4 chapters over the next few weeks.
Thank you to everyone who has continued to read, comment and give me kudos. It's really kept me motivated to get back to this one.
Oh, one last note, my Beta is in Vietnam on vacation for the next month so I apologize for any small mistakes that she usually catches. I'm just feeling really motivated at the moment and I don't have the patience to wait for her return.
As always, comments are always welcome!
See you soon!
-MWB