Divergent One Shots (Eric & Tris)

Ten-Childhood Love Remembered 2.5

Tris

Time flies by so quickly.  We spend our early mornings working out together, our days in the offices, and our evenings at one or the other's apartment.  Eric and Christina get along really well and so do Ryan and I.  We go to Zeke and Shauna's one night and play video games.  It's actually fun to watch them play and I'm definitely an observer, not a player... but I enjoy the company and camaraderie.  I meet some of Eric's other friends—some from his initiation, some older than him.  They seem like decent guys but only in small doses. 
We often leave Dauntless on the weekends and go out of faction.  Eric takes me to the cottage again but this time intentionally.  He teaches me to swim and we lounge around there usually for much of the day.  We go to the city pool with several other Dauntless and have a blast playing around with our friends.  We even go zip lining on occasion.  Eric takes me to Erudite and we walk around the park and that area of the city—a place I don't even remember being but he insists he has pictures of us together there when we were little, that we came on Visiting Days.  I smile that he has such fond memories of our childhood. 
Our next Sunday together comes and Eric insists on knowing what mysterious things Christina and I do that he's not privy to.  I tell him and he blinks in surprise. 
"You're serious?" he questions. 
I nod. 
"You spend Sunday mornings at church?" he asks again. 
"Yes.  What'd you think we were doing?" I tease.  "I told you we were good girls."
"Yeah, I just didn't realize how good," he mumbles. 
"What was that?" I ask cupping a hand to my ear. 
"Nothing," he replies dismissively. 
A beat passes and he finally asks... "Can I come, too?"
"You want to come with us?" I question surprised. 
"Sure," he shrugs. 
"Of course," I grin.  "Meet us at breakfast and we'll go together."
And just like that, he started being a part of all of my life.  We do everything together, tell each other everything. 
Four finally gets released and sees us in passing.  We're holding hands and he just stares at us in surprise.  We walk into the cafeteria together and he follows us in but at a normal distance—not like a creepy stalker or anything.  We get our trays and Eric kisses me at my table. 
"Wave me down if anything happens, okay?" he insists. 
"Okay," I nod and kiss him once more. 
I sit in the middle of the table with Christina and I notice Four sit near the end.  He glances at me several times and is whispering with Zeke about something.  He just shrugs it off.  I know he's asking about us but I ignore him to focus on my food and friends. 
The week passes by similar to the last except I see Four throughout the days now—primarily at meals—and I notice he's wearing a guard uniform.  I almost don't want to know what's going on there. 
The weekend arrives and Eric walks me around the compound at night kind of quiet. 
"Is something wrong?" I ask him concerned. 
"No," he says shaking his head. 
"Do you want to go home and talk?" I offer. 
"We could," he nods. 
We arrive at his apartment and he lets me in first.  I take a seat on the sofa and he joins me.  I reach out for his hand and he accepts mine. 
"Can I ask you something kind of ridiculous?" he questions. 
I nod. 
"What... what did you get for your aptitude test?" he questions. 
I blink and realize we've never discussed this. 
"What did you get?" I ask him softly. 
"Dauntless... but, I feel like I only chose that because Jeanine wanted me to come here for years," he admits.  He's told me so much about his childhood and her... but we've never broached the subject of this before.  I've almost been afraid because I don't want this to end. 
"If you didn't feel like you had to choose the knife, what would you have done?" I question hesitantly. 
"I... think I would've refused the options," he nods. 
"That's what I did," I admit closing my eyes.  I can't even meet his eyes to see if there's hurt or betrayal. 
"Tris," he whispers with his hands on my cheeks.  I open my eyes to see his meeting mine. 
"What?" I say softly. 
"What did you receive?" he presses. 
"Divergent," I admit. 
He closes his eyes and nods.  "Jeanine wants to partner with us.  I don't know what she wants to do but I'm worried... I'm scared for you," he explains. 
"Why?" I ask. 
"Because she wants us to kill you," he admits. 
"Do you think I'm a threat?" I ask with my voice cracking. 
"No," he shakes his head.  "I'll convince them it's a bad idea."
"But what about Elizabeth?" I question. 
"I'll tell them that, too," he says.
He spends the next several days in conferences with the rest of leadership.  Wendy and I bring in beverages, meals, paperwork, statistics, Dauntless history...
On Thursday, Jeanine Matthews actually comes in to meet with them and I'm incredibly concerned.  I send a silent prayer out pleading over this situation.  On Friday, there are representatives from every faction present, except Jeanine.  No Erudite is present.  I see my father and he actually notices me when he arrives.  I place a glass of cold water in front of him, Robert Black, and Marcus Eaton before Wendy and I both excuse ourselves from the room.  I close the door but I notice Eric still has his eyes on me. 
The meeting lasts the entire day and we bring in meals while they deliberate.  When they leave for the day, I actually see my father shaking Eric's hand.  My dad glances at me and smiles.  I wave to him and Eric nods his permission.  I run to my father and he takes me in his arms. 
"It'll be alright sweetheart.  We'll all work together to protect you," he says in a whisper. 
I meet his eyes and nod. 
Eric and I spend the weekend together but he doesn't want to leave the Dauntless compound.  He insists it's for my safety.  I do as he asks since he has my best interests at hand.  We spend time with friends and go out to the clubs.  We do a little shopping since I could use a new pair of tennis shoes—the old pair too worn even for Factionless donations. 
Monday comes around and Jeanine Matthews arrives again for an early afternoon meeting.  About thirty minutes into their talks, I notice Jax and a whole squad of security guards coming up from the staircase.  They enter the conference room without even knocking.  The aides and I all stop what we're doing and observe the ruckus.  There's shouting and a few thumps.  The next thing I know, I see Jeanine in handcuffs being taken out of the room.  Jeanine is yelling at Eric and he follows her to the door. 
"How dare you cross me?" she snarls. 
"How dare you betray the purpose of this city?  How dare you try to deceive the masses with your false news?" he counters.  "How dare you try to trick Dauntless into putting you in charge and harming the innocent?"
She's taken away to a holding cell and Eric looks directly to me.  He calls me to him with the pull of a finger.  I immediately gravitate toward him. 
He wraps his arms around me and I hold him as well.  I hadn't even realized until now that I'm shaking.  So is he. 
"It'll be alright.  Candor will get her conspirators out of her and we'll enforce justice within the city," he whispers soothingly. 
"What about Lizzy?" I question. 
"I already have a troop with her at the school.  They're bringing her to Dauntless for the day.  That's what we were waiting on for the arrest.  The guards didn't come in until she was in transit out of the school," he explains. 
I nod in understanding. 
"I've got a million more meetings today but I'd like to see you as often as I can," he tells me. 
"I'll be in and out of the conference room with Wendy," I reply.  "And I'll help take care of your sister when she arrives."
He looks at me in awe, as if I more than read his mind, as if he didn't even think to ask and I've already taken care of it. 
"Thank you," he says softly before he kisses me.  It's chaste but I know he's busy. 
I help Wendy to pick up the mess from Jeanine's arrest—a broken cup, a spilled pitcher of water—while leadership continues on with their meeting. When Elizabeth arrives, I'm the one to greet her.  She says she remembers me, that Eric always spoke fondly of me.  I take her up to her brother who gives her a bone crushing hug.  She cries in his arms but soon lets him continue to work—handling the mess of the city.  I see Dauntless troops are already being sent out to Erudite to handle some things while I take Lizzy to get some clothes—Eric's point card in hand.  I get her a copy of his key made and get her settled, staying at his apartment with her until his return.  He comes home exceptionally late, holding me, kissing me.  He peeks in on his sister but doesn't disturb her.  I insist that he goes straight to bed but he wants to take me home. 
"You need your rest for saving the world," I tease. 
He laughs lightly through his nose but tells me he won't be able to sleep without making sure I arrive home safely.  I comprise by having security escort me home. 
I take Lizzy to school the next day teaching her how to get on the train.  She makes several friends in Dauntless and they assist her in getting acclimated.  Eric and leadership continue to aid in keeping the peace in the city, some details published in the paper and some kept confidential. 
After a new leader is chosen in Erudite and things begin to settle down, Eric insists on buying a house.  He tells me that Lizzy needs more closet space.  I can understand that a girl would want that but the house he buys is massive and honestly so far away from my apartment.  I help them get settled in, painting rooms and moving furniture.  They seem happy where they are but Lizzy will only be under his guardianship for another two years until her Choosing, so I kind of wonder about his decision.  I dismiss it easily enough, though, if they're happy. 
Eric and I walk the Pit hand in hand.  It's a busy Friday night.  Everything has calmed down within the city but Dauntless is back to normal—parties and good times.  I'm surprised when he stops in the middle of the bustling crowd and begins to tell me how much I mean to him.  I smile and tell him the same.  But when he gets down on one knee pulling a tiny box out of his pocket, I cover my mouth in complete surprise.  He extends a jewel encrusted ring out to me—the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life.  I meet his eyes in complete shock. 
"It's always been you, Little Stiff.  I love you.  Will you be my wife?" he says.
Tears pour down my face and I can't even speak.  I nod in confirmation extending my hand to him.  He smiles and places the ring on my finger before rising and kissing me in front of the entire faction.  He gently breaks away and is smiling looking down at me. I smile back up at him in complete disbelief that we're getting married. 
I can't help but whisper, "I love you, too."
I laugh again in utter euphoria as he kisses me again.