Divergent One Shots (Eric & Tris)

Seventy-One-You Save Me, I Save You 21.2

Eric

I accompany Ryan up to the office level and I enter Max's office.  He's sat behind his desk.  I take a seat and Ryan sits beside me across from him. 
"Is he determined?" Max questions him. 
"Yes, sir," Ryan replies. 
"I want to make this very clear," he says firmly directed at me.  "She is completely your responsibility.  If she so much as picks a fight with anyone, she will be sent to Erudite."
"Okay," I nod. 
"You will marry.  That is the only thing that will make this obligatory hoax of yours solid.  The ceremony will be performed immediately after her waking—if she does, in fact, wake.  The faction reception can be postponed until she's recovered.  I want it to look good and believable.  No one in this faction besides leadership must know of her true identity.  We will go along with this farce of yours for appearances' sake, for the good of the faction.  But know this, we are not happy.  You have betrayed us and you're playing on thin ice.  You cross us with her, you die.  If she escapes, you die.  We will be watching you.  Oh, and Jeanine is aware.  She wants her if she lives so I wouldn't let her too near Erudite if I were you.  We'd have to say she died tragically or something.  That would honestly be her only escape where your life would be spared," Max explains. 
"Understood, sir," I tell him. 
"Dismissed," he commands without even looking at me. 
I rise and go straight back to the infirmary.  She's still the same—no changes.  Dinner is brought in.  Dana carries the trays.  She looks at me differently. 
"Is that your ring?" she asks softly. 
"It is," I reply. 
"Thank you," she whispers. 
"I owe her," is all I say. 
I eat the meal and watch for hours as hers goes to waste again.  I start to nod off in my chair and roll my shoulders.  I'm aching from sitting here for so long.  She's small, barely taking half of the hospital bed.  I think about it for a moment eyeing her and all that extra space.  I climb into bed careful of all the wires.  I lay beside her.  I hold her hand in mine and kiss her cheek.  I drift off to the rhythmic tones of her heart monitor. 
I jump slightly when hear the sound of something being wheeled around.  I sigh and see Dana here once again staring at me. 
"Breakfast," she tells me. 
I rub my face and carefully rise watching out for her wires.  I eat breakfast while I observe Dana checking her vitals.  She replaces her IV and also does a blood test.  She injects her with something. 
"What's that?" I ask. 
"Her blood count is still a little low.  If she was conscious, I'd give her iron pills.  Since she's not, it's an injection.  She'll have to receive these for a while until her blood count increases," she explains. 
"Thank you," I reply. 
She nods and leaves.  I finish my breakfast and kiss her again.  "I've got to work.  I'll have the staff watch you," I tell her caressing her face. 
I kiss her lips again before I go home and change.  I exercise and shower.  I have lunch in the cafeteria.  The other leaders don't speak to me.  I go up to my office and work until dinner.  I eat in the cafeteria and go back to the infirmary.  I sit by her side until late—no changes.  I climb back into bed with her.  I lay staring at her drifting off again. 
I wake to no changes.  I perform my same routine—breakfast, exercise, shower, lunch, and return to the office.  I'm mostly through my workday when I get a call on my cell. 
"This is Eric," I say. 
"She's awake," Dana tells me.  "You're the first to know."
"I'll be right there," I reply getting up and striding to the elevator.  I head straight down to the infirmary and step into her room.  I see Dana performing a simple exam. 
"I need to speak with her immediately," I tell Dana. 
"But..." she tries to protest. 
"Out," I order her firmly. 
She exits and shuts the door. 
"What happened?" Tris asks me groggily. 
"Four shot at me and you jumped in front of the bullet," I tell her. 
"It wasn't a dream," she says softly. 
"You took a bullet for me," I explain.  "I owe you.  Do you understand?"
"You don't owe me anything, Eric.  Anyone would've..." she says furrowing her brows. 
"No, they wouldn't," I reply.  "Listen.  I have something very important to explain to you.  We know what you are.  Leadership would either execute you or send you to Erudite for testing.  I owe you.  The only way to save you from your fate is for me to marry you.  It will be immediate.  You are now my responsibility.  If you cause trouble, they will send you to Erudite.  If you escape, I die.  Do you understand me?  I'm sacrificing my life to save yours.  So, you will do as you're told.  Life will go back to normal but you'll have to be with me.  Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"
"I have to marry you or I'm Jeanine's next torture subject," she replies. 
"Good girl," I nod. 
"I'll take Erudite," she responds. 
"You will not.  You'll do as you're told or I die.  You will go through with this," I command her. 
She closes her eyes.  "Fine," she says softly.  "I was never going to marry anyway."
There's a knock on the door and leadership bursts in. 
"It's your reckoning day, Eric," Max says. 
"I want clergy to marry me," Tris protests. 
"Which clergy?" Lydia questions confused, seriously surprised by that request. 
"Ethan Prior.  He'll come.  I want my father present and my mother," she pleas.  "It's a religious ceremony.  You have to grant my appeal."
Max sighs irritably.  I wasn't expecting her to bring religion into this.  That's one area we have no say in. 
"Fine," Max says irritably.  He makes a call to Wendy.  She's going to handle the arrangements. 
Tris tries to sit up in bed and winces.  I immediately help her up.  She stares at me a moment but accepts the assistance.  "I want Christina," she tells me. 
"I want you to eat," I tell her pushing the tray of food over to her. 
"Let me take that away, Eric," Dana says.  "Dinner has arrived."
"Alright," I agree. 
Two meals are brought in and I call Christina.  She takes my phone and asks her for some things.  I eat a little watching her. 
"Stop asking questions and just do it, please," Tris says tiredly.  "Yes, I know you're glad I'm alive.  Thank you for praying for me.  Alright, see you soon."
She hangs up the phone and gives it back to me. 
"Thank you," she says softly. 
I nod to her and make her eat. 
"You can't tell anyone what you are," I insist. 
"I never have," she replies gently. 
We finish our meals and they take the trays away.  Christina arrives with a bag.  She looks excited but confused.  She gently hugs Tris and then walks her to the bathroom.  I hear some wincing in there but they come out a few minutes later and she looks gorgeous even though this is forced on her.  She's wearing a dress that ties in the front with a sash on the side.  It looks easier to put on than most others.  It's loose and covers the majority of the bandage. 
I take her hand and she looks to me surprised.  "You're so beautiful," I tell her. 
She stares at me unspeaking.  I take her back to the bed and sit her down.  Dana returns a little baffled, too, but performs an exam on her.  She gives her some information and pills—for pain and additional iron.  She puts her arm in a sling and tells her to keep it like that for a while.  She releases her and I'm kind of befuddled. 
"Max's orders," she explains. 
I nod.  They're making this hard on her... and me. 
I ask Christina to pack her things and have them brought to my apartment.  I tell her to have the movers bill me.  She nods but still seems confused. 
I'm called up to the leadership level.  I help her up there, carrying her up the Pit stairs.  I assist her with the rest of the walking.  She does seem weak but the others don't care.  We arrive and have the ceremony on the top floor.  Only leadership, her grandparents, parents, and Christina are present.  I take her hand and she seems so sad.  I caress her cheek and she meets my eyes.  Her grandfather speaks about things I don't understand at all.  I've never followed this religious stuff.  He asks if I take her to be my wife.  I look to her and remember what she's done for me.  It's the least I can do. 
"I do," I reply. 
He asks her the same question. 
"I do," she says softly. 
The ring exchange comes and I pull hers out of my pocket.  I remove the engagement ring, slide the band on, and then replace it.  I put my ring in her hand and she meets my eyes.  She slides the ring on me without protest. 
Her grandfather smiles at me and pronounces us husband and wife. 
"You may kiss your bride," he tells me. 
She looks a little worried.  I caress her cheek again gently.  I peck her lips softly.  She does not respond.  It feels the same as when she was unconscious.  I try to hold in my disappointment and force a smile.  A tear drops from her eye and I wipe it quickly. 
"It'll be alright," I whisper gently. 
She nods and forces a smile.  She hugs her parents gently, then her grandparents.  Christina hugs her and me surprisingly.  Her father shakes my hand, her mother congratulating us.  I smile and thank them. 
I take her home with me.  Her bag in one hand, me supporting her with the other.  We take only elevators since she looks exhausted.  We arrive to my floor and I gently lift her in my arms.  I carry her to the door, dropping her bag to get my key out.  I open the door for her and carry her in setting her on her feet.  I grab her bag and shut the door. 
"You can have the spare room," I tell her. 
She follows me wordlessly.  I set her bag down on the mattress.  I pull her medication out and set it on the nightstand. 
"You can return to work when you feel ready... but leadership expects us to have a reception for the faction when you're fully recovered," I tell her. 
"What do you mean?" she asks. 
"Leadership has to invite the whole faction to the party.  It'll be like the night of your membership—dinner and a party," I explain. 
"What?" she questions confused. 
"I'm sorry.  This could not be a hoax.  Marriage to a leader is for life," I tell her. 
She stares at the floor. 
"We could go away for a little while if you want," I suggest.  "Or we can stay here."
"It doesn't matter," she whispers. 
"Of course it does," I tell her.  I turn her face up to meet mine.  Her eyes are brimming with tears.  One falls, followed by another.  Then it's a constant stream.  I wipe them away and kiss her cheek. 
"It'll get better," I insist.  "Are you tired?"
"Yeah," she replies. 
"Okay," I nod. 
I wipe the dust off her bed since I haven't used it before.  I grab the bag and realize she probably wants to change.  I ask her. 
"I don't know," she responds. 
"I'll help," I tell her. 
She makes a sound of protest that I ignore.  I open her bag and she reaches for some pants and a tank top.  I help her step into the bottoms first and then I remove the sling for her.  I untie her dress and help her to remove it.  I take it from her uninjured arm first and I see the tears still falling.  I'm gentle with the other arm and she doesn't wince like with Christina at all.  I secure the top on her good side, then around her injury.  This shirt is much more stretchy and I maneuver it without hearing complaint getting the tank top completely situated on her. 
"Thank you," she says softly.  "You think you'd never done that before," she jokes attempting at humor to calm her nerves. 
"Regardless of popular belief, I haven't," I admit.  "Although, I took my baby sister shopping but I made the clerks help her with fittings."
She stares at me for a moment. 
"Bathroom is down the hall.  My room is across," I tell her.  "If you want to stay here a few days, I can have some food delivered.  Or we could go to Amity.  What do you want?"
"I'd love a vacation," she admits.  "I've never had one before.  But I don't think I'd enjoy it in my current predicament," she says motioning to her arm. 
"We could go in the morning if you want to get away from Dauntless.  I'll admit, I could use some time away, too.  Even my best friend is treating me like a leper," I say. 
"What?" she asks. 
"I'm not going to repeat what he said about you," I tell her. 
"We can go," she says softly. 
"Okay.  I'll have some groceries delivered for breakfast and we'll leave after that," I tell her. 
I pull her sheets back and lay her down gently.  I kiss her forehead and go to leave.  I flip the switch off. 
"Thank you, Eric," she says. 
I nod and shut the door partway. 
I walk down the hall and look at the ring on my finger.  My heart aches when I think about her.