Spitfire - Eric Coulter

Chapter XXIV

The next thing I actively recognize is a soft bed and black silky sheets. My head is pounding.

"Take this, it'll help."

The shrieking is gone. A glass pressed against my lips. I gulp down the drink.

"They tried to kill me. I know they hate me but...they almost killed me."

"It's alright, you're safe. Tris is safe. She's with your brother."

"Thank you", I whisper.

"Do you want to change?", Eric asks, looking down at dirtied clothing.

"Yes."

He goes to his drawers and pulls out a T-shirt

"You'll soon have more of my clothing than I have", Eric tries to joke.

I give him a weak smile and sit up, struggling to get out of my pants, swaying on my feet. Eric helps me stand.

"You saved my life."

"Seems like I did."

We stand there quietly.

I finally wiggle out of my pants, grabbing the shirt Eric holds out and I see that he is trying his best to focus on my face. Usually, I would have smirked at that, maybe even teased him. I grab the hem of the sweatshirt, pulling it over my head. That way he can see only the burn scar at the height of my lower rib and the wrapping of my new tattoo. I see his eyes scanning my body. I pull on the shirt.

"Will you read to me?", I ask softly.

"Sure."

We cuddle up on the bed, me leaning against him, my back to his chest, head against his shoulder, nuzzled in between his bicep and the chest. And he reads. His voice is soft and warm.

I wake up in Eric's arms and do not plan on leaving any time soon. It is warm and comfortable and safe. My head still hurts and so does my shoulder. They tried to kill Tris. And then they almost killed me. Now I was going to kill them.

"You are doing your murder face", Eric muses.

"Well, I am feeling murderous", I say quietly.

"That's hot."

I roll my eyes.

"What", Eric says, "it's true."

His grip on me tightens and his hand wanders underneath my shirt, drawing circles with his thumb. I freeze for a moment.

"Too much?", Eric asks.

"A little", I admit. Immediately he draws his hand back, placing it on top of my clothing instead.

"Shouldn't you be at work or something?"

"I only have the afternoon testing today and I made sure you are in that group."

"Okay, then", I say, turning around and placing my head on his chest, looking up at him.

His hand comes down to caress my face. I flinch and sit up, looking at the mirror at the wall. I had a bruise forming on my cheek and a cut over my brow. I hadn't seen it before.

"Tried to kill me and ruined my face, fabulous."

"I think you still look hot"; Eric grins and I roll my eyes.

"Of course you do."

He pulls me back down to him and we stay like that for an hour, before slowly getting ready.

I have the luxury of using his shower again. And of stealing his shirt.

It is lunchtime when we finally exit the apartment, making our way to the mess hall.

"Shall I kill them, or will you?", Eric asks, looking down at me.

"I won't kill anyone, and neither will you. I am just going to be better than them. At everything. That's punishment enough."

"You can't be serious."

"No. I will also punch them in the face."

Eric grins at that, takes two steps away from my side and then we enter the mess hall.

Tris storms towards me, tackling me in a hug.

"You're okay. Thank god. When I didn't see you for breakfast..."

"I am fine. Thanks."

"No. No thank you. You saved my life."

"Four and Eric saved our lives, to be honest."

"The Eric part still doesn't seem real, but yes", Tris mumbles.

"Now, where are the little assholes?", I mutter, letting my eyes wander through the hall.

Tris points to a corner table. I grin. "Thanks."

I raise my chin and narrow my eyes, striding towards their table with confident steps until I am standing behind Peter. Molly's eyes narrowed at the sight of me.

I look at her nose.

"Look at that...looks almost normal again already", I say, sweetly, before letting my fist collide with it again, blood pouring out of the nose. Next is Peter, I grab him by his collar and drag him off the bench, getting my first blow in before he even realises what is happening. And when he does, I am already above him, arms pinned down with my knees and my fists connecting with his face again and again. Until someone pulls me back, arms wrapped around my waist stopping me from reaching Peter again.

"Next time when you try to kill someone, make a better plan", I hiss and strain against the one holding me back. My brother.

"Why?", I growl at him.

"Because fighting in the mess hall is prohibited", Max says, who I haven't realized was here.

"They tried to kill me, they deserve it", I state.

"And they will be punished accordingly. But so are you. Please join me in my office."

I try my best to not roll my eyes but follow him upstairs.

"I understand your anger, Tessa, but you did break the rules."

"The ones I didn't have knowledge of!"

"Two days helping out at the nursery. 3 hours a day. Does that sound like a deal?"

"Like...with children?"

"Yes, with children", Max says.

"But they are so tiny and stupid and I don't know what to do with them..."

"You'll learn. Be there tomorrow at 10 am."

"And Peter and his little gang?"

"Clean up service and lost points in training."

"For almost murdering a person?!", I exclaim.

"They are not fully Dauntless yet, which makes them not fully under our law. I am sorry."

"Fine, fine. But if they come near me I will bash their heads in, you understand that, right? Mess hall or not."

"I understand that. Doesn't mean that it will go without consequences", Max says sternly.

I roll my eyes and exit the office, give the gang a middle finger when passing them, before taking my place by Uriah and Sammy.

"What the actual fuck happened?!", Sammy exclaims.

"They almost killed me. Now they got what was coming for them."

"Killed you?"

"Threw me over the edge of the chasm, yes. Kill me."

"What the fuck", Marlene whispers.

"And now I get punished for bashing their heads in. Nursery. What am I supposed to do in a nursery? I'll probably break a baby", I mutter, the others laughing at my comment.