Evolution (O/C X TMR)

Reintroductions

*Narrator's POV*

The Gladers stirred anxiously as Tris hiked her way up the cliffs ledge. Aris following behind her seemingly withdrawn. The Gladers had seen the incident that just happened between the two that were almost to the top of the hill. Newt had chimed in when he did to give the Dryads an escape from the situation.

Aris's mind seemed loud to him as he pondered everything he'd seen up untill this point. His focus wasn't really on his footing as he made his way up the steep rock wall. He had stumbled a bit once already as they made it half way up, Tris took notice of this, and kept an eye on him as they continued.

Tris was a few steps from the top of the cliff as she glanced back in time to see Aris pulling himself up a high step by holding an unstable rock. She inhaled sharply as she crouched down immediately and reached for his wrist just as the rock he had put his weight on to pull himself up slipped. She grabbed his wrist and steadied him so he could find his footing. When he regained his balance he looked up at Tris with a stunned and relieved look. Tris took this as her chance and yanked him up to be standing on the larger space of rock beside her. Aris gasped as he was suddenly pulled forward. This left Tris resisting the urge to laugh with a slightly mischievous grin spread across her face.

She quickly climbed the rest of the way to the top of the ledge with Aris right behind her, more relaxed then he was on the way up. He was dusting off his pants as they approached the Gladers.

"Took ya' long enough." Comments Frypan sarcastically.

"Having fun?" Newt asked teasingly to Aris as they walked up to the group of boys. Receiving a playful eye roll from Aris, "Tons." he responded with sarcasm.

"Quite the party." Tris sighed. "Let's get to the point shall we?" She suggested calmly, no malice or negativity found in her voice as she spoke.

Thomas stood there anxiously with his hands on his hips. The gladers all exchanged looks with one another before Thomas cleared his throat.

"Yeah well, the other guys need to be convinced that you're with us." Thomas explained while shifting his weight to his other foot. Aris's attitude shifted to a more uncomfortable one. Tris mirrored Thomas in shifting her weight and she crossed her arms.

"What do you want to know?" Tris asked to the group. The boys exchanged a glance. Minho crossed his arms and tried to puff out his chest to the girl slightly. Sizing her up.

"Everything." Newt said.

"I got to know first,-" Minho interjects, "how do you know us?" He gestured to himself and Newt while sounding sceptical. "I didn't didn't miss it when you checked me and Newt out at the club. I didn't think much of it untill I had seen you recognize those girls when we got here, and then that doctor, too." Minho paused a moment to let what he said sink in before continuing. "You remember everything. You know us. You have known us from before the maze. Am I wrong?" He finished.

Tris stood there, mouth slightly agape at the begining of Minho's explanation. A gentle, genuine smile spread across her face, and for a moment the two boys in question felt like they'd seen something familiar. The surprising warmth all the boys felt through her expression left the Gladers mildly confused.

"You're still as sassy and sharp as you've always been Min." Tris reminisced, sounding relieved.

"Wait- why didn't you tell us?" Newt asked betrayal and disbelief laced in his voice.

"It wouldn't have changed anything." Tris said simply. "Once W.C.K.D. erased our memories, they took who we were, and I knew you couldn't be the same." She said, the first time any of them had heard her sound a bit timid, at least that they could remember.