Second Chances (Eric and Tris)

Bulletproof: Part 13

Tris ran into the infirmary once she heard what had happened. She had only been told the most basic details, so she didn't know much. All she knew was that during the raid Eric had been shot. She didn't know where, she didn't know how bad it was. Medical staff was rush around treating those that had been brought in. It seems that Eric was not the only one to get hit during the take down. Tris's stomach twisted tighter. Confusion reigned. She searched around for a familiar face to help her locate Eric. Finally she found a nurse that had treated her multiple times when she was an initiate. She was able to point her in the right direction.

Tris rounded the corner and saw Max and Barb. They were standing next to a bed. She stopped short, uncertain of what she would see and not sure she was ready for it. Barb noticed her first. "Oh thank God, Tris, you're here. Maybe you can talk some sense into this thick headed idiot." Tris's eyebrows shot into her hairline. She moved forward. Eric was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking pale, but otherwise perfectly fine. Relief made Tris slightly light headed.

"I'm sorry, what kind of sense am I supposed to talk into him?" Tris asked.

"He is insistent on going back to work. I mean, come on. Take a break. The man just got shot! Go home. Get some sleep. Go get a stiff drink. Go get laid, or whatever it is you young people do to show yourself that you are alive!" Barb said in a huff. Eric slowly looked at her with astonishment written on his face. It was clear that she was shaken up by how close Eric had come to getting hurt and that she also cared for him, but had no idea how to show it. Being Dauntless, she was used to being crass, so it was all she knew. Shaking his head, Eric just looked back at Tris with tired eyes. Worry was still evident in hers.

"I will agree to go back home for today, but I will be back first thing in the morning to start interrogating the shooters on where they got those weapons."

Max nodded briskly. "Wouldn't have it any other way." Clamping his hand down on Eric's shoulder. Eric grimaced. "Sorry!!" Max quickly removed his hand. "You need any help getting back to Tris's place?" Eric shook his head.

"No, we've got this." He said as he stood up and started walking towards the door. Tris followed close behind. She caught up to him and wrapped her hands around his right arm.

"Eric, you are going to tell me what happened..." Tris said.

"Yes, but not here. Wait until we get home." He replied. Home, just hearing him say that sent shivers down Tris's spine. Like he never intended to leave. Like it was their home. Word had spread about the shooting and as they made their way to the elevators across the pit, they noticed people had gotten quiet as they watched Eric.

"Does that bother you?" Tris asked quietly.

"What? When they stop talking and just watch? No. I like being the center of attention. Thought you would have noticed that about me by now." Tris rolled her eyes. In fact she had noticed that about him. The very first day here in Dauntless she noticed how when Eric walked into dinner in the pit everyone just naturally got quiet around him. He did have a natural air about him. He tended to walk taller, straighter, and with more confidence than most people, like he knew he was important. And here she was, holding on to him. While she was giving him support, it didn't look that way. It looked rather romantic. To an onlooker it looked just like any girlfriend holding onto her boyfriend out of concern. They most likely didn't notice how much Eric was leaning on her. They reached the elevators and when the doors closed, Eric slumped against the wall. "Damn, I hurt." He sighed. Tris turned to Eric.

"What hurts? Where were you shot?" Eric gave a gentle laugh as the elevator dinged. He walked passed Tris and grabbed her hand and walked slowly down the hall towards the apartment. They reached the door and Tris unlocked it. Eric walked over to the couch and sunk down with a sigh. Tris sat down facing him. "Spill it." She said. With his eyes still closed, Eric retold his story.

"So he shot you in the chest right below your shoulder." Tris reached up and touched where Eric indicated he got shot but she felt no bandage. Confusion clouded her face. "I know the dauntless medical team is good, but they can't be that good." She could feel his heart beat speed up as her hand remained on his chest.

"I had on full riot gear. Bulletproof. It stopped the bullet but left a damn good bruise in the muscle down to the bone." Eric lifted his hand to rest over Tris's. "So see, I'm fine. Just tired and sore."

"Can I see?" Eric raised his eyebrows. His brow rings caught the light catching Tris's attention. He shrugged and sat up to take his shirt off. A slight groan escaped his lips as he did so and Tris felt guilty asking him to do this. She was not even sure why she asked. She just figured she needed the assurance that he was in fact in one piece. Eric was struggling to get the shirt over his head, so Tris shifted herself closer to him, so her knees were at his waist and she lifted his shirt off his head. Her eyes went immediately to his shoulder. There was a large purple bruise, the size of a man's fist there. Realizing how close he had come to really being shot made a lump form in Tris's throat. Her hand found its way to his bruise again. Her touch was feather light. Eric's eyes never left Tris's face. He reached up and brushed her hair out of her face. She looked up from his shoulder and they locked eyes. Neither was sure who moved first, but they both know that at that moment they both just needed to be near each other. Eric's fingers weaved into Tris's hair bringing her face closer to his as Tris's hand moved from his shoulder to trace the line of Eric's jaw. Their lips met for the first time and they molded together perfectly. The kiss went from soft and hesitant to heated and passionate quickly. Tris shifted and soon found herself straddling Eric. Her hands wound around his shoulders and into Eric's hair keeping him as close as he could be. Eric's hands moved from Tris's hair to her back to her hips. They roamed her body freely. Just as Eric's body was telling him to take things to the next level, him mind was telling him it was time to put the brakes on. Slowly moving his hands from Tris's hips, sliding them up her ribs, behind her shoulders, and pushing her hair back to gently pull her away from him. He disengaged himself from her. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he looked into her eyes. "Nice." Tris rolled her eyes and laughed.