Redemption (Eric and Tris)

Meeting the Parents: Part 4

Tris spent the next few days starting her leadership training with Eric. It was nice to be able to see him at work. She was shadowing Eric first, so she was working behind the scenes working on paperwork and dealing with security. But on the time off, the lunches they spent together, Tris was able to try to convince him to have dinner with her parents before they left at the end of that week. After three days of pestering him, Tris finally broke Eric down. "Please? They will be leaving in 2 days. I just know they want to say thank you." Eric gave a deep sigh. He rubbed his hands over his face.

"Alright. I will go. But please. I can't talk of any of it. If they want to say thank you for helping your mother, that is fine, but I refuse to talk about anything else that happened other than that. Promise me that." The pleading in his eyes nearly broke Tris's heart.

"Of course." Tris reached over their lunch and grabbed his hand. "Of course, I will make sure they neither of them bring up anything that has to do with what happened. And I will not blame you if you get up and leave if they, namely my father, chooses not to listen and brings it up anyways. I will support you 100%. Know that. I will support you, Eric. I am here for you." Eric gave Tris a small smile as he intertwined their fingers. Both were oblivious to all around them. They only saw each other.

• * * * * *

Later that night Tris and Eric walked hand and hand to her apartment. Tris could feel the waves of anxiety rolling off Eric. Tris squeezed his hand and leaned her head against his shoulder to give him some comfort as they walked. They finally reached Tris's door. Eric took a deep breath as Tris opened the door. Stepping in, his eyes scanned the room. He saw Natalie and Andrew sitting on the couch, a united front. As they walked further into the apartment, Natalie stood up and walked over to them with a big smile. Opening her arms as she approached Eric, she said not a word as she embraced him. Not sure what to do, Eric reached up, and gently patted her back. He was not used to such contact from a parental figure. Loosening up her hold, Natalie leaned back, looking directly at Eric and smiled widely. Eric felt his gut clench. "Thank you. As inadequate as those words are for what you have done for me, thank you, Eric." She said as she reached up and touched the side of his face. Eric offered a weak smile in return. Tris reached up and put her hand on Eric's back to offer silent support to him that only he could feel. For that he was grateful. Andrew had, up to this point, remained silent. He stood up, and offered his hand to Eric. To stiffness on his face showed that he was yet to be comfortable with the situation. This Eric could understand and in this he could take comfort. He found common ground in this discomfort. He was able to put a few of his walls back up. Stepping back a step, Eric looked back to Tris.

"Don't think that you are done! We have dinner to have!" Tris stated firmly. Taking Eric's hand leading him back towards the table. They heard Natalie chuckle, and Eric sighed. He sat down where Tris indicated across from Andrew, while Tris and Natalie got dinner to put on the table. Eric glanced down at the traditional Abnegation food. Vegetable soup and bread with water. He thanked the women as they served him. Shaking his head internally, he clearly knew now why Tris choose not to stay in this faction. He could not see her serving anyone for the rest of her life. Hell it was killing him to let her wait on him. Once they were all seated, they started to eat in silence. Eric glancing up every once in a while only to look at Tris. He wanted this meal over as soon as possible.

"So Eric, you're one of the leaders here in Dauntless, correct?" Andrew said. Eric closed his eyes for the briefest of moments before answering.

"That's correct. I have been in leadership since I passed my initiation, now I am one of the top two leaders. Now that Tris in training for leadership she will bring the number to 3 once she is finished with her training in a few months." Andrew nodded.

"Are you planning on making changes from how things were run before or are you just keeping things the same as it was?" Eric shifted in his seat. This conversation while not about the war, was too close to it.

"We are making changes to how we are running things. There were too many problems with the way things were run before. We are trying to remedy those problems now."

"Can you talk about the changes that you are making?"

"Dad, this is not dinner table conversation. Maybe in a week or two, we can set up a meeting between our faction leaders and we can talk about the changes that we are ALL making to our factions. As all factions need to be making changes to how they were being run." Eric allowed a small smile to come across his face. Andrew just looked a bit stunned.

"And that, Sir, is why Tris is going to be great in leadership. She is wonderfully diplomatic and she is going to be a great addition to the team." When Eric said this Andrew's whole body got rigid and he opened his mouth to say something. Eric noticed and braced himself.

"Well just make sure that the mess from last year doesn't get repeated and put my daughter in danger." Tris gasped and Natalie started to say something when Eric cut her off. He set his napkin on the table and pushed his chair back.

"Your daughter is strong enough to take care of herself and she knows what she is getting into when it comes to leadership. I learned long ago that I cannot control Tris nor would I ever try." Turning to Natalie, Eric nodded his head. "Thank you for dinner. It was delicious. Good evening." Without another word, Eric turned and walked towards the door. Tris who was sitting there steaming, threw her napkin on the table and stormed out the door.

"Eric!" Tris yelled after him. He turned back to her. His walls are up, she thought sadly. His face was blank, much like the Eric of old. Tris ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. "I am so sorry. I asked them not to say anything. They promised me they wouldn't say anything. I don't know what made him say that. Please."

"Tris I won't go back." Eric said, his voice strained.

"No, I wouldn't ask you to. I couldn't right now. I just, I don't know. I am sorry that happened is all. It is all my fault. I talked you into going." Eric grabbed Tris's face gently and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Tris, this isn't your fault. You can't control what comes out of other people's mouths. You're just caught in the middle." He gave her a gentle peck on the lips. "Do you want to come back to my place?" Tris let out the breath that she had not realized that she had been holding. She nodded her head. Grabbing her hand, Eric led her back to his place. He let out a random chuckle. Tris gave him a puzzled look. "Guess now would be a good time to introduce you to my younger sisters..." Now it was Tris's turn to have her stomach turn to knots.