Heartless

Chapter 12: Eric, Its Me

I stretched a arm over the rumpled covers to find Eric; but he wasn't there. My head shot up from the pillow, I looked out the window to the pale purple sky, they couldn't of left already, the attack wasn't scheduled to late afternoon.

Evie let out a squeak when I picked her up "shh, don't cry Beautiful." I cooed, putting her in clean clothes and nappy. I slipped her bag over my shoulder, wincing when the bag weighted down the newly healed skin, and headed out of the house which still contained Evelyn, Tobi and Tris all sleeping peacefully.

I spotted Eric in the Abnegation children's park, he dwarfed the swing he was sitting on, and looked deep in thought as he intricately twisted a throwing knife around his fingers, every now and then it caught the moonlight, reflecting a flash of light off of the dull blade.

"Hey." I called as I pushed open the gate, he deftly caught the small knife in between his fingertips and looked up at me with a small smile.

Silently, I took a seat on the black rubber seat, I leant my cheek against the cool steel, letting the chill soak into my skin, as I used my toes to gently swing myself. I noticed Eric was dressed in an Abnegation grey v-neck, Amity khaki cargos, and Dauntless black boots and jacket. The mixture of faction colours looked nice.

"Wam Daa." Evie grinned while holding out her arms, Eric smiled and gladly transferred her onto his lap, holding her steady with one large hand supporting her back, holding on slightly to her coat.

Smiling, I watched as he played with Evie's fingers, while singing This Little Piggy, causing her to giggle and secure her tiny hand around one of his fingers, he grinned comically, earning another laugh from her, before stroking his finger along the smooth skin of her cheek and kissing her head.

"Again?" He asked, chuckling slightly.

"Daa." Her smile could light up the whole room, as she bounced precariously, I saw Eric discreetly scoot her forward a tad before he repeated his edited version of This Little Piggy.

It wasn't long after This Little Piggy was patiently repeated for the fourth time, that her head began to droop, he gently lifted her up and her head leant on his shoulder and an arm curled around his neck to rest on his other shoulder, it was like she was waiting for the perfect position, as she was sleeping peacefully in moments.

Eric began to rock back and forth of the swing, his shoulders hunched slightly as he tried to fit comfortably in the narrow gap between the chains, after a couple of minutes, he paused and leant the side of his head against the back of hers with a small sigh of content.

"Let's go home." He whispered finally, taking my hand and kissing it, the walk was quiet, until he broke the comfortable silence. "What's next for us?" He asked suddenly, and I could see the the uncertainty in his face, and sthe fear of loosing control of the situation. "I want to be happy, wherever that is. I want to give Evie a proper childhood, so she can grow up happy and healthy."

He smiled, "if I come back from this, we'll do that, be a family with a nice house and a garden for Evie and Diesel." I watched as his eyebrow rose "maybe some more children?"

Grinning, I ignored the if and replied "one step at the time."

Eric spent the rest of the morning with Evie, watching and occasionally helping as she pushed shapes into their corresponding slots and built towers and played with the plastic balls.