Pleuvoir | Eric Coulter

Alternate Ending

K a r o l  i i n a

Eric shot Kieran, and Kieran would've shot me if Four didn't arrive then.

He fires at the Factionless leader, then to the others trying to kill me. I feel blood escape my wound, but I don't care. I stand, wobbling to Eric. He's hurting, and it is evident because of the fact that he is bleeding a lot.

I see more Dauntless pouring in from all sides, Max in the front lines. I send him a quick grateful nod before rushing to Eric. He meets me halfway, pulling me with him until we are in a covered ground.

He clutches my face, eyes wide and worried and glossy with tears. "Lee, are you alright? Did you get shot? I-I'm sorry for doing this to you, Lee. I'm--"

I softly press a finger to his lips, "Hey, hey. Look, I'm fine, yeah? It's not your fault."

He doesn't believe what I'm saying.

"Eric," I say sternly, "Eric, listen to me. This is not your fault. You saved me."

"I didn't save you," He croaks, his bloody fingers beating his chest, "I put you in danger."

I pry his hands away from himself, entangling my fingers with his. "Eric, I love you. I love you so much, Eric."

He's crying, I know his vision is blurry from the amount of tears that's falling from his eyes, but he calms himself and says, "I love you, Lee."

∞

We won.

Four and Max had came with enough men in the right time, saving the remaining Dauntless fighters.

All of us are grateful, especially Eric. Now,  he looks at Four not with a scowl, but with gratitude etched in his features.

I see the notebook I had written a long time ago, intending to let someone give it to Eric if things didn't work out. It has no use now. I need to burn that later.

We are back to normal. It wasn't easy, going back to our lives before the war, but we made it, and that's what mattered.

"What are you thinking about?" Eric says, enveloping me with a hug from behind.

I lean into him, basking in his warmth, "How I'm so thankful for my life and having you in it."

His chest rumbles as he lets out a hum, "I love you."

A smile overtakes my face. After everything, Eric took it upon himself to greet me with an 'I love you' every waking moment. "I love you, too."

"What's for dinner, Mrs. Coulter?"

Laughing, I break free from his grasp and ask with an eyebrow raised, "Was that intentional?" 

He laughs cheekily, sending me a big kiss on the cheek, "Maybe. Maybe not."

He slaps my bum as I walk pass him on the way to the kitchen, and I shake my head, chuckling. He's spending too much time with Jeno that he's picking up the latter's habits.

"Mum! Dad! I'm home!"

At the sound of our daughter's voice, we go to the living room and greet her with a hug. Eleanor giggles as Eric launches her into the air, catching her back just in time as she lands. He peppers her face with kisses, landing a huge one on her cheek, just like he does everyday.

"Have fun at school today, sweetie?" I ask, wobbling towards them carefully.

Eric helps Eleanor up as she tries to kiss my growing stomach, "Uh huh. Is Lincoln gonna come out now, Mum?"

I smile, pretending to think, "Hmm. He says he doesn't want to tell you because he wants it to be a surprise."

Eleanor clutches on her dad's legs, looking at my stomach lovingly, "Okay. I wish he'd be out soon though."

The doorbell chimes, and in walks a little girl dressed in a frilly pink dress. I stop the urge to awe at her. Ora and Jeno liked to dress their daughter in the cutest dresses.

"Hello, Callie!" I greet her whilst Eric pats her head, "Are your parents coming, too?"

Callie nods her head, and she quickly grabs Eleanor's attention. They run to the playroom together faster than light. Eric rolls his eyes playfully, "She always steals her away from me."

A second later, Ora and her fiancé walks into our house. I greet them with a hug, and if today was a year ago, it will be surprising that Eric did the same and hugs them both, too.

"How's little Linc?" Ora asks as we walk to the kitchen.

"He's coming out any time now." I say with a laugh.

Jeno hands Eric a bottle of champagne, which my significant other can't resist. He loves his liquor.

I feel a smile coming up to my face as I look at the scene before me. Never did I thought I would end up here, having a second baby with my husband and chatting away with our friends over dinner. When the champagne's cork smashes one of our windows—courtesy of Jeno—I laugh and shake my head along with Ora.

There is nothing I would want to change.