DAUNTLESS (Divergent sequil, no war)

chapter 4

The day goes by in a blur. Breakfast with Tobias, my first meeting with the Dauntless council, having Eric appointed as my personal tutor, constant glares from Peter as he sits making notes. I thought life here would be easier once I was a member.

By the time I meet Tobias up by the train track it's already dark. Clouds fill the sky and only a slither of the moon is visible, but it provides enough light for me to be able to see him. He is already there when I arrive. We stand in the cool night air for about 5 minutes before the train arrives. As always I run along side the train the launch myself in to the open doors of the cart, Tobias grabs the handle of the cart then jumps in beside me. We sit on the floor and huddle together, the wind whips at my hair, blowing it across my face. I take an elastic band from my wrist and try to tie up as much of my hair as possible but in this wind and without

the help of a mirror it's difficult to get it right. In the end I give up and hand the bobble to Tobias, who is surprisingly gentle as he gathers my hair into a bun then ties it in place. I can't see it, but it feels like an abnegation hair style. I lean against him, appreciating, possibly for the first time, how perfect we are for each other.

We both started as Abnegation, we both chose Dauntless and I'm pretty sure that we are both Divergent.

Perfect.

We don't talk for most of the journey, I don't think that we know what to say. I know I don't. We are breaking so many rules right now and if the wrong people catch us it could be catastrophic. We could both be factionless by the end of the night.

The train slows as we get closer to the abnegation sector. We stand hand in hand and make our way to the open cart door. We jump together, land then take a few steps to steady ourselves. I look at him. His face is so controlled, so empty, but I know what he is risking by coming here, I know who he will have to face. So does he. I envy his composure. I shake like a leaf and pull my jacket tighter around me to try to disguise my nervousness for being cold. I don't know if I fool him but he puts his arm around me and pulls me close.

We run down the streets with the grey houses and the grey mail boxes. It all seams so dull, so lifeless. Tobias leads the way. We decided not to risk being seen by coming during the day but by doing that, it meant that the hub would be empty by the time we got here, and so we are going straight to the house of Marcus Eaton. He knows every twist in the road despite his years away from this place, but I don't think I could ever forget my origins, so why should it be any different for him?

He come to a sudden halt. Only now do I see the tensed muscles in his arms and neck, I now see the pain behind his clenched jaw and his deep blue eyes.

"We don't have to tell him," I say, I don't want him to have to go through with this.

"Yes we do." His voice is too calm for his body language. His voice says "let's talk" but his body screams "fight me". He makes no sense.

"No we don't, we can tell someone else." I put my hand on his chest and feel his heart beating. It's faster than I've ever felt it before.

"No. He is In charge. We have to tell him." I nod. I know I can't talk him out of this. I take his hand and intertwine our fingers then pull him with me towards the door. I hope I can make this easier for him. I lift my free hand towards the door bell but his long fingers wrap around my wrist, stopping me.

"I need to do this." He says. It's the only explanation I need. I watch him breath deeply and feel him relax, his muscles less prominent as he calms himself. His muscles tense again as he reaches out for the door bell but his pushes it in using his index finger. He shakes himself off, as if he has just done some extreme workout, which I guess he has, mentally. I try to smile encouragingly, and squeeze his fingers in mine but the smile is forced and the squeeze is so weak I don't think he even notices the change in pressure.

I look up a the house to see the light go on in the front bedroom, a face peeks out from behind the curtain. I recognise him, well nartuarly I would, he had been to my house on several occasions and I had seen him make countless speeches, but now I see him as he really is. I don't see the mad be hind the podium at the choosing ceremony but the mad holding the belt. The man with the hollow black eyes. I don't even realise that I'm tensing until Tobias whispers, "I thought I would be the one who needed help to stay calm," I relax immediately and we both start to laugh a little. Marcus has left the window and more lights are turned on. We stand on the door step for what seems like forever to me.

Eventually the door is opened and Marcus stands there, in standard, grey Abnegation pyjamas. "Tobias?"

"Yes. We need to talk to you, we don't have time for pleasantries, can we come in?" He nods and we enter the house. I is identical to my old home. It sends a stab through my gut, I can't imagine how hard this must be for Tobias.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink?" a standard Abnegation question, but for some reason it sounds wrong coming from his lips. He doesn't deserve to be Abnegation. He is a monster.

"No thanks, we don't have time." Tobias replies. He is so calm. Marcus leads us into the lounge area of the house. I sit on one couch, next to Tobias, and Marcus sits on the one opposite.

"So, why did you feel the need to wake an old man in the middle of the night?" his easy smile makes me want to be sick. How can he act like this?

"It's a long story, but here it goes..."

Once Tobias tells his father everything he knows and I fill in any gaps he leaves, there weren't many, we make our way to the Hub. An emergency meeting is called and all members of the Abnegation council have been called to meet there at once. Myself and Tobias are also invited. Of course we go along but the thought makes me feel queasy.

My father will be there, he didn't want to see me on visiting day, why would he want to see me now? What will he think about me and Tobias? What will he think of me? I have changed so much since the last time I saw him, when I abandoned him and my mother, right after my bother had. I hope that I can make it up to him. I hope that this is enough.

We run all the way to the Hub and are the first to arrive. Marcus arrives a minute or so later panting, and produces a key.

Half an hour later, in the grey meeting room, the conversation begins.

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AN

I am sorry that these chapters are so short but I just need to get this bit done, I want it to fit closely to the events that happen in the book and don't want to leave anything out, (apart from the war) I know that nothing has really happened yet, but I do have a rough idea of what I want to do and I have some drafts of chapters and ideas that should be a lot better, (Tobias and Tris training initiates, for example and some revelations into the war that had destroyed a lot of the factionless areas of the city) but please keep reading. I promise it will get better and the chapters will get longer as I get the hang of this. Vote of you like it, comment what you don't, or if you really want to you can comment nice things too, thanks :)