When I wake up the next morning, the first thing I notice is the warm presence next to me. I turn my head and find Eric lying beside me, his eyes still closed. Panic flutters in my chest as I remember I've stayed the night. Instead of staying on the couch all night, he must've come in here at some point.

I didn't even hear him.

Last night's events start to run through my head again.

My fear sim.

Having some drinks.

Eric.

I close my eyes and sigh softly.

Was last night a mistake?

No.

What happened last night was, unexpected. But I can't say I didn't want it to happen.

This changes things between us.

I don't know what to expect now. All I do know, is that I'm in Dauntless for a reason. And although what happened last night wasn't completely part of the plan, it got me into his apartment. And I should use this time wisely.

I look over at Eric, who's still sound asleep. I give myself a moment to let my eyes roam over him.

He's shirtless, and he's all hard lines and muscle. I almost want to run my hands over his chest, but I know that I shouldn't. Even in his sleep he looks intimidating.

I softly remove myself from his bed, grabbing my shoes, and go to find the bathroom.

Once I finish my business, I make my way into his living room and head to his desk to see if there's anything here that could be useful. My eyes roam over his papers, careful not to move anything around too much fearing that he would notice anything not in its right place. My eyes catch onto something, and I read over the page.

It's about a serum of some kind that's being developed by Erudite. It's in its final testing stages and that it's being delivered to Dauntless to be distributed. My eyes jump at the words 'uninterrupted compliance'.

What the hell?

Before I can read anymore, I can hear Eric stir in the bedroom. I quickly try to right myself and act like I wasn't just snooping around his desk.

I back away from the desk and turn around facing the windows. He has a decent view of the city from here and I decide to just look out the window and admire it.

"Good morning," Eric's voice breaks the silence.

I turn around to see him standing in the doorway, looking slightly disheveled but still imposing. He didn't bother with putting on a shirt and my eyes briefly scan over his chest before looking back up at him. "Good morning," I reply, trying to sound casual.

He walks over to the kitchen and starts making coffee as if this is just another day. The awkwardness hangs in the air, but he doesn't seem to be affected by it. Maybe this is just normal for him.

"I have to get ready for the day," I say, breaking the silence.

Eric nods, handing me a cup of coffee. "You should probably head back to the dorms."

I take the coffee and sip it, the warmth calming my nerves slightly. "Yeah, I should."

Eric watches me for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Last night..."

"Last night was... unexpected," I finish for him, feeling the awkwardness grow. "I..."

He cuts me off, stepping closer, his eyes locking onto mine. "This doesn't stop here, Jo. What happened last night happened. This isn't over, got it?"

I swallow hard, feeling a mix of fear and excitement. "I... okay."

Eric smirks, his cockiness evident. "Good. Now go get ready for your sims. You have a lot to prove today."

I nod, finishing my coffee quickly. I put down the cup and grab my shoes, slipping them on quickly. "Thanks for letting me stay."

He simply nods.

I make my way to the door, feeling his eyes on me the entire time. As I leave his apartment, I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. I make my way back to the dorms, my mind buzzing with everything that happened and what I discovered. There's too much in my head, between Eric and this serum, I don't even know where my thought process can begin.

When I enter the dorms, I try to slip in quietly, but Andrea and Jake are already up, their eyes immediately locking onto me.

"Where have you been?" Andrea asks, her voice tinged with curiosity and concern.

"Yeah, we were worried," Jake adds, his brow furrowed.

I hesitate, not knowing what to tell them. I can't tell them about Eric, that would only raise more questions. "I uh, I went drinking after my sim. I kind of, went up to the roof for air and I guess I was a little bit more drunk than I thought, and I sort of fell asleep up there," I say shrugging my shoulders.

"Aw, Jo," Andrea comes up to me and hugs me. I hug her back, feeling all the guilt.

"You look exhausted," Jake chimes in.

"You always know what to say," I say sarcastically with a smile.

Andrea gives his chest a light smack and narrows her eyes at him.

"We're gonna grab breakfast, you must be hungry."

My stomach growls in response. "I really am, but I just wanna shower quick if that's okay."

"Yeah of course, we'll wait for you," Jake tells me.

I get my things together and shower quickly. Once I'm down and dressed we all walk together, with Andrea and Jake, both giving me side glances of concern.

The three of us head to the dining hall, the atmosphere buzzing with the chatter of other Dauntless members. As we enter, the smell of food hits me, and I realize how hungry I am. We find a table near the back, and I sit down with a sigh, trying to shake off the lingering tension from the morning and grab food from the tray in the center. Andrea and Jake sit across from me, and soon we're joined by a few other initiates, all discussing their fear sims and what to expect next.

"So, what was your sim like yesterday?" Jake asks, looking at me curiously.

I hesitate, not wanting to reveal too much. "It was... intense. I don't think I was fully prepared for it."

Andrew and Jake nod their heads in understanding. "These sims are really starting to kick up a notch," Jake says.

"I have a feeling we're all gonna be drinking a bit more as they get worse," Andrea says, taking a bite of her toast.

As we talk, I feel a presence in the room and glance up to see Eric walking into the dining hall. Our eyes meet briefly, and I feel a jolt of tension run through me. He looks at me for a moment, his expression unreadable, before turning away and heading to the other side of the room. Andrea notices the exchange and gives me a questioning look but doesn't say anything. I can tell she's curious, but she respects my privacy enough not to pry in front of everyone else.

As we finish our breakfast and prepare to head to the waiting area for our sims, I wonder to myself if I'll have the same fear sim or something new, and I worry about what I'm unconsciously afraid of. I can't help but steal another glance at Eric. He's talking to another Dauntless leader, but I can feel his eyes on me occasionally. The tension between us is palpable, and I know that what happened last night is far from over.

I take a deep breath and steel myself for the day ahead. There's no room for distractions right now as I prepare for the sim.

As I'm still in a top spot, I have to wait for my turn for the fear sim. I'm trying to not let my mind wander, but it's hard. I keep hearing Damien's voice in my head, to get close to Eric, to use him. Is it wrong to want both things?

To be close to him just because I want to and to also get the information I need? I don't understand how I feel. Last night was, last night was much more than I thought it would be. I'd never done anything like that, and all I can think about is how good it felt to have Eric touch me.

I want more of him.

But I'm also torn on whether or not these are real feelings, or lust. Or just knowing that this is what I should do to get the information I need.

I close my eyes in frustration.

I don't know what to do.

Or how to feel.

Everything is so confusing.

Right now, my fear sim is what I need to focus on. Four opens the door and another initiate walks out, clearly shaken. Four motions for me to come inside.

I get inside and situate myself on the chair, letting out a steadying breath.

"Ready?" Four asks, his voice steady and calm.

I nod, trying to muster up some courage. "Ready."

He gives me a reassuring nod and starts the simulation. The familiar sensation of being pulled into another reality washes over me, and the world around me shifts.

When I open my eyes, I'm in the heart of the Dauntless compound. But something is wrong. The usually bustling area is eerily quiet. I hear the distant sound of gunfire and screams, and my heart starts to race. I look around and see Dauntless soldiers, armed and ready for battle, running in every direction.

"Jo!" A voice calls out, and I turn to see Andrea and Jake running towards me, panic in their eyes.

"What's happening?" I shout over the noise.

"It's war!" Jake yells back. "The factions... they're attacking each other!"

Before I can process his words, an explosion rocks the ground beneath us. I turn to see a group of Erudite soldiers, their faces cold and determined, advancing towards us. Behind them, I see members of Abnegation and Amity, their usually peaceful expressions twisted with anger and fear.

"We have to stop this!" I cry out, but my voice is drowned out by the chaos around us.

Andrea grabs my arm. "There's nothing we can do! We have to get out of here!"

I'm pulled along, my mind reeling. This isn't just a fight; it's an all-out war. The factions, which have always maintained a delicate balance, are tearing each other apart.

We duck behind a wall, and I peer out to see Dauntless soldiers engaging in brutal combat with members of Abnegation. The usually serene and selfless faction is now fighting back with a ferocity I never imagined. I see familiar faces twisted in pain and rage, and my heart aches with helplessness.

In the distance, I see the leaders of the factions. Jeanine, with a triumphant smirk, orchestrating the chaos. Max, leading the Dauntless charge with ruthless efficiency. Marcus, trying to rally Abnegation in a desperate bid for survival.

My fear is paralyzing. I'm caught in the middle of a war I can't stop. The sight of friends and allies turning on each other, the screams of the wounded, and the acrid smell of smoke and blood fills my senses.

"Jo, we have to move!" Jake's voice breaks through my paralysis, and I nod, following him as we try to find a safe place.

But there is no safe place. Everywhere I look, there's destruction. Amity's fields are burning, Erudite's technology is being used as weapons, and Candor's once impartial judgments are now fueling the fire of conflict.

We find temporary shelter in a crumbling building, and I slump against the wall, trying to catch my breath. My mind races, trying to find a way to stop this madness, but I can't think of anything. I'm just one person, and this war is so much bigger than me.

As the simulation continues, the scenes become more graphic, more intense. I watch as people I care about are caught in the crossfire, as the factions I've known my whole life are destroyed.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, the simulation ends. I'm pulled back to reality, gasping for breath.

"You're okay," Four tells me, a steadying hand on my shoulder. My breath is going in and out quickly.

I'm in the simulation room, with Four, there's no war.

It's okay.

I let out a relieved sigh once I feel myself recognizing that the sim is over. Four is looking at me intensely.

"How long?" I ask softly.

"Seven and a half minutes."

I nod my head, my time is still good, thankfully.

"I didn't beat the sim," I say, confused. "War was happening, and I literally did nothing."

Four looks at me, a twinge of sympathy in his face. "Some things we can't beat, sometimes we just have to be strong enough to face them."

I nod in acceptance.

Four unhooks me and I get up, massaging my neck, already feeling tension. "I've been doing a lot of these fear sims, and you're the first one whose had this fear."

"Really?" I turn to look at him and Four's gaze is locked on me.

"Why war?" Four asks, his voice gentle but probing.

I look up at him, my eyes still filled with the horror of what I just witnessed. "We've been this way for so long. Factions, separation. Don't you think one day, one faction is going to want more than another, and war will break out? Affecting everyone? We already can see how Erudite is with Abnegation, have you never thought about it?"

Four is silent for a moment, mulling over my words. "I can see why you'd think that," he says finally. "The faction system is supposed to keep us balanced, to prevent exactly that kind of conflict. But it's not impossible. We've seen hints of it before, tensions rising."

I nod, feeling a bit calmer. "It just... it felt so real. The idea of losing everything, of watching the factions destroy each other." I sigh. "I don't know, sometimes I can't help but think of terrible scenarios."

Four squeezes my shoulder reassuringly. "I get it. But remember, the simulations are designed to tap into your deepest fears. It doesn't mean it's going to happen."

His words are meant to be a comfort, but once again, I know that war is a real possibility, and that this fear can easily be reality, sooner than I want it to.

I nod my head in reluctant agreement. "Guess I should go."

"Jo."

I look back at Four.

He steps closer to me and looks down at me. "You know you can always talk to me, right?"

I feel my eyes soften at his kind words and give him a small smile. "I know Four, thank you."

Four gazes at me for a beat longer before taking a step back and looking away from me. "Send John in on your way out," he says gruffly, a complete 180 in his tone of voice.

"Sure," I head out and motion for John to go in as I walk away.