Eric Pov

Eric found Four exacctly where he expected to find him. Four was on monitor duty tonight. Eric found Four was sitting alone in a monitor room, infront of a number of different screens that showed live security feeds of the outer walls and also some factionless hot spots. Eric hated monitor duty but it was to ensure the security of the five factions so, regardless of how boring it might have been, it was necessary.

Four turned quickly in his chair when he heard the sound of Eric's approach. Four's expression didn't betray his surprise at Eric's sudden appearance but Eric could pick up just the slightest hint of discomfort in Four's body language. Eric always made Four slightly nervous in one way or another and based on Eric's serious expression, this time was no different.

"Uh hey, Eric," Four greeted. "Could I help you with something?"

Eric didn't respond immediately. Instead he took a seat in the chair beside Four, the light from the screens illuminating his rigid face.

Eric paused before speaking.

"I know about Ferris," Eric stated simply.

Four's jaw tensed, his eyes locked with Eric's. Four thought before speaking, not wanting to give himself up too.

"And?" Four asked, keeping his voice as calm as possible.

Eric could sense the impending panic from Four and felt sudden remorse for how Ferris must have felt earlier that day. He didn't want to scare the truth out of her but he needed to know if he wanted to protect her. He couldn't imagine the fear she'd been living with after Jeanie had come.

"I am going to help her," Eric explained.

Four quirked a brow. Relief washing over his face.

"Oh?" Four asked, still treading carefully.

"I know she's a divergent," Eric said quietly. "And that you were helping her."

Four remained silent, obviously keeping his guard up in case Eric was leading him on or trying to get him to reveal himself.

"I'm not turning you or her in," Eric followed, trying to sound as forthcoming as possible. Four still didn't look totally convinced.

"We both know she's not dangerous. Not to the factions," Eric stated. "I want to plant a subroutine in the aptitude device tomorrow before her test and I need your help."

Four considered Eric's idea. Slightly more convinced by the conviction in his words.

"If Jeanie finds out about her, they'll take her away and we'll never see her again," Eric added, his words tense. The edge to his voice finally seemed to convine Four.

Four nodded distantly. "She's a good girl, and will be a great Dauntless," Four acknowledged with a thoughtful nod. "I'll help you."

Eric nodded his head thankfully. He knew he was making a dangerous decision, since getting caught would certainly mean exile, and Four was perfectly aware of the circumstances as well.

"You like her too huh?" Four asked casually.

Eric quirked a brow, now wondering exactly what kind of attraction Four had to Ferris since he'd previously assumed their relationship to be purely platonic. Especially since Four was dating that girl Pris... or Tris? Something like that.

"I didn't mean it like that," Four added, reading Eric's expression perfectly. "She's just nice, and funny, and a heck of a brawler."

Eric snorted in agreement. "That's for sure," He agreed as he recalled the way she beat up Frankfurt in the Pit for being an ass. Straight up dragging him out of his seat and pummeling him into the floor as he deserved. A firecracker for sure. "I just don't want to see her get hurt."

To Eric, Ferris was an intriguing case. From the moment she arrived and jumped off the iniation roof and into Dauntless, she had caught his eye. She was brave enough to meet Eric in a fight and also protective of her friends. And when her reserved, but also snappy, personality and funky sense of humor started to reveal itself, he only found himself more interested. Then, after saving her life and even opening up to her the next day, he couldn't even explain the strange hold that girl had on him.

But he was more than willing to protect her from Jeannie. To risk his status and rank, and even his life, if it meant she wouldn't be detected. That must have meant Erix had some strong feelings for her, but did he even know what do do with them?

That was a question for later. Right now, he had to ensure her questioning with Jeannie went exactly to plan.

Ferris Pov

Anxious.

That's what I was at the moment.

I waited throughout the long nerve racking day to be called in for questioning. It plagued my mind every waking hour, even if Eric ensured I wouldn't be detected. I had little doubt that he would protect me but what if it didn't work?

The Fear sims weren't even as intense as they normally were today. They seemed to come and go like nothing at this point. Not even Frankfurt or Lily could annoy me in the Pit today when they commented on my unusually large portion of french fries that I was using for comfort food. I was completely fixated upon my questioning with Jeannie.

Yesterday, Rency had gone to her questioning. Of course she wasn't a Divergent but regardless, the tension had wracked her nerves as well.

At the moment, I was picking at my fries with Rency, Matius, Morsov, and Deitrich. Verlayne and Ryan were still doing their fear simulations.

"Oh hey, isn't visiting day soon?" Matius asked with a grin on his gentle features. "Ya'll excited?"

I already knew my answer but said nothing.

Rency nodded with a classic smile of pearly whites  "For sure, I miss my brothers so much," Rency replied with a hint of longing in her voice.

Deitrich smirked. "I hope my brother doesn't show up. He's my twin." Deitrich announced. The whole table looked to him in stark surprise. Even through all my nerves, I too found myself quirking a brow. Since when did Deitrich have a brother?

"What's wrong with your brother?" Morsov asked casually.

"He's a pest. Only person who can mess with me and get away with because A: He's family. B: He's bigger than me," He explained. I scoffed quietly.

" Wait, your brother is... bigger than you?" Rency asked. Dieterich was the size of a small bear. His brother must have been a continent.

The entire table laughed at Rency's question.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Deitrich chuckled.

"Can't wait to meet him," I noted with interest, trying to keep my mind occupied.

Considering that my family probably wouldn't be present, I could at least get to know other people's.

Matius nodded, smiling softly and brought up a story about his two younger sisters and how they used to annoy the hell out of him. Apparently they would put worms in his food while he was looking and dye his favorte shirts green, his least favorite color. I must have listened to them talk back and forth for about ten minutes before someone came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder.

I turned to see Max standing right behind me. "It's time for your questioning, please follow me," Max ordered and I stood up feeling my heart begin to accelerate. I bid my friends goodbye and left with Max.

He led me through the familiar bland grey walls to where his office was. Although these halls had once been an incoherent maze, I now understood their various twists and turns.

We walked into the office where I found Jeannie sitting behind a large desk that was Max's. Her icy blue eyes pierced straight into mine as if already trying to read my mind. Looking for cracks in my guise and signs of a traitor.

Eric was standing at Jeannie's side with his hand behind his back. His face was an impassive mask that didn't offer much comfort.

"Hello, Ferris Maguire. I am Jeannie Mathews," Jeannie announced with a small, formal smile that held no joy as she stood up to shake my hand. Her hands were cold and unwelcoming but I didn't allow that to bother me.

"Hi it's nice to meet you," I said with a fake smile, not missing a beat. I glanced at Eric who was watching intently. If he was nervous, he didn't let it show.

"Alright, go ahead and take a seat," Jeannie told me and I sat down in the chair across from her. " So Ferris, you transferred from Candor. What exactly made you leave?" Jeannie asked directly while crossing her arms over her chest.

"I felt that my talents were best suited for Dauntless" I replied efficiently. Thank goodness I didn't have a heart monitor on or she would be able to tell that my heart rate had increased ten fold.

Jeannie nodded. "That seems quite true, you are in fact in first place when it comes to Fear Simulations and fourth overall," Jeannie added watching me closely. I just barely picked up on the subtle shift in her tone.

I simply smiled softly. " Yes, that would be true," I said back, looking her straight in the eyes and feigning humble embarrassment.

"In your first attempt at the Fear Simulation you managed to finish yours in just four minutes. Your average is around seven minutes and fourth five seconds. Senior Dauntless times are typically double that," Jeannie said matter of factly.

"I suppose the advantage of having good trainers helps," I claimed with a small shrug.

Jeannie nodded with a small incline of her head. "You know, you almost sound like an Erudite with the way you speak," Jeannie pointed out. I thought quickly at how to reply to that statement.

"My parents valued my education," I replied swiftly.

She nodded in understanding but didn't look totally convinced. "You seem to have a bright future here," Jeannie told me and gestured to Eric behind her.

Eric pulled out a strange white device with five metal appendages junctioning out of its circular surface. I didn't like strange tools and did my best to hide my surprise.

"We are just going to scan you in order to determine if you are possibly a Divergent," Jeannie announced as Eric took a step towards me. "Standard procedure."

A flair of panic streaked through my body. I willed myself to keep from running away.

Was it a trick?

One look onto Eric's steady blue eyes told me to stop worrying.

Strands of light ran across my face. I felt icey fear drop down my spine as I waited for agonizing seconds. I didn't dare breath and had to force my eyes to not close.

On the screen of the scanner it suddenly said 0%

My shoulders quickly relaxed as the tension in the air dissipated.

Eric looked at me intensely, mentally telling me not to say anything. I listened, and reinstated my cool and calm demeanor.

"Alright then, it seems you are free to go Ferris. Eric, please escort her out. Thank you," Jeannie ordered. She almost looked a little disappointed, as if she was sure she'd found something.

I stood up almost a little too quickly. "Nice meeting you," I said hesitantly.

I made no other sounds as Eric ushered me out of the room. We started walking slowly back to the initiate's quarters. My feet sluggishly walked with him still reeling from the nervous situation.

"Good job Candor," He noted but kept his posture rigid and composed.

"Thank you but... how did that thing not detect me?" I asked curiously.

"I learned a few things back in Erudite. Reprogramming a Divergent scanner may not have been one of them but it wasn't difficult to improvise," He replied with a tell tale smirk. "And Four might have helped a bit too."

"I nearly had a heart attack when you pulled that thing out," I told him honestly.

"I noticed, but you held up well enough. Jeannie has no reason to suspect you," He told me. A wave of relief washed over me after living in fear for the past few days. It was like a dark, anxious cloud had finally lifted.

I suddenly came to a stop at the edge of one particular hallway, my expression lost. Eric turned with puzzled expression.

"Why'd you do it?" I asked slowly, my eyes focused on something far away before I turned to look up at him. "Why help me?"

His blonde brows remained furrowed as he closed the distance between us. A flicker of uncertainty flashed across his steel blue eyes.

"I'm not exactly sure," He said simply, his voice just barely louder than a whisper. I quriked a brow but said nothing, silently urging him to continue.

He sighed through his nose. "I don't know how to explain it. But you're just so different," Eric restated, "Most women take one look at me, realise who I am, what I do, and walk the other way. Or they're interested in me for one night and leave."

"Well, they're stupid then and just don't know you," I replied, looking up at him kindly and taking a step closer.

Our noses were just inches apart.

"And you do?" He asked gently but with no intended accusation.

"I know enough to understand that I never had a death wish," I told him quietly, my eyes flitting to his lips that were slightly parted.

He scoffed in spite of himself. "You didn't?"

I grinned softly. "No, I just had a crush Eric Coulter."

"Those might be synonymous," He pointed out and I rolled my eyes.

"Oh shut up and just kiss me," I blurted out and smashed my lip against his.

He reacted immediately and tilted his head for more access. His hands were on my hips, one keeping me pressed against him and the other trailing around the hem off my shirt and brushing the soft skin underneath.

I kept a hand on his broad chest and could feel the beat of his strong heart. My knees instantly felt weak and I leaned into his body for support. His lips were a little chapped but fit perfectly against mine.

If if could have melted against him in that moment, I would have.