Divergent One Shots (Eric & Tris)

Fifty-Six-You Don't Know Me 17.4

Eric

My dreams are riddled with unsettling thoughts of her. I get down to breakfast early and eat. I keep an eye out for her but Four is there. He continually looks up at me. I sit back and stare him down. I smirk, though. She loves me and finds him obnoxious. That thought shouldn't make me happy but it does.
I skip my exercise in lieu of calling Abnegation first thing. I get an immediate appointment with Andrew Prior and head over to meet with him.
He nods to me this time, now that we're within the confines of his faction. I explain the situation and he takes me to his office. He shows me a recording from the founders of our society and the dates of recording, how's there's been no changes made to alter the video. I'm in shock. Jeanine is right—they are a threat to the faction system, but they're also the entire purpose for us being here.
"I'll work with you," I tell Andrew.
He looks grateful. We spend the morning discussing plans. I'll speak to the rest of Dauntless leadership when I return. I let him know what Jeanine has been doing. I tell him about Dauntless, how I'm the only one who had worked with her. I explain her coercion and duplicitous actions to get me involved.
"If charges are brought against her, there may be some against you as well," Mr Prior tells me regretfully.
"I guess it's in God's hands," I tell him. I know I'm not innocent in this. Whatever happens, happens.
He seems surprised at my statement.
"So, you've changed?" he asks.
I think about it and I truly have. Maybe I'm not who I was before, not the same old Eric. I feel different. I nod in answer of his question.
"I'll speak to Candor on your behalf. You've surrendered all vital information of your own volition. If you've repented and are rehabilitated, perhaps the sentence will be less severe," he tells me.
"I'm not getting my hopes up," I inform him.
I arrive back to the compound and enter the cafeteria for lunch.  I see Tris just sitting at her table to eat and I grab my food and take the seat beside her. 
"I may be facing some serious consequences," I whisper to her. 
She surrenders her attention to me.  She's frowning and looks struck. 
"What did you do?" she asks. 
"I fessed up to your father," I divulge. 
She nods in understanding. 
We eat our meal together and I quietly give her a basic rundown of what I discussed.  She kisses me in parting in the Pit.  I honestly don't know what to expect when I arrive at the office. 
I call a meeting and meet my fellow leaders in the conference room.  I sit alone in the empty room bouncing my leg in nervousness.  I have no idea what to expect from them.  I drum my fingers on the table as I wait.  Ryan comes in first. 
"Hey, man.  What's going on?" he asks me.  
"It's better if I only say it once," I divulge. 
He nods and sits beside me.  He pats my back.  "It can't be that bad," he insists. 
He has no idea. 
Max and Lydia join us taking a seat, then Jude a moment later. 
"What's the problem?" Max inquires. 
I sigh and stand up.  I tell them about Jeanine and how she's been having me search for Divergents for her studies.  I explain that she duped me into believing her lies. 
"That's just an urban myth," Lydia disagrees. 
"They're real," I divulge.  "I'd only known what Jeanine had told me.  I've just recently found out about what they're really like.  I've made some serious mistakes."  I explain more of what I've learned about the Divergent.  Then, I tell them what I've been doing in Abnegation today—what I've learned and how they'll contact Candor.  I apologize about what I've done. 
"What have you done?" they ask. 
I divulge what I've participated in, taking one to her last initiation.  I'm aware of her hacking our computer systems and surveillance but I have no ability to stop her. 
"Why did you do that?" Ryan asks me. 
"I was deceived," I admit shrugging.  "I made mistakes."
"You've only handed one over?" Jude questions. 
I nod. 
"Initiation just ended," he points out. 
"Yeah," I reply. 
"So, if she's testing on them, it's possible that one could still be alive?" he questions. 
"I don't know.  She doesn't give me any information like that," I say defeated. 
"Step out and we'll vote," Max says. 
I nod.  I may be receiving an execution for this... or Factionless.  I take a seat outside of the office and wait.  I don't even know what to say but I feel like asking God for help.  I don't even know what I'm asking for but I feel like he understands. 
"Eric?" Ryan calls out at the door. 
I rise and step in sitting across from them.  They question me about Jeanine's studies.  I divulge that I've been present for MRI scans but I'm aware of more intrusive tests. 
"Those aren't Dauntless, though, are they?" Lydia questions. 
"No, as far as I knew, they were Erudite," I say. 
"Were you ever present for the Dauntless initiate's testing?" Jude asks. 
"No," I shake my head. 
"We'll contact Jeanine and request the return of our initiate," Jude tells me.  "We'll say he's gone missing and heard he was in Erudite."
I blink.  Technically that's true... but it's my fault he's gone.
"What's my sentence?" I question. 
"Join us.  We'll make the conference call," Max motions to my previous seat. 
Lydia makes the call from our computer.  Jeanine answers and I explain the situation.  Jude continues where I've left off.  She seems flustered and looks over her records...
"I do have him here in my roster," she admits.  "But he is a threat to the faction system and I have more testing to run on him."
"Nevertheless, Dauntless wants him returned.  Today," Jude tells her. 
"He is a threat," she reiterates. 
"We will determine who is a threat in our faction and who is not.  We ask that you return him," Max states more forcefully. 
"Eric had brought him upon my request," she defends. 
"But there was no leadership vote on that so that decision is null and void.  Four of us demand him back.  Will you return him to us or will there be further problems?" Max says angrily. 
"Fine," she snaps.  "I'll have him delivered to you within the hour."
"Alright," Jude replies.  He disconnects the call.  "I guess we'll see in what manner he makes it back.  In the meantime, we'll delay any decisions we make.  Why don't you return to your office and see what you can get done while we wait?"
I nod and return to my office in a daze.  I try to do some work but I honestly can't focus.  I guess I'll ask Ryan to watch over Tris for me.  He'll make sure she's safe.  They seemed to want to protect her kind once they learned the truth.  Abnegation was going to try to work with Dauntless on protecting them so she should be taken care of. 
There's a knock on my door.  I call them in.  I see Ryan peek his head in. 
"The initiate has been back for a while," he tells me. 
I sigh and nod.  I follow him to the conference room expecting the worst.  I take a seat across from my peers—except now they're my judges. 
Ryan closes the door and joins them. 
I wait...
"So... he's been returned.  The infirmary is treating him for malnutrition.  Beyond that, he seems fine," Max explains. 
"What?" I question bewildered. 
"It would appear that he's been given the Abnegation memory serum," Jude explains.  "Jeanine was very precise in her dosage according to Dana.  Depending on the dosage, one can forget anywhere from a moment to their entire life's memories.  He remembers initiation.  Beyond that, he has no memory."
"What?" I ask confused. 
"It would appear that beyond needing sustenance, that he's fine.  He has no memory of Jeanine's torture or of your abduction—whatever was done," Ryan explains. 
"So, what does that mean for me?" I ask. 
"Candor is aware of what she's doing now thanks to you.  The only person in our faction of which you had control over is now back within our protective custody.  You are the informant who began this investigation of Erudite's inhumane behavior, of which we are assisting in for Candor," Lydia explains. 
"What she's trying to say is... that we'll forgive you this one time.  Don't do it again," Max states. 
"Alright," I nod in shock.  I'm not going to question their ruling.  I kind of laugh in disbelief. 
"That's all.  You're free to go," Ryan says. 
I purse my lips and nod still in somewhat disbelief but I leave nonetheless.  I go back to my office and complete my work without complaint. I notice a message from Tris.

'I'm off. I'm going to shower and I'll meet you down at dinner.'

I reply that I'll see her soon. I finish up everything I have on my desk with a renewed sense of appreciation. I'm so grateful for how this turned out. He could've been dead. He could've had mental illness from the trauma. I don't know what I was thinking following her. I'm so thankful that my eyes have been opened.
I hand my completed documents and forms to the staff and leave for the day.
I head down to the cafeteria. As I cross the Pit, I see her and run to her. I pick her up and hold her.
"Hi," she smiles in my arms. "How'd everything go?" she asks.
"Better than expected. Everything is fine," I tell her.
"That's wonderful. I was praying for you," she tells me.
"Thank you, sweetheart," I say.
I take her to dinner and we sit together. I hold her tightly to me and I'm so grateful to be here. I take her home with me and we spend what's left of the evening together. I tell her everything because I don't want to keep secrets from her. She frowns but she's glad I've changed and everything worked out. I tell I'll never do anything like that again, that I'll protect her from now on.
"I know," she whispers nodding.
I kiss her gently. I'm grateful to have such a forgiving girlfriend. I'm grateful to be alive. They could've executed me if they wanted. Technically, I was a traitor. But they chose to forgive as well.
I turn her chin to face me and tell her all my thoughts. "I'm lucky to have you," I say. "I know that I want you. I want you for the rest of my life. I think we should..."
I feel her finger on my lips. "It's only been two days. Give it some time," she grins.
"Alright," I agree. I do feel an urge to solidify my plans for life, not to let anything slip through my fingers. But for her? I'll wait.

*****

Throughout the week, Jeanine had attempted to hide what she'd done but there's just too much evidence—people, staff, documentation, facilities... the list goes on. She just couldn't purge everything and I'm sure she didn't want to. She's currently in our holding facility and her conspirators are slowly being discovered. Several detainees have been released and treated—most are severely disturbed, injured, and sickly. The other factions have joined together to treat the captives. It feels like our city has changed overnight.
My evenings have been spent in Tris's company. She's so grateful for what I've done, the changes I've set in motion. Every day, I fall deeper and deeper in love with her. I didn't even know it could be possible.
I make a firm decision when I arrive back at Dauntless on Friday evening. I stop somewhere special and buy her a gift. I meet her in the cafeteria for dinner. I see her returning to her table with her tray. I take it from her hands and set it aside.
I climb on top of the closest table with an empty spot. I reach out for her... and she gives her hand to me. I pull her up on top of the table and everyone watches.
"Hello," she says grinning.
I smile at her, my heart beating so. I pull the gift out of my pocket and I bend down to the table on one knee. She chuckles in surprise.
"I dream of you every night. I want to kiss your lips and hold you tightly in my arms for the rest of my life. My heart aches for you. I'm so in love with you. You're my best friend. I'm not going to let my chance go by. Tris... marry me," I request as I hold out the ring to her.
She covers her mouth in surprise. She laughs disbelievingly and looks at the Dauntless gathered around us watching.
"It's just me, sweetheart," I say turning her chin to meet my eyes.
Her expression softens at that. "It hasn't even been a week," she whispers to me.
"I don't need a minute longer to know how I feel about you," I tell her.
"Alright," she nods. She holds out her hand to me. "Let's get married," she says.
"That's a yes?" I question chuckling.
"Yes," she nods.
I grin and slide the ring on her finger. I rise and kiss her with the faction cheering around us.
I realize now... that I'm the lucky guy, who will have her for my bride. Closer we'll grow, because we love one another so... now that she knows me.