Divergent Short Stories (Eric & Tris Fanfics)

Chapter Twelve-Tris

I'm working on wounded nonstop—they just keep coming.  There's one positive about these Factionless shooters—their aim is terrible.  They're worse than me on my first day of Dauntless training. Dana, Finn, Eugene, Dahlia from the hospital, and I work on patching up everyone that's brought to us.  It's mostly Dauntless but a few Factionless bystanders are brought over—old ladies, children, a pregnant woman.  These Factionless are monsters and care nothing about their people, just their cause.  Eventually some of the shooters are brought in but I hear a commotion and everyone is calling for people to get out of the way.  I let Eugene patch up this guy on the gurney while I step out of the back of the armored truck to see who's coming.  Ryan and Jax have someone in their arms and everybody separates to let them through.  I see who it is they're dragging and I freeze... just like Eugene did when he first saw him on that gurney so long ago.  But I shake out of it and assess him quickly.  I do what I can to get him ready for transport to the hospital.  I glance back at Eugene. 
"Go!  We've got this," he insists. 
I climb in and hold his hand on the ride in. 
"There was an explosion," Jax says shakily.  "Evelyn set it off.  I don't know what happened but he was nearby."
I wipe up some blood on his face and pray that he's just unconscious.  I look him over again and he's bleeding from his ears. 
"Head trauma?" I question. 
"He got shot in the chest at pretty close range," Ryan nods.  "I took that guy out.  It knocked Eric back and he didn't get up.  He may have hit his head."
"Alright," I nod.  "What about the explosion?" I question since he has several cuts. 
They don't know if that did anything or not.  He was covered in rubble.  Those nearby didn't make it.  I use their radio and call it in to the hospital since we're closer than the Dauntless infirmary.  We'll examine his head with X-rays and do an MRI.  We arrive quickly and I rush him inside on the gurney.  We take him straight back to check his head.  He has an acute concussion.  It looks like his ear drums were ruptured—possibly from the explosion.  Thankfully there's just extreme bruising from the gunshot since it didn't penetrate the riot suit—no open wounds fortunately and no internal bleeding. 
We clean him up and put him in a private room monitoring him.  I stay by his side praying he'll wake.  I hold his hand and look at the ring he gave me.  It's simple but pretty—a shiny black band with a square cut black stone embedded into it.  It's beautiful.  He gave this to me because he loves me.  He said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. 
I can't help but cry at the thought. 
"It'll be alright," Eugene tells me soothingly putting his hands on my shoulders. 
I nod believing his words. 
"I hear you two are engaged," he teases. 
I chuckle lightly at that and wipe my eyes. 
"Eric always had the best taste in everything," he says. 
I snort at that. 
"He'll be alright.  Just give him time.  He's been through some serious trauma.  He may take some time so don't worry," he tells me.
I nod. That's in line with what I told Jax before... and it's true. Eugene leaves us and I'm alone with Eric. The occasional nurse comes in and checks on him. I eventually climb in bed beside him longing for his strong embrace once more. I caress the scar on his chest from his previous visit here. The other side is covered in a painful looking bruise. I remember stitching him up and thinking he just couldn't die—not on my watch, not on my table, not when I could help it. I saw his face and knew he would somehow make it through. Then I stayed with him and watched over him... and I did slowly fall in love with him. I rest my head on the uninjured side of his chest. I hear his powerful heartbeat—the sound of that beautiful, strong heart lulls me to sleep.
I wake to a delicate caress of my hair. I open my eyes and realize where I am. I glance up and see Eric looking down at me. I sigh in relief.
"You had me worried sick," I scold him teasingly.
"Eh, I've got a hard head," he says dismissively.
"Don't I know that," I snort.
He chuckles lightly and winces.
"What happened?" he asks rubbing his chest.
"You got shot," I point out.
"No way," he says moving the blue hospital gown aside. "Man, I look like an untrained initiate," he says in mock horror.
I can't help the laugh that bubbles out of my chest at that.
"I'm grateful for that gear. I heard it was new," I mention.
He nods but grabs his head.
"Take it easy. You have a concussion," I tell him.
"Yes, doc," he replies.
"When are you going to call me wife?" I tease.
"The moment we make it official," he grins.
"How about now?" I joke.
"I'm not getting married in a hospital gown," he protests.
"Alright," I give in. "But soon."
"Soon," he agrees.
I climb up gently and kiss him. He takes me in his arms and I sigh happily. He moves his arms around me more tightly and an alarm goes off.
"Now if you keep unplugging your heart monitor, the staff will think something happened to you," I lecture hooking it back up.
He grins at that and bites his lip. A nurse comes running in.
"Oh, he's fine. He just disconnected the wires on accident," I inform her.
She nods. "Are you up for breakfast?" she asks.
"I've never turned down food before," Eric replies.
"You will after you've had our gruel," the nurse laughs.
"Ugh, what a horrible meal," I agree.
"Worse than your plain oatmeal?" he asks surprised.
"It's kind of soupy," I wince. "I'll see if they have eggs or something," I tell him rising up. I peck his lips.
"Don't go too far away. I might need you," he tells me.
I grin at that.
I see the staff giving him only a bowl of gruel and I take the elevator down to the cafeteria. I get a tray and load it up with scrambled eggs, milk, bacon, applesauce, and a bowl of that gruel for me. I do grab some cheese and hot sauce to make it more palatable. I take my tray upstairs and enter into his room.
"I need to get out of here. This stuff'll kill me," he jokes.
"I brought you a few things, though I would only recommend these," I say putting a bit from my tray onto his. "The concussion may make you nauseous. This won't help with that."
He agrees and grudgingly eats his gruel but he does add the eggs and some salt. He steals some of my cheese as well. 
"You always make everything better," he says softly, caressing me as I sit beside him. 
I smile at that. 
"You make me happy," I tell him. 
"I know.  I don't think I'd ever seen that smile before I entered your life," he tells me. 
I try to think of a snappy comeback but I let it go.  It's true after all.  I was never like this before he came to my hospital room and a thought occurs to me...  Do I have the Florence Nightingale Syndrome?  I look back to that handsome, rugged man I'm going to marry and I realize... I don't care if I do. 
We wait until he's fully recovered to get married.  We have a small ceremony at our church with family and friends.  I take some vacation time so we can have a proper honeymoon.  I've never been more happy.  We return to a massive faction-wide party and it's definitely epic.  Married life is fantastic and I never thought a relationship could be like this—the kindness, the closeness, the love.  I had never experienced that before. 
Eric gets back to work and so do I... but I hear about the changes made.  Factionless is patrolled more carefully and scrutinized more closely.  Abnegation works with Eric to educate the city about the Divergent that should be coming—how they're expected and welcome, not something to fear.  There is some conflict with Erudite on that but once a video from the founding fathers is released for the masses, she has no rebuttal and remains quiet. 
Four is eventually sentenced after the completion of the investigation—his betrayal—and I know what's coming.  I request to be there and Eric finds that surprising. 
They read off the charges and he denies them all.  But they play a recording of him admitting his guilt and he hangs his head at that.  I look to Eric and he nods his assent.  I bend down on the floor with Four as he's on his knees before Dauntless leadership. 
"You know what they do with traitors," I tell Four. 
"How could you join them?" he shakes his head at me. 
"Four, wake up and see reality.  They are doing good.  You were doing wrong.  If you truly believe in God, now is the time for repentance.  Say you're sorry, Four.  God will forgive you if you mean it," I explain gently. 
"Why are you wearing that ring?" he questions me. 
I rub my protruding belly that carries our firstborn.  "Because I'm married.  Did you hear what I said?  You need to focus because you don't have much time left."
"How could you do this to me?" he asks and I frown.  Perhaps he has some sort of mental illness.  I pray for him anyway and encourage him to say he's sorry for what he's done to Dauntless. 
"I'm sorry for what I did to you," he says softly.  "I drove you away."
I nod.  "What about betraying your faction?  Are you sorry that you caused innocent people to get harmed?"
"That wasn't my intention," he frowns. 
"Say you're sorry, Four," I reply soothingly. 
He meets my eyes.  "I'm sorry..." he says pausing.  "God, I picked the wrong side."
I nod.  "I believe God forgives that honest apology.  Go be with God, Tobias.  Your mother is waiting for you."
"Is she?" he asks expectantly. 
"I hope so," I reply. 
"So do I," he nods. 
I rise and step away through the exit.  I can hear the shot through the door and I frown.  But I'm glad he finally said it.  I know where he is now. 

*****

I stare out the window of our apartment watching the sun set.  Winter is almost over and I'm struggling to move around already.  I see the buds on the trees in the distance.  New life will be starting soon, a new start.  I feel my son kick.  I smile and caress him.  I hear a sigh and feel two strong hands reach around and grasp my belly.  He's already so in love with his son. 
"One more month until initiation," he sighs happily kissing my shoulder.  "I'm positive my sister will choose Dauntless."
"I hope so," I smile. 
"Pretty soon my whole family will finally be together.  I can't wait," he says. 
"Yeah," I agree smiling.  "Neither can I."