To Save a City (Divergent/Eric) 2 of 3 COH Series

Chapter 20 (Eric's POV)

Switchfoot- 'Who We Are'

I get cleaned up for the evening looking in the mirror as I style my hair and sigh. I hope this week showed Four how much I love his sister. I think about last weekend, how irritable he was until he found out that I know about her Divergence—that I won't harm her. He was much nicer after that. I'd have to admit, I think of him as a friend, a close friend. We spent the week hanging out in our spare time with his sister, without, and with other people. Four looked to have a great time at Jonah and Dan's place. I've got to say, his video game system was pretty cool. I never had anything like that. My system at my parents' house was more childish while his games were fighting and shooting games. It was not what I was expecting at all but definitely suitable for Dauntless.
I look once more in the mirror, checking that every hair is in place before walking to my bedroom to get dressed. I debate on whether to wear my chain around my neck but there have been occasions when Four has needed further proof about how I feel about Hosanna. I decide to wear it just in case.
I step out of my apartment to hear silence. I walk down my hall deep in thought about her. I was thinking that she might get together with some friends tonight but since she just had that tattoo done, I'm sure she's hurting. Mine hurt for almost a week but hers is significantly smaller than mine. I smile at what she chose. She matches mine but yet it's still different enough that I doubt most people will notice. I'm completely flattered by what she selected actually. I might be reading more into this but I hope it means she plans on staying with me forever.
I arrive at the bar we decided to meet at. It's very different from what the girls have been choosing. There's no singing, no dancing, just drinking with food and music. I did grab Hosanna some dinner from the cafeteria earlier and put it in her fridge but I haven't eaten yet and I'm actually pretty hungry.
I spot Four with several other people sitting at a table already. I hope we have a moment to talk alone since that's the whole point of this evening for me.  I get closer and see Zeke to his right, Jonah and Ryan opposite of him at the table. I take the empty seat next to Four. Everyone greets me.
"Hey, there you are. Last to arrive," Ryan says.
"Nobody else is coming?" I ask.
"Everyone else is working tonight or they would have come," Jonah says.
"You know what you want?" Ryan asks flagging down a waitress.
"Yeah," I say. We all order something to eat and beers all around.
"So, how's your girl?" Zeke asks hesitantly. "Four here won't say a word about it. I feel kind of bad that I invited Nate and he did that."
"It's not your fault," I tell him. "He's apparently had a thing for her since the second stage. She's fine considering. She handled the whole situation well and even assigned his punishment."
Zeke nods. The drinks arrive and he holds his bottle up to me. "A toast to Eric defending his girl. That, my friend, was an epic beat down," he says. I laugh and clink my bottle with all of theirs.
"So, what happened with that baby yesterday?" Jonah asks me.
"Yeah, I'm dying to know the answer to that question myself," Ryan comments sipping his beer.
I shrug. "Someone in Abnegation adopted him, Louise something... her maiden name was Black," I explain.
"Wait, what's going on?" Four says intrigued, the first words he's spoken since I arrived.
Jonah relays the details of what he's aware of. 
Four turns his head towards me in shock, as if he doesn't even know me.  "You gave a baby your shirt?" he asks incredulously.
I shrug again.  "Yeah," I say simply.  "He was covered in filth and only days old.  Who wouldn't have given up their shirt for that?"
"So, Louise Garner got the baby?  I don't know of anyone who would want a baby more than her.  I remember when my sister helped our neighbor to her doctors appointments.  She came home crying that Louise lost another baby. She told me that she'd lost at least five that were noticeable," he tells us.
I frown, it's six now. I could see in Hosanna's eyes that she wanted to take that baby home with her the moment she had touched him. Yet, she gave him to someone who wanted him more.
Our food arrives. We eat, talk, and drink together having a good time. This is nice. Usually when I've come here in the past, I sat at the bar by myself. It's a good feeling to finally have some real friends.
Ryan insists on getting some shots. I decline and so does Four. Zeke, Jonah, and Ryan go up to the bar to order their drinks. At the first moment alone with Four, I take my opportunity to ask him what I've been intending to.
"So, I've got a question for you," I say.
"Alright. What is it?" he responds laughing, clearly starting to become intoxicated.
I sigh. "How drunk are you?" I ask.
"Not much," he tells me more soberly.
Good. I take a deep breath. "So, I want to ask your sister to marry me. I was hoping to have your blessing," I say getting straight to the point. I don't know how much time we'll have alone and I wanted to get this out.
Four just about spits out his beer.  He coughs and I wait for him to clear his throat.  I take a sip of my beer and then turn to see him staring at me with his mouth open. "I... I don't know what to say to that," he responds.
"I'm serious," I tell him.
"I know," he replies. "I guess the thought that you even care what I think shouldn't surprise me as much as it does. She told me so much last weekend..."
We sit in silence for a moment.  "Aren't you both a little young to be getting married?" he asks.
"I'll be eighteen in a couple weeks," I say.
"You're almost two years older than her?" he asks incredulously.  "Don't you think you're a little old for her?"
"That doesn't matter to either of us.  Look, I love your sister. I always have. There's no one else for me, there never has been and there never will be. I won't keep her from you. I'll protect her, stand by her. I'll comfort her when she's sad, rejoice with her when she's happy. I'll do what I can to make those positive moments last as long as possible. I'll do my best not to screw up but I'll admit that I do make mistakes from time to time—you of all people know that," I say.
Four nods his head in understanding. "Did you get her a ring already?" he asks curiously.
I pull out the chain on my neck to show him my parents' rings.  "This one was my mother's," I say separating hers for him to see clearly. 
"You had that during initiation," he says deep in thought.  "I saw it under your pillow once when Shauna sat on your bed."
"Yeah?" I say raising my eyebrow.  I didn't know about that. 
"So, why isn't she wearing it?" he asks hesitantly.
"Because she died, they both did in a car accident when I was a child," I say tucking the rings back beneath my shirt.
"Hosanna never told me that... so, then, who raised you?" he asks.
"The devil herself," I mumble.  He stares at me confused. 
"Jeanine Matthews," I say more clearly.
"Oh, yeah.  Hosanna told me about her..." he says trailing off.  "So, you don't really like her?" he asks in an attempt to gauge our relationship.
"She's a manipulative, deceitful witch who by the way hacked our system to view your simulations.  At least that's what your sister and I concluded since Erudite tried to do it again this year with hers and others," I tell him.
He nods mulling over all the information I've just shared with him.
"About my sister... I'll think about it," he says taking another large drink from his beer.
As I see our friends down their shots and stand up to come back to the table I add, "You know, I'm not just asking for Hosanna to be my wife.  I'm also wanting you to be my brother."
Our three companions return to the table just before he says, "Okay.  You have my blessing."
I smile widely, shocked that that was so easy, ecstatic that he actually agreed to me marrying her. I stand up and flag down another waitress. I order us another round of beers and a shot each.
"What changed your mind?" Ryan asks as a tray is laid in front of us with all our drinks on it. 
"I feel like celebrating," I say smiling and toasting with my friends.

*****This chapter is one of my favorites from the series.  I hope you enjoyed it.  What do you think?*****

Words of Wisdom:
I think it's important to make peace with everyone, especially with those you hope to become family with when there is a rift.  They had never gotten along before Hosanna came and now Eric has shown Four how much he really does love her.  Hosanna had told her brother about Eric and he started to see that he really was a suitable man for her.  Eric even wants her brother's approval.  Throughout the week, Eric had shown Four the kind of person he has become.  There wasn't much for Four to protest about their union and even Eric listed off any possible doubts that could be holding him back.  He was completely honest with Four about his shortcomings but promises to still do his best. 

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3:15-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭16:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬