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

Chapter 30 (Eric's POV)

I wake up first thing in the morning with a smile on my face. She said yes. I'm marrying the love of my life before the sun sets today. This will be my last day in this apartment, my last night alone in this bed. I reach my hand over to the empty space on the other side and feel the smoothness of the sheets. Next time I do this, my wife will be laying there. I grin wider and pull myself out of bed to get on with my day.  
I send out messages to all of the Dauntless leaders as well as other factions. I only invited the Priors from Abnegation since we both have such a good rapport with them, plus she's a good friend of their daughter's.  I also sent messages out to several managers throughout the compound including Jax, Raven, and Dana.  I put out a message to Hosanna's pastor since she was really counting on him performing the ceremony.  If not, we could always have Lydia or Max officiating. I'm hoping everyone checks their mail on a Sunday since the only response I received so far was Jeanine saying that they would both be coming. I'm ecstatic about Lizzy coming here today.
When I'm cleaned up, I walk down the hallway to see if Ryan is up yet. I knock on his door with no answer so I begin to pound on it loudly. After a couple minutes, he opens it with his hair a mess—shirtless. "Where's the fire?" he jokes.
"I need your help today. I'm getting married tonight and you're going to be my best man. Get cleaned up and eat breakfast quickly. We've got work to do," I inform him.
"You asked her last night?" he says excitedly—blinking almost in shock as he's waking up more.
I smile. "She said yes and that she didn't want to wait anymore," I tell him.
"Alright," he agrees grinning. "Let me shower and you go do what you have to do.  I'll call you when I'm done and we'll meet up wherever."
"Thanks man," I say hugging my friend.
He chuckles, "I'll expect the same from you."
"Not a problem," I respond happily.
As I cross the compound, my phone buzzes with a new message. I look at it to see the response from Pastor Roberts. I smile. My bride going to be so happy.
My next stop is to see the three I appointed as janitors. I knock on their door. To my surprise Aaron answers the door in full security gear. He stares at me confused for a moment. I check the apartment number on the door before I ask, "Are Doug, Luke, and Jeff here?"
"Yes, sir. Let me get them," he responds respectfully, leaving his door open. I step in the doorway but don't go any further.
I hear Aaron pounding on the doors down the hallway. I laugh thinking of how I woke Ryan up just like that. Aaron comes back into the their living room.
"I don't think I've ever seen you laugh," he says surprised.
I shrug, "It's probably because you don't really know me."
He clears his throat. "You can come in," he offers.
I step in and have a seat in one of their chairs. I'm surprised this place is so small but I think that was Lydia's doing since she decided on the housing for them. I think this is a two bedroom apartment and four people got crammed in here.
"Why are you here?" Aaron asks after a minute of silence.
"You can stay to hear if you want," I tell him. Maybe he'll think better of us if he hears this conversation, but then again, I really don't care what he thinks of us. I'm actually surprised he's held his tongue although considering his past, it was never me he said anything rude to.
Luke comes out first—clearly he was asleep.
"Sorry to wake you," I apologize.
"Not a problem," Luke responds. "Jeff's putting some pants on."
A second later Jeff comes in. "Hi Eric. What's going on?" he questions.
"I'll explain when Doug shows up," I say.
Aaron walks back down the hall and bangs on the door. "Your leader is waiting for you. Get your butt out of there."
The three of us in the living room laugh at that. "Is it always like this?" I ask.
"Yeah, pretty much," Luke answers.
"Well, we all share one bathroom," Jeff points out. "Doug is always first in the shower in the morning and then Aaron hogs it after that before he goes to bed."
I nod my head. "Night shift," I say remembering why he got that.
Doug finally comes out in a pair of pants with damp hair. "What's going on?" he inquires.
"I need a favor from you three," I request. They wait silently for me to continue. "So, Hosanna and I are getting married tonight and I need some help in the glass hall above the offices with cleaning, setting up, and taking down."
"I didn't even know you were engaged," Luke says.
"I just asked her last night," I admit.
"That's fast," Doug comments.
"Hence, the reason why I need help today," I say chuckling.
"When do you need it ready by?" Jeff asks, uninterested in prying as to why.
"The ceremony is scheduled for just before sunset, so about eight o'clock for us to receive guests," I tell him.  "We'll have some hors d'oeuvres served."
"Who's coming?" Luke asks curiously.
"Are you part Pedrad?" I question laughing.
"Yeah, actually they're my second cousins," Luke says.
"I see you've inherited some of their," I clear my throat, "charm."
"You don't have to beat around the bush.  I'm definitely as much of a gossip as Uriah," he tells me laughing.
"Well, Dauntless leadership will be there.  All of the leaders from every faction are invited.  Her pastor just confirmed that he'll be officiating—he's Candor. I know Erudite will be coming for sure, my sister, our friends, and a few important people from the faction have been invited.  You all are invited as well, just don't invite the entire faction.  That room can only fit so many people.  It'll probably be a quick ceremony, too," I explain.
"You really have this all planned out," Doug comments.
"I have a lot to do to pull it off but I want the best for my girl.  She deserves it," I say.  "So, I can count on your help?"
"Not a problem," Jeff agrees.  "We'll take care of the hall."
"Alright.  If you get it cleaned before I get up there, we have chairs stored under the stage.  Just pull out the panels," I inform them.  I remove a key off my ring and hand it to him.  "There is a locked storage area with tables and supplies against the far wall.  Set up whatever you think you'll need."
"Will there be cake?" Jeff asks.
"I should probably get one.  Thanks for everything," I say appreciatively before leaving their apartment.
"Hey, Eric," I hear Aaron call from behind me in the hall.
"Yeah?" I question as I turn around. He steps out of his door and closes it.
"Why the rush to get married?" he asks.
"Because I love her and neither of us want to wait any longer," I tell him.
He nods pursing his lips.  I'm glad he doesn't say anything offensive like 'Did you knock her up?' or something. I'd probably lose my cool.
"Working on the wall at night has given me time to think.  I... I saw her before, in school.  Lots of guys were always hitting on her, cornering her in the halls and all over campus.  I thought she was trashy—even for an Abnegation girl, since most pretty girls are in my experiences.  I probably shouldn't say this but that last year, her body changed a lot.  It was clear to me that she wasn't..." he pauses looking up to the camera.  He looks back to me before he continues. "...innocent anymore.  My older sister was pretty trashy so that's what I thought of her. 
"After Jacob got taken away, I was upset.  Before that happened, I saw him walking out of the girls bathroom when she was in there and I thought she was playing the victim about the whole incident.  But one of the guys I work with said his roommate was there with you when that happened.  He said you were frantic about saving her and that she really was injected with some medication against her will. 
"Then the incident happened with Nathan and I heard some people talking about it in the hallway when I got back the next morning.  They said she commanded him to let her go but he wouldn't stop—that you just stepped away for a moment.  Even my own roommates said that their friends and family were there and that's exactly how it went down. 
"I've read the articles from Erudite—how they still continue to pour out.  I saw who her father was on Visiting Day. And since my family didn't come... I'll admit I eavesdropped on their conversation.  I heard what he said to her and saw her reaction.  I had just fought her and knew that it takes something significant to actually distract her.  But the more I think about it... the more I think... it's entirely possible that she could have been a victim. The things he said to her and the way he said it seemed almost twisted. 
"I'll admit I mocked her because I thought it'd humble her or humiliate her enough to back off of you, plus I thought it would distract her during the fight.  I was worried that she'd use you for a boost in her rank.  After the ranks were announced and I saw you two together, to be honest, I was jealous... of... well, of her rank and that mine turned out so poorly in the end.  I guess I'm just trying to say I'm sorry for what I said. 
"All that time I've had to think lately has made me realize what a judgmental jerk I've been.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry.  I'd like to make it up to her.  If you still need help later, I'm available.  I just need to get some sleep first, but I'd like to be able to tell her that I'm sorry."
I take in everything that he's said, surprised that he's been so observant—so clever.  "First off, that information you're thinking about her father, keep that to yourself," I say firmly.  "Only the leaders and her proctor know the truth about that.  Her brother doesn't know and it's not our secret to tell.  Especially since you have a Pedrad in your apartment—they're known for gossip.  Perhaps everything else will help you to see that though there are a few manipulative females here, the vast majority of them that have such things happen are the victims.  Believe me, we have Pit security now for a reason.
"As for the help, I'm sure she'd appreciate it.  If you ever come to know her, you'll see she's very kind and easy to forgive.  But remember, this is her wedding day and I don't want you to bring up anything unpleasant.  She's had a hard life—harder than anyone else in your initiation group or than I've ever known for that matter, so I expect the language and intent to be clean.  Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," he says nodding.