The choices you made | Eric Coulter (Under Reconstruction)

x22 As the world falls down

"You do, we all suffered for it."

And that was the last thing she saw before Ellie tried to pick up a rifle from the pile, but Eric was the one to take her by her hands and shove her back to him.

"This non-sense stop now.", Eric announced, harshly letting her go. "Stop being so pathetic. Both of you."

Eric's intense and fearless stare penetrated through Eleanor's soul. No matter who he was now, he always remained a leader she still tended to respect and follow. Sometimes she felt as if she was in a clash of titans with him, with her always being the losing one.
He was older, tougher, stronger and much more dangerous.
And she has just started walking that same path.

"If you two do not gather yourselves, you aren't going anywhere. That much I can promise.", he said. "And trust me, I keep my promises.", he looked considerably at Ellie saying this one.
Four remained contemned.

"I believe the girls will behave, as we all want to see Jeanine's downfall with our own eyes.", Evelyn noted, with an analyzing glimpse on her face. "That is why we are here today, not to solve your little tantrum."

"Evelyn, we are slow. It has to be faster. We have to be quicker.", Eleanor said. "Until we go, she will take whole Chicago."

"She won't.", Four said. "Every day, more and more people are joining our forces."

"And this is a risk not worth the trouble because for once we will be traced. And what happens to us and all the people we promised sanctuary to?", Ellie said, exhaling deeply. "Jeanine will melt us to the ground."

"I rarely say this, but I am with her on this one.", Eric stated. "We can't afford to wait. Time is the only luxury we do not have."

"Ok, let's do this.", Tris instantly agreed. Her longing for vengeance was stronger than anything, ever since the Abnegation mission.
She never hid that; it ruled her mind, her soul and her being ever since. From what Four said, Ellie remembered that they were almost thrown out because she was arguing with Peter, constantly trying to beat him.
Of course, she could have only guessed that Peter never helped prevent the cause; once a prick, always a prick, Eleanor knew how annoying and sarcastic he could be from her own personal experience.

"Let us think about the plan.", Evelyn said. "Tomorrow morning we will meet again and discuss the details.", she nodded her head in conclusion.

"Agreed.", Elle said.

***

Later that evening, Ellie did her best not to bother Eric.

She was still thinking about Will, so hanging out with Christina was also not an option. She ended up cleaning the weaponry and trying out every gun she got her fingers onto.
Her urge to be with Eric was still strong, so she needed to distract herself as much as possible and for as long as possible, to give him the much-needed time and space to heal.
It was so hard to do that, after tasting the sweet freedom of having him whenever he comes home. He didn't even sleep in the same room anymore, as she was mostly settled in Evelyn's accommodation.
Not that she wanted to hang out with her newfound mother; she didn't. But she promised Four to keep an eye on her and she planned to stick to this promise. It was just another way to keep herself away from Eric.

"Shit.", she muttered nervously, as she snatched her finger on the trigger. It was stuck and for some time already, she was doing her best to unload it. Luckily, it was empty as she was looking through it to see what was the problem. After the pain flew through her finger, it fell on the floor with a loud tup-tup.

"You still do need to work on your anger issues.", the voice she has been longing to hear reappeared behind her back, just like it always did.
That wasn't the case ever since he was 'brought back from the dead", but it was something she wished for and hoped for always.
It brought her memories before the initiation; when he wrapped up her hand when she slipped that damned knife. How she felt around him that day even though they were nothing of a sort like they were today. And he approached her with almost the same words, remarking something about her anger issues.
They were rare, but he saw them all by now.