Nothing Without You | Eric Coulter [2]

twelve

    "Wait!" Eric stops us as we followed Peter down the hallway, "There's a closer exit this way."

Since we've reunited, he hasn't once let go of my hand, clutching it tightly in his.

He attempts to lead me down the path he'd pointed out, but I pull him back.

"We're not leaving yet," I tell him, chastising myself for not remembering to bring him up to speed with our plans earlier.

Eric frowns at me, "Why the fuck not? We need to get you out of here as soon as we can, it's not safe here-"

"We need to get the box," Tris explains, "Peter knows how to get to it."

Eric scoffs, "I'm not risking Nessa's life for your stupid fucking box. If you want to take part in a suicide mission, you can go at it on your own." He settles a glare on Tobias, "Leave Nessa out of this."

"It's important-"

"To you," Eric cuts her off and Tris glares up at him as he continues on his rant, "Again, I'm not risking our lives just because you have a fucking god complex and think you can save the world single-handedly. You can't and you'll just end up getting everyone else killed in the process."

"Watch it," Tobias shoved himself between Eric and Tris.

"Do you even care if your sister makes it out of here alive?" He grits out, "Or is the damn Stiff all you care about?"

"Eric," I grip the back of his shirt, trying to defuse some of the tension before either of them started throwing punches at each other.

"I'm not putting your life on the line for something that has nothing to do with you," He says vehemently, "Nothing is worth taking that risk."

"I know that, but I can't just leave my brother to do this alone, Eric. We'll have strength in numbers, right?" I tell him, " And what if this could lead to something? Maybe we could end all of this for good."

Eric's eyes darted between mine, "You really want to do this?"

I nodded, "I do."

He exhales sharply, pressing a kiss to my temple, "Stay close to me, okay?"

"I will."

Eric turns back to Tobias and Tris, "This better not get us fucking killed."

✧

    I watched as Eric and Tobias swiftly took out the two guards that were guarding the door, holding each of them in a chokehold until their bodies went limp.

By the time Tris and I joined them, Eric was already bending forward until he was at eye level with the sophisticated-looking machine by the door, grumbling under his breath.

"If this doesn't fucking work..." Eric trails off.

The system beeps cheerily, the light beside the button turning green as an automated voice announces, "Access granted."

I released a breath I didn't even realise I was holding and just as I was starting to think that luck was on our side, an alarm starts blaring overhead.

"Fucking hell," Eric curses, "Come on, hurry inside." He guides me inside the room with a hand on the small of my back, telling Tobias to close the door behind us- which he does.

We all make way for Tris to seize the box. I guess since she was the one who wanted to come for it, we all thought she should be the one to grab it.

Instead, she stands frozen, staring at the box anxiously.

"Tris! We have to move!" Tobias yells, calling out again when she doesn't make a move.

"I can't!" She finally replies, "Tobias, I can't. My mom died protecting whatever it is that's inside. I need to open it and I think I know how."

"If we don't leave now, we're never making it out of here," Tobias says.

"I know it doesn't make much sense," She glances pleadingly at my brother, "But you have to trust me."

His eyes search hers for a moment before he mutters, "With my life, apparently."

"No, wait!" Peter stops, "You can't. You failed the Amity Sim."

Tris sighed, moving to step on the metal disc by the box. "We don't have a choice."

"The paralytic may have saved you the last time. But there isn't any to save you this time, Tris." Peter tries to reason, "You can't."

"There isn't another way, Peter!" Tris yells, frustration lacing her tone.

My mind races and I find myself saying the words before my brain even catches up with the idea of what I'm about to do.

"Yes, there is."

The room falls silent and all eyes fall on me, but I was only focused on the fierce blue ones that glared down at me.

"No," He states firmly, "You are not doing this."

"Eric, what if this is the only way-"

"Then, fuck it. We'll find another one," His hands reach up to cup my cheeks on either side almost desperately, "I am not losing you again. Do you hear me?"

"You won't."

"You don't know that," He argues, "You've never been through this sim before, Nessa. You don't know what's going to happen."

"I can do this, Eric." I reassure, "I want to."

His fingers flex against my jaw as if he were trying to hold onto me so I wouldn't leave. Then, he squeezes his eyes shut and lets out a sigh, leaning his forehead against mine.

"Don't leave me, okay?" He whispers, "Just...come back to me. That's all I'm asking."

I meet his gaze, and the desperation and worry that I see in them floors me.

It's hard to wrap my head around how much he feels for me even though I was seeing it with my own eyes.

Reaching up to trace my fingers over his cheekbones, I smile up softly at him.

"Promise," I tell him, "I love you so much."

Eric leans forward, closing the distance between our lips and mutters, "I love you, too." Before pressing a deep but chaste kiss to them.

He realises me, his eyes conveying that he was holding me to my promise and that he'll be here waiting when I do as I stepped back onto the metal disc.

Nerves flutter in my chest as I watch tentacle-like metal tubes make their descent from the ceiling and just as gunshots and chaos filter in from around me, the only sign that I get telling me that I was one step closer to whatever it was this box had to offer was the automated voice that said, "Initialising sim."