I'm really sorry it takes me so long to update this one. My writers block will be the death of me, I swear it. Anyways, hopefully this isn't too disappointing.
Corrine
"He's what?" I ask, thinking I've heard Eric wrong.
"He's my damn father. My real one." Eric runs his hands through his hair in frustration.
"How long have you known?" The silver haired man asks.
"Since I became a leader, I had my ways of finding out. Should of known it was you, Zachariah, trying to contact me all these years." Eric shakes his head.
"Your whore of a mother gave you away before I even had a say in it. Of course I wanted to know where my son ended up." Zachariah says. Eric's jaw clenches.
"Do not talk about her that way." Eric growls.
"You didn't even know the woman, how can that upset you?"
"She was good enough to get me away from you, that's all I need to know. Come on, Corrine." Eric grabs my arm and starts to pull me away.
"You don't want to introduce your father to the beautiful young lady you love so much?" Zachariah says behind us.
"No. Now let us go, and the others. We want nothing to do with what you're doing here." Eric says.
"You haven't even heard what I'm planning."
"I don't need to or desire to."
"Eric...maybe we should listen, we have nowhere else to go." I whisper to him.
"No, Corrine. Absolutely not. Zachariah is bad news."
"Well I want to hear what he has to say." I pull my arm from his grip.
"I'm ordering you to leave with me." Eric says deeply.
"As my leader or the man I love?" I fold my arms across my chest.
"Both." He says between clenched teeth. I glare at him and turn back around to walk towards Zachariah.
I hear Eric hit something behind me with his fist and possibly turn over a table, but I don't turn around to look. I love him, but he will not tell me what to do and he needs to trust me and try to consider things I say. We aren't in Dauntless anymore.
"How can help you, lovely?" Zachariah says.
"If you would, id like to hear what your plan is." I say shyly.
"Ah, so even though my sons asks you not to, you still stay?" He says.
"I love your son, sir, but I can take care of myself." I sit down in the chair in front of his desk.
"The Factionless have been making plans against the system for a very long time. We have been gathering weapons when the chances arise and plotting moves against Jeanine Mathews." He starts.
"What do you plan to do to Jeanine?" I ask.
"I'd like to avoid killing her if possible, but if she refuses to see that the people here can benefit the system, then we will do what is necessary."
"What about the other factions?"
"We don't have anything against any factions, only against what Jeanine and some of the other leaders have planned."
"Why does this sound too good to be true?"
"Ah, there is the bit of my son rubbing off on you. Never trusting, always questioning loyalty."
"No offense to you, sir, but I believe he has good reason."
"Right you are, dear. We can speak more of this soon. I think it might be best, if you find Eric." Zachariah stands from his char and motions for me to go to the door.
I stand and follow him, he opens the door and let's me into the hallway. I nod to him.
"Thank you, for trusting me with your information." I say.
"Another time, Corrine." He closes his door behind me. I look around for where I should even begin to look for Eric.
But the path of over turned crates and trash cans leading through the corridor to my left gives me a good place to start.
I walk until I find Eric in an empty room, pacing back and forth. His eyes closed and his cheeks flushed with frustration.
"Eric.." I say quietly.
"No. Not now. I don't want to be near you right now." He says and points to the door for me to leave but I don't budge.
"You can't tell me what to do Eric, it never worked before and it sure as hell won't work now. So you might as well talk to me."
"I begged you, Corrine. To just this one time, listen to me! You don't know him, you have no idea what he's capable of."
"Neither do you, Eric! How could you know all of that?"
"I had people watching him. Reporting to me what he was doing. I've known he was up to something for awhile, I just wasn't sure how much of a threat he would be." Eric leans his back against the wall, trying to calm himself.
"I don't think he means any harm, not to us anyways. He only wants to get rid of Jeanine, just like we do."
"Of course that's what he tells you, Corrine. He will tell you anything to get you on his side. He's manipulative."
"Where else will we go Eric? We keep running? Forever? We could be safe here." I say.
"No. We are not safe here, far from it. Pleas Corrine, we have to leave here." He walks towards me and I take a step back.
"Eric, I want to stay. I want to feel safe again. We can only protect ourselves so much."
"I'll protect you."
"I know that. But what if this is the only chance we have at living normally again?"
"You think we would live normally here? Zachariah will have us serving him like slaves. He's not interested in helping us, only using us."
"Using us for what?"
"For bait. For Jeanine. He knows she won't stop looking for us because we know too much."
"I don't know, Eric. I got us into this..I want to get us out."
"This isn't your fault. I can't do this without you. I will run for the rest of my life with you by my side but I will not stay here." He closes the distance between us and presses a lingering kiss to my lips.
"Eric..just stay. Can't we try? If it doesn't work out we can leave. Just please." I breathe against his lips.
"If you stay here I won't be able to stay with you. I can't." He grabs my thighs and lifts me up, pressing my back against the wall, kissing me over and over.
"Please Eric...don't do this." I can feel tears pricking my eyes. He kisses me again, like its the last time that he ever will. "Stop. Please stop kissing me like you're saying goodbye."
"Are you staying here, or are you leaving with me?" He asks.
I have to think about more than myself. I have to think about Finn, and Marie and Ricky. About their safety and keeping them alive. If he leaves me here he will be ripping my heart from my chest and taking it with him. I love him, but this is more than us.
"I can't go, Eric. I love you, I want you to stay with me..please.." I beg him once more.
He stares into my eyes, as he slowly let's me down from the wall, my feet touching the ground again. He just looks at me a moment, not saying anything. His hand cups my cheek and he wipes a tear from it.
And then like the earth being pulled out from beneath me, he steps away.
"Goodbye, Corrine."