Evie's cries awoke me at around three in the morning, demanding for something to eat, and a new nappy, I dragged myself out of bed and headed downstairs to the spare room, which was turned into a nursery when we arrived.
Gently, I lifted her out of the cot and laid her on my chest, bouncing on my toes slightly, humming a tune, and she quickly calmed down, burbling 'mama' at me and releasing quiet protests at the lack of food. I laid her on the changing table and swapped out her dirty nappy for a clean one, using the last of the baby wipes and powder as well.
Sighing, I threw it all in the bin next to the table, and pulled a new packet of wipes and powder from the shelf above and replaced them on the table before washing my hands with anti-bac gel and heaving Evie into my arms again.
Letting my eyes become accustomed to the darkness I slowly made my way to the kitchen, my hand brushing over the couch and the doorway to assure myself that I wasn't going to bump into anything. I reached up for the cabinet which contained the plastic baby bottles and the carton of follow-on formula, and swung it open, wincing as plastic bottles clattered against the wooden counter and tiled floor.
"Shit," I whispered, as the crying began again, and I fumbled for the right bottle and nipple.
"Watch your eyes." I heard a deep voice from behind. I closed my eyes and placed a hand over Evie's as she quietened down, I heard the switch, and a few moments later I opened my eyes to see the kitchen lit up, and the mess of bottles on the floor.
"Go back to bed." Eric mumbled sleepily, wrapping his arms around my stomach and kissing the back of my neck.
I turned to see him wiping his eyes, that were still slightly red, and running a hand through his hair which was pushed up on one side by the pillow and lack of hair product, "I've got this."
Nodding, I reminded him "warm water to the seven ounce line, two scoops of formula." And headed out to the couch, I laid down, Evie resting on my stomach as I watched Eric move around the kitchen. His movements were sluggish, weighed down with sleep, or lack thereof.
I'm surprised that he put the cap back on the bottle before shaking the bottle.
After testing the formula on the inside of his wrist, and seemingly satisfied, he carefully moves Evie into his arms, Eric paced the apartment while cradling Evie, gently moving her so she could drink the milk without any issues.
It was weird seeing Eric at three in the morning, no shirt and a towel hanging from his pocket as he fed Evie, I felt like this was the realist I had seen him, and he wasn't Dauntless Leader Eric, Trainer Eric or Traitor Eric. He was just Eric.
With just under an ounce left, Evie refused to take the bottle, wordlessly, he placed the bottle on the coffee table, and took a seat on the end of the couch, leaning back slightly, he wiped the corners of Evie's mouth with the towel and then laid the it over his shoulder before propping her up slightly higher than usual and patting her back.
Once he was finished, he leant over and kissed me quickly "go to bed, I'll be up in a sec." and he disappeared into the nursery.
Smiling slightly, I turned off the kitchen light and headed back to bed, as I was sinking back into sleep I felt the bed dip, and Eric slipped in beside me.
"Is she asleep?" I mumbled, not opening my eyes as his arm incased me.
"Yeah, out like a light." He said, I felt his arm move, as I assumed he gestured to the baby monitor on my bedside table, which you could hear the occasional snuffle, and if you were to touch the screen you would see Evie peacefully sleeping.
"Love you."
"Love you too."
.:.
Three figures hobbled along the catwalk above, one with a body in there arms, they slid into the tunnel which lead to the into the infirmary. I stopped playing with my yoghurt and musli and turned to Maddie, "who's that?" I asked as Eric sat down and wrapped a arm around my waist.
"The spies coming back from Erudite- they're getting everyone out before the attack." Maddie explained.
"I think that's Lynk and Jake but I don't know where Maxine is." I knew Maddie was missing Lynk, as a Dauntless Leader in training, he didn't have a chance to get out until until now.
She frowned, it then clicked "what if she was the body?" I murmured.
Maddie shook her head, "I really hope it's not." Maddie whispered.
We were given the answer a few minutes later, Lynk collapsed in the seat next to Maddie, wrapping her into a hug and a deep kiss.
"Who was in your arms?" Maddie asked tentatively when they sat down, with a look of intrigue on her face.
Lynk sighed "it was Maxine. She was shot in the abdomen as we escaped, we tried to staunch the blood but she died a hour ago in my arms."
Tears dropped down his face and he quickly wiped them away and left the room.
"You better go after him," I said to Maddie, she nodded and left in the same direction. He and Maxine were like siblings, she was practically raised by his parents alongside him.
Tris and Tobias sat in the spaces that Maddie and Lynk just vacated, I smiled at Tris, and then turned to Tobi as he spoke. "You're both needed for a runthrough of the plan before we inform everyone involved." Tobias said, I nodded, Eric grabbed a bread roll from the centre of the table and loaded the bacon from his breakfast inside "okay lets go."He replied around a mouthful of food.
We walked into the armoury at Dauntless and into the back room where the maps were laid out. A lot of the Dauntless were milling around, prepping weapons for the Erudite attack. I still didn't understand how massacring Erudite, like Erudite massacred Abnegation, was acceptable, but I couldn't argue, I couldn't offer a better plan.
The rest of the loyal Dauntless, Factionless and Candor will be informed of this plan next week, three days before it occurs.
"Alright everyone, as we all know we are here for the final run through of next week." Tobias stated, I decided to keep Evie interested until my part to came up "I will be leading task force A through the right wing, Edward you will be leading task force B through the back exit, Uriah and Zeke you will be taking task force C through the left wing and Eric you will be taking task force D through the roof- a large group of mixed Dauntless and Factionless will be lead through the front entrance by Evelyn." He instructed.
I frowned, I was expected by Evelyn to take a task force. "Hey, why is the Traitor leading?" Edward demanded, jabbing a finger at Eric.
"Eric has proved that he can be trusted and I made a deal with him."
I turned to Eric expectantly, I didn't like the sound of this deal, especially if it meant that I wasn't even involved in the attack.
Eric raised a eyebrow "it was either me or you, and I didn't want you to get hurt, Evie would value you more as a parent." He replied with a shrug and left the room.
I looked at Tobias ludicrously "tell me you didn't." I asked.
Tobias shook his head, "I tried with Evelyn, though she's getting a bit suspicious about my loyalty, and Eric is still a stubborn asshole and wouldn't change his mind."
I headed over to Tobi and wrapped him into a hug, he kissed the top of my head "I really tried, Sash." I nodded "I'm sorry, for not telling you about Evelyn, and not changing her mind."
"Tobi, it's okay, I'm sorry for hurting you, you can't blame yourself for everything." I smiled at him, "we'll do dinner?" He showed me a rare Tobi grin, "sure."
I said goodbye to everyone and went to find Eric and our daughter. I stopped searching around half one. Eric wouldn't have done anything stupid, especially with Evie. I plopped into the seat opposite Tris, who was glaring at her hamburger while nibbling on a chip.
"No Eric?" She asked.
I shook my head "no Tobias."
"Nope, he's gone on a large ditch effort to change Evelyn's decision." She explained, I nodded in agreement, "he blames himself." I sighed, before adding, "sorry I forgot Evie's food- I'll be right back." I apologised, getting up and heading to the stairs.
I was about to go into our apartment when I felt a excruciating pain in my neck, I screamed through gritted and dropped to the ground, the world going black before I even hit the ground.
Eric
I walked into the large dining room with Evie nestled up in a blanket in my arms, people stared as I walked down the row of tables, I was used to it, I was the youngest leader at Dauntless, and that turned heads, now being the youngest leader with a baby. It brought a lot of attention.
I spotted one of Sasha's friends sitting with Four and Tris at the back of the hall, "hey has anyone seen Sasha?" I asked as I took a seat, Maddie shook her head,"Sasha said that she went to the bedroom to pick up some baby food for Evie." Tris offered.
I nodded, offering Evie a slice of banana off of mine, she took several tries before she successfully put the piece in her mouth, that's when a yell echoed through the room. It's Christina, the Candor transfer I hung over the Chasm for five minutes. "Simulation," she stated. "There's a simulation. It's not everyone, it's just ... just a few." Christina puts her hands on her knees and takes deep breaths, like she's just ran all the way down here. I hopped out my seat and thrusted Evie into Maddie's shocked arms and ran towards her, it took a moment to register that Tris was beside me.
"One of them said something about the Divergent," she explained while the lift took us upwards, it wasn't common practice to use the lift, and I was surprised that it still worked.
"Said that?" I asked. "While under a simulation?"
She nodded. "Marlene. Didn't sound like her, though. Too... monotone."
The lift opened, and I rushed down to the door with ROOF ACCESS stated in bold letters.
As I slammed through the door, the chilly air hit me causing goosebumps to appear on my arms, we were nearing the end of October and the chill of the night accompanied by the fierce wind made for harsh conditions.
I spotted Marlene, along with Hector, who was the younger brother of Shauna- who I shared Initiation with- and an 8 year old Dauntless called Kee, the last person had no distinguishing features but was eerily familiar.
"Just come down off the ledge now," Christina coaxed. "Don't do anything stupid. Come on, now ..."
"They can't hear you," I reminded her quietly as I walked toward them. "Or see you."
I peered at the faces on the ledge and my calmness dropped, Sasha's vacant and empty look stared back at me, and I feel the fear of loosing her grip at my airways
"We should all jump at them at once. I'll take Hec, you-" Christina started.
"We'll risk shoving them off the roof if we do that. Stand by the girl, just in case." Tris replied, pacing before them, their bodies perfectly still despite the harsh winds buffering them from every angle.
Finally they opened their mouths and spoke, all in perfect symphony. "I have a message for the Divergent." Their voices sounded flat and robotic, they lacked their human features.
"This is not a negotiation. It is a warning," explained the simulation through the Dauntless members. "Every two days until one of you delivers yourself to Erudite headquarters, this will happen again."
This.
Forcing someone to commit suicide?
My stomach dropped as Sasha stumbled off the edge, I launched myself forward, catching Sasha around the torso. We tumbled down, my hip smashing against the ledge, I groaned inwardly as I felt myself slip off of the edge too. I wrapped all six foot of my body around hers to protect her from the impact.
I felt something clamp around my foot, and I saw Christina desperately clinging to my foot, another arm reached over and seized my other ankle. Four. Working with them both, we managed to manoeuvre myself and Sasha back over the ledge and we fell onto the gravel floor in a tangled heap.
I heard a sickening crunch as no-one caught the fourth victim but I didn't care- Sasha was alive.
Moments later I heard Sasha groan, I looked down and saw her eyes were open, she looked disorientated "what are we doing on the floor?" She whispered.
I smirked while keeping my body wrapped around hers "well, I'm still saving your life." and kissed her, not caring who saw.
Hi everyone, at the moment most of these are fillers with little bits of info that are essential to the story. Who like Eric gif????
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