AN: It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm so sorry, but then again life is kicking my ass right now, and I have to find the time to kick it right back, that leaves less time for other things. Anyways I'll save you the details, and spoiler alert, a certain Abnegation is coming!

xxx

It had been a busy week of balancing. Balancing my time between friends, Eric, and most of all training. Four had seen the best and worst of me these few weeks, but yesterday he gave me a nod, which I took as his way of letting me know that I was finally ready to take on the new Initiates, and the responsibility of training them. Just in time, although honestly I don't think it made a difference whether I was ready or not, noting that as I stood here fiddling with the hem of Eric's old shirt, the new initiates were on a train headed to the Headquarters to start training.

I was standing at the bottom of the compound entrance, or I guess the gaping hole in the pavement so generously called an entrance, that I had fallen through only months ago. I had started my training with apprehension, and now I was back waiting to start training with apprehension. A full circle, I thought ironically. Four, who stood to the left of me, looked exactly as he had on the first day, foreboding, but now that I stood in his shoes I could say he was at least as nervous as I was. Even if he didn't show it. Eric was on the roof, waiting to greet the new initiates as they came of the train, and waiting to send them off the roof and into the protection of Four and I, though I wouldn't vouch for their safety, not with the experience I've had. I could almost picture the smirk on his face now, daring them to jump as he had when I was in their shoes. I tried to imitate the way he stood in my mind, if only to make myself more intimidating.

"Are you nervous?" Four questioned, mimicking the words Eric had asked when we woke up this morning.

"A little," I said openly, wishing that I wasn't such a Candor still. Was it that obvious? I wished that I could look as intimidating as Four, even though he had reminded me many times that appearances were misleading. I still wished I could look bigger, darker, somehow more in charge.

"Don't be, you'll do fine." Four smirked at me then, "Better than fine, you are a force to be reckoned with." I laughed, a full on laugh that shook my sides thinking back to our training, he was right.

"They're coming," He put on a straight face, giving me one last smile as he nudged me, "Stop smiling." I did as instructed, but gave Four one last nervous wink. Only his eyes told me that he was proud, that he was sure of himself, and me. I wanted to open my mouth and thank him, but there was a hollar and a thump of something hitting the net in front of us, and I was dragged into the present.

The girl was smiling, her blond hair a halo around her and a sense of elation that was untouchable, that was, until Four brought her back from reality. I could see the adrenaline flushing out of her system, and I could see how the steady gaze from Four caused her to falter, caused her to nearly fall out of the safety net.

"Name?" He asked, and I could remember that same sharp detachment in his voice like it was yesterday. The girl seemed to finally focus in on him then, losing the look of a deer caught in headlights, yet her name was still heavy on her tongue.

"You can pick a new one if you want," Four told her, sensing her hesitation, "But make it good. You don't get to pick again."

"Tris," She said quietly, as if only to herself before saying it louder to the rest of us, "My name is Tris." She looked pleased, and I felt her relieved elation seep under my skin, though both Four and I showed no emotion as he called out the First Jumper and she faded into the background. Fading was an Abnegation trick, and I wondered whether it would help or harm her chances.

Bodies were flying through the air and names were being given in rapid succession, until, at last, all of the initiates were standing before us. Well, all who made it off the roof. Four started his speech, eerily similar to the one I'd heard from him at my Initiation, it was easy to tune out as I scanned the faces before me. Some were hardened, though looking at their eyes I could tell not a single one of them were sure, and the rest of them were at least honest about it.

The first jumper caught my eye, she looked as though she wasn't listening, like she was too busy scanning the crowd around her just as I was. She will do well, although I was surprised she was even here at all, Abnegation and Dauntless aren't exactly the most common of alliances.

"We will now lead you through the Dauntless Facilities," I took over, and Four lead the way out of the room, "If you have any questions I will not be answering them." I stated plainly upon seeing the Erudite boy in the blue button up raise his hand with eager intent. "The centre of Dauntless is called the pit," I told them, making as much eye contact as possible, "It's where everything important happens, and if you are lucky you'll have fun there. Next up is the Mess Hall, or Cafeteria if you'd rather, it is where we eat meals, you will be given a time for lunch and dinner," I was shouting out information at rapid fire before a question was thrown back at me.

"What about breakfast?" A smallish darker girl asked me, reminding me of Dhani in the way she held herself. I smirked at her question, noting that she must be a Candor.

"Breakfast is for the early risers." I smirked at her, "I thought I said no questions, Initiate."

She slid back into line with a sheepish look and I knew then that she wouldn't cause any trouble, she was all bark and no bite. Four carried on the introductory tour and I held up the end of the group, watching how they all existed with one another. There was a ring leader, who was laughing and joking with his two followers, they looked like trouble. Then there were the ones who looked too nice to be here, a blonde boy in particular had a look of innocence, and I knew that I would hate to see that leave him. There was a tall boy who looked as though he could hold his own, but the girl hanging off his arm threatened to drag him down. There was the questioning girl, who was whispering to the first jumper, and then there were the ones that I wouldn't bother learning the names of.

We left the group in their rooms and then I went to find Eric before lunch. Finding him was harder than I thought it would be, but I finally stumbled on him in the training room, writing the names of the Initiates up on the chalkboard. I smirked when he didn't notice me at first.

"I thought that would be one of Four's jobs," I called to him from the side of the room. He turned to me with a smirk that matched my own. His eyes seemed to burn me up.

"It is, but I wanted to do it," I accepted his answer with a slow nod of my head, he just laughed.

"So are you coming to lunch." I asked, walking up to him and leaning into his waiting embrace. "I want to show you off," I nuzzled my face into his chest before letting go and retreating to the wall of the room, he followed me with a dark grin.

"Is that all you want to do?" He asked testing the waters before leaning in for a kiss.

"It's all you're good for," I replied hitting him lightly on the chest with a laugh. He laughed at my quick response, swiping out to catch me and hold me to him. I heard the low rumble in his chest and felt his arms snake around my waist.

xxx

Walking to the tables with Eric was something I'd never get used, and I supposed that the Dauntless that were staring wouldn't either. Sitting across from Four with my tray and Eric in tow, it was as if lasers were drilling into my mind. The new Initiates at the table were staring with intrigue as Eric, the youngest faction leader, joined them at the table. Their intrigue only turned to shock as Eric's hand slipped from the table to my lap to hold my thigh, as he usually did when we sat next to each other.

Four gave us an exasperated glance but I chose to ignore it. Instead catching the eyes of the Initiates around us, more specifically the Stiff who sat a little ways away from Four. She had her eyes on the spot where Eric's hand had disappeared and then she looked to us, blushing when she found herself caught at watching our amorous activities. The others just seemed impressed, as if my connection to the faction leader had any weight here. Or maybe it was because they were boys and Eric was so openly making me unavailable, unattainable.

"Are you two like together?" The questioning Candor transfer asked, leaning over the table to absorb the news in a way that reminded me so much of my old Faction.

"I'm getting really tired of repeating myself, no questions." The girl shut up after that, and I could see her dark skin had gone two shades lighter than normal. Eric merely smirked in my direction and I felt his hand raise higher as I sipped my water.

Conversation had slowed to a near stop, or maybe I had gotten so used to tuning out the Initiate chatter already, but my ears perk back to life when the mousy Abnegation girl speaks up.

"So were you a transfer like us, or?" The trailed off question was directed at Four, I'm sure, because she could barely glance at Eric and I without blushing profusely. It made me wonder how the Stiffs could even think of procreating.

"What makes you think you can talk to me?" My mind was snapped back as Fours words cut through the air like an open palm. Although Tris didn't look as though she'd been hit. She was either brave or stupid.

"Maybe it's because you're so approachable," She stated, clearly not accustomed to speaking out of turn. She would have a good time here, if first impressions were anything. I heard Eric beside me clear his throat, signalling his distaste. I couldn't help but snicker at the two boys reactions. Tris' eyes snapped to me and I fixed her with a hard gaze. Hopefully she saw the approval I'd hidden there.

"Watch who you're talking to Stiff," Eric said dangerously beside me, I dropped my hand to his on my thigh. "We'll see how long you last." I internally sighed at Eric's obvious intimidation techniques, and the affect they seemed to have upon all the Initiates at the table. Had I ever been that new. I hoped not. "Now if you'll excuse us, Four and I have matters to discuss." It looked as though Four hadn't been told about these matters, but an exhausted sigh let me know that he had some idea of what was to come. I wondered what they needed to be so private about, but I put it out of my mind as Eric gave my thigh a light squeeze and left the table.

With them gone all eyes at the table looked to me, some were expectant, some were awestruck. The Candor girl from earlier looked as though she were weighing her options of asking or letting it be, and I think we both knew which would win out.

"So you are together?" She questioned, the look in her eyes was practically begging for an answer. I just sipped my water cooly and made her wait for it.

"Obviously they are," The blue clad Erudite boy spoke out from his side of the table, across from the inquisitive girl. "Did you see the way they sat there,"

"He couldn't keep his hands off her," The blonde Candor boy burst out, as though he couldn't keep the information in any longer. I decided that now was the best time to end that conversation.

"I wouldn't be so concerned with relationship status if I were you; not when you have training to think of." and with those words the table sobered up, and Eric and Four made their return not much later. Eric had a bit more tension in his shoulders, tension obviously put there by Four. Something was up, but I knew that I could get that information out of Eric later, someway or another. Eric didn't sit back down, instead having business to attend to, he gave me a brief look that clearly meant find me later. And hell if I didn't want to find him later after his eyes lingered on mine like that, with his mouth drawn up in a daring half smirk.

"Yeah they're definitely together," The Candor girl and the Erudite boy said in near unison.

"I just don't see how the leader of their faction could be so young." The Candor boy said, looking to Four and I for some sort of explanation.

"Age doesn't matter here," Four stated, not even bothering to look the boy in the eye.

I wanted to add my opinion to the conversation regarding my man, but the thought was cut off by the clanking of metal cups against the table top. I took that as my chance to leave and find Eric before training started again.

He was in our usual spot, the quiet little alcove down on the edge of the pit. I was pulled close to him with two large hands on my waist. I could feel the heat coming off his skin, and our breath mingling in the close air between us. All the things about him made my heart speed up, and with my hands on his chest I felt him match my pace. I wondered if my eyes showed how much I wanted him, and if they did I wondered what was taking him so damn long.

As if he could read my mind his lips crashed against mine, drawing me in so that there was no space left between us. I brought my hands to his back, and he placed a hand on my hip bone, and tangled the other in my hair. He kissed a hot trail down my neck, spending extra time on my collarbone because he knew it drove me crazy. I moaned out, as quietly as possible, and he chuckled against my skin.

"You're never quiet babe," he whispered in my ear, picking me up so that I was pressed between him and the wall with my legs wrapped around his hips. "So why start now?"

At that I couldn't help myself anymore, I had to make him feel what I was feeling right now with him. I looked into his blue eyes, they were heavier and dark with longing. I kissed him again, slowly rolling my hips against his. I heard his breath hitch, then he let out a low groan that I felt through my whole body. Before I knew it I was pressed between him and the wall, his hands on my hips guiding me through the motions that caused our breath to come out in ragged pants.

I don't know how far we would've taken it, and I'd like to imagine it going pretty far, but through the haze of his kisses and mine I remembered that we both had somewhere to be. Not somewhere better, but somewhere else. I had to lead the Initiates to their rooms and tuck them into bed, and he had to finish up for the night. I just hoped that we would be finishing this later.