Disclaimer: I do not own Divergent.

Chapter 27

A frown graces my face as I stab the muffin with a knife. Several thoughts run through my head, most related to the one major problem I have; the way Tobias is treating my initiates. Sure, they've not been the nicest of brats to teach, but they don't deserve his attitude towards them. And that is something I'm going to have to remedy.

I push off the bench, sighing slightly at the mushed up mess on the table. The poor, poor muffin... I shrug my shoulders to relieve the tension as I scan the dining room. It doesn't look like Tobias is here, so he might still be in our apartment. I set off for the apartment, the echoes of my footsteps resounding off the walls.

I knock lightly, testing the door to see if it's locked. However, to my surprise, it isn't. Strange, I muse. We always lock the door - always. After all, a leader's life is a dangerous one.

"Tobias?" I call out, pushing the door open.

Only to come face to face with the very person I was searching for. And when I say face to face, I mean face to chest - the height difference has never been more annoying. I blush as I take a step back.

"Tris? I thought you were getting lunch?"

Our gaze slides to the mutilated muffin in my hand.

"Well, I was, but - " I gesture helplessly to the food.

He laughs, the rich tenor warming my heart as my blush rises.

"Anyway, I was trying to find you. I need to talk to you, Tobias," I lead him back into the apartment. I assume he'd just been leaving it since I'm not sure of any other reason on why the door would be unlocked with him standing right in front of it.

He raises an eyebrow, "That doesn't sound sinister at all."

I roll my eyes at his comment, dragging him to sit on the sofa.

"It's about the initiates - and no, they haven't done anything," I hold a hand up to stop his rush of questions, "It's more about your... attitude to them."

"My attitude? I just don't want you to get attached to them, Tris. You remember last time what they did and how you reacted."

I brush off the slight irritation at his over-protectiveness.

"Toby, they're human. Cut them some slack, yeah? I mean, for the first sixteen years of their lives they've had tales of how threatening and dangerous the factionless are - only to be chucked into a foreign place with the possibility of being disregarded and becoming the very thing they fear."

"That's no excuse, Tris," he protests.

"Oh, come on! They're humans! More than that, they're scared children with perils in every step."

"We were the same age when we went through initiation."

"And our age group were all scared to death as well. It seems we were the exceptions."

"Tris, I just want to protect you!" the words burst from his lip as if a dam has broken.

I recoil. It's one thing to suspect it, but another to know. He thinks I'm weak.

"I don't need your protection, Tobias," I hiss, "And I never had."

"Not even at the chasm?"

I blanch at the memory. The memory where I thought death was certain.

"I'm sorry, Tris, that was too far - "

"You damn bet it was too far," my voice is harshly cold.

I stand up, striding towards the door. I pause in the doorway, chin high and eyes blazing.

"If you won't do it for me, Four, do it for the scared sixteen-year-olds being beaten black and blue by their comrades."

With those words, I storm out of the apartment and down the corridor. I need to blow off some steam before teaching the initiates; I don't want to snap at them.

"Tris - "

"Go away!" I yell over my shoulder.

"Hey, what was that for?" a reproachful voice matches the jogging footsteps.

"Chrissy," I sigh in relief.

"What's gotten you in such a huff, Trissy?" she matches my pace.

"Don't call me that."

"Answer my question then!"

"I had a row with Four," I give in, clenching my jaw.

"You? Argue with him? I didn't think it was possible."

I glare at her for the weak attempt at humour.

"Mind some company in the training room then?" she glances at me, "I mean, I assume that's where you're going."

"Sure. We're here, by the way," I grunt.

Pushing through the doors, I set up my punching bag. It seems like the reinforcements are going to be coming in handy today. I consider binding my hands briefly but decide not to. The pain will drag me back to Earth, hopefully. Hit after hit leaves indents on the swinging bag, the spiking pain of each hit lancing through me as I savour it. I pant, letting out a harsh cry as I punch the bag particularly hard. The sounds fill the room as well as Chrissy's heavy breathing from her seventh lap around.

"Hey Zero," Chrissy interrupts my thoughts, "Your transfers are here."

"Any chance you'd stay? I don't want to take out my anger on them," I say between pants.

"Sure. It's Uriah's turn today anyway."

"Thanks."

I slam the punching bag one last time before turning to face the line of kids. It truly is a shock to remember that the soldiers-in-training are only sixteen, a fact delivered home by my rant at Tobias. I shake my head with a hint of mournfulness. It's not right, that they choose at such a young age.

"Well, kiddos, you're in for a treat. It's your last day of fights."

"Not sure that's a treat, with what's in store," Chrissy murmurs in my ear. I can't help but agree with her.

"Hale, you're up first against Rick. That leaves Kaila and Anna," I call out as the initiates warm up for the fights.

It's painful to know that Hale is the underdog; he reminds me too much of Al, kind but with no place in Dauntless. Still, damn me if I can't get him through in one piece.

The two boys climb into the ring. I glance towards Chrissy, signalling for her to count down. This is the last day of the fights, and the last day to gain points from anything physical. the last day before the mental challenges come into play. Though I might not have had to suffer them, I saw how they affected my friends. They're tough, gruelling trials.

"The winner is Rick," I announce.

The next match flies by, ending with the winner being Anna. As expected, the rankings stay the same. Anna in first, Rick in second, Kaila in third and Hale in fourth. None of them have to be cut due to the lack of numbers in our transfers this year. Not that I had anything to do with that, of course.

It's a wonder why Max is still having me train them.

"Take the rest of the afternoon off, initiates. Tomorrow isn't going to be pretty, I'm afraid," I call out to the initiates as Chrissy and I leave.

"So, want to explain what the argument between you and Four is about? I never thought I'd see you guys argue, to be honest."

I exhale loudly, "Can we go to your apartment? I'll talk on the way there."

She drags me down the corridors, pulling me along behind her.

"I do know where you live, Chrissy. No need to drag me."

"Stalker alert..."

I roll my eyes as we enter her abode. She pushes me onto the sofa before seating herself on the one opposite.

"Spill, Trissy."

The details pour out of me, causing me to rethink my actions. Perhaps I had been a tad too dramatic, too stuffy about the whole thing. But if there is one thing I absolutely loathe, it's people thinking I need protection.

"He acts like I'm a little girl, Chrissy," I hold my head in my hands, "I hate it."

"From what you've told me, it just sounds like he wants to protect you."

"But that's the problem!" I stand up to pace, "I hate the very idea of being protected. It makes me feel that he thinks I'm weak, which I've worked very hard on removing from people's minds!"

"You do know that you're the strongest in Dauntless? No one thinks you need protecting."

"T- Four does."

"I don't think he's protecting you from other people, Tris, but yourself."

I sink back onto the sofa, absorbing her words. Protecting from myself? Would that not be a sign of weakness?

"I think you should go talk to him, Tris."

"But - "

"Seriously. I have more experience in this, Trissy."

I nod sharply, "Thanks, Chrissy. I mean it."

Dawdling down the corridors, I attempt to 'screw my courage to the sticking point', as Shakespeare would say. It was one of the few quotes of his that have stayed with me since I was a kid sneaking peeks at my brother's books. It's ridiculous that I didn't notice the signs of his aptitude sooner.

With shaky hands, I unlock the door.

"Tobias?"

The room is silent, so either Tobias isn't answering or he isn't here. I scour the apartment, checking each room. He's not here. The problem is, there are so many possibilities of where he could be. Dauntless isn't exactly a small campus. But hopefully, if I can find Zeke then Tobias will be with him. I still don't particularly want to talk to him. Especially not when he went so far as to bring up the incident at the Chasm. He knows those memories are not good ones for me and he knows I don't want them brought up. I don't know if he meant for those words to come out, but they did, and I'm hoping he's regretting them.

I scold myself for allowing my thoughts to run free. They don't go to happy places filled with sunshine and daisies when given the option.

Shaking my head, I set off for the control room. Zeke will know where he is if anyone will.

"Zeke?" I call out.

"Over here!" a voice yells from amidst the computers.

"Hey. Do you know where Four is? I can't find him."

"So that's why he was so moody," Zeke says, "Yeah, I know where he is. Go sort out that man of yours, Trissy. He's by the Chasm."

"Thanks, Zeke. I owe you one," I call behind me as I run out.

He's at the Chasm? The very day that he mentions my memories of it, he decides to go stand by it. Well if I know him at all, he'll be at the place he saved me. Memories can be astounding things, sometimes.

I hesitate in my steps. What if he's angry at me? I shake my head, berating myself. I'm the one who has the right to be angry with him. Yet as I walk along the place that has so many bad memories for me, there is no figure waiting for me. No figure leaning on the railing, gazing down at the rushing water.

And the only other place I can think of that's by the chasm is beneath it.

The path is small and rocky, a terror to navigate. But the rewards pay off.

"Tobias?" I appeal for his attention.

"Tris."

"I'm sorry, Toby. I was too dramatic, I went overboard - "

Arms engulf me. I sigh and melt into his embrace, allowing a single tear to slip past my barriers.

"Sorry, Toby."

"Hey, why are you crying?" he murmurs softly, looking down at me in his arms, "If anything, I should be the one crying for your forgiveness, milady."

A laugh chokes its way out of me, "But Sir Knight, I do happen to be the one asking for forgiveness this time."

"And why on Earth is that, your Highness?"

"Because I had a go at you for trying to protect me, my dear Paladin."

"Well Princess, I'm sorry too. And I'm sorry because I went overboard on shielding you," he wipes the trails of the tear from my face, gentle as a feather-stroke.

I cling tighter to him, burying my head in the crook of his neck. I sigh in relief. I have my Knight back, and that's all that matters.

Well, it's been a while. Yeah, I haven't posted in a while. But why? I've had zip inspiration. No idea what to write, why I'd want to write it and if I'd like what I'd write. Nope, I don't like what I've written.

I guess it just feels like this story is dying out. The amount of people showing interest has decreased significantly (which is to be expected) and I've decided that no, I won't be doing a sequel. I'm probably not helping the matter with being ill for a week straight after some shitty jabs and then having another three stories on the run that I have to attend to as well.

Sorry guys if I'm being harsh, but this story will be being finished as soon as possible, I believe.

If I can bring myself to write anything.

However once again, thank you for all and any support you give! It's much appreciated, you delightful smiley faces.

MG