The madness of those Factionless was worrying, their bulging eyes unable to focus on a single point, the scarcity of sanity in their minds, and the pain reflected in their eyes, the ecstasy in their gaze when they received even a single bite of food, and of course, the certainty of their impending death around the corner.

But even more concerning was the way Evelyn managed to make them follow her will to the letter. Her manipulation had left me speechless, I even found myself believing the hopeful words she relayed. She was a prophet, a recruiter of the highest quality, and of course, she has everyone where she believes they should be.

And so, she took advantage of the cowardice of the Factionless, those who remained hidden out of shame for being outcasts, those who would never forgive themselves for failing the faction system and lacked the courage to commit suicide, begging for someone else to end their lives.

It was sad, my heart definitely ached for them, but they were in such a deep hole that no one could save them, not even Evelyn.

That's why I find myself here, bound with iron chains attached to the wall, still feeling the effects of the dart that left me without lucidity. I dropped my head, waiting for my ordeal of at least 5 hours to end, with a sack over my head feeling the blood from my left cheek running down my face.

Edgar is a guy I'll soon see again, and he'll pay for those two blows to the face that, according to him, were meant to make my almost 5-day kidnapping look authentic.

The plan was simple: I was wearing my previously used black clothes covered in dry mud, except for Eric's sweatshirt and one shoe because they used that against him. They will send an alert signal with my current coordinates from my ID, asking for a generous amount of food for my rescue.

I was very curious, there was a big gap that I couldn't understand. Distrust began to take hold of me because Evelyn was confident enough to leave me with those people who had long been consumed by madness. But I had to trust, or so I repeated to myself many times. She washed her hands of it incredibly, erasing her tracks and disappearing from the radar.

Those who find me will want to see the villains, those who kidnapped me so they stop searching.

The door creaked open, the rotten wood emitting a terrible smell that sent shivers down my spine. The sack over my head denied me vision, I couldn't see who it was, but by their footsteps, I understood it was one of the Factionless. They dragged their feet lazily until they stood in front of me, then knelt down and touched my arm.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

However, they didn't respond, instead, the prick of a syringe entering my arm made me feel the liquid coursing through my body. I let out a groan, tried to struggle but couldn't. It was useless, and the clumsiness of my movements became slower and slower. My head felt heavy, and I let it fall, feeling dizzy before losing consciousness.

**************************

It was like being outside of the current plane, floating once again among the waves of Morpheus's arms, swaying in the subconscious sea outside of reality.

The problem was the noise, there were people shouting, but in the distance, so far away that I couldn't distinguish whose voices they were, and, above all, I didn't care. I was becoming addicted to that feeling of peace. Then came the shots, one after another, while the shouts continued, making me furrow my brow. I wanted to wake up, but I couldn't. No matter how much I swam towards the shore called reality, the tide dragged me into slowness, to continue floating, and there came a point where I stopped fighting. Again, I allowed myself to fall into temptation even when my life was in danger.

Everything was happening in fast motion, but I was slow, and I started to hate that from the moment the door was opened in such a way that it fell completely at my feet. Someone's heavy breathing let me know they were here for me. I didn't know how, but suddenly my arms fell, letting me know I was no longer tied up. My body fell to the floor, damp and moldy, as the sack was removed from my face.

But I couldn't react. Whatever they injected me with kept me out of it, distant and lost, as if my soul were disconnected from my physical body.

"You're safe now. You're here with me."

So, I could only feel Eric as he lifted me after hugging me and felt his cold, dry lips kiss my forehead. He sighed with relief, as if he had found the most precious thing in his life. Even with the drug in my system, which kept me from getting up, I had the urge to hit him.

That was the last thing I remember, I felt the light hitting my face beneath my eyelids, losing consciousness even with the feeling of warmth and protection from Eric's arms, who didn't let go of me even when the nurse tried to take me with him.

***************************

This is different, this is torture, and definitely not something I would ever want to repeat. As I opened my eyes, I felt the immense headache that made me close them again. It felt like my brain was on fire due to the probable lack of water, as my throat begged for a sip of that wonderful liquid.

My brain began to wake up, and with it, my body started to react. I was trembling but not wet, experiencing slight chills as my nose was congested. Great, I'm sick.

As I gradually woke up, I noticed my room, my precious room in Dauntless, a light sheet covering my body with just underwear on.

I let my body fall on my elbows, slowly rising, noticing three very clear things: first, the IV drip in my arm, it was hooked up. The second was my cat lying beside me, giving me the warmth I needed. I stroked him, and he responded with a purr. And third, Eric was on a couch that he probably brought from the living room, lying on it. He looked very uncomfortable, but his sleep was deep.

I was finally here, but not in the best condition. It had been a strange vacation that I would never want to repeat. I felt strange, just thinking that I had been asleep for 4 days surprised me. I was weak, probably dehydrated, and the excess sedative left me feeling weak. Being sick felt normal at this point, considering the strange days I had.

Evelyn was in the past, it felt like a dream, or maybe a nightmare that reminds me that I'm not the strongest, that there's someone deranged who can make me disappear, and now I have to fulfill her will.

I wanted to wake Eric up, tell him I was thirsty, that I wanted a glass of water and a painkiller to ease my discomfort. But I couldn't, seeing him is seeing Jina. It hurts, I feel humiliated, betrayed, and with a terribly strong sadness that suffocates me. The knot in my throat appears every time I think of him or see him.

I don't know if I can forgive him.

I sighed with a grimace, I should get up and get my own water. When he wakes up, I'll politely ask him to leave, as I don't want to see him again, at least for a while.

Is it normal to want him to hug me? That's what I need. It hurts to see him, but his hugs heal me, his company so damaging and addictive that I can't let go.

I removed the sheet from my body, I had new underwear, but during my days of being kidnapped, I didn't take a single shower; my body was a mess, and until now, I could still see traces of mud and mold from the Factionless quarters. I need a shower.

I lowered my feet, the tips of my toes touched the cold floor as I gathered enough inner strength to stand up with the help of my improvised cane, which was the IV hook.

But my feet failed me, my knees trembled when I tried to support my body. It was useless to try to get back to bed, and in a matter of seconds, I was already on the floor with a groan escaping from my throat.

Great.

As expected, Eric got up, as quickly as he opened his eyes, he was already by my side, looking at me with concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a sleepy tone. "Wait, I'll help you." he said as he effortlessly lifted me and placed me back on the bed.

"I want water." I murmured with the roughest voice my throat could produce, making him understand the need to hydrate.

"I'll get it for you. Don't move." he said without looking me in the eye, then turned around and left the room.

I was too weak to refuse his hospitality, I could swear we were about to admit me to the hospital, but he must have refused, and now I find myself in my comfortable bed next to my cat.

My legs started to tremble, a reminder that I was weak, too weak to get up on my own. I felt myself fading away again, and with the headache, I could only pray for my death to be quick.

He came back in with a bottle of water, without waiting a second longer, I made contact with my lips, taking a big gulp and almost finishing the 500ml bottle in a matter of seconds.

His hand went to my forehead, his knuckles touched my cheeks and neck, making a grimace. I allowed myself to look at him, his dark circles were terrible, his brows furrowed, concentrating on taking my temperature with his slight beard around it. Almost a week was enough for that man to have a beard. Why didn't he shave? He never lets it grow, he shaves twice a week without fail.

"You have a temperature." he murmured disapprovingly of my health condition. "Too high." he whispered.

"I feel sick." I grimaced, lowering my gaze.

"I'll bring your temperature down." he said decisively. He didn't ask, he took a small bottle from the bedside table, which I could deduce was alcohol, and expertly removed the tiny tube, placing the cotton.

"I have it on for a reason, don't you think?" I frowned.

"It's no use hydrating yourself while you're having a stroke from the fever," he said, throwing the tube to the floor and quickly lifting me up.

I won't lie, my head is boiling. I feel the need to jump into the freezer. The slowness of my words, the slow-motion visions, and the constant dizziness I considered the result of the sedative, but right now, I can't think.

Eric took me to the bathroom, and I didn't have a chance to refuse when he placed me in the tub and turned on the tap, letting the water fall into the tub.

I flexed my knees and hugged them while leaning on my arms, letting Eric do all the work. He passed the shower over my body, I closed my eyes, and the cold water ran over my face, showing me paradise. It not only cooled down my high temperature but also washed the dirt off my body, caressing my back.

I opened my eyes and saw him again, he was too focused on his work, his expressionless face making him look so attractive, except for that strange bruise. But his beard took away some of his personality. Yes, with a beard, he's still handsome, but he's not the Eric I know.

This confuses me. He kissed the most despicable woman I've ever met, after Genesis. Now he's here taking care of me, saving me from a stroke, and treating me like the most fragile object in the world.

"Don't grow the beard again." I murmured tiredly, earning his gaze. He smiled faintly.

"I didn't have time." he murmured, then sighed.
"I'll wash your hair." he said.

It didn't seem like a question, especially when he unhooked my water-soaked bra, dropping a bit of shampoo onto my hair after turning off the shower and turning on the tap to fill the tub this time.

The water was cold, but I didn't mind. Even though my body was shivering, I enjoyed feeling my headache slowly disappear. And although I don't recommend bathing while sick, I knew it was necessary. I'm a mess.

"What do you remember?" he asked as he massaged my head, cleaning my hair.

I bet he never treated Jina like this, not even Genesis.

Ugh, what's wrong with me?

What should I tell him? It's clear I have to omit Evelyn, not because she's my favorite person and I want her to be my friend, but because she knows too much about me, more than I would like, and I have to tell Four that his mother, the lunatic, wants to see him.

"I don't remember much." I murmured, watching the water cover part of my body. "I woke up in a room, chained up, I was beaten, and I felt like they were injecting me with something again, and I don't know, I think I slept a lot." I shrugged. This is all I could do, wash my hands of the situation, use the sedatives to my advantage.

He rinsed off the rest of the shampoo, closing my eyes to prevent it from getting into them. "You were missing for 5 days. When we found you, you were unconscious for at least the entire day." his voice carried a bitter tone, annoyed. "They're dead, all of them. They were crazy people who thought they could exchange you for food."

I wish they were dead. I feel vulnerable. Evelyn is capable of anything.

"They knew they couldn't overpower you, that's why the chains and the sedatives." he continued.

"It's all over now." I murmured.

"No, it's not over yet. Someone gave them the weapons. They couldn't have obtained them themselves, let alone stalk you from the beginning. It doesn't make sense. There's something else."

That's the gap I didn't see, and Eric did. Something Evelyn couldn't foresee. Now I just hope this won't affect anything.

I stopped talking, letting him lather my body and clean me up after having stripped completely. I don't want to go back to sleep, but I'm so tired. I want to lie down.

"Why do I feel like this?" I asked with a groan, weak and sore. "I feel sick, so weak that I feel like I'm going to die."

"They drew blood from you. The dose of that sedative is very high. You're alive by a miracle. Your body needs to flush out the substance over time, eat, and hydrate." he replied.

"How did the Factionless manage to get sedatives?"

"They must have stolen them. The public hospital is for everyone, even for the Factionless. They must have broken in and taken them. Or someone provided them."

"Someone?" I couldn't just drop the subject. I had to be equally concerned, trying to find an inconsistency, details that Eric saw and Evelyn didn't hide.

"Yes, someone who didn't want you, an enemy perhaps." he sighed. "I'll look for them. Now that you're awake, you're my priority. When you're better, I'll look for the real culprits."

I expected something like that. Now I have another problem, evading Eric so that mother and son can reunite as a happy family. But I can't think. I need to stay alive so I can think about that when I'm better. The last dose wasn't necessary. There must be something more, or maybe Evelyn is just a fool who didn't calculate the dosage.

"By the way... For the rest of the faction, this caused you to miscarry. I had to do it, they performed an ultrasound as soon as you arrived, and I couldn't do more."he explained.

I nodded.

He finished and turned off the water, helping me to stand up and wrapping me in a towel. But he didn't let me walk, he carried me back to bed.

"I'm sorry." he murmured, laying me down on the mattress. "Forgive me."

I just looked at him, closing my eyes without saying a word. His regretful face was one that only I had seen, but that didn't mean I was ready to forgive him, not today.

"Was it for taking 5 days to find me or for accepting Jina's kiss?" I said with irony. It was a topic that would come up sooner or later, and I wasn't ready for it yet.

"For everything." he grimaced.

"I want to sleep." I lied.

I wasn't sleepy, but that day hadn't been an impediment to closing my eyes and falling back asleep, hoping that my physical and emotional discomfort would vanish.

Eric left just as a treacherous tear ran down my cheek. I want to forgive him, forget what I saw, and return to my dream life. Now I understand why blind people don't remove their blindfolds.