Chapter 58

Tonight is the hardest night Riley has ever experienced. Tris is dead. She was never coming back. Living with that would not be easy, but it's what she had to do.

Riley stands in the room shirtless. She's wearing a black bra. Slowly, she peels off the bandage on her stomach. There's a scar that starts between her breasts and curves underneath one before traveling down a few inches. A piece of metal had lodged itself in her chest and pierced her lung. That was nearly a week ago.

She would never be the same, but that didn't bother her. It was a small price to pay for the freedom they acquired today. Tris gave her life for this. Riley would happily live with a few issues.

It seemed like Johanna would take over. That was okay with her. Johanna would make a good leader. Riley was looking forward to seeing Maddie again.

She grabs a bandage, but her hands are shaking too badly. She can't put it on. "Hey," a voice said. She spun around to see Eric. 

"Hey."

He walks into the room. "You okay?"

"No." It's her truthful answer. "Are you?"

"No."

Riley eyes the bandage wrapped around his head. "What happened?"

Eric sighed, "they knew what I was doing. I don't know how." She listens carefully. He seems stressed. "They wanted to use some serum on me to give up the plan, but I knocked myself out." Her lips part. "I'm not serum resistant like you." A smile slowly creeps on her face. Eric had done the right thing and helped them. "Why are you smiling?"

"The old Eric would have given us up without a moment's hesitation." He knew that was true. "I knew there was good in you."

His eyes narrow. "Don't push it."

"Being good isn't a bad thing," she says. "I thought that was something you liked about me?" Eric remains silent.

Suddenly, everything that happens reappearance in her mind. The smile on her face is long gone. "You healing okay?"

Riley glances down at the scar. "I'm having some trouble with the new bandage. My hands-"

"I got it." Eric walks towards her. He takes the bandage from her hand. His actions are gentle—careful not to hurt her further. "Does it hurt?"

"No," she says. "Dr. Carson gave me some more of his fancy medication." It didn't hurt at all.

He chuckles, "good." Eric's fingers skim over the bandage. This feels oddly familiar. Not too long ago, Riley was thrown over the bridge back in Dauntless. He had been there to catch her and patched her injuries. Eric never imagined they would end up here. "I'm sorry about Tris."

She looks up at him. "It's okay." It wasn't okay, but it had to be.

"Are you going back to the city?"

"Yeah." Riley knew that was where she was meant to be.

"Okay," he said. "When?"

"Probably tomorrow." There was a meeting she wanted to attend. It didn't matter when the others would return. Or if they would. Riley had to think selfishly for a change.

"I'm coming with."

Riley tilted her head back. "No." Eric was technically a criminal. If Johanna took power, he would most likely be imprisoned. However, there was a chance he could be executed. "If Johanna takes power, you'll be imprisoned or executed."

"I know."

"Then why would you want to go back?"

"Because I have no place here." Eric felt vulnerable. "At least there I can pay for my crimes instead of cowering away here." Riley can't pretend she doesn't understand. "I want to go back. I want to be where you are."

Tonight they stopped a war, but tomorrow they would begin rebuilding. "I'll talk to Johanna tomorrow. Wait here. You can keep an eye on Tobias." Eric huffed. That was the last thing he wanted to do. "It will help me feel better. Please?"

"Fine," he agreed. "But I will return to the city in a few days."

That was plenty of time for Riley to convince Johanna to at least imprison him. "Okay." She placed a hand on his chest. "I have to go find Christina."

"Okay." With that, she was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riley steps out of the truck alone. It feels weird to be in the city alone. Everyone she knew stayed behind at the Bureau. They had things to wrap up. It was unclear what would happen next. Christina had taken it upon herself to watch over and educate Peter. Riley assumed it gave her something to do in order to think less about Tris.

When the sun rose this morning and Riley walked down the hall, she expected Tris. There was a brief moment where her mind forgot. She was doing that a lot recently. Her mind seemed slower. It wasn't as sharp. It was hard at first, but Christina said she was still smarter than Tobias.

"Riley." It's Evelyn.

"Hey," she greets her. "What are you doing here?"

Evelyn's wearing red, which is a nice color on her. There's a smile on her face. "We just wrapped up the meeting."

"I figured." Riley got here later in the afternoon. "I apologize for missing it. We were having some trouble back at the compound."

"I heard about Tris." Riley doesn't have a chance to question how. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you." There's a brief moment where neither speaks. "Are you on your way to the compound?"

"I am." She's holding a small bag. "I wanted to see you first."

The ground is covered in a thin layer of ice, but it's melting from the sun. "You did?"

"Yes." She's nervous. "I wanted to apologize for leaving when you were a child. I was just scared."

Riley already knows this. She doesn't blame Evelyn for leaving. "You have nothing to apologize for." It was what Evelyn had to do in order to escape Marcus.

"I know I may never be a mother to you, but I would like to try."

She's smiling, a bright, beautiful smile. "You are my mother. You always have been." They hug. It's weird at first, but then the awkwardness fades away. Right now, they're mother and daughter standing in a city that would heal from the damages of a rebellion. A city that would rebuild itself into something greater than before. "Good luck."

Evelyn was expelled from the city. She would live her days at the Bureau. It was a fitting place for her. "Goodbye, Riley."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riley is standing in front of Johanna. She's just asked a lot of her. She asked Johanna to spare Eric's life when he returns to Chicago. It was something Riley felt he deserved. He had done a lot of bad, and that could never be forgiven. But he recently did some good.

"You've given me a lot to think about," Johanna says. "I do not believe in execution, but I will need to consult with others before I solely make this choice."

"I understand." Riley does understand. "I just want my words to have some weight on his sentence."

"His actions recently will weigh on our decision, but I appreciate your advocacy." Riley looks around the room. They are the only two in the conference room at Dauntless. She struggles to wrap her mind around the location. It looks entirely different. "Are you planning to stay in the city?"

"Yes."

"Good." Johanna had always liked Riley. From the moment they met, the older woman knew there was something special about the red-haired girl. "You've done well." It's a compliment. "Will you remain with us?" She's talking about becoming a representative for the government she plans to build.

"I've never been interested in politics."

She laughs, "I figured." It wasn't the place for Riley. "But you will always have a place with me."

"Thank you." She appreciates that. "Don't worry. I'm sure there's a place somewhere for me."

"I do not doubt that." Johanna knew Riley would find a place she fit in. "There's been someone wanting to see you." She's talking about Maddie.

"Is she here?"

"Yes." Johanna stands up. "I've been watching her, but now as a leader, I am afraid I will be too busy." She opens the door and gestures for her to follow. "She will need someone with a lot of time."

Riley is confused. "Where will she go?" They walk down the hall side by side.

"If you want, with you." She's stunned. "She likes you, and you like her. Plus, I can't imagine a better caretaker."

It's a huge job, but it excites her. Riley had always struggled to find her place in the world. Maybe this was it. "Are you sure?"

"I am." Johanna stops in front of a door and pushes it open. Riley looks inside and sees several kids scattered around a table. It isn't hard to find Maddie. Her blonde hair is pulled into a high ponytail with a few strands covering her forehead.

Riley smiles at the sight of her. In truth, Maddie reminded her of a younger version of herself. Riley spent her younger years wishing someone would take her away from her father. That never happened for her, but it will for Maddie.

The blonde girl looked up. "Miss Riley!" The red-haired girl walked into the room and dropped to her knees. The girl jumped into her arms. "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Where did you go," she questions.

Riley pulls away. "On a little adventure."

Maddie grins, "did you have fun?"

"Yes," she lies. "Lots of fun." That makes the young girl happy. "Did you?"

"Yes," Maddie nods a few too many times. "I've been to lots of places."

Riley's happy to hear things weren't hard for her, but she needed to ask her something serious. "Listen, Maddie. I have to ask you something serious."

"Okay, Miss Riley."

She clears her throat. "I know you've been staying with Johanna and some of her helpers." Maddie bobs her head. "And you can stay with them if you want, but you can also come with me." She raises her eyebrows high. "I don't know where, but it will be the two of us."

"I want to go with you."

That brings her some relief. "You do?"

"Mhm."

Riley grins. She's happy for the first time since Tris died. "Okay." Maddie wanted to go with her. "Okay, you're going to stay here just for a few more days while I figure out where we can go."

Maddie giggles, "can we get horses?"

"Maybe." Riley taps her nose. "I'll work on it."

"Okay, Miss Riley."