She couldn't prevent her foot from tapping on the floor. Sure, it had started slow, but as her father's words drifted across their walnut coffee table toward her, while her mother gently squeezed her shoulder, she felt its pace pick up with the speed of her heart rate. She crossed her arms quickly and rolled her eyes, looking away from her father.

"Beatrice, we're only asking that you do this for us for a while." She heard her mother's pleading voice, soft and firm. Beatrice wasn't one to normally disobey her parents. At twenty-five though, she didn't think she'd have to keep this up.

"What about Caleb?" She asked looking back at her father.

"Caleb, will be taken care of."

"Meaning?" Beatrice asked. Her father looked at her mother. "You're not giving him one are you?" She leaned forward on the loveseat. "You think he can take care of himself, but not me?" She questioned.

"It isn't that Beatrice."

"Sure it is," She huffed. "I'm the girl." She sighed. Her eyes drifted to the mantle, a massive painting hung above it of the four of them: the perfect family. She actually couldn't complain; they were a great family. Her parents were loving, kind, understanding, and had supported her in everything she had ever desired to do.

"Look, we're asking for your understanding in this matter, until I can figure out what is actually going on."

"Dad, let's face it, someone is after your company. This isn't new." Beatrice said. "It's the reason you two have had me in karate, boxing, tae kwon do, whatever my entire life."

"You are correct, Beatrice. We want you to be able to protect yourself but – " She looked up at her mother and cut her off.

"But that isn't enough?" She asked getting irritated.

"Beatrice please." Her mother said. She could hear the tiredness in her mom's voice, and she straightened her back out on the couch.

"Fine." She responded after a moment.

"I promise it won't be difficult. He'll be completely unnoticeable." She rolled her eyes at her father again.

That night, Tris laid flat on her back on her bed. She stared at the ceiling of her childhood bedroom, observing the stars some painter had made on her walls and ceiling. She hadn't been allowed to use the glow in the dark stick-on-kind, no way. Her parents had hired someone to have it done. The galaxy had always been such a wonder to her. It was infinite and unexplorable and unknown. Her whole life had been planned out. Undoubtedly, she was loved by her parents, both warm and kind, but there was always slight guidance from them as well.

There was a knock at her door and it opened a crack. She could see her brother's smile and she waved him in. Caleb laid down next to her, stretching out, folding his hands across his abdomen.

"You get the talk?" He asked.

"Yup." They were silent. "What's going on Caleb?" She asked looking over at her brother. He shrugged.

"Who knows?" He responded. She didn't believe him. Her father often shared details with Caleb before her, citing the need to protect her. That too annoyed her. She worked for her father, was a respected member of his company, and yet Caleb was the favorite. Caleb had chosen to be part of research and development in their father's company, lending his genius brain to any new products. Her father had been smart like Caleb and connected with him on an intellectual level. Tris couldn't say she wasn't smart, she certainly was, but her skills were different. Her father had put her in finances, not her favorite by any means, but a start. She was a risk taker, that had always worried her parents, and so she figured he'd put her where she would be most safe, a department in which he would have the final say.

Still, Caleb had to know something. He was often in the labs working on secret government contracts. If there was anyone to protect, it was Caleb. "We'll be fine Beatrice. They just want to protect us."

"Me." She answered.

"What?" Caleb said.

"They just want to protect me. You're not getting a bodyguard." Caleb sat up.

"I may not have a bodyguard attached to my hip, but there will certainly be people looking after me, trust me." Tris rolled her eyes.

"Perfect. I get the babysitter." She replied. Caleb huffed at her indignation.

"Just stop being so stubborn and go with it. God, you always have to resist everything." Tris sat up and crossed her arms, glaring at Caleb. He didn't give her a chance to answer him back. He just left her room. Maybe Caleb was right, she thought. She did often protest their suggestions, maybe even choose the harder way to get things done. Maybe it was time to just give in.

Tris returned to her job in the city and to her apartment the next day, hoping to forget the words from her brother and parents. Today, she'd have to meet the bodyguard anyway. She took a deep breath as she entered the skyscraper, pulling her wool coat closer to her body. She nodded to the security guard at the front desk and hit the button to enter the elevator.

The ride up was quiet and reflective, she trying to avoid her reflection in the mirrored walls. Too late. She ran a hand across the top of her head, smoothing down any fly-aways in her bun. The doors moved open and she walked onto her father's floor. She'd have to pass his office to go to hers. He liked to know she was present, perhaps why her office was not in the financial department on the next floor, but next to his.

"Good Morning Beatrice," He called from his chair. She mumbled a good morning and gripped her coffee cup tighter. She went to her office, slowly took off her jacket, hung it, and then put her things away. She turned her computer on and viewed the documents already on her desk. There was a knock.

"Hey." It was Christina. Her partner in crime, best friend since forever, and also assistant. She took a seat. "Your dad said he plans to meet with you at 9:30. Someone to introduce?" She asked.

"Yeah. My bodyguard." Tris said rolling her eyes.

"A bodyguard?" Christina asked with a laugh. "He better be cute."

"Please." Tris responded. "What else today?"

"We have another meeting later to discuss the effects of our new programs. The social media team is supposed to present a report to you after lunch too, apparently more funding is being requested. Oh and your father wants you to review some new product lines in order to decide appropriate allocation of funds."

"Full day." Tris said. Christina nodded.

"By the way, did you see the emails I sent last night? Shauna sent them to me at like midnight. They need to be looked over by one." Tris nodded and rolled her eyes again. "I know, I know. Late, last minute stuff." Tris nodded again. "Okay, I'll be back around 9:30ish. I need to see this new guy." She said with a wink. "I'm thinking you'll need a fresh coffee." Tris laughed at her friend, who disappeared around the door.

Tris tried to prep herself for each meeting, but her mind was too distracted by her father's words. She couldn't shake that something was up, something that was being hidden from her. It didn't scare her to know there was danger, she only wanted to be made aware. Nine-thirty came too quickly, as did the knock on her door, and her father entering with a tall man behind him. Tris took him in. Dark brown hair, light eyes, strong, tall, she could feel her heart race a little and she urged herself to stop it. Her father introduced him, and his handshake was warm and firm. He stared directly at her when he shook her hand and it made her shrink back.

"Four." He said in greeting.

"Nice to meet you, Four." She was a little confused about his nickname, but figured she'd get to the bottom of that later. Both men sat down, and her father began to go over what he expected Four to be able to do.

"I'm not sure it's necessary for Four to be everywhere I am Dad." Tris interrupted. Her father looked over at her.

"Yes, it is." He answered back. "Absolutely." Tris closed her mouth. "In fact, Four, I want you to stay with Tris. She has a large spare bedroom. The penthouse is big enough for both of you."

"Dad?" Tris began. Her father put his finger up to stop her, but Tris continued. "Dad, this isn't necessary."

"I disagree Beatrice." He said firmly. He turned back to Four. "I would like for you to stay with Beatrice, completely professional." Four nodded.

"No." Tris said back. She crossed her arms and leaned on her desk. "No." She said. Her father sent her a look, one that she knew from when she was young. The look she used to get when she was about to be in trouble.

Her father turned to Four. "Could you give us a moment?" He asked. Four nodded and got up to leave. When the door was shut, he turned back to Tris. "I thought you weren't going to be difficult about this?"

"Dad, you're asking me to have a stranger stay in my house! How am I supposed to be okay with that? I don't know him!"

"I do." Her father replied. "Well, I know his father. He comes highly recommended, credible, referenced, and I need you to be protected twenty-four hours a day."

"Why?" She yelled back. Tris stood up. "You won't tell me anything, but I'm supposed to just go along with everything!"

"Beatrice, lower your voice." Her father said sternly. "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you this is the way it is."

"Really, Dad? I'm not allowed an opinion? A choice?"

"Not when it comes to your safety. And as time permits, I'll let you know what's going on. From now on though, Four is in your life twenty-four hours a day." Tris heard the finality in his voice and did not bother to resist anymore. It wasn't worth it. "Do you understand?" He asked. She nodded, but refused to look at him. Her father stood. "I'm only doing this for your safety." His voice was softer.

"Sure." She said sullenly, still facing away.

When he left, Four reentered the room. He paused a moment before sitting down. Tris took a deep breath and looked over at him. "So, what do you need to know?" Her voice was clearly annoyed.

"Well," He started, pulling the chair closer to the desk. He removed a small yellow flip notepad and reached for a pen from her desk. Her mouth dropped open at his audacity. "I need to know your schedule." Tris watched him take the pen cap off with his teeth, grasp it between two fingers and then put it back on the opposite end of the pen.

"Okay." She said taking out her own calendar. "I have a meeting later today at 1:30 – "

"No, not that schedule, like daily activities. Hanging with friends, the gym, shopping, whatever." He said gesturing with his hands.

"Oh." She responded. "I get up to run every morning at 5AM." He started to write it down.

"Make it 6AM."

"What?" Tris asked. Four looked up at her. "No." She asserted.

"It's dark at five, it'll be harder to keep you safe." Tris looked at him, crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

"Well I've been doing it by myself all these years, I think I'll be okay." He didn't respond, flinch, even blink. "I need time to get ready for work." She continued. No response from Four. Tris huffed. "5:15?" She asked. Still nothing. "Okay, 5:30? I'm not going at 6, I won't be able to get to work on time." He scribbled it down.

"Okay." Tris pursed her lips. This was going to be harder than she thought. "So after your run, you're back at home till when?" He asked not even looking at her.

"I leave for work at 7:45. The car picks me up or I walk. I'm just down the street." He wrote it down. "I'm here till about twelve. I either go to lunch or it is brought in." He continued to write. She paused watching him for a moment. "I leave here around 6."

"Long day." He said quietly.

"You don't have to be here all day." She said with a smirk. He just glanced at her, then went back to his notepad. "Sometimes I have drinks, sometimes I just crash at home. That all depends on the day." She shrugged.

"Okay."

"Is that your response to everything? I mean unless you disagree?" She asked. He looked up.

"No." He said flatly. "Okay, so we'll debrief every day. You don't go anywhere without me, understood?"

"Does that include the bathroom?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. He didn't respond. "Lighten up." Tris said with a chuckle.

"I take this very seriously, Ms. Prior." He said. "Your father has entrusted your care and safety to me, and I would hate to fail at that." Tris rolled her eyes.

"There is no reason for all this." She said waving her hand at him.

"Apparently there is." He said. He stared at her for a moment. "Alright, well if you don't have any questions, my office is now next door to yours." Tris's mouth dropped opened. He had an office now too? "I'll be checking in periodically. Do not leave the building without letting me know."

"Sure thing captain." She said with a mock salute. He just stood up, and smoothed down his black suit, put the notepad back in his pocket and turned to leave. Tris leaned back in her chair and swiveled around. "This is going to be great fun," she said to herself sarcastically. "Fun with a capital F." She put her hand to her forehead and rolled her eyes.

A/N: I do not own any of The Divergent Series. Also, thank you for all of the reviews on my other stories! They are all greatly appreciated!