Previously (Homes and Comfort Zones)… Tris woke up the day after Christmas and cleaned her already clean apartment before her shift at work. She found that she desires the comfort of a home more than she wants a perfectly tidy apartment. A bit frustrated with her environment, she left to go to work early. When she arrived, she found the place busy and immediately began helping her co-workers.
Tobias woke up in his sister's house to his niece poking his cheek to wake him. He made breakfast for her and her parents before leaving. After a pep talk from his sister, he went to Sofia's in hopes that Tris was working. He found her there and she gave him her phone number. He promised to call her when she gets off of work at eight. After Tobias told his eager sister that he got Tris' number, he started towards work.

Chapter 6: Orders and Liquid Confidence

Tobias sits at his desk at the Chicago Police Department, rubbing his temples. He looks over the female victim's toxicology report, wondering why the suspect injected the victim with a mock flu virus used for testing on rats. He sighs just as there is a knock on his door.

"Come in," he says, closing the file.

Peter Hayes, the new rookie detective from the smaller precinct outside of town strolls in. He sits down on the chair in front of Tobias' desk and crosses his leg. "So, find anything out?" Unfortunately, Peter was assigned to work on the case by order of the captain, so Tobias is stuck with him.

"Nothing major," Tobias says. He opens the file again, basically ignoring the younger detective.

"Want to hear my thoughts on the rat poison?" Peter asks. The sound of him chomping on his gum makes Tobias' headache worse.

"It's not rat poison, it's a mock flu virus," Tobias grumbles. He knows he shouldn't treat Hayes like a kid, but it's difficult when he acts like one.

"Whatever. I think the guy gave it to our vic because he wanted to make her think she was sick so that she'd go to the doc and he could kill her there."

Tobias' eyes leave his papers to look at the strange, green shade of Peter's. The younger man wears a proud smirk, which only irritates the superior detective. "First of all, don't assume the gender of any suspect without evidence. Second, we ruled that out because the victim with already dead when she was injected. Did you even read the files, Hayes?"

Peter's jaw opens and quickly closes. "Duh."

"Come back when you have something solid." Peter rolls his eyes and leaves before Tobias can say anything more. Tobias leans back in his chair and rubs his hand over his face.

"I need real detectives," he mumbles to himself. His cell phone rings and he looks at the caller ID: the medical examiner. "Eaton."

"We found DNA under the victim's fingernails, detective," Rhonda, the medical examiner says immediately. She's worked closely with Tobias for about a year, and knows he prefers to do without the pleasantries. "I examined it and ran it. I found a match to a man named Adam Jones. I am forwarding his file to you now."

"Thanks, Rhonda," Tobias says. They both hang up and he clicks on his computer to open Adam Jones' file. Multiple accounts of physical harassment in public areas, speeding tickets, a five year sentence for carrying a weapon without a permit, but he got out a few months ago. Last known residence is an apartment building near the outside of town. It's not far from where their victim was found. With a heavy sigh, he leaves his office to gather Peter so he can canvas that building.

Tris sits down with a small salad with Shauna and Christina. As she pours some dressing over top, she barely listens to Christina and Shauna talk about Shauna's engagement and wedding plans. She only begins really listening when she hears a question directed at her.

"So, should I reserve a seat next to you for anyone at the reception, Tris?" Shauna asks, her tone teasing.

"Maybe for a certain man that came all the way to your work just to get your number?" Christina adds.

Tris rolls her eyes, but can't stop the smile that covers her face. "I told him to call me when I get off at eight." Both of her friends smirk, making a blush fall over Tris' face.

Tobias bangs his fist on the door of Adam Jones. "Chicago PD! Open up!" he yells. He listens carefully as he keeps his hands firmly on his gun. He thinks he hears movement inside, and then nothing. "Chicago PD! Open up!" he repeats. He hears a door slam on the inside, and watches as Hayes kicks the door, but it doesn't budge.

Tobias shakes his head and knocks the door down himself. They begin clearing rooms, but don't find Adam Jones. Tobias looks out the window to find Adam Jones going down the fire escape. "Go downstairs and get the car. I've got him!" Tobias yells as he goes through the open window, his fear of heights lost in his adrenaline.

He makes his way down the fire escape and lands on the ground just seconds after Adam Jones. He runs after him on foot, and quickly tackles him to the ground.

"Ah!" Adam Jones yells as his body makes contact with the icy pavement. "What the hell?"

Tobias pulls the man's arms behind him and cuffs him. He begins telling him his rights just before Peter pulls into the alley in the car.

Two hours later, Tobias finds himself at his desk again. Adam Jones had an alibi. He was working when the victim died, and the DNA under the victim's nails was explained by rough sex.

Tobias decides to call the CDC to ask where somebody could get a mock flu virus and why they'd want it, but the answers are too general to be of much help. Apparently, just about anyone could gain access to it. He looks through sellers of it, and finds a company in the city that sells to scientists. Tobias manages to get their records and runs each buyer through the system. He finds only one with a record.

He quickly finds that Vincent Fells used a fake medical license to buy the mock virus. With that evidence, he and Peter head to the same building the victim lived in.

Tris is happy when her long day is over. She takes off her nice shoes and puts on her fluffy boots before leaving Sofia's. A few inches of snow fell through the day, so she brushes her car off before she can leave for home. When she arrives at her apartment, she hangs her keys and coat up, leaves her wet boots by the door, and goes to her room to seek out more comfortable clothes. As she approaches her dresser, she finally notices the time. It's almost 8:45, and she completely forgot that Tobias was going to call her. She forgets about comfortable clothes and runs to where she left her phone on her kitchen counter. She quickly powers it up to find absolutely nothing. No missed calls, no texts. Nothing. She lets out a sad sigh and sets her phone back down, but not before turning the sound all the way up.

Tris goes back to her bedroom and changes into a pair of soft sleep pants and her favorite oversized sweatshirt. She goes to her kitchen, pours herself a glass of wine, and begins making pasta.

She is cleaning her dishes when her phone rings, and she nearly drops the pot in her hands to go answer it. She answers so quickly that she doesn't even look at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Tris?" a deep, masculine voice says from the other side, one she recognizes.

"Hi," she says, exhaling through a wide grin.

"I'm sorry I took so long. I was working," Tobias says, genuine apology clear in his voice.

"Don't apologize, Tobias," she says. "How was work?"

"Honestly? It was kind of frustrating."

"I suppose that is part of being a detective."

Tobias chuckles. "But the best part is solving a case."

"Were you successful today?" He hums an affirmative deep and low, and it warms her insides, even through the phone.

On the other side, miles away from her, Tobias hangs his suit up in his closet. "Do you work tomorrow?" he asks without really thinking about it. He has the next day off whenever he solves a case as a reward.

There is quiet on the other line, and he suddenly worries that he was being a bit too forward. He stops with his hand on his closest door, waiting through the silence. Just as he is about to apologize, he hears her soft voice. "That depends."

A smile finds his lips and he breathes again. "On?"

"Do you want me to work tomorrow?" Tris doesn't know why her voice sounds so steady when her hands are shaking so much. She blames it on the three glasses of wine.

Tobias smiles as he sits down on the edge of his bed. "I'd rather you let me pick you up for breakfast."

"2607 South White Avenue," she says smoothly. He repeats the address in his head, committing it to memory.

"I'll be there at nine," Tobias answers. He looks to the clock, 11:13 PM.

"I'll be waiting."

"Sleep well, Tris."

"You, too, Tobias." The line dies, and it takes Tris' breathing an entire minute to regulate. She looks into the deep color of her wine and smiles. "Thank you, liquid confidence." Satisfied, she dumps the remainder of her glass down the drain and heads to bed. She falls into a deep sleep, rocked to unconsciousness by the memory of him.

Please don't hate me for being gone for so long… I am very, very sorry. I knew this would happen, though, which is why I have the summaries at the beginning of the chapters. My life is hectic.

I changed some dates, ages, and chapter titles, but most of you probably won't even notice. The only one that really matters is Emily. For some reason, I kept saying she is eight going on nine, but she acts more like a five year-old, and that's always how I pictured her. So I changed that. I model her after my five year-old cousin, so I have no idea why I kept calling her almost-nine. Anyways…

I need some feedback: how do you like the detail of Tobias' work? Crime shows are a favorite of mine, so that's where I got the inspiration. If you guys aren't into it, I will make the workings of his job more vague, but either way it will be intentionally non-specific just as it is in this chapter to keep the story about Tris and Tobias and not the CPD... Just let me know!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review your thoughts and opinions! I'm looking forward to hearing from you all!

-GerdyGertha