AN: Update number 2 today, so use that previous button if you missed chapter 13.

Two Months After

"Come on now, any celebrity you want for one night where no one would know. There has to be someone!" Her blue eyes sparkle as she scrunches up her freckled nose at me.

"I don't freaking know, shit maybe Lady Gaga." I shrug.

"Lady Gaga? Really? She wears meat as clothes!" She exclaims.

"Well, I'd have dinner too then." I shrug with a grin. "Besides, she's not conventionally pretty but I think she's beautiful, and she has a great ass." I chuckle and she laughs. "So, how about you?"

"Channing Tatum, without a doubt." She says.

"So predictable." I roll my eyes at her.

"What? He's hot." She argues.

"And if I asked any girl in this coffee shop that same question I'd get that same answer. Predictable." I grin.

"Fine, how about Shemar Moore." She says.

"The dude who was on that Criminal Minds TV show?" I ask and she nods. "Ok, I can accept that one. Not predictable, and not clichéd."

"Ok, would you rather give up sex or going to the gym?" She asks. "A one year period without one or the other."

"That's seriously not a fair question considering how much I love both. How about if I were in a committed relationship, I'd give up the gym and if I'm single I'd give up sex." I reply.

"You'd give up sex for an entire year?" She asks with arched eyebrows.

"Well only if I had to. I don't do hookups so sometimes it happens where you get a dry spell." I shrug.

"It's interesting the things I learn about you after we break up that I didn't know when we were together." She replies with a smirk.

"Just because I love sex doesn't mean I am some sort of manwhore. I do have some morals you know?" I chuckle.

I'm not quite sure how Charity and I started hanging out again, but I guess it started with a chance run in a couple of weeks ago at this coffee shop close to my job. We sat together and caught up a bit that day, and it's slowly grown to where we often meet here for coffee. We usually just have silly conversations like the one we're having now, and it at least a friendly conversation that distracts me from the ever present thoughts of Tris.

"Eric, I really want to apologize to you for what I did. You didn't deserve to be treated that way." Charity says softly bringing me out of my thoughts.

"It's water under the bridge." I reply with a shrug.

"Do you ever miss us?" She asks.

I regard her carefully and fix my eyes on hers. Her expression gives nothing away but I'm extremely uncomfortable with the direction this conversation is heading.

"Charity, I don't think we should go down that road. We didn't work and we both knew it. When you left, sure it was a shitty way to break up with someone, but it needed to be done." I say.

"Not everything was bad between us though Eric." She says in a soft voice and I feel her hand on mine. I move my hand away.

"I don't know where this conversation is going but it needs to stop. I'm cool with trying to be a friend, that's it." I say.

"What about if we had some benefits, no strings attached? I mean we've been with each other before so we know what we like and dislike and it'd be a nice stress relief until we can find someone new. I don't love you and you don't love me, so it wouldn't be complicated at all." She smiles at me.

"I can't, I'm not looking for anything right now, physical or not." I reply evenly.

"Wow. When have you ever turned down sex with me? So, who is she?" She asks.

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

"Who has captured your heart Eric? The only reason I can think of for you turning down no strings attached sex is because you're in love with someone. So, who is she? Do I know her?" She asks.

"Maybe I just don't want a fuck buddy Charity, did you ever think of that?" I bite out and I immediately regret my tone.

"Sorry. Maybe I should go." She says as she grabs her purse.

"No, stay, I'm the one who should apologize. There is someone back in Chicago, I'm still in love with her, and I don't want to talk about her." I reply.

"Fair enough." She nods. "By the way, I only did that to get you to at least crack the door open and let me in a bit. You know I'm still in love with Antoine, and I knew from the first time we talked again that you were still in love with whoever she is." She smirks.

"You're an asshole, you know that?" I shake my head at her.

"Takes one to know one. Want to go grab some dinner? As much as I love the muffins here, I need real food."

"Yeah, ok, that can work." I reply.

We leave the coffee shop and I follow her to our destination, which ends up being a diner. I sigh as we walk in and are ushered to a booth.

"What's good here?" I ask as I look over the expansive menu.

"Everything. The apple pie is amazing though so whatever you do make sure you save room for it." She replies as she continues to look at her menu.

We order food, and we make small talk while we wait. I have retreated back into my shell, only offering one word answers and barely listening. This place, the ambiance, the food, it all takes me back to that diner back in Chicago.

"Eric…maybe talking about it will help a little." Charity says as she puts a hand on my arm to get my attention. She moves her hand away and waits for me to react.

"This place it reminds me of her. There was this diner we would go to close to her job. They had amazing apple pie, and coffee but it was being there with her that made it that much better." I reply.

"How'd you two meet?" She asks.

"We grew up together. Her brothers were my best friends when we were kids." I reply.

"Beatrice?" She asks. I immediately look up at her and glare. "Hey, sorry, I just remember you talking about her, Tobias and Caleb was it?"

"Yeah." I reply.

"You guys would go to the diner a lot?" She questions.

I can tell she's really trying to tread lightly and she sincerely seems interested. I push back some of my anger and discomfort and begin to answer.

"We did. I sent a text to the last number I had for her and she actually answered. We met that night and went to the diner and it kind of became our go to spot from then on." I reply.

"If I had of known I wouldn't have chosen this place." She replies softly.

"It's ok. There's always going to be something that reminds me of her." I shrug.

"Do you think there's any chance you two will work things out? You don't have to tell me what happened, but you can tell me anything Eric. I'm not here to judge you." She replies.

I lean back against the booth and take a deep breath. Our waitress comes by to deliver our food and for a moment we eat in grateful silence.

"In a perfect world, yeah we'll get through this. Unfortunately, this situation she and I are in is far from perfect." I finally say. "By the way, this food is really damn good. Nice pick."

"I told you, best in the area!" She grins.

We spend some time talking about her failed relationship with Antoine and I learn that while their situation is nowhere near as complicated as the one between Tris and me the feelings are the same. He left her because she wasn't ready to get married, and he felt like the reason was because she had unresolved feelings for me. That couldn't be further from the truth, and it's obvious that she is still very much in love with him.

"Why aren't you two working things out?" I ask.

"Timing I guess. He started seeing someone new and I've just been trying to wait for it to fizzle out." She says.

"Tell him how you feel, trust me. I may be a miserable ass right now because she broke up with me, but I don't regret for one minute telling her how much I love her. Do it before it's too late." I tell her.

"Thanks Eric." She smiles. "You may think I'm crazy, but I have a good feeling about you and Beatrice."

"Don't hold your breath." I reply with a sigh.