Chapter 12

"Tobias," she said, "you really don't have to walk me home. Your apartment is the opposite direction."

"Nonsense," he said to her. "I'm your date, I'm obligated to walk you home," teased Tobias with a smile.

Tris playfully rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry you feel obligated."

"I'd walk you home even if I wasn't your date, because I generally like being in your presence."

She smiled. "I guess I kind of like being in your company too."

They reached the door to her apartment and stood in front of it.

"Did you enjoy tonight as much as I did?" he asked.

"Judging by that grin on your face, yeah, I'd say so." She said with a small smile.

"I'm glad. What would you say to a movie this Friday night?" he asked with small smile.

"Well I think I'd have to say yes to that offer."

Tobias smiled. "I'll let you know the details Friday. That okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, whatever works."

"All right," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow." He planted a kiss on her cheek and turned to walk away.

"Hey, Mister," she said. "Where do you think you're going?"

He smirked. "Home."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" she asked playfully.

"Oh yeah," he said. "Where's my money for dinner? Pay up." He smirked.

"If you didn't want a goodnight kiss you could've just said so," she teased, knowing it'd get him kiss her. She unlocked the door, but never got the chance to open it because Tobias pinned her against the door.

It was already 10:15, and she had old neighbors, so luckily no one was in the hallway.

She felt his hands snake around her lower back, but not quite butt. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes. Her shortness was something she liked, just so she could do this.

She pulled away from him, smiling, and began to wipe the lipstick off his lips.

"Goodnight," she told him, then kissed him on the cheek, leaving no remnants lipstick.

Tris stepped inside her apartment, but threw him a wink before shutting the door.

She slunk against the door, sitting down, and chuckled to herself. In the past, she never quite saw herself actually going out with Tobias. Well, technically, they weren't "going out." They were… friends that kiss and go on dates? They weren't officially anything, so she didn't want to put labels on it.

Smiling like a freak, she got up and changed into her pajamas, then hit the hay.

While in the midst of trying to fall asleep, her thoughts travelled to her mother, and she realized it was her birthday. She reached beside her bed and searched for her phone in the dark. She pressed the "call" button in her mother's contact.

"Hello?" her mother answered.

"Hi, Mom. Happy Birthday."

"Aw, thank you sweetie. How ya been?"

"I've been pretty good actually. I'm sorry I never called you last week. You know I try to call once a week, but things have just been a little crazy with work and… people. And I'm sorry I'm calling so late. I worked today, then I was busy after too. I feel bad."

"Oh, honey, it's okay. I understand. You're an adult you've got a life," she chuckled. "So what were you up to tonight?"

"Ah," she said, "yeah… I was just, you know, out."

"You were out on a date, weren't you?" Natalie asked, sounding surprised.

"Mom!"

"Sorry, sorry, but were you?"

"Possibly," Tris mumbled. "But it's your birthday. This conversation is supposed to be about you. Not my love life," she laughed.

"Well, you know, selfless me I guess. Now, tell me about him. Where'd he take you? Are you two together? When will I meet him?"

She sighed. "He took me to a place called Toa. Amazing sushi. We aren't anything official, I guess. And I don't know when or if you'll meet him."

"Well why on Earth not?"

She shrugged, even though she knew her mother couldn't see her. "I don't know. I'm not sure if he's ready for something like that."

"Well, time shall tell. Now tell me, what's he really like? Speak from your heart, Bea."

Tris smiled just at the thought of Tobias. "His name is Tobias. I work with him at the station since he's a cop. He's one of the most amazing guys I've ever met. He's just… He treats me like I'm a princess. A princess. Honestly, he's perfect. If you were to meet him, I really think you'd like him. I mean, he's absolutely hilarious, courageous, outgoing, charismatic, and very charming. And he's so tall… You know me. Lovin' the tall guys," she chuckled. "And he leaves me these roses on my desk every morning. He leaves me the cards about how I'm beautiful and stuff… And—And the first time he did it, he left fifty roses saying how they didn't compare to my beauty," she chuckled. "And then the second time he left a hundred. Then the next time he only left one saying how I was going to make him go broke," she laughed.

"You seem to be quite smitten, and he the same," her mother observed.

She smirked. "I don't know."

"Well I do, and this guy seems to really care about you. I really would love to meet him."

"Um," Tris said, "I guess I'll see what I can do. I'll let you know."

"Oh, and speaking of awesome guys, how's Uriah?"

"Ah, he's good. Finally asked out Marlene. You know how he is. Could never grow the balls," she chuckled.

"That's true," she laughed. "Well, I'll let you get some sleep. Keep me posted with this Tobias guy, alright?"

"I will. Love you, Mom. Goodnight."

"Night, sweetheart."

Tris hung up, then set her phone on her nightstand.

She always had had a close relationship with her mother, especially after her father died. Her mother never minded that she didn't call more than once a week, or that Tris sometimes forgot to call. Her mother always understood that her life was busy and that she was a grown adult. That she wasn't a child any longer.

With thoughts of her mother in her head, she fell asleep a happy girl, satisfied with her day.

The next Friday Tris had woken up to a screeching sound, which happened to be her alarm clock. She got up, got dressed, and headed to work. She couldn't seem to shake the fact that she and Tobias were… she didn't know. Dating, she supposed? They hadn't really discussed it, but she kind of wanted to stay in the limbo type thing. They weren't dating, but they went on dates. Nothing official, so technically they weren't breaking any rules, right? Well, anything other than friendships were restricted, and they definitely weren't friends. This limbo they were in was something undefinable. Tris was pretty sure Tobias wanted to be something more… solid. Official. Concrete. If he asked her if she wanted to be together, she didn't know what she would say.

She simply didn't know.

Maybe Tobias didn't even know what he wanted. Maybe Tris was wrong. Maybe he was totally confused, just like her. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

Life was filled with too many "maybes." Tris was sick of that word. "Maybe" this, "maybe" that. Sick and tired, she was. Nobody quite understood. Nobody quite understood Tris the way Tobias did. Tris felt like Tobias had been her best friend their whole lives, even though they'd only known each other for about a month. She never, before then, was brave enough to acknowledge her feelings for Tobias. She was always afraid of what her mind would conjure up.

She couldn't tell what would pop up in that head of her's any longer.

Tris finally arrived at work. She was immediately needed in Max's office for an assignment. She hadn't even reached her desk to see if Tobias had laid anything there this morning.

"Ivan Yorgen. German. Leader of a drug ring. Find him. Today." He handed her the case file.

"Sir, I don't know that I can do that all in one day."

"Yes, you can. If you don't do this, I'll find someone else. Except you won't be in the position you are now."

"So you're saying if I don't solve this today, I'm fired?" she asked incredulously.

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

She dryly chuckled. "Okay then."

Tris walked out in an even pissier mood than she was when she arrived. And apparently Max was in a pissy mood too.

When she arrived at her desk, she threw the folder onto her desk. There was a card and rose, like always.

She read the card: "I'm running out of things to show off… Looking beautiful today, as always, though."

Tris walked over to his desk and said, "Really? Running out?"

"Not feeling it?"

She rolled her eyes.

He stood up and walked over to where Tris stood. "Who pissed in your cornflakes this morning, Prior?" he teased in a whisper as he wore a shit-eating smirk.

She chuckled a little though. "I'm sorry, it's just that Max is going to fire me if I don't solve this case he gave me today and I don't think I can do it and our date is tonight and I don't know if I'll be able to make it and—"

"Hey, hey, babe, calm down," he said quietly. "You can do it. And if you can't make our date tonight, it's fine. I understand. But I know you can do it. Just focus on it. I believe in you."

She smiled. "Babe?"

He shrugged and looked away. "Slipped."

Tris grinned even wider. "I could kiss you right now."

"Better not," he warned.

She sighed. "I know. But thanks for the pep talk. I'll let you know the deal for tonight."

"All right. Get to work," he said, then winked at her.

Tris smiled, then strutted back over to her desk.

Later that night, Tris did end up figuring out where he was.

She had to cancel on Tobias, but she knew he understood.

She booked him and had him in a cell by eleven o'clock, and she was absolutely exhausted. She simply wanted to go home and collapse on her bed.

Hardly being able to walk, she carried herself to bed. It was a good thing she could sleep in the next day.

But of course, something—more so, someone—held her back.

"Four," Tris said.

He smiled at her. "Been a while, Detective."

She chuckled and climbed to the top of the fire escape and sat.

"So you're still doing this Four thing, huh?" she asked on a more serious note.

"Uh, yeah, about that…," he said, scratching behind his ear.

She figured it was out of nervousness.

"Tobias—"

"No, Tris, just let me talk before you say anything."

She sighed. "Go ahead."

"I'm not going to do this Four thing anymore. I'm not doing it because I realized it could get me into some serious trouble. And I can't do it forever, either, so I may as well stop now. Tonight was just a finale. I realized that if someone else catches me… then I'll go to prison for god knows how long. Which means I can't be with you. And I would really, really hate that. I mean… I don't think I can live without you, Tris. I really don't think you understand how much I need you. I would've fallen apart by now if it wasn't for you these past two months. I mean… Suddenly you came into my life and I just… I lost it. I lost it, Tris. You… you have no idea the affect you have on me."

"Tobias," she says, "you know this isn't going to work."

"Why's that?" he asks.

"Because eventually you're going to fall in love with me. And if you tell me you love me, I'm going to say it back. And that means that I lose."

"Then I guess you lose."