I'm so sorry it's been a while, I had some serious writers block but I think it's gone now. I have some more chapters I plan to post today once I edit them. I hope you enjoy. Reviews are welcomed and appreciated =)

"Hello, love," he smiled leaning in and kissing her cheek before she could pull back.

"Dorian, this is business, please don't."

"No reason it can't be pleasure too, love," he answered, opening the car door for her.

"You're incorrigible," she sighed. And, once he'd shut his own door, asked, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"Dorian!"

"Patience, woman," he sighed. "Just trust me."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Are you going to be this unpleasant the entire time?"

"Yes."

"Great."

They pulled away from the Dregger's house. The twelfth they had been to that day. The interviews were monotonous, but necessary. The rumors, though adamant, were still rumors and the two could not accept them blindly. So, they were stuck interviewing countless Dreggers in the hopes that they could sift through all the information, piece together the truth, and find a solid lead to follow. That was the worst part, they would spend the entire weekend interviewing during the day and at night they still had to sort through, organize, and analyze all the information they had gathered. And, unfortunately, their interviewees tended to be long winded, babbling on and on, so in the end only about ten percent of the information from each one would be useful. It was ridiculous, tedious, mind numbing, and completely necessary. This was why she liked assistants. She hadn't had to do work like this in years, unfortunately Fi didn't trust anyone else enough to recruit them. It was a rather sad comment on where her life and relationships were. She was trying to discover a truth that would shake the foundations of her world and the only person she could trust was her traitorous, murdering, ex-fiancé who spent half his time trying to seduce her. When had her life become so derailed? She fought off a sigh, her life was a jumbled mess. She was going to spend the weekend exhausting herself with this… project, and then spend Monday through Friday exhausting herself at work only to start the process all over again next weekend. Her mother was going to kill her. Scratch that, her whole family was going to kill her, which was just great seeing as how she didn't have enough stress in her life already. She could use magic to try to hold back their concern and suspicions but that would be… tiring. She didn't know what…. Was someone playing with her hair?

"Welcome back, love," smiled Dorian, who was crouched outside her opened passenger door and absently tucking stray hair behind her ear, holding her hands with one of his. "Where'd you go?"

"I… where are we?" she asked, noticing they were parked outside of a restaurant. "Why are we here?"

"Your stomach started growling halfway through the last interview love, I couldn't let you starve, especially when you're thin enough as it is," he told her, disapproval in his tone.

"Dorian," she sighed, the prospect of food making her nauseous. "We have work to do."

"And it will wait, while we get some meat on you, love," his voice leaving no room for argument, as he pulled her out of the car and tucked her under his arm. "Don't worry, we'll get you something that won't be to harsh on your stomach, and we can take our time."

"Okay," she caved, knowing Dorian wouldn't be dissuaded and grateful that he, at least, knew her finicky, stress reacting stomach well enough she would most likely manage to eat.

"Two?" asked the waitress, doing a slight double take at Fiona's hair.

"Yes, thank you," smiled Dorian, playfully twirling a piece of hair in his fingers.

"Alright, well, here you go, and our specials are in the center of the menus, can I get you two anything to drink?"

"Waters, please."

"Certainly, sir."

"What are you in the mood for, love?"

"Nothing. Did you want to work through all the interviews tonight? Or just make a dent?"

"Oh, come now Fi, they've got a lot of stuff here, I'm sure you'll find something. Have you looked at the soups, love?"

"No, because I'm not hungry," she told him, her stomach growling loudly in protest. Blushing, she said, "I was thinking we should get through as much as we can tonight, because we don't want to fall behind. Plus we always work better together."

"I was thinking you might like their chicken alfredo," he said.

"Dorian this isn't funny."

"Of course it isn't. Food is serious business, so I'd appreciate it if you would focus, love."

"Dorian, this is not the time-"

"Actually, it is. There is a time and place for everything. Earlier it was time to work, and now it is time to eat. What are you going to have?"

"Dorian, I'm not-" Fi started but broke off when her stomach let out another rumble.

"Yes, you are, love. Relax. The pasta will be easy on your stomach, we'll eat slow and you'll be fine. And we will talk about work when we get back to my place," he told her, a note of finality to his voice.

"Alright, you two ready to order?" asked the waitress, setting the water glasses down.

"Yes, I'd like the steak marinara with the burgundy, and she'll have the chicken alfredo with the chardonnay," he ordered, handing over his I.D.

"Certainly, sir,"she smiled, handing back his I.D. "Ma'am, I need to see your I.D."

"Oh, yea, sorry," said Fi, quickly fishing hers out.

"Alright, I'll have it out to you soon," she smiled.

"So, how are things being back in the states, love?"

"You're hopeless," she sighed, resting her chin in her upturned palm.

"One of the many reasons you love me," he smiled.

"And you're an endless flirt," she smiled, not bothering to contradict him. "Things are fine."

"Wrong, try again."

"Dorian, save it. I'm fine. Things are fine. The only thing not fine is that we're here wasting time instead of working."

"Does it make it easier?"

"Does what make what easier?" she snapped.

"Burying yourself in work, does it make it easier to ignore all the bad crap in your life?" he clarified.

"Dorian, I…"

"Come on, love, we don't lie to each other. Never have. No matter what's happened to us, even when things were at their worst, we never lied to each other."

"I don't trust you, Dorian."

"I know, do you need to?"

"I don't know."

"Who do you trust more than me that you can actually talk to?"

"That's not fair," she told him, crossing her arms.

"No it's not, but that doesn't mean it isn't a valid point, love."

"Fine, I don't trust you, but I do trust you more than anyone else in my life right now," she conceded. "And no, things aren't fine, I'm not fine. And yes, filling my time with work does make it easier to ignore all my crap."

"Now was that so hard, love?" he smiled.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Don't even, if I have to be honest, then so do you. How are things for you?"

"Well, considering that I'm blacklisted in most of our community, I'd say not so great."

"Don't look at me like that!"

"Like what?" he asked with false innocence.

"Like it's my fault."

"You could clear me, love."

"Dorian," she sighed. "There may not be enough evidence to convict you, but there isn't enough to clear you either."

"You carry a lot of weight, Fiona."

"Not anymore."

"You could if you wanted to."

"Don't do this to me, Dorian, please. I won't go there, don't ask me to."

"Alright, so we have the chicken alfredo for you, and the steak marinara for you," smiled the waitress, setting down their dinners and drinks.