A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and/or followed this story! Your support has been amazing. Thank you also to my wonderful beta readers, Rosalie and BK2U, who have both helped me enormously. This chapter was problematic on a few levels, but hopefully it's good to go now...

Chapter 3: Tobias – Second First Date

"Holy crap…." It's not until Amar utters the words that Tobias realizes his boss is standing right next to him, reading his plans for tonight's date with Tris on his monitor.

Tobias can't help the flush that rises up his face as he debates closing the window on his computer. It's obviously too late to pretend that he wasn't goofing off at work, but he might be able to salvage a sliver of remaining privacy.

"Who is she?" Amar asks, his lips turning up in amusement.

A low sigh comes out of the younger man as he sits back in his seat, surrendering to the inevitable embarrassment of this conversation. "She's the one I let go."

"Ah." Amar nods a bit as he continues to peruse the list of activities that Tobias has been considering. "You must have really messed up."

Tobias just grunts in response. He's not about to explain those details to his boss, even if they have become good friends over the years they've worked together – in Boston and now here.

"A word of advice?" his mentor offers after another moment, the corner of his mouth lifting further the more he reads. "There's such a thing as trying too hard."

An uncomfortable feeling squirms through Tobias' stomach. "I only get one chance at this," he admits quietly. "I need it to go well."

Amar pats his shoulder in an understanding gesture. "She agreed to go out with you again, right?" Tobias doesn't disillusion him, though he's pretty sure that Tris still thinks tonight is more friendly than romantic. "So, she must remember something good about you." The older man gives a gentle smile. "That's what you need to build on, not…." He waves his hand at the extensive details on the monitor. "Not the travel guide to all things dating in Chicago."

Tobias manages a wry half-smile at that before turning back to his screen. His own eyes take in the list again, grasping for the first time just how long it really is. Slowly, he nods, and then he begins carefully trimming the date back to its core, one item at a time. When he's done, he's left with nothing except the restaurant, with its corner table that gives a view of both the lake and the sunset, and its dance hall.

Really, though, it's better this way. It will give him a chance to just focus on Tris.

He can't remember ever being this nervous as he takes a taxi to Tris' apartment. He certainly felt plenty of anxiety the first time he asked her out – and this latest time, too – but it's worse now. There's even more at stake.

Still, he ignores his apprehension as he climbs the stairs to her third floor apartment, pausing in the hallway to check his watch. He's a few minutes early, so he opts to wait, staring out the window at the end of the corridor and letting himself remember the first time they went through this. They were both so young, mired in all the dramas of high school and family life. Not that his father counted as "family" even then.

Tris filled that role more than Marcus ever did – right from the beginning, really. She was already the most important person in his life by the time he dared to ask her out, and when she said yes, it was literally the happiest he'd ever felt. Sometimes, he has no idea how he gave that up.

Drawing away from the window, he walks the short distance to her apartment, straightening his tie and smoothing his black jacket before knocking. He's not surprised when the door opens promptly – Tris was always good about being on time. But the moment he actually sees her, all such mundane thoughts leave his head.

She stands there in a black dress that hugs her body, highlighting every curve she has in a way that she never felt comfortable with when she was younger. A lace wrap overlays her shoulders and drapes down her sides, leaving just a hint of cleavage exposed, and his eyes hang on it for a second before following the dress down to where it ends at her knees. As if the effect wasn't stunning enough, she's wearing a pair of elegant heels that make it impossible not to imagine what she looks like from behind.

He's not sure how long he stays still, staring, as his mouth dries out and his mind goes blank and every part of him absorbs her presence. Images begin floating through him of each time he's seen her in a dress – from their first date, when she wore a simple gray one, to his senior prom, where she was radiant with her pale hair flowing over the dark blue fabric. He remembers how it felt to run his hands down her sides that night, holding her hips and pulling her close as they danced.

God, he's missed her.

It's not until his blood starts flowing lower that he realizes he's reacting physically as much as he is emotionally. Honestly, it shouldn't be a surprise. Tris is still the one who fills his dreams, so now that she's here in front of him, looking way beyond gorgeous while her incredible scent wafts toward him, his response is entirely predictable.

Still, it's definitely not the impression he wants to make tonight, and he struggles to subdue it before things reach a whole new level of awkwardness.

He starts by forcing his gaze back up to hers as it finally occurs to him that he's been staring much too long. Clearing his throat, he manages the words, "You look amazing, Tris."

The compliment makes her lips twitch upwards, a certain amount of smugness in her expression. "Thank you. You do, too."

He swallows hard, controlling the remainder of his body's reaction as he steps forward, proffering his arm. "Shall we go?" It takes superhuman effort to keep his voice smooth.

Her eyes narrow as she looks at his arm, and for a second he's sure it was a mistake to offer it this soon, but then she gives him a tight smile and sets her hand lightly on it. "Absolutely."

She's edgy as they enter the restaurant, looking around at the well-dressed patrons and the musicians playing soft instrumental music as if she's having second thoughts about having accepted his invitation. But when the waiter shows them to the corner table, with its incredible view of the lake on one side and the setting sun on the other, she gives a small gasp of pleasure. It makes Tobias smile.

"Okay, it's pretty," she admits, rolling her eyes at his smirk. "But I would have been fine going somewhere less expensive."

He shakes his head, chuckling. "Just enjoy it, Tris. It's supposed to have some of the best food in the city." He pauses, searching for a way to get past her nerves, before adding, "I've actually been wanting to try it for a while, but it's not really a place you go alone." He lifts a shoulder, the corner of his mouth twitching. "So, you see, you're doing me a favor by coming tonight."

That draws a snort of amusement from her as she finally lets herself relax. "Well, I do try to be selfless…" she mutters.

It's easier to get her to talk after that, particularly once they begin sipping their second glasses of wine. They're still careful to avoid certain subjects – the hard ones that he knows he'll have to face at some point, since he's not under any illusions that she's forgiven him. But while she seems to consider going there a few times, she always ends up backing away, turning to something lighter instead. He can't blame her. Those topics would be painful for both of them.

Despite those limits, they gradually work their way into the type of conversation they were having yesterday – bantering back and forth about a wide range of subjects, from philosophical to funny. It's a level of discussion that he rarely has with anyone, and it's all the sweeter because it's with someone he's wildly attracted to.

He watches her as the sun finishes setting, the last rays of the day stretching over the lake behind her, and he knows that he has to find a way to make this rekindling work. She's even more special to him now than she used to be.

The waiter delivers the check as Tris finishes telling him about her mother's new job, and she frowns slightly as she reaches for it. He pulls it away sharply. "I told you – my treat," he says firmly.

She's silent for a moment, lips pressed into a line, as he slides a credit card into the holder and sets it on his other side – where Tris can't get to it. But then she gives him a small smile. "Thank you," she murmurs, looking a touch pink.

He just grins in return. "Like I said, you did me a favor by coming."

It takes a few minutes for the conversation to pick up again after that, but eventually Tobias stumbles onto the subject of their least favorite classes in college, and that expands nicely into their biggest pet peeves about their neighbors.

"Seriously," Tris says as she tells him about the old man who lives across the hallway from them – and likes to retrieve his newspaper while stark naked – "Christina arranged her entire morning schedule to avoid him. The way all that wrinkly skin hangs down when he bends over…." She gives a little shudder, and Tobias laughs.

"There used to be a cat lady next to my last apartment in Boston," he tells her, leaning his arm on the back of his seat so he can face her better. "I like cats, so it didn't bother me at first, but then I got back from work one day, and there were cats everywhere." He gestures around with his hands. "Hundreds of cats, all over my stuff."

He gives a low chuckle at the way Tris' eyebrows are climbing. "Apparently, the landlord had told her he'd be doing an inspection, and the only way she could come up with to hide the cats was to knock a hole in the wall and shove them all through it." He shakes his head. "I was cleaning up after them and fishing them out from under the furniture for days afterwards."

There's a tenderness in his expression as he adds, "I ended up keeping the last two, though, so it wasn't all bad."

That clearly catches Tris' attention. "You have cats?" she asks, looking like she considers that to be the sweetest thing in the world. "I've been wanting to get one for years, but our apartment doesn't allow them."

Tobias can't help smiling at the opportunity she just handed him. "You can come visit mine," he offers as casually as he can. "Marvel and DC."

She laughs at the names, her eyes alight as she looks at him for a long moment. "Maybe I'll take you up on that," she finally agrees.

The waiter has to hint several times that their reservation is over before they begin making their way out of the restaurant. By this time, they're both feeling relaxed and unwilling to let the evening end, and they're walking slowly, a lot closer to each other than they were when they arrived.

"They have a dance hall, you know," Tobias murmurs, leaning even closer as he points toward the ballroom entrance. He knows it might not be an entirely welcome reminder of their past, but he wants it enough to try anyway. "I've never danced with you in heels."

She doesn't seem to mind, smiling a bit, but she does raise a skeptical eyebrow. "I can barely walk in these, Tobias. And I haven't danced in years…."

His gaze doesn't release hers as he takes note of the way she's clearly only tentative, not unwilling.

"I'll give you a refresher class," he offers. This time, both of her eyebrows rise – in definite surprise – and he smiles as he adds, "I had to take lessons for a friend's wedding."

It's not until the seriousness returns to her face that he realizes it wasn't a great reference. He didn't return to Chicago for Zeke and Shauna's wedding, after all, and now she probably wonders why. But this doesn't seem like the time to tell her that he couldn't deal with watching her and Uriah together, so instead he just proffers his arm the way he did earlier.

Her expression is still hesitant when she takes it, and he gulps down his nerves as he leads her into the ballroom. A handful of other couples are there, swaying to the soft music, but there's plenty of space left for them.

Tobias guides her to a spot not far from the entrance before facing her again. "Okay, your left hand goes here," he murmurs, setting it on his upper right arm. He can feel his heart rate accelerating from even the light contact. "Mine goes here." It's her turn to swallow as he places his right hand on her back. "And our others should be joined." He links the fingers of his left hand with her right, pulling it out to the side at her shoulder height.

He meets her gaze, his mind going momentarily blank, before he adds, "We'll start with the waltz, which follows a square pattern. You'll step back with your right foot first." He smiles a little. "Sound familiar?"

She bites her lip uncertainly but gives a small nod, so he moves gently forward, guiding her to step. It takes a few slow repetitions, with her watching her feet and him murmuring reminders, before she has it down, but then she seems to be good. Until they try to match the pace of the music.

That's when it becomes clear just how difficult it is to dance in heels. "Ow," he mutters with a wince the fourth time she digs painfully into his foot. He pulls back slightly, shaking the limb out from the pain as she mouths an apology.

"I think you're right," he finally sighs. "The shoes have to go." His eyes move to them somewhat mournfully. "No matter how sexy they are."

Her response is a chuckle. "What about yours?" she asks.

"I'm not the one stomping on your feet," he responds, grinning. "But if it'll make you feel better, I'll take mine off, too."

Things improve considerably after that, as they dance in their socks. Or stockings, he supposes, letting images of what Tris might or might not be wearing under that dress occupy his mind.

The music changes periodically, and he teaches her different moves for the different styles, thoroughly enjoying the way she feels pressed against him, with his hands touching her sides and back and hands.

It's difficult to decide which dances he likes best. The fast ones light up her eyes with a wild energy that reaches through his entire soul, but he undeniably loves holding her close as they sway gently to the music on the slow ones. It's so difficult not to kiss her then, but he knows that she's not ready yet, so he contents himself with having her in his arms and feeling the closeness that he's missed for a decade.

When they finally call it quits, he takes her hand casually, finding it easy to do so now that they've been touching for a while.

"Where to next?" he asks, not at all wanting the evening to end.

She considers that for a long while, evaluating him thoughtfully. He thinks again of the plans he deleted earlier, wondering if he should suggest going for a walk. But she's unlikely to accept in those heels.

"Are you any good at darts?" she finally asks, giving him a challenging grin.

"As a matter of fact…." He smiles back. "I am."

They end up taking a taxi to Tris' favorite bar, where she takes off her shoes and promptly proves to be thoroughly adept at throwing sharp objects.

"Christina got me to join her team," she explains after hitting her sixth bulls-eye in a row. "We're currently the reigning champions." Pointing to an award hanging on the wall, she gives him a cheeky grin.

"I see." His tone is stoic as he takes his turn, launching his own dart into the center of his target. "Did I mention that I've been throwing knives as a hobby for the last five years?"

"Knives?" She gives a snort of amusement. "God, that's such a guy thing. Darts aren't big enough, so you have to go for full-sized blades…."

Tobias' lips twitch upwards. "I don't have that particular inferiority complex, Tris." His eyes find hers before he raises his beer in a small toast. "As you might recall."

She doesn't flinch away from the reminder, instead considering him for a moment as she raises her own drink to return the toast. "I'll grant you that one," she admits.

By the time they're near the end of the third game, tied at one win each and neck-to-neck in the current round, they're considerably more relaxed and are laughing freely.

On Tris' final throw, Tobias abruptly leans close, his breath catching at the proximity as his lips brush her cheek. Her entire body stiffens, and she misses the target entirely.

"That's cheating," she gasps, her eyes wide as she stares at Tobias.

He cocks an eyebrow. "And your point would be…?" A small smirk forms. "I got to kiss you, and I won the game, so that's literally a win-win for me."

Tobias doesn't miss the pink that moves slowly up her face. "Uh-huh," she responds, her tone difficult to read. She purses her lips. "Is that how you beat all of your opponents?"

It's an effort to look solemn as he nods. "Especially with guys. It's how I got this." He points to the scar on his chin, still trying to keep his face straight as Tris slowly melts into laughter. She knows perfectly well how he really got that injury, but apparently she likes this version better.

"Fine," she drawls, still chuckling, "I look forward to watching your next game with Zeke, then."

There's a pause as it occurs to both of them that she just promised they'd get together again. She didn't specify the nature of it, but he'll take it anyway.

"Want to play pool?" he asks her with a grin.

It's late by the time they return to Tris' apartment. She seems inclined to say goodnight in the taxi, looking tired and perhaps a bit nervous again. But she doesn't outright object when he insists on walking her to her door. He returns the favor by staying silent when she heads for the elevator, knowing that he can handle the claustrophobia of a quick ride better than she can manage stairs in those heels.

"I'm really glad we did this," he tells her as they step out onto her floor.

She bites her lip, smiling. "Me too." They walk the last few feet to her apartment door before she adds, "It was a lot more fun than I expected."

"Oh?" He lifts a questioning eyebrow. "Were your expectations that low, or was the evening that good?"

She laughs. "Maybe a little of both." To his surprise, she touches him lightly on the chest – perhaps in an old habit she doesn't even realize she's doing. "But mostly the second one."

He nods, finding it difficult to breathe as his body seems to drift closer to her on its own. "Can we do it again?" he asks softly.

She's silent, suddenly seeming to notice just how near he is. It takes her a second to nod, her eyes a bit wide. "Yes," she whispers. The word sends a surge of joy through him.

His fingers move lightly over a few strands of her hair as his gaze finds its way to her lips. "I really want to kiss you, Tris…."

There's no way to miss how she stiffens at that, or the way uncertainty fills her face. She pulls back a few inches, her hands fidgeting with her lace wrap in a sudden attack of nerves. "We…already tried that once, Tobias." Her voice breaks a little. "And it didn't work. You don't really want to go down that path again, do you?"

"Yes." He doesn't even hesitate. "I do." His gaze locks on hers, watching gray swirl into the blue. "Very. Very. Much." He moves a little closer, his voice softening. "The question is…do you?"

She backs away again, biting at her lip as her fingers reach for the doorframe, seeming to seek support. "I…I don't know…."

An ache is spreading through his chest at her doubt, but he pushes it down, knowing that he has exactly one opportunity left to ever get his second chance. "If you don't feel anything for me, Tris," he murmurs through his tight throat, "then tell me that. But please don't say no just because of how things ended before. I've had ten years to figure out what I do and don't want, and I won't let anyone get in the way of it this time."

She swallows hard, her eyes flitting everywhere but to him as she debates. He wants desperately to convince her – to somehow say the magic words that will erase her pain and fear and distrust – but there are none. So, he waits, forgetting to breathe as he focuses on every nuance of her expression.

"I…I don't think I can make that decision yet," she finally whispers. She looks up at him almost defiantly. "I need more time. And there are…discussions…that we would need to have first, which I don't want to start right now." Her eyes harden, and he knows exactly what type of discussions she means. The ones they've been avoiding about why he called it off and what happened in their time apart. He nods in acknowledgement.

She clears her throat. "If you're serious about wanting to try, we can spend more time together. Get to know each other again and have the hard conversations." The side of her mouth tightens. "And then…maybe. But I'm not promising anything." She holds his gaze. "Or, we can keep it light and just be friends. It's your choice."

Tobias nods slowly, too many emotions going through him to decipher them all at once. But really, he already knows his answer. "I do want to try," he breathes. "However slowly you want to go. However hard it is. However long it takes. I want to try."

She's silent as she looks at him, and it hurts him to see the way her eyes are glistening. "Even if it goes nowhere?" she asks softly. "Even if we never get back together?"

"No matter what" is all he can say.

A/N: A number of you have been asking for more details about why Tobias broke up with Tris in the first place. Those are in the next chapter. In the meantime, I'll just say that if you feel like his perspective on what happened is different from Tris', you're right...

Anyway, please take a moment to let me know what you thought of this chapter. It's been very hard for me to find time to write lately, and your reviews help motivate me more than anything else. Plus, I just really, really love reading them. :-)