Second Chances (Eric and Tris)

A new arrangement: Part 1

Sitting at the conference table, Tris looks around her. She watches Max pace as he waits for the remaining members of Dauntless leadership. Barb sits across from her looking bored as Eric comes in with Jeremy right behind him. They are both laughing at something. Tris takes a moment to study the man that used to be her adversary. He has changed since her days in training, or maybe he just seems to have. His hair is different, still short, but not the top is shorter and parted and the sides have grown in a bit. It was by far a less intimidating look and it suited him. Today he must not have shaved as he had a 5 O'clock shadow forming, which made him look very rugged. Tris shook her head to rid herself of these thoughts of Eric. Max noticed them walk in and stopped his pacing. Jeremy walked over and sat next to Barb and Eric sat down to Tris's left, between her and Max. Tris's heart gave a small flutter as she smelled the smell that was uniquely Eric. The smell of sandalwood and something else that she couldn't identify.

Eric lounged back in his chair. He sent a quick smile over to Barb and then flashed Tris the same. She returned it with a weak smile of her own. She then turned her attention to Max. There was something wrong.

"So before we get down to business, I need to speak to Eric quickly." Eric raised his pierced eyebrow.

"What?"

"Well there was a bit of an accident with Robert upstairs." Confusion passed over Eric's face.

"And Robert would be who again?"

"He is your upstairs neighbor. There was a bit of plumbing problem in his apartment. "

"Exactly how big?" Eric asked quietly.

"Oh quiet big. Enough to affect your downstairs neighbor..."Max trailed off at the look on Eric's face. Disbelief had created a dumbfounded look that I never thought I would see on Eric. "You are able to go back in and gather clothes and anything else that might be salvageable."

"And....?"

"And what, Eric?"

"And where am I going to stay while they fix this?"

"Oh, well you have friends. Crash with one of them." Tris watches as Eric just closes his eyes. Her eyes jut to Jeremy, who was well known as Eric's best friend. He was looking apologetically at Eric. Tris did not get a change to comment on any of this as Max decided that it was now time to move on to business.

The rest of the meeting went normally, with the exception that Eric was unusually quiet. As everyone was getting ready to leave, Tris was gathering her papers as Jeremy walked up to Eric.

"Man, I'm so sorry. I wish I could help, but you and Macy don't get along well enough to live together..." Eric just shrugs his shoulders.

"Don't worry about it man. I'll figure something out." Eric gives him a smile. Jeremy walks out ahead of them. Just as Eric was about to walk out of the conference room, Tris does something so out of character that she wasn't sure that she was in control of her own body.

"Eric," Eric stops and turns to Tris with raised eyebrows.

"You are welcome to stay at my place. I have more room that I know what to do with." Eric just stares at Tris for a moment with his eyebrows raised.

"Don't feel like you have to offer Tris. I have other friends that I can stay with. I know that you heard what Jeremy said."

"I don't feel like I have to offer. I want to offer. I live in the same building, so it should be easy enough to move your stuff over. It's not like I live across the compound like your other friends." Eric nods his head at the truth in her words.

"I don't want to put you out, Tris. I know that we are not the best of friends and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable in your own home." Tris smiled at his sweet sentiment.

"Don't worry about it. I still feel uncomfortable there by myself anyways. I don't think you will add to it. Actually I think that it would help to have someone around." Eric studied her for a moment.

"If you are sure, than I am grateful. If at any point you want your place back just let me know and I will make other arrangements."

"Great. Sounds like a plan then. Why don't we go save as much of your stuff as we can and then I will make you a spare key." Eric nodded and led the way out of the room.

***********************************************************************************************

They entered Eric's apartment. The musty smell was almost unbearable. Eric physically recoiled from it before letting Tris in. Taking a deep breath they moved in the damp apartment. Eric was holding several empty boxes. Instead of going of the weapons that were on the mantel, he surprised Tris by heading over to the bookshelf in the corner. He started pulling books off and checking for moisture. When he was satisfied that they were dry he packed them carefully in the boxes. Tris moved further into the apartment. She glanced around. She was impressed at the sheer size of the place. It was easily twice as big as the largest apartment she had been in (which was Four's). It was also decorated in a quiet, but stylish way. Lots of metal, blacks and gray.

Once Eric was done packing his books, he made his way to what Tris assumed was the bedroom. She followed as she was holding the only two remaining boxes. She hesitated for a moment before she entered the room. Something about being in his bedroom seemed rather personal. The space was again very understated but completely decorated. A metal bed frame with a king sized bed that was covered in a black duvet. Tris watched as Eric walked to his black dresser. Water glistened off the top.

"Shit." Eric said. He carefully opened a drawer. Thankfully the clothes inside were dry. He glanced up and walked over to the closet, where his stuff wasn't so lucky. "Tris, would you mind throwing those clothes into the boxes? I need to go through this."

"Sure." Tris flashed a confident smile that she did not feel. Pack his clothes??? And to start with his top drawer with his underwear and socks. Holy personal! Well Eric didn't seem to have a problem with it, so Tris turned to the dresser and started to neatly pack the clothes, as to get as much as she could in each box. She was just finishing up with the last drawer when she heard Eric continue to swear. She turned and saw him on his knees with his head stuck in the back of the closet. Tris tilted her head. The angle he was at was not so bad...

"Fuck me!" Eric yelled as he jumped back. His head was dripping wet. Tris grabbed a T-shirt from the box and rushed over.

"Here." She said as she handed it to him. He thanked her as he used it to scrub off his hair. It curled as ran his hands through it. A small smile came to Tris's face. "What happened?" Eric stood up and pushed his clothes out of the way.

"This." Tris could see a steady stream of water falling down the wall and off the side of his clothes that were hanging. Tris raised her eyebrows at the sheer amount of water.

"Well," she said as she put the box down, "guess we will be bringing these to be cleaned on our way to my place. No reason to leave them here and get ruined and they are not coming into my house smelling like that!" With that Tris grabbed about 5 hangers and held them an arm length away from her. Eric gave a short laugh before doing the same with the remaining clothes.

"Let's take care of these then we can come back for the boxes." With that Eric walked out of the apartment with an armful of wet, dripping clothes. Tris followed. On the way back from the dry cleaners, they got a new key made for Eric. He also picked up a dolly from the storage room. Eric loaded the boxes onto the cart and then went into the bathroom. He came out with a black bag filled with toiletries. He threw it on top of the boxes and backed out of room.

"After you." Eric motioned for her to lead the way. As the elevator opened she was telling Eric that her apartment was number 37B. Right when the doors opened, Tris's heart went into her throat. Four was standing there. He looked from Tris to Eric and down to the boxes...