EPOV:

"Jessica, what are you doing?"

"Making ice cream volcano. Want some?"

I squinted at her bowl. I didn't know where she got her ideas from sometimes, but she had her scoops all in a row with the chocolate sauce coming up the middle, and her wafer cone smashed into the sides.

"No, I'm good. So, how was school today?"

"Good," she said, mouth full and covered in chocolate ice cream. "Teacher wants us to make a picture for homework. To—to for class."

Jessica had a habit of getting a little too excited for her words, they would fall out of her mouth all over each other, and usually repeated more than once. It was adorable.

"Oh?"

"Mmhmm, it's called 'my family'." She dragged 'family' out so it came out more like fa-mah-lee. When she learned sarcasm, we were all in trouble.

"Oh, well that's nice sweetie. Maybe that's something you and mom can work on at home then tonight."

"Is you working again? You is always at work," she pointed out. And while that was strictly not true, I guess to a four-year-old evening till closing most nights of the week did equal "always." Which brought up that worry in me about Sookie being gone so much. Sure, right now it was during Jess's school hours, but soon it wouldn't be. Soon it would be for longer and more often.

"Okay, you all done?"

"Momma said I wasn't meant to has ice cream before dinner…" she said just as if she realized we broke a rule.

"True, and usually we don't, but mom and I figured you deserved a treat because you've been such a good girl lately."

And she had been. When she first started pre-school, we had more than our share of hassle with her and the "rules." She missed being with me and her mom and just didn't get why we left her there for hours everyday, tantrums would ensue and the crying was almost non-stop. Thankfully, it had only lasted a week before she was able to adjust. Now she almost loved it.

"Oh, okay…" she said quirking her little brows before hopping off her chair. Her hands going up straight away. She knew when she had me that I'd pretty much carry her anywhere. She was getting too big for Sookie to do the same, but she knew she could be lazy with me. I would admit to being a fully grown man, wrapped around the finger of a four-year-old. It should have been shameful, but one look at her and I was done for, and I think she knew it.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, honey?"

"We bring Momma some ice cream?"

"That, is a good idea baby. Might cheer her up, huh?"

She nodded.

"Which ice cream?"

"Chocolate and chocolate."

That was Jessica's favorite more than it was Sookie's.

"Hmm. How about we split chocolate with some strawberry?"

"Okaaaaaaaay," she said with a sigh as we placed our order.

SPOV:

I'd been sick for days—just miserable and wiped from the flu. I had battled through though, as best as I knew how. The restaurant was three months from the opening deadline and I was up to my eyes in invoices, bills, decorating mishaps, stressed out painters and non-existent advertisers. I had built my contacts while I was at the Crown, so getting the word out about the opening wouldn't be a problem. Finding a decent team however was proving to be a sticking point.

I'd been working out of my half finished office for a few hours when I heard the familiar patter of tiny Mary-Jane shoes.

"Momma, where is you?" came the tiny yell before the manly knock.

"Hey," came Eric's greeting as they both walked in. Jessica hopped on my seat as I stood up to greet Eric with our customary kiss. She swung around and around on the swivel chair as Eric and I talked.

"You feeling any better?" he asked handing me a bag—ice cream. Ah, I loved him.

"A little, though someone won't be feeling so good if she keeps spinning after what I'm assuming is a two scoop ice cream cone," I said, looking over my shoulder to see Jessica coming to a halt with a shy smile.

"This is just what I needed, thank you." I leaned in and kissed him again before pulling back after a peck. "I don't want to get you sick."

"I'm not scared of your tiny blonde germs, Sookie."

"You will be when you feel like your head is about to explode." I rolled my eyes, and it hurt.

"You should be at home, tucked up, in bed," he leaned in to whisper, "With me."

"So we both can get sick and nothing would ever get done." I pushed him back. I really didn't want him getting what I had so I was trying, and apparently failing, to keep my distance.

"The decorators should be done in the next couple of weeks. Having solid floors throughout will be a huge plus," I smiled. Walking the plank every morning wasn't my idea of fun.

"That's good. The place is really shaping up well. It'll be beautiful when it's done," he complimented, looking around my office again. Since things had gotten up and running Eric hadn't spent that much time here with me. I didn't know why, but he just seemed to like to avoid the subject and the place as much as possible. I hoped his unannounced stopping by might have been a peek at things changing. I hated when things were tense between us, especially when I didn't have a real reason for them being so.

"Well, how are you, Miss Jessica?" I said scooping her up and sitting back down in my chair. "Where you good for daddy?"

"Yes. I is always good, but we got ice cream before dinner, but daddy told me not to tell you so I not tell you. Okay?"

I laughed as Eric looked guilty.

"It wasn't two scoops, it was one."

"It was two," she whispered.

I knew their game, but it was a fun one.

"That's fine as long as you eat your dinner when we get home, and all the vegetables."

"Ugh," she made a face, "But they are gross."

"Gross? That's new."

"It means gross." She nodded. Of course it did, I laughed.

"Pam is bringing in her replacement next week."

"She's finally sucumbing to the fact that she's seven months pregnant and shouldn't be strutting around in six inch heels all day long?" I laughed.

"She is. Her name is Yvetta. Pam knew her from college or something—I wasn't really listening—but she'll cover for her till her maternity leave ends."

"So, she's there for a year, then? You know Pam will use everyone of her sick days too, to add on to it."

He nodded. "Don't I know it. Eh, I don't know much about her, only that she and Pam used to be good friends. I guess that means she might be similar to Pam and if so, I can deal with that."

I just nodded. It was necessary after all, the bar was booming and it was only good business to hire a replacement while your best friend had her baby.

"Okay, midget let's go let mom finish up here and get you cleaned up," Eric announced after a few minutes more of chit chatting. They left as quickly as they came, leaving me and my cold in the drafty office. I would be home in a few hours. Dinner, bed, comfort—it all sounded wonderful.

After a rough night's sleeplessness, I woke to the sound of pots and pans banging downstairs. It was Saturday, and that meant Jessica's 'cooking' lesson with Eric. If you asked me, it was like the blind leading the blind as far as they both were concerned, but I usually got some nice eggs and toast out of the deal. Of course, my toast was shaped like Barbie, but it was still yummy. They were whispering down the hall long before they made it into the bedroom.

"We wanted to let you sleep a little longer. You were up and down a lot last night," Eric commented, coming in with the tray as Jessica toddled in and slammed herself up onto our bed.

"Thank you." I kissed him once as he handed me my coffee.

"Feeling better?"

"A lot more so than yesterday. Fingers crossed it's fading," I smiled.

Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and what looked like fruit with little bites already taken out of it.

I looked at Jessica and she just shrugged. "I got hungry, okay?" she squeaked.

Jessica snuggled in between Eric and I as he tucked into his toast, she chugged on her sippy cup, and I ate what I could.

"Momma?"

"Mmm?"

"How comes my name is different to your name?"

"You mean, Jessica?"

"No, I mean my other name."

Oh, her last name. Yes, her last name was still Herveaux. Since Eric and I weren't married we couldn't decide whose name she got, and felt wrong sticking her with Herveaux-Stackhouse-Northman. She'd sound like a very odd law firm, and no little kid needed that.

"Well, your birth mom and dad, you know that was their last name."

"I know, but why is it still mine now? Why is your last name different from Daddy's, too?"

"Because sweetie, Daddy and I aren't married so I still have my own name."

"Oh."

"Okay?" I looked at Eric and he just smiled. The idea of getting married, it wasn't something I longed for, it wasn't something I thought was necessary for a certain level of fulfilment or achievement in life. Eric, Jess and I were a family. I didn't think I needed a ring or a piece of paper to tell me that. Eric had agreed with me when we'd first had the talk, though that had been two years earlier. Now that Jessica was starting to ask questions, things were going to get awkward.

Pam, Amelia, Lafayette, Tara, and even Jason in his own haphazard way, were all pushing for us to 'make it official' in some capacity. We just shrugged it off, though. Peer pressure wasn't really our style.

Jessica pressure however, was something else entirely.

"Okay, but why?"

"Why what honey?"

"Why is your name and Daddy's name not the same because you is not married?"

"Well—" Eric began but Jessica cut him off.

"Hoyt's mommy and daddy and Hoyt has the same name. Why don't we?"

Awkward.

"Jessica eat your toast," I said, rolling my eyes as I smiled. Eric just looked pensive.

"Something wrong?" I asked him.

"Well, she has a point. I mean, why don't we?"

"Why don't we what?"

He just raised his brow at me, as if to say ' you know what, idiot.'

"Oh, Eric, come on. We've talked about this."

"Not in a long time we haven't. Things change…" He shrugged.

Jessica looked at him as if she was trying to suppress a giggle.

"Have they changed? For you, I mean?"

"Well, have they for you?" he countered.

"I …"

He turned to me fully then, taking my beloved coffee out of my hands and setting it on his nightstand.

"I wasn't done."

"I need to ask you something, and I'm only asking because I want to, and because it's been something I've been thinking a lot about—especially lately. I just need to ask."

I was utterly confused, but then Jessica started to giggle.

"Show her…" she nudged Eric, but he just shushed her.

"Show me what?"

Jessica giggled again.

"Sookie, it's something I've been wondering for awhile now…" He smiled and fidgeted before he took a deep breath. "I know some guys would feel the need to fly you to Paris or Venice, or get down on one knee in some fancy restaurant … but somehow I don't think that's me, and I don't think that's you either. So what I was wondering was…"

That's when he pulled out that familiar looking blue box and Jessica full on started bouncing.

"Sookie, will you—"

"Will you marry us, Momma?"

Eric slapped his hand over her mouth as she wiggled to get free. I was speechless.

"What?"

"As I was trying to say… I love you, I love what we have here, I love us and I want you to be my wife, and let me be your husband."

I blinked. Did I? I didn't know if I'd make a good wife, but I agreed with everything he'd said. I loved him and us, and isn't that what it meant when you got married? That's all that was necessary? Just... love?

"If you don't want—"

I stopped him before he talked himself, and me, out of it.

"I do want," I smiled, as big as my face would allow.

"You do?" He grinned so wide, it was contagious.

"I really do!"

I nodded vigorously before he kissed me—once, twice, three times, before we were interrupted again.

"Ewww gross!" she said, putting her hands over her eyes. It was her new thing when we'd kiss. "Always kissing. It's no nice!"

With that, Eric grabbed her and started planting loud smacking kisses all over her as she giggled to get free.

"Right, you're coming with me," he said to Jessica, before he got out of bed to pull on his jeans and a t-shirt.

"Where are we going?"

"Maxine agreed to take her," he said before he scooped Jessica off the bed. Coming around to my side where I still sat speechless, and stunned at what had just happened, he kissed me quickly.

"Don't move!" he said with a smile as he and Jess took off out the door and down the stairs. I assumed he had planned this to a degree, or else Maxine was getting a rude awakening for a Saturday morning.

I did move, though. I started to pace the bedroom all the while gazing at my engagement ring with awe. It was beautiful—no doubt about it. Stunning even. Eric had amazing taste in jewelery that's for sure.

But did he have amazing taste in women? I was engaged? I was getting married? It was all a lot to take in, especially when we had agreed so strongly on the whole 'not necessary' thing.

I was just shocked, that's all.

Eric came running back up the stairs in record time.

"What did you do, just fling her in their front yard?"

"Nope," he said, yanking off his t-shirt. His abs, still one of my three favorite places on his body, greeted me instantly. "They're making pancakes. She's happy; Maxine doesn't mind at all... and we, my lady, have some things to talk about."

"Like this for example?" I held up my now jeweled finger.

He nodded.

"It's… so amazing, Eric. I love it."

He smiled wide again. "Good, that was the point."

"How… I mean… I …"

He just shrugged. "Long story, but I finally got the balls to ask so I figured I may as well when you might be at your most relaxed. And you've been running around so much lately… catch you while I can, I guess."

I kissed him then, really kissed him, without the fear of being interrupted.

"But we agreed…"

"I know. I mean, I know we agreed that it wasn't what we needed, or a label wasn't necessary. But, I don't know, the idea of us being properly married and all of us having that secure bond thing… I like the idea."

I liked the idea too, though I had thought I'd jinx us by saying so.

"You don't think we'll jinx ourselves?"

His lips went to my neck, going lower and lower until he reached my collarbone.

"No. I don't."

He tapped the wood side table just in case. It was adorable.

"So, future Mrs. Northman, how do you feel right now?" He grinned kissing me again, quickly to allow me to answer him.

"Pretty damn good… but I could be feeling better."

His smile faded slightly. I didn't have the heart to screw with him, at least not metaphorically.

"Why?"

I let go of the giggle I'd been suppressing before pulling him towards the bed by the belt loops on his jeans.

"Because I'd like my future husband to give me a taste of what's in store for me, once I let him put a ring on it," I laughed, bringing up his old "Single Ladies" reference that I used to tease him with. I'd uploaded that video onto YouTube when we fought once, and linked it to his Facebook account. He's not fully lived it down, even till now.

"Oh, I definitely think I could do that."

"Really? Then show me… We've got all morning for you to persuade me, Mr. Northman." I giggled before his lips crashed against mine yet again. I loved that feeling.

There was no rush, to any of what we did together that morning. We just took our time to let what we'd agreed upon sink in, as we sunk into that beautifully rehearsed dance of making love with someone you knew so well. And three years in, we knew that dance well. I tried to switch off my brain, allowing myself to feel, to fall into that little pool of pleasure being with Eric provided, but I couldn't—at least not fully. I was scared, and I was sure I wasn't meant to feel scared. But I was, of something unknown. As unknown and huge as changing our relationship so drastically—one that had been working like clockwork for so long now. I joked about jinxing us, but I think that by taking that next step in our relationship, we took a step that would lead us down a dirty path. One that would, I loath to admit, lead us to our bitter end.

*Cues dramatic music* What, you thought this was going to be all sunshine and roses? *Evil laugh* Have we met? Hehe. But no really, trust me I always have a plan bbs! So, did we like? Hit the reviews you know I love to hear what you guys think of my rambling! Xox!