A/N: You guys never cease to amaze me with your wonderful responses. I'm so glad this story is being taken so well thus far.

As always, I love hearing your thoughts and thanks for all the alerts. Fabulous, I tell you…just fabulous.

Thanks to the queen bee, whom I have dubbed Super beta krismom, for her handy dandy red pen and her super fast ninja skills. I heart you woman!! If there are any remaining mistakes, they are mine, cuz I'm that talented. I can mess it up even after she's made it pretty.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I just like to play dress-up with them and toss them in weird situations.

SPOV

I opted to feign obliviousness to the fact that the receptionist was giving Eric gaga eyes and the fact that he was sporting a major smolder. Though all I really wanted to do was tease Eric for not being able to go anywhere without finding a potential Ex-girlfriend, not even a Psychiatrist's office. I figured, for once, I would take the high road when it came to our differences in mating habits.

The receptionist cut her eyes at me and the smirk left her face as I introduced us. A huff of air displaying her annoyance came out as she pointed to the chairs and spoke to me. "Have a seat. I'll let him know you've arrived." Her tone was far from hospitable.

We took our seats and I picked up a magazine and flipped through a few pages settling on an article that would apparently, help me wear jeans that accentuate my body shape. The receptionist alternated between flirty glances at Eric and menacing scowls at me for whatever reason. But in true Eric fashion, he had lost interest and was flipping through Sports Illustrated, probably in search of the swimsuit addition.

"What?" Eric mouthed just at a whisper.

"You've got a fan." I nodded towards the brunette that was twirling at a lock of her hair and smacking on a piece of gum as if at any moment it would jump from her mouth.

Eric cocked an eyebrow at me as he spoke. "I've always got fans." His voice was smug but with a bit of playfulness.

I snorted and punched him in the shoulder. "Gah, you're so full of yourself."

"This is true."

"Ms. Stackhouse, Mr. Northman?" A warm, deep voice interrupted our childish bantering and we stood together with synchronicity and faced our greeter.

He was a smaller man, not much taller than I, but had dark hair and piercing blue-gray eyes. They were the kind of eyes that could get you to spill your guts and not even know you did it, which made me even more nervous than I already was. We walked up to him and I stuck my hand out to the man, he took it firmly for one beat and then released it to grab Eric's for the same amount of time.

"The name's Niall Brigant, but you can call me Niall, unless you insist on being formal, then its just Doc." He took a seat behind the large mahogany desk and nodded for us to take the sofa opposite him.

Eric and I sat as he began thumbing through papers. I felt Eric snake his arm around me and curled into him instinctively. I was still worried as hell, and I didn't like how the man sort of exuded comfort and trust. That made me wary of what I might find myself admitting.

"So, why don't we get started?" He said as he pushed a pair of bifocals down on his nose and peered at us from above the lenses. "Now, how long have you two been together?"

We both laughed aloud and looked at each other as I spoke. "No, we're not together. Together."

"I'm sorry we may have had a misunderstanding, but I am a relationship therapist. Is that what you both are here for?" He asked looking confused.

I spoke up and covered Eric's hand with mine as he tried to speak. "Well, our friend Amelia is the one that set the appointment up. We were under the impression that you at least knew a little about our situation. But I'm not surprised to find out she left out a few details."

"Okay then. So, what seems to be the problem then? Why would she think you needed to see a couple's therapist?" He asked calmly.

Apparently I had been nominated as the spokesperson because Eric just looked to me pointedly, so I continued. "Well, we both have our own separate issues. I guess you could say. All, of which, have to do with our relationships. Just not with each other."

"So, Ms. Stackhouse…" He started but I cut him off.

"Please call me Sookie."

"Very well, Sookie. What issues do you have in your relationships?"

"She dates all the wrong guys." Eric answered for me and I looked at him, mouth agape. "Seriously you do. They're filthy scumbags and they're only after one thing."

He rubbed circles on my shoulder trying to appease me, but he had hit a sore spot and I narrowed my eyes at him. He ignored me and turned to look at the Doc.

"Really, as soon as she puts out, they hit the road, without so much as a See ya later or an It was nice knowing you. They run as fast as their little booties will carry their sorry asses."

"I see." The Doc said with all seriousness as he jotted down, who knows what on his handy dandy notebook.

I rolled my eyes and punched Eric in the shoulder, choosing to remain silent. I wasn't about to take the risk of sounding like an idiot by coming to my own defense, only to have Dr. Doolittle slice and dice my words and toss them back at me all mangled and twisted. Nope, not me. I was leaving that to Eric.

"Why do you feel this way, Eric?" Asked the Doc and I grinned. I knew he was gonna twist that shit Eric had just revealed.

"I don't feel any way. It's the truth. She knows it, even if she won't admit it." He looked to me with all seriousness. "Don't give me that look. You do."

I rolled my eyes, mouthing Whatever, before looking back to the Doc.

"And why do you feel the need to answer for her, Eric." Doc asked, never removing his eyes from the paper he was doodling on. I grinned.

Eric lifted his head and squared his shoulders defensively. "I'm not answering for her. I'm being supportive."

My ass.

Cue the big mouth. "And what about you, Eric? You do the same thing to women as what men do to me. Love 'em and leave 'em. Is that the saying? What kind of support does that show me?" My hand flew over my mouth as Eric's eyebrow arched in my direction.

I turned as I heard the doctor clear his throat and knew that I was about to have my go with the word mutilator, my inner voice, cursing me up and down for opening my big pie hole. Shit, this wasn't going to be good.

"And how does that make you feel, Sookie?" The bifocal genius asked.

Could that question have been anymore cliché? I seriously think I snorted, a little, as I answered. "After this long, I'm pretty used to it." I answered, choosing my next words carefully. "Eric's a good guy underneath it all. I'm sure he will see the error of his ways, eventually."

"So, you think what he does is wrong, yet you submit yourself willingly to the same circumstances. Is that about right?" Doctor smarty pants looked to me.

"What? No!" I gasped and elbowed Eric as I heard him chuckling at my expense.

"And you Eric…" He started, effectively stopping Eric's snickers. "Think it is wrong for them to do this to Sookie, yet you subject others to the same type of behavior. Is that about right?" Eric scowled but remained silent so the doctor continued. "You two seem to have a pretty open relationship. How long have you known each other?"

"Twenty years." Eric and I said simultaneously.

"And how well would you say you knew each other?" He asked.

"Very." I answered.

"Too." Eric responded.

"And how honest would you say you are with each other?" Doc was now gnawing on the end of his pen and I found myself getting a bit wary of where he was heading with this line of questioning.

I answered, nonetheless. "Brutally."

"Completely." Eric nodded.

"So it would be safe to say that you two have NO secrets?"

Eric and I exchanged a quick glance before turning back to the man, who was now tapping his pen on the desk anxiously.

"Probably not." We said in unison and then turned to laugh at each other.

"Would it also be safe to assume that you speak freely of your past relationships?" Eric and I both shrugged. "Let me clarify. Do you share intimate details of your past relationships with each other?"

"Sometimes." Eric answered.

"Mostly." I agreed.

"Very well." The doctor began reading through his notes and took a few sips from the coffee mug at the edge of his desk, before raising his eyes to us once again. "Would you like anything to drink before we continue?"

I shook my head along with Eric. His face held very little emotion, whereas I felt mine were written all over my face, not to mention in my posture. I ran my hands down the front of my slacks, trying to calm my nerves. I was on the verge of some sort of anxiety attack and the room was silent. Too fucking quiet.

I cleared my throat to break the silence that threatened to cause me heart palpitations. Eric's hand fell to rest atop my knee that I hadn't realized was bouncing around like a kid in a toy store and I felt his calm spread through me. My answering smile let him know I appreciated it. He winked at me before we turned back to face the doctor, who had apparently developed a sudden case of Cheshire Cat syndrome.

Seriously, what the hell is with the grin?

"I'm going to suggest something, but I want you to hear me out before you voice any objections you may have. Agreed?"

Eric and I both nodded slowly, though I was certain that at least one of us would try to interrupt at some point in time. Especially considering the knowing expression that was smirking back at us, as if to say I know something you don't know.

It was taunting me and teasing me and I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at the little smug man.

"This is something I normally suggest for married couples, but since you both have known each other for so long, I expect it will work just as well for the two of you. Though we will have to deviate a bit from the original outline, it should have the desired outcome."

Eric and I both looked at each other, confused, then back to the Doc as I spoke. "You're going to have to be a bit more specific than that."

"Spit it out." Eric said. "Don't beat around the bush."

"Date." The Doc started but continued when he saw our annoyed faces. Clearly we had already succeeded in the dating game. Sarcasm much? "Each other, of course."

"What?" Eric said.

"No." I responded at the same time.

"Like I said, hear me out. The trial would last four weeks and at the end you would be free to start your own relationships, if you should so choose."

I was shaking my head and Eric was stiff as a board. A frozen statue as I continued my head convulsions. This was crazy. How the hell was this supposed to help?

As if the Doctor read my mind he continued. "What I am suggesting, is that you two will be able to be fairly honest, possibly even brutally so, with each other and could help to sort through each others faults. You would keep a notebook and we would meet once a week to go through your notes and discuss your issues. Are you with me so far?"

"Not really." I answered honestly.

"What about the physical part?" Eric asked. Of course, Eric would be thinking about sex.

"We're not having sex." I shouted, probably a bit too loudly.

"What? I have…needs." Eric smirked.

"You're insatiable." I chuckled.

"You wouldn't have to do anything you didn't want to physically, of course." The Doc interrupted before we could continue our bickering. "But I would suggest that you both try to treat it as if it is a real relationship."

"I don't understand." Eric spoke. "You would expect me to seduce her." He nodded in my direction and I laughed. "To be faithful?" Eric said it as if it were a dirty word.

"If that is what you normally do in relationships, yes."

"You're crazy." I blurted out. "This could go wrong in so many ways it's not funny."

"I understand you may have reservations about this idea. But it could, and probably will, work very well for the two of you. Especially considering you know each other so well. You could be completely honest about what faults you find in each other and work through them together. The physical part of the relationship, as I said previously, would never have to go any further than either of you are comfortable with."

I was speechless. I couldn't believe I was actually even considering the idea, not to mention Eric. Who seemed to be as utterly confounded as I. I could think of a million different ways that this was wrong, yet I couldn't find it in myself to voice them. Some part of me was willing to admit that what the Doc was saying actually made sense, but not enough to say it aloud. The doctor's voice broke me from my musings.

"I would, however suggest that you practice fidelity. It is imperative to keeping each others trust throughout the trial. Although you may see it as a bad thing…" He looked pointedly at Eric before continuing. "It is a small price to pay to ensure each others future success in relationships. Wouldn't you agree?"

I nodded without much thought as Eric looked to me, as if looking for the answer to some unspoken question in my eyes. He must have found it because he nodded as well.

Wait, did this mean I was agreeing to this. Fuck, this was wrong on so many levels. Dating my best friend, being seduced by my best friend, getting physical with my best friend? No, I couldn't do this. I wouldn't. But then why couldn't I bring myself to speak? Why couldn't I voice my objections?

I wanted to do this, or maybe needed to, on some serious level and I knew it could help. Maybe with Eric's help, I could find my faults, work through them and find my happily ever after, once it was all over and done with. I could handle not being in a physical relationship for a month. I've certainly made it longer before.

Not that Eric wasn't attractive, because he was; he was beautiful, but he was Eric and we had never been that way with each other. I couldn't see myself being sexual with him at all and I'm sure he felt the same way. That part was probably going to be a lot harder on him than it would be on me.

I laughed out loud at the thought of Eric having to be monogamous for a month, especially considering he wasn't going to be getting any from me.

Eric turned to glare at me, as if reading my thoughts and I pulled my lips into a tight line, trying to hide my grin.

"Well, here are your notebooks." The doc handed us each a composition journal before continuing. "We will meet once a week, on Tuesday's at 10 am, if that is acceptable."

I took a deep breath, centering myself, and preparing to commit to this fully before I nodded.

Eric stood, pulling me with him, as he spoke to the doctor. "Until Tuesday, then Doc." They shook hands and I smiled briefly at the little man as we made our exit.

Eric's hand on the small of my back as he led us to the vehicle was the only indication that he was still with me. He was way too quiet.

"What are you thinking?" I broke the silence as he opened the door for me.

I waited as he rounded the car and strapped himself in. His face was set in that cool, calm mask that he often wore when he was trying to hide his true feelings and I was suddenly worried that I had agreed to this to hastily. Maybe I hadn't considered Eric's feelings too much in the matter. He still hadn't spoken.

"Please Eric. What's the matter?" I asked taking one of his hands in mine as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road leading home.

"I'm thinking…" He paused and I held my breath. "That this is going to be a long month."

I laughed though it sounded more like a nervous giggle, but what he said was true.

A really long month.

A/N: What? Who would complain about having to date Eric for a month? Not me, that's for sure. Next up…Eric's POV. Let's see what the big guy has to say.

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