Chapter Three

"Is that the last box?" Sookie asked.

"Your shoe pod thing is still in there," Eric shook his head and proceeded past her into Gran's house and down into the basement where Sookie's new room was. She followed him a minute later, dragging her shoe collection behind her and letting it fall once she was inside the room, earning herself a look from Eric for treating her shoes so badly.

"I'm exhausted."

"You guys hungry?" Gran called from the main floor.

"Yes ma'am, we'll be right up," Sookie called back but collapsed gracelessly onto the bed, facedown on the pillows.

"Sure looks like you'll be right up," Eric laughed and laid himself down beside her to rest a hand on the small of her back.

"I'm exhausted," she repeated.

"Me too."

"Thank you for helping." Rolling onto her side Sookie pressed her body against his.

"You're welcome," he murmured with his lips brushing Sookie's forehead, so she reached up to kiss him, her arm slipping around his waist to secure his body. "You never told me how your parents reacted."

"My dad said 'no' at first and then stormed off, but I talked to him and then Gran came over and talked to him and he gave in. He knew I had a good point, he just couldn't bring himself to do something for me without being an absolute douche about it."

"What are you going to do once your finals are done?"

"I don't know." Sookie hesitated, "When do you have to start work?"

The light in Eric's eyes dimmed, ever so slightly. "Mid-July. But I should probably leave earlier to find a place, and you can join me in August? What do you think?"

"I think I don't want to spend two months apart," she admitted, averting her gaze.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying maybe we can go look for places together after my finals."

"And once we've got a place, we can come back and pack up?"

"Yeah. I mean, if that works for you. I mean, if you still want that." In response, Eric moved to pin her hands to the mattress and capture her lips. Out of habit Sookie's legs wrapped around his waist and she deepened the kiss just as Gran yelled for them again and they hastily broke apart despite Eric having already gotten to second base. Sookie shook her head as she fixed her bra and shirt.

"You don't waste any time, do you?"

"I'm nothing if not an opportunist," he responded without a hint of remorse and guided her with a hand on her lower back.

"Sorry Gran," Sookie apologized with a sheepish grin in response to the older woman's knowing look. They had sandwiches and potato salad for lunch, and afterwards while Gran headed to her room to rest Eric managed to convince Sookie to christen her new bed.

"We have to be quiet though," she whispered as he shut the door and began undressing her.

"You're the loud one," he defended, unbuttoning her jeans and dropping to his knees to peel them off.

"I think I recall you making some noise too," Sookie complained, stepping out of her jeans. "I like it when you make noise," she admitted with a little wink and grinned at the wanting sound Eric made.

888

June was awful, just awful. Sookie attended all the diploma prep courses she could and spent as much time as possible in the library, submerged in her notes and textbooks. Eric gave her as much space as she wanted, like he'd promised initially, so as to avoid suffocating her when she was busy and stressed. That was all very sweet but not seeing him for more than a few days at a time was painful, in the least pathetic definition of the word.

Love me, she texted him, the night before her Social Studies final, her head swimming with economic theory.

Needing some attention? Eric sent back.

Yeah =( I know it's last minute, but do you want to sleep over?

Is your Gran going to be okay with that?

You're athletic, right?

I'm not going to sneak out in the morning, Stackhouse. Who do you take me for?

Sookie giggled and sent back an appropriately witty response, and not long after crept upstairs to let Eric in.

"Hi, baby," she sighed, stepping into his arms and letting him hold her.

"Hi, baby," he chuckled. "Your Gran asleep already?"

"Yeah, she goes to bed pretty early, and I've been studying all day." Taking his hand, Sookie began leading him downstairs. "All week, really." She sank down on the bed and leaned her head on his shoulder when he took the spot beside her.

"How did your test on Monday go? It was Math, right?"

It made her smile that he remembered. "Yeah. It was really good, I feel great about it. I think Social will be good too, I just need a break."

"What time is it at?"

"Two. So we can sleep in all we want. Gran won't care that you're sleeping over."

"Good," Eric grinned pointedly and moved in for a kiss. "Do you want to?"

"I don't know. I guess it depends." Her arms slipped around his neck and he reached to tug her shirt off.

"Depends on what, exactly?"

"On how good you are."

"I don't know why you can't just say 'yes' like a regular person," Eric grumbled and undressed her the rest of the way before joining her.

"Get the lights?"

"No."

"Eric."

"Let me see you," he pouted, pressing a very convincing kiss into her skin, but Sookie felt her skin crawl. They'd only ever had sex in the dark, with the curtains drawn at least. This was, different. She wasn't sure what he would think of her in the light. "I love you," he murmured, biting lightly on the shell of her ear, "every part of you. I love how your body feels, and how it makes me feel. Just, let me see you, Sookie."

She shivered, at his words, and turned her head to capture his lips. "Okay."

"Thank you," he whispered and busied himself elsewhere.

A few hours later, Sookie fitted her body around Eric's much larger one and giggled softly into his shoulder blades. "What?" he mumbled, already half-asleep.

"It's just so silly for you to be big spoon."

"I just like that you're okay with it," Eric yawned and wriggled his ass into her pelvis.

"I am, sometimes. I'm too needy to always be big spoon, but I like holding you like this."

Eric hummed, stroked a thumb over Sookie's hand, and fell silent. Content, Sookie too closed her eyes and let herself drift off.

The next morning, Sookie and Eric shared a shower before he snuck out of one of the basement windows, complaining only a little bit before he hoisted himself out. With him gone, Sookie headed upstairs where Gran was busy fixing breakfast in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Gran," she beamed.

"Good morning." Gran hesitated and quirked a brow. "Will Eric be joining us for breakfast?"

Shit. "Pardon?"

Realization dawned on the older woman's face. "Sookie Stackhouse, did you kick that poor boy out before he had breakfast?"

"I didn't know-" Sookie mumbled, feeling herself blush.

"Go call him and tell him he's staying for breakfast."

"Gran-"

"Go!"

"Okay, okay," she muttered as she darted outside, just in time to witness Eric's car pulling away from the curb. She waved, feeling more than a bit silly to be trying to flag down a car, but at least it worked.

"My Gran wants you to stay for breakfast," she told him once he'd pulled over, and Eric shot her a look that was part bemusement and part horror.

"She knew?"

"I guess." Sookie shrugged. "She didn't seem mad until she realized I kicked you out on an empty stomach."

"Good to know at least one Stackhouse cares about me," he teased once he was parked and they began heading back to the house.

"I care about you!" she pouted, but lightened up when Eric pulled her into his side.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Love you too," she grumbled back.

"Is this going to be awkward?"

"I guess we'll see."

Thankfully, it wasn't. Gran acted like everything was normal as she served up breakfast, and afterwards Eric helped clean up before bowing out. It wasn't until a few nights later that Sookie noticed the basement window had been welded shut.

888

Sookie's graduation was June 30th. She had to be at the school at 8 AM for 9 AM ceremony, in order to have time to put on her gown and get in line, in alphabetical order. Conveniently, and not at all deliberately, sh forgot to tell her parents about the two-ticket limit and so they missed out, since Gran snatched up both tickets and forced the second one on Eric, who seemed a little guilty that he was blocking out her parents. Sookie has to promise him that she would much rather have him there than her parents, and Gran had to give him a very stern look before he finally relented. On the day of the ceremony, he was there, in his nicest jeans and a navy v-neck sweatshirt that brought out his eyes and looked incredibly sexy on him. But what continued to endear him to her was the fact that he sat next to Gran and charmed the hell out of her for the entirety of the ceremony. And when Sookie got up on the stage, he actually joined the line of overbearing fathers and moved towards the front to take several photos. After the ceremony, the parents swooped in and took everybody out for lunch, Eric included, which was awkward and awful and made Sookie want to gouge her own eyes out with a fork. The only thing that made the whole process bearable was the thumb Eric kept stroking over her knee in an attempt at calming her, which actually just turned her on.

"You have got to stop," Sookie whispered in his ear at one point, and when he looked vaguely hurt, she let a hand drift to the crotch of his pants. "That's what you're making me want to do."

"Later?" He whispered back.

"God, please, yes."

"Practicing already?" Eric smirked and Sookie pinched his inner thigh, making him jerk and knock the table.

"Sorry, cramp," Eric smiled apologetically at Sookie's family and the meal went on. Later that evening was the grad banquet, which was just an evening version of lunch plus dancing and Sookie in a dress that made Eric's jaw drop. It was actually incredibly flattering to witness Eric's reaction, though probably not as flattering as her reaction to his tuxedo.

"I'm getting laid tonight, right?" Sookie whispered in his ear during a slow dance.

"Oh yes, the graduate gets whatever they want. You taught me that," he smirked.

"Well, I thought it was only fair."

"So, what do you want?"

Sookie pretended to give that some thought, and stretched up on her toes to whisper in his ear, "I want to blow off the after-grad and go to your apartment, and then I want to spend the rest of the night with either your tongue or your dick between my legs." When she pulled away, she could swear Eric's eyes were glowing, and there was definitely something pressed against her abdomen.

"You know what, I think I can manage that."

888

An Apartment Hunt, An Inter-Provincial Move, and Four Months Later…

"What do you mean you're being transferred?" Sookie sat bewildered on the couch in the small apartment she shared with Eric, the one she'd learned to call home, and attempted to absorb the information she was being provided with. It was so far beyond anything she'd expected to be told tonight of all nights, dressed as she was in her Cindrella costume, ready to head to the Halloween party she'd been invited to by the girl in her Education Psychology class. Eric had been so odd all evening, almost disengaged, that she'd just snapped until he'd relented and told her what had happened at work today.

"Here, I'm an intern. In Toronto I can be a Junior Architect."

"How can they just decide that? Why can't you be a Junior Architect here?"

"Because they don't need me here. They've seen my work, as much as they can when I'm an intern, and they think I have potential. They want to give me a better chance to show them what I'm capable of."

"But not in Vancouver."

"No," Eric dropped his gaze. "Not in Vancouver."

Sookie looked at him, at the excitement he was trying so hard to conceal because he knew what it would mean for them, and she realized something. "You want this."

"Toronto is the headquarters. It's a great opportunity," he murmured, and Sookie nodded vehemently – perhaps a little too enthusiastically – and cleared her throat.

"Right, yeah, of course. Uhm," she held up a finger as her eyes filled with tears. "I just need to, um, excuse me for a second." With her gaze trained on the floor Sookie stood to walk away, to take a moment and steel her resolve and give him what he so clearly wanted, because she could never stand in the way of his success. If he had expressed that he didn't want this, didn't want to move because he was happy here or because Toronto could never be his home, then Sookie would have no qualms against asking him to stay. But he was right, this was a great opportunity and Eric didn't carry enough weight to be able to negotiate remaining here in Vancouver. He was good at what he did and had loads of potential but he wasn't irreplaceable yet – hard to replace, maybe, but not irreplaceable. He needed many more years' experience under his belt before he could pick what he wanted to do instead of go along with what his employers required of him.

"Sookie," Eric grabbed her bicep. "This job isn't everything," he brought a hand to her face, his thumb brushing over her cheekbones, "I'll stay if you ask me to."

"I'd never ask you that, look at you, you look so happy." The tears were falling in earnest now and Sookie hated herself for letting him witness them, for imparting this bit of guilt.

"You make me happy. There will be other jobs." Bringing her closer, Eric slipped an arm around her waist so Sookie squeezed her eyes shut and rested her head on his chest, praying that she wouldn't get any makeup on his shirt.

"Yeah, but this is such a huge opportunity for you." Sookie shook her head in continued rejection of the mere idea of holding Eric back. "When would they want you there?"

"Mid-November."

Fuck. She held back a sob and pulled back to bury her face in her hands, refusing to look at him until she was calm. "I can't do long distance," she whispered, a faint quiver in her voice as she looked up to meet his gaze.

"I know," Eric sighed, sinking down onto the couch and burying his own face in his hands.

She looked at him, feeling her heart break. "It doesn't mean I don't love you."

"I know."

"I just can't-"

"I know," Eric interrupted and looked up to offer her a faint smile. "I would quit in a heartbeat if you asked me."

"I know." It was her turn to say it and she smiled as she did, taking a seat beside him.

"You could move with me," Eric suggested, though quietly as if knowing that it wasn't feasible.

"You know I can't." She had a full ride to UBC, and Vancouver was the ideal distance from her parents, whom she wanted to avoid, and her Gran, whom she loved. It was a good compromise, and she wasn't willing to follow her boyfriend across the country.

He nodded. "I figured it was a long shot."

"Hey, it'll be okay," she reached for his hand, trying for some optimism which went right out the window when he gave her a look of disbelief. "You're right, it'll suck."

"So, we have an expiry date," Eric mused. "And you need a new roommate."

"I should make sure whoever it is will be good in the sack," Sookie joked and promptly burst out crying. Eric reached for her and she went willingly, burying her face in his neck and tangling her fingers through his hair.

"Baby, don't. Don't cry, it'll be okay."

"Don't fucking tell me it'll be okay, Eric."

"It will have to be."

"I love you more than anything," she whispered into his skin. "I'm so proud of you, and I'm so happy for you."

"Fuck Sook, you sound like you're saying goodbye already."

She shook her head, "I just want you to be happy."

"Oh god, I can't do this, I can't break up with you and move to Toronto, what am I thinking?"

"Yes you can. Look at me," she commanded, waiting until his panicked gaze met hers. "You're young, you're brilliant, and you're going to be wildly successful. And maybe one day we'll be in the same city again and we'll both be single, and we can meet up for some fantastic sex."

"And until then?" Eric quirked a brow.

Sookie sighed, her optimism draining away. "We'll be okay."

888

Eric moved at the end of the first week of November, his whole life packed into some suitcases and the rest of it freighted to the tiny apartment he'd managed to snag with the help of an old friend who'd been willing to help. Sookie clung to him at the airport, shedding silent tears as she grieved for all the potential they had and all the memories they were supposed to have been making together. They decided that they were broken up the moment Eric walked through security so they did their best to prolong the moment, kissing over and over again to try and immortalize the feel of the other. Afterwards, as Eric rested his forehead against the airplane window, he tried to imagine Sookie walking away and going back to their apartment, and he prayed she would be okay.

They kept in touch as the weeks wore on, initially as means of keeping an eye on each other to make sure they were both doing well or pretending to, but eventually they stopped. It was too hard, Sookie told him, hearing his voice and seeing him on Skype and feeling the same way she always had, but knowing that everything had changed. Maybe it was what they needed, she'd mused, to move on and not define each day by whether or not they'd talked. I love you, she said, but I want you to do well there. You won't if you're always thinking about what I'm doing.

So that was that. They stopped talking, stopped emailing and texting and Skyping and spending every moment of every day wondering what the other was doing. Eric went to work, tried his damned hardest, and did well. Since the lease on his apartment had been monthly, eventually he moved into a better place and even started dating, half-hearted as his attempts were. It didn't help that he had to avoid blondes and that brunettes had never really been his type, but he tried his best anyways, because it felt like the only thing he had left. Not having Sookie, not being hers, was somehow the most painful loss he had experienced so far, and he was afraid of what would happen if he let himself linger on it.

Eventually, he managed to move on.


A/N: Assuming you haven't read 'em already, chapters 4-6 are already up on my Wordpress account (the address to which you can find on my profile). Let me know what you think!