5/4/13 AN: Another edit/rewrite. I had to modify a big part of this chapter to make it flow more the way I wanted. Please review if you haven't yet. Don't own 'em.

EPOV

Fucking Pam.

Sometimes I don't know how we are even related, much less full siblings. She has a rare desire to catch up and have dinner together, so here we sit, in awkward silence, finishing some amazing food. Small talk about our family fills some of the dead air. Dad has moved Crystal, his girlfriend of about eight years, into his apartment and almost never comes by the house anymore. Pam and I have no idea why Mom doesn't divorce his worthless ass, or at least sell the house and get something smaller since she's the only one living there now. We determine that she must have her reasons, even if she doesn't share them with us.

Pam makes me slightly uncomfortable as she tells me about her new relationship with her childhood friend, Miriam. I have no problem with my sister liking women. While it's kind of hot with other girls, I really have no desire to know anything about Pam's sex life, be it with a female or a male. I cut that line of conversation off as soon as possible.

When the phone rings for Pam's nightly check-in with her girlfriend, I excuse myself and head for the bar. I picked the restaurant specifically for the bar. It's stocked with amazing microbrews and wines that are usually only available in specialty shops. I had my fill of cheap, domestic piss-water in high school and at frat parties; I like to enjoy a decent drink now and then.

I order a black and tan from the bartender and use the time to look around. A pretty dark haired girl with an unusual haircut meets my eye from the other end of the bar and gives me a coy smile before looking away. I've seen that move more times than I can count, but I'm able to keep from rolling my eyes. She may be a way to spend a few hours. I nod in her direction with a request for the bartender to refresh her drink. When she smiles to thank me, I make my way over.

Upon closer inspection, she's older than I first thought, probably mid to late thirties. Not that I've never gone there before, but she shows every second of her age and then some. I learn that Debbie is a legal assistant for a large personal injury firm downtown. We refill our drinks and continue talking ─ well she keeps talking. I learn more about her than I would ever want to know. Her ex is a "stalking bastard that is hell-bent on ruining her life" after he left her for some "small town skank who doesn't even know he exists". Her boss is a "slave driver with no respect for personal time". Her mother constantly reminds her about her biological clock and nags her for grandchildren. The looks she gives me makes me want to run and hide. I fully recognize that I'm still pretty much a kid myself. I have ZERO interest in becoming an active sperm donor to a marginally hot barfly with weird hair. I need an escape!

SPOV

Cleaning out Jason's house was harder than I expected when I agreed to take over the job. The letter as well as the box of keepsakes and mementos hits me hard too. It brings to mind so many things I'm not in a place to examine right now.

I head out of town because I want to be alone. I rent a room in a hotel so I don't have to get back on the road; I plan on getting completely blitzed and stumbling back to my room. I need a night to forget everything.

I sit in my little corner booth sipping on my third gin and tonic and munching on some seafood nachos so I don't get too drunk too fast. I scroll through my new phone, looking at upcoming community calendar events to write about later this summer. In my peripheral vision, a blur slides in across from me and hisses softly, "Play along!"

I look up sharply and although Eric is smiling brightly, his eyes look panicked. "Susie! Oh my God, when did you get in? Why didn't you call me?" he asks a little too loudly, grabbing my hand from across the table.

I narrow my eyes at being called Susie. I then flash him a grin when I see the predatory glare of the trashy looking cougar-wannabe hanging on the bar out of the corner of my eye. I smirk and exclaim just as loudly, "I got in last night, but you never answered the phone." As softly as possible, I ask, "What part am I supposed to be playing?"

His smile widens. "You're a former cheerleader that's about to become my roommate."

We chatter back and forth, playing up our imaginary living arrangements. We each keep an eye on the bar, waiting for the tramp to get a clue. Eric and I refill our drinks twice and polish off the rest of my nachos before she throws an angry look and storms out of the bar.

As soon as she is gone, the smile drops off my face. "Susie? Really?" I ask incredulously.

He shrugs and sips his beer. "I didn't want that nut-job to know your real name. She was seconds away from asking me to father her children."

I try to stifle a giggle and fail miserably. "How long have you known her?"

He checks his watch and it makes me giggle harder. "About forty minutes."

We signal for more refills. Although the nachos did their job, I'm feeling the effects of five strong mixed drinks. But I don't want the conversation to end. I slowly sip number six and relax into getting to know Eric again.

He asks about Northwestern and I tell him about my life in Chicago, omitting certain details that I'm sure he doesn't want to know. I ask about Knoxville and he tells me about his football career, the bowl game injury, and how he still has no idea what he wants to do with his life since football is no longer an option.

We avoid the topic of Jason; I'm grateful since my goal in getting away was so I could not think about him. I tell him about Tara; he mentions that Pam relocated to New York as well. I almost see the light bulb go on over his head when he asks me to wait a minute. I finish my drink while he's gone and take a sip of his. Liking the creamy flavor of the dark stout, I order one for myself while I wait.

"Pam's a bitch," Eric says when he returns several moments later, looking both confused and frustrated.

I widen my eyes, wanting more information. He takes his seat and smirks at my new beverage choice. "She drove me here. When her girlfriend called, I left the table to give her some privacy. It seems that she forgot my existence and left me here. The table is clear and her car is gone."

My thoughts skip over the fact that Pam is with a girl and agree with him. "What a bitch!" I say with an obvious slur in my voice and I chuckle at myself. I start to notice that he's swaying a little while sitting still. "You aren't driving anywhere tonight, are you?"

He cocks his head at me. "Sookie, what would I be driving?"

"Oh yeah…" I throw my head back and laugh. "I don't think I need anymore."

He gives me puppy dog eyes. "Don't think you're driving anywhere, either."

I reach into the back pocket of my jeans and show him the keycard, wiggling it between my fingers. "I'm covered. I just have to stagger two blocks and I'm good until tomorrow."

"Sook, it's late. You shouldn't walk there alone, especially in your shape. Let me walk you and I'll call a cab from there."

I think about it and nod before tipping the pint glass back to finish my drink. We both head to the bar to settle our tabs before heading out to the street. He keeps his hand on my arm, both to follow my lead and keep us both steady.

The late spring night is warm and we walk along, allowing the comfortable silence to fill the empty air. When we get to the lobby I ask him to wait while I check for messages. I told Momma and Daddy where I was going so they wouldn't worry and they know I need this time to myself. Nothing is waiting so I head to the elevator to get to my room, not realizing he would follow me all the way to the suite. I turn to him in the elevator. "You could have called a cab from the desk."

"Do you not want me in your room, Sookie?" he shrugs.

I shake my head. "I don't mind, I just wasn't sure if you thought your duty to get me here safe and sound was done."

He grins and shakes his head also. "My job isn't finished until you're in your room. I take bodyguard duty very seriously." I chuckle at him.

"I wonder how many other girls have gotten the deluxe bodyguard package," I pause at how quickly his face locks down. I pull out my keycard and unlock the door. Since he seems frozen, I tug on his arm and pull him into the suite with me.

EPOV

I have no idea what she's doing to me. I thought this "running-into-each-other-every-fucking-where" shit ended in high school. Hell, I eat dinner with my sister in a restaurant close to an hour away from home and there she is, sitting in the same fucking bar. She could have headed south, east, or west for her little drunken escape, but she had to head north. I'm grateful for the out she gave me with the Debbie chick, but I don't know how I feel about anything else.

Catching up with her is nice though. I'm surprised to discover that I'm actually interested in what her life was like in Illinois. I also like that she actually listens when I tell her about UT and doesn't just wait for her turn to talk. She's unique in that sense; she doesn't get off on the sound of her own voice like so many other girls. But it doesn't surprise me; she's always been one-of-a-kind, in every way.

I don't hesitate to offer an escort back to her hotel. Even though it's a small city, bad things can still happen to a woman late at night. My intentions are solely to see her into the lobby and use the desk phone to call a cab. Sometime in the two blocks between the bar and the hotel my plans change. There's something about her that draws me in like a moth to a flame. I try to make myself remember how that flame burned me last time, but it just doesn't seem to matter right now.

She seems surprised that I would follow her all the way to her suite. I make a random crack about guard duty and she jokes back about how many other girls had gotten the same treatment. I don't see it as a joke. Fuck… I'm sure she knows there have been other girls since we broke up, but I'm positive that she doesn't have the slightest scope of how many there have been. I sure as hell don't want to know about any guys she was with in Chicago. I freeze and she has to pull me into her room.

"Sookie, I..." I stammer trying to think of what to say.

Her fingers cover my lips. "Eric, it was a joke. Just trying to break the tension as only I can… by making it worse." She turns to pull some bottles of water out of the minibar. "Drink up. I'm going to clean up and change into something more comfortable while you call that cab. The front desk will call up when it gets here. Just use this room number." She pulls a small bundle of clothes out of the overnight bag on the bed and heads into the bathroom, weaving just a little.

I make it as far as pulling out the phone book to look up cab companies. My attention is distracted by the sound of running water in the bathroom. All I can think about is the naked body just a closed door away, wet and covered in soap bubbles, smelling like peaches. My eyes lock on the bathroom door, interpreting every click of a bottle and can almost see her in my mind. After the water turns off, I can hear her brushing her teeth and preparing for bed. When she comes out in boxers and tank-top, her hair in damp waves, she shows her surprise that I'm still here. "Cab company having a long wait tonight?"

I shake my head no as I stand. "I haven't called them yet."

"Good," she replies, and takes the phone I didn't realize I was still holding out of my hand. She sets it on the kitchenette counter and turns to face me. Before I can even see it coming, she grabs my neck, pulling my face down to her level, and lays one hell of a kiss on me. I've had more kisses than I can count, but only Sookie's mouth was ever able to mold to mine this way, nipping and licking ─ I respond in kind.

When we break for air, I look in her stormy blue eyes, looking for some clue that she's trying to play me. Nothing. I don't see anything there except the lust that lights her from the inside. A lust I'm far too familiar with; a lust I haven't seen in five years. I don't see the coyness, the plotting, planning, or ulterior motives of every other girl. She waits me out patiently. I try to see her as just another girl, another fuck, another way to spend a few hours and release of tension. That's all she is.

No. No she's not.

I push her against the wall by the door harder than I intend. Her breath puffs out of her and she clings to my shoulders. I lift her by her thighs and kiss her hard. Her legs wrap around my waist like they belong there. I tangle my hand in her hair and pull, just a little, tilting her head back. My mouth attacks her neck and I feel her pulse racing under my lips.

Nothing about this is going to be slow and sweet. I want a hard, crazed fuck and by the way Sookie's pelvis is grinding against my cock, she's down with that. I pull away from her neck and grab the hem of her tank top. I debate ripping it from her body, but decide to just pull it over her head.

There they are: the most exquisite breasts I've ever seen. Her tits fill my hands perfectly. I use the weight of my body to hold her against the wall and reunite with the flawless twins that seem to beg for my attention. I twist and pluck at her dusty pink nipples until they're hard little buds under my fingertips. I dip my head and take one between my teeth, flicking it with my tongue, making her back arch off the wall and push more into my mouth. I mimic the actions with my fingers on the other side, smirking against her skin as she moans. She yanks my hair and pulls me back up to kiss me hard.

I carry Sookie to the bed, never breaking contact with her mouth. I feel the heat rolling from between her legs which are still wrapped around me. I gently toss her onto the bed and unbutton my shirt. Her eyes lock onto mine and she licks her lips. Such a fucking turn-on. She kneels on the bed and leans forward to give my nipples the same treatment I gave hers, scraping over them with her teeth and flicking them with her tongue.

My actions are stalled by how amazing her mouth feels so she takes initiative. Sookie reaches between us to unfasten my belt and shove my pants off my hips. She licks and nibbles her way down my body, repeating certain actions that make me moan or jump.

Her small hand wraps around my erection, stroking me with the perfect amount of speed and pressure. When her lips cover my head, it's only luck that keeps me from blowing my load immediately. I reach down and squeeze her tits as she bobs her head up and down my shaft, pinching her nipples in response to the way her tongue wraps around my head, flicking over that sweet spot at the tip. She takes more and more of me down her throat as I continue to play with her and her moans almost push me over. No! I don't want it to be over, but that's completely blown to hell when she hums and takes all of me. Jesus! Feeling the tightness of her throat pulsing as she swallows around me wrecks my self-control and I don't even have time to warn her before I'm coming down her throat harder than I think I've ever come before. I don't want to think about how she learned that new skill.

My knees are weak and she softly giggles against me as she licks me clean. I regain control of my limbs as she kisses her way back up my body. I'm going to need some rebound time, but she won't get a time-out at all if I have my way. I watch her scramble to the opposite side of the bed, maybe to make room for me, and she shivers with anticipation from the predatory look I give her.

I pounce, knocking her back so her head is on the pillows. I'm looking down at her and she clearly has no idea what she's in for. I suck and bite down the column of her neck, savoring the sweet taste of her soft skin. I move down to her tits – God, I've missed them and it seems they've missed me just as much. I lightly brush her nipples with my fingertips, making them pucker and stand at attention.

It's not enough.

Taking one into my mouth, I begin to suckle and nip, moving down to the soft flesh on the underside of her breast. The way she's writhing beneath me threatens to make me hard again.

I shove a hand under the waistband of her boxers and pull back to stare at her, realizing she didn't put any panties on under them. She giggles and does the eyebrow thing that she used to say I did whenever I playfully questioned her. Without a word she pulls my head back down to her chest and wiggles her hips, forcing the waistband down.

I maneuver my hand between her legs and groan against her rib cage. She's so wet that the inside of her thighs are slippery She jumps when I make contact with her clit and then starts moaning each time my fingers rub up and down, stroking and pinching lightly. I need her to come. I intend to give her many orgasms tonight and the first one always sets them off like a line of dominos. I plunge two fingers inside of her slick heat and her back arches again. "FUCK! Jesus, Eric," she squeals.

My memory is spotless when it comes to Sookie and even as buzzed as I am, I know the exact spots that will push her over the edge. I curl my fingers inside of her, rubbing lightly over her sweet spot, making her knees stiffen and her thighs shake. I slip a third finger into her and drag my tongue slowly over her clit. The combination of sensations does her in and she's screaming like I knew she would.

Sookie pants heavily, trying to catch her breath. I don't let her. I'm hard again and I flip, pulling her to straddle me. After lining myself up, I thrust up into her, making her howl again. Her pussy is still throbbing from her orgasm and she clenches around me. I start slow not knowing how long I'm going to be able to last. I rub fast, tight circles over her clit, countering the hard, slow thrusts I'm making. She pinches her own nipples and it's hard to know what I want to watch more; her face as she comes, the way her hands look as they manipulate her tits, or my cock disappearing into her tight, wet entrance over and over again. I don't even realize I'm growling as she comes again. She's rocking her hips, grinding into me, extending her pleasure, despite the solid grasp I have on her hips.

I pull out, making her whimper at the temporary loss. Flipping her on her stomach, I lift her hips and run my hands over the smooth globes of her ass. I know I won't last too long once I fill her again, but I grip the perfect handles her hipbones provide and slam into without warning. I fuck her hard and deep, driving in over and over. Her screams become silent, unable to vocalize any longer as she digs her nails into the sheets. My eyes roll back in my head, feeling her velvety walls vibrating around me. I can't hold back any longer. I let go and release deep inside of her, seeing spots and roaring with relief. I have zero strength left and I collapse at Sookie's side, where she's barely conscious.

"Mmm… thanks for that…" she mumbles into the pillow and it's the last thing I hear before I pass out.

SPOV

Thank God the thick shades in the hotel room block the sunlight. The last time I felt like this was the morning I learned about Jason. The pounding in my head and the sensitivity of my empty stomach do nothing but bring those memories back to me in waves.

I look to my left for the source of the soft snores that initially woke me. Seeing the messy blond hair on the pillow beside me makes me groan. I massage my temples, trying to recall what I can about last night: Bar. Walk to the hotel. Shower. Blatant flirting by me. Hot as hell fucking. Passing out.

I gingerly ease out of bed and make my way to the bathroom. I sit to do my business and feel the soreness and gross crustiness between my legs. Standing and twisting back and forth in front of the mirror, I see reddish blotches encircling my hip bones. They're tender when I run my hands over them and I try to remember everything Eric and I did. An aching in my back leads to a memory of being slammed into the wall. Continuing my self-appraisal, I see several hickeys on my breasts. The more I evaluate my body; sore, tender, and sensitive seem to be a running theme.

The warm spray of the shower is relaxing and soothing. I wash myself clean of the previous night's filth before sinking to sit against the wall of the tub. As much as I wanted it last night, this isn't how I wanted to reconnect with Eric. I don't have anything against a night of dirty, drunken sex. However, a night of dirty, drunken sex with an ex who you have some unresolved and undetermined feelings for is a whole different animal.

I dry off and wrap myself in a towel. The first thing I see when I exit the bathroom is Eric rummaging through my purse in only his boxers. "Whoa! What the fuck, dude?" I say and wince at my own volume.

"Tylenol," he groans with a hand over his eyes. "You always carry a bottle with you. I need some."

I got into the habit of carrying it all the time with the frequent muscle aches either of us would have after practices and games. Thinking that sounds like a fucking awesome plan, I grab my pocketbook away from him to try and find my stash. I get frustrated by my lack of success and dump the contents on the bed, sifting through everything in search of my little bottle.

My eyes land on my new wallet and I remember.

Almost everything in my old purse was lost or destroyed and had to be replaced after the accident. A bottle of Tylenol hadn't been a concern when dealing with the loss of my brother. I scoop everything off the bed and shove it haphazardly back into the bag. "I don't have any right now. You can call the front desk and see if they have any."

Even hungover, he knows me entirely too well. He knows why my purse and its contents had to be replaced thanks to my confessional breakdown at the lake. When he gives me a sympathetic look, it's absolutely the last thing I want. So I deflect and change the subject.

"Get some for me too. I think you were trying to break me last night," I say it lightly, with a smirk, but his face shows no humor at the statement.

He looks up sharply and his eyes widen as he takes in my appearance. Hotel towels are tiny and the tops of my boobs and one hip are clearly on display… as are some of the bruises and hickeys. "Oh, fuck! Sookie─"

"It doesn't bother me." I interrupt his apology by waving my hand to hush him. "I'm just a little sore since it's been awhile. I'm not complaining."

Eric's expression is still decidedly unhappy. I roll my eyes and call the front desk myself. I add a pot of coffee and a carafe of orange juice to the request for Tylenol. We get dressed in the fifteen minutes of awkward silence that it takes for the tray of beverages and precious pain reliever to be delivered. I place the juice and a glass in front of Eric and pour myself a mug of coffee. I pop a couple of the pills before handing the bottle over and sitting across from him. "Now we get to have the uncomfortable discussion."

He swallows his pills and barks out a laugh. "What part of this isn't uncomfortable?"

I roll my eyes and lean back. "Good point. Anyway, it was pretty clear when I woke up that we didn't use a condom. Do I have anything I need to worry about?"

He doesn't even have to think before he shakes his head. "I was tested regularly at school and at post-surgery check-ups. I'm clean. Are you still on the shot?"

I nod my head and force the next question. "Has there been anyone since you were last tested?"

More hesitantly, he nods his head. When he opens his mouth, I shake my head to cut him off. "I don't want to know who or how many. I had everything run when I had my last checkup and I haven't been with anyone since then. Just to be on the safe side though, I'm going to get checked again."

He nods, not looking offended in the least. Hmm, that went smoother than I expected. I finish my mug, refill it, and drain it again before setting it aside. Looking around, I collect my pajamas and fold them to put away in my overnight bag. I feel his eyes follow me as I collect my things from around the room. He clears his throat to get my attention and I look over at him curiously.

"Are we really not going to talk about this?" he asks.

"What is there to talk about, Eric? We were drunk and horny and took advantage of a king-sized suite. I'm not sure what you were expecting. I'm pretty sure you're not in a place where you want to start with me again. I'm certainly not ready to be with anyone right now. I have too much to deal with. I start a new job next month. I'm still unpacking. I totally expected to feel like shit this morning, but I thought I'd be doing it alone." I let my eyes scan the room for anything I might be forgetting before they land back on my ex. "We've always been great there," I say, nodding my head toward the ball of tangled sheets on the bed, "But you know as well as I do that our communication skills suck. I'm trying here. What do you think we need to talk about?"

He pulls on the t-shirt he neglected earlier and shrugs. "You don't even realize you do it, do you? You use everything going on in your life to avoid talking about anything emotional or outside your comfort zone. You know perfectly well what we need to talk about."

I don't do that and it gets my hackles up to be accused of doing so. "That's ridiculous," I scoff back at him.

"Would you like two prime examples? How about 'I have drama, the newspaper, the dance team, and SATs. I won't have time for a boyfriend'. How about "You're going to be too busy at college and we're going to be too far away to even try to stay together'. Of course, I'm paraphrasing, but they're your sentiments, if not the exact words," he says with that damn adorable, infuriating cocked eyebrow.

I think about his words and, of course, I don't even have to struggle to know what he's referring to. "Shit… I do do that sometimes, don't I?"

"Sometimes. For a while we got to where you would actually talk to me, but you pulled away after graduation. I missed you like crazy… before I got too busy to notice." I can't help but smirk, hearing him admit that part of my reasoning might have been dead on. "Don't get too cocky, Susannah," he says softly, making me shiver a little. "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

EPOV

I stare at her. I may have felt eighteen again last night, but the Sookie in front of me has definitely grown up if she can admit what I saw as one of her worst flaws, even in high school. I watch her fidget and I realize that neither of us really had the best decision-making skills last night. "I know you said there hasn't been anyone else… are you single," I ask. I don't really know why I'm asking. Maybe just hoping to keep my own conscience clean.
She rolls her eyes again, but gives me a small smile. "I don't cheat. Never have and don't plan on starting now. What about you? Again, I don't want any specific details, but are there any crazed girlfriends looking to rip out my hair?" When I shake my head, she sighs a breath of relief. "No offense, but that is really the last thing I want to deal with. Go ahead and gather up your things. I need to check out."

She leans against the spot I slammed her into last night and waits for me, her arms crossed over her chest. I grab my phone from the counter and my wallet from the floor where it fell out of my jeans. I do a quick mental inventory of the few possessions I brought with me as I pull on my shoes. Looking around to confirm that I have everything, I nod to Sookie and stand, ready to leave.

In the lobby, I step away to call Pam to make her pick me up while Sookie checks out. I don't care if I wake her up. If her meddling ass had pulled me out of the bar when she was ready to go last night, none of this would have happened. I actually don't know whether to deck her or thank her.

I look over at Sookie as she finishes her transaction, sliding a credit card back in her wallet and putting on some of the darkest sunglasses I've ever seen. She steps toward me and places a soft, quick kiss on my cheek before heading out the door.

"Whaaaat?" whines a sleepy voice, half-muffled by what I assume is a pillow.

"Doesn't your nosy ass want to know why I'm calling?"

She groans. "I assume you stopped fucking Random Bar Hag and want me to pick you up so you don't have to ask her for a ride and let her find out where you live."

It's nice to remember that she's a snarky smartass even when she's mostly unconscious. "Not quite." If she didn't know I was with Sookie, I wasn't going to tell her. "What you need to pay attention to is this. Either your prissy powder blue Mini is going to be pulling up in front of the Patrick Henry Hotel in sixty minutes or less or you're going to be on the hook for my cab fare. Last I heard it was around eighty dollars, but gas prices have increased since then. It's only fair since you ditched me. What's more precious, Pam? Your time or your money?" I take a seat in one of the cushy, overstuffed armchairs scattered around the lobby and wait for her answer.

"Ugh! Fine! I'll be there in a little while," she grumbles. I don't buy it.

"One hour, Pam. At minute sixty-one, I'm in a cab whether you're on your way or not. No excuses. I won't answer the phone if you call before," I check my watch and wince at the time, "nine forty-seven." I am not in the mood to deal with her procrastination. If she's going to make it on time, she needs to get out of bed and moving now.

"Dick," she growls and hangs up on me. I'm okay with that.

I lean back and relax for my hour wait. I think about how my night was spent and I can't help but wish I remembered more. The hickeys and bruises I can't recall leaving shame me, despite her earlier assurances that she's fine. I don't get that rough during sex. I definitely don't leave marks. At least, I never have before.

What was it about the only ex-girlfriend I've ever had that made me so uncontrolled? Then again, she'd affected me like that from the moment I met her. We have both changed so much since then… haven't we?

I wish last night didn't happen the way it did. If it was going to happen at all, why the fuck did it have to be when neither of us were sober enough to fully appreciate or even remember it?

I spend enough time mind-fucking myself that I get shocked by a hand smacking me across the back of my head. "Your ride is here, dickhead. Move that giant ass of yours so I can go back to sleep."

Ah, Pam. My sister is a paragon of grace and manners.