There was a long moment as Eric and I stared at each other, and I was unsure of whether or not he was thinking the same thing I was, though I doubted it.

I was thinking about how his eyes sparkled, how bright they were. How even against the harsh luminescent light, he was beautiful. I understood how he could love my sister, but to my confusion and dismay, I was beginning to understand why she loved him.

"You miss her don't you?" I asked softly in the silence. He blinked. The music from the bar was the only other sound in the room. "Don't you?"

"Get out." his voice was just above a whisper.

"What?"

"Get. OUT!" within a split second, Eric was on his feet and steering me by the upper arm toward the door. I struggled for only a moment as his fingers crushed into my flesh. I could feel his desire for me and my blood in his body language, and suddenly became very afraid.

"Eric-"

"OUT!" and I was out in the night again. Suddenly exhausted, I leaned heavily against the red door.

"Who was that?" demanded a female voice. I heard a door shut.

"Nobody," and her sigh told me that was all she was going to get.

"Lily!" Sookie's voice was full of relief as I came up her porch steps. A pale pink robe hung from her shoulders and her hair was combed and wet. She had one hand over her heart, like a worried ama, and walked down a few steps.

"Sookie." I could see her clock through the window. It told me it was nearly 3am.

"Why were you in Shreveport?" she asked, "I called Eric to see if he knew where you were and he said you were there, but that you had left already. I was really- what happened?!"

It was only then that I realized the small tears in my dress, and adjusted them with one swoop of my hand. "I had a run in with a vampire on my way."

"With a vampire?" she asked, her southern accent intensified as she got worried. "Who?! Eric did this?!"

"No. Someone named Russel Edgington."

"My stars..." I glanced up at the sky. "That cannot be good. You don't think he traced you back here did he?" It was then that I realized what danger I had put Sookie into, rushing off like that.

"No," I said smoothly and shook my head. "I took care of him."

"You still didn't answer my question. Why did you go see Eric?"

"To... thank him." I said. This was somewhat honest. I really had no idea of why I had gone to visit the vampire. Or it could have been simply that I did not want to think about it. "For helping me that night."

"You could have just called him. Did you offer him your blood or something?" The tension in the air broke as I laughed, putting one hand on my chest, and stepping up into Sookie's house. Soon Sookie's own laughter joined mine, and as we walked into her living room.

"While I was on the phone with Eric," Sookie continued as we sat on her couch, each of us with a bowl of ice cream in hand. "He said that he wants us to work for him later this week." I lifted an eyebrow, "He'd pay us a lot of money, and Lord knows I need it. He said though... that he can only do it with both of us."

I did not know what it was that drove me at that moment. I must have been crazy. I met eyes with Sookie and gave a little smirk. "Count me in."