EPOV:

It had been a difficult month, that's for sure. I'd wanted nothing more than to fall into her arms, or our bed, or the nearest flat surface. I knew taking it slow … well, after we'd had sex that night, was the best thing to do, despite Sookie's protests and the fact that my dick hated me for putting a halt to the reins. Both Sookie and I were at a boiling point with our need for physical affection it seemed—small kisses here, a little touching there, hugs that lasted a little too long to be socially acceptable. And I knew I missed her and she missed me, and that this was part of that, but I was glad I stood my ground. I wanted us to do it right with no regrets. So I cooked. Okay, so I had my chef, Chow, prep for me, and Maria gave me the brownies to put with the ice cream, but I did actually cook the meat and arrange everything all presentable and what not. I showered and shaved, and spent almost thirty minutes attempting to tame my hair. No matter what I did to the front, the back always stuck up like I'd been electrocuted. I applied gel to try and calm it, but got so frustrated that I just gave up. Stupid hair! Who looks at the back of my head anyway? I picked out my cleanest pair of jeans and a light blue shirt since Sookie liked me in blue, and I hoped that she would approve.

I'd just gotten the soup warmed when I heard her knocking. I checked my appearance in the mirror one more time before I opened the door.

She looked stunning, as always—her jeans hugging her curves just right, her cleavage on ample display, as well as those red heels I loved on her so much—though she did look a little pale. I made a mental note to ask her about that later. It didn't matter now. Now, she was here and we were alone, and the possibilities were endless.

"So you know I just realized, I never really got the tour," she said, leaning against the kitchen door before coming in to see what I was up to. "I never got to be one of those girls, either."

"Those girls?"

"Your 'dates.' You know, the Eric Northman Dating Experience, pre-Jessica and me."

I smiled. She had a way with words.

"You wouldn't have liked it."

"Why?"

"Well, mostly the idea of being with one woman back then was my worst nightmare… So chances are, had we hooked up on our first, first date… we wouldn't be where we are now," I admitted.

"How wise, young Skywalker." She smirked.

"Not liking the wine?" I asked, noticing that she'd barely touched the glass I'd given her.

"It's great, I'm just feeling a little… well, wine might not help."

"You do look pale. Are you sick?"

"Just feeling a little wonky, I guess. I think it's because I've been running around like a headless chicken the last few months. I guess it's finally caught up to me."

"You need to slow down, you know? You have help, you just never know when to ask for it," I commented, mixing the sauce into my chicken and checking on the rice. Everything was almost ready.

"I know. It's a flaw I'm working on…." She leaned against the counter. "Smells good. Which is weird because food hasn't been smelling so good to me lately."

"Seriously. Doctor. Soon."

"I know, I know. I'll see if they can fit me in sometime this week. It might just be a bug or something." She patted her tummy before getting some water from the fridge.

By the time we'd sat down to dinner she seemed to be more relaxed, the color coming back to her cheeks at least. We talked over how things were going at work, and how Jessica was doing, and just about everyone else in our life got a mention. It was only when we sat on the couch together that the subject of 'us' came up.

"I need to know what's happening here. I mean, are we getting back together, is this a permanent thing—you being here, me coming over—or … what? Eric, I'm a little confused."

"The reason I left—"

"You were unhappy with how things were between us, and honestly so was I. I felt like things were never going to change. That I'd always feel over-worked and spread too thin… but when the business opened, and I hired my staff, that all changed. I have better time management now. So… I just need to know where you stand as far as we're concerned..."

I sipped my beer.

"Pam's coming back to work soon, and Talbot has been a fine enough replacement. He's a little temperamental but it's nothing that I haven't experienced with Pam over the years… Work is easy again, and your time is freeing up, and you seem to want us to move forward. You know that the last thing I wanted was for us to split. I mean, Jesus, I love you, Sookie, and I don't want to love anyone else. I don't even want to try because you and I had such a good thing going for a long time—a really long time. It went to shit so fast because we stopped talking to each other. I don't want that to happen again. Every couple goes through dry spells and problems, but we used to handle all those things because we talked about them. When we stopped doing that, we stopped functioning."

I hoped she understood, I did. And I hated how fast she and I had dropped the ball.

"How about we make a pact here and now, then?"

"A pact?"

"Yeah, you know like those things you'd make with your best friend as kids, to swear to do something with and for each other, no matter what."

"I never did that."

"Well, you could start now?" she smiled. "I pinkie swear as your best friend, as your lover…" her smiled turned flirty then as she held up her pinkie finger, "that I will try my best to not be a hot-headed mess when it comes to you and our relationship, and I promise not to let work rule my life again like it did. I promise to try and find balance and I promise to talk about whatever is floating around in my head about us, with you." She nodded at me, and I scooted closer to her, joining my pinkie with hers.

"I … do I have to say pinkie swear?"

She glared.

"I pinkie swear as your best friend, as your lover, that I will talk out what I'm feeling instead of internalizing to the point of explosion. I also promise to understand that sometimes you don't want or need my help no matter how much I want to step in and protect you or do it all for you."

She kissed me then, sliding herself ever so elegantly into my lap.

"I love you, Eric Northman, and I'm sorry if I made you feel like I didn't."

I kissed her then before breaking away. "I love you too, you know that right?"

"I do I—"

She stalled whatever she was going to say as she pulled back, looking a little pale again.

"Um, Sookie are you okay?"

Before she could move, it happened. She threw up all down my shirt.

Jesus.

"Oh my GOD! Eric I …" she said, red faced and wide-eyed as she covered her mouth. "I… oh God," she said again as she took off in the direction of the bathroom.

Well, I guess that's one way of killing the mood.

I did my best to wipe my shirt off, but to no avail. I made my way back and knocked on the bathroom door just in time to hear her retch.

"Sookie."

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry…" she said as I walked in to find her in a ball beside the toilet. "It's just your cologne. Is it new?"

"Uh, yeah? It's something I was trying out. Pam bought it for me. Something Gucci something."

She heaved again.

"I can trash it though. I thought it smelled… nice," I mused, offering her a wet face cloth before I took off my shirt, leaving me in my tank.

"I'm so sorry. I really don't know what the fuck this is. I promise I'll call the doctor first thing." She pulled herself up using the cloth to wipe herself off. "Could you bring me my purse, please?"

I did and she pulled out her toothbrush.

"I was sick earlier. Better to be safe and all that," she said before brushing her teeth. "I totally ruined the mood, I know. I'm sorry," she said again when she rinsed and spat. I instantly circled my arms around her, looking at us both in the mirror. We stood there for a long time, just looking at each other, before I spoke, carrying on our conversation.

"You did no such thing. Though, you are making me question my cooking skills." I smiled, kissing her neck once. "But if you're not feeling well we can just relax and watch a DVD or something. I don't care… I just want you well."

"And I just want you," she said stepping away from me, before I saw where she was going. She was turning on the shower.

Oh, that was interesting.

She bent to remove one shoe, then the other, then stood up to remove her hair clip.

"A little zipper help?" she asked quietly, referring to the back of her top. The steam started to fill the room quickly and before I knew it, Sookie was standing before me, naked and beautiful. She stepped under the stream of water while I stood dumbfounded, getting increasingly hard. I may have let out a small growl as the water ran from her hair, down her body, landing in a pool at her feet.

"It's an awfully big shower for just me, Eric. You coming in or you just coming out there?" She winked at me, turning around to grab the shower gel, giving me a nice view of her rear in the process.

I've never gotten undressed so fast.

SPOV:

Shower sex was always something we'd looked forward to, Eric and I. Usually when Jessica was napping or asleep in bed, but mostly when she was at Maxine's. Eric liked nothing more than to take his sweet time getting me all clean, just to make us all dirty again. I teased him about having OCD when it came to cleanliness, but I didn't really believe it. He just liked getting us all soaped up so we could fuck against the wall like we did. Though, when we were together last time, when the communication stopped, so did the playful shower sex that we both enjoyed so much. When he stepped into that shower with me—even though my stomach was feeling less than up to it and my boobs hurt like a mother fucker—I stood on my tiptoes, kissing him like it was my last kiss on earth, while I let my hands explore his rapidly increasing hard on. He backed me up against the cold tile, gently, more gentle than he would have before, his eyes searching for my approval which he got, instantly. His hand went between my legs to tease me just as I was teasing him. His lips on my collarbone, the other hand in my hair as I moaned out, his hands distracting me from the nausea in my stomach.

"I don't want you to tease me, Eric."

"Then what do you want?" he asked, knowing full well what I wanted.

"Everything."

He growled again, this time into my neck, and I thought I knew were we were headed, or shall I say, where he was headed, but I was wrong. Instead of inching inside of me, he inched his way down my body, leaving a trail of licks and kisses as he did, reaching his destination between my legs, he was kneeling down in the shower. He kissed, he licked, and he nibbled my sex until I was all but joining the water in a puddle at his feet. I cried out, as loud as I liked, knowing we had no one to disturb. I needed that comforting feeling of having him inside me suddenly, and I couldn't wait any longer. Though my breasts felt ridiculously sensitive I found a way around my issue. Bringing him up to my level, I braced my his hands on my hips before I turned around to face the wall. I knew with the wetness of the shower, and really, the wetness of me, that his hands would remain on my hips as he entered me and we fucked up against that shower wall for all we were worth.

And I was right.

Spent and giggly he lifted me out of the shower, wrapping us both in his big blue fluffy towels before we took a leisurely stroll towards his bed. We toweled off and hopped in, lazy smiles and gentle touches brought us both to sleep. It had been a really great date, all things considered.

We talked a little more that morning. Waking up in his arms again made me feel like a new woman—all thoughts of sickness gone, for the time being anyway. I felt alive and in love again, a feeling that I hoped to keep within my grasp from then on in. No matter what I had to do, I wasn't about to lose this again.

"G'morning," I said, finding him watching me, but more so like he was in a trance. You know, those trances that you find yourself in, staring at something or someone but not really looking at them. He was lost in his thoughts.

"Hey." He pecked me on the lips before moving back. "Feeling better today?"

"A little, but I've been awake thirty seconds. Let's see how it goes."

"You're calling the doctor's office, right? I mean, it might be serious."

"I'm sure it's nothing but a bug that I've gotten from being so stupid and not taking care of myself like I should have been. It'll be fine. And yes, I'll go pee and call them, happy?"

"Yes," he said, smoothing back my hair. "I just don't want anything bad to happen to you… that's all."

"I know. And I appreciate it. I do." I kissed him back, sliding out of the big bed to go pee and wash up. I'd managed to get the last appointment for my doctor for the next afternoon. I was anxious to get the check-up over with, since I wasn't sure exactly what kind of illness I had. It wasn't like anything I felt before.

Eric made us breakfast, but all I wanted to chance was some toast and some milky tea.

"So, this was… fun. Seeing your place and all," I commented, slipping back into my heels, feeling very much like a dirty whore leaving her one nightstand—but in the best possible way. If I was going to be a dirty whore for anyone, it may as well be my boyfriend.

"It was. A lot of fun. Projectile vomiting, aside," He laughed, shrugging slightly.

"I am sorry about that."

He just shushed me. Before I opened the door to leave, he held me back to kiss me deep and slow, making me slightly light-headed as he did so.

"Mmm. I forgot how nice that felt."

"I'd like to keep reminding you then, deal?"

"I think so…" I kissed him again. This time there was an unmistakable cough from in behind us. Breaking apart, I saw the woman. The Maria-is-really-a-lesbian woman.

"Sorry. I just… I'm late for work, but hi. And Eric, these are for you," she said handing over some mail. "Really need to get that sorted by the way. Hi," she said in my direction. And now that I knew I had a better shot with her than Eric did, I didn't hate her anymore.

"Hi. I'm Sookie. It's nice to finally meet you."

She smiled, big and wide. "I had hoped you were Sookie. I saw you at the opening last month. It was beautiful by the way."

"Yes…" I blushed and Eric took over.

"Yeah Maria, Sookie might have gotten the wrong idea about us." He grinned, and I elbowed him in the ribs.

"I did n—"

"She did. But I can't say I blame her. I mean, I did show up with a beautiful woman…"

Maria just rolled her eyes. "He knows flattery will get him nowhere with me. I deliver the mail, that's all."

"And cakes..." Eric said.

"Yes. And cakes. But I'm sorry for interrupting. I have to get going, but it so was nice meeting you Sookie. Finally," she said raising her brows at Eric.

Pleasantries aside, I grabbed my purse and attempted to escape Eric's strong clutches.

"Stay. Let's pretend the world doesn't exist today and just stay inside," he asked in an almost whiney tone.

"You know we can't. There is a very impatient five-year-old waiting on you to pick her up and have her day with you. And you really should get the mail sorted out, it's not fair to Maria…" I said absently, finding my car keys.

"What if I didn't fix the mail?"

"Well, it's rather unfair to her—"

"No I mean, what if I didn't fix it for here? What if I just changed it back… to home?"

I fought my smile.

"Is that something you want? I don't want to pressure you here, you know?"

"You're not, and I am. I mean, if it's something you want."

My phone was beeping. I knew it was Ames. Instead of getting into a huge blow out with him I just kissed him on the cheek. "You can come home whenever you want. I love you," I said, taking my exit before he really did drag me inside and pull a caveman move on me.

I'd gotten through my next two days in a sort of haze. Amelia kept fishing for details every five minutes, telling me that I looked good and fucked, just how it should be. I stifled any and all giggles, because really, it's how I felt. By four p.m. though I was on my way to my doctor's, in a rush trying to beat the school traffic.

By the time I pulled up, Doctor Bennett's office was all but empty.

"I'm so sorry," I said as I took my seat, explaining to her what was wrong and how I felt. She told me to hop up onto the table and that she'd take a look. She did her thing, pressure points on my stomach—hurting me slightly—telling me there was swelling, asking about my periods and sexual history and such, all of which I answered truthfully. She asked about my sexual health and took my temperature and blood pressure just to be thorough. It was then she looked at me, then back at my medical records.

"Sookie, I'd like to try something if I may. An ultrasound. I just… well, I have a hunch but I'd like to make sure. Do you mind?"

"Oh, God is it bad? What do I have?"

She didn't answer me, instead she whipped out this little machine with a sort of wand attached.

"Now, do you mind? It's a transvaginal ultrasound."

"Sounds comfortable." I winced looking at the wand, then again, Eric was bigger than that and I'd no issue with him. "Sure. Do what you need to do."

She smiled, prepping me with the freezing lube as best she could while I sat there, legs spread, feeling very awkward indeed. The last time I had one of these things was when I went for tests when the idea of trying for a baby with Eric came up. That day had been heartbreaking when they told me of my tiny almost impossible percentage of doing it naturally.

I inhaled when she inserted the wand and messed around with her screen, concentrating as I ran all the number of possibilities around in my head. Cancer, what if it was cancer? What about Eric, what about Jess? I couldn't leave them, not now. What if it was a tumor of some kind, or if it was something even worse that I couldn't think of? I was going crazy.

She smiled. She was smiling. Why was she smiling? Was she some kind of evil doctor who liked giving bad news to people? I wanted to slap her.

"Sookie, look here." She pointed to the screen, but I saw nothing.

"What am I looking at? It's all fuzzy?" I squinted, and she wheeled the machine closer to me.

"See that, there, that little dot?"

"Oh Jesus, it's not cancer is it?" I freaked.

But she laughed again, the evil bitch.

"No, Sookie, it's not cancer. It's a baby."

Excuse me?

A/N: Soooooooo, do we likey? Hit me up and let me know, you knooow how much I love it! Xox