A/N: This may seem like a choppy chapter, but I'm trying to move the story along. I can't believe Season 3 starts this weekend!

I needed to stop coming up with plans as I went along. They never worked out. What I needed to do was sit still for five solid minutes and figure out what had to be accomplished. Then maybe I'd have some success. But I kept bumbling along. And now it was too late in the Sookie-Eric-Bill debacle to really save face with a thoroughly thought-out plan of action. I knew full well that it was a grade A disaster.

I was so close to unraveling the knot and undoing all the spells, though. At least it felt that way. I had gotten Sookie to sleep with Eric. I had seen Bill and knew for certain that he was in the area. There wasn't much else on my to-do list.

When Eric woke up that evening, the first thing he did was guzzle a TruBlood. His lip curled back a little in disgust.

"Where's Sookie?" he asked.

"Bathroom," I replied and indicated the closed door. "Primping for our night on the town."

I could swear there was a glisten in Eric's eye.

"Where are we going?"

He stood up and began to pull on clothes.

I turned to give him a little privacy and answered, "A nice restaurant that I'm willing to bet Bill will be at."

"We need to give up our search for him. It's only going to upset Sookie. Even if we find him, I have a feeling it will not be a good thing."

I raised my eyebrow at him skeptically.

"Now, why would you care if it upsets Sookie?"

Eric shrugged.

"I'm just looking out for her."

I felt a spike of adrenaline.

"Why would you do that?" I pressed.

"It's selfish really," he replied, glancing at the bathroom door.

This was it! This was it!

"Sookie! Get out here this instant!" I commanded at the top of my lungs.

The door flung open and Sookie rushed out, mascara brush in hand.

I watched Eric carefully.

There was a definite glisten in his eye.

"Uh, hurry up," I said. "We don't have much time."

"Geez, I thought the place was on fire, Lyssa."

Sookie went back to putting on her make-up.

Eric continued to gaze in her direction.

Had I done it? Had I really gotten Eric back to normal? There was only one way to find out. While Sookie was occupied, I walked purposefully up to Eric and went to grab his ass.

Before I even laid a finger on his jeans, he had my wrist in his strong grip.

"Looking is free," he said. "But touching will cost you."

I burst out laughing and clapped my hands excitedly.

I did it! I really did it! There didn't have to be any professions of love or grand gestures. All it took was one hook-up and a good day's rest and Eric was un-ensorcelled. It felt anti-climactic and waaay too simple, but I didn't care. Now he could continue angsting out his desire for Sookie without the hindrance of a jealousy spell.

At that moment, Sookie came back into the room.

"I'm ready," she chirped and reached for her purse.

Suddenly it struck me – now that Eric was back to normal, what difference did it make if we found Bill or not? I only intended to use him to push Sookie closer to the big blond vamp. In fact, I didn't know what I was still doing on earth. My job was done, wasn't it? I could high-tail it back to Olympus and be home in time for a nice dinner of Stoli Vanil and a package of Oreo Cakesters.

"Uh, you two go on ahead to the restaurant," I said slowly, eyeing the exit. "I'll meet up with you later."

"Giving us the slip?" Sookie asked, looking at me like she was a mind-reader.

Damn! I was under the impression that she couldn't understand my thoughts.

"Not at all," I stammered.

"You promised you'd help find Bill."

"And I will. I just have to rendez-vous with some higher-ups. Report on the last couple of days. Bureaucratic shit, you understand."

"Let her go," Eric said to Sookie. "I can take care of you."

"Yes, thank you," I sighed. "Let Eric look after things. I'll be back before you know it."

So, I couldn't cut and run just yet. But at least now I could take care of some unfinished business. Like giving Hekate a piece of my mind.

She answered my summons with Ares in tow. I was not prepared.

"What is he doing here?" I hissed.

"Hi Lyssa," he drawled, giving me the kind of look that makes every goddess weak in the knees.

"I thought you were with Aphrodite now," I said.

"She's been really needy lately. I don't put up with that kind of stuff."

He draped his arm around Hekate.

"Whatever. Listen, Kate, I know you fucked up the potions but I'm here to tell you that I turned everything around anyways. I fixed it, okay. I win."

"Ah, yes, the jealousy spell. So you got them to sleep together, well, clever you. I happen to know you only did it with the help of your brother."

"Irrelevant. And anyways, I don't care what you think about it. Just don't ever think you can mess with me again, all right?" I said, taking a step closer to her.

Hekate looked like she was ready to boil over.

"Ladies, ladies, please," Ares chimed in.

"I'll make you go mad forever," I taunted.

"Like your powers actually work."

I gave one final glare and snapped my fingers. In a second, I was far from the two of them. I started to cool down. Next stop: queen of Louisiana.

"Eric is back to his usual self," I told her.

She looked at me as though I were an idiot.

"Did I ask you to make him normal?"

"Um, you asked me to undo the spell…"

"Yes, which you stupidly brought upon him. Now, think back to our original conversation, Madness. What did I ask you to do?"

I smacked my forehead.

"Oh good, you just saved me the trouble of doing that myself. I knew I should have recruited a more important god for this."

The queen looked furious.

"I can still fix it. I can make Eric go mad. I can," I started to say.

"What difference does it make now? Not only have you brought the situation with Eric to a net zero, but you've led Sookie straight to Bill, who was supposed to stay out of sight. Brilliant, Madness. Just fucking brilliant. If I ever want to accidentally bring about the apocalypse, I know who to call. You're fired."

I didn't bother to argue, but rather sulked out of sight. It probably would have been for the best if I went home. My pride, however, told me that I needed to finish the queen's job. If only to prove that I was a goddess who followed through. I don't half-ass things. Okay, well, I do, like, all the time, but still! I needed to get this one right. I had to.

is eric really back to normal? we'll see...