A/N: ashmo2000, Jennie, Kerryn, Rachel, Katherine, Kate, outinritefield1, BlueMonday2387, kelly, ap630, 34ken, MelodyAnderson, ericplenty, RKandee13 and guest for reviewing my last chapter. I really appreciate it.

Ashler55 I hope you love this chapter and it makes going to school with those idiots easier.

I edited this chapter myself so I'm sorry if there are any mistakes. There probably is.

I hope you all like it.

SOOKIE

"How long have you know about this?" I asked Bill as I sat on his bed. His room was very modern in comparison to the rest of his home, sleek black, white and grey colours with a forest green accent but still cluttered with dressers, night stands and antiques.

"A couple of days." He said as he threw a bunch of socks into his suitcase.

"And you just failed to tell me or did you get amnesia?" I was so angry with him. I hated surprises, I hated when things were sprung on me. I didn't handle it very well whether it was good or bad.

"I just didn't want to upset you." He said waking into his bathroom and packing his toiletries.

"Well I'm upset so clearly you did a shitty job." We looked at each other in silence before I spoke again. "How many days?"

"Three tops." He said sitting down beside me.

I sighed and shook my head. "Please don't bullshit me Bill. I'm the daughter of a businessman. When we arrived in Bon Temps my father told me that he was going to Nashville for two days, that was ten weeks ago." I grabbed his hand.

He sighed. "Two weeks tops. I'll be back in time for Holly's wedding. I promise."

"I really need you here Bill." I really did. I had managed to steer clear of Eric for five whole days, which was impressive considering we worked together and lived a hundred yards apart.

"Believe me, I don't want to go but I must. I will be back here the moment I can, the moment they don't need me and we'll spend every moment together when I get back. No work." He kissed me.

"Bill this is such a critical stage in our relationship and I think if you left right now," I shook my head knowing I couldn't tell him why I didn't want him to leave. "I need you here." I said kissing him again.

"We'll Skype and text and talk all the time. The two weeks will fly by." He kissed me one last time before he got up to go finish packing. I wanted him to stay for purely selfish reasons. If there was no Eric, there would be no problem, I'd just hang out with Tara and LaFayette and wait for Bill to come home. The matter of fact was there was an Eric and even though I hadn't seen him at all in the past week I could feel his presence everywhere.

I wasn't suffering from madness like I expected. Instead of enduring I had amputated, I had cut the infection off and now I was suffering from phantom limb syndrome. I would pick up my phone, type out a message to Eric and realize that I couldn't send it right before I would hit send.

I missed my friend. I missed his cockiness, I missed his humour, I missed going to work and seeing him there, I even missed his sadness. I hated it and I knew with Bill gone I would crack, I would text him and bad things would happen.

"Do you need a ride to the airport?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "I have a car picking me up." He looked around his room deciding if he needed to bring anything else.

I stood and walked up to him wrapping my arms around his neck, leaning in and planting a kiss there. "Are you sure there is nothing I can do to convince you to stay?" I said as I took his ear lobe in between my teeth.

He moaned and placed his hands on my shoulders. "Sookie, I would love nothing more than to stay here with you but this account is huge and I need to take care of it in New York, I need to." He kissed me and picked up his bag.

I followed him down the stairs and outside as he placed his suitcase on the porch. "Hang out with your friends, have a good time and you won't even notice I'm gone." He smiled as the car pulled up.

"I highly doubt that." I mumbled as he walked towards the car and I followed.

"I'll text you the minute I land." He brushed the hair out of my face. "I love you."

All the air rushed out of my lungs and I stared at him with my mouth open as I tried to think of something to say. I didn't love him. I liked him a lot, he was funny, kind and had a bright future ahead of him. I just wasn't sure he was the guy. If I could make it through till he came back then maybe I would start thinking about love.

He smiled and kissed me. "Don't say it till you're ready. I'll see you when I get back."

He got into the car and drove away as I sighed, rubbing my forehead with my hand. I stood there for a few moments looking at the place where his car had disappeared.

"You must be happy." Jessica said slinking past me in work-out attire. "Now you can slum it with the orphan without anyone breathing down your neck."

I gave her heavy side eye as she started to stretch. "Shouldn't you be out drowning puppies or sucking the souls out of young men?" I asked her with my hands on my hips.

"I got that out of the way in the morning." She threw a bitch smile my way.

"So you're ahead of schedule then?" I gave her the same smile back.

She breathed in deep and widened her eyes. "I need to get my run in." She said smoothing out her lips gloss with her middle finger. "Later Stackhouse." She winked at me as she ran in into the forest.

I was so happy my exchange with her was brief. "The worst." I muttered to myself as I walked back over to my house.

I had been keeping myself occupied with Bill the past couple of days and now I had no idea what to do. I had finished all my TV shows, Jason hadn't been home in days and I knew that Tara had school most days and work at night.

Two weeks. Two weeks trying to avoid Eric fucking Northman.

I walked upstairs to my room and grabbed the Magic 8 ball off my dresser my father had bought me years ago when we actually lived in Bon Temps. "Can I avoid Eric for two weeks?" I asked it as I shook it and turned it over reading my response, Outlook not so good.

I sighed putting it back on my dresser. "Terrific."

I grabbed my phone and collapsed on my bed as I read the one text message I had from Tara.

Pam wants to do a girls night tonight. Sleepover, 90's teen comedies, wine. You in? - T

I smiled at the exact distraction I needed. It was a Friday night too, one of the few I got off and spending it in a place I knew Eric wouldn't be was optimal. I'm in. - S

I spent the rest of the day cleaning the house and packing an overnight bag. It would be nice to have some girl time. I felt like I had only been hanging out with guys since I arrived in Bon Temps.

I pulled up in front of Pam's townhouse around 8 p.m. The townhouses were a new development and it showed wealth in Bon Temps. Not wealth like mine and Eric's but wealth none the less. I got out of the car, grabbed my bag and rang the doorbell once at the door.

Pam answered in baby pink silk pyjamas, they were very Pam."Hi Sookie you look nice." She purred as she looked me up and down with a pleased as punch smile on her face.

I knew something was up because I did not look nice. My hair was in a messy bun, I was wearing ripped oversized jeans and a plain burgundy t-shirt. I eyed her suspiciously. "What did you do?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Her smile went from a devious one to one of a hostess. "Ready to break out your PJ's and talk about what boys you like and all that shit?" She said with too much spunk in her voice as she tilted her head to one side.

I nodded. "Yeah, I brought cookie dough and three bottles of wine."

"I knew you were good for something. Come on in." She said ushering me into her beautifully decorated home. Contemporary style was the only way to describe it. I walked into her kitchen and placed all the goodies I had brought on the counter.

I walked into the living room to find Tara and LaFayette sitting on a bunch of mattresses that covered the floor. "Holy shit, this really is like a good old fashion sleepover." I said wading over all the blankets to sit down.

They both greeted me happily as I asked what they were doing. "We's playing truth or dare." LaFayette said in cheetah patterned pyjama bottoms.

I smiled. "I love that game."

LaFayette smiled and cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Alright, Truth or Dare."

"Truth."

"Have you slept with Eric Northman?"

Well that was a loaded question. Technically I had slept with him but but not in the sense that LaFayette meant. "No." I said confidently.

"Mmm-hmm." LaFayette said looking at me skeptically.

Pam stormed into the room with wine glasses and what looked like a bowl of skittles or possibly M&M's cutting our game short. "Go change into your pyjamas Sookie and come on out. We are about to watch some generic 90's teen movie that probably has Freddie Prinze Jr. in it." Pam said placing everything on the coffee table and walking over to sit with Tara.

I gathered my things and when into the washroom to change, brush my hair and wash my face.

When I came back the movie had already started and we settled in to watch She's All That. Tara and I reminisced about all the times we watched it when we were kids as we all got a little tipsy on wine and this fruity drink that LaFayette had made.

Once the movie was over LaFayette nudged my leg. "Come on Goldilocks, I need your help making a new batch of drinks." He stood, holding out his hand and helping me up.

We walked into the kitchen and he took some watermelon and strawberries out of the fridge. "I need you to cut these up." He said placing them in front of me.

"Any particular way?" I asked.

"Small enough to be blended." He said looking through Pam's liquor cabinet.

"Chunks it is." I said as I found a knife in the drawer and got to work. Since we were alone I took the time to ask him something I had been wanting to for some time. "LaFayette?" I said quietly.

He turned and looked at me with concern. "Yeah baby girl?"

"Why don't you hate Bill?"

"What do you mean?" He asked confused.

"Eric and Bill both told me what he did to you and I can't understand why you don't hate him. Or at the very least try to avoid him at all costs. You seem so civil towards him." I continued to cut the fruit.

"Did Bill tell you what you he did? Him and his dumb redneck friends."

"Yeah, him and his friends beat you up." I said shrugging popping a piece of strawberry into my mouth.

He laughed. "That's one way of putting it." He sighed and poured a bunch of rum into the blender. "They broke my arm, three of my ribs, cracked my two front teeth and fractured my collarbone and jaw. His friends did most of the breaking but he was the idea man." I watched his jaw clench as his put the bottle down and walked towards me.

My body had gone tingly, like it weighed a ton. I knew being beat up wasn't fun but I never suspected what he had done was that bad. "Why would he do that?" I asked in disbelief.

"I don't know if you know this about me Sookie but I'm a gay black man living in the south. Rich Catholic white folks tend not to like what I'm selling." Flipped his head as if he had long hair and took the cutting board from me dumping all the fruit into the blender.

I laughed through my nose. "No I mean, why? Why would he do that?"

LaFayette shrugged. "I think people are always looking for a reason for things, why would someone hurt another person the way he did? I don't think it was peer pressure or insecurity or fear, he could be racist or homophobic but I don't think that's it either." LaFayette shook his head. "I think some people just have so much hate in them that they need to fuel it with suffering like normal people need happiness." He poured everything from the blender into the pitcher as the doorbell rang.

"Why don't you hate him though?" I still asked confused.

"I've got so much hate coming my way that if I held onto all of it I wouldn't be able to live a life worth living." He came up to me and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "We was all kids and kids do stupid shit. So I forgive and I let go because I have to."

"But you didn't tell Eric he paid for your hospital bills. You let Eric continue to hate him."

"Eric carries my hate for me." He smiled. "Just because I've let my hate go doesn't mean I don't get a kick out of watching your boy toy struggle." A confused look swept his face. "Why you asking me all this? You looking for a reason to hate Bill?"

I laughed. "No. I think I just want to understand him better."

LaFayette grabbed my face and looked at me like he was seeing something I couldn't. "I think you're trying to decide if you want to understand him better." He picked up the pitcher and another glass. "Come on." He nodded in the direction of living room.

I could hear Pam laughing as I came around the corner and I locked eyes with Eric who was shirtless and in those damn blue velour track pants. "Stackhouse?" He said surprised looking down at Pam. "I thought you said she couldn't make it?" He questioned.

"Yeah, I thought you said this was a girls night." I said looking at Pam as well, trying not to look at him. It wasn't right that I didn't want to look at him. Nothing happened, there was nothing to be embarrassed about, to want to avoid him for but I found it difficult to look at him and not blush.

Pam's devious smile returned as she looked at Eric. "Apparently Sookie's schedule cleared up and," Pam looked over at me, "Eric is a girl at heart, he just had the misfortune of being born with a penis." She sighed happily. "So now that you're both here lets just have some slumber party fun."

I walked over the mattresses and plopped down on the couch and Eric took the space beside me. I felt my body ease instantly at his proximity. LaFayette handed us both one the drinks and I was happy I was starting to feel the alcohol, I welcomed it as it seemed to curb the enormous amounts of awkwardness I was feeling. I felt like everyone was looking at Eric and I like they knew something scandalous. I knew all of them thought we were having an affair, even Tara. I could see it in their eyes and they weren't disgusted in me, they were encouraging it. They wanted this affair to happen and the thing that scared me the most is that deep down, I wanted it to happen too.

ERIC

I felt like I had been punched in the chest the moment she walked into the room. I was doing a good job avoiding her. I had switched my schedule, changed my workout routine and stayed inside a lot more. I just needed to be away from her to clear my head, to essentially get over her. I thought I was doing a good job but it's true what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

She had never looked more beautiful. Her wide eyes were looking into mine, her long blond hair curling slightly at the ends, the way her tank top clung to her chest and the bottoms that hung off her hips. I wanted her to touch her, I wanted her in my arms. My brain, my body, everything was betraying me and I realized this wasn't going to go away. I was going to get hurt, I just had to let everything play out and in the end it was going to suck.

I could smell grapefruit and lavender when I sat down beside her and my body instantly relaxed in her presence. I took a sip of the drink surprised at how good it tasted. "This is good LaFayette." I said taking another drink.

"I know." He said smugly.

"What do you all want to do?" asked Pam. "Watch another movie? Play a game?"

"I think we should pick up this game of Truth or Dare Tara and I was playing earlier." LaFayette suggested.

I made a noise of annoyance. "I hate that game."

"I know and that's why you get to go next, truth or dare Eric." LaFayette said with a smirk on his face and a sip of his drink.

I shook my head. "Dare, I guess. I have no interesting truths."

"Alright, alright you want dare, I dare you... I dare you..." He looked around the room thinking of something embarrassing for me to do and then his eyes fell on Sookie and then darted back to me. I could see the excitement in his eyes. "I dare you to kiss Sookie."

"I can't do that." I said shaking my head. I could do it, I wanted to do it but it wouldn't be right to do it. It would make her feel guilty. "She has a boyfriend and it would make her uncomfortable. I won't do it." I looked over at Sookie and we locked eyes as my heart thundered in my chest.

"Those are the rules Eric you either do the dare or face humiliation." LaFayette said matter-of-factly.

"I'll take the humiliation." I said finishing my drink and giving the glass back to him so he could refill it.

"The humiliation is you have to be naked for the remainder of the evening." He said handing me back the glass.

"Fine." I sighed.

"This is stupid. It's just a game and it's just a kiss between friends." Sookie said looking over at me. She moved her body so that the whole thing was on the couch and she crawled towards me. Just as she was about to put her lips on mine her hand slipped in-between the couch cushions making her fall into me with more force than I think she intended. I think she just wanted to give me a peck but this was a full blown kiss.

Her lips were hot and soft against mine as my eyes fluttered shut and I leaned into her. I felt her start to stabilize herself as my hand came up and cupped her face. Her mouth began to move and as she gasped for air as her lips closed around my lower lip. My head was becoming cloudy and I had forgotten about the three other people in the room. Her lips moved one more time so that my upper lip was in-between hers and then she parted, her lips slightly swollen and twitching, her eyes wide looking into mine, brows furrowed, nostrils flaring.

Tara cleared her throat and we moved away from each other quickly. "Eric it's your turn."

"I don't want to play this stupid game anymore, I told you I hate it." I said through gritted teeth as I stood up, walked to the TV and picked up a movie. "I want to watch 13 Going On 30 because its fucking delightful and I'm tired." I said walking back to the couch.

I was angry. This was not how the first kiss was supposed to be. I knew there would be one, I knew that we'd kiss at least once, one way or another but I always imagined we 'd be alone, not playing a game in front of our friends. I hated it and I hated that I hated it because the kiss was good. Incredible in fact and my lips burned trying to hold onto the sensation.

"Are you staying here?" Pam asked shocked.

I nodded. "Yeah, if it's okay."

"Yeah, you can sleep beside LaFayette."

"No he cannot. I need my room to get my beauty sleep." LaFayette cocked an eyebrow before turning to watch the TV.

"Then it'll have to be beside Sookie." Pam said shrugging.

"That's fine." Sookie chimed in, eyes fixed on the TV.

"It's settled then." Pam smiled, turning to watch the movie.

We sat and watched the movie in silence until about half way through when Sookie stood. "I'm gonna go open a bottle of wine. Should I bring it in?"

"Yeah." Pam said distracted. I knew for a fact 13 Going on 30 was one of her favourite movies. She'd kill me if I told anyone.

Once Sookie left the room I stood and silently followed her hoping no one would notice I was gone. She was looking through a drawer when I entered the kitchen. "Hey." I said startling her.

She gave me a side glance. "Hey." She responded as she retrieved the corkscrew and went to work on the bottle.

I stood there awkwardly, shirtless, thinking of something to make her feel better. I could see the tension in her back, she felt guilty. "Sorry about that. The kissing thing. LaFayette can be a dick sometimes."

She shrugged. "That's okay. It's just a game." She hurried to open the bottle of wine. Her fingers were shaking.

"You've been avoiding me." I said with too much confidence in my voice. I knew it would make her angry and I mentally scolded myself.

She turned with attitude and placed her hand on her hip. "I'm not avoiding you. I was just busy."

"Doing what?"

"I wanted to get time in with Bill before he left." She turned back to the bottle.

"Left? Where did Bill go?" I asked with too much excitement. This was my act of god, he was gone, no longer in my way and I felt like a selfish asshole. I knew ultimately, if anything happened, I would break her heart because when push came to shove, in the hour of need, I would crack, run and she'd hate me forever but I couldn't pull away. I was a moth and she was my flame.

"New York. He has this huge account he needs to deal with. He has to do it in person." She paused as she finally got the bottle open. "Anyways you were avoiding me too. Tara told me you switched two of the shifts we were supposed to work together."

"I had shit to do."

"Like what?"

I shrugged. "Stuff."

"I know why you were avoiding me too." She said smugly as she took the first sip of her wine.

"Why was I avoiding you?" I asked like I couldn't wait to hear her question.

"You got spooked. We fell asleep together and you don't sleep with other people. Intimacy and all that shit but you slept with me and now you think we are all in love and shit." She was drunk. "But don't worry Eric, it was just sleep. Glorious sleep by the way."

"I did sleep very well that night." I admitted as I sighed and rubbed my hand over my chest. "And you're right, I did get spooked." I swallowed hard. "It scared the shit out of me Stackhouse."

"Why? It's just sleeping." She seemed confused.

"It's the one time I can't control what I'm doing. It's the one time I'm not on." I took the bottle from her.

"I figured you didn't have to be on when you were with me." She took a sip and shrugged. She looked almost hurt.

"Maybe that's why I fell asleep with you in the first place." I said looking into her eyes as she finally looked at me.

We stood in silence for a few moment before she spoke. "Don't be afraid of me Eric. I'm your friend, so there's nothing to fear." She walked past me into the living room and I followed. She didn't know how wrong she was.

We said very little to each other for the rest of the night until we logistically figured out where everyone was going to sleep. LaFayette took one of the mattresses farthest from the hallway and kitchen and closest to the front door, Pam and Tara took the twin in the middle and Sookie and I took the twin on the end. She was on the inside and I slept on the outside.

We laid there in the dark, LaFayette passing out instantly like he could always do, snoring loudly and the soft steady breathing of Tara and Pam followed shortly after. Then there was Sookie, lying on her back, eyes closed taking calculated breaths in hopes to fall asleep.

Then I did something so uncharacteristic of me that I was surprised when I did it. I inched my hand towards hers until I felt my pinkie bump into hers. It stayed there a moment until she turned her hand over so it was palm up. I place my hand, palm down, on top of hers and allowed our fingers to intertwine. I started up at the ceiling until I decided to look over her. In the moonlight I could see her eyes still closed and the smallest smile on her face, she was asleep and it didn't take me long to join her.

SOOKIE

I woke up cocooned in warmth. I took a deep breath in and could smell ivory soap and what could only be described as the sea. The feeling of your lungs filling with the freshest air, like you were breathing for the first time. I had only felt that by the sea and that's what it was like smelling Eric.

His strong body was against mine, his arm around my shoulders, my arm over his chest, his nose and lips pushed into my hair. "Stackhouse?" He said softly has his breath warmed my hair.

"Yeah." I whispered back.

"You awake?"

"No." I said as my hand moved over his smooth, tan chest with just the slightest smattering of hair.

"Didn't think so." He laughed quietly, pulling me in tighter. "I was gonna get up and make breakfast for everyone gets up. You wanna help?"

"Everyone's been awake for hours." LaFayette said.

My eyes flew open to see him sitting cross legged on the couch, still just in his pyajama bottoms eating a bowl of cereal, watching TV. I moaned and rolled away from Eric as he distanced himself from me.

"Yeah we got up 'bout ten and Pam told me that I had to let Eric sleep, because you never sleep, but we couldn't wake Sookie without out waking your ass, so now it's one and here we are." He motioned to the area around him as he went back to the TV. I couldn't believe I had slept through everything.

Eric moaned and stood, walking down the hall and into the bathroom.

I looked back to LaFayette who was staring at me with a knowing look on his face. "What?" I barked, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

"Maybe you is looking for a reason to hate Bill. You and Eric looked mighty cozy." He cocked an eyebrow and stood. "You know Sookie sometimes the most stubborn people just need a good kick in the ass." He stared at me a moment longer and then went into the kitchen.

I threw my arm over my eyes and made a noise of frustration. Bill had been gone for less than twenty-four hours and I had already kissed and slept with Eric and aroused even more suspicion in a friend.

I was off to a stellar start.

So they kissed, it was a dare but it happened and Bill is finally gone. What did you all think?

The title of the next chapter is 'All of my Days'. I want to start sharing the title of the next chapter in my author notes at the end. Does everyone like that idea? I think I'm also under the delusion that you all care about this story way more than you actually do but let me know what you think.

Thank you all for reading.