I paced back and forth making a pathway on the fluffy carpet of the room Stan had provided for me. I had made the phone calls Felipe required of me under Bill's irritating supervision. Bill was just waiting for me to let something slip so he could run back to the king and point out my failure to follow orders. I think Bill was hoping to watch me being punished, although I just wanted to slap that stupid smile off his face.

After my 546th loop back and forth, inspiration hit me.

King Felipe never said I couldn't find Pam!

I quickly thought of the assets I had at my disposal, and the amount of latitude I had with the king monitoring my every movement. I'm positive he had assigned babysitting duties to his Cheshire cat lackey, so I had to make sure I didn't attract Bill's attention either.

I decided to go and speak with Stan, since he was indebted to me and was the best ally I had at my disposal whom I could talk to while attracting the least amount of attention. I made my way downstairs, only to find him in his office speaking to Felipe. Hoping not to interrupt, thereby angering my master further, I attempted to slink away unnoticed, but when am I ever that lucky?

"Sookie, I'm glad to see you are out of your room and ready to discuss business. I was just informing your king, that I would not be available to discuss arbitration for the tribunals until at least a month from now, if we missed this opportunity." Stan called out to me as I attempted to escape. I had no choice but to enter the room and answer the King of Texas.

"I just needed some time to cool off. I am sorry to have kept you waiting Your Majesty, especially after the hospitality you have shown Felipe and I. I believe I also owe you an apology for earlier this evening," I answered, hoping I would sound sufficiently contrite to appease Felipe.

"A misunderstanding is nothing to apologize for. But, we need to resolve all the pending issues, so you may begin holding court soon, Sookie." Stan said. His voice sounded forceful and intense, but his thoughts were mostly of concern for me, and attempting to smooth things over for me with Felipe.

Felipe looked at me, "Querida, I will leave you to your business. It pleases me to see you ready to return to your duties so quickly. If you need to talk, I will be in the quarters Mr. Davis has provided me."

He then turned to the King of Texas and addressed him, "I am glad you are able to talk with my Sookie before you need to leave, King Davis. I thank you for your hospitality." Felipe stood and walked towards me, slowly - every year of his 600+ existence weighing on him as he approached me in the doorway. I respectfully stood aside and bowed dutifully, but he followed me to the side so he stood directly in front of me, and then cupped my face in his hands, tilting it up towards him.

Speaking in a whisper so softly so only I could hear, "I'm sorry you are feeling this pain."

"But not for your actions in causing me this pain?" I whispered back at him, my question dripping hate and malice.

"No," he answered with sad eyes before he gently pressed his lips to my forehead, and then turned to leave.

I stood in the doorway stunned by Felipe's confession. I thought he would lie, or somehow cover up what he had done, but his admission left me feeling oddly guilty about the whole exchange. I wanted to be pissed at Felipe, and the underhanded way he had taken Eric from me, yet I couldn't get away from the fact he felt badly about what he had done. I realized I needed to talk to someone about my situation. The thing was- I usually talked to Felipe about these things. He was, no IS, my mentor, my master, my guide through vampire life. He was the one who devoted hours of his valuable time explaining everything to my satisfaction.

My being at odds with him, was wrong in a way that went beyond words. The hours, days, months spent with him, with his mind open to me in every way, showed me what kind of man he was, even if he was a vampire. I knew he would not act maliciously with the sole intent to hurt me. I'm sure that's why I stood in the doorway lost in thought. I knew Felipe was being completely honest with me, acting with his best intentions at heart, yet- his intentions went against everything I needed and wanted.

I looked up and caught Stan watching me with a slight frown on his face. I appreciated the time he was giving me to think over my situation with Felipe because I had no idea what I was doing standing here, ready to betray my master. I still needed to find Eric. That had not changed, but the active disregard, and attempted circumventing of my master's implied commands was something so out of character for me, I was suddenly terrified of who I was becoming.

I needed to go to him, talk this out, and come to some resolution. I turned to Stan who sat at his desk, watching me come to my epiphany, with a knowing smirk on his face. "Go to Felipe, Sookie, there is nothing we cannot resolve by phone. Go now, morning will be here soon," he told me with kindness and understanding shinning in his eyes.

I gave him a brief nod before running up the stairs, taking two at time towards my master and decision that would profoundly affect the rest of my existence. Would Felipe force me to choose? I mean, in a way he already had, but I know he didn't, ugh. I was so confused. I came to his door, and took a large unnecessary breath to help steal my nerves, before knocking steadily at the door.

"Come in Querida," Felipe called to me, and I pushed open the door, to find him sitting a version of the antique desks that Stan had in all of his bedroom. Felipe leaned back in the black leather chair, watching me enter the room when I saw love- honest to goodness love- in his eyes to see me. He moved to rise, I assume to give me our customary hug, but sat back, and his whole demeanor saddened. I couldn't stand to see him so hurt, so I rushed to him, throwing myself to my knees in front of him while wrapping my arms around his waist. My sobs were surely heard by everyone in the house, while my blood read tears stained his fine tailored suit.

"Sookie, stop, little one, and tell me why you are crying so. I do not understand. I was sure you would be upset, and come to see me angry, demanding, as you always do when you feel wronged," he cooed to me as he ran his strong fingers through my hair.

"Querida, please, it breaks my heart to see you so hurt, talk to me," Felipe demanded after I had failed to respond to him the first time.

I lifted my head from his lap and turned my red-rimmed eyes toward him searching his eyes for an answer. I just couldn't bring myself to dip into his mind, after everything that had transpired tonight, yet I needed reassurance of his affections for me. "I couldn't stand to see you upset Master, to know that you would hesitate to hug me. I just can't let this ruin us. I care for you too much, to let this destroy what we have. We need to talk, because I disagree with everything you've done, but that doesn't mean I don't care for you!"

"I cannot undo what has been done, nor do I want to. For him, you have lied to me. You have kept things from me, which you should have trusted me with . You betrayed me, for him. These are things that are not easily forgotten." Felipe held me to him, as he spoke in his soft melodic voice, soothing me by his voice alone, while delivering a harsh blow, from which he expected me to pull away from him.

"Master, I have never betrayed you. Not once, not ever. Even when my heart was breaking, you did not have to command me to return, I came because you asked," I reminded him, hoping to move him past the betrayal he believed I had done so we can discuss getting Eric back.

"You have left your business unsettled, so that you could chase after the Viking. You have never done that before. You dropped everything to give yourself to him. How is that not a betrayal?"

I tried to defend myself and tell him nothing had happened, when Felipe placed his hand on my mouth to quite me, and gave me a stern look. "You will be quiet and listen, Sookie."

I knew he was serious, and if I was to convince him of my loyalty, I needed to listen to his points, and understand him before I could explain my point. I nodded my head, then sat back with my bottom resting on the heels of my feet, but left my head on the edge of his lap. His wool covered knees were the perfect height for me to rest my cheek on, and sat there waiting for him to continue.

"The day you came to me, child, was the very happiest day I believe I have ever experienced. But, it was also the very day I began to doubt you. You know the bond between a sire and their child is a very close one. One that is not easily manipulated or broken."

I nodded my head in agreement, remembering the day as well, but this time trying to see it the way he did.

"It was such a brave thing, to break away from the Viking the way you did, but it also showed me you are too willing to defy the proper way of doing things to get what you want. It took a great deal of manipulation on your part to be able to create, and pull off a plan to separate yourself from your sire on the very day you rose as a vampire. What plan are you plotting now, Querida? What game are you playing at?" Felipe said with such tension that I didn't believe he really wanted to ask the question, much less hear the answer that would follow it.

I sat there for a few seconds, remembering the day in question. Felipe merely waiting to meet the newest member of the Vampire community and assure this is the existence I had chosen, only to find himself with a child he had agreed to mentor for the rest of his existence. His pride, and obvious affection for me is what drew me to him, but I never thought of the sacrifice and leap of faith he had undertaken that night. What would make a royal vampire take such a risk? Why me? Especially after he saw how quickly I turned my back on Eric.

We had never discussed what prompted me to want to separate myself from Eric. I always thought it was so sweet Felipe never pushed for the information, since I was not ready to face the betrayal Eric put me though. Although, I see the how that led to the situation we were in now, since Felipe believed I was the one who left Eric over something trivial.

We never discussed the reason Eric wanted me in the first place was because of my telepathy, and he believed by turning me, he would have ultimate control of my gift. The only reason I knew this was because I could read Vampire minds. I was so terrified of being used because of my gifts, I didn't want to give anyone another reason to see me as an asset worthy of possession, the way Eric saw me. It was a secret of self-preservation, not for gain and manipulation.

So there was the betrayal, I said to myself, finally realizing the betrayal Felipe saw. I didn't trust Felipe enough to tell him of my ability. I treated him like Eric, and thereby made him feel that I would turn my back on him. I clung to Felipe's legs tightly, wondering how I was going to prove to him I thought of him as so much more than what he believed.

"Master…Felipe, I am not planning anything. I am not playing a game with you. I was wrong for not telling you about my ability. I was wrong for keeping my reasons for leaving Eric that first night, and I made the same mistake every night since, by keeping it from you. Worst of all, I let us get to where we are now, because I didn't trust you enough to confide my fears to you . I'm so sorry. I wish I could go back and make this all better. There is no one I trust more than you. I should have never let the issues I had with Eric color the way I dealt with you."

Felipe ran his finger through my hair as I was talking, his fingers occasionally coming to the front of my face to wipe the tears that had escaped as I confessed my feelings. I tried to find the courage and confidence I needed to prove my loyalty to Felipe. Because I knew there was one other thing I needed to share with my Master. Perhaps, if he knew this, he would understand what he meant to me. If by exposing this bit, I had hoped never to share with another soul, brought me back into Felipe's confidence, then it would be worth it.

"I have kept something else from you Master, something other than my ability to read vampires, but I swear to you, I only did it because I didn't want to hurt you," I sniffed out, my voice weak and thready, so unsure that what I would reveal would heal us, and not drive us further apart.

"Querida, you can trust me, I promise you."

I took a deep breath, and looked up from my place in his lap, so that I could look straight in to his eyes, "Master, you know you have never had to command me to do your bidding. I have always obeyed your word. It gives me joy to know you are pleased with me. Earlier you commanded me for the first time ever, not to look for Eric."

"It pained me, but I felt I had too, Querida," he said while stroking my cheek still removing the tears that had yet to stop their path down my face.

Still gazing directly into his eyes, I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, hit speed dial, and then listened to the crystal clear sound of the phone ringing, even though it still rested in my lap. Once I heard the call connected, I quickly spoke into the phone while still keeping eye contact with Felipe and said, "Do I still have your support should I decide to find Eric?"

A/N

Ok did you catch that? That was supposed to reveal something. It's hard to catch, so I ask you to re- read what Sookie has done. I wish it could be a bigger "dun dun dun" moment, but anything else felt forced. Only a few words I'm sorry. Especially after a long wait, But I appreciate all my readers, and you know sometime life happens. Thanks to Southernlady23 for being my Beta, for without her, there would be nothing. You are awesome girly!