When they returned from taking Jason to the airport, Sookie threw herself into a frenzy of cleaning, putting Christmas presents away, stripping all the beds, and doing load after load of laundry she had ignored during his visit. Izzy was smart enough to sense this was a time to stay out of her mother's way, and retreated to her room with her dolls. Will dozed in his playpen while Bill worked on his laptop, making arrangements for the D.C. meeting and answering e-mails. He observed Sookie when she was near, noticing that she occasionally swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Are you alright, Darling?" He said, putting a hand on her shoulder as she stood at the sink doing the breakfast dishes.

Sookie sniffed. "I'm fine. I just hate goodbyes." She turned around and hugged him. "Thank you again for asking him to come. It's the best visit we've had together in such a long time. Jason really seems like he's growing up. I know he's my big brother," She went on. "But most of the time I feel like the older one."

Bill nodded. "I can understand that. I'm glad you had a good visit. But Selah?" He shook his head. "That I do not understand."

Sookie laughed. "Yeah, that was a shock. He seems happy though. Maybe she is, too."

"I hope so. I'm afraid I never did her any favors in that department." Bill admitted. "It was wrong of me to use her the way I did."

"You're different than you used to be." Sookie noted. "You didn't care about humans or their feelings."

"No, except for you. But then I realized that if I cared for you, if you mattered, then everyone mattered to someone. It made it harder to be so cold and unfeeling. I grew kinder from knowing you, Sookie. You changed me."

Sookie kissed him. "You changed, me, too."

He held her for a moment, enjoying the warmth and the sensations that flooded his body whenever she was close. "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. I was wondering if you would like to go out?"

"I think I'd rather stay here and celebrate at home. Is that okay?"

As long as he was with Sookie, he didn't care what they did. "Of course."

Sookie smiled and kissed him again. "Now, let me get back to work."

Later, Bill played Chutes and Ladders with Izzy while Sookie fed Will. The phone rang and Bill listened to Sookie's end of the conversation.

"You can? You're sure? Okay. No, that's fine. I'll see you then."

"Who was that?" Bill asked when she carried Will into the living room a few moments later.

" That was Mrs. Cartwright. I asked her if she could watch the kids for a few hours tomorrow night."

Bill looked up from the game. "I thought you just wanted to stay home."

"I do." Sookie said. Her eyes met his and held. The meaning was clear. Bill swallowed. He could not speak. Sookie noticed his reaction and grinned at him. "Is that okay with you?"

He found his voice. "Absolutely."

That night it snowed. Sookie was so excited she woke Izzy up and held her so she could look out the window at the snowflakes drifting down, lit by the street lights below. "Isn't it beautiful, Izzy?" Sookie breathed.

Izzy yawned. "Can we make a 'no'man?"

"I don't know if there'll be enough for that, but we'll see. Back to bed now. Maybe it will snow tomorrow, too."

New Year's Eve did bring more snow. Sookie took the children for a walk, bundled up in boots, scarves, and mittens. Bill made some phone calls while she was gone. Including one he dreaded.

"Speak." intoned the voice on the other end.

"Hello, Eric, it's Bill."

"Ah, Bill. What can I do for you?"

"I have your travel arrangements for D.C. If you give me an e-mail address, I will forward your information."

"Alright." Eric rattled off the e-mail address at Fangtasia.

"Fine. I'll get that right out to you. The hotel arrangements are there also. All expenses will be taken care of by the Coalition, of course."

"Of course. See you soon."

"Yes. Goodbye." Bill hung up the phone just as Sookie returned. Snow covered her hair and coat and she was laughing at Will as he tried to walk over the threshold in his too-big boots. "I love this." She smiled at Bill. "What a wonderful way to start the new year!"

Her enthusiasm was contagious, and later that afternoon, Bill accompanied them back out into the darkening winter afternoon to build a snowman in the front yard. They put an old scarf and hat on him and Izzy insisted upon making fangs out of two pine needles she dug out of the snow.

"A vampire snowman." Bill laughed. "I never thought I'd see that."

When they went back in, Sookie fed the kids and got them both bathed and into their pajamas early. She cuddled on the couch with them, reading a story. Watching her, Bill found himself terribly distracted. He could not remember feeling this way and struggled to identify the emotion. Sookie looked up from the book and winked at him. Then it hit. He was nervous. Jittery. How silly. Who ever heard of a nervous vampire? It was as if he had never done this before, never been with this woman, pleased her, loved her....he wanted this night to be perfect.

The story finished, Sookie scooted off the couch. "Would you mind walking them over next door? I'd like to take a shower."

"Of course."

Sookie wrapped Will in a blanket and handed the baby to Bill. Then she helped Izzy put boots and coat on over her pajamas.

"I'll see you at midnight." Sookie told her daughter. "Unless you fall asleep."

"I won't, Mama." Izzy affirmed. "But you'll wake me up if I do, right?"

"You bet." Sookie gave Izzy a hug and kissed Will before heading upstairs.

Mrs. Cartwright met them at the door. "I am so glad you're here!" She greeted the children. I have hot chocolate and I thought we could make some popcorn."

"Popcorn!" Izzy clapped her hands.

"You have a nice time, now." Mrs. Cartwright said to Bill. "Don't worry about these Darlings. We'll see you later."

"Thank you." Bill said. "See you at midnight, Izzy."

"Bye, Bill."

Bill stood on his own porch for a few moments before going inside. It had been a long journey to get to this night. When he fell in love with Sookie years ago, he could never have imagined ending up here. He loved her and hurt her and spent years trying to win back her love and trust. Then when he had it, he left her to live a life she could not have with him and accepted that as loss. But she was always the one. She was the only one. He had always been hers. And tonight, finally, she would be his again.