A/N: Thanks as always to my most wonderful BETA, FDM. I think her regular dedication of story updates, is motivating me to be more like her. LOL. Chapter 30 is already written and BETA'd…and if I'm coerced enough, I just might not wait a week to post it!

**Oh, and please check out the super smutty One-shot outtake from Ch 28 of WDIGETBM? that I posted as a separate story earlier this week, in case you missed it:

.net/s/5217712/1/Club_Vampwich_An_Outtake_from_WDIGETBM

...that is, only if you're in the mood for a smutty vamp foursome…yup…I said foursome!

**********

I looked at Bill, his expression was still grim. "What do you mean they're going on a trip?" I asked Eric, almost laughing at the mere thought of Jasper and Bill going anywhere alone together, without killing one another. "You're sending them somewhere together? Just the two of them?"

"There is a situation that needs to be resolved in New York's Area 3. If it were not for you bringing Jasper's abilities to my attention, I would have sent you to take care of it. But now that we have Jasper, I think it is the perfect opportunity for him to prove his value to me," he nodded at Jasper, and then looked back at me, "and it is time for you take a break, Sookie. Bill will accompany him, so I do not have to."

"Eric," I paused, lifting a hand to my temple and rubbing, giving my brain a moment to form its thoughts, "while I appreciate you wanting to give me a break, I just have to question your thinking that Bill and Jasper will even be able to tolerate each other enough to make the trip possible." I looked at Bill, he looked every bit as upset as he had a moment ago, if not more so, and his look told me I was dead on with my questioning the whole thing.

"Bill will have no choice but to get along with Jasper," Eric looked at Bill. "Right, Bill?"

Bill glared at Eric, and I thought I actually heard him growl before he said, "Oh, we will have a delightful time, Eric." None of us missed the blatant sarcasm, and Bill's words actually elicited a smug smile from Eric. Geez, these two.

"So, how long will they need to be away?" I asked Eric.

"As long as it takes. But do not worry; I have assured Bill that I will look out for you in his absence." Another smug smile from Eric.

Now it was obvious. I realized why Bill looked so furious. It wasn't just the thought of having to accompany Jasper to New York, but because Eric was blatantly dangling his power over Bill, and his access to me—and he seemed real pleased about it.

"Eric, I'd like to speak with Bill," I said, "alone."

"Of course." Eric said, and flashed me another small smile, showing just a bit of his teeth. He rose from the couch. "Jasper." Jasper immediately got up—much like an obedient dog—and followed Eric out the door, leaving Bill and I alone.

Bill remained seated on the couch, and I moved from the chair I had been sitting in, to sit next to him. We sat in silence for a long moment, and he didn't look at me when he finally spoke; instead, he stared at the backs of his hands, extending his fingers and touching his cuticles, as if he were examining a manicure he had just received.

"You must know Eric's intentions here Sookie; I know you're not blind." He said.

"Bill, I realize you probably think Eric just wants to get me alone, but I would like to think that you have better faith in me."

He sighed, "Well, with the way things have been going with you and I lately, it makes me wonder."

"Meaning what exactly?" I asked, my tone becoming mildly aggravated.

"Meaning, given your history with Eric, this seems like a most convenient opportunity for the two of you to spend time together, and I doubt that time will involve being full clothed."

I could have slapped him. If looks could kill, he'd be dead—finally dead. "Bill Compton," I said, jumping up from the couch, and crossing my arms as I stood in front of him, my tone beyond aggravated, "the fact that you can sit there and accuse me of planning to cheat on you while you're away, is quite amusing, considering that I'm not the one with the history of infidelity in this relationship." Yeah, it was a low blow, I know. Lorena was dead, I killed her. It was water under the bridge—for the most part—and the infidelity hadn't been something he evidently had any control over, but still. He just pissed me off so much in that moment, that the words seemed to flow out easily.

He didn't say anything, and continued looking at his hands, so I continued. "So was this your goal Bill? Start a fight, so we'd finally call it quits? Maybe so you'd have something to hold over my head when you got back, assuming Eric and I had been intimate again? Is that what you want?"

He finally looked up at me. "Sookie—no, I just—I—" he stammered over his words, and I didn't know whether he'd start yelling or crying—polar opposite emotions, yes—but in that moment, I honestly couldn't tell.

"After the way you stopped things the other night on this couch…the way you made me feel…I just…I don't get the sense you love me anymore." Guilt-trip much?

I let out a sigh. "Bill, I wanted to explain, but I couldn't," couldn't explain, because I sure as hell didn't want him to know the real reason I stopped our romp. "I still can't…I just didn't…it just didn't feel right. I don't know."

"So, then what now, Sookie? Are you ending it…again?"

Break up, get back together, break up, get back together. I had become one of those girls, in one of those relationships. Where did it end? If I said yes—that I was ending it again—would it really be over? One of these days, when I'm not being summoned for vampire investigations, or trying to be rescued from a dire situation, I'd have to sit down and analyze why I constantly felt drawn to Bill. I knew I loved him. But sometimes, even the ones you love aren't, in the end, meant to be.

Unfortunately for my conscience, Bill was right about one thing. He knew there was something between Eric and I. That was true, whether I was willing to admit it out loud or not. He was also probably right about Eric using this as an opportunity to get me alone—and as bad as I felt about it—the thought excited me.

That's when I knew, I did have to do this. I wasn't a cheater, sure I'd kissed Alcide and Sam while Bill and I had been together, but I had considered the Sam kiss, a shocking accident, while the Alcide kiss, was during the tumultuous time that Bill was missing—and I had recently learned why. Okay, and then there was that kiss with Eric, in Tahoe. But I stopped it quickly, because I didn't want to be unfaithful to Bill—and boy, had I wanted to continue.

I shook those thoughts, and nodded, before I spoke. I could see the emotion in his eyes go from cold and angry, to absolutely somber. "You ever notice how much we fight Bill?" It was a rhetorical question I wasn't expecting him to answer, so I continued. "Do you like that? Does it make you happy?" again, rhetorical, "because it sure as hell doesn't make me happy. I think—yes, I think it's got to end Bill, and not because I want Eric, but because I just can't do it anymore. My life is enough of a roller coaster without the constant worry of our next break-up inducing fight."

I stood in front of him, my arms still crossed, feeling a few dozen degrees colder than I had before I said my piece. Breaking up with someone was never easy—no matter how many times you did it. "Say something Bill."

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too." I said, but at the same time conveying that it wasn't enough.

"But you need another break."

"No Bill…I don't need another break. I need stability. I need to be single. I need to be with me."

He paused before nodding, and then stood up, barely making eye-contact as he placed a light kiss on my cheek. "I will call you when I get back," he said as he walked to the door, pausing when he grabbed the handle, "if I get back." And then he was gone.

If he got back? What exactly were they going to New York for, and why wouldn't he come back?

*I don't own anyone but Jasper. He's my obedient dog.