A/N So most people assured me they weren't bored, so thank you all for your kind words! Rest assured, I would never just stop writing, I just wanted to check the story wasn't drifting. I think after this chapter though we'll be speeding things up in the lead up to Christmas anyway.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

EPOV

I slept better than I would have expected, given my realisation the night before. Well, really it was more of a question. A question which I had no way of fucking answering.

I was still awake before Sookie though, hearing Amelia stamping around in her room, talking to her toys. I couldn't figure out how we could take her out on a Saturday night and put her to bed late, and she'd still be up at the fucking crack of dawn on Sunday. At what point did kids start sleeping in?

I went to the bathroom and then stuck my head into Amelia's room. She'd obviously been dressing herself as several of her drawers were opened and it looked as though she'd been raking through them. "Hi Eric! Do you like my outfit?" she asked brightly. I wasn't sure whether pink, orange and green were meant to go together like that, but Sookie seemed to let her wear all sorts of weird shit.

"Yeah, it's great, Amelia. Do you want breakfast?"

"Yeah, I just have to dress Sophie-Anne…"

"OK, well, just come to the kitchen when you're ready."

I left before I got dragged into dressing a doll or seven, because they had fucking tiny clothes.

I left the room and started to head to the kitchen, when Bob ran past with something in his mouth. Fuck. I was torn between wanting to know what he had and wanting to pretend I hadn't seen it. In the end I followed him into the living room, in time to see Bob drop his small orange victim on the floor and pat it with his paw.

I went over and picked it up. Bob just looked at me and I suspected that he wished it was me he'd just dispatched. "Fuck Bob" I said "No more fucking goldfish, OK? And don't think me covering this up for you makes us friends. I don't want Sookie to get upset because you're murdering half the neighbourhood animals for her."

I went into the kitchen, wrapped the fish in a paper towel and deposited it in the rubbish bin. Bob followed me in the hope of getting breakfast. I was tempted to not feed him to teach him a lesson, but I'd only spend the rest of the morning fucking tripping over him, great fat fucking lump that he was. So in the end I refilled his biscuits. "You don't deserve this" I told him, but he just ignored me and started eating.

I was making coffee when Amelia arrived. She'd now added a large amount of plastic jewellery to her outfit. And a tiara. "What do you want for breakfast?" I asked her.

"Toast"

"What do you want?"

"My peanut butter and raspberry jam"

"So, which bread do you want? Lumps or no lumps?"

"Uh…with lumps." She didn't sound convinced.

"Are you sure?" I was pretty convinced I'd been told last time that the lumpy bread wasn't acceptable.

"Well, Mum says lumps are better…" she trailed off.

"I'm not your mum, so you can have what you want."

"Really?"

"Well, yeah." Fuck, I thought, please don't ask for ice cream.

"OK. Bread with no lumps."

I put the toast on and once again Amelia went to get her stool so she could watch me put the peanut butter and jam on. Well I thought that's what she wanted. Apparently she wanted to put it on herself. Was that allowed I thought?

"Mum lets me" Amelia insisted. Well, I thought, OK then. So I let her loose with the knife, although I did keep an eye on what she was doing. She struggled a bit with the peanut butter and I had to take over, but she was fine with the jam, although she did end up a bit sticky.

Once we both had toast Amelia asked if we could watch TV. "Yeah, OK" I said, so we went into the living room, which was thankfully now devoid of dead fish. "What do you want to watch?" I asked Amelia.

"Playhouse Disney." Well that turned out to be the worst fucking channel in the entire world. I was so glad I'd got Sky installed so we could have that. But it made Amelia happy.

Still, I was glad when I heard Felicia start crying and I had an excuse to leave the room. Sookie beat me to it though, and Felicia was out of her crib and on the change table when I got there. Sookie turned around as Felicia squealed out a greeting. "Morning" she said, and I kissed her.

"Yeah, hello to you too."

"You were up early this morning" Sookie said.

"Yeah, I heard Amelia get up. She was dressing herself."

"Oh God, is it bad?"

"It's bright."

"There's no point changing her now though as she'll only get upset."

I picked Felicia up and the three of us went into the kitchen. "Where's Amelia?" asked Sookie.

"Watching TV in the living room. I'm not sure what it is but it's fucking dreadful."

"Most of the kid's stuff is."

Sookie looked in the fridge. "Ugh, we're running low on milk. I'll have to go shopping later on."

I went to the pantry to find Felicia some breakfast. The banana porridge would probably be alright. She liked the banana custard after all.

I managed to get most of it into her before she gave up, and I finished the rest, which made Sookie laugh when she caught me eating it out of the bowl. "What?" I asked.

"You with the baby food. You don't have to eat it, you know."

"Yeah…it's OK. So long as it's not that liver shit again."

"Well, you probably don't need the iron. Hopefully you're not having any more growth spurts" Sookie said, looking me up and down.

Just then Amelia appeared, with jam smeared over most of her face. "I put the peanut butter and jam on" she said.

"Did you? Well done sweetheart" Sookie said, taking her plate off her and rinsing it, before finding a washcloth and wiping her face. "Did you find her plastic knives OK?" she asked me.

There were plastic knives? "No, she's fine with a real knife. They're not that sharp. I watched her."

"Well, as long as she's still got all her fingers and thumbs, then yeah, she's probably fine."

Sookie and I had to shower in shifts, which was no fucking fun at all. I tried to persuade Sookie that we could go in together, but she wasn't convinced that Amelia and Felicia could be trusted by themselves. She was probably right. While she was in the shower I caught Amelia jumping off her stool and landing dangerously close to where Felicia was trying to chew on…fuck, was that my phone again?

"Amelia!" I said reaching down to take the phone off Felicia, whose face immediately crumpled.

"What?" she said angrily.

I picked up Felicia who was still crying and now had two fat tears running down her cheeks. I looked around for something else to give her and ended up handing her a coaster to hold. "You can't jump that close to Felicia's head. You'll land on her and hurt her" I said.

"She can move."

"No she can't. Not that fast. And you're bigger than her, so you need to look after her."

Amelia stared me down. At least she wasn't crying as well, I thought. She started to get back up on her stool again.

"Amelia! I said no!" Fuck, would she not just listen to me?

"You're not in charge!" she said.

"Yes I am." I was in charge enough when she wanted bread without lumps and to use a knife, now all of a sudden she's going to challenge me?

"No you're not!" I guess 3 year olds didn't exactly have sophisticated debating skills, but even so, we were going round in circles here.

"Look, I'm the adult. I'm in charge. That's the way it works. You do as I say, or else."

"Or else what?"

I was tempted to say I'd tell Sookie, but I realised that then I'd just prove Amelia right. "Or else I won't let you go for a ride in my car again."

Amelia thought that over. "Really? No more rides?"

"Yeah, you do what you're told or else that's it, you're not going in my car."

Amelia's lip wobbled, and then the tears started. "But I like your car!" she sobbed. "I have a blue seat."

I put my free arm around her and pulled her close. Felicia just stared at her over the top of the coaster, which was now in her mouth. "Look" I said, "if you want to go in my car then all you have to do is be good and do what I tell you. So no more jumping near Felicia, OK?"

"OK" Amelia agreed, sniffing.

"Good, now let's find something else for you guys to do." The cork backing on the coaster now had tiny teeth marks. I'd just have to make sure Sookie didn't see that anytime soon.

SPOV

I heard what sounded like Amelia yelling when I was in the shower, but when I got out all seemed calm and Amelia had her doctor's kit out and was treating Eric for a spider in his tummy. Felicia was banging some blocks together.

"All OK?" I asked.

"Yeah" said Eric, around the plastic thermometer he currently had in his mouth. He was game. I usually only put it under my arm, there was no knowing where it had been.

"Eric's sick" said Amelia, "but it's OK, because I'm a doctor. Now take this medicine" she shoved a plastic spoon at him. I hoped my nursing skills were slightly better than hers.

"So will you guys be OK if I go to the supermarket?" I asked.

"Yeah, we'll be fine" Eric said.

I took that as my opportunity to escape for a bit. Although it turned into quite a long time. Ugh. People were starting to shop for Christmas, or barbecues or whatever. The supermarket was full of Christmas goodies and there were some good specials. I was feeding another adult now, so it made sense to stock up.

When I got back the house was open, but empty which was odd. It was like they'd just been taken by aliens or something. Except I could still hear Amelia. When I looked out the back she was on Riley's trampoline, along with Riley, and Eric and Felicia were sitting on Halleigh and Andy's deck, where Eric was talking to Andy. Huh. He had a friend.

I went and unpacked the shopping. Eric being next door gave me the perfect opportunity to stash some of the bulk buys I'd made.

I was just finishing up when the three of them arrived back in the house, looking for lunch. Eric put Felicia in the high chair and as he came towards me I grabbed him in a hug. "What was that for?" he asked.

"Nothing special" I said. "Just…for being you."

"Oh, well. I'm always me, so, you know, feel free to hug me anytime. Or anything else you might want to do to me."

"Yeah, yeah. But seriously, you've been pretty great with my little monsters today, so thanks for that."

"Oh, they're OK. When they're not shouting. Or crying. Or demanding things. The rest of the time they're fine."

After lunch we took a walk to the park where Amelia bossed Eric around and I tried to see if Felicia would crawl on the grass, but she wouldn't. Not without an incentive like her sister's garden. But I did get to walk a few steps holding my hand which was impressive. Well I thought so, and so did Eric. Amelia thought it wasn't fair that no one was paying attention to her and pretended to trip over and hurt her knee.

I'd bought steak again; well it's always on sale during barbecue season, so I let Eric loose with it. I only watched him a little bit when he was making his marinade, and I left the kitchen completely once he started saying "Come over here and stand next to me, I know you want to." He thinks I'm so nosy, but I really just want to make sure he's OK.

When we sat down to eat Amelia eyed her steak suspiciously. "It's OK" I said "Eric cooked it, so you're safe."

Amelia looked at him "Did you make it?" she asked.

"Yup. That's what I had on the barbecue." She speared a piece on her fork and dipped it in tomato sauce before putting it in her mouth. "So is Eric the cooker now?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well…you make dinner, because you're in charge. But Eric's in charge."

"Oh, well yeah, he's in charge too. So we both do it." I looked at Eric who was smiling.

"Well, he should do it more" Amelia said, tiny traitor that she was. "So maybe he could just be in charge always?"

"I think maybe we'll share being in charge, and the cooking". Yeah, I wasn't sure Eric wanted to do all the cooking. I wasn't sure I wanted Eric to be in charge of everything.

"So is Eric in charge of you too then?" asked Amelia, after some more thought.

"Well, no. We're in charge of you and Felicia."

"Yeah, together" added Eric.

"So, can I be in charge of Bob?"

"No, honey, I think that had better be me and Eric as well." Eric didn't exactly look thrilled at that, but I had to protect Bob from Amelia's attentions. Poor Bob.

Later on when we were in bed I asked Eric if he liked being in charge. "S'alright" he said. "When Amelia fucking listens to me that is." I laughed.

"Yeah, she is hard work. It's nice that she stands up for herself, but sometimes you just want her to sit down and do what she's told." I looked him in the eyes. "They really like you, you know. Even when you're in charge, you can see. Amelia adores you, and Felicia, well, she thinks you have cool stuff." I laughed, but Eric looked serious.

"So, that's OK?"

"What's OK?"

"That they see me like that…like, well…" he stopped and just looked at me.

"Like a parent you mean?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"It's fine. I mean, you're here so it's bound to happen. It would be weird if you were living here and not involved with them."

"What about if I wasn't?"

"Wasn't what?"

"Living here." My heart stopped for a minute. Shit, I thought, what's he trying to say to me? What the hell did Amelia do?

"Do, um, do you want to move out?" I asked.

"Oh fuck no, no nothing like that" Eric said quickly. "It's just that we said, you know, I would stay here until Christmas, and it's not that far away, so I didn't know…"

"Oh." Thank God, I thought, he doesn't want to go just yet. "Oh, well, let's just see how it goes. There's no rush. If you stay then maybe we could have Andy and Halleigh over on New Year's Eve or something for a barbecue, because we kind of owe them now. So, you know, I'm not kicking you out now. Amelia might revolt if I'm the only one left in charge."

"OK, well that sounds good. But I get to be in charge of the steak if we do have them over, right?"

"Yeah, 'course."

"Which means you don't interfere."

"As if I would! I don't know where you get that idea from Eric. Jeez, I'm not going to steal your secret recipe or anything!" He just laughed and kissed me.

"So, can I be in charge of you for a while?" he asked, his voice now husky.

"Oh, well what did you have in mind?"

"Oh, lot's of things. Want me to show you?"

"Yeah, alright. Go on then."

Eric helped me out of my pyjamas and then lay down on the bed next to me. He pulled me over so I was straddling him, and I was working hard on not wanting to grab a sheet to cover myself. He put his hand on my back side and started trying to push me up the bed, which confused me no end until I figured out what was going on.

"Um, Eric?" I said. "I'm not sure about this."

"What? You love this."

"Yeah, but this position is a bit…different." It felt dirtier or something, to be straddling his face like that. But I didn't want to say that, as Eric would think I'm an idiot, and a prude.

"Look I'm in charge right?" he asked, I nodded. "So let's just give it a go, and then if you really hate it, I'll stop OK?"

"OK."

Eric was right, I didn't hate it. I really, really didn't hate it. I had to brace my arms against the wall behind the bed because I was enjoying it so much I thought I might just collapse, and that was with Eric's hands on my hips also helping hold me up.

When I could breathe properly again I sat on his chest. "What's next?" I asked. Eric grinned and lifted me up so he could move. He shed his boxers and found a condom, which he put on. I stayed kneeling where I was, waiting for instructions. Eric being in charge wasn't that bad I decided.

He knelt behind me and then placed a hand on my back and pushed me forward so I was on all fours. This was different too. Eric in charge night was full of all sorts of different things. He pushed into me, holding onto my hips again. But they were good things, I decided. Different and good.

Eric was grunting slightly as he was thrusting into me, and he snaked a hand around to rub my clit, which just sent me straight into another orgasm. My arms were starting to give out so I rested my elbows on the bed. That felt great, and caused Eric to moan as he gripped my hips and sped up his movements. He said "Oh, Fuck Sookie", as he came, and then he kissed down my spine before pulling out and heading to the bathroom.

When he got back he didn't say anything, just raised his eyebrows at me.

"What?" I asked.

"So, it was OK then, I take it? Me being in charge?"

"Yeah, it was great. You can be in charge again."

"Well, maybe tomorrow you can be in charge. I think that sounds like a fucking good idea."

"Actually, so do I."

Thanks for reading!