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Eric

Yep, I did not like Bones. I didn't like the way he looked at Sookie with respect and admiration, the way he walked with his cocky strut, or his stupid accent. It would have been easier if he outwardly flirted with her for me to really pinpoint his intentions, but the two of them had it down to this fine professional dance. I didn't think Sookie realized what was going on.

His body language made it very obvious, however. He was absolutely in love with her. And that pissed me off most of all. Not because she'd lead him to believe that was acceptable, I didn't think that, but just because. I was the only one that was supposed to know her enough to be in love with her. Not like, not lust over. I didn't care about that. People could think what they wanted about her. She was gorgeous and intelligent, and a real spitfire. I was certain that there were lots of people out there that wouldn't mind seeing where they could take things with her, if given the opportunity. I didn't like the real feelings though. She was mine to love.

After awkwardly deciding where we'd all sit, Bones and Sookie sat on one side of the table, and Ceci and I sat on the other, me across from Sookie, and Ce from Bones.

"So, Sookie said you're thinking of writing a trade book?" Bones leaned back in his chair, examining me, sizing me up.

"Yea, I've been doing interviews with a wide sampling of couples in Paris. I think people idealize love when they're in romantic settings. That's what the book will be about."

"And we'll probably publish it then?" He glanced at Sookie. "Not exactly a fit for our list."

Sookie raised an eyebrow at me. "I haven't agreed to anything yet. Not until we go through pages on Eric's textbook." She shrugged. "We'd probably publish it out of the trade division. I might even do the editing." She grinned. "I did my ex husband's father's memoirs a few years ago and really enjoyed it."

I shot Bones a glance, verbally marking my territory. "We actually work quite well together, as you can see from this one." I nodded towards Ce. "And I wouldn't have done the first book without her."

Sookie smiled. "It's why I care so much about silly things like the font treatment and spot lamination on the cover. It's kind of our third child."

I liked the cover she'd picked, for the first time. It was a rather abstract, but very sexual photo. A woman's torso partially wrapped in a sheet, with the tiniest bit of side boob. We'd fought for an entire week over the second edition cover. "Except that one makes us money, unlike these ones."

Ce rolled her eyes at me. "I have a piggy bank."

Bones nodded. "Yea, she put up quite an argument for that cover. Niall thought it was too racy, and I'm not sure I don't disagree."

I raised an eyebrow. "It's a sex book. It's racy." Was he a prude? I hadn't expected that.

"Gotta keep the conservatives happy. Can't have kids bringing their overtly sexual books home for spring break and their parents freaking out."

Sookie laughed. "It's not that bad. And if they're paying for the human sexuality credit, then I'm sure they have an inkling as to what that covers." She narrowed her eyes at Bones. "I showed you the other covers on the market. We're not really pushing the envelope more than they are."

Bones shook his head, his eyes smiling at Sookie. "Those covers are bloody terrible, every one of them."

"And ours is beautiful." Sookie grinned. "Eat your sushi."

Yep, she had no idea how he felt, which put me in a incredibly awkward position. Did I tell her what I thought, and risk coming off like a jealous asshole when I was only around for a week, or did I keep my trap shut and deal with it when I was around for good? I didn't think she was going to act on it, which was what I really cared about, but I still didn't like the idea of him loving on her five days a week, and on the occasional evening. Not while I was away especially. I had to admit, the jealous asshole part of me couldn't have been more pleased to see that she'd let the upkeep on her wax go, because it was undeniable proof that she was not fucking around. Not that I'd ever thought she was, but it one more layer of security, that me being away hadn't changed things fundamentally. I really worried that it would.

I decided to play it by ear, and wait to see if an appropriate window opened up to discuss it rationally. The way she looked at me hadn't changed, nor had the way we felt together. We were still good. Better than good. I wasn't going to get anywhere rushing in after months away and making unfounded accusations about a colleague that had supported her during quite a difficult time in her personal and professional life. I would come across like a jealous asshole, and we didn't need that. Not now. Now, we needed to be witty, and loving, and incredibly turned on by each other in person until I had to leave again. I knew Sookie didn't like green-eyed Eric. I wasn't going to let Bones' cutting looks or snippy words bother me. Much. Not this week anyway.

We finished our awkward lunch, and I walked them back to their office with Ceci on my shoulders. When I'd left, there was no way she would have sat through a lunch like that. Now she smiled and looked around and ate most of her food. I had mixed feeling about her being so grown-up.

After a quick kiss goodbye from both of us, Sookie went in to finish her afternoon at work, and we headed home to clean up Candyland. We got home to find Stella doing wash.

I dropped Ceci, who ran off to clean up Candyland on the promise of some chocolate and went into the living room and sat on the couch with my other very grown up daughter. "Hey Stel."

She gave me a half smile, and it immediately became obvious that she'd been crying. "Hey, Dad."

I pulled her to me, wrapping my arm around her as she rested her head on my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

She wiped her eyes. "I don't know. I just feel like everything's weird."

"How so?"

"Johan's just weird. I think he might be fucking someone else."

Ceci picked her head up from the kitchen. "That's a bad word!" Our kids heard their fair share of bad words. It kind of came with the territory of being a Northman. Sookie and I often joked that Gaby's first word would certainly be 'fuck'.

Stella raised her eyebrows. "Sorry Ce. He's just been so unlike him."

"How so?" I knew why he was being weird. It was because he was planning a proposal. And a marriage, and a life. Proposing was a big deal.

"He's been on the phone at weird hours, and he's told me he's doing things that he isn't. Like the other night, he said he was working on his thesis, but when I got home his papers weren't all over the table, and he was weird when I asked him about it."

That's because he was ring shopping with Sookie. I patted the top of her head. "Stel, just don't worry about it, and trust that I wouldn't be telling you that if I thought he was cheating on you. In fact, if I thought he was, I'd be second in line behind you to give him a kick in the balls."

I'd done a lot for Johan. He'd lived in our basement practically rent free for ages, and I'd put in a good word to get him the PhD advisor that he desperately wanted. That, and the laundry, and the meals, and everything else. He'd really been welcomed in as a member of the family. I would not have taken that well.

She turned at looked at me curiously. "How do you know he's not?"

"I just know. Can we just leave it at that?" I gave her a half smile. "Cut him some slack for now."

She wasn't happy with that explanation. "Dad, you can't just say that."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "I certainly can. Drop it, Stel."

She pouted. "That's not fair."

I hugged her again. "Life's not fair. Just trust me."

Ce and I went to pick Max up after school, and he launched himself into my legs, wrapping his arms around them like he never wanted to let go. In front of his friends. I felt pretty special. "Can we go build my puzzle?"

I shrugged. "Sure."

So we did that until Sookie got home. Ceci tried to help, but after a while gave up, opting to play in her room instead. Alone. And quietly. I checked on her a half dozen time, and she just kept smiling at me, her blue eyes twinkling, while she chattered away to herself, making up elaborate stories for her dolls.

Sookie got home around five-thirty, and Max called her upstairs to see the Eiffel Tower in progress. She leaned on the doorway, a tired smile on her face. "You guys are so cute," she said, pulling her heels off. "I'm going to go get some dinner. Coming?"

We ate, and did our routine like we had for years, getting the kids ready for bed, reading to them, and then we made our way to the couch.

Sookie kicked her feet up in my lap and cut to the chase. "You hate Bones, don't you."

I thought about my response for a minute. "I don't hate him, Sookie. I don't like that he seems to have developed feelings for you."

She shook her head. "He doesn't have feelings for me. We're colleagues."

"We were colleagues."

She sighed. "Totally different situation. Different kind of relationship. We're just friends. If that. I'm his boss."

I reached up her dress and pulled her tights off, to better rub her feet and calves. I'd ripped tights in the past, and it never earned me any brownie points. "I don't even think you're aware of it, now that I've seen you together. I do know a thing or two about behavior, and the way he leaned into you when we were looking at covers, and the way you make him smile. It's all over his face. And you're fucking amazing, and gorgeous, and..."

"I think you're wrong. He's just friendly. He's friendly with everyone." She lay back on the couch, giving me full foot access, as I squeezed and rubbed. "I missed this."

I smiled. "I did too, even your smelly feet."

She narrowed her eyes at me adorably. "They're not smelly. Yours are smelly."

I held one up and sniffed. "Totally smelly. Do you think I should go into NYU tomorrow and check in?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Do you think it's going to do any good, in terms of whatever Appius has planned?"

I thought about it. "Probably not."

"Then don't." She stretched out, before flopping onto her stomach. "Can you rub my neck a little?"

"Bring it up here."

She smiled, before turning around and laying her head in my lap. "Oh, now you've got me where you want me, is that it, Professor Northman?"

I chuckled, pushing her hair aside, as I rubbed her back and shoulders. "Precisely. I'm a master at manipulation. You don't even know you're being manipulated. I'm that good. And you're really tense."

"Maybe because I spent all of lunch thinking you were going to pee on me and mark your territory?" She giggled. "You really have nothing to worry about."

"I don't think you're going to run off into the sunset with some hipster Englishman, if that's what you're thinking."

"He's not a hipster. I think he dresses very well. He looks like an editor."

"He looks like he's trying too hard." I laughed as she intentionally rubbed her head against my dick. "Your massage isn't going to last very long if you keep that up."

"That's okay. It's twelve of one, or a dozen of another, as far as relaxation goes." She sat up and grinned, her hair a bit of a disaster. "How's it feel being back? Like you never left?"

"No, it feels like I was gone, and it sucks, knowing I'll have to go again." I pouted. "Being here though, it's great. I knew my life was pretty good, but it's really, really great."

She smiled, mussing up my hair. "It is, isn't it. The next little bit will go quicker though, and then you'll be back for good, and we can focus on making you king of NYU." She cackled maniacally.

"I'd settle for king of psychology." I fixed her hair a bit, running my fingers though it. "And he's absolutely not getting that blowjob now."

"Damn straight," she giggled.

"Hey, I didn't give you your presents last night." I pulled her up. "They're in my suitcase."

She practically pushed me into the room. "What did you get me?"

"Sit on the bed, and I'll find them. There's a few in my suitcase. I kind of bought you things as I saw them. Most of it food, which is in the fridge."

"Wow, this is exciting." She stretched out on her stomach, kicking her feet up behind her like Ceci always did. I'd never really thought about all the ways kids imitated their parents until I had my own, and the ramifications of nature versus nurture really blurred when you saw them every day. "I mean, Ceci's been giving me rocks and things since you've been gone, and snotty tissues and such, but I haven't gotten presents since Pam bought me shoes and a vibrator as a 'sorry your husband's not around' consolation prize."

"Well Pam may have had a bit of input into a couple of things, but just for sizes, and let me tell you, you think taking her to a sex store is awkward, try a lingerie shop when she's your sister." I raised an eyebrow. "I really love you. I hope you know that."

She sighed. "I do. Now show me what you've got me."

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, Mrs. Northman, first up we have a fairly impractical, but sexy bra and underwear set." I tossed them to her. "Sheer, but not too sheer."

She held them up, a huge grin on her face. "Well you and Pam did good. I'll show you how good in a little bit."

I grinned, fishing for my other purchases. "I know you have a few rings, but I wanted to get you another for putting up with this. So I went to Tiffany, but I didn't like anything, but then day when I was walking, I found an estate jewellers that had just what I was looking for." I pulled the little box out of my suitcase.

She opened it, and a huge smile spread across her face. "I won't ever tell anyone you're so romantic. They'd probably never believe me anyway."

I hadn't really believed my luck when I'd spotted the tiny ring with our birthstones alternating. The only reason I even knew mine was because my mother had always worn a pendant with mine and Pam's on a necklace. I knew Sookie's from past jewellery purchases I'd considered. Blue and red. Quite opposite on the colour spectrum, but so often used together to create a beautiful contrast. "It seemed kind of French, with the blue and red stones too. And I figured you could wear it with the other ones."

She slid it on, smiling when it sat perfectly on top of the other three. "You're going to have to get me a bigger finger if you keep buying me these. I love it though."

"And then there's some wine, and some cheese, and some chocolates in the fridge too. Pam thought I should bring purses and shoes, but that seems like more her thing to buy you."

"You'd be right about that. And you brought yourself back, and that's a pretty incredible gift in itself." She rolled onto her back. "Come lay with me for a bit."

I closed up my suitcase and stretched out beside her. "I missed just doing this too, as much as anything else."

She rolled onto her side, a smirk on her face. "Will you kiss me anyway? We can do this lots when you get back and we have lots of time. Hold each other, braid hair, and talk about our feelings, all of that."

I pushed my lips against her and shifted so we were closer to each other. "But tonight?"

She pushed her lips against mine, my face in her hands. "I wanted you inside of me like ten minutes ago."

I growled a bit at her words, pushing her onto her back and moving on top of her. "I got Pam's assurance that she'd watch the kids for our Fuckaversary. We may have to take Gaby for New Years, but I don't care."

"So you've got big plans in the works?" She giggled, as she pushed my jeans down with her feet.

I sat up and pulled my shirt off, followed my hers. "I think you'll approve. And let's face it, it's never the setting that makes it a great day."

She giggled, before pushing me against the headboard so she could straddle my lap. "You're right about that."

I'd just pushed inside of her, when we both froze, as the front door slammed. "What the hell was that," she whispered, as she pulled herself off of me and went for her robe.

"You stay here. I'll go check," I whispered back, pulling on my jeans, which was far from comfortable in my current state.

She shook her head. "No way. I'm coming too."

We crept through the living room and into the kitchen, where Stella was hauling a huge suitcase up the stairs. Her face was red and blotchy, even in the moonlight.

"What are you doing?" I said, in my regular voice. "It's almost midnight."

She gasped, dropping the suitcase down the stairs. If she hadn't woken the kids up before, she certainly had now. In about five seconds, a very sleepy Max appeared at the top of the stairs.

She looked around at the chaos she'd caused. "I broke up with Johan. Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

Sookie and I looked at each other, and then at Max and Ceci, who were both looking down at us. "Fine. It's fine. We'll talk in the morning," I said, before grabbing her suitcase for her, and putting it in the spare room, which had been our old bedroom. "I love you, but I think you've made a mistake," I whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Well, we'll see about that, I guess." She shrugged, exhausted. "I don't want to talk about it right now."

I went over and managed to convince the kids to get back into their beds, and then joined Sookie in the kitchen, and smiled as she pulled a huge chunk of chocolate that I'd brought back out of the fridge. "Shit," she mumbled, taking a bite before handing it to me.

"Shit indeed," I said, taking a bite. "I guess we should go back to bed."

"Nothing kills the mood like a pre-engagement break-up," she whispered, putting the rest back in the fridge, despite Lily's pleas. "But I do have to work tomorrow, and probably late since I'm off for a bit of next week. Are you going to be able to deal with this?"

I shrugged. "I guess I have to. I'll try to keep Pam out of it." Pam and Stella were kind of explosive together, sometimes in a good way, but usually in a terrible way. "She's back from the Bahamas tomorrow." I didn't even want to think about that. Pam's reactions to things weren't always what they should have been. "I'll fix this. It's just a misunderstanding. She came to me earlier and said that he'd been acting weird and I told her to let it go for now. That it wasn't what she thought."

Sookie narrowed her eyes at me. "You should have just told her and then insisted she act surprised when he asked. I don't know why you men have this need to surprise us all the time. We don't like it." She grinned. "Well, I mean, I liked when you were here the other day, but I would have liked it just as much if I'd known."

After a rather restless sleep for everyone it seemed, Ceci and I crawled back in for a bit for a bit the next morning, after Sookie took Max to school. From the way she crashed out, I had the feeling she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. She was a bit sensitive sometimes, and got quite upset when people argued. I'm sure Stella's impromptu appearance confused her. It was almost eleven, when I was woken up by the phone.

I groaned as I answered it. "Hi, Bill."

He sounded incredibly chipper. I wanted to choke him, as Ceci sat up, her little lip wibbly for some reason, probably because she was overtired. "We're still on for Thursday, right?"

"It's not for almost a week, but yes."

"You're back early?" Bill was so oblivious sometimes, especially since he'd married Selah. "How's Paris?"

"It blows. And not in the good way, no matter what keeps getting shoved my way."

He chuckled. "I hear you might be bringing someone else down. That was so fun the last time. Let me know if you need any help."

I glanced at Ceci, and covered up her ears. "Are you willing to seduce the head of my department and let me post the pictures on the internet?"

He laughed. "No. Certainly not. So we'll bring wine and dessert to dinner?"

"Can you bring Brit repellent too?"

"The new editor? I've heard good things."

"He's in love with my wife."

Bill chuckled. "Who isn't."

I groaned again. "You better not be. You know what? On second thought, if you are, don't tell me, because I've actually begun to like you, since I hear you're the reason Max talked to me on the phone for the last three months."

He was quiet for a minute. "I'll always love Sookie, but not in a way that you need to be concerned about. And Max would have talked to you anyway."

I smiled to myself. "See you on Thursday. Bring lots of wine."

"Enjoy your weekend."

I hung up and turned to Ceci, who had a couple fat tears rolling down her cheeks, which were easily solved with some lunch, followed by ice cream.

My other daughter's problems were not going to be so easily solved.