So yea, I vanished for a bit, but I'm back again, sort of. I'm not promising updates in any set amount of time, but you'll get them quite regularly. I have some other things in my life that I need to spend a bit more time focusing on, so yea, that's where I am. But like I said, I'll still be updating often, and there will be WBP update likely tomorrow. Thanks for hanging in there, and for the fanfication well wishes. I had a great time at home, but it's nice to be back with my little family too!

Thanks so much for reading, and letting me know what you think! I really do appreciate every comment that you take the time to leave, even if I don't respond to them all!

PS. I finished my original story on my blog, and I've actually been blogging more. So check it out if you're interested. seastarr08(dot)wordpress(dot)com

Eric

I rolled over and smacked the alarm clock next to my bed, and looked up to see the unfamiliar balcony overlooking the city from my bachelor apartment. The bed was stiff and uncomfortable. It didn't smell like Sookie.

Nothing looked like home. I was alone.

He had caused this, relying on my arrogance to ensure my downfall. And I'd let it go for too long, allowing him to use my wife and family as pawns in a game that we were both bent on winning. As Dean of Sciences, I'd won in some respects, but I'd lost in so many others.

I'd been preoccupied when I should have been adoring my wife, engrossed in academic warfare when I should have been taking my son ice fishing, plotting when I should have been watching my daughter do pirouettes at a dance recital. I'd fucked it, and as I rolled over to see a grad student young enough to be a friend of Stella's in my bed, I realized that I wasn't me without them.

I woke up blinking and gasping for air, in a much more familiar setting, Sookie's small frame tucked perfectly into my side, I realized something.

I needed to take care of this this with Appius quickly.

Sookie slowly began to stir, opening her eyes and giving me a small smile. "Hey Lover," she whispered, doing her best but failing miserably at imitating the way I said her nickname. I'd never called anyone Lover except for her, despite the infinite number of lovers I'd had.

"Promise you'll never leave me?" I whispered, pulling her on top of me.

She rolled her eyes at me, and propped herself up on her elbows. "What if you lose your mind and start screwing around on me, or if you lose all your hair, or become fascinated with parakeets? I can't guarantee I'd never leave you under those circumstances," she smirked at me deliciously. We'd watched a weird show on hoarding and woman had had parakeets. They kind of freaked me out. I didn't like birds.

"I had a dream that I was living in the apartment on the other side of the park all alone, because I'd taken too long to deal with Appius and let it consume my whole life. I was also in bed with a goth grad student. It was horrible," I whispered, wide eyed.

She patted my head, and lay her head on my chest. "This is because you're going back to NYU the day after tomorrow. I'm not going anywhere, and you know me well enough to know that I'd call you on your bullshit before it ever got to that point. It was an unspoken wedding vow. We swore to bullshit call before God, and our friends and family, and that judge, and that traffic cop that was hanging around, and I'm sure as hell not going to let any of them down."

"I think the traffic cop had a thing for Pam," I grinned, peeking down the front of her undershirt. She'd threw on some clothes for the first night in a few because we weren't sure when Pam was dropping the kids off. "And we probably shouldn't have smoked that pot with Stella last night. I blame the pot. I'd never even image sleeping with a goth." Stella had come over, in desperate need of a few hours away from Johan after being in cramped quarters with him for a couple of weeks in Sweden, while they fulfilled all their familial obligations. There was still no ring on her finger though, and I didn't ask about it.

Sookie giggled. "Don't blame the pot. Blame the half a gallon of that ridiculous rocky road ice cream you devoured."

I groaned, and patted my stomach. "Don't remind me."

"Good thing we fucked in the morning, because you were good for nothing last night, with your groaning about your stomach, and your squinty eyes." She rolled off me and sat up, glaring at me as I snapped her underwear. "Hey!"

"Get your sweet ass back in bed. It's only eight. It's not like Pam left the Hamptons at six. She's probably still in bed." I tugged at her, pulling her back on top of me. "Come on. Let's fuck before we have to face this day. It'll make it all easier to deal with."

Sookie looked down at me, her mouth tight, but her eyes twinkling. "I love plotting with you. And I actually had a thought about how we could deal with Appius."

I shook my head. "I have a hard on from checking out your breasts. Let's not waste that. We have all day to talk about The Get Me Out Of Teaching and Into Admin Plan."

She obliged me, tossing her tanktop onto the ground, before properly straddling my lap.

When Pam dropped the kids off at three, we were fully functioning adults again, ready to take responsibility for our little doppelgangers. They rushed in, thrilled to tell us about their adventures.

"They kind of bring the house back to life," Sookie whispered, as Max yammered on about Alcide taking them cross country skiing and how Pam had made it about ten feet before getting pissed off and going back inside.

It was after we put the kids to bed that I remember that Sookie had some ideas to share. "What are you thinking about Appius, Lover?"

She grinned. "That I'd like to castrate him? Oh, right. I was thinking that I might have a certain whorish editor that owes me a favour."

I cocked my head at her. "Isn't Amelia a sales manager of some sort?"

She shook hers, snorting. "Bones."

"Oh, no. Not happening. We're severing all personal ties with that asshole." I crossed my arms.

"Which is why he's perfect. There's no way Appius will connect him to us, at least not at first. I think it could work out quite well, and Bones is incredibly loyal. To me."

Loyal. It was then that I had a bit of a realization. "No, you know who is incredibly loyal? Johan."

Appius had been looking at Johan like he was a piece of meat for the last year. The situation, however, would have to be set up, just so. Johan would need to require something from Appius, and it would have to seem like he would do anything to get it. He sort of had the gay or European thing going for him, and with a bit of coaching, would certainly be able to manipulate Appius into hitting on him.

Sookie nodded, and I once again appreciated how in sync we were, when she got exactly what I was thinking. "We might be able to use Bones too. He has a pretty good excuse to be walking the halls at NYU, and Appius has been molesting Johan with his eyes for ages now."

"And you'd still have the personal satisfaction of knowing that you brought him down. Is it awful though, using your potential future son-in-law as perverted professor bait?" I tapped my chin.

She looked up, thinking hard about it. "I mean, kind of, but you could probably use someone else if you really wanted to, but using him gives you more grounds to kick up a stink since he is practically family."

"I wonder if he'd play along. Johan I mean."

"I bet he would. Remember when he beat the shit out of Clancy? He's got some pretty strong ideas about right and wrong, and what Appius was trying to do to you, and to us? That was very wrong."

"I think I'll call him tomorrow. Hey, do you have the pictures he sent over here?" I hadn't looked at them, and honestly, I was pleased that I'd been distracted enough not to think about them until now.

She unfolded herself from the couch and went out into the kitchen, coming back with an envelope with about ten photos in it, and handed them to me. "They're not even really incriminating, but if I didn't know the whole story, I would have been devastated."

She curled up beside me, as I flipped through them, growing a little angrier after each shot. "I think I'll see if Johan will post a blind item. I'm sure NYU has some sort of similar posting board as the Sorbonne. And then I think I'll get someone to notify his wife."

Sookie perked up. "Do you know who knows his wife? Jackson Herveaux's wife, Debbie. They're in the horticultural club together."

I shrugged. I hated Debbie Pelt-Herveaux. Women like her were the reason I'd avoided the Hamptons for years. "She's such a spiteful bitch. Why would she help us?"

"Because she loves to gossip. It's kind of a tit for tat situation. He would have ruined your reputation." Sookie held the pictures up. "I don't feel bad about exposing him at all."

"It would hurt her too." I thought out loud. "I don't know if I'm concerned about that though."

Sookie raised an eyebrow. "At least it's the truth. He's a filthy old man that sleeps with grad students of the male persuasion. It's not like you're saying anything that isn't true. And it's not like you're saying it. Eric, he was happy to slander the hell out of you."

And at that, I perked up. "I don't need to do anything underhanded. I can just sue him for defamation. And we can start a truthful rumour."

Sookie chuckled, shaking her head. "Yea, that is the best route. I can't believe we didn't think of that before. We've been really making this far more complicated than it has to be."

I looked at the pictures. "I need to figure out who took these, and under whose direction." It was better, to do this above board on my end. It meant that things were less likely to fall back on me, and I did have the sworn statement from Indira that her and I most certainly did not sleep together.

Sookie nodded. "And find a good lawyer."

The next morning, I dropped Max off at school and Ce at Stella's and found myself at an uptown law firm that Alcide and his father had had on retainer for years. Cataliades and Associates was rather typical in every way, but when I walked into the brightly coloured office of one of the firm's youngest associates, I wondered if I'd made the right decision.

Diantha Cataliades looked like she was about twelve, and didn't exactly inspire confidence in her polka dot dress and Chuck Taylor sneakers, but as soon as I sat down, and she started talking, I knew I'd made the right decision. She was brilliant.

"We're going to nail his ass, Eric, and not in the way he likes." She grinned broadly, after I explained a bit more about the circumstances and showed her the pictures. "I may look young, but I use it to my advantage. People underestimate me. I have a great record of winning cases."

She spoke very fast, but I was used to that, with the kids. "So I think that we wait two weeks, and see what you can get stirred up on the down low before then, and then we strike with the charges. I'd talk to his superior and let him know that you're going to sue him, just so you don't blindside them, but I'd stay away from him. I mean, you'll have to stay away from him." She tapped her pen on her desk incessantly.

I leaned back in my chair. "Okay. So I just go back to work, like everything is fine, and then in a couple of weeks we drop the defamation suit on him."

She nodded vigourously. "Oh, yes. But I'm guessing by then you'll have even more to go on. Keep your nose clean though. Carry a recorder with you. And don't hit him. That would be bad. Very bad."

"I think I can refrain from hitting him." I smiled.

More nodding. "Excellent. Just remember, we're going to nail him, and not in the good way. Say it with me."

"We're going to nail him, and not in a good way."

She nodded. "That's right. That's what we're going to do."

"Yes." I stood up, fairly convinced. "I'll be in touch."

"And no hitting him."

I nodded. "No hitting."

"Goodbye, Eric."

"Thanks, Diantha." I waved, as I headed out the door.

I hadn't planned on it, but I decided to stop into my office before picking up Ce, just to have a few quiet minutes before I had to really get back into things the next day. I turned the key, and came face to face with someone unexpected.

"Who the hell are you?"

The woman, a gorgeous redhead with hot body, dressed in a tight black dress and a pair of high black boots, covered her face with her hands from behind my desk. "Shit. I was going to pack my stuff up today."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "You've been using my office? And who are you?"

She stood up, and walked to stand in front of me. "Catherine Crawfield. Cat. I'm part-time faculty." She hastily extended an ink stained hand unapologetically. "And I've been using your office. Doctor Ocella assured me it was fine."

I waved my hand at her. "Take the afternoon to pack up."

She looked at me curiously, leaning on my desk. "You don't remember me, do you?"

I looked at her, harder. "I was on your PhD committee a couple of years ago. You did your dissertation on prostitution and on its affect on women who have been doing it for different periods of time. It was fascinating. And you were at Yale." I'd taken the train up for the weekend, alone. It had been bliss, even though I felt guilty for leaving Sookie with baby Ceci and Max for two nights.

She smiled brightly. "Yea, I have a lot of respect for your work. I used some of your research for my thesis. And I taught your class this fall. And I'm in your office. I'll have it back to normal tomorrow. Cute kids." She nodded towards the picture of Max and Ce that was on my bookshelf.

"You used my book this fall, right?" Sookie would have been livid if that order hadn't come in.

She laughed. "Of course. And your syllabus, and your notes, which I fished out of your filing cabinet. I don't know how you get up there and talk about sex in front of all those eighteen year olds."

I snorted. "Yea, it's not something I have a problem with. What's your area again? I just know that I was on your committee because I do some, or rather, I did some work with prostitutes."

"Criminal psychology is my area specifically, but there's some overlap, since I do deal with sex crimes." She sighed. "I really wanted to make a better first impression."

I shrugged. "As long as you ordered my book for fall, we're good." I turned to leave, but I felt her hand on my arm.

She smiled, awkwardly. "Um, look. Can we get a coffee?"

I froze. There was no way he was trying this again, with someone else. She had her PhD for Christ's sake. There was no way she'd be this stupid or desperate. "I have to pick up my daughter."

She nodded, glancing out the door. "That's fine. I'll tag along."

She was acting most unusual, as I locked the door of my office behind her, and we headed down the hallway. I noticed her looking over her shoulder a bit, as we quickly made our way out of the building, walking at a speedy pace.

Finally, when we were at my car, she whispered, "I know this is weird, but I need to talk to you."

I shrugged, unlocking the doors."Sweetheart, as long as you just want to talk to me, that's fine. And just so you know, I'm recording our conversation, and it better be something you're willing to say in front of a three year old."

She raised her eyebrows. "I'll say the dirty bits first."

I pulled out my phone, and hit the record button. "Go ahead."

Cat furrowed her brow. "I'd prefer this be an off the record conversation. It's for your own good."

I shrugged. "It'll be off the record, but I'm recording in case it needs to come back on the record. You'll have to excuse my paranoia. I've had a few things thrown at me recently that warrant it."

She nodded. "I would imagine. Just turn the recorder off."

I shook my head. "Nope."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Appius is trying to screw you. Hard, and not in the good way."

My life was all sex allusion. "I know that, but believe me when I say, I have bigger balls, and I'm a lot harder to screw than he thinks I am. I retained council this morning."

She raised her eyebrows. "Good. He's been trying to get dirt on you all fall. I don't know what he has, but he's really been running you into the ground. I was surprised, since you were part of the reason I applied here."

"What's he been saying, and why did you decide to tell me?" Her motivation for that was as important as anything she could say. I needed to know the cost because I took her up on her offer of help.

"Because you show a hell of a lot more promise as someone I'd like to learn from than him," she spat, her eyes hard. "He's a twisted monster. He's just been saying that you're not as great as everyone makes you out to be, and that you're inappropriate with your students in lecture, and that you're, well, basically you're a whore. Everything is a game to him. "

"And we are all players," I grinned. "Welcome to academia."

She shook her head. "I don't play like that. Call me crazy, but I think people should be judged on the merit of their research."

"It's a nice thought." I smiled at her. "Stay in the car if you want. I'm going to get my kid."

I quickly grabbed Ce, and she looked at Cat curiously as I buckled her into her carseat. "Who are you?"

Cat smiled back sweetly, a contrast from a few minutes earlier. "I work with your daddy."

That seemed to satisfy her, and she smiled at me in the rear view mirror. "I want McDonald's."

"I'm making dinner baby. Not today."

"Claudine let us get McDonald's," she said, with determination in her voice.

"Do I look like Claudine?" I turned around, and raised my eyebrows at her. Sookie would find that interesting, since Claudine had gone on and on about the organic meals she prepared. "Come on, Ce."

She glared at me. "Go back to Paris."

Ouch. "Nope. Sorry, you're stuck with me."

Cat smiled at our interaction. "So I guess we're not going for coffee?"

I shook my head. "Does the little one look like she needs sugar? Sorry, if there's more to talk about, we'll have to continue it another day. Where can I drop you off?"

"Grand Central is fine. I've been staying in Brooklyn with my mother, which is pure hell. And I don't mean the commute."

I smiled. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

She nodded, looking at me for a minute as I pulled up on a side street near the station. "I want tenure track. Can you help me with that?"

I chuckled. "Cat, if you help me oust Appius, I'll rent you the basement apartment in my house for five hundred bucks a month and hand type your application, while making you dinner. If things go how I'd like them to, I can certainly help with that."

She gave me a curt nod, a huge smile on her face, and extended her hand. "Great. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

I shrugged. "That has yet to be seen. Goodnight Cat."

She got out and I pulled away from the curb, glancing back at Ce, who was grinning, over her brief tantrum from earlier. "I like her."

I nodded. "She's alright." And she was. She'd gone out of her way to help me when it probably would have been easier to back Appius. She had morals and values. I respected that.

After picking Max up, and starting dinner, I started wondering how much damage Appius had really done while I was gone. I figured I'd find out more tomorrow, when everyone was around. I know how the department loyalties went. Stan Davis would take my side, even though I didn't care for him, and I had several grad students that would do the same. And I had Cat. Alexi would side with Appius, but he was a junior professor with poor social skills. It all came down to the all powerful Russell Edgington, undergraduate Dean.

Luckily, although she didn't know it yet, Sookie was my ace in the hole when it came to Russell.

I just hoped it wouldn't come to that.