AN: Thank you so much everyone for the kind reviews. I wanted this to be a silly, light hearted fic. I promise you will get to see Sam soon. Don't give up on me yet!

The next contestant was standing before me. Bill, my first love and my first heartbreak. I would never admit it out loud but there had been a few times late at night when I could remember what it was like to be loved by him, to love him. I would remember the beginning, those first glorious weeks when even being apart from him for an hour felt like it was an eternity. I would remember the way he would hold me close, brush out the tangles in my hair, and all of the sweet words he would whisper in my ear during our lovemaking. I was finally at a point where I could remember those things without immediately remembering everything that happened afterwards.

I still loved the man Bill tried to be for me, hated the vampire he was for his Queen, and genuinely cared for person he actually was. All of that rolled into a warm, sometimes, friendship that we now shared since the fairy war. Bill lost the game a long time ago.

"Bill! Are you allowed to be our and about on your own yet?" The weeks following Bill's recovery were downright scary. At first Bill was guarded day and night, Pam and Eric were concerned he may have tried to meet the sun or he would wake up so hungry that he would have killed the first meal he stumbled upon, with me and Amelia living next door I was a little nervous then myself.

"Pam is here tonight, I wanted to come over and talk to you alone for a moment. If you wish I can call her over. I am sure she would not mind seeing you." Bill responded.

I walked up to the front porch and offered Bill a seat. I felt a little guilty at my relief that Bill wasn't alone. I wasn't afraid of Bill, but I was afraid of a hungry vampire who had been tortured. I'd been in that situation once before it didn't end up well.

I took a moment as Bill sat down to finally look at him. His wounds were completely healed and his skin had lost that gray color. It had been a couple of weeks since I had seen him last and he appeared stronger. He was moving at vampire speed again so that must have been a good sign.

"You look better." I couldn't help but say.

"I feel better everyday." Vampires don't usually talk about their health but I wasn't surprised Bill was opening up to me.

"Eric didn't send you, did he? Quinn is long gone by now." I was almost positive that Eric wouldn't have sent Bill with Pam being there but I still felt the need to ask.

Bill shook his head slightly. "I saw the tiger leave as I arrived but Eric did not send me. Do you want to tell me what happened?'

It was my turn to shake my head. "We had a quick chat and then he left. I don't think he'll be around here anymore."

"Sookie, you know all you have to do is say the word and I can guarantee he will never bother you again."

I wanted to be insulted but I knew that was how the vampire mind worked. If there was a problem, a vampire would get rid of it. "You know me better than that Bill. I've seen enough death to ever want to intentionally cause it."

"I know, but you know me well enough to know that I had to offer."

I inwardly rolled my eyes at him.

"Sookie," Bill's mood turned serious. "You know that…" I could almost see the gears inside his head working as he tried to come up with the right words. He glanced towards the woods before he continued. "If you were ever in a situation you did not want to be in, I could help you, I would help you. All you have to do is say the word."

"That's awful sweet of you to offer," I responded. "But you know I don't love you like that any longer. I'll always be grateful for what you did."

Bill's eyes flashed with anger so I stopped talking. "This is not about loving me, this is about protecting you."

"Protecting me from what?" I cried out. Please let's not do this again. I don't want to go down the list of all the reasons I have to hate you, I silently begged him.

"Eric." Bill almost hissed the word out.

I plastered on my fake smile. "Bill it was awful nice of you to stop by but I need to get going now." My purse was still in my hands so I stood up and started to head for my car. Bill was in front of me before I could blink.

"Don't marry him."

"We're already married."

Pam stepped out of the woods. "No you aren't." Only Pam would out strolling in the woods wearing a pastel sweater set.

I tried to catch my breath. Eric wouldn't lie to me and he specifically said we were married. Wait, he never said we were married. What did Victor say? We weren't married we were pledged. "Pledged? What does pledged mean?" I barely noticed I was thinking out loud.

"Think of it as the human equivalent of being engaged." Pam answered in a soft voice.

"I'm not married to Eric?" I asked a whisper.

"No." This time Bill answered.

"Why are you both telling me this? Why isn't Eric here?" There were so many questions floating through my mind I could barely pick out one of them to ask.

Pam wrapped both of her arms around me and led me back to the porch swing. "Dear Abby says that both the bride and the groom should make decisions regarding the wedding. Sookie, something horrible has happened. I don't like having to rely on a human but you may be the only one who can help."

I stared at Pam. I couldn't make my mouth form the question I needed to ask, so I waited until she answered me.

"Sookie, my Master has become a bridezilla."