A/N: Big thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far! This chapter brings us some Sookie & Eric post-divorce drama, along with a new problem for Sookie to solve.

Disclaimer: everything belongs to Charlaine Harris

Karin escorted me home in silence. I had a feeling she hadn't seen any creature sass two vampire monarchs and walk away unscathed. Well, she was just going to have to get used to me. I could afford to reassure her a bit, so I said, "Karin, I do appreciate your being here for a year. It can't have been your first choice. I know you'll be a big help, I just couldn't have them thinking I was completely vulnerable otherwise."

"Think nothing of it, Sookie. I believe my time will be more interesting than I expected."

That was all we spoke the whole way home. I hoped maybe Karin and I could get to know each other a bit; tonight I'd also been officially banned from seeing Eric or going to Fangtasia. Maybe I could get word of Eric and Pam through her? Would I even want that?

When we arrived back at my house, I stepped up on the porch and began unlocking the door, using my other sense to check my house for activity. Finding nothing, I asked Karin to take a quick scout of my land before coming inside.

I went straight to the sink with the bloody knife, after dumping my keys and purse. With it rinsed and stowed, I was staring blankly into my refrigerator when Karin rejoined me. I just wanted to eat, shower, and then sleep for a very long time. Although her face gave nothing away, I had a bad feeling about her quick return. "Spit it out," I ordered, waving a fried chicken drumstick at her and shutting the fridge.

"There is a dead body on your lawn."

Fuck.

"Do you know who it is? Where is it?" I could hear myself getting worked up, and took a breath. I looked at Karin. "Forget it, show me." Karin led me across the lawn without responding, and I started to make out a dark shape over by the tomatoes. When I got close enough to recognize it, I closed my eyes, and - to my shame - I relaxed. It was Arlene.

Karin detected the change in my posture and eyed me curiously, so I explained. "Arlene tried to get me killed. She and I used to be friends, kind of, and she lured me to her trailer so these Fellowship members could crucify me." I continued, "This was after my sister-in-law, Crystal, was crucified in the parking lot of Merlotte's. She died, and she'd been pregnant with what would have been my niece or nephew. That one wasn't Arlene, they were just inspired by Crystal's murder, I guess."

Karin just looked at me, unreadable. I guessed this didn't fall within her protection duties, since Arlene was already dead. "Oookay. Let's see. Debbie's…..somewhere. Sandra went in the fairy chute. Diantha took care of the antiques dealer. Too bad she's not a fairy or a vampire - those I just rinsed down the yard." When I stopped pacing and looked up from my out-loud thinking, I saw Karin's mouth hanging open, which is not a common look on a vampire. Oh, yeah - I'd just been babbling about all the bodies that had previously littered my yard.

"Karin, that's probably not as bad as you're thinking." Maybe I'd tell her some of those stories one day. "I think we have to call the police about Arlene. She hit me yesterday at Merlotte's." Karin hadn't even asked me about my bruise, which I thought was weird. I'd have to ask her later if she was supposed to protect me from harm, or just from it being fatal.

I continued, "I didn't take it real well, and went after her. I was pretty mad. I don't know why she's even out of prison. But a whole lot of people saw us fight last night." I hated to wake Andy up, but I couldn't just make Arlene disappear for good. Her kids deserved an explanation, and as much closure as it was possible to get.

I marched back up to my house, Karin trailing along behind me. I felt better calling from inside than out in the yard, less exposed. "Andy, it's Sookie. Arlene's dead body is in my yard. I didn't do it. Somebody wants it to look like I did. I think you better come."

As I hung up the kitchen phone and looked out the pack window, I saw Eric land in my yard, just at the bottom of the old wooden steps. Great. I pushed back through the door to the porch.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Karin vanished instantly; she and I would also need to talk about whether her guard duties should or could include keeping Eric away.

"I told you not to pay attention to what happened," he said. He took a small step forward. "I told you it meant nothing to me."

I didn't budge. "Eric, listen, I don't know what you want from me. We're unbonded, divorced, and you're moving away to be with Freyda. It may not have meant anything to you, but we can't be together any more. So we have to let each other go. It just hurts too much otherwise." I cared about him, but I really needed some time to adjust. I also knew I couldn't give away any hint that I might have a plan.

He told me he could work out a way to keep me, and I imagined sad life in some beige Oklahoma apartment, waiting for either Eric to have time for me or Freyda to have me killed. I couldn't believe he really thought this was a good plan, since Eric surely knew me better than this by now - that he proposed it at all showed me how desperate he was. I told Eric in no uncertain terms how bleak and unlikely that scenario seemed. While I watched a couple of police cars and an ambulance roll up my driveway, Eric spat out some very unkind things about my approach to our marriage. I needed to walk away from this now, and turned away from him.

Eric said the worst possible thing. "I should have turned you! Or better yet, gotten Pam to turn you!"

I spun back toward him and tried to control my rage. As calmly as possible, I stepped down the old porch steps toward him and replied, "Eric Northman, you have promised me repeatedly that you would never turn me, no matter what. If you have so little honor that you'd threaten me with it now, you're not the vampire I thought you were." Eric's face became utterly still.

At that moment, I saw across the dark yard that Andy was headed toward me, with back-up. I sighed. "Eric, I'm gonna have to go with Andy." The police would want to hold me, given my fight with Arlene and her being found on my property. With my scarf around her throat. "Please ask Karin to send my brother around, I'll need his help contacting my lawyer and arranging things." I didn't care why my request caused Eric to look aggrieved. I figured he could manage this one simple thing on my behalf.

"Of course, Sookie." He paused, although I knew exactly what was coming. "I may not be seen helping you directly, you understand." Of course not. I was glad I wasn't a big eye-roller. "Karin, however, can be quite resourceful. Take care of yourself, Sookie Stackhouse."

Andy ushered me toward the cruiser and read me my rights, and he also apologized while looking nervously back at Eric. While I was secured in the back seat, I watched Eric take off into the night.