Authors Note *** This is my first fic for years and I've become a total stat's junky! Just for ericsmine I've ended on an 'eric-ism', since you luuuuv those. Also I seem to be at the end of the filler/drama section of this project, now I actually have to work out how the con is going to work! If you'll excuse me, I have some vampires to save.

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Sookie couldn't breathe properly. How could he still be all horny in the middle of all this crap? He looked so predatory, so intense yet Sookie's fear wasn't that he would force her... She was never scared of that, she was scared she'd give in, give him everything he wanted, and end up feeling like a fool.

"Sookie," Jesus he purred her name, purred it out of that massive chest. "unfortunately we don't have the time for me to show you, right now, but in two days, when all this is finished..."

"I'm not agreeing to anything," she gasped as firmly as she could.

"No, but you're not slapping me either," he seemed amused and that irritated her more than anything.

"I am not just some floosy you can have your way with Eric Northman!"

"I would never suggest you were," he sat back and ran his fingers through his hair, huffing out a breath he didn't need. "Assuming I'm not dead in three days, I will show you, Sookie."

"Stop talkin' like that. You're not going to die. And we wont let them kill Pam either. Come on," she slapped him on the knee and stood, "get those mugshots ready and I'll..." she stopped and frowned sadly.

"You'll what?"

"I was goin' to say I'd make coffee, but you don't drink it and if this was Godric's house there wouldn't be any here, would there?" She said.

"Check the kitchen, Godric liked visitors and was unfailingly polite. You'll probably find a little bit of everything in there, just in case." Eric's voice was subdued, the same way it always was when he spoke about his maker.

"I always feel cheated that I didn't get to know him better..." Sookie said softly. "He asked me to look after you, you know?"

Eric snorted a little laugh, "Is that why you're helping me now? Because you promised him?"

Sookie came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder, Eric didn't turn but he did tilt his head and raise his shoulder, gently trapping her hand against his cheek. "It would be enough, a promise to a good man. But no... that's not the only reason I'm here." She squeezed his shoulder a little and he released her hand and turned to lean over the back of the couch, looking at her intensely.

"Why are you here? Your bleeding heart?"

"No." She frowned down at him, it was disconcerting feeling like she was taller than him. "I know you're not that big an ass, when you stop tryin' to rile me up and upset me... you're not a bad guy." She didn't know how to make him understand... she wasn't even really sure she wanted him to. "You do all this stuff, say awful things and act like an ass, just to show everyone how strong you are. News flash Eric, I know how strong you are." She sighed, "You wanna show me, prove to me you're worth my time? Well I wanna show you that you're goin' about it all cockeyed. I don't wanna help your persona, and I don't wanna save you're macho bullshit. I wanna save you. The you that you are when you stop thinkin' about it."

Eric flashed back to his daydream of her the night before, how she'd touched his chest and kissed him, been honest and unafraid of him. She'd known things about him, thing's she couldn't have known, shouldn't have known... and he'd liked it. He'd wanted her to know about his childhood, he'd been awed and overwhelmed when he thought she could see his past, not violated and nervous as he thought he should be.

"It means nothing that I'm trying?"

Oh God when he made that face he almost looked like he was begging, like he really didn't know what to do. "It means everythin' that you're tryin'..." She said softly, resisting the urge to touch his face. "I'm here helpin' you aint I? Let's just get this done, everything else can wait."

"Only if I live..."

"Tell you what, if it looks like you're gonna die, I promise I'll kiss you." She was smiling as the said it but there was very real fear behind her eyes and Eric felt oddly gratified to see it there, but he still shook his head.

"If it looks like I am going to die, you will run. As hard and as fast as you can, do you understand?" He'd gotten up on his knee's on the couch, lent far over and taken a hold of her neck in his huge cold hand and was looking at her intently. "You go to Dallas, Isabel owes you, she'd protect you as best she could. Do you understand me, Sookie?"

"Yes..." she breathed, the air of it ghosting over his lips like a kiss.

"Make your coffee, I'll get online and get you those pictures." He let her go reluctantly, his eyes lingering on her neck after his hand fell away.

"Okay," she didn't have the heart to argue with him anymore. What if he really did die? What would happen then? Bill wouldn't protect her, she'd honestly expected him to turn up when the werewolves were chasing her, he must have felt it. Not so much as a phone call. He'd abandoned her and now the only person who wouldn't abandon her might die in two days if they couldn't concoct some elaborate scheme to save his life.

"Don't stop arguing with me Sookie," Eric smiled as he got off the couch and headed for the study, "I love it when you argue."

Sookie blushed.