SPOV:

Ginger was sweet, kind, and chatty, and any other time I'd have been more than willing to become friends with someone like her. But as it was, all I knew was she and Eric were sexing partners and that just annoyed me. And it annoyed me that it annoyed me, because it shouldn't have annoyed me! I had no tie to him, nor had I any hold over him, and yet seeing how close she was sitting and how attached to his thigh her fingers were... well, it stung.

I sipped my wine a little quicker than I should have, though I had to be careful. The last thing I wanted was a repeat performance of the other night—and my word vomit—while feeling like I needed to actually vomit.

No, not good.

Thankfully Jessica told us her needs were to be met just in the nick of time. I really wanted to have a nice evening with all of them—I mean, if we were going to be seeing her around more—I'd have liked to have gotten to know Ginger at least. Though, the look in Eric's eyes told me he had other plans.

Jessica looked scared and I felt so bad for the poor thing all over again. I wasn't sure if babies had nightmares, but I'd assumed she had. She looked so unsure as she clung to me and I clung back just as strongly.

As much as I complained in the beginning about Eric and his parenting commitment, I'd really been wrong about him. He'd stepped up in a way I never imagined, and she loved him just as much as he loved her—even if he'd never admit it. My twinge of jealously over her preferring him melted as soon as I saw them together; it was just too adorable not to appreciate.

Jessica wasn't too fond of Sam. I was convinced she was more related to Eric than she was to me sometimes! Poor Ginger though. Jess was a baby of few opinions, but she knew her people. When she slapped Ginger right across the face, I hoped she wouldn't make a habit of it; it looked slightly painful.

I figured it was time to give her and Eric some much needed privacy though, and I knew Sam was thankful to be away from them.

We put Jessica in her crib. Thankfully, she laid down with her new and warm bottle, chugging it happily. Before I knew it, her little eyes were closing.

"Normally she's a total nightmare for me at night."

"Aw, I'm sure once she gets into a routine of having you around at night she'll settle."

"It's been a month now, Sam. I just think she doesn't like me very much."

He smiled at me, rubbing my shoulder. "She will."

"She adores Eric." I said offhandedly.

"God, why?" he smirked.

I turned around and was met with a kiss.

"What was that for?" I asked when we broke apart.

"I like you Sookie, just in case I'm not making it … you know, embarrassingly obvious. I just figured I'd tell you."

I smiled.

"We should let her sleep." I took him by the hand before I grabbed her other monitor—the one that I'd taken from downstairs—and we went into my bedroom.

"I didn't plan on you being up here… at least not yet." I admitted.

"So, there was a plan for it to happen at some point? Does that mean you like me, too?" Sam asked, casually looking around my room that I'd thankfully had the forethought to tidy before dinner.

"Maybe…" I sat down on my bed and patted the space next to me for him to come sit down. He did; both of us leaning against the headboard to keep us sitting up properly.

"Comfy."

"Yeah, Hadley had a thing for big beds, and I guess married to Alcide she kind of needed to." I laughed. "So all the rooms are decked out in the most awesomely massive beds."

He nodded and we fell into a short silence.

"So… Ginger was a hoot."

"Yeah, Eric sure can pick 'em. She was sweet though. I wasn't expecting that."

"What were you expecting?"

"I don't know… I mean, it's none of my business who he sleeps with you know? Just like it's none of his business who I…"

Oh digging myself a hole, here we go.

"I mean, not that I am sleeping with anyone. I mean, I'm not … not."

"Sookie, relax. I didn't come over here tonight expecting you and I to end up in bed together."

I looked at where we were sitting and I burst out laughing.

"You have an awesome laugh, it's so genuine. You should laugh more, it suits you."

"Yeah? Well, lately I haven't had that many funny things to laugh at I'm afraid."

With that he dug his two fingers into my side causing me to jump. "Sam.. SAM!" I warned out loud, a little too loud. Then I whispered, "Don't you dare Mister."

He grinned, an evil grin. Oh shit.

"Mister? What is this 1945?" He tickled me again and I laughed my legs flailing up in the air. "Sam!"

I couldn't stop giggling. "Oh my god! Seriously, Sam!"

I thought I heard Eric's bedroom door closing quietly, and I cringed at the thought of he and Ginger in there. God, I hoped they wouldn't be loud.

Sam soon stopped the tickles once I told him that if I kneed him in the balls I wouldn't even be the tiniest bit sorry about it. Instead he kissed me. And this time, without all my distractions it was actually hot. So we kissed, and kept on kissing until both of us were a little breathless—and Sam more than a little aroused.

"Sam, not to be a total cockblocker of a date here, but… we need to stop." I said coming up for air as his lips found my neck.

"Sam…"

"Right, of course. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, it was nice…" I smiled kissing him on the lips again. "I'm just not ready to-"

"You don't have to explain, it's more than fine." He shifted so that we could get up.

"No, you stay here..." he whispered to me as I walked to the bedroom door. "Get some rest before Jessica is up with the sun." He smiled sweetly before he kissed me once again, this time a quick chaste kiss on the lips. "I had fun tonight, Sookie."

"Me too, all things considered… It wasn't a total disaster this time, right?"

"Not a total disaster." He agreed sweetly. "Does that mean I can call you?"

I nodded. " Of course."

He agreed to call me the next day and I agreed to pick up. It was all very cute and awkward but it was something that I realized I enjoyed. It had been so long since I'd been flirted with or teased in a cutesy way. Bill was never cutesy and he never flirted. Thinking back on it, I don't really know how he got me to agree to dating him. I think it was a loneliness thing with him. I just hoped I wasn't making the same mistake with Sam.

I mean, I knew this time I wasn't lonely—I had my hands full; I had my life full. And Sam was the type of guy all girls want one day, right? That sweet guy you know will be a caring husband and a doting father. The guy you see thirty years down the line with.

That's what I wanted, right?

Right?

EPOV:

I was up before sun rise the next morning, and I decided I needed a really long, intense run. I needed to get my head together, and I needed to start now. This screwing around with ideas, notions of what my life is meant to be or not to be; who I'm meant to be; who I'm meant to be with. It was all driving me a little nuts.

Running helped that. Sure I could just hop on a treadmill or something for an hour, but nothing beat the sound of your feet pounding the pavement and passing the world by with some good music replacing your mangled thoughts.

I stopped to tie my laces tighter on the lawn, noticing that the houses around the block were starting to come to life. The neighborhood was very much upper class, maybe some middle class, too. Not surprising really. Alcide had grown up dirt poor, and Hadley wasn't much better. They both wanted more for their kids, which meant a nice place to grow up, good schools, and if they chose, a good college. Alcide had told me this on one of our many drinking binges before he finally ran off to Vegas and married Hadley. He wanted a better life for his wife and his kids. He'd have lots of them if she allowed—he figured it was her call. She was the one carrying them, and I had to agree. These guys who insisted on four kids in four years? No way. It was a woman's call. Men had the easy job—they got laid.

I remembered how excited he was when they found out Had was pregnant. I, of course congratulated him, and scared myself into double bagging it when I had sex for the next three months after. There was no way I was having a kid. No way. I didn't want his life. I didn't want or need a wife, a steady schedule of what to do and when to do it, dinner and conversation every night, bedtime stories… I didn't want that at all.

But I got it. I got it all—and at his expense—and now that I had it all, I found I liked it. Weird, right? I liked having a 'home' that was warm and comfortable, and not just with a sofa, a flat screen and all my toys, but stupid shit like lamps that make the room glow warm and breakfast conversation. And as much as Sookie's chatter drove me nuts, I found I'd grown used to it.

And then there was Jessica. Four short weeks ago, the idea of looking after a one-year old would have made my teeth itch. I wasn't a baby person; I avoided them and that worked out just fine.

But then they handed her over and she clung to me with so much innocent trust. Right away she took to me. She looked at me and she took me for what I was—just this man who had to take care of her. She trusted me to do that, because who else did she have? Her parents that loved and adored her where suddenly gone, and she was stuck with Sookie and me. I loved that little girl, and in a very short period of time, I found that if she were suddenly not there any more, the gap in my life would be very much irreplaceable. I knew Sookie felt the same way, even if she was having her doubts about her mothering capabilities. She had it in her whether she believed it or not she and Jessica would click sooner or later. And if they didn't, she'd have me to help—always.

Always.

Now there was a scary notion. I'd tried my best not to think of the future. A year down the line—five; ten; twenty. The prospect scared me a little too much.

A one-year old I could handle. Could I deal with her when she was sixteen and crushing on boys (or girls), thinking of sex, slamming doors and hating me?

Maybe I could? I dealt with Pam didn't I? She was more than enough practice for a brat.

Would Sookie and I get along in all that time? Would she get married to someone else? To Sam? What would happen if she did? Or if I met someone and felt the weird need to marry them, what then? What happened to Jessica?

By the time I'd made my way back to our block, I'd created more questions for myself than I had answers. It was useless.

That's when I ran into Dawn, quite literally.

"Oh, Eric. I didn't know you ran." She said coming up beside me, spandex clinging to every part of her—bra and running leggings like a second skin atop her very tan, very toned skin.

"I do, sometimes."

"It's great isn't it? Clears your head and keeps the belly bulge gone."

I agreed.

"So, you settling in okay?"

"Yeah, it's been fine. The rest of my stuff should be shipped over today, so that'll help."

"Oh that's good. Moving is stressful, isn't it? We've moved so many times now, I've lost count."

"Oh, that must be hard."

"It is." She eyed me up and down and back up again. I'd taken off my t-shirt two miles back. The Louisiana heat, even at eight a.m., was just too much.

"Eric, would you like to come in for some iced tea? I just made it fresh."

As tempting as that was, and … she was very tempting, I declined. Why? Because I'm a pussy, that's why.

I berated myself all the way up the driveway, all the way to the back door where I kicked off my trainers. I'd hoped if I had to catch the lovers at breakfast, my run would have made me miss it. Thankfully, I was right when I walked in to find Sookie sitting at the island alone, sipping her coffee.

"Morning." I said grabbing a water from the fridge. I ignored her bed head. It was probably sex hair and I didn't want to think about that any more than I'd already done last night.

"Good morning. Good run?" She asked.

"Yeah, pretty good. Six miles before the heat started to get to me. I think my Nordic nature hates this weather so much more than I realize at times."

She smiled.

"I love it. I can't deal with the cold. I'd worship the sun if I could."

We fell silent.

"So... where's Ginger?"

"Sam not here?"

We both said at once.

"Uh, no Ginger's not here."

"That's harsh. The poor girl doesn't even get breakfast for her troubles?" She sassed with a smile.

"What about Sam?"

Then she looked at her coffee. God, she did fuck him.

Fuck.

"Um, no Sam's not here. He left last night."

Cold bastard, fucked her and left. That's like something I'd have done. In fact, it is something I'd done.

"Oh."

"Yeah, I mean, we talked and stuff…"

Stuff. So that's what she was calling it.

"But I thought it was for the best that he leave last night. I mean, before… things got out of hand." She blushed.

Out of hand? Did that mean sex? What did that mean…?

"Oh, so you and he didn't...? I mean…"

"No! I told you, I don't just sleep with random people, second date-cooking guys rule or no. I … I've never slept with anyone that I didn't have feelings for." She admitted, her blush deepening and spreading to her neck.

"Oh."

She shrugged it off, standing up.

"So, is Ginger here? I was going to make breakfast but I wasn't sure how many to cook for."

I decided if she could be honest, so could I.

"No, she's not. She left last night too… Before… you know."

Her eyes widened. "OH, so I slept all night with my iPod in for nothing." She mused out loud.

"Same." I agreed and we both laughed at the ridiculousness of the other.

"Sookie, I do think we need to talk though, about the whole dating thing. It's too awkward here. I know its our home now, but with you and the baby, it's all just too weird for me to be bringing chicks here knowing you're in the other room."

"Me too. God, I'm so glad you said it. I mean, I totally thought it would be fine, but it freaked me out."

I nodded. I really agreed.

"So, we're agreed then?" I asked. "The house is a skank sex free zone?"

She nodded. "If I see Sam it'll be on dates out or his place. Or we'll watch movies in the den or something, but no sexing in the house. I mean, it weirded me out too. What if Jessica overheard? It's way too confusing for a kid."

I nodded, even if it did sound like she was trying to convince herself. Who was I to argue if she wasn't going to be fucking Sam within earshot? I was okay with that.

"Jessica still asleep?" I asked.

"Yeah, her little escape downstairs last night must have knocked her out. She only stirred once after that. I'm so sorry she slapped Ginger."

This time I actually did laugh, just thinking about the look of sheer annoyance on Jessica's face. She wasn't putting up with these stranger bitches.

"Funny though."

She giggled. "Poor Ginger though. Was she really okay with it?"

"Eh, she was fine. She's resilient."

"I see that. She was sweet."

I nodded.

"Did you expect her to be a raging cow or something? I do have better taste you know! Anyway, I don't think I'll be seeing her again."

"Why not?

"Just because…" Was all I could muster, and she seemed to ignore it.

"Hey, do you want to go out for breakfast? I don't see anything in here that's appealing to me right now." She shut the fridge with a smile. "How about we go to The Crown? Our breakfasts are awesome, and I don't have to start work till ten."

"Sounds good, just let me go take a quick shower." I went to move past her and she moved in my direction. I moved again, and so did she.

"Sorry." We both said in goofy unison.

SPOV:

Thirty minutes later Eric was showered and ready. Jessica was changed, dressed and as cranky as I'd ever seen her. She seemed tired even though she'd slept longer than usual. I'd given her a tiny yogurt in the car just to tide her over until we got to the restaurant. But she was still cranky and you knew it was bad when even Eric and his magic touch couldn't bring her around.

"I hope she's not sick."

Eric felt her forehead. "Seems normal."

"Yeah, but maybe it's something else like a bug or something? God, please baby don't be sick."

"Hi, what can I get you?" A small skinny brown hair girl stopped at our table to take our order.

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"I'm Mindy and I'll be your waitress this morning."

Mindy, there was no Mindy.

"Mindy, I don't know you."

"No Ma'am. I started this morning."

"Ah. Mindy, I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

Her eyes widened.

"Oh, hi Ms. Stackhouse…"

"Hi. Sophie hired you I assume?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know who she fired?"

"Uh…" she chomped on her chewing gum.

"Mindy?"

"Her name was Amelia, I think?"

"Son of a bi-" I bit my tongue. I threw down my napkin. "I'll be right back. Eric pick something off the menu for me, that's if it's still the same goddamn menu!"

I walked into the office and there she was. "Sookie, you're early."

"I'm having breakfast with my fa-... I'm having breakfast here."

"Oh. Well, enjoy."

"Why did you fire Amelia?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Sophie? She was a damn hard worker! And she knows this place like the back of her hand. I don't get it!"

"Look, I know she's your friend or whatever but it just wasn't working out."

"Why?"

"I didn't like her attitude. She ignored my orders and was just a plain pain in my ass, Sookie."

"Great. So I'm down a seasoned waitress in favor of some high school student who smacks gum when taking orders." I sighed, the frustrations with my work where weighing on me daily. No wonder I was becoming such an unlikeable bitch. "Sophie, what the hell are you doing?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're changing everything, and no offense, but it's all going to shit. We're down more than a thousand dollars this month. Monday morning breakfast used to be booming, and now? There are three tables occupied; the rest are empty."

"So? This is my business. I'll run it how I see fit, and remember Sookie, I'm your boss. Not the other way around."

Bitch.

"Fine, fine. I'm going to have my breakfast then I'll be in to work."

She simply waved me off.

Eggs, bacon, pancakes and coffee. I could have kissed him right there.

"You're awesome." I smiled at him as he dug into his bacon, while Jessica munched happily on hers.

We all ate in silence for a few minutes before I heard him—Lafayette—sliding into the empty chair next me.

"Save me." He said in lieu of a hello.

"That bad?" He looked at me, as if to say 'fuck yes'.

"Oh honey, last night was a nightmare. Tara and Sophie came to blows; Amelia intervened and got herself fired—she left in tears; Sophie was fuming; and the restaurant emptied in record time. Honestly, see what happens when this bitch returns?

"Don't say bitch." I warned.

"Why not, bitch?"

"Stop saying bitch! We're trying to mind our language in front of the baby."

Eric just laughed.

"What?"

"You both realize you've both said bitch about a million times just now?"

We looked at Jessica; she was attacking the bacon.

"Hi, baby girl." Lafayette tickled her chin, and she smiled. First smile of the day. Thank you for small miracles. "Hi." He said again.

And that's when it happened. We weren't looking at her but we all heard it, the little sigh of a "hi" that came from Jessica.

Eric dropped his fork on his plate.

We all looked at each other as Lafayette whispered to me. "Has she done that before?"

"No..." I whispered back. Why? I had no idea. We were treating her like a wild animal that had walked into the room and we were scared we'd spook it.

"Hi." I said again, and she did it again. Picking up her piece of bacon.

"Hi."

"Oh my God, baby! You can speak!"

Eric was beaming, and Lafayette was laughing.

"Aw white suburbanites, how nice. Enjoy." He patted me on the back before he walked back to the kitchen.

"Jessica, hi!" Eric smiled at her and she just stuffed some pancake into her mouth. "Hi?" he asked again. I'm pretty sure we both looked like lunatics singing a chorus of "hi's" to an unimpressed baby with stupid grins on our faces. But that's exactly what we did.

Best breakfast ever.

A/N: Hey guys! Sooo, do we all still hate Sookie? *raises brow* Girl got a lot of slack last chapter, but it was to be expected (well, some of it…) But as one of my awesome readers put it best 'Sookie doesn't know she's in a story with Eric, and that's how it's MEANT to be'. So for now, she deals with how SHE thinks she's meant to deal. *shakes head at her*

Thank you all so much for the reviews and messages, yep even the bad ones that make me stop in my tracks, they all contribute to this story! Big thank you to Makesmyheadspin and vikinglover elle for their input and beta'ing awesomeness! MUAH.