Sookie was in the midst of brushing her wet hair when her gaze fell on the picture that was sitting on top of the vanity table. Taking a seat in front of the mirror, she set the hairbrush aside and picked up the picture frame. The photo was taken on Sookie's fourteenth birthday where Jason had been too busy flirting with the other girls to help carry the cake. Finally, Gran had yelled at him to come over that instant or she was going to tell these girls an embarrassing story about him. Grudgingly he had walked over, and had taken the picture of Gran, Sookie and Tara together several minutes later.

Staring at the picture, Sookie swallowed the lump in her throat.

Today was the anniversary of her Grandmother's death, and even though it had been two years since she passed (less for Sookie given that she had lost out more than a year of her own life), it still felt like it was just yesterday Gran was ripped away from her.

Now so was Tara and, once again, Sookie was the one responsible.

Sookie had tried several times to see her, but Tara had refused her each time. Today she had attempted again, hoping Tara would go to Gran's grave with her. Tara said she would pay tribute to Gran in her own way, but not with Sookie.

She and Tara had been involved in countless arguments over the years. Some were so bad she never thought they could get past them but they had always managed to come together. But not this time, maybe not ever, and the reality of that filled her with complete despair.

It was a while before Sookie realized she wasn't alone in her room. Eric was several feet behind her, standing by the door, staring at her reflection. Not bothering to turn around, she placed the picture back on the table before meeting his gaze in the mirror. "What are you doing here?"

"I am still the owner of this property," he reminded her arrogantly.

Irritation surged through her, but she fought the urge to argue with him. "I'm not in the mood, Eric."

"Make no mistake, neither am I. I have more important business to attend to."

"Then what do you want?"

"Leave Tara alone or you will ruin all progress I've made with her."

A sharp sting shot through her heart. If his words didn't hurt so much, she would laugh at the irony of Eric trying to protect Tara from her. "I didn't realise you guys were so close."

His eyebrow arched up, as he slid his hands inside his pocket. "Jealous?"

She was but she'd be damned if she admitted that to him. "Fine, I'll stay away from Tara for her sake."

Sookie watched in the mirror as he swaggered towards her, and when his eyes fell on the bed they had shared not too long ago, she spotted the very same vulnerable expression on his face that always set her heart racing. But just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished.

"You asked me to help her."

Eric had stropped mid-stride, no longer drawing closer. Distant once again.

"I know," she sighed. "Thank you."

Gazed locked, they observed each other intently. A part of her wondered if he had any idea how much it hurt to see him again, especially in this room where they had shared so many intimate moments, locked away from rest of the world.

He may have despised her for breaking his heart, but it was easier to deal with his hatred than to face what being with him entailed. Her grandmother was dead, Tara was now the very thing she hated, all the troubles Jason, Lafayette and Sam had encountered, not to mention all the times Bill had risked his life – all because of her.

She brought nothing but pain to the ones who loved her.

After Debbie killed Tara and Sookie had made the stupid decision to ask Bill to turn her, it became even more apparent she had made the right choice to distance herself from others. In the heat of the moment Sookie couldn't stop herself from being irrational and selfish. What if she repeated the same mistakes again? She couldn't trust herself not to.

Plus with the faerie blood running through her veins, Eric would always have to be on guard to protect her secret; which meant she was a constant risk of danger to him. He, along with Bill, had already agreed to true death once just to save her life; she didn't think she could stand it if he had to make the same decision again.

When it came down to it, there really was no choice. She had to stay away from him.

"It's late and I'm tired," she said, standing up.

"Is that my cue to leave?" he sneered.

"Do whatever you want."

"In that case maybe I should pay your very lonely best friend a visit. I'm sure she'll enjoy my company."

He was trying to provoke her into a jealous fit and, sadly, it was working. "If it means you getting out of here, I'm all for it," she gritted out before heading to bed. Despite his refusal to leave, she slid under the covers and turned to her side – and away from his intrusive gaze.

She closed her eyes and waited for him to go, but she could still feel him watching her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, breaking the uneasy silence in the room several minutes later.

"Nothing."

"I find that hard to believe."

"I don't really care."

He didn't respond to her, remaining unusually silent.

After what felt like an eternity, he turned off the light and shut the door behind him, leaving her alone.

Finally, she completely crumbled.

Sookie felt his touch before she even consciously realized Eric had returned to the room. Within seconds his arm snaked under and around her, pulling her against his chest. She should have asked him to leave, but she didn't, and he didn't press her to speak. Instead he simply held her in a tight embrace while she continued to vent out her frustrations in the form of tears.

It was a long while before she calmed down and he remained next to her throughout the whole time, silent but present.

At some point she fell asleep in his arms with his fingers gently stroking her hair and his soft, comforting murmurs lulling her into a peaceful slumber.

When she woke up next it was still dark outside, but Eric was no longer beside her. Sookie knew instinctively he had already left.

She was all alone.