Never Again

Sookie sits between Eric and Bill, looking back and forth. She couldn't stand this. She loved them both. Sookie had to admit she loved them in different ways. She unrolls her sleeves getting off the couch.

"I can't stand this anymore." she says as she walks away. "It's like being ripped in half." Both Bill and Eric look at her with concern. "No matter what I do, somebody I love gets hurt." Bill and Eric share a look; Bill rises from the couch.

"Sookie, all I want is for you to be happy. If being with Eric is what you want, then you have my blessing." It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Bill had to accept the fact that Sookie is her own woman who will maker her own choices. Even if he was totally against the idea of her being with Eric. As soon as Eric heard that he smiled and slowly rose off the couch going to Sookie. As he stood in front of Sookie, he caresses her cheek, his forehead almost touching hers.

"See? It's okay, Sookie, Bill's fine with it. He had his chance...he blew his chance...h-he lied to you..."

"To protect me," she finishes for him. "And I lied to him to protect you and you've lied to both of us so many times, I can't count...what a mess." She says, walking around Eric to approach Bill. She grabs his hands, giving him a small smile.

"I forgive you." Bill smiles in return, feeling hope within him again. "I know you've loved every bit as much as I loved you. And we've both hurt each other just as deeply. I hope you can forgive me." She pleaded. Eric stiffened in fear. He couldn't believe after everything Bill has done, she'd still choose him. He feels like an idiot. He turned away, too heart broken to watch as she gives herself back to Bill.

Bill raised his hand to her cheek. "Sookie," he whispered. "Like I have a choice. You're the love of my life." he says.

"I know. And that just makes this harder." Eric looks back up again, surprise and hope rising in him again. "I'm sorry, Bill...but I can't be with you again. You may have lied to protect me, but you've also lied to protect yourself. If it weren't for Eric, you probably would have never told me about the queen." Bill's eyes widened in shock.

"B-But..."

"Tell the truth, Bill..." she said in a stern voice. "Would have told me about the queen if it hadn't been for Eric?" She asked, looking straight at Bill, waiting for an answer. Bill looked down, remaining silent. Sookie shook her head at him, his silence confirming what she had figured for a while now.

"See, Bill? That right there is why I can't be with you anymore. I can't be with a man who believes lying and keeping secrets is the only way to protect me, when truly, its not. It may not work in his favor, but Eric tells me everything I need to know, even if I may not like it." She paused, swallowing. "Forgiven, but forgotten, Bill. Never again." she whispered to him. She loves Bill and always will love him...but she's not in love with him anymore. That part of their relationship is over with. The most she can give him is friendship. She dropped Bill's hands giving him one last sad look and turned over to Eric.

She grabbed his hands, giving him a smile with tears in her eyes. He raised his hand to her face, using his thumb to wipe her tears away. He hated her tears. Sookie could see so much love in his eyes, she couldn't help but let go of some more tears, swallowing a sob. She knows without a doubt that she's in love with Eric. She'd been in love with him long before she had known the truth about Bill. She just wasn't ready to accept it. Experiencing Eric without his baggage and the politics of being a vampire, had made her see Eric in a different way.

She got to see a side of him that no one has seen before. She could argue and say that they are two different people...but its not. Amnesiac Eric and vampire Eric are one in the same person. But Eric had spent the better part of a thousand years hiding him; building a wall around his heart, until Sookie came along and opened that part of him back up. It was a long, tough road, but eventually she had gotten what she wanted deep down. She took a deep breath, ready to take that leap of faith.