Mic check, one two, one two. Is this thing on? Not sure if anyone is still out there and I don't blame you if you're not. Either way, here we go! CH/AB own all this stuff - is that still a thing?!

Eric's open palm caught the side of my face and my body flew to the ground. I instinctively pushed myself up onto my forearms and shook my head, spitting blood onto the dirt below me. My head was swimming and I was in a fair amount of pain but I was also pissed off and spoiling for a fight. I knew learning to attack other vampire's and defend my own self wasn't going to be a glamorous experience but I admit that I had harbored some strange fantasy that it might be kind of cute to spar with Eric.

It wasn't.

At all.

I threw myself back onto my feet, shaking my head to clear it and circling my sizable opponent in what I hoped was a menacing manor.

"Good, Sookie," Godric encouraged from his position to left of the circle in which Eric and I were sparring. I cut my eyes at him derisively. I understood on some level that this was all for my benefit, for the benefit of us all, but at the same time, having your erstwhile honey kick the literal living shit out of you was just a tad infuriating.

Sure, it all sounded fine when they suggested we hone in on my fighting skills. Yeah, of course I needed to get up to snuff. All well and good. That said, having been out here in the middle of God's nowhere for four hours of repeatedly getting my ass handed to me in various and increasingly painful ways, I was no longer what you might call 'on board' with this plan.

I cut my eyes back to Eric, fully experiencing his reluctance and pity through our blood bond. Reluctance I could appreciate. The pity, by contrast, pissed me off. I crouched low and circled to his left, feinting jabs as I moved. Eric tensed, emotions fleeting in rapid succession across the beautiful planes of his warrior's face. I spit another mouthful of blood onto the packed dirt between us and lunged for his exposed side, hoping to catch him unawares.

He spun to the side, his incredibly long leg shooting out and effectively kicking me to the dirt again before I had a chance to even register it. I screamed my frustration to the earth, pounding my fists against it in an uncharacteristic hissy fit. Instinct taking over, I slid my body to the side out of sheer pissed-off-ness and managed to pivot onto my knees and lunge forward, effectively knocking Eric back onto the ground. I slithered up his body before he had a chance to stop me and poised my ready fangs over the vulnerable skin of his neck, pushing his face to the side with my left hand.

"Yes!" Godric bellowed, before either of us could take action - me, ready to strike and tear his skin apart and Eric ready to rend my head from my neck with his bare hands. We paused, panting unnecessarily, and looked to Godric for confirmation. "Yes, Sookie! Excellent!"

I rolled off of Eric, lying in the dirt next to him and collecting myself.

"Not the cleanest victory but a victory nonetheless," Godric affirmed, extending one hand to me. I gripped his arm and launched myself to my feet, still angry but feeling a certain measure of accomplishment. Eric vaulted himself upright and looked at me appraisingly.

"Very good," he allowed. His gaze was proud and I admit I wallowed in it a little bit.

"Enough for tonight, I think," Godric declared. I nodded, not ready to admit that I was bushed but glad that it was over for tonight. Learning to fight wasn't nearly as glamorous as I had foolishly allowed myself to think. My whole body hurt and I was some kind of pissed off that my little bit of fairy strength had been burned out after the first round, though I was more than a little proud that I had managed to knock Eric for a loop at the beginning of our session. I shook my body out in an attempt to loosen my limbs. There was one last piece of business that needed taking care of before we turned in.

"Before we go back in, one of you needs to teach me how to curtsey," I insisted. Eric guffawed - an honest to goodness guffaw - and looked to his Maker. Godric's face split into a grin.

"I suppose that's a reasonable request," he agreed. I gave a curt nod, being quite through with all of my heretofore sad attempts to fit into this century. I looked questioningly at the two vampires before me. Eric shook his head ruefully and stepped forward, gracefully folding his long body and seamlessly executing the move I'd tried so pitifully to execute so many times. I watched as his left leg bent and his right leg curved fluidly in front of it, his ankle crossing as his hips dipped and his head bowed neatly before he erected himself back to his full, impressive height with a final nod at me with a quick grin. I mimicked his move as closely as I was able and received applause from both of my men. I beamed at them, all injuries forgotten in the light of my new victory.

"Beautiful," Eric confirmed, snatching my hand and pulling my body against his. I tensed, happy with my curtsey accomplishment but still irrationally pissed at him for so effectively kicking the ever-loving shit out of me. I suffered his kiss to my cheek and pulled away as soon as I was able, ducking my head and retreating to the lair.

Lair.

Still couldn't get over that.

I made my way into the bedchamber ahead of my consorts and burrowed beneath the blankets, ignoring the trepidation I felt clearly pulsating through both of my blood bonds. I understood that the training was necessary but my pride was a little slow on the uptake. I lay alone for a while before I felt the edge of the mattress sink beneath the weight of one of them. I turned my head, safely covered by the blankets, away from the intruder and heard a sigh.

"It hurts him more than it could ever hurt you," Godric said chidingly. "You understand that, I think."

I rolled my eyes, strictly for my own benefit as I knew he couldn't see me from my hidey hole in the covers, though I knew he was right.

I could feel Eric's hesitation and self loathing through our bond the entire time we were training but the fact of the matter was he'd hurt me.

A lot.

And on purpose.

And my southern - and, admittedly, human - sensibilities were struggling to accept that, even when I knew it was all for the best.

"Yes," I finally admitted. I allowed myself to absorb the emotions coming through both blood bonds and I was stricken to find that Eric was hating himself still as I lay here having a pity party for myself. I rolled to my side and poked my head out of the blankets. Godric was sitting tentatively on the edge of the mattress, looking quite upset. My face crumpled as I realized how I'd been behaving and he leaned forward, extending a hand to cradle my cheek.

"Eric?" I called, tentatively. I glanced to the doorway to see my Viking materialize there instantly, looking hesitant and remorseful. I patted the bed to my far side, inviting him in. He flitted to my side instantly, smoothly sliding into the covers beside me and molding his body against mine. I reached up a hand tentatively to Godric's arm and pulled him down next to me. He hesitated only a moment, taking the time to extinguish the candles on the bedside table before allowing himself to lie next to me.

"I'm sorry," I told them in a hushed voice. "I know this is for my own good - for our own good. But land sakes alive! It hurts my pride to get beaten so many times in a row," I swore.

Eric exhaled a laugh against the back of my neck and I felt Godric grin against the skin of my chest.

I think that's the moment when I fully realized that I was in bed, awake and with time to spare, with both of them. I had a brief moment of should-I-or-no before deciding that yes, I absolutely should.

I took an unnecessary breath and felt it hitch my throat as Eric's big hand slid under my skirts, up along the bare skin of my thigh. Godric tilted his face, his nose brushing against mine just before his lips met my lips in a silent kiss.

I pressed my mouth firmly to Godric's, arching my back and bringing my bottom against Eric's front as he pulled my hips backward against his own. I felt Godric's hand slide against the length of my side, smoothly passing over Eric's hand as it did the same. My head swam with a sudden overload of sensation and I turned my face toward Eric as Godric's lips traveled along my jaw and down onto my neck. Eric pressed his mouth against mine as Godric's knee pushed between my thighs. I moved my legs apart to accommodate him and heard the fabric of my dress rip as someone tore it away, while Eric's tongue slid smoothly between my lips. Godric turned my onto my back, pressing me onto Eric's chest, and slid himself into me while I was still kissing Eric. I groaned into the kiss, reveling in the sensation of joining with Godric while intimately connected to Eric.

I arched my body backward as Godric developed a rhythm, feeling Eric's hands slide against my stomach and up to grip my breasts, his gracious plenty pressing forcefully into the small of my back. I couldn't help the guttural noises escaping me and when Godric struck his fangs into the tender skin where my neck met my shoulder, I came forcefully and with abandon. Godric groaned, his grip tightening on my hip just before he climaxed with me. Moments later, Godric slid out of me, licking the wounds on my neck and kissing the skin there.

I barely had time to relax before Eric's big hand tilted my hips backward and gripped my left leg leg, pulling it over his own so that he could slide himself into me from behind. I twitched and vibrated against him, but he showed no mercy for my recent release. Godric's mouth found my breast as Eric pounded into me and I came again before I had time to fully appreciate the fact that I was finally consummating my relationship together with both of these men. My body arched spasmodically against Eric, pressing my nipple more fully into Godric's mouth. Simultaneously they both bit into my flesh - Godric into the tender skin of my breast and Eric into the muscle of my shoulder - and I managed to orgasm so violently that I swear I lost consciousness for a good little while.

When I regained my senses, Godric was curled into me, one hand resting against the side of my face, his fingers gently entwined in my hair. Eric was cradling me against his chest, his strong body molded against mine, allowing me to relax into him. Both of them were already asleep, far before they needed to be, and I sighed contentedly to myself. I had so much to learn - how to defend myself, how to attack, why I was here, how I could get home. If I should go home. Whether I wanted to go home, or even if I could make myself go home at this point. But it was easy to put all of that aside and drift off to a peaceful, satisfied sleep, comforted by the knowledge that I was surrounded by the pure and fierce love of two of the most formidable creatures that had ever roamed God's green Earth.

Hey, hi. Hello. Heh. I have nothing to say for myself other than I recently reread the series and realized what a loser I am for not finishing this story. I will now! Promise! Please don't hate me! I know this chapter really didn't do much other than point out that they're working on Sookie's self defense skills and finally give that three way lemon that was bound to happen but if anybody is still out there, let me know! I've always known how this one ends and I can only hope that a FIVE YEAR EFFING HIATUS didn't kill every last bit of interest in it. I love you. Don't hate me.