Title: I never thought…

This is my very first story. Please be kind. It's all fluff. Any mistakes are my own. Thank you to SharaMoon and Jaxg for encouraging me to write. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Thank you CH for these wonderful characters.

I never thought much about my future or how my life would turn out. I never thought it would turn out the way it did. No, I definitely did not.

My name is Sookie Stackhouse. My brother Jason and I were raised by my Gran. Our parents died in car crash with a bus when we were just kids. I was 7 and Jason was 12. We were lucky though. Gran (my father's mom) took us in and raised us while working part time for the local school in town in upstate New York. I grew up with the nice manners Gran in grained in my brain while Jason never missed an opportunity to rebel or act out. If Gran's hair could grow anymore gray than all those hairs belonged to Jason.

Jason decided to drop out of high school at 17 and moved to New York City with a couple of friends. He wanted to be on his own and live the big city life. Sometimes I didn't think we were related. Jason's absence was hard on me mainly because he remembered our parents more clearly than I did. I missed hearing the random bits of information about them. However, having one less mouth to feed did help Gran out tremendously and I.

I focused on school even more after Jason left. I earned good grades and was able to go to a local community college. In the fall of my senior year Jason appeared on the doorstep. He wasn't alone though. He had a girl with him. A pregnant girl. Her name was Trisha. She was petite with blonde hair like Jason and I. Gran of course welcomed them in and we tried to make Trisha comfortable. She looked like she was about to pop. Jason told us the story of their intense and rapid romance and their lack of money of money may have been mentioned a few times. The fact that they had nowhere else to go was the take away from their story. The next few weeks were filled with unease as everyone but Gran danced around the questions that remained unanswered. What will they do when the baby comes? Will they stay here? Will they get jobs? If they do then who will watch the baby? Will they move out? Will they move back to the city? Is there a timeline? Is there a plan. These were all the questions swirling in my head. I just kept thinking 'please let there be a plan'. It was nice to have my brother home. As each day went by I thought I would love to be an aunt but I had a strange feeling that it wasn't going to work out smoothly. I never thought of Jason as a father but maybe it's because we never really grew up with one.

Finally the big day came, well more like the night came. At 10 pm we were rushing to the hospital to meet the newest member of the Stackhouse family. Exactly 26 hrs later, weighing 7lbs and 3 oz, Natalie Elena Stackhouse was born. Gran and I cried like babies over the baby.. Jason and Trisha studied her quietly sharing concentrated looks that day in the hospital.

When baby Natalie and parents came home, Gran and I fussed and fawned over her. We helped with the feedings and diapering. I found it strange that Trisha was dead set against breast feeding.

Eleven days later we found out why. Gran and I had gone out to get groceries and other goodies for the family. What we found at home was heartbreak. Sheriff Dearborn was there with Roger Pickens, who I recognized as an attorney from the next town over. The two men sat us at the kitchen table and explained how Jason and Trisha contacted him two weeks ago to start paperwork for transferring guardianship of baby Natalie which also included specific requests for an adoption.

We were both confused. Why they would be adopting? Then we panicked thinking they were putting Natalie up for adoption. No. Jason and Trisha completed paperwork giving up all rights to baby Natalie with full permission and preference for me, 21 year old Sookie Stackhouse to adopt her. I was floored. Stunned. They want me to adopt Natalie? They don't want her? A letter left by the couple explained they never wanted to be parents nor did they intend to keep Natalie. They wanted their carefree lives back in the city. They hoped Gran and I would take in their baby and watching us dote on her only reassured them of their decision. The next few hours passed in a blur as I signed and 'read' document after document with it all resulting in me being a single mother of a beautiful baby girl

Gran pulled herself together and snapped me out of it by telling me 'It's not just you now, dear. You have to take care of your little girl now'. I immediately picked up Natalie from her cradle and held her. I whispered to Natalie in almost a continuous chant, 'I will love you always, I will never leave you. You are a blessing and a treasure'.

I never thought I would be a mother at the age of twenty-one.

So as they say life goes on. It was hard. I loved Natalie more each day. She was my baby and with her blonde hair and blue eyes she truly looked like my child. It was just a little wisp of blonde but I always fashioned it with a tiny bow.

When Natalie who had affectionately became known to her mom and Gran as Natty was 10 months old Gran collapsed in the garden. She was rushed to the hospital where she fell into a coma after suffering a stroke. She woke briefly 5 days later and Natalie and I were able to see her one last time before she was lost to us forever.

I tried to contact Jason and Trisha, however the lawyer told me they had left no forwarding address or number and wished to not be contacted. I vented my anger and frustration for my brother's selfishness to Mr. Forrey over the phone, but in the end Gran was still gone and Natty needed me.

So there I was a brand new college graduate with a degree in English and minor in business, a ten month old and a big farm house. I didn't have a lot of options for childcare. I had no one to watch my Natty while I worked and not many jobs for English majors were available in the area.

I didn't want to move away from the only place I'd lived with Natty. So I put in an application at the local high school hoping that when the time came and they needed an English teacher I would be their first choice.

In the mean time, to pay bills I started writing reviews for anything and everything I could get my hands on to read, taste or see. I would take Natty to restaurants and parks and took books from the library. I started submitting my articles to magazines, newspapers and websites all over the state and surrounding states. Thank goodness Gran decided the internet was a good idea before Natalie was born so I didn't have to spend a fortune on postage submitting everything.

At first it didn't seem like anyone liked my writing. Three weeks later a few responses started coming in. They liked her stuff. I was asked to submit more and more and six months later I had two newspapers buying my articles/reviews on a weekly basis, four websites buying up my pieces as fast as I could write them. One well known magazine based out of NYC gave me a monthly spot. This was great for my bank account and outlook. My writing allowed me to spend all my time with Natalie and keep Gran's home.

During those six months we acquired a new neighbor. This marked the first time in all the years the Stackhouse family has lived there that another house would be within site. Across the stream, Mr. Eric Northman build a large home that surprisingly seemed to blend with the surrounding trees and fields instead of overtaking them. I appreciated that the new neighbor chose a style that was both contemporary and classic, with character matching our old farm house.

I was busy with my writing and Natalie and only waved across the stream to welcome our neighbor. Of course I couldn't help but hear the gossip from others in town that my neighbor was 29, single and the new principal at the high school. Several times I heard my former classmates and other women plotting to meet and claim Mr. Northman for themselves. I chuckled to myself and silently wished him luck. This town may not be NYC but sometimes we had drama to rival the likes of Broadway.

Two weeks before Christmas a major storm front was headed towards us. Living in upstate New York all my life prepared me for being snowed in. I always had plenty of food and water for both Natty and myself. I had an almost absurd amount of firewood stored in a dry area just off the porch and plenty of candles, batteries and blankets to camp out if necessary. I made a last minute run to the store to over stock my emergency kit materials and gas up my car before I settled in with my sweet Natty for what looked like a long haul.

Three days into the storm 18 inches had fallen. The wind was roaring and the snow was slanted. I enjoyed myself as Natty was enchanted watching the snow fall outside. In the early afternoon on the 4th day of the storm, there was a knock at the door. When I opened the door there stood a 6'4" blonde man wearing a flimsy coat, sweatpants and boots. He was sopping wet from snow and looked flustered. Realizing it was my neighbor Mr. Northman I set Natty in her play pen and quickly ushered him into the laundry room ordering him to strip down and throw everything in the dryer while I grabbed some spare clothes Jason left behind and several blankets.

When he finally started to thaw out on the couch I was able to look him over. He was without a doubt the most gorgeous man I had ever seen and I felt the strangest tug on my heart when our eyes met. His eyes held so much I was overwhelmed. While Mr. Northman (who insisted I call him Eric) continued to warm up on the couch I sat on the loveseat with Natty cuddled into my lap, he told me about the faulty wiring in his house and lack of power. He explained he was on his way into town to try to stay at the bed and breakfast when his car got stuck just past my house. My house was the closest so he came here.

Of course I told him he was more than welcomed to stay. He offered to split wood or do something in return for my hospitality but I told him I was just excited to talk to an adult. So as long as he provided good conversation we would be even. Eric held up his part of the deal and then some. We learned we shared a lot in common. Eric realized he had been reading my articles and reviews and had gone on a few day trips based on my park suggestions. We loved to read and explore the outdoors.

While Eric and I talked and chatted, Natalie crawled and played in between us. I couldn't help but notice how Natty gravitated towards Eric and he happily entertained and indulged my daughter when she attempted to crawl up him. He picked her up flying her over his head and tickling her sending her into a fit of giggles. I couldn't help the huge smile that came to my face each time Eric made Natty smile or laugh.

We had so much fun playing with Natty together, talking and nibbling on food, I didn't realize we had skipped her nap until she had fallen asleep in Eric's lap. She looked completely content. I tried to pick her up to put her to bed but Eric declined and we walked upstairs to Natty's room. Once he set her down he rubbed her back and I noticed he looked happy and sad at the same time.

Back down stairs I asked if Eric was alright. Eric admitted that spending the past few hours with Natty reminded him how much he would like kids some day, he has been waiting for the one. I took his hand and led him to the couch. I held his hand and started telling him that life is strange and never turns out the way you expect it will. I told him how Jason and his girlfriend swooped in on me and Gran while I was still in school and left us Natalie. I never thought about when I would have kids but I knew I always wanted to be a mom. I couldn't imagine my life without Natty now that I had her. She was my daughter.

The whole time I told Eric how I became a mother I held his hand. He had been rubbing circles on mine with his thumb. He was keeping me calm and giving me strength. He really made me feel better. I hadn't realized how much of my life I had kept within. Gran knew what I went through and how Natty became mine but now she was gone. When I was done Eric pulled me into a hug and told me I was brave and strong. He told me I was truly destined to be Natty's mother and that I was her real mom. I started crying then. It was so nice to hear. I felt so comfortable with him in my home. It was nice to be taken care of.

I must have cried myself out because the next thing I knew I was waking up downstairs. I was very warm and found myself laying on the couch tucked into Eric's side. We had fallen asleep holding hands. I just kept staring at our hands intertwined. It was as if I had never seen hands before yet they looked so natural together. My hand was practically encased in his large one. I liked it.

What was I thinking? I have just met him but I feel like I have known him forever. I must have shifted because Eric started to wake up. He opened his eyes and focused on mine. Then a big smile spread across his face as he said "Hi". I couldn't help grinning back at him. Neither of us made a move to untangle ourselves or get up. I just kept his gaze and said thank you.

"Thank you for letting me just talk and unload without asking. I guess I just wanted to let you know that families can form from the strangest of circumstances".

Eric took a moment to tuck some of my hair behind my ear before saying, "No. Thank you Sookie, for sharing a part of you. Thank you for taking me in during this storm. Thank you for opening your home to me."

I blushed at his words. He made me feel great about myself. We finally decided to get up and start dinner while Natty was still asleep. We chatted some more and it felt a little different than before the nap. I felt closer and more comfortable with Eric. We had a few moments of brushing past each other and more smiling. I was feeling, well I don't know. I was having feelings about him. I have always been so busy with school, then Gran, and then Natty that I never dated. I liked these feelings though. I think I was starting to like Eric Northman.

When dinner was almost ready I woke Natty to feed her. She sat between us in her high chair. She loved the attention. Both Eric and I fed her and gave her attention. I had a moment where I thought that this is what life should be like. This is something I could get used to. Eric helped me put her back to bed and do the dishes. We decided to watch a movie and sat on the couch.

Eric sat first on the couch and opened his arms to me. I hesitated at first but then tucked myself into him. I heard him whisper to himself, "Better", but I couldn't be sure. I know I sighed feeling content. I was comfortable. I felt safe and warm. I realized this was a bad movie to watch on a stormy night. It was a scary movie. I don't even know why I kept any in the house. I'm not a huge fan of them. I did alright, any time there was a part I could not handle, and I buried my face in Eric's chest. He held me tight and told me it was alright, just a movie or that he would keep me safe.

When the movie ended we got up and walked upstairs. I showed him the guest bedroom and told him where there were extra toiletries and towels. After stalling and saying good night a few dozen times I made my way back to my room after I checked in on my sweet Natty. She was sound asleep and cozy. I lay down, thanking God, my parents, and Gran for Natty, a place to call home, a steady income and surprisingly the technician who did a piss poor job of wiring Eric Northman's house. Without him (or her), I would not have had this wonderful day.

Oh my god there is a zombie and he's chasing me. What is going on? How did I get to the cemetery? The zombie looked at me lifting his knife…ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

"Sookie! Sookie!" I opened my eyes to find a concerned Eric leaning over me. I immediately lunged at him and wrapped my arms around his neck. I may have squeezed too tight as I heard him breathlessly say my name again. I leaned back panting.

"Sookie, it's ok. I'm here. It was a bad dream. I won't let anything happen to you." He was rubbing my arms.

When I finally calmed down I told him about the dream. He laughed and promised no more scary movies. I asked him to come with me to check on Natty. I just needed to see that she was ok. She of course, was fast asleep. When he walked me back to my room I sat on the bed. I looked up at him and it was as if he knew what I wanted and needed. He pulled the covers back and guided me in. Then he got in himself. He covered us and pulled me into his body. My whole body relaxed and melted. How did he know? How did he know I wanted him and needed this? He gently said my name and I looked up into his eyes. Then he said "Sookie, I know you feel this too. I don't want to scare you but this feels right. I really like you. I want to comfort you and keep you and Natty safe. I will go as slow as you want, but please let me hold you tonight? Please?"

Did I hear him correctly? Did he? Oh my, he did. "Yes Eric. It does feel right. Please hold me and don't let go." Then I pulled his face down to mine and lightly kissed his lips. How is it legal for someone to taste that good, I could not tell you? Wow! I felt a jolt all through my body and all we did was kiss. We both smiled into the kiss before pulling away and settling in to go to sleep.

I didn't have any more bad dreams. In fact, all my dreams were good. Ok maybe good was not the best word. Mind blowing was more like it. Of course they were of Eric. I woke up in his arms. We had not moved a muscle and it was still early in the morning. I could hear Natty giggling to herself through the baby monitor. I hated to do it but I pulled away from Eric and got out of bed.

I took care of my morning routine quickly and when I came back in the room he was gone. What the heck? Then I heard his voice from the baby monitor. It was too cute. I walked into Natty's room and watched Eric as he held and bounced Natty while plotting with her on how best to "get" me. I'm not sure what he meant by that. When he saw me he brought her over and she reached out to me. I hugged her to me tight and told her good morning. Eric leaned over and kissed me on the head as he said good morning.

The next week progressed much the same as that first day and the storm continued. We played with Natty, ate, talked, watched movies and kissed. Boy did we kiss a lot. We had moved from little pecks and kisses to full blown make out sessions on the couch. Eric continued to sleep in my bed. I loved it. I couldn't remember what my bed or the house felt like without him in either. We talked about going on dates when the weather finally permitted. Eric wanted to take both Natty and I out which I really appreciated. It was only a week but I was falling for him. The more I learned about him the harder and faster I fell. I never wanted his power to come back. Unfortunately, after the storm passed the technicians called and said they could come out the next day. We were both a little sad. The technicians were able to fix the problem a few days later and Eric could go back home. We stood in the doorway for a long time hugging. I had to fight back tears. I am sure Natty who was on my hip didn't understand what was happening. She had grown attached to Eric in that time as much as I had. When he pulled away and gave us each a kiss on our nose and when he walked out Natty tried to reach for him. I swear I saw a tear in his eyes as he waved and promised to call later that night to say good night.

Reluctantly, we went on with our day without Eric. It was tough. I opened my mouth a few times to call out to him to ask him something or tell him something. Gosh, I thought I was crazy. He was just across the stream for crying out loud. I got a text saying he missed us. I told him we were just across the stream and welcomed any time. I didn't get a response.

Then bedtime rolled around and I started to put Natty down. I had hoped Eric would call to say goodnight to her. I knew it was so silly to think after less than two weeks I expected him to call to say good night to my daughter. But they had cute conversations when he helped me put her to bed. Ok it was more Eric saying silly things about nothing and Natty drooling and giggling. Come to think of it, I was also drooling and giggling watching him with her. Pathetic. I need to get a grip.

Before I finished telling her a story, I heard a knock at the door. I grabbed my phone just in case and checked the peep hole. What the hell? I swung open the door to find Eric with a large bag. "I couldn't sleep. I just kept thinking I should be helping get Natty tucked in and thinking of a movie or board game for us to play. The thought of getting in bed without you drove me crazy. You did say any time in your text message…so.."

I cut him off there. I jumped into his arms and sobbed. He carried me and his bag into the house and locked the door. When I stopped crying he put me down and kissed me. Then I realized Natty might still be awake. We walked up stairs hand in hand to her room. Her little face lit up when she saw Eric. He picked her up and kissed her face. He stood there humming and rocking her until she fell asleep.

When we got into bed afterwards I kissed Eric with all I had hoping it told him everything he needed to know. Then we both said 'I love you'. I told him I was completely and totally in love with him and Eric admitted he was in love with me and Natty. We gently and slowly undressed each other and made love for the first time.

It was perfect and it felt right.

Eric never spent another night in his home. Three months later he sold it and officially moved in with us. Every day was a blessing and each day I loved Eric more. Six months after he sold his house we wed in a small ceremony that included a couple of friends. We said our own vows to each other and then we each said one to Natty. Of course she didn't get it but she did love all the attention.

Exactly a year from the night of the storm we completed the paperwork for Eric to officially adopt Natty. My life was complete. I had my little family and we were happy. Then we were blessed one more time. I found out I was pregnant with a boy. Isak Northman was born early during the first snow storm of the winter. Most people would find that unfortunate, but for us it was a good sign. Snow storms were good for our family. It helped us become a family.

I never thought my life would turn out this way, but I am certainly blessed.

A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read this story. Please review. Any feedback can help me be a better writer. :)