Pain. Fear. Anger. They were the three emotions whirling throughout my entire body as I tried with every ounce of my being to free myself from the grip of a tall heavy built FotS member who had grabbed me while his fellow members surrounded Eric. Too foolish to go up against the Viking Vamp Sheriff alone a group had ambushed us outside Fangtasia, one managing to throw a thick silver chain around my beloveds neck before the rest of the members threw a large silver net over him. The burning silver bringing him down roaring in agony just metres in front of me.

"Let him go!"

I screamed, tears falling down my face as I felt his pain like it were my own. Never to go down without a fight I could see Eric desperately trying to break free, but as I continued struggling myself I could see the smoke and smell his flesh being singed from the silver. In my own desperate attempt to get to him I threw my head back as hard as I could; a satisfying 'crunch' sounded as I connected with what I presume was my captures nose. The shock and pain made him stumble back and release his grip on me, not before we both landed on the ground together, but I was faster at getting up. Never in my life have I wished I had vamp speed as I did now because as fast as I was at escaping my capture, I wasn't quick enough to stop one of the FotS wielding a stake from bringing it down directly through the holes right into Eric's chest.

"No! Eriiiiic..."

"Sookie! Sookie wake up!"

The sound of my name being urgently yelled and the feeling of my body being shaken brought me back to reality and I gasped Eric's name as my eyes flew open.

"Eric. Where's Eric?"

Incoherently I sat up and frantically searched all around the room for him, except he was nowhere to be found. It was only when my eyes fell on a worried Sam did I realise why that was so.

"What happened?" I asked Sam trying to catch my breath and slow my thumping heart.

"You came in here awhile ago after asking if you could lay down for a minute because you had a headache. I was helping Arlene take orders out when I heard you screaming. Why were you screaming?"

He asked, his concern deepening as he continued searching my face for clues. I breathed in and out a few times, relieved that it had only been a dream. A horrible, frightening dream, but a dream nonetheless.

"I'm sorry Sam I didn't mean to scare you. It was just a really bad dream, I-I'm fine now." I replied shaking my head trying to clear my head of the horrific visions of Eric dying in front of me.

I must have sounded less convincing then I thought because Sam just gave me that 'I don't believe you look' to which I replied with my own 'I don't want to talk about it look'. Knowing me as he did he reluctantly let it go and didn't ask anything further. With his help I stood, albeit a bit shakey for a few seconds before I straightened my barmaids apron and went to walk back into the bar.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Ah, back out to finish my shift?"

"Sookie go home."

"Why? I really am fine Sam."

Okay that wasn't one hundred percent true, but I was well enough to finish my shift.

"No you're not otherwise you wouldn't have asked to lay down because you said your head felt like it was going to explode."

Truthfully I'd forgotten about my headache, but no sooner had he reminded me it came back with a vengeance.

"And secondly you just had what I presume was one hell of a nightmare because not only are you as white as a ghost, you're trembling."

He concern returned as he put his hands gently on my arms.

"I can't just leave y'all in the lurch Sam. Who's gonna finish my shift?"

"Arlene can do it," he grinned.

Oh great! I'll just chalk up another reason for her to hate me for. I couldn't lie and say he wasn't right though, and as much as I hated to just leave I was feeling as bad as I obviously looked.

"Okay," I smiled weakly "But I'll make it up to you I promise."

"I know you will Sookie,"

He smiled back and took my arm and lead me back to the bar. As we approached I could feel everyone staring at me. Nothing I wasn't used to, but still I through my 'shield' back up to block all their thoughts about me and my dramatic screaming episode. It was something I had been practising quite a bit at doing. I gathered my small handbag and with giving Sam a quick hug and again reiterating that I would make it up to him and reassuring him that I was fine to myself home, I walked through the bar and out to the car park to my car.

Now alone my mind went back to the dream and Eric. It wasn't the first dream or nightmare I had had about Eric recently. I'd been having them for nearly six weeks, which was exactly how long it had been since Eric and I had really seen or spoken to each other. Well we had a two second talk on the phone, but in my book that doesn't count as a conversation.

Getting in my car and after a couple times the engine spluttered to life, I pulled out of the carpark and started heading home. Why was I having these dreams? And why were they always so scary and horrific? I also, like many times before, wondered why Eric seemed to be avoiding me.

I knew we had a connection that surpassed even our blood bond, as confusing as that was, and I also knew he had regained his memories about his time with me when he had amnesia. So why then was he avoiding me? He had said we would talk, yet I was getting the feeling he didn't want that. I couldn't help feeling sad at that as I too remembered every second of Eric's time with me from the the moment I picked him up from the side of the road, right down to him offering to give up everything and come be with me. Those memories had been on loop for a long time and as much as they hurt I could never and honestly didn't want to try and be rid of them.

Living not far from Merlotte's it wasn't long before I was pulling up my driveway, which again made me think of Eric seeing as he had surprised me by getting it redone for me. Parking, I gathered my stuff and headed inside through the back door. I didn't even bother hanging anything up, I just dumped it on the kitchen table and went to lay down on the couch. Despite the thoughts swirling in my mind I was out like a light the second I curled up and put my head on a cushion.

Several hours later I woke up to my lounge room being pitch black. Getting up I fumbled along the wall until I found the light switch and turned it on. Squinting from the bright light I looked at the clock on my wall and saw it was only eight pm. Fangtasia would just be opening right now.

I chuckled to myself at how my mind lately had always gone to Eric through silly, inadvertent, word of the day, things such as time. In an attempt to distract myself I went into the kitchen with the intention of making a ham and mustard sandwich; like I said that was my intention until I clumsily stubbed my toe even though I hadn't even realised I'd taken my shoes off, on the edge of the kitchen cabinet.

"Ow!" I yelped.

Lifting my leg up onto the nearest chair I looked at my little toe and sure enough I had taken a piece of skin off of it and it was bleeding slightly. Grabbing a tissue I gingerly wrapped it around it and as I applied pressure it reminded me of cleaning the bits of dirt and road out of Eric's feel after I brought him back here after finding him running scared down the road near my house. A tear slid down my cheek, not from the pain of my toe, but from the memory of how scared and fragile Eric had looked that night.

"Oh c'mon snap out of it!"

I thought to myself as it was almost pathetic that even stubbing my toes was reminding me about him. Enough was enough! I couldn't keep going on like this so if he wasn't going to come to me, then I'd have to do it. Throwing the tissue in the bin, I retrieved and gingerly put my shoes back on, grabbed my keys out my bag and went back to my car and sped off to Fangtasia.

Feeling lucky Andy or anyone else weren't on patrol as I'm pretty sure I broke every speed limit we had, it didn't take long before I was pulling into the almost packed to the brim carpark of Fangtasia. After finding a a park close to the entrance in case I needed a quick getaway, I got out and immediately realised I was still in my black work shorts and white t-shirt.

"Inconspicuous Sookie, real inconspicuous," I chided myself because I looked like a lighthouse's spotlight in a sea of black.

Sighing as there was nothing I could do about it I walked to the entrance, paid my cover fee and trying to ignore the looks I was getting walked in. I'd barely taken two steps before Pam spotted me and weaved her way to me.

"Interesting choice in attire Sookie," She smirked looking me over head to toe.

"Thanks Pam," I replied trying to hide my embarrassment "You too."

Only difference was that she always did have interesting choices in clothes, the skin tight black leather skirt and matching corset she was wearing tonight no different.

"What brings you here tonight? If you're wanting Eric he is busy enthralling the vermin at the moment, however I am sure he would be more than happy to abandon them for you,"

"Yeah right, I'm sure he would," I snorted in reply to her and her sly smile.

Looking from her my eyes searched through the crowds until they settled on who I was looking for. Sitting as regally as ever on his throne was Eric and just as Pam had said at least five fangbangers were surrounding him, pathetically vying for his attention. I didn't have the right, but seeing them fawning over him in the barely there outfits pissed me off and all I felt like doing was going over there and laying into them. Before I could even physically move an inch Eric saw me and our eyes locked. My nerve for talking to him slipped away thanks to the intense way his baby blue's pierced into mine and a sense of sadness and longing washed over me like a tidal wave. I gulped and forced myself to look back at Pam who was grinning as she watched me and Eric.

"I-I. I have to go Pam,"

"Sookie, wait," Pam said easily keeping up with me as I turned, then started pushing past the people coming in in my hurried attempt to leave.

"I can't Pam. I just-I just need to go."

Not looking back I kept walking until I reached my car, my hands trembled as they tried to put the keys in the lock. Something I failed at doing as they slipped from my fingers onto the cement. Before I even had a chance to bend and pick them up Pam's slender fingers were placing them in my upturned palm

"Thank you."

Pam nodded then looked at me curiously as she spoke:

"What's wrong? Why are you leaving without talking to him?"

I don't know what it was about what she said, but it's all it took for me to start crying, much to the blonde bombshells dismay.

"Oh Sookie, you're leaking."

"I'm sorry Pam, I didn't mean to leak in front of you," I apologised, actually laughing somewhat at her words.

"It is fine, but why are you leaking?"

"Truthfully? I don't even know."

It was the truth for I really didn't know why I was crying. Sighing I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand.

"I will never understand you humans and your silly emotions," She said shaking her head with a bewildered look on her face.

Her look made me laugh again and once I was done I could see from the way she was staring intently at me she was trying to figure out for herself why I was crying in the first place.

"I guess I'm crying at how stupid I am for thinking I could come here and confront Eric without turning into a blubbering baby."

I sighed leaning my back against the drivers side door of my car and looking up at the starry night above us.

"You were going to have your 'talk' with him, weren't you?"

Not looking at her I just nodded meekly.

"Then why didn't you?"

That was the million dollar question wasn't it?

"I panicked." I said with a shrug.

"I don't understand?"

I took a few breathes in and out before lowering my head to look at her as I tried to explain.

"When I saw him surrounded by those fangbanger's I was so angry that all I wanted to do was storm over there and rip them away from him,"

The instant visuals that must have created in her mind at that prospect made her grin wickedly as I'm sure it would have highly amused her watching me do that.

"But when he looked at me all that anger disappeared and it felt like, just for a moment, that we were the only two in the room, so naturally I panicked and ran."

Running from things seemed to be something I was quite good at, which was kinda ironic seeing I always came last at school whenever we had running races. Pam seemed to think over what I said for a few moments before saying the last thing I ever expected to leave her perfectly painted lips:

"He loves you, you know."

Her expression serious yet gentle, but still I stared at her in disbelief and I was fairly sure my jaw hung open for a few seconds.

"What-what did you just say?"

"I said he," she pointed back towards the club "love you Sookie," she pointed at me.

I shook my head adamantly "No he doesn't Pam. If he did then why hasn't he told me or come and at least see me instead of ignoring me?"

"I do not know. Perhaps he is too scared to either."

Now that was hilarious. The almighty Viking and bass sheriff Eric Northman scared of anything, especially little old me. Pam's hands went to her hips and her head cocked to the side as if trying to recall what she said that was amusing to me.

"Sorry Pam, but the thought of Eric being scared of anything, especially me is funny when you think about it."

It was probably a little mean of me, but I couldn't help it. Thankfully Pam eventually saw the amusement in that and and laughed softly.

"True he and scared do not commonly occur in the same sentence."

Before either of us could say anything else I spotted said Viking and bad ass sheriff coming out of the club, his head turning back and forth like he was searching for someone as the crowd lining up tried clambering around him. I soon found out that that someone was me and as he saw us and began making his way over I looked at Pam in panic.

"I have to go. I can't do this now."

Understanding she nodded and moved back from me to allow me to successfully open my door this time. Yanking the door open I quickly slid in and was starting the engine when she knocked on my window. Rolling it down she leant in to me.

"Sookie I think we need to talk about him some more."

If anyone would know why Eric was so scared to talk to me it would be his child as she knew him better than anyone.

"Can you come over to my house after Fangtasia closes?"

Pam seemed taken a back a little by the invitation, but at the same time looked happy that I had asked her.

"I won't be until after midnight, maybe closer to one. Will you be awake?"

Normally I wouldn't, but this was important and something I needed to get sorted for my own peace of mind, so I nodded.

"Very well I will be there."

She nodded back moving her head so I could wind the window back up. It wasn't a moment too soon as I was about to reverse when I saw Eric standing next to Pam. I purposely avoided looking at his face because I knew if I didn't he'd look at me and I wouldn't be able to leave. I continued reversing and when I was safely away from the other cars I slammed my foot on the accelerator and sped off, but not before looking in my rear-view mirror and seeing Pam and Eric talking. Actually arguing would probably be better and she must have said something bad because Eric looked pissed off and he practically ploughed through the people lining up as he stormed back into the club.

My insides suddenly twisted in anger and I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. Woah! Why was I suddenly feeling so angry? Then it dawned on me.

The blood bond.

Even though I was still driving further and further from Fantasia and him I was somehow still feeling his anger. Damn him to hell!

"Oops, sorry God I really don't mean that literally."

I almost pleaded with God as I pulled over to the side of the road and sat for a few minutes to try and regain my composure. I laid my head on the steering wheel feeling tears starting to run down my cheeks. The almost eerie silence suddenly broken by a tapping sound and as I looked up I screamed as a face appeared in my side window.

"Pam! Are you trying to scare me to death?" I glared opening my door and getting out.

"My apologies, but you really should be more aware of your surroundings. You never know what is lurking in the shadows," She grinned in amusement.

"Very funny," I rolled my eyes "What are you doing here? I just left you, so Fangtasia hasn't closed yet."

"I was on my way to your house when I noticed you parked here. I thought something had happened to you."

"I'm fine except for nearly being scared to death by you," I smiled as a look of genuine concern was on her face.

"I don't get why you're suddenly here though. Did something happen to Eric?"

Even though I tried not to let it, panic crept into my voice as I asked that. Pam tried not to roll her at me at my first reaction being something had happened to him.

"Physically he is fine, unfortunately that cannot be said for one of our patrons."

I gasped out loud and had a fast sinking feeling in my gut as my mind went to the worse possible scenario.

"Relax Sookie, no one is dead. Just slightly maimed," she smiled "However before I or anyone else felt his wrath I immediately closed the club and came straight to you."

Clearly the argument they had had was far worse than I had first thought and because of that I couldn't help but feel guilty. Something Pam picked straight up on.

"It was inevitable Sookie. Now we really do need to talk about him and what we're going to do next. Something I presume you would prefer to talk about in your home rather then out here correct?"

She was completely correct and after nodding I slid back into my seat and reached across to unlock the passenger side door.

"Doors open Pam."

I said putting my seat belt back on and waiting for the opening and shut sound of the passenger door. Only it didn't happen and looking back outside Pam hadn't moved an inch and had a mortified look on her face.

"What, what's wrong?"

"You," she pointed at me "expect me," she pointed to herself 'to get in that," she finished pointing to my car shaking her head.

"Why not?" I asked confused and a little peeved at her rejection of my car.

Pam gave me a look that pretty much said she'd rather wear clothes from Wal-Mart for a year than lower herself and get in my car. Why did everyone hate my car? Okay I'll grant you it wasn't the flashiest and was in desperate need of new tyres and possibly a paint job, but it was still good and reliable.

Most of the time.

"Fine snob, how are you getting to my house then?" I poked my tongue cheekily out at her to which she just laughed and took to the sky.

Of course! How else would she get to my house?

"God I can be a dumbo sometimes," I muttered to myself under my breath.

"I'll race you Sookie."

Pam's laughter rang out through the otherwise quiet night and by the time I had re-started my engine she was gone. Despite everything I laughed at the idea of racing Pam home and continued to do so as I started driving knowing full well she would be on my front porch waiting for.

And what a surprise, she was!