Prolog

I stand on the roof looking out over Dallas. It has been my home for well over a century. The events of tonight however bring me to the decision that my time has come. Two Thousand years is more than enough time upon this Earth.

My Childe is not going to understand this. The bond we have is strong; I will even likely have to command him to allow me to end my suffering. He will go on and even prosper as he always has done.

The twilight has not yet even kissed the horizon. I know we have time yet. I wonder though if my Childe will take on the last task I have to ask of him.

I turn when I hear the crunching of a shoes sole upon the roof. Slowly I turn to confront my Childe. I can see that he senses something is wrong, and has been wrong since I was rescued. I turn back to the eastern sky watching it.

"My Childe," my voice gives nothing away as I regard him. "The years have given us much."

"It has." His voice is guarded he is almost instantly wary of why I called him up here.

"I had wished that none of you would find me with the Fellowship of the Sun. I was ready to die. I still wish to die this day." I watch as emotions play for fleeting moments across his face and eyes as I look back. He finally settles on angry.

"What are you saying Godric? That you will just let the sun burn you away?" There is shock in his voice along with a small bit of his anger and pain. I expected this.

"I will. The year's weigh on me tonight. I am hardly vampire anymore. Two thousand years is enough"

"I can't accept this. This is insanity!" He takes a hissing breath as he speaks.

"Our existence is insanity." I turn from the eastern sky I had turned back to. "We don't belong here."

"But we are here!" He yells at me taking a fraction of a movement closer to me.

"But it's not right. We're not right." I turn to fully face him again. I watch as he quickly shifts his approach.

"You told me there is no right and wrong. Only survival and Death." His voice sounds persuasive. He doesn't see yet.

"I told a lie as it turns out." I give him an apologetic look, with a sympatric smile.

"I will keep you alive by force if need be." His voice is hard edged as he moves. He would likely be intimidating to anyone else as he is.

"Even if you could, why would you be so cruel?" My voice has been soft and understanding as he works through this. But my mind is made up. My one regret is what I leave behind for him. But none would be more suited to taking on the task and assuring its completion.

I see the welling of blood tears in his eyes. His proud shoulders slump slightly.

"Godric, Don't do it." His voice breaks at the pain as he speaks in his native tongue. There is no way to avoid his pain it without giving in and existing in an existence which grieves me.

"There are centuries of faith and love between us." I easily shift into the language that we first spoke in a millennia ago. I watch as the reality sinks in.

His head slowly drops, the welled tears in his eyes begin to slowly slip out of his eyes. He takes a shaking breath before he pleads with me. Slowly he slips down to his knees at my feet his head hung low.

"Father, brother, son," His soft sobs increase as I speak, "Let me go."

He finds some form of resolve as he lifts his head some. "I won't let you die alone." I know he enjoys his life, and that he does says this out of his love for me.

"Yes you will." Again he breaks into tears, he very slightly rocks as he drops his head again in sobs. I place a gentle hand on his hair and let that hand trail down to his shoulder.

I give him a moment, the sound of footsteps near the stair well drew my attention to her only briefly. I can only spare her a moment's thought before I continue.

"I have a final request of you my Childe."

He looks up at him his eyes with trails of blood marring his beautiful face. He looks hopeful that I could have changed my mind.

"Anything Godric." His voice is still horse and pleading though he still does not look right at me.

"When you go to your room you will find a young woman there. As your maker I command you to look after her and what she carries to the best of your power. Perhaps in what she carries my dream of vampires and humans can be realized. You will do it?" I let my grip become slightly firmer and reassuring to him. I know his answer, I commanded him to do so. This way I know that even in my death my final try at getting vampires and human's together has a chance.

"Yes Godric, I shall look after her and what she carries until I meet my death." I can hear the conviction in his voice. Even if I had not commanded him I am certain he would have agreed.

"My blood is in you. I am with you always." He looks at me, "Now as your maker I command you." I give him a warm and reassuring look. I realize I am almost smiling that the end is almost here.

His blood understands the order even if I do not finish the words. He stills and slowly the pain on his face is erased for a moment. Shifting he gets to his feet and begrudgingly makes his way to the human girl Sookie.

When he nearly reaches her she reaches out for him. I turn towards the sun once more.

"I will stay with him, as long as it takes." Her accent is very remorseful and yet comforting as she makes a promise to Eric.

I hear her move closer. "It won't take long. Not at my age." She informs me that she thinks that my plan to die at the Fellowship's hands was not smart. She seems to understand that I had hoped that my sacrifice would bring humans and vampires some empathy towards one another.

I pause in my speaking and turn to her. "Do you believe in god?"

"Yes." She sounds so sure and firm in her belief that it almost surprises me. I decide to ask her the question on my mind.

"If your right, how do you think he will punish me," I long to know the answer.

"God doesn't punish God forgives." I can tell from her facial expressions she earnestly believes it.

"I don't deserve it. But I hope for it." I realize that I have a slight twinge of perhaps nerves but it is hard to know for sure.

"We all do." Her presence is comforting. I can see why they keep her around with them and protect her so fiercely.

"You will care for him. Eric." I look at her hopeful, "He will need your help, and he just doesn't know it."

"I don't know. You know how he is." She shakes her head slightly though there is a slight smile upon her lips, perhaps in fondness of my first Childe.

"I can take the blame for that too." I smile in fondness myself as I remember the years of my Childe's life, and how he is.

"Maybe not. Eric's just pretty much himself." She speaks with fondness now though she puts as much comfort into her words as possible.

I pause finally noticing the sun is rising. Turning towards it.

"Are you very afraid?" I can tell from her voice that she holds fear.

"No" I almost let out a laugh. "No, I am full of joy."

"But the pain." She pauses trying to gather herself and seeming to fail. "Well, I am afraid for you.

"A human with me at the end and human tears." I watch her trying to put on a brave face but her tears still fall. I find I am surprised that this human would shed tears for my existence ending when he has not known be but a day. "Two Thousand years and I can still be surprised." I pause to chuckle softly at the irony of this. "In this I see god."

The sun is rising now. I move towards the edge of the building shedding my shirt as I go. I feel the burning on my skin. Slowly I open my eyes and look at the glowing orb which I have not seen in two thousand years. My memories and TV has done it little justice. I hold out my hands as if I could nearly embrace the sun. I feel the flames starting to break out across my skin.

The last thought in my mind. Is that all my children are safe and live the best lives they are meant to have.

With that I am no more.