Author's Note: Hey, y'all! I wrote this for my friend, who just finished reading the last Sookie Stackhouse book. Obviously, I don't own anything related to the Sookie Stackhouse series. Please leave a review and let me know what you think!

"Push, Sookie! You can do it, baby!"

Sookie Stackhouse gripped her husband's hand as she braced herself to push again. Sweat was pouring down her face, and she was exhausted, but she was ready for this baby to be born.

With a growl, she pushed one more time. She burst into tears when the doctor held up her baby girl.

Sam kissed her on the lips before going over to cut the umbilical cord. The doctors whisked her away to give her a bath. Sam returned to her side. He sat down gently on the hospital bed and wrapped an arm around her.

"You did such a good job, Sookie," he whispered, "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Sam," she sighed, closing her eyes.

She tried hard to relax and ignore Sam's thoughts, but his mind was in overdrive, and it was impossible not to listen in.

Ican'tbelievewehaveababygirl. She'ssobeautiful. OhmyGodlooksjustlikehermother. LoveSookiesomuch. I'msoblessed.

Sookie smiled and squeezed Sam's hand. He kissed her again.

The nurse came over then and handed over their baby girl.

"She's beautiful, Sookie. She got a name yet?" the nurse asked.

Sookie took her daughter and cradled her in her arms. She looked down at her sweet face and brushed her fingers over the wisps of blonde hair on her head.

"Adele. Her name is Adele."

Later that night, Sookie sat in the hospital room, surrounded by her children. Sam had gone down to the cafeteria to find them all something to eat.

Her oldest child, Neal, held baby Adele in his arms on the couch. Her middle child, Jennings, was roaming around the room, trying to find something to get into.

"Jennings, go sit down. You're makin' me nervous."

"Alright, momma," Jennings sighed, plopping down on the couch next to his siblings.

There was a knock at the door.

Sookie knew by the lack of brain waves that it was either Pam or Bill.

"Come in!"

Bill walked in silently; his footsteps made no sound on the linoleum. He was dressed head to toe in black. He looked good. He carried a box with him, wrapped in silver wrapping paper.

"Uncle Bill!" Jennings shouted. Bill had just enough time to set down the present at the end of Sookie's bed before Jennings attacked him.

"Hello, there, Jennings," Bill greeted him, picking up the six year old and spinning him around.

Sookie just shook her head as she watched the two of them. She never in a million years would have thought that Bill Compton, of all people, would be close to her kids. They just loved him. Sometimes they'd even go stay the night over at his house when he knew he wouldn't be having any guests.

They loved playing video games with him, especially the ones Bill had designed himself. He'd made a lot of money off that in the past few years. It was still hard for Sookie to wrap her brain around.

"Alright, Jennings, let me talk to your momma real quick."

Jennings scrambled out of Bill's arms and went back over to the couch.

"Hey, sweetheart," Bill greeted her, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek.

"Hey, yourself, Bill Compton. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. How are you?"

"Tired. Sore. Happy. Couldn't be better. Hey, Neal, bring me Adele, please."

Neal stood up and walked carefully over to Sookie. Sookie took the baby from him.

"Wow, Sookie, she's beautiful," Bill said. She could see his eyes shining in the light.

"May I?" he asked, holding out his arms.

"Of course. I'm going to open my present."

Bill handed her the package with one hand as he cradled baby Adele with the other.

Bill had come to visit her after each one of her children was born. He always brought a present, and it was always a vampire-themed present. His way of being a little funny, she guessed.

For Neal, he'd gotten him a book of vampire myths. For Jennings, he'd gotten him a DVD of some children's show with a vampire for the main character.

With Adele, it was no different. Inside the box, she found a baby outfit. It was all black. On the front, there was a picture of fangs with blood dripping from the tips. Written in white lettering underneath, it said, "Bite me."

Sookie laughed.

"Thank you, Bill. I love it. She'll love it."

He smiled, never taking his eyes off Adele.

"Yeah, I thought it was sassy. Figured it would be perfect for your baby girl."

She nodded. He was probably right, if she turned out to be anything like her mother.

They visited for a while longer. Right as Bill was saying his goodbyes, they heard a tap at the window. A figure floated in the darkness, golden hair gleaming, face pale. Sookie gasped.

Eric Northman. Her former lover and friend. The man that had run off with a vampire queen, leaving her behind.

She was still a little bitter about, even after all this time, even though she was much happier with Sam and her children than she had been in any of her previous relationships.

"Do you want me to get rid of him?" Bill asked, his face hard as stone.

"Um, no, it's fine. Will you take Neal and Jennings out, though? I'll keep Adele with me."

Bill's blue eyes bore into hers.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

She gave his hand a squeeze.

"I'm sure."

He nodded and grabbed Neal and Jennings, pulling them by their hands to get them to leave. Sookie laughed. It was like her children had been hypnotized, the way they stared at Eric floating in the darkness.

When they were out of the room, Sookie called out to Eric.

"Come in, Eric!"

He slid the window open from the outside and floated in.

Sookie's heart hammered in her chest, and she held Adele closer to her. Sam would kill her when he found out that Eric had come to visit without him around.

"Hello, Sookie," Eric said politely. He looked good. In fact, it made her a little mad how good he looked. She wanted him to look aged, rough. But he would always look the same way, no matter what happened to him.

"Hi, Eric. It's been a long time."

"Yes, it has. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"Fine. How is Sam?"

"He's great. How's Freya?" Freya was his vampire queen.

"She's fine. How is Bill? Pam?"

She suspected he already knew how they were, but she answered him anyway.

"They're both fine. Won't you pay them a visit too?"

He shook his head, and his eyes looked sad.

"No, I must return home soon. I just wanted to come by…" His words trailed off.

"Why?"

"Pam…she told me you were having another child…I just…I just wanted to see…"

How odd. She wished she could read his mind right now. Damn vampires and their dead brains.

"Why, Eric? Why after all this time?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I just decided that I didn't want to die and never meet your children."

She sensed there was more he wasn't telling her, but she just let it go. She wasn't in the mood to get into any deep discussions with him, even though she had a million questions.

He walked around to stand at her bedside.

"This is your daughter?"

"Yes. Her name is Adele."

"She's beautiful."

"Would you like to hold her?" She figured it wouldn't do any harm. She felt more at ease with it, knowing Bill was just outside the door.

Eric took the baby from her carefully. He looked spooked. Sookie wondered how long it'd been since he held a baby.

Jennings burst into the room, then, scaring both of them.

Eric turned to look at Jennings, and Jennings stopped to look at Eric.

"Momma, who's that?"

"This is Eric Northman."

"Hello, tiny human," Eric greeted with a smirk.

"I ain't tiny," Jennings shot back, voice strong and fierce, "Momma, why can't I hear what he's thinking?"

Sookie felt a cold shiver run down her spine as Eric's eyes blazed, looking from her to Jennings. The last thing she needed was for Eric to go tell all his vampire friends that her child could also read minds.

"Sookie, don't worry. I wouldn't tell a soul."

She relaxed a little bit. He sounded sincere, and it was the least he could do after the way he'd treated her.

"Jennings, Eric is a vampire like Aunt Pam and Uncle Bill."

"Oh, okay," he said with a shrug, "That why you can fly?"

"Yes," Eric replied.

"Momma, how come Uncle Bill and Aunt Pam can't fly?"

"Jennings, go on back out there with Uncle Bill and Neal."

He huffed but did as he was told.

Eric chuckled, "That one seems like a handful."

She rolled her eyes, "You have no idea."

They were silent for a little while. Finally, Eric returned Adele to her arms.

"Sookie, I'm sorry-"

"Don't," she cut him off, "There's nothing to be sorry for. You did what you had to do, and because of that, I'm the happiest I've ever been in my entire life with Sam and my three kids. I don't have any regrets."

She could tell her words pained him, but he just nodded.

"I'm glad you're happy. Thank you for letting me inside. I miss you."

Sookie's throat felt thick. She knew her eyes were shining.

"I miss you too."

He smiled.

"I brought something for Adele." He pulled a black jewelry box out of his pocket.

Sookie took the box from him and opened it. It was a beautiful necklace and earring set. The stones were opal, Adele's birth stone. She could tell just by looking that they must have been very expensive.

"Thank you, Eric…"

She looked up. Eric was already gone, the window wide open, letting in the cool October breeze.