PART ONE

Chapter 1

Though it was mid June, the air was a little chilly. Something was in the air tonight and she couldn't put her finger on it. The fact that her living room was cluttered with things procured from the store for the little one was only part of that which she was dealing with. The fact that tonight, three days after having the baby, that they would attend a shower at a destination still unknown to them both. That Pam wouldn't even tell him was clearly bothering him and it amused Sookie seeing him pace in the living room, while trying to sort things out. Pam had been good enough to send some things to get them through the week but already the little one was growing like a weed and it would seem by the end of this week, little Gunnar would be walking. Still, she was touched that they were still to be celebrated and even with the bedroom for the baby was quickly put together, the mess in the living room, well, it was a box of organized chaos, she had to admit. Because some things brought over, like clothes and diapers, the baby had already grown out of. And though less then familiar with kids, Pam was smart enough to get several things in several sizes.

As he stacked some boxes for her and stopped pacing for the millionth time, he took note of her somewhat melancholy demeanor. "What is it? I thought you were looking forward to this….seeing your friends, family-"

"OUR friends and family. " she said as she reminded him with a serene smile on her face. But something was lacking in that smile, any real conviction. As if she were trying to go through the motions. "And I am….but the thing is, I worry about getting too happy, you know? Every time I think I am finally at a good spot in my life, that I can be happy…..the other shoe drops. And I am either hurt myself or I am goin to a wake." her thoughts went to all those she had seen die either trying to protect her or were merely involved in all her drama and were unfortunate casualties. "I hate to think of adding to the body count and now with Gunnar…..I feel like we will be a target if anyone finds out what he is…what we are. Because the two of us are more…special than we were before. And I am as sure as I am sitting here that Gunnar will have both traits too. All three of us….we are unique in that we carry faerie and vamp traits. I don't want to end up in a place like that camp Pam told me about. Where you were both trapped in for some time." she closed her eyes blinking back tears. "To think of us all ending up little more than guinea pigs…..maybe I was selfish wanting to have it all. A family, a baby- " she was starting to tear up, her keen hearing gleaning nothing from the nursery upstairs. That there was a baby radio nearby was merely a comfort thing,. She did find having increased hearing a blessing.

Sitting down beside her, he frowned, leaning back, stretching his legs and looking at the ceiling. "Do you regret recent happenings? Me coming to the hospital and Pam healing you? Do you regret going through what we both did so you could have something you thought impossible?" there was anger in his voice and she couldn't bring herself to look at him, hearing the anger, and the hurt in his voice. "Was I just a mistake…again to you? There is not going back now, we have both changed…literally and there is a innocent involved in this."

Anger was creeping into her being as well and it wasn't directed at him, merely the situation and she knew he was misinterpreting it. That he supposedly knew her so well, though she figured this was a different situation, one even he couldn't get when it came to her and her current state of mind. "I just don't want anything to happen to him, you…any of us." she replied, sounding tired and drained and she looked at him, his face steely and intense. "I don't regret anything since you came back into my life. I would do it all over again given the chance. I am just….scared."

He softened his tone as he felt a pang of guilt at lashing out at her as he had just done. "I understand….even before there were all kinds of forces after you, after me. And that, I fear will not change. But we are both stronger now. And with all those we know in our lives, we have a…army of supporters who would band together with us to defend what we care about. I know you've been through a lot these past few weeks and I was wrong to get angry with you…" he apologized and she leaned her head on his ample shoulder. He ran a hand through her hair and shook his head. "I never imagined I would wind up this….fortunate….I've accomplished a great deal in my existence and though it was rather a whirlwind with New Blood, I am not regretting leaving that behind. I made out pretty well."

"How well?" she couldn't help but ask.

He raised a brow. "Just under 28." he smirked. "Plus a percentage on all future sales of every case sold.

"28...million?" she asked but corrected herself, knowing how much of a boom the vamp friendly beverage had taken off. "God, that's…..insane money." though she always knew he was more than a little well off, the idea of him being a billionaire and yet still living fairly inconspicuous, it said a lot for him. The manor he and Pam shared was surely impressive and she knew it was inevitable that new living arrangements were soon to be talked about. She had been at that house when she had been brought from the hospital after Ryan had beaten her, causing not only severe psychological harm but that she had lost their baby…..she shuddered imperceptibly at the memory of a few weeks ago and sighed, bringing up something he hadn't been prepared to talk about just yet. "I want you to live here…..in some form. Not stuck in the cubby and even though you can now tolerate some sun exposure…..maybe an addition to the house? I don't think Gran would have minded…..I sure wish she could have known you….."

He seemed taken aback by her request and though he had deep down hoped this was to happen, he had to agree that he couldn't; be relegated to the cubby for insane amounts of time, even with his extended sun tolerance. He wanted to have a home they could come and go, somewhere he didn't have to hide away from her for hours on end. "Lets work on those logistics later, shall we? Not that I am not pleased that you are offering….but we should get put together a little more…Pam arranged transport to the party and we've got a little bundle to get ready as well."

She smiled and shot from the couch, seeing in better spirits, to both of their shared relief.

Chapter 2

She had a diaper bag loaded up and it was a designer one, of course, Pam had procured. And the clothes within were just as pricey and she had certainly not missed a beat with getting things that were sorely needed, wipes, diapers and the like. And as she dressed in a cute little sundress and flats, slinging the diaper bag over one arm, she took in the sight of him in the neutral sunny yellow room, that had no bay designs on it. She figured the way he was going to grow, there was no point in getting to nuts with the design, the décor of the room. The simpler the better. There was a stench in the air as she saw him holding the baby, a look on his face unlike any she had ever seen. "Do you want me to tackle that? She asked, setting the bag down and trying to hold in the laughter just itching to race from her.

He placed the baby on the changing table and as uncomfortable and as anxious as he so clearly was, he looked over his shoulder at her. "You've seen me tear a heart out of a human and drink from it. You've seen me do some other…unpleasant things. And you think I can't handle-" he turned to look back at the baby, only to be hit in the cheek with a oh so lovely yellow stream of wetness. That was it for Sookie as she doubled over laughing as he took a hand and wiped his face with a wipe that was handy. And try as he might to keep a cool and collected look on his face, even he failed and had to laugh, still in disbelief that the life he thought was not to be was happening here and now. "Perhaps….some assistance would be appreciated. Tell no one of this, Sookie." he said, gesturing for her to show him the reins and in five minutes she had set things to rights and the bay was all set to head out for his introduction. Already he was triple the size of a few days ago, a good twenty pounds. wouldn't be long before he was a toddler and running all over the place.

"I would never tell anyone, especially Pam of something like this." Sookie flashed a innocent look and he knew that it was inevitable she would be dishing this little incident to her friend. Sighing, she still noted a hint of a grin there and after he got cleaned up, she waited for him patiently in the living room. He had clothes in his cubby and so returned in a outfit that was almost exactly what she had seen him wear that first night she had met him.

"I thought it was casual but smart…to be honest suits really aren't my thing….." he said as she approached, having triple checked to ensure the baby was secure in the car seat.

"You do look smoking hot in a suit though…." she said. "Then again, you look good in the buff, so….." she felt her face redden as inappropriate thoughts flittered through her head and he looked at her, aghast. And when she realized that he could see into her thoughts….

"I got flashes of your thoughts before and I assume perhaps you have from me?" she nodded slowly. "Its getting stronger…..perhaps being able to read each others thoughts may be beneficial…..its weird…I feel like the bond we have has gotten stronger and perhaps its made our power stronger and what we endured….the effects have become more….and more pronounced."

She felt in her gut that his theory was probably right. "To be honest, I have found myself having to dip into the cans in the fridge. And I liked it." she didn't want to use the word, the name of the can but he knew all too well and without warning, she started to shake and lunged at him, fangs out and he didn't fight her off too much but let her nip. Not that he didn't enjoy it, but he knew that fighting it wouldn't do her any good. She had only taken a couple sips and when she realized what she had done, she placed her hands over her mouth.

"The ties that bind….the bloody ties, I suppose…." she said. "But I feel better…..the canned stuff, it worked to a point but I just…couldn't fight it anymore and didn't want you worrying but all day, to tell you the truth, that's how I felt. Like I wanted to kill something, or fight. And I never felt like that before all of this." she watched as her bite mark on his neck healed and he cleaned it off as if nothing had happened.

"Life together is certainly not going to be boring, I suppose. But…..are you certainly you are feeling…centered? If you think you may let loose again-"

"I feel perfectly fine, reinvigorated even, though I hate the idea that clearly I am going to have to have a drink of that more often to keep me…" she closed her eyes and opened them again, glancing at Gunnar, sleeping soundly in the seat. "I think its worth it."

The sound of a car was heard approaching and it was before she was able to open the door, he grabbed her gently. "There was one thing I wanted to show you before we left and I was going to hold off and wait but…I am not the most patient and I have been patient for some time now." he pulled something out of a pocket and took her hands into his and when she pulled away, she saw what lay within her palms. She didn't think she could be more stunned and she had just experienced her first burst of bloodlust.

TO BE CONTINUED