Takes place after Dead and Gone. Spoilers inside, you have been warned. I own nothing, this is Charlaine Harris' sandbox and I am simply playing in it.
It was cold when I clocked out from my shift at Merlotte's. I threw on my winter coat and practically ran to my car. This was less out of fear for my safety and more because I knew if I stayed another second I would be asked to stay late. I love my job, but I'd had enough of serving beer to drunks and trying to get in touch with any relative of Jane Bodehouse that was still living. The garble going on in my mind faded as I got further from the crowd. Ever since the "fairy war" as I came to call it, it wasn't the easiest thing to put up my mental wall. Something about being tortured by fairies must have damaged my gift. I scoff to even call it that. My telepathy has brought me nothing but trouble since the supes found out about it. I wrenched my door open with an awful racket and threw my battered purse onto the passenger seat. It hit and the contents toppled onto the floor.
"Dammit!" This evening was just not getting any better.
To make matters worse, my heat had up and died on me two weeks ago. Thank God the drive home wasn't lengthy. The whole car was falling apart. I couldn't even sell it in the shape it was in. A little over a year ago, on a cold night like tonight, I found Eric running along this road half naked with amnesia. It was short lived but those times spent with him were the best in my life. It killed me to admit that. Eric had recovered those memories but they remained a subject off limits. In fact, now that I think about it, almost everything is off limits in Eric conversations. I'm not sure if that's something I've decided subconsciously or if that's how he steers our interaction. Interesting. My car shuddered to a stop and gave one last thunderous roar before puttering out pathetically.
'I miss Gran,' I thought miserably.
I recovered the lost contents of my battered purse and headed sluggishly up the steps to my house. Amelia had moved out a few days ago. She couldn't take Tray's death any longer. She wouldn't admit it, but I knew seeing me was hard. It was partially my fault, after all. She was kind enough to leave the wards in place; anyone trying to get in would have one hell of a time. This left me feeling secure enough to enter my house at night alone, a feeling I hadn't had for some time. I stepped into my dark foyer and flipped the first switch on the left to illuminate the room.
"Hello, lover." Eric's smooth voice glided across the room and wrapped around my eardrums.
"OH!" I exclaimed. My purse vomited its contents for the second time that night as it hit the floor. I turned briskly on my heel at the sound of his voice. I couldn't decide whether to be pissed or confused. I had no idea how he'd gotten in with locks and wards. Especially the wards. He was lounging comfortably in Gran's old armchair. I always thought that armchair was quite spacious but his six foot five frame filled it almost completely. If I hadn't been going through so many emotions I may have laughed. He looked like a giant in a dollhouse. I surveyed him quickly; he was business casual in dark wash jeans and a long sleeve blue button down. I'd never seen him in blue before; it brought out his eyes. I shook all thoughts of his attractiveness out of my head and decided to go with bitchy. I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Lover? Lover, hmm?" I shifted my weight from one hip to the other to emphasize my discontent with his word choice.
Eric evaluated me quietly, something distant and unfamiliar in his eyes. Hurt? Maybe, but doubtful. Hurt he wouldn't be getting a taste of this tonight? Most likely. The silence evolved into an elephant and I decided waiting for an answer was no longer important.
"Look, Eric, I've just worked a twelve hour shift. I am tired, I am cranky, and I don't feel like dealing with this right now. If you're not going to say what you came here to say you can just get out." I huffed like a fifteen year old, but right now I didn't care. After a few more moments of silence I threw my hands into the air and my expression said everything I wanted it to.
I shuffled past my purse on the floor and past the imposing Viking in my living room to the stairs. Before I could reach the landing, Eric was there. I hadn't even felt him move past me.
"Sookie," his beautiful blue eyes bore into me, "please, sit down."
"Fine. Let me change. I'll be down in a minute." I conceded. I damned myself internally for being such a piece of fluff around him and I stalked up the stairs.
I grabbed the least evocative pair of pajamas I had, no sense leading him on about my intentions tonight. I hurriedly washed my face and smoothed my ponytail. I was walking back down the stairs less than ten minutes later.
Eric was waiting in the same armchair, having what can best be described as vampire downtime. He was completely still like a more perfect version of Adonis. I sat quietly on the couch opposite Eric and folded my tired legs under each other. No one spoke for a few moments and only the crackling of the fireplace could be heard. Finally, Eric broke the silence.
"It's hard for me to admit when I've done something… wrong." He began.
This caught me off guard. Of all the things that could have come out of his mouth, that seemed to be something I hadn't imagined or expected. My shock must have been apparent through our bond but he didn't let on. From him flowed nothing but regret. He moved from the armchair at vampire speed and before I could blink he was on his knees in front of me.
He brought his lips to my palm and kissed it tenderly, "Sookie. The night of the attack I had every intention of being there. I could tell you why I wasn't but I don't want to bother with excuses. All I can do is assure you it won't ever happen again. My delayed arrival was unfortunate but necessary. Sookie, do you believe me?" His eyes were pleading. It was hard to doubt his sincerity when it flowed openly into me.
"I believe you."
Relief passed through the bond like a tsunami. I didn't have any reason not to believe him. Eric had always been secretive with me but he had never lied to me as Bill had. He laid his cool cheek on my palm and a small smile tugged at the corner of his perfect lips. He thought he was in the clear. I may have believed him, but he was wrong. I lifted his chin so his eyes met mine.
"Just because I believe you doesn't mean I forgive you." It came out with an edge and chill I did not intend.
His face hardened and anger flowed into me. I couldn't be sure if it was his or mine.
"I was beaten, tortured, and violated to the nines and you think that just because you couldn't handle seeing me that way makes it okay that you weren't there?" My voice was rising but I didn't care. I'd been through enough. "I don't even know who I am anymore! Two years ago I was a telepathic barmaid living peacefully! Now I've been to the hospital more times than I can count. The ER nurses probably know me by name! I've been beaten and nearly raped and pushed around and forced into this bond with you!" I spat.
His eyes turned icy. "Oh. I am sorry to have been such an inconvenience. Had I realized you would have preferred Andre to bond you to him I wouldn't have bothered stepping in for your protection." He growled.
"Oh, don't act like you're so innocent! As if you only had my safety and best interest at heart! I'm not the only one who knows that Eric Northman's top priority is Eric Northman!" I was on my feet and yelling now. Eric had stood as well and wasn't backing down.
"You are insufferable!" He shouted in my face. In a swift movement he took off into the sky and crashed right through my roof leaving a gaping hole.
"YOU ASSHOLE!" I screeched after him. I knew he could hear me and I was glad. I stomped up to my room and slammed the door. Not like it mattered, there was no one to hear it. I climbed under my blankets and tried not to think about how cold it was going to get in here with that huge hole. I just hoped it didn't rain.
Reviews make me smile, if you don't like it, I can't fix it if I don't know.
