The sound of humans faded into the background as Eric leaned back in his chair, consumed once again by the almost constant thought of Sookie Stackhouse. It had been a month since he had gotten his memory back, a month of endlessly wondering what the hell had happened to him from the time the witch Antonia cursed him until the time he had slammed back into awareness.

To him, no time had passed at all. One moment, he had been leaning over that worthless little human friend of Sookie's with his fangs out, the next he was standing inside a large room filled with fighting vampires and witches, a stake in one hand, the other holding a struggling Bill against the wall. Over 1,000 years of fighting instinct had immediately taken over, and he'd dropped Bill to the ground, spinning around to face the witch, whose stunned features flashed from elation to shock. She had reached up towards the sky, and he'd grabbed hold of her, sending the stake right into her heart.

Satisfying though it had been to destroy the woman, no one could seem to explain how the spell over him had been broken, and the most Pam could tell him was that he had been at Sookie's after he had lost his memory.

Sookie. Her mere name made his blood sing. The same blood that told him he had fed from her in those lost days. He could feel her sadness, a sense of depression that disturbed him more than he cared to admit. Her emotions were so strong that he often felt as though she were in the club with him, a steady pulse beating near his cold, silent heart.

She had been distant with him the few times they had met, and despite her denial that he had not hurt or injured her, something was…off. He had even sent Pam over with the deed to her house, hoping that would satisfy her. Pam had reported back that she had just coolly responded "thank you," and nodded her agreement that he could still use the cubby he'd built in the future, if needed.

Pushing up from the velvet chair, he strode towards his office, ignoring the crowd of humans that noticed his closed expression and moved out of the way.

Sookie put down her book, sighing deeply. It was no use. She didn't want to read about murder, or suspense, or romance. She wanted to forget a certain Viking, a vampire that no longer existed anywhere but her memory. She had known better, had even been warned by Gran not to give her heart to a love that could only be temporary.

She had known the moment she had held hands with Lafayette and felt the power zing through her that he was gone. That in his place stood the powerful Sheriff that hid any feelings behind an arrogant, sarcastic smirk. And while she couldn't deny that Eric had always held a huge source of attraction for her, even before the curse, it was the sweet, gentle side of him she had loved, the side that didn't care about the power, about anything but loving her.

She went in to start her shower, trying not to think of his large hands bracing against the shower walls, of him holding her up as he suckled on her breasts as the water streamed over them. Of the cries she'd made as he had pounded into her, his low growls exciting her even more.

With a soft cry, she leaned back against the wall, promising herself that these would be the last tears she shed over him.

She didn't fall asleep until almost 3 in the morning, in a bed with new sheets that didn't remind her of him every time she looked at the pattern. Inevitably, her thoughts turned towards her Eric…..

Eric sprawled in his desk chair, eyes half shut as he listened to some old Norwegian melodies. Lazily, he was mentally scrolling through the applicants for new bartender when suddenly a flash crossed his mind, a disturbingly peaceful feeling sliding over him…

He was standing in the woods, watching as Sookie approached him, the sunlight bathing them both in its warm light. "Eric? Is that really you?" She smiled luminously, thrilled to see him.

"Sookie." He stepped forward, a feeling of completeness finally filling him. "I've missed you." He reached out, gently stroking her soft skin, the curve of her cheek.

"Promise me you won't leave again." She slid her hands down his chest, leaning forward to place a kiss on him, and he closed his eyes, lost in the soft scent of sunshine and wheat.

"Never." He looked down at her, caressing her blond curls, than her back, smiling as she gave a little shiver. "I don't want to go anywhere unless you're with me."

She laughed softly, "I'm always with you now, Silly."

"So you are." He tipped her chin up, leaning down to give her a stingingly sweet kiss. "We will be One, forever."

She reached back, untying her sundress, and he smiled as it fell to the ground, her body bare beneath it, her nipples swollen and aching. He slid his hands around her, pulling her softly to the ground, their tongues entwining as she pulled at his black t-shirt, frantically unbuttoned his jeans.

Both now naked, she arched her back as he traced teasing fingers down her breasts to her downy blonde curls, enjoying her soft skin, her sweet cries as he leaned over and took one of her nipples into his mouth.

She clenched her fingers in his hair, holding his mouth to her as her legs moved restlessly, his teeth scraping her nipple before his cool tongue would gently soothe her aching breast, then moving over to provide her other nipple with the same sweet torment. He pushed her thighs apart with his own golden haired leg, his long fingers sliding into her wetness to tease her as she whimpered in pleasure.

"Eric," she murmured, and he looked up, a lock of hair falling over his forehead as she pulled his lips down to hers, biting his lower lip before she pushed him onto his back. He grinned, "Bossy, aren't you?"

"Mmhmm.." She kissed his neck, her hands sliding over his strong arms, then down his body as she peppered sweet kisses down his muscled chest, her tongue swirling over his nipples, moving down towards his hard manhood as he slid his hands into her long hair, growling softly in pleasure. She traced his "gracious plenty" with her tongue, relishing the way his body strained under her before she took him in her mouth, her head bobbing up and down.

His body arched, and he relished the pleasure of her mouth on him for several minutes before pulling her up, kissing her deeply as he once again took control, their mouths entwined as he settled between her legs, thrusting inside her with a deep groan as she cried his name, "Eric!"

His eyes flashed open, his blood racing as he vaguely heard the knocking on his office door. He had dreamed of Sookie before, but nothing had been this sharp, this clear, this real.

He ignored Pam's complaining outside the door, words echoing in his head, "We will be One, forever." He could hear it echo in his head, his voice, but not in the forest, not from a dream…

He shot up, the chair falling to the floor, forgotten, the phrase bringing the crashing realization of what had just happened, of why Sookie's feelings were so glaringly apparent to him. He knew that her blood coursed through him, and now he knew the same was happening to her. Somehow, someway, during those missing weeks, he and Sookie had Blood Bonded….