True Blood doesn't belong to me. I'm simply a humble, massive fan of Eric and Sookie. I probably don't have characterisations right, but this takes place after the final season that has aired.

The Better Man

Sookie sensed a movement in the doorway. She turned her head and stood- in time enough.

He came slowly into the light.

He was leaning against the door frame by a shoulder, and she could distinguish those combat boots, jeans, and leather jacket clearly.

Eric Northman.

She raised her eyes to his face, holding in a breath.

"Eric," she whispered tonelessly. After what happened with Bill tonight, she wanted nothing more than to huddle up onto her couch, and leave her troubled mind for several hours in reading a few chapters of a romance novel. She thought she was tired of vampire nonsense. Now, more than ever. Bill had transformed into some peculiar creature right before her very eyes, she had recently discovered she had been promised to a certain supernatural creature named Warlow. She wanted to leave all that trouble behind, for even an hour; She felt drained, both physically and mentally. Eric, of all people surely, could have understood that; He was looking a little worse for wear himself. But fate had other plans for her this evening, it seemed.

At least it was only Eric. And if she couldn't trust and confide in Eric- then who could she trust? After all, he was right there along with her tonight. He had seen how... Bill had changed irreparably after consuming the blood of Lilith. Her knees felt they were near to giving in and weakly, she sat down onto the sofa, just in time, as they buckled. She gripped the arm of the chair and drew in a long breath. It had been a crazy, crazy night. She couldn't wrap her head around it; Around the crazed look in Bill's eyes. All the light was gone from them, and her Grandmother used to say... when somebody's eyes looked like that, so blank and lifeless, they were past all hope and salvation.

Eric stared at her with an emotionless expression. She held out her right hand to him, and relaxed when he came forward. He took her hand and sat beside her, leaning back against the sofa. He breathed out an uneven gust of breath of his own.

"He's dead, isn't he?" she whispered weakly. He stared at her for a long moment, squeezing her hand tight. "Figuratively speaking, of course," she added underneath her breath with a stiff, small smile. "The old Bill is... gone. The Bill I knew and... loved. He's gone." She peered down at their interlinked fingers in disbelief.

Who knew she would ever actively be seeking comfort from Eric Northman? She thought back to the days where she had first laid eyes on him, in his bar in Shreveport, Fangtasia. How... different he was back then. How full of darkness. She found herself gazing at him contemplatively out of the corner of her eye. How the times and years make things change. She was living underneath the misapprehension that there was no light in him, no goodness- just cold, hard, and bloody brutality. But then underneath the witches curse, she had seen a new side to him she never even believed existed- and he had displayed it all for her. He could be virtuous, and tender-hearted, when ever he let that side of him show. Bill usually was often the one she had turned to, when ever she was down in the dumps and seeking comfort, but now... the old Bill was gone, with nowhere to be found.

"Surely, there's at least some of the old side of him lurking in that body somewhere, right?" She mused glumly, mostly to herself. "He can't all be gone, surely. The old Bill... is still inside that body somewhere, isn't he?" It occurred to her that she was mostly talking to herself. But it helped to talk it out, even if Eric wasn't truly listening to her half-hearted ramblings. She had to find some sense of optimism in the issue otherwise she was at danger of going insane. "I suppose I'm an optimist, at heart. But it's only because I've got to be! I've got to be, don't I?"

Eric gave her an odd look. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but then seemed to decide against it. He glanced out towards the front door; Just as she comprehended that look, something hit the front door with a loud, echoing thump. She shrieked, unable to stop herself, her emotions haywire and jumpy from the tiring events of the evening. "Eric," she gasped nervously, sliding her hand out from underneath his hand, "There's someone outside the front door!" There was a whizzing noise, and a faint blurring outline passing through the doorway, and Sookie was left staring in bewilderment at the vacant place Eric had sat previously beside her. The quick and speedy movement of a vampire in action.

"Eric?" She hopped off the sofa, and ran out towards the door to find him huddled against it, using all his large-framed weight to hold the wood from caving into splinters. Somebody outside was pounding onto it with all their furious effort.

"Sookie?" A man yelled desperately at the top of his lungs, and she recognized that voice almost instantly. Bill. It was Bill. A cold sweat dampened her skin; He sounded terrified. "Sookie, let me in! Please, Sookie!"

Eric was holding the door back, preventing Bill from entering with all his might. He wasn't going to let Bill inside!

"Eric!" She shrieked, her voice quavering. "Step aside! He needs my help!"

He gave her a wide-eyed look of disbelief. "Sookie, are you insane?"

Just at that moment, the pounding on the door quieted dramatically. And then she saw that defensive shift in Eric's demeanour, he took firm hold of her hand, and brought her along with him, investigating the living room. Sookie felt quite shaken by the concentrated look on his face, as he dragged her along with him into the kitchen, stepping with a silent, cautious grace.

"What's happening, Eric? What's... what's wrong with him?" He sounded so frightened, so unsure of his surroundings. It broke her heart, the sound of his lost and desperate voice alone. But then her heart swelled with being, and relief swept through her; What she had hoped for, was in fact true. The old Bill still existed in there, somewhere, and he had come calling for her. He wasn't as gone as she'd feared.

When Eric pressed a finger to his lips, motioning for her to be silent, he peered into the confines of the laundry room that was attached to her kitchen. She caught him release a deep sigh of relief that she hadn't realized he had contained.

"No one," he muttered quietly, underneath his breath. "Most rooms are empty, which is... odd." His clasp tightened over hers, as his gaze swept the ceiling apprehensively. "Aside from the upper floors, of course," he added, with a swift jerk of his head. "Come, Sookie."

She hadn't the opportunity to demand answers, when he hauled her around to the staircase that led up to the upper floors of her house. Her lips pursed together. Really, she was a bit confused on that; Was it still her house, her Grandmother's house- or was it legally Eric's now? Hell if she knew, but she realized it wasn't quite the appropriate time to dwell on the matter. Eric's body was shifted towards her defensively, as they started climbing the stairs slowly. His glistening fangs were bared, as if he was even expecting the worst. Sookie inwardly prayed not; She could do well with a much-needed respite.

She tugged down on his hand meaningfully. He paused on the second top step to peer down at her confusedly.

"Don't do anything rash," she warned him lightly. "We still don't know for sure yet. I don't want you killing him. He's obviously... confused. But he's still in there, somewhere, that good part of him I came to love that existed within him." She smiled up at him, somewhat hopefully and sad. "I just know it."

Eric scoffed down at her disdainfully. "You are unbelievable, Sookie. I will never fathom that blind hope you cling onto for Bill, even when his condition clearly states otherwise."

"And I will never fathom that blind hope I cling onto for you, either," she shot back petulantly.

The pair of them caught a movement at the top of the stairs. Sookie's heart dropped. Bill was standing there, white as a corpse. He had still retained a soft redness to his flesh, and he was stark-naked. He noticed the way Eric and Sookie were holding hands, and she caught that stiff shift in his posture. He was furious, but she could hardly care. Forgetting herself, she cried happily, "Oh, Bill!" She tore her hand out of Eric's and rose to embrace him, without any ounce of thought. She flung her arms around his wet shoulders, and buried her face into his chest, holding him tightly for dear life. He did not return the hug, or move to caress her; His arms hung limply at his sides.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Sookie," Eric warned, his panicked, low voice trembling. But it was already by then far too late. She had gotten herself unwittingly stuck in a trap due to her endless love for the man before her.

"How dare you ascend to touch me," Bill's voice came over her shoulder. He sounded odd, very much unlike the Bill she knew in tone of voice. There was an aloofness that chilled her to the bone. She stepped back, recoiling in shock. She searched deeply into his eyes urgently; All he simply did, was look down at her with cold and expressionless eyes; Eyes as black as coal, and as dangerous as midnight. "A piece of abhorrence with little to no worth."

"Bill?" She choked out, feeling that familiar ache in her stomach yet again. She felt her face crumple in grief. But still, she tried, with all her might. "Bill, please!" she whispered, hopelessly. "This isn't you! I know it isn't, and I know the real you is in there somewhere!"

"You are mistaken," he said darkly, sounding so utterly convinced on that.

Her body felt rigid, when she felt Eric place a hand on her shoulder. "Sookie, move. Now."

"No, I will not!" She rose to Bill again determinedly, and she heard a piercing snarl come from behind her. Eric's hand tightened over her shoulder; He was trying to restrain her. "Bill?" Bravely, and quite foolishly- she knew- she placed her hands on either side of Bill's face firmly. She wanted somehow to get clear reasoning through him; Surely, he had to be in there somewhere. He shivered visibly underneath her touch, and his eyes widened and, if possible, grew darker. "Bill Compton, I know you're in there somewhere! Show yourself to me, please!"

"He does not reside here any longer," he said stiffly, pronouncing each word with firm vigour.

"He is!" Sookie insisted loudly, shaking him. She felt wet tears trickle down her face, when he regarded her and her dribbling tears indifferently. "Whoever you are, who's there on the surface... go the fuck away!" She knew it was futile, and fruitless. But she had to at least make the wilful attempt.

His eyes darkened, and turned ruddy around the dilated pupils, as he held her gaze impassively.

"I do not harbour an ounce of sentimental feeling for the likes of you," he went on, his voice as icy and slithery as a snake. "Your human-race is a disgrace!" She trembled in anger- and contemplated slapping him.

But that pathway of action was thrown out of the window, when so unexpectedly, his hands flew up in one speedy motion and grabbed onto her forearms, excruciatingly tight. She winced and let loose a moan of sheer anguish.

"Get your fucking hands off of her," Eric spat out furiously from where he was standing on the steps behind her, and before she knew it, she was being shoved back down the stairs by Bill with such mind-blowing strength. It caught her completely off-guard; Bill had been rough with her plenty of times, sure. But not as violently and as purposefully as this. She toppled down a few steps and lost her footing, only to collide into Eric roughly, who caught her just in the nick of time to prevent a further agonising, descent downwards.

She looked up at her Eric through her tears to find him staring up at Bill with such glowing hatred in his blue eyes, it very nearly scared her to death. Had she not known Eric all that well, she would have most definitely ran for the hills.

A clattering, throaty groan erupted from where Bill was- something she hadn't ever quite heard from him before- and when Eric swore underneath his breath and told her to run and create a safer distance for herself, she did. She trod down the stairs unevenly, and staggered back into the kitchen. High on adrenaline and fear, she wrenched a sharp knife free from in one of the drawers and held it at arm's length, ready and resolved on defending herself, if need be. A terrible sound erupted; A loud bustle of noise, and then came the shattering of glass. A window broken. She didn't know who was truimping who; The huge and physically imposing, thousand-year old viking who had become something closest of an ally to relie on to her, or her deranged and altered ex.

She stood pressed back against the kitchen counter, knife poised and ready. She gauged her surroundings shrewdly with her ears, but unnerving her more than all the ruckus, was that everything had turned disturbingly quiet in the perimeters of the house. Who was the casualty? she fretted anxiously. Bill, or Eric? Eric, or Bill? She prayed neither, even if one wasn't quite the pleasant man he used to be.

Slow and sedated footsteps inched closer towards the kitchen.

Bracing herself, Sookie lunged towards the wall closest to the entrance and held her breath. A large and looming shadow flitted across her eyes and, with a brutality she hadn't known existed within her, she drove forward with the knife, only to be greeted with a gruff and distressed yelp, as the knife penetrated into the person's chest. She felt sticky blood wet her fingertips, and she peered up into the source of the sound. She very nearly broke down and wept to the heavens above.

"Eric!" She squealed apologetically, her hands flailing uselessly in front of her face. The knife was wedged in deep, and, by the looks of it, she had put a pretty impressive force into it. Half of his shirt was ripped open from the pointed and most sharpest edge of the blade, and dark red blood started gushing out relentlessly from the source.

Of course, she knew one of them would be coming for her. For some reason, she hadn't betted it on being the viking, however.

She chastised herself over her savagery, then reached up to grip him tightly by the shoulder.

"This is gonna hurt, all right?" she breathed anxiously, curling her fingers over the handle of the knife.

"Sookie, it already fucking hurts," he grunted weakly through his teeth. He shut his eyes, and once he gave her the silent confirmation to go ahead, she did and mercilessly. She pulled her elbow back, and along with the rough jerk of movement, the knife flung out from his flesh. She let the knife fall from her clammy fingers loudly onto the floor, and forced him back into the wall. His eyes were tightly pinched shut, and she could tell he was gritting his teeth and trying to breathe calmly over the pain.

She felt unbearably queasy when more blood decided to stream out from the knife wound.

"Oh, Jesus," she gasped loudly, "I am so sorry, Eric! I truly am!"

He opened his eyes to look down at her; They were brightly lit with extreme pain, and she grimaced ruefully. He looked awfully pale in shock- at least, paler than he usually did, as a vampire.

"You want to suck me this time?" He managed breathlessly. "That knife was silver, Sookie. I'll probably catch poisoning, if you don't." And then his mouth slowly cracked into a ridiculous grin at her, his fangs still bared. "And we both remember the last time, with the bullets and how you-"

She threw all her effort into socking him one on the arm, which wasn't very forceful. She felt far too drained and devastated for that. She couldn't believe the gall he had to still make a joke, even after all this time.

"You asshole, I thought I had killed you," she whispered underneath her breath, but she smiled herself. She couldn't help but feel a certain fondness for his teasing, in such a dire circumstance as this.

"I am already dead, Sookie. As far as I am aware of, the dead can't die twice." He thought about that statement, then grimaced painfully as he looked down at all the blood covering his shirt. "Well, maybe they can. But you get my drift..."

"I'm real sorry," she apologized again. He nodded once, and held her gaze earnestly, telling her that the incident had already been forgotten in his eyes. Sookie, not quite."Oh, come on," she whispered numbly. "I'll get you all cleaned up."

"Does that extend to sucking?" He asked, playfully disappointed. She laughed bitterly.

"You wish, Eric! My hospitality won't ever extend that far again!"

"Pity. I quite enjoyed that. Put those lovely lips to efficient use."

Teasingly, she flipped him the finger, and busied herself in finding a bucket from underneath the kitchen sink, and a clean rag. She filled up the bucket up with luke-warm water, and dipped the rag in, squeezing it tightly to drain out the excess moisture, before turning around swiftly. Already, Eric had done his part in removing his shirt. She contemplated the knife wound, before pressing the wet rag gently into it. It didn't look far too deep, as far as she was concerned. It seemed to be healing up fairly quickly.

He hissed quietly, when she dabbed around the wound, wiping the streaks of blood off. Her mind instantly went back there, and wistfully, to that time she had washed his feet when he was under his little amnesia spell. He gave out a surprised chuckle at the warmth the rag presented as she pressed it gently into his skin, and she caught herself smiling.

Just like that sweeter Eric she had come to know before... he whispered giddily, giving her an odd sense of déjà vu, "That tickles, Sookie."

She tried to ignore the stirring warmth she felt for the large man standing in front of her, as she tended and nursed his wound. She didn't want to feel that particular way for him again, not ever. It was far too... confusing.

She gave out a deep sigh. She forced herself to utter it, even though it made her belly clench in anguish: "Bill?"

"Your window needs repairing," he said by way of explanation. It was a cryptic answer, one that made her eyebrows dip in confusion.

"Is he...?" She couldn't even bring herself to say it. She blinked back tears, refusing to look at him.

"Unfortunately not. Regrettably, this new Bill is far more... greater in strength. Even against an ancient vampire like myself." Eric sounded appalled even having to admit Sookie couldn't help it; She felt grateful. It was a twisted logic, but she still loved Bill Compton. She loved him with all her heart.

She hadn't realized her tears had made an unwanted comeback, until he said stiffly, "You are mourning for him." She thought he sounded angry. "Even after all that he has done to you- and me, and others."

"Yes." She couldn't see any point in hiding that. Satisfied with her effort in wiping away the blood resulting from her ruthless stab, she turned away from him quickly. She wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt, only to discover her entire body was trembling all over.

"He has comitted some unforgivable offenses to you, Sookie," Eric told her, in a surprisingly sympathetic way.

She gritted her teeth, and bobbed her head violently. "I know he has. I'm aware of that, believe me."

"He left you literally for dead by low-life scum, when you first met, in the attempt to make you consume his blood." She felt her hands clench at her sides. She couldn't understand why Eric was bothering with it all; He had told her that before. He was started to sound like a broken record. "And, out of sheer hunger... he raped you."

"I know that, Eric."

"And, just now, he attempted to-"

"-I know!" she cut through his words, her voice unintentionally shrill.

"Just as you know, I would never, ever," he said, with strong conviction. She thought he sounded almost proud. "All the wrong things he has committed, I would die over a thousands deaths, before I ever did the same to you."

"Oh, and aren't you the better man?" she mumbled bitterly. She couldn't endure looking at him, so she stared at her feet instead. "What gives you right to be so high and mighty? What about all the things you've done to me? You've lied, and cheated. Oh, and just so you know, I know about her, Eric."

"About who?" He asked sharply. His voice came right behind her, and she could tell she had angered him.

"Nora," she whispered emotionlessly. "Now, I mightn't know much, but I..."

"Nora is nothing to me but a mere, precious sibling. We share not only blood, Sookie. But history."

Her eyebrows rose doubtfully, and she had to hold in a derisive laugh.

"We fuck occasionally, yes. More times than usual, since her return in my life. But that part of it is over now, it's finished. I will not stand here before you and lie, and say that she means nothing to me, because she does. We share blood, we have ties only you would possibly ever fully be able to comprehend, if you were born into my lifestyle." She stiffened, when she felt him reach out and stroke the back of her hand tentatively with his cold, large fingers. It took every ounce of control within her not to turn around and embrace him tightly. "I do not mean to come across as crass here, but... for every moment I was screwing her, every thought inside my head was of you, Sookie Stackhouse." He went on, with more strength, "And, had I known how it would have affected you, I wouldn't have been so eager to have her again."

These were big words coming from him; Eric Northman, talking so openly on feelings. Sookie nodded and appreciated the heartfelt sincerity in them for what it was worth, but it still did not change the fact.

"And I appreciate you telling me that, Eric," she said, softly. "I do. But it remains the same that you-"

"-And what about the vile wolf, Sookie?" She frowned deeply, and felt the embarrassment cloud her expression over that. Jesus, that was unbearable; Getting drunk and senseless, and inviting Alcide over. Then, having the mortifying situation getting thrown straight back into her face like acid, when she discovered Eric and... Bill... her old Bill having walked in on her kissing Alcide, and getting down into the gritty. She was drunk at the time, she felt alone and depressed. And besides, Alcide's body made her feel lusty, in her alcohol induced state. "I may have wronged against you, but you did exactly the same to me in return."

"Oh, please. That is completely different, and you know it!"

"How so?"

"I don't know." She rolled her eyes, uncomfortable by the subject. "It just... is!"

"Well, I don't see it that way. I beg to differ. But, as for now, I suppose that conversation can wait until a later date. You have my cell phone number. If anything troubles you at all, do not hesitate to call me first thing." She felt him touch the back of her hair gently. "Especially if he comes back again. I know for a fact he is out there... somewhere. Do not think twice on calling. Who knows what more he is capable of? Clearly, in this new way... a lot."

"Yes, all right," she murmured unhappily.

"Sookie." His voice was sharp and urgent, calling for her utmost obedience. He grabbed her by the hand, and whisked her around. She had no choice but to peer into his unsettled eyes. "Call me. Now that you have witnessed firsthand what he is capable of doing to you, please don't be stupid and put you life at risk again."

How odd. Getting lessons from Eric Northman on preserving her own life. She never thought that day would come, where he actually appeared as if it was something truly important to him- and meant it.

"I said, all right!" she snapped, yanking her hand away briskly. "Cool your jets!"

His eyes were intent on hers, waiting for the moment she stated her compliance with a little more sincerity. She suddenly felt like a school girl getting a firm lecture from her teacher. And this teacher was shirtless, with a half-healed knife wound in tact. It was laughable, at best. Not to mention, it made her feel a bit lusty.

"Call me," he repeated firmly. And then, knocking the wind out of her, he hugged her, with more strength than necessary. Her lungs felt they were being dislodged into her throat. Oddly, she did not mind that. She gasped and splutted a bit, but she managed to return the hug enthusiastically. Never had she dreamed Eric would be hugging her, either. It had been a very long, very... bewildering night of horrors.

He stroked her hair, and she raised a hand to stroke his exhaustedly, returning the favour. And then he started kissing around the side of her face fervently, she tried to pull back, but then just decided what the heck. She kissed his earlobe awkwardly, about the only part of him her mouth could find over the strength of his hug. He made a little noise in surprise, and loosened his arms, enough that she could turn her head sideways and press her lips around the base of his neck. He mirrored her kisses, and started along the base of her neck in return. She sighed contentedly through her mouth. And then, he brought one of her hands up, planted a few reverent kisses into her knuckles, which wasn't entirely painless, due to the fact his fangs had extended.

"Sookie, I should leave," he said hoarsely, into her fingers. She gave out a breathless moan of protest, which was cut off, when his lips molded into hers urgently. She ached with both wanting him, and the loss of her Bill, and she murmured after a moment in agreement that him leaving was, in fact, definitely best. Reluctantly, he separated himself from her, and she sighed sadly. She focused her attention elsewhere, despite the singing in her body, and the need she felt for him to comfort her physically.

Once she knew for certain he was gone, she crouched down onto her knees, wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach, and wept, loudly and freely. "Oh, Bill!" she sobbed despairingly. While she had learned- sort of- that Eric could almost possibly be the better man, there was still a desperate hope inside her that her Bill would make his return.