Sookie found herself running through a forest that felt familiar, although she knew she'd never been there before. She was wearing only the small flimsy dress she always found herself in whenever she was amongst the fae. She was so confused by everything that had been going on around her; the only thing that made sense to her was running. So, she ran.

She ran until something instinctively told her to stop. When she did, she noticed an odd light fixture hanging in the air from the trees ahead of her. Things began to seem blurry, and she squinted her eyes, trying to bring the scene back into focus. She thought she heard someone saying her name, and she looked away from the light, trying to find the source of the voice. But, she was still alone. When she finally looked back at the light, she found that it had continued to blur. She heard her name again and, each time it was spoken, the light blurred more and more, until it finally began to morph and change into something else.

She blinked a couple of times, and her eyes were finally able to focus. But, she was no longer in the forest. She was laying on her back on some hard, uncomfortable surface. Above her, she saw Bill looking down at her, both concern and relief showing on his face.

"Sookie, finally, you're awake. I was beginning to worry."

'Just beginning?'she thought to herself as she allowed him to help her sit up. She looked around, and realized they were still in Fangtasia. "What's happening? How long have I been out? Where's Russell and Eric?" she asked in rapid succession.

"Thankfully, you've only been out for a few moments. I had to give you some of my blood to rouse you." It was only then that she registered the salty, metallic taste in her mouth. It did not, however, go unnoticed that he'd ignored her other questions.

"What about Russell and Eric?"

Bill stammered a little, obviously not wanting to further discuss the two men he loathed so much.

"Come and see for yourself," came Pam's voice from across the room. "They're both going to face their final death, no thanks to you."

"What are you talking about?" Sookie asked accusingly, making her way to where Pam stood, watching what looked like some kind of monitor. "Why would I want to do anything to help the two jerks who just tried to drain me?"

"You really aren't nearly as intelligent as Eric gives you credit for," Pam said when Sookie reached her. "Your blood only gives vampires immunity to the sun for a few precious moments. Eric knew this, but Russell did not. But, that small window of time was enough to get Russell out there. And now, Eric and Russell are both going to be burnt to nothing in the rays of the sun. Eric is going to end himself out there, simply because he refused to simply turn you over to Russell."

Sookie looked at the monitor, and could tell it was the security feed from outside the club. Eric and Russell were handcuffed to each other, and both were on their knees. Smoke was slowly rising from each of them, and although both their faces were blistering, Eric's was obviously the worse of the two."

Sookie took in a deep breath on a gasp as she tried to come to grips with what she was seeing. Her hand slowly reached out towards the image of Eric, as she softly said, "I don't understand."

Pam turned to her, anger obvious in her expression, save the single blood-red tear streaming down her cheek. "Eric knew that this would happen," she said as she gestured to the monitors. "He knew that he would be sacrificing himself in order to kill Russell. The only way around it would've been if he'd handed you over to Russell. But, for some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to do that."

Sookie returned her attention to the monitor, struggling with the information she'd just been given. 'He's sacrificing himself for me? But, why? Why would he do that?'

In her mind, she remembered the night Bill had disappeared. She'd gone to the club to accuse Eric of orchestrating the whole thing. She remembered the look on Eric's face when he spoke of wanting what belonged to Bill.

She remembered when Eric had sat on her porch, and told her that it would be in his best interest to NOT find Bill. But, since whoever took Bill would most likely come back for Sookie, he simply couldn't ignore the situation.

Then, she remembered her conversation with Bill in her car, when he'd asked her if she had feelings for Eric. She knew now that she truly did. She was just incapable of defining those feelings right now.

She heard Pam gasp, and looked once again at the monitors. Eric, still on his knees, was reaching out with his hand, as if someone was in front of him, offering their hand to him. She could see his mouth moving, but had no idea what he was saying.

"Can't you turn the volume up?" she asked Pam, whose gaze never left the screen.

"It's a security feed, there is no audio." She tilted her head, still watching for a moment, until another tear fell from her eyes. "He thinks he sees Godric. He thinks Godric has come to take him home."

Sookie's hand covered her mouth as she choked on a sob. Almost out of nowhere, she heard Godric's voice in her mind, repeating the request he'd made of her just before the sun rose over Dallas. "You'll care for him? Eric?"

She knew then that she couldn't allow this to happen. Before she had time to think twice about it, she grabbed one of the wooden benches next to the bar, and broke it over the top of a table, keeping a single broken leg in her hand. She ignored Bill's gasp, and ran to the small counter where various merchandise was sold. She quickly grabbed an oversized Fangtasia Beach Towel (whose irony she'd contemplate later), and shouted over her shoulder, "Pam, you'd better get some blood ready, cause we're gonna need it."

Bill tried to reach for her, but she simply swatted him away. Instead, she flung open the front door, and then gripped the piece of broken wood in both hands. In a move faster than she knew she was capable of, she ran to Russell, and thrust the wooden stake through his back, pushing it in until it came out of his chest, piercing his heart on its way. The moment Russell's body was nothing but disgusting goop on the concrete, she threw the towel over Eric, and began dragging him back into the club.

The moment she had his upper body through the door, Pam was there. Bending down, she lifted Eric over her shoulder, and ran until she reached his office, laying him down on the couch. She cringed slightly as some skin came off with the towel when she removed it from his body. She turned to see Sookie standing behind her, holding an open bottle of TruBlood, and looking very anxious.

"That won't do him any good right now. He needs human blood in order to regenerate his flesh. Once he has begun to heal, then he can drink that shit."

Without hesitation, Sookie set the bottle down on Eric's desk, and turned to offer her wrist to Eric.

"He's too weak to penetrate your skin with his own fangs," Pam said softly, sounding almost embarrassed for her makers weakened condition.

In a move none of them had seen coming, Sookie turned to Pam, held out her wrist and said, "Bite me, then."

Pam raised an eyebrow, smirked a little, and said, "Thought you'd never ask."

She held Sookie's arm steady in one of her hands as she sank her fangs into Sookie's wrist, just above her artery. Once blood began to flow, she removed her mouth from Sookie, and stepped back, giving Sookie better access to Eric. As she did so, she licked the small amount of blood that stayed on her lips and muttered, "Yum."

They heard a growl, and Pam turned to see Bill watching them from the doorway. She smiled and winked at him, before turning back to Sookie and Eric.

Sookie was kneeling next to the couch, her eyes intent on Eric's face. Her wrist dripped blood into his mouth, but Eric had yet to really latch on. With her free hand, she reached up and lightly stroked his hair, being careful to avoid skin that had blistered. "Come on, Eric, drink," she whispered to him. After another moment, she finally got the sensation of suction on the wound.

Slowly, Eric raised a hand to take a grip on Sookie's wrist, and after another moment, his eyes began to flutter open. He began to suck more strongly, as he and Sookie stared into each other's eyes. She watched as the burns on his skin began fade. She was confused when his face transformed somewhat into a smirk, until she felt his free arm slide up her thigh, his hand coming to rest on her ass.

She smiled even as she gently pulled her wrist from his grip and said, "I think it's safe to switch to synthetic, now."

Before he let her arm go, he gently licked the tiny punctures, allowing the chemicals in his saliva to close the wounds. Then, he took the bottle of TruBlood which Pam handed him. She put her hand over his as he took it, and he smiled and nodded at her as he sat up.

"Where is Russell?" he said before he tipped the bottle and quickly drained it.

"Dead," Pam said. "Finally dead."

Eric raised his eyebrow and asked, "How?"

"I staked him," Sookie said proudly.

"Well, Sookie, you surprise me. Maybe you're not the darling everyone thinks you are."

She couldn't help but feel a small flutter of lust deep in her belly when she remembered that, in a dream, he'd told her that everyone things she's a darling. She smiled, but didn't say anything in response.

Eric swung his legs over the edge of the couch, and stood. He looked at Bill for a moment before he said, "Compton, you can use one of the guest coffins in the basement for the day, but I expect you to leave my club at first dark."

"I'm not leaving here without Sookie," Bill said, trying his best to sound imposing.

"Bill, I think I've just proven that I can take care of myself. Besides, if Pam and Eric were gonna kill me, they would've done it already. It's not like they haven't had the opportunity. "

Pam snickered a little before leaving the office and leading Bill to the basement.

Sookie turned to follow them, but stopped when she felt Eric reach out and gently take her hand. "Thank you," he said once she'd turned to look at him.

"Not that you deserve it, but, you're welcome."

"If you don't think I deserve it, then why did you save me?"

She took a deep breath before speaking. "I saw how you were with Godric on that roof. I know that there are parts of you I've never seen. Who's to say that one of those parts isn't worth saving?" She turned to take a step away, but turned back to him again. "Godric wouldn't have wanted you to die like that. He would've wanted you to go on. I did it for him, not for you."

They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before Sookie finally turned and walked away. But, in that moment, they both knew, that her reasons ran much deeper than she willing to admit. Eric couldn't help but smile as he watched her leave, eager for what the future might bring.