Disclaimer: The Sookie Stackhouse Series is the creation of Charlaine Harris. Don't sue me Charlaine! I love your books.

Reconciliation

II.

Bill sent him a text message at 2:40 am.

You've got to see this. You can't believe what she can do. Maybe she's stronger than Niall. Never seen anything like it.

He collected Pam and they ran into Victor on the way to the room where the hearings were being held. The room was packed. It was hard to even to find standing room. He stood behind Pam, in the aisle so she could see better, but from wherever you stood, you could see the vampire pinned up against the wall, surrounded by a ring of flames in violet, the same violet flame that Niall had her put around the Pythoness's bracelet back after Memphis.

Victor asked someone what was going on and they said that the vampire had insulted her and the Pythoness when they started at 2 am and that she'd slammed him up there and told him to shut up or he'd drink from a straw for the next year. Eric looked at his watch. It was just after 3 am. She'd had him pinned to a wall for an hour, surrounded by flames? While she decided all the other business? Every time the guy started to fight again she slammed him harder into the wall. It looked like she did it effortlessly, not even pausing while speaking.

At 3:30 am she dropped him from the wall and threw him out back to the defendant's chair. He was covered with soot, singed, and still had no sense. The Were gave his case and it sounded like one of those that would end up with the vampire on the sharp end of a stake. Feeding on minors? Sexual assault? Finally just before 4 am she asked the attorney Nikolaidis about the vampire's sire and said what should be conveyed to the sire, then she passed her judgment. Following the brief statement, she merely pointed her hand and spoke something softly in what sounded like Word and the vampire was gone. She'd incinerated him. With the Word. Silence filled the room. All around him, people were stunned. Few knew or had seen any really powerful fae, and probably fewer still the Tuatha Dé Danann. They didn't know the power they held. This had all looked effortless for her.

She made it look easy. She kept him pinned to a wall surrounded by fire for an hour and a half while carrying on asking questions and looking actively engaged. As if she didn't even have to focus her thoughts on doing it. If this is what she could do while she was clearly focused on settling other business, then Bill is right. She's probably more powerful than Niall. I haven't seen anything like that since Declan, hundreds of years ago, when Declan forged that peace during the last of the fae wars. He could hold everyone in place while speaking to a few. She's not far off from that. That actually gives me pause. Declan is a time weaver. What exactly has Sookie been learning with this Eithne? Well, it's irrelevant for right now. Stay focused.

She rose gracefully and everyone stood. She left the room. He followed after her, and Bill caught up with him. But guards wouldn't let anyone in the elevator with her. She nodded to them. Victor and Pam caught up with them. Victor wanted to go see her and thought she'd see him because of they're being cousins. They rode the elevator to the 15th floor.

He's such an ass. I just can't believe he's her cousin. Such bad luck. She was really robbed on the family situation, other than Claudine, who's okay. Between Jason, Victor, Claude and Niall, it's unbelievable… What is he saying? I can't believe he's so proud of himself. He's so lucky Felipe liked him and hasn't taken it into his own hands and wrapped him in silver for a few centuries. Can't wait to see what comes of the judicial case. I know he'll find some slippery way around it yet again. How the hell does he do it time after time? Luck of the Irish… if I hear that from him one more time I'll smack him and I don't care if he's styling himself as King of Mississippi. I'll tell him I'm hitting my wife's cousin, which is no less than he deserves. Oh yes, by all means, you go first. She's only my bonded partner and wife, Victor. Cut in front. Sure. Idiot.

Victor then proceeded to make a total fool of himself outside her door. He looked genuinely disappointed that she wouldn't let him in. She told them all to go away and said she was resting. She clearly knew the four of them were there, which meant she'd know if he was still there after the others had left. He waved Bill and Pam off and then waited, leaning against the wall across from the door to her room. Luckily, room service was delivered. After the server left the room, she stood in the doorway in her pajamas and just looked at him. With a slight frown, she walked away from the open door.

He sat on the couch and let her eat.

If that sandwich and water are all she's having, it's no wonder she's so thin. That has to be fixed as soon as possible. She doesn't eat when she's unhappy or worried. But that's what she ordered so it's not because I'm here now. She's just in general unhappy. I can see it. She needs to laugh. To go dancing. Whatever they're doing with her- all of them- it's not all she needs.

She rose and put everything back on the tray, then sat back down on the edge of the bed, looking at him somewhat apprehensively.

Now I have to play this carefully, so she doesn't get upset. I can start with the obvious. She has developed tremendous skill in only ten months.

"It seems like you made a lot of progress in ten months."

"Six months. For the first four months I was too weak to do anything other than garden or weave."

Well then it's all the more impressive. But why does she have to go back? And will she realize she is still mine before she leaves? Can I keep her from leaving? Keep her with me…

"Why do you have to go back?"

She looked away. "I want to go back. I need to learn more. But mostly I need the restorative time. It was very peaceful. I didn't speak at all for the first two months. It allowed me to forget that dark voice in my head. And to try to forget your voice, your words to me."

Shit. She is just not going to let it go. She is not going to forget it. And she is definitely not over it. I'm going to have to find some way around her attitude about it.

"How long will you stay this time?"

"Eric, I don't know. Honestly, I really don't know that I can live here now. Live a normal life again. I don't know, even if I could live here again, if I could live with you again. I think you should really consider what I offered."

Ten months and I'd almost forgotten how incredibly stubborn she is. Her offer. Her fucking offer to further screw up our lives. I'll tell her what she can do with her offer... I'll… I have to be nice. Firm. Resolved. Clear. I have to clearly let her know I will NOT be letting her go. At all. "Let me spell it out for you again, clearly. I will never consider what you have offered. I am bonded to you and I want to be with you. I will wait."

She shook her head and gestured with her hands as if she just didn't know what to say.

"Eric, I don't think that we could ever go back to the way things were between us."

Well, that's obvious. It's certainly going to be harder to argue with her if she throws fire when she's angry. But maybe the new Sookie won't need as much sage advice since she's been under the tutelage of that Eithne. Maybe she'll be more circumspect or at least better able to protect herself. As long as we're together we don't have to be the exact way we were before. She is still mine. But she has grown. I don't care, as long as we're together. "Then they will be different. But we will still be together. We will be. I know this." He said this with complete confidence.

She looked confused at his confidence and then closed her eyes and seemed to go someplace else. It was as if she was trying to remember something. She sat there, on the edge of the bed and he looked at her as if he could devour her. The pajama top had an invitingly low cut v-neckline. He could hardly control his desire for her, her perfect breasts, the warmth of her blood. Then he noticed the two necklaces, hanging around her neck. The longer of the two hung down to her cleavage. Suspended on the end of the chain was her wedding ring. She still wore her ring. As she had at the beginning, on a simple chain.

You can tell yourself whatever lies you want, but you are still wearing the ring I gave you, Lover.

He moved swiftly and silently onto his knee before her and took up the chain.

Tell me that you're not mine. Just try.

Her eyes flew open to find Eric on his knee in front of her, holding the chain with the ring.

She really did not like it that I moved so fast. She is trained to be watchful now. Good. But she still trusts me to have let me get so close to her. It would be obvious by now if she didn't. I have to be gentle to meet that trust. "You still wear it. You hide it, but you still wear it," he said in a whisper. His eyes shone.

She pulled it back from his hand. "You should go, it's getting close to dawn."

I don't want to leave and I'm not going to. He put his hands on the bed, on either side of her and looked her in the eyes. "I don't want to go. I want to stay with you," he said, still in a soft whisper. What ever it takes.

"Impossible. You should leave. Now."

He stayed in front of her, fixed. "I won't touch you. I swear it," he said in a hushed voice. "Don't make me leave." I can't believe I just said that…. Stupid, stupid. How the hell am I supposed to stay here and not touch her? Whatever it takes? What was I thinking?

"If you even try to touch me, I'll throw you out. Are we clear? You can stay, but no sex, no blood, no arguments, no justifications, no reframing things. I need to sleep. You can sleep here. That's it."

So this is the new brand of torture. Naked in a bed with her and no touching, no talking. I can't believe I said I'd do this… I won't touch you…?

She immediately seemed to be reconsidering the whole idea. She looked agitated.

"This is a bad idea. Such a bad idea. What was I thinking? Shit! I really think you should leave," she said pacing.

Oh no you don't…

He was already in the bed and his clothes were everywhere on the floor on his side.

She sat down on the couch looking at him warily, drew her legs up to her chest, and rested her chin on her knees.

"I'll wait until you fall asleep," she said cautiously.

With ten months of no real blood, perhaps she was considering the safety of the whole thing?

I am not Bill. I know what I'm biting. I've never hurt you when I'm hungry and I never will. "I won't hurt you. Even when I wake. I can control myself. You know me."

"I won't even be here when you wake. I'll be with Pythia. She wakes before dusk. We talk. I have work to do."

Well, if she thinks I'd force myself on her she's forgetting everything she knows about me. I've never had to force myself on any woman. I'm not even dignifying that possibility with a comment.

The sheets and pillows smelled like her. It was overwhelming. He buried his face in her pillow and was still.

Ten minutes later, after checking the clock and her calendar to confirm that it was just past sunrise, she crawled into the bed. She looked at him and gently brushed some strands of hair away from his eyes. Turning out the light she nestled down in the sheets and picked up his hand, holding it in hers.

He squeezed her hand gently. She jumped and let out a gasp.

"Eric! You are such a pain in…"

Interrupting her before she could even finish, he murmured "The feeling is totally mutual," before slipping away.