A/N: I'm really glad so many of you liked my first chapter!! It's so much fun to hang out with these characters again!

A lot of you commented on how I had them carrying their passports. Whenever my family travels, we always carry our passports, even if it's just a domestic flight. I guess I'm just used to carrying around the extra identification, and projected that onto Eric and Sookie.

Thanks to chisaii-kitty for her beta skills.

Disclaimer: Not mine!

Eric stood, pressed against the front door, praying to any deity that would listen to make Sookie move faster. The car was waiting downstairs, and had been for the past ten minutes. She kept shouting from the bedroom that she needed just another minute, yet still had not emerged. She ran out of the room, finally, still threading her earrings in place.

She was ranting that she couldn't find her travel documents, even though they had been sitting on her nightstand all week. With a roll of his eyes, he gently reminded her he had gathered everything together last night, placing them securely in his carry on that morning. He handed her a travel mug full of coffee, which she gladly accepted, and they were out the door. She would be much easier to handle with caffeine in her system.

The car ride to the airport was uneventful, as was their trip through security. Waiting at the gate, Sookie enjoyed her second cup of coffee and was approaching human territory. She never quite understood how Eric put up with her before she was properly caffeinated, but she wrote it off to true love. Even she didn't like the person she was before her first cup.

She was bouncing in her seat, and couldn't decide if it was from the coffee or excitement from going home. She was beyond happy to show her hometown to Eric; she wanted to show him all her favorite places her small town had to offer. Even though she was upset at first when she found out about his purchase, she couldn't image anywhere else in Bon Temps she wanted to stay. When her parents died, that house became her home.

She completely missed the first few boarding announcements, lost in her memories. Luckily, Eric was an attentive traveler, taking charge to ensure they actually got on the plane. She was excited to see he had booked a window seat for her. Before her move to New York with Bill, she had never flown before and insisted on always having a window seat. She loved to watch the world fly beneath her. Her eyes never left the small oval on any flight.

He took the center seat next to her, smiling at how happy the little things in life made her. He couldn't wait for their first trip to Stockholm, marking her first transatlantic flight. He had been planning a trip back, considering this year marked his parents' fortieth wedding anniversary. His older brother, who still lived in Sweden, had a big surprise party in the works. Eric was convinced the party was a secret plan to get him to come home, a trip he had only made once since he left ten years ago.

The plane began to taxi, and Sookie gripped Eric's hand tightly. She didn't mind flying, but take offs and landings stressed her out. Once the plane was in the air and then again on the ground, she was fine. He tried to calm her, rubbing soothing circles in her back with his free hand. He pushed the armrest between them away, pulling her as close to his body as he could with their seat belts on. He was not looking forward to having to do this again on their connecting flight from Dallas to Shreveport. He tried to find a direct flight, but couldn't since Shreveport Region Airport was such a small hub for most airlines.

Between their layover and the time difference, they would be landing in Shreveport in mid-afternoon then had an hour long drive to Bon Temps. Their day wouldn't end there, as they would have to visit the storage locker to find their furniture and set up. Just the thought of the amount of work they had ahead of them, combined with the exhaustion of travel, made Eric tired.

Their landing in Shreveport was a bumpy one, due to a storm system that was moving into the area. Eric lost circulation in his arm for that landing, and didn't regain it until their luggage slowly made its way around the carousel. He could fit everything he needed for their two week stay in his carry on, but Sookie was a notorious over-packer. He lifted her massive suitcase off the belt, and they made their way to the car rental desk.

When the attendant brought their car around, Sookie broke out into hysterical laughter. With tears in her eyes, she looked up at her love, her city boy.

"You rented a pick up truck?"

He beamed down at her, proud of himself for his decision. It was not for having to carry furniture; it was for the true down South experience. It was even a Ford, and he never drove American made cars. Jason was right when he called Eric a Euro-snob.

He put their bags in the truck's bed and went back around front to the cab, surprised to see Sookie in the driver's seat. She shot him a smile, signaling for him to get in on the passenger's side. She used the excuse of knowing the way, but really, she didn't think he could handle a car this size. Boys and their toys.

The drive to Bon Temps was narrated by the voices of today's top country artists, according to the radio host. Eric thought it was all crap, but then again he hated most current music. Country was especially grating, the whiny lyrics and twangy voices did not appeal to him at all. It was just another aspect of Louisiana living he would have to adjust to.

When Sookie turned off the main highway and on to the county road, she slowed down to point out all the highlights of Bon Temps. When she turned down Hummingbird Lane, she pointed out the original Merlotte's, still run by Sam's parents. The next turn was the left onto her driveway, and Eric was glad he wasn't driving. He would have gone right past the unmarked cut out in the road.

When Sookie was growing up, they always used the backdoor, but she parked in front so Eric could get his first look at the house in person. She took the keys from him, running up the front steps of the wrap around porch. She opened the door, and stood in the entryway stunned. She never dreamed of returning to this house when she sold it, but here she was. She stepped in tentatively, reverently looking over everything. The living room and kitchen were mostly the same, updated with a fresh coat of paint. New appliances lined the walls of the kitchen, but it still had the same feel as it did when she was a child. She could almost smell Gran's pies baking in the oven when she closed her eyes.

She was pulled from her reverie by Eric asking if she wanted to head over to the storage locker before the facility closed for the night. They still had to sort through everything that Sam, Hoyt and Jason had shoved in there in their haste to move north. Eric was praying they had decent furniture to work with, not just cheap, bachelor style garbage. He would gladly furnish the entire house on his own if he had to, just to make Sookie happy. They drove back up the road, finding the storage center easily thanks to Sam's directions. Opening the sliding door, Eric was shocked at how much stuff three men could fit in one space. It was packed, floor to ceiling, with everything from bed frames, mattresses, bedroom furniture, couches, anything that wouldn't easily make the move to New York.

They packed the truck with as much as they could, knowing they would need to make a few more trips out there. They loaded mostly items they would need tonight; furnishings for just one bedroom and a few pieces to put around the living room. A small card table and a folding chairs made the first cut, too, so they would have someplace to eat their meals. Before they left, they wrote a full inventory so they could start planning what they would need to buy.

They made it back to the farmhouse, unloading the items inside. Sookie volunteered to head to Wal-Mart alone to pick up some food and cleaning supplies, leaving Eric to move the pieces into the master bedroom and to unpack. Putting the bed frame together would take a little work, but he considered himself fairly handy. He was nearly finished when he heard a knock at the door.

Eric walked back to the front of the house, opening the door to a smiling, happy couple. He couldn't figure out if they were neighbors or the old owners, so he introduced himself to them with a smile and offered his hand for a greeting.

"Pleasure to meet you Eric. I'm Bill Compton and this is my wife, Selah."

"And you live in the house across the cemetery?"

"Yes, how did you know that?"

He smiled at having the upper hand on the man that ruined his Sookie's life. He thought of all the fun ways he could fuck with this guy's head. "Oh, just from what I gathered from speaking to the prior owner. Would you like to come in? My girlfriend just went to town to get some food so I don't have anything to offer you, but I could use a little help getting this couch into place."

Bill came in, lifting one end while Eric lifted the other, bringing the loveseat further into the living room. Eric opened a few of the folding chairs so he would have someplace to sit and chat with his new friends. Nothing could wipe the smile from his face. They spoke for a while, Bill sharing little details about Bon Temps that only a resident would know; things that Eric already knew but acted excited to learn to keep up the rouse. Bill was just describing his short time in New York when Eric heard the truck pull up the driveway. He was more than happy to see where this would go. Getting pleasure out of the pain Bill was sure to feel wasn't the most neighborly of emotions, but this was the man that hurt Sookie deeply. Eric held little compassion for the bastard.

She came through the door, shouting for Eric to help her with the rest of the packages. The pale, shocked look on Compton's face was a sure sign of the blow up that was about to ensue. Selah looked like she wanted to crawl under a rock and die. Eric assumed she and Sookie were friends in high school, but not anymore.

"Lover, this is Bill and Selah, our new neighbors."

The look she shot him could melt ice, but the look on Bill's face when the word "lover" left his lips was well worth Sookie's wrath.

"What happened to New York, Bill?"

"After my little embarrassment, I was let go and had no other choice but to return home. The apartment was leased through the firm."

"Little embarrassment? You were caught fucking one of the senior partners in the conference room, by me might I add, and then ran stark naked through the halls to catch me. I'd call that more than a little embarrassment."

The questioning look on Selah's face told Eric that Bill was in for an earful once they went home. Someone had been less than honest with the new missus. Sadly, Eric knew he was in for an earful of his own. Sookie only cursed when she was really angry and that anger wouldn't settle down once the Comptons were out of sight. He would be left to take the brunt of Hurricane Sookie. With that thought, all excitement he felt at Bill's pain went out the window.

"So you came home and married one of my friends. You are such an ass. I'm so glad I didn't marry you. This is my new boyfriend, Eric Northman. He's a famous author and he bought me this house for my birthday. It wasn't even for sale, but he managed to buy it anyway. Isn't that so sweet and thoughtful?"

Bill had nothing to say, so she continued her rant. Eric was hopeful she would get most of the steam out now, less for him to handle.

"Just so you know, my whole world didn't end when you were no longer part of it. After you, I dated John Quinn, the biggest party planner in New York City. He took me to all sorts of lavish events. He taught me things in the bedroom that would make you blush. Did you know that sex can last longer than two minutes? I bet Selah doesn't."

Eric didn't like the direction this conversation was going. She was getting crass, which meant she was heading towards violence. He stepped forward to place himself between Bill and Sookie to avoid a potential lawsuit.

"If you hear screams coming from this end of the cemetery, don't worry, it's just me and Eric fucking on every available surface this house has to offer. He's the best I ever had; I'm completely spoiled for average men now. We're here for Jason's wedding and then thank God I get to go back to New York. I don't have to look at your stupid face every day of my life. It would be in your best interest to stay away from this house. I'm pretty sure Gran's old Benelli is still in the root cellar and you know I'm a good shot."

She stared daggers at them until they left, slamming the door shut without ever letting Bill get a word in. She stood at the door, with her back still to Eric, trying to get her breathing back to normal. She didn't want to take her frustration out on him, so she decided to channel her aggression into something positive. She left the house, collecting the bags with the cleaning supplies and set to work on cleaning the entire house top to bottom.

"Eric, I'd hate to do this to you, but you need to leave. I need to clean and you'll only be in my way if you stay. I just need to work this out of my system. I'm sorry."

"I'll drive around a bit, familiarize myself with the area. The truck has GPS so I can't get too lost. I'll go back to the locker, get another load of furniture. We'll figure the rest out when I get back."

He placed a kiss to the top of her head and left her to unwind. While at the locker, he called Jason to let him know they arrived safe as well as fill him in on what just happened with Bill. Jason was hysterically laughing by the time Eric was done, excited to come down and give Bill the beat down he deserved.

An hour later, he pulled up in front of the house, hoping Sookie had enough time to cool down. He entered their home, stunned at the silence. He paused for a moment, long enough to hear the sniffling coming from the back bedroom. He ran to their room and found her sitting on the floor crying her eyes out. He sat down beside her, pulling her into his lap, holding her close while she cried the rest of her tears away. When she began to slow down, she pulled back, looking deep into his blue eyes which were now full of concern.

"Sorry, I guess I was just adjusting to the room not being Gran's. It's weird to be in here without any of her things. It hit me all at once and I couldn't help it."

"I understand, I just wish I was here with you the entire time. This is our room in our house now. It'll take some getting used to."

She buried her face into his chest again, letting the remainder of her sadness pass in the comfort of his embrace.

"Did you see the new master bathroom? There's a jacuzzi tub in there we could swim laps in. You should get one for the apartment."

He pulled her close again, happy to hear a more jovial tone in her voice. "You think I haven't considered it before? It just won't fit in my tiny bathroom. It will have to be a luxury we enjoy when we're here. That is, if you still want to come back here often with your ex as your neighbor."

"I'm not letting him ruin the amazing memories I have of this house, or the new one's we're sure to make. This is our place now, I won't let him rain on my happiness ever again."

They busied themselves the rest of the day moving furniture around. The first room they settled was their own, getting first dibs on the nicest bedroom set. Sookie recognized it immediately; it had been her parents. Jason had moved into their parent's house when he was eighteen, selling it for the big move. She had seen a lot of her parent's things in the locker. It felt nice to bring them to the farmhouse, it added an entirely new level of memories and feelings of home. She wondered what he did with the rest of Gran's furniture. She had sold most of it to fund her move to New York, leaving some pieces behind that wouldn't sell. She didn't remember seeing it in the storage center, she'd have to ask Jason what he did with it when they arrived on Sunday.

They made their first trip upstairs, and Sookie didn't even recognize the place. The old owners had lifted the roof a few feet, adding a great amount of height to the tiny rooms Sookie remembered. When she was growing up, there was one large open area and a small bedroom on the second floor. Now there were three moderately sized bedrooms and a full bathroom. The smaller bedroom on the first floor, her room when she was a child, and the half bathroom had been left alone aside from fresh paint. This certainly wasn't the house she lived in as a child, but it had retained much of the same charm. It was a like having a fresh start but still keeping an old security blanket.

The finally finished getting everything upstairs just after dark. Sookie took up in the kitchen, familiarizing herself with the new appliances. She made a simple dinner, just boiling up some spaghetti and toasting garlic bread. They were both exhausted and she wanted something simple to cook. He found a bottle of wine Sookie had picked up while she was out, pouring them both a much needed glass. He rubbed her shoulders while their meal cooked, easing out the rest of the tension that had built up that day. He'd be thankful when bedtime rolled around, praying that would be soon. As much as he and Sookie wanted to christen the house, it would have to wait until morning when he didn't feel like death warmed over.

After wiping out the entire pot of pasta and bottle of wine, they dragged themselves into the bedroom, collapsing against the mattress. She rolled over to snuggle against him, but quickly turned away from the stink. She did a sniff test on herself, disgusted with her own odor as well.

"We need to shower. I don't want to nasty up the sheets on the first night."

"How do you have the energy for that? And seriously, in the shower? Standing up sex requires even more strength then laying down!"

"Not that type of nasty, you pervert. We both stink from sweating all day. Come on, I'll scrub your back if you scrub mine. I'll get the industrial strength soap."

He laughed as she rolled him off the bed, but groaned as he did the old man shuffle into the bathroom. Dragging the furniture upstairs was not easy. Even as strong as Sookie was, he wished they had waited for the rest of the guys to get in town to do the real heavy lifting. He would be feeling sore for quite a while.

They showered off the grime of the day before filling the tub for a soak. Turning on the jets felt like heaven. The strong streams of water worked every part of both of their bodies, working away the pain and tenderness. As the water grew cold, they got out and took turns drying the other off. They made their way back to bed, curling up together. The tub had rejuvenated them both, and they stayed up a little longer talking. Bill was not one of Sookie's favorite topics, and she often avoided any mention of him. When Eric had first opened up to her about Felicia, she commended him on his strength for being able to talk about her. She knew he had more time under his belt to process the emotions, especially the pain. When they had first started dating, just under a year had passed since her break up. With the added closure of screaming at him and kicking him out of her home, she was finally able to elaborate on what little she had told Eric.

He held her, patiently listening to her talk about her past. He knew the basics of the story, but hearing the painful details was heartbreaking. He was often verbally abusive to her, making her feel like crap whenever she wanted to stay in New Orleans as opposed to driving home for the weekend to see him. She stayed with him because it was familiar, and Gran loved him. When they were around her, he was the perfect gentleman. It was only in private that he let his inner monster be revealed. When her Gran passed away, he was all she had, considering how emotionally detached Jason could be at times, so she clung to him like a life preserver.

When she moved to New York with him, she knew it would be the start of a new life, but had no idea how much would change. Breaking up with him was painful, especially when he called begging to be taken back. A few times, she almost considered but when she was hesitant with him once, he lashed out at her. Being apart, even that short time, had given her the strength to end their relationship permanently. As much as she complained, she was grateful when her friends and family came to support her. It was her darkest hour, and they helped her pull through.

"Like you did for me, Sookie."

She looked into his eyes, sharing the smile that was on his face. She never drew that parallel before, but could finally see that she had paid it forward. If it hadn't been for her friends, she could have never had the skills to support Eric. She burrowed deeper into his arms, until she was flush against him. Letting go of her past was just one step closer to the future she wanted to share with Eric. She looked up at him to say something in confirm what he said, but she noticed he was already asleep. She rested her head against his chest, excited for their first full day in Bon Temps tomorrow. She had a busy day planned for them, and couldn't wait for it to start.

A/N2: So, it took a sequel to get a better picture of Sookie's history. Danger is a Dame was all about Eric but in this setting we'll learn more about Sookie's past.

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