Disclaimer: I don't own the Southern Vampires. Sole copyright belongs to Charlaine Harris. I'm poor, please don't sue.
Rating: M (possibly in later chapters)
Thank you for all the reviews. I try to respond to each one, but if I haven't responded please don't be offended. I just get super busy sometimes!
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"Sookie, Sookie, wake up."
"No."
I rolled over and rubbed my eyes. "I don't want to get up."
"We need to talk."
"What time is it?"
"It's 6pm."
"I can't believe I'm keeping vampire hours now."
I opened my eyes and rolled back over so I was facing him. "What?"
"I have to go."
"You woke me up to tell me that you need to run errands. Do you have a final death wish Northman?"
"No, I mean I need to leave, I've been summoned. You know how up in the air everything is with Louisianna right now, there is a huge meeting to figure out what we are going to do."
"You're leaving me? I'm 7 and a half months pregnant and your leaving me?"
"It won't be long, just a few days." He seemed upset that I wasn't taking this better. I on the other hand was furious.
"What if I go into labor early? Huh, what will you do then? You'll miss it."
"Sookie, I have to go."
I pushed myself into a sitting position then swung my legs over the bed. I was in a fit of rage at this point. I knew he'd never give up all the politics. I marched over to the closet, pulling out his black suit case, then pushing it at him.
"Then go."
He came up and tried to hug me, I shoved him back. "You want to leave, then leave. I see where your family stands compared to your stupid vampire politics."
"That's not even close to fair."
"No, what's not fair is leaving your very pregnant wife while you go off on some trip to God knows where."
"Mississippi." He thought he was helping, but his comments were just further infuriating me. I turned and pulled all his clothes off the hangers, tossing them on the floor. I opened up his underwear drawer and threw everything on the bed. I stormed out of the bedroom, stepping on his clothes as I went. I went into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I couldn't deal with this. I had been secretly scared of going into early labor, and now knowing that Eric was leaving me, it was making my fears worse. I heard him knock gently on the door, but I wasn't giving in.
"When are you leaving? And when did you find out?"
"I'm leaving at 1am and I found out about 15 minutes ago."
Well, at least he hadn't been keeping it from me. But that still wasn't helping. My raging hormones weren't going to let him off the hook so easily.
"I don't want you to go. I don't see why you have to, it's not like your the King of Louisianna."
I heard a sigh from the other end of the door.
"Someone put my name up for discussion."
"You said you didn't want to be King."
"I don't really, but it is something I must consider."
"Something that will put you even further away from your family. What did you think Eric? That you'd knock me up, then leave me and the baby while you moved away or something? Did you ever plan on being a father?"
I knew it was a low blow but I couldn't help it. Eric was furious, I could feel it. He shoved the door open, breaking the lock in the process.
"What did you say to me?" His normally beautiful blue eyes were cold as ice now.
"Just leave, if you want this so bad, then you do it without us."
"Typical Sookie, Run when things are less than perfect." Okay, that stung. I knew he was right, but something inside me would not let me back down and give in.
"Maybe I should have ran the first time I ever laid eyes on you. I knew you'd be nothing but trouble for me Eric." I stood up and pushed past him. I headed back to the bedroom and started throwing on clothes. He came in behind me and leaned in the doorway.
"Where are you going?"
"Back to Bon Temps. I can't do this. You promised you'd put me first."
"Sookie, it's a meeting, I'm not leaving you. I'm going away for a few days."
"You know how much this pregnancy scares me. Don't you care at all?" I turned to him to see his reaction. He looked hurt. I threw on a simple dress and grabbed my coat.
"I'm leaving, have fun in Mississippi."
I stormed downstairs and grabbed my purse on the way out. Slipping into my SUV I glanced once at the house before taking off to Bon Temps.
~*~
A week later I was back in Eric's house. Pam had all but begged me to come home. Eric was still in Mississippi. We hadn't spoken since the night I stormed out. Sure he'd call and ask Pam if I was okay, but he wasn't speaking to me, and I wasn't speaking to him either. Poor Pam was stuck in the middle, I knew she was uncomfortable, but she did it.
"Why don't you just call him?"
"Why should I? He left me."
"Actually..."
"Pam, I went to Bon Temps for a few hours, he went to Mississippi to play King."
"Okay, you know I hate getting in the middle of this, but is this really what you want?"
"No, but I refuse to be second to his little politcal goals."
"Maybe he's doing this for you and the baby. Think about it, your giving birth to a very special child. His place as the King will be a little extra security for you both."
"Then why doesn't he just talk to me about these things? He just tells me and expects me to fall in line. I just can't do this." I stood up out of the kitchen chair and started heading up the stairs.
"Sookie!" Pam let out a terrified scream, I turned to look at her. She reached over and grabbed my nightgown to hold it up to me. The bottom was covered in blood. I reached a hand down, it came up bloody.
"Oh my god I'm losing the baby."
Pam wasn't even listening to me. She had the good sense to call 911. Within minutes we were on our way to the hospital. Somewhere along the road, I passed out, holding Pam's hand.
~*~
When I woke up I was staring at the face of a doctor.
"Mrs. Northman, are you with us now?"
"My baby..."
"She's fine. We did an ultrasound, her heartbeat is strong. It looks like you have a mild case of Placenta Previa."
"What's that?"
"Basically, the placenta is covering part of your cervix. You're going to be in the hospital for a day or two so we can make sure you both are heathy. After that you need to be on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy."
"But, she's okay, she'll be okay?"
"She will be just fine. Are you up for visitors? You have quite a group of people waiting. I told them one at a time though."
"Yes, visitors would be nice. Thank you."
The doctor gave me a reassuring pat on the arm and sent in the first visitor. It was Pam. She looked like she had been crying, and trying very hard to hide it. She sat down in a chair beside me and held my hand like it would break.
"I'm not made of glass."
"The doctor told us what's wrong. I'm just glad you are both okay."
"I'm on bed rest once I leave the hospital."
"I know, he gave me strict orders. You are not to be up running around or anything. You have to stay put."
I patted her hand with my free hand, I felt tears well in my eyes. Eric wasn't here, I knew something would happen while he was gone. I let a few tears roll down my cheeks. I was going to have to do this without him.
"Sookie, I'm going to send in the shifter next, okay?"
"Mhmm."
She stood up and gave me a kiss on the head, no sooner had she left than Sam came in. He looked scared for me. I explained everything to him, then he sent in Amelia, after Amelia came Bill. I certainly was surprised to see him.
"Sookie.."
"I'm surprised you came. We haven't really been on speaking terms since you found out."
"Well, having Eric text message me the news wasn't really how I'd expected to find out. Still, you know I care about you, I wouldn't let you be here alone, although that doesn't seem to be a problem."
"I'm lucky. I thought I lost her."
Bill didn't even have a chance to respond. He shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable.
"I have to go." He stood and bolted out of the room. I was alone again. I laid my head back against the pillow and started crying. I couldn't believe I was having to do this without Eric. I rested my hand on my stomach and tried to calm myself, I just couldn't. I had been awful to Eric, I let my pride and my hormones get in the way of seeing that he was just trying to take care of us. And now I pushed him away. Who knew if he'd ever come back.
I closed my eyes and tried to find some inner calm. Suddenly there was a head laying on my stomach. My eyes flew open.
"Eric!"
"I came as soon as I heard." I could tell he had been crying. "I swear I'll never leave you again." He lifted his head to mine and planted kisses all over my face.
"I was wrong Eric, you were just trying to protect us. I didn't mean anything I said. You're a great father, I know you would never leave me."
"What you said really hurt me, but lets just leave it in the past, we were both wrong."
I slid over on the bed so he could lay next to me. He grabbed my hand and laced his fingers around mine.
"She's okay? You're okay?"
"We are both fine. Did Pam tell you what happened?"
"The doctor explained everything to me. It seems that you are not allowed out of bed." He didn't even bother to make a sexual joke out of it.
"Bed rest until delivery."
I snuggled close to Eric and rested my head against his chest. "Stay with me until dawn?"
"Of course, my love, anything you want."
For the first time in a week, I managed to sleep a deep, peaceful sleep.
