Chapter 4 – Laying a foundation.

A/N: Thank you to my content Editor kjwrit and my beloved BETA sassyvampmama. Ok so now for a little lighter chapter and some fun. Thank you to you all for the wishes for my grandma, she is a fighter and she is hanging in there and was even moved to a private room so keep up the prayers and good thoughts.

As always I own nothing, except for a dog with insomnia. (I used the chick-a-filet coupon.) If you caught, that you were paying attention last time! I loved CH! She rules with hot sauce on top!

LAST TIME: Pam doesn't have a heart she couldn't possibly care if…" Pam was really on a tear when I asked Eric,

"Can I tell her?" I said solemnly.

"Yes but you suffer the consequences." He said in a serious tone that grabbed Pam's attention.

"Well Pam, I don't know how to tell you this but Eric and I have decided that it would be in our best interest if we never….." I gave a dramatic pause and held on to Eric's hand, which was behind my back, for dear life!

PPOV

What the hell? Eric has shut our bond down! I can't feel a damn thing from him. I have only had Sookie's blood the one time so she was too far away to feel any emotions from her. They better get their asses up here and I mean now! So I yelled something to that effect, down the elevator shaft to Eric's resting chamber. I know I shouldn't speak to him that way but I'm so worried. Are they okay? Did they work everything out? Is Sookie okay? Wait, when the hell did that happen? I care about a human. Oh hell, Eric will never let me live this down. How had that GIRL wormed her way into my cold, dead heart? Well, fuck a zombie, maybe my heart didn't die with Keillen after all, I thought absently.

They finally come traipsing in like there's nothing wrong and I went off on a tangent. I was expecting Eric to shut me down cold, tell me to shut up or say, 'Pamela, that is quite enough!' but he said nothing, neither of them did. Eric was still repressing our child/maker bond and it was annoying me to no end. Then suddenly Sookie spoke to Eric.

"Can I tell her?" she asked him

"Yes but you suffer the consequences." he said in a very serious tone. I was worried. I looked at Sookie and braced myself for the worst. They just had to be together. Eric was so happy when he was with her. Sookie began to speak,

"Well Pam, I don't know how to tell you this but Eric and I have decided that it would be in our best interest if we never…..spend another… night without each other ever again!" The little bitch smiled at me. I felt Eric's amusement as he finally opened our bond. BRATS… effing BRATS!

"You are brats, both of you! I DO NOT know which one of you to beat the hell out of first!" I yelled and then as the relief hit me I flung myself at them and hugged them. (Yes I hugged them, get over it.)

EPOV

Sookie is trapped in Pam's embrace, as am I; I begin to laugh. She lets us go, but then I look at Sookie and think, 'wait, wait… just wait for it…she hasn't processed…' Then Pam's eyes flew open wide as she looked at Sookie and exclaimed,

"Wait a minute, Sookie did you say NEVER spend another night without each other EVER again? Sookie, are you coming over?" Pam asked hurriedly. Sookie only had time to nod as Pam grabbed her from me and flung her around.

"A sister, I am going to have a sister!" She was the happiest I have seen her in a century. I knew part of it was because I was happy and that carries over to her through our bond but she has warmed to Sookie and she was truly happy she was not going to have to watch Sookie die.

"Pam, slow down and put my soon to be bonded, pledged, wife and child down now please." I said, but that only added to her excitement.

"Bonded? Pledged? WIFE? A wedding, I am going to get to plan a wedding. We should do the wedding and the pledging ceremony together, Master it would be so beautiful." As she started to pace I knew we were in trouble as she went into full fledged planning mode. "Oh, and if you turn her that night, oh that would be soooo romantic. I have phone calls to make and I need your laptop" she said as she point to me before turning to my sweet confused lover and asked,

"Sookie, do you have any idea where you might want to register? Oh and we will have to start looking for the dress or should we get two? Aaahhh, we could have Madeline make them; one for the human wedding and one for the pledging. And the shoes, oh what shoes? HMMM…" she was rambling. Then as she walked away she added,

"Oh, and you two need to hurry up and bond. I have a theory you will be able to read each other's minds once you do and I want to see how that plays out." She said as more of an afterthought, than anything else. Neither of us answered her we just stood in awe of her. One second she was there and the next she blurred out of the room.

"Eric, what just happened?" Sookie asked in total confusion.

"That was Pam in planning mode. I have to go cancel her set of credit cards, Sookie. If I don't she'll have us married by the weekend." I laughed.

"Eric, I mean the last comment. What the hell?" she whispered.

"Pam has always been forward thinking. She probably mulled the idea around in her head for a while. It does make sense for her to think you and I will be able to communicate telepathically. She and I can communicate through our bond and since you're already gifted in that area, I can see how she came to the theory. Plus, she's the only one who truly saw how close we were when I was cursed. Now Sookie I was serious, I have to go head her off or we will be in Vegas this weekend. Wait here for me, lover."

I sat Sookie down on the sofa, kissed the top of her head and walked to my office. In true Pam "planning" fashion she had my laptop up and on, the desktop running and was pulling her laptop out to boot it up as well. If I were the best at making a battle plan or leading warriors into a fight, then Pam was the best event planner on the earth. She took every lesson I taught her and applied it to her own little world of clothes, food and venues.

"Pamela, what are you doing? You're scaring Sookie. I only asked her to marry me last night. I haven't even explained bonding or pledging and she is nowhere near ready for me to turn her. I appreciate your enthusiasm and loyalty but you need to slow down. Pamela, put the laptop down, Pam, give me the laptop. Do not make me cancel the credit cards again." I smirked at her and she pouted.

"I want to do something nice. What can I do? I feel left out." she frowned and rolled her eyes.

"I need to get her an engagement ring. Could you help me with that? I don't even know where to begin." I smiled.

"Tiffany's, Eric, you always begin at Tiffany's. Give me my laptop back. You are hopeless. You would just give her a sword or a goat wouldn't you?" she said snarkily, as only she can.

"I am lost without you, my darling child." I handed her the laptop back and said one more thing, "I want the engagement and the wedding band engraved. I want it to say, 'My heart's desire' and I want to see your favorites. I get to choose. You DO NOT buy it without me! You are research only, alright?" I smirked.

"Of course, Sheriff, but I get to plan the wedding too then." She smiled that damned 'I'm your little girl and you love me smile' that does me in every single time and I gave in with a nod before asking,

"Pam, where did you come up with your theory about Sookie and me bonding?" I asked gently.

"You and I communicate through our bond, so it is not so farfetched to think that you and Sookie will be able to do the same, even before you turn her since she is gifted in that area." She explained just as I thought she would.

"Very well, we will see. I must go attend to Sookie. She is still weak and very tired. We should make dinner for her. Do you remember how to cook?" I questioned.

"Yes, of course, I remember how and if she is soooo tired, you should stop screwing her six ways 'til Sunday. I'm sure that is really helping her rest." She was in rare form tonight.

"You are enjoying this far too much, my child." I grinned at her enjoyment as I turned my back to her and headed to the den to check on Sookie. I thought she might be asleep but she was rummaging around in the DVD wall.

"Eric if this is your DVD collection I can't wait to see your library." she exclaimed while opening sliding door after sliding door of the wall that housed my DVD's.

"I have more room for DVD's now that I have all my music downloaded into my I-pod and if you want the library is through that door there." I smiled at her happiness. It was flowing through the bond. She was thinking how easy this was and how happy she was we were together. I walked to her and drew her into my arms.

"Nope, I just want this, to be in your arms all night!" She smiled the same dopey smile I was smiling back at me. I happily told her,

"You pick out a movie. Pam and I will make you dinner. We will eat and then watch your movie and stay in tonight. How does that sound to you?"

"Pretty perfect, but did you just say you and Pam are cooking for me?" She asked like she didn't believe me.

"Yes, I can cook and so can Pam. We took cooking classes in the 70's. It was a great way to pick up our dinner." I grinned.

"EWWW, Eric, so not called for." She scrunched up her little nose and shivered like the thought of me feeding on someone else made her sick.

"Sorry, lover. That is all in the past now." I smiled at her.

"Damn straight it is. You're on a steady diet of me and True Blood." she grinned as she stomped her little foot. It was the cutest damn thing I have ever seen.

"You - yes, True Blood - no. I hate that crap. If I drink bottled blood, I only drink Royalty Blend." I smiled like a damn fool and I could not stop. I haven't been this happy in 700 years. By the gods, I love this woman.

"So, there are other brands of blood?" she asked with great interest and I knew why. She had visions of Liam, Malcolm and Diane drinking from their pets. She was worried she would hurt someone. She was already deciding to mainstream.

"Yes there are several and I will explain all this as we go, okay. I know why you have a sudden interest in synthetic blood. Sookie, I will teach you how to feed and not kill or even harm." I smiled again and she relaxed in my arms and asked,

"Did you 'read' me or do you just know me that well?" her little head bowed with her eyes looking up at me.

"A little bit of both; I know you well. You value human life. I never did, only yours and perhaps a few others throughout my existence. You will still be you and I will be a good maker Sookie, I promise, but we don't have to worry about that now." I pulled her closer and smiled as I smelled something coming from the kitchen.

"Wow! Something smells great. Pam is making pizza, I think. How is she? Did you talk her down or are we getting married in Vegas on Saturday?" She giggled.

"I was able to make a compromise with her." I wiggled my eyebrows at her.

"What did you do Eric?" She sounded nervous but she smiled.

"Pam will be helping me pick out your engagement ring, our wedding bands and planning the wedding." I smiled again for what felt like the millionth time.

"Oh, no she doesn't! I get to pick out your wedding band and plan the wedding. She can help me. AND I AM PAYING FOR IT!" she stomped her little foot again and I could not help myself this time. I laughed.

"What do you think is so damn funny?" she raised her eyebrow and her voice.

"You really do never back down do you? How will you pay for such things, Lover?" I grinned knowing she already had a plan. I could feel it in my bones.

"I have a $50,000 check in my purse, that is how Viking." She smiled an evil smile and launched herself on me.

She tickled me. No one and I mean no one had ever done that since I was a human child. I laughed just from the playfulness that I felt coming from her and from whatever it was that was now between us. It was not a complete bond but it was close.

"I love you Sookie. You make me so happy. I want to bond with you, tonight." I said before I could even think. I felt a flicker of fear or I guess unknowing is a better way to explain the emotion but then she looked at me and said, "Explain to me what a bond is and then let's do it." she smiled.

"What if you don't like what you hear?" I asked.

"I can tell bonding is important to you and I know it's a form of you committing to me so, I trust you. I'm not running anymore Eric. I am just not going to do it. I trust you and I love you. I want to be yours. It's not just words for me, I mean them. You can take me to Fangtasia, Merlotte's, Wal-Mart and the Dairy Queen and I will tell anyone who will listen that I am yours. I'm not saying I'll be some little 'pet'; I'm still going to be my own person. Because it's just who I am and that is the girl you fell in love with, but I now realize in our world it is safer for us, for others to view me as yours, and I think it will make us happier." she explained like she had really put thought into all of this. I think she really did have an epiphany today while I rested.

"Sookie, when we bond I will belong to you. It is the ultimate way for a vampire to commit. It is very unusual for a vampire to bond with a human. It is usually a vampire to vampire commitment. You will be able to sense me and my emotions very clearly. If I feel joy, lust or anger you will feel the same. If I am in pain, you will feel the pain. I would cut off the bond to keep that from happening but that can be painful as well. I will be able to 'call' you like I do Pam. Other vampires will refer to it as "making you heel', to compel you to do what I want but I would NEVER do that to you. If all I wanted was to own you, all I would have to do, is tell other vampires that you are mine and claim you as my pet. So you see our bonding is not about you belonging to me, it is about me belonging to you." I paused for her to acknowledge she understood.

"Will it make you look weak, to bond to me?" she whispered in that sweet little voice that she tends to use when she is worried.

"I do not care what others think my sweetest lover." I purred.

"Eric, you don't have to do this to make me happy. If it makes you look weak or if it could weaken your position as Sheriff, you don't have to do this." she took my face in her hands and kissed my lips so gently as if to show me her love. Wow, who are you and what did you do with Sookie? Was the thought running through my mind and then I realized how much love she was sending to me, how much faith she had in me. I tried to explain how I would play this with other vampires to keep us safe.

"Sookie, it is what I want with all my being and it will not weaken my position. It will be looked on as a shrewd business tactic to bond the only telepath in the state to myself. It will be looked on as a service to my Queen." I felt her stiffen as I took her in my arms and said,

"But that is not why I want to bond with you my sweet Sookie. Bonding with you means we are laying a foundation for our eternity. I want to bond with you because you are my entire world, I love you and I need to be a part of you and I need you to be a part of me." I kissed her tenderly and felt her hands go to my hair. She broke the kiss and beamed at me as she whispered,

"Then tell me what to do." She looked like she could very easily have cried, but this time the tears were tears of joy and for the first time in two days I felt Sookie relax and breathe.

"First my sweet lover, we are going to get you fed. Then we will watch a movie with Pam. Tonight we will relax and be happy. Tonight before I put you to bed I will drink from you and you will drink from me and that will be that, as they say." I smiled.

"All we have to do is have a mutual blood exchange and we will be bonded?" She asked.

"Yes that is all. We should do it with a special ceremonial knife and then use that knife in our pledging ceremony. Are you comfortable with that lover?" I asked gently.

"I have to cut you? Do you cut me? I mean, how does it work exactly? I want to enjoy my dinner and the movie, so explain everything so I am not worried. Baby, I just want you to be happy." she blurted quickly and quietly.

"I know Lover, and I only want you to be happy. We don't have to do this tonight; we can wait if you want." I offered but she shook her head no so I continued. "Then let me explain, I will drink from you in the 'regular' way. You or I can make a cut on me, whatever you are comfortable with, and you will drink. The affects should be almost immediate, and Sookie, remember it could intensify what is already happening to us." I spoke in code and as I gave a nod to the kitchen to remind Sookie that Pam was probably listening to every word. And as if on cue, enter Pam.

"Oh for the love of God, here!" she bellowed as she handed Sookie a jeweled case that held the knife I had mention earlier. "Let me break this down for you Stackhouse. He will be all 'Eric like' and drink from you in the most seductive way you can imagine. When you recover from the orgasm, you will take this knife cut him on the chest here" she paused and pointed before continuing, "and drink until the wound closes, easy-peasey." she snarked, turned and walked out of the room before yelling "and the damn pizza is almost ready." She continued to complain as she walked away. "Nooooo Sookie I want what you want….nooooo Eric I want what you want… oh lover…oh baby… this is going to be the final death of me…" she chattered in her snarky little voice that I love.

Like I said, my child was in rare form tonight and did she just say easy-peasey? Hearing Pam use a "Sookieism" as we called them between ourselves made me smile but I held my tongue. Something told me Sookie would not appreciate the term.

Sookie wrapped her arms around me, smiled and asked,

"Are we really that bad?" I looked down and smiled back at her, but before I could answer Pam yelled,

"YES!" from the kitchen.

"Pam, butt out!" I started to add 'As your maker I command you,' but I knew it was all in good humor and she was just acting out of her happiness for Sookie and me. As I pondered all these things, Sookie was rubbing her face against my chest and I began to moan.

"Sookie you need to stop doing that or I will take you here and now." I growled at her.

"I love it when you do that…mmm…when you moan my name. It really turns me on Eric." she smiled up at me and I felt like I was floating on air as she went up on her toes to greet my kiss.

SPOV

The kiss Eric was giving me was wonderful. He started undoing the ties on my robe and began to reach inside of it to gently touch me and stoke me when I heard a timer go off in the kitchen. I pulled back and grinned at him because my stomach growled and that pizza really smelled great. Eric gave out another growl of frustration and said,

"Come, let's get you fed, my little vixen." he smiled.

As we entered the kitchen Pam turned around and advised me that she still had to set the table and that we both had time to change clothes. I ran down to Eric's room and put on my track suit and was happy to see Eric in a black track suit that made him look damn sexy. He must have smelled my arousal, because he smirked, that sexy smirk that said, 'Yes, I know how hot I am and how bad you want me.' In the past that would have made me mad but it was true and there was just no way around it. I would always want him. Hell, I had been staked in Jackson and nearly died, and just look at what the man did to me then. I don't know how long we stared at each other but it was Pam who broke me from my thoughts.

"Really you two, come now children, let's eat supper." she grinned a silly smile and sat a beautiful bottle down on the table that I could only guess was 'Royalty Blend' that Eric had told me about in our prior conversation. And then she brought a HUGE pizza to the table. It looked fabulous, golden crust, extra cheese, pepperoni and sausage (and no garlic…surprise, not.) I was impressed.

"Pam you made this?" I asked with some doubt in my voice. It just smelled and looked too good.

"Yes, from scratch. I am very talented in the kitchen. I graduated top of my class." she smiled a evil smile and the comment made Eric chime in,

"Pam that is not exactly a true statement, you glamoured the teacher." he chuckled.

"Eric, what did the diploma say? It said "best in class" and the proof is in the pudding, or so they say." She threw back her head and laughed as she put a piece of pizza on the china she had set the table with, it was a lovely pattern. I laughed at the fact I was eating pizza on fine china with two of the most powerful and deadly vampires I had ever met. My giggling got me a look from Pam and a raised eyebrow from Eric. I quickly recovered and said in my 'crazy' Sookie voice,

"Pam this is the best pizza I have ever had!" I exclaimed. Pam looked pleased with herself and Eric may or may not have mumbled something about me not encouraging her. Soon dinner was over and my tummy was full and I was ready to settle in for our movie night. Pam popped some popcorn and off to the den we all went. Eric pulled a blanket from a closet off the den and tossed it over our legs and I laid my head down on his shoulder. I could not believe how calm I felt. I was going to forever join myself to Eric and his world later on tonight and I felt nothing but joy and calm. Wow, maybe I am finally growing up.

EPOV

My beloved was getting sleepy again and we were only 15 minutes into the movie. I watched as she snuggled against me and then reached and took Pam's hand in hers and closed her eyes. Pam looked shocked for a moment but then she looked pleased. Once Sookie was asleep Pam looked over at me and said,

"Make the bonding special for her. Say something nice, romantic, women like that sort of thing. She will remember this night forever, so make it good; make it worthy." She nodded to herself as if she was pleased with her wording and she stroked Sookie's hand. Then suddenly she looked far away and I knew in that moment she had been bonded to Keillen.

"Pam, min sota barn, jar ar sa sa ledsen…." Out of emotion, I reverted back to my old tongue.

"Master, please don't…." she begged with a shaky voice.

I reached my arm across the back of the couch and drew Pam against me and Sookie. That caused Sookie to make one of her cute little sleepy noises and this brought joy to both Pam and me. We looked at each other and smiled. Pam turned and cuddled into Sookie and me. She sighed, a contented sigh, and asked me in a almost sleepy voice,

"Eric, did I say easy-peasey earlier?"

"Yes, yes you did." I stated simply.

"Well fuck a zombie." she snarked.

A few moments later a very content Pam went into downtime leaving me to just sit and hold my entire world in my arms. Yes, this is right, my girls, my sweet, beautiful girls in my arms, this is where they belong. I love them both so much, but in such different ways. I could feel Pam's happiness and I thought to myself, I was not the only one that Sookie's love had saved.

A/N: translation (per google) Min Sota Barn = My sweet Child & Jar ar sa sa ledsen = I am so, so sorry. So let me know what you think. I am trying really hard to convey my story and the way I see them in my head. I know Eric is a little lovely dovey right now but he is dealing with a 1000 years of pent up emotions and he is working through them. Next chapter on to the lemo… I mean bonding! HUGS