a/n: I hope everyone had a good holiday! I'll try to write some more for this but I can't promise a post before new year's. However if work stays slow like it has been, then I'll be able to write more. So lets all hope my work remains super boring!

Chapter 4

Over the next week I spent every spare second at work with Eric. He never improved when it came to his memories. He just kept having these weird and extremely vivid dreams. However none of them made a lick of sense. On our afternoon strolls through the garden he would tell me about them. One time he and Pam were digging a hole in the forest when the sun started to rise. He said the rays felt like fire on his skin then he woke up in a cold sweat. Another time he was flying again but when he landed it was the 1920s and he owned a speakeasy. Oddly a lot of them involved flying and different historical periods. I even looked a few of them up and he always had his facts straight. The only conclusion I could come to was that he was a history buff in his normal life.

We discovered Eric did enjoy reading along with playing chess, being in the sunlight, and he could play the piano. I became his go-to person and probably his best friend in all of this. Pam had yet to show up again and help her brother out. I found it quite saddening she left him alone like this. I enjoyed every second of time I spent with him. His quiet mind was peaceful and I got to experience having a normal friend for the first time.

This evening it was rainy out. It had been stormy and gross all day so Eric and I hadn't gone for our usual walk. The light was just starting to fade outside and I could hear the rain pattering against the roof of the building. I was finishing up some filing when Octavia stopped to speak with me.

"Sookie, I think we should talk." Her voice was serious and I started to worry. Was this going to be a speech about me being unprofessional? Spending too much time with one patient? Shit.

"Okay" I got up and followed her to the small room we normally did interviews in. It was also the room she fired people in. Crap, crap, crap!

"Take a seat" She gestured towards the one across from her and I reluctantly sat down.

"What's this about?" I finally gave in for once and let down the shield I always had around my mind.

Dangerous. He's dangerous and you don't even know it. I have to protect her.

I heard the thoughts in her head and tried to not let it show in my expression. Who was dangerous? Everyone in this building was harmless.

"I wanted to speak with you about something, well more like someone." The expression in her old brown eyes was grave.

I just nodded for her to continue.

"You seem to care about Eric. I know you're a good nurse Sookie but you shouldn't let yourself feel any emotional connection to him. He's a patient just like the rest." Not exactly like them, but she doesn't need to know that. She just needs to stay away.

Her thoughts were not lining up with her words.

"I know that. I haven't done anything wrong, I'd take the other patients for walks during the day but most of them can't handle being out of bed that long." Okay so I definitely favored him, but I wasn't going to just let her fire me. It's not like I was sneaking him out for romantic outings. Geez.

"I know..." She shook her head and looked down at the table. "Just keep your distance from him Sookie. Please."

"What are you talking about? This doesn't sound as simple as me favoring a patient. You're making it sound like he's dangerous." That was impossible. Eric was the quietest and kindest man I had ever met.

Octavia gave me a stern look. "Maybe I am. Maybe you ought to consider it."

With that she walked out of the room leaving me alone with my thoughts. What the hell was that? I sat there trying to process the very strange conversation I just had. Octavia was being awfully cryptic and it was obvious she did not want to tell me everything. So I doubted running after her with questions would help much right now. Was Eric a bad person in his normal life? Was he a serial killer?

No, I would have heard about it on the news if there was some local killer. I guess it was possible he had a criminal record. What if he had murdered someone? Raped someone? I shook my head. That was impossible. He was so gentle and almost timid at times. There was no way Eric was some psychopath. I hoped…

My mind was still spinning in a million directions as I made my way to his room. I had not really spent any time with him today due to the poor weather. As always when I entered the room Eric was looking out his window. Except today it was pouring outside and rain droplets ran in rivers down the glass.

"You're still here" He smiled and motioned for me to sit down next to him. I probably shouldn't sit next to him on his bed. That was unprofessional and I was wondering if he was secretly a criminal and didn't remember it.

"I'm glad you could visit me." His expression was the same as it always was. His blue eyes were full of happiness at seeing me and it seemed impossible to imagine a lick of anger ever crossing his face.

Of course I caved and sat down next to him.

"It's too bad it's raining outside. I always hate dreary weather." I sighed and decided to blame my somewhat sour mood on the rain. Except he had no idea I was fine until a few minutes ago.

"I don't know if I like it or not. I can't remember ever being out in a storm." He seemed saddened by that.

"It's no fun. Just open the window and you'll see." I said sarcastically.

The only problem was Eric did not get my sarcasm. He stood right up and opened the window all the way. The sound of the rain outside became louder without the glass blocking it and the humid air from outside swept into the room.

"I wasn't serious!" I jumped up to shut the window and a gust of wind came. It sent sheets of rain into the room and I could feel my face was drenched. After some struggling I managed to shut the window again. The wind was howling outside.

"You could have helped shut the window, being a giant and all." I turned to face him and he was just staring at me. It wasn't the creepy or rude kind of stare though. It was one of those rare moments when someone was looking at you so intensely you could swear they were seeing all of you.

Eric reached out and his thumb brushed away some of the water dripping down my cheek. I just stood there frozen. Somewhere in the corner of my mind I remembered Octavia's warning. I also recalled the fact that he was my patient. But none of that seemed to matter when he closed the distance between us and kissed me.

It felt like someone had set me on fire and any chills the rain had brought were quickly erased by his lips on mine. One of his hands was holding the side of my face and the other moved around my back to pull me closer. This was wrong, wasn't it? I let my hands run up his perfect chest and up to his neck where I could feel the rain on his warm skin. It certainly felt right.

There was a clap of thunder outside and I suddenly came to my senses. I pulled away from him and took a few steps back.

"I-" What the hell do I do now?! I just fucking kissed a patient! "have to go."

I darted out of the room before Eric could say a word. Then I went and hid in the empty lunch room for awhile trying to figure out what the hell I was doing.

a/n: so I guess Eric isn't so shy after all eh? Please review!