A/N: Now that FF is in the process of catching up on missed alerts, I feel better about posting this new chapter. I didn't want people to miss the update so I held out. Don't hold it against me :)

Thanks, as always, to my beta, chisaii-kitty who worked for her praise this week. Apparently after working on my math homework for so long, the editting portion of my brain turned off.

Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be.

I was heading home from work after another uneventful lunch shift the next evening, dreading the fact that I'd be driving into Shreveport again. I didn't mind helping out with the cause, but the drive was long and my car had plenty of miles on it already. I pulled up the driveway, resigning myself to the fact that I wouldn't have enough time to be able to shower and eat dinner while completing both at a leisurely pace.

I walked into the house and was accosted by a blur which I could only hope and assume was Eric. Before my tired brain could process what was happening, Eric was back in front of me, complete with a shit-eating grin. It was one I couldn't help but copy, it was just so infectious.

"What's got you so happy?"

"I just stole and hid your keys."

"What are you talking about? What does that mean?" I reached into my pocket and sure enough, they weren't there.

"I've hidden your keys somewhere in or around your home. Now you cannot drive us to Shreveport, we cannot meet with the Queen, and I'll stay this way forever."

"That just means that Pam's going to call all angry, yelling at me for not fulfilling my end of the deal. And I can't deal with that right now. I'm going to shower, go get my keys."

"No."

"You know what, not my problem. You're a grown up, even if you don't remember it. You don't want to go meet the Queen, you tell Pam."

"Fine. She's my child, she has to listen to me. I'll explain the situation to her and then join you in the shower."

Nothing I said would keep that vamp out of my shower, and if I'm being honest with myself, I really wanted him in there with me. Maybe I could bribe another massage out of him.

I got the water nice and hot, letting it pelt down on my back, melting the stress out of my muscles and the grease and spilled beer off my skin. Within a few minutes, Eric was in the bathroom with me, pulling the curtain back. He didn't look happy.

"She told me I needed to get my shit together and start acting like a sheriff again. She told me that if I didn't act like myself in front of the Queen, I would have my title stripped away. She said that as if that would be a bad thing. She yelled at me and then hung up. I can see why you didn't want to make that phone call."

As he was speaking, he stepped into the shower and was rubbing glorious circles into my back with soapy hands. Therefore, I lost my ability to speak and reason.

"I recovered your keys and locked all the doors. Then I hid them again in a new spot. If you rescind Pam's invitation, they won't be able to get to us."

I wrapped my hands around his wrists, pulling his hands off my body. He couldn't be putting me into my happy place if we were having this conversation.

"You have to face your responsibilities, Eric. You're a sheriff, you answer to the Queen. You have to at least talk to her. And stop hiding my keys!" I hit him playfully in the chest, sending soap suds all around us. "Wait, Pam and the Queen are coming here?"

"When I was adamant about not going to Shreveport, she told me that they would just come here."

"I really wish you didn't do that. The house is a mess and I don't feel like playing hostess all night. How am I supposed to act in front of a vampire Queen anyway?"

"You're asking me?"

As he started laughing, I couldn't help but join in. Eric had an amazing laugh that started deep in his chest and spread warmth all over his face. I don't think I'd ever heard Eric laugh like that before he lost his memories.

The hot water started to run out, so we finished up and toweled off. I dressed in jeans and a simple long sleeved shirt. I didn't want to dress formally, but I didn't want to look like a slob either. I put some leftovers in the oven to warm and set out to tidy up the living room. Eric sent me into the kitchen to eat while he finished cleaning, which I was awfully thankful for.

The amazing scent of the fireplace started to fill the house and it made me relax even deeper. He joined me in the kitchen, sitting down beside me. I noticed he dressed in his nicer clothes, a blood red button down and a pair of black dress pants. Upon further inspection, I noticed he finished his outfit with the flip flops I bought him at Wal-Mart.

"You should put some decent shoes on, those clash with the rest of your outfit."

"It's my rebellion. If they're going to force us into this meeting, they'll have to look at my feet. You should join me."

"How about I wear my ugliest slippers? My feet are too cold not to have anything on."

In a flash, he returned with my beat up pink slippers. He rubbed my feet before putting them on, in an effort to warm them up.

"I've decided that I'm going to be civil, but not nice to the Queen. You can act however you like."

"Considering I'll be in a room full of vampires that could rip my throat out at will, I think I'll be nice."

"If any one of them lays even one finger on you in a harmful manner, I'd kill them before the thought would even cross their minds."

With Eric being sweet all the time, I had nearly forgotten that he was a cold blooded killer. His last statement brought that reality back to the foreground of my mind, just like watching him rip enemies to shreds during the Witch War.

"I've upset you."

"I just don't like to think about you killing people. Or vampires. Unless I'm in danger, then it's all I think about."

"You have strong survival instincts."

"Not strong enough or I wouldn't be in this mess."

He wrapped his hand around mine. "You're in this mess with me; your protector. If there would be anyone to have at your side in a fight, it should be me."

I walked around the table, crawling into his lap. I just had the sudden urge to be held. As he wrapped his arms around me, I could tell he wasn't complaining.

"Have I ever let you get hurt?"

"Well, I'm not sure how to answer that. I mean in Dallas, there was a gun fight and you took bullets for me, but I would have never been there if it wasn't for you. And then in Jackson I got staked at a night club but you saw to it that I got healed. That's when you gave me your blood."

"See, I've already proven that I can take care of you, protect you. You should feel safe."

He kissed me sweetly, which I gladly reciprocated. His head shot up and I reached out with my mind to figure out what caught his attention. I picked up a car full of voids, which meant vampires, which meant Pam was here with the Queen and a few other guests.

I tried to open the door, but sure enough, every lock installed was engaged. I'd need my keys to open it.

"Eric, for the last time, go get my keys."

"No. I don't want to deal with them. They'll give up once they can't get in and go away."

"You know as well as I do that's not going to happen. Now, go find them."

At this point, they were already knocking to be allowed in.

"Sookie, open the door." Pam was not in a good mood. This evening was not going to be pleasant.

"I'd love to Pam, but Eric locked everything up tight and hid my keys. He really doesn't want to talk to the Queen."

Another voice chimed in, one that I didn't recognize. "Northman, as your Queen, I command you to open this door or I will break it down and stake you myself."

"I will not have my door broken down, Eric, nor do I want you staked. Stop acting like a little kid and go get my keys!"

He made his was out of the kitchen, moving far slower than he was capable of. I really didn't want my door broken down so I begged the gathered vampires to be patient while he found them. He returned a few moments later, keychain in hand. He opened all the locks and the door, revealing a party of four outside my door, three vampires I didn't know and Pam. One of them looked awfully familiar though.

"Sookie?" It was my cousin, Hadley. She'd run off a few years ago, her life took a very different path than mine. This was obvious when taking into consideration that she was dead and I was not.

"Oh my goodness, Hadley, is that you? I haven't seen you in ages!" I reached out my arms for a hug, but realized she couldn't come in to give me one since I hadn't invited her. "Come on in, give me a hug!"

She squeezed a little too tight; she must not have been a vampire for very long as she didn't know her own strength. Her turning must have been the personal matter Pam mentioned.

"This is sweet and touching, but how about you invite the Queen and her other child, Andre, in as well?" Pam walked in, opening the fridge to warm up a few bottles of blood for our guests. Apparently, she was a better hostess than I was.

Eric looked down at me, shaking his head in a silent plea to not extend an invitation. As much as I wanted to make him happy, I wanted these vampires out of my house as fast as possible. "Won't you both come in?"

They walked through the door, right past me without another word. Andre, a blond haired, blue eyed kid, did a thorough search of the house. He couldn't have been out of his teenage years when he was turned. The Queen didn't look much older. She had creamy white skin with auburn hair and brown eyes. She was absolutely gorgeous.

Pam came close to me, and for a moment I was afraid. She leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "Her name is Sophie-Anne Leclerq, but you will address her as Your Majesty. She's very annoying, much more tolerable when she's being adored. Andre is her oldest child and sworn bodyguard. Don't piss him off. Hadley was turned last week, how do you know her?"

No matter what age, dead or alive, ladies liked to gossip. "She was my cousin. I haven't spoken to her in years."

"Interesting." Pam filed away that tidbit for later, walking into the living room with a tray full of blood. I took Eric's hand and walked in behind her, taking a seat next to him on the couch opposite the royal party.

"Thank you all for coming. I'm sorry for the inconvenience of having to drive out here."

Sophie-Anne rolled her eyes at my attempt to break the ice. "After the trip from New Orleans that last thing I wanted to do was sit in the car for another hour to drive to the middle of nowhere to have this meeting."

"You should be glad I'm speaking to you at all. If I had my way, I'd be gone with my Sookie to never deal with any of you again." Oh, Eric, you sure do have a way of sugar coating bad news.

"Is that what you want, Viking? You've served under me for decades. I've let you keep to yourself in this God forsaken corner of my state, never troubling you except to collect my share of your earnings. You're the wealthiest sheriff in the state, one of the richest in any area in the nation, especially considering how small and unimportant Shreveport and its surrounding cities are. Those in your area are loyal to a fault, glad to serve under a sheriff such as yourself. And now, you want to throw it all away for a human?"

"Yes."

"You most certainly are not yourself. I didn't believe it when Pam told me, but now I can't argue. During the drive over here, Andre examined the spell book. He likes to consider himself an amateur cryptographer but even he couldn't make out the writings. Pam has been running the area in your absence, correct?"

"Yes." He sure was laying the 'civil, but not nice' act on thick.

"Then I'm stripping you of your title and naming Pam as the new sheriff of Area 5. Should you regain your memories, it will be up to her to decide whether she wants to relinquish control."

"That's fine."

"It is definitely not fine. Eric, you love being sheriff, being in control of the area. You can't just throw that away." Why was I fighting so hard for him to return back to his old ways? I liked this new Eric and yet I was the loudest voice for getting the old one back.

"Human, he is not fit to act as sheriff right now. Pam described him as confused and completely out of character. He would make horrible decisions not in the best interest of my kingdom. Now why don't you run along to your boyfriend's house and leave us to discuss this matter."

Boyfriend's house? How did she know about me and Bill? Did he have to report his daily life to his Queen? "Not that it is any of your business, but Bill and I broke up. This is my house and I will not have you remove me from my own home."

"You and Bill broke up?"

"Yes, he left me for his maker."

"The bond between child and maker is very strong. Andre hasn't left my side since I turned him centuries ago. Neither will Hadley. It is not your place to get between them. You should forgive him."

"I think this meeting is over, you should leave."

Eric rose to his full height, clenching his hands into fists. "I agree. All of you, out of my beloved's home. Now."

Andre took the Queen's hand and led her outside. Hadley stopped to give me another hug. "I'll be in touch, cousin. She really isn't that bad, she sure loves me a whole lot. She's curious about you, she asks me about you all the time." With that, she was out the door too.

Pam walked over to Eric, who would not even look at her. "This isn't what I wanted, Master, you have to believe that. Please know that when you return to your senses, I will gladly give you your title back."

He didn't say a word; he just stared into the fireplace. She took that as a hint to leave and was out the door, closing it behind her. I heard the car speed down the driveway and out of our lives.

"That went well. Why was she so concerned with my relationship with Bill?"

"I don't know, but that is one of the memories I wish I had. Something is being hidden from us, and it might put you in danger. We should talk to Compton at once."

"It's a little awkward between us; I don't really feel like talking to him right now."

"It's in your best interests. Let's go. Don't mention that my title was taken away, I can use it as leverage to get what I want out of him."

I was about to grab my coat when there was another knock at the door. I listened in, hearing the void of a vampire. Fearing that someone left something behind I went to answer it. As I opened the door, Bill was standing on the other side, waiting to be invited in.

"Bill! We were just talking about you, come on in." We're definitely not going to manipulate you to get information.

He walked in, greeted Eric, and took a seat in the living room in front of the fire. I offered him a blood, but he declined.

"So what do we owe this visit? Sookie and I were just about to sit down and watch a movie." Real smooth, Eric, make it look like we weren't on our way to interrogate Bill about his dealings with the Queen.

"I just realized Sookie and I haven't had much time to talk after I came home from South America. We have some loose ends to tie up."

"No we don't, Bill. You and I are over, broken up."

"Plus, she's with me now."

"Perhaps Sookie and I could have this conversation alone, sheriff."

"Not on your life, Compton."

Just to prove his point, he sat down on the couch opposite Bill, making himself as comfortable as possible. He held his arm out to me, indicating he would like it if I cuddled up next to him. I didn't have a reason to be mean to Bill, so I simply sat down next to Eric, closer to the fire. Eric looked annoyed that I wasn't in a snuggling mood. He'd just have to deal.

Bill shifted around in his seat for a while, looking very uncomfortable. "Sookie, I miss you. During my time away, my thoughts were consumed by you. There has to be a way we can work this out."

Eric wrapped his arm around me, which just screamed "MINE" without actually saying the word. He knows how much I hate that word. I think he might have actually growled. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't the slightest bit sexy.

"Bill, I have no desire to go back to the ways things were. You were ignoring me for weeks before you up and left me for Lorena. I'm through with you."

"But we had something so special. You can't throw that away based on something you don't understand."

"I hate when you vampires tell me I don't understand your politics or society. You can't cheat on your girlfriend and then play the vampire card. I won't stand for that!"

"I know I hurt you, but please, you have to give me a second chance."

"You raped me in the trunk of a car after nearly draining me! There's no second chance after that!"

Eric jumped out of his seat and had Bill by the throat before I could blink. I guess I left that part of the story out when I told Eric about what happened in Jackson.

"Eric, let him go. He wasn't himself when it happened, he had just been tortured and hadn't fed in a long time. He didn't mean it."

"If he didn't mean it, then you could forgive him or give him a second chance. But you won't, so it meant something."

I grabbed Eric's wrist to try and pry it off of Bill's throat but it wouldn't budge. "Eric, stop! Please, I'm asking you to let him go. Do it for me."

I could see the wheels turning in Eric's mind. "I swore to protect you, and killing the vampire who hurt you is just part of that."

I needed to appeal to his logical side. "If you kill Bill, you'll need to deal with Pam and the Queen again!"

That got him off Bill real fast. Bill gave me a look and ran out the door. I couldn't blame him.

"I hate to repeat myself, but that went well. We got nothing out of him."

"Yes we did, Lover. The Witch War was three nights ago. He could have come over here at any time to speak with you since returning from South America, but he didn't. It wasn't until the Queen heard of your separation and suggested you get back together that he came back. Groveling, might I add."

"You think he's working with the Queen on something?"

"Didn't Hadley say the Queen was interested in you?"

"You don't think that Bill was feeding information to the Queen about me? Why would she want to know about me?"

"I don't know, your telepathy perhaps? That does make you very interesting."

"I don't even want to think about it. I think I'd like a good snuggling and then to go to sleep. I have some hours to catch up on."

"Clothed or unclothed?"

"Doesn't matter to me, I'll probably just fall asleep on you."

"Clothed it is." He scooped me up in his arms bridal style, carrying me to the bedroom. "Prepare for the snuggling of a lifetime!"

A/N2: Dun Dun Dun!! Shit's hitting the fan in Bon Temps, Louisiana! Will Amnesia Eric prove to be a good investigator? Will they be able to get to the bottom of things? I appears that I have a knack for writing mysteries which is what this is evolving into. Keep reading and reviewing, you guys are amazing!