Of Telepath and Vampire Born Chapter 4
And the plot thickens. Sookie is about to start getting her life back on track. Can she mend a few bridges and get her independence back? I don't own them, we've established this now. Read and Review!
Sookie made the bed slowly, a smile settling firmly on her lips as she remembered the night before. She knew a big secret about Eric. One that he would hate if it got out. One that would send the vampire world into disarray.
Eric Northman was a big softy. A genuine romantic of the oldest sort. Sookie giggled, pulling the sheets up and tucking them in. Oh how he would hate it if he knew she thought of him in that way. Maybe when he woke up she would say something, just to see his reaction. She could even have a camera ready.
With these amusing thoughts in mind she dressed and went about her morning. Eric was safely tucked up in the crawl space in the closet. It had been very late the night before when they had woken from their post-coital bliss and too late for Eric to safely make it back to Shreveport.
Now that Sookie had accepted some of Eric's reassurances that he was going to do the right thing, to stick around, she felt it was time to gain some of her independence back. She didn't want Eric thinking she was some sort of possession. And she wouldn't be a kept woman.
Shucking up all of her courage and determination, Sookie left the house and climbed into her car.
The drive to Merlotte's felt very short. Too short. Sookie had hoped for a little more time to prepare herself. But as is true in life, reality came up quick. She parked in the gravel lot and climbed heavily out of her car. She was definitely having trouble getting used to her belly. And now that she knew she was having twins she dreaded thinking how much bigger she was going to get.
Climbing up the stairs and opening the front door washed Sookie with a wave of emotions and she lost her breath. She hadn't been into Merlotte's in months, and she hadn't seen Sam for just as long. Steeling her resolve she forced herself to enter.
Lafayette was at the bar, pulling drinks.
"Sookie, Sookie, Sookie." He purred. "And you are looking delicious today. Look at you all round and baby mama like." He gave her a smile.
"Hey Lafayette. How's things?" Sookie gave him a genuine smile, finding herself really pleased to see Lafayette. They had always gotten along really well and he had been one of the few people to accept her ability.
"Oh you know, same old, same old. Its been awful quiet round here these days without you causing trouble." He gave her a look. "But I guess you got your own thing happening now."
"I guess," Sookie said slowly, unsure what Lafayette was getting at. How much did he know? She knew that a lot of people would probably take issue with the parentage of her babies, but Lafayette wasn't one that she had suspected. "Is Sam in?" There. She managed to keep her voice normal.
"You two talking again are you?" Lafayette cocked an eyebrow and then laughed off Sookie's expression. "You don't think that the whole town didn't hear about it. No one knows the details, of course, but girl, you made the headlines. Sookie and Sam having a blow out! Whooeee. Damn you should have seen him. That boy was all kinds of mad. Sulking away in his trailer for days. He'll be glad to see you, Sookie."
"Is he in his trailer?" Sookie persisted, knowing that Lafayette would keep her there until he could get the gossip.
Just then Sam emerged from the back hallway. Lafayette's eyebrow rose as he took in the short man's reaction to Sookie. Guilt, desire, concern all flashed in quick succession. Lafayette wondered just what it was that went down between the two of them and what Sam's connection to the growing pregnancy bump that Sookie was sporting.
"Well speak of the devil," Lafayette mused out loud. "Someone to see you boss." With that he flung a towel over his shoulder and moved a little further down the bar to serve customers.
"Sam," Sookie spoke, her voice a little shaky.
"Sookie, how are you?" Sam's eyes were wide, taking in everything. He seemed to be checking that she was alright.
"Good, Sam. I'm good. You?" She felt a little awkward standing there in the bar. Every pair of eyes was settled on them, ears listening to the reunion.
"Not bad. Do you want to come back to my office?" Sam had picked up on the interest they were spurring. Sookie nodded and followed Sam down the hall. She noted that he made no move to touch her and kept his distance.
Sitting behind his desk, Sam leant back in his chair and raised his eyebrows at Sookie as she sat opposite. He was surprised at how pregnant she looked. It had only been three or so months but she looked at least six months gone.
Sookie caught his look and turned slightly red.
"What can I do for you, Sookie?" Sam's voice was all business, though his eyes gave his emotions away. Sookie could catch snippets of his thoughts and knew that he was dying to hug her, to ask her everything.
"I was wondering…well, I thought maybe…" Sookie tried to find the right words, all her confidence blowing away. Just spit it out, she chastised herself.
"Sook, just tell me." Sam leant forward on his desk, his hard expression melting away and turning gentle. There was the Sam she knew.
"I was hoping I might be able to get my job back." There, that wasn't so hard.
Sam looked surprised and then pleased.
"Of course you can, Sookie. I told you there would always be a job here for you if you wanted it. And I stand by that." He looked her over carefully. "Is everything alright? Do you need money?" He didn't want to sound insulting, but his caring nature kept rearing its ugly head and taking control of his mouth.
"I'm doing ok, Sam. I just need to get out of the house and be around people. And it would be good to be earning some money again." She gave him a timid smile. Sam grinned back. Sookie felt his thoughts wash over her and could hear his relief.
Feeling more at ease now, Sam leant back in his chair again. He took Sookie in.
"How are things going?" he asked, gesturing to her belly. Sookie could hear the burning question in his mind.
Is the baby mine?
She didn't know how to answer him and took a moment to choose her words.
"Things are good. I finally got to have a good look on the sonogram last night."
Sam's eyebrows raised, urging her to continue.
"Find out what you're having?"
"A boy. Two boys, actually." Sookie couldn't help the proud little chuckle that popped out of her mouth. Sam looked floored.
"Twins?" His voice had gone up an octave.
"Yeah, go figure. You know I never do anything halfway." Sookie joked, slowly feeling more at ease with Sam. This was how things were supposed to be between them. Comfortable. Friendly. And now that she had come to terms with what he and the vampires had done, had had to do, she felt that she could start to rebuild her friendship with him.
"That's for sure. Is that why you're…" He gestured again to her belly, not wanting to finish his sentence. But Sookie heard it in his head.
"So big? Yeah. But also, supernatural pregnancy and all that. They're faster than regular ones, or so Ludwig told me."
Sam churned that over. She hadn't told him he wasn't the parent. And he knew that his supernatural genes could cause some changes to pregnancy. He was feeling very confused but knew he couldn't ask outright.
"You're still seeing Ludwig?"
"Not since that first time. I have a regular doctor. But I guess I will have to see her soon or I'm going to have to start answering some very confusing questions." She gave him a gentle smile.
Sam nodded.
"Well I'd be more than happy to have you back. It hasn't been the same since you left. But you make sure you don't strain yourself or hurt the little ones. You gotta take care of yourself." He gave her a stern look that made Sookie giggle. She had really missed Sam.
"I'll be sure to do just that." She laughed, moving to stand. Sam darted out from behind his chair and offered his hand to help. Sookie allowed him to heave her to her feet, grateful for the support.
"When would you like me to start?"
"How about you do the lunch shift tomorrow? See how you manage?"
"Sounds good." Sookie smiled, heading for the door. Stopping, she looked back and saw Sam watching her intently. "And Sam?"
His eyes met hers.
"Yeah, Sookie?"
"Thankyou." She let her gratitude show in her eyes, along with her forgiveness. Sam saw it and a relieved smile broke out across his face.
"You're welcome, Sook. I'll see you tomorrow."
"You sure will." And she continued out the door and back to her car. Sookie couldn't help the grin that was permanently situated on her face. She was pleased that things with Sam were sorting themselves out. Life felt all out of whack when she and Sam were fighting, and this had definitely been the longest they had gone without speaking.
Now all she had to do was break the news that she was going back to work to Eric. How on earth would he react to that?
Well Sookie and Sam are happy about their rekindled friendship, but how will Eric feel? And is Sookie going to extend the same truce to Bill? And is Eric going to be ok with Sookie going back to work, being the jealous type AND the old fashioned sort? And once again, where on earth is PAM? She's on her way people! REVIEW!