AN: Thanks again for those that review and added to favorites, it's appreciated. Sorry that the last chapter was kind of short after such a long wait, but it was kind of a good place to end that chapter before this next one. Hope you enjoy this next chapter. All characters belong to CH and AB.

Eric was quiet as he and Sookie walked through the woods that led down to a lake that wasn't too far from her Gran's farmhouse. His hand still held hers as they walked along in silence. So much time had passed, but it felt natural and safe being with Sookie like this. Thinking back over the years, she was the only girl or woman he'd ever let in close enough to really know him, besides his mother before she passed away and his sister, Pam. He'd spent years trying not to think of Sookie, but she'd always been there in the back of his mind. He felt like a total fool for leaving Bon Temps the way he did back then and cutting off all contact with his best friend. He smiled slightly as they exited the wood and came to the clearing where the lake was located. He loved that the property was still undeveloped and unobstructed by houses or any business. "It still looks the same."

Sookie smiled, "Yeah, Gran has had offers to sell the land back here to some developers over the years, but she's always turned them down. It's just beautiful and would be a waste to let someone come along and mess it all up." Sookie released his hand and walked to stand moved to stand at the lake's edge. From the time she and Eric had been seven years old, this lake had always been their place. In the summer, she and Eric would come out to go swimming. They used to take walks through the woods just to come out here to talk when they had gotten older up until Eric had left Louisianna after his mother's death. When Grace Northman died, everything had changed. Eric had retreated off into himself where even she couldn't reach him, and then came the news he and Pam were moving to California to live with their father that had left them years previously. She shook her head to bring her back to the present time. "What do you want to do about this, Eric? I mean I've spent years thinking you just didn't want to have anything to do with Alex, and obviously that wasn't the case. I still can't believe what your father did, but I can't be mad at you. You didn't know. But I'm not sure where we go from here. Alex is almost 11 years old now. His family is here, his friends are here, his school is here, his whole life has been here in Bon Temps. Your life is in Los Angeles."

Eric shoved his hands into the pocket of his jeans as he moved to stand beside her at the lake's edge. "I can't believe what he did either. He's cost me years that I can never get back; years that I should have been around for Alex and for you, Sook. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet, but I'll handle my father very soon." He let out a frustrated sigh. There were so many things going through his head at the moment, and it was hard to know where to start with all of this for him. The uncomplicated life he'd built for himself over the last decade was now more complicated than he could ever have imagined. "Are you going to let me have a relationship with Alex?"

Sookie nodded, "I'm not going to stop you, Eric. He's not just my son, he's yours as well. I've always wanted him to have a relationship with you. I know this still has to be a major shock for you. You've known all of a week that you have a child in this world. I'm glad that you came and talked to Gran, and now we all know what happened in the past. I just don't want you to feel obligated to be around if it's not what you want. Alex is happy and very much loved. If you don't feel like you can be his dad, I'm not going to force anything. If you'd rather go back to your life, I won't stop you. If you're going to be in his life, I need you to be 100% sure, Eric. I can't let you come into his life as his dad, and then you change your mind down the road. I won't let Alex be hurt like that."

Eric smiled, "You sound like a mom." He cleared his throat as he thought over her words. It pleased him that Sookie loved Alex so much and wanted to do whatever to protect him. "I took a couple of days to drive from California because I needed time to think about all of this. I was nervous as hell coming here. I knew I'd see you both, and I didn't know how to feel about that exactly. Looking at his picture, he looked so much like me when I was that age it was uncanny. Sitting in your grandmother's kitchen when Alex came in and I got to see him in person felt like I got knocked on my ass. All of a sudden here was a living and breathing part of myself staring back at me. I know that I don't even know him, but I already love him, Sookie. He's my son. I knew in that moment that I want to know him. I want to know everything about him. I want him to love me back someday. I want to be a dad."

Sookie let out a relieved sigh as she heard the conviction in Eric's words. She believed that he wanted to be a real father to their son. "How long are you going to be here, Eric? Not that I'm trying to rush you or whatever. It's summertime so Alex is out of school for the next two months, so it would be a good time as far as you two spending time together and getting to know one another."

Eric shrugged, "I didn't really set a timetable on anything. I kind of just packed a bag, threw it in the car, and got on the road. Pam and I just opened a club in Los Angeles, but she can handle things just fine on her own. I don't really have anything tying me down back in Los Angeles so I can be here for as long I want."

Sookie nodded, "Yeah, I saw online where you were opening that club after your sudden retirement from the NFL. Why did you retire so early? A lot of people said you were still in your prime."

Eric was surprised that she even kept up on anything about him considering she believed he was some deadbeat father. "It wasn't really fun anymore. I played in high school, college, and finally got drafted and was making tons of money, but I didn't feel anything when I was playing. I got injured a bit, and I realized I didn't want to be one of these guys in his 30's that can barely walk cause of injuries or has head issues later on in life, so I decided enough was enough. I made enough money from my first contract and all the endorsements I had to last me the rest of my life I'm sure. The club is already doing well, and Pam is already talking opening more clubs in other cities, so everything has worked out for me." He glanced towards Sookie, "Speaking of money, I mean I'd like to get in touch with my attorney about setting up something for you and Alex."

Sookie frowned, "Eric, I don't want your money."

Eric knew that was coming, and unlike most women he'd come across over the years, those words from Sookie's lips he believed. "I'm not trying to buy you off, and I know you're not some golddigger, Sookie. This is about me doing my part with helping to raise Alex, our son. Let's say I'd known about Alex all along, you would have had been getting help from me whether we were together or not. Child support is part of raising a child, and you haven't gotten anything for almost 11 years. I want to do my part."

Sookie nodded, understanding that he was trying to make things right from how he saw them. "Talk to your attorney if you want. We can discuss something reasonable if you want to, but whatever it is will be for Alex alone. My job as a dental hygienist pays enough that I've been able to give Alex and I a good life."

Eric glanced at the uniform she was wearing that had Merlotte's written across the white t-shirt. "By the looks of things, I thought you were working as a waitress."

Sookie smiled, "I still pick up a few shifts during the week. Sam's dad hired me as a waitress when I was still pregnant with Alex, and he was very understanding of working around my schedule of school and Alex when I did work. I still graduated from high school on time, and after that happened Gran and Daddy had been saving money for me to go to college. Gran and my Aunt Linda really helped as far as watching Alex while I commuted to LSU Shrevport and got a degree to be a dental hygienist. Luckily for me, Bill opened up his own dentist practice here in Bon Temps, so finding a job was super easy."

Eric was proud to hear what Sookie had accomplished. She'd always been smart in school, and he was glad that despite having Alex at such a young age, she was able to continue her education like she wanted. "Bill as in Bill Compton?"

Sookie nodded, "Yep. He was gone for a few years in Mississippi, but when his father passed away, he came back to Bon Temps to move back into the Compton place across from Gran's. He decided it was time to leave the practice he was in, and he opened his own practice here right about the time I was graduating so it was really perfect timing. It's Bill and his partner Lorena, and then me and a couple of other girls who work as hygienist and a receptionist. It's a small practice, but it does well here."

Eric didn't like the idea of Bill Compton, he never had. Bill was about 10 years older than Sookie and himself, and even when they were kids, Bill had a funny way at always looking at Sookie. Eric had always thought the guy was way creepy, and he was always a loner that prefered to be working on his computer games than actually having friends. Hearing Sookie talk about Bill with such fondness was something he didn't like, but he wasn't going to bring up if he was more than her boss at this time. "So, how exactly are we going to do this about telling Alex who I am?"

Sookie shook her head, "I'm sure he's giving Daddy and Jason the third degree as we speak. He's smart like you were at that age. He knows me all too well, and I tried to cover my reaction to you, but Alex will know that something was off. The two of you in a room together is like looking at twins, and I'm sure Alex noted that as well. By the time I go get him at Jason's, he'll probably have figured out who you are all on his own. We go to church with Gran every Sunday morning, and then we go back to her farmhouse to have Sunday lunch, why don't you join us there? I don't think it would go well to drag this out too long."

Eric nodded, "That sounds fine. I'd like to just get the introduction thing over as quick as possible so we can move on and really allow Alex and I to start getting to know one another. I'm gonna get a hotel room, but what time do you want me to come over? And are you sure it's gonna be okay to be there with your father and Jason? I can only imagine how much they'd both like to skin me alive for getting you pregnant and not being around."

Sookie sighed, she was sure her Daddy and Jason both would love to load up the shotguns and have a few minutes alone with Eric. The men in her life were very protective of both she and Alex, and Eric had been a bad guy in both of their eyes for so long. "Come by around 1, and we should have everything ready to eat. I'm going to talk to Daddy and Jason tonight, so they will be on their best behavior, I promise. I'm sure Gran won't tolerate them being anything other than angels while in her house. You'll be fine." Sookie chucked at one thought, "I guess I'm going to have to try and catch a hold of Tara as well. She'll be there tomorrow, too. Gran mentioned she was very hard on you at your club last week when she and Laf were visiting."

Eric groaned at the thought of seeing and dealing with Tara again. "Yeah, you better hope you can warn her beforehand of my appearance or she'll try and continue with her yelling and hitting me. I'm sure that would make for a lovely Sunday lunch at in your grandmother's home."

Sookie shook her head because she could see Tara doing just that if she didn't warn her ahead of time. She held her hand out for Eric's hand again and tugged him along, "C'mon let's get back so I can go get Alex and talk to Daddy and Jason, and I'm sure you need some time to get into your hotel and prepare for tomorrow."

Eric squeezed her hand as they began to walk. Tomorrow Alex would know that he was his father, and that thought both thrilled and made Eric a nervous wreck. It would certainly been an eventful day he was sure.