Sookie Stackhouse patted her hair, smoothed her sundress, straightened her posture, and rang the doorbell of the well cared for plantation house. The old home had been lucky to escape burning in the war, and had been meticulously kept up by parties unknown to any of the residents of Bon Temps. In Sookie's lifetime no one had ever lived there, until now. She had passed by a few times in the past weeks and seen lights on. In one hand, she held a freshly baked pecan pie. Bill fidgeted by her side.
"What if I'm not invited in?" he asked, frowning with concern.
"Then I won't go in either. But that sure wouldn't be neighborly, considering I've brought them a pie and all," Sookie said reasonably.
"What if they don't eat pie?" Bill asked in a low voice.
"You mean what if they're vampires? You know, I was thinking they might be since I've only seen lights on at night. But in that case, we should have no trouble getting invited in."
"I just hope we won't have trouble getting out."
"Of course I may have only seen lights on at night because why would people put lights on during the day?" Sookie mused. "Not that I've been out during the day much lately, myself."
The door opened and Sookie's grin doubled as she saw Peggy standing there, looking just as surprised to see her. She was dressed in a sleeveless red velvet top with black shorts not unlike the shorts they wore to work. Her blond hair hung in a damp curtain around her pale face as if she had just showered. Without even trying, Sookie heard her thought:
Did I tell Sookie where we live?
"No, you didn't tell me where you live," Sookie said. "I just saw the lights on and the SOLD sign and thought I'd be neighborly! I'm so glad it's you! Welcome to Bon Temps. Again, that is! I know we've been working together three days already."
Peggy stared, looking slightly unnerved that Sookie had seemed to guess what she was thinking. Sookie quickly tried to back up out of her co-worker's mind, out of common courtesy. She had only picked up Peggy's thoughts sporadically at work, and then she had always been concentrating on her job. Peggy had said very little about herself, and the curiosity Sookie had felt about her had now escalated.
"Thank you," Peggy said. She did not move out of the doorway or invite them in. Her eyes went to Bill and Sookie could see that she clearly recognized him as a vampire.
"How silly of me, this is my boyfriend, Bill Compton. He lives down the road a bit, as do I. We're you're closest neighbors."
Peggy and Bill exchanged stiff pleasantries and still Peggy did not invite them in, and Sookie wondered why she was struggling with it.
"I brought you a pie!" Sookie held it out in front of her and Peggy took it.
"Thank you, Sookie, that's awfully kind of you."
"I know we've just never gotten a chance to socialize at work since you're still learning the ropes and the new breakfast shift just keeps us hopping. But now since neither of us has to be in until dawn, maybe we can get to know each other better… unless I've caught you at a bad time?"
"No, Sookie, it's not a bad time at all," said Eric Northman, suddenly appearing behind Peggy. He laid a hand on her shoulder so casually and yet so possessively that Sookie had no doubts at all as to what it meant. "Won't you come in?"
"What are you doing here?" Bill asked. Sookie could tell he was just as surprised to see Eric as she was. Well, at least she knew who the we in Peggy's thought was now. Eric merely smiled and stepped aside so Sookie and Bill could come in, though Sookie was not now entirely sure that she wanted to.
Sookie looked up at Eric's face and he smiled at her. There was pride and amusement in that smile, and the same curious interest in her that he always evinced, but something was missing.
Eric wasn't lusting after her. She opened her mouth to tell him that she had noticed this but then decided that between Bill and Peggy, who obviously has some sort of involvement with the annoying Viking, that this was probably not the most tactful thing to do.
"Margaret, why don't you take Sookie to the kitchen to slice up that lovely pie while I speak with my old friend Bill here," Eric said, sounding ridiculously pleasant. Peggy shot Eric a look, arching an eyebrow, but didn't reply, just headed down a long hallway with the pie, leaving Sookie to trail behind.
Sookie trotted after her, trying to keep up with the tall girl's longer strides. To her chagrin, she had not a second to look into any of the rooms that they passed.
"You have a lovely home," she called courteously.
They reached the kitchen and Sookie gasped. Despite the age of the house, all the appliances were brand new and appeared to be freshly installed. Peggy turned on the oven and set the pie inside.
"About ten minutes?"
"Perfect," Sookie agreed. "Wow, this kitchen is—"
"Very modern," Peggy agreed, looking for plates in a vast cupboard full of brand new dishes. "Eric had it redone."
"So Eric bought you this house?"
"Well… I bought it. He just ordered the renovations."
"Why would Eric want the kitchen renovated?"
"He just likes ordering things."
"I can believe that."
Peggy smiled faintly. "Besides, he has excellent taste."
"If you can buy a house, why would you want to be a waitress?" Sookie asked. She immediately caught a flash of panic from Peggy.
"I…need something to do," Peggy said. But Sookie caught a flash of Eric in her mind. It took all of her self control not to ask why Eric would send her to be a waitress at Merlotte's. "You know, when Eric is…asleep. Probably like you and Bill."
"Oh no, I was a waitress long before I met Bill and I wouldn't give up my job for any man."
"I didn't have a job before I met Eric," Peggy said absently, looking off into space.
"Can I… can I ask how you two met?" Sookie was curious.
Peggy was silent for a long time and it took all of Sookie's control not to dip into her thoughts. Peggy took the pie out of the oven and set it on the table. She found a knife and cut it two slices.
"I have some whipped cream," she said.
Sookie smiled. "I'd love some. But you didn't answer my question." Peggy got the whipped cream and put a generous amount on each slice of pie, still not answering. "You can trust me," Sookie added.
Peggy looked at her. "You know, I believe that I can. I met Eric in Dallas."
Sookie's eyes widened. "I was in Dallas! Not a month ago. Bill and I were helping Eric find Godric—"
Sookie stopped talking when she saw Peggy's expression at the mention of Godric. The pale girl grew even paler. Her blue eyes widened, and Sookie felt like she was hit in the face with Peggy's emotions and thoughts.
"You knew Godric?" Peggy murmured, her voice barely a whisper, though her thoughts were screaming.
Sookie slapped her hands over her ears and shook her head. The images were too strong, too much. A little ten year old girl, beholding Godric for the first time, knowing he was something special, something more than human. The fourteenth birthday when he first took her blood. Godric becoming lovers with a girl who seemed his own age but was two thousand years younger. A million memories of Godric, Godric, Godric…
How could she tell Peggy that she had been there when Godric had died?
"Are you all right, Sookie?"
Sookie lifted her head. The cacophony had died down. Peggy had gotten control of herself. She was good at controlling her emotions and keeping her thoughts to herself, Sookie realized.
"You were in love with Godric."
Peggy smiled bitterly. "I still am. I always will be. But he's…gone."
Oh no, Sookie was NOT going to tell her that she had been there at the end with him. That she had seen Godric burn. How could she say that to someone who had loved him so deeply, so strongly?
"He's at peace," Sookie offered weakly.
"I have to believe that," Peggy said.
"So how did you…get involved with Eric?'
"Godric left me to him."
Sookie frowned. "What do you mean, left you?"
"He left me to be Eric's responsibility. I'm…His."
"And you just accepted that, Peggy? A woman ought to take care of herself!"
"I'm perfectly aware of that," Peggy hissed. "However, since you are acquainted with Eric, perhaps you are aware of how difficult to convince him of anything. Besides, both he and I are obligated to Godric's wishes!"
"Do you want to be Eric's?" Sookie demanded.
"I can think of worse things," Peggy said levelly. But her cheeks turned pink as Eric and Bill joined them in the kitchen.
"Your enthusiasm is overwhelming," Eric said dryly.
"So is yours," Peggy snapped at him.
"Not in front of company, darling." Eric looked amused. "Although I am starting to think it is time for our company to go."
"You will contact Pam?" Bill asked Eric.
"I suppose I have neglected Fangtasia for too long," Eric conceded.
Sookie was suddenly aware that Peggy had no idea who Pam was or what Fangtasia was. Eric was in for it, and the thought of the big, bad Viking involved in a domestic squabble made her giggle somewhat hysterically. She knew then that Eric had her hands full, and she could almost feel sorry for him.
Almost.
"Let's run along, Bill," she said. "I can see these two love birds have things to discuss."
Eric looked pained. But he didn't look like he wanted to possess her any more, and that made him all the more easy to handle. A great relief poured through Sookie. Let Peggy deal with his macho posturing.
Somehow Sookie thought she could handle it.
"I'll see you at work in the morning," she told Peggy cheerfully. Bill took her hand and led her out into the night.
"Did you know that Eric—" she started when Eric had closed the door and they were half way down the steps.
Bill gave Sookie a rare smile. "Oh yes," he said, "I know."