A/N: First off...I am so sorry that this took so long to get out! Real life totally got in the way, but I am so happy this is done. I want to thank everyone who voted for this story in the You Want Blood Awards; because of you, Begin Again won second place for favorite All-Human and I won third place for best new author! You guys are simply amazing and I can't thank you enough :-)
I also want to thank the amazing Asrailefay for being my Beta on this! She caught some things that I wouldn't have and was a great sounding board. If you haven't already checked out her stories, I highly recommend them!
As always, I own nothing TB or SVM related.
Sookie grinned widely as she saw the familiar red hair in the crowd, practically bouncing with excitement as she waited for her friend to exit the secure side of the airport. "Over here, Red!" she yelled with a wave as she saw the younger girl looking around, letting out a big laugh as she was soon engulfed in a firm hug. "How are you? How was your flight?" she asked as she grabbed Jess' carry-on, linking her arm with the younger girl's as they made their way towards the baggage claim.
Jessica Hamby rolled her eyes, letting out a small laugh as they made their way through the crowds of people. "I get to spend the summer with my two favorite people, instead of my bible-thumping parents. I couldn't get on that plane fast enough, Sook! They're convinced that I'm going to be ruined after spending a couple of months with my heathen single mother of a friend." She scoffed as she darted forward to grab one of her suitcases off the conveyor belt. "Clearly they don't realize that three years at a coed college would take care of that one." She watched as Sookie grabbed for her second suitcase, letting out a small gasp as she saw the bandage on her palm. "What the hell happened to your hand?"
"I broke a plate and cut my hand on one of the pieces when I was picking it up," Sookie answered with a shrug, starting to lead Jess out of the airport. "It's just a few stitches, nothing major," she said with a smile, making her way across the lot to where she was parked.
Jess raised a brow in confusion as Sookie led them to a red sports car, tilting her head in even more confusion as her friend dug keys out of her pocket and popped the trunk. "Ah, Sook? Since I doubt you had some sort of pre-pre-midlife crisis and bought a car that your son's car seat can't even fit in…who the hell does this car belong to?" she asked, helping to load her suitcases into the trunk. "I mean…from what you've described, Bon Temps doesn't seem to harbor people who drive, or can afford to drive, Corvettes."
Sookie let out a small laugh as she shut the trunk, walking around to get in the driver's seat. "You're right about that one," she answered, smiling as she thought of all of the station wagons and pick-up trucks that she saw daily. "The car belongs to someone who lives here in Shreveport; Eric," she said simply as she turned the key, grinning as the engine roared to life.
Jess paused as she was buckling up, a look of pure surprise on her face as she stared at Sookie. "Eric? As in, super sexy baby daddy who was living in Boston Eric? What in the hell happened since I saw you last week?!" she exclaimed with a laugh as she settled into her seat, peppering Sookie with questions as they set off towards their destination.
"You need help with that?" a voice from behind him asked, causing Eric to pause his grumbling and turn around to face his father. "How the hell are you supposed to get anyone out of these things?" he asked in exasperation, gesturing to the car seat that held his son. Sookie had offered to show him how the seat worked when they'd switched cars at Merlotte's, but he'd brushed her off figuring it would be a piece of cake. After ten minutes of struggling and cursing softly under his breath, all while Jacob giggled, he was realizing that it wasn't as easy as he had thought.
Godric couldn't help but laugh as Eric stepped out of the way, giving his son a squeeze on the shoulder as he moved to duck his head in the car. "Hey there, Jacob. It's nice to see you again," he told the toddler with a smile, his hands starting to work on the complex clasp of the car seat. "They've definitely changed them a bit since you and Pam needed one, but the gist is still the same," he said to Eric as he successfully undid the seat and gently pulled Jacob's arms out of the straps. He stepped back so Eric could grab Jacob out the seat, his heart filling with warmth as he saw his grandson rest his head on Eric's shoulder. "I don't think I'll ever get used to how much he looks like your twin."
Eric let out a little laugh, pressing a kiss to the top of Jacob's head. "You and me both, Dad. I'm still in a bit of a fog, my own self," he replied as they made their way into the house, leaning down to set Jacob down on his feet. He smiled as his son instantly wrapped an arm around his leg, watching as he peered up quizzically at Godric. "I heard that you met Dr. Northman yesterday, Jacob. Well, guess what? Like I'm your dad, he's my dad," he said softly, his heart clenching a little as he watched Godric crouch down to Jacob's level. Sookie had told him that Jacob took a little while to warm up to new people, so he was glad that Jacob had seemed so comfortable with him. He was also pleased to see that Jacob seemed to be doing okay with Godric.
"And that, little one, makes me your grandfather," Godric added with a smile, tentatively holding out a hand to Jacob. He watched as Jacob looked at him, then looked up at Eric with hesitation. After a small nod from his father, Jacob slowly reached out his own hand and grasped Godric's offered one. Godric's face lit up as he pulled Jacob close, grinning as he felt little arms go around his neck. "Min lilla barbarn," he whispered as he stood up with the toddler in his arms, sharing a look of sadness with Eric as he thought about the time they both had lost with Jacob. "Let's go out and sit by the pool with a snack," he suggested, letting out a small laugh as Jacob's eyes lit up. "I take it you also have your Far's appetite."
Eric couldn't help but laugh as they made their way into the kitchen, leaning against the counter that Jacob sat on as they watched Godric move about. "For his sake, I hope his height ends up somewhere in between mine and Sookie's." He watched as his father laid out the ingredients for Ants on a Log, smiling a little as he remembered how much he'd loved that snack as a child. Jacob eagerly took the raisins from Godric when offered, carefully placing some on each peanut butter covered piece of celery. "Nice work, little man!" Eric said once the task had been completed, smiling widely when he saw how excited his son had been to help out. "You help your mom out quite a bit at home, don't you?" he pondered, getting a small nod from the young boy. "I'm glad she has you to help her out," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of Jacob's hair as he lifted him off the counter.
Godric led them out back to the pool area, setting the plate of snacks down on the patio table. "Your sister should be back shortly, Eric. When I mentioned that you were bringing Jacob by, she decreed that our house wasn't fit for a toddler…whatever that means," he said with a laugh, settling himself in a chair. He set a couple pieces of celery on a smaller plate and scooched it over to rest in front of Jacob, smiling at the boy as he began to dig into his snack. "I can't say I've ever seen your sister this excited about having a child around. Remember when the Gainesboroughs dropped by and Pam was terrified of little Nora?"
"That's because the little twit had once managed to get into my makeup and smear lipstick all over my vanity. I wasn't sure what other chaos she could cause," Pam supplied from the doorway, letting out a laugh as saw Jacob struggle to get down from his seat. "There's my favorite teacup," she said with a grin as she crouched down, pulling Jacob into her arms after he ran at her. She saw the looks of confusion her father and brother gave her, shrugging as she stood with Jacob on her hip. "He's like a tiny version of Eric. It works," she added, nuzzling her nose against her nephew's neck.
To say Pam had been in shock when Jason and Hoyt had returned the day before would be an understatement. Even though Tara had shown her the photo of Jacob at Fantasy, nothing could have prepared her for meeting her brother's child face-to-face. There had been some silence as she'd tried to process everything, her and Jacob staring at each other as they tried to suss each other out. It had taken a little bit, with Hoyt and Jason retreating to finish setting up some furniture, but soon Pam was sprawled out on the floor coloring with Jacob. She'd left not too long after, needing to get back to Shreveport to prepare for that night's opening of Fantasy, but it was clear that the toddler had taken a shine to her.
"Pammy! I got an owie," Jacob whispered, pulling her out of her thoughts as she looked him over. "So it seems," she replied, pressing a kiss to the healing cut that she saw on his forehead. "Let me guess…your Uncle Jason was goofing around and you decided to be like him?" she asked, remembering seeing the older Stackhouse stand on the couch to hang a photo on the wall. She sighed when Jacob nodded, moving to sit down in his vacated chair with him. "It's a good thing your Aunt Tara is apparently not right in the head. Otherwise, I don't think Uncle Jason ever would have found someone to put up with his crazy self. Also, what did I say about calling me 'Pammy'?" she asked with a laugh, settling into conversation with her father and brother as they returned to their snacks.
Sookie pulled the Corvette into the driveway of the Northmans' house, rolling her eyes as Jess let out a low whistle. "Eric's family moved here from Bon Temps after Pam graduated from high school, since Dr. Northman transferred to the hospital in Shreveport. I left not too long after, so I didn't spend much time here," she told her friend as they got out of the car, letting them into the front door using Eric's keys. "Eric's only staying here until he gets an apartment lease set up, but I'm sure Godric and Pam won't mind you stopping by to use the pool or anything," she added as they moved through the house, peeking into each room as she tried to figure out where Eric and Jacob were. "They must be out back," she said, smiling as they made their way into the kitchen and she heard Jacob's excited little voice mixed with Eric's laughter.
"Sweet Lord in Heaven. I think I hate you, Sookie Stackhouse," Jess whispered as they walked out to the backyard, barely able to keep her jaw from dropping as Eric chose that moment to walk up the steps of the pool with Jacob in his arms. "Please tell me he has a younger brother that you've failed to mention over the years," she added in a hushed whisper, both women tilting their head a little as they watched the water drip down Eric's shirtless back.
"Nope," Sookie answered, popping the 'p'. "There's only Pam," she added, grinning widely as Eric turned around and caught sight of them. The way that his face lit up when his eyes landed on her caused her knees to go weak, and she soon found her legs enveloped in a very wet embrace. "Hey there, baby!" she exclaimed as she scooped her son up into her arms for a hug, not caring that Jacob was sopping wet at the moment. He soon let out a whoop of delight as he realized Jess was standing next to his mother, launching himself into her arms as everyone laughed at his display. "I'm his second favorite person, when she's around," Sookie offered as an explanation when Eric made his way over to them, leaning back against his chest once she felt his arms wrap around her.
Eric let out a small laugh as he watched his son interact with the red-head, pressing a kiss to the top of Sookie's head. "It's nice to finally meet you, Jessica. Sookie's told me of how big of a help you've been with this guy," he said, nodding his head towards Jacob. "I can't thank you enough for being there for them when I couldn't."
Jess blushed a little, shaking her head. "No thanks necessary, seriously. These two are like family to me," she said with a smile, sticking her tongue out at Jacob to make him giggle. "Why don't I take him in and get him changed out of these wet clothes?" She gave everyone a small smile before she turned to go inside, happily chatting with Jacob as she walked.
Pam sidled up to Sookie and Eric with a smirk on her face, arms crossed over her chest as she looked at the doorway into the house. "She's nice, your little friend. Maybe I should go help her and show her where Jacob's bag is," she murmured before retreating into the house, leaving a bewildered Sookie in her wake.
Godric let out a sigh, getting up from the chair where he had been sitting. "And I guess I'll go make sure that Pam isn't too Pam-like. Take your time coming in," he said, giving Eric's shoulder a squeeze as he walked by.
"Too Pam-like? Do I even want to know?" Sookie asked, letting out a laugh as she felt Eric shrug. "Thanks for taking Jacob in the pool. I had him in a swim class back in Chicago, but hadn't looked into anything around here yet. He's still learning, but he's definitely a bit of a fish like you," she added with a smile, turning and wrapping her arms around Eric's neck. "Also, we need to find Jess a nice little fling while she's here. She's quite upset that you don't have a brother."
"Is that so?" Eric asked, lifting Sookie up until she wrapped her legs around his waist. "I'd say Hoyt, but we'll need to make sure his mama doesn't find out," he said with a small laugh, walking over to sit them down in one of the oversized chairs. "And it was my pleasure to take Jacob in the pool. He was so excited when he saw it; thankfully Pam had picked up a pair of trunks for him during her shopping spree today." He tucked some hair behind Sookie's ear, planting a soft kiss on her lips. "So about last night," he started, his voice barely a whisper.
A loud commotion in the house had Eric pausing, both of their heads turning to look at the door to the kitchen as the voices grew closer. "How dare you bring her back into this house?! And the little bastard; how do you even know he's Eric's?! Other than the fact that he's blond, he looks nothing like him!"
Sookie let out a low growl as she scrambled off of Eric's lap, anger clearly burning in her eyes. "I don't care if she takes shots at me, but Jacob is off limits," she hissed as she turned on her heel, making a beeline for the door to the kitchen with Eric right behind her.
The sight before Sookie had her seeing red. Jacob was clinging to Jessica as Pam tried to usher them from the room, a visibly frustrated Godric trying desperately not to lose his cool as Salome continued her rant. "If you thought I was joking when I said didn't want to do something I'd regret yesterday, let me tell you…I promise I won't regret slapping you for calling my son a bastard and saying that Eric isn't his father.," Sookie bit out, already feeling her hand start to twitch a little.
Salome scoffed and rolled her eyes, brushing off Godric as she felt him start to take her arm. "You think your threats scare me, little girl? I have more power than you could ever dream of and I refuse to let you bring my family down with your little scheme," she hissed out as she moved towards Sookie, towering over the younger girl as her face hardened. "You should have listened to me when I told you to leave the first time; I promise that I can do much more harm than telling people about your dear Uncle Bartlett."
Pam, who had been silent during her mother's rant up until that point, bristled at Salome's words. "When you told her to leave? I'm not sure I'm quite understanding you, Mother." She stepped back into the kitchen, her hands clenched at her side as she came to stand next to Sookie and Eric. "Please tell me you weren't the reason Sookie left," she pleaded softly, barely able to hold back tears as she stared Salome down. Of course she'd known that Salome never approved of Sookie's (and to some extent, Jason's) involvement with the Northman family, but never in a million years could she imagine her mother stooping so low. "Tell me!" she repeated, gripping at the hand that she felt Eric rest on her shoulder.
Salome sighed, waving Pam off a little. "Of course I was the one that made her leave. If I had let Susannah tell Eric that she was pregnant, then he would have married her and settled down in that Podunk town. And you, Pamela; You spent far too much time with Sookie. Do you know how many potential suitors have stayed away because they think you're a lesbian?" Salome asked, a look of distaste on her face as she said the last portion.
"Well, news flash for you, Mother; I am a lesbian, which I have been trying to tell you since I was fifteen! My friendship with Sookie had nothing to do with that; if anything, she was the reason why I never cared what people thought of me. Dad knows, Eric knows; Hell, all of Bon Temps knows! I have told you God knows how many times, but you refuse to accept what you don't like!" Pam yelled, fire burning in her eyes as she stepped closer to her mother. "I have tried to go along with your constant micromanaging of my life, but I am done. You took my best friend from me, and that is not something I can ever forgive you for. And now I realize why you were so adamant that we go to Sweden last year around the time that Sookie's Gran was sick; I don't think I can ever forgive you for not letting me say goodbye to the only true mother I ever had," she whispered as tears began to fall from her eyes, shaking her head a little as she turned to walk back towards Sookie and Eric.
Eric drew his sister into his arms, murmuring words of comfort to her as he pressed his lips to her hair. "All you've managed to do now, Salome, is make us want to alienate you from our lives even more. I was going to marry Sookie anyways, whether or not she had told me she was pregnant. That day before Sookie left, I had gone to New Orleans with Pam to pick up Farmor's ring from the safe deposit box," he whispered as he wrapped his free arm around Sookie, not missing the look of surprise on his mother's face.
"Four years. I missed four years with Sookie and our son. Seeing him grow within her, being there for his birth, first steps, first words…feeling him kick while still in the womb. There are so many things that I should have been there for, but you robbed me of them. Do you know how many nights I drank myself into a stupor, because my heart felt like it was permanently broken after Sookie left? So many that I'm surprised I even woke up most days," he whispered as he heard Sookie let out a small sob, tightening his hold on both of the women in his arms. "You think that you were trying to save Pam and me from a path of destruction? Well, you ended up being the one to send us down that exact road."
Godric's heart broke to see his children so distraught, his fists clenching as he tried to get his anger under control. Hearing everything that had been done, and the effect that it had on his children, caused his blood pressure to rise substantially. He saw his wife open her mouth to say something, causing something inside of him to snap. "Salome. I know that I took you away from your family and your high-society life in Sweden when I crazily decided to move us to the middle of nowhere Louisiana, but there is no excuse for how you've treated Sookie; no excuse for how you've treated us!" he exclaimed, running his gaze over the stricken faces of his children. Never had he thought he'd failed them more than in that moment. "You are going to hop on the first plane and take an indefinite vacation to be with your parents and sister in Sweden. It will be up to Eric and Pamela if they want to fly over and visit you all. I will set up an allowance with our lawyers and you will want for nothing. But if I hear even a whisper from someone about you coming back to Louisiana, I will make sure the police and the local newspapers know about every single thing that you've done. You are the mother of my children and the woman I once loved unconditionally…but mess with my family again, and I will destroy you."
Salome wordlessly picked up her purse from beside her feet, clearing her throat a little as she turned her head to look at her children. She'd been poised to fight back at her estranged husband's threats, but the look on his face had told her that she would be better off retreating silently for now. "I really did just want to do the best for you both. I hope you someday come to realize that. I will let you know once I've landed safely," she murmured, then turned and quickly left the house.
Jess stood there in stunned silence, gently rubbing Jacob's back as she tried to process all that she just witnessed. She was absolutely flabbergasted that Salome hadn't tried to put up a fight…but judging by what Sookie had told her over the years, Salome Agrippa-Northman was someone who was wrapped up in her own little world of money and power. "Well…if that's the kind of welcome I get in Shreveport, I can't wait to see what's in store for me in Bon Temps," she said with a nervous laugh, smiling as she heard the others begin to laugh as well; sometimes a little comic relief was needed.
Sookie wiped at her tears before she rushed over to retrieve Jacob from Jess, giving her friend a grateful smile as she held tight to the toddler. "Well…unless Jane Bodehouse gets so drunk that she tries to steal Bud Dearborn's cop car again, I think it's safe to say that's all the excitement you're getting." She set Jacob down and watched as he ran over to Eric and Pam, then turned to face Godric after she heard him nervously clear his throat. "You know I don't blame you about any of this, right?" she asked, then held up a hand as she saw the Northman patriarch start to protest. "You have nothing to do with how that woman's mind works. What happened in the past was completely her own doing, so I don't want you carrying a speck of blame around." She wrapped her arms around Godric's waist and hugged him tightly, smiling against his chest when she felt him relax and hug her back. "You raised two amazing children, as well as helped make sure Jase and I stayed out of our own bunch of trouble. My son will be so lucky to have you in his life."
Godric blinked back tears of his own at Sookie's words, the adrenaline spike from the earlier altercation leaving him a little light-headed. "I can't think of a worthier woman to hold my son's heart and my daughter's trust, Sookie." He released his hold on her, moving to wrap his arms around Eric and Pam. "Förlåt mig, mina barn," he murmured, glancing down to where Jacob stood with an arm wrapped around Eric's legs.
Eric sighed, shaking his head a little. "There's nothing to forgive, Dad. You did nothing wrong, just like I told you last night," he replied softly, stepping back once his father released him and Pam. He leaned down and swung Jacob up into his arms, smiling at Sookie over the toddler's head. "Pam and I have a couple of hours before we need to head over and let the staff in. How about we get everyone together and treat Jess to a proper Bon Temps welcome?"
It took a couple of days of Eric practically begging, but Sookie soon agreed to work for him and Pam at Fantasy. It had been a no-brainer when he'd first broached the subject, but Sookie had wanted to truly think about it before agreeing to the new position. They'd also both agreed to slow down their relationship after they'd jumped back into bed together, deciding that it truly was the best thing for Jacob. Eric would show up at the farmhouse after lunch on the days that the club was open, allowing him time with Jacob before he and Sookie rode over to Fantasy together. Jacob also slept over at the Northman residence on the nights when the club was closed, but Sookie always decided to stay home with Jess instead of joining her son. Other than a few heated kisses here and there, she and Eric were doing their best to try and suss out this 'new' relationship together.
Things were going really well, in Sookie's eyes…until one night the shit finally hit the fan. It was the middle of June and Sookie had been in her new position for a couple of weeks, something that she was greatly enjoying. She'd always had a mind for numbers, so doing the payroll and schedule were things she found she exceled. She also liked watching Eric and Pam interact with the club-goers, always finding the siblings so charismatic. One thing that was hard to watch, though, was the various women throwing themselves at Eric all night.
Eric had been called into the club early that night, with yet another mix-up happening with the liquor vendor. They had bachelor and bachelorette parties coming in, so having copious amounts of liquor on hand was more than a bit crucial for that night. Sookie had waved him off when he tried to make excuses to stay, telling him that she was more than fine getting herself to the club that night. She'd been worried at first when she realized that Jess would be without a vehicle, but those fears were soon assuaged.
"You sure you don't mind Hoyt coming over tonight? I can tell him it's not a good time, if you don't want him in the house while you're gone," Jess said nervously, leaning against the bedroom doorway as Sookie finished putting on her makeup. "He and I can go out some other time."
Sookie rolled her eyes playfully, slipping into a pair of black heels before turning to look at her friend. She hadn't been surprised when Hoyt made his way over to Jess at Merlotte's the day of the confrontation with Salome, nor had she been surprised that her friend suddenly got all flustered around the country boy. "Jess. I've known Hoyt Fortenberry almost as long as I've known Eric. He's one of Jason's best friends and is more than welcome in this house. It's not like he's going to make off with Gran's silver candlesticks when you're in the bathroom or anything," she said with a small laugh, grabbing her sweater off the bed. "You really like him, don't you?"
Jess blushed a little as she nodded, nervously running a hand through her hair. She'd gone through a wild stage in her first couple of years in college, finally being out from under the control of her parents. She hadn't really been interested in a relationship with anyone in quite some time, but being introduced to Hoyt seemed to have changed all that. "I do, Sook. I don't think his mom likes me much, so that worries me, but I do really like him."
Sookie let out a snort as she made her way into the hall, peeking her head in to check on a sleeping Jacob. "Maxine Fortenberry won't like any woman for her son, unless she is the one who introduces them. Just focus on Hoyt, sweetie; don't let Big Max scare you off," she told her friend, then let out a big breath. "Okay…how do I look?"
Jess tilted her head as she analyzed her friend's outfit, raising a brow as she took in the tight sleeveless blouse and pencil skirt. "Pop open one more of those buttons on that blouse and I'd be asking if you were the entertainment for tonight," she said teasingly, slapping a hand over her mouth to silence her laugh when she saw Sookie's death glare. "What? You asked! It definitely doesn't scream 'remember, we're taking it slow', but I do approve of the outfit."
Sookie smacked her friend on the arm as she pushed past her, making her way downstairs to the foyer. "Maybe I'm done wanting to take it slow, wise guy," she offered, shrugging on her sweater. "Alright…baring any incidents that require police to show up, I should be home no later than 2," she said as she grabbed her purse, then turned to give her friend a reassuring smile. "Have fun with Hoyt tonight, Jess. I'd say I want details, but that boy is like a brother to me," she added with a grin, leaving behind a very flustered redhead as she left the house.
By the time Sookie reached Fantasy, it was clear that the bachelor party was in full swing. Both the bar area and the dance floor were packed with men and women, as well as the upstairs lounge. She'd dropped her purse off in the office that she shared with Eric before making her way back out to the main area, dodging moving bodies as she walked. She wasn't surprised to see Sophie and Lorena at the bar once she got there, nor was she surprised to see them desperately throwing themselves at Eric as he quickly made their drinks. She was, however, very surprised to overhear a bit of their conversation once she stepped up behind them.
"Remember all those times in Boston, baby? You can't tell me you didn't have fun with us," Lorena cooed as she smirked at Eric, wrapping an arm around Sophie's shoulders. "How about we go back to your place tonight and give you an encore or two? Sophie has a bit more flexibility than last time and I'll let you do that thing I know you love."
Eric opened his mouth to politely deny the offer, but the sight of Sookie over Lorena's shoulder caused his mouth to dry up. He'd been meaning to tell Sookie more in depth about the mistakes he had made in Boston, but hadn't found the right time to. The look of hurt on her face at that moment was heartbreaking, telling him that there probably never really would have been a good time. "Chow, take over," he ordered the closest bartender, then quickly moved out from behind the bar as he saw Sookie take off towards the back offices.
Sookie couldn't help the tears that fell as she moved, murmuring her apologies as she bumped into various people. She'd known that Eric had slept with other women after she'd left, something that she couldn't fault him for…but the two women that had tormented her all through high school? She could barely see as she let herself into the office, letting out a sob as she tried to slam the door and heard it bounce against something. "Leave me alone! There's far too many people out there for you to be in here, and I need a few minutes to get myself together," she said, wiping at her face as she turned around.
Eric's heart broke even more as he saw the tear tracks on Sookie's cheeks, not hesitating to pull her into his arms and rock her slowly from side to side. "I'm sorry, Sunshine. I should have told you. It's not something I'm quite proud of, so I was afraid of what you might think," he murmured, pulling back to brush hair out of Sookie's eyes. "I was in a very dark place for a long time, Sook. There was far more alcohol than I should have imbibed in, and I made some decisions that I definitely shouldn't have made. I never understood how Sophie and Lorena always turned up in Boston at the same clubs and events that I went to, but now I'm guessing Salome had something to do with it. I should've pushed them away, but I was too far in the bottle at that point to really care."
Sookie could barely listen as Eric explained everything, feeling quite nauseated as he spoke. "I don't know what to say, Eric. Knowing that they had any sort of contact with you honestly makes me sick right now," she whispered, barely able to hold back tears as she saw the hurt in his eyes. "You always said I was more than enough for you. Why, in God's name, would you choose them?!"
"You left me, Sookie! I don't know how you tend to forget, but you left me!" Eric yelled out in exasperation, his chest heaving with every emotion that he felt at that moment. "You should have told me, Jason, somebody when Salome threatened you…but, no; you ran. I get that you wanted to protect Gran and your family…what I don't get is how I wasn't part of your family! What I also don't get is how you can be mad about Lorena and Sophie, but you don't seem to think all of the talk about Bill would have affected me."
"You think I wanted to leave?" Sookie yelled back as she moved forward towards Eric, her face flush with anger and hurt. "I wanted to stay here and raise a family with you, Eric. I wanted nothing more than to tell you about the baby and see your face light up with the news. I knew that we were nowhere near ready for this, but we would have made it work," she added as she wiped at more tears, not even caring that her makeup was probably smudged all over her face at that point. "But once I saw that second little pink line, I could only think about that life that I was growing inside of me. Your mother practically told me she'd pay for an abortion…how did I know that she wasn't going to find a way to make me lose the baby if I stayed? And as for Bill fucking Compton, it was just a drunken kiss! I can't help what lies the idiot was spreading."
Sookie moved to the desk and grabbed her purse out of the drawer, not even caring if she slammed it shut harder than she needed to. "This is exactly why I didn't want to jump back into a relationship, Eric. You say that all your anger is towards your mother, but clearly there's some underlying resentment towards me," she whispered, pulling out her car keys. "And you should be mad at me. But maybe we need to take some time to cool off before either of us says something we regret. I'll have Jess drop Jacob off at your house each day, so that you can still have some time with him. I think we need some time apart to really think about things going forward." She walked over to Eric and went up on her tiptoes, barely able to hold back more tears as she brushed her lips against his. "Tell Pam I'm sorry…but I quit."
A/N:
Edited to add translations: Min lilla barbarn = My little grandchild/grandson
Förlåt mig, mina barn = Forgive me, my children
So...there's that. *hides from angry readers* I've already got the ball rolling on the next chapter...which may actually be the last, depending on how it goes. We're definitely coming to the end of our journey with these two :-) Thank you so much for reading...until next time!
A/N (05/08) - FF is currently experiencing an issue with all updates. The next chapter will be posted once that has been resolved.