Before

Christmas in the Brigant household had been the same for as long as Sookie could remember. Every year she would wake up, go downstairs to her family and open her presents. Niall would then take them to a restaurant for their dinner. Afterwards he and the twins would sit discussing stuff, Sookie had no idea what it was they discussed but they spent hours talking. Sookie would be sent on her way to play with her new toys before being sent to bed. This year however she was spending it with Adele and Jason.

"You're not mad?" Niall asked as he helped Sookie pack her bag.

"I'm not mad Grandpa," they had been having this discussion for the past three hours. Niall had been called back to Fey and the twins as well. Since Sookie wasn't a full fairy she wasn't allowed to travel with them.

"I've sent your presents over to Adele's already." Sookie nodded as she tossed some more clothes into her bag. "You're going for a week not a year," Niall told her.

"It looks like snow," she said distracting him. Niall made a noise and simply left her to pack. Throwing another pair of shoes into her bag she declared herself ready. Claude helped her with her bags and threw them into the trunk of the car.

"Be good," Claudine simply said kissing her forehead and cheeks.

"Try not to miss me," Claude laughed. Sookie kissed and hugged him before she climbed into the car and waited for Niall. He sat beside her looking over some paperwork as she stared out of the window.

"I remember your first Christmas." Sookie turned to look at him. "You were so cute and only just learning to walk. If our backs were turned you managed to get yourself into trouble," he laughed and pulled her closer. "I love you Sookie," he whispered.

"I love you Grandpa." Noah turned in his seat to tell them they had reached Bon Temps.

"Looks like snow," Niall said as they pulled onto Adele's drive. Jason was the one to meet them outside.

"Gran's still at the shops," he explained grabbing the bags from the boot. Sookie nodded and turned to Niall.

"I'll see you in a week," she whispered feeling tears in her eyes.

"I'm only a call away," he told her.

"Merry Christmas Miss Brigant," Noah said nodding his head. Sookie thanked him and followed Jason into the house. She started unpacking her clothes as Jason put himself in front of the television again.

"Hello," Adele called. Sookie popped her head out of her room. "Sookie," Adele said happily walking towards her.

"Hey," she hugged her as Jason appeared carrying bags. "Anymore Jason?" she asked.

"Tons," Adele told her. Sookie went outside and carried some bags in. With everything inside the three sat down in front of the television to talk.

"How's school going, Sookie?" Adele asked.

"Really well." The old woman smiled proudly. "I've been put into an advanced lesson," she told her.

"Which?" Adele asked.

"Mythology," she blushed as Jason looked up.

"What?" he asked.

"Maths," Adele said.

"Oh," he nodded. "Brain box." Sookie laughed.

"Do you have any Christmas Eve rituals?" Adele asked a few hours later. They had simply been sat watching Christmas films. Sookie, in her whole life, had never seen any of them.

"Grandpa's not a fan of Christmas," Sookie told her. "So usually we just go to bed." Jason was sat with his mouth hanging open.

"Well, here," Adele started. "We have a nice hot bath, open one present before bed and then leave out some food for Santa." Sookie stared at her like she was crazy.

"Ya'll know Santa isn't real right?" she asked. Jason stared at her now like she was crazy and Adele laughed.

"I'll run you a bath, Sookie," Adele called hobbling down the hall.

"So why do you hate Christmas?" Jason asked.

"I don't," Sookie told him. "My family does." She rose as Adele shouted her and left.

"Here," Adele said passing her a brightly coloured present. Sookie stared at it and then opened it, finding brand new pyjama's inside. They were a light blue colour with white snowflakes on. She hugged the woman and then dashed inside the bathroom for her bath. After she was done, she slipped the new pyjama's on and trotted down the hall back to the living room. She sat in front of Adele as she combed her hair and Jason went about cleaning himself.

"Carrots and milk?" Sookie stared as Jason went along happily with this. That boy was seriously tapped, she thought. Adele put them both to bed just before 10pm; Sookie rolled her eyes at the bedtime but once again went along with it. Humans had some strange rituals.

Christmas Day brought along with it the snow Sookie had seen coming. Adele was already up cutting vegetables and pottering around the kitchen. Jason was awake and banging on Sookie's door to wake up.

"Go away," she mumbled.

"I can't open my presents until you wake up!" he shouted.

"Good," she laughed. The door opened and she screamed as Jason jumped on her.

"Get up!" he laughed. She moaned and slowly dragged herself from the bed following him down the corridor.

"Oh hell no!" she shouted. "It's only half 6!" she told him. Adele came from the kitchen smiling and Sookie dropped down on the sofa closing her eyes. She lifted the necklace from around her neck and smiled at the pictures of her family.

"These are Jason's." Adele was kneeling on the floor sorting the presents into piles. "These are for Sookie." Sookie saw her pile was considerably larger then both Jason and Adele's and blushed as she sat on the floor and started opening them. She had received presents from Adele, Niall and the twins and her friends at school as well.

"Oh, it's beautiful Sookie," Adele said opening her present. Sookie had made Claudine take her shopping for both Adele and Jason. For Adele she had bought a cashmere sweater in a light pink colour with sewn in flowers, some perfume and a new pair of slippers. Apparently old people like slippers. For Jason she had bought some videos of his favourite film, a DIY book and a jumper from his favourite sports team.

"It's alright," she told them. She opened all her own presents and made mental notes to write thank you cards to her friends later. Claudine had gone overboard, of course: buying everything Sookie had possibly laid her eyes on. Niall had been a little bit more reserved, buying her a beautiful diary, the front of which twinkled like diamonds. She blushed as she realised some of them where actual diamonds.

"You can go back to bed for a little bit Sookie," Adele told her. "Dinner will be awhile yet." Sookie nodded and gratefully crawled back into bed. Jason shouted her a few hours later, telling her dinner was nearly ready. She rose from the bed and dressed before walking out, it all smelt so delicious. The turkey was in the middle of the table, surrounded by everything possible for a good Christmas Dinner.

"Say grace Jason," Adele told him as they sat down. The food might have smelt good but it tasted delicious. Sookie tried everything, piling her plate up for seconds.

"Normally Grandpa takes us out for dinner," she told them between mouthfuls. "Next year, I'm going to make him cook." Adele laughed. Jason had friends over after dinner and they played outside in the snow as Sookie helped clean up.

"Do you not want to play Sookie?" Adele asked. Sookie shook her head and lifted the book she had been reading. Adele joined her in front of the fire and the pair sat in happy silence reading books.

"Going to Hoyt's!" Jason shouted into the kitchen.

"Alright dear," Adele called. Sookie mumbled something and simply turned her page. They both went to bed early. Sookie smiled to herself as she settled against the pillows and thought about her family before she fell to sleep.

"Morning," she sang walking into the kitchen. Jason was eating leftover turkey and she looked around for Adele.

"Gran isn't very well," he explained. Sookie nodded and went down to Adele's room.

"Oh, am sorry Sookie," she coughed trying to sit up. "I just don't seem to have the energy today." Sookie nodded and sat beside her.

"I'll entertain myself for the day," she leaned over kissing Adele's forehead. "Just rest today Gran." Jason was heading back to Hoyt's which left Sookie in the house practically by herself. Slipping on some jeans a thick jumper and some knee high snow boots and ran outside to play.

From the very first time Sookie had been to Adele's house she had been fascinated with the graveyard just on the edge of the property. In Sookie's lifetime she had never experienced death, mainly because everyone she knew was a Supe and they seemed to live forever. The graveyard looked almost beautiful with the snow over the gravestones. Sookie picked some wild flowers from the ground, thinking it would be nice for Adele's granddaughter and set off walking. She knew the little girl was buried near her parents up near the hill.

Plenty of other people had come to pay their respects and she nodded at them as they huddled around gravestones. Some people were talking to the graves which Sookie had always found pointless. She found Adele's son and his wife easily and laid a flower on each of their graves before she looked around for the little girl's. At the top of the hill sat the grave and she breathed on her hands to warm them up as she walked up and put the flower down.

"Your Gran's pretty incredible," she said out loud. She turned to leave before she decided it was rude to leave the grave covered in snow.

"Our Angel, rest in Heaven. You were too special so God asked for you back," she read. "Cute," she mumbled removing the snow. "Beloved daughter, Sister and Granddaughter." She sat back staring at the last line. "Sookie Stackhouse, Born July 1st 1982 Died, July 3rd 1983," she whispered. Sookie shook her head; it was just a coincidence she decided. Just because her birthday was July 1st didn't mean anything, she dusted snow off her jeans and ran back to the house. She barely registered Jason calling her name before he grabbed her making her scream.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Did someone hurt you?" he asked looking around.

"What?" she said confused.

"You were running like Satan was after you," he told her. "I wondered if someone had hurt you," Sookie stared at him before she shook her head.

"I was just cold," she explained.

"I'll make us some hot chocolate," he said pushing her into the house. She went inside and watched him in the kitchen.

"Sit down for a minute," she said. Jason nodded and sat opposite her; Sookie reached for his hands and then locked her eyes with his. She had pretty much perfected this with humans now. Claudine called it glamouring.

"Are you listening?" she asked.

"Yes," Jason whispered.

"Do you remember having a little sister?" she asked.

"No," Jason whispered.

"Think," she said, smiling. "Just think back to when you were real young." She entered his mind now. Jason was remembering all sorts of useless information until Sookie told him to stop. His parents were showing him a little baby girl. "This is Sookie, Jason," a voice whispered, a man's voice. Her father's voice? She shook her head and allowed him to continue this path. The pictures were scattered: Jason didn't like how much the baby cried, or how much attention she got instead of him. The final image was at the funeral on top of the hill. Sookie gasped as she recognised Niall, Claudine and Claude all stood to the side looking down at the grave. Jason was remembering how Gran had taken the strangers to her home. She drew back from his mind and stared at him. "You'll forget this ever happened," she said finally.

"Want some hot chocolate, Sookie?" Jason asked back to his normal self.

"Sure," she whispered. It all made perfect sense once she thought about it. Niall refused to discuss her parents, Claude and Claudine always had "private moments" with Adele with they dropped her off. Adele herself was the biggest give away, Sookie closed her eyes trying to remember what the woman had said to her ages ago. "She should have been raised here," she was on about Sookie. Sookie should have been raised here, in Bon Temps. They had all lied to her.

"Here you go," Jason said handing her the cup. He had added whipped cream and marshmallows to the top. She stared at him for a long time, they were very much alike. Blonde hair, blue eyes the same nose and jaw line. Sookie had gotten their mother's mouth and her height. Jason was the image of their father. She had parents. She had, of course asked about them when she was younger, again when she was a bit older. Niall said they had died; yes they had when she was going on eight. It must have been hard for Adele having her around knowing all these secrets. Niall as well. Niall had taken her from her parents, faked her death so he could take her away. She sipped her hot chocolate, her body filling with emotion before she left the room. As she walked into her bedroom it all became too much for her and she popped back to her home. Since no one was home, the guards had been lowered so she could appear straight into the house.

The house was empty and silent as she walked in, by now tears were filling up her eyes.

"Claudine!" she screamed. She had no time to use the phone to summon her family and her hands were shaking so much she doubted she could lift it.

"Sookie?" a voice whispered. She turned finding both Claude and Claudine staring at her. "Oh munchkin, what's happened?" Claudine asked moving closer.

"No!" she screamed. "Stay there," she told them. "You all lied to me!" She felt the tears on her face now as Claudine stared at her.

"Sookie," Claude stepped closer. "Let me go get Grandpa." He nodded at Claudine before he disappeared.

"Who told you?" Claudine asked.

"I saw the grave," she whispered. "How was my funeral, Claudine?" she snapped. Claudine looked like Sookie had slapped her before Claude appeared again.

"On his way," he told them. Niall appeared seconds later staring at Sookie before he looked at Claudine.

"She knows," Claudine told him.

"Sookie, my child," Niall said.

"No!" Sookie screamed. "I am not your child." Niall paused as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I had parents Niall!" she shouted. "I had a family and you took me from them!" She stopped as her throat hurt.

"I did it all for you," he sighed. "You would have been a freak to them, Sookie." He stepped closer. Sookie was sobbing lightly her face bright red. "I had no choice," he whispered.

"Yes, you did!" she shouted moving back again. "You could have left me with them." Sbe stopped as more tears came.

"Have you had a bad life?" Claude asked stepping up beside Niall. "Have you ever wanted for anything?" He raised his voice and Niall shook his head.

"You all lied to me," she said. "All my life." she looked past Niall at Claudine who had been too quiet. "How could you look at me every day knowing you'd done this?" she asked.

"We've done worse things," Claudine whispered.

"Shut up, Claudine!" Niall snapped.

"No," she said looking up. "If Sookie wants to know what her family is really like, then we should tell her." Sookie braced herself.

"When you were six," she started. "We wiped your memory. Grandpa asked you to read some minds for Eric and you became infatuated with him," she paused. "So we wiped your memory."

"What gives you the right to do that?!" Sookie screamed.

"We have and always will do what is best for you," Niall told her. "You are my Grandchild," he said.

"Well," Claude said. "If were being honest," he laughed. "She's technically your great-" he was cut off as Niall hissed at him.

"Is anything you ever told me true?" she asked.

"We love you," Niall said. "We have always loved you." Sookie was still crying. "Oh my child come here," he said. Sookie shook her head and stepped away.

"I can't," she shook her head. "You faked my death, took me away from my parents. LIED TO ME!" she screamed. "I can't believe you did that," she sobbed. Claudine stepped closer.

"You're acting like a spoilt brat," she hissed.

"This is how you've made me!" Sookie screamed. Claudine's hand whipped out and smacked Sookie round the face.

"Ungrateful little-"Sookie stared as Niall pulled Claudine away, in that moment she popped as far away from them as she could manage.

Sookie appeared outside a hotel she had stayed in a few years before with Claudine when they had gone away together.

"Well hello there," the receptionist said as she walked in. "Are your parents getting stuff from the car?" she asked.

"Listen," Sookie told her sinking into glamour. "I'll need a room, a nice one." The woman nodded. "Also some new clothes." Another nod. "I'd also like some food sent up to my nice new room," she pulled back and the woman typed away before handing a key over. "Have a nice stay," she called. The room was on the fourth floor and had a double bed and silk sheets; Sookie crawled under them and proceeded to finish crying.

A knock on the door snapped Sookie out of her miserable state and two women walked in before looking her over.

"We were sent to measure you for some clothes," one explained. "Who the hell sends a teenager to a hotel like this?" her mind was screaming and Sookie merely nodded and let them inside.

"My father was supposed to meet me here but he's been held up," Sookie told them. "I only need a few things." The women nodded and set about taking measurements. Sookie ordered some new trousers, two new skirts, three tops, socks, shoes and underwear before she sent them away.

"Time for room service," she giggled.

............................

Back in Shreveport Pam was practically dancing down the corridor to Eric's office.

"I have gossip!" she said sitting opposite him. Eric looked up before knocking on the table.

"Yes?" he asked. "Oh Pam, come in, sit down," he smirked as she rolled her eyes. "What gossip?" he asked.

"The fairies are coming here," she laughed.

"That is the gossip?" he asked.

"No," she said. "They've lost the child again," she laughed.

"Interesting," he nodded. "Such a shame," he sighed.

"They will want a favour master," she told him. "We could track her down with our sense of smell," she was getting herself worked up. "We could!" She giggled happily.

"You just want to eat the child," he told her.

"That is an option, correct?" she asked him. "But if the fairies own us a favour…" she allowed the words to sink in and Eric grinned.

"Mr. Northman," a voice called.

"Here," he shouted. The door opened as Niall, Claudine and Claude all walked in. Pam rose from her chair and stood beside Eric.

"Word has spread that your Granddaughter is missing," Eric said looking at Niall.

"Yes," he nodded. "We wanted to keep this between as few people as possible." His eyes turned to Claude who at least had the decency to blush.

"I can spare Pam if you require assistance," Eric sat up and looked at the three of them. "Who took her?" he asked.

"Herself," Claude mumbled.

"She was upset and disappeared from our home," Niall told him. "We haven't seen her for over a day now." The worry in his voice made Eric look at Pam.

"We can't track a scent if she's been popping around," Pam told them.

"We know," Niall said. He nodded and Claudine pulled a jumper from a bag. "We need to know if this is hers," he explained. Eric took the jumper and paused; all down the front was ripped and covered in blood. "Please," Niall whispered.

"I've never sampled the fairy's blood," Pam whispered.

"I have," Eric mumbled.

"When?" Claudine snapped. "How dare you even touch her!" Niall raised a hand and Eric laughed.

"When she appeared in my car," he explained. "I was startled and smacked her, afterwards I cleaned the blood," Niall nodded but it was obvious Claudine was furious.

"That was six years ago," Claude told him.

"Her blood should also be more Fey now," Niall told him. "She's on some medication." Eric nodded and he stopped talking. He closed his eyes and brought the sweater to his face breathing deeply. It reeked of the fairy child, the blood was definitely hers.

"Yes," he said nodding. "It's her blood," he told them. Niall nodded his head before Eric held up a hand to stop them, a smile on his face.

"What's funny?" Claudine asked.

"This isn't, how I'd say, normal blood," he told them.

"What sort of blood is it then?" Niall asked. Pam leaned forward and sniffed, her pupils dilated and she licked her lips.

"Virgin blood!" she giggled.

"She's 14," Claudine said. "Of course she's a virgin." Pam rolled her eyes.

"I meant," she said. "Other than that of course, that this is menstrual blood." The three fairies visibly relaxed.

"Thank you for your help," Niall told them.

"Leave the jumper," Pam laughed. Claudine snatched it back glaring before the three left.

...........................

Sookie strolled around New York in her new clothes admiring the shops and sights as she ripped into a nice warm bagel. She felt bad for having to glamour so many people but it was simply the only way. After her little accident in the bathroom of the hotel she had been forced to leave and find somewhere new.

"On your left you have the Statue of Liberty," the guide woman called. Sookie snapped her head round to look at the little group of tourists before she sighed and carried on walking. For her eleventh Birthday Claudine had brought her to New York. Since Sookie had never left Louisiana before coming to New York had been a big deal for her. She had insisted that they do everything tourist orientated and surprisingly Claudine had agreed. She made the occasional comment but otherwise listened to the guides. Sookie smiled as she remembered Claudine trying to persuade her to glamour the security guard so they could go right to the top of the Statue of Liberty. "It's alright," Claudine had said. "I'll just pop us up there later." Sookie remembered how beautiful the views had been from the top and how Claudine had laughed about never telling Niall.

The weather in New York was too cold for her, Sookie decided as she sat on a bench in the park and closed her eyes. She missed her family. It was almost like someone had thrown a bucket of water over her face for her to realise this. As mad as she was at them this was just unfair. They had raised her, given her everything she desired, cared for her when she was ill. They had been good to her. Sookie remembered Adele's face when she realised she could read minds. Did she really think growing up around those expressions would be good for her? They had saved her from all of that.

She was going to go home. They did deserve, maybe, another few hours wondering where she was. Alcide should be back from his holiday by now, she realised. With a smile and a quick look round, she popped to his house.

"Sookie," Mrs. Herveaux said opening the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Herveaux," she smiled. "Did you have a nice Christmas?" she asked.

"Oh, it was lovely! Thank you dear," the woman bustled her into the house. "Did you pop here?" she asked.

"Yes," Sookie told her. "I just wanted to see Alcide and thank him for my present," she explained.

"Oh, he's upstairs," the woman told her. "Run along." Sookie nodded and slipped her shoes and jacket off before she ran upstairs.

"Boo!" she shouted opening Alcide's door.

"Argh, a scary fairy!" he teased grinning at her. She rolled her eyes and bounced down on his bed, he was sat at his desk playing some strange computer game.

"How was Christmas?" she asked.

"The same," he sighed. "Dad got drunk and mum cried." He rolled his eyes and Sookie snickered.

"How's your sister?" she asked.

"At her friends," he said turning to her. "How was Christmas for the princess?" Sookie felt tears in her eyes as she remembered. She was shocked at this reaction and sniffed.

"Sook?" Alcide said, moving closer to her.

"Niall and the twins went back to Fey," she told him. "I spent it with Adele and Jason."

"That's not why you're upset," he took her hands into his and sat beside her.

"I found out some horrible stuff, Alcide," she whispered. He pulled her into a hug as the tears washed over her face.

"Tell me," he said kissing the top of her head. Sookie found that once she started she couldn't stop. By the end her throat felt raw and scratchy and Alcide was hugging her a little too tightly against his body.

"Do you kids want some snacks?" his mother shouted from downstairs.

"No!" Alcide shouted at her. Sookie laughed at how much of a growl it sounded and sat up wiping her face. "I'm sorry," he said finally. "That's a real cruel way for you to find out." He moved some hair from her face and Sookie blushed.

"Alcide I-"she was cut off as he practically threw himself at her. Sookie was thrown against his pillows as his body covered hers and his mouth joined with her own. Before this, they had only kissed a handful of times and always just a peck on the lips. Alcide seemed to be really getting into it whilst Sookie just laid there, feeling his lips moving against hers.

"Hum," she mumbled pressing against him. He growled slightly, pressing harder into her as his hand rose up her leg and under her top. Sookie's eyes flew open now and as she opened her mouth, his tongue slide inside. Sookie had never kissed anyone like this before but she was sure it wasn't supposed to be this uncomfortable. She sighed as Alcide continued to ignore her trying to get away from him, closed her eyes and popped out. She'd made an excuse up later to him.

She appeared in front of a large house and looked around confused, she had been thinking of home and how safe it was. This, however was not her house. She turned to look down the street, it was going to be dark soon and here she was barefoot without a jacket standing outside some stranger's house. Sookie walked around to the back of the house, wondering if anyone was home before she stopped. The garden was exceptionally beautiful, the snow that had fallen had covered a pond and the bushes and flowers making it look magical. She sat on the ground, looking around before she laid back to make a snow angel giggling as she did so.

.............................

Eric woke up to the sound of his house phone ringing.

"Eric," he said answering.

"This is a call from Niall Brigant," a woman's voice sang. "Do you accept?" she asked.

"Yes," he sighed.

"Northman," Niall's voice sounded on the verge of breaking. "Have you had any news?" he asked.

"None," Eric told him walking around his house. "Pam followed a lead in New York," he explained.

"Where the shirt was found," Niall sighed.

"Nothing since," he told him.

"I'll be in contact later," Niall said before the phone went dead.

"You're welcome," Eric muttered changing quickly and leaving his house. The snow was starting to melt, but it was still snow. Like a child, he kicked it around his shoes as he walked around his house to the garage. He paused sniffing the air before he turned his head slightly to the front door. It was incredibly weak but he could smell the faint trace of fairy, had Niall been here? He followed the trail to his back garden and in vampire speed ran towards the body of a blonde girl on the floor. Her body was perfectly still in the snow and her cheeks and body had gone a strange white colour.

"Stupid fairy," he muttered lifting her into his arms and walking into the house. He placed her on the sofa and walked down to the bathroom, running her a bath.

"Wake up," he said kneeling beside her.

"No," she mumbled.

"Either you wake up and undress yourself or I undress you," he told her. Her face broke into a tiny smile and Eric rolled his eyes at her.

"Cold," she mumbled. Eric grabbed his own quilt from his bed and draped it over her watching as she snuggled down and fell back to sleep.

"Fine," he muttered. He stopped the bath and lifted the phone. "Niall Brigant," he said to the woman before.

"Sorry, he's busy," she told him.

"It's important!" he snapped.

"So is trying to find his Granddaughter!" the woman snapped hanging up. Eric stared at his phone and laughed, Sookie was still sound asleep on his sofa.

"Try to not hurt yourself whilst I'm at work," he told her.

...................................

Sookie stretched under the heavy black sheets and looked around before she spotted a note.

"Fairy Child, I have gone to work. Phone Niall and tell him you're alive. I have left clean clothes for you in my room and the bathroom is at your disposal. There is also $20 on the side if you are hungry. E"

She looked around slowly, recognising the dark decor that was Eric's home before she rose dragging the quilt down to his room. He had left some black shorts and a black t-shirt on the bed. The bath looked big enough for 7 people let alone just little Sookie. After washing and drying she slipped the giant clothes on and went to explore again. She found the phone easily and phoned directory to find a decent pizza place. She quickly ran outside to check the street name and number before she grabbed the cover again and placed it on the sofa.

She phoned Niall as well and was forced to talk to some rambling woman who in the end hung up on her. She phoned the twins and both just went to voicemail before she phoned Eric.

"This is Eric," he said.

"And this is Sookie," she laughed.

"Fairy child," he sighed. "Have you phoned your family?" he asked.

"Yes," she made herself comfortable. "Some woman hung up on me," she told him.

"She did the same to me," Eric told her.

"Anyway," Sookie laughed. "How the hell do I turn your TV on?"

"There is a button on the side," Eric said. "Do you see it?"

"One second," she mumbled rising from the sofa and kneeling beside the TV. "Yes," she breathed.

"Press it," he waited until he heard the familiar beep. "Now press the red button," he waited again. "Anything?"

"Yes," she giggled. "Do you have any films?" she asked.

"Have you tried popping home?" he asked, sighing.

"Yes," a knock on the door. "One second," she told him putting the phone down. Eric waited listening as she paid for her food and then hummed to herself as she walked back.

"I don't like being kept waiting," he told her.

"Anyway," she ignored him. "I've tried and it just gives me a headache," she said. "You'll have to drive me when you come home," Eric rolled his eyes into the phone.

"Don't get too comfortable," he snapped, before hanging up.

"Rude!" Sookie said into the phone before going back to her food and television. Eric returned just after Sookie had finished watching an incredibly old version of Dracula. She screamed when he touched her shoulder and his laughter made the sofa vibrate.

"Don't do that!" she hissed watching as he walked around the room and turned the television off.

"Are you ready for home, fairy?" he asked her, still laughing.

"Can I keep the top?" she asked.

"Of course," he told her, nodding his head. Sookie jumped up and dragged his quilt back to his room as Eric stood by the door tapping his feet.

"Ready," she told him. They drove pretty much in silence with Sookie singing along with the radio. "More than a feeling," she hummed until Eric turned it off.

"You can't sing," he told her.

"I didn't ask for your opinion," she laughed. He stopped at the top of the drive and turned to her.

"I imagine this is more of a family moment," he said. Sookie made no move to get out of the car and Eric switched the engine off. "Why did you run away?" he asked. She laughed and then just like before couldn't stop herself, it poured out of her all at once. If he understood any of it Sookie would be impressed.

"Sorry," she whispered afterwards.

"He really wiped your memory of meeting me?" Eric said after a few minutes. Sookie stared at him and then burst out laughing before she shook her head.

"Thank you for not eating me again," she leaned over intending to kiss his cheek when he moved his face and their lips met. "I'm so sorry," she stared at him before she literally bolted from the car.

She ran down the drive and turned as she heard his car screech away before arms were lifting her up.

"Sookie!" Claudine shouted, she looked down finding Claude swinging her around. She hugged him and felt kisses all over her face as Claudine took her turn. The woman was babbling hysterically as Sookie attempted to walk towards the house.

"Did I hear-" Niall paused and literally shoved Claudine out of the way as he reached Sookie.

"I'm sorry," she whispered into his neck. He chuckled lightly hugging her tight against him before they all went inside.

"I was so worried," he told her.

"I've been trying to get home all day," she told him. "My popping won't work," she paused as he chuckled.

"We'll see to that in a bit," he whispered kissing her head. "Tell me where you've been." Sookie curled up on his lap and started with leaving and heading to New York. She apologised to them for glamouring the poor receptionist.

"We found a bloody sweater," Claudine told her. "We thought you'd been attacked," Sookie blushed and coughed lightly.

"It's embarrassing," she mumbled.

"We'll talk later," Claudine promised. They all listened as she told them about going to see Alcide; she skipped the kissing part and told them about Eric's house. Niall was furious his receptionist had hung up on her and Claude found the idea of Eric looking after her hilarious.

"That's it, really," she said sitting up and stretching.

"Sookie," Niall started.

"It's ok," she said turning to him. "I understand," she kissed his cheek and then nodded at Claudine to follow her.

"So what happened?" Claudine asked instantly.

"I think I got my period," Sookie whispered. "It's so disgusting." Claudine burst out laughing and pulled her into a hug.

"I've missed you, munchkin," she admitted.

A/N: I just want to take a second and say a massive thank you to everybody! You all keep sending me such great reviews and I feel bad that I can't reply to them all, seriously I read them with such a big grin on my face. I want to thank my beta for being wonderful again. Next chapter should be up soon.