Disclaimer: I do not own anything or anyone from True Blood or Southern Vampire Mysteries (sob) Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball do. I just like to play in their playground.

A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed! It makes me smile when I see that other people like my work.So here's another chapter and Merry Christmas and hope you all have a happy New Year!

Chapter Nine

Sookie POV

I pushed the door open and saw Pam sitting up in a bed, looking at something next to her. "Pam, are you alright? What happened?" I asked as I basically ran to the bed. She looked up and smiled. "I am fine Sookie. I can't remember all that happened, but it is a story for another time." As I got closer to the bed, I realized she had been looking at Eric who looked as if he was asleep. He looked a lot paler than he usually did and he had a bandage covering most of his upper arm and chest. "Oh my god! What happened to you, Eric?" I said as I walked to the other side of the bed. Eric looked up and I saw that his eyes seemed like they were rimmed in pink. "Sookie, what are you doing here? I thought you were with Sam?" I shook my head. "No, Bill and I ran into Deirdre, and we thought she was after me too. Then after Bill spoke with her, we realized that she wasn't after us. She was the one who brought Bill, Sam and I here." Eric tried to sit up, but could barely pull himself up. "Eric, don't try to move. You need to rest. Didn't you listen to what I said?" a voice said from the door. I turned around and saw a man dressed in white robes. "Rowan, you know how he listens to others. He will refuse to listen unless it serves him." Rowan laughed as he walked over to the bed. "Now, let's take a look at these wounds." Eric sighed as he realized it was useless to argue. I stepped out of the way as Rowan reached the side of the bed.

As Rowan started unwrapping the bandage, I felt Bill's arm wrap around my shoulders. I looked up at him and saw him smile at me, then look up at Eric, still smiling. I looked at Eric again, but he was facing away from me. I felt a sadness seep through me as I saw his wounds. "Why aren't his wounds healing faster? Is there silver in them?" I asked trying to mask my worry. "There is a small amount, but I am getting the rest of it out. That's why he is healing so slowly." Rowan replied as he put a salve on the wounds before getting Pam to help him get Eric to sit up and lean forward so he could rewrap it. Pam patted Eric's hand before motioning to Bill and Sam as she walked out of the room. They followed her out as Rowan finished wrapping the bandage over Eric's wound. Then he turned to me before he spoke. "Make sure Eric gets plenty of rest, Miss…" I looked at Rowan before turning her gaze back to Eric. "I'm sorry, I am Sookie Stackhouse, but you can call me Sookie." I said in what I thought was a normal tone. Rowan nodded his head as if he knew the reason why I was so down. "Well, Sookie make sure Eric doesn't get too excited. It may cause his recovery to take even longer, but I trust that he will be in very capable hands with you." I looked up as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked at Eric as he spoke into my ear. "He'll be alright, Sookie. I'll make sure of that personally." I turned around as I heard Rowan walk towards the door. "Rowan…Thank you. For helping Eric, I mean." Rowan just nodded before he left the room.

Eric POV

As I was watching Sookie wishing that she were here because she cared for me instead of Bill, I noticed Bill coming up behind her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him and then as if he knew what I was thinking, Bill looked at me and smiled. I turned away as a wave of misery and loneliness washed over me. I had never felt as alone as I did now, even in my human life. I managed to keep from crying out as I felt Rowan take the bandage off my wound. "Why isn't his wound healing faster? Is there silver in it?" I heard Sookie ask as I felt hope rise inside me. I could tell she was trying to hide the fact that she was genuinely worried about me. 'It could just be her personality,' I told myself silently as I heard Rowan answer her. 'Or she could be really worried about me,' I thought, ignoring the stinging pain that the salve caused. I attempted to help Rowan and Pam pull me up into a sitting position before leaning me forward, but I was too weak.

Pam patted my hand before she left. I heard two other people leaving and my hope grew more as I realized Sookie was not one of them. "Make sure Eric gets plenty of rest, Miss…" I silently wished she would answer as she was quiet just so I could hear her voice. "I'm sorry, I am Sookie Stackhouse, but you can call me Sookie." I could tell that she was sad, but I wanted to know the reason. 'If Compton has done anything to hurt her, I will kill him.' I thought silently as Rowan answered Sookie. "Well, Sookie make sure Eric doesn't get too excited. It may cause his recovery to take any longer, but I trust that he will be in very capable hands with you." I felt as if my heart actually beat. It seemed as if Rowan knew something I didn't. I heard Rowan speak to Sookie in Druid, which meant he didn't want me to hear what he had to say to Sookie. I turned my head to see Rowan walking towards the door. Sookie was turned around facing him. "Rowan…Thank you. For helping Eric, I mean." I saw Rowan nod once and walk out. I looked away before she could turn around. I heard her footsteps come to the side of the bed then stop. Sookie sat on my bed and I turned to face her as she did. "Eric, I am sorry that I got you into this." I opened my mouth to object when she continued. "I know what you're going to say. You're going to tell me that it's not my fault, but it is!" At this point, she started to cry. I leaned over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "It's alright Sookie; it's not your fault that I am wounded. I got involved by choice." I said as I attempted to comfort her. We both looked up as we heard people arguing outside the door.

Bill POV

"I don't believe that Eric isn't trying to seduce Sookie, Pam! Why would I when he has tried to before?" Pam shook her head as Sam walked up. I clenched my hands into fists as I heard Sookie blame herself for the condition Eric was in. "Bill, Pam isn't lying! If she were I would be on your side. I don't like the idea of Sookie with Eric, either." I turned to face Sam as I felt Sookie's sadness. "I think you don't like Sookie with anyone but yourself, Shifter." I turned and walked towards the door. "Bill, don't go in there!" I heard Rowan say from behind me. I spun on my heels and faced him. "Why shouldn't I? Sookie is mine!" I snarled as Rowan stepped forward. "You would be interfering with fate, yet again. You remember what happened the last time." I stepped back, shocked that he would bring up that painful incident. "Does this mean Sookie is meant to be with Eric and not me?" I asked him, the words stabbing through my heart like ice. Rowan walked forward and placed his hand on my shoulder. "You know I can't tell you that, but I know someone who might be able to. I will take you to her and perhaps if she is feeling merciful she will tell you." It felt as if I was dying a final death as I nodded. "If she is meant for Eric, what will you do, Bill?" Sam asked as I bent my head and thought for a moment. I looked up, knowing there were tears in my eyes. "I would let her go. But, if Eric dares to hurt in any way, I will kill him. Fate or no fate."