Wow! I'm a day early. For those that may not be reading my other two stories, I want to let you know that I'm trying really hard to get a flow going with these stories so I don't make you guys wait forever for chapters and where I give each story the time it deserves. Well, those things as well as getting my laundry done, house clean, and there's always work too. Anyway, I'm attempting a one chapter a week plan. Last Wednesday I posted a chapter of One Year Later and in it I said I'd have this chapter up by this Wednesday. Now I plan to have a chapter of Forbidden Pleasures up by next Wednesday and so on and so forth. I guess you all get the point.

Anyway, to the story..............

Oh, I must warn you. This chapter gets a little deep and emotional. I was hoping to get to a more happy part but if I would have the chapter would have been at least ten thousand words I think. I promise a very happy next chapter, though.

These characters belong to Charlaine Harris. Alex is mine!

Eric's POV

Alex and I were just about to eat the grilled cheese sandwiches I'd made for our lunch when Sookie walked in the door. I stood up and went to meet her at the door. "I figured you'd be home before me," I said as I reached to take the bags she was carrying from her. "Are you hungry?"

"Actually, I am hungry," she said as she relinquished the bags in her arms to me. "I'd have been home sooner, but I stopped in town and got a few things for dinner tonight. I got the stuff for country fried steak." She winked at me and smiled. It was then that I realized she was planning to make my favorite meal especially for me only I had already made us dinner reservations.

"Why don't you sit down and eat this sandwich," I said as I handed her the plate with the sandwich I'd made myself. "I can make another one for myself."

I needed to figure out a way to ask her out for tonight and it was going to be even harder since she had already made plans of her own. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to eat my favorite meal and it was very flattering that she wanted to make it for me, but I wanted to take her out on a real date someplace nice. She deserved as much, but I certainly didn't want her to think that I was unappreciative of the dinner she'd planned.

By the time I'd finished making my sandwich Alex and Sookie had finished theirs. Alex went into the living room so I sat down at the table with Sookie, who had remained.

As I sat down she smiled and said, "So, I know it's not that much different than our normal life, but I was thinking that maybe after dinner we could watch a movie or something. I'm sure Alex will be knocked out by then, with his medication and all, so we'll have some privacy."

Privacy, damn did I want some privacy with her! I loved the way she thought, but I had to tell her that I'd already made other plans for us. I hoped she would agree to go out with me tonight without too much of a fight. I knew she'd try to say that Alex needed us at home, but I knew he'd be fine for a few hours with Tara. I smiled back at her and said, "About dinner; you obviously wanted to cook for us, but I sort of made some plans for tonight. Do you think it would be possible to do your dinner another time?"

Her smile wavered and she said, "Well, if you have other plans I guess it will have to wait," as she stood up. Her eyes were pointing directly at the ground as she brushed by me on her way out of the room.

She was clearly hurt, but I couldn't figure out why she'd be so upset that I wanted to take her out instead of making her cook. That's when it hit me. She was hurt because she thought my plans didn't include her. She thought I was blowing off our dinner and that wasn't the case at all.

Sookie's POV

I couldn't believe Eric's nerve. I knew that I didn't tell him that I had wanted to make him dinner, but I couldn't believe he was actually going to blow me off for some stupid plans. I mean, what plans could he have made? He hardly knew anyone and never did anything that didn't involve me or Alex. We had a kid together and we lived under the same roof; neither one of us had any business making any plans without consulting the other first.

I was sitting on my bed stewing in my anger and trying to hold back tears when Eric knocked on my door. I ignored him so he took it upon himself to let himself in, closing the door behind him. "Sookie, you have got to stop jumping to fucking conclusions whenever I open my mouth. I know I'm not the greatest communicator that ever lived and I'm working on that, but this is the second time today that you've jumped to the wrong conclusion and upset yourself for no reason," he said sternly.

I didn't know what wrong conclusion he was talking about and I was really trying to be over it. As much as the realization hurt, I knew it didn't matter how we felt about each other. It just wasn't going to work. We were too different and Eric wasn't mature enough to handle both a real relationship and being a father. I don't know why I even allowed myself to think he could. He'd never been anything but trouble and as much as I wanted to think he'd changed, I realized he hadn't. I mean, he ran out of the house pissed off last night only to end up drunk and in jail and now this.

"Eric, I don't know what you are getting at, but the only wrong conclusion I've jumped to was that you were mature enough to be in a relationship with me and be Alex's dad. You obviously can't handle both," I shouted as tears started streaming down my face. "I know I didn't tell you about dinner, but you have a kid now and we decided long before we decided to be together that we were going to be a family. You just can't go around making plans without consulting me first. Alex is most important. We have to make sure he's taken care of."

"Shit Sookie," he shouted, "You don't even have a clue how wrong you are! I can handle being with you and being Alex's dad! I know I've made a lot of mistakes, but that's a fucking low blow!" He lowered his voice a little, but I could tell he was still upset. "Since being together is new to both of us and our history is full of... well... fuckery at its finest, I'm going to try to forget all of what you just said. Plus, had I have explained myself better we wouldn't even be having this argument. I wasn't trying to blow off dinner with you. I made us reservations and arranged for Tara to watch Alex so we could go out on a date tonight."

He got very quiet, took a deep breath, and continued speaking calmly in a much lower voice as he pulled me into his arms. "I'm sorry for yelling, Sookie. You're just so damn frustrating. Will you please stop crying and tell me you'll go out with me tonight?"

I buried my head in his chest. I was still upset and I realized that in the heat of the moment I had said some really hurtful things to him that I really hadn't meant or at least hadn't entirely meant. I'm sure the look on my face said it all, but I felt like the biggest ass that had ever lived. "I'm sorry, Eric. I'm so sorry. Of course I'll go out with you tonight."

Eric's POV

Sookie had said some very hurtful things to me and as much as I wanted to believe that she didn't mean them, I knew that on some level she did. Part of me wanted to address those issues, but then again part of me just wanted to stay quiet about it and hoped that one day I'd prove her wrong and she would be able to fully trust me again.

When she told me that I wasn't mature enough to be with her and be Alex's dad it was like being cut as deep as possible with the sharpest knife ever. Believe it or not, when I realized that she wasn't just talking out of her ass and that I had actually given her a reason to say that, it hurt even worse. She and Alex were my world and there was no way I was going to lose them.

I knew that she had every right to feel the way she did and that was part of what made it so fucking shitty. I had really hurt her bad when we were younger and I'd made a few really dumb mistakes since being back in her life. I realized that I really needed to get my shit together and learn to communicate with her if this was going to work and if she was ever going to fully trust me again.

After our argument we had spent the next couple of hours hanging out with Alex. We all had a really good time playing Sorry Sliders on his Wii, but when the game was over Sookie said, "Hey baby, there's something your dad and I need to talk to you about." The day pretty much went to shit from there. I certainly hoped that mine and Sookie's evening out went better than the day had gone.

I hadn't been enthused about telling Alex about my past. It just really wasn't anything I was proud of and that I wanted to share with anyone. Hell, I didn't even like to talk about it with people that knew all about it. I guess what it boiled down to was that I was ashamed. I was an ex-con and there was nothing I could do to change that fact.

Sookie and I both took a seat on the couch with Alex. He was smiling when Sookie said, "Baby, you know how we told you that dad had to move to Florida when we were younger?" I guess he expected us to tell him something good. I knew that any moment his smile was going to fade and it really hurt to think about that.

I was so nervous about how he was going to take the news that I grabbed her hand. I needed to feel her for this. I needed her strength because I was terrified. I just knew that I was about to lose my son and I'd only just found out that he existed. I couldn't stand the thought of losing him so I held on to the fact that Sookie had told me that everything would be fine. Boy was she wrong.

Still smiling, Alex said, "Yeah. You told me his family moved there and that's why he didn't know about me." As he spoke I gripped Sookie's hand tighter. I knew what was coming and I was not looking forward to it.

Sookielooked over at me and nodded while she gave my hand a squeeze. She was telling me to take it from there. I was pretty sure she was having just as hard of a time trying to find the words that would inevitably break our son's heart as I was.

All three of us were very quiet. I was trying to figure out how to tell him that I'd spent seven of his ten years locked up because I sold drugs and I would assume he was just wondering what the fuck was going on.

Sookie squeezed my hand and nodded again. I had to do this and I had to do this now. "Alex, my family didn't just move to Florida for no reason. I got into some trouble. That is why we moved." I paused for a moment. I had to figure out what I was going to say next.

Finally after a few moments of thought I said, "You see, Alex, when I was young, I did a lot of things that I'm not proud of. I made a lot of mistakes and well, some of those mistakes are why I wasn't around for you and why I didn't know about you. I want you to know that I love you and I want you to know that if there was any way I could change the past I would. When I found out about you, you became my life and I hate it that I lost all of those years with you."

"Dad, why are you telling me this? Do you have to leave again?" He asked. I could tell he was scared and confused. "Please don't leave us again. I really like having you around. Me and mom need you."

I knew he had no clue what I was getting at, but I couldn't figure out why he thought I was going to tell him I was leaving so I chalked it up to my top-notch communication skills. "Alex, I'm never leaving you. That is one thing you will never have to worry about. From now on I will always be here for you."

I grabbed him and hugged him. The conversation was really starting to get off track. I guess the things being said were things that needed to be said, but I knew that I needed to get to my point. I let go of him and took Sookie's hand again. "I guess, what I'm trying to tell you is that I made a lot of mistakes and stupid decisions and it's time for you to know about them."

The last thing I wanted to do was break down in front of Alex. I was his dad. I was strong. I was a man and I didn't cry, at least not in front of him, but that's exactly what I did. Tears rolled down my face as I said, "There's no easy way to tell you this, but when I moved to Florida, I moved there to go to jail for selling drugs."

His face was still filled with confusion. I knew he understood what I had told him because a ten year old was definitely old enough to know about drugs and jail, but I guess he was just digesting it. "Why did you sell drugs? Drugs are... bad... and they hurt people," he said frowning.

Drugs were bad and they did indeed hurt people. This was the perfect example of just one way that drugs hurt people. Because of my involvement with drugs my son was in pain.

"Alex, why I did it isn't that important. It's what doing it caused that is important," I said, "but I guess I did it because at the time I didn't see how stupid it was. I wasn't nearly as smart as you, back then."

My mom and dad hadn't raised me the way Sookie had raised him. She made sure that he was really smart and she also made sure he was learning how to make good decisions. She taught him manners and to be respectful of authority. My mom and dad never did any of that... well, they did sort of teach me manners and respect of authority, but it wasn't in a way that was mannerly or respectful. Needless to say, it didn't work very well, but I wasn't going to get into any of that with him. I didn't want him to think that I blamed my parents. I mean, I guess on some level I did, but I also knew that ultimately the decisions I made were my own even though I may not have been mature enough to fully understand the risks and consequences.

Up to that point, I had never truly seen how the way mom and dad treated me made me the person I was today. Don't get me wrong, I knew my rebellious behavior was a direct result of the way I was treated, but in talking with Alex and Sookie, I realized that they had more of an effect than I ever realized. We never talked. All they ever did was bark orders at me. No wonder I sucked at communication.

He was still frowning and he looked so incredibly hurt. "I'm sorry that my mistakes kept me from you, Alex. Like I said, if I could go back and change things I would, but what is important now is that I am here for you and I'm never going anywhere again. I'm a different person now and I learned a lot from the mistakes I made. I don't ever want you to have to learn the hard way like I did and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that never happens."

I didn't know what else to say to him. I didn't know if I should give him more details or not. He'd apparently heard enough. He stood up and ran to his room, slamming the door behind him. I followed him to his door and when it slammed in my face I said, "Alex please, don't let this change things. I'm still your dad and I love you. This doesn't have to change anything. Nothing has to be any different than it was yesterday or the day before."

My worst fears came to fruition when he shouted, "Go away! I wish you wouldn't have come back!" I felt like I was dying inside. I was no longer a great dad in his eyes. I was a low-life ex-con that had not only abandoned him and his mom when they needed me the most, but also hurt people and I hoped he could get past that fact.

"Eric," Sookie said as she came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist. "I'm so sorry, but I know it's going to be okay. He'll get over it. He just needs time to process everything. I'll talk to him in a little bit for you." I turned around and buried my head in her neck. I was crying like a baby and I felt completely helpless. I felt like I'd lost everything, but I still had her and maybe she was right. Maybe in time he would get over it.

"Sookie," I said. "I hope you're right. I love you both so much." And I did. They were my life. They were what made me get up every morning. My life had changed so much over the past month that I couldn't even imagine what it was like before anymore and it was all for the better and all because of them.

Sookie's POV

I never expected Alex to react to Eric's news the way he did. I mean, I didn't expect him to be happy about it, but I also didn't expect him to completely shut him out. Even still, I knew he'd eventually get over it.

I wrapped my arms around Eric as he stood in front of Alex's door. I hated seeing him that way. I'd seen him cry a few times since he came back into my life, but I'd never seen him in such a bad state. I wanted to make everything better for him, but I wasn't sure how.

I told him that I knew Alex just needed time and that I'd talk to him later after he'd cooled off. He pulled away from me and with tears streaming down his face he said, "Sookie, I hope you're right. I love you both so much."

"I know you love us both and I also know I'm right. Do you know how many times he's told me he hated me," I said smiling. "He'll get over it. Now let's get you upstairs. You've had a rough day and I think you need a nap. I want us to have a good time tonight on our date, that is if you are still up to going."

Okay, maybe I went a little "mom" on him, but I needed him to calm down. I knew things would work out between him and Alex and there was just no reason for him to be so upset. I mean, I cried like a little baby too the first time Alex and I got into it and I certainly knew what it felt like, but I'd been through it enough to know that things would be okay.

"Now, you go on upstairs. I'll be up in a minute, okay," I said as I gave him a nudge towards the stairs. He nodded and headed to his room. I grabbed Alex's medicine out of my room and then said, "Alex," as I knocked on his door. He didn't answer me. "Alexander Samuel Stackhouse, you open this door right now or I will have it taken off it's hinges as soon as you do open it!" That got his attention. He knew I'd do it too. I'd done it before.

"What?" He asked gruffly. "It's time for your medicine," I said as I gave it to him. After he took his medicine I asked, "Is there anything you want to talk about?" He shook his head and I decided it was time to leave it alone. He wasn't ready to talk yet. "Well, I'm going upstairs to make sure your dad's okay. If you need anything that's where I'll be," I said as I turned and walked up the stairs.

I got to Eric's room and he was lying on his stomach in bed looking at the photo albums I'd given him the other night. I crawled into his bed beside of him, kissed him on the cheek, and said, "You feeling any better?"

"Not really," he said. He wasn't really crying anymore so I figured that was a good sign. "Sookie, I really appreciate your checking up on me and making sure I'm okay, but I think I might need a little time alone. There's something I need to do, before I don't havethe nerveto do it. Can you give me a few minutes?"

I wasn't sure what Eric needed to do, but it seemed very important to him and I also knew that if he needed to be alone I should give him his space. It wasn't like he was running away this time. Smiling I said, "As long as you don't run off and get drunk I'll give you the time you need."

That got a smile from him. "Yeah, I know that was stupid and I won't be doing that again anytime soon." I got up and was about to leave when he grabbed my arm and pulled me back down and into a kiss and then said, "Thank you for trusting me enough to give me space, but I think I've changed my mind and I want you to stay for this. I need you to stay for this."

Eric's POV

As I flipped through the pictures of Alex that Sookie had given me I couldn't help but think about all the fucked up shit I'd said to my own dad. I mean, he'd deserved it based on the way he'd treated me, but damn. I mean, I guess most people would say I deserved what Alex said to me too.

I was an absentee father for his first ten years and an ex-con and ex-drug dealer. This whole time I'd told myself that if I had known about him I would have been there, but would I have been?

By the time Sookie had found out she was pregnant it was already too late. I was already locked up. Knowing about Alex wouldn't have changed that. When I got out of Juvee, maybe I would have been able to get back to Louisiana and could have been there for them, but would things really have turned out to be different? I had no education and frankly, I hadn't been scared straight yet.

Prison was what opened my eyes and made me change. I really hated the thought of it, but I really didn't think that knowing about Alex would have set me straight. Most of my friends in Miami had kids and they were still wrapped up in gangs and drugs. It didn't change them.

I was really thinking that I needed to call my dad, but I just didn't have the nerve to do it. I was working up the nerve when Sookie crawled into my bed beside of me. She asked me if I felt better. I wished I could have told her yes, but in all actuality I felt worse. Not only was I realizing that even though I was trying to be a good dad in the present, I'd been a really shitty one in the past and an even shittier son.

Even if my dad was the worst dad in the world, he never deserved to be treated the way I treated him. Two wrongs never make a right and even when you deserved to be talked to the way I had talked to him and the way that Alex had just talked to me it didn't change the fact that it hurt.

I told her I needed to be alone for a while. I didn't tell her why because I just wasn't ready to talk about it, but I knew that she would be very proud of me for what I was about to do. She was about to leave when I realized that I couldn't do it without her. I wanted her with me. I needed her with me to give me the strength to say what I needed to be said.

I took my phone out of my pocket, pulled her back down into my arms and kissed her, then said, "Thank you for trusting me enough to give me space, but I think I've changed my mind and I want you to stay for this. I need you to stay for this." She looked at me like I was insane as I opened my phone and started dialing. "I've got to make a call and I need you to be here. I need you to hear it and I need you to give me the strength to go through with it.

She still looked confused, but she said, "Whatever you need, baby. I'm here." I kissed her one more time and then I pushed send. I couldn't believe what I was about to do and more than that I couldn't believe how right it felt.

The phone rang several times before he answered. "Dad," I said when he finally picked up. "What do you want now, Eric?" He asked. "I thought you were through with me after the other night."

This was going to be even harder than I thought. I just wished he didn't have to be such an ass. "Dad, I'm sorry," I said. Sookie looked at me smiling. I could tell that at that moment it had clicked in her mind what I was doing. She took my hand urging me and giving me the strength to continue.

I guess my apology took dad by surprise. He didn't say a word. I continued, "I'm sorry for all the horrible things I have said to you. I still don't think you were the world's greatest dad or anything, but I know I've said some really hurtful things to you in the past and I'm sorry for that. I made a lot of mistakes and I know that they've hurt you and mom and I'm sorry for those too. I don't expect us to ever be a real family or for anything to ever change, but you are my parents and I love you both."

"Eric, why are you doing this? Is this some kind of a joke? You need money don't you?" He asked confused. I should have known he wouldn't think I was serious or that I wanted something from them. This was my dad and well, with our past why would he think that I meant what I'd said?

"Dad, this isn't a joke. I really mean it. I just realized that words hurt even if they are the truth and deserved and you're still my dad no matter what we've been through and no matter what our differences have been."

"Son, I don't know what's happened in the past two days to make you call me and tell me this, but I'd like to find out. What do you say, can your mother and I meet our grandson? He's obviously done a number on you."

Fuck, they wanted to meet Alex. It couldn't have been a worse time for that, seeing as how he hated me at that moment and also, I wasn't sure if I wanted them in my life; our lives. I mean, I loved them and I felt bad about the things I'd said and done, but that didn't change the fact that they had hurt me over and over again and they weren't apologizing.

"Dad, I think that may be pushing things a bit," I said nervously. "Can I talk it over with Sookie and think on it a bit?" I had no clue what was best in this situation and I didn't want to rush into a decision.

"That's fine, Eric. Call us in a couple of days and let us know what you've decided." I hung up the phone, tossed it onto my nightstand, and pulled Sookie even tighter into my arms.

"I'm so proud of you," she said smiling. "I know that wasn't easy for you. Do you feel better now?" I did feel better. I actually felt like a real man for the first time in my life. Don't get me wrong, I was a man, but for the first time I think I really acted like one.

"I do feel better," I said smiling. I wasn't sure how Sookie would react to my next little bombshell, so I took a breath and let it drop. "They want to come here and meet Alex," I said nervously. "I don't know what to tell them. I don't know if I want them in our lives. They're my parents and I feel horrible for all I've done to them, but they've done a lot to me too and as far as I know they don't feel bad at all. Hell, I don't even know if they realize all the mistakes they've made."

Sookie's said, "Eric, not everyone expresses themselves the same way. Maybe them visiting is a way for them to tell you they are sorry. I think you should let them come. It can't hurt. The worst thing that could happen is that when they leave it's no different than it is now."

Sookie was right, as usual. "Sookie, I'm so lucky to have you. Have I told you that you are the most incredibly smart and beautiful woman I've ever known?"

So, I hope this wasn't too dark and dreary. Eric got a little emo there on me and I just went with it. We'll get to the date in the next chapter. What are his plans? Is he just taking her to dinner or does he have other plans? How long is Alex going to give Eric the silent treatment? I hope to get it all answered in the next chapter.