Hey guys!!!
WOW! you guys are all SOOOO wonderful! you seriously have NO idea how much I love y'all!!!!
thank you sooooo much for all the awesome reviews, I read every single one of them, and they ALL meant so much to me! so thank you all so very much!! you guys are just the greatest :) And the same goes to everyone who has added this story to his/her favourites and alert list...I am just blown away by the amount of love this story is recieving...so PLEASE keep it coming, it really DOES help to make me write quicker, and helps to bring me ideas...reviews really are amazing!!
so please, if you haven't reviewed the story, please do so, and tell me what you think...if you have reviewed, then feel free to do it again, I just love you guys!!
Now, a few people have asked me how long I plan on writing this story, well, I guess that really depends on how long people keep reading it, and enjoying it. I have SO many ideas, and would love to write a pretty long story, I would love to write throughout the pregnancy and then after the birth :) I have so many ideas, and there all just waiting to be expressed!!
A MASSIVE THANK YOU, to my freaking awesome Beta, Team Jane! Man that girl is so patient and great to me, she just makes this story so much better, and puts up with so much crap from me lol, and since I'm an australian, sometimes I put a bit of Auzzie slang in there (without realizing) and she so kindly picks up on that, and helps me with American wording!!! thanks sooo much hun, and I promise I will try and get better lol!!!
and here we have it...the chapter everyone has been waiting for!!!!
As we all know, the characters are owned by CH, I'm just havin my own little play with them...I promise to return them all in one piece...as much as I want to keep the viking :(
SPOV
As I drove towards Shreveport, I tried to ignore the horrible feeling that was sitting in the pit of my stomach. The closer I got to the vampire bar, the more nauseous I became. I couldn't believe what I was going to do. I couldn't believe any of this. It was only this morning when I was standing in my kitchen, promising myself that I wasn't going to make the first move with Eric. I told myself that I would wait for him to contact me. Now here I was, on my way to see the frustrating man, to tell him that I was carrying his child. For the first time in forever, I actually felt sorry for myself. I was definitely not one to feel self pity; but right now I was drowning in it.
I was pulled from my silent, depressing thoughts, when the most outrageous thing happened. I had just turned onto the main highway, when all of a sudden, a loud 'pop' sounded, and I was no longer alone. Sitting next to me was my new friend, Claudine. I let out a rather loud yelp, and looked at my intruder with gaping eyes. Was I seeing things? What on earth was going on?
"Claudine!" It came out louder than what I intended. I quickly darted my eyes back to the road, and tried to find a regular breathing pattern. "What on earth are you doing here...how did you do that?" I must've been seeing things. There was no way someone could just appear in my car out of thin air. What in God's name was wrong with me?
"Sookie...would you calm down? Remember, the doctor told you that you have to take it easy?" She looked at me and rolled her eyes. "You know why I'm here," she added, as though it should have been obvious.
"No. Actually, I don't." My grip around the steering wheel tightened.
"I told you earlier, I'm your Fairy Godmother...I had to come." She chuckled to herself.
"Okay...okay...let's take a step back, and calm ourselves down!" I inhaled a deep breath, and then realized that I was the only one who was in panic mode. Claudine looked at me with an expression that could only be classified as amusement. "Claudine, please start from the beginning, and kindly inform me on what the hell it is you are doing here!" I tried to keep my voice down, but was unsuccessful.
"Sookie, I am a fairy, and I am here to look after you." It was everything I had in me not to slam my foot on the break. I looked at her with wide eyes. "See..." She lifted back her hair to show me the odd shape to her ears, they were small and pointed, kind of Pixie-like. She smiled at me, before letting her hair fall back down.
"So, you're telling me that fairies exist too?" If I sounded shocked, it was because I was.
"Of course." She nodded, and gave a small laugh. "There are many things in this world that you do not know about, we are only the beginning."
"Why are you here?" I questioned, changing the subject.
"Sookie...you are with child, I am here to look after you. I cannot let you do this alone."
"You're coming with me to tell Eric?" I looked at her and shook my head. "I don't need you there, it will only make things worse."
"No, silly child. I cannot come with you to see the vampire, it would be too dangerous for me; I am here to give you guidance and to let you know that you are not alone."
"Is that why you were there when I ran off the road?" I asked.
"Yes, although I was a little late, I should have been there earlier. I should have stopped you from driving; but, never mind, you and the baby are both safe, and that's all that matters."
"So, you're like my guardian angel?" I couldn't believe how corny that sounded.
"No, I am not an angel yet, I am only Fae, however, maybe one day in my future I will be strong enough to become your guardian angel."
"How do you become an angel?"
"Oh, honey...that is a very long conversation to have, we do not have enough time to discuss that now."
"Oh...right." I smiled, while I took the turnoff towards Shreveport.
"How are you feeling?" she questioned, changing the subject.
"How do you think? In one day; I run my car off the road, spend the day in the hospital, find out that I'm pregnant to a vampire, and then you pop in out of nowhere and tell me that you're my Fairy Godmother. I guess I'm a little...freaked out." I took a deep breath and ignored the sick feeling that was rising in my stomach.
"Yes, your day has been quite eventful," she said in agreement. "How are you feeling about telling the vampire?"
"Oh, just peachy!" My voice was dripping with sarcasm. I looked at the fairy, "Sorry...I didn't mean to sound so rude."
"No need to apologize." She shrugged.
"To be honest, I'm freaking out...a lot." I rolled my window down and welcomed the cold night air.
"You will be fine."
"Are you sure about that? If you know Eric, then you would know that this is the worst situation anyone could be in...ever!" I swallowed my pride and looked at Claudine. "I have never been this scared in my life."
Claudine reached out and placed her warm hand on mine. "Don't be frightened, you are doing the right thing." She gave me a smile that made her whole face light up. "You are a very strong woman, stronger than you think...you should give yourself credit."
We were now pulling up into the car parking lot of Fangtasia. I was glad to see that it wasn't too busy tonight. The parking lot didn't seem to be overcrowded. I ignored the sweat that began to form on the back of my neck, when I noticed the bright red corvette stationed in its familiar parking spot. It was everything I had in me not to turn my car around and go back home.
"Why are you looking after me? What makes me so special?" I asked, after finding a place to park and turning off the engine of my car.
"I'm sorry, I cannot answer that question, it is too soon." She patted me on the hand, before giving me one last smile. "I must be going. You will be fine my dear, just be strong, and believe in yourself." Claudine disappeared the same way she appeared, into thin air. She just left me sitting alone, in the middle of the Fangtasia parking lot, with nothing but my paranoid thoughts. How the hell was I supposed to get through this night?
I inhaled one last breath, swallowed the large lump in my throat, and then climbed out of my car. After making sure it was properly locked, I swung my purse over my shoulder, and started towards the front entrance. I was glad to see Pam on door duty tonight. She looked up instantly at my approach, and seemed rather surprised to see me standing in front of her.
"Sookie, what a delightful surprise." She came closer and went to pull me into a hug, which I was not expecting. I returned her gesture, but grew confused when Pam stiffened in my grasp. She placed her nose in my hair and inhaled deeply. I quickly stepped back and looked at her in outrage.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Sookie...you smell...divine." She raised her brow. "Who have you been playing with today?" Playing with? What on earth was she talking about? I raised my brow at the vampire.
"Pam...what's that supposed to mean?"
"Never mind." She smiled, and to my utter surprise her fangs were down which meant that she was either horny, hungry, or both. Okay...this was slightly weird. "You are here to see my Master?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.
"Well...yeah...I have something I need to tell him." I held my head higher and tried to ignore that same sickening feeling in my stomach. It was too late to back down now.
"He will be so surprised to see you, I cannot wait to see the look on his face when I take you to him."
"Well, he should be surprised. It's not like he's made any effort to see me!"
Pam continued to look as bored and as lifeless as ever. "You two remind me of them humans in those silly soap opera shows. I have never seen anything like it before." I was starting to grow frustrated. "Sookie...why has it taken you so long to come to see him?"
"What? You cannot be serious!" I folded my arms across my chest and looked at her in complete shock. "He is the one who has been ignoring me! He's the one who couldn't even return my phone call! Why should I have to make the first move?" I asked her, voice a little higher than normal.
"Yet, here you are...making the first move?" It came out as more of a question than a statement.
"I have something I need to tell him. I had to come." My voice was barely a whisper.
"You have no idea what you do to him, do you?" She gave me one of her leering smiles.
What do you mean?" Pam sighed, and rolled her eyes.
"My Master has been like a love-sick puppy. In all the years I have known him, I have never seen him so...depressed. What did you do to him?" I could have laughed at her words. Did she really expect me to believe that? This was Eric we were talking about. THE Eric Northman.
"Pam, do you really expect me to believe any of that?"
"See what I mean? It's like a real life episode from The Days of Our Lives." She gave me one last look over before turning and heading through the entrance. "Follow me," she added, while pushing the front door open. She called for one of the other vampires to come and watch the door, while she led me through the main room of Fangtasia. I tried not to notice the looks I was receiving from some of the vampires. Their eyes seemed to eat me up. I couldn't help but feel a little awkward as they stopped what they were doing to turn and watch me. What was their problem? Seriously!
When we walked through the all too familiar corridor that led towards Eric's office, I couldn't help but feel sick and disgusted with myself. I couldn't believe what was happening to me. I couldn't believe what I was about to do. This was the worst situation I had ever been in. Why did I always allow these things to happen to me?
Pam pushed the door open, and instantly stopped in her tracks, I looked at her in confusion, before stepping in ahead of her. I had just looked up from the floor, when I noticed Eric wasn't alone. Sitting on his lap was a pale, brown haired, skinny as hell...Fang-banger. She was moaning as his mouth sucked on her throat, drawing blood straight from the source. I couldn't help myself. I couldn't control my actions. My eyes seemed to glaze over as I looked at the man who I had missed so terribly; the man who was supposed to want me as much as I wanted him, drinking from another woman. His hand was sitting under her minimal skirt, his eyes were closed as he swallowed each mouthful contently.
"Does she taste good?" I asked, breaking my trance.
Eric instantly looked up from the neck of the woman. His eyes read nothing but surprise and shock. He didn't move; he just sat there, looking at me in a way that made me feel slightly uncomfortable.
"Sorry...don't let me interrupt, I only came to tell you that I was pregnant, with you child...isn't that funny?" Eric couldn't have looked more shocked if he had tried. "Anyway, I hope you are enjoying your meal, please continue," and with that I slammed the door behind me. I swallowed back the tears and tried not to notice how shaken up I was. I looked at Pam, gave her a nod, and then walked out the employee's entrance.
I hadn't even made it to my car before Pam was there, standing in front of me, looking more animated than I had ever seen her. She pulled me into her arms, and urged me to rest my head against her chest. I melted into her, and allowed the tears to leak from my eyes. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I couldn't believe the scene which I had just caused. After a moment, I pulled back from Pam and looked her in the eyes.
"I...I need to go." I turned and unlocked my car.
Pam surprised me yet again, when she got in the passenger side of the car. I wasn't in the mood to talk, and I wasn't in the mood to put up with Pam right now. I looked at her and instantly snapped, "Don't you have anything better to do? I'm a fucking human for crying out loud! Why don't you go and find some better company? I'm sure your Master would be more than happy to share his dinner with you!" I started the car and waited for her to exit the vehicle, but to my astonishment, she didn't. She just continued to study me like a student studies a book for an exam. I looked at her with gaping eyes, what was with her? Did she not understand that I wanted to be alone?
"Fairy," she stated.
"What?"
"You smell of Fae, and so does your car." I couldn't believe that was all she had to say in response. She shrugged and turned to look out the front window. I let out a frustrated sigh before starting my car, and pulling out of the Fangtasia parking lot.
We drove the first part of the way in silence. I didn't feel like talking, and I assumed Pam didn't feel like making small talk. I was thankful for the silence. I had enough to think about already without having to try and keep a conversation.
"Why are you here?" I asked, finally speaking up.
Pam shrugged. "I have grown rather fond of you, Sookie." I could feel her heated gaze on my face. "My Master has never attached himself to anyone or anything as much as he has attached himself to you, and I must look after my Master's things."
"I am not his thing, and you have no idea what you're talking about...Eric doesn't care about anyone else, except himself, and he certainly does not care about me!"
"If you didn't mean anything to him, then why has he not called you? Why has he not been to see you?"
"See! That's what I'm talking about...he hasn't been to see me and he hasn't called. Isn't it obvious that he doesn't want anything to do with me? Isn't it obvious that he has grown tired of me? We had sex, that's all he wanted...and that's why he's not talking to me anymore."
"I cannot believe how naive the both of you can be." She seemed to melt back into her seat. "If you care so much for him, then why have you not been to see him?"
I looked at her in outrage. "I just went! And look what happened, I got to witness him drinking from one of his many blood bags...what a wonderful greeting that was!" My voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"Sookie...why is it that you do not see what is right there in front of you?"
"Pam, why do you have to stick up for him?"
"Because, I have known him for a very long time. I know what he is feeling, I can see the way his expression changes every time he thinks about you. I can see what you do to him. You are killing him without even realizing it."
I didn't even know I had begun to cry until I felt the wet tears drip down my face. I couldn't seem to hold back the hysteria after that. I pulled the car over to the side of the road, and allowed myself to let go of all the pain. I rested my head on the wheel of my car, and cried for all it was worth. I couldn't care less what Pam thought about my show of weakness. If she was so worried, then she could get out and walk home. I was slightly surprised when my door came open, and Pam lifted me up into her arms. I tried not to think about how weird this situation was, I did however, feel a little bad for getting tear stains on her Fangtasia clothes. Pam didn't say anything, as she gently pulled me out from the car and took me around to place me in the passenger side. After putting on my seatbelt, she went around and let herself into the driver's seat. I rested my head against the cold glass window and quietly sobbed to myself. Pam drove in silence while I had my own little breakdown.
We were only a few minutes away from Bon Temps, when I sat up and wiped my wet eyes. "Sorry...I didn't mean to get so...upset." I thought it was polite to apologize, none of this was Pam's fault, she was only trying to help.
"Hormones," she stated.
"What?"
"Pregnancy hormones. Dear Abby says that human women get moody when they're pregnant." I looked at Pam in confusion. I couldn't believe we were having this conversation, today was a day full of surprises.
"Oh...right." I nodded and smiled. "I didn't really think about that." Pam gave me a smirk before looking back at the road. It was only a few minutes later when we pulled into my driveway. I held back more tears as we drove down the long drive. Pam parked around the back, gave me a pat on the hand, and then helped herself out the car.
After letting out a dramatic sigh, I grabbed my purse, climbed out, and made my way across the lawn towards the vampire. She waited while I searched in my purse for my house keys, and unlocked the back door.
"Thanks for everything, Pam." I smiled at the vampire. "Good luck dealing with Eric," I added, with a humorless chuckle, while stepping inside.
"You are not going to invite me in?" Okay, this situation was becoming more than weird. Who was this vampire, and what had she done with Pam? I looked at her with wide eyes. I knew that her invitation to enter was still standing, and she was only being nice by waiting to be asked in. I smiled at the vampire in front of me.
"You don't have to stay...I'll be fine. You should really be with Eric, he's the one who's going to need the help."
Pam rolled her eyes, before stepping past me, and into the kitchen. "Eric is old enough to deal with his own issues." I closed the door, and then removed my coat and purse. I placed them on the kitchen table, and then made my way over to check the messages on my voicemail. I wasn't too surprised to see that there weren't any.
"Sorry, I don't have any blood to offer you; I wasn't expecting company."
"It is quite alright." The vampire took a seat in one of the kitchen chairs. "What are you going to do now?"
I got myself a glass of water, took a sip, and then turned to look at my visitor. "Well, I was planning on slipping into my nightgown, and climbing into bed...it's been quite an exhausting day." I smiled, shrugged, and took another sip from my drink.
"I was talking about the pregnancy." She raised a brow.
"Oh, that." I sat down in one of the seats across from the vampire. My hands cupped my glass, while my eyes remained fixed on the kitchen table. "I have absolutely no idea!" It came out as a sigh.
Pam leaned back in her chair, and remained silent for a long while. I knew she was watching me intently, which was rather awkward. I cleared my throat before finally looking up at my guest.
"You got any ideas?" I asked, with a small smile.
"No...I do not." Pam was thoughtful. "I am sure my Master will help support you." I continued to look at her, and instantly began to laugh. I couldn't believe the words in which she had just spoken. They were rather amusing.
"I do not want his...support, I will be fine on my own." When the laughter finally stopped I rested back in my seat and folded my hands together in my lap. "I don't need his help." I finally finished.
"Do you truly not understand how much he appreciates you, Sookie?"
I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Pam...you don't need to stand up for him, I'm not mad at him, and I don't blame him for not wanting me. I completely understand why he hasn't been here to see me. I knew this would happen before I slept with him. I prepared myself for this." I inhaled a deep breath. "None of this is his fault, so you don't need to stick up for him...honestly."
Pam rose from her seat and looked down at me with a rather bored expression on her face. "Sookie...sooner or later you will need to talk with him about this, because whether you like it or not, you are carrying his child. You will need to listen to what he has to say for himself. You will need to stop acting so naïve, and you will need to come to terms with your situation. Stop running from the things that scare you, and if you can't do this for yourself, then at least do it for your unborn child." And with that, Pam turned away from me, and left before I had a chance to respond.
I allowed her words to sink in. I knew some part of her was right, that she was only telling the truth; but, I couldn't help but feel slightly afraid of her words. I didn't want to speak to Eric; how could I after what happened tonight? How could I talk to him about this when he had been running from me for so long?
I knew this was only the beginning of this huge mess. I knew there were going to be a lot of decisions to make over the next nine months, (and longer) but right now, all I wanted to do was climb into bed, and fall into a deep, dark sleep.
So that was exactly what I did.
EPOV
Sookie's words hit me like a wooden stake to my chest. In my one thousand years I had never felt as shocked as I did at that moment. For the first time in my entire existence...I was lost for words.
I wasn't sure how long I sat there, completely silent and dazed; but, I was pulled from my trance when the blood bag in which I had fed from only a moment ago, began to make her way towards the door. My instincts kicked in. There was no way I could allow her to leave, not after the scene she just witnessed. I leaped over my desk and blocked her path to the door.
She yelped in surprise, and looked up at me with gaping eyes. "You will not remember anything about tonight. You will go home as if nothing ever happened. Do you understand?" I was glad to feel my influence working on her.
Her eyes glazed over, while she slowly nodded her head. "Yes," she quietly stated. I stepped out of her way, and allowed her to leave, satisfied to see the vermin gone.
I resumed my position back behind my desk, while I allowed Sookie's words to filter through my mind. There had to of have been some kind of mistake. This could not be happening to me. Was I not going through enough at the moment, without having to deal with this?
I did not even want to think about how Sookie must be feeling. I could not begin to imagine how confused and scared she must be at the moment. This was not how Sookie wanted to have children. This was not how this was supposed to end up. I was supposed to leave her, we were not supposed to have reason to see each other anymore. I made the decision to walk away from her, I made the decision to push her from my life. So, how could it end up this way? Was this some kind of tortuous payback for all the wrong I had done in my life?
I sat in silence for a long time while all these thoughts came through my mind. I had so many questions, but no answers. How was I supposed to be there for Sookie? My life was not the life she wanted; my life was cruel, dark, and dangerous. My life was not appropriate for her or her child. Our Child. The thought did something to me. I could not tell you what it was; but, when I thought of that woman carrying my offspring, it seemed to bring me some kind of pleasure. I quickly pushed those feelings out of my mind. There was no way I could think like that. I could not even begin to imagine how much Sookie would hate me. How could she not, when I had been so distant towards her? How could she not hate me, when I had caused her so much pain and sadness?
I was pulled from my thoughts when Pam came storming in. She slammed the door and stood over me. Her arms were folded over her chest, and her eyes were studying me intently. I waited for her to say something, preparing myself for her attack.
"Master, what the hell is going on, and how on earth are you going to fix this?"
"I do not know...I have absolutely no fucking idea." I covered my face with my hands, and let a large growl escape my chest. "How did this happen?" I asked my child.
"Well, usually...when a man and a woman decide to have sex, without any protection-" I cut her off.
"Pamela, I do not need a lesson in safe sex." I looked at her and flashed my fangs.
"Well, obviously, you do," she pointed out while placing herself down in one of the chairs opposite my desk. "So, what is it that you plan on doing?" she questioned.
"I haven't got a clue." I leaned back in my seat, and rested my feet on the top of my desk. "Have you got any ideas?"
"Sookie asked me the exact same question, only a short while ago." Her face turned smug while her eyes continued to watch me. "If you would both just ask each other that question, instead of me...we wouldn't be having this discussion."
"I cannot see her, not yet."
"Why not?" She gave me a frustrated look.
"Because...she needs her space, and I need...time to think."
"What is there to think about?"
"There is much to think about. For example, what will happen if others find out about this? What will happen when my enemies find out that I have impregnated a human? What if they find out about my issues with the witches?" I pulled my legs from the top of the desk, and leaned forward in my chair. "I could not allow any harm to come to her, not because of me...and the second this information gets out...all my enemies will swarm."
"People don't have to know." She shrugged. "Sookie will just have to lie about who the father is."
"You make it sound so easy."
"You cannot tell me that you would allow your enemies to come between you and Sookie! You cannot tell me that you would push Sookie away because of the risk involved!" she continued while not letting me get a word in. "Sookie's life is on the line everyday because she's a telepath. She is stronger than you think, you should give her some credit."
"This is the whole reason I walked away from that woman," I stated. "I knew I could not give her the things she wanted. I knew I could not be a good husband, or bring her children...so I walked away. I walked away so she would have a chance to have the life she wanted."
"Let me get this straight...you left her, because you couldn't give her children? Now here she is...pregnant, with your child, and you're having doubts about being with her?" She raised her brow.
"I left her because my world is not safe for her. My world is not the life she wants."
"Whether you like it or not, Sookie is a part of our world now, and nothing can change that. She is telepathic, and if any other vampire found out about her ability, her life would be forfeit."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I am saying that maybe Sookie needs you more than you think. Sookie needs someone to protect her and the child, she is not strong enough to do it on her own. She would be safer with you."
I held back yet another growl. "I cannot believe this is happening."
"Well it is, whether you like it or not." Pam rose to her feet. "You need to talk to Sookie; you need to find out how she's feeling. You need to tell her why you left her; and, you need to pull your head out of your ass, and stop being such a pussy!" And with those words, my child walked out of my office and slammed the door closed behind her.
That left me sitting in my office alone, with nothing but my painfully fucking thoughts.
SPOV
The next morning I woke up with nothing but the memories of the day before. I sat up in the bed and rubbed my eyes, while the dramas from yesterday came back to me in waves. I had been hoping that everything might have been one big, scary dream; but of course, I wasn't that fortunate.
I let out a sigh, while I rolled over in bed and looked at the digital clock on my nightstand. It told me that it was almost ten o'clock. I quickly sat up straighter and rubbed my eyes. I couldn't believe how late I had slept in. I had things I needed to do this morning, and had to be at work for my lunch shift by twelve. I scolded myself for oversleeping, then climbed out of bed, and quickly made my way over to the bathroom.
I took care of my morning duties, trying not to think back to the night before. I tried not to think about the look on Eric's face when I blurted out the big news. I tried not to think about the way I yelled at him before storming off. I tried not to think about how weird it was to have Pam come home with me, and comfort me like she did. It was such a human thing for her to do.
After having a shower and drying off, I picked up the hairbrush, and began to brush the knots out of my hair. I couldn't help but notice how sick and depressed I looked in the mirror. My eyes had dark rings around them, and looked rather puffy from crying so much. Even my skin seemed pale this morning. I quickly sat the brush down, and turned away for the stranger in the mirror.
After putting on a bit of make-up, I quickly found my work uniform and slipped it on. I pulled a sweater over the top of my shirt, and then found my shoes before making my way out into the kitchen.
I made myself a plate of bacon and eggs, got a large glass of iced tea, and then sat down to enjoy my breakfast. I didn't have a chance to eat very much the previous day, so I had a rather large appetite. Unfortunately, while I was sitting and eating, I had nothing better to do except think about a certain Viking. I tried to push him from my mind, but I couldn't help but wonder how he handled the news last night. Did he want anything to do with me? Or was he going to continue to ignore me?
For a split second, I allowed myself to wonder what it would be like if Eric was a part of my life. I allowed myself to smile at the thought of going to bed with him each night, the thought of watching him hold our child in his arms, and the thought of him protecting our own little family. I couldn't help but grow excited at the thought of Eric being there for me and the baby. I knew deep down that it was only false hope; but, for a moment, I was actually happy about the situation.
Then, I snapped out of my dreaming, and quickly scolded myself for letting my imagination run away from me. I downed the rest of my food, finished my coffee, and then started cleaning up the kitchen.
While I washed my used dishes I started to think of the things I needed to get done before work. I had to go and pick up the vitamins which Dr. Raine had prescribed me, and then I wanted to go down to the library and borrow some books on pregnancy and child birth. I really had no idea what was going to happen over the next nine months, and I wanted to try and prepare myself as much as possible.
***
After I had picked up the vitamins from the pharmacy, I climbed into my car, and started to make my way across town towards the library. It was a rather cool day outside. I had my windows rolled up and the car heater turned on as high as it could go (which wasn't very high). I was more than glad that I had thought to put my sweater on this morning, I would've been freezing without it.
As I drove the short distance to the library, I thought back to what Pam had told me when she left last night. Was I really acting naïve? Was I really running from the things that scared me? I started to think that maybe Pam was right. Maybe I needed to give Eric the benefit of the doubt. I knew she was right when she said that I'd need to talk to Eric soon; but, that didn't stop me from hating the idea of confronting the Viking. What was I supposed to say to him? What was he going to say to me? Some part of me cringed at the idea of talking to him.
I was glad to finally turn into the library. I found a parking space, locked the car, and then made my way across the parking lot and through the main entrance. I waved to the gray haired woman behind the desk before quickly searching for the section I was looking for. When I had finally found the pregnancy books, I began to search through all the different titles.
As I looked through all the books, I found one that caught my attention; 'The Expectant Father'. I picked it up and turned it over in my hands. I couldn't help but wish that I had a husband that I could give this book to. I would have loved it if I could have borrowed this book for Eric. I smiled at the thought, and then quickly placed it back on the shelf.
When I was finished I had a large selection of books on pregnancy, child birth and baby care. After making sure I had all the books I needed, I started towards the front desk. What I wasn't expecting was the look that the librarian gave me while scanning the books.
"How are you, Ms. Stackhouse?" she asked.
"Fine thanks." I knew just by peeking into her mind, that she was curious about my reading choices, but I didn't feel like explaining myself to this woman. I plastered a large smile on my face while waiting for her to finish scanning the books.
After exchanging our goodbyes, I quickly snatched the pile of reading material, and made a fast run for the exit. There was only fifteen minutes until my lunch shift started, and I didn't want to be late.
Ten minutes later I pulled up into the employee's parking lot at Merlotte's. I locked the car, and then made my way inside. I was glad to see that Holly was on today. I enjoyed working with her. Ever since that night she told me about the Witch War, we seemed to have became rather close friends. She greeted me as I walked into Sam's office.
"How ya doing, girl?" she questioned while checking her lipstick in the mirror.
"Yeah...okay." I shrugged, before removing my sweater, and placing it with my purse in the drawer of Sam's desk.
"I heard about the accident yesterday, everything alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine!" I smiled at my friend before finding my apron and tying it around my waist. "It was hardly an accident," I added.
"Well, I'm glad...we were all so worried!" Holly replied.
We exchanged a friendly smile before making our way out of the office, and through the main room of the bar. Holly grabbed her tray, and instantly went off to take orders in her section. I was just about to go start on my tables when I was approached by Sam.
"Hey, Sook!" He pulled me into a tight hug. "I've been worried about ya...I was going to come and see you last night, but Jason assured me that you were fine. He told me that you were too exhausted for visitors." I smiled at my boss, and nodded.
"Yeah...I was pretty tired," I replied while taking my tray from behind the bar. "I'm fine now, though."
"Well, I'm glad!" Sam gave me a pat on the shoulder before stepping back and looking at me with a rather awkward expression on his face.
"You okay?" I asked, raising my brow.
"Yeah...I'm fine!" He nodded. "I was just going to see...well I was wondering..." He cleared his throat. "Did you want to grab a coffee with me tonight, after your shift?" Wow! I was definitely not expecting him to ask me that, and I had absolutely no idea what to say in response.
For a short moment I tried to think of ways to say no. The last thing I wanted was to start dating, especially now that I was pregnant...that would just be weird. I smiled at my boss and placed my hand on his shoulder.
"Sam, I have a few...things...going on at the moment, I'm not looking to start dating anyone." I hoped that didn't sound too heartless.
"I didn't mean anything like that...I just had a few things I wanted to talk to you about, and it would only be as friends." He gave me a reassuring smile. "No strings attached, promise."
Well, if we're only going out as friends, what would be the trouble in that? I smiled at Sam and gave him a small nod. "Okay...sounds good!" I grinned.
"Okay, cool. I'll see you later then." He gave me a genuine smile before turning back to his position behind the bar.
After I found my tray, and started towards my area, I couldn't help but feel slightly excited about spending some time with Sam. Maybe it would help me to get my mind off of other things? It would be good to catch up with my friend. I actually smiled at the thought of spending time with my boss. It felt like forever since the last time I had caught up with him away from work.
I should also think about telling him about the pregnancy. Sam would need time to find someone to cover for me while I was out of work. He was always doing the right thing by me, I shouldn't leave it too long to update him on my now pregnant status. I had no idea how I was going to tell him about my 'situation', but I was going to need to inform him sooner or later.
The rest of my shift went by smoothly. I managed to make some pretty good tips which helped to make me feel slightly better. I was all smiles while I wiped my tables down, and waited for Arlene to come and take over for me.
When the clock told me that it was the end of my shift, I was only too glad to deliver my last drink, stow my tray behind the bar, and make my way down the staff corridor, into Sam's office. I found myself wishing that I could go home, have a long hot bath, and go to bed. I was more than tired...I was exhausted; but, I promised Sam I would have coffee with him. Sleep would just have to wait until later.
I wasn't surprised to see my boss sitting behind his desk when I walked in. I smiled at him before putting my apron away and collecting my things from his drawer.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked while turning to face me.
"Is it okay if I went home to put some warmer clothes on?"
"Yeah, that's fine! I can pick you up from your place in an hour?" he offered while looking at his watch.
"Sounds good!" I gave him a small wave before turning and leaving his office.
***
I slipped into a pair of dark jeans, found a long sleeved shirt, and pulled my black zip-up jacket over the top. We were only having coffee, so it wasn't like I was going to need to dress up. It was more than cold outside, so I wanted to be warm and comfortable. After checking my hair in the mirror, I slipped into my work shoes, and turned off my bedroom light. I made my way into the kitchen, poured myself out a large glass of water, and sat down at the table to wait for Sam.
Twenty minutes later a knock sounded on the back door. I got straight up, placed my glass in the sink, and then made my way over to answer it. After grabbing my purse, and switching off the light, I quickly opened the door to greet Sam. Only it wasn't Sam who was waiting for me...it was Eric.
I stopped in my tracks when I noticed who was standing on the other side of the threshold. My breath caught in my chest and I felt my legs begin to tremble. I quickly swallowed the huge lump in my throat while I looked at the Viking in front of me. What was he doing here? What did he want? Oh my goodness...what was I supposed to say to him?
"Sookie," he greeted with a respectful nod. "Are you going somewhere?" His eyes drifted down to the purse in my hand. I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn't form any words. I stepped back and continued to look at Eric with gaping eyes. I couldn't help but wonder if this was some kind of weird dream. It didn't feel like I was dreaming. Could this really be happening?
Eric cleared his throat, and raised his brow at me expectantly. I quickly shook myself out of my daze and looked up to meet his eyes. I couldn't believe how much I had missed this man. Even after everything that had happened between us, I couldn't help feel happy and calm in his presence. What the hell was wrong with me?
"Are you okay?" His expression changed from calm and respectful, to rather concerned. Why would he look worried about me? Why would he care if I was okay? It's not like he's been very worried about me over the past six weeks. Why should he start looking concerned now?
"I'm fine." My voice was barely a whisper. "Is there something you wanted? I was just about to go out." I folded my arms across my chest and waited for him to speak. If he thought I was going to be happy to see him after all this time, he was so wrong.
Eric seemed to move awkwardly. He looked down at me with a rather blank expression. "I was hoping to talk to you," he stated.
"Oh...well, now isn't really a good time." I couldn't believe how badly I wanted to take those words back. If there was one thing I wanted more than anything, it was to talk to this man; but, there was no way I could be excited to see him, not after the way he had been ignoring me over the past however long. "I'm...I'm expecting company," I added, rather awkwardly.
"Company?" Eric's eyes seemed to grow rather heated. He looked at me with nothing but confusion, and anger. If I didn't know better I would have said he was jealous. I quickly pushed that thought out of my mind. There was no way Eric would be jealous over me. "You are seeing someone?" he questioned, sounding disgusted by the idea.
"Not that it is any of your business, but Sam asked me out, and I agreed." I raised my brow at him. He didn't need to know that Sam and I were only going out for coffee, as friends. It wasn't any of his business.
"You are going out with the Shifter?" He was all but growling.
I took a deep breath before stepping back and looking up at Eric. "Why are you really here?" I asked, deciding to change the subject.
"I wanted to talk to you about...about last night." He continued to study my face. "I believe there are a few things we need to discuss."
"There is nothing that needs to be discussed." I shrugged. "Eric...this doesn't change anything between us. I only thought you should know...I don't expect anything out of you, and I don't expect you to want this." I placed my hand on my stomach. Eric's eyes looked down at my hand, he seemed to be lost in thought for a while.
"There are some other things I want to tell you." His voice was so quiet, I had to lean forward to hear him. "Some things I think you should know." His eyes finally looked up at my face.
I didn't have a chance to say anything in reply to that before Sam's truck pulled up behind mine. I inhaled a deep breath, stepped past Eric, and turned to lock the door.
Sam was up the porch steps in less than a minute. His eyes rested on Eric, and I could tell that he was more than pissed off to see him there. Sam took a step closer to me, smiled and reached for my hand.
"You ready to go, Sookie?" he asked, ignoring the vampire.
I nodded, and smiled. "Yeah...I'm ready." I turned to look at Eric. "You should go home...you don't need to be here." I gave him one last look before turning and starting towards the steps. If I thought we could get away from the rather annoyed Viking, without any dramatics...I was very wrong.
One minute Eric was standing behind us, and the next minute he was blocking our path to the steps. His eyes were locked on Sam, and they were filled with so much hatred and anger. I was suddenly feeling rather frightened about this situation. I scolded myself for handling it all so wrong. I shouldn't have pissed Eric off; I shouldn't have told Sam I would have coffee with him. What on earth was I thinking?
Eric's voice was colder than ice. "Sookie will no longer be accompanying you tonight," he stated while stepping even closer. "You can go home now," he added, keeping his eyes fixed on Sam.
"Eric!" I snapped. "Stop it!" I slapped him on the shoulder with my purse.
Sam spoke up before I had a chance to say anything else. "She doesn't belong to you...now if you will excuse us, we are going out." Sam's hand squeezed mine.
Eric was looking more than deadly. "You are walking on a very dangerous line, Shifter. Leave now, before I remove you myself."
"You will do no such thing!" I all but screamed at the infuriating vampire. "You cannot tell me who I can and can't go out with, and you cannot push people around. Go home, Eric. I don't want you here." I had to push the last part out. My voice was only a whisper.
If I thought Eric was listening to a word I said, I was very wrong. He stepped closer to Sam, grabbed him around the neck, and then lifted him in the air. Sam struggled against Eric's grip, but there really was no point in trying to get away from him. Eric was stronger than Sam by a lot.
"LET HIM GO!" I screamed while stepping closer. "Eric Northman, if you do not release him this instant...I will be VERY pissed off." My breathing was ragged while my heart felt like it was about to leap from my chest. I couldn't remember a time in my life, when I had ever been this scared.
"I gave him a chance...and he chose to ignore it." Eric's voice was nothing but calm.
"Haven't you hurt her enough, Northman?" Sam asked, making this situation so much worse. "You chose to walk away from her; you can't come crawling back and expect her to fall to your feet."
"Sam!" I looked at him with wide eyes and shook my head. "Stop talking!"
Eric moved so fast, that if I blinked I would have missed it. He turned around and threw Sam down the steps and onto the lawn area. I couldn't hold back the scream, as Eric jumped down after him. I was just about to try and stop the vampire from killing my friend, when suddenly everything around me went black, and I fell silently to the ground.
TBC.
okay...okay...so...don't kill me!! please don't sharpen those stakes just yet, I promise to update soon!!
What did you think about this chapter? I hope it lived up to everyones expectations, I hope people weren't too dissapointed with the whole 'pregnancy reveal' outcome. pleeeease tell me what you think!!
How do you think Sookie should respond when Eric tells her why he has been away from her for so long?