"Hello?"

"Sookie?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"It's Daphne, Daphne Leary"

"Daphne! Oh I haven't heard from you in ages, how are you?"

"I'm good, have you found Bill yet?"

"No, but I'm in Mississippi lookin' for him – there's a pretty hot trail, I can feel we're close"

"Should I call another time or…?"

"No, no you're good, we're actually taking a little break – what did you want to talk about?"

"Oh, well um…It's a little personal, ah – did you and Bill ever use…protection?"

"Protection?"

"Um, yeah – protection, you know, when you 'did' it?"

"OH! Oh, oh protection! No, sweetie, no we didn't. He's a vampire, you know; they can't contract STDs or anything, no chance of pregnancy, there really was no need."

"Oh, okay, thank you,"

"Daphne, is there – is there a reason why you asked me?"

"Nope, no I was just curious, you know…You're the only other person I know who's been with a vampire, only person to ask,"

"I understand completely – but I'll tell you Daphne, if I were to ever, ever be intimate with someone else – someone not a vampire – I would use protection, it'd be stupid not to."

"I know, thank you Sookie. Thanks for answering my question – I'll let you get back to your hot trail."

"Oh, okay sweetie, it's no problem. If you have any other questions, personal or not, don't hesitate to ask, okay? I'll always be willing to listen and the minute you decide to come back from Chicago, you better tell me! All that cold isn't good for you!"

"Ha, yeah Sookie, you'll be the first to know. Thanks again, buh-bye."

Two months had passed since I ran away to Chicago. Most of the money I put away from working at Fangtasia, from not having to pay for rent or food anymore, and left over from my mother's insurance, not to mention the few dollars I was actually allowed to have from my brother's bank account via the US government, meant I could actually function in a big Northern city for almost four months without a job.

Still, the apartment I got was a one bedroom and it took a while to convince the landlord that having an 18 year old as a tenant with no real credentials was a good idea. Surprisingly it took less time to convince the owner of the diner on the outskirts of the city, one of the last stops on the metro, that while I had work experience my employer wasn't reliable because of the nature of my departure. She evidently had a daughter herself and remembered all the troubles that come with girly naivety, and so I had gotten a job within two weeks of my escape.

Life was working out and the lessening paranoia of running away from a man who no doubt could track me like a piece of mail was only alleviating all the bad luck I had accrued in the past.

It wasn't nearly as hot as Louisiana, or as humid, and it was only windy near the lake, which made the city perfect to explore during the nights I couldn't sleep. Those happened far too often for comfort – I was only slowly getting over my nocturnal habits with the stimulation of my daytime job. I had started to abuse caffeine as a way not to get fired for falling asleep on the job (I doubted that Madeline Klaus would've handled my sleep habits like Eric). One of her first cautions was for me to never go outside at night by myself, but I wasn't afraid. There were still bite marks scarred on my necks that acted as tear drop tattoos, warnings for both human and vampire criminals alike against hurting me. Eric told me once that his kind could smell the age of the giver of the bites and since he was ancient, I was virtually untouchable by everyone. Most humans, while Chicago was a very vampire-liberated city, still were wary of coming near me anyway – Madeline suggested I start to wear scarves to thwart any reason against me getting a tip. She never asked me how I received them or about my past; if I had known my grandmother I'd like to imagine her as stable as Madeline.

Marks aside, I was getting more attention from guys than ever before. I wasn't sure if it was my closed off emotional state that acted like a beacon to the male population who always waited until halfway through a conversation to realize I had been bitten before, but whatever it was I wanted to turn it off. It felt unfair that every guy I met was compared to Eric, but it helped in self-preservation. I never wanted to get in another relationship again at that point, especially if my immediate reaction to their endings was me moving to the opposite side of the country, and I truly felt like a tease once someone started talking to me as if they had any sort of hope. It was only a month ago, almost simultaneous with the thought of if Eric had truly wanted me back he'd come and find me by then, that I realized how deep I felt for him. We never spoke of our feelings to each other, mainly letting our skin do all the talking, and the ignorance of our affections apparently had clouded over my own knowledge of my affections. The fact that he had so clearly rejected me after I left him was only further diluting my self-esteem, even though I had never really expected him to sweep me off my feet in the first place.

He was a vampire and I was a human, I made that clear when I left and it was healthy that we were on the same page.

From the conversation I had with Sookie, though, and the three tests that stared mockingly at me, I realized I wasn't physically as healthy as I needed to be.

I was pregnant and a scientific anomaly rolled into a ball that had its own emotional baggage.

Before my phone call, I deluded myself into thinking that since vampire's still had blood and could actually get sexually aroused, that perhaps only their heart was the reason they weren't "living". If that were the case, it would completely explain my situation, as I had no other partner other than Eric. Even in my dreams, that came back full force almost the moment I left Fangtasia, it was always with Eric.

After my phone call, I didn't know what to think. I didn't know how to act and even Madeline commented on how I was acting extra-zombie-ish. For a woman in her early sixties, she adored watching modern sci-fi movies.

Those many tests couldn't lie, though, and I had missed two periods already. I wasn't the poster girl for regularity, but I've never skipped two in a row and I've never wanted a hot dog in my life before last week, either.

It seemed, though, the moment I looked at Madeline, she understood my predicament without knowing it. Without knowing just why it was so shocking to be pregnant – my age could only be a plus in keeping her out of the loop, I suppose. About three weeks away from being nineteen, alone in the city and a country "good" girl, my situation was already pitiful without even the mention of vampire. Any luck I had in the beginning of this experience was completely flushed with the fetus growing inside of me.

She told me she understood if I had to quit. She told me she'd even cough up the money for my air fare. She told me that she could get in contact with a family that would love to raise a child.

I didn't know how to respond – I was going to quit, yes. I was going to go back to Shreveport, although I could definitely pay by myself (and I was quite lucky I had signed a lease that stated I could leave with only a weeks' notice as long as I did no damage to my apartment, seeing as my rent was a month-to-month deal). What I didn't know was if I was going to keep the baby – baby or vampire? – inside of me. It wasn't entirely my decision to abort, but I was strongly opposed anyway with my often misplaced morals, and I still wasn't coming to full-terms that I was indeed pregnant. In any case, I couldn't tell Madeline that I'd adore for someone else to look after the growing miracle, or phenomenon.

I unlocked Fangtasia's door with the key I failed to give back after I first used it. It had been a weekend and Ginger had skipped out early to attend some family duty she had made Eric aware of weeks in advance. Eric trusted me to be the one to lock up and therefore trusted me to have a key to his business. I was to return the key the next night, though and seeing as the next night was Sunday (my day off), it was Tuesday until I returned to work again. By that time, everyone had forgotten about my sacred duty and the key remained equally forgotten on my key chain.

Forgotten until the airplane ride when I realized that Eric had to be the first one to see when I got home. We may not have left on amiable terms, but this was his child and our supernatural predicament and being so much older than me, Eric should know why exactly I seemed to be the first human impregnated by a vampire.

It was dusk when I touched down in Louisiana, though, and I didn't know if I'd be so welcomed in his house, so the best place to wait for him was at his job. He'd have the upper hand with his true vampire child there, and I had to flatter him as much as possible, I figured.

When I arrived and Pam wasn't at the front door, with barely any cars in the parking lot, I expected the club to be empty and for my wait to be very isolated. I wasn't going to question the early closing; with the whole Russell Edgington fiasco, I doubted that many people wanted to actually come to a vampire bar. I did not expect to see Yvetta holding Pam against her pole with a silver chain.

"Daphne?" They both questioned almost immediately as I walked through the door, the club being well-lit despite the hour. It was humorous, their position and the fact that they said my name with the same exact infliction of disbelief, but I didn't laugh. I was too confused, even though I knew it was very rare for a normal night to happen in this place, I still couldn't help but wish my news was all that'd be difficult.

"What are you doing here?" Pam asked in a smoker's voice, trying to lengthen her neck to avoid the burns. Yvetta had only slackened her hold once with my arrival before holding it tight once more.

"What's going on here?" I asked, trumping her question.

"We are getting our revenge," Yvetta said triumphantly in her Eastern European accent. I wasn't quite sure what she was talking about, and my facial expression reflected that, but I didn't press on.

"I-I have to talk to Eric," I wanted so bad to mutter. To keep any information about my return as hush-hush as possible. "Is he here?"

"No," Pam moved once more. "No, he stepped out, but if you free me I'll be sure to let him know you've stopped by."

They both looked at me, pleading for different things. Yvetta for me to be on her side and Pam for me to let her go – it was odd to see Pam need anything from me and seeing as I wasn't too close to Yvetta anyway, I was already leaning toward helping Pam out. She must've known, though, because she always had tightened her grip on the chains.

"Whatever you're thinking," She threatened, once again speaking English with her heavy accent. "You can just stop."

"Yvetta," I said, stepping further into the club towards them. "Whatever revenge you're after, it'd probably be greater sought at a different time. When you're dressed more properly or when you have the actual vampire in your midst, rather than his child." It was only logical that she'd be after Eric, instead of Pam. "Whoever you're working with will understand that child-maker relations aren't that strong, and Eric would probably give her up anyway. If you regroup, you can think of an even greater strategy. One that doesn't involve a public place and comical errors like me walking in."

It was a total lie about the child-maker relations, but when I worked there, Yvetta wasn't that knowledgeable about vampire happenings and I could only assume no one took the time to explain to her anything. Still, she stared at me for a hard second before cursing in whatever was her native tongue and completely releasing the chains. They fell onto Pam's lap, which she quickly pushed off of herself, while Yvetta continued to curse her way out of the door – giving us the finger with both hands.

Pam muttered out a thank you as she rubbed her healing skin.

Once it returned to its creamy tightness, she immediately looked up and zeroed her eyes on me.

"Daphne Leary you are pre-"

The sound of the door opening cut her off and we both stared at the incoming guests. A slightly balding and clammy vampire followed by Sookie Stackhouse, both of whom did not seem happy to see us.

"Daphne?" Sookie asked as she wiggled her arm out of the vampire's hold and ran over to me, before crushing my head to her chest in a tight hug. "What the hell are you doing here? You need to get out! You told me you'd call before you came down!"

"Sookie," I managed to squeak as my breathing deepened considerably. "Sookie I can't breath. I know I said I'd call, but something came up and I really need to talk to Eric, have you seen him?"

"Yes, yes she has," His familiar voice hit my ears like a favored song from my adolescence. I blushed just the same as I would if I was caught mouthing the lyrics to the song, and as Sookie pushed herself away from me I finally felt the hostility in the room. Eric stood at his full height and Bill looked guiltier than I've ever seen him before, the balding vampire - Russell - stood smirking behind us and Pam hadn't taken her eyes off of me since they walked in.

She knew, which only meant every other vampire in here did too. All of my good luck had seemingly been equaled by bad and then some.

Eric briefly skimmed his eyes over me before turning to Russell, who moved forward to take Sookie back into his arms and force her into a chair.

"You didn't mention you had a vessel, also, Viking," The vampire said casually in a southern drawl, as he too looked at me.

"If I may question, your majesty, what vessel? Their existence is a mere rumor, a myth to entertain bored humans," Eric said drolly, not looking my way. I moved slightly closer to Pam.

"If you recall, so were we some years ago," Russell chuckled at his own joke before looking back at me. "Vessels are as real as you and I, although most were killed once found out. All the signs are there; it seems careless that you've ignored such blatant omens. You've found a pregnant one, too, what a true and beauteous rarity. We'll talk about collections later;" At this he turned back to Sookie. "We have more pressing matters at hand".

What the hell was he talking about? My heart beat quickened rapidly as my hands found my stomach – I connected it to my incoming maternal instinct of heightened senses to protect my young – what was a vessel? Why were they killed? What obvious omens and why did I have them? Every single question running through my mind, at the same exact time that Eric and the vampire were talking about Sookie being a fairy, stemmed from the singular "What was he talking about?"

Pam was the only one to pay attention to my slight freak out, appropriately so, and grabbed my hand as soon as I inched close enough to her. It was completely uncharacteristic of her, but when I looked her in the eye half expecting her to immediately drop it, the caustic expression made me realize our connection wasn't for my sake only. Although it provided a nice distraction from the savage drinking of Sookie's blood.

She had pulled me against her, toward to corner of the room almost as soon as she was healed and had her choice words against all vampires. Pam was the only one who seemed bored by the whole situation.

"What are you doing here?" Sookie whispered to me, this time expecting an answer.

"My dear fairy, you do realize we can still hear you?" Russell laughed from across the room, playing the waiting game with Eric for the sunrise.

His piece of information did not inflate my confidence for answering.

"I can't tell you," Still, I whispered back. "Not here, at least."

And then I tried to call her name within my head; I was supposed to be easily read, right? She could hear me right?

Her lack of response made me realize that she must've been blocking my thoughts, either out of habit or to conserve her strength.

"And you asking me about protection, did you deliberately ignore me and decide that you wanted to have a child with some guy who was probably disgusting and didn't care a single stitch about you?" I couldn't blame her for acting offended, this was a trying night for her and in some ways I felt as her very removed and estranged sister. However, I couldn't even tell her yet again that I could say anything yet, because Russell's burst of laughter rang through the air once again.

Everyone looked at him, even Bill as he sulked in the corner while the early on-set of the bleeds occurred from his nostrils.

"You don't know anything, do you?" Russell's eyes became solely focused on me, even though he was addressing Sookie. "Vessels aren't impregnated by humans," One more laugh sounded as if the idea was truly preposterous. "Only the seed of a vampire could be sewn in a vessel's ground; the most obvious trait of a vessel, and the easiest to tell one by. This one, though, if she were in her prime, her smell would probably be as strong as if she stuffed her fingers up my nose. Mmm, I have not smelt a vessel in such a long time; you truly have a gem on your hands, Northman. Pity we don't know the proud father to be."

There was too much in his revelations for me to even feel anything. I felt offended, on one hand, because he talked about me as if I was a lesser being – even lesser than humans to vampires – and I felt relieved on the other because my situation was suddenly explained. I had been desperate ever since I found out I did indeed have a bun in the oven to grasp an explanation, and even though this was the first time I heard of such a thing that I apparently was, it made some kind of sense. My being a vessel might've been the only attraction I held over Eric, and while that realization stung a little, at least I finally understood why we were together.

At the mention of the father, though, Eric and I suspiciously looked at each other immediately – thankfully Russell was too much in his own head to notice. I blushed almost at once and looked back down as I felt Eric's eyes on me along with Sookie's astonished ones.

"Is it true?" She asked me, lowly yet again. A simple nod and she put her hand up to her mouth. "Oh my, the questions now- oh Daphne I'm so sorry for assuming, I didn't mean anything, Daphne-"

I quickly stopped her; "It's alright, Sookie, you didn't know. This wasn't supposed to happen in the first place, you couldn't have known."

"Au contraire, little Vessel," Russell interrupted our conversation again. "Your sole purpose on this Earth is to get pregnant by a vampire, it was going to happen whether you liked it or not."

Nothing that came out of his mouth soothed me in any way and sappily, the only way I wanted to be soothed would've been very stupid on my part. In the first place, we were separated by my own doing, in the second place I was carrying his very mythical child, and lastly it would be a very bad chess move to reveal who the father was to Russell. I didn't know him, but his stunt on camera and all of his actions thus far did not qualm my fears about his sanity, and I was much safer with him knowing as little as possible about me.

I could only hope that these hormone induced feelings would subside soonly as I crossed into my second trimester.

Watching Eric stay chained to Russell Edgington, burning alive, was absolutely heart-breaking. Yes, I had finally come to terms with the fact that I did love him and his reaction to hearing about his child was less than satisfying (although I understood why); there was no closure to our relationship as we hadn't even exchanged proper words yet. Pam crying near the bar wasn't helping my swing emotions, either.

I hadn't begun to cry, I could only stare with macabre feelings as he died while Sookie was rallying to save him. She didn't even need my consent, but with one look from me she left the club. It wasn't until he was brought back in, charred skin, that tears actually started to leak and one hand moved to my mouth while the other went to my underbelly. I was showing slightly, only because I had been so thin beforehand, and it felt alien to actually have a stomach.

Eric simply looked at me, though, as his skin healed itself slowly and Pam stood by him, ready to give in to any desire of his. We were about two feet apart and the mounting the feelings, restrained by both time and distance, was becoming over-whelming. I tuned out Sookie's grumbling about having to save Russell too, as I launched myself at Eric. I was never bold with showing our affections, he had to start every public touch, but our roles had changed drastically as of late and I didn't really care about being stoic anymore. I didn't really care about pushing all of my emotions to the back of my mind until provoked as a defense mechanism.

I was a vessel, impossibly with child by a vampire, and I was a foolish teenage girl. My actions never had to make sense.

He caught me, though, and didn't even grunt as I pressed myself as close to him as possible. Eric only copied my movement of wrapping my arms around him, one hand against my head making sure it stayed against his chest, while the other went to the small of his back. I closed my eyes to avoid crying on him, and tried not to smell him so deeply. I was enveloped in nostalgia and felt safe for the first time in a while. We only moved when Sookie brought Russell back inside; Eric helped secure his silver against the pole that Pam was only against hours ago.

Eric had briefly alluded to the plan to make Russell suffer after everyone woke up from their well-needed sleep, before walking up to me once more and embracing me. My arms automatically fit around his waist as he stroked my hair, while explaining that he'd discuss our situation after everything was finished.

Then he kissed my head and left with all the others.

A/N: Interesting chapter, no? The longest one so far, but I completely made up the whole "vessel" stuff. The next chapter will explain more of that though, so you won't be sitting in the dark for too long. And I'm afraid that more fluffy situations will be happening in the near future which sort of makes me cringe, but Daphne's been through enough stress, so she needs this...

Thank you so much to everyone who has alerted and favorited!

Thank you SuzuranCrow23, ..LoVe, sunidlight, Gypsy17, TheInvincibleKay, SexyKnickers, ixamxeverywhere, and black'n'burgundy for reviewing! I'm sorry that Eric didn't chase after her and for basically emotionally abusing my own character, but I swear everything has a purpose and will be explained properly!