**A/N: Holy cow, was Sookie getting pregnant by Zander an unpopular decision! I spent a lot of time responding to reviews with PM. When I make a decision with these characters, in my world, there's always a reason. It becomes clear what that reason is eventually. As always, Charlaine Harris owns the characters, I'm just playing dress up with them.

Chapter 10

Sookie looked down at the dark curly head nestled in the sling across her chest and smiled. Alana was almost a month old and she was already sleeping through the night. Sookie had called Jason to give him her flight information and a list of things she needed him to pick up for her. To be on the safe side, she also sent him an email. And copied Michele.

She packed a few last things and looked around the villa to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything and fastened Alana in her car seat. She drove to the harbor, stopping to drop off the rental keys at the caretaker's cottage. She and the baby took a charter boat back to Paradise Island to catch the flight out of Nassau.

She met Jason at the Shreveport airport with a gigantic hug. Her brother looked at her with amazement. "You look incredible, little sis! Motherhood agrees with you!" He looked down at the covered carrier. "Is that my niece? Can I see her?"

Sookie pulled him toward the baggage claim. "You can see her while I buckle in the base for her car seat. You brought Michele's car, right? Not the truck?" Jason nodded. "Good. I need your muscles focused on helping me with my bags first." They got the luggage to the car and loaded it where they could. While Sookie worked on getting the base secure in the back seat, Jason cooed at the baby.

Jason pulled up to what Sookie would always consider Gran's house. She saw her blue Audi under the carport and was grateful to her brother and his wife for bringing it back from her duplex once Eric had moved out.

Eric was the only part of her new life that made her uneasy. She was happy, and healthy, and crazy in love with Alana. But she missed her friend. She knew that the loss of her friendship with Eric was entirely on her. But she had done what she felt was best for everyone at the time.

Michele greeted them at the door with a sleepy blond baby on her hip. She handed Austin off to his daddy and took her turn hugging Sookie. They exclaimed expressively over each others children. Jason joined Michele to put Austin to bed while Sookie nursed Alana and put her in the travel crib Jason had put in Sookie's old room.

The babies asleep, the adults sat on the porch drinking sweet tea in the warm evening air. Jason sat across from Sookie and looked at her intently. "I know we haven't talked a whole lot over the past year. But are you going to tell me about Alana? I get a call out of the blue a month ago from you asking me to use Michele's car to pick you up at the airport so you can put in a car seat and wanting me to get you a bassinet travel crib. Sis, I want to know. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but please say you know who Alana's father is."

Sookie looked insulted. "Jason, of course I do. I count on the fingers on one hand the number of men I've been with and have change left over. Alana's father is a lifeguard I met in Greece. His name is Zander Lampros. Actually, I didn't even know I was pregnant until I was on Andros. I was surprised, but not unhappy. To be honest, she's the main reason that I was able to let go of all the shit cluttering my head and just be happy with what God's given me."

Jason shook his head. "I always thought it was going to be you and Eric. You guys were inseparable for so long."

Sookie frowned. "So did I, for a long time. And I'm pretty sure he did too. He was everything to me for so long. But it wasn't really right for either of us. Not then. I wasn't able to give him what he wanted. He wasn't able to look outside 'us' to see if there was someone else who could make him happier. And, to be fair, I wasn't able to, either. I didn't want to see him with anyone else, but I couldn't give him what he deserved. A change had to happen. So I left. Everything I got to experience helped me appreciate what I have. And I still don't know if I'm going to stay in Louisiana. I was so happy and calm on the island. If the feeling stays with me, I'll stay. But if the anxiety and tension returns, Alana and I will head back to Andros."

"Sookie, you know Jason and I will always be here for you if you ever need anything. But you need to do what is best for you and that beautiful baby girl upstairs and damn anyone who doesn't like it! All I would ask is for a little more advance notice then you gave last time you left. You tell us you're thinking of traveling, then we get a call three days later from Tokyo! A little more preparation please, next time," Michele requested. "I want Austin and Alana to be close, along with any other little ones that might come along."

"I'll do the best I can and leave it at that. I'm not making promises to anyone if I can't be 100 percent sure that I'll keep them," she said. She finished her tea and went in to put her glass in the sink. "I think I'm going to turn in. Tomorrow I'm going to head home and get what I need to baby proof and set up Alana's room. Jase, if I need help putting stuff together and getting things installed, can I count on you?"

She had been pleased at the turn around in her brother since Austin had been born. He had become calmer, responsible, and involved in helping Michele raise the baby. They had talked more on the phone once Austin had been born and Sookie told him she was pregnant. Family had started to mean something to him. He agreed to be on call for her tomorrow and Sookie went to bed.

She woke up early to feed and change Alana, then went to the kitchen to get herself a cup of coffee. She swaddled the baby and put her in the sling. She sat on the porch rocking chair sipping and making a list of things she would need. On the island, she had ordered deliveries from online shops, but kept things very simple. While the baby slept, Sookie showered and loaded the bags into her car. She was pleased to see that Jason had left a small spare tool box on the floor board and had already installed the car seat base; that thing was a bitch to get in right.

She drove to her duplex. It looked strange and lonely. She took Alana and the travel crib in first and once they were set up, she went out to unload the car. She walked through the rooms and saw that every piece of electronics and all her appliances had been unplugged and her freezer and refrigerator were empty. She'd have to thank who ever had done that.

The letter she had written Eric fourteen months ago was still on her kitchen table, covered in dust. She suppressed her tears and feelings of guilt. She had more pressing matters she had to attend to.

After nursing and changing the baby again and making sure her backpack/diaper bag was fully stocked, she took her list and headed for Babies R Us. She swaddled Alana again and put her in the sling when she got to the store. It was truly the most valuable thing she had purchased online after Alana was born.

She stocked up first on diapers and baby proofing supplies. She found a crib that she liked fairly quickly and a glider chair to match. She got the mattress and had fun picking out sheet sets and blankets. Having only ever shopped for the basics online and never shopping for a baby before, she was almost gleeful at all the options she had available. She poured through the clothing. She looked forward to dressing her little girl in more then the white onsies that she had lived in since she was born. But that was all that was needed on the island.

She was so preoccupied in the choices that she ran smack into another woman. After making sure Alana wasn't disturbed, she looked up at the perfectly straight pale blonde hair and beautiful face. "Sookie?" a voice asked quietly, with a lot of wonder and a little fear.

"Pam?" she asked. "What are you doing in a baby store?"

"I could ask you the same thing. I always prepare a supply basket for expecting girls at the homes when their due dates get close, if they decide they want to keep the baby. Is this your... niece?" She guessed, seeing the pink blankets in the cart.

"This is Alana Adele Stackhouse, my daughter," she said proudly. She adored her little girl and she would allow no one to shame her for having a child, out of wedlock or without a father.

Pam's eyes widened and she momentarily lost the ability to speak. She shook her head and regained her senses. She peered into the sling at the tiny face. "Well, she's a beauty! How old is she?"

"Almost a month. She was born in The Bahamas. I got back last night."

"I see," said Pam, still stunned. "And... her father? Did he come with you?"

"I assume he's still in Greece," said Sookie, nonchalantly. "That's where he lives, so I suppose he's still there. We haven't exactly kept in touch since I left."

"I see," said Pam again, at a loss for what else to say.

Sookie looked over what she had in her cart and the items she'd crossed off that would have to be delivered. She made sure she had everything. "Pam, it's been nice seeing you, but I have to get back to the duplex and make it liveable again. I'm going to check out. Take care," she said and headed for the registers.

Pam stood where she was, shell-shocked. She watched Sookie leave. She finished her own shopping and drove to the group home to present the basket. In a daze, she drove around for hours afterward, debating with herself. Once she came to a decision, she drove to Eric's apartment.

He answered the door with a rocks glass of Scotch in his hand. She walked in without a word, took the glass from his hand, tossed the amber liquid down her own throat, then poured the rest down the drain. She hunted around until she found the bottle and poured it out too. "Sit," she ordered.

"What the fuck, Pam?" he asked wearily. He was on his own time and didn't need her pushiness. "Why'd you pour out my drink? And my bottle?" His voice was already slightly slurred.

"I said, sit," she repeated and stared him down until he obeyed. "I have some news for you and I want you to comprehend what I say. I debated all day whether or not to tell you. I finally decided that it would be better to hear it from a friend the to be taken by surprise. I poured out your liquor, because I don't want you crawling back in the bottle once I tell you. You listening to me?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. What is it?" Eric grumbled.

Pam knelt in front of him and looked right into his reddened eyes. "She's back. With her daughter."

**A/N: It seems as though Sookie has grown up some in the past year and change. Eric on the other hand... Well, I want reviews. Am I forgiven? Did Pam do the right thing? Let me know what you think pretty pretty please.