Eric

I had been so distracted by my conversation with Sookie that I hadn't noticed that someone was entering the safe house. I had been sat in the living room, perched on the edge of the sofa while I was talking to Sookie when I heard the sound of the door closing and footsteps on the hard wood floor. I quickly hung up the phone and stuffed it into my jeans pocket. I hoped that Sookie wouldn't be too mad at me for doing that.

I regretted immediately that I didn't have the foresight to be carrying my hand gun, but I reached down into my boots to pull out the ever-present knife I kept sheathed there, figuring that I could through it if necessary. The door to the living room opened and Stan Davis and his girlfriend, Thalia, entered the room. I let out a relived sigh and placed the knife back in my boot.

"Sorry, man, I tried to call you but it went straight to answer phone."

"Yeah, I was on the phone …"

"To whom?" Stan asked, walking closer to me. "Who else do you know? Who else knows about all this?" Stan gesticulated widely as he indicated to the room I was in.

"Sookie." I stated, simply.

Thalia let out a strangled cough while Stan simply stared at me with an open mouth. "The girl you kidnapped?" Thalia asked, her face as shocked as her boyfriend's.

"Yes, the very same one."

"Are you really sure that's really a good idea?" Stan asked. "How do you know if you can trust her? For all you know she's had the call traced. Fuck! The police could be here any moment!" Stan looked panicked, Thalia equally so.

"I trust her, Stan. She's going to leave Compton."

He gave me an exasperated look. "Fuck, Eric! Since when did you get so fucking stupid? They all say that! Any woman you have an affair with always says that they'll leave their husbands for you. And its not even as if you two had a proper relationship! Why would she leave her husband for you, Eric? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I'm telling you, I trust her." I snapped, sinking back down onto the sofa picking up my bottle of beer. I understood exactly what Stan and Thalia were saying, and I knew if the situation had been reversed I would have said the same to Stan. "You gave me a message from Atta, someone who had your phone number and knew that you could pass a message on to me?"

"Yeah, who was it?"

"Atta is 'eight' in Swedish, eight also meaning oct. It was Octavia." Stan had met Octavia a few times and had certainly heard me mention her many times more. He knew that Octavia could be trusted.

"And what, Octavia gave Sookie your number?"

"Yes. Octavia stayed working for Compton while Sookie was missing, and she's still there. Octavia trusts Sookie, and I do too. You know of Copley Carmichael I believe?"

"Who doesn't." Stan had had a few run ins with Carmichael when he had previously lived in New York.

"He's apparently helping Sookie destroy Bill, something I'm guessing he's not too loath to do."

"Wow." Stan did looked stunned. Him and Thalia moved to sit on the opposite sofa, Thalia's tiny frame pressed up against his. "How the hell did she manage to get him involved?"

"It seems Copley Carmichael is the father of one of her friends and keen to help."

"So what now? Do you have plans?"

I didn't. I wasn't quite sure what the hell to do. The plan had always been to get the money I needed and for Pam and I to get the fuck back to Europe. Now I had no idea what to do. "I need to call Sookie back first," I told them. "I was in the middle of talking to her when you walked in."

"Okay, we'll be down here."

I rolled my eyes as Stan picked up the remote control and flicked on the TV, Thalia snuggling up to his side. They were an odd looking couple, but neither was what they seemed. Stan had un-stylish thick glasses and brown permanently greasy brown hair that made him look like a accountant or scientist, and Thalia was tiny and petite with dark colouring. Yet as small as Thalia was she could probably take me out given the chance, and I was over a foot taller than her and probably twice her weight. Stan, despite his looks, was a ruthless businessman, had his fingers in many pies and was somewhat of a figurehead in the Dallas underworld, even if he didn't look like it. Though maybe that was why he managed to maintain the outward persona of an upstanding citizen.

I left Stan and Thalia alone and quickly ran up the stairs, pulling my phone of my pocket and redialling the most recently received number.

The phone connected immediately but there was no answer. I hoped this was because Sookie was being cautious, and I commended her thoughtfulness and insight.

"Sookie?" I asked quietly.

"Jesus Christ, Eric, I was going out of my mind here, I thought you'd been killed or captured or something!" She was yelling at me, but I could hear the emotion present in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Sookie. A friend came into the house I'm staying at and I wasn't expecting him. I didn't mean to worry you."

She let out what sounded like a sob. "Fuck, I was so scared."

"Sook," I said gently, "this is what I mean. Things would never be normal for us. I'm always going to have to watch my back, and if you're with me I'm going to have to watch your back as well. I just … I just think that if we get too close to each other … shit!"

I wanted her. I wanted to be with her, I wanted her to give me something to live for. But I knew my existence in her life would only cause more heartache and grief for either of us if something bad happened. When something bad happened.

She had remained quiet on the other end of the phone while I thought things through. "I don't want to push you away, but I feel that I have to."

"Eric, please! Don't." her voice was trembling and it broke my heart.

"It's for your own good, Sookie. I will only hurt you further." I clenched my teeth to keep a hold of my own emotions.

"For my own good?" she repeated, her voice sounding harsher. "Don't be so fucking high handed! This isn't just about you! You don't get to make decisions about my life without involving me. I want to be with you. Does that not count for anything?"

"Of course it does, Sookie! But I can't let anything happen to you." I paced the room, my free hand grasping and pulling at my hair. "We hardly know each other, and the only interaction we've had is when you were my hostage. It's hardly the start of a beautiful relationship!"

I heard a gasp on her end. I was all too aware that I was being cruel, but I felt that I had to be to get to her to accept that we couldn't be together, as much as I wanted to be with her. I couldn't endanger her life or cause her any further hurt.

"You … you don't want me then? You don't want to see me again?" Her voice was thick with emotion.

"No, Sookie. I don't."

I shut my eyes and sank onto the bed. I was holding my breath to try and keep my emotions in check. I was pushing away the only other person who had been kind to me, the woman I could very easily fall for given the chance. The woman I probably had already fallen for.

"I don't believe you," she said in a small voice.

"I'm telling you the truth," I lied.

"I don't think you are." I heard her take a deep breath, her breathing quivering as she exhaled. "I understand your reasoning. I understand that you're protecting me, protecting yourself, but I don't believe that you don't want to see me."

I had no idea what the fuck to say. She was absolutely right; she'd seen right through me. But the fact remained that I didn't want to drag her into the crazy world I inhabited.

"Okay, you're right." I admitted to her. "But Sookie, you need to understand the position I am now in. I'm hiding out in a friend's safe house to stay away from the police. If I get caught, I'm back in jail. There is no happy ending for me, there is no clearing of my name. I skipped parole which would land me back in jail on its own, and not to mention the kidnapping offence they will add on to that. I need to leave the country, and even then I will always have to watch my back. If you assist me you will be racking up your own charges. I cannot do that to you." I let out a loud sigh, running my hand through my hair again as I collapsed onto the bed. "I'm sorry, Sookie. You have to understand that I'm saying this for your own good."

The line was quiet for a few moments before I heard her sobbing. I felt like such a bastard making her cry like that when all she wanted was to help me. "I understand, Eric," she told me through sobs. "I don't like it, but I understand. Can I stay in touch with you? I still need to know that you're okay, that you've made it to wherever you need to be."

I felt joy in knowing that despite what I had said to her she was still concerned for me. "Of course, we will find a way of keeping in touch, but I need you to move on. Once you've left your asshole husband, of course."

"Of course," she repeated.

"Be your own woman, Sookie, be strong; for both of us. I want you to be happy, I want you to be loved and have children. You deserve so much more than what you have had in life so far, so much more than I can give you. You're a shining light, Sookie Stackhouse. Take care, I'll always be thinking of you."

"As I will of you, Eric. I'll speak to you soon."

She hung up and I rolled over on the bed so my face was full of the comforter. I wanted to scream, I wanted to break stuff, but that wasn't going to be productive. I hated that I'd just pushed the one good thing I had left away from me, but I needed to preserve her. I needed to know that I hadn't completely fucked up her life. Hell, if it meant she was away from Bill Compton then that was surely only a good thing.

I laid there for a few minutes remembering the moments I did get to spend with her, the smell of her as I hugged her goodbye. My regret was that I didn't kiss her lips, that I hadn't tasted her skin, her neck or other more intimate parts of her hot body. I walked into the en-suite bathroom to splash some cold water onto my face before heading back downstairs. I grabbed a bottle of vodka I'd stowed in the freezer and poured myself a large glass before meeting Stan and Thalia back in the living room.

Thalia looked up at me as I entered the room. "You look like you've been eighteen rounds in the ring with a heavyweight champion."

"Thanks, I feel like it." I sank down onto the sofa and drained half of my drink. I should have just brought the bottle with me.

"What happened?" Thalia's eyes were kind as she softly questioned me.

"She wants to be with me, she wants to help me."

"And your problem is?" Stan asked. "She's hot, Eric, don't turn down your chance for some pussy again. You've already missed the chance of fucking her once. So she wants to be with you, you've already told us you trust her, why not let her come to you."

I simply stared at Stan while Thalia thumped him hard on the arm. "Firstly, I don't consider her simply as 'pussy' as you so eloquently put it. And secondly I can't drag her into this world of shit I've found myself in."

"But you want to be with her? If circumstances were different, you'd be actively pursuing her?" Thalia asked.

"Damned straight I would be, but I won't ruin her life like that."

"You don't think you're ruining her life in not letting her be with you?"

"No, I don't. I'm a wanted man, and let's face it, if Compton's suspects for a moment that his wife had run off with me he's going to have every fucker in the country looking for me. He still might even if Sookie doesn't come to me."

"Not unless we kill Compton." Stan stated with no emotion. He had a point.

"Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see Bill Compton six foot under, but I'm not sure it's that easy and I don't need a murder charge on my record as well."

"It would certainly make things easier." Stan said, stating the obvious.

"It could be suicide?" Thalia suggested.

I was trying not to indulge myself in a fantasy of a world where Bill Compton no longer existed, but I couldn't help myself. Some may say that revenge is never fulfilling, but I knew if that man was dead as some result of me I would be rejoicing eternally.

"Look guys, I appreciate your thoughts on ways to murder Compton, and I can assure you that I have many suggestions of my own, but right now I need to focus on getting the fuck out of this country and back to Europe."

Stan pulled away from Thalia and suddenly had his business face back on. "I can get you the fake documents you need, but I don't think you should leave from the states. If you're a wanted man you will need avoid US airports and ports, so Canada and Mexico are the obvious choices, or one of the Caribbean islands. Think on it, I'll get things sorted."

"Thank you Stan, I will owe you one for this."

"You have supported me in the past, I am more than happy to do this."

"I think, Eric, you could do with an image change, however." I looked over to Thalia. "You need a haircut, Eric. You're too fucking tall to have such a distinctive haircut."

I had to admit that she had a point. Thalia had previously worked as a hairdresser so I was happy to let her do it. "You're right, but please don't cut it too short."

"I wouldn't dare!"

After Thalia had cut my hair shorter, we spent the rest of the evening drinking vodka and beer and Stan and I told Thalia about some of the trouble we'd caused in our younger days and his ever-present chasing of my sister. We sat up for the rest of the night until alcohol mean that we all had to leave to head to bed.

.

Sookie

I hung up the phone and threw it down onto the seat next to me. I was no longer able to hold onto my composure and I sank back into the seat, sobbing loudly. I truly wanted to be there for him, and I appreciated his concern for me. But in all honesty, the reason I agreed to not do it was to protect him rather than myself. As he had said that I would be at risk if I was with him, it was also the case that I would be a liability to him. Getting him out of the country alone would be much easier than getting both of us out. And if the shit did hit the fan with Bill, as I assumed it might, I could imagine Bill not making things easy for me to leave.

But that didn't change the fact that I had a giant whole where my heart had previously been located. I felt like Eric had someone surgically removed it. Wherever he was, he was the owner of it. I knew well enough that I probably wouldn't be able to move on, at least in the short term.

I must have sat crying and feeling sorry for myself for fifteen minutes before I managed to pull myself together. I needed to make the most out of the time I had on my own and give Amelia a call. After drying my eyes with a paper tissue I dialled her number.

"Amelia, it's Sookie," I told her as soon as she answered.

"Sookie! I'm glad you called, I have good news for you."

"Really? What's that?" I was in desperate need of some good news.

"I've sold your apartment."

That was quick. "Already? How the hell did you manage that?"

"What? You're doubting my abilities as a realtor?" she asked with mock offence. "Simple truth was that I had people lined up for apartments like yours. I got you a damned good deal and they're cash buyers so the sale should go through quickly."

I was incredibly lucky to have Amelia as a friend, and she was really coming through for me with this particular trauma I was going through. "Thank you so much, and I would never doubt your abilities as a realtor!"

"You better not! I'll need you to come and sign some stuff, and I can help you move your stuff to my house if you want."

Amelia lived in a large brownstone that she'd done up since buying it, and luckily had a few rooms that remained unfurnished so had plenty of room for me to store my stuff. "That would be great, is the offer still open to stay with you?"

"Of course! I need some company in that house, so I'd love to have you around. Have you thought about selling anything else?"

"I might sell my Mercedes, but I'm not too sure. I have jewellery that Bill gave me that I could sell as well. The stuff I wore for my wedding cost him a fortune. Or so he told me, anyway."

"Well just keep it in mind if you need the cash. I should get you around three million for your apartment."

Three million? I had a feeling that that would be plenty enough. But what was I going to do with it? I still considered giving it to Eric as I had a feeling his need was greater than mine. If I was going to divorce Bill I would get a huge settlement from that, and then there was the money my parents would bestow on me on my thirtieth birthday …

"Sooks, are you still there?" I'd obviously drifted off for a few moments.

"I am, sorry. Were you saying something?"

"Yeah, I was saying that I'm currently with my dad. He's gone ahead and set up some bank accounts for you in the name of Adele Hale since that's the professional name you used to use. And we've got you new documents as well, passport, driving licence, that kind of thing."

"Wow, will you thank him for me? I don't know how I could ever repay him."

"Sook, you don't need to! We're doing this to get you the fuck away from that asshole husband of yours. Oh, and the picture I used for the photo was one of you with the dark wig on, so whenever you do go and find your man, don't forget to take it with you."

I knew the photograph she was referring to. Amelia and I had always dressed up for Halloween for as long as I could remember; with me going as a fairy and Amelia as a witch. However the year before we'd swapped roles, with Amelia wearing a blonde wig to hide her shoulder-length chestnut hair and dressed as a fairy, and me wearing a long, medium brown wig and wearing her usual witch costume. I'd always wanted to know what I'd look like as a brunette so Amelia had taken quite a few pictures of me.

"Yeah, I'm not too sure that's going to happen any more," I said sadly as I thought back to my conversation with Eric. I could feel myself starting to tear up again.

"Why? What happened?" Amelia's voice softened to show her concern.

"I spoke to him earlier. He doesn't want me to go to him."

"Why the fuck not? Does he not like you?"

"No, that's not it." I took a deep breath so that I could calm myself. "In fact he told me that he did like me, but he doesn't want to drag me into the shit he's in."

"Isn't that up to you?"

"I told him that, but the reason I'm not going to go to him is for his safety rather than my own."

"Meaning …" Amelia prompted.

"Meaning that I'm a liability to him. If I was with him he'd be in a greater risk of being caught. He'd have to watch my back as well as his own. I can't bare to think that anything would happen to him as a result of my actions. It's better to be apart from him than to think of him in danger of being caught because of me."

There was a pause on the line before Amelia spoke again. "You really have it bad, don't you."

"You have no idea." I said, almost to myself.

"Sook, have you not considered that being two of you may also be an advantage?" I had to admit to myself that I had not. "That way you're both watching your own and each other's backs. And, if you're talking about leaving the country, a couple would surely look less suspicious than a man on his own. If you can both do something to disguise your appearance there's no reason that you should get caught. Sure, he's probably always going to have to watch his back, but if you want to be with him you shouldn't let that stop you."

She really had a point, and one I had not considered. I still had a feeling that Eric would not agree, but maybe I shouldn't be giving him the choice. How the hell I was going to manage such a thing, I didn't know, but the bottom line was I didn't want to remain in New York on my own.

"You've given me a lot to think about. I need to mull things over, this is a huge decision I need to make. I'd be leaving everything behind to do that, you included."

"Take all the time you need, but don't leave it too long. He may have gone by then."

The thought of him leaving without me filled me with absolute fear and dread. "I know. I think I need to speak to Octavia and seek some guidance from her. She may know Eric's plans so I know my time-scale." I was quiet for a moment before continuing. "So, how are things going with operation Destroy Bill? Any progress?"

"None yet," Amelia admitted. "He's a slippery bugger."

"You're telling me!"

"Just hold tight and keep vigilant. Don't trust Bill at all, you don't know what he's going to do next."

"I know, and I promise I'll be careful. Thank you, Amelia, and please thank your dad for me."

"Of course. Take care hun."

I hung up the phone and placed it safely in my purse before driving back to the house. I was again cautious that I was not being followed, but I could not see that I was. I was also pleased to see that Bill had not changed his mind and come back to the house, and I climbed into bed on my own, my mind replaying the conversations I'd had with Eric and Amelia.

The next day I drove into New York to sign the papers Amelia needed me to for the sale of my apartment and I started going through my belongings, telling Amelia which ones I wanted to take to her house and which ones could be sold or given to charity. She'd told me that she was more than happy to organise my move for me so Bill had no suspicions of what was happening.

I was home in time for Bill to come home and I sat with him while he told me about his day and the meetings he'd had in New York. I knew that he was lying, but I compliantly appeared to believe everything he said and I could see my husband relax into his lie as he spun his web further. I was still able to avoid having sex with him and told him that I had a cold sore coming so I wasn't sure that sucking him off would be a good idea for him.

He had physically recoiled from me when I told him that – even if it wasn't true – and I was able to get out of another tortuous blow job. I was ecstatic that he bought my line as I wasn't sure that I'd physically have been able to put that thing in my mouth again. I prayed to all known gods that Amelia and Cope came up with something soon so that I could avoid him. Much to my relief he settled for dealing with himself in front of the expansive porn collection he kept on hand.

The next day went on with little interaction with anyone. Octavia had informed me that she'd not heard from Eric, but promised that she would call him again and try to establish what his plans were. I'd not heard from Amelia or Cope either. Bill came home that evening and we ate our evening meal together before he went into his office to work on something or other. We talked mostly about him, which had always been the case, and he made a point of telling me how great things were for him. How he was happy that he had me back safely, and how things were going good for him at work and in the media.

How he would live to regret those words.

The next morning as I ate breakfast with Bill before he left to work, Octavia came in and handed us both the morning newspapers. It was a tradition we had always done, but I noticed Octavia catch my eye and wink at me, nodding ever so slightly towards the newspapers she'd placed on the table. I wasn't normally one for reading the newspapers, preferring the more celebrity based magazines, but in noticing Octavia's subtle hint I picked up the New York Times and spread it out next to me.

Bill had been checking his emails on his blackberry so hadn't noticed me pick up the newspaper until he heard me gasp.

On the front page of the newspaper was a small picture of my husband in a somewhat compromising position with Selah Pumphrey, the journalist who had interviewed us following my kidnapping. The headline said Compton caught with Pumphrey and the article went on to explain that they'd been out together numerous times since our meeting, including the very night of that interview. The article also reported that Bill had been cheating on me for many years with high-school love Lorena Ball and was the father of two of her children. The article finally said that Ball had admitted to seeing Bill during the time that I'd been held by Eric.

Octavia had brought two copies of the newspaper in, so Bill had been reading it at the same time. I looked up at him to see that he had gone deathly pale. The photographs in the paper and interviews that both Selah and Lorena had given meant that there was no way he could deny it. The evidence was damning.

Much despite myself, I realised that tears were trickling down my face. Internally I was a complete mix of emotions: pleased that this would be the proof I needed to leave him, but also traumatised that this had been played out in the public arena and traumatised that he would cheat on me. Was I not good enough for him? I knew that these were common thoughts when a partner cheats, and even though I knew about his extra-marital affairs I was wounded at his infidelity.

"What the fuck, Bill?" I eventually asked when he looked up at me.

"Sookie, sweetheart …"

"Don't fucking call me sweetheart!" I yelled at him. "You cheated on me? You've been cheating on me for years? You were cheating on me while I was kidnapped and then decided to fuck the interviewer?"

"I …," Bill started.

"I don't want to fucking hear your excuses. I'm leaving you, you fucking asshole! And I want a divorce. And don't even think about trying to contest it as I swear I will hurt you in every way possible." I stood up to leave the kitchen and walk away from Bill Compton forever.

"Sookie, sweet-, love, please let me explain!"

"You think you can explain this? What, you tripped, fell and landed in her pussy? Go on, explain."

I sat back down in my seat at the breakfast table and glared at him, raising an expectant eyebrow when he was not able to offer an explanation.

"I'm sorry," he eventually mumbled.

"You're only sorry for yourself that you got caught, you small-dicked asshole. And yes, you do have an impossibly small penis. To be honest you should be commended for finding other women that would fuck you let alone actually manage to father children."

"But you always …"

"I faked it," I interrupted, knowing where he was heading. "I never once had an orgasm by you, thank god for vibrators or otherwise I'd have been forced to cheat on you for some sexual relief. I fucking hate you, Bill Compton. Goodbye."

I left him in the kitchen as I stormed upstairs. Octavia was already waiting for me in my room with a few suitcases open.

"You okay?" she asked softly.

I let out a sob and angrily wiped my tears. "I don't know why I'm so upset, it wasn't as if I didn't know." I told her quietly. "I guess I just feel betrayed."

"That's understandable, Sookie."

"At least I put on a believable display!" I said bitterly. "You're leaving as well?" I asked her.

"Of course."

"If you need a place to stay I'm sure Amelia would put you up as well."

"That may be a good idea since your soon-to-be ex-husband knows where I live."

Octavia helped me pack up my belongings and helped me with the cases as I took them down to my car. Since I didn't have much space in my Mercedes, Octavia put a few bags in her car and I drove away from Bill's house for what I hoped would be the last time.

So a happy ending to that chapter, but what next for Sookie? Will she ignore Eric and go and find him? Will Bill roll over and die?

Thanks for reading and reviewing. It brings me great happiness.

:)