A/N: Usually gives us great insight. That is what we will be seeing in the next few chapters…. But I thought we needed a little insight on what is going on in the backend in this chapter. So, here is the next chapter of Where Were You… chapter 10. I have to tell you that this chapter was a complete surprise to me. It wasn't intentional, but once I started writing it, it just felt right.

Beta Call: I would like to thank you all for your overwhelming response to my beta requests. We got so many offers, I didn't know how we were going to sort through them all. But Sephrenia and I looked at all the offers and came up with a team that we hope that will work well with all the stories.

I would like to personally thank everyone that offered. For you to take time out of your busy schedules and be willing to assist, humbles me, I can't tell you how much. So, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

So, to my new wonderful beta team (Need to come with an awesome name for you all), thank you for your heard work and support on this chapter.

T- love you.

Okay – I have to say this and I hope I won't be giving anything away for those of you who haven't started watching season 5 of TB. But WHAT IS GOING ON! Is anyone as fustrated as me? Seriously, are they making this up as the go along! Okay – rant over, back on topic….

Now, Sephrenia said that we need to start putting "Tissue Ratings" on these chapters. The scale will be 1-5. 1 being a little sniffle and 5 being, get the box ready…

She has rated this chapter a 2 in the beginning. So you let me know if her rating was accurate.

So, without further ado, allow me to present to you, Where Were You, Chapter 10.

Thank you all for reading this crazy story….

Chapter 10 –What Dreams May Come

Everything is so soft here. The grass, the sun, even the air feels soft here. I don't think I've taken the time in the last few years just to sit and be. How could I with the ones I love in so much pain? How could I just decide to welcome everything around me when I left such a mess behind? Well, technically I didn't leave anything behind. It wasn't my fault. There was only evil at fault that day. I was just a, what would they call it? Ah yes, a casualty of the day.

It doesn't make it any easier or make it better. It just is a cold stone truth.

I take in a deep breath and listen. The hum on the wind is electric. I know that things are coming, they always are here. Some good and some sad. Some welcome this place with open arms. Some come in kicking and screaming. Some come in mad while others come in very sad and withdrawn. I didn't know how to feel when I got here. I was confused, scared and alone. I was so little and so unsure of what had happened. All I knew is that I was, well, alone. Not really alone, but alone still. I was taken away from all those that loved me and I felt lost.

I wasn't really alone, though. No matter how I felt. Something about this place allows you what you need. I needed someone to look out for me until I learned my way. Being so small, I didn't understand the rules yet. I didn't know what I could do or where I could go. I didn't understand and needed someone to be there while I learned.

It must have been a little insane that day. I don't really remember it much. They say that was to be expected. Many people were a little, well, shocked for some time afterwards. All I know is that I was confused and wanted my Daddy. He wasn't here and I knew it. I knew it as I knew that the one person that I knew on that plane wouldn't come looking for me. I didn't understand then, but I understand now. She was too confused herself. That confusion turned into a depression and anger, things that I couldn't and wouldn't understand. I've never seen her. Perhaps it's because I've not wanted to see her. Or maybe she didn't want to see me. Maybe want isn't a good word. Maybe it was more that she couldn't. At least that is what Patricia told me. "Some people forget when they get here, sweetie. It's how they cope. Some wallow in sorrow. They are trapped inside themselves and don't know how to get out. They collect others around them that are trapped and none of them know how to find the light."

I hoped that was the case. I prayed that my own mother did care, she just couldn't care anymore. But for some reason, I wasn't sad about it. I thought about that and knew that it was by design. I had work to do and being sad about her wasn't going to help.

I was just sitting in the grass that day. There were a lot of people sitting in the grass. I could see people all round me but I didn't know what to do, so I just sat down. I figured at some point someone would come to help me. I had never been lost before. I was so little. But I knew that if I sat in our home, my Daddy always came looking for me. He always knew where to find me.

"Hello, little one," I hear and look up. Her smile was beautiful and her hair was as bright and yellow as the sun.

"Aw…aw you an angel?" I ask her. Because that's what she looked like to me.

She smiles at me. "You want to come with me?" She asks me and reaches out her hand.

I nod and reach up to her. Suddenly, I'm in her arms and we are in a beautiful room. I had never seen it before but it's warm and happy and feels safe.

I look up at the smiling face. "I'm here to help you," she says.

I nod and hold her closer. Just taking comfort in her arms.

That was almost nine years ago. I have learned so much since then. I've learned, since I was so young, there were things I could do that Patricia and others couldn't. I've learned that I could go back, when the time was right. I could choose to be something different. A guardian, a helper, or even a muse if I wanted to be. Then again, I could go back and live again. I could if I wanted to. I wanted to, but only back to the ones I loved. I wouldn't just want to go back. Patricia said she understood and would help me.For years, I would look over him and feel his pain and sorrow. I wanted so much to take it away from him. But I needed to wait. I needed it to be perfect. I couldn't just be I needed to "be" in the right situation.

Patricia was different than some. She remembered every minute of her human existence.

"When you are loved so completely and love with an unconditional heart, you remember everything," she told me with a smile once when I asked her how she did it. "That is why young ones remember. They had no time to be anything but complete and utter love."

She would tell me stories about her family. About her children and about her loving and wonderful husband. She would tell me stories of her children. She even allowed me to join her while she looked in on them from time to time. They were nice and I was enjoying watching them grow.

She's the one who taught me how to check in with my family. But I would spend more than my fair share with them. They were all in such pain and I couldn't leave them, not completely. I think my Aunties felt me. I think sometimes, my Daddy felt me too much. I was so sad for him and needed to help. I would do anything to make him happy again.

That is when I came up with my plan. It had to work, it just had to. I'm not sure how much more pain my father could endure and I just wanted to make it all better for him. I missed him and I wanted to be there again. I just needed to figure out the how. The when, I already knew.

I take another deep breath and look in on everyone. I will need to get to Maddi soon. She will notice I'm gone and that won't do. I just needed to make sure everything else was going well and needed to step out for a moment.

"You've been busy." I hear from behind me.

I look to see Patricia smiling at me. Long gone are the days when I had to look up at her. Another thing I learned from her, I could be any age or anyone I wanted here. I was not limited or confined by flesh and bones. Usually I chose to stay my age, now 12. But today, I was older. I felt older today. I don't know why.

"It isn't easy," I turn to her.

"I would imagine engineering your perfect family wouldn't be," she says with a smirk.

I smile at her. "I'm not engineering. You know as well as I that they belong together. You said it yourself. Fate just was a little late, or early, or whatever," I sigh. "The whole thing sometimes confuses me."

She smiles again. "I think it confuses us all," she laughs. "But you have a lot to do," she says. "Why are you here?"

I smile. "I wanted to check on him and I can't when I'm with Maddi," I sigh a little.

She shakes her head. "No, that is one of the limitations." She nods as if to confirm her own statement.. "Is he well?"

I nod. "He asked for permission to let them in," I look off into the distance wishing to see the room once more. I want to see him sitting there and smiling. One of the truest smiles I've seen in a very long time.

"Faster than you had hoped," she says.

"It was a happy moment. I am looking forward to more," I smile thinking of the future.

We are silent for another moment. I take another deep breath and sigh it out. "I…I need to get back," I stand brushing my hands across the front of my gown.

She smiles. "I will see you soon."

I smile and hug her. "Thank you for everything."

She laughs. "This isn't goodbye, my childe," she says. "You will see me soon. Remember, there are things that you cannot control. You must be willing to accept that."

I shake my head. "I'll accept nothing but my family together and happy," I say and turn to walk away.

I close my eyes as I walk thinking of where Maddi is and wanting to be with her. I soon feel the pull and know I'm on my way.

***0***

Patricia's POV

I watch as the little one that I've looked after for almost nine years fades and then is suddenly not there.

"You didn't tell her." I hear from behind me.

I know without turning that it's my beloved. I shake my head.

"I thought you would. This is a great honor," he says and wraps his arms around me. I lean back into him. He always was the safest place to be. I never felt as comfortable or as loved as I do in his arms. Today is no exception.

I take a deep breath that I don't need and let it out. "I was hoping we would have more time. I don't think she will be happy that I've been sent to help."

"You are thinking of her as still a child, Tricia," he says, calling me by my nickname. "She knows what she's doing."

I nod. "I know. I just want to help and I know that it will be hard to be around them all. I know that she's finding it hard, but she's not really there. I'll…I'll be…."

He turns me around and holds my face in his hands. "You will do what needs doing." He says.

I nod again. "But the pain, the sorrow, the…" I fade off.

"Was nothing you could prevent." I hear from the side of us. I turn to see our newest arrival coming toward us. "I was there and I couldn't prevent what happen to our girl. There was nothing you could have done. We need to be thankful that she finally had the courage to leave him and come home."

I nod. For some reason, I think she had help in making that decision. Even though I believe everyone else thinks it as well, none of say it out loud.

"I don't know if I'll be able to do much." I say softly.

"They wouldn't be sending you if you weren't needed," he says to me.

I nod again. "I need to get going," I say to him. "I'll see you soon."

He touches my face and looks into my eyes. "You are the most precious thing in my existence. You take care of them, make them happy and come back to me."

With that, he kisses me softly on the lips and releases me from his grasp. I feel the loss from not being in his arms, but know that it's necessary for what I am required to do. I turn and walk away from the safety of his arms. This is a wonderful experience and a fabulous opportunity. I should be honored in assisting with this. I just hope and pray that my own feelings don't get in the way. Suddenly, I feel a warmth through me. It begins at the top of my head and fills me as you would fill a cup. I stop and close my eyes. I smile at the feeling. I know that whatever I need to do I will. Because I'm doing it for love and there is no greater reason.

I turn but know that even if they see me as Patricia, to the world I'm going to, I will look nothing like her. I will be Molly Hayes, future Personal Assistant to Mr. Eric Northman. Now, I hope everything goes as planned.

****O****

EPOV

I walk into the office with a smile on my face. When I had gotten out of the shower, Octavia had already cleaned up the kitchen and had my food in the warming tray. I had made quick work out of it and headed back to grab my things for the weekend, the car seat, and my keys.

She was in the living room and I kissed her cheek as I walked by. "I'll see you tomorrow," I say to her.

She reaches up and touches the side of my face. "Oh, how I've missed that."

I smile at her. "What?"

"That smile." She says.

I give her another smile and leave for the office.

It is early, much earlier than I have gotten in for some time. But still, I am the CEO.

I'm greeted by security first. I inform them that I've driven the SUV today so that they know it's my car in my parking space. They nod and I head to the office. Getting off on the floor, I see that there are several people already in. Not surprising, Thalia is already at her desk. What also is not surprising is that Judith is nowhere to be seen. I sigh and walk toward the desks.

"Good morning, Thalia," I say to her. "How are you this morning?"

Thalia looks up, shocked for a moment but quickly composes herself. "Good morning, Mr. Northman. Your sister called. She is working from the brownstone this morning but said she would be available to you if you needed her."

I look passed Thalia into the office, knowing that there will be nothing there but doing it anyway. "I had figured that Pam would be working from home today," I say. "You know that we will not be here tomorrow?" I ask her.

She nods. "I'm going to be here in the morning to check on things and then I'll have Ms. Pam's phones switched to mine." She says.

This is common practice for Thalia. She's worked with Pam for many years. My father's assistant, Eliza Wentworth, decided to retire when he did. I was given Judith out of the administrative pool. I am realizing that wasn't the best of decisions.

"Where is she?" I ask.

"Well, we got a call from HR this morning," she says. "Evidently, Eliza has called and suggested someone to be your PA. She had heard through the grapevine that you weren't pleased."

"Yes, and I wonder who that grapevine was," I raise an eyebrow at her.

She blushes slightly. "Forgive me if I over stepped my bounds," she says. "I just know what you need and Judith isn't it."

She's right. Judith Vardamon is young and inexperienced. Why anyone thought she would make a good executive secretary should really be fired. It's something I think I should have a discussion with HR about. Seriously, the girl is a disaster.

"I think they thought I would be able to mentor her," Thalia says as if she read my mind.

"It isn't your responsibility to make sure she stays in her chair instead of heading to IT to mess around." I say and roll my eyes. Currently, Judith had been bedding our head of IT. William Compton is a sniveling weasel of a man. He is married to a pariah of a woman who is currently working for one of the leading law firms in the state. William also happens to be my cousin, on my father's side. Yup his mother is my father's step-sister, so family by marriage, not by blood. Elizabeth Wellington-Compton and her husband, Edward Masters Compton, have been married for thirty-five years. They have two children, William and Caroline. Caroline has yet to marry. William, I believe, married because his wife Lorena told him to. The fact that he's having an affair with a twenty-two year old is still funny to me. But then again, anything is possible.

"What would HR like to do?" I ask Thalia.

"They are sending the woman up as soon as you get here. She arrived about an hour ago." I look at my watch. She is an early bird. That will bode well.

"You say that she will be my Personal Assistant?" I ask. Eliza had been my father's PA since he enjoyed traveling and being out at the Hampton house so much with my mother. She would frequent the home and do anything my father needed. Mom had called her a god-send and was grateful with her attention to my father's life. I have to say that I think a PA would be a better fit for me.

"Did they say anything else?" I ask.

"Other than she comes with perfect references and Eliza had given her a glowing recommendation." She says.

I nod. "Okay, have them send her up."

I walk past her and go into my office. Sitting down behind my desk, I start my computer and get ready to start the day. I have a few things I need to take care of before I meet up with the guys. This should be fun. At least, I hope it will be fun. I've not gone out with any of them in so long. Is it really possible to go back to the way I was? Will they just let me pick up where I left off so long ago? Could I be that lucky? Well if last night is any indication of how they will react to me, I think I may get my wish.

Now, about this Personal Assistant. Eliza had been with dad for almost twenty years. She was part of the family. Hell, anyone close to us is treated like family. My parents insisted on it while we were growing up. We had money, we had position. But my father was not going to let us grow up like we were better than anyone. If someone took the time to do something for you, you showed your gratitude, whether it be a business partner, a new author, the cook, gardener, or maintenance personnel. They all deserved to be treated with respect. Seems I'd forgotten that in the past few years. Most importantly, I forgot to respect myself.

I hope that Eliza isn't sending me some young woman who is aspiring to be the next Mrs. Northman. I will have to dismiss her immediately if that's the case. If I have my way, that position will be filled very soon.

I hear a knock at the door. "Come in," I look toward the door.

The door opens and a very polished woman comes in. She has striking red hair and pale skin. Her eyes are probably the greenest I've ever seen. She's tall for a woman. Probably five eight and is on the slender side. I would put her near sixty, close to my mother's age. But like her, I would consider this woman attractive, beautiful even.

She holds out her hand. "Mr. Northman," she says with a slight English accent. "I'm Molly Hayes. I understand you are looking for an assistant."

I take her hand. It's strong and warm but there isn't anything in it. She is just an employee and I can tell that is all she is.

"Mrs. Hayes," I squeeze her hand gently. "It's a pleasure to meet you. ," I say. "Please sit down."

She smiles and heads to one of the seats.

"I understand that Eliza personally recommended you," I look toward the door and see that Thalia has come to close it for me.

She places her hands gently on her lap, brushing her skirt straight before she begins. "Eliza and I have been friends for years. Though, I'd been abroad while she worked for your father." I just recently reconnected with her. It has been a long time but I was glad to see that she has decided to enjoy herself."

"Well, what do you know of the position?" I sit back in my chair to listen to her answer.

She smiles at me but it's only half a smile, almost a smirk. "I believe you are looking for someone to look after your affairs." She pauses for a moment and then continues.," she says. "If I'm correct, you will need a full charge assistant to organize and anticipate what you will need. Like most CEOs you have a very busy life and you need someone to keep it all organized for you. I would be available to you when you needed me. If you work, I work." She tilts her head slightly to the side and looks directly into my eyes. "I am here to make your life easier, not harder."

"You know that we keep irregular hours?" Knowing that she already said that she would work when I did but just wanting to make sure she fully understands.

She nods. "I will coordinate with Thalia to make sure you and your sister's needs are met. I understand there is another member of your senior staff starting on Monday?"

I look at her a little confused.

She smiles again. "Forgive me," she says. "Your new publisher's assistant was in HR for her reassignment when I arrived. I would be coordinating with her as well, I would expect."

I shake my head. "Tanya will be her secretary and go between for the junior publishers. Desmond Cataliades our attorney, has three paralegals and two assistants so you may need to coordinate with them. The CFO and Marketing director have their own staff. But if Sookie needs help more than what Tanya can do, I would appreciate you helping her."

Molly raises her eyebrow. "Sookie is," she looks down at her book, "Ms. Stackhouse?" She asks.

"She is new to the area, she may need some help in the up coming weeks getting settled. I would appreciate if you would assist her in any way you can."

"So, you will be hiring me?" She asks.

I stand and she follows. "Thalia can get you started and we can meet further on Monday to go over a few things. I will not be here tomorrow. HR instructed you on the summer schedule?"

She nods. "I will take care of everything," she says softly.

I smile. "Welcome aboard, Mrs. Hayes." I take her hand in mine again and she gives me another smile. "I am glad you are here." I feel another sensation of warmth. But it feels, I don't know, protective, motherly, I'm not sure. But it's nothing like what happens when I feel Sookie. No, that is in a league all its own.

"I am very happy to do whatever it is you need to help, Mr. Northman." She says. Letting go of my hand, she turns and heads to the door.

I watch as the door closes and I am again alone in my office. But the alone doesn't hurt as much. Maybe it's because I've something to look forward to.

I smile as I sit to start going through my emails. If I have any luck, I'll be able to see my two beautiful girls in a few short hours. Oh yes, that is something to look forward too.

***0***

A/N Tell us what you think….