Chapter 11: Oh Father

Madison an d Sam tried to continue on as normal, but they couldn't help sharing little smiles at work, but Madison couldn't help feeling troubled, everything was going so well, could it stay that way? She'd been in Bon Temps for 3 months and there had been no sign of Drew, which unnerved her more, did he know she was here? Was he just biding his time? Madison tried not to let her mind wander to that dark place where Drew would occupy her. She and Sam were getting closer, he knew all about her past, they'd spent long nights talking everything over, both agreed that it would be best if no one else knew they were seeing each other, boss and employee relationship after all. He had been so patient with her, they'd been secretly seeing each other for over 2 months and he hadn't put any pressure on her to sleep with him, Sam understood how hard it was for her to trust him intimately. It was her night off and she was looking forward to seeing Sam when the bar closed, she was out the back smoking, when she saw her, a very glamorous woman was walking across her lawn, she was pale like Bill, she had to be a vampire;

' Well you must be Madison, you're all I've heard about for months' Madison stared at her and fear began to grip her, had Drew paid this woman to find her, a woman would be less inconspicuous than a man,

' Who are you?'

' I'm Pam and my boss Eric has asked me to escort you to his club so he can meet you, he's concerned about your safety or something' he voice dripped with indifference,

' Who's Eric?'

' You not been wondering who's been hiding all that money for you?' oh so he was the mysterious benefactor,

' Prove it'

' What?' Pam looked shocked but she also smirked,

' I'm not going anywhere with a vampire, you tell him if he wants to meet me he can chaperone me himself, but I don't believe any of this without proof'

' My my my we are spunky aren't we, I like that, fine have it your way I assume you haven't spoken to mummy and daddy yet, why don't you call them and ask who Eric is' with that she turned and walked away her heels sinking into the lawn.

Madison walked back inside and started rifling through paperwork until she came across the list of phone numbers she'd received when she first arrived, she looked at the foreign number and taking a deep breath she dialled;

' Hello?' the voice sounded a bit groggy but she knew it anywhere,

' Dad?'

' Maddie?'

' Yes it's me, how are you?'

' Never mind me are you ok? Are you safe? He hasn't found you has he?'

' Ok way to many questions dad slow down, I'm fine really, I've settled in a really nice little town, I've got a job, a whole new life, I'm just sorry it's taken me so long to call, although you and mum appear to have spent the last 5 years avoiding me, how is she? Did you really hate my choice to marry Drew that much that you just cut me out? And how did you know I left Drew?'

' Eric told me you'd left him and turned up in the town near him, your mums fine, she'll be better to know we've heard from you, Maddie you don't really believe we'd just cut you out like that do you, we were more worried than ever, I knew he was bad news I just didn't know how bad, when I heard how badly he was treating you I came looking for you at the apartment you two had been living in, but when I got there they said you'd moved months ago, I had no way of finding you, I was terrified Maddie, and then things with your brother got bad, then out of the blue we get a phone call from Drew saying you'd had enough of us judging your choices and you wanted nothing more to do with us, well obviously I demanded to know where you were and for you to tell me this yourself'

' What did he say to that?'

' He said if we ever came near you, he'd kill you, I knew he and his family were bad news, what could I do? I couldn't stand the idea of him hurting you because of us, so we kept our distance, doesn't mean we weren't keeping an eye on you'

' What do you mean keeping an eye on me?'

' Eric used to keep watch over you, we begged him to get you out of there but he said it had to be your choice, you had to be strong enough to leave on your own, otherwise you might just go back to Drew, we never stopped thinking about you Maddie, it killed us to know he was hurting you every day and there was nothing we could do'

' If it helps I think he was right, it did have to be my choice to leave, I'm finally strong enough to cope, I don't wake up in fear every day, I actually love my life'

' You have no idea how glad I am to hear that sweet heart'

' So who's Eric?'

' An old family friend, you wont really remember him I suppose you were only little when he stayed with us'

' I'm gonna need more info dad cos he wants to meet me'

' Well you know how your mother and I used to help the occasional vampire before all the equal rights were brought in, Eric and his maker Godric were the first we helped'

'Godric?'

' He was Eric's maker, one of the oldest vampires that we knew of'

' Was, he's dead…gone…you know what I mean?'

' He walked into the sun of his own choice, Eric took it badly, he lost his maker it's like losing a part of you'

'That's awful, what does Eric look like dad, would he be in any of the old pictures I have?'

' He should be, he was very fond of you, blonde hair, strong blue eyes, muscled build' Madison rummaged through the pile and came back to the photo of her family with the strangers she couldn't place,

' Oh he's Eric, which ones Godric?'

' The young looking one, dark hair, tattoos on his collarbone'

' He looks younger than Eric'

' When he was made he probably was'

' So its safe for me to meet him?'

' There are few others you could be safer with, Maddie where are you, I haven't seen my daughter for over 5 years, and your mother will want to see you'

' Small town called Bon Temps'

' I'll get directions from Eric and we'll get a flight…it really is wonderful to hear your voice again Maddie?'

' You too dad'

They ended their conversation with her dad promising to call her and let her know when they were leaving. She sat back and stared at the photo again,

"So you're Eric".