AN: Happy Reading! Enjoy! :)
Chapter 12
SPOV
"That's it," I tell the guys, pointing towards my parent's old house that my brother currently lives in. "Oh, good, I think he's home," I muse then, seeing the lighted windows as Eric's beautiful sports car slowly makes its way bumpily over the mudded drive.
"I swear, your family and driveways," he mutters, a small frown on his face that manages to make me smirk.
"Sorry, Eric," I tell him, earning an amused smirk from both he and Godric. "I promise, I'll wash your car for you when we get home," I offer, seeing them both grin widely, their lusts suddenly spiking to leave me struggling once more with my own desires. "Damn, you two really need to get your minds out of the gutter," I tease halfheartedly, earning a look of concern from Godric as he reaches up to rub my shoulders lightly as I feel serene waves of calm washing over me.
"We do apologize, little one," he tells me as I work to center myself once more. "This is certainly not the time or the place for such things," he admits, earning a small nod from me as we pull up to my brother's house.
"Looks like your brother takes just about as much time on his own yard as he does your grandmother's," Eric muses, looking over the weed covered lawn as I shrug lightly, my anxiety finally rising as I look up to the house. "Are you alright, my child?" he asks softly, reaching over to caress my cheek softly, an action I now find comforting, soothing, having finally gotten over my unfounded fear of him.
"Yes…no…oh, hell, I don't know," I sigh out. "I really have no idea how he'll take the news of his little sister being made vampire. I guess I'm just a bit nervous," I admit, looking longingly to the front porch, memories of mine and Jason's shared childhood flashing vividly through my mind.
"He is your kin, little one," Godric says softly, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear with a soft smile. "I am sure he will accept you always," he muses, as I finally nod, realizing he's likely right. I mean Gran accepted the three of us just fine, why should Jason be any different?
"We'll both be right here for you, my child," Eric reminds me, sending a soft smile my way that manages to quell the last bit of fear within me. The three of us exit the car then and the guys pause at the edge of the porch, allowing me to greet my brother in private. I send them a grateful smile before stepping over the creaking boards of the porch and proceed to knock lightly on the front door.
"Dammit, Hoyt, I told you, I ain't holdin'!" Jason calls out, bringing a snort of amusement from me. Same ol' Jason.
"Jase?" I call, peering through the front door's frosted glass. "It's me, Sook," I inform him, hearing a loud thud and subsequent cursing as my brother clumsily makes his way to the front door.
"Sook!?" he exclaims, throwing open the door as a bright grin lights up his exuberant face. "Shit! I never thought I'd be so happy to see ya, sis!" he cries out, stepping forward to wrap his arms around me tightly. My vampire sense are suddenly completely overwhelmed, being wholly surrounded by my brother's familiar scent and I find myself sobbing softly into the crook of his neck as overwhelming gratitude is flooding over me.
"Jason, I'm just so happy to see you," I sob softy against the collar of his worn t-shirt. "I was so worried about you," I inform him, wrapping my arms around him a bit tighter to bring a low chuckle from him.
"Aww, Sook, they didn't have evidence to keep me holed up, you know that," he soothes softly, smoothing back my hair lightly. "Damn, girl, that's some grip you got on me," he chokes out then, sending a wave of panic through me as I pull away quickly, fearing I may accidentally harm him.
"Sorry," I mutter, dropping my head in embarrassment.
"Don't worry 'bout it, Sook, ya didn't hurt me or nothin'," he assures me, bringing a small smile to my face as I look up to catch his gaze. "What the fuck!?" he exclaims then, backing away to press himself against the house, his eyes widened in a mix of fear and surprise.
"Um, yeah," I start, brushing the bloody tears away as best I can. "This has been quite an interesting week for me," I chuckle out, wondering just how many times I may have to recount my tale.
"You just stay the fuck away from me, ya hear?" he cries out, stumbling towards the front door as my jaw falls open in shock.
"Jason, what are you saying?" I question, being joined by both Eric and Godric as my brother slams the flimsy screen door in our collective faces. "I'm your sister!" I cry out in frustration, more bloody tears welling within my eyes as Eric and Godric both place reassuring hands upon my shoulders.
"My sister's dead, ya hear me? You and your freak friends just stay the fuck away from me!" he yells through the screen mesh as rage is suddenly bubbling within me. I couldn't tell you whether it was from Eric, Godric, myself, or a mixture of the three of us, but in an instant, I find myself pressed against the screen door, my fangs on full display.
"You have no right to talk to them that way!" I cry, always having hated being called that particular 'F' word. "If it weren't for us, you'd still be rotting in that damned jail cell! We deserve some fucking gratitude, not your ridicule, Jason Stackhouse!"
"It's because of you freaks I was in that fucking cell to begin with! I wish I'd never touched those filthy fangbangers and now I find out my own damned sister is one of them!?" he snaps, making me flinch at his harsh words. "No, worse, you've gone and fucking joined them. You're nothing more than a walking corpse and I don't want a goddamned thing to do with you," he spits out the hateful words like venom.
"Fuck you!" I cry out, slamming my fist into the door frame hard enough to leave a splintering hole to leave my brother staring back at me in utter fear.
"Sookie," Eric says softly, stepping forward to carefully pry my hand from the damaged wood trim. "I think it's time we got you home," he suggests softly, earning a slight nod from me as I watch my injured hand magically healing before my blood rimmed eyes.
EPOV
My hurting child hides her face against my chest and I give her brother a death glare, one that has managed to make much greater men cower in fear. He gasps softly, proceeding to slam the wooden door shut hard enough to rattle the windows of the rather run down home. The three of us are left alone on the porch, the sound of Sookie's soft sobbing the only noise to cut through the night's deafening silence. Godric looks to her in sympathy as I work to console her, whispering soft confirmations against her silken locks as her slight form continues to tremble lightly in my arms.
"I wanna go home," she finally whispers after a time, pulling away and looking up to me with her crimson stained cheeks.
"Of course," I answer her, turning to lead her down the steps as Godric follows silently behind, his concern a nearly palpable thing, his intense emerald eyes fixed solely upon my grieving child. He walks to the driver's side door and when I give him a questioning look he shakes his head lightly.
"You're child needs you, I shall drive," he informs me, earning a firm nod from me as I know he's right. The three of us settle in the car, Sookie curled up upon my lap, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck, her face buried deeply into the crook of my neck. I wrap my arms around her tightly, offering any semblance of comfort I can as I desperately hope her brother's idiocy has not managed to undo all the progress we've made these last few nights.
We're soon on our way back home and my undead heart is silently breaking for my child. She has been through so much in such a short time and I only hope her fiery nature will endure after the brutal rejection of her blood kin. Just what kind of brother could say such hurtful things to his own sister? I would very much like to see the bastard broken and bleeding for his harsh treatment of her, but as I fear this would only succeed in hurting my child further, I elect to refrain from granting her kin such violence.
"How could he say those things?" Sookie whispers softly after a time, clear trepidation lacing her words as I let out an unnecessary sigh, running my hands absently through her golden tresses.
"I fear I cannot answer that, my child," I tell her honestly, seeing a small frown form over her blood coated face. "Mortals respond to us in an assortment of ways, both good and bad, though for one's own kin to react in such a way is something I have yet to witness personally," I admit to her, seeing her bottom lip quivering lightly in distress.
"The two of us really haven't been close, not in a long time, but to hear him say those things," she says, cringing against me. "I never thought he'd be capable of that amount of hate, especially directed at me," she whispers, her head falling in defeat as Godric casts her a concerned gaze.
"Surely, in due time, he will see the error of his ways, little one," Godric chimes in softly, earning a small sigh from Sookie as she nods slightly. Godric pulls the convertible into the garage then and as I go to exit, Sookie clings onto me, apparently unwilling to be separated just yet. I grant her an indulgent smile, adjusting my hold upon her and proceed to carry her, the two of us following Godric into the house.
I follow my Maker through the house, descending the stairs closely behind him and selfishly relish this newfound closeness between my child and I. I hate knowing she is hurting, but cannot help being at least somewhat grateful she is able to now find solace rather than fear at my touch. Godric pushes open her bedroom door and Sookie tenses in my arms, sending me an anxious gaze.
"I don't want to be alone, not tonight," she whispers softly, warranting understanding smiles from Godric and myself.
"Of course, little one," Godric answers softly, stepping closer to earn a grateful smile from her. The three of us turn then, making our way into mine and Godric's shared bedroom. Sookie glances around curiously before I carry her into the adjoining bath, proceeding to dampen a hand towel before gently cleansing the crimson remains from her delicate features.
"Thanks, Eric," she says softly, as I gently pat her face dry once more. Her sapphire eyes are gazing into my own, shining bright with obvious gratitude and I lean down to press a soft kiss upon the crown of her head before carrying her back into the bedroom.
Godric has the bedding pulled back for us and I note his shorts are still in place, likely with our ward's modesty in mind. I gently lay Sookie beside my Maker, stripping away my own clothing before turning back to the bed in surprise, seeing Sookie wiggling her way free of her leather garments.
"It may look good, but it's not the most comfortable thing in the world," she mutters lowly, earning small smirks from Godric and myself before I'm joining the two of them, pulling the fluffy blankets over us. "I'm sorry," Sookie whispers softly, earning shocked expressions from the both of us. "I just hate being so needy," she elaborates as Godric looks to me with a warm smile.
"There is no shame in seeking comfort in others, little one," Godric assures her. "And Eric and I are glad to supply any support you may need."
"That's what family's for, right?" I chime in, sending her a playful wink to earn a small snort of amusement from her as I feel her anxiety gradually melting away.
"True enough," she concedes, snuggling between the two of us with a soft sigh. "Though, you two are the first family members I've ever even considered cuddling in my underwear."
"And we're certainly grateful for this," I tease back, waggling my brows at her before the three of us are laughing lightly, managing to lighten the somber mood between us. Sookie soon lets out a jaw cracking yawn, the beginnings of the dawn pulling at the edge of her consciousness.
"Goodnight," she sighs out tiredly, earning warm smiles from the two of us.
"Goodnight, little one, until nightfall," Godric returns softly, pressing a tender kiss upon her temple.
"Goodnight, my child," I add, leaning down to brush my lips gently over her cheek, seeing the slightest smile pulling at her lips before she surrenders to the sun.
"I think she will make it through this just fine, my child," Godric remarks softly, casting an adoring gaze upon Sookie's unmoving form. "Our Sookie is remarkably strong and resilient."
"That she is," I concede, reaching up to trail my fingers along the side of her face, an absent smile forming upon my lips. "That she most certainly is."
