Disclaimer: The characters of the Sookie Stackhouse novels belong to Charlaine Harris, not I. I'm borrowing them to give both them and myself a little joy.

Author's Note: The moment we've been waiting for is here! This chapter is chock full of lovey-dovey stuff... Just giving you a head's up. :)


"Sookie?" Eric voice came to me from what felt like somewhere far away. I tried to shake away sleep, but it held fast. A moment—or maybe eons—later Eric's hands were on my shoulders; their slight chill helping me focus on reality. When I finally opened my eyes it was very dark and I could only see Eric's brilliant face right in front of mine.

"Eric?" I replied in kind, squinting at him.

"You were so deeply asleep that I have both carried you to my car and driven you to my home," he said with a smile in his voice.

I took a deep breath and stretched my arms out to the sides. There were likely a few non-intelligible sleepy sounds made in the process.

"I thought I should wake you so that you had a memory of entering my home before suddenly waking up here in the morning," he continued before exiting the car and coming around to open my door.

"Thanks," I said as he helped me stand and enter the house through the garage. I had the sudden thought that I probably wouldn't have minded the shock much at all, as long as his arms were still around me when I came to.

As we walked through the various rooms, I felt myself looking about as if in a dream. I knew I would need to explore more later when I could see better and was fully awake, but even what I could take in was magnificent. Eric led me straight to his bedroom and flipped on some low lighting. He tossed my purse on an armchair, which happened to also be the very second I realized I hadn't been carrying it. He broke contact with me and went through one of multiple doors (many doors, no windows). When he came back moments later he was carrying something pink and soft looking. It turned out to be a sleep jumper in a silky smooth fabric. It bordered the line between sexy and comfy just perfectly.

"Where did this come from?" I heard myself ask with a little too much awe over a tiny piece of clothing.

"There are a multitude of witty comebacks to that question. However, since it's late… I've been stocking up on some things I thought you might like in the event of your moving in with me," he said gently, brushing some hair out of my face and placing the jumper in my hands. Before I could say anything, he directed me towards the door he had come out of, "Through there is your closet, as well as a bathroom, both of which I think you will find are to your liking."

I walked inside 'my closet' and promptly felt my jaw smack the floor. It was a long hallway with shelves and racks smattered with clothes and shoes of all sorts. The closet wasn't quite completely full. He apparently did want me to have a little room to bring the clothes I already owned. I became almost overwhelmed by it all and decided to continue to the bathroom so that I could get ready for some much needed sleep. A full exploration of the beautiful new wardrobe surrounding me would have to wait for another time. Considering I would be spending half of my time here, exhaustion won out over curiosity.

The sight of the bathroom was enough to make me gasp. The floors and walls were covered in a beautiful soft, warm colored stone with accents abounding in a rich crimson. The shower alone was the size of the entire bathroom at my house and had multiple shower heads. In my daze I could hardly count them all. Despite my tiredness, an image of us utilizing that part of the room stirred something up inside of me.

I happily shed my hastily put together ensemble for the inviting pink silk. It felt like heaven gliding over my skin. I found numerous products lining the shelves that were a welcome surprise. Some were exact matches for those I used, showing his keen attention to detail and others were, what I could only assume from the impossible to pronounce labels, much more expensive versions of what I used. Which was just what I would expect from Eric.

I quickly finished my evening rituals, spending a little extra time trying again to rid myself of any remaining blood, and then padded back through my closet to the most heartwarming sight. Eric was lounging under the dark grey and black comforter reading what looked to me like a very old book. It instantly felt like I was home, which was startling to me, as it had been so long since I'd thought that way of anywhere but my Gran's. It was also quite different to see Eric so peaceful; so relaxed. Even my memory-less Eric had rarely, if ever, shown such calmness. It put me at ease to know how safe he felt here. I knew that I would be safe, too; safer than I had ever been.

All of those thoughts happened in the blink of an eye, as that's about how long it took him to look up at me and smile. My knees went weak, but the desire to curl up on his chest overpowered that as I made myself walk towards him. He had been laying on the side closest to me, but moved over and pulled the blankets aside. I don't think he was prepared for the intensity with which I immediately held him to me, as he let out a little sound before I heard him set his book down on the night stand behind me. His arms came around me then and we both let out a small sigh.

He then said something that took me by surprise, as many things that night had, "Thank you, Sookie."

I broke away just enough to look up into his eyes, "Why on earth are you thanking me? You've got 5 bottles of my favorite perfume in that bathroom. I think I'm the one who should be doing the thanking in this situation."

My attempt at being lighthearted didn't faze him for even a fraction of a second. "Sookie, I find that I do not know how to describe what it feels like to finally have you here with me. I have desired bringing you here since our trip to Jackson. I felt so many different things then, too. Lust… longing, but with that came the unexpected instinct to protect you from harm. The fear I felt when you were injured both by the stake and by Bill… was something I had nearly forgotten how to feel. The fear that I could lose you completely. That feeling has only grown since that day…"

"Eric, I am so sorry I've put you through all that," I said, floundering a bit for what to say. I suddenly felt horrible imagining the many nights he'd had to worry about me. He really wasn't wrong in doing that. I was more often than not in some kind of trouble.

"Don't fret, my dearest one. I am going to keep you safe. You are mine," he whispered into my hair as he began to kiss down my neck. My body began to hum in response.

"I attempted to make this feel more like your home as well. Does it suit you?" he managed to ask between kisses. I wove my fingers through his hair in order to pull him away and allow my vocal chords (and brain) to function. I let my hands frame his face and looked him squarely in the eyes.

"You have gone above and beyond to make this place absolutely perfect. I am just blown away by it and I haven't even had a chance to process it all," I said. He smirked in satisfaction at having achieved his goal so thoroughly. "And I am so grateful for it. But, you didn't have to do all that, you big goof." He glared a bit at this and sat up beside me. I followed close and was quick to clarify. "I just mean that all of those things are great, but they aren't why I already feel at home here."

"No? What then?" he asked, softening slightly, but still a bit vexed and puzzled.

I leaned closer to him and poked him in the chest, "You, silly. Just you. Just knowing that I'll get to wake up with you beside me. It just feels like this is how it should be. It feels… almost normal. And I feel like I'm home."

He smiled and eased us back down under the covers, heads propped on our hands in a mirror image of each other. "So you will stay here with me?" he asked, and I could tell he meant more than just tonight.

"I'm sticking to the plan I agreed to earlier… For now," I replied, cuddling up in the crook of his arm.

He sighed somewhat dramatically, "I really thought the closet would do it."

I slapped him gently on the chest, "So you were just bribing me with fancy things to speed things along then?"

"Will you hit me again if I say, 'yes'?" he said with a smile in his voice. I could only laugh in response, before a very large yawn interrupted it. "I suppose as it is actually nearing my own bed time, I should allow you to sleep," he said in a much resigned tone. Eric denying himself sex with me was a serious feat that was not to be taken lightly.

"You should," I agreed as he reached to flip off the remaining light, throwing us into complete dark. "But don't worry, I already have plans for the next time I stay over." I kissed him softly on his collarbone and he growled low in his throat.

"Tomorrow night. I think you meant to say that these plans are for tomorrow night," he said quite assuredly while pulling me tight to him in an effort to maintain his self control.

"I think that could be arranged," I said, nuzzling my face closer to him and throwing one leg over his. I thought I heard him growl once more before I passed out into oblivion.


Well, that was a whole lot of sap. I hope you enjoyed it... If you did, let me know!