Chapter Twelve

Sookie

Day 1831…

I felt knotted, tired, I hadn't slept well the night before.

Everything I had known for five years was over, the fight for survival, the wild free living and loving. Don't get me wrong, every day for the past five years I have wished to get off our Island, but now I knew what it was going to cost me. Eric.

I stared at him, he was leaned back in the first class seat, his head lolled against the soft cushion, blue sapphire eyes closed, trying to rest. I wanted to poke him, so he'd open his eyes and silently reassure me that everything was going to be okay and that he still loved me.

I could feel the panic brewing, just under the surface. My breathing hitched as the pilot, announced our landing over the intercom. I watched Eric and I forced a grin as his eyes popped open, it took him a second but his eyes found mine and he grinned boldly. I had to clasp my hand in lap to keep from reaching forward and grasping Eric's hand in mine. I wanted him to take my hand and lead me off this plane, to refuse to be parted from me as we tackled learning to live again.

He gave me a tight grin, we waited patiently for everyone else to exit the plane. "Take your time." A flight attendant said softly. "It's a mad house out there." She smiled.

I gulped and turned to Eric who gave me another grin, "come on, we've faced worse than this mob." He chuckled.

I stood up and followed his handsome bum off the plane, into the jet way. We paused and looked at each other.

Then he took my hand and pulled me against him and hugged me tightly. I felt the tears burn my eyes. "Eric," I croaked out, the tears spilled over before I could stop them.

He shushed me and we stood there for the longest time simply clinging to each other. I gasped as his lips crashed against mine. I didn't let go, I couldn't let go, I allowed him to pull me towards the crowd of people waiting for us. I blinked and flinched away from the the flashes, the noise was overwhelmingly loud. Eric pulled me tight against his chest as airport security helped move us forward, towards a more remote destination where our families were waiting.

As soon as we entered the room Eric kissed me again and pulled back with that high handed smirk of his. In the mass of selected reporters, I could see a small crowd of people whom I guessed to be Eric's family. I am mildly disappointed to see just Jason leaning against a wall waiting for me. I let go, so Eric could move towards his family.

Jason surprised me, as soon as I was a few feet from him, he shot off the wall and hugged me tight, so tight in fact I thought my spin would break. "Fuck Sooks, I've missed you. I thought – you know we all thought." He cried happily, twirling me around and around.

It's easy to ignore the press as Jason captured my full attention, he rambled telling me all about his life back in Bon Temps. I listened as he told me of girlfriends, jobs, fixing up Mum and Dad's first house.

He helped me get my small backpack from baggage claim. I caught a glimpse of Eric who held my gaze until his father lead him out of the airport. I fought back the tears, the anxiety of being away from him, five year of being each other only companion, fearing for each others survival, and at time's saving the others skin and backside.

I followed Jason to his nice diesel pick up truck. It wasn't until we were pulling out of New Orleans that I realized to my complete horror, I didn't know how to reach or even find Eric. I don't know how long I set in silence, my entire body flooded with dread and earth shattering loneliness.

"So that guy back there, Eric? He and you?" Jason asked quietly turning down the radio.

I smiled, there was no lying to Jason, he had always been able to read me like an open book. "Yeah. Five years, Jason."

He nodded. "He was good to you."

"Kept me alive Jason, He made it worth surviving. I love him. I'll always love him." I declared firmly. He nodded, easily accepting what I said without judgement or disappointment.

"Good." Jason said simply and turned back up the music.

"Where's Dad? Gran?" I asked after we stopped in Alexandria for gas and food. He hadn't spoken much.

Jason avoid my question. I felt that sinking in my gut, like right before I was diagnosed with Cancer and I woke on a abandoned Island.

He didn't bother turning back on the radio as we turned back onto the highway. "Dad's he's remarried, she's young was two classes a head of me in school, they've been together almost three years now, they don't even live in Louisiana anymore. Dad sold over half of his little car lots, and opened up a new much larger lot up in Little Rock, Arkansas." Jason finally spills, after finishing his Slurpee. He bites his lip and I know there is more he isn't telling me. "And we have a brother, Jarrod, he's three."

Before I could ask about Gran, he turned back on the radio. The feeling grew worse.

"Dad, Shannon and Jarrod they're waiting for us at Merlotte's." He spoke when we pulled into Bon Temps.

My voice was shaky, my heart sank. "Where Gran?"

Jason sighed and rubbed a hand over his face pulling into an empty parking space in Merlotte's parking lot. "She's gone Sook. Peacefully in her sleep, about a year ago, now."

I forced myself to breath.

"She's really gone." I mutter shock settling into my system. He nodded wrapped me up into a tight hug as I cried into his chest for the loss of the woman who had meant so much to me.

"She never gave up that you were gone. Wouldn't accept it." Jason said into my hair.

I nodded that was easy enough to believe. She wouldn't have just accepted it, not without some-sort of proof.

"Take me to her grave later." I asked. Jason hugged me tighter.

"Course Sook. I'm so fuckin' happy you're alive." He whispered, kissing the top of my head.

After he pulled back I noticed the parking lot was full. I raised an eyebrow at Jason, who shrugged. I followed Jason into the restaurant and I was barely through the door, before camera's started flashing and people were invading my personal space. I recognize only about quarter of the crowd.

I could hardly breath by the time, my father arms wrapped around me, and it took me a moment to realize he was crying.

I allowed him to twirl be around a few times like I was eight-years-old again. He kissed my forehead and stroked my hair, "Oh baby girl," he whispered with a teary grin.

I pulled back enough to take a good look at him, he looked just as I remembered him. His hair was more salt and peppered than it use to be, but the haircut to the fresh ironed button up, that smelled of his cologne and the occasional cigar, tucked into his ironed wranglers and squared toed boots.

"Dad." I whispered. "Oh, I've missed you too," I responded sniffing back my tears.

After what seemed like a good while, he placed my feet back on the ground, before pulling me back into a quick tight hug, then keeping me in a side hug. "I have a few people I need to introduce you too," he said, as a young woman just a few older than me stood up, with a small blond boy who looked just like Jason's baby pictures.

"Sookie this is my wife, Shannon." I gave the woman a small smile. "and our son, and your brother, Jarrod." I gave the adorable boy a playful wave.

It was an awkward experience, but my father seemed genuinely happy and for his sake I was happy for him. Pleased even that he had been able to go on, live on, find happiness again. I had been worried about him as a teenager, after my mother's death.

Jarrod was adorable. I had to fight the longing I had when I looked at him. It was so easy to picture Eric's and I child, a fantasy I had for a year or so now. But I knew my chances were very unlikely, even with modern medicine.

"I'll have an ice-water, a salad with no dressing please and grilled chicken, no spices." I order, after studying the menu for a good long time, it still felt odd to have this overabundance of food available. Eric had I been surprised to find we couldn't stand the burn of soda, and we had decided yesterday that iced water was the best treat to mankind.

The simple thought made my heart ache, I already missed it, felt lost without him. We had been so co-dependent on each other, I never imagined a day without him.

"Don't you want something a little more... favorable," Shannon asked, making small talk.

I shook my head politely, "I, my stomach isn't used to flavor and Eric and I made that mistake our first night and we were up half the night being sick." I explained softly.

I answered all the questions they had for me, I kept my answer for the most part short and light. I didn't tell them off the horrors we had experienced. You can't explain to somehow it feels when your life force was slipping away as your mouth and body begged for a drink of water, until it finally gives up, or how you spend hours vomiting after overindulging in contaminated pond water. Or burying the body of your pilot, or the traumatizing experience of sewing up your partners legs with fishing line and a hook.

"That Eric fellow," my Dad started pushing his plate away.

I knew after Eric's display at the airport there wouldn't be any downplaying our relationship. "kept me alive, yes." I smiled, trying to avoid his question.

Jason laughed, "he and you?" my Dad questioned a bit awkwardly.

"Yes." I nodded, and paused, "but we were on that island a very long time before anything ever happened between us. A very long time." I clarified.

"Yes well, we've made up the guest room for you." Shannon said, noticing how her husband tensed up, unsure how to deal with his daughter being so grown.

My eyes flashed to Jason, and he shrugged, "or you can stay with me, until you get on your feet." He offered. "I mean, Dad, Bon Temps is her hometown and I'm sure there are places and friends she'd like to reconnect with." He said, being surpringly rational.

"Not that I'm don't appreciate your offer Dad and Shannon but right now I'd like to stay in Bon Temps, but I'll come visit often. I have a little brother to get to know." I said, fiddling with my water glass.

Dad, he stared at me for a while and finally he nodded with a grim smile. "I guess I should of expected that." He gruffed with an accepting chuckle.

I smiled and pushed my cheesecake around my plate after a few nibbles. I yawned embarrassingly loud. "Jason, why don't you take Sookie here back to your house to rest and we'll meet ya'll back up there this evening for a barbecue." Dad said standing and pulling me to my feet. I hugged him tightly, then allowed Jason to wrestle us out of the bar and grill.

"Do you want to go now or later?" Jason asked, as he started his engine.

"Now please." I murmured quietly, staring at out the window. "Dad, he seems really happy." I commented, trying to fill the silence.

"He is," Jason agreed. "It's a little weird but..." He laughed and looked over at me, "Shannon was my first kiss." He confessed with a guilty grin. "But don't you dare tell Dad. I'm pretty sure Shannon doesn't even remember it." He shook his head and winked at me in the rear view mirror. "God, I've missed you Sook."

"Me too Ace." I grinned, I laughed just like that the years that had separated us had disappeared and Jason and our relationship was back to normal.