THANKS TO: Lusty, Duckbutt, BiWiccanPrincess, Millarca666, Londa1795, Rachelz3, MsNorthman, TLynnson, Mistress-Cinder, MatingInspires, treewitch703, Ingrid Bevilaqua, vilannh, VAlady, janjan2009

Chapter 12

I rub Sookie's stomach gently as she rests and smile when I think of the face of my little boy who can fly. I wonder if they all will be able. I wonder if they'll be able to do it when they're first born or if it shows up with time. I really can't picture myself holding a baby or changing it or feeding it, let alone one who is trying to fly away from me. Should a vampire really be given these duties? I'll have to watch Jessica and Tara closely as well. Since babies smell so pure and delicious, they may not be able to control themselves.

"Eric," Maurella says as she pops in, beside Sookie. "How is she?"

"Ludwig gave her more drugs to keep her asleep. Did you find out anything?"

"Claude went to Faery," she states. "The Council of Elders is... enraged is a mild way to put it, Eric. Though they're not pleased with her choice of mate, she is of royal blood and they are tired of other supes messing with our lines."

"So what will they do about it?" I wonder and text Emma to bring me more blood. "Can they help her? Can't you do that green light thing?" I ask her, the scent of her invading my nostrils and a deep urge to rip her throat out nags at me. She's royal too, right? Can't she mask her scent?

"I am," she informs me. "It helps but won't cover my scent completely; I'm fertile."

I don't know how fairy reproduction works but it would make sense that she smell stronger when she's fertile so as to attract a mate. I simply nod and kiss Sookie's hand gently.

"They have contacted other supes in this world that owe us. The Elders won't leave Faery but they said Doctor Ludwig should be able to keep Sookie and the babies safe while we break the spell."

So no one can help. What good are all these supposedly powerful friends if there is nothing they can do? How am I just supposed to wait it out? Maybe Ludwig will have luck with finding Meeka.

"So what will the Elders do?" I ask her. "Everyone is contacting people but no one knows anything? No one will do anything?" I growl and call for Pam angrily. She can wake her ass up; we're going hunting. Maurella jumps back as my fangs snap out and her hands start glowing. Emma arrives just in time and I zip over and the blood from the glass is drained as soon as it's in my hand.

"As soon as night falls, Pam and I are leaving. Maurella, find your mother. She has a clue to all this and I will have it. She's a vampire in my territory and is under my authority." I don't care if she's been around for centuries as fae; she's vampire now and that means she answers to me.

"I've been trying," she states. "But as soon as I locate her, she's already gone. Fae magic is easy to track but vampires aren't."

"Then perhaps you and I must work together. If you're able to catch her magical trail, I might be able to catch her scent."

"Can you control yourself?" she asks, which is a fair question.

"I'm doing it right now, aren't I?" I ask even though her aroma is mouth-watering. "I can manage."

"Well I already lost a cousin to your hunger," she reminds me. Claudine.

"Well I was under a spell then; I wasn't myself."

"That and Sookie's ties to you are the only reasons the Elders have allowed your continued existence."

I growl loudly and my fangs pop again. "You and your elders best not threaten my life. Ever," I warn her as I advance on her a little. "I'm ten times more lethal in my right mind."

She stares at me for a few seconds and I stare right back at her, not bothering to retract my fangs. After a second she nods and steps back. Good. I do not want these fairies thinking I wouldn't hesitate to rip out their throats if they cross me, Sookie or no. Fairies are sneaky and largely untrustable. Though now, I believe, the Elders will understand my feelings about being "allowed to exist".

"So where do we start? How have you been locating her?"

"I've been using the Looking Glass but it's harder since she's no longer fae. I tracked her all over, to a cabin in the woods and a cave and a few clubs... I think she's looking for something."

"And taking out vampires as she does," I state. "We must find her tonight. Killing vampires without authority is not something tolerated under vampire law. It could cost her gravely."

"Then we mist find her. She's my mother."

"Sookie's too," I state and glance at my mate.

"I'll return in an hour. I'll retrieve the Looking Glass and check on a couple things. I'm hopeful that Claude may return with something useful."

I nod. "Alright. Dusk is in an hour. We will leave then." She nods and pops away and I summon Pam again, more insistently. I also text her a few times quickly demanding that she call.

I sit beside Sookie on the bed and kiss her forehead. "I'm working on it, my Sookie. I'm doing all I can to bring you back to me soon. But I know Godric is keeping you all safe." I know what I saw. I saw him with our little boy. I know it's been him every time he's appeared to me. I don't think even I could imagine that and other than Sookie and Pam, he's the only other person I'd ever trust implicitly.

"Godric, vänligen hålla dem säkra." (Please keep them safe.)

~*~*~*~*~*~

There's an insistent feeling I have. A nagging in my consciousness to wake up. The pull grows stronger and stronger until I feel a hot glow against my skin and inhale the glorious sunshine. Morning. I suppose I can wake for morning. I roll over cautiously and rub my stomach gently to glow at my- THE BABIES!

I spring up out of bed and scream for Eric as I touch my stomach. Where are they?

I take a breath to look around the beautiful meadow surrounding my bed. The sunshine is falling on the grass and the flowers are sparkling brightly. Is this a dream? Is it- it's not Faery. I try to desperately remember the last thing I can. I know I'm pregnant. Or I was. And my Eric. But- where were we? Where is he? Where are my babies?

"Eric!" I scream into the sunshine, expecting my vampire mate to be laying in the sun somewhere. Smart, Sookie.

I hear laughter at a distance, echoing all around me through the distant trees. I glance down at the gown I'm wearing. It's bright white and appears to glow in the sunshine. It's an empire waist that accentuates my breasts perfectly. The laughter rings in my ears again and I begin walking toward it. I have no shoes but every step in the grass feels like pillows to my toes. This has to be a dream.

With every step the laughter is louder, happier and the tug on my consciousness feels greater and yet more complete. I caress my stomach softly and try glowing as I walk, looking for my babies, hoping they'll glow back. I reach the edge of the trees and walk through them toward the laughter and voices that I can hear now; voices in what sounds like The 'Daddy language'. I ache for my babies. Where are they?

A few more steps and the ground dips down and I smell the crisp flow of water before I hear the rushing of a stream. I take a few more steps and catch sight of long curly red hair on a small child bending over the stream. She laughs and mutters something to another little girl with bright strawberry blonde hair who is sitting beside- "Godric?"

The girls turn toward me and squeal before the smaller one leaps into the air for me and the other rushes me at vampire speed. "You're HERE!" The red head squeals as she throws her arms around my legs and hugs me tightly.

"You're awake!" the other exclaims and wraps her arms around me as well and- they're mine. I know they are because having them in my arms feels complete. I reach out with my mind and find Erica's consciousness going a million miles an hour as she climbs up my body and kisses my cheek. I hug them back tightly. I reach into Addy's mind to find she thinks a little slower but is just as happy to be hugging her mother.

"Godric," I repeat as he smiles and approaches us. "What's- where are we? Where's Eric? What's going on?"

The girls jump out of my arms and stand beside me, staring up at me. Addy starts smoothing out my dress gently and Erica tugs on my hand. "We have to find the boys," she says. "They'll be so excited."

"Gå hitta dem, Barn," Godric says and she flits off to find them, with a combination of running and flying as she bounds down the bank of the river, bouncing from bank to bank with glee.

"Godric-"

"A spell, Sookie. Do you remember being at home when you were attacked?" I shake my head. "A spell from a powerful witch was meant to take your consciousness, essentially killing you, but we intervened, brought you here instead."

"Where are we? Who is we? Who intervened?" I'm so confused but- I throw my arms around him and hug him tightly. He is the closest thing to Eric I have and I'm relieved, even if I am crazy. Eric even shares some of his scent, from the blood that gave Eric life, the blood that helps my children grow. "It's good to see you, or hallucinate you as it were."

He laughs softly. "You're not hallucinating, Sookie. Our souls are merely energy that pass through worlds of existence. This is simply another place to exist."

"Eric misses you," I tell him.

"And I him, but I'm always around," he smiles softly. "Always present in his blood and his heart."

"And sometimes you appear to him. Sometimes you appear?" I question.

"It takes great energy but yes, I have appeared to him when he needed it the most."

"Will I remember this in order to tell him?" I wonder and touch my stomach as Addy's hand rests there and glows brightly. I look down at her and touch her sweet face. "Hello my little love," I smile warmly and her face brightens and suddenly, she's teleported into my arms. I laugh and kiss her cheek. "We haven't gotten to talk yet, huh? You've been too little to reach out to me, or haven't tried."

I listen, Mamma.

"You listen? To Daddy and I? And to your siblings?"

To everyone.

Can you hear everyone's thoughts, Addy?

She nods slowly and touches my shoulder and I'm overcome with a mess of overwhelming thoughts from Eric and myself but also Pam and Emma and Morgan and Jessica, Tara, the babies, men working on the club- it's too much.

"No wonder Aidan needs to protect you," I whisper. "I promise it will get easier. I can try and help you learn to tune everyone out." I'm pained for my little girl and how much she's already suffered because of our 'gift'.

Her hand glows green and the voices disappear in her head immediately.

I'm okay, Mamma. Don't be upset.

The she leaps out of my arms and flies down to the water and hovers over it for a few seconds before taking off on Erica's journey, only she flies downstream, her fingers grazing the water as she does.

"Are they okay? Will they- why aren't they in my stomach in this place?"

"It's their consciousness here, not their physical selves. And yes, they are safe here. You all are. You will be as long as they need to break the spell and kill the witch who created it."

"Who brought us here? You?" I ask and follow as he walks down to the bed of the stream and we sit. I dip my toes into the water. It's warm and feels wonderful to my skin, as does the sunlight. Perhaps it is simply this place but I feel the sun soaking into my pours, feel my skin absorbing its energy.

"You must not rush to be like him," he states and I turn to look at him. "Min Eric has never been patient. But do not rush the darkness, not when you have the light. You'll know when it's time to join the night."

"You don't want me to be a vampire?" I ask, not as if I'm in a huge rush to be turned, but-

"You have much more life to give," he states and turns to look downstream. "Much more than five."

"Are you- will I be able to have more children?" I wonder. "Can Eric and I make more babies together?"

I feel a rush of pure joy seconds before there's suddenly a little boy sitting in my lap and I know his mind. "Aidan!" I exclaim happily before throwing my arms around him. "Hello, my little peanut!" I hug him tightly as he does to me as well.

"I told you," Addy says as she appears beside me and starts playing with my hair, which I notice is much longer here, by a couple feet at least. "Isn't she divine?"

He says nothing out loud and I can't make out what they're saying but I hear them talking to each other in a language I haven't heard before. The conversation ends with a couple laughs and he crawls in my lap and curls up against me while she stands behind me and plays with my hair.

I look back to Godric who is smiling. "Can we?" I repeat my question. "Can Eric get me pregnant again?" I assumed this was a one time thing but-

Godric nods. "You'll have many more to come. A new generation of supe. Fae-vampire hybrids."

"Will they grow old and die? Or will we have time with them?"

Aidan looks up at me and shakes his head. "Silly," he states before his hand glows and blasts the water to make a huge splash which makes him giggle.

"MAMMA!" I hear voices screaming and I look down stream to see Erica leading the way with two other boys flanking her: the only two I don't know anything about. They all appear to be around five or six years old and are all so sweet. The two others have dirty blond hair, one darker than the other but both are stunningly handsome already and very broad. They'll be strong warriors like Eric.

"Mamma!" Erica squeals as she races toward me and lands gracefully next to Aidan in my lap.

"Mamma!" my other two boys smile happily as they throw themselves between Godric and I in the grass.

"Hello, Boys," I smile and touch each of their faces. They're definitely more Eric than I in their stature and pallor. "I don't know your names yet," I tell them.

"I'm Cory," the darker haired boy says. "And that's Liam."

"Liam Alexander and Jason Corbett," Erica specifies.

I nod and smile at my boys. "I haven't gotten to talk to you yet, huh? But Erica has shown me glimpses of you." I run my fingers through their hair. "You both look so much like Pappa. He'll be so proud."

"Indeed," Godric agrees with a nod and touches both their heads. "Strong fighters they are."

"Do ya'll have fangs," I wonder and pop mine out to show them but they don't pop. "Where-"

"Not all parts of the physical self are transferred with the spiritual self," he explains. "Likewise not all attributes of the children are here. But they should all have fangs."

"Will they drink blood? I assume, right? Since I am?" Though I wonder if it'll still smell good to me after the birth. "Godric, who brought us here? You said we? Who is on our side?"

"Many," he states. "Ancients and Elders from both sides, wanting to protect their investment, to join what once coexisted, to make it right once more. To set an example for others."

"Is Eric okay? He must be worried, if I'm unconscious there? He must be-"

"Worried, yes. But he knows now that you are with me and will be kept safe. Now he can focus his energies elsewhere."

I smile and think of my Eric. I ache for him.

It's okay, Mamma.

I glance over my shoulder at Addy as she strokes my cheek and comforts me. I feel them all sending me love and strength and it warms my heart to know the bond we share will still be there once they're born. They are part of the blood bond Eric and I share and it won't be severed during birth. I feel a warm purple glow against my arm and see Aidan stroking my skin gently, his palm glowing and fingers leaving purple sparkles on my skin.

He's a very special boy.

He smiles softly, amused at my thoughts.

Can you hear me too, Aidan? Can you hear everyone too?

"He can't," Addy states. "But we know you, Mamma."

"Does that mean ya'll won't give me trouble when I say it's bedtime?" I ask and Cory and Liam laugh at me. Oh yes. I have a feeling their will will try and be the way, like Eric. Luckily I have a strong Viking to help me parent these five.

"He can hear me," Godric states. "He reached out to me one night when I was visiting. I thought I would end, Sookie. But there is no end to a soul, just a journey. Aidan... he is in tune with other journeys, other planes and realms."

"He's a medium? He can talk to the dead?" Like Lafayette.

"Not just the dead."

"So... there was an attack? A spell? By who? Why do people keep trying to kill me? Or kill us? Eric, me, the babies... We just want to be happy."

I glance at my sweethearts as they enjoy the sun with me, Erica beside me and Liam and Cory beside her, pushing each other playfully, Aidan in my lap, stroking my arm with sparkles in his fingers and Addy playing with my hair happily... I want my family safe. If I can't keep them safe, how do I have the right to try and have more children?

"Happiness often comes at great cost," Godric states. "My happiness here, on this plane, cost my other life, cost Nora greatly."

"Eric feels guilty about her," I tell him. "He worries about her and feels... shame. He couldn't help her in time. He doesn't talk about it, but I know."

"She made her choices based on my abandonment. She is fierce in her convictions though; it's why she was chosen. I visit with her frequently. Please tell Eric she will endure what she must."

"Will I remember all this when I wake up?"

"What you must."

"How long will I be here? How long have we been here? How will we know when to go back?"

"I will know," Aidan states. "Pappa must make it safe."

I look at my little boy and stroke his cheek gently as I wonder: did he bring us here? Did Aidan do this?

"Tell us about Pappa," Liam ruquests.

"Oh yes, tell us about Pappa. Is he really very tall? Aidan said he's very tall," Cory smiles as he rolls toward me and places his head on my leg.

"Yes," I nod with a smile. "He is very tall and very strong, fast too. Handsome like you both and intelligent as well. He's lived a long time and has traveled all over. And he can fly, super fast."

"When did you meet Pappa?" Addy asks as she crawls into my lap with Aidan, pulling my hair over my shoulder so she can braid it while I regale them with stories of their father.

As if I didn't already love them, I fall in love with each and everyone of my babies. Their eyes light up as I tell them about how Pappa saved me from the crazy people at the church and how he protected me from werewolves too. I can tell they are quite enamored with their father and how powerful he is.

I tell them about how brave he was to protect me even when he was being hurt badly and I explain how Aunt Maurella came to heal Pappa and ended up allowing us the ability to create them from fairy healing magic. I remember the first time I felt their little minds and the first glimpse of them I saw. I know these are stories I will probably tell them a hundred times but I have a feeling they will love hearing them. Perhaps I should write them down for future generations of Northmans.

Future generations... could there be such a thing? They certainly all feel very much alive and human, to an extent. Is it possible I could have grandchildren one day? Or great grandchildren?

After a few more stories I notice they're yawning and that Addy has already fallen asleep, with my hair bundled in her grasp like a blanket. Aidan is curled around her. Erica is draped around them both and Liam and Cory have also wormed their way into the bundle that's curled up in dress, between the crook of my legs.

"They grow tired, very quickly," Godric informs me. "But they sleep like vampires: still, silent and deep."

"We're going to need a very large bed for them too, huh?" I muse as I stroke their hair and little faces. Cory's leg is swung over Erica and Aidan. Liam's arms are over his smaller two siblings protectively. They all seem to be surrounding Addy and Aidan more than anything. I have noticed that Addy and Aidan are the smallest of the five and perhaps the most fae-like. Erica, Cory and Liam will be Eric's Viking warriors, but Addy and Aidan... I believe they are more fae than anything.

"There's a duality to all of them, as with any creature; multiple facets of their existence on this plane and any other. The two smallest are powerful but not warriors. Their siblings sense that and will struggle to protect them at any cost: a noble quality yet dangerous."

I nod as I heed his warning. It is good for them to protect their siblings but not at the cost of their own safety. Eric and I must ensure that is a choice they are never forced to make.

"Did Aidan do this? Did he bring us here?"

"With a lot of help, Sookie. He reached out to me when he felt something was going wrong. He was scared of the visitor."

"The visitor! In my room! I woke up because they were screaming at me and scared!" I remember the meeting in the kitchen and the pain that ripped my body apart, the feel of bones breaking as their terror filled screams shot through my mind. I look down when I feel a wave of calm and they're all glowing blue where they are touching me. "So he sensed that something wasn't right?"

"We were able to move quickly and call him to us, here. We didn't realize he'd bring you all with him, but... luckily he did. I thought he needed to talk or get information but he knew you were in danger. He has great power."

I look down at him, curled around his little sister, with his other siblings dropped around him protectively. He's very powerful. No wonder others are afraid. People who want to do true evil in this world will not want a family of supes out there to stop them. I stare at them and accept that it will be a constant battle to keep them safe, especially until they are fully grown and able to defend themselves.

"Eric can neutralize this," Godric states. "And now that he knows you are all safe, he can focus on that, with some help."

I nod and look down at my babies all sleeping soundly, like the dead. I wish Eric could see this right now but as long as I know he is safe and that we are safe, the separation is bearable.

But that Viking better hurry up if he knows what is good for him.

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AN: Well? Did you enjoy it?