Thank you all for the overwhelming response to the last chapter. All the reviews made me smile! This chapter is quite as cheerful, but it will get better. We all know I can't write a story without a HEA.

Just to remind everyone, this story is unbeta'd. All mistakes are mine. All the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.

Eric woke up with a deliciously soft and warm weight stretched out across him. Opening one eye sleepily he stared down at Sookie's angelic face. Her head was upturned towards his, as if in anticipation of a kiss. All that silky blonde hair was spilling across his chest and onto his bed. Her breathing was deep and even. She was obviously worn out. Hell, he was worn out.

Her first time.

He still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that it had been her first time. Her first but not her last. They had woken up several times during the night, each time turning to each other and making love slowly. He'd taken her numerous times, each better than the last.

"Eric?"

"Hmm?"

"It's late. Shouldn't you be at work?"

Eric laughed and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Ah, my Sookie. The perks of being the boss. I can take a day off here and there. I deserve it."

"Well, unfortunately I'm not my own boss. I should really get to cleaning."

"No."

"No?"

"No, I don't want you cleaning."

"Eric, it's what you pay me for."

"I don't want you cleaning my house." That caused her to jump off of him and stand at the edge of the bed. Somehow he'd said the wrong thing.

"Why not? Did I do something wrong last night?" Perfect white teeth came out to nibble on her lower lip. It was an unconciously sexy move that had him squirming. But the look in her eyes said she was worried.

"You were perfect. I've never, I mean never made love with someone and enjoyed it so much. I just don't want my girlfriend getting paid to clean my house."

"I'm your girlfriend?"

"I'd like you to be."

Sookie sighed and sat down next to him. He felt the bed dip a bit under her weight.

"Eric, you just got out of a relationship. I want nothing more than to be with you. But are you sure this is the right move for you? I don't want to be your rebound girl and I don't want you to regret this later."

When he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down beside him he let out a sigh. Of course this is what he wanted. What he'd thought about and filed away under 'never gonna happen'. But that was before he found out about Felicia. Now that he was free of her, he had every intention of persuing Sookie.

"I won't regret it."

"But I do need to work. I need the money. I need it to help pay for Gran's bills. Gran. Oh God. Eric, I forgot to call my Gran."

She jumped out of his bed like lightening and was dialing numbers on his phone. He watched her tapping her foot impatiently as she obviously waited for her grandmother to answer. He had to admit, he didn't know the full story of why she was taking care of her grandmother, but he knew the woman was important to Sookie. You'd have to be blind to miss that.

"She isn't answering. Eric, I have to go. I have to make sure she's okay."

"I'll drive you, you're too upset to drive. I'll take you and once you see that she is okay than we can have lunch."

"Fine. Just hurry and get dressed." He watched as she quickly dressed and all but ran to his bathroom.

~*~

No more than 10 minutes later they were both in his corvette and headed for Bon Temps. Eric had never been there but he heard it was a backwater town. Sookie kept clenching her fingers every time he took a turn to fast. He would slow down, but at least it was taking her mind off of her grandmother.

She didn't say a word the whole drive. Worry was rolling off her like waves. It was even making him tense. He didn't know why she was so keyed up. Her grandmother could have just been in the bathroom. She didn't even bother trying to call a second time.

"Turn here. My house is at the end of the lane."

As soon as Eric came to a stop she was out of his car and racing up the steps to her home. Eric was content to follow behind her a few steps. He sure as hell didn't want to walk in on her grandmother getting out of the shower.

He didn't care how hot Sookie was, her grandmother was guaranteed to be a whole lot less hot.

But his thoughts of staying behind were shattered when he heard Sookie's blood-curdling scream. The second the sound hit his ears he was off running. He tore through her house like a madman until he found her in the kitchen. Her grandmother laid spralled out on the floor. Sookie was laying across her crying and sobbing.

"Fuck. Sookie. Come here baby. You don't need to see her like this. Come here." Eric reached for her shoulders and gently tugged her off her grandmother. With his other hand he dialed 911 on his cell phone and had the cops come out.

Eric turned Sookie in his arms so her head was against his chest. He cradled the back of her head so she couldn't turn and see her grandmother dead on her kitchen floor. He looked around for any signs of foul play but it looked like natural causes. Iced tea pooled beneath her body, next to her hand was a glass she must have been holding. His best guess was heart attack.

Holding onto Sookie became his sole focus. He couldn't look at the body of her grandmother anymore. A sick feeling was rising in his stomach. His poor Sookie had lost her grandmother while sleeping the night away with him. He only hoped Sookie wouldn't pull away from him. She was going to need all the emotional support she could get in the coming days.

Someone tapped Eric on the shoulder. When he turned around he was facing an older man wearing a Sheriff's uniform.

"I'm Bud Dearborn. Sheriff."

"Eric Northman. I just brought Sookie home from work this afternoon and we found her grandmother on the floor." Eric didn't think Sookie would appreciate everyone knowing she'd spent the night with him. Although it would surely come out eventually, he wanted to give her as much time as she needed to get herself together. Without everyone being nosey about their relationship.

"It looks like a heart attack to me, Mr. Northman. Sookie? You okay there? You want me to call Jason?"

Sookie sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "No. It's okay Sheriff. I'll call him. He should hear this from me."

"That's fine. I'm going to call the coroner to come on down here and pick her up. You want him to get her prepared for a funeral right away."

"Yes, please."

Eric could barely stand watching her walk away to get her phone and call Jason. He followed her halfway and tried to listen to her conversation. Feeling minorly guilty for listening he went back to the living room. He was avoiding the kitchen until after the coroner left. If she were smart, Sookie would too. She didn't need that scene to be the last memory she every had of her grandmother.

"Eric? Can I ask you a favor?" Eric turned at the sound of Sookie's voice and immediately gathered her back up in his arms. He didn't plan on letting go unless she made him.

"Anything. You can ask me for anything."

"Would you stay with me tonight? Please. I don't want to be alone."

"Of course. I wouldn't let you be alone. How about you come stay with me? I know you have arrangements to make, but you can make them from my home office."

"Thank you." Her head was buried in his chest, her words came out mumbles.

"Come on, get a few things and we'll leave as soon as Dearborn gives us the all clear."

She nodded but made no effort to pull away from him. Sliding his hands around her waist he lift her up.

"Wrap your legs around me." Her legs encircled his waist as he carried her through the house. Searching each room until he found hers. It was so obviously Sookie that he knew it was hers without asking. A plush blue comforter covered white bed sheets. Pictures of her and her family hung on the walls. It felt weird being in Sookie's space. Weird, because he felt so at home.

He slid Sookie down his body until she was standing on her own feet. Once he had her backed up to the bed he gave her a nudge until she sat down.

"How about telling me what you want to pack and I'll get your things for you."

"I'll get it." She seemed to snap out of her trance and began to move around her room in a blur of flying clothes and shoes. When she was finished she placed a small overnight bag of clothes, shoes, and toiletries next to him.

As he was picking them up to carry out to his car, the Sheriff appeared in the doorway.

"Sookie, it's all taken care of. The church will be waiting for your call about the service. We've got her at the coroners office. You're okay to leave if you'd like."

"Thank you Sheriff Dearborn."

"Your grandmother was one of the finest women I've ever known. We'll miss her. You take care of yourself dear and let me know if you need anything."

"I will. thank you."

Once Dearborn left Eric started shuffling Sookie to the door. Once again they were stopped by someone. This was a young someone. A younger guy who looked like Sookie. Must be the brother.

"Jason, I'm so sorry."

"Shh. It's okay. It's not your fault. It was just her time to go." Eric reluctantly released Sookie into the arms of her brother. He watched as Jason rocked her from side to side before letting her go back into Eric's arms.

"Jason, I'm Eric. Sorry to meet you under these circumstances."

"Shit. Nice to meet you too. Thanks for hiring Sookie. This job really helped us out with gran."

"Pleasure has been mine. Look, I'm going to take her back to my place for a few days. I'll help her make arrangements."

"Yeah, thanks man. I should probably do the 'if you hurt her' speech, but it looks like you're taking good care of her."

"I am and I will." Eric heard Sookie sniffle and start crying again. "I'm going to get going." He pulled his wallet out and handed Jason a card. "Call me if you need anything, or if you need to talk to Sookie."

"Thanks a lot."

"No problem."

Eric turned Sookie towards the door and steered her to his car. Once she was settled other than her sniffles and occasional hiccups he started the drive back to Shreveport.

He had the whole ride ahead of him to figure out how to make everything better for her. He was determined to help her through this, and to see her smile again.