It Can't Be

We're getting closer to the end and I hope that you all enjoy. Thanks so much for your reviews, alerts, and favorites. You all have been absolutely fantastic. Well those of you that haven't been mean just for sport. Anyway, thanks for sticking with me and having fun.

The sound of her name being called roused Sookie out of a deep and much needed sleep. She tried ignoring the call but she couldn't. The tighter she closed her eyes, the louder her name became. The sound of the voice kept pulling at her. It almost sounding as if the voice was taunting her; teasing her. She opened her heavy and disoriented eyes trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. It couldn't have been in the house since the voice sounded so far away.

'Sookie.'

This time she sat up in bed looking for the person that was calling out to her. She looked to her left and Eric was lying there as peaceful as ever. It couldn't have been him. He hadn't moved since he'd gotten into bed this morning.

"Bill?" Sookie called out in a small voice. She didn't know why she called out to him because she knew that it wasn't time for him to rise either. It couldn't have been any of the sheriffs because Bill and Desmond had sent them back to their areas last night. Sookie didn't learn of this until after she and Eric had returned from a night out exploring the royal grounds. She didn't get any information from Bill or Desmond. They didn't want to disturb her free time with Eric. However, they did leave her a note letting her know that they needed to have a meeting with her and Eric and the royal guards later on that night before meeting up with Threadgill.

Once Sookie had realized that she was alone, she leaned over and kissed Eric before lying back down to go to sleep.

Within seconds she was sleeping and dreaming of Sophie Ann. She dreamt of the first time she ran away from her maker. Sookie had been so excited to be able to have someone so powerful on her side to help her look for Eric; her Viking, her future husband. On her first night as a vampire, Sookie ran off to find him. She roamed the streets for Orland. She hunted the woods of Orland. She went to different pubs and squares but she couldn't find him. When they traveled to Rome, she searched for him. Paris and Russia; she looked for him without fail. When they were in Russia, for two nights she hunted for him but she never found what she was looking for. She decided that she needed to fan out a little more; go a just a little bit further. Go deeper into the lands to see if she could find him.

On the third night, that's what she decided to do. She went further than she'd ever gone to search for him. She didn't think to ask Sophie Ann. It shouldn't have mattered anyway. Sophie Ann offered to help her search for Eric. Sookie assumed that her maker wouldn't mind. She was wrong. On the third night of her hunt, she got the call from her maker but she ignored it. Sookie looked for Eric a little while longer. After a couple of hours of no success, she went back to Sophie Ann.

"Did you not hear my call?" she asked Sookie.

"I did but you said that …" Sookie never got to finish her sentence.

Needless to say, she was punished; severely punished. Sophie Ann's favorite punishment was the use of nails and chains. She enjoyed hooks but nails were her favorite. There were times when Sookie would get beatings from Sophie Ann and according to Sophie Ann, the beatings that Sookie received on regular basis were nothing less than what she deserved. Sophie Ann assumed that her outrageous and unusually cruel punishments would keep Sookie in line.

They didn't. They only made her more determined.

The only punishment that changed Sookie was the killing of her brother. After that night, she never looked for Eric again. The night that she killed her brother, Sookie's life no longer held any meaning. She'd lost all will to live and Sophie Ann knew it. She could see that Sookie no longer wanted to walk the world with her and Sophie Ann was not going to walk this world alone. She knew that if given the chance Sookie would meet the true death …or so she thought. So Sophie Ann forbade Sookie from ever trying to end her life and because she was ordered by her maker to never try and kill herself, Sookie had to endure a life filled with loneliness and hate. It never bothered Sookie to be a vampire. As a matter of fact, she rather enjoyed. What bothered her was her maker.

'Sookie.'

Sookie opened her eyes once more and looked around the room. She was the only one of her kind that was awake. During the daylight hours, humans aren't allowed on the compound. No one was allowed in the house. Bill knew of a witch called Amelia that was very powerful and strong. Once Sookie became queen, he had Amelia place wards on the house to keep all non-vampires out during the day. So Sookie knew that she was alone.

She cautiously laid back down; this time not closing her eyes. She reached over and gripped Eric's hand. His presence made her feel better. He made her feel safe. She thought about their last two nights together and how happy she was. She loved how he called her 'lover'. It was as if no one had ever used those words before. They were made just for him to address her. For the first time in her existence, she needed someone and it scared her.

"You're really here," she said to the sleeping vampire. Sookie reached over and touched his thick blond hair. For the first time since they've been together, she realized that their hair was the same color. She smiled and for once it was a truly, happy smile. He was actually there with her and she was happy. She was too happy. She knew to never be too happy. Sophie Ann would take it away.

Tears filled her eyes because she knew that until they came up with a plan to get rid of Peter, she would never truly belong to Eric. She would have to marry Peter and she would have to give her body to him. Though she could still be with Eric, he wouldn't be her husband. But then suddenly, the sadness and the tears stopped; he was with her now. Eric was with her now and he would always be with her. Just as Bill said, Sophie Ann can't take what Sookie doesn't give. She couldn't destroy Sookie if she didn't let her.

"I won't let you destroy me," Sookie said to the silent and empty room.

A maniacal laugh played in her mind.

This time Sookie jumped up from the bed. Someone was in the house; outside of their bedroom.

"You'll never have him."

The voice was distorted. She couldn't figure out who it was or in what direction it was coming from. "Who are you?" she called out. "Answer me!"

"You'll never have him." The maniacal laugh filled her head once more. It sounded as if the person was standing right behind her. When she turned around, no one was there.

"Who are you?"

This time the maniacal laugh was longer and louder; yet still a little distorted. "You'll never have him."

"Stop saying that!" Sookie yelled. "He's mine! Eric is mine!"

"You'll never have him. I won't let you."

Sookie couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I won't let you," the voice said. This time it was clearer than before.

All Sookie could think was that she should've known.

"You're mine."

Oh, God. The dream. She never dreamed of Sophie Ann on her own. The dream was to let her know that her happiness was only going to be short lived. She should've known. The pull was just too strong. The need to obey Sophie Ann was just too strong. All Sookie could think was that she should have known. It was all a setup to get her in New Orleans.

"You will never be happy and however bad your life was before, imagine it when he's gone." The maniacal laugh was louder than ever.

"No, no, no, no, no; it can't be!" Sookie repeated. Sookie dropped to her knees as tears flooded her cheeks. She'd just gotten Eric back. He was hers. Eric had made her empty life whole again and now he was going to be taken away from her? She couldn't lose him. She would die. She would just die.

The maniacal laugh was so louder than before.

The maniacal laugh was real. No one was in her house. No one was in the room with her and Eric. She was in her head as she'd always been. She didn't need the bond. She could reach her children telepathically. Sookie crawled back into bed and looked up at the ceiling. She let her emotions take hold; pain, fear, loneliness, hate. The maniacal laugh resounded over and over again in Sookie's mind.

It was true.

She hadn't met the final death.

Sophie Ann was alive.

She was alive.

A/N: I am so sorry for the delay. I had been having problems with my computer and now she's all better. I hope that you enjoy.