AN: Here's the long awaited discussion of Sookie's history, and the book. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Characters are property of CH.

Chapter 20

Sookie got into the house and sat down on the couch. Eric grabbed a bottle of TruBlood and stood in the doorway watching her.

"Eric, are you going to come in? What are you doing?"

"Just enjoying the view," Eric said with a smile, but quickly sobered up. "What's on your mind, lover?"

"Would you tell me? About Freyja, I mean, and how she factors into my life. After would you... would you hold me and help me look through the book? I think it's time, but I don't want to do it alone." Before Sookie finished her sentence, Eric was settling behind her on the couch, his back to the arm rest, and was pulling Sookie into his lap. She relaxed into his arms. "Thank you."

"Thank you, my lover, this is quite a comfortable position," Eric said, his voice vibrating through his chest at Sookie's back. "Freyja came to me about three days ago -- the day you came to my house -- and she asked me to explain her do you. Due to danger's loving attraction to you, I didn't have time to explain as well as I should have before you two met. You remember me mentioning Gersemi in the stories I told you earlier this week?" Eric paused, but continued at Sookie's slight nod. "She was almost as beautiful as her mother, nearly identical to Hnoss..." Eric wove the tale Gersemi's life in the human world, with elaboration. He told of lovesick admirers, adventures, and an ending with lecherous ill-luck that sent her to the Summerland. The happy ending came from Gersemi and Freyja's reunion, as Freyja can travel between all worlds, including the Summerland. He paused to look down at Sookie, and, upon finding her listening attentively, resumed. "With Gersemi gone, Freyja found a parent for her granddaughter in the Hale's, a couple who had just lost their child to a miscarriage, eight months into the pregnancy. Adele was raised by the Hale's, loved as if she were their own, with no knowledge of her parentage. From the glimpses that Freyja has shown me, Adele grew up strong, and loved, and showed no indication of her 'otherness' except in her beauty. Freyja had some hand in Fintan finding Adele, though after your conversation with Dermot, perhaps you know that story better than I, and she took away her general protection, displeased with the personalities of your father and aunt. You, however, she found to be more similar to her – though I think, less hardened by age and power – and she wants to be involved in your life."

"I think I can handle that… but she can't try to fix everything for me… I don't want to be sheltered from experiences; I want her to be family. Do you think she would accept that?"

"I think she might, but you'd have to talk to her yourself."

"I think I could handle that. Thank you."

"For what now, love?"

"For this. All of this. For being here when I am learning about my history, and just holding me, offering to be there for me, but at the same time allowing me to rely on and care for myself. It really does mean a lot to me."

"Sookie, I love you."

"I love you too. Let's look at the book. I want to deal with it all at once, like ripping off a band-aid." Sookie got up and got the book off of the table. The object itself radiated a light power that made Sookie smile. It felt like a mixture of Claudine and Gran; it felt like kin. She opened it up and a folded letter tumbled out. Choosing to read that first, she put the book aside and unfolded the letter.

"Dearest Sookie,

If you are reading this, it is past my time, and you know what I have endeavored to tell you, simultaneously procrastinating against it. You look like me, so much like me, and you have my curiosity, my zest. You should know that there is a whole other world out there. Vampires and werewolves, other kinds of shifters, even faeries exist in this world! They are all generally peaceful, and don't tend to interact, at least they don't now.

I love your grandfather. Though he is dead, my heart is still his. The faery I met gave me Corbett and Linda, gave me you and Jason and Hadley, but he didn't have my heart, or my love. I did feel something for him. I hope you've had experience enough to know that the heart works in mysterious ways. You can love someone and care for another, crave another, but the memory, the love, of the first is sacred in your heart. As I write this, you are young still, barely eighteen, and so sure of yourself. One of the things love does is make us question, but it's never an experience to be regretted.

Mitchell loved Corbett and Linda as if they were his own, he never asked whose they were, and I never said. He just assumed that I succeeded in getting what we had always wanted. He was such a kind man. He didn't have it in him to hate. I felt guilty, until I saw the faces of my children. They were mine, and as such, they were Mitchell's, simply because I was his.

The faery who fathered Corbett is named Fintan. He is a kind man, and he will keep you safe. Should you ever need help or anything, call him. He used to respond when I said his name; I hope he will do the same for you.

My dear, there are so many things I wish to say, and yet there are many things that I seem to find unnecessary. Love freely. I think that's the most important. You are better than you think, and deserve the best. Let yourself love freely, and don't hold back. You may get hurt, but you will learn so much along the way.

Smile, my love, because even if I am not with you, I am watching.

I love you.

Gran

Adele Hale Stackhouse"

Sookie finished reading and took a shaky breath.

"I think I am going to get an iced tea before I start in on the rest of the book, do you want anything?"

"No thank you, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. I just need... I need to breath and get some iced tea. I'll be back in a minute." With that Sookie turned and left the room. Eric sat back in the chair, listening for her return. When he heard a crash, he jumped to his feet and dashed into the kitchen, utilizing every bit of his vampiric speed.