Thank you for all the reviews so far, I would reply individually, but it's time right now, but I am grateful! Hope you like this one...
Port of Lonely Hearts
Pam led on her belly colouring her picture of a rainbow as carefully as she could whilst Jessica, 'her best friend of forever' led on the floor next to her, finishing her spelling homework.
'Jess, do you want to hear my plan about Daddy and Sookie?' Pam said, as a tiny little pink wet corner of her tongue poked out the side of her mouth in concentration.
'Sure. How do you spell Yellow?' Jess replied, scratching her ear with the end of her pen.
'Y E L L O W.' She spelt out slowly for Jessica, and then continued. 'I realised from the other day, that when I come into their fight or lack of communication, they get along better for the sake of me. They laugh together especially when they have to work together to make me better. So...I'm going to 'get hurt' or 'go missing' in order for them to work together than realise that they love each other again.' Pam finished, placing down the red felt tip and picking up the blue one.
Jess stopped writing out the word yellow to look at Pam with wide eyes. 'You're going to get hurt?' There was worry and sadness in her voice.
'No...Well yes, well maybe. I don't want to, but I have to do something right? What do you think?' She said hesitantly.
Jess shrugged thinking over Pam's plan. 'I think you're being mental.' Jess said as a matter of fact, looking over at her best friend. She flinched when she noticed Pam's eyes fill with tears.
'Hey, I didn't mean it like that!' She hastily said, reaching her arm over to drape across Pam's shoulders. 'I just meant, well that sometimes you can be a little crazy, because you're so smart you don't realise that you may get hurt or be in trouble.' Jess said in a moment of intelligence matching Pam's.
'I just don't know what to do Jess.' Pam sniffed quietly.
'Well why don't I help? That way you won't be alone.' She said, forgetting her spelling homework and rolling over onto her back, her shoulder touching Pam's.
Pam rolled on to her back and unconsciously linked her pinkie with Jess's. 'Thanks Jess. You can copy my spelling sheet if you want.'
'Thanks, but tomorrow, your dad said we should be in bed by 9, what is the time?' Jess asked lifting her legs up and wiggling her toes for the fun of it.
Pam shrugged, copying Jess, giggling as their toes danced above their heads. 'Come on, let's get ready for bed, Daddy will read us a story!' She chirped, helping her redheaded best friend up.
The girls scurried around Pam's cream and pink room quickly, clearing away the pens and paper and getting dressed for bed. Pam got to brush Jess's hair and Jess happily rubbed moisturiser on Pam's back, her nimble little fingers gliding carefully over the darkish scars.
Carrying a load of nice crisp white washing, Eric had been busy finishing up the laundry until he happened to hear Pam's lilting voice mention Sookie's name. He couldn't help but pause outside his daughter's door and listen to the two little girls' conversation.
He found it to be endearing until Pam had explained her plan fully and it instantly turned from cute to chilling. He couldn't believe what his intelligent little daughter was contemplating. He wouldn't charge in now all anger and concern, he would discuss it later, carefully, like a proper Dad should.
For the millionth time since Pam was born, he had mentally been shocked into remembering that she was just a little girl, like all other little girls, despite how smart she was. And just assuming she would understand adult motives and situations wasn't good enough. Other children would have been sat down and told and cuddled and calmed. 'I'm a shit dad at times.' Eric cussed under his breath as packing the washing away quickly before knocking softly on the door. 'Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in!' He sang and smiled when the girls sang back, 'Not by the hair on our chinnie chin chins!'
'Then I'll huff and I'll puff and blow your house in!' Eric guffawed, bursting through the door and tackling the girls in his muscular arms eliciting squeals of delight from them both. 'Why you're not little pigs, you're little girls; far too skinny for big bad wolfs to eat!' He laughed plopping Jess on the bed and Pam on her feet.
Unconsciously by routine, Pam turned round and Eric pulled up her top and brushed his fingers down her back once, smiling over at Jess. 'Good job Jess, perfect for our beautiful Pamela.' He said encouragingly over at the blushing ginger. Pam rolled her eyes stepping away from her Dad and hopping up into the bed with Jess.
'Dad can Jess come to Sookie's on Friday?' Pam asked sweetly.
'I'll ask Sookie darling. Jess you'll have to ask your parents sweetie.'
He quickly read them a story and tucked them in, placing a kiss to each girl's forehead. He walked towards the door, before suddenly stopping, turning back round solemnly.
'You know girls, even though me and Sookie are no longer together, it's no one's fault. It's just the way it is, there's nothing you can do about it.' He said looking directly at Pam who wouldn't meet her father's eyes. Eric noticed this.
He left, leaving the girls in darkness.
'Pam?' Jess whispered.
'Yeah?'
'Do you think he knows that you were planning something?'
'I don't know. I don't think so. Even if he does we'll still do it, it'll still work right?' Pam whispered.
'Right. Hey Pam?'
'Yeah?' Pam giggled.
'When we get big we should be together.' Jess ventured into the dark.
Pam thought about this and smiled. 'Oh yes lets! Then that way we'll not have stupid problems in love like Daddy and all the other adults.' Pam said with a smile as she looked through the dark at her best friend.
'Exactly, and if I were married to you I'd tell you everyday how beautiful and smart you are, and rub moisturiser on your back until the scars disappeared entirely.' Jessica whispered, sounding in the darkness, older somehow as she laced her pinkie finger round Pam's.
Pam giggled happily. 'And if I were married to you, I'd brush your hair every morning, and kick anyone who ever dared to call you stupid.' She pledged quietly.
'That sounds good, a good plan.'
'You promise?' Pam whispered back, not wishing to break the happy darkness they led in.
'I promise, besides you're my best friend, I love you.' Jessica said with the innocence of a six year old.
'I love you too.' Pam replied with that same innocence, kissing the ginger's lips softly before letting her eyes flutter shut.
...
Eric sat downstairs with a glass of wine, swirling it around lost in thought. He didn't want to phone Sookie and tell her about Pam's idea and ask if Jess can come, and appear all needy and helpless. He wanted to tackle this like the independent father he was.
Which led to the question; should he allow Jessica to come?
It would be giving Pam the opportunity to execute her plan if he did. But then, if he spoke to her before hand, maybe it would just be a nice play date for both girls.
The whole thing was just ridiculous; he didn't even want to go.
Hey, Pam's asking if Jessica Hamby can come too. Let me know, Eric x
He put his phone down and trudged up to bed.
...
Jessica's parents collected her early with promises to bring her back by three. Pam sat on the single seat in the living room watching cartoons and Eric sat on the settee wringing his hands tightly together, making a fist as tight as he could before releasing them, spreading his agile fingers wide with a resounding crack.
He his eyes were trained fully on Pam across from him. Her legs were tucked beneath her; she rested her head on one hand whilst the other rested on her calf. She looked bored. She was half dressed in matching cream knickers and vest, waiting for her favourite dress to finish drying in the dryer. Eric smiled at the sight. This very image before him reminded him of every other early morning in the last three, four years. He would sit in his underwear and an old bed top whilst Pam sat like she did now, or on his lap, and they would watch the telly for a while, have breakfast and it was nice; just the two of them.
Suddenly a cold but strangely warming chill ran throughout his body, bringing out a visible shudder. It was just the two of them again. No other half to contend with, to include. Just them and actually, this wasn't bad, wasn't bad at all.
Maybe this is what Sookie meant by going on a break; getting back to basics, to what their live was truly about. And maybe that's why she was going back to Alcide, her old basic, her life before Eric and before Bill, when she was young and carefree.
Eric finally understood.
'Pam come sit with me.' Eric said out loud, coming out of his thought track. And opened his arms as Pam lithely skipped down and over to her Dad, who easily lifted her up and onto his lap. He rested his large hands on her thighs, and enjoyed the baby soft silkiness of her skin. She rested her head against his chest; and enjoyed the steady rhythm of his heart beat and the 'dad-scent' surrounding her.
'You got something you want to tell me.' He said after a few minutes silence.
Pam groaned and tried to scramble of his lap, but a slight pressure on her legs was enough to stop her.
'Hey hey don't be like that, I'm just asking.' Eric smiled, rubbing her legs briskly as if to warm them.
'Well I don't so don't ask.' She sighed, relaxing against his chest once more.
'Don't be false with me. I can always tell when you lie Pam.'
'Is that so Eric?' Pam shot back with a smile playing at the corner of her mouth.
Eric groaned and swapping the gentle rubbing on her legs to tickling her instead. 'Yes you little runt, I can, so once more, do you have something you want to tell me?' Eric said with a smile as Pam giggled and thrashed against his assaulting hands.
She soon sobered up though, curling in against his chest instead, like a small baby would to sleep.
'Alright then, I'll start shall I? You've thought of a mental plan to get me and Sookie back together, and I'm just here to tell you, that very stupid and dangerous plan will not work, will get you hurt, will make me mad, will make me sad and that will be all. So don't do it please baby girl.' He said lovingly holding her close as she breathed softly in and out.
'Promise me Pam.' Eric asked with more authority when she simply pressed herself closer against his chest.
'Pamela, there's nothing you can do; this break is for the better. Don't you think? It can just be me and you again, back to how we used to be. Sookie may or may not return, but both ways we can still see Sookie often, and you'll always be both of our top priorities.' He asked and was shocked when Pam suddenly shot up and looked at him with fire in her eyes.
'Exactly! If I am the top priority, it just makes my plan that much more right.' She trilled.
Eric felt his own blood rise, frightened that he wouldn't get sense into his daughter. His hands grabbed her shoulders and gave her one firm shake. 'Listen to me little one, please. Do not go and deliberately get hurt or lost. Not unless you really are that intent on hurting me.' One hand came to slide up her vest to rest on her back. 'Remember this?' He asked sadly, and gently manoeuvred her hand to touch the scars on his upper back. 'Do you remember that pain? That was an accident, well accidents happen easily, especially when you set out to cause one in pretence.'
Pam shivered, withdrawing her hand from his back. Tears had silently been making their way down her cheeks for a while now.
'Promise you won't do anything?' Eric asked tilting her head up and wiping her tears away. He received a nod and that was good enough for now. Eric's hand remained under her vest, meticulously rubbing her back until the slightly raised bumps flattened beneath his fingertips. This was routine in this house.
Maybe I'm not such a shit dad after all, Eric thought to himself with a smile.
...
'Nana nana it's me!' Pam yelled running up the Stackhouse lawn as fast as her little legs could take her. Adele Stackhouse laughed happily at the exclamation of the young Northman and caught her happily when she reached her.
'Now how do I know you again?' She said jigging Pam happily, eliciting giggles.
'Nana, it's me, Pamela.' Pam chirped, knowing Adele was playing and was rewarded with a big kiss and an 'I know that baby.' By her adopted nana. 'Hello Jess my love!' She called out to Jessica helping Eric take the luggage out the boot of the car; she paused to wave over at Adele.
'Eric my boy, it's good to see you. You're not getting away this time, you come on over here.' Adele said, placing Pam down and beckoning Eric over, who went happily.
'You boy are not allowed to become a stranger, despite what my granddaughter's got in her head right now. She'll come round.' She said clapping him on the shoulders and giving him a bog smooch on the cheek. Eric felt comforted by this. He didn't really know his mum, so Adele filled that hole whenever he was here, another reason why it hurt so much when they went on a 'break.'
'Thanks Dell, I just hope you're right. Now what's for tea?' He asked hoping to avoid the other question that was burning on the tip of his tongue. That being, where is Sookie?
Adele seemed to get the idea and began plodding back indoors, followed by the two Northman's and little Jess Hamby.
Sookie was down by the lake with Alcide, they were collecting periwinkles for tea. They were up to their thighs in the water, splashing and playing around in the water with each other. 'Alcide, Eric and Pam will be here soon. Maybe we should head back.' Sookie suggested, flicking a big bit of green gook at Alcide.
'Why, you don't go out with him anymore, it's just a family friend visiting.' He said wading out the water with their capture. Sookie watched him pass her and felt a storm of emotion in her stomach, half of her agreeing but the other half hating that idea of Eric just being a family friend.
'I guess...Alcide; you do know I care for Eric very much?' She said and was met with the solemn gaze of Alcide. 'Yes, as I care for Debbie, but that's a different sort of care, Sookie my girl, come on, you can't pine after someone who made you feel rubbish for months and ignored you when things got a bit rough.' Alcide said, pulling Sookie down with him on the ground to dry for a while.
'It was more than a bit rough Ally, Pam was kidnapped, and real life scary gangsters were involved.' She said pointedly.
'Yeah yeah, I know that but I mean, he had a kid too. You shouldn't bring up someone else's child, you should have your own with someone who doesn't have walking examples of a bad past.' He bit his lip, realising that may have been a step too far.
'Alcide! Pam is not some example of a bad past. She is the most intelligent and beautiful little girl I have ever met.' She stated angrily. 'I wish she were my own.' She added less forcefully, an honest sadness in her statement.
Alcide didn't say anything this time, but looked deep into Sookie's eyes. She started to blush, wanting to look away but Alcide had started to move forward a little bit. She could feel his hot breath tingle her face. Her lips parted instinctively.
They kissed. It was a soft, passion filled, hot on a summer's day sort of kiss.
It was a kiss that soon turned in to touching and deeper kisses and before either knew it, they were tightly entwined, thriving with one another. Sookie could feel the tightness of Alcide jean's over his excited erection, and her own burning heat was beginning to get unbearable. 'Shit, shit shit!' She spat between kisses, unsure of what to do, unsure if this was right. Eric flashed behind her eyes and she gasped aloud. 'Fuck!' She gasped and then did something she would never have thought she would and physically grabbed Alcide's hand, forcing it over her burning sex.
Alcide got the hint and began teasing her expertly. She undid his zip and began to shimmy his trousers down a little.
The distant sound of children playing filtered through the air and both worked harder to finish the deed before discovery.
'Now!' She begged and Alcide quickly filled her, creating a steady rhythm, the two blissfully lost themselves in the white blindness of reaching climax.
Neither noticed a tiny gasp, a tiny giggle and retreating steps.
...
Jess came running out the undergrowth that led down to the river, and tapped Pam on the shoulder while she continued counting with her eyes covered. Pam swirled round. 'Aren't you going to hide?' She asked innocently.
'Let's not play hide and seek, let's go back to the house.' Jess said, placing her arm right around Pam's back, physically leading her blond friend back towards the house. She glanced behind her quickly before looking sideways at Pam. Young Jess wasn't sure why, but she felt the need burn through her, and quickly leant in to kiss her cheek.
'What was that for?' Pam giggled, taking hold of Jess's hand.
Jess shrugged, inwardly she thought it was because what she had seen had giving her a funny tummy, made her feel like it was right, but more so than that, it made her even more determined for Pam not to see it or hear of it, knowing it would hurt her best friend, who still blindly hoped for the reunion between her dad and the woman back there on the ground.
'Come on.' She said, reaching the door and let Pam go in first.
Chapter twenty two coming soon...
Ironically, Alcide is the best looking guy and who I would chose on the show, but I needed a character so it was him. I don't really think he's a git. Hope you guys liked, please review pretty please! x