Chapter 23 Part II

A/N: I posted the original Chapter 23 two nights ago at almost three thousand words, so I thought it was long enough, had a cliff hanger-type ending, and I was "dead" tired, but when I saw my Chapter 24 notes, I realized I really needed a Part II for the chapter, so here is the continuation:

Sookie POV

The sun had just set over the trees and Eric appeared next to me as I sat on the porch swing. I hadn't realized that he stayed over at my house, but wasn't surprised or in the least bit shocked by his sudden presence, on the contrary, I thought it was kind of sweet. It was two nights before Amelia and Remy's wedding, and they had gone to New Orleans for the day to introduce Remy and Hunter to Amelia's father.

Amelia was sure that her father was going to blow a gasket when he found out that his only daughter was marrying a divorcé with a child, and not a rich one at that. She was sure that he was going to try to talk her out of it, or force Remy into signing a pre-nuptial agreement. She had told me he'd scared off many beaux in the past because he was so overbearing. She didn't even want him to know about the marriage until after the fact, but I argued that her father might want to walk her down the aisle. Since I didn't have the privilege of a father, I didn't want her to forego the opportunity.

I hoped that her father would see it the same way and understand that Amelia's mind, once made up, stays made up. I'd learned that about her after only living with her for a short while. I don't know that he'd ever figured that out after a whole lifetime with her. Now was a good time to start. I mentally crossed my fingers for her.

She had asked me to go with her, but I declined because Eric had left me an urgent message with Bobby Burnham, who was back to his old disgruntled self. He stopped by to say that Eric wanted to talk with me about something that Sam had brought to his attention during the night. I was going to call him shortly, but here he was, live and in person! He put his arm around my shoulder and closed his eyes as we sat gently swinging in the remainder of the evening twilight. I snuggled in next to him and enjoyed the moment.

I turned to look up at Eric and he bent his head down to kiss me. I felt like I was in high school again, but in a reality that was unlike my high school make-out sessions, which usually turned sour before I got to the kissing part. Ah well, life was a bit more perfect now. I had a home, a man soon to be my husband, and a whole family on the way. No one was trying to get me, or kill me—heck there wasn't anyone left! Then Eric broke me reverie.

"Sookie," he said softly to me as we had toned down our kissing to just a tight squeeze.

"Mmmm…yes," I mumbled pulling away from him enough to look at him. I was sitting on his lap and as I looked to meet his eyes, I had a sinking feeling that something was afoot. I looked at him square and said a little harder, "Yes?" I knew it. I can't catch a break can I? I thought to myself, then said allowed, "You are about to tell me something I don't want to hear aren't you?" I made an attempt to get up off his lap, but I was held firm in place. Let me go! Okay, I was officially ticked off. I just wanted to get away from the situation. I didn't want to be bothered about anything unpleasant.

"Settle down, lover," he said firmly. Gripping me a little tighter.

I breathed through my nose at him, like an angry bull and I narrow my eyes, and said, "WHAT" very slowly and deliberately, "what are you going to tell me? Everything in my life is perfect right now. I don't want to work for the King of Nevada, I don't want to work for you, I don't want to be used by anyone for anything for any reason. OUCH! Stop squeezing me so tight!"

He lightened up a little physically, but made up for it emotionally. "WHERE IS THIS ATTITUDE COMING FROM! I haven't said anything yet! Now stop trying to get away, you promised you wouldn't run!" he screamed at me. I moved to get away from him again and his grip tightened up and he glared at me through ice-blue eyes.

"OUCH! You are hurting me!" I cried with tears in my eyes. "Please stop. I won't try to get away, just let go!"

"Truce?" he said and let go immediately. It took everything I had to sit still and not run in the house and rescind his invitation. I gave it serious thought, but I thought he'd probably beat me to the door, so I put it out of my mind.

I nodded. "Truce."

"Lover, do you trust me?"

"Yes, honey-pie, I trust you," spoken through sarcastically clenched teeth. Truce meant I wasn't going to run, not that I was going to stop being mad.

"Good," he said, sounding a little terse, "then stop being a little brat." My jaw set. I did NOT like being called a little brat. Eric continued, "I'm just trying to tell you something that will hopefully get rid of the last creature that is trying to do you harm, and trying to come between us. Can you listen for five minutes while I tell you about the plan? We don't really have much time."

"Is this why you were staying here? To protect me? Not because you missed me, not because you love me, but because you were trying to protect your asset? And little brat? Don't you EVER EVER call me that again, or so help me I'll find some way to get away from you for good!"

Again, with the deep breath that he didn't need to take. "Sookie," spoken calmly, firmly, rationally. "I stayed here to protect you and to be here as soon as I could tonight. Time is of the essence. Lover, I always miss you. You are not an asset of mine, you are my life. I ache for you every moment you aren't with me. I worry about you until I am almost insane with frustration. When will you understand that?"

"I do understand that," I said quietly, a little chagrinned. "I just…" and then I laughed, "…oh my God, I've done it again, haven't I?" I threw my arms around him and kissed his cheek. Needless to say, he was very surprised by my sudden backtracking. "I'm sorry!" I managed between giggles.

"Hormones?" he asked in a confused voice.

That made me laugh all the harder. "Yes hormones. What would make you guess that?"

"Pam."

"Oh. Bless Pam. Dear Abby?" I guessed. He nodded. "Look, I'm settled down a little now. Talk to me?" I asked. He stared, still silent. "I'm sorry I got upset. Thanks for not letting me run off, but lighten up next time, you really hurt me!"

"Sookie, darling, it's okay. I understand you are pregnant and you fly off the handle at a moment's notice. Stop apologizing. I'm sorry I hurt your arms, but you promised you wouldn't walk away from me. I didn't want you to break your promise. Can I heal them? Are they bruised?" he asked by way of making amends. I declined. "And I'm sorry I called you a brat."

"Little brat!" I corrected.

"Fine—little brat. I'm sorry I called you a little brat. Now the plan that I have to tell you, I don't know how you are going to react and I don't have much time left to tell you before it goes into play. Can I be assured that your hormones won't make you crazy again?" he inquired very seriously.

"You have my solemn word," I said as diplomatically as possible raising my hand in the air.

"Do you remember the two FBI agents that were questioning you a few weeks ago, maybe a month ago? You told me about them at Fangtasia."

I nodded. "Sara Weiss and Tom Lattesta. They were both nice, but I didn't want to give them any information about Barry and they hounded me a little. I haven't seen them since after I was tort-since the Fae War, why?"

"Why? Because they are fairly good at their job. They've been watching you this whole time. They tapped your phones and they watched your cell phone records to see if they could find out if you were talking to Barry."

"Really?"

"No. Not really."

"I don't understand." What point was he trying to drive home here. Whatever it was, I wasn't getting it.

"That was their cover, or at least that was Lattesta's cover. Agent Weiss is really an FBI agent, but she was duped by Lattesta who isn't an agent. Can you guess who he might be?"

I racked my brains. Nothing. "No, Eric, I can't guess, who?"

"This hard about it Sookie. Who might want to know how you are doing? Who might have a vested interest in your well being?" he pressed.

I sat thinking for what seemed like an eternity, trying to piece all the parts together, then suddenly it clicked. I looked up at Eric and his eyes.

"Preston," we said together.

I stared at him for another second, then I got up and went in the house. He must have known not to touch me just then and try to make me stay because I went in a threw up. Preston—my one night stand. Presto—the biological father (read sperm donor) of my children. Preston—whom I thought I'd never see again. Preston—who lied to me about who he was and why he was in my woods last Christmas Eve. Preston—the last creature who was doing me harm? Uh oh! Hurl. Yuck!

I heard the water running in the sink behind me, and felt my hair slowly life back. "Are you okay, lover? You flew in here so quickly; I didn't know what you were doing, but figured it might be this. I'm sorry I took so long to come to see that you were okay."

"I'm fine," I said, and with that he lifted me up and stood me at the counter so I could brush my teeth. Next thing I knew I was sitting on the couch and Eric was making a fire in the fire place. "So what is going to happen?"

"Sam is going to come over in about a half an hour under the auspices of having a friendly conversation with you. The agents are set to come about a half an hour after that. Sara Weiss knows about your telepathy. She will help guide you during the conversation and the interview. Let your guard down and listen to her. Sam will remain in the room, and I will remain in your bedroom. Preston is not to know I am here until I reveal myself. We have a history that I will tell you about later, so it is best if he thinks he has the upper hand.

"You will be the wonderful Southern Belle that you are and offer Sam and the agents some sweet tea or lemonade. Both Sam and Sara will ask for lemonade, and I believe that Preston will shy away from it. The lemonade will of course be pure lemon juice. Sam is bringing over a sack of lemons right now, and here he is."

"Come in Sam. It doesn't seem to me that we have much time for Eric's plan."

"As I was saying," continued Eric, "I want you to wait for Sara to give you the signal and then I want you three to pour your glasses of lemon juice on Lattesta. Even if he's only half Fae, he'll still respond violently to the lemons."

"Eric, I don't know how to feel about this. Are we planning a murder?" I asked him outright.

"Sookie," he said earnestly, "It's his life or yours. Choose one. Personally, I choose yours, Sam?"

"Sookie's. You Sookie?" said Sam conspiratorially.

"This is hardly something to have a majority rules vote about. This is a life we are taking, or planning to take. This is the…oh Eric, I hate saying this, but this person is the reason I have the babies. Sorry, Eric, I know that's harsh, but it's the truth. What would I tell them when they are older, that Mommy and Daddy kill their biological Daddy with good old Uncle Sam?" Did they even realize what they were asking me to do? It's not like I had a totally blemish free track record, but I mean Debbie Pelt was one thing, that was self defense. Lorena was another, and that was self-defense too. But this? This was planned, this was organized. Besides, he hadn't done anything to me except screw me several times one evening, and that I hadn't minded! "I can't do this!" I screamed at both of them.

"Chere, no one else can," said Sam trying to comfort me.

"The lemon juice will only seek to slow him down a bit, like silver does to me," said Eric staring at me intently. "It's the only way we can catch him to find out why he's been stalking you. He's very slippery and very tricky."

"Really?" I said, wanting desperately to believe him.

"Honestly, you can leave the room after the juice is spilled. In fact, it is a good idea for you and Sara to go into the bedroom and lock the door. Sam and I will take care of Preston."

"I can't believe that I'm doing this. Eric you have to promise that you won't hurt him. Promise?"

"No. I keep every promise that I make you, Sookie. I can't promise that I won't hurt him. He and I have some unfinished business from centuries ago. I promise, if I have to kill him, I will make it quick. I won't torture him. You'll be glad when it's over, now let's squeeze lemons." Eric and Sam began, but I begged off.

"I don't think I should be that close to lemons, just in case," I said. Besides the thought of actively participating was gnawing at me. The doorbell rang.

I shot Eric a look. He winked (sneaky bastard) and floated off down the hall to remain in my bedroom. Sam slid into position on the couch. I took a deep breath and opened the door. There were Sara Weiss and Tom Lattesta, who looked nothing like the Preston I knew intimately for an evening. I bid them to come in, so they did. I offered them a seat, so they took seats. I sat too and let my shields down as instructed.

Lattesta began by producing those tired old pictures of Barry the Bellboy again. I feigned not knowing him again. I remember making love to you on this couch, and over on that table, and against that wall… thought Preston. I'm sure I blushed. I hope I caught myself before I was too noticeable. I didn't want to blow my cover, did I? Would he really hurt me? Maybe he still had feelings for me.

Oh I want you Sam, right here, right now…Weiss was thinking. Last night was fantastic! Last night? My word Sam.

Oh, Sara, you were wonderful last night. I could rip your clothes off you right now and take you in a million different ways…Sam thought. He generally wasn't a great broadcaster, so this was a first. This is too much information. I shot Weiss a look asking her to speed up the process. I made it careful not to look suspicious.

It didn't matter as Lattesta, or Preston, or whoever the hell he was began anyway, "Miss Stackhouse, I am sure you are wondering what we are doing back here questioning you again and at such a late hour." Then without waiting for an answer, he turned to Sam, "Look fella, perhaps my partner and I could have a few minutes alone with Miss Stackhouse."

"No dice," I said. "Agent Lattesta, my guest is welcome to hear anything you have to say to me." I was terse before, so I figured that I'd better be terse again to keep up the act. I just wanted a glass of lemon in my hand in the worst way right now. I had a very bad feeling emanating from my babies. Were they trying to tell me something?

Lattesta shifted in his seat. Could he feel that too? Was there some connection between the babies and their sperm-donor father? Would they be upset if something happened to him? "Very well Miss Stackhouse. Let me cut to the chase. The Bureau is prepared to offer you and this man in the photograph an offer of employment on a case-by-case basis. We know you are a telepath, and quite frankly, we could use someone with your talents. Are you interested?"

String him along Sookie. Make him think you are interested. "I don't know, I'd have to think about it. What does it entail?" I asked at Weiss's instruction.

He was taken aback a little at my interest. Good that made it a little more challenging. "Well, we'd set you up with a contract, of course." What else, what else…he was thinking, clearly not prepared.

"Naturally. I would want to have my lawyer look it over before I signed anything." String him along a few more minutes Sookie. Weiss thought at me. We want him to confess to not being an agent—we need to know why he's really here.

"Of course," said Lattesta. "And you'd move closer to a bigger city."

"Oh no I would not!" I said, forgetting myself.

"Well, you'd have to so that you could be closer to the Bureau so that we could use your special talents when need them," he said by way of explanation. My blood was boiling, but I took a deep breath.

"Hmmm, I guess when you explain it like that it sort of does make sense. Where would I live? Would the Bureau pay for me to have an apartment? Or a house? Would they pay to keep this one? After all, this is my family home."

He smiled. "I'll have to see what I can work out with my superior."

"And the pay, what would I be paid?" String, string, string…

"The pay is negotiable, so when can you leave?" he said putting me on the spot.

I evaded the question. "You know I haven't offered y'all a drink. Where are my manners? What can I get for you Agent Lattesta," I said batting my eyelashes. "I have sweet tea and I have some homemade fresh lemonade."

"I'll have some sweet tea, thanks," he said looking a little nervous.

"Okay, one sweet tea, Agent Weiss? Sam? What can I get for you? Can I interest you in my lemonade? I just made it today with Gran's recipe—extra tangy!"

They both agreed verbally to the lemonade and Sam said, "Agent Weiss, how would you like to accompany me to get the glasses and we'll let Sookie set a spell with Agent Lattesta." It's okay Sookie, I know what I'm doing. Sam thought at me, followed immediately by It's okay Sookie, I think I know were Sam is up to coming from Weiss. Play along but only to a point, then tell him no and tell him why you can't go with him. Tell him about marrying Eric. We want him to blow a fuse so he reveals himself.

I had been sitting on one end of my sofa and Agent Lattesta on the other during this whole conversation. As soon as Weiss and Sam had moved to the kitchen, Lattesta moved closer. A lot closer. He put his hand on my belly. "What do you think you're doing?!" I asked in horror, half expecting Eric to come flying out of the bedroom with a vengeance.

"Let's give up these false pretenses Sookie," he said in almost a whisper, "you know it's me."

"You—who? Who are you? I don't understand." He morphed in front of me as I stared at him. He was Preston again. "Preston." He moved in to kiss me. I leaned back away from him. I could feel anger, not my own, building in the bond, oddly I also felt fear emanating from within—not coming from me but from…the babies? I couldn't imagine what Eric was thinking in my bedroom, but I had a great idea what he was feeling and vice versa. "What are you doing here? What do you want from me?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want you to come back with me to Faery. I want us to make love again the way we did on this couch. I know you are pregnant and I want to raise our children together. I want you to love me. You will have everything you desire. You will never want for anything. Your family is there, it's in your blood. It's your destiny. It's what you were meant to do and who you were meant to be."

"Get away from me you sick fuck!" I said with controlled rage. Where were they with the drinks already! "I could never go with you! My life is here, Eric is here, and WE will raise these babies together, not us. You are nothing more than a one-night stand to me. A way to scratch an itch. You have no right to—" and I stopped dead. There was a look in his eyes. I'd seen that look before and now I knew where it was from. A vague recollection popped instantaneously into my head from the time I was tortured by Things One and Two. He was there. "You were there."

Anger filled his eyes and he grabbed for me. I darted away as quickly as I could to the kitchen. He pursued and I was grabbed with vampire speed into the bedroom with by a hand. I was set down gentle, but swiftly onto the bed, and I heard the door slam. I sat up to the sound of a scream, and then everything went black.

A/N: I guess there will be a Part III for this chapter, and I hope it is a short one. It will be from Eric's POV if that matters to anyone. Chapter 24 is going to fun!