AN: It seems a bunch of you just did not like that last chapter. And apparently there's about 3 of you still reading this. *waves* thanks for reading still! I did say it was going to get worse before it got better right? Just a few points. I don't know who said it, but Sookie only slept with Quinn, not 2 other guys. Yes she !#$ Quinn. Also when Sookie was in the room with the doctor, the only telepath there was the doctor, who got a nice look into Sookie's already screwed up mind. I don't give into peer pressure, and the only thing I'd change from that last chapter would be the doctor scene with the telepathy.

I've known girls who have done completely destructive things to themselves. I've tried to help, we all have, but then they reach that point where they just fall and they hit rock bottom, and there's no where else to go. That's when they pick themselves up and drag themselves out. Sometimes we can help them sometimes we can't. Either way, I drew from their experiences, and if you're wondering, they're happy now. It's always gonna get worse before it gets better.

Sookie set down the frothy mug of beer on the table. There sat 5 college guys with there eyes all glued to the TV. There was a football game on. It was LSU vs Notre Dome. There could be a fire and they wouldn't notice.

"Do you need anything else?" Sookie asked

The guys didn't say anything. Sookie took that as her cue to make the rounds at the other tables. She had started working at the college bar to help with her scholarship that she had gotten to go to NYU. She didn't mind working at the bar, most of the people there were there to drink beer and watch the game. It made her job pretty easy.

She found it ironic that she was in a sports bar, First Down, and every week she'd see him on TV. She didn't get used to it, it just didn't bother her as much anymore. The semester started for her and she was doing great so far. Course books were expensive, the people were always in a rush, but the speed of New York kept her busy that she always had something to do.

Sookie went behind the bar to drop off dirty beer mugs. She heard a roar from the crowd watching the game and then a hush of silence. She looked at the crowd and their expressions. She looked over at the TV. She focused in on the number on the jersey of the player lying lifeless on the ground. It was #35. It was Eric, and he wasn't moving. She grabbed the remote and increased the volume on the tv.

"It appears number 35 took a massive hit, now in the replay we can see that he literally flipped over a few times before landing back onto the ground and then you can see he lands on his head. You could hear the bones breaking as he landed. He's unconscious right now, but let's all hope and pray for a speedy recovery for him. I hear there are some scouts here today watching him."

"Eric..." Sookie dropped the remote

Sookie felt a pain in her chest. It was like someone punched her and she couldn't breathe. This was Eric, cocky, overconfident, unbreakable Eric. He'd wake up from this and act as if nothing happened. He'd wake up and be as smug as ever. She didn't need to worry about him. She hadn't thought of him in months, maybe not months but long enough. She took her phone out of her back pocket and fumbled around and found Pam's number. She texted her.

If you need anything let me know

Sookie went back to her apartment. It was a small apartment but close enough to school and work. Amelia was at rehearsal. She managed to get a part in a play that was way off broadway. So far off it might as well have been in Brooklyn. Sookie kicked her shoes off and sat down on their futon couch. She picked up her text book and started to reach the chapter for her business class.
Amelia walked in, humming happily.

"Hey Sookie, how was work?" Amelia asked

"Same old same old, pour beer, give them beer, take the empty glasses and repeat."

"Rehearsal was fun. This is my first play since I was 8 and I was a tree in the background"

"Well you've come a long way. You're not a tree anymore"

"You too. You look good. Maybe a change in scenery is all you needed"

"There are some things I still can't escape. I wish Tara was here."

"I miss her too. But damn when she got into Georgia Tech, you knew she was gonna go"

"I know. I think it's just good that we left Louisiana. I swear it felt like I was going to go crazy there."

"It's all behind you now"

"I know."

"Do you ever think about, you know, all the stuff-"

"No, I mean I did it, it happened, but it's not who I am. Hell that really was one crazy summer. I don't know what I was doing. But it's over, and it's a part of me."

Amelia sat down next to Sookie and hugged her.

"No one is judging you, and if anyone tries to make you feel bad, then screw them. It's not like they're so goddamn pious and perfect anyways. I'm glad you came to New York with me"

"Well I did come for school you know. NYU gave me a scholarship and I really couldn't say no to that. And the Stern Business school is suppose to be pretty damn good"

"And because I'm such a great roommate!"

"Of course. Have you heard from Tray?"

"No," Amelia said as she got up and went to the fridge to get something to drink

"Is something wrong?" Sookie asked

"No, I couldn't stay in Nola for him. I mean I came to New York every summer and every spring break. I had to come here to follow my dream, otherwise I'd always be left wondering. Do you want a soda?"

"No thanks"

Sookie came in for her shift the next day and the guys were watching the game again. She was making her rounds at the table when she noticed the sports announcers talking about Eric again. She was reading the closed captioning.

Well it seems like number 35 is still in the hospital. He's got a few broken bones, and sadly he's in a coma. But the doctors say since he's so young he should recover from this. Today LSU is going to have a moment of prayer for him. We wish number 35, Eric Northman a speedy recovery and hope to see him on the field soon.

Sookie went to the back. She fished her phone out of her back pocket and looked for Pam's number. She called it, something she hadn't done in months. Pam didn't answer, so she left a mesg.

"Pam, I just heard about Eric, is he ok? I mean he's in a coma? Um, can I, um call me back"

Sookie couldn't believe it. Eric was in a coma. Was he a vegetable? Was he just stuck there lying on the bed trying to communicate with people but he just couldn't? Did his brain just shut off? She hadn't seen Eric in well over a year. Would she want to see him though? Her train of thought was broken when Pam started calling.

"Pam, are you ok?" Sookie asked

"Sookie, I'm fine, Eric's..." Pam's voice cracked as if she had been crying

"I heard, do you need anything?"

"They're moving him to New York to see some brain specialist. We're going tonight."

"Which hospital?"

"Saint Vincents"

"I know where that is, I can meet you there?"

"Could you bring me something to eat?"

"Of course, when will you be here?"

"By the morning. Sookie, it's really bad. He's broken a lot of bones, his back is broken. They're not sure if he'll even walk again" Pam sobbed out

"Pam, I'll be there as soon as I can ok? Just hold yourself together a bit longer"

Sookie rushed to the hospital, holding a bag of breakfast for Pam and a hot coffee. Sookie ran towards the nurse's station asking what room he was in. They pointed her in the right direction and she bolted towards the elevator. Her heart was racing not because she ran to the hospital, but because this would be the first time she would see him in over a year. Their last conversation was a fight in which she left in tears with her heart broken.

She walked into the room, where she saw Pam sitting next to him in a chair. She looked like she had been to hell and back. She hadn't slept in days and it showed. Her blonde hair was tangled and she didn't look like her fashionable self. Sookie's eyes looked over at Eric's lifeless body laying in the bed, with several tubes coming out of him connected to machines. He was covered in bandages and bruises. Her once strong, cocky, unbreakable Viking lay there helpless to the world. The same Viking that was willing to get tased for her, that punched Bill in the face, that carried her when she was drunk, was know laying there broken.

"Pam" Sookie reached out and touched her on the shoulder.

Pam jerked up. She was on edge and hadn't slept in days, and it showed.

"Sookie!" Pam got up and hugged her, "I'm so glad to see you"

"Pam, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Eric's the one that's being a vegetable right now"

"I brought you breakfast."

"Thanks, I haven't eaten in so long. I keep this up and I'll look thinner than Kate Moss, which wouldn't be a bad thing"

"Eat Pam. I just want to talk to him"

"They say they can hear you if you talk to them, but I think Eric's just laughing at everyone right now"

"Why do you say that?"

"He likes the dramatics of it"

Pam sat back down and started eating her breakfast wrap. Sookie moved closer to the bed. She reached out and held onto his hand. They were still big and callous. She rubbed the back of his hand and looked up at him. She wanted him to open his eyes, so she could look into his blue eyes again.

"Bet you didn't expect to hear from me again. Then again I didn't expect you to be in New York. You know I kinda picked NYU cause I wanted to get out of Louisiana. I wanted to get as far as I could from that state, from you. But no matter what I couldn't escape you. I work in a sports bar where they watch you play every week. Ironic. I'm not mad at you anymore. I'm not anything at you. I just want you to wake up. You're doing a number on Pam. I want you to wake up and be a cocky, smug, over confident bastard that you always are. Please wake up."

Sookie's eyes filled with tears as she held onto his hand. She was overwhelmed with emotions and memories of him. Her strong Viking was reduced to this. She had to be strong and not collapse under her own weight. It killed her inside to see him like this.

"I want you to wake up Eric. I want you to wake up because you're the only person I've been in love with. Because part of me still loves you, please Eric, just wake up. I met you when I was 15. I gave you my virginity when I was 16. You broke my heart when I was 17. And after all that, I still love you, you cocky bastard." Sookie wiped the tears that were streaming down her face and bent over and kissed Eric on the check.

"I'll be here when you wake up."

Pam was sitting in the chair next to Eric when someone walked into the room. She looked up and recognized who it was. She got up and hugged him.

"Godric!"

"Hello Pam. I came as soon as I heard about Eric"

"It's good to see you. It'll be good for Eric to hear you"

Godric walked over to Eric and looked at him.

"How bad is it?"

"He broke a lot of bones, they're not sure if he'll walk again. And he's a damn vegetable that needs to wake up"

"Has your father been here?"

"He was once, when we were down at LSU, then he had Eric moved here, if he's been here it must have been when I've fallen asleep"

"Have you gone home yet? Have you slept in an actual bed since you got here Pam?"

"No, I want to be here when he wakes"

"Have you eaten?"

"Why? I'm skinner than Kate Moss right now. I wouldn't trade that for anything"

"You'll burn yourself out, and then you'll end up here in the next room. You should get some rest Pam. Just for a few hours. You can come back. I'll be here the whole time while you're gone. I'm sure Eric will be surprised to see me. For once he'll be speechless"

"Alright. But call me the second he wakes up"

"Of course. I'll stay all night"

"Thanks Godric" Pam walked out of the room.

Godric turned back to Eric who was lying there.

"I wish we were meeting under better circumstances"

Sookie was working her shift at the sports bar when she received a call from Pam who sounded frantic.

"Pam? What's wrong?" Sookie asked she headed to the back where it wasn't as noisy

"Sookie, they're moving him again. My father is moving him to a clinic in Switzerland. I have to go with him. I'm sorry"

"Wait Pam! I'll be there as soon as I can!"

"I'm sorry Sookie"

Sookie ran to the back office and grabbed her purse. She ran into the street and hailed a cab. She couldn't really afford a cab, but she had to see Eric before he was gone from her life again. She swiped her credit card in the cab and ran out. It cost her $17 to get to the hospital. She made minimum wage, but she didnt' care. She ran into the hospital and up the stairs and towards his room. Gasping for air, she raced down the hallway into his room.

And it was empty. The bed was empty. The chair was empty. He was gone.

"No, no, no, no..." Sookie walked slowly towards the empty bed

She touched the indent left in the bed. She picked up the pillow and hugged it. It still smelled like him. She closed her eyes and felt the tears fall.

"Wherever you are Eric, wake up"

Pam sat in the ambulance with Eric as they drove to the airport. She was drained physically and emotionally. She knew she was burning out soon, but she had to hold onto him, at least until they got to the plane. She could sleep on the plane. She held onto his hand and remembered their last conversation together.

"How many scouts do you have coming to see you?" Pam asked

"A lot actually, it's like every game there's a new one" Eric answered as they walked towards the stadium.

"But is it the one that counts?"

"Yeah, they should be here today. I just want to play ball, and get out from under his thumb."

"Dad always liked you better, you were always his golden boy"

"Dad doesn't care, he rather look at me cause I don't look like her. He doesn't hate you" Eric said as he placed his hands on his shoulders.

"Are we going to talk about our feelings now? This is so unlike you" Pam mocked

"Do I look like one of the girls?"

"You do have the cheekbones for it"

"You wish, I'm the pretty one here!"

"Fine you can be the pretty one," Eric hugged Pam and kissed her on her forehead, "I swear I'm going to play pro ball and we can both be free of him. He won't have any control over our lives anymore. And you can spend the rest of your life buying shoes"

"But it's more fun to spend his money."

"True"

"Are you going to go find her?"

"Maybe"

Pam pushed Eric, and he stepped back.

"What are you waiting for?" Pam asked

"I can only handle one thing at a time. And I don't know what to say to her, so much has happened"

"I know"

"But I don't know what to say to her"

"How about I'm sorry? Why is it so hard for you to say it?"

"Because like you said, I'm emotionally stunted"

"Now is not the time for that crap. What is it Eric? What is holding you back? What is it? It's me Eric, your sister. If you can't tell me, then you're more than emotionally stunted. You're fucked"

"Then I'm fucked"

"Not in the good way. I can't help you if you don't talk to me"

"I don't want to do this right now. Can we talk about it after the game?"

"Fine"

"Thanks sis"

"Good luck out there"

Eric smiled and walked toward the locker rooms. That was the last time Pam ever saw Eric awake. She squeezed his hand.

"We're still going to talk about it when you wake up" Pam said

AN: Shorter chapter cause I'm sneezy. Thanks to the 3 that are still reading this! *waves*