Sookie:
I wake up in my bed back in Avalon and recall the previous night.
When Eric refused to have sex with me for two weeks, as some punishment for saving him.
I lasted one hundred years, and I think I can make it for two weeks.
Who the hell does he think he is kidding?
The most dangerous threat to my family is eliminated, and that is the most significant relief.
I lay back against my pillows and close my eyes, but instead of relief I feel pain, and I can't breathe.
I unknowingly call for Jason and a second he appears.
I am in a panic as the memories assault my mind.
Tears stream down his face as he climbs on the bed and holds me as he begins to rock me like a child and assure me that everything will be fine.
My eyes are scrunched up, and I can't seem to shut out the memories.
I can hear Eric demanding to know what is going on in the background as I relive my old nightmares come to life.
"MAKE THEM STOP" I hear myself scream in a little girls voice.
Silence throughout the room as I cling to Jason.
"He can't hurt you anymore Sookie" Jason cries as he holds me and strokes my hair.
"Remember what I said in the badlands, NOBODY will ever hurt you like that again," he tells me as he shakes with rage.
"I forgot Jase. I forgot" I sob into his chest as he rocks me.
"Momma hated me Jase. She didn't even want me. They died, and she hated me even though I loved her" I cried.
"Shhhhh" Jason croons as he keeps rocking me.
"Why did he do those things to us Jason" I cry out in a weak child's voice.
"He was a sick, disgusting piece of shit Sook," Jason says with rage.
"You were a little girl, and it was NOT your fault, do ya hear me," he says firmly.
I can vaguely feel Eric's concern, his rage and his need for answers.
Right now, I cannot even look at him or anyone.
I need to scrub my skin from my body.
I scream in pain and burrow further into Jason.
"I need to wash it away Jase" I whisper with shame.
As Jason gathers me in his arms, he pops me to the bathing chambers.
I sit shaking as I watch, absolutely numb as he fills the bathing pool with hot water.
Merlin comes in and adds herbs to the water as Eric watches with worry from the door.
"We will be right outside the door, but if you need us you let me know," Jason says.
I can only nod as the door closes, as I sit and stare into nothing.
Eric:
I felt her as soon as she awakened.
I could feel her irritation with me as well as her internal resolve.
I was not prepared to feel pain from her any more than a moment later.
I rushed to our room to find her burrowed into Jason Stackhouse as he cried with her.
"MAKE THEM STOP" I hear my lover scream in a little girls voice.
There is silence throughout the room as she clings to Jason.
"He can't hurt you anymore Sookie" Jason cries as he holds her and strokes her hair.
"Remember what I said in the badlands, NOBODY will ever hurt you like that again," he tells her as he shakes with rage.
Who did hurt her?
"I forgot Jase. I forgot" she sobs into his chest as he rocks her.
"Momma hated me Jase. She didn't even want me. They died, and she hated me even though I loved her" Sookie cried.
I feel my heart breaking for her.
"Shhhhh" Jason croons as he keeps rocking her.
"Why did he do those things to us Jason" she cries out in a weak child's voice.
Hearing her like this is killing me inside, but I know for some reason this little girl Sookie needs her brother.
"He was a sick, disgusting piece of shit Sook," Jason says with rage.
"You were a little girl, and it was NOT your fault, do ya hear me," he says firmly.
I can guess what had happened to my woman when she was a child.
This horror must be the doing of her Uncle Bartlett that Bill Compton killed.
She screams in pain and burrows further into Jason.
"I need to wash it away Jase" she whispers with shame.
As Jason gathers her in his arms, he pops her to the bathing chambers.
I sit and watch from the door. Sookie is numb as Jason fills the bathing pool with hot water.
Merlin comes in and adds herbs to the water.
"We will be right outside the door, but if you need us you let me know," Jason says.
She barely nods her head as the door closes.
I can barely contain my fury or my concern as I turn to her brother.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON STACKHOUSE"? I whisper to him, so she does not hear me.
He sinks to sit on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.
"When I got to the Badlands I was surrounded in blackness and fog. I could see Sookie's light, but it was dim, and it was flickering" he whispered back to me.
"What the fuck does that mean," I ask in confusion.
As he looks up at me, I can see the torment on his face.
"When I got there I saw every single bad memory from our childhood being played out right in front of my sister," Jason says with anguish.
"The stuff about our momma, I never knew. Sookie never said a word" he said.
The next words from his mouth made my blood run cold.
"Do you know about Bartlett"? He asks me, and I can see the rage beneath the surface, boiling just like mine.
"Yes, I do. Bill Compton killed him". I say.
As Jason raises his eyebrows, I continue.
Bartlett was killed right after I met your sister". I explain.
"Sookie. She remembered stuff in the Badlands that should have stayed forgotten" he said as I saw the tears fall.
Grief crushes me in waves for what she has suffered.
"What happened Jason," I say. Because it is not a question, it is a demand.
"There was never any intercourse," he says.
"He tortured my sister in sicker ways" he whispers in disgust.
"Until my Gran caught him" he says as he stares into nothing.
"Gran stopped him before he could rape my 5 year old sister" he sobbed.
Also, that sick motherfucker did far worse to Hadley. Which explains a lot" he muses to himself.
"He did other things to Sookie. Too fucking twisted to tell" he almost shouts.
He is shaking with rage.
"STOP," Merlin says to us.
"We expected Morgana to do a physical or magical assault. Instead, she came with what is called psychological warfare" he says.
"A more effective torture than physical pain" Merlin continues.
"She will get through this because she has lived through worse" Merlin clarifies.
"When the fuck has she lived through worse, wizard"? I almost shout at him.
He levels me with a glare as Jason Stackhouse looks at me with pity.
"When"? I ask.
"When she went home to Fae," Jason says sadly.
Guilt crushes me.
"She was worse than this"? I ask
"She was in a coma caused by her magic that went berzerk. She was then catatonic" Merlin says.
"When she woke up, the only thing that kept her from taking her own life was the children that she carried," Merlin said.
Even then it was close because she thought that Lochlan had impregnated her during the Fae wars when he raped her while his sister watched" Merlin said disgusted at the situation.
"Those children are what kept her here and changed her into who she is now" he continues.
"Because Amy Ludwig convinced her that her children are your children as well" Merlin continues.
"She was steely resolve and extremely focused," he said.
"That is why she trained and became the best" he smiled sadly.
"I used to hear her talking to the children and even her Gran in heaven," he said.
"She always promised that no person that she loved would be hurt like she was or because of her again," Merlin said.
"She pushed you through the portal because the vampire council had the house surrounded. They came for you and your progeny to wipe out your entire line" Merlin says.
"Sookie killed Bill Compton, Freyda of Oklahoma, John Quinn, Sam Merlotte, and Alcide Hervaux," Merlin says.
"They still think my sister is human. They do not know that she is the heir to Avalon" Jason says.
"She did that to protect you because Aryk already saw that you and your progeny would die," Merlin says.
"There are those on the council and the supernatural community who believe that YOU killed those being's because they shared a history with Sookie" Jason says.
"If you die, what is there left for my sister, Eric," Jason says.
The door bangs open, and Sookie walks out.
"I can hear ya'll talking about me no matter how low you might think your whispering," she says and is annoyed.
"I will be fine. I have lived through that shit and am still standing so I think that we need to call everyone into the war room" Sookie says.
As Merlin looks at her confused, she rolls her eyes.
"It is the biggest table we have here, and since I am to be coronated soon, then we have a lot of shit to go over" she clarifies.
"Jason gather everyone, please? Also, ask Great Grandfather to attend" she says.
As everyone takes note of her resolve, they disappear to do as commanded.
I walk slowly to her and cup her face so that she will look at me.
"Are you well"? I ask her.
"As well as I can be. I won't let that bitch break me" she tells me with fire in her eyes.
"I love you. I will always love you" I say to her and kiss her gently.
"Eric, before we go in that room we need to talk" she tells me.
As we sit on the bed she takes my hand.
"This is my life now" she says with a wave of her hand.
"I would like to ask you to rule with me" she says softy.
"Would you stay with me and rule beside me"? She asks.
I'm shocked by her proposal.
"I would be with you anywhere you are Sookie, I don't need to rule" I say.
"We will be equal or we won't be here at all" she says with finality.
"Would you miss Fangtasia and the human realm"? She asks.
"No, not Fangtasia but there are some things I would miss about the human realm" I say.
"We could travel there and we can also bring modern technology to Avalon. Solar and Wind technology would help with that" she said.
"Lover, I will be wherever you are at" I say as I kiss her forehead.
"Good" she lets out a relieved breath.
"One more thing" she says nervously.
"I want to be married and pledged before the coronation" she says.
"We can be coronated together" she says as she studies my face.
"I love you and as I have already said, wherever you are is where I will be. We are one" I say as I look in her eyes and crush her lips to mine.
"I love you Eric" she says as she keeps her forehead pressed to mine.
"I have a vision for this kingdom. I would like to carry out Arthur's legacy. I want Avalon to be a Sanctuary for any Supernatural beings" she says.
I am awed by her.
"A sanctuary" I say.
"Yes, for all who are in situations in the mortal world. Things are changing and I now see why the Fae has been closed off, but Avalon could be a safe haven for all who are worthy" she explains.
"How would we know the worthy" I ask with a laugh at her gentle heart.
"Our children are seers and would watch for threats" she explains.
"I am a telepathic Fae Princess" she continues.
"You are very insightful and I trust your judgment above anyone else's" she finishes.
"So, do you agree to pledge to me, to marry me and to rule with me" she asks as if there was ever a question.
"Where you go, I will always follow" I say.
After a long searing kiss she stands and holds my hand.
"Let's go inform my council of our decisions" she says with a smile.
I smile at her "yes my queen" I say and kiss her again.
We begin to walk hand in hand to the war room as she begins to talk.
"I am happy we will be married on our terms this time, but it is a shame about the honeymoon, my king" she smiles at me.
"What about the honeymoon"? I ask in confusion.
She lifts her beautiful eyebrow and pouts her lips out.
"OH, I forgot to tell you that I decided to accept my punishment for sending you through the portal. What kind of queen does not abide by her kings wishes" she says with a smile
I smirk and pull her against me.
"Wedding nights are exempt my Queen" I say to her and I feel her cockiness.
"Yes, but my King, I cannot break a vow" she says as she smirks and opens the door to the war room.
"GOD DAMMIT SOOKIE, YOU PROMISED ME" I bellow.
"My promise was forever, I am honoring your two week punishment" she says humbly for show.
Everyone is trying not to laugh.
Karen, Pam and Jason are not even trying.
"Let the games begin Lover" I say to her.
I can feel the anticipation through the bond.
Yes, let the games begin.
