Driving back home, I noticed that not only was Eric shirtless but he was also barefoot. I started to ask him how that happened but I figured he didn't really know. He was rather quiet on the way home and I was thankful for the time to think. Once I arrived at the house, I went on inside.

"Maybe Jason has some old shoes over at Sookie's that you can borrow," I said, mostly talking to myself. "Maybe some clothes too." Then I realized he wasn't following me. I turned and I saw him looking at me innocently on the other side of the doorframe. "Oh, you can come inside, you own the-" I stopped myself. He didn't need to know that. "Just come on in." He smiled a little and walked inside. His feet were muddy and he walked toward the new rug that he didn't remember giving me. "Don't step on the rug, please!" He stepped back like a snake had bitten him.

Eric half-smiled at me and whispered, "Sorry." This amnesia was really becoming on him. He was acting adorably. I led him into my living room as he carefully stepped around all of my rugs. I fixed him a bowl to wash his feet in and he sat on my couch.

"I'm gonna into my room for a second, please just stay here." He nodded at me and smiled.

"Thank you so much." My heart was melting.

"You're welcome," I said and went upstairs, dialing Fangtasia's number on my house phone. Pam picked up and asked what I wanted. "Hey, it's Dallas. I just thought you should know that Eric is here."

"So? It's his house."

"That's the thing, he doesn't seem to remember any of that. Actually, he doesn't remember anything at all." Then I heard the phone drop. "Pam? Are you there?" Once I decided she wasn't, I went back downstairs and saw Eric sitting there, expecting me. "The water isn't doing much, huh? I'll scrub them a little for you." I grabbed a towel quickly and walked back into my living room.

"Oh, you don't have to. I'll do it."

"With all due respect, Eric, I'm worried you might splash this on my new rugs." He smiled again. It occurred to me that I had seen Eric smile more genuinely tonight than I ever had. I started moving my towel on his feet and all of a sudden, he laughed a bit. I looked up.

"It tickles," he said, grinning. I couldn't help smiling back as I went back to washing. Then I noticed he was leaning closer to me. I moved away on instinct and he apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I was just looking at you."

"Why?" I asked, moving closer again.

"You're really beautiful," he said, still staring at me. It was so innocent and genuine that I couldn't help smiling at him.

"That's sweet. Thank you." He smiled and then I heard a pounding on my door. I went and opened it and there was Pam. "Come on in."

"Who is she?" yelped Eric when Pam and I entered the living room. He stood quickly and I jumped. "I'm sorry. That was rude. I'm sorry."

"What do you know about what happened to you?" questioned Pam. Eric looked at me as though I had the answers she was looking for. "You have to hide him, Dallas!"

"Why?" I asked.

"He's in danger!" Was I missing something here?

"Pam, you're a vampire. You can protect him better than I can."

"I'll be the first place they'll look."

"What are you talking about?"

"The witches who did this." I turned and looked up at Eric.

"Witches did this?" Eric slowly sat down on my couch. "I don't want anything to do with witches, Pam."

"Well, this is his house anyway so he's staying here." I winced. I hadn't wanted Eric to know that.

"Wait, this is my house?"

"I'll tell you later. But Pam, I guess I'll have to go to Bill for answers about this, like I have to do with everything else."

"He's the last person who needs to know about this. Bill utterly hates Eric. Even if he asks you directly, you better lie."

"Pam, I am not a good liar. Why can't Bill know?"

She came towards me fast. "Go to Bill and I will shred you." As I moved back, I watched Eric hit Pam across the room. I turned to Eric immediately but he was looking at Pam.

"Be nice to her," he said. Pam smiled at Eric and then turned to me.

"I think Bill sent Eric into that coven in Shreveport because he knew what would happen. I think it was a trap. It wouldn't be the first time he tried to get rid of Eric."

"What the heck?" I asked.

"Promise me that you won't go to Bill. I know he will use this as an excuse to get the AVL to assassinate Eric. I know you trust Bill but you shouldn't. Things changed in the months you were gone since he's been king. He's done everything he can to oppress Eric. Eric has got to stay here with you and no one can know."

"I kinda planned on taking care of him anyway so that's no problem but I'm just not sure I'll be able to lie about it."

"I'll pay you if that's extra leverage."

"No, I'm sure I'll be able to keep quiet." Pam left and I realized it was nearing dawn. I took Eric to his cubby and he looked a little intimidated by it so I climbed down first. "It's fine, you can come on down," I called up.

He climbed down, wearing some of Jason's clothes that he had fortunately left here over the years. "Wow," said Eric, "this really is my house."

"Well, this is here but it hopefully won't be your house for long," I responded.

"Do you live here?" he asked innocently and I nodded. "Are you mine?" He looked so hopeful.

"In a way, I suppose, but no, I'm not." He nodded a bit.

"Would you like to be mine?"

"Can I think on it?" I asked. Eric wasn't in a position to be really asking questions like that and meaning them. He nodded at me again. "Well, I hope this is comfortable for you." I moved to go up the ladder but he blocked me. I jumped again.

"I'm sorry that I keep scaring you. I just wanted to thank you for this again." I nodded at him.

"I keep telling you you're welcome. Now can I go? You're making me nervous." Eric moved closer to me.

"What are you?" he asked. I hated that he kept asking but I just didn't want him to know why he was so interested in me.

"I'll tell you later. Can I please go?" He moved out of the way.

"Of course." Then his fangs popped out and I moved back. He immediately moved his hand to cover them. "I'm sorry."

The next day, Sookie had called to ask me about whether I'd seen Jason and once I said I hadn't, I spilled about Eric. Pam had said nothing about keeping this a secret from Sookie. After all, maybe she could help. She promised not to tell Bill and then she said she'd work on a plan for me.

Around an hour later, she had called again, this time telling me about Alcide. "I just called Alcide 'cause he lives in Shreveport now and I told him Eric needed a place to stay. He was skeptical at first but once he heard it was a favor for you he was all about it."

"Sookie, I have no problem with Eric being in my house. Honestly, it's probably better this way. Why did you bother Alcide with this?" I really liked Alcide and I hated to involve him when he didn't have to be.

"He's the only friend of yours other than me or Jason that I think would help and Jason is nowhere to be found. But hey, on top of all this, Alcide got back with Debbie."

"Really?" I said. I was really happy for him.

"Yeah, apparently she's been clean for a year now. I still haven't forgiven her for trying to kill me though."

"That's not something I think you can forget easily."

"By the way, Tara wanted me to ask Eric to forgive Lafayette for something about these witches casting a spell."

"Well, you tell her that he's gone missing."

I went to Merlotte's and worked for awhile then I went by the store and picked up some much needed groceries, including some True Blood for Eric. Once I carried it all inside, I noticed that someone was here, someone who did not feel like Eric at all. I walked outside and saw Claudine.

"Dallas, I've come to show you Fairy." She said the name like a place.

"No, I'm not going anywhere with you."

"I understand what Sookie told you must have seemed frightening but-"

"Frightening isn't the word I'd use. She told me you were stealing people."

"You and Sookie belong with us. You especially. We are your true family."

"I am not going with you."

"Dallas, this is not a request."

"Just stay away from me." Then something took her down and I backed away. It was Eric. He drained her. "Eric, don't!" He looked up innocently. "You just killed a fairy!"

"I'm sorry," he said and he smiled with his mouth still bloody.