A/N: I know I've been on a roll lately, but my work is getting ready to kick it up a notch but I promise I won't neglect this story or Second Chances! Please hang in there with me! Otherwise, if I don't post sooner, have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Chapter 36 – Aftermath

As I slowly floated back into consciousness, I inherently knew I was in a hospital. It had all of the signs of being a hospital … the chemical smell of ammonia, the soft "beep, beep, beep" of machines, the sound of squeaking wheels of gurneys and carts being pushed down a hall, and the scratchy feel of sheets and blankets that had bleached one too many times. Not only that, but I could start to feel a dull pain throughout my body – head, ribs, face, right arm – undoubtedly dulled by pain medications. I lay there for just a moment taking in the sounds, smells and feelings, just a little afraid that if I were to move, I would be in pain.

However, after a while, I realized I couldn't stay there like that forever, so I slowly started to wiggle my fingers and toes, flexing and relaxing them slowly. A dull pain radiated in my right arm and if it wasn't broken, then I knew it was at least badly sprained and bruised. I could also feel the pull of an IV tube on my arm. I started to take deeper breaths and that was far more painful. I was certain my ribs were broken and I immediately decided shallow breaths would have to do. My head ached as well and it felt like the skin on the right side of my forehead might just burst open. I catalogued each of these injuries, wondering if they were as painful as they were medicated, then what would they feel like if I were un-medicated?

Finally, it could be put off no longer, and so my eyes fluttered open and there at my bed side, my Gran and Jason slowly came into focus. Jason was thumbing through a hunting magazine and Gran was knitting another afghan, but it was as if she had a sixth sense, because just at that moment, she looked up and met my eyes.

"Sookie, you're awake," she said as a smile broke across her face and happy tears welled in her eyes. Jason immediately looked up then too and said "Thank God Sookie." They both rose quickly and came to my side, Gran grabbing my hand and Jason squeezing my leg.

"Bill?" I asked. "Is he … is he dead?" I knew he meant to kill me, and what I'd done I'd done in self-defense, but I still couldn't help feeling just a little bit of guilt at the thought that I'd taken his life. After all, I was a Christian and that was probably the biggest Commandment of all. Well, there was that, and the fact that I'd never killed anyone before. I wasn't sure how I felt about it at all, but Gran spared me the guilt I would have had to carry on my conscience for the rest of my life when she answered me.

"No child," her lip quivered a bit and then she surprised me. "That bastard is alive and is being treated in another wing of this hospital."

"What?!" My heart rate monitor started beeping erratically.

"Don't you worry none Sook," Jason consoled, patting my leg. "That fucker didn't know he was messing with an all-county high school softball pitcher! You whomped him on his head good. They had to remove part of his skull to get the swellin' down, and he ain't been conscious since about the time you hit him with Gran's skillet, I reckon."

"What, what happened?" I asked.

"Darling, there is time enough for this later," my Gran patted my hand to calm me down and damn if it didn't work too. "We need to let the doctor know you're awake, and the police were here earlier wanting to take your statement. They want to know what Mr. Compton was doing at your apartment and what caused him to attack you like he did. And I'm sure Mr. Northman will want to talk to you too."

"Eric," I whispered.

Gran smiled warmly. "Yes dear. He's been here the whole time, just sitting here waiting on you to wake since they brought you in yesterday. He refused to leave your side to sleep or even eat, but that nice Pam lady brought him a sandwich a few hours ago. I just made him step out to get me a cup of coffee. Otherwise, he would still be pacing a hole in your floor. He was the one who found you dear." Gran said that last part in a hushed voice.

"Oh," was all I was able to say. After hitting Bill, I didn't have any recollection of what happened or how I had gotten here. Really, there was so much Eric and I had to talk about. Just then, Eric walked in the door, coffee in hand.

"Sookie!" he said as his relief-filled eyes met mine.

Gran tugged Jason's arm and said, "We'll give you a moment and then we'll let the doctors know Sookie is awake."

As soon as they were out the door, Eric was at my side gripping my hand with his right hand while his left hand cautiously went to my hair. He stroked it softly, but it seemed that with my injuries, even my hair hurt and I winced. Eric pulled back quickly and apologized.

"There is nothing to say sorry for," I protested.

"I am sorry. And not just for hurting you just now, but I should have been there with you. If I had, then none of this would have happened." The guilt was written all over his face.

"What are you talking about? There is no way you could have known that Bill would lose his shit and attack me like that," and I started to shake just a little at the memory.

Eric gripped my hand tighter as he continued to protest, "It's all my fault. I was too confident … too cocky. Bill knew we were onto him. He suspected what was going on with the technology updates. He was confident he had covered his tracks, but I don't know, someone had to have tipped him off. Maxwell conducted his investigation and yesterday evening we were discussing the results with Sophie Ann, Victor, and Betty Jo. We found out how Bill made the withdrawals to the escrow account and was able to attribute it to other lawyers. There are some emails we found too, but the email address is unknown. Maxwell is going to have to do a more thorough search. However, we had enough, so Sophie Ann, Victor, Betty Jo and I called DeCastro and Edgington to share the findings. We still don't know who he's working with, but when we went to confront him later on that evening, he was gone. We looked around but even Lorena didn't know where he was. It wasn't until later that I found that my keys and wallet were missing. That's how he was able to get into the building. I tried to call you but he must have already gotten to you. I was so stupid!" Eric berated himself.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay. I'm alive. Maybe a little worse for wear, but I'm okay," I consoled. "Besides, Bill told me he saw me the other night in the office and that he knew it was me who overheard him."

"I wish I was there so I could have killed him," Eric said flatly. I knew he was telling me the truth.

"Well it sounds like I did my best. Maybe when he wakes up, we can find out more. So, my Gran says the police were here. What am I supposed to say?"

"Tell them the truth. We've had to turn over the results of our investigation to the police. This will be hitting the news, probably tomorrow. We were able to keep it quiet for the last day, but we can't hush this up any longer."

"Oh. So, I'll be in the news … because of Bill's attack," I said with a lump in my throat.

"Yes, I'm so sorry Sookie."

"What about the theft? The damage to the firm's reputation?" That was the reason for all of the cloak and dagger stuff to begin with anyway.

"Fuck the firm!" Eric spat. "It's you I'm worried about."

Just then, a doctor and what appeared to be two plain clothes police officers came in; detectives I thought. They had that gum shoe look to them. "Excuse me Mr. Northman, but if you wouldn't mind stepping outside while I examine Ms. Stackhouse. Officers, you can wait outside too," the doctor instructed.

Eric squeezed my hand more time and mouthed "I'm sorry," then left.

A/N: Special shout out to tabularasa88 for pre-reading!