As always, I own nothing.

I looked up automatically, searching for any sign of a wound I might have missed earlier. My hands continued their task, methodically drying first the right and then the left of Eric's huge, wet feet.

Some part of my brain wondered how long ago it was that I'd been sitting with Lafayette giggling like a teenager about the size of Eric's feet and the correlation to other parts of his anatomy. I had to stifle a fresh giggle as I recalled the tiny red bikini underpants Eric was sporting tonight. I just couldn't fathom how such a tiny scrap of fabric could hold the gracious plenty I knew lurked beneath.

"What hurts, Eric? What do you mean?" I got my mind out of the gutter and back to Eric.

"It burns, right here, every time I look at you." His massive fist pounded gently against the area above his heart and suddenly, my heart didn't feel so good, either. I busied myself with the pan of dirty water, rising from my position at his feet to clean up.

"I don't know, Eric. You never told me of anything like that happening before." I took the coward's way out and waited until my back was to him to speak. I was keeping tight control over the bond, not wanting to freak him out with that right now. I wonder if he could feel me at all, and if he could, did he know it was me he was feeling?

"You have my blood." Well, there's one answer. "You are mine?" And there's the one I didn't want to answer.

"I've had your blood, yes. You gave it to me once to save my life, and a second time to save me from your Queen."

"Why did you need saving?" He rose to his feet at the suggestion of harm. I guessed the soles of his feet must have healed completely because there wasn't a hint of pain as he strode across the kitchen.

"It's all in the past now, Eric," I soothed as I dried my hands on a tea towel decorated with small yellow ducks. I hung the towel back on its hook and tried to avoid the issue even further. "I think it's time to call Pam."

"Who is Pam and why do you want to call her?" I couldn't help the shiver that ran down my spine when I heard the fear in his voice.

"Pam is your child, as well as your second-in-command. You are her maker and the two of you have a very close relationship. I'm sure she'll be worried about you, and she might know something about what happened to you."

"You trust her?" The uncertainty in his tone was heartbreaking. This was not the Eric Northman I knew.

"I do trust her." I reached out my hand and grasped his, giving it a quick squeeze for reassurance before letting go again. "And you trust her, too. You told me I could trust her with my life, so I think we can trust her with yours right now. She will know how to reach Godric, as well. He's your maker," I explained quickly when I saw the confusion cross his face. "We can trust him, too."

"I don't trust anyone except you right now." His simply spoken words were like a dagger to the heart. I had to keep reminding myself this was not my dream vampire, nor was it the Eric Northman I knew. This beautiful, strong, tall man standing in my kitchen was as much a mystery to me as he was to himself.

"You can always trust me, Eric," I said with complete sincerity. No matter which Eric he was, I would never allow harm to befall him. I loved at least one of them. "Now, let's call Pam."

I tried to ignore his pacing and hovering as I looked up Fangtasia's number and dialed. It seemed like it rang forever before anyone picked up, and when they did, I was glad it was Belinda who answered and not Ginger. That poor girl had been glamoured so often her brain was like Swiss cheese, with holes everywhere. I was truly amazed she had enough functioning brain matter to dress herself in the morning.

I asked to speak to Pam, only to be told she couldn't be disturbed. I politely identified myself to the waitress, and fibbed a little, telling her Pam was expecting my call. After a little sweet talking and reassurances she wouldn't be in any trouble at all for interrupting her, the beleaguered barmaid brought the cordless to Pam's office. I heard her tentative knock on the door and Pam's snarly reply. I was proud of Belinda when she followed through and delivered the phone into the lion's den.

"Who is this?" Pam was anything but friendly when she took the phone.

"It's Sookie, Pam."

"Oh, Sookie – it's actually not a good time, I have a lot going on here. What did you need? Eric is not here, if you are looking for him." Pam was clearly stressed, if her tone was any indicator.

"Actually, that's why I was calling." I hurried into my explanation before she could cut me off. "I know Eric is not there. Are you having trouble finding him?"

"His whereabouts are somewhat – guarded at the moment." Pam clearly understood my reluctance to speak freely. "It is an aggravating situation, my friend. If I can call you that."

"You can call me a friend," I confirmed. "Why don't you stop by after work and we can talk some more?"

"If that's what you would like." Pam agreed, but her tone remained very guarded. I knew she wanted more answers than I was willing to give over the phone.

"I promise to make it worth your while." I tried to reassure her as much as I could without giving anything away.

She hung up after assuring me she would see me later. I turned to Eric, relief on my face.

"She will be here soon, I would say." She agreed she'd see me after work, but I was sure she'd slip away the moment she could. "We could watch a movie or something until she gets here."

Eric followed me into the living room and settled himself stiffly into the corner of the sofa. I stated rifling through my DVD collection and held up a couple of options. Eric stared for a moment before shrugging his massive shoulders.

"It doesn't matter, Sookie. I would actually like it if we could talk some. Maybe you can tell me something about who I am before these other people come for me." He looked so forlorn, and his fear when he spoke of the "other people" coming for him sealed the deal. I slid the DVD's back onto the shelf and took a seat on the opposite end of the couch.

"Sure, Eric. I will tell you what I can. But these other people are your family, and they can tell you everything you need to know."

"I feel it right here," he again indicated the space above his heart, "that you are my family. My blood rests inside your heart."

I ignored the fluttering in my own heart and tried to distract him. "You are a well-respected member of the vampire community. You are over a thousand years old, and that makes you a very powerful vampire. Your maker is over twice your age. Pam is the only vampire child you have, or the only one you've ever told me about."

He nodded as I spoke. "It's not like I remember, exactly, but I feel these are new times. I feel old, in a way."

"You're also the Sheriff of Area Five. That means you answer to the Queen, but other than that you are your own boss. You look after the vampires in your area and you run your businesses. I think you are pretty wealthy, although I don't know for certain. You and Pam run Fangtasia, a vampire bar in Shreveport."

"I know we are in Louisiana, but I don't know why I know that. This is not where I am from, where I spent my life." Eric nodded to himself, pleased with every bit of knowledge clicking into place.

"Yes, we are in Bon Temps, Louisiana. It's a small little town in the north. It's part of Area Five. And no, this is not where you're from. As a human, you lived in Sweden during the Viking era. After becoming vampire, you spent many centuries in Europe. You travelled a lot though, and spent time in many places."

"Tell me how we met." He looked at me directly and I felt my insides mush just a little. I didn't want to keep any of it from him, but I didn't want to talk about it, either.

"I was attacked and badly beaten. You were the one who found me and you gave me your blood to heal me."

"I did?" He looked astonished. "Had we ever met prior to this?"

"No, it was the first time we ever met. Why?" I was a little curious about his reaction. It was not what I expected.

"I think it would go against every vampire instinct to spill blood over an injured, unknown human." He looked thoughtful, and I wondered how much he remembered of vampire protocol, and things like that. "Did I ever tell you why I did such a thing?"

I shrugged. "Not really. When I asked you told me you weren't in the habit of handing out your blood, and I was the only human to have it. You said you couldn't explain why you did it."

He didn't say much for a few moments, but instead sat and just looked at me. I was starting to squirm under his gaze when he spoke again.

"I went against my Queen for you?" He sounded less surprised by this than he had shown over the circumstances of our meeting.

"I wouldn't say you went against her, no." I didn't want him to think I was some hussy leading him down a treasonous trail. "Your Queen wanted my services, and she has them. You just made sure she had to go through you to obtain them."

His eyes narrowed as he listened to my hasty explanation. I couldn't grasp what he was feeling at the moment, but he looked more like a vampire than he had all evening. I shivered as I began to wonder just how safe I was with him.

"Don't do that." His voice was sharp and his words unexpected. I jolted in my seat.

"Do what?" I whispered back at him, my eyes wide. I couldn't still the fear that was starting to slither through my veins.

"Don't look like you are scared of me." His gaze was direct and it pained me to see the hurt in his eyes. "I give you my word, I will not harm you. You are my entire world right now."

I stared at him, not sure how I should react. I knew in my heart he wouldn't hurt me, but my brain was proving to be a suspicious bitch lately. I was saved from the awkwardly lengthening silence by the sound of a car coming up my rutted gravel driveway. Instead of replying, I got to my feet and went to the door. As I suspected, Pam was here early.

"Your world just got larger, Eric." I said softly. His frame tensed as he sensed the newcomers on my porch. He looked so frightened, I felt sad for him. "Don't worry. They love you."

"If you say so." He nodded slowly, even if his disbelief was clear on his face. He stood and joined me by the front door.

"Are you ready?" I asked.

"Yes." His one word reply was firm. I threw open the door to greet Pam and Godric.

"Eric! Thank God!" Pam sped through the open door and wrapped her arms around Eric. I could see him stiffen in her grasp. There was a silent plea for help in the blue eyes he turned to me.

"Maybe we could all move to the living room?" I hoped Pam would loosen her hold on Eric and she did. It was an odd move from her, anyway. Pam never struck me as the touchy feely sort.

I ushered my vampire visitors into the room ahead of me and watched as both took possession of the worn wingback chairs facing the sofa. I took my place on the sofa and was surprised when Eric lowered himself to the floor just barely beside me, but mostly in front of me. He regarded his maker and child with distrust and had obviously positioned himself between me and them. The sweetness of the gesture didn't go unnoticed. Pam's eyebrows took flight and landed near her hairline when she looked at Eric's position at my feet. Godric allowed a small smile to grace his boyish features before getting serious.

"Can you tell us what happened, my son?"

"No." His reply was simply, but confounding for his visitors. I knew he wouldn't elaborate further.

"What Eric is trying to say," I paused to give him a chance to protest my relating his story, but he remained silent. "He doesn't remember what happened. We were hoping you could tell us what happened."

"Recently, a local coven has been trying to stir up trouble with Eric. Their demands have been a mix of outrageous and bizarre." Godric's calm demeanor was helpful to my fraying nerves. "The last we saw of Eric was when he went into a meeting with them earlier, while we were at the bar. Eventually Pam went to see what was taking so long, but the office was empty. A strong scent of magic was present, but Eric and the witches were both gone."

"Is it normal for witches to threaten vampires?" Even with magic to back you up, it was always dangerous to mess with vampires.

"No, not what I would call normal, but occasionally a coven will get greedy. It's been known to occur." His expression was one of contemplation as he spoke again. "It did seem their interest was more personal, though. What is the last thing you remember?"

"I remember nothing until Sookie found me. I was nothing before that moment." Eric's words were so simple it took a moment for their true meaning to be absorbed.

Pam opened her mouth to speak, but Godric beat her to it. "You have no memories at all?"

"None before running on that road."

"Which road? Where did you find him?" Pam looked at me, just as her question was directed towards me. I wondered if it were because she understood Eric wanted nothing to do with them, or if she thought he was incapable of giving her the information she wanted.

"He was running down Hummingbird Lane, about a mile or so up the road. He was barefoot, wearing only a pair of jeans."

"He was here, in Bon Temps?" Pam questioned with arched brows. She and Godric exchanged what seemed to be a significant look. "He probably wasn't being followed, then."

"No, I would have seen another car, but it was completely deserted at that hour. If someone had been following him, Hummingbird Lane was deserted enough to try something." The very thought made me feel cold and clammy. "You should be able to get him somewhere safe without anyone knowing where he is."

"Actually, we think it is best if Eric stays here." Pam interjected, holding up a hand before I could get too worked up. "We can't be sure what happened to him before you found him. We don't know how powerful these witches are. I'm sure they won't look for him here."

"You can't be serious, Pam! Surely he would be better off with one of you to protect him!" I looked around at the three of them. This was the last thing I needed. I still had a long ways to go with figuring out how I really felt about him. Having a third version to deal with would be too much.

"We will arrange for daytime protection to arrive before dawn. You can trust the guards, but there is no need for you to even see them if you choose." Godric spoke again, and I realized everyone was pretty much ignoring Eric again.

"If I say yes, how long is this for?"

"Until we find the witches."

"Do you know where to find them? How long will it take?" My brain was spinning out of control, imagining all the things that could go wrong.

"We know where they were living before, but they have not shown up there so far. We have our people watching known residences and places of business. We will know if they are spotted."

"So, while you guys are searching for these witches, what do you expect me to do with Eric? There's no light-tight space here."

"Is there a crawl space?" Pam questioned, one eyebrow raised. I think she knew I was reaching for excuses.

"Well, yes, there is." And there was access through a trapdoor in Jason's old room, I remembered. Jason used to store his collection of Playboy's down there when he was still living here.

"Well, he can stay there for the night." Pam smiled at me sweetly, too sweetly really. She knew she got me with that one.

"Okay." I tried to keep my disappointment to myself. It was hard to reconcile it all in my head, but this Eric shouldn't have to suffer because of my uncertainty towards another Eric. My head felt like it was going to explode any minute.

"With that settled, how do you want to handle the feeding situation?" Pam grinned at me, obviously enjoying my discomfort.

"What do you mean?" I stuttered. I was pretty sure I knew what she meant, and I so didn't want to go there right now.

"Will you be providing nourishment for my master, or should I arrange for donors?" I gasped, shocked she would take it so far. I could feel my cheeks turning pink as Eric stiffened before craning his head around to meet my embarrassed eyes. I wanted to look away, but he held me easily with his mesmerizing gaze.

"I think bagged blood will suffice for now, Pamela." Godric's reprimand was clear.

"I am fine. If you could arrange bagged blood for me for tomorrow, I should be fine." Eric spoke and everyone listened. He had said so little during the meeting. "If you are finished trying to make the woman who saved me, and has been so kind as to give me shelter, feel embarrassed, I suggest you get out there and start looking for the ones responsible."

"Yes, sir." Pam bobbed her head to Eric and turned to me. "Sorry, Sookie. I shouldn't have gone so far, but you know me. I wasn't trying to hurt you."

"I know, Pam." I just wanted to end the entire discussion and I took the chance to change the subject. "When you come back tomorrow, you're going to need to bring some clothes and shoes for him."

"Yes, I will remember. One or both of us will be back shortly after sunset to keep you informed and drop off what he will need."

I nudged Eric with my knee to indicate I needed him to let go of my leg and let me up. He sprung up to his feet first and offered me his hand. I walked our guests to the door with Eric shadowing my every move from a foot away. We said our good-bye's at the door and Godric and Pam assured Eric they would do everything they could to make the situation right.

And then we were alone; left standing together in my foyer. I nervously shuffled back and forth a little, not sure what we should do now. I remembered the crawl space and decided to show him where the trapdoor was.

"Come on. I'll show you where you will rest for the day. We can put some blankets and pillows down to make it more comfortable."Jason's old room was just a short walk down the hallway and in just a minute I was pulling the rug aside to show him the trapdoor and how to open it.

Luckily, Gran had long ago converted Jason's old closet into storage space, and there was a pile of old quilts lying just within reach. Grabbing a couple, I shook them out before folding them lengthwise and placing them in the cubby hole. Returning to the bedroom, I took the pillows from the bed and brought them back to add to the makeshift bed.

"There. That should do it." I stood up, pleased with my efforts. It wasn't much, but it was better than sleeping on the bare ground underneath.

"Thank you." He stood very still, his hands clasped behind his back as he regarded the sleeping quarters I'd fashioned for him.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry it's not much."

"If you hadn't found me, I would have gone to ground, still just an empty shell unaware of even his name. I am grateful for your hospitality." There was something heartbreaking about his direct gaze; his apparent acceptance of his circumstances. Honesty shone like a beacon from his brilliant, guileless blue eyes.

"I'm happy to help." And I was, regardless of my ambivalent feelings. I hated the idea of him going to ground, alone and scared. I was happy to have him safe and sound. I just wasn't so sure about this much togetherness at this point in time. I would stand by him for as long as he needed me, but I truly feared for me heart around him.

I walked out of the closet, and again, he followed my every step. We walked through the bedroom in silence which continued until we reached the foyer again.

"It's been a long day and I am going to go get ready for bed. I'm not sure how much longer until sunrise, but feel free to watch some TV or read some of the books in the living room while you wait."

He nodded again and stood still. I felt bad leaving him, but I really had to get some sleep. Daytime protection or not, I won't be caught sleeping tomorrow. I went on upstairs and got ready for bed. After a quick shower, I ventured out to the top pf the stairs and listened. I could hear the TV on – Anderson Cooper on CNN, I think – but couldn't hear anything from Eric. I could sense his void downstairs and a check on the bond told me he was in a deeply contemplative mood. That much could be expected and I found myself nodding in approval of what I was feeling. Most of the fear had receded, and even if he felt a little lonely, it was to be expected, too.

I fought the urge to go to him and instead crawled into bed. Sleep eluded me as thoughts of Eric's situation danced through my head. Even if we know who did this, there has to be a why. Godric was right, this seemed very personal. If the witches were responsible, which was the only logical conclusion, the logical next step would be to know why. Were they working on their own, or had an enemy of Eric's hired them to do this? Did Eric even have enemies like that?

I was lost in thought when I heard the soft squeak of the fourth stair. It could only mean Eric was coming. I tried to still my breathing, but I knew he would know I was awake. I rolled over to face the door I'd left partially ajar and seconds later the small space was filled with Eric's large frame.

"What is it, Eric?" I propped myself up on my elbows as his head came around the door.

"I was wondering – I don't feel like being by myself right now." He looked utterly forlorn, standing there with his head hung low. "Do you think it would be okay if I stayed with you until the sun comes?"

I was startled by his request. The Eric I knew would be loath to admit a weakness, even one as temporary as loneliness.

"Of course. I'm going to try to get some sleep, but you are welcome to stay here with me." I don't know if I misunderstood his initial request, or if he misunderstood my response, but the next thing I know, Eric is sliding into the bed, settling his golden head back against his pillows. I stared at him for a moment, fighting back the well of pain which was threatening to overflow. It hurt so much to see him like this.

"Thank you, Sookie." He spoke quietly into the silence of the room.

"You're welcome, Eric." I settled back into bed, arranging the covers modestly over us, even though we were both fully dressed. After fussing for a few moments, I laid my head back onto the pillow beside his and we both stared at my white ceiling in silence.

No further words were spoken between us. I don't know how long we lay in silence until sleep took me, but I could swear that just as I was drifting off, I felt a large, cool hand slide over my own. I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep holding hands with my vampire.

So, how was it? Hope you like Sookie's POV, as confused as she is – as they both are – right now. Please let me know what you think.