"So…I helped to save you from Jonathan?"

Annie had spent the past three hours sat awake and speaking with Eric. He was laid on the bed, lounging back with his hands behind his head. Annie was sat up, her legs crossed underneath her as she told him the tale. She had her hands resting on her kneecaps as Eric smiled across to her. It took him a moment to move his hand to her cheek and Annie pressed her palm on top of it.

"You did," she promised him. "You helped me more than once."

"And he hurt you?" Eric checked. "How many times did he hurt you?"

Annie shrugged her shoulders, looking down to her lap and shrugging as she did so. She bit down on her bottom lip and watched Eric for a few brief moments through her lashes. Slowly, she moved his hand from her cheek and she wondered what she was doing for a moment. Pushing herself onto her knees, she pulled the shirt which she wore on her body over her head, baring her upper half to Eric with only her bra to keep her modesty.

Eric didn't seem too intrigued with Annie's nakedness. He sat up instead and his eyes roamed her torso. His hands moved to grip hold of her hips, holding them gently as he examined the scars. Her stomach was eye level with Eric's gaze and she felt self-conscious for a few moments, knowing full well that her body was not as toned as others Eric had been with. She snapped out of that thought process, recalling how Eric had seen her naked once before.

She should not be bothered, yet Eric was not himself.

"You're covered in scars," Eric whispered to her, his fingers gently moving to trace over the puckered skin. "Everywhere…"

Annie looked down onto his blond head as Eric's nose ran along the scars. Annie kept her hands by her side, her fingers clenching into fists as she did so. She still felt anger with what Jonathan had done to her. She hated how he had marred her and she always had a constant reminder of him being there. She hated it. She detested Jonathan.

"I tried to escape him," Annie whispered, her own gaze looking to the scars. "I only managed to escape by accident. I don't know how, but I know that it was hard."

"Why did I not know you back then?" Eric asked her, moving to sit up and equalling her height, his hand moving back to her shoulder and curling slightly onto her neck. "I would have stopped this."

"I was in New York and you were here," Annie responded. "There was nothing you could have done back then. We didn't know each other. It doesn't matter now, Eric. You helped me to get rid of him."

Annie couldn't help but smile as she moved back slightly and pulled the shirt over her head, covering her body once more. Eric dared to move his hand along her neck until he moved to her chin, tilting her head upwards so that she could stare at him. She moved closer towards him then, their chests brushing against each other.

"It's so weird," Annie whispered, pressing her forehead against his. "You're still you, but so different."

"How so?" Eric dared to ask.

"You're usually not this caring," Annie said and Eric quirked a brow before she shook her head. "No, you are caring, but you don't openly show it. You're…well…usually very sarcastic…very witty…but never like this…never openly tender. You have a reputation to uphold."

Eric laughed softly, his cold breath hitting her face as Annie moved to rest on the bed, Eric falling besides her. She watched as Eric held his arm over the pillow, inviting her closer to him. Annie reacted slowly, moving until her head was in the crook between his shoulder and neck, his arm around her and his hand splayed on her back.

"And what reputation is this?" he asked from her.

Annie mused for a moment, her hand resting on his chest and playing with the material which sat there. She could feel Eric watching her, but she remained intrigued on the black material as Eric's other hand slowly raised to trap hers, his fingers entwining with hers as she shivered at the coldness of his skin for a brief moment.

"You're very difficult to get along with," Annie decreed. "You are cold and harsh to people. You don't care what people think and you're not afraid to speak your mind. You're strong, fast and aren't afraid to push anyone in your way out of it."

Eric's brow furrowed as he heard her, his thumb stroking her knuckles gently as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't sound like a nice person," Eric whispered.

Annie shook her head. "You sometimes aren't," she honestly told him. "But…you've always been kind and considerate to me. You've always cared for me."

"And you have no one else?" Eric checked with her.

"I had my parents," Annie said. "But after what they did to you, I'm not concerned with them. They hurt you after I told them how you have helped me. I can never forgive them for what they have done. I know that my father will be looking for me, and I know that he will probably find me, but I refuse to go back with him. I refuse to return to New York and spend my nights attending fundraising galas whilst my parents search for an eligible bachelor to marry me off to."

Eric listened with intent, closing his eyes as Annie adjusted herself onto her side, Eric's arm moving with her.

"Why did they want to marry you off?" Eric dared to ask Annie.

"I wouldn't say they wanted to marry me off," Annie responded. "They wanted me to find a good job and a good husband. They had plenty of people in mind…lawyers…doctors…politicians…and every time I went home after college ended they would drag me to gala after gala."

"Did you ever date any of them?"

"No," Annie shook her head. "I thought that once I had found Jonathan that would be the end. I…I went out with him to rebel to begin with…he was a vampire and my parents hated vampires. I went against them and it felt good to begin with. Jonathan was caring and attentive…but it soon changed. I went crawling back to mommy and daddy for help and I realised how foolish I had been."

"So how did you end up in Shreveport?" Eric questioned, intrigued by her tale.

"I wanted a life of my own," Annie admitted. "I went back home after Jonathan left and they smothered me. My parents thought that I should try to be more respectable and they yelled. They said that I was ungrateful for what I had done and that I should listen to them and understand. I got tired and I left…they tried to stop me, but I snuck away."

Eric could hear the pain in her voice. He was putting Annie in pain and he hated himself for it, yet he wanted to know more. He wanted to know how Annie had come into his path. He had heard all that he had done for her, but he had never heard how she had walked into his life.

"How did we meet? Why did they not come after you?"

Annie laughed at that one. "They tried to come after me, but I refused to leave. I'm an adult. I am old enough to make my own mind up on such matters without them interfering. As to how we met…you came to the diner I was working in one night and told me that you needed some change for your bar. I got them and…I short changed you. So I went back to find you at your bar and ever since then you've been hanging around me until Jonathan came and you refused to let me out of your sight."

Eric grinned and moved his hand to curl into her hair, his fingers twirling in the soft locks. "Sounds rather chivalrous of me."

"I suppose so," Annie admitted. "And ever since then we've just been together."

"Would it last?" Eric wondered.

"I don't know," Annie admitted to him. "I want it to last. I think it might, but things keep getting in the way."

"So it seems," Eric mused, lifting his hand to press his lips against her knuckles. "But maybe that will stop."

"We can only hope."

…..

"He's sleeping soundly," Annie explained to Pam when she saw her the next night.

Pam was dressed in a simple red dress which clung to her curves, her heels on her feet as she stomped into the apartment once Annie had allowed her in. She urged for her to be quiet so that she didn't wake Eric, but Annie knew that being quiet and considerate wasn't in Pam's nature. The blonde folded her arms over her chest and looked to Annie with a quirked brow.

"Has he regained his shitty memories yet?" Pam demanded.

"No," Annie shook her head.

"Well, it turns out we know what has happened," Pam spoke and Annie took a sigh of relief. "The only bad part is that Bill Compton is onto us and we need to get out of her as soon as fucking possible."

"What?" Annie demanded from her.

"Simple story is: Bill sent Eric to a coven led by someone called Marnie who is apparently a witch. Turns out she actually is a witch and her spell caused Eric to lose his memories. Bill knew what he was sending Eric to. He was pushing him into danger and Eric didn't realise," Pam declared and moved to the bedroom door which Eric was behind. "So grab a jacket and get ready to go. We're off on the run."

"What can Bill do?" Annie demanded. "He is the one who caused this mess!"

"I don't know, but I do know that Bill Compton threatened me, and that vampire is not to be trusted," Pam snapped at Annie and barged into Eric's bedroom.

Annie remained stood where she was, allowing Pam to wake Eric and knowing full well that it wouldn't go down well with Eric. The vampire had spent most of the day talking with Annie and asking her questions. He had only had a few hours to sleep. Annie had tried to close her eyes and let sleep find her, but it was impossible.

"And where are we going?" Annie asked once Pam had re-emerged with a disgruntled Eric in tow. The Viking vampire pulled at his leather jacket as Annie reached for her blazer and pulled her hair from the collar. The ends of her hair were still wet from where she had showered whilst Eric had slept.

Eric noted her change of attire and admired the black dress she wore on her body. It had three quarter length sleeves with a white collar. Her legs were covered in black tights. Annie pulled her black pumps onto her feet as she jumped from one foot to the other and Pam grabbed hold of the door by the door handle.

"To a safe house," Pam said.

"And where is this safe house?" Annie demanded from her.

"Paris," Pam snapped. "Now come on. We need to get to the airport and prepare to leave. I have the plane ready for take-off in less than an hour."

"Paris?!" Annie snapped out loud. "Why are we going to Paris?"

"Because it is far away from Bill Compton," Pam spoke and offered Annie offered Eric her hand.

"Why are we leaving? Does anyone intend to tell me what is happening?"

"I'll tell you on the way," Annie tried to appease him as they left the apartment and Annie picked up her bag from the sofa she had dumped it on.

Annie slammed the door behind them as Eric reluctantly followed them, wondering why he was leaving and where exactly he was going. He knew that he could trust Pam from what he had been told by Annie. He trusted both of them and he barely knew them. He was aware that he was drawn to Annie, but there was always a chance that she could betray him. He doubted that would happen, but the chance was always there. He only wished that he had his memories so that he could be sure.

"Basically, Bill Compton sent you to a coven of witches," Annie informed Eric as Pam unlocked a sports car and Annie titled the front seat back so that she could climb into the back. Eric followed her, climbing into the back seat to sit next to Annie. "And this witch wiped your memories…and now Bill is apparently coming after you, but I don't exactly know why."

"He is wanted for treason because he has been infected by the witch," Pam declared, putting the car into drive and moving off.

"That makes no sense," Annie complained as she sat forwards to speak to Pam, only to be pushed back into her seat once Pam had sped off. "Eric didn't want to be infected."

"Do you think Bill Compton cares about that?" Pam demanded. "He's hated Eric for ages…mainly for divulging information with Sookie about Bill's betrayal."

"Ridiculous," Annie complained under her breath as Pam sped through the streets of Shreveport and towards the airport.

Eric was silent as Annie turned around in her seat, her hair whipping around her face due to the speed of the vehicle. She struggled to gather all her hair into her hand so that she could talk to Eric without eating it. She finally managed to sit still and inform Eric of what Pam had just told her. Eric looked confused more than anything, but he managed to keep up with the information he was receiving.

The drive to the airport seemed to take no time whatsoever, but Annie barely complained. She climbed from the car as Pam parked up right next to the private plane which was being prepared for take-off. Annie heard the noise of the engines as the pilot walked around the plane, checking everything was in shape. The steps to the plane were rolled down as Pam spoke with an attendant, tossing them the keys to the car and barking orders at the same time.

"I have my own plane?" Eric asked from Annie.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that you're pretty rich," Annie spoke. "So flying in a private jet is of no concern to you."

"Awesome," Eric said, looking genuinely dumfounded as Pam ushered for the pair of them to board the plane.

Annie stepped up in front of Eric, her hand holding his as he was only one step behind her. Pam was already seated with a glass of alcohol in her hand as the steps lifted up and the door closed on the plane. Annie sat down on a long sofa as Pam remained in the seat, her gaze set on Eric as she wondered what was going through his mind.

She missed her maker. She missed the way he was. She hated this pathetic form of a man he had become. She had seen him slowly turn soft around Annie and it was enough to make her vomit. He was always concerned about the human, his hand holding hers and his lips whispering words of comfort. Pam detested it, but he was still himself. He was still able to speak coldly and brashly. But this Eric was completely different.

This Eric was full of nothing but care and love. There was not an ounce of harshness inside of him.

"We should get to Paris by tomorrow," Pam spoke. "When we arrive then we head to the safe house."

"And what about Bill?" Annie dared to ask as Eric sat next to her, still holding onto her. "The problem doesn't go away if we run away, does it?"

"Very good," Pam sarcastically drawled. "I'll come up with that plan later on. My main concern was getting Eric out of there."

Annie kept silent whilst Eric rested his chin on the top of her head, closing his eyes. Pam could only stare at the human girl, knowing that she had a point. They had fled, but Pam did not know if they could truly escape.

…..

A/N: So sorry that updates haven't been as frequent! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and do let me know if you are reading and if I should keep on going with the story!