Chapter 10 - Deliberations and Revelations

Sookie could see an owl searching for its meal, waiting to swoop down for that crunchy morsel. Perched nearly at the top of a tree overlooking her old home, she spent a few moments remembering the good times when it was Gran, Jason and her eking out an existence surrounded in Gran's unswerving love. This was where she knew no matter what happened, her Gran loved and supported her.

Taking an unnecessary breath Sookie then flashed back to that awful evening she came home to discover Gran's bloody body on the kitchen floor, that was the first time Jason had struck her in anger. She remembered hiding under the front veranda from Uncle Bartlett so he wouldn't be able to touch, molest her, what he wanted to do scared her 8-year-old self. The maenad's desecration of the farmhouse while she was in Dallas searching for Eric's maker, Godric. Debbie breaking in and lying in wait to kill her. Her Maker without any memory from the witches' spell. The Were's breaking in and lying in wait for her to return home. Come to think of it, too many beings broke into the farmhouse wanting to kill her.

Not being there certainly kept her safe. Then again, she was no safer out and about. The gang rape came immediately to mind. Retreating to her home after that did nothing to make her feel secure. The spiral into severe depression was exacerbated by her refusal to see or talk to anyone. She'd felt so unclean, so betrayed and so violated, Uncle Bartlett times five.

Long tirades spewed out to the world time and time again did nothing to improve her depression. Eric had finally dragged her to Dr Ludwig who had immediately referred her to a Supernatural Counsellor (didn't that just make her head spin), with whom she saw twice a week initially, now she had contact her when she felt herself spiralling. Usually Eric noticed before she did. Maybe being bonded was advantageous as it gave him more insight into her myriad of emotions. Or maybe it was just that Eric had endured similar and knew the signs, that was the reason Pam was created, to keep him company and distract him from the attempt to break him.

She was still adjusting to being a vampire and all that that involved. The heightened senses, the speed and strength. The need for blood, initially, had, overwhelmed her, the hunger and feeling everything all around. Reining in and controlling herself was, she admitted, helped by her previous need to build blocks in her mind to keep people's thoughts out of her head. Sookie huffed to herself, a discipline she's spent so much time and effort on was useful in controlling her emotions. Just shutting them off and going into downtime made being a vampire a bonus.

Sookie spoke quietly into the darkness, which wasn't so dark anymore with her enhanced vampire vision "What should we do with the farmhouse?"

Eric came towards her perch in the tree, hovering in the air beside her. He shrugged his sculptured shoulders replying, "What would you like to do with the farmhouse?"

Rolling her eyes, she carefully looked at him "Options?"

He smiled "Too many to list. Firstly, do you feel any pull towards the place? Do you want to keep the farmhouse? You've said that a Stackhouse had always lived there. It's what you want, Sookie?"

She stretched her neck, looked around her eyes returning to the old farmhouse "It was my home for most of my life. It's where Gran raised Jason and I after our parents drowned. Jason got their house once he was legally an adult. Gran knew I would look after the farmhouse." Sookie looked directly at Eric, "So much has happened there, good and bad. If it sits there like it is now, abandoned, it will fall to pieces. There probably are critters burrowing into the house for shelter, even now. I don't want to see the place in ruins, but I know that I'll never live there again. That's all I know."

Standing to climb down from her perch, Eric opened his arms wide and said, "Jump". Which Sookie did, into the safe arms of her Maker, feeling his love for her.

They hovered over the rusty roof of the farmhouse. Eric looked at Sookie then looked down, "We'll need to get the whole roof replaced. It wasn't necessary when I replaced what the Maenad destroyed but if we're going to maintain the farmhouse the roof is a priority."

Sookie looked at the same tin roof, commenting "We could get a second job doing roof assessments all through the South. Northman's Roof Assessing, we'll inspect your roof, large or small."

She looked up at him, "Thank you for not immediately dismissing the history of the house. I know you're older than the house. Stackhouses' had built, expanded and modified the house for generations since moving into the area."

Tucking her head beneath his chin and hugging her closer "I know what the place means to you Sookie. It was your sanctuary when you were dealing with everything as a child. Peace and quiet when it got too much."

Turning towards Shreveport they flew away from her childhood.

Sookie knew she may never return to live in the house. She knew that they would keep the property. Maybe put a subterranean bunker in for emergencies. A bolthole if things were to deteriorate again. They could stock it with supplies, just in case. She'd mention it to Eric tomorrow night. It never hurt to have an underground shelter. Within a century or two the Stackhouse name would no longer be associated with the property. Eric knew how to hide ownership. Wrapping her arms more snugly around her Maker she felt pleased within herself. She was moving on, finally.

Eric reread the text he'd received from Aparlt. Rereading the text didn't change it, Pam had betrayed him. His Childe, one who had been by his side for centuries had betrayed him. She had manipulated the events leading to Sookie's gang rape and the subsequent neglect. Pam had deliberately tried to kill Sookie.

He knew Pam could be spiteful and possessive, but never had, well as far as he knew, and he would review his memories, had she deliberately gone against her Maker. He needed to take some time to verify the holdings and assets Pam was aware of were still secure. Luckily, he had some of his own Maker's paranoia and had hidden other assets that no other living being was aware of in different names and in different locations.

This betrayal by his Childe was something he would take centuries to recover from. His own blood had deliberately set out to remove Sookie, his now bonded Childe, from this earth. That Sookie was his bonded Childe was only as a consequence of Pam's machinations. He would instantly know if she were considering harming him or herself.

He would need to alert Karen and bring her back to his side so he could test her loyalty to him and if she was aware of Pam's intentions and jealousy.

More importantly he needed to talk to Sookie. She had begun to acknowledge what had happened to her was not her fault and that she had no way of defending herself from the rapists' onslaught. Knowing that his own Childe had organised this would wound her deeply, she had always had a strange fondness for Pam.

Secretly, and he would never admit this to anyone, he was glad she had a Psychiatrist to discuss this with. His Bonded will take this betrayal and attempt on her life heavily. Two steps forward and two back.

Pam would be given the true death tomorrow night. Aparlt needed time to arrange for the recording of Pam's ending. He, himself, would need to be in a secure place as the abrupt termination will cause pain to him. Even though she had been released by him they had always been close, similar personalities and humour.

It was just chance that his usual witch wasn't able to reset the wards on his warehouse and the recommended witch was interviewed. During the course of their discussion she'd asked to be remembered to Pam. From there Pam's culpability was discovered. All of it. Jealousy, Sookie suffered so much because of Pam's jealousy.

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough. He would freely endure the pain of Pam's ending just to ensure the bloodline remained pure from petty emotions and traitors.

Centuries together. All they'd experienced together.

Eric knew he had to remain calm or Sookie would become curious. She had yet to fully explore their bond, she understood he could use the Maker bond to restrain her baser vampiric impulses. They had centuries to explore it together. With the blood bond he would know immediately if he was about to be betrayed. He'd never imagined Pam would deliberately hurt him, her selfishness and jealousy have brought about the ending of her existence. He hoped the favour he would owe Apalt for ending her existence would be reasonable. It didn't matter, disloyalty of Pam's magnitude only happened once. A second chance to betray him and his bloodline would not be possible for his soon to be ended Childe.

Sookie felt Eric's unease. She knew it wasn't directed or caused by her. And not knowing what to do she sought to distract Eric with questions and suggestions about the Stackhouse farmhouse. They wouldn't be coming back for a long time, if ever.

Eric walked into their kitchen, "Sookie, bad news to tell you. Shore up your shields and gather your emotions tightly to you. Like I taught you."

Standing behind her, who for some odd reason was staring at the stove, he draped his arms around her, gathering her body to him. "This isn't easy to say or believe and believe me I verified it. The witch which came last week to strengthen the wards, Pam engaged her and her coven. Pam paid her to bewitch Jason's male friends to rape you."

He held her closely to him, "She also had them cast on your property to cause despair and hopelessness to permanent occupants. The intention was for you to become so depressed you would kill yourself."

Turning her around, looking down to the red teared face, Eric continued "Alpart has had Pam secured for the last two nights questioning her. After an intensive session she broke and admitted her culpability."

"Why?" Sookie asked.

"Jealousy. I wasn't paying enough attention to her and she blamed you."

"Tell me this is a joke. Tell me," Sookie pleaded not meeting his eyes. Then she started, "What about Jason?"

"Him too. Though his was a spell of indifference, he was spelled to not care about what was happening to you."