A/N: I don't think I'm ready for this. :/ We are nearly at the finish line. Just two or three more to go.

Thanks, ilovemysteries! As always, you are fantastic. And thanks everyone for sticking with me for 42 chapters. :D

Chapter 42

June 13, 1996

Sookie got home a little after eleven. Jason's truck was parked out front, and she pulled around and parked in back next to Gran's car. Gran was in the kitchen frying chicken, and Jason was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Gimme my nephew. I ain't seen him in weeks."

Sookie passed Leif to Jason and sat down across from him. "Week, Jason. You were here bumming lunch last Thursday, too. Hi, Gran."

"Hello, Sookie. Did you have a good time?"

"Yup. Sure did! What did you want me to do today?"

"I have a few errands I'd like you to run."

Sookie shrugged. "Ok. I'll go right after lunch. Need help with anything?"

"No, sweetheart. But thank you for asking."

Jason was staring at Sookie with slitted eyes during the whole conversation. She tried to ignore him and made sure her shields were shored up tight.

"Sookie, who you been sleeping with?"

Sookie blushed. "Nobody! Where the hell did that come from?"

"Your hair is all pretty, and your skin is almost glowin', and I ain't seen you look this happy since… Well I ain't never seen you look this happy before."

"I just had a good time is all. And Pam and I had a spa day, sort of. We did facials and hair treatments and stuff like that."

"Holy shit! You and Pam? Dammit, Sookie, I can't have sex with her if you already did! That's almost like… incest."

Sookie rolled her eyes. "I am not sleeping with Pam. But I really don't think you're her type, anyway."

Jason scoffed. "I am every woman's type. Godric? I dunno, Sook. All them tattoos make me nervous."

"No, Jason, I am not sleeping with Godric, for goodness sakes."

With two easy lobs, she was able to get herself back under control. Jason still looked suspicious, though, and then his eyes widened.

"You slept with Eric!"

Sookie was bright red again, and she grabbed Leif out of Jason's arms. "No, Jason. Eric is in Japan. I gotta go feed the baby. He's hungry."

Jason got up and followed her into the living room. Sookie was on the couch nursing the baby when he walked in. She was kicking herself for not going into her room and locking the door.

"Eric is back and you're just gonna forgive him for leaving you and the baby? Well, if you won't kick his ass, I will!"

"Dammit, Jason, no you won't."

Jason pointed at her. "Ha! It's true! I knew it! Where the fuck is he, Sookie? I'm gonna go over there right now and give him a piece of my mind."

Sookie closed her eyes and just breathed until she got herself together. "Jason, I didn't even tell Eric about the baby until after Leif was born. As soon as he found out, he came back, and hasn't missed a visitation yet. And I was the one who kept him away, other than a weekly visit with Leif."

He looked even more pissed and was about to start shouting. Sookie held up her hand. "I had my reasons, Jason. They were good ones. I wasn't just being nasty. He did something really bad, but he has really stepped up, and he convinced me to give him another chance. And, no, I'm not going to tell you what he did, or let you go and beat him up."

Adele was standing behind Jason with her arms crossed. "I don't appreciate being lied to, Sookie. I never would have expected that from you. What if I had to find you?"

Sookie sighed. "I was at Pam's, Gran. Eric is staying there right now. They're kind of related. No, I didn't tell you that he was home, but I didn't lie to you about where I was, either." Of course, Gran didn't really have the right address. But she didn't know Shreveport well, and Sookie always had her cell phone on her, so Sookie didn't think Gran would ever just show up. And, if she did, she would find one of Godric's safehouses that looked lived in, and maybe everyone just popped out for a trip to the mall or to visit a friend.

Jason looked suspicious again. "Wait a second, Sook. Eric doesn't got any relatives in Shreveport. And you just happened to meet Pam and her little brother right after you got knocked up with Eric's baby? Is that why they got you that great job? What do you do, anyway?"

"I'm done talking to you about this, Jason. It's none of your damn business." She was practically yelling, and Leif started to cry. That morning, Sookie really had been happier than she'd ever been, except for those few hours the night Eric came back from Sweden. And now she was about to cry, too.

She got up and carried Leif into her bedroom and locked the door. The baby was still hungry, so she laid with him in the bed and nursed him to sleep. Suddenly exhausted, she fell asleep, too.

Jason sat down with Gran to eat his chicken and biscuits. "Why wouldn't Eric let me know he was back? I know we ain't talked in a while, but I didn't think he hated me or anything like that. We were together every day right up until he went away to school."

"I don't know, honey. But I'm sure he has a good reason. Sookie won't tell me what happened between them, either. I hate how secretive she's become. She used to tell me just about everything!"

"I can run those errands for you, Gran. I shouldn't have got her all riled up. I know how she gets, especially when it comes to Eric."

She patted his hand. "That's sweet, Jason. It seems to me that I had to ask her to do it for some reason, but I don't see why you can't go instead. I'll just let her know when she comes out that you ran the errands for me. If she doesn't know already."

When he finished his lunch, he took the money and the list and headed for Monroe. Gran's note was a mile long, and he doubted he would be back before dark.

At 4:00 on the nose, Adele got in her car and headed for Oak Grove, a small town a little over two hours to the northeast. When she got there, she was going to wait until 7:45, and then call Godric from a payphone in the parking lot of an abandoned gas station on the outskirts of town. She had something she needed to tell him. She didn't know what it was or why, but it didn't really occur to her to wonder. She turned on the radio and sang along to the country station on the way there.

…

Sookie woke up when she heard Gran's car start. She was a little disoriented, but then remembered about the fight with Jason. She must have fallen asleep when she was feeding the baby. She really hadn't gotten enough rest the last couple of nights. And remembering those two nights and exactly why she hadn't gotten enough sleep made her smile from ear to ear again.

And then she remembered that she had promised to run errands for her grandmother. She put a pillow down at the edge of the bed to keep Leif from rolling off, and went out into the kitchen to see if Gran had left a note. There was one propped up against the phone on the kitchen counter.

Dear Sookie,

Jason offered to run my errands, so I decided to let you alone to calm down. But we need to have a long talk. I have to go to Oak Grove to make a phone call. Please take care of Leif. I love you.

Sookie's brows drew together in confusion. The note had gone from a scolding to something that almost sounded like a goodbye. And why would her grandmother drive over a hundred miles to make a phone call?

Leif called out to her, and she ran back into the bedroom to get him. "Hey, Sweetie! Mommy's here."

She scooped him up and got him changed and then she sat down to snuggle him. She was feeling really uneasy, and cuddling with him always made her feel a little better.

She was glad that Jason had run those errands - getting the baby in and out of the car seat a million times was a pain - but she hated just having to wait there with nothing to do. She wondered where Gran had even gone this late in the afternoon. She wanted to get the showdown over with. She would head back to Godric's after their talk, either with Gran's blessing or to get away and give her a chance to cool off. Plus, she was really kind of concerned about her grandmother, and wanted to make sure she got home safe.

She played with the baby while he was awake, and then laid him in his crib in her room after he'd fallen back to sleep. It was almost sunset, and she thought she would grab a piece or two of the fried chicken she'd missed at lunchtime and then get a shower while she had the chance. Hopefully Gran wouldn't be too late. Sookie missed Eric already.

…

Adele Stackhouse parked at the Walmart in Oak Grove and stayed in the car with the radio on until 7:30. Then she drove to the old Shell station, dug some change out of her purse, and stepped into the phone booth. There was a voice changer on the ground in the corner under some leaves, just like she knew there would be. She picked it up and dialed the number she somehow knew by heart.

...

Godric was reading when his cell phone rang. It was still more than half an hour before sunset, and he didn't recognize the number. He was immediately uneasy. "Yes?"

The voice was metallic, obviously altered. "Drainers have Liam, Malcom, and Diane. They don't have much time left. They're outside Forest near the Mississippi border. The bayou near Parish Road 191. There are a lot of drainers, and they are heavily armed. They usually show up around midnight."

The call ended. Godric was up and dressed and heating up some blood for him and Pam when she walked in. "What is it, Godric?"

"Drainers. They have those idiots from Monroe in the bayou south of Oak Grove, near Forest. The call was strange, though. Disguised his voice… No, I think her voice, actually. She said that they were heavily armed."

"The Disco Triplets? Shame we just can't leave them to their final deaths. But at least we'll get to have some fun."

"I will call for reinforcements, and then fly ahead at first dark. The directions were vague, and I will need some lead time to find them. Pick up Clancy and Chow and follow my call."

"Yes, Master."

Godric walked into Eric's room holding a silver chain in his gloved hands. He made sure Eric was fully covered by the sheet, and then laid the silver down on top of him.

He took off the gloves and stroked Eric's hair. He was too young and inexperienced, and it could easily be a trap. Eric was still dead, but he would be rising very soon, and would be very weak, but very angry. "I am sorry, Eric."

As soon as the sun set over the horizon, Godric took to the sky and Eric opened his eyes and tried to struggle free.

…

Bill Compton rose in the cubby in Sookie's bedroom. He had gone to his death and risen bathed in her scent. She hadn't had any dirty laundry in the hamper, but he had her hairbrush and her top sheet; he had made the bed again after removing it. She wouldn't have a chance to notice. She wouldn't be sleeping there ever again.

He heard a very rapid heartbeat nearby, and froze. Sookie should have been in Monroe with her brat, and Adele should have been in Oak Grove. The house was supposed to be empty. He would just need to be quiet and amend his plans just a little. And hope she didn't sense him somehow before dark.

…

Sookie stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in her robe. She was blow drying her hair when Leif called out to her in his head. And he sounded so scared. Sookie scanned the house, and there was a void in the room with the baby. Leif started to scream, and she bolted for her bedroom door.

…

Eric had no idea why he'd been silvered, but Godric hadn't done the best job of it. He must have been in a hurry. Eric had managed to wiggle his hand free, but burned the hell out of his wrist on the chain. Fortunately, he healed right away, and was able to get right back to work. He felt around until he could grab the edge of the top sheet and pulled. Once he got it moving, gravity helped it along, and he was able to slide the sheet - and the chains - right off onto the floor. He got up and quickly got dressed.

Where the hell was Godric? He couldn't feel him. The only ones he could feel were Sookie and the baby. Leif felt scared, and Eric felt bad for the little guy. He must have been having a bad dream.

Sookie felt worried, but he thought that that stood to reason. Leif was probably crying and upset. But then he felt Sookie's terror. He grabbed a stake from his bedside table, ran outside, and flew as fast as he could to Bon Temps.

…

Jason had finally picked up the last thing on Gran's list and was headed back to her place. She had sent him on a wild goose chase. He knew that Sookie would have gotten lost three or four times, so it was a good thing he had gone instead. Plus there was enough money left over for a couple of cheeseburgers and a shake. He knew Gran wouldn't mind. There was no way he was going to make it there before dark, but he didn't think he would be too much later. And then he could head on over to Merlotte's and maybe find someone to take home. He was kind of horny. He wondered if Pam was busy.

…

Clancy and Chow had just gotten into Pam's car when she felt Sookie's fear. Pam hadn't told anyone that she had been giving Sookie a tiny bit of her blood now and again. She didn't even think that Godric had noticed. She knew that Sookie would be angry if she ever found out, but she needed to make sure that Sookie was safe. And, if something terrible happened, Pam needed to make sure she was nearby. Just in case.

Godric was alone, almost certainly out of cell range, and he needed backup. She couldn't just leave him to do this by himself. It was far too dangerous. She could send Clancy and Chow, but all she really had was a general area. She needed to heed his call to find her maker. And it would be hell to not answer.

Sookie's fear turned to absolute terror, and Pam yelled, "Get the fuck out!" Clancy and Chow looked at each other and got out of the car. "You need to find Godric. Look in the bayou near the Mississippi border, East of Forest. And try to call him. Tell him I'm sorry."

She peeled away and headed for Bon Temps, her foot to the floor. She hoped that Godric would be Ok, and that she made it to Sookie in time. Because something terrible must have happened for her to feel like that.

…

Bill Compton was holding Leif when Sookie opened the bedroom door and ran inside. The baby was screaming, and she could feel that he was in pain. Bill had hurt him somehow. She thought it felt like his leg.

"Bill, you're hurting him. He's so scared. Please give him to me." Tears were running down her cheeks, but she was trying to hold herself together for Leif's sake. She wished to God she could use the shotgun, or even revoke Bill's invitation, but he had Leif, and she had no way to get him away. Bill was too strong.

"I'm afraid that that's not how this is going to work, Sookie. You wouldn't do this the easy way, so unfortunately, we need to do it the hard way. Your boyfriend will have felt your fear, and I'm sure he's on his way. He isn't even a year old, and getting rid of him will be no real bother."

He was going to kill Eric. She couldn't let that happen. "Godric and Pam…"

He cut her off. "Are on a merry chase for imaginary drainers almost to the Mississippi border. We will be long gone by the time they figure out what happened and come back."

"What do you want?"

Bill smiled, and it chilled her to the bone. "I want you, of course. You are mine."

She wanted to tell him that she was Eric's, but she needed to get Leif away from Bill, and was too scared to do anything that might upset him.

"Please Bill. He's hungry. Let me feed him." Leif was way too scared and hurt to be hungry, but she needed to hold him. To protect him. The baby was screaming out loud and screaming at her in his head, and instinct was screaming at her to do something, anything, to get him to safety.

"I'm afraid not, sweetheart. He is my insurance policy. You will be able to hold him and feed him again when we are clear of Bon Temps and well on our way to Peru. But right now, I'm feeling a little bit peckish myself. Do you want to feed me, or should I drink from him?"

She wished she had one of her stakes. Anything small and sharp and wooden that she could plunge into his heart when he got close. She swallowed. At least maybe she would be able to calm Leif down a little if she was near enough to touch him. She guessed that getting bitten was a small price to pay.

She was still just wearing her robe, and she pulled the collar from her neck and then tightened it across her chest.

"No, I'm afraid I had something else in mind, darling. I understand that your milk is delicious." His fangs snicked down. "Take off your robe and don't be stupid. I will not hesitate to hurt him again."

She tried to hold in a sob, but she just couldn't do it. She opened up her robe and let it fall to the floor. For a moment, she felt so incredibly small, just like that tiny girl with huge blue eyes and tangled blonde hair who was made to stand naked in front of her great uncle before he did bad things to her and made her do bad things to him.

Bill ran a finger from her collarbone down to her nipple. She shuddered. He kneeled in front of her and unzipped his fly. "Your boyfriend won't be here for at least another fifteen minutes, even if he doubles the speed limit all the way. I am going to take my time and enjoy this very much."

Sookie looked over Bill's shoulder and saw Eric standing in her bedroom doorway, hovering a few inches from the floor. She had never seen him so angry, and he was absolutely terrifying. She had never loved him more. She flicked her eyes down at Leif and back to Eric. He nodded. Bill had the baby carelessly held in one arm, and she knew that Bill could kill him before she even saw him move. Eric floated in and was almost to Bill's back with the stake held high when the front door slammed and Jason yelled, "You here, Gran? I got a flat just out on Hummingbird Road and I need to call for a tow. I never did get my spare patched up."

Sookie jumped to the side and Bill turned at the sound just as Eric was about to swing the stake. Sookie saw what was about to happen, and she threw herself between them just before the stake plunged into Leif's chest.

Sookie fell like a stone, and Leif started screaming even louder. Both Bill and Eric froze, and looked down at her. The stake was lodged in her neck, and there was far too much blood on her lips and in her mouth and on the floor below her. She was gasping for breath.

Bill looked down at her with rage. She and Godric's spawn had ruined everything. She was far more trouble than she was worth. But he still had his insurance policy for now, and he would drain and dump the brat when he got far enough away to no longer need a hostage.

Eric was on the floor with the cunt's head in his lap. Crying. Her blood smelled even better than he thought it would, and Bill's fury rose another notch. He broke the window, climbed out, and ran. He hoped he could keep the little shit alive until it had worn out its usefulness.

Sookie looked up at Eric. He had bitten his wrist and was trying to give her his blood. Sookie shook her head. "Leif." It was barely a breath.

"Come on, Sookie. Please. Please take it. I can't lose you again."

Jason was standing in the bedroom doorway, his eyes as big as saucers. He finally snapped himself out his stupor, and saw whatever the hell it was Eric was doing to Sookie. "What the fuck, Eric? Just what in the fuck are you doin' to my sister?"

Sookie reached up and stroked Eric's face. He thought she tried to push his hair out of his eyes, but she was too weak to hold her arm up any longer, and it fell back onto her chest. "Save him. Please."

Eric knuckled the tears from his eyes and smeared the blood all over his face. Sookie wondered if that's how his ancestors looked going to war with red paint on their cheeks.

He leaned down to kiss her one more time and then flew out the window to find his son and tear Bill Compton apart.