Chapter Three: God, Help the Outcasts

To say that Eric Northman was enduring an excessive amount of nervousness while walking to the first day of third grade would be an understatement. After hiding the truth of his identity for centuries, the vampire thought that he was well adept at blending in. However, in the body of a child experiencing all the vampiric strength and impulse, Eric was all too aware of the freedoms he had lost upon taking on the job of protecting Sookie Stackhouse for the next fifteen or twenty years.

"You okay?" Sookie asked kindly of Eric as her brother broke away from them in the school hallway to head to his own class.

"I am fine," Eric assured tightly as Sookie nudged him toward their classroom. At least with such a small school, there was no difficulty ending up in the same class. The elementary level only had one teacher per grade, and that made Eric's job much more manageable. The fewer people he was forced to glamour, the better. With any luck, they would get through the school days without incidents. So far, Eric had not needed to ward off any attacks on the young princess, and he hoped it would stay that way. Although part of him hated biding his time, the more practical side knew he would fair better in a fight if he was once more in his actual adult body.

As he arrived in class, Eric took a seat near Sookie, prepared to glamour everyone in the room if the teacher dared to assign seats. He had to be either at her side or directly behind her no matter what. Perhaps I should have been registered with a surname using the letter 'S' to assure alphabetical assigned seating would not be an issue…

While more students filtered in, the vampire felt a strange sensation creeping along his neck. At first, he believed it to be nothing more than the curious gazes of the other students. Although Sookie and Jason had spent the remaining week before school, introducing him to several children their age, Eric was still a novelty to the small town of Bon Temps. Notably, his "sickly mother" had created quite the gossip. He had found his home flooded with meals he would not eat, and encouraged Sookie to eat at his home while they began her lessons about the supernatural world. While Eric taught her about the different species, Sookie would munch on all sorts of comfort foods.

However, as the classroom filled and the stares turned to the teacher, Eric still felt that gripping sensation at the base of his skull. It was not uncomfortable, in fact, the vampire felt strangely at ease with the pressure. It was like Sookie's nervous grip on his shoulder or nape of his neck when he had flown with her. Trusting, but concerned.

"-meet the new student. Eric Northman."

Eric's eyes snapped to the teacher, speaking in front of the class, realizing that he was being introduced.

"Would you like to come up here, Eric, and let everyone know a little bit about yourself?" the teacher suggested, gesturing front and center.

With a fake smile plastered to his face, Eric rose from his seat and came to stand before his classmates. As he grew closer to the front of the room, he felt that gripping sensation tear away and had to wonder further about it. After all, he was under even greater scrutiny from this vantage point. "My name is Eric. I am from Buffalo, New York. I enjoy reading and playing chess." A few of the boys snorted, but he ignored it. I cannot honestly think of anything else I enjoy that would be appropriate for a child of Sookie's age to comment on…

Upon that realization, Eric reflexively nodded his head and returned to his seat.

"Alright, class," the teacher smiled a bit awkwardly, realizing that she had two strange children this year if the warnings about Sookie Stackhouse turned out to be accurate. "Who would like to tell us about their summer vacation? Tara?"

Tara Thornton was a young, black girl Eric had already seen several times in his single week in Bon Temps. She stayed at Sookie's house a majority of those short seven days, and Eric had summarized from the whispered conversations in the girl's room that Tara's mother was an abusive alcoholic.

"I just hung out with Sook most of the summer. We went fishin' and climbed some trees… This last week I've been getting to know Eric 'cause he lives between me and Sook's house," Tara added as if trying to come up with more to share. "He's really good at climbing trees."

"Better at climbing trees than a monkey?" One of the boys uttered to the boy next to him, and Eric witnessed Sookie's head snap to glare at him. The boy seemed frightened by the little girl's stare, and the vampire had to wonder about that response.

"Got somethin' to say, Bobby?" Sookie hissed icily. Eric's eyebrows raised at his little ward's tone. He had never heard her sound so pissed off. Not even when she defended Jeanie from his dehumanizing remarks.

Bobby's face turned bright red, making Eric realize why the situation was so peculiar. The culprit of the insensitive comment was clear on the other side of the room. Eric had only heard him because of his supernatural abilities. As had Sookie. Bobby and his friend were shocked to be heard at all by another classmate.

Suddenly, the grasping sensation at Eric's nape returned, and realization sprung to the vampire. Sookie, he understood. She could not hear his mind and had begun to subconsciously reach for his silence to quiet the remaining voices in the room. No wonder the feeling reminded me of her, he thought amusedly.

Understanding, at last, Eric allowed her presence to hide within him and focused on other things. It was easy to ignore the yammering and complete his workbook pages. No public school work would be any sort of distraction for him. However, he could sense Sookie struggling in front of him.

"What is wrong?" Eric whispered at Sookie's hunched back.

The girl turned wide eyes upon her bodyguard. She was terrible in school, barely managing to keep up with the class every year due to the constant distractions. Now, under the silence of Eric's mind, Sookie was noticing how much catching up she had to do.

"I'm gonna fall behind again," she whispered fretfully.

"I will not let that happen," Eric assured her. "You have plenty of time to catch up with everyone else, and with my help, you will fly right past them."

"I'm real dumb," Sookie admitted softly.

"You are not dumb," Eric smiled. "You have been distracted. That will end now that I am here. I will not let you fall behind again. Now, what is the problem?"

Turning in her seat, Sookie opened her math workbook and showed Eric the problem. It was nothing more than three-digit addition and subtraction for the first day of school, and as Eric retaught the girl how it was done, he nonchalantly let his skin touch Sookie's. They had discovered that physical contact brought absolute silence to Sookie's mind with no effort on her part.

By the time lunch rolled around, Eric had found that the logistics of staying by Sookie's side without drawing attention to himself were far more complicated than anything else. Keeping up the pretense of being a child was by far his most significant hurdle. Mostly, the vampire could solve this by speaking as little as possible, but the bathroom breaks and lunch breaks were proving to be an annoyance.

Finally, by the end of the first day of school, Eric would have Sookie at his own house and could drop the pretenses.

"What a relief," Eric sighed as he threw his backpack on the table and ran his hand through his hair. Sookie smiled and took the Djinn's bottle from her own bag and unstoppered it. Immediately, Jeanie oozed from the bottle, looking more like death than a vampire before the color restored to her body, and she looked lovely as always.

"Hi, Jeanie!" Sookie squealed happily as she hugged the creature. "Sorry, you're stuck in the bottle all day!"

"It is nothing, Sookie," Jeanie assured as she returned the hug. "How was your first day of school?"

"It was good," the girl shrugged. "It's weird not hearing everyone all day long. I might actually get to learn something this year!"

"You will be learning plenty," Eric assured. "First, we must catch you up with the rest of your class. Then we will work beyond that. You should have told me you were behind. We could have spent the last week remedying that."

"Sorry," Sookie pouted.

"There is nothing to do about the past," Eric pointed to the dining room. "Set up your books. We will handle this quickly."

"May I have a snack?" Sookie asked, hopefully.

"You know the food is wasted on me," Eric replied. "Eat whatever you like." The girl grinned and skipped off to the kitchen. "Is there a purpose for me to protect her?" Eric asked once the girl was gone from the room.

"I have told you your reason for being here," Jeanie replied as she began the slow stroll to join Sookie.

"The entire reason?" Eric asked.

"For a Djinn and even Endymion, the future is never certain. All the Voice of the Pantheon can do is arrange the players. He cannot give them a script to follow. How his players move in this world are based entirely on how well he knows them and how well he knows they work together," Jeanie explained before gazing down at the vampire with a smile. "In this scenario, however, Endymion is just as uncertain as you. The two of you have never known each other with her at such a young age. What's more, you have never experienced her young life alongside her. All we can do is hope that everything will turn out how we pray."

{†}

Eric had been distracted with contemplation for the past few weeks as he still considered the short, but telling, conversation with Jeanie.

Bon Temps was shaping out to be far less of a challenge than he thought it would be. It might have been the sunlight, but he discovered that he was having a rather good time as Sookie Stackhouse's bodyguard. Nothing had lunged from the shadows to attack her, and she seemed to handle herself quite well with other students. No one appeared to dislike the girl, but many were obviously wary of her. More than likely, it was the nature of her gift that created this distance. The humans could sense that she was not quite like them, but her sweet character and fiery personality brought more and more interest now that the vampire's silent mind gave Sookie the appearance of normalcy.

Something that did not surprise Eric was the immediate springing of a rumor that he and Sookie had fallen in 'Puppy Love.' The vampire was not particularly familiar with the expression, but the word 'love' was quite telling. In a way, he did not object to the assessment. In three short weeks, Eric felt that he did love the child to an innocent degree. Sookie was a charming little girl who he was sure would grow into a lovely young woman. Her smile was as genuine as her sharp tongue, and he admired the way she called people out on their flawed manners, including himself.

Another surprising realization came to Eric when he discovered how enjoyable spending time with Sookie's family had become. As long as he minded his manners around Adele, she regularly doted on him, and Jason often tried to include him in his own gang.

It is so different than my own mortal childhood, Eric thought as he romped around with Sookie and her brother. Other boys, friends of Jason, were often part of the games, and Eric found himself nearly lost to the experience. If it were not for the combat training he was pacing Sookie through in the early evenings under the ever-watchful eye of Jeanie, Eric might have forgotten his real mission.

"What's wrong?" Sookie asked as she gasped for breath, and her reddened face shone with sweat.

Eric stared into the woods. He sensed nothing and could not decide why that bothered him. His senses felt dull, and his body felt weaker. It was suddenly apparent what the problem was.

"I need blood," Eric realized that he had not drunk since being shrunk to the form of a child. His new life had been successfully obscuring his own nature from him.

"Oh," Sookie paused. "Where are you gonna get it?"

"Apparently, I need less in this form," Eric considered. "I can probably take a nip out of the teacher tomorrow after school. She would not even notice with the small amount I require."

Sookie's face scrunched, "It's been a month, and you still don't sound much like a kid." Eric looked at Sookie curiously. "You sound like an old-timey grown-up."

Eric smiled, "That is because I am. You cannot forget that, Sookie. I am not one of your little friends, no matter how I look right now."

Pouting, Sookie nodded, "I know that… Still, you are my friend, right?"

Her insistence made Eric smile, "I am your friend, Sookie."

"And you feed me all the time after school," Sookie sucked in a deep breath as her flushed skin began to subdue to its typical hue, "so, you can have some of my blood if you're hungry."

Eric's smile disappeared, "No."

"What? You said you only need a little-"

"No," Eric repeated as he gave Sookie a gentle shove to rejoin her friends.

Finding that her suggestion was being taken with anger, Sookie was confused as Eric continued to scowl for the remainder of the late Sunday morning. After attending church and then running around with Eric and her human friends, Sookie thought that her vampire would be grateful for at least a snack. Instead, he appeared disgusted by the offer.

Do I smell bad? Sookie wondered worriedly as she and Jason headed back to the farmhouse with Eric in tow. When they arrived, Sookie forgot her disappointment at the sight of her cousin.

"Hatty!" Sookie squealed as she dove for her lanky relative and gave her a big hug. "Gran didn't say you were coming!"

"Yeah," Hadley returned the hug meekly. Her parents had been fighting all morning, and her father left the house before her mother could. "Surprise!" she faked weakly.

"I'm glad you're here! I've missed you!" Sookie squeezed tighter. "Oh," she pulled away and gestured to Eric. "This is Eric Northman. He just moved up the road last month. He's my new friend!"

"Nice to meet you," Hadley smiled at the boy.

"You as well," Eric nodded his head before glancing at the car. Gran and Sookie's aunt did not appear to be staying.

"Are you leaving?" Eric asked of the grandmother as Sookie and Hadley giggled to one another and hugged once more.

"Yes, dear, but feel free to stick around. My brother is going to be by to watch Sookie and the others. Linda and I are having a mother/daughter day," Adele explained with a smile.

"Thank you, Ma'm," Eric nodded as he turned back to Sookie. She was still hugging her cousin, but the emotion behind it had changed drastically. Instead of a mirthful reunion, Sookie's embrace seemed more comforting and protective.

"What is wrong?" Eric asked in a far more demanding tone than he had intended.

Sookie looked over Hadley's shoulder worriedly. "Hatty didn't know Uncle Bartlett was coming."

Eric frowned at the explanation. It was not so uncommon for relatives to dislike each other. Regardless of that impulse to brush aside the girl's reasons for the gloomy attitude, the vampire felt it would be a disservice to his ward if he did not investigate a possible threat to her safety and health.

"Why do you dislike your uncle?" Eric asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, expectantly.

Hadley's expression became more distraught, "He spanks me when I ain't done nothing wrong!"

Jason rolled his eyes, "Aw, c'mon, he's an old-timer. Anything can set them off. You know that. Andy's grampa gave him a smack across the face for wipin' his nose on his sleeve at the dinner table."

Despite Jason's protests, Eric was not so dismissive about Hadley's dismay. "Sookie," the vampire whispered, "go play with Jason for a bit, but do not go too far."

"Okay," Sookie took a tentative step away. Even though she could not hear his mind, there was a note of concern in his voice that made the young girl worry about her guard's next actions.

Once Sookie and Jason had taken a football down the hill, Eric ushered Hadley a little further from Adele and Linda before instilling his glamour on the cousin. He asked about the spankings and any other ways that the older man touched her. By the end of her monotone recollections, it was apparent to the vampire that the little girl was being groomed for much worse encounters.

With a bit of effort, the vampire managed to alter the memories of the incidents from Hadley's mind and sent her off to play with her cousins.

When the vampire stood alone near the house, it was Adele that remarked with a chuckle, "My, my… I don't think I've ever seen you so far away from Sookie before!"

"I think it would be appropriate to properly introduce myself to Mr. Bartlett when he arrives rather than wait until later," Eric explained himself.

"So this is the little boy that's taken a shine to Sookie," Linda gave a strained smile. "I can already tell you'll grow up to be quite the ladykiller."

A smirk tugged at Eric's mouth at the accuracy of that statement. "I suppose."

Both women chuckled as a car bopped down the gravel driveway, and Eric purposefully loosened his posture to keep everyone at ease. As an older man slid out of the vehicle, Adele politely introduced Bartlett Hale to Eric Northman.

"This is Sookie's little boyfriend, Eric," Adele teased, trying to egg on the youngster but being both disappointed and mildly confused when the boy did not show any emotion about the title.

I suppose being seen as her boyfriend would let me stay by her side without question, Eric considered, but also understood that such an arrangement would cause the girl both confusion and pain as she aged. Shaking his head at the idea, Eric remembered himself and nodded at Bartlett Hale.

"Well, hello there, Eric," Bartlett grinned at the seemingly young boy. "It'll be good for Jason to have another boy around to play with. The poor kid always has to run around with the girls."

"Jason enjoys the company of his sister and cousin," Eric replied.

"Y'all behave now," Adele called to her grandchildren and waved merrily as she headed towards Linda's car.

Alone with Eric, Bartlett placed his hands on his hips and looked down at him with a grin. "Why don't you run along and play with Jason… Send Hadley up to the house when you do. She's got some magic fingers. Always makes my arthritis in my knee better."

Glaring up at the man, Eric shook his head, "I will not being doing that." His eyes caught Bartlett's, "As a matter of fact," his glamour encased the man's mind, "you will be following me into the house." Without hesitation, Bartlett Hale slumped into the farmhouse and stood blankly, staring down at Eric.

From there, the interrogation began. Eric uncovered all of Bartlett Hale's sins and future motivations. Discovering the extent of Bartlett's depravity, the vampire had to hold back the instinct to drain the bastard dry. That would bring the need to hide the body, and then the investigation of his disappearance could bring unwanted eyes into Bon Temps. For Sookie's sake, Eric could not risk more people flooding the small town. Instead, Eric glamoured his commands into Bartlett, ensuring the man would call the police on himself once he returned to the buffering zone of Monroe. There would be plenty of evidence of his crimes for the police to put the old bastard away for the remainder of his life. Perhaps if he was allowed to live, he could bring peace of mind to the families of the girls he had stolen over the years…

With his plan laid out, Eric left the house and Bartlett to distract the children for the remainder of the afternoon. He went so far as to invite them into his own home for the sake of keeping Sookie's mind far away from the son of a bitch sitting dazedly in the Stackhouse kitchen.

"Wow, your house is beautiful!" Hadley remarked as she wandered around the home. "It seems real empty, though?"

Eric hesitated, having been unprepared for guests, "After my father died, my mother threw out everything that reminded her of him. She got sick after that, and I suppose the house never really filled back up."

The children seemed to accept this explanation. "Is your mother upstairs? Want me to make her something to eat?" Hadley offered kindly.

"No, thank you. Mother will not eat anything until dinner," Eric was being drowned in southern hospitality, and he could not keep relying on Sookie to devour it all herself. She needed to stay in shape if she were going to rebuild an entire realm of supernaturals. A leader in the supernatural community had to be strong as well as smart. "Plus, our neighbors have been very considerate about keeping us fed."

Hadley smiled at Eric's decline to her offer. She could tell that the ways of the small town were both new and intimidating for him.

"I guess your neighbors up north weren't always trying to keep y'all fed, huh?" Hadley guessed.

"No, things were a lot less… Insistent," Eric tried to offer a milder word than annoying.

The girl nodded in understanding, "Sometimes I feel like that too. Everyone pushes and pushes, wanting to get in and help. I want to be by myself, though."

"Don't you like us, Hatty?" Sookie's lip jutted out sadly.

"Of course I love you, Sookie," the older cousin wrapped her arms around the younger one. "I just feel a lot of things all at once, and I don't know how to talk about it. I don't even know what it is. I just know that it makes me want to push people away and figure it all out."

Eric listened intently before offering, "It is what growing up is. Talking to grown-ups openly can actually shed a lot of light on those feelings. They may not have felt exactly what you are now, but they all have gone through these times of uncertainty. Sometimes you do not need someone to know how you feel; you merely need someone who understands why you are feeling that way."

"Who are ya? Dear Abby?" Jason wondered with a laugh.

"I have lived a lot of places and seen a lot of things," Eric shrugged, knowing that given his suggested youth, anything he said seemed cockier than usual.

"Whatever the reason you think that," Hadley began slowly, "it did make me feel better."

"I am glad," Eric offered one of his rare smiles and brought Sookie a wave of admiration.

It was so easy to forget that Eric was an ancient vampire, and the only evidence her young mind had to remind her of this fact was the image of his intimidating, grown-up form from the two times they had met before the transformation. Whenever Sookie needed a reminder that Eric was not actually her friend, but her bodyguard, her mind conjured up that memory. Cold, uncaring… Sookie could not comprehend the sensation of feeling like someone's paycheck, but she could understand people being friendly to her when she brought Gran's cookies in for another classmate's birthday. The more difficult emotion to interpret was the dismay this knowledge brought her. Deep down, she really wanted Eric to be her friend and to care for her like Tara and Hadley did.

TBC

A/N: PLEASE, REMEMBER TO REVIEW!

-ANDI