I don't know what I'm up against

I don't know what it's all about

I got so much to think about

Hey, I think I love you

So what am I so afraid of

I'm afraid that I'm not sure of

A love there is no cure for – The Partridge Family

Sookie POV

It's been a month since we got back from New Orleans, a month since we learned that whatever the threat is, that whoever the threat is, it could be coming to the United States. It could already be here. We may not be positive about what this threat is after, but I am still okay and Sophie-Anne is warding off de Castro's marriage proposal pretty well. So there has been no progress that we can see.

De Castro hasn't been as pushy as Threadgill was with his proposal. That could be because Sophie-Anne is citing the mourning period as one of her rebukes. He's playing it off as being sympathetic of her in her time of need, offering his comfort and support but it's clear he's determined to get what it is he wants. Hopefully, we will get this all figured out before her year is up, long before her year is up.

Of course measuring progress when we aren't completely sure of the endgame is a bit difficult. And there was still a lot we didn't know. In fact, we still had more questions than answers, a fact that was beyond frustrating to us all, but to Eric especially. I know he feels like he can't protect us when he doesn't know what he is protecting us against. I also know that he's wrong. He has before. But more so, he doesn't have to worry about standing alone.

Sophie-Anne has had that human, who's name turned out to be Ryan, back to her compound twice, which means Eric and I have also been back down to New Orleans twice. The first time we went down again, it was still just Eric and I. The second time, Pam and Thalia were having none of that. They insisted on coming with us and though not entirely logical, neither one of us could deny them. So Area Five was left in control of Felicia and Tray for the evening. And it was in one piece when we returned, as were we all. Sometimes that's all we can ask for.

But we were asking for more. We were asking for information that would lead us to someone who wanted Louisiana, to someone who seemed to want me, someone who didn't seem to care who else was in the crosshairs. But we found next to nothing on the two visits to the Queen.

Ryan and his vampire had even come to Fangtasia one night. We were hoping that in a new situation, Ryan's thoughts might reveal some new information. But between the three extra visits we hadn't learned anything new and we managed to piss of a vampire. The vampire that kept escorting Ryan on these trips, Tobias, was none too pleased about making the trips. Add to it that he thought that he was going to lose his human and yeah, he was so not a fan.

And it was pretty much for nothing. We had learned that Ryan had never been out of the US, so it appears that the unknown vampire had been here at least once, about the time I was recovering from Bill's attack if I am correct. That's when Ryan's thoughts start to get cloudy, like the glamouring started at that time. We've been wracking our brains trying to figure out why then? What happened then that could have triggered this?

And we've been coming up empty.

The most we have been able to do is follow the money trails leading to Threadgill's accounts and what we can find of de Castro's. As Sophie-Anne has been turning down anything from him, we weren't privy to his bank information. Thankfully, Thalia has turned out to be quite the little hacker so we have been able to get some information. The problem is the information that we do have is leading us to multiple different accounts and we cannot find a way to link them. So either the guy really knows what he's doing or we have multiple threats.

Neither situation is good.

We are also looking through flight details trying to find out information but that's like finding a needle in a haystack. Even looking just at vampires who flew out in and out of the country during the time we think whoever glamoured Ryan was here isn't providing any useful information. Eric doesn't think any of the names we are finding are capable of such things. Of course, most likely a false name is being used, which will make it nearly impossible to track this guy based on flights. Add in that we are still trying to figure out who has been sending the look-a-like vampires, and we have a full plate. Though it would be more accurate to say we have a big plate to cover because our plate is almost empty. Sure, we may have a few crumbs but they are so small we can't even determine what the meal actually was.

But tonight, tonight we will be taking a break from all that, or trying to at least. I'm not exactly sure what my vampire has planned for the evening but I was told to block off my night for him. Not that I needed to be told that. Eric already had my evenings. I also haven't been going out too much after Jonathon came to Merlotte's. But Eric was still determined to not let me live the life of a hermit, and I love him even more for it. My brother and some friends had been over to one of his houses twice for dinner. He didn't want me to hide away and knew it would be bad for me so he is making sure that I still can see my friends.

When I woke up, there was a new dress hanging on the closet door with a note for Pam telling me to wear it tonight. I'm not sure if she knows what Eric has planned or if he just asked her to buy me something new. Knowing Pam though, she probably has an entire closet filled with clothes for me and is just replacing my wardrobe piece by piece.

The dress tells me that Eric may have something fancy planned for tonight, which I appreciate but often our best nights are the more low-key nights, the ones where we are simply alone and talk. And are usually interrupted by Pam, Thalia, or both of them. But unfortunately, in the last month we haven't gotten much time to do just that. Hopefully, tonight will be different.

I take a soak in the tub and start getting ready for whatever I will be doing tonight. I have a few hours before Eric is up for the night, but he did warn me we wouldn't be heading out until about an hour or so after he wakes up. He probably has some work or something he has to do before taking what is hopefully the rest of the evening.

I'm finishing up my hair when I feel a kiss to my head before I can even see Eric in the mirror. He groans when he sees me and says, "I have to go out for a bit so that we can have our evening, but seeing you is making me want to do anything but leave right now."

And though the idea of spending the evening wrapped up in Eric, both figuratively and literally sounds like a grand old plan, I really want to find out what he has planned for this evening. So instead of putting down my hair curler, pulling Eric towards me, and ripping off his clothes like a part of me wants to, I push him out of the bathroom and tell him to get moving so we can have our night. He leaves but not before his lips attack mine and I immediately am rethinking letting him out of the house at all tonight. And when he breaks away and I see the smirk on his face, I know that he knows it too.

"One hour," I tell him, my voice breathy.

"One hour," he repeats, before he leaves. Now I have to try and figure out what to do for an hour.

Apparently, that's not something I actually do have to try and figure out. Pam appears a few minutes after Eric has left. She manages to keep me busy for almost the entire hour. She had wanted to watch an episode of the vampire show she had gotten into. More vampires were now being introduced and I know Pam was having a hard time seeing the fractured relationship they had with the vampire who made them. She would never admit it, but I have seen tears in her eyes. I've also heard her mumbling, "Stupid souls."

When Eric comes back I again rethink the whole going out thing as soon as I see him. He looks delicious in his suit. It's dark blue, so dark that it's almost black. It makes his eyes look amazing. But he's having no part of my suggestion to stay in, even making Pam looked shock that he doesn't simply agree. Instead he thanks her for keeping me company before taking my hand and leading me out to the car, leaving me wondering where we are going and what he has planned for us.

But he's not giving me anything, instead just laughing at my questions, as my guesses on his plans for the evening get more and more outrageous. However, when I see that Eric is driving us toward Bon Temps, I have a pretty good idea of where he is taking me. When he pulls off the side of the road in the usual spot, I am sure of it. We haven't been to our little clearing in so long and I'm grateful that he's brought us here tonight. What had been a small sanctuary for me growing up, had become one for Eric now, had become one for us. It's a great spot for us and is just what we need tonight. As Eric takes me in his arms preparing to fly us the rest of the way, I snuggle into his chest and grab tight on his shirt, never wanting to let him go.

Then I only want to let him go long enough to see everything he has done for tonight before again taking him in my arms. It's suddenly clear why he needed the hour before we left. He wasn't doing business. He was making tonight magical.

Small lights are twinkling from the trees. I open my mouth to ask how he'd manage that with no electricity around but close it before I can ask the question. I would much rather believe in the magic of it all rather than him explain about battery packs or hydropower. Besides, with Octavia and Amelia around, magic is just as likely if not more so.

There's a blanket set up on the ground with a picnic basket sitting on top of it. I can't help the squeal that I let out when I take that in. I love the fact that he planned a picnic for us instead of simply taking me out for dinner. Though I would have appreciated that as well, this is a very touching gesture. Though Eric shows me in multiple ways each night that he cares and just how much he does, it's things like this that make me sit back and realize how truly lucky I am that this vampire, that this man picked me.

I turn back to him, feeling the tears start to build in my eyes. But before I can turn around completely, I am already in his arms.

Eric POV

I watch as she walks around the clearing, taking in everything that I had set up for us, for her. I see as she takes in the lights I had put in the trees. I see as she takes in the picnic set-up on the ground. I watch as she gently moves her fingers through the petals of the single rose I put in a vase on the blanket as well. I watch as she starts to turn back towards me but as the scent of her tears hits me, I have her in my arms before she can turn all the way.

"Happy tears," I ask her almost positive that they were but needing to make sure. She nods before standing on her tip toes and pressing her lips to mine. I want nothing more than to deepen the kiss, to once again pour all my emotion into it but my little human needs to eat before we can get to any of that.

I gently lower her down to the blanket as I take a small container out of my pocket and sprinkle it over the basket. "Amelia helped with a stasis spell," I explained. "It kept the food warm and safe from animals."

"Amelia, huh," Sookie asks with a smirk as she sits back and lets me unpack the basket. Sookie knows all too well that when the witches first came to help, I was not Amelia's biggest fan. I could not even pin point what it is about her that rubbed me the wrong way. Call it instinct or something but I did not feel she could be trusted. I don't think she would do anything to purposely hurt someone or put anyone in danger but I often feel that she does not grasp the true gravity of some of the situations we find ourselves in.

And there is lies the danger.

But I do want Pam to be happy and right now Amelia and Tray are doing that. I trust in what I taught Pam and I have to trust her safety to that. And Tray can usually keep Amelia in check, which is also a good thing.

Once the stasis spell is broken, the smell of the food enters our surroundings. Sookie moans at the smell and I can't help but do the same. There has not been many times in my vampire life that I wish I could again eat human food, but this is certainly one of them. And though the scent of the food is definitely playing a role with that, simply being able to share a meal with Sookie in that way is the driving force behind that thought.

I start to take the food out of the basket when I tell her that this was my plan for Valentine's Day. "I was hoping to just spend the night with you."

"I would have loved that. I love this," she says helping me open the food. "Chicken parm. Did you plan to have this that night too?" I nod. "That's why you tensed up when I ordered it the night we met Niall." Another nod. It had been a simple reminder of my plans and the fact that we could not complete them that night. She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and says, "Thank-you. It's a favorite of mine."

"I know," I tell her as I start to put some on a plate for her. "Chicken seems to be a favorite of yours. You like it fried. You like drenched in this red sauce and smothered in cheese. You also like sweet tea and gin and tonic," I tell her taking both out of the basket so she could have an option of what she wants.

"You've paid attention," she says with a bit of a smile.

"It is not hard to pay attention to you. You have held my attention since I had first laid eyes on you. You have been what my thoughts seem to come back to. Even without any memories of you, you were what I wanted." I still do not know what it was that drew me to her that night without having any knowledge of her. I could blame the bond, but the one with Pam was stronger at that point so thinking of that, I should have gone to her. But Sookie's is different. It always had been. I can feel it in every part of me. It overpowers me. It calls to me. That could be what it was.

"You're what I want too," she tells me.

As Sookie start to eat we have the opportunity to finally talk. Do not get me wrong, we have spoke in the last few months but most of our conversations have centered on business or have been interrupted by business. I have missed times like this when it was simply just the two of us. Granted, we may have not had much time just the two of us lately, but the moments we have had, I have cherished. They are moments that I will cherish for the rest of my existence. I also plan to have many more to add to our list when things calm down.

They have to calm down at some point, right? Right?

I tell her about the time that Pam had an entire village chasing her. It has to do with the leader of the village catching Pam and his daughter. She told me about the time Jason had the entire police force chasing him while he was on his bike in high school. I make a note to never leave these two together unsupervised. I am not entirely sure the world could handle the both of them loose.

"You know, Jason keeps asking about Thalia," she tells me with a bit of a smirk as she takes a bit of chicken.

"Does he have a death wish," I ask with a grin of my own.

"I think it's cute."

"She will like having a stalker." She has amassed a bit of a fan club out of Fangtasia, which has shown us that though she may be willing to play nice with vampires, humans should still be kept far away, though something tells me we may not have to keep Jason quite as far. I get an elbow to my stomach for my words. "Do you need me to grunt and pretend that it hurt," I ask her.

"No but if you don't behave something a little lower will be hurting – from underuse."

"We cannot have that," I say taking the fork from her hand and feeding her the last few pieces of chicken.

"That's better," she tells me wiping her mouth with a napkin when she I done. "Thank you so much for tonight Eric. I love it. I love you."

I take her into my arms and position her into my lap as I lean against a tree. I press a kiss to the back of her neck and tell her, "It still surprises me every time you say that. I cannot put what I feel when I hear it into words."

"Try," she asks. "For me," she adds leaning back against my check. And of course I will. I cannot deny her anything.

"I feel warm," I start off by telling her. "It starts in my chest and spreads its way all throughout my body. I fell light, like I am flying without actually ever leaving the ground. I feel happy, happier than I can ever remember feeling. I feel almost invincible knowing that you love me, believing that you love me."

"That's how I feel when you do things like you did tonight for me. That's how I felt when I saw that you repaired my house, my Gran's house, and repaved my driveway. Every time you smile at me, when you look at me that's what I feel Eric. That's how you make me feel. You make me feel special." As she spoke, her fingers started moving through mine. When she is done, she does not try to feel the silence with more words. She does not try to make me say anything in response. Instead she lets me take in her words, lets me roll them around in my head, knowing that is what I need.

Sitting there, with Sookie sitting in my lap my arms around her waist, it suddenly all seems clear to me. What I have been denying since I have been a vampire, no what Appius has denied me since he turned me into a vampire, is suddenly so obvious, so apparent to me. I am not sure why it has taken me a thousand years to realize. But then I look down at Sookie and I do understand why. It has taken a thousand years for fate to send me someone who would be willing to help me learn, who would have the patience to let me figure it out on my own.

Her words from tonight roll around in my head as they are joined from her words from the past. I feel like I have gotten those last few puzzles pieces and now am staring at the whole picture. Parts of me want to shout it from the rooftops so that everyone knows how I am feeling while the other part wants to keep it to myself, to ourselves, to savor it and to never let anyone or anything tarnish it.

I can feel myself relax, tension that I did not know existed leaving my body. Sookie must feel it to because she adjusts herself on my lap so she is sitting sideways. She looks up into my eyes and takes one hand and cups my face with it. The feeling that fills me seeing her smile only tells me that my thoughts are true.

And I cannot wait until Sookie knows what they are.

Hello dear readers. Thanks for reading and I do hope you've enjoyed this chapter as Eric puts everything together. Now, just what will he be doing with it – that's the question. But it's a good thing he realized it because things are going to start to pick up a bit. Enjoy the quiet time now.