Payin' anything to roll the dice

Just one more time

Some will win

Some will lose

Some were born to sing the blues

Oh, the movie never ends

It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting

Up and down the boulevard

Their shadows searching

In the night

Streetlight people

Livin' just to find emotion

Hidin' somewhere in the night

Don't stop believin'

Hold on to that feelin' – Journey

Pam POV

I have no words; and as my maker, sister, and lovers will tell you, that's extremely rare for me. It's rare for me to be completely without words. Usually, when I can't say them out loud for whatever reason. I can still manage to think some of some strongly phrased ones in my head. But when I walk out of the plane and see the Ancient Pythoness, I will admit that there are a few seconds that I have no words, not even any thoughts. Then I have one big one; with her presence, just how fucked are we?

I'm not sure we want to know the answer to that question.

So as I stand there simply staring at her and her guards, Eric falls to his knees and pulls me down with him. I'm glad he still has his brain at the moment. I bow my head in deference, and wait until she speaks. I imagine she's waiting until everyone it out of the plane. No use starting when half the people are missing, I suppose.

I feel the vibrate signaling a message in my pocket and I don't miss how she focuses on me showing that she heard it to. I tell you – for someone who is blind, it sure doesn't seem like it when she focuses her eyes on you. Needless to say, I don't check my phone at the moment since I do not get a follow up message I would most likely get if something were truly wrong.

One can hope.

I can't help to be scared that something happened with Tray. I have a feeling that even though he is awake, that will not stop my nerves of thinking what else could go wrong with him. And I suddenly remember why I have avoided humans in the past. I would have happily continued to ignore them, except for the random fun of course, but these people just wormed their way in.

And I am not sure I want to let them back out.

Both Tray and Amelia stayed behind in Louisiana. Tray, as much as he hates it, is still in no condition to do much else than lay down, something I will be putting to good use when we get home. Ludwig says there's no evidence that the paralysis is permanant. We are all hopeful she is right. Amelia stayed with him, for him and to make sure there was a witch still at home. Octavia came with us in case she is needed, and to lift the spell blocking Eric from everyone as soon as possible.

I can't say that leaving them was easy tonight; quite the opposite is true actually. One of the best things I have even seen is Tray's eyes. They are a sight that I never want to forget and I plan to make sure that I do not.

Finally I can hear that the last vampires have made it out of the plane and I am waiting for what she has to say. Obviously, she deems it of great importance to venture this way and leave the safety of her home. But a minute after I hear the shuffling of the last ones out dropping to their knees, the Ancient Pythoness has still not spoken. I risk a glance up at her and I hear Eric make a noise of disapproval and just this one time I wish that I could feel it from him as well. I miss the feel of him, of our bond. Right now, I would take the feeling of disapproval if it meant I could still feel him.

And she is staring right at me again when I look up, this time with a smirk on her face like she expected it. I swear if her eyes weren't milky and cloudy, I would think this whole blindness thing was a rouse.

She does give me a nod though I cannot even start to imagine what that could mean before she opens her mouth and says, "Rise." Her voice leaves no room for argument even with that one simple word. Then her focus is off me and onto Eric who I feel stiffen next to me. He is not getting the smirk that I got from her. No, as she turns towards him, her eyes narrow and her face grows stern. It is obvious that she is not a happy camper.

As that thought crossed my mind, I feel a pang in my chest for my friend who hopefully at this time tomorrow night be in my arms in one of those hugs I have become quite fond of. That is of course if I am able to get her from Eric's.

"You," she starts off by saying, her voice strong despite her aged appearance. "I told you she was special. I told you and you let her fall into the hands of your maker."

Eric POV

Seeing the Ancient Pythoness when I was walking out of the plane was worrisome. This situation is already quite tenuous and her presence exacerbates that. Hearing what she says to me, knowing that though I understand my maker's fault in all of this they are also what I hear in my mind, kills a little part of me. But I take a page out of Sookie's book and say to her, "That is not exactly how I would word it."

To my surprise her face gets lighter and I dare say she may even be smiling as she tells me, "Good."

Though there is no question in my mind of how special Sookie is, to say I am wondering just what she sees that makes Sookie so special is would be an understatement.

"For millennia, the different Supernatural groups have been at odds. We have been living in the same world but never actually working together within that world. If we want to make it through the reveal of Vampires, if the rest of the groups want to be able to have their own reveal, we have to start to work together. We have to start to come together. This group here, this group that you are a part of, that you have helped form can be the start of that. And it all started, with your wife," she finishes looking at me.

I stay quiet not having anything to say. I understand what she is saying. I can see how this could look to anyone on the outside but Sookie is not the cause for it. But then I start to think about my own little ragtag family. Sure I had a relationship with my children, a strong one with Pam, before any of this started. But everyone else who has come into my life in the last few months, my stronger relationship with Karin, would not have entered it if it were not for the little human who has stolen my heart. My mind then shifts to what happened when Appius came to Fangtasia. I did not have to face him alone. I had the support of my children. I had the support of my family and friends.

Maybe the Ancient Pythoness is on to something.

"Vampire, Weres, shifters, demons, human, and even the Fae," she adds on. "All willing to come together to help and free this girl. It is in all of our best interests to continue to grow these relationships." Thinking about it, we are quite the eclectic group. I had my vampires and the ones from Sophie-Anne. We had Alcide and many more from the pack. Jason was here and brought Sam with him. Cataliades and his niece were here to fight with us to save Sookie. There was just one group I did not know intended to fight alongside us.

"Fae?" I ask. I know they had a vested interest in her return but I do not see any here.

Of course, that is only until I ask my question. "Yes, Fae," I hear in response and it is not in the voice of the Ancient Pythoness.

I look up to see Niall approaching us with Fae soldiers around him. He reaches out a hand to me and I take it as a sign of respect. It is no secret that our two races usually do not get a long and I think of the words the Ancient Pythoness said as I look from Niall to the rest of us gathered here. It is very unusual for these groups to be working together, especially for someone who they thought was human.

Looking back to Niall, I guess that cat is out of the bag at the moment.

"We will get my great-granddaughter back," Niall says.

"And after," I ask for many reasons. The most important being I need to know I will be fighting him for Sookie.

"After," he says, taking his turn to look around at everyone who is here, everyone that is willing to fight for Sookie. "After, I am hoping to become part of this," he says, motioning to crowd. "Part of my great-granddaughter's life. Her life with you," he adds.

I look at him and I see no threat in his face nor hear any in his voice. Though the two of us may not trust each other yet, the fact that we both care for Sookie could be enough for us to have a civil relationship. I look to the Ancient Pythoness and she nods, her words making even more sense now.

"I think she would like that very much," I tell him before lowering my voice and asking about Claudine. I see his eyes fill with concern and I worry about what he is about to tell me but he says, "She should recover."

I know the struggle with Fae pregnancy and I know that concern did not fill Niall's eyes for the hell of it. "And the child?"

And the look on his face tells me where the worry comes into play, "One was lost," he says the sadness clear in his voice.

"One?" I ask. He then goes onto explain that it was indeed one. Fae pregnancy usually results in multiples and Claudine was pregnant with twins. "We are hoping that the other child will pull through."

"So am I," I tell him earning a smile.

"So what are we doing to get Sookie back?" Niall asks, which is when I start to explain my plan.

I outline my plan, dividing everyone into groups. We have the initial group who goes in and starts the attack. The second group, the one that I will be leading, will be the one whose focus is to find Appius and Sookie. I believe that when Appius knows he is under attack, he will believe his best bet to ensure his victory is to have Sookie in his pocket to use against me. Hopefully, I will be able to get to her before him. The third group will be outside ensuring there are no escapees and making sure Appius does not get away. The rest of the night is spent going over contingencies.

Tomorrow night is when we go in. By this time tomorrow, this should all be over.

The Ancient Pythoness makes her exit after hearing my plans. I am assuming that since she had no objections, she approves. Shortly before we are about to break before dawn, Thalia comes up to me and I can tell by the look on her face that I am not going to like what she has to say. "Eric," she starts out by saying but immediately hesitates. She takes a breath as if readying herself to continue before saying, "I don't think you should be involved in the main fight. You shouldn't be in the group going after Appius directly." Which means she doesn't want me going to Sookie directly either.

I want to yell. I want to scream and say there is absolutely no way that I will not be going after Sookie. That is not even a question at the moment. But I know Thalia and she knows me; she realizes just how I would most likely respond to her words and she still said them anyway. She must have a reason and I will listen to it to simply make sure that I have thought of everything when it comes to get Sookie out of there safely.

I will listen even if I have no intention of actually following what she says if it does not involve me going into that warehouse.

"Appius is your maker," she starts out by saying. Yes, no Earth-shattering moment yet. "He may not be able to feel you but Octavia doesn't think that will limit his ability to command you," she says slowly.

Looking at her, I have so many responses forming and it would be so easy to let them fall out of my mouth and let Thalia feel the brunt of my anger. My anger at the situation. My anger towards my maker. My anger of not knowing what Sookie is going through at the moment.

My anger at the fact that Thalia's words are correct.

Appius may not be able to feel me anymore but there is still magic between us; it is not severed just masked. The fact that I still have this connection to my maker and this connection could not only prevent me from helping Sookie but could also cause me to hurt her makes my chest hurt. That is something I never want to subject her to. It is something that I would never be able to forgive myself for allowing to happen.

I had put myself in that situation before with Karin not truly having much understanding of how powerful the magic between maker and child is. And though I have lived through much of his depravity, I also did not know just how low my maker would go. It was a mistake that cost me and one I swore was never going to happen again.

And now I have to determine if I am strong enough to follow through on that promise.

I look over at Thalia and I can see her own pain from this situation clear on her face. She is not happy about what is telling me; she is not happy that it may be in everyone's best interest that I am not the one going after Sookie directly. But I can't deny her word. Nothing would make Appius happier than to use me to hurt the ones that I love. He knows that would destroy me and though he has always made sure that no one else has that pleasure, it is something that he has no problem doing himself.

I have to take that power away from him as much as it kills me because if I hurt someone I love, that is something that may actually kill me.

I nod and immediately find me being swept into three sets of arms. Thalia's I expected but have not noticed how close my children have gotten through my conversation with her. As the three females move impossibly closer to me I make eye contact with Thalia and say, "Make sure you get her out of there."

"You'll do that yourself right after I end your maker," she says with determination in her voice. "As soon as he is dead Octavia can drop the spell and you can go right to her."

And that is the new plan. I just hope everything goes according to it.

Sookie POV

I blink open my eyes, well eye really, at the sudden intrusion of light. I hadn't even thought the lights in here worked; they had never been turned on. When someone came in they would bring in a candle for light; at least until I tired to light them on fire with it. After that, it was a flashlight lantern. But never have the lights overhead been turned on. And that is something that I am suddenly thankful from as I try to shield my eyes from the harsh light.

Or at least my one eye that will open.

My left eye has been swollen shut since shortly after Appius hit it last night. I was in too much shock from everything to realize it was swelling right after it first happened. The shock of what I felt afterward far outweighed any pain that I felt when I was slapped. The shock at what I saw with Appius showing concern when his bond broke with Eric, made me wonder if I had been hurt harder than I originally thought.

I can no longer feel Eric; the pain of the realization of what that meant weighed heavy on me when I realized it after the splitting pain of what I imagine was our bond breaking, had subsided. My first thought was the most obvious thought; I could no longer feel him because he had been killed. Somehow he had been made finally dead probably while trying to rescue me. That thought alone was enough to bring me to tears, to render me inconsolable.

Appius almost looked frightened of my response once his pain left him, far more quickly than mine left me. If I didn't know any better I would think that Eric's maker was worried about having to try and console me. Yeah, like that would ever happen.

But it was what I saw on Appius' face right before my eye started to close due to the swelling. He was sad; he was visibly upset at the loss of his child. That is something that I did not expect, not after learning what I know about him. The thought that the loss of Eric would even register to him is something that never crossed my mind. The pain was is on his face even after I know the physical pain has ended is something that was very surprising for me.

Then again, so was the lantern that flew past my head.

The pain is off his face almost immediately and is replaced with rage but I don't think it is rage that his plans have gone sour. He glares at me for a few seconds before leaving the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving me in the darkness.

The darkness of the room and the darkness of my head.

I cried. I can't deny that. I cried for what I thought had happened, for what could have actually happened. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought of the possibility that maybe what appeared to have happened, didn't.

We have a very strong witch in Octavia. Could this be possibly be a spell? Why would Eric have wanted Octavia to break our bond and his bond with Appius as it appears it happened with him too. I wrack my brain trying to determine a reason for why Eric would want such a spell to be done because I have to believe that Eric Northman is still walking this Earth.

I cling to that notion. I have no idea if that is correct or if I have really lost the love of my life. I can't allow myself to go there though; when I do, that spot in my brain where I used to go to escape is looking better than it has in months. Because if Eric is truly gone that would mean Pam is most likely gone. Thalia, Karin would probably be gone too. Everyone that I have formed a family with in the last three months could all be gone. Family that I have had for the last twenty plus years in Jason could be gone if was with them, concerned about my disappearance as he would be.

That's when another thought enters my head. If Eric was physically close to me, close to attacking to try and free me, this is something he would not want Appius to know. That would be a reason for him to want to sever the bond with his maker, and may have had to sever the one he has with me to do so.

That thought fills me with hope. The tears still fall from my eyes but that has more to do with the pain in my head that is starting to become more pronounced now that I am filled with renewed optimism that Eric may still be alive, or at least not finally dead. I refuse to believe anything else is true. I finally fell asleep when the pain became too overwhelming but the thought that Eric Northman is okay is what brought me enough peace to be able to get some sleep.

Only to be woken up by a bright light.

I look around the room in the light, for the first time getting a glimpse of the room that I have spent the majority of the last few days in. Immediately, I wish the lights would go back off. I hate having become face to face with the disgust that has been my home lately. No, I will not call it that. This may have been where I have physically been but it is most certainly not my home.

My home has become much more than a room or a building where I spend my time. My home has become some place where I am comfortable, someplace that even when reliving the worst parts of my life I feel comfortable. My home has become more about the people I spend my time with and less about where I spend my time. My home is where my family is and they are most definitely not here. But maybe they'll be here soon. And that is what gets me up and moving to the corner that has become…well, my human needs corner. Can't have a bathroom emergency if there is a rescue mission coming.

I use my telepathy, or I should say I try to lose my telepathy but as has happened since I've been stuck here I get nothing. That doesn't help me to determine the time of day so until someone comes into my room I have no way of knowing if night has fallen yet. Usually my bond with Eric would be a clue but…I no longer have that little piece of him, that little piece of security that hopefully is not lost forever.

Suddenly, I hear a noise that I haven't heard before since I have been here. It sounds like hammering and it takes me a minute to realize that it's not hammering; it's people running. I hear them running back and forth and I hear shouting though I cannot determine the words that are being shouted. I run to the door and push against it, hoping that it will somehow pop open. I am not surprised when it doesn't but I am able to hear the panic in the voices that are shouting. And if those that have been holding me captive are panicking, that has to be good for me right?

I just keep hoping that my rescue mission, and more importantly, my vampire has finally made an appearance.

Hello dear readers. I'm so happy to be able to get this out to you today. I survived the Chicago science conference and the Chicago science conference survived me! Though the minor hour difference is another story. Boy, it's making me feel old.

I do hope that you've enjoyed this chapter as the moment most have you have been waiting for is coming, hopefully ;) Let's keep our fingers crossed everyone's all right in the end shall we? Thanks so much for taking the time to read. I appreciate it and thanks to those taking the time to leave their thoughts. To my guest reviewer – so happy you liked the progress of them being in Oklahoma.