Thanks for sticking with me guys! Everything should be settling down for me in about a week so then we can really get cracking on this story. To answer a question I've been getting a lot, I combine elements of the books and the show when writing this. I always picture Askars and the events that happened between Sookie and Eric in season three, but I also have in mind the tenderness Eric has in the books and I tend to ignore certain crazy plot points (like Sam's crazy spiral into madness and Bill's fight with the Queen, etc) that I just don't feel like dealing with. :) Please keep the feedback coming, the story is about to start moving! -R

The darkness outside made Sookie dizzy. She had woken up feeling so rested that she was certain it must be midday. Looking out her window and seeing something as unexpected as the blackness of night sent her mind spiraling. As if everything she knew to be true was false; as if she couldn't count on anything, not even the sun, not even herself.

When she was younger, she had suffered from this recurring nightmare. It was after everything had happened with Uncle Bartlett, after the shame and fear had twined in her veins. It wasn't about the abuse or the man, and that was something that always puzzled Sookie as she got older. She had never dreamed about the actual events. The dream went something like this: she was wandering through the house and all the rooms were empty. Everything looked the same, but she knew something was wrong because the smell was off. She remembered the first time she had gone to a friend's house and realized the smell of a life envelopes a house and makes it a home. Their smell, she knew, mostly came from Gran. Like cinnamon and citrus and a dash of powder. So in her dream, when the house smelled like nothing, she knew she was in trouble. She went from room to room searching, but no one was there. Finally, she crouched in the corner of her room and placed her hands over her ears to block out the shrieking silence. Around the house, the lights began to switch off, one after another, until she was left completely alone in the darkness. She woke up screaming every time.

She pulled on a sweater to vanquish the chill settling over her. Fear of the dark hadn't plagued her for years and she mentally chided herself at her foolishness. After all, in the last year she had come alive at night; the only two lovers she had ever been with required the shadows. She took in the sheet tangled around Eric's waist, his arm flung over his eyes as if even the moonlight streaming in the window was too much for him. She drew the curtain and walked to the front porch.

The crispness of the air stole her breath and she closed her eyes before forcing herself to step into its icy fingers. She walked down the steps and stood on the lawn. She wanted to face the darkness; she didn't want to be afraid anymore.

"Sookie."

She yelped and scanned the yard for the owner of the voice.

"I am sorry to have frightened you." Bill revealed himself and Sookie put a hand on her thundering heart.

"Bill, my God! What are you doing out here?"

"I was checking on you." He took a step forward and Sookie felt a shiver at the sight of his fangs. They hung so low and sharp that a droplet of blood sprang forth on his lip.

"Is something wrong?" Bill cocked his head at the tremor in her voice.

"I have missed you." He raised his head and sniffed. "Yet alas it seems that you have not missed me."

She faltered. "Bill?"

In a flash he was in front of her, so that she stumbled back and tripped on the stairs. He grabbed her before she could fall and pulled her so that their faces were inches apart. His eyes glowed with rage and her arms ached in his hold.

"What have you been doing?" He growled.

Anger bubbled in her chest. "Let go of me!" She wrenched herself free. "What do you think you're doing? You have no right, Bill Compton-"

She gasped as he grabbed her again, pulling her body so it was flush against his.

"I can smell him all over you," he hissed. "Playing the harlot now?" He shook her so hard her teeth rattled. Sookie had never seen Bill so out of control before and she felt her blood run cold. In this moment, he didn't even look like the man she had loved; he looked like a monster; he looked like a vampire.

"I always thought so much of you. I always sacrificed so much for you and look what you've become: one of Eric's whores!" As he snarled at her, she thought for sure his vice-like grip would break through her flesh.

"Bill, please," she whimpered and his eyes dropped down to follow the trajectory of her tears.

"I should have known it would be too much for you," his voice was almost a whisper now, but for some reason his sudden restraint of fury frightened her more. "I should have known this world would corrupt you."

"Bill…"

"I only wanted to save you, but you pushed me away. You pushed me away and now you've ruined EVERYTHING." She shut her eyes at his scream and prepared herself for the worst.

"Let her go." The softness of the command was what caught their attention. They both turned to gape at Eric in the doorway. Sookie could see the goosebumps sprinkled across his bare chest, and his toes peeking out from under his sweatpants, remaining firmly inside the threshold.

"You must feel very smug," Bill sneered. "You've finally laid your claim to her."

As if she were witnessing from afar, Sookie watched as Eric slowly walked onto the porch.

"Let," he said again. "Sookie go."

As if Eric had pushed a button, Bill released her. She pitched backwards and looked up at the dark vampire. His head was tilted and he was staring hard at Eric with a look of complete incredulity on his face.

"What is this?" He asked sharply.

Eric crept over to her, keeping his movements slow and deliberate.

"You don't want to hurt Sookie, Bill," he said softly. He reached her and gently took her elbow, guiding her behind him and edging them both back toward the house. "You love Sookie. Calm down and think about what you're doing. You're frightening her."

Bill's eyes had a deadly glint as he took in Eric's warm flesh, his staggered breaths. Sookie wondered if he could smell the blood and life pumping through Eric's body.

"Eric," he said and when he smiled, it chilled Sookie to the bone.

"Go home," Eric commanded and though his voice sounded impervious, Sookie could sense his concern as he began to back her up faster. "Leave us alone, Bill. You don't want anyone to get hurt. You don't want to do something you'll regret."

Bill watched as they stumbled into the house, but he remained silent as the door closed behind them. Eric stared through the peephole at the yard and Sookie found that she could finally speak again.

"Is he gone?" She rubbed her arms to try to help them regain sensation.

At the sound of her voice, Eric whirled around and swooped her into his arms. "What were you thinking? You should not have gone outside alone like that. You know there are those who wish to hurt us. You know the nighttime is dangerous. You know I cannot protect you as I once did. You could have been hurt. You could have been killed!" He sounded angry, but his hands stroked her face, her hair, her arms. His lips followed the path, kissing her all over and searching for wounds, attempting to heal hurts.

"I know, I know. I wasn't thinking."

"Are you okay?" She nodded and promptly began to cry and he enfolded her into his embrace. He murmured softly to her as she sobbed.

"I've never seen him like that," she wailed. "He was crazy. I've put us in danger. Oh God, I'm so sorry, Eric!"

"It's okay, Sookie. Shh, it's okay." He kissed the top of her head. "He was heated and irrational. He will calm down. He does not wish to hurt you."

"But you…Eric," she pulled back to stare up at him. "Did you see the way he looked at you? He knows you're human now and he wants you dead."

Eric smiled wryly at her. "Yes, well, he's wanted that for quite some time. He'll have to be a bit more patient. His invitation is rescinded and he will not do something to jeopardize your safety."

"I don't know, he seemed pretty mad at me..."

"He still cares for you. He is calmer now and will want to protect you from harm."

Sookie swiped at the tears on her cheeks. "But what about you?"

"He'll try to kill me." Sookie sucked in a breath at his matter-of-fact statement. "But we will leave tomorrow morning to find your brother. He will not track us, he will take time to think about his new knowledge and formulate a plan. Now we must focus on your brother."

"Jason," she said slowly.

"Yes."

"But, Eric-"

"Sookie?"

"Yes?"

"Trust me."

She looked at him and took in his half-naked form and sleep rumpled hair. She thought of the way he had looked as he stepped onto the porch and abandoned the safety of the house.

"I trust you."

They left early because neither of them could sleep. The drive took most of the day and Sookie was surprised by the casual feel of it. With the wind slapping at their hair and rustling their bags in the back, it felt like they were headed off on vacation. They talked about a movie they had seen recently and Eric held her hand as he drove. Sookie studied the way his fingers twined with her much smaller digits. She traced the veins mapping his skin and she thought about how much was not being said; about the dark cloud that she knew was following them, waiting to open up and pour their demons back on their running forms.

They stayed at the nicest hotel in the town, which wasn't saying much. Half the letters in the blinking neon sign were burnt out and the receptionist, a balding woman in her mid-seventies, never uttered a word as they checked in. Eric shoved his shoulder against the door twice before it snapped open to reveal the checker-patterned bed and shag carpet.

Sookie stepped around Eric as he placed their bags on the floor. "You take me to the nicest places," she gushed.

He grinned at her. "Only the best for you, my dear." He glanced around the tiny room. "It appears Felton does not arrange meetings in the most glamorous towns."

"Yeah, well," she collapsed on the bed, testing its softness. "He is from Hotshot."

He lay next to her on the bed without touching.

"Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm still full from when we stopped."

"We should probably sleep. We'll need to be rested for tomorrow."

She turned to look at him. "Yeah, you're right."

Their union was rough and intense; both of them expressing their emotions physically. His body dominated her and her fingers dug at his flesh, taking everything he gave, wanting more. They came together and lay panting against each other.

"Eric, did you mean what you said before?"

He didn't pretend not to know what she meant. "Yes. I meant it."

"Everything?" She sat up on her elbow. "Staying human, staying with me?"

"Everything." He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I want to build a life with you. I want to have babies with you."

"Eric, listen. Cards on the table here. You know I care for you and I want to be with you. If that means being with you as a vampire, then I will. I'm in. But please, don't make me any promises you don't intend to keep. I can deal with you not wanting to stay human; I understand. But I can't deal with planning this life with you and then losing it before it's ever had a chance to blossom. Just be truthful with me, please."

"Sookie," he placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her forehead tenderly. "I know the risks and dangers better than anyone. I know what I will lose and what I will gain. Our life will be difficult for a long time, but I also know that the benefits outweigh everything else. I want to be with you. Look," he detangled himself from her and walked to his bag.

He dug around as she watched him curiously. Finally, he revealed a vile with swirling scarlet liquid. "Pam dropped this off. It is the potion that would restore me to Vampire. I could take it now and end all of this." Sookie's eyes never left his. "But I refuse to take it. Pam will meet us tomorrow night when she awakens to help us with your brother. Then, I will return this potion so she can safely dispose of it forever." He tossed the vile back on his bag and climbed onto the bed.

"You were right before when you said I make too many self-sacrificing decisions. I'm tired of being rational and always putting others first. I want to be human. I want," his voice broke and he looked down. "I want to be human. And I want to be with you. And I don't care about the consequences. We can make it work. I want this more than I've ever wanted anything and I would never recover, never forgive myself, if I took it away to fulfill obligations for a life I no longer want." He looked at her and her eyes teared up at the emotions straining his voice and painting his face. "I promise you this is what I want and this is what I will do. I will put myself first in this case, so I can put you first for the rest of my human life."

She kissed him then and he let her pull him down onto the mattress. This time their lovemaking was slow and gentle. They savored every moment and made sure to kiss every spot, each hoping to bring the other as much pleasure as possible. They explored each other and whispered affectionately until the early morning hours; each excited at this start of their new lives together.