Chapter 8 - Lost and Found

'Eric?'

'You know my name. You know me?'

'No… I mean yes… I mean it's complicated.' I choked out. 'You kind of… saved my life… I guess if that counts then yes I do know you.'

'I saved your life?'

'Yeah, I mean I wasn't conscious to witness it but you definitely saved my life.' I nodded my head in confirmation while I spoke.

'I am 'Eric'?' he said, as if it was foreign to him: Like he had never said it before. And right know I guessed he hadn't.

'Yes, that's your name.'

'Oh.' He looked so innocent. His usual slicked back hair was disheveled and falling around his face, making him look even more clueless then he already did. I saw a flash of pure hunger instantly making itself known in Eric and I instinctively took a step back.

'Eric… What's going on?'

'I don't' know.'

'What are you doing here?'

'I don't know.'

'What happened to you?'

'I don't know.'

'Are you going to eat me?'

'I want to.' He stepped forward. 'Is that bad?'

'You're a vampire. It is in your nature.'

'So I should?'

'Eric.' I said slowly. 'Maybe you should come home with me.' I was trying to bide my time and by the looks of it I was succeeding. 'I know a vampire; he might know what to do.'

'Do I know him?'

'Probably, since he's with Sookie and you definitely know Sookie because -'

'What is his name?'

'Bill.'

'I don't remember anybody named Bill.'

'Do you remember what happened to you?'

'No… I was just here. I was born here' He said dejectedly, throwing his arms in the air and indicating the woods surrounding us.

'We should get inside… it's cold and you are… half naked.'

'Does it bother you?'

'No… but you can still freeze even if you can't feel it.' He looked like he had made up his mind about killing me, he wouldn't. For now. I turned to walk towards the car but I suddenly felt a gust of wind hit me and all of a sudden I was trapped up against the car. Eric had his head in the crock of my neck, sniffing my hair.

'What are you?' He whispered I felt his breath tickle my neck.

'Trust me; you wouldn't believe me even if I told you.' I said. I tried laughing but it only came out as a gulped snort when his fangs shot out, tracing his teeth against the skin on my throat.

'Eric.' I said terrified, my heart pounding wildly while I was pushing against his chest. He stood up straight, looking in my eyes a curious look in his. He suddenly realized what he had done and started apologizing, going a million miles an hour, while he was pacing around in vampire speed in front of me.

'It's okay, Eric,' I said, stroking his arm to calm him when he stopped to look at me. I turned around and opened my car door slowly but I was still terrified.

'I am grateful for this.' He said when he ducked down to get in his seat. He was smiling, something I wasn't expecting even though it was a small one. 'Thank you.'

'You're welcome,' I said, smiling back before I closed the door. When I got in my seat I turned on the heat and got out an old blanket I kept in my car for Sam when he was in his other form. I wrapped it around Eric and I could tell he could smell Sam on it, but he didn't say anything. It wasn't long before he had that deer-caught-in-headlights look on his face again. I felt my heart tightening a little. It was sad because I could relate to being in a place where you didn't know anyone but losing your identity, who you are, must be on a whole different level. And seeing that look on Eric's usual cool and calm face was heartbreaking.

'You are sad.' Eric said thoughtfully. He was staring straight ahead, but it still felt like his attention was directed at me.

'Yes.'

'I will not hurt you.'

'I know.'

The rest of the ride home was quiet. Eric didn't say anything else, he looked deep in thought. I didn't say anything either, I didn't feel like explaining to him how deeply sad I felt for him.

We pulled up to the house and I got out walking to my house and letting myself in. Eric had walked behind me in a slower place, scoping the place out I assumed. I mean amnesia or not, he was still a vampire. I had made it halfway up the stairs to the second floor when I noticed that he wasn't following me anymore. I turned and saw him standing in the threshold and looking innocently at me.

'You have to invite me in.' he said, sounding surprised that he actually knew something.

I suddenly remembered that it was his house and for a moment we just stood staring at each other while I figured out what to do. I didn't want to lie to him about who owned the house but I didn't want to tell him the truth either. It was the Stackhouse-family's house and it had been so for the last 200 years. I felt extremely bad, but I thought that it would be best if I kept that piece of information to myself.

'Will you please come in, Eric?' I said and put on my best smile. It quickly turned to horror and I yelled: 'Don't step on the rug!' He looked a little startled by my outburst before he looked down to where one of his feet was planted on the rug. He quickly removed it, but I could clearly see the dirty footprint that was now embedded on the handmade rug that had been in the house for years. I sighed and Eric shot me a mix between an embarrassed and an apologetic look. 'Sorry,' he said quietly before he maneuvered around the rug, almost falling over, since the rug took up nearly the entire hall.

I left him standing there, while I went to find something for him to wear. He had only been wearing a pair of jeans and the blanket I had given him wrapped around his shoulders. He wasn't wearing any shoes and his feet were dirty, which led to the incident with the rug. I cringed a little, knowing that Sookie would probably throw a fit when she saw. I brought out some boxes I knew Jason still had some of his old clothes in. He hadn't been to college but he still had a Louisiana Tech sweatshirt, I guessed he had used it for when he pretended to be on Spring Break and going partying with actual college students. I found some sweatpants that probably would be more like shorts on Eric but it would do, at least until I could go to the store and get him some new clothes.

I stopped for a second, wondering why I was even helping Eric. I could have just left him out there to wander around. I could send him away right know if I wanted to. And although he had scared me before I knew he wouldn't hurt me, I could see it in his eyes. I instantly felt bad; I couldn't turn him away. Especially not after seeing him and the look on his face. He looked so lost and scared and confused. Feelings I knew all too well but not well enough as it seemed.

I quickly went back downstairs and saw him standing at the exact spot I had left him. He was looking around but he wasn't moving. He just stood there. He reminded me of a lost child and at that moment I knew I had to help him no matter what. I walked down, seeing his dirty and scraped feet. I led him into the living room, sat him on the couch and told him to stay put.

I quickly walked into the kitchen and got out a bowl. I filled it with warm water before I went into the living room and placed his feet in it. He looked quizzically at me but I stood and excused myself. I decided to call someone before I walked back to the living room. I didn't know who to call at first. I knew I couldn't call Bill because even though I knew Sookie loved him I just didn't trust him all that much. He had lied to Sookie about the weirdest things and it just made me all the more wary of him. I thought about calling Sookie but I knew she would tell Bill, unintentionally maybe, but she would still tell him.

I stood with the phone in my hand for a little while, thinking about who to call when I remembered Barbie. She was his child, his progeny, she would know what to do, right? I got out the phonebook from under the sink and looked up the number for Fangtasia. I quickly dialed and waited for someone to pick up. A bored voice sounded over the phone: 'Good evening. Fangtasia, the most fantastic bar in Northern Louisiana.' I heard, all said in a quick ramble. 'What do you want?'

'Pam, it's Annabelle.' I said nervously. I didn't really know what to tell her. Hey, your maker is at my house and he's lost all traces of his memory, doesn't really roll right off the tongue. 'I thought you should know that Eric's here.'

'So, it's his house.'

'Yeah… he doesn't seem to remember that… or much else.' I waited for a while, I called her name but I didn't get an answer so I just hung up. This was bad, real bad. If Barbie didn't come get him, I didn't know what else to do. I was beginning to panic, but I decided to wait for a while. Maybe she was just calling someone to come pick him up and she would call me right back. Yeah, that was it. She would call me back.

I went into the living room and saw Eric splash his feet around in the water. It was weird seeing a vampire, an evil Sherriff vampire nonetheless, sit and do something so… childish. I grabbed a cloth and went over to him, crouching in front of him and beginning to wash his feet.

'Sorry the water got cold.'

'Oh, I don't' mind.'

I washed his feet, avoiding the bigger cuts although they were mostly beginning to heal. I washed the top of his feet first and moved down to wash underneath when he suddenly withdrew his foot from my hand, giggling. He had a huge smile on his face.

'It- it tickles,' he said, the smile slowly fading from his face. He looked so sweet and innocent a far fetch from the emotionless Eric Northman I knew. I felt him lean forward slightly but I didn't stop washing his feet. I looked up when I felt him inches from my face, his eyes boring into me.

'You are… really beautiful.'

'Um, thanks.' I answered, I felt a little awkward to say the least. Eric wasn't nice to anyone least of all me and here he was calling me beautiful. I had never really felt beautiful. I had occasionally gotten the odd comment but that was mostly from drunk patrons at Merlottes. Justin had called me beautiful all the time when we first dated but then he had gone 180 on me and I just didn't know what to believe anymore.

I didn't have any time to dwell on the subject when the door suddenly flew open.

'WHO THE FUCK IS SHE' Eric yelled while he got up with vampire speed.

'Fuck!' Pam hissed, she had blood smudged around her lips and she looked panicky.

'Sorry, that was rude… I'm sorry.' Eric said.

'What do you know about what happened to you?' Pam asked, Eric swallowed and looked away. 'You have to hide him,' Pam said, looking pleadingly at me.

'What! No way!' I shouted. I couldn't hide him. He's a vampire for crying out loud.

'He's in danger.'

'And I'm sure you'll be able to protect him much better than I could.'

'I'll be the first place they'll look.'

'They who?'

'The witches who did this to him.'

'Witches?' I said incredulously. 'You want me to protect him from witches?' That was the stupidest thing I had ever heard. If he couldn't protect himself from them, a powerful vampire, how was I supposed to? I mean, I wanted to help him, I really did, but I was supposed to be keeping a low profile and fending off witches wasn't exactly doing that.

'You won't need to protect him, just hide him.'

'How will I know they won't just show up here?'

'No one knows he is here.'

'No! Not my problem.'

'Actually you're living in his house so it is your problem.'

'Wait… It's my house?' Eric said, he had sat down during my and Pam's fight. I gave him a look that meant 'not now' and turned back to Pam.

'Thanks a lot Pam. Maybe I'll just go to Bill.' I wasn't going to. I knew I wasn't. I just couldn't deal with this. I couldn't babysit a thousand year old vampire. It was all too risky and I knew Sophia and the Elders wouldn't approve.

'Tell Bill and I'll rip you to pieces.' She said intimidating. She had used her vampire speed and she now stood directly in front of me. And then she didn't. Eric had pushed her away from me and sent her flying into the hallway. She slowly came back into the living room.

'Be nice to her.' Eric said, demandingly. His voice taking on the tone of authority it used to have.

'Annabelle…' she said, forcing a smile to her lips. 'I believe Bill set Eric up and sent him into that coven in Shreveport knowing it was a trap.'

'Look that's all very awful but it doesn't concern me.' I said slowly. 'Besides, wouldn't it be better if he stayed with someone he knows, that way he may get his memory back.'

'His memory won't be any good when he's dead.'

I couldn't. I wouldn't. I shouldn't. Not with everything going on. He'd be in even more danger staying with me than with Pam. And then there was the whole deal with Sophia. It wouldn't work. I shouldn't even be considering letting him stay with me. It's all too dangerous. For him and me. Between the two of us we would be in enough trouble to last us a lifetime. But it would only be until she could get the coven to give him his memory back right? He wouldn't stay too long, just until he got his memory back. And he did save my life…

'It wouldn't be the first time he tried to get rid of Eric.'

'Yeah, because Eric tasted me,' I said, I couldn't believe I was defending Bill of all people. And this whole deal with Bill tricking Eric seemed very likely. He liked being King and he loved Sookie. If he had even the slightest inkling that Eric was trying to take her from him he'd most likely do anything in his power to dispose of Eric. Even I had seen how they had looked at each other that night in the club after I got attacked and no matter how much Sookie told me she hated him I could tell she didn't. It was just that obvious.

'I did?' Eric asked he had a huge grin on his face.

'Yeah, against my will so technically you fang-raped me.' I said, getting a little upset with him as I relived the memory.

'Oh… Sorry,' he whispered, and I felt all annoyance I had towards him fade away. He was so different, it was… nice.

'Promise me you won't go to Bill,' Pam said desperately. 'I'm sure he would use this as an excuse to get the AVL to sign off on assassinating Eric. I know he wants to. Eric has to stay here with you and no one can know.'

I looked back at Eric and he was standing there looking back at me intently. He looked so innocent and vulnerable and thoughtful. He wanted to know my answer just as much as Pam did and I wasn't sure if I had the heart to turn him away. I didn't.

'Okay,' I said softly. 'But you have to pay me for babysitting him,' I said, crossing my arms and walking towards her. 'I can't afford keeping him here, what with all the Tru Blood you guys need. I'm a waitress remember?'

'Fine. Chow will stop by tomorrow night with the essentials.' She took one last glance at Eric before she was out the door.

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