Chapter 3
It was already dusk which meant the vampire would rise from the dead soon. Sookie got in her car and drove off her parking, heading to Fangtasia. Most of the time, Eric was there so why not this time? Sookie percolated the idea in her brain while she was driving in the night. That's it! I will explain him whatever happened today and he better listen. He will be curious enough so why not, he will definitely agree and come with me. I wonder what he will say if I tell him that my future self moved on. I bet he won't like it. But why his future self didn't do anything about it? Niall said that things would be different if Eric and future Eric met.
Time flew when Sookie was thinking, singing songs in her car and driving. In no time at all she was out of fangtasia, not knowing what she should do next. It was pretty simple. She would go in and ask for Eric. Then she would talk to him in private and then she would cut to the chase. It sounded easy but it was harder than it actually seemed. Oh shoot. It's now or never. Sookie stated in her head and then she got out of her car, feeling the cold air touching her skin, making her shiver.
When she got in fangtasia, she realized that the place was dead. No fangbangers made their appearance or any other vampire or even Ginger for that matter. "Is anyone here?" Sookie said loudly; her voice was crystal clear. She saw a door moving behind the car. Pam came out of the room, looking over at Sookie with a despising look. "Enough trouble you have caused so far. Why did you come? To cause us some more? Like we didn't have enough already." Pam said venomously as she placed her one hand on her hip and the other just left to her side. Pam seemed to be pissed off which was no surprise to Sookie. Pam was always like that in general.
"I have no time for this, Pam!" Sookie said in an urgent tone. "Where is Eric?" She asked and Pam made a really unladylike sound. "He is in his office, signing papers. We will open in a short while." Pam said coldly but Sookie just ignored her and headed straight to Eric's office. Pam would be mad, not doubt about it and Sookie would love to give some explanations to her but at the time, she had no time and Pam wouldn't understand anyway. She would probably make a sarcastic comment, not knowing how much this meant to Sookie. She hoped Eric would understand.
Sookie looked around at fangtasia as she stood out of Eric's door. She had forgotten how dark it was in there, with the red lights hanging on the walls and all the pictures of the vampire movies. Except Twilight. That wasn't polite at all but Sookie was sure Eric was making fun of those vampires and Fangtasia was no Disneyworld.
Sookie entered Eric's office without knocking. She saw Eric in his chair, signing papers and honestly, that was a moment Sookie would never forget. He was wearing his wife-beater shirt and a leather jacket with black jeans. Typical Eric. Whoever saw him would definitely consider him as a hunk and oh boy, he definitely was. "Eric, we need to talk." Sookie said steadily, looking over at him, trying to smile a little but her face remained drop dead serious. So was Eric's face.
Eric didn't like the sound of that. "What is wrong?" he asked. His eyes never leaving hers. "What did I do this time? or did you come here to tell me you chose Bill?" He couldn't imagine it was good news. For she always chose Bill. "I have important things to do, so please get on with it" he said coldly. He didn't mean to sound that way, and he probably should be nicer. He still loved her and he threatened his progeny for her. As well as almost died for her. Which was a rare moment for him. He was a selfish bastard as most women called him. And he still could be, but with Sookie he had put her first for once and it didn't seem to matter. Bill was willing to die for her too, but as they both kneeled down Eric noticed her crying. He thought she was crying for them both, but then she noticed she looked right at him and not Bill. It was a moment he thought he had hope. He was wrong.
Tears instantly welled up in Sookie's eyes but she would not cry. Apparently, Eric was back to being an a-hole but she just had to accept it. In fact, she should have seen that one coming.
She looked down at her feet and then back at Eric, "what would you say if I told you to time travel with me?" She asked but then she added sarcastically, "but since you seem to be way too busy, I suppose you won't be able to come, right?" She lifted her eyebrow a little. It was the best way she could just ask Eric and she certainly couldn't help it but make a sarcastic comment. It was always like this with Eric. "It's a big story but Niall will help us to get in the future. I have already done that but only once. He gave me this," Sookie said showing the golden hourglass to Eric, "so I won't lose track of time." She explained, waiting to see Eric's reaction.
Eric knew very well what fairies were capable of. So he believed everything was possible. "I believe you went to see your future self. Fairy magic is strange, but why would you want me to go back with you." He saw nothing good coming of that. "So I can see how you are without me, in a year or so!" "You clearly have misinterpreted my reaction to you, as me going back to how I was before" He looked down at his papers. "What you fail to realize Miss Stackhouse is I am hurt, angry, and a bunch of human emotions I don't want to feel" he snapped. He wasn't in the mood for this. "What reaction did you expect me to have to you? I almost sacrificed my life for you, threatened to kill Pam over you, and now you want me to come to the future? He shook his head. "Once more I ask why? So you can rub it in my face you chose Bill or some other man?"
"Eric! For god's sake! I have no clue how this magic works and in all honesty, I don't care. I went there to see how my future was. I am controlling my life and I am sure that I won't leave Bon Temps anytime soon!" She said intensively, "Just because my future self is with some other vampire –that can be out in the sun- that doesn't mean I will just dump everything and go to find that other vampire in Virginia. Even though, that's an attractive idea." Sookie admitted. "I chose you to come with me instead of Bill so stop mentioning him before I end up slapping you. Damon –Future Sookie's boyfriend- wants to meet you. Eric, please, just come?" She didn't believe that she was almost begging Eric to come with her. "And don't make me repeat myself. I am going no where. You and Bill are still a great pain and your bond as well." She said shrugging.
Eric calmed down. "Sookie the point of you going to the future is to learn what not to do. It seems you messed something up somewhere, or will and now you need to figure out how not to. Bringing me will meddle in THEIR lives. I don't care if Damon asked to meet me, this doesn't seem like a good plan" Sookie looked over at him. "Niall told me that, but what harm could it do?" Eric wanted to let her know exactly what harm it could do, but instead he got a smug look on his face. "Fine have it your way. I'll let you learn the hard way. You seem to think you know everything Miss 26 year olds, who has no desire to listen to her elders on the subject matter" He couldn't believe he was agreeing to this. "But realize this if you affect anything in the future or OUR lives; you'll have to figure out how to fix it yourself! You were warned by Niall and myself"
"You know I am stubborn enough, Eric Northman." She stated stiffly. "If something too bad happens we will fix it then get back here. We will continue our lives as nothing happened. I would learn my lesson. End of story." She shook her head and crossed her head, "there is no reason to be so harsh Eric, I know what I am doing." I hope I do. Sookie thought. But when Sookie gave some concern to it she realized that she was being extremely selfish about it. "Thank you!" She expressed but after a while she talked again. "What could happen at worst?" Sookie asked, being actually worried. She didn't want to destroy her future. "I mean…if we…if I did something wrong. How would it be affected?" Oh, fuck! What did she start all this in first place?
Eric softened. "Well if you learn your lesson you can fix it, and I am sorry if I was harsh, but meddling in time is not a place I want to go." He smiled. "Especially being vampires don't have all the time in the world like most humans think. We just have more time. We too have the threat of true death lingering over our heads. We constantly have to make sure we are playing by an Authorities rules so we don't meet it. And being I'm always getting into trouble luck has been on my side" This was something Eric wouldn't admit to just anyone. "The worst that could happen? Well lucky for you, you aren't going back in time but moving forward. Less consequences then."
Sookie let a sigh of relief, "You have plenty time in your hands and you don't age so it's normal for humans to think that y'all have all the time in the world." She said and then she grabbed Eric by his wrist. "Let's go! Niall is still waiting in my woods. He didn't seem happy when I told him that I wanted to bring you with me." In fact he almost scolded me off. Sookie added in her mind. "Those files can wait, right?" She said dropping Eric's wrist, looking over at his dusty desk. "If you want to you can sign them but be quick." Sookie told him, thinking that Ginger should clean the place more often because otherwise they would have some spiders as company or was it the décor like that? Nah, Sookie doubted that.
Eric signed the papers at vampire speed. He had already read them. Told Ginger to give them to the proper people, and followed Sookie. "Let me tell Pam she has to take care of the bar" He briefly thought of Jason and laughed at what he think of Sookie's adventures. "I am surprised you didn't ask Jason to go see his future self."
"Jason will always be Jason and run after whatever has two legs and is a female." Sookie said, laughing a little. "Besides, my future self lives in Virginia. Future Jason –I think- still lives in Bon Temps." Sookie noted as she showed herself out of Eric's office. "And he would probably think I am insane just like the other time I had gone to that Faery World." Sookie's voice came out sadder this time, remembering when Jason hadn't believed her in first place. Yes, that had hurt her feelings a little bit but she moved on. At least, he seemed to believe her after she showed Granddaddy Earl's watch. "Alrighty, you go and talk to Pam. I will wait here." Sookie said and walked towards to the bar. I really hope Pam doesn't blame me for taking Eric when he has to do some business.
Eric called to Pam. When Pam came she didn't seem happy. "What is it this time?" Eric didn't like her tone. "Can it with the attitude Pam. You need to take care of the bar. I am going with Sookie somewhere." Pam really wasn't thrilled about that. "Where to?" Eric sighed. "She's dragging me to see her future using fairy magic. Don't ask." Pam burst into laughter. "You're letting her drag you into the future. Did you not warn her meddling in time is never good" His buttons were being pushed. "I did as well as her great-grandfather Niall. It's Sookie. She doesn't listen" Pam grinned. "Well have fun. Don't kill Bill." That was it! "Pamela what makes you think she's with Bill in the future" That just made her laugh more. "Eric you don't have a prayer with her as long as she has both your and Bill's blood in her" He had just about enough of the sad truth. "Just take care of the bar" he commanded and walked over to Sookie. "Let's go"
Sookie hadn't heard a thing of Eric's and Pam's conversation. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to know about it. They both seemed pretty intense. Surprisingly, Pam was still laughing a little as she left and went to Eric's office. Being Eric's second-in-command could be tiring from time to time. "I won't even bother asking what you two were talking about, Count of Darkness." Sookie stated as she walked out of the bar with Eric by her side. "You know, not that I am going to tell you what you should do with your progeny but you shouldn't be so harsh considering that she will do whatever you tell her anyway and I'm sure you know about that." She didn't even want to end up in the middle about Eric's matters but she couldn't help it but speak her mind out. It was just how Sookie was. She could never keep her mouth shut. "Oh, and it's your lucky day. We will go with my car." That is terribly slow. Sookie added in her head.
Eric eyed her. "I wasn't harsh on her. I told her not to give me unnecessary attitude is all. And she won't do just anything I ask. You forget she did disobey me once" He really didn't want to have a lesson in how to 'raise his child' "Sookie I've been a maker for many years. I think I can handle my own progeny just fine"
She rolled her eyes, "Okay, okay." She said waving both of her hands in the air. "I give up, Mr. I-know-everything." It was nice giving Eric all those nicknames and she surely could come up with some more. Mr. Heartless, Mr. Ancient-rock etc etc.
Soon enough, Sookie and Eric were standing out of her car. Sookie was sure about one thing; she couldn't imagine how the almighty extremely tall Eric would fit in Sookie's car. She hoped Eric wouldn't end up hitting his head anywhere. It wasn't like he was going to feel pain even If he did. She unlocked the car and then jumped in, putting the key into the ignition, being extremely anxious. She shouldn't start worrying about the consequences that Eric and Niall had warned her about.
Eric got into the passenger seat barely fitting. His head touched the top, and his legs had very little room. They drove slowly in complete silence. Finally arrived at their destination and got out of the car. "Though that had very little affect on me physically it'd still be more 'comfortable' to go in my car next time" Niall saw them and shook his head. The fairy tried to refrain from laughing but didn't succeed. "Shoving that poor tall man into that car of yours" Sookie rolled her eyes. "Like he said it had very little physical affect on him" Niall wasn't sure what was more humorus, A vision of Eric in Sookie's car, or Sookie convincing him to come with her. "Well are you two ready?"
"I am!" Sookie said, excitement sparkling in her eyes. "Now I am not so sure about Eric but I'm pretty sure he is ready too." She shoved her hands in her pockets, looking over at Eric. She most likely owed him a favor after that. "Very well, then. Sookie, are you sure?" Niall asked once more and Sookie grimaced. "Positive." Sookie assured him. "You know where that might lead to right?" Niall said once more, just to make sure. "Positive! For heaven's sake!" Sookie repeated, letting a sigh. Eric just rolled his eyes. Niall started speaking in some weird language again. "You two have to keep your hands together so you won't get lost." Niall noted. Sookie reluctantly grabbed Eric's hand and she saw the surprise in his eyes. "Although, I don't know why I am supposed to do this considering that it's like going through a door." Niall shook his head, "no, it might feel like that but you are actually going somewhere else." Sookie looked over at Eric. "Ready?"
Eric was as ready as he'd ever be. He nodded. Niall gave the golden hour glass to Sookie. He reminded them they had three hours this time. "Now Sookie this time you'll land wherever Damon needs to greet you" It was a very vague thing to say and a bit confusing. Damon would be in the woods or will this magically steer us away from the woods. How is that possible? I guess I'll find out soon enough. Sookie gripped Eric's hand tighter as nervousness sank in. Before they knew it they were through the invisible gate. This time it felt quite odd. Not like the last time.
When they arrived at their destination they appeared in a living room. One that looked a little similar to Sookie's in Bon Temps. Yet a few things were changed. holy crap we're inside her..er my house. How could this be even possible? That gate leads to woods. It was in the woods. Niall really wasn't joking when he said I'd land somewhere new. She noticed Damon sitting on the couch with Sookie. Damon was truly handsome, Sookie had to at least admit that. Eric took in his surroundings. "This is where you live now?" Damon heard the question and acknowledged them. "You must be Eric Northman" Damon stated. He was now sure about it and he didn't know if he should feel threatened or any other useless emotions. Future Sookie didn't seem pleased. "Hello Eric" she said with quite a bit of saddness in her voice. Future Sookie seems depressed, and I don't think I am going to like why. What did I do to her?Eric thought.
It was a small awkward state when Eric realized he was rude. "Yes I am Eric Northman" he said not showing any of his feelings. "Damon Salvatore" Damon said just like Eric, having the exact same rue and tone. Both of the tones were completely uninflected. You couldn't tell what the two men were thinking. The two Sookies looked at both men and then to each other. Finally past Sookie looked to the ground. There was complete silence, but Eric noticed tears coming down future Sookie's face. Damon noticed them too. This time they were more obvious than the tiny tears he wiped off at lunch. She loves him more than any other man Damon thought, turning his hands into fists wanting to punch a wall or even Eric's face. Eric noticed a slight pain on Damon's face. Miss Stackhouse, I believe you just caused your first damage. No one spoke for a good while. What if Damon was going to lose Sookie as well? Then he would be completely alone.
The present Sookie was feeling awfully bad. She knew she was sensitive. She wanted to sit next to her self and cry as well but she needed her and she would be strong. Niall was right. He was fucking right. Things had already started going from bad to worse and not even two minutes had passed.