This is possibly the longest chapter in the history of the universe. But it is also the last expositional one before we finally get back to everyone's favourite blonde. And no, I don't mean fuckin' Sookie.

Priorities - Chapter 6

Sookie dropped to her knees beside Eric, desperately trying to staunch the bleeding, as blood gushed from his wounds. Jessica hovered behind her, her eyes streaming, and her hands over her mouth. Sookie, well practiced now in the physiology of the injured Vampire, thrust her wrist in Eric's face, offering him her blood to heal him. In an unprecedented move, Eric shook his head and refused her, his eyes fluttering closed as he got down to his last few pints.

'Damnit Eric, drink it for cryin' out loud!' Sookie demanded, trying in vain to bite into her own wrist to force him to take it. 'Seriously? It took you damn near three years to get me to offer you my blood and now you're refusing me? You're gonna bleed out you stupid old Viking and then how will you help Pam?'

Still, Eric turned his face away. Sookie looked up to Bill desperately.

'Bill, can't you do something? Order him to drink it, as King or something?'

'Sookie, I am not ordering Eric Northman to drink your blood.' Bill objected, but Sookie's eyes pleaded with him and he sighed, resigned. Instead of issuing a straight out order, he dropped to his knees beside her, taking her wrist in his, and biting into it. Her blood dripped onto his palm, but instead of offering Eric her wrist, Bill covered the gunshot wounds with his bloodied hands, stopping the blood flow. Once the bleeding stopped, Eric's eyes fluttered closed, and he lay there still, as if he were dead, one rebellious tear escaping from between his lashes and running a trail down his cheek. Sookie stroked his blood matted hair away from his forehead.

'He's safe for now,' Bill said, quietly. 'But he will need human blood if he is to recover his strength, and soon. We need to get somewhere safe, and call Doctor Ludwig immediately.'

'Gimme ten minutes, I'll close up the bar,' a voice ground out behind them. Sookie and Bill turned to see Sam struggling to his feet, helped by Jessica, who had shrugged out of her denim jacket and given it to Sam to cover his dignity.

'Oh my god, Sam, what happened to you?' Sookie gasped. It was Jessica who replied.

'He got himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Russell Edgington nearly killed him for it,' she said, watching as Sam limped over to his own clothes, and averting her eyes as he dropped her jacket to the ground and pulled on his jeans instead. Sam, still dazed, but recovered enough thanks to the blood that Jessica had clearly forced down him, staggered back toward the bar, ready to throw everyone the hell out, so the bar could be repurposed temporarily, as a recovery room - or a morgue, depending on how cooperative Eric felt like being.

'Oh god Bill,' Jessica whispered, her shoulders beginning to shake. 'What the hell is Russell gonna do to Jason? This is all my fault! I should never have come here tonight, I knew something was up with you and Eric and Pam, I just thought you were being all old and boring not telling me, I didn't even stop to think that I might bring something like this about and now Jason's gone and I don't know what to do, I just... I don't know what... I feel so helpless!' Jessica dissolved into sobs, and Bill put his arm around her, glancing over at Sookie awkwardly. Jason was her brother, after all.

'It's going to be okay, Jessica. Russell said himself, he doesn't mean to kill Jason. We will get him back, and alive. I promise you that.'

Sookie sniffed discretely from her spot on the ground. 'Why exactly is it that Russell wants to keep my brother alive, Jess?' she asked, quietly. She spoke as though she didn't want to wake the slumbering vampire at her feet.

Jessica bit her lip.'Um, well, because he was going to kill him, he was drinkin' from him and everything, so I told Russell how the fairy blood you got sometimes skips a generation, and so if he killed Jason, he'd never have any kids and pass on the blood to them.'

'Let me just get this straight - you set Russell Edgington after Jason's future grand babies?'

'To stop him from killin' him, yeah!' Jessica defended. 'I don't see how it matters so much anyways, Jason ain't got any kids and even if he made one yesterday, we've still got nine months to kick Russell's three thousand year old butt into the next millennium before he even thinks about killin' him.'

'Enough, both of you,' Bill interrupted, nodding at Sam who had appeared back in the bar's doorway, indicating that Merlotte's had been sufficiently cleared. 'Jessica, take Eric inside. I must call Doctor Ludwig.'

'Gladly,' Jessica muttered, stepping in front of Sookie and slinging the older vampire over her shoulder, as though he weighed little more than a bag of sugar. It wasn't entirely accurate, but Eric had lost so much blood he really did feel lighter than expected, even to a vampire like Jessica. Without another word, she carried him into the bar, with Sookie hot on her heels.

'Oh my god, Sam, what in the heck's going on?' Arlene gasped, as they all trooped in. She didn't particularly think that three bloodied vampires and a tardy waitress exactly constituted as justified reasoning for closing up nearly two hours early, especially since she hadn't even gotten around to making half as many tips as she was used to getting yet.

'Not now, Arlene,' Sam still looked a little dazed. He was probably concussed - even a decent dose of fresh vampire blood wasn't enough to make him forget his temple hitting that tree trunk in a hurry.

'Doctor Ludwig is on her way,' Bill announced, pocketing his phone and glancing uneasily at his unconscious sheriff, who Jessica had taken it upon herself to dump unceremoniously on the bar, seeing as none of the other surfaces seemed long enough for him.

'Who's that? Another vampire?' Sam asked. Bill shook his head.

'No, she's human, but she makes allowances for our kind, in exchange for access to the healing properties of our blood. It's an arrangement that works well enough.'

'Alright then,' Sam sighed, and ran is hands through his hair, wincing when they brushed over the tender spot on the back of his head. 'What happened to him?' He asked, nodding at Eric.

'Russell shot him with silver bullets,' Sookie replied, glancing at Bill. 'Although he'd be fine by now if he'd just drink some of my blood. Stubborn old vamp.'

'Sookie...' Bill started, sounding uneasy.

'What?'

'I would have thought, under the circumstances, Eric's reluctance to drink your blood would have been obvious,' Bill said, glancing around as though he thought surely everyone must have come to the same conclusion, but he was met by blank expressions, at least from the humans in the room. In the end, he looked at Jessica, and thankfully saw agreement in her eyes. Before either could offer an explanation though, the doors of Merlotte's clattered open, and the permanently pissed off figure of Doctor Ludwig shuffled in.

'Holy patootie that was fast. What did you do, fly here?' Sookie demanded, still annoyed that Bill hadn't finished explaining himself.

'I was in the neighbourhood. And besides, Mr Northman is one of my best - and by best, I mean, most frequent customers. I'm not sure my pension could afford to lose him, and hello to you too Miss Stackhouse,' Doctor Ludwig rattled off, not looking at her once. 'Now, what seems to be the problem?'

'He was shot with silver,' Bill told her. 'In the throat, and in both wrists.'

'Hmm, that's a pretty efficient way to incapacitate a vampire, even one of his age. Looks like he's just about bled out, any of you humans given him any blood yet?'

'No,' Sookie huffed. Arlene paled and busied herself by clearing off the last few tables into the kitchen.

'He didn't want to take it, when he was conscious,' Bill explained.

'Well, luckily we don't have to concern ourselves with Mr Northman's personal preferences right now. Miss Stackhouse, you look all flushed and full of blood, give me your wrist,' Doctor Ludwig requested. With a smug smirk in Bill's direction, Sookie bounded forward.

'No,' Bill stepped in and grabbed Sookie's wrist. Doctor Ludwig raised an eyebrow, but didn't object.

'Alright, fine,' she said, brusquely. 'Young lady, if you could fill this with blood for me?' she pushed a shot glass across the bar to Jessica, who eyed it in confusion.

'But, I'm a vampire,' she objected.

'I know you are, that's why I'm not asking for a pint. You're not too bright, are you?'

Jessica frowned, but at a nod from her maker, bit deep into her own wrist, stepping forward and letting the thick red liquid flow quickly, filling the shot glass in seconds. Once she had the glass in her possession, Doctor Ludwig whipped a scalpel from her bag and cut deeply into her own wrist, barely flinching as she allowed almost an entire pint if her own blood to gush into an empty glass. Just as she began to sway, she stopped, and dipped a shaking finger into the shot glass of vampire blood, closing her wound in a second and downing the shot with barely a grimace. It all took under a minute, but soon enough the old woman was back to bustling through her bag, and asking Sam if he had a spare straw.

'Uh... sure...' he fumbled around on the bar until he found one (used, but then it was only for Eric Northman). He handed the straw to Doctor Ludwig, who shook it out and dropped it into the pint glass of her own blood. Clearly she didn't think the vampire particularly deserved a fresh straw either.

'A little help over here, if you don't mind,' Doctor Ludwig grumbled. Sookie scooted forward again, but shrunk back at the Doctor's derisive snort. 'A little super human help over here, I should have said,' she corrected herself. Bill reluctantly complied, and stepped forward to help Doctor Ludwig hold Eric securely in place, while she held the glass to his lips.

'How's he spose'd to drink it, he's not even conscious,' Sookie commented, a touch of petulance sneaking into her tone.

'You could knock me out and chop my nose clean off and I'd still smell fresh blood if you waved it in front of my face,' Jessica said, fighting a smirk when she was proved right, and Eric's eyes flew open, wild and unseeing, until Doctor Ludwig seized her chance and thrust the straw into his mouth. He looked momentarily irritated but pretty soon the need to feed overcame him and he started to suck on the bright pink straw, drawing warm blood through it until his patience wore thin and he spat the straw out and wrenched his arm free from Bill's grasp so he could grap hold of the glass and drain it faster. Seconds later, he was licking his lips, woozy but very much alive.

'Don't get up,' Doctor Ludwig ordered, a split second after Eric tried to do just that, and found himself crashing to the ground. 'I told you not to get up,' she said, as Sookie dashed forward to try and help him up.

'...Pam?' Eric was disoriented, and the flash of blonde that streaked across his line of vision gave him momentary relief, before he realised it was not his child after all.

'No Eric, it's me... It's Sookie,' Sookie explained, gently. Eric frowned, and then growled at her.

'I know who you are Sookie,' he said, then narrowed his eyes at Bill. 'You let him get away?'

'He shot you, with silver bullets,' Bill defended. 'We were a little pre-occupied with trying to save your life,'

'Yeah and you weren't exactly making things easy for us by refusing my blood,' Sookie grumbled. 'What the hell was that about?'

Eric ignored the question and staggered to his feet, swaying slightly.

'What is wrong with me?' he asked Doctor Ludwig, who rolled her eyes.

'You were shot, as King Bill just told you. In the throat, and both wrists. You bled out almost immediately, you're very lucky to be alive Mr Northman.'

'You gave me blood? Whose?' Eric demanded. Sookie's brow furrowed when his accusing gaze landed on her.

'Mine,' Doctor Ludwig answered, sharply. Eric pulled a disgusted face, but otherwise looked relieved. 'You will be weak, for at least a couple of days, so don't do anything stupid.'

'I am not weak!' Eric roared.

Doctor Ludwig said nothing. Instead, she marched over to the towering vampire and gave him a sharp kick in the shin.

'Fuck!' Eric crumpled to the ground, gripping his leg, his eyes streaming from the pain. He yanked up his trouser leg and gawped at the quickly forming bruise on his shin. Thousand year old vampires did not bruise from little old lady kicks.

'See? Now do yourself a favour and go to ground for a couple of days. Then find yourself a willing donor or two and knock yourself out, or you'll be no use to anyone. Now, if you don't mind, I have to be going. I'll be invoicing you for my fee tomorrow Mr Compton,'

Bill nodded at her as Doctor Ludwig packed up her things and bustled out of Merlotte's without a second glance.

Eric sat back on his haunches and took a deep, strangely necessary breath.

'Do we have any idea where Russell is?' he asked, suddenly sounding tired.

'No,' Bill replied. 'But he now has Sookie's brother too.'

Eric tried to summon up the strength to care, but he couldn't even force a false expression of sympathy onto his face.

'Did he say anything to you, anything at all that might indicate what he intends to do, and where he intends to do it?' Eric asked, fixing Jessica with his stare.

'No, he didn't,' she said, shaking her head. 'I mean, he said plenty, but nothin' about where he was keeping Pam.'

'Maybe nothing that you'd recognise as important,' Eric snapped. 'Tell me, did he say anything about Pam, or me, or even Bill? Tell me exactlywhat he said.'

'Eric, I would appreciate it if you would not take such a tone when speaking to my progeny,' Bill said, firmly.

'Sorry my liege, I'm slightly distracted by the fact that my own progeny has been missing for the past two days,' Eric spat. Bill ignored him and turned to Jessica himself.

'Jessica, it would be helpful if you could repeat anything Russell said before we arrived.'

Jessica nodded; 'Okay, well... he said some stuff about Bill being dumb for not understanding some message or something, and something about getting blood out of his shirt from last night, and... and he said, well... he said something about feeling his progeny's pain when Eric killed him, and how Eric was going to feel it when he... when he...'

'Spit it out.' Eric ordered, in a low and dangerous voice.

Jessica bit her lip and took a breath. 'When he breaks Pam into bloody pieces.'

Sookie's eyes filled with tears, and Sam looked away, uncomfortably. Bill ran a hand through his hair awkwardly and sighed. Eric simply stood, carefully this time, and looked for a moment like he was about to say something, but then thought the better of it and turned, moving swiftly through the bar and into Sam's office, slamming the door behind him.

'Sure Eric, you can use my office,' Sam muttered. Jessica slumped into a booth beside him, wiping at her eyes.

'This whole situation is fuckin' shit,' she said.

Sookie appeared to struggle with herself for a moment, and then started after Eric.

'Sookie, wait!' Bill called after her.

'I know what I'm doing Bill,' she replied, disappearing into Sam's office.

Sookie clicked the door closed behind her. Eric appeared not to notice, but she knew better. She padded over to Sam's desk, carefully, until she was in front of him and he couldn't avoid looking at her.

'Not now Sookie,' Eric warned, but she shushed him.

'It's okay. I get it, I do. I know why you don't want to drink from me,' she said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Eric looked up at her, and she was taken aback by the pain she saw in his eyes.

'This is my fault, Sookie,' he admitted.

She shook her head; 'No, it's not,' she told him. 'It's Russell's fault for being a psychopath. You didn't know what he was going to do,'

'No I didn't, but I knew what he was capable of. And instead of doing everything in my power to protect my progeny from the moment I discovered he had escaped his prison, I accused her of having something to do with it, because I knew she was pissed at me. I drove her away, and now he has her, and he's going to kill her, very slowly, and she thinks that I don't care. She's going to die thinking that.'

Eric dropped his head suddenly, and it wasn't until his shoulders started to shake, that she realised he was crying.

'I told her I would kill her,' he said, managing to find his voice. 'She has never been anything other than loyal to me, she has never done anything to cause me to distrust her, she watched as I gave myself to you entirely and then desecrated our bond by choosing you over her.'

Sookie didn't say anything, she didn't think there was anything to say. Everything Eric had said was true, and she couldn't change any of it. She didn't want to change any of it, if she was honest.

'You don't have any of my blood in you any more do you?' she asked, already knowing the answer.

'No, I don't,'

'And you wouldn't drink from me earlier because you don't want my blood in you anymore, do you?'

Eric shook his head. 'Sookie, you know how I feel about you, I know you do. But...'

'But we're not together. And that was my decision. And you have to keep your head clear so you can rescue Pam,' she finished for him. 'And you will rescue her, Eric, I know you will. Pam's very lucky to have you.'

Eric made a sound half way between a scoff and a sob, and shook his head again. Sookie sighed and shuffled in closer, wrapping her arms around the massive vampire and feeling her heart break when his head dropped onto her shoulder, soaking her Merlotte's t-shirt with blood.