Chapter 5

Milk, Honey & A Hideous Afghan

She followed Eric's directions to the letter. Why, she couldn't fathom but the rewarding result from doing so was enough to distract her from questioning her own common sense.

The opening credits began to roll and that familiar tune sent lovely endorphins down Sookie's neck and back. The milk and honey warmed her insides and settled her upset stomach. The afghan was soft. She chuckled.

My hideous afghan.

She brushed her cheek against it as the sweet memories tickled down behind her closed lids.

"So beautiful."

Her eyes flew open as she jumped nearly spilling her glass of warm milk down her knees that were cradled in her arm.

He looked down to the floor "I apologize." Silently berating himself for scaring her.

"It's alright." She caught her breath and grinned as best as she could. Her reverie while lost in - those memories - had impaired her vital senses as she hadn't heard Eric drive up or enter her home.

Feeling her unease he immediately tried to send reassurance and warmth through the bond.

Still Nothing.

He sighed and tried again unsuccessfully.

Let me back in Sookie.

"Eric, you didn't have to do this. I'm…"

He put his hand up and shook his head. "I know you did not invite me and it was probably overly presumptuous but I could not ignore…" his brow creased looking for alternative words.

"…what you felt from the bond?" her monotone words stung him.

"Sookie, I did not come here to start a fight or to agitate you more than you already are. I simply want to comfort you and that is all. May I have permission to do that?"

Asking my permission to do something selfless? Am I the biggest bitch in the world? And who is this vampire standing there? Amnesia Eric wouldn't order me about the way he had. But Typical Eric wouldn't be this…patient, selfless, attentive, apologetic. What the hell? What dimension have I just teleported to?

He started walking towards her as she glared down at the floor. Confusion wrinkling her forehead. As he sat down next to her she could smell him. He was suddenly real. Not just some apparition of a vampire, she once knew, haunting her living room. This Eric she recognized. That smell, the weight of his six and half foot frame indenting the couch cushion, his granite hard arms slowly coiling around her shoulders. She inhaled more deeply as his blonde hair brushed her cheek. The aroma didn't just flood her already buzzing mind with memories and yearnings. It brought forth a visceral physical reaction. She lunged forward elbowing his side as her legs forced up and out.

Can't do this. Too much. Breathe! Breathe!

She clutched at her sternum while trying desperately to open her airways. Her throat and lungs convulsing as her chest heaved out and in but to no avail. An impenetrable barrier had formed inside her. The oxygen could not flow through it or scale over it.

He did not stand up, he did not approach her. He waited, silently gazing at her. The glow of the TV threw colors and shadows across his sculpted face and flawless hair.

He's so Beautiful.

Sookie dropped the afghan and whirled around towards the hallway. The second her eyes were off him the wall fell and she was able to inhale down a breath or two.

During that same second, horror had filled Eric's eyes as he watched the falling blanket reveal Sookie's frame behind it.

Halfway down the hall and halfway through her third breath she felt Eric's hands grab onto on the backs of her upper arms.

Fight! Pull away! Find the strength! Why did I call him? Such a stupid idea! Stupid!

"What have you done?" He slowly pivoted her around never letting her out of his vice grip.

She is practically emaciated! So wrong! Why didn't I check on her sooner? Fuck! I can feel her bones!

"YOU! Have. No. Right. To judge me. GOT IT!!!"

This is better. Easier. Hating him…or rather hating the way he's looking at me. Chase him away with it. Burn him with it!

She didn't need to rage at him with words. The message, full of stinging vitriol, came across the bond loud and clear. It made his resolve slip and the primal vampire instinct to lash out overtook him.

"ERIC! OW! Are you TRYING to rip my arms off?!" she knew struggling would be pointless but tried in vain anyway.

The red haze lowered and her terrified expression began to focused in front of him. Without meaning to, his release caused her to fall backwards and thud loudly on the wood floor below. His head hadn't yet cleared enough to catch her in time.

"I…" he reached out to her but she coldly slapped away his helping hand.

"I can get up myself." She did and braced herself between the frame of her bedroom door. Then slammed it behind her in his face.

Come on Sookie. Get it together. You can't let this bleed in front of him. He sees too deep. He'll want explanations. He'll want to help. He'll want to heal it…heal it? Would that work? Even if it did he'll just say no, anyway. I can conquer this without him. I know I can.

"I am not leaving you until you talk to me!" he was yelling now at her door and the power of his voice shook her insides.

"That's an empty threat! You only have so many hours before you have to skulk back to your crypt."

Don't relent, Sookie. Don't let your voice falter. You have to get him out of here before this charade ends and rips you in half.

She felt the shackles again clinking with unbridled dominance over her trembling psyche. Fear…pain…panic…they were closing in fast.

Panic can make you say stupid things.

"Eric get out of my house! I rescind…" she finished the sentence but could barely hear the last two words that were drowned out by his roar.

"NOOOOO!!!!" he pounded his fist against the wall separating him from her. It shook the whole house right down to it's foundations and left a gaping wound in the wood and plaster. Every cold dead cell in his body was on fire now. His muscles and joints warring against themselves to resist the urge…the DEMAND to back away. His long fingers dug into the plaster as he clawed at anything to stele his grip to the house…to her. It was a losing battle and he hunched forward. Some unseen force wrenching his digits away from the mangled wall. Each step labored backwards but he would have to give in. The painful burning was scorching his core and blood tears were beginning to well up.

No. No. NO!

"Sookie do not do this! I am BEGGING you!"

Begging didn't help.