Sookie tried to stay calm only looking back once or twice while she was in the checkout line, his comment had caused a knot to form in her stomach and she felt like she wanted to vomit, she had no idea if he intended to follow her home or if he was just trying to get a reaction. Finally she paid for her food and hurried through the parking lot to her car she was panicked and had no clue what to do so she flipped open her cell calling Tara's number praying she would answer "this is Tara leave a message and I will get back to you have a great day", Sookie flipped the phone shut she hadn't even told Tara everything she needed to know about her past with Alcide and how dangerous he was and she didn't want to leave it in a message.
Fumbling with her groceries she flipped her phone open again this time dialing Jason's number he had at least seen the marks on her body from the beatings so he would know what she was afraid of but again she was left listening to a message "yup it Jason leave a message". This time Sookie was prepared to leave a message but when she heard the beep and she started to talk a huge arm reached around her and snatched the phone from her hand, her body stiffened of course it was him he hadn't gotten the reaction he wanted from her inside the grocery store and now he wanted to try again.
There he stood six foot three tussled dark hair and almond eyes time had been good to him his body was fit and healthy and for a split second Sookie could see why she had fallen so hard for the monster, "What do you want Alcide?" she blurted out trying to sound calm and collected but the fear that vibrated through her body made her voice tremble. He said nothing back but stood blocking her entrance to the car while looking her up and down with a sly smile across his face, "seriously Alcide what do you want" she said again taking a small step backing away from him.
"Awe come on Sook you didn't miss me at all" he said laughing as he folded her phone shut and slid it into his pocket "how's the homecoming going", Sookie couldn't believe he was really going to stand in the middle of the parking lot and chat with her like everything was ok did he really think she was falling for this nice guy act. She wanted to reach in her bag find her keys and leave but she was afraid her that making a motion to leave would only make him angry so she stayed still stiffened by her fear waiting to see where this was all going, "Alcide really I have people coming for dinner in a few hours and I don't have time for your games what do you want".
Sookie's temper was getting the best of her and immediately she knew her mistake when he reached up curling his hand in her hair pulling her to him, she should have left ran back into the store before he got his hands on her anything but stand still and play a cat and mouse game with him. There she was being held his face inches from hers as he studied her looking for the weakness he had seen for all those years before but she was not the same person, that weak person was gone and her face was stone she refused to give him what he wanted. Alcide pulled her closer pressing his lips against hers and running his hand over her breast and down her body a lame attempt to prove he was in control, there was no reaction her lips locked in place and her body was unmoved by hos touch as his hand moved lower passing over her stomach and cupping her womanhood "miss me?"
That was it she told herself as she reached into her bag pulling out the can of pepper spray Tara had given her when she moved back to town, she held it close to her side out of site waiting for the perfect moment when he would look up at her again searching for a sign of weakness. Finally he pulled at her hair yanking her head back and exposing her neck her moved closer his hands still on her body she shoved at his chest causing him to look up at her, Sookie smiled at him and without a second thought she sprayed the contents of the can into his eyes before yanking her keys from her bag and jumping into the car leaving Alcide and her groceries rolling in the ground as she pulled away.
Sookie drove the whole way home watching for him to be following in her rear view mirror she knew if he hadn't been pissed before he was now and she wasn't sure what she should do, she would have to tell her friends exactly what she was running from all these years and soon. She paced back and forth through the kitchen of her old house waiting for her friends to show up for a dinner she wasn't able to prepare and when six o clock came and went she started to worry, why hadn't they shown up yet everyone seemed to be excited about the dinner she had planned and now they all decided not to show when she needed them the most.
She stepped toward the phone hanging on the kitchen wall when a knock at the back door make her jump out of her skin, she ducked behind the kitchen chair peeking at the door making sure it wasn't him and to her surprise it was the one person she hadn't been expecting that evening "Eric". She couldn't help but smile as she walked over and opened the door "I wasn't expecting you" she said looking down at the flowers in his hand "Sookie were you just hiding behind a chair" she felt ridiculous he was the last person she thought would be showing up and now he had seen her crouching behind a chair and trembling like a child, she was so sure she had scared him off after her mental breakdown on their date but here he was with flowers had she read everything wrong.
"You just scared me that's all" Eric knew there was more going on with her than she was letting on but he knew from what Tara told that if he pushed her she would shut down so he just resolved to let it go and hoped soon enough she would trust him enough for him to know. He smiled back at her lightening her mood as she invited him into the house "there was supposed to be a dinner party tonight but no one showed up" Eric looked around the room not seeing any sign of food for a dinner party "smells great" he joked, "I heard about the dinner party Tara told me to come but when I received your text message that it was cancelled I figured I would stop by and see if everything was ok".
"What text message" Sookie blurted out before remembering Alcide had taken her phone and put it in his pocket before he assaulted her in the parking lot "oh yeah well I was running so late and I didn't have time to get to the market so I cancelled" she lied, Eric walked around the room nervous to even ask but he wanted to be around her damn it he needed to she was all he had thought about since high school and now she was here and single why was this so hard. "Sookie can we have a do over?" he said looking like a nervous teenager again, "will you go to dinner with me?"
She couldn't help but the butterflies that filled her stomach was he really asking her on a second date this was Eric the one who got away things were never this easy she told herself, "sure where we going" just looking at him she knew she could never turn him down "no fields or trees right" she played it off as a joke but the truth was she was terrified that Alcide would appear in the woods and kill them both. After Eric promised to take her to an actual restaurant with chairs and lots of noisy people she felt more at ease, once she changed and grabbed her coat he helped into his truck and they headed into town.
Eric told himself on their last date that of he got another chance he would tell her how he felt but with both of them afraid of scaring the other away the ride was quiet and uncomfortable, halfway through dinner they still hadn't said much while Sookie fidgeted and couldn't stop watching the front door of the restaurant Eric watched her feeling like he was the reason for her discomfort. "Sookie I like you a lot and I feel like I missed my chance back then and I don' want to do that again" he talked fast not wanting to drag out the inevitable turn down that was coming his way "huh" she said distracted watching for Alcide to walk in and kill them both "I want to see, do you think we can try this?" Eric waved his hand between the two of them hoping she understood what he was talking about; Sookie seemed stunned staring at his lips not sure if he had just said what she thought he said.
"Yes" she said after several minutes of looking into his eyes "yes Eric I would love to see if this would work but there is a lot you need to know", his hand moved up to her mouth covering it and cutting her words short "you can tell me everything or nothing but I want you to do it when you're ready when you know you can trust me". Sookie started to contest to push his hand away and tell him her phsyco husband was in town and she was pretty sure he wanted to rape and kill her but the warmth of his blue eyes distracted her again, her heart was pounding she knew he was going to kiss her again so she leaned into him letting him know she was ok with it so he made his move.
Leaning forward across the tiny linen covered table between them and pressed his lips to hers, this is heaven Sookie thought as his tongue swirled around hers feeling like velvet in her mouth. The two of them leaning deep into their kiss neither notices the man who had walked up next to the table until he cleared his throat, Sookie smiled feeling embarrassed that the waiter and other restaurant patrons had to witness their intimate moment "I'm so sorry that was rude of us" she said looking up but when her eyes focused on who was standing over the two of them the smile melted from her face and it took all she had in her not to run, "Alcide wow man how nice to see you" Eric said keeping his cool as he stood from the table and shook his hand.
Alcide stood staring at Sookie with rage burning in his eyes for several minutes before he extended his hand to Eric "yeah sure nice to see you to and here with Sookie just like old times", Eric looked at him strangely unsure what he meant by his comment but of course he wouldn't he wasn't around when Alcide attacked her over simply talking with Eric. The two men stood staring down at her waiting for her to speak but what was she supposed to say, Sookie's eyes shifted from Alcide to Eric "maybe we should head home now" she whispered her voice sounding broken and weak and she hated that it made her like she was back in his house under his control feeling unsure of herself and everything around her.
Alcide was smiled at her knowing his presence alone was making her uncomfortable and it didn't take long for Eric to pick up on what was happening, "we should eat first" he said looking in her eyes "it was nice seeing you Alcide but were in the middle of a date here so we will have to catch up later" Eric held out his hand waiting for Alcide to shake it and move on but it was left unshaken. Alcide turned his back on Sookie walking out of the restaurant stopping just before he reached the door and looking back to catch her eye before he winked and blew a kiss at her, chills ran up and down her spine and she couldn't help but whimper at the thought of how angry she had just made him and she knew he would make her pay for it.