Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for reading my story and for your great reviews I know it has been a while since I have written but I am hoping to get back on track now that I have more free time, enjoy!

Weeks passed and no one in town had heard from Bill Compton or Alcide Herveaux and aside from a little gossip around town no one seemed to care. Life was going good for Sookie; Eric was almost completely healed and she had managed to talk Earl into going to school hoping some kind of normalcy would be good for him. Sookie knew the three of them would never forget Alcide's murder or the fact that they really had no idea what happened to Bill but she was determined that they would somehow live with it.

"Time to get up, it's your first day of school" Sookie said flipping the light on as she entered the room, she was sure Earl would still be asleep since he was used to being home schooled but to her amazement the room was empty and the bed was made.

She tried not to think the worst telling her self that he must have woken up early do to the excitement he was feeling about his first day. Sookie turned the light off and sleepily made her way back down the stairs in search of a cup of coffee, half way down the stairs something caught her eye and she froze.

"Eric!" Sookie screamed as the dark figure stepped toward her

"It's just me" his voice sounded sullen as he slumped onto the couch, he knew why she was screaming it was the same reason he couldn't sleep at night.

"Jesus Earl, don't do that" she tried not to sound angry with him but at that moment she have spit fire,

"Why are you down here sitting in the dark, you're going to be late for school"

Sookie moved closer catching a glimpse of his face in the shadowed sunlight and she could tell it was one of those days. She understood what he must be going through and she had all the patients in the world when it came to Earl and he deserved it after everything he had been through but she felt helpless on days like this.

Distraction came easily for Sookie she jumped back into her old routine to help her forget about everything even getting her waitressing job back at Merlots. For her it was a relief that she no longer had to run from Alcide the truth was she was done with him years ago. For Earl it was different no matter how horrible his father was for years after his mother's death Alcide was all the poor boy had and now he was dead too and Earl had helped kill him.

"How bad?" Sookie didn't have to elaborate Earl knew what she was referring to

"Bill came into the house and" Earls voice broke and he started to cry "it was like before, he was in control and I couldn't do anything."

Again they had an understanding between the two of them she knew his story and he knew her so neither of them had to elaborate to drive their point home. Sookie wanted to tell him it was just a dream that would never come true but deep down she wasn't sure; Sheriff Andy and his deputies had been searching Bills land since he disappeared and nothing no bodies, no clues, no Bill.

The two of them sat watching the sun come up through the front windows, it was nearly seven now and she knew it would be hard for him nut she truly believed school would be a good thing for him and even though she wasn't sure how he would he would respond she pushed him anyway.

"You're gonna be late get dressed and I'll make breakfast"

Earl rolled his eyes making Sookie laugh "do I have to?"

"Yes it will be good for you to make friends and have a life you need to go, try it for me" she pressed her hands together in front of her face pretending to beg. Earl smiled and she couldn't help thinking how wonderful it was to see him in high spirits that was until he pulled out his favorite bargaining chip and used it against her.

"Ok I will go to school if you go to the doctor"

Sookie looked anywhere but her recently developed bump, she had gotten pretty good at pretending she wasn't pregnant and if it weren't for a few growing pains and Eric and Earls constant nagging she would be able to keep up her charade for at least a few more months.

"Ha, I already told Eric I would go today so go get dressed,"

Sookie watched as Earl's face seemed to light up; lately the baby seemed to be the only thing that got much of a reaction out of him and if it was the key to his sanity then Sookie was onboard. Once Earl stomped his way up the stairs she headed into the kitchen for the coffee she needed hours stopping as she passed the baby growth calendar Eric had so proudly hung the night before when he finally convinced her to see a doctor.

The truth was Sookie was terrified; Eric seemed to hang onto a hope that the baby wouldn't be Alcide's that somehow that one night of passion had given us a miraculous gift in all of this turmoil while Earl seemed to just be happy that he was going to be part of the baby's life. She loved them both for their optimism but for her she was having a hard time finding the silver lining in having her phsyco ex-husbands baby while raising his teenage son with her new boyfriend.

After reading the weekly tips for her pregnancy and looking at a picture she could only describe as a big headed sea horse, Sookie turned back to the task at hand "Coffee" she mumbled as she filled the machine and went searching through her cabinets for her Folgers.

"Eric"

"Huh"

"Eric!"

"Yes" he sat up rubbing his eyes before opening them to see Sookie standing in front of him one hand on her hip and the other waving a coffee filter.

"Where is my"

"Coffee is bad for the baby, you should drink tea"

Sookie stared at him in disbelief, did he really expect her to give up the one thing she looked forward to every morning.

"Eric pregnant women drink coffee"

She stood staring at him waiting for a reply but he didn't bother as he climbed out of bed and walked into the bathroom. Sookie gave up she knew when it came to the baby she wasn't winning any battles with Eric, when she refused to go to the doctor he bought four different baby books, prenatal vitamins and tons of baby calendars and posters that told you what the baby needed how it looked and how it was growing.

In the last few days without even trying she had learned that her baby had a spine and a heart and that she needed to eat lots of folic acids and calcium. It wasn't that she didn't love the child that was growing inside of her after all it was a part of her but the thought of looking at her child and seeing the man that she hated enough to kill that was another story.

Earl walked into the room looking much better than he had when she found his standing in the living room, she could tell he was nervous but she couldn't help being excited for him.

"This is a good thing" she said smiling as she grabbed a coke out of the fridge

"If you say so"

"It will be great you'll see" Earl stepped forward smiling and Sookie reached out to give him a hug, Earls smile grew wider as he snatched the coke from her hand "It's bad for the baby" he laughed as he kissed her on the cheek and headed for the door.

Eric left for work shortly after Earl reminding her again that her appointment was at ten giving her enough time to eat something healthy and shower, he rubbed her stomach and kissed her softly before her walking. The plan was for him to meet her at the doctor's office and then the two of them would have lunch but for a split second Sookie wondered how mad he would be if she didn't go, if she just told him she had forgotten or fallen back to sleep.

Looking down at her bump Sookie knew he would be angry and guilt crept up her spine as she realized she was being careless, the plan was to keep the baby and that meant doing whatever it took make sure it was healthy. She cooked herself two egg whites a bagel with peanut butter and some tea for breakfast before jumping in the shower and throwing on her favorite sweats, Sookie noticed the clock on her night table as she pulled her hair up into her usual ponytail it was already nine fifteen and she needed still had a long drive into town.

Grabbing her purse and heading for the door Sookie froze as a knot formed in her stomach, it was a feeling she had gotten use to so many years ago someone was watching her. At this point she had two options the first being slam the door shut and lock it before calling Eric to get his butt home or she could make a break for the car and hope to god no one jumps out to stop her.

Sookie took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she took two steps back from the door "option two" she yelled as she sprinted to her car slamming the door and locking it while fumbling for her keys. On the way into town Sookie started to feel silly, she thought about how crazy she must have looked and told herself that it was nothing Alcide was dead and Bill well if he wasn't dead he was long gone or Andy would have found him.

Pulling up in front of the OBGYN Sookie noticed Eric's car parked in front but didn't see him; she was already on high alert after spooking herself out at the house so immediately she thought of fifty scenarios where Eric was missing. Knocked unconscious, kidnapped, dead she was running though the list in her head when Eric steeped out of the building smiling and waving at her and again she felt like a fool for assuming the worst.

The appointment was going well and so far Eric had kept his promise and stayed quietly up by her head, Sookie knew she should have had tons of questions about her pregnancy and the delivery but for now there was only one question she really wanted to know.

"Is it possible to do a DNA test before the baby is born?"

Her doctor looked shocked as her eyes wandered from Sookie to Eric,

"It is possible but it can be risky for you and the baby"

Eric squeezed Sookie's hand; he knew what she was thinking it was the topic of every conversation they've had for weeks. He couldn't stand the thought of her aborting the baby even if it was Alcide's.

"How soon can we do it?" She ignored Eric's silent plea it was something she had to know whether she decided to keep the baby or not she needed to know no matter how much Eric protested.

"Let's just see how far along you are first" the woman didn't look directly at Sookie or Eric as she poured the cold blue gel on her not so flat stomach. The room was quiet except the faint swishing sound coming from the monitor by Sookie's head,

"That's the heart beat?" Eric asked as tears filled his eyes

"yup that's it and here is your baby" the woman turned the tiny monitor to face them and point to a tiny white line flickering orb that was the baby's heart

"and here is your baby's head and nose and lips" Sookie stared at the screen feeling torn it was part of her and she was sure that was her father's nose but could she really love a child that come from hate and rape and torture.

Eric leaned to kiss her head smiling from ear to ear and she could see the love in his eyes,

"that's our baby" he whispered in her ear before looking back up at the screen.