Earl came running into the kitchen just in time to see Eric carrying Sookie out the back door; he didn't say anything just followed quickly behind them piling in the truck, he knew from the tone of Eric's voice that this was bad. Earl reached for Sookie's hand and squeezed he didn't ask any questions he knew she was frightened and he wanted to be strong for her but he couldn't stop the tears from running down his cheek as they drove to the hospital in silence.

Eric paced in the hall and Earl sat quietly in a corner listening as the doctor talked to Sookie; she knew he would be angry with her and that they both wouldn't understand why she did what she did and she had no idea how to explain.

"Mrs. Stackhouse it seems you had a few complications from the procedure you had earlier today it's common with an amniocenteses."

The word alone was enough to cause pain in Eric's eyes; she had mentioned having the procedure done and he thought they had agreed that it wasn't worth the risks. The doctor left the room and it seemed like forever before either of them were ready to talk.

"Eric I"

He held his hand up urging her to stop talking,

"Earl why don't you go down to the cafeteria and get us something to eat it looks like we might be here a little while." He handed the young boy some money and waited for him to leave the room before he continued the conversation.

"How could you!"

"Eric please"

"no, no you and I talked about this it you knew it was dangerous, why?"

"Eric you"

"no there is no reason, you have acted like this baby was a burden since you found out and now this."

"ERIC"

"NO"

"ERIC STOP" he turned to look at her he didn't want to upset her but he couldn't understand.

"Eric you don't get it, do you know how hard it is not to know?"

"Sookie I told you this is our baby than we will love it no matter what why is that so hard to do,"

"love this baby what if it is his, do you know how hard it will be to look at it and see his face."

"what if it's mine?"

"what if it's his?"

"what if it's mine and you just put my baby at risk without even telling me."

"What if it's like him; what if it hates me do you get it how hard it will be to look at it and see his eyes staring back at me the eyes of a man who was so evil?"

Eric paused as she covered her face and started to cry "Sookie I"

"don't "

"what if this baby is his; how can I love it knowing what he did to me torturing me beating me, raping me, trying to kill me; what if I can't love my baby."

Eric slumped down into a chair beside the bed he didn't know she felt this way he didn't realize that she was terrified she wouldn't be able to love the baby if it was his.

"I'm part of him and you love me" they jumped when they realized Earl was standing in the doorway,

Sookie looked at the young boy she had grown so fond of and she didn't see evil at all she didn't see a hateful person like his father even with all that he had been through Earl was loving and kind.

"I'm so sorry" Sookie cried out realizing what she had done

That night Sookie was restless; she knew she had promised not only the doctor but Eric and Earl that she would take it easy but she was getting restless. It was late and her body was stiff; she needed to get up and move around even if it was just around the small hospital room.

Sookie sat up slowly stretching her arms and legs as she went; she had always been a busy body and lying still for so long was wearing on her body. She knew the next couple of months was going to be hard and she would probably sneak out for a little exercise every now and then but for now it was just a quick shower and maybe watch a little TV.

Sookie closed the bathroom door halfway quickly climbing under the stream of warm water and immediately her muscles thanked her. By now it was about two in the morning and everyone would assume she sleeping so she was surprised when she heard someone moving around in he room.

Sookie pulled the shower curtain back sticking her head out just enough o see past the half open door and her heart stop she saw a figure pass by.

"Is someone there" she knew there was

"who's out there" no one responded but she could hear movement on the other side of the door.

Sookie jumped from the shower covering herself with a towel "hello is someone out there" again no one responded

She stood there listening to the noises coming from inside the room; her heart was pounding and no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that it was just housekeeping or a nurse that just didn't hear her calling out deep inside she knew something was wrong.

Curiosity getting the best of her Sookie peeking around the open door and nothing could have prepared her for what happened next. Sookie's eyes scanned the room finding nothing and just as she was about to step out from behind the door a male figure appeared in front of her pushing his face toward hers staring deep into her eyes.

Her eyes couldn't focus on the details as panic took over causing her to slam the bathroom door and lock it before he could make his way inside. Sookie screamed help over and over pressing her body against the door to help secure the room, she knew it would be near impossible for anyone to hear her but she needed help.

After several minutes of being locked in the bathroom alone she noticed a tiny red handle beside the shower that read nurse and pulled it. Sookie waited her ear pressed against the door she didn't trust opening the door for even a second until she knew what was on the other side.

"Mrs. Stackhouse are you ok?"

"There is someone in my room"

"I don't see anyone do you need help?"

"no there was a man in my room please look around hew was there"

"Mrs. Stackhouse please open the door, there is no one here the room is empty I promise"

"Are you sure; please be sure."

"Yes I am sure it's safe you can come out"

Sookie could feel her body responding to her fear and the pain that was shooting from her chest to her pelvic bone was getting stronger. She unlocked the door opening slowly to see a familiar blonde nurse standing there with a worried look on her face,

"It's ok Mrs. Stackhouse there's no one here but me."

She stepped into the room slowly looking over every nook and corner she could find there was no man in the room but there was also nothing else in the room. Sookie gasped pushing away another sharp pain,

"my things are gone" she tried to stay calm but the reality of what had just happened was setting in.

When Sookie looked around her heart nearly stopped everything in the room was gone from the overnight back Eric brought her earlier that evening to the magazine she left on the table beside the bed.

"Where are my things?" tears started to run down her face,

Sookie turned pushing past the nurse and running out of the room she knew someone had to have seen him; there was no way a man could come and gone in a hospital without being seen. She ran down the hall looking in every room until she made it the nurses station,

"there was a man he was a little taller than me and he uh he had a beard he took my stuff out of room." Sookie knew she looked like a mad woman running up and down the halls in her robe screaming about a strange man in her room.

"Mrs. Stackhouse" Sookie turned to see the blonde nurse looking at her as if she had lost her mind and a crowed had started to form in the hallway behind her.

"There was a man, he was in my room and he did take my things," she didn't understand why everyone was treating her like she belonged in a padded room somewhere.

"Oh thank god" Sookie sighed in relief when she turned to see Eric walking toward her from the elevators.

"Your awake" he didn't hear what she was yelling at the nurse about but he could tell by the way she looked that something was terrible wrong.

"Where's Earl?" Sookie hated leaving the young boy alone,

"Tara brought dinner to the house last night and he went home with her."

"There was a man in my room" Sookie belted out knowing Eric wouldn't think she was crazy.

Eric wrapped his arms around her telling her everything was going to be ok. Eric demanded to know where Sookie's things were but the blonde nurse continued to ask the two of them to go back to the room so they could discuss the matter.

They agreed Eric taking her hand and walking her back to the room; Sookie was hesitant knowing that someone had been in the room and taken her personal belongings didn't sit right with her. Eric helped into bed and for once she didn't argue hoping a little rest would stop the contractions she had been having since she was forced to lock herself in the bathroom.

It wasn't long before the blonde nurse came walking into the room bring along with her a large man wearing a security uniform and an older nurse who was her superior.

"Mrs. Stackhouse Mr. Northman this is the head of security Mr. Walters and our head nurse Mrs. Louis" the blonde nurse smiled again and quickly left the room.

"I'm not crazy there was a man in my room" Sookie blurted out before anyone had gotten a chance to talk,

Mr. Walters began nodding and waving his hands. "Yes, yes Mrs. Stackhouse I don't doubt you may have seen someone in your room" the man moved closer patting Sookie's shoulder.

"So you have caught the man then?"

"No we haven't" the older woman joined the conversation

"We have been having a problem for the past couple of weeks with things going missing on this floor. There have been a few young woman who have made complaints about personal items or things of value going missing but no one has ever been hurt.

"Oh so it's ok as long as no one gets hurt, why didn't anyone tell us this was happening.

Mr. Walters could see the worry in Sookie's eyes "Well not just this floor we have had a few things disappear from the laundry room too. Just a few linens and things but it seems we are dealing with some one who works here because they know how to steer clear of all the camera's."

Eric was livid hospitals were supposed to be safe if he had known Sookie would have been in any kind of danger he never would have left her by herself.

"Don't you think you should warn people about these things!" Sookie yelled jumping from the bed and wrapping a blanket around herself.

"I'm going home" thanks to the stranger who had taken everything from her room there was nothing to pack so she didn't waist anytime heading for the door.

Eric followed behind her neither of them saying a word until they were in the car driving home. Sookie could still feel the contractions but they were less intense and not as often as before; she just wanted to be home with her family and in her own bed and relax where she knew she would be safe.