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.
On the way home they didn't talk about the hospital or the craziness that had been the last twenty four hours; Sookie was tired of crazy and finally ready to focus on there lives together. Her pregnancy no longer felt like a burden and thanks to Earl she knew she would love her baby and even if it was Alcide's.
It didn't matter what it took the three of them would do everything they could to keep it from turning out like him; Sookie smiled laying her on Eric's shoulder as he drove. She had been so stupid so worried about if the baby was his or not that she hadn't notices how much he loved.
Eric was kidnapped beaten and tortured by the same man too and he was still standing in front of her professing his love for her and the baby. Sookie hated that she had wasted so much time sulking she wasn't the only one who had been through something and as much as she pushed Earl to live a happy life she was forgetting to do the same.
They pulled up to the house just as the sun was coming up and like she had done many times before her life had become so complicated Sookie sat on her back porch watching as the sky filled with colors.
"Hungry?" Eric smiled when she nodded eagerly and rubbed her belly.
Tara's car turned into the drive way barely stopping before Earl jumped out and ran to where she was.
"Why are you home?" she could tell he was worried by the look on his face.
"your supposed to be in bed"
Sookie laughed; "were fine she said reaching for his hand pressing into her stomach.
She watched his face light up as the baby rolled and kicked under the weight f his hand.
"Wow" Earl laughed "you know it's a boy right" Sookie looked at him her mouth hanging open
"no not a boy we have enough of those." she rolled her eyes as she watched him walk into the house.
"How's the baby?" Tara asked taking a seat next to her,
"did you get to see if it was a boy or a girl?"
Sookie smiled at her long time friend and for a moment; she wondered why Tara had never had any children of her own.
"No we want it to be a surprise" Tara could only stay for a few minutes but it was just enough time for Sookie to fill her I on what happened while she was in the hospital.
Tara was in shock "you mean this has been happening for weeks and they can't catch the guy; that's crazy."
Sookie agreed it was crazy what were the chances of something like that happening in any hospital let alone one in Bon Temp where everybody knows everybody.
The two women chatted about baby things and plans for the future for a few more minutes before Tara rushed off to work;
"I will tell Andy and have him look into the hospital" she yelled from her car as she backed out of the driveway.
Seconds later Eric yelled from the kitchen that breakfast was ready and Sookie couldn't seem to get inside fast enough; she was starving it felt like she hadn't eaten in days.
"Sookie doesn't want a boy" Earl mumbled with a mouth full of food
"SNITCH"
"What's wrong with a girl?" they looked at Eric and laughed.
Once breakfast was finished Earl and Eric cleared the table and ushered her into bed, Sookie went along with their little plan to keep her in bed for the next couple of weeks. Not just because she was tired but she knew she needed to rest her body if she was going to make it through the rest of her pregnancy.
She pulled the covers up around her neck she could feel her eyes getting heavy as soon as she touched the bed and seconds later she was drifting in and out of sleep. Sookie could hear Eric and Earl talking about doing some work on the nursery after school as they walked out the back door.
"I love you" she yelled not sure of they had heard her until three loud honks from the trucks horn told her they did.
She smiled listening to the gravel crunch under the weight of the trucks tires; she was happy and for the first time in a long time she was looking forward to what was coming next. Sookie rolled onto her side tucking a pillow under her growing belly and drifted off to sleep.
There was no way of knowing how long she had been asleep and she hadn't heard Eric come in; her eyes were hazy when she looked at the clock it was only eight thirty and already she was tired of being in bed. Sookie closed her eyes willing herself back to sleep when she heard the hall floor creak. Assuming it was Eric she didn't bother took get up
"Eric" she waited but he didn't respond,
'Eric come lay with me."
Sookie was still exhausted and comfortable she didn't open her eyes when she felt his weight as he climbed onto the bed; his arms coiled around her resting his hands on her belly. She felt relaxed and if hadn't been for the baby kicking her bladder she would have drifter right back to sleep.
"I have to pee" she mumbled rolling toward him burying her face in his chest; she inhaled deep taking in the scent of the man she loved. Only this was not Eric's scent,
"Alcide?" Sookie's body froze as his arms tightened around her,
"yes sweet heart" his voice was rough and worn.
Sookie tried to think; this wasn't possible she had watched Alcide die months ago in this very room. There was no way he lived through what had been done to him it had to be a dream.
"Wake up, wake up, wake up" she whispered to herself,
His laughed rumbled through her "your not sleeping."
Sookie pushed free jumping to her feet her eyes moving frantically trying to take in the whole room at once.
"Bill?" she stared at the thin bearded man and cringed, he looked different not just older but different; his hair was black and his face was not his own it was Alcide's.
"What the hell" she stared at him the beard, his eyes he was even wearing Alcide clothes and cologne it was clear that Bill had lost his mind.
"Don't you remember your own husband" Sookie smiled awkwardly.
It was hard to take him seriously did he really think he was her husband, did he not know that she knew Alcide was dead.
"Have you lost your mind?" Sookie yelled throwing her hands in the air before she turned to leave the room;
She was scared of Bill and she had no idea what he was actually trying to do by showing up thinking he was Alcide and climbing into bed with her but she refused to let him know that.
"Get the hell out of my house Bill" she screamed walking toward the back door grabbing the phone on her way,
"Don't" his voice came from right behind her.
"Fuck you get out" a familiar click made her jump; the handcuffs pinched the skin around her wrists as she jerk and pull away from him.
Sookie stopped fighting it was no use she had underestimated just how crazy Bills was and no not only was she cuffed to him the mad man had a gun pointed at her stomach.
"Bill don't do this" she tried to plead with him but he just stared at her with a confused look on his face.
"Why do you keep calling me Bill?"
"That's who you are Bill, your Bill Compton" rage filled his eyes and without hesitation his hand came up striking Sookie across the face.
Blood poured from her nose and she could feel the skin on her cheek starting to swell,
"I KNOW WHO I AM BITCH"
He raised his hand balling it into a fist; Sookie flinched
"Alcide don't you will hurt the baby."
His eyes snapped down to her stomach and suddenly he was no longer angry instead he dropped to his knees pressing his face against her stomach and kissing as he spoke.
Sookie cringed letting the tears roll down her face; she could stand the thought of him touching her or her baby hear the sound of his voice. She thought of fighting of bashing something over his head and running for her life but the cuffs that pinched her wrist reminded her that she wouldn't get very far. 'Eric' if she could stall long enough for Eric to get home then she would have a chance but she pushed that idea out of her mind too; if Eric showed up Bill would surely shoot him.
Bill finally stood smiling at her as he caressed her stomach "it's time to go home" his words make her sick
"Home Bu, I mean Alcide this is home"
He laughed using his free hand to push the hair out of her face.
"No sweet heart it's time to go to our new home"
"new home?"
"Yes with the baby coming soon I though we needed a new start"
"but" she didn't know what to say,
"shh it's ok I bought us a beautiful house with plenty of room for our growing family."
Bill wrapped his arm around her shoulder and moved her closer to the back door
"I don't have shoes" she couldn't think of anything else to say.
Bill laughed again "but I"
"I have everything we need Sookie lets go"
She froze her legs refusing to move as he pushed her closer to the back door
"I, I."
"Lets go" Bill jerked the cuffs digging them deeper into her wrist but she couldn't her body just wouldn't move.
He raised the gun pressing it into her side "MOVE NOW"
Sookie shook her head "I can't" her words came out in a whisper.
She was beginning to panic; what if this was the last time she stood in this kitchen and what if she never saw Earl or Eric again. It had taken her so long to realize what she had with the two of them they were a family and if she went with Bill all of that would end.
"NO" Sookie struggled against the cuffs pulling the two of them further away from the door
"No Bill" her hands locked onto the table but it was too late something hard slammed into the back of her head and her grip was fading. Her legs slid from under her and her ears started to ring Sookie could see a blurry image hovering above her just before it went dark.
Eric walked into the house carrying a can of paint it was a surprise door Sookie; he had been secretly working on the nursery for weeks and now that she was feeling better about the baby he knew it was time for him to show her.
"Sookie?" he called walking toward the bed room,
Eric didn't find her lying in bed; Eric immediately felt angry with her he just assumed she had ignored the doctors warnings and left the house to do some random thing.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number letting ring in his ear as she checked the bathroom and upstairs. When Sookie's voicemail picked up he was livid how could she be so careless going off somewhere alone with everything going on.
Eric dialed her number again as he pushed the nursery door open hoping she was inside, his phone fell to the floor and pains shot through his chest.
He looked around the empty room in shock; "How is this possible?"
Everything that was there just the day before was gone; the crib, the swing, even the decals Earl had picked out were missing from the wall. Eric picked up his phone as he backed out of the room, his mind was racing the only clear thought was that he had to find Sookie.
Eric paced the kitchen floor dialing her number over and over; he couldn't believe this was happening he had only been gone for a little over an hour and this is what he comes back to. He slammed the kitchen door closed in frustration leaning against it trying to make sense of what was going on.
He had never been very close to Sheriff Andy in fact the only time he had spoken to him was the night Sookie called him about Alcide's murder. He was desperate and terrified that something bad had happened and the fact that they had never found Bills body made things worse he needed someone who knew so Eric flipped his phone open and made the call.