A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone... again I own nothing except mistakes. My unofficial beta was my younger brother who I had to practically hold hostage to get him to read and he rolled his eyes after every line.

Let's see what Sookie has been up to...

Chapter 4: It wasn't over,it still isn't over

The next day I did my usual routine workout,shower,breakfast and check messages;I usually did go in the office on weekends. I would be by myself just working,the way I liked it ,so I did and when I got there I saw Jessica. "Hi I didn't think anyone was here."

"I'm sorry Mr. Northman is that a problem?" She looked like she was waiting for me to yell at her,which I never did.

"Of course not,carry on. I'm just working on something for the next week."

"If you don't mind me saying,you look nervous?" Jessica said as I entered my office.

"I don't mind,would you care to elaborate?" I asked genuinely interested.

"Whenever you are nervous or overthinking you never look me in the eye and you make wild gestures with your hands like you just did." She looked down. "I'm sorry I was just concerned."

I smiled at her and motioned for her to sit. "I didn't think I was being that obvious." I laughed. "I'm meeting a girl I haven't seen in a while and yes,I am nervous."

Jessica's pale blue eyes lit up. "You're in love with her,I can tell. That's the way my Hoyt looks at me." Before I knew it was telling Jessica everything that transpired between Sookie and I. There was a part of me that felt like I should not have confided in her, not that I didn't trust her because I did but because I was her boss.

"You were wrong...sir." She said after I told her what happened. "You should have trusted her to handle what was happening,we want the people we love to trust us." She said simply.

"And if I explain all of this to her? I was protecting her from me. My father got in my head like he always did?..."

"It's hard to tell Eric... I mean Mr. Northman. It was along time ago but if she feels the way you do it might still be raw for her,a sore subject." I nodded at her,she was right I fucked up. I should have stayed, I could've done all the things I did in Sweden here in Louisiana and I would have had Sookie too.

"When did you get so wise Ms. Hamby?" I wasn't joking she was far too young to be so smart. She just giggled instead of answering.

"How are wedding plans going?" I asked, I heard so much of her and fiance that I did feel invested. I thought of Jessica as more than just as an assistant she was my protege, she could work with the talent instead of taking my calls one day and I'd hope she would continue to work here when that time came.

"It's going great, we decided it's going to be very small. I even thought of eloping but our mamma's would kill us." She laughed. "Maybe you and Sookie could come together if everything works out?" I nodded hoping that,that would be the outcome.

I gathered my things, seeing that it was 12:30, almost time to see Sookie. As I walked out I turned to Jessica "Good luck Mr. Northman!" "Technically this isn't business hours, call me Eric." I smiled.

"Ok Good luck Eric." I winked and left my office.

I drove to the 'The Coffee Bean' and got a table outside,it was summer but not that warm.I wore my short sleeve blue V-neck shirt with blue jeans and white sneakers.I did not want to look like I was trying too hard,which turned into an hour and a half of trying on everything I owned.I was looking at the menu when I saw a little yellow nova pull up and I smiled,it was exactly 1 0' clock. She was wearing a white summer dress with red flowers and she wore her hair down in natural waves with a thin white headband around her head and red flats.

"Hey Northman long time no see." she smiled and I got up to give a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Sookie you look beautiful I-" I had no words,how do I proceed? Do I start asking questions now or do I do the whole small talk thing.

"This is awkward isn't it?" Sookie asked.I just decided no small talk I want to know.

"Are you mad at me Sook?"

"Mad? Eric,no you were the one who never spoke to me again after you took my virginity. Oh god that came out wrong,I didn't mean that...it's just I thought we liked each other and...I don't know,maybe this was a bad idea." She calmed down and continued "Eric alot of things in my life were horrible,our...whatever it was isn't even the worst of it." That hurt me but I couldn't blame her she was right,I needed to tell her everything but not here somewhere we could be alone.

"Can we go to my place and talk,I live near here unless you don't want to?" Please say yes, I thought.

"That would be fine,I'd hate to think about me crying in front of a bunch of strangers." she said with a sad smile.

I got into to my car and she followed in hers until we got to my home. We both got out of our respective cars "Wow fancy Mr. Northman." She said of my house.

"Sookie, Mr. Northman is my father." We went inside the house and I offered her coffee since we didn't have any at the cafe'

"That'd be great." she said taking a seat on the stool placed in front of the island. "Eric-" "Wait let me ask this before I lose my nerve...Why are working as a waitress in Bon Temps?"

"It's a long story." she said quietly cupping the coffee mug I put in front of her.I took one of her hand and held it.

"I've got time,I want to know." I said sincerely.

"Well after what happened between us I was really hurt,I thought I was nothing to you. That summer was awful all I did was cry and mope around." "When I started college I met this guy Quinn,he was the complete opposite of you;I think that's why I fell for him at first." That stung to hear her say that but I let her continue. "Half way through freshman year he was convincing me to leave school and go to Los Angeles just to go he had no plans and after Pam left school we didn't keep in touch, except for a few calls here and there. Jason couldn't stand Quinn and the feeling was mutual.I had no confidence and I drove everyone away he was all I had so I left with him. Very soon as we got to L.A. things got worse he was jealous and possessive and he hit me. At first I said to myself that he didn't mean it or that I deserved it. It went on like this for years until one day I couldn't take it." "I worked at a flower shop and I saved most of my money,I bought a plane ticket and left." "When I got Bon Temps I was too ashamed to see anyone I had so many bruises..." "I went into Merlotte's and Sam remembered me from when we were little, I told him what happened and he said he'd give me a waitressing job as soon as my bruises healed but I helped with little things around the restaurant until than. Jason kept a maintence person on the Grans property and I moved back there. Lafayette, the cook at Merlotte's has been great, he introduced me to this girl Amelia, She's a teacher. We became fast friends." She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I did see Jason eventually and I told him everything,I cried and we talked... you must think I'm such a mess." She cried looking embarrassed.

"Not at all Sookie I can't believe what you've been through."

"I guess I was just tired of being scared" I nodded staring at her.

"I won't ever let Quinn or anyone else hurt you,you know that." She looked at me with anger.

"You hurt me Eric! You left without a word !" She took a deep breath and took a big gulp coffee. This wasn't the Sookie I'd known,strong Sookie had been reduced to a scared,beaten girlfriend was alot to take in. It was my fault, all of it.

"Sookie did you know why I didn't call you?" I started.

"Pam told me you and your dad had an argument and you left."

"The argument was about you." She gestured for me to continue

"After I dropped you off I went straight back to Jason's place and my dad was there questioning me about us,I told him that we were together."

"He laughed and said I wasn't good enough,I was aimless and you were going to be something special and I would hold you back.I believed him,I never let anyone get to me but my father did.I wanted to be the man you deserved then I heard from Pam that you left and broke my heart so I threw myself into work even more."

"That's why you left?" She said with her forehead creased.

"I thought you didn't love me -"

"I love Sookie." I wanted to walk over and hold her but she wasn't having any of it.

" You're a fucking coward Northman. I would've done anything for you and you couldn't even fight for me?" She yelled, tears running down her face.

" I thought I was doing the right thing... I was dumb but I'm a different man now." I plead.

" You're not different, you're just older. You think you could just apologize and all is forgiven, always get what you want!" "Not this time Eric, because of you I'm broken. Quinn may have beaten me but atleast he was honest."

I was shocked at how much her words hurt me, comparing me to the ex that beat her but I derseved it. She needed to hate me as much as I hated myself at that moment. Hell I've hated myself most of those seven years.

" I'm sorry."

"It's not enough." She cried.

" Tell me what I have to do to get you back Sookie, I'll do anything." I stepped closer to her and she smacked me hard in the face. She seemed shocked at her actions at first but the started punching my chest and crying uncontrollably. I'm not going to lie, it did hurt after a while but it was a small price to pay for what I had done to her. Her hits turned into her grabbing my shirt pulling my down to her. I was holding her while she cried.

I'd say less than twenty minutes passed and she got up from me and breathed him heavily. " I have agreed to meet with you. I'm sorry this was a mistake."

She walked out of my house with me trailing behind her, I grabbed her arms from behind and she flinched like she was bracing hersel to be hit. I slowly turned her around.

"I know you hate me but I'm not going anywhere this time. I mean it Sookie, even if it takes forever before you trust me I will wait.I will fight for you" I let go of her and she got into her car.

I meant every word I said, no more women. No more hiding behind my name, no more hiding period! I just hoped she would give me the chance to prove it to her.

Alright folks, I've been having a boring weekend so I had alot of time on my hands to work on already outlined chapters, so sorry for 3 chapters in one weekend.

Where do we think Sookie's driving to?

What will Eric do to win her back?

Let me know what you think...