Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Sookieverse. It all belongs to Charlaine Harris. I am only borrowing it.

A/N: Amelia makes her first appearance of this collection in this chapter. It's a very brief appearance, but I know she will appear in at least one more chapter, so if you're a fan of hers, you can have that to look forward to.

Theme 4: Seeking Solace

POV: Sookie

Rating: T

If You'll Let Me

"I'm heading back to New Orleans for awhile."

I couldn't say I was surprised. Amelia had been having a hard time dealing with Tray's death. I had heard in her thoughts several times about her plans to head back to her hometown, she had just been waiting for me to be well enough to take care of myself. I sighed, resignedly and screwed up my courage to ask, "Will you be coming back?"

"I don't know yet," she replied as honestly as she could.

Reading her thoughts, I knew that she really had no idea what to do next. She needed some time away from the people and places that reminded her of Tray. I couldn't blame her. If I had a place to go and the strength to do so now, it would be on the top of my list of things to do. I read, too, the honestly when she told me she didn't blame me for Tray's death, but rather just needed to get away. I just wished I could stop blaming myself.

"When are you leaving?" I didn't really need to ask, I already knew the answer.

Amelia stared at her feet, unable to meet my eye as she answered, "My bags are packed and waiting by the front door as we speak."

I nodded and she whispered, "Bye, Sookie," before turning to walk out my bedroom door without ever looking directly at me.

"Amelia!" I called out to her as she was about to step out into the hallway.

She turned and looked at me finally, a pained expression on her face as she awaited whatever judgment I was about to pass on her.

"I understand."

She gave me a brief smile and turned to leave again but not before I caught her thoughts thanking me.

I waited until I could no longer hear her car on the gravel driveway before I broke down in tears. I meant what I said when I told her that I understood. I did understand what she was going through, all too well. I had lost so many people lately, not to mention coming close to losing my own life that I wasn't sure how to recover from it. I had lost five family members, if you counted Crystal and Claudine's unborn children, a good friend in Tray, and an acquaintance in Clancy. On top of that, I had lost any hope of reconciling my friendship with Arlene and Bill's life was still in peril. Now my roommate, and one of my closest friends, was leaving as well.

After everything I had been through, it was Amelia's departure that made it suddenly seem as if my world were falling apart. I didn't know what to do with myself. So as usual, I ignored logic and followed the instincts that so often led me into further danger. As the sun set, though, I was not yet supposed to spend more than a few minutes out of my bed at a time, I got up, got in my car and started driving.

At first, I had no idea where I was going. I was just driving, the car directing me, rather than the other way around. It wasn't until I was more than halfway there that I realized I was heading toward Shreveport. As soon as I realized this, I knew exactly what I was doing. I was going to see the one person who I had thought would never let me down; the one who had, when I needed him the most. I knew there were questions I would eventually need answers to, but tonight was not the night. Tonight I just needed him.

When I pulled up in the parking lot behind Fangtasia, Eric was there waiting for me, leaning against the employee entrance. I awaited the lecture about how I should still be in bed, but all he said to me was, "I knew you were on your way. I could feel your distress."

Before I could stop myself, I had thrown myself into his arms and was sobbing against his chest, ruining yet another of his shirts. When I finally managed to attain some degree of calm and I looked up into his intense blue eyes and apologized, "I'm so sorry for showing up like this, but Amelia left and I just couldn't deal with it."

"Dear One," Eric began. It was the first time he had called me that since I had been rescued from Neve and Lochlan and it almost brought tears to my eyes again, "You never have to apologize for coming to me for help, of any kind."

I winced a little at his words, remembering the time he hadn't come to help me. His response would have been a sigh, if he breathed, "I know you will eventually need an explanation for why I did not appear to save you from Neve and Lochlan. I promise I will eventually give you the answers you need. For tonight though, if you will let me, I will simply give you comfort."

That was, at the moment exactly what I need and so I nodded against his chest and allowed myself to forget the world around me and I sank into the solace of his arms.