Dead and Dating
Disclaimer: I don't own the Southern Vampires. Sole copyright belongs to Charlaine Harris. I'm poor, please don't sue.
This story occurs after From Dead to Worse
A/N
Sorry for the long break everyone. I was at my mother-in-laws home in N.C. for the week. I promise I'll be writing double time to make up for it. I have so much in my head I need to get out so please have mercy on me! Also, thank you everyone who has been leaving reviews. I enjoy them so much and I learn a lot through constructive criticism. Thanks again! Enjoy!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I woke up around 9am. I had only slept a few short hours, but I could feel the silly grin plastered all over my face. Raising my hand to my face, I sighed. My wedding rings were beautiful. I was now married to Eric Northman. One of the toughest vamps around, and a pretty damn hot viking at that. I rolled over and brushed a stray hair out of my husband's face. My husband, that sounded weird, but nice. I kissed his forehead then jumped out of bed. I had so much to do before Eric rose at 6pm. First, a shower.
I slipped out of Eric's bedroom and down the hall. I took a quick shower and didn't even bother to blow dry my hair. I pulled it up into a pony-tail and returned to our bedroom to get dressed. Thankfully, Pam had brought over my clothes a few days ago. I slipped into a comfy pair of jeans and a soft pink sweater over pink underwear and a bra. I fumbled in the dark for my shoes and slid them on. I left the room, shutting the door softly behind me.
I practically ran downstairs and into the kitchen. I fixed myself a quick cup of coffee and a bagel. What to do first? Name change I decided. I grabbed my purse and the envelope off the table and off I went. First stop, the social security office, then the driver's licensing center.
~*~
By the time I got home at noon I was officially Sookie Northman. Of course, I had last minute doubts when I was changing my name. I've been Sookie Stackhouse my whole life, but I realized that I loved Eric and that removed any doubt I had. He had always been there for me. I knew changing my name would mean the world to him. He hadn't thought I would do it. I knew that the second he thought it, but I also knew that he was longing for me to be Mrs. Northman.
I jogged up the steps to escape the cold fall/winter air. After turning my shiny new key in the door knob, I was rewarded with a blast of warm air. Thankfully Eric didn't mind the heat being on. While vamps may not feel cold, I sure did. Especially when he wasn't around to keep me warm. I decided that it would be best to pack next. I was excited to open my gifts, but packing was a time sensitive thing. I only had until Eric woke up. The problem was, he didn't tell me where we were going. So I had to pack just about everything we owned.
I packed up all my stuff in one suit case. Eric had a beautiful blue set sitting down stairs waiting for me when I woke up. He must have known all mine where gone after Rhodes. My next big problem was Eric's clothes. I felt a little odd packing for him, but I was his wife now and had to get used to it. I went up to our bedroom and opened the closet. I sat a pair of blue jeans and a white sweater on the bed for him to wear today. Then I proceed to pack almost everything he owned. I didn't know where we were going, or for how long. I figured it would be better to be prepared. Once all of his basics were packed I walked over to his underwear drawer. Before I had time to over think anything I pulled the drawer open. My god this man had underwear. He had boxers, briefs, bikinis, and thongs. Just about every color imaginable. I packed a few of each that way he had options and stuffed them in the suit case. By the time I dragged it downstairs it was only 2pm.
I still had about 4 hours to go, so I sat down and started opening gifts. I didn't know most of the people but I took down names and gifts so I could write thank you notes. I wanted Eric to open a few, so I left a box from Pam, a bag from Amelia, a bag from Sam, and a box from Niall off to the side. Most of the other gifts were kitchen related items and a few pieces of home decor. Things you would receive for a normal wedding. I looked up at the clock. Eric would be up any minute. I hadn't realized how many gifts there really were until I looked at the pile of gifts, then my list, then the pile of wrapping paper. I decided to keep going and then have him join me when he woke up.
I reached back over to the pile of gifts and picked up a small silver box. It didn't have a name on it anywhere so I simply wrote "?" on the list. I gently took off the wrapping paper and held a small black box in my hand. I opened it up and there was a folded up piece of paper on it. Underneath was a beautiful diamond ring. I gasped and dropped the box. I looked down at the note, praying it was anything but what I thought it was.
Sookie,
Just in case you come to your senses.
Yours always,
Bill
I couldn't figure out whether to be angry or touched. I didn't need to wait long to figure out how Eric would react. My viking husband was standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring at the ring.
"Is that what I think it is?" His eyes never left the ring.
"It's from Bill, he sent a note too." I stood up and walked over to him. Giving him a kiss good morning and trying to cheer him up. I handed him the note before he had time to ask for it. He looked down and read it, then tore it up and threw it on the ground.
"I hope that you have not given this any thought."
"Eric, I'm your wife, Bill is just sad. He loved me too, but I don't love him. I love you." I kissed him again and walked over to my purse, pulling out my new driver's license and holding it up to him. "See." I slid it into his hand. He couldn't even hide the smile when he noticed that I officially changed my last name to Northman.
"So you are..."
"Offically, Mrs. Northman." I wrapped my arms around his waist and looked up at him. "I'm all yours." I flashed him a big smile and pulled him towards the gifts. "Come on, open a few, all the packing is done. We have time!"
He sat down on the floor in the midst of all the gifts and wrapping paper. I handed him the bag from Sam first. "Here open this one." I noted Sam's name on my list while Eric tore through the gift like a child on Christmas day. He pulled out a huge photo frame and smiled before turning it to me. It was a picture of us kissing at the alter. How Sam managed to get it so quick amazed me.
Eric reached over and grabbed the bag from Amelia next. I could help but laugh at his enthusiasm. Amelia had gotten us beautifully engraved crystal wine glasses. I looked close at the engraving. There was a large "N", with an "E" on one side and a "S" on the other. I teared up looking at our initials on that wine glass. Eric wiped away a tear and gently placed them back into the bag. He reached over for Pam's gift next. She gave us a DVD of the wedding. Again, I was amazed at how fast she had gotten that. She must have made someone work all through the night. I took the DVD and put it inside one of the suit cases. We could watch it later. The last gift was a box from Niall.
"I think you should open this one Sookie." I slid over and sat on Eric's lap. I gripped the box, almost scared to open it. Eric rubbed my back and whispered words of encouragement in my ear. I slid off the wrapping paper and opened the box. For the second time today I gasped.
Inside was a beautiful gold baby rattle. I picked it up and held it in my hand.
"There's a note in there Sookie." Eric's voice was shaking.
I placed then rattle back into the box and picked up the note, holding it so we both could read it.
Dearest Sookie and Eric,
Words cannot express how happy I am for the two of you. Therefore I am going to give you a precious gift. When the time is right, please let me know, and I will bless the two of you with the family you so desperately want. This gift should not be taken lightly. It is the highest honor I can bestow upon you. Sookie, when the time is right, and you are ready, I will make sure that Eric is able to impregnate you.
Love,
Niall
Tears were flowing from my eyes. I turned to Eric and he was crying too. I never even thought it possible to have children with the man I loved.
"Eric.." I couldn't even finish a sentence.
"I know, this means, I can be a-a" He paused a gathered himself. "I can be a father. And you can be a mother."
I leaned my head back against his chest and wept openly. The life I had dreamed of was possible. I had thought marrying a vampire would be the end of my dreams of a family. Why hadn't I thought of this before.
"We can push her on a swing set in the moonlight.", I whispered happily. Eric laughed a bit.
"Her? I thought I'd have a little viking warrior." I laughed at his comment.
"I don't think the world is big enough for two of you." I teased him. When he laughed, I turned my head and kissed him hard. All my dreams were coming true. I could barely contain my excitement.
His hands slid around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he laid back into the huge pile of wrapping paper. I giggled into his mouth and straddled him.
We made love so soft and so sweet that we both wept when we climaxed.
~*~
After making love, we both showered and got dressed. Eric was still refusing to tell me where we were going. I was anxious to leave but Eric was taking forever upstairs. To pass the time I started picking up all the trash that had accumulated. I picked up Bill's ring and sat it on the mantle. As soon as I got back from the honeymoon I was going to go to Bill and explain to him that I was not leaving Eric.
Just as I was about to yell upstairs, Eric came running down with a huge box in his hand. It was beautifully wrapped in shiny red paper.
"Sookie, this is my wedding gift to you."
"But, I didn't get you anything."
"You are gift enough for me."
He knew how I felt about being a kept woman, but he is my husband now. I guess I could ease up a bit on him. I flashed him a big smile and sat the box on the table. I didn't even try to be careful with the wrapping paper. I pulled the lid off the box, there was a brochure sitting on top of tissue paper. I picked up and almost passed out when I read the title.
Il benvenuto a Milano, Italia
I felt my vikings breath on my neck. He read the words out loud to me, the language rolling off his tongue. Then he nibbled my ear and whispered again, "Welcome to Milan, Italy."
"You're taking me to Italy?!" I let out a loud screech and jumped into his arms. "Italy?, We're going to Italy?" I could barely think straight.
"Glad to see you are happy, my lo-, my wife. You will notice that Pam got your passport for you. She had to glamour a few people, but she made it happen." He grinned, he was awfully proud of himself. "Look under the paper, there's more."
I turned back to the gift, gently lifting the tissue paper. Underneath I found about two weeks worth of clothing. All designer labels. There was Dior, D&G, Versace, Armani, and others that I could barely pronounce. These must have cost Eric a fortune.
"Oh my God, these are amazing, but it's too much. These cost more than I make in a year." I ran my hands over the cool fabric of a stunning Dior dress.
"Sookie, you deserve the finiest things in the world. While we are in Milan I have arranged for a few late night shopping trips. I would like you, if you would, to please indulge me the pleasure of buying you nice things."
"Eric, that is beyond nice things, one dress probably costs more than I make all month. Besides, where would I wear these things. Fangtasia? Merlotte's? I understand the thought, but Eric, I'm a simple barmaid."
"There is nothing simple about you, first of all. Second, what makes you think we would not take more trips to better locations. Not to mention the lovely restaurants in Shreveport. I'm sure you will find reasons to wear these."
I couldn't think of another good argument so I kissed him. After I pulled away from him I looked up at the clock.
"It's 9pm. When are we leaving and how long is our flight?" He picked up all of my outfits and placed them in an empty suitcase. He handed me my passport and our tickets. "We leave now, the flight is 13 hours long with a short stop in Atlanta. We will travel by private jet. My coffin has already been loaded into the plane. When we get to Milan someone will be there to help you with my coffin and direct you to the hotel." I tried not to look nervous. I remembered the last time I flew with someone in a coffin, it didn't go so well.
"We will be staying at the Grand Hotel Duomo. I know the King of Milan, he will be there to welcome you. He is a friend so do not be nervous to meet him. He owns the hotel. I think you will find it to your liking." He smiled and handed me a brochure for the hotel. It was absolutely beautiful. While I was looking over the brochure, he shuttled all of our bags out to his car, then came back for me. He picked me up and carried me out to his car.
We were leaving for Italy.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Okay, before anyone slaughters me over the Eric and Sookie baby issue. I realize that Charlaine Harris has said it cannot and will not happen. However, a girl can dream....