Hello everyone! First, I need to apologize cause it's taken so long to update the story. I've gone through my first writer's block, apparently. I knew exactly what to write, but nothing came out right. Anyway, I want to thank you all for all the support and wonderful reviews you've let me. I miss you all and I hope you're still reading the story and I can't wait to hear from you.

That being said, I want to thank my dear Keri for betaing the chappy for me. I love you, hon and your input is always, always, appreciated. xoxo

This chapter is named after one of my favorite songs from my favorite band, so please, listen if you have the time. http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=_GqnDROi6l4&feature=BFp&list=PLF9712A4E8F8DE2C4

Chapter 17

Strange infatuation seems to grace the evening tide.

I'll take it by your side.

Such imagination seems to help the feeling slide.

I'll take it by your side.

Instant correlation sucks and breeds a pack of lies.

I'll take it by your side.

Oversaturation curls the skin and tans the hide.

I'll take it by your side.

tick - tock [x3]

tick - tick - tick - tick - tick - tock

I'm unclean, a libertine

And every time you vent your spleen,

I seem to lose the power of speech,

Your slipping slowly from my reach.

You grow me like an evergreen,

You never see the lonely me at all

I...

Take the plan, spin it sideways.

I...

Fall.

Without you, I'm Nothing.

Without you, I'm nothing.

Without you, I'm nothing.

Take the plan, spin it sideways.

Without you, I'm nothing at all.

(Placebo and David Bowie - Without You I'm Nothing)

SPOV

We woke to the sound of knocking. Leif poked his head in.

"Sorry to wake you, but the nurse is here to see you, along with the doctor. She's waiting for you downstairs."

"Nurse? Doctor?" I asked, dazed.

"After what you went through last night, you think I'd just let you go unsupervised? They only let you out because I talked to them to do so, since I knew you'd want to be in a comfortable place rather than a hospital bed. Get ready," he said and closed the door behind him.

"Now you see why I wanted to get dressed last night?" Eric chuckled from behind me.

"You Swedes sure don't have any problems with privacy," I commented.

My throat felt a bit sore and my nostrils were dry and achy. I felt like I had sand in my eyes so I got up and went to the bathroom. I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I combed my hair and pulled it into a ponytail before going to the bedroom and ransacking through the bags Ames had brought. Eric had been watching me the entire time, a look of worry on his face.

"I'm fine, honey," I told him.

"I know. I just want to make sure you'd tell me if you feel off," he said, scrutinizing me with his eyes.

"I would. I'm a bit sore, but nothing I wouldn't expect."

He nodded and went to the bathroom to wash up as well. I took out a pair of sports pants and a t-shirt and got dressed. He came back into the bedroom and came towards me. He hugged me from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder.

"I can't lose you," he whispered, obviously still shaken.

"You won't. I love you," I said, turning my face to kiss his cheek.

His arms tightened around me and I grabbed onto his arms squeezing.

"I love you," he replied as he kissed my neck.

"Come, let's go downstairs. I wanna get this over with as soon as possible," I told him and stepped out of his embraces. He pulled me close again, kissed me and then took my hand and led me downstairs.

A very short doctor was waiting for us in the living room along with a dark haired nurse.

"This is Doctor Ludwig, Sookie. Doctor, these are Sookie and you know, Eric. And that's Nurse Smith. I've made the introductions so I'll make my exit," Leif said and got out.

"It's nice to meet you," I said and smiled at the tiny doctor.

"Nice to see you, Doc. How have you been?" Eric asked and pulled me to sit on a sofa.

"Better than you, I see. Tell me what happened, since your father refused to give me a second-hand story," the doc said and came towards me.

Eric began to tell her what happened as she looked into my throat, checked my nose, eyes and ears and started taking my pressure and listening to my lungs.

"So she was passed out for only five minutes?" she asked Eric, since I couldn't possibly know.

"Yes. I was on my way before the call disconnected and I live quite close to the café. Plus, I drove like a maniac. Five minutes, maybe seven, tops."

"Well, little girl, you're very lucky. There seems to be very little damage. Because you fainted, you inhaled a lot less smoke than you would have if you were awake and panicking. You're lucky Eric got to you so fast," she said and my eyes welled up when I realized that I could have been way worse.

Eric draped a hand over my shoulders and pulled me close. The doc gave him instructions to what I'd need – nose drops, eye drops and to drink a lot of water. I couldn't register whatever else she told him and what they talked about, because I kept thinking about Bill and Yvetta and the fire and I couldn't help but wonder why it had all happened to me. Was I their target or Eric? Or the both of us? I was anxious for news from the police.

"Just take care," the doctor said as she made her way out of the room, the nurse on her heels. I managed to say good bye before it was too rude.

"Are you ok, lover?" Eric asked concerned.

"Yeah, I just spaced out. I think it's all really sinking in right now. I could have really died last night. You saved my life," I told him and clung to his shoulders.

"And I would do it anytime, although, I hope I never need to again," he kissed my forehead. "I think dad wanted to keep the nurse here, cause the Doc sort of had to drag her out of the house," he snickered, trying to lighten the mood.

"It's good that I don't need her, then. We should go to the drugstore and get the drops," I said.

"Oh, I don't think we need to do anything. You forget we're not alone," he said as he got off the couch and lent me his hand.

He led me to the kitchen which was filled with people.

"Sookie," a chorus of voices said before I was being hugged from all sides.

"Hey," I said and took in everyone. Alcide, Diantha, Amelia, Pam and Stan, Leif and Laff were all around the large kitchen table.

"We just wanted to make sure you were ok," Pam said.

"I am, thanks to Eric," I smiled up at him.

"Well, hookah, I brought you ya' medicines so you can function properly. Now I need to head over to the café and keep yo man's place," Lafayette said as he came and hugged me.

"I'm going over to the house. I've put more guys on the job, so you'll be able to move in tomorrow if you wish," Alcide said and I think my smile covered my entire face.

"Really?"

"Yep. I'm off to the site, kiddo," he said and kissed my forehead before shaking Eric's hand and leaving.

"Well, that leaves us. We have the entire afternoon for ourselves. How about we play monopoly or something," Stan suggested.

It's not conventional to play with so many, but there we were, gathered around the large kitchen table. I was in Eric's lap, since he seemed unwilling to let me go, Pam and Stan sat in much the same way, Amelia, Di and Leif were on the other side of the table. Although the couples were huddled up together, we each played on our own, therefore, I'd often change a property with another right under Eric's nose without him seeing. I was actually pretty sure he noticed, but he at least didn't say anything.

With all our selling and buying and borrowing and letting people off the hook with their rents so they wouldn't go broke, Leif still managed to kick our asses. He hoarded the cheap blue town, Boardwalk and Park Place and he had 3 stations. To say we were doomed was an understatement. There was no way to avoid the man. Unless you were lucky enough to land exactly on Pass Go, you could not miss him. I don't need to mention the number of houses and hotels he managed to build from all the rent he was collecting, do I?

For the first hour or so of our playing I could notice everyone peaking at me and I tried to pretend I wasn't seeing them. I put in nose drops a couple of times and Eric helped me out with the eye drops in one of the brakes. I never managed to get those in. The instinct to close my eye before the drop hit was too much if I had to concentrate on handling the bottle as well. When they saw I was ok, they started behaving more like... themselves – laughing and joking and not watching me like hawks.

Eitherway, by 2 PM most of us were broke and we witnessed the battle between the Northmans since Eric was the last one to stand up against his father. We thought he had it at one point, after Leif rolled a double 6 after landing on Electricity and then jumping right into Eric's green neighborhood, but then "Junior" had to land on Boardwalk. He sold half his properties to pay his father.

The girls hugged me good bye after promising to come help us move the next day and Pam and Stan took their exit as well after saying they had to go to the printer and make sure everything was all right with "Eternal Night".

"Can we go see if there's anything salvageable?" I asked Eric, because I really, really wanted to go see the house even though I knew I'd probably be an emotional wreck. I needed to see it.

"I'm coming with, if you're going. We'll take the SUV," offered Leif and Eric nodded. I knew he wanted to go as much as I did.

Eric's dad drove while I was cuddled up with him on the back seat. We were silent, each lost in our own thoughts, but all anxious to see how much damage had been done to the house.

From what we could see from the street, the outer walls were all dark because of the flames and by the looks of it, there was foam all over the yard. A cop car was parked in front of the house and Leif parked behind it.

"Hello, officer. I'm Eric Northman, I live here. Is it ok if we go inside to see if we can save anything?"

"Hello. Yes, sure. I have orders to let you in if you were to come. Prints were taken from most places, so you'll find a lot of dust," he said apologetically.

"Like anything can make it any worse," I said and the officer looked at me.

"You were inside, weren't you?"

"Yes," I nodded.

"I'm glad to see you're ok. My colleagues told me about what happened. You're lucky to be alive," he observed, but I already knew that.

"I am lucky to have a knight in shiny armor that loves me enough to run into a burning house to get me out," I replied looking up at Eric, who simply smiled and hugged me tighter.

"Do you know anything about the investigation?" Leif asked the question we all wanted to know the answer to.

"I know that they've collected some fingerprints and they are going to interview the people you suggested. They were supposed to meet with the woman today, but I have no idea if that happened or not. I've been here since morning, watching the crime scene."

"Crime scene?" Leif asked.

"Oh, it's called that even if no one was murdered because arson is still a crime," I told him and the officer raised an eyebrow at me.

"Avid NCIS fan," I answered his unspoken question and he nodded in understanding.

"Well, you can go inside," he told us and moved to get back in his car.

The three of us made our way to the house. The door was leaning against the frame, after having been mostly knocked off its hinges by Eric's blow. The walls were darkened by the smoke and the floors were ruined by the water the firemen used in their effort to put out any and all possible items that could bring another outbreak.

The kitchen was completely burnt and it smelled nasty. The couch and media center in the living room were soaked or melted and the glass on the doors leading to the backyard and porch were broken. Either from the actual fire or the firemen destroying them, I had no idea. Not that it mattered anymore.

The two spare bedrooms on the lower floor were completely destroyed. The curtains were gone, the beds complete ash. The only thing that was still standing in both of them were the empty wardrobes that had been on the far wall.

We moved silently through the house and I felt like I could cry. All of Eric's work had been destroyed in a blink of an eye by some bitch's madness. The carpet on the stairs was covered in soot and it felt wet under our feet. The windows on our bedroom had been broken and the drapes had burnt along with the headboard of the bed. There was smoke damage on the walls and ceiling, but everything else was intact. We worked in silence on transferring the clothes from the closet into bags and in the travel suitcases Eric had. Everything would need to go through the washer since they smelled of smoke.

It all felt like a bad dream.

We moved to what had been my room for all of one day and found that it had sustained the same damage as our bedroom. The drapes were missing and the bed was in pieces after the firemen used their axes to destroy it along with the fire brewing there. I collected the few clothes I had in the dresser and the jewelry stashed in the top shelf of the closet.

Luckily, the bathroom and office were not damaged. Eric brought in boxes and we started loading the books and stacks of papers with our printed works. Leif packed out laptops and notebooks and all the cds and memory cards he could find in the drawers of the desks.

"I'm glad your stories and everything you've written hasn't been destroyed," Leif spoke, startling me. Since none of us had talked since getting here, hearing a voice had been a surprise.

"Yes, I guess you're right. I'm just sorry the house is destroyed. Eric's worked so hard for everything and invested a lot in setting it up…" I said and my eyes welled up.

Eric's arms hugged me from behind and he kissed my head.

"It's just a house, Sookie. I have everything insured, so it will cost me little to nothing to replace and repair. I don't care about anything material in this house," he said and I noticed Leif walking out of the office and closing the door behind him.

"But, Eric, you were so proud of your home and what you made of it. You had dreams of raising a family here…"

"And that doesn't matter now," he interrupted and turned me around. "We're together and all my dreams involve you. Sure, I had hoped I would live in this house for a long time, but I had always hoped you'd be the one to join me and help me fill the rooms with kids. I thought it was all just a dream, but ever since we're together, I realized something. This is simply a house, Sookie. You're my home and wherever you are is where I belong. Whether it's in a castle, a mansion, a house or a freaking trailer park, I don't care. So stop wasting tears over what you cannot help. There's nothing you could have done."

I hugged him tightly and thought at what he'd said and I knew he was right. If I couldn't have gotten the farm house back it wouldn't matter in the end. Sure, I was happy I got it back because I had a lot of memories there, but the ones that counted I could relive anywhere else. It was time to make new, happy, memories with Eric and the "where" wasn't important.

"I get it. I'm done, I promise. Let's get these packed and to the car. I can't believe we're moving tomorrow," I said and he smiled and kissed me.

"See? That's the girl I know. Looking at the full part of the glass."

He smiled at me and grabbed a box of books and went to take it out to the car.

Leif came in a minute later and looked at me silently.

"What?" I asked.

"You're good together. You'll get through this and whatever else may come your way, good or bad. I'm happy he has you in his life," he said and I went and hugged him, tears threatening to spill all over again.

"Thanks. You're like a father to me, you know that? I'm glad you approve of our relationship, because it's important to me to have your approval. Is it weird, because he's your son?" I chuckled.

"Nope. All normal. I love you both the same and I think you're perfect for each other. I might be biased, but I don't care," he laughed along with me.

Eric walked in on us still hugging.

"Should I be jealous?"

"Oh, honey, you never know. I might go straight for the source of your sexiness," I stuck my tongue out at him while Leif rearranged his suit jacket and looked very smug.

"Son, I told you to watch her," he told him and winked at me.

"I'll get her a bodyguard," Eric said and took out his phone, making a show out of going through his list until he reached the security company that helped out at his café at events and at the club Lafayette worked at.

We all laughed as I launched for his phone.

"None of that, mister! There, I love you and only you. Happy?" I asked him, hiding his phone behind my back. Of course, his unnaturally long arms reached for my hands, but Leif had already snatched it and quickly used it to snap a picture of us wrestling over the invisible telephone.

He kissed me and I heard the distinctive sound of Leif taking another picture of us. Eric let me go and took his phone from his father to check the picture.

"Oh, I love this one," he said and we all laughed. I guess laughing was a good way to get over what we've been through in the past 24 hours so I wasn't complaining. We resumed packing and in another hour everything we needed or wanted was in the car in boxes, bags and suitcases. Most of the furniture was ruined and what was still standing, we could do without.

We returned home in time for dinner and we put in two loads of laundry before we went to bed. We didn't even bother with taking out the boxes, since we knew we'd be taking them to our new home in the morning.

Alcide stopped by and told us that most of everything was done and the house was ready for us to move in. I don't think I could ever thank him enough for how fast they'd done everything.

It was around 8 when Eric's phone rang.

"What the fuck do you want?" he asked in an angry voice.

"I don't give a shit what you think. The police is looking for you, you crazy bitch." Yvetta. I had never seen him so angry.

"She's perfectly fine and you're going to jail for what you've done," he said and ended the call, before quickly scanning through his name list and calling in the detective.

"Hello, I'm sorry to bother you. This is Eric Northman, we spoke yesterday," he said and waited for the man's answer.

"Yes, she called me just now. I thought you were going to arrest her or at least bring her in for questioning."

"She is? Then how did she call me? She used her call to fuck with my brain? Great!" Eric said and pinched the bridge of his nose, waiting for the detective to speak.

"What about Compton?"

"What do you mean you haven't found him yet? He's always at home or at work. He rarely leaves the house."

"Ok. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Sure, Sookie will be with me. I understand. Thank you. Have a good night."

He closed the phone and planted his ass on the couch. Both Leif and I were waiting anxiously for him to speak.

"Yvetta is in custody. She apparently asked to make "the" phone call from her phone and she used it to taunt me. The detective says they have evidence she's the one who put the fire. They found fuel canisters in her car and she can't say that they were there for emergency because she picked gasoline, when her car is diesel. She also gave up Compton. They've been planning it together. They can't find him, though."

"But what did she say on the phone to get you so wired?"

"She was pretending she was free and she said she could come comfort me after you died," Eric said, raising his eyes to meet mine.

But, if that was their plan, something was off. Bill wouldn't have agreed to let Yvetta hurt me if he got nothing out of it, would he?

"He's going to take your statement tomorrow since Yvetta's taken up all of his day," he added and I merely nodded, lost in thought.

We went to bed that night talking of what furniture we would buy the next day. Yes, we were avoiding ugly topics because I wanted to be able to sleep. I had a hard time falling asleep anyway, because every time I closed my eyes I could see the fire in the house. It took Eric's soothing efforts to get me asleep and his comforting arm around my waist to make me feel safe.

I was excited when we woke and my giddiness seemed to be contagious cause Eric was eager to get to the house as well. I hadn't been there since the construction started and I was curious to the changes they made.

Eric and I got in Leif's car and drove to my secluded ancestral home. I barely recognized it. There was a fence near the road and there was a gate that Eric got out to open saying that we'd soon be able to open it by remote. The house was pristine white, with blue accents and the roof was new, too. The porch looked wonderful, the driveway leading to the house was new as well, and you could still smell the tar. Eric parked the car and he lead me to the door (new as well, by the way). He opened it and my jaw dropped. Every room had been painted and everything smelled fresh. The only furniture in the house was the new kitchen, where the new cupboards and appliances sparkled in the morning light.

The living room was empty and the fire place was new, as well as the windows. The flooring had been changed in all rooms and Eric said there was heating underneath. He even joked that I'd probably be walking in zigzags in the winter so I could step on the hot spots. I couldn't get him to promise he wouldn't call me drunk for it.

He showed me the two bedrooms downstairs and they were all the same pretty peach color. Then we walked upstairs and he showed me to what would be our bedroom. The warm colors looked beautiful and they matched the ones in the annexed bathroom. The tiles had been changed and a shower stall had been added next to the new tub.

"Wow, we have a lot of furniture to buy," I said and he agreed, urging me to start making a list. We quickly put everything on paper, deciding that we had to at least return with a bed today so we'd have something to sleep on.

He asked me to walk with him in the backyard because he had a surprise for me. I followed him and soon found myself jumping up and down with glee. A brand new pool covered a quarter of the large yard and I couldn't be happier. He knew how much I loved swimming. I also loved the double glass door leading outside. It had replaced the screen door and a bit of wall that had been in that hallway.

Eric's phone rang and he turned around to take the call as I walked over to the pool to see it more closely. I couldn't wait for summer so we could fill it up and swim all day. I noticed it also had a jacuzzi at the deep end and made a mental note to christen it properly as soon as possible.

"Sookie," I heard a familiar voice calling and I turned around to see Bill running towards me.

"Stay away from me!" I yelled, but he didn't stop.

"Please, you have to listen to me. I love you!"

"I don't care. You worked with Yvetta and she burned down the house. I would have died if Eric didn't get to me," I spat in his face. He was a few meters away from me and he was covered in dirt and leaves.

"I didn't know what she was doing. I told her our affair was over. I wanted to win you back!"

"Affair. You've been sleeping with Yvetta!"

"That's why she came after you!" he said confused.

"No. She came after me because she was Eric's girlfriend. She's been calling him for months!"

"She was dating Eric?" he asked stupidly.

"You'd know that if you ever went out with us! I don't want to hear you anyway, get away from me!"

"Please, Sookie. I love you, I want you back!" he said and made a move to grab my arm. I flinched away and before either of us knew what happened Eric's fist collided with his head, knocking him out cold.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes. I'm ok. Call the cops. How the hell did he get over the fence?" I asked.

"I'll have Alcide check it."

Eric pulled out his phone again and dialed the detective.

"He'll be here in 15 minutes. Let's hope he's out for the entire time," Eric said, but I could see that he actually hoped he'd get to punch Bill again. I really couldn't argue.

"Get inside. I don't want you around if he wakes," he said and I kissed him before going to wait for the cops.

I couldn't believe it. Bill had been cheating on me with Eric's old girlfriend. Well, those two sure were made for each other…

Leave me some love!

xoxo

Gaby