A/N- Sorry, uni and everything. I'm gonna be bringing back one of Sookie's ex boyfriend's- other than Bill of course.

It wasn't even noon the next day before a large truck pulled up in my driveway. Amelia and I, one of us extremely red-eyed, stood at the door while two men struggled to carry a large box up to the veranda, a woman followed them with the prerequisite clipboard,

"Delivery for Sookie Stackhouse?"

I stepped forward, and signed without thought, she looked me up and down in my track pants and large sweater. Considering I hadn't even wanted to roll out of bed today, I had certainly preferred my plan of crying into my pillow, I thought my attire wasn't too bad.
Not like I had to go to work today or anything.

'What trash! Can't believe I'm delivering such an expensive item to white trash'

The worst thing about hearing her thoughts was that I couldn't block them out. After my visit from Eric last night, telling me
'Too bad that you're pregnant Sook, but I'm dumping you'
I was too emotionally exhausted to block out anything. We waited til the truck was long gone before stepping out onto the veranda. Not because of the one judgemental and two horny gazes of the deliverers, but, because walking out onto your own veranda when there are strangers in your yard is dangerous.
That is what the fairy war and vampire takeover had done to us both.
The large box was stamped 'fragile' all over. Rolled in enough duct tape to pull the Titanic back up and had a foreign language, French I think scrawled in big black letters. Amelia produced a butchers knife from the kitchen and we set about unwrapping the parcel.

When the last hunk of cardboard fell away I knew instantly that it was from Eric.

"It's gorgeous" Amelia gushed and as much as I wanted to, I couldn't disagree.

A large cradle made from golden varnished oak graced my veranda; from the four legs it stood on to the overreaching canopy were intricately hand-carved designs. Some appeared to be either gothic or pagan I couldn't be sure but inside the cradle were blankets and sheets, the blankets were mink fur and knowing Eric the sheets were probably the most expensive cotton on the market.

'Sorry I'm dumping you Sook, but at least I'm leaving you a pretty parting gift'

"An apology for my hurtful words lover, please let me visit you again"

Amelia read the yellow swing tag attached to one of the stands, "Well...a phone call wouldn't hurt?"

"Amelia..." I smile widely at her, "Would you be so kind as to ring a delivery company and ask them to bring over a truck for express post please? My purse..."

I stop remembering that my purse was still at Merlotte's sitting in Sam's desk.

"You can pay me back" Amelia offers, wandering inside. I jump off the veranda and press a hand to my stomach when it moves violently, damn morning sickness. The feeling spurs me on and I storm to the shed in the backyard, ripping the doors open.

And there hanging where it always had, still in good condition if not slightly dusty is my grandfather's axe.

Amelia comes running out when she hears the first sound of the wood splitting.

"Sookie! What the hell are you doing?" she yells, still clutching the phone to her chest, I ignore her and swing the axe again, bringing it down on the hand carved canopy, closing my eyes as shards fly everywhere. Amelia screams at me for another five minutes before she can get me to stop swinging the axe around, and I reckon that the morning sickness was working in her favour. Leaning the axe against the door I stagger in and sit myself at the kitchen table, taking a deep drink from the pitcher of orange juice. Outside I hear her talking on the phone, but I can't make out whom it is, exhausted by my morning's work I rest my head on the table and close my eyes.

"Sook...hey wake up!"

I crack open an eye and find myself staring straight into my brother's face,

"Jason?"
I lift my head and find myself disorientated when I realise I'm not in my bed, I fell his hands under my armpits and he sits me up, kissing my head.

"Amelia called me over," he announces,

"I made kindling outta that cradle for you...am I gonna be an uncle?"

I blink a couple more times and then decide to give standing a go; I smell tomato and look to see that breakfast has been cleared away for a late lunch. My stomach growls and I realise how hungry I am, carefully I take a bite out of a sandwich and sigh in relief when it doesn't disagree with me. Then I focus my attention on my brother, figuring he might as well find out before the rest of the town.

"Yeah..." I swallow the cheese, "You're gonna be an uncle"

"Well...damn that's great" he grins, "And Sook, I got some toys that I was gonna save but you can have them now"

I know he means well, but I shudder at the thought of my baby playing with toys meant for a dead child.

"That's alright, I wanna buy my baby toys myself" I excuse and as I say this I realise it's true, I want to spend hours in department stores scouring for items for my unborn child. I want to go throw miles of wallpaper until I find the design right for my baby.
I splay my hand across my womb and feel a tiny glow in response.
I want my baby.

I look to my brother when I realise he's talking again. "Sorry what?"

He rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably,

"Uh Amelia put the cradle bits in a box and sent them off for you...said they were going to Fangtasia?"

I smile, glad that I have a girlfriend who knows me so well.

"Yes they were"