AN: After several weeks of hard school work and fighting the worst respiratory infection I have ever had, I am back. School is over for the semester so I am hoping to be writing more often again. I am going to work up to daily updates hopefully. Thank you to everyone who has been reading since the beginning and Hello to those of you who have just found me. Anyway here is a new chapter. A few notes I have no idea about the hunting seasons and licensing in Louisiana so I used my literary license to make something up and I mention one of my favorite games towards the end of the chapter Apples to Apples. If you have played it then you know how fun it can be if you have not look it up. You know the drill read, enjoy, and review. Please!

Disclaimer: This wonderful world of characters sadly, are not mine but I do like playing with them.

Chapter 44

I woke up the next morning sweating like crazy. The only down side to sharing a bed with Hunter is that he was like a heater. I looked at the clock and I was only four thirty. I groaned knowing that I would not be able to get back to sleep. I untangled myself from the sheets and went to take a shower. I cleaned up and put my hair in a messy bun. I went back to my room to find something to wear for the day. This was the first year that Gran and I would not be going shopping on Black Friday in a long while. We would usually get most of the Christmas shopping done and spend the day having fun. This year Gran was going with Hadley. They had invited me to go but I just was not in the mood for the huge crowds and someone needed to stay with Hunter. Hunter was still asleep when I went down to start breakfast. I was surprised to find Mr. Northman and Eric in the kitchen talking away with Jason. They were all decked out in camouflage gear so I was guessing that they would be going hunting.

"Morning Sookie we are just about to leave." Jason said.

"Do you need anything I was just about to make some breakfast?" I asked walking over to the fridge.

"No we already ate and Alcide and his dad are bringing the coolers for lunch." Jason replied standing up.

"Ok have fun and don't get hurt." I knew that they would be fine they had been hunting plenty of times and Jason knew how to handle a gun. It was Jason's connection to Daddy like the cello was mine with Mama. Daddy had been an avid hunter and had several guns.

"We will maybe we will bring something home for dinner." Jason joked picking up his rifle case.

"Have a good day Sookie." Mr. Northman said following Jason to the door. Eric smiled at me as he followed suit and left. I really was not in the mood to cook this morning so I pulled out some of the sausage cornbread stuffing that was left and some eggs. I scrambled and fried them up quickly while my stuffing heated in the microwave. I poured myself a glass of milk and plated my food. I ate in the relative silence of the house. When I was finished I went back up to my room to check on Hunter. He was sprawled out across my bed with one hand hanging over the edge. I moved him back on to the center of the bed and tucked him in. I was not sure what to do with my time till he woke up. I had finished all of my homework on Tuesday and my chores were all done. I contemplated lying back down for a while but I thought better of it picked up my sketch stuff and went outside. It was still reasonably warm out for being late November and early morning. I took up residence on the porch swing and just sat there for a while. It was nice to sit and listen to the animals waking up. I watched the sun come up over the horizon. I drew the path that lead to the cemetery. I stayed outside till I heard the unmistakable sounds of Hunter waking up. It was around nine by that time. I found him on his way to the kitchen.

"Morning Hunter what would you like for breakfast?" I asked following him.

"Can I have pie? Mommy said that there was some left." He asked in earnest.

"How about we save that for lunch? I was thinking that you might like to have cranberry waffles." I countered.

"Can we put other stuff too?" He got a mischievous look on his face.

"Maybe what were you thinking?" I should have known better than to ask a four year old what he wanted to put in waffles.

"Chocolate chips and bacon and cheese and garlic… and olives." He suggested.

"I think we could use that bacon and maybe the chocolate chips." I went to work measuring the ingredients. I had Hunter stir for me while I heated up the pan to cook the bacon and waffle iron. When everything was ready I made him a plate and sent him into the living room. I was about to go back to the kitchen to clean up the mess that we had made when there was a knock at the door. I went to answer it and found Godric and his mother.

"Hello Sookie dear I was hoping to speak with your grandmother. Is she here?" Mrs. Hyde asked with a smile.

"No she is out shopping with my cousin. I am sorry you drove out here for nothing." I said getting ready to close the door.

"Oh that's all right Godric wanted to come see you himself. He said that you seemed upset on the ride home last night." She attempted to continue the conversation.

"I'm fine I just didn't feel well last night." I really did not want to start crying in front of her.

"I hope it was not the food. Do you mind if I use your powder room dear?" She asked as a way in.

"Not at all, I need to get back to cleaning so close the door when you leave." I answered turning in place and heading back to the kitchen. I was hoping my not so subtle hint would work. I started on the bowls washing them and placing the clean ones on the drying rack.

"Sookie, can I talk to you?" Godric said picking up a towel to help. I ignored him a continued to wash. "Please I know what you heard and I don't want you to hate me. I really like you Sookie and I want to be your friend for you not for what you could do for me or my family. I was trying to impress my brother when I listed off the people you know. I like you because of who you are as a person. You are smart, kind, helpful, extremely creative and good at just about anything you put your mind to, beautiful..." His voice trailed off with a blush creeping up his neck.

"I don't hate you." I side stepped him to wipe down the waffle iron. Godric took the dish cloth from my hand in an attempt to regain my attention.

"I'm glad. I want so much for us to stay friends and maybe be something else someday." He said stepping closer. He was leaning in as if to kiss me when his mother walked into the kitchen closely followed by Hunter. Godric pulled away quickly turning to face his mother.

"Darling we should leave Sookie to her day. I have some things I need to do. Sookie tell your Grandmother to call me when she has a chance." Mrs. Hyde interrupted. Just as soon as they arrived the left, I bid them goodbye and walked them to the door.

Hunter and I watched cartoons till lunch time. As promised we ate the last of the pie with some of the other leftovers. We spent the afternoon building block towers and playing games. You would not believe just how hard it is to play connect four and try to lose. I know that it is good for Hunter to lose too but he had been getting so frustrated I just had to let him win some of them. He did end up trouncing me at don't break the ice and ants in the pace without even trying. Gran and Hadley came home laden with shopping bags at three and promptly when to bed. I knew just how exhausting it was to shop on Black Friday so I did not begrudge them going to sleep. At five the guys came back with one buck and a few turkeys. Mr. Northman and Mr. Herveaux were both just a bit intoxicated. Hunter was sitting on the floor with his trucks and I lounging on the sofa. After stowing their game and getting cleaned up the guys joined us. Eric flopped down on the sofa next to me placing his arm around my shoulders. Jason and Hoyt took the other sofa. John sat on the floor next to Hunter. Mr. Northman and Mr. Herveaux both took up residence on love seat finishing off the last of their cooler.

"It looks like you all had a busy day." He said looking at the mass of toys on the floor.

"We did it was nice. How was hunting?" I asked tentatively resting my head on his arm. I still had some issues with physical contact but I was doing better.

"Like it always is lots of sitting and waiting, then shooting and swearing. At least we actually hit something this time." He joked. "Dad said that it is more fun when you can drink to pass the time but I imagine he would say that about any "sport" of that nature."

"I am sure you're right." I smiled at him. Gran entered the room looking just as worn out as she did before her nap, not that I would tell her.

"I am thinkin' that we should order in tonight I am not really in the mood to cook or eat leftovers. Does anyone have a preference?" Gran asked taking a seat in her favorite club chair.

"Pizza and chicken nuggets" Hunter interjected.

"I vote for Chines." Jason spoke up.

"I think we could do both I know that I am always hungry for something else after Chines. Figure out what you all want and call in the orders. I think I am going to go lay back down." Gran said making her way back to her room. Mr. Northman did the ordering and we ended up with a supreme, a meat and a pepperoni pizza along with chicken strips, several orders of eggrolls, crab Rangoon, and pot stickers. Also Szechwan and Mongolian beef, kung pao shrimp, sweet and sour pork, general Tao's and garlic chicken, combination fried rice and egg fu young. I was sure that we would not be able to eat it all but was quickly reminded that the guys were human trash cans. We had fun reading the fortunes like we always did. My favorite for the evening was a tie between Jason's "Be prepared for big and small things that fall in your path" and Eric's "You will gain something you have always wanted." He gave me a very meaningful look when reading his. After dinner we all sat around stuff and playing apples to apples. The night was over to soon for me. Hunter and I climbed into bed after successfully winning several rounds. For some reason the guys would almost always pick mine if I had let Hunter choose for me. Sometimes the silliest combinations were the best. I went to sleep much happier then I had the night before.