Chapter Twenty Two: Cheers (Drink To That)

"I think Ellie is drunk." Holly mused as she came to stand beside Sookie at the kitchen window, waiting for their orders to come up.

Sookie sighed as she glanced over her shoulder to the bar where Ellie was sitting, drinking one too many vodka shots. She knew returning to Eric's house would be hard on Ellie, but she hadn't expected the brunette to chug down nearly an entire bottle of vodka in the short amount of time that she had been here at Merlotte's. Quinn had brought her in only a few hours ago and already, Ellie was swaying on her stool, laughing a bit too loud, and making absolutely no sense. Quinn was taking it all in stride, humouring her yet keeping a watchful eye on her drinking habits. She hadn't seen Ellie like this since meeting her all those years ago. She would have a few drinks, but up until Dallas, she had never seen Ellie drunk. Sookie couldn't exactly blame her friend though, considering all that's happened in a short period of time. If anyone needed to cut loose, even just for a few hours, it was most definitely Ellie.

"You should have seen her in Dallas." Sookie rolled her eyes as they picked up their baskets of food.

Holy flashed her a smile before they parted ways, handing out the orders to their table. Once Sookie was certain everyone was settled for now, she made her way over to bar, checking out the window as she went. The sun was just starting to set, and she knew that if Ellie was out for too much longer, Godric would become paranoid and come looking for her. And while his cover may be blown, it would be safer if he kept his distance from the outside world, or at least, from waltzing into a packed bar.

"You should probably be taking her back soon." Sookie advised Quinn. "The sun is setting and Godric will have a fit if she's out too much longer."

"Already one step ahead of you." Quinn nodded, slipping his wallet out and laying a handful of bills on the bar counter.

"Hey!" Ellie blurted out, causing half of the bar to turn their attention onto her. "I was going to pay!"

"I think you should just focus on standing and walking." Quinn chuckled, taking her by the elbow and helping her off of the stool. She swayed for a moment, but with his help, she was able to stay standing.

"You didn't drink, did you?" Sookie asked.

"Not a drop." Quinn assured her.

"Good. Just be careful in case she vomits." Sookie sent him a sympathetic smile.

"I've got it covered." He winked at the blonde before putting his arm around Ellie's waist and began leading her towards the exit. "Say goodbye, babe."

"Buh bye!" Ellie waved her hand wildly in the air, earning quite a few chuckles from the other patrons.

Sookie shook her head as she shot Sam an amused grin. "How long do you think she'll last before puking?"

"Wait for it..." Sam glanced out the window beside the door and smirked widely as he watched Ellie bend over, Quinn rubbing her back. "Didn't take long at all."

"Poor girl." Holly wandered up to the bar as she organized receipts. "So much has happened to her. Can't blame her at all for drinking."

"She's not normally like this." Sookie commented. "But I don't have the heart to tell her to stop. Everything seems so messed up lately."

"I can feel the wind of change about to come." Holly nodded. "Time hasn't healed anything at all, has it?"

"I don't think we'll ever have a moment when there isn't trouble on the horizon."

"You're drunk." Quinn shook his head with a smile on his face as he watched Ellie attempting to pull the cap off of the water bottle he had given her the moment he helped her into the kitchen. He chuckled as her frustration grew, the cap just not coming off. He should have helped her, told her at least that it twisted, but he found himself amused by her drunken antics. Then again, he was amused by her even when she was sober.

There was just something about this girl that drew him in. It wasn't just because she was a Phoenix; it wasn't just because she was the talk of the supernatural community. She could have been any ordinary human and he still would have been fascinated. She had gone through so much pain. She had experienced loss, she had nearly died herself. And yet, when she wasn't fighting for her life, or happened to be drunk, she was just full of life, full of optimism. That day they spent together in Dallas, when she brought him to her old house in the city, he had seen a part of Ellie that he was certain she had kept guarded for so many years, and for good reason. So many terrible things had occurred to this girl before him, and he found he had a sudden desire to just wrap his arms around her and keep her safe. He had never felt so strongly towards anyone else for so long, having kept himself guarded for the better portion of his life. He had his own baggage, his own damaged life that he had to take care of. But with Ellie, he felt like he could be himself, like he didn't have to hide.

"I can't do it." she just about threw the bottle at him.

"What are the magic words?" a smirk crossed his face.

A pout formed on her lips. "Pretty please open it so I don't throw it at your head."

"I'm not sure I like drunk you. You're violent, babe." He snickered as he untwisted the cap and handed the bottle back to the girl.

"You're my new hero!" a goofy grin swept across her face as she took the water and began chugging it down.

"Careful, babe." He grabbed the bottle away before she could begin choking.

"You don't have to stay. I can manage on my own. See!" She hopped off of the kitchen stool only to wobble and topple over.

Quinn stifled a laugh as he stood and strolled around the island, checking to make sure Ellie was still in one piece. He snorted as she thrust a hand into the air, giving him a thumbs up before pushing herself up into a sitting position.

"You're definitely drunk." He shook his head, kneeling down beside her. "Everything in working condition?"

"I'm fine." She went to swat at his arm, though she missed it nearly by a foot. "You aren't drunk enough, Quinny!"

"Quinny?" Quinn raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you're calling me now?"

"Yep yep yep." She began nodded, only to stop and groan, her nose scrunching up as pain erupted in her head. "My head hurts. It feels like someone is shoving it against the floor."

"It probably doesn't help that you fell on the floor." He held out a hand for her to take. "Come on, let's get you up."

"It's comfy down here though." She pouted again, patting the floor beside her. "Sit."

Quinn was too amused not to obliged, and ended up pushing the stool to the side as he sat next to Ellie, leaning his back against the island.

"Oh!" her eyes grew wide suddenly, a spark in those brilliant green eyes. "I nearly forgot!"

"What?" Quinn raised an eyebrow, watching as Ellie began shuffling on the ground, crawling a few feet away to one of the cupboards. "Do I even want to know what you're doing?"

She waved her hand at him a she searched through the cupboard. She knew it was there. She had been the one to put it there ages ago when she had first lived there. It had been her liquid luck while Eric had been off fucking anything with two legs. She snorted when she remembered thinking she was glad Eric was a vampire and couldn't get an STD, as half of the girls looked like they must have had one. She had yet to open the bottle, but it had given her relief to know that if things ever got too bad, she could just drink her problems away. She just never had been that girl before. But she was already drunk now. She was drunk to the point that she barely even remembered what she was doing.

"Right." She slapped her forehead, her body nearly halfway into the cupboard, throwing things out and onto the floor as she searched for the bottle of vodka she just knew was in there. Finally, her wandering hand grasped onto the bottle she had been searching for and she let out a triumphant cry. "Found it!"

"Found what?" Quinn wondered as he watched Ellie hit the back of her head on the way out of the cupboard, incoherent mumbles emitting from her lips as she crawled back over and crossed her legs before him. He took notice of the bottle in her hands and immediately stole it from her grasps. "Do you honestly think you need even more alcohol?"

"Yes!" she nodded, trying to grab the bottle back from him.

"I think your drunk enough, babe." He shook his head.

"But but..."

"Can't think of any reason to keep drinking, can you?"

She pulled on those puppy dog eyes in an attempt to persuade him. "Nasty little people want to kill me, I want to drink!"

Quinn weighed the options. He could not give her the bottle and bring her up to her bed, where she would wake up the next morning with only a bit of a hangover, or he could give in and let her drink away her problems. He knew it was wrong. Drinking wasn't the answer. Nothing would get solved by drinking more vodka than one tiny girl should ever possibly ingest. But as he remembered the life story she had told him just the other day, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. So much had happened in her life, so much had occurred just recently. He could tell this was out of the ordinary for her, that she wasn't this girl. But she didn't know how else to deal with the many emotions she was feeling. There was just too much pain, too much danger that she needed a break, even for a moment. And drinking, while a horrible substitute, it was her only temporary release.

"You'll be my bestest friend in the entire world!" she pleaded. "Pretty please Quinny?"

"fine." He gave in. "But, this is the last time. Once this bottle is finished, no more drinking away your problems. We'll deal with them in a better way, alright?"

"K!" she chirped with a grin on her face, her entire face brightening as she grabbed the Vodka bottle out of his outstretched hand and began pulling the top off of it, only to find the same difficulty as with the water bottle.

Quinn couldn't help but laugh as he took the bottle back, twisting the top off before taking a small sip of the dangerous liquid himself. He was going to need to alcohol if he was going to get through the rest of this night.

"I cannot believe you brought her to my house." Eric shook his head as he sipped a bottle of true blood. "Are you absolutely insane, Godric?"

"You aren't staying there; you're hiding out like a coward here." Godric frowned, his arms crossed over his chest, not in the mood to be dealing with Eric's attitude tonight. "I'm doing what I can to protect her."

"By taking her there?" Eric snorted.

"What would you have liked me to do, Eric?" Godric snapped. "Neither Sookie or Ellie are safe at that house. We believe Bill may have been involved in the attack last night and it's no longer safe for them."

"Whatever happened to the shifter you were certain of?" Eric rolled his eyes.

"He will watch her during the day should she leave the house. Which she will because she could barely even step into your house without breaking down."

"Not my problem."

"Yes it is. It's your fault, Eric." Godric's fangs extended as his anger rose. "I shouldn't be the one taking every possible measure to keep her safe. It should be you. So stop complaining, Eric. You're sitting on your ass here while there is a war going on out there. While the woman you cowardly ran away from is in mortal danger."

Eric narrowed his eyes as he set his bottle of blood down on the coffee table before standing to his full height. "You know why I'm here. You know why I can't let anyone know that I'm here."

"Yes, I'm aware that this is the only option we have right now. My cover has been compromised, and I expect there will be threats. But I'm not happy about this predicament at all. You could have been the one protecting her, Eric, if you hadn't of let your fear get the better of you."

"I'm not having this conversation again." Eric hissed down at his maker. "Just drop it."

"How can I possibly drop it when I had Elizabeth crying in my arms this morning? She thought I was asleep, but how could I fall asleep while she was in so much pain? You've caused this, Eric. You've done this to her."

Eric's fangs were the ones to extend this time, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "I don't want to talk about this."

"One day you're going to regret this. And sadly, she will run back to you. At one point, I wished for that. But now, I'm not so certain you two are good for one another. She puts herself through agony trying to not love you, and puts herself through even worse pain by admitting that she still does." Godric shook his head.

"Godric." Eric growled.

"I won't speak anymore of this tonight." Godric held his hands up in defence. "You can sit back down Eric; we have much to talk about."

"Like?" he demanded to know.

"Like the fact that we have a war on our hands." Godric motioned for Eric to sit, not taking no as an answer. "If you will..."

Eric muttered curses under his breath but sat back down on the couch. Godric took a seat across from him in a chair, clasping his hands together in his lap.

"We first need to take care of Bill. He is the main threat at the moment."

"We can kill him like I suggested." Eric shrugged.

"We need to know who he is working for. We need to know who our enemies are. I suggest that we have him followed and monitored." Godric suggested.

"Have Chow keep a close eye on him." Eric nodded. "He's a good tracker."

"Very well." Godric agreed.

"What about that shifter." Eric remembered the Were-Tiger that was spending a bit too much time with his Phoenix.

"What about him?" Godric raised an eyebrow, already feeling the jealousy emitting from his child. "Quinn and Elizabeth have grown close in their short amount of time together."

"I don't like that one bit."

"Of course you don't." Godric rolled his eyes. "But you aren't there, you aren't with her. She's allowed to bond with whomever she pleases now."

Eric crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"Don't act like that, Eric. This is your choice, remember." Godric shook his head at his progeny's childishness. Eric could have avoided this issue all together if he just hadn't of left. But he had, and now he had to deal with another man entering Ellie's life. Godric himself may not approve of her ever being with another man, but he can understand that she needed another presence in her life. From what he knew of Quinn, and had seen last night, Quinn was a good man. He watched over Ellie closely, hardly ever leaving her side. They laughed, they joked, they bonded quicker than even Godric could have imagined. But perhaps Quinn would be good for her. She admitted last night that she still loved Eric, that she missed him. And she may never be able to move on completely. But if Quinn could bring a smile to their Phoenix's face, then he was happy.

"Whatever." Eric grumbled moodily.

"I should return to the house soon. Ellie will be home now and will grow suspicious if I don't return shortly." Godric stood. "I'll stop by Fangtasia on my way to speak with Pam and Chow. Is there anything you would like passed along?"

"Just watch her like a hawk, Godric." Eric gazed up to his maker, his expression softening slightly. "Just take care of her."

"You know I will." Godric nodded in assurance. "I'll see you soon, my child."

Eric watched with a sigh as Godric left his country safe house in mere seconds, leaving him alone to ponder if his decisions had all been for nothing.

"Why do you think he doesn't want me?"

"Huh, babe?" Quinn turned his attention onto me.

"Why do you think Eric doesn't want me?" I asked sadly as I took another sip from the bottle of vodka sitting between us, only to find it was already empty. "We need more."

"I think you've had enough." He chuckled, taking the empty bottle out of my hands as I jiggled it around in front of him. "And I can't honestly say I know why he wouldn't want to be with you."

"Am I ugly?" I asked curiously, tilting my head up to stare at Quinn, his eyes closed as he tried to control the same headache I was feeling as well. But it hadn't stopped me from drinking. I just hadn't realized that I would have turned into a pathetically sad drunk. But here I was, because Eric stinking Northman was everywhere and never left me the hell alone.

"You're most definitely not ugly, babe." He cracked an eye open and offered me a smile.

"Am I a horrible person?"

"You're the kindest, most free spirited woman I've ever met." He raised a hand to caress my cheek, his warm hand causing me to shudder in a delight I normally would have shied away from. But it was hard to do so when I was drunk, when my inhibitions and logic had been thrown out the window. "You care more about others than you do yourself."

"Then why doesn't he want me?" I pouted, moving into his touch.

"He's an idiot." His smile widened. "Your beautiful, babe. Anyone would be lucky to be with you."

"Would you want to be with me?" I wondered.

"What man wouldn't?" He answered honestly.

"Really?"

"Your gorgeous, you're selfless, and you're absolutely remarkable." He brushed some of the tangled hair out of my face. "Eric Northman is an idiot, Ellie."

"How come I'm drunker than you are?" I hiccupped.

"Because you drank more." he chuckled. "You nearly hit me over the head with the bottle when I tried to take it from you."

"I like my alcohol." I shrugged. And shrugged. And shrugged. I almost forgot how amusing this was. Until my shoulders began to hurt and I mumbled in complaint to Quinn. He only laughed though, and moved both of his large hands to my shoulders, slowly massaging away the tension. I let out a soft moan, nearly forgetting the last time I had been touched in anyway by a man that didn't include Godric. I loved him, but he had turned into an overprotective father in the last few months. I didn't object of course, but it was different with Quinn. He was a gorgeous man after all, and for some reason, he didn't mind spending the days with me, protecting me without even really knowing who I was.

And by god, he was actually a gentleman.

Unlike some others I could name.

Cough Eric Northman cough.

"That feels nice." I murmured, shifting closer to the man, my body working on its own accord. "You have warm hands."

"I think you're just drunk." His hands left my shoulders, only for his finger to clasp under my chin and raise my gaze up to meet his. "Don't let what Eric Northman does destroy you, Ellie. You love him still, anyone can see that, but that doesn't mean you're damaged. Any one is a fool if they didn't want to be with you. You're every man's dream."

"Am I yours?" I asked in a whisper, my eyes slowly opening to gaze into those dark violet orbs.

"Not that we should be having this conversation, but yes." He nodded with a warm smile before shifting a good distance away from me as he attempted to pull himself up. "We should get you to bed before Godric gets back. We can pretend that you're sick that way he won't find out."

"What about this?" I grabbed the bottle and waved it in front of him.

"Let me deal with the cleanup." He chuckled before reaching down and grasping onto my elbows. Without much of a warning, he pulled me up onto my feet with ease. I giggled as he wrapped an arm around my waist to help me from the kitchen, only to stumble slightly himself.

"You're not as sober as you think you are." I covered my giggling mouth with my hand.

"And whose fault is that?" his smile widened into a grin as he winked and tried once again to walk out of the kitchen. It took a few tries, and we both managed to stumble to a point that we had to use the wall to keep us upright, but somehow we had managed out of the room and up the stairs without too many injuries. Though Quinn had stubbed his toe on the way into the room that I barely even cared about entering while I was completely intoxicated.

I threw myself onto my bed, laughing as I bounced. I grabbed a pillow, curling up in the middle of the bed, too comfortable to move.

"Shove over." Quinn grunted, hopping around the bed and climbed onto the mattress beside me as I shuffled so much I nearly fell right off. He grabbed me around the waist before I could however, and hoisted me closer to the center, his warm body just barely touching mine. "I can't believe you talked me into this. I pride myself in not being a drunk."

"You shouldn't have let me drink then." I pointed out with a goofy grin on my face.

"I can't help it when you're looking all gorgeous and pathetic." He snorted, turning his head to bore his eyes into mine.

"I'm not pathetic!" I defended, though after a moment I burst out into another fit of giggles. "Okay, maybe I am."

"You are in love with Northman after all."

"Shh, don't remind me." I groaned, digging my head into the pillow. "I'm an idiot."

"You are. But don't worry; we're all idiots when it comes to love." He patted me on the head. "Though I feel like an idiot right now."

"Because you let me convince you to drink. Bad choice." I peeked up at him. "I told you I'm a hard one to handle."

"I should have listened." He nodded before groaning and holding his head. "This was such a bad idea."

"Drinking is fun though!" I jostled his arm a few times.

"Says the girl who will insist she's dying tomorrow." He shook his head, only that led to more groaning. "A very bad idea."

"Try being me. I'm way more drunker than you are."

"That makes no sense babe."

"Whatever, I'm drunk; I don't need to make sense." I found myself shifting closer to the were-tiger, seeking the warmth his body gave off. "You're really warm."

"So are you." He mused, his arm wrapped around my waist as if we had done this a thousand times.

"I am?"

"Just one of the many things remarkable about you." He tucked a strand of ear behind my hair. Or was it the other way around? I wasn't so sure, but I was far too gone to even care.

"I'm damaged, remember?"

"We're all a little damaged." Quinn shrugged.

"I love a guy who doesn't love me back? Why couldn't I have fallen in love with someone like you?" I pouted. "You are much prettier than him anyways."

"Is that so?" he nearly choked as he began laughing.

"Yep! Way prettier! And nicer! You're a nicer prettier man!" I nodded.

"Well technically neither of us are men." He reminded slyly.

"Well at least you have a heartbeat. Plus one for you!"

"Very true." his hand began toying with the ends of my hair. "Northman really is an idiot you know."

"I know." I mumbled, curling up against Quinn, laying my cheek against his warm chest. "But you're not."

"Only slightly. I did get drunk with you, didn't I?"

"That's not being an idiot, that's being smart! I'm bucket loads of fun!" I grinned up at him.

"I can't deny that." his hand raised up, stroking my hair now. "I should really go, Godric should be back soon."

"Your drunk, you can't drive." I reminded him.

"I'm buzzed, I'll be fine." He assured, beginning to move me off of him so he could climb off of the bed. "And you should rest."

"No!" I tugged on his arm, pulling him back down beside me on the bed. Of course, he was much stronger than I was, so he pretty much just let me pull him around. "Stay, pretty please Quinny?"

"Only if you never call me that again." he shook his head, amusement clear in his violet orbs.

"Okay Quinny!" I nodded in agreement.

He rolled his eyes but we lied back down beside one another. I let my eyes close as I just enjoyed the moment. There were no thoughts running through my mind, none that I wished to forget anyways. Drinking was an excellent way to forget about my problems for at least a little while anyways. And Quinn was great company. He was large, he was warm, he was kind, and hot damn, he was fantastic to look at!

I blushed as those thoughts ran through my head. I shouldn't be looking at another man that way. And definitely not Quinn, my new bodyguard. But I couldn't help myself. I was a broken hearted woman that just wanted to forget about Eric Northman for two seconds. And while being drunk helped with that, being around Quinn actually made that even more possible. He lifted my spirits, he made me feel like the most special girl in the world, and I found that I actually liked that. I wanted someone to treat me right, to treat me like a princess for once. Eric didn't know the first thing how to be a gentleman. Maybe he should be taking lessons from this man.

"If you had the chance, would you sleep with me?" I asked randomly.

"What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer it." I swatted at his chest. "Would you?"

"Anyone would be lucky to sleep with you, babe."

"But would you want to?"

"Is that an open invitation?" he wiggled his eyebrows at me.

"No." I rolled my eyes. "Well maybe. Can you rock my world?"

Quinn let out a roar of a laugh. "I'm a tiger in bed, babe."

"Oh is that right?" I propped myself up on my elbow and gazed down at him. "You talk a lot of game."

"Oh believe me babe, women all over the world has been satisfied by this." He motioned down his body, a smirk plastered across his face.

"So you're a man whore then." I teased.

"I just do whatever I can to please the ladies."

"You're wrong, you really are drunk." I snorted in a very unlady like manner. "I like drunk you."

"Are you telling me you don't like me normally?" he mocked being offended.

"Nope. Your good looks are all that I'm into." I nudged him.

"Right back at ya." He winked.

I laughed and fell back onto the bed beside him, though I shifted so my head was resting back on his chest, my arm wrapped around his strong muscular torso.

"You really are really warm." I mumbled, enjoying the warmth of his body a little too much.

"Oh that's nothing." His fingers began dancing slowly up my back.

"You're someone who I should have fallen in love with."

"Well there's still time."

"Hm, that's true." I wasn't sure what had gotten into me as I lifted myself up, ignoring the pounding in my head, matching my racing heart, and stared down at Quinn. He really was the perfect man. He wouldn't have treated someone like crap. He wouldn't have made them fall in love with him, only to go running off scared. He would have cherished me. He would have loved me completely. But no, I had to go fall in love with stupid Eric Northman. And I was certainly paying for it.

But who said I couldn't try and fall out of love with him?

Why couldn't I try and move on?

Why couldn't I have fun and fall for someone else.

Like the gorgeous shifter lying on my bed, his body warm and inviting.

My hand had a mind of its own as it began drifting up Quinn's chest, lightly tracing the design on his t-shirt. Quinn looked up at me questioningly before his eyes closed, a soft growl emitting from the back of his throat as my nails raked against his shirt covered chest.

"I really should have fallen in love with you." I murmured, growing so close to Quinn that our noses were just about touching. "It would have been so much easier."

"Babe..." he opened his eyes as my lips began brushing against his. His hands grabbed onto my arms and tried to pull me away, but without even realizing what I was doing, my powers froze in him place. "Did you just use your powers on me?"

"Maybe..." I smirked down at him, my voice vibrating against his lips.

"Oddly enough that's a turn on."

"Oh goodie." I moved myself yet again, this time so I was straddling Quinn, my legs on either side of his waist as I leaned in even closer to the shifter.

"This is worse than drinking your problems away." Quinn mused, but there was a spark in his eyes.

"We'll chalk this all up to me being intoxicated then."

Quinn opened his mouth, but I didn't give him a second to reconsider as my lips were pressing against his.

"Elizabeth?"

I groaned at how loud Godric's voice was. Why was he shouting? Didn't he realize there was a drunk girl in the house? A drunk girl who had one hell of a hangover.

"I'm never drinking again." I mumbled to myself, groaning at the churning my stomach was doing.

"Elizabeth!"

"Go away." I grumbled, pulling the pillow I was lying on over my head to drown out the shouts. My head was pounding harder than it ever had before and I was certain it was just going to explode at any moment.

Note to self: alcohol officially sucked.

Whoever had told me that drinking was not a way to solve my problems, well someone just hand them an award, because surprise, they were right. I mean, here I was, hung over, and nothing was solved. There were still crazy vampires out for my blood, literally. Eric was still god knows where acting like an asshole. And Bill Compton was still dressing like a douche. Nothing solved what so ever. All I managed to do was put myself back into this hung over position, and it wasn't exactly fun at all. Not when all I wanted to do was empty my stomach completely.

"I hate life." I moaned out as I tossed the pillow onto the floor and lifted my head up. I brushed back my horribly messy hair and attempted to pull myself out of bed, the bathroom calling my name. As I pushed a leg over the side of the bed though, I realized that I wasn't exactly wearing clothes. I frowned as I lifted the sheets and looked down at my body, surprised to find that I had been right. I was stark naked, lying there in my birthday suit. "What the hell happened last night?"

"Quiet down babe." A mumble sounded from beside me.

I just about fell off the bed.

In fact, I did fall off the bed.

I pulled my bed sheets around me as I scrambled back up to my feet, my eyes growing wide as I stared at the form lying in my bed.

"Quinn, what the fuck did we do!"