A/N: Epilogue! Finally I got my writing mojo back. The final chapter of this story. I'm still debating on a sequel but I would like to finish my other story first. I got some ideas that I could write for a potential sequel but we shall see what happens. Thank you to all those who read my story and those who have just started.

Sookie's POV:

I sit here on my porch swing thinking about all that had happened in the past several months. After leaving the island, Eric took me back to Louisiana. I had expected him to take me back to our Shreveport house but instead he drove me home to Bon Temps. It was a wonderful and comforting feeling to be back in the house that I grew up in. It was almost a nice consolation for all the bad things that occurred.

"I am keeping my promise to you," Eric said. "I am giving you the time and space to sort through your emotions. I want everything to be right between us again. Which is why we will do what you want and need."

But it wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to go back to Marius and I told him so, but he said it was not possible, partly because of our bond. Eventually I would have returned to him even if he had let me leave with Marius. I felt even more defeated and shed more tears. Eric carried me to my bed, gave me a chaste kiss on my cheek and left, but I didn't fall asleep. I laid there in my bed and cried that whole night. I cried for what we lost, I cried for him.

For the next four weeks, I fell into a deep depression. I barely ate, slept, or bathed. I walked around my house like a zombie. It was only until Jason and Tara became even more insistent that I snapped out of my funk. There were only a few times that I have seen my brother cry and that was one of those moments.

"Sookie, we need you," Jason cried. "You can't be doing this to yourself, looking like hell. You have no idea how hard it was for me, for everyone that loves you when you disappeared. We all thought you were dead. Now you're here and alive and you walk around looking like you want to die! That ain't right! Look what you got to live for. You've got me, Tara, your nephew, and your goddaughter. Don't be feeling sorry for what you don't have and be grateful for what you do have."

He was right. From that moment on I decided to try and be happy. One of the first things that I did was look for a job. I knew that Eric was paying for all the household bills and I needed that to end. I went through all the community bulletins looking for a job. Eventually I found one in Shreveport with a local barrister, a were woman, who was in need of a secretary. She was kind and honest for a lawyer. She worked hard for her clients, which just spurred me on to work harder for her.

To my surprise, Eric had kept his promise and gave me the space that I needed. He wasn't exactly the most considerate man especially when it came to what he wanted, but in this case he was. I guess even the most stubborn people could change and that included me. I eventually called him after a few months of silence. That night we talked on the phone for hours catching up on what we were doing. I told him about my new job and he told me a little about his kingdom. He was spending quite a bit of time in New Orleans. We didn't talk about the fallout about what happened in Martinique. He just said that he gave one of Rosamund's long-time lieutenants the territory of France. He also mentioned Felipe DeCastro which left me with the spine-tingling shivers. He said that he had not heard from Felipe or Victor in awhile which made me more nervous. I had just finally found some solitude and I didn't want it taken away from me again so soon. But Eric assured me that everything was fine. I had to trust him.

The next evening Eric sent me a bouquet of tulips along with a long letter. It was an apology letter that expressed all his feelings about what had happened between us. I read through it a few times before calling him to come over. Not surprisingly, he was already nearby. We spoke for awhile and I accepted his apology. I also asked him for forgiveness. I apologized for misleading him, for leaving him without even trying to work things out. I apologized for running away and causing him and others grief. Although I was still uncertain about my future, I told him that I could only offer friendship right now. To my surprise again, he accepted my offer.

Eric and I spoke about my newfound powers which had not returned to me since the battle near Martinique. He suggested that I call my cousin Claude for help in learning how to control it. Claude came over the next day and showed me ways to evoke it. After a few days the energy finally started to flow through me. Claude was amazed. He said that that some of the things that I could do were fae magic, but the other things I could do were something else, something that he was not familiar with. He said the source probably came from the same place where I inherited my telepathy from. Possibly from somewhere along my grandmother's family tree. Just great! I thought to myself. Like I needed even more skeletons in my closet. There were times that I wished that Jason could have inherited some of these things that had that just made life more difficult for me, but then I realized that if he had these powers, he would have used it foolishly.

I had filled my days by keeping busy with work, family and friends, but it was in the night time when I was lying in bed that I felt very lonely. I tried hard not to think about Marius, but to no avail. I thought about how he was doing, about whether or not he missed me as much as I missed him. Eric had only mentioned him once and said that he had taken over Marten's New York kingdom.

It was also only when Eric and I started talking to each other again that my relationship with Pam started to improve. Granted we probably would never be as close as we once were, but still I was glad that we were becoming friends again.

One night we went shopping and the subject of Marius came up.

"Do you like this?" I asked her, holding up a short ruffled mini jean skirt in front of her.

"It's hideous," she grunted. "It looks like something I wore back in the 80s."

I put the skirt back on the rack. I started walking to the next rack to look at some shirts.

"I'm going to New York next week," she said. I stopped dead in my tracks. "Marius asked me to go there to give me some of Marten's things," she said sadly.

My heart was racing. "How is he?" I whispered.

"I do not know," she answered. "We spoke briefly. He said that the things he wanted to give me were special items that Marten would have wanted me to have."

"Oh," I answered. "Did he... ummm ask about me?"

She sighed. "No, he didn't say anything else."

I felt crushed. I looked at the shirts as I tried to hold back the tears.

"You should probably know this Sookie," she said sombrely. "He is the king of New York now. And I have heard from a reputable source that he will be marrying a vampire queen from a Western Canadian province. It has been said that there will be an announcement soon."

I was feeling crushed a few moments ago, now I had felt like I couldn't breathe. I held onto the clothes rack to stop myself from collapsing.

Pam took me home after that. I wanted to be alone but she wouldn't hear of it. I laid my head on her lap as I cried my eyes out that night.

That was over three months ago.

So now I sit here on my porch looking out towards the sunset across the field. I still felt uncertain about my future, where life was going to lead me. I could only hope towards happiness. Despite how much it still hurt me, I wanted Marius to be happy as well. I breathe in the fresh air and look out at the sky which was a combination of a beautiful red and orange light with scattered white clouds all around.

My new little furry friend, a cat I named Dolly, comes running towards me and lands on my lap. She was a gift from Eric. She looks up at me with her big blue eyes, wanting me to pet her. I oblige her and run my hand over her soft white fur. She begins purring with contentment. I love listening to her purr, it was so peaceful.

"Do you want to go inside?" I ask her. She purrs even louder and I carry her inside to the kitchen. I open the pantry, take out the cat food and pour some in her bowl while petting her as she eats.

I wash my dishes and dry them as I hum an old country song that my grandmother used to listen to all the time. After finishing my task, I turn off the kitchen light and head towards my bedroom, when a strange feeling comes over me. I use my senses. There was a void nearby.

I knew it wasn't Pam or Eric. I also somehow knew that whoever was there wasn't going to harm me, so I slowly walk towards the door, open it and stand outside. I look around the area but I couldn't see or hear anything, but I knew that whoever was there was still watching.

"Marius?" I whisper. It had to be him.

I look around again. A few seconds later he is standing about ten feet away in front of me.

I gasp momentarily stunned. I felt overwhelmed with emotions. We stand there staring at each other for what feels like forever until I say, "Is it really you?" I pray to god that this wasn't a hallucination.

"Yes," he answers. He looks like he is having an internal struggle of whether to leave or come closer.

I react before he can decide by running to him and swinging my arms around his neck. I hold onto to him tightly just in case he disappears.

"I missed you so much," I cry. I can feel him put his arms around me slowly.

"I have wanted to come see you," he says quietly. "It has been difficult."

I sniffle against him, burying my face against his chest.

"Sookie we do not have much time," he says.

I cry more. I didn't want this to end. I wanted to beg him not to leave me, to promise me that we would never be apart again, but I couldn't. I didn't want him to make me promises that could end with more pain and sorrow. God knows what Eric would do if he knew that Marius was here. Plus there was also the possibility that he was married right now.

I take a deep breath and look up into his eyes. "Did you want to come inside?" I ask.

He glances up at the door, "No I do not think that would be a good idea."

I nod my head sadly.

He removes his arms from me as I reluctantly remove my arms around him. "You have been well?" he asks me.

I take a moment to think of my answer. "As well as can be expected."

"Your family is well?" he asks.

"Yes, my nephew is getting bigger every day. He knows who I am. His face lights up every time he sees me. My goddaughter will be starting school soon," I tell him.

"That is good. I am glad that you are with your family," he says.

"What have you been up to?" I ask which came out a little bit harsh.

"I have taken over Marten's responsibilities. I would not have been able to bear it if I had let everything that he worked so hard for fall apart."

"Pam said you were king now," I say quickly.

"Yes," he answers. "In order to effectively take over, I had to become king of his territory."

"How has that worked out for you?" I ask.

"It has been a learning process. There have been times when it has not been so easy, but I feel like I have gotten closer to Marten. I feel as though I have been learning more about him as I perform his daily duties," he says.

"Really?" I say in resigned tone. "I guess performing 'his daily duties' include screwing fangbangers and other supes." I say not holding back my jealousy. I immediately regret my words.

"Sookie..." he says but I stop him.

"That was a shitty thing for me to say. I'm sorry. It's okay Marius. You don't owe me any allegiance or anything like that. You can do whatever you want. I heard about your marriage. I guess congratulations are in order," I say trying not to sound bitter.

"Sookie, I am not married," he says quietly.

"What? But I thought..." I say bewildered.

"A vampire that Marten trusted has been helping me run the kingdom. He suggested that I enter into a royal marriage with another vampire from this continent. Somehow a queen from Canada heard about this suggestion and made me an offer. I immediately declined but she was relentless. She continued to pursue me until I had to confront her to end her pursuit," he explained.

"Oh," was all I could think of to say. "I thought that... that you had moved on," I stammered. "It hurt me a lot."

"I have fed from other humans, but only for that, to feed, nothing else. There will be no other woman for me but you," he says.

I close my eyes. All the sorrow and pain that I had been carrying with me drifts away.

I open my eyes to find him standing closer to me, looking down. I lean upwards as he leans down to kiss me. Our lips connect and immediately the familiar warmth and love surges through me.

We kiss for a few minutes before he breaks away.

"I have to go," he says. "I have only been allowed to remain in this territory for less than an hour."

"Eric knows you're here?" I ask.

"Yes he was the one who granted me permission to see you, but only for a short time."

Why would he do that? I ask myself.

"I wanted to thank you Sookie, for saving me. You saved me not only from my final death in Martinique, but also before that. Before you I was not living, just existing. When you came into my life, it was as though I had felt renewed, something that I had not felt since I was made into a vampire," he adds.

"But I wasn't able to save Marten. He died because of me..." I cry.

"Shhhh, it was not your fault. It was his time. When I saw him, he was happy and content where he was, where we both were."

"Were you in heaven?" I ask.

He thinks for a moment. "I believe so. Whoever said that vampires were damned was wrong."

"I never believed that for a second too," I add.

We hear a faint howl as we both look towards the woods.

"You have to leave now, don't you?" I sniffle.

He nods his head. We kiss one last time and he puts both hands on my cheeks.

"I have only ever wanted you to be happy Sookie," he says. "Do not deny yourself of happiness."

I only want to be happy with you, I think to myself as I shed more tears.

He slowly backs away from me with a sad expression on his face. "You will forever remain in my heart."

And just like that, he is gone.

I stand there for a few seconds longer before dragging myself back into the house. I close the door and lean against it with my eyes closed.

I take a few deep breaths and open my eyes. "This is not how it's supposed to be. This is not how it's supposed to end," I whisper to myself.

With a new determination, I fling the door open and run out. I run down the road, not knowing where I should be running to. "Marius!" I call out into the darkness.

I run for about another minute until I hear a voice behind me. "Sookie!"

I stop and turn around to find him standing there. I walk up to him defiantly. "I know what the consequences are that come along to be with you. It is inevitable that someone will get hurt. I am referring to Eric of course. But when you said that you were only existing up until you met me, that is exactly how I have been feeling since we parted. I don't want to be without you anymore because I love you too much. I am willing to fight for us. Are you?"

I don't think he even takes a moment to consider it. In less than a second I am in his arms. "I do not wish to be apart from you anymore either Sookie," he whispers into my hair.

He peppers my face with kisses as I smile, giggling from the sensation.

However our blissful interlude doesn't last very long. I could feel him getting closer when suddenly I knew that he had arrived. I look up at Marius' face and see him staring over my shoulder. I turn my head to see Eric staring at us attentively showing no emotion, but I could sense them through our bond. He felt hurt and angry. He was heartbroken. Marius doesn't release me from his hold. I turn around a little bit more to look at Eric.

"I'm going with him Eric," I say as strongly as I possibly could. "I'm sorry." I didn't know what else to say.

He continues to stare at us as I begin to glow. Marius tightens his hold on me a little more when he takes a few steps closer.

"Ever since those two malicious faeries tortured you, all I have wanted was to protect you and love you. Those two things that you have needed throughout your young life that was lacking. I have provided those for you but now I know that it isn't enough. I have been selfish and arrogant throughout my whole existence and I have never regretted any of my actions until now," he says.

"I have been...very selfish in keeping you from being happy. I thought that it would be easy to make you love me the same way that you did before," he says sadly. "But now I see that you cannot."

I nudge away from Marius a little and he lets me go. I walk up to Eric.

"I will let you go Sookie," he says simply.

"Thank you," I whisper softly as I take his hands into mine. I kiss him on the cheek and we hug.

We say our goodbyes and we watch Eric fly away.

Marius takes my hand and we begin walking back towards my house.

"So what do you want to do now?" he asks with twinkles in his eyes.

I think back to the dilemma that was going through my mind earlier as I was sitting on my porch swing. I was still uncertain about my future, but one thing I knew for sure was that I could get through anything with him.

"I don't know," I sigh happily. "Want a tour of my house?"

"I would like that," he answers back.

8 months later:

"Tara why don't you try this on? This is small, too small for me that's for sure," I mumble.

"Yeah I think your boobs would break through the top!" she chuckles.

"Oh shut up!" I laugh.

"Sookie, this would look divine on you," Pam says holding up a shiny tight-looking black dress.

I take the dress from her and step in front of the mirror. We were in one of the guest rooms in Marius', rather our, penthouse in NYC getting ready to go out club-hopping.

"I think I will wear this," I tell her.

"I like this one Sookie," Amelia says looking at a small white dress that was definitely a few sizes smaller than me.

I step out of my t-shirt and jeans and proceed to put the dress on.

Marius and I stayed in Bon Temps for about a week because he wanted to learn more about the place I grew up in. I decided to move to New York with him. Naturally, I was sad about leaving, but I was also excited about a new chapter in my life.

A couple months later Eric and I decided to break our bond, again. This time we went to see the Amazon vampires. They offered a safer alternative compared to what we went through in Martinique but there was still some blood involved in the process. Afterwards, the hum and connection of our bond was gone. It was heartbreaking, worse than the feeling of losing a loved one. But I got through it with Marius' love and assistance.

We talked about bonding and marriage. I knew that was what he wanted and although it was also what I wanted as well, I didn't want to rush into it. I had made that mistake with Eric. I didn't want to make that mistake with him.

I smile at my three best friends who were getting into their own dresses for the night. I was truly happy and tranquil. I just hoped it would last, at least for awhile.