Time frame: Years after "From Dead to Worse"

This is a companion piece following "Family", "Bowling for Vampires" and "Leather Underwear" Please read the end of Family or you will be extremely confused.

Disclaimer: I don't have any claim on any characters in the Sookie Universe. Please don't sue me. The other characters are my own creation and just wanted to play with them for a while.

A/N: Sorry about the cliffies. I admit sometimes it is intentional, but for the most part that is just where the story breaks. I have multiple plotlines that I entertain in my head. The chapter breaks allow me to reassess and regroup. Sometimes an idea that I thought would be really great is just not feasible for me to write or I just decide I didn't like it as much as I thought I would.

Haven't you ever fallen in love with an outfit? It looks perfect for you, right? The right color, your favorite style, everything that you were looking for. Then you put it on and it looks terrible on you.

That's what I do when I'm writing. I have to try things on. This is all relatively new for me. I am really not what I would call a proficient story teller. I write poetry. I write in the abstract. I am now retraining my brain to take things slow, to think things past the now so bear with me.

There are only two people in this whole entire planet who know my story plots, either present ones or future ones. One is me and I have often changed my mind during the course of my writing depending on my mood or after reading an interesting book (yes, I do read things other than fanfics). And the other person...well let's just say she ain't tellin'. She is my muse, my confidant and my friend and my trust in her opinion is ironclad. But, if you are really, really nice to her she may let something slip when I'm not looking.

Sorry for the babble. I think I had wayyy too much coffee today.

Now on with the story!

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Chapter 15

How do you measure the value of a life? Is it by one's good deeds and their positive impact on the world? Is it measured by their selflessness and their wisdom?

Eric has existed over a thousand years on this planet. He has done very few good deeds and there are many who believe that his existence was not a positive thing. He has survived through sheer cunning and blood. He's hurt, he's killed, he's exploited and in many instances he has enjoyed doing them all. He has used and discarded women like Kleenex over the centuries. He was a god among men and answered to no one.

That is until he met her. At that fateful moment he changed. Yes, he was still conniving, opportunistic and a killer, but the reasons were different now. It was not solely for political gain though it was a welcome result. It was not solely for self preservation though his actions resulted in that too. No, his main reason, his only reason was for the love of a woman. The woman.

Sookie Stackhouse.

They share a love filled with passion and power that few can obtain and even fewer realize until it is gone. They embraced it for all that it was- the danger, the lust, the excitement and the fear all mixed in with the peace, the tenderness, the caring.

Fate deemed Eric Northman worthy of love. To be worthy of love is to be worthy of life.

Who was I to mess with that?

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Time stood still.

No movement, no sound, nothing but the beating of my heart and the quickness of my breath as I tried to puzzle out a solution. I threaded myself through the crowd and stood in front of him. He lay flat on his back, his golden hair splayed all around him. His eyes were open with one hand clutching the arrow lodged in his chest while the other lay flat against Sookie in a protective posture. He looked angry, surprised and elated at the same time. My body started to tremble from the strain of keeping everything fixed. I crouched beside him. His lifeforce was still there. It was dim and faint but I could feel it. I sighed in relief. It's not too late.

"Ally?"

I looked up to see Cole hurrying towards me.

"What did you do?" he asked looking around.

I started to explain then shook my head. There wasn't enough time. I could feel everything pull away from me like taffy. I held out my hand and he gripped it to lend me his strength. The strain eased a little.

"We need to move him." I said trying to grab his feet. I could barely budge him. Maybe with Cole...No. Neither one of us was strong enough to extricate him from his current position.

"We can't do it alone, Ally. We're going to need help."

There were only three individuals I could think of using. Bill, Pam, and Clancy. I fixed their presence in my head and let the clock tick forward.

Pam was instantly with us. "Ally, what..."

"No time to explain." I gritted. "Pam...Clancy... I need you to pick Eric up and move him to the office. Now."

They nodded and set about their task.

"Bill, I need you to pick up Sookie and take her to the office as well. They need to be together, the bond..." I was struggling, perspiration started to bead along my hair line from the strain. I never had to do this for this long plus I was now having to focus on the others allowing them to move freely.

Bill carried Sookie to the office while Cole and I stumbled in behind them.

Eric was laid out on the couch with Sookie repositioned beside him. I knelt down.

"Everyone needs to listen to me. I can't change what's happened. There's no going back. All I'm doing is pausing things for a while. We need to act fast so that I can heal Eric before his lifeforce is completely gone." I looked up at Bill. "I need your help." He nodded slowly. Cole took Bill's hand and closed it around both of ours. I felt a surge of power.

"Pam, I am going to need you to pull out the arrow when I say so."

I poised my hand over his chest. I hope this works.

"Cole, when I start this, I will need to break the time hold."

"Okay, Ally."

I've never done this before. Not like this. Plus, I was already weakened. I hope whatever strength I have will be enough.

I took a few rapid breaths to pump myself up. "This is going to hurt." I laughed weakly to myself. I heard Bill and Cole gasp as they strengthened their grip on my hand.

"Now!" I shouted. Pam gripped the arrow and yanked as I slammed my free hand over the wound.

Tick..tick...tick... I felt myself release the hold as time started to move again.

Thank you, Cole.

My body jerked in pain as I felt myself breaking apart and separate. Like a cookie crumbling in your hand. My previous attempts at healing never felt like this. This was infinitely more painful. Maybe it's Eric's age and the fact that I require a great deal more strength to heal him. Maybe it was that fact that he was on the brink of meeting his final death. He wasn't just seriously injured. One blink and he would have been dust. In the past, the pain was secondary to the blissful peace I felt. This time was different. Along with the pain and peace there was something very strange.

Joy.

It startled me. Maybe this is what vamps feel before they pass on. The thought was actually comforting in a way. It was also scary. Was he too far gone? Would I be swept out with him?

No. I can't think that way. I'm a healer. This is what I can do. I would know if it was too late and it wasn't. There was still a chance. I released any restraint that I had and poured my healing essence into him while funneling his pain into me. His pain is now my pain, his wounds are now my wounds. He seemed to fight me with every tug.

Damned, Eric! Even now he's being stubborn.

Finally getting a good grip on it I grabbed it and embraced it as if it were something precious.

I could feel his life force stir beneath my palm. Everything grew dim as the pain seared me like a brand but I knew he was not quite there yet. I could feel the wound seeping down my chest and the sweat pouring down my back. I was starting to struggle to breathe as my lungs filled with blood.

Just a moment more...

I heard voices around me but I tuned them out as I closed my eyes. I could hear the commotion outside in the bar.

One more second...

Eric sat up holding my hand to his chest.

"Ally?"

I opened my eyes and smiled at him. Finally letting go, I allowed myself to drift away into the abyss I was getting so accustomed to visiting. It was a peaceful place like being immersed in warm water.

For the briefest of moments as I slipped away though, I was sure this visit might be permanent.

TBC