Just a happy little interlude for a sunny afternoon.

I don't own these characters.

Part 5

"Sookie?" I spoke quietly, just in case she was lost in her own thoughts; I didn't want to frighten her if she hadn't heard me coming down the stairs or bolting the lock.

"Yes Eric?" She didn't turn to look at me, which bothered me a bit; I didn't like that she seemed so fixated on the flames.

I hadn't thought much further about what I was going to say after that, so I improvised, holding up the bags of girly things the demons had brought.

"The girls brought you some things, and there's lots of food in the fridge upstairs for when you get hungry, or I could order you something?"

"Thank you." She sounded so weak.

"I promise you that we will find a cure for this Sookie. And that I will punish those who have done this to you." I saw her nod, and as I walked around to sit on the floor beside her curled up form I saw another few tears slip down her cheeks.

"Mr. Cataliades is going to do some searching today, and in the evening I will take you out to Bon Temps, you can see your house if you like, and we can do as he suggested."

"And spy on my friends?"

"Whatever it takes Sookie, to find you answers."

She finally did take her gaze away from the fireplace and let it rest on me.

"I don't even know how to 'read' people Eric. I'm useless."

"I think it will be alright Sookie. You're very talented. I've seen you work. I'm sure it will come as naturally to you as breathing."

More tears rolled, and I reached out a hand to brush one away.

"I'll have to go to sleep soon, sunrise is coming. I've locked the door, but here," I held up a key. "You can unlock it and go upstairs whenever you like. And you can watch the television here, or use the computer. There's even a nice big bathtub if you want to relax." Girls liked that sort of thing; at least I had been led to believe that. I put the key into her palm and curled her fingers around it. I loved the warm feeling of her skin as I held mine against hers. I didn't want to walk away from her then, but I knew that it would be worse to have her see the bleeds start if I stayed up too long into the daylight hours. With her face turned back to the fire I did finally let her hand go, and I quickly fetched her blankets and pillows should she want to try to sleep.

I was standing at the door to my bedroom when she spoke to me.

"Eric. Why are you doing all this for me?" She paused as if gathering the courage to continue. "Are we lovers? Or were we lovers?"

I stopped moving, feeling a shiver crawl up my spine from the base to my crown, a most anxious shiver. I couldn't turn to look at her, even though I could feel her eyes on me. I could have lied. I could have said yes and she would have believed me. I could have taken her in my arms, I could have tasted her mouth, I could have felt her body against mine. I could have taken her to my bed right then, and fulfilled the fantasies of so many nights, to plunge my body into hers and to feel her draw out all my passions. I could have betrayed the trust she had in me. For all I knew we had been. But I couldn't. My tense shoulders dropped, defeated.

"We are friends Sookie." I couldn't bring myself to actually say out loud that we were not lovers. I stepped into my room and beat a fist against my chest in anger.

My clothes ended up in heap on the floor, torn buttons flying across the room as I ripped my shirt off. Goddamned Witches! I threw myself at the bed, angry that the day was denied me just then, angry that I would have to wait for hours before I could do anything to find answers, anything but stew and replay memories or anything that might have been out of place in the past few days. A new face at the bar? A patron who acted oddly? A letter, a hung up phone call, a smell, a sound; all the possibilities ran roughshod across my mind, leaving me with nothing but further frustration. I was facing the possibility of a sleepless day and the discomfort of the bleeds, staring up at the black ceiling when I heard a tiny knock on my door. I pulled a blanket over my naked body just as the door pushed open a few inches.

"Eric?" She hesitantly peered into the darkened room. I could see her very well, but I doubted she could see much of me. Again her voice sounded colored by tears.

"I'm here Sookie." I sat up, trying to keep myself covered. Strange sense of morality I seemed to have suddenly developed.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course." My heart practically leapt at her request, right then I could think of very few things I desired more than her company. I watched her feel her way towards the edge of the bed, eyes finally growing accustomed to the dim, now enhanced just a bit by the amber flames from the fireplace whose light crept in the open door. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm sorry to bother you." She sniffled. "I was just laying there in front of the fire, with nothing to think about; no memories, no place to start any dreams, nothing. I just felt hollow." She sniffed back more tears, and rubbed at her face angrily. "Please Eric, I can't stand it. I can't stand being so alone."

"Stay with me." I offered softly as I pulled back the covers on the bed beside where I was lying. She looked so relieved as I did so, and yet still approached me cautiously, carefully climbing onto my bed, watching my eyes as she slid her feet under the blanket. I smiled at her. "You are not alone. You will always have me. I promise you that." The words seemed to comfort her enough that she was able to lay her head on the pillow beside me. I slid down so that I was facing her, lying on my side. How many times had I dreamed of just such a thing?

"Tomorrow can't be any worse than today, can it Eric?" I could hear the fatigue finally in her voice.

"Of course not." I didn't really believe my own words, because I knew that things could get a great deal worse, though I hoped sincerely that they wouldn't. Then Sookie did something that surprised me; or perhaps I should say she did something else that surprised me. She cuddled into me under the covers, tucking her head against my chest.

"I can't keep you warm Sookie, I'm sorry." I whispered to her as I bent my face to the top of her head, inhaling the fresh smell of her hair.

"I'll keep you warm then." She put her hands on my bare chest. I know I trembled as she did it. "You are such a good man Eric." The whisper would have been nearly impossible for anyone but me to hear. I laughed just as quietly.

"What's so funny?"

"I think you might be the only person in the whole world who thinks that."

"Then everyone else is an idiot."

"Oh Sookie." I leaned in and kissed her forehead. I closed my eyes and tasted her skin on my lips. The hint of a memory washed over me. The taste, I had known it before. I had to believe that some time before that moment that I had kissed her, the rush was tantalizing, and just on the edge of my ability to recollect, never the less it was there. I closed my eyes and wrapped her in my arms, drawing her close to my chest, and I listened to her breathing slow and her heartbeat calm as she drifted to sleep, myself not far behind her, worries forgotten in the scent and feel of her beside me.