AN: This story is burning me inside to get out, and all I want to do is write all day long. Alas, I have so many things to take care of, and I got into an accident and broke my arm. It's slow and painful to type with a cast, but I'll try hard, cuz Eric and Sookie just won't shut up! They demand that I tell their story… So, everyone, thank you so much for your reviews, I'm thrilled to the bone that you all seem to love their story too!

I don't own them; wish I did, though….

Sookie had only vague memories of Eric finding her. She had thought that he was a dream. She had thought that her own desperate imagination had dreamt him up, and that she was actually in the process of dying out there in the dark, cold forest. But instead of growing colder, she grew warm, and when she finally came too completely, she lay on the soft leather couch, wrapped in a blanket, in front of the fireplace in Eric's living room. Eric himself was sitting on the floor with his back leaning against the sofa and his face turned to the fire. She watched him tentatively for a few moments, and felt tears welling up in her eyes. The man sitting there… He had saved her life.

"Thank you, Mr. Northman" she said simply in a low voice. His head jerked and he turned his face to look at her. She had been adamant in always addressing him "Mr. Northman" in a way of keeping herself detached from him, but saying it now felt only wrong. "Thank you, Eric. You…" She couldn't continue her sentence when he looked in to her eyes. She saw so many different emotions there, and her breath got caught in her chest. Unable to speak, Sookie reached for Eric's hand and squeezed it gently one time before letting go. At this moment she cared nothing of the problems she knew she had to deal with eventually, and she cared nothing about the fact that he was her boss and that it wasn't proper to touch him. She had to convey her gratitude somehow.

He turned to face the fire again. "I thought I was too late." Eric's voice was raw with emotion as he continued. "I thought I was too late, but I found you, and you're alive. That's all that matters." He softly shook his head and Sookie could see him inhale deeply. "So many hours out there all alone. You must have been so scared, and I'm sorry I didn't get to you faster." He caught her hand in his own, and she felt his warmth and the unexpected softness of his palm. He laced his fingers in hers. "You could have died."

"Well, yeah... But I didn't. Thanks to you." Sookie's heart sped up as he turned to look at her again. The depth of his eyes took her breath away, and almost on instinct, she began to pull her hand from his. This closeness, this physical contact was almost too much for her, and she needed to get away from him before she did something she would regret. Her body responded to his touch as if someone had transported the fire from the fireplace to her bloodstream, and she could feel electricity burn between them. She untangled herself from the blanket. She needed to get away.

"Stay." Eric's voice was almost pleading and his eyes shone with insecurity. "I… I don't know what this is. I don't know why, but I don't want you to leave. Just stay." He took a deep breath and then another. His hand latched on to hers again and his thumb gently stroked the back of her hand. "I need to know that you are safe. Stay with me tonight, Sookie."

Eric had never felt more insecure in his whole life. He had always been in total control of his feelings and actions. Always known which path to take. Today, that had changed. The first time he had met Sookie, he had been hit with what he thought was a physical need, but today he had realized that it was more than physical. Something in her sang to his heart and soul, and he knew that he would never be the same again. Her presence in his life had thrown him over. His wild anxiety when she was gone had shown him that somehow, he didn't know how, she had taken his heart, and if she left, there would be nothing left for him but emptiness. He was hers, weather she wanted him or not.

Sookie didn't respond to his plea, and he searched her eyes to find her answer. He saw her doubt and her insecurity. This woman had him wrapped around her little finger and she had no clue. He couldn't tell her, not yet. She was shocked, had feared death, and now her boss had asked her to stay the night with him. He felt ashamed of himself, laying this on her on top of everything else.

Then, she nodded. "I don't want to be alone tonight." Eric felt almost giddy with relief. He intended to make sure that she stayed even longer than tonight. Forever. He would settle for forever.

Sookie was tired to her core, and her muscles were sore from her fight through the snow. She wanted a deep and sound sleep, but she knew there had to be consequences to her near-death experience and she didn't want to wake up screaming from a nightmare all alone. She needed him, and even though she didn't get why he wanted her to stay, she was grateful for his offer.

"You need to eat, and you need to shower. I'll make some tea and sandwiches for you, but take that shower first." He led her by her hand to the stairs, lifted it to his mouth and grazed it with his lips before he turned and walked towards the kitchen. "I'll see you in there."

He had been right. After a shower and a meal, she was beginning to feel more relaxed, and sleepiness drowned her. She almost fell asleep at the table, and Eric picked her up and carried her to his bedroom. She had never seen this part of the house, but she wasn't surprise at the size of the room. It was dominated by a huge bed, and he gently put her down on top of it. The only light came from a mellow lamp in the far corner of the room, the walls were painted in a soft blue and the wooden floor covered in an ivory throw-rug. A few paintings and photographs decorated the walls, and the two windows were covered by shades fully drawn. It suited him.

"Now sleep."

"But… Where will you be?" Sookie didn't want him to leave.

"I'll stay here, in the armchair." He helped her to lie down on the pillow and brought the cover up to her shoulders, tucking her in. He turned off the light and she could hear him settle down in the easy chair with a sigh.

She fell asleep almost instantly, feeling warm and safe. Her nightmare woke her up with a scream, she was panting heavily from terror and she gasped for air. He was by her side immediately, wrapping his arms around her, trying to sooth her nightmare away. She could feel his hands caressing her back, and she heard him mumble calming words into her hair.

"Shh, jag är här. Jag är här. Du är säker nu. Jag kommer aldrig att släppa dig." His voice and his presence made her safe, and she fell back into sleep.

The terror of the night seemed long gone when Sookie woke the next time. The room was still in the dark, no daylight seeped through the shades and a glance at the clock beside the bed informed her that it was only just after four in the morning. Eric was still beside her, sound asleep, with his arm stretched out on top of her. If she turned her head just a little bit, her cheek would be right by his lips. She could feel his delicious breath touching her face, and then he moved, nuzzling his face deeper to the crook of her neck. He looked so vulnerable in his sleep, and before Sookie even realized it, she had lifted her head and softly brushed her lips against his. She couldn't help herself. Her gratitude for him saving her life mingled inside her with deep desire and a desperate need for closeness. She turned on her side to face him and kissed him again, letting her tongue slide carefully in the slit of his lips. He opened his eyes and focused on her slightly parted lips. He suddenly claimed them with his own, and drew her close with one hand tangled in her hair.

She gasped with the sudden wave of arousal that hit her, and he deepened the kiss even more as their tongues battled for dominance. Her violent craving for him completely took over and she restlessly ran her hands on his t-shirt seeking the warmth and excitement of his bare skin. He moaned when her hands found their way, and the silky feel of the trickle of hair on his chest rendered her weak with desire. Her body was on fire for him, she could feel the heat in her core, thumping with eager expectation.

Eric lost all perception of reality as he woke to the sensation of her kissing him. She tasted even more delicious than he had imagined, and he wanted her ferociously. Her soft groans into his mouth made him instantly hard, and he felt dizzy as her hands started roaming his body.

"Uhm… Sookie… Shit, this feels so good. You feel so good… Ahh!" He couldn't hold back a sharp gasp as her hand lightly stroked the hard bulge on his boxers. He feverishly and in a haze of lust turned her on her back and laid on top of her, his pelvis and throbbing manhood buried between her legs. He could feel her dampness and heat through their clothes, and that almost had him undone. He savaged her mouth, and his hands found her breasts under her sleep- tee, and he took one nipple between two fingers and felt it harden even more to his touch.

"I want to see you. I need to see you, Sookie!" Eric felt almost miserable in his desperate need of her, and when she took her tee off, he felt blessed. Her body, made for love and adventure, lay there before him, her mound still covered in tiny underpants. He kissed his way from her lips down her neck, sucking gently and licking her skin. When he closed his mouth around her nipple, flicking it with his tongue, she buried her hands in his hair and panted.

"More, Eric, don't stop… Ahh, it feels so damn good…" She writhed and wriggled and he let his hand caress its way down her flat belly. Her hips buckled up to meet his hand as he reached her mound, and her excitement was obvious as he slid on finger under her panties.

"Oh, shit Sookie, you are so wet… "Her folds were slick with her own cream, and she moved her hips restlessly against his touch.

"Eric, I'm gonna come… I need to come right now, or… I'll BURN! Please, let me come, Eric!"

Eric slid another finger inside her and stretched her, curling them, fingering her in a steady pace. Her panting accelerated and she threw her head back against the pillow. She was covering his hand in moist and the smell of her intoxicated him to the point where he thought he would explode.

"Come for me, baby, come for me. " Eric felt her inner walls contract around his fingers and she yelped and cried as she lost herself in the wave of pleasure. She sobbed when the aftershocks rippled through her body. Eric had never seen anything as beautiful as her.

Translation: "Hush, I'm here, I'm here. You are safe now. I'll never let you go."

So, you guys, what did you think of this chapter? Like the way things are going? Let me know!