A/N: Well I can't sleep, but it works out for all of you reading! Not my best chapter, but it was necessary. Can't wait to post the next chapter for you all, it's from Jason's POV! And it's gonna be a monster I'm only about half way done and it's a little over 2000 words, it seems there was a lot that Jason wanted to say. Hope you enjoy this!

Chapter 8

Sookie POV

Sookie watched as Tara made her way into the house squinting against the noon day sun. When she was sure Tara was no longer within range to hear them she finally turned to Alcide.

"What's going on in Jackson that's got you so upset?" Alcide startled slightly.

"How. . ."

"Telepath remember? I can't read you like I can a full human, but I can feel the anger and sadness rollin' off of you like heat from a bondfire."

"Debbie and her pack of hopped up were's burned down Janice's salon."

"Oh Lord, Alcide I'm so sorry. If I wasn't so stupid in goin' chasin' after Bill, none of this would have happened. I can't even begin to apologize for getting you dragged into it." Alcide shifted his massive frame down onto the blanket and took Sookie's hand in his.

"Debbie was crazy long before you came around."

"Seems like no one's letting me take responsibility for anything today. I must look worse than I feel." Sookie said with a small smile.

"Naw I think there's more than enough blame to go around, but how's about we put it where it belongs, on the shoulders of your ex and mine. They made their choices. We were just the ones stupid enough to love them." Sookie nodded her head slightly in agreement. "But now I gotta pay for that stupidity by goin' to find her before she hurts anyone else that I love."

"Just be careful Alcide, I know it's hard to accept, but Debbie isn't who you thought she was. I mean it might just be the V, but that girl's mind is like a nest of vipers."

"You don't have to tell me, I know. I just. ."

"I understand Alcide, probably better than anyone. We can't chose who we fall in love with"

"If I was smart I would have fallin' in love with someone like you." Alcide leaned in closer his face just a whisper from her own. His warm callused touch felt nothing like the reverent caress of Godric's ancient hands. Sookie dropped her head, breaking his embrace.

"Alcide. . ."

"You still love him? After what he did?" Alcide rose from the blanket, his eyes, which moments ago had held so much warmth, were now boring down on her with an icy, hard glare.

"Alcide it's not like that. . ." Sookie knew she'd sound like she'd lost her mind if she tried to explain what had happened between her and Godric, how she felt about him. Impotent to defend herself she simply finished. "it's complicated."

"IT'S COMPLICATED! After all that shit you just spewed at me about takin' responsibility, and bein' careful! You're the worst kind of hypocrite Sookie Stackhouse."

"Alcide. . ." Sookie pleaded.

"No ya know what do whatever, but don't expect me to stick around and watch you get yourself killed. I gotta go."

"Alcide wait. . . Alcide!" Sookie watched as he stormed over to his truck and after slamming the door tore away with a cloud of dust. She wished she'd been able to explain, but how could she? There were times when even she doubted that what she'd experienced had been real. There had been no dreams like she'd had after taking Eric and Bill's blood, and no healing. There was no proof that the blood on her palm was Godric's, and yet somewhere deep inside herself she knew that their short time together was no hallucination. Sookie laid back down on the blanket and let the tears flow as she prayed she'd somehow figure out a way to see him again.

"Sook. . . Sook. . . Sookie, come on now Sook wake up!" As Sookie's eyes opened she could tell by the position of the sun that it had been quite some time since she'd cried herself to sleep.

"Jason? What time is it?" She struggled to sit up, and after a moment or two of useless shifting, she felt her brothers strong arms scoop her up from behind.

"'s nearly two. You been out here all mornin'? You're lucky you didn't fry like a fritter in a pan!" Sookie giggled quietly remembering how Gran always used to same the same thing. "Come on, let's get you inside and get ya something cold to drink and some food in your belly." Sookie stood rooted to the spot gaping at whoever this was that had replaced her normally self-absorbed older brother. "What's wrong? You in pain, ya need me to get your medicine, . . . or maybe call that nice doctor lady?" His mind was racing, trying to figure out what he should do, and as the seconds ticked by he grew more and more panicked. "Sook for God's sake say somethin'!" Sookie's mouth struggled to form words.

"Um it. . . it's j. . .just um. . . well who are you and what have you done with Jason?"

"Sook, it is me, it's Jason." Sweet baby Jesus, she's got brain damage. What should I do, definitely gotta call the doctor, where in the world did I put that number. Maybe there's a pill or a surgery they can do. Even if they can't fix her, I'll still love her and take care of her, no matter what. Might have to sell one of the houses so I can stay with her as much as possible, but what about when I gotta work? Maybe Tara and I can take shifts or somethin'? Sookie couldn't believe what she was hearing, it brought tears to her already swollen eyes, to know how much her brother loved her, how willing he was to uproot his life in order to care for her if need be. She swiped at the tears and pulled her brother into the strongest hug she could manage.

"You really are the best brother in the whole wide world Jason Stackhouse. You know that?" Jason gently placed his hands on her shoulders, and pulled away so he could look at her face.

"You know who I am now? You're alright?" Sookie smiled.

"Of course, I know who you are, I was making a joke before. I just meant you were acting so unlike yourself." Jason breath tore out of him and he visibly sagged in relief.

"Well thank the good Lord for that, you have no idea how scared I was." Sookie tilted her head to the side and raised her eyebrow at him. "Er. . Well maybe you did, but don't do stuff like that!" They both fell into a fit of giggles, and Jason carefully wrapped his arm over her shoulders and helped her to the house.

Jason lead her to the kitchen where she saw he had completely covered one of the old wooden kitchen chairs in pillows. "I take it that's my spot." She said chuckling. Jason's ears turned pink, and he nodded.

"I just thought it might make it a little more comfortable for ya, while ya ate." Seeing how embarrassed he was, but more so how hard he was trying to take care of her made Sookie feel bad for her teasing.

"Wow, Jase this is real nice. Thank you!" She might have overdone it a bit, but he didn't seemed to notice as he puffed up with pride.

"I promised I'd take the very best care of ya, and I mean to make good on that. I know I'm not always the best brother, and I know I've promised before to try and do better, but this time I'm not just gonna say it I'm gonna show ya." Tears burned behind Sookie's eyelids as she nodded in understanding.

"Well so far you're doin' an amazin' job." Jason placed a plate filled with a sandwich and some chips in front of her before turning back to the counter to make his own.

"I know it's not the greatest, but aside from orderin' a pizza it's the best I could do." He mumbled sheepishly. Sookie took a bite and hummed appreciatively.

"Tastes pretty good to me Jase."

"I was thinkin' I'd go pick us up Merlotte's for dinner, I was also thinkin' I could get Lafayette to fix us up some things I could maybe just heat up or whatever for the rest of the time your healin'. Can't expect ya to live off sandwich's and bar food for for the next few weeks!" He said as he finished making his own plate and took the seat across from her.

"Jason you don't need to go to all that trouble, I'll be right as rain in no time." Jason didn't say anything for a minute or so and Sookie could see the wheels in his brain going. She was about to lower her shield and take a peak into his mind when he finally spoke.

Sook, I didn't say nothin' last night cause I didn't wanna getcha all upset, but I feel like I wouldn't be bein' a very good brother if I didn't speak up, and say what I need to say." Sookie could see this was very important to him so she took a moment to get a good firm grasp on her temper before she nodded for him to go on. Jason inhaled a big gust of air, and squared his shoulders. "I think you should press charges against Bill for what he did to ya', and now before you go bitin' my head off just hear me out alright? Sook what he did ain't right, and it scares me down to my bein' that he might come back and finish what he started." Sookie could see the real fear and pain that was stamped on her brother's face. It hurt her to see that her choices had caused so much damage to her relationship with him.

"I love you Jason, you know that right? But the thing is I can't press charges against Bill." Jason half rose from his chair, his face turning a violent shade of red. "Please Jason, please just listen!" His face remained stubbornly set, and the color might have darkened a bit, but he did return to his chair. "The thing is Jason, even if I did report what he did to the police, there's nothing Andy Bellefluer and the Bon Temp Police Department could do. Bill would just glamour them." Sookie sighed deeply, seeing Jason's anger hadn't lessened a bit. "I'm so sorry Jason, I really am, but I don't think there's anything we can do."

"He damn near killed you Sook we gotta do something!" Jason's whole body shook with his effort not to yell. He stood and stomped over to the counter, slamming his fists down, rattling the numerous things on top. "I'm gonna kill that undead fuck, that's what I'm gonna do! I goin' to put a wooden bullet right is his undead fuckin' heart!" Jason pounded the counter once more to emphasize his statement.

"Jason, you can't! If any other vampires found out they'd come after you! I couldn't live knowing that something had happened to you because of me!" Sookie's whole being rebelled at even the thought of losing her brother.

"Sook, I can't stand by at let him walk this Earth knowin' what he did to you. I'm your next of kin Sook, the doctor's told me everything, every horrible fucking thing he did to you. I can't. . . I just fucking can't!" Jason's body shook in convulsive sobs, and he wasn't able to go on. Sookie's face paled, and she started to shake.

"They told you that he. . . that he" Sookie was still unable to say the word, and it felt stuck, trapped, like a scalding hot coal in her throat. Seeing his baby sister's pain quickly overtook his own and Jason was instantly in front of her, with his arms around her.

"It's okay Sook, it's okay. They had to tell me ya know, and I didn't even understand most of what they were sayin'." Sookie flinched as their contact and her emotional state wiped away her tentative shielding. She was watching as the conversation between Jason and the doctor replayed in his mind. Jason was obviously still trying to make heads or tails of what the doctor had told him, some of the words she'd used had confused Jason, but one statement she'd made he'd understood perfectly.

"The internal damage was some of the worst I've ever seen. We've repaired what we could and your sister is no longer bleeding internally, but it will be a miracle if your sister's reproductive organs heal fully."

"Does that mean that she won't be able to ever have any kids?"

"As I said Mr. Stackhouse, the way things look right now it would take a miracle." Sookie shoved Jason's memories from her mind, limply slipping from Jason's now loose grasp to the floor. It should have hurt, she couldn't twitch without pain, so a fall to the floor should have had her screaming in agony, but Sookie felt nothing.

"Shit Sook, you all right? Fuck Sook, I'm so fuckin' sorry, I couldn't help thinkin' about it. Dammit I'm such a goddamn idiot." Sookie wanted to respond, wanted to tell him that it was okay, that he wasn't an idiot. That people can't control what they think, but she couldn't. She felt frozen, unable to control her body. She could hear Jason rummaging around the kitchen, drawers and cupboards opening and closing, the tap running. All the while she was completely aware yet unable to interact. Jason's heavy boots where making there way to where she lay, but she couldn't turn her head to watch as he approached. When he finally came into her line of sight Sookie could see he was carrying a glass of water and one of the dark blue prescription bottles he'd gotten from the hospital. He scooped her up into a sitting position with one arm, and used the other to press the cool glass against her parted lips, he slowly poured a little water into her mouth and she swallowed instinctively. "Good girl Sook, now I'm gonna put the pill in your mouth, the doctor said it would help if this happened, try and swallow it for me alright?" Again Sookie's body instinctively did what it needed to, and Jason gingerly gathered her up in his arms and carried her to her room. He lovingly tucked her in under a mountain of blankets, not usually a necessity in Louisiana, but somehow Jason seemed to know she was frozen to the core. He kissed her forehead gently before sitting down in the chair by the dresser. "Sweet dreams Sook, I'll stay here until you drift off alright?" Sookie took comfort in having her big brother there to watch over her, and she fell asleep even before the medicine had a chance to take effect.

A loud, frantic banging startled Sookie awake. The room was completely dark, and Sookie felt her heart begin to race, washing away the hazy after-bite of the medicine Jason had given her. Jason! Where was he? Sookie's hands fumbled across the emptiness to the night stand in search of the light. All the while the frenzied tattoo continued assaulting her ears. Her fingers finally found the switch and the dull amber glow lessened her panic slightly. Her eyes adjusted quickly and she noticed a scrap of paper propped against the base of the lamp. She snatched it up hurriedly and quickly noticed that it was in Jason's messy scrawl:

Sook,

Ran to Merlotte's to get us some dinner, keep the door's locked, shouldn't be gone long.

Love you,

Jason

Sookie sighed and carefully shuffled her way to the back door. "Jason I can't believe you locked yourself out, you big goof!" She yelled to the door chuckling, but as she swung the door open the huge smile instantly dropped from her lips. It wasn't Jason she found standing there.