PART FOUR

So Much to Say

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"Do you love me?" Preston asked expectantly. Sookie looked up, meeting his expressive eyes. There was a vulnerability there that touched her. Gently, she turned his hand over and kissed the palm of his hand before resting her cheek against it.

"I do." She gazed up at him. Preston fought back the emotions and the sensations that were beginning to constrict his windpipe. He hoped beyond all else that her love was enough to move her to find him after tonight.

"Someone," he cleared his throat, "Will be here shortly to remove Murray."

"Murray?"

"The fairy outside." Preston could hear Murray regain consciousness and yelp as he tried to get up only to have his wrists burned with iron.

"Is he Niall's enemy?" asked Sookie. Preston nodded his reply. Sookie stood up. She had several questions rush at her at once. "Did he…have something to do with Crystal?"

"No," answered Preston. "But he's loyal to Breandan, as are the fairies responsible for her death."

None of this made sense to Sookie. Why would they have gone after Crystal? Were they trying to send her a message? Frighten her? "Why? Why Crystal?" she asked Preston. Her expression was contorted in a cocktail of emotions: anger; fear; confusion.

"I don't know."

"Look Preston." She hauled in a sharp breath. "I know you don't want to…but we have to call Niall. He has to know. If they know where I live, they probably know where the twins live too."

"It's taken care of." Preston's voice was somber. Standing over him, Sookie stared wide eyed at him. It took her several seconds for the shock to recede back enough to articulate something remotely similar to a question. "Niall…knows?" Sookie whispered. Preston hesitated. He nodded.

Gradually, Sookie took a few steps back, little by little drifting toward the bed. The muscles in her neck tightened. Her throat was dry. Swallowing hard, with her eyes fixed on Preston, the back of her legs touched the foot of the bed. Automatically, she sat down on the edge of the mattress, stunned.

Oblivious to anything else around her, her cell phone began to ring unnoticed. The Lion King's theme song chimed in the background. This was the ringtone Sookie had picked out for Merlotte's. She'd seen Sam shift into a lion once and thought it would be cute to use this particular ring tone for the bar.

In Sookie's bedroom, sitting across from each other, Preston at one end in the chair, Sookie at the other side on the edge of her bed, they're gazes locked on each other. Neither registered the muffled sounds of the cell phone in the kitchen.

"I have to leave tonight," stated Preston.

"It's all a dream,"Sookie tried to convince herself. Sorrow glossed Preston's expressive eyes. Seeing the painful truth in his beautiful eyes, Sookie's hands came up, touching her lips in a futile effort to brace herself. Her head swayed side-to-side. Instantly her thoughts swirled, spinning her toward depression. Every false belief she ever had, sunk their teeth into her soul. "What's wrong with me?"she silently cried. Everyone she'd ever loved had been taken from her. All her life she'd tried so hard to be good; to atone for what she was.

"No," Sookie mumbled. A crushing, suffocating, unkind hand griped her from within. She couldn't bear the thought of Preston being gone; taken away from her. "No." Anger seeped its way to the surface. "No." Preston stood up crossing the distance between them. "He can't hurt you." Tears began to well up in her eyes. It was all just too much; first Crystal, then Murray, and now this.

Kneeling in front of her, Preston's hands were on Sookie; touching her hands; touching her knees; touching her arms. "Nothing is going to happen to me," he assured her.

"What?" She felt dazed and confused. "Then why do you have to leave?" she pleaded for another truth; anything that wouldn't involve Preston being taken from her. Reaching out, she rested her palms on his chest; his warmth radiated into her hands.

The house phone on the bedside table rang. Its piercing sound intruded on them. Sookie groaned. She leaned her forehead against Preston's chest. No one ever called her. She was at a loss over how to deal with everything pressing against her. For several long seconds, she tried to ignore the call. When it paused she was flooded with relief. It was short lived. The caller was at it again.

Knowing how infrequent Sookie's home phone rang, Preston moved to answer it. "You should get that," he said. Preston reached for the receiver and handed it to Sookie.

Why now? Why was someone looking for her now? "Hello." All traces of emotion were nonexistent in her tone.

"Sookie?" It was Tanya. "Are you ok?"

"Yah."

"I've been trying to get a hold of you," she explained, sounding frantic.

"What is it Tanya?" Sookie's voice was flat. "Is everything okay?"

"Are you sure you're alright Sookie? You don't sound like yourself."

"I'm fine," snapped Sookie. She didn't have time for this.

Sensing her frustration over the phone, Tanya continued, "I'm in a bind Sookie."

"Great," silently groaned Sookie.

"Holly's son's school just called her. I guess he's really sick. I hate to bother you, but I need help?" Sookie moaned, her misery clear to both Tanya and Preston. "You're my last call Sookie. I swear. I called everyone else on the list."

"Why? Why!" thought Sookie. Biting back the curses bubbling up inside her mind, Sookie told her, "It's not your fault Tanya. I'm in the middle of something really important. I'll get there as soon as I can."

"Thanks Sookie." Tanya let out an audible sigh of relief. "I'm really sorry, really."

"I'll see you in a while."

"Alright." Tanya smiled knowing help would be on its way.

"What is it?" asked Preston, taking the phone Sookie handed him. He placed it back on the base.

"Holly had to leave," answered Sookie. "With us being down one waitress it doesn't leave many of us. I need to go in." Preston's expression tensed. This was his last night to be with her.

"Will you still need to close?" he asked.

"Yeah." Sookie looked up at him as he hovered over her.

A strained silence enveloped them.

Preston was clearly unhappy with this development. For that matter so was Sookie. But she couldn't say no; rather she didn't know how to say no. A sense of obligation governed her. Sam had left her responsible for the bar until he came back. After everything Sam had done for her over the years, she couldn't bear the thought of letting him down. So along with the agony of having to work, Sookie felt the crushing weight of the whole world on her. She couldn't understand why everyone and everything seemed bent on her not being with Preston. They weren't hurting anyone.

"What now?" she asked after a noticeable stretch of silence.

"I'm not to initiate contact with you after tonight," answered Preston.

"But I don't want you to go."

"I don't want to go."

Sookie suddenly felt fatigued. She reached for Preston's hand. Accepting her hand, he gently guided Sookie to the center of the bed. She leaned back, resting on her back. She gazed up at Preston, never taking her eyes off of him. As he rested on his side next to her, his hand absently drew circles over her soft belly.

"You know that I loved you yesterday," he said. A smile gently drew up the corners of Sookie's mouth. "I love you even now." Her smile brightened as she took in Preston's handsome features. "And I'll love you tomorrow." She sighed contentedly, enjoying the sound of his voice and the feelings that Preston's declaration created in her. "Promise," he said, "That you won't forget." Slowly, he lifted his hand away from her and hovered his palm mere inches from her bare skin.

"Promise what?" she breathed.

"That you won't forget that I love you." His eyes darted back to his hand, holding it just above her belly. Focusing. Steadily, he allowed his spark to reach out and touch Sookie's spark just so. His deliberate touch stimulated her, eliciting a soft moan from her.

"What are you doing?" she whispered. A warm sensation, like liquid being poured onto her, spread across her body.

"Can you feel me?"

"Yes," she rasped. The warm sensation was quickly replaced by something more passionate. Her lids half drawn closed, she watched Preston's expression. She trembled with little waves of building pleasure.

"It's our essential spark," explained Preston. Sounding breathless, he continued, "I'm touching your spark with mine."

"How…" Sookie's thoughts trailed off.

"Promise me," his voice was raw, "You won't forget I love you." Sookie's breathing and heart rate increased their pace under Preston's ministrations. "Promise," he repeated himself.

"I…promise," she breathed. The building tension over her entire body, made her want to touch herself. Rubbing her legs against each other, she was quickly loosing herself in the delicious sensation. Preston increased the tempo. "It feels…it feels…"

"How does it feel?" Preston's voice quivered.

Gasping, Sookie threw her head back. Desire rushed through her. She sighed erotically.

Preston felt himself catch on fire – he wanted to drive inside her. His body twitched to position himself over her. Quickly he reminded himself that this moment was just for her. He stayed next to her. This was not for him. Just for her. He wanted her to know exactly how much she was loved.

Sookie's breathing became more strained. Her moans sweeter and wilder. Through their spark, Preston sensed her approaching her zenith. He intensified his rhythm. His essential spark focused, stimulating that one holiest of places inside her. Friction increasing. Sweet torture building.

Preston swallowed a growl building at the back of his throat. Just for Sookie. Only for Sookie.He trembled.

"Ohmigod!" Her screams crescendoed. Back arching. Fingers fisting the blankets. She writhed with one orgasmic spasm after another.

Watching her, something rudimentary rose up inside Preston. A powerful, magnificent knowledge that Sookie's spark knew; her soul knew at an elemental level that he loved her. Tenderly, Preston continued to reach out to her, caressing her spark.

After some time, Sookie whispered, "Don't leave me." Tears, which Preston had buried, bubbled forth. Leaning forward, he kissed her, touching her more intimately than was humanly possible. He could feel his love recuperated. For as long as he could, he relished in the sensation, memorizing every last detail that was all Sookie.

Over the next several minutes, Preston tenderly held her, comforting her. Sookie didn't understand why Niall wanted them apart. She had so many questions and so little answers. Preston had never withheld anything from her until now. Her questions he explained were ones that he was not free to answer.

Sookie quickly realized that it was time to have a Come to Jesustalk with her great-grandfather. He had never interfered with her other relationships, so why now? What was so different this time? Though she didn't want to, she cried with indignation.

As Preston tried to console her, he could hear Niall and several other fairies arrive for Murray.

Outside of Sookie's house, Niall's keen senses, could hear Sookie's muffled cries. It broke his ancient heart. Though he could have interrupted Preston's time with Sookie, he restrained himself from checking on her. He felt terrible for ordering Preston not to have contact with her for now. His first instinct at hearing her pain was to give in and give Sookie her heart's desire. But he hesitated. Niall had to speak with her first. Explain things clearly to her. She needed to know of all the consequences her union with Preston would involve. This he owed to his son Fintan.

Fintan had regretted sentencing his children to the half-in and half-out existence, as was the way for changelings. Unlike his son, Niall never regretted his love for Einin or the two beautiful sons she blessed him with. Though he'd seen their struggle to completely fit in, he loved them both dearly. The joy his sons filled his life with, the happiness he'd seen them experience despite the challenges they faced, meant the world to Niall. He had fought to protect them and he would continue to do so. His cunning and ruthlessness had no end when it came to protecting his own.

But knowing his son's remorse for condemning two children, Niall knew his son would not wish this same sorrow on Sookie. As such, Niall felt compelled to make sure Sookie's decision would be an educated one.

As the fairies bound Murray for the travel to the secret location where he would be kept, Niall could hear Preston comforting Sookie with sweet words of his devotion to her. There was no doubt in Niall's heart that Preston loved his great-granddaughter. And though it would have been easy for Preston to tell Sookie the details of his conversation with Niall earlier that day in Faery, he didn't.

With his thoughts on Sookie, Niall and his small entourage disappeared, leaving no traces that they had been there.

"I really have to go," whispered Sookie. Sadness flattened the quality of her voice. Nodding, Preston helped her up. As Sookie readied herself, Preston distracted their mood with questions about the spell he had conjured up around Merlotte's.

He would miss seeing and hearing her padding around in the mornings. He would miss the way she absently hummed when she was lost in thought. He would miss the incredulous expressions she would get sometimes on her face when she thought he was teasing her. He would miss her laugh; her passion for the things she loved. There were so many things he would miss about her.

"I guess I'm ready," Sookie sighed, her eyes quickly scanning her reflection in the mirror.

She turned and stepped toward Preston. For what she felt would be the last time, she burrowed herself into Preston's embrace. He held her securely in his arms and teleported Sookie between the trees that were behind the bar. Standing in the woods, wrapped in each other's arms, they didn't move. They clung to each other.

Inhaling Preston's scent, Sookie drew herself away from him. She hated her job at that moment. She hated everything and everyone for wanting to deny her what she most wanted.

"There's still so much that has to be said," Sookie stood still in front of him. It was true. They needed to talk about everything that was still unsaid between them and yet it seemed life was hell bent on denying her the time and peace to allow for more time.

"I know," he breathed.

"When will I see you again?" She willed herself not to break down. She had to be strong. She needed to keep herself together. She had to get through the next several hours.

"We have until tomorrow," Preston explained. "I'll be back when you're done."

"Ok." Sookie nodded. Reluctantly, she stepped away from Preston. As painful as it was to walk away from him, she did. One step at a time.

Once inside, Sookie quickly fell into the grove of work despite all the stares she was getting. Since her guards were up, she didn't know why everyone was gaping at her, and she didn't want to know.

What Sookie couldn't see, but others did, was the radiance she emitted from head to toe. Over the last few months, her close contact with Preston had been gradually making her essential spark more pronounced. And this afternoon, her private moment with Preston, when he touched her spark, inadvertently strengthened her fairy spark. In so doing, some of her fairy qualities had become more evident.

Yet despite her undeniable radiance, it was not enough to conceal the sadness Sookie worked at keeping at bay. The bounce she'd had over the last month or so was gone. Her smile was strained, not reaching her eyes. Several male patrons in the bar were transfixed on the achingly sad beauty that glided back and forth with trays full of plates and drinks.

"Sookie." Tanya pulled her aside. "Are you sure you're okay?" Though Sookie was working hard to keep up the pretense of a happy waitress, Tanya could see through it. She knew Sookie had been working herself to the bone since Sam was in Texas. So despite the differences her and Sookie had, Tanya was concerned for her. Though she wasn't scheduled to do so, she had made up her mind. "Look," she said. "I'll close tomorrow."

"No, I'm fine," Sookie sighed.

"Hell you are." Tanya smiled at Sookie. "Anyhow, business has never been so good. Even the customers have been really great."

"Yeah, they have," sheepishly smiled Sookie, remembering Preston's spell on Merlotte's.

"I mean it," said Tanya. She narrowed her gaze at Sookie. "Don't give me any lip about it. You're staying away tomorrow." Yesterday, Sookie would have celebrated over Tanya's offer. Not now. Sookie bit back the tears threatening to expose her and stuffed them down.

"Thanks Tanya." Sookie could see from Tanya's expression that she wasn't going to back down. Deciding to choose her battles, Sookie reluctantly agreed to let Tanya's friend from Norcross help out tomorrow.

Meanwhile, many miles and several states away, Preston decided that if he couldn't be with Sookie, he would make sure that she would be as safe as possible from Niall's enemies. So with a fiery conviction he'd never felt before, he focused every fiber of his being at his task.

Sweat glistened across his forehead. In front of him, slumped in a chair, Murray barely hung to life. Fairy interrogations were more like fairy torture sessions. Only remnants of what was once was Murray remained.

It was only by Niall's orders and Dillon's presence that the fairy still breathed, though slow and shallow. Preston would have to be satisfied that at least the fairy's life would be ending though not by his hands.

"If you've lied about Dermott's location," Preston's figure towered over the fairy, "I'll make sure you're healed. Then I'll make you beg me to end your life."

"Breandan," the fairy chocked and coughed on the blood flowing at the back of his throat. "He'll kill you."

Preston drove the blade of a knife into Murray's thigh, filleting a portion of his flesh.

"Agh," Murray groaned.

"If you plan on returning to Bon Temps," said Dillon, "You need to move swiftly to secure Dermott." Preston glanced over at the pristine Dillon. He wanted to see Sookie one last time and he also had to secure Dermott. Preston stepped away from Murray, relinquishing the surgical blade in his hand to Dillon. "That was easy," privately mused Dillon.

He held back his smile until Preston had left. Dillon was pleased with himself for figuring out how to motivate the young fairy. Even as a child, Dillon remembered how difficult it was too keep Preston focused. His attention was easily diverted. But his great niece, Sookie, had given the young fairy much needed focus and direction.

If Niall's enemies had their way, Preston's affection for Sookie would never be allowed. Though humans did not hold the same appeal for him as they did for his father and Preston and for that matter his own son Claude, Dillon was of the philosophy to each his own.And he believed strongly in the right for each fairy to have the right to choose their destiny.

Though fairy numbers had diminished considerably over the centuries, Dillon knew that their great race would never become extinct. Elementals had always been and would always be. As such there would always be living creatures, be them fairy, dwarf, or even human. Elementals ensured a fresh dose of purity and magic into all races.

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