Quick update I know! So unlike me but I do hate to procrastinate when I actually have visualisations of how I want the story to go in my mind. I want to apologise for the below par chapter that preceded this one. I really enjoy this story and hope that you all still do too and that a sloppy piece now and again won't harm this story forever!

Chapter 8

"Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly. But I don't go along with that. The memories I value most, I don't ever see them fading."
― Kazuo Ishiguro

Sookie sighed as she sipped at the glass of wine in her hand. Her mind travelled back to the conversation she had with Godric the night before about the conception of Nora and why Godric had felt it prudent to keep her a secret . Apparently Nora had been lady of standing in England circa the 17th century. A lady of standing whom had been banished for being caught in bed with Eric when promised to another. Sookie would have been amused about the fact that Eric hadn't changed in the slightest it seemed in the last 400 years if it had not been for the fact that when Godric carried on with his tale he went on further to elaborate that it was some weeks later that Eric and Godric happened upon her a few towns over half dead in a gutter with a broken mind and body. Eric, feeling somewhat guilty for being the direct cause of the girl's destitution told Godric of his plan to turn the girl and Godric commanded him not too. Godric being a maker for 600 years by this stage had witnessed many bonds created and knew that the bonds of obligation bore nothing but future resentment on behalf of either the maker and the child and he did not wish that so his dearest child, so instead he went to her and offered her a lifeline.

Godric sat across from her looking very sober with a glint in his eye that told Sookie he was no longer in the room with her but rather in the recesses of his mind reliving a time that Sookie was no part of. Godric's eyes suddenly snapped back towards her and he continued his story. "I offered her eternal life and companionship if she should want or need it. I would have her supported in whatever she chose to do with her remaining years as a human but she looked at me and told me she could no longer remain with the humans because they were no better than animals, she had lived with them for long enough and had witnessed enough cruelty to never wish to be associated with them again." Godric looked pained as he spoke, and Sookie couldn't help but reach over and cover his cold hand with hers, Godric smiled slightly as he turned his hand palm up and intertwined their fingers. "She begged me to take her away from that retched place and show her how to be truly alive. She begged for death and believed…no still believes death has been her resurrection."

Sookie looked at him pointedly. "You disagree? Death as the price for eternal youth and freedom."

"Everyone must atone eventually Sookie, eternity is a very long time to be saddled with such guilt. Some believe being a vampire is a gift, but it is in itself a punishment. Some are just not as quick to realise?"

"Is Nora one of them?"

"She relishes her life as a vampire and I find I cannot hate her for it. I was young once too and she is my child."

"Not by choice." Sookie stated.

"I had a choice Sookie and I chose to turn her rather than make her and Eric despise eachother. I made my choice and I don't regret it."

"Even though you never intended to have another child?" Sookie asked in a tone that was complete curiousity.

" It is true I never intended to have another child after Eric, but fate decided differently." Godric smiled.

Sookie glanced at him warily as she asked the question that she had been dying to ask all night. " And you do not regret it? You do not regret making another child?".

Godric's beautiful mouth opened and a slightly melodic choking sound emerged from his throat. Sookie raised a brow, Godric had just scoffed at her! "Do not take offense Sookie but I have lived too long of a life to focus on the things I regret. I find regret to be an emotion that can haunt and damage people. I have made mistakes to be certain but I regret nothing. For I have learnt from my mistakes and choices and progressed as all things do. So to answer your question I do not regret Nora."

Sookie lifted the glass back to her lips and practically inhaled the claret coloured liquid. After accessing the conversation of last night repeatedly Sookie found Godric to be a creature whom was incredibly complex, even more complex than she had originally anticipated. He had sacrificed his potential happiness in order to take on a burden that should have fell upon his child merely in order to ensure his child would be free of the responsibility. One thing was for sure, Godric really had spoilt Eric as a Maker. Godric's selflessness and compassion really knew no bounds, from what Sookie had garnered from the conversation the night before Godric might not love Nora in the same unadulterated manner that he loved Eric but he certainly cared deeply for the vampire.

Sookie was certain that if Godric hadn't asserted his intention to court her and only her last night Sookie might have been inclined to feel jealous. Sookie had reluctantly relayed her insecurities to last night after he had coaxed her into going upstairs with him and laying down in bed. Godric had held her close and told her bluntly that he had no intentions on bedding any other, he had plans only with her and that was to try and build a solid relationship rather than one were they simply fell into bed together. Godric had laid beside her through the rest of the night until dawn was about to break and had spent half the night crooning in her ear and the other half holding her close while she slept.

Sookie shook her head to keep herself in the present. It was after dinner now and thankfully the sun was beginning to go down and she knew it was only a matter of time before either Eric or Godric rose. She lifted her wine glass and dinner plate and carried them over to the sink and proceeded to take her time washing and drying the dishes before glancing at the clock. Moving at a leisurely pace she took two bottles of Tru Blood from the refrigerator and shook them vigorously before putting them in the microwave.

She waited patiently for the timer to go off and was startled when someone suddenly appeared behind her and reached forward to open the microwave and pull the two bottles out. She soon found herself being turned around and came face to face with a smiling Godric whom pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. "Good evening Miss Stackhouse, may I be of some service?" He had the audacity to wink at her. She smoothed her hand over his face as she smiled up at him. He truly was beautiful, his youthful visage chiselled as if his flesh was pure marble.

"Why good sir! Thank you ever so much for taking care of the beverages, I am in your debt." She snarked back with sass. Godric smirked and squeezed her hip as he took a long sip.

"Eric." He called him quietly and if Sookie had blinked she would never have seen the imposing vampire move into the room with such magnificent speed. Eric nodded at Sookie and she smiled back at him kindly.

"Yes mast-Godric?" Eric question with one brow raised inquisitively. Sookie jolted at the look, she had seen it on his face so many times yet this Eric's face held none of the sarcasm or arrogance that Sookie had come to know the look with. This Eric was kind and respectful and she could appreciate that. She wondered if Eric was always this way with his master and the arrogance was merely a role he played in public, a manner of ensuring his authority.

"You must drink. We are to have a visitor within the next few days and I hope she will be able to help with your predicament."

Eric accepted the bottle handed to him with a quiet thank you and continued to look at Godric contemplatively. "And whom might this be?"

"Your sister, Nora." Eric blinked and looked very agitated in the seconds that followed.

"Siblings? Why haven't you mentioned her before? Why hide her from me? Am I an embarrassment to you?"

Godric moved swiftly across the room to grab Eric's jaw and make him focus solely on Godric. "Listen to me my child, I am never ashamed of you. Nor embarrassed, the only emotion I feel about your current predicament at this moment in time is fear, that someone will try to manipulate you and take you from me. You are my child and my greatest achievement, memories or no, never forget that. Fader, broder, son. You are mine Eric as I am yours, our bond will never cease whether you remember my existence or not." Godric spoke hoarsely and Sookie found she could not look away from such beauty, Eric and Godric were truly a sight to behold and the spectacle in front of her mace her eye's tear, she had never been witness to such an exhibition of pure love before and she felt warmed by the display and bereft at the same time as her mind flashed back to the time when Godric had been willing to abandon Eric and this life forever. She would not allow him to do the same again for she knew that this time, it would surely kill Eric.

Eric's response was a lone, bloody tear and Godric merely wiped it away as he continued to look at him pointedly. "Do you understand now my child?"

Eric nodded and Godric clasped his shoulder with a firm, solid grasp. A touch meant to reaffirm Eric that Godric was not about to leave him for another any time in the near future.

Sookie only hoped that Nora would only succeed were Godric had failed before, because this Eric without his memory and without his enduring knowledge of Godric and his love and sacrifice may well destroy their relationship.

And that Sookie feared, would truly kill Godric.