#27
No one had spoken a word to Sookie but they had all seemingly forgotten that she communicated with her own children with ease on account of her telepathy. While she initially had intended to run the riot act at Eric for the occurrence of Eva's slip, she had soon quieted when she took in his general mood. She shushed him when he tried to offer an explanation and the ride home was apprehensively silent. With perfect synchronicity Eva and Viggo were put to bed in their cribs by their parents who exchanged nary a word throughout the now familiar routine.
"Sookie, I-" Eric started, but he was instantly cut off by Sookie's upheld hand as soon as they were in the privacy of their own adjoining bedroom. Fearing the worst of her temper he stiffened in preparation of her reprimand but was caught by surprise when she instead stepped in and hugged him. The bond had spoken volumes for her, alongside the memories in Eva's mind. She couldn't blame him for anything.
Eric was sullen, not unlike the way she had been after accidentally killing Bill. The sharpness of the antebellum vampire's tongue had hit a nerve in him just as he had with her. "Come here," she whispered when the tension in his tough muscles refused to relent.
"You're not mad?" he probed carefully, even though he could find no evidence of it in the bond as his hands carefully snaked around her body.
"Disappointed," she acknowledged. "But you didn't encourage Eva; we'll just have to be careful with our moods around her."
Eric hummed in agreement as he sank his nose into her hair, relishing in the scent of sunshine that lingered there.
"Godric knew his sins and he atoned for them," she spoke softly into his chest. "You know that, right? He's not Bill."
"He's not Bill," Eric repeated in agreement as he sank down onto the side of the bed with his arms still lingering around her waist. "Thank you, Sookie," he spoke earnestly finding her eyes, without shame displaying the wetness that resided in his own orbs.
"What for?" She smiled kindly as she stepped in closer between his out-turned legs.
"For understanding," he answered as a bloody tear ran from the corner of his eye.
"I could say the same for you," she returned, in memory of the way he had consoled her earlier that night when she had accidentally killed Bill. She kissed the tear away that ran down his cheek before her lips found his cheeks. He didn't need to ask what he needed from her as she effortlessly moved her hands, finding bare skin in her exploration while she tugged and pulled at the fabric that covered it, until nothing was left on his impressive physique.
The need in his kiss, which almost spoke of desperation, soon fell to a more gentle and leisurely pace as he relaxed with her loving attentions. Sookie stepped out of the wrap dress, falling instantly shy upon realisation that she was standing in front of such a beautiful creature in a ratty pair of underpants, a nursing bra, and a few extra pounds.
"You're beautiful, no matter what," Eric said earnestly when he sensed her sudden embarrassment, and, though she felt the truth in his words, it was harder for her to feel those for herself. Pulling her close he kissed softly across the remnant round of her stomach. "This glorious body brought forth the two most amazing beings in the world," Eric spoke gratefully as he lowered the less than graceful pair of panties.
With a glint of mischief in his eyes he moved his attention to the nursing bra. "Now this is new even to me," he informed excitedly as he expertly removed the clasps that held up the fabric of the cups over her engorged breasts. He groaned contentedly at the game of peek-a-boo he could engage in while framing her breasts in all their magnificence. "I can just imagine all sorts of fun we can have with these, älskling."
"Eric, stop," Sookie said with a small giggle of embarrassment while she tried to move her hands to unbuckle the very practical but in her mind extremely unsexy bra.
"Leave it on," he requested huskily as he stilled her hands by reaching for both her wrists and pulling them to his chest.
"Eric," she protested moving her arms against the direction to which he pulled her.
"So beautiful," he whispered moving in closer for a tender kiss causing her to stop pulling away from him and finally allowing her body to meld towards his. He released his grip on her wrists and allowed his hands to explore the soft curves of her body. A painful jolt ran through the bond sharply along with a strangled hiss when he innocuously brushed over a sensitised nipple and squeezed at the firm round of her breast. His hands were instantly off any part of her body while he offered a worried apology to her lips, but she soon entwined her fingers with his.
"It's a little sensitive," she whispered almost apologetically, bringing his touch back to her body. "Just have to be gentle with me for a while."
"I can do gentle," he smirked, a breath of relief escaping his lips.
"More baby powder!" Pam demanded.
"I'm not quite sure that's going to help anymore," Ginger said carefully.
"More!" Pam screamed at her and in her impatience simply doused her thighs and Ginger in the white powder. "Try again!"
Ginger coughed harshly as she desperately sought out a clear breath, and then quickly ran to the bathroom to cleanse her throat. "Useless," Pam muttered to herself in the mirror while she continued to tug at the yellow leather jumpsuit that seemed stuck on her thighs.
"Argh!" the blonde vampiress screamed out in frustration as the 'Kill Bill' pantsuit ripped in two along with a white cloud of powder that exploded around her.
"What's wrong, Precious?" Niall asked with concern through the firmly shut door that was to remain closed until Pam would re-emerge in her costume as the 'Bride.' An aggravated, "Go away!" was flung through the heavy wood before another harrowing scream was heard only to be echoed by the shrill and high-pitched one belonging to Ginger.
Giving no caution to Pam's warning not to enter the closet under any circumstances until she was done, the door swung open as the last of the white dust settled to the floor.
"What is this?" she seethed while gesturing wildly at the off coloured lines on her thighs and stomach.
"I believe those are stretch marks," Ginger said bluntly while she brushed away some of the powder from the bone white vampire to inspect it further. "Yep, definitely stretch marks."
"Oh my God," Pam trembled with fear as she took in her reflection properly for the first time in her existence. "I'm fat!"
"What's that noise?" Sookie whispered with a small yawn as she nuzzled contentedly into Eric's bare chest.
"Pam," Eric answered while he caught the gist of her upset with his heightened senses.
"Should you go to her?" she asked reluctantly as her hands grabbed on to him subconsciously in protest when she heard the second set of screams.
"No," Eric chuckled when Sookie grabbed on even tighter. "Niall got her into that mess so he gets to clean it up."
Sookie swatted his chest in admonishment, but it was rather half-hearted as she was somewhat inclined to agree before they were interrupted by the whimpering cries of the twins. "I'll get them," Eric offered when he sensed the reluctance in her tired body to get up from the bed again. Eric had been more than gentle as if she were made of spun glass but he had made sure to make it last to allow the physical connection to strengthen their tie and heal the sharp wounds inflicted by Bill. His words held no value to them any longer; they had both agreed that this was right, that this was best.
As far as they were now concerned, Bill could go to Hell. Literally.
"They need to eat," Sookie informed Eric, beckoning him to her from beneath the covers. The sudden sight of him stole her breath away when he re-entered the room. She feared she might never have any more children as surely her ovaries were exploding with the image before her; Eric in his full, naked, Viking glory tenderly holding the two swaddled bundles to his chest whispering sweet words of his ancient tongue that promised the nourishment of Mom. Sookie positioned herself in a more comfortable position and placed a soft cloth beside her as Eric placed one child to either breast and secured them with the feeding pillow before he seated himself beside her. To Eric this would be image of happiness that would sustain him through the remainder of his entire existence.
"I'm keeping an eye on you," Sookie spoke sternly to Eva after she finished burping her. The child simply laughed with little bubbles escaping from between her lips thwarting the reprimanding resolve of her mother instantly. A soft kiss was placed to her forehead before she was placed beside her brother on the large bed in between their parents who settled beside them, foreheads resting to each other.
"Heaven on Earth," Eric whispered to the shell of Sookie's ear and she couldn't help but agree as their hands caressed over the soft downy hairs of their children.
"Perhaps it is best you leave," Niall said to the dim-witted bottle blonde who didn't quite know how to react to the sobbing blonde in the Prince of the Fae's arms. Ginger had only seen Pam break down once before and that was because of Eric. Ginger understood that pain then but she was completely dumbfounded what had upset the vampiress so. With a curt nod she got up and left the expansive closet as fast as she could.
"Pamela, darling," he soothed too little avail.
"Bill's right, I'm a big fat abomination. I'm carrying one and I'm sleeping with one," she sobbed. "I'm wholly unfit to be a mother."
His hand grasped at her chin strongly forcing his gaze on her. She recognised that look; it was the same flare that ignited with Sookie's inner-Faery that saw the first death of Compton that night. It was a scary place to be at the end of that gaze.
"You like Eva," he pointed out harshly.
"I guess she's ok."
"Is she an abomination?" Niall demanded, which she instantly denied by shaking her head. "So why would ours be any different? As for being fat, preposterous!" he bristled. "You are rounded with child; you are a woman at her finest! When you become a mother you will adapt just as Sookie has."
"I'm not Sookie," she admitted with a small voice, a truth that grated on her ever since the telepath's appearance in Eric's life. "I'll never be Sookie. She was born for this. I was born to be barren for eternity."
"Things change," he returned as his hand caressed over her stomach. "Mostly for the better."
"You're probably right," Pam sniffed and as soon as the last tears settled Niall gently wiped away the evidence with his handkerchief.
"So beautiful behind the mask," he noted with satisfaction as a small smile appeared. He clapped his hands, ridding the room and Pam of all the excess baby powder before sitting her down on the upholstered bench. "You know there is another yellow suit you once promised to wear for me," Niall said, reminding her of the yellow Wal Mart suit that she had swiped from Sookie's house; the one in which she had become a mother to Tara. Niall opened a drawer and placed the pair of sweats beside her on the bench while he dropped to his knees to remove the remnant leather pant legs still attached to the bottom of her legs one by one.
Indulgently she picked up the sweater and unfolded it when a small box tumbled out into her lap. A look of surprise fell over her face as Niall's hand instantly reached for it and lifted the lid to her.
"Marry me?"
A/N: Special thanks to msbuffy again for sorting out my messes.
I have officially boarded the Niall/Pam ship, despite the necessary bleach I had to assault my brain with over their spaghetti antics for weeks now. They've even won over my elusive graphics muse as I discovered how easy it is to add a baby bump in Photoshop, see the results on the blog.