Chapter 15 – Past times
I do not own True Blood or any characters except Bri, Andrew and Caroline
After a few minutes of sitting alone in the middle of the car park Bri eventually got up, Eric got up with his arms still around her protectively. To anyone passing by, they would have looked like any couple in an embrace. Eric immediately backed away when he realised the closeness between both. Bri looked at Eric's shirt now covered in her tears.
"I'm sorry I ruined your shirt"
"It's fine" He reassured. They both stood there. Bri staring at her feet, Eric looking in any other direction then Bri.
"I should go" Even though Bri said this, her feet refused to move.
"I will take you home" Her eyes shot up. That little voice in her head screaming yes, but she knew she just wanted to go home alone and collapse to escape the memories of the night. Eric sensing her reluctance, cut in. "Humour me" Bri knew he wasn't going to take no for an answer and simply nodded, desperate to go home.
"Stay here, I will be right back" He stressed this before leaving, to calm her already fractured nerves. He was very close to revealing how much he really did care for this woman, before even admitting it to himself yet. He walked back into Fangtasia leaving Bri alone again in the car park
Bri stood there shifting nervously. She didn't like this new feeling of abandonment. "Great, now I can't even be alone without panicking" She muttered, angry at herself for showing weakness in front of the one person she swore would never see her in such a state. As she heard a car approaching, she didn't register it could be Eric and the immediate panic set in again. She looked around frantically, any noise freaking her out.
"Get in" She immediately relaxed knowing the voice from inside the car. Scanning the car quickly, she saw that it looked flashy and very expensive. 'Well it's not like he was going to be driving a 3 wheeler' she thought. This car was defiantly Eric.
Bri opened the passenger door and slid onto the leather seat. She could sense that Eric was looking at her and it used all her will power to not look back at him no matter how much she wanted to. She put her hands on her lap, trying to hide the fact they were still shaking uncontrollably, Eric however saw this and frowned instantly, before looking ahead to the road.
The drive home was quiet and uncomfortable. Eric never took his eyes of the road, and Bri knew this because every few seconds she glanced at him, not very subtlety though. Eventually they made it to Sookie's house and Bri nearly sprinted out the car, desperate to feel safe and secure in her friend's home. Eric beat her to it though as he was already opening the car door.
"Thanks" She smiled at him, hiding her fragile nerves.
"Are you okay?"
"Yea, why?"
"You seem very in edge" They finally made it to the door and Bri made her way inside. In the car ride home she decided that they should at least try to talk. The real reason was that she didn't want to be alone. The memories of the attack would come back, and that thought terrified her.
"Come in... I mean if you want... It's not-" Eric cut her off by thanking her and walking inside the house.
"God I need a drink" She said this more to herself than Eric. She made her way to the kitchen with Eric trailing behind, he couldn't hide the smile when he heard her angry voice
"No fricking alcohol, Sookie, seriously" Bri took off her jacket just as Eric walked in and immediately noticed her back. Eric's eyes scanned her shoulder making her feel very uncomfortable. Bri knew what he was looking at. She sighed, knowing what he was going to say.
"What happened?" She didn't move, just looked straight ahead.
"Oh that little thing." She tried to downplay it as anyone who ever heard this story, always gave her the 'Oh you poor thing, here have a hug' look and it annoyed the hell out of her.
"Car accident two years ago"
"Were you driving?" That got her laughing
"No, please Eric give me some credit. My boyfriend at the time was. I ended up worse off. He was apparently well enough to make a run for it before anyone found us." Eric couldn't hide the growl from under his breath. Bri continued.
"I somehow ended up trapped in the seat with glass around me... and in me, that's where this comes from." She pointed to the scar trailing from her shoulder to under her back.
"How?" Eric was too emerged in this story than he would have liked.
"Well... I might have not been wearing my seat belt, I know it was stupid and believe me I learned my lesson" She could see the sympathy on his face, yet it didn't make her feel any better.
"It was a long time ago. I'm alive and healthy. With a cool scar to go with it. Makes me look tough" This time she smiled but that only angered Eric more.
"How can you act so calmly about it? It's like you're not even affected by it" Finally after so many sympathy looks and hugs Bri finally snapped at the one man who told her what he thought, she turned around and looked him straight in the eye.
"You think I'm acting like this because it doesn't affect me. Fuck you Eric! I do it because for a whole year I wouldn't even step into a car without panicking. You have no idea the hell I went through. I didn't go out. I didn't have a life. Thank God for Sookie because she is the only person that helped me, I owe her so much" The tears started to fall and she knew there was no stopping them. Either she could walk away and cry alone upstairs or continue this conversation with Eric. Eric chose option number three
"I'm sorry" Eric put his arms around her shoulders, encasing her in a protective hug. All thoughts went out of his mind as he comforted this broken woman. She breathed him in, the smell of him calming her. It was what she needed, to know she wasn't alone, to feel protected and cared for.
"I should go" Even though he said the words neither of them moved.
"Stay, please" She clung to him, desperate for him not to leave her again. He didn't say anything, just stood there holding the girl who had so much power over him. More than she knew.
It was three in the morning when Bri woke, yet she couldn't move from the iron grip that was on her shoulder. Drowsy and not fully awake, she tried to look around but the room she was in was covered in darkness. She smiled when she felt the arm around her shoulder move slightly, knowing who that arm belonged to. She closed her eyes again and rested her face on his chest and loved the feeling of being in his grip.
Thought I'd give you a mini update. Finally seeing a caring Eric!! Any ideas or thoughts Tell me.
Review. Thank's
