I DON'T OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE SOUTHERN VAMPIRE MYSTERIES OR ANY RESEMBLANCE THERE OF.

I'M HAPPILY OVERWHELMED! I GOT SO MANY REVS LAST CHAPTER! IT WAS WONDERFUL! KEEP THEM COMING GUYS! THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SORRY THIS TOOK A WHILE BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT CHAPTER, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS JUST RIGHT. HUGE THANKS TO HOPESTREET FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND THIS WEEK. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT CHAPTER WITHOUT HER.

ONCE AGAIN,'FAEN' MEANS DAMN IN DANISH.

STICK WITH ME HERE OK? IT'S ABOUT TO GET A LITTLE SCI-FI CHANNEL-ISH (SORRY "SY FY" CHANNEL, REALLY,IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO UPDATE YOUR IMAGE,YOU CAN'T JUST SPELL SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY! I'M CALLING IT SEE-FEE FROM NOW ON, SO TAKE THAT!) AND WHILE I'M VENTING, THEY SHOWED 'NATIONAL TREASURE' THE OTHER NIGHT, NOTHING AGAINST THE MOVIE (ALTHOUGH NICK CAGE GIVES ME THE DRY HEAVES), BUT CONSPIRACY THEORY MOVIES DON'T BELONG ON SEE-FEE, THEY BELONG ON THE HISTORY CHANNEL.

YES, YES, I'M AN INCORRIGIBLE NERD.

Chapter 12, The Closet

(Sookie POV)

Eric called Amelia. We set up a time to meet at her apartment in Alphabet City at 2pm on Wednesday. Two days, and then maybe, MAYBE, we'd have a few more answers. First thing was first, though. It was time to face the decaying botanical garden that was my apartment. I hadn't forgotten the pounds and pounds of flowers that Alcide had left for me, and I was sure that the flower carnage would be extensive. So, after breakfast, I gathered my things and went to face my apartment.

I warned Eric about the state that I had left my apartment in, and being duly warned, he put on a brave face and followed me there. Standing outside my place, key in hand, I was not looking forward to opening the door. It was more than the inevitable decay that awaited me; it was the crushing force of reality over my head. When I opened that door, vacation was over. I would be back to my life and back to the crazy ex's mess. What if this was the point that Eric turned around and ran? Ok, so there were I love you's said. That was a heady and wonderful thing, but plenty of people bail after I love you. What if Eric was one of them?

"Sookie," said a voice from behind me, snapping me out of my own stress-session.

"Hmmm?"

"You're stalling."

"What? No, I'm just… I just don't want to see the mess that's waiting for me behind that door."

"Nice try, but I'm sure that whatever was going through your head isn't that simple." He took hold of the key in my hand, reached around me, put it in the lock, and turned. He pushed the door slightly, but something wasn't letting him open the door fully. I looked at him and shrugged, and together, with one big shove, pushed the door aside. On the floor, blocking the path of the door were cards, letters, notes, and any other kinds of paper products you could imagine. Each one had 'Sookie' written on them.

I let out a loud and audible groan. Eric stepped over the pile of letters and laughed. "You weren't kidding about that guy. My god, there's more flowers in here than in all of Holland!"

"Correction… dead flowers." And they were. Every last one them. The effect was part Addams Family and part plain old pathetic. The lovely smell that had filled the apartment the first night had gone straight to decay – it was awful. While Eric was looking around, I picked up what turned out to be 32 letters, cards, and notes and threw them on the kitchen table, letting them mingle with the dead daisy petals. Irony much?

"Ok, first things first," he said, "garbage bags?"

"Under the sink," I said in my best defeated and annoyed voice.

"Come on, let's clean this mess up." We both looked at each other and smiled, understanding the multiple meanings in the statement.

Four stuffed-to-the-gills garbage bags and two recycling bags later, we had cleared all evidence of the great Alcide flower debacle. I opened two of Alcide's cards before I just didn't care anymore and threw the rest away. It was the same old stuff on his phone messages: "so sorry," "forgive me," "I'm an ass," etc. True as the statements may have been, I had Eric, and Eric, I reminded myself, not only didn't care if I stripped for a room full of wanna-be painters, it actually turned him on!

Speaking of which, where was Eric? I realized I was at the table by myself when I heard a drawer close from my bedroom and another open.

"Eric? What are you doing in my bedroom?"

"Looking for the lingerie of course," Eric said, the statement laced with a school-boy glee I hadn't heard from him before.

Sigh, men. "Find anything you like?" I asked, playing along.

"Yes, in fact, all of it. Someone has a thing for matching sets." True. I had a weakness for lingerie; after bills and food, most of my money went to the cutest lingerie I could find. If it had lace, bows, pink, or cherries on it, I owned it. In fact there were three drawers of the stuff.

"You found my weakness," I said sauntering into the bedroom to find Eric, hands deep in one of my lingerie drawers – a devilish grin on his face.

"I thought I was your weakness?" Eric replied, flashing me a smile that oozed something less-than-innocent.

"Sorry Sweetness, but the lingerie was around long before you," I said, and winked at him.

"Sookie, I think we were made for each other," he said lifting a particularly skimpy pair of pink panties in a sheer nylon with a little pink bow that rests just above the crack of my ass. I walked toward him, took the panties from his hands, and kissed him. "Tell me there's a bra to match?" he said while trying to reclaim the panties from my hands.

"Nope," I said keeping a firm grip on the object of his obsession. He looked like a puppy that didn't get his daily treat. "There's a teddy though."

He gave me a kid on Christmas morning smile and pointed to the bathroom, eyes begging me for a private show. I obliged, if only because he was being a trooper today, helping clean my 'mess.' I went to the bathroom, put on the panties and matching teddy, fixed my hair a bit, and was ready to tease. I opened the door and stuck a leg out, giving it a little can-can kick.

"You naughty, naughty girl," he said, letting his accent slip in a husky tone that underscored his true meaning.

Oh god that was sexy… kinda dirty too! Next I curled my arm and leg around the opening of the door and stuck out my head, not letting him see a single inch of what he wanted. I blew him a kiss. "Sookie…" he said almost like a warning – his accent coming through again. God, this was fun! I couldn't think what else to tease him with, so I stuck out my ass and gave a little wiggle.

"You're not playing nice," he said slowly and deliberately. No, I wasn't, and it was great!

It was time to put the poor guy out of his misery. I stepped into the doorway and gave him my best pin-up pose, leaning against the door. One leg bent up against the door, the opposite arms crooked and resting on my head… neck stretched, head turned, not looking at him – pretending to be coy. "Stay just like that," he said. "Perfect!" A few moments later, I turned to see his cell phone aimed right at me. "For posterity," he said.

"Just make sure that's for your eyes only Eric Northman!" I said it on purpose, too. I knew he loved that. Sure enough, a second later, he was kneeling before me, his hands traveling up my legs. "A girl could get used to this."

"So could a man," he projected to me. Oh good friggin' lord. He could have told me to cluck like a chicken just then, and I would have. Instead, it was his turn to tease me. He lifted me up and brought me to the bed, resting me ass-side up on his lap. Uhoh, I think I knew where he was going, and it was new ground for me. My body tensed a little. He must have felt it because the next thing I knew I felt his lips on my left ass cheek. He kissed it very softly. I relaxed a bit then. I could do this. Trust and faith, that's all I needed – oh is that all!

His hand very softly rubbed my ass through the almost non-existent fabric of my panties. It felt damn good. Then his hand lifted. The anticipation was killing me! Suddenly he gave me a swift little slap. It stung, but just for a moment. Before I could think about whether or not I liked it though, another quick slap landed on the other cheek. I sucked in the air around me through my teeth.

"Did you like that?"

Let me think. Sex on legs was on my bed, and had me bent over his lap wearing next-to-nothing pink lingerie, and I was being spanked for being a terrible tease… GOD YES I LIKED IT! Instead of all that, however, all that I managed to get out was a "uhuh."

His hands returned to its gentle rubs, seemingly calming the skin and getting me ready for… 'POP!' Another slap. This one stung – but it stung so good.I held my breath for a second, then let it out. "If I hurt you, tell me to stop love," I heard in my head. In truth it hurt, but not in a bad way. It tingled, arousing me further. In fact, I found myself wanting more…

Another strong slap, and I let out a slow groan. I couldn't believe I made that sound! Again, it stung, maybe more than the rest of them, but it was also a huge turn on, and obviously not just for me, because I could feel him twitching below me. Again, he rubbed to sooth my skin, and then his hand came crashing down and popped me good and proper. I let out a small yelp, and my ass raised itself in the air on its own accord, like a cat after being scratched. When I came back down to his lap, I could feel that the twitches had turned into something harder.

I was getting wet and wanted more than just his hands now. I ground into him, letting him know just that. His hand lifted again and spanked, but there was nothing behind it. He was too busy enjoying me rubbing against him. I stood up, faced him, and slowly untied the front of the teddy, letting the fabric fall away from my breasts. He looked at me in a way that almost made my knees go out. I slipped the teddy off my shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

He took me in appreciatively, but behind the stare was something deeper, something that made the butterflies in my stomach dance. He looked down to my panties, and cocked an eyebrow. Oh sweet Jesus, I didn't know he could that. I licked my lips trying to fight fire with fire. I slipped my thumbs under the elastic of my panties and turned around. Very slowly, I pulled them down, bending over as I went, letting him get a good look at what I was sure were very rosy ass cheeks.

"Faen! " Goodie! I had him reverting back to his mother tongue – must be doing something right! I took my time stepping out of the panties, and then turned around. His shirt was off, and his jeans unbuttoned - yes he was ready! Little shivers danced down my spine. I kneeled before him, helped him slip off the jeans, and made quick work of the pesky boxer briefs that were in my way. Freed and gloriously erect, I place my hands on his thighs, bent over, and took him into my mouth.

He hissed as I let my teeth every so lightly graze his shaft, down, then back up. I sucked on his head until he squirmed and then graciously let my lips slide down his length. I could hear a stream of words in his head, but he was in too much of a lust-haze to bother with English. I kept at it, up and down, creating a vacuum that hollowed out my cheeks. He grumbled and moaned, and then finally lifted my head up.

"Knees," was all he said. The look on his face was pure animal. He would have sucked the blood from me if I let him. I reached around to my bedside table and took out a condom that he practically bit through opening. I got on the bed on my knees, ass in the air, propped on my elbows, and then I felt him, rock hard and quick. He filled me up with each body shattering plunge. At this angle, his hard length hit a spot inside me I didn't know I had, and it didn't take long for me to start shaking, calling out his name as I came hard.

He let out an audible growl when he felt me come for him. He grabbed my ass cheek and held on, digging into me. Sweet, sweet pain. He sped up, thrust into me one more time, and let himself go, cursing in Danish as he went.

We were side-by-side on our backs, catching our breaths. When finally our breathing calmed, he turned his head to me, still flushed, and said, "I want those three drawers and all their contents at my place by the end of the week."

"Was that an order?" I asked playfully.

"No, a desperate need." I didn't have a retort for that. No one man should be allowed to ooze that much sex appeal, but I'd be dammed if I was complaining.

I thought Eric was joking about the lingerie, but the next day he came by with a car and some suitcases. He wanted ALL of the lingerie, some clothes, and anything else I wanted to leave at his place. I had no idea where all this stuff was going. There wasn't a chest of drawers or even shelves to be seen at his place. Of course, the first time I was there, I hadn't seen his closet. That's being conservative actually. He had made what should have been the office into one enormous walk in closet. The lack of furniture everywhere else was more than made up for by the sheer scope of the 'closet.'

There were racks for shoes, bars for hanging clothes, cubbies for sweaters… I knew he dressed well, but this was above and beyond. If I didn't know first hand he was straight… I bet his closet could give Niall's and Laffy's a run for its money! It made me laugh for a good five minutes. He had more clothes, shoes, and accessories than I did. Everything was color coordinated or in garment bags or see-through boxes. Even his cufflinks were organized in a glass and mahogany box. It was all downright odd, but hilarious too.

It didn't escape my attention that he had cleared an entire wall for me. There were hangers, and cubbies, and drawers for me. It was touching – and I could tell that for Eric, this was a grand gesture. He had lined the lingerie drawers with lavender scented drawer liners, and more adorable than anything, was watching him unpack and put away every piece of silk and satin. He treated every bra, thong, and pair of undies like some precious jewel. My hand to god, he color coordinated every drawer. I was surprised he didn't whip out a label maker and brand each drawer with its contents. Some girls might have run the other way. I was even more smitten. Every time he folded a bra or panties just so, I fell a little more in love with the guy.

I wasn't 'moved in' yet, but Eric was making it clear to me that he open to the idea. After all, all my underwear was at his place now… all that was left in Brooklyn were some clothes and a few pie tins. Ok, so things were moving fast, but I didn't care. Something felt right about it all. Sometimes weird, very often unexplainable, but right. It felt right to move to NYC, it felt right to pose nude for an art class, and it was right to love Eric and let him play with my underwear.

(Eric POV)

It was Wednesday and time for our visit with Amelia. Admittedly, we were both nervous. What did Amelia know? We shared dreams, and had special talents. We had fallen in love in a matter of weeks, and without the slightest pause, I had cleared an entire wall in my walk-in closet for Sookie. I wanted her with me. I wanted her at my place whenever I opened the door to my apartment. I wanted her toothpaste and deodorant in the bathroom. I especially wanted to see her in every single bit of lingerie she owned… but would whatever Amelia reveal to us change that?

Amelia lived in a five floor walk-up. Of course she did. I would even bet she had wind chimes by the window, old Persian rugs, deep green velvet couch, and two or three cats. When she let us in, I was completely thrown for a loop. There wasn't a cat or a chime to be seen. It looked like we had just stepped into the airiest lightest apartment in New York. Everything was white and billowing. She had thin white curtains on all the windows, white ceiling fans in every room, white couches with pretty floral pillows. It was so peaceful.

"Hi guys, can you take your shoes off?" We did and left them by the door. "What can I get you? Tea? Juice?"

"Water would be fine, thanks Amelia," answered Sookie. Amelia showed us to the living room, and we exchanged our looks of surprise with each other as she got us water. She came back and sat in front of us in one of the overstuffed white chairs with red rose pillows on it.

"I was wondering when I'd be hearing from you two. What can I do for you?"

"I remembered what you said to me that day at the art school. You asked me how long had I been looking for Sookie. I wasn't even aware that I was looking for anyone, let alone Sookie, until a few days ago. What exactly do you know?"

"There's a bond between you two. It's so strong, I'd wager it's been there for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years."

"Wait a minute! What do you mean hundreds, maybe thousands, of years?"

"It's so strong that in every reincarnation, you two have found each other… like magnets."

"What was that about every reincarnation?" added Sookie.

She looked at us, and recognizing our looks of confusions said, "Okay, let's back up a bit. Humans are unique animals because we are aware of our own mortality. With me so far?" We both nodded. "That being said, the reason we are aware of our mortality is not only because we see death and can often feel it coming, but because a part of us knows what its like to have died already."

Sookie interjected, "Let me get this straight. You're saying that the reason we know we're dying is because we've died in the past?"

"Yes, and some part of us, call it chi, call is the soul, call it a life source, call it George if you want, doesn't die, it just transfers into the next version of you."

HUH! I needed a second to take that in. "Say we believe all this," which was saying a lot, "What does that have to do with us?"

"Some people are just destined to be together," she said simply.

"That's it? That's the answer?" Was this woman for real?

"Peanut butter and jelly is a perfect pair. Can we agree on that?" We nodded, although where the hell this was going I had no idea. "Do you think that there was ever a time in history when peanut butter and jelly didn't taste good? Stick with me here ok? At the dawn of time, if there just happened to be peanut butter and jelly, do you think it would have tasted any less perfect than it does now?"

"No…" said Sookie cautiously.

"So, if peanut butter and jelly have been destined for each other since forever, why couldn't you two be?"

"Because we're not food Amelia!" I said a little too hotly, out of frustration.

"You're thinking too narrowly, Eric."

"If what you are saying is true, does it means that we never had a choice in our lives? That we love each other because we should? Because we're just supposed to be in love, and its all just written someplace? We never had a chance with anyone else? If I had died at childbirth, does that mean that Sookie would never have found love?"

"I can't really answer that. I don't know. But the real question is, what does it matter if it's as you said, written someplace or not? Does it mean you love her any less real now that you know it's your destiny to love her? Don't you see that your bond, your love is so strong that no matter how many times you leave and come back to this world, you find each other?"

I looked at Sookie. She looked just as confused and scared as I was.

"Listen," continued Amelia, "Nothing and no one is defying your free will. It's your combined free will that's doing the defying. This bond you two have refuses to be ripped apart. Indeed not even death has severed your love. It's you two who are making the rules here, not the universe." It was a lot to take in. If we were going to believe what she was saying, it meant that somehow, for some unknown reason, from lifetime to lifetime, we have found each other because we wanted to, because something inside us wouldn't rest until we found one another.

"We've conquered death?" I asked no one in particular.

"I suppose in a way, yes. Death is the great equalizer. Although we come back, we don't usually have any lasting connections from our previous lives. Sure some people will always be killers or healers no matter how many times they reincarnate, but bonds like yours, bonds that defy death, are rare."

I looked to Sookie who I realized was quietly crying. I pulled her to my arms and held her there, rocking slightly. It was overwhelming – all of it.

"Sookie, I know this is a lot to take in, but it's remarkable too! I've only ever heard of things like this, but I've never actually encountered it! When Eric walked into that room that day, I could feel the bond emanating from you two… it was like a strong wind pushing me or…"

"What do you mean, you could feel it?" Sookie sat up straight and looked right at her. "Amelia what are you?"

She laughed a lyrical almost musical kind of laugh, "I'm a seer and an empath," she said, as if we should have figured it out ourselves.

"Seriously?" questioned Sookie.

"Sookie, you're from Louisiana. How could this possibly surprise you?"

"How did you know that?" she asked.

"My teacher lives in New Orleans. She sought me out when I was a teenager. She taught me everything I know. I'd know a Louisiana accent anywhere."

"I guess that doesn't surprise me," Sookie said slowly.

"Well it surprises the hell out of me," I mumbled.

"Eric, this is nuts, but what about the past couple weeks? I mean, we have the same dreams, and we share…" but she stopped herself before she let out our little 'secret.' Before I could answer though, Amelia stepped in.

"You share dreams? What kind of dreams?"

I looked to Sookie and nodded – may as well put all the cards on the table. "Sookie and I have the same dreams sometimes. It's part of what brought us together, I think."

"What happens in these dreams?"

"It's us but in another time and place. We're in the 1800's. We meet in Paris and fall in love. Her father disapproves, but her grandmother doesn't, and we get married. We move to India. We have a child," I said, squeezing Sookie a little closer.

"Can I have you're hands?" Amelia asked. We were hesitant. "Please, it's important." We held out our hands to her. She placed one of her hands on each of ours and closed her eyes. A smile crept onto her face as she tilted her head to one side, as if listening to someone whispering in her ear. A minute later, still smiling, she opened her eyes and righted her head.

Removing her hands, she looked right at us and said, "That isn't a dream you're having. That's your past life."

A/N

Still with me? Hope so!

I'm sure there are some questions, concerns etc. Please feel free to ask away, and I'll answer anything that won't be explained later in the story.

Ok, you know what I'm about to ask here… please press the rev button. I need to know you still got my back!