So… Here's chapter 6. I tried to make it somewhat bigger and I'll keep trying to include more and more details. Again, I want to thank BloodSucker815 for her help beta-ing this story. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Cheers from Portugal, Célia

Eric: "Who Says You Can't Go Home"

First of all, being with those old beings and being with my maker helped me a lot. Secondly, as a Mediterranean country, most women in Portugal had dark brown hair (that is: very few blonds and even fewer natural blonds) which helped a lot too, I am ashamed to confess.

And in Portugal, vampire's rights were already in their Constitution. The thing is: when we came out of the coffin, only France, the UK, Canada, Japan and the US recognized us and gave us Constitutional Rights. But in the last three or four years though, most countries of the European Union recognized our civil liberties (meaning: they wanted us to be kind of controlled and they wanted us to pay taxes), including Portugal.

And all that freedom to be myself was the reason why that time in Lisbon was great. And besides, there was also lots of great blood in pleasant packages chosen by Ocella, awesome conversations with experienced vampires (absolutely no-one under the 800 year old tag), a couple of nice girls to fuck each week, and lots of theater, cinema and other shows.

Ocella's other child was freed every couple of months before being locked back up again because he'd usually kill someone (which Ocella covered up while saying "next time, I'll stake him"). Consequently, he was just a little distraction once in a while.

And, as a result, my "a couple of weeks visiting Ocella" suddenly transformed into six months.

But then the winter was over and the days started to be longer there. In Portugal, between April and September the nights are quite shorter than the days and for a vampire that means: move! And so, later that year, Ocella told me he and some friends were moving to England. I thought about moving there with them because I loved England. But the country reminded me of Pam and my responsibilities back in Shreveport. I immediately thanked my maker for his hospitality and decided to go back to Louisiana. That same night I was on a plane.

I landed in Shreveport at 10 pm and called Pam who took her time to pick up the phone. Actually, I got her voice-mall. But 20 seconds later, she called me back.

"Eric! Glad you called. How are you?"

"What were you doing Pamela that you didn't answer my phone call? Or better yet: who were you doing?" I said in a loud voice and laughed. The taxi driver looked at me through the mirror and smiled.

"I was just meeting a friend at a coffee shop. Look Eric, I'm glad you called. I needed to talk to you. There's this new business opportunity about franchising Fangtasia and I've seen the numbers. It has potential Eric and maybe we… Wait. I feel you. You're here? Where are you?"

"I'm on my way to Fangtasia. Where are you? Should I meet you? Meet your friend that you weren't doing? Maybe I can do her."

"No. She's gone already. I'll meet you at Fangtasia. No. Not Fangtasia. Go to my place. We'll talk there. I want to take a shower first. Then we'll talk. There's much to say. Bloodbath opened last month but it's already as popular as Fangtasia. You have to go there Eric. The place is awesome. And closer to my house than Fangtasia."

"Okay Pam. I'm on my way."

"Oh, and Eric?"

"Yep?"

"I'm really glad you're back."

"Me too."

I closed my phone and told the driver the new address. Pam was strange on the phone. Almost nervous. But I decided to not think about it and just enjoy the view from my window. Shreveport wasn't definitively an old European city like Lisbon, Barcelona, Vienna or Rome. And it was not like my birthplace either with cold winds and lots of snow. But after a decade or so it had become an important place for me. Almost like home. I liked to think that it was because I was there during the Great Revelation. It was there that, for the first time, in more than 1000 years, I was able to be myself. To be a vampire. But I feared that the true reason was Sookie. Either way, I stopped thinking about it and just enjoyed the trees, the houses, and the smell. In 15 minutes, I was at Pam's and made myself at home even though she hadn't arrived yet. I was at her computer in her office room checking my email when Pam arrived.

I felt her passing at vampire speed in front of the office room's door and then heard the water in the bathroom and Pam's voice: "I'm just taking a shower. Two minutes". I immediately met her in the bathroom and knew the reason behind her need to shower. Pam was taking off her coat and shoes when I said: "I've smelled her on you already. But I don't want to smell her anymore. Take your time."

"I didn't know you were here. Or that I would be with you tonight. She was back in Bon Temps, visiting her friend, who had twins last week and I just…"

"It doesn't matter. Shower. Change. And then we'll talk. I want to see about that franchising opportunity. Do you have some analysis about it?"

"Yeah. My desk. Second draw on the right side."

I went back to her office room and pulled out the business plan. I focused on it. Pam was right. It was a good business opportunity. I read the executive summary and the market strategies, I paid attention to the competitive analysis and the operations and management plans, as well as the financial components. Mainly, I tried hard to not think about Sookie.

Ten or fifteen minutes later, Pam was back. "So? What do you think? Have you seen the estimated start-up costs and both the cash flow and balance statements? There's a balance sheet on the last page." Pam said. And then I looked at her. Wet hair, jeans and t-shirt and a little too much perfume. Definitively non-Pam. The "little too much perfume" I knew why. But the jeans and t-shirt?

"What's with your clothes?"

"I thought I'd show you Deadliest as well. The construction work has been taking too much time. You know: we were supposed to open both Bloodbath and Deadliest at the same time but there were a few problems with the construction permits. And I've already ruined two shirts there. I'll change again at Bloodbath."

Then we looked at a few more analysis and graphics. It was a good business opportunity and we could make a lot of money with a relatively little investment and some effort. But all I could think about was Sookie. Since I had closed the bond, and with Ocella's company, it had been easy to forget Sookie. I was myself again in Europe. But in Shreveport, and after I smelled her on Pam, it was really difficult to prevent my mind from wondering about Sookie Stackhouse. But I tried my best and just focused on the moment. And that's why, at Pam's, I just thought about the numbers in the business plan. And then, at Deadliest, I just thought about the problems with the construction. And finally, at Bloodbath, I just focused on the people there and the bar. Pam was right. The place was amazing and the long queue at the front showed its popularity.

"And with you here now? Wow! Bloodbath will be huge! Come! Let me introduce you to the staff". And so I meet the twelve humans that were working there. "There are four more but it's their day off tonight. I also brought Indira and Dahlia to work here. They are moving their things out of your office right now. There are three rooms in the back and they've both been using the bigger one, which is yours now, obviously."

As on cue, Indira and Dahlia showed up before me "Glad you're back Sheriff" and then a bow. We talked for a few minutes while I checked my consumers, my staff and my new bar and then Pam showed me the back rooms. My office was impeccably clean, organized and full of my stuff. I immediately felt at home.

"You hungry? Did you see someone you liked or want me to choose something for you?"

"The black haired one. The one with the big green eyes. What was it? Maria? Tell her to lose the lipstick though before she comes here."

Five minutes later the beautiful thing entered my room looking at the floor.

"You can look at me." Her eyes met mine and her heart rate immediately increased. "You have beautiful eyes Maria." A smile appeared in the face. "And a nice smile." I heard another heart rate increase.

"Thank you master."

"You can call me Eric here."

"Thank you Eric."

"Will you let me taste you Maria?"

"Of course sir, I mean Eric." She said while moving next to me. I tapped on my leg and she sat on my lap. Her heart was beating very quickly and it was great.

"Are you nervous Maria?"

"Yes sir. A little. I'm sorry."

"Don't be!"

And then I started kissing her neck and grabbing her breasts over her top. Her heart rate was still very quick but I could feel her relaxing as well. I bit her and drank two mouth fulls. I then smelled her arousal and I immediately got up, bent her on my table, dropped her shorts and my trousers and started fucking her. She wasn't very vocal but with my vampire senses I could hear her moaning. We both came easily and afterward we started putting together our clothes.

"Come here. I want to close your bite wounds properly." With blushing cheeks, her eyes were even greener. I licked her neck in a lazy way.

"Thank you." She said.

"No. Thank you Maria." I replied. "Off you go now." Still smiling, she surprised me by kissing my cheek and left the room.

Pam came back 10 minutes later.

"So? How was she? Maxwell has tasted her twice and said she was great. But no one has had sex with her yet. The little thing is quite shy."

"Yes, she's tasteful. And has nice breasts. She's quiet thought. But she has nice eyes and a pretty smile."

"You should see her smile now after you had her. She's going to get lots of tips tonight. That's for sure." Pam paused for a few seconds and then added: "So…"

"So…" I repeated.

"You want to sit at the front? Or would you rather go home? Or do you want to talk to me about something? About someone maybe?"

I surrendered to my curiosity. "How is she Pam?"

"She's fine. In Tennessee. She's a waitress as before. And for a were-bear if you can believe! But there is no drama. No boyfriend. She's been dating her boss, but they just hold hands and…"

I couldn't hear Pam talking about Sookie's dates, so I interrupted her: "Does she have money? Is she lacking anything?"

"No. She's all right. Her house in Bon Temps is rented and she gets enough money at the restaurant. It's not like she's rich or something but she isn't lacking anything either."

"Do you meet her often?"

"We talk on the phone every couple of weeks or so. But tonight was actually the first time I have seen her since she moved. It's the first time she has been back too. Look Eric, I'm sorry I smelled like Soo…"

And I definitively couldn't hear her name as well. I interrupted Pam again: "But is she okay Pam? Is she happy?"

"I wouldn't say happy. She's content. She asked about you tonight. Sookie told me…"

It was too hurtful to hear about her. I needed to end this conversation and so I did. "That is enough Pam. That is everything I wanted to know. Do not tell me anything else about her. And I'd rather if you didn't meet her again. I'm not saying that you can't. But I would rather if you did not."

"Okay Eric. But if you want to know anything else…"

"I'll ask. Thank you Pamela. I think that I will go home now."

"A maid has been cleaning there every week so the place should be all right. She's been glamoured so there's no risk. There's also True Blood in the fridge as well".

"Thank you Pam."

"I'm glad you're back Eric."

"I know. Me too. We'll talk tomorrow. I want to see Fangtasia tomorrow. Let's met there at 10 pm."

I kissed her forehead and then I moved out of there. I left my bags at Pam's. She would make sure that they would be delivered to me. I flew home. As soon as I arrived, I took a long shower, watched TV and then went to my room almost an hour before dawn, thinking about Sookie. "She's okay", Pam said. She has a new house and a new job. She wasn't attacked or hurt in the past six months. She is okay. And I should be as well.

So I decided: no more Sookie; no more worrying about her; no more thinking about her. Yes, definitively, no more thinking about her. No. More. Thinking. About. Sookie. Fuck. Whenever I think that I should forget her, I keep remembering.

So… Eric's back and he's still thinking about Sookie. But they are two states away from each other, there's no blood bond and she's been (kind of) dating her boss. So what happens now? Would you rather that he goes after her to Tennessee or do you think that she should be the one coming back to Eric? Or, third hypothesis: they each live their life? And what do you guys think about a Pam's POV? Would you like that?

"Who Says You Can't Go Home" is a song written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora for the rock band Bon Jovi's ninth studio album Have a Nice Day (2005).