A/N: I have had a few comments about the repetitive POV's for the Dallas timeframe and I just wanted to let you know that I intend for each chapter to be a single POV with rotating characters but limited to the three main characters. Also each chapter will be a single day/night in consecutive days unless specifically mentioned within the chapter. I may slip in someone else later on but I haven't planned that far ahead yet. And I apologize for my terrible punctuation! I know I need a beta. I suppose I just get too excited to post the chapters as soon as they're finished having been on the receiving end so many times being an avid fanfic reader myself.

I don't own anything I'm just taking the characters out for a walk.

Godric's POV

Waking up I was expecting our lover to be wedged between us, as she was when the dawn took us under. I notice quickly that she is not between Eric and I as my hands come up empty as they blindly search her out. I felt for her through our growing blood tie and my fangs run down in anger as I discover that she is not here. I know we did not get her verbal agreement but we did ask her - in the note we left before going to rest - if she would stay here during the day and be here when we rose.

"We should have withheld the codes so that she was unable to leave." Eric swore under his breath in his native tongue as we flew out of bed and dressed rapidly. Eric couldn't resist checking the garage to see which vehicle she stole and cursed again as he found that she had taken one of his favourites. I reread her note that she wrote on the back of the one we left for her.

Godric and Eric,

I could hardly tear myself away from your side this morning, but real life calls. My boss is close to firing me for all the time off I've taken lately. My shift is over at 8 I will meet you both at Fangtasia just after 9.

Sleep well My Vampires,

SS

Her double S's curved seductively around each other. I let Eric read her note and with one look we took to the sky and I followed him to her workplace. We land next to a small town bar set back into the forest, which reeks of fried foods and alcohol, the music from the jukebox and the boisterous patrons could be easily heard from where we stood. We made our way inside searching her out easily; she stood out like a mirage in the desert. Even in her uniform of very short black shorts and a white t-shirt and sneakers she looked beautiful to me; my fangs ran down in response. She noticed our arrival, as did every person in the bar. All eyes were on us as we stalked slowly over to where she stood near the bar. Even in this place she still smelt delicious. I didn't notice the shifter behind the bar until Eric growled at him while he stared at us with an angry scowl on his face.

Eric and I were about to face off with the shifter when Jason came up behind us and got our attention.

"Hey guys why don't you join me for a drink while Sook finishes up her shift, she's only got an hour left to go right Sis?"

"That sounds like a plan Jase. Come on guys." Sookie says while gently pulling on each of us to get us to back down. After a few moments we relent and allow her to escort us to a booth in Sookie's area. As soon as we sit down Jason picks up his beer and takes a sip while Sookie took off like a shot back to the bar. We watched her like hawks as she pulls two bottles of Tru Blood and heats them and then places them on a tray and brings them to our table placing one in front of each of us. The shifter all the while scowled at us from behind the bar.

"Thank you Ma Petite." I told her as I raised the bottle to my lips.

"Yes thank you lover." Eric withheld his scowl at the synthetic blood and went through the motions of drinking it for her benefit.

"You're both very welcome, let me know if y'all need anything else." She smiled warmly at us and then went back to work. Jason sat back and watched us while we watched his sister and alternatively the shifter who every so often shot us hateful glares interrupting his own staring at Sookie. His constant attention is starting to rub me the wrong way! I am moments from launching out of this booth and educating the shifter on why his attention is not neither appropriate nor appreciated when Jason started to laugh again. We both whipped towards him and he raised his hands in defence although he did not stop laughing.

"Y'all need to simmer down unless you want to be on the receiving end of Sookie's wrath." Jason told us in a confidential tone quiet enough that no one else would have heard him other than us. Realizing he is right I retract my fangs and Eric follows suit we practically slump into our seats and Jason's laugher increases.

"Stop. That!" Eric commands him eyes flashing dangerously. Jason seems to work to regain his composure for a moment while we both stare at the Formica tabletop as if it was far more interesting than it is.

"You know what she hated the most about dating Bill?" Jason asked once he stopped laughing at our expense, he ignored the growls and fangs at Bill's name and continued to answer his own rhetorical question. "She hated the posturing it makes her feel like you don't trust her."

His insight into his sister resulted in both our fangs retracting and we looked at each other.

"You guys getting along over here?" Sookie caught us off guard, we both turned to look at her feeling a little guilty that she may have noticed our behaviour.

"Of course lover, are you almost finished with your shift?" Eric answered her.

"Almost I just have to wait for Arlene to show up and switch off with me." She told us.

"Don't worry about us Ma Petite Jason is keeping us entertained." I let her know that we didn't mind waiting.

"I'm not sure if I should be glad or worried about that?" She admitted giving me an idea.

"Run along Little one Jason was just telling us an embarrassing story about when you were..." I said just to make her squirm at bit she didn't disappoint.

"I think she was twelve Godric, she sure was awkward at that age especially around my friends." Jason caught on to my plans and jumped right in.

"Jason please don't tell them that story." Sookie looked horrified at her brother I wonder if she pulled something straight from his mind.

"Godric has told you plenty of stories about me it's only fair that we hear ones about you as well." Eric played along although he is being entirely truthful in his wishes to gain similar knowledge of her as I had imparted concerning him.

Twelve year old Sookie story... heard something naughty and repeated it earning her a nickname?

Jason told us the story although I barely paid attention. I went back to watching her work. She flitted about the bar her good mood was infectious and she seemed to anticipate (read straight from their minds) her customers needs making it so that while the other waitresses were run off their feet she practically danced between tables and the bar/kitchen pickup window. Her hips swayed in time with the beat of the music on the jukebox and she hummed along absentmindedly a bright smile on her face. Before too long a hard looking fake red headed woman appeared from the back and Sookie and she spoke briefly. The redhead's gaze narrowed as she took in our table and immediately I could see Sookie tense her shoulders and her smile got even bigger. Her emotions however swirled with anger, sadness, self-consciousness, regret over powering her previously carefree happy bubbling state. They spoke for a few more minutes the redhead still staring at our table although she avoided eye contact until Sookie disappeared down the same hallway that the redhead had appeared from.

Sookie's shifter boss was hot on her trail following her down the hallway I turned back to Eric and Jason to see if they were also watching Sookie and her boss. Jason shook his head slightly and both Eric and I gritted our teeth but we stayed in our seats. As their conversation got louder, our fangs got longer and the harder it was to stay out of it. I raised my eyebrows at Jason, as the entire bar seemed to notice their shouting he finally relented and we practically disappeared as far as the human eye was concerned. We barged into the shifters office and it appeared that we were none too soon. The shifter had her by both arms and was shaking her violently while shouting at her.

"Take your hands off her shifter." We growled and bowed up on him, as soon as he realized his mistake he dropped her arms and she leaned back into our chests and started to rub her arms to regain circulation. He hadn't broken her skin but she would most likely bruise as a result of his carelessness. We growled louder and started to advance on him.

"I'm okay, it was just a misunderstanding no harm done." Sookie said her hands on our forearms in an attempt to restrain us.

"No harm done, Sookie he grabbed you hard enough to bruise your arms. His behaviour is unacceptable." Eric said as he whipped around pointing out her arms in case she hadn't noticed yet.

"He didn't realize he was holding on so tight did you Sam?" Sookie said meekly, defending the shifter.

"I'm sorry Sookie... I don't know what came over me. Forgive me Chere?" He ran his hands through his hair a clear sign of stress as he offered a stilted apology.

"You know exactly what came over you. Don't you dog?" Eric spat.

"Come on lets not resort to name calling. Look Sam I'll see yah later alright... Come on guys lets get out of here." Sookie came between them and it was clear that she was going to allow her boss to treat her poorly out of some misguided attempt to prevent our intervention on her behalf.

It took her a minute to convince us to leave the shifter unharmed and she led us out the back door and towards Eric's Silver CLS. She unlocked the doors and tossed the keys to Eric and slid into the backseat without saying a word. Eric got into the drivers seat and from where I sat I couldn't see her (with Eric's seat pushed back far enough that the seat behind him was unusable). Eric pealed out of the gravel lot spitting gravel everywhere he calmed down half way back to Shreveport though it seems Sookie is not speaking with us. The silence is palpable, someone had to be the first to speak each of us are too stubborn to let it be them everyone waiting for someone else to apologize first.

This could go on for far too long and that is time we simply do not have especially at this critical juncture in our bonding and getting to know one another. So I decided that I would fall on my sword and be the first to break the ice. "Sookie we asked you to remain at Eric's until we rose. Why did you go against our wishes and leave the house alone while we were unable to protect you?" I tried to use my most diplomatic voice a not let my anger show through.

"I left you a note letting you know where I would be. I can't just put my life on hold: I have responsibilities, I have a job, I have bills to pay, and I have a life! You can't just lock me up inside all day while you sleep! I will go crazy." Her voice started in a quiet tone simply explaining her side of things, until she steadily got louder and angrier until she was shouting at us.

"You stubborn irresponsible child you have no clue what could have happened to you while you gallivanted about unprotected do you?" Eric broke and let his angry get the best of him, which only made the situation worse.

"I'm not a child you high handed overbearing jerk!" Sookie screamed back.

"Don't act like one and we won't treat you like one!" Eric retorted his fangs on full display in his anger.

"Eric that is enough, both of you relax!" My attempt to open up the dialog regarding her disobeying our request has not gone as planned.

"I will not! I knew this was a mistake! You'll never treat me like an equal! I'll always be just a worthless human child in your eyes." Sookie's emotions were swirling and passed over from angry to regret and fear and even more troubling resignation.

"Enough." I had to put a stop to this train wreck before it tore us apart before we had a chance to even begin.

We pulled up behind Fangtasia Eric killed the engine and leap out of the vehicle and Sookie started to cry: all our hard work lost to our collective stubborn wills. I opened my door and got out and then opened hers and leaned in and pulled her into my arms. At least she didn't fight me though she sobbed harder her tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Shhhh, Ma Petite. We will work this out. You will see. Everything will be fine. Shhhh" I walked slowly to the back door which Eric had left ajar while rubbing her back soothingly. I went straight to Eric's office and sat down on the couch Sookie's legs straddling mine until her sobs abated and she drifted off to sleep exhausted her fingers still twisting a piece of my hair.

I went into downtime while I waited for Sookie to wake and Eric to return from the bar. When he did he was still angry and how he didn't wake her I'm not sure unless she is not really asleep.

"Eric you must calm down." I told him as he threw himself into his chair behind his desk so hard the spring threatened to snap.

"How can you be so calm Godric? How are we going to keep her safe if she won't listen to the simplest of instructions? She will be the death of us won't she?" He didn't seem angry anymore, he seems unsure and I dare say scared.

"That is quite likely my Childe." I told him truthfully. I have no intentions of outliving her she is my reason for continuing this existence of mine.

"I'm not sure I can accept that." He words sharp and cold.

"The risk is worth the reward. Just for this. Holding her in my arms as she sleeps." I could see how his eyes softened as he looked at her even though he fought so hard against it.

"Caring for her - allowing her to take root - it is weakness." He tried to rationalize as if we had a say in the mater.

"I would do anything for her. Go up against anything. That doesn't make me weak, that makes me unpredictable." I told him truthfully.

It's clear that Eric needs some time alone and I'm sure that the last place Sookie wants to be is here so with her still in my arms I take my leave. I don't want to bother with the car and flying is so much quicker. We make good time the night is clear and warm with hardly any wind at all. Eric's home is just as we left it and I make our way directly down into his day chamber and settle us laying facing one another in the middle of the bed. I watch her as she sleeps holding her lightly my face pressed into her chest.

After a short while she awakes with a start and I roll away to turn on one of the bedside lamps so that she can see. When I turn back she has pulled herself up against the headboard her arms wrapped around her knees, her chin resting on the backs of her hands. We stare into one another's eyes for a few moments until she speaks.

"You know it's not like I was running around all willy nilly without a care in the world... I was careful. I had Jason meet me at home and I only got out of the car after checking for brains and even though it gave me a headache I kept my shields down almost the whole day." She told me in explanation not changing her posture and keeping eye contact.

"While I am glad to hear this. I hope you can understand our perspective as well little one?" I said quietly, as I settled my head to rest in my palm my arm bent to raise myself off the bed.

"But it's me that is in danger?" She whispered.

"Hurting you is the best way to hurt us." The thought of her being hurt as a way to hurt Eric or myself made my chest constrict.

"Oh, I didn't think about it that way." She admitted her big blue eyes wide.

"I think that we all need to remember to walk in the others shoes before we react stubbornly. Until you mentioned it, it didn't occur to me that you might have prior responsibilities." I suggested attempting to gently introduce my point of view.

"It didn't?" She questioned.

"It has been a very long time since either of us has had someone else to worry about and besides our Sheriff duties most other tasks are delegated to staff and other employees." I told her realizing that she knew almost nothing about our lives.

"Really, like everything?" She asked me curiously.

"I don't even buy my own clothes, Pamela has seen to it since Eric made her: she has a bit of a shopping addiction." I said smiling at Eric's indulgence of Pam's almost every wish.

"I suppose that would be nice for you I really don't like shopping much." She admitted and I filed the information away for later use.

"She is so bad that I had to ask Eric to command her only shop for me on a quarterly basis. The nest was being constantly inundated with parcels so much so I had to have several employees dedicated to opening and sorting them all." She started to laugh so hard she finally relaxed her posture and slid down on the bed next to me again.

"So now that you're not a Sheriff anymore what will you do?" She asked me searching my face for answers.

"I plan to be with you of course, and Eric and I'm sure we will see Pamela more now that we are living in the same Area." I hadn't really thought about how I would spend my time other than wanting to spend it with her.

"But what about my job, how will I support myself? I have a house that is mine but I still have to earn enough to pay the upkeep, which on an older house isn't cheep." Again she brought up her obligations and demeaning job with the shifter as if she would never do anything other than work as a waitress and live in a run down old home.

I furrowed my brows in question and she smiled and used her thumb to smooth them out.

"Do you think you will get bored?" I asked trying to get to the real issue.

"No of course not but I just can't just quit my job. I just can't." Sookie told me stubbornly.

"I don't understand..."

After a minute of staring at each other Sookie said: "Okay I think we need to.. how did you put it before... Walk in my shoes for a bit okay?"

"Alright Little one..."

"My parents died when I was seven and Jason and I we went to live with our Gran. She did the best she could to raise us. She supplemented her retirement and pension income with odd jobs and she sold some of her baking and crafts over the years to make ends meet. We never wanted for anything, but we didn't have much. As soon as I was able to I got a job and started to help with groceries and fixing up the house. Gran never let me contribute to the bills or anything she wanted me to use the money for myself. Anyhow it's just been Gran and I in the old farmhouse ever since Jase moved into Mamma and Daddy's old place when he turned eighteen. He has his own place to look after but he still pitches in with the stuff that we couldn't do ourselves. And now that Gran is gone it's up to me to keep the house up like she used to; there has been a Stackhouse in residence for the last 150 years."

I listened to her tell me how difficult her childhood was and I could feel how much she loved and respected her Gran. "I wish I could have met her Little One she sounds like a great lady." I told her my fingers underneath her chin so that I could peer into her blue eyes.

"She really was. I miss her so much, more than Mamma, even more than Daddy. I can hardly remember them now; I was so little when they died." I could see her pain in her eyes though she did not shed a tear she held strong.

I pulled her into my arms and just held her for a moment. So much death for such a short life she really is stronger than she gives herself credit. If only she would let us take some of the burden for her: she doesn't have to do it alone anymore.

"I know that we are asking you to make changes to your life to accommodate us, and it probably seems like everything is changing all at once." I said into her hair as I held her tightly to me.

"It really does." She said mournfully.

"It's hard for us to change too you know. After thousands of years it's hard to let someone else in and even harder to remember to let you have a say in how things are done. As Eric's Maker he defers to me always; this is the nature of our relationship. There are times where he might take the lead. Sometimes it is beneficial for others to not know that I am older than he is and because of our appearances assumptions are made. This strategy has served us well in the past." I attempted to explain more of why we might react the way we do having led the long lives we have led.

She popped her head up her eyes wide: "not everyone can tell? How could they miss that it's so obvious it is to me at least."

"How can you tell?" I asked her puzzled by her comment.

"It's your aura: it's huge, and your glow is brighter than his." She tells me letting me know how truly special she really is.

"I didn't realize that you could see that." I tell her.

"It makes it pretty easy to spot a vamp even with my shields up." Now she sounds a bit cocky.

"Yes that is how we seem to each other as well, although it is only the older vampires that can discern any difference indicative of age or strength." I tell her so that she knows that she has an advantage over even younger vampires.

"Oh..." She says in a contemplative tone lowering her face back into my chest.

"What if I promise to try and explain to you why we need to do something as long as there is time? Sometimes we will have to act to protect you and explain when we are able to. It's important that you trust us though or we won't be able to keep you safe." I gently raise her chin so that I can see her eyes while I speak.

"I guess I can try." She tells me.

"That's a good start." I wanted to just leave it at that but the subject of her job with the shifter still bothered me. "Little one about your job..."

"What about it?" She cuts me off her indignant tone letting me know to tread carefully.

"Would you consider taking some time off at least until we form the bond and can hire some guards and teach you self defence. It would go along way to easing our concerns for your safety especially while we are dead for the day." I say.

"I suppose I could switch to just night shifts but that wouldn't give us much time to spend with one another if I have to work all the time." She counters still adamant to hold onto her menial job.

"Why don't we start with some time off while we bond and get things sorted out then we will figure it out later?" I ask.

"Alright I guess I could see if Sam will give me some more time off. How does a week sound?" She offers as a compromise.

"It sounds short but it will have to do Ma Petite. Do you want to call him now?" I agree a sliver of hope emerging.

"Yeah I guess I should get it over with sooner rather than later." She doesn't seem very excited to make this call.

She took the phone I offered her and dialled a number from memory and pressed send her lips pursed in anticipation. I could hear the other end of the call of course and at first the call went fine the shifter was apologizing for being rough with her earlier and she forgave him of course. When she asked for time off he lost it, he berated her up on side and down the other mostly for associating with Vampires. She has not gotten a word in edgewise in a few minutes when I got her attention and held my hand out for the phone. She reluctantly handed it over and I interrupted his rant.

"Shifter as Sookie's boss it is inappropriate for you to make her uncomfortable and belittle her for her life choices. She has called to inquire if she can take a week off from your place of business if this will leave you short staffed I'm sure my Childe could provide a suitable replacement so as to not inconvenience you. It's for Sookie's safety that she is taking the time off and other than that it really is none of your business unless she chooses to share the details with you herself." He grumbled fine in response and asked to speak to Sookie again. I gave her back the phone and listened to him try to apologize again she of course forgave him and hung up.

"Thanks, I didn't know how to get him to listen long enough to tell him what was going on." She's so cute one minute she is fierce and stubborn enough to stand her ground against both Eric and I and then she flips a switch and shows her vulnerabilities with no concern that I might take advantage.

"If he can't be happy for you when you are, he isn't really a friend that is worth all the trouble he puts you through." I say hoping that one day she will realize that she is worthy of much better.

"I don't have enough friends that I can afford to let them go so easily." She tells me dejectedly.

"Have you eaten yet Ma Petite?" I ask her. It's time to distract her from well from everything. I can feel that she is hungry and this seems like the perfect distraction.

"No I completely forgot in all the excitement, I guess I should see about that huh?" She tells me.

"Why don't we see what Eric's day man has stocked the kitchen with, yes?" I say as I pull us from the bed and we exit the room.

"I was here when he arrived; he scared the crap out of me. And then well lets just say he doesn't think much of me that's for sure." Her words anger me.

"What? He was rude to you? Eric and I will have words with him." I say making a note to tell Eric of this as soon as I see him.

"Godric you can't get after everyone who doesn't like me. And he wasn't rude he just wasn't thinking very nice thoughts and people can't really help what they think for the most part." She tells me, giving me insight into her gift.

"It is still inappropriate that he has any opinion on you whatsoever he is paid to do a job not for his opinions on who we fall in love with." I tell her as we walk towards the kitchen through the main living areas.

"You love me?" She asks her shock reverberating through our blood tie.

"I suppose I could have said that in a bit more romantic setting..." I say bashfully I really need to watch what I say around her. She has that effect on me though and I can't help but be truthful and sincere.

She threw herself into my arms and kissed me for all she was worth. She almost distracted me from our original mission of getting her food. I pulled away letting her get some much needed oxygen and with her still attached her legs wrapped around my waist I carried her into the kitchen and set her down on the edge of the counter across from the fridge. I gave her a small peck on the lips and raised my eyebrows and she hopped off the counter and buzzed around making something to eat. I thought she should eat something more substantial than cereal but she claimed that was all she wanted and so we went back downstairs hand in hand after she finished her bowl and washed it and set it on the counter to dry.

"Shower?" She quirked her eyebrow in question and I grabbed her up and had us in the shower before she caught her breath. She laughed the entire time I undressed her and I made very short work of my own and turned the water on and letting it fall over our bodies. We simply washed one another slowly reverently for far longer than necessary both enjoying the touch of the others hands on our skin. We dried one another off and I could tell that Sookie was looking for something.

"What are you looking for?" I asked her.

"Oh, moisturizer, I packed a bag while I was at home. It's in the trunk but we left it at Fangtasia; I guess I can wait until Eric gets home." She tells me making me seriously regret our earlier fight.

"Hold still." I sped out of the bathroom and into Pamela's suite and soon had my arms filled with what appeared to be what my Sookie was asking for. I lugged everything I could carry back to Eric's bathroom and set it down on the counter.

"What's all this?" She asked with both eyebrows raised.

"Pamela." She started to laugh and look over the bottles and she picked one and dabbed some onto her fingers and then applied it to her face and neck.

"All done." She smiled.

"It's a wonder what the rest are for?" I asked absentmindedly eying the multiple bottles that seemingly did similar things.

"I have no idea. I've never been much of a high maintenance a girl I mostly just stick to the basics." She tells me.

"I agree! Even Eric uses more than I could even identify correctly." She threw her head back and laughed as I pointed out the products that Eric had about his bathroom counters.

"You are beautiful when you laugh." I told her and as she calmed I kissed her passionately pulling her into my naked body pressing my hardness into her letting her feel how she affected me. She moaned and wrapped her tongue around my fangs her fingers pulling at my hair and scratching my back lightly at first.

I moved us onto the bed and kept my weight off of her letting my free hand wander over her curves. I found her wet and ready for me and I pulled back and looked into her eyes gaining permission. She nodded and I placed myself at her entrance and went back to kissing her, battling her tongue for dominance, as I pushed slowly inch by aching inch into her warm wet cunt: so tight and warm.

"Oh my god." She cried out as I buried myself to the hilt inside her. Pausing to let her adjust I trailed kisses down her jaw and throat, across her collarbone. She rolled her hips urging me to move. I pulled out almost all the way only to slam back inside. She cried out in shock. I set a slow pace but soon she cried out for me to speed up. The sensation of sliding in and out of her hot wet tight cunt almost sent me over the edge as she clamped down preventing me from moving without hurting her. She clawed at my back drawing blood as she came.

I pulled out and flipped her over and pulled her hips flush with mine impaling her onto my rock hard cock. I flicked her clit gently as I pounded into her from behind; she came a second time pulling me with her milking my seed as I came deep inside her. I sank my fangs into the back of her neck drawing her sweet nectar into me bringing her another release while we rode out our aftershocks still pumping lazily into her.

She collapsed and I gathered her up and placed her beneath the covers and held her until her breathing evened out and she fell asleep. We lay there her sleeping me in downtime until Eric finally came home an hour before dawn. He entered the room quietly. I noticed that he inhaled sharply, no doubt smelling the sex and blood that still lingered in the air. His eyes dilated and his fangs ran out. He raked his eyes hungrily over our prone forms and made his way over at human speed shedding his clothing along the way. He crawled into the bed and hovered over us waiting for me to acknowledge him. He leaned in and nudged me with his nose. I swatted him away not in the mood to deal with him right now.

He sighed and tossed himself onto his back on the other side of the bed.

"Don't tell me your angry with me as well?" He said petulantly.

"No I'm am frustrated with you, that you cannot see her point of view. That you don't care to see her point of view." I told him.

"But Godric..." Eric whined.

"Don't we could have completed the second mutual exchange tonight and been one step closer to bonding with her if you hadn't pushed her like you did." I told him.

"She is so irrational. She doesn't listen when all we want is to keep her safe." He pleaded with me.

"Maybe if you listened to her, her choices wouldn't seem so irrational to you." I told him my eyes closed as I inhaled Sookie's scent to try and calm myself.

"She gave you a reasonable reason to have left the safety of my home to work for the shifter?" He asked me seemingly incredulous that she could possibly have had something to say worth listening to.

"Her actions made perfect sense to her. Eric you have to remember that she isn't wired like we are. She hasn't had to think of her safety first always expecting someone to attack she hasn't lived that sort of life Eric." I tell him.

"All the more reason for her to listen to us so that we can keep her safe." Eric says missing the point completely.

"Eric do you remember when I first turned you? Remember how you felt? How long it took to adjust?" I tell him hoping to remind him of something that he has apparently forgotten.

"But she is mortal we can't wait for years for her to come around we have to..." Eric says his voice revealing how much he cares for her.

"You see my Childe. We have to teach her quickly for her to survive in our world as well as for her to accept being a part of our world. But it isn't going to be easy and we need to make it easier on her not harder by letting our own stubborn natures get in the way."

"Yes Master you are right as always."

"Come here my Childe"

We embraced for a time; Eric laying his larger frame overtop my smaller one enveloping me in his arms.

"In the church..." Eric said almost to quietly for me to hear his face pressed into my neck. I knew what he wanted to know, I have been dreading this conversation for nights now.

"Yes my Childe?" I let him know that I am willing to answer him.

"You were going to meet the sun weren't you?" He asked still pressed into my neck clutching to me as if I were attempting to flee.

"Yes I had planned to meet the sun. I have grown increasingly apathetic to our kind and how we treat others who we perceive to be a weaker species. Two thousands years is a long time and you really don't need me anymore." I tell him.

"That isn't true Godric I do need you just look at the mess I made of things tonight. Without you surely things would have been so much worse: I might have lost her forever." He pleads with me his fear returning.

"Are you ready to admit that you care for her then?" I ask him refocusing on Sookie and away from my misguided attempt to meet the sun.

"You know that I do..." He tells me.

"She will need reassurance Eric she has not had many in her life that she could count on and after what Bill has done to her I fear she will hold out a little piece of herself not allowing herself to love and be loved like she deserves." I let him know.

"I will try to remember that. It a shame that he met her first though isn't it?" He promises and laments things that we cannot change.

"Yes but our experiences makes us who we are and in the end we are stronger for them." I tell him hoping that what I say is true for her.

He kissed me my fangs ran down and clashed with his already extended fangs. We explored each other's bodies reacquainting ourselves again after so many years. We rolled to the side so that we didn't wake Sookie who was still sleeping deeply our limbs tangling. I had missed him these many years apart but I wanted him to have his own life free to make his own life, his own mistakes without his maker watching over him. He needed to grow and he could not do so as close as we had become and remain since the night I turned him. Most makers release their progeny after a dozen years or at least a few centuries but Eric stayed with me seven hundred years. He made Pamela not long after I released him and left him in Northern Europe to make his own way.

Eric kissed and licked down my jaw and throat he started making a keening noise and I could feel how badly he wanted to bite me through our bond. He was practically whimpering with the effort it took to restrain himself. I bore my neck to him and he struck hard and fast drawing deeply his hand searching out my hard cock. Stroking his length in my own hand I sunk my own fangs deep into his neck. His blood flowed into my mouth my tongue flowing over the punctures even as they healed urging more blood to flow. I struck again the feeling of which pushed us over the edge and he came in my hand as I did in his. Sated and happy we curled up around Sookie and let the dawn take us for the day once more.