AN: Thank you to ljhjelm49 and erin1705 for reviewing xx

ALL RIGHTS GO TO CHARLAINE HARRIS!

Chapter forty-five

Sookie's POV

"Annika, stand still" I order her as I try to brush through her hair; she came into the main room a few minutes ago asking me to brush through her hair and braid it for her. But she won't stay still long enough for me to even get the brush near her hair.

"Princess, do as your mother asks. If you really want to go stay at Sapphire's house for a sleep over, you need to stay still" Eric tells her firmly as he comes into the room, Zach following closely behind him. After spending that night with Eric at the bar, he has started trying to be like his father. He's even dressing similar. It's rather funny when you think about it, but it is also really sweet and cute. A little Eric.

"Mom, you're dropping me off, aren't you?" Annika probes. Sapphire is Alcide's little girl, she is a year and a half younger than our Annika and Zach, but they all get along like a house on fire. But then again, I would expect them to. They did practically grow up together. Alcide, as you can imagine, is a close family friend so when his little girl came about we were all ecstatic for him. And to know that Annika and Zach would have at least one permanent friend while growing up, meant the world to me. I only want the best for them.

"Your dad and I will be dropping you two off on the way to see Ammy" I tell her as I finally get to the actual stage of braiding her hair.

"What? But, mom, I didn't think I was going. I thought it was just Annika, I thought I was going over to see Sam?"

"You would have, Zach, but Sam isn't very well so he can't have you round. But what's wrong with Uncle Alcide?" I demand, my eyes flickering to him.

To be honest, Sam isn't actually ill, he's actually got a date tonight but I knew for a fact Zach would not be happy if I told him that. At least by telling him Sam is sick, he won't get too upset about not seeing him.

"Nothing, I guess I just prefer Uncle Sam. He lets me help pour the drinks out at his bar"

"Does he now?" Eric jumps straight in there, anger obviously rising in him. I don't think Eric takes well to the thought that his son might have been subjected to alcohol.

"Eric, you can't say much. You took him to a Vampire bar last night. And in my opinion that is worse than a family bar. Anyway, knowing Sam, he probably only let Zach pour out general drinks, like orange juice, not alcohol"

"I still do not appreciate someone allowing my child to do work in a bar, whether it be pouring out alcohol or orange juice. At least when he was with me he did not interact with actually bar area. He sat in the office with me, and I am fully capable of protecting him"

"I didn't say you weren't" I mumble, knowing full well that I got him there.

"There you go, now you two go get your things. You're sleeping over" I motion towards the stairs where they race each other up the stairs and towards their bedrooms. Hmm, to say Zach was so against going, he seems to be getting excited anyway. Maybe it's just the prospect that he will have a night away from us, or maybe he is actually starting to look at the perks of staying over at Sapphire's. I am pretty sure he fancies her, even if he doesn't know it. They get on so well and she is always cuddling him.

"Sookie, what did Ammy text you?" Eric has been worried sick about her. Seeing as she can block their bond whenever she wants, it prevents Eric from being able to see if she is okay. Which means that we are left with just believing what she tells us. Whether it be true or not.

"She said that she was back from that place, she felt a bit rough around the edges, but other than that she is perfectly fine and that we shouldn't worry about her. Do you really think she will appreciate us just dropping in like this?"

"It does not matter if she does or not. We are doing this so that we can put our minds at rest, she worries us both most of the time" ah, he's right there. Ammy may not be my biological child, but she worries me chronically.

Ammy's POV

I hated seeing him like that last night; I couldn't sleep due to all that worry building up within me. So now I am completely exhausted, I'm surprised that I'm even still standing. I should have rested last night like the doctor recommended, but how could I sleep knowing that Alec was suffering over his little brother's death? He needed, and still does need, my support, but he wouldn't let me help him. He just drank himself silly and fell unconscious after a while. Luckily by the time it had gotten to that point I had got him into bed, but he was sprawled out all over the bed so I ended up sleeping on the couch. Well, maybe not sleeping considering that none of that actually went on. I think I spent most of the night crying, I felt so rejected by him. It was like I was no longer wanted by him anymore, I know that he is distraught; I would be as well, but to get drunk and push me away like that? It hurt me. It really did. I felt as though I couldn't help him, I felt as though he didn't want me around. In fact, he said he wanted me to go away so he could be on his own.

But I didn't go away; I stayed here and waited for him to shout my name so that I could go comfort him. He needs to be comforted and he needs support right now, but he wasn't having any of that last night because he wouldn't let me within an inch of him until he was so drunk that he could barely pronounce his name. As I walk into the room he begins to groan as he tosses around on the bed, mumbling something about his head feeling like it's about to explode.

"Here" I tell him as I place an aspirin and a glass of water on the bedside table for him.

"Cheers" he grumbles as he sits up and downs the tablet the water.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I just died" he whimpers, his arm resting over his eyes.

"I'm sorry" I tell him before turning around and going to leave the room.

"Ammy, you look terrible. What's with all those bandages? You look tired, all under your eyes are puffy and bruised" he points out, only making me feel even better. Not.

"I used all my energy protecting both mine and our baby's life, and then I stayed up all night worrying about you. As for the bandages, well, that's what you get when you get thrown around by a crazy shadow woman. The baby is okay, thanks for asking" I answer him sarcastically before walking out of the room. I know I am being hard on him, but he isn't being responsible at all. I know losing a family member is painful, but to get drunk off your ass and not even ask your wife how her and the baby are after you know she has been fighting evil spirits. Well, that just isn't even on. He has my sympathy, in fact, I feel upset over Jack's death, but you don't see me getting drunk or being neglectful of those around me.

Alec's POV

What is her problem? What have I done to deserve that, I don't think I have even fully registered what she was even saying. What was she saying? There was something about a shadow woman, being thrown about, worry and lack of sleep. Then she said something about a baby.

"Shit" I course out loud when I finally register everything. Stupid alcohol for screwing up my memory. I have just screwed up my relationship. I should have been there for her last night, I promised her I would be there when she woke up but I wasn't. Instead I was sat here at home getting drunk off my ass and then when she comes home I don't even ask her how she or the baby is? Now that is just screwed up. I'm a terrible person. I need to sort this out.

"Ammy" I call out as I manage to drag my sorry ass out of bed and out of the bedroom where I head towards the kitchen.

When I get in there I find Ammy sat on the floor crying, my heart breaking at the sight. I drop down onto the floor next to her, my pounding head now forgotten about.

"I'm so sorry. I should have been there for you, I should have soothed and comforted you, not you trying to do that for me" I apologise, but as I go to wrap my arm around her she shakes off my gesture, throwing me a tearful glare.

"I don't think sorry is even enough to make up for this. I know you're hurting over Jack's death, but to act like this and break your promise, it's disgraceful. You have not only hurt my feeling, but you have made me feel as though I am not wanted by you. I feel as though that Vodka bottle you kept drinking out of last night was worth more to you than this baby or me were" she admits, my heart ripping apart at her words.

"I…I didn't mean for you to feel like that. I…I'm in the wrong, I shouldn't have done that. I'm really sorry, Ammy, I really am. If I could reverse time I would, I hate seeing you like this. I will do anything, and I mean anything, to make this up to you. Please, I need you and you need me. You're my wife, my pregnant wife, I love you. I don't want you to leave me" I murmur the last part, hating how much of a pussy I sound. But I actually find that now that I think about it, I don't care. This is what marriage is. It's about showing the one you love exactly what you feel, being able to open up to each other about anything and everything. This is what I should have done last night instead of getting drunk and pushing her away. I should have sat down with her and opened up to her. That would have been better than drowning my sorrows.

"I could never leave you, Alec" she tells me as she cuddles up my side, causing me to wrap her up in my arms tightly.

"I will never mistreat you like that again. I promise. You and this baby, you're my responsibility; I need to focus on you guys. You're my family" I whisper in her ear. Dad was right; I need to concentrate on what I have left, rather than on what I have lost. It kills me to know that Jack is gone, he was my little brother, and that pain will always be there. But I need to focus on the positives right now; after all, Ammy and this baby are the things that will get me through this. Ammy's my rock; she's there to support me, just like I am there to support her. I need her, and I regret how I treated her last night. I will never ever let that happen again.

"Have I been asleep all day?"

"Pretty much" she laughs dryly through a yawn.

"I think it's time you had some sleep, come on" I stand up before picking her up in my arms. She looks so exhausted, and that makes me feel so guilty knowing that it's my fault that I prevented her from sleeping. But I am going to make this up to her, I don't know how right now. But I will.

AN (please read): I think there shall only be another 6 chapters for this story.

These are my ideas for the next 6 chapters:

Next chapter: Alec makes it up to Ammy (next day). Unless you want to view the conversation between Eric, Sookie and Alec (seeing as Ammy is asleep) and if that is the case I will write that at the beginning of the chapter and then in the second half of the chapter go on to the next day.

2nd chapter: Ammy talks to the other Angels about her discovery revolving around the Angel's previous research.

3rd chapter: Wedding (Eric and Sookie).

4th chapter: Possibly second half to the wedding (if needed).

5th chapter: Birth of the Northman's fourth child.

6th chapter: Epilogue.

All opinions on these ideas would be greatly appreciated and if there is anything you wish to see happen or would like to know just tell me and I will fit it in somewhere, even if it involves another chapter or two. But please do tell me your thoughts, I would really like to know if that is okay for you all, and all these chapter could get changed or altered slightly as I write them.

So, please let me know what you think xx