Here we go folks. Another step closer!

Chapter 8: Torch Song –Shady Bard

Sookie

As Jason pulled into her driveway, she looked through the windshield at her home. She shivered as she remembered the last time she had seen the house almost a month ago. Her friend had been shot and then a couple days later she had been kidnapped with Lafayette right off her front porch.

Now as she looked at the porch, she saw Lafayette sitting in the same space he had been sitting when they had been taken. Sookie's breath caught in her throat and she shivered. She felt Jason slide his hand over hers and pat it reassuringly. She looked to him and gave him a shaky smile and a nod.

He parked the car and grabbed her bag out of the bed of the truck as she clambered out.

Lafayette waited for her and she walked up the stairs holding her arms out to embrace him. She inhaled his spicy sweet scent and she felt tears flood her eyes. She whispered into his chest, "Thank you, Lafayette."

She hadn't thanked him for saving her. But he had. She had been afraid when she saw his eyes light with magic and release him from his prison. He then killed Russell as he slept during the day, thinking there was no way Lafayette and Sookie could escape him. He had underestimated or simply had not known of the centuries old magic Lafayette had inherited from his ancestors.

Lafayette pulled back from her and wiped her face with the corner of the pink and gold scarf he had wrapped around his head that was trailing behind him. She smiled at him weakly. "Baby girl, I's would do anythin' fo you. Anyway, I've lost count of all the times you's saved my sweet black ass."

She smiled and beckoned him to come inside with her with a tilt of her head towards the door. She walked into her house and inhaled the Stackhouse family smell in. All she had been smelling lately was filtered air with hints of illness, disinfectant, and the distinctive smell of hospital. She clicked on the living room light and found she felt better being home already.

Lafayette pushed her over to the couch and sat her down. He put a blanket over her lap, but he uncovered her feet and gestured to the coffee table. She now noticed he had laid out nail colors and said, "Pick one. I seen in the hospital yo feet were nasty as hell. Toenails like talons or some shit, hookuh."

She blushed, but smiled and pointed to a bright ruby red. For the rest of the night she relaxed on the couch with Lafayette and Jason as they channel surfed. She wasn't better. She wasn't even close to healed, but Jason and Lafayette in her home made her feel unimaginably better. Less afraid, less despair, less desolate.

Altogether less.

For the rest of the evening she relaxed and waited to see what madness would greet her now that she was home, without the ability to limit those who called on her.

Eric

Eric sat on his throne, night after fucking annoying night. The first week back, he wondered if Pam was playing some elaborate prank on him, glamouring all the patrons of the bar to be as needy and disgusting as they possibly could be. But then he realized that a prank like that would take major effort and dedication on her part. And she was extremely lazy.

After one night she would tire of the game and find something or a long-legged someone to entertain her. That was Pam. No, they really were this horrendous and repulsive.

In their bond, Eric felt Sookie moving in the general direction of Bon Temps. She was going home. He sighed thinking of her there. Right now he was in hell. Suddenly Pam was by his side, concern filling their maker-child bond.

She growled in frustration when she didn't find anything amiss around him. "Sookie?" she asked tensely.

He nodded, without looking at her and she stormed off to the office, pulling a long legged brunette with her.

Eric smirked at his spoiled child. He truly hoped his child didn't ever fall in love that way he had with Sookie. The way in which one person pretty much ruined you for all others. Sookie had done this to him, and she didn't even know it.

Eric growled low at the thought. He wasn't tame. He wasn't some sad sap who fucking moped after a fucking girl! Which is exactly what Sookie was. He had loved her. He was given the shaft. Now it was time for him to move the hell on.

Okay. What did he use to do every night? Well, first he relished his time on the throne, being adored and lusted after by the masses. Second, he would tend to any area business. Third, he would rate women in the club, and when deciding which one would be tastiest in every sense of the word, he would take them to his office or to the dungeon and do whatever the hell he wanted with them.

He would do this tonight and every night until he was over her.

Sookie

On her first night back, the vampire she wasn't expecting on seeing first was Pam. But she was. She cruised up in a minivan. A man was in the passenger seat and she wondered what the hell she was going to be asked now.

It was dark out, but Sookie could see that of all shades of the rainbow that a minivan could be, Pam's was pink. She smirked as she headed to her front door to let Pam in.

Sookie opened the door and waited for Pam and the man to get on the porch. Pam held a legal document of some sort and a pen. Her heels clicked across the porch and she held the document over to Sookie.

"Sign these and date. Then hand them to Mr. Cataliades here," she prattled out as if she was speaking to a four year old. "He is our attorney and our notary. Then this pile of bricks in this backwater is yours once again. There is a copy there for you as well," she finished in a bored tone.

She said it coldly, eyeing Sookie as if Sookie had recently tried to silver her.

Sookie shrugged her shoulders and took the papers, which happened to be the deeds to her home. Sookie was shocked. She expected different from Eric. He was probably doing this because of Russell taking her. She signed them and dated them.

"Congratulations Miss Stackhouse, on the acquisition of your home," Mr. Cataliades said kindly as he signed all of the copies. Sookie liked Mr. Cataliades. He had kind eyes and if he detected any awkwardness between Sookie and Pam, he didn't acknowledge it or make it worse.

She nodded her head at both Pam and Mr. Cataliades. "Not be rude, but anything else?" she asked.

Pam raised an eyebrow, rolled her venom filled eyes at Sookie, and turned on her heel. Sookie stared after her then looked to Mr. Cataliades. He shrugged, giving her another one of his warm smiles. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Stackhouse. I hope to see you soon."

Sookie returned the smile as best she could, nodding her head in agreement and shut the door as he walked towards the van.

Sookie breathed out a sigh of relief, leaning against the door. She didn't even know that had been something weighing heavily on her until now. She had never been worried about Eric kicking her out. She knew he cared and that he had bought the house as a power-play move.

But she had never expected him to just give her back her house without a word. It led her to believe one thing. Eric Northman must be done with her. She looked down at the rug. The rug that he had crept around so as not to dirty it when he was cursed. She closed her eyes as she imagined his sweet, angelic face smiling up at her as he rested his head on her lap. She closed her eyes as pain swept through her.

"Baby girl, the fact that you feel pain, believe it or not, it's an improvement. A week ago you were numb to everything and bustin' shit up in order to feel anythin'. You'll be alright. Come here," Lafayette encouraged her with open arms.

Sookie walked slowly to him and rested her cheek against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back soothingly. She yawned and he said she needed to sleep, which she nodded to in agreement. She walked to her room and after getting ready for bed, she laid in her Gran's old bed.

Jason called before she fell asleep to check in on her once more. She reassured him as best she could before falling into a deep sleep.

Right now we are in Angstville. But I will make it up to you, I promise!